The Pyromaniac

Fire… So much fire. The smoke burned my lungs, it hurt my eyes. A pillar fell onto my mom. Tried to get her out. To save her. Dead. She’s dead. Sister? Where!? Save her, then save yourself.

Pain. Can’t move. Can’t breathe. See sister. Save sister! Can’t. Helpless.

Monster! Must save little sister! Get up! Can’t… Monster levitates little sister in front of her. Cackles.

A pony came out of nowhere! Save little sister...! Too late… Little sister burning, crying out…

Monster leaves… Heroes leave… Passing out…

It had been three days since Aya first arrived. The day before they met a strange mare named the One Punch Mare, who wrecked a hole in their base. Today, the team would go after the one who burned down the cathedral. The Pyromaniac.

“So…” Aya said, staring at her new team. They each wore a black uniform with a mask covering their faces.

“These are our uniforms. Simple, but efficient.” Twilight stated. “Okay, team M.I.S.T., Rade and Aya will stay here and wait for the analysis to complete, and Brea, try to get some training done with that gun. Pose- I mean Thorn and I will check the alleyways around the cathedral while Firefly and Three- NRG and Mareodor are going to check the cathedral itself. Any questions?”

Surprise raised her hoof, “What about me?”

“Oh, uh, right… You’ll, um… You’ll stay here so you can, y’know, teleport Rade and Aya to our coordinates.” Mist said. Surprise’s ears flattened.

“Oh… O-okay, I can do that.”

“Let’s get going.” Mist ordered as she and the other ran off. Aya looked to Surprise with pity.

“Cheer up, we’re just scrambling to become official.” The Human said.

“Sure…” Surprise mumbled as she started to trot away.

Aya placed her hand to her chin. “Why don’t you take care of Banana Fluff, she’s in her room. She lost her mother and sister, it’s gotta be tough.”

Surprise looked back towards Aya, her ears perked. “Why?”

“You seem like the sort that’s good with kids. She’s hurting, I can tell, and she needs someon- somepony to help her. You helped make One Punch Mare happy.”

“Okay! I’ll be in her room until you girls need me!” Surprise said on the verge of squealing. She blinked away, leaving Radiance and Aya the only two people in the room.

Aya shifted a little and Radiance humphed.

“That was different and you know it.” Radiance said sternly.

“I know but this is best for her. She seems a bit… Depressed compared to Fili-Second. I know something happened, so I’m pushing her to someon- pony that needs help.” Aya said, smirking.

“That sounds like something Lance would say…” Radiance grumbles.

“I saw how he talked and added my own ‘motherly instincts’ as Posey says. And from what I hear, he’s a bit too… involved. What my nephew doesn’t know is that problems, though we want to help in any way we can, don’t always need us.” Aya said as she started to make her way towards the labs. Radiance looked down in deep concentration. She made her way to follow, thinking about what she’d been doing for Twilight.

“Those are… Wise words.”

“Just something that comes naturally. Parts of my past pop up in my head, showing me what my past would do. So to tell you the truth, I don’t know where these thoughts come from.”

Radiance nods to herself as she stares at Aya.

Firefly hovered next to Applejack who was moving dibree.

“She’s so infuriating! She lied to us and refused our help, then she becomes worse than she was when we met her!” Firefly fumed, face red. “So many ponies died here because she didn’t help!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah, she got these ponies killed because she chased after you… You’re as skilled an investigator as Batmare and Daring Do combined...” Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she continued to work on the building. She fused parts of it in place, making the Cathedral more stable.

“Knew you’d see it my way Three! I think our first order of business is to kick her out of the team.” Firefly smirked, crossing her arms. Her prideful stance faltered when she heard spitting.

Applejack had apparently been drinking water while listening to the hotheaded Pegasus, and realized what she said all too late. Her spit and water mix went straight ahead, covering the wall behind Firefly.

Three tried to control her breathing while coughing up the water and spit that got caught in her throat. When she was breathing normally, she glared up at Firefly. “What in tarnation is wrong with ya!? Twi’s had a hard time! She’s been tryin ta keep our future as safe as possible! You wanna be unborn like her or Surprise!? Ya want ta be like Posey and not have the same family!? You, Radiance and I are the lucky ones!”

Firefly was taken aback by AJ3’s shouting.

“I’m… I’m sorry AJ… I got… I got a little… She cooped me up for so long, I thought I was never gonna save the day.” Firefly said, looking down sadly. She looked back up. “Hey, what’s with the stetson?”

Applejack looked on top of her head to a stetson on her head. “Oh this thing? It’s mah granny’s that Ah upgraded after my accident. Pulled it out fer this. Ah’m seein’ if Ah can get this with mah costume. Havin it as mah signature, you know how Radiance likes that.”

“Oh, okay. So you gonna use Mareodor again?” Firefly asked. “I don’t know if I’m gonna use NRG again.”

“Ah’ll use Mareodor til somepony says otherwise.” Three said before smirking.

Firefly flew higher, looking around the the ruble.

“Get yer ass movin Fly!”

“Okay, okay! I get it, I’m slow!” The pink Pegasus rolled her eyes as she flew down to the Earth Pony Cyborg.

“Stop dinkin ‘round and look!” AJ said.

“Well this is a surprise.” A tall black Alicorn-ish bug looking thing said as she got the two ponies attention. “Never thought I’d see members of M.I.S.T here.”

The two jumped at hearing somepony behind them and turned around. Three’s arm turned into a canon while Firefly’s body glowed.

“How’d you know our names!?” Firefly asked, glaring.

“Oh I have my ways. After all I am the leader of the League of Vigilante Justice.” Chrysalis answered as another mare simply rolled her eyes.

“But we just came up with that name two days ago!” The energy hero yelled, shocked.

The bug mare smiled devilishly. “True, but I have connection that keep me up to date on what’s going on in different parts of Equestria. Mainly the cities.”

AJ3’s eyes narrowed as she used her lie detector to scan the bug lady. “You’re lyin.” Her cannon changed back into her arm, “You ain’t heard’a us. Yer just snoopin.”

Twilight and Posey trotted in from the other side and blocked the duos escape.

“Tell us why yer here. This ain’t a safe area.” Applejack said sternly.

“Darn, and I was hoping to troll around with you just a little more.” The mare said as she simply took a seat. “As for what I’m doing here, I’m just here to see the sights around New Yoke city.” She said sarcastically on the last part.

“Great, sarcasm,” Firefly groaned. “Like I haven’t had enough of that…”

“Who are you?” Asked Twilight. “And quit joking, we’re looking for a killer. Don’t make us think you’re a threat if you’re not.”

“If I wanted to be a threat I would’ve attacked you by now. And like I said before, I’m Chrysalis, leader of the League of Vigilante Justice.” Chrysalis answered as she pulled out a cigar.

“She didn’t say her name though…” Firefly whispered to AJ. “Okay, Twi?” The pink Pegasus asked Mist, who typed it into her wrist communicator.

“Yep, she’s in the database… I guess they still formed…” Twilight stated.

“We’ve been formed longer than you lot have,” Twilight and the others almost burst out laughing at that statement. They had been around since before they were nine. “And judging by the low budget equipment you have. I take it you just started this M.I.S.T team of yours?”

“We’ve been a team for years, we just quite. Now we’re back, and the low tech isn’t really that low, it’s better than whatever you have.” Mist defended, “I’m Twilight Mist, leader of the Mitochondrial Investigation and Suppression Team, or M.I.S.T. for short. These are my teammates, Mareador, the one that looks like Mistress Marevelous, NRG, the Pegasus, and Thorn, the one who looks like Saddle Rager.”

“Well aren’t you all a colorful group.” Chrysalis said sarcastically, before she noticed something at the window and the room behind them. “So care to explain why you are all here?”

“We’ve been given this case by Commissioner Dash.” NRG said. “And what’s a vigilante?”

Mareador face hoofed, “They’re heroes outside the law, idiot.”

NRG rolled her eyes, “Never paid attention to that stuff.”

“You should if you don’t want to end up getting wrecked by one of my league member.” Chrysalis said.

“Is that a threat?” NRG growled.

“More like a warning and a threat really. If none of us actually seen nor heard of you, then you might end up getting killed or eaten.”

“That’s cute…” NRG rolled her eyes, “Eaten… Right…”

“Kurona, Nashiro!” Chrysalis yelled as two human girls appeared behind NRG. “Ever heard of the maretropolis ghoul? Well it’s just so happen I have five that do one hell of a job when cleaning up dead pony bodies.”

The four mares glared.

“Okay… That’s weird...” Mareador said, “Ya’ll ain’t really professional, if’n ya know what ah mean.”

“They don’t.” A new voice stated. Aya walked out of a dark corner of the room with Surprise. Nopony saw, but Banana Fluff was there as well.

“They may not, but they still do a better job than most ponies.” Chrysalis said as she turned her attention at the blonde female human. “Care to explain who you are?”

“Aya Brea… Lance’s Aunt…” She said, turning to Surprise, “This is Transport.”

“That would explain why you smelled like him, but different.” Chrysalis said as the ghoul sister summoned their kagune in defense. “Easy girls, we’re not here to fight them. They’re not on the revenge list.”

‘What the fuck is wrong with these… Things? Are they human? Why didn’t Lance tell me about them?’ Aya thought, holding her guns behind her back.

“The hell?” Aya asked, before shaking her head, “Nevermind. I’m new to this whole Displaced thing, and meeting you is the least crazy thing I’ve done…”

“You’ll get use to it, just don’t piss them off or else you’ll regret it.”

“Duly noted,” Aya said turning to Chrysalis, “What are you doing on a police crime scene? I’m not a cop, but neither are you… Right?”

“Oh hell no, those idiots can’t even catch a simple villain if their lives depended on it. We’re here to find the bastard that killed a friend of mine during the Cathedral incident.” Chrysalis answered as her eyes turned black and white. “When I find him, I’m going to kill him or her slowly and painfully.”

“Well, I guess you should leave then. We need to capture him if we want funding for our team.” Twilight said.

“Well too bad, because I’m gonna find him and kill. You can have the body when I’m done with him or her. That is if my ghoul friends aren’t hungry enough to eat him.”

“Well then, mind leaving? There isn’t anything here anyway.” Aya said, “We need him alive.”

“I don’t think you understand what I just said.” Chrysalis said as she stood up. “I’m going to find him and kill him. I don’t really care for your reasons why you want him alive, but I’m going to kill him and no one is going to stop me. Especially you all.”

“Oh this is going to be interesting, okay you got yourself a deal.” Chrysalis said as she turned her attention towards… Someone... “It’s about time you showed up, any leads on the killer.”

“...........”

“Interesting, what else.”

‘The fuck? Is she talking to him with her mind? Why can’t she just stay quiet and not make this awkward!?’

“..........”

“You don’t say, well I’ll have to look down that way later.”

“C’mon girls, Lightmare said the scan is done. Let’s go back to base.” Aya said and Transport took hold of her, Twilight, Mareodor and Thorn, leaving NRG behind. Said Pegasus sighed before flying away.

“Do you realize what you’ve done!? I’m reading the news of what she’s done, and I don’t like the way the odds are.” Twilight said, scrolling through news reports on her bracer.

“Look, if we can’t beat ‘em then we can at least tell the Commissioner that the League of Vigilante Justice surprised us.” Aya replied, arming herself with an AK-47 and extra ammunition.

“We may not get another chance at this Brea. If we lose this, we may be branded useless and end up barely surviving encounters with those Mitochondria monsters. And I doubt Lance or the League are going to be able to handle Eve.” Mist said as she sat down next to the computer terminal.

“Whatever, we’re not that needed. Power Ponies, One Punch, or the League could take care of that stuff…” Aya replied as she picked up a half empty water bottle.

“You don’t get it. This parasite threat is bigger than anything in the history of… Equestria! This could wipe out all life, and these other groups can’t stop this because they’re too focussed on other stuff. The Power Ponies are dealing with Samuragi, League seems to be dead set on helping clear one of their team's name, and One Punch… She’s the worst pony to fight this.” Mist argued. Aya shrugged.

“So? They could set time aside for this.”

“You d-don’t get it-it Aya.” Posey stuttered as she walked next to the woman. “You’re th-the only-only one who ca-an’t get in-in-infected. Th-they’d turn into-to Mitochondria mo-monsters. Yo-you’re al-already in-infected-ed. We’re i-immune b-because we-we h-had a v-vaccine to-to prot-tect u-us f-from in-parasites l-like th-this i-in o-our t-t-time…”

Aya grumbled. “Why can’t we just recreate this “vaccine” to make everyone immune?”

“Because Surprise’s grandfather made it one year from now, but he’s in another dimension.” Applejack Three stated without looking at them. “He used a spell he made to change his blood into it when Delirious created parasitic things. Since both the creature and he won’t be here, the vaccine won’t be made.”

“Then we’re screwed…” Aya said as the full weight of what was going on hit her.

“Might wanna learn how to use your powers while we work, we’ll call you when we find him!” Firefly shouted.

Aya sighed as she walked away. When she was out of sight, Firefly tapped Applejack’s shoulder.

“Hey, I just thought of a name for the bad guy since calling him ‘The Arson’ isn’t cool.”

“Are you joking?” Applejack asked, slightly annoyed.

“No, no, I’m serious. Just hear this and tell me your thoughts. The Pyromaniac.”

Three stared at Firefly, unamused. “You’re serious...? Ah think you’re being stupid.”

“Oh come on! I-” Firefly stopped, seeing Banana Fluff, a purple maned, eyed, and yellow coated Unicorn trot by, looking depressed.

“Ya okay sugarcube?” AJ3 asked.

“I’m fine…” Banana said.

“Is there anything I-” Applejack tried, but was cut off.

“I said I’m fine. Look, I know you wanna help, but I don’t need anyone. My mom and sister were murdered, and I’m going after the one that did it.” Banana said angrily.

“Honey… What are you going to do?” Applejack asked, trotting over to the teen.

“I-I’ll kill the bitch!” Banana almost screamed.

“How? She has powers, you don’t. Even me, a mare with cybernetic limb replacements and enhancers couldn’t beat her.” Applejack stated darkly. “What chance do you have?”

Banana Fluff just glared, not able to think of a response.

“That’s what I thought.” Applejack nodded.

Aya then came out of nowhere, seeming exhausted. “We found the arsonist! Mist, Posey, Firefly, Surprise, with me!” Said mares dashed to Aya’s side and went out the door and teleported away.

AJ3 looked at Radiance. “Looks like we’re relying on them…”

Aya shot at the deformed human with her glock. But then suddenly the League appeared in front of her.

“Oh, damn it you scared the living shit out of me!” Aya shouted, grabbing hold of her chest.

“Wouldn’t be the first time someone said that.” Chrysalis said as she made the bullets coming at her disappear. “So how are you doing this fine night? I’m doing well.”

“A bit tired, jumpy and hot, but I’m fine…” Aya panted, waving her gun. “Guess it’s a tie… We got here a bit ago just as he showed up.” Aya pointed at where the Pyromaniac was.

“Dammit, and I was so hoping to kill him slowly.” The Changeling reached for her communicator. “Question who are you shooting at?”

“The Pyromaniac. He ran this way. Ugly bastard got himself a gun!” Aya said as she reloaded, “Guess you’ll get to kill ‘em, but give us a shot at catching him and getting intell.”

“That won’t be needed. Eto take him down.” Just then as the man made a left turn. A hand about the length of an adult size human appeared from out of the wall, grabbed the burned faced human and slammed him onto the floor twice. Out of the wall came a kakuja form of a Ghoul, as she lifted the human up.

The Pyromaniac screamed and started shooting her but ran out of bullets soon after. He dropped the pistol and began to shake.

“Damn…” Aya said in awe. ‘Better not piss these guys off…’

“Behold the fifth strongest member on the team, Eto the Owl.” Chrysalis said with a smug grin on her face. ‘She doesn’t look like an owl…’

“I’m impressed. My… Ultra form is just a blue angel-like… thing.” Aya said, then turned her attention to Chrysalis, “You keep track of power scales?”

“Pretty much yeah. Fourth on the list are the twins, Third Trixie, Second Arima, and First is little old me.” She didn’t seem bright to Aya.

“Hmm… Kay.” The woman said. She turned around to see Twilight rushing up the stairs.

“Ho! What happened here!?” She panted.

“Oh, stuff. Mind reading him?” Aya asked, gesturing to the male. Twilight nodded and trotted towards him and her horn glowed. She suddenly backed up, holding her head.

“Ow!” She cried. An image of darkness clouded her head.

“Something happen!?” Aya questioned as she knelt by the mare who groaned.

“Yeah, just… Weird.” She lied as she stood up and shook her head.

“He’s all yours.” Aya said.

“Didn’t you say you need him alive for something?” Trixie asked looking at Aya suspiciously.

“Yeah, but we got here about the same time. Info is better than nothing. We can also blame you guys for stealing the body.” Aya joked as she smirked.

“Oh so you’re gonna pull that card on us then….ballsy move I’ll give you that, but you do realize that you’ll be on the leagues watch list if do that crap again.”

“It’s just payback for possibly taking away our stuff. Like, literally all our stuff is on the line here.” Aya stated as she put her gun away. ‘What the fuck am I doing?’ “And I was joking. I’m a part of Lance’s family, meaning I’m a dick when I wanna be and a girl scout if I’m in the mood.”

“Great two idiots I have to deal with, but at least one isn’t forgetful.” Aya glared at that, but Mist just laughed.

“That, he gets from his father. I’m on his mother's side.” Aya teased, “And who said I was an idiot, your highness.” She waved as she skipped out.

“I hope she isn’t always like this…” Mist sighed.

“20 bits says she is.” Trixie said.

“I’m not betting.” Twilight replied.

“It’s an expression.”

“Oh… Sorry, I’m not that well attuned to expressions in this timeline…” Twilight apologised.

“....Wait what?”

“Time travel, it’s messy. That’s why you’ve never heard of us, and Aya was Displaced a couple days ago. I’m the Masked Matterhorn’s granddaughter.” Twilight said absentmindedly.

“...Question: you do know you have another grandmother right?”

“Yeah, but she never came to visit me. It was just me and Humdrum.” Mist said, shrugging, “Although, I was never born here. I messed stuff up.”

“You messed up the timeline for yourself?” Trixie said as she tried not to laugh. “Don’t you know in the book ‘time traveling 101’ that you never screw around in the timeline.”

Mist glared, “Books on that subject were confiscated by Lance Walker, and I only got a copy of it by sneaking into the vault it was in and nabbing the spell. Preventing my mother and father’s birth is funny to you?”

“No screwing around with the timeline is what I find funny. Even if Lance confiscated the books, somewhere in that head of yours must’ve told you this was a bad idea from the start.”

Mist’s eyes went down, “I didn’t read the spell properly. I was blinded by love…” She turned around and began trotting away, “Hope you have fun...”

Chrysalis sighed. “Yet another youth blinded by love.” Chrysalis said looking at Aya. “If you see Lance tell him that We’re still waiting on the meeting for our two groups. And I would recommend you tell him once we leave, because right now Eto is a few seconds away from actually going to Power Pony HQ and wrecking the place.”

“Didn’t you hear? Power Pony HQ was under attack and their computers are down. Two maniacs blew a hole in their ceiling.” Mist said, recalling a transmission she got from somepony.

“Be that as it may Lance gave Eto his word that he would do something about the incident with Kaoru. It’s been about a month and right now it’s kinda hard for the girl to actually go outside on missions or as a normal civilian. When a gentlecolt gives his word he is expected to do it, even if his base was attacked by two idiot villains.”

“Understood. I’ll give him a call when I can, and let me know if there is something I can do. I’m good at hacking and I could erase all traces of her existence or even make a new one without being detected.” Mist said. “I’ll help anyway I can.”

“Hm… I’ll let you know when I need for that to happen, till then.” Chrysalis turned her attention to Eto. “Drop the killer, but break his arms and legs.” She order as the ghoul did as she was told. “I suddenly have a headache... and right now I have more important things on my mind. Mainly Lance and how to punish him if he fails to help us.”

“We could always send Sonata after him?” Trixie suggested. “She does have a way to annoy ponies with her being herself.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Well, if you need our services, as long as we still have our equipment after this, we’ll help out.” Twilight said as she levitated the unconscious Pyromaniac next to her. “Will that be all? It was nice to meet you, and you again Mare-Do-Well.”

“If you do fail, you could always move in with us for the time being.” Trixie said as she handed Twilight their business card. “Wait what do you mean again?”

“I knew you in the original timeline, to me you were aunt Trixie. You and I used to play together before you left to join the council…” Mist explained.

“....Chrysalis can we go now? All this talk about time travel and timeline is starting to give me a headache.” Mist rolled her eyes at that and muttered to herself.

“Pussy…”

“Team we’re leaving! Get whatever shit you got and let’s go!” Chrysalis ordered as she, Trixie, and Eto teleported back to HQ.

“Well… I actually hope we never meet those assholes again…” Aya stated.

“Ditto.” Twilight groaned. “I want that extra equipment that the commissioner promised.”

“New equipment?” Aya asked, surprised. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I only just met you a couple days ago. I don’t trust you.” Twilight said as she walked away.

“Yeah… They aren’t the only assholes.” Aya said to herself. Unknown to her though, there was a hidden figure watching her with a grin.

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long. Had to edit a lot. This chapter was made with the help of ElementBrigade. Check his stories out. The one he used here is in the same universe!