> Destiny : Twilight Voidwalker
>  by BackroundVoice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue - The Ghost of Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Space... Infinite by nature, mysterious without question.

The overwhelming idea of the undiscovered baffles hundreds to this very day.  Even after the Collapse, Ponies of all kinds gaze in wonder about the untouchable Light that lingers out there, and the Darkness that separates them.

But as they wonder, imagining the dangers and countless adventures that await them, their desire for discovery could only be rivaled by a being such as I, a Ghost.

Small, defenseless, fragile, but filled with the light of the Traveler.

My soul purpose is to locate and guide a Guardian to a better tomorrow.  And of course, that is why I am out here.  Old Ponyville, a once flourishing town with ponies of all kinds, from what I've observed in the chamber of history.

And according to that history, this town has seen its fair share of world changer events.  Attacks from living nightmares, invasions from changelings, a demon seeking unlimited power; it was even ruled by a god of chaos at one time.

And after all of that, nothing compared to the Collapse.

Now there is only emptiness.  Vacant homes, abandoned carriages, and small remnants of the life that used to exist here.  And all I had to do was find one dead pony, which shouldn't be too hard.  But as luck would have it, nothing has been found, again.  There were probably dead ponies everywhere, but they must have been vaporized down to the bone, or have gone missing.

As the Fallen seem to have been dragging any pony remains back to the Devil’s Lair, offering them as sacrifices for that over-sized parasprite of a Servitor.  Sepiks Prime, the god of the devils.

This wasn't the first time that I've had looked my guardian.  I've searched Mars, Venus, the Moon, and even lingering asteroids that might have inhabited pony life before.  This was just another twenty year long dead end.

"Is there really nothing out here?" I asked myself.  Honestly, those guardians were right, only fallen and stray animals out here.  I moved through the open streets of town central.  Scanning things here and there.  Detecting dead things, but nothing with a even a sliver of light.

"Come on, you corpse!" I shouted at the skull of a diamond dog.  "You could at least try to have a little light!"  My efforts to communicate were all in vain.  I really thought giving up, but the sudden blip of alert coming from my sensors beckoned me to look again.  "Where are you? Where are you? I know spotted some light here!"  I said, gliding over to a toppled structure, scanning its architectural origins.  This was the town hall once.  Many celebrations and ceremonies were held here.  But what set off my sensors? 

"Yes! I've found you!" I declared, circling around the lopsided building, searching for the source of the anomaly until I found it.

And there it was.  A skeleton, a genuine pony skeleton with a fading light.  It laid halfway under of the former town hall.  What an awful way to die. Crushed under a building with no escape.  The skeleton was of an averaged sized mare.  A Unicorn, I thought. Or is it a Pegasus?  The horn of a Unicorn could be seen poking up just above it's brow, but a perfect set of wings laid intact beside it.

"Well, if I’m being honest with myself, I wouldn't be surprised if you two had died in the same spot together." I spoke to the mess of bones before me.  "And I guess two is better than none!  But, I can only return with one.  And while I regret leaving a perfectly good candidate, I can’t go back empty hoofed.  Sorry miss Pegasus, I'm going with the Unicorn."

As I started to resurrect my candidate, I parted my nodes, keeping them within a close ratios with the light that I was comprised of.  And as I leaked this energy out onto the pony’s remains, a bright orah started to emit from the bones itself, forming a living body for the Unicorn, until a blinding flash finished the job.

There was now a new Guardian in the universe.

The mare wore the standard gear for a Warlock.  The purple cloak was proof of this.  Her Cutie mark was engraved upon all of the clothes as well.  It was of a pink star, with similar smaller white stars surrounding it.  And her mane was velvet with brilliant red streaks.  She looked great.  But with one odd feature.  This Unicorn, she had wings.  Big beautiful wings.

Did I mess up? I thought, I must have accidentally fused the Pegasus’ remains along with the Unicorn’s.  My bad.

But that problem would have to wait for another time, my guardian was starting to stir.

Better wake her up.
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 1 : Hunted
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Guardian… Guardian? Eyes up Guardian!” I drew the attention of the Warlock.  Her movements were stiff and slow, but she was moving.

“It worked… You’re Alive!” I exclaimed “You don’t know how long I've been looking for you,” The Guardian looked up at me, a floating square like a ball in the air, and gave a quizzical look to the intricate mechanical moving bits to my frame.

“What are you?” the mare asked.

“I’m a Ghost.  Actually now I’m your Ghost.  And you…” I paused, giving the mare time to stretch and loosen her jaded limbs, before giving her the bad news, “Well, you've been dead for a really long time. So you’re going to see a lot of things that you won’t understand,” And that’s when it hit her, at first she was stunned.  Unable to speak.  But she’d find the words soon enough. 

“What do you mean I was dead!?” she cried out, “Where am I?  How did- Ahh…!” sadly the mare couldn't finish her sentence, comforting her head with her hooves as her mind adapted to her newly formed body.  But when she tried to speak again, a loud but menacing howl could be heard in the distance.  We both turned to the direction of it, unsettled, and frightened.  

“This is Fallen territory," I said, "We aren't safe here, I have to get you to the City… Hold still,” and then I vanished, entering the Ghost storage in the Warlock’s helmet.  

“Ghost!?” the mare cried out “Where are you!?” 

“I’m still here, but we need to leave this place, now!” I told the mare.  And without hesitation, the mare started off to the nearest building she could see.  

“And where exactly is this place?” she asked, still trotting on a path created by forgotten carriages.  

“This is Old Ponyville… A former Equine settlement,” I answered.

The mare stopped her forward motion.

“What are you doing?” I questioned her.

“I… I live here… This is my home,” her words didn't surprise me. The mare looked back at her home, seeing the changes from the last time she had seen it, she was hurt. 

“I’m… Sorry.” I said.

“What happened?” she asked.

But I couldn't bring myself to answer that.

“Ghost?” I could hear her voice trembling, but this was no place for a history lesson.  The howl was heard again.

“I’ll tell you everything you want to know later, but for now, let’s focus on staying alive long enough to remember it.” I could tell the mare was less than content with what I had said, but I was right.  So she obliged and continued onward.  Making her way into the crumbling building ahead.  The stairs she trotted up echoed noisy galloping throughout the complex.

“Quiet!” I warned the Warlock, “There are Fallen all around us…” her trotting stopped, and now she was cautiously walking, occasionally looking over her shoulder with worry.  As we ventured deeper into the building, the light dimmed until it was as black as ebony.  

“I can’t see…” the mare said.

“Hang tight… The Fallen thrive in the Dark,” I said as I separated myself from my guardian, “We won’t…” I added.  I kept myself illuminated for my guardian to see me making my way through the inner workings of the already withering structure.  “Another one of these hardened military systems… And a few centuries of entropy working against me.” I mumbled to myself, sparking up the lighting system with my beam tool.  And after a few breathtaking seconds, voila! Lights were coming to life all over the complex.  Revealing dozens of Fallen, crawling about the ceiling and walls.  

“They’re coming for us!” I shouted out to my Guardian.

She could hardly believe her eyes, the very sight of so many monstrous creatures made the mare jump up in fear, “Run!” I cried out to her.  And just like before, without a second thought, she ran, heading for the opening gate.

“What do we do? I don’t think we can outrun those things!” My Guardian said, and she couldn’t be more correct.  We weren’t going to last long without a means to defend ourselves.

So I searched, scanning over dust riddled surfaces and under old supply crates for anything of use, “There!” I said, shining my light on an old assault rifle leaning against a wall.  The Guardian picked up the gun with haste, levitating it with her Unicorn magic.  She spun it around, looking it over like some unread book.

“What’s wrong?” I asked the Guardian.

“I… I’ve never fired a gun before…” she admitted.

“It’s easy, just look through the iron sight on the top of the gun and pull the trigger,” 

“That’s not what I meant,” she said, “I’ve never killed anything before,” 

“Plenty of Ponies haven’t,” 

“But I don’t want to kill!” the mare declared.  She obviously had some kind of moral standpoint back when she was first alive.  But this wasn't going to help if we were going to survive.

“Guardian, the Fallen want to kill, and they will kill unless you kill them first,” 

“But there has to be some other way! Maybe we could coexist with them!” 

“… Guardian… We’ve tried…” 

“But-"

“And millions have died because we tried!!” my voice had become irate, increasing in volume to dash those thoughts of peace away from the mare.  She doesn’t understand. And how could she?

She must’ve lived in a time of peace, long before the Collapse.

“Guardian…” I began, “I don’t know who you were before today, but I must ask you to leave all of that behind you.  Otherwise, we’ll both end up dead.” 

The mare couldn’t believe what I was saying.  Her face hardened to a stern glare, taking offense to my words.  “I will never forget…” she said, pointing the gun at me in warning, “If you ever ask me to again…” the gun was now shaking, she could barely keep it in the air as tears fell from her face.  But before I could even speak, a rupture was be heard from above, repeating and getting closer until… The Fallen had found us.  Fallen, bipedal monstrosities.  Taking on the form of an average Pony, these things have an extra set of hooves and are heavily armored.  Complete with four eyes and an unquenchable desire to kill and take anything and everything.

“Take cover!” I ordered my Guardian, and she ducked behind the closest set of crates, the gun still close to her body.  She was panting, horrified to see Fallen for the first time up close.  

“There are only two of them! Take them out! Fight Guardian!” I ordered.

“I can’t!” the Guardian shouted, closing her eyes shut as the Fallen opened fire on us.

“These boxes won’t last much longer…” I said, predicting the unavoidable future.  The mare couldn’t stop panicking, and as if she were looking for solutions, the mare turned to me for answers.  But there was nothing to say.  She knew what I would say if she asked for help, so I told her.

“Fight Guardian!”

The mare almost retorted again.  But she stopped, finally realizing what she needed to do.  She wiped her face of her tears and nodded.  Jumping out from behind her cover, the Guardian stared them down.  With her gun armed and aimed at her enemies, she fired.  I watched as the entire clip was emptied into the Fallen on the right.  It fell over, dead.  White blood seeped out of the wounds that were made.  My Guardian sighed out of relief.  But this fight wasn’t over.

“Reload!” I shouted to the mare, but it was too late.

The last remaining Fallen had tackled my Guardian.  She fell on her back, holding the Fallen Dreg off with her gun as it chomped its teeth at her face.  Unable to use the gun, the mare punched the Dreg square in the chest.  Magic flowed out from her hoof as it added to the force she put into her attack.  Sending it flying towards the ceiling.  The Dreg made contact, and the impact ruptured its entire body.

Killing it in the process.

The Dreg fell back on top of my Guardian.  Panicked, she squirmed to get the lifeless corpse off of her.  It was only until she had finally got free of its weight that she could take the time to breathe.

The mare hid her face with her hooves, gasping and panting for air.

It was terrifying.  Surely.  I was concerned for her, but, This was for the best... I told myself.

“Guardian? Are you alright?” I asked.

“No…” She confessed, rasping with fatigue.  

“Listen to me guardian,” I began, “I don’t expect to ever understand you… or your plight against killing.  But believe me when I say, that I want to understand you,” the mare lifted her face from her hooves, surprised as she looked into my eye, “But I’ll never get to if we stay here.”

The mare shifted her gaze downward, eyeing the assault rifle on the ground.  Lifting it with her magic, she stood back up.  Reloading the gun and storing some of the Fallen’s ammo into her cloak and turning to me, she looked different.  Determined, Brave even.

But being a Pony full of surprises, I could have never guessed what she’d say next.

“Are the Fallen the reason Ponyville is like this?” She asked out of nowhere, and as I was hesitant to answer, I figured she deserved it.  

“Yes…” I said.

“Then that's a good enough reason for me," she said, "Let's fight them."

“With pleasure!” I commented as we started off down the hall.  Fallen howls could be heard from afar, but they’d soon get closer and closer.  We followed the hallway of rusted metal until we reached an old storage room.  It was spacious, big enough to house a Jump ship or two.  But instead, it housed four Fallen. 

“Three Dregs and one Vandal, think you can handle them?” I asked my Guardian.  She looked at me with a raised eyebrow 

“Can a Pony play ten instruments at once?” she asked.

“Was that a rhetorical question?” I asked back.

“Maybe…” she answered, noticing the Fallen had seen her.  She dodged the opposing fire in the nick of time, falling behind cover to hide from their attacks.  The Guardian took a moment to equip her helmet and checked her ammo before she peered around the corner to aim.

The sight on the gun was cracked and in poor condition, but she made do.  Her first rounds were aimed for the Dreg in the far back.  Five bullets were fired, four hit its head, splitting the armor open and causing the entire head to explode into a geyser of blood.  A perfect head shot.  “Nice shot!” I complimented her. 

“Why thank you!” she replied, taking the time to respond with still three other Fallen firing without rest.  The next Dreg didn't get the same accuracy as the last, instead, she just shot it until it fell.

The last Dreg was reloading while my Guardian opened fire as she ran towards it.  Now there was only one left, the Vandal.  Clad in white armor unlike the Dregs, this foe dodged my Guardian’s bullets with ease as it sprinted toward her.  We ran around a corner to escape its attacks, and the Vandal gave chase. The Vandal glanced round, only to find nothing when he did.  Round and round he circled the square pillar in the room, with no luck whatsoever.  For unknown to him, my Guardian and I had hidden.  Concealed under a Jumpship’s wing, remaining there until the precise moment.  The Vandal tossed and turned over this, still blind to our plan.  And as he stood there, my Guardian slowly stepped out from under the wing toward the Vandal and tapped his shoulder.

When he spun around in surprise, she socked him.  Hitting his head backward from her magical force, but the Fallen was still alive and well.  My Guardian was probably hoping to repeat the events prior to this encounter.  With one punch resulting in one dead Fallen.  But this was a Vandal, no mere Dreg.  It would take more than a punch to render him cold at her hooves.  So as the Vandal shook its dizzy head, my Guardian readied another punch.  This time the magic could be seen revolving around her hoof.  Glowing bright blue with power, she released it.  The punch connected with the Valdal’s torso, the magic left her hoof moving into the Fallen’s body, circling around him as the magic turned into a bright blue aura until the impact of the punch caught up with him.  And when it did, his entire body went flying, slowing down his mass in midair until it all but disappeared from existence.  The Vandal’s disintegration was truly a sight to see, but my Guardian was fixated on something else.

Her hoof was in pain, this was proof of her needlessly shaking her already healing limb.  “Are you hurt?” I inquired.

“Just a little bit,” she answered, continuing to shake her hoof, and occasionally stepping on the floor to make sure it was good enough to walk on.  

“Will you be alright?” 

“Yeah… But this might be a problem,” she said.

“How so?” I asked.

“If I keep getting into these close encounters, my hoof in going to come off.” she said, resuming our escape on the catwalk to the left of the room.

“True… It would be beneficial to have an additional weapon on hoof.  Like a knife, but we were lucky to even find that,” I said, gesturing to the assault rifle by looking at it.  And then the catwalk ended, leading into yet another hallway.  “Most likely being patrolled by Fallen…” I guessed, and judging by my Guardian’s sagging head, she wasn’t looking forward to it.  “Come on, the sooner we get out of here the better,” I said, floating down the hallway.

“And after that?” the mare asked.

“Pardon?” 

“And after that then what?  How are we going to get out of here?  What’s your Plan?” she asked, stopping before the hallway, concerned about her chances of survival.  I thought it was fairly obvious.  But I forget, I’m talking to a dead pony.

“We’re looking for a Jumpship…” I told her.

“A Jump ship? What’s that?” she asked.

“A Jumpship is a vehicle that traverses space, we’ll need one to make it back to the city,” 

“Didn’t you come here in one?” she assumed.

“No, Jumpship’s are scarce and expensive.  If I had a Jumpship, we wouldn't be having this conversation.” I explained.

“…Some plan…” the mare grumbled, but I couldn’t agree more.

The scary thing about running about a stronghold of Fallen is my knowledge about them.  Their scavengers, pillagers, and pirates.  They take anything and everything that might be of use to them.  So the possibility of an intact Jumpship sitting around somewhere is a billion to one.  But clearing a path through these Fallen is bit more concern- “Ghost!” my Guardian called out to me.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I think it’s a treasure chest, ” she said, pointing to a glowing mechanical chest.  

“Well, open it.  There could be some Spin-metal or glimmer in there,” I told her as she opened the chest.  A gleam of white light flashed over our eyes, revealing the loot inside.  Two Spin-metal, one hundred Glimmer, and a Sawed-off Shotgun.  

“So I guess you won’t be breaking your hoof anytime soon?” I interjected.

“No I won’t!” said the Guardian, glee could be seen on her face as she examined the shotgun.

“Shall we continue?” I suggested.

“Right behind you!” the Guardian said,  following me as I scouted ahead.  The hallway was falling apart, just like everywhere else in the facility.  The wall's peeled paint, the dimmed flickering lights, and the- “Stop!” I warned my Guardian, “Trip mines, don’t touch those!”

The Guardian observed them closely, two small devices were set on either side of the hallway, with an inferred beam running in between the parallel of the bombs attached to said devices.  My Guardian was alert, crawling on the ground and jumping over every red line that crossed our path.  

“Are the Fallen always this… Paranoid?” the mare asked, “Leaving trip mines behind that is?”

"Not usually, but the House of Devils are a different story," I said, rattling off a little more about the Devil's trap making before I saw my Guardian practically doing the limbo, her chin nearly touching the laser to setting off a bomb.

“Shouldn’t… You be… More… Careful!?” I asked, as one too many close calls after another had been witnessed.  

“Please Mr. Ghost, I know exactly what I’m doing,” The cocky mare then performed and showed off her sloppy, scary, and dangerous display of wall jumping, somersaulting, and diving skills as she dodged each and every trip mine in the hallway.

And at the very end, she posed.  Bowing like a world class athlete.

“Guardian… Could you do me a favor?” I asked.

“And what would that be?” 

“Never, ever, do that again!” I nagged the mare, who had caused my functions to overreact. 

The Guardian laughed at my expense, “Oh come on Ghost, it was just a bit of fun-" she was interrupted by an alarm ringing, as when my boastful Guardian took a step forward, she had unknowing brushed her hoof through a trip mine, resulting in a large explosion.  Metal ceilings, concrete wall, and all manner of debris came crashing around us, as each and every bomb was set off in the hallway.  Burying us alive.
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 2 : The Captain
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Guardian? Are you… still alive?” I said to the mountainous pile of rubble.  At first I thought it was over, that this had actually all been for naught.  But then I heard it, the sound of a groaning Unicorn under the pile.  “Guardian!? Guardian, are you there!?” I called out as I cut the debris with my beam tool.  I heard her reply faintly, she wasn’t that far under.  Five or six blocks of concrete later, and she was free.  The mare was hurt really bad, but not dead.  

“Am I… going to die again?” she asked, but I shook my body.

“You won’t die, but you almost did,” I told her, “When you’re a Guardian, you can take double the damage an average pony can.  But it’ll only take a moment for your wounds to heal before you can walk again.”  And sure enough, her shield had already recovered, indicating that she was healed.

“Sweet Celestia,” she stood up, right as rain.  And when she did, she saw the hole in the building, courtesy of the trip mines.  From here, we could see a great multitude of broken Tanks, Helicarriages, and burned landscapes covered in snow from the open air.  

We walked out among the endless destruction around us.  “One battle after another was held here,” I said, “Until they overwhelmed us.” my Guardian was somber and quiet.  Likely thinking about the state of her now ruined home.  “Come on, we need to keep moving,” the Guardian stood there for a moment, and wiped her tears away. 

“Right!” she agreed, trotting up next to me.

There was an archway that we passed under, rusted.  “How long has this place been here?” my Guardian asked.

“Seven hundred years… Give or take a few decades,” my statement put the Guardian in another slump.

She was now frowning and staring at the ground as we walked.

Eventually we reached a ledge, overseeing an even larger portion of the open space behind the facility.  Battle ridden like the last one, but certainly more snow covered and white.  We looked over the space and came to the conclusion that there was no Jumpship to be found here.  

“Regrettably, we might have had better luck if we trotted in the opposite direction,” I said.

“Too late for that now…” the Guardian said, looking down at the ground.  I doubted her.  I knew there had to be something out here, even a Sparrow would be a sensible option right now.

“Come on Guardian, let’s head over to…” 

“Ghost? Are you alright?” my Guardian asked, but I was very far from ‘alright’.

“Worried… Maybe…” I answered her, gazing at the sky as we both witnessed the Sun’s yellow light fade blue, as it bent.

A shock-wave rippled across the sky, revealing our Enemy.

“Fallen Ships, this close to the surface!?” I panicked, watching Jumpship’s of all kinds appeared and spread across Old Ponyville.

“We need to get moving,” I told my Guardian, retreating back into Ghost storage.  

“Where should I go?”my Guardian asked.

“There’s a garage on the opposite side from us, do you see it?” the Guardian turned back and forth, hunting for the garage.  Finally spotting it in the far left corner from where we stood.

“I see it!” she said, running off the edge, falling a short drop before she trotted across the snow coated ground.  

The distance between us and the garage was shrinking, but it suddenly became a lot longer.  A Fallen Drop ship floated just overhead, opening its blast doors, only to leave ten Fallen Dregs to guard our exit.

“Pull Back! Find cover!” I advised my Guardian, but she didn’t listen.  She charged the enemy, Shotgun drawn, and ready to fight.

She came up to the first Dreg, focused her magic in her hoof, and wiped it from existence.  The next one assaulted her, only to fall backward, it’s head shot off from the Shotgun.  The same could be said for the next one.  The Guardian reloaded, taking a bullet or three to her side.  A Dreg snuck from behind, attacked but failed as the Guardian’s back hooves were planted against its chest.  The last six held back and concentrated on ranged combat, which was their big mistake.  Gunfire roared between the Fallen and the Guardian, the most that they could hit was her shoulders, and her limbs, but the rest was dodged gracefully.  The Guardian switched out the Shotgun for the rifle, aiming with precision as she picked three of the six before receiving and barrage of bullets from the remaining half.  Her shield had almost shattered, and I would have warned her, if she hadn’t already ran toward the three, blindly attacking.  Rifle switched, she used the Shotgun as a Bat, smashing it into the Dreg’s face, blood wiping out as momentum carried it’s head as well as it’s body.  The following Dreg stepped back out of fear, but a spread shot form the Shotgun stopped him in it’s tracks.  

Finally, the battle was over.  

But the Guardian had forgotten about the tenth and final Dreg.

Sneaking up from behind, the Dreg took the blade in it’s hoof and carved a bloody wound across the Guardian’s back, causing her to fall forward from pain.

She cried out, but gritted her teeth, as rage filled her eyes to focus magic one last time, spinning round to slam both hooves into the Dreg.  

Shocking it back, and becoming surrounded with blue light, only to react slightly differently from the last few Fallen.  Instead of disappearing from our line of sight, it exploded.  Turned to ash as the Guardian was launched backwards into the garage, hitting the wall inside.  She gagged as air was knocked out of her lungs.  She fell on her side, breathing heavily as her wounds healed.

…

“You are Crazy… Crazy, but incredible.” I complemented her, who had now slowed her breathing.  

“Yeah… I know,” she replied as she stood back up, grunting and groaning in pain.  

“You’re lucky to be alive,”

“Well… It helps that I can take twice the damage” she pointed out.

“Granted it helps, but next time, let’s make a plan before you start smacking Dregs again like they're Parasprites?” 

The Guardian’s shield had now finally recovered, reflecting light as it covered her body.  She was well again.  Thank Celestia.

The Guardian stood there, reluctant, and avoided my eye contact “What’s wrong?” I asked my somber friend.

“I… I’m sorry that I worried you… That was dumb of me to attack ten at once” The Guardian admitted.

“Your right, it was really stupid of you… You could’ve died!  But that wasn’t the case, was it?” the Guardian looked at me confused.

“You’re not mad at me?” 

“Oh no, believe me, I’m livid with you right now!  But I am far more relieved to see you are safe.” the Guardian smiled, happy that I cared for her.

“I’m glad to see you safe too…” my Guardian said, smiling warmly as we both enjoyed our moment of peace.  But we both knew it wouldn’t last.  Our line of sight shifted to the hallway to the right of us.  Our minds filled with hope, we continued our search for a Jumpship.  We were alert from here on.  My Guardian, assault rifle in magic, peered around corner after corner.  Constantly anticipating a Fallen encounter at any time. 

“Head down Guardian…” I whispered.

“Three Fallen, one Vandal, two Dregs… Deal with them quietly” 

“Right…” the Guardian then crouched, sneaking behind old computers and broken down walls as she made her way to the first Dreg.  Unknowing and lax, I doubt the Dreg felt the assault rifle crack open his head.  “One down…” the Guardian said, confirming her kill.  “Next… the Vandal over there…” my Guardian crept to the other side of the room, magic focused, and ready to attack, she hit the Vandal, turning it into twilight like sparkles as it faded away.  

“Two down…” there was now a lone Dreg roaming the room, walking up to an old terminal, examining it, and pushing a few buttons, seeing if it would work.  But it was unusable.  Damaged beyond repair, and without an ounce of electricity to power it.  The Dreg then turned to the screen, seeing my Guardian’s reflection.

But before he could fight back, my Guardian grabbed the back of his head, and rammed his face into the console.  Buttons and pieces of plastic broke off again and again as the Dreg’s face continued to be smashed into it.

Until it went limp, Dead.  

“Three down… Good job Guardian” I praised her.  

And then a roar rang out from the next room, we turned toward it.  But we were not surprised.  

“This is it Guardian, if we don’t find a Jumpship here-"

“We’ll keep looking.” my Guardian said, interrupting me before I could assume the worst.  

“Right…” I agreed with her, drifting back into Ghost storage, “And I thought I was moral support…” 

“Sometimes you need more than one smiling face to lighten the mood” she said, walking down the final hallway.

We came through a doorway whose doors themselves had been broken down, revealing two very noticeable things.  A gaping hole in the ceiling, moonlight beamed through like a spotlight, as it shined upon the second most noticeable thing in the room.  A Jumpship.  Hanging there suspended by a few ropes and chains.

“There it is!” I cried out for joy, and as I felt my own light flare up with excitement, I was yanked from where I was in the air.

“Quiet…!” my Guardian said, “It’s being guarded…” she pressed up against a wall, holding me there as well as she kept an eye on the Fallen in the room.

I must’ve overlooked them.  My guardian let me go, allowing me to scout out the room.  “There are six… no, seven…!” I said.

“How many Dregs and how many Vandals?” “Four Dregs… Two Shanks… And… A Captain…?”

“Shanks? Captains? What are those?” my Guardian asked.

“Shanks are just drones with a minimal intelligence, they attack in large numbers, but are merely used as cannon fodder for the Fallen”.

“And the Captain?” 

“Captains are the fiercest of the Fallen hierarchy” I began.

“Distinguished by their heavy armor, twin swords, and adorned cape.  Captains have a sense of nobility, and they consider Ponykind as an inferior race” 

“Really? I would have never guessed they didn’t like Ponies…” my Guardian said sarcastically, smiling as if she were serious.

“Well nice or not… He’ll be tough to deal with” 

The plan was to deal with the Fallen as quietly as possible.  

“The dregs will be the first to go.  The Shanks will make a lot of noise when we kill, so we’ll take them out at the same time that we deal with the Captain.  And then we’ll be home free for the Jumpship… Think you can handle it?”

By the time I had finished explaining the plan, my Guardian had just finished reloading her guns, and had slipped her helmet back on.

She was primed and ready to get that Jumpship.

“Let’s go…” she said, crouching down low, and making her way to the right of the room.  Hiding behind one of the pillars.  Observing her surroundings.

“I don’t think dealing with them quietly is an option Ghost…” my Guardian said “Yeah… They're patrolling too close to the ship to lure over here.  They must be aware that we’re looking for a Jumpship” “What do we do?” “How good are you with that Assault rifle?” “Good enough…” 
“Then take them down, quickly” I told her, and she nodded in reply.

With a deep breath, and a sound mind, she stepped out from behind the pillar.	

She aimed through the broken sight, and opened fire.

Three bullets left the gun, and three bullets hit their mark.  Rupturing the heads of three Dregs as they tumbled to the ground.  But before she could find her next target, the Shanks and the last remaining Dreg had hid from her line of sight.

And before she could figure out what was happening, it was already too late.

“AHH!” my Guardian cried out as a sword hit her head, knocking her back, and nearly breaking her shield and her helmet.  But the impact from the wall behind her finished the job.  Her shield shattered, and her helmet fell to pieces.

“Guardian!” I yelled as she fell forward, hurt, but aware of her attacker.

It was the Captain, tossing another one of his swords to end my Guardian.

But she saw it, barely managing to dodge it in time.

My Guardian looked back at the Captain, watching him take the gun on his back in hoof.  Fire spitting out of its barrel, and every inch of it looking as deadly as its owner, the gun could have easily been mistaken for a ferocious dragon.

But in other, far simpler words, it was intimidating.

However, despite her half broken gun, my Guardian stared the Captain down with much tension.  As blood trickled down from her forehead, she glared at her opponent, certain of herself, and willing to survive.

And like two alpha predators, they did not want to be disturbed.

A killer’s instinct could be felt in the air, and as such, it scared the remaining Fallen, as well as myself.  The Dreg and two Shanks stayed back, as to not be caught in the crossfire.  And I would’ve done the same, if I didn’t think my Guardian would need me.  So I remained by her side.

“This one is far different from any Fallen you’ve faced… He’s going to be aggressive, wild, and determined to kill you” I told my Guardian.
“Likewise…” she said, reloading her Assault rifle, and switching it out for the Shotgun.

“Because I have rage to match his!” she said, cocking the Shotgun as she sprinted toward the Captain.  And in turn, the Captain charged.  

The Captain had already opened fire on my Guardian.  Four ember blazed bullets were fired from his gun with every pull of the trigger.

But unfortunately for him, the rate of fire for his gun was slow and predicable.  My Guardian strafed left and strafed right, each round missing her by an apples length away.  It was easy for her to reach the Captain.

And when she up close, she aimed her Shotgun, and released two point blank rounds into the Captain’s torso.  Knocking him back a few inches.

But this only managed to destroy his shield.	

“He has a shield!?” my Guardian said, confused and surprised as the Captain punched my Guardian square in the face.  And she flew backward along the water under the Jumpship.  The punch left her with a bloody nose, but she had a punch of her own.  The Captain rushed towards her, but she was ready.

She had enchanted her hoof, and she throw her punch at the Captain.  Only to destroy the ammo compartment in the gun, rendering it to nothing more than a slab of metal.  This enraged the Captain, causing him to use the gun as a club against my Guardian, but blocked it in time with her Shotgun.

After the first swing, the Captain swung two more times overhead, and both of those she blocked.  But on the last swing, her Shotgun gave in, and snapped in half.  It was useless, broken and useless.  But of course, my Guardian realized this faster than I did.  Tossing the gun aside and whipping out the Rifle, my Guardian fired from the hip, spraying bullets everywhere, several of which hitting the Captain.

Writhing in the pain from the bullets entering his body, the Captain couldn’t even hold his weapon over his head.  

The gun left his hooves, and he made eye contact with my Guardian, defenseless.

…

There was a single moment of silence, as the Captain, and my Guardian looked into each other’s eyes.  Both of them reflecting their feelings for the other.

And the simplest word I could think of to describe this feeling…

Was anger.

They hated each other.  Almost to the point where they could continue fighting.  But the Captain knew all too well that he had lost.
And as this short, peaceful moment came to an end… It was my Guardian who broke it saying “You were a worthy opponent Captain…  But Ponyville is mine” and with that said, the Captain closed his eyes, as she pulled the trigger.  The bullet passed straight through his head, before he laid down, for the last time.

It was strange… for a Fallen, he seemed content with his life, before he died.  

With their Captain dead, the remaining Fallen fled, fearing the Unicorn’s wrath above anything else.  And finally… we were alone.

Exhausted, hurt, and relieved, my Guardian sat in the cool refreshing water.  She was breathing deeply.  As she patiently waited for her shield to recover.

“You were right…” she finally said.

“Right about what?”

“I’m insane…” she admitted, recalling our previous conversation.  But I didn’t think much of it.  She tried her best, this mare had surprised me for every moment that I had spent with her.  She was quick to accept that she had died, reluctant but willing to change her moral standards to survive, and she went as far as to court death to reach our goal.

And even after all that, she seemed to have retained that bit of herself that makes her who she is.  An unwavering friend that I could rely on.

“Yes well… I’m always right…” I said, floating up to the one thing that would save us.  It was when I went to examine the Jumpship that my Guardian noticed it over head.  

“That’s it, isn’t it?” she asked, and I replied carefree and untroubled saying “Yes…” 

“Will it fly?”

“I can make it work…”

Promising a working Jumpship, I evaporated, melting into the inner workings of the space craft.  My illuminating glow could be seen from outside.  As my Guardian watched me tamper and fiddle with it until… *VROOOM!!!* The sound of the engine roaring was probably loud enough to wake up all of Old Ponyville.  No doubt the Fallen would find us after that racket.  But it was necessary to get this hunk of junk working.

The engine roared again, this time the boosters ignited, and next the flickering lights outside the ship, and finally, the Anti- Gravity kicked in.

The Jumpship moved, fighting against the chains and ropes that held it in place.  Eventually the Jumpship was free, and was now hovering a good twelve feet above the ground.  The Guardian was struck in awe, never in her life had she seen such a magnificent combination of Pegasi engineering and Unicorn magic.

For it was truly a sight to see.

But there was no time to waste, the Jumpship was ready, and not a moment too soon.  Agitated growling could be heard from the large gaping hole behind my Guardian, startling her to turn and draw her weapon.  

“I’m bringing you in!”

And at the same time I teleported her into the cockpit.  Showing her the intricate controls of the Jumpship.  “Pull that stick back to go up!” I instructed her on how to fly as she followed.  And as we took off, we looked out the window shield one last time.  When we looked we saw what was following the sound of the Jumpship.  Four Captains fell out of the hole.  “This is unnatural…” “What is?” my Guardian asked “Captains don’t travel together, let alone four at a time” But what came after them answered that question of mine.

A hulking figure stepped out of the hole, as if it were just a door to walk through.  It was easily twelve feet tall, and if it wanted to, it could have grabbed our ship out of the air.  But it only stood back and watched us take off.

Letting his bodyguards attempt to shoot us down.

“You can come back for them when you’re ready.  Let’s get you home” I said to my Guardian, watching her lift the Jumpship through the hole in the ceiling.

Clearing the hole just barely, we reached the outside air. 

The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the sun shined gold.

“Beautiful… Isn’t it?” my Guardian said.

“It is…” I agreed, watching as the sky zoomed by as the Jumpship’s auto drive kicked in.  And we were on our way to the city.
My guardian fell back on her chair.

“Tired?” I asked, “Extremely…” 

As I watched her rest, I noticed the wings that I had accidentally fused onto her body.  Feeling just a little guilty about it, I decided to apologize.

“I’m sorry Guardian…” 

“What for?” 

“When I brought you back, there were two sets of bones from what I constructed you from.  A Unicorn, and a Pegasus.  I must’ve fused the both of you together.  That’s why you have wings… Sorry”

I was unsure of how she would react, but after seeing her first wide eyed and confused and then laughing harder than a Hyena.  It became quite clear to me that I don’t know the first thing about this mare.

“Why I are you laughing?  You might have an extra set of ribs, or- “I’m pretty sure that I don’t have any extra bones anywhere Ghost, these are my wings” 

I went silent… I didn’t know how to react to that.

Sensing that I wasn’t going to ask, she sat up straight, and looked me dead in the eye. 

“Sorry Ghost, you must be confused… So why don’t I introduce myself.  *Ahem* … My name Twilight Sparkle, I’m the forth Princess of Equestria, the Princess of Friendship… And I… Am an Alicorn”
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 3 : Home Coming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Mountains, rivers, forgotten glens, and the many cities of the Equestira in ruins.  Far overrun with Fallen.  These are several of the things that passed us by, letting the Jumpship guide us back to the city.

…

Silence was like a brick wall.  Cutting any and all conversation between myself and my Guardian Warlock, Princess Twilight Sparkle… The Princess of Friendship.  A name that could be heard in fairy tales all across the city slums and high above the Traveler’s own self-sustaining gravity.

Quite ridicules… 

I knew perfectly well that they existed… Alicorns, that is.  Life forms capable of turning colossal tsunamis into mere mist.  Forming mountains out of a single tuft of sand.  And proving the impossible, possible.  Monsters of Chaos, Greed, and Power become minor threats compared to their magic.

The records state that there are four Princesses.  All of them sisters spanning generations of kingdoms.  Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and of course… Princess Twilight.  Two Princesses overseeing the Day, and the other the Night.  As the other two, ruled the North and South.

All four known for their sacrifices and achievements.

And all four reported missing the day of the Collapse.

Theories differ from unknown deaths to abandoning all of Equestria to it's fate on the final judgment day.  All rumors grim in their own right.  And many today think of the Collapse was the Alicorn’s fault.  

And historic research proves that if the four Princesses were present on the day of the Collapse… Much of our history wouldn’t exist.

But even after seven-hundred years of war… Some Ponies, Griffins, and Dragons alike, both old and young… Still have hope.  Hope that one day… the Princesses will return… And restore Harmony to the galaxy.

Bunch of myths and legends if you ask me… Yet…

My line of sight turned to Twilight Sparkle… A living breathing Alicorn that I just stumbled upon, was sitting in the pilot’s seat, staring out the window.  Watching her beloved Equestria, pass her by through a piece of glass.

I had nothing but pity for her.  

And my pity turned to guilt the more I came to realize the title she held over her head.  The Princess of Friendship… I forced and convinced the Princess of Friendship to kill and fight for her life.  I turned the most caring Pony in existence into a killing machine.  I gave her motive when she needed help, I influenced rage when she asked for answers…

My internal spark for feelings was showing.

And my Guardian saw these feelings.

“Ghost… Are you ok?” she said, concerning me.

“I’m fine” 

“You don’t look fine” 

“How can you tell?” I asked, and Twilight went quiet for a moment.  Thinking of the correct answer to give me.  By which I doubted there was one.

She was tapping her chin with her hoof while gazing out the window.  Obviously in deep thought.  And as if she read it off the ground below us, she answered me.  

“You feel sorry for me… Is that it?” 

“Perhaps…” I answered.

“Well don’t be… I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions” she said, her expression reflecting her headstrong personality.

“But you’re a Princess... You shouldn’t have to do stuff like this” I voiced my opinion.  But Twilight replied with a shaking head.

“I’ve dealt with things far worse than the Fallen” 

“I know…” I told her.  Accidentally revealing that I had prior knowledge of her life and her adventures.  

“What did you say?” Twilight asked, as I broke eye contact with her.

Seconds later, she spun me around.  Causing me to spin uncontrollably.  Only stopping me when my eye was facing her.  Needless to say I was unsteady and dizzy when she finally decided to stop me.

“Listen!” she shouted.  Staring at me with those big velvet eyes.  Gritting her teeth, and glaring perturbed.  

“I understand your concerned about me” Twilight began “But until you stop thinking about me as a Princess and more as a Friend, that concern of yours isn’t going to help ether of us!” 

“…”

“*Sigh* Look… I don’t know what your history has portrayed me as… But I want you to know that a Princess that needed protection? Is not who I am”

“A lot of Ponies will disagree with you” I said.

“Then let them…” Twilight replied, sitting back against the left of the cockpit.  Crossing her hooves as she waited for me to reply.

“But you’re the Princess of Friendship, I shouldn’t have forced you to kill Fallen if you didn’t want to…”

“Is Tirek the Terrible in that history of yours?” Twilight asked.

“Of course… Your battle with him changed our entire understanding about Alicorn magic”

“I tried my best to avoid fighting him… Until he blew up my Library…”

Celestia’s Mercy…

“Imagine how I felt when you told me Ponyville was in the state that is now because of the Fallen…”

“You didn’t think twice about killing them…”

“Exactly…” Twilight answered, who was now looking over the Jumpship controls.  Wondering what would happen if she pressed a button or two.

“Well, can I ask you question?” 

“Shoot” she said, still peering at the controls.

“What do you think of this… All of this.  The Fallen, the Collapse, the war, where we are now… what is your opinion?” I asked. Hoping to finally understand her line of thinking.

“It’s war… It’s terrible, but it’s war…” She started but paused.  Looking out the window again, reading the landscape for another answer.

“It’s not a conflict that can be reasoned with… In that sense the Fallen remind me of pure evil… Tirek, Sombra, Nightmare Moon… If this were Discord… I just can’t believe that…” Twilight said, now reflecting a feeling of sadness, stared at the floor, frowning grievously.

A moment of silence fell around the Jumpship after she answered.

And in that moment, I saw something on the outside of Twilight’s side window.  We were flying up North, so of course we would hit snow sooner or later.  But that wasn’t what surprised me.

Against the window, an icy fog formed on the outside of Twilight’s window.  And along the cold glass, words started to be written, as if out of thin air.

Oh… How sweet… She really does care

Seeing something like that will have you second guessing your sanity.

And I just stared at it, watching it fade away from the pounding wind, Twilight Sparkle saw I was staring at something, she turned to look.  Finding nothing when she did.  

“What are you looking at?” she asked.

“Nothing!” I panicked, making eye contact with her.

Twilight’s head tilted, but she shook her head.  Thinking nothing of it.

The silence fell again.  Engulfing the space of the cockpit, the atmosphere had us holding our breath.  But just like the ever freezing ice over the lakes at Old Ponyville, that silence eventually breaks.

“Can I ask you a question, Ghost?” asked Twilight Sparkle.

Her saying that was out of place, and downright cheesy.  But for the sake of a change in atmosphere, I just couldn't help myself but say it.

“Shoot…”

“What do you think this… The war, the Collapse, everything… What is your opinion?”

It didn’t take me long to think up a response… I’ve known where I stood in the universe since the day I first laid my eye on the light of the Traveler.  But even with my vast knowledge; nothing could have prepared me for Twilight Sparkle.

“I have always had faith, that with the help of the Guardians, we would be able to fend off the Darkness and it’s followers.  But deep down… I thought it was all a pointless effort.  But now that I’ve seen your determination… The determination of an Element of Harmony… I can finally say… That I have Hope”

My words touched my Guardian.  She smiled at me, and I saw what I hadn’t seen in a very long time.  Friendship.

*Beep!* *Beep!* *Beep!* The Jumpship’s GPS flickered and alerted us.  Indicating that we had finally reached our destination.

The City.  The Last City.

Tearing through clouds and air the Jumpship seemed to be flying blind.  But it was in fact the opposite.  Before Twilight had even touched the controls, I had already installed a guidance system to fly us exactly where we needed to fly.

“Buckle up Twilight” I advised my Guardian.  Grabbing the seatbelt and pulling it across her chest, Twilight barely secured herself before the Jumpship made a sharp turn.  Now gripping the seat, Twilight could only look forwards as the Jumpship took us she knew not where.  Dodging invisible objects that hid in the fog, the Jumpship nearly flew in every flight pattern imaginable.  Spinning through jagged cliffs, hovering just above a murderous landscape of razor sharp rocks, and zooming past avalanche after avalanche.  Jumpships truly ruled the skies.  After so many flight fearing feats, Twilight couldn’t even close her eyes.  Shaking uncontrollably 1ike a scared cat, clinging to the chair for dear life.

Which is funny because we haven’t even gotten to the scary part.

Hidden just beyond the mist was something.  This something was practically unrecognizable, but even Twilight could tell that it was there just behind the mist.  She squinted, focusing everything within her eyesight on it.  Her eyes suddenly widened, the mist cleared, and nopony could mistake it for anything else other than a wall. 

“Is that a wall!?” my guardian screamed.  Looking at the impossibility of the structure, Twilight couldn’t believe her eyes.  A configuration so large that it seemed to have shrunk mountains before it.

“It is” I responded, calm and collected.

“We’re going to crash!” Twilight said, clinging to her chair tighter than before.  

“Guardian!” I called out to her, drawing her attention from our otherwise sealed fate.  She turned to me, tears welling up, she could cry at any moment.

But as her Ghost… And as her friend… It is my job to see that didn’t happen.

“Everything is going to be just fine…” I said.

Twilight Sparkle looked dumbstruck.  As if she had recalled something.  Long berried from her previous life.  A memory that… Calmed her.

Twilight smiled.  But tears still welled up and started falling down her face.  These were no longer tears of grief or despair.  These were tear of happiness.

She wiped away her tears.  And focused on the wall ahead.

If he says everything will be just fine, then I trust him.  She probably thought.  Holding herself in place as we sped up.  Closing the gap between us and the wall within seconds.  My Guardian closed her eyes, and prepared for the worst.

But I knew all too well about the flight pattern I installed.

We were nearly twelve feet from the wall.  And even I became worried that the Jumpship had malfunctioned.  But another six feet, and the Jumpship corrected itself.  Focusing all thrust on the frontward boosters, the Jumpship flew skyward.  Scrapping against the wall as full boost was given back to the rear thrusters.  Shooting us toward the top of the wall, the Jumpship skidded along the face of the wall until the searching from under us had stopped.

Slowly opening her eyes, Twilight saw the Jumpship aimed at the sky.  Looking out to a deep blue starlit night.  Only to see our vessel look down to what was right in front of us.  Just beyond the wall, a city shinning in tune with the rainbow colored blitz of the Northern Lights.  A city reflecting brightly of pure diamonds and crystal.  And at the center… A snow white sphere.  Hovering just over the city, but almost otherwise balancing atop the palace below.

“That is the Traveler…” I told Twilight.  

She looked on in awe.  Speechless to the endless pool of life that was mere miles underneath her hooves.  But that sight changed as the Jumpship turned right.  Pointing us to our destination.  A tower, standing alone atop the Wall.

“What is that?” Twilight asked.  Head tilted and eyes squinting.

“The Tower… My home… And… Now it is yours” I said.

“Home…” Twilight repeated.  Sighing out of relief.

It only took a minute to get to the Tower.  Steering downward to an open balcony.  The Jumpship dropped us off.  Teleporting myself and my Guardian from the cockpit to the solid ground before resuming its flight pattern.

“Where is it going?” Twilight asked as she followed it in the sky.

“To the hanger bay, to be repaired, and ready for our next journey” I answered cheerfully.  I didn’t think I would ever be so happy to return here.  

We both looked around the Tower Plaza.  Ponies, Griffins, and Dragons of all kinds could be seen walking about, chatting amongst themselves, doing business with the many merchants, and storing equipment inside their vaults.

“So… Now what do we do?” my Guardian asked.  Looking to me for an idea.  

“Well…” I began “The first course of action should be to find a bunk to sleep in.  After that we could check the hanger, and see how our ship is doing.  And after that… We could hang out here in the Plaza”

“Out here?  What is there to do?” she asked.  Turning left and right for anything of interest.  But finding nothing.  

“Let’s worry about that when we get back…” I said, joyfully laughing as I did.  

Twilight was unsure about why I laughed, but she’d soon understand.

Twilight followed me as I floated through the crowd.  Passing by a verity Guardians, both big and small.

“Hey…” Twilight began “These Guardians… I’ve seen them before”

“And you probably have.  All of the Guardians you see before you are creatures who once lived long ago before the Collapse” I explained.

“That’s Rose Luck! And Coco Pummel!” She said, pointing out acquaintance after acquaintance.  Smiling happily as she did.  

“And there’s Lyra!”

“That Psychopath?” I interjected.

And Twilight just stopped.  Glaring at me with much disgust.

“What?”

“Psychopath?” she asked.  

“Well it’s true” I said, now departing from the path to behind a tree.  We were on the right of the one and only Lyra, and her just as insane companion, Bonbon the Bomber.  One lying on the bench like a normal Pony.  And the other, sitting on the bench with her back hooves on the ground and her front hooves on either side of her.

“Loco Lyra is her nickname here at the Tower” I whispered to Twilight, as we both peeked at the two on the bench.

“Why do they call her that?  That’s so mean…”

“They call her that because she is indeed loco.  Back when we first attempted to take back the Moon, Lyre and a strike team of Hunters invaded the Hellmouth.  After being overrun by the Hive, Loco Lyra held off the Hive so her comrades could escape.”

“I guess that is pretty crazy… But is that really the reason?” Twilight asked again.  

“Oh no… The crazy part is how she did it” I began, spinning a tale known all too well as “The Duel with the Three Princes”.

“Successfully distracting the enemy, Loco Lyra led the Hive away from the extraction point by running into one of the Hive’s many temples.  But little did she know she had stumbled upon The Sword of Crota.  A weapon enchanted by the Darkness that drained away any light it touched.  Once wielded by Crota himself, was now awaiting for a new master to satisfy its hunger for Guardian blood.  But Lyra found it first.  And she used it to fight the Swarm Princes. 

“A small elite group swordsmen tasked with the duty of guarding the sword fell victim the Loco Lyra’s unpredictable sword fighting style.  And with the Princes dead, the sword could no longer exist in this plane of existence.  It was one of greatest triumphs over the Hive.  But I think holding Crota’s sword for too long had some side effects of old Lyra, because ever since then she’s gained such a large abundance of Hive information that it’s scary.

“She has now become the leading force behind our war with the Hive”

Finished with my story, I glanced at my Guardian.  I knew she had listened, but even so, she seemed, relaxed.  From simply staring at the two on the bench out of curiosity, to smiling.  Happy to know that they were okay.

“Shall we get going?” Twilight said, turning back into the crowd again.

I caught up to her, and continued to guide the Princess.

We eventually made our way to a set of stairs, surrounded by railing, that led downward into a tunnel.  And at the bottom, our path split in two.  Leading to two other sets of stairs on either side.  I went down one side, and Twilight the other.

Assuming that they both led to the same place, Twilight felt at ease walking opposite to myself until we were reunited at the bottom.

Walking past a Frame holding a broom, we only had to walk a few feet before entering the Hall of Guardians.  A sort of walk of life for Crucible champions and lower ranked Guardians alike.  As of right now the hallway was empty, most Guardians were either asleep or still browsing the goods of the vendors upstairs.

“Who do we talk to about finding a place to sleep?” Twilight asked, trotting into the hallway as she did.

“The Warlock Vanguard would be a good place to start… She would know best where a fellow Warlock like yourself could spend the night”

“Will they charge us?” Twilight asked.

“Oh no, you’re a Guardian.  Everything is provided free of charge… Because Guardians are always on the battlefield.  Fighting so the everypony else can spend glimmer to sleep somewhere”

I could tell Twilight didn’t like the sound of that.  But it is an unsavory truth she’d have to live with.

We continued walking, looking about the crates of paperwork and piles of books.  A lot of legal work is done in here.  Tower funding, Crucible results, and all news and advancements on the war in outer space.

Many things change from day to day.  But what’s going to happen when they find out about Twilight Sparkle’s return?

“T- Twilight…?” said a deep but kind voice.

My Guardian and I stopped.  Turning around to see who had said that.

It was the Crucible Handler.  Dropping a stack of papers and books as he stared at my Guardian.  He knew her name… Without even asking.

I mean… Stranger things have happened.  But… For the Crucible Handler to be this surprised is unheard of.  Being one of the only living beings to have fought on the front lines and survive the Collapse was enough to get him to the position of Vanguard… He had to prove that he was one of the most capable Guardians alive.  And he did.  Not to mention his victory over Twilight Gap.

As a Dragon, he always walked on his hind legs.  Decorated in white and yellow armor, complete with fur shoulder pads, and a helmet with holes on the side, showing off his bright green horns, he truly was one intimidating character.

Slowly, the Handler stomped toward my Guardian.  Claws stretched out and trembling, he stepped over his paperwork, until he was inches away Twilight.  Now leaning on her, the Crucible Handler couldn’t stop himself from weeping.  

“I thought… I thought…” he quivered, shacking uncontrollably, as Twilight was far from understanding him as I was.

“I- I’m sorry… Have we met?” Twilight asked.

The Handler looked up at Twilight.  Looking into her eyes through his helmet, he stepped back.  And lifted his helmet cautiously.  Horns slipping through the openings, and his spinal scales flipping up from underneath, he revealed himself to be a handsome gray colored dragon, with lime green scales, and big green eyes.

“It’s me, Spike… Your… Your number one assistant…” he said, who seemed to be the happiest Dragon alive.  As for Twilight… My guess was as good as any’s.  She stepped back, taking in the view of him.

Twilight was motionless.  Nothing but her eyes moved.  You could see it in her eyes… Memories.  Memories of a time long since passed.  Shifting back and forth in her mind as she remembered.  This hulking soldier, was once a tiny thing.

Appearing to have once been so fragile, was now a hardened Veteran.

“You- *Sniff* you’ve gotten so big… *Sniff*” Twilight managed to say.

The two, overjoyed and shedding tears, embraced each other. Spike picked her up and spun her around overhead, as Twilight comforted her old friend by spreading her wings around him.  Enjoying a single moment of pure harmony.

I looked to the left of the hallway, spotting a one Arcite 99-40, the Crucible Quartermaster.  Sitting at his desk, the Frame rested his head on a hoof, and continued to shack his head disapprovingly.

“When did you get back?” asked Lord Spike, setting Twilight down on the floor. 

“Just today!” Twilight replied, wiping away a tear or two with her wing.

“… We to tell the other Vanguards!” Lord Spike declared.

“W- Wait!” Twilight called out, attempting to keep pace with Spike.

Lord Spike had already made quick work of reaching the Vanguard war room.  Simply walking up to the door, he was prompted with a holographic screen stating… 

Vanguard Meeting in progress, DO NOT DISTURB.  

Lord Spike sighed and flipped his head back in irritation.

“We don’t have time for this!” he said, rearing back, and preparing to punch the door.  Twilight wasn’t quick enough to stop him.  As before she could even utter a noise, his fist had already rammed the door.  Ripping it from the wall, the door glided through the air inside the war room.  Falling just short of where the Titan Vanguard sat.  Blocking our view of him.

The Hunter Vanguard, Captain Spitfire, was shocked and angry.  Fire burned in her eyes as she glared at Lord Spike.  

The Warlock Vanguard, Commander Zecora, paid the Crucible Handler no mind.  As she continued to review the papers and books in front of her.

“Spike!” Captain Spitfire yelled “Just because the Province of Gun lost the Clan Match, does not give you the right break Tower property!”

“Miss Fire,” Commander Zecora began “A plight over a fight would not conjure such might.  So don’t be peeved, for there is nothing to grieve.  His reasons tend to be sound, although they often bound…”

“Zecora, I don’t care what his reasons are… We are planning the strike mission on the Dust Palace, he can wait an hour or two!” the Captain retorted.

“Nope!  This is way more important than the Dust Palace, no, more important than Rasputin!” Lord Spike announced.

And silence grew throughout the room.

Spitfire’s jaw had dropped, completely agape.  And the same could be said about Zecora.  Turned away from her books, she couldn’t help but portray an expression of surprise.  

“Excuse me?” said a voice from behind the broken door.

“Are you saying finding the answers behind the Collapse is Pointless, Spike?”

“That Warmind has always been a liability Shiny” Lord Spike had answered.

“Says the liability…” the voice returned the comment.

So many things were happening at once that Twilight and I could hardly keep up with everypony’s line of thinking.  Although, it’s safe to say that Twilight was lost in a maze of questions.  Rasputin, the Dust Palace?  So many things she was hearing about for the first time.  And all of this was being heard from behind Lord Spike’s imposing figure.

“Shiny…?” Twilight said slowly.

Lord Spike looked over his shoulder, seeing Twilight confused and worried.

“So… Let’s see it!  Let’s see what’s so important you’d question Rasputin-

The voice stopped short, for as the Titan Vanguard stepped out from behind the door, Lord Spike stepped aside.  Revealing to the counsel my Guardian.

Twilight looked out into the room.  Seeing both Commander Zecora and Captain Spitfire, making eye contact with each of them.  But the one that really caught her attention, was General Shining Armor, the Titan Vanguard.

“Shining?” Twilight finally said.

“Twily!” the General shouted out of joy.

The two galloped toward one another, colliding and hugging.

Such a touching reunion.  To think my whole existence had been spent around Twilight’s family and friends.  There is indeed a lot I don’t know.

My Guardian and the Vanguards around her started talking and chatting.  Reconnecting for the first time in seven hundred years.  I was out of place, so until she was ready to head to the hanger, I would wait here, in the hall.

“Keep her safe for me okay?” Lord Spike told me.  His attention still focused on the cheerful Alicorn.  

“She’s going to change everything… And she’ll need all the help she can get; can you promise me Ghost?”

“Y- Yes sir!” I promised.

“Good!  Now if you’ll excuse me… I have a Bookworm to hug” and with that, Lord Spike ran and leaped, flying through the air for a few milliseconds, only to fall onto Twilight and General Armor, while the other two Vanguards dodged out of his arms reach.  

Fond memories were made this day, and many others have yet to be made.
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 4 : The Traveler's Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A good hour had passed before Twilight was ready to go to the Hanger Bay.  Twilight had already said good bye to the Captain and Commander in the War Room.  While General Armor and Lord Spike had led us out to the plaza.

“Twily,” General Armor began “I still can’t tell you how much it means to me to see you again… And after so long!” Armor hugged Twilight, squeezing her tightly, and Twilight returned the affection.

“Been a while since I’ve seen you this happy General” Lord Spike said.  Crossing his arms and smirking sheepishly.  The General opened his eyes, his piercing gaze cutting at Lord Spike, but it didn’t faze him.

“I can be happy if I want to Spike, and while I’m sure you’re just as excited as I am that Twi is back, you still shouldn’t’ve interrupted us…”

“You needed to know, and I think I was right to do so…” Spike said.

“Ha!  You? Thinking… That is so like you, always running head first into battle.  Never stopping to consider the situation… You could’ve hurt somepony”

“Yeah… But I didn’t…” Spike said.

“No wonder Rarity is avoiding you…” Armor retorted.

Lord Spike only tilted his head to that response.  Tension grew between the General and Handler.  And for once… Twilight and I knew how those Dregs and Shanks felt in our last encounter with that Captain.

“Don’t you have a Strike mission to organize?” Lord Spike reminded the General.

Armor’s eyes narrowed on Spike.  Caught in the truth, with no choice but to leave Twilight’s side.  The General sighed, and turned to Twilight.

“Later sis, we still have paper work to do” he said hugging her one last time, as he talked for both himself and Lord Spike.

“Actually, I’m already done with my paper work.  I’m free to take you to the Hanger Bay Twilight!” Lord Spike announced cheerfully.

“Then what is that in your claw?” the General asked, pointing to the fifty or so pages of parchment Spike held at his side.  Bringing the collection of hand written pages to his face, he purposefully stuck the stack into his mouth and swallowed it whole.  Soon belching with pride a second later.

Twilight snickered and giggled at the frustration on her brother’s face.  The General, mouth open to yell, stopped himself.  He then turned back around and trotted down the stairs.  All while shaking his head and mumbling.

Most likely something about our friend Spike.

When Armor was finally out of sight, my green horned Guardian and the Crucible champion looked at another.  Lips quivering and breath held, the two couldn’t hold in their laughter any longer.  The Dragon and Alicorn burst out in tears laughing.  Only stopping to realize that the whole plaza could hear them.

Calming down, and making their way around the plaza, the two continued to snicker and snort as we walked into the Hanger Bay entrance.

“Was it really that funny?” I asked.

“Completely!” Twilight answered “If you knew Shining like we do you’d understand”

“Yup!  Some things never change!” Spike said with a hearty laugh.

Twilight’s smiling turned to an expression of concern.  Looking at Spike, she couldn’t help herself but ask.

“But some things have changed, haven’t they, Spike…” Twilight said.  

“I think it would be best if you looked up the history for yourself, instead of asking an old serpent like myself for the details” Lord Spike told Twilight, attempting to avoid anything personal.  And Twilight was too.  Being considerate is a virtue after all.

But I personally wanted to know.

“So who’s this Rarity you talked about earlier?” I asked bluntly, pretending to be oblivious.  

But given their reactions… I probably should have thought this through.

The two turned to me, baffled.  Twilight more so.   Remembering the significance of my question, Twilight looked to Spike, clearly he wanted to avoid the subject.  But he knew better than anypony, that this was something Twilight needed to hear.

“Where is Rarity?” Twilight asked, stopping in the middle of a busy hallway.  Lord Spike’s eyes looked detached.  Emotionless to the Guardians bumping against his shoulders as he stood there.

He sighed, and gestured down the hallway.

“C’mon, we’ll talk on our way” he said.  And he kept walking, regardless if we were walking with him.  Twilight and I looked at each other for a brief second, and then ran to catch up with our guide.

Now trotting alongside of the Crucible Handler, we waited for Spike to answer our questions.

“Rarity is on Venus…” he said.

“Venus!?” Twilight screamed.  Turning the heads of many fellow Guardians on the Hanger Bay main floor.

“Yeah…” Lord Spike said again “Rare, Dash, and Jack are all patrolling Venus.  Pinkie however is on Mars, hunting down a bounty for me…”

“So… Their all okay… That’s a relief…” Twilight said, relieved.  Resting a hoof on her chest and breathing slowly.  “And their all Guardians?”

“Yup…” Lord Spike answered.  Still staring ahead as he walked.

“Wait… What about Flutter Shy?” Twilight asked.  

The second Lord Spike heard that name, he slumped.  Frowning and looking at the ground.  Spike rushed through his thoughts for a reply.

“We don’t know…”

Twilight gasped.  Going so far as to raise her voice, she confronted Spike.

“What do you mean you don’t- “Yet… We don’t know yet…” Spike interrupted.  

Twilight was furious.  Now stomping her hoofs, Twilight tried to keep a level head.

“It was my own theory that we’d find you when we reunited the other five… But now?  It’s clear that we just weren’t looking hard enough” Spike confessed.

Twilight was on the verge of tears again.  Biting her lip to stop herself from sobbing.  Squeezing her eyes shut, she was still trying to comprehend the situation she has now found herself in.  I looked at Spike, and he me.  I thought I should comfort her.  But given Lord Spike’s history with my Guardian, I stayed my distance, and let her ‘Number one assistant’ take action.  Lord Spike wrapped his arm around her.  And guided her on a detour.  Leading her across a catwalk, Spike held Twilight tightly, as two or three tears hit against his metal plated boots.  Finally, we came to a stop.  Now aware that she was motionless, Twilight lifted her eyelids a little, just barely enough to utter “Where are we?” but where we were didn’t need an explanation of any kind.  Twilight looked out on the balcony that she now stood before.  Taking only a few more trots forward, she gazed over the edge.  As if seeing it for a second time.  The City’s shimmering buildings reflected a multitude of colors.  Each structure increasing in size as her pupils dilated when she saw the center.

The Crystal Palace shined with the hearts of a hundred Crystal Ponies.  Illuminating pure joy and harmony.  And just like before, Twilight saw that sphere atop the highest most spire.  Hanging overhead like a Hearths warming eve ordainment.  She remembered it being called something, the Traveler.  She’s heard that name more times in the past few hours, yet she still didn’t know the first thing about it.  

“We call it the Traveler…” Lord Spike finally said.

“You say that as if I should know what it is…” Twilight responded.

“Yes… But only because you called it something far different when we first found it”

Twilight flinched, whipping her head at Spike in surprise.

“You called it, ‘The beginning of our Golden Age’” he answered.

Twilight quickly turned to me, and then the Traveler.  Now beyond confused, Twilight peered at the moon like structure.  And she wondered why she would have ever have called it that.  A second passed, and before I could say Winter Wrap Up, Twilight’s eyes flashed the same white the Traveler did.  And I'm assuming so did mine.  





A feeling of fear filled my soul as I looked around.  My Guardian was standing beside me.  But neither of us could utter a word.  We were surrounded by a great many Ponies.  All looking forward to a single far more noticeable Pony.  Princess Twilight Sparkle, as she would have looked seven hundred years ago.  Wearing a royal dress with a crown atop her head, she began to speak.

Using the royal Canterlot Voice she gave a grand speech to her subjects.

“Ponies of Equestria, many wonders have been found throughout this world we live in today.  From the plants that grow beneath our hooves, to the very magic of Friendship itself.  We as Ponies strive to become great and powerful…

“And the hardships we’ve faced have forged hearts of gold to shine brightly to the stars and back again.  And the events that have led us to this point could only be described as one thing, Awesome…

“Now… I promise you, to all the Ponies that gazed at night sky to see what was behind it… That your dream has finally come true!”

The Princess went silent for a moment, leaving the crowd to guess what would happen next.  And then it fell, slowly descending just above Canterlot castle in the distance, the Traveler.  Moving as if it were new.

“My friends have come up with many names for it, but I have my own…

“This… Equestria… Is our Golden Age!”





As soon as those words were said, Twilight and I bounced back into reality.  Waking up to the sound of Lord Spike’s voice.

“-To make a long story short Twilight, the Traveler was our-

“New hope…” Twilight and I interrupted.  Saying it together as if it were common knowledge.

Lord Spike smiled at us, who knew we would see the truth.  Looking back at the Traveler, Lord Spike continued.

“I want you to know Twilight, that it is still my hope, that one day, everything will return back to normal.  We will find Flutter Shy, the Elements, and I swear… I will stop at nothing, to keep you, and everyone safe from the Darkness and it's armies...” Lord Spike said, claws gripping the balcony railing, squeezing the metal until it bent.

Seeing Spike's anger and will power for herself, Twilight could tell that Spike had changed.  But that wouldn't stop her from caring for him.
Twilight placed a hoof on her friend's arm, causing Lord Spike to loosen his grip, taming the beast in a way.  And then she fell against Spike, leaning on him as they both looked at the breath taking sight ahead.  Feeling left out, I floated over Twilight’s head, and landed on her hair.  It felt like a soft nest.  If I knew how to sleep, I would be ‘dozing off’ right now.  This moment, of content peace, could have lasted forever…

But even this wonderful feeling I have inside me, had to come to an end eventually.

“We should see the engineer...” I said, breaking the silence.

I took off down the catwalk again, and Twilight and Spike followed after.

Just as we set hoof on main floor again the three of us heard a repeating ring of an alarm.  The source of the noise came from Lord Spike himself.  It was a little awkward, as Spike seemed to be ignoring it.  But the constant stare that Twilight and I gave made him answer it.

“Someone’s calling me, probably about that door I broke…” Lord Spike then put on his helmet, and placed his claw against the side of it, thus answering it.

“Hello!? Whoever this is I’m kind of busy here… Saladin? … When did this happen? Okay… I’ll meet you at Twilight Gap…” Spike took his hand off his helmet, resulting in a clicking noise to sound off as he did.

“Got to go?” Twilight asked.  But Spike seemed to be less than happy about his call.

“I’m sorry Twilight, I’m only going to be gone a minute” Spike said, apologizing with earnest.  And Twilight gestured her hoof, signaling him to be on his way.

“Thanks Twilight!” Lord Spike said as he started off back to the Plaza “I’ll meet you back at the Plaza!” he shouted from afar.  Eventually, he went out of sight.  And Twilight and I made our way up stairs to where the engineer would be.

As we neared the top, an abundance of yelling could be heard.

“What do you mean you don’t know what went wrong!?  That’s my job!  I’m the strabismal blonde here!!” shouted an agitated mare.
“Boss… I’m sorry, I- “Get out of my Hanger Bay!!!!”

Screams were heard, and a panicked stallion darted past myself and my Guardian.  Barely escaping a barrage of wrenches and screwdrivers.

“YOU’RE BUCKING LUCKY I CAN’T AIM STRAIT!!!!”

…

Hoping that the mare would calm down, we waited a good minute before peeking around the railing.  Seeing the mare, hammer in hoof, was now pounding away on a slab of metal on her desk.  Figuring that she was the engineer, we trotted slowly up toward the mare.  The engineer wore a Shipwright’s uniform, brandishing a silky red scarf around her neck, and goggles around her eyes.  Her coat color was a plain gray and her mane was a golden blonde.  

Twilight stepped forward cautiously, scared that the engineer would throw the hammer at her if she interrupted her work.

But she shook off that fear.  Shaking her head about, Twilight cleared her mind, and reached out to the mare.

“Um… Excuse me Miss- Twilight's sentence was cut short as a loud clang erupted from the hammer colliding with the metal.

The sound of the hammer hitting the metal, caused it to bend like plastic as it made my Guardian jump.  The engineer looked at Twilight, and took off her goggles.  Revealing her crocked eye sight.

“Twilight!” the engineer rang out.

“Ditzy!” Twilight followed suit.

The two hugged a little, but Ditzy pulled away, turning to some pieces of an engine that needed to be put together.

"Spitfire said you'd be along" the engineer mentioned.

“Uhh… You don’t seem that surprised…” Twilight said.

“I always knew you would show up one day” Ditzy answered.

...

The atmosphere grew thine… It didn’t feel awkward, in fact, but I don’t really know what to think of it.  Ditzy continued her work on the engine.

“So you knew her before?” I asked, but before Twilight could even open her mouth, Miss Ditzy Doo dropped the engine from her hooves and turned to me.

“Ghost!?  You’re her Ghost!? Oh congratulations!” Ditzy said as she flew up to me and spun me around while hugging me as tightly as she could.

In the midst of Ditzy’s enjoyment Twilight appeared to be jealous of me.  Pouting as she stood there, Ditzy came to a stop, laughing joyfully as she did.

When her good eye met with Twilight’s she started to explain herself.

“Sorry Twilight, you have no idea how long this little guy has been looking for a Guardian”

Twilight was then suddenly interested “Looking for a Guardian?”

“Yeah!  Ghost’s, like Ghost here, are the reason Guardians like ourselves exist in the first place.  They assist Guardians in whatever you do.  From hunting down Fallen to organizing all of the Jumpship repair schedules in seconds!”

Not even a second passed before Ditzy’s own Ghost appeared from her Ghost Storage.  Hazy eyed, and rusted from work as it slowly glanced around, finally turning to Ditzy in disgust.

“Ghosts should only assist… Not do all the work…” it told Ditzy.

“Oh Casper, you know how much of a dunce I can be!” Ditzy cheerfully commented, sticking out her tongue as if she were being sarcastic.

“Yeah; I know…” Casper agreed.

“Hey Casper! Doing ok?” I asked Casper.

“Ghost…” it acknowledged my existence.  And then dissolved through the chain-link fence to observe the Jumpships on the ground floor.

“Not good friends?” Twilight asked me.

“No, not really” I answered.

“Don’t worry about her, she’s just a busy work horse” Ditzy said.  Watching her Ghost examine the Jumpships below.  “That reminds me! I need to work on your ship Twilight!” Ditzy exclaimed.  “Now which one is yours?” she asked.

Twilight and I took in the multitude of Jumpships hanging from the ceiling and the organized amount on the ground.

Scanning over them all, it didn’t take me long to find the one Jumpship that looked significantly older than the rest.

“That one…” I pointed it out with my light beam.

Ditzy was quiet, bug eyed and quiet.

“T- That’s a… an Arcadia…” Ditzy finally said.

“Yes, I know it isn’t like all the other top tech Jumpships you’re used to working with but it- “This is Amazing!” Ditzy squealed.  Her eyes focused together for what seemed to be the first time in forever.

“I haven’t fixed up a Jumpship like this since Flash brought one back from Canterlot!”

“Flash Sentry!?” Twilight said aloud, but shut her mouth with her hoof.  

Ditzy's eyes went crocked again as she looked to Twilight “He’s on Mars right now…” she told my Guardian.

“O-oh… That’s nice…” Twilight said, blushing as she avoided any eye contact.

“Welp!” Ditzy clopped her hooves together “No time like the present!”

Ditzy then ran to her desk, rummaging through a box of blue prints.  

“Wait, don’t we have to pay you or something?” Twilight asked.

Ditzy whipped her head around, and trotted up to Twilight on her back hooves with a stack of blue prints in her front hooves, pressing her nose against Twilight’s.

“Miss Sparkle, I’m going to ask you the same thing I ask all of my clients. To me, time is money, do you know what money is to me?”

“Valuable?” Twilight said.

“The thing that makes the world go round?” I said.

“Bucking useless to me!” Ditzy answered “If I needed money to do what I do I’d be uptight, angry, and livid all the time!”

“Like you are right now?” I said.  But that was far from amusing to Miss Doo.

“… I’m not going to hit you because I like you Ghost… Otherwise?”

Ditzy gave me the death stare, telling me to wait by the stairs.

She then turned to Twilight, who expected the same treatment.  But instead, she hugged her.  Now I was the jealous one.

“I’m doing this for free because you are my friend Twilight… And I’m pretty sure you’ve had a rough enough day as it is…” Ditzy said.  

Twilight was surprised, and happy.  

"Thank you Ditzy..." Twilight said, hugging Ditzy back.

"Please... Call me Derpy..." Ditzy said.

Twilight trotted to the stairs to meet with me.  Departing this friendly encounter with high spirits.

“I’ll call you when I’ve got it done for you two!”

And with a wave good bye, Twilight and I returned to the Plaza.
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 4.5 : The Stranger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Crucible Handler Spike, Log Entry Fifty-Thousand and Eighty-Four.  I’m currently heading to Twilight Gap.  Saladin has called me out here for an emergency… Why he didn’t just tell me what the problem was, I don’t know.  But this did interfere with my Twilight Time, so I hope to resolve this soon”

“I will be recording this little meeting for the record, nearing destination… Spike out”

My Jumpship scanned the area for a safe landing, but if you asked me, there was no such thing in this place.  The Twilight Gap, a battleground once painted with Guardian and Fallen blood alike.

I think it was three, four-hundred years ago?

I partook in this triumph for Ponykind all that time ago.  We still had hold over the Crystal Empire, but we thought it was over when the scouts returned from Old Ponyville.  Well, I should say scout, but given that only one came back alive while carrying his dead comrades on his back, still badly hurt himself… I count those brave souls for as long as they had lived.

He told us that they were caught in a crossfire with the five Fallen Houses.  We couldn’t believe what we were hearing, the scout then told us that the houses were planning a siege on the City.  The Fallen were aiming to kill us all.

So to make sure that never happened, we readied ourselves for a last stand.

Gathering as many Guardians as we could, we marched onto Twilight Gap with an army of over sixteen-thousand Soldiers.  And that with the combined Crystal Ponies, volunteering to follow me into battle, our forces doubled to thirty-two-thousand.  However matching the Fallen in numbers, each side took heavy losses, but in the end, Ponykind had driven the Fallen apart.

And to this day, the five Houses have never reunited again.

“Now landing” my Jumpship alerted me.  

I must have been thinking too much to notice.  The Jumpship had landed near a similar looking Regulus colored golden green with streaking red stripes. 

Only one Dragon had enough Glimmer to purchase red paint… Lord Saladin, standing in front of his Jumpship, that swank posed like a Celestia damned hero.  But who am I to argue, that drake saved my life back then, and I he.

I got out of my Jumpship, looking back at it in comparison to Saladin’s, painted purple and green, like my handsome scales.  But even I am just a little jealous of that beautiful crimson.  

“Long time old friend!” Saladin roared.

“Not long enough if you ask me…” I responded, walking to him in a slouch.

“Spike, I didn’t know you bared such an ill will toward me?”

“And I don’t, but there is somepony back at the Tower that I’d rather not keep waiting” I answered Saladin’s concern. 

“Well,” Saladin was lost for words “Then we best hurry, eh?”

“That would be great thanks… So what’s this emergency?  It better not be another Engram cave, because if it is, I swear on Diamonds that I’ll cave it in myself!” I said to Saladin in monstrous tone, warding him back an inch.

“Calm minds comrade, no Wyvern need be swearing on those beautiful bounties,” Saladin raised his claws, patting the air in hopes of calming me down “And as far as the emergency, it would be best if you heard her out”

“Her?” I said, looking in the direction Saladin had pointed, peering at the Moon in the sky to only see a figure, eclipsed in front of it.

“Who goes there!?” I demanded, drawing both of my Hand Cannons at this mystery Mare.  Who was standing atop a bunker, staring down on us with bright white slits for eyes.  

She dropped down from the bunker, firing up her jetpack, safely landed on the ground.  This Mare was extraordinarily tall for a Pony, but she still fell short compared to myself and Saladin.  She also wore a mask, pale like her coat, this Stanger’s only feature was that light red mane of hers.  Everything else was shrouded in a gray cloak and white armor that seemed to have been through one too many skirmishes.  An imposing Stanger, but that’s exactly why I didn’t trust her.

“Not a step closer!” I told the Stranger, and she stood her ground.

“Your ‘help’ isn’t very trusting is he?” the Stranger said.

“Apologies, but Spike here is the best we could get for this situation” Saladin responded, walking up to me to lower my firearms.  I struggled with Saladin from holstering my Hand Cannons, but if it wasn’t for the trust that he had earned from me, I would have opened fire then and there.

“What do you want Stanger?” I asked her as she stepped closer to us.

The Stranger said nothing, looking into my eyes through my helmet, it felt like she was peering into my very mind, taking a gander at all my secrets and memories that I hold close to my heart.

This made my scales crawl, I felt my claws strangling forearms as I stood there arms crossed.

“You appear stressed, Lord Spike…” the Stanger finally said “Find yourself something strange?  Perhaps something valuable?” she might as well attempt to interrogate me at this point.  I could tell she knew about Twilight.  

And how could she not… This Stanger, whenever she gets involved it’s never simple.  She might as well be the next incarnation of Discord for all I care.  For every time I’ve fought alongside this maniac, fellow Guardians and the like die, and at the end of it all, it ends in her benefit.

So it shouldn’t bother anypony if I was a bit sore to her.

“I would cut to the chase Stanger, I can’t guarantee your safety if he snaps” Saladin warned the Stranger, likely trying to avoid a conflict, but I doubt I’ll be leaving this place without shedding a little blood.

“Fair enough…” the Stranger agreed, trotting to the left of me, coming to the edge of the Twilight Gap’s cliff edge.

“A massacre is coming for the Empire my Lords…” the Stranger told us.

“And what Stranger, makes you say that?” I asked her.

“No more than twenty-eight hours ago, a disturbance occurred in Old Ponyville…”

“And what, did the Fallen tamper with the Sparrow grid again?” I stabbed at whatever was trying to say.

“No, but perhaps you’re a tad uninterested in the Last City’s only chance at survival?  Given that you are so busy…” the Stranger said as if I should take my leave, and I would have gladly done so, if it weren’t for Saladin.

Saladin elbowed me on the side gently.

“Ow…” I said sarcastically.

“Please take this seriously my friend” Saladin asked of me, but I still failed to understand why this had any relevance to me or the City.  But I did as he said, and heard the Stranger out.

“I believe that an Alicorn has returned…” 

I nearly flinched at the mention of the word ‘Alicorn’, but the Stranger noticed my discomfort, so ‘nearly’ was enough for her to put the pieces together.

“You know who it is don’t you?” the Stanger said to me.  But I stood my ground.  Refusing to say a word.

“I have no idea what you’re on about…” I answered.  But I have never been good at lying.  And my comrade and the Stranger saw strait through me.

“Spike, you…?” Saladin was shocked.  Shocked that I hadn’t told him yet, but I had my reasons for staying quiet about it.

“Which Princess is it?” the Stranger confronted me.

“There is no Princess!” I answered again, but my saying that only confirmed their theories.

“Stop lying!!” the Stranger roared at me.

“You first!!” I retorted, the Stranger looked phased for a moment, but she stepped back and looked through her saddlebag.

I laughed under my breath as she did “Besides,” I began “I’m pretty sure you have a guess of your own don’t you?” I asked the Stranger, and she had finished searching her bag.

“Dose this ring any bells?” the Stranger said, tossing a small stuffed animal at my feet.  And as soon as I saw it… I recognized it instantly.

“Smarty Pants…” I whispered under my breath.

“Who.  Is.  The.  Princess?” the Stranger asked again slowly.

…

“Fine, I admit it… Princess Twilight Sparkle is here at the Tower…” I answered aloud, causing the Stranger and Saladin alike to step back a few feet.

“Then its then I thought…” the Stranger said, looking back to the City, now actively scouting off the cliff.

“But what does this ‘massacre’ of yours have to do with her anyway?  Explain!”

But the Stranger didn’t answer me.  Typical.

Saladin had left for his Jumpship, he was now talking through the ‘All coms’ radio line, he said something about backup needed and that an attack was imminent.  And when I had turned to him from hearing that, I spotted two Dregs up on a hill in the forest behind his ship.  

I reacted and drew my guns, but shots had already been fired, and the Dregs rolled down the hill dead, headless and gushing with blood.
I looked back at the Stranger, her gun’s barrel was coursing with electricity from being fired.  

She had just saved Saladin’s life.  

The Stranger walked passed me and we both nodded to another.

“Saladin!  Tell the Tower to secure the Wall, the three of us will hold Twilight Gap for as long as we can!” the Stranger ordered Saladin, and he did so. 

I was about to run to a vantage point, but the thought of the toy by my feet caught my attention.  It laid there in the dirt, still in decent condition from when I last saw it.  

I focused on a one of Smarty’s back legs, noticing a small rapping of white bandages around the leg.  It was there because I bit Smarty there in my infancy.  Twilight was terribly sad about what I had done.  But it all worked out in the end, because it gave Twilight a chance to be a doctor.  Back when she could choose a career she would one day lead.  Those were simpler times.

But a battle was about to begin… I have no time to look back on the past now.

> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 5 : Sun Slinger
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Time passed as we waited in the Plaza for Lord Spike.  Many Guardians have already gone to sleep, some others have taken off planet, and whoever remained was watching the ‘Midknight Crucible Matches’.

The Plaza was cold tonight.  But the Crystal Empire’s forever glowing light kept the soul warm as we waited.  

“How are you?” I asked.

“How am I?” Twilight responded.

“Adjusting that is…” 

Twilight raised an eyebrow to me and went into her thinking pose, eyes up to the night sky, and with her hoof tapping on her chin, she took a moment to take it all in again.  Considering our first encounter, the rush to kill, reuniting with old acquaints, and finally coming to terms with this new Equestria she’s woken up to.

“Everything is so different, but everypony is still their same old selves… With slight differences here and there…” She answered, tilting her when she thought of Spike.  “And the others are off on another planet fighting for everyone! … I guess I’ll see them soon huh?”

The others, she must be referring to the remaining owners of the Elements of Harmony.  Apple Jack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Flutter Shy.  Those few and the countless others that roam the stars now are all Ponies that had shared a spot in Twilight’s life, once upon a time.

“I find that hilarious to be honest” I said.

“Find what hilarious?” Twilight reacted, turning to me puzzled.

“The Ponies that I’ve existed around for all this time have all been friends of yours since long before I was given light… A bit of a happy coincidence don’t you think?”

“That is a happy coincidence!” Twilight agreed, laughing at the irony of it all.  But irony aside, Twilight came off a bit uneasy as she often glanced at me every now and again, turning away from me to the city lights the second I looked her way.  And despite my talent for guessing what was on her mind, I decided to instead, ask her strait out.

“Is something bothering you Twilight?” I asked, as to her strange behavior.

My Guardian turned to me to answer, but was hesitant to say.

“How long have you been looking for a Guardian exactly?” she asked.

“Are you asking because of what Ditzy said?”

Twilight nodded her head.  

“Since the Traveler created me I suppose…” I answered.

“For seven hundred years?”

“Yes, and I must’ve searched this planet over a couple hundred times…”

“That must’ve been lonely…”

“But well worth the wait in my opinion” I reaffirmed my Guardian.

Twilight smiled, and her eyes hazed back to the city, she must be tired.

“Getting sleepy? We can hit the hay if you want?” I suggested.  But Twilight nodded back and forth.

“I’m fine, I just feel like…” Twilight paused; considering her next words, almost as if she had an answer, but became lost in thought of it as soon as it came to mind.

“Like your home again…” I concluded her sentence. 

Twilight and I looked to another, she was unsure of how I knew that, but as she will soon learn, that because of my role as her Ghost, I am nothing short of a second personality to her, a voice of reason perhaps.  Or even more to the point, a friend that is always there for her.

“Thanks Ghost…” Twilight said.  Now giving a real smile that would certainly brighten the day of any sad face that would pass her by, but a gloomy face wasn’t really the word for what did.  

A group of Hunters or rather a clan of Hunters was making their way from North Tower to the Hall of Guardians, no doubt going to celebrate their recent victory in the Crucible.  Noticing them and abruptly turning to face the Palace again, I tried my best to avoid any interaction.  Twilight however did not follow my lead.  Looking over her left shoulder then her right, Twilight watched them walk by.

But I doubt it was because of their good looks.  No, Twilight’s eye was caught by the gear that hung from their saddles.  The lot carried mainly Scout rifles and Shotguns.  The rifles appeared far different from what my Guardian’s firearm looked like.  Titanium made and designed down to the very last detail, each gun showed to be significantly different from the other.  

Twilight looked at her gun.  Rusted, old, and the sight was broken beyond repair.  

I honestly felt sorry for her.  She was a new Guardian here at the Tower, young and resourceful, but without a single Mote of Light to show for it.  And oddly enough, she didn’t mind at all.  Overlooking the ugly details, Twilight took it for what it was.  Unlike the Sawed-off Shotgun that broke, the assault rifle held together, and it aimed with a deadly accuracy.  Given it had a proper sight of course.

“Your planning on keeping that piece of junk aren’t you?” I asked in an accusing manner.

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Twilight chuckled, posing the gun in different angles in the air.  

It was nice to see her looking forward to something, even if it was short lived.

“Evening love,” greeted a thick Australian accent “I couldn’t help but notice that this selfish spec of light was bothering you” it was a Hunter, scruffy black mane, tall, dark blue coat and clad in dark green attire like most Hunters, this stallion presented himself as an average Hunter.  But the only difference that set him apart from the others was that silver diamond shaped badge displayed just under his scarf, signifying that he was this group’s leader.

Twilight was unsure of who he was referring to until she took a double take at me.  

“Wait, You don’t mean Ghost do you?” Twilight asked, but the clan’s leader only failed to put two and two together, and as such he answered saying.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry love, you must be new here, I’m Gilt Glider, the leader of this grand team of Mares and Stallions before you…” Gilt introduced Twilight to the clan, gesturing his hoof to them all.

“Oh! I’m Twilight, it’s very nice to meet you!” my Guardian said in kind.

“Likewise Twilight!” Gilt said in response.

And for a second, this seemed to be just another jolly meeting.  But I’d never take Twilight for being forgetful, as Gilt’s statement was still on the forefront of her mind.

“I’m sorry Mr. Gilt, but what was that you said about Ghost?” Twilight asked, referring to Gilt’s rather questionable comment towards me.
“Right,” Gilt began, taking a moment to glace at me “I’d like to give you this piece of advice love; Ghosts like him aren’t the kind you want to be associated with…” Gilt said, and the clan alike nodded in approval as he explained.  

Twilight turned to me, confusion filled her expression.

“What is he talking about Ghost?” Twilight asked me, but I couldn’t give her an answer before a certain somepony interrupted me.

“Ghost doesn’t care about anypony but himself…” said a random Hunter from the crowd, and following his answer, the rest of the clan agreed in both words and body language.  

“Isn’t that right Ghost?” that Hunter repeated, “Yeah! You told the Speaker that we Guardians were a bunch of Foals!” said another, “You never liked Guardians!” “You were also against the Crucible, a training ground to hone our skills!” “Told the Speaker it was a waste of Glimmer…” “I’m just glad he isn’t the Speaker’s Ghost anymore…” “Stupid spec, doesn’t know what we’ve been through…”

Their insults kept piling up.  But instead of burdening my psyche with such meaningless words and murmurs, I let it all slip past me.  I’ve heard plenty of their complaining over the years to know when to stop feeling.  Looking out to the Traveler, I forgot about the angry Equines, grumbling over things that I’ve said, choices that I’ve made, and while I still believe in what I said, I do regret one thing.  

Not all Guardians are a waste of space.  Twilight has disproven to me what I had believed to be fact.  

That Guardians like Gilt and his party and every other Guardian were a bunch of resurrected wasted lives.  Many a Ponies, Dragons, and Griffins have treated me with ill feelings and unwelcome greetings that all but ruined any relationship I would ever have with a Guardian. 

If it wasn’t for the Speaker who encouraged me to find a Guardian of my own to not only benefit our fight against the Darkness, but my own life, I would still be out there, searching.  But at the time, I only took the Speaker’s quest for me as a kinder way of banishing me from being his Ghost.  Of course that changed when I met Twilight.

And because of her, I’m starting to see the benefits of fighting alongside a Guardian.  And that’s good enough for me.  So let them say what they want.  I honestly couldn’t care less-

“C’mon Twilight, we can get you a better gun then that old peashooter!”

…

And that is when the thought just dawned upon me.

I must’ve been staring out into space for a good while, because when I finally came to, I saw my Guardian over by the venders, keeping her assault rifle in grip while another Mare was trying to take it, almost as if she was trying to do my Guardian a favor by trading her old gun for a new one.

“Twilight please, you’ll need better equipment then this to be an effective Guardian, let us help you…” the Mare tried to convince Twilight.
“N- No, its fine, really, I- I’ll just find some old parts and repair it, I- it’s not that hard…” Twilight struggled to decline them without rejecting their misplaced kindness, but it was clear to me that she was being bothered.  And that was not something she needed today.

“Twilight love, I’ll give you my gun,” Gilt suddenly said, approaching my Guardian and presenting his red and white Silvered Maverick to her “Please promise me you won’t go patrolling with a gun that can’t aim…” 

Gilt got Twilight thinking rationally like the famed scholar that she was.  But Twilight shook her head, declining his offer, but if only she had to say no once.

“And I’ll throw in my Fusion rifle too!” said one of the Hunters “And you can have my Rocket launcher!” said another “No a Machine gun will come in more handy then those inaccurate things!”

The clan of Hunters was arguing over which gun Twilight should take.  They were all practically shoving those dangerous firearms in her face, crowding around her like a school of fish.  And while it wasn’t obvious to Twilight why they were doing this, offering her top tier equipment like it was bird seed being thrown on the ground, it was painfully obvious to me.

They were recruiting her.

Being nice to her for their own personal gain; it made me sick. 

“Twilight!” the Mare shouted as she yanked the old assault rifle from my Guardian’s hooves.  Twilight fell forward; without her grip on the gun anymore she landed face first onto the ground. 

“This is for the best…” the Mare said, pretending that she didn’t just hurt my Guardian.

Twilight lifted her head, nose bleeding, she looked up at her gun, Twilight was just about to reach out for it again, but Gilt stepped in between them, and offered my Guardian his hoof.

“Twilight love, I understand that you’re afraid of this new Equestria, but we can help you, join my clan and we’ll turn you into the best Guardian you can be…” Gilt’s proposal sounded too good to be true, but Twilight was not in her right mind.  Her eyes were shifting around, reading the ground for an answer, but she didn’t like what she read.  Deep down she knew that he was right, and what other choice did she have?  She didn’t know anything about this place, and much less of what to do.

Shutting her eyes, Twilight tried to convince herself otherwise.  But Gilt’s hoof was right there, and all she had to do was reach it with her own.  Twilight lifted her hoof to his, one more inch and Gilt Glider would have yet another Pony to join the Future War Cult.

But there was no way on this Equestria that I would let that happen.

I gained speed, and rammed head first into Gilt, barely gathering enough force to hurt him, nudging him to move just a little left, preventing him from meeting with Twilight’s hoof.  Of course he reacted to my attack and slapped me back for it.  I got knocked against a vault, smashing the display screen when I made contact.  Gilt moved toward me, eyes lit with fury, he intended to hurt me again, but as he swung, I dodged.  His hoof now shattering the already broken screen, I floated under him, making my way through his other appendages.  Gilt stomped a few times, attempting to squash me before I had made it past him.  Now clear of their leader, I turned to the other Hunters.  Aiming for the Mare holding my Guardian’s rifle, I sped up again, cutting across her front hooves to make her drop it.  The gun fell, and landed in front of Twilight, I then turned back around to face them.  The Mare was holding her hooves in pain, and the rest of them shot me a nasty look, while Gilt pulled his hoof out of the Vault display screen, shards of glass littered the floor as he yanked it from the hole.

Gilt walked back to us, pissed like the rest of them.  But I was done ignoring them.

“Twilight doesn’t need your cheap kindness!” I refuted, “No gun in the Crucible is good enough for her, she’s capable and strong without you cultists!” the clan was raising eyebrows here and there, wondering as to what I was getting at.

“Ghost…” Twilight said to me, looking to me in concern.

“Are you alright Guardian?” I asked her, to which she replied with a nod and a smile.

“And what would you care? You despise Guardians!” Gilt retorted.

“You’re right! I hate pitiful peace keepers like you! But not this Guardian… She’s different!”

“And how pray tell; is she any different from the rest of us?” Gilt asked out of spite. 

“Because she’s my Guardian!” 

…

Silence moved throughout the crowd of Hunters, the expressions that they made were both odd and amusing.  If only they had stayed that way.  The Hunters all but erupted in hilarity, each of them crying out from my own absurd statement, and for the first time in a very long time… I felt humiliated.

Laughing and spitting, the Hunters struggled to say how crazy I was.  They all honestly thought I would never meet a Guardian I would get along with… and they still don’t believe it.

Slowly descending from where I was previously floating in the air, it would seem that all those painful words had become a mountain, which was now tumbling on top of me. 

It’s… so… Heavy…

…

“BE QUIET!!!” a loud commanding voice rang aloud.

The Hunters ceased their endless laughter, turning to the source of the voice behind me.

It was Twilight.  Her eyes were wide with visible anger, her teeth scraped against each other as she tried to hold them in place from her hate, her chest puffed up, she breathed heavily, and her inhaling could be heard loud and clear.

“T- Twilight love, what are you- “Don’t even talk you depressing dolt!” Twilight stopped Gilt from uttering another word.  

“And that goes for the rest of you,” Twilight bellowed to the rest of the clan “You all boast like you know what’s best, demanding praise for being open with your hatred toward Ghost, but I see now that you lack understanding for anypony other than yourselves!”

“And it’s true! Ghost is my Ghost, and anypony who says otherwise can say it to face or to my hoof if their Stallion enough to say it!!” Twilight taunted the group, but I think Twilight was completely unaware that her own Canterlot Voice ringing aloud in the Plaza.

None the less, Twilight’s words had left the Guardians surrounding her both surprised and offended.  As few had ever been talked back to with such ferocity, while many others were growing old of mine and my Guardian’s opposition towards them.  But remained quiet regardless.

“Wow…” I finally said, looking to Twilight out of amazement.

“Are you alright Ghost?” Twilight asked me with such tenderness.  To which I replied with a nod of my body, and the best I could offer her in terms of a smile.  

This Mare never ceases to amaze me.

“Oi, them be fighting words filly…” Gilt said to the two of us, stepping forward while the other Hunters crowded around us.  Twilight and I looked around, finding no escape in this wall of angry Guardians.  

“Let us go Gilt!” Twilight shouted, facing him in a fearless stance.

“Why?  I honestly don’t believe Ghost can fight alongside any Guardian, and what was that you said?  That I should talk to your hoof if I said otherwise? So why not settle this in a little Crucible match?  Unless… You were lying of course” Gilt was trying to agitate Twilight even more.  Challenging her to fight in the Crucible of all places, things did not look good for us.

“I never lie…” Twilight hissed.  Forcing her way into Gilt’s personal space, giving him a hint to back off; but given that Gilt was enjoying this, he naturally didn’t.

“Really? Because I don’t believe you…” 

“You don’t have to believe anything Gilt; you should take my word as fact…”

“And why on Celestia’s green Equestria would I ever do that?” Gilt asked, questioning Twilight one final time.  And for just a moment, I could have sworn Twilight was going to throw the first punch.  But like everything with this Mare, she decided to surprise me once again.

Flipping out her wings, Twilight forced a few Guardians around her to flinch and dodge them as she did.  Every Guardians attention around us had their eyes fixated on the large set of wings that were being displayed atop this Unicorn’s back.  Each and every one of them stepped back in fear, scared of this Alicorn that was suddenly right in front them.

“I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, forth heir to the throne of Equestria, and bearer of the Element of Magic!”

Twilight’s introduction was a tad unorthodox for most Guardians to handle.  Nearly every one of them expressed their shock by moving away from the Alicorn, and each of them were wide eyed and with their teeth chattering.  

Twilight also was a little shocked, seeing so many Ponies afraid of her wasn’t something she would ever want to see.  But Twilight still held her wings up high, showing the world that her wings were a sign of hope.  But with every action, there is always an equal or positive reaction.
For in the midst of the multitude of Guardians, one Pony hadn’t moved an inch, instead he just stood motionless.  It was Gilt, staring at Twilight, surprised like the rest, but his expression changed to a grin as he started to laugh quietly.  Everyone turned to Gilt, as his reaction was more bizarre then a Princess showing up in the Tower.

“Hey Sun Slinger!” Gilt called out, looking up to a pillar near the far left side balcony of the Plaza.  A lone Warlock was lying down, most likely sleeping atop the pillar.

“Sun Slinger!” Gilt called out again.

“What!?” shouted the Warlock, and judging by the tone of the voice, it was a Mare.

“Ghost finally found himself a Guardian!” Gilt told her.

“Oh, wow, amazing! Now let me sleep!!” the Warlock yelled.

“And I would, but it’s about his Guardian!” Gilt responded.

“What about his Guardian!?”

“She says she’s an Alicorn!”

The Warlock didn’t reply, instead she lied there, and after rolling the word ‘Alicorn’ around in her head for a while, she stood up.  Looking over her shoulder at the crowd of Hunters by the vendors, she faced them, and dropped to the ground.  She became obscured by the crowd, Twilight and I waited and listened, hearing the hoofsteps of the Warlock get closer and closer.  The sound of her approaching was accompanied by the sound of the crowd making a path for her to walk to us.

Twilight lowered her wings as the crowd had finally parted.

“The Alicorns are dead…” the Warlock began, “And even if there was still one around, I would have killed it myself before-

The Warlock’s sentence stopped short as she laid her eyes on my Guardian.  Dumbstruck and distraught was the expression on her face.  This Sun Slinger was a Unicorn, her eyes a silver white, her mane of crimson and yellow, and her natural coat colored of brilliant amber.  The Armor she wore was gold and red, which was held together with a stunning black cloak.

And now that I got a closer look at her, I instantly recognized who she was.

Sunset Shimmer, the one and only Sun Slinger, a specialized Warlock class that was discovered when she was resurrected.  Since then Sun Slinger Shimmer has become the Warlock Vanguard for the FWC.  And I wouldn’t be surprised if she had some history with Twilight.

“Sunset… Shimmer…?” Twilight said slowly.

“Sparkle…” Sunset muttered, the look in her eyes blending in with her tone; cold and distant. 

“I’m so glad that you’re safe!” Twilight cheerfully said, stepping a little closer to her.  My Guardian’s eyes started to fill up with water, tears of happiness for another friend found.

But as Twilight approached, Sunset reared back, and punched my Guardian square in the face; and with enough force to send Twilight’s head hurling backwards against the ground.  Crying out in pain Twilight grabbed her head with her hooves, shacking with pain on the concrete.  Twilight looked to Sunset Shimmer, and to my Guardian’s own surprise, was holding back her sobbing as tears fell from her face one after another.  

“Sunset- “Shut up!!” Sunset stopped my Guardian, “You ruined my life!!” Sunset pointed her hoof at Twilight accusingly, fighting back the urge to punch her again.

Twilight didn’t understand, she didn’t understand at all.  It would seem that Twilight had wronged this Mare before, but as she searched her memories for an answer, she remembered nothing.  Twilight looked up to Sunset again, seeing now that her tears had been wiped away, Twilight sat there, and waited for the Sun Slinger to speak again.

“The Crucible… Now” Sunset ordered Twilight without another word.  And my Guardian listened, heartache echoing within her heart, she stood up to follow her.  

“Should I get a match set up Slinger?” Gilt asked Sunset as we started off to North Tower.

“Yes, request a Deathmatch for me” Sunset told Gilt.

“Right away!” Gilt chimed, and then trotted on ahead.

As we kept walking, Twilight held her head low to the ground, sad and somber.

I truly and desperately wanted to stop my Guardian from going to the Crucible, she’ll be eaten alive by those blood thirsty Guardians, all aiming for her head.  And if I were Twilight I’d really give that Sun Slinger a piece of my mind for hurting Twilight the way she did.  But I’m not Twilight…  All I can do now; is respect her choices, and guide her the best I can.

But I’m afraid of this Sunset Shimmer… What is she looking to gain from Twilight in the Crucible?  Answers, relief, or revenge?
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 5.5 : A Search led Astray  
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	War Date: 1,497 days since Radiance.  Location: Ishtar Cliffs, Venus.

Thomas record log: Entry #78.

My lady Rarity and her party are still in pursuit of the Vault of Glass.  A month has passed from when we departed from the Tower.  

The abundance of Vex has increased as we venture further into the Ishtar academy.  Which would mean that we would be getting closer to our goal.  But it could as easily be a trap.  A false lead to our doom.

My lady of course would not hear any of this.  Insisting that we continue our crusade until we find a clue of some kind.  As of yet, no such luck.

“Come along everypony, just a little longer and we’ll take a break!” my lady spoke in such a confident voice.

“You said that the last five waves of Vex Rarity!” Madam Rainbow dash complained.

“An’ the five times before that!” that barbarian Applejack slurred.

My fair lady’s companions have been far less then pleasant for the past three hours that I’ve counted.  Blaming my lady for all their hardships and the such.  

I truly don’t see how she can call these foals her best friends.

My lady sighed, giving heed to her friend’s complaints “I know… And I am truly sorry for dragging you all through this, this mission of mine…”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked to one another, tilting their heads and coming to an understanding with my fair lady.  

“Its al’ well an’ good Rare, but Dash an’ I are startin’ ta’ wonder if the Vault really does exist” Applejack said.

“And if it did, wouldn’t it be covered in Vex!” Rainbow Dash added.

“It’s true, I don’t have a shred of an idea as to where it might be… But I have to try don’t I?  Even if I should die trying!” Rarity asked.

“My lady…” I started.

“Please Tom, I understand your concerns, but there are only so few places left for us to look for Twilight and Flutter Shy… Oh, I miss them so…”

Applejack obviously felt the same way, Rainbow Dash? Not so much.

“Oh Rarity, we know… we know…” Applejack said as she neared Rarity and comforted my lady with a gentle hug.  A moment passed, and Applejack noticed that Rainbow Dash was absent from their hug.

“Um, Dash?  We’re suppose ta’ be doin’ the whole friendship thing?” Applejack said a little ways away from Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah… Uh… You guys know how I check on the Crucible matches every now and again right?” Rainbow Dash reminded the party.

“Of course! You check the scoreboard every minute!” I vented.

“And let’s not forget about the screaming after each zone is captured!” Scarecrow, Applejack’s Irish but otherwise loud Ghost.

“Scare, that’s what you do…” Applejack rephrased Scarecrow’s sentence.

Scarecrow was speechless, but not for long.

“Forget it!  Dash, what’s the score!?” Scarecrow shouted while zipping over to Rainbow Dash.  Only to be stopped by Rainbow’s Ghost, Narrator.

“It’s a Death Match, and the score is twenty to nothing, and don’t crowd Dashing like that!” Narrator said, pushing Scarecrow away from Rainbow Dash’s right shoulder.  Forcing the rusty Ghost back a few inches.

“Thems fighting words Narr!” Scarecrow roared as he was about to hit Narrator back but Applejack intervened.

“That’s enough you two!” Applejack yelled to both of them.  Grabbing each with one of her hooves.  And after a span of ten seconds, she let them go.

“Now what’s this about the Crucible Dash?  Did your team not make it ta’ the play-offs?” Applejack guessed at Rainbow’s pointless dilemma.

“No!” Rainbow Dash yelled “… The Wonder Bolts beat the Province of Gun a while ago…” 

“Than what is the problem!?” Applejack asked, annoyed.

“It’s the Bonus Match…”

“And what about the Bonus Match?” Rarity asked as well.

“Twilight’s in it…”

All of the Guardian’s were stunned, but quickly opened the Crucible interface along their Hologram-books.  Seeing the Bonus Match scoreboard display read now twenty-six to nothing as a sand storm fizzled out the Hologram.

“That’s Twilight…” Rarity began.

“… An’ she’s fightin’…” Applejack continued.

“Sunset Shimmer!” and Rainbow Dash finished.

…

“We need to get back to the Tower” 

“Hold on Rainbow!” Applejack said to Rainbow Dash before she could warp to her Jumpship “We… We can’t just…” Applejack could hardly hold herself together as she slowly looked to Rarity.  Who was just as surprised, if not more so.  Happy that her friend was okay, but a little lost since her previous theory had just been thrown out the window so to speak.

They were all lost in thought, hearing nothing but the rumbling of the one-thousand storms above their heads in the atmosphere.

“My lady… My Lady!” I shouted, waking my dearest Guardian from her own self entranced thoughts.  Rarity looked around at her friends, focusing on their turned heads to her.  Rarity, for a moment, nearly stopped herself from making the movement, but stuck to her idea and shooed her companions away.

“Go along you two, give Twilight my best…” she finally said.

“Thanks Rarity!” Rainbow Dash quickly spat before she warped.

Applejack on the other hoof took her time warping.  Glancing to my lady as she evaporated.

“Thank you Rarity…”

Those were the last words my lady heard before we were at last, alone.

“How fair you my lady?” I asked her.  But even with her helmet hiding her emotions, I could clearly tell from her soft sniffling that she was crying.

“I am quite fine Tom… I’m just… Beyond relief”

I float corrected.

Not a moment passed before my lady was at it again.  Continuing her search for the Glass Vault and the mysteries behind it.

“Are you sure about this? We are alone again my lady” I said.

“We have dealt with far worse than the Vex alone” she calmly commented.  “And with Twilight back, I am now even more certain we will find it”

“The whole city will be filled with joy with one of it’s Princesses now returning” I added.

“Surely!” Rarity agreed.

“But none would be more joyous then Lord Spike” I finished.

The very mention of the Lord sent a jump of excitement up my Guardian’s spin, causing her to trot at a slower pace than before.  

“S- Surely…” my lady stuttered, embarrassed.
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Chapter 6 : The Crucible
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Just around that corner Guardian!” I ordered Twilight, guiding her into the next step in our route.  The greater number of Guardians were hunting us down like carrots to the cutting board.  Timing their shots in tandem to each other, they kept a constant fire rate on us as they reloaded and shot us to the ends of the Arena.

“Agh!!” my Guardian cried, a barrage of stray bullets collided with Twilight when we turned the corner.  Forcing us back into the chase with the alliance of Guardians from before.

“Pony feathers!” Twilight swore, kicking up more dirt as she took off down the alternate path.  Which unfortunately, led to a dead end.

“We have nowhere left to run Guardian!” I alerted Twilight, giving her time to react by drawing her gun.

The Guardians came around the corner, Heavy weapons primed and ready to unleash them.  This was yet again, the end for us.

The rockets and machine gun bullets left their respected chambers.  But the strangest feeling of Déjà vu over us, after seeing those deadly projectiles shot at you for well over an hour, you begin to see them more clearly.  Flying through the air slowly in our eyes, gradually finding their mark.

But out every last weapon that was aimed at my Guardian, only one bullet separated me from her.

A sniper round, a single sniper round… Grazing past many Guardians in the stampede, as well as running through a couple, the bullet made its way to Twilight, piercing the shield and shattering her skull, Twilight went limp from her head down as she was flung backwards, forcing her to plop onto her back as everything else all but missed my Guardian by a hair, colliding with the wall.

I parted my nodes in an instant, gathering light perpetually above her.

And as I did, I looked to the Guardians chasing us.  All of them Future War Cult, teamed up in a Rumble match, unbelievable.  Scanning past the crowd for the one with the sniper rifle.

Looking closely at what was parted of the crowd, I saw the redirected moonlight off the scope, looking a little closer I noticed that it was a blue and black sniper rifle, complete with a silencer at the front of its barrel, and a glaring silver eye behind its iron sight.  I recognized the weapon as ‘The Chosen’.  A sniper rifle named and sanctified by the leaders of the Future War Cult.

And now that I knew who possibly owned it, I took a wild guess, and figured that it was none other than Sunset Shimmer.  Once again taking my Guardian’s life for what seemed to have been the one-hundredth time.

Seeing Twilight’s lifeless corpse for herself, the Sun Slinger teleported, erupting into a reddish yellow flare and escaped from the other unfriendly allies, who were now turning on one another, shaping this team up into a proper Rumble match now that Twilight was dead.  Every one of them going at the other’s throat for just another point to add to their scoreboards.

Only thirty seconds had passed in that time and I had already gathered enough light.  Patiently waiting for the last of the Guardians to move on, I wanted to make sure Twilight came back without any trouble near by.

“That should be the last of them…” I spoke to myself, now free to resurrect Twilight.  I tightened my nodes around myself, beaming the collected light down to the body below me.  Stitching up the hole in her head, dissolving the bullet into nothing, and finally shocking my Guardian with a single pulse of electricity, I succeeded in restoring Twilight’s basic motor functions.  With her body now breathing, I did the sensible thing as any Ghost would, and returned my Guardian’s spirit to her.

A pinkish blue light drifted from my shell, this is what the fragile soul of an Alicorn looks like.  Shifting through the air, Twilight’s soul slowly but surely enveloped my Guardian’s entire body with its glow.  And once it had, the light disappeared, sinking back into its proper vessel as Twilight gasped for air.

“I don’t think… I will ever… Get used to that…” Twilight said aloud, panting heavily until her lungs had reflated.

“Trust me, it will be like blinking before long” I reassured my Guardian.

“Yeah well, if I keep blinking, I’ll keep dying to the same mules again and again…” she said, sitting back up as she did.

“It was Sunset again wasn’t it?” Twilight asked.

“Yes…” I answered her.

Twilight then pulled up her Holo-book, looking over the KDR, Twilight started from the top, where Sunset Shimmer was, standing at twenty-seven kills and zero deaths, and quickly scrolling down to the bottom where Twilight was, holding a solid zero kills, one assist, and twenty-seven deaths.

“Pony feathers!” Twilight cursed, hitting the ground with hoof in frustration.

“Calm down Guardian!” I shouted, “Anger is for Sunset Shimmer wants out of you, expressing that level of emotion will only turn the Tower against you, so if we’re going to lose we should lose with our dignity in tack.

Twilight was livid, but as she thought about it, the more she started to see it in better light.  

“You’re right Ghost… You’re right…” Twilight sighed, taking in one deep breath at a time to cool her nerves.  

Twilight did not intend for this to happen.  In fact, in the beginning of it all, Twilight only wanted resolve these ill feelings Sunset Shimmer had for her.  Looking back to an hour ago, Twilight had just been told by Sunset that she had ruined her life.  Incidentally, Twilight was confessed, she had idea what she was talking about.  But Sunset didn’t care, using her connections within the Crucible, Sunset was able to request a Rumble match with a low ranking Guardian, which would inherently be against the rules.  As lower ranked Guardians are usually pared with others at their skill level. 

But of course, there were plenty of Guardians raising their hooves for the honor of competing in Twilight’s first Crucible match.  Sunset got her other ten participants, and Twilight was given a crash course on exactly why I didn’t approve of the Crucible.

The Crucible, a training ground of sorts for Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters alike to train, get combat experience, and prove their worth for fame and fortune.

I couldn’t describe Twilight’s disappointment no better then she could.

She asked why such a barbaric program would ever be conceived.  Given the threat the Fallen opposed to us, Twilight agued with the other Guardians as to why they were wasting their time fighting themselves instead of the Fallen.

Time after time each Guardian had their say on the matter, telling my Guardian that it was to train, that they were preparing themselves for coming battles across the cosmos.  And that would be the entire reason behind the Crucible, if its reason wasn’t butchered by selfishness and pride.

As only a few seemed to think of the Crucible as a training ground, while others like Gilt Glider and the entire FWC said it was for glory.

Fighting one another to see who was the best, winning for the sake of winning, not for the good of the Guardians, but for the betterment of their own power.  Being rewarded for killing fellow Guardians with expensive equipment and new armor, Guardians who now fight in the Crucible are nothing but monsters, who can’t seem to quench their thirst for conflict.

So instead of expending that endless pool of energy on our enemies, they waste it here, in the confines of the City.

Twilight would have refuted with them to the ends of Equestria, if Sunset hadn’t ended the argument herself.  Telling Twilight off, and that the Crucible is only for the brave and intelligent.  

Building up strong Guardians by pinning us against each other is the best way to develop our skills.  If killing a Guardian became the most difficult challenge we faced, we would be ahead of the Darkness a hundred years in unstoppable soldiers.  The Speaker knows this, and that’s exactly why the Vanguards including Lord Spike have approved the Crucible’s existence.  And I have to say, given your moral code for friendship… Being emitted to Patrol, is impossible for you.

Sunset’s statement left an impression on Twilight like rain falling into a cup, with every drop of water that filled it, Twilight only become more willing to admit that Sunset was right, until it became all she could think about.

An hour later to where we are now, and I believe we have lost this battle.

Twilight had calmed down, but her expression reflected her own disappointment in herself.  Eyes fixated on the ground, Twilight continued to read the landscape.  She was possibly thinking up a new strategy, or… Finally admitting defeat.

“Guardian, we can always just forfeit, fighting against Sunset Shimmer is a lost cause at this point, we’ll resolve this whole mess when get stronger, and learn a bit more, we can’t jump the gun if we don’t understand her first…” I said, figuring making sense of our situation was for the best

….

“Guardian?” I said in response to her silence, “Twilight?” 

“I… sorry… know…” Twilight Mumbled.

“What did you say?”

“I can’t feel sorry for something I don’t know anything about!!”  Twilight barked, standing up and marching out from the alleyway.

“W- Wait Guardian! What are you doing!?” I questioned her sudden change in character as I attempted to keep pace with her.  

“Do you remember what Sunset told us?  If a Guardian can kill another Guardian, then defeating the Fallen, Hive and everything else will become foals play right?” Twilight asked if she were wrong, to which she wasn’t of course.

“Y- You’re right, but what are you going to do!?” I answered, but without an answer from her end I couldn’t begin to guess what was on her mind.

“I’m going to kill the Sun Slinger…” Twilight said, her voice lowering to an intimidating volume of courage.  I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, being rash and unpredictable is kind of her thing, but even so…

“Do realize how crazy you’re sound right now?” I asked my Guardian.

“Maybe, maybe not…” I could tell Twilight wasn’t thinking too much of anything else besides hunting down Sunset, and a Ghost in my position should probably try to convince her otherwise… But I decided to just roll with it.

Stepping out into the battlefield, Twilight turned about the Rusted Lands high places and hiding spots Sunset would be in, but with no such luck on her or my end. 

“So what’s the game plan Guardian?” I asked, staring at a concentrated Twilight Sparkle observing the map in her Holo-book.

“Can you find me Gilt Glider?” Twilight asked of me.

“One moment…” I began, taking a few seconds longer to oversee the terrain for myself, spotting our target no more than fifty feet away, “Stay close to the ground, and follow me parallel from where I travel, understood?” 

Twilight nodded in response.  A smile grew across her lips, and whatever she had planned I could tell was going to be bonkers.  I liked it.

Taking my leave from my Guardian, I glided left, casually glancing over at Twilight, creeping around and under some unsuspecting Guardians as we both made our way to where Gilt was.  Concealing himself with his cloak ability, I could barely make out the sniper rifle he was using to follow me with.

Twilight spotted him, and moved in slowly.  All the while I scanned some useless things on the ground, pretending to do something important.

As my Guardian neared the clueless Hunter, I overheard him talking to himself from my Guardian’s intercom.

“No, I don’t have a visual yet, and I don’t think any of us know where she is right now…” Gilt must be talking to someone over his own intercom, “I can see Ghost looking over some pieces of dirt… If only we could fire on Ghosts, I’d pull the trigger right now…” Gilt sighed, speaking to himself about his undying compassion for me.

“Get him Twilight...” I said to Twilight via intercom, my voice echoing from where Twilight was standing, Gilt jumped after turning around to see her.  They scrambled for a bit, but Twilight had the upper hoof, grabbing around his neck with her hoof, and wedging her own gun into his back, Twilight had succeeded in taking Gilt Glider hostage.

“What the hay do you think you’re doing!?” Gilt protested, trying to shake himself free from Twilight’s grip, but stopped as my Guardian twisted her gun into his side, sending the a shock of pain to his brain, advising him to stop struggling.

“Were you scouting me out for Sunset!?” Twilight asked by yelling into his ear.

“Along with a couple others from the FWC yeah, ow…” Gilt confessed, grunting from the gun still being jabbed into his back.

“Let me talk to Sunset Shimmer…” Twilight ordered Gilt, but he just laughed.

“Like I’d do- Ow, ow, ow! Okay! Okay! Easy there love...” Gilt refused but complied as my Guardian continued to dig the gun’s barrel into his spin.

“Hey, Sun Slinger… ow… The Princess wants a word…” Gilt contacted Sunset Shimmer, who then gave his intercom to Twilight.

“I have nothing to say to you…” Sunset told my Guardian, the static from my Gilt’s intercom echoed the two’s conversation with little disturbance.

“Well I have something to say, fight me!” Twilight said.

“You can’t be serious…” Sunset replied.

“Dead serious…” Twilight said, spotting Sunset in a crow’s nest atop a ruined building, moving Gilt in between her and Shimmer’s sniper rifle.

“I don’t know if you’ve checked the scoreboard recently, but it already says I’m winning twenty-seven kills to twenty-seven deaths…” 

“True, but you needed your little gang to hunt me down to make that happen” Twilight retorted, calling Sunset out on her cowardly strategy.

“…” Sunset didn’t reply.

“Sick burn…” I commented, hoping Sunset Shimmer heard me.

“Not now Ghost…” Twilight told me off, but I had regrets.

“Well, even so, why fight me? You would have to get thirty kills within the next five minutes to beat me…” Sunset reminded Twilight.

“I don’t want to win, I just want to make a wager with you…” Twilight began, “You told me that fighting other Guardians is the best way to get the upper hand on the Fallen, so be it.  If I can kill you once before you can kill me three more times, you tell me exactly why you hate me…”

“And when you fail?” Sunset added.

“I’ll give up on being a Guardian…” Twilight said, bargaining her new livelihood.

“…” Sunset went silent again.

“S- So… Do we have a deal?” my Guardian asked Sunset.

And at first Twilight and I started to guess what she would say.  But the bullet passing through my Guardian’s head was the only response we got.

“You got yourself a deal…” Sunset finally said, the intercom dropped back into Gilt’s saddle bag, leaving him a little out of sorts with that bullet nearly going through his own head in the process.

The trembling Hunter trotted off; and I readied my deceased Alicorn.





Revived again, and now positioned across the Arena, Twilight Sparkle checked the ammo on her assault rifle.  Thirty bullets loaded in her clip, and five on hoof just in case, my Guardian moved up through the map.

Peering around every corner, and avoiding any unnecessary firefights, Twilight was cautiously on the lookout for Sunset. 

Making her way across an open space and into an old building.  Finding some stairs a little ways to the back of the room, Twilight trotted down a few, as they led up again to a left turn and then… Nothing.

Twilight was beginning to wonder if they were both chasing each other in a circle, eventually never fighting until the match ended.  

As Twilight thought this over in her head, something caught her eye, or rather, something got caught in her eye.  It was moonlight, reflecting off a broken piece of a mirror leaning against the wall before us.  She thought it was odd, light shouldn’t even be emitting inside this building.  There were no holes and no windows to look of anywhere.  And then the thought occurred to her, Twilight looked a little closer into the mirror, seeing something standing at the entrance.

It was Sunset, her sniper rifle’s scope beaming light off it again.

Twilight reacted in an instant, opening fire and dodging Sunset’s first shot at my Guardian, the bullet smashing into the wall behind us, Twilight didn’t let up until her clip had run dry of ammunition.  To which Sunset dodged against the doorway form Twilight’s bullets, still lining up her next shot, and fired.

Twilight didn’t get any time to dodge this one, it hit her, only managing to destroy her shield.  Twilight reared back from the impact and managed to reload to attack again, but instead of aiming for her opponent, Twilight targeted the convenient gas canister in between them, shooting it enough to create a distraction.

Trotting away into the hallway to our left, leading outside again, Twilight sprinted around to encounter Sunset from where she was firing blindly through the smoke cover that the explosion created.

Coming around the corner, we found Sunset Shimmer only now noticing her ignorance to Twilight’s plan.

My Guardian rammed the Sun Slinger, pressing her up against the Rusted Lands Arena boundary wall.  Causing some damage to Sunset’s shield, but not enough to break it.  Twilight readied up an enchanted punch to get under Sunset’s defense, her attack was redirected however by Sunset’s own assault rifle smacking my Guardian away from her.

Twilight was stunned, which gave Sunset the time to finish off my Guardian again.

Making the score twenty-nine to zero.

I moved into revive her as fast as I could, but I started off a bit slowly in my gathering as I became unsettled by Sunset Shimmer’s laughter.

“She really thinks she can win doesn’t she!?” the Sun Slinger asked me in hilarity.  The manner she said it in made my shell crawl.  Retorting back would only prove her point, even if I did want to mouth her off, I remained quiet.  Staying humble as best I could, until I couldn’t take it any longer.

“She does, and she will…” I told her.  Beginning to warp away from her as she continued to laugh confidently.

…

“Orion’s Belt I was so close!” Twilight said upon revival.

“And you failed because you rushed your attack Guardian!” I told her strait out.  Hinting that she should stay calm with the tone of my voice.  But in reality, I was the one who needed to stay calm.  Venting my frustration with the spinning of my nodes; I couldn’t help it, I hated Sunset Shimmer.

“Ghost… Ghost!!” Twilight called out to me, pulling me back from my own mind.

“…I’m sorry Guardian… I just… I can’t see you die again…”

My words widened my Guardian’s eyes, seeing the pain I felt from her time in the Crucible.  Twilight’s expression softened, and my nodes stopped spinning.

“Ghost… I promise you, I won’t die ever again…” Twilight told me as she marked her chest with her hoof, and covered her right eye after she did saying, “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye…”

This must have been the best she could do to reassure me that she wasn’t going to give up, and that she was going to win.

I felt my own light flickering, I was happy again.

“Alright Guardian… I’m going to hold you to that”

“I won’t let you down!” Twilight said with a smile.

“Okay, time for a plan… We only get one last shot at this, or it’s off to decoding engrams for us” I said, and Twilight nodded, ready to plan.





Two minutes remaining, and we were on the move again.

Twilight was once again, peering around corner after corner.  Glancing up to the higher terrifies for our prominent sniper.  Simply walking around until we heard the popping of a heavy machine gun.

Instantly ducking for cover, my Guardian and I stayed low behind a rock.  Waiting for the bullets to stop flying.

The sound of the bullets bouncing stopped.  And at the stop, a voice called out to us.  

“Lady bugs awake Twilight!” Sunset shouted, switching out to her famed sniper rifle.  And that’s when we jumped to action.

Moving out from our cover, we zigzagged back and forth.  Round after round, we guided Sunset’s aim to our next standing possession and then dodged.

One, two, three, four…

The clip emptied, and we moved further.  Twilight opened fire as Sunset switched again to her primary.  Bullets flew, some bounced off another, and the rest hit their respective Guardians.  And for what hit the other, their shields broke, Sunset reloaded, while Twilight charged forward, tackling Sunset into a roll.  Twilight had already enchanted her hoof ready to attack, but Sunset Shimmer made sure she missed.  Falling onto her back, Sunset bent her legs back to push Twilight backwards off of her.  Twilight landed back against the ground, gagging from being bucked in the stomach.  And Sunset rolled back up onto her hooves, stepping a little ways back from Twilight.  Taking her sweet time to reload her gun, and aim it at my Guardian.  Ready to end this charade, I was almost certain she was grinning proudly behind her helmet, absolutely ecstatic to win… But like a miracle, Sunset didn’t get the chance to pull the trigger.

An explosion had erupted from under her own hooves into a firework of blue and purple.  And to think, our plan had worked better than we planned.  Because from the very moment Sunset knocked Twilight back, her fate was sealed.

Twilight’s hoof was enchanted at the time, but to both Twilight’s and my own surprise, the magic parted from her limb in the form of a sphere.  And after if left our care, it rolled just behind Sunset, before she stepped back that is.

And for a moment, Twilight and I almost warned her about it.  Until we saw those beautiful colors turn Sunset into dust.

We almost couldn’t believe it.

“Did we… Do it?” I asked my Guardian, who had already pulled up her Holo-book, watching our kill count change from zero to one.

“YES!!!” my Guardian and I rang aloud, jumping up and down to our first kill in the Crucible.  What a wonderful feeling.

We were celebrating, as we should be, but a familiar sound ceased our cheerful trot about.  We looked over to the pathway, seeing Sunset Shimmer reappear from afar.  Standing there without a word, Sunset materialized her Ghost, Flare.  Matching the same color palate Sunset had, Flare was listening to ever word Sunset said, and before long, it appeared.

Sunset Shimmer’s own Sparrow, calling it down from her Jumpship, she mounted it with haste.  And as she revved its engine, an unpleasant thought popped into my head.

Sunset boosted forward with her Sparrow aimed at us.  We had no time to react, and before we could even comprehend what was happening, it was already too late.  

The Sparrow rammed us head on, jolting us back a good fifteen feet before we skidded to a stop, as Sunset Shimmer jumped from her Sparrow and landed on top of us.  

And as she landed, she punched my Guardian on impact with an enchanted hoof, beating out half of Twilight’s shield, but she didn’t stop there.

One hoof after another Sunset pummeled my Guardian until her shield had fallen apart.  Sunset yelled after each punch, knocking Twilight’s head back and forth until both her eyes were black and swollen and blood began to trickle out from her mouth and nose.

I needed to act quick, Sunset was just about to get the final kill.  I dived in between the two and I released what little light I had gathered, and teleported Twilight away before Sunset smashed my Guardian’s face into the ground.

Reappearing out side of the Rusted Lands Arena, forfeiting the match in the process.  I made us give up, probably making our deal with Sunset null and void.  My Guardian was hurt, so much so that her wounds didn’t even heal yet.

Limbs can be healed easily, the Guardian recovery system can even prevent death, but even with such an advanced healing factor, there are some wounds that take time to be treated.

Twilight just laid there on her back, both of us feeling worse than before.  Confronting Sunset like that was not the best choice.  We know that now… 

“We shouldn’t have tried to hurt her… I feel like an idiot…” Twilight said with a sigh, closing her eyes, and breathing out deeply.

“Yeah… An awesome idiot!” said a celebrating voice.

Twilight looked up, seeing two figures standing over her.

One, a blue Pegasus with a multi-colored mane.

And the other an orange Earth Pony, sporting a ten gallon hat and blonde hair.

“Howdy Sugar cube…” said the bovine with the hat, her thick country accent joyful and friendly.

Twilight might have been excited to see the ‘Reaper of Light’ Rainbow Dash or the ‘Jack of all Trades’ Apple Jack.  But in regard to our time in the Crucible, Twilight was just simply glad to see them.

“Hey girls…” Twilight sighed, “How are you?”





Later on, back in the Plaza, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Apple Jack sat along the steps overlooking the Crystal Empire.  Apple Jack was taking the time to tend to my Guardian’s wounds, as Rainbow got Twilight up to date on current events.

“…And that is how I became the Reaper of Light!” Rainbow Dash finished, her adventure in the Hellmouth was exciting, and exaggerated.
“Yup! We all made name fer’ ourselves over the years, no doubt in ma’ mind y’all get a fancy nickname too!” Apple Jack agreed, bandaging up Twilight’s black eye with a white patch and sticking some tissues up her nose, stopping the bleeding all together.

“Thank you Apple Jack…” Twilight said, turning her head to the ground, tired.  My Guardian’s friends were worried, sitting a little closer to comfort her.

“So…” Rainbow began, “You kicked the bucket in Old Ponyville huh?” the Pegasus said bluntly.

“Rainbow!” Apple Jack shouted, reacting to Rainbows conflicting question.

“It’s okay Apple Jack, I’m used to the whole death thing…” Twilight stopped the two from arguing, taking this moment to answer some questions that they had about her time so far.

Starting from my discovering her to the Crucible, Twilight retold a story that could have gone better.

“So you don’t remember how you died?” Rainbow said in surprise.

“I remember charging at the Darkness with my Element, but then it stopped working right before I got swatted out of the sky”

“The same thing happened ta’ da’ rest of us…” Apple Jack continued, “One sec’ I’am fighting, an’ the next, I wake up in Manehatten with Scare here in front o’ me…”

It would seem the collapse didn’t just wipe out the Alicorns off the face of the Earth, but the Elements of Harmony as well.  This is giving me a whole new perspective on our darkest hour.

“I’m sorry girls… I’m so sorry…” Twilight uttered, trembling and crying as she sat there.  But her shaking stopped, her to friends wrapping their hooves around her in compassion.  

“Don’t be sugar cube… We’re al’ here now… And nothing is gonna change that…” Apple Jack said.

“What she said…” Rainbow said in tandem, giving my Guardian a reason to smile again.  

And it pains me to say it, but it’s almost like these girls can never catch a break.

Guardians, not many, but Guardians both Griffin, Dragon and Ponies were rushing about in a panic, ether warping into their Jumpships, or descending down to the city, moving along the wall with haste.

“Hey, hey!” Rainbow called out to a passing Griffin, “Where is everypony going?” 

“It’s the House of Devils, their invading the city!” the Griffin announced, the bad news left Rainbow speechless as the Griffin moved on to where Captain Spitfire was, getting a fire team together.

Guardians all around her were asking and theorizing with her.

“Spitfire! Why are Fallen attacking us now?” “Has something changed?” “How did they know we’d be short on Guardians at this time?”

Spitfire was getting overwhelmed, turning back and forth to see Twilight looking over at her from the stairs.  

The Vanguard narrowed her eyes, coming to a conclusion of some kind, with my Guardian in the middle of it.

“I know exactly why… Spitfire confessed, “But knowing is only half the battle.  The other half is sending those Fallen home! Now c’mon!”

Captain Spitfire left the Plaza, leaving us by our lonesome.

“What do we do?” I asked the group, but nether Apple Jack nor Rainbow Dash could answer… Save it were for Twilight.

“Ghost… What was that thing you talked about?  The leader of the House of Devils?” Twilight asked.

“You mean, Sepiks Prime? The Servitor god the Fallen worship?” 

“It’s in Ponyville right?” 

“Maybe, nopony has ever found him… Why?” I answered, but my own curiosity begged to ask why she needed to know.

“Call the Jumpship… I won’t let the Fallen hurt my kingdom again..."
> The Fall of Sepiks Prime - Final Chapter : The Devil's Lair
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Old Ponyville, two o’clock AM.  On route through the Ponyville main street via Sparrow.  Hitching a ride with Rainbow Dash, Twilight and I held onto her tightly.  Hoping for dear life that we wouldn’t fall off.  

Apple Jack followed close behind on her own Sparrow.  

In the short time we have spent out here, nothing was found.  Any and all Fallen we should have encountered by now were nowhere to be found.  This was because they had all gathered around the City, once again crawling up its walls like Twilight Gap.  

“There’s nothing out here!” Rainbow Dash shouted in the rushing air.

“Keep on lookin’ Dash! Finding a hideout somewhere fer some oversized can’t be too hard!” Apple Jack advised Rainbow, continuing with the search.

“Hideout…?” Twilight said to herself.

“What is it Twi!?” Rainbow asked.

“I think I know where Sepiks Prime is! Head to the Everfree forest!!” Twilight ordered us, setting our next destination for the fabled woods of magic.

Zooming past ancient houses and lost era cider machines until we had reached the forests entrance.  

The Everfree forest itself was big and embossing.  Tall skyscraper like trees, and monstrous vegetation was displaying a dark abyss that lay in front our path into the forest.  Historic records state that these woods stretch on for thousands of miles. Making it nearly as long and as expansive as the Hellmouth itself.

“You didn’t have to come you know…” Twilight commented, who felt conflicted by bringing her friends into her dangerous adventure.

“Are you kidding!?” Rainbow Dash responded, “When Twilight Sparkle has a plan I’m behind it ninety-nine percent of the way!” 

“What ‘bout the last one percent?” Apple Jack inquired.

“Oh, that’s just in case if things go south” Rainbow explained, who was being blatantly open that Twilight’s plan might not work anyway.

I know that feeling.

Apple Jack rolled her eyes to Rainbow Dash, unimpressed by her snarky personality.

“Well besides that, we’re your friend’s darlin’… And nothin’ has gotten in the way of that…” Apple Jack encouraged Twilight, wrapping her hoof around her as we all stared into the pitch black wilderness.  

“Discord came close…” Twilight reminded Apple Jack.

“But we’al know how dat’ turned out” 

Twilight smiled at Apple Jack, happy to once again be at her friend’s side.  

“Your right, for better or for worse, we’re together again, and that’s all that matters… Right! Let’s go save Equestria!” Twilight said, providing a little vote of confidence for the strike team, as the other Ghosts and Guardians cheered in response.

Spirits lifted and moral high, Twilight’s strike team moved forward into the forest.  Narrator, Scarecrow and I radiated light.  Making the path ahead visible.

As we ventured further and further into the Everfree, all three Guardians expressed caution with their weapons drawn.  My Guardian Twilight with her outdated excuse of a gun, Apple Jack one hoofing her Invective shotgun, and Rainbow Dash brandishing her Hawkmoon, a Hoof Cannon considered Exotic to everypony in the Tower, from its silvered barrel to the hawk like feather etchings carved into its design, the Hawkmoon is sot after by many. 

One day Twilight will have her own Exotic treasure, and I think Twilight hopes she does.  Taking notice to her comrade’s firearms as they marched through the darkened path, my Guardian couldn’t help but ask.

“So…” Twilight tried to speak, but her dried up at the sight of Rainbow’s attractive Hoof Cannon, “You girls… Uhh… Have some impressive gear there…”

“Yup! You…Too…” Rainbow saw Twilight’s gun, the shattered sight, the scrapped up paint job, every bit of it old.  To just look in its direction sent a shiver up the Pegasus’ spin in pity for Twilight.

“Uhh… Y’know Twi, I do have another one these back at the Tower if you want?” Rainbow said, confirming to the team she had a second Hawkmoon.

“No that’s alright, I plan on refurbishing this!” Twilight declined Rainbows kind offer as she posed her assault rifle in the air, “Thanks for the offer though”

“You don’t… Need it…” Rainbow Dash mumbled, looking at her gun and then Twilight’s.  Lost in thought about world without a Hawkmoon.

“That’s mighty resourceful of ya’ Twilight, taking something taken as far as it can go an’ givin’ it a second chance… You fancy how it aims don’t ya?” Apple Jack interjected.

“Yeah, everything just comes into alinement when I look down it” Twilight answered, commenting why she’s kept it with her.

“I found it as Ghost and I escaped Ponyville, how did you two find your guns?” my Guardian asked, ever so curious about those fascinating firearms.

.	“Well…” Rainbow Dash started, telling a tall tale in detail about her campaign in the Crucible to defeat every Guardian until she collapsed.  She said that it was the most challenging thing she had ever done in her life, and that at the moment when she faced Lord Spike, she lost, after forty strait hours of fighting.  But as a reward for surviving that long, Rainbow dropped an Engram upon death that Spike gave her as a prize.  It only when Rainbow decoded it that Spike regretted presenting that priceless Engram to Rainbow.  And it was just a few weeks later that she had found a second Hawkmoon in the Tower, being sold by some mysterious stallion in a cloak, selling it for a single crystal.

“Poor guy wouldn’t stop talking about them, and after I gave him the crystal he up and eat it!  Weirdo didn’t stop mumbling about them ether…”

Rainbow Dash finished, pointing out that the only weird thing was her life, and pretty much any pony involved with Twilight.

“How about you AJ?” Twilight now asking the cowgirl.

“Ah’ was on a routine Patrol on Mars, ah’ kinda stumbled upon it, and then these Cabal come jumping in out of nowhere, I tried to talk them down, they made a grab for my Ghost, and after that… It was a short conversation”

Apple Jack cocked her shotgun, hinting at the end of the story.

We all had a good laugh, and continued onward.

Still walking in pure shadow, the Guardians were beginning to wonder if there really was anything out here.  And I would second that notion. 

“Twi, ar’ ya’ sure the hideouts this way?” Apple Jack asked.

“I don’t why, but I can tell it’s just ahead…” Twilight answered, squinting through the trees in the hopes of finding some sort of structure. 

“Look, if you can tell that it’s ahead somewhere, that’s good enough for me, I’ll scout this place out and get back to you!” Rainbow Dash said in a hurry, obviously more impatient than the rest of us combined.

As we all called to her to stop before she left us in the dust, Rainbow slammed head first into something, knocking her back to the ground in the process.

Rainbow writhed in pain as she sat before whatever she hit.

“That wasn’t there before…” AJ commented, looking to the doors of some sort of military compound.  

“What do you mean this wasn’t here before?” Twilight asked.

“Fire squads, strike teams, and other Guardians who have Patrolled the Everfree have never found the Devils Lair… I think this whole invasion has left this place out of hiding and into plain sight… Good call Guardian” I told Twilight, commending her for her knack at trouble seeking.

Rainbow Dash recovered from hitting her head, and we entered the Lair.  

The set of doors led strait down into an underground tunnel.  Metal made and with a little of fancy architectural design thrown into it.  I never would have guessed the Fallen to be such adept builders.

Moving forward down hallway after hallway, our strike team saw no sign of the Fallen.  Coming into an open room, filled with stolen City tech, lost Griffin treasure, and garbage as far as the eye can see.

“And I thought Pinkie Pie was a hoarder…” Rainbow Dash mumbled, picking up pieces trash in reference to her friend.

A little further into the room and we found that our next path, an intricate section of lasers prevented us from moving forward.  

“Really!?” Apple Jack complained, “Fallen and their booby traps, can’t a Mare catch a break!?” 

“Calm down AJ, we just need to find the power source of the lasers, can’t be too… Far…” Twilight fell short of the point she was making as the cords powering security in front of us led to a lone transformer beside it.

“Do they even try?” Narrator commented, floating up to the machine with the rest of us Ghosts to examine it.  All of us coming to the conclusion that the Fallen were smarter than we thought. 

“So what are we waiting for? Let’s cut this off and go!” Rainbow said, proposing that we sever the wires.  Pulling out her Hunters knife, ready to slice and dice.  

“Wait Reaper!” I warned Rainbow Dash, halting her plan, “If you cut that wire you’ll kill us all, the Fallen have set up some sort of defense mechanism to detonate anyone near this transformer within a two mile radius”

Rainbow slowly moved her knife away from the wire.

“Now what?” Apple Jack asked, looking around to for maybe an alternate route.

“Let me see that transformer!” Twilight pushed us Ghosts aside, taking in the complexity of Fallen security systems.

“Can you crack it?” Rainbow asked Twilight, looking over my Guardian’s shoulder.

“If I had a book on Fallen technology? Yes…” Twilight answered.

“Bookworm…” 

Twilight narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash, taking offence to that comment.  Rainbow Dash stepped away with a shrug.

“What do you think Ghost? Think you can do something about this?”

“I’ll try my best Guardian…” 

I began my work immediately, firing up my beam tool with hast, I delved into the inner workings of the machine, bypassing firewall after firewall in order to shut the system down.

“How strange…” I mumbled.

“What is it Ghost?” said Twilight.

“The Fallen, they’ve gotten smarter… Like the entire system is wired to a…”

My words failed me as soon as the alarm rang aloud throughout the compound.  Shortly followed by the howling of several Fallen from elsewhere.

“I’ll work faster!” I said, but before I could, Apple Jack stepped me aside.

“Sorry little guy but we don’ have time fer’ faster!”

Apple Jack turned to face her back hooves at the transformer, and bucked the machine into itself, shutting off the lasers, allowing us to escape.

“Move it!” Apple Jack shouted, high tailing it into the next room along with the rest of us.  Fallen roars were closing in behind, when we looked back the full force of the House of Devils was rushing to kill us.

There was no real escape from so many Dregs and Vandals, and even with the Exotic gear Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash possessed, we would be overwhelmed in seconds, making us dead Ponies from the start.

Seeing no solution out of this predicament, Twilight froze, and along with her Apple Jack closed her eyes to what was upon them.  Rainbow Dash however, was lining up a shot.  The other two Guardians were too paralyzed to notice Rainbow patiently waiting for Fallen to make it to the sabotaged transformer.  Waiting for the precise moment to the fire.

“Say hi to Celestia for me!!” Rainbow shouted, pulling the trigger on the Hawkmoon, and watching the bullet fly until it cut through the wires powering the transformer, blowing the fallen up sky high, and the rest of us out of the facility.

Narrator and Scarecrow retreated to their Ghost storage, I however did not have the luxury.  Instead I was caught by Twilight with her hooves as she and our other comrades crashed through the brittle metal wall, leading us back under the starlit sky, and landing us onto the soft snow.

A little time had passed before we were up and healed again.

Heads stirring and shields recovering, the Guardians wasted no time to take in their new surroundings.  A snow ridden valley seemed to be funneling us to a neighboring bunker that must be the real Devils Lair.

Since the last one no longer existed on Equestria.

Meanwhile, Apple Jack was lecturing Rainbow about her methods on saving us.  

“We almost died!” Apple Jack nagged.

“Yeah, almost!!” Rainbow has proven to be as reckless as I expected her to be.  Perhaps a bit more…

“Twilight back me here!” the Earth Pony and Pegasus turned to my Guardian to settle their argument, but Twilight and I were already on our way.  Trotting through an old Pony outpost of some kind, we came out on the other side standing just before a long drop into a few puddles in a trench.  The thing we must be on probably was a bridge once upon a time, but now it was a diving board into a group of Fallen, two Dregs, two Vandals, and one Captain.  There were more crawling around our next destination, and they must’ve been aware of us surviving, otherwise they wouldn’t already be attacking us.

Apple Jack had taken a running jump from behind us, taking the damage from the fall, AJ let her shot gun loose on her enemies.  Killing the pairs of Dregs and Vandals each with one shot from her shotgun.  Firing a third time to destroy the Captains shield to only punch it herself, sending it flying uphill until it slapped its head against the base of the valley’s Cliffside.

“And I thought I hit hard…” Twilight said to me briefly before she looked over at Rainbow Dash in the top left corner of the battleground.  Dodging like a pro, Rainbow took down one Vandal after another with her trusty Hawkmoon.  Four Vandals later a fifth one came out of the woodwork.  Assaulting Rainbow Dash with a Fallen sniper rifle.  But its trigger was never pulled, as Rainbow whipped out her own, and silenced the Vandal in one shot.

“They really are amazing aren’t they…” Twilight reminisced about her friends.  She couldn’t be prouder of them.

Bullets came zooming past Twilight’s face, she barely dodged them as Fallen were approaching her from the left.  Surprised by their attack, but equally as eager to show off her new skills, Twilight glided over into action.

Assault rifle drawn, Twilight aimed for two Dregs charging at her, and each one of them received bullet through their skulls.  Moving onto the Vandal just behind them, Twilight released the rest of her clip into it, and finished off with an enchanted hoof to face.  Her hoof passed through the Vandal so fast that it turned into stardust upon impact.

Twilight looked back to her friends, who were beside themselves with joy to see Twilight fight with such ferocity.  Twilight grinned with the rest of them, feeling like a contributor to the group.

With the Fallen in the area dead, the strike team started to move up in progress to their goal… Before a unrecognizable shadow cast itself above us.

“Are you bucking kidding me!?” Rainbow Dash yelled from across the way, looking up to see a Fallen Dropship floating overhead.  

“What’s that doing here!?”

“This is the headquarters of the enemy Dash!” Scarecrow answered, “Why wouldn’t they send everything they’ve got at us!?”

Following the plasma cannons firing down on us as the three Guardians took cover at different points in the valley, the Dropship started to dislodge something from its belly.  Loud clanking like sounds were heard in the midst of the plasma hitting our cover and then… The drop.

Something had slammed against the ground in front of us.  And with that something there, the Dropship took its leave, flying the direction of the City.

Twilight and I looked around the steel pillar who hid behind, and saw it.  A Devil Walker had entered the battlefield.  Painted red brown, heavily armored, and with three legs on either side to support its weight, the Devil Walker carries with it a laser-guided main cannon capable of firing high-explosive rounds every five seconds.  It also has two plasma cannons for side weapons.

If overpowered had a name… It’d be the Devil Walker.

“Ghost… What is that?” Twilight asked me to explain.

“Trouble…”

“Ghost is right Twi,” Apple Jack said, talking over our intercom “An’ Ah’ suggest you take our lead on this one… Dat’ overgrown spider has six legs supporting it, if we take down three of its legs at once, it’ll overheat and have no choice but to expose its core…”

“How do you know this?” Twilight begged to ask.

“Long story short, Dash an’ Ah’ve fought a bunch of’em in the past… Don’t mean its easy though… Just attack it when we attack it and we’ll al’ be fine…”

Twilight agreed, and waited for Apple Jack’s signal.

Luckily the Walker hadn’t spotted us yet, so we still had the element of surprise.

Apple Jack raised her hoof to the sky signaling Twilight and Rainbow to attack.  Each of the three Guardians opened fire on a different leg.  Rainbow Dash destroyed her target first, six shots from the Hawkmoon was all it took.  Apple Jack finished second, two shots from the Invective, but AJ also had to cock it twice, barely popping off the armor after Rainbow did.  And last was my Guardian Twilight, unloading a whole clip into its armor, it only started to smoke through the cracks.  As Twilight had to reload in order to finish the job, the Walker turned its laser cannon toward Twilight, noticing her out of the rest as she was too slow compared to the others.

Twilight froze, she saw the laser charging, pointed directly at her, if she had time to move she would have, but instead all she heard was the cries of her friends, calling out her name as the cannon fired.

But the last thing she felt was not the concentrated heat of the laser cutting through her body, but a strong tug on her tail, pulling her just out of the Walkers sight.  The laser would have been quick and painless, but judging by the discomfort in Twilight’s face, I’d say she’d prefer to be mowed down by the laser.

Rolling down the hill along with her rescuer, Twilight struggled to get a proper hoofing as she slid over the snow.

Halting just inside the trench, Twilight looked around, hoping to scold Rainbow or Apple Jack for yanking on her tail, but it was somepony completely different. 

“Just in the nick of time as usual…” Apple Jack stated.

“I’d hardly call it that, she could’ve dodged it, but instead she had to dramatic about it…” the voice we heard was one we hadn’t heard roughly two hours ago… In the Crucible.

Finally getting the haze out of her eyes, Twilight focused on the voice.  Seeing first a blur of yellow, red, and white, soon became an image of Sunset Shimmer standing before us in the snow.

“Sunset Shimmer!?” Twilight cried out, but soon lowered her as she remembered their bet, “You still owe me the truth Sunset…” Twilight told the Sun Slinger, reminding Sunset that she lost.

“I don’t have to tell you anything Sparkle, but if it makes you feel better, I got demoted from Vanguard and kicked out of the FWC… And considering I just saved your royal flank, I’m calling us even!”

Twilight and Sunset glared at each other sharply.  Going so far as to bang heads in spite of their grudge.  Only to be stopped by Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash.  

“Okay, break it up, break it up…” Rainbow interjected, holding Sunset back, and Apple Jack Twilight, “Now that we have some proper back up, let’s put our differences behind us and take care Spider Mcspaztic up there…” Rainbow Dash insisted, gesturing to the Walker up the hill.  Looking for us around the area.

“Fine!!” Twilight and Sunset agreed in unison.

“Alrighty then, Sunset, you’re with me, Twilight, you’re with AJ…”

“Hold on!” Twilight stopped Rainbow Dash there, “Why would you work with her, she’s a liar and a cheat!”

“Shut it Sparkle, the teams have already been decided…” Sunset interrupted. 

“I don’t want you near them!”

“Too bad, we’re all in the same boat!”

“We can take care of this ourselves…”

“We’re all Guardians here, equals!” 

“They’re my Friends!”

“They were my Friends too…!”

Sunset went wide eyed, as if something had slipped her tongue, turning away from Twilight altogether.  Twilight on the other hoof, couldn’t believe what she had just heard.  I had no way in knowing what they were talking about.  And if I had to guess, neither did Apple Jack or Rainbow Dash.

“Sunset I- “Forget it!... Let’s just kill Sepiks Prime go home… C’mon Rainbow… I’ll take point…”

With that said, Rainbow followed Sunset to the right side of the valley, and Apple Jack dragged my Guardian to the left.  Regardless of finally cracking the surface of Sunsets frustration, Twilight needed to stay focused.  They had a fight to win… And if they didn’t, the City, and everyone living in it, will parish.

Minds unclouded, the Guardians took their positions around the Walker.  Rainbow and Sunset only needed to destroy on leg on their side, while Apple Jack and Twilight needed to take care of two.

“Now!” Rainbow Dash signaled, all four of them opening fire on the Walker in quick succession.  Sunset and Rainbow made short work of the final leg on the right, taking this moment to trot to the other side to destroy the rest, but the Walker made sure those didn’t get the chance, shooting both plasma cannons at them, Rainbow and Sunset took on the full force of the damage.  Bouncing against the shots, the Reaper’s and Sun Slinger’s shields merely broke as they both fell into the trench.  Apple Jack and Twilight couldn’t worry about them right now.  Unleashing all they had at their legs, Apple Jack and Twilight worked together to destroy each leg one at a time.  The first leg only took half of Twilight’s clip and one shot from the Ivective.  The same could be said about the second.

When the damage had been done, both of them expected the Walker to stager and open up its core.  But Walker still remain operational.  Swinging it’s laser over to the two, the Walker fired without a charge.  The blast was far weaker then a charged one, but it hurt nonetheless.

Sending the two backwards against the cliff, both Twilight and Apple Jack were falling down to the ground in pain, it broke a little more then just their shields, so moving after that would prove to be impossible.

“Apple… Jack…” Twilight struggled to say, but Apple Jack didn’t reply, she wasn’t dead, but close to it. 

Twilight looked around to see if the others were alright, and when she did, Sunset was limping over on the other side.  Dragging her sniper rifle with what little magic she could muster, Sunset got into position to get the last leg by shooting it in between its legs.  And it would have worked, if the Walker didn’t spot her first.

Laser cannon charging, and Sunset with nowhere left to run, it looked as if this was the end.  

Twilight couldn’t move her body, let alone lift her head.  All she could do is watch as the Walker charged its attack and kill Sunset.
Looking to her assault rifle, Twilight concentrated, pouring all of her strength into levitating her gun just an inch off the ground, and pulled the trigger.  Resulting in her stray bullets bouncing off its shell.  But it didn’t matter to Twilight if she hurt the thing, Twilight grabbed the attention of the Walker away from Sunset, giving her enough time to lie on her belly, aim, and fire.

The bullet left the chamber faster then Twilight could follow it.  Flying right through the back of the leg, and popping off the armor on impact.

With the last leg blown to smithereens, the Walker fell over limp.  Steam erupted, and the head of the Walker stretched forward, revealing the intricate and twisting, red hot metal clockwork inside.

And at that precise time, Rainbow Dash flew into the air from the trench, exploding with energy and turning into pure gold at the height of her flight, Rainbow Dash dived down and landed on top of the Walker, firing three loud death ringing shots into its core, making it roar in the final seconds of its life, and die.

Its bright red lights for eyes went dark, and the Devil Walker was no more.

This called on a moment of peace, as Apple Jack regained consciousness, and the rest waited for their shields to recover.

“Is everypony alright!?” Rainbow called out to the group, looking in all directions for her comrades.

“We’re fine…” Twilight announced, helping Apple Jack up from the ground.  

“Agh…!” Apple Jack strained, her wounds must be worse than I thought.

“Hold still Apple Jack, I need to make your shield is working properly” I said, scanning the Earth Pony for any and all anomalies.

“There’s nothing wrong with your shield… But, it might take a little while before you can walk again…” I finished my examination, leaving Scarecrow to do the rest. 

“Ah’m fine! Ah’ can still… Agh!” Apple Jack failed to stand, falling face first into the ground.  

“Take it slow AJ, knowing you those leg of yours will be bucking trees in no time…” Sunset said, trotting up beside Apple Jack to help her up.  Twilight did the same, both of them aiding Apple Jack past the dead Walker and into the next compound.

We entered a dark room, the only light available to us was the Moon and stars from outside, which was cut off by the door slamming behind us.

“Ghosts, we can’t see, turn on your lights” Twilight asked of us, but I found the other Ghosts to of the same opinion, that we leave the lights off.

“I’m sorry Guardians, but I think it would be best if you let us guide you…” I answered Twilight, who was confused to my proposal.  But it didn’t take long for the other inpatient Warlock to ignore my warning.

“Flare, illuminate” Sunset ordered her Ghost to ignite the room with its red glow, uncovering the billions of blood stained bones that hid behind the Darkness.

“No…” Twilight whispered, holding her hoof to her mouth in horror.

“The Fallen sure have been busy…” Rainbow Dash casually said, making her way up to the upper level by flying, while the other three had to walk upstairs, steping over ribs, spins, and skulls of all dead Ponies from Old Ponyville.

“So this is where they all went…” I commented, recalling the times I used to scour the globe for a potential Guardian of my own.  To think Twilight almost ended up in a place like this, forgotten.

This entire room was decorated to the last wall with bones.  It was indeed an unpleasant sight for everypony.  Twilight most of all.  The very thought of the Fallen hoarding possibly everypony she knew burned her very soul.

Apple Jack and Sunset could feel her trembling with anger, and they exactly how she felt.  Bitter, afraid, and thirsty for blood… These emotions ran deep, but with time, she will heal, but I get sinking feeling, that Twilight doesn’t have that kind of time.

We reached the top of the stairs, seeing Rainbow Dash already having Narrator crack the combination for the next door.  

The door in question, was large enough for a Jumpship to pass through.  Narr tinkered with the door to make it open.  By the time we had reached Rainbow Dash and Narrator, Apple Jack was ready to walk again.

“Thanks y’all…” Apple Jack told us, grateful for our help to get her this far.

“No problem AJ…” Sunset replied.

“Take it easy…” Twilight replied as well.

The Alicorn and Unicorn looked to each other, and then turned to the opposite direction, still plenty cross with the other.

“Hows’it comin’ Dash?” Apple Jack inquired of Rainbow.

“Nearly… There…” Rainbow Dash grunted, using her bare hooves to pry the door open herself, instead of waiting for Narr to finish his job.

“Ar’ you two alright?” Apple Jack turned to the Warlocks.

“Peachy…” Sunset answered.

Twilight on the other hoof didn’t, she stood at the edge, overlooking the dead.  My Guardian was beside herself with rage for the Fallen.  Words could not explain how she felt.

“Guardian… I know how you feel… The world has taken a turn for the worst since you died, and you think you can do nothing about it…” I told her.

“I just… Wish I could start this all over…” Twilight was trying her best to stay calm.  Venting her words with a mumble through her teeth.

“But I want you to know, that I’m here for you, through thick and thin…” I reassured my Guardian.  

Twilight turned her head to me, seeing a friend, and looking past me, she saw a path to her friends.  A beam of hope that resonated with her as realized how blind she was to the light.  And that’s when she decided, then and there, that she would never focus on the past again about what might’ve been, and looked ahead to the future, to what can be.

“Get ready Ponies!” Narrator alerted us, “As soon as I open this door, all of Tartarus will break loose!”

Rainbow Dash stepped back drawing her Hawkmonn, Apple Jack joined her with the Invective, and Sunset with ‘The Chosen’.  Twilight trotted beside Sunset, her unimpressive assault rifle reloaded and ready to fight.

Narrator cracked the code and returned to Rainbow Dash.  

The doors began to open, and as moonlight seeped in, we began to take in the image of Sepiks Prime.  

This Prime Servitor was the largest enemy Twilight and I have seen to date.  Nearly ten feet in diameter, Sepiks Prime lay suspended in midair as it absorbed on the energy of the Fallen Vandals and Dregs worshiping it.  This monstrous being was surrounded by a thick shield, taking in and spitting out energy upon the pile of bones below it.

With each bit of its soul transferring to the bones, the lifeless objects began to reanimate themselves into Fallen of all kinds.  

One Fallen in particular was the Captain Twilight first fought.  

This proved our theory as to what Sepiks was doing.

“Its bringing back the dead!!” Twilight shouted, and at that moment, the worshiping Fallen turned to see us, arming themselves, but falling short to the strike team opening fire on the room.  

As each Dreg and Vandal died to our weapons, Sepiks’ shield depleted bit by bit.

“It’s working! Keeping killing its source of power!” Twilight told the others, who were shooting down Fallen all over this open cathedral of a castle. 

Eventually, there were no more Fallen to kill, and so we waited for the last of Sepiks’ shield to disappear.  And once it did, Sepiks Prime tightened the its parted metal, as if it were a Ghost, reviving a Guardian to fight for it.

Now it seemed awake, lightning rode like spikes poked its way out of its back, coursing with power.  At first it was motionless, but then snapped, turning to the nearest Guardian, that being Apple Jack. 

Shooting plasma rounds without warning, AJ took cover behind some crates.  The other three Guardians began their attack on Sepiks Prime, unloading all they had onto the Fallen God.

One after another the Guardians took turns being shot at by the giant sphere.  Sometimes coming close to their shields breaking, but with enough to regenerate in no time to fight again.

But Sepiks Prime never let up, disintegrating our cover faster than we could hide behind it, Sepiks attacked us in a way we never thought possible.  In the middle of teleporting away from our bullets and grenades, Sepiks every so often managed to bring back a captain or two to distract us from the main battle.

“How many times do I have to kill you before you stay dead!?” Sunset yelled, firing her sniper rifle at close, putting three bullets into our old Captain friend.  But ‘The Chosen’ failed to stop the Captain from snatching Sunset with its hooves.  Unable to move the Captain looked into Sunset’s eyes, not finding what he was looking for, the Captain let Sunset go, and turned to the only other possible Unicorn in the area… Twilight, my Guardian.

Leaping over to the pile of bones in the middle to our side of the room, the Captain wasted no time in drawing his swords on my Guardian.  Swinging his blades with such speed and force, I become utterly impressed with how good Twilight has become at dodging.

Twilight knocked one of his blades away, allowing him to take the other sword in both hooves, and swing with far greater strength.

Twilight became locked in combat with the Captain, parrying his sword with the base of her gun swing after swing.

Apple Jack spotted Twilight struggle from afar, and took action to settle this once and for all.

“Stay clear darlin’!!” Apple Jack shouted to Twilight, and then she threw it.  It being a pike of metal just lying around, and AJ throwing it with enough force to stick the piece of metal through the Captains arm and into the wall.

Preventing him from interfering with us and Sepiks Prime.

Twilight thanked Apple Jack for the save, and turned her attention to Sepiks, seeing it’s eye, only fractured a little, Twilight sighed.  It felt like they had been fighting this thing for hours, and with our ammo running low, I believe Twilight and I were thinking of the same thing when we thought of the long term of this battle.  We were going to lose…

“Ghost… Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Twilight asked me.

“When am I never…” I answered her, and we began to put our plan into action.

Sunset, Rainbow, and Apple Jack were all hunkering down together as Sepiks Prime attacked them with all it had.  And when its attack had stopped, the other three Guardians looked around to see Twilight, staring the Servitor God down 	with nothing but her assault rifle and her wings.

“Twilight what are you doing!?” Rainbow Dash questioned my Guardians line of thinking, but there was nothing to say, Twilight and I knew what we were doing, and that was all that mattered.

“You’re a God to the Fallen right!?” Twilight asked Servitor, “Well guess what I am!?”

“A… GOD…!?” The Servitor hummed and zapped as it attempted to answer my Guardian.

“Wrong!! I am Twilight Sparkle, Forth Alicorn Princess of Equestria, and I am your Destruction!!!” Twilight roared, trotting up the stairs to our right and leaped.  Sepiks Prime tried to stop my Guardian, even after taking two direct shots from its plasma cannon, it didn’t stop Twilight from smashing through its eye and entering inside it.

The Guardians cried out to Twilight, but it was too late, we had entered Sepiks Prime, and we knew we weren’t leaving alive.

“I’m sorry our adventure was short lived Ghost…” Twilight apologized to me, floating inside the very anti-gravity Sepiks Prime used to fly.

“My only regret Guardian, is that we didn’t get fly across the stars together…” I returned the kindness she expressed to me.

With our final words said to each other, Twilight had started.  Gathering magic not just around her hooves, but around her entire body.

Enchanting her entire being until we were both enveloped in an armor of pure magic.

With her Alicorn magic at its peak, Twilight released our final attack.  The magic exploded of off every part of her body, bouncing all around inside the Servitor, we were hit with the full force of the magic that ultimately destroyed Sepiks Prime.

The explosion that erupted all but sent us spiraling toward the ground skidding along the snow until we slammed against a wall.  

I couldn’t see, but I could hear the others rushing to Twilight with worry.  

“Twilight… Is Twilight okay…?” I managed to say, listening to the hoofsteps get closer and closer.

“Ghost you’re- “Is Twilight Okay!?” I repeated myself, all that mattered was Twilight, I didn’t care if my body was shattered beyond repair, all I wanted to know was if Twilight was alright.

“… She’s alive!” I heard Apple Jack confirm.

The sighs of relief could be heard from all around.  

And in the midst of that relief, I felt somepony lift me from where I laid.

“Now hold him right there Sunset…” Apple Jack advised, moving some things about from the sound of it, and after tinkering with me for a little, I started to see again.

“There ya’ ar’ lil’ buddy…” Apple Jack said, putting her tools back away into her saddle bag.  Passing my about, I looked for Twilight. 

Seeing her there, it was almost as if she were sleeping.

Peaceful and content.

Me on the other hoof…. I could be better off.

Node shattered into pieces and my eyeball barely moving, I could tell it was going to take some time before I would return to action.

“Pony feathers…” Rainbow mumbled, “That Captain got away…”

We all looked over at the last spot we saw the Captain.  His arm was still there but the rest of him had left.  His blood trail led back to where we came.

I doubt this’ll be the last we see of him.

“Forget it Dash… We won… Let’s go home…” Sunset said, and I couldn’t agree more.  Sepiks is dead… Now… We can rest easy…






~Twenty Days Later~


“Assault rifle?” 

“Check”

“Ammunition?”

“Check”

“Saddle bag?”

“Check”

“And new Helmet?”

“Check!”

Going over the preparation list with Twilight was now complete.  The next stage in our plan was to head down to the Plaza and meet with the others.

Swinging open the door in haste, Twilight darted down the hall and dropped off the side of the stairs.  The wind resistance against her wings gave her a safe landing as she came to a stop from floor ten in the barracks to floor one.

Picking up speed once again, Twilight made it out into the Plaza.  

We now waited for our companions to arrive.

“Well if it isn’t little miss Alicorn!” sounded off a familiar voice.

It was Gilt, surrounded by his gang of Hunters.

“Off for a little jog are we?” Gilt moved in to bug us again, only falling short of his own pitiful bullying when Sunset Shimmer entered the fray.

“I’m sorry, was that the sound of Sepiks Prime screaming in his grave? Or the sound of my own patients colliding with the sun?” Sunset’s tone was dark and intimidating.  And even though Gilt wasn’t well known to be scared off, he walked away, grumbling and mumbling to himself.

“You know you don’t have to put up with their crap right? Just because the FWC couldn’t do it themselves, doesn’t mean they should beat you down for saving everypony in the first place”

“I know Sunset… I just prefer not to draw attention to myself” Twilight explained herself.  Smiling warmly to the Sun Slinger.
“You’re too humble Twilight… That title you hold belongs on somepony else’s shoulders…” Sunset said, walking away, concluding her business.

“Sunset wait!” Twilight called her out, and Sunset turned around in response.

“Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash and I are going patrolling today… Do you want to come?” Twilight asked, hoping she would say yes.

Sunset paused for a moment, and then shook her head.

“That’s alright, I have somewhere else to be today… Have fun with your friends…”

“They are your friends too Sunset…”

Sunset looked surprised, she smiled even, but still shook her head.

“Thank you Twilight… But I’m still looking for my own friends”

“I understand…” Twilight said, and she let her go.

Sunset teleported and instant Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash arrived.

“Was that Sunset? Is she coming with?” Rainbow asked, but Twilight shook her head.

“Nope, she’s still looking for something…”

“An’ speaking of looking for something, we were just at Ditzy’s, an’ she told us dat’ your ship was missin’ a warp drive” Apple Jack said, giving us reference as to our next quest.

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s find Twilight that warp drive!”

With a cheer and a hug, the three Guardians teleported to their respected Jumpships. 

Where we would go, nopony knows… Where this’ll all end, is even more of a mystery… All we know, is that it’s our Destiny.






The fight continues in... Destiny : Twilight Voidwalker - The 6th