Chapter Text
Drama and Destruction
A “Silverscale Arena” Side-Story
Based on the works by Dakari King Mykan
(All art belongs to their respective owners, which are credited beneath. All in the FurrAffinity version)
(All Characters in Sexual Situations are 18 and above)
The Crystal Spire, Wrath, the Hella-Verse...
Within this pristine structure (which stuck out like a sore thumb in the desolate wastes of the Wrath Circle), a conniving crystalline being still fought for a dream.
A dream of his world being freed of the tyranny of the species that had taken it over...and his wrath would continue long after that same species had been recently humbled.
Things had not gone completely according to the plans of the kaiju, but Mokushiroku was nothing if not adaptable. He continued to float around, thinking of new strategies, really concentrating on what he would consider his next move. He had an inkling of an idea, but it was a risky one.
Still, the pieces were falling into place. His pragmatism and vindictive nature were meshing remarkably well as he continued to plan, though his ears flicked when he started to hear some noise. He was no stranger to his place being filled with the noises of those residing with him, but now, it was getting ridiculous.
The sounds of Brass Bolt tinkering away with the angelic tech he had managed to sneak out of the black markets? Acceptable. Iron Will pumping iron to burn off his stress? Fair. Gilda wasn't even here, as she was taking her business in other corners of Wrath, probably to find the nearest fighting ring to burn off her own stress at what had happened to her home. Trixie was most likely practicing her craft, awaiting the day she would 'bring hope and splendor' back to her wrecked homeworld.
And then there was the currently absent one known as Stud Muffin. The revelation of his connection to the deceased Twilight Sparkle had given the monster pause. He knew Twilight had MANY friends, especially the other members of the Mane 6. That didn't surprise him. What did was him realizing that he had ZERO memory of her having a friend in the earth pony stallion, let alone a lover.
The fallen Grand Ruler Celesto's magic was all over this factoid, causing him to smirk as he remembered the fate of that tyrant. 'Whatever reason you had to implant some memory spell in that poor stallion...it wasn't worth it. Your reign is over and I will be the one to...to....'
Giving a roar of frustration, Mokushiroku now remembered what he was thinking about earlier. Namely, the incessant melodramatic rock music coming from one of the rooms. 'DISCORD! I know your heart is heavy with what has happened, but do you mind?! ' He snarled, sending that telepathic message at max volume.
What he got in return was the volume getting pumped up in that room, leading to the kaiju floating towards that room and braving the music that was so loud that even he was pushed back by the soundwaves. Lifting the crystal barrier away, he created a shield of the stuff around his arm, even creating some crystal earmuffs around his ears.
Discord was flopped onto the floor, a massive boombox next to him that continued to unleash that same music at a volume that would shatter the ears of most. Tear-stains covered the crystal ground, the rest of the room looking uncharacteristically normal for such an eccentric chaotic spirit.
'Have some dignity...' The kaiju groaned, letting out another high-pitched roar as he stomped the ground, causing a crystal to stab through the boom box, ending the sound. 'You nearly brought the entire structure to the ground. I'm fairly certain we've gotten noise complaints from that imp family nearby, too. The last thing I need is-'
"Turn that back on. I need it to drown out the voices telling me that this is all my fault." To demonstrate his point, the thoroughly-tired Discord (with bags underneath the bags under his eyes) snapped his fingers, some of the musical notes in the air transforming into a raging tide to sink into his ears.
Unamused, Mokushiroku crossed his arms. 'Does that work? ' He asked, humoring his ally.
"No. Not at all."
'Then, maybe this will.' Swinging his tail, the crystal-club at the end smashed into Discord's face, but the kaiju got no reaction, even though it looked like somebody had taken the smear tool in digital painting to the draconequus' face. 'Why don't you celebrate the positives of our victory? Starfleet is broken! We've technically won! '
"What good is it when we've made things so much worse?" Discord mumbled, flopping against the wall as he melted into a puddle of depression. "What good is our 'victory' when-"
'I know you better than that. You care not of the state of the world. It's chaotic like you like. A lawless wasteland where order has taken a devastating blow.' The kaiju stated. 'It's your connection to Fluttershy that you're so worried about.' He sounded more sympathetic when he said that.
Covering his eyes, Discord gritted his teeth. "Everything she ever loved has either been blasted into atoms or mutated into some kind of monstrosity not even she could hope to comfort with her soothing voice and kind disposition and oh, what if she hates meeee?! Why didn't I save those reptiles when I had the chance?! I could have-"
'Dwell on the past no further. She will come to thank you and me when we bring order to that world.' The kaiju chuckled. 'You bringing order...there's a fine irony.'
Looking a bit more ticked, Discord reformed into his usual form, his claws on his hips. "Lemme guess. You've got yet ANOTHER 'brilliant' plan? The last one ended SOOOO well-"
Forming a crystal blade around his arm, Mokushiroku glared. 'Be careful of what you say. Your full power has not returned yet and, even if it did, I could counter any of your madness with ease. My methods may have suffered...unforeseen setbacks...' He remembered just how off-the-rails things went when Ragnarök had arrived. '...but they always end in what I set out to do. What I set out to do next is help heal, not destroy.'
Turning his back, the kaiju floated back down into the center of the tower, floating high above the sprawling bright-white/blue crystalline interior. 'There is a way for us to create a portal of our own, but it'll, like most things we do, require great calamity first. One does not simply tear a hole in space/time.'
Looking at his hand in disgust, Discord considered snapping his fingers to create that portal, but he relented with a sigh. "Whatever. For your sake, plan WAY better this time."
'You have my word, my friend, that the collateral damage of this plan will only extend to this realm...and especially the one above.' Mokushiroku smirked before looking stoic once more. 'Now, leave me and keep things down. If I am to succeed in helping our world, I must have time to properly form a plan.'
Too apathetic at this point to press the kaiju further, Discord flew back to his room, grumbling as he found himself having to face his own thoughts. To keep his mind off the image of a heartbroken Fluttershy looking at him with a betrayed look after the devastation brought to Equestria, he thought of other matters.
"That Stud Muffin guy...I think I remember a bit now. That handsome oaf and Twilight Sparkle? What a pair." He groaned. "Great. Now, I feel worse. Is grief the price we all pay for love?" He dramatically said, raising his arms up before they flopped onto his sides.
The only upside he could think of right now was, at the very least, his greatest mistake (Ragnarök) was no longer around. "If you wanna name something you did right..." He picked up a crystal shard to act as a mirror. "...it's that you got rid of that poor mutant lizard."
"And what makes you so sure of that, Jack?" The reflection sassily asked. "What's one more screw-up, right?"
"Oh, shut it. You're merely a projection of light against a mirror shard. What do you know?"
"More than you, Mr. 'Let's Break Fluttershy's Heart Without Even Trying'! I'm sure she's feeling oodles of appreciation for having bothered to give you a chance at both friendship and love right now!"
"Why you little-"
The draconequus spent the next few hours slamming the shard down, interrupting Mokushiroku's concentration again and causing the kaiju to growl angrily. 'This...could take time.' He thought to himself, his eye twitching as the slamming continued to shake the tower.
Meanwhile in Lust City...
One would not expect this Circle to be the place for some serious thinking. But the Earth Pony stallion that was sitting in the break room of Ozzies was finding enough time for some introspection before he had to step up on stage.
Earlier,
Fizzarolli had asked Stud Muffin if he was truly okay to dance on stage, given that he looked beat, but the man had pressed forward. "Helping people isn't supposed to be easy." He had said. "I'll push through to give everybody here the best time they've ever had."
"Hey, you're literally rocking out with your cock nearly out." The cybernetic imp had pointed out. "There's nothing too deep about that."
"But I'm still putting smiles on their faces, am I? Besides, it may help clear my mind."
"...whatever you say. Just remember your contract. Whatever mistake happens there, it's on you. But know that I'm rootin' for ya'. I know how it feels to get sent into a slump for...uh, if you don't mind me prying, what's this about?"
"It's...a lot. Maybe we can talk later?"
"I'm not one for getting chummy with the employees, but I'll consider it. Now, take a moment to collect yourself and, if you're still feeling up for it, knock 'em dead! I know for a fact that those muscles alone will win you the big bucks!" Fizarolli exclaimed.
Back to the present, Stud Muffin stared at the ceiling while dressed in nothing but a speedo, his massive cock pushing hard against the fabric. "Twilight...Twilight..." He kept repeating, his memories having fully been processed.
The good news? He still felt like himself. The same lovable if a bit dull Earth Pony that loved to help. He even remembered the day he got his Cutie Mark. Several years of going to the gym non-stop and BOOM! Instant dumbbell on his flank.
The bad news? He couldn't understand why somebody would be cruel enough to tamper with his mind so much that he'd forget something as important as meeting a new friend AND falling in love with that same friend! Closing his eyes, he continued to process what life had been with the Princess of Friendship herself.
He remembered the precise moment they met when she was organizing books in her library and he had taken up a job as a repair-stallion. That was his thing. Taking up all kinds of jobs and, while he was never the most skilled at them, he was always the most dependable, always giving the task his 100%.
Her ladder had broken while she was organizing things, causing her to fall into his arms when he rushed to save her. For Twilight, being held in the arms of a burly and taller stallion was straight out of a novel she had read recently, turning her in an awkward blushing mess.
Still, they managed to move past that incident, with Twilight finding herself meeting the stallion many more times due to him pretty much showing everywhere with a different job per week. Plumber, window cleaner, construction worker, Sugarcube Corner test-taster (he would learn almost too late he was lactose-intolerant, leading to a rather prolonged stay in the nearest outhouse). The list went on.
Over time, still researching friendship, Twilight would practice her greetings with him, the two eventually falling into conversation far more often whenever they could. He remembered being drawn to how knowledgeable she was, as he found that he could listen to her for hours about whatever subject came to mind. He may not have understood the more complicated details of whatever she came up with, but he was a fantastic listener all the same, always showing investment.
He also remembered how Twilight seemed to really like how empathetic he was. It didn't matter that he wasn't as smart as her. She saw that he had the warmest heart she had ever seen. He helped, even when there was no reward in sight. He remembered telling her that it was mostly thanks to lessons his parents imparted on him before they perished in a terrible flood where he grew up in, with him carrying on while holding the lessons they taught him close to heart.
Eventually, the Mane 6 seemed to be on the way of becoming a polycule of some sort, with attraction happening between pretty much all members of that group. In Twilight's case, she would have the occasional fling with the other five (Rainbow Dash and Applejack were frequent ones involved in those sort of flings), she seemed quite attracted to Stud Muffin the most. He, at first, could scarcely believe that somebody loved him as more than just a friend, but couldn't deny that he was overjoyed.
He had grown to love her quite a lot as well, with them having spent far more times hanging out in increasingly intimate ways. Pretty soon, after their first kiss and several more dates, the two were re-enacting scenes from Twilight's favorite romantic novels...which sometimes resulted in them eventually parodying those scenes, having good fun before they got to the passionate parts.
He still remembered their first time together. How she held his much larger hands as her lips met his own, their warmth mixing as their heartbeats pumped in tandem, her inner depths welcoming his girth.
Even when Starfleet arrived and forced their rules and reign upon the whole land, Stud Muffin never stopped being himself and his relationship with Twilight remained strong. In fact, he started to remember that their bond only got stronger as a result. Times were tough under Starfleet, with him frequently getting yelled at for daring to suggest the Space Ponies be less harsh with everybody and for daring to be associated with the Princess of Friendship.
He never quite understood why the Space Ponies hated Twilight, especially in the case of Lightning Dawn. Maybe it was because she was outspoken against their harsher policies? It never made sense to him. Nevertheless, things were still quite peachy, even in uncertain times...
...until that fateful moment when Twilight died. He remembered hearing the news, as well as how Celesto had Celestia condemn the purple-furred alicorn for daring to go against Celesto's rather asinine orders to do absolutely nothing while the Queen's life was in danger. It was that memory that hurt the most.
The loss of his lover...how he never got to say goodbye...and the pain that her death had caused everybody around him. To say nothing of the way Starfleet spoke so much ill of her despite her noble sacrifice (which didn't have to be a sacrifice if Lightning Dawn actually HELPED HER instead of standing around doing nothing as Celesto ordered)...it caused something to snap in him.
He shuddered when he remembered accusing Celesto's idiocy and callousness as being the reason things went pear-shaped, the hate in his voice surprising himself. Was that why his memories were wiped? Because he dared to speak up...or solely because Celesto, Lightning, and the Space Ponies hated that Twilight had a lover to begin with?
He still wasn't sure why they went that far (and didn't seem to use a similar spell of everybody else, given how ruthless they were). Whatever the case, he wasn't sure how to feel about the resurgence of memories at first. There was so much pain...yet, also, so many good memories, too.
So many happy smiles...bad jokes they both enjoyed...warm embraces...and fact that both got to understand the true magic of friendship.
"You'll always be here..." A small tear ran down Stud Muffin's eye as he held his hand to his heart. "You may be gone...but I've got you with me in another way." He brightened up as he began to think about this in clearer detail, standing up as he then heard a knock on the door.
"You're up, Stud! The crowd's waiting!" Fizarolli's voice exclaimed before the imp entered, the lanky cyborg hanging from the ceiling as he did this. "You still up for this?"
Taking a deep breath, Stud Muffin stretched, making sure his speedo was still durable as his soft smile returned. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this!"
As much as he longed for the days he had been forced to forget, he knew one thing for certain: even after the tragedy that befell Equestria, even after the tampering of his mind, he was still Stud Muffin at the end of the day. He was still himself...and what he could do from now on was move forward.
It would be what Twilight wanted. It was what he wanted. In a realm such as this, he considered the many that would need his help. As long as he was there, he would always extend a helping hand. In this case, something to bring joy to the beings that dwelled in this section of the infernal realm.
Suffice to say, he left quite an impression, one particular photo soon being hung on the Employee of the Month board, depicting him giving a soft smile as he rested against a pole, his body soaked in water that made his speedo cling to his massive bulge, each one of his muscles show in great detail.
Elsewhere in Wrath...
Normally, in this one corner of Wrath, there were a bunch of imps, sinners, and other Hell residents ready to unleash their pent-up frustration or just have some pugilistic fun in one of the many fight clubs scattered around the inner portions of the place.
All had cleared out the very minute that a certain armored lion-like creature entered, his reputation having spread far throughout the Circle. "Urgh...no. Keep running. You would not entertain me anyway." Stammadon groaned, eventually sitting in the bar area of the place before he slammed his fist down. "BARTENDER! I demand your hardest stuff!"
"You're...not raiding the place like you did the other bars?" The imp bartender shuddered on the stepstool he used, the massive warrior towering over him.
"No. I'll do that in maybe the next few hours. I...need time to think. Now, HURRY before I rip you apart!" He roared, causing the imp to scamper off.
Ever since he arrived here, the past few weeks had been...disappointing. Day after day, he would receive word from Mokushiroku that the battle he was promised was coming soon, while finding himself fighting opponents that had no hope of being able to beat him.
Even the most powerful demons in Wrath (and, perhaps, outside of it) had no chance. He was too vicious. Too strong. Too merciless. Their aggression had turned to fear whenever he arrived, with some even wondering if he was going to become a new 'Overlord'.
But he had no interest in that title. Stammadon wanted a good fight. A fight that would cause the blood in his veins to pump once more. He briefly considered fighting Mokushiroku just to see how that would go, but he remembered their arrangement. "Why am I even honoring it? I take what I want, when I want! What I want...is a FIGHT! A true fight!"
It was during this contemplation that he began to realize something about those he faced against. They all seemed like they were vicious monsters that could tear apart an inexperienced warrior at first glance, but, after just a few of his rampages, they all folded so quickly.
"This is supposed to be an infernal realm. Where is their ferocity? Where is their strength?" He considered having his Lords of Destruction sow enough chaos and terror to maybe instill some more powerful potential warriors of Hell to face the challenge, but he disregarded that too. "It wouldn't matter. They would probably flee after seeing just a few of their ranks getting cut down like wheat."
Drinking down the hardest stuff that this bar could give him, Stammadon slumped back. "I already miss my home universe...and now, I hear that many of the worlds around Equestria have been ravaged by just one lizard?" He almost sounded excited at the prospect of meeting this monster, but, alas, this 'Ragnarök' was dead. "They could have at least recorded the fight or something for me to see."
It seemed like, once again, he would spend this night miserable and feeling denied of his passion. But then he started to hear words from Mokushiroku enter his mind. "Urgh. What does this fool want?" He growled.
'I think you may be interested in hearing what the next phase of the plan is. Remember that fight I promised you? The battle involving the Heavens? '
"Let me guess. Delayed again?" Stammadon replied.
'Actually...our goal will be to expedite that moment. Here's what you must do...'
The lion-like one's ears flicked in interest and the white flames surrounding his mane started to gather more intensity due to his reinvigorated interest. "...does it involve great amounts of violence?"
'Yes.'
"What must I do?"