• Published 11th Nov 2011
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Magical Pony Lyrical Twilight - PurpleProse



Magical Girls With Wave-Motion Cannons Meets My Little Pony! What if Twilight became Nanoha?

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Chapter 7: The Defiance of Authority

Chrono Harlaown was used to strange incidents. His mother always teased him about how serious he acted, but he saw it as a virtue. Very little phased him when he was on the job. Talking unicorn? Yawn. Enraged and still struggling half-wolf girl? Boring.

“The Time-Space…what!?” The purple unicorn gaped at him, looking decidedly confused.

I didn’t expect an archeologist like him to have such an exotic familiar. Maybe he uses it as a pack horse or something. Chrono coughed “The Time-Space Administration Bureau. Surely your master’s told you about it?”

“Um, sorry, but Twilight here isn’t my familiar.” The archeologist replied.

That was enough to make Chrono raise an eyebrow. His eyebrows went even higher when a zebra pushed open the door in the tree and stepped outside, looking rather displeased. “What is with all this commotion?” The zebra’s speech was clipped and rhythmic, her golden jewelry chiming as she stomped a hoof. “Whatever gave you the notion, to fight outside my little hut? What is all this, now tell me what!”

Chrono frowned and touched his temple with one finger. Captain, I’ve interceded. But we have a situation here. There are natives involved. And they’re not human.

Not human? The telepathic reply came. How ‘not human’ are we talking about?

Equinoid as opposed to humanoid. Capable of speech. Sapient, possibly.

Understood… There was a pause. Try to get their statements. I’ll have communications open a direct line.

“I’m sorry for the disturbance…um…ma’am.” Chrono moved his staff to his other hand as he looked at the growling wolf-woman. “You can go about your business.”

“My business here involves the one, that you right now have tied up, son.”

“Zecora,” Twilight stepped around to look at Zecora. “what’s going on?”

“I told the wolf, out here to wait, as I healed her master, Fate.”

“Fate! Fate’s here?!”

“I see the name is familiar. Would you tell me more of her?”

“No!” the wolf-woman snarled, struggling against the binding spell. “She doesn’t know anything about my Master! She’s her enemy! I won’t-”

“Arf, I’m not going to do an-”

“ENOUGH!” Chrono snapped, slamming the butt of his staff into the ground with a loud crackle. Twilight and Arf both froze. “I’m going to need statements from everyone here. And yes, this includes this Fate person. If necessary, I’ll take everyone here into custody. Understand?”

Chrono?

Yes, Captain?

We’re having difficulties opening a direct visual line to your location. What’s the situation.

One familiar, two locals, and our archeologist friend. We also might another individual wounded.

I see. There was a pause. I have the transit room ready. Bring them aboard. I’d like to hear their statements in person.

Are you sure that’s wise, captain? The familiar seems to be extremely uncooperative.

We’re well equipped to deal with one familiar. I’ll have Enforcers on standby at the transit room if it comes to that. I’ll have a medical team on standby as well.

Roger. Chrono nodded an inhaled. “Alright everyone, listen up. My commanding officer wants to hear your stories first-hand. I’m going to ask that everyone accompany me for a full debriefing. Any objections?”

Arf growled sullenly.

“Objections noted.” Chrono turned to Zecora. “Miss Zecora was it? Would you mind collecting this Fate person?”

“I would not like to move her much. It would be difficult as such.”

“Mr. Chrono.” The unicorn spoke up. “I’ll carry her. My telekinesis should be more than enough.”

“Very well.” Chrono looked upwards as he touched his temple again. Bridge? This is Enforcer Chrono Harlaown. I have six to transfer to transit room.

This is Midshipsman Ford, Enforcer. Transit room is ready for your arrival. We will initiate transport on your command.

---

The transit room was a large, empty room, about the same dimensions as a hoofball court. Broad strips of glowing blue-white light ran horizontally along the floor of the room, the light reflecting off the walls and the large glowing Mid-Childan circle that decorated one wall.

Twilight felt rather uncomfortable. The floor was cool, and everything was metallic and unwelcoming. The fact that she was carrying an unconscious and heavily bandaged Fate, while the mysterious “Enforcer” was leading Arf along by an energy chain linked to the bindings on her arms wasn’t helping matters in the least.

“Yuuno? Where are we?” Twilight whispered, even as Zecora looked around, her brown cloak pulled over her head to ward off the chill.

“We’re on a dimensional ship. It’s like a boat that sails between different worlds. It’s probably a patrol craft from the TSAB.”

“And you’d be correct.”

Twilight froze as a group entered the transit room. At its head was a tall human woman in a blue coat and white trousers. Her mane of hair was long and the color of spearmint, and her eyes were friendly. She was flanked on either side by a pair of other humans in black coats like Chrono, each carrying staffs. The staffs resembled Raising Heart’s shooting mode, but were a great deal less elaborate. The final part of their group were a pair of women in familiar-looking white coats, pulling along what looked like a hovering stretcher.

“I’m Captain Lindy Harlaown. Welcome aboard the TSAB Trans-Dimensional Patrol Ship Arthra. I apologize for the circumstances of our meeting, but we’ll try to make things as comfortable as we can. Where’s the injured party?”

“Here.” Twilight nodded up to Fate’s limp form.

Lindy gestured, and the two white-coats moved the stretcher around. Twilight lowered Fate onto the platform as gently as she could, her purple-red aura fading out as she did so.

“Fate!” Arf rushed forwards, stumbling slightly as she reached the end of her chain.

“Enforcers!” Chrono snapped. The two black-coated humans raised their staffs.

“Wait.”

Everyone paused as Lindy raised a hand. “Enforcers, you’ll accompany the familiar to the medical bay along with the patient. So long as she’s on good behavior, leave her be.”

“Captain, I don’t think that’s wise.” Chrono frowned.

“It would be even less wise to forcibly separate the two.” Lindy countered.

Chrono opened his mouth, then sighed. “Very well, Captain.” He tapped his staff onto the chain, dissolving it. Arf rushed forwards the rest of the way, her still-manacled hands clinging to the bedside.

“Captain Lindy, if I might speak?” Zecora stepped forwards, her cloak rustling gently.

Lindy nodded.

“I should accompany them, I think. I was the first to treat Fate’s pain, best I’d be there if she wakes again. And if Arf’s mood should be the case,” Zecora glanced over at the sobbing wolf-woman. “I’d not deny her a friendly face.”

“Very well then, miss…”

“Zecora is my name Captain, should I perhaps now be off then?”

“Miss Zecora. You can accompany them to the med bay. Mister Scrya? If you and your friend will come with me and Chrono to my quarters?”

“Of course.” Yuuno gently nudged Twilight.

“Um…sure.”

“This way, please.” Lindy turned, Chrono falling into step just behind her.

---

“Is everyone comfortable?”

Twilight shifted nervously on her cushion, her tail swishing slowly. The four of them were seated around a low table on large, plush cushions. The room was well lit, the walls a polished white and the floor carpeted a dark red. Captain Lindy was pouring hot water into a round, cylindrical tea cup, seemingly ignoring Chrono’s uncomfortable grimace.

Oddly enough, the one thing that was distracting Twilight the most was the row of tiny potted trees along one wall.

“I see you’ve taken an interest in my bonsai collection, Miss Sparkle.” Lindy smiled, stirring a few cubes of sugar into the jade-green tea.

“Oh! Sorry, Captain. It’s just… I didn’t expect to see tiny trees like that.”

“They’re gifts from an old friend of the family. They’re supposed to help promote contemplation and an acceptance of impermanence. Or so he says. I think they help with the shipboard environment. Tea?”

“Yes, thank you.” Twilight smiled faintly as Lindy prepared a second cup.

“I hate to interrupt, Captain, but we should really get down to business.” Chrono interrupted as Lindy slid the tea cup over to Twilight.

“I agree with Mr. Chrono, Captain.” Twilight levitated the teacup up, peering curiously at its steaming contents before turning back to her hostess. “Business first, then socializing. First of all, what exactly is this Time-Space Administration Bureau you all belong to?”

“I take it Yuuno didn’t explain it to you?” Chrono glanced over at the blonde archeologist, who blushed.

“I…I didn’t want to bring it up. I figured the fewer distractions, the better.”

“Understandable, since interference in local politics isn’t exactly encouraged.” Lindy took a drink of her tea. “The Time-Space Administration Bureau is a military and peacekeeping organization dedicated to maintaining order and peace throughout dimensional space.”

“Dimensional space?”

“Yes. Your world is one of thousands of worlds that exist in dimensional space, the fabric that connects realities together.” Lindy touched her chin and thought. “Sort of like… little beads in a tapestry. It’s the job of the TSAB to make sure the worlds are safe and incidents, should they arise, are contained. We clean up the spills and tie up the loose threads, so to speak. Does that make it clearer?”

“I suppose. So you’re like some sort of military police made up of mages?”

“That’s correct. I’m surprised though; you seem to be taking this quite well.”

“Well, after Yuuno showed up, my world-view has gotten a great deal more flexible.” Twilight sipped at the tea. “I assume you’re here about the Jewel Seeds?”

“In part. Your friend here is another reason. But please, there’s nothing to worry about.” Lindy smiled as Yuuno started to look worried. “We just want to hear your story. So please, start at the beginning.”

---

Arf was miserable. She slumped in the chair provided for her as she watched the medical techs inspect Fate, the med bay crew discussing her status in hushed voices. She didn’t look up as she heard someone step up beside her.

“To the medics, I have told all.” Zecora said quietly, adjusting her cloak. “When they have results, they shall call.”

Arf nodded limply, her ears folded against her head. She started slightly as she felt Zecora nose her elbow softly.

“Though outwardly, you are not hurt, perhaps I can provide comfort. She means so much, I know to you, for your heart’s loyal and true.”

“You have no idea.” Arf mumbled softly.

“I will admit, indeed it’s so. But perhaps tell me, so I’ll know?”

Arf sighed softly. “She saved my life.”

---

The wind was cold high up in the mountains of Mid-Childa, and it always seemed to blow at the worst possible time. The wind pulled at the fur of a female wolf-pup who struggled to walk, blood dripping from her nose. She was a small wolf, barely older than a pup but not yet an adult, her thick fur matted and dirty, her red tail stained with effluvium. She was sick and alone; the pack had abandoned her rather than catch the disease ravaging her body. It would only be a matter of time before she wouldn’t be able to even walk. And then she’d lay down and die.

She didn’t care anymore. She knew she was going to die alone. So she didn’t react when her misty, half-blind eyes landed on a small human girl with golden hair and crimson eyes.

“Linith! Linith come quick!”

“What is it, Fate?” The reply was tired.

“It’s a puppy!”

“A pup… Fate, that’s a wolf. Get away from it. The thing’s sick, look at it. Fate!”

“Linith, it’s a puppy! The poor thing. She‘s all alone. Where are her parents?”

A soft hand touched her muzzle, eliciting a pitiable whine from the wolf pup.

“It was likely abandoned by its pack. Given its current condition, I can see why.”

“Can’t we help it?”

“Fate, it’s dying. It‘s best we let nature take its course.” The other voice was calm and firm. “There’s not much we can do to help it.”

“Yes we can! Mother has you, after all.”

“Fate…”

“We can’t just leave it out here to die alone!”

The puppy coughed, feeling her limbs give out. Her insides felt like a great stone was squeezing on them, pushing them against her spine. She heard the human girl cry out as the world descended into darkness.

But strangely, she didn’t die.

She awoke later, her eyes clear and her breathing easy. The wolf pup looked around, her body feeling strange. Her limbs were longer and stronger and smooth like a human’s. Her ears twitched as she lifted her paws to her face, touching the smooth skin.

“You’re quite fortunate.”

She looked towards the voice, her eyes wide as she stared at the new person. It was a human but smelled like a mountain cat, dressed all in cream and brown with firm eyes.

“If Fate hadn’t found you when she did, you would likely be quite dead. That was a nasty disease you had. If we’d been a few hours later you wouldn’t have made it.

The wolf tried to get up, but found she couldn’t. She glanced down to find the girl with golden hair on her lap, her arms around her midsection.

“Who…” The wolf found her voice, a hand gingerly touching the girl’s hair.

“She’s your Master now. She insisted on it. Demanded, really. Loudly, in fact.” The cat-scented woman shook her head. “As usual, I acquiesced to her request. After all, how can I resist her? It took quite a lot of convincing for my Master to allow it, but she‘s seen that having a Familiar has its uses. Be thankful.”

“She…saved me?”

“Yes. Remember that.” The cat-scented woman turned away. “I have duties to attend to. I’ll leave her in your care for now. She insisted on being here when you woke up.”

The wolf looked down at the girl with golden hair and embraced her. The girl stirred and opened her eyes and smiled.

“You’re okay.” She whispered, and the wolf nodded.

“That’s good. What should I call you? Do you have a name?”

“Arf.”

“Arf. That’s a funny name.” A little hand reached up and touched her cheek. “Hello, Arf, my name’s Fate. It‘s nice to meet you.”

---

“…and from that moment on, I was her Familiar. I was her loyal companion, her guard dog.” Arf didn’t even bother wiping the tears from her eyes. “I would do anything she wanted me to if it made her happy. But I…I’ve failed. What good is a guard dog if it’s master doesn’t wish to be guarded? What good is a companion if I can’t make her smile again? Can you tell me that?”

Zecora reached up, touching Arf’s cheek with a hoof. “No better company could she keep, then one whose love runs ever so deep. Do not despair, oh gentle hound. For if you wish, help can be found.”

“Excuse me.”

Arf looked up as one of the nurses approached. “What?”

“We’ve completed our tests. Your master is lucky.” The nurse produced a tissue from her pocket, handing it to Arf. “Her external wounds have healed, but we observed a great deal of internal damage, consistent with energy overextension.”

“What…what does that mean?”

“Whenever a mage channels too much power and doesn‘t keep up a regular schedule of food and rest, the body’s recuperative systems will strain to keep up, eventually reaching a point where it can’t heal everything. We counted dozens of tiny internal injuries throughout her body: muscles, bones… that would account for the broken rib Miss Zecora told us about. When she received those other wounds, her body couldn’t handle the stress and just… gave out. If it weren‘t for Miss Zecora, your Master would have been dead within a day, if not hours.”

Arf‘s mouth went dry. “Fate…I kept trying to keep her fed, but she never seemed to complain…”

“She’ll be alright. We’ve got her on intravenous nutrients right now, and the healing spells will take care of the remaining trauma. She just needs to rest for a while.” The nurse glanced back at the prone form on the table, then back to Arf. “We…also accounted for a lot of scars. We…believe she might have been abused, which contributed to her body‘s breakdown. Can you confirm this?”

“Yes.” Arf whined softly. “Yes, I can. I’ll tell you everything. Please, just make sure Fate’s alright.”

“Thank you. I’ll set up the recording system…”

Zecora leaned against Arf, letting the familiar hug her neck an arm around her neck as she started talking.

---

“I see.”

Lindy leaned forwards on the table, resting her elbows on the edge and her chin on her knuckles. “It’s an impressive feat to have gotten as far as you two did, with no support from the Bureau.”

“We did have a lot of help, even though our success rate isn’t exactly stellar.” Twilight sighed.

“It was, however, reckless for Yuuno to involve you and your friends in this affair.” Chrono crossed his arms, frowning irritably. “It was wrong to involve the local population instead of contacting the Bureau immediately.”

“He didn’t have much of a choice. I involved myself the second I found him wounded in the forest.” Twilight glared at Chrono. “So don’t blame Yuuno for being in a desperate situation while trying to fix a mess.”

“It still doesn’t excuse his irresponsibility.” Chrono glared right back. “The Jewel Seeds are extremely dangerous Lost Logia. If they were to fall into the wrong hands, which they seem to be, they could cause a great danger to all worlds, not just your own.”

“How?”

“The Jewel Seeds are crystallized dimensional disturbances, barely-harnessed rifts in space-time. When activated, they begin to resonate and given enough power, rapidly distort the fabric of reality. If all twenty-one were to be activated at once, the amount of power would be enough to wipe out a dozen worlds in the blink of an eye. You two felt a tiny fraction of that power earlier, no doubt when you and that other horse were fighting over them.”

“How do you know about all this?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed.

“Because the Jewel Seeds, like many other Lost Logia, are described in archived documents dating back to before the founding of the TSAB. It’s how we’re able to identify such dangerous artifacts.”

“And it’s our duty,” Lindy dropped another cube of sugar into her tea, “as members of the Time-Space Administration Bureau to contain them before they become threats to the general welfare of all.”

“I see.” Twilight slowly sat down on her cushion. “And where does that leave us?”

Chrono cleared his throat. “It should be obvious. From here on out, we’ll be handling the Jewel Seed incident. I’d advise you and Yuuno to return to your respective worlds and go about your daily lives.”

“We appreciate your understanding-” Lindy began.

“No.”

Silence filled the room.

“Come again?” Chrono deadpanned as he and Lindy stared at Twilight; the former in shock, the latter in expectant curiousity.

“I said, no. We’re not just going to sit idly by and let you go about your work. My friends and I have been working hard to keep the Jewel Seeds from hurting anypony, and that includes Yuuno too.” Twilight Sparkle stood up. “So no, we’re not just going to sit by on the sidelines and let you go it alone.”

“You’re civilians! You have no authority-” Chrono started, then paused as Twilight slapped a hoof onto the table.

“No, you’re the ones who have no authority here. According to my memory of Equestrian history, our country, no, our world hasn’t signed a single treaty or agreement with you or your Bureau. We are a sovereign nation with magical capabilities and a thousand year history of being willing to fight for our fellow ponies, long before your Bureau visited today. So no, I’m not going to ‘go about my daily life,’ Mister Enforcer. Me and my friends are going to go after the Jewel Seeds and we’re going to fight. And if you don’t like it, you can take your ship and leave.”

Silence filled the room once again, until it was broken by Lindy’s applause.

“Well said. Well said indeed, Miss Sparkle.” Lindy laughed as she looked over at Chrono. “I think she has just called your bluff, son.”

“You’re taking her side in this?” Chrono stared incredulously at his superior.

“I am. She’s correct; technically the Time-Space Administration Bureau has no actual authority over Non-Administrated Worlds. It’s right there in the name; Non-Administrated. We can act and investigate while present on them, but we can’t actually order its populace around.” Lindy clasped her hands. “I apologize for my son. He’s still a teensy bit inexperienced with field work.”

“Mother!” Chrono groaned.

“Hush.” Lindy turned back to Twilight. “We’d appreciate your assistance in the capturing of the Jewel Seeds, and we’ll provide any and every bit of assistance we can in doing so, provided you turn over the Seeds to us upon capture.”

“I don’t see why not.” Twilight settled down onto the cushion. “However, you’ll have to consult with our Princesses. I was officially ordered to recover the Jewel Seeds by them.”

“I’d be happy to. I, however, admit I’m not exactly the best envoy.” Lindy laughed softly, before turning a bit more serious. “Though I’ll have to ask that you abide by my authority, if only when you’re on board the Arthra.“

“Understood.”

There was a soft chime, causing Lindy to look up. “Yes?”

“Captain, I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’ve spoken to the familiar we brought in. I think you ought to hear this.”

“Alright.” Lindy shifted in her seat as a ring of glyphs appeared in mid-air, the center resolving into an image. Arf sat in the middle of the ring, her left arm slightly looped around Zecora’s neck like a security blanket, her eyes puffy and red.

“My name is Arf, the familiar of Fate Testarossa.”

“Testarossa?” Chrono whispered softly.

“My Master, Fate, is in the service of her mother, the mage Presea Testarossa. We were charged with collecting the Lost Logia called The Jewel Seeds. Presea is a horrible woman, who orders my Master around like a puppet, who routinely abuses my Master’s trust, and has hurt my Master. My master still has scars from the whipping that woman gave her a month prior, when Fate retrieved a set of books that failed to have the information she wanted in it.”

Arf swallowed, her hands clenching. “And less than a few hours ago, my Master was beaten so badly that she nearly died. I don’t know why Presea wants the Jewel Seeds so badly, but nothing’s worth this. No mother…no human would do something so cruel to their own child.”

“I ask that the Bureau show mercy on my Master. Please. She’s been through enough. Just let her go…”

The circle dissolved, leaving the assembled group speechless.

And then the alarms started going off.

Lindy leapt from her cushion and was out the door before anyone else could react.

---

Presea sat silently in her throne room, the bubble of light floating before her relaying everything. It wasn’t hard for her to keep an eye on Fate and her Familiar, especially given her level of power. She knew Fate’s magic inside and out, particularly the scrying spell woven into the fabric of her body’s magical signature.

Which was why she knew everything about Fate’s work in that ridiculous little world.

Which was also why she knew about Arf’s confession.

“I should have never allowed that girl to create a familiar. And now that useless piece of garbage seeks to unravel all of my work.” She slowly stood, calling her staff to her, the scrying ball following her as she walked.

It was only a short trip to the outer balcony of the Garden of Time, where Fate often teleported to when she came home. From this area, the swirling storm was almost hypnotic, particularly the flashes of lightning that decorated the vortex.

“I shall have to slow them down. Perhaps then, that wretched girl will complete her task, assuming she is still capable. If not…then so be it.”

Presea Testarossa raised her hands skyward, the purple gem of her staff glowing brilliantly. A great Mid-Childan circle drew itself in the air before her, covering the central red eye of the Garden of Time. Power pulsed from the Garden’s reactor core, filling the ring with light.

“Arukas, Krutas, Eygias, let the gods of thunder roar and angels of lightning dance,” her voice made the vortex ripple, lightning arcing towards the center of her circle as she spoke the words of the aria. “Baruel, Zaluel, Browzel, by these names I chain together the forces of the storm.”

A great sphere of violet lightning began to collect at the center. If one were to look at it from a distance, it appeared as though the Garden of Time itself was about to fire.

“Let none withstand the might I invoke. Oh lightning, destroy all within your path. Arukas, Krutas, Eygias.”

A thin smile drew across her lips as she leveled the staff, placing the target right on Fate’s current location.

“Suffer my wrath. Thunder Rage: Outer Dimension Junction.”

Nuclear bombs were quieter when they went off.

---

Warning claxons were going off as the bridge lights went red. The door to the bridged hissed open as Lindy rushed aboard. “What’s going on?!”

“Ma’am, giant dimensional spike!” the midshipman at the sensor station shouted. “Incoming wide-area magical attack from another area of dimensional space! S-Ranked at least! Impact in thirty seconds!”

“Helm, can we evade!?”

“Negative! We don’t have enough time to break synchronicity with the dimension and get out of the blast’s area of effect!”

“Raise all shields! Divert all power from non-essential areas to the magic defense grid!” Lindy took her place at the captain’s chair.

“Impact in twenty!” the man at the sensor station shouted.

“Helm, fire the maneuvering thrusters! Rotate horizontally to present as small a profile as possible to the attack!”

“Aye-aye ma’am!”

“Ten seconds!”

Lindy tapped the ship-wide comm-link button. “This is Captain Harlaown to all hands! Brace for impact, I repeat, brace for impact!”

Lindy winced as her ship shuddered violently. Through the viewports, she could see streaks of purple lightning crackle along the tines of the ship’s dimensional drive. The unnatural storm pounded at the shields, one or two of the blasts missing the bridge.

“Shields! Status report!”

“Frontal magic shields at thirty percent! Starboard shields at thirty-five percent! Port shields at seventy percent!”

“Diverting power to the starboard shields to compensate!”

There was a brilliant flash as the right tine of the Arthra’s drive-wing was struck, the shield buckling as a bolt of lightning impacted against it.

“Frontal shield is losing integrity! Taking damage to starboard sectors nine and ten!”

Come on Arthra, just hold on… Lindy clenched her teeth as the light outside began to fade.

The lightning began to slow and, eventually, stopped. The hull outside the view port smoked from the blackened spots where the lightning managed to score hits.

“Someone…please tell me we’re able to track that!” Lindy shouted, pulling herself from her chair.

“We’re trying ma’am, but the static is jamming the long-range sensors!”

“Keep trying! Damage report?”

“We’ve lost some hull integrity on the starboard side,” came the reply from the lower bridge. “The primary starboard intersystem engine is not responding, and we’ve lost connection to the starboard Dimensional Drive from wing section three forwards. We still have synchronicity with the dimension, however.”

Lindy slumped into the captain‘s chair. “Well…looks like we’re not going anywhere for a while. Shut down starboard dimensional drive and divert the energy to the defense grid and the port drive wing. I want us ready for another attack.”

We were lucky. If the assault had continued like it did, we would have been toast. Lindy glanced out through the viewports that lined the far end of the bridge. Why did it stop?

---

Blood splattered onto the ground as Presea‘s body shook, her staff beside her as she coughed. Her lungs felt like they were about to explode.

“Even with the assistance of the Garden’s reactor, my body cannot handle my old spells…” She wiped the blood from her lips, reaching for her staff as she picked herself up.

“No matter. Their little ship should be crippled after that assault. And with the number of jumps I sent the spell through, they will find it impossible to track. Now, all I have to do is wait, wait until Fate returns with the Jewel Seeds. She will come. Oh yes, she will come.”

She paused, tilting her head, a small, genuine smile filling her face. “Oh yes Alicia. Don’t worry. Mother’s sure of it. Once Fate comes back with the Seeds, we’ll be together again. Mother promised you that, and Mother always keeps her promises.”

The empty air didn’t answer.

“Don’t worry Alicia, Mother will never leave you. And once we reach Al-Hazard, we’ll be together forever, just like we should have been. Just like we should have been.”

Presea continued to whisper softly as she turned and walked back into the Garden of Time, leaning on her staff all the while.

---

Fate groaned softly as she opened her eyes. She felt comfortable, which was a bit odd considering she’d fallen unconscious on the hard, stone floor of Mother’s throne room. Her body felt renewed, her energy restored, her strength returned. She blinked. The light was at a comfortable level, and small holographic readouts hovered near eye level. None of this looked familiar. Everything looked rather modern.

Fear gripped her heart. Where was she?

“Master?”

Fate twisted her neck, looking around in panic as her legs kicked. A hand pressed onto her side as Arf crouched down slightly, just past the white and gray edge of what looked like a bed. Just beyond her familiar were a pair of individuals in white coats, who were pointedly staying out of the way. “Master, Master please, calm down. You’re safe.”

“No…Arf…what…where are we?”

“O-on a Bureau ship.”

“…Arf.” Fate’s voice became a growl. “What have you done?”

“I’m sorry mistress. W-when I went to get you healing, there was…”

“What have you done!?”

“Saved your life, is what this wolf did. Though not a task you would have bid.” Another pony stepped into her field of view, her blue eyes as sharp as her striped coat. “Accomplished much, she has of late. Else you’d have met a dire fate.”

“You…”

“Master, this is the pony I told you about, Zecora.” Arf nodded to the zebra. “Please don’t be mad…”

Fate groaned, pushing against the edge of the bed. She had to get up. She had to escape. Her legs kicked at the sheets as she tried to untangle herself, a difficult proposition without hands. Arf reached down, trying to hold her still.

“Master, please! They’re trying to help us! Please!”

“What…have you…told them!?” Fate panted, glaring at her familiar.

“E…everything.” Arf wilted under the stare. “About the mission, about your mother. About you…”

“You had no right.”

“But…”

“You. Had. No. Right.” Fate growled and finally managed to kick the sheets free. "We’re…leaving.”

“No, we’re not.”

Fate’s eyes went wide as Arf pushed her back down onto the bed, her eyes lowered and her face hidden. She tried to get up, only for Arf’s hands to pin her down.

“You‘re wrong, Master.” Arf growled softly. “I have been your loyal familiar. I have obeyed your every command. I have put myself between you and your opponents. I have shielded you from all harm except for the one you insist on going back to.”

“Arf, stop-”

“NO! I’m not. Going. To stop!” Arf snapped, her voice hard, the snap enough to give Fate pause. “Just... just listen to me.”

Arf’s arms began to tremble. “I have stood by while you shut me out. I have closed my ears when you cried alone. I have knelt by the door, listening to you scream in pain. I have remained silent when you were shouted at and berated. I have done everything you have asked, even when it hurt, even when that sadness you swallow so easily gnaws at my heart. Because to me, your words were like a command from god. But not anymore.”

“I don’t care if you hate me. I don’t care if you never want to see me again. But enough is enough. To hell with what your mother wants! To hell with this stupid mission! I just…I want my Master back. I want my happy, smiling Master back.”

“Arf…go away.”

Arf froze up.

“Go away… just…go away.” Fate whispered, her eyes shut tight. “That’s an order.”

“As… as you wish, my Master.” Arf’s voice lost all emotion as she stood up, walking out of the room slowly, not glancing up at the guards positioned at the door.

I’m sorry Arf. She thought quietly. But I can’t do what you want. Mother’s waiting for me. Mother needs the Jewel Seeds. Once I’ve gotten them for her, then she’ll be happy. She’ll be happy, just like in my memories.

Fate blinked as another figure stepped into her gaze, a pair of very intense blue-green eyes glaring down at her from behind a gray and white muzzle.

“Share this with you, I feel I must,” Zecora quietly noted, her voice cool. “Those words did fill me with disgust.”

“You don’t understand anything.” Fate whispered.

“Neither do you, oh little Fate; I just hope it won’t be too late. Is it your desire, to say quite fair, to drive off all that, for you, wish to care?”

“Why do you care?” Fate frowned, looking at her. “Why should you care?”

“I care because somepony must. It’s only fair, it’s only just. Even I, in my forest home, know nopony should be alone.”

Nopony deserves to be alone. The memory of the voice in her mind whispered, almost like it was taunting her.

“Excuse me, Miss Zecora, is it?”

Zecora glanced up as the med-bay tech approached.

“It might be best that you step outside for a bit. We need to let her rest for a bit longer, ”

“Very well, out shall I now go.” Zecora turned back to Fate. “Do not expect we are done, though. I’ll go comfort a loyal hound, who has been kicked when she is down.”

Zecora flicked her tail dismissively as she turned, walking out of the doors and past the guards outside, who calmly stepped in after her. Fate closed her eyes as she felt the tech check her bandages, asking her medical questions. She only replied with a soft grunt every so often. All the while, however, her mind searched for the proper spell, concentrating.

---

“…and that’s the current situation. Until we can repair the dimensional drive, we’re effectively stuck here.” Lindy sighed, her hands on her hips. She had returned to her personal quarters to find her guests and Chrono still sitting there, the former looking rather nervous and the latter looking concerned.

“I’m guessing that’s going to take a while?” Twilight frowned, settling onto her haunches and rubbing her chin.

“Well, not exactly. It depends on how extensive the damage is. We’re lucky that the other drive didn’t get hit. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to stay synchronized with your dimension.”

“I’m sorry, but what do you mean…”

“It’s how we anchor the ship to a dimensional area, so to speak. We use the ship‘s dimensional drive to link to the fabric of space-time surrounding a world.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Twilight nodded.

“I’m still curious as to who attacked us and how.” Yuuno shivered slightly. “I mean, it should be obvious, but could a single person use that powerful of a spell?”

“It’s likely that, if it was Presea Testarossa, she was using something to amplify her magic. There are ways to empower one’s self, even if one’s magic is relatively low rank.” Chrono replied before glancing up at Lindy. “I’m going to have to borrow Amy for a while. I think we’re going to need some information on this mysterious mage.”

“Of course, Enforcer Harlaown. Just don’t get too comfortable with her.” Lindy teased. “We‘ll need her later.”

Chrono’s cheeks went red at that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Um, speaking of needing others later,” Twilight glanced at the door leading to the hall, “what do you plan on doing with Fate?”

“We’ll likely keep her in protective custody for the time being.” Chrono sighed, crossing his arms. “We’ll need her testimony once we arrest whoever’s behind this. I’m sure the court will be lenient on her given her situation.”

“’Lenient?’ What’s there to be lenient on?”

“Well, for starters,” Chrono began ticking off his fingers, “there’s assault, possession of a Lost Logia with intent to transport, use of an unauthorized Device and use of unlicensed magic, and that’s just to start with. And before you start shouting at me,” Chrono raised a hand, “I’m just doing my job. I know she’s a victim of abuse and neglect and is probably being coerced into what she’s doing. Doesn’t mean she’s not breaking the law. However, justice isn’t cruel, Miss Sparkle, nor am I.”

Twilight exhaled. “Alright, fair enough. Out of curiosity, just how old are you?”

“I’ll be fifteen in a couple of months.”

Twilight shook her head. “Why am I not surprised? Are all children from Mid-Childa this ridiculously competent, or are you and Yuuno just that good?”

Yuuno chuckled nervously as Chrono harrumphed softly.

“My son’s a bit of an over-achiever, if you haven’t noticed,” Lindy laughed softly, “not that I’m not proud of him.”

“Back on topic,” Chrono interrupted, “I’d like to take down Fate’s personal statement if possible.”

---

“Well, Miss Fate, I suppose we could give you a clean bill of health.”

Fate opened her eyes as the nurse removed the last of her bandages. “Now you just take it easy, alright? You’re probably still a little tired, but I’m sure the Enforcers would like to speak with you in a little while.”

Fate didn’t reply. Her attention was focused on the two Enforcers guarding the door. One redheaded young woman, the other a platinum-blonde-haired young man. Both held their staffs casually, probably assuming that she didn’t have the strength to get up easily or do anything else.

“Miss Fate?”

“Hmm?” She glanced at the nurse.

“Can I get you some water? Are you thirsty?”

“Yes, please…” Fate mumbled under her breath.

Fate watched the nurse turn aside. She didn’t want to do this, but she had to. She had to complete her mission, no matter what.

“Lightning Bind.”

There was a quick flash of light as she whispered the trigger words. Instantly, square bindings snapped around the limbs of the Enforcers, causing them to shout in panic. The nurses were immobilized just as quickly. The doctor actualy managed to get within reach of the communications button before he too was bound. Fate slowly climbed off the bed and, inhaling slowly, wove her spell into existence. A Mid-Childan circle sprang into being beneath her hooves as she felt her magic pulse through her renewed body.

She managed to whisper an apology as she warped. There was a brilliant yellow flare of light, right before she appeared in the castle once again. The sun was already setting as Fate rolled up her bedroll. A faint glint of gold caught her attention from the dais. With a flexing of her will, she floated Bardiche over to her.

“How are you feeling, Bardiche?” She held the Device close.

“CONDITION GREEN. GET SET.” The Device replied calmly

“Good.” There was a familiar fluttering noise as she spun her Barrier Jacket into being, her black cloak settling over her blank flank. “We’ll have to make haste. We can’t stay here for long.”

“YES SIR,” the Device chimed softly as she slid the golden triangle into its resting place. With a quick hop, she climbed out of one of the empty windows and darted off, vanishing into the evening gloom.

I’m sorry Arf, but I have to do this. I’ll do it alone, but I’ll do it anyway. For Mother’s sake.

Fate brushed off the whisper of doubt in the back of her mind again as the moon rose into the indigo-colored sky, unaware of the quiet force observing her from miles and miles away in the towers of Canterlot.