The Mad Mane Six.

Chapter 2

   Gearhead awoke with a start. His slumber was dreamless, which was quite unusual for him. The moss nest crinkled softly as he moved carefully to exit it. The soft bedding tried to bring him back to sleep as it's hand woven patterns soothed his muscles, but he had to do something else.
   In the center of the nest was a familiar sight. It was a bloodied, tattered pegisus plush that was the only thing that he managed to save from his home on Earth. He smiled at it as he realized the irony of its presence. He then got dressed and exited the room to be greeted by Riplight, who waited on the hall for him. Her look of annoyance in her eyes clashed with the ripped and unceasing smile. Her jagged teeth gave a sense of viciousness that she didn't seem to show... yet. However, her voice and sarcastic tone spoke of her annoyance by itself. "It took you long enough, may have been nice." She stated.
   "It was, albeit strange and dreamless. I apologize if I have messed with your schedule. Truthfully I haven't slept like that for a long time. I thank you for not disturbing or ending my slumber sooner." He said sincerely.
   Riplight's annoyance decreased and her tone softened. "Your welcome, but we really need to get you prepared for today. I have the supplies ready, there's just the matter of your preparation. Follow me to my lab." Gearhead nodded and followed her.
   The walk was a bit long, and left time to observe and think. He then noticed the mark on her flank. It was a series of sparks with a large one in the center. That spark had a elongated  spike on the bottom left side and a red and black eye that stretched from the center of the spark to the end of the edge. That led to a question that burned in the back of his head.
   "What are those marks and how did you get them?" He asked her.
   Riplight looked at him with surprise and then expectancy. "These marks are called cutie marks. We get them when we discover what talent we are proficient in. For example, mine represents my proficiency in magic and the art of knowledge while Big Mash was great with helping around at apple farm, one of which you'll see soon enough."
   "OK, what's with the red eye?" He then asked.
    She stopped for a moment and the began to walk forward."To explain that would be to explain my view on the events that ended our world as we knew it."
   Gearhead gave a curious look. "I heard the story, but to have it explained by another can reveal more than you'd think. Could you please tell it in your view?" He asked. She looked at him and then started.
   "It came out of the mountain, a tower of fire and brimstone. One moment stood a castle that was the center of our world's law and order, the next ash and death. In a instant we lost the two greatest leaders we had along with everyone who lived in Canterlot. The very next day the Crystal Empire was sacked by Corruption and his new bride Chrysalis. It burns even today, and it's believed that there are no survivors. Then came the plague, and grief, anger, fear, and pain ran rampant in the afflicted, eventually leading to many others becoming infected, or dead. The whole world went mad, leading me and my friends to attempt to fix the issue by using magical artifacts called the elements of harmony. Then he came, Corruption, and proclaimed himself the ruler of the new world.
   We tried to fight him, but he saw strong. I asked Rainbow to go get something for me while we held him off, but she never returned. We held out, hoping that she would be back. She never came, and Corruption defeated us and burned the tree of harmony. We returned home, thoroughly defeated, and I was attacked on the way home. Six weeks later, I turned, becoming what I am now. Two years later, Equestria went dark, and has been since then. The eye came from my never-ending journey to try to save the innocent and return the sun to the sky." She looked more somber and defeated than triumphant.
   Gearhead took a moment to recollect. The story was really familiar to him. "It's not over, you know. It's rather obvious you have a bit of hope left. You may be able to save your friends, by what I heard they seem pretty tough and capable. If you had truly fallen into despair,  then you wouldn't have stated your mission. I'd keep that hope, it may be all that you have at the end. That's what I tell my soldiers" He said.
   Riplight then held her head higher as she opened the door. Inside the room was a series of chemical sets and bottles of various liquids, as well a copper and pewter cauldron. Various substances in different matter states lined shelves in categorical order. It all filled Gearhead with intrigue.
   Riplight the used her magic to levitate a particularly dark colored bottle. It was labeled 'transformation elixir'.
   "All this is interesting, but why exactly do I need to become one of your species?" He asked, quite discordant at that fact.
   "Well, being a human here isn't the best thing in the world. I know there are good humans, in fact I'm friends with a few in another realm, but most ponies here don't have the best experience with the humans that intruded. Not to mention that those humans have a bit of a superiority complex. Equines Mortus and Equines Celest don't have the best view on Homo Speniens as a result. Your gonna need to change your form if you want to move around here without attracting to much attention." She said, although in a minor annoyed tone. As if Gearhead knew that fact.
   "So you want me to become a miniature horse, is that what your getting at?" He said teasingly," if you do that, though, I wouldn't have my hands to hold my weapons." He giggled and continued," it's not like I have a energy manipulator or something."
   Riplight shoved the potion towards him, red and lavender sparked and swirled around it. Gearhead grabbed it, smiling mischievously and with a chortle. She knew he was teasing her, it just annoyed her, even more so when he looked so young. As he drank the potion, she realized a good question to ask.
   "How old are you exactly, you sound so much older than you look." The suddenness of the question made Gearhead's eyes bulge as he kept from spewing the bitter liquid that he had downed half of. He held a finger as Riplight began to roar with laughter. He finished the rest of the potion and then belched and then answered, quite plainly,"387 or 9, give or take a few of the forgotten years running from the Dark order. So about 400 years."
   Riplight's jaw dropped, for he looked 21! He then began to feel the effects of the potion. He pulled the Tripad out and created a bright light to try to cover the effects of the potion as it changed him. When the light dissipated, his form had fully changed into one similar to Riplight's. No horn, but his red metal wings gave a scarlet gleam ad he unfurled them, and his blue mane had fire highlights when he moved just right. A sliver G-shaped gear appeared as his cutie mark. He, of course, was red on his organic side and a combination of greys and silvers on the strips of his robotic side. His organic eye was deep blue as his robotic was redder that blood. He looked at Riplight with that same mischievous smile. "Well I'm a miniature horse now, happy?"
   Riplight felt glee, she didn't know that the potion would've worked so well, much less at all. Gearhead didn't know that, and he didn't need to know it, so she kept her composure. She simply stated, "This is satisfactory, let us leave for your briefing." She opened the door, motioned him through it, an he when he left the room, closed it behind her.
   The two of them walked quietly down the hall. Riplight still puzzled over the age of the stallion that walked beside her. Gearhead just focused on no falling on his face. Walking on all fours was strange, must less on hooves. What made him just a bit more nervous however, was the sudden change from clothes to just fur, although he did like the colorful attributes of it all.
   When they arrived to a large door that signified the end of the main hall and the beginning of the entrance chamber of the castle. Once that door was opened, it was revealed that a table full of supplies sat in the center of that chamber and beside the table stood Big Mash. He was checking out the food, weapons, water vessels, and a pile of semi-spoiled meat. Big Mash looked at Riplight with a confused look.
   "So, uh, I get why he's here, but why did you need me to be here too?" He asked, confused. Riplight gave him a simply sadistic look as she explained.
   "You are here because I need you to get our guest here to your sister's house. I'd do it myself, but, you know what happens when me and that dark chemical fog mix, I'd dissect him. See what's inside. I rather not do that to him...yet. Anyway, I'm hungry, and there was a stallion that did spit at me." Big Mash gave a eyebrow raise.
   "OK, I'll go, but only because I don't want to be around for the aftermath of that, or have to clean up the blood you spill. I still have bloodstains from the last time.  Of course, there is a perk for getting covered in blood after you eat." He said it with a wide but nonchalant grin. Riplight didn't respond but blushed in a embarrassed look. Big Mash looked towards Gearhead. "OK Mr. Miniature-horse, let's get moving, I have a reunion to attend." Gearhead gave a annoyed look.
   The two stallion's began to leave, but not before a final warning from Riplight."You better survive Big Mash, because if I find out something, or rather some mare, ate you. I'll eviscerate it to find your chunks or shrunken corpse and eat you myself!" Gearhead just smiled as he heard that threat before. Big Mash looked embarrassed.
   Once out of the castle and out of ear shot. Big Mash looked at Gearhead,"She always says that, but it doesn't mean it would happen, right?" Gearhead just looked at him and then returned his gaze back to were he was walking. "She would, could and will. Never doubt that for a moment." Big Mash went pale. How could he say it with such certainty, much less so nonchalantly.

   The two walked through twin without so much as a hiccup, although  you could hear the screams of victims an the roars of the predators that claimed them. Big Mash looked nervous while Gearhead gave a continuous and unyielding straight face. The fear that radiated from Big Mash could have been felt, leaving Gearhead to be on a constant watch for something that thought it could get a fearful and easy meal. He the sensed something and saw a Corrupted Nightstallion that tried to hide from them.
   Gearhead pulled out his gun with a energy manipulator and shot a single round. The stallion fell and turned to ash, it's head completely shattered into shards of charcoal and burnt stone. Big Mash stumbled when all this happened, but then regained his composure.
   "I guess I really don't have anything to worry about with you around, do I?" Big Mash said. Gearhead then noticed something flash on a roof. It was a teleporting unicorn, a blue mare with white mane and red eyes. A intensity warning symbol appeared as she looked at them.
   "Look, two new toys to break!" She said. Big Mash looked scared as he turned pale. Gearhead looked at him and said,"run."
   Big Mash motioned to a path in between a series of trees that apples on them."Stay on the path, otherwise, we would have more issues with the vinewhips than with Dreaxie."
   They ran quickly, staying on the path. Every time they thought they lost the mare, she would just teleport  closer. Wicked laughter filled the forest as she gave chase.
   "Why run from me, I just want to show you a magic trick I learned. I can make you disappear to where ever I want you. One for my stomach, the other for..." She started to state before she deflected a bullet that Gearhead fired at her. "Ah, that was rude! I'm gonna have fun breaking you."
   "The barn is ahead, and Dreaxie is terrified of my sister, so she won't go in it or the house. Heck, I'm surprised she's even here in the forest." Big Mash said.
   "I'd shut up, if she's gotten bolder, then she just might come in with us." Gearhead responded. Big Mash started to sweat from more then physical exertion. Gearhead had more to worry about. He was immortal and able to regenerate body parts, making him a infinite food source. If he got caught, and if Dreaxie didn't absorbed  him for his powers, he'd spend a life trapped inside the guts of a different life form. Not a pleasant fate.
   The barn then came into view. It was covered in vines and branches as it seemed that nature was trying to reclaim it but decided to leave it standing. Big Mash got there first and opened the door, leaving Gearhead to slide in quickly. He then ran I and closed the door leaving Dreaxie outside, who stopped a few feet outside.
   "Come on, there's better places to hide than that! I know one that's mobile and takes care of you, in many ways. You'd never worry about being eaten again!" She shouted at them. Gearhead sighed, he dodged another cannibal bent on making him their meal. That was probably the one thing he hated about the virus, that need to make ordinary creatures overpowered and cannibalistic. The worst part was that she had magic, so the idea of getting shrunken and devoured whole didn't sit well, along with anywhere else he could have ended up. He shivered at those thoughts.
   Dreaxie continued to shout in a attempt to lure the two of them out, and Gearhead noticed that Big Mash had to shake his head every so often. "She's gonna be out there for a awhile, and we need to get to my sis soon. The plants out here get hungry, and I would rather be in Dreaxie's stomach than a plant's. At least then I would be dead before half my body gets liquefied." He then looked forward and saw a skeleton encased in amber. "That would be another reason why. I hope that is not AppleJack, or what may be left of her."
   "Sorry, Big Mac, but your not that lucky, and neither am I." Said a strong and female voice with a country accent. Gearhead turned to find a brandy colored mare with amber mane that had a green stripe on one side, which matched her eyes. A vine that seem to be growing out of her chest wrapped around her front right leg and a Stetson hat on her head. Her cutie mark was similar to Big Mash's apple, but there were three smaller ones with a vine connecting them all.
   "Yall better skedaddle outta here before I open a can of whoop on you. Fact, you where the last face I wanted to see today,  considering its the anniversary of the Fall and everything." The mare said, quite feverishly. Big Mash responded with,"Well it's not my fault that it happened, and it's not yours or hers either. I heard the stories of what happened, but I never thought you'd be a coward and hide."
   The mare then walked up to Big Mash and stood, challenging him. "Looks like Riplight's helped you expand your vocabulary." Her posture then softened. "Applethorn would be happy to see her big brother again. Come on, we had to make a tunnel to access the barn if we needed anything. We aren't hiding, we're trapped, and my name isn't Applejack, it's MadJack now." She then began to walk into the tunnel. The two stallions looked at each other and the forward as they began to follow MadJack.
   The tunnel was cramped, dark and poorly made, so they were careful as to not cause a collapse. They came our of the tunnel through a trap door that seemed to be installed in a kitchen. Luminescent flower buds produced enough light to see, but it would be impossible to read in this light. Vines covered the walls and doors as it sprawled through that house. Rotten leaves, petals, and fruit covered the ground. It all screamed that there was a massive Vinewhip mutation somewhere.
   "How long have you had this issue?" Gearhead asked, his tone serious as to match the situation. Mad jack replied with,"Three years now, right when the Darkness fell. I had just taken in a lost and dazed pony. He plum fell down as soon as we got him in the house. I believed he was infected, and the vines are coming from the basement, where I had Applethorn place him for the night."
   Gearhead smiled and said,"I may be able to help, but only me. I believe there is a little sister that will need her big brother and sister. It's going be noisy in a moment. I got this, so don't worry about me, I've done this too many times." He spoke causally, but the truth was he was raring to get down there as quickly as he could. A Hero of the Dark shows mercy to all. It was just a darker mercy for those that were in pain that couldn't be stopped.
   MadJack led Big Mash upstairs while Gearhead headed to the basement, but not before noticing a mirror. It was cracked and aged but you could still see a reflection in it. Vines had grown underneath the glass and a few sprigs growing out of the cracks. He took note, and then continued forward.
   He then got to the door and opened it, the door creaking as it swung. He felt a chill as Darkness flowed out of the passage, it creating dark spirals as it played it the light emanating  from the biolumenessent plants. He then started to walk down the stairs, constantly scanning for any unpleasant suprised. He only found the sores of the vines.
   "Help me," cried a very weak voice, clearly suffering from the grizzly fate he suffered. There was the stallion, on his side with vines growing from his abdominal cavity. It was as if his intestinal tract mutated into vines and burst through his skin to find more sources of substances to keep its host alive. Gearhead gritted his teeth as he held his distaste back. No one deserved a fate like that.
   He began to walk to the stallion and the vines began to rebel at the intrusion. They lashed out at him only for the Old One's ax to slice them away. They fell and flailed around, finally stopping once their fluids flowed away. Gearhead just continued forward, unflinching and unwavering. He had his mission, and he wouldn't stop. The vines didn't even slow him down slightly. Any that came even close just met the same fate.
   He then got to the stallion's body and heard him say the same thing over and over, as if that was the last thing he had. Gearhead then plunged the Ax into the stallion's exposed heart and then spoke."You were denied death and we're forced to live as a host of the aberration. I shall grant that which was denied. May the balance send you to were you are needed. Sleep now, for your struggle is over, for now."
   The stallion let out a final breath to speak. "Thank you," was what Gearhead heard. The stallion then died, and the vines began to writhe and wither around him. A board then fell down and smacked him on his back. He then noticed that more were falling, leading to a realization.
   Gearhead then galloped upstairs. MadJack then exclaimed "what's going on? What did you do?"
   Gearhead quickly responded with a, "we need to get out of here, and now."
   They all started to gallop out of the room and downstairs. MadJack seemed to be barreling down the stairs and to the trap door, but Gearhead stopped her right before the roof fell on top of the kitchen, collapsing the tunnel and crushing anything that was in the kitchen. MadJack the ran to the front door and began to buck it. The vines let loose after five hits and the door shattered.
   The group then ran out, but not before Gearhead notice a rainbow glint and grabbed the object that had it. They ran a bit of a way before turning back and watching the house collapse. The entire group breathed hard as they all took a moment to process. Gearhead spoke first.
   "The vines were holding your house together. Once the stallion was killed, the vines would wither and then the house would have fallen on top of you. By the looks of the stallion, he would've been dead soon anyways." The siblings looked defeated, but the time to mourn wasn't then. He could still hear Dreaxie shouting in the distance. "We need to get to Riplight's, it will be safer for all of us right now. Quickly now, Dreaxie is still looking for us out here."
   They nodded at the idea, and then left the ruins behind. Applethorn, who was a light yellow mare with red mane and a strange crystalline Apple with black thorns as her cutie mark. Her eye were green and leaves grew from her mane and thorns from her shoulders, walked with her head lowered. She stood next to MadJack, Who stood between her and Big Mash. Gearhead sensed that it wasn't to.be closer to him, but to keep Applethorn away. Big Mash looked saddened by it.
   They got through town with ease, only needing to hide from the pink mane pegisus mare that seemed to be looking for something, like food. They then got to and entered the castle to find themselves in the presence of a very annoyed Alicorn.
   "I see you came home with more than the part."Riplight started,"So, where exactly are they staying?"
   Big Mash went to open his mouth only to shut it as the castle shook, and quite suddenly. The tremor caused everyone to fall down as the Great Hall expanded. Once the shaking stopped, the group notice that the castle was bigger.
   "It appears as if a few rooms opened up. Don't worry, it's only until we can get our home rebuilt. Hopefully its soon, considering our host." MadJack shot. MadJack then looked and motioned at Applethorn to follow her as Riplight gave a troubled towards MadJack. Riplight then shot a angry look at Big Mash and then said,"I hope your happy, because now your gonna clean up the rest of the entrails, with a small garden trowel." She growled, and then began to walk past him, but stopped."It is good that the apple family didn't end with you, as well as the fact that she is alive is very good news. I would hurry when you go to clean those entrails, they are starting to stink, and twitch." Big Mash stood for but a moment, sorrow in his eyes.
   "I kinda wish they'd get along like they did before. Best go get that trowel, otherwise the guts will try to crawl out of the buckets before rejoining the rest of the ripped apart body. For some reason, when Riplight bites into some pony, they tend to come back."  He then began to walk away, but stopped. "You know, this world is worth saving, even if I will never be the same." He then walked away again.
   Gearhead stood still, alone. Then he went to his room. He looked at his mirror, or what was left of it. It was only a shard, but you could still see yourself, if not in great detail. He then took out his Triad and activated it's mic. "Log time 56 of 306 solar Mystic cycle. Hour 16, minute 32. It's been 2 days in this realm and I've already encountered several strange mutations and colorful personalities. I have met a immune, a Forbidden, and couple of Vinewhip mutations. Prospects are very high, so it's time to call in the troop. Bring on the rest of the Heroes of the Dark, and let's start being a light in the darkness."
 
    Lord Corruption slammed his hand down." I told that fool to keep his head down, and we're down a spy. What's worse is that Franken-Dash's little rebellion seems to be stronger than I thought." Chrysalis put her hand on Corruption's shoulder. "Well, it seems as if the LOC has hand their hands on Franken-Dash,  so I believe that there may be a weakness we can exploit. It is also true that her troops didn't escape without losses. Let me send my new hoard. A simple bite, her troops are dead, turned to ash before her eyes." She asked him.
   His eyes softened as did his posture at the sound of her voice and the touch of her hand. He then smiled," I like that idea, send them, as well as the one we captured from the Crystal Empire. We had him have a vendetta against the rainbow hair. I'm also sending the Juggernaut, who also has a issue with rainbows."
   He then got up and headed to the dungeon and went to the largest cell. Stopping once to look at a blind Starlight Glimmer, who's burnt eyes had shriveled. The light purple unicorn mare with darker purple mane with light blue stripe. He then said, looking towards the largest cell," you want a chance to avenge your wife and city?"
   All that was stated was,"Blood for Blood." Corruption smiled and said,"Well then, let's use that blood-lust, shall we?"