Episode 16: Cavern Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own MLP: FIM, Redwall, Metroid, Final Fantasy VII, Tokyo Mew Mew, Sailor Moon, or Star Wars. I just own this latest multi crossover fanfic.

At the School of Friendship, things had taken a turn for the worse. Just moments ago, the villain known as Slagar the Cruel with his band of slavers had found their way into it and while Mariel was dealing with six rats, easily harm Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Starlight then steal most of the students. Mariel had came in nearly too late and attempted to stop them but Slagar had thrown his weapon knocking her out even though she whipped Gullwhacker out and sent it back at him. Now that the rest of Mariel's friends had arrived they had to get the move on quickly before Slagar could give his newly fresh batch of slaves to Chrysalis. As they were preparing themselves for what could be a long journey with food supplies and water, they decided to check their weapon supplies. Mariel turned to Samus "Got all two hundred and fifty missiles?"

"I do" Samus answered while moving her Arm-Cannon around "My Arm-Cannon has unlimited ammunition well when it comes to my normal Power Beam, Wave Beam, Ice Beam and Plasma Beams. Got all three of my visors primed up and ready to go! And I have unlimited supply of Bombs and Power Bombs. I'm all set."

Mariel took the time to smile feeling glad that Samus was so well equipped at least with her they wouldn't have to worry about her running out of ammunition except for well her missiles but everything else was ready to go "Thanks Samus."

Mew Ichigo came back with her back loaded with a bow and arrows in a quiver "Is it necessary to bring arrows along nya? I mean blasters work."

"But none of us have blasters" Ahsoka pointed out "Except for Samus, Rainbow Dash and Starlight."

"We'll have to make due" Mariel agreed holding Gullwhacker while Princess Twilight was adjusting a quiver to fit on Mariel's back just in case Mariel decided she may need to use a bow and arrow "Thanks Princess Twilight!"

"It's the least I can do to help you out" Princess Twilight admitted.

Tifa herself had another pair of bows and arrows in a quiver on her back. Sailor Saturn also took the time to have a quiver stacked with a bow and arrows too. Ahsoka, Samus, Starfire and Tempest Shadow were the only three not wearing those weapons. This was because as a Jedi Padawan Ahsoka was taught primarily to only use lightsabers plus she had the Force which was unlimited. Samus didn't take any because well she was already armed to the teeth with better weaponry than bows and arrows, Starfire didn't take the weapon because well like Samus she too had unlimited ammunition in her starbolts, and Tempest Shadow, well she was going along with them to help free the students. She felt as if they needed somepony that could provide a speedy retreat once the slaves were free.

"Are you ponies ready to go?" Starlight asked Ahsoka, Mariel, Mew Ichigo, Sailor Saturn, Samus, Starfire, Tempest Shadow and Tifa.

"We are" Mariel said for the group.

Applejack and Pinkie Pie gives each of the heroines from Earth and the Universe a sack full of food so that they wouldn't starve on the journey to save the students "Here ya go! Hopefully it's enough to get the job done."

"It should be" Samus admitted "That Fox may have a lead on us but Starfire and I would be able to sight him...He couldn't have gone far."

"He's not" Starfire recalled "But when I went out there to check he's certainly taking them through the Everfree Forest."

"Makes since" Ahsoka said "Nopony wants to go through there."

Mariel nodded "Plus...He probably knows he hadn't finished me off, so he's most likely going to take the most treacherous course to get to Chrysalis in hopes to shake us off his tail and also in hopes of the threats that course has will kill us."

"Bring on the Monsters!" Samus urged "They won't be a match for me."

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing "That's the Samus we all learned to love! Not afraid of anything!"

Tifa adjusted her quiver "Samus is right! We have to take that same course. Mariel have you encountered a fox before?"

"I have" Mariel said "But not Slagar the Cruel but I do know he's more of a cowardly slaver and not a warrior like the fox I've dealt with. Despite this girls I should warn you foxes are extremely smart so we'll have to look out for traps."

Twilight turned to the group "I wish I can come with you girls."

"But in this case you and Starlight can't" Tempest Shadow said "You have to stay here and get word out to the parents of what happened here."

Twilight sighed nodding as Head Mare of the School of Friendship that had to be done and Starlight was needed just in case any student like Ocellus, Silverstream and Sandbar needed the guidance "Be careful out there Mariel."

Mariel turned to the Princess of Friendship "We'll try to be but no this Princess Twilight, you have my oath and vow as a warrior, even if it takes my last breathe, I'll save those students." she turned to her friends "Shall we set out?"

The ponies nodded with Rarity appearing and giving Tempest Shadow a map of Equestria just in case they needed it. Once then Mariel took the lead leading the eight ponies out of the School of Friendship and towards the Everfree Forest determined to save the students that Slagar stole. As they were leaving Princess Twilight couldn't help but mutter out two saviors "Oh Great Celestia and Martin the Warrior, watch over our brave heroines and students."

MLP: FIM THEME

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Mariel with her friends had just reached the entrance of the Everfree Forest. Carefully the heroines armed themselves as best as they could as they entered it. Sure it was still daylight but you could never be too sure with this strange forest. One thing was certain it wasn't Mossflower Woods where Mariel was from. Sure Mossflower Woods could be considered dangerous but that was only because Vermin sometimes run rampage in it, not all the times but sometimes. The danger Everfree Forest possessed was supposed to be greater. Mariel nor her companions weren't going to take any chances of any danger trying to kill them. Mariel had her hoof holding Gullwhacker, Tifa decided to arm herself with her bow attaching an arrow to it. Ahsoka had her hooves reaching for her lightsabers, Mew Ichigo was arming herself with her bell weapon saving the bow and arrow to when it was truly needed. Sailor Saturn armed herself carefully with her Glaive, Samus aimed her arm-cannon around looking around daring any monster to sneak out. Stafire armed herself with two Starbolts, one in each hoof. Tempest Shadow looked around expertly expecting an attack.

"Everypony ready to advance?" Tempest asked.

"We are" was the response.

"Then let's advance!" Mariel ordered "Samus do you see any tracks?!"

Samus activated her X-Ray visor looking at the ground "Scanning the ground."

She looked at the ground spotting tracks but it was obvious that Slagar tried to take the time to cover his tracks "They came this way alright! To the normal trained eyes it looks like he was able to cover his trail however, you can't fool my X-ray visor!"

"Good work Samus!" was the reply from the group.

"Follow that trail!" Mariel ordered.

"Of course!" Samus said "Let me take the lead then..."

"Alright" Mariel agreed "Everypony keep yourselves armed and be ready for anything!"

The heroines now enter the Everfree Forest following Samus whom was following the trail of the stolen students.

Slagar was behind his bunch of slavers whom were forcing the stolen students down a path. Mariel was right, the Cruel one knew she wasn't dead and would be following them. He had sent a Former Storm King Guard to get a message machine. The hooded fox activated the device and Chrysalis's image appeared. The Former Changeling Queen spoke "Well Slagar? Were you successful in capturing the students?"

"I was" Slagar said to make his point he turned to give her the sight of all of Princess Twilight's students minus three.

"YOU FORGOT THREE!" Chrysalis shouted.

"They ether were sick that day or hiding some place where we couldn't find them. We searched everywhere."

"I suppose all but three will do" Chrysalis sighed.

"We're on our way to your location" Slagar reported "But Mariel and her friends are on our tail. Spies say that Samus is leading the way."

"That Bounty Hunter gets in the way with everything" Chrysalis muttered "But no worries, I'll send an army to assist you just continue to the rendvew point."

"Will do" Slagar said hanging up he then turned to Vitch and the Stoat Halftail "Get a move on you two! We need to pick up our speed!"

"Yes chief!" was the response.

Gullus, Yona, and Smolder couldn't believe that they were forced to march and be slaves first was to this crazy fox in their opinion and then later on Chrysalis herself. Upon hearing that Mariel and her friends were hot on the fox's trail they knew that their rescuers were coming and it was Gullus that spoke to Slagar "You aren't going to get away with this!"

"That's right!" Yona shouted "Starfire's gonna rain star bolts down on you."

"Plus Ahsoka's lightsabers are going to be bad news for cowardly slavers!" Smolder warned.

Slagar heard this comment "SILENCE IN THE RANKS YOUNG ONES! Your so called rescuers will fail you, I'll ensure that!"

"Oh yeah?" Gullus asked defiantly then he smirked "I'd so like you to try to take on Mariel...You only succeeded in knocking her out due to being cowardly and cheep. Had she been aware of what you were up to and not concerned for our teachers at the time she'd probably cap you before you could've thrown that weapon at her"

Slagar reached for his cane and whipped Gullus with it "I said silence! I'll teach rebellious slaves the biggest lesson of all to never to talk back to me like that!"

The hooded fox continued his treacherous path through the Everfree Forest looking for a nice cave with boulders on top of it so he could trap the heroines inside and suffocate them. In his mind, It worked on Matthias the Warrior along with his allies in Slagar's time frame so why wouldn't it work on Mariel and her pals? He finally he saw the passage and read in was the cave for the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. He grinned a sly smile what better way to have your opponents slains by trapping them with a mother bear and her baby bear? Carefully Slagar outlined his plans to make his slaves tracks go into the cave. For this he ordered Vitch the Rat to lead them along with a Storm King soldier. Vitch was very hesitant to go into a cave where a dangerous bear may lurk but he was wise enough to obey Slagar knowing the Fox could easily turn on him. They carefully made the tracks into the cave then carefully made their way out of it and covered those tracks hoping that Samus might be fooled on the exposed tracks. Slagar and the stoat Halftail carefully waited above the cave waiting to spring the trap.

Mariel with her companions rounded up the bend Samus hot on the trail and never faltering. They get to the area when Samus pauses stopping at once.

"What's wrong Samus nya?"

Samus temporarily turned off her X-Ray Visor and points to the ground "No need for my X-Ray Visor right now...The enemy left visible tracks...Must've thought they were way ahead of us..."

Mew Ichigo got excited running forward completely oblivious this was a trap but Samus used a Grapple Beam grabbing onto Mew Ichigo's butt and yanking her backwards. The catgirl fell with a thud rubbing her behind complaining "WHAT WAS THAT FOR SAMUS?! I think you may have given me a carpet burn on my rear end!"

"I probably just saved your life" Samus said "This whole thing is a trap."

"How do you figure nya?"

Mariel studied the scene carefully spotting the tracks of the students from the School of Friendship "Simple...These tracks lead inside that cave."

"And look up!" Ahsoka warned.

The group looks up to see giant boulders missing out on seeing Slagar and Halftail behind them.

"I'm willing to bet that Fox is hiding behind those boulders wanting us to make the mistake of running into that cave" Samus said.

"So once we got inside the cave he'd push those rocks down to block the entrance in hope of suffocating us from the lack of oxygen" Tifa admitted.

"Told you girls Foxes were clever beasts where I come from" Mariel muttered glad to have Ahsoka and Samus with her for all she knew she'd probably fall for this trap without thinking it was a trap.

"You weren't lying then" Ahsoka admitted "Although if Cad Bane were alive I'd say he'd think of a much more convincing trap that we'd all fall for but let's thank the Force Cad Bane is gone."

"So what do we do?" Mew Ichigo asked Mariel "The more we stall here the more Slagar's band gets away."

Tempest Shadow had the idea turning to Ahsoka "Couldn't you use the Force to levitate the boulders?"

Ahsoka looked at the size of the boulders "In theory...Yes but I'm concerned about Slagar's brains like he may figure this out..."

"And maybe listening to us" Sailor Saturn said.

Indeed Slagar was listening cursing for the fact Mariel was with Samus whom smelt trap right away the hooded fox turned to Halftail whom was unsure if this would work or if they should abandon it. Slagar then had an evil idea. He managed to disguise his voice as Yona and made it as if it was coming from the cave "Mariel...We're in here! Hurry up before the fox comes back!"

This nearly got all of the heroines to jump up to run into the cave. Samus was the only one not to still suspecting fowl play.

"Oh come on Samus!" Mew Ichigo begged her "We have Ahsoka and your Power Bombs! That was Yona Yak! I recognize that voice nya!"

"You're hopeless if you still don't expect it to be a trap!" Samus berated Mew Ichigo.

Ahsoka stood outside the cave "How about it I stand guard so that if that Fox tries to cause a landslide I can stop it."

"Fine" Samus muttered "Have it your way. I'll let most of you fall for the trap...I'll stay out just in case I'm right which I know I am."

Tempest Shadow puts a hoof on Samus's shoulder "Somethings one can't fully expect the others to understand, I'll stay out with you."

Mew Ichigo didn't listen, she ran into the cave followed Starfire, Sailor Saturn, Tifa and Mariel second to last with Ahsoka at the back of them. Samus and Tempest weren't coming along they knew it was a trap and Samus was doing one more thing checking above, the slightest movement would alert her to the enemy and she knew it. Tempest Shadow followed Samus's gaze. As if on cue Slagar made his move carefully waiting till he thought everyone including Samus and Tempest Shadow were in the cave then he and Halftail made their move. No sooner had Mariel entered the cave did the girls here this happening above them. They turned just in time to see the boulders collapsing almost blocking the entrance! Ahsoka thought fast and reached upward using the Force to hold the boulders in place "S-S-S-Samus was right! It was a trap!"

"Yona!" Mew Ichigo called out "Where are you?!"

"Can't you see that Samus is right?" Tifa asked Mew Ichigo "Ahsoka can't hold those boulders up for long!"

Mew Ichigo tried again refusing to believe that this was a trap as she did hear Yona's voice again this time sounding fainter in the cave "Yona! We're coming nya! Keep shouting nya!"

Suddenly there was giant footsteps coming their way and Mew Ichigo put a hand to her head then saw a faint shadow of a bear coming closer "Uh...Girls...Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing!"

"I think so!" Mariel admitted bringing her hoof up to her head for a better view "And if we are...I gotta say this...That's one big badger!"

Tifa had a bad feeling "Girls we gotta get out of here!"

Ahsoka was beginning to get overpowered by the rocks even though she was using the Force to block the rocks from falling "S-S-S-Samus! The others are in trouble!"

Samus had nearly ignored Ahsoka's plea for help as the moment she and Tempest Shadow sighted the rocks shift, Samus was onto the Fox Slagar and Halftail. The fox and his Stoat driver tried to get away when Samus heard Ahsoka's plea. Tempest Shadow heard this too and both look down to see Ahsoka struggling to maintain herself to block the two boulders and they heard a giant bear roar. Slagar looked back at the Bounty Hunter and the feared Tempest Shadow whom were having trouble deciding what to do. Slagar sneered out "You want to shoot me go ahead! But you'll never free the ones I've taken."

This nearly got Samus to blast Slagar in his head but Tempest Shadow interfered "Don't let him get into your head! Our friends may need help!"

Samus turned nodding "Right!"

The two friends abandoned the chase and leap down but that was when Ahsoka couldn't hold the boulders up and she lets them drop diving into the cave trapping her inside with the others with Samus taking a mental note where Slagar was heading off to.

"Great" Mew Ichigo muttered seeing this.

Mariel armed herself with Gullwhacker ready to face off against an angry Ursa Major. Tifa was ready too while Mew Ichigo was scared out of her wits. Sailor Saturn armed herself with the Glaive ready to fight it off. Starfire spoke trying to calm the angry bear down "Please listen! We didn't mean to intrude in your home and wake you up in Mew Ichigo's case."

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THEY WERE LIVING IN HERE NYA?!"

"You weren't" Mariel told her "Perhaps next time we can listen to Samus?"

"If there is a next time" Mew Ichigo muttered "Cause it looks like we're dinner to an angry bear and her cub."

Starfire dodges a swipe from the bear but barely "Please! Once again we're sorry to intrude on your land, we were following a fox who stole Princess Twilight's students...We followed the trail and it lead here..."

The bear advances almost ignoring them but Starfire's words seemed to hit home. It paused for a moment. Just then they heard a charge shot from an Arm-Cannon and the landslide that was blocking the entrance blew up sending two boulders into the Ursa Major's head briefly dazing it.

All eyes turned to see Samus "Samus!"

"You didn't abandon us!" Mew Ichigo shouted with joy.

Samus looked at her and the others "Be glad I didn't. Maybe next time you'll listen to me?"

"Sorry girls" Mew Ichigo apologized "It was all my fault."

At this point the Ursa Major recovered roaring startling the group.

"Now what do we do?" Sailor Saturn asked "We don't want to kill that bear."

Samus cocked her arm-cannon preparing to fire it "Why not? It wants to kill us."

Mariel was about to agree when she felt Martin call to her as if telling her to tame the beast and gain it as an ally "I hear you Martin."

"Martin just speak to you nya?!"

"He did" Mariel told her she turns to Samus "Not everything has to be slain you know. Perhaps if we fight to calm her down she can help us on our quest to stop Slagar."

"How can a fight calm a mother down?" Sailor Saturn asked.

"Not sure" Tempest Shadow admitted "But perhaps this Ursa Major and her cub the Ursa Minor know these cave systems."

Ahsoka saw the Ursa Major coming at her "We better think of a way to calm her down and fast! It's coming right at us!"

The girls all watch as this was happening the enraged mother bear was now charging them.

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As the Ursa Major was charging after them, Tifa turned to Mariel "I'll let you think of a way to calm her down, I'll hold her off!"

The Ursa Major was just a few feet away from the group when Tifa charges it. It roared trying to intimidate what it saw was an invader. Tifa wasn't detoured by the roar and continues her charge. The Ursa Major raised it's claw and slashes at her but Tifa caught the claw in one hoof expertly. It roared again and raised it's left claw then slashed her but she managed to catch the claw with her other hoof. Roaring it slammed Tifa back first into a wall of the cave. Tifa slumped down a bit holding the massive bear back with her incredible strength. In Mariel's eyes Tifa's strength was on par of a mighty Badger all what was missing from Tifa was the warcry of Salmandestron where the Badger Lords ruled which was Eulia.

Tifa looks at the beast as it tries to bite her in fact in lunges to do that but Tifa easily held it out of range "Girls! Now is the time for a plan!"

Starfire thought of one to help make the Ursa Major back away a bit so Tifa could regain an easier grip. She threw two starbolts at the mother bear. The Starbolts actually hit the bear in it's shoulders. It roared and stepped back a bit just as Starfire had hoped it could. Tifa thanked her "Thanks Starfire for now."

"You're welcome friend Tifa!"

The mother bear regrouped and attacked the two. Starfire dodged a claw swipe while Tifa this time weaved in and out of the bear's claws and punches it in the chest! It roared as it is forced backwards. It regroups and charges with Tifa once again catching both of it's claws in her hooves. Mariel saw her chance turning to Tempest Shadow "Perhaps you can stun it long enough for me to stun it in the head with Gullwhacker."

"Swell we knock it out instead of killing it I suppose" Tempest remarked.

"Perhaps but long enough to daze it we want to pin it to the ground gently so we can talk to it" Mariel suggested.

"Alright then I'm with you but we need a distraction and some rope" Tempest Shadow advised.

Samus thought about this "I can turn into my Morph Ball form."

Ahsoka nodded "Or I can use the Force to pin the bear down instead at the right moment."

Mew Ichigo nodded turning to Sailor Saturn "That Ursa Minor can be a problem too nya...So perhaps Sailor Saturn and I can distract it too so it doesn't try to hurt Tifa and Starfire."

"Go for it" Mariel said.

"Now to put our plan into action!" Samus said going into Morph Ball mode.

She rolled towards both the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The first was the smaller bear. It seemed to take the bait with Mew Ichigo and Sailor Saturn at the ready. Once it sees the two girls it charges them. Mew Ichigo and Sailor Saturn side step the baby bear's charge not wanting to get ranked by the claws. Sailor Saturn forces it backwards with her glaive. It thinks twice but isn't detoured. The Ursa Major notices this roaring and trying to break Tifa's grip on it but Tifa wasn't budging "Don't make me punch you!"

The Ursa Major roared trying to gain more power. It then noticed Samus in Morph Ball and broke free of Tifa's grip. It charges Samus whom rolled out of the way. It turned to charge Mew Ichigo and Sailor Saturn but Samus quickly reverted back using her Grapple Beam to grab it by the neck and shout "Tifa! It's up to you!"

Tifa saw Samus throw the huge bear towards her nodding "Right!"

Starfire knew what to do she hesitated though but flew towards the thrown bear. It roared again swiping but Starfire flew out of range above it's body then punches downward. The bear falls to the ground but before it hit Ahsoka used the Force on it to make sure it landed safely. At this point it turned to fight but Tifa caught the claws again in her hooves holding it "Forget about me?"

It roared not seeing Tempest Shadow behind it, the Former Storm King Commander had her broken horn glowing and she unleashed her electrical stunning spell out of it shocking the Ursa Major. It roared but the spell worked as it was stunned, Mariel rounded up and shouted swinging Gullwhacker "RRREEEDDDWWWAAALLL!" THWACK! The sound of Gullwhacker hitting the Ursa Major's head sounded and it fell dazed. Ahsoka now used the Force to pin it with Mariel standing above the mother bear's head. The Mother bear now seemed to realize that these invaders were too much for her eying them scared.

Mariel pats it on the head "There, there, we don't want to trouble you. We are looking for a certain fox."

The Ursa Major blinked then saw Mariel bringing out a photograph of Slagar the Cruel one that Rarity somehow was able to take "See? This is who we were following, he lead us in here to have us die by your claws or by suffocation. He stole nearly all of the School of Friendship's students and we were going to free them but we need your help."

The mother bear now understood the motive and reasoning. Now it saw the invaders in a new light they truly didn't mean to barge in here. Mew Ichigo and Sailor Saturn were now screaming as the Ursa Minor was chasing them around "Girls! You forgot about this baby one!"

"Yeah nya!" Mew Ichigo shouted.

The Ursa Major roared out towards the Ursa Minor to stop chasing them and it did. The mother bear then attempted to explain to it's baby why it was there. It eyed Starfire whom spoke "We are hoping you could take us onward to Slagar the Cruel. Please help us and once we get out of the cave we won't come back, we promise you."

The Ursas looked at each other nodding then both raised a hand towards the heroines then oddly enough reached their claws over towards Mariel almost as if offering an apology in attacking her and her friends. Mariel smiled accepting the claws and shook both pair of claws "Thank you...Now please guide us."

The Ursas nodded beginning to help them. No one saw Vitch the Rat whom was sent by Slagar the Cruel to spy on the heroines. He gulped seeing what he saw and ran towards where Slagar's band and the slaves were heading towards going to warn Slagar of what just happened.

End of Episode

I know this was supposed to Be Mind Games but I decided it should be a battle between our heroines and the Ursas. Technically this is considered Mind Games P1 but I hoped you enjoyed the Episode. Anyway next Episode is Episode 17: Ambush! Mariel and her pals take the cave systems following Slagar and his band but when Vitch explains to Slagar of what had happened, Slagar continues his path towards Chrysalis knowing she has sent soldiers to deal with the heroines giving him an idea of setting up another ambush...This time positive that his pursers will perish.