Chapter 10: The Imperial way of Diplomacy
Edited by: Rainbowblitz
“I am going to find them first and then I am going to rub it in Tia’s face that I managed to accomplish something that a whole group of guards could not.” Luna thought to herself as she flew casually above the forest canopy, using both of her keen eyes and magic to scan and scout the forest below her.
She has to admit, trying to actively find something in such a huge area covered mostly in thick woodlands was going to take its time. Even with magic. But this should not deter her or let her newfound laziness get the better of her. She loves turning everything into a competition when it involves her sister just so she can have the right in rubbing it in her face whatever it is she is going to claim for rubbing.
Why? Because that’s what siblings do.
“Still, a whole platoon of guards just disappearing. Back in the old days this would have never happened. The guards were made of a much more tougher material than they are now. Such a shame, Tia really has gone soft since the last 1000 years. Too soft in my opinion.” She mumbled as she continued to scan the area in front and below her with her magic.
She eventually reached what she could recognize as a clearing far off into the distance. Actually more like a small meadow by the looks of it.
Luna doubt that the missing ponies and guards could possibly be there but she still decided to fly over there just to take a rest on a nice patch of grass and to regain some bearing.
She had been flying non stop for a whole hour after all. Tell her what you want, but being an alicorn also means being part earth pony too, which means also having the thick and sturdy bone structure that they have, which are obviously a bit too heavy for flying. That’s what her large wings are for, but even they can only do so much before succumbing to fatigue.
Or it also could be because of her much more lazier life style of games, comic books and novels. Yeah that could be it.
“Definitely need to get out more.”
She was about to gently angle herself to a decent when she suddenly spotted something in the corner of her eye.
She turned her gaze towards it and squinted, it was far away, right on the other end of this long clearing but it was still very obvious and… too strange looking to not notice. Even from this distance.
“What… what is that?” Luna ask out loud.
Whatever it was, it certainly didn’t look natural or pony made from Luna’s knowledge, which is a lot, but then again she spends half of her life on the surface of the moon… so maybe… not as much as she liked to think.
But still, it pretty much stood out like a sore horn in this sea of green.
“Could this maybe be where all the missing ponies are? I mean how it could it not be, in how unusual it already seems from way over here.” She thought to herself as both her mind and sense of curiosity made her decision for her.
Flapping her wings and gaining some needed speed and altitude, she swiftly started to speed towards the foreign object.
The closer she got the more clearer but also stranger this thing in the distance became, eventually becoming so… alien to her that she was forced to halt herself half way just to gawk at this mysterious thing.
“What… what in Equestria is that?” She ask no one in particular as she looked both intrigued and confused at the same time.
More intrigued to be honest as this thing does seem to look like one of those otherworldly carriages that those Sci-fi novels describe. That, and her constant gazing up to the stars as a filly and just internally wondering if there might me more worlds just like hers out there.
Or if not then perhaps completely different ones instead.
All of that self-wondering immediately crashed into a wall when she switched her gaze ever so slightly from the object. There were ponies, and lots of them if her keen eyes were to be trusted.
And they usually are, even with magical mirages clouding her sight or not.
“Those have to be both the missing guards and ponies. I think I found them.” She exclaimed loudly to herself.
“Thou have found them… that means, that I have beaten my own sister once again to the punch. Score… uhm… what number was I? Ahh who cares, another score for Luna.” She said to herself with a victorious grin before speeding down towards her goal.
Her enthusiasm quickly faltered when she got closer and closer though. Not only did she managed to find all of the missing guards but both curiously and worryingly they seemed to be all tied up and stacked on top of one another. Not only that but there was a lot more things scattered about then she originally realized. She first thought that this might have been just a crash site, but obviously this wasn’t the case if the numerous metal looking crates and more alien looking devices were anything to go by.
Not just that, but all of these items were neatly placed and arranged as well, something a “crash” does not produce.
There was obviously a lot more than she bargained for, but nothing she wouldn’t be able to handle if it meant protecting the citizens of her nation.
She quickly came down to a soft landing which was also the moment where some of the ponies managed to notice her presence, one in particular being a rather famous one.
“Prin-princess Luna?” Spitfire exclaimed as she looked passed on of those crates.
Luna on the other hand raised an eyebrow after she spotted the bandaged back and midsection of the Wonderbolt captain, more specifically her covered up wings.
Luna just stood tall. “Yes it is I, Princess and mistress of the night herself.” She announced which at this point pretty much got everyone's attention, even those that are blocked by the others.
“I have come to save thee, from whatever monster or kidnapper has taken thee and to put an end to its terror and let it face justice.” She added.
Spitfire on the other end was more confused than relieved, in fact she was now feeling a level of concern for the princess as her broad entrance would surely alert the psychopathic alien that she has been the “quote on quote” Guest of this entire time. If not him then one of his advance technology’s would have.
She was honestly just waiting for a bolt to just hit her making her fall unconsciously to the ground, or even worst.
I mean, Princess Luna is an Alicorn, a powerful pony, in fact one of THE most powerful ponies in existence in terms of magical prowess alone. But what Riggs may lack in sheer magical power he easily makes up with all of his advance weapons and sheer brutality alone.
Princess Luna might just have flown into a spiders nest without her even knowing where the spider is or if it even exist.
Spitfire’s concern quickly morphed into panic as these thoughts circulate through her mind.
Again, she might be superbly skilled and very powerful, but what does all that power and skill do for you if you don’t even know where your enemy is and what it is to begin with?
This has the potential to become really ugly, really fast.
“Uhm… princess, with all due respect I think It would be better for you to just… get the hay out of here before things get… really hectic.” Spitfire tried to explain as the princess was trotting her way over to them.
She stopped while raising a confused eyebrow. “Why? Thou think that we are unable to handle this ourselves?” She question which in turn caused Spitfires eyes to widen before she frantically shook her hoof in front of her.
“What? Nonononono it’s not like that, it’s not like that at all… it’s… it’s just…” Spitfire panicked.
Luna quickly cut her off with a wave of her hoof. “Enough, whatever or whoever this fiend is that has capture and bounded you all shall be no problem for me if it ever dares to show itself. We have face numerous monsters, demons and foes in our past and we have always prevailed.” She proudly announced while holding her head high with her horn glowing.
Though she is keeping out the parts where her sisters was actually on her side in some of those fights, but of course nopony needs to know that, especially when she is busy gloating.
“Beep, boob chirp beep.”
Spitfire’s eyes widen when these distinct beeps and chirps entered her ears. Luna’s on the other end just perked up as a small metal made sphere with a head came rolling out from one of the crates, presuming coming directly from the alien craft if his location of entry was anything to go by.
“This couldn’t possibly get anymore worse.” Spitfire thought to herself as she dreadfully watched the little droid making his way over to her. Fully revealing herself to the night princess.
She did try to ask the little robotic ball if Riggs maybe had something that a herbivore like her could chew on, right before princess Luna decided to show up.
He is holding something in his mechanical claws as he rolled his way over to her. A nutrient bar if Spitfire had to guess. Probably just as generic tasting as the ones she is accustomed to in the guard… or perhaps even worse.
Luna on the other hand looked both surprised and confused at this sudden newcomer before she suddenly took a more intimidating stance as her horn started to glow.
“So you must be the one or at least one of those fiends who are keeping the ponies captive.” She declared which fully realized Spitfires fears and predictions to a T.
She may not know Luna in person or much about her in general, but from what she does know both from her return and from the old history books that sometimes depict Equestria dual rulers when they were still very young was that Luna was the more brash and daring of these two. A more of a hit first and ask questions later type of pony… kind of like… her to be honest.
“Dammit.” Spitfire automatically thought.
The little droid in comparison just turned his little head at the now demanding princess. His databanks trying to find a match of the ones he already collected from all of the other natives around him and only finding some resemblance with them. Which means, he was looking at a completely new and unrecorded species. Which just made him giddy on the inside.
More fun scanning to do for him, and to try and collect as much info on this new spices as much as possible so that he can find out more ways in how to successful capture and bind them when he needs to. Oh, and data for Riggs as well so that he can kill them much faster when the need demands it. If he wants to that is.
First things first, first hook and bind her, then he can scan and study its biological structure and DNA composition.
With that idea now cemented in the little droid's head he powered up his hook shot systems and took aim at the newcomer.
Princess Luna was completely oblivious on the droids intentions.
Luna at this point was slowly getting irritated by a lack of a response by the little ball shaped thing. Maybe it doesn’t understand equestrian, but that idea just makes her feel even more annoyed than she already is. It should at least understand her tone and the aggressive stance she was giving it.
“Have you not heard us, we demand for you to release these ponies or we shall…” This was all what Luna managed to get out when something on the little things body suddenly opened up and fired something at her faster than she could even react to.
She only had the time to yelp when something attached and wiggled itself around her horn, causing her both pain and pleasure at the same time and forcefully cutting of her magic in the process.
“Wha-what in my sisters name… HOW CAN THIS JUST CUT OFF MY MAGIC!!!” She shouted at the end in both anger and confusion.
But before she can try to resist or pull against her captor she suddenly found herself pulled down to the ground and dragged across it, towards the little blue and white painted droid.
Spitfire was just to dumbfounded and shocked to really do or say anything as she just watched the princess, the bloody princess of the night, getting fish hooked and reeled in by the little intelligent machine.
The more she stays with these alien the crazier the days become. Nothing is normal or makes sense for her anymore, especially when the droid somehow, once again, managed to completely tie up and bind a pony the moment the princess was in reach of his little metal pincers.
“What the… what just happened?!” Princess Luna shouted within her new metallic cocoon. Upside down of course.
“Beep, boob beep.” The droid chimed before dragging the overly confused and pride scarred princess to wherever he wants to scan her.
That would have been the plan when things just had to become even more complicated than they already are.
“Look over there!” One of the bound ponies shouted from behind Spitfire.
“Yes, finally some reinforcements have arrived, we are going to be free everypony.” Another one shouted with glee.
Spitfire of course was as confused as always before a tap on her shoulder got her attention. It was Cloudchaser, pointing a hoof up at the sky.
Spitfire followed it and her eyes immediately widen at what she saw, not because of the whole legions of Pegasus guards above her but because of a certain other princess that was with them.
“Buck it.” She declared while throwing her hooves up. “Whatever happened today is not my fault. I am just going to sit back and let chaos rule this one.” She boldly declared before just turning around and trotting off to save a but still comfortable place to watch the chaos happen.
Just needs the head alien to come back from wherever he run off too to make it happen.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Princess Celestia was both concerned and intrigued at the same time. Not only did she and her guards finally managed to find all the missing ponies in one single spot, but they managed to find them all tied up and stack on top one another like how a butcher would stack his meat.
Gryphons were omnivores after all.
That’s not even mentioned the big strange looking construct that is practically right next to them. Its designs and looks being nothing the princess have ever seen before. It gave off a rather militarist or weapon like feeling thanks to the six dagger shaped metallic looking wings pointing forward from the object.
Overall something that looked like it was made to kill and for warfare, despite its otherworldly design.
That’s where the intrigue comes from though, its otherworldly design. Thanks to her alicorn affinity she has live far longer than any normal or highly gifted pony could ever hope for, which means she has seen and experience a lot of strange, crazy and downright enigmatic things in her long life.
This thing would be on the top on her enigmatic list in just how strange it really looked. Certainly something no pony could have made or rather any of the other races on this world. Its outside look alone already looked way to advance for it to be made by any nation or species she knows off. She could only guess what this object was made of at this point. Unless she can have a closer look at this… thing, all bets and ideas are just open at this point.
A certain faithful student of hers would certainly love to study this thing, if she gets the chance to do so.
“Your highness, I see Princess Luna down there too.” The lead officer suddenly announced right next to her which broke her gaze on the object.
She looked down, only for her eyes to widen in shock at what she saw.
Luna bound and captured.
Sisterly concern quickly overwrote whatever else she was thinking about or planning to do. She immediately speeded down towards the ground with her guards only following her a few moments later.
Soon both her and her Legion of Guards touched down right in front of this strange camp. The bounded guards further in could be heard calling and cheering as they hopes were high that they could finally be freed from this mess and finally bring whatever got them into this mess in the first place a good round buck of justice.
Celestia ignored all of it as her gaze was more fixed on her bounded sisters as she was being slowly dragged away by a small ball shaped thing with a head.
“Sister.” She called out which got Luna‘s attention in an instant.
“Big Sis, do something! This “thing” has somehow managed to surprise me and is now dragging me off to Equestria knows where. Get me out of these bounds… especially on my horn.” Luna ranted, struggling to get out herself.
Celestia was about to assist her sister and give out her quick orders towards the guard behind her when one of her senses suddenly started to tingle inside of her, the type of sense that tells her that something wasn’t right here. Call it both motherly and alicorn instinct if you will, as Luna seemed to have the same realization as well.
“SISTER SHIELD!!!” Luna suddenly barked out which Celestia didn’t needed to be told.
With almost automatic reflexes Celestia swiftly cast a shield dome around herself and in front of the guard, and no a moment too soon as sudden crackling and the zipping of a blue projectile immediately impacted with the shields and dispersing harmlessly on its surface.
Everything happened so suddenly and so fast that neither of the two or anypony else managed to get any bearings on where these attack where actually came from.
The situation was tense at this point. From a search mission to a rescue one. A really serious rescue mission.
The air was silent for a while, both Celestia and her guards behind her where darting both their eyes and ears on almost every direction, alert and vigilant to what was to come next. The guards having long formed a defensive formation behind thier princess with their weapons ready.
Seconds felt like minutes, not for the Droid though as he still tried his best to drag his new research material closer to the ship while his catch was still struggling and cursing at him like hell on earth.
Another shot suddenly rang out, this one Red all of the sudden as it quickly impacted the shield, causing an explosion and large cracks to appear on the shields surface.
Celestia cringed in pain as she was somewhat pushed back by that heavy shot of pure energy that just slammed into her shields. She was both surprised and shocked to say the least, having HER shield already so heavily damaged by ONE shot was almost as rare as the stars up in the night sky. But before she can even contemplate what could be powerful enough to almost shatter her shields in one go, another red bolt suddenly cracked out from the woods, hitting her shield with disastrous results.
Her shield failed this time, the second bolt easily smashing through her already badly damaged guard as another explosion shock the air. The explosion and shattering of her shield forcing her to fly back a couple of meters before impacting painfully against the bark of a tree.
Luna was forced to watch all of this transpire with shocked eyes as she stopped her struggling to process what just happened.
The stunned and shocked guards were about to spring into action when this time a burst of these red bolts came racing towards them and impacting on the ground in front of them, created multiple explosion which forced many off their hoofs and some even flying directly into their comrades behind them.
Panic and disarray was the master within the legion as thick plumes of dirt and dust clouded everything around them.
Their ranks and formations broken and forgotten.
This ensuing chaos was enough though for the Princess to get back on her hoofs with gritted teeth and was about to power up her horn to cast another magical ward. This time though intended for her guards rather than for her.
She didn’t got far on her plan though as another one of this bolts quickly raced towards her instead and hitting the ground in front of her in the same fashion as the one intended for her fellow ponies, with the same scary and disorienting results.
Celestia shielded herself with her wings on instinct as the blast once again forced her against the tree and onto the ground, though not as hard as the first one thankfully.
She instinctively got back up same with some of her guards, only to receive yet another dose of ground shots and explosions which knocked them all back down.
The air around them being nothing but a thick, choking dust cloud at this point.
Celestia coughed as she raised only her head this time. “No STOP!” Celestia shouted towards her guards as some of them were about to struggle themselves up. “Stay down, and don’t move.” She ordered which they thankfully acknowledges.
If her theory is correct, the attacks should cease if they stood down. Because from what she could guess, especially from the way these shots were aimed and fired, is that these were more suppressive in nature rather than to do actual harm.
“Let’s see if this is true.” Celestia thought to herself with baited breath as she and her guards just laid on the ground.
Once more, seconds seemed to feel more like minutes for these ponies as they just waited for any more attacks.
They waited, and waited, enough time for the dust cloud to finally settle. Celestia gamble seemed to have paid off as no further attacks were coming their way.
Celestia sighed with relief as she finally allowed herself to relax now that the attacks had stopped, but she stayed on guard and tense.
This was the perfect time to get some answers. “Whoever you are, show yourself. As you can see we are standing down just how you want. So please, show yourself.” She shouted in hoped to finally come face to face with the pony or creature that seemed to be gifted enough to break her shield and to keep her and her guards at bay.
Silence was all she got at first before a sudden crack and a thud echoed through the calm after the storm.
“ARGH blasted stinger tail.” Someone cursed in a deep and distorted voice.
Both her and most of her guard were somewhat confused by this strange response, all until a distant sound of somepony hacking and slashing something could be heard before something long and black came hurtling out from the darkness of the forest front.
A lot of eyes got widened as everypony recognized it as a Manticore tail. A crudely chop off Manticore tail.
Some just stared while other looked away, clearly feeling intimidated at this point.
Celestia on the other end just stared at it before her gaze quickly got switched to something that seemed to be moving out from the shadows, and what she saw was something she honest to heaven didn’t expected at all.
“What… in Equestria is that?” Celestia wondered as a black clad bipedal moved out into the open.
Standing tall and proud in front of the ponies with a long metal looking weapon held over its shoulder. Its blue angry eyes gazing upon them.
“That bloody stinger already scratched my armor 3 times already. Should have shoot that tail off from the beginning. Lesson learned I guess.” The being muttered to himself rather than to someone else.
“Well at least it can talk I guess.” Celestia told herself more than anyone else.