Evening in Ponyville did not shimmer or shine. Instead, with the dust clouds blowing through, and the broken glass littering the streets, it appeared almost post-apocalyptic.
As she hung from her husband’s grasp, Mir reflected that she had rarely really had a chance to survey the scene of a disaster in such a state. Usually the ones she came across were either so final as to leave not even a trace, or so far in the past that green growth had overtaken the ruins. As the party closed in, she noted that other than the library, there seemed to be little sign of true structural damage.
“The citizens are all hiding inside.” Luna’s horn was lit with a soft blue glow that gradually faded out.
“A wise course of action.” Celestia scanned the horizon. The so-called “black rainbow” didn’t seem to be present.
“Looking for me?” A sudden sensation of presence made Celestia flinch. There was no sign of movement, only a trail of afterimages behind the mare, and a wedge of sky in a rainbow of darkened, muted colors.
Then the wind hit her, and Celestia, Luna, and Croix were forced back.
“Huh, little strong on that entrance, eh?” Rainbow Dash seemed larger, sharper. Her coat was darker in color and she wore a dark purple flightsuit. Luna recognized it as her Shadowbolt uniform, but more specifically as Rainbow Dash’s Nightmare Night costume.
“Rainbow Dash, what are you doing?” Luna didn’t have much hope of reasoning with someone in the grips of her twisted metamagic, but she felt a need to give it a try.
“It’s simple. I’ve finally figured out what I need to do to make the Wonderbolts respect me. No more of this ‘reserve member’ crap.” She grinned maliciously. “I just have to kill Princess Celestia and they’ll be forced to acknowledge my awesomeness.”
Celestia braced for an attack. Instead, Rainbow seemed to vanish toward the horizon.
Mir sighed from her position in Croix’s hooves. “I’m afraid that if she’s not in range of the song, it’s not going to work. We’re going to have to hold her still.”
“Very well.” Celestia flexed her neck and began to set herself to the task at hand. “You two, remain out of the line of fire. We’ll search for her–”
There was no warning. A beam of dark colors seemed to appear from the horizon and slam into Celestia. Anypony less than an alicorn would have been reduced to mush. As it was, Celestia was sent spinning through the air.
Luna turned to restrain the Pegasus with her magic, but there was nothing left for her to grab. A trail stretched towards the horizon, and Luna could no longer perceive her quarry. “Her speed…” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence, so she left it there.
Celestia coughed as she righted herself, a salty tang entering her mouth. Blood. How long has it since a foe made me bleed? Even Chrysalis’s attacks didn’t draw blood. It was… Nightmare Moon. Celestia looked away from her concerned sister and stared at the receding contrail. “Croix, set Mir down somewhere out of danger. We shall handle this. Somehow.”
Somehow? Croix raised an eyebrow at that. Still, unless Mir countermanded, the Princesses were in charge. His wife nodded and pointed a hoof at the roof of what seemed to be an apartment building, one of the tallest structures in the town.
Mir turned her head and yelled back to the Princesses, “Good luck with Alexander’s Dark Band(1) there!”
“Luna, what is going on with her mind?” Celestia re-angled her football-shaped force-shield against her guess as to where Rainbow Dash would next attack from.
The Night Princess sighed deeply, angling her own own shield. “I planted… instructions in the metamagic. I was worried that at the last moment I would lose my nerve, or you would somehow persuade me against it. So I added mental compulsions that would last until you were gone.”
A dim beam hit the angled side of the shield and bounced off. Celestia flinched as the feedback from the shield hit her horn, and flinched some more as the side of the shield impacted against her wingtip. A quick roll enabled her to stretch it out and resume hovering, albeit at a lower altitude and with a little less energy. “How is she doing this?”
“The metamagic will amplify her magic until she stops using it entirely or… she is used up.” Luna looked down guiltily. This is all my fault for failing to properly dispose of these in time.
“You don’t have to worry, just let me at her and this will all be over!” A black rainbow bounced off the side of Luna’s shield like a pinball and slammed flat into Celestia’s from an unexpected angle, shattering it entirely.
The shield held just long enough to allow Celestia to vanish, appearing in a somewhat disoriented state behind her sister.
Celestia huffed and shook her head. “We can’t win like this. Take it to the ground?”
Luna paused to consider this. “Our ponies are down there, unable to leave safely.”
“Of course.” Celestia looked around, searching for a solution.
“She’s going to get smashed.” Croix shook his head as Celestia narrowly bounced another attack run by the Nightmare-infused Rainbow Dash. “Each time the shield is just a bit weaker and she can’t take a hit like that with her body.”
“Hmmm.” Mir sat on a rooftop next to him, eyes closed and ears twitching. “Looks like our pegasus projectile is cruising at mach 7 but makes her attack run at an even greater speed. Turning radius is about 30km. A little under a minute between attacks.”
Croix no longer needed to ask her how she knew that. He merely considered the problem facing them. The alicorn sisters were unable to engage something moving that fast. Mir didn’t actually give a speed for the attack run, just that it’s “even greater” than mach 7. Rainbow must be moving even faster than Mir can perceive, and that’s no good.
“We’re going in.” Croix took to the air and extended a leg to his wife. She nodded and reared back, allowing him to grab her forelegs with his. With his greater size, he had no trouble lifting her as he took off.
Mir began to sing softly.
“OK. I’m going to try something.”
“Let’s do this.” Mir always liked it when Croix reminded her that she didn’t love him just for his body or personality.
“I love you too, Finnel.” The two purple-haired women broke their embrace. The former General Akane let go of a slightly shorter, similarly slender-proportioned woman whose pinkish-purple hair was arranged into two very long tails on either side. “Is the tourism plan still on track, then?”
“Yes, it is. The Sol Ciel people almost never get to see a Beta Reyvateil, so we’re mysterious and exotic. All we have to do is be friendly. How was your meeting? You look shook up.” Finnel gazed into her wife’s eyes, but Akane turned away rather than meet them.
“I am very sorry. The world is in danger again.”
“Again?!?” Finnel threw up her hands and threw back her head as she shouted, then slumped forward in disgust. “Why can’t it just stay saved for a little bit?” She straightened back up, then looked towards Akane’s head once again. “That’s not what you’re apologizing for, is it.”
“No.” Akane continued to face away from her, presenting only an impassive gray wall of perfectly straight hair. “I will need to fight again. And… I want you to help me.”
“What?!?!!?” Finnel grabbed Akane, spinning her around and staring directly into her eyes. Akane started to look away, then returned the stare. “How can you drag me back? I’ve been feeling, for the first time in my life, really better. Really ok. Really loved.”
“I am sorry.” Akane couldn’t let herself look away. “I have never asked anyone to do something I would be unwilling to do myself. Indeed, I frequently have tried to do things myself that I should perhaps have delegated. I do love you. But I know in my heart that no matter how much I love you, I must put the good of the planet first.”
Akane jerked forward as Finnel dragged her by the collar. The tiles of the floor scattered and cracked with the force of the pull as Akane's nose pressed against Finnel's. “Go on.” Her glare was murderous. Akane knew Finnel had long regarded her as her only true friend. If she believed that Akane had betrayed her…
“But despite all that, I cannot order you to do anything. I can only ask. Please Finnel, will you help me?” Akane stepped back to a comfortable distance as Finnel released her.
“I… don’t know. I don’t have the Wills of the Planet to lend me power anymore. I’m not sure I can.” Tears began to well in her eyes as she began to turn away.
Akane patted Finnel on the shoulder. The touch caused Finnel to turn back towards her wife. “I know you can do it, Finnel. Despite everything, you’re still a Clustanian Reyvateil, and your soulspace has been dived extensively. You have considerable power still. Even if you can no longer call upon Suzunomia, you retain access to powerful songs, and are still capable of executing a Flipsphere. You are the most powerful non-Origin Reyvateil we have.”
Finnel brushed away a tear. “Thank you. I’m not entirely sure I’m willing to help out, but I want to think about it some more. Is there going to be a declared state of emergency? Because otherwise, I still have to manage the tourism program, and I’ll need someone to cover for me.”
“Celestia, we’ve got a plan.” Mir glanced at the beleaguered princess. Celestia was bleeding visibly from the point of her left shoulder and her left ribs. Apparently Dash was concentrating attacks against that side. Her breathing seemed ragged. “I’m guessing things haven’t been working out for you so far?”
“Hmph. Yes, I… admit… to having some difficulty. I had begun to seriously contemplate saving myself in hopes of being able to start over again.”
“We probably don’t have time for something like that. Sombra is almost certainly using your friends as a sort of ablative shield for his real plan.”
“Very well. What is your plan?”
“I’m going to have Croix deflect her into an obstacle.”
“What!?!?” Celestia turned furiously towards Mir.
Mir shook her head. “It’s probably not going to hurt her. And we need to do this soon.” Mir’s face pulled back in alarm. “Time! Focus on the shield!”
A loud crackle followed by the sound of breaking glass blew over Mir and Croix as they dodged fragments of energy from the shield.
Luna caught her sister in her aura as the darkened rainbow contrail sped off into the distance.
“Sister! Speak to me!”
There was a raspy coughing, and then Celestia spoke. “I’m… still alive. I can still fly for now, let go of me.”
“Okay, there isn’t any more time. Let me ride on your back so that Croix can block attacks coming at you.”
Celestia briefly considered it. She didn’t have any other options, and the voice that always told her that time was on her side and she could try again tomorrow was silent. “Very well.”
Mir lept from Croix’s leg-grip onto Celestia’s back, then flattened herself against the larger mare’s back, draping her legs forward and backward of the wing joints.
Croix took up a position ahead of the two of them and took a deep breath, closing his eyes to concentrate intently.
Flap wings.
The speed of the attack is irrelevant. No matter how fast or slow it goes, it only arrives at one specific point in time. The only goal is to anticipate it.
Flap wings.
His mind drifted back to his training, almost twenty years ago. His master and his master’s partner had showed him the art of blocking for a Reyvateil.
Don’t rely on your sight. Rely on your inner eye. Croix had always been able to “see” the timing of the incoming attacks’ waveforms. It “looked” a lot like the mark on his side, the sensation of red and white lines.
Flap wings.
I can see it. Croix gave an extra flap to make sure the angle was right. He opened his eyes to give a quick once-over of his calculated trajectory. Quills and Sofas workshop? That building is visibly filled with feathers. Nopony visible inside through the skylights. OK. Should be able to stop her.
Flap wings.
I’m sorry Rainbow Dash, but you’re going 0-3 against me. Even you aren’t fast enough, and you don’t know that you need to mess with the timing.
In the distance, a blur was just barely visible streaking right toward him. But he wasn’t looking at it.
I’ve blocked light.
There was a “ching” sound and a blast of wind as Rainbow’s momentum suddenly interfered with itself.
Then there was an immense explosion from the workshop, throwing feathers high into the air.
“Akane! So glad to see you’re back!” If not for its giant ears and the fact that it was levitating, Kokuro could have been mistaken for a blue teddy bear with its large head, larger round ears, and small, cute body.
And also the fact that it spoke telepathically.
“It is good to see you too. However, I must ask a favor of you. This world is in danger.”
“Yeah, I heard stuff. I’m the only antibody left, but Ar Ru still sends out updates for me. Something about another world.”
“Really?” Akane’s eyebrow raised by an amount that would require an electron microscope to detect. “What has she said?”
“It’s mostly in terms of probability, and mostly from the perspective of the planet itself. There’s a really high chance of nothing happening and a really small chance of needing drastic action to prevent a horrible thing.”
“Horrible thing?” Akane’s eyebrow movement now could be noticed if you happened to be looking directly at it with your face almost touching hers.
“I… I don’t know the words to explain it. I’m sorry.”
“What drastic action, then?”
“I don’t know either. She actually didn’t say.”
“Well.” Akane brightened up, to the extent an experienced observer could detect during conversation. “We are preparing to make a reconnaissance mission to the other world to determine its level of danger to us. I wish you to accompany us and once again fight at my side.”
“Okay!” Kokuro flew up and looped around. “I’m always happy to be of use.”
Akane’s smile was actually about normal size. “Excellent. We need only one more member of our group.”
“Oops.” Mir shook her head.
“That building was a lot less resilient than it looked.” Croix sagged as he awaited any of the many possible forms bad news could take.
Below, the Quils and Sofas Workshop had been utterly demolished, along with the nail factory behind it and the glassworks behind that. Rainbow had apparently come to a stop in a scrapyard at the center of Ponyville’s tiny industrial area, judging by the crater and smoke.
Luna’s horn lit up. “We detect no recent loss of life in the area. Rainbow Dash must still be alive.”
“Honestly, that was rather reckless.” Celestia glared at Mir on her back.
“I’m sorry I saved your life?” Mir challenged Celestia to retort to that.
“I wasn’t quite on the ropes yet.”
“Ladies, if you would, we need to get over to Rainbow Dash.”
Mir nodded to acknowledge Croix and Celestia dipped down and began to glide towards the crater. Luna shot forward, surging with visible desperation to reach the pegasus before any further harm could occur.
Rainbow was laid out in the center of the crater, wings and limbs splayed, covered with dirt and soot. Luna performed another magical scan, and then lay down on top her. “She is unconscious, and I have her pinned. Perform the song.”
Celestia rolled just above the ground to drop Mir onto an outcropping. Mir landed on all four hooves at once and skidded to a stop.
“Right.” Mir repeated her performance of Exec_Harmonius_Fusion, and the darkness that clung to Rainbow began to stream off her. Celestia watched as Mir swayed, danced sedately, and sung with her eyes closed standing on the edge of the crater, and only stumbled a couple times.
At the song’s conclusion, the pegasus’s coat was once again its normal shade. “Ugh… Twilight. Maybe this is a bad idea… ugh.” She tried to stir beneath the weight of Luna’s barrel pressing her down, then began to flail.
“At ease, Rainbow Dash. We have saved you from a most foul torment.”
“Ugh… What happened? I remember Twilight offering us these weird things to make us powerful enough to fight the changelings, and then I was going to impress the Wonderbolts by… by…” Rainbow’s head, sticking out from beneath Luna’s side, suddenly whipped back and forth as her eyes widened. “Sweet Celestia! I tried to kill the princess! I mean I tried to kill Princess Celestia! Oh please tell me I didn’t actually…”
“It was not your fault. The orb contained a command that forced its user to attack her.” Mir poked her hoof against Luna’s side, encouraging her to let Dash up.
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as she realized who had approached. “Wait, what is she doing here?”
Mir snorted. “I just saved your life by dispelling the enchantment you were under. And I’m not a changeling, and neither is Croix.”
“Yes, what she says is correct.” Celestia trotted into Dash’s view. “Luna, please let her up.”
“Ugh.” Luna rose to her hooves and stepped to the side. Rainbow trembled as she tried to rise, skidding a little, then pausing and panting. “Why am I so tired?”
Mir stepped closer, bringing her face almost touching with Dash’s. She gave the pony a quick once-over, then replied: “I’m sorry, I’m afraid the purging process was not perfect. I’m not the Elements of Harmony, after all.”
“Yes,” Luna added with her face downcast, “the Elements of Harmony would be our only other option to save you. Since they are not available, we are quite grateful Mir was able to provide her services to us.”
“But… she attacked us!”
“Rainbow Dash, who landed the first blow?” Mir smirked haughtily at her.
Rainbow gulped. “Uh, Twilight.”
“I didn’t kill Sunset Shimmer. The flower reacted to my saying that time travel wasn’t real, which was part of the same sentence.”
“Oh.” Rainbow Dash tried to recall. “Yeah, time travel is a thing that Twilight has done. I guess if she were here, and not brainwashed by some weird orb or something, we’d make a diary entry about getting off on the wrong foot.”
“No worries.” Mir’s smile was no longer smug or haughty. She was just glad things had worked out.
Croix offered his hoof. “Yeah. Once you’re feeling better, maybe I can show you a few moves. You’ve got great speed, but your control could use some work.”
Rainbow bumped it. “That sounds awesome. But right now, I need a nap.” Luna’s magic caught the pegasus as she slumped over.
“Well, one down, five to go?” Mir scanned the vicinity for an inn. She’d developed a sense for where they were located once she started travelling with people.
“Nay, it is one down, nine to go. And I doubt they will all be this easy.”
Croix smirked. “I’d think Rainbow would be offended that you called her easy. Celestia’s side would argue otherwise.”
Celestia looked towards the sky. “We can’t stop on my account. The others should still be in town. If they are wracked with madness, it shouldn’t be too hard to locate them.” She sighed. “Follow the screaming.”
“Sound is my thing. Quiet, please.” Mir’s ears twitched as they scanned and swiveled like radar dishes. “That way. It’s… Sweetie Belle!” Mir dived under Croix and head-butted him into the air, her horn scraping against the breastplate of his armor. “Move!!!!!”
She didn’t need to tell anypony twice.