Several days had passed and Twilight and the girls had reverted back to their normal forms. My work on the Liset was promising. The engine lines were reattached and the wiring had been placed. All I needed now was to test it and see if we could get the ship off the ground. I had decided to have Ordis run a few scans and diagnostic tests to make sure everything was attached and set. In the meantime, Drax, Serenity and I joined the girls as they went to clean up the ruins and possibly repair the Castle of the Two Sisters.

I wandered one of the halls while the girls messed around in the throne room. Rounding a corner to rather dark looking hallway, I looked around for a second before grabbing a torch from a nearby wall. I wiped my hand on the head before rubbing my fingers together. Oil. Well, it should take a spark. Opening my Venka, I held the torch closer to the head before smacking the right blades on the left gauntlet. Sparks flew, igniting the area for a brief second. One landed on the head before the cloth burst into flames.

Nice.

Holding the light source over my head, I swung it to gather my surroundings. A long stone hallway leading to a dark ending caught my attention. Taking a step, a deep hissing sound causing me to jump to the side and draw my pistol. And there, right in front of me…

Sat a filthy rat.

“Little bastard…” I grumbled while holstering my pistol and relaxing. “Shoo! You little punk!” I added to that by waving the torch at the little disease infested creature, it squealed before jumping from its perch and scurrying along the floor and out of sight. Sighing, I headed forward. As I walked I quickly dumped out of a long corridor into what appeared to be an armory. All along both sides of the walls sat various pony shaped sets of armor. All were a dull grey in color, they were similar to the Royal Guard’s current set, but with a full helmet and a little more menacing. Some had spikes on the shoulders, others were embellished with unfamiliar markings similar to a pony's cutie mark.

Ugh… even now saying those words makes me cringe.

Anyway, setting the torch in a nearby stand, I reached down and pulled a sword from the scabbard of one suit. Holding it up, I closed one eye and examined its blade. Straight as an arrow. I quickly swung the weapon on a nearby wall, it tinged loudly and chipped the stone on impact. Holding it back up I examined its edge. It held true. The blade was well made. Looking around for a second I placed the tip of the blade on the elevated platform the armor sat on and the end of the handle on the floor.

With one swift swing from my Skana, the blade snapped in two.

“To bad…” I muttered to myself. Placing my hands on my hips, I took a deep breath, trying to figure out my next move.

“Excalibur?” I placed a hand on the side of my helmet. I wonder what Serenity wanted.

“Yes?”

“Everyone is just about ready to take a break,” she clarified. “Wondering if you’d like to join us?” I shrugged my shoulders lightly, mostly to myself. I was just about to reply before I heard talking in the background. Serenity and who I assumed to be Twilight, were arguing lightly. “Okay… okay! Twilight… Twi! Please, back up!” the arguing ended and Serenity sighed while I waited patiently. “And Twilight has something she’d like you to look at.”

“Be up in a few,” I confirmed. Now I just needed to find a way out of here before I get lost and die of starvation.

I slammed the final door shut and leaned back against it and sighed. A loud *thump* impacted on the other side as the door buckled, causing me to push back. Reaching back, I pulled a plasma grenade from a storage device before pressing the top button with my thumb. The little device started to beep, opening the door slightly, I tossed it through before slamming the door shut again.

A loud explosion reverberated while the door buckled towards me again. Several tense seconds passed as I waited in silence. Placing my helmeted ear to the door, I waited. Upon hearing nothing, I sighed before relaxing and leaning against the door. Nearby, I heard foot steps and the *clip clop* of hooves on the stone floor. Looking up, Serenity and Twilight approached, the latter reading a book and carrying a rather large statue.

“What happened?” Serenity asked upon looking at me sitting on the floor.

“Who the hell!” I started while saying the last word rather loudly for emphasis. “Has a snake the big in a building like this!” I mean, that was the biggest ass snake I have ever seen! It was like a freaking king cobra meets an anaconda. Twilight seemed to lost in her book to acknowledge what I was talking about.

She quickly looked up at me. “Hey, Excalibur? Perhaps you could help me identify this?” she asked, completely missing my previous statement. She levitated over a large looking gold and white statue and placed it on the ground and turned the book around to face me. “Celestia wrote in this book that this artifact was possibly used by early unicorns to hold precious gems or key artifacts for their celestial practices before the unification if the three tribes.” When she finished she looked up at me expectantly.

I looked at the statue sitting next to me before looking back up at her. “She couldn’t be more wrong,” I answered rather matter-of-factly. Twilight raised an eyebrow before going back to the book.

“Are you sure?” she asked while seeming to look over the pages again. “Because it has the elegance and features of something of the era.” She finished by looking back up at me.

“It’s an Ayatan,” I answered. The alicorn raised an eyebrow at me, as if silently asking me to clarify. “An Ayatan is an old Orokin kinetic statue with the representation of what is called ‘Orokin Continuity’,” I explained before picking up said statue. “Or… ‘Immortality’.” reaching behind me I grabbed a storage device and placed it on the ground next to me. Tapping the tip, I continued my talk. “They’re nothing but a cool little desk top trinket.”

Twilight blinked slowly, seeming lost at my explanation. “But…?”

“Its an ‘Anasa’ Ayatan,” I clarified further. By now four little ayatan stars were spinning in the antigravity field of the device, two cyan and two amber stars rotated slowly. I reached over and grabbed all four with my left hand and turned the statue with my right. Placing the amber in its proper slot, the statue came to life.

Twilight took a seat and closed the book, placing it on the floor next to her. Watching intently, the arms on top of the statue started to flex. I quickly placed the final three into their respective areas as the statue rotated. “The Orokin had so many of these stupid things that they aren't even worth their weight in the gold they're made of,” I explained while placing the statue on the floor and standing up. “We find them lying around in ships and mining facilities all the time.” Twilight just started at the statue while I stood there watching her with my hands on my hips. “I got a feeling the thing fell through a Void Rift or maybe a spell backfired or something.” I shrugged lightly. “Who knows…”

The little mare just watched the rather intricate yet stupid antique for a few more seconds before saying,” Yes. Well… We were going to look for Spike after we found you,” she said, turning her head to face me with a smile.

“Well if you want to go and find him, feel free,” I offered, lowering my arms to my sides. “I’ll see you and the girls here in the throne room. Okay?” The little mare smiled again and nodded before standing up fully and heading in a random direction. Watching her walk away, the rest of her friends appeared from various different areas and started following the leader.

Turning around I examined the throne room. Tapestries both old and repaired hung from the walls. Many of them were simple depictions of both Celestia and Luna with the sun and the moon behind their respective mares. Turning towards the opposite wall, I narrowed my brow. There sat a worn and faded tapestry of a white alicorn similar to Celestia, except she had red mane and tail and what appeared to be an inkwell with a curved feather for a cutie mark.

“Huh… I wonder who that is?”

She’s clearly dead. Both Celestia and Luna would have mentioned her and I most likely would have seen or met her by now. Looking around the throne room it was clear that the decrepitude place was barely holding together. The roof had caved in in several places, columns had fallen and shattered, and the stained glass windows were mostly blown out.

Before I could examine any farther my head snapped to the side. Something was off. “Serenity!” I said grabbing her attention. I just had a gut feeling something bad was happening. Better not have been another damn snake.

“Yes?” she replied while turning to face me.

“Call Drax,” I ordered. “And follow me!” With that my feet were moving. Behind me, Serenity was in the middle of calling our other teammate. Rounding various random corners I followed my gut. In the distance I could hear screaming. This was bad and I just knew it. The closer we got the more my scanners started spike with energy readings.

I came sliding in front of an open door in what appeared to be a library. I watched in horror as Pinkie… jumped into the shining light? I… you know what? I watched her hang from a ceiling, not going to question it. As soon as she disappeared the sound of paper rustling filled the air before is stopped and a lone comic sat on a lone podium.

Entering the room with an air of caution. I noticed that my sensors had gone dark as soon as the light faded. Behind me, Serenity followed close behind. I watched for any sort of traps of anomalies, but nothing happened. Reaching the podium I looked down as the cover of the comic. On the front was the word ‘power’ in big bold green lettering and what appeared to be a purple mare in a slightly lighter colored jumpsuit with dark purple hoof covers and a wild green mane. Behind me I could hear Drax entering the room, but I paid him no mind.

Picking up the comic I examined its cover by turning it back and forth in my hand before quickly flipping through its pages with my thumb. At the moment, it appeared to be a normal comic. “Anything?” Serenity asked from behind me. I shook my head and handed her the flimsy reading material. She took it and looked through its pages.

“No…” I replied honestly. “It's a simple comic. But something is clearly off… but what?”

“Uhhh, Excalibur?” I turned back as my female teammate looked up at me. “You might want to look at this…” Holding up the comic with both hands, she held it high for me to look at.

“Uhm… what?” On the very first page sat what I assumed to be the main characters, but… they were the girls. Applejack appeared to be wearing a red jumpsuit with a black head mask with her top and eyes cut out and her mane and tail were wrapped in a green cloth and she was wearing a pair of black pouches with gold horseshoes in them. To her right was Rarity in a dark blue outfit covered in lighter blue gems except for the two bracelets around her fetlocks and the light purple ones in her mane and she too, was wearing a mask. Next to her was Pinkie.

The energetic mare wore a simple white one piece with a purple arrow on each side and what appeared to be balloons on the front of her covered hooves. Flying above and behind Applejack was Rainbow. She was wearing a jet black suit except for the yellow covering of her hooves. She had a simple black head cover with lightning bolt accents and her mane was spiked up light a lighting bolt. To Applejack’s right was Twilight in a rather more complex outfit. Light purple in color with white hoof covers, a large pair of tan goggles and a light blue horn cover.

Next to her was Fluttershy in a lime green one piece outfit, a purple mask and a pair of butterfly shaped bracelets. Last but not least was Spike in a black mask, red cape, blue boots, and a belt. All had names under them as is; Mistress Mare-velous, Radiance, Fili-second, Zapp, The Masked Matter-Horn, Saddle Rager, and Hum Drum.

“How do we get them out?” Serenity asked, lowering the comic. Grabbing it from her I flipped through the pages yet again.

“I have no idea…”

Landing on the last page something caught my eye. In the lower right hand corner was what appeared to be text. It was tiny but it was there. I held the comic closer to my face to try and read the text. “What did you find?” Serenity asked, looking over my shoulder. Ignoring her I held the comic even closer to my helmet.

Magnifying the text I read aloud, “You can return to the place you started when the Mane-iac is defeated. Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book?”

That did it.

Because as soon as I was done speaking the comic opened and that bright light returned. Dropping the book onto the floor, it had a rather hard pull to it. I turned back towards my teammates. “Lock and load, Tenno!” I turned back towards the book. “Because we’re dropping in!” I crossed my hands over my chest and jumped.

I landed hard on my hands, my teammates following suite behind me. The sky was dark and the air was thick. I just got this vibe that this town was bad. My senses were on edge. “So… ‘ow do ve find d’em?” Drax asked from behind me. Good question.

“I have no I-” I stopped as I looked to the sky. What the hell? High in the sky, sat the words, ‘Meanwhile, at the Mane-iac’s secret base’.

…

I guess we look to the ‘gods’ above.

“Uhhh… Excalibur? What are you doing?”

“Thought I’d just give anyone reading this the finger…” Lowering my arm from over my head and grabbed my rifle. “Anyway, I guess we follow the text.”

“It's time to Power Pony up!” Applejack declared from the head of the arrow headed shape the girls were in. Just in front of them was a massive shampoo factory with the doors wide open as a large group of well dressed stallions exited and charged them.

“Ohhh! Nice catch phrase!” Pinkie complemented from her spot in the group, her hooves moving rapidly as she tiptoed in place. All six of the mares took up defensive stances, ready for a fight.

They all winced and hit the ground as gunfire filled the air. Multiple stallions dropped and tumbled as most of the fired rounds hit their mark, others impacted against the asphalt, chipping it violently. The gunfire lasted several seconds as the last stallion dropped dead. Slowly and timidly, all six raised their heads and looked at the destruction.

“And that is how you deal with a problem!”

I landed next to the ground a second later from my elevated position, my team following close behind. “Excalibur!” Everyone yelled before rushing over and gathering around all three of us. Smiling I dropped to a knee and hugged Pinkie and Applejack.

“How did you find us?” Twilight suddenly asked. Releasing the two other mares I just pointed to the sky, the words still there. Following my finger, all six girls and Spike raised their noses to the sky. “Huh,” Twilight said simply. “How did we not see that?”

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” that was a rather interesting sounding maniacal laugh. Reacting quickly, I drew my pistol and aimed it under my armpit. A loud *Ptsss* sound and a thick mist engulfed me. Somehow, someway, everyone else was able to react in time to dodge the attack.

“Eh!” I grunted. “Uhhh… I can't move.” Shit. A shadow and multiple green tentacles entered my vision before that mare from the cover leaned down and looked me right in the eye. Well, this was something.

“Ohohoho! And what might you be!?” she asked almost joyfully. She turned upside down before asking, “The Power Ponies latest pet?”

“Excuse me!?”

“I mean,” she continued as if I wasn’t there. “You look just as ridiculous as Hum Drum!” She declared while pointing toward the dragon she was referencing. Behind me I heard Spike sigh depressingly. Twilight growled.

“Power Ponies! Attack!”

And that's where things went downhill…

She raised that massive can of hairspray and let loose. With the sounds of everyone’s footsteps coming to a stop, I assumed they met the same fate as me. The green haired mare laughed victoriously. Next thing I know we are being dragged into her warehouse while everyone begged for Spikes help.

Looks like we have somedragon to rely on.

Nothing like being dragged against my will and being placed in a massive metal cage… again! Well at least there isn't someone beating my ass. The only annoying thing is being sprayed about every ten minutes. So far we have been in here for about an hour or so. I kept running through my head various escape plans. Now if Spike would just nut up and get in here already we can get started!

I would also love if this bitch would kindly SHUT THE HELL UP! She kept going on this damn rant about shooting a laser into the air and making everyone's manes grow out of control. All while she was rubbing her body on her supposed weapon like some strange stripper. Jumping in the seat of said weapon she turned it and pointed its massive barrel at all of us.

Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I saw exactly what I needed to. “Serenity, Drax!” I addressed over my comms. “I have a plan. You see Spike in the northwest corner?” Both gave some form of sound of affirmation. “As soon as he creates a distraction, we move.”

“How?” Serenity asked. “We can’t move!”

“And ve can’t drop shields,” Drax added. Yeah, he’s right. Tried that in an attempt to remove the spray. Not only did it land on my armor, I just got sprayed again. But, I have a means of possibly getting free! I quickly explained the plan and informed the girls to get ready. Good news is I still have my pistol in my hand.

I watched Spike scurry behind the gathered group of henchmen while the ‘Mane-iac’ blabbered on about how she was going to destroy the city with some device that would make everyone's manes grow wild or some shit. I wasn’t listening. Seemed like he too had a plan of attack. Several seconds later the large group disappeared into a rapidly dragged curtain and high into the rafters. And there was our que!

“NOW!”

My shields exploded as my armor unhooked itself and dropped free. Catching my pistol from my dropping glove I raised it high and fired right at the shocked stallion sitting near the can of hairspray. The round tore through his head, sending him backwards over the support rail to the platform he was standing on. Gunfire erupted from behind me signalling that my teammates had freed themselves too.

Pulling my Skana from the back piece of my armor, I slashed at the cells hinges. The door immediately dropped and hung from the lock. Jumping and landing with a roll, I slashed at the nearest stallion before charging another group. All around everyone attacked in their own way. Drax dug his hands into another stallions shirt and threw him while Serenity’s knee connected with another's jaw. All around, Pinkie’s pink blur raced around as she yelled ‘tag you’re it’.

Running along, a small blue blur hit the ground before expanding rapidly along the cement floor. “Shit!” I stumbled as my back arched, I kicked one leg out and both my arms flailed around as I attempted to keep my balance. Ice. It was ice. Regaining my footing rather poorly, I looked down before up towards the hovering purple mare with a glare, she smiled sheepishly. My attention changed as two stallions slid past me. Looking forward yet again, two more stallions with better footing started to skate towards me. Surprised, I raised my pistol and fired.

The recoil of the large caliber pistol threw my arm high and over my head as I lost my footing yet again. Rolling both my arms and kicking a leg out, I attempted to regain my footing for a second time as I slid backwards. Coming to a stop, I looked down at the ground before up at the stallions with a smirk. Holding the gun up behind myself, I fired. Science at its best. Both stallion's eyes went wide as I came sliding towards them. With a twist of my upper body, I spun, my sword connecting with flesh as I slid by.

Behind me, thunder boomed and lightning cracked as a massive tornado descended from the ceiling. Its winds roared and pulled with the force of a… well… tornado. Multiple of these stupid looking stallions were pulled from their feet and sucked into the whirling vortex. “I need somewhere to put these guys!” Dash declared as she hovered nearby.

I came to a sliding stop with my weapons at my side. Rarity came sliding in on a set of ethereal ice skates nearby. Performing a rather impressive spin on four hooves, she spread her legs wide before closing them with a little hop. Her skates disappeared before she held up her left hoof and a…

Massive purple birdcage appeared…

She placed it on the ground with two others as Dash moved the tornado and promptly dumped every stallion into a cage as its winds died down and the dark grey funnel disappeared. “Nice spin Rarity,” I complimented to the mare next to me.

She smiled up at me. “Thank you, Darling!”

Over towards an open wall, several stallions banged on the door in an attempt to escape. As Serenity dropped a stallion from her grip she turned her head to Applejack. “Hey, AJ!” she called towards the mare. The mare in question turned her head as a nearby stallion laid bolted to the floor via a set of horseshoes. “Throw me!” Serenity requested with a point of her finger.

Applejack looked in the direction, upon seeing the group she smirked. Her golden lasso lifted high into the air before shooting out towards the human. Serenity raised her hand high as the rope approached her. Gripping it, she was lifted high into the air before being thrown like a cannon ball. Rolling through the air, Serenity opened both arms, her Tonfa’s sharp and ready. She slammed both blades deep into the ground, sending every stallion flying.

As I lowered my pistol, I could see Fluttershy and Spike talking in the distance. My attention moved to the purple mare sitting on the giant weapon. As soon as the massive barrel started to move I panicked. It didn’t last long as a little firefly flew in front of me.

I had an idea.

I flicked it. I watched as it sailed away from me and right past Fluttershy and into the wall. Her attention moved to it with a concerned look. She said something before turning towards the mare on the cannon. “Are. you. Kidding me!?” Oh shit… I think I pissed her off. “I mean… I know you’re evil and everything… but you’d hurt a teensy little, harmless, FIREFLY!” she started to say angrily as she approached where the Mane-iac sat. Thank god too, she would kill me for that.

I watched in awe as that little timid pegasus started seethed with rage. I literally backed away in fear for my own safety when she started to grow in size, her suit tearing at the seams. Her little body was ripped and her muscles bulged out of the tears in the suit. Jeez, she looked like the hulk! To top it all off, she let out, the deepest, most guttural roar that literally shook the building.

In a panic the Mane-iac tapped several buttons on her weapons control panel and fired a massive beam of energy. It did… absolutely… nothing… somehow, someway, Flutters reflected the shot back, hitting the mare and sending her flying. The mare wasted no time and jumped the weapon before smashing it to pieces. All of us just gawked as she tore the weapon apart with her hooves and teeth.

“Remind me never to make her mad…” I said, never taking my attention away from the carnage. She tore the barrel off before sinking her teeth into the weapon and tearing a large chunk off. After a second her eyes shot open and she spit the piece out before smiling sheepishly and tapping her hooves together.

“My mane! Bwahahaha!” Our attention moved to the mare in the corner of the room. She continued to laugh as her mane started to grow and act out of control. She continued to scream and laugh as her hair started to wrap around her body. Dropping to the floor, she squirmed and bounced in her green prison.

I’d say we won!

“Once again!” Spike started. “The day is saved by-!” he was cut off as a portal opened above all our heads, sucking us in. All of us screamed in shock as we were pulled from the ground. My body stretched and contorted in ways I would have never imagined. It lasted for all of the longest second of my life before coming out the other end sucked, no pun intended.

I landed face first on the ground before someone else landed on me. Pushing the furry body off I sat up. “Oof!” It lasted all of two seconds before I got hit in the head by my own helmet, knocking me forward and back onto the ground. “Ow…” I moaned into the floor. And now my head hurt...

As I propped myself up on my elbows, I looked around at the various books on the shelves of the library before my gaze soon fell on the pile of armor nearby. Standing up, I shuffled over to it as the girls celebrated nearby about how awesome that adventure was. Filing threw the mess, I stumbled upon a certain white helmet. Holding it up, I examined its rough and beaten surface before turning to look for the owner. My gaze fell on the hunched over human at the other end of the room.

“Drax?”

Everyone went silent and turned towards the man. He wore the same black, skin tight outfit that Serenity and I did. The hair on the back of his head was pure white, like his armor. He shuffled on his feet nervously when I addressed him.

“Drax?” I repeated softly, taking a step towards him. “You can talk to me.”

“I am freak,” he spoke. “No one vould ever accept me…”

“Drax…” Serenity spoke after several seconds. “I was a science experiment.”

This had taken a turn for the darker side. Up until this point none of us had seen him without his helmet. But I know what he is referring to. The Tennogen Virus has alter people in many different ways. Wukong is a little more apeish then he should be, and it brought out Equinox's split personality. Whether it be physical or mental, it can be something to see.

“We’re all freaks here,” I admitted. “No one is going to judge you.” I heard him take a shuddered breath. Slowly, he turned to face us. Once around, I was able to see the beast behind the dragon frame. Both is his eyes were massive yellow orbs with dark black slits, like that of a cat. Around both his eyes, large white scales surrounded them and occasionally, a thin forked tongue would poke out and shake like a snake. As he swallowed some extra saliva, he licked his lips, revealing a mouth full of dagger like teeth.

This is one of the more extreme cases of Tennogen alterations. I can see why he was given the Chroma Warframe, it just suits him… no pun intended. A dragon, to pilot the dragon. Genius. I smirked at the frame. Sensing that I wasn’t going to do anything, he timidly smiled up at me. Walking up, I held up a hand. Taking a step forward, he lifted his arm and slapped my hand, grasping it firmly. “Welcome to to the team brother!”

Author's Notes:

So we now Have the new Captura mode in Warframe, which allows us to take customs pics of our favorite frames! So say hello to the team in action!