Luna did not stand alone in her uprising. But now that Nightmare Moon is no more, what will she do when she must face those who had chosen to fight and die for her reign?
Luna knew she would need help if she were to succeed in overthrowing her sister. Help was not as hard to find as she had expected, and to couple her new found lieutenants with a powerful artifact that may even be enough to keep the Elements of Harmony at bay, there was surely no way she could ever lose. But when her moment of triumph came, they were nowhere to be found.
Now, a thousand years later, she must come to face the monsters she herself had created.
(marked as an alternate universe because can't really fall in line with Equestrian lore anymore. Might get a dark tab, depending on how it goes.)
The orange Pegasus mare sighed as she hovered forward, her wings fluttering as he made her way into the next room over. It was there that she found an older tan colored earth pony with a dark mane gawking over a rusty metal object that was sitting on what appeared to be a simple table.
“Look at this, Summer! It must be some kind of ancient goblet forged some thousand years ago!” He looked as giddy as a filly on Hearth’s Warming day as he circled around the rusted artifact. He carefully took it in his hooves, examining it closely. “Why, I daresay it might even date as far back as the original ruling of the Royal Pony Sisters! Perhaps it could have even be from the original colonization of Equestria itself!”
Summer Love rolled her eyes as she hovered closer, snatching the ancient goblet from his hooves. “Professor Sealed Scroll, please. It’s a friggin’ cup.” Summer tossed the cup over her shoulder with a shrug. Sealed Scroll gasped and dived to catch his prized artifact before it clattered to the ground. He slid across the floor, kicking up dust behind him. He took a moment to fix the position of his explorer’s hat before rising back to his hooves and sending a sharp glare towards his assistant.
“And besides,” the Pegasus continued, “We’re smack dab in the middle of the ruins of the old capitol. Of course anything we find here is going to date back to the old ruling” Summer moved towards an open window of the small secluded home they were in and gestured towards the outside. For miles could one find the ruined former capitol of all Equestria that bore witness to such a great tragedy all those years ago when their diacrchy became a monarchy. “Nopony has lived here since Princess Luna’s uprising some thousand years ago.” She leaned against the frame of the window, using her hooves to support her head. “Are you sure we’re even going to find anything worthwhile out here? When you asked me to come with you on this little journey I was expecting a little more… oh, I don’t know, excitement?”
“You young ponies, always looking for new ways to spice up your lives.” Sealed Scroll chuckled as he made his way forward to stand by his assistant. “I blame those ‘Daring Do’ books. They always make archaeology and expeditions to look like such a thrill ride.” He slowly turned to goblet around in his hooves. It was flaking and looked like it was barely holding itself together. He sighed, “But, I suppose you’re right. Perhaps my old age is just making me all excited over the idea of discovering something worthwhile.” Just as the younger pony had done before him, the professor tossed the goblet over his shoulder. There came the expected clang, followed almost immediately by the less expected clunk and grinding of gears. Both ponies spun around to see that the goblet had collided with a metal outcropping for a candle to be placed and sent it sideways, which apparently caused part of the stone wall to begin sliding backwards before moving out of the way to reveal a darkened staircase.
They stepped forward, the younger peaking around the older as the both gazed into the darkness before them.
“Well!” Sealed Scroll exclaimed. “I certainly wasn’t expecting that!” He confidently began stepping forward before being spun around.
“Wait! What if something’s down there?”
The professor chucked heartily at his protégé’s sudden change of attitude now that something actually exciting might be happening. “Oh, come now. Even if there is something down there, this door probably hasn’t been opened in years. Anything that’s down there is either long gone or deceased. Now come!” He stepped forward and slipped a hoof under his hat. He pulled out a small box from which he pulled out a match and immediately struck it, creating a small source of light to bat away the darkness. He took two steps before noticing a candlestick on the wall which he promptly lit and took hold of.
“Come on!” He said, noticing the Pegasus refusing to budge. He inhaled deeply, “Ah, you can smell the adventure in the air, as they say!”
Sealed Scroll began his journey down the ancient stone steps while Summer Love remained behind. Before long the older pony was out of her line of slight as the stairway began to spiral around itself. She bit her lip and looked around before frantically following, not wanting to risk being alone in such ancient ruins by herself.
Their journey was a silent one, the only sound being that of their hooves against the stone. Not even the wind from the open windows in the house managed to be heard as far down as they were. Sealed Scroll held the candle at leg’s length while Summer was practically on top of him, watching every inch of the shadows just in case somepony – or worse, something else entirely – should decide to make their presence known.
After another minute or so of walking they finally reached the end of the stairway and were amazed to see it lead to a large room. The darkness shrouded most of the room, but towards the far wall was what appeared to be an altar with two pyres leading out towards the center of the room in a U-formation. It was rather curious to the professor on how, even though this building, let alone just this room itself, seemed completely untouched and left only to whatever time may bring it, the fires still burned brightly enough to illuminate at least a third of the room.
Such a curiosity was not what lured Summer Love closer, however. Rather, it was what the fire illuminated. Before the altar were a group of what appeared to be statues of ponies who all faced the same direction. She stepped closer to get a better look at them and was rather surprised to see just how detailed the sculptures were. They were greatly varying in size and shape. Some were Unicorns while others were simple earth ponies. Oddly, only one bore the wings of a Pegasus. Even odder was the one who stood towards the back. It was but a child, a young earth pony colt by the looks of him.
“And what do we have here…” Summer Love was startled by the sudden break in silence, nearly jumping into the air as she spun around to see Sealed Scroll walking right by all the statues and towards the altar itself. This lead Summer to slowly make her way forward as well. He looked with genuine interest towards a small medallion that hung from a small outcropping in the stone. One of the statues stood just below it, looking up towards it with a sort of admiration in its eyes… all three of them. Summer recoiled back at the sight of the pony with a third eye on its forehead. She tried to say something to Sealed Scroll but her words fell upon deaf ears.
The earth pony extended his hoof forward but the item was just out of his reach. He hopped up onto his back legs and put a hoof on the altar to support him. He pulled the amulet closer to get a better look at the crimson jewel that resided within its socket. “Fascinating…” He seemed so fixated with the jewel, not even blinking as he looked into it.
“Professor?” The young Pegasus moved forward, “Professor!”
Sealed Scroll fell out of his trance, jumping slightly from the sound of his student’s voice. The sound startled him enough for him to shake the altar out of surprise. Such an action caused the medallion to fall off from its perch. The two ponies watched as it fell and slipped around the three-eyed pony’s neck. There was a pregnant pause as the two of them held their breath and simply stared at the block of stone, fully expecting it to immediately come to life or something.
“Well,” Sealed Scroll huffed, “That was rather uneventful!”
The two explorers flinched as the stone cracked suddenly. They each inhaled deeply as they saw the crack spiderweb down the statue’s face, slowly growing in size and length. Pieces of its stone body began chipping off to reveal the grey coat of the pony below. The gem within the medallion began to glow brightly as pieces began to fall off from its face. A chunk that covered its left eye split off and fell to the floor, shattering upon impact. It revealed a blood red eye that continued to gain in color as the veins flared. Within its pupil was what almost looked like another eye entirely.
Before either pony got a chance to speak a word, a blinding light filled the room. When it faded, the pony that stood before the altar was no longer encased in stone. Rather, it was the two intruders who were now replaced by stone replicas.
“Not even five minutes of being awake and you’ve already taken the lives of two strangers?”
The pony with three eyes did not bother to turn in order to respond to the tall mare that too was breaking from her stone prison along with the rest of them. “Don’t be so quick to call me a murderer.” They grey coated stallion responded coldly. Why did her mouth have to be the first thing to break free? “They have simply fallen into the same state that had overtaken us. Besides, I have no right to take the lives of Queen Luna’s subjects without reason.”
Each of the cyan Pegasus’s five friends all nodded in quiet agreement as they made their way through the halls of Canterlot Castle. They were alone in their journey through the grand castle save for the occasional royal guard that would give them a courteous nod.
“Princess Luna sounded rather urgent in her letter,” Twilight Sparkle said, “I wonder what she would need us for.”
“Surely it must be something of the utmost importance if she required all six of us.” Rarity added, “I just hope it doesn’t take too long. I have enough work to trudge through at home and a disaster threatening the world is the last thing I need right now.”
“Tell me about it!” A certain pink party pony exclaimed as she hopped alongside her friends. “If another disaster were to occur, think of all the parties I wouldn’t be able to throw because I’d be too busy!”
Each pony either smiled or rolled their eyes playfully. Their journey came to a sudden halt as their passage was blocked by a large golden door. The royal guards on each side gave a courteous nod to the six mares, who in turn returned the gesture. Each door became enveloped by a magical aura and slowly opened to allow entrance. The six mares walked forward and the doors immediately shut behind them.
The ponies found themselves in a grand hall. Light flooded in through stained glass windows and on the far end of the room was a locked door that only the Princesses – and Discord, as had become evident during his initial breakout – could open. Not far from this door was the Princess of the night herself. She was looking up at one of the windows and appeared to be locked in deep thought. Upon coming closer, the mares were able to see that the window in particular was the one that had been put up not long after their defeating of Nightmare Moon and the realization that they were the Elements of Harmony themselves.
The lunar princess seemed distracted by her thoughts as she gave no form of acknowledgement to the six mares. She only gazed up at the glass replica of the past and remained in a state of melancholy.
“Princess?” Twilight was the first to speak up. Consequently, this caused the Alicorn princess to be startled and take a step back. The lavender mare immediately felt bad for surprising her but the princess was able to recover herself before a word of apology could be said.
“Ah, good. I am pleased you were all able to make it on such short notice.”
“Well, you are one of Equestria’s very own Princesses darling! Of course we can make time for you!”
Luna gave a small smile to Rarity for her words, which proceeded to spread to the rest of the mares. If only it were allowed to last a few moments longer, for it soon faded from the lunar princess’s lips as her expression fell back into the solemn phase it had been in when they had first entered the room.
“I only wish that our meeting was to serve a more pleasant purpose. Instead, I have requested the presence of all of thee to ask a rather… personal favor.”
“A favor?” Twilight was not the only one to cock their head at such a request.
Luna nodded, “Indeed.” Her eyes returned to the great window once more for a brief moment. “As I am sure you all are aware, my sister is currently away on business. As such, I have been given full power until her return.”
“Sounds like quite the honor, princess… but Ah don’t see why you would need the help of some little ponyfolk like us.” Applejack said humbly with a touch of her hat.
Luna nodded and turned to walk towards a set of doors at the end of the hall. The mares followed closely behind her. “I am sure you are all wondering why we have called all of thee here on such short notice.” Upon reaching the door, the princess lowered her head and inserted her horn into a small opening. The dark horn began to glow its familiar blue aura as the door lit up, opening to reveal a large an extensive room. It was not bright enough for any of the mares to see anything other than a few stone pedestals. Luna’s horn brightened once more and a series of candles found themselves spontaneously lit and illuminated the room.
There were a number of square stone pedestals dotted throughout the room and each had a glass dome atop them. Within the glass covers were single various objects of many different shapes and sizes and colors. One in particular stood out to the red of the girls, and it just so happened to be the one artifact that Princess Luna was moving towards.
“The Alicorn Amulet?” the lavender Unicorn’s head cocked to one side as they approached the infamous accessory. Memories of a fateful duel returned to the librarian’s mind. Flashbacks of corruption and such evil power were what let Twilight to send the Amulet to Canterlot for safekeeping.
“Indeed,” Luna lifted the glass casing up with her magic, allowing the Amulet to be pulled out. The Princess held it before the six mares for all to see. “This artifact is certainly one of the vault’s more dangerous contents. There are not many objects as simple as this one that actually has the power to corrupt and alter the mind of the one who uses it. Can anypony explain to me why this may be?”
The Amulet hovered before each pony for a few moments, and each one looked at it with perplexed expressions. There didn’t seem to be anything that truly stood out to the ponies besides the somewhat dark aura that seemed to surround it. After a time, only one pony seemed to have seen any clues that could be used to identify the answer that the Princess was looking for.
“This ruby is truly a beautiful gem, but something about it seems… off.” Rarity stepped forward to get a closer look and rubbed her chin with her hoof. “It seems… flawed, in some way.”
Luna smiled and brought the Amulet closer. “It is through this crimson gem that the Alicorn Amulet gets its treacherous power. However, the gem itself is far from perfect and that is what led it to backfire and corrupt its user. It is what is known as a Severed gem – a gem that was cut from one that was far larger and more powerful in an effort to help reduce the initial power of the first gem. Thou may think of it similar to how one may dull a blade.”
The Princess waited patiently for her explanation to sink in. Not surprisingly, it was Twilight Sparkle who was the first to put together the pieces and understand what she was trying to say.
“Wait, you’re saying that artifacts such as the Alicorn Amulet get their power through their gems… and that the one in the Amulet is but a piece of another, more powerful, artifact?”
“Precisely.” Luna smiled. Her sister certainly knew what she was doing when she took the young mare as an apprentice. Perhaps one day she should look into doing the same? Whether she did or not, that was a decision for another time. Using her magic, Luna slipped the Amulet back under its case. “This particular gem comes from thee have likely never heard of. An artifact known as the Fire of Passion.”
“The Fire of Passion?” Twilight looked down at the floor as she tried to remember if she had ever heard of such a name, but her memory failed her.
“An artifact of great and immense power, a third of its power was taken away to ensure that it did not give any one pony too much power. Thus, the Alicorn Amulet was born, only to be quickly sent away for safekeeping. Unfortunately, the caravan that was tasked with the moving of it was attacked by an unknown enemy. It was believed to be lost forever. Needless to say that my sister and I were quite surprised to hear that it had been found.”
“And whatever happened to the Fire?” Twilight asked, her curiosity obviously overshadowing that of the others.
Luna’s smile for the young mare’s intuitiveness began to fade, not because of the mare’s question, but rather because of memories that were slowly but surely making their way back into the Alicorn’s consciousness. “It, too, had been lost. But now, after all these years, I think I may know just where to look.”
“Well, if you know where to look, then why don’t you just go get it?” Rainbow piped up after being silent through Luna’s earlier explanations.
“Because when I find it, I… may not be able to handle whatever may be waiting for me.” There was a pregnant pause amongst the ponies before Luna broke it by clearing her throat. “Regardless, I wish for you all to accompany me on my chariot. I trust you are all ready to depart?”
Her familiar smile returned upon seeing their heads nod.
-------------
The journey through the air would have been a quiet one if not for the sound of both the wind and the flapping of the night guard’s wings. Luna’s eyes were locked forward upon their destination: the small hamlet of Ponyville. It was there that they would be stopping to make their way through the Everfree, for the foliage was much too think to get their by carriage.
Twilight looked out towards the landscape. There wasn’t much to see under the newly risen moon, but the chilled air was a nice relief after such a hot day. The mare looked towards the Lunar Princess and wondered why she had suddenly gone so quiet since her mention of the Fire of Passion.
The Unicorn leaned over to her pearly white counterpart and spoke in a hushed whisper, “Hey, what do you think has got the Princess looking so… I don’t know, gloomy?”
“Come now, darling,” Rarity replied. “This is Princess Luna we’re talking about. She’s certainly a far cry from a certain character we all know.”
Each pony gave a deadpan look towards Pinkie Pie, who was currently hanging halfway out of the carriage and holding her mouth open, making her look more like a dog than a pony.
Luna, however, had heard their words despite their attempts to cover them. “My silence comes from contemplation, Twilight Sparkle, not irritation.”
Twilight grinned sheepishly and tried not to keep eye contact for too long, instead opting to look towards the floor and rub the back of her neck with her hoof. Before long, she decided to straighten up and ask what had been on her mind. “So then, why are you being so quiet? I mean, you’ve hardly said a word since we left the castle.”
A sigh could be heard from the Princess, causing all the ponies, including Pinkie, to bring their attention forward. Once the Lunar Princess had collected herself, she spoke once more, “I am simply… remembering. I mentioned that the Fire was lost, but there is more to it than just that. The Fire of Passion was discovered several years before my attempt at an uprising was even an idea in my head, but it was for that purpose – the purpose of defeating my sister – that its power was ever even considered to be used against another pony. With my own pride and passion acting as the perfect catalyst for the Fire, all I needed was a following… and quite the following did I receive. Some of the bravest ponies I had ever met lined up to do whatever I ask. One of them would have gladly jumped off a bridge, had I only told him to do so. However, it seemed that they were not as trustworthy as I had once assumed. For on the day that I had planned to overthrow my sister, they were nowhere to be found. After doing some research, it appeared that both they and the Fire simply disappeared without a trace.”
“They stole it?” The timid yellow Pegasus whispered from the back of the group, “Oh my…”
Luna’s eyes returned forward when she noticed their carriage was beginning to descend. “Whatever may have happened, there is no changing it. All I seek now is to retrieve the Fire of Passion and ensure that nopony ever attempts to use it as I had.”
The landing was a swift and quiet one. Most ponies had already returned to their homes by this time of night, but the ones that had chosen to stay out and enjoy the coming darkness began to spread word of the Princess of the night’s arrival. The group did not make it far before they were approached by a familiar older mare.
“O-oh hello, Princess!” Mayor Mare quickly trotted forward, a slight stumble in her step from her apparent drowsiness. That is, if her quickly rushed mane and attire weren’t evidence enough that the Princess’s visit was unexpected. “I would have prepared something if I had known you were coming –”
“’Tis quite alright.” Luna said, lifting a hoof to gesture for the mayor to quit her rambling. “We and the Elements of Harmony are simply passing through. It would be greatly appreciated if thou could look after my loyal guards and ensure they find a place to rest. Our mission may be a long one.”
“Of course!” The mayor replied with a somewhat forced smile. Only somewhat due to the fact she was relieved to not have to put on anything extravagant for such a surprise royal visit.
Soon enough the seven mares found themselves entering the infamous Everfree Forest. Fearing the possibility of another long and silent journey filled with boredom, Applejack spoke up. “So, uh, Princess, about them ‘followers’ you mentioned… how come we ain’t never heard of ‘em before?”
“Followers?” The Princess looked at the farm mare oddly for a few seconds, obviously being pulled out of another of her phasing out moments once more, before finally realizing just what the earth pony meant. “Ah, yes… my followers. ‘Tis not surprising to see that they never made it into the history books since they were so few in number. There were only eight in total… eight who would have given their lives to ensure that what they saw as justice would come to light. Well, perhaps not all of them.
“There was one in particular that I always knew never followed me because she believed I was being outshined by my sister. A very tall mare, nearly as tall as I. The only thing that matched her height was her ego as one of society’s elite. The name Saryn was one that was known all-throughout the city. She may as well have been royalty already; all she was missing were a pair of wings. Beautiful and proud, ponies flocked to her for her opinion on anything and everything. From what kind of fashion should be in that year to what a pair of new parents should decide to name their foal, her words held as much weight as both mine and my sister’s.”
“Well, she certainly sounds like quite the mare.” All eyes turned to Rarity, who simply returned their looks with one of confusion. “What?”
Luna gave a slight roll of her eyes before continuing, “Not only was she a beauty on the outside, but her siren’s song could catch the attention of both mare and stallion alike. Her silver tongue was what allowed her to get so close to me in the first place. She likely saw the possibilities of what could happen to her position should I succeed.
“Long before she ever joined my cause, there was another pony that was far less renowned. A traveling magician, an illusionist by the name of Awestruck Wonder was the first to ever follow in my ever-growing shadow. A true gentlecolt, I remember he performed at the castle once during the summertime. He chose to wait until night had come before showing his talents – something that had rather shocked me at the time. When asked as to why he had decided to wait, he responded by saying that the sun blinded the ponies and they were unable to see the spectacles which he performed. He said that it was only during the night which the true beauty of magic could be seen.”
The ponies who could get a good look at the Princess’s face each smiled as they saw a hint of blush come to the Alicorn’s cheeks. “He was quite the charmer…” she continued, “When he learned that I was seeking a following, he immediately gave an oath to follow my lead until his final days. With him came a close but quiet friend of his. A rather large stallion that went by the name of Goliath. Goliath was apparently a childhood friend of his and would often assist Awestruck should his show ever come to his hometown. He had spent most of his days as a farmer besides that. Upon thinking about it, there appears to be little difference between him and the one you all know as Big Macintosh.”
“Sounds like a mighty respectable feller.” Applejack said with a proud smile.
“Hmm,” Luna put her hoof to her chin as she attempted to remember the names of the ones she had long believed forgotten. “Ah, there was also Star Light. Like Saryn he was very close to the royal family, but for completely different reasons. Where she preferred to see things completed through others, Star Light refused to allow anything done by hooves other than his own if he could help it. Also unlike Saryn, he was actually a part of the royal family already. Found alone and without any name or note, he had been left on the doorstep of the castle one night. Celestia and I agreed that the poor foal could not be abandoned, and so we took him in as one of our own. Simply referring to him as our nephew, Star Light grew quickly in strength and even quicker in mind. He took a post as a royal guard and reached the rank of captain within five years of service.”
“Well, he certainly sounds efficient!” Twilight added with a smile. “I can respect that.”
“Indeed. On top of that, he was apparently able to see a mare on the side, despite all his duties.”
“How do you know that?” the Unicorn asked.
Luna responded with a soft deadpan look and a cocked eyebrow. “How do you think Prince Blueblood came to be a part of the family?”
One pony in the group felt compelled to shudder at the sound of that name.
“In light of all of it, he always tended to side with me had my sister and I ever come to a disagreement. While he put duty and honor above all else, he was surprisingly lacking in mercy and compassion. Needless to say, he saw quite the mother figure in what I was quickly becoming.
“With him came another soldier, but one of humbler beginnings. A Pegasus by the name of Wind Reaver that had many years of experience under his belt and had seen more than his fair share of battles during his time. A general in the royal guard’s airborne unit, war was what he lived and breathed. That is not to say he was a warmonger of any kind, of course. In fact, he was rather the opposite. He was the first to offer the option of taking things slowly and the thought of getting a low blow on his enemy never once crossed his mind. Something that he and Star Light shared was their sense of honor.”
“I can respect a pony who likes honor and all that,” Rainbow added in, “but I don’t know how any pony could really suggest taking things so slowly. I mean, come on! You said he was in a war, right?”
Luna nodded, “Indeed, and sadly his slow pace was what led to his downfall. He was not quick enough to react, hoping that negotiations would make it through on time. They did, and the war was soon officially over within the next day. However, word had not reached that far into the enemy just yet, and the town where his family resided was torn apart. He lost everything that day. His wife and his foal were lost, and he blamed no one but himself for it. Looking back, I suppose the only reason he joined my cause was simply because he felt it might give his life meaning again if he were to fight for a cause.”
There was a long silence amongst all the ponies as they made their way through the dark forest. Not even the brash Rainbow Dash had anything to say after such a tale of loss. However, the last thing she wanted to see was her friends in such a low mood and so she took the risk of asking Luna to continue her story.
“So, you only mentioned five ponies… who were the other three?”
“One was a mare who practically put the idea of Pegasus ponies manipulating the weather right out the window. A Unicorn named Morning Dew with a surprising amount of concentration; she could easily spend an entire day sitting in one spot and over the course of that day, send the entire city through the same elements the entire year would bring. From springtime showers to winter’s storms, it would be done flawlessly. In me she saw a new world; a changing world. And that was the world she strived for, a world where one pony could be just as good at one thing as another. Where a Unicorn could be just as good at weather control as an entire team of Pegasi.
“The other was a prisoner by the name of Red Star. She had been apprehended some years prior to the events that would go on to make history and was sentenced to life for charges of killing her own family in cold blood.” Luna paused for a moment as she heard a few of the mares gasp at such an unthinkable idea before continuing. “Without my sister’s knowledge, Awestruck Wonder suggested to her an ultimatum: she may either continue living out her days in a prison cell, or give an oath of allegiance to me. Should our plans succeed, she was promised freedom. Needless to say, she chose to option that would get her out of the dark and damp dungeons and back into the light.
“And finally, the eighth pony to swear their allegiance and undying loyalty to me… was a young foal by the name of New Dawn. He saw just what was going on and how ponies were enjoying the night less and less as time went by and thought that they were being cruel. He knew he had little to offer me, especially compared to the other seven. But nevertheless he made a promise – a promise that he would make sure that everypony saw the world as he saw it: a place of peace.”
Not a moment after her tale had ended had the old capitol ruins come into view. Speeding up their pace, Luna took a good long look around at the ruins of the city that she once called home. It was the first time in one thousand years that she had looked upon it. Needless to say, it had seen better days. The Alicorn walked forward mindlessly, her tendered eyes going from one collapsed heap of rubble to a simple street corner as images of a time long past returned to her mind. Memories of a simpler time for ponies and a chaotic time for herself.
The sound of her hooves was all she heard as she ventured further down the street. A sound then caught her ear. What was it? Whispers? She turned a corner and found herself just short of being able to look into a window that was beside her. There was a light from within, but that was all she could see. What she could hear, however, were a pair of voices. One older, and one younger.
“Mommy, please don’t blow out the candle… I’m scared of the dark…”
“Honey, there’s no reason to be scared of the dark.” The mother’s voice was calm and soothing, but that alone was not enough to satisfy the child.
“But why does it have to be so dark out?” the child asked.
“Because it’s night time, dear.”
“But why? Day should last forever, night is stupid.”
Luna felt her heart breaking at the sound of the child’s words.
“Don’t worry honey, in a few hours Princess Celestia will raise the sun and it will be day again.”
“She’ll scare off the night?”
“Of course she will.”
Luna had had enough. She pushed herself up onto her hind legs to look into the window, but the moment she did the light had been snuffed out. Using a spell, her horn began to grow bright enough to illuminate the inside of the small bedroom, but she found no mother and child. Only dust and the echoes of memories.
Luna slipped down back onto her four hooves just as the other mares followed around the corner. One spoke up, “Princess? Are you feeling alright?” She knew not which mare had spoken to her, for her mind was still trying to separate what was real and what was not. She only nodded in response and continued forward, wanting to leave behind what she believed she had heard.
“So, Princess,” Twilight trotted by her side, “what exactly are we looking for?”
“We are looking for the home of Awestruck Wonder… near the center of the city.” Was her reply. “If we are to find any clues as to what fate had befallen both the Fire and the ones who had taken it, it would be wise to begin there.”
The Unicorn nodded before quietly falling back a few paces to where her friends followed along. Luna could hear their whispers but not their words. She tried slowing her pace in hopes that their words would become clearer, but the deeper the group traversed into the forgotten city, the louder the whispers became. Soon the Lunar Princess became unsure of whether or not the whispers she heard were those of her friends or those of memories.
The whispers finally came to an abrupt end, much to the Alicorn’s relief. She let out a happy sigh, stopping a moment to close her eyes and take a few pleasant deep breaths. The air was still chilled and the mist brought a moist feeling to her nostrils. The first breath was slow to allow her lungs to grow used to the air. The second breath was not as heavy, and by the third she felt calm. She opened her eyes to see that the fog had indeed grown without her realizing it. It was quite peculiar, the fog… it was not the natural grey that fog tended to be, but instead had a slight green tint to it. And its scent… there was something off about it, and also something… familiar…
Luna’s eyes shot open. She quickly spun around, “Quickly, hold your breaths!” But it was too late. The six mares that followed behind her were now collapsed on the ground. From the looks of it, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were already fading in and out of consciousness. The others were faring better but appeared to have lost the ability to even stand, only being able to watch as their bodies were rendered immobile.
Luna’s heart stopped as the stallion’s voice reached her ears. Could it be, after all these years…? She slowly turned her head around to see the stallion in question standing on his own. The fog began to part, revealing one pony after another. Luna’s eyes locked with the piercing stare of Awestruck Wonder. The eyes within his eyes caused a shiver to run down her spine even more so than the large one on his forehead. The moonlight that made its way down into the street where they stood reflected off his black mane in a way that even caused the individual strands to have eyes themselves.
“They are merely under a state of… paralysis.” A tall mare walked forward slowly, her silver coated body swaying from side to side with each step. From her forelegs up past her shoulders were what appeared to be a carapace that matched her fur in color. At first glance, one might mistake them for the furred hood of an expensive fur coat that simply draped around her neck. Her sickly green eyes were easily visible due to her equally silver mane being so short and styled. From her horn came a steady green trail of magic that faded into the fog. Her head tilted to the side and she gave an arrogant smile, “Please don’t look at us like that, you know we’ve always been wary of strangers.”
The fog continued to thin and clear, revealing even more of the group. One was a stallion whose height was just shy of meeting the mare’s. His body was toned and muscular after years and years of physical labor. One could not be sure if his coat was naturally its charcoal color or if that was nothing more than dirt and dust that covered him. His face was obscured by an oddly shaped white mask. It was completely smooth except for a pair of horns that jutted out from each side and two holes for his wide open and bloodshot eyes to look through. On his back was what appeared to be a large weapon of some sort, seemingly made of the same material that made up his mask.
Beside him was a mare that looked about the age of the girls themselves, however a tad smaller. Her coat was a deep red and her mane was of the darkest black. Around her neck was what looked like a metal collar and strapped to her each of her legs were metal circlets like the kind a policepony might use when hoofcuffing a suspect. Connected to them were varying lengths of metal chains that rattled against the ground with each step she took. She looked down at the mares as if they were simply trash tossed on the side of the street.
The next to be revealed was a stallion who stood straight and with his eyes forward. His coat and mane were like the night sky, as was the armor he wore. He appeared to be the most normal of the bunch, being able to pass along as nothing more than one of Luna’s night guards. All he needed to do was trade in his horn for a pair of bat wings.
Beside him was an older looking Pegasus who wore a leather jerkin. At his sides, just beneath his wings was a pair of matching swords. His coat contrasted the others, being of a very light grey and a tan, messy mane. His left eye was covered by an eye patch.
Next came another mare – or so she was assumed to be. Her coat was a pumpkin orange and she wore a raincoat that appeared to be drenched. Her body was dripping with water as if she had just jumped into a pool. The raincoat’s hood was up, obscuring most of her face. What it didn’t cover was mostly covered by her dark brown mane which, as with everything else, was also drenched.
Finally, the last to be revealed was the one who stood furthest behind the rest. A small colt stood somewhat hidden behind Awestruck. His coat and mane were a pleasant blue, like Star Light’s but only brighter by comparison. He was the only one to look down at the mares with genuine concern for what may become of them.
“A-A-Awestruck… is that truly thou who stands before me…?” Luna’s voice cracked as she attempted to speak.
Awestruck stood unphased, simply looking at the Alicorn Princess with the same admiration as he had always had. “Why, of course.” He said, sounding rather surprised by Luna’s odd mood. “My Queen knows that I would never trick her with simple illusions. Are you feeling alright?” His red eyes turned towards the tall Unicorn, “Venom, you are certain the poison did not affect her? By her name, if you have done something to harm her–”
“Calm down!” Venom hissed at the former magician. “Do not think for a moment that I would dare make a stand against our Queen, or that I would make such a foolish mistake!”
Awestruck closed his eyes as the mare shouted at him and took deep controlled breaths to ensure his cool attitude remained. “I apologize.” His eyes returned to Luna’s, “My Queen, are you feeling sick? You look so pale… like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Luna said nothing, only staring at the cream-coated stallion with her mouth agape. Small, cracked noises that he believed were intended to be words were the only things to come from her mouth. He gave a soft sigh before turning to the one that looked like a night guard. “Severance, please check the mares.”
Star Light, or Severance, nodded wordlessly and stepped forward. Luna reacted almost immediately, moving to cut off Severance’s advance. “You will not touch them!” Severance stopped dead in his tracks, but in his expression there was no fear from the Princess’s outburst.
“Stand down, Severance. If the Queen trusts them, then so do we.” Awestruck gave the Princess a soft smile. It may have worked to calm her down if not for all of his eyes. “My Queen, please, you must calm down… Please, just take a deep breath–”
“No!” Luna snapped at him, causing him to flinch, “I will not become calm! You are not real, none of thee are! You should not exist!”
A flicker of emotion flashed across his eyes as she spoke. Luna hadn’t caught it at first, but it almost appeared to be… pain? Awestruck bit his lip and looked at the ground for a moment.
“Something is wrong… very wrong. You do not appear to be yourself…” His eyes returned to the mare before him, a newfound fire within them. “Surely this is the work of the Tyrant. She must have learned of us and acted to ensure you cannot use us as you had planned!” A swirling darkness began to form around Luna, and like a predator swallowing its prey, the darkness enveloped her until there was nothing but a swirling ball mass of blackness between the two groups. “But do not worry!” A wide smile flashed across his face, “I know just the thing to bring you back to your old self!” The darkness began to sink back into the ground and faded away just as quickly as it had come.
He quickly trotted forward to the closest of the paralyzed mares. He lighted part of Twilight’s mane to allow eye contact, “I feel I must apologize for your treatment. I’m sure you can understand that we are wary of strangers and we must be cautious. But rest assured that we will take good care of our Queen and she will be returned to the castle once she is well once more.” He spun around and began trotted back towards the others. “Regret,”
The old Pegasus grumped in Awestruck’s direction.
“You can traverse distances faster than the rest of us. Now this just a wild guess, but something has happened to the city seeing as how it’s empty. I want you to fly a short distance out and report back on whether or not there are any towns nearby. Should you find anything,” He turned to the drenched mare in the raincoat, “Revenant, I want you to transport them safely back into town and then return here. These mares are obviously important to Queen Nightmare, and as such will be treated as honored guests while they are here.” His eyes turned to Venom in particular. “They are guests, not playthings.”
Venom smiled as she stepped forward. She sat down and took Rarity, who was still barely conscious from the weak poison in the air, by her head and brought her own a mere inch away. “You’re no fun, Relinquish. You know how much I love to play with my food.” She licked her lips before setting the mare’s head back down.
Awestruck Wonder, or Relinquish, as he had been called, rolled his eyes and continued walking away. “Yes, I do. And I wish I didn’t.”
“Huh, wuzzat…?” Twilight Sparkle mumbled groggily into whatever her face was firmly planted in. Her eyes felt heavy and her head was pounding, so she honestly couldn’t have cared less what it was exactly that her face was stuffed into, but all she cared about was the fact that it was soft enough to be comfortable.
“Twilight, will you please git yer head outta Pinkie’s mane so we can figure out what in the hay is goin’ on here?”
Twilight’s eyes shot open and, just as her friend had said, all she could see was the pink that was one of her closest friends. The Unicorn wasn’t quite sure which reason was the first to compel her to pull her head away quickly: the fact that it was Pinkie’s mane and only Celestia knew what in Equestria could possibly be in there, or the fact that her previous thought sounded far dirtier than she had expected it to.
Pinkie Pie could only giggle as her friend’s control over her stiffened body proved to be fully returned as she attempted to scrape away anything that could possibly have gotten into her mouth with her hooves. After Twilight was satisfied that she had wiped away any unknown threats to her oral hygiene, she finally took a moment to look around. From her surroundings, she appeared to be in a barn. She, like some of the other girls save Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, were lying on a large pile of hay.
“What’s going on…?” Twilight groaned as she tried to speak. “Oh, Celestia… I feel like I just drank some of ‘special cider’ that Granny Smith makes again… Where are we?” Twilight rubbed her temples in hopes that it would ease the pain of her pounding headache.
“Back at the farm, apparently,” Applejack responded quickly to her friend’s question. “Mah brother found us about an hour ago. Said he tried wakin’ us up but we were out harder than the cattle after a hootenanny.”
The five other mares looked at the earth pony with odd glances. Applejack slowly pulled her hat down to cover part of her face, “Alright, so that one may have been a little forced… But that’s beside the point. The fact o’ the matter is that somethin’ happened to the Princess and it’s up to us to figure out what!”
“I dunno, AJ,” Rainbow Dash said, crossing her hooves as she hovered a few feet off the ground. “I don’t think it’s that much of a mystery as to what happened to her. It looked like a pretty obvious ponynapping from my angle.”
“Well some of us didn’t exactly get to see much after fallin’ flat on our face.” Applejack replied. “What in the hay happened to us anyway?”
“While I can’t say for sure,” Twilight pulled herself out of the hay after feeling confident her legs could support herself now, “My best guess is that whatever knocked us out must have been some kind of magic that even Princess Luna hadn’t seen before. I wasn’t able to get too good of a look, but the mist seemed to have been originating from one of those mare’s horn.”
“Speaking of those ponies, why did some of them look so… scary…” Fluttershy’s already quiet voice began to further pull itself back as thoughts of the strange and slightly disfigured ponies began to return from her memories.
“Yeah, what they hay was up with those guys anyways?” Rainbow said, “I’m not the only one who saw the dude with three eyes, right?”
“While it’s entirely possible and likely to be more probable that it was simply the poison in the air that caused us to hallucinate, Princess Luna looked genuinely frightened to see them…” Twilight looked to the floor and touched her chin as she thought back to the prior night’s events.
“Hallucinations or not, they certainly looked as real as can be up-close. And felt real…” Rarity shuddered a little as she remembered the way that silver mare looked at her. Such hunger in her eyes when she looked down upon the Unicorn…
“You don’t think those guys could have been the same ponies that followed Princess Luna when she was still plotting to be a meanie-pants, do you?”
The mares each turned towards the pink pony who had so far remained even more quiet than Fluttershy during their discussion of the event. “That’s impossible,” Twilight was quick to respond, “That would mean they’re over a thousand years o–“ Twilight suddenly stopped dead in her argument as she thought back to all the other ponies who certainly defied the concept of death due to age. Celestia, Luna, Discord, Sombra, Granny Smith, and one might even be able to debate just how long the lifespan of a Changeling Queen might be. “…Alright, so maybe it isn’t totally impossible… But it’s still very unlikely!”
“Well you all saw the necklace that that one pony was wearing, right? It looked just like the Amulet that Trixie wore when she was here, so it’s not totally unlikely that they could have survived all this time with the help of magic!”
Twilight was about to give further rebuttal about the unlikelihood of a small number of seemingly average – at least some of them seemed average – ponies maintaining their youth for slightly over one thousand years, but then she took in just what the pink earth pony had said. Had that one stallion, whom the Unicorn presumed to be the leader of the group, been wearing what she thinks he had been wearing? She tried to think back, but all she could see was a blur of what had happened. Although, if he truly had the artifact they had come in search of…
If the Alicorn Amulet, which Luna said only had one third of the power the Fire of Passion did, could allow somepony like Trixie to perform age spells than it truly wasn’t out of the realm of possibility for somepony to keep themselves alive all this time.
“Well whatever they hay they did, we can’t let ‘em get away with it!” Rainbow let herself drop to the ground and stamped down her hoof for emphasis. “We need to go back there and show those ponies that they can’t just go around taking our Princesses!”
The other mares cheered. Rather, four of them cheered while the other only rose her voice to a normal speaking level, but that was more or less expected. They began to make their way out of the barn, ready to head back into the forest and save the Princess they so idolized. As they returned to the open fresh air, a few of them noticed that the sun seemed rather sloppily put up into the sky. Had Princess Luna put it up? Would her captors allow her to do such a thing? Before any more thought could be put into it, a hoarse cough caught the attention of the mares. Each turned to see the big red stallion they all knew sitting by the barn door. He was sitting up as straight as he could and for some reason did not have that familiar friendliness in his eyes. Instead they were replaced by something serious but it remained a far cry from what could be considered a glare. Before any of them could ask why he was there, his eyes locked with his younger sister’s.
“Come with me. Ah need to show ya somethin’.”
-------------
Applejack was led away from the others by her older brother. The mares agreed to meet by Fluttershy’s cottage once their business was finished. Big Macintosh led Applejack straight through town and their journey was a silent one. Applejack attempted to question what exactly her brother was planning but she received no response.
Applejack gave a heavy sigh and stopped in her tracks. “Ah ain’t got time for this, Big Macintosh! The Princess is in trouble and darn near anythin’ could be happenin’ to her right now!” She attempted to turn around and start making her way towards the cottage where the rest of her friends were waiting but a large red hoof stopped her.
“Ah now you’re in a rush,” Big Mac said, just as calmly as he always spoke, “But Ah just need to show ya somethin’. It won’t take long, Ah promise.” When Applejack gave him yet another sigh, he dropped his hoof and continued on his way. “Once we’re done, ya can do what ya want. All Ah ask is that ya humor me just this once.”
Applejack watched her brother continue walking away, not even turning to look back to see if his sister was following. She made a glance in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage before shaking her head and quickly trotting to catch up to the stallion. The rest of their journey returned to relative silence, save for the few unintelligible grumbles Applejack made under her breath. After a few more minutes of walking, Applejack finally realized just where they were heading.
A small schoolhouse could be seen just around the corner. Outside all of the little colts and fillies were playing and talking. It seemed they were on their recess break for the day. A small smile came to the younger Apple’s face as she watched all the little ones smiling and laughing and generally having a good time. The mare felt a touch of against her leg and looked to see Big Mac looked down at her. He gestured towards one group of fillies in particular. Some distance away, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom were all going about their normal shenanigans. This time it seemed to involve a tree somehow, as they were attempting to climb one only for the one on top to end up falling down. The one below her tried to catch her only to fall herself, and the same happened for the one that was the lowest. The Crusading group landed in a dogpile, to which they all began to laugh at themselves.
Applejack’s smile shined a little brighter. While she constantly worried for her little sister and the danger she and her closest friends always seemed to get into, it made her happy to see just how ambitious she could be when she set her mind towards a goal.
“We both know she cares deeply for ya, Applejack.” Big Mac said quietly as the two continued to watch the three fillies. Apparently one of them came up with a new idea and they began to run off in a different direction. “Granny ain’t as swift as she used to be, and me… well, Ah don’t exactly see mahself as a role model fer anypony. But you,” His gaze returned to his sister’s sap green eyes, “You’re somepony she looks up to. And if somethin’ were to happen to you, Ah know for a fact she’d be the most devastated.
Applejack’s smile slowly faded with each word her brother spoke. She felt she had a hunch she knew where this conversation was going.
“Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen to me, Big Mac–”
“You don’t know that, Applejack.” The mare kept quiet as her brother cut her off. “You and you’re friends are always goin’ out and tryin’ to save the world from whatever kinda evil forces are tryin’ to make their way here.”
“And we always succeed!” She tried to defend herself.
“Ah know ya do. And Ah’m mighty proud of ya for the things you’ve done. But ya gotta understand just what’s at risk ever’time you go into that darn forest, ever’time you go to fight some kinda monster. Ya have a family, Applejack… ya have ponies who lova ya. Now, Ah won’t stop ya from goin’ with the others to save the Princess, mostly ‘cause Ah know Ah wouldn’t be able to stop ya, but also ‘cause Ah know you’re one of the only ponies who’d be able to get the job done. All Ah’m askin’ of ya is that ya remember what’s waitin’ for ya back home.”
Instead of with words, Applejack replied to her brother’s words with a tight embrace. The apple-buckin’ mare certainly didn’t know her own strength but that didn’t stop him from trying his best to return the hug.
“Thanks Big Mac…” She said as she pulled away, quickly reaching up to rub away a tear that had begun forming. “But you can trust me when Ah say that everythin’ is gonna be just fine!”
-------------
The winds gave a harsh blow, causing all of the leafs upon the trees to burst into applause. From these trees came two figures: one was large and wore a mask carved from bone while the other was small and drug chains with her wherever she went. The wind began to die down and soon the only sound was that of the links scratching against each other with each step the mare took.
“Ugh, it smells disgusting in there!” She shouted at nothing in particular. She then spat on the ground, hoping that would be enough to get the taste of such think nature out of her mouth. “Even the prison didn’t even smell this bad, and I bet you remember how much of a shithole that place was!”
The stallion gave no response, only watching her with bloodshot eyes that were wide open. As if expecting such a response, the mare continued her rant. “And why do we have to be the ones to come all the way out here and take a look around? Why couldn’t Regret have just–”
Her words came to a sudden halt as the stallion lifted his hoof up to his chest and took a deep breath. The mare watched as his chest expanded before shrinking back down to its normal size. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and brought her own hoof to her chest, taking the same deep breath. When her dark brown eyes revealed themselves again, most of the anger had subsided.
“May as well get this over with… Hey, I think I see a town right over that hill.”
“…An’ then Ah woke up to find you standin’ above me with an empty bucket o’ water.”
Big Macintosh chuckled to himself as he remembered his sister’s rude awakening. Applejack only grumbled to herself, grateful for her brother bothering to wake them up but nevertheless annoyed with his methods. The two Apples were making their way back through town in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about his sister once again willingly going into the most notoriously dangerous place within thirty miles, but as a brother he knew he would need to believe in her. She was one of the Elements of Harmony after all. She was a member of the six greatest mares since Princess Celestia herself. He was sure she’d be okay. If not, then he’d just have to find whoever it was that hurt her and teach them a lesson they’d never forget.
“But Ah’m sure we’ll be done in no time.” Applejack continued, “Twilight’s got the Elements so savin’ the Princess should be as easy as makin’ apple p–”
The red stallion stopped and turned when he noticed that his sister was no longer walking by his side. He saw her standing in mid step, her eyes locked with the crowd some short distance away. Even they seemed to be concerned with something. Behind them Big Mac could see what looked like two other ponies making their way forward as if it were a regular day – and every other pony was doing their best to give them a wide berth.
“That’s them!” Big Mac was a little startled at his sister’s sudden return to life. “Those are some o’ the ponies that kidnapped the Princess!”
His eyes returned to the crowd, where the two ponies had now become more visible. One was large and looked like he had just spent some time sweeping out a chimney. He wore a horned mask that covered his whole face except the two holes to allow his wide and bloodshot eyes to see, and on his back was what appeared to be a large sword made from the same material. Beside him was a much smaller mare. She looked maybe about Applejack’s age, but a few inches shorter. Her coat was a deep red like his and he couldn’t tell whether her mane was a dark brown or simply black. Around her neck was a metal collar like the one prisoners wore, and around each of her hooves were similar shackles. Two chains dragged across the ground from her back hooves. By far the most curious thing about the two was the lack of a cutie mark on either of their flanks.
“Hey you!”
Applejack began rushing forward before her brother had a chance to stop her. Even if he did, it was still too late. She had managed to get their attention, so there was no turning back now. He quickly made his way forward to stand by her side lest the worst come to pass.
“What did you do with our Princess!?” The country mare demanded.
The larger stallion gave no answer. He didn’t even appear to be phased by the fact that he was being shouted at by some mare on the street. The red mare, however, seemed to have a look of disgust on her face. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me…” she said, not even trying to hide her distaste.
“Are you listenin’ to what Ah’m sayin’?” Applejack pressed further. “Ah’m askin’ ya’ll a darn question!”
The mare sat down and tried to cover her ears with her hooves. She began to growl, trying to block out the sound of the orange earth pony. “Ugh, shut up! Will you please!?”
Applejack looked taken back, but her temper was slowly beginning to get the better of her. “Excuse me?”
“Just… Just…” She pressed her hooves back to the ground. “Have you ever just taken like… five minutes to listen to yourself? Because damn, your accent is annoying!”
Applejack deadpanned. There was a short silence between the two parties before she spoke again. “Big Mac?”
“Eeyup.” The older brother made his way forward, ready to defend his sister.
“Now Ah know that welcome parties are usually Pinkie’s thing, but whaddya say we show these two the good ol’ Apple Family welcome?”
“Eeeeyup.”
The red mare smiled before rather violently cracking her neck. “Bring it, bitch.” She looked over towards the one with the sword, “Hey, take your time with this one, Silence,” She grinned wickedly at Applejack, “I know I will.”
The one known as Silence simply nodded before walking off in a different direction. “Be careful.” Big Mac whispered to his sister before following after. After judging that there was enough distance between the two – by walking for what felt like a full five minutes – Silence finally came to a stop and turned to face the older Apple.
“We don’t need to fight, ya know.” Big Mac said in a calm tone. Silence did not respond. He simply reached behind himself and grabbed the sword. “Or Ah suppose we could.” Big Mac sighed heavily before stretching himself for a short time. Thankfully, Silence made no signs of attacking before he was finished. He supposed he could respect that.
“Well, Ah’m ready if you are.”
Silence nodded before quickly rushing forward. For a big stallion running on only three legs, he was fast. Certainly faster than Big Mac had initially thought he would be. He barely had enough time to jump to the right before Silence’s sword crashed into the ground with enough force for the red stallion to feel the vibrations in his hooves. He wasn’t given much time to recover before Silence was back in front of him, swinging wildly but with enough precision to keep the Apple dodging. While such a large weapon would normally have the drawback of being heavy and slow to swing, but Silence was quick on his hooves and had the strength to back up his swings. That and he was using the momentum of his swings to spin and be able to gain ground without having to use more energy to build up more force from a stationary position.
His strikes were quick but years of working on the farm had left Big Mac’s legs in excellent condition. He was quick on his hooves and that’s just what he needed right about now. All he had to do was keep out of the line of fire, practice a little patience, and then… There! Silence had brought his sword down into the ground again, meaning he’d have to lift it back up again in order to attack once more. Big Mac took the opportunity and spun around on his forelegs before throwing out a mighty kick. It wasn’t his full strength, since he had to react quickly or else he would lose his chance, but it was still enough to bring Silence on the defensive.
Silence reacted just in time, pulling his sword back and placing his other hoof against the side of the blade to brace his defense. The kick was enough to push him sliding back across the ground. Swearing he heard something, Silence looked down at the other side of the sword. His bloodshot eyes widened a little more when he noticed a crack in the material. His surprise was further shown by the way his head slightly cocked to the side.
-------------
The farm mare waited patiently – it was a very reluctant patience, of course, but still patience – as the red mare across from her continued to stretch her legs and pop a joint here and there. By now at least half a dozen other ponies had gathered around to watch the coming events. Another full dozen observed the scene as well, but had opted to do so from the safety of their homes. They all remembered what happened the last time somepony made a jab at one of the Apples by insulting their accent. How long ago had that been? Three years, maybe? Those fools were probably checking out of the hospital by now.
“… Ya done yet?” Applejack said, starting to get a little annoyed.
“Hold on, I almost…” The mare continued rolling her shoulder until an audible pop could finally be heard. She let out a relieved sigh before smiling what seemed to be a genuine smile. “Ahh… Alright, all done.”
In a heartbeat the red mare was already practically on top of her. Applejack barely had enough time to back up before her opponent slammed both hooves into the ground where she had been just a moment ago. The stone that was packed into the dirt had visible cracks and even the ponies watching from the sidelines could feel the tremors created by such a blow.
Applejack looked shocked by the fact that such a pony could strike with such force all on her own, while she merely wore a smile that suggested she was already enjoying herself as she glared forward. Before the apple bucker had a chance to react, the mare swung herself around and kicked out, landing a blow that hit Applejack right in the jaw. The orange mare was sent soaring through the air until she collided with a nearby fruit stand. The wood bent around her, cradling the mare as apples and oranges and other various foods rolled away.
She shifted her jaw back and forth as she rubbed it. She had to feel sorry for all the trees in the Apple’s orchard, now knowing just what they had to go through when applebucking season came around. Finding it difficult to get back onto her hooves, she thankfully took the first hoof that offered a way out of the wooden trap. However, it wasn’t until she was already grasped that she realized just who’s hoof it was.
A quick strike caught her right in the side, causing Applejack to flinch in pain. She made a vain attempt to grab the red hoof that stuck to her side and looked up at her attacker with one eye open.
“Gotta keep those eyes open, Barnyard.” She said, still keeping that same smile that just begged for Applejack to try and take a swing at her. And take a swing she did, aiming right at the mare’s stomach. There wasn’t much room or time to make a blow truly effective, but it was enough for Applejack knowing she caught the mare off guard. However, she was quick to react. With a slip of her leg forward to push the farm mare off balance and a swing of her foreleg, Applejack quickly found herself slapped back onto the ground.
She smiled as she watched her foe try to prop herself up. She always did love butting heads with someone with at least a bit of resilience. “The name’s Fury, by the way.”
Applejack rubbed her cheek before spitting on the ground. “Applejack.” She muttered as she rose back up.
“Hm. Pleasure.” Fury bound forward once more, ready to strike down at her opponent just as she had tried before.
-------------
Big Mac quickly dodged to the right as Silence’s greatsword swung in another attempt to strike him down. The crimson stallion was growing tired, which was putting him at a strong disadvantage in this game of endurance. Silence, however, was proving to be barely short of breath. Big Mac threw himself forward, catching the stallion in one of the few times he left an opening. Silence was of course thrown back by the force of such a ram, but like always he merely shook it off before returning to the fray.
He knew he wouldn’t last much longer against an opponent like this. If he could land another good kick then perhaps he could do some damage, but this was no apple tree. This was a pony who clearly knew what he was doing, and it didn’t take a genius to realize his mask and sword weren’t your average weapon and armor material.
All the evasive maneuvers had left the stallion in a tired, sweaty state. The tip of his golden mane became weighed down by this and fell into his eye. This disturbance was enough to make him flinch, which Silence immediately noticed and took advantage of. Big Mac had been so focused on avoiding his large sword that he never expected a left hook to hit him.
For a moment, Big Macintosh felt weightless. Everything seemed to stop save for the wind that blew around him. It almost felt nice if not for the slow throbs against the side of his jaw. And then suddenly all of the calmness fell apart. His body slid across the ground, kicking up dust. His eyes refused to open and his limbs ignored his commands to move. No matter how much he willed himself to get back up again, his body was content with getting its well-earned rest there on the ground.
The crowd looked torn between whether or not to help the poor stallion. Each and every one of them felt those wide, haunting eyes observing them just in case they would dare make a move to interfere. One brave pony that stood off to the side managed to shake off that fear and stepped forward to aid the fallen Apple, but the moment that step was taken the bloodshot orbs locked with his. His brain was screaming at him to run away but he didn’t listen. Another step.
A black spark shot out spontaneously from one of the horns on Silence’s mask. It was like lightening, arcing out in a jagged line. It stood alone, but was soon followed by another and another, quickly becoming more and more frequent as the two horns became connected like coils. In the center, right in front of his forehead the electric bolts came to form a ball of unstable darkness. Without any warning, the ball shot forward towards the stallion that dared come forward. It hit the ground just in front of him, causing a small explosion and sending him off his feet.
The seemingly distant sound was enough for Big Macintosh’s tired eyes to pull themselves open. He saw the plume of dust, and when it was cleared the sight of ponies running frantically was the new scenery. He couldn’t quite tell, but some of them seemed to be shouting something. Something about finding somepony, but who?
Beyond all the shouting and the sound of hooves scattering in different directions as ponies the way they tended to when danger presented itself. But from beyond all these sounds, even as they slowly faded away, one stuck out to him. One voice out of the crowd was enough to make his eyes snap open.
-------------
Applejack’s entire body tensed up all at once. She had been making an attempt at holding town the furious crimson mare beneath her, and was somehow managing to succeed for the time being. But then she heard the voice of a filly that caused her to lose all concentration. “Oh no…” was all she could say, even as Fury managed to pull out from the pin and reverse it. Applejack was too slow to react and soon found herself pressed against the ground with the other mare’s force and weight being pressed against her to keep her down. Her right foreleg had been pulled back, and any attempt the Apple made at trying to escape was met with the response of immediate pain. She huffed, irritated that she had lost her momentary advantage over the other. However, that feeling was lost as she heard the voice again.
“Big brother!”
Both sets of eyes looked up as a little pale yellow and red filly with a brilliant crimson bow ran towards the fallen stallion with all the strength her little legs could give.
“Applebloom, stay away!” Applejack tried to shout to her younger sister, but it wasn’t enough. The little filly could hear nothing over the sound of her own heartbeat and her eyes were stuck on her brother. It was only too late that she noticed the black mass forming before Silence, its dark energy flaring out as it grew. Applebloom skid to a halt just a few yards from her brother, her eyes locking with that of Silence’s. She barely had enough time to take a breath before it fired forward.
“Applebloom, NO!!” Applejack could only scream as she struggled to break free, but Fury kept her pinned down. All she could do was watch.
The explosion came and the dust flew. Unlike with the first shot, this one was set to hit dead on and this time nopony came flying off their hooves. Applejack could already feel the tears that threatened to burst forward. She watched the dust, begging for the winds to come and blow it away and reveal just what had become of her little sister. An answer to her prayers came and the dust was blown away.
And there stood Applebloom, untouched save for a little dirt in her coat and mane… and just before her stood Big Macintosh himself. In less than a heartbeat he had picked himself up, throwing away all the exhaustion that threatened to bring him back down. His body was covered in dirt and bruises, but still there he stood: braced and with eyes burning.
“That not possible…” Was all Applejack heard come from Fury’s mouth. She didn’t need to turn around to know that mare’s jaw was almost on the floor. Taking advantage of Fury’s surprise, Applejack used her free hoof to grab the closest thing she could: a small rock. She chucked it as hard as she could, watching it arc high into the air before it hit its target. The little thing bounced off of Silence’s mask with a little thud; just enough to break the stallion out of his own surprise. Reacting to this little upset, his eyes immediately snapped towards where Fury and Applejack lay. It wasn’t much time, but it was all Big Macintosh needed. Using what strength he had left, he sprinted forward before Silence had a chance to turn his head back around. By the time his attention was brought back to the matter at hoof, it was far too late. Big Mac quickly spun around and bucked with all his strength.
The sound of Silence’s mask shattering could be heard all throughout Ponyville. All eyes in the area watched as the coal colored stallion was thrown back by the kick in seemingly slow motion. One could almost count the number of shards the mask had broken into before time resumed at its natural pace. Silence slid across the ground before coming to a quick stop. Nopony moved, not even he.
The first one to break the silence was Fury, who quickly jumped off of Applejack and sprinted to where her companion lay. She barely made an effort to stop, practically sliding across the ground in an effort to save time and get to him. She quickly brushed away and loose remnants of the mask before shaking him roughly.
“No, no, no no no…” She muttered frantically to herself. Applejack slowly made her way forward, unsure of what action to take. It didn’t take somepony with the eyes of an eagle to notice how panicked Fury was quickly becoming. Her chest rapidly moved back and forth as her heart rate skyrocketed.
Sneaking a look past the mare, Applejack considered herself lucky she felt so tired, otherwise she may have threw up a bit. Silence’s face was distorted and disfigured. His skull had apparently caved in slightly from Big Mac’s kick, but she was sure that it had been twisted long before that blow had ever been made. His face seemed flattened, and flappy tendrils of skin hung from his lips. They hung one with another, as if his skin had grown over his mouth and he had been forced to cut it just to ensure he could keep his mouth open.
“G-Goliath…” The mare’s voice was shaking just as she was as she threw herself on top of him, covering his face and bringing Applejack’s attention back, “Please… wake up…” Applejack tried to take a step forward, but Fury’s ears picked up on the sound despite her current state. “Stay away from him…”
“Please, maybe we can–”
“I said,” Fury’s entire body tensed up as an essence almost like fire began to form around her. She turned around to face the farm mare, revealing that her eyes had faded behind a bright white light that wasn’t too dissimilar from the look she and her friends got whenever the Elements of Harmony came into use. “STAY AWAY!!”
The scream itself almost seemed to carry its own weight, as it caused Applejack to recoil back. A pressure could be felt on all of their bodies as the mare only grew angrier and angrier.
It was just then that a familiar voice entered the fray, earning a glance from both sides. Twilight and the rest of the girls were making their way towards the scene, Elements already equipped and followed by a few ponies that Applejack recognized from the crowd from before.
Fury cared not for them. She turned and grabbed Silence with a single hoof, easily pulling his larger body onto her back. Without a single look back, she fired off like a bullet in the direction of the Everfree forest.
As the distance between them grew, Applejack suddenly felt herself able to breathe once again. “Wait!” she said to the other five, who looked ready to follow after the mare that they had been informed was causing so much trouble. “Let ‘er go.”
“What? Why?” Rainbow Dash said, already debating with herself on whether or not to make the chase regardless of what her friend had to say.
“Enough has already happened. Besides,” AJ’s eyes turned to where a small group of ponies were helping Big Mac off the ground. It seemed that during the confusion he had collapsed once more, this time passing out for real. “The Princess is safe, wherever she is… and right now, somepony needs me just a little bit more.”
-------------
Princess Luna shivered. She tried to curl into herself more to combat the cold, but it did little to help. She had finally achieved sleep in the desolate wasteland that surrounded her, but she found no comfort in her dreams. All that seemed to exist here was nightmares.
Her posture relaxed slightly as a red shroud was draped around her body. Her breathing steadied, and that was enough for Relinquish. He gently ran his hoof through his Queen’s starlight mane, “Don’t worry, my Queen… soon this will all be over, and you’ll be back to your old self in no time.”
He sat there quietly for a moment, simply taking pleasure in finally being able to see the one he adored and admired so very much once more. Bending down, he pulled the shroud a little higher up the Alicorn’s body. “I do apologize for not finding something more suitable… little is left of the city and it was all I could find. But soon things will be back to normal.” He looked down and frowned a little when he saw the streaks that stained Luna’s beautiful blue coat just beneath her eyes.
“I know this is hard for you… and it pains me to have to resort to this.” He gently brought his face near to hers and lightly kissed her forehead, making sure to be careful not to touch her horn lest it disturb her sleep. “Soon you will be the Queen we all swore to follow once more… and I will be there right at your side. Always… and forever.”
Some of the mares turned towards the yellow Pegasus while the others simply nodded in agreement. Everything had been silent since Big Macintosh had been brought home, so it was rather surprising that Fluttershy was the first to say something. However if there was some commotion going on, the Pegasus’s words would have probably gone unheard. It would have taken longer to get the big stallion all the way to the hospital than it would have to simply bring him back to the farm, and it really didn’t seem like he was wounded in any serious way besides some bruises. Nevertheless, a request was sent and a doctor was on their way.
When the doctor arrived he went to work right away. He asked questions, he inspected the sleeping Apple, he asked questions while he inspected the sleeping Apple.
“Has he woken up since he was brought here, or perhaps during the ride home?”
Applejack merely shook her head in response. Ever since he was brought back home and put in his bed, she hadn’t left his side. She refused to even take her eyes off of him most of the time.
“Is he gonna be okay, Doc?” Little Applebloom looked up at the pony who now held one end of a stethoscope against Big Mac’s chest. He didn’t respond at first, instead choosing to hold his eyes closed as he concentrated on the stallion’s heart. After a long pause, he pulled the disk away and pulled out the plugs from his ears.
“Besides a few bruises and burns, he seems rather healthy. You have a very resilient stallion in your family. My best solution would be to simply give him rest until he wakes up. Tend to the burns around his face here, and then leave the rest to patience.”
The others nodded and the doctor began packing up what equipment he had brought with him. Upon finishing, he took the case in his mouth and began making his way towards the door only to nearly knock over a small purple and green dragon that tried to enter through the same doorway. “Oh, excuse me.”
“No problem. Hey girls, how’s he doing?” Spike stepped forward and took the liberty of hopping onto Applejack’s back to get a better look. Applejack didn’t seem to mind, as she made no objections.
“The doctor said he’ll be fine. He just needs rest, is all.” Applejack nearly mumbled. A frown appeared in Spike’s expression and grew in size as his eyes ventured to see the expression of the other girls. Fluttershy stood near the back with half of her mane covering her face, Pinkie’s mane looked slightly deflated, Rainbow Dash looked restless and Rarity, much to his dismay, looked like some of the makeup around her eyes had been smeared. He sighed and joined in on their continued stares.
“I wish I could have been there… maybe I could have helped.”
“Sorry Spike, but I don’t think even a fully grown dragon could have been much of a threat to Princess Luna’s foalnappers.” Each pony in the room, and the dragon, turned their gaze to the doorway to see the familiar purple Unicorn who had opted to stay behind while the others escorted Big Macintosh back home.
“Oh, come on Twilight!” Spike hopped down and began taking steps towards his closest friend, “If Applejack’s big brother could manage to beat one, how could a fully grown dragon possibly fail?”
Twilight, as if expecting this question to come, used her magic to levitate an object into the room. Most of the others eyed it curiously, but it was Applejack who stepped forward. “Is that…?”
Twilight nodded. “This is the sword that ponies claimed the stallion was using.” It levitated forward and began spinning in a soft rotation, allowing them to get a full view of the object. “I took it back to the library because I was curious. Something like this obviously isn’t your common material, and these,” A few small, broken shards came forward, “Are shards of his mask. Do you see? They’re the exact same material.”
“What is it you’re getting at exactly, darling?” Rarity said, stepping up to get a closer look. If there was anypony in the room who had an eye for detail than it would be her, and she couldn’t help but feel a little surprised that she couldn’t place a name for what exactly it was that floated before her.
“This,” Twilight gestured towards the pieces and the sword, “Is dragon bone.”
There was a long silence before the smallest of the group spoke up. “It’s made from WHAT?”
-------------
“You did WHAT?”
Relinquish eyed Severance with a half glare. He didn’t bother to fully look in the night blue Unicorn’s direction, as his attention was more directed to the mare that was crying into his chest. “Calm down, Severance.”
“Calm down?” The ex-guard hissed, “Do you understand what has happened? Because of her and her uncontrollable temper–”
“Yes, I understand perfectly well. You must forget that Silence was just as much my friend as he was Fury’s.” His eyes turned back towards the chained red mare that continued sobbing softly into his fur. He gently stroked her mane in an effort to calm her. “Mistakes were made, that much is obvious. But through his sacrifice we have learned a few things.”
Severance gave an angered sigh as he glared forward at the two of them. “Do tell.”
“Firstly,” the three eyed pony began, “We have learned that the ponies we had encountered are far more resilient than we had first expected. A prime example of this being how they managed to take Silence by surprise. Whether or not this could have been avoided is irrelevant as there is no way to change what has happened. Secondly, from Fury’s report we have learned that the Queen’s escort from earlier had in fact been the supposed holders of the Elements of Harmony.”
“The Elements? But how? Only the Queen and her sister managed to have control over their power. To be able to contain such a thing within an individual… they must have an incredible will. But where is your evidence of this?”
A sharp sniff came from Fury’s direction as she turned her head to allow herself to speak. “After what happened… I got so mad… I was more worried about getting Goliath somewhere safe… than finishing the fight… I saw those mares from before… they all wore some kind of… tacky jewelry… ‘Blinded by my emotions’ or not, it wouldn’t take a genius to be able to tell what those were… I could feel it in the air.”
Deciding against taking a mental note of how the mare had used the phrase he had in fact planned on using and instead took a deep breath. Returning to a calm state of mind, he looked up once more. “So what is the next plan of action then, Relinquish? Are we to stand by until the Queen has returned to her normal state, or are we to go on the offensive and avenge Silence’s death?” Severance knew which one he would personally prefer, but he was not the one in charge here.
“We will wait.” Relinquish returned to stroking Fury’s mane. The sobbing had stopped, but that did not mean she was calm. “If they come to us, which is likely, then we will deal with them. We cannot be too hasty when making our move; otherwise we may endanger everything the Queen has worked for.”
Severance, assuming there were no further orders to be given, nodded quietly before turning towards the door. He stopped upon hearing Relinquish continue.
“Celestia is alive. That much is certain. Whatever may have happened to us, the Queen was left alone to face her sister. She did something to her… And it changed her. I do not know where she is now, but I gave my word to the Queen that I would stop at nothing in order to help her sit atop the throne. I know I have asked you this question once before, but I must be sure. Are you prepared to kill in the Queen’s name? Are you prepared to kill Celestia, should the task be ordered?”
Severance and Relinquish stared at each other in silence for what felt like an hour. Severance looked into those dark eyes expecting to find some trick to his questions, but found none. With no change in tone, he replied, “My loyalty has always and will always remain with my Queen. And if I must kill my mother to satisfy the other, then so be it.” Without waiting for a response, Severance turned once more and stepped towards the door.
“I am sorry if you think I find your loyalty questionable.” Severance stopped just a few steps from the door, but did not turn around. “I just know that if anyone is to have mixed feelings towards the success of our cause, it would be you. To fight against a parent is a burden I must count myself lucky to have never experienced. If you ever need to stop and just talk… you know where to find me.”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.” With that, Severance walked out the door and shut it behind him.
A small sniff brought Relinquish’s attention back to the mare that still held closely to him. His gentle touch was enough for her to pull back, but she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eyes for more than just a moment.
“Are you going to be alright?”
A simple nod and a shaky sigh, “I’ll be fine…”
He put his hoof on her shoulder, “Now, I need you to take a few deep breaths… Good, and now I need you to tell me exactly what happened again. I need as much detail as possible. Anything left out may turn out to be something crucial. Can you do that for me?”
Another nod came before Fury slowly began telling her story once more – this time with less tears and breaks involved. “… I was too concentrated with my own fight to really know what was happened, but from what I had caught a few glances at it seemed that Silence was keeping that other stallion on his hooves. I didn’t think he was too serious about it until he started firing off shots. He scored a direct hit, but somehow he survived… It didn’t make any sense! I’ve seen entire walls blown apart by it! I could tell how surprised he was, because that little barnyard mare threw a… she threw…”
-------------
Taking a few steps to the left after shutting the door, Severance collapsed into a sitting position against the wall. The sound of his dark blue armor clanging against itself caused a louder thud than he would have preferred, but at the moment he cared little. He felt exhausted, both in mind and in body. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly and heavily in an attempt to simply will the stress away.
“Star Light?”
It appeared that Silence was short for this world in two ways. With a bit of a sigh, Severance opened his eyes halfway and tiredly looked to the side. Several feet to his right stood a young earth pony colt with a coat and mane colored just like his.
“Mercy,” Severance said quietly. “I’ve told you before to call me by Severance.”
Mercy bit his lip gently, to which Severance assumed was the child rebuking himself in his head once more. “Right, sorry…”
“Think nothing of it.”
The colt nodded silently. Before the feeling of silence could return, he continued, “Is something wrong? I saw Red – I mean, Fury come through earlier… she looked like she had been crying… did something happen?”
Severance was about to answer when he felt something tug at his insides. Mercy was still just a child, even if a supposed one thousand years had passed. Was he mature enough to know the truth?
“Silence… he isn’t coming back.”
He was reluctant to look at the colt’s expression, but he knew he would have to sooner or later. With a sideways glance, he saw that Mercy looked merely bothered by this revelation rather than truly saddened. Had he misjudged the child’s maturity?
“How is Fury taking it?”
“About as well as you would expect.”
Just then, the door that was between them flew off its hinges as Relinquish was thrown outward. The three eyed pony gasped as the wind was knocked out of him and held a hoof to his chest. Severance and Mercy only watched with widened eyes before slowly turning their attention back towards the newly opened doorway. The room itself practically looked on fire just from the essence of overflowing rage, and in the middle of it all was Fury. Her body was braced and locked to the point where she looked like she could block a buffalo’s charge just by standing her ground. Her eyes were illuminated by a bright light and her chest heaved with heavy breaths.
“I’M GOING TO BREAK HER!!”
-------------
“To think that he was able to break it!”
Twilight Sparkle was still mesmerized by Big Macintosh’s feat of strength even as she walked out the door. She had made the decision to take the weapon to Princess Celestia with news of what had happened, as well as the condition of Applejack’s brother. The other girls followed behind her with their mission still in mind. The sun hadn’t moved since they had woken up, leading them to assume they probably still had plenty of daylight hours to make a move.
Applejack was about to take a step outside when she suddenly felt something tugging at her. It wasn’t physical, but rather as if something was tugging at her heart. Deep down she knew what it was, and she dreaded it. A challenge more threatening than the mare who called herself Fury awaited her.
“Uh, Ah’ll catch up with y’all in a bit,” the farm mare said just loud enough for the other girls to hear.
“Well, alright dear, but please do try to be quick about your business! I daresay we may not have much time to collect ourselves.” Rarity’s voice became fainter as the group made their way towards the edge of the farm. Applejack took a long, heavy sigh before quietly closing the front door and turning around to face her new challenge.
“Ah’m a patient mare, deary, and Ah coulda waited.”
“No Granny.” Applejack hopped up into a single seat chair, “This talk was gonna come sooner or later, and Ah’d rather do it sooner.”
Granny Smith had waited patiently on the couch for her granddaughter to come down from her grandson’s room. An hour had passed, and then two... And even when she was about to walk out the door, the old mare still said nothing. It was up to Applejack to remember what was most important, and she gave an inner sigh of relief knowing that while Applejack’s older brother may be hurt, he wasn’t the only one.
“Ah’m sure Macintosh has already spoken to ya about how we’ve been feelin’ about yer adventures.” She spoke calmly but with a hint of sadness in her tone. She didn’t lift her gaze to meet Applejack’s eyes but rather chose to look at that old military style helmet she had worn just before Family Appreciation Day at Applebloom’s school.
“That he did.” Applejack nodded as she too eyed the old memento.
The elderly mare let out a soft sigh, “Sometimes it seems like yer off savin’ the world just about ever’day… and Ah suppose Ah wouldn’ be a very good guardian if Ah didn’ worry about ya from time t’ time.” She carefully turned the helmet over so it was upside down. “Now Ah won’t stop ya from goin’, since the whole world needs ya, but Ah want you t’ remember that we’re keepin’ ya in our thoughts back here at home.”
Applejack smiled and took off her Stetson to press it against her chest. “Thank ya Granny… Ah don’t know what Ah’d do without all ya’ll back here.”
Granny Smith smiled softly, “Ah just want ya to remember to always be careful.” She glanced momentarily at the name that had been written on the inside rim of the helmet. The name of a pony that never got an opportunity to leave much behind for the ones they loved, or the sister they adored. “This family has already seen enough Apples leave and never come back…”
A catastrophe is probably an understatement for the current situation. Yesterday, Princess Luna requested the assistance of my friends and I to find an artifact known as the Fire of Passion that had been lost within the ruins of the old capitol of Equestria. When we arrived, we were attacked and incapacitated long enough for our assailants to capture the Princess and take her away. Since then, Applejack and her older brother Big Macintosh made contact with two of the assailants. A fight broke out in the middle of town and Big Macintosh was left severely injured by the event. The doctor said he should be able to make a full recovery in time.
From what Applejack was able to tell me, the shards that I’m sending with this letter were a part of a mask that one of them was wearing. After some quick research, I’ve deduced that these fragments are in fact made from the bone of a dragon. How these ponies came in possession of dragon’s bone is currently unknown, but what is known is that these ponies have extraordinary and possibly supernatural power. From Applejack’s testimony, one of the ponies was capable of breaking the stones in the ground with a single strike, while the other was capable of manipulating some form of dark energy to be used as a weapon despite being an earth pony.
Besides these, we know that one other is capable of producing a type of toxin into the air that is capable of disabling our regular motor functions and eventually rendering a pony unconscious. To what lethality these toxins can be rendered is currently unknown. We not yet know the capabilities of the other attackers, and as a precaution this letter is being sent.
I apologize for the simplicity of this letter, but we may not have the time to document every detail. I hope to see a swift reply.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.
The letter to the Princess became enveloped in a magical glow and lifted out of the dragon scribe’s claws and into the air. As it was rolled up, a dozen fractured pieces of bone were slipped snuggly within. The scroll was returned to the dragon before it was burned up – bones and all – in green fire.
“There,” Twilight said with an anxious sigh, “Surely the Princess will be able to help us with what’s going on. Better yet, she may be able to tell us just when she’ll be returning. Oh, I hope it’s soon…”
Before the Unicorn could even begin to get antsy, Spike clutched his stomach before belching a flurry of green fire which came together and materialized into a scroll that was rolled up just as the first one had been.
“Well, that was quick.” Rainbow Dash said simply as Twilight quickly took the scroll back in her magical aura’s grasp and unraveling it in front of her.
“Well go on! What does it say, dear?” Rarity was just as anxious as everypony else about the contents of the letter, save for Applejack who just entered the room. She gave a short courteous nod to the ponies who noticed her.
Twilight cleared her throat before reading aloud the contents of the letter,
“Dearest Twilight,
Your words trouble me greatly. With my sister gone, Equestria will fall into a state of great peril. She must be rescued immediately. I am afraid that I currently am unable to assist. Equestria’s stability with the world demands that I remain here, and it is because of this that I am giving you and your friends full permission to use the Elements of Harmony at your discretion, if you have not already. It pains me greatly knowing that I cannot be there myself to help save her from whatever ponies dare to try and harm her.
I ask you to remain cautious should you meet these assailants, Twilight. While I am fully confident in your ability, but they must have something to help them if they were able to take Luna captive. I was originally under the impression that the Fire was gone without a trace, but it seems to me that it is not as lost as I had believed it to be.
I promise that I will return as the moment I am able.
Good Luck,
Celestia”
“Really?” Rainbow blurted. Her wings began to flap, pulling her up a few feet into the air as she crossed her hooves, “That’s all there is? What could be so big that she can’t even come back to Equestria to help save her own sister? Not even a Wonderbolt show would be enough to keep me from flyin’ right over and kicking some flank if something happened to one of you girls!” Twilight smiled at the thought of knowing that Rainbow would give up something so important for her and the others. “Spoken like a true Element of Loyalty.”
A small blush came to the cyan Pegasus’s cheeks as she bashfully looked away.
“Ah’m a little bit more worried about why the Princess ain’t able to come. What’s so gosh darn important that she can’t come back to save her sister?”
Twilight’s smile was overtaken by a short sigh, “I’m not really supposed to tell anypony about this, but I suppose it can’t really be helped…” Twilight frowned at the thought of breaking the promise she made to her teacher, but surely she would understand, right?
“Princess Celestia is currently attending the Meeting of World Leaders.” Upon seeing the confusion on all of their faces, the Unicorn continued, “Every five to ten years – it’s different every time – the leaders of every nation come together to speak with one another. They explain the state of their countries, their problems and prospers, as well as negotiations for any two or more countries that may be butting heads. If she were to leave, the others may take it the wrong way…”
“That’s a bunch of crap!” Rainbow exclaimed, “If those other countries were really our friends, then they should understand–”
“I know, and I’m not too happy about it either.” Twilight said, hoping to calm the quick tempered Pegasus, “But we have to trust the Princess on this. If she believes we’re enough to save Princess Luna on our own, then we can’t let her down!”
“We’ll beat those meanies into next week and save the Princess!” Pinkie said with a swing of her hoof. “It won’t be that easy.”
-------------
“Just calm down, this is easy…”
Relinquish took a deep breath before stepping into the darkness. The dusty walls and floor faded away. The floor turned into a pale white wasteland, while the walls disappeared completely to reveal an endless darkness illuminated only by the glow of the ground beneath him. The gateway dissolved behind him, leaving him alone.
But alone he did not stay. Not too far from where he stood was a certain blue Alicorn. She didn’t seem to even notice that he had arrived, for she seemed far too preoccupied with staring into the sky above. The former Unicorn took another deep breath before stepping forward. He came to a silent stop beside her, taking a seat just as she had. His eyes turned upward, and there was silence. No wind, no life besides them, and only the sounds of their own breaths to keep them company.
The stallion didn’t mind, however. This was not the first time the two had sat quietly together as they stared up into the sky. Although back then, they were watching the stars and moon as they made their slow journey across the sky. This time, the sky was taken by something else entirely.
“Why did you do this, Awestruck…”
It came as a whisper, almost a whimper. Relinquish’s three eyes turned to the mare, but her eyes did not meet his. They instead chose to stay glued to the sky.
“I did this because you… You are sick, or… altered. You are no longer yourself… No longer the Queen you had proven yourself to be.”
He saw the way his Queen bit her lip. Whether it was a reaction to not knowing what to say or knowing what to say and simply wishing not to say it, he would not know.
“And you know I prefer to be called by the title you gave me…”
To this, Luna was able to tear her eyes away from the sky but only to bring them down to stare at the floor in shame. “It… feels like so long ago…”
Relinquish felt a small smile come to his lips as memories of triumph returned to his mind, “You told us to do the impossible… and we made it work.”
-------------
“What do you mean it won’t work?”
“Yeah, and what are you even doing here?” The lavender Unicorn added to her friend’s remark. “I turned the ‘Open’ sign on the door to say ‘Closed’.”
The little dark blue colt only shrugged before taking a short look towards the door and sign in question. “Yes, but somepony also left the door open.”
The group followed the colt’s gaze and saw that the door was indeed wide open. Their own gaze continued to shift until it landed on the last of their group to enter, who was currently trying to shield herself by tipping her Stetson.
“And to answer your first question,” the colt continued, not wanting the orange mare to be rebuked for what was probably an honest mistake, “I never said your plan wouldn’t work, just that it wouldn’t be easy. As for your second question… I came here to help.”
The little colt stepped forward, revealing more of his features. His coat and mane reminded them very much of Luna’s own colors when they had first seen her shortly after banishing Nightmare Moon from her heart. His eyes contrasted his nighttime colors, instead resembling the deep red of a ruby. He bore no cutie mark, which the girls supposed wasn’t too unnatural for a colt his age.
“My name is New Dawn,” he spoke loud enough for the mares around him, but quietly enough so that any eavesdroppers would struggle, “But my friends call me Mercy. And your names?”
“Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie!” The excitable pink mare quickly made her way forward before grabbing the young colt’s hoof and shaking it, and in turn shaking him.
“Oh, calm down. You’re going to give the poor dear a headache.” Rarity walked forward and put a hoof on Pinkie’s shoulder, hoping to help cease the mare’s eccentric movements. Pinkie only giggled in response before her hoofshake came to a sudden halt. Mercy’s eyes rolled around dizzily in his head as he struggled to maintain his posture. Nevertheless, he tried to give a friendly smile to the overly friendly mare.
“Wait, New Dawn?” Twilight stepped forward, gently pushing Pinkie out of the way so there were no obstructions, “But that’s the name of one of the ponies from Luna’s rebellion!”
He shrugged gently and spoke modestly, “You caught me.”
“B-but… but… that’s not possible!” Twilight’s head felt like it was going to be going a mile a minute in a few moments, but the colt’s next interjection cut her short.
“Oh come on,” he said, furrowing his brow, “From our own inspections and a few sneak-ins here and there when the others dropped you off have confirmed that we’ve been away for a very long time. Surely the Princess has told somepony about us and what had happened in the last few hundred years. On top of that, judging from those strange looking pieces of jewelry you’re wearing, as well as our own reports, I feel our assumptions of your being in possession of the Elements of Harmony is extremely likely. The letter you received moments ago goes on to confirm this. As well, the mere fact that the Princess and the Element bearers arrived within the ruins of what I feel is safe to presume was the old capitol city around the same time that we happened to be awoken from our prison… Come on, the universe is practically begging for a confrontation here.”
The other mares seemed surprisingly struck by this revelation. Well, except for the pink one whom he thought said something similar to, “Oooh, he’s good…” Had they really not put two and two together?
“Oh my, but how have you survived for over a thousand years?” Fluttershy said, breaking her usual quietness.
He gave another short shrug, “Magic.”
To say the pause that followed his statement was a deadpan silence would be more than accurate.
“Wait, wha–”
“Of course! The Fire!”
“Precisely.” Mercy smiled at the lavender Unicorn’s burst of logic. “The Fire of Passion was in our possession some one thousand years ago, and in our possession it remains. Shortly before we were to bring the Fire to our Princess, it released a burst of magic. Apparently, this burst of magic imprisoned both the others and I within stone. It appears that time had forgotten us until the room in which we were imprisoned was found, and the Fire somehow slipped around Relinquish’s neck.”
“Relinquish?”
“Yes, the others and I all hold titles that were given to us by the Princess herself. My title is Mercy. The others are Relinquish, Regret, Silence, Fury, Revenant, Venom, and Severance.”
“Wait a minute,”
Mercy paused as the orange earth pony made her way forward, “Fury an’ Silence were the name o’ those ponies my brother and Ah saw in the marketplace.”
“Indeed.” He confirmed, “Fury was our initial source in leading us to assume you and your friends were the bearers. We were happy to see her unharmed after venturing into a virtually whole new world, but sadly, Silence did not return to us as unharmed as we had hoped.”
Another wordless moment. He watched as Applejack took in just what the colt had said. He watched as her eyes grew wider before she quickly turned and made her way towards a window and away from the group. She whimpered and muttered something into the hoof she held against her lips. Pinkie wasted no time in getting by the farm mare’s side and wrapping a comforting hoof around her shaken friend.
“It would… appear the concept of death has become less prevalent over time.” Mercy said quietly so that only the mares closest to him could hear. “I didn’t mean to upset…”
“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine…” Twilight looked over at her two friends for a moment before continuing. “Hopefully…”
“What I’m more concerned about is why you’re here,” Rainbow Dash floated over and landed next to him. He noticed the way she would take quick little glances towards the orange mare in the corner and figured that this was her way of distracting herself so that she might not butt in and say the wrong thing somewhere else. “You say you’re in the same group, club, whatever as those other ponies, including the ones who attacked AJ and her brother in broad daylight, and yet here you are talking to us like we’re friends. Hay, your even giving us information about whatever we ask about!”
“My mother taught me to be honest.”
Once again he received a deadpan response for his remarks.
He gave a soft sigh, “And because… I don’t necessarily agree with Relinquish and his plans anymore. We’ve followed him through Tartarus and back, but now I feel he’s slipping from reality…”
“You mean he’s going crazy?”
“More or less. He’s not about to go needing a strait jacket, but he doesn’t understand that the Princess isn’t the same mare she was when we knew her anymore. He’s trying to turn her back, to break her of this ‘new’ Luna.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Rainbow Dash leapt back into the sky, “Let’s go and save her!”
“Haven’t you been listening? It’s not going to be that easy. Relinquish and the others aren’t normal ponies by any means. If you want to beat them, you’re going to have to know what makes them just who they are…”
-------------
“Must this place be so big?”
The peach colored Unicorn couldn’t help but chuckle at his best friend’s remark. “Come now, this is the home of royalty after all!”
Goliath merely shook his head as he took in the grand architecture around him. The castle of the “Royal Sisters,” as it was called, was full of carefully crafted décor that was complimented further with beautiful tapestries that hung from the walls and that’s not to mention all the suits of armor and stained glass windows and other decorative pieces that lined the halls.
“I just think this is much too big of a place for just a few ponies to be living in.”
“Heh, you should see the plans for the new capitol they want to build in a few years. It’s estimated to be at least twice as big as the city is now. And it’s not just the Princess’s, you know.” Awestruck Wonder wore a smile on his face as he passed through the mostly empty halls. “There are usually at least a dozen servants here during the day, not to mention those looking to have an audience with the Princess’s themselves.”
The large charcoal colored stallion looked around, hoping to catch sight of all these ponies that supposedly inhabited the castle. His brow furrowed and his lips scrunched to one side as there appeared to be nopony else inside the entire castle. Such silence within a castle so large was… unsettling for the stallion.
“Luna gave some of them the day off, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“So it would seem…” Whether Awestruck used some kind of spell to read his mind or if his expression did enough to explain how he felt, Goliath put little thoughts toward. The idea wasn’t too far-fetched, considering he was–
“Well, if it isn’t everypony’s favorite traveling magician.”
The attention of both ponies was brought forward to a very well groomed Unicorn stallion that was currently making his way towards them from the other end of the hall. His coat was a silken white and his mane was golden like the sun’s rays. His eyes were a beautiful blue like a cloudless daytime sky. He wore golden armor with a dark blue mace strapped to his back. Beside him trotted a young colt that contrasted his colors to the point. With a mane and coat of night and eyes of ruby, his pace quickly slowed down enough to allow himself to hide behind the older stallion.
“Prince Star Light,” Awestruck bent down to the ground and spoke in a mocking tone, “How do you do?”
When the magician looked back up he was met by a half glare, half cocked eyebrow look. “Enough of that. Titles are not necessary in private like this. Besides, I don't like the title considering I did nothing to earn it. If you must call me anything, at least call me captain. I am hardly a prince.”
“Whatever you say, ‘your majesty’,”
Star Light shook his head before turning his cool eyes to the second stallion that stood before him. Goliath could see the way the prince, or rather, captain eyed the claymore sword that was strapped to his strong back, He didn’t blame the Unicorn, he’d be cautious too if a stranger entered if a stranger entered his home with a weapon. It’s not like he chose to bring it, but Awestruck had insisted. He said that there was a job to be done and his weapon would be needed.
“So, who’s your friend?” Awestruck asked before the soldier could inquire the same.
“I was about to ask the same of your partner here.”
“My name is Goliath,” he said in his natural slow but smooth tone, hoping to speak up before his friend could come up with some other little remark. “I’m a farmer from the town of Barreldale, just a few miles south of the forest.”
“I could have guessed, judging from your physique.”
Goliath merely nodded and took the reply as a compliment. Regardless of whether he was a farm pony or not, he had always been roughly a head taller and stronger than anypony else, even when growing up.
Star Light allowed a moment’s pause before speaking again. “This,” he took a step to the side, revealing the little colt that had taken refuge behind the prince, “Is New Dawn. We are, as one might say… like-minded.”
“I see,” Awestruck began circling the little dark colt, which only seemed to further said colt’s anxiety. He clearly didn’t do well around strangers, but if what Star Light said was true, then perhaps…
New Dawn made a small noise as Awestruck put a hoof in the colt’s mane, messing it up a little. “Perhaps you’re not as young as I thought you were.”
Awestruck’s smile proved contagious as it brought forward a similar smile from the child.
“We can discuss histories later.” Star Light spoke up. His tone never seemed to change, whether he wore that armor or not. “Right now we have a meeting to attend to. Lady Saryn should be arriving soon and Captain Wind Reaver has already retrieved Ms. Morning Dew from the gardens. They should be waiting for us in the throne room.” He turned, prompting New Dawn to follow. “We’ll be there shortly,” Awestruck called out before turning towards the hallway to their left. Star Light turned his head around and asked what he meant with a cock of his eyebrow. “Lower level. Princess’s orders.” He said, a surprising amount of his previous foolishness having faded.
Star Light stared at the magician for a few moments before his gaze turned to the floor. He gave a swift nod before proceeding on his way.
Goliath looked confused. Lower level? What was beneath the castle? Who lived there? He looked to Awestruck for answers but the other stallion simply proceeded down the hall without even checking to see if his friend was following him.
Goliath quickly rushed forward, not wanting to lose sight of his only guide in such a large castle. The two made their way quietly down the empty hall without a word. He began to notice the way the lights seemingly grew dimmer as they made their way deeper within. Decorations remained but were less tended to compared to those towards the front. Layers of dust rested upon the layers of steel the armored mannequins wore.
The farm pony was so distracted by the eeriness of it all that he nearly walked right into Awestruck’s side. Reorienting himself, his eyes followed those of Awestruck’s and stopped upon a contrasting sight. Before them stood a door. Unlike the others, which were all gracefully cut and with beautiful designs carved into them, this one was large, solid, and simple. Around its frame was iron that had been bolted in to hold the whole thing together. Around eye level was a rectangular hole with three dark iron poles that were far enough apart as to not obscure vision, but close enough together so that a hoof wouldn’t be able to reach through. Goliath’s eyes trailed lower, to where he caught sight of an unlocked lock that hung loosely from the door.
“Where does this lead, Awestruck…?” He asked, still shocked that such a door could even exist within a castle that many claimed to be the most beautiful place in Equestria.
“To the lower level,” he replied simply.
His horn began to glow with a pale white aura which also enveloped the door. It creaked open slowly, doing nothing to calm Goliath’s nerves. Without a word, both stepped forward. A spiraling staircase almost consumed by darkness lay before them. Dim candles existed as they only source of light, save that coming from the now open door. The walls were made of black stone, only proving to aid the dark.
“Just stay close,” Awestruck said as he began to make his way downstairs, “You’ll be fine.”
Goliath gave a heavy sigh at the Unicorn’s words. Had such a phrase ever truly worked to calm a pony? And if not, then why did ponies still say it? He shook his head free of such questions, figuring they should be asked on another day. For now, his attention was brought to his steps which needed to be taken carefully lest he fall.
The journey down the steps was a long one. The only sounds were the taps of their hoofsteps echoing through the hall. By the time they reached the end of the staircase, both sets of eyes were fully adjusted to the darkness.
Not that there was much to see. The stairs had led to a more open hall that stretched forward for some distance. Mirrored on each wall were open rooms that were blocked off with metal bars similar to those that had been on the door above.
Prison cells.
Goliath figured he shouldn’t have been too surprised. A nation as large and growing as Equestria, he’d be surprised if the capitol city of it all didn’t have some form of jail or dungeon.
He was rather happy to see that every cell was empty. Or at least appeared to be empty… Who knows what could be waiting and watching from within the shadows of some of the darker cells.
The end of the hallway came into view. A cell just like any other, except this one had just a few differences. The first being the guard that stood watch against the wall. His coat was like New Dawn’s, being the cool blue of night. Unlike the guards upstairs who were adorned in gold, this one wore a gothic style suit of armor that only just a tone brighter than his coat. What stood out most about the guard were his bright yellow eyes with slits for pupils. Were these the supposed night guards that he had heard about? He began to understand why they were only spoken of in hushed voices.
With his superior vision and hearing, the night guard had heard them coming the moment they opened the door and saw them the moment they exited the stairway. However, it was not until they had come within a distance that he was sure they could see him that he chose to acknowledge their presence.
Awestruck returned the night guard’s short nod with one of his own. The guard made a quick glance at Goliath and his sword before his eyes returned to meet the Unicorn’s gaze.
“Open it.”
Another nod and the stallion lifted himself up from his seated position to unlock the door. With a new side of the guard in view, Goliath took note of the wings that were folded at his side. Unlike the feathery wings of most Pegasi, his wings were life that of a bat. Were these ponies altered in some way, or was this somehow natural?
The lock had been swiftly dealt with and the night guard stepped aside. Awestruck pushed the gate open and entered while Goliath reluctantly followed. A quick glance back at the guard revealed that he had returned to his seated positions and looked with his eyes forward.
“Well well, if I had known I would be having visitors I may have tried to freshen up a little.”
Goliath was surprised to hear the sound of a mare’s voice in such a dark and hollow place. But a mare did reside here, and it was this mare that was currently sitting with her back against the wall and her hind legs sprawled out forward. Her forelegs were lifted above her head where long chains held them in place. Shackles held tight around her hind legs as well, but these ones gave plenty of slack by comparison. It didn’t seem like the prison was made for ponies at all, let alone a mare like her.
“Red Star,”
She spat near Awestruck’s hooves.
“My name is Awestruck Wonder–” He began, unphased by her actions.
“Ohhh, how pretty. And what’s his name? Twinkle Toes?” She smiled an almost sadistic smile to the larger stallion. She saw the way he looked at her and wasted no time in prying upon him. “What’s wrong, big guy? Never seen a gal in chains before?”
To this he scoffed. Why were they here dealing with a mare who was chained to a wall and had such little respect for others? “Tch, somepony must not be into kink.”
Goliath quickly turned around to leave, but was stopped by Awestruck’s hoof.
“And this,” he continued, as if nothing had happened, “Is my good friend, Goliath. We have proposition that may prove beneficial to somepony in your position.”
“Yeah?” Red Star let her head lazily slump to one side, “And why should I bother listening?”
“I don’t think you have much of a choice in your situation.”
She rolled her eyes, “Alright, fine. Hurry it up.”
Awestruck gave a small smile. “Anypony in your…” He thought for a moment on the proper word. “…predicament, would certainly seek to benefit from giving the option to leave.”
“Eh, I’m fine here.”
Awestruck’s stern expression was broken at her response.
“What?” she asked innocently. “It’s calm, it’s quiet, and whenever I need someone to talk to, I know I can always count on Flutters out there.”
“Flutters?” Goliath asked. The moment he repeated the silly nickname, he could practically feel the night guard’s eyes roll.
“So yeah, I’m fairly content.”
Goliath was beginning to have enough of the mare. “I don’t see why we’re wasting our time with this girl. We have some place to be, we shouldn’t be wasting time!”
Awestruck merely stared at her, slightly dumbfounded. He was offering freedom from this literal hole in the ground, and she claimed to be content with where she was? His expression slowly began to soften.
“You think you deserve this, don’t you…”
“Deserve what?” She snapped back, “Deserve to have my ears chewed off? At least Flutters out there has the decency to ignore me.”
“You want to stay here…” Awestruck took a few steps closer, and it was clearly making the mare uncomfortable.
“What a shock! It can hear! Maybe if Twinkle Toes trains you hard enough, you’ll actually be able to listen!”
“You want to stay here… because of your parents.”
Awestruck stopped in his tracks for two reasons. The first was because he saw the way he was making the girl agitated. The second reason was because he estimated that the chains were only long enough to hold her at such a distance when she tried to charge him.
He could see the burning rage within her eyes as her teeth-bearing face came a mere inch from his own. All four of her legs were being pulled back at awkward angles by the chains, but she still held her ground gravity’s desire to make her fall.
Goliath kept his hoof on the hilt of his sword. Quicker than a heartbeat had she gotten up from her position and was fully prepared to break the Unicorn’s neck. Awestruck, however, seemed to have suffered from no noticeable change in expression. He merely looked at mare as if beckoning her to try and break free. And she was certainly trying.
“You know nothing about me!”
“I know you murdered them.”
“I DID NOT MURDER THEM!”
“Then why are you here?”
His question left her without a reply. No shout of anger, no sarcastic or snarky comeback. She merely glared, hoping that it would be enough to somehow force him to burst into flames.
“You say you did not murder them. Fine, so be it. But remember that you’re the only one who thinks that. What of all the ponies on the outside, hm? They beg to differ. Accounts from neighbors say you were the sweetest little filly… they never saw the day coming when you’d be standing in a bloody room.”
“Give me one good reason I shouldn’t wring your little fucking neck.” Her words were almost inaudible behind her gritting teeth.
“I can make it all go away.”
Her glare could pierce the heart of a pony even if they were behind a brick wall between them, and yet the Unicorn remained stoic. Red Star looked into his hazel eyes for any spec that could convince her that he was lying, any reason to shut his mouth permanently. It was only because she found none that he was able to continue talking.
“Well, not myself exactly. Rather, it is the pony I work for that can erase all evidence of your past for you.”
“There’s always a catch.”
A small pop could be heard as a scroll materialized into existence between them. Red Star was a little surprised, being able to tear her eyes away from his for just a moment. The scroll, wrapped in Awestruck’s magical aura, unraveled before him. He coughed once into his hoof before reading aloud, “I, Princess Luna of Equestria, hereby authorize the release of the mare Red Star. She will be pardoned of all claims, accusations, and current punishments. She will be allowed to own property within Equestria’s borders, marry, et cetera.”
As he spoke, Red Star’s anger and fury began to melt. Her features softened and her eyes slowly widened. “A… release warrant?”
“Indeed.” He replied. “It’s signed and ready to go.”
The mare didn’t know what to say. The idea of freedom felt so foreign after spending the past… how many years had it been? Eight? Nine? She had lost track some time ago. Living without windows did that to a pony. After realizing how foolish she probably looked with her mouth open and her eyes frantically moving around, she shook her head and collected herself. “Like I said, there’s always a catch.”
“No catch.” Awestruck said simply. “This warrant is all yours. You’re free to go anywhere you please, do whatever you want. Travel around, see the world. Go find a stallion and have a few foals. Do whatever you like.”
“Bullshit.”
Awestruck rolled his eyes gently before turning his head towards Goliath, “Cut her chains.”
“What?”
“What?”
Goliath looked back and forth between the mare and his friend. Was he really asking him to release the mare that was quite seriously prepared to kill him just a moment ago? He let out a long sigh. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
He pulled the large sword off his back. Red Star still held the chains at their full length which would allow for an easy cut. He stood up on his hind legs and took the handle with both hooves, but was stopped before he could do so.
“Wait!” She said, trying to hold a hoof out to emphasis her words but they were still too restricted in her current stance. Goliath caught himself, questioning her words with a look. She nodded towards the chain he was about to cut, “Cut it about halfway… leave some on.”
The towering stallion looked to Awestruck, who merely shrugged. Goliath turned his attention forward once more and complied with the mare’s wishes. Before long, all four chains were cut. About a dozen links remained on her forehooves as to not hinder walking, but those on her hind legs continued for another few feet.
The mare trotted around a little, stretching her limbs that were so stiffened after going so long without use. Neither had really noticed because of the way she had been positioned, by she was surprisingly small for her age. Certainly larger than a filly, but not quite as tall as the average mare. Perhaps she was just a late bloomer.
“May I ask why?” Goliath said as the two ponies watched her move around. She was about to ask what he meant before she tracked his gaze to the chains.
She held one of the shackles around her hooves to her face, looking at them as if it were the first time she had ever done so. “Like I said, there’s always a catch. Your Princess didn’t free me for nothing, and if she’s anything like her guards than it sure as hell wasn’t out of the kindness of her heart. She needs me for something, and until I do whatever that something is, I won’t really be free.”
Her reasons were… interesting, to say the least. Perhaps there was more to this mare than meets the eye. Or so he thought until she casually trotted out of the jail cell and immediately sucker punched the night guard in the face.
“That’s for never telling me I was pretty whenever I asked.” She said with a mix of her previous coldness and general bad attitude. She turned her head back towards the others, “Come on, Twinkle Toes. Remind me what the sun looks like.”
Red Star quickly put a hoof to her nose the moment the trio stepped outside. Their plan was to make a shortcut through the garden, but it appeared that the recently freed mare was not even close to being in a hurry to get anywhere…
“I suppose one can lose their memory of what nature smells like when given enough time.” Awestruck said with a small smile. He found the idea rather interesting that most ponies found nature’s scent to be a splendorous one, but when one spends enough time away from it all they suddenly become disgusted the moment such a smell returns.
“Let’s just get out of here,” she said, her voice slightly changed from having her nose plugged as best she could with one hoof, “Five minutes outside and I’m already sick of this–”
“That reminds me.” Awestruck quickly moved in front of the mare, both to block her path and to make more direct eye contact. “While I may be tolerant of your more vulgar language, I will not allow such to be said in the presence of Her Highness.”
Her crimson eyes narrowed, “Listen punk,-”
“She is the only reason you are not still rotting underground only to be forgotten. You will remain professional in her presence. Is this understood?”
Red Star growled quietly in defiance to his command. Not even ten minutes out of her prison and she was already being told what to do? A tinge of regret hit her heart. At first for even taking their offer in the first place, and then regret for that thought exactly. They went out of their way for her for some reason or another, the least she could do was play by their rules… for now. Her growl faded and she tossed her head to the side. He supposed that was as good of an “okay” as he was going to get. “Excellent. Now let’s get a move on, I’d rather not keep our company waiting.”
Awestruck began trotting away with a bit of a skip to his step. Red Star glared at him as he walked away, not ready to move from where she stood.
“He’s not always like that.”
Red Star jumped a little. She had completely forgotten that Goliath was following them from behind. She turned her head and watched as he came to her side.
“Oh, well that’s good.” She said, “At least I know he wasn’t born with a stick up his ass – I mean… flank.” She sighed. This was going to take some getting used to.
Goliath merely chuckled quietly. “He’s actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him. It’s just lately he’s been rather… short, with other ponies.” He expected the quick and sarcastic reply that he had come to recognize as her default response. When it never came, he looked down at her only to be met with a glare of his own.
His first reaction was confusion, followed almost immediately by realization and then regret. “I mean, um… Listen, I–”
“Forget it,” She said a little harsher than she meant to, but nonetheless proceeded to follow after the stallion that was getting further away from them. Goliath pressed his hoof against his face, silently berating himself for letting such a comment slip before quickly following suit.
The group arrived at their destination not long after. Awestruck stopped before a large pair of double doors. Red Star and Goliath looked up at the doors, taking in their design. Just as beautifully crafted as the others within the palace, these ones had a difference that set them apart from the others. On the left door was an image of a pony with both horns and wings and the image of the sun rising from behind them. On the right door was a mirrored copy of the pony, but this time with a crescent moon being lifted over the horizon.
“Tch, too tacky for my tastes.”
Both stallions rolled their eyes before stepping forward to push the mighty doors apart. A creak from both sides alerted those inside that the final members had arrived, much to some’s relief.
“Running a little late, are we?” A mare from the right said with a smile that some may take as an arrogant one. She was tall, almost as tall as Goliath. She was certainly taller if one chose to add the height of her horn. Her coat was a proud silver color and her mane almost matched, just being a tad brighter. Unlike most mares, her mane was short and styled rather than long and focused around elegance.
Red Star covered her mouth and leaned towards Goliath, “Who’s the tall bitch?”
“Lady Saryn,” He said as he too leaned in closer, “About as high class as a pony can get without being a part of the royal family. She practically owns half the city.”
“Jeez, how many stallions did she have to–”
“Oh, Awestruck!” She said loudly enough to catch the attention of the two whisperers. She quickly made her way towards the group – or more specifically, Red Star. “You didn’t tell me you had a daughter!”
“Actually, she’s–” Awestruck tried to correct her, but she paid him no mind. Instead she B-lined straight for the mare and pushed her chin up with her hoof so they could look into each other’s eyes.
“How old is she, anyways? She’s so small, she must’ve only just gotten out of school!” If looks could actually shoot daggers, Saryn would have been full of them at this point. Nevertheless, the Unicorn continued, “And such a curious fashion statement she’s making with those shackles. Honestly, if you don’t help her dress proper than she’s going to end up on the rebellious side.”
The crimson mare had had enough. She threw away all professionalism that she had been planning to show as she threw a punch straight for Saryn’s jaw. The blow never made it, much to both Red’s surprise and anger. Saryn had moved her hoof and blocked the coming attack with relative ease. “Ohh, feisty.” She almost purred the words.
Red’s fury was beginning to overflow. She took both forehooves and planted them in the floor. Her entire body twisted and spun around, throwing her legs outward towards Saryn. Red’s movements were quick, but the Unicorn was faster. She easily and rather gracefully hopped backwards, expecting that the mare’s legs would only reach so far. What she wasn’t expecting, however, were the chains that were still around the mare’s hind legs to swing out with her kick, effectively doubling her reach. The last few links caught Saryn right on her cheek, leaving it bruised and red. She let out a small gasp from the unexpected blow, her eyes going wide as she reached up to touch the wound. Thankfully there was no blood and the bruise didn’t look too serious, but to a mare such as Saryn…
“You little bitch!” Her horn lit up like the night sky and a magical blast was fired. Red Star braced herself, but the sound of a quick shuffling caught her attention. By the time the shot was halfway between them, an older looking Pegasus pony landed between them with a sword in his mouth. He sliced right through the magic, cutting it in half and rendering it unable to hold itself together. By the time it reached its target, Red Star only felt a small breeze.
Suddenly both mares were wrapped in a magical aura. Red Star was moved rather forcefully back behind Goliath while Saryn was pushed back near the twin thrones that stood at the far end of the room.
“That’s enough!” Star Light joined the Pegasus in standing between the two of them. His horn was already glowing and ready to act just in case either should fail to listen to reason. “We were not brought here to bicker! If I must put you in corners, than I shall.” His blue eyes turned to Awestruck, who had not moved during the little event, “I’m sure you and Her Majesty have good reason for bringing this mare here, but I will not hold myself back if she must be restrained.”
Without thinking, Goliath stepped forward to put more of himself between the captain and Red Star, “Understood.”
Red Star huffed. She was frustrated. Frustrated both because she wanted to teach the prissy mare across the room a lesson and because she had lost her cool so easily. Getting used to normal life again was going to take a lot of getting used to. She looked to the side and noticed that the Pegasus had not said a word during everything that had happened. His coat was grey like a cloud and his mane was a greying orange. He wordlessly slid the sword back into the sheath that hung from his side. Oddly, he kept another sword on the opposite side of the same make and style. Holding a sword with hooves was hard enough, but did he really use two?
Behind him was a mare that didn’t appear to be paying attention at all. She wore a cloak that almost looked like a raincoat that covered most of her body. From what was visible, her coat was a vibrant orange and her mane was somewhere between black and a very dark brown. Her horn glowed faintly as she stared at some of the hanging torches on the nearby wall. It didn’t seem like she was doing anything at all besides stare at flames until she realized the flames were flickering and lashing out in perfect unison. In fact, every torch was like a mirror image of the one across from it.
Every ear perked at the sound of a throat being cleared, and every eye turned towards the bridge that connected both thrones. There stood a mare unlike any other. Her coat was as blue as the night sky and her mane was ethereal by nature, blowing in an invisible constant wind. Princess Luna stood tall and proud above her subjects, and she smiled as they bowed before her. Well, most of them did at least. The red mare towards the back seemed confused at first before realizing just what was going on. Needless to say, her first attempt at bowing to somepony in the past eight years, possibly the first time in her life, was only slightly awkward and clumsy. Had this meeting come together under circumstances of lesser intensity, she may have allowed a giggle to come through from the sight.
“You may stand.”
The ponies complied and rose back to their full heights. The Lunar Princess thought she heard one of them give a small sigh of relief. Regardless, she continued, “Our faithful subjects… We have called each of thou here because thou share something in common. Something that has grown to become a rarity amongst the subjects that my sister and I rule over. Thou all stand above the others. Thou are not prejudiced against everything that We have worked so hard to bring to every pony that lives within our borders. Thou are here because thou do not have some nonsensical phobia of the night sky and the dark. Thou do not become frightened little foals when Our sister’s dear sun sinks below the horizon. Thou are all better than that. While some of you may feel thou are not up to the task, or simply too young for such a thing,” Her eyes found their way to New Dawn, who was somewhere between listening intently and simply taking in the majesty of the Alicorn before him, “We do not doubt the ability of our subjects. We know that thou are capable incredible things, each and every one of you. And it is because of these abilities that We… I have decided to name each of thou as members of the Stars.”
The Lunar Alicorn jumped and allowed her wings to flutter just enough to get her over the railing. She landed gently and gracefully before them. The ponies looked to her, surprised that she had dropped the use of “We” in their presence. “The name sounds simple, I know. But just because something is simple does not mean it is unimportant. For, as I am sure each of thou knows, Stars shine brightest during the night. While during the day, they are hidden and outshined by the sun’s blinding arrogance.” She practically hissed the last few words. She wanted to remain calm and collected before her subjects, but some matters she simply could not help but feel enraged about. She took a deep breath to cool her nerves before continuing, “Of course, this is not a matter to be forced upon you. Thou are all free to accept or decline. If there are any who do not wish to accept my offer, then thou are free to leave now. Be warned that my plans for you all can become perilous.”
Awestruck, as she had expected, was the first to step forward. “I accept.”
She smiled to him before turning to the others. “And the rest of you?”
“You seek to bring a change, Princess, do you not?” A quiet and somewhat monotonous voice said. All eyes turned to the orange mare in the raincoat that stood farthest from the rest. She looked to hold an expression somewhere between being tired and being bored. “I can see it in your eyes. The essence of your heart is overflowing from your mouth.”
The Princess’s eyebrows lifted a little. “Even more observant that I had expected. I applaud you, Morning Dew.” Morning Dew nodded in appreciation before stepping forward just as Awestruck had. Luna’s eyes moved to the aged Pegasus, “Sky Captain Wind Reaver?”
Wind Reaver remained silent for a few moments as his gaze turned to the other ponies in the room. All so young and spry and reckless. Perhaps if he was ten years younger… He slowly stepped forward and spoke in a gruff tone, “Somepony’s gonna have to look after these kids.”
“Anything for my Princess,” Saryn stepped forward and bowed graciously.
Star Light stepped forward without a word.
New Dawn was beginning to look nervous as more and more of the others stepped forward while he remained undecided. He knew he was going to have to make a choice soon, but that only further drove his anxiety. He quickly looked around and caught the eyes of Goliath. The larger stallion looked down at the smaller with tinge of remorse. He knew what would happen with the colt if he stepped forward, but at the same time he had come here in the first place. He let out a deep sigh, hoping with all his heart that he wouldn’t regret making his body move forward.
“I suppose I don’t have much of a choice,” Red Star said, trying to keep her regular attitude around the others. In truth, she was extremely intimidated by the Alicorn’s presence. There was just something about her that made her feel as cold as she did back underground.
Finally, the little colt stepped forward like the others. Goliath couldn’t help but feel regret for the colt’s decision. Perhaps if he had stayed back, New Dawn wouldn’t have felt like he had to do the same as everypony else.
“I am proud of you all.” Luna said in a quiet but still commanding tone. “Duty for your Princess has called, and each of thou has answered. While being my Stars is certainly a prestigious title, I ask that everything that has been said and done in this room be kept between us. Even my faithful Night Guard know not of my plans.” The Princess began walking down a side passageway. The newly appointed Stars followed her until she reached a doorway that opened to reveal a simple balcony. The tower they resided in was high enough to look over all the trees in the forest and rewarded quite a pleasant view. “Surely at least one of you has noticed the thickening clouds that are forming around Mount Irelany.” Her blue hoof pointed towards the towering mountain in the distance. It stood high above the plains that surrounded it, piercing the sky with its majesty. It was also known for being practically smack dab in the middle of Equestria.
A few stepped forward and confirmed that the Princess was indeed correct. Thick black smog covered the top of the mountain and seemed to slowly flood outward into the afternoon sky.
“What is it?” Star Light asked, unable to take his eyes from the almost sickening sight of their beautiful world being defiled by something such as this.
Before the Princess could respond, the old veteran stepped forward, “Hmph… Looks like we’ve got ourselves a bit of a dragon problem here.”
“What?” Star Light snapped at the first mention of there being a dragon within Equestria’s borders. Neither of them could see the slow smile that was forming on the Princess’s face, and neither would have noticed regardless of her position. “That’s impossible! A dragon wouldn’t come this far within our borders. There has to be some kind of explanation for such a phenomenon–”
“Slow down, son,” Wind Reaver held up a hoof half lazily in a defensive posture, “I know a dragon’s smog when I see it. I saw a few occupied mountains here and there while I was overseas.” He pointed the hoof he raised back towards the darkening skies in the distance, “You see how thick it is closer to the mountain, and how it gets thinner as it goes out? And that stuff is much too dark to be just rain clouds.
Star Light bit his lip. A dragon? This far in? Before he could speak again, the tallest mare in the group stepped forward. “Wait a moment, I don’t follow.” All eyes turned to Saryn, but she did not falter or stutter from the attention. Only a lesser pony would let themselves be taken over by the eyes of others. “Dragons are extremely territorial creatures. We don’t go near them and they don’t go near us. Neither side has something the other wants. For a dragon to come out this far, it has to have some kind of reason. Either it’s extremely brave or extremely foolish, and judging from the amount that’s circling Mount Irelany, I sincerely doubt we’re dealing with a mere whelp here, too. From the size of the surrounding taint, I’d say it’s not an elder dragon either. Probably just past the adolescence age.”
The others looked at her with… genuine surprise. “What? I read a lot of books when I was younger.” She said. One or two of them could have sworn there was just a hint of bashfulness in her voice when she tried to justify her knowledge. Surely they were just hearing things.
“Well, would ya look at that? It knows things!” Red Star quipped, earning a hateful glare from the mare. She only smiled, knowing the high and tight mare wouldn’t dare do anything in front of their dear Princess.
“That’s enough.” Awestruck said and gave them both a look in hopes to make them finally quit their senseless bickering.
“What if…” New Dawn shrank down and tried to avoid the eyes of the others as they all turned to face him.
“Go on, kid,” Goliath put a comforting hoof on the colt’s back, causing him to shift his weight around. He took one more look up at the towering stallion before taking a deep breath and counting to three in his head.
“What if… what if the dragon isn’t here because it wants to be? What if he wasn’t allowed to be with the other dragons? Or what if he had to leave because there wasn’t any more room?”
The others were silent to the suggestions. None of them had thought of such a conclusion and it surprised them because it seemed so… likely.
“The possibility cannot be denied.” Morning Dew spoke plainly from the back of the group. “Regardless, why are you bringing this to our attention? I believe such knowledge should be exclusively shared with Guard Captain Star Light and Sky Captain Wind Reaver.”
“And it is,” Luna said, finally turning away from the view of the landscape. “However, as I had said earlier, thou are all my Stars and that is enough to make each of thou of equal rank in my eyes. And it is because of thine newfound positions that I am about to ask each of you…”
-------------
“You asked us to do the impossible.”
Luna said nothing. She only kept her head down. She had long since slipped down to a lying position and turned herself away from the former magician. Her face was covered by her mane, which remained unnaturally still due to the lack of wind.
Awestruck moved closer and gently brushed the Alicorn’s coat with his hoof. He noticed the way she shivered and shied away at his touch and it brought a pang of pain to his heart. He pushed the feeling aside, knowing that soon everything would be okay. Everything would be back to the way it was.
“You asked us to…”
-------------
“You want us to do what?”
The others shared Saryn’s reaction to the Princess’s words, but she had been the first to actually vocalize her feelings.
“I do not believe I stuttered during my explanation.” Luna said plainly. “Perhaps I should repeat myself: I ask thou all to travel to Mount Irelany and deal the dragon a swift punishment for trespassing on our land.”
“Yes, yes, I understood that much, Your Majesty…” Saryn tried to keep a smile on her face while in the presence of the diarch, but the coming feeling of a headache was beginning to prove more influential than her faltering will power. “What I don’t understand is why you are asking us to perform such a task!” Her hoof shot towards the closest thing that could be used as a possible excuse, “A-and besides, he’s still just a foal! You can’t possibly expect a pony like him to be an actual threat to something so… so…”
“Thou are correct,” Luna said, interrupting the mare in hopes to end her search for excuses. “Such is why I am sending both Star Light and Wind Reaver. Both are extremely capable and will be able to get the job done. The rest of thou are going because thine objective is to not only eliminate this threat to our land but also to retrieve a special object from it. Tis common knowledge that every dragon has a horde of gems and artifacts of value that they guard with their very lives. They use these hordes to appeal to one another in their culture and attract potential mates. However, there is one gem that every dragon has and keeps close to themselves. These gems are said to hold immense power and is the very heart of their strength. I wish to see if these legends are true.”
“And how exactly are we gonna go about finding this ‘super cool gem’?” Red asked with a cocked eyebrow. “You said these things have hordes of the shi – I mean, stuff… How are we supposed to pick one out from the rest?”
“Oh, it shall not be hard to find. The gem in question is not a part of the dragon’s horde.” A small smile crept across the lunar princess’s lips, “Tis a part of the dragon itself.” Luna’s hoof slowly made itself up to her chest, where she proceeded to pat her fur a few times. “The gem forms within the dragon’s very heart. Such is the reason why the dragon’s life must be brought to an end rather than simply somehow convincing it to relocate.”
“When shall we depart?” Morning Dew spoke the moment Princess Luna had finished her sentence.
“Now hold on just a second there kid,” Wind Reaver said, “I think we need to just take a second and think–”
Morning’s eyes snapped to Wind Reaver. Her surprisingly intense glare was enough to make him stop mid-sentence. After a moment of neither speaking, Luna came forth once again. “You may depart immediately. If there are any who may wish to stay behind,” The Alicorn’s eyes turned to Saryn, who quickly tried to look away, “Then thou are allowed to stay in the castle until the others return.”
Morning Dew and Star Light nodded, the ladder turning to the others and speaking, “Travel to Mount Irelany takes roughly a day’s time by hoof. We should be at least an hour past midday by now, so pack your things accordingly. Those that wish to come shall meet Sky Captain Wind Reaver and I outside the main gates of the city. Unless the Princess has more to say, you are all dismissed.”
“Agreed.” Luna nodded, “Thou may all leave, except for Awestruck Wonder. I wish for thou to stay for a moment.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Awestruck bowed and remained in the position as the others turned to leave. He closed his eyes and dared not look up, even as the distant sound of the throne room doors slammed shut.
-------------
The sudden sound of the door slamming shut was just enough to break Aurora Lights from her anxious trance. She practically jumped out of her seat and onto the table when the silence was shattered. Quickly trying to collect herself, she rushed to the front door to find the small colt she had been waiting for.
“Dawn!” The velvet coated mare nearly tackled the young pony as she took him in a tight embrace. New Dawn tried to squirm and give himself room to breathe, but the crushing strength of a mother was simply too much for him.
“Mom… Can’t… Breathe…”
Aurora let out a small gasp and pulled back from her embrace. She set down her son but kept him close. “Oh, Dawn… Where have you been? You should have been home hours ago!”
New Dawn looked to the side and brushed his hoof along the floor, unable to look into the eyes of his worrisome mother. “Well, I…”
Just then, the sound of a pony clearing their throat alerted her that she was not alone in the room with her son. Her eyes shot up and met with those of a pony clad in the golden armor of a guard. His mane was almost as golden as the armor he wore and his coat was like a field of snow that had been yet to be touched.
“O-oh, Captain Star Light!” The mare quickly tried to look over herself and ensure that her coat wasn’t dirty or her mane wasn’t a mess. “I didn’t see you there!”
“It is quite alright.” He replied simply, “I am here to discuss a matter involving New Dawn. But first, I believe I am at a disadvantage, Mrs.…?”
“Aurora Lights,” She said with a weak smile. “You said you were here about my son? He didn’t do something, did he?”
“Of course not. Actually, I suppose that is false. He did do something, but I’d sooner praise him for it rather than punish him.
“Praise him?” She almost stuttered. The very idea of the captain of the royal guard coming to her own house, completely out of the blue, just to tell her that her son was worthy of praise from him. Him, the captain of the royal guard and adopted son of both Princess Celestia and Luna! The rush was getting to her and she quickly put a hoof to her forehead, “I think I need to sit down for a moment…”
“I understand. I apologize for not warning you ahead of time that I would be paying a visit.” He followed closely behind the mare, ready to act should she collapse.
“No, no. It’s perfectly alright. I was just a little surprised, is all.” She said as she kept herself steady as she pulled herself onto the couch. She turned, sat, and finished the routine with a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she felt a feeling of reinvigoration.
Taking her action as a queue to begin, “Although I would prefer to wait until the father is home, I’m afraid this is a bit of a matter of urgency. I trust you will be able to relay our conversation to him upon his return?”
“Well, of course. But I don’t know what could be so urgent that it can’t wait until my husband gets back from work…”
“As I am sure you know, I work directly under Princess Celestia and Princess Luna themselves. I like to believe there are few ponies that are closer to our beloved rulers than myself.” Star Light turned towards the window and began stepping towards it as he spoke. “I care deeply for the Princesses. They are my mothers and have raised me since I was a foal. Thus, it pains me when I learn that ponies have begun speaking ill of my mother’s night.” With a swift movement of his hoof, he closed the shades to block any outsiders from looking inside. The sudden darkness that took over the room was a little more than either Aurora or New Dawn had expected. “Wishing it was shorter or that it simply did not exist at all. Foals have begun to develop a fear of the night, believing that monsters live within the darkness.” He turned and began walking towards where the little colt stood. “Earlier today, I overheard a few of the local school children having a conversation while I was making a round through the city. They spoke of how one of the others still believed that monsters and beasts came out in the middle of the night, in his very room. They laughed and laughed before the conversation turned towards the subject of night itself. They said they wished it never came, so that they could stay outside longer and would not have to sleep. I was about to approach them and teach them a lesson on manners, when somepony beat be to it.”
Star Light’s sky blue eyes turned towards New Dawn, who couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. “Care to share what you had said to them?” the captain said, gesturing towards Aurora.
“Well, I…” He rubbed the back of his neck, a small blush rising in his cheeks. “All I said was… monsters wouldn’t live in the dark. It’d be silly, because they wouldn’t be able to see. And if it weren’t for night, we’d all be so busy that we’d never be able to come together as families and be with each other. We’d all be working all the time, or sitting in school.”
“He defended what Princess Luna brings to our world each and every day. Something that shocked me, as I thought that today’s youth were failing to realize just what kind of gifts they received in their lives. Once your son’s school session had come to an end, I asked him if he would accompany me, as I was currently on my way to see the Princess. He agreed, and was allowed into the meeting. As to what happened within the meeting, I fear the information is confidential. However, New Dawn, along with myself and seven others have been tasked by the Princess to journey to Mount Irelany to deal with a situation that may come to have grave consequences on our growing nation.”
“Mount Irelany?” she said, “But that’s so far away! And who are these others? What about his schooling? I’m sorry but I don’t think–”
“The decision has already been made.” Star Light’s tone grew heavier with these words, startling the mare. His eyes no longer seemed to bring a feeling of safety, but instead felt like they would pierce through her at any moment. “We were asked whether or not we desired to come along on this mission. We were all given a choice, and we all agreed.”
“He’s not old enough to be making those kinds of decisions on his own!”
“Freedom of choice is something we all have, no matter the age. You do not speak for him, just as the Princesses do not speak for me. He made the decision of his own free will.” His eyes shot to New Dawn, making the colt jump a little. “Go and pack your things. Pack lightly; we shouldn’t be gone more than a couple of days.”
New Dawn took one look at his mother, who looked back at him and shook her head as tears began to arise. With a glance back to those glaring eyes that belonged to the captain, he took a deep breath and ran out of the room.
Aurora began to feel her legs shaking. “You can’t take him…”
“Princess Luna has already given the order. If you wish to go against her word, I can take you to her myself and you may discuss the next few days of your son’s life from there.”
She couldn’t handle any more of it. The mare collapsed onto the couch and covered her eyes. She tried not to let the sound of her own sobbing go past her own ears, but such a feat proved difficult to accomplish. Star Light watched almost expressionlessly at the scene before him. He closed his eyes, pushing away the glare that had taken hold of his eyes. When they reopened, the softness had returned.
“If it holds any weight, both I and the Sky Captain will be there at your son’s side. I can promise that I would sooner allow something to happen to myself than let a single bit of harm come to him. For a colt so young to have such compassion in his heart…” He looked to the floor as he tried to find the right words. Much to his relief, Aurora had ceased her crying. She hadn’t moved her legs that covered her face, but at least he knew she was listening. “…You must be very proud of him. If I had a hundred stallions under my command that were as caring as he and could think with a mind like him, then I don’t think I would ever have to worry about the state of Equestria again.”
Just then, New Dawn entered the room again. His school saddlebags hung from his sides, bulging a little from the contents within. When he saw the state his mother within, he quickly tried to rush to her but was blocked by Star Light’s hoof. “I think it would be best if we made our way out now.”
He wanted to argue and find a reason to comfort his mother, but the captain’s hoof held him back. He sighed and resigned to the stallion’s wishes. If he stayed, he might only be making things harder. With Star Light following closely from behind, the pair made their way to the door. The sun proved itself to be rather blinding after being in such a dark room for so long. New Dawn turned and looked back at the darkened house behind him. From where he stood, he couldn’t see his mother but he had a feeling she hadn’t moved from where she lied.
He felt a painful feeling surge through his body as the door was closed by a white hoof. “We had better get going. I’m sure the others will be waiting for us by now.” Star Light began walking in the direction of the city gates. He passed right by New Dawn, whose eyes were still glued to the wooden door. After walking a short distance and knowing that the colt hadn’t moved, Star Light turned his head and spoke, “You have a decision to make. You may follow with us and keep your word to the Princess, or stay behind and remain there. If you choose to stay, I will do what I can to ensure you and your family does not suffer any consequences for betraying the Princess’s orders–”
“No… I will go with you.” Star Light raised an eye brow, and was rather taken by the conviction in the colt’s eyes when he turned around. He had a certain fire within him. “I gave my word to Luna. If I went back on my decision, I would be disgracing my family.”
The captain smiled. He knew the boy wouldn’t let him down.
“Come on, the others are probably waiting for us by now.” He turned to face forward once more and began his journey towards the gates again. The quick sound of hoofsteps was enough to alert him that the colt was quickly making up for lost ground.
“But what about you? Shouldn’t you pack some things too?” New Dawn questioned, looking up at the taller stallion as they walked side by side.
“Before we came out here, I asked Wind Reaver to pack a little heavier for me. The old stallion wasn’t happy about it, but I’m sure he did it.”
New Dawn mouthed an, “Oh,” and the pair continued silently. The silence was an uncomfortable one and the colt kept trying to think of ways to break it. Should he ask about the weather? No, that’d be silly… Clearly the captain wasn’t the kind to go on about himself, so questions about himself probably wouldn’t get him far. Perhaps…
“Don’t you have anypony you need to say goodbye to before we leave?”
To say New Dawn regretted the question the moment he saw the captain stop dead in his tracks would be an accurate statement. All of the friendliness he had seen in the stallion’s eyes had faded, and now he simply stood there, staring at the ground.
“I-I’m sorry, forget that I–” He quickly tried to apologize, but Star Light held up a hoof to signal a cease.
“Never apologize for curiosity. It is a part of our nature and drives us to do bigger and better things. Without curiosity, we would never advance as ponies.” He shook his head, “To answer your question, yes, I do. However, we simply don’t have the time if we want to make it far enough towards the mountain to get to a safe region of the forest by nightfall.”
With that, he continued trekking forward. New Dawn watched for a moment before sighing and moving to catch up. He hoped he had made the right decision today.
Saryn groaned to herself. The group had been waiting for nearly an hour for Awestruck Wonder to come to the outer wall and meet with the rest of them. What annoyed the mare further was that the good captain and the little one had wondered off when she had turned her back. She huffed, “For being the ones who were all for this trip, they certainly are taking their sweet time getting here.”
“It doesn’t hurt to have a little patience, Lady Saryn.” Goliath was currently in the middle of double checking the contents of his own bags. Satisfied that everything was there that needed to be there, he turned to face the noble, “Just sit down and relax a minute. Check your things or take a little walk or something.” With a quick move he hoisted the saddlebags onto his back, followed immediately by the sword returning to its original position. He gave her a polite nod before turning and walking off in a different direction.
She responded with a small, quiet annoyed growl. She looked around in hopes of finding something to do. Nature watching wasn’t exactly something she found interest in and she was confident enough when it came to the contents of her bags that she hadn’t forgotten anything. She let out a sigh, knowing what she would have to resort to in order to pass the time. She turned and slowly began making her way towards the tree line where one of the group sat up against the wood with his eyes closed.
Saryn put on the best charming smile she could, “Sky Captain?”
There was no response. She cocked an eyebrow as she looked down at him. His eyes were closed, was he in some kind of meditation? It was indeed a rather nice day, so perhaps he was just taking in the presence of such a peaceful moment?
Just then the sound of leaves quietly rustling against one another was broken by a loud, nasally snore. The sound was almost enough to cause a vein to pop in the mare’s forehead, but she knew she was better than that. With a movement as swift as the wind, she smacked the side of his head with her hoof. His snoring was cut short, much to her appreciation. However she couldn’t help but feel a little surprised at how little his head moved when she hit him. She could have sworn she hit the stallion fairly hard.
Wind Reaver opened his mouth and let out a loud, heavy yawn. When his eyes finally opened, he turned to look towards Saryn and, to her further surprise, gave her a warm smile. “Morning, m’lady.” He said with a gentle nod in her direction.
Sadly, her expression was far from spreading the same gentle feeling that his did. “It’s two in the afternoon.” She said simply in an annoyed tone.
The stallion’s eyebrows raised a bit as he leaned forward and looked to the sky. He touched the patch of fur on his chin that was a little longer than the rest as he took in the position of the sun, “Huh, so it is…”
Saryn rolled her eyes, giving up on friendly act she had attempted to perform a moment ago. “So, Sky Captain, I’ve been wondering something for a while now.”
“Hm?” He hummed as he slipped back into a comfortable spot against the tree. Saryn made sure to keep an eye on whether or not his eyelids closed as he leaned back.
“Well, considering you’re the captain of the air force of our great nation’s, and here you are traveling with us for what could be a venture that takes up possibly several days if all goes well, I cannot help but wonder if there will be any duties that will be… neglected, for a lack of a better term.”
“Duties?” The older stallion chuckled heartily, “We’re in a time of peace, ma’am. Nothin’s happened in the past seven years that’s called for someone of my expertise.”
“So… what exactly do you do then?” She asked with an eyebrow raised.
He shrugged, “Paperwork, mos’ly. Right now they’ve been tryin’ to get me to approve some new side corps called the… Oh, what did they call ‘em again? Wonderbuns? Wonderwaffle? Eh, I don’t remember. They’re supposed to be mos’ly for show. You know, dazzle ponies and what not with tricks. I went ahead and approved it, but I don’ think it’ll ever ‘take off.’”
There was a moment of silence. The birds ceased their songs and the wind halted in its blow. Suddenly the sound of a hoof meeting the face of its owner shattered the silence, followed by a groan and the rolling of eyes by any other soul that was able to hear the sky captain.
He, on the other hand, couldn’t help but laugh at his own joke. “What’s wrong, too forced? Maybe I shoulda said they’d never make it off the ground. How’s that sound?”
Elsewhere, Goliath was debating with himself on what to do to pass the time. There was no telling how long it would take before Awestruck, Star Light, and New Dawn made it back, so he didn’t want to do something that would be too time consuming. However, if they were going to take longer than he would need to do something to pass the time and keep himself occupied. Conversation with Saryn and Wind Reaver seemed to be going south pretty quickly… No, the conversation was going badly. He didn’t want to risk that sounding like another flying joke. Getting to know Morning Dew appeared to be out of the question as well, considering the mare often responded with glares or looks of annoyance. And when she did respond, anything more than a sentence was unlikely.
Well, he supposed that settled it then. A short walk through the woods would have to suffice. He’d make sure to stay close enough to hear if the others came back, but get far enough way to avoid any further possibilities of overhearing something horrible. Deciding that would be the best course of action, he took his first step towards coming closer to nature and immediately threw away any intention of doing so when a dark iron chain fell in front of his face and caused him to jump back in surprise. Taking a deep breath to regain his composure, he followed the chain links up into the tree that they hung from. It was there that he found a familiar red earth pony lying on a large branch that hung above the beaten path. She wasn’t looking in his direction and it seemed that she had slumped down and let her hoof hang over the side that caused the chain to fall in the first place.
“Uh, Red Star?”
Her response was somewhere between a “Huh?” and a lazy groan.
“What exactly are you doing up there?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
Goliath took a moment to look around before coming to a solid conclusion. “It looks like you’re not doing anything.”
“Well there’s your answer then.”
Goliath’s expression fell to a deadpan and his mouth scrunched to one side. His gaze fell from the mare above him to the chains that hung in front of him. “You know, I still don’t understand why you decided to keep these things on. They’re just going to get in the way and make you trip over yourself.”
The chain was pulled up as Red Star shifted in her position. Her left hoof replaced her right one to act as a more comfortable spot to rest her head. One chain was lifted, only for another to fall as her right hoof hung off the side. Goliath turned his eyes back up and was met this time by her own gaze. Her eyes weren’t those of one who was looking down on somepony, despite their positions to one another, but they also didn’t seem like the eyes of a pony who was pleased to have someone conversing with them. She merely seemed indifferent to him.
“I already told you why I’m still lugging these things around.” She rattled her chains a little for emphasis. “Until your Princess is pleased, I’m not really free. The chains weren’t cut… just extended.”
Her last few words were enough to make his eyebrows rise. “That’s surprisingly deep.”
“Don’t expect more.”
“Sorry I’m late!”
All eyes turned towards the Unicorn who was running towards them. Awestruck slowed to a stop and fell onto his haunches. He had been running since he left his house, and that was practically on the other side of town. He brushed a hoof across his forehead, “I suppose I took a little longer than I thought I would.”
“I’ll say,” Saryn said from her and Wind Reaver’s side of the forest path, “You know it isn’t kind to keep a lady waiting.”
“My sincerest apologies,” He said in her direction, still a little breathless from his run. He picked himself up off the ground and made his way towards Goliath, who had already closed most of the distance. “Are we ready to go?”
“We are.” He replied, “All we were waiting on was you, the captain, and the boy.”
“The captain?” Awestruck’s head spun around as he conducted a quick headcount. As Goliath had said, both Star Light and New Dawn were missing. “Where are they?”
“Star Light said somethin’ about escortin’ the boy back to his home.” Wind Reaver spoke as he pulled himself up off the ground and pulled a heavy stretch.
“Back home? Is he refusing to allow New Dawn to come with us?”
“Quite the contrary.” A voice coming from the open gateway caught the attention of all who were outside. Star Light stood straight and tall, as he always did. New Dawn trotted by his side, a small smile resting on his face from seeing the others. Star Light continued, softer this time now that he was closer, “I only assumed it would be best to ensure that New Dawn’s mother be notified of our journey.”
“Aw, I knew there was a softer side to you!” Saryn called out from her spot beneath the trees. Despite the smile she wore, Star Light didn’t seem to acknowledge she even said a word.
“Are we prepared to depart?” He said towards Awestruck.
“It would seem so.” Awestruck replied with a nod.
And so the unlikely bunch began their journey. The magician and the captain were the spearhead of the group. The veteran and the colt walked side by side, one listening carefully to the other as they told stories of another time. Behind them were the prisoner and the farmer who were making an attempt at conversation, but the hope of passing the time began to fade as both realized they really had nothing to talk about. After all, what does one talk about with a mare whose been locked away for roughly half of her life? And then behind them were the lady and the… the…
“What did you say you did around the castle again…?”
Morning Dew said nothing to the mare at first, merely turning her head to give a half glare, half simply annoyed look towards Saryn. Saryn merely looked at her with eyebrows raised and a “What?” look on her face. Morning Dew gave a quiet sigh, “I’m a gardener.”
“Oh, well that’s exciting.” She replied with a smile. The gardener said nothing and just turned her head forward once more. Saryn’s smile dropped just as quickly as it had appeared. “You really don’t talk much, do you?”
“Nothing to say.”
“Well, it looked like you had plenty to say back at the castle. And you had a fairly strong opinion about our mission too.”
“Only because that Pegasus needed to learn his place.” She snapped, causing the other mare’s eyebrows to rise in surprise. “He is the captain of the Pegasi legion, one of the highest ranking officers in our land, and he dared to hesitate when our Princess gave an order after he had just sworn his loyalty and agreed to do whatever she asked. I suppose I should not be surprised. All of them seem to be lazy by nature. Why do something productive with their lives when time could be wasted elsewhere? It makes me sick. They can hardly keep the weather in order – their one and only job besides serving the royal family. If it weren’t for my own intervention, the city would probably suffer from a drought every other week.”
Well, this was certainly an interesting turn of events.
“Oh, I see. Not a fan of our winged brothers and sisters, hmm?” Morning Dew said nothing, merely turning her eyes towards the forested scenery. Saryn smiled, “Don’t worry dear, I won’t go and tell on you. To be rather honest, I’m in the same boat. Really, what can Pegasi do that Unicorns cannot? The same goes for earth ponies. I personally believe that if every pony in Equestria was a Unicorn, our lives wouldn’t really be that much different. I daresay it may even be better. Don’t you agree?”
Morning Dew remained silent. Saryn noticed the way she subtly eyed her coat, probably wanting to pull her hood up and end the conversation right then and there. The poor dear probably had never had such a conversation in her life. With a short breath, she finally spoke up, “Perhaps…”
Saryn’s smile grew a little wider and Morning Dew let out a small whimper as the taller mare pulled her in to a sudden one-hooved embrace. “Oh, I can tell we’re just going to be the best of friends, you and I.”
The group remained together but separated into their own little groups for what felt like only a few hours. Before they knew it, the sky had gone from its bright blue to a new vibrant orange. With a smile on his face, Awestruck was able to quickly locate a river and a small clearing for them to make their camp at.
“Wondeful!” He said aloud before turning towards the rest of the group, who were currently removing their increasingly heavy belongings from their backs. “As you all know, I’m a stallion who doesn’t like to dilly dally–”
“Bull” and “Pfft” could be heard from the group from the two stallions who knew the magician a little better than the rest. Ignoring them, Awestruck continued as if nothing had happened.
“ – and so I have decided to get straight to the point and have assigned duties for us all. Goliath, Red, you two will be tasked with finding enough firewood for the camp. I know Goliath has some knowledge of the forest, so if you find anything edible than I am sure it would be appreciated.”
Goliath nodded while Red Star shrugged and began walking off in a random direction. “C’mon Twinkles, let’s get this over with.”
“Next is Saryn and Morning Dew; you two will be retrieving water for us.”
“Lovely.”
“Wind Reaver, I want you to just circle around a few times and make sure we haven’t stopped next to something’s den. I don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night and find something other than one of you staring at me.”
The veteran gave a tired sigh, “I’ll get on it.”
“What about me?” New Dawn said, taking a step forward.
“You, my little friend,” Awestruck said, kneeling down to be closer to eye level with the colt, “Are going to be helping me and the captain with setting up the camp. Putting up the tents, maybe rolling a log or two over if we happen to see them.”
The colt smiled and nodded, and the group went about their duties. The two mares were the first to return, carrying with them three full jugs of water – the jugs courtesy of Morning Dew herself. Next came Wind Reaver, who reported that there did not appear to be any nearby nests or dens. Finally, just as the moon was rising into the sky, the two earth ponies of the group returned with what looked like an almost fully intact tree in their tow. Upon questioning, Red Star wiped the sweat off her brow before giving a surprisingly hearty response.
“You wanted some sticks. Well, we got all the sticks you’ll need!”
“So,” Goliath said, panting softly, “What’ve you guys been up to?”
“Oh, just setting up tents the old fashioned way.” Awestruck said, gesturing to the four tents that sat in a circular formation around a small group of rocks. “We wanted to give Dawn a good camping experience.
“’Camping experience’…” Star Light muttered quietly as he walked past the group, stopping for just a moment next to Wind Reaver, “This is a mission, not a field trip.”
“We’re trotting face first towards one of the world’s most dangerous creatures,” The sky captain replied, “Let them have their moment to enjoy themselves.”
The captain merely clicked his tongue and continued walking away towards Morning Dew, where his words went out of earshot.
“Because of the need to pack lightly, we’ll be sharing the tents in teams of two.” Awestruck said to the group as a whole, gesturing towards the four tents that stood in a small circle. “Goliath and I will be sharing the first tent. The second tent will be for our dear captains. The third tent will be shared by Saryn and Morning Dew, while Red and Dawn take the last one.”
“Why don’t I get to share a tent with the adorable little colt?” Saryn whined, “He shouldn’t get stuck with some brute just because of an odd number of genders.”
“Firstly,” Awestruck said quickly, as if he had prepared for the possibility of the Unicorn speaking out, “I don’t trust you with children. Secondly, I tried to avoid any possibilities of conflict between pairs such as what happened back at the castle.”
Saryn merely huffed at Awestruck’s gentle glare in her direction. It wasn’t her fault that somepony else in the group was a little touchy…
“Now, let’s get settled in, shall we?”
-------------
The sun had slowly made itself lower in the darkening sky. Halfway below the horizon, it was allowing itself just a few more moments of illuminating the planet before it descended to bring light somewhere else. Princess Celestia’s horn glowed gently as she stood on her position on the balcony of a tower, and the great ball of light finally vanished. She felt a small smile reach her lips as the warmth that came from grasping her sun lingered.
“Are you ready, dear sister?” Celestia said upon hearing the faint sound of steps being made by a pony that approached from behind.
“Please, We art always ready to bring about Our splendid night.”
Celestia took a few steps back to allow her younger sister to stand in the place she had stood in moments ago. Luna’s horn began to glow, and the darkness of the night lightly faded as the light of the moon took the sun’s place in the sky. Unlike her sister, Luna never felt like smiling after the raising and setting of her celestial body. She remembered hearing her sister say that it felt like a warm embrace every time she reached out to it. As for the moon, all Luna ever felt was a cold, distant touch.
Luna heard her sister giggling softly and turned to face her with an eyebrow raised, “What dost thou find so humorous, sister?”
“Oh, nothing at all.” The elder sister replied with a wave of her hoof. “I was just surprised to see that you still talk in such an archaic fashion.”
“Archaic?” Luna said as if the word left some kind of bad taste in her mouth, “We speak as the royalty of our land has always spoken – since times far beyond our own!”
Celestia couldn’t help but giggle once more, bringing heat to the younger sister’s cheeks. “Oh, come now Luna. Times are changing, and we cannot rely on the past to be our eternal guide. We must pave our own way to greatness.”
“Tsk,” Luna shook her head gently before turning her eyes back to the glowing moon above. Suddenly she felt the feeling of a wing wrapping around her and turned to see her sister pulling her into a light embrace.
“Luna, have you been feeling alright?”
Luna’s eyes looked into those of her sister’s. She saw that familiar sincerity and compassion, but there was always that hint of superiority. A demand for respect, one might say. “I am just fine.”
Celestia nodded, turning her gaze back to the city below. The two stood in silence for a time, the only sound between them being the cool breeze rustling the leaves of the trees and plants. It was calming, to say the least, until…
“Sister… I have heard rumors that a creature has entered Equestria’s borders. Do you know anything about it?”
Luna’s posture stiffened. “The rumors thou hear of art true, dear sister. A dragon has entered our lands and has nested atop the mountain there in the distance. Do not worry, I have already taken the liberty of sending a group to deal with this potential threat.”
The younger Alicorn heard a gentle sigh come from her sister before she spoke, “Luna… while I am happy to see you are capable of taking charge to deal with a threatening situation, I cannot help but feel concerned about the fact that you did not at least consult me before doing so. Who exactly did you send?”
“Thou can trust that I have sent ponies most capable. Both captain Star Light and sky captain Wind Reaver have been tasked with the mission, as well as a group of several more volunteers. I trust that they will return from their journey within the next few days with news of success.”
Another sigh. Must she sound so disappointed? Celestia turned and began to make her way off the balcony and back to her quarters. “I trust you know what you are doing, sister. Goodnight.”
The sound of the door closing signaled Celestia’s exit. Luna took a breath to calm herself. “It is like thou had said, dear sister. I am merely paving my own way. But this road to greatness appears to be increasingly narrow… soon only one pony shall be able to walk on it.”
The cool night air was still that night. Every so often would a gentle breeze would come through to rustle the leaves, but hardly was it strong enough to be noticed on its own. A peaceful night that normally wouldn’t dare to wake a pony from their slumber. But the one pony that dared break the silence, even if only by the gentle sound of grass being crushed under weight, was never slumbering in the first place. To call Awestruck Wonder an insomniac would surely be a false statement. It wasn’t that he couldn’t sleep during the night, it was more towards the fact that he didn’t want to sleep.
He took extra effort in ensuring that he didn’t accidentally wake up one of his comrades. He knew they needed their rest, and he did too; there was just one thing he had to do first. He made his way past the tree line and continued forward. The trip became a relatively short one once he felt he was far enough away from the others to quicken his pace once more. Before long, he reached a favorable enough clearing. He calmly sat down and turned his eyes to the sky. And it was there he saw the most beautiful sight he had ever laid eyes upon.
The moon was in its full beauty on that night. A full, harvest moon that illuminated the land with its light loomed above him. Had he not been careful, the sight may have caused him to forget to breathe, and that certainly would have caused for an awkward situation if one of the others found him passed out in the middle of a field a short ways away from the camp. Nevertheless, he let out a long, content sigh. It was on nights like this that he didn’t care what lay before him in the future. Be they dragon or journey or another show for him to perform, the night and moon and stars always let him feel at peace and calm his heart.
“You’re louder than you think.”
Awestruck had to cover his mouth to stifle his yelp as he nearly jumped out of his skin. Spinning around quickly, he found himself almost nose to nose with a familiar mare wearing a raincoat. Startled even further by how close she was, he tried to back up only to end up falling over. Morning Dew said nothing, only looking down at him with her same old tired stare and a single raised eyebrow.
Awestruck steadied his breathing, putting a hoof onto his chest. “Don’t do that, you’re gonna give me a heart attack…”
“Perhaps that was my plan all along.” She said in her regular near-monotone. She removed her gaze from him and slowly walked forward around him, “But it seems to have failed, and I’ll need a new plan.”
Awestruck merely looked at the mare that kept her back to him with his mouth slightly agape and an expression that practically screamed “What?”
“That was a joke.” She said, gently turning her head to the side to look at him.
Her sense of humor was… in desperate need of some work. Awestruck gave her a half-nervous, half-forced chuckle as he picked himself up off the ground, “Heh, you must be a real killer at parties…”
“Killer?” She said with another raise of her eyebrow, “I thought I told you it was merely–”
“A joke, I know… just a figure of speech, is all.” Awestruck rubbed the back of his neck as he stepped forward to be at her side. Morning Dew seemed to accept his response, as she removed her eyes from him once more and looked into the sky as he did.
“It is early for a harvest moon to come.”
“You can thank Princess Luna for that.” He said with a smile, his eyes returning to the glorious celestial body. “She must have brought it early as a way of saying that she was near and watching over us.”
To this, the gardener said nothing. Her expression remained stagnant as her eyes simply looked up into the sky. “You hold a great deal of respect for the Princess.”
“Respect, admiration… devotion. Whatever it is you want to call it, I give Princess Luna everything I can because she deserves it.”
“I see.” She replied quietly. “And what of Princess Celestia? Does she receive the same ‘devotion’?”
Awestruck bit his lip. “Princess Celestia and I… merely do not have the same level of relationship that Princess Luna and I do. She often requests for me personally for entertainment, and while her sister will sometimes observe my magic shows as well, she usually–”
“I will not judge you for favoring one princess over another.” She interrupted calmly. “I was simply asking your opinion on the qualities you favored.”
Did she always to have make things sound negative?
“Are you intimidated by me?”
Awestruck was thankful he wasn’t in a situation where he was drinking, otherwise he may have choked. “Intimidated?” He looked to her as if expecting this to just be another part of her strange sense of humor, but what he saw were just a pair of blank, staring eyes.
“Yes.” She said with a gentle nod. “While you were justifying your favor for Princess Luna you seemed nervous, as if you were taking special caution to ensure that your reasoning was strictly professional. As well, you have taken efforts to create small talk with a majority of the others and have avoided me for the duration of our journey.”
“Well,” the stallion replied, avoiding eye contact, “I don’t hold anything against you; it just seems that a mare such as yourself has some resentment towards…”
“Other Unicorns?”
“Males.”
He risked taking a glance and was expecting some look of anger or hostility at such an accusation, but the mare remained as stoic as ever. “I see,” She said after a few moments, “I assume you are referring to my outburst against sky captain Wind Reaver back at the palace?” It almost sounded like she made a soft chuckle. “No, I hold no form of resentment towards males. I merely have no favor towards those who have a duty and fail to uphold it when the time comes. Sky captain Wind Reaver was given a task by the princess herself and instead of acknowledging this and fulfilling his duty, he instead chose to question his mission. A seemingly popular trait amongst the Pegasi.”
“Hey now, they aren’t all bad!”
Morning Dew lifted an eye brow, but this time Awestruck did not back down under the mare’s gaze. “My mother was a Pegasus and one of the sweetest mares I have ever known. If it weren’t for her support, I may never have gone into the entertainment business. It’s because of her that I’m here today.”
The mare said nothing and only looked at him. His eyes did not shy away, rather locking his eyes with hers. She wouldn’t show it, but she was surprised by his newfound confidence. She quietly reached back and pulled the hood of her coat up and turned back towards the camp. “Come. We’d best get our rest before the sun rises again.”
-------------
The rest of the journey was uneventful. Little was said and little happened to bring about conversation. While a few may have welcomed the distraction of conversation, their minds were brought elsewhere when the base of the mountain came into view. Each pony came to a halt and stopped to stare up into the sky, basking in the massiveness of the mountain.
“Well,” said the noble mare, “I suppose we should get on a path then.” She looked over to Awestruck, who was using his magic to pull out a map. “There is a path, right?”
“Well, that depends.” He replied, not looking up. “Do you want the truthful answer or the answer that will make you feel better?”
“I like when things make me feel better.”
“Then yes, there are plenty of paths.” The map rolled up once more and slipped back into the magician’s bags.
“Doesn’t look so tough to me.” Red Star casually walked between them and towards some of the rocks that stuck out from the base. Despite her size, she was able to jump high enough to grab hold and pull herself up. With a smile she turned and faced the small group, “I used to climb a lot of trees when I was younger. Now come on, it ain’t so bad!”
“Please,” Saryn scoffed as her horn began to glow. With a pop, she disappeared and reappeared on the rock beside the crimson mare. “A lady doesn’t climb. It’s unbecoming.”
Red Star rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue before leaping up again and ascending to a new level. “Well don’t start complaining when all that magic usage gives you a headache.”
Saryn’s brow furrowed as her horn began to glow once again. This time, she appeared on an outcropping higher than the other mare’s. “And I hope I won’t hear any complaining when you start receiving cuts and bruises.”
Red Star growled softly and continued rising higher, easily finding the strength and endurance she needed if it meant getting ahead of the Unicorn.
“I suppose we had better get going to, unless we want to be left behind.” Goliath said, earning a small chuckle from his friend.
“And here I thought Saryn would need some convincing in order to climb a mountain.”
Morning Dew stepped forward next. Finding her way next to New Dawn, she lowered herself into a lying position. “Climb onto me. It would take too long for you to traverse the mountainside on your own, so I will carry you.”
New Dawn looked reluctant to take the mare up on her offer. After all, he certainly wasn’t as light as a feather. How did she plan to carry them both? “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to hold you back…” He said quietly as he brushed his hoof against the ground.
“Nonsense.” She replied as straight-faced as ever. “If I concentrate my magical flow properly, I can enhance the strength of my legs in such a way that I will be able to leap over most obstacles we come across. Teleportation would be more costly both in the fact that it may have a nauseating side effect on yourself, while also taking its toll on my brain. This way, I am equally distributing the pressure to both my mind and my body.”
New Dawn bit his lip gently before deciding to take the mare’s offer and carefully climbing onto her back. She picked herself up off the ground, “Are you ready?” When she felt him nod, her horn began to glow. She bent her legs and jumped high into the air, easily traversing the first set of rocks. The others noticed the way she stopped for a moment or two after every jump, but they knew she would have no trouble in catching up.
“I suppose we should get moving unless we want to be left behind.” Goliath said as he began cracking some of his joints in preparation.
“I’ll make sure to take a break now and then so you don’t get lost on the way up.” Awestruck’s cocky smile was enough to light a fire in the stallion’s old competitive spirit with the Unicorn.
“Oh, so that’s the way it’s gonna be then, eh?” Goliath shared the smile, and soon the two old friends were rushing off together.
“They can be so impatient sometimes.” Star Light said to no one in particular.
Regardless, the older pony stepped up to answer. “They’re still young. Of course they’re in a hurry." "Well, I suppose we had better get moving too before they leave us behind." Star Light said as he looked up at the great mountain before him. He began moving forward at his own pace but stopped when he didn't hear the shuffling of hooves behind him. He turned and saw that the older captain wasn't following him, but rather was moving to sit in the shade beneath a nearby tree.
"You go on ahead," Wind Reaver said with a small smile and a gesture of his hoof before the younger stallion could speak up. "I'll catch up in a bit. Just feelin' a little light headed is all."
Star Light couldn't help but feel bad at the idea of leaving the aging pony behind, but he knew he'd be able to take care of himself. He gave the sky captain a nod before asking, "Are you sure you will be able to fulfill your duty to Princess Luna and do what must be done?" Sure, the captain was capable, but was someone of his age able to pull his weight around a dragon?
Wind Reaver chuckled heartily, "Son, your momma is one of the wisest ponies I've ever had the pleasure of meeting - and I've met a lotta ponies in my time, I'll have you know. Now, if she thinks I'm still young enough to fulfill my oath to Equestria, then you can bet your flank that i can still do it. Besides," he reached over and gently touched the hilt of the sword that was strapped to his side, "I don't carry around my swords just for show."
While what the captain was saying may be true, Star Light had never seen him actually use those swords. As well, he had no idea why the Pegasus carried two identical swords just under his wings if he could only fight with one. Even he, a Unicorn, had opted to specialize in only a single weapon: the dark blue mace that currently rested on his back.
But perhaps that would be a question for later. As for right now, he had to return to the others before they left him behind.
-------------
The journey up the mountain turned out to be a rather uneventful one. It was not long before the competition of who the fastest was came to a close. The aruging thankfully only lasted a few minutes and in the end a victor was never named. Little was said afterwards until the group reached just above the halfway point. A momentary rest was agreed upon, and Goliath stopped a moment to look down at the terrain below. His features tensed as he saw that the smog from the slumbering beast above was already running its course with the surrounding area. One may not have noticed it from down on the ground, but from up there the dying plant life could be seen as clear as day.
"It's like it doesn't care about the consequences of its actions on the surrounding forest..." He said to no one in partiucular. Regardless, he still got an answer.
"You really care that much about a couple dozen trees and some dead grass?"
He turned his head to see Red Star approaching with a quizzical look. New Dawn had been riding on her back for the last few minutes after the mare noticed his slowing pace. She claimed to not like foals that much, but he felt like deep down that was just her trying to be tough.
"It's not the trees, it's the principle." He said. "As well, I'm a farmer. Seeing that many dead plants irritates me."
The two other ponies followed the stallion's gaze down towards the ground. New Dawn was still young and could only hope that he might one day be able to sympathize with the stallion, while Red Star just couldn't see what the big deal was.
"What are you doing here anyways?"
The question was blunt and sudden enough to tear Goliath's eyes away from the dispairing fields below for good this time. "Excuse me?"
"I asked you why you're here." She repeated. "Compared to those captain chumps, your posture alone is enough to say you aren't a soldier. That, plus you admitted to being a farmer. And by the way, I know I've been away for a while, but I'm pretty damn sure that something like that," she gestured towards the large sword on his back that had been used to cut the mare's chains just yesterday, "Isn't a part of your standard farming equipment. So, what gives?"
Goliath merely looked at her with an expression that almost didn't warrant "You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" to be said.
"You know, she's got a point." Said New Dawn, even he a little surprised by the red mare's words. Goliath gave a quiet sigh only he himself could hear. "Alright, fine. Would you like the answer that I should give, or the answer that I would like to give?"
"Why not both?" She replied with a casual shrug.
"Well," he began, "The answer that I should give is that it is my sworn duty as an Equestrian citizen to answer the call of duty should my Princess ever request it and be ready to give my life for the cause."
"And the answer you want to give?"
There was a short pause where Goliath didn't meet her gaze.
Eventually, his emerald eyes returned to her crimson. "I'm here because of Awestruck."
Red's brow came together before she turned her head to see Awestruck Wonder and Star Light some distance away. It appeared that they were having a conversation, however the captain looked more or less annoyed while the magician was giggling to himself.
"That clown?"
"That 'clown', as you so delicately put it, happens to be my foalhood friend. My only friend, in fact. Sure, there's some stallions and mares back home that I can keep a conversation with, but none of them I truly would consider friends. Years ago, Awestruck came to me and told me about his dreams to become one of the greatest magicians to ever live." He smiled to himself as he looked off into the distance, memories playing in his head. "I still remember how excited he was before his first show in front of the town. I could tell that deep down he was scared and a nervous wreck, but with a little pep talk and a good slap I was able to give him the courage he needed. I like to take a little pride in the fact that, if not for me, he may not have gotten his cutie mark that night. The look on his face... I knew that my own dream was out of reach for me, so the least I could do was help him to reach his. Saying that, it would appear that my job isn't quite finished yet since he came to me asking for help a week ago. Now here I am, on an adventure with him and a couple strangers to kill one of the most dangerous creatures alive."
"That's quite the explanation, but I don't recall asking for your life story." Red said with a smirk.
"You never got to achieve your dream?" New Dawn asked.
Goliath cursed quietly under his breath, suddenly hating the young colt's observation skills. "That's not important right now."
"Not important? Of course it's important! Everypony has a dream, whether they are big or small!" A small frown came to his face when he saw that Goliath still refused to spill his secret dream, but it disappeared when an idea came to his head. "You know, my dream is to serve in the royal guard." Both sets of eyes suddenly turned to him, and he would be lying if he didn't admit that it made him a little nervous. Nevertheless, he sucked it up and continued, "Helping ponies is what I live for... I've wanted to help others for as long as I can remember. I know the royal guard isn't usually big about helping out the community unless the request for help is truly needed, but that's exactly what I want to change. I don't want to just stand around and guard doorways, I want to help and protect ponies, as well as their ambitions."
Goliath turned his gaze towards the ground. How was he supposed to tell the colt no now, right after he had gone and spilled out his heart like that? He sighed, "You... you have to promise to keep it a secret."
"I promise!" New Dawn said immediately.
"And no laughing either!"
"What are you looking at me for?" Red merely deadpanned at Goliath's glare before eventually giving up. "Fine fine, I promise."
Another sigh. Less from frustration and more trying to relieve himself of his newfound anxiety. "I... have always wanted to be a..." He mumbled something softly.
"Sorry, say again?" Red said, "I don't speak mouse."
"I... Ugh..." He took a deep breath, "I've always wanted to be a dancer..." He immediately cringed and regretted his decision when he heard the sound of Red Star stiffling her giggles. He shot her a look of piercing daggers, but this seemed to do little to halt her unintentionally insulting action.
"S-sorry," she tried, her words jumbled due to her urge to laugh. "I just wasn't expecting such... aspirations from a pony like yourself."
"Such is exactly the reason why I gave up on my dream years ago." He said quietly. He looked to the ground, just wanting this moment to pass so they could move on.
"Well, I certainly think it's a dream that's still worth pursuing." New Dawn said with a smile.
"I don't mean to sound rude, kid, but I've heard those words more times than I can count. I already have the one thing I need: balance. My issue isn't with a lack of skill for the trade, but rather because I have certain mantles that have been placed on my shoulders that would not allow me to continue down that path."
"Balance?" Red Star said. "So that's why you were able to stand on your hind legs for so long back in my cell. Damn, you must get a lot of practice to be able to hold yourself up so well like that." Goliath shrugged, "I don't exactly have much else to do in my spare time."
"You spoke of holding certain mantles of responsibility..." New Dawn stated, "What did you mean?" Another sigh left the stallion's lips. "My family has been farmers for generations. As such, I'm expected to continue the tradition." His eyes turned to the red mare, "And to answer your question about my sword, it's a memento. My father served with Sky Captain Wind Reaver during the war. Sadly, he never returned. He had been buried at the battlefield itself and only his sword was returned. My mother left the sword to me, as she expected me to become the new male figurehead of our house. Of course there was no way I could reject such a responsibility. Between being a farmer and soldier should duty call, taking upon myself such a profession would only lead to more trouble than its worth."
"Alright, alright, I get it." Red Star said with a small smile as she raised a hoof up in a mock defense. "You don't need to convince me. You've clearly got your reasons." Before New Dawn could say another word, the mare he rode on turned away and began walking back towards the group. As she walked away, she turned her head around, "You should teach me some of that balancing stuff sometime. Sounds like it might be fun."
Goliath furrowed his brow for a moment. Was she asking him to...? He shook his head free of such thoughts. There was no way in tartarus she'd actually suggest such a thing to him. But still... maybe?
-------------
"Well... this is certainly bigger than I expected..."
"Eh, I've seen bigger."
"Bigger than that? And where exactly have you seen one bigger than that? I was in prison for eight years and can tell your just as much of a shut in."
"A mare has her ways! ...Okay, fine. It was back during my more youthful days as a reader. Some of the books had pictures..."
"Enough already!" Awestruck groaned at the two mares who were arguing again. Whatever compelled them to start arguing about the size of the cave in front of them was unknown to him, but what he did know was that he had had enough of their incessant game of "You suck! No, you suck!"
The group had finally arrived at their destination after a long (one might say too long) journey. The end of their quest lay before them in the form of a massive gaping hole in the side the mountain's peak. Black smoke billowed out near the roof of the cavern, where it then proceeded to raise into the sky above. From deep within the cavern the sound of a deep, nassally snore could be heard that echoed throughout the mountain itself.
"So," Wind Reaver wore a smirk as he looked to the rest of the group, who proceeded to stand in silence following the snore, "Who wants to go into the big smoke-filled hole in the mountain first?"
"H-hey, you're the one with the swords!" Saryn stammered and pointed a hoof towards the older stallion. "You should go in first!"
"Now come on, I bet if ya really wanted to then you could magic up a pair o' swords all on your own."
"It doesn't work that way!" She shouted in her defense. "You can't just make something from nothing! It's not... well, alright. I guess it is magic, but not the kind of magic you're thinking of!"
"Whatever you say missy." Wind Reaver said with a chuckle, not bothering to look her way.
"So, what's the plan then?" Goliath asked.
"Well, I don't exactly know much about dragons... but I do know somepony who does."
All eyes turned to the tall white Unicorn, who proceeded to give a heavy sigh and mutter something under her breath. "Well, we're clearly not dealing with an adolescent here... There's simply far too much smoke. This would lead me to assume that it's scales have had ample time to grow and most attempts at penetrating such a thick hide would prove fruitless."
"The belly is likely to be the best place for an attack." Morning Dew chimed in, "Dragons are reptilian by nature, and therefore have softer undersides to allow the flesh to expand unhindered." "Precisely." Saryn confirmed.
"Well, that leaves us with a problem then." Star Light spoke rather calmly despite his words, and especially calmly for one who appeared to be leaving the cave. Had he scouted ahead while the others were talking? "That thing doesn't sleep on it's back. We would need to roll it over if we ever hope to pull off an attack like that."
"Well what do you propose we do then, army?" Red Star didn't appear to be liking their odds very much anymore.
"When attempting to besiege a settlement and one finds that their forces cannot easily make their way towards a weakened position without first being spotted, the most effective solution would probably be..." The soldier's words suddenly went quiet, as if he didn't really want to say what he was thinking.
Thankfully for him, he wouldn't have to.
"A distraction." Wind Reaver stepped forward to take a place by Star Light's side. "Somepony would have to distract it long enough for it to put itself in a vulnerable state where we can deal a fatal blow to it's underside."
"We couldn't possibly ask somepony to do that!" New Dawn exclaimed as he jumped forward to be seen. He had been so quiet on the way up that some had forgotten that he was still there completely. "That's too dangerous! There has to be another way!"
"We won't be asking anypony to do anything." Awestruck Wonder gave the young colt a soft smile and ruffled his mane a little with his hoof before adopting a more serious face and looking towards the others. "I volunteer."
"I don't think so, buddy." Goliath said, waving his hoof to emphasise his words. "We didn't follow you all the way up here just to see you get eaten. The kid's right, there has to be another way." New Dawn smiled knowing that he had somepony on his side, but Awestruck wasn't so quick to just back down. "I don't mean to toot my own horn here, but I don't think anypony here is better when it comes to illusionary magics than me. I bet my life that I can keep it from tearing us all apart long enough for the deed to be done."
Star Light accepted his decision with a brief nod. "Let's hope we all live long enough to be able to take you up on that bet. Now, if nopony else has anything to offer to our strategy than it is as such: Awestruck Wonder will awaken the dragon and use his magics to keep it's attention. Meanwhile, Goliath and Sky Captain Wind Reaver will be waiting for an opening to go for the softer skin. Morning Dew, Lady Saryn, and myself will be assisting Awestruck in any way we can with our own magic." "What about me and the kid?" Red Star said, nodding her head towards the young colt and keeping her eyes locked with the Unicorn's.
"You will be our fallback plan. Should the dragon prove to much for our magic, then we will be relying on your strength and agility to keep it occupied."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that!?"
"You're still young, girl," Wind Reaver spoke with a smile and tapped the side of his head with his hoof, "Use that fresh brain o' yours. I know you'll be able to think of somethin'. Oh, here," He turned his head around and grabbed the hilt of one of his swords with his teeth before dropping it in his hoof and tossing it to the mare, who caught it in her own teeth. "That might prove useful."
"Aren' you go'a 'eed this?" She replied, the sword slightly too big for her to properly speak and hold in her mouth at the same time.
Wind Reaver replied with a soft chuckle and a shake of his head, "I've only got one mouth, ma'am. Better with you than stuck in it's sheath, I'd say."
"Then we all know our duties?" The ponies nodded to the soldier. "Good, then let's get into position. The less time we're up here breathing in fumes, the better."
The seven ponies nodded in agreement and, some more reluctantly than others, proceeded to step towards the gaping hole in the mountain's peak. Only seven, for one stood his ground for a moment. "I-if you're sure this is the only way, then... what can I do to help?"
The ponies stopped for a moment and turned to face New Dawn, who looked as if he was pleading them not to go with his eyes. Star Light opened his mouth briefly before biting his lip and looking away from those violet eyes. Awestruck noticed the lack of words that the guard captain had for the colt and took it upon himself to save the stallion. "Go ahead, I'll speak with him." The Unicorn said quietly to the other before turning and returning to the colt's side. The sound of hooves against stone confirmed that the gesture that he had seen out of the corner of his eye was indeed a nod.
New Dawn huffed quietly before falling back into a sitting position. "I don't even know why I came..."
Awestruck took a seat next to the colt and pulled him closer with his hoof. "You came because you felt like you had a duty to do so. You didn't want to say no to the princess, am I right?"
He heard a small sniffle come from the colt before he nodded. Awestruck began to gently rub the young one's back in hopes of keeping him calm. "This is a very dangerous place for a child, but to say that you're useless right now is certainly an understatement Dawn."
"All of you have something to contribute here... Speed, or strength, or magic, or weapons, or..." He sighed quietly as he couldn't think of any other immediate attributes of the others off the top of his head. "And then there's me..."
"You don't really believe that, do you?" New Dawn's eyes moved up to meet with Awestruck's, "When Princess Luna saw you the other day, and heard of how you stood up for her and her beautiful night... even I was humbled. You spoke against what you thought was wrong, and that gives you meaning. It sets you apart from all the other fillies and colts."
"Well... I can't exactly talk the dragon to death, now can I..." The colt's head fell once again.
"No, but that's not the point I'm trying to make right now. My point is this: when you speak, you make sure that other ponies listen. Whether it's some schoolyard punks or myself and the others, you let your words be known. And for all intents and purposes, that may be exactly the thing that the princess needs when all of her plans come together. And it's exactly why..." New Dawn tried to jump onto his hooves as he felt a surge of electricity suddenly shoot through his whole body, starting from his forehead, but Awestruck's hooves held him in place until a small glowing symbol appeared on the colt's forehead, confirming that the spell was complete. "...It is imperative that you make it back, even if the rest of us don't. I performed a very high-level spell on you just now, despite the fact that some ponies like Star Light would probably prefer I don't go doing such right now. I need you to stay out here and watch from afar. If it doesn't look like we're going to make it, if we start to... All you have to do is think of one place that you'd much rather be. It can be anywhere, you just need to visualize it and think very hard - and boom, you're there. But be careful, because you can only do it once."
With a smile on the lips of the Unicorn and an ever present look of concern on the earth pony's face, the two rose back up to their hooves. "Just... be safe, alright?"
Awestruck's smile grew a little wider as he began walking to join the others. "I wouldn't be much of a magician if I never took risks," He said, looking over his shoulder, "But for you... I'll do my best."
-------------
When Saryn had confirmed that the dragon was indeed far from an adolescent, Awestruck Wonder was rather awestruck to see just how right she was.
The dragon was large enough that it could likely decimate the royal castle back in the city with minimal effort. The Unicorn stood before it's head, which was roughly the size of a small house, and took a moment to compare it's closed eyelids to doorways to said small house.
"How the hell you got here unnoticed is beyond me..." Awestruck mused before looking towards the corner of the cavern and caught sight of where a few of the others were positioned. Star Light's horn faintly glowed twice to signal that the group was ready and in position to act. Awestruck nodded and turned his eyes upward and along the wall, where Goliath and the Sky Captain stood ready. The Unicorn gave the two a swift salute before returning his attention to the monstrous beast before him. Awestruck Wonder sat back onto his haunches, inhaled deeply, put his hooves near his mouth and let out a loud, long whistle.
The dragon's eyes shot open to the sharp sound before blinking a few times as they tried to adjust. When finally able to see again, the great beast glared down at the insignificant creature that dared threaten his slumber. To those glaring eyes, Awestruck only smiled.
"Well hello there good sir - I'm certainly hoping you're a sir - I've come from a far off land that isn't too far off just to see you!"
The dragon merely lifted one of it's eyebrows in pitying curiosity for whatever this damned pony had in store.
"You see, I'm a traveling magician!" He spoke, putting heavy emphasis towards many of his words as if he were speaking to a group of bewildered foals while he quickly paced from side to side to keep the beast's attention. "But alas, I have nopony to demonstrate my magnificant power and magic to! But then, a thought came to my mind just like a breath of air against one's face in a field! Perhaps there is nopony to demonstrate my prowess to, but that does not mean there is nobody!" The Unicorn began lifting his legs high and stomping them down, as if he were attempting to climb an invisible mountain, "And so I climbed and climbed and climbed until I finally arrived here in your lovely - and quite spacious - abode!"
When his eyes returned to the dragon, he couldn't help but feel surprised and ever so slightly annoyed to see that it had pulled out a nail file the size a surfboard and was working away at it's claws. When it realized that the little Unicorn was no longer speaking, it lowered it's gaze back down and spoke in a very deep, almost growling tone. "Are you quite finished?"
To these words, Awestruck only smiled wider. "Not at all... In fact, I've only just begun!"
Suddenly, a tornado of flame and heat grew from Awestruck's horn. The fire spun and danced until it almost reached the ceiling, where it then it suddenly spread in two directions and arced like a pair of wings. The torrent collapsed in itself, twisting around until it took the form of a massive, flaming bird.
The magical phoenix gave a mighty caw as if to further announce it's presence. It may have been a little loud for the average pony, but for the dragon...
The great reptile was, for a lack of a better term, awestruck by the flaming beast that was beginning to circle around him. He pulled himself up onto his hind legs and into a sitting position, entranced by the light that the phoenix produced. Normally a dragon and phoenix would not get along well, but the heat that he felt against his scales brought back tender memories of home. With such thoughts in his mind, the dragon couldn't help but let a gentle, crooked smile form across his lips.
"Alright," Wind Reaver said quietly to Goliath, not quite sure if the dragon was too discracted to hear him if he spoke at a normal volume, "I'll pick you up and dive on it, and you use that big ol' sword to give it a new hole."
Goliath nodded but bit his lip slightly before taking the hilt of his sword in his mouth, "Alright, I'm fine with that plan, but... please don't word it like tha-"
Wind Reaver didn't give the earth pony time to finish his sentence before wrapping his hooves around him and pulling him up into the air. The Pegasus flew high enough that the dragon wouldn't be able to see them right away - granted that Awestruck didn't make his fiery bird fly too high.
However, it would appear that the only way to stay out of the beast's line of sight would be to fly straight through the build up of smog that still resided along the ceiling of the cavern. The sky captain tried to tough it out, but the thick cloud was quickly becoming too much for him while he was trying to carry a not-so-light stallion and his weapon. Finally, he was forced to take a breath. Upon doing so, his lungs were filled and he began to cough and his eyes began to water. Nevertheless, he held onto Goliath to ensure he did not fall to an early death.
"Drop me, drop me!" The Pegasus heard from below him. He quickly risked looking down to see that they were now directly above the dragon, and if he proceeded any further then the drop would be a miss. Wind Reaver quickly realized his mistake and immediately dropped his payload. However, it would appear that he had misjudged where exactly his payload was going to land.
Goliath took his sword in his hooves and pointed the blade downward. As the stallion dropped through the air, he soon realized that he was not going to land where he had intended... but rather was on a collision course with the beast's head. Much too his own surprise, Goliath's sword did manage to pierce the dragon's skin, but that was all that it pierced.
For a moment, the trance that the dragon was in as it's eyes followed the fiery bird was shattered. The charcoal colored earth pony, still holding tightly to his sword, looked down and was met by a large pair of eyes that were looking back up at him and were rather uncomfortably close. As the dragon began to growl in anger and bare it's teeth, Goliath only had enough time to mutter, "...Shit."
A deafening roar filled the cavern and would likely be heard for miles. The dragon swung wildly at the air in fury, it's claws quickly making contact with the illusionist's phoenix and turning it into mere embers. Now that the distraction was out of the way, the dragon attempted to reach up and grab the pest that dared assault him, but a large, glowing crescent shaped object suddenly flew from one end of the cavern and pinned it's right arm to the back wall.
Goliath, seeing the opportunity that was given to him, quickly pried his sword from the dragon's scales and leapt down to slide down it's back. The fall was a little steeper than the stallion would have preferred, but he managed to reach the floor of the cavern with only a light stumble - until the dragon's tail thrashed around and smacked him, sending him flying through the air until he collided with a wall.
Satisfied that the one that dared assault it was now dealt with, the dragon's eyes returned to the large glowing object that held its arm against the wall. It glared as it tried to pull it's arm away, but the effort proved fruitless. It growled deeply and turned it's attention back to the pony that had first awoken him, only to find that he now had company. Another insignificant little creature, this one was female and wore some stupid looking coat. Most importantly, however, was the fact that it's horn was glowing.
Dragon's weren't known for being the most intelligent creatures on the planet, but they could certainly put two and two together with ease.
Inhaling deeply, the dragon craned it's neck back before throwing it's head forward with mouth agape and releasing a swirling vortex of flame. The intense fire raged and spun at the two Unicorns, but a third quickly arrived just in time to erect a forcefield to hold back the heat.
Star Light clenched his teeth together and strained to hold back such an intense force, but he refused to let it overwhelm him. He couldn't help but let out a brief sigh of relief as the fiery hell around his shield began to diminish and he was allowed a moment's rest, but it would appear that a moment was all he was going to get. When his eyes returned to the mighty beast, they widened as he watched the dragon pull with enough force to shatter the mountain itself and destroy the magic that held it in place.
It rolled it's wrist a few times as it glared down at the trio of Unicorns. "Such insolence!" The dragon curled its claws into a fist and slammed it down upon the shield, shattering it and sending the three flying backwards. "Such arrogance!" It's deep, gutteral voice echoed throughout the cave and it felt as though the very mountain itself shook with every step it took closer. "Must be punished!"
"Excuse me!" A voice called out, quickly catching the attention of the furious monstrosity. It's eyes shot towards the sound, where it was almost met face to face by yet another Unicorn who was standing upon an outcropping in the cavern. Her horn was already shining in it's pale glow. "A lady should not be ingored!"
Before the dragon could react, a blast of green magic shot forward from the mare's horn. It collided with it's face, but the dragon quickly realized that this was no normal magical blast. It burned and ate away at the dragon's scales and hide. It roared in pain and frustration, it's tail thrashing about as it tried to cover the acidic magic that threatened to pull it's face apart.
Sick and tired of these horrible little creatures, the dragon turned it's fury towards the one who dared strike it in such a way. Within barely a second, it inhaled and let loose a terrifying breath of yellow and red flame that was ready to consume the Unicorn. The dragon ensured that the flames would not be hot enough to kill the pony outright, but only set them ablaze so that they may feel the pain they were unleashing upon it for seemingly no reason other than just because they could.
However, just as the fire was about to devour it's target, the Pegasus from before swooped in and took the mare in his hooves just in time to avoid what would have been certain death. But the dragon would be damned before it gave any further second chances. The Pegasus was quick, no doubt, but it was quicker. The dragon slapped the ponies out of the sky like an annoying gnat, for that was exactly what they were. And like gnats, they were only good to be crushed.
Wind Reaver and Saryn hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of the mare and breaking a few bones in the sky captain's body with audible snaps. The dragon smiled it's twisted smile at the sound of their shaky breathing and groans of pain. It lifted both clawed hands up before bringing them down upon the two. Wind Reaver recovered only just in time to catch the claw that threated to pierce straight through his skull, but he was still no match for a dragon's strength. The tip of the sharp claw pierced straight through his left eye.
Saryn did not have the strength nor reflexes to hold back something like that.
The claws thankfully missed her head, but they carved massive gashes around her neck and even down the fronts of her forelegs. Crimson stained her otherwise pearly white coat, and her body visibly shook as she saw the blood running along her skin. She could only whimper softly, as she was choking beneath the dragon's weight.
Suddenly the dragon felt something scrambling up it's back. Just how many of these damned ponies were there!?
The pony reached the dragon's head surprisingly quick, and as it tried to look up it caught sight of the little mare. Red with a black mane, and it was holding a-
"Let's see how you like it, you son of a bitch!"
Red Star plunged the sword straight into the dragon's eye. She then hung on for dear life as it violently began throwing it's weight around, releasing the two below from what could have been certain death and crashing into the walls of the caverns in a vain effort to kill the one who was now being thrown about from atop its head.
The dragon roared, and rather then merely trying to pull Red Star from her position, rushed out from the mountain's cavern - somehow not managing to step on and crush any of the others - and leapt from the cliff before throwing it's massive wings out and taking to the air.
Red Star was not a huge fan of heights. Such a phobia usually came standard with smaller mares. Riding a dragon that was soaring at speeds faster than most Pegasi can fly as it leapt from the tallest mountain the known country, with the only thing currently keeping her alive being her grip on the sword that was currently plunged halfway into said dragon's eye was certainly not aiding her in getting over that phobia.
Her eyes, barely open, began tearing up as the wind blew through her mane and fur. The dragon let out another terrifying roar as it only further picked up speed before going into a steep climb. Red held on to the sword as tightly as she could with both her hooves and teeth as the dragon reached the apex of it's climb. For a moment, everything stopped. The dragon and the mare hung suspended up in the sky with the only sound to be heard being the quickened breaths of the mare and the sound of her own racing heartbeat.
And then it began to fall. Quickly reaching speeds that no earth pony should ever, ever reach in the mare's opinion, the dragon's wings folded as it began rapidly spinning in its dive. Unsure of whether or not the little pony was still holding on for it's very life still, the dragon spread it's wings out wide and began it's approach back towards it's home.
Meanwhile, Awestruck Wonder was still holding his head in an effort to stop his brain from rattling around in his skull any further. When he opened his eyes, he silently wished that he hadn't. Wind Reaver's eye had been replaced by a gaping hole which the Pegasus wasted no effort at all in covering up. He was far more concerned with the mare that he had crawled over to. Saryn was lying on the ground with deep wounds around the back of her neck and down her forelegs. Blood stained half of her otherwise white coat, and somehow the mare seemed even paler. She whimpered as she looked at her shaking hooves, her pupils tiny as what had happened to her was still registering in her mind. "Oh no..." The magician quickly rushed forward and slid to a halt next to the mare. Wind Reaver cradled her in his hooves in hopes of reminding the poor mare that she wasn't alone in her pain. His eyes turned to the Pegasus, "Wind, I don't think you should be moving around this mu-"
"Forget about me!" The older pony snapped, startling the Unicorn, "I only need one eye! But she..." His voice quieted down as his gaze turned back down to the quivering mare, "She didn't deserve this..." Awestruck's breathing hastened. Everything was falling apart around him. Goliath was out colt, Morning Dew was tending to Star Light, who probably suffering a concussion from when the spell was shattered, Wind Reaver and Saryn were wounded, and where in the world was Red Star!?
"Can't you do anything?" Awestruck's eyes returned to the two ponies in front of him. Wind Reaver's good eye closed while the other only managed to close halfway, "You have magic... tell me there's something you can do to save her!"
"I-I'm sorry..." Awestruck replied, slightly shaking, "I don't know any healing magic, it's-"
The Unicorn wasn't given the opportunity to finish, as the sky captain's eyes shot open, but instead of the normal warm calmness that they bore, now there only seemed to be anger. "Then what good are you!?" To this, Awestruck stumbled back. He never, in the short time the two knew each other, expected such an outburst to come from the old, bloodied stallion. Neither did Wind Reaver, if the way the stallion's breathing had suddenly become heavier was any tell-tale sign. His eye snapped back towards Awestruck and watched as the Unicorn turned his back on the two and began walking towards the cave's entrance. "Where are you going?"
Awestruck didn't turn his head all the way around, but only just enough so that Wind Reaver could see the tears running through the fur on his cheeks.
"To keep anypony else from dying..."
The magician suddenly burst into a sprint. He didn't hear what the sky captain shouted to him, and right now he didn't much care. When he reached the outside and stood upon the overlooking cliffside, the gravity of what he was going up against once again weighed him down like tons. The dragon was rapidly approaching the mountain's peak. It's mouth opened wide enough to reveal the fiery inferno that the beast was preparing for all of those that had disturbed it's slumber. But Awestruck did not run and he did not back down. If he was going to die, then that was what was going to happen... but he'd be damned twice over before he let that miserable reptile harm another pony. He planted his hooves firmly onto the ground and closed his eyes, channeling every bit of magical essence that he had within his body all towards his horn. His horn began to glow just as it always did, but the light only grew brighter and brighter. Cold sweat ran down his body and his limbs began to feel numb due to all of the magic being routed to his horn. His head was pounding, feeling as if it were ready to burst at any moment.
Awestruck opened one of his eyes to make sure that his target was still on course. The dragon was indeed still diving on his position, but now was much closer. But still not close enough, he thought to himself. He knew he'd only get one shot at this, and if he missed then... he'd better not miss. Closer... Closer...
The dragon was the first to make it's move, rearing it's head back before throwing it forward again, and in doing so spitting a massive ball of fire large enough to effortlessly consume any flesh in it's path. Awestruck could feel the intense heat even from where he stood.
Now!
All at once the magic that was swelling up within Awestruck Wonder was fired in a beam of light. The magical blast went straight through the ball of fire, eradicating it completely before continuing on. The dragon had no chance to react in the slightest before the beam went straight through it's mouth and bursting back out just above it's tail. The wings stopped flapping and fell limp, and only through momentum did it continue through the air... directly towards Awestruck.
His body couldn't move, not after expending so much energy. It was a wonder he was still standing, even if just for the moment. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the end coming. As soon as he did, something collided with him from his right. He could see a brief flash of light despite his closed eyes, and then he heard a thunderous crash.
When he finally risked opening his eyes again, he was met by a sight he wasn't at all expecting. He was lying on the ground some several dozen feet from the dead dragon with who else but New Dawn holding tightly to his neck. The glowing symbol that was on his forehead was now gone, confirming to Awestruck what he suspected: New Dawn used the magic he had given him to save his life.
He would have laughed if he hadn't passed out just a few seconds later.
-------------
“Awestruck,” The Lunar Princess said in a quieter tone compared to the one she had used earlier when the rest of the group was still in the room, “Dost thou… believe I am asking too much of everypony?”
“Of course not, Your Majesty,” Awestruck said as he ignored the discomfort of his bowing stance, “We are yours to command as you see fit. We agreed to take such a role, all of us did. To be given such a task is an honor and–”
“Rise, dear magician.”
His eyes opened at her command, and, albeit with slight reluctance, he did so. Princess Luna looked down at him and when he looked back into her eyes he saw not the same eyes that demanded obedience from before, but instead eyes that demanded something else entirely. Calm, perhaps?
“Thou promises to be honest with your Princess?”
“Of course,” He answered immediately, “I would never think to lie to the one we adore so greatly.”
Luna let out a breath of air, a chuckle that just hadn’t quite made its way through. She turned around to once again face the mountain in the distance, “Perhaps thou believe so, but the others… I see through them. Lady Saryn only wishes to promote her own status, while the mare, Red Star, only wishes to fulfill a debt she believes she owes. I am sure that even Star Light is only acting in such a way to please his mother.”
Awestruck’s brow began to furrow in confusion. “Then… why did you allow them to be a part of all this? You brought them so close to you when you hold suspicions that they may not even fully pledge their–”
“Calm thyself, my dear magician.” Awestruck tried not to show the way his heart fluttered at the sound of the Princess calling him her own, “Just because their words are not entirely truthful does not mean they are without use. To complete your objective, thou art going to need all the assistance one can get.”
“But… what of New Dawn? He is still so young.”
“Nopony can do everything,” she replied, “But everypony can do something. I believe there art much more to New Dawn than meets the eye. Either way, there art more to thine mission than I had originally mentioned.”
More? On top of killing the dragon and retrieving a gem inside its very heart, there was more? “Anything you request, my Princess, and it is yours.” He replied with another short bow.
There was a short time of silence in which not a word was spoken. The only sound between the two was the sound of the wind blowing their manes gently to the side. Finally, the Alicorn let out a small sigh before continuing, “I need for thou and the others to drink the dragon’s blood once thou has disposed of it.”
Awestruck’s eyes couldn’t have gone wider if he had tried. “D-drink its blood, Your Majesty…?”
“Something unheard of, especially by our own kind, I know.” Awestruck couldn't help but notice the surprising apathy on the Alicorn's face as she spoke. "Tis a well known fact that the very magic we use each and every day flows through all living creatures. Dragons, to our knowledge, are the most powerful creatures that walk the planet in terms of magic." Her eyes returned to the Unicorn that stood behind her, "If a pony were to take that powerful magic upon themselves... Just imagine the possibilities!"
Awestruck nodded for her. On the inside he was concerned as for what possibilities his princess had in mind. "And what of the others? Are they to drink as well?"
"We accepted them and they art risking their very lives for their country. It is only natural that they be allowed to take such power as well, especially if they desire to serve Us further." She replied, changing back to her We's and Us's as she turned and stepped closer to him. She stood tall before his form and looked down at him. "We trust that this task can be completed as well, should thou succeed?"
"O-of course, my princess!" He stammered, slightly flushed as the wind blew once again and led the Alicorn's scent to his senses. Awestruck did not realize that Luna had noticed, and she lifted his head upwards with her hoof and very gently touched her lips just below his horn.
"Please... Refer to Us as your queen, dear Awestruck."
-------------
"Rise and shine, you crazy motherfucker!"
When Awestruck Wonder awoke, he was both pleased and displeased. He was pleased because he couldn't help but feel shocked that he could still feel anything after what had just happened. He was displeased because what he was feeling was a weight on his chest and something slapping him across the face half of a dozen times rather forcefully.
He opened his eyes just in time to see the red limb smack him once more.
"Enough!" He groaned, his head feeling as if it were going through the dragon's fire. As he rubbed his temples, he looked up to see Red Star looking slightly redder than usual due to the blood in her fur. As always, she looked less than happy.
"Next time you decide to use your magical 'I Win' attack, make sure I'm far away from it."
As the mare climbed off of him, Awestruck couldn't help but feel confused as to just what she meant and more confused about just where she was during the events prior to his blackout, but at least she was alive. That counted for something, right?
The Unicorn rolled onto his side to find New Dawn crouched beside him. On the colt's face was something between relief to see that he was okay and apologetic for the red mare's abuse on him while he was unconscious.
"Awestruck,"
The expression on that colt's face turned to morbid fear when the two turned to be met by a now conscious Goliath with possibly conscious Saryn riding limply on his back. Her eyes were half open but unmoving.
"H-how is she?" He asked, desperately hoping for some level of good news. However, the look on the larger stallion's face confirmed his fear long before he spoke.
"She's not going to make it."
Awestruck suddenly found himself unable to breathe. How could this happen? They trusted him to lead them on this mission, and now just about every single one of them was lucky to still be alive. As if fearing that Saryn was not truly the only one, his eyes quickly looked beyond Goliath to where the others were gathered.
Red Star was covered in scrapes and bruises.
Morning Dew seemed fine, as she was tending to Wind Reaver, who appeared to have part of the mare's cloak wrapped around his head to cover his eye.
Star Light was up on his hooves again, but stayed close to Morning Dew just in case something were to happen.
Goliath looked like he had just undergone the worst night sleep of his life, but looked alright for the most part.
They were alright, mostly... But Awestruck held back any sigh of relief that dared think itself possible at the moment. His eyes turned back to the bloodied Unicorn. It almost felt like a dream when he tried to remember her just hours ago as she tried to outdo Red Star in little unneccesary competitions to prove who was better.
He hated himself right now. He hated the fact that his concept of medical magic was so limited, he hated the fact that even if he did know any spells that could save her, he wouldn't be able to help because of how drained he was feeling, and overall he hated just how helpless he felt...
But there had to be something, right? Something to at least dull the pain, to make sure that the mare could at least be calm as she passed. But even levitation was beyond him at the moment, what could he do for her? It's not like he could just conjure up some kind of magical drink that was powerful enough to save-
"Goliath... get your sword."
"Excuse me?" The stallion asked, confused about just what the magician had in mind. His eyes followed Awestruck's to find that he was now staring beyond the others and at the limp corpse of the dragon.
"I said get your sword..."
-------------
"We cut the beast open, and we did as you asked..." Relinquish smiled feintly as he sat next to Luna's prone form and looked into the sky, visualizing the memories of days long past. "We drank."
-------------
"T-t-they did WHAT!?" All of the mares that surrounded Mercy cried out at once, causing the young colt to cover his ears from their shouts.
"I said," Mercy began again as he massaged his ears, "We cut the dragon open and drank the blood. Dragons have a lot of magic flowing through them, and unless she drank it then she would surely die!"
"Yeah, we heard that part!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
"Why did you all drink it though!?" Twilight added.
Mercy merely shrugged. "Sounded like a good idea at the time."
Their jaws dropped.
"Oh, close 'em before you catch a fly. I was joking. As it would seem, killing the dragon and obtaining the Fire wasn't all that Princess Luna wanted us to do. Like I said, dragons are very magical creatures, and if we took that magic upon ourselves then Luna assumed that we could become more powerful then anypony in the Royal Guard could ever dream of becoming. Personally, I think we're all a little lucky to even still be alive after the consumption."
"Lucky to be alive?" Applejack spoke for the first time since the story began, "Ya do realize that one of 'em has got a big ol' eye on their forehead, right?" She poked her own forehead with her hoof for emphasis.
"Yes, I understand this. And that actually leads to what happened next in the story. We consumed the dragon's blood, and it did in fact heal the wounds of the others... but that was far from all it did." For a moment, Mercy went quiet which prompted the mares to lean in closer. The colt looked down at the table that was between them all as he recollected the events. "It was... disturbing, to say the least, with what happened next. We collapsed, I remember that much, and it felt like my organs were being rearranged inside my body... It's hard to explain the feeling, I guess. But I'll never forget what I saw happening to the others... I just couldn't close my eyes...
"Red Star's blood must have been rushing at a mile minute... It looked like every vein in her body was popping out at once. Her body was shaking so violently... Star Light's skin was changing color between it's normal white, a dark blue, and completely black... Goliath's face began to melt and fall apart... Water began flowing out of Morning Dew's eyes and ears and fell out of her mouth every time she opened it... she was choking on it... Wind Reaver burst into dark fire... Saryn's wounds began to bubble with some kind of puss that eventually hardened... Awestruck's horn receeded into his head, and was replaced by that eye..."
By now, Mercy was shaking in his seat. Quietly, Rarity made her way to his side and put her hoof around him in hopes of keeping the colt calm as he recollected watching his friend's bodies twist and transform before his very eyes.
"The worst part was that I drank too... but nothing happened. I couldn't even share their pain... just watch."
"But why didn't it effect you like it did to them?" Twilight inquired.
Mercy shrugged. "I'm not sure. After everything had calmed down, I asked the same question. They figured that maybe the dragon's blood pitied me and saved me from such a fate. Thus, when it came time for new names to be given to us... I was given the name of Mercy, for it is what was given to me. Awestruck was named Relinquish, for he gave up everything for the princess... His identity and even his very horn. Goliath became Silence because he no longer spoke due to what happened to his face. He later carved a new weapon and mask from the dragon's bones as a sort of insult to the dragon for what it had done to him. Star Light took the name of Severance, for he severed all ties with friends and family after that day. Wind Reaver was named Regret, for it was what he held in his heart... both for his family, and for what had happened to Saryn. Speaking of, Lady Saryn took the name of Venom, for that was what dripped from her lips as she spoke, and due to her rather unnatural expertise when it came to certain types of magic. Morning Dew became Revenant for like a ghost, she was. Always appearing and disappearing... She uses the water to move around. Her body is constantly dripping wet because of it."
He let out a heavy sigh, "And that is the final part of my tale. We changed and tore the dragon apart to get the Fire of Passion from within it's heart. After that, we dropped off the map to all save Luna. Of course, one does not bring a magical artifact of the Fire's magnitude back to the castle without somepony taking notice. Celestia soon found out but Luna brushed it off as a gem that was found in the beast's hoard. The Fire was deemed too powerful on it's own and a second gem was cut from it. While it was being transported, the caravan was raided. As far as I know, that second piece is still gone. Regardless, tell me: even after everything I have told you, and even having seen a few of them in action... do you still wish to challenge their power?"
"Well, duh!" Pinkie stated loudly, snapping the others from their melancholy states. "Magically supercharged or not, the princess still needs our help!"
"Yeah, and there's yet to be a problem that our friendship hasn't been able to overcome!" Applejack agreed, which resulted in multiple murmurs of agreement from the others.
"I certainly hope you're right," Mercy said quietly beneath their agreeing statements, "For everypony's sake..."
To say that the Everfree Castle, or "Castle of the Two Sisters" as it had apparently been dubbed at some point, was an intimidating sight during the starlit hours would certainly not go unrecognized. During daylight hours, on the other hand, it had a certain intrigue to it. The castle, as well as the city itself, was left relatively untouched by all but time itself. Even the animals seemed to stray away from the city, leaving only dust in the vacant streets.
"Hey, Dawn? Y'alright?"
Mercy was snapped out of his train of thought by the southern mare's hushed voice. The others were up ahead of the two and looking back at him with general looks of concern. How long had he been standing there, just looking down the street?
"Yes, I'm fine." He said, followed by a brief sigh. He quickly trotted back to the others and continued leading them through the silent ruins.
"Does... Does it hurt?" Twilight asked as she approached his right side. "Seeing it all like this, I mean... This was your home, after all."
Mercy said nothing at first, simply continuing on quietly. His eyes went from one building to the next, remembering it all just as it had once been. "Twilight, let me ask you something. If you were to go, say, out to the country for just a few days, and then you came back to find your town looking like this," He gestured to a small home to his left. The window was covered in dust, the door was slightly ajar and a patch of the roof had caved in. Like the rest of the city, it almost seemed generally devoid of color. "Would it hurt?"
The young colt wasn't expecting an answer, and he honestly didn't want the mare to give him one. Instead he simply turned and gently nudged the door open and stepped inside. As expected, it was completely empty. Not a chair or desk or table to be found and the walls were utterly barren.
"Well, this is certainly... homey." Rainbow Dash commented upon looking around as the mares followed the colt into the house.
"This is my home." Mercy replied with apathy.
"Oh..." Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously before getting slapped upside the head by an orange hoof.
Whether or not Mercy cared for her comment wasn't to be seen. He didn't seem heartbroken or upset by anything he was seeing, he just seemed... almost neutral. The mares could hear the twinge of sadness in his voice when he spoke, but whether or not he himself was conscious of that was unknown to them.
"Oh Dawn, I'm so sorry..." Twilight said softly while Pinkie quietly made her way to his side and pulled him into a tight hug.
He gently patted the pink pony, "It's alright. I already knew the town was like this, I just... hadn't seen it up close yet."
The sound of a pony failing in an attempt to quiet her hushed sobs broke the silence of the little house. Despite her attempts at hiding the noise, all eyes turned to Fluttershy who was sitting in the corner of the room with hot tears running down her cheeks. Upon seeing that she was noticed, she allowed herself to be a little louder and reached out for the comforting hooves of the nearest friend, being Rarity, and held to them tightly.
"I... I just d-don't know what I-I'd do if I ever c-c-came home to find everything s-so... so..."
Her voice was drowned out by another sobbing fit. When she opened her eyes again, they were met by Mercy's, who had quickly closed the distance between them. For a moment, the two simply looked at each other. Then the young colt held out his hooves for the mare, who quickly grabbed him and nearly squeezed the life out of him. Most ponies would probably be trying to gasp for breath in such a situation, but Mercy merely held onto her just as she held onto him. Soon every other mare in the room would be joining in the embrace, with the little colt and timid Pegasus right in the middle of it all.
--------------
"I don't think I've ever been in this part of the castle..." Twilight thought aloud as the group of seven made their way through a ballroom. It was almost as big as the one located in Canterlot castle. The group entered via a doorway that resided atop a flight of stairs that overlooked the main floor. Immediately to their left and right were a pair of balconies that, together, must have covered nearly half of the floor if one were to look down upon the room from the ceiling. Twin sets of spiral staircases resided beneath both balconies to provide access to the upper floor. On the far side of the room was a raised stage where a band would likely perform during special occasions, and directly behind that was a massive and grand stained glass window. Sadly it would appear, however, that at some point in time the glass was vandalized by something or another as it now stood as only half of the window it once was.
"I say, are those buckets?" Rarity asked, breaking the silence that had arisen.
The other ponies all followed the Unicorn's gaze upwards towards the dusty golden railing on the edges of the balconies. Seeing this, Rainbow Dash took it upon herself to be the first to investigate. She took to the air and hovered up by the railing and peered inside the metal container to find...
"They're just a bunch of buckets of water!" She called down to her friends. She went from bucket to bucket, and all contained the same clear liquid. Somehow, they had been placed in such a way that the objects were perfectly balanced on the railing, and it was likely that the slightest touch could cause one to tip over and scatter it's contents all across the main floor. It almost seemed like that was their intended purpose, as a long, single piece of rope stretched from one balcony to another and ended in a loose hanging piece on the far side of the room.
"Water!?" Pinkie exclaimed, bouncing in place impatiently as she had been for the past ten minutes of their journey. "Don't tell me thaaaat! I really need to go to the bathrooooom!"
"Ah told ya to go before we even came here!" Applejack told the pink mare, a soft glare in her eyes.
"But I didn't have to go theeeen!" Pinkie whined.
"Oh, just quit your fussing and go already dear." Rarity replied as she took a position by Applejack's side. "We'll wait for you here until you get back."
Before Mercy could turn and explain how letting her go on her own would more than likely prove to be a very bad idea, the pink mare was already gone in a puff of smoke with nothing more than an, "Okay!"
Quite surprised at her sudden burst of speed, the colt couldn't help but seek answers from the lavender mare just next to him. "She hasn't drank the blood of any creatures too, has she?"
"No, that's just Pinkie being, well... Pinkie." She replied with a playful roll of her eyes.
As he was about to question the subject further, Mercy's attention was suddenly captured by something else entirely. A gentle and distant sound that was slowly approaching. While the dragon's blood may not have changed him in a physical fashion as it had for the others, it certainly raised the colt's senses above those of the others, as they didn't notice the sound until it was much, much closer. By then, Mercy could hear something else alongside the hoofsteps... the swishing of water?
All eyes turned towards the open doorway where the sound was coming from. A few moments later the source of the sound revealed itself in the form of a peach colored stallion with a jet black mane. He was trotting along rather casually with the handle of a full bucket of water in his mouth. His large third eye was open while his normal eyes were closed, and it was the first to notice that he was not alone in the room like he had expected to be.
Relinquish's eyes opened to meet these newcomers. He didn't looked shocked, by any means, but the slight way in which his eyes opened wider was enough to show that he was surprised by their presence. Carefully, he set the bucket down and let thin metal handle fall to the side with a ping.
"Well, you certainly arrived sooner than I expected." He spoke casually like a pony who had been waiting at a street corner for his companions to show up.
While some of the mares, name Fluttershy and Rarity, were absolutely disturbed by the large eye on the former Unicorn's forehead that stared at them, the rest took a defensive stance to his presence. "We're here to bring Princess Luna back home!" Twilight responded with hostility to the stallion, which he merely shrugged off.
"She will be returned once she has returned to normal."
"'Normal'? She was already normal before y'all foalnapped her!" Applejack replied in the same manner as Twilight.
"Foalnapped? Please. I was under the impression that my Queen was old enough and powerful enough to release herself from any such situation."
"Awestruck, please!" Mercy cried out as he stepped forward into full view. If Relinquish's eyes had merely seemed apathetic before, now they formed the glare that the mares had expected of such a villain.
"Mercy," He said quietly in response to the colt's outburst, "So that's how they arrived here so soon."
"Please, this isn't right and you know it!" Mercy ignored his old friend's remark and simply continued, "We've been away for a very long time... Can't you see that maybe she's chang-"
Suddenly Relinquish's form became that of a deep black cloud of smoke that raced toward the six before returning back to that of an altered pony just mere inches from Mercy. His eyes were filled with raging anger as he looked down at the colt. Mercy could say nothing, for an invisible force seemed to be lifting him off the ground by his neck. The colt struggled and thrashed his legs about while his forelegs held to his neck in some vain attempt at holding back the restricting force.
"You," Relinquish's words dripped with a sudden newfound hatred, "Would actually ally yourself with these mares... THE ONES WHO KILLED SILENCE!... Rather than the ones you swore to stand by no matter what...?"
The former Unicorn's sudden outburst caused some of the mares to take a step back in shock despite Mercy's condition. Suddenly the colt was dropped like a sack of rocks. Twilight raced to his side as he lay there choking and gasping for the air that had suddenly forsaken him, while Relinquish turned away and began walking back towards where he had stood just moments ago.
"I had hoped that maybe, should we all encounter each other once again, that we would be able to see eye-to-eye on the matter." Relinquish took the end of the rope that hung freely from the balcony in his mouth and returned his gaze to the others. "It would appear that I was wrong."
"Please... Don't do it..." Mercy's voice was but a whimper as he looked to the stallion with pleading eyes.
"One does not kill one of the Queen's chosen without facing punishment!"
He gave the rope a hard tug, causing every bucket to fall and spill water all over the floor and absolutely soak the six ponies that stood below them. The girls let out a shout due to the coldness of the water.
"That was your big plan!?" Rainbow Dash shouted at the stallion after pushing her now drenched mane from her eyes.
"Only a means of getting you out of my sight."
Before any could question as to just what he meant, the pool of water they all stood in seemed to suddenly explode outward. Those who were able to turn around in time were able to catch a glimpse of a dull orange mare in a raincoat jump up from what should have been very shallow water. With her were large tendrils made of the same water that each grabbed a different pony, save the mare herself who grabbed one with her own hooves.
Just as quickly as the mare had arrived, all of them had vanished beneath the water. All was silent in the ballroom save for the breathing of the single stallion that was left alone. Relinquish spat the rope from his mouth and turned to walk away, leaving the room just as quietly as he had entered.
Only a few moments later did the entrance way open up once again by none other than a certain pink pony. "Hey girls, I'm back!" She exclaimed, happy to have found a proper room to relieve herself in. However, she was expecting a room full of mares and a little colt, not an empty room with a puddle of water. "Girls?"
Fluttershy burst from the mound of snow that she had been so rudely buried under and held her body tightly as she shivered. What in the world had happened? Just a moment ago, she and the other girls - plus Dawn - had met with the one that the colt had named Relinquish. He had poured water over them all and then there was a loud noise, followed by a sudden sensation of drowning, and now she was...
...Wait, where was she?
Fluttershy gasped as her eyes finally took in her surroundings. She was facing rolling hills of snow in every direction, and if she didn't know any better then she would presume that a terrible blizzard was just about to settle in for the long haul.
"T-T-Twilight?" She tried to shout past her quivering. Her fears were slowly becoming realized as no response returned save for the growing gusts of wind. "R-Rainbow Dash? New D-D-Dawn? Anyp-pony!?"
Her eyes began to water as she frantically looked back and forth along the frozen wasteland she was currently stuck in all by herself. All she could see as snow, snow, and more freezing snow. She turned her head again in vain hopes of seeing some form of life and was met by something that wasn't there previously.
A sharp, frozen piece of ice jutted from the landscape. Its tip came just mere inches from her face, causing the mare to recoil back in fright. Just then, she heard the sound of the snow behind her shifting around and spun around to be met by yet another frozen spike. She caught sight of it just as it, too, came just out of reach of her skin. Suddenly more and more began to appear and grow out of the ground, each barely falling short of their presumed target. With each step backwards she took, another spike appeared to close the distance she was so desperately trying to get between herself and the ice.
The poor Pegasus mare fell to her haunches, ready to burst into tears as some unseen force seemed to toy with her. However, much to her surprise, her back came in contact with something. She quickly spun around, fearing it to be another hazardous piece of ice, and was shocked to find herself under the piercing glare of a Unicorn mare. Her horn was glowing brightly and her raincoat flapped about in the wind. Oddly, she appeared to be soaking wet, as if she had just been pushed into a pool of water.
"Look at you," She said rather loudly to be heard above the winds. "So stupid and dumbfounded that you don't even realize the danger you're in."
Fluttershy quickly scrambled over herself to put some distance between herself and the mare while simultaneously trying to stay away from the spikes from before. "Y-You... You're..."
Morning Dew, or Revenant as she was now known, clicked her tongue. "Oh look, the little wretch knows how to speak. If only she was smart enough to remember she had wings, or realize that her race's one and only use is weather manipulation and a mere blizzard should be child's play."
Revenant's horn glowed brightly once again, and with a resounding boom, a massive hole in the clouds exploded outward, leaving the two ponies to bask in the newfound sunlight.
Fluttershy was practically hyperventalating at this point due to both the harsh weather and the rude mare's words, but she allowed herself a moment to relax now that the sun had revealed itself once again.
"You Pegasi are worthless," Fluttershy's anxiety returned just as quickly as it had faded when the Unicorn spoke again. The snow around her began to stir and encircle the Unicorn. It lifted off the ground and melted, turning into pure water. The water came together in seperate coursing streams that rapidly began revolving around her like astral bodies to a star. "You lay there, dumbstruck like a foal. You have wings yet you do not fly, your race claims to be prideful yet you shiver beneath the cold and desperately seek your allies."
Suddenly the streams of water lashed out, wrapping themselves around Fluttershy's neck and pulling her off the ground before instantly solidifying back into ice. She tried to pull the icy grip away from her neck, but her efforts proved fruitless. She was already beginning to feel lightheaded as air now failed to reach her lungs. As the darkness began to encroach upon her vision, she was able to catch sight of Revenant being lifted up by the water to be eye to eye with the suffocating mare.
Revenant pulled her hood back to reveal the rest of her dark mane and leaned in towards the mare's ear. She opened her mouth as if about to speak, but then seemed to reconsider at the last moment. The water pulled her back so the two could look each other in the eye once more. If Fluttershy hadn't known any better, she may have thought that the Unicorn was conflicted about what she was about to do.
The Pegasus mare didn't get much of an opportunity to mull over the thought before a battering ram of ice slammed into her body, knocking whatever breath she still had out of her as well as shattering the ice that held her neck in their freezing grip. She was thrown backwards and slid along the snow before coming to a halt. She held to her stomach and chest as she gasped for the air that had been taken from her lungs.
Fear soon returned to the poor mare. Not fear of what had happened to her body, but fear of what was about to happen, as she soon heard the sound of water flowing through the air once more. Her eyes snapped in the Unicorn's direction to see her being lifted into the air by what looked like a geyser.
"You'd best start running," She said just loud enough for the mare to hear, "Or do you intend to disappoint one final time?"
Fluttershy quickly realized the opportunity she had been given and pulled herself off of the ground. Despite the pain across her entire underside, she ran forward before spreading her wings and taking to the air. Behind her she could hear the water transforming into a furious torrent.
She dared not look back in fear that what was behind her would reach her. Even moreso, she dared not think about what might happen if the waters did reach her. Would she simply become encased within the pool without any hopes of escape and left to drown, or would the pressure of the sea crush her body underneath it? The twisted mare that was chasing her down had shown her surprising mercy thus far, but it was quickly becoming apparent that that was all she was going to get in this encounter.
Just behind the Element of Kindness was a raging storm of water. Atop it stood the mare who controlled it, bobbing and weaving in almost instant turns to stay right on the tail of her prey. To give the mare credit, she was flying quite a bit faster than Revenant had anticipated she could. Most of her focus had to remain on the stability of the torrent lest she fall behind.
Both mare's focus soon turned to their own problems rather than each other when they reentered the raging blizzard. The wind threatened to send both toppling back down into the snow, but the Unicorn held her ground against it. Fluttershy, instead of fighting against the winds, used them to her advantage. Whenever the wind would blow, she would let it take her and change direction. It was the only thing keeping her ahead of the threat that loomed behind her, and she knew it. If the wind pushed her the wrong way, she was done for.
"Enough of this!" Revenant shouted. She was growing frustrated with the Pegasus' maneuverablity in such a hostile enviornment. From her snaking geyser came a dozen tendrils. Their ends froze to ice and lashed out at the Pegasus in an attempt to pierce her body like harpoons and ground her once and for all.
The first shot sailed right past the mare's head, causing her to gasp and react by darting in the opposite direction. Revenant's assault was relentless and more than once did the icy spears come close enough to leave their target with scratches.
Thankfully, scratches were all they were. Fluttershy was able to remain in the sky, and thus remain alive. However, unbeknownst to the Pegasus was that not every shot was intended to hit. Revenant saw the way that Fluttershy would change direction with every lash that failed to meet their target. With that, she could potentially control the mare's trajectory and lead her straight to her doom.
As if the gods themselves gave their approval of her plan, the mare's eyes caught sight of just where to lead her. A scar in the earth, a ravine large enough for her storm of water to chase after her prey.
Just as she had expected, Revenant was able to lead the Pegasus downward and below the layers of snow and ice. Now Fluttershy had no wind to aid her and her maneuverability had been severely limited. The Unicorn allowed herself a small smile in knowing that her plan was coming to be a success and all of this would be over soon.
And then she felt something touch her lips. It was wet, which came as no surprise at first considering the storm just above them. That, as well as the fact that her body was perpetually drenched in water, would have gave her every reason to ignore the slight touch. However, it was the taste that truly threw her off. It tasted salty, like a...
Was this mare crying?
This mare was actually crying as she flew for her life.
She was crying.
She felt.
Revenant didn't realize it, but her tendrils had completely disolved and fell to the ground with a splash. She was far too concerned with the fact that this mare, who she had been relentlessly chasing down for what had probably been several miles now with the full intent to kill her and leave the corpse to the mercy of this icy and ruthless wasteland, was feeling not only fear... but sadness.
She felt hopeless because she knew she was running out of options and could not fly forever. She was fearful of what will happen when her body eventually forces her to stop. She was filled with anxiety over the coming end. But the emotion that flows most within her heart was sadness.
She is sad because she will die.
She is sad because her friends are gone.
She is sad because she knows there is nothing she can do.
Revenant gasped as she felt a warm trickle run down her cheeks from her now wide eyes. She quickly rubbed her cheeks and looked at her hooves. Of course, she couldn't see it in her fur, but she knew it was there.
"No!" She shouted, not so much at the mare ahead of her but rather at herself. "I will not allow you to trick me like this!"
Fluttershy's pupils shrank as she saw that her only means of escape was now a cavern within the ravine. A cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites, and if she made one wrong move then it might not be the crazy and empowered mare behind her that punched her ticket.
Revenant's water slammed around the edges of the cavern, leaving Fluttershy with only a wall of water behind her with no way to go but forward. She risked a quick look behind her and immediately wished she hadn't. Her eyes were met by a mare who wore true rage.
"I WILL PUT YOU DOWN LIKE THE ANIMAL YOU ARE!"
From the wall of water came large spikes of ice that were the size of the mare that controlled them. One by one they shot forward almost haphazardly, with some not even coming close to their intended target.
"I WILL STAIN THE SNOW THIS DAY!"
Fluttershy whinced as one of the tainted mare's shots soared right over her, cutting the bicep of her wing and bashing the side of her face with it's edge. It then continued soaring upwards through the air, where it collided with a rather large stalactite and left the piece of stone loosely hanging in position.
"YOUR DEATH WILL BE MY BEGINNING!"
Fluttershy zoomed past the hanging stone, her wings about to give up from exhaustion and the burning pain from her wound.
"I'LL CRUSH YOU AND THEN SHE WILL FINALLY BE PR-"
The sound of something crashing down behind her prompted the mare, despite her brain telling her not to, to look behind her. She saw the wall of water come crashing down, lightly flooding the entirety of the of the cavern's floor. Amongst all of the stalagmites and water was something different from the rest: one of the hanging stalactites had fallen down... right onto the mare that had been chasing her.
Her brain was telling her to flee, but her heart wouldn't allow it. Fluttershy quickly glided down to the impaled mare and took her hoof. Only then did she see just how much that the both of them were shaking.
Revenant's eyes were wide as she tried to register what had just happened. Her pupils were the size of pins and nothing but nearly silent whimpers came from her mouth.
"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness... I, oh..." Fluttershy looked around the cavern, for what she did not know. There was nothing she could do to save this mare. There was nothing she could do to at least ease her suffering.
Her frantic gaze turned back to Revenant, who was still quivering. As a fresh stream began to fall from her cheeks, her body stopped quivering and her whimpering ceased.
---
Fluttershy pulled herself up out of the land's scar. With her wounded wing, any hopes of flying again anytime soon were pointless and that was the very last thing she needed while stranded out in the middle of Celestia-knows-where.
That thought was soon retracted as the heavy beating of wings could be heard. They began at a distance but very quickly - much too quickly for her liking - closed the distance. For the second time, Fluttershy heard a loud boom as something large landed on the ground near her. However, this time it was not something as simple as a fallen stalactite.
This time it was a crimson scaled dragon that was the size of a house.
-------------
Applejack gasped her air as she breached the water's surface. She pushed her soaking wet hat and mane from her face only to be met by the general darkness that came standard with being at the bottom of... a well?
With some effort, the farm pony pulled herself up to the stone rim at the top of the well. Again she had to push her mane from her eyes and realized that, despite being in the middle of the Everfree forest just moments ago, she was now smack dab in the middle of Ponyville.
"What in tarnation...?" She said quietly to herself as she attempted to readjust her hat before it, too, fell to obscure her field of view.
Just then, an extended red hoof came into view. With a smile, Applejack took the hoof and inwardly thanked Celestia that Ponyville ponies were kind souls even in rather awkward times. And nothing was more awkward than being forcefully pulled halfway out of a well to come muzzle to muzzle with a small red mare with a very, very furious look in her eyes.
Applejack let out a groan of pain as she was thrown into a recently and hastily vacated merchant stand. The wood shattered and snapped upon impact, leaving the apple farmer with more cuts and bruises than she would have preferred.
"Come on, inbreed!" Fury growled as she grabbed Applejack by the end of her mane and tossing her through the air once again. "Make this entertaining for me!"
She rolled once before attempting to use the momentum to bring herself back onto all four hooves. It wasn't a perfect landing by any means and she almost stumbled back into the dirt and dust, bit it would have to suffice. "Ah ain't gonna fight ya!" Applejack shouted back at the mare, shaking her head to try and shrug off the pain she felt.
Fury spat on the ground. "Weak," She swung her hoof, slapping the other mare across the face with the chain on her shackle and knocking the already unsteady mare back to the ground. "Tell me, am I the first pony you let beat your ass, or do I just happen to be at the front of the line?"
Fury didn't much care if the mare responded to her or not as she was already closing the distance between them. What caused her to stop in her tracks was the line of ponies forming between her and her target. Mares and stallions alike, it seemed that nearly a dozen of this town's inhabitants looked to put an end to the fight.
"That's enough! I don't know who you are, but you are not welcome here!" One shouted, trying to stand up straighter and appear more intimidating to the smaller mare.
"We won't let you bully innocent ponies around any longer!" A mare said as she offered a helping hoof to Applejack, who gladly took the aid and was pulled back onto all fours.
"I'm only here for her." Fury's words were slow but dripped with venom. If one could truly glare daggers at another, the stallion in front of her would be nothing more than a pin cushion. "I have no time for games and I care little for your lives. Once I bring her life to an end, I'll have no further reason to remain in this shithole of a town."
Fury's eyes followed the ponies who were so determined to put her actions to an end as they began to slowly encircle her. Did they really think that they had a chance?
"I said," The stallion continued, "You aren't welcome here."
She smiled. "Bring it, bitch. Just promise me that you can show a mare like me a good time."
The sound of hoofsteps behind her gave away the pony's intention of rushing her while she wasn't looking. With a strong kick of her legs she leaped up off the ground just in time for the stallion to dive on her previous position, only to end up with a face full of dirt. Fury landed on him, the extra weight stopping him from skidding along the ground any further. As he tried to lift himself up, one of Fury's chains wrapped around his neck. Grabbing the end in her teeth, she pulled back hard.
His eyes opened wide and hardly a sound came from his mouth. The panic on his face was evident as his eyes pleaded for help from his comrades. A Pegasus mare to their right was the first to respond, but she made the same mistake that he did. She blindly flew forward in an attempt to tackle the mare; but while some may say she was flying faster than one could blink, Fury only saw the mare moving in slow motion.
She ducked down right as she closed the distance, allowing the mare to fly harmlessly overhead. At the last moment she released the chain from her mouth and twisted her head around to grab the mare by her tail. The momentum was enough to pull her off the stallion but that mattered little now as she quickly spun herself around, pulling the mare around like wire to a twisting spool and slamming her down onto the stallion's back. Both let out cries of pain, but any hopes of their comrades coming closer to aid them was destroyed by a simple look of the mare in their direction.
Fury's smile faded as she watched them cower. Here she was, smaller than any of them and bound in chains and after only two attempts they found all hope to be lost.
The sound of a pony clearing their throat brought her attention back to the first stallion. He now stood only a short distance away and was crouching down as if ready to pounce. "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this."
Fury raised an eyebrow at him. "The smart thing to do would have been to jump me while I wasn't looking just now."
"Obviously that didn't work out so well for my friends." He said without an ounce of resentment to the mare for her actions. "Besides, fighting dirty like that isn't my style."
To this, Fury's malicious grin returned. "Well, that's too bad. I like dirty."
She couldn't help but feel a little disappointed by the fact that her comments didn't leave him in a state of discomfort. She liked watching her enemies squirm or boil with rage. It meant less thinking and more fighting. No need to rely on out thinking the enemy, but rather on being faster and stronger than the other. A fight decided by whoever's reflexes failed them first, that was the fight she preferred.
When she saw that both she and he had attempted to make the first move, she knew that was the fight she was going to get.
The stallion threw the first punch but Fury avoided it by ducking down and using her size to her advantage. She quickly spun around kicked straight up with one of her hindlegs, slamming it into his jaw and throwing him up onto both his hindlegs. He stood there, stunned by the blow for only a moment, but in that moment Fury was able to hop up and use both hindlegs to deliver a kick straight into his chest, knocking him backwards a short distance.
The kick was enough to send him into a roll which he used to land back on his hooves. He clutched his aching chest but was given no mercy in his state as Fury rushed forward once more. She stood up on her hindlegs and delivered a barrage on punches against the stallion's face. He tried to back away from the strikes but she would always keep the distance close. Just as it appeared that he was about to lose his balance, she spun around and slammed one of her rear legs into the side of his head. The force was enough to throw him off the ground and land with a heavy thud. Much to her disappointment, he didn't get back up.
Fury wobbled slightly before landing back on all fours. She cursed silently under her breath at herself, as, despite all her practice, she could still only maintain her balance for a short time. Her ears flicked around as once again the sound of hoofsteps could be heard quickly closing in behind her. Without so much as bothering to turn her full body around, her eyes glanced towards the incoming "threat." It was the mare that had helped Applejack back onto her hooves earlier. She leaped forward in some vain hope of catching the mare off guard, but Fury merely held out one of her legs and let the mare run straight into it, effortlessly delivering a blow straight into her neck.
The mare fell to the ground, holding her neck as she writhed and choked. Fury merely shrugged it off as her own fault before looking around to see if anypony else was brave enough to try and attack her. Both to her disappointment and relief, not a soul stepped forward. She could finally continue with her original mission: putting an end to that wretched mare that killed Silence. After that was over and done with, who knows? Maybe she'd take up a hobby or something.
Her eyes immediately locked with the most hideous building around. The tallest building around, it had several tiers and enough windows to make the walls seem practically meaningless. The small gazebo at the top made it look more like some kind of wedding cake rather than a building. But the door was open and that was the direction the mare had run at her from, and that meant it was the place to be looking.
---
Applejack held her breath as she heard the door on the far side of the room be pushed open. She leaned over and peeked around the wooden support beam that she hid behind. Just as she feared, the red mare had entered the building. She ducked back into cover and bit her lip. What was she going to do? Fury had already proven just how easily she could throw the farm mare around, and she wasn't exactly light. And that's not even mentioning the fact that she had just made her way through a hooffull of other ponies just to get here and looked no worse for the wear.
What if this was it? What if this was really how she was to die? Beaten and broken by a psychotic mare powered by dragon's blood? It certainly wasn't how she expected to go out, that was for sure. But if she was right, and this truly was to be her end... She wasn't going to meet it while hiding in a corner, hoping and preying that she be spared.
No, if she was going to go out, then she was going to do so proudly! She was going to... wait, when did it get so quiet?
Applejack's ears searched for any kind of sound besides that of her own heartbeat. No hoofsteps, no rattling of chains, no heavy breathing in her ear... nothing. She held her breath again and quietly turned to peak around the corner. Maybe this wasn't to be her end, and Fury had left?
Of course, things could never be that simple.
Just as she was about to look around to the other side, a metal chain broke right through the wooden beam just inches above her head. She let out a shout in surprise and tried to get away as quickly as she could. Despite her deciding to go out proudly just moments earlier, her natural instincts were kicking in and they were screaming at her to run. She dared not look back as she bobbed and weaved between obstacles.
Fury, however, simply smashed through anything in her way. Her chains had been built to hold back things much larger and stronger than she, and as such held together quite well as they were thrown around and threw objects. Their strength coupled with hers meant it was only a matter of time before she caught up to her prey.
And catch her she did.
Fury leaped forward and tackled the mare, sending the two of them rolling along the ground until finally coming to a stop near the center of the room with Fury on top. Wasting no time, she crimson mare began thrusting one hoof after another down into Applejack's face. After a few punches, she reared her head back and slammed their foreheads together.
Applejack barely opened her eyes to find eyes of bloody crimson looking back into hers. Fury did not move after her headbutt, and from the heavy breathing she felt against her face it seemed that the mare was trying everything in her power to not immediately continue bashing anything and everything against her skull until it was opened.
"I'm going to make you pay for what you did him." She hissed through clenched teeth. "I'm going to break you until your face is just as unrecognizable."
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Applejack's hoof come up. She didn't expect the mare to have any kind of strength left in her and was more than a little surprised when the hoof went around her neck and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Ah had to protect my family..."
Fury's eyes went wide and she immediately stopped struggling. She only lay their atop the other mare, listening to her shaky breaths and words.
"He was gonna hurt my little sister... Ah had to do somethin'... Ah didn' mean for anypony to get hurt..."
Applejack's embrace loosened and her hoof fell back to her side, allowing Fury to slowly pull herself back up and look down at the closed eyes of the mare under her.
"Y-you're just trying to send me on some kind of guilt trip!" Fury roared in response. She pulled her hoof back, ready to strike the mare again when her vision began to blur. Everything around her was changing. Like the flickering of dying lights, one moment she was in the town hall and another moment she was someplace... else. One moment she held down the orange mare that had caused her so much trouble, and the next she was holding down a familiar filly.
"Just promise..."
"You won't hurt..."
"My family..."
"Momma..."
Fury was hyperventilating by now. Her eyes were wide and unblinking as her heart rate skyrocketed. What was happening? Why was it happening now?
The sound of something snapping loudly above them caused both mares to look upwards just in time to see a large wooden beam falling directly above them. Applejack clenched her eyes shut, but when the end never came she risked opening them to see Fury now standing on her hind legs and holding the beam with her hooves. She lay there, confused for a few moments before remembering how Fury had savagely tore through everything to get to her - including the support beams that held the building up.
The town hall was falling apart all around them! They had to escape, or else -
"Run!"
Applejack looked up at the mare, dumbfounded. Hadn't she been trying to relentlessly kill her just minutes ago?
"Did I break your hearing when I broke your spirit? I said move!"
"B-but..."
Fury let out a short cry as another beam fell on top of the first, causing her to now start visibly shaking under the weight.
"He wouldn't want me..." She breathed, "To become a murderer..."
She reared back one of her legs and kicked Applejack straight in the side with enough force to send her flying out the doorway. A few ponies rushed to her side as she turned around just in time to see the rest of the building collapse into rubble.
-------------
Twilight gasped for air as she finally broke the surface of the water. She reached out and grabbed onto something solid, holding to it for dear life. She didn't know what had happened, but she was certain she was going to develop some kind of phobia of swimming for a short while after today.
Feeling something grab onto her, she quickly brushed her wet mane aside and reached down under the water to pull up New Dawn. The colt did exactly as she did, holding tightly to the closest solid thing he could; in this case, her.
Once they caught their breath and made sure that the other was okay, they finally took in their surroundings. An incredibly extravagant room with multiple colorful stained glass windows that let in a rainbow of light from the sun. As their eyes moved from the ceiling and walls to what was directly next to them, she couldn't help but jump in surprise as she was met by the awkward stares of not only a prince of Equestria, Blueblood himself, but also her own brother.
