Midnight let out a loud battle whinny as she shot a giant bolt lightning, watching as it soared at the green Tantabus faster than any of the three ponies could even blink. The chirping sound it gave filled both their ears, but the latter no time to even search for the lightning bolt before it struck its side full force in its face. It went flying away from the beetle black Thestral, landing in a heap, just as a large wave of wind shot out at it a few seconds after the large lightning bolt. It slammed into the ethereal creature, sending it even further away from the Apple Family Household and almost tumbling down the slope.

Quickly shaking off the attack, the Tantabus got to its feet and soared high above Midnight, firing of a magic blast that sent her crashing to the ground. Midnight grunted as she pulled herself out form the crater, and looked up just in time to see the Tantabus about to fire off another blast. Thinking fast, Midnight wrapped her massive wings around herself in order to block the attack, but Honey Blossom came to her rescue.

“Earth Make: Sphere!” She shouted, slamming her hooves down as she stood in front of Midnight, both her eyes flashing. Sunset orange energy swept around the two mares before a large gate of earth appeared and formed into a giant sphere. The Tantabus’s attack slammed right into the shield, but the energy coursing through it prevented from being able to crack into the earth shield. Before it could do so, Scarlet suddenly came in, her whole-body crackling with multi-colored electricity.

“Lightning Pegasus: Thunder Wing Attack!” She shouted, swinging both wings outward and letting them hit the Tantabus right in its face. This disrupted the attack it aimed at Midnight, allowing both mares to escape its vision as the creature turned its attention to the mint green Pegasus. It snarled and flared its wings, making a beeline for her, but it suddenly hunched over as it felt something it where its stomach was.

“Earth Make: Armored Hoof Punch!” Jubilee shouted, driving her right hoof into the Tantabus’s stomach and causing it to shoot high into the air. She landed back onto the earth for just long enough to propel herself upward both of her eyes blazing. Whirling around, she lashed out with her hind legs and kicked with all her might in the stomach, sending it even higher into the air. as it ascended, Scarlet appeared above it, shooting a bolt of lightning into the Tantabuses back, which sent it crashing down to the earth.

The Tantabus screeched as it shot to its hooves, flaring its wings as it shot into the air at the mare, but it didn’t get far. Without warning, vines shot out from the earth and wrapped around the creature holding it in place. The beast struggled with all its might, but the attempt was futile, and the Tantabus found itself in an even tighter grip by the vines. Th creature was so engrossed in trying to get itself free, it didn’t notice Jubilee running up the wings, both of her forehooves covered in earth-like armor.

“Hey now, don’t go jus’ focusin’ on them! Ah’m here too ya starry varmint!” Jubilee shouted as she leapt off one of the vines, soaring towards the Tantabuses stomach. “Earth Make: Armored Hoof Barrage!”

Before the Tantabus knew it, the pale orange was repeatedly punching it right in it stomach, both of her hooves nothing more than a massive blur. The vines encasing the giant creature only added to its suffering, though they did loosen up with each punch that Jubilee laid into it. With a loud battle cry, she delivered one final punch to the Tantabus, sending a wave of orange energy through it. It was so powerful that it actually ripped up the vines that she had summoned, and she watched as the Tantabus was sent soaring into the air. As Jubilee fell towards the earth, Scarlet suddenly soared down and caught her grandmother, gently laying her down on the earth as they watched the Tantabus soar away.

“Whoa Jubilee that was really somethin’!” Scarlet said, hovering away from her twin sister. “Ah’ve never seen ya deliver that many punches that fast before!”

“Heheh, well, Ah used t’ do that a lot back then…At least t’ those that were stupid enough t’ mess with mah family, an’ could take a real beatin’.” Jubilee chuckled, stretching her legs. “By the way, ya know that Ah would’ve been fine if ya hadn’t caught me, right?”

“Ah know, but Ah didn’t wanna take any chances.” Scarlet replied. “Ya saw how fast that thing blasted its magic at Midnight an’ Honey Blossom before she came in. What’s t’ say that he wasn’t gonna fire at you when ya least expected it.”

Jubilee paused for a moment, before giving a nod. “Fair point…Ah probably would’ve been blasted into apple sauce if that happened. Even so, Ah probably could’ve been able to make mahself a shield t’ help me block it.”

Scarlet gave a nod of her own. “Yeah, that too.”

“Are both o’ y’all alright?” Honey Blossom asked as she and Midnight flew over to the two mint green mares. “We saw Jubilee fallin’ after she sent that thing flyin’ off!”

“Don’t worry Honey, we’re okay.” Jubilee said reassuringly. “What Ah wanna know is if y’all ‘re okay. That blast that was shot at ya looked pretty darn powerful an’ it looked like that it would’ve broken through your sphere.”

“Yes, we are. It’s a good thing that Honey came and saved me. Otherwise my wings would’ve been really messed up.” Midnight said as she shot a thankful smile at Honey, who gave her a warm smile in return. “I did a quick check up on Big Mac and Anna Blaze back at the barn, and it looks like that they’re doing okay too.”

“Wait ya did what?” Scarlet asked, looking at Midnight with wide eyes. “How in the way were ya able t’ do that?”

“I’m a Thestral, and we have enhanced senses; to the point where it can even be considered supernatural.” Midnight explained patiently. “It allows me to hear, see and smell things from a considerable distance much farther than any other pony, even a Pegasus can. Even from this distance, I can see Big Mac and Anna Blade guarding the farm.” Her cat-like blue eyes shot over to where the barn was, and she could see the form of Big Mac standing outside the barn, with Anna Blaze peering out through a window. “And it looks like they’ve been watchin' the fight this whole time…along with a few others.”
“Who?” Jubilee asked, before it clicked. “Wait, ya mean Apple Fritter an’ her foals?”

“It looks like it.” Midnight replied softly. “I can see a yellow Earth Pony mare with a green mane and eyes peering through the window. Along with what looks to be a teenage Pegasus filly with purple eyes and a Stetson…and a couple of younger foals as well.”

“Aw shucks…Ah was hopin’ that they wouldn’t see this.” Honey Blossom winced, her ears falling limp. “Looks like we’re gonna have t’ answer a lotta questions that Ah really don’t wanna ask right now.”

“Well, there ain’t no getting’ ‘round it now.” Jubilee said, snorting as she looked up at the Tantabus. “Though, if ya wanna jus’ go an’ get it outta th’ way now, then let’s git rid o’ this varmint b’fore it really decides t’ kill us and destroy th’ barn!”

“Don’t need t’ tell us twice.” Scarlet replied, flaring her wings. “Ya ready Midnight?”

The beetle black mare nodded, spreading her own wings as she bared her fangs. “Yes!”

As if to show that it was ready as well, the Tantabus screeched loudly and soared down towards the four mares, its yellow eyes blazing as its horn ignited. It shot a powerful bolt of magic down at the mares, who swiftly evaded the attack as it slammed into the ground and exploded upon impact, cracking the earth around them. Jubilee and Midnight took this as an opportunity to try to get under the creature, while Scarlet and Honey Blossom appeared right at its front. With a beat of its powerful wings, the giant Tantabus shot down towards the two flyers in front of it, intent on vaporizing them. Just then, it found itself shooting in the other direction as Midnight and Jubilee slammed their forehooves into the creature’s stomach. As it flew back first towards the Scarlet and Honey Blossom shot out slices of wind at it, watching as they sliced deep into the Tantabus’s back sending it in the other direction.

The Tantabus fell stomach first into the ground, but had no time to try and recover from the attacks as it felt something grab its horn. With strength that a pony of her size would never have achieved, she hoisted the giant creature right into the air. Eyes glowing, she shot off into the air, leaving a powerful gust one wind in her wake as she shot powerful bolts of lightning at the Tantabus, watching as each one electrocuted it. The Tantabus screeched as it fire off a bolt of magic at the mare, but Honey Blossom shot towards Midnight and moved her out of the way just in time. The Tantabus flew after the two mares, only to find itself getting punched in the face by Jubilee who had jumped out of nowhere.

“Ah don’t think so!” She shouted angrily as Scarlet flew under the Tantabus and struck a bolt of lightning right in under its chin. This sent the giant ethereal creature spiraling away from the four mares, and Honey Blossom and Midnight both flew after it. Just like the last time, they combined their attacks, only this time with their wings, sending a combined bolt of lightning at the Tantabus’s chest. A loud glass like shatter was suddenly heard as glass like particles came into view and as the Tantabus crashed to the ground, they fell right in front of the four mares.

“W-what the-what in the buck was that?” Jubilee asked, taking a couple of steps back. “Did we just shatter its heart or somethin’?”

Honey Blossom glanced over at her older sister. “Um…Ah don’t think that’s how hearts are supposed to work Jubi. It looks more like we shattered somethin’ glassy inside o’ him…”

“It didn’t just look like it. We did break something in the Tantabus.” Midnight replied, walking over and picking on one of the large metallic shards. She inspected in inside of her hooves, all while looking in between it and the Tantabus. “And it looks like that the glass object that we hit was its main weak spot.”

“It is?” Scarlet asked. “What brought ya t’ that conclusion?”

“Think back on it for a minute.” Midnight explained. “When me and Honey Blossom had hit the Tantabus, right in its chest, it broke something in it. That thing being this item right here, which we can now see is the Tantabuses weak spot.” She held out the yellow metallic crack out for the rest of the mares to see, letting it glint the light of the Moon. “When we hit that area, it had stopped the Tantabus in its tracks and disorientated it. Thus, leading it to react the way that it did, or…react the way it is now.” She tilted her head over to the giant green Tantabus, who was currently writhing a good distance away from them. “As you can all see.”

“Oh, Ah think Ah see what yer sayin’ here!” Honey Blossom said, a look of recognition coming to her face. “All we have t’ do is hit this Tantabus thing in th’ same place that you an’ Ah did just a minute ago, and we’ll be able to wear him down, right?”

Midnight nodded, smiling in approval. “Exactly.”

“Alright then, that sounds easy enough.” Jubilee replied, adjusting her Stetson. “In that case, we’ll just keep at it with this varmint until we see an opening that we can use t’ destroy him fer good.”

“In that case, why don’t I help you make that opening?”

All four mares jumped at the smooth and refined, yet completely unexpected voice that made itself known to them. They were so started, that Scarlet whipped around and shot a bolt of lightning at what she presumed was the enemy. The pony behind them almost lazily dodged the attack, letting it soar off into the distance and explode in midair. When the mares got full view of who was behind them, they all gasped, while Midnight’s mouth dropped open in utter shock.

“What in the…” Scarlet murmured. “Who in the Sam hay are you?!”

“I am Captain Moon Blade Nightstalker Cifer, leader of the Lunar Division in Canterlot.” Moon Blade replied, flashing the mint green mare a fanged smile. “It’s very nice to meet you young mares. It is especially nice to see you again, dear Midnight.”

Honey Blossom turned towards the beetle black mare. “Midnight, you know this stallion?”

“Er…y-y-yes I do.” Midnight replied, blushing a bit as she took a quick glance at the Tantabus behind them. “H-he lives in the same City as my Mom and Dad, a-and he’s been Captain of the Lunar Guard ever since my Mom retired from it. I’ve known him since I was a filly, but I didn’t really see him that often due to him being on duty so much.”

“Indeed, you did.” Moon Blade nodded, chuckling a bit. “But now, it looks like that changed a little bit. I can see you five are in a bit of a fix with these Tantabuses…” He looked over at the creature as it slowly got to its feet. “…and it looks like you’re finally gaining the upper hoof.”

“That an’ a cider machine will git ya two cups o’ cider.” Scarlet snorted. “We were fightin’ this varmint fer who knows how long, and we just finally managed t’ hit its weak spot. We were jus’ about to plan another attack t’ finally finish it off.”

Moon Blade hummed a bit, rubbing his chin with a cloven hoof. “I see…well then, you ladies don’t mind if I lend you a helping hoof, do you?”

“At the rate we’re goin’ we’re gonna need all th’ help we can get.” Jubilee replied, sighing. “Ah’m about on mah last legs in mah Adrenaline Mode, an’ Ah don’t think we’ll be able t’ keep it up fer much longer.”

“Well then, let’s end this foe as quickly as possible.” Moon Blade advised, holding both of his hooves out as two ethereal purple blades appeared in them. “I’ll let you all distract it and wear it down, while I go in and deliver the finishing blow.”

“Alright, thank you Moon Blade.” Midnight replied, turning back to the three farmer. “Come on girls, let’s go!”

The three mares nodded, and they follow the beetle black Thestral in her race towards the Tantabus, who finally managed to regain its footing. It saw the mares running and flying at it, and it screeched in retaliation before flying towards them. It fired off a rain of magical bolts at the mares, who which they each efficiently dodged, even if some barely missed. When they got within range, Jubilee went on the offensive, lashing with her earth armored hooves.

“Earth Make: Armored Hoof Barrage!” she shouted as she once again released a reign of punches down at the Tantabus. It sent the creature flying away as it was struck repeatedly in the face, causing it to spiral back belly up. Honey Blossom then appeared above it, her entire body coated in orange lightning as she attacked.

“Lightning Pegasus: Electric Explosion!” She shouted, shooting both forehooves upward and sending a wave of lightning into the Tantabuses back. It arched as it was sent ascending into the air lightning zapping all about its body as it screeched in agony. As the pain began to wear off, the Tantabus suddenly took notice of Midnight hovering above it.

“Surprise!” She chirped, giving a glittering smile before unleashing her attack. “Lightning Thestral: Whinny!”

The blast of blue lightning that Midnight unleashed on the Tantabus completely enveloped it, making its whole world become enveloped in a sea of blue. It screeched loudly as it was sent crashing to the ground, the force so powerful that it left a crater around the same size as the Tantabus. It writhed around on the ground as it attempted to get up, but the lightning that was coursing through its body prevented it from being able to move much. It suddenly noticed a bright flash of purple light, and it looked up to see Moon Blade hovering high above it.

“You look like you’re in great pain down there, you poor thing.” Moon Blade said, gripping both swords tightly. “Do not worry, I shall put you out of your misery, and I shall do it now!”

Faster than anypony could blink, Moon Blade ascended towards the Tantabus, both of his swords morphing into one as he dove down towards his foe. The Tantabus, seeing what was about to happen, tried to get away, but flock of vines suddenly burst out from the ground and wrapped around it, holding it in place. The Tantabus could now only watch as Moon Blade dove down at it, unable to do anything but screech as the Lunar Captain prepared to deliver the final blow.

It came quicker than expected, but was by no means any less painful as Moon Blade stabbed the Tantabus in the center of its chest with its fused swords. Not even a split second after he did, he gave his weapon a twist, before slicing upward, slicing the Tantabuses neck in two as its metallic core was completely shattered. Moon Blade flew away and watched as the Tantabus slowly dissolved into mist, just like the last one, only it took a bit longer, possibly due to the creature’s larger size. Finally, it vanished, and all five ponies watched as the Tantabus floated into the air its misty particles joining the stars above.

“Wow…now Ah certainly wasn’t expectin that.” Honey Blossom said after a long moment of silence. “When it began dissolvin’ Ah thought that it was gonna melt int’ that there crater.”

“So, did I, but it looks like it went another direction.” Scarlet nodded, flicking her tail. “Now that Ah think about it, that was probably, better. Don’t think Ah could’ve handled seein’ somethin’ like that anyway.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.” Moon Blade nodded, chuckling slightly. “And I’m certain my other guests wouldn’t have handled seeing a melting body either.”

“Yeah not re-” Jubilee stopped, snapping her head back over to the ghostly white stallion. “Wait, did you say other guests?”

“Oh, forgive me. It seems I didn’t mention this earlier.” Moon Blade said apologetically. “See, while I was on my way here to this lovely looking farm, I ended up having to take more than a few guests with me.” He smiled fondly over at Midnight and the other mares. “Some that I know that you’ll be delighted to see.”

“Really?” Honey Blossom asked, hope filling her voice. “Who is it?”

Grinning widely, Moon Blade began to explain. “While I was still in town, I had detected a power source from one of the residence houses, so I went to investigate. The next thing I found was a group of foals and a few young mares being surrounded by the very same creature that was trying to kill you. So, like any heroic stallion, I had taken the liberty of saving them from certain doom and bringing them here for relative safety.” He paused to let his words sink in, before he continued. “I seem to recall getting a few names from the ponies I rescued, those being Cloud Kicker, Amethyst, Snowflake…and Apple Bloom.”

Loud gasps left the mouths of all four mares at the last two names, their eyes going as wide as saucers as they took in the information. Moon Blade suddenly found his shoulders grasped in the powerful hold of Scarlet who then proceeded to shake him like a doll.

“Apple Bloom is here with you?!” She shouted, hope and relief filling her voice. “Where is she?! Please, please tell me where she is and if she’s alright!”

“Your sister is quite fine; I can assure you.” Midnight said nonchalantly. “As a matter of a fact, she, the rest of her friends, and the young mares that I saved are currently resigning inside the barn not too far away from the house. And they’re currently waiting for you all even as we speak.”

“They’re…they’re alive…they’re really okay.” Midnight breathed, falling to her haunches as her eyes glazed over. “Oh Faust…oh thank Faust, they’re alive!”

“Indeed they are, my dear Midnight, and you’ll be even happier once you see them with your own eyes.” Moon Blade said, putting a hoof on the beetle black Thestral’s shoulder. “That is, if you all are up for it.”

“Are ya kiddin’?! Ah’ve been wantin’ t’ see mah little sis again ever since this whole mess started!” Scarlet replied, a look of happiness taking over her facial features. “C’mon girls, t’ th’ barn!”

“C-comin’!” Honey Blossom said, barely containing her own excitement as she and the other mare rushed towards the barn.

As the three mares raced towards the barn, Moon Blade turned back to Midnight, who hadn’t moved since learning of the survival of her siblings. Smiling gently, he walked over to the mare and pulled her onto her hooves. “Are you coming?”

“Y…y-yes, I-I’m sorry. I just got a little emotional there.” Midnight nodded, wiping at her eyes as she smiled up at the ghostly white stallion. “Thank you, Moon Blade…so much, for saving my sister and brother. I don’t know how I can ever repay you…”

“No need for that, just seeing you all again is thanks enough.” Moon Blade replied, looking off to the side for a moment. ‘Besides, something tells me I’m going to be getting my payment pretty soon…’ He thought as a certain persian blue mare came into his mind.

“Um Moon Blade…” Midnight murmured, noticing the embarrassed look on the ghostly white Thestral’s face. “Why are you blushing like that?”

“N-nothing, just going through a little reminiscing in my head.” Moon Blade replied, shaking the blush off his cheeks. “Come along now. I believe we kept your sister and brother waiting long enough, have we not?”

Midnight stared at him for a few moments, before shaking her head and smiling. “Yes, I think we most certainly have.”

Author's Notes:

I know I know, this chapter tended to be shorted than any of the ones that I had made so far, but...judging from how I was writing it and the title of said story, I figured that it would be alright to leave off right about here. I've been thinking over time that I shouldn't really be concerned by how much I can write anyway, just how good I can make this editing story, and I think that should be all that really matters. Just a heads up, I was planning to have another scene in this, but well...as stated up above, I decided to save it for the next chapter that's soon to come. I may add some scenes in it from the last version of the next chapter that I'm going to write soon, after I get a good speculation on how to start it, and I'm also going to be bringing in some additions on the beasts the the Main Seven are going to be facing. One thing is for certain, things are going to keep building and building until we reach the climax of our adventure.

That's all for now, stay tuned next time for a revisit to our Dark Goddess and the Main Seven having another encounter with a fighter of the Everfree@ Only with this beast, it'll be one that'll be made a bit differently, but one you may recognize from a certain Disney movie.