Pony of a Different Color

by Sparky Brony

Chapter 19

Those three words. “They have Luna,” bring tears to my eyes. No, not now. They can't. Not again. Haven't enough lives been snuffed out by their greed. I turn back to the rest of the ponies.

“Where is my daughter? Where is Moonshine?” I howl with every ounce of power I have. I hear hooves in a full on gallop. The rest of the ponies move aside for her to rush next to me. She runs a practiced hoof over Celestia's prone form. She looks at me with tears in her eyes.

“I don't know if I can save her Dad.” She whispers.

“Prepare to open yourself to the source.” I say as I seize Saidin. She knows what i'm intending. She holds herself on the cusp of actually embracing the source. I reach through her and embrace Saidar. We are now linked. I pass the control of the ring to her. I feel her fear as she runs a delving weave through the fallen leader of Equestria. I know what she needs.

“Every pony, get back. My daughter is going to try to save Celestia.” All the ponies dutifully step back. And my daughter begins. She draws heavily from both sides of the source. I gasp as she draws even more from me. Even a non adept can see how much power she's using. Both of our eyes turn white and glow as she weaves. I feel a need from my daughter.

“Twilight, has my daughter taught you to make a ring?”

The alicorn blushes. “She only showed me once. We were planning on doing it again after the wedding.”

“We need you, right now.” My daughter says, her voice is affected by the sheer amount of power she's channeling. It echoes oddly, like multiple people are speaking through her. In moments Twilight is adding her power to the weave.

I watch for the normal effects of a healing weave. Celestia should be shuddering, her wounds should be closing. Nothing is happening though. “We need more. We are so close.” My daughter pleads. I cast my eyes about. I finally focus on a small unicorn filly, snow white with a poofy pink and purple mane.

“Sweetie Belle. Come closer.”

“No!” my daughter says, the weird echoing continuing. “She hasn't touched the source yet, she will be able to, but she's not ready.”

“We need more power. The only other potential adept here is Sweetie Belle. If we don't, Celestia will die.”

Resignation from Moonshine. “Fine, but it must be willing, we cannot drag her in against her will.”

The small unicorn filly steps forward. “Can I help save the Princess' life?” she squeaks.

I smile down at her, looking into her green eyes. “In fact, young one, you are the only one who can.”

“Then I'll do it.” she says as Rarity tries to intervene. She is stopped by Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

The indigo maned unicorn calls out, her voice dripping with menace. “If you harm my sister, I. Will. End. You.”

In the same ethereal voice, my daughter responds. “No harm will come to Sweetie Belle.”

I bend down and whisper in Sweetie Belle's ear, guiding her through feeling the source for the first time.

“Please Dad, I've got Celestia somewhat stable, but she will start slipping in moments if we don't get that last bit of power.”

The small filly closes her eyes tight as she tries to feel the source. In moments her horn sparks as I can feel the resonance with the power in her through my connection to Twilight and Moonshine.

“Now!” I shout and my daughter reaches into Sweetie Belle. She is going to be a powerful adept. Quite a bit of power is added to the ring. My daughter draws deeply, even more, more still. The sweet feeling starts to turn to pain. That's a danger sign, draw much more and you will be burned out. But the ring provides some buffer, we can't actually be burned out while in a ring, but we can be unable to channel for days after pulling this much power. We are all floating on currents of the power. Celestia is in the middle of the circle.

She's glowing and her limp body floats off the marble floor. I don't know why this is happening, this is the most complex healing I've ever been witness to. My daughter isn't wasting any energy for us to float or for Celestia to float, but it's happening anyway. I see ribbons of all five powers, in both Saidin and Saidar pouring into the fallen monarch's body. A small clink as a bullet falls out of one of the Alicorn's wounds. Moonshine isn't the only one bathed in sweat. We all are. After several more soft clinks and finally Celestia shudders as flesh closes and bones mend. Several seconds of this, and my daughter withdraws the power. It's a testament to how tired she is, she simply relinquishes the lead of the ring and drops out. I slowly let Twilight and Sweetie Belle out of the ring. They settle to the ground as I let loose of Saidin.

We all sigh as the power finally leaves us. Rarity finally breaks free of her friends and rushes to her sister. Sweetie Belle is on the verge of falling asleep, every bit of energy is drained out of her. She picks up the exhausted unicorn in her magic and shoots me an evil glare. “I hope for your sake that she's fine when she wakes up.” She says as she trots to the back of the building.

“Rarity, I Pinkie promise that Sweetie Belle is one hundred percent fine. The only side effect is she has to learn to control the power she just tapped.” My daughter says in an exhausted voice.

Rarity pauses, “A Pinkie Promise isn't something to do lightly Moonshine, are you sure?”

My daughter smiles, “I know Rarity, and I wouldn't break a Pinkie promise to you, or anypony.”

The ire of the fashionista unicorn subsides. She settles a sleeping Sweetie Belle on one of the chairs.

“Thank you, My little ponies.” I hear a beautiful voice from behind me. We all turn, and Celestia is on her hooves, aided by Cloud Kicker. When did she move forward? Twilight rushes to the ruler's side.

“What did you mean. They have Luna?” I ask.

“Those vile creatures have made it back. It was eight days ago. They poured through several gateways. They either killed or dispersed the Royal Guard. Their machines have destroyed homes. There are hundreds dead. I've been imprisoned, they found the charms we place on criminal unicorns to blunt their power. It was only removed so I can raise the sun and moon. I had no choice. The put chemicals in my blood, I had to do what that evil man said. Or they would kill my sister.” The goddess of an alicorn is sobbing on Twilight's shoulder.

She sniffles, a bit, she has to finish her story. “Tonight, when the guard removed the charm for me to lower the sun, I was able to move enough as he tried to inject their medicine in me to break the needle and prevent it from happening. I kicked him in the face and escaped. I couldn't teleport more than a few hundred yards. I was able to make it to the top of the tallest tower in the castle. I jumped and spread my wings. That is when they shot me. I barely made it here. Thank you, Sparky, Moonshine, all you ponies. You saved my life.”

I looked down. “I'm so sorry, Princess. I have failed. I tried to track them down.” I trail off as a cream colored hoof touches my cheek. This is the first time I've seen her without a crown, or anything relating to her status.

“Sparky, you have sent me reports of what you have been trying to do. I can not blame you. But it is time to end these people as a threat to Equestria.” She concentrates for a second. A loud pop sounds and a ponequin blinks into existence, covered in golden armor. The armor floats off the ponequin and straps itself to Celestia. Her multicolored mane forms a braid and fits through a hole in the golden helm as it settles over her horn and onto her head. In moments she goes from a scared, vulnerable alicorn to a warrior Princess.

“I have not had to wear armor in centuries. But I think tonight is a special occasion.” She chuckles a little bit, then turns and looks around. “Where is Spike?” The purple dragon scampers up. “Yes, your highness?” he says.

“Take a letter.” She intones and the dragon produces a quill and several pieces of parchment from where I can't tell. In moments she's dictated a few letters and had him send them off in a huff of dragon fire. She then turns to me.

“Sparky, I'm going to describe a location to you, I need to you open a gateway to that location and leave it open, we will need reinforcements.” In moments I have the location down and the gateway rotates open in a silvery flash. I tie it open so I don't have to sustain it.

I look at the girls. “I need you to all come with me.” I open a gateway to the field in front of my workshop.

As we all file downstairs into the lower level of my workshop, I use Air to open seven doors. Seven brand new sets of armor shine in the bright light. Each of the mares trot to each set of armor. All indicated by their cutie marks on the flanks of each set of armor.

“I made these for you all.” I say as I float out mine. Mine lacks a specific cutie mark. Instead, golden lightning bolts are emblazoned all over the armor. The armor is pitch black with those gold highlights. And the helm allows my mane to flow freely without it getting in my eyes. I buckle the last clasp and fit the wing guards onto the joints of my wings. As the armor is fully put together, I can feel the Saidin protection envelope my body. I'm ready. I turn, I have to help Pinkie into hers. And yes, I kept hers pink. It is as festive as it can be and yet still be it's own weapon. Every other pony is nearly ready. Even Rarity and Fluttershy, whom I expected to not want to fight. I turn to the shy Pegasus.

“Fluttershy, you don't have to join us.” I say.

“You made me the armor Sparky.”

“Yes, I did, so you would have the choice. No pony here would think one bit less of you if you don't fight. You can help in other ways. You can help heal, you can take care of those that are not going.”

She smiles slowly. “I will go with my friends. Their strength will help me. But I will add my efforts to the best of my ability.”

I give her a hug, it's awkward in full armor, but I think the point is across. She smiles as I move on.

“Hey, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.” I hear from my daughter. I had closed the gateway here in her face. She must have made her own. “Where is my cool new armor?”

“I didn't make you a set Moonshine.” She whirls to me, her wings spread in anger.

“I want to help, Dad. Those people are just as much a danger to me as they are to you.”

“No. You are too young.”

This earns a snort from her. “Horsefeathers! With the exception of Celestia and you, I'm the oldest pony here. Don't you dare say I'm too young.”

I snap back. “But you are my daughter. I've lost your mother, I. Am. Not. Losing. You.”

She's going to be stubborn, I see. “Dad, it's too late to argue this, I've learned a bit about smithing from you, if you don't make me a set after this, I'll see if I can do it myself.” I've got to hold in my anger at this. What can I do, I finally get an idea.

I look at Rainbow Dash. She smiles and allows a small nod.

“Fine. But for this, you will stay in the back, stay out of range of the guns. Please, heal those that you can. This kind of battle will leave a lot of devastation. But we will win.” I'm interrupted by Cloud Kicker and Blossomforth rushing down the stairs, Cloud in her Kicker clan armor. Blossom joins up with my daughter.

I look at the assembled ponies. “Are we ready?” I get a chorus of affirmative answers. I open a new gateway against the wall. It leads us back to the outside of the Cathedral. Celestia is standing there, her flowing mane bound but somehow still flowing. We all trot up in front of her.

Celestia looks over the assembled ponies. “Near the gates to Canterlot is a small forest. It is an emergency staging area for the Royal Guard in case Canterlot is ever overrun. We need to go there.”

“I've seen it.” I turn to open the gateway. And then I'm interrupted by a dozen bodies pouring through the enduring gateway I made before. They turn out to be griffons. One of them, apparently their leader, salutes to Celestia.

“Per our mutual defense agreement, our King has sent one thousand Griffons to assist Equestria in her time of need. The rest are on their way.” The griffons are in their own version of battle armor. And I'll say, they look quite fearsome. In moments, more griffons are pouring through the gateway, the small open space is soon overrun with griffons. Many take to the air.

Celestia turns to me. “I am appointing you battle leader, Marshall of Magic Sparky.” From somewhere she brings out the symbols of the rank she blessed me with, and affixes them to my armor. I bow before her.

“We will follow you.” She says as Rainbow Dash comes up next to me.

“Sparky...” She swallows. There are already tears in her eyes. “If you don't make it to our wedding, I'm going to personally kick your ass. You understand me?” She hits my helm with her hoof. And then frantically kisses me.

I return her kiss desperately. When we finally break for air. “I wouldn't let something like a little invasion have me miss the most important date in my life.” I say with a smile.

I turn to the assembled warriors. “This is not going to be an easy battle. You know what we are up against. WE MUST PREVAIL.” I shout. I turn and open the gateway to a clearing in the woods a couple of miles from the gates of Canterlot nearly a mile from the train tracks. We pour through that gateway. We come upon the aftermath of a war zone. Hundreds of guard ponies are there. About half of them in armor, a Pegasus, one I knew to be in charge, trots up. Celestia gets his report. My daughter opens a gateway to the new Ponyville hospital. In moments, nurses and doctors are trotting among the injured ponies. They are quickly picked up and are being brought into the hospital. I've got to admit, my daughter is excellent at organizing something like relief efforts. After the commotion dies down, the exhausted soldier starts talking to us all.

“The invaders have a lot of equipment, and it's modified for pony use. I've only seen earth ponies, with a smattering of Pegasi and unicorns. But those unicorns don't know how to use their magic, and the Pegasi can barely fly. But they have machines that do fly, and spit death. They attacked us not twenty minutes ago.” He went on to describe the flying machines, and the other machines the invaders have brought.

I sit back, it's like a punch to the gut. Oh shit, AH-64 Apache's, and M1A1 Abrams tanks, and apparently some M2 Bradley fighting vehicles as well. These people are really well equipped. And they've figured out how to use them in Equestria. This is going to be one hell of a fight. I say as much to Celestia.

“Will this stop you Sparky?”

I give her a level glare. “Your sister is in danger, your subjects are under the threat of death. Nothing will stop me.”

“Good to hear Marshall. You are in command.”

I find every battle ready pony I can. Nearly half of the guard is dead, or missing. Celestia, I hope simply missing is a good thing, but I don't think that is the case.

I turn to my sub unit commanders, “They will be most prepared for us to attack from inside the castle, so we are going to come at them from an unexpected direction. We will attack from the main gates of Canterlot. We are going to have to roll over them with overwhelming force. Magic users to the front, Pegasi and griffons, keep harassing them, keep them off balance. Earth Ponies, you focus on the individual soldiers, kill as many as you can as fast as possible. Magic users, your priority will be the heavy equipment, I've trained most of you, you know how to attack. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Cloud Kicker, you stay with me. I will do everything I can to draw their attention. Send runners if you need to communicate with me. We are going to try to avoid house to house fighting, don't let them draw you into any buildings. If you have to, collapse the entrances and windows of the buildings if they contain enemy soldiers, hell, collapse the whole building. A building is easier to rebuild than your lives. I repeat, do not enter buildings. The only building I want entered is the castle itself.” They all confirm my orders.

“Are we ready?”

“Let's roll.” I scream as I open a gateway to the gates of Canterlot.

Author's Note:

I've finished writing the story. I'm going to publish the rest over the next few days. I'm still reading and rewriting where needed. So please be patient. I hope anypony reading enjoys.