The Truth

by Blue Turtle

Counting Bodies

Author's Note:

I think from now on the chapter's are gonna be shorter (Not under 1,000 words) but shorter. It's hard to make long chapters

The Truth
Chapter Twelve
By Blue Turtle

It felt as though they'd swallowed fire, their lungs breathed the heavy smoke like the devil's breath. They coughed trying to expel it. Fire raged around them, crystals shattering as heat expanded them to breaking point. It stung their eyes. Soot covered their hooves and faces, like another thick layer of heat, trapping them. Blood mixed into the ash and crystal shards , creating a crimson, blue shards and ash floor around their hoof.

Everything ached for sunlight, the warm gentle breeze that carried fresh air. Not this dark cave that sapped their life away bit by bit.

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AppleJack paced back and forth. The alabaster walls seemed to taunt her, closing in.

This ain't right. This can't be the Princesses.

She thought to herself quietly. Princess Celestia had never shown much of an ounce of malice. She'd never lost her temper, and when she did it never wasn't for a good reason. She didn't know Luna well, but she did know she always had her heart in the right place.

Over the past few days, the sky slowly began to turn red. Even the nights were illuminated by an orange moon, casting an almost red light on the land. Around noon the days became blisteringly hot, but would quickly cool off after an hour or two. But ponies were already being rushed to hospitals from heatstroke. Ponies who got stuck outside had to hope for shade, and pegasi were working overtime to create clouds to shade the land as best they could, but that only worked so well. The cloud were sort of like blankets, and sooner or later they'd have to be kicked away. Rainbow Dash and FlutterShy were one of those pegasi, and had to leave Canterlot for that very reason.

Gods she missed them, she missed Pinkie Pie and Rarity, who'd gone back home to organize Ponyville. But she knew she had to stick by Twilight. She missed her family, but Twilight really needed someone to lean on. Rarity had confided to her earlier that Twilight had a break down and she didn't want to leave her alone. It was bad enough everything that was swirling on, like a huge thunderstorm of hysteria, but leaving Twilight alone in Canterlot would make it worse. Someone had to be there to calm her down, knowing Twilight she might freak like she did when she couldn't write a letter.

And then she walked in. her highness herself, Queen Galaxia. One reason all this happened. She bit back her anger, but she could tell the godly alicorn knew.

"Throughout my life, I have always done what I've figured is right and just..."

The queen, in her regal stature and garments, looked almost immortal. Powerful, but also in some sense, kind and motherly. Her eyes were soft, unlike King Nebulis, whose eyes were like daggers. She held herself in a way that came off as comforting, but not very opening. In some ways she was like Celestia, however Celestia had a certain air of playfulness and warmth, whereas Galaxia seemed to be a little bit more broad and restricted. It put AppleJack off.

"But.. I suppose this was my biggest mistake." Her eyes became gloomy and distant.

Such a powerful alicorn, so humbled by herself. When AppleJack had first seen Galaxia, she was tied in plant roots and in a daze. She could hear her anger though, her anger with her own children, who tried (as far as she knew) very hard not to screw up the cosmos. She really screwed up to say the least.

"Well ya know this mistake could cost hundreds their livelihood." AppleJack, adjusting her hat. The alicorn stared at her, those tired eyes seemed to light up, just the tiniest bit.

"Yes..." She hung onto the 'S' for a little.

"If Princess Celestia and Luna get what they want, there's gonna be a lot more havoc then you're telling everypony, right?" AppleJack said, her tongue like a dagger. She picked apart the Queen. Galaxia's expression sunk, and she pursed her lips.

"You hurt your daughters really bad. I don't know about alicorns or how the 'universe' works but I do know one thing; What you did, what wrong. If anything, you made it worse. Luna finally came back and she was all ready to start over again, a clean slate. But ya ruined it for her. I can't imagine how she feels." AppleJack sighed, her heart growing pained.

"You're correct. My old era ways are.. well, outdated. The universe... it feels different. Kinder, more gentle. It's filled with so many emotions I never even dreamed of. It feels so much more accepting, like.. even if you make a mistake, it will love you regardless." The queens nebulous magic enveloped her horn and crown, removing the ancient garment.

AppleJack blinked.

"The old alicorns are just that. Old! Just as the universe shifts and changes, so does life. When the kirins began to die out, I was worried. But now I see the Earth ponies and pegasi have taken their place. They've breathed in new life, different from before. Ancient magic is lost of for a reason; it's old. Energy constantly shifts and changes, so ancient spells become either useless or dangerous." A smile tugged at her lips.

"I see now I was wrong, I should have been more accepting. My mistake has caused the new dearly, and I will sacrifice everything to change it. I'm going to use my lasting strength to at least try and turn this around, for better or for worse."

The regal alicorn turned to face AppleJack.

"AppleJack, thank you, for telling me I was wrong. Because you're right." Galaxia set the crown on the ground, the elegant headgear glinting in the light. The grown, which seemed to be made from the stars itself, suddenly felt worthless.

"Well, uh... yer welcome." She lifted her hat up a bit. She'd expected a different kind of response from the Queen, but it was far better.

"Though, i'm going to need some assistance. Me and Nebulis won't be able to do this on our own, given the time being." Galaxia sighed and her form flickered, AppleJack swearing she saw a filly for just one second.

"Tell me, AppleJack, if you were trying to open a rift in the world, where would you hide the transmutation circles?"

"Well, uh I hate to break it to you Mi'lady but I don't practice magic." AppleJack knit her eyebrows, confused.

"Of course, but I'm guessing you know a thing or two about hiding magic circles." Galaxia raised an eyebrow.

Well, truth be told AppleJack had watched Twilight use them before, and Rarity on one occasion.

"Probably somewhere no pony would think. Out of sight and mind... dark too." And Idea struck her.

"The Everfree forest? Monsters scaring ponies away, and too big to find any individual spot without a massive search."

"That... that makes perfect sense. We're going to narrow down the search." She said, almost surprised.

"Come with me my dear. This information needs to be delivered."

She and Galaxia walked hastily out, not speaking a word.

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They ran from the flames, deeper into the cave? Maybe. They didn't know. They didn't care either. Tiny fragments of crystal became tiny projectiles. Larger shards slicing skin and becoming bludgeoning weapons. Their mane whipped in their face, smoke becoming a thick fog and choking their lungs, It hurt to breath but hurt worse not to. It felt as though their legs had become lead, weighing them further and further. The glowing crystals were their only light source, and even then it was difficult to see.

The cave opened up again, they were back from which they came. The largest crystal standing stoic and tall, producing enough light for them to see clearly once more. Where relief once would have flooded, now terror. Standing in front of a bright cavern, was the silhouette of a pony.

"I'm sorry!" They sobbed, their voice filled with despair.

"QuickWit?" The armor glade guard ran up, holding the shivering pony.

She was so relieved, but still terrified.

"We need to go, now." She choked out. Her throat was dry and her voice cracked, dry and tasteless.

Her rescuer simply nodded and helped her up. They hobbled towards the entrance, her aching hooves making it hard to push forward. But they needed to get out of her. Her rescuer whistled, two other ponies running from the other entrances.

"It's time to leave."

"But we just got here." One said

"We need to leave." Her rescuer reiterated.

The two nodded uneasily. It couldn't be that bad? But she knew. It was bad, far worse then and farther along than the Royal Advisers thought.

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His gaze into the mirror pool was unsettling. A deep glare, his brows furrowed in concentration. Twilight stood their absently, half paying attention. Her mind was in a million places at once. Scouting Squad 36C hadn't returned from the South East Valley, and it'd been four days, now on it's fifth. The South East had been voted most unlikely, because it was close to the dead zone, where Discord and Celestia's first battle took place. But the Ever Free also curled around it, hugging tightly to the intensely heated area. Hopefully the scouting squad would be back, but with the recent news, it was hard to be optimistic. She already noticed signs that Nebulis was weakening. The stars in his wings seemed agitated, swirling around even more, and his presence was more bearable than usual.

"I call for a rescue squad." Twilight said, taking a deep breath. The council members turned to her, unblinking, staring eyes.

"I agree with Miss Sparkle." A grey pegasus said, turning away to look at her fellow council members.

"Squad 36C is one of our most highly trained scouting squads in the entirety of the First Branch, they can handle themselves." Another said, the unicorn knitting his eyebrows.

"They've been gone almost five days Commander, I have faith in your Scouting Squads, however if they found something and aren't back yet, we're wasting time! Even if the mission fails we need to know what happened to them." Another pointed out. Nods of agreement started up, like a wave of yeses and nos.

"Then we have come to the conclusion that there will be a rescue squad, correct?" Nebulis said with a sigh. He looked tired.

Another chorus of yeses followed.

"We'll need the most magically acute, most experienced and well trained soldiers in the entire First Branch."

"I'll prepare a list." Shining Armor said, standing up. Twilight had taken notice of her brother's somber mood lately. He seemed eternally stoic, not his usual optimistic self.

"I'll have to see their abilities, not that I don't trust you Captain, but we're dealing with a percarious situation." Galaxia turned to face Shining Armor, who only bowed.

"Then it's settled. Council meeting dismissed." Nebulis tapped the gable to the desk and the inhabitants of the rooms dispersed. With a sigh, her brother walked out of the room. Dark circles under his eyes became more apparent as he stepped out into the brightly lit hallway. Outside, it was like it was day, with houses and stores brightly lit up. If she remember correctly, the meeting had started around noon. It was nine o'clock.

"Shining?" She asked, tapping her brother on the shoulder. He flinched, and turned to her.

"Oh, hey Twily." He yawned, a thin smile grew and his eyes lit up a tiny bit.