Later that day the moon hanged over Ponyville, Nick standing outside in the cold of night. His eyes watching the small town as he smiled, standing on Twilight’s balcony he rubbed his chin. Feeling the hairs grow as he then felt his head, his hair growing a bit to big. "I may have to get a haircut soon, although you know shaving cream probably isn’t a thing. Although I could probably get Grey Matter or Brainstorm or something to make makeshift shaving cream.”

Nick looked up at the moon thinking of all the events leading up to this, from his earliest memory to his conversation with Eris. He could still taste that amazing Ice Cream as he smiled softly, clicking the faceplate down on his Omnitrix he scrolled through the holograms once more, stopping he allowed the dial to pop up as he clicked down, his body shifting and changing once more this time taking the form of Stinkfly.

Flapping his bug like wings he took flight making a soft buzzing noise as he watched over Equestria with his eyes, a small smile still spread across his face. However his eyes picked up something, looking to the side he saw a red glow.

Flying over he hovered over Ms. Cheerilee’s school. Landing behind it as he reverted to his human form, hearing the soft painful moans of a beast.

“The hell is that..?” He asked himself as he looked closely, seeing a shadowy figure bent down over the much larger creature. A bright red aura surrounding its body as Nick watched intently, he heard massive roars of pain taken aback by this as the creature placed its paws over its head.

Moaning and groaning in pain, it’s spiky spine extended from it’s back. Red flames oozing from it’s mouth as its fur turned a dark red, its eyes turning bright crimson red. Before finally standing.

Nick looked, before realizing what it was. “A manticore?!” He asked himself, ‘do I get told nothing around here?’ He thought to himself.

Claws extending from the Manticore’s paws as some of it’s fur and skin melted away revealing bone. Letting out a massive beastal roar, the human like figure turned his head to where Nick was and pointed.

‘Oh shit.’ Nick thought to himself the Manticore roaring at him as it ran forward, spreading its wings and flying toward him at incredible speeds.

Crashing through the school the Manticore headbutted Nick’s chest, sending him flying back and rolling into a tree. “AGH!” The human grunted in pain as he rubbed his aching head, standing up the Manticore was already on the move once more.

Nick taking off in the other direction a bit woozy, “ok c'mon Omnitrix! I know Jason said click down but I can barely even see what I’m selecting!” He said as the Manticore gained and by the time it caught up Nick slammed down on the dial.

The beast's mouth clamped down on his arm as the light died down, a shiny crystal head showing through. “DiamondHead? Hell yeah!” He shouted as the arm the Manticore held onto with its crushing grip befor feeling sharp pains in its upper jaw. Letting go its mouth was bleeding showing Nick’s arm with multiple spikes around it and covered in a bit of blood, grinning widely the Manticore eyed the human as it took a swipe at him with his tail, Nick grabbing the length of its tail and swinging around sending it flying into the swing set.

“And he’s outta here!” He said grinning widely, the Omnitrix timing out as it finally said. “Uncatalogued DNA detected. A yellow ray scanning over the poor Manticore, “well. That was ea-” Nick paused as he heard the roar again.

The Manticore ripped itself free as it opened it’s mouth, massive red flames shooting out as Nick quickly dodged. Rolling to the side, he raised his hands a spark forming in them as he grinned widely responding to the Manticore’s flames with his own.

Digging his feet into the ground he felt a little resistance, ‘ok those are some strong flames!’ He thought to himself struggling, the beast only amping up its power as the clash sent Nick back, flying through an intact window.

Landing on his back he rubbed his head, multiple cuts along his clothes and skin from crashing through the window. “Fuck ok that hurt...fighting fire with fire wasn’t a good idea…” He said as he heard the charging of the Manticore, quickly swiping through the list of aliens he stopped on one and clicked down the dial.

The Manticore attempting to leap in the window after Nick only to have powerful blasts of water send it right back. Nick leaping out of the window and landing on the ground, “you fight fire with water! Why didn’t I do this originally! Waterhazard is the way to go!” He said as the Manticore growled, its flames sparking back up as it leapt forward.

Taking a slash at Nick with its extended claws he quickly jumped backwards evading two slashes before the third the Manticore smacked him with its whole paw sending him flying and spinning in the air the skidding against the ground. Nick shook himself before standing up, and turned around only to find the Manticore slashing him, thank god for his extra armor in this form as it repeatedly slashed and swiped at his face.

“Get...off...ME!” He shouted firing another blast of water sending the Manticore in the air in which it recovered and flew back down toward Nick. Tapping the Omnitrix on his chest he quickly changed forms, Waterhazard being replaced with Four Arms.

Slamming his fist into the jaw of the Manticore he sent it against the ground roughly, Nick cracking his knuckles. “C’mon kitty! I’m not done yet!” He said grabbing the Manticore by its tail with all of his arms. Slamming it against the ground he flung it up in the air and slammed his fist directly into its muzzle sending it backwards into the same broken tree it flung Nick into. Nick put his hands on his hips as he grinned, “well? You done?” He asked and in one quick motion the Manticore lashed its tail out at Nick.

The barbed end striking him directly in the shoulder, “AGH FUCK!!” He shouted in pain holding his shoulder, dropping to his knees Nick’s vision grew slightly blurry as he groaned. Reverting to his human form he fell to the ground, he groaned in pain. Each time he blinked darkness filling his vision as the last thing he heard was, “sleep young Taylor. We have some discussing to do.”

The morning rose as Twilight and the group stood examining the sight of the fight. “What do you think could’ve caused this?” She asked, Fluttershy examining locks of a coat on the ground. “A-A manticore but...I’ve never seen this kind of coat before! Perhaps a breed never seen before..?”

“Well this looks terrible regardless darling!” Rarity sad as she looked around, “thank Faust Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo weren’t here to witness this…”

“Nick had to have been here though,” Spike piped in rubbing a talong against his chin. “I mean he wasn’t in bed when I went to check on him and he wasn’t on the balcony.”

“Than the question is, where is he?” Twilight asked raising an eyebrow.

Nick felt woozy, his eyes fluttering open as a foul stench fell upon his nostrils. Gagging a bit he coughed as he attempted to rub his head, only to find resistance. Looking down he found himself bound to a chair, his Omnitrix covered by a metal gauntlet surrounding his whole hand and wrist, “ah I see you’re awake.” A voice said, Nick’s vision fixing itself.

He looked around seeing what looked like a workbench with a small black and red box and torches lighting the room. Nick’s eyes falling upon the wounded Manticore in the corner of the room and then a massive wolf made of wood.

But what truly got his attention was the human like figure walking toward him, kneeling down he smiled underneath his mask. His red visor glaring in Nick’s face as he turned away. Before eventually looking back, “who the fuck are you..?” Nick asked as he laughed a bit.

“Well if I told you that, it would just ruin the surprise but call me...Erebus.” He said as he put a chin underneath Nick’s chin lifting up his head, he turned away as Erebus laughed softly. “To be honest I am mildly impressed, for a new displaced you sure have done a lot.” He said grinning.

Nick narrowed his eyes looking at the black slits that were Erebus’s eyes. “Ok if you know I’m a displaced...what are you doing in my Equestria?” He asked.

Erebus’s face gave a creepy grin, even his mask projecting a toothy grin on it. “Believe me Nicholas, my presence will not only affect your Equestria but the whole universe itself, and more...” Nick frowned slightly. “Thought I’d be able to get the classic villain monologue outta you…”

“Believe me, I’m just as aware of all fictional tropes and cliches as you are.” Erebus said narrowing his eyes, “I just brought you here to not exchange pleasantries but to ask you one thing. To join me.”

Nick looked at Erebus and listened to his offer, Nick clenching his fists. “If you’re just as aware of tropes and cliches as me. Than you’d know the hero trope and already know the answer.”

“Fuck no.” He growled slightly at Erebus. He sighed softly, “should’ve known. I thought you’d be different but clearly not.” He said a hint of disappointment in his voice, “well with or without your assistance the outcome of what I have in store shall not change.”

Erebus stood up as he put his hands behind his back, “but I’ll allow you to have some fun before I kill you. I wouldn’t suggest getting too attached to the citizens of Equestria, although from what I’ve seen that is far too late.” He said chuckling softly.

Nick kept a look a sternness but in his mind he was terrified, ‘what if that Manticore venom is still in me? What does he have for my Equestria? Will I be able to stop him? Who is he re-’ His thoughts were cut off as he then felt a fist slam into his face. Forcing him unconscious once more.

“I think he’s coming around…” Twilight’s voice said, Nick’s eyes fluttering open as he groaned. “Ugh christ...what happened..?” He asked sitting up shakily, bandages poorly wrapped around his shoulder. Blood stains on it as his shirt and jacket sat on the chair next to him.

“You’ve been out for hours! Literally appeared in front of Ms. Cheerilee’s school unconscious and bleeding!” Rainbow Dash said as Fluttershy piped up. “We were all worried about you…”

“Darling,” Rarity said taking a deep breath. “WHAT IN YOUR RIGHT MIND TOLD YOU TO ATTACK A MANTICORE WITHOUT OUR HELP?!!” she screamed as Nick was taken back by this.

“Suppose I got too big for my britches and thought I could do it alone…” He said as he looked at his hands and then the Omnitrix, he was still a bit woozy and dizzy from the amount of blood he lost from the massive barbed tail. Falling back down onto his bed he then spoke.

“I-I know what the magical source was...Celestia and Luna were right...he’s nothing good…” Nick said as Twilight raised an eyebrow, “he? Nick what is he?” She asked standing from her chair and trotting beside him, his hand holding onto her hoof. “Erebus...I think he’s human…like me...but I don’t know what he has planned...but that Manticore was horribly mutated and-” He cut himself off groaning softly in pain.

“Rest Nick...we’ll inform the princesses of these details…I believe our time here is up anyway..” Twilight said looking at the lowering sun.

Nick nodded, his eyes slowly closing as the last thing he thought of before he fell into a deep sleep was, ‘can I really save them..?’

Author's Notes:

https://ben10.fandom.com/wiki/Stinkfly_(Classic)

https://ben10.fandom.com/wiki/Diamondhead_(Classic)

https://ben10.fandom.com/wiki/Water_Hazard

https://ben10.fandom.com/wiki/Four_Arms_(Classic)