Having just finished another sparring match with Mike, him giving me more bruises then I could even put him to the ground, we were shocked to find Vicky standing before us; Devon and Shiny Armour who came to also train with the Humicorn, with a large pole in her hands. With sweat making my clothes cling to me, I stood up and starched my sore limps as me and Mike made our way over toward Vicky as well as the other two. We were training out in the Apple’s field, since it was the largest area of where we could train.

“Uh, hey there Vicky,” I greeted our friend as I placed the wooden sword I was using on my shoulder, still holding it by the hilt. “What brings you here?” she wore a determined face as she answered my question.

“I heard that you four were training, and I want to train as well.”

“Why?” Devon asked tilting his head to the side; his bird flew from a nearby tree and landed on his shoulder as it copied what he did.

“I want to fight with you guys as well.” This took us back for sure, the four of us turned to look at each other for a quick glance before looking back at her. “What…do don’t think a women can fight?”

“No, no!” Mike answered waving his hands side to side. “We are not thinking that aren’t we fella?” we all shook ours heads at this as Mike chuckled slightly. “It just…do you have any sort of fighting skills?”

“Course I do, I can fight.”

“We are facing zombies here Vic,” Devon answered walking to her side. “I mean, how well can you fight?” he then grinned and poked her side of her head. “I mean…you can be called the Stick Girl!” he started to laugh as Vicky’s eye twitched before twirling the pole in a circle a few times before the edge of the pole slammed right between Devon’s legs.

The rest of us cringed as she didn’t even look at him when she did this, Devon holding his crotch as he slowly fell on his side, and Polly flew up screeching loudly.

“Nut cracker!” he screeched as Devon fell fully on his side, curling into a ball as he whimpered slightly.

“Oh…my…god,” Mike gasped looking at the dark skin warrior. “She…did she just neuter him?!”

“Devon man, are you alright?” I asked going to his side as he lifted an arm up.

“I’m okay…thank god I already have a kid.” He answered with a soft chuckle as I shook my head.

“Look,” Vicky answered digging the butt of her pole to the ground. “In my past, I had to fight a lot to live, not as you two did, but when I tell you my story you’ll understand. I can fight, and if I’m gonna stay here, I want to help keep my home safe.” I stood up and crossed my arms looking her right in the eyes before Shiny Armour came up.

“Spoken like a true solider,” he answered with a nod. “I will train you if you wish; your style is much of my own. Can you get up early to get to Canterlot tomorrow to start your training?” the human nodded her head as Armour nodded back. “Good, do any of you think this is a bad idea?”

“I say go with it,” I answered smiling. “We need all the help we can get right?”

“Ah agree with this,” Mike answered with a nod of his head while placing his hat back on top of his head. “Are ya truly sure on this?”

“Truly,” she answered with a nod as Mike nodded back.

“Then I guess I’ll have to make you armour as well, lets see, since you’ll be using a spear or a staff, you’ll need something to allow you easy movement and speed…”

“Captain!” we all jerked our heads over to the south of the field to see one of Celestia’s guards coming toward us at a high rank of speed. The guard was flying low toward the ground before skidding to a halt before us, his breath short and heavy; wings dropping toward the ground slightly as he tried to catch his breath.

“What is it soldier?” Demanded Armour as he made his way over to the gold wearing Pegasus to see what the matter was. The rest of us came up behind Armour to hear as his guard jerked his head up to tell us.

“A…a small army was reported seen in the Everfree Forest sirs!” he answered looking toward where the forest would be. “Our scouts tell us they look human…but not at the same time.” Devon’s, Mike’s and my eyes locked on to each other as we nodded our heads once. There was no time to don on our armour, so with hast; we made our way toward a tree stump that held out weapons. Shiny Armour giving the guard a few orders as he saluted and went off toward Ponyville as Vicky came over to us.

“This is my chance to show you what I can do!” she explained to us as Mike slipped his hammer though his buckle. “Let me fight!”

“Too risky,” Armour told her with a look. “I promised to train you, but we do not know what sort of evil we are facing.”

“But I…” Vicky was about to rebel until the unicorn cut her off.

“I told the guard to have the men form around Ponyville in case the ones we are going to fight get pass us. I also told them to allow you to join the ranks. If any get pass us, fight there but not at the bulk of the hoard!”

“He’s right Vicky,” I spoke up clipping the sword on my back and then unsheathing my blade. “Fight there alright, until we know truly how well you fight, we don’t want you to risk your life; alright?” She gave me a stern look before looking away for a moment, sighing she then nodded and kicked up her pole, holding it behind her back before she ran toward the village.

Even in the day, the forest looked like it wanted to kill you. Though even though it was a little dark, my blade’s light allowed us to easily see as we treaded deeper and deeper into the forest. Mike and I were taking point, while Devon and Armour took our flanks, slowly moving forward, at times pacing in a clock like spin to see if anything was around, so far; nothing. I then stopped and then placed the sword up toward Mike’s chest to stop him as he stopped just before hitting the flat of my blade.

“You notice that?” I asked him as Devon and Armour came up behind us to stay close.”

“Notice what?” he asked as he looked to me as I looked to him out of the corner of my eye.

“Listen,” I told him as he looked around once more.

“I don’t hear a thing,” he answered me as I only nodded my head slightly. “What are ye getting at B...” he then stopped as he knew what I was talking about as he drew his hammer out. I heard the sound of magic behind me as I looked behind to see Shiny Armour also have a spear out, Devon punching his open metal glove fists together.

At once, the sound of a brush being rustled was heard as something sprang out while growling loudly, acting on reflex, I span the sword in my hand in the air, before slashing it downward. Whatever came to me fell in to the floor quickly, now not moving. Soon more rustles were heard as the four of us went back to back, to see what we were about to face. They here human like yes, their bodies’ human, yes; but they were far from human anymore.

They bore no hair at all, their skin a bloody red, sucked in slightly giving them an almost skull like look. Where their eyes should’ve been, was nothing but a soft red glow. They wore no nose at all, their arms skinny as well as their legs; but they wore the armour well enough to think they did have the muscles to hold them up. Their ears were gone, and their lips as well, making their teethes, or what they had left that is, easily shown.

The armour they wore were damage in many places, rust taking its toll on it. But from looking at each of the human zombies, I knew how the armour was made. Around the legging looked like a skirt of chain mail in a way, clanking and clinking with each movement they made. The chest part looking very heavy, buckle in a way, a symbol that I had seen before marked in the center, covered by the blood of ether old or new victims. A shield that was rounded; an Alicorn shown in the middle with twin swords going though the sides, the Holy Sun Blade down the middle.

They hissed and growled, their rusted looking swords, axes and daggers swinging toward us, but hit nothing but air. They were but a jump away to us. I counted maybe fifteen of these zombies, fifteen that may or may not be mine, Devon’s or even Mike’s family member. I remember that there was to be a small army...oh no did they already went past us and these were just the left behinds?! The four of us slowly went back to back to each other, looking around, I noticed Shiny Armour holding his spear with one hoof, and I would’ve thought he would use magic to hold it, but I guess not. The last fourteen Zombies solders slowly moved closer and closer as I turned back to undead humans, my grip tighter on the hilt, and all at once; they attacked.

I had three before me, two having small axes and the last with a short sword. The one with the sword came at me first, swinging and twisting the blade at me to stab at my gut. Jumping backwards I parried the blows and ducked low to the ground before slashing upward. The other two came in front of the first and brought their axes down to block my attack as I glared and then using my magic, allowing my hands to softly glow; turned my sword into a flaming inferno. All three jumped back as I brought the sword made of flames before me, slowly moving forward as they backed away; before I let out a battle cry and sprang forward like a cat springing toward its prey. Chopping off the head of the closest zombie, I then rolled toward the ground behind the headless body as it slowly fell backwards; as it did so, I then jumped forward once more and stabbed my blade though one with the axe as a weird hollow like scream was heard from the monster. Releasing my shield from my ring, I then slashed the edge on the dead human’s neck, causing it to snap and fall backwards; before that body too fell. Slowly turning to the last zombie as it turned and ran toward me, I jumped back as a spear was seen thrown at the chest of the creature, Armour’s spear.

Looking back at where my friends were, I saw that they had already dealt with the others as well. Using magic, the unicorn brought his weapon back to his side as Devon crossed his arms and kicked one of the even deader zombies.

“Some small army my black ass!” he complained and shook his head. “I mean, the Dark Beasts gave us more of a fight then this!” Mike only crossed his arms, before taking his hat off and slapping it over his legs to get any loose blood from the sides.

“This doesn’t make any sense at all though,” he spoke softly brining his fingers toward his chin. “You would think they would attack Ponyville…but why go into the forest and come this way; the village is that ah way right?” I didn’t stay and think of my reasons, slipping my sword back into place I ran as fast as I could toward Ponyville, hearing the sound of my friends calling me back, I just kept on running. After a wile they caught up to me as we pushed out way out of the forest coming to Fluttershy’s cottage. She was in the village as well today as I cursed as even more of our friends could be in danger! As we gained closer and closer I could see the bodies of those zombies just on the outside of Ponyville as I glared harder pushing my legs harder and harder; I was right, the ones we fought were just there to keep us busy as the main forces came here! But as we got closer and closer to the middle of my home, I saw that it was not a zombie the guards were fighting, or trying to keep at bay; but my father Sinbad.

And it wasn’t the guards as I thought it was, Twilight and the rest of the girls had the Element and were using them on him, the color of a rainbow hitting Sinbad as he only used a single hand to block the attack as he only chuckled; a low heartless chuckle before flexing his other hand causing the attack to stop and sending the girls skidding backwards. Sinbad then drew his double blades as he edge closer and closer toward the six as I started to run once more, yelling out he span around and brought his swords down as I brought mine up, the clashing of our metals easily heard as I glared hard up at him and he smiling down at me with his crooked smile.

“Ah Brandon,” he spoke softly to me as I glared; it was his voice, not the demon’s. “Been a while hasn’t it?” we both pushed each other back as he held his swords behind him as I glared and brought mine to the side of me.

“Not long enough,” I answered as Mike and Devon came up to my side as Armour went off to first see if his sister was fine, as well as the guards. Vicky was off to the side, her arm bleeding as she looked at Sinbad in totally fear.

“What’s this,” he asked looking at my friends on ether side of me. “Not gonna fight me one on one?”

“No,” I answered holding my sword to him. “I now know that you must be killed, and I can’t do this on my own. I really don’t care how you die, by my hands or the hands of others, all I care about,” I then slashed the sword in front of myself. “Is seeing your blood and lifeless body before me!” He only started to laugh at this as Devon snorted.

“I say we just beta this prick now!”

“I agree man,” I answered with a grin as Mike slapped his hammer in his hand before getting ready as well.

“So be it!” Sinbad called out stretching his arms out. “This place will be your graves!”

Running toward me mostly, he brought his swords toward me as I the ducked and slashed at his chest, but my tip never touched his skin or his clothing for that matter, Mike then went after him with is hammer, swinging it with speed one without training with such a tool could use. Sinbad dodging and weaving each of his attacks before Mike grinned, throwing the hammer toward him. Sinbad rolled out of the way with a look of smugness over his lips as Mike flexed both of his arms causing them to burst into flames. This caused my father’s eyes to grow wide, no doubt had yet to see Mike fight, he did not know that he had earned his Guardian form. The cowboy human then ran toward Sinbad, punching at him as the demon/human backed away and then tried to stab at Mike. But he was quicker; grabbing the blade I watched as some sliver slowly came down to the ground, his swords melting. Releasing one of his swords, my father jumped back, a look of pure fear on his face as me and Devon flanked on ether side of Mike as he brought his hand up, his hammer coming right back in his hand.

“So it seems you three have indeed increased in your skills and power within the two years.” The red eye monster spoke while holding his now only sword to the side.

“Well no shit,” Devon answered while rolling his eyes as I turned to look at him or a moment. “I mean what did you think we were doing?  Fucking around…okay maybe we were…”

“Devon now is not a good time for that sort of talk.”

“Party pooper,” I scuffed slightly and turned to look back at my father as I grinned and brought my blade tip and pointed it to him.

“You are outnumbered and outclass Sinbad,” I told him wearing a smug look. “Surrender now, it’s over!”

“Yeah dad you tell him!” my eyes grew wide as I looked over to the side to see Sonic Flash pretty close by, I saw from the corner of my eye that my father had a large and evil sly grin on his face.

“Sonic get out of here now!” I cried as Sinbad then brought a hand out causing Sonic to yelp out as a dark magic flowed around his body and pulled him toward my father; his grandfather.

“H…hey let me go you bald bugger!” the small colt cried out as he tried to struggle to be released. My anger flared as I ran toward him to help him, when a blade was pressed to his neck, causing both me and my son to stop moving at once.

“Now, now, Brandon,” the smugness was once more back as I growled softly under my breath. “You know I don’t want to hurt a child,”

“Bull shit!” I screamed but did not move an inch in fear of my son’s welfare. I saw him smile more as he shrugged.

“Well, I won’t hurt him unless I have to; after all, he is my grandson.” I could see the shock in Sonic’s eyes as he looked up at the man holding him and also to me. “Oh, he didn’t tell you at all did he?” he asked looking down at Sonic Flash with a grin. “I am his father, the one that gave him that scar and also took away his mother.”

“You…big meanie!” he screamed out and struggled more as I took another step closer, maybe if I got close enough I could shoot Sinbad in the head and just end it here, but he saw me and brought the sword closer to his neck causing me to stop.

“None of that now, or he gets it.” Devon and Mike were on ether side of him, but far off for fear of the threats he was having on my son. “Now then, here’s what’s going to happen, I am going to take my grandson here and leave, and you will not try anything at all, you want him back and alive; you will surrender yourselves under my rule!” he grinned as I glared harder as my sword shook harder in rage, but I sighed and slowly lowered it toward the ground as I heard him chuckle. “Good boy…now you will…” I looked up just in time to see something moving beside him, it looked like a shadow as it edged closer and closer, before it exploded upward like a water fountain. Sinbad let out a startled cry as someone came out of the shadow, Vlad! He grabbed his half brother and pulled him out of the grip of his grandfather before landing back in the shadow with Sonic Flash. And before Sinbad could even move, he was attacked from behind, sending him rolling forward as Chrysalis stood behind him, her horn glowing with magic as a group of Changelings stood beside and behind her ready to fight.

“You?!” Sinbad let out a roar. “You’re dead!”

“No, you only thought I was dead,” The Changeling Queen answered as Vlad used his skill to bring himself beside his mother, Sonic beside him looking around in utter confusion. “Brandon, Mike, Devon, now is your chance!” I gave a sharp nod as me and the other looked at each other for one moment before jumping forward, fist, sword, and Hammer falling on top of where Sinbad stood, before he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a black of smoke.

After a while making sure all the zombies were gotten rid of and Sinbad was no where to be seen, we went to the wounded, Vicky only had a small gash, but it still needed to be stitched up. I then went over to Twilight and the others to make sure they were fine, Sonic hadn’t spoken to me, but I knew he had questions and I had to answer them. When Twilight was fine, she then asked.

“Did she really save him?” knowing what she meant I answered.

“Vlad really did, but she did help.” She slowly got up as Sonic went over and hugged her as she hugged him back. Hearing someone coming up behind me I turned to see Chrysalis standing there with Vlad at her side. Twilight looked up and then stood up fully and made her way over to her. I got out of the way and stood beside the other three humans as we watched as Twilight stared up at the Changeling Queen.

“Awkward….” Devon whispered and I saw that in his hand, was a sock puppet, the eyes and everything as he moved the ‘lip’ as he spoke as I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“Thank you,” Twilight spoke softly as Chrysalis only nodded her head slightly and turned to walk away.