Author's Notes:
Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit
Post Common Era Chapter Five/War of Stars Chapter One: Strike While The Iron is Hot
“Are you sure, love? Maybe this voice is making you see things” said Luna as Masao showed her the fragment.
“Then you tell me, do you see a flag with fifty white stars on a field of blue and thirteen stripes, seven red and six white?” Luna did not answer, she merely put the fragment down and wrapped the human in a hug, as did Willow Leaf, from what she could guess, Masao felt betrayed. She then did something that she never did before, she kissed him lightly. When she pulled away Masao and Luna stared at her in shock.
“What? He looked like he needed it, and you didn’t seem willing to give him one…” Willow Leaf trailed off as a blush started to form on her face before she took a steadying breath, only for Masao to kiss her, tears rolling down his face, not from sadness, but rather from joy. the mare pushed him away and sputtered.
“N-now d-don’t s-st-start k-kissing me!” she stuttered while one could see a bright red blush under her fur before rushing off down the hall. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t one to get all flustered! But damn… That kiss…
Shaking her head clear of the thoughts Willow Leaf trotted down the hall to the room in which the bride and bridegroom were staying, after the day before it was decided that they would postpone the wedding until the ceremony room was fixed up. Had it really been fifteen years? fifteen years and not once had Masao lied to her, perhaps she should… No not yet, but she did want to give him something…
- - -
“I don’t know why you are coming to me, I am the Princess of Friendship, not the Princess of Love, that’s… That’s Cadence” said Twilight as Willow Leaf scoffed at her.
“What is love if not a different kind of friendship?” she challenged the mare who glared at her. who started to dig through her dresser pulling out a small light blue gem cut in the same shape as one of Rarity’s diamonds, followed by a small orange gem the shape of an apple, and another gem and then another, each one the color and shape of the cutie mark of the corresponding pony and she channeled a little dark magic through them and at first nothing happened before there was a whoosh of wind as five ghostly figures appeared.
“Hey girls, I am sorry to bother you, but we found Sharp Sword’s reincarnation! She wants advice” said Twilight in a voice somewhere between happy and sad, happy that Willow Leaf was finally accepting who she was, and to see her friends again, sad because she knew her friends weren’t there, they never would be, they were all dead, all except her teachers, her old foalsitter, and Luna. A tear rolled down her cheek as she reached out with a hoof to touch the phantoms but it went straight through them. For a moment Willow Leaf thought that there was something seriously wrong with the Princess of Friendship when the one that would have been Rarity spoke up.
“Oh darling! It’s been too long! How have you been?” Willow Leaf took a step back, this was dark magic! But the princess just used it, and Masao only ever uses dark magic. “Oh don’t worry about that, Twilight usually summons us when she needs help on something big, but this is the first time she has summoned us to help with such a basic friendship problem and for someone we know! How have you been Sharp Sword? Oh I guess you don’t go by that name anymore…”
“I-I’m Willow Leaf”
“Ah’ll be, that sounds like an earth pony name! Did you come back as a good old earth pony?” asked Applejack and Willow Leaf bit her lip as she nodded
“Hiya! I’m Pinkie Pie! I’d throw you a party, but I’m kinda dead… Wow that is such a downer…”
“Pinkie Pie…” said Twilight with a sad smile before shaking herself. “Willow Leaf wanted our help with getting a gift for Masao. He got some really bad news recently, something that could mean war if he is right, but Willow Leaf want to get him something to take his mind off of it, if only for a little while”
- - -
“Princess Luna?” asked a nervous green mare, in the end she got the advice she was looking for, but it wasn’t what she was hoping for, now she was dressed in lingerie in the night couple’s room and was beet red under her fur, luckily for her no one was in the room, unluckily, that meant that she had to wait for Masao to get to the room…
- - -
“Ã̖̑͠f̷͕̟̻̪͎͐ͯţ̖̺̤̾e̥͓͕̲̗͇̓ͣͫͪ͝ṛ̷̖̟̮̲ͤ̾͛͆ ̍̾͋͗a̶̘̜͎͛l̢̻̝̺̭͙̩͆̐l̑͒̈̔̃ͩ͑͏͎̖̩̻ ̵̖͇̯̗ͪͨ͂̇͊̑ͩţ̹͈͙͛̊͆h͚̩̉̀ỉ̥̣͎̺̌ͩ̉̋͝s̼̱̲͙̤͖ͦ̉͋ ̛̬̤͊͒ͯt͒̑̌̓̎͛i̸̯̤ͬͤ̉̈́̒m̅̓̽̌͌̿̀eͯ͘ ̝̘̏ͤ̈́ͪ̐̊ͣo̮͚̜̮͓͕̺ͣ́f̋̀ͪ̂̒̃ͩ̀ ̰͔̬̩̜͛ͧ͑m͎̰͓̦͆͛̊͞e̵ͯ̎̾̏ ̯̤̺̅͊͂́̇́ģ̯̪͋͊ü̠̘͎̘̋̃̽̋͋͟ị̧̊ͯd̂̒̅ĩ̪͎͕̻̳ͯ͋ͭ͒̈̍n͕̤̓̃̃͊̂̓g̙̲̟̩̬̿ ̭̪̙̭̪̹͓ͯ̅͝y̰͗̎̆̊̓̍o̜̯͓̔͛ͥ̐͛u̲̗̫̠̟̫ͩ̎̃ͅ ̛̅̓ͣ̒ͪͮy̾͋ͮ̽ͤ͆́͏̘͉̞̠̫͓ͅǫ̘̘̞̰̩̣̉͋̍̍̈̏ûͥ̊̚ ̹̖̖͎̠̉t̞̮͓̺̲̽͛̓͌e̫̰̮̬̬̍̐ĺ̈l̴͊̈̓͆ͯ̽̀ ̩͓͚͗͊̑̈̀m̟̬̹̲̓̔͋̐e̴̤̘̳̣̞̝͉ͧ̊ͣ͑ͯ̓ ̖ͩ͊̆̚͟ỵ̨oͭ́̃͟u̱̦̱ ̪ͫͨͦ̕d̻͖̊͜o̝͍̥̗̗ͯͩ̉ͫ͌ͤn͕̟̦̱̻͇͓̿̈́́́́'̫͉͚̰̭͇̀ͪ̒̅̄ͫ̒ṭ̺͓̇̂̄̀ ̶w͚̣̫a͕̫̾̄͛̚n͕̠̈͘tͥ̒ ̴͖̊̏̽ͅm͉̈́ͅy̓ ̣̮͉̖̻͇͆͌ͯhe̽͒̓̅̆͐l̯͗̎͛͞p̢̍?̭̬̮̪͕͑̾ ̳̮͎̤ͥ̽̈̑͒͒A̯̦̼̭͐r͚̭̬̺̻ͅe̤͓ͣͩ́̌̆̆ ̞̮̍y̶̜̖̗̜ͧ͑̔̎́̌̆o̵̦̲̺͔͉̺͒̀͆͂u̫̠̬̺̬̱͕ͨ̎̄̇ ̪̹̪t̩̰ͥh̨̭̼̺̩̀ͪ͊̔a̯̹ͪͭ̔ͨ̚t̼̱̰̹ͦ̎ ̧͍̱̳̣͇̞ͤ͂̿ͬ̏͐̚ͅp̗̗̌ͦ̉͌ͅr̖̥̫i҉̘d͔̖̦͈̝͙̽̎́e̸͍̫͇̝̗ͩͧ̉f̹̯͔͎̼̲ͮ̑̈u̘̹͇̰͙̙̺͑̿̔̊̔̓l̷͉͕?̶̝͕̟̮̫̥̟̃̎” asked Tzeentch and Masao silently glared into space hoping that the god of chaos would take the hint, no such luck as he continued,
“I͕͖̗͖̞̮͚̊͑̽͆ ̝̺̫̪̝̳̎ͮͅw̖̬̱̟̯̪ͬ̂̍͐a͈̪̞̐ͧ͆͐ͨ̓s͉ ͇̟̞̔͛̈́̑ͬͪͧn̳̹̭ͥ̔ͬͭ̂̎̔o̸̰̠̍̇̀͋ͪt͙̯̏͐͆̍͋͂̓ ̶͕̹̮̏͛͒̓̃ͅt̯̯͙̼̯̰͓̓̿ͯ̽h̨̟̫ͦͭ͋̌ͩe̮̣̫̩͖͜ ͕̫͇̞̣̜̬͌̐̾̄͊on͂ͤê̳̫̭̄ͪ͛͗̚ ̨̙̘̲͖̱̠ͦt̍ͤͫ̑ͤh̖̜̊̅ã̞̠̞̦̤̗̭͌͑̈͂̈́͢ṱ̸̮ͦ̌̌ͥ̃ ͮ͗ͯͪ̾͏̥̻̪͎͈̺b͙͖̣̮̩ͦ̓͐̑͗ͫ͞r̫̤̮̓̂ͩō̍̿ͣ̚͡ȗ̹̀͊͋ͪg̩ͪ͋̆h̶͕̦͕̟̘̘̔̅͂t͉͙̝̯̉̑̏ͭ ̦͍̖ͣ̊͂͟y͈̱͎̤̖ͮ̆̑̾ͯͤ̑͞o̶̝̯͐ͨ͒̀̽̅̂u ̊ͪ̚͏̗̞h̞͇̐̔̈́̔ͣ̊͢ȩ̗͈͙̹̎̏̾̈́̒̀ͅr̄͌ͪ̀e̝͎ͯ͘,̉̉̔҉͔ ̎̀I̧̲̻̫̩̖͍͗ ̺̖̒̊̋ͩ͠d͎̑͂ͪ͛ͦ̎o͎̱͊̈̏ͫ͡ ͤ͋̃͗͗͌ͩ͝k̸̮͓̦͕̱̦͔ͣn̠̱̫͍̓o̧͋͂͛ͨ̎ͤͣw̰͎͙̠̜͑ ̵̱̂̈͂̉̈̄ͯh̟͓͉͇̜̦̹̀ͥ͛ͩ̍ȯ̙͎̝͌̿͊̅̑̒w͆ͤ͑ͤ̿̐҉̩͚̝̘ ̴̞͚̭̦̈́̈́́ÿ́̋̏̍̄̂o͈͓͈̤̰̝̿ͧ̎͐̾̏͂̕u͙̠̯͒ ͬ̇ͤ͒͐͒҉̩̭gͮ͞o͔̩̠̜̎͒̀̏͘t̖̥̗͔͙̐̂ͫ ̴ͦ̄h͉ͩě̏ͮ͂r͍̲̠̣͙̞ͯ͛̌̽̈́́ͅe͖̜͎̔,̹̰̄̏̐͌ ̴̖͔͖̓́̀̇̾̌̈́ͅb͈͍̟̩͇͕͎̚͟u̥͔̺̣̺͔̻t̲̹͉̜̆̽͒͌͂͞ ̭̥̣̫̲͈ͯͭ͆͒ý̲̤ͦͬ̐̆oͯ̎ͣ͆ͦ̀ùͣ̽̽҉͚͙͕̺ ͉̙͚̰̝̥̱̍̋̆̾ḣ̝̻̽̀̚å̡̭̦͖͇͍̙̽v̟e̷ͪ́͑̇̋̎ ̬͓̹͇̀͂̍͐ͭ̓t̹͉̬͖̼̣̂̿ͪͥ̄̃̾o̸ͮͬͣ ͉̽̅̈́̌ͤ̋s̮̩͍̑͊ͮͯ̂ͩ̐͟ẘ̓̍͞e̛̼̤̙̼̫̾̑̋͌ͦ̆ͅa̵ͮ̔ͨ̓̊̊̋r̯̪ ͔̫͔̼̈̌̑̚y͇̰̤͕̯͇̣̽̄o͓͚̺̟̘̺̝̓͢u̺̥̰͈͌̓́͐r̰̮̼̦͍͓͎͌̽̅̌̌̅ͩ͝s̼͖̖̗̦̯ͮ̑ẻ̟͇̖͙̝͓̼͗̊̌͡l͈̲̩͎̅ͧ̏f̦ ̡̼͙͚̤̼̜̻̌̅͛ͤ͛ͤ̚t̵̠̭̟͚͇͈ͦ̋̌̃͑̔̈o̼͔͔̰̱̯͔͑̿͗̓͊ͮͦ ̷̬͗̎͆ͩm̠͇͎y̪̰̣̟͙̮̜ ͍̲̂s̤̲͇̟̞ͩ̑͐̀͞ȇ̝͙͓̼̱̽̃͂ͣr̖̯͕̳̘̪͊͐̾͊̚v̶̜̙̺̟̤̹̇̒ĭ͙̂c҉̼̘͓̯e̯̱͖̰̦ ̷̀̈ͫ́b̰̰̺͍ͣͣe̦̺͍̤̳̙͍͗̑̆ͮ̒f̹̪̟̐̓o̻̹̪͑̌͝ͅr͏ê̢͍̠͙̝̺͇̮ ̴̩͎͕̹ͭ̌ͫ̑͒̒Ḭ̰ͯ͛̚̕ͅ ̝̫̊̋ͦt̠͓̼̟̯̅ͦͤͬ́e̳͖ͭ̈́ͤͦ̂ͅl̶̻̹̤͖̖̟̳̉l̩͚̪̔͜ ͫ̎̏ͥ͏̗y̲ͤ̽̾̂̉͂ͅo҉̱̻̮͍̖u̻̜̖̲͉͙̬”
“No”
“Do͐͐̄̀ͮ̏n̩̳̠̬̞̙̝ͣͯͮ'̢̬̯̲̓̄́ͪt̴͍̩ ̯̺͈̣͐ͤ͛̏̑y̜͚͕̩ͤͩ̎̎ͭͮ̎ǫ̞̳̭̝͕̅̅̋ͦͫ̄̃u͚͌̔͆ͨ̅ͣ̏́ ̤͓͡w̳a̦͇ͧͬ̚n̴̮̫͔͓̲̰͎͊ͦ̅t̨̹͇̗̮̬͋̋̂̍ͣ́̌ ̜̭̳̥̫̋to̹͉̲͕̘̮ͦ̓͒͌̐̈́͡ ̸̹̗͍͚ͥ̀ͥ͆͋̑ķ̫ͥ̂ͬ̊͛̽n̪͇͓͙̩̈ͯͨ̄̏̏́ô͗ͤ͗͌̅̌w̙̩͉̠̥ͣ̋ ͚̣̫̍̈́̐̈́̏͡ḥ͔̻͚̭͊́o̊ͬ͐ͩ̅͏̫ͅͅw͕̞ͯ—̫̓͐̆ͩ͑͢”
“You aren’t just the Chaos god of change, you are also called the deceiver, and I am not foolish enough to trust you at your word when you don’t benefit directly by you telling the truth” said Masao as he opened the door to his room, any thoughts of continuing the conversation disappeared along with any coherent thought when he saw Willow Leaf laying on the bed in a very provocative manner.
- - -
“I can’t believe I did that!” said Willow Leaf, as she took a shower washing off the recent activities she had just partook in when Masao slipped into the shower and kissed her behind her ear, sending a shudder down her spine right to her groin. Oh she was going to regret telling him about that, but for now. Twirling around and pushing the human against the wall of the shower with her fore hooves she pressed her lips to his and began that timeless dance anew…
- - -
“You did what?” asked Masao as he stood in Twilight’s room, he had caught the tail end of her most recent meeting with the old Elements.
“I miss them, so much it hurts” said Twilight and Masao groaned, dark magic was one thing but messing with the dead, even with their permission, was a bit too much.
“Now don’t be too hard on her sugarcube”
“Applejack, if I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it, the dead are supposed to remain that way”
- - -
“Sir, it’s time to move out, the missile failed, the abominations still live” said a soldier in ceramic plated armor, no doubt to stop the bolts from the alien weaponry.
“Understood private” said the man standing up and preparing to leave when he saw the private hadn’t left he regarded the man silently for a moment. “Something else, private?”
“Sir there have been reports of a human in the city of abominations, if initial reports are to believed he is currently in a relationship with—” the man didn’t finish as a bolter bolt shot through his skull and out the other side as several pegasi, unicorn and earth ponies swarmed the area intent on capture, but were not too fussed if they killed the humans, they had orders after all, they were to survive