Thirteen years have passed since the Shatter Storm and the fall of Equestria, only the Crystal Empire remains against the Apex of Villainy. Will two long lost ponies be the turning point, or is entire world is doomed to fall?
Equestria is gone. Buried after thirteen hard years in a world ruled and carved up by Apex Villains, only the Crystal Empire still stands against all those who would swallow up the remaining ponies and the memories of a once happy place.
Many have gone missing or died during the Shatter Storm, but two long lost ponies are about to reunite. They will charge out into a hostile world, and challenge the villains for the future and revival of Equestria. If they can break the their wicked grips, it could help restore Equestria, but if they fail it will bring down the last safe place for ponies and could allow the spread of the Apex of Villainy into the rest of the world.
After so many years, can hope still be clinging to life in some forgotten place, or was this war lost when Twilight Sparkle made her last stand?
How long has it been since those terrible events, how long since the Shatter Storm? How long since the once beautiful and vibrant land of Equestria was reduced to ruin? Broken, divided, the land and its people scattered to the winds, to be snatched up by the cruel and wicked. So many pieces left for one or another monstrosity to claim, and survivors to either become cruel, or be crushed. The years have not been kind, not to any one of us.
We left very near the start, so coming back after everything was a shock. Near as I can figure, the Crystal Empire still stands, and it’s said to be the only safe haven left. Maybe I’ll go and see who all managed to get through the storm.
Canterlot is gone, again a sleeping volcano. Everyfree has spread so far now, moving like a plague. Ponyville… this was the hardest to see after so long, the place I’d spent so long in. It hurt to see it and the scattered unfortunate citizens nothing but skeletons. Carved and picked clean by scavengers, now abandoned for all to see the hints of what was the happy little town. I suppose the fact I was there when Sweet Apple Acres fell, I had time to adjust to that loss. Now, all that pain and hurt has returned at the sight of a town that, in my foalish mind, I hoped survived. Buildings, ponies, animals, all littering the ground. Scars and marks of all the horrors, visually echo to sting at the imagination.
So barren, empty, lifeless, with only the creeping plants and bitter winds moving through here. Shadows, even they seem more vicious now. I’m used to this, as we adventured through the dark on our hunt for revenge, facing the cruelest realms beyond Equestria, I never imagined returning would only mirror what is out there. I can only find solace that my dear sister did not live to see this, though I miss her so, I can’t imagine she could bare this sight. I’m not too sure how I can.
My Little Pony: Stormbreaker
Record 1: Reunion
A figure darted in and out of the ruins of an old town long left to its decay and rot, not lingering long enough to be noticed, not making much of a sound to be heard. As their shadow passed over the ground, the distinctive shape of a western hat was the only hint to who was now exploring the remains of Ponyville. Between the aggressive plants, and the roaming demonic creatures, there was no safety here in staying in place too long, and certainly not in calling attention. They only chanced this for the possibilities in the long dead shops, to refresh exhausted supplies and provisions. They needed to fill their saddle bags as much as they could, if they were to reach the North. After an exhaustive searching, they found little more than long expired products, or things simple of no use. Any survivors, scavengers, or monsters likely cleaned the good stuff out long before the mysterious pony ever came. So they would leave, as silently and swiftly as they had come. Only the empty eyes of skeletons taking any sight of any one ever being there. Despite their efforts to be hidden, this long lost pony was being watched by another who was even better at hiding themselves. In an old cloak that covered all but the single striped leg adorned with bangles, the other watched to figure who was this mystery pony and the risk they may pose or be in.
Outside, in a place that seemed safest, the adventurer and seer would meet at the former’s camp. Making her slow, cautious approach to disarm any chance to be read as a threat, the seer made herself known. The adventurer had taken to the defensive, likely being long since they had ever been set upon by any but enemies. They saw the stripes and bangles that carried a positive memory, they did not lower their guard, but lifted her hat to see the Zebra better.
The Seer lowered her hood, showing the purple mane, and proud alicorn stemming from an otherwise zebra looking brow. She looked upon the other with just the same amount of surprise to realize just who had been darting through Ponyville. No pony of the town could mistake Applejack’s hat, but the wearer was not her. A yellow coat and fiery red mane, maybe not as bright as it was in her youth, but it was clear to be no other than-
Getting up, the adventurer was near to tears when her own misconception was lost. It was not Zecora before her, but “Sweetie Belle?” She had seen too much to be blinded by a reunion like this, she stayed back, wiping at the stream from her eye. “Yer a Zebra now?”
Looking stoic, a little lost in her memories, a smile broke out when hearing her old friend’s charming accent. She knew it was her, even without her training, she knew her old friends was alive and here. She could not resist her own feelings, and rushed to embrace the long lost piece of her past. She sobbed happily, and for the first time since she could remember. The ragged earth pony fought the feelings, but embraced her old friend who was fully, uncontrollably bawling on her now. It was pretty clear to her that she was Sweetie Belle. “I never thought I’d see you again!” She managed to speak through her tears.
Feeling a swell of her old self, Apple Bloom declared as proud as she would have then. “Takes more than a cataclysm ta stop a Crusader!” She laughed in a way that felt foreign, and forgotten.
Stepping back, clearing her vision, Sweetie Belle smiled at her friend, giggling in a way that she almost felt was foreign and forgotten. “It’s been so long since I even thought about Cutie Marks” She studied her friend more, starting with the flank, finding it bare like her own. Apple Bloom had lived a hard life, that was clear, but she also looked really good, all accept “Gosh, what happened to your eye?”
Absently, the yellow mare reached up to the subject, pressing the fabric over it that once served as her bow. It was better used as a patch, seeing how little cuteness was something she cared about anymore. She gave a heavy, history filled sigh. “Long story, and I’m guess’n y’all have one about yer stripes?”
“Heh, yeah. Equestria fell into some pretty hard times, and it changed us all”
“What happened?”
Sweetie Belle had not given the past too much though, almost trying to forget it all together. It took her some time to recall the details. “Fluttershy and Applejack being gone, Rainbow grounded, the others were all pretty busy trying to keep Equestria together. I felt a bit alone, as you were also gone, Scootaloo was always at Dash’s side, and Rarity saving the day… I decided to go to Zecora. She took me in, trained me in her Zebra magic. I was pretty focused on that, so I don’t know where Pinkie went, or how Rarity and Rainbow turned evil, but Rarity became Nightmare Rarity, and rules the forest. Rainbow has become ruler of all Pegasus, and most called her Rainbow Death now, because she grinds up ponies for her machines. Princess Celestia was killed, and I don’t know what happened to Luna, but Twilight and Princess Cadence had to take their place.
“I heard that Twilight was killed by King Sombra. So all we have is Princess Cadence, and Prince Shining Armor up at the Crystal Empire. Everything else is gone, as far as I’ve seen. Small pockets of survivors, but with Nightmare and Death seeking prey, not many of those last”
Sitting down, all her weight pulling her, Apple Bloom shook her head. “Landsakes, everything is gone…” She looked up at her friend, not wanting to know, but needing to hear. “What about Scootaloo?”
Turning her eyes to the sky, Sweetie sighed knowingly. “She never left Rainbow’s side, and I’m guessing she is still there in the Rainbow Factory”
Apple Bloom had noticed the sky coming back, like an ocean of blood, in the usual colors of the sky. It was almost beautiful, but the sound of things, it was unsettling. “Rainbow… factory?”
“She… uses it…” Sweetie found it hard to think about just how many had lost their lives to the clouds. “Those I said Death prey’s upon, are fed into a machine that produces some kind of magic, and she uses it to colour the sky, among other things… the clouds, the rain, anything that is made there… is ponies…”
Swallowing hard, the more she learned, the less Apple Bloom felt coming back was a good idea, but the one consolation was finding her friend. “Well, we’re still here, still alive. Although Equestria has gone to ruin, I’m glad we’re back together” She tried her best to smile as deep as she meant, but the facts she had learned dulled her enthusiasm.
“I’m glad you’re back… at least that you’re alive and well. I never thought I’d see anypony again, especially not one of my best friends” She turned, not wishing to be exposed any longer, she pulled up her hood with “Come on, Let’s go to my hut, it’s safer than just about anywhere else”
Apple Bloom gathered her gear and readied to travel, but Sweetie used a spell to instantly transport them to the simple looking hut, something very much like what Zecora had. “Thanks to my Unicorn, and Zebra magick, I can do both kinds and stuff no other of either can. Zecora taught me well, and Twilight’s old books and notes really advanced my skills. This place is protected by two kinds of wards, and nothing can break them”
“Mighty impressive” Apple Bloom complemented, as she entered the hut. Part of her was expecting to see the Zebra, but it was just the pair of ponies here.
“She died… saving me…” Sweetie revealed, going to set some tea to brew. “I know you were thinking about it” She blurted a laugh. “You were pretty good at avoiding hurting my feelings, at least I remember it. You were always so brave and strong, when I couldn’t be”
The facts about Zecora caused Bloom to look down, feeling terrible about such a loss. “Sorry about Zecora…” She gritted her teeth. “This whole thing has cost so much, and I wasn’t here for ya when y’all needed me… so much fer always being there…”
“We survived though, and are stronger for it… not that it was worth the price to grow up…” Sweetie shifted to making some soup, using her unicorn magick to gather the materials as she spoke. “Judging by how torn up your jacket it, and the roughness in your coat, it’s not much better outside of Equestria. You had your own trails”
Sitting closer to her friend, Apple Bloom recounted some of her adventures. “Where we went, it was terrible! We chased that damned Alpha all across the worst parts of the world, with the single goal of avenging our destroyed farm, and killing what killed Granny and Big Mac” Sweetie was watching her friend, as they were lost in their story. Apple Bloom’s eye was ignited by her fury and suffering. “We traveled to some pretty dangerous places, but Applejack always had my back. Then we finally caught up with that bitch, and it got Applejack” Her tone toward the end, shifted to such pain that Sweetie could feel her own heart stabbed. There was a resonating bitterness too, that was fuel to how she recalled her triumph. “I got the fucker, killed it right good. I avenged my whole family… but I had nothing out there… so I returned. I heard rumors about the ‘Shatter Storm’ as folks were call’n it, but I never knew they would so true”
“Not sure it was such a great idea to return, seeing how little of that old life is around” Sweetie said somberly. “The last pieces are just as much at risk of being claimed, I’ve observed patterns and seen signs. The forces of wickedness are growing restless”
Looking at her with that one good, strong eye, Bloom asked “The Empire?” Sweetie nodded to it. “Could these baddies really do anything now they couldn’t before?”
“They have been only getting stronger each day, and there has been 13 years for them to improve. The one saving grace is villains can’t share, or else they could have unified and taken out the Empire right away” Sweetie gave another defeated sigh. “With so few resources left, and the Princess and Prince surely weakening from constant conflict, it’s only a matter of time”
Shooting up, Apple Bloom declared “The last salvation of Equestria, the only thing that remains of our home, can’t fall!”
Unfortunately, the mixed mare could not find the same passion or hope, and she was beaten before the fight. “What can two more ponies do? If a whole empire can’t last, I doubt the efforts of a Zebracorn and Earth pony can really do much but delay the end”
Bloom was not beaten yet, not after all she had gone through. “Come on Sweets! You have the lessons of two of the greatest mares in their own magicks, you are the best that both Zecora and Twilight Sparkle could have produced. Y’all survived alone fer all them years, and learned more than I bet any other pony about the goings on around here. Y’all have some great skills. I’m not much for brag’n, least not any more, but I saw the worst of this world, and took down some of the nastiest critters around. Both of us are survivors of a cruel world, together we can make a difference, together we can stand with all those ponies, and save the last piece of Equestria… or die try’n. I fer one would rather fight for the chance to save what’s left, than rot away hiding as it dies”
“Hey,” Sweetie took some offense to what that sounded like. “All I’ve known is being on my own with Zecora since I was a filly, and then the better part of the last decade alone. I’m not hiding here, I’m staying alive”
Not being distracted by her defensiveness, Bloom pressed. “Y’all just want to live, or do y’all want to make a difference? WIll ya join me, or just keep an eye on things?”
The Zebracorn wanted to be mad, and fight against the idea, but seeing her friend with a passion she had not seen since they were fillies chasing cutie marks, she could not fight the surge of desire to follow Bloom into the mouth of Tartarus. “This is suicide… but you’re right, I can’t just sit and waste away in safety… I don’t want to grow old, if it’s all alone”
“Great! So how’d we get up to the Empire?”
“That’s the suicidal part, we’re gonna have to hoof it. Transportation doesn’t exist anymore, and the dangers are great”
Bloom wondered “What about that teleportation spell y’all used?”
The soup called her attention briefly, and Sweetie stirred it before responding. “I can go pretty far, sure, but not with another pony or supplies, definitely not both. My hut wasn’t too far from your camp, and it still took a lot to do. Going so far North will be too far alone, even using skips”
“Skips?” Bloom inquired. She was not sure what that meant here.
“It’s what I call it when I use several small jumps to reach farther, with minimal exposure. I can get almost twice as far than one jump, and though it would take less effort, it still would be far too far with so much in tow. It would go farther still, but I still would barely do better than a long jump”
Thinking about the options, Apple Bloom paced about. “What if you skip, then we hoof a bit, and skip? Just keep on, till we get there?”
“I’m afraid that might draw attention, seeing how many of the villains are drawn to magick” She looked around, although they were safe here. “Discord is always popping in and out, even if he doesn’t cause much trouble as the rest. The real dangers are Nightmare Rarity around here, King Sombra the closer we get to the Empire, and then Countess Trixie also lurks between”
“Trixie?” This came as a bit of a surprise for Bloom. “I’d figure that show off would be hiding, or dead”
Sweetie shook her head, knowing all too well the realities of the mare who might be the most dangerous and unpredictable of all. “Trixie had helped Zecora and I escape my sister way back at the start, but got herself caught in the process. I don’t know what happened, but she seemed to have gotten away herself, and when I saw her again she was a whole other being. She is right in the running for the worst of the Apex Villains”
“Pfft, still can’t be as bad as all that. Compared to Discord or Sombra”
“Potentially, she is the most dangerous” Sweetie tried to warn. “When she had saved us, she was wearing this amulet that amplified her power to be on the level of Twilight, and certainly a match to Nightmare Rarity. All this time wearing it has poisoned her, at least what Zecora had said. The longer it is on her, the more corrupt she would become, and now that it’s been years, she has changed into a magickal vampire”
Sitting back down, the load of all that too much to bare. Apple Bloom dared the question. “So who all are we deal’n with now?”
“Nightmare Rarity, Discord, King Sombra, Countess Trixie, Rainbow Death, and that about it for the Apex Villains. There are little groups and such, but nothing compared to those five. They have crushed most of those who might reach their level”
“Damn… Rarity and Dash gone bad… sure glad Applejack ain’t here to see her friends like this…” She paused, taking a moment to realize that one other might have just as much pain by this. “How are you hold’n up?”
Taking a deep breath, Sweetie replied. “It was hard at first, but I’ve come to terms. Rarity is dead, long gone. That thing out there looks like her, sounds like her at times, but it's no more than an illusion. She has stolen Rarity’s body, and is no longer my sister”
Apple Bloom was trying to get an honest read on her old friend, but the years had been long between them. She was not sure if the mare was hiding her pain behind a well trained mind, or if she meant what she said and had moved on, accepting the cruel fate of her own sister. “Yer a hell of a lot stronger than me, I don’t think I could ever handle knowing my kin was taken and being used like that. If’n that happened to Applejack… It still ain’t easy knowing she’s gone” She paused, looked down in deep thought. Bloom’s path was a bit different, seeing how she had nothing left except Applejack. It seems that Sweetie Belle lost Rarity long before she lost everything else. All this did one thing for the mare, it strengthened her resolve in going to the aid of the Empire. “This here is why we gotta go and fight with those ponies! We can’t let anyone else suffer what we had to!”
Sweetie smiled, in a way that confused her friend a little. “I missed this, missed how passionate you are. A filly who would challenge the world to prove she could do what everypony said she couldn’t. You are still that fiery little pony, only bigger, and I believe even more capable than you were then; you were very capable too” Feeling a sense of empowerment she had not known in some time, Sweetie finally agreed. “You are right, you all could almost always pull off what you set out to do. Even when you can't, we had fun and learned a lot about how we could get it right. Always ready for another challenge, and now is that next mission. I’m with you”
“Now that’s that filly I knew!” Apple Bloom smiled brightly. “That pony who would stand by me, and inspire me. Don’t’ forget how awesome y’all were. Y’all could do damn near anything when you got the hair to, one creative and talented filly, now a great mare who could hold her own against Twilight”
Blushing, harder than she would have liked, Sweetie tried to fight it with doubt. “No, no, I couldn’t keep up with her. She was a gifted Unicorn, I’m just a lucky one”
“Seriously!” Apple Bloom nearly stood again. “Y’all have been making that soup and tea with yer magick and without effort. All the mix’n, and pour’n, and everything all at once, while talk’n to me. Y’all are might powerful Unicorn now”
Still denying her own accomplishments, Sweetie said. “You did always encourage me”
“Hey, so did you… encourage me, I mean”
They froze in that moment, and together felt a happiness they had long forgotten. It was not long until they both started to just talk about random things they used to do. They were laughing, and enjoying this moment so rare in these dark times, not having to fear or be concerned.They spent the rest of the night being their old selves, waiting for tomorrow to get ready for the long journey to the Crystal Empire.
Early the next morning the two were quick to work on their plans, though most of the effort was Sweetie Belle, for she was not attuned to the nomadic life that Apple Bloom had known these past years. The Zebracorn needed to figure just what was best to take, and what could wait. The Adventurer just stayed out of the way.
They chose the time Sweetie had felt was best to go, not that any part of the day was any safer, it was more instinct that it was right.
“The hut will be fine, it will give us a last resort in case anything goes wrong” Sweetie explained to her friend, when they voiced concern over abandoning the place. For Apple Bloom, it was the custom to leave little to no trace behind. “It is well guarded here, even if I’m away”
Pulling out a map to give Bloom an idea where they were going, and just how far, it was the first time she saw how bad things were. They were just south of what was Ponyville, and the “Evergreed” forest, as Sweetie dubbed it now. The wicked, dense line of unnatural growth nearly divided Equestria in half like a belt. The map showed some of the other popular or claimed territories of the Apex Villains, and the path proposed would do best to be as far as possible without adding too much time.
“We can’t avoid the forest” Sweetie explained, almost needlessly. “To go around would add too many days on an already long trek, and the longer we stay in the open, the greater risk of attack by one of the A.V.s. Luckily,” She had a sliver of hope for this dangerous journey. “I have learned some tricks that should at least avoid Nightmare Rarity, though they don’t work much for the other. We can worry about that once we are past her claim”
“How do y’all know they won’t come to find us in the forest?” Bloom wondered.
Explaining a bit of the history, Sweetie said. “The A.V. avoid one another, for the most part. Not long after the Shatter Storm ended, and the dust was settling, the Villains fought for their places. Each found claims of their own, and it was fine for them. Then one or both got greedy, and Nightmare Rarity and President Dash, as she was then, went to war. They were evenly matched, between Demon and Ariel Flock, but others took advantage. The villains learned that they couldn’t fight without being exposed. So they now keep their tentative peace”
“I guess we got that go’n fer us,” Bloom did not seem absolutely convinced, but she trusted her friend’s judgement. “Y’all said Discord is a wild card, and Sombra roams the North. If we can get past Nightmare, what will we do against them?”
“Discord is a mystery, yes, he has no set pattern and no territory. Sombra is strictly in the North, and once we’re that close we should be able to just pass by him without too much worry. He and his Umbra don’t go too far, moving just in the snows of the North”
Hoisting up her saddle bag, Apple Bloom was ready to move and impressed. “Y’all sure know yer stuff, I bet Zecora and Twilight would be proud to see what you’ve become”
Hiding her blush, and adjusting her own bags, Sweetie modestly said “Naw, I just picked up a thing or two…”
Leaving the hut behind, the pair set out to make their way into the territory of one of the Apex Villains. Luckily the journey was quiet, avoiding Ponyville with its dangers, and making right for the forest. When they reached the edge, Sweetie cast a spell, putting a charm on the pair. It used the same blend of magicks that had protected her home for these many years, that even in the heart of Nightmare Rarity’s dominion, would keep them practically unseen.
It was hard to tell time in the overgrowth or twisted, gnarled and corrupted trees, but when I felt late enough into their journey, they settled a camp for a time to give both a chance to rest. They agreed upon turns to sleep, Sweetie going first, allowing them to keep alert at all times and also get much needed rest.
“Nightmare Rarity has the same powers as Nightmare Moon, so just keep an eye on me as I sleep. If I look to be having a nightmare, wake me fast. When it’s your turn, I’ll watch you too. She shouldn’t get a chance to do anything, but it’s always best to be cautious” Sweetie advised as she settled in.
“Alright, but y’all got an advantage on me” Bloom remarked, hiding a smirk and confusing her friend until the hoof pointed to the covered eye. “I just got the one eye to work with” She laughed lightly, helping her friend ease into sleep. Sweetie drifted off, feeling safer with her best friend keeping a visual.
It felt like hours had gone by, much longer than she felt she should have slept. She was about to wake to be mad at Bloom for giving her too much time to rest, but when she was up there was no sign of the mare. Looking around, there seemed to be no troubles or signs of danger, yet there also lacked any reason for her friend to be gone.
“Sweetie Belle~” A singsong voice drifted to her, one that was of someone long dead to the mare. Sweetie grew defensive. “Oh dear sister, you’ve returned to me”
Looking around frantically, Sweetie could not find the source. “I didn’t, and I will never! You killed my sister, and I won’t fall for your tricks!” She challenged.
Appearing finally, in the form of that white mare with the well kept mane and tail, Rarity was not fair from her little sister. “Oh, but it is simply untrue. See? I’m right her, my silly little sister”
“No! I know your games, and I gave up on getting my sister back, so this illusion will not serve you. Where is my friend?!” The Zebracorn was truly unshaken by the ruse, and stood her ground.
Moving closer, passing through a few shadows, until one masked her change into the purple-tinted, black, tall mare, with a form much the same, yet twisted into something completely different than before. A sneer she wore, as she looked down upon the pony. “Always so rebellious and defiant,” She then gave a scoff. “And such a poor fashion sense. Stripes, really?” She waved a hood, and unveiled the sleeping form of Apple Bloom. “Trust is such a foal’s delusion, do you not know what a poor plan it is to ‘keep watch’ as others sleep is? Always fails”
Sweetie Belle shook her head, still not tricked by these games. “So, I’m dreaming, and that means you have no power over me now that I know!”
Laughing, Nightmare Rarity grinned. “You read too much into your fictions, bitch” Her horn shot out like a spear, nearly catching the other mare. “Get my point? No? Let me drive it home!” She continued to use her horn like before, not quite reaching Sweetie.
“Zecora trained me to protect myself in dreams, you won’t touch me” Sweetie responded, avoiding the attacks unto the wicked mare stopped.
Still laughing at her, Nightmare Rarity scrapped her horn on the trees and stones as she trotted past them, making an awful sound as she did. “I like to personalize my kills, and I thought long and hard on yours” She paused, and her horn flared. “Oh Sweetie Belle, you got your Cutie Mark, and it looks really killer” She began to laugh again.
Sweetie looked to see her flank, and the picture of a mouth that was now there, then it started to move, biting at her. “This isn’t real!” She focused hard, trying to get rid of the illusion.
“What a pain in the ass!” Nightmare Rarity quipped. “Take it from your big sister, growing up bites”
“NO!!!” Sweetie Belle shot up from where she had been sleeping, nearly crashing into Apple Bloom, who wore a concerned look.
“Thank the princesses” The Earth pony exclaimed. “I’ve been trying to wake you up for the last few minutes” She looked her friend over, who was nearly in tears. “Y’all ok?”
Sweetie clung to her friend, letting go of all her resolve. “I-I under…estimated her power here… She managed to weaken me enough to cast her magick on m” She learned back, looking at her sore flank, finding it red and bruised.
“Y’all were swatting at it” Apple Bloom explained. “I wasn’t sure what to do”
“In the nightmare, she gave me a cutie mark that was a mouth, that tried to eat me…” She curled up. “I don’t know if I can take this, it’s hardly a whole day in and I’m already falling apart…”
Hugging her, Apple Bloom luckily had confidence for two. “Y’all can do this, I promise she or no pony will hurt you. Together we’ll beat this stupid forest and anything that dares to attack us”
Sweetie Belle looked into her friend’s eye, and swore she saw something in it glowing.
“What?” The mare asked, noticing how her friend was looking at her.
“The way you were talking, I swore I saw something in your eye… like… no…”
“What? Something bad?” Apple Bloom was now concerned for herself.
Shaking her head, Sweetie could not believe it was possible. “No, not bad, just… I don’t know”
“Ah! There you are” The voice of Nightmare Rarity caused them both to stand at the ready. “Using your twisted, mixed magick tricks might work to elude me out there, but this is MY forest!” The wicked mare moved closer, an army of eyes behind her.
Apple Bloom was quick to action, standing between former sisters. “Back off! Y’all ain’t getting near her again!”
“Aw, how cute. I just might cry at this display of love and friendship” A single tear of blood trailed down her cheek as she laughed. “You cannot hope to stand against my power, you little brat. Now move, big sister has some words for her little, troublesome sister”
“NO!” A pulse shook from the mare. “I’ll stop you, no matter what!” Something was flaring in the mare, enough to make the villain take a step back.
“I-impossible!” Nightmare Rarity growled. “How could you possess an Element, and moreover, how’s it reacting without the others?” She thought back to when her own was turned into a useless bauble, causing more anger in her to boil.
Apple Bloom did not care for the why, and did not really understand the how, but she took advantage of this new power and focused on it. With a bright flash, Nightmare was forced to retreat against the radiant glow of a power greater than the being.
“Enjoy this minor victory, bitch, but I will return! I will have the Elements” Disappearing into the shadows, the magick also faded.
Confused, and feeling their safety was won for the moment, Apple Bloom turned to her friend. “What just happened?” She could no longer feel the magick, but somehow knew it was still there.
Sweetie Belle searched everything she knew, and concluded on one course. “Somehow, Applejack must have transferred the connection to her Element of Harmony to you,” She gave her best response. “I don’t know how, and like Nightmare Rarity, I don’t know why it was working without the other five”
“We’ll figure it out later, at least Nightmare Rarity can’t get us now”
Not so sure, Sweetie Belle did not want to rest on this event, not without further understanding of how it came to be, and until they could summon it with certainty again. Without knowing the trigger, there was no way to know how to restore it, or if it would come again. “Yeah…” She finally said, half hearted, and not wanting to put all her faith in this mystery, but not also give away that it could not be again called, if the villains were paying attention.
Once the excitement had settled, Apple Bloom took her turn, truly needing it after that. Sweetie was on high alert for any sign that the wicked mare would make another move, but the rest of the night was quiet. When morning, as best they could figure, came, the pair set off again without much trouble.
The next couple of days went by easily enough, although not peacefully as the longer it seemed to be for Nightmare Rarity’s next move, the more anxious the pair became. Rest was ever harder to find, and that last night in the forest was hardest of all.
When their shifts ended her for the last time, neither felt truly rested, and the Zebracorn warned that this would be the greater danger. “My spells and potions do not work well on Discord, and I’ve never faced Sombra. The worst of it, I have to keep my magick on a minimum, in case I attract Countess Trixie”
Stepping forward, Apple Bloom declared “I guess that means I’ll take lead then” She moved with confidence and purpose. “Me and Applejack dealt with all kinds of things without magick, I’ll keep us safe” She looked back with a smile that assured the other.
Despite all her own growing up, Sweetie was marveling at Apple Bloom as she was now. It was no secret that the filly had been impatient, ready, and immature at times. That was all back then. This mare, was focused, calm, and dutiful. Sweetie Belle found it hard to see her old friend anymore. She had been shaped by her time away, and was more the image of what Sweetie remembered Applejack being like. She was sure that if the mare was here, she would be so proud of what her sister was becoming. There was one thing that remained though, something that was wonderfully still there. Her smile, the one that had always bucked back all of Sweetie Belle's doubts and fears. No pony could melt her troubles away, like Apple Bloom.
“We should get moving” Apple Bloom said, after one last check to make sure their gear was set for moving.
Silently, Sweetie nodded and the pair wondered on into the open, barren field. There were spots of vegetation, overgrown and wild; there were also large areas of just death and waste. The sun climbed higher, yet very little here seemed to reach the land, making the wild gust of wind worse against their unguarded bodies.
“Funny,” Apple Bloom broke the long silence, nearly causing the other to jump. “All the years that we had the Princesses and Pegasus control’n everything, now it’s all going on its own”
“Zecora did say something about that, how the world didn’t really need our intervention, that the special magick some ponies had only enhanced and aided in something that just happened one way or another. The princesses and anything ponies did enriched and produced much stronger results, but nature did fine on its own too” Sweetie slipped into another of her moments, distracting herself of their troubles. “Apple trees grow fine on their own, but without the aid of ponies, they overpopulate, or produce just normal apples. Fertilizers and pollination by ponies helped make even better trees. This all kind of proves that. Yes, it works on it own, but it is not as healthy and lush as it was when Ponies thrived here. Some forgot that, but we were all part of a cycle of life, symbionic”
Smiling away, noting being seen by Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom commented. “Y’all sure learned a lot from Zecora, I bet she was so proud to have a student like you”
Sweetie blushed a bit, and was fortunately saved having to say anything back, when Bloom moved to another topic. “What happened to Princess Celestia and Luna?”
“I only know rumors really” She replied. “Like I said, Celestia was killed, but I don’t know who or what. Then Luna was even weirder. It seemed she just disappeared, yet both still seemed to be around. Zecora could sense them, but never knew just what had happened. The next thing we knew, Equestria was talking about the rule of Cadence and Twilight”
“Strange how the two of them could be gone, like how does anything kill Princess Celestia?” She looked back to her friend. “And Luna also? That all seems way too weird. Maybe Princess Cadence will have an idea”
Much of the journey remained uneventful and quiet, save their random conversations, and it was only making the pair feel less safe. They were wondering just why none of the villains had shown themselves, or if they just were so lucky they were distracted with other things than worry about two wanderers. Sweetie was feeling that it might be due to the fact that Apple Bloom held the Element of Honesty, yet Discord still seemed the type not to be concerned by such a little matter, in fact he would be there to challenge it, if for no other reason than to satiate boredom. In the end, they were glad they had made such a good time, and fortune.
When they were finally in reach of the Crystal Empire, merely a few hours out, the found the first signs of trouble since they left the forest. Far ahead the sounds of battle echoed across the land, drifting on the wild arctic winds, that seem to be whipped up with the fury of the clash. The pair raced to find the defenders of Equestria last stronghold gain against some monstrous looking creatures, and in their ranks stood the unmistakable form of King Sombra.
Apple Bloom did not wait for her invitation to come, and charged right into the battle, leaving Sweetie Belle to linger in surprise. The yellow mare pulled out a rope and skillfully lassoed her first target, sending the creature into a group of its own kind. This sudden attack from an unexpected angle threw the Umbra into confusion, and as King Sombra regrouped his forced, the defenders took advantage of the chaos. Apple Bloom did not slow, and was repeating her trick, or bucking back foes who tried to get too close. She was displaying just why she had survived the wilds beyond, holding her own against the hoards with any potential allies far off on the other side of the battle field.
Recovering from the stunning sight, Sweetie Belle could not leave her friend to fight alone. She charged in, using her potions to varying results. Some produced wild vines that grew to crush Umbra, others became sticky traps, more still exploded like bombs, and each proving to be as effective as she had hoped.
This new attack had broken the organization, and King Sombra was forced into a retreat, as his lines crumbled behind them. As the field emptied, the defenders gave chase for a good distance. The two mares rejoined, and a tall, white stallion approached them. He was dressed like a warrior, only with the decorations and adornments that told he was not just another soldier. “Prince Shining Armor” Sweetie Belle was first to bow, and Bloom following soon after.
“You two fought well, and impressively” He gave them quick praise, yet more was in his tone. “Though these times leave me still cautious against two suddenly appearing in our times of need, and from nowhere but enemy territories. Forgive me if I do not just welcome you, in spite of your aid, I must not be unconditional in allowing you access to our home. I am grateful, if you are genuine, so do not mistake caution for disgratitude. I must keep the Crystal Empire safe first, so all things are approached with care. It would not have stood so long, if I was we were so foalish”
“We understand your majesty” Sweetie took lead in the talks. “It has been many years, and I don’t know if you remember us from when we were fillies” He looked them over, the stripes and hat seeming familiar, but the colours and bodies did not all go together in his distant memories of two he did not meet that often. “Allow me to introduce ourselves: this is Applejack’s sister, Apple Bloom, and I am Sweetie Belle, sister to Rarity”
He looked them both over more, struggling with these identities. “She does seem to match what I recall, but for you I think I would remember a zebra… unicorn?”
“I’ve taken to Zebracorn, and I was trained under Zecora, when she blessed me as one of her own. She trained me, and I became what you see before you now. Separately we were trained and raised by our mentors, I Zecora, and she Applejack, until very recently. We were reunited, and decided that we needed to lend ourselves to the fight here”
Apple Bloom could not hold back any more. “We want to put an end to all this mess!” She was showing that fire that Sweetie was used too, but Shining was not so familiar. He was still moved by her passion. “We’all lost too much cause of the Shatter Storm, and we won’t let the Crystal Empire fall like the rest of Equestria. We’ll take back our homes, but we need to join together first”
“Pretty bold words” He smirked. “But just who are you trying to convince?”
She turned toward where Sombra had fled, now the defenders were coming from. “I want all those blasted villains to hear me! This dark age is gonna end!” Apple Bloom turned back, and calmed herself. “Sorry, meh blood still boiling, all pumped up from a scrap I ain’t got to have in a good while. Not quite satisfied with knock’n some heads”
The prince laughed. “Well, that sounds more like the Apple Bloom I had heard about from my sister, and you did knock some heads out there. Sombra sure didn’t expect either of you to deliver such a blow to his forces” He was still cautious, but with a contingency of guards, the prince lead the pair to meet before Princess Cadence.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle spent the last few days in the comforts of the Crystal Empire after their aid in the battle against King Sombra and the Umbra, Prince Shining Armor had taken them to meet with Princess Cadence. She used her special magick, studied their hearts, and found them both to be who they claimed. The mare was overjoyed at the sight of two more of the lost ponies from her sister-in-laws friends.
The pair of wayward ponies had seen the sights of the Empire, finding it to be mostly calm and the citizens living well within the ever present barrier of the Crystal Heart, and Prince Shining Armor’s own shield magick. By keeping the ponies here happy, their love and positive energies fed into their own protection as they knowingly powered the Heart. They were able to move on from the terror and horrors of the past, though no pony here was fooled into thinking that it was all safe. They knew that dangers loomed all around outside, but their faith in their Royal ponies and the Heart afforded them the ability to enjoy what they had now. This frustrated Apple Bloom, who saw the dangers growing and the risk of sitting idle as a sentence of suicide. No pony would listen, or give her time enough to get them to consider fighting back. No matter how she wanted to rally the Empire to move against the villains, it was proving impossible. Any time she tried to speak of the Shatter Storm, the conditions beyond, or forming a unified army she was brushed off. Apple knew war was coming, they all did, but she alone felt the call to arms.
She gained audience with the Princess and Prince, seeing the futility of going before the ponies of the Empire, she would try to convince the leaders instead. “How long until Sombra gains some hoof hold to strike? How long until the Apex Villains make a move against the Empire?” She argued her case, getting heated. “They all are getting stronger, y’all must sense it! What if something wiggles it’s way here, and starts undoing the defenses? Y’all got it on hold now, but what then?”
Casting a heavy sigh, Princess Cadence lowered her head. “We know that we sit on borrowed time, but we can no more make a move like you suggest, than they can against one another. We hold our lines here, and that is the extent of it” She looked up again. “I’m sure you’ve heard the story, but we watched as Nightmares of Land and Sky clashed. Like scavengers, the other villains moved against Nightmare Rarity and Rainbow Death. On their own, they are not the most powerful, but with their nations backing them, they were able to fend off the villains, and enact their pact in the wake of their near defeat. We are strong, but we are not near either nation of Demon or Aerial, and we would not survive if the villains came together against us”
“It was a shame they didn’t destroy themselves that day” Prince Shining sneered. “If they had fallen, even one of them, it could have changed things. They stand yet, and though we pose a great enough threat that it would just repeat their war to strike at us, striking first is just as much out of the question. Sombra picks at us, but he cannot do much more than annoy us. He has only that Twilight realm which we cannot reach, so we strike at them when they come in hopes we might snuff out at least one villain”
Sweetie, who had been largely silent, now spoke. She would regret it soon. “That reminds me, I only know rumors, can you tell me what happened with Twilight Sparkle?” Shining’s reaction to hearing that name was answer enough, for the pain that filled his eyes trickled out before he looked away, was most telling.
Princess Cadence was hesitant, not faring much better than her husband, but she responded to the question just the same. “The Shatter Storm broke her. Losing her friends, and with try after try to undo the damage, she could not handle what had transpired” She stood, not able to keep still, she traveled to the near the window of the room. She could see to the mountains, and she was miles away. “She lingered in Equestria, what was left of either after the eruption of Canterlot’s long thought dead volcano. Blaming herself for everything, she sought an escape. She eventually made her way into the mountains, and there…” She choked back on the memories. “As best as I could find, when I searched, she was… killed by Sombra…”
Something sparked inside Sweetie Belle, and she was now feeling as urgent as Apple Bloom. “I have to see her, did you recover her?” Cadence glanced at Shining, who was still refusing to look. “D-did you leave her out there?”
“What remained, was not fit to recover” Cadence remarked. “It would have compromised ourselves to try… She rests far from the chaos of this land now, it was better than bury her in what she felt was her great shame”
“No!” This response shook all of them, but Sweetie was set on her course. “Twilight was great, and needs to be home, however little is left. I will go to the North, and do it! I have magick that will keep me safe, and it won’t risk any of your guards. I need to see if she has the Element of Magick, so we can join it with Honesty”
Cadence wanted to protest the quest, but the mention of Elements distracted her. “Wait, you possess one of the Elements?” Neither of the mares had mentioned the incident, not sure if it was worth it too.
“Well…” The Zebracorn started, giving a brief account of what had happened in the forest. “- So after that, I knew that there was a chance that the Elements remained, and could be recovered. I believe Applejack somehow passed it to Apple Bloom, and I think if we can get to Twilight, we might recover her Element too, or maybe at least find some way to call upon the one we have”
Shining was restored, thinking about the Empire, and pushing down his feelings. “If one remains, it is possible the others lie dormant as well” He looked to Cadence, who seemed troubled. “Maybe it would be worth it to seek her out… I would like to have her laid to rest here”
“Hon, we talked about this before. To go to the North, deeper into the unknown reaches of Sombra, would be too risky. To bring her back, would tax our forces too greatly. We don’t even know what it was that awoke in Apple Bloom, and certainly no way of knowing how, if at all, we could draw upon Twilight’s Element”
Apple Bloom interjected. “Sweetie and I can go, we ain’t part of your defenses, and won’t much change if’n we are here or not. The chance of recovering another powerful tool against wickedness is too great to pass up”
Cadence paced around the window, peeking out each time her eyes passed it. “This poses a new possibility of fighting back, if we can draw the Elements into new hosts”
“Just point us in the direction, and we’ll go-” Apple Bloom was cut off by the Princess.
“No. Out of the question” Cadence was not willing to risk them. “King Sombra and the Umbra thrive out there, and they’ll have you before you get anywhere near her” She looked to Shining, with apologetic eyes. “The danger is too high, and the reward is uncertain at best. You are where you would serve her better, and alive”
“With all due respect” Apple Bloom shot back. “We ain’t asking. We came here on a mission, and aided y’all with yer troubles, but if’n you ain’t aiding in our quest to take the fight to the Villains, than we’re ain’t sticking around” Her boldness surprised the two royals, as no pony here would ever dare to speak so. “I survived out there with my sister for many years, and then on my own for a bit after she died. I ain’t here to cower and nurse at yer teat as I wait fer death. I seen the worst of this world, the wastes and destruction, and I’m not here to curl up for the end after all we sacrificed” As she spoke, that same glow was taking her, as it had against Nightmare Rarity. “Either help us, or not, but y’all ain’t stop’n us either way”
Both the royal ponies wanted to be mad and challenge them, but they both knew the two were not refugees but survivors who were not bound to the Empire. Cadence spoke, annoyed, but calmly. “You are stubborn, just like your sister, and it is clear that your pure honesty in what drives you is what summons this power; your Element of Harmony. I cannot stop either of you from this foal’s errant,” She sighed, defeated. “I will show you on the map where she might be recovered, but I cannot spare any ponies to join you. The forces of Sombra and the Umbra are yours alone to dare”
“Thank you, Princess Cadence” Apple Bloom gave a bow, showing her respect. “We will find her, and do what we can to return her. If we come back with her Element, at the very least, and it can turn this war around, will you join us?”
Not responding right away, the Princess mulled it over, considering the options it could introduce. “We shall see” She finally gave. “I will not risk those who,” She gave a humored smirk. “Suckle at my teat. If the chance to strike back and win is too slim, I will not throw them into a losing battle. I rather offer them as many years, months, weeks, even just a single moment more of life, than sending them to die”
“The Crystal Empire will not fall, but it will not move hastily” Shine Armor added. “You have your cause and convictions, we have ours”
“Fair enough” Apple Bloom nodded, with a bit of a smile. “We’ll take some rest, and charge out in the morning. Cut’n through the forest took more our of us then we figured, can only imagine how much more of a pain in the flank the snow’s gonna be”
Agreeing, Shining said. “Yes, you will need all you can get now, for you will not find rest out there. I made an attempt some time ago, and between Sombra, the Umbra, and the weather itself, the journey proved too great to take on. I can only hope you will find it easier”
******
Although they had said they would get rest, Apple Bloom spent a good part of the night trying to willfully access the Element, while Sweetie Belle focused on preparations for the journey. She was envious of how easily Apple was used to such adventures that she needed no time to pack or get ready, but she also admired her for it. Apple Bloom was first to pass out, the efforts of trying to summon the Element taking a lot of of her, leaving Sweetie Belle to work a bit later into the night. Somewhere in that time, the mare decided on something that would greatly upset her friend.
“WHAT?!” Bloom protested to the news, early that morning. “Y’all can’t be serious? Shining said it’s a whole mess of trouble out there, and y’all wanna go it alone? I ain’t have’n it!”
It was rare for Sweetie to be stern with her friend, but she slammed a hoof down with her counter. “No! I know I’m not some explorer like you, facing all kinds of monsters and whatever, but I’m also not a pushover. I’ve survived the heart of the storm for around as long as you’ve been in other dangers. There is no sense in risking both of us, and you can work more on figuring out the Element” She drew her saddlebag near and slung it over her back. “With the information both Princess and Prince have given me, I have planned a safe route, and one I can travel much further with my teleportation spells. The danger to me is less than it would be for two”
Apple Bloom struggled in her mind, wanting to find any flaw in the logic, but it was pretty cut and dry. Two ponies hoofing through the snow was a greater risk than one popping in and out across the landscape. She had seen Sweetie in battle, and she was capable. “I don’t like it, not one bit… but yer right… I just don’t want to lose ya… How will I even know if’n something goes wrong out there?” Her single eye showed the fear of two, and she hung her head feeling ashamed to be so scared. “I-I can’t lose any more, I can’t bear it… especially you Sweets”
Since coming back together, the Zebracorn had wondered if her friend had felt as much for her as she did her, now she knew that Apple Bloom was just as invested in her old friend. She moved to the earth pony, nuzzling close into a hug. “I’ll be fine AB, and Princess Cadence can track me with her Heart magick” The two were feeling like this was a final farewell, even though neither wished it to be. “I’ll come back to you, I promise”
When they parted, Bloom was feeling a little better at letting her friend go, but not by much. She understood the need, importance, and the logic, however those words echoed in her from another she had to let go and would never see again. “That’s what AJ said…” She thought to herself, putting on a veiled smile that did not hide the pain of an old, bitter memory.
Bidding her friend, and the two royal ponies goodbye, Sweetie was off into the wilds of the North. She was able to travel further than she expected, a possible side effect of her pushing her magick harder recently. The first skip was the most alarming, as she went from the controlled atmosphere of the Castle to the open, unforgiving weather of the outside. The subzero, and howling winds framed just how dangerous it was out here. She had bundled herself, but the driving snow was more than she bargained for. She would not have time to adjust, as the risk of Sombra was just as real as the frost.
As if to underline the horrors of the North, and eerie howl come rolling from all directions, and she knew that Sombra or the Umbra knew she was out in their realm. She focused, found her barings, and skipped closer to her goal.
Making good time, and feeling less drain than she expected, the mare was fast upon her target location. Driven to elude the wicked creatures, and escape the weather, she was happy to find her magick was already stronger. She now stood on a cliff that was high above the whipping winds, and sharp snow. This was where Twilight was last said to be, where the view of the barren, white North lay below the rising peaks of the mountain. To the South she saw a glow that cut through the valley, a comforting beacon of the Crystal Empire’s ever present challenge against the wicked. To Sweetie, it was her friend who, most likely, impatiently awaited her return. It was nice to know somepony was out there, wanting her home, something she lost with Zecora’s death.
Pushing aside her feelings and desires, Sweetie Belle looked around the area for some signs of the long lost Princess, using both skills she mastered as Zebra and Unicorn. After a half hour, nothing was turning up as any kind of guide. She moved around until she tripped on something in the deep snow, and panicked when it turned out to be a body. She uncovered it, and her worry was put aside, for it had been here far longer than the Shatter Storm, and was not even pony. It was a large beast, one she believed to be a Wasset, though it was even larger than she knew them to be. It did give an idea that it had lived near here, and likely made a home in a cave.
She searched around for some indication of holes or caves, but it was proving to be as fruitless as before, perplexing and angering the mare. “In a region like this, it would have stayed close to it’s home unless desperate. It did not seem starved, but why did it come out to die?” She thought about the creature and more that Snow Wasset’s burrowed, not so frequent to use caves. She felt foalish for forgetting this, but the mistake gave rise to something better.
Sweetie dug into the snow going a fair distance in, and when she hit rock she summoned a geological spell, one that would give her an image of just what the mountain looked like under all the snow. When she found a promising sign, she ended the spell and returned to the top of the drifts. Trotting to an edge, she looked down the side and plotted out her move.
To attempt a teleport through stone and rock was a mistake a few ponies had made. She recalled a reckless Pegasus named Pressmare, who had attempted to have a Unicorn phase them through rock. The results placed a ban on such attempts, under the Algeron Law. Sweetie was no foal, and even without laws, she would not end up half materialized in solid rock. Instead, she would slide down the side of the mountain, using her magick to help keep her hugging to the mountain. At one point she was no longer able to keep close, and tumbled down and falling into an opening. Recovering quickly, she looked around and declared “Eureka!” She studied the spell that masked the entrance, and knew she would need to put a spell on herself to pass it.
Entering the cave, Sweetie could tell that something was living here, or had been recently. She used her horn to illuminate the path, as she searched for the mare she was hoping to find. It was by no means the dwelling of pony standards, but it was clear that somepony did call it home.
The light pushed the shadows back, and in the far wall of the cavern a body was blanketed in darkness. The form was clear enough to be pony, and it did not seem to move at her approche. Sweetie swallowed hard, fearing the worst. Closer she drew, the more the signs were there. The purple body, deeper purple mane, with the two tone stripes through, and two wings with a single horn. She had the answer she did not want to have. “Twilight… oh no…” She stood behind the still form, silently morning the loss of her indirect mentor in her Unicorn craft. “Even though I suspected, and even though Cadence warned me… I didn’t want to admit that you were actually…” She looked away, finding it too hard to focus on, and her mind wandered. “What is the spell drawing from?”
As the mare was distracted, the corpse leapt up at her in a madness of one long gone from sanity. “My cave! Thief, books, return my studies” Twilight repeated the last part, slower, lower, and more crazed as she stroked some invisible object. “my… studies…”
Sweetie yelped and jumped back, as the now very much alive mare started to stumble about the cave. It seemed that Twilight was not even aware that she had company, as she just acted out of a random impulse.
“Reports, must record and report… Barometric pressure, wind speed, no birds singing today, happy ponies are silent, no lies, keep true to your friends, give, do good, MAGICK!!!” She screamed out the last part, hurting Sweetie’s ears as it echoed and Twilight collapsed into a pile against the far wall. “Dancing, the sweet taste of sound, seeing the feelings of what you smell… how delightful”
Sweetie was still, just beside herself at what was before her. “Oh Twilight…” She was crying at the sight of one of the greatest unicorns brought so low, the one who had inspired her to study the magick of her ponies.
Whipping around in a sudden stand, Twilight was finally aware of her guest. “It came without ribbons” The mare grabbed Sweetie, and seemed to be looking over a cliff, but it was just as stone. “It came without tags!” She looked again. “It came without packages, boxes or bags!” She let the mare go, and drifted back into the corner of the cave. “Such is life” She again was unaware of the other, then it hit her again. “Zecora!, how nice of you to visit here in Canterlot. Do you have any of that delightful tea?”
Sweetie was still a few steps behind, not able to process just how far gone the pony had been. She put it together, that her stripes were clear to Twilight as a sign of the other mare she was being confused for. To her broken mind, it was the closest association she could make.
“Say, is that a horn, or are ya just happy to see me?” She picked up a rock, putting Sweetie on guard. “I’ll have to report this to Princess Celestia” Clearing her throat, she turned to a pile of stones. “Spike, take a letter. Dear Princess Celestia,
I have discovered that Zebras can grow horns, how or why is not yet known, but it is possible.
For further updates, please stay tuned for more at eleven. Now back to the show.
She then smacked the rock against the wall, and threw it out the cave. “Bye bye little butterfly”
“So what can I do ya fer?” Twilight suddenly turned back toward Sweetie, eye twitching in the corners. Her grasp of reality was tentative at best, leaving the mare unsure how to play her moves.
“I came to… see you” Trying to rhyme, to keep up the little bit that Twilight understood, only Sweetie could never master Zecora’s speech.
Twilight squinted, then exclaimed. “Sweet foal Jesus! Sweetie Belle, you got so big, and zebra-like”
“Jesus?” Sweetie wondered, but pushed it aside. “You recognize me?”
Laughing harder than she should have, nearly falling over in her hysterics, she sat awkwardly on a boulder instead. “Oh my, yes. How is Rarity? Making those fantastic dresses I imagine. Being here in Canterlot has kept me so busy. Did she get knocked up yet? Not that I thought she was a slut or anything, but every stallion did have eyes on her. Speaking of obvious plots, did AJ and Rainbow hook up? People sure love that lesbain stereotype of two tomboys huh? Plus a Rainbow mane, she was pretty much doomed to that life, right? Fucking bronies” She snickered again.
Still confused by her ramblings, Sweetie tried to reach for something. “Do you not remember the Shatter Storm?”
“What? Is that some Clop fiction? Probably full of grammatical errors, and weak plots. Am I in it? I hope I’m not some hyper futanari who goes to Princess Celestia for some “special” lessons, or do my brother who is somehow a mare now. Is Luna in it? Does she watch or join in?”
“Princess Twilight, please, you’re making no sense!” Sweetie cried out, unable to take any more of this nonsense.
The mare looked around, confused by the title. “Who?”
Sighing, feeling overwhelmingly disheartened, the zebracorn was finding this to be a complete waste of time. “This is hopeless. You can’t remember two seconds, let alone two decades… No way you can be of any help against the villains, or even explain how Apple Bloom can call on the Element of Honesty, let alone use it while the rest remain lost”
While she was talking, Twilight was rolling stones around, but something struck her senses. “Apple Bloom has an Element? I hypothesized that they could be transferred to another, but… So it’s possible. Then that means I can do this” Twilight stood up and focused her energies as her crown appeared and floated toward Sweetie Belle. “As Princess of Equestria, and bearer of the Element of Magick, in my last act of sanity, I give Sweetie Belle this Element of Harmony to become its new keeper and user” The crown then changed to a pair of earrings, and found a place on the Zebracorn’s ears. “I’m sorry to say I cannot say why Apple Bloom can use the Element freely of the others, but…” She began to struggle. “I cannot… maintain… this sanity… S-Sweetie Belle… I’m… proud of what you’ve become… Y-you… honour both of… us… Zecora… an-” She shuddered.
The entire time, Sweetie was stunned by the sudden change, and could only watch and listen as it all happened. Twilight had given over the Element, and actually recognized that she had been studying Twilight’s spells, and was proud of her. She found herself torn between the happiness of the praise, and the loss of her mentor. She started to cry, from both feelings. “Twilight… thank you… for everything! I’ll keep you proud, I’ll do you both proud!”
Twilight gave a smile, likely the last true smile she would. “I know… you… will… Win the brand new cart!” The sincerity of the smile was twisted into insanity, and the moment was gone, likely forever, along with Twilight. With a heavy heart, Sweetie left the mare to her dementia. She wanted so bad to bring her home, but seeing her like this was hard enough for the mare. She now understood why Princess Cadence had done what she had…
-Last night, after Apple Bloom passed out, the Princess came to call upon Sweetie Belle.
“There is more to why I wanted to keep you two from her, but I could not say in front of Shining” She looked around, keeping her voice low. “Twilight is alive” The new shocked the zebracorn. “She snapped, like I had said, and has gone far into dementia from her experiences. I placed a spell on a cave in the North, where she would be safe, trapped, and free to live her illusion world in which she did not fail, and all Equestria remains. I don’t know what will happen when you go there, but you should be warned. Please, do not tell Shining. I said Sombra killed her, to keep him from seeing her like that, and focused on keeping the Empire safe”-
… Sweetie hated that she had to push Apple Bloom away, to keep this secret that Princess Cadence had confided in her. Sweetie had learned the spells of Twilight, and was connected to the mare for it, but she was Shining’s sister, and he would have likely been destroyed by the reality. Apple Bloom would just be another in the lie, kept from knowing a truth that neither Cadence or Sweetie wished to bare.
The trip back was quick, though to Sweetie it was an eternity. Her mind was still behind, thinking on what she saw, and just how she was going to cover up how she claimed the Element. At least she did not have to lie about knowing anything on why Apple Bloom’s Element could be called, seeing how she learned nothing about that.
“Unfortunately so…” Sweetie began, in the audience with the two Royals and her friend. “All I managed to find was the crown, and when I took it, it turned to these earrings. I guess it was just seeking a new barer, and being the closest magickal creature, they took to me. I guess that explains how the Element of Honesty lets Apple Bloom call on it, just not why it works alone. Applejack was the most honest, and truest pony anypony had ever known. Apple Bloom shares that. Twilight was the greatest Unicorn Equestria had known in some time, but I guess just being a Unicorn was good enough”
Scoffing at the modesty, Apple Bloom was quick to argue against that. “Don’t be so down on yerself, y’all are the only pony ever to become part zebra, and y’all are mighty good at being both. If’n I’m not too far from Applejack, yer not much too far from Twilight”
Ignoring their back and forth, focused more on the task at hoof, Shining cut in. “So we have an idea why the Elements move, but right now it doesn’t do any good, if we can’t find how to call on them. Can you tap into the Element of Magick, or is this another fancy piece of jewelry?” They could all sense that he was just upset over his sister, and was directing it toward the immediate need.
“So, I guess no luck with calling on Honesty?” Bloom gave her friend a defeated shake of her head. “At least we can both work on it, and when one figures it out, we can hopefully unlock the other too”
“The Elements have always been a mystery, even to the Princesses Celestia and Luna, and they were the first to call upon them. They could use them freely, but that was before they were reborn in ponies” She looked at the Zebracorn. “You physically have the Element of Magick, but Honesty is somehow inside Apple Bloom. So one transfered, the other reborn. I hope the solution will work for both these conditions, but I think our biggest priority is to draw out Honesty”
Sweetie thought on this, focusing mostly upon her friend’s Element. “I think I know what we must do, a way to draw it out. We will need to push Apple Bloom. Every Time it has even glimmered, was as she was being pushed, and defending her convictions”
“So, what, I gotta get on a soapbox and just shout out my feelings?” Bloom asked, not really believing this to be the solution.
“I doubt it, but I don’t know either” Sweetie replied. “All I know is that you need to be pushed to be truly passionate about what you are saying, against something that challenges your views. So I don’t think preaching is the answer here”
Shining now had an idea. “Maybe we can get some ponies together, and just argue with you?” The rest were skeptical, but he was insistent. “We saw you glow when you wanted us to go to war, and we said no and tried telling you what to do. So maybe we just get more ponies together, corner you into some debating, and really push you to stand your ground? Maybe that will call out the Element?”
Apple Bloom cracked her neck, with a bit of a grin. “If’n it don’t work, at least I can get some aggression out. Been sometime since I had a good shout’n match, be like ol times in the school yard with Tiara…” An image flashed in her mind, something she saw when she came to Ponyville, but she pushed it back. “I’m game” She covered.
“If anything, maybe it will give you an idea of how far you can go before you can at least tap into the power” Sweetie attempted.
The group broke off, Shining and Bloom heading off to attempt their plan, while Sweetie was held back by Cadence. “A moment, if I could?” The mare was stopped by the Princess. “Thank you for keeping the secret… how… how was she… really?” It was clear she was mixed in wanting to know, and staying in the dark. “I know she is still alive… if it can be so called, but I do not know how she fares”
Sweetie Belle’s heart sank, and Cadence could sense it and reacted in kind. “She’s… gone. Her mind is fractured, and I don’t know if really anything is left of her now. She makes Discord look rational. She briefly regained sanity, and passed the Element to me, but then slipped right back into madness”
There was a great sadness in Cadence’s eyes, but a smile played on her lips. “Thank you again, for keeping their between us. Shining could not handle this, and she is better left dead to the world. She was one of the last Princesses of Equestria, and I’ve done well to keep her memory just that. I don’t want any to start calling her the Princess of Madness, or anything like that” She closed her eyes now, a shimmer around the seals. “I loved her too, and it was everything I had to not break when I saw her slipping those many years ago. I knew it would get worse, and I hoped that my spell would have at least kept her at peace…”
With a hard sniffle, Cadence opened her eyes again, and studied the zebracorn. “I imagine it was like what you dealt with, when Rarity was turned. How are you holding up?”
Turning from her, with a voice shaken, Sweetie responded. “It was hard to learn what happened to Rarity, but it was harder to see Twilight, to be honest. I don’t see Nightmare Rarity as my sister, just the monster who stole her from. Twilight is still alive, but shattered. Nightmare has my sister’s look, and voice, but not her heart or spirit. Despite anything, I know Rarity would have never hurt me, or tried to kill me, or anypony for that matter” Something struck her, as hr thoughts wandered. She turned back to Cadence. “What happened to Spike? Without Rarity to swoon over, or Twilight to assist, what happened to him?”
“I don’t know… unfortunately, I can track and sense ponies, even dragons, but it is limited. If I’m very close to them, I can reach further, but wherever he went was beyond my reach to find. I can sense hearts across Equestria, but it is vague. Unless I know them well, I could only tell you if they are kind or wicked”
Sweetie was saddened by this news, but she kept hope. “If Apple Bloom and me could survive, I like to think he did too… I should go focus on unlocking the Element, even if Apple can summon hers, it won’t do much good if mine is still silent”
“Please use the Crystal Empire’s library for any help it might give. It boasts books and collections that even predate Equestria. Princess Celestia had sent a number of volumes here when the Empire returned, so it as good a chance as any to house what might aid you. It is open to you, and at your disposal”
Out in the courtyard Shining Armor had summoned some of his Guards, and now they stood surrounding Apple Bloom. She was grinning, looking at the gathering and waiting for the trial.
“I have collected you all here,” The Prince began, looking at each of his ponies. “Because you each have proven to be the biggest pain in my flank, time and time again” Some of them snickered, even after he gave them a glaring look. “You all have a mission now, to get this mare here to unlock a power inside her, challenge her convictions, and get her to defend herself and what she believes in. NO physical fighting!” He again picked out a couple of his ponies with his eyes, then looked right at Apple Bloom, who he could tell was as much ready to brawl as the others.
“So, how should we start then?” One asked, looking at Shining.
Apple Bloom went for the kill, snorting a laugh. “Really? Y’all are the most troublesome of the Empire, and ya gotta ask him for help?”
“Didn’t know if you could take us bumpkin” Another guard countered.
“Pfft, is that yer best? Be sure ta ask Daddy Shinny here to hold yer hoof as you cross the street on the way back” Bloom shot back, not being impressed so far.
“What happen to your eye? Maybe don’t trot and chew gum at the same time, sugar hooves?”
With a mocking laugh, Apple only grinned more. “I’d ask if y’all read that, but those old joke books ain’t got pictures”
“You even know what a book is? It’s that thing your momma used to boost you on the seat, shrimp”
Shining stepped back a bit, wondering just how smart this was. He could not stop it now, but doubted it would actually do any good.
“Yer getting pretty witter there, might be able to keep up with the snails soon” Bloom shot back, still not feeling agitated.
The insults went on, not doing much to even spark Bloom’s Element, and after about twenty minutes Shining was breaking up a huge brawl that was fated to happen. Apple Bloom had proven to be quite the fighter, showing that same skill she had when first coming to the aid of the Empire. Shining was wondering who he was saving.
“What did I say?! No physical fighting!” Shining chided them. “What is wrong with you?” He looked at each in turn, seeing how beat they had all been, even Bloom looked roughed up, but it was clear who was winning.
“I think I’m in love” One of the guards said, getting the rest to laugh and agree.
Shining was even more enraged by them, as he snapped. “This wasn’t a sadomasochist speed date! This was a huge waste, and we’re nowhere nearer to unlocking her magick”
“It was fun though” Bloom attempted, with a few of the others nodding in agreement.
This ticked the Prince to a new level of rage. “FUN?!” He seethed. “This is fucking serious, and you’re screwing around?! Do you have any fucking clue to how seriously we need an edge, or even give a shit about the mission?!”
Stepping right up to him, not one to stand down to anyone. “Of course I do!” Her humor was long gone, and she met his challenge. “I grew up rough house’n, and I got a bit lost in the moment. Soooorry Prince”
“How could you survive like that?! You are skilled, but letting yourself to go like that in the kind of nonsense that gets ponies killed! You act all protective of Sweetie Belle, and that you are so assured of yourself and taking on the Apex villains, but do you have a clue? Is this some game to you? Did you drag Sweetie Belle and us into this shit for fun?”
Now the mare was getting more worked up than she had been. “How dare you?! Of course I take this serious!”
“Then grow up!”
“FUCK YOU!!! I AM!!!” She shouted, enough that the rest backed away, and attention was being drawn to them. “Y’all been sitting here, protected by walls, and hearts, and yer magick, but I’ve been out there in the thick of it, fighting each day fer my life! Y’all got yer bed,s and can go to sleep at night pretending that the monsters are out there, but I had to sleep with them monsters all around! I watched my sister get killed because of those horrors, and so forgive me if’n I took a moment out of my endless torment and worry about what might kill me, to enjoy something I ain’t had since before I watched my brother and granny and home get destroyed! Fuck me for trying to have a bit of happiness in thirteen years, but don’t y’all dare say I ain’t grown up!” Her good eye was wet, starting to soak her cheek, as a faint glow was coming from her lost eye. He struck a number of old and new insecurities“I grew up might fast, I had too, or else Applejack would have to survive for the both of us, be strong for the both of us. Everything was stolen from me, and now that I got Sweetie Belle back, I ain’t letting nothing hurt her. Don’t dare question if’n I got my wheat and chaff mixed up, er if’n I am focused, and don’t say I ain’t grown. I’M A BIG PONY!!!” With her final shout, a flash shot out, and stunned most in the blinding radiance. The ribbon over her eye came free, and drifted from her as she stood panting and shaking from her anger.
When they could see, they all gasped at the sight, Shining being closest, was the one Apple Bloom noticed, and he was the first to say something. “Your… eye…”
Going to cover it, now aware that it was exposed, she reached a forehoof to it. “I know, it’s bad…” A lot of the flesh was gone, leaving scar tissue clinging to exposed bone, however the once empty void was filled with a strange object. This was what the Prince was meaning, and when Bloom touched it, she too realized something was different. Covered by her hoof, she noticed her vision was halved, and removing her hoof, she had her full range of sight. She rushed to a reflective surface, being one of the guard’s well kept armor.
Two eyes, she again had two eyes, only one was not normal. It was some kind of metal, with a gem for the iris or purple, she did not much care for the proper title. “Th-that… the Element of Honesty?” She covered it again, almost overwhelmed by full vision, and the shock of this object claiming her missing eye’s place.
Shining overcame his shock, and approached the mare. “I’m sorry about that” He had come to his senses, realizing just how aggressive he had been. “I lost my sister, my family, all I have is here in the Empire, and I’m also very protective of it all… That doesn’t give me lease to think you are also not as driven” He gave a sad, short laugh. “What I wouldn’t give to have a game of O&O again. So, I can’t fault you for taking some time to have your own fun” He looked around, a much larger number of ponies gathered around them. “You are right, the Empire is safe, safer than anywhere else in this broken world. Fighting Sombra and the Umbra nearly everyday, I tend to forget just how safe it is… I also forget that not everypony can always be serious and strong”
Giving a weak smirk, changing between covering and uncovering her new eye, she looked at him. “Here I was start’n to think y’all did that to push me” He blinked, and was almost embarrassed he did not think about that. She jabbed him, before adding. “Hey, y’all got me to summon this thing. Who’d guess it’ll show up in my eye?”
As the two trotted back toward the castle, the original gathering looked at one another. “Damn, anypony else have any idea what just happened?”
“Na,” Another replied. “But I’m even more in love” The rest started to joke and rib one another.
Apple Bloom had tied the ribbon back on by the time they were with the Princess and explaining what had transpired outside. Cadence listen closely, and was secretly amused by the story. “A fight huh?” She looked to her husband, still standing beside the earth mare. “Are you sure you were trying to get the Element, or punish some troublemakers?” He tried his best to hide his own enjoyment at seeing them get their flanks hoofed to them. “May I see it?” Cadence was again on the topic of the Element.
Being a bit uneasy about showing such a fancy pony the horrors of her time in the fields, Apple Bloom took some time before undoing the ribbon. Cadence gave a reactive gasp she would be sorry for, and the other mare was again ashamed of her face. “Sorry…”
“No, no… You poor dear” She stood from the throne, moving closer to the younger pony. “We could heal that, the skin at least”
Shaking her head, stepping back a bit, Apple Bloom was no longer ashamed. “That’s mighty nice, but it’s fine. Can’t see me keeping this off too often, so no point prettying up something nopony will see”
“Very well,” Cadence accepted, now looking closer at the gem. The color was more amber, a bit closer to her surviving eye’s iris, and not the orange that she knew Honesty was for Applejack. The shape was round, to fit the eye shape. “Truly one of the Elements, but in the eye? I would have never guessed the Elements could take on such forms” She stepped back, feeling she was invading the pony’s personal space. “Then again, even to the Princesses Celestia and Luna, the Elements were fairly unusual and mysterious. Coming out of a tree, and becoming gems, then stone, reborn through ponies, and now this” She started to pace around, trying to recall anything that Celestia had said in regards to the Elements, however in the many years they had been together the royal pony said very little on the subject, even when they came back.
“Twilight’s was a crown, but it became earrings when Sweetie Belle retrieved it” Shining offered. “I can’t see her having much need for a crown, maybe they take on a form that best suits the holder?”
“Makes sense” Apple Bloom agreed. “Applejack’s was a necklace, and she wasn’t much for jewelry, but not much else they couldn't have been fer her. I needed an eye more than a bauble, so…”
Princess Cadence stopped, and looked at the two of them, being as close as she was in figuring this mystery out. “Can you use it, like you did against Nightmare?”
Apple Bloom had been so caught up in everything, she did not even think to try. “I… hmm. I can’t feel it any more than I did before, apart from move’n about my skull… which it a might bit weird” She attempted to make it glow, but the Element was silent. “I suppose like before, it needs to be something important. I mean, all the time so far has been when I was with or thinking about Sweetie Belle, and keep’n her safe” She attempted again, focusing on the thought of keeping her friend safe. The Gem made a faint glimmer, but not much to really call it a success. Princess Cadence felt differently.
“I see… So she is your key, at least the most important thing to you. I would guess that it is the same for each. We’ll need to bring this to Sweetie Belle, and see if we can make more steps toward unlocking all the Elements. It’s a start”
“Y’all just mean mine and Belle, or do y’all know of more?”
Cadence smiled, like the one about to start a grand adventure. “No pony yet, but we’re going to find more, and any others that are still out there in the broken world. I think it’s time we gather our forces, and take back our land”
Shining was a bit torn, not so ready to jump to the drums of war, just become of a fancy eyeball. “It’s a bit early to raise the flags and sound the horns, don’t you think dear? Maybe we should at least get Sweetie Belle’s Element to react?”
“You are right, but we still have ponies to save out there. One way or another, the survivors of the Shatter Storm will be rescued. We are bound to find more champions who have struggled through the harsh years to make it. It is time Equestria stands again, it is time to be unified”
Apple Bloom did little to hide her readiness to this, being her goal since the moment her and Sweetie Belle decided to go to the Empire.
Apple Bloom trotted down the shimmering halls of the Empire toward the grand library, where she knew she would find her friend pouring over the collections. Sweetie Belle had spent the last few days in here, after the events that summoned the Element of Honesty out and into Apple’s eye, with a renewed purpose in finding some key to all the mysteries surrounding the Elements of Harmony. She was even more consumed by the cause, with her own Element of Magick to unlock, and the very future of ponykind in need of her discovering the trick.
Entering the stores, Bloom was directed by the librarian, who held a very annoyed expression. The pegasus, one of very few who did not go to the call of President Dash and her Aerials, gestured with one tan-brown wing toward where the disruption could be found. When the mare followed the guide, she discovered just why the caretaker was so miffed. Their were piles of books and collections all around the area Sweetie had set up camp. It was a mess, even by the most chaotic organization standards. “By the turn’n of the leaves, she is so much like Twilight” Apple mused.
Not finding her friend right away, it was soon clear to where the pony was. As a tower of books shifted and crashed, and a sleepy mare arose in a yawn. “Wh-what time is it?” She did not know she was with company, she had only asked in her daze.
Snickering, Apple Bloom moved to her friend’s side, helping clear away some of the tomes. “About 8” She answered, adding. “Y’all are gonna get a bad back sleeping in all them books”
“I have to-” She stretched, several joins popping as she strained. “Find the answers to unlocking the Elements” She cast a spell and drifted a cup over to her, then took a regretful drink, spitting the brew out. “Ack… cold tea…”
“Y’all should take a break, even Twilight would get out to smell the flowers” Apple thought on this. “I suppose it was more because she had friends to pull her, so here I am”
Still reeling from the events in the cave, the mention of her name caused the zebracorn to get a little upset. “She wouldn’t give up, not until she had a solution or a better idea…” She sounded a little bitter.
“I think again, it was because she listens to her friends who told her to get out of them stuffy old books, she could see a better solution outside” Apple countered.
“I get it!” She snapped, shocking Apple Bloom. “She had all these great resources, but she still faced the Shatter Storm and lost, and now I gotta clean it up with next to nothing!” When she took notice of her friend, Sweetie looked down in shame. “I’m sorry… There is so much weighing on me, and nothing I do seems to work, and no answers are forthcoming”
“Y’all sure that’s it?” Apple dug deeper. “Since y’all came back from the North… it seems something else got a bug in yer britches. Was something else out there?”
Turning away, not sure she could hide the truth if she was looking at her friend. “I looked up to Twilight, and I hoped against all odds I would find her… I don’t know… Knowing she is truly gone, is devastating”
“I’d figure you’d be worse when y’all fought Nightmare Rarity, but Twilight’s death’s got ya pretty down”
Wrinkling her nose in annoyance, Sweetie glared at Apple. “That monster isn’t my sister, ok?! I let her go a long time ago, when that… monster… tried to kill Zecora, Trixie and me. Why can’t anyone get that?” She huffed, getting tired of people reminding her. “Rarity is fucking dead! Twilight is-” She stopped herself, nearly letting it go. “Maybe she couldn’t stop the storm at the start, but believed she might be able to help, and that little bit of hope I held onto for almost the whole time Zecora and I were on the run has been crushed. Now it’s all on me to take up her mantle, take her damn crown” She knocked one of the earrings with her hoof. “So I’ve lost some hope, and gained a whole shit ton of pressure!”
The same librarian was going to shush the two loud ponies, but seeing the anger of the zebracorn, decided against challenging a being he could not even comprehend.
“Sweets, don’t put it all on yerself. Ya ain’t alone, there’s me, and Cadence, and Shining, plus they are working on recovering all those still good folks to join together here. If’n the elements are out there, we’ll find em. Maybe more we got, the easier it will be to unlock. None of us are asking for miracles, just that we all do our best”
Hanging her head again, letting her anger go, she sighed deeply. “I’m sorry Apple Bloom…”
Hugging her friend close, Apple did her best to ease the others mind. “Come on, let’s get some grub, take a break from all these old books, and rest that big ol brain”
Sitting at a table in one of the little restaurants, enjoying their food and the company. They shared in idol conversations, like it was just another day, until they both became aware of it. There was a mix of happiness and sadness in that moment.
“Funny,” The earth mare started. “Who’da think we could find ourselves in a shop, just shoot’n the breeze like nothing was go’n on?” She looked down at her cup, a faint hint of heat danced between it and her nose. “All these years, I’d never believed I could just enjoy a moment of not try’n to survive”
“I know what you mean,” Sweetie looked around the place, seeing so many ponies just being without any concern apparent. “Do you think that any of these ponies feel like this? Like, do you think they understand just how precious this is?” Her tone was sounding a little bitter. “King Sombra knocks on their doors, but because of all the protection they have, it’s like there is no danger at all. Have they forgotten how bad it is out there?”
Agreeing with her, Apple Bloom also was concerned for how much Sweetie’s voice would carry. “Easy, just cause we had to fight fer our lives, don’t mean these ponies ain’t got their troubles, or forget just how close it is to goin’ all to pieces”
With a groan, Sweetie slouched into her seat. “I know, and I guess I’m happy that they didn’t all have to go through the shit like we did, some even being spared any of the horrors of the storm, or the worst of those villains”
Changing the subject before she slipped, Sweetie asked about something else. “So, I never did get the details about just how Shining’s plan worked to coax your Element out”
“Not sure there was much to say, just like any of the other times, he just really turned my cider to vinegar”
Not finding the answer she hoped for, Sweetie thought a moment. “Doesn’t really help with my case. Honesty, conviction, being true to yourself, it all seems to be natural for you. I got magick, and though I think I’m just as adept at it as you, I can’t get even a flicker. I even attempted to simulate a fight, and nothing came of it. Like what am I missing about this damned Element, that you have in yours? How can I hope to free others, if we find any, if I still have no clue to what really triggered it?”
“Maybe it ain’t about the obvious, maybe y’all gotta think about the deeper levels. Sure I’m honest an all, but it was because I was driven, speaking from my purest and deepest depths of my heart. I think it might be like when we get a cutie mark, find’n our truest and deepest calling, before we get our marks” She paused, taking a look at her flank, then snickering as it remained bare. “Well, been awhile since I felt that, but nada”
“Makes sense, your special talent isn’t going on about you hold dear. Still, I wonder if there is something to that line of thinking?” Sweetie lingered.
Apple took a moment, eating some of what she had left. “Ain’t the Elements all tied to friendship? Like, Twilight used to go on about how they all had some bond before any of them ever met. Then when they all got together to fight Nightmare, Twilight realized the thing miss’n in her life, and poof. Their Elements all awoke” She took another moment for her food. “Have’n y’all around, and think’n about how important y’all are to me is really what triggered it fer me”
Sweetie studied her friend, focused more on what she said than the reason she brought it up. “R-really?”
“Shucks, ain’t no secrete Sweets. Y’all been my friend fer years, even if’n we’ve been apart, and now more than ever are y’all important to me. I really value the fact we got back together” She could feel herself blushing. “I-I think we had a special bond, just like they did. We hid together that night, but it was a bit later before Me, you, and… Scootaloo… became friends…”
The mood shifted, as they thought of their old friend. They wondered just what had become of her. “We all drifted apart, but she’s out there… maybe… I hope…” Sweetie struggled. “I can’t deal with this” She got out of her seat, and charged out of the restaurant, with Apple quickly behind. The two galloped through the Empire, until Sweetie reached the edge of the protection, and crumbled to the ground, sobbing harder than she had before. Everything was crushing her, and she could find no strength to fight it.
Apple Bloom was not far behind, but approached slowly, not immediately taking any action, to let her friend unload some of the bottled up pain. When she could bear it no longer, she came around and embraced the zebracorn. “I’m here Sweets”
“How can we change anything, what good will it even do?” She spoke, after a hysterical fit, and calming enough to be coherent. “Family, friends, home, we’ve lost everything, so what’s left?”
“It’s hard, and I’ve asked myself many times before I got back to Equestria, ‘why?’, but it ain’t always bad” Apple tried to reassure her. “Come’n back to Ponyville fer supplies, I’d never dare to hope I’d find anypony, and there y’all were. Get’n y’all back, it restored my hope. It gave me a reason to fight another day. Now I believe in a chance to at least get a world we can rebuild”
Sweetie Belle stopped being hysterical, as she listened to her friend’s words, but heard even more there. She began to feel something inside her. She looked out into the wasteland, but she could only see her friend. She was looking into the past and present, and all those treasured moments she had with those she had cared for. Now she felt it. “Yes… That’s it! Harmony isn’t just about yourself, and it becomes something more when you find it with others. It is those around you, and that is why I can’t unlock the Element, because I’ve just focused on myself” Apple tried to get her attention, but the mare was lost. “The truth lies in others…”
Turning to face her friend here and now, she was excited by her revelation. “I should have been thinking about you, about all my friends, near and far, alive or dead. Friendship, that is the truest magick” She smiled wide, a new hope in finding the answers now before her. “Like you. You took me from just surviving to stay alive, to actually trying to live. You gave me hope, and to find love again. I’m so happy to have you back, and it doesn’t matter what happens, because you and all those I love makes life worth living, worth fighting for, and I want to fight for you and all those out there!”
Apple Bloom smiled at her friend’s words, but also at what she was seeing, being only one of the two to be able to see it. “That’s mighty good, but I think y’all are forgetting something”
“What?” Sweetie blinked in surprise. “What could I possibly miss that is as great as what I now know? I know the true value of life, and why mine is worth living. Friendship” With that, the glowing that she was oblivious to flared, and caught her attention.
Apple Bloom winced at the sudden light, though she was a bit more use to it, it was more the feeling in her artificial eye. “Mine is reacting…”
The flare was not theirs alone to experience, and though the light did not touch every soul, the surge of power did. Most would dismiss it, but a select few would be more touched by the power that was now shifting.
***
High above the land, in the eternally dark clouds, in the grand complex of the twisted factory, deep in is bowls, past the screams and horrors that caked the halls and rooms. Beyond the laboring, groaning machines, the turning soups of bloody colours, and all the discarded things no longer of use, two ponies were trotting above in the shadow embraced trotways. One, smaller, stopped in their movement, to make a sound of pain and it drew the attention of other.
Her colours were faded, but no one could mistake the cyan coated mare, with the rainbow mane and tail. She had cut the back down to nothing, letting the fetlock out. She wore a business suit, from her role as president. “What?” Rainbow snapped, looking back to the pony. She did not truly care, but she was using this to mask that she too felt something inside.
The second mare was a dirty orange-yellow, with a weak, magenta mane, styled to match her leader. She bore many scars and marks of a hard fought life, but she had claimed the seat as Vice President. It took her a moment to respond, searching her mind to figure out just what it was that she felt. It hurt, but also was almost soothing. “I-I don’t know…”
Snorting out in disgust, the lead mare started forward again. “If you are going to die, then get to the extraction room, and don’t waste the precious Spectra that we’ve pumped into your broken body”
“If I was, I would” She shout back, standing tall, as tall as she could with a beaten body and broken soul, and briefly giving light to her violet eyes. “There is no greater honour than to die for the Flock, and being fed to the Pegasus Device is the highest glory. If I did not have more to give, of this shattered form, I would march proudly into the maw”
The other laughed, a dark, twisted laugh that held no comfort. “You’re a demented little cunt, Absentia”
“No more than you…”
***
Back on the ground, in one of the many scattered camps of refugees, a pair of ponies grimaced at the sensation they felt in their bodies. “You feel it too PC?” The young, soft yellow, Unicorn mare asked. Her mane was light orange like the early sun, with crystal blue eyes.
Beside her, the tan Pegasus, with a light brown mane, and deeper brown eyes was still figuring out what it was that affected them both. “Yeah Kin, how are you feeling?” He returned. The pair were not much older than the broken Equestria, growing up knowing only the horrors of the post Storm Era. They were, however, adept at it because they have know nothing else. They seemed much older in how they acted, as this world did not let much time to be a child.
“I’m ok” She replied. “What in the wastes was that, and why did we both feel it?”
Struggling to understand, PC looked toward the North, something calling his gaze. “I feel it has something to do with the Crystal Empire… I feel drawn toward it”
“Same” She quickly agreed. “I think it’s time we head for the Empire… call it a Uni-sense”
“He won’t like that” He said a little softly, like who he meant was listening. “But, he will have to agree to go. You do have a weird ability like they always said Auntie did. He will have to listen to your gift”
***
Outside of reality, in the Chaos Realm, a yellow Pegasus, with a bright, pink, long mane was rocketing through the twisted, unpredictable void, until she came to a perfect stop just outside the door of the only house in the expanse. “Discord!!!” She shouted, laughing like a madmare, enough to shutter the door. “Something’s wrong!”
The whole side of the house opened, leaving just the door in place, as the Draconequus (You all know what I look like) stepped out. “Oh dearest Fluttersnide, of course something is wrong, did you miss the first story?” He held up a book titled “Shatter Storm”.
She jumped up, and smacked the book, and it exploded into splinters. “Don’t play stupid” She growled. “You didn’t feel that wave of energy, oh great Lord of Chaos?”
He raised the larger of his two brows at that, and made a face of thought. “No… I don’t like that…” He became more serious. “There is a shift in the air” He then grinned darkly. “Maybe this means the end is finally near! I’ll get my sandwich board!!!”
“What end?” The once timid pony got into his face, demanding an answer.
Discord gave her a quick kiss, and said. “That, my ball and chain, is up to the players”
***
Deep in the Evergreed Forest, in the lavish, restored castle, now of Nightmares. The ruler of the demons here, was draped over her throne, with a devious grin upon her face. “Oooh, I have not had such a marvelous tingle in such a long time” She looked down at the dark, bug-like, equine Queen of the Changelings. “Are you trying to seduce me with tender feelings?”
“Please” Chrysalis sneered at the very idea. “I feed upon them, I don’t give them” Annoyed, she continued. “I don’t know what is happening with your ‘tingles’ and I really don’t care. I’ve heard you are a sexual deviant, among other such types, but do try to focus”
“Too bad, it might have swayed me” Nightmare yawned. “Now, your offer simply bores me, and something else now draws upon my focus toward the North”
The Queen laughed. “What, the foal Sombra? So called ‘King’? He is more a pawn to those Umbra than their leader” She argued. “You must see the benefit of our forces joining together, with so few ponies left out there for either of us. I need them to feed upon, and you need them to draw from, but so long as that damnable Pegasus President keeps grinding them up or whatever she does, our resources are running dry. We can steal away Rainbow Death’s-”
Hearing that name invoked the anger still boiling deep in the mare, and she cut the Changeling off. “Do not dare say that wretch’s name in my presence!”
“Yes, we all know of your failed war, and that is just another reason we need to unify. With the terror you bring in their dreams, they will be begging for something to turn to. My Changelings can feed on their desperation, and give false hope, allow them to be even better sport in their dreams. How can such a tantalizing offer go unreceived? How could you say no?”
Still seething from the reminder of her great defeat at her rival, the wicked mare was in no mood to entertain any longer. “Simple. No. I need no help from any other villains, least of all the parasite Queen, and I do not desire it. I am forever, just as the dark will always be. The light may shine, but the shadows are always surrounding it to move in on whatever was standing in it. That harlot will run herself dry, and when she is weak and desperate, my demons will move in and claim everything she has. I will have my revenge” She now sat straight in her seat, looking as imposing as possible. “My demons and I can go without ‘feeding’ for much longer than you can. Whilst you starve, she falls from the sky, and that deranged King bashes his head against the wall until he is finally defeated, we will clean house. Not even Discord, who will likely go insane, or be killed by that traitor, or that elusive slut Trixie will be able to stand against me”
Standing from her throne, she descended it, disregarding anything further. “Now go, while I give you leave to do so. I have a tingle I wish to enjoy”
Rejected, annoyed, and disgusted by such primal needs, Chrysalis turned and flew away, her contingent of Changelings following soon behind. “Too blind, too self absorbed in self pleasures, they cannot see that they must adapt and change with the times” She curled a smile. “Luckily, that is what we do best my brood” She laughed softly, as she moved to her next plan.
***
Somewhere in the ruins, hovering over the withered corpse of a Unicorn, the darken-blue mare, with a sharply curled, white mane, and blazing red eyes, turned them toward the North. She bore a look of a satiated spider, already thinking of her next victim. “Something tells Countess Trixie, it is time to visit the Crystal Empire. Her evil has lingered in this venue for too long, now a new stage will be made ready” Lustfully, she rolled her head back toward her prey, blood still warm off her fangs, painting her lips in a crimson glow that was only matched by the glow of her eyes. “These meals have done so well for Countess, but Trixie now desires the feast befitting her. Such magick, such blood, and the endless combinations. Countess Trixie will drain the Empire, and be Greater than the legendary Tirek, and certainly more Powerful than any of these foal villains”
Her cloak flared out, as a bone structure spread out in the form of wings she had stolen long ago. Her blood magick covered and coated the bare appendages, forming something to give her lift. She let out a piercing cry, the sent terror in the rest of the camp she had attacked, making the survivors to scurry in fear she was coming for them. She shot into the sky, and the vampire was no longer interested in the food below. She now directed herself toward the Empire.
She passed one of the Aerial patrols, but they avoided her, hiding in the clouds they ruled. They would not tell it, no pony would, but many below the Apex Villain Lords feared Trixie. She was a Lord herself, and even posed a threat to her peers. They could only hope that word would not get back to President Death, their cowardice.
***
To the North, in her hidden cave, Twilight screamed out in shock. “A new challenger approaches!” She looked around, feeling a lingering power inside her. “Well there was a time when you let me know what’s really going on below, but now you never show that to me do ya?” She looked at a crude picture of her former Element. “But remember when I moved in you, and the holy dove was moving too, and every breath we drew was Hallelujah?” Her eyes filled with tears, as she started to sing, repeating “Hallelujah” over and over as she cried.
***
Back at the epicenter of all the fluctuation of powers, Sweetie Belle was recovering from the sudden surge. She looked over at Apple Bloom, who was still rubbing at her Element Eye. “What just happened?”
Squinting at her friend, she offered. “Not sure, but I’m guess’n y;all unlocked yer Element, seeing how it’s on yer horn”
Rushing to one of the spire-like crystals, Sweetie looked at herself, and saw what Apple did. The Gem was no longer purple, but a pure white, and shaped like a triangle, tapering upward with her horn. It covered only the bottom fourth of her alicorn, set in a golden band that was ornate and wrapped around her horn. “Wow, weird… the earrings were just a temporary form?” She was excited by the fact it was now open to her, but also perplexed by the placement and form it took. “I guess I don’t have anything missing, but I was expecting something like what yours did” She glanced back at her friend, who came closer now. “Seems like a weird place for it, but I guess magick, horn, kinda makes sense, and kinda glad it's not a crown or something silly… still, seems a little blah for the binding Element of Harmony”
“They are all important right?” Apple asked, not really that read up on the subject. “Maybe cause we ain’t like the last generation, they‘re more even?”
“Maybe, they were pretty even when the Princesses had them”
Apple Bloom wondered. “So, why’d I feel it when y’all unlocked yer’s? It was even more intense than I think it was when mine unlocked”
Thinking about this a bit, Sweetie tried to find the most logical reasoning. “Well, when Twilight rediscovered it, it awoke all the others. Like I said, it is kind of the binding one, so maybe me unlocking it cause all the others to react too?”
“I wonder if the dormant ones also reacted?” Apple questioned, just before a guard came to them.
“Miss Belle, Miss Bloom?” He waited for them to give their attention before going on. “The Princess is requesting your audience”
Joining Cadence in her special map room, she was standing by it as she spoke. “Congratulations on unlocking your Element” She started, noting the horn jewelry. “However I believe it may have set a chain reaction throughout the remains of Equestria. As I was seeking out the pockets of refugees, I was overwhelmed by the magick your Element sent out, and now I sense echoes in areas similar to it” She paused a moment, as the two looked around the map. “I believe these are potentially new ponies of Harmony, but I’ve counted more than just the missing four. I believe that even those who once held an Element also are pinging, at least those still alive” She looked at Apple Bloom, and stopping herself from speaking of Twilight’s ping.
The effort was for not, as Apple Bloom looked over the areas, and pointed out. “Sure ‘nough, Nightmare Rarity in the forest, Rainbow in the clouds, but it looks like even those who are gone. I’m guess’n Twilight was here in the North part”
“Oh, yes… Maybe it’s just cause she was so close, because if I add it all up, new and old, we are missing a couple. I would guess that would be Applejack and Pinkie Pie’s” She quickly thought of a lie, but the earth mare was studying her. She was not sure if she was buying it.
Apple Bloom opened her mouth, but then closed it again and just made a sound of knowing.
“Can she see through lies with her Element?” Cadence wondered, before attempted to move beyond the subject. “We should attempt to reach these places, and get those ponies here before something befalls them”
“Does yer magick work on these signals?” Bloom dropped her questioning of the lie she had seen through, knowing now was not the time. “Can you still tell if’n they are bad or good?” She pointed to a couple spots where more than one ping was. “Like here and here, there’s two”
“These two” Cadence pointed to a pair far south. “Seem to be positive hearts, but these two where the Rainbow Factory is, one is very clearly wicked, the other is a bit grey”
Sweetie spoke now, deciding on their course in gathering these ponies. “I think we should go out alone again, seeing how hard it would be to travel in a large group, and you have to keep your guard against Sombra and the Umbra. I think I can move further, even with Apple Bloom, thanks to the Element, and we can keep under the radar of those villains, so no suspicions are raised”
“I was considering the same thing, however I have sent out missives to several of the camps since trying to rally our fellow ponies,” Cadence explained. “They move, and it might be gone before you reach them. Some have been scooped up already” He concern only grew as she spoke. “What's more, how are you going to transport so many ponies, when you have trouble going far with two? There is no safe way to move large numbers across those wilds in the open, and even Twilight could not have moved such numbers so far”
Sweetie smiled, with a knowing glint in her eyes. “Actually, I think I may have a solution to that very problem” Cadence and Apple Bloom looked at her with a little bit of doubt, but curious to hear what she proposed. “In my brief times around Twilight, when she was very busy, I would spend time with Spike. He told me about that spell he and Princess Celestia had to send their messages. His dragon breath was something special, and he was about to move those messages because of the spell. There are a lot of details I will spare you both, but he, Twilight and Celestia had a special bond, and could move simple objects between themselves. If I have a pony here to act as a receiver, I can do something like that and move numbers of ponies across the world”
Being skeptical, the Princess asked. “Have you attempted this?”
“Not just yet, but I’m sure of it!”
“What about the distances and the number of times you would need to cast this spell? Any Unicorn knows that casting a spell once is one thing, but to do it over and over takes a toll. You think you could clear whole camps?”
Only more sure of her skill, Sweetie went on defending her idea. “That is the beauty of this spell, it really only requires the effort of focusing on the destination. It takes very little to cast it, and it moves on its own to the address. The receiver doesn’t even need to be awake for it to arrive, it just homes in on who it’s being sent too”
The Princess had her doubts, where as Apple Bloom was only excited by how smart and clever Sweetie was proving to be. She made solution from a seemingly unrelated idea.
Continuing to press the mare, Cadence went on until she had all her questions answered. “That only leaves one thing, and that is the pony here. You need somepony you are close too, but where I’m sure Apple Bloom is suitable for a test here, I imagine she will be going with you”
“Actually…” Now Sweetie informed. “She couldn’t be the receiver point, it needs to be a Unicorn or something with a magickal able to cast spells. They don’t need to be aware, but their magick will act like a guide, and give a bit of it to change the delivery back to its natural state”
“So, a flaw here. You don’t know any ponies here that well, correct?” Cadence wondered, again feeling this plan to be faulty.
“Luckily my time in the library I did manage to get close to some of those who came also fequinted it. I did get pretty close with Mystic Tome, and he would be perfect. He once served as Princess Luna’s record keeper, and has quite the mind for these sorts of spells. We’ve discussed the topic numerous times, how I’m so sure in the idea”
Reluctant, but seeing very little else in the way of a solution to move the masses, Cadence agreed to allow the mare to test her spell first. Apple Bloom, finding no reason to doubt her friend, volunteered to be the test subject. Mystic was summoned and the tests would begin.
Out in the courtyard, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and the Mystic Tome had gathered. The new unicorn was a bay colour, that hinted to almost a crimson shine, with a blanket pattern over their withers and a bit of the back, patches down each shoulder to their forearm, and hind stocking all of black with a gleam of blue. Their mane and tail were cut short and neat, with slight curls, and coloured of steel blue. They still proudly wore their dress coat, marked with the Lunar Republic emblem. Their ruby eyes were framed by simple, rectangular glasses, one glass being broken. They looked to be reserved, and collected, as he took stock of the earth mare he had yet to meet. He offered a polite greeting, but it was clear the pony was not very open to new relationships, rather a reclusive type.
Sweetie and Mystic had started to work on getting their energies aligned, and soon the eager mare spoke. “All right Mystic, we should be ready” She stepped back, for no real purpose but to show she was about to take the next step. “We can do the exchange now, and I will go to the second location” With a nod from her assistant, she was gone across the furthest point she could in the Empire’s protection. She had a letter prepared, and like she learned from Spike, only without fire breath, she turned the paper into a puff of smoke that swirled and drifted quickly away. It was not long before it appeared before Mystic, who read “Testing” Once read, he added to it, and sent it back, now with “1…2...3…” for Sweetie to read.
Reappearing with the pair, Sweetie Belle was even more excited that the connection was working. She grinned in success, and Mystic gave a hint to a smile, while Apple Bloom knew the next phase she was not completely excited about.
“Ok, are we ready to do the real test?” Sweetie looked at them both, and they nodded. “Good!” She moved closer to Apple Bloom, and transported them back to the testing location. “Ok,” She started, once they appeared, Bloom a bit woozy. “I can’t say for sure what this will feel like, but I can’t imagine it being worse than normal teleportation”
Forcing a smile, Apple replied with “Right…” She then thought. “I ain’t accustomed to that yet…”
Moving forward, Sweetie focused on her friend and the spell. It took more effort than the letter, but much less than teleportation, and soon the magick was being summoned. Apple Bloom was now floating, enveloped in an aura of magick, trying to keep as calm as she could given that she was not so used to these sort of things. Her body was tingling, almost in the same way a limb did as it was starting to fall asleep. She started to grow a bit more nervous, as all feeling was suddenly gone.
Standing on her own, suddenly back with Mystic, Apple Bloom felt like she had blinked in and out of existence. It was like she had passed out, then was awake again. As her reality returned to her, so did the tingling. “Oh… that ain’t right…” She shook, trying to get complete feeling back, and get rid of the sensation all over. Sweetie Belle had also returned, looking very pleased in the success of her trick. “I’m all here, right? I’m feel’n like… OW! There it is…” She fell over, violently shaking her leg. “Get up Chuck!”
“Chuck?” Sweetie grew concerned, fearing something might have gone wrong.
“My leg… I named it” She looked at the two Unicorns, who seemed confused by this practice. “I got it from my sister” She stood now, but was not fully over the effects. “Not… completely bad, but I do prefer a train. It worked though, and it’s a might bit better than try’n to brave the dangers out there to get here… I think”
Sweetie Belle laughed a bit unsure. “Well, not much of a ringing endorsement, but at least it will save lives”
“Y’all sure did something special here, and soon we’ll have everypony out there safe, and we can make the next step in taking back our land!” Bloom added, but muttered. “Just glad I ain’t doing it again”
Giving her a thankful smile, Sweetie turned then to Mystic. “Alright, I imagine the strains were reasonable?” They nodded. “Good, we can depart soon as we are ready, and hunt down our lost people. I will send notes ahead, giving an idea of what will be coming through” She snickered. “No sense of catching you in a stall or something like that”
“It will do great things, and be a monumental step in areas of mass migration spells. It is nice to again be working my magick, how little my efforts are in this, and doing good for Equestria. My Princess is gone, but I will carry her legacy, and protect ponies in the best ways I can. You be safe out there, I do not wish to lose another I care for out there”
She hugged him, and gave “I will, I have Apple Bloom to protect me, and the need of others to drive me” They broke, and she bid her friend a farewell.
As the two mares moved back to their room to prepare, Apple had to ask. “Seems a might stiff, but y’all work good together” She started, turning it into a joke. “Y’all go to the library, and found something good to check out?” She grinned proud of her word play.
Sweetie blushed, but shook off the implications. “No, no, he already has somepony” She paused a moment. “Actually, you did kind meet him back at the library. The Pegasus, Dust Jacket”
“Huh, figures two bookish ponies would get together, guess I figured y’all had something in common with the spells and what not, being able to cast a spell like that”
“Na, just good friends. I don’t think nerds like me, are my interest though” Sweetie admitted. “I like magick, and learning, and all of that, but deep down I will always like the thrills of being out and experiencing things”
Apple nodded. “I could never be stuck inside, not after all these years being out there” She lingered on a thought. “What’s with his glasses? Can’t they fix those things in an Empire of crystals?”
Without giving reason, Sweetie just laughed, knowing the why and not deciding to share it. It left Apple to keep asking “What?”
******
Now out in the fields, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had made it to the first few camps and groups. They explained their mission, expanding on what was going on in the world and the last battle to come. For the most part, it was met with skepticism, and doubt. Most believed it to be a trap, but some wanted so much to escape they jumped at the chance to escape. There were families and ponies so tired of fighting, broken and dying souls, seeking some salvation. As pony after pony decided to risk it, even more would decide it was better than being left behind. Still, some did refuse the help, even against Apple Bloom’s persuasion.
Avoiding trouble, the pair had made it far South, but for their good fortune in travel, they were also not finding any potential ponies that carried an Element. This grew worry in the two, as it was starting to seem that those signals may have been false alarms, or illusions in some way. She believed some were true, as they were with confirmed keepers, such as Rarity, Rainbow, and even Twilight. From their experience, it seemed the Elements could be given, but it was unsure if they transfer as well without original to instigate it. Sweetie did not know if Applejack had passed her Element, or if it just chose Bloom without a host to go too. She also had no idea if it found a suitable host, or just the nearest pony. Too many variables made this mission looking to be solely a rescue, not a retrieval. This meant one terrible truth. They would have to face the Villains with only their two, and hope they could somehow recover the Elements from them. She was not sure how, in the case of Pinkie who vanished, or Fluttershy in Discord’s realm, they could gather the six, if they were not in fact reborn.
Reading her friend too well, Apple Bloom offered. “We’ve saved a great number of ponies. Can’t say I’m too happy we ain’t found a single Element of Harmony or keeper, but at least we can return with the satisfaction of help’n them ponies” She smiled, trying to get Sweetie to do the same. “Imagine how full the Empire will be when we return, and all them ponies will be smiling at us. We saved them Sweets, we did a great thing out here”
Listening to her words, and after a time, accepting them, Sweetie Belle smiled. “Yeah, you’re right. The Empire is full of the last of Equestria’s hopes. For the first time in ages, we’ll be a united people. Equestria will be again, whole and safe”
Princess Cadence was moving about her map, horn alight while she was casting her spell to track the hearts of those within her reach. She was observing the movements of two dots as they proceeded across the broken land to groupings of other dots, and those clusters were growing smaller as more added to the bright shine of her Empire. She had the fullest confidence in the capabilities of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, but she was not so sure that the wicked would stand by as the ponies were being taken from their reach; yet, not a single villain was moving. King Sombra was likely lurking in the Umbra realm, not caring about anything but getting back his false claim over the Empire. Nightmare Rarity was also able to elude her when she entered the Dreamscape, leaving these her a mystery, but it was also unlikely the mare was interested in anything beyond her forest.
Prince Shining Armor made his way into the room, looking very concerned for his wife. “Hon, you really should take a break” He started. “Keeping up the shield, and doing all these tracking spells will drain you. The Apex of Villainy has made no moves yet, I doubt they will if you step away for a moment. Those two are fine”
“I know…” She said with little enthusiasm. “I just can’t bear the idea of something going wrong. They are the first signs of hope we’ve had in ages, and sitting here I feel so helpless” She groaned, a weary sound, and her spell was cut. With heavy eyes, she watched as the map dimmed, and all the dots faded.
Nuzzling her, doing his best to soothe and keep her supported. “They are strong. You should have seen how they devastated Sombra’s forces that first day, not to mention how bad Apple Bloom beat my soldiers, and all that is without the Elements” He mused, with a sense of envy in his tone, but far more respect. “If I had a dozen of them on guard, Sombra would be crushed, and nothing would threaten our Empire. So you should let them go about, and focus more on here. You can do great by meeting our new citizens” She had not thought of this, and she studied him. “A Prince is one thing, but you know how crazy ponies are for a Princess” He gave her a suggestive grin. “And this Prince is certainly crazy for you too”
Chuckling, and shoving him playfully, Cadence said “You always know what to say, you love sick foal”
“You do inspire the best of me” He responded, a bit more amorous.
“Don’t get too inspired, my love, we have ponies to meet” Her eyes glanced below him, before she moved toward the door.
Together, they joined Mystic Tome outside, where a large gathering of new ponies were being observed and addressed by royal staff. They were sorting any who needed care, and keeping sure that nothing wicked had entered.
The crowd was a quick reminder of how bad it was outside, with so many ponies looking on the verge of death or collapse. Sick, broken, or nervous, each one seemed to echo the last few years, and the different horrors it brought. Despite of what they had gone through, they all found new life upon seeing Princess Cadence. The ponies of the shattered world, seemed whole again before a royal mare. It filled her with purpose, and renewed determination. Shining looked on, proud that the mare he had been so lucky to love, was such a force of hope, that even those so long lost, were again revived.
“My dear ponies” She began, and the crowd calmed. “As our champions who saved you assuredly said, the Crystal Empire welcomes you all. We wish to take you in, and give protection, and unify what is left of our once, beautiful and proud kind” She looked out at the sea of demoralized, and weary people, and felt guilt for what she knew needed to be asked. “I know you all have gone through much, traveled in a way most unusual, and have much to take in, and it weighs heavy on me to ask this, but if any among you wishes to lend what you can to our cause, the Empire will need the added help to support all the ponies it will now house. If any wish to volunteer to join the guard, we can use capable ponies” This caused a shift in the emotions of those assembled, and Cadence quickly attempted to stifle any misunderstanding. “I do not require this, this is not an order. This is pure choice, and it does not reflect your stay in the Empire. You will not be rejected, if you do not wish to lend us aid, but we will need help to keep up with such a boost in our numbers”
“I knew it!” One angry pony shouted, with a number more rippling with their wave of discontent. “This is a set up! Join you, join Nightmare, or get taken to the Clouds. You’re all just using us!”
Shining was not going to be idle at this, and shot back. “Nopony said this is mandatory! We asked, and not once demanded. You all chose to come here, your made that choice. We only ask if you will consider another, and help out. You don’t want to be here, you can choose to leave too! This is all up to each of you”
The crowd did not entirely become satiated, and a much larger number was angered by the situation. They shouted and argued, becoming an unintelligible noise. Then one pony shoved their way through, with a few more flanking her. A yellow Pegasus, with amber eyes, and a mane like fire.
“Hey! SHUT IT!!!” She shouted, managing to silence the group. A few still muttered, but the others in her group made threatening moves, some leaping to the sky to draw the attention. “We’ve all been out in that shit storm for many years now, doing nothing but just getting by, hiding and hoping one day it will all be over. These kind ponies, they’ve gone out of their way to give us that! None of us could get here, or we would have long ago. They saved us, and you miserable ingrates all want to piss and bitch about doing some fucking chores?!” She looked around, giving very hard looks at any who seemed to wish to challenge her. “They’re not telling us, they are asking, and it’s pretty shitty to think not one of you will give back something, anything, to sustain our new home. They might not, but if I catch a single one of you complaining about helping, I will personally throw your flanks out” Showing what kind of force she had at her back, even more ponies started to gather with her, all with something that marked their former status as a team.
Turning to the royal ponies, she gave a bow, with the rest of her Pegasi joining her. “You’ve asked, and the Wonderbolts are here to stand with you, my Princess and Prince” She raised her head again, with such a fire in her eyes, that both Cadence and Shining felt a chill of awe. “We’re proud to serve Equestria again, and her ponies!” Many behind her cheered in agreement.
“We are proud to have you” Shining finally said. “I’m surprised any Pegasus, let alone such a large number, escaped Rainbow Death’s Lightning Guard”
She looked even more serious, as an anger grew inside her. “She was one of the greatest Pegasi I had seen, perhaps the best any Pegasus to have lived, and she used that. Some saw the signs, and even after, some managed to escape to keep low until we could find a way to strike back. We will defy her, and spend every ounce of ourselves in stopping her and those traitorous cowards in her Aerial Nation. She is no Pegasus, she is a demon”
Moving closer, and taking lead, Princess Cadence spoke to ease the pony’s mind. “We are glad to have you here, and see that there are so many who resist the wickedness of this land. The Empire, and we its rulers thank you. You are the illustrious, and storied team of noble Pegasi as so many of us remember you being, and we welcome the Wonderbolts into our ranks, and their fearless Captain Spitfire”
More ponies approached, these new members were dressed in unkempt, broken, and mostly useless armor, but they wore them like they were new and gleaming. “Sweetie Belle told that the Empire was seeking to save the survivors of Equestria, we the Last Soldiers of Canterlot are not here as refugees, but to join the ranks of the Crystal Empire!”
Shining seemed near to tears, seeing some friends he once had in his days in the Royal Guard, and the old armor that he once wore like a second skin. “We are happy to see you alive, and ready to continue your duties” He attempted his best, to hide his emotions.
Dust Jacket, working as aid and runner for Mystic, arrived to inform the Princess. “They just came in, while miss Fire was speaking. They heard her, and I couldn’t keep them from marching here in force”
“Nothing to be worried about, this only makes matters much better” Cadence smiled, seeing now the burden was less on those poor souls who came here only seeking escape. “Dust Jacket, please have a message sent to Sweetie Belle to inform her to be sure to tell those they save that we only ask that some ponies to consider aiding the Empire. I’m sure she will find a good way to word it, but stress that it is not a requirement of any who come”
He nodded. “Yes, my Princess” Then he took to the air, zipping back to join Mystic.
Cadence addressed the crowd again, continuing her request. “If any should decide to lend aid, seek out Prince Shining Armor, and all others continue to listen to our aids, who will help you in whatever way you need. We will find housing and feed you. If any carpenters or farmers are willing, this bulging Empire will need your help most of all”
Shining took over, addressing those he would lead. “Ok, Wonderbolts, Canterlot guards, and any who wish to join now, follow me” He turned and lead the large group away, as the remainder were again being attended by Empire ponies, and it left Princess Cadence to return to the castle to reflect.
Ascending the stairs, and returning to her map, Princess Cadence was deep in her thoughts. “How can I be so happy to see so many ponies returned to safety, yet feel such dread?” She was speaking out loud, and to nopony. “I know I had hoped more would pitch in, but now a real strain will be placed upon us and the resources we have” She hovered over the map, not sure why, but she was drawn to summon her spell, yet she did not. “No, Shining is right, I cannot be spending so much on our protection and exploration. If I burn out, it would do no good”
She retired, leaving the map behind, with her desire to keep her watch. Cadence knew the most important thing now was to rest, for she had been pushing far too hard lately. The Empire needed its Princess, ever more as it filled with ponies.
******
After a few days since the groups had started pouring in, Princess Cadence had focused herself on shoring up the plans and duties of the court, as Shining was busy getting his new forces used to the life in the Empire, and how he ran it.
Coming to the map again, for the first time to use it since those few days past, Cadence called her spell, and observed the state of things. She could tell that the pair of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had made it near the very end of Equestria and the last groupings, but despite the fact it should be bare, something seemed out of place to her. There were a few places where ponies refused to leave, for one reason or another, and now they were gone. “I don’t like that…” She still felt for those ponies, even if they did not wish their help. “I fear they have been claimed by dark forces…” She pushed herself harder into the spell, hoping that maybe it was just not at full strength, but it resulted in nothing more than before.
“They… made their choice…” She said, deeply pained in her attempt to clear her mind of guilt. “I do not like it, but they had a chance to escape… we did wh-” She stopped, and something far more urgent took her focus. “Shining Armor!” She cried out, and rushed out of the room.
Before her spell faded, the map showed several dark spots, growing in numbers until they were nearly one. The blackness was moving, creeping like a stalker in the night, ready to consume the castle in their wicked intent. This was no battle to come, it would be the deciding war between the Crystal Empire and the Umbra.
Prince Shining Armor was well aware of the gathering forces against them, and had pulled every soldier he had, save for those not yet ready to do battle from the refugees. The Canterlot guards, and a few others were already trained, but still a large number was not used to the maneuvers and drills to be of any good in such a decisive fight. He would leave those willing to fight, but unready as a last resort to fill their ranks if the course took a turn.
“Royal Guard of the Crystal Empire” Shining began, addressing his forces. “Last Soldiers of Canterlot, soldiers and guards from around Equestria, King Sombra is making his move. He must see our growing numbers, and has been forced into attack. He is desperate, and we cannot underestimate those who have nothing to lose. We have everything to lose, and will fight against him and the Umbra because we are the defense of our kind, our friends, families and all those who stand in the shadows of the Apex of Villainy. We are the survivors, they are the aggressors, and now as this battle nears, we will show the world that the united force of those oppressed will not bulk and fall. The Shatter Storm is gone, and in the pieces we are rebuilt, and made stronger. Of all the scattered ponies, we are now one again. We are not ponies from Canterlot, Manehattan, Cloudsdale, Ponyville or other place from our lost country, we are the country! We are Earth, we are Unicorn, we are Pegasus. We are Equestria!”
His words flowed through the assembled, and filled each one of these warriors with a drive and purpose that was too much to keep in. They cried out, shouting for their home, and everything they fought for. They would give everything they had, and not one would dare anything less. If they fell, it would be in defense of the defenseless. The opening act to the war against the Apex of Villainy was swelling to the score of ponies chanting and marching in unison. King Sombra and the Umbra would be the first to taste the pent up fury of a people too long hidden away as their world died, ponies who had a cause to fight for.
Outside the protective shielding of the Crystal Heart and Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor stood at the front of his forces, with a select few of his best flanking him, and a sea of brave ponies behind. The group was largely Crystal ponies, some who had long awaited revenge since the terrible King enslaved them a thousand years ago. There was Earth and Unicorn plenty, and a few Pegasus who hovered above keeping their honed eyes into the distance for the first signs of the enemy. With Cadence at the map, she would see if any trouble was moving around, but from what she saw, Sombra was focusing on a full frontal assault, either so desperate he felt he needed to give his all here, or too foolish to think of a better plan. It did not much matter, for barrier was too strong for them to break, not before a contingent could move on them. Shining did not bet all on this front line, and had groups through the Empire waiting to move if needed. This was not his first battle, and he had studied many before his time, and so long as it was needed, Shining would be the master in combat and display it.
It would not be long, as the field before started to tremble, and the echoing sound of hooves on the move marked the first signs of their approach. For some, it was the first time seeing the horrors of these monstrous creatures. Horse-like in the same way as starved corpse, with the wispy form of a specter. These ghosts were ravenous and depraved. Through and around them, in his shadow form, King Sombra rolled with his forces, his head lost in the smoke, save for the greedy, lustful eyes, and a smile to match. It made it hard to see just how many of the horrors were there, as his form covered and uncovered those around him.
Prince Shining Armor and a detail trotted out to meet the forces, stopping short as the Umbra and their King made their line. Against everything in him, Shining attempted one last act of diplomacy. “King Sombra, in the past we have clashed and fought, and we have never been able to end in peace. I ask you, one last time, come to reason, and end these hostilities. Leave the Crystal Empire be. We do not seek to harm you or the Umbra, and if you end this aggression, we can go our separate ways and let one another alone”
Not laughing or seeming as blinded by his desires as oft time before, Sombra nearly appeared to be considering this. “Prince Shining Armor” He began, more of his head forming. “I have come to respect and admire your devotion to your ponies, and the Crystal Empire. You are a skilled leader, and if not for our differences, I may have employed you” Shining could clearly see this conversation was not going to end in peace. “You are a skilled leader, but as I am also a leader, a King whose throne was stolen, I must lead my Umbra against you to reclaim what it rightfully mine; unless of course, you and those who deny me leave the Empire, and return it to its true King”
Sighing, and looking down, Shining was confirmed that this day would not end without bodies. Steeling himself, he looked back at the other ruler. “You lost any claim to a crown here, when you enslaved your ponies for your own selfish needs, and dared to challenge Equestria. No pony here will ever accept you back, unless it is as a corpse. The Crystal Empire will not welcome you now, or ever. Today, we end this!”
“Foal! I am the King of these lands, and you are but a Princes. A King always overrules a Prince, so bow before me boy!” His fury was no longer being held, and his stormy form raged with him.
Not backing down, Shining responded as he locked eyes with the clearly deranged stallion. “You are a false king, who cheated his way to rule, and only succeeded in becoming a tyrant. I will not suffer a dictator, and this Prince will dethrone you now, and for all time!”
High in the towering room where she kept her map, Cadence was looking out the window to the battle beyond. The war had begun, and it was fierce. She bore a heavy heart, knowing her beloved was standing against the greatest threat the Empire had known in many centuries. She dared to look away, only to seek the answers on her map, seeing if his heart ever showed signs of being lost. She said she would remain outside the battle, so the Empire would not chance to lose both rulers, but she knew that if he seemed poised to fall, she could not stay herself. A couple ponies were stationed with her, to keep her safe from a surprise attack, should one get so far, but also keep her from acting too impulsively.
“Our numbers at full are a fraction of the Umbra, and we do not even meet them with that” Cadence started, letting her worried mind spill out. “He has never sent so many at once, and we had only ever kept them at bay before”
One of those keeping watch, was also an adviser. They offered. “The Prince is the greatest tactician in Equestria, your majesty, before or since. Princess Celestia had always praised him for his cunning, and his skills as a warrior. He has protected and lead us again and again against the foes who sought to destroy us these long years” The mare smiled, giving some of it to Cadence. “He will come through, have faith” Her words did bring some ease to the Princess’ mind, but it was not easy to reject the doubt so readily.
“Numbers mean little, when weighed against wisdom and skill” A stallion said, standing near the window, observing the battle beyond. “History has shown that a minority can raise and overcome great odds. Your Prince is the wisdom, his well trained and loyal soldiers the skill. King Sombra and the Umbrum are wild and unrefined, and that can be victorious, but rarely can it be against a trained, focused foe”
His words were very wise and informative, giving her a renewed sense of hope. It was not for a moment more, that she would regard who was talking, and finding a stranger. “I thank you for your words, they do aid my troubled mind, but just who are you?”
A black coat, that may have once shined like obsidian, but now looked tired and unpolished. His mane was long, and flowed off him like a lion’s, also grayed with age, but the silver streaks added to It somehow. His eyes were a deep jade, not affected like the rest of him by age, they almost had a glow to them. He also bore a proud, long horn denoting that he was indeed a powerful creature. Dressed like an emperor, he seemed at home in the Crystal Empire, yet none knew him. He gave a graceful bow, and spoke again, with a rich voice. “Forgive the intrusion, my lady, but I am simply another relic, a forgotten and ancient foe of Equestria” He stood again, now Cadence was on guard. “Do not worry, fair Princess, I mean no harm to you or those of this Empire. I am Lord Equinox. I was once a fiend, long before your people came to claim this land, but those days are far behind” He turned his eyes back to the window. “I would be lying if there was not some investment in this battle, however. I ask, if I may observe with you, my lady?”
She was taken by him, he had such an air about him, it was hard not to be, but she was also unsure to how true his words were in that he only wished to watch. As guards rushed in to form a barrier, she asked. “Wh-what do you seek then? If you have no ill will toward us, what is it that the battle has for you?”
“The Umbrum were once mine, until my son betrayed me, and imprisoned me” He turned his head to look more fully out the field beyond, a cold expression forming over him. “I am curious to see how he has progressed as their ‘King’… so far, he has again disappointed me” He smiled in a way, both light, but unnervingly. “Sombra forgets his roots, so distracted by his brief time as just an orphan pony. He believes this Empire is his, but it was Equestria that was his birthright, however as long as I remain, he has no real claim to anything but punishment for usurping me”
“Will you seek to take Equestria, if you can gain the Umbra again?” She attempted to stay neutral, but she was ready to move should he require it.
He looked at her, with a distance in his eyes. “There is not much of this land to want, and I do not wish this Empire either” He looked away again, drawn toward the traitorous son. “This ground is poison to the Umbrum, and it weakens even me as I stand here, at the heart” He had a faint smirk. “No paronomasia intended”
Cadence was a bit confused by his exposure, and she had noticed a look of almost pain since he drew their attention. “Why disclose such a weakness?”
“A show of faith” He turned, and knelt before her, the guards aiming their weapons at him in fear it was an attack, but she halted them. “You have my word, as the true King of those misguided creatures, that I shall not intend or bring harm to you or this Empire, so long as you bring none to me”
She regarded him for a moment, sensing his power and the aura of one who was wicked, yet she also felt that he was being true to his words. There was something to how he conducted himself, and it reminded her of the stories Shining would talk about in his O&O campanes, where even enemies could meet and be honourable and not just kill one another. Equinox was one such, noble and traditional lord. Cadence waved off her guards, feeling no danger, and bowed to him. “My Lord, I vow as Princess of the Crystal Empire, no harm shall befall you in my grace, as long as you hold to your words and respect the laws I uphold” The guards were not sure of this, but they trusted her judgement. Still it was weird to them, as she was speaking so respectfully to a stranger and self proclaimed villain.
They now stood to their fullest, the impressive height of an Alicorn was easily met and even slightly surpassed by the stallion. They locked eyes, two powerful beings, potential enemies, but now simply equals taking measure of their alliance. He was first to speak, again displaying his old world conduct. “You are a true, and brilliant leader. It leaves little wonder why the Empire has endured. With your heart so pure, and convictions likewise strong… Those eyes too, so much like your mother”
Shattering her resolve, the weathered and practiced Princess was reduced to a filly with a single mention of hope to her lost history. “Y-you knew my mother?!” She stepped forward, forgetting any sense of stoicism.
He took no pleasure in his unintended strike, and even frowned to himself. “Yes, I knew her…” He looked away, not as much as to avoid the answers to questions rushing to her mind, but the fact that something beyond was happening. “These tales will come in time, but now I fear there is a turn in the conflict” He strode toward the window, hoping to leave that moment behind.
Snapping back to the reality of the war, Cadence pushed down her own needs, and charged to the window. They stood together, observing what it was that Lord Equinox was talking about.
***
The battle waged beyond the protective barrier of the Crystal Empire, and not one within those walls could ignore that their very future was out there in bloody conflict. Many sought some place to hide, to try and escape the reality, others watched from where they could, more still muttered and spoke on the subject. Many where those who had been “saved” and brought here, questioning if they were truly better here or out there. It was seeming to be they had just been rushed into death, not salvation. The waves of Umbra, crashing and crushing the forces of the Empire, only added weight to the complaints and talks of those fearing the worst.
Of the many groups in states of unrest, another were the untrained, unready defenders. Their chance to fight was taken by the suddenness of battle, but their blood still boiled and their hearts ached to be there to save their kind. None, perhaps, suffer more than the former Wonderbolts. They had training as a team, skills as a unit, but were withheld because they were not military.
Pacing like a caged tiger, Spitfire snorted and kicked up the ground, wearing a groove where she trotted. “This is madness” She spat. “We should be out there” She could not take being reduced to this station. She lost her place as a leader, being a captain again, but that was not her gripe. She could not accept that she had to listen to an order that left her grounded.
“But ma’am,” One of the others, still holding to their ranks as Wonderbolts. “What can we do? Surely we would be a liability, seeing how we are not warriors or trained in their maneuvers. You always said it was important for a team to know one another, in and out, and know how to move like one. We know nothing about them” His words were rational, and worse, made sense with her own words used against her.
She stopped, not calmed by the logic, only fueled more by the theme. “We are not soldiers” She looked up, like she was watching her thoughts ascending. “We are Wonderbolts, a well oiled machine, that was survived the Death Squads of the Flock. We knew before how to react and move with sudden changes, we trained to read the unpredictable, and we are able to learn to work with another force” She turned fast to her group. “We’ve not some raw recruits here, we are a team! The best fuck’n team Pegasus kind… Equestria has ever seen!” She took to the air. “I will not sit here, as those good ponies die for us. I will not stand by as more fall while we hide! Soarin and his squad gave their lives so we can live, so we could be here now to echo their sacrifice! He stood at a crossroad, and made his choice. Now we stand there. Who will make that choice again?” There was only a brief hesitation before the first Pegasi took to the air, then more until the sky was shuttering with the beating of hearts and wings.
Spitfire smiled, with a pride only a leader could know of her people. “Every Pegasus must now unite, to fight along with the Earth and Unicorns. We are not the greatest race, but we were born from the blood of warriors and champions! The Pegasi have the drive, the endurance and the ambition to turn this battle! Together, with all ponies, we are glorious, we are powerful, and we all share in that greatness and promise of being legends! Raise up, do your best, and make the wicked cower to our beating wings, stomping hooves, and illuminated horns. We will end the hurricane! We will shatter the storm! We here now are Pegasi, but together WE ARE EQUESTRIA!!!”
As the Pegasi shouted and cried out in unison, many around the Empire were listening, and some were even moved themselves. The ones who were doubting, now knew they had made the right choice by coming here. They needed to stand with their follow ponies, be it a last stand, or just one before they win back their land, or die trying.
“Lead and Wing ponies form up!” Spitfire instructed. “Team divided amongst them, stay with your groups, and listen to your leaders. Watch for changes, and show these fuckers what it means to cross our grounded kin, what it means taking on all who call their land home! Wonderbolts, SOAR!!!”
***
The battle field was deafening, the clashing of weapons, horns, and bodies. The crunch and gore of living and death, in the chaos that could not find even the best poets means to describe it in any way but horror. The fields painted by disturbed earth, blood, and corpses, it was no sight for the weak hearted, and there was no place even for the strongest. Some reverted to primal tactics, biting and using anything blunt to crack skulls and break bones. Despite the roar of battle, some still halted when the ground convulsed, and the sky exploded.
Shining was among those who could not ignore the sounds, and turned. “What is-” He got out, before a rain of shapes came over the battle, living missiles that found target in the Umbra. Large groups exploded off the battlefield, as these trained, hardened Pegasi cut through rank after rank of shocked foes. Their speeds made even the most powerful of siege weapon look like toys, as their very bodies were now the weapons. The first volley ended, and unlike normal artillery, the Wonderbolts were alive. With their flair and skill, they rocketed back high into the air, found new targets, and repeated their deadly deluge.
“Hmm…” King Sombra, engaged in battle, yet not so much as his pawns, observed this new turn. “So, the Wonderbolts survived their mad President bloody term” He turned his attention to his soldiers, barking out. “Rear groups, focus attacks on those Pegasi” He then added to himself. “Let them wish they were fed to a machine, and not our maws”
With the aid of Spitfire and the Wonderbolts, the battle was definitely taking a turn, as it became more of an even fight, yet it was far from conclusive. The hope was restored, and moral boosted. The Umbra would face fresh and reinvigorated foes.
Lord Equinox coughed, looking to be in a great amount of pain, yet still keeping a regal and stoicism to his demeanor. This did not stop Cadence from taking in his repressed feelings, as they were observing from the tower window. “Are you ok, my Lord?” She asked with a genuine concern for the supposed villain.
He turned his head slightly toward her, giving her a smile that further pushed this notion of him being wicked away. “Do not allow me to be a distraction or concern to you, my Lady. Being Umbrum here in the castle, surrounded by the powers of the Empire, Heart, and your shields, does me a great disservice. The crystals here own, and hold an energy that puts great strain on us”
“Is there anything that I can do to…” Her thoughts shifted, something in what he had said caught her attention and processed. As she searched this out, she caught sight of his smirk, telling that he did not speak simply to his own well being in the information he provided. She whipped around, and pointed at an attendant. “Get word to Prince Shining Armor!”
A galloper charged through the carnage, their sole mission was to get news to her prince, and once she arrived, it first annoyed Shining to be distracted. His mood turned, when the news was possibly a turn in this battle. He did not know how this came to Cadence, but he would accept it. He shifted back to the fight, and processed what to do. “Get word to all Unicorns, draw upon the crystals of the Empire, use their energy with your own, and strike the Umbra!” The word would be passed, as he thought to himself. “I hope she is right…”
King Sombra had been marching and fighting without a sense of concern, as his forces were still holding ground, yet it was fading as the Pegasi were proving to be a greater nuisance than he believed possible. The mood was completely lost, as his confidence and arrogance was turned to frustration and anger. The Unicorn were now seemingly multitudes stronger. “What is going on here?!”
One of his soldiers nearest hear their King question the situation, and took it as a chance to speak. “It appears they have rediscovered our ancient weakness to the power of the crystals that litter their Empire, why the Umbra have been unable to truly take this place”
Sneering, and gritting his teeth, Sombra rage grew to a zenith. He disregarded all else but to take out the prince, and so he charged through the fields, crash and crushing alley and foe alike. The energy that drifted from his eyes, now like blazers. “I will squash this upstart, and kill the morale he installs”
Shining Armor saw the rolling cloud of fury, crested by the twisted and furious head of Sombra, tearing through the crowds. “She said the crystal energies did not affect him the same” He thought, turning to face him. “But my magick is more than enough to face this fiend” He wanted this, desired it. All he had done, the endless assaults upon his Empire, those he cared for and protected. The death of his sister. Shining let all else fall away, only seeking to end this vile king.
Leaping from the clouds, Sombra made a large ache, coming down upon Shining, as their horns clashed, sending out a wave of noise like an explosion. With just as much force as a volcano, their meeting draw much attention to those nearest. Their magick crackled and danced from their blows, stretching out like lightning bolts, doing near as much damage to the ground and those too close. They held different titles, but these two stallions were of similar might, yet it was clear that Shining Armor had an upper hoof here. Sombra was too lost in his rage, as his plans and ambitions fell away, he focused these frustrations on the Prince, but he did not focus his efforts on their battle.
“Such a disappointment” Lord Equinox said with such disdain, nearly unable to keep watch of the battles, and the thing he sired. “The defeat of my Umbrum by Princess Amora, and my banishment were far less of an upset and blow to my pride, than this travesty. That usurper bastard, leading my people to the slaughter, as he conducts himself like a spoil child refused his toy. He holds no honour, no glory, no respect. Sombra knows only greed and fury”
Hoping for a chance to change things, Cadence offered. “Why not retake your throne? Surely after these events, the Umbra would take you back, welcome you, against the continued leadership of a foal?”
He bore a painful smile, and turned away. “Sadly, this is no option. They had readily chosen him, shaped him to overthrow me. To the point they passed the name ‘Umbrum’ for his ‘Umbra’. They see me as accountable for their long imprisonment and their banishment. They will not come to forgive such a crime, even if I was the better alternative to my rotten spawn. They would not heed my words to end this fight, for they would only wish to push on until they had revenge and freedom. I could not be king, even if I desired it. My ambitions are no theirs”
“I wish you could, we would welcome you as an ally”
“Oh dear child” He turned to her, looking dangerous enough that she actually was feeling at risk. “I am still a villain, do not be drawn to the illusion my civility and honour in my conduct displays. We are still enemies” His words saddened her, and she did not fully know why. “I can be civil, and I did vow to remain so, however had I a kingdom again, and people to rule, I would also have the drive and desire for conquest. Fortunately for you, my Lady, I am King of nothing, there for I aspire for nothing”
Heavy was her heart, Cadence was taken with this pony, and wished he would let go of his wicked ways to be her friend for more than the convenience he somehow was finding here. “I do not understand how we cannot take a new path here, you could-” She was ready to confront this, but something much more pressing was drawing their attention. “What is that?” She looked to her map. “More Umbrum?” Something was swarming the map, moving quickly toward the battle. Their numbers as great as the Umbra at the start of this fight, but their hearts were confusing and twisted, not at all reading like the rest of those engaged, and it took her a moment to realize what they were. “Oh please…” She stumbled back, Lord Equinox moving closer to see just what she saw. “Oh Cosmatia, no… not her… Not now!”
Finding no answer in the map, the former Lord moved to the window for clarification. The sky was turning black, like a cloud that was sweeping toward the conflict below. A cloud made of several creatures.
Princes Shining Armor and King Sombra were heavy into exhaustion, as their battle was draining. They panted and tried to recover enough to make another move. Shining had been solely focused upon Sombra, and much the same was the King, yet when the sky was changing, it draws the Prince’s attention, while a new danger was flying their way.
King Sombra was about to take this distraction as a chance to strike, but something landed beside him, and he found focus there instead. He was near to strike whatever it was, when her voice stopped him. “In this clash of Royalty, you forget to invite a Queen?” Chrysalis mocked a look of pain, as she regarded Sombra. “Oh how disappointing”
“What do you want, bug?” He snapped, not at all welcoming this rival to what is his battle.
“Dear King,” She began. “I am here to aid in your take over of the Empire, why, after all, you and I are the only two who are true royalty here. King and Queen of these broken lands, so why should we be divided enemies, with small dominions, when we can be joined rulers and share it all as our new Kingdom?”
Far to the Southern parts of what was Equestria’s borders, a pair of ponies were moving along with their quest near its end. They were spending these moments between groups sharing and reliving moments of their lives apart. Apple Bloom was currently speaking on an adventure she had with Applejack. “... like dominoes the trees came down and scared off a pack of those… what did ya call em? Enfields? Anyways, Applejack showed them critters just what happened when ya cross a couple of Apples” She laughed at her thoughts, feeling such joy from that moment, leaving Sweetie Belle smiling attentively, if not a bit veiled.
Sweetie was happy for her friend, and enjoyed these stories, but there was that part of her that was a bit jealous that they had one another through those years, while her own sister was taken before she could even know something was wrong. Rarity could not be put to rest, so long as Nightmare trotted around in that twisted form. She tried to deny it, hide it, and even fool herself that she was past it, but it still stung her when she gave it too much thought. The Zebracorn made another attempt to bury those feelings. “Sounds like you both had quite the adventure out there”
Not really detecting the pain in her friend’s voice, Apple Bloom went on to ask “What about y’all? I bet Zecora and ya had some great times?”
Not answering right away, Sweetie lingered in her mind for a while until she realized Bloom was not about to let it go. “Early on, yes” She reluctantly began. “You could say I had fun. There was so much to learn in the way of the Zebra. Plants, and soils, and everything just working in such a harmony, the hidden remedies and tricks that were so clear to a learned and open mind. The world around us is so bountiful, and being able to work with Nature, not make it work for you, can produce such wonders” For a moment, she was actually lost to the same elation she had when she was studying those many years ago. “I was so entranced, I nearly gave up on Unicorn magick. I spent the early years becoming attune with my Zebra side, then I found stores of Twilight’s notes and books… It rekindled my interest, when I came at them with a new mind. I spent much of the last decade mastering them, and becoming the hybrid of magicks” She stopped, and became forlorn again. “I gained so much knowledge, and lost so much besides…”
“Come on Sweets, y’all gotta keep focused on those positives!” Bloom tried to bring her friend back around. “You were look’n so happy just now, don’t let the bad keep you down. It wasn’t all fun and bust’n baddies out there, we had plenty of bad times, but keeping the good in our minds got us through. Y’all had some good times with Zecora, keep those closer. No matter how short, the good moments we get will outweigh the bad, and I’m certain they are what shaped ya into such a great mare”
Shaking her head, Sweetie could not grasp her friend’s optimism and said as much. “I can’t be as positive as you, and I really can’t figure out how you can be”
“By focusing on what I got, and the good things about what I had!” She stressed. “My skills, my memories, being alive, you, and the hope we can survive this war and maybe just restore our home, at the very least, help others through”
Not accepting this for herself, Sweetie turned around to fully face Bloom. “I feel the loss is greater than the gain, or the value of memories”
“Don’t be all scientific with it. Sure the numbers of the negative things is greater, but they are only valued as much as you place in them. Losing AJ was hard, and hurt me for a long time, but I pushed that down with how much I loved her, and all the great moments we had. I value those way more than one terrible loss”
Looking inward, Sweetie had to admit something she was not facing. “Maybe I just didn’t have enough good memories before… especially with Rarity…”
Before Bloom could respond, Sweetie’s horn illuminated, and a scroll appeared. Reading it to herself first, her expression made the tone of this note very clear. “King Sombra has made his last move,” She recounted. “He pushed the defenders to their limits, but they managed to hold their last lines… but Queen Chrysalis has joined with Sombra, and the Empire now is on the brink of defeat between Umbra and Changeling” She crumpled the letter, and gave Bloom a scowling look. “See?! This is what I mean by not having anything good to focus on, when bad shit keeps happening! We’ve been doing all this, rounding up the last of our kind, so we could serve them up to the villains. We’ve doomed them all!”
“They ain’t doomed!” Bloom snapped. “Y’all keep thinking we’re sunk, and focus’n on how we’re all fated to lose, but that’s just stink’n think’n! We knew we’d have ta fight eventually, now it just the start of the end of this war. We can, and we will win this! Y’all are the most talented mare I’ve even met. Yer the best of two greats, Zecora and Twilight, and together we’re gonna go back there and face those two with everypony, and show the rest of them villains what we can do!”
Sighing, defeated again by her friend, Sweetie was left unsure but motivated. “I don’t know how you do it, but I guess we can’t give up now, not after all we’ve achieved so far. We can’t let all we’ve done be for nothing, not without a fight” She pulled out a map, and measured the distance. “I just don’t know how we’re going to get back there anytime soon. I can’t travel that far with my teleport, and though I could send you ahead, I can’t stand being alone out here…”
“Couldn’t y’all use the letter spell on us both?”
“I-I’m not sure… I suppose with some finagaling… but that is such an untested thing”
Pressing against Sweetie, Apple Bloom had all the confidence for the both of them. “Y’all made the spell work on ponies, and it large groups, the two of us will be nothing… I just hope we don’t merge into one pony, er somethin’… I love ya Sweets, but I like us to stay apart in that sense”
Shaking her head, Sweetie assured her friend. “No, of course not, that is purely fictional… I hope…” She forced a grin. “Focus on the positives, right?”
“Yeah!” Bloom hugged to her. “That’s the spirit”
***
After their initial union on the battlefield, the two wicked rulers had retreated a bit from the front lines to converse over their moving forward. Queen Chrysalis was looking out at the battle in amusement, as her Changelings reverted the victory that was seemingly assured once the Wonderbolts joined the battle. Now, even with those reserved teams spread through the Empire, it was looking to be an assured defeat.
She scanned about, a cruel grin upon her face, as she caught sight of her new alley, who did not share in her enthusiasm. “Oh, why so dour? It does not suit such a fine King, who will soon have all he dreamed” Beneath his surface, though never too well hidden, Sombra was furious. “You did great, and drove their pitiful resistance to the near brink of their defeat. We are merely the calvary, restoring your victory”
“I should need no assistance, if I was so truly great a king” He growled, unveiling his true source of bitterness. “Those cursed ponies discovered a weakness of my army, and nearly lost me everything” He looked to her, with his eyes only. “I do not trust you, or your intentions” He turned his head now. “After all these years, not once have you reached out to me for any sort of alliance. Now on the eve of my greatest defeat, you come with offerings of union and kinship? Too much has aligned here, for this to be just coincidence. One cannot help in feeling their is some motive, an exploit of weakness much as those ponies have found”
Chrysalis turned her head, keeping her eyes upon him, in the furthest corner of those insect-like orbs. Coyly she replied. “You are not an easy one to reach, as you are often in the detestable realm of the Umbrum. It did not seem quite right to speak to you as you were in the midst of battle” Her haunting green eyes looked back to the siege, and continued. “We never had a reason to fight, you and I, nor have we had much more of a reason to join together; until now. Equestria, what remains, is dying, prey is disappearing, and my Changelings need victims. Between that mad Pegasus, and the reclusive Unicorn, my stores are running out. Now, what we had, is collected here at the Empire”
Regarding her, and cooling his rage, Sombra was understanding her sudden change of heart. Her reasoning was acceptable. “You can do what you want with them, so long as they live to serve me. I will have my birthright, and you will have your feast. The Crystal Empire will be mine”
“You will have what is by rights yours, and we will have what we need to survive” She echoed. “Then, we will turn our alliance outward, and crush those remaining rivals. Equestria is simply too small for so many tyrants”
“Of that, we can completely agree” Sombra sneered.
***
The bay coloured Unicorn paced around the area where he had been receiving the refugees, Mystic was impatiently awaiting word from Sweetie Belle as the war made, perhaps, last turn toward the worse. A guard was also standing by, keeping an eye on the Unicorn, and to serve as a runner since Dust Jacket was back home taking a rest. When Mystic’s horn alighted, he was slightly relieved to finally gain what he sought, but he soon had more than he expected. Two ponies, not one note, appeared from the traveling spell, and the Unicorn was shocked by their coming. Apple Bloom stood in place, eye twitching as she was not too fond of this version of travel. Sweetie Belle was also a bit stunned in the event, being her first.
Shaking her whole body, the Zebracorn was tingling all over. “Oh… that is unpleasant…” She attempted further to rattle the feeling from her. “I’ll have to apologize to all those we sent”
Recovering herself with one last shutter, Apple Bloom turned to the guard. “How goes the battle?”
“Poorly, Ma’am” The guard bluntly responded. “The prince has pulled back to guide the groups, and we’ve had to enlist several of the reserve defenses to strengthen the lines, leaving several areas around the Empire now at risk if they manage to get through”
Turning on one hoof, Apple was ready to charge into the fray. “Time to put these Elements to the test”
“I’d hold off on that” Sweetie warned. “We need to assess the enemy’s might first, and act accordingly. No sense putting it all on the table, if they are still holding back”
Pausing a moment, the Earth pony knew the logic was there. “Alright, but I ain’t hold’n nothing else back!”
The pair was off again, and neither of the remainder had purpose to be here. “Do what you must, I need to return home to check on Dust Jacket” Mystic said to the guard. “He is surely worried sick. I have no duties here, but if there is need of this old Librarian, I’ll be at home. Best of luck”
***
Princess Cadence was divided between her map and the window, trying to observe all at once, but only putting herself into a tailspin doing so. She had runners also moving at a frantic pace, going between her and Shining, keeping them best informed of events all around the Empire. For his part, Lord Equinox was doing his best to describe things going on so she would not need to be in such a state. As good as he was in recounting, she still felt the need to see for herself.
“My Lady,” The old Stallion began, doing his best to deliver a calming tone. “You should ease yourself. That heart of yours is large and great, but even if it cannot handle such strains for so long”
She studied him, still trying to find some plot or misdeed, but he so far had not lived up to this title of villain he claimed. He was showing her utmost concern in her well being, and it did bring her anxiety down. “I cannot relax myself, My Lord” with his concern, he had also passed high respects to her status, and she felt she should return them. “My husband, my subjects, my Empire and all of Equestria is hinging upon this war. Should King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis be victorious, it will spell the end of all that, to all who had held onto a sliver of hope for all this time. Their union was not something any of us could have expected, and all the plans and tricks we had to repel Umbrum, was not counting upon Changeling. Until now, I believed all those in the Apex of Villainy held grudges”
“The Queen plays my son for a fool, if that amounts to any sort of consolation” He offered. “The Umbra and Changelings have a long and bitter history, and if not for the fact that she can no longer reach the Empire and its ponies any more than my usurper son, she would have crushed him in the moment he was losing this war. Those who remember those days, likely known just how much of a farce this alliance is. He should remember, but again he proves to blind by ambition to guard himself to her” His head lowered in shame. “How could I sire such a foal?” He turned back to the window. “She uses his rage and greed to keep him from turning on her, all the while she could easily end his reign if she had the want”
Cadence thought on this, and decided it would be best to share this. “Likely Shining knows just how weak their bonds are, but I cannot allow any vital piece of information linger” She looked to a runner, who was looking very rundown. “Maybe this will help turn this battle once more to our advantage. I know I’ve asked much of you ponies today, but please send this word to the Prince. Tell him that we have our suspicions in Chrysalis using Sombra, and that the Umbrum and Changelings have their own conflicted history, and she is likely poised to turn on him” The runner pushed away all exhaustion, and gave a solute, to again make the trip down to the battlefield. Cadence returned to the window, wishing she had learned the spell Sweetie Belle had with Mystic Tome.
“My Lady, you seem at a great loss, more so than this war’s twists and turns would produce. Have you pushed yourself too far?” Equinox asked, a question that could prove dangerous to be revealed to an enemy, and though he still showed no signs of betrayal, it was not wise to admit weakness in these moments. It was hard to believe him an informant to Sombra or Chrysalis, given how much information he had readily passed against them, yet one could not be too lax in war.
Playing it off, Princess Cadence stretched and moved in a way to make it seem something else. “I have lasted longer than this, and is more worry in the guise of weary” She scanned around the outside, seeing Changelings bashing against the force field around the Empire. “My will is stronger than they are, and my dear subjects are more resilient besides”
“Yes, your subjects” He made a sound of interest. “The Crystal Heart is strong because of you, and because of them, yet they are not as resolved as you are. If their faith wavers, if they become hopeless, the Heart will also falter”
“You do know much of a place you claim is poison to you” She grew a bit more suspicious in his wisdom.
“Knowing your enemy is the first, and most important weapon to have. Any conqueror with any chance knows this, and I have had many lifetimes to learn of the ways and weaknesses of the Empire and Equestria, as well as its strengths” He stood silent for a moment. “I do apologize in sounding like I am plotting, or now a risk to what you have, but do know that I still keep to my word. Even if I was on my fool son’s side of this war, I would be breaking my honour in passing any of my knowledge to him. I am offering my view of things, and though it is not my place,” He turned to her fully. “I wish to pass some advice to you now. Go to your ponies, show them that you are still fighting for them. They need to see that hope lives in you, and you need their faith to keep it alive. Raise their spirits, and assure them that so long as you all stand united, the Crystal Heart will keep the power to hold back this deaths”
She hesitated and was struck by his willingness to provide such wisdom. “Why do you so boldly counter any chance your own son has at taking this castle? You are only obligated to keep knowledge from them, not share it with us. We hold vast stores to outlast a long siege, so what does it serve you to give us insight to make our shield also withstand for a duration?”
Shaking his head, Lord Equinox mused. “Dear Princess, you still fail to see my goals here” He gave a playful smile. “The Umbra rejected me, my son betrayed me, and I hate that bug Queen nearly as much as my insipid spawn. I do not feel they deserve any claim to this castle, or any part of the land it resides, and though any hope that I may rise to power again is long dead, I would not suffer to see him take that glory. They hold no honour, and they keep only shame” He narrowed his eyes, looking as cruel and twisted as he could, placing a rare moment of fear in Cadence. “Call it revenge, if you must find a title, perhaps even, justice” He slowly looked back out to the war, his tone lightening. “A part of me has gained a fondness for you, just as I had from another in your lineage before… so perhaps it is equal parts sentimentality”
“You confuse me still, My Lord, as you speak so of being an ancient evil, you also show such signs of being a kind soul. Why fight it, and linger in their misery of what once was, why not instead join us as a friend?”
With a heavy sigh, Equinox turned from the window, and from her. “Somethings are born into us, and we cannot deny them. I have no ability to make a move upon a box of crackers, let alone an Empire, however I assure you that had I the chance to do so, I would. I could raise an army, and use my vast knowledge to unseat every one of you rulers, and Equestria would be mine” He looked back at her, eyes like those she had seen many times in Sombra and others of the Villainy. “I would not hesitate to take my chance to rule, nor would I take pause in crushing any who stood in my way” His tone was dark and honest, and she was again finding herself torn.
As the guards were coming to life in this sense of danger he displayed to her, the Princess stayed them. “Of all I have seen, and witness, I have found none so honest, even as you show these wicked colours. I have come to trust you, as I trust so very few, and though you promise conquest, I still welcome you as a friend. In spite of the latter, and because of the former, I enjoy your company. Maybe one day, you will find a way to let go of this inborn need to dominate, and grow to be bigger than that”
“Do not allow yourself to become so blind, as Sombra, to the obvious dangers around you” He warned.
***
Prince Shining Armor received a message from his wife, yet it did little for him. “Thank you, however I do not think it will do us much good” He said to the runner. “We cannot get close enough to even shout, let alone attempt to form a rift between them” He looked around, looking for any hope in this fight. The Changelings did more than increase the numbers of the ground forces, their ability to fly sent many to the dome field and the aerial support he had with them. The one blessing was that the Changelings seemed starved, and did not possess much power to change, yet this was little consolation. The Umbrum were the least of their worries, thanks to the boost of the crystals, but this weakness was not shared by the new foes. Hope was hard to cling to now, as the Empire forces were already tired and dwindling, and now greatly outnumbered. “What I wouldn’t give for Cosmatia to return…” He shook his head. “I can’t pray for miracles”
***
Within the Empire, in the home of Mystic Tome and Dust Jacket, the former was sorting his personal library, while the latter was sitting by and watching as his love was going about their habit. Concern soon grew too great, and he called the Unicorn. “Tome?” He attempted once, in a soft and pleading voice, but it was not piercing the haze. Dust gave another go, with a greater force. “Tome, stop sorting!”
The older stallion was struck by the force of his beloved, and the older stallion turned to the Pegasus. “What?” He seemed confused by this outburst, looking upon Dust quizzically.
“You initiate a new shelving system every time you are troubled, or have too much on your mind” Dust clarified, then mused. “It took the Grand Library of Canterlot months to undo your ‘by author’s mother’s maiden name’ system, when the Princesses were deciding my fate. I can only image how stressed you must be, as this appears to be by their mane colour”
Allow themselves to admit their fears, Mystic moved to the Pegasus and embraced them. “I’m afraid… I don’t want to lose another city, another library… risk losing everything”
“It must be bad, if you are letting go of your usual collected air” He hugged back to the Unicorn, hoping to take away the terror. “What is going on out there? Has the war turned so bad?”
“All was going fine… well, it was looking to be in our favor, then another of the Villains joined with King Sombra”
It was no surprise how dire that fact was, and Dust began to see why his love was so distraught. Only it did not make sense, and Dust needed to know. “Who? What one of them could align themselves with Sombra?” Mystic did not wish to give the answer, but Dust was not yielding his interest. “Not Nightmare?” This gave no response. “Rainbow, Discord, Trixie?!” Still there was nothing coming from Mystic. “C-Chrysalis?” subtle, but Dust felt the cringe. “Cosmatia aid us…”
They sat in silence for a time, then Dust felt rage surged through them. “I cannot stand by any more” He tried to stand, but Mystic remained attached to the tan Pegasus. “If she is involved, I must act”
“Dusty, don’t… Y-you can’t go out there…” Mystic pleaded, face buried in the other.
“You did your part, and the role I served was a messenger, but I must be more” He struggled against Mystic. “I rather fight now, while there are lives to save, than wait here for her to come and steal away everything from us” He stood up, moving to the door as the Unicorn was still entangled with them. “I’m sorry my love, but the defense needs the aid I can give, the edge that might make or break this war”
“Dust Jacket… I love you… you can’t go…” His eyes flooded over, and let his grip slip. Mystic sat in the doorway, as Dust was outside. “What will happen when they know?”
“It is because I love you, that I must do this” Dust returned, looking deep into his love’s eyes. “Your love gives me the edge, and the power I need to be free… your courage was what helped me be able to live the life I was gifted. Now, I must return that” A green flash covered him, and the Pegasus was replaced by a Changeling, though not like any drone in Chrysalis’ hive. “Damn what they might think of me as I truly am. I can’t hide while the friends I’ve made as Dust die. I can’t wait for her to try to reclaim me, and consume you” His eyes flared, as did his crooked horn, and he began to change into something else, a form much larger than any had seen a Changeling take on. Mystic could only watch as the other became something monstrous, and perhaps hopeful.
***
The war did not slow, not until something from the North, within the Empire, started to black out the sky. All those witnessing the beast rising stopped dead, and it drew more attention for this. Shining whipped his head around, looking at this sudden turn, then followed the gaze of all those before, and he saw what they all saw. “What in-”
“- Tartarus is that doing here?” King Sombra exclaimed, seeing the beast making its way toward the field. “How did they find alliance with one of their kind, or is it here to make its own assault upon us all?”
Queen Chrysalis was transfixed upon the creature, only not for the same reasons as the rest. She narrowed her eyes, and saw right through the ruse, only she was more troubled by the fact that even she could not find enough power to take on such a form. “How did that drone gain such a force?”
Letting out a roar, ensuring not a single being missed their next move, the Changeling in Dragon form took a fresh breath, and unleashed an inferno upon the forces of Umbrum and Changeling. The raging fires consumed many, and turned their bodies to ash before the wintry winds blew them away. Dust was not simply in the form of a dragon, he could summon their most feared tool.
Sombra, tired of the shifting of battle, roared out in his fury. Chrysalis was likewise enraged, as she sneered. “That traitor!” She shouted. “I’ll show them what becomes of those who turn on their Queen!”
Before she could make her move, Sombra eyes blazed and his horn blinded her with its glow. He made a challenging call, and blasted out a powerful wave of his magick at this new opponent. The ground around him rippled, and the force of his blast pushed away those too weak to resist. Chrysalis actually looked on with some reverence, not expecting such a power in the King. Dust was not without his own might to counter, and his fiery breath met the magick and the two pressed until they could no longer hold. When their attacks ended, Sombra took to his shadow form, and rocketed toward the dragon. Despite his wispy body, Dust found solidity, and with a lash of his tail, sent the wicked king flying way. Sombra crashed hard into the dome of energy, and the energies of the crystals in it surged through his body, as he let out a bloody roar of pain. He crashed to the ground soon after, and was quick to stand against any foe who was waiting him. He was now far behind enemy lines, and though his body was ravaged by the previous moments, he still made himself appear mighty.
Chrysalis looked upon the spectacle, and with little concern over the fate of her “ally”, was more concerned with the member of her kind who was in opposition. She could not allow such a display, and was quick to challenge him for his treachery. “Drone, come to your Queen and heed her orders!” She shouted. “End this display of individuality, and rejoin the hive at once!”
Having sent Sombra to another fate, Dust was able to direct himself at his true target. She made it easy to give focus, and he returned her fury. “I am not your pawn, and you are not my Queen!”
Laughing in his defiance, something she found to be brief, she flew to his eye level. She locked with him, and sought to reassert her will upon him. “No Changeling can resist my control, and though you seem to have gained some new power, you are not exempt from my command” She grinned, thinking she had a great new secret to learn. “Now, tell your Queen what power hides in the Empire that has given you so much, so it may be granted to me and our hive”
He snapped at her with his dragon jaws, and she flew back with no small amount of surprise. As she sneered in his continued resistance, he responded. “You may have some mind over most of the hive, but your control is not absolute, and I will not be another brainwashed, and I know more only play your pawns. The source by which you feed them is archaic, and weak, and they reflect this. I found the true source of power and a real might in it” He postured, displaying the full potential of their kind. “I will tell you this source, one that is everlasting and pure, to those willing to cultivate and keep it. The very reason it can be gained and maintained is why you will never own it” She was too focused on his words, not the meaning, that she was excited by this new well to drink from. She was also missing how many of his hive had become entranced by his meaning and not the words. “Love. True, and actual love. Not for this illusions we can make, but the truth that we are”
She seemed lost for a moment, as she regarded what was given, then she broke any hope that she might actually be moved. “Love?” She laughed in near hysteria, lasting for a time before it trailed off. “What a fool you are, and how great a fool you must think I am to give such a blatant lie. You want me to think ponies can love Changelings? Clearly you withhold the real source, and want to keep all that power to yourself”
“You are a fool! Greater than any other!” He shot back. “You feed upon love, and see how strong it is, yet deny gaining true and honest love, and how much greater that can be? How deep you are in denial, how receded into your bitter, black heart, that you would rather continue down a path on breaking ground, instead of giving a chance to a solid course” Now Dust laughed at her. “Maybe you do know, and that without your manipulations, we could all be great. You fear losing us, so you lie about how great genuine love is”
No longer amused, and showing some cracks in her defense, she growled and was ready to lash out, when something struck her from the side. She looked to the source, finding a group of Changelings. She made a survey of the space around her, finding even more looking at her with the same defiance as the instigator. “What madness is this? You dare strike your Queen?!”
“Yes!” One spoke, seeming a leader to this group, and by their organization, it was not spontaneous. Her horn was smoking, still displaying the trail of her act against the monarch. “When the Queen has oppressed and used us for so long, and let us be weak, while faking this concern for her kind. We have seen through your ruse, to the core of your desires. Power. This rebellion has been brewing for centuries, and now with a champion who could actually match you, we can make our stand!” She made another move, and addressed the battlefield. “My Broodkin! Now is our time to fight back! A champion has risen, and our time is now!” Her body changed from the sickly blacks and greens, to one of a shimmering emerald. “Rise up, and fight for our freedom!”
Finding herself embroiled in a rage liken to Sombra, she whipped her head about to find many of her hive turning to similar shades of green, declaring their intent and allegiance. “You cannot resist me, I am Queen, and you are my spawn!” She attempted to impress upon them, only they were now beyond her. “Damn you, you will all pay for this!” She directed her next command to those remaining hers. “My loyal and true Changelings, focus your efforts on these vert rebels, and crush them!”
Back across the field, King Sombra was striking down those coming at him, until a particular foe made his march toward him. “You seek death? Then come boy” The Stallion was winded and wild.
“You’ve lost this war” Prince Shining Armor said, with absolute command of himself. “The Umbrum are weak and dwindling. The Changelings who came as allies, have turned upon themselves. You can hardly stand. Surrender now, and face punishment”
Laughing, showing even more of his madness, Sombra came back with “Surrender, to a low prince? You think I will yield to you? The Umbrum are legion, and I their King!” He started his charge, sporadic and slow, he believed he would take down the other. “I will not be-” His words were cut short, as he gave a pained shout. His voice was soon drowning and coming in coughs. The “low prince” had made his own move, one with infinite more tact and focus. His white horn pierced through the black stallion and his even darker heart.
Still the impaler, Shining spoke to the dying Sombra. “I gave you warning” He strained, with all his fury from the years giving him might to lift the cruel lord. His horn tore through through flesh and muscle, with the crimson colour of the fading life spilled and stained the dirty, but still gleaming white coat of the Prince. The blood painting him for all to see of his victory. With impressive strength, Shining flung the body to the ground, a sound that put an end to much of the fighting around it. “Once, I would have been reluctant to kill another, we have always been taught to value life, no matter what kind… however the times have changed, and lessons have been learned. Not all can be changed, not all can be saved, and not all must be spared. I will stop at nothing to protect those I love, and my love extends to all of Equestria. You are a threat, you were, and it is clear that it would never change”
“Y-yo…you wretch… ed…” Sombra coughed more, now with blood splattering around his mouth and the ground as he fought to stand, with innards heaping beneath him. “I- I- I… will not… die…”
Calmly, hiding all the rage and feelings pent up for so long, Prince Shining Armor moved to King Sombra. He bore a coldness, as he swiftly stomped down upon the neck of the broken stallion, with a snap that was a shockwave through the battlefield. For a time, seeming to be weighed down by his actions, Shining tried to catch his breath as he stood in the gore of his deed. “Call it mercy… suffering begat suffering” Something now turned in him, and he looked out at the calmed throng of ponies, Changelings, and Umbrum. “Let no Umbrum live! The Crystal Empire shale not suffer them any more, and I will not give pardon for the horrors they have brought upon us! Slaughter them!!!” He spat as he spoke, looking, with no help from the blood that coated him, like a madpony.
This order was a shock to all sides, and it took a moment before any moved. When the first of the defenders acted, it was soon a new madness, as the Umbrum scrambled to escape the impending massacre. The Changelings were not counted in the command, and were soon back at their civil war.
Above, within the Empire, Lord Equinox was still and silent with a distance in his eyes after witnessing the death of his son and the killing of his people. Princess Cadence came to him, a deep concern for how he must be feeling behind all the practiced and trained restraint. “Are… are you ok… my Lord?”
Closing his eyes, he did not respond to her. He took some time to return from the depths of his mind, and he made a course far from the window or anything that displayed the horrors beyond. He found a seat, and dropped into it. “Now… I truly have nothing…”
“I can’t believe Shining would go so far, maybe Sombra, but that? I’m sor-”
“NO!” Equinox stood, startling the room, most of all her as he cut the words short. “This is war, and we cannot condemn what it forces good souls to do. We cannot live in regret, when no choice was left to us. I applaud him, and his dedication and willingness to do whatever is required for his Empire. Do not forsake him” He sat back down, looking nearly crushed by the weight of it all. “Do not taint his sacrifice, for he surely has suffered much already in doing so, and will be for the length of his days. Do not pity me either, for had Sombra won, I would not have given you such shame. One must live, and one must die… That is the unbreakable law of such war”
Cadence stood silently as philosophy did battle in her mind, taking in his words and understanding their truth. “Sombra would not have been spared any resistance had he won,” Her mind worked. “Least of all Shining Armor, but did it mean it was right to act preemptively?” She could not understand the line between good and evil, when what was done for the greater good, was such an act of evil. “History is written by the victory, and does that too mean what is good is deemed by the same author? Does evil become just, when it is done for the country?”
As the Princess struggled with the events of the war, so too was a Queen finding herself in turmoil. With so many Changelings turning, the ones loyal falling, and the Umbrum being slaughtered, the victory so clear was now relieved to be her own downfall. She had moved thinking it was checkmate, only to discover it was her own she had given. She could not have foreseen the traitor in dragon scales, or how he would tip the game irreversibly in favor of the Empire. He was too great a foe on his own, but he was also joined by the leading delegation of undermining brood and left the Queen at more unforeseeable and complete loss. She knew she needed to escape, or she was doomed to the fate of Sombra. Chrysalis had no choice in this, and dared to attempt her survival.
Dust moved quicker than she could, and grabbed the Queen by her neck in his jaws and tossed her to the ground like a meteorite. The impact was great, causing her to call out in agony. She found herself with pools of her green, sickly blood all about her as her hard shell cracked.
“This is the end of your reign” The female Changeling that first joined the “dragon” hovered above the struggling Queen. “Like Sombra, you are too dangerous to keep alive, and though it would serve you to rot in prison until you shrivel up, you are to die this day”
Pain making it hard for her to speak, she still forced out her words, retaining her smug and arrogant. “You are right… I’m not about-t-to change… my ways,.. it’s the one thing I r-r-refuse… too” She looked at the usurper with amusement. “But you… h-haven’t the shell t-to kill. I see… t-too much of t-that p-path-thet-tic… kindness. You are t-too… weak”
Landing hard enough to cause her to lurch in her crater, Dust stood over Chrysalis with absolute conviction in his eyes and words. “You threaten the one pony who has loved me for me, the one who saved me from crawling back to your broken rule. He stood before Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, true and powerful rulers, and defended me. There is nothing I will not do for him, nothing I will allow to continue that might ever hurt him. Judgement has passed, and sentence made. Now it is to me to execute”
Chrysalis could see just how serious and true he was, yet she still could not resist the humor she found in his contradiction to all she believed. Never could she find a reason to think ponies could find care for her kind, and she could only laugh in his face. This gave him no sign of remorse, or regret, only contempt. Dust had none of the former for her, and absolute in the latter. He took a great breath, and with everything he had, he blasted out a fire that would rival the fury of the greatest volcano. The force and heat seared and melted anything too near, and sent several scattering away from the area. It cut deep into the ground, changing the elements of the earth in the heat, and the roar of flames drowned out the cruel laughter of the wicked Queen. When it passed, not even an echo remained of Chrysalis, not even ash, just a great hole made in Dust’s act to remove her from ever being a danger again. It sparkled, like a fresh hope, with gems and glass forged from her defeat. Spent, the Changeling took on his true form, and collapsed to the ground.
Queen Chrysalis being removed, the remaining Changelings under her will were free, and the war here was done. A single figured waded through the crowds of friend and former foe alike. Some bowed, others shrank back, but all made way for the prince, still marked in gore from his own victory. By the time he reached Dust, he was passed out, and the female Changeling was at his side. She looked up at the prince, unsure of his intentions as he wore a cold stare. He pointed a hoof at the unconscious one, and his soldiers moved in to collect.
“What are you going to do?” She asked, keeping them from him.
“Tending to his wounds and injuries” He replied distantly, still struggling with the idea of doing this for a Changeling. “He is a… hero” The words came tumbling out, like constipation.
It was all too clear he was troubled by what he was doing, but he was still doing it for Dust. She bowed to him, and allowed the ponies to take him. As she watched her champion taken away, she focused on the pony in charge. “Prince Shining Armor,” She began, causing him to stiffen even more. “I cannot speak for all here, I do not wish to replace the one who did that, but I think I do have the consensus of the Changelings to say that we surrender. We make no demands, but request mercy” This caused Shining to raise his brow, regarding her sternly. “We were subjected to her will, Chrysalis had a power that effectively made us her pawns to any cruel deed she demanded. Those of us who were free, held too great a fear for the world outside her shelter, and did our best to survive without causing too much trouble. We knew, without her, we had no hope to survive in a world that hated us”
Taking a deep breath, and allowing himself time to think, Shining returned with “Many of you fought against her, even as the battle still was hers. This turn was the one needed to win us this conflict, gaining the advantage needed to crush two from the Apex of Villainy. In light of your service to the Empire, in a very dire time, you will be taken in and held. We will offer you care and shelter, until we can sort out just what the future will hold for our two people. You will not be prisoners of war, but you will be kept from the others. This is the best we can offer, as it is only known to us that Changelings manipulate and use. Trust isn’t easy to earn, and there is a long history that speaks against that even being a possibility, but what I have seen here… Knowing that one of yours has lived with us for so long, and done no harm that we have recorded… Hope does find a place”
“Thank you, your majesty, for giving us mercy. I understand all too well the history of my people, and the times it has put your people through, especially you personally” He tightened in the memory of when Chrysalis had stolen his bride, and was feeding upon him. “I can only hope my broodkin will accept and realize that our unique power does make us a considerable risk. That there needs to be time to heal old wounds, and mend broken relations” She looked around at the gathered remains of her kind. “We will submit to your laws, and be detained for the peace of mind of the ponies, in exchange for peace and shelter for Changelings” She focused back upon Shining. “In time, with great effort, I hope we can earn trust, maybe even friendship, but surely to make ourselves useful and productive members of your Empire”
The sounds of war were hushed, with only the victor left standing on the battle field just outside the Crystal Empire. Groups of guards were at work carting the bodies of friend and foe alike, moving the defeated to a place to be buried in one, massive grave, while the fallen comrades were to be processed more selectively. Along with the grim task of corpses, the Changelings were also being sorted, led into the holding area that was quickly erected to keep them in, and curious, or even spiteful, ponies out. The zone would be improved in time, but for now it was enough to do a simple job. The remaining survivors were free to return to their duties, be healed, or take rest as needed. Sweetie Belle had a special salve that would react to the Changelings, or anything not in true form, and it was being used to screen every creature that passed the magick barrier. They could not be too careful, in making sure no rogue Changeling, or even a bold Umbrum, be allowed free roam.
From far out in the field, a lone guard was struggling to reach their home. They appeared to be part of the group that had chased the Umbrum back to their portals, and they were clearly in a poor state. Prince Shining Armor, still keeping eyes upon the field for any trouble, nodded to one of the guards nearest him and the pony was sent out to investigate the figure.
“Halt” The guard called to the other, slowing to a trot as they neared them. “All who seek to enter the Empire, must-” He stopped short, as the others eyes flared red, and the investigating guard became entranced.
“You performed the test, and he is as he seems to be. Now lead them back to the Crystal Empire, and act normal” The impostor commanded, using some mind magick on the pony.
Returning with the trickster, the guard confirmed with Shining the identity of the other as just another pony. The prince turned attention to the illusion. “Get to the med tent soldier, that limp seems bad”
“Thank you sir, but this one will be fine” They returned. “Just a little tired. It would do better with some rest, and it’s sure the doctors have more to deal with than a weary pony”
Shining narrowed his eyes, though found no reason to really be concerned; aside from a strange way of talking. The guard said he was cleared, and it was true that all the healers had more to be concerned with. “Very well, but if you are well enough to avoid the tents, you can keep watch here for a little while. With our numbers so thin, we can use those who can still stand” He summoned his magick, and sealed up the opening in the shield, as the last of the teams returned for the evening. “It won’t be long before a fresh shift will be here to relieve you both” He attempted to be a bit lighter toward them. “If you need to sit, I won’t make a fuss. After such a battle, any of us are lucky to have the chance to relax at all” They both gave a salute, and the prince was off, looking to be running on vapors.
After some time passed, the spell on the real guard was gone, and they had no knowledge of it. He began to talk to the other, thinking nothing of any deception. “What a day, or, last few days” The intruder just grunted in response. “We made it though, and it’s all over now” They spoke with a hopeful ignorance.
“Over?” The liar was ready to relieve the other of their ignorance. “With all those Changelings inside this shield? That’s alone is a time bomb, then factor that two of the Apex Villains have fallen, a void has formed, and is only a matter of time before another tried for their territories. It’s far from over”
“Well… yeah” He understood the meaning, but was not yet affected by the purpose of the words. “None of the others have shown interest in us, and besides we are a stronger, more unified Empire. We beat back Sombra and Chrysalis” He looked toward the area the Changelings were, adding. “I doubt those buggy creatures will be too dangerous without their queen. We’re safer now than ever” He gave a happy sight, and looked skyward. “My family can relax”
Peeking the interest in the impostor, they asked. “Family?”
“Oh yeah, I have quite a nice life going in this post apocalyptic world. A great wife, and three beautiful kids. They can be a hooffull, but I love each of them” He laughed a bit, lost in his thoughts of them. “They always worry about me, but daddy always comes home at the end of the day. Sometimes it was a little touchy, especially when this battle started, but I feel more sure than ever that dear ol dad will be home” He looked to the impostor. “You have family?”
Looking out to the darkening field of snow, they were silent for a moment. They responded, but with some bitterness. “No. Never had need for anypony, and don’t want to be tied down” They soon came an awkward silence between them, that lasted until the illusion pointed toward an alley. “What was that?” The true guard looked quick, but saw nothing. “Something was just watching, and ducked into the dark before they could be seen” Making a poor attempt to move, the fake guard was stopped.
“You are worn out, let me go check. Probably some foals wanting to look at the battlefield or something” He galloped off, coming just shy of the entrance. He did not believe it to be anything, but still was cautious as he trotted into the area. The night was now covering the land, and the light did not shine bright here from the lamps, so the guard summoned a bit of his own. He was a bit spooked by the possibilities, but he did not see any more than he did before. A sound behind him startled him, and he whipped around, only finding the other he had been standing with before. “I don’t see anything, probably nothing but shadows playing tricks… wait… how’d you get over here so fast with that limp?”
“Must be the comfort of knowing all is well” They grinned. “She is feeling much better”
Turning around to give one last look, missing the use of another pronoun by the deceiver, the guard found nothing more than before. “Any way, looks like a waste of time, but I guess it could be worse” He laughed.
“She is bad enough for you” The impostor said with a lust in their tone. “And you’ll be just enough for her” They moved quickly, and overpower the pony. With a sickly, red magick, the guard was silenced and their helm removed. Fangs sank deep into his neck, and energy was flowing like their blood, toward the assailant’s horn. The victim pony was soon a shriveled husk, nothing but dried remains of a once living soul.
The corpse fell, and the impostor stood over them as the crimson trails leaked down their chin, then soon licked away to a mouth never satisfied. “Seems daddy won’t be coming home…” With a crueler grin, the being changed into the fallen. “Truly a monster could only be so vile to disappoint those poor foals, or a loving wife” Laughing darkly to themselves, this new threat was loose in the Empire, and they drifted into the shadows to spread their wickedness.
***
Shining Armor had gone to where the Changelings were being held, and was speaking now with the one who had joined Dust in the rebellion. “You all will be safe here, and so long as you cause no trouble, you are welcome to this section of the Empire” He took a brief glance around the area. “We had been building some places for the refugees, so it is a bit underdeveloped, but in time it will be…” Shining sighed, knowing just how pointless it was to pretty up the situation. “Look, I know it’s a gilded cage here, and will remain so until we can be sure of one another. It’s going to take time, likely longer than the settlement will. There is a lot of bad history, especially between Princess Cadence and myself, and it’s not exclusive to us. In spite of this, I also acknowledge what was done by your people, so within reason, if you have anything you need to make this better, just ask”
“You have given us a second chance, and I can’t say many would do that. It is hard to think of asking any more” The cursory leader responded, still humbled and respectful to their savior. “We have chosen to take what you were willing to give us, and it is more than most of us feel we deserve” She did not need to see, for it was well accounted for, the weariness of her kind. “Do not feel bad for us, it is more than most enemies would even consider. We hope we can establish better relationships in our time here, and will make do with what we have been given”
Shining took all this in, looking for any hidden ploys or manipulations, but he was feeling that she was being genuine. “Seeing how you lead those rebels, and have spoken for your kind, am I to assume you are now Queen? What can I call you?”
She was a bit surprised by his question, but also understood that he was coming from another culture. He sought a common ground, she would find how to grant it. “Changelings don’t normally have much use for names, only very select few have them, such as a Queen” It came back to the point that she did not like of his questions. “I am no Queen” She was aware that a number of her broodkin have certainly taken to her as a new leader, with their structures of a hierarchy in shambles, she was the nearest thing. Still she fought such a role, and would not spread rumors. “I will not replace a wicked ruler, and continue that linage”
He could understand the bitterness of her situation, and reluctance that came with taking over a role and title that so long was held by one so vile. “If sharing a title with her is what holds you back, might you try another? They seem very taken by you, they have chosen you, and helped in breaking the Queen’s hold on your people. It would seem they need some-” He stopped saying the usual term among ponies, replacing it with “-creature to guide them in these hard times. There are many titles that would give the same respect, but not history. Dutches, princess, baroness, mistress, even Empress could be a better fit?” She did not find any to her liking, not until the last one.
“If I must take this role, and it must be given a name, Empress does have a lovely sound to it” She lingered on it, truly not finding it as unsavory as “Queen”. “It flows and moves much gentler than Queen, so I guess that is where we are at in titles. As for me… Morphosia is suitable”
Shining gave her an affirming smile. “Empress Morphosia does have a nice ring to it”
Though she admitted to it, the placement was now upon her. She was not seeking this, only to free her people, yet they did need something to guide them. Her duties now became more than she set out to do, but her mission remained. “I will take my place as leader of the Changelings, but I will not follow in Queen Chrysalis’ pattern. She broke a number of our traditions and laws to keep her power over us. Under the guidance of an Empress, Changelings will return to being a kinder people”
Shining was about to speak again, only to be stopped short when a guard came charging toward him. They were frantic, and failed to follow protocol. “Sir, we have a problem!” He panted, as Shining regarded him.
After a moment, the prince took a deep breath, and snorted in complete annoyance. “I find myself lacking in surprise…” He turned to Morphosia, and apologized. “I must depart now. I hope to speak more soon”
“Go, protect your Empire” She smiled, in a humored way. “I’ll be here”
Shining led to the scene of the situation, and was quickly stricken sick by the sight of the body. Had he not been so hardened by the battles he fought with Sombra, he might have lost control of himself; as it clearly had been the case with some of the guards who had also joined the scene. “What in the name of Cosmatia happened here?”
“Whatever it was, it was not isolated” Another of the guards replied, and soon the group was at the home of the victim, where four more poor souls had joined the first. “It looks to be a serial killer”
Even Shining’s hardened constitution found this sight too much to linger on. He looked from the sight of three foals mangled and drained like their father, and the mother so close by looking like she had spent her final moments attempting to protect them. “W-what…” He struggled, doing his best to push the image out of his mind, and steel himself. “What in the fuck could have done this?” Shining could only hold so much back. He wished to scream out, but that was at least repressed.
“Changelings sir!” Another on in the house called, a guard who seemed to be very personal with the victims. “The freak took out Fine Point, then used his form to slaughter his family”
Regarding the possibility, Shining was quick to dismiss it. “No, what I’ve seen of them, this does not seem their method”
“What else could do this?!” The soldier forgot himself, and was challenging the wrong pony.
“Stand down!” Shining demanded. “This is a great tragedy, but do not forget that you are speaking to your superior!” The prince managed to keep his calm, but the fury in his body was felt by all there, and they shrank back. “I have been the victim of Changelings, and observed their ways with a personal interest, and I’ve never seen them do something this… absolute. I do not rule them out, but this seems to be something altogether different. I fear it is something we are not familiar with, and we cannot swing wild accusations and risk overlooking the true horror. No pony will make a move on the Changelings, is this clear?” He looked around for the collective acceptance of his guards, and the outspoken one resisted. Under a strong gaze, they finally submitted.
Heading back outside, having too much upon him to be in the sight of those poor ponies within, Shining took a moment to breath before he truly threw up. “I fear what is loose in the Empire is far worse than a Changeling” One of the guards near him, had heard and questioned what it was he was referring too. Growing tired of the inquiries on his words, Shining returned with a harsher tone. “Changelings feed on love, but I have never heard of them drain blood or even Magick. Even Tirek would leave his victims alive. As hard as it is to think like this, I can’t see the logic here. Why not dispose of Fine Point, and assume his body? Four ponies it could have… fed… upon for a long time, vs just a quick” He sighed, not liking his words, but had no other to use. “Meal”
“Maybe we are thinking in the wrong direction, sir” The guard offered, getting at least a kinder prince’s ear. “I remember hearing about those bat ponies Princess Luna had brought back, though I only knew them to eat fruits, maybe some were vampires?”
“A fair, and at least more diverse thought, but we would have seen a bat pony. The ones who survived the slaughter by the Shadow Cult, returned to Hollow Shade, and none live in the Empire. This was a recent addition, or else why wait until after things calmed? During the war, it could have made off with a lot more victims, and likely gone unnoticed. These ponies are freshly attacked… something else is at work, and I need to seek aid”
Prince Shining Armor made his way back to the Changeling camp, and trotted until he was met by the one he sought. The others watched in confusion, not sure why the Prince of the Empire was so boldly coming into their ranks, but they were quick to accept him. When Morphosia was with him, even more gathered in puzzlement.
“Empress Morphosia…” He began, with a heavy mind. “I have need of your experience”
Still not too keen on her title, the new leader first said “Please, Morphosia is fine enough. This one is hardly worth the fuss, Prince Shining Armor” She bowed to him, then added. “What can I do for you?”
Smiling weakly, still a bit unsure of why he was so taken with her. He knew it was not a mind trick, she just had a feeling to her that he found familiar and kind. “If I’m to forgo your title, you can pass mine” He could not believe he was making the first, large step, in the relations between their peoples. “What are formalities between friends?” Hearing that brought a new light to her eyes, and she was clearly pleased to have gained that title. Morphosia did not linger upon it, sensing what was clearly a troubled pony. “I hate to make this our first moments in a friendship… but I must ask you to see something horrific, if I am to find the source”
Not willing to reject any request of the prince, she was quick to agree. They left the camp and made it back to the house, where Shining stopped just outside. “I don’t know what sort of things you have seen, what you are use too, but to ponies what lies inside is deeply disturbing and upsetting. I would not be willing to expose you to it, if not for the fact I need answers and I feel you might have leads” Again she nodded, and the two went in. The guards still going over the scene saw the pair, and reacted to the Changeling with much more revolution.
The same pony from earlier, was fast in saying “What is that doing here? Returning to-”
Prince Shining Armor shot him a stern look. “Stand down” He said at length. “Morphosia is a friend, and is here to aid us find the real killer. Keep your predigests in check”
Passing that moment, he took the Empress to the covered bodies, and was hesitant to show her. When he did, she gasped in near the same horror as the rest had. “What did this?” She looked at Shining with eyes that relieved the truth to the prince, telling of how deeply it had struck her to see. “N-not one of… mine?”
“I was hoping you might clear that up” He responded, giving nothing to see where she would go.
“Like she doesn’t know…” The out of line guard muttered, getting further dirty looks from Shining.
Ignoring the tension, Morphosia leaned closer to read any signs that it was her people’s doing. It was at least comforting to see that it was not, for nothing in the execution or motive matched. “I highly doubt it was Changeling” She began. “Even at our most desperate, this does not add up to how we feed on others. These fang marks here do not fit even the most desperate or starving of my kind, when it is emotions we thrive on, not blood”
“So, not even if you were on the brink of death or coming back from it” Shining was hinting to something greater. “What if Chrysalis survived?”
Not caring for the thought, Morphosia did consider it. “She would definitely be in a bad state and might be so desperate to do something like this, but even so, she would seek a single target and take over their life until she could escape or plot something better. Passing so much potential, even to the most foolish Changeling, would be too risky and wasteful” She paused for a moment. “Not to reduce these poor souls to resources, but that is how she might think”
“So, the fact that these are the 2nd through 5th victims, following their father and husband respectively?” Shining informed.
Looking at him in shock at this news, she was at a loss. “Yes, that would definitely suggest this is no Changeling’s doing. They took a single pony, and then went after the family, only to just kill them all? No. No Changeling would waste such a chance”
“This is madness!” The begrudged guard could hold back no longer. “You would trust that thing to tell the truth if one of her little monsters was roaming around?!”
Also beyond his limit, Shining whipped around, and with his magick, grabbed and slammed the soldier against the wall with such force it pressed inward. He was muzzle to muzzle with the guard, a fury liken to what Sombra faced in the prince’s eyes. “I said shut up! You as a soldier, a royal guard, and I am your commanding officer and prince! Repeatedly you challenge me on both levels, and continue to disrespect our guest. I don’t care for your racism, or your opinion. Now be silent, or I will toss your ass out into the wastes beyond the Empire! Have I finally made myself clear?” He locked eyes, and would not allow the other to look away. “She is a hero to this Empire you serve and live in, and had she not helped turn the battle when she did, none of us would be here now. I don’t care if you accept the Changelings, but so long as you wear that armor and live in this place, you will keep your thoughts on them to yourself. ARE WE CLEAR?!”
“Y-yes… sir” He struggled, finding the pressure on him hard to breathe, and the order even more of a struggle.
Letting him go, Shining regarded him a bit longer. “You make me sick” He looked around at the rest. “Any who share his views, also sicken me”
“Please, do not be so hard on them” Morphosia stepped in. “They have only the same bitter history that you did to base us on, and they need time, need example, before they can be expected to trust my kind. A soldier should listen to their leaders, but they should not be brainwashed into thinking only as they do” Shining was surprised at her defense, and also understood it. “My people were under such rule, and we did horrible things for her” She moved toward the coughing guard. “Something has truly hurt you, and I am sorry for that” He just looked at her bitterly. “I don’t know if I or my kind can ever heal the wound, but I hope that we can”
“You speak so kindly, with such understanding, yet I still see some here would ignore this” Shining started. “We have our feelings, and grudges, but when we act in the name of the Empire, we need to act in duty, not feelings” He spoke loud for each to hear. “I still do not fully trust the Changelings myself, because I did indeed have a traumatic experience with them, yet I have taken in a people that sought shelter. It is the Crystal Empire way, to give home to those who need it, especially in these dark times. In doing so, I have seen a side to a former enemy I never believed was there, and am willing to learn forgiveness if they are genuine in their reform” Some of the guards looked to be more open, yet the air was still thick with the doubt. “Chrysalis had me under her spell, and I was hers to control. I nearly pushed away my own sister, and would have never known my beloved was fitted rot under my hooves. I know first hoof just how hard it is to find trust, to begin to heal, but I have taken those steps to do so. Empress Morphosia is not Chrysalis, and I want to believe the rest of her people are not the same villains I fought on my wedding day, or out in the fields''
Looking around the room, it did seem that chances were better at a understanding between the two peoples, but Morphosia was also not going to place absolute faith, when many still showed a bitterness. “Thank you, Prince Shining Armor,” For this moment, she felt best to use titles. “I hope we can validate your faith and trust, as well as prove it well placed”
Leaving the home, and the teams to take care of the poor family, the two royals trotted down the night cloaked streets, as light passed over them as they moved by the lamps. Both had heavy minds, and the prince was first to speak. “I cannot believe how sealed their minds are, especially to defy their rank to speak against you”
“These times have been trying, and you are not a tyrant that demands conformity” Morphosia responded. “I find it a little refreshing to see people able to think for themselves, though I do appreciate the situation of disrespect. You can order them to act a way, but you cannot command their hearts or minds” She sighed, thinking of her own. “There are a few, ones lingering with loyalty to the old ways and… her… that I am doing my best to keep them from lashing out. I have my best keeping an eye on them, but I do not demand their conformity, only that they should try to learn a new, better life”
“I hope it is a better life” Shining looked down. “We don’t know how we are going to feed a people who draws upon emotions, and many workers will be scared to go in there to fix the housing. I don’t want your people to rot away in that camp, but the dangers outside the Empire is great, not even mentioning that there is still the lack of food”
Morphosia was silent, thinking of the situation, and had nothing to ease the worry. “We will make do” was the best she had. “We are survivors, and we adapt”
Shining mused, confusing her for a moment. “I never would have imagined myself here, talking so casually over the operations of our rules with a Changeling”
She smiled softly. “I never would have even dared to pretend to have a pony friend”
“No pretend, you helped save the Empire, continue to try to repair the problems between our two species, and are helping in understanding a new threat” He laughed a bit. “I feel you put a spell on me”
“Never!” She balked at that. “I wouldn’t do such a thing!”
“No, no, I mean” He shook his head. “I mean that I find you to be such good company, and it is weird to me. Even after the battle, my heart was closed to your kind, but the longer we spent together, the more I… I just really enjoy having your around”
She was not sure just what she was feeling, but it was nice. “This is the benefits of friendship, the true care given to another?” She stopped in her place. “I feel so… warm… h-happy…” She looked at him, seeking some answer she doubted he had for her.
“Friendship is magick, one that even the best of us still struggle to understand. I’m glad to give it to you, and I truly hope that we can work everything out. I…” He found himself again having a hard time believing what he was saying, but not stopping himself. “I hope to welcome the Changelings as full, free citizens. It will take time, since we have to be sure none of those loyalist will try anything”
They began to trot again, as they talked. “Even if they did, we can see them” Morphosia remarked. “I wouldn’t allow it, but Changelings usually can see through others forms”
Stopping her, Shining took in this new information. “You can detect other Changelings?”
“Yes, it is how Chrysalis saw through that dragon Changeling’s form”
Searching around in his mind, Shining pieced together a plan. “We must go to my wife. I believe that between her Heart Map, and your ability to suss out Changelings, we can narrow down on whatever is stalking the Empire!”
***
Having long passed out from the over extension of her abilities, Princess Cadence had collapsed into one of the seats in her map room. She had well earned this rest, giving all she could to keep the Crystal Heart and shield at full power. Lord Equinox was still around, keeping close to her sleeping form, seemingly lost in thoughts. The guards also remained in the room, keeping on attendance should the self proclaimed villain make a move, however apart from almost loving strokes of her mane when she made a move of unrest in her sleep, he was only idle.
After a long silence, when he spoke the guards nearly leapt from their hides. “She will soon awake,” He looked over her like a father concerned over their beloved child. “I would suggest one of you go fetch refreshments and nourishment, her dreams have been troubled, and with the events of late, she will be needing to regain herself”
They were quick to think “Who is he to order us?” yet not one spoke it, for he did not actually attempt such, and what he presented was sound. One of the ponies nodded, and was away to retrieve these things for their princess.
Returning to looking over the mare, Equinox softly said “Oh, Mi Amore Cadenza… So much has befallen a filly so fair”
“Why do you coddle her so?” One of the remaining finally built up the courage to ask. “Are you not ‘evil’?”
Looking now to this pony, Lord Equinox was presented with another gap of his time and now and shook his head. “The villains you have come to know, do not reflect all villains, and to a degree, I believe this is true for even some of those now. We do have hearts and concerns, and are not completely without souls. Yes, I can watch my foes suffer, yet she is not mine now, and I do not wish to observe such a lovely creature be troubled” He returned his caring, jade eyes toward the disturbed princess, who’s own eyes were still sealed, but now tighter as she fought bad dreams. “I also have history with this family”
Cadence was soon moving in a way that hinted that she would soon rise, and her eyes soon after flung open. She sat up fast, and looked about the room finding the care of her guards and Lord Equinox. She was not sure what had brought her the most comfort, but she at least knew she was in safety as she sat back again. “I don’t know if Nightmare Rarity can now reach me, but those dreams were certainly worthy of her power” She calmed herself, as she regarded the stallion beside her, then the pangs of hunger caught her. “Could so-” She had started, only to be cut off by a cart and pony pushing it. The mobile table bore just what she was about to request. “Never mind” She sat up again, and looked over the spread of food and drink. “Thank you” She was found dumb by this, but not ungrateful.
“You have a very attentive and intuitive staff” Equinox started, covering his involvement. “It is no small wonder that those who challenge your court found it so difficult” The guards, and the one who had brought the meal, were a bit more taken by the stallion in his kindness toward them.
“Thank you, though truly it is their own nature and the training of Prince Shining Armor that finds the Crystal Empire with such a boon” She put aside this topic, and focused more on him. “How are you faring? You seemed troubled before, understandably, seeing how your… son… died…”
“By his own foolishness” He returned. “Same for those Umbrum who joined in his errant. They all were awarded a fate befitting such treachery, but I still needed some time to process it” He closed his eyes, their glow now seeming to be gone. “I have no place to go, and nowhere to be… I do apologize for lingering”
Bringing her brow together in disbelieve, Cadence replied. “You can stay here as long as you like, for we are not enemies. You do not wish to raise an army, and you do not seek to rule, so why not take a place here? Surely you can find more to fulfill yourself with and be a part of the Empire”
“It does seem I have little options before me, seeing how-” He was stopped when the door opened again, and now Prince Shining Armor trotted in looking for Cadence.
“Dear, I’m sorry it was so long, but there was much to clean up and organize in the wake… there is-” He paused as he watched Cadence stand to greet him, however it was the stallion beside her that was the true reason for cutting short. “Who in the hoof is that?” He grew concerned, seeing similarities he did not like in another.
It was not long before the situation was reversed, as Morphosia came into the room and caught the Princess’ eyes. She soon echoed his words, directed at the Changeling, and was feeling the same unwanted familiarity. “Have you been taken by one of those Changelings you decided to allow in?!” She knew of the situation, but not the details to why he had decided to make the Empire a holding pen to a former enemy. Her imagination was soon galloping wild, and she was defensive at the thoughts.
“Of course not!” Shining snapped. “This is Empress Morphosia, she is a good Changeling… actually, learning about the power Chrysalis had, I’m starting to think there are more good than bad” He explained, then added. “What about him? He looks like an older Sombra!”
Feeling the blow, no matter how close to the truth it was, the Lord was taken aback. “I am not certain how to feel about that” He muttered.
“This is Lord Equinox, and he is a… well… he was an ancient… v-villain, but not a dangerous one!” Cadence shot back, stumbling a bit but ending strong.
The older stallion raised his brow at the last part of his “defense”, and groaned. “I do not know what was a harsher strike upon my ego; to be compared to my failure of a son, or to be addressed as harmless…”
“Son?!” Shining was now ready to fight, taking a stance and alighting his horn. “You’re the father of the monster, and you let him in?!” He spoke to both, and then focused on him again. “How did you get in?”
Not having an answer, Cadence only looked toward the Lord. She did not know, or even think to ask how he came to be in her Map Room. The Empire alone would have been impossible to enter uninvited, but this high into the tower would have been even further beyond impossible.
He could fight this moment no longer, and Lord Equinox laid everything out. “I have existed in the Crystal Empire for, well since before it disappeared, over a thousand years now, and longer still; I was imprisoned after betrayal. When that spoil of my seed decided to war, I wished to observe in some distant hope that he had grown out of my disappointment only to find that he dug deeper into the shame I bore of him” He moved closer to Shining Armor, who was still not letting down his guard. “You,” Equinox laughed humorlessly. “If only you were my son. I would find no difficulty in finding pride, and maybe I would be free of my eternal prison”
“Eternal?” Cadence asked, her puzzlement was soon turned to a painful realization as she found a dreadful possibility to what he meant.
Equinox stopped in place, and looked back only to be struck by the sight of her eyes, so filled with the knowledge of a terrible deed. “Such a look… Your mother wore much the same when she gained this same understanding, in learning of the act of usurping played out by your father. Knowing that he murdered and imprisoned my soul to a crystal deep under the Empire so I may never escape”
Everything soon connected and Cadence felt her world heave, and soon she was stumbling back to her seat. She crashed into the cart, sending it, and its contents to the ground in such a noise. Shining and the guards rushed to her aid, as Equinox stood silently.
Letting the scene pass, the Lord started again. “I did not wish to tell you, least of all like this, but you deserve to know who your mother was. She was the one that was able to turn my heart, and was the only good thing about my wretched son, besides you. It was because of Radiant Hope, I was ready to make peace with Princess Amore, something my Umbrum did not share, and would lead to my fate”
Shining was helping his wife up, and not fully listening to the stallion, but it soon all came to him. “Your son, her mother?.. You can’t mean?..”
Slowly turning from them, Equinox bore a terrible guilt in what he had shared. “Sadly, yes. To know of your mother, is to also know of your father, and how all came to pass. What could have ended all the strife in the Crystal Empire, ultimately plunged it into events even worse than had I remained the villain at the gate…” He clenched his teeth. “That cursed fool… I doubt he even knew you were his”
The two rulers of the Empire, not to forget those gathered, all took this in with great surprise. Cadence had now learned of her long lost parents, and found that one had been so close and now was gone forever. Shining was also hit hard by the news, now knowing that he was the one that killed his wife’s lost father. Wicked or not, he could not believe that the deed was on him.
“I had hoped, in all my efforts, to learn of your connection to Sombra would have lessened the impact of what had to be done. Truly, I was a fool myself to believe that anything to weaken such a blow. I am sorry my granddaughter… I did not wish to hurt you… yet I have now done so, and to your noble husband as well…” The stallion faded away, and by the time Cadence noticed, she could not reach him before he was gone.
“Don’t leave me!” She cried, falling to the ground and remaining as she sobbed. “Equinox… the only family I have, and you too are gone from me?” Shining came to her with a reluctance, as he was weighed by his actions. Still, he attempted to comfort her in his embrace. “Why did he not tell me sooner?”
The room was heavy, and no pony there was sure what to do. Morphosia did not feel right in speaking, but she had a need to try. “Maybe he felt if you knew, you wouldn’t have tried so hard to beat Sombra? Maybe he did it to save you and the Empire?” She offered, getting Shining’s eyes. “Changelings don’t really have the same family structure, but we have experienced enough of it… through… means… to know that ponies do find it hard to go against their own, even if so much is at steak”
Cadence moved to look at the Changeling, and regarded her for a long while, before returning to the floor. Shining was the one to speak, and though he acknowledged her view, he also knew it was not the time and said as much. “Thank you, but I don’t think that is much help at this time” He looked back to his wife, wishing he had something to help.
Understanding her mistake, Morphosia felt poorly for intruding. “I… guess I should just return to the camp then? If you wish my help in finding the vampire, I will be there”
Whipping her head around again, and narrowing her eyes, Cadence questioned this new information. “Vampire?” She then looked to Shining. “What vampire?”
“We can talk about that later, when you are in a be-” He was cut short, when she pushed up, and him from her.
Giving a few sniffles, and forcing herself to regain her composure, she was back to herself. “No, she is right, if not tactful, if I had known of his relationship to me I would have tried to make some attempt to reason with him as his daughter. He was beyond logic, or concern for any but his own greed. I would have put the whole Empire at risk, and it must always come first. I can only hope I can reach Lord Equinox, but for now the Crystal Empire is again blighted by some horror” She did seem much recovered and focused, as she looked between Shining and Morphosia, letting go of any prejudice she also had for the latter. “Now, what Vampire?”
***
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle trotted down the streets of the Empire, passing the homes of the residents, and seeing some of those they had saved from the fields. Most were happy to see them, some felt a little bitter about the sudden war they got thrown into. Although a number of ponies had already lived here, the Empire was now much fuller than before. It felt nice for the pair who believed there was nothing like this left, to be able to enjoy a thriving city; even if it was only for the moment.
They were amazed by what had happened on the battlefield, and though Sweetie had already known about Dust Jacket’s true form, she did not know that he could produce a form like he had. By what was being said, not any of the Changelings had ever known of one taking such a form with all that power. Not without cost, for the hero was in a coma, with Mystic Tome glued to his side.
Thinking on the topic, Bloom asked her friend “What do y’all think of all them Changelings in the Empire?”
Not stopping, Sweetie replied “We’ll have to see. Dust was always nice enough, so I guess all the Changelings have the possibility to be decent. Shining Armor seems to be open to them, even after what he and Cadence had gone through, so we all should be open minded, but cautious”
Shaking her head, the Earth mare was more than a bit surprised by things going on. “Who’da thought it? Changelings not our enemies, some even saving lives?” She laughed a bit at the absurdity of this from a past viewing. “Times sure are strange now, see’n how much things have changed from when we were fillies. Good and bad have near switched places”
“Yeah…” Sweetie was still tender to the thoughts, with all those who were once friends and family now killers and monsters.
Before they could linger long on the moment, a scream called their attention and like a seasoned warrior, Bloom kicked into action to charge toward the sound. Sweetie did not drag behind, and was quick to join the investigation. The terrible noise led the pair to an alley, and within was a body on the ground, and another being attacked, but by what they could not see in the dim light. Sweetie lit up the space, and the two mares gasped at the sight.
A faded blue coat, and a wild, white mane were the first, and about the only noticeable clues to her original identity. The creature’s eyes were bloody red, iris and sclera, with a flowing energy, her mouth painted in the same colour produced from the fallen fallen. From her back protruded bones, formed in a structure like wings, held by the same eerie glow of their eyes, giving the form of feathers. They also wore a necklace, bathed just the same as twisted wings and cruel eyes, in the red hue. It was the Alicorn Amulet, meaning to Sweetie it could be no other than a pony she had not seen since that terrible day in Everfree.
Dropping the pony she was feeding on, the vampire grinned a crimson smile. “Well, Sweetie Belle, it has been some time since Countess Trixie has seen you. How you’ve grown since then”
Backing up a little, the Zebracorn tried to control herself. “Trixie, what happened to you, that could turn you to… this? All knew of Countess Trixie, but she was mythic, as no survivors who had a good look of the creature lived long to share her appearance. Sweetie was no exception, and she was caught off guard by what crept before her.
“Allow the Countess to think on that” She gave a pause, like she was actually giving it thought. “After Trixie took up the Amulet for your benefit, and the noble sacrifice she made, your pitiful sister attempted to capture and make her one of those dreadful demons. Trixie escaped and made a vow to become the Greatest, and most Powerful villain in the world. Trixie would say it was rather successful. Now, Countess Trixie stands as a great terror upon the land, that even other Apex Villains avoid!”
“I knew you had become a villain, and even used the powers of the Amulet to drain magick, but you were never a vampire like this” She avoided looking at the two, shriveled corpses.
Regarding that, Trixie was nonchalant about it. “Oh that. It would seem the longer one wears it, the more one can draw upon its power, but it becomes thirsty for more, and so does the barer. Trixie could have stayed a simple energy vampire, but Trixie also needed more to sustain herself, so Trixie began to drain essence, magick, and blood”
Jumping forward, Apple was not so casual. “Y’all a monster! Look at what yer doing to these poor ponies!”
“Wonderous isn’t it?” The vampire marveled. “With that bug Queen gone, the Changelings imprisoned, and nearly everypony not under the influences of one or kindling for the machine of another has gathered here, Countess Trixie will be able to consume enough essence and magick to become the Grievous and Paramount, Countess Trixie!”
***
Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor had spared a few moments to give a brief summary of what they each had gone through since the last time they were together, and now caught up enough to focus on the more pressing matter of the intruder in their Empire. Cadence had again started up her map, and with the aid of Empress Morphosia, was able to read the Changelings from ponies. The problem she was having, was far from the area where the Changelings were. Two dots, that she knew, were before something she had not experienced quite before. Her brows scrunched together, and she muttered “strange”
Being on better terms, Morphosia was freely able to talk with the Princess. She looked with her at the map, to keep an eye out for any strays, yet none of hers was to be seen outside their area. With the clear worry worn by the Princess, Morphosia asked “Did you find what might be the source of these atrocities?”
“I… I don’t know…” Cadence pointed at the map, and where there were two dots, the map shifted and grew closer to that location. The visual was a little crude, but it was clear who the dots were now. “This is Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom” She said for the benefit of the Changeling, since it was unlikely she knew them. “Then there is this fluctuation before them in the alley, almost like what is there is on the verge of dying or being born. I say that, because these Heart Patterns are like both at once. I’ve seen ponies die and ponies be born on the map, but this is… unusual”
Shining Armor was not as accustomed to the ways of the map, and he was wondering what was happening with the two known mare’s as he leaned closer. “What is that?”
“The map shows heart rates, and theirs are increasing. I can’t be sure the reason, adrenalin, fear, excitement or the like. I can’t say that any of this seems good though”
Morphosia was quicker to the conclusion. “That strange signal must be the cause of my people’s blame, and if it is a true vampire, it gives reason to why it is in a state of life and death. If those two ponies are reacting, it could mean they are in grave danger if not being drained at this moment!” Too lost in the map to have piece this together, the two royals gasped in the obvious. “We must hurry to their aid!” Morphosia looked for the nearest window, and without hesitation, shot through it, changing size to fit.
Cadence shouted after her, but it was too late to do anything to stop the Changeling. Shining was quick to put her mind at ease. “Don’t worry about her, she has my trust, but we must get out there before it’s too late”
Outside, Sweetie was trying to resist the drain upon her, however Trixie’s power was far too strong for her to fight completely. Apple Bloom was doing her part to stop the assault, but no matter her attack, nothing seemed to affect the vampire. The crazed mare, finding a new kind of magick to drain, was laughing in her sadistic pleasure, as her victim was near to collapse.
“Let her go!” Morphosia cried, diving down on top of Trixie, yet the hold remained as if she was not even there. “Stop this! Stop this atrocity and abuse now!” Her words failed, and her physical efforts were not doing any better. “You leave me no other choice…” She was reluctant to think about it, and hesitant to start, but she needed to save the mare. Turning the tables, Morphosia did as she never thought she would, and acted much like the vampire she came to confront. She bit down on the other neck, and it was now the horror took notice. Apple Bloom gasped at the sight, and Trixie let out a shriek in pain and rage. The move broke the hold, and Sweetie started to topple, with Bloom quick to catch her.
The display was horrific, and Cadence, Shining, and a large contingent of guards rushed to the scene only to be stopped by the sight. Still making a sound that turned the gut, Trixie fought her attacker with everything she had, but found as little mercy as she had ever given. She now was facing the same punishment, as everything was being drained from her. Her wings were first to turn, becoming nothing but bones, that scattered on the ground, their red glow no longer there to keep form. Her lustful eyes came next, as they too lost their colour, and soon were sickly white. Even the Alicorn Amulet dulled, and started to rust until it fell from her, as she became a husk. Her bones clear, and pushing against her tightening skin as she took on the appearance of a mummy after centuries of rest.
As Trixie fell to the ground, Morphosia stepped back, weeping at her actions. She had also reacted to the new energy, and was taller, and more like Chrysalis, only still with the more lustrous hue she had since breaking her chains.
“She is the one!” One of the guards called out, seeing Trixie’s state like the victims they had found so far.
Before any could make a move, Shining stopped any advance. “No pony make a move” He defied his own order, and trotted up to the Changeling who trembled and cried, nearly passing out as she stood. “Are you ok?”
She looked at him first in anger, over such a question, then even greater sorrow. “NO!” Morphosia embraced him. “I killed her!.. I wanted to save the mare, but she wouldn’t stop and I couldn’t think of any way to stop her. I’m just as bad as she was, and all your guards and everypony will hear of it and think no better for my people and no pony will trust Changelings!” She became more hysterical and soaked the Prince in her pain, as he did his best to soothe her.
Princess Cadence moved closer, taking place between the two parties so all could hear her. “Empress Morphosia, leader of the Changelings” She began, very stern and serious. “What you have done here was something abhorrent, disturbing, and it saved the life of our champion Sweetie Belle, as well as countless others who could have fallen prey to Countess Trixie had you not acted” She looked more toward her guards now. “The Changelings are cleared of any charges and associations to the acts done in the rule of Queen Chrysalis. They will remain under watch, for their safety as well as our own, for a trust still needs to be formed, but they will not be looked upon as criminals of war, but refugees''
Morphosia could not believe what she heard, and looked up from Shining. “After all this, you would forgive me? I took a life, and acted just as she did, as others believe my people do. I’ve proven our guilt, not defended our innocents”
Turning back toward her, Cadence responded. “There are dark times, and we all have had to act in response to them, in the name of doing it for the greater good” She sighed, taking in all that has transpired in the early stages of the war. “I have come to understand this more, as our hooves become dirty in deeds for the future of all decent life. My grandfather hid much from me, and did it so I could be protected from hesitation, and not allow my own people suffer for it. Sombra was suited to die, and so was Chrysalis, for the very same reason that you were forced to go against your morals and risk the sacrifice of so much. If you were to be condemned for doing wicked deeds for divine reasons, then we all would have to share your cell”
There came a faint laugh, that alerted them, and the raspiness could be felt like sandpaper to the ears. “Good… ponies… made mon-sters… to kill… mon-sters” The laughing went on, as it was known that Trixie was still alive, though as a husk.
“Guards, put inhibitors on her!” They moved in to do as told by their Princess. “Then drag that thing to the prison Sombra had made” Her tone was bitter, and filled with much disgust. “Let us see how she likes being nothing but a chaff with only those black, draining gems to comfort her”
As the guards collected her, she managed to gain enough to speak clearer, though she was still unmoving. She was defiant and crazed as they drug her away. “Countess Trixie will return, and she will drain the essence of every living thing in your Empire!” She laughed madly. “King Sombra was a push over, and Queen Chrysalis a fool, both fell to pride, not your skill! Trixie did not expect a Changeling, you were lucky, but Nightmare Rarity is plotting, and Rainbow Death will have only one place to shop for her machines! Nightmare Demons, or Absentia and the Flock will attack, and Trixie will have her time again!” She continued to ramble as the group disappeared beyond the buildings.
Apple Bloom watched the scene, with Sweetie Belle leaning on her, she asked anyone who might give answer “Absentia, who’s that?”
“She sits as Vice President of the Aerial Nation” Shining Armor explained. “Not many names have survived to be known outside their skies, and hers is only in name, whereas others like Dr. Atmosphere are better known for their deeds''
Looking to Sweetie Belle, who was more or less fine, only weak and tired, Apple Bloom had a feeling about this new name. “Y’all think it could be Scootaloo? Who else could be her second?”
“It’s possible… but how do we find out, and do we want to find out?” Sweetie returned. “If she became evil too, our reunion of the Cutie Mark Crusaders could become a battle of broken friends…”
“One way or another, we’re gonna have to face Rainbow and her posse. We can’t let our feel’n stop us from fighting her, if’n she is her. Look at what ponies here have gone through to keep others alive…”
Sweetie knew her friend was right, though she hated the idea of it. She did not want to keep fighting, least of all a possible lost friend. “We have to try, if we can, to reach her… but I won’t be blinded by old feelings if we have to stop her just the same…” She sighed, hoping more that their friend was long gone, and not this “Absentia”, but she too had the same feeling about them.
“It’s better we move first, to fight them on our terms, see’n how we’re likely gonna be at their rodeo” Apple added.
“Luckily I do know the Cloud Trotter spell, so we can even be on their… terf? What remains is how are we going to get there, and not get detected?”
Bloom was quick to believe in her friend. “Yer mighty good at figuring out that sort of thing, we’ll get it”
“I wish I had your confidence” Sweetie thought, as she just weakly smiled at the comment. “Always me that figures these things out…” She thought, and hoped her state masked her true feelings.
A bay coloured Unicorn laid over a still Changeling, his nearly crimson coat appeared like a stain of blood over the champion of the War against King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis. Mystic Tome had not left the side of Dust Jacket since his arrival in the hospital, where he has remained in a coma following the expenditure of power he displayed in defeating the wicked Queen of his people. Even before the deceleration by both the rulers of the Crystal Empire, no pony dared to speak against the Changeling in natural form taking a deserved rest in the bed.
Slowly, with a weakness one had from resting too long, Dust began to awake. His first sight, although hazy, was the blue mane of the pony who had given him the power to stand against Chrysalis. He was nearly lost in the sight of his love, thinking it was no more than a normal day, as the coma had briefly left him without the memories of the last time he was awake. “Tome” He attempted. “Tome!” He tried again. “Oh dear, is that a book out of place?”
Eyes snapping open, Mystic sat up, though not as quickly as his eyes had moved. “Wha-?” He began groggy, then realized who had stirred him and clung back to the Changeling, not able to keep back his tears. “You’re awake!”
Still unaware, Dust was confused. “Yeah?” He said slowly, then got a whiff of something. “Pew, why do you smell so bad?” Taking a few more smells, discerning the source. “Is that me?” He looked around, feeling more was amiss.
“Sorry to offend” Mystic sat up, wearing a sour face. “I have only been at your side for over a week”
Whipping his head to look at the Unicorn, Dust then scanned the room. He took in the equipment, and the type of room it was, then became aware of his form. “Week?!” He tried to change form, but he was still very weak from everything he was slowly recalling. “What happened?” He strained, still trying to regain the pony form he preferred. “Why can’t a transform? What if somepony sees?!”
“I believe that particular cat, is of no further concern” Mystic responded, not yet aware of Dust’s situation. “Wait… do you not recall what happened? Do you not remember your fight with Chrysalis?”
“Uh… what?!” He nearly laughed at the idea, then was interrupted by the sound of hooffalls. “Oh no, somepony is coming!” He pulled the covers over his head to hide, as the pony entered and stopped just inside the room. “I-it’s not what it looks like… it’s a costume!”
Coming to the edge of the bed, Prince Shining Armor looked at the covered creature in puzzlement. “Dust Jacket… we all know that you are a Changeling, moreover, a savior of the Empire”
Attempting to fill in some gaps, Mystic offered. “I believe the event of topic, has left him with an acute sense of amnesia, your highness”
Pulling down the covers quickly, looking at both of them. “Wait… So that wasn’t a dream? I-I actually fought Queen Chrysalis?”
“That is a gross understatement” Shining responded. “That implies that she had a chance, from what we saw, you completely overpowered and crushed her” This struck Dust hard, and he looked almost paralyzed in bed with a blank stare. “Thanks to your, and the efforts of Empress Morphosia, the Crystal Empire has begun to accept Changelings, and let go of the predigest form from your people’s time under Chrysalis’ reign”
“This can’t be real…” Dust exhaled hard. “All the things I have desired finally came true? I feel this is still a dream”
******
In the Changeling Quarters, no longer under a barrier that sealed off the newest creatures of the Empire from the rest of it, the starved people shuffled around without a means to truly end their hunger. Empress Morphosia had used all she had taken from Countess Trixie to feed her people, but it was not the a real source for her kind to live, and though it held the pain at bey for a time, hunger lingered as the last bits of the syphoned magick was given. She had given all she could to her broodkin, and she had nothing to refill herself. Spending more of herself for the good of hers, left the fresh ruler worse than most. To their credit, none of the Changelings had made any attempts to fool any pony into feeding them in a way they were more accustomed, but without alternatives, it would not be long before something would happen. Even as other Unicorns offered some magick to keep the Changelings going, it was a poor comparison to the passion and emotional energy they lived on.
Although there was no longer the restriction of coming or going, neither pony or Changeling seemed willing to cross the invisible line. There were guards stationed, but they served as protection, not enforcement. When a small, bold filly decided to make her move, the guards took notice. She was a Crystal Pony, with the gem-like coat of the native ponies, a teal hue, and mane of shimmering sea foam. As she crossed the line, one of the guards went to move, as the other held them back. “We can’t stop ponies or Changelings from crossing. Our job is to keep peace, not be border patrol” The halted guard gave them a look, receiving “Let’s see how this plays out” for their concern.
The filly trotted through looking at all the Changelings, who were mostly keeping to themselves, until she approached one who seemed ready to pass out. “Hi” She said with a volume that children often use, and it startled the Changeling, not helping their state.
Looking down at this sudden noise, the Changeling was curious and surprised to find a pony in their quarters, even more so that she was so young. “Hello?” He responded with weariness and uncertainty.
“You’re a Change-wing?” He nodded, slightly confused by her pronunciation. “Mommy says you’re scawy,” This caused him to look away. “But you don’t scare me” Most might find this a challenge, but she was not trying to be tough, only being bluntly honest as children tend to be. “You look like daddy when he got sick. Are you sick?”
Not truly looking at her still, he hesitantly answered. “No… just hungry”
“Why don’t you eat then?” Her innocence was cute, but also painful for the Changeling.
“There’s nothing for us to eat, nothing that fills us… nothing we can really have anyways…” He took notice of the attention he was getting, and was not enjoying it very much.
“I’ll get you a muffin! There’s a funny Pegasus who makes wheelie good ones”
Shaking his head, this situation only became worse for him. “Sorry, Changelings don’t eat pony food”
“Oh?” She was unshakable. “Are you like woofs, or kitties? Daddy says they are pwedators, and they eat other cweatures”
“Eh… not quite… but kinda, and what we did prey on, we can’t and don’t want to anymore” He did his best to avoid the true source, not wanting to scare off the pony who was only trying to understand.
Looking down, finally defeated in her attempts, she looked clearly sad in failing. “I’m sowwy… maybe a hug will help?” She did not give him a chance to reply, and quickly embraced him. “When I feel bad, mommy and daddy give me hugs, and I’m all better!”
At first, the Changeling wanted to fight this, but the sensation was pleasant. He felt something he had never before. “Thank you, but-” He started, then stopped when he felt something change. He was losing the feeling of hunger, and moreover, feeling better than he could recall ever feeling. “What in the hive?” He realized what was happening, and broke the hold, much to her shock. “Are you okay?” He looked her over.
She cocked her head, confused by that question, completely unaware of the cause. She then giggled, and poked his nose. “Silly, you were the one feeling bad”
“Uh… yeah… but do you feel tired or weak? Do you feel different?” He was frantic now, as more attention was being drawn.
She sat, ever more puzzled by his questions. “I feel… happier! Cause now you look better! See how great hugs are?” She threw her fore hooves up in excitement. “I helped a new fwiend”
The guards made their way toward them, intrigued by what was going on. “Is everything alright over here?”
“Of course!” The filly said fast, looking at the pair. “My fwiend is all better!” She smiled wide. The guards regarded this clearly different appearance in the Changeling.
Not feeling as at ease as she was, the Changeling now felt he did something really wrong with the guards investigating. “I-I don’t know what happened… Is she okay? I didn’t mean to-”
Empress Morphosia, looking as tired and worn as the rest of her broodkin, trotted up to them. “What is going on?” She tried her best not to sound as drained as she was. “Has something happened?” Doing his best to explain to her, the Changeling was terrified he had done something wrong, yet no harm seemed to have befell the filly. The guards were keeping her back, but she was trying to get close to him again. Taking this all in, Morphosia could only observe. “This is very strange… You are well, and she is no worse for it? I wonder if this is anything like what Dust Jacket discovered in Mystic Tome?”
***
The situation, as little as it was, brought together Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor, and Empress Morphosia to speak with the crystal filly and her parents, along with the Changeling she had befriended. To give some light on alternative sources, Dust Jacket was summoned to meet as well. The gathering was kept quiet, in hopes to avoid any unneeded rumors or trouble. All the Leaders sat together, the Crystal family was also collected in another part of the room, and the Changeling was opposite, looking still very upset by the events.
Dust trotted in, back in his Pegasus form. This was curious to the trio of leaders, and Morphosia questioned it. “You disguise yourself, yet there is no need anymore, especially to one who is regarded as a hero”
“I’m no hero,” Dust responded, as he stood near the other Changeling. “I did what I needed to keep the one I love safe” He looked at Mystic, who had joined him. “Besides that, I prefer this form. I’ve worn it for many years now, and it is who I want to be”
Accepting this, Morphosia moved past it, and explained the situation. “-so this is why we summoned you here, because of the unique love you found, and the power it has given to you” She looked at the other two rulers, then back at Dust. “You have lived in the Empire for many years, and Canterlot before that, and it seems you have survived on something besides what all other Changelings need to survive. You have lived off Mystic Tome’s love, but unlike others, he doesn’t seem to be dying or any worse for the years together. Even the strongest love a… source has for the form a Changelings takes to gain it, could not last for so many years. I can only conclude that whatever you two have, this Changeling and that Filly have found as well; or near to it”
“I will be honest, I don’t fully understand it myself” Dust replied, looking a bit uneasy. “All I had ever known was that we steal love, and drain those who give it. I admit, at first, that is how I was living” This surprised the council. “After that first attack Queen Chrysalis made on Canterlot, so many years ago, I was left behind, somehow spared the attack that had sent the rest of us away. I was starved, but not feeling controlled, though I knew no other way to live, so I did as we had for so long. I took a few forms to feed, but I never lingered to do major damage. Somehow being free of her control, I actually felt bad for tricking others. So, in hopes of changing tactics, I made this form, and that is when I found Mystic. He fell in love with me, not some illusion of somepony he knew, but a pony I had made myself into. It felt different, more… pure, the love he gave me” He sniffled, not realizing he had started to cry at the memories. He was speaking with a breaking voice. “I loved him back… It wasn’t another meal, it was so much more. Even when I showed him my true form, he still loved me… and that made the love even purer. I never felt so good, so full”
Taking this in, the council and others could not help in feeling moved. Morphosia had a job to do, and she felt duty bound to press on. “Mystic Tome?” She addressed the Unicorn, who was pressing against his love, also fondly remembering their early days together. “Have you ever felt drained, or weak around Dust? Did you ever feel like you were empty or dying?”
“I felt empty before meeting Dust” He responded, lovingly. “Apart from some dumb fights couples have now and then, I have never felt like I was being attacked. He never forced himself on me…” He lingered on the thought, however with a child present, he pushed it away with a blush. “Even before he exposed his true form, never did he attempt to use me like that. Knowing after, I gave the subject some thought, and the conclusion I always seem to come too, was that in my willingness to give my love, as I would any other pony, was not the same as it being stolen from me through a ruse. Knowingly sharing it, has no negative side effects”
Morphosia nodded, and processed the information. She turned to the Empire rulers, and asked their thoughts. “How do you take all of this, your majesties?”
Prince Shining Armor was first to respond. “I would very much like to accept this” He began. “I have made it my personal mission to find a way for all of our people to live harmoniously, and help you and the rest of the Changelings find a new life. It has been a terrible mark, not being able to provide a solution to those in my care”
Princess Cadence agreed, adding. “As the Princess of Love, I am all about sharing and making it stronger. In our broken world, it is harder and harder to find friendships, and bonds between different species. Dust Jacket and Mystic Tome are a unique situation. They love one another, like any couple. They can exchange love, however I do not know how we can do this for all Changelings. It is not as if we can start pairing off Changelings and Ponies”
“Well, your highness” The mother, a line green mare, spoke to this. “Our daughter is too young to have those kinds of feelings, and yet she has seem to give the same kind of energy to it-him” She looked over at the Changeling, who was still clearly very unsettled. “She seems fine, no worse for it. We are not very comfortable with what happened, but the fact remains that all that anyone saw was her hugging him. We are still concerned that there was a deliberate attempt made though”
“I wouldn’t!” The Changeling finally spoke, and cried out against that allegation. “I wouldn’t do that, not to her, not to anypony. I just want to live peacefully… I don’t want to live like we did under Chrysalis…”
Standing fast, not as level headed as his wife, the gray stallion shouted. “How can we be sure?! Maybe you all are trying to lure us into a false sense of security, and would have passed her around like… like candy or something, if the guards hadn’t intervened!”
“Mr. Starcut, please!” Princess Cadence cut in. “It has been nearly five weeks without the borders in place, and we have had no incidents. The Changelings have done nothing but suffer their starvation as we fail to rectify it. They could have easily escaped our notice to do far worse before being caught, if they were so desperate, so why would they now risk an situation in broad daylight, over a filly?” She looked around the room, taking in the mood of each present. “We have had dealings with the Changelings of the past, under the rule of Queen Chrysalis, and I can appreciate the concerns from those times, however these are not the same personalities that were under her control. I can only rule that this was not a deliberate attack, but an accident, one that we have come here in hopes of learning from to maybe save us all from further issues”
Standing with her husband, and grabbing her child, now both parents were annoyed by the tone of the meeting. Though she seemed more understanding, she was also displeased that it was not about their grievances. They went to leave, but the filly fought against it. “Wait! I wanna play with my fwiend more!”
“No! You are to stay away from them” The mother scolded.
“But why? He was so nice, and I just wanted to help him!” She fought, but was not able to beat the hold of an adult pony. “What did I do bad? Why can’t I see my fwiend? Mommy, why can’t we pway?”
The room was heavy, as the others tried not to listen to the confused cries of a child too young to understand what was happening here. The Changeling, however, could not ignore the filly that had shown him something new. “Listen to your mother Crystalline… don’t worry about us… we’ll be fine… be good for your parents”
Stopping, the mother wanted to turn and be angry with him for speaking to her daughter, but she saw the look in his eyes. It did not matter if you were pony or Changeling, there was something to be read in eyes, and his told of the pain he was feeling, and his tears were only further telling. “Y-you really care about her? Why?”
Trying to fight back the foreign feelings he was now going through, he nodded slowly. “That brief moment… She showed me friendship… I finally understood why ponies can feel like they do, not just feed on it… in that moment, I knew what it was like to be care about, and not the illusion”
Taking this in, the mother lost her hold, Crystalline took notice and rushed to the Changeling. The room fell away, as the filly embraced him again. He bore an expression of such happiness, one mirrored by her.
“Geoda?” Mr. Starcut looked at his wife in shock. “What are you doing?”
“Look at her, Art… look at them… he doesn’t want to hurt her, and she really likes him” She looked to her husband. “Can we really be responsible for tearing her away from another friend?” He looked at his daughter, then back to his wife, recalling the attacks. “She hasn’t seemed this happy since those we had to leave behind”
“Can I call you Switch-A-Roo?” Crystalline asked him. “Cause you can switch into stuff, right?”
He smiled more, finding himself to be named even more enjoyable than he imagined. “Of course”
The rest of the room changed, more positive and happy, as a major step was taken today. Morphosia, ever on duty was taking a deeper appreciation of what was happening. She could read the energies being exchanged. When a Changeling fed upon a victim, the process was much more like what Countess Trixie or Tirek would do. Between the two, and even at that moment between Dust and Mystic, the energies came out, and mingled together. It was no different than body heat, but it provided so much more for both parties. “Fascinating,” She said softly.
******
The Crystal Empire felt like a different place, since the last few months with the incident with the filly and the Changeling. Discovering a new way for the Changelings to live, even thrive, that did no harm to any other, allowed them to now spread through the Empire. Acceptance was slow at first, it did become common through the last Pony city.
Given the Changelings lack for need of food like that which the Ponies ate, they could help in ways to build the Empire without putting a strain on the resources some even helped cultivate. The damage from the battles with the Umbrum was erased, and new homes were made for the refugees saved by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Even the farms and fields were expanded to turn up a greater yield for all the mouths that needed it. Though not every Changeling found a bound like Crystalline and Switch-A-Roo, the welcome feeling and small friendships they formed with ponies through the Empire seemed enough to sustain them just as well. Some ponies that acknowledged these transactions joked with their new friends that it was like “snacking throughout the day”
The outlook of the citizens of the Crystal Empire was greatly changed, and they no longer feared the endless storm beyond as they once did, not with their heroes standing against it. A name was circulating for the champions, something to identify Prince Shining Armor, Empress Morphosia, Dust Jack, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom…
“Stormbreakers” Apple Bloom nearly laughed, as she read the papers. “I feel bad Princess Cadence didn’t make the cut”
Sweetie Belle was trotting about the lavish room that was set up for the pair to work, barely paying much attention to her friend. She was growing frustrated by the lack of a plan in the months since Sombra’s fall, and she knew the longer that they waited the more the other villains would be ready. It just did not seem possible to find a means to reach Cloudsdale alone without being caught, let alone getting to the Rainbow Factory and shutting it down. Their numbers were too small, even if the Changelings joined them to lay siege on the Aerial Nation, any attempt in sneaking into the factory would require a knowledge that only a select few had; each being of Rainbow Death’s highest, likely loyalest, ranks.
Watching her friend growing ever more distraught, Apple Bloom took a seat and leaned back in it. She had no idea what to do either, it was uncharted territory for her being an Earth pony, she knew nothing of the clouds. “Too bad we ain’t Changelings, they’re pretty good at get’n into places”
Sweetie took a seat, put her fore hooves to her head in defeat. “I could use a spell that Dust taught me that could change us, but to maintain it as well as a Cloud Trotter spell, so we can even be on the clouds, would be far too much effort for me” She slammed her hooves to the desk before her soon followed by her head, becoming buried in papers.
With her one good eye, Bloom looked at her friend in concern, though with a bit of amusement. She recalled a filly who was easily frustrated, and it seemed that the mare had not fully grown out of it. It was understandable, given how much time she has worked on this mission, but the facts remained. “If’n we only had a pony on the inside, someone who could create a distraction to get us in”
Sweetie did not lift her head, so she was muffled by the pages and forcing her friend to strain in hearing her. “None of the Pegasi here will go back, being marked as traitors, and we have no way to even reach somepony up there who might be a sympathizer or a friend before…”
“Maybe we can get a Changeling in?”
Sitting up in annoyance, Sweetie regarded this repeat topic. “What’s with all this Changeling talk? Besides Dust, how can we really be sure of any of them?”
Bloom was a bit surprised that the Zebracorn was still not accepting of the new members of their growing resistance. “Landsakes, it's been like four months now since Cadence and Morphosia made the announcement of the dismantling of the Changeling Quarts, and since they’ve gone to live through the Empire. There ain’t been any problems, and they have been might good po-bu… critters. How can y’all still be so closed to em?”
Sighing, Sweetie looked away. “I guess I’m just too focused on all this failed planning to see what has been happening out there… If Dust can be good, I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised that the rest of his people can be too” She glanced back at Bloom. “Still, what is to say they would help us?”
***
“Help the Stormbreakers?!” A Changeling nearly jumped out of their shell when asked by Sweetie and Bloom. They were excited just to be talking to them, but to be of help was beyond their wildest dreams. Sweetie did not understand the name, another matter she missed, and Bloom just waved it off to be explained later. “Of course we would help” Another heard what was being discussed, and joined with the first, as did a couple more. “We are citizens of Equestria now, and if our home needs us, we will answer the call!” The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
Sweetie looked at Bloom, who wore a knowing grin. “Okay, so they will help us, but what are we going to do with their help?”
Thinking a little bit on it, Apple Bloom had an idea come to mind, not much different from what she had been saying all along. “They can do what they did best before and find a Pegasus or two to switch with, then they go back to the Clouds, maybe slip in a couple more in disguises and get work in the factory where they can start mess’n the place up, and then eventually let us get in to find Scootaloo, or info, and we can take the place down fer good”
“Did I hear correct,” Another voice came from behind the mares, causing both to jump in place. “You wish to incite that my broodkin act on their old ways?” Empress Morphosia wore a deeply concerned look.
Turning to face her, Bloom attempted to explain things. “It’s fer a good cause. They wouldn’t be hurt’n nopony, least none not worth a bit of feather ruffle’n”
Narrowing her slitted eyes, the ruler was still not very pleased in this course for her people. “Putting my brood at risk for the sake of one pony, who may not even be there?” She returned sternly. “I understand friendship, and even the effects it can have over others, however the greater good must be served first. I cannot put my kind at risk for some chance rescue and pranks”
“I’ll volunteer, Empress!” The first Changeling stepped up, much to her surprise. “Befriending ponies has been such an amazing experience, and I can’t imagine going back or loosing the friends I have. These two have lost their friend and want to try to find her, and I want to help them!”
“Plus,” Apple Bloom chimed back in. “It’s fer the greater good too, cause if’n we can get in close enough to find our friend, and the Changelings can make a mess of that factory, we can try to take it down and put an end to Rainbow Death…” The weight of that thought struck her finally. Stopping Sombra and Chrysalis was one thing, they were always villains, but Rainbow was a friend, once. “We can try to reach her, but… I won’t risk so much if’n none of them can be turned back” She said to herself.
Morphosia watched as a few more of her brood joined the first in wanting to join this cause, and as much as she was proud they would fight for the ponies, she was also upset that they were to be put into harm’s way. She knew this would come sooner or later, but the later might not be on their terms, or as calculable. “Very well,” She agreed, much to the excitement of the group. “Those who wish to join in their endeavor meet in the main hall tomorrow at noon. For now, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, join me so we may fully plan this out to the best possible course. You may have a plan, but where as my Brood is concerned, I must sure up all details to my liking. We will assure success, and cut down the harm to our ranks” She turned to the first Changeling and instructed them to speak to either, or both, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor on this matter.
******
The dim lit corridors and cramped facilities of the older parts of the Rainbow Factory, over run by the constant relying and redirection of pipes, wires, and tubes, as well as the discarded and broken machines left in the wake of progress, were the sanctum to the highest levels of the grim machine. A red Pegasus, dressed in an old, stained, and worn lab coat that reflected these halls, was now trotting purposefully through them. He had helped revive this monster, and continues to keep it breathing its wicked, labored breaths. A few outranked him in Her Madness’ Aerial Nation, but none outranked Dr. Hide Atmosphere in the Rainbow Factory.
As the one figure feared as equally as Rainbow Death herself moved about, others cowered or simply pretended not to see him, occupied by their duties here in the lurching heart of the beast. They all did their best to avoid his attention, for it was rarely a good thing to be addressed by the Doctor of Death. He was not nearly as crazed as the supreme, and inglorious leader of the Third Flock, but he did not tolerate failure any less, nor did he find mercy for those shirking duty.
Entering a room, with tubes and wires going in and out like a nerve cluster, he stopped just behind a console and the single occupant at it. He cleared his throat, calling the light green mare’s attention. She turned to see who it was, at first looking like she was going to lecture the intruder, then saw who it was and changed her approach. Unlike the rest, she did not give him any signs of fear. “Need Something Hide?” She spoke as casually as a friend would, and though she was young for it, she had earned the respect and honour of his friendship, as well as a spot in the very select group of his Core of Top Engineers.
“How are the systems Gentle?” He looked around the monitors and readouts with his eyes alone, then turned his head sharply to an empty seat. “Where is Gauge?”
She turned back to the displays and switches at her station, a vest control that ran nearly every inch of the factory. “All is sufficient, given our low number of resources, and the fact Her Madness won’t let us shut down long enough to clean up this mess of reworked and abandoned arteries” She pushed away some discarded wires from some attempts made to organize the chaos, then scanned over some readouts before answering the second question. “As for my partner in efficiency, he is getting better acquainted with the toilets. Seems he was foolish enough to trust Contrail’s coffee”
After rolling his eyes, the old Pegasus continued to take in the many monitors and points of information that covered a vast majority of the factory as he spoke. “A genius in many respects, yet logic fails him at times” His locked onto something that seemed out of sorts to one who knew this place better than any other. “What is this?” He pointed to a fluctuation in the charts, noting a subtle but repeating pattern.
Gentle took a look, and searched through the back logs to see how long it had been a curing. “Definitely not normal, one of the regulators must be failing. It is only a couple days old, by the first sign of the pattern as it is, but does show it was developing over time” She activated the intercom to the troubled area. “Sector 7G Zone 9, we are are tracking an issue with one of the regulators, run a full diagnostic and find the problem”
“You are usually more attentive than this. We are not slipping, are we?” Dr. Hide asked, cryptidly.
“Yes, I am attentive” She returned, defensively. “I also usually have a partner to help when I do detailed inspections of such things” Hide raised a brow at this excuse, and Gentle knew what he was going to say. “Contrails’ coffee is a purge, that has been cleaning Gauge our for nearly a week now” She scoffed. “Good until the last drop”
Tisking at this, Hide turned to leave. “His mistake and yours compounded. Now let’s all hope these are the only ones we have for awhile” He trotted away, leaving her to sigh in frustration.
“It’s a living…” She muttered as she started back at the logs for anything else that might have arisen in these troubling past few days.
******
Over the course of three weeks, the Changelings had worked their way through the Rainbow Factory, placing themselves in areas that allowed them to move and work on the plan to bring the factory down. It would have been too obvious to strike where they were placed, so they would make moves in adjacent areas or further, with some doing damage where they were placed to keep the pattern seemingly random to any who might be tracking the system failures, shut downs, crashes, and breakdowns. It was fairly easy to cause “random” destruction, as the factory was clearly stressed to a point of nearly failing on its own. This also allowed for the big move to be possible, where a massive failure in one of the generators caused an explosion that drew much of the staff to focus on it. In the chaos, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were able to sneak into the factory, with several informants placed around so they would find what they needed.
Inside the Rainbow Factory was unlike anything the mares were accustomed too, being industrious and cold, showing no sign of joy or freedom. It was a dark and grim place, for something that wore the title of “rainbow”, it was far more factory. There was a flashing of red lights, indicators of the troubles and hemorrhaging of the complex, still being attended to by the engineers. The eerie silence, and flashing crimson hue, only added to the oppressive feel.
The pair kept off any main paths as much as possible, which were luckily abandoned thanks to the trouble elsewhere, they still kept to the twisting and winding service tunnels and areas, where it would be as empty even on a normal day. The deeper they went, the more the air filled with a thickness unsettling. Though silence, there seemed to be a sound that played at the edges of their hearing. It was like a wind, but as they delve further, it sounds more like wailing and suffering of souls in relentless torment. It came from nowhere, yet was all around, and all the pair could think was “haunted”
They eventually found an area that was the worst part they had seen so far, where all the imagined agony became reality. A holding area, with cages that filled the room, much of which were empty. The conditions here were appealing, with a heaviness in the air of rot and decay, that took all they had to suppress the urge to cough it from their lungs. It was a pungent mixture of death, and bodily waste from those left to soil themselves before their executions, and it was clear no effort was made to clean anything here. Those poor souls still alive in here, did not even look to be, no more living than some of the corpses left where they died before serving their dark purpose. It was clear that all hope was gone from their dead eyes, barely even breathing.
“We should free em” Apple Bloom whispered.
“Remember our goal,” Sweetie Belle returned. “We have only so much time to get through this place, and if we can accomplish our mission, they will ALL be saved” It was clear the mare was in a focused mood, with only their purpose here in mind. Despite her words though, she was still clinging to the hope of finding Scootaloo in one of these rooms and saving her. “If we freed them now, it would alert the place to us. The hunt would be on for us, and anything that leads to the destruction here. It would put everything at risk, and our friends who risked so much to get in here. I hate it, but we need the element of surprise right now. We have to leave them behind”
“Yeah… okay…” Bloom steeled herself, and pushed the sight around them away. She knew all about sucking up and moving on, but it never became any easier to do so. The pair were off again, leaving the wretched souls, hopefully to be rescued in time.
Not long after the holding room the infiltrators became lost, with the twists and turns of the place becoming increasingly hard to keep track of. Despite the advice and guidance, it was clear the depths of the factory were not well designed. It felt more like someone took ruins, and built on top of it, then that was destroyed and more was built over that over and over, never taking time to organize or clean up what remained. It was truly a miracle that it was a working factory, when maintenance seemed impossible. It felt more like Discord’s idea of art, than a functioning place.
After too long, they came across some kind of landmark that would allow the Changeling intel to be of use again, only it was not what they had hoped it would be. The door was large, covered in grime and scratches, with a once fancy and proud plaque that read “Pegasus Device Mk. 5” that was purposefully placed. Another sign, much less care given to it, read “Decommissioned”
The sound of hooves and conversation alerted the two mares, and soon choice was thrust upon them, between remaining out here or going into the room. The haunted place of an old Pegasus Device was not the first choice, but the alternative was far worse, and so they set to work at moving the old door that seemed to give a lot easier than they thought it would have, given how old the area around it looked, like it had been ages since any were down here. With it closed behind them, they now had to regroup to plan their next moves.
Apple Bloom faced the door, expecting ponies to come through, where as Sweetie Belle pressed her back to it and slid to the ground. The clouds here were hard, and solid. “Strange” She observed, feeling them and noting that she did not need to use her Cloud Trotter Spell here. “These feel solid, like flooring. Some give, like a cloud, but more like soft earth”
Curiosity peaked, Bloom tapped her hoof, testing the surface, and was amazed that it did feel different than anywhere else in this madhouse. She then tested the walls, finding the same strength and hardness. “Probably so no pony gets out” She grimly observed.
All the ghostly voices washed away into one solid sound. “No, no, it goes' ‘where not a single soul gets through'’” There was someone else in the room, and they were correcting the two on what neither knew what it referred to. “That is orientation day 1!” The new voice was sounding annoyed by this explanation, and the two inflitratiors took defensive positions, ready to fight who ever had discovered them. Their guards were shaken, when the figure came into the small stream of light that was piercing the room. The faded, ragged orange coat, covered in marks and scars improperly healed and reopened, and a mane of purple that was wild and unkempt. She was older, and looked like she was pulled from one of the devices last second, it was clearly Scootaloo. She did not share in the recognition, and studied the mares. “What are you doing here? You’re not Pegasi, and you don’t look like you are ready to be fed to the machines, even this old one… who are you?”
That simple question shattered their hope, and Sweetie Belle hung her head as sorrow was setting in. Bloom was not so easily crushed, and became angry instead. “Scootaloo, it’s us!” She snapped. “What in Hades are y’all do’n here?!”
“Hades I’ve heard of, a place you ground-bound filth often refer to when speaking about the worst place to be” She gave a brief, cruel grin, as she cocked her head. “We like to say Equestria up here” Her grin faded. “Scootaloo is a new one”
“That’s y’all!” Bloom stressed. “Can’t ya remember even that?”
“I don’t know your Grounder slang, or care to learn it. It doesn’t matter, because you two are going into the Pegasus Device, and being of actual use to the superior species!”
Stepping back in horror, Apple Bloom could not believe that this was what became over their friend. She lacked anything that was once Scootaloo. “Who are y’all?! Y’all look like our old friend, but ain’t no way, even that stubborn pony, could’ve become another twisted Pegasus in Rainbow Death’s Flock. Yer some Changeling or somethin’ trying to trick us?”
Looking at the Earth mare in puzzlement, the Pegasus distantly responded. “I look like myself, as I have always looked. Maybe I got a few new scars, but they are badges of my efforts to be the best Pegasus I can be, and that is what I am. Pegasus, and fucking proud!” She grew angry, at being called anything else. “I don’t give a shit about who you think I look like, but don’t you dare call me anything else but Pegasus! I’ll personally shove you into this old model, if you insult me again” She took a couple proud, challenging steps. “I’m Vice President Absentia, second only to the glorious Rainbow Death, and proud member of the Aerial Nation! I think I might start up this old machine, just because you’ve pissed me off. Rainbow Death said I could use it”
“Y’all are right, you ain’t our friend!” Bloom shot back. “She was from Ponyville, and a proud member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She might have been a might bit reckless, and Rainbow Dash’s shadow, but she was her own pony, and didn’t enjoy hurt’n others”
“Sounds like a waste, and another primed for the Pegasus Device. She’s probably already been fed to one of them. Anypony who don’t understand the glory of the Flock, and would choose anything else, don’t deserve to live” She moved closer, now going nose to nose with Bloom. “You and your sniveling friend are nothing but spectra to be harvested. Now accept your fate and die in the Pegasus Device”
Apple Bloom slapped the mare, and sent her crashing to the oddly solid ground. “Damnit Scoot, I know it’s you. Yer as stubborn as a mule in mud, and whatever brainwashing’ got ya to forget about yer past, sure didn’t clear up that. Yer damned obsession with Rainbow Dash has led you all the way to be this husk of yer former self. Y’all joined her in committing some of the worst horrors of the Shatter Storm, and are blinded by that demon!”
Growling and standing fast, Absentia was ready for blood now. “This machine has been silent for years, but it’s going to scream to life as it rips you apart! No Pegasus will ignore the screams, or think twice, as I feed you to the Pegasus Device!”
“Where the fuck are y’all get’n this shit from?” Bloom was forced to stand her ground, as the mare was at her. Soon they became a mess of flying hooves and gnashing teeth.
Sweetie Belle could only back away, going into the shadows as she was horrified by what was playing out, and seeing her fears coming to life. She was now wishing that Scootaloo had just been killed, and not this broken, twisted pony that was now fighting her other friend. “It’s just like Twilight, just like them all… They’ve been changed into wicked, and cruel ponies…” She huddled into herself, not able to watch as her friends fought. She remembered the old days when the two of them would get into it, but this was not friends blowing off steam, this was bloodsport. The Zebracorn could only sob, trying to escape into her mind, but the violence of their fighting was too loud to ignore.
Out of the depths of her mind, an idea came, a memory from something she had read and heard about after the Discord incident. Though it was never able to save Fluttershy, the spell Twilight had used to turn her friends back from when Discord twisted them might be what could save Scootaloo. “Apple Bloom!” Sweetie stood, pushing back her tears. “Pin her!”
The Earth mare heard this and quickly took her rope out, and with the skill she had mastered over her lifetime, lassoed Absentia easily as a calf. As Bloom shored up the bindes, Sweetie came over with her horn already alight.
Struggling against the rope, the Pegasus was almost foaming in her anger. “Let me go!” She roared. “I’m Absentia, Vice-” She was cut off as Bloom bound her muzzle.
Sweetie moved closer, and put horn to the Pegasus’ forehead, and her eyes went wide as the spell passed into her. Memories came flooding back, and after a few moments, she closed them, though not tight enough to hold back the tears from all she had done and seen. She shook in her sorrow, as Bloom undid the binding. Scootaloo cried harder, as everything became clearer to her, and knowing what she had done as Absentia.
The two friends knew their friend was restored, and embraced her to try and get her through. They were all crying out for mixed reasons, given all that they had gone through, alone, together, and now.
After some time had passed, and Scootaloo could speak, she filled in her long lost friends on all the horrors and acts committed by and around her, all the abuse she faced, until she was broken and remade into Absentia. She recalled every scream, and cry for help from the innocent souls fed to the machine, that she played a role in delivering, all while her “sister” watched in contempt and growing distance. She no longer showed the mare the same love they had before all went wrong, only cruelty. “Rainbow Dash… is gone… longer than I wanted to admit… She broke me, made me become a monster like her, but she was planning this for much longer than that. When she was in the hospital with a broken wing, she took to reading, and one book was a history that told of the Flock. It inspired her, and when Dr. Atmosphere and Dr. Gruber came to give her a new solution, she was gone… She pushed herself, and the entire Pegasus nation, and pushed those who stood in her way, and too weak to serve. ‘the Failures would suffer’”
“It’s about the same with Rarity” Sweetie Belle came in. “She was feeling depressed and torn by what was going on, losing Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie, Rainbow out of commission, and Twilight busy, she did what she always did, delve into a project. I don’t know what all happened, as I was also finding myself with Zecora, but I know she went to the ruins of the castle in Everfree, probably some project to restore the lost art there, or something, but she was consumed by the same thing that had taken Princess Luna, and now she is Nightmare Rarity, and no longer my sister…”
“Applejack was taken’ from me,” Apple Bloom started. “but she died doing what she had always done, being a proud and strong Apple, so I can’t say I know just how y’all feel… I do know we all lost our families, and managed to get through the Shatter storm. We ain’t fillies no more, and the cutie marks ain’t much of a goal right now, but we’re still on a crusade. Together, we’re gonna make sure to put an end to all the suffering and make sure no pony has to know what it’s like to lose a sister or family again like we did!”
The other two were skeptical at first, but they started to come around to the idea. “So what, we’re gonna be some ‘Sisterhood Association’ or something?” Scootaloo asked.
“Maybe not some clever name like that, but we’re still gonna go at it with the same passion as when we were the Crusaders”
Sweetie Belle sighed. “I miss those days…” They could all agree on that. “Now we have to fight our sisters, or what was… at least Scootaloo and I”
Bloom took offense to that, and snapped. “Hey, they were like family to me too!”
“Yes, but you didn’t help your sister become a monster” Scootaloo returned. “If I hadn’t agreed with her, and volunteered to be experimented on to get new wings, cost another pony their life on top of that, Rainbow might not have ever gone through with it!”
“If I hadn’t run off, maybe Rarity wouldn’t have sought comfort in restoring the castle, and wouldn’t have been attacked by the Nightmare entity…” Sweetie Belle sighed.
“If’n I was stronger, maybe I could have saved my sister!” Apple Bloom shot back. “We can go all over how we fucked up in the past, but that ain’t do’n anything to fix things now. None of us could’ve known where things were go’n” She was making sense to them, though they would not entirely be happy with it. “I don’t like it any more than y’all that I have to try and kill ponies who were once our friends and family… even if I ain’t like I got guilt over their turn’n, I still got some fond memories of them too- Wait, memories” Bloom turned her focus around. “That spell you used on Scootaloo brought her memories back, y’all think it might work on them too?”
Thinking about it, Sweetie concluded. “The idea has merit, but it’s a long shot. Maybe!” She thought a bit more. “Maybe if she remembers who she was, it can make her stop going on with what she has been doing? Maybe if it works on Rainbow, I can try to use it on Rarity too?” Scootaloo had a fleeting hope, but she had been with Rainbow nearly the whole time, and did not think good memories would undo much.
“If you have some way to maybe alter her memories,” Scootaloo started. “Not sure reminding her of her past is going to be enough here”
“It’s worth a shot” Sweetie replied, with shaking confidence. “If we can work together, we might be able to hold her down and I can cast the spell. Worse case… we at least have her trapped…” She said, with a bit of shame in the only other option to them.
“One problem” A voice traveled down to them, drawing their attention up to a catwalk that hung over the machine in a way that allowed any there to watch it work. The figure leaned over the railing, wearing a dark grin that the few traces of light in the room made look even more deranged. “You dweebs ain’t going to get the chance to even see Rainbow” The Gryphon laughed, her talons gripping the old bar so hard that it creaked. “G, you’re gonna eat good tonight”
The three friends united once more after the many years ripped apart, now stood before a threat of all ponies old as that of the Dragons. A Gryphon. Gilda spread her wings wide and leapt from the catwalk above the decommissioned Pegasus Device, laughing a dark, pleased laugh as she descended the distance between her and the trio. In the dim, scant light of this forgotten room, her impressive size was made even more frightening. Two of the ponies stepped back in their fear, while the third stood her ground. Apple Bloom had faced a number of horrors, many far worse than this hybrid creature, and was not so easily frightened besides.
Gilda landed before them and stood tall on her four limbs, sizing up the ponies but focused on one. “Absentia, you traitorous cunt. First you go mad, now you stand with the enemies? Tsk. I knew you were shit the moment I saw you”
“I’m no traitor!” Scootaloo shot back, finding some courage with her old friends beside her. “I only just finally woke up” She was shaken, clearly not used to standing her ground, especially to the head of Rainbow Death’s Lightning Guard.
Folding her wings tight to her, Gilda shook her head still grinning. “Such a stupid pony, I can’t figure why Dash took pity on a gimp wing runt, with no backbone. She wants to make her kind look so great, sweeping up all those failures and wimps, but keeping the most pathetic one at her side. Fuck’n stupid”
“Because she is still good under all of that! She still loves me, and will stop all of this once she can be reminded of who she was!”
“Oh boy, she did a real number on you kid” The Gryphon laughed again, a short, and mocking sound. “She didn’t forget, she knows just who she is and was, you dumbass, that’s why she works so hard. She wants to erase all those miserable years, tear down all that and those who held her back and kept her from going great so much sooner. It haunts her, all that shit from before, and you are her greatest disappointment. She tried to make you better, the best, like her. Maybe that’s why she held onto you, a reminder of what not to invest in. Even after she showed you all her best moves, and treated you like a sister, you still couldn’t measure up. You’re just a crippled little shit, who got new wings and wasted them”
Scootaloo was trying not to listen, accept these words or believe in them, only it was not easy given all she had been through in recent years. There was a moment, Rainbow had even said very much the same as Gilda was now. “She helped me get better, trained me, made me her second!” She fought back, finding some spark to believe otherwise.
“I doubt you’d know, because who would be lower than you, but ever fuck someone because no one else would, just to shut them up? You’re kinda like that, only you’re a pity fuck up” Gilda showed no humor, only seriousness as she cracked her knuckles of her fore claws. “Whatever her reason for letting you live, it doesn’t matter now. You are a traitor, on top of all that other shit that should have sent you to the machines long ago, but now you’ve gone too far. You are working with those trying to take down the Rainbow Factory, and attack the Flock. You ain’t worth even feeding to a machine, but you are still gonna be punished, and I’m just the bird for the job”
“SHUT UP!!!” Apple Bloom could not listen to this any longer, and rushed up to the Gryphon. In a graceful, fluid turn, landed her two trained legs on the bird. Gilda flew back from the spot, taken off guard by the sudden attack and traveled far in her surprise. “Oversized chicken! Scootaloo ain’t no fuck up, and she’s a mess better than you or Rainbow!”
Recovering midair, Gilda turned and caught herself then soared up roaring in a rage. “You cunt!” She rolled and came back at the group landing at Bloom, talons poised to rip into the pony. “She ain’t shit, you ain’t shit, and you will all die here!” She missed her first strike, and was now swinging and stomping toward Bloom as she avoided her.
“Y’all are sure kick’n up a lot of dust, but ain’t got a rodeo to put on fer it! We’re getting outta here, and y’all can’t stop us!”
“Y’all” Gilda mocked her accent. “Are stupid for coming here, throwing your lives away for that gimpy little shrimp” Laughing at the pony before continuing, Gilda was clearly not afraid of their claims. “Not sure who is more pathetic, the waste of feathers, or the two ponies dumb enough to enter the black heart of the Aerial Nation to save a broken foal?”
Apple Bloom was quick to lasso one of Gilda’s Wings, using her rope skill as well her impressive strength to jerked the larger creature off the ground and sent her flying involuntarily. “She ain’t broken, never was! She’s got a heart and passion, and is a great pony! I’d give my life fer her, but that day ain’t today” Her lost eye was glowing under the band over it, causing Scootaloo to wonder what was under there; however she was more consumed by the fact her friend had come so far and would do so much for her even after being apart for so long. The passion in Bloom’s voice was not bravado, and it was moving for the pony who thought she had nothing left.
Gilda twisted in the air, and saved herself from crashing to the wall. Again soaring above, she gripped the rope and pulled the mare with her. She jolted the rope sending Bloom flying up toward her, with ready claws to slash at her only to get a head crashing into her own. The two tumbled, recovering before hitting the ground. On the floor they danced a fierce step, landing blows and avoiding the more deadly strikes, each with a fury that few others could match as their different drives pushed their combat.
Scootaloo watched in confusion, not sure why she was worth so much trouble to the pony. She had lived so long feeling like nothing, never reaching the levels of those around her. Now after so long, her friends had come back for her, and were risking their lives to save her. She was Rainbow’s Second, but truly nothing more to her than a whipping girl now. “Why would somepony want to die for me?” was all she could think.
“Stay here” Sweetie Belle said, ready to trot into the fray, but was stopped by Scootaloo. She turned to her friend. “You are still wea- tired and worn out” She corrected herself before using the wrong words. “Let us take care of her, and we can all go home”
“Why?” Scootaloo questioned. “Why are you both here, why are you willing to throw your lives away for me?” There was confusion and pain in her tone and eyes.
“You see that glow in her left eye, under that wrap?” Scootaloo looked and nodded, though still confused about it. “And this thing wrapped around my horn?” It was the first time she even took notice of either of these things. “We’ve become the new Elements of Harmony, and it’s because we are true to our loved ones. We missed you Scootaloo, and never stopped loving you” Her horn was starting to glow like Apple Bloom’s eye. “We lost a lot through the years, but no more. What we can get back, we’re taking back! The storm isn’t taking anything else from us!”
As the two ponies talked, Gilda managed to pin down Bloom with one clawed hand and was poised to strike with the other. “Lost your eye huh?” Gilda grinned, as the band was slipping and showing the scaring.
“It couldn’t deal have’n to look at yer ugly ass” Bloom shot back.
“Well, I guess since you're so blind to your own death, I’ll just take the other too” She then screamed out in sudden pain, as she was shot from off the mare by a magickal bolt charged by conviction and the Element of Magick. Gilda tumbled and rolled until her talons cut into the solidified clouds to stop her from going further from her prey. “Little shits…” She growled as she righted herself.
Apple Bloom stood as Sweetie Belle came up beside her. “Thanks Sweets, her breath was do’n a better job at fight’n me than she was”
Amused and dumbfounded by her friend’s lack of fear in the face of such dangers, Sweetie could only shake her head. “You do like to ruffle feathers”
“Can y’all blame me? Look at how she keeps that crest of feathers on top of her head, I was only try’n to help her improve”
Ignoring their banter, Gilda slowly moved up to the pair, looking at each in turn. “Two ponies, one Gryphon” She cocked her head until it cracked. “This will be fun. Dash doesn’t let me rough up the runaways too much” She flared her wings to catch them off guard, and then launched herself at them.
Apple Bloom used her Elemental Eye to see the move, and darted from the path, giving Sweetie Belle a subtle gesture for her to do likewise. Gilda roared past, and skidded to push herself back at the Earth pony. Bloom’s Element was fully awoken, with Sweetie’s also active, and she was granted the Foresight to read Gilda’s moves. She kicked at the bird, and sent her tumbling into Sweetie’s path, who called her power to blast Gilda in a great wave of energy. Gilda was about to recover in time to roll away from harm, getting singed instead of fully cooked.
Going back to the offensive, Gilda came down from the sky to strike Sweetie, razor claws whistling through the air just inches from the white hide of the mare. Hairs were caught, and were blown about in the wind of the attack. Sweetie attempted again, finding no further luck than before, and was caught in the Gryphon’s grip and hoisted up in the air. Satisfied to use her beak, Gilda was about to snap into the exposed chest of the mare, when Bloom returned to her concerns, using her full body to knock Gilda from her stance.
The two tumbled, and using the opportunity Sweetie shot a lesser, but still powerful spell, and won a hit against her. Gilda called out like an eagle, the blast still having the bite needed to do damage. She stumbled away, and recovered as several bolts of energy shot at her like a shooting range target. Some of these struck, most were avoided, with Apple Bloom charging in again.
Gilda was not going to be struck again, and seemed to read that the Earth mare could see her moves coming, and attempted a faint. She went to slash, only to pull back and used her mighty wings to slam the pony hard, knocking her a good distance into the air,where Gilda quickly met the stunned mare and landed a kick of her own.
Scootaloo watched the three fighting, the display something to behold. Gilda was fierce, she had always been so, and now she was completely unbound and was showing just how terrible she truly was. She fought magick and physical attacks like a demon, almost shrugging off each attack as she pressed her own. Snapping beak and slashing claws, she was not afraid of killing them; no, she was hoping for it. To their own credit, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were avoiding taking any real damage, and landing some good hits of their own. Scootaloo was not sure how they had become such experts in combat, but they were standing against one of the most feared members of the Flock like she was nothing more than a playground bully.
“Rainbow Dash used to believe in me, but she treats me like a project…” Scootaloo said to herself. “They believe in me, and now risk their lives for me… I was always so loyal to her, but she has abandoned me, left me to wonder the dead parts of this factory” She looked around the room, as something came back to her…
… Standing in the room so vast and empty, save for some large, square vats in the back. Above them was a machine that had tubes that fed into each of those vats. A single, central stack stood attached to the machine, and above its opening was a series of chains, pulleys, restrains, controls and devices to command them independently as they would be moved around the series of tracks. A catwalk spanned across the room above the machine, allowing some to observe from above whatever horror was to play out below.
Rainbow Dash and a younger Scootaloo, less scared and beaten by the years, stood on the ground floor as several other Pegasi moved around setting up the machine. “This is the best machine since the Mark 2, and a personal fave” Dash grinned. “Three and four were fine, but they didn’t do much to be really improved. Really should have pressed that ‘2.2’ or whatever, but Hide likes whole numbers, so he got his way”
“So what’s so great about this one?” Scootaloo asked, looking around the room. “and why is it so empty?”
“Oh Scootaloo… you have always lacked the eye for theatrics” Dash shook her head. “This room inspires fear and despair, helping the resource produce even greater levels of Spectra. Once these vats fill with it, and the machine is set, the resource will piss itself in terror. The pain induced from the massive rack will increase the production that will be many times that of the old machines!”
Looking down, Scootaloo was feeling strange. “Should we be so… mean? I know they are failures, but to torture them?”
Rainbow Dash stopped in her marveling, and turned slowly toward the other. “Scootaloo, you should be careful of what you say, you are just barely gliding above the clouds of failure yourself. Only my protection has kept you from feeding the machines” She spoke coldly, with a blank look in her eyes.
The younger pony stepped back. “I know, and you know I have sworn myself to you, I just worry that we are being too cruel”
Slapping her with a powerful wing, sending Scootaloo to the ground as Dash growled. “I fixed your crippled wings, made you my vice president, done everything to train you in the ways of being awesome, but you still act like a failure!” Gilda stepped up behind where the pony lay. “Failures are punished, and I can no longer abide by your constant failings” Dash looked at Gilda, and the Gryphon eagerly grabbed Scootaloo.
Turning toward the workers, Rainbow shouted. “Get the machine running, we are testing it now! Ready the rack” The workers scrambled to get it ready to run, as it was not yet at the point to even be turned on.
“Dash, please! We’re sisters!” Scootaloo cried, struggling in the talons of the powerful, and wicked Gryphon with blood trickling from where she was held. “I would never betray you, I’m loyal only to you… I just-”
“Questioned me” Dash cut her off. “You were my sister, that is why it pains me to do this” She never turned around, transfixed on the machine. “You make me a failure…”
Gilda bound the struggling mare to the rack, all limbs locked into chains, that pulled her into the air once they were secure. All the while, she was screaming out for mercy and hoping to reach the mare she had dedicated herself too. That pony seemed gone now, as the cranking and whining of the untested machine reached the same pitch as the ill fated mare’s cries. The chains pulled at her, like wild animals fighting for their piece of the prey.
“So far so good” Gilda remarked with a grin, standing next to an indifferent Dash who showed no joy in this moment.
“Phase 1 set, Phase 2 primed” A worker called out, and the machine sparked. Alarms went off, and the room filled with smoke and noise not meaning to be heard. “System failure! Shut down!”
Returning to life, Rainbow sneered and growled. “What happened?!”
One of the workers hesitantly flew down to her, and struggled to report. “Uh… it-it wasn’t… ready when you-” She slapped him much like Scootaloo earlier.
“Get it working, and get it done yesterday!” She commanded, then turned to leave. “And Orion, you’re next”
The work’s eyes went wide, and nearly collapsed to the ground. Gilda, still in her place, amused by the plight of the worker, turned to look at Dash. “Want me to toss her into the collector?”
Rainbow stopped, looking back at the sobbing pony still dangling, limbs just at the point before being ripped from her. “No, it seems her luck has not yet run out. Maybe I can still save face and make something out of a failure, besides just Spectra”
“What should we do with her for now?”
Turning away and trotting again, she was momentarily troubled by a soft spot in the clouds, though she recovered fast enough that it was barely noticeable. “Let her hang until the machine is repaired, then switch her with Orion to make sure it is ready. After that, bring her to me” In a louder voice, for the workers to hear. “Fix these floor clouds!”…
…Coming out of her memories rubbing at where Gilda once held her, she had been snapped awake by the alarms and flashing of lights through the room. Something new must have risen the danger level of the factory, but the three fighting just beyond her seemed to ignore these sudden changes to the atmosphere in the abandoned machine room. Scootaloo tried to cling to the memories, and the meaning to them.
Gilda grabbed at the rope around her throat, and with a sharp pull of it, drew Apple Bloom toward poised claws. The Gryphon was ready to end this pony’s life, and just as the sharpened talons hungered to bite into the flesh, Scootaloo with her full wits, came smashing into the mare. The move saved her friend, and earned her new marks in her side, matching so many others already covering her. She crashed to the ground, and cried out in pain, the depth of the wounds caused her blood to quickly pool about her.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom called out and tried to reach their friend, but Gilda was already on top of the mare. She violently grabbed the Pegasus’ wings as she pulled her into the air, causing new pain to surge through the struggling Scootaloo. “I’m gonna pluck these wings off ya, save them from being wasted on such a wimp; just like they should have been years ago” Gilda started to pull on them, leaving the screaming mare to dangle by her aching wings as one was beginning to rip from her. Gilda just laughed over the sickening wet sounds of flesh and muscle being torn, driven to do what she has desired since she found this pony who had made herself number one in Rainbow Dash’s eyes.
Shouting out in her own fury, Apple Bloom charged at the Gryphon and slammed into her much as Scootaloo had done earlier to Bloom. Free from the grip, but in too much pain and a wing nearly gone from her, Scootaloo fell to the ground hard with Sweetie Belle soon at her side.
Bloom and Gilda renewed their fight, with ever increasing rage and desperation. With her Element eye almost ablaze in her socket, she was in a whole new mode of her still discovering abilities. She did not settle to just the rope with this advanced Foresight, Bloom deployed several knives she held in her bags to fling them in an attempt to take out the threat. Gilda was also elevated by their fight, the lust she had for carnage and the freedom to unleash it was surging through her and making her too quick to hit. Gilda maneuvered around the deadly barrage with the skill she had honed over her whole life, and fueled by her risen thirst for real combat. If any others could see this display, all would agree she was only out matched by Rainbow in regards of her abilities in the air.
“Pathetic!” She called out, still moving around the air with even sharper moves than the blades of the knives sent at her. “Try all your little tricks, Earth trash, you won’t get-” She was too cocky, and missed the rope that returned to the action, and hooked her leg. With a harsh whipping motion, Gilda was slammed back to the hard clouds. “Fuck…” She exclaimed, and rolled from the descending hooves coming to smash her skull.
“Y’all hurt yer last pony!” Bloom declared, before being forced to call out in pain.
Gilda used the moment to slash at the pony, cutting deep into her chest and up her neck. “Oh, no, I think I have at least two more” She laughed in triumph, swiping at the mare more only without the same success as Bloom was on guard again.
Bloom was deeply cut, and hurt, but she was filled with adrenaline as well as the power of the Element. She left splatters of blood around the room, as did Gilda, when she earned some deep cuts of her own. She used the rope to loop some of the discarded blades, and with a show of truly impressive skill, knotted several knives in the rope and made a new weapon. The rope looked more like a rose stem, with daggers for thorns. Bloom lashed about, and turned her two weapons into a unified strike.
Watching this display, Gilda was stoic to the threat. “Think that’s going to do any better?” She darted out of the way, only to find the decoy attack left her to a second rope that seemed to come from nowhere. Rolling from this strike, she now found herself with two hooves crashing into her head. “Fuck!” She called out, crashing to the ground, realizing too late that the bladed rope was looping around her whole body. The blades found purchase across her, and took deep of her. Gilda struggled, then was quickly spun like a top, as Apple Bloom pulled the rope hard. Feathers and gore shot out from the rotating Gryphon, until she managed to recover from the clever attack. She would not be allowed a moment to rest, with Bloom already on her again.
“Scootaloo, are you okay?” Sweetie Belle looked down at her friend, not sure if she should move her as she was studying the damage.
Gritting her teeth, the Pegasus snapped. “What do you think?” She groaned, then shouted out in agony in a failed attempt to move. “Shit… I’m broken… again…” She sounded more defeated than just the physical cuts could do, she had much deeper ones that never healed in her mind.
“You’re not broken!” Sweetie challenged. “We’ll get you help” She pulled out some potions, giving one to Scootaloo to drink, others to use on the damage. She wished she had some for the emotional ones, but she would settle for healing the external pains for now. “That will ease your suffering, and these should numb the joints so you won’t hurt moving, help heal and clean them.
Looking at the vial, Scootaloo hesitated at first. “Where did you learn all of this stuff?” She then drank it, and twisted in disgust at the taste. “Not sure that was better than the pain…”
Sweetie allowed a snicker, remembering the words she shared now. “The Taste might not do, but it is good for you” She gave a soft smile. “I learned a lot from Zecora”
The pain was fading, but the feeling was still there in her stressed joints, and the sensation of the liquids fizzing was tingling as they sealed the rendered flesh. It reminded her of what she lost. “How can I go on when I can’t even help you two? You came to save me, but what is the point? Without Gruber, there is no way I will fly again now, not that I would steal another set of wings or wish that asshole was still alive”
“You’re sounding a bit too much like me” Sweetie admitted to her frequent bouts of depression. “Apple Bloom has said it a dozen times or more, ‘we can’t let the past keep us down. Hope is still out there, and we have to keep fighting for it, and fight for all those who have managed to survive the Shatter Storm and the horrors that were in its wake. So don’t lose hope, and we can make it through.’ I’ve learned so much between Twilight and Zecora’s magicks, and I will use everything to get your wings working again”
***
The light green Pegasus was frantically going around the small room, trying to manage the over growing chaos of the dying Rainbow Factory. Gentle was in a panic, all across the boards were alarms going off. “Shit, shit, shit…” She did her best to figure solutions, but not every problem could be given the attention it needed.
“What is happening?!” Dr. Hide stormed in, standing behind her in great aggravation and hidden concern.
“Freak’n systems are going down all over the place! Those little issues must have been a warning to the fact this fucking place is a time bomb!” She snapped and groaned before shouting more orders into the intercom, though she was quickly losing hope that any of it mattered. “Get those vents open. Reroute the coolant! Jeffery, get into those tubes and patch up the shorts or the chamber is going to breach! I’ve lost feed on the deeper levels of 13, someone find out where Forester is!”
Looking around, Hide’s frown deepened. “Where is Gauge!?” He needless asked, omitting “I don’t care if he needs a diaper or just shits in this room, but we need all bodies working or this factory is going to fall to the ground!” He pointed at a monitor. “Elevation has dropped already” Turning away, growling to himself. “I told her we needed to shut this place down periodically, so we could clean up all the remodels. This factory has become an ever increasing labyrinth, and now it’s about to all come crashing down!”
He turned back, collecting himself a bit. “What are Pipe Wrench and Contrails doing?”
“I’m sure the latter is doing their best to drive the former as mad as they are” She said humorlessly. “Pipe went down to one of the lower levels to deal with the more serious problems, with Contrails being… Contrails…”
“One can only wonder if they will make it better or worse…” He groaned with a heavy sigh. “How long do you think these repairs will take?”
She whipped around, forgetting their positions, foregoing their friendship. She snapped in a full rage. “How long?! Do you think this is a Sci-fi novel?! This ship is literally sinking, every problem addressed raises new problems beyond. Forget about fixing anything, we’re lucky to keep things from getting worse!” She pressed a hoof to her forehead. “If we don’t shut this place down, it’s on-”
“NO!” Hide cut her off, forgiving the outburst, but not the suggestion. “She will never allow it, and if we so much as turn off a light, she’ll throw us both into a device”
Looking at him, the so-called “Master of the Rainbow Factory”, always under the frightful shadow of Rainbow Death. Dumbfounded by his clouded views, she could only shake her head. “At this rate, there won’t be a device, a factory for her to throw anything into” She took a deep breath, reevaluating her life. “I should have just traded some random failure for my life, and got out of this engineering and electrician nightmare!” Turning back to the console, Gentle looked for any glint of hope. “If we survive this, I’m throwing myself into a vat…”
“You can me both” Hide said, then narrowed his eyes as a dark orange stallion trotted past him. “If shitting was your job, I believe we’d owe you overtime pay” He quipped, then became stern. “Help Gentle fix this, and get this factory back into order! I don’t care if you need to go, you can do it in your seat. No Pegasi is to leave their duties until this crisis is undone!”
“Good to see you too, boss” Gauge groaned, his flank obviously sore, not to mention his guts from the ongoing problem.
“Made it just in time” Gentle pointed to a monitor. “The system is going critical, and I’ve got enough over here to keep just from going over the edge”
Bathed in the flashing glow of red, and backed by the crying alarms, the most feared voice in the Flock shouted over all the noise. “Just what is going on here?!” Her tone was accented with rage and hate, and it filled the three with terror.
***
Gilda held up Apple Bloom, both looking like they just came out of the worst of war. Beaten, bloody, and about on the edge of death, they had both fought with passion. Apple Bloom was fighting with the drive of saving her friend, while Gilda was fighting with absolute freedom of not having to hold back anymore. She had not had a good opponent before, and this fight was pushing her to her limits. She spat her own blood into the face of the mare, and was grinning. “Little cunt, couldn’t beat me, even with all yer fancy tricks and glowing eye” She threw the mare to the floor.
Sweetie Belle stood, wanting to rush to her friend’s aid, only Scootaloo was also in her concerns. She was torn between her friends, and could only attempt to distract. “Get away from her!” She demanded, and won the attention of Gilda. “Why are you doing this?”
Not thinking much of the others or seeing them pose the same threat as the earth pony, Gilda scoffed, and nearly tumbled. The fight had taken more out of her than she would admit, though she laughed it off. “Why not?” She responded. “Ponies are worthless, and Dash is doing a great job at cleansing this world of your kind”
“So you serve a pony, to kill ponies? What about when she runs out? Are you or your kind next to start falling into her machines?”
“That’s the beauty of it, the devices don’t work on anything but you ponies. Even the Mark 8 can’t get Spectra from anything but your kind” She snorted another laugh. “Guess your kind is only good for making pretty colours” She stumbled a bit more, moving from Bloom who seemed unable to move. “What happens when your little land is cleared of all ponies?” She shrugged. “Who cares?”
Shaking her head, not able to understand or fathom the reasoning. “Why are you so hateful? I don’t understand how why creatures can be so vile, what causes someone to be so cruel?”
Gilda stopped, as if struck by an arrow. “Why?” The word came out like steam before the bubbling of a hate filled broth. “What can make me hate ponies?” The water was churning, and now boiling over. “I came to Equestria long ago, trying to escape the shitty place I came from, and I heard all this great stuff about ponies, and friendship, and all that junk. All I found were more creatures who avoided me, even picked on me! Making fun of me, and mocking me! Dash was the only one who talked to me like an equal, and she was mocked and ridiculed too. I dealt with that for years, and when I came back after leaving your shitty little land, I had all my friendship and hopes throw away over some fucking ponies who she chose over me! She abandoned all the times we fought to be the best through the academy for those fuckers in the ass crack of a town!” She slammed her fore limbs, going in a standing rage and roared in her fury. She let herself calm a bit, before going on. “She came to me, when she finally smartened up a bit, and I nearly killed her right there. She admitted to how stupid she had been, choosing ponies over me. Maybe all this Flock shit is still pointless, and dumb, but soon enough she’ll see how dumb it all is and we can just live our lives together, like we should have all this time!”
Sitting up with a great effort, Scootaloo now laughed at Gilda. “You think… she values you any more than she did me? Anything?” It was hard for her to keep talking, but she had a point that needed making. “She took me in, treated me like a sister, kept me safe for all the early years of the Flock, and one wrong move and she tossed me aside too. She has no loyalty, it’s a crock that she was ever the bearer of the Element of Harmony. She’ll kill you just as easily as she tried to kill me. All that matters to her, is her”
“Yeah” Gilda said calmly, letting her rage go. “I figured that, but I’m enjoying the ride for now” She shocked them both, how quickly she dismissed the same drive she was showing for all she was doing. “We’ll see what happens, and if I get to enjoy a few more years with my only friend, or a few more minutes, I at least get to have some happiness” She cracked her neck, and flared her wings. “Right now, the pleasure I want is ripping you shits apart” She leapt at them, claws out to go for the kill.
Sweetie Belle was done, and focused a blast of magick that struck one of Gilda’s wings, sending her crashing back to the ground. Now it was becoming clear to all, just how much the fight with Bloom had taken out of her. “Stop this, and you can make it out alive. You just wanted love, but she can’t love you. Find someone else to bring you happiness, and live on” She took one a sterner tone. “I don’t want to kill you, but I will protect what is important to me” The Element on her horn began to shine brighter.
“Ha! Nothing will stop me” She jumped up and went for Scootaloo, but Sweetie blasted the Gryphon again. She attempted for Apple Bloom, getting the same treatment. This went on and on, forcing Sweetie to use her magick over and over to keep the mad creature from her friends. “I can keep this up all day, what about you? Unicorns can’t cast forever, and I know you’ve been spending a lot of your magick already”
“I’m a Zebracorn! I can go on longer than you!” Sweetie lied, then thought to herself. “She is right, even a small blast like these will burn me out. She is weak from fighting too, but I’m willing to bet she had more stamina than I have magick reserved…” She needed to change tactics, and an opening to go from a shooting gallery to ending this.
Laughing ever more, Gilda went to push off the floor, only her talon sank through a weak area and trapped her. “Shit…” She pulled, but the limb was lodged tight. She turned just in time to see a bright light coming at her, and her eyes went wide. She let an agonizing cry, much like Scootaloo had when her wings were being pulled. Gilda flew from the spot, free from the hole, crashing then rolled. Grabbing at her arm, what was left, she winced, as her blood pulsed from the torn limb as she tried to hold back the pain, and stop the bleeding.
Sweetie Belle trotted up to her, a dangerously serious look in her eyes. “Yield or die” She simple gave the choice again. She jumped back, getting her answer as Gilda tried to swipe at her. “Very well…” She closed her eyes then a magick band formed around the Gryphon’s neck, and with a quick motion, the unmistakable sound of bones breaking followed by even more blood as the band cut deep to ensure the deed was done. Gilda fell lifeless, head barely attached as it rolled a bit with a still scowling face frozen in death. “You did not deserve it, but this was the most merciful death I could give, if only to ease my own mind”
Seeing that Scootaloo was stable enough, Sweetie rushed to Bloom investigating just how badly the mare was hurt. She had not moved much since the last attack, and it was not clear how close she was from death.
“What is going on in here?!” A voice silenced the whining of alarms, burning with so much rage it was like a volcano was given speech, and the two conscious ponies could almost feel the heat of the anger. “First my factory is falling apart, now Gilda is dead?!” High above, on the same catwalk that Gilda had come in from, a cyan Pegasus now stood. The unmistakable rainbow mane, though faded, gave all the answer to who was bathing in the red glow of the warning lights. She was seething in the sight of her friend and head of the Lightning Guard, dead, while the biggest failure in her life stood in mockery of all she had worked to create. It looked like the metal of the bridge was smoking, like the absolute maelstrom of her emotion was going to melt it.
They had barely escaped Gilda, now they were down a pony, with Scootaloo lingering, and Sweetie Belle nearly spent. The three young ponies might have had their run of fortune go dry, while the worst of their fears stood above them with all her attention focused on them.
Sweetie Belle stood before Apple Bloom, who was still lying in a broken state. Beaten and unconscious, she had taken a heavy beating from her fight with Gilda. The clash with the Gryphon did not just render the Earth mare in a poor state, she had also nearly torn Scootaloo’s wings from her, and the efforts Sweetie Belle had to take in keep her friends alive and finishing the mad creature drained much of her magick. Now she alone stood against the rage of Rainbow Death, who was astride the catwalk that spanned the room above the decommissioned Pegasus Device. The factory was in no better shape, as it was riddled with failures, and the constant cries of sirens, as well the flashing of red lights did not allow any to forget that there was danger all around.
Rainbow Death launched from the walk and swooped down, looking like a bird of prey with her grace and purpose. She landed on the hardened clouds with such force that it rocked Sweetie Belle, as the fluidity of her movements could only be compared to a waterfall coming down with the force like boulders. She analyzed the room, scanning for all the information she could gain by sight alone. She found the detached limb of Gilda sticking from the floor, and this surged a new fury in the mare. “I told them to reinforce the floors!” Sneering at the growing list of those needing punishment, her eyes then traveled toward Scootaloo. “Absentia, what are you doing? Get up!”
Scootaloo had looked on the verge of passing out, then the name called from the older mare sent a pulse through her that snapped her to attention. Struggling to stand, she began to trot her way toward Rainbow. “These ponies must have used some mind spell on me, and in my incapacity, managed to kill Gilda” She looked at her wings, and became aware of their damage. “My wings!” She nearly screamed.
Narrowing her eyes, Rainbow moved toward Sweetie Belle. “You attacked and damaged my second, killed my best friend and head of the Lightning Guard, and whether it is true or not, I’m blaming you for all the trouble caused in my factory. I can’t say that I have been any angrier than I am right now” Despite her words, she did not show that rage now, as she spoke calmly. It soon became clear, as she was instantly flying at the Zebracorn like a missile. She roared out, making the worst thunder crash sound like droplets in a pond. “I’LL KILL YOU!!!” Sweetie reacted nearly as fast, and tried to blast the Pegasus back, only the mare was merely held in place. Her powerful wings allowed her to push back against the spell, but she was also under some protection that kept it from doing damage to her.
Sweetie could tell that this fight was not going to be won like this, and her magick would not hold up. It took everything to keep Rainbow in place, let alone defeating her at all. She decided she needed some time to plan, so she cast a teleportation spell, sending her and Apple Bloom from harm. Rainbow, now free, shot past the spot and flew toward the far wall. She cut through the air, and arched before meeting the surface in a move that no other could have pulled off, or even survived the g-forces.
“Where did they go?!” She hovered, scanning the room quickly, but assuming that they would not be so foolish to jump to another part of the room. “Absentia!” She called. “Stay here, and make sure they are not here or come back. I’ll search the factory” Moving with the speed of her years as the best, she shot straight up then bolted out the catwalk door to begin her tear through the shuttering building.
Limping around the room, moving in a clearly weakened state, Scootaloo was looking for the pair who escaped Rainbow. “Where did you intruders go?” It was not clear if she expected an answer or not.
In a corner, hidden by the machinery, Sweetie Belle thought to herself. “I can’t tell if Scootaloo is acting or is she somehow reverted…” She dared a look, knowing that Rainbow was gone, but not sure if being caught by the other left behind was any better at this time. “She is fine for now, that potion will keep working, so I only need to be concerned over Rainbow Death and our recovery” She turned to look at Apple Bloom, still out from all she had gone through. The potion would help, but it would not be enough to truly recover either of them. It was a start though.
Sweetie pulled out another potion, with a brilliant red colour, made only more so by the warning flashes. Uncorking it, she carefully rid her mouth of the stopper, not allowing too much noise to be made. Bloom was in no shape to drink on her own, so she was left with only one option to ensure it was taken. Pouring some into her own mouth, she pressed her lips to her friend’s and let it trickle into the other, allowing instinct to swallow what was given. She repeated this until the full amount was consumed.
“Unfortunately the process will dilute the mix, at least it all went down. It should still be strong enough to get the job done” She thought, not daring to speak aloud. She pulled out a new vial, with a more pleasing green hue, and downed the content for herself. This would help restore her magick, though it would take time to work. She leaned against the wall, stroking Bloom’s mane absentmindedly.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Death tore through the failing factory, knocking around any who were in her path while she frantically searched for her prey. She was convinced that all the troubles in her precious factory were due to these two, who somehow entered and managed to deal several blows to her pride. “I’ll kill them” She thought. “I’ll rip them apart and kill them!” She cut around corners, and flew through halls with the ease of doing an obstacle course, not given any thought to though she was cutting down. “I’ll tear them apart, and each piece I’ll throw into the Pegasus Device and make them watch as their worthless bodies become Spectra, then KILL THEM!!!” Her internal voice raised through her thoughts, becoming a wild storm that could almost be heard without.
***
In one of the lower areas, a rather gruff and beaten Pegasus was tightening a series of bolts and nuts. With an exhausted sigh, showing off a series of damaged teeth, he looked around. “’er ish ‘ah ‘amned ‘oal?” His speech was as broken as his mouth, from an event from long ago never set right. He started down where he last saw his partner, and stopped, covering his eyes at the sight he found. “’or sh-eh-chra shake…”
Another Pegasus, with a cross between crazed and pleased look on his face, floated before a steam vent. “Pipe! You gottahaha try it! The hehehigh heat right between-” The busted jaw pony stopped him.
“Sh’op ‘ah, an push ‘ah shang away…” He tried not to look at the excited stallion, enjoying the steam over him. “Yer go’n ‘o melsh yer bawls off”
“Bowls?” The unstable Pegasus laughed, then laughed harder, stopped, and fell to the ground laughing harder still. “My bowls and noodle!” The clearly saner of the two was trying not to watch the ‘noodle’ as it wriggled in the fit of laughter.
“Pipe Wrench, Contrails!” Gentle’s voice cut through the chaos, becoming a welcome distraction for the pony not rolling on the floor. He went to the nearest monitor, activating the intercom. “What is the progress down there? Systems are crashing all over, and we can only do so much up here”
“I steamed my noodle! Wanna see?” Contrails tried to get himself into view, only to get pushed away by Pipe, then the more coherent, if not less comprehensible, pony did their best to explain things going on down where they, at least he, was working. His speech was too hard for her to understand, luckily Gauge seemed more adjusted to the broken pattern.
“They have vented several of the boilers, sealed off some of the ruptured pipes, and- … that was just uncalled for” Gauge shook his head. “All and all, we’re still screwed. Our best are beyond their limits, and nothing we do can stop these chains reactions” He was speaking his own view now, given all the facts he knew.”Too many key systems have failed, and the redundancies are not built to take on full responsibilities with all the mains shot. In short, we’re in a cart, with all four wheels being spares, screaming down the side of an erupting volcano”
“Colourful” Gentle thought.
Laughing as he cut in, Contrails said when he was collected enough. “Rainbow Factory Organization Speedwagon!”
“What, in the Aerial Nation, does that mean?” Gentle dared to ask.
“R.F.O. Speedwagon!” The crazed pony shouted, then started singing. “It started with a cloud shakes, birds, snakes!”
“Had to ask…” Gentle put a hoof to her face, as Contrails sang on. “Not even the right band for that song…”
Another light caught her attention, amidst a flooded board of problems. She was too attuned to changes, or else it would have been lost in the sea of warnings, though it gave her no time to process as shortly after the entire factory rocked from a massive explosion and communications from blow was lost. “What was that?!” Gentle gripped the console as the factory shuttered, looking for a sign to explain this new problem. “Pipe, any-” She stopped, noticing the static on the monitor now. “…no…”
Below smoke was filling the rooms, as clouds began to dissolve, and fires roared. Over the sounds, voices screamed, defining the air with terror. One pony coughed and giggled through. “How explosive” He laughed harder, only stopping to cough. “Barbeque Pegasus anypony?” He darted around, the blast had knocked him from where he was before, and now he was searching for his friend through the ever darkening space. He banged into a wall, and snorted. “Who put this here?” The smoke cleared up, as part of the same wall collapsed and let the haze drift away. He started to laugh harder at the wreckage of a machine that had fallen through the ceiling. “The sky is falling!”
Flying around a bit more, Contrails wanted to show his friend the scene, and share in the joke. “You’re missing this!” He snickered, circling the same area again, then stopped and looked down. “But it didn’t miss you..” The Pegasus said humorlessly, and landed before the display. Blood had gushed out, painting the machine and a fair space around the source, and pinned under the machine was Pipe Wrench. He was dead in moments, and his eyes were still wide in the last moments of pain, almost fixed right at Contrails.
Another explosion echoed from a distance, but the surviving Pegasus just stared at his fallen friend. After a while of silence from him, the chortle began rolling from him, then it became a madness of convulsive laughter. Contrails never stopped staring at Pipe, his crazed eyes locked with the glossless eyes of the dead, as tears streamed down his hurting cheeks. The smoke started rolling back in, as a nearby fire grew even greater. Even as he choked, he never stopped looking and laughing. Blanketed in the smoke, Contrails was now coughing more than laughing, and soon there was only the roaring sound of the blaze as it hungrily sought to consume the Pegasi in its path. He never looked away, even as fire licked at him.
***
Apple Bloom began to move, moaning softly in the pain she was starting to become aware she was in. She sat up and gasped when she was conscious enough to remember the fight she had passed out too. Sweetie Belle covered the awakened mare’s mouth and shushed her, then in a hushed tone said. “We’re hidden for now” This only caused more worry in Bloom, as she tried to look around while Sweetie filled her in. “I… I killed Gilda, but Rainbow Death was right there the moment I thought we had a chance to recover. She is likely tearing ass around her factory trying to find us, which is why we need to be quiet. Scootaloo is close”
“Luckily them alarms are so loud, who’d hear us over em, but what do ya mean by ‘Scootaloo is close’? Ain’t that a good thing?”
Sweetie was absent in that detail, she only now realized. “When Rainbow showed up, she called her ‘Absentia’ and Scoot seemed to revert to that role…” She peered around the machine, seeing the Pegasus shifting around the room mindlessly, though it was clear she was looking to be more recovered from her trails. Her wings were still beyond the saving of the simple potions Sweetie had on hoof. “I’m not sure she can be trusted right now, if she was putting on an act to help, or if she has a trigger word that keeps her under Rainbow’s control”
Shifting to sit more properly, Apple Bloom did not look to be as bad as she should be after her fight, another win for the potions in Sweetie’s arsenal. “Y’all think she has some brainwash or spell on her then?”
“Likely, given how deranged Rainbow is now, probably set up all her closest allies under some kind of Sleeper Agent spell. If so, it will take more than my magick to fix that” She shifted back, and sat beside her friend, glad to have her back. “You still need time to recover, as well as I. Your body took a heavy beating, and my potions will need time to get us back in fighting shape. Once my mag-nergy is restored enough, we can think of our next move. Fortunately the spell she is under, has left Scootaloo in a daze, so we’re safe from her at least. Rainbow probably thinks we teleported anywhere but here, so I’m counting on that too”
Taking a deep breath, and letting it out slow, Apple Bloom read her friend’s troubled mind and sought to help her. “Y’all took down Gilda, that’s might impressive. Also getting away from Rainbow, should be proud of what ya done”
”I’m not proud of killing” Sweetie said bitterly. “She pushed me, threatened both of you, and gave me no choice. Besides all of that, I can’t feel happy that all we had done to save Scootaloo was undid the minute Rainbow Death swooped in… Now I have blood on my hooves, and nothing to show for it, but my two oldest friends beat to shit, and a madmare hunting us”
“Buck up” Apple took effort in turning to face her fully. “It ain’t as bad as all that. Me and you, we’re gonna save Scoot, even if it takes a dozen times. We’ll take down Rainbow Death, and end the nightmare here” She pulled Sweetie close to her. “It ain’t easy knowing y’all took a life, and with all the critters I had to kill out there, I’m kinda numb to it now, but you are like how ponies should be. Yer not a killer, y’all just did what was needed to save others. The fact yer hurt’n, means yer still a good pony”
Sweetie laid into the embrace, and tried her best to feel better by the words, but it was not an easy thing to recover from, and no potion would sooth this ache. “I’ll never understand how you can always be so hopeful… but it is comforting”
The room shook violently, and if they were more attune to being in the clouds, and a sound ripped through the floors above it, to let it be known that something large exploded below. The machine they hid behind quivered and hummed, and left the pair to wonder what just was going on.
“Seems our friends are really do’n a number on this place” Bloom commented. “Though not sure why this kicked on”
Sweetie looked around the machine, having a hunch, only to be disproven. Scootaloo, who she thought was activating the device, was turning in place as her broken mind was trying to understand what was happening. Another explosion lurched the room, and Scootaloo toppled. Sweetie wanted to rush to her, but she was sure that it would be too dangerous to do so.
***
“Where are they?!” Rainbow yelled at a group of workers that were trying their best to fix the situation in the factory, and this sudden questioning left them confused.
“Madam President, who do you mean?” One dared to ask.
Rainbow’s eyes twitched and she just roared out. “The intruders! The saboteurs that have plagued my beautiful factory! Where are those responsible for this assault?!” She pushed him from her, knocking down a couple others who were caught up in their stumbling. “Find them!”
“But,” Another foolishly dared. “We’re trying to keep the factory from falling apart”
She grabbed the newest challenge, and hoisted her up. “Get it done” Rainbow said at length, then tossed the mare. “Do it now!” She did not linger, and was again rocketing away, leaving the group confused to just what she was demanding be done.
The sudden, and powerful explosion below was enough to tremor through to the higher floors, and caused ruptures in more of the structure. Conduits and ducts breaking, only helped start more explosions to occur higher in the factory, and one nearly caught Rainbow. Being a relentless trainer, she had the reaction time to avoid any damage it would have caused any other, as she spiraled away from it. Debris shot out like bullets, rained down as hail, catching many below and killing some, wounding others. The survivors cried out for their president. She took a moment to look down, as her workers and subjects reached for her in hope. “Failures” She said coldly. “Only the strong survive” She was off again, leaving them to their fates. She was shedding her collected, diplomatic face, as she bared her true colours.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement that was demanding of her attention. She moved to investigate, not finding who she was wanting too, but something as curious. It was a Pegasus at a value, opening it all the way and causing the pipes to rattle and rupture. “YOU!!!” The pony panicked, and raced off, but he had no chance to out fly her. With a hard kick, she sent him crashing to the floor.
Rainbow Landed near, and demanded to know his business. “They said to open the vent!” He replied, but knew she would also question why he fled. “You startled me, I-I thought you were one of the intruders” He hoped she would buy it, and not see his true purpose here.
“You saw them?!” He was fortunate that she was more focused on Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, not that he could know this, and his frantic lie actually saved him. She stood over him. “Where? Where are those responsible for wrecking my beautiful factory?!”
Seizing the opportunity, he thought quickly about what he knew. He decided to send her where he knew none of his fellow saboteurs were working, or likely to be at all. “I saw them head below, maybe they caused the explosions a little while ago?” He pointed to a readout that was not far from where he was. “The monitor is showing some activity in the decommissioned devices,” He assumed that with everything happening, the machine was reactivated. He knew no one was doing what he was about to say. “Maybe they are trying to drain Spectra by running old machines?”
Rainbow just stood over him, slightly trembling at this deception, only to her it was making sense. “Yes… Of course! That explains it…” She did not say another word to him, and was off.
He stood up, and was confused by what she meant, but any could see how crazed she was at this moment and took it as good fortune, not thinking about damning any who were currently hiding in an old processing room. “For the love of the brood, that was close…” He looked around, seeing the monitors and just how doomed this place was. “We did it” He set to leave, with a lingering thought. “I hope Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom are having as much luck in their mission”
Moving faster than she had even been going before, Rainbow was cutting through the halls, and some unfortunate ponies, at a pace that was threatening to cause her sonic rainboom. She was so assured that the intel she had just received, and the logic of it all, added together that she would bust through floors if she could to get back to the Mark 5. She slammed through the doors of the room so hard it dislodged one, and left the other barely hanging on its hinges. The large door slid past Scootaloo, whining as it scrapped along to a stop. Rainbow had been so confident to find the two, she was furious when only her Vice was here to be seen.
“Absentia!” She roared, storming her way to the mare. “What is going on, I told you to find them! Where are they?!”
“I haven’t seen them, Madam President” She replied, snapping from her dull state.
Growling and gnashing her teeth, losing her mind at these constant troubles and lack of solutions. “Failures… Failures everywhere, in the depths of my precious factory!” She looked at the Mk 5, remembering how fond she was of it and its process. Though the current 8 was more efficient, the 5 had a better show of all the devices. She was now aware it was running, and awaiting resources. “More Spectra, that is what we need!” She looked around, realizing that there were no sacrifices around, only her and Scootaloo. “No resources” She lingered her gaze on the other mare, seeing her looking well, save for crippled wings. “Those inferiors destroyed your wings, how sad… my dear sister…” Her tone became almost concerned and loving.
“We can fix them again, right? I know Gruber is gone, but I just need some time to heal” Scootaloo looked at the older mare with hope.
“Yes, we can fix everything… with Spectra” She tenderly stroked Scootaloo’s mane. “One day, the Aerial Nation will look back and know of the heroic Absentia. They will know my sister as a champion, and not the failure that you are” She grabbed her, and pulled her. “Once you feed this machine that should have satiated on your Spectra long ago!”
Scootaloo struggled in the grip, as she was now being taken to the machine. She attempted to grab the discarded door. “Why?!” She cried out. “I’m your sister, why would you do this to me?! I thought you loved me?” Rainbow’s might was too great, and the door dragged a bit with Scootaloo grip, until she could not keep it.
Focused on the machine, Rainbow continued the march without any emotions. “I do love you, that is why I do this. I’m saving you from your relentlessly pathetic life, where you manage to fail over and over, despite all you have been given to soar. I wonder if that Pegasus who gave his wings for you was as much of a failure? Wings doomed to be borne by shameful Pegasi” She turned to face Scootaloo, a void behind her eyes, as sanity and soul seemed gone. “You let your wings be destroyed by lesser beings, and this is only the latest in your growing list of failures! The factory is at risk, and needs Spectra. I will finish your list with at least one accomplishment, I will be sure to put it as a selfless sacrifice to save the Flock. It will erase your past, and no one will remember you as anything less than a hero. The name Absentia will ring through the ages, and your will be a legend of the Flock, a champion of Pegasi, selfless giver of Spectra in our darkest hour, for our race, for your sister”
Rainbow stopped as she caught a sound that she should not have even noticed over the sirens and her own speech. She dropped Scootaloo and avoided a rope coming for her neck. Seeing it missed, Apple Bloom made her challenge. “Y’all ain’t hurt’n her!” She felt like time slowed, as Rainbow had gone from the place she was. It took a moment for her to see that the mare was hovering above. “Shit…”
Laughing at her, back to a more collective state of mind. “Cleave to hide here, in plain sight. Sent me on a chase, while you rested. This only proves how useless my sister is. Here the whole time, and she did not even know”
“Seems to me, y’all are the failure!” Bloom shot back, sparking a slight ire in the mare. “Not think’n to look here before race’n off, mighty foolish” The jab did strike true on Rainbow, and she was processing it before her eyes locked back on the Earth pony.
The grin was gone, chased away by the words of a lesser being, she regarded them in contempt. “You know, you remind me of somepony I used to know, she too thought she was my equal or better. She also had a mouth like yours, always ready to make herself sound so wise” She took a deeper interest in Apple Bloom. “She also wore a hat like that… no, it is that hat. I see now” Looking to Scootaloo and back to Bloom, she noticed the similarity in age. There were hints of a smile, dancing on the edges of her frown. “You’re Apple Bloom, and you’ve come to save somepony who isn’t here. She died long ago!” Rainbow looked at Scootaloo. “Though her weakness and failures, linger and carried over”
“She ain’t a failure!” The Element under the former bow covering her left eye started to flair again, and she would need it. “Y’all messed with her head something awful, but we’ll get her back!” She tried to use the power of her Element to see the path Rainbow would take, and attempted her daggers, throwing into the likely path, only the speed that Rainbow moved was more than the mare accounted for. She was faster than Gilda, making the past foe seem slow, and she had a greater skill to her movements. The way she turned in the air, she could cut as easily as one could draw an angle on a page. Taking this in, Bloom managed to avoid being struck in a counter offensive.
Never making contact, even though her crushing hooves were nearly on the floor, Rainbow shot straight back up from the failed attempt to take out her foe. Even though never being touched, the floor had two hoof marks cut into it. She spiraled in her flair, and stopped in the air. “You’re in my world, against the greatest flyer who’s ever made history. You can’t win against me on my bad day, so now accept your fate and die in the Pegasus Device!”
Before she made another deadly pass, Sweetie Belle attempted her own surprise attack. She shot a blast from behind the machine, hoping that she had the opening she needed, only Rainbow was not off guard. Seasoned ears caught the sound, and the trained body felt the shift in the air as the energy formed and flew. She did not avoid the attack, but used one wing to bat it away, displaying her physical might as well as it blasted the far wall.
“Oh the Spectra you will produce” Rainbow turned to her new challenger, then was struck with the same feeling she had with Bloom earlier. “Sweetie Belle, now I see it, but Zebra stripes?” She shrugged this off, and snickered. “How is your sister doing, since I defeated her?”
“Funny, I’m pretty sure you both lost that day, when Queen Chrysalis attacked” Sweetie returned. “I was there, though it took a while before I understood it, but Zecora and I watched as your Pegasus ran from the Changelings. Seeing how Nightmare was able to come after us after, I think she made I through that fight better than your Flock”
Groaning, annoyed by the history lesson, Rainbow retorted. “We chose a tactical retreat. I was seeking to take out her and the demons, not Changelings”
“Seems to me, it was a defeat” Sweetie smirked. “The great Aerial Nation, and their feared President, couldn’t defeat Nightmare Rarity, and used the Changeling attack as an excuse to flee. Scared off by two ‘inferior’ races”
“You think-” She stopped, avoiding the attack by Apple Bloom, laughing at them as she ascended. “Clever, using my ego to distract me. I am never more focused than when talking of my achievements, and I know the air in the factory as well as my own feathers. You can’t sneak up on me! You display that rare talent your kind lacks, but nothing can compare to me! Even if you both were Pegasus, you would be better suited, still couldn’t match me. I’m the fastest, best, coolest, and most skilled Pegasus that has ever lived!”
***
Gentle just watched as more indicators snapped into the red, monitors that still worked showing the chaos outside this room, and more lights than Manehatten confirming all that had gone wrong. Looking over all these critical systems, she knew she could not do anything to stop any of it. Altitude was down another 20%, meaning that they were below the cloud line, and any below could see the factory escaping the endless storm it hid in. “What can we do?” She asked, not expecting any answer. There were none. Beside her, Gauge was at an equal loss. He was staring blankly at his life’s work dying before him. He could give no answers.
“Issue an evacuation” Hide came in, providing the only solution, one that should have been given before so many died needlessly. His coat was torn, covered in blood, and he bore cuts and bruises. “Screw Rainbow, she has lost her mind, and the factory. I believed in this cause once, even drew her to it… but now we are loosing good ponies out here, all because of one insane mare who took the revival of our national pride, and made it into our own genocide. Maybe she wants to rearrange droplets on a dissipating cloud, but I will not sacrifice more of our kind to her madness”
Filled with a new life, Gentle was quick to set to work. She knew only so many intercoms worked, and hoped that others would spread the word, or those who could not hear would have sense to leave. “I can’t reach the lower levels where Pipe and Con are”
“They’re dead…” Hide said distantly, knowing that the explosion that really started the fatal chain reaction was where the two were. He heard some survivors speaking about the fires and destruction, and it did not take much to assess that any down there were long dead. “More fed to her madness and greed” He grew bitter, and spoke with disdain. “One of the Flock’s greatest engineers, reduced to a mumbling grouch, and one of the most brilliant minds I have ever known, broken into a giggling wretch” In a show of normally managed rage, he bucked at the nearest machine.
Both Gentle and Gauge looked at him in concern, never seeing him get to a point like this before, even when they found Contrails had screwed with the coffee machine and left them without the basic salvation for two years. He came to them, recollecting himself, and placed a hoof on each of them. “You both have been just as resounding, two of the best problem solvers in history, unfortunately this was not a problem with a solution, only an unavoidable end” They continued to study him, for it was not his way to kick machines or give out such praise. He would say “good work”, but nothing like this. “Leave this place, and live on”
Taking note of repressed tears, Gentle also sensed something else. “What about you? Will you come with us?” She knew he had other plans.
He released them and stood tall. “I resurrected this factory of horrors, and have run it for all the years since the first Pegasus Device was being put together. If this was a ship, I would be the captain, and we knew the romantic notion with such titles. Not being a mariner, I could not say if it is true, but I do intent to go down with this wreck”
“I’m not leaving” Gentle said firmly. “I gave up many good years to this place too, busted my flank keeping it from going to shit, one improbable update and remodel after another” Now she was starting to cry, hiding the real reason under those words. “I’ve invested too much time in this shit storm, to watch it get flushed”
“You sure did become an assertive, stubborn, and huge pain in my ass over those years” He looked at her, hiding a weak smile. “But for once, listen to your boss. You haven’t been here that long, you have youth, and a future waiting for you out there. With your skill, you could do real good”
She looked to Gauge, who seemed in agreement. Gentle shot out of the chair, now screaming at Hide. “You think just because I’ve only been here a couple years, and known you assholes only for a short while, I’m just going to abandoned my friends?!” She huffed until she let her head drop down. “Blood is on all out hooves, and I won’t go on knowing that I did what I’ve done… and adding to that, letting my friends die while I live on isn’t something I can live with either” She was shuttering, sobbing fully between breaths. “You dragged me into this, and said it was for life. I fought it, but I found my place with you four… you are my family… I lost two, I won’t lose two more…”
No longer able to restrain himself, the sorrow and lament freed from his dams, as Hide cheeks grew wet from long held tears. He embraced her, and the two buried themselves in one another. “You were always too good for this place, I’m so sorry I brought you into this nightmare…”
“Don’t be” She returned. “Even if it was hard, and sucked, I made the best with you. I can’t imagine being happier than I was with you… with all of you… I wish I could have told Pipe Wrench and Contrails…”
Gauge watched the two of them, not being dull to the scene, as he swiped at his face to clear away the warmth. “They knew Gentle” He patted her shoulder, not wanting to break them up. “Even if they didn’t show it, even if we all kinda acted like jerks… we were miserable without you” Pulled into the embrace, the three stayed that way a while, as explosions rocked the factory around them.
Hide was first to step back, and with some effort to recover his usual collected demeanor, he took a deep breath. “Well, I’m going to the main reactor room. Go out with a bang, I’m sure Contrails would have appreciated the humor of that”
“Sounds as good a place as any to be in,” Gentle smiled, looking at Gauge. “You?”
“If you don’t mind me a long on your date” He joked, getting both of them to turn a bit red. “I just need to do something first. I’ll see you below”
***
The two mares, still worn from their fights before, were having great difficulty with Rainbow Death, who seemed more to be toying with them than actually fighting. Apple Bloom’s Element was allowing her to read the moves, and after some tuning, she was able to account for the speed that the mare was using. Sweetie Belle’s magick was not finding much purpose, for she just could not hit the mare or had Bloom’s insight to aim where she could. Bloom was attempting to use her advantage to get Rainbow where she could be hit, but the mare’s skills and nimbleness allowed her to move before the spells could hit.
“Y’all too scared to be hit by us?” Bloom was desperate. “Mighty Rainbow Death”
Scoffing at the feeble attempt, Rainbow did not slow. “Seriously? I’m egotistical, but I’m not stupid” She cut and dove for the mare, rocketing past as Bloom rolled from harm. “Scared?” She mocked her now.
Rainbow made a swift motion with her wings, and sent such powerful blasts of air, that it dented the ground where Sweetie and Apple Bloom once stood. The buffets knocked up some of the thrown knives, and Rainbow swiftly flew to them. She spun about, much with the same impressive display Bloom had shown against Gilda, and now that similar tactic of adopting the weapons, she managed to wedge the blades into her wings.
Frustrated that her weapons were being used against her, Bloom also knew them better, so when they started being thrown at her she was able to whip at them with her rope sending them back. Rainbow was not about to be out matched, and flicked her wings to cause the projectiles to be again reversed.
As the two played their game of tennis with knives, Sweetie collected the deepest of her abilities, and started to mark the room with symbols. They were Zebra runes, but she enhanced them with Unicorn magick, fueled by the Element, the spells would be set to unleash their fury.
Apple Bloom’s eye saw the attack coming, and set to get Rainbow in its range. Looking to go wild, she lashed her ropes, and tossed daggers about. In the seemingly chaotic move, she was able to bounce the blades around to close in on Rainbow from a number of angles, forcing her to go in a particular direction.
“I won’t fall for that!” Rainbow scoffed, she was where Bloom tried to lead her, then shot further back, just as Sweetie activated her spells. Several narrow beams shot out all around the mare, forming a cage that made it impossible for her to move around, not without being burnt. “Oh” She simply said.
“This is it!” Sweetie summoned a vest amount of her magick, and shot it right toward the Pegasus. Bloom had moved to the opposite side, and leapt up to bring her hooves against the mare. Rainbow did not seem the least concerned, and she turned herself to be sided with the assaults. Her wings came around her like shields, they took both strikes, and with all her fury, flung pony and blast away. Both mares were stunned by this power. Bloom did not recover in time, before crashing against the wall. Sweetie was stunned, and soon enveloped by her own spell. She cried out, and the cage around Rainbow shattered.
Soaring from her prison, Rainbow Death wings looked like blades, and she took a strike at Bloom first. The mare was with her wits in time to avoid it, as the focused wing sliced through the wall. Not stopping, she circled about to do the same to Sweetie, who also just avoided being carved up as the floor suffered her intended mark.
Regrouping, Sweetie whispered to Bloom. “Those wings are a freak’n nightmare” She paused, then added “I do have an idea, but I need to reach her”
“Good luck…” Bloom snorted. “She’s dodgier than a jack rabbit in a minefield”
Rolled onto her back in the air, displaying her complete lack of concern, Rainbow called down. “Plan all you want, you have no chance to survive. Once I grow bored of this, I’ll finish this in ten seconds flat”
Growling at this disregard, Apple Bloom started to charge at the mare. “I’m gonna-” She skidded to a halt, when a voice cut through.
“Attention, all workers, staff, and anypony in the Rainbow Factory: Systems have failed, those still running are critical. Abandon the factory!” It was the voice of Gentle, giving the order by Dr. Hide. “This is no drill, this is for real. Escape while you can, before this is your tomb!”
Rainbow’s rage returned, and she shot toward the speaker. “HOW DARE SHE?!!” She roared out. “THIS IS MY FACTORY AND ONLY I SAY WHEN TO LEAVE!!!”
Sweetie Belle did not need the invitation stamped for her, she took it without hesitation. She teleported behind Rainbow, and threw out two vials she was keeping ready for this moment. They shattered on the mare’s wings, and she did not even notice. It was not until the sudden drop in elevation did she notice anything happened.
“What now?” She beat her wings, only they did not react. “WHAT?!!” She pushed harder, but the potions had set in and made them heavy and weak. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!” She managed to stay in the air, her wings struggling to obey her.
“That’s impressive” Sweetie said, back on the ground and looking at the mare dumbfounded. “Those were paralyzing agents, and they should have killed her muscles. One should have done the job on a normal pony, even accounting for the feathers absorbing some of it, that’s why I used two and yet she is still flying”
Struggling in the air, hearing what Sweetie said, Rainbow continued to fight the attack. “No! I’m stronger than poison, no zebra potion will stop me!”
“Not just zebra” Sweetie corrected. “That is magickal infused, and even if you have some rare immunity to poisons, the magick will deal with the antibodies that would stop the toxins”
Chuckling, Apple Bloom trotted toward Rainbow. “All that aside, y’all been knocked down a peg or two” She jumped into a stance. “Let the real fight begin!”
Rainbow growled, putting a good amount of her effort to keep in the air, allowing her to be attacked by the pair. She was still quick, only not so fast that she could avoid Apple Bloom’s rope, which pulled her to the ground. As Rainbow tried to fly up, Sweetie blasted the mare with her horn, not using a full shot yet, testing the limits of the Pegasus. Bloom was not so gentle, and raced to meet Rainbow where she would fall, and landed two powerful hooves on her, sending her almost back where she came from. Rolling a little then jumping back into the air, she managed to avoid another shot from Sweetie, only to cry out as a knife pierced her side. This back and forth went on, until the mare was now bloodied and panting.
“Absentia!” She called to her only alley. “Attack these fools, while I fight this invasion in me!” The mare struggled to obey her master, but after the recent abuse, adding to those from Gilda not yet healed, she was in no shape to fight. “Move it!” Rainbow yelled again, but the results remained the same. Forgetting about her true opponents, Rainbow managed to unleash a great force of will, and was rocketing toward the stumbling pony.
“No!” Bloom shouted, knowing that the speed Rainbow was managing would be a deadly blow. She raced to cut her off, and took the blunt of the attack. Scootaloo watched in shock at the display of the pony saving her, while Bloom cried out in the agony of her own old wounds surging through her, with the two hooves pressing into her adding to it all. A trail of blood flew out from her mouth, splattering on the ground like a line toward where she now lay.
Sweetie watched and knew what happened, and raced to aid her friend. “She punctured a lung!” She thought as she blasted the Pegasus away.
Apple Bloom coughed hard and repeatedly, as more blood was spraying with her sputum. She was struggling, and could not stop from curling into a ball as the pain was taking her. She could barely breathe, and the total of damage was too great on her.
Rainbow laughed at them, moving a bit slower, but enough to keep her fight up. “Foals, nothing can stop me” She moved in on them, and bucked Sweetie from behind, as she was distracted in trying to stop the bleeding. “Not a single soul gets through” She remarked, landing atop the now unconscious mare.
***
Dr. Hide Atmosphere and Gentle Butterwing stood before the reactor, they knew full well it was critical and moments from blowing; with it gone it would seal the fate of the Rainbow Factory. He held out a page, and tossed it to the ground.
“What was that?” Gentle asked.
“Too little, too late” He responded, as a fire crept toward the paper. Gentle tried to read it from her place, only seeing “Mark 9” and a line “greater Spectra production, only from blood” She sighed, and looked toward the machine again as did Hide. “Almost beautiful” Hide observed, as vents burst, and pipes broke, while everything else quivered as death neared.
“I guess we all knew this was coming” Gentle gave her own observation. “After all the stories we heard of great evils being taken down by heroes when it all seemed hopeless, and all the ponies lived happily ever after… I guess it doesn’t really account for the ‘evil’ who think they are doing ‘good’” Hide only made a sound of thought, silently watching his efforts die before him.
Gauge flew in and landed beside the pair. “Too bad this wasn’t a few years later” He put down a bottle and five glasses. “Was saving this for your tenth year, Gentle”
She looked at him, touched by his thoughtfulness. “You really believed I could have lasted so long?”
“You are a great pony, and one of the best we’ve ever had in our ranks as the elite engineers” He grinned playfully. “Also quite the breath of fresh air in this sausage factory”
Hide snickered a bit, as Gentle was in tears. “Thank you… I really liked working with you, made a hard situation so much more pleasant”
“Don’t think it’s all me, we all really liked you” Gauge corrected. “Don’t worry about this” He said, pouring into the cups. “I made sure to pick this out myself, Contrails won’t get one last joke on us”
“I believe having the trots is the least of our worries” Hide mused, and took a glass. “To Gentle, and the wonderful years we had” He held it up, as did Gauge.
“To you all, here and already lost” She added, raising her glass. “And all the good times we had here in Hades” They clinked their glasses, making sure to each tap the glasses for their two lost friends, then began to sip. They turned to the reactor core, and watched as it finally gave out. In a bright flash, the core exploded with a violent eruption of fire and debris. The heat and fury would not suffer the three ponies to agony, leaving not even a trace.
***
Apple Bloom was down, barely moving from what might be a fatal blow. Sweetie Belle was unconscious, dragged from where the surprise attack had sent her. Discarded, she now was laying just beside the controls to the Mk 5 as Rainbow Death was setting it to accept resources. She grabbed the Zebracorn, and pulled her toward the bindings to be drawn and fed to the machine. “This machine was before we started using them on anything but failures, but it should still extract spectra from even inferior species” As she was speaking to the mare, Scootaloo was watching with blank eyes. Within the broken Pegasus’ mind, was a battle of who she was and who Rainbow had made her.
Must Obey Rainbow Death
But our friends are in danger
So what? They are inferior to the Flock
They came to save me, while Rainbow keeps trying to kill me
For the good of the Flock, to save me from ourselves
No, she does it for her own desires!
Her desires are mine! She loves me, and I love her!
She isn’t worth my love!
How can I speak like this against my own sister?
My sister died long ago, the moment she allowed us to kill another for a pair of wings. That is only a ghost, using her form to do wicked things!
Scootaloo’s eyes went wide, as her mind was again hers and clear. She had to say it to herself, to realize the truth of it all. The mare she loved, emulated, the one who loved her and took her in was no more. She died inside the monster that took her mind, and now it roams about ruining the legacy that was once of a truly Righteous Mare. She was not hidden behind a mask, she was gone, and this monster did not deserve the wings she now bears. Death could not be allowed to go on ravaging the memories of Scootaloo’s beloved Dash.
Struggling to move, her breaths came out hard and heavy, Scootaloo was very weak and hurt. She cried out her deceleration. “I must save them, even if it kills me…” She stumbled, catching herself from falling. “I will save them!” Her shouts caught the attention of Death, and it seemed to amuse her.
“Maybe I should start with a Pegasus, make sure this machine is at full operation. Besides, it has been teased this meal too long, too many times. Absentia, come to me. Your time has come”
“No” She said weakly, then took a stance, as she tried her best to spread broken wings. “NO!!!” Something in the dead limbs started to glow. “I’ll save my friends, and stop you! Absentia, your little pawn is gone, I am Scootaloo, former Cutie Mark Crusader and friend to Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle!” Her wing, the one that was nearly ripped from her by Gilda, now dropped away, as something else took its place. The other wing was becoming consumed and being replaced by something else. The pair looked mechanical, one being completely fabricated and the other modified, but they also were like some jeweler's design with their beauty. Fake wings, metal, yet light and ornate. Not so many feathers as a real wing, they seemed to serve just as well. Between these new limbs, a plate like armor formed, and in the center was a red gem, shaped like a shield.
Scootaloo shot up into the air, flaring out these marvels, noting their similarity to what was on Sweetie Belle’s horn. With the speed that once was reserved for Rainbow Death, she rocketed into the wicked mare and sent her crashing into a far wall. The weakened factory did not stand the abuse, and the wall came down around Death, who shot out of the rubble with focused rage. “You little cunt, you stole the power of my Element of Harmony” She saw the gem in the split second she had been struck. “Now dare use it against me?!” Not seeming to be much affected by the poisons any more, she was flying at a full speed, only now Scootaloo was matching it.
The two ponies clashed in the air, hooves landing blows, teeth finding flesh, and wings like blades against bodies. It was a spectacle to behold, if only the Aerial Nation could witness President and Vice battling with a fury unmatched.
Rainbow did not have a weapon to use, but her wings were just as good. She used the power of them to send gusts of wind to shake her foe, but she seemed to understand battle as well as Death, and with her own wings, she cut the blasts of air to a breeze.
Angry, with a hint of impressed, Death knew that Scootaloo was no longer under her will. She had freedom to fight back, and was showing that she had learned much from the years as her Vice. Death would have to pull out more advanced moves, ones that knowledge alone could not match. She shot up to the ceiling, seeming to bounce off it like a bullet, coming down with a growing speed. She did not have the room to make her Rainboom, but she did have access to its fury. She stopped dead above Scootaloo, all her force continuing down at the mare. It struck her hard, like a solid object. Scootaloo struggled with barely any time to recover, but she managed to turn and used the tips of her metal feathers to soften her fall so she could land with little damage.
Death was no idol, and had roared away, and came back around to try her attack again horizontally. This time, Scootaloo saw it coming, and still on the ground, she cut into the floor with her feathers as she brought them before her like a shield. The blast passed over them, as she had angled them in a wedge shape. Rainbow then struck from behind, sending the mare to tumble forward.
Scootaloo rolled into a jump, that put her back into the air. The sneak attack was painful, but she felt like she was unharmed by it. She turned to find Death, seeing her bolting around the room. “Oh shit” She thought, then flew out of the way of the lightning bolt that was racing toward her. Rainbow was building the static in the air, and focused it. This was a technique only the most elite of the Lightning Guard could even know about, let alone learn. Scootaloo in the form of a broken mare, had seen Rainbow train those lucky few.
“You managed to avoid my attack, it seems you were not so placid during those years” Rainbow remarked, still building the energy for more attacks. “You have to admit, I have some great moves”
“Too bad you lost all rights to be proud of them” Scootaloo shot back, as she studied the moves. She was reading air like Death could, and felt the power that was building. The attack would do some real damage if it hit, but Scootaloo had a plan for it.
Rainbow flared out her wings, then brought them together like a giant clap. The spark that was needed unleashed the bolt at Scootaloo, who brought her own wings around to draw the energy. Death was surprised to see her just float there, then was at a complete loss as the energy just absorbed in the mechanical limbs. The final surprise came, as the wings sparked, and shot the electricity out from the feather tips. The stray, but aimed bolts ripped into the room all around, one just missing Death, and another striking the machine. The device started to shutter and flash warnings, as it was not broken, but clearly malfunctioning.
“How… How did you absorb my lightning like that?!” Rainbow asked, too stricken to be angry.
Scootaloo was not fully sure herself, as she was planning to pass it through her and aim it back. When it seemed to collect in her, she panicked and shot it back out. “I guess I have skills you don’t even know yet” She finally said, hoping to knock the mare off her guard a bit.
Scoffing, Rainbow just shook her head. It was clear she did not buy the bluff. “You got lucky”
Admitting it to herself, Scootaloo knew she was gaining the advantage in the fight. Her gem glowed bright as it gave her the strength to go on and her new wings not feeling fatigue that she should. Meanwhile, Death was suffering her battles with the other two mares and showing signs of her weakness for it. Not lingering on the past, Scootaloo was back in action. The metal feathers of her wings found purchase in the real wing of Death, and nearly cut the limb in half. A rain of feathers and blood came down, and soon so did the Pegasus. Nearly recovering at the last second, Scootaloo darted at the wicked pony, forcing her to crash to the floor that managed to resist the dive bomb.
Rainbow stood, shaking and coughing hard, spitting and seething while Scootaloo hovered above. “Fucking runt… You think you-” She nearly toppled, but steady herself. “You think you can stop me? I taught you everything, and gave you purpose. You dare defy me?!”
Shouting out, and doing a loop in the air so she would come around in front of the mare. “You did nothing, it was Rainbow Dash!!!” She slammed into the wicked mare, and the blow sent her flying toward the machine awaiting resources without sensors to truly understand what it was receiving. Rainbow managed to get tangled in the binds, and her struggles were enough of the automatic detection system to accept her. It pulled her into the air as Death initially fought it but she knew it was hopeless, in this realization she snapped. Logic was gone from her, as madness now took hold, she started to laugh. “Yes! Now I’ll be the hero of the Flock. I will save my factory and restore glory to the Aerial Nation!” Her limbs were pulled to their limits, as she continued to laugh and rant about her purpose now. “Oh what glorious Spectra I’ll be!!!
Scootaloo did not linger on the sight, assured that it was over she set to collect her friends and escape this dying place. Her new Element powered wings allowed her to carry them with ease, and she raced from the room to leave Death to her fate.
“I am Spectra!!!” Rainbow yelled out, just as a massive explosion in the lower area raced from the bottom to the top, ripping through floor after floor leaving nothing in the wake but destruction. The sound was so loud, it consumed all others, which to Scootaloo was a blessing, as she did not wish to ever hear another pony being torn apart by those cursed machines.
She did not believe herself to have the skill to do so, or how she managed the feat with two mares in hoof, but Scootaloo was nimbly racing through the crumbling factory. Avoiding explosions and debris, while moving ever faster. Growing ever harder to maneuver, as the factory was plummeting now and there was that to now account for as she flew, Scootaloo was not halted. When she found an opening she was not sure who to praise for it, the confusion did not stop her from shooting out of the sinking building. Scootaloo lingered only briefly outside to watch the flaming wreckage drop to the earth.
Landing far from where the factory had crashed, Scootaloo put her two friends down, doing her best to tend to her friends. She was not a healer, or knew much of it, so it was fortunate when Sweetie Belle awoke to take that roll.
“Once she is stable, we can…” Sweetie had started, then saw the cloud of Pegasi blackening the sky. Scootaloo rose up to meet them, ready to fend them off for her friends. The flock became a swarm, as Changelings shifted to their natural form. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom had mentioned some friends helping them, but Scootaloo did not know it was the Changelings. She welcomed them still, and gathering together, the allies helped Sweetie get Apple Bloom suitable for travel and return the Crystal Empire with their long lost friend restored to them.
In the Empire, as word quickly spread of the defeat of Rainbow Death and her Rainbow Factory, the Changeling volunteers, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and now Scootaloo were welcomed as heroes; Scootaloo did not feel like one. She had a long history as a villain to live with, and the knowledge that the one that she had believed the most important to her, was gone forever. She had much loss and horror to haunt her as she tried to move on with her life.
When Apple Bloom awoke, she was happy to see it was over and that Scootaloo was back. She, with Sweetie Belle, helped the mare see that there was still life worth living, and friends that loved her through it all. Three friends, torn apart by the Shatter Storm, were now together as Stormbreakers. Their deeds would send ripples through the land, for heroes, villains, and those trapped between. Two villains remained, and with the news of King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis, Countess Trixie, and now Rainbow Death being defeated, Nightmare Rarity and Discord would likely be on high alert. It could only be assumed, one of them would make a move, and soon.
Not much had been heard of the rest of the Aerial Nation, but they were likely in chaos with their leadership structure gone. Scootaloo, by all rights, was the new leader of the Flock, but she was in no state to attempt it. That would be something for another day.
Far down in the Southern parts of Equestria, in one of the few remaining camps yet saved by Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom before their being pulled back for the fight with Sombra and Chrysalis, the rumors of their mission had reached them before the duo could. Some of the camps were eager to be saved upon hearing these tales, but as the days turned to weeks, turned to months, those outline groups were losing hope that they would be saved. For a pair of young ponies, the wait was too much. They went against the wishes of their camp leader, and gathered their supplies to charge out into the deadly expanse of Equestria, braving the dangers to reach the Crystal Empire and find why they had been left behind.
Taking lead was the young Pegasus, with a tan coat and brown mane. His auburn eyes were focused ahead on their task. Heavy saddle bags kept him grounded, which was fine for the Unicorn who followed him. She was yellow, with baked crust-brown mane. Her blue eyes were not so trained, as she scanned the fields around them. She was not as weighed down, though she did have heavy saddle bags of her own.
Looking back, the young stallion called his travel companion. “Kin, keep up, we can’t get separated out here”
“I’m fine P.C., I just haven’t seen Equestria in a long time, not outside the camp anyways” She responded, only slightly annoyed by his questioning of her abilities.
Turning his head forward again, he muttered. “Not much to look at” He was not too interested in the sights, only their goal. “This land was once beautiful, at least that is what Uncle said, back when he was a baby. Not sure there is anything but scars and rot out here anymore, and that is all I hope to see, none of the villains”
Appearing suddenly beside him, nearly scaring him half to death, Kin replied. “Where is that optimism that pushed you to take this trip? You have to just pretend, get rid of all the destruction and replace it with trees and flowers, and happy ponies playing”
Recovering from the start, P.C. looked at her like she was mad. “We only had a couple sickly old trees, and certainly not many happy ponies. How can I take that little bit of sunshine, and spread that across this Hades landscape? My optimism is that we can save our camp, Uncle, and make a new life, not pretend that all is ok around us. That is just delusional”
“You’re so gloomy” She stuck her tongue out at him.
“And you’re a daydreamer!” He countered, becoming very annoyed with her. “Our parents are long dead, we were too young to even have memories of them. Just as likely that our Aunt, who left us that dumb thing you are carrying, is also long dead. The only family we have is back in the camp, likely aware that we took off and are worried. Now we are traveling across this land of death and horrors, to find out why we got abandoned by those ‘heroes’, and very likely to die trying! How can I be anything but gloomy?” P.C. Looked away from her, showing his defeat in his posture. “Actually being out here, has made me see how messed up it really is now. Who knows if Sweetie Belle or Apple Bloom are out here or even looking for ponies any more? What if the Crystal Empire fell? All my hope and believes are focused on the ‘what if’ of us getting there alive and saving the camp”
A house style front door appeared before them, stopping the pair and putting them on defense. Parting like a saloon hinged door, the unmistakable hybrid form of Discord stepped through with a superior grin upon his snaggle toothed, mismatched face. “Oh, I know” He replied to a question not really intended for him. “They were, but they’re not now. Things got a bit crazy in the Empire, and by the way, it’s still there”
Well aware of the Draconequus, P.C. was quick to judge the words. “Why should we trust you?”
“Indeed” Discord’s grin twisted into a more wicked, yet playful smirk. He grabbed at something in the air, and the word “why” formed in his digits. “But this should really be here” He placed it into a sentence that read “Why would I lie?” Following this new sentence, more words appeared, and scrolled up into the air at an angle, slowly disappearing from sight. They matched what he spoke. “I don’t need credibility or even your trust, so why waste my time in lying? I don’t care if you believe what I say to you, because I’m here for another reason, and irregardless” He took out a pen and struck out the “ir” as it appeared. “So many think that is a word, but any who, regardless of your feelings or views of me, my mission here will be unaffected” When he finished the scrolling words stopped forming and just traveled off into space.
The camera panned down from the heavens onto Kin, as she asked. “What do you want?” She was a bit more patient in her tone.
As the question hung in the air, another came through the door, though it was opened in a more normal fashion. “Simple” The mare that joined them began. She was yellow, though not quite in the way others would remember her being, with a hot pink mane. Her cold, almost icy-blue eyes had a depth of wickedness in them now. “I want what you have” She moved up to them, stopping just short of looming over the pair. “One of you holds an Element of Harmony, and it is mine” She spoke calmly, but it was clearly an effort to do so.
Kin stepped back, intimidated by the aura the mare was giving off, while P.C. stood his ground. “I don’t know what you are talking about, and even if we did have anything we wouldn’t give it to a traitor!”
She slowly turned her head, focusing one of her frozen orbs at him, widening the gaze as she did. “Traitor?” She was mono tone, and spoke slowly. “How do you figure that?”
“We heard all about you, Fluttersnide. First to fall to the corruption of Discord, and started the chain of events that plunged Equestria into the Shatter Storm! Everything would have been fine, if you hadn’t been taken, and our parents would still be alive!” He scoffed. “Nice new name, by the way”
Addressing the sarcasm first, with a dismissive tone she said. “Seemed the thing to do, seeing how we have such clever names like ‘Nightmare Rarity’ and ‘Rainbow Death’, but I’m not shy anymore” Passing this, a smile cracked across her face, adding to the insanity of her look. She did not seem too concerned by the accusations. “Who’s to say if it was me, or if something else was to blame? I do find it interesting how it has been twisted, that I just went willingly into the den of Discord. Seeing how he stole me away, and not one of my so-called friends came to save me. Did the story say anything about that? That I was abandoned!” Her tone grew ever more crazed, and angry. “Where was that in my legacy as the scapegoat for Equestrian fall?! How friendship failed me, and nopony cared!” She whipped her head forward, moving closer to the stallion. “What do you know? You seem rather young to have lived those dread days, yet you sit in judgement of one who suffered the most and longest?”
P.C. stepped back now, not sure what to do with this other side. “We were too young to remember, but we had those close to it, and they tried, but there was so much go-”
“Spare me” She cut him off. “The reality of it all is that Discord offered me the world and I resisted, then he tried to force me, but I remained untainted by his tricks. It was a long time that I spent in his realm, and we soon forgot about the why, and focused on the moment. While my friends forgot me, Discord showed me a kindness and interest no other had, and I finally found myself in Chaos. No more judging ponies, no more mocking or insulting Pegasi, no more fear of just trying to be myself and just be myself. All I needed was Discord, him, and that which you have of mine”
“He obviously manipulated you!” P.C. countered. “Kept them from you, hid that they tried, and lied about everything going on, all so you would choose him over them!”
She gave a chuckle at this. “Oh, he showed me, and I knew. My friends were so easily deterred from helping me, it proved that it was barely a friendship at all. We were the ponies of Harmony, and were unstoppable, and yet they could not do anything to change how things were? They couldn’t save one mare, let alone the land, now Equestria is dead, and hope with it”
“There is still hope!” P.C. came back, finding a new passion. “There is still a brighter future for all, even those who turned evil or are evil, we can find a way to live together and restore this land back to how it was before!” He was not sure how he suddenly felt this, but he knew he did always, and was allowing his optimism to surface again. “Even though everything looks bleak, I know we can bring back the light!” One of the bags at his side began to give a faint glow, something Discord took notice of, yet none of the others seemed to be so observant.
Scoffing at him, Fluttersnide shook her head. “Such foalish notions. Soon enough, you will learn better”
Discord snapped his fingers, and the saddle bags were now in his claws. P.C. protested as the Draconequus rummage, tossing out things that were not actually in there, bubble gum, comic books, heavy artillery, a CD titled “Moonrise”, all until he found the real item in the pouch’s contents. “Ah, what have we here?” He pulled out a familiar necklace, with a blue balloon gem in the center.
Watching him, Fluttersnide saw the trinket and was initially excited. “So you did have an Element” She then saw the shape, and was disappointed. “Unfortunately not mine…”
“Give that back!” P.C. demanded. “Our aunt gave that to us, she left it for us with our uncle”
Turning back to him, Fluttersnide tried to process this information. “Aunt? Pinkie Pie? I suppose with three sisters one of them was bound to get knocked up, but I don’t recall her having a brother”
“Well” Kin chimed in, hoping this casual topic might allow for some negotiations. “We’re not really related, just that she was really like an aunt to us since we were foals”
Grinning, Fluttersnide said. “Interesting, so she believed she could pass on the Element of Laughter. Not sure even Twilight had thought of that. She was really too in tune with things that none of us could really grasp. Besides all that, I know I sensed my Element of Kindness on you, so one of you is still holding out!” Feeling that the young stallion was not the keeper, she moved to the mare. “Here’s the deal, give it to me or die”
“We only have one, I don’t know anything about any other” Kin replied, being purely honest.
“Even if we had it, what good would it do for you? You’re not kind, and the Element won’t work for a villain!” He did not rightly know, but wanted to keep her from his sister.
Looking at him with her eyes alone, Fluttersnide replied. “Simple: to keep them out of the game”
Discord came in, speaking on his original plan. “I intended to seduce all the Mane Six, and corrupted them, but then I found myself with the best, and she alone stopped the rest from being of much use. It was a bonus that most of the others removed themselves from being a risk on their own, and thus all of the only chances for Equestria were gone. Yet, now they seem to be returning to the world, and while the surviving keepers from before can feel them, they are not returning to them” He was spinning the necklace on one finger at one point, but as he spoke, his hand moved away and the gem continued to spin in the air. “Although having this one would be enough to stop them again, with so many factors, I would like to get them all out of the way”
“They awoke some months ago, and I felt it and knew mine was gone from me” Fluttersnide started again. “I want what is mine, I want my Element back!”
P.C. stood between her and Kin, taking a defensive stance. “I won’t let you get it back, even if we had it!”
Cocking her head slowly, the yellow Pegasus looked upon the tan one consideringly. “Oh? What can you do?”
“I-” P.C. was about to say something, but the air shifted and seemed to shatter. An explosion somewhere above roared through the land. More blasts echoed after, and the whistling sound of debris tore through the air leaving trails that dulled the liquid coloured sky. “What in Hades?!”
They all looked up and around, but only Discord had an idea. “Well… this is interesting”
“What?” Fluttersnide asked with impatience, while the two younger ponies listened for the reason.
“The Rainbow Factory is under attack, and not doing at all well in stopping it” He mused, with a hint of grin, enjoying the chaos.
Though she could not see, Fluttersnide looked skyward still, making a sound of thought. “Nightmare Rarity making an attempt?”
“This is no attempt, that place is coming down” Discord replied. “Seemed to be somepony else… those two pests”
Not realizing, or possibly even caring, that they were filling the two ponies in on what had been happening, the two villains continued to be distracted. “With Sombra and Chrysalis dead, and Trixie missing, now they are taking down Rainbow Death? Such busy little pests”
As the pair gave them all they needed to know of what had been going on, and being distracted by the current calamity, P.C. jumped up and grabbed the Element and put it on. “Ha!” He said triumphantly, then he and Kin galloped off at full gait.
For their effort, the two young ponies gained little as Discord was quickly upon them. “Leaving so soon, and without even saying ‘goodbye’? How rude” He levitated the Pegasus and proceeded to attempt to remove the necklace. “Why… won’t… it… come…………more dots…………..off?!” Discord was not really straining, only playing up the moment.
“It's bonded to him” Fluttersnide sneered. “We can’t take them off any more than we could steal Trixie’s little charm”
Recalling back, with a crude cartoon version of the events playing out above his head. Discord and Fluttersnide tracked Trixie down, and attempted to take the Alicorn Amulet when she was sleeping, only for her to snap awake and nearly drain Discord on the spot, if Fluttersnide had not thrown a pony they brought as bait before the fangs of the vampire.
Flaring his claws, Discord had another idea. “What if he’s dead?” Kin cried out as P.C. struggled in the grip, with the talons leveled with his chest. “You two are twins, so I’ve always been curious if that legend is true, so please tell me if you feel this as well?” He drove deep into the pony, piercing P.C.’s lungs in the process, not giving him a quick death as he coughed up the blood pooling inside him. “Anything dear?” He turned to look at Kin, as she was sobbing. “Not quite the same thing” He dropped the Pegasus, and let the mare run to her brother.
Stumbling and nearly blinded by her tears, she clung to the dying pony. “Pound! No, no, no…”
“He won’t survive that, just another lost cause in this barren world” Discord remarked. “However, there is still a chance for you. Join us, and help keep the Elements from these goodie-four-horseshoes”
“I’d rather die!” She snapped at him, taking him slightly by surprise. “I hope they destroy you both!”
Turning to Fluttersnide, Discord shook his head. “Doesn’t much sound like a pony of Kindness to me, very rude”
“I must have been just sensing Pinkie’s Element” She scoffed, then sighed. “I really thought one of them was holding my Element” She turned toward the door that suddenly appeared. “Kill her too, for wasting our time”
“She is so cute when she gets so menacing” Discord swooned. “Now, how to dispose of you?” He turned back to the siblings, as he watched the Pegasus still struggling and grasping at a fading life, and Discord had a moment of inspiration. “Ah, how poetic I-” Another explosion shook the very air, and drew the villain’s attention again. More rain of a dying factory rocketed across the sky, and spread around for a great distance. “I don’t think Rainbow is going to be a factory soon”
“Something is happening with the Elements” Fluttersnide pointed to Pound as his shimmered. “Another is awoken, and taken a new master. I might have read theirs wrong, but I understand this feeling now. Three Elements of Harmony are in the sky, and one is fading here”
“Funny how that works, you can sense them, even if yours is gone. I guess once tied to them, you always are…” He trailed off a bit, focusing on the twins. “Anywho, back to nafarities” He snapped his fingers, and a flash came from Kin’s chest. “Now you are truly tied, and when he dies, your heart will give out. Seeing how broken you are, I feel it is a fitting way to go” He said darkly, and floated toward the door, as it lowered like a drawbridge. “See you in hades, Xamot and Tomax” Though the reference was lost on all but himself, he still passed back into his own realm with a satisfied laugh. Soon he and Fluttersnide were gone, and the two ponies were left to their fates.
******
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and now Scootaloo were recovered and together again, and after their fight with Rainbow Death, decided to again set out to find those last groups of ponies clinging to the edges of the land. After the events in the sky, some of those camps had begun to migrate toward the Empire having heard or saw the destruction of the Rainbow Factory. Matters in the sky would be left to the Pegasi, and with Death’s hold gone the Aerial Nation was in chaos, with so many Pegasus fighting for control. Most of those who did not scatter to the winds, were loyal to the ideals of the Third Flock and wanted to claim the power void.
To make things easier with the enhanced power of her Element, Sweetie Belle was able to teleport further now, even with two ponies, though it was still a great effort to do. They only went so far to avoid the Territory of Nightmare Rarity, then elected to hoof the rest of the trip.
Several Changelings wanted to go with the three mares to offer aid and protection to the Stormbreakers, but taking so many would shorten Sweetie’s range, and only slow them down. They would also pose a risk, as not all would know that the Changelings were now Allies. The ability to send the Changelings to meet the mares was possible with Mystic Tome and the spell of mass transit that was used to save the refugees, it was not wise in the grander scheme.
As they traveled, there was clearly a bounce in Apple Bloom’s steps, as she nearly pranced along the way. Sweetie Belle also moved with a new found happiness, neither feeling the same weight of the world as they once did. The pair were overjoyed that they were reunited with their lost friend, and seeing their victories as proof in hope for changing fate. Scootaloo was not as elevated, as she trotted along at a steady, but sloppy pace. She was still haunted by the last few years, all she had done, and the things she had seen. Killing her sister did not help, and though she had new wings provided by the Element she now bears, she could not find much joy in flight at the cost it came with. So the artificial limbs were kept tight to her sides, almost more ashamed to display them than the ones she had stolen from that innocent pony so long ago.
“Scoot, why so low?” Bloom turned her head to look at her friend. “We’re so close to end’n all the pain and suffering, an on top of all that, we’re back together! The Crusaders returned, to face the world, for that is our destiny!”
The Pegasus lifted her head enough to look at her friend. “I know, and I’m happy we are… but all I can think about is Rainbow… all the horrors I’ve seen her do, all the horrors I did for her… How did it all get so far?”
Apple Bloom stopped and turned to fully face her. “I know it ain’t easy to work out, I blamed myself fer letting Granny and Big Mac die, all because I was too weak to fight back. I couldn’t save our home, or any of em, but I also had to tell myself that I did the best I could at the time and that I need to push on to honour those who died by being the best I can be, and make the most of my life. I fought all them nag’n thoughts, by knowing that by fight’n, I can help stop any others from suffering what I had to”
“Easy for you to say now, you had all these years to train your mind, but I’m fresh to it. I was brainwashed, and broken by the one who I thought loved me the most. Then I awake to find a noose around my neck, waiting to string me up as soon as she was done with me… I don’t know how I will ever get past that…”
Going over to her, Bloom hugged her troubled friend. “Y’all have two who truly love ya, and ain’t about to let you go down or be hurt again. We risked our lives, so y’all can have that time to recover and find a better tomorrow. We had our time, and had to face it, more or less, alone. Y’all ain’t alone, and won’t be so long as we can help it!”
“How touching” Discord appeared, using a tissue box to wipe away false tears. “It really makes one's heart grow three times…” He let out a burp, and patted his chest. “Oh, never mind then. Just gas”
The three mares were quick to go on the defense, partly circling the draconequus ready to fight, though at the moment he did not seem too threatening. They all understood it took but a moment for that to change. Apple Bloom moved her cover and focused her Elemental Eye on him, with Sweetie Belle having her horn trained, and Scootaloo with her wings flared. “What do you want Discord?” Sweetie Belle demanded to know his intentions.
Looking surprised, he returned. “Why, can’t an old fiend visit with some enemies without being up to something?” He crumpled the box of tissues, and tossed it aside, where it transformed into an aeroplane and flew off. “So it is true, three of the Elements of Harmony have reappeared after all this time” He disappeared and returned, each time around one of the mares, taking in the sight of their new features. When he moved back away, he was now in a blue and black uniform, with slicked, managed hair, and arms folded behind his back. He raised his longer brow, and with an eerie calmness, simply said. “Fascinating” continuing this character, he went on observing. “I was unaware that the Elements could manifest themselves in such forms, and enhance the bearer. Alicorn, wings, and an eye?” He went to poke at Apple Bloom’s Gem. “This must have been a strange experience” Bloom slapped his claw away, and he receded. “Alien life appears hostile, but as far as the new functions of the Elements, I am… stumped” He then transformed into a tree stump, with his grinning face.
“Ain’t fer y’all to figure, but we’re glad to give a show of what we can do with ‘em!” Bloom challenged, causing him to change back.
Still wearing his grin, and laughing at her boldness, he replied to her call. “Now, now, is that any way to treat a friend? I came in hopes that you three would join us. After all, you are the reason I’m free, so it only makes sense that we can all just be buds” Using some toy versions of themselves, he played out the scene so beyond their recollections, when Bloom and Scootaloo were arguing over Cutie Marks in the royal garden, their mixture of harmony and chaos feeding the statue of Discord, giving him power to leave the thousand year prison. The memories of that bit of history struck the mares, and they recalled how some stupid fighting had caused Discord to escape his stone prison. “Why fight what you all had a hoof in starting?”
Each stepped back, though Scootaloo stepped further, with Bloom not going as far as her friends, as the weight of this came down on them differently. Recovering from it, Bloom came back with. “Maybe we did let y’all out, but we can’t be liable fer all the mess y’all made after! Can’t say its the tree’s fault, if’n its apple bonks a grumpy pony who goes about spread’n their anger”
“Oh ho ho, such a colourful, country euphemism. I suppose you are right in that, though I still think I can sway you three to our side. I can change that stubborn mind” His playful grin became dark, and unsettling. “What if I could offer you the chance to get all of your families back, with but the snap of my fingers?” Gasping at his offer, he knew he had them on the hook. “The Apple Family restored, and farms in full harvest. Rainbow Dash, alive and back to her old self. Even Rarity could be purged of that Nightmare being, and returned to you. All this, with my power, and the enhancement by the Elements of Harmony could be possible” Looking around at one another, the mares seemed drawn into this. He curled out his arm, and presented his clawed hand to them. “Join me, help me get the Elements, and together we turned back time before this story was written. No more Stormbreaker, no more Shatter Storm, just go back to Season 2. Maybe even get Faust back. Deal?”
Scootaloo moved closer to Sweetie Belle, and exchanged looks. They then looked at Apple Bloom, who was reaching for the appendage. Then, all at once, as Bloom slapped the hand again, shouted “NO!”
“Y’all can’t lead with a rotten carrot! My family would rather stay dead, than let you have access to the power to destroy everything, and give that traitor what she wants!”
Face turning sour, Discord was a bit wiser. “I see, that eye is like a kind of lens of truth, and you can read right through my tricks. Annoying” He looked at Scootaloo. “So, what? Do your wings ‘lift up’ or ‘blow the winds of loyalty’ or some sappy thing?” He gagged. “It doesn’t matter really, I can do without the Elements, and in fact have quite a plan in my pocket…” He rummaged in pants he was suddenly wearing. “I have it… I swear… It was just here…” He turned out several pockets, more than pants should have, some pockets even coming out of other pockets. Several objects fell out, magnets, a full sized wagon, a document with “Khitomer” on it and little sentient dust bunnies. “Oh… it must be in my other pants, I can just go home real quick and get it” Seeing that none of them were entertained, he made a fart sound with his mouth. “You three are such sticks in the mud”
They each jumped out of the way, as mud formed under them, reading his games as clear as day. “Wow, I need to step up, if you can read me that easily”
“Don’t turn into a book in some other language,” Scootaloo said flatly.
“Or made of stone,” Sweetie added.
“Maybe small print” Bloom finished. “Face it, you are barely a villain, and more of a clown with powers. I don’t need a special eye ta see yer games com'n”
Discord’s eyes twitched. “You think I’d waste my A material on you three?!” He shot back, showing that he was angered by their mockery. “You have no idea of the damage I can do, but it is not entertaining to just-” He snapped his fingers, and a black hole appeared, sucking in and ripping up the land. Only by Discord’s power were the four of them not affected, at least physically. “I could destroy everything right now!” He snapped his fingers again, and transformed them. Scootaloo became a scooter, Apple Bloom an apple sprout, and Sweetie Belle song book, all still with their Element gems somewhere on them. Their gems flashed and they were restored. “Even to a degree, I can mess with you all” He snapped his fingers again, and the black hole was gone, but left much of the land around them damaged by it. “Be glad I enjoy my games, for when I grow bored of this world, I will simply end it”
The three mares panted and finally realized the depth of what they were dealing with, and did their best to recover. “Now, do you understand how little you are all a risk to me? Oh, and don’t think that you can get the Elements of Harmony together and stop me either. One of them, at least, is no longer a factor”
“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, she was hoping that he meant because of Fluttershy, and that he did not know that even if a turned bearer was alive, it would pass on. “Because you keep one of the old holders?”
He looked at her with amazement. “How is it to ask a question and immediately answer it with your own idea? Self gratifying? No, not my partner in chaos” A little Fluttersnide appeared, and made faces at them. “You see, an interesting encounter happened as you three were ruffling Rainbow Death’s feathers. My dear little monster was feeling a sense of loss, as her Element is gone. Somewhere during part 9, we found two little ponies with one of the lost Elements of Harmony, sadly not hers. It seems they were hoping to find out why you never came to save their camp, and braved the harsh world of Equestria. Unfortunately, while you were busy planning and ruining the hierarchy of the Aerial nation, very nice work up there by the way, the grounded ponies were losing hope. For them, all hope is truly gone”
“What did y’all do to them?!” Apple Bloom could read the hints that those who spoke of did not escape unharmed.
“Oh? Well, we killed them of course” Discord disappeared before the lasso could take hold, then reappeared in the same spot. “A rope against the lord of chaos? Seriously?” He shook his head with a grin. “I know, killing is a little out of character for me, I much rather a bit of torment and lingering suffering” He said, using polish remover on his crimson stained claws. “Why, you should have seen the strings I pulled behind the scenes. Twilight was probably my best work, I’ve heard she went mad before she disappeared” Sweetie Belle growled low at the reminder. “Scootaloo, maybe you remember that book Rainbow Dash became so obsessed with?” Revelation struck the mare, as she joined Sweetie in fury. “I can’t say I had much to do with your family though” Discord looked at Bloom. “Those timber wolves were itching for an excuse to move on the farm, and well… a particularly tempting Zap Apple Harvest was all it took”
The three mares did not need a hint to the thoughts of their friends, and they each unleashed their Elemental power at Discord, who seemed merely amused by the attack, though dodged it still. “Don’t cross the streams now” He mocked them. “You ponies are such fragile things, a point proven by my dear-ranged, when she ordered the execution of the two ponies who lead us astray. Now I was set to play around, but she stomped her hoof down, and well, baby gets what baby wants” The little version disappeared, and Discord stroked at his beard. “Luckily, she isn’t here now, as I would much rather you three live a bit longer. Have a few more chapters to fill, and it would be boring with Prince tight ass, and princess ‘my daddy is evil'’”
“How can you be so cruel, so vile?!” Sweetie demanded to know. “To twist the lives so carelessly, and to take such an innocent pony like Fluttershy and make her into a monster like you?”
“I just like to have fun, but unfortunately your kind doesn’t appreciate my style of fun” He pulled out a chart from the air. A diagram and flowchart he referred to as he spoke. “You see, good, bad, these are illusions that are based on perspective. To you, I’m evil because I like to play a bit rough. To a tree, you’re cruel for taking its fruit. So as I came to spread some fun, I was rejected and imprisoned. You try being stuck in stone for a thousand years and not be a little annoyed, desolate and cold” He took a bit of a more serious tone. “You stand there in judgement of me, and all the villains, when you are seeking to change the world how you want, regardless of what others might like or want! My sweet little children, Good and Evil are up to the general consensus and perspective. Sombra was living his life, Chrysalis was doing what she felt best for her kind, Trixie was twisted by a sacrifice she made for you” He pointed at Sweetie Belle. “Even Rainbow Dash was just trying to reclaim the one thing she wanted in life, and saw a chance to make her people better as well. So maybe think a bit about why we do what we do, before you are so quick to judge us as monsters. Villains and Heroes are driven by passion, but some passion can be seen as wrong when society doesn’t agree”
Not one of them could truly deny his argument, though none of them found it an excuse to do what had been done. “Allow me to offer this,” He started again. “A pony, born in the clouds, who feared heights, with the rest of her kind making fun of her for it. She only wanted to be left alone, and the one pony who stood up for her, also let her fall. Sure, she found the animals as friends, but she was also pulled back into pony society, where she was talked over, mocked, and pushed to do things she didn’t want too, all so she could live well enough to take care of animals. So when she was abandoned for the last time, and taken in by one who wanted nothing but to let her be her truest self, she became very welcome to that life, and bitter to the old. She put on a happy face, and bore a lifetime of trauma, and how she did for so long, I can’t even say. She was so strong, but strength gives out” As he was speaking, he was growing ever more passionate and angry over the details. “She had no pony to care for her like she cared for others! Even her so-called ‘friends’ would abandon and use her time and time again! Forcing her to do things she didn’t want too! I took her to break up the Elements, but I instead saved her. She is good to me, and the animals we have in my realm, but to you selfish monsters, that is where she appears evil. She is reflecting back what she was shown by your kind! Blamed, like she caused all the troubles in the world for accepting me” He laughed in a humourless way. “She only accepted my offer, when I vowed to leave her friends alone, and had quite a list. Then she renounced you all, when she saw how little she mattered to any of you”
Now they truly could not fight his point, though it was still a bit skewed, it was striking to see how deeply he felt about her. Nopony would believe Discord was capable of it, but he did actually have a heart. “So, y’all care about her” Bloom finally asked, with no plans or plots to use the information.
“Of course! Any pony could see that. She befriended me, maybe she had little choice, but it has become as real as any of your little friendships. We’re perfect together, a pony with so much love to give, and a draconequus with so much freedom to offer” He crossed his arms in sternness. “Your narrow views find it so hard that I can actually care about something, but even the Lord of Chaos has feelings; I just turn them off most of the time” A large electrical panel appeared, with a oversized lever, with a tiny little switch beside it with “feels” above it in the off position.
“Then, why not just stop doing all these wicked things, by our standards of it?” Sweetie Belle attempted. “You could help us stop Nightmare Rarity, and clean up Equestria, really change the opinions about you, and you can bring Fluttershy back to her home. You both could find happiness and friends. Is it worth it to keep watching everything fade away, knowing that one day you’ll have nothing left? You could find others who will enjoy your games, and make a better life, a long life, for yourself” She was hoping to turn the tables here and now, and maybe actually gain a friend, instead of having another foe to defeat.
For a moment, he seemed to actually consider this, though such hope was fleeting. “A cute offer, and a valiant try, but we’re happy now. We don’t need ponies in our lives, and as the population fades more and more, the world will only be better for it. I have the power to keep us alive and happy for all time. Though I have to say, you three have made me feel it is time to speed along this much needed purge. As you knock out one villain after another, the hope that the problem will cure itself is fading” Discord flew higher into the sky. “Seeing how you will not join us, and we’re not joining you, I guess our time here is done” He gave a solute, with his back to them,wearing an orange outfit, angel wings and a halo as he faded away. “See you real soon, Stormbreakers” With that he was gone.
“Monster” Apple Bloom scoffed.
“We’ll stop them, we gave him a chance to change, and he refused. He has done too much to be left excused, and is too dangerous to be left alone besides” Sweetie Belle stated.
Scootaloo was still staring at the spot he disappeared, lost in her own thoughts. “He started it all… he gave me the book that made Rainbow into a monster… at least I didn’t start it”
Sweetie Belle and Bloom were focused on other things, and went on discussing the information they had. “You think he was trying to throw us off, or do you really think he killed a pony was holding an Element?”
“Like he said, this here eye lets me see the truth, and I didn’t read any deception… they must’ve-”
“So do we find this Element then? You think he left it out there, and can we even do anything with it?” Scootaloo had come out of her mind, and was still new to the workings of the Elements.
Sweetie fielded that, answering the question the best she could. “We can try to find it, I don’t know why he would just leave something like that laying around though, unless they were actually the next keeper, then the gem would be useless. From what we’ve seen, the Elements can be reborn, or passed regardless of the state of the older keeper. Bloom’s was reborn in her, probably exchanged to her after Applejack’s passing. Yours came to you while Rainbow was still alive, then I was able to take Twilight’s and it took to me”
“See’n how Twilight was already dead, we can only assume that the Elements also wait for a proper host” Bloom added.
Hoping to avoid Apple Bloom’s ability to read the truth, Sweetie spoke as truthful as she could, without too much detail. “I believe they can lay dormant, until a suitable host is born, or is near. If you look at how our sisters and their friends got theirs originally, they seemed destined to come together, but it wasn’t until they were there where the old Elements were last, that they could summon them. So, seeing how we each gained ours in kind of the same way, it seems logical… though honestly I don’t know if that is really how it works. Not even Twilight knew much about how they functioned”
“So, should we try to find those poor ponies, or what?” Scootaloo asked, not fully following the whole thing.
“I don’t think it’ll do much good” Bloom returned. “If’n Discord killed ‘em, it can only mean they weren’t keepers” Scootaloo was puzzled by that. “Well, mine helped me before I even knew I had it, and it was awoken when I was pushed to my limits, defend’n myself and my beliefs and friends. Sweets came after she needed it for others, and of course yours came when y’all stood against Death fer us. Look’n at all that, if’n the Element was theirs, it would have awoken to save them, and if not, Discord or Fluttersnide would have taken it. I figure too, if’n it did awaken, and they did die, it most likely has gone on to another, or wherever they go between forms''
“It’s probably best if we just stick to the plan, and finish helping ponies who we can assume are actually alive and need us” Sweetie said, with much reluctance. “We have no way to track the Elements, or a clue where this happened. Those ponies in the camps left, like Discord said, have likely started to lose hope, if not given up on us coming at all. We need to focus on them, we let them go too long”
“Yeah…” Scootaloo did not like that, having a nagging feeling, but she could not argue that those who were alive needed them now, not two who already met a terrible fate. “Maybe after we can try at least?” She attempted.
“Of course” Bloom assured, and Sweetie agreed, easing the Pegasus’ mind a bit.
Returning to their quest, the mares moved to the next camp on their list. There was much left to do, and they had delayed too long.
Keeping a stern visual on the lands beyond for any hint of danger, two of the Crystal Empire’s guards took up positions at either side of the main entrance, while a Changeling was near to provide the ability to detect any deceptions. This post was the only that Prince Shining Armor made to be open by one of the guards to keep trouble out, but also allowing refugees in, while not needing his constant attention. There had been a few that made the long journey, and over the scrutiny of the trained ponies and Changelings nothing wicked got through. Today would prove a challenge to these skilled protectors. Forming in the distance was not the normal sight of the groups usually seen, but a tall figure of another shape was making their way toward the shield.
Exchanging looks, the three tried to make sense of what they were seeing. “Is that… a dragon?” One of the guards finally asked, hoping their partners might be able to clear the doubt.
“Looks to be” The other pony agreed, also stricken by this foreign sight, especially so far North where it was cold all around, save the protection of the Empire. “Shimmer Sand” They looked to the Changeling, one of many who had taken a name since their full acceptance into the folds of Equestria’s last home. “Is this some illusion?”
Not all Changelings had taken names like Shimmer Sand or the first, Switch-A-Roo, as some liked to make names more based on their heritage like the Empress Morphosia. Sand was definitely in the camp of those who enjoyed the pony system, it made many feel more connected to their new friends. “N-no… that is a dragon, sure enough” He said a bit uneasily, as the Changelings and Dragons did not have a kind history, not that many truly did. Although most feared the Dragons, besides the Gryphons, who most just believed they were too stubborn to admit that they were. Despite this legacy, this Dragon did not seem as frightening, not just because they traveled with two ponies, but something in their purple and green colour scheme did not strike fear. None of the three could identify this band, and called to them once they were nearer.
“Ho!” The first guard moved slightly forward, making themselves the focus in case help would be needed. “What business do you have in the Crystal Empire?”
When the Dragon spoke back, his voice seemed stuck in the phase between adult and youth, sounding like he was forcing it to seem older. “We wish to have shelter here, and hopefully find some old friends”
“Who is it that you seek, and who do I address? If I am to send word, we must know?”
“I am Spike, a name that once rang through the Empire I helped save, but it seems the storm cleared away that memory, or maybe” He gave a bit of a prideful snicker. “This older body has hidden that cute baby dragon so well, you do not know me”
The two guards looked at one another, stricken by the name as it awoke long buried memories. They recalled that Princess Twilight Sparkle did have an assistant by that name, and this Dragon did have similarities. Purple scales, green spines and eyes, with the lighter shade for his chest and down to the underside of his tail. A savior of the Crystal Heart, and friend to the original six Ponies of Harmony. The other two did not seem so familiar, both seeming to be too young to even have been born before the storm, or at least barely around during it.
“We are here to meet with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Tell them Spike has brought the Cake twins, Pound and Pumpkin, and they have important news” He informed, his eyes lingering on the Changeling so boldly displaying themselves. He would address this in time.
Once the word was sent much of the Empire that remembered the days of Spike’s efforts to save them, were in a frenzy to hear their young hero was still alive. It was so much that the guards had to boost their numbers, just to get the trio to the castle. They would be first met by the Princess and Prince, and any doubts were gone when the former embraced the Dragon with such elation. Shining quickly joined, wearing a great smile on a face that had almost forgotten the sensation of such joy. He bumped a playful hoof to the taller Dragon’s shoulder. “Wow, you really grew up Spike” He laughed, joined by the old friend.
“Look at you!” Spike returned. “You’ve become such a fine stallion, no longer that young guard who I traded cards and comics with” He also added “And Cadence, you’ve grown into such a fine Princess. Not only do you both look great, you’ve kept hope alive all this time. Princess Celestia and Luna couldn’t have found better ponies to not only take the Empire, but stand against all the troubles”
“Such a charmer” Cadence responded to his earlier part. “I can say how happy we are to see you again, we feared you long gone only to return with two more ponies I believe most thought also lost” She looked at the twins. “Both looking like they’ve braved this harsh world, but I can see that there's still hope and love in you”
Pound came closer and knelt before her, taking a hoof in his. “My Princess, we have come to serve your grace” He kissed the decorated hoof, in a grand display.
Pumpkin rolled her eyes, as Cadence blushed, not having had this sort of welcome in a long time. “Spike, you may have competition for being a charmer”
He snickered at that, while Pumpkin decided to cut in. “He can be so dramatic, but he is right, we’re here to help the cause”
“If I may?” Spike wished to give a proper introduction. “This is Pound and Pumpkin Cake, two of very lucky survivors of Ponyville before it fell” This much was known, as both looked into records when the names came to them. “They also are the keepers of the Element of Laughter”
This struck both the royal ponies, as they leaned back in surprise of such a claim. Looking at one another, they could only dare hope it was true. “What?” Shining first addressed this. “How do you know?”
“Our aunt, Pinkie Pie, she gave it to Spike” Pound started. “Her Element of Laughter. When we were older enough, uncle Spike told us of it, and said ‘It may one day be of use. Right now it just takes up space, but I believe it could help you both’, although we never imagined the truth in those words”
Shining was puzzled by these revelations. “I did not know of all these family ties. Spike, Pinkie, the Cakes?”
“Well, it was more of an adopted kind of deal” Pumpkin clarified. “But to us, they are just as much our family as our departed parents”
Not wishing to be rude, but Cadence was a bit more focused on their other claims. “Do you have the Element?”
The twins looked at one another, and Pound reached into his bag. “Well… kinda…” He pulled out the necklace and placed it down. The metal was no longer gleaming, but tarnished and pitted with age. The gem was faded, and looked more like a chunk of dirty ice, than a jewel.
“Is… is it because Pinkie is… gone” She was hesitant to say it, but the truth of it was the mare disappeared before the worst of the storm even hit, and not a single soul had seen her in years. She could be alive, but the chances seemed low. Looking on this object, that seemed more like something that Flim and Flam would have made and left to age, rather than the necklace that once helped fight Nightmare Moon, Discord and Sombra.
Pound looked around, hoping to find those they had actually come to see. “We’re hoping to talk to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom about this, we’ve heard that they have unlocked a lot about the Elements. Would also save saying it all twice” He laughed nervously.
“The young champions are currently out in the world, attempting to reach the last of our broken nation” Shining Armor replied. “They had to postpone because of the larger risks of the villains, but are determined to finish what they started” He moved a bit closer, not willing to let a moment longer pass without answers. “We can recount this story if it makes it easier, but as leaders of what is left of Equestria, we must know what has become of the Element of Laughter”
Not much intimidated the young pony, but seeing this stallion with his rank and status looming before him, he felt like a foal again. He was hesitant, but he recounted what had happened with Discord, and what came after. The part that mostly shocked the pair of royals, was the last piece when they claimed that both of them had died out there.
“Death?” Cadence was first to question this, though she was no stranger to lingering ghosts, it was surprising that these two would be the same as her grandfather. “I have my doubts, I’m sorry to say. Either you are specters, or you are playing a game”
Pumpkin was the one to respond, not fond of these events. “I wish it wasn’t true, but we both died there” She did not like thinking about her brother’s pain, but repeated what he had said of the events. “Discord stabbed him with his claws, and destroyed P.C.’s lungs, leaving him to choke until he died… He also put some spell on me, that crushed my heart when he died…” She was notably, and understandingly crying now, the events being a lot for any to endure, especially ones so young.
“We don’t understand it, but one moment I wasn’t able to breath, everything had gone black, I was no more… Then I was taking deep breaths, and feeling completely healed… even stronger” Pound explained their rebirth. “I saw Kin laying there, gone as I was, and just like me, stood up like nothing happened. We then noticed that Aunt Pinkie’s necklace looked like that” He gestured toward it.
Cadence and Shining looked at one another, taking in this story and finding it a bit hard to accept. There had been a lot left unknown about the powers of the Elements, as it had given Apple Bloom a new eye, Scootaloo wings, and Sweetie Belle’s horn was enhanced to levels that even Princess Celestia or Luna, perhaps even Twilight at her height could not access, yet the idea an Element could save two ponies lives did seem just a bit too far given the evidence. They both trusted Spike, and that alone is why they allowed this audience, but it was not so far to blindly accept such bold claims.
“You must forgive us,” Princess Cadence started. “We have seen many things happen since Discord returned, though not much of it has been good, and these long years have left us a bit skeptical of anything too good to be true” She sighed, hating that wonder and hope was so beaten that she could not be happy to hear such news. “I want to believe what you say, especially as you have Spike’s word, one I value over nearly anyone else… however we would not have allowed our kind to survive all these years if we were so quick to accept a miracle of an Element raising two ponies from death… I fear there is some Discord trickery at play. That does not mean I entirely distrust you either, as you both could be part of his game without knowledge”
Shining was a bit less diplomatic, and went right to a point in his mind. “I find it hard to accept because if it was true, why did it not save anypony else? Applejack had her’s, yet she was killed. My sister had her’s, and she died just the same as any other. It couldn’t even help Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash or Rarity from becoming evil. So why did it spare you two, but none of them?” The two ponies stepped back, going to the protection of Spike who moved closer ready to stand off against the Prince when another entered the room.
She took cautious steps, but was loud enough that it drew all their attention. Empress Morphosia studied the two, then addressed her friend. “I’m sorry to have intruded on this meeting, my broodkin informed me of the events and I wished to see these two. Truly skilled magick can deceive my kind, however my magick has grown even greater than my kin” She came closer, standing between the two royal ponies, and studied the young ones. “I cannot speak for Elements and their ways, however these two are no illusions nor do they give off the energies of risen dead” She turned her head slightly toward the royal pair, with a sternness in her eyes. “A terror I hope you never will face” She then looked back to the young ones. “Their energies are much like those three champions, with the same hints of a magick greater than much of anything we have ever seen in our world. I also do not detect deception in their auras” She looked to Shining, knowing his deeper concerns. “I cannot say why the Elements did nothing for your friends or sister… but I can only conclude that they did save these two. There seems none of the taint that Discord’s magick usually leaves, likely cleansed by the Element”
The information Morhposia gave, did allow the pair of leaders to finally accept what had happened, but it did nothing to ease Shining’s heart. Cadence wished she could tell him the truth, but she knew that it was far too damaging to know, than it was not too. She held this secret long now, and would have to continue to bury that truth.
“Maybe we can learn from this,” Cadence began. “If they could save them, maybe the Elements hold an ability to save others in ways we didn’t even consider?”
Spike was focused on the Changeling. He recalled the one back at the entrance, and ones through the Empire as he walked here, but he did not wish to talk of this all in until now. “What is going on here?” He finally asked. “It has different colours, and is taller than those ones I fight, but this is a Changeling, right? Why is the Empire filled with them?”
“Oh, yes…” Cadence began, forgetting about how it might look to those outside as she had grown accustomed to having them around. “We did not share that detail, in fear it might have caused ponies to avoid coming to the Empire, but in the defeat of Chrysalis the Changelings were free of her control” She explained a bit more of what happened, and some of the key events. “After everything, Empress Morphosia took over as their leader and the Changelings have been a very welcome part of our community” She glanced at the fellow leader of another species. “I was doubtful at first, but they have proven time and again to be friends. Without her, we might not have stopped Countess Trixie from draining our entire Empire”
Morphosia felt the deceleration was a bit grander than needed. “I doubt she would have consumed your entire Empire, she was wild and destructive, you would have caught her in time. I am only thankful that we got her before anymore fell to her”
“So Trixie is gone too?” Spike asked, taking in the facts of all that have been defeated now. “Seems they have been busy, and I’m sorry, but after what we went through back then, and all the messed up things that have happened, I’m a bit skeptical of Changelings being good” They knew that he had valid concerns, with nothing of the recent events for him to have actually seen to change these views.
Shining Armor wanted to be mad with how much he had worked with the Changelings, and how they have proven to the Empire countless times their value and loyalties to them, as well as the friendships that have been formed since they found new ways to survive without draining others. He was too so close to them now, he did not like the idea that any might still be against them. He knew that these three had no way to know of these events, and could not just hear of good deeds and be convinced. The Empire needed time, and they would too. “Since the fall of Chrysalis a lot has changed, and they have done a lot of work to prove themselves to us, but I understand that you all were not here to see that. I only ask that you give them a chance, and not be completely closed off. We will need some time to grasp the fact that an Element revived not one, but two ponies” He reminded them of their own outlandish claims.
“I do think it will be best that we wait for the return of the Stormbreakers abroad before we can truly move forward” Cadence offered. “We will provide room and board, and extend every courtesy the Empire has to offer. We can only hope that in time that we can understand one another, and live together peacefully” It was clear that she meant more for the three to accept the Changelings. “We cannot be sure when the champions will be back, but you are welcome here for however long that might be”
******
Spike and the Cake Twins had been taken to a simple house with rooms for each, and space to make it rather homey. The work that the Changelings have been doing to expand the Empire allowed them luxuries to make such homes for the refugees, instead of the shacks that would have been there without them. This was passed on to the trio, though Spike was still not very welcoming to the idea of them. “I can’t believe that the Empire is so full of Changelings”
“Why do you dislike them so much?” Pumpkin asked, curious, and being far too young to have lived through the invasions.
He studied her, knowing why she was ignorant and did his best to explain it. “Before all this, or maybe because of the Shatter Storm, Equestria had a few enemies, and Changelings were always one of those. They invaded Canterlot, captured Cadence, brainwashed Shining Armor, nearly trapped Twilight too, and took over Canterlot. Queen Chrysalis was a wickedness that had no redemption, and only cared about herself”
“That might have been true, but what about the Changelings themselves?”
“They followed her, did her bidding, and helped attack Canterlot” Spike tried to stress.
Pumpkin was not so convinced that there was reason to hold a grudge. “Seems like they were just following her lead, and if that was all they knew, can you blame them?” She reasoned, Spike trying to listen. “It seems like they are pretty nice now, and if what you said is true about their Queen, the fact that Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor are ok with them now should say something about them?”
She had a point, one better than Spike was able to argue, though only if it was not some trick. “The fact they both have taken to the Changelings can mean that they are as they have said, reformed and good, or it could be that the Changelings have taken over Empire and it’s all an illusion to draw in victims”
“That is possible…” Pumpkin agreed. “But we can’t just assume that, any more than just accept what we see. So maybe we just play it safe? She did speak up for us, Morphosia. I did get a good feeling from her”
Pound agreed with her. “She gave us some credit, and if they are going over us like we are them, it is nice one of them believed in us. Discord might be lost, but I do think there is a chance for villains to change”
Spike sighed, more at the idea of what he said. “Cosmatia knows enough heroes turned to villains, it would be nice to see some of them go good” He took a seat, the weight of a dragon more than it was used too, and creaked under him. “It has been so long since I’ve felt safe…”
The three decided their plan, and made for bed. The lights went down, and each found a room to sleep. When all was quiet, something shifted around Pound. Then it scurried from out of the sheets and down to the floor. It looked to be a roach, but when it turned, it had the face of Discord. “Finally” He said with annoyance. “I thought that slumber party wouldn’t end…” He quickly darted across the floor, and out into the darkness where he found a place he felt was safe from any eyes. He strained, and struggled, then gave up. “Drats…”
Changing from the cockroach to a Draconequus, though not much bigger than the roach was. “So, that cursed shield can still keep me out, even if I have a me on the inside… Now I wish I broke more of myself off inside of that pony, I can’t do much like this”
Deciding to make something of this failed attempt, Discord moved around in secret looking for some opportunity to cause some trouble, only nothing much presented itself tonight.
******
The next morning came easily enough, and each of the visitors awoke at their own times, though near to one another. They felt a bit shocked in their situation, not having any immediate dangers or truly fearing for their chances to even wake. Getting a restful night sleep was so foreign to them now, and took them some time to adjust. When they all were ready to go out, they left the simple home and took sight of the busy Empire. Spike was in awe to see what he remembered Canterlot being like before, with so many ponies and changelings, trotting about like the world never ended. There did not seem to be status, yet each looked or dressed as they would have before. The upper class Unicorns, and the more sorcerer types. Earth ponies, from the working class to those native Crystal ponies. Even some Pegasi, though a number looked like they escaped the Rainbow Factory, others still wore the colours of the Wonderbolts. Others, not actively guarding the grounds, but there were those who wore the ranks and marks of both Day and Night guards from the long lost castle. Of course there were the Changelings, looking as natural as any other pony there. The sight of this congregation of Equestria nearly brought tears to Spike’s eyes.
“Amazing!” Pumpkin exclaimed, talking in the sights. She was neutral to memories of the old days, good or bad. “So many ponies, I had no idea there were so many left in Equestria!”
“Equestrians are resilient,” Spike said with a bit of pride, before the three of them traveled on to find someplace to eat.
Along the way, Spike was taking notice of the interactions around the Empire. It truly felt like nothing had happened, only there was more diversity in the types of ponies. He was largely focused on the Changelings and seeing how, to the rest of the Empire, they did not seem out of place here. They were like family or old friends to these ponies, and though it seemed they were still feeding on attention and love, it was not taken, but given freely. It was truly seeming like things were different for the Changelings, though he was not absolutely ready to accept this for reality.
They found a restaurant that sounded like a good place to try, so the trio took a table where they could get a fair look at things going on in and outside. The twins were excited to see such a bustling city, and permanent structures. Spike was happy to see them again after so long, but his eyes were more on the ponies. He still saw no strife in them, and though he wanted to be mad, he was finding himself happy to see that camps like his were being brought to someplace they could finally feel this level of comfort. In scanning the faces, Spike saw a few he actually recognized. One pair was a bit heartening to see, he always recalled seeing them just about everywhere he went, but mostly in Ponyville, it gave him some sense of those old days. “Glad Lyra and Bon Bon are still together, and around… kinda feels like home” Spike thought.
Watching all these creatures together without any apparent care in the world, Spike’s mind began to drift, thinking back to when he was a baby dragon and his vision was clouded by the past. He saw his six closest friends, hanging out and having fun after some little adventure.
There was Twilight, going on about some book she was reading, while Fluttershy looked to be trying to follow along.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack got into some argument about who was better at something or other, never really mattered what, they loved to challenge one another.
Pinkie Pie was lost to all of them, as she was racing around and gathering things to stack on the table. She started with creamers, and jams, but soon had utensils and cups into the structure.
Then there was Rarity, working on a new, wonderful design. She was mildly interested in the others, focused so much on her inspiration, but she chanced a look and saw Spike watching. She gave him a warm smile and a wink. “Oh Rarity…” Spike muttered, lost to that lust he held for the mare.
“Uncle Spike?” A voice cut through the fog, and it belonged to one of the Cakes, only Spike did not know which it was. They had both been trying to reach him. He blinked away the memories, lingering on the sight of the Unicorn he had loved so much.
He was more than saddened to see the visions go, and responded with a halfhearted “Huh?” as the past returned to its place in time, and Spike to his.
“Are you ok?” Pumpkin asked. “You seemed to be a bit upset, now you really look like something is bothering you”
Taking a deep breath and focusing his mind again, he responded “Just memories,” He took another look around. “As a dragon I knew I could live for hundreds of years, and with that I knew there would be times where I would look back on those I knew with a longing for times of old… I just never imagined that not even out of my 20’s, by pony standards, I’d be feeling this. By Dragon standards, I’m a teenager… I hoped that at least I would have Twilight for awhile, since Unicorns seem to live longer, especially the magickally gifted ones…” He became aware of himself, and looked at the two ponies with him. “I’m sorry, it’s not that I don’t love having you two, you’ve been the only thing that has made me want to go on or care any more…”
“We understand,” Pumpkin reached out and patted his claw. “We lost our parents, and wish against everything that we could have them back, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t grateful for you, or it means any less that we have you and not them”
He smiled at her, thinking about how well she turned out. “You are so kind, for one who has only known this broken world. You have such a big heart, your parents would have been so happy to see what a great pony you’ve become” He looked at Pound, not wanting to leave him out. “You as well. Despite everything, you both have been so strong and brave”
Disrupting their moment, a voice that hinted to one familiar but not entirely so. “Spike? Like, Spike the Dragon that was around Twilight Sparkle?” She was a silver mare, around the age that Sweetie Belle and her friends were, with a white mane and a pair of broken, but functional glasses.
He turned to her, trying to find a clue to her. She was wearing a collar and teal poof that seemed also familiar, yet not on a silver pony he could recall. Her cutie mark was a tell, but it escaped Spike just the same; despite how obvious it should have been. “Yes, before everything happened, I was with Twilight a lot”
“Wow, I can’t believe you totally are still around, like I didn’t think there were any more survivors from Ponyville” She spoke with a more posh tone, but she seemed a bit tired as well. Her purple eyes had blackened marks around them, showing that she did not sleep well. “You might not, like, remember me, but I was from Ponyville… but I was kinda a brat then. My friend then and me, we use to pick on the Bla- The Cutie Mark Crusaders”
Spike wished she just said the name, but he did finally put it together. “Oh, yeah. I remember a few times Apple Bloom and them would complain about you two. Silver Spoons?”
“Just one” She snickered, almost sounding painful to do. “Wow, it’s really nice to see some old faces again…” She seemed to have something else on her mind, and Spike prompted her to share it. “Well… I hate to totally, like, bug you, since we just kinda met… but do you think, like, you could help me see them?”
“To be honest, we’re waiting to see them still” Spike returned. “We got here yesterday to see them, but they’re out saving the world it seems”
She looked down, somehow even more defeated than before. “They’ve become, like, such heroes… C-can you at least tell them that, like, Silver Spoon is really sorry for being so mean to them before?”
Spike smiled and agreed that, but as she started to go he offered for her to join them. “How have you been? Getting through the years, you at least made it here”
She happily took a seat, and recounted what she had been through. “My life here has been great, like, before… not…” Silver started. “It was, like, totally insane before. My family had stayed in Ponyville for, like, way too long. Most families left, but Mom, like, felt she needed to stay. I lost Diamond Tiara early, her family, like, took off when things really got bad. So I’ve been wondering what became of her all these years, and been, like, checking all the records of ponies coming hoping to see her name… We moved around, for like most of the time, until I came here about two years ago. I got a job with the clerk's office, and like, been using those connections to see any records of, like, who is in the Empire and any confirmed dead” She adjusted her glasses. “I guess I followed my mom into the life of bureaucracy” She put on a bit of a more cheerful expression. “I’ve made some good friends, and like, really feel like I’m being helpful, and not that little spoiled brat I was”
Spike took this in, as did the twins who had no stakes or understanding of what Ponyville was like, or knew the families. Pumpkin gave the mare’s hoof a rub, showing her support. “I’m sure,” Spike began. “If they are out there, Sweetie Belle and them will find them. It does sound like you’ve made a good life for yourself here though”
Silver sniffled, thinking about who she was. “There are times I, like, remember how bad we were, picking on them, for like, just not having cutie marks… now I’m here hoping they can save my friend… like, the same one who was meanest to them… Why are we so mean as foals?”
“Hey now” Pound cut in.
“P.C., we’re not really foals anymore” Pumpkin reminded him, then addressed Silver Spoon. “Kids don’t know better, they are still learning, and growing. You eventually grow up, and most grow out of the dumb things we do. You seem like you certainly have, so I wouldn’t beat yourself up over mistakes of the past. Move forward, and be a better pony” She moved to hug her, and Silver hugged back tightly. “You are already a better pony, since you feel remorse for how you were and want to change”
“The future always stands, but we don’t always know when, though through the mist, the sun will rise again” Pound added, trying to recite an old poem he had heard. “Something like that, but the meaning is still there. Always have hope for the future, even when things seem the darkest. I know that someday we’ll-”
Pumpkin cut him off. “Such a profit”
Letting go of the younger mare, Silver looked at the pair. “I don’t think I, like, got your names”
“I’m Pound Cake, or P.C. nice to meet you!”
“Pumpkin Cake, or Kin if you please?”
Then it connected, and she remembered the two twins born shortly before the end of things. “Oh, I remember you two…” That though seemed to give her a renewed hope. “Yeah, if two babies could get through Ponyville’s fall, and survive to such fine ponies, like, hope does still exist!” The four of them, some of the youngest survivors of their lost town, shared stories and felt like they finally found some piece of home.
***
Outside the Empire, far from the scanning ability of Princess Cadence’s Heart Map, Discord paced vertically. He was waiting for a sign from the little piece he left in Pound Cake, from when they were brought into the Empire. “I should have seen something by now… I don’t even feel it anymore” He looked at one of his claws, or where it would be had it not been left in the pony.
Something caught his attention, and he plucked it from the air. “You’ve got mail” He snickered, holding the scroll. “I’m sorry, you didn’t apply proper postage” Abandoning the plan to use the piece already loose, he tried to put another in the letter, and send it back. “Return to sender”
The scroll flew back, but as it neared the shield, it burst into flames. “Not my day for schemes… Likely means that little piece also didn’t make it, well… drat” He folded himself several times, like taffy, and was gone.
***
Somewhere in the Crystal Empire, while friends reunited, the little piece of Discord was still searching for mayhem and weaknesses in the shield. He knew he needed either a hole or cause enough chaos to get stronger. Neither of these were working out too well. “This must be what Riker felt like, when he got bounced back to the surface in the transporter accident” Though his awful luck seemed to turn around, as he caught two guards talking.
“Have you done dungeon duty yet?” One of the ponies asked the other.
“No, why?”
The first looked around, not wanting to spread this rumour, or confirm it for those who wondered. “Trixie is down there… she is fuck’n creepy” She shuttered. “She just sits there, like an unwrapped mummy. Skin is all tight to her bones, and all dried out. She seems dead, but her eyes… you can see it in her eyes… she ain’t dead”
“Ew… I hope I don’t get sent down there”
“Hmm…” The little Discord grinned wickedly. “Mahaps there is still trouble to cause”
“She was completely drained when Empress Morphosia attacked her” The first guard explained. “But she somehow stayed… well, as alive as that can be called”
“I guess you can’t kill a vampire like that”
“Not really, but some of the guards say that she is still… fit… in certain places”
The one guard was confused by the meaning, and the first just brushed it off to be left unanswered.
As the pair continued the small problem decided to find this dungeon, which thanks to King Sombra, was no easy task. The former ruler had used a similar spell like the one one the door that led to the Crystal Heart, and Discord did not have the knowledge of it. So he searched around for a guard who was heading to the location instead. That proved much easier, as the target looked as uneasy about doing this as the one who gave the tip in the first place.
The hidden chambers were devoid of the hope and gleam that the Empire above held, just cold stone and dank rooms. These walls reflected the cruel design of the pony who had them made when he imprisoned the Crystal Ponies so long ago. The area was under kept, since it was not a place that many visited and likely would have stayed that way if not for the special captive. Deep inside, far from the only way in, buried as deeply as she could be, left forgotten by any but the unfortunate guards that were assigned the task of keeping vigil, or the depraved ones the other hinted too.
After the guard made their rounds and left, the mini Discord stepped through the bars and into the cell where the creepy wraith sat, unmoving, yet alive. He marveled at what remained of Countess Trixie, a villain that even posed a risk to him. No longer.
“Look at you” He said smugly, not sure if she could hear or not. “They really did take it all from you, energy, lifeforce, magick… It is a true mystery that you are… alive?” He floated around her. “Can’t move, can’t even speak, and yet they find you a risk enough to have a regular rotation of wardens watching you” He stopped, hovering right before her. “I’m not really sure I can even work with this husk… I suppose I can just hide the body and make it like you escaped.”
He stopped, and jumped back, as her eyes fixed right upon him. “Wow, those eyes are creepy… did they move?” He tried to figure this out, and without a warning she lunged at him and took hold of the piece of Discord in her fangs. He squirmed and cried out, but she consumed this essence without hesitation.
Returning to her frozen state Trixie felt enough power to move, but was far from satisfied or strong enough to make a move. She licked her dry lips with a rough tongue, and with a haggard voice said. “We all need a little chaos, now and then” With that mock of Discord she became the living husk again, until she could make another move, trying to fight the twitching smirk at the corners of her wicked mouth.
Another couple of months had passed for the pair of ponies, this time joined by their reclaimed friend, as they journeyed the lengths of Equestria for the last groups of ponies. They were successful in their quest, as far as they could tell, and they were now back in the Crystal Empire looking every bit as tired and worn as one could imagine for such much they have faced in these long months. Two seemed a bit worse than Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom was not so bad, just woozy and nauseous, while Scootaloo went to a corner to let loose her churning stomach. As the two were so stricken, Sweetie greeted Mystic Tome.
“Why is it that we get so sick from that, but not teleporting? Apple Bloom asked, trotting to the two Unicorns.
Offering her thoughts, Sweetie started. “Well, teleportation is a practiced and refined spell, whereas I just made the Courier spell and likely needs some tweaking to perfect it. The old spell is solid, but not intended for what we’ve been doing with it. I’m sure I could get the kinks out with more time”
“Don’t look at me for a volunteer” Scootaloo trotted up, holding her stomach.
Mystic offered “It does seem to work with larger groups, as most the ponies who came through showed nowhere near as much trauma as you two have”
“Could also be a bit of the fact I was passing through, and as one of the spell points,” She thought out loud. “It might have disrupted the stability of the spell, with no return for it to bounce back too”
“Pass, hard pass” Scootaloo said with absolution. “I’ll walk”
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, and addressed the other issue of their journey. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any who showed signs of the Elements, and we hit every part of the map, even the most spars or unlikely location”
This caused Mystic to raise his eyebrows in surprise, and cock his head “Did you not get the letter I sent about a week ago?” They all looked at him a bit confused. “Strange, somehow must have been lost”
“No, nothing reached us” Sweetie replied, a bit surprised, as the spell should have no way of being interrupted. “Did something happen?” Her urgency increased.
“Apparently a pair of ponies, as well as a Dragon, came here that had something to do with the Element of Laughter. They did not share much with me, only told me to send the message”
The three mares rushed off, leaving Mystic to wonder just what happened to the letter.
***
Looking out her window with a distance in her eyes, Cadence's mind was heavy with thoughts of her family. Shining was near her, looking with concern for her state of mind, as well as what she was likely to distort about. “Thinking about him” He kept in his own mind. “Wishing that he would return, but what will come of him being around? Equinox has shown to care about her, and passed advice that was critical to our lasting in the war with Sombra, but can he still be trusted when he is Sombra’s father, and still claims the title of a villain? He repeatedly warns not to let our guard down, and who knows what could allow him to regain the power to try and take back his own reign? Unlike Sombra, Equinox is actually very wise and educated in how to lead… if he turned, we might be facing a threat as great or greater than any we’ve faced before''
As the Prince and Princess were lost in their own minds, a guard came in to announce the arrival of the three champions back from their journeys, only they rushed past him before they had the chance. The two royals turned to the commotion, as the guard made a sound of annoyance and left.
“Sorry bout that partner” Bloom attempted, though he seemed past it.
“You found another Element of Harmony?!” Sweetie could not hold back her excitement.
“And a dragon?” Scootaloo added, a bit more interested in that piece of their newly gained knowledge.
Princess Cadence buried her thoughts for now, and returned to being the leader she had to be. “Yes, they came a few days ago. We became worried when you gave no reply to the message we sent”
“Likely some hiccup, cause we didn’t get noth’n” Bloom replied. “Mystic told us when we got back”
“And after we got done losing our lunch” Scootaloo remarked.
Sweetie Belle was not so interested in trivial topics, she needed to see the proof of the claims. “Where are they, who are they, and did they unlock it?”
Shining took the lead, and stepped closer to the group. “Well, we do have some concerns, though they have taken to life here much better than they did at first. I suppose it might be better if the letter did not reach you, as we have had time to observe the two” He filled them in on everything they had learned from the moment they came in, and since they’ve been living in the Empire.
“Wow, to think that the twins survived, and now hold Pinkie’s Element… even if it is ruined” Sweetie was thinking on something, though focused at the moment on another detail. “It makes sense she would pass it to them, seeing how close she was to the family. So they do not know what happened to her?”
Cadence shook her head, much to the disappointment of the young mare. Apple Bloom was focused on another part of the report. “Spike is with em? Is he all big, like an adult dragon now?”
“He has grown, though by Dragon standards I do believe he is still rather young” Cadence responded to this lighter note.
Scootaloo was still impressed at the sound of things. “Kinda cool we have a dragon though”
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looked at one another, finding it a bit amusing that their friend did not see Dust Jacket take on the impressive form that crushed Chrysalis. They would have to get him to try that trick again, and show Scootaloo the impressive power that came from the love of a Changeling and a Pony.
The summons were sent out for the three unlikely residents to come to see the champions, and hopefully find answers to the ever deepening mystery of the Elements of Harmony. While they waited, the three Stormbreakers pondered over what they knew.
“Seems like I ain’t as special as I once was” Bloom said with a hint of humor. “See’n how the Element gave back life, an eye ain’t much to write home about”
“Yeah, but you did get a new eye, and that’s pretty cool” Scootaloo chimed in, hoping to save some of her friend’s pride. “It can read intentions and stuff” She flared her wings. “I got spiffed up wings, but other than moving really fast, I don’t even know what these can do”
Sweetie Belle added further. “All I have is an enhanced horn. So I can do more magick?” They all took a pause, and were amused by themselves. Though thirteen years had passed since they even saw one another, nearly another before they were all reunited, they still had moments where they felt like the fillies they once were in better times.
Taking up the topic again, the Zebracorn reminded them “We don’t really know what the Element did for them, only the little pieces of details that we have been fed. Discord and the Twins own account state that he killed, or left Pound for dead, but that doesn’t add up” The two nodded to this much. “Discord is a trickster, and likes games. Even if Fluttersnide told him to kill, I doubt he would be so quick to let a chance go to try something new”
“You think they might be fakes, or some kind of trap?” Scootaloo asked.
Sweetie did not take long to think on this, and was quick to dismiss it. “No, the Changelings are good at finding others in illusions, and if it was some spell, one of the many trained guards would have detected it. There is also the shield that would rebound Discord’s energy, so I doubt two young ponies and a dragon would get past that if they were just his magick. Discord, as predictable as his jokes and visual displays are, is very cryptic in his motives. For all we know, he just gave the pair a near death experience for some reason only he would know; the Element might not even be a factor here”
The same guard who had attempted to announce the three mares, was now trying again for the three guests. He gave them a look, and began. “Young masters, Pound Cake, and Pumpkin Cake, and the Champion Spike, the Dragon to see you” He got out of the way, as the three in question made their way into the room.
Spike gasped, taking in the sight of three lost friends, children once, but now adults who were a sight to behold for one who had lost so much to never imagine getting anything back. Sweetie Belle, a Zebracorn who looked so much like Zecora and Twilight Sparkle, yet still a mare all her own. Apple Bloom, dressed like some explorer, baring the hat that was unmistakably Applejacks, and the ribbon that once was a bow was now covering one eye. Scootaloo, she was still looking like a daredevil, and wore the scars of somepony who had looked to have faced the very worst of Tartarus. It was a mixed feeling to see them grown into fine mares, but showed their struggles each had faced.
The trio was just as taken aback by the sight of the little dragon now standing so tall and strong, filling out into an impressive creature, even without being fully grown. The twins were no less impressive, as they once were babies, now looked not so much older than the Stormbreakers had before all this chaos.
Emotions were high for four of the six reunited friends, the guard took their leave quickly, and Spike moved closer to the mares. “By Cosmatia’s grace… I can’t believe the sight you three have become” He was still drinking in everything, mind now clouded by memories fighting to come out through his eyes. “You’ve all become such fine ponies, and who would have guessed that the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be Crusaders of Harmony''
“Tsk” Scootaloo started, surprising the rest. “I always knew I was destined for greatness” They all studied her for a moment, until in turn they all joined in on the humor of it.
“Scootaloo, thank the Elements you are still so feisty. I missed that” Spike smiled.
Flexing her wings. “Don’t know how true that sentence is. My Element gave me a new lease on life, even if I still feel broken and hurt by what has happened” Spike put a gentle claw to her, looking over the marks and scars knowing it was not battle, but abuse that decorated her.
“What about y’all?” Bloom was quick to keep this from spiraling into another pity party. “Y’all are a mighty dragon, and looking mighty bad-ass” He turned and grinned at that, the old Spike still in there and loving the praise.
“I bet you could go a few rounds with some pretty nasty creatures now, Chimera or Hydras better watch out for ‘Champion Spike’” Scootaloo added, and the four were laughing again.
Spike calmed himself from the humor, and responded “Luckily I haven’t had the need to find out” He looked back to the twins, who were silent, though enjoying the sight of their Uncle getting on with some dear friends. “You three remember the twins, but you two were too young to know this trio” He gestured to each in turn. “Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo”
Coming closer to inspect these new friends, the twins greeted them. Pound was the first to speak. “A friend of Uncle Spike, is a friend to us”
Pumpkin was a bit distracted by Sweetie Belle, and found herself blurting out “Are you a Unicorn? I’ve never seen a pony with stripes”
Not shying from the question, or surprised that she did not understand what she was as she was the only Zebracorn she had ever known of. Sweetie was a bit sad that they did not know about Zebras, but also not terribly surprising. “I’ve become a hybrid” She started, not going into all the details. “I studied the ways of a mare named Zecora, who was a Zebra from another land. Combining her magicks and the lessons of the greatest Unicorn to live, I somehow became both. I just use ‘Zebracorn’”
“That’s pretty cool” Pumpkin said, excited by this. “I want to be a Zebracorn!”
Snickering, Sweetie was happy that another was so taken by her and even wanted to join the very small ranks. “Well, it took a lot of commitment and training, as well as a ritual that only Zebras know. I’m not sure you can, become like me… sorry to say”
“Can Zecora help?” Pumpkin asked an innocent question, with a bitter answer.
“Unfortunately not… she was claimed by the storms…” It was clear that the memory was still hard for the mare, but she was quickly distracted by the embrace of the young pony. She hugged back to this loving mare, and felt eased by her.
Pound chimed in. “When we free Equestria, and start to rebuild, we’ll find Zebras too, and bring back everything that was lost!” He was so sure and convinced in this, that he was looking radiant as he declared his mission. “I know we can undo the damage and bring back the world that Uncle Spike and you three once loved!” The light he gave off was no trick of the mind, he was glowing slightly.
“His chest” Bloom whispered to Scootaloo. “He definitely holds the power of the Element”
“What one is it? Laughter?” Scootaloo asked back. “Seems more like tenacity, but that’s not one of them… right?” She decided not to hold back, and trotted closer to the young stallion. “I like your enthusiasm kid, and I know your Element will help us achieve those dreams!”
Apple Bloom sighed in the lack of decorum, as Sweetie took notice. Pound was shocked by the words, and looked around. “Element?”
Scootaloo pointed at his chest, still giving a faint glow. “I can feel it. My Element awoke in me, and gave me new wings. I think yours gave you life”
“Shouldn’t just speculate” Sweetie groaned. “But it does seem like what happened” She moved closer now. “Discord took your breath, but the Element of Laughter must have given it back. Rather fitting if you think about it” She looked at Apple Bloom, who took the hint and uncovered her right eye. “Mine boosted my magick, joining with my alicorn to become my Element of Magick”
“Mine is Truth, and gave me a new eye fer the one I lost long ago, let’n me see through deception and illusion” Bloom explained.
Scootaloo was a bit after, not sure just what to say. “I got wings… I said that… It was loyalty, but I think it is now more like Support… or something” She giggled. “Maybe we should have practiced this”
Pound looked to Pumpkin, but she had nothing but a smile to offer. He studied his own chest, the light was gone but the feeling was still there. “does that mean… mine is Aunt Pinkie’s old Element of Laughter?” He sought an answer, but it was in him. “No, it is the Element of Hope… now”
“These things sure have some power to them” Scootaloo remarked. “But bringing a pony back to life, two ponies! Sh…” She held back. “Shoot” She nervously laughed, almost swearing in front of the younger ponies. “So I guess it fixed up your lungs, after Discord attacked you”
“But, Discord killed him with his claws” Pumpkin came in. “He put a curse on me. How could it fix both of us? Do we both have it?”
Scootaloo only shrugged, so Sweetie took over. “The Elements are very confusing on what they are able to do, no one knew they could heal, repair or replace until it happened to us. At this point, bringing ponies back to life doesn’t seem too far off. Likely though, because Discord is such a twisted creature, the curse might have taken and given life based on your brother’s status. This is not too far out of his style either” She took a moment to gather the facts in her mind, before going on. “All we do know is Pound has the Element in him. When he speaks of his convictions with such optimism, it reacts. That is something we all experience with ours”
“How could you see it? I didn’t see it. Kin?” Pound asked, and looked to his sister who was baffled.
“Ours are awakened, and we know the signs after experiencing it three times. I guess we can see it, even if it was deep inside you” Sweetie offered. “It was easier because ours are all external, so others could see it too”
The group decided to bring the Princess and Prince into this, and filled them into the details they had discovered. “So, we now have four of the six Elements?” Cadence asked once caught up, restraining her excitement.
“Seems that way” Apple Bloom replied. “They are who they say they are, and I reckon the old necklace is busted up ‘cause it’s in this pony now” She looked to Pound.
Going to the three newer members of the group, Princess Cadence looked at each in turn. “I’m sorry if we acted suspicious of you. I do not know what caused it, but my abilities to read your hearts were being blocked. Maybe the curse lingered, or maybe the Element. I still felt something genuine in you, but was not sure. So instead of keeping you in holding, because of a weakness on my part, I allowed you freedom under watch. I apologized for our suspicion, we have an Empire to care for and I hope you understand”
Pound bowed to her. “My lady, we understand, and respect your caution. You and the Prince are truly dedicated to your ponies and the Empire, and can’t be faulted for that. We held our own reservations, but after seeing your Empire, we came to believe you were true as well” Pumpkin shook her head at the way he was speaking.
“This is all because of those games you play” She remarked to Spike, who only snickered at this.
“Oh!” Spike said suddenly, surprising the room. “Sorry… I just remembered something… but we can… talk about it later…” He tried to laugh it off.
Shining was not letting that go. “Well, seeing how you got all of our attention, may as well go on” He grinned, then added. “Don’t want you to forget again”
Eyeing him, Spike was actually happy to have this kind of silly interaction again. “Well, we met a couple other survivors from Ponyville, and one really wanted to meet you guys”
******
A guard stepped out of the secret portal that was the only way in or out of the Crystal Dungeon, greeted by a pair of other guards that acted as first response in the off chance of Trixie escaping, though none believed she would ever.
“Any news?” One of the posted guards asked the one arriving from their rounds inside the dungeon.
“Still dried up as ever” They all chuckled at that. “Except where it counts” There were a number of degenerates in the Empire, and unfortunately a few of them found themselves in the ranks of the guard.
“Battle Charge was around earlier, but was too creeped out by her” They mocked. “He is a more ‘by-the-books’ type, I doubt he could get hard for a prisoner, even if she wasn’t living dead cocksleeve” They added after a moment of amusement at their own words, “For all the trouble she’s caused, all the death, we should get something back”
The guard in charge of the portal trotted over, as the one who had passed stepped back. “Too bad we can’t all know that spell, so we could have more on our ‘special’ duty” They remarked.
“Yeah, but some rules should be followed” The unicorn said as he was about to close the portal. “Some you just have to obey”
“Then some just get in the way” The rounds guard grinned darkly.
A new pair of guards came around to relieve the two that had been stationed, only they did not find any trace of anypony. The portal was closed, but the situation still raised alarm.. “Search the area, I’ll keep watch here. We will need to send a team in to inspect the dungeon, once you’ve looked around for clues”
Nodding to their commanding officer, the second guard rushed off to perform their duty and left the Commander alone, though not for long.
“Halt!” He called, seeing something moving in the distance, coming closer. “Drummer? You can’t be done looking already” He squinted, but it was dark. He was a Pegasus, so had no gift of magick to aid him. “Halt, and identify!”
The figure stumbled closer, and collapsed, calling to the other. “Commander…” It was the one who had come through earlier from the rounds in the dungeon.
“Redfield!” The commander rushed to the follow guard, and looked them over. “What happened here? Are you alright?” They tried to reach the fallen. “Was it… Trixie?”
Lunging up, and biting at the commander’s throat, the other pony was suddenly filled with life. The force of their bite went right through, ripping open the throat and freeing the blood to wash over the attacker’s face. The commander could only choke and stumble back, as they bled out. The scene around him was quickly painted by his life, and he collapsed as another figure came near, but was dead before ever identifying it.
Countess Trixie stood over the cooling corpse, no longer the husk, but fully reborn to her terrifying self. She fed upon the other that once guarded her, and had the health granted by their own. She looked to the guard who aided her escape, as they madly licked at the puddles of blood not daring to go for the source with their new master near. “Fool…” She sneered. “You wasted so much, and left evidence all around. Lap it up” She commanded, and the pony quickly set to work.
Admiring the fallen further, she was pleased they were a Pegasus. “Ah, new wings” She stroked the lifeless limbs, and could feel what blood and energy that yet lingered. She placed a hoof to the body, and with her magick ripped the wing free. The sickening sound of flesh tearing, ligaments and veins popping and snapping from the body, as well as the crack of bones forced apart echoed around the space. Trixie inspected the place she once held wings, finding the scabs there now. She used her mouth, and ripped it away. Her blood oozed out, not like normal blood should, but it acted more like glue aiding as the stolen wing was attached. She repeated this to the other side, and found the new set not yet to her liking but did not have time to do anything about it as the second guard returned. She set eyes upon him, as they were frozen in the sight before them. Their commander mutilated, a fellow guard lapping at blood like some crazed beast, and the creature in pony form restored.
Unable to move, mind reeling from all that was before them, and allowing Trixie to make her next move. Her first move was twisting her head around, almost too far for a pony to be able to do. She moved slowly in this action, helping to keep the fear pulsing through the guard. “Trixie will become bloated by so much sustenance” She turned fully to him, making slow steps closer, though it seemed she barely touched the ground. “You imprisoned Trixie. Let her starve… save for the sexual energies of those horny guards, which Trixie has to say was less than fulfilling. Now, Trixie is offered feast after feast? How can she be so lucky?”
Sense finally returning, the guard stepped back to attempt to run, only the time wasted also allowed Trixie’s new wings to set, and she leapt to the sky. She moved as well as she had ever, and took the guard down with ease.
***
Princess Cadence was struggling, as she felt another life disappear. Her heart sank, and she stumbled as another fell to Trixie. Shining was also feeling something sickening, as he had a tie to his guards. They both knew something was going on, and it was dangerously close to where Trixie was being held. They, almost at once, called this out stopping all conversations going on with the Twins, Spike, and the three mare champions.
They moved to the Heart Map, and the Princess quickly summoned it to life. She was not happy to see the signs of a number of lives fading as the last bits of their souls lingered, and something corrupt was in the area. “There has been murder, and the culprit is…” She swallowed, knowing that signal too well. “Trixie is loose…”
Not needing anything further, the three crusaders charged out to face the threat, twins and Spike following behind. Princess Cadence raced to collect Empress Morphosia, as Prince Shining Armor charged out to get his guards to safety, and form a shield around the area Trixie was.
With a shield in place, the guards could only look on with shock, fear, and some with shame, as Countess Trixie paced around the edge of the field, licking her lips, and sizing up the ponies like a hungry predator.
Arriving shortly after the shield was put up, the six young champions took in the scene. It was a lot cleaner than expected, though there were signs of blood that was once splattered about. This caused Sweetie Belle to ask “Has she done anything?”
“There are a couple guards missing, and she has clearly killed three, can only assume that the missing pair are also slain” One reported back.
“Trixie did intend to keep Redfield around, however he was messy” Trixie chimed in.
“She does seem to act like she is biding her time, like she thinks she can get out” The guard continued, ignoring the comment.
Sweetie studied the guard, and groaned softly. “She can get out” This seemed to surprise the others, much to the Zebracorn’s further disappointment. “She feeds on magick, remember?”
Scoffing, Trixie stopped her pacing. “Spoil Trixie’s fun” She took stock of all the ponies around her, with a poor defense between them and her. “Trixie does like to toy with her prey, but it is no fun when the prey knows her games” She paused, and looked at Scootaloo. “Oh, good, you did find your friend” She took in the twins and Spike as well. “And so much more for Trixie to feed on, though you will have to pardon Trixie, after so many ponies she is a bit full. She has been shriveled and empty for some time, it will take time before Trixie can engorge like she use too”
“You monster! Talking about killing so easily!” Scootaloo snapped, moving closer and amusing Trixie.
“It takes one to know one, yes?” Trixie shot back. “You and that blasted Flock fed pony after pony into those machines, never finding satisfaction, any more than Trixie”
Growling, while being baited, Scootaloo wanted to break through the shield. “Don’t talk about her! She’s gone, and all that will be gone with her”
“How fortunate for Trixie. More prey, and less predators trouncing in Trixie’s spoils”
Sweetie Belle cut into this posturing, as Apple Bloom held their friend back. “You cannot win this, not with all of us here, and Empress Morphosia on her way. You will just end up back in that prison, or worse. Do you want to die or left as an undead husk?” The Zebracorn attempted to reach through the twisted mind of the vampire. “Please end this, you don’t have to be a monster and continue this cycle. We can find some way to reverse the effects of the Alicorn Amulet, and try to restore you to that Trixie who once gave her life to save me”
The crazed look in the burning red eyes made it hard to tell what was going through the broken mind, until she began to laugh, making all clear. “You amuse Trixie, but only so much, and Trixie has much catching up to do” She lifted her head, horn shimmered, then the shield started to flow into her. The order to cut the shield came, and Trixie only grinned. When she lowered her head again, she locked onto the young Unicorn. “What is this? A peace offering? Truly depraved to give this young pony, though what can Trixie expect from guards who would fuck a living corpse?”
A couple of the guards looked nervous, and more than one of the group against Trixie took notice of them, while Pumpkin trotted closer. “This is not you, miss Trixie” The filly began. “I have heard of you, and how you were so many things, but never a monster. You had a show, entertained others, maybe played a trick or two, even acted a bit full of yourself. The Great and Powerful Trixie never wanted to really hurt others, only the Countess Trixie does that. You are not her”
“What do you know of Trixie?!” The vampire grew annoyed. “Countess Trixie has been this for longer than you have been alive! Dare not speak as if you know Trixie!”
Pumpkin shook her head slowly. “No, I did not know you, but I can see into your soul. I can see deep into those eyes, behind all the luster and madness caused by a cursed artifact. I can see a mare who hates what she has allowed herself to become, but still is not so lost that her soul has been destroyed. You are possessed, just like the legendary Princess Luna had been, and you too can be free”
“FOAL!!!” Trixie lunged at the pony, as those around tried to get there first. Pumpkin did not show fear, and watched as the vampire was closing in on her.
“Be free” Pumpkin simply said, then embraced the attacking creature. She was glowing now, and as they connected, the light was blinding. No pony could bear to look, even Spike had to turn from it, and in the center a scream went out. The light faded and those able to see first saw the shape of two ponies, one standing, one on the ground. The worst was assumed.
Pound rushed to his sister “Pumpkin!” Though in the short trip his vision cleared and saw it was not his sister, but Trixie on the ground. “What… What happened?”
More recovered, and all looked on in shock at what played out. Trixie was passed out on the ground, almost seeming to be normal again, the sickly red aura was gone from her, and some of her colour was returned. If not for the stolen wings, she would have seemed to be that mare Pumpkin spoke of.
“Was that the Element of Laughter?” Scootaloo asked, looking to her friends for an answer to what just happened.
“No…” Sweetie Belle was dazed, and quick to answer as she was sure. She lingered though, not explaining anything further for a moment. “She has her own… She has Kindness… but it seems it too has changed to be something else. She cured Trixie” She trotted over to the mares, and looked briefly at Pumpkin, but was focused on Trixie.
Opening her eyes slowly, no longer smoking with energy, or tinted red, Trixie was awake. She attempted to stand, but found little strength to do so, yet she also felt better than she had in ages as she fell back to the ground. “Wh-What?..” She looked around, seeking some answer. “What happened? I don’t feel… I’m not craving magick… not thirsting for blood… These feelings are gone…” She started to cry, barely able to move her head, as she wanted to look to the sky. “Has Trixie… truly been saved?” Her voice was breaking, as she shuttered with this feeling of salvation. “Is the nightmare finally over?!”
Sweetie Belle was also in tears as she knelt down, looking into the mare’s eyes and seeing none of the monster that were here moments before. “Yes… It seems so… You are saved, just as you once saved me…” She bit back. “I… Because of me… you put on the amulet, and were forced into a role you should have never been”
Trixie lay flat, staring into nothing as his mind cleared. “Free… but still trapped by all the horror Trixie inflicted… forever haunted by the visions of each victim… Trixie’s sacrifice for you, was not your fault… do not hate the last good thing Trixie ever did… It’s the only good memory she has…”
The ground started to shake, as a new wave of ponies came charging in. Princess and Prince lead the charge, as Empress Morphosia flew down with her broodkin. They all expected battle, only to find calm.
“What has happened?” Shining demanded, seeing Trixie on the ground, and concluding what it meant. “Did you defeat her?” He looked at the guards that were already here. “Why has none of you taken her into custody?!”
Sweetie Belle stood and approached him. “The Countess Trixie has been defeated, and is no more. Trixie does remain, no longer the vampire who threatened so many, but a meek and humble mare who is left scarred by the form she was trapped in” He studied her, not sure what she was saying to him, and she pressed further. “I am a loyal member of the court, honoured even. As a champion of many battles in the name of the Crystal Empire, keeper of the Element of Magick, and Stormbreaker… I ask that Trixie be pardoned and cleared of the charges on her because of the Alicorn Amulet’s curse. I ask, no beg, on all that my name means here, that this mare not be condemned, and not be treated as Countess Trixie would have been. The actions of one, as not hers”
Cadence and Morphosia shared a gasp, as did many others, as the muttering around the crowd began at this bold request. Sweetie Belle’s friends were not as stricken, but still skeptical. The Prince, standing mouth agape, was shocked the hardest by this. He was silent for a moment, however his surprise became fury. “Pardoned?! PARDONED?!!” He shouted, losing all his control. “For all the horrors she has committed in Equestria, not even covering the ones done in this Empire, and you think she should be forgiven?! How are we to forget all the atrocities she had done?” HE tried to calm himself, closing his eyes only to have visions play out to remind him of the things he spoke of. The sight of the mutilated family, and the guards, as well as the pain Morphosia endured when she had been forced to drain the monster to save the Empire. “I cannot even have peace in my mind with the things I have seen, thinking of innocent foals and ponies left to rot from her assault. If she is no longer that vampire, it only means she is mortal enough to finally end!”
The twins soon joined with Sweetie in the defense of the mare. “You can’t punish her” Pumpkin started. “She is not that creature that committed those acts, not any more. She was under a curse, and it made her do awful things, but if we can’t see past that, we’re no better. Stories of Princess Luna says that she too was changed, and did terrible things, but she was forgiven. You told us about how the Changelings, and Empress Morphosia were under the control of Queen Chrysalis, they were welcomed back after a given time” She was clearly affected by this, as she blinked away the tears, only for more to come. “Our aunt Pinkie Pie was put under Discord’s spell, and made copies of herself that terrorized the town. She was never given a chance to redeem herself, and ran away… We never got to know her, because she was forced to feel like she ruined everything and was haunted by all the memories of what happened… You can’t punish her without giving her a chance to see that she wasn’t at fault, and prove to all of us that she is free of that! Please… don’t condemn her…”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom listen to these pleas, and they two felt moved to give the former villain a chance to prove she is indeed former and not still. They moved to join the others, and stood before the enraged Prince. There was a silence as Princess Cadence read the hearts of these ponies, finding them filled with conviction. Pumpkin was giving off that power again, displaying that she indeed was the keeper of an Element of Harmony.
The Prince was not showing so much rage, but disbelieving in what he was seeing. He took in each of them in turn before giving a hard sigh, he was listening but unable to find the reason. “My… my sister blamed herself for what happened in the Shatter Storm'' He began, leaving the rest to wonder what he was going to say. “She fought hard against the villains, and chaos that was ripping our land apart. She made mistakes, but she was not to blame for what happened. She never did it in malice or cruelty to others, only trying to save ponies. She too left to die alone, because of the shame in her heart for failing…” His tone quickly changed from reflection, to condemnation. “Trixie’s actions are not those of somepony trying to help, but one twisted by their own selfishness. Trixie was self centered before, and it only allowed the Alicorn Amulet to take hold of her core desires all the easier! She came into the Empire, killed a guard and took his form so she could trick his family into letting this MONSTER into their homes! She slaughtered children, likely in the body of their own father! She killed others, and nearly killed you Sweetie Belle, and in that forced Morphosia to go against herself to drain Trixie. Had she not made that SACRIFICE, who knows what else would have happened?!”
Sweetie Belle did not back down. “The fact I nearly died at her corrupted self, and now stand at her defense, should speak as loudly as you standing for the Changelings!” She moved closer, nearly nose to nose. “You demanded we accept them, yet here you condemn another?! The Changelings committed horrors under a spell, and some even looked like they enjoyed it, but because you don’t have some personal feelings for Trixie, she isn’t worth forgiving?”
“What are you insinuating?” Shining said dangerously serious.
“It’s not hard to see that you have feelings for Morphosia,” She shot back, and no pony around seemed to question this. “I don’t care if you are interested in her, what I care about is this double standard you have. The Changelings did just as much as Trixie did, especially using the image of somepony beloved to feed off innocent ponies. So don’t you stand there like they are any more worthy of a second chance than any others, just because you are attracted to one”
Shining was beside himself, looking around at the crowd, finding many seeming to agree with her. He looked to Cadence, and her eyes told that his secret was not one at all. “I- I…” He stammered, not sure what to address at this moment. “How dare you try to redirect their issue on me?! The Changelings broke the hold of Chrysalis before they ever joined us, and helped end the war with her and Sombra. That was where I formed my basis of giving them a second chance, not because of any feelings I had toward one!”
“So must Trixie fight in a battle to be given a chance, or tickle your fancy?” Sweetie snapped, causing more of the crowd to mutter.
“I am the Prince of this Empire, the last true territory of Equestria, and you will not speak to me like this!” He stood taller, horn glowing.
“I’m Sweetie Belle, and I’ve long abandoned Equestria, and never committed myself to be a citizen of this Empire. I fight and stand for the rights of the oppressed, beaten, and any who need saving from corrupt or the cruel. Where do you stand?” Her own horn was glowing, but she was also aglow in the Element of Magick.
Trixie struggled, falling a few times in her attempts, but she managed to stand during the argument. She weakly trotted forward, pushing past those who had come to her side, and moved past Sweetie. The two focused on her now, as she stood before the Prince. She raised her chest the best she could. “Don’t fight over Trixie… You both are right, but the facts remain… Trixie did terrible things, and if her death will keep the last home of ponies safe… if it will please the Prince, and others to see Trixie dead… Then execute me…” She closed her eyes, doing nothing to slow the streams. “I can’t live with what I did any more than you can… The memories will haunt me… please… bring rest to the ghosts within me, and let them be free… I wish to face my punishment”
Now Shining was left with no sense of what to do, not expected her to throw herself to his judgement. The villains he had fought time and time again, were always stuck on their twisted ideas of themselves and their actions, but she was not. She was showing herself much more like the Changelings had, and that steadfast thought that she was unforgivable, was shaken.
“Life for a life” The Princess began, moving closer. “The exchange of blood, to clean away the stains of blood. A villain can only ever be a villain, for all they know is evil'' She stood now beside Shining, but was focused on Trixie. She could make the strike true, with her heart sense, she knew just where to hit and how. “War and violence, teaches us that those who do harm, or are not aligned to our views, are the enemy and will only ever be. It trains us to enjoy the slaughter of those who hurt us, if only for the satisfaction of revenge. We lose sight of why we fight, as we focus more on just fighting. We lose ourselves in order to win. When the smoke clears, and the bodies of friend and foe lie scattered around, do you find happiness knowing the battle is over and we stand victorious? Has all the pain and loss been magickally undone? Has anything been restored? We end an enemy, but nothing is returned. Those we lost, that part of ourselves sacrificed, is still gone” She looked at Shining reading the emotions in him, not just about Trixie, but of the fact he fought a friend because of his feelings and also the feelings he was repressing about Morphsoia forced to the light. She could read the emotions around her, and many of the creatures gathered here were feeling her words. “Sometimes, we are forced to do something that goes against ourselves. We commit atrocities, because we have or feel we have no other choice. Some force us to do this. Sombra, and Chrysalis forced our hooves, and we ended them… they proudly showed that they would not change. Countess Trixie forced our friend to do something against her beliefs, but she did not kill. She shows a restraint and compassion we all should envy.
“Trixie, you now present yourself to be judged and to be sentenced for your crimes, while your defense pleads that we not hold you accountable. I can read your heart, I can feel the sincerity of your words. I feel the pain in you… the suffering. You are filled with ghosts, victims of the damned relic. You were turned by it, because you sacrificed yourself to save Sweetie Belle and Zecora. You stood against Nightmare Rarity and her demons, and showed no fear. You were prepared to die then. You stand before us, not in fear, but remorse. You are prepared to die now. Just as then, you will not die now” There were mixed reactions around them, though Cadence cared little for their thoughts now. “We cannot treat you like an Apex Villain any more than we could treat the Changelings like monsters. Influence and corruption is all around, be it a necklace, ancient wickedness, or mind control. I sentence you to life, your life, to live out as you wish. I know that you will spend it with the thoughts of what has happened, and I believe you will do what you can to try to heal the damage you can”
“But…” Trixie started. “Sparing me will do nothing for those I have destroyed! Something must be done to render aid to the lives ruined by me”
Cadence was trotting away, but stopped to look back. “The idea that punishment or execution does any real good for the victims, is a farce. It might soothe for a moment, but it will never undo what was done. It will never give back what was taken. Punishments are not meant to heal victims, but teach those who do wrong, make them better, so they can try to do better for others. It is meant as a warning to others” She took a moment, reading Trixie’s heart. “The suffering in you, the pain you feel, shows me that you have learned. It will not go easily from you, but make your actions from now on the efforts to not only ease your poor heart, but all others. Do not keep punishing yourself, or this second chance will be wasted, and those souls will be dishonoured. Use this as motivation, and be better. For yourself, and for all of them”
Trixie studied her for a moment, then looked down as so much weight was on her mind and heart. “I will become a better pony, and I will strive to do right for all. I will go out of my way to help others, and be a blessing to this Empire… but I don’t see how my heart will ever heal, or that I will ever be empty of all these visions…”
Shining Armor was observing all in silence, wanting to still be mad, but he knew his wife well and she did not pardon easily. If she read Trixie’s heart, and was willing to spare her, then he needed to try to let go of what she did. It would be hard, as he was haunted by the visions of that slaughtered family, but he also was under the control of a Changeling once, who would have done horrors even greater had he not been saved. Now, those same creatures are part of his Empire, and much loved at that. His feelings for one were now exposed, and he had to admit that if he could find love for them, he could at least find forgiveness for Trixie.
“The visions will consume you” Morphosia found time to add herself to this topic, and was speaking to Trixie. “You will see their faces many times, and wonder how you have the right to live while they are gone? There will be times you wish to just curl up and waste away, but you will also have days when you see the smiles of friends and remember that the thing you were is not the creature you are'' Trixie took in these words, as the Empress continued. “When you find friends, and those who care for you, it will help. Don’t think of it that you are escaping punishment for your crimes, but that you have come so far from that monster that you are redeemed and no longer a monster. If you know the stories, tell them, and let those who died live on. If you don’t know the tales, keep them alive in you. Give them your love, and know that you won’t add more ever again to your list of victims''
“Thank you… I will try…” Trixie said weakly, not entirely sure she could find that point. “I don’t know how I can, but I will try to do just that”
“Come to me, or any of my broodkin, we know this pain well and how to grow past it to be kind and share love, not just feed on it. You will be welcomed by my kind, and I believe you will be welcomed by your own as well in time”
******
After the troubles with Trixie were over, Scootaloo decided to go look into something that was brought to their attention. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom wanted to try to help Pound and Pumpkin figure out their Elements, however this was something Scootaloo was not as experienced in. This endeavour was a bit more in her range.
She trotted along, still not fully embracing her wings as the memories of her past were still clinging to her. The Pegasus was given the address, and first went to the diner that the Twins and Spike had gone hoping for the same chance encounter, as she was a bit nervous to go right to their home. After a couple hours, she decided to leave.
Continuing on until she came upon a small house, Scootaloo felt an unease that nearly caused her to turn away. This was once a rival, and bully, but they seemed to have changed and Scootaloo was not sure what to expect. With All the stories around, Scootaloo had given this a chance as well.
“This is dumb” She turned, thinking that it was now better that she and the others talk together not just her alone.
“Scootaloo?” A voice called from the house, standing in the doorway now. The mare turned to see the silver coated mare who had called her name. “Is that you?” Her voice was similar enough that it was unmistakable, but matured to something a bit more finner to the ear.
Turning again, the mare took a deep breath. “The one and only” She called back, not sure why she said it like that. Before she knew it, the mare had cut the distance and was embracing her.
“I’m so glad you’re safe!” She sobbed, buried partly in the Pegasus’ artificial wing.
******
Later that night, after Countess Trixie was defeated, with regular Trixie being pardoned, Prince Shining Armor entered the bed chambers of he and his wife. She had not spoken of the matters with Morphosia, and he could not find the time either. It was not something to just casually speak of, but now as the day drew to an end, he knew it needed to be addressed.
“Cadence…” He started, not entering the bed as she had. “Today-”
Stopping him, the Princess looked at him with a mixed expression. “Shining, you don’t need to talk about it. I don’t care” She said with a hidden meaning.
“I can’t believe that, and I feel I’ve betrayed you…” He struggled, not wanting to face those feelings he thought were better buried.
Rolling to face him fully, she looked more sympathetic. “You didn’t betray me, just because you have feelings for another. Do you love me any less, do you want her more?” She more or less knew the answer, but for the both of them it needed to be said out loud.
“No,” He quickly said. “Yes, I do love her, in a way I thought I could only love one, but she doesn’t match the love I have for you now. We’ve been together for many years now, faced and ruled side by side through the worst tragedy ponies have ever faced, and I could never replace you with another”
She smiled knowingly, but with also some relief. “I’m glad, in a way, you do have another you feel such love for… in case I ever die, you should be with someone who can love you like I do. You and her would have my blessing” This was a bit surprising to him. “Only if I die” She added sternly.
“I would never leave you for another, and I don’t think I could live on without you” He responded, with pure honesty.
“Don’t be so sappy” She smirked. “Of course you could, but thank you” She rolled on her back. “I’ll be honest with you, I was feeling something for Equinox… but then I found out he was my dead grandfather, and that is just a series of facts that kind of killed that”
Getting into the bed with her, cuddling up to her. “Kind of?” He questioned.
“Yes… I mean… it did…” She struggled. “He made me feel like only you have ever managed to make me feel, so those thoughts remain, but incest aside that is necrophilia… so…”
“I was jealous of him, until he told you that” He admitted. “I felt he could steal you from me… he is a very good looking stallion, and had an air to him that is something I kind of wish I had”
“Oh, but you do, my fierce Prince” She moved to embrace him. “But you also have such a gentle side, and such love that no other can match”
He kissed her briefly, but passionately. “No pony can compare to the Princess of Love”
“No pony, but what about Changelings?” She teased.
He took the sting, feeling a mix of guilt and admitting that was a good jab. “I feel I should talk to Morphosia too…” He turned serious.
“We should, so she knows everything is ok” Cadence added.
There was a silence for a time, as the two were falling asleep, but Cadence had something on her mind. “You think she would join us?”
Shining’s eyes went wide. “What?!”
“I’m not against the idea…” She pouted. “I am the Princess of Love, and love is expressed in many ways”
The Prince rolled on his back, and stared at the ceiling. “I thought those days were behind us?”
She cuddled closer to him. “They can be, if you want. I’m still open to experimenting, but only if you still are. Aren’t you a bit curious to see what a Changeling can do, when you are willing?”
He rolled from the bed and stared now at her with an angry, and painful expression. “Don’t joke about that! I still feel guilty about how Chrysalis used me, and I couldn’t even tell that it wasn’t you!”
“Shine, you had no control or any way to know that she wasn’t me. I’ve told you I don’t blame you. Don’t let it haunt you. I was only joking, not trying to hurt you with that… I’m sorry”
He paced a bit, before giving a sigh. “I really should have known… She might have looked like you, but she didn’t feel like you” He gave a playful grin. “We can talk more about this later, right now I want the real thing”
She pulled the covers away, and held a seductive look upon her face. “Invade me, my fierce Prince”
***
Trixie was set up in a temporary house, alone as she wished it to be. Though she was not under arrest, she was being observed. This she could not argue, given what had gone on.
There were a few simple things in the house, some needed furnishings for basic comforts, as well as some other things to have as decorations. She found a small figurine of a wagon, and remembered her own. She sat in a chair beside it, and could not take her gaze from it. “The Great and Powerful Trixie, will now perform her greatest feat to date” She started, speaking softly to herself. “She will transform from a selfish bitch who destroyed countless lives, to a corpse…” She was using her magick to draw close a knife and aim it at herself.
A knock came to her door, and she snapped from her state. The knife clattered to the ground as she stood up, and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Answering the door, she found Spike there. She stepped back, as the Dragon was imposing one on one. He did not get permission, and just forced his way inside as she continued to step back.
“Trixie” He started, using his size to his advantage. “You tormented Twilight, and were nothing but a pain in the ass for so long” He was being rather aggressive toward her, not holding back his feelings. “You might have changed, I hope you changed, but I will be keeping an eye on you. You make a mistake, hurt those Twins who stood for you, or anypony else, then you’ll see what happens when you piss off a dragon”
Before she could respond, he was gone. Alone with her feelings, still thinking about how close she came to ending her life, and now she was feeling it even more. Then a voice cut through her dread. “Hello? Your door is open, is it ok if I come in?”
Fighting her tears, and breaking voice, she called back. “Yes…”
A Changeling, not much different than any other Trixie knew, trotted in. They looked around the room, then at her, and gave her a smile she had never known to be reserved for her. “Hi, I’m Noh”
“No?” Trixie repeated, confused by the name.
“Yeah… kinda silly, but it’s a type of theater I like, but also sounds like something else” She laughed a bit nervously. “Changelings aren’t so good at name picking as ponies are”
Trixie found herself with a hint of a smile. “That’s ok, it’s a good name” She recalled the style of theater a moment after.
“Sorry to bother you so late, but I wanted to welcome you to the Empire, and kind of… figured you might be feeling a little alone… I… I know what that’s like” She looked down, with unfortunately too much truth in her words. “I don’t know if anyone else has, but I like to offer you friendship?”
“Me?” Trixie was a bit shocked by this sudden appearance and offer. “Why?”
Looking back up, more confident. “Ponies can be a bit harsh, and I know how that is. It took a long time before the Changelings felt safe and welcome here… but we had the brood… I don’t think you have that… Sorry to assume that, but if you are alone… I want to make sure that you’re not!”
Finding herself with a new reason, Trixie tried to clear away the dampness at her cheeks. “Why? Why would you give me a chance, you don’t know me, besides all the terrible things I did… why offer me this?”
“I helped capture Princess Cadence, helped keep others from getting too close to the truth, and was part of the group who nearly succeeded in taking down Canterlot… but it wasn’t me, it was our Queen who forced us. No pony can tell me from another, and I doubt many Changelings would even know who was part of that attack… but I know, and it haunts me, along with dozens of other moments where I hurt others… I can’t say I know just what you faced, or feel, but I can relate. Watching there as the Prince wanted to kill you, and those ponies who stood for you… I felt a connection. I want to be friends, but if you don’t…”
Shaking her head, Trixie was openly crying now. “Noh… Yes… I want to be friends… I just can’t believe how any would want me…”
The Changeling moved closer, feeling bolder now. “I know I’m not the only one who will give it, and we won’t be the only ones to offer it in time. So, don’t be worried about anything. You’ll-” As she was moving, she kicked the knife and looked at it confused by why it was there.
“Thank you Noh…” Trixie said, trying to ignore the knife and the feelings from earlier, but she feared they would return.
“I’ll go, so you can settle in, or whatever it is ponies do” She gave a brief, unsure sound like a laugh, as she started to turn and leave.
Trixie was hesitant, but then snapped out. “Could you stay tonight?” She found it surprising she asked it, but at the same time she knew the risks if she was alone. “Just tonight… I’m afraid of what I might do alone…”
Not showing a moment of uncertainty, Noh turned back with a smile that ate away the negative feelings Trixie was being likewise consumed by. “Of course, if you’ll have me. And you’re not alone, not anymore”
The Crystal Empire was in a relaxed state, at least the general populace was, however those charged with defending it and facing the last of the villains still lingering in the world outside this safe haven were not. They found themselves largely consumed with planning, and were busy making themselves ready for the next stages of this war to restore Equestria and end the wickedness that had plagued the world for too long.
As a few weeks passed by since Countess Trixie was defeated for the second, and seemingly the last time, the once proud and arrogant mare was distant and evasive. She only seemed to spend time with her friend Noh, as well as a few other Changelings. Trixie could not shake her guilt for her past, luckily the Changelings did keep her from feeling completely lost.
Not shirking their duties, the new keepers of the Elements were hard at work mastering their powers. The Twins were quick to their lessons, trained well under the guidance of Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Sweetie was taking notes of their progress, comparing them to her own, and was amazed at their grasp of the Elements. It could have been a number of factors, however it was only important that they were already at a point that they could likely stand with the three others when battle came.
Finishing some notes of Apple Bloom’s continued progress and abilities with her Elemental Eye, Sweetie could only fondly imagine how proud Twilight would have been to see them all so capable and helping end what she had given everything to undo. “We’ll fix this, and maybe one day I’ll find a way to save you too” She thought.
Becoming aware of Bloom who was poking around the room, Sweetie also noticed the repeat absence of Scootaloo. She had been almost as scarce as Trixie since that night she went to meet the pony who had wanted to meet the three of them. “Have you seen Scootaloo?” It was needlessly so, but she glanced toward her friend, well aware of the answer. “I will need some updates on her progress”
“Ain’t seen much of that one lately” Bloom almost unconsciously responded, having been so regular now. “She’s been run’ a bunch of errands, but I ain’t so sure just why she’s been harder to find than a hay bunny in the loft”
Sweetie tried to rationalize it. “I guess she is just enjoying the quiet we have right now, after all those years as a pawn and all, I can’t blame her for wanting to get away” She took a clearing breath. “Cosmatia knows I had moments where I was just happy not having to wonder what thing was going to try to kill me today” It had been hard for her to let her guard enough to enjoy those moments, but when she did, they were very pleasant to have. She also knew that she, as well as Bloom and Scootaloo were still part of the front line, and needed to be sharp.
Agreeing with her spoken part, Bloom added. “It’s a nice feeling alright. Being able to even piss without wondering what yer pissing on or not have’n some new monster ready to chomp yer teats”
“I still have trouble with that though, pretending it’s all ok when I know it’s not. Even in those brief moments, I know it takes nothing for something to go wrong. My mind can’t find rest long enough, without wondering what Discord is up to, or… how I’ll have to face Rarity…”
Moving to her, Apple Bloom embraced her friend. Sweetie admitted many times that she knew Rarity was gone, yet the words still spilled out at times, as if Nightmare Rarity was just hiding the Unicorn away in some cave or box. Hoping against hope that things could change, deep down even Sweetie admitted that the Nightmare being had long consumed Rarity. This did not stop Bloom from offering. “We can always try to reach her. Changelings have been freed, Scootaloo unbrainwashed, and Trixie was uncorrupted. If Rarity is still there, we’ll get her back… just don’t fall prey to her tricks”
Laying against her friend’s inviting, and loving form, Sweetie sighed a defeated sigh. “I doubt there is anything to save, every one of those examples were under some influence that was outside. The Nightmare being is different, based on what I read in a bundle of notes Twilight had from Princess Luna, it feeds and consumes the host. That is why when Luna was saved, she was reverted to a younger state. The Nightmare being took her slowly, and by the time she had enough power over Luna, she only kept it for a few days. Being trapped on the moon halted the process, and so even after a thousand years, she was only as far as she had the same power as that fateful night. The Nightmare has had over 13 years to consume Rarity without anything to hinder it”
“Though unlikely, we can’t give up completely” Bloom tried again, even though she too was sure it was a lost cause.
“Back when we faced her, when we first made our way to the Empire, we fought her. I didn’t feel a trace of Rarity, I only let myself become so diluted to believe she was safe. I can’t make a mistake like that again, or it could threaten everything we’ve worked for” She pulled from Bloom, and stood. “If we had all six Elements, I might have some glint of hope, but we are at five. Even with Pumpkin’s abilities, I can’t see it being enough to undo such an ancient and powerful entity. If I know Rarity, she would rather us stop that thing, than risk saving her on a distant, unlikely chance”
Taking this in, Apple Bloom had to admit that her own sister sacrificed herself to save her. Though Rarity and Applejack butted heads on many things, she knew the two mares were absolutely protective of their sisters and if Rarity had any power she would have stopped Nightmare from doing Sweetie harm. “One way or another, we can take on Nightmare. Maybe we ain’t a whole set, but we got what our kin didn’t when they first fought Nightmare; we’re friends who’ve fought hard side by side. You, me, Scoot, we’re tighter than a saddle after a feast! Those two twins we got now, they’re just as tight, and together we got a power mightier than even those who came before us. Alone, our Elements have shown such abilities that I’d say is stronger than the six had combined. Though I’d say Discord is still a problem, but we can lick a demon doing a bad pony impression”
Studying her friend, who again seemed to singly pulled Sweetie from the depths of doubt she could only ask. “How are you always so positive?”
Shrugging it off, the mare could only offer. “I expect the worst, and hope fer the best. If’n it falls somewhere between, well that’s just fine by me”
Giving a weak smile, though she did feel it, Sweetie accepted this logic. “A fair way to deal with the world, but speaking to planning, how should we face the problem in question? As Discord remains distant, I think Nightmare should be our next target before she or he gets any ideas. Do we go full force, or hold back? We can’t leave the Empire unguarded”
“I ain’t much for big battle plans, not near that scale. I’d reckon it ain’t too smart to throw the whole Empire against the forces of Evergreed, not with Discord about, and by Trixie’s own admission, he has been able to slip a bit of himself in here already. Then again, he hasn’t been too much of a problem, and we don’t know how much we’re in fer with Nightmare”
“We need to collect Scootaloo and the twins, then speak to the Prince and Princess about what should be done. We can’t let too much time pass, and let them make plans or moves on us In the lull” She concluded, and the pair soon were off. They soon caught up with Scootaloo, with an unlikely friend, but the moment did not allow them to linger. With the twins soon in the band, the majority of the Elements of Harmony were ready to stand before the leaders of the pony world.
In the time it took for the Prince and Princess to join the gathering in the grand meeting hall, Apple Bloom had time to pick on Scootaloo and her actions during her absence.
“I think it’s romantic” Pumpkin had come to Scootaloo’s defense. “Two former rivals, coming together through the uncertainty of a broken world, to find love after losing so much… Somepony needs to write this”
“You call me sappy and dramatic” Pound mocked his sister.
Bloom accepted this, however was still amused by the details. “I get it, but still, of all ponies, Si-” She stopped when the doors had parted, and the royal ponies joined them. Princess Cadence was lead, with Prince Shining Armor close to her side, and flanking her other was Empress Morphosia.
The Princess wore a pleased smile, something getting her attention. “Scootaloo, I can feel your heart has much improved since last I saw you, I’ve rather happy that the Empire has found you so well” Bloom elbowed her friend at this, but the leading mare ignored this action to focus on the true topic. “So to the matter at hoof, we are talking about making a move on Nightmare Rarity, Evergreed, and her Demon horde” She passed this discussion onto Shining Armor.
Moving forward to be the focus, the Prince began. “Just as the Apex of Villainy had learned, making a move against one invites risk from others. We are limited in our abilities and resources, we simply cannot afford a mistake at this time. There is a reason that they are the last of such a line of wickedness. Discord may not have an army or force to strike us, but his magick poses as great a threat as battalions of warriors. The ruler of Evergreed is just that sort of legion that makes her as great a danger that we fear could match our entire populous, if not even greater. She has consumed countless ponies, and if even just half of Equestria is now part of her demons, we could not match such a terrible force; and that is to say nothing of her magick. We learned with King Sombra how quickly the tides of battle can turn against us, and we barely survived when Chrysalis joined. We would have fallen if not for the miracle that we had with Dust Jacket and the Changelings who broke the hold. We can’t hope for such an event to happen again with no more forces outside the Crystal Empire, Evergreed or Chaos Realm, and I highly doubt that any dissension is in their ranks. We can, however, worry that Discord and Nightmare may join against us”
“All the more reason we need to act!” Bloom challenged. “The longer we give em, the more they might find such a union tempting!”
Sweetie Belle cut in before the two started again. “A large force would be ill advised against Nightmare Rarity” This drew the collective attention of the room. “The demons are a danger, but minimal compared to her and what she could do with us. If our first journey through the forest is any indication, Nightmare Rarity can break through my barrier, at least before I had the Element, but planning for that potential failure the trip through the forest would require for times to break for rest. The notes I’ve seen that Princess Luna shared about the Nightmare being, it will only give her greater chance to break someone’s mind the more we have and the longer we linger” She took a pause, allowing them to digest what she was saying. “A smaller group will have a better shot”
Shining was listening to her, however he was briefly seeing his sister in Sweetie’s place. She spoke and carried herself much like Twilight did, and the level of research this younger pony had done, only reflected the studious mare he lost. He could truly see why Sweetie Belle could carry the same Element of Magick.
“With my better magickal abilities, and understanding of teleportation, I can take a small group much further, and cut the risk of needing rest. We could strike directly at the heart of Evergreed and Nightmare Rarity”
“Who do you purpose goes in this team?” Shining asked, with a clear show of lingering doubts. “I have some concerns to just who you might be thinking of taking”
This was the part that Sweetie was not sure about, as she was still forming the ideas as they were talking over the details. She had already placed herself, Bloom and Scootaloo on the list, however they would need a bit more. “Apart from ourselves” She looked to her two closest friends, though much of the rest already knew what she meant. “I would not risk the Twins, for they are still inexperienced in such an adventure and the type of battle ahead. That aside, I do not want to place all the collected Elements of Harmony in the same place outside the Empire. Nightmare Rarity will require a great force, but with Discord a factor, it just isn’t that smart to put all of us on one front” Apple Bloom tried to hide her concern in this choice, as their earlier conversation about giving a try to save Rarity would need the Twins. If she saw it, Sweetie Belle ignored the look, pressing on. “If Discord should strike, I feel their talents will be better served here, along with the defenses of the Empire. As for us three, we know one another and have faced battles already together, and feel we’re the best suited against a foe that I’m not sure any of us are really prepared to face, and Bloom and I have an understanding of Nightmare having already once surviving her”
Giving a thoughtful sound when Sweetie finished, Shining spoke up to the last point of who was going. “This is my concern, is that you are too close to the villain. She might not be her, but she is born from Rarity”
“Somepony had informed me of my lineage to King Sombra” Cadence began to join her husband in his worry. “It was given after his defeat, for the very fact that they were worried it would have given me pause in stopping him” She lingered on that thought. “I don’t know how I would have reacted had I known, but we were spared that burden of knowledge. Given how you halted against Countess Trixie, it is a valid wonder that you can go in without bias against a foe who stole and appears like your sister. She twists the mind, and will use any affections against you. Can you defend yourself, your friends, our Empire and your own heart?”
Scootaloo did not give a chance to Sweetie, and was ready to answer for her. “Of course she can! She has pushed herself to her limits and beyond, brought down Rainbow Death, and we all had ties to Dash, and she wasn’t some monster masquerading as Dash, but Dash herself! Even if she did slip, Bloom and I got her back! That’s why it’s smart for us three to face this together. When one falls, the other two are right there to pick them up”
“I believe in her, with all my heart” Bloom added. “I’ve seen her face more than any y’all, a whole heap of trouble that I ain’t sure many of us could have faced. She ain’t gonna fail us. She ain’t alone either, so it ain’t all on her to do it”
Cadence suppressed her smirk, listening to the impassioned testimonials. “Seems you three are an unbeatable team then, even against our scrutiny. Any foe is unfortunate to have you pointed at them, however that does not mean you are assured. Who else would go with you on this mission? Three against one such as herself, even to Elements and friends with such harmony, it would be a foal’s errand”
There was a hesitation, as it still had not been worked out in Sweetie’s plans. “Of that, I don’t know. As warned, she is not like others we have faced. Nightmare possesses magick and dangers that not just any can say they could truly face, and fewer who actually can. Between her magick and demons, it would take a great and powerful pony to brave it”
“What about Trixie?” Pound offered, much to the surprise of the rest, besides Pumpkin. “She is still powerful with her magick, and given the fact she was trapped by the amulet thing for so long, I doubt she would let herself become caught by something else”
Shining, still not on her side, was against this. “She is equally capable of joining Nightmare!”
“Well…” Sweetie was thinking out loud. “She originally fought against Nightmare back in the Shatter Storm, sacrificing herself to save Zecora and myself. The whole reason she was consumed by the amulet was because she wanted to spite and challenge Nightmare. She might be the most suitable pony to go against her, and with her magick, it could make traveling into Evergreed even easier”
“She is still on parole” Shining countered. “She may well turn back to evil if we loosen our reigns on her. I don’t like her being loose in Evergreed, not one bit”
Cadence now spoke against her husband on this point. “She has done well in the weeks since she was freed from the Alicorn Amulet, and though she is still consumed by her guilt, she shows no signs of reverting to that path. I do not think she is a risk to let go on this mission, and she’ll never have a chance better to prove that she is a new pony”
“You believed in me when all others believed it was my broodkin attacking your ponies” Morphosia had been silent until now, speaking up in the defense of another who she felt was being wronged. “Is it the fact that she was the blame then that causes you such accusation now?”
He looked between them, then analyzed himself. “Perhaps… though I cannot apologize for my caution, but I can see it might be misplaced. Her case is slightly different, as she was an Apex Villain, you and your broodkin were the pawns of one. Finding cause to trust one is harder than it was to place my trust on a people I felt were manipulated”
“Much weighs in for her being a great alley in these trying times, much more than the weight of old wounds and prejudice of her being a danger”
Speaking again, Sweetie said “We should address her first, before we are so ready to volunteer her. She may not wish to fight, and given all she has gone through, I cannot say I blame her if she doesn’t”
Empress Morphosia brought another question to the table, as the agreement was settled on Trixie. “Will you have a need for my people? I have no doubt that many will rally to your call again, as we had in the clouds”
Apple chimed in, seeing a great potential here. “Might tip the scales in our favor. I doubt Nightmare will know how to face Changelings, and they don’t tire like ponies, so they can match them demons”
“My brood will be at the ready, and only need but a signal to make our move into the forest and take this war to her”
“Woah!” Shining cut in. “What about not risking the weakening of the Crystal Empire on this one front, when Discord could still strike?”
Facing him now, Morphosia spoke to his concerns. “Your ponies held against King Sombra without the enforcement that the stray refugees that now bolster your ranks. The Changelings turned the battle, as you were fewer and tired when we came in fresh and strong” She allowed a moment for that to sink in. “We must ensure the defeat of Nightmare Rarity, and not hold too close to our cautions on the assumption of a threat. My brood can easily match her minions, while the Crystal Empire defense still remains numerous and imposing. Discord is but one, against a powerful foe. I have the utmost confidence in your victory should he come against you, while we divide to face a greater force”
She had a great confidence and logic to her point, though it did not cover the fact that she had shifted to the attack quite quickly. “Why the change of heart? I’ve not known you to be so aggressive”
“I have studied this situation, and analyzed the risk and challenges. Believing now that a small strike team that will be at the heart of the enemy, will allow my brood to move in. With an attack within and out, we can use this bold move to shatter her lines and bring down another of the great threats to all we have struggled to achieve” Morphosia looked to Sweetie Belle. “I hope that if there is a way too, that you can save your lost kin. However, either way, the demons will pose a great danger, and should be dealt with quickly, and without hesitation. We shale act under your orders, and if we are to hold against Nightmare, then we will, however we shall not allow all we have worked for to fall. This is why I am now poised to attack. I will not allow my new home to be lost”
There was such intensity and determination in her sudden mood, that it shook most there. Morphosia had often been seen as such a sensitive and passive creature, that shows of her ferocity was something others took notice of. A silence soon fell in the room, as the true gravity of the situation was felt. Sweetie knew she could not risk so much just for her sister or her own selfish desire to get back a piece of her past. The greater good demanded that the bigger picture be observed, and too much was at risk. This new plan was far more aggressive than she originally imagined it, though she knew that Morphosia’s assessment was correct, that a bold and decisive strike was required of them. If Rainbow Death proved anything, these dreaded years have twisted dear friends into dire foes, and there was little room to chance undoing years of corruption. Scootaloo lost somepony like a sister, and had to witness it. Applebloom also had to bear losing her sister while being helpless. Sweetie would need to swallow her hope that Rarity was any different than a victim, and fall back to her friends when the decisive blow was struck to end Nightmare Rarity.
All coming to an agreement of the plan so far, Sweetie would need to still think of who to join them, though the first step would be to speak to Trixie and find if she would join them or not.
***
Sweetie Belle did not have much trouble in finding Trixie, as the mare did not go far from her home. If she was not there, she would go to the library and study magick to better understand what she had gained and lost through the amulet. Trixie had hope to better her knowledge, and to make herself more useful to those around her. Sweetie wanted to check in on the pony and see just how she was adjusting to the new life in the Empire.
Briefly stopping to talk with Mystic Tome, Sweetie found her way to where Trixie was working. Coming upon the mare, Sweetie noted that she did not look completely well. A faded coat, a dry and stiff mane, and bandages over where stolen wings once were; they had been buried with the fallen guard, not that Trixie desired to keep them once her sanity returned.
“Good afternoon Trixie,” Sweetie greeted, gaining the others attention, who slowly turned like she was far older than she was while casting a weak smile to the younger pony. “How are you? Have you been taking care of yourself?”
The question was clear to see in Trixie, though it was custom to ask such things anyhow, to at least start a dialogue. “Not so much” Putting down the book she was currently on, she also turned back from Sweetie. “I find little reason too”
Coming around to sit across from Trixie, Sweetie took her in. “What about your friends? The efforts you’ve made since your reform and restoration has helped quite a few I’ve heard, even some of the victim’s survivors have seen it to forgive what was not truly you. Seems that there is much to take pride in, and at the very least, keep yourself better for”
“I’m haunted by what WAS me” She started slowly. “My actions, choices, and continued complacency to simply feed the monster I became. Nothing in me while under the spell of the amulet gave fight against it, and even after it was gone from me and I was simply a husk, the desire to get it all back was greater than regret for what led me to be in such a state… I was so consumed by the loss of power, I drew in those guards to slowly feed off their sexual energies until I could break free. Had it not been for that piece of Discord, who knows how many times I would have subjected myself to their rape, all for slivers of magick to feed my depravity…” Sweetie Belle had heard details of what happened during Trixie’s first defeat and the imprisonment, however besides the severe punishment those involved received, not much else has been said of the matter. “No… I have little to keep pride in, therefore I hold less cause to take care of myself” Trixie finished while Sweetie thought.
Shaking her head, Sweetie was not so easily defeated by words of a wounded creature. “You’re not the only one to let themselves become something wicked, you are not the only one that has struggled against redemption after so many years being a member of the tragedy that plagues our land. You are not the only one who struggles to forgive themself, and you are not alone in this fight” She thought it better to avoid the topic of the corrupt guards. “Noh care for you, several Changelings do as well, and they are in a very similar place. They’ve learned to find hope and pride, and to forgive themselves for misdeeds brought on by outside forces. I know you can too”
Not speaking right away, the words lingered in Trixie’s mind, however this battle was one fought many times, and the outcome was still the same. By the time Trixie did speak, Sweetie was almost worried she was not going to say anything. “You speak of those like me, however they did not bear the cause willingly. Changelings, they were ruled and controlled by a wicked creature, even your friend was consumed by her love and loyalty to another, brainwashing her to do what she did. I put that necklace to my throat, and let it’s cruel weight become comfortable. I could have removed it once I escaped Nightmare, if I could have only put aside my pride… Instead, I drank deep of that power it gave me, and feasted upon the surging pride in accomplishment I then had wearing it as I became one of the most feared beings in the wreckage of our old lives” She spoke with no excitement or showed signs of nostalgia for what she was, despite how it may have sounded, she was only filled with contempt and loathing. “I knew I was trotting down a very twisted path of wickedness, yet, head held high I strolled into the darkness and welcomed the cold embrace of villainy”
“You’re right,” Sweetie quickly said, surprising Trixie a little. “You made bad choices, and mistakes, and now you have paid for them and learned the lessons that come from trying to undo what was done when the realization sets in. A debt can only last for so long, when you work to pay it off. You can’t undo all the damage, only repair what can be fixed. However. If you continue to linger in your own self loathing and hate, you will never be free of the burden or guilt, and the debt will only extend indefinitely. If you let yourself be consumed by all those negative feelings, you will only fall into another state, potentiality as bad as the one before. Twilight did what you are doing now, and it broke her. She could have gone on to maybe help the future where she failed to in the past, but she was so consumed by her failings that she is a broken wretch, lost in the frozen wastes, both in mind and body…” Lost in the moment, Sweetie did not realize until Trixie’s expression pieced together what was just exposed.
“She is alive?” The mare was not clear to how she felt about this, as she was personally mixed up in learning a hidden truth.
Sweetie looked around, and it was fortunate that they were largely alone. It remained, however, Trixie now knew. “We cannot let this out. The memories of who she was could be shattered if what she became is learned. This is to say nothing of what her brother might do if he finds out. It is best he also thinks she fell as a noble hero who gave everything, and not a babbling madmare who has nothing left of herself” She sighed deeply, feeling a failure in keeping this important secret. “Only Cadence, myself and now you know”
“And me” Spike came around the corner, and Sweetie quickly cursed herself. He was the only other who she hoped to spare the truth, fearing what it, or he, might do. “Don’t worry about me, I learned not long ago…” He revealed. “I knew she was alive, we had a special connection, so I sought her out… seeing her like that, it broke my heart” There was a pain and sorrow set in his eyes, pushing aside the anger and distrust he had in Trixie as he looked at her. “She was my best friend, and loved me more than any other, and I loved her like no other. We had something I know I’ll never have again. Not even that fledgling love I had in Rarity could never match it. If you truly are not that creature anymore, Trixie, don’t follow Twilight. You wanted to outshine her once, you can by saving yourself her fate. There is still much more left for you, and all of us, even against everything we’ve lost, but we have to push past the past to get there”
Trixie looked at him, feeling all the pain and purity in his words. She had a lingering ability thanks to her past vampiric powers, and was much more empathetic. She still fought it, all the logic and wisdom being offered. “I did all the bad stuff, I wasn’t under a spell, or just making choices that blew up in my face. I was a villain”
“So?!” Spike snapped, slamming his tail down and shaking both the ponies. Mystic was surely as startled by the sudden outburst, though found himself again in a position not to try to silence the loudness in his library. “Twilight made mistakes and choices just the same, and caused a lot of damage. She hurt others, and ruined a lot of things, because she couldn’t get out of her own head. For all her efforts to save us, she refused to let go of her guilt and regrets, and only pushed her to do worse and worse things! Twilight never let herself expose her weakness and fears, and reach out for help. Every time, it got worse for her and all of us!” Spike shut his eyes tightly, trying to stop the sting of tears as it all grew too hard to bear. “If all you do it try to fix mistakes, but never learn from them or let them go, help others and never yourself, then all you are doing is living a lie, and you will start doing even greater damage”
“We all have pain and regrets, and things we hate about ourselves” Sweetie joined, with a much softer tone, though with as much weight to her words. “I would like to save my sister, but I haven’t done it once all these years, and now I fear I’ve waited far too long to even have hope that she is somewhere still in that monster. I’ve come to admit that she is gone, and I have to go face her. If I couldn’t accept my faults and failings, and what done is done, I couldn’t have gone as far as I have to face the challenges Apple Bloom and I have been facing. You can’t keep repressing and running from your past, and like me and Rarity, there is a time when you have to face it. My time is near, and I feel yours is too”
Spike looked now to Sweetie, and understood what she meant. “So you’re planning to face Nightmare Rarity?” He paused, hoping his next question was false. “Alone?”
“No” She replied with little hesitation. “We have a plan in motion, and I am forming a small team to go in” She looked to Trixie. “Part of why I came here was to ask Trixie to join that team” Hearing that the other mare was stricken by such a request. “I know you two have a deep history, and that you possess a great talent still. I believe in you, and your ability to fight off anything that Nightmare may throw at you. Honestly, I think you are the most assuredly the only one so far of the choices, myself included, that has the best chance to survive against her” She shifted her tone to seem less like she was ordering the mare. “I’m only asking, and you shouldn’t feel you have too despite what I just said”
“I’ll do it!” Spike cut in, surprising Sweetie Belle and giving Trixie time to think. “I lost Twilight without a fight, and Rarity was stolen from me while I was running around trying to save what little I could. If there is a hope to save her, I want to be there, but I know that if she is gone I want to also be part of the group to silence that monster. I can’t bear having two ponies I love lingering in this world as specters of what they once were. One is harmless, but one is a wraith that must be removed”
Listening to Spike, processing everything that has been said, Trixie finally gave an answer. “I will” Sweetie and Spike looked at her. “Not for anything as pointless as revenge or pay back, as those old desires are long dead to me, but I will do it as a major step in healing a world I played a role in hurting. I will do it as an effort in healing myself. I could not stop her as a villain, but I will give everything to stop her as a member of the team. Maybe I can forgive myself if I can do that, and finally let go of the haunting feelings of my troubled history”
******
The moment for the strike against Evergreed came, as the Changelings and Royal Guards were in place to try to hide the forces that were ready to march, and the defense keeping alert for Discord. Everypony did their best to make it all seem normal, while Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Trixie and Spike came together for the trip.
High above, on one of the balconies that looked over the Empire, Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor took in the sight of this bold step. The illusion of just another day in the Crystal Empire was perfect, or so they all hoped. They did all they could to cover their tracks as best as possible, so neither of the remaining Apex villains would make counter plans before the attack was made.
“Trixie is the least of my worries” Cadence said, to Shining’s unspoken unrest. “Sweetie Belle and Spike were close to Rarity, while on the other hoof, Trixie wanted to destroy her”
Making a disapproving grunt to the comment, Shining then returned. “It’s still questionable who’s side she will stay on once the eyes are off her. I feel almost like we’re sending Chrysalis or Sombra in there”
She did not look at him, she did not need to, though she made an amused sound. “Like sending Changelings into the clouds to face Rainbow Death?” He did not respond to that, choosing to stand in silence. “Have faith my love, I feel confident in Trixie, surely as much as you had in Morphosia when all pointed hooves at her and the Changelings”
The moment was at hoof, and the five were ready to make their move into Evergreed. Shining watched as Sweetie started her spell, and at the same moment a squadron of former Wonderbolts rocketed into the heights of the protective dome. They practiced some maneuvers as they were getting used to flying as Guards and not as performers. Some still had their smoke trails, and they crossed and flew around making trails around the sky, drawing a lot of attention from those on the ground. Shining and Cadence were not focused on them, but rather a now empty spot where five once were.
“I wonder, did we set all this up to distract Discord, or Nightmare Rarity?” Cadence posed.
“Perhaps both, but it likely doesn’t matter” Shining returned. “We’re entering into another phase of this war, and all the misdirection and flare can only do so much if someone was truly paying attention”
***
Sweetie Belle’s new spell was not entirely like the old one, as it was more like a slip from reality into nothing then back again. The group had traveled the vast distances of Equestria, and were now standing in the corrupted heart of Evergreed. They each faced a different direction, focused on their mission, and pushing aside any unease from the Blink Spell. As each took in the sights before them, they all concluded that despite clearly being the throne room of the Evergreed Castle, it was in ruins and abandoned. Not one of them truly believed this to be a whole truth.
“Did she move?” Scootaloo asked, sharing in the group confusion and sought some kind of answer.
They strained their eyes and minds harder, looking for any clues to why it felt like it was left worse than before Nightmare took over. Everything in sight was ravaged, destroyed, and even less life than any thought they would find. None moved, not sure of what sort of traps could be lurking underhoof, or behind an illusion that likely was all this.
“Maybe she doesn’t use this part?” Apple Bloom offered.
Trixie was not ready to jump to conclusions, and was not going to play guessing games. Seeking any sign of the creature, or Nightmare’s demonic hordes, Trixie was sure a clue was out there. She looked for anything to speak of the trickery that had to be in play here. “She would not leave this castle, nor let It be so run down when it is the throne room. She is here” She was sure against the evidence.
“Agreed” Sweetie spoke. “Nightmare Moon took this castle, even after the Canterlot castle was built. Rarity had come to seek the relics of another age. This is where both would want to rule” Sweetie Belle was done standing in place, and with a flash of her horn sent a pulse wave to detect any dangers; however nothing new showed. She moved out, using the extent of her training as a Unicorn and a Zebra to investigate. Taking her lead the rest fanned out from their positions to search the best they could, though not one letting their attention drift far from those that were beside them.
After some time scanning every part they could, they decided to move on. Every hall, room and anyplace within the old castle they looked was empty. Then finally came to the courtyard, finding the strangest sight yet. A white mare was on the ground, looking alive, yet weak. “Rarity?” Sweetie lost herself for a moment at the faint hope.
Trixie cut in front the hopeful pony stopping her from going too close, while Apple Bloom wrangled Spike much the same way. “Nothing is so simple, don’t let yourself be clouded by wishful thinking”
“Me and Applejack faced a few traps like this, so real ya get tricked by the illusion” Bloom spoke up, moving a bit closer as she took her sash from her Elemental Eye. “Let’s get a good look at this”
“Oh… Sweetie Belle… you came to save me?” The mare before them spoke, weak and with the voice the sibling once knew so well.
“Careful…” Bloom warned, as her special eye rolled almost freely as she tried to get a good reading on what they thought they all saw.
“Dear sister… It’s been so long…” The younger mare stopped a fair distance away from the figure speaking. The body jumped from where it lay, but no longer a solid form. Now a rotted corpse, festering and dripping in decay, with the death eating bugs nearly pouring from the many holes and pulsing wounds. “I’ve been dying to see you again!”
Sweetie moved back, not in fright, but to keep the distance she had established. “I told you before, I know your games!”
A head, barely keeping attached by scraps of flesh, snapping ligaments and muscle rocked to one side. “Oh? I’ve prepared so many new things for us to do, and gone to such lengths to create more fun for you dear sister” The voice twisted as she spoke the latter part. “You even brought so many guests and players” She looked at each in turn, eyes moving in an unnatural jittery motion. “I know each of them, and I know each of their fears” She was gone into smoke without warning, drifting to each one of them.
Apple Bloom was the first she appeared above in her true form, a black mare with reflections of purples and violets, and a flowing mane that hinted to the lost Rarity’s own style. “Eye see you got that looked at, and now we both share a vision for gems” Moving along to Trixie, changing to her shadowy self when she traveled. “Something seems less… Great about you. Not looking as powerful either. Maybe it is your mane?” There was a bitterness in that last part, and somehow Trixie recalled back to a moment in time. Not lingering on this, she was now at Scootaloo. “Ah Absentia, you know I keep searching but that Golden ticket eludes me. Maybe you can get me to see Rainbow Death’s wonderful Factory?” She saved Spike for last, and she appeared even more seductive than usual. Her curves and lengths are an illusion of a corrupted beauty. “Sweet Spikey Wikey, you’ve grown so much. So big, and strong. I bet you could show a mare a good time now”
Each had known not to feed into the games, however when Nightmare reached for Spike he snapped at her with angry jaws. “Don’t touch me fake!” He then gave a swipe, though she avoided this easily. “You’re not Rarity, not anymore”
Nightmare landed on the ground, showing Spike everything she had. “Of course I am, she is just under all this slimming and sexy darkness. I know you’re just the dragon who can reach deep inside of me, and find that tender mare I hide deep within” She moved and posed for him in ways that showed off her assets.
“None of us are going to fall for your illusions or lies” Sweetie Belle declared. “Those closest to Rarity won’t be tricked, so you have no chance to manipulate us any further”
Starting slow, then blasting out with a laughter aimed right at Sweetie’s words, Nightmare rolled her eyes around into the back of her sockets then back out again to look dead at her. “Puh-lease, now who is trying to play games? You and that little fuckboy dragon might be close to Rarity, but these three are about as far from her as any can who knew her. One Eye there’s own sister was Rarity’s friend, and they were barely that close. Maybe if you brought that straw-haired bumpkin sister of hers I might have believed you. Trix or Treat never liked Rarity, or what she became for that matter. Finally the gimp-winged, Rainbow Dash fangirl is a stretch by even Discord’s imagination” She trotted around them, making sure to show herself off to Spike at every chance she had. “You try to convince me that this ragtag group is Rarity’s closest friends or family, but I can see right through this, and I don’t need a special eye. You brought them as backup, because you’re afraid you can’t resist me. You’re the biggest weakness in this group, and we all know it” She paused a moment, locking eyes with the mare again, and spoke with words that dripped like acid “Dear sister”
Moving to stand in the center of the group, Nightmare Rarity spoke anew, not looking at anyone in particular as she declared. “You know? I bet you can’t tell if you’re awake or asleep”
“Impossible!” Bloom challenged. “We arrived well awake, and you can’t just put us under!”
Rolling her head like it was as weakly attached as in her undead form, Nightmare glanced over to address the mare while she danced her eyebrows with an unsettling grin. “Can’t I?” Her horn lit up and shot out a pulse of energy in all directions, and the gathering collapsed where they stood, going deep into a sleep. Turning to each until she saw Sweetie Belle, who managed to not be affected by the attack. Nightmare smirked at her. “Well, you are resilient, or did you succumb and now only dream that you didn’t fall?”
“I studied Nightmare Moon’s powers and magick, and read Princess Luna’s notes on the Nightmare being and know when I’m in your dream world or awake” She said with complete confidence. “You used a sleep spell, but unlike them, I was prepared for that and it won’t be long before they rise again”
“HA! You are more formidable than I gave you credit for, yet now as they are in a sleep state, they’re all the more ripe for my powers. This castle, and this forest is a place I hold a great power over after all the years ruling here, but the dreamscape is a place where I am all the more dangerous. Not even Discord or that Cuntess Trixie would have tried to challenge me there. So now you must make a choice, and come face me in their dreams, or let them each become my prey” She laughed again, as she faded away. “Do you think your skills are great enough to meet me alone, in my realm? Are you a dream warrior or a nightmare’s meal?”
Taking a few moments to think of how to go forward Sweetie was well aware that the realm of dreams was dangerous, but she had also trained for this battle. “I knew it would come to this” She thought. “Luckily I also trained them all in lucidity, so I doubt Nightmare will be ready for that” She took a deep breath, and followed the battle to the new field.
***
Empress Morphosia was standing silent in the middle of her simple throne room within the Crystal Castle, then she raised her head in a sudden movement. She had been waiting, waiting for the agreed time to act, and that moment was soon.
Outside, all around the nearest edge to Evergreed, Changelings shifted forms to small creatures of all kinds. The barrier was lifted ever so slightly, and the throngs of disguised creatures rushed through. They flooded into the outer parts of the Empire’s reach and beyond, a tiny, fierce tsunami that was racing toward the dreaded forest. They would keep small and elusive until the moment they reached the edges of the forest, where they would spread across the borders to make it sufficiently surrounded. Once their numbers were spread to an equal distance, the Changelings shifted back to their true forms and would move into the trees in unison.
“Thank Cosmatia that they are on our side now” Shining remarked, he watched as far as he could while the army disappeared beyond their rule. There was pride, but also some shame that it was not his own ponies going now. He knew better, however it did not lessen that he had to count on so many others to protect his home. “They move far more efficiently than we ever could”
“Well she does have the advantage of being able to link their minds, that alone places the Changelings on a level no pony could match” Cadence remarked, hoping to ease some of her beloved’s worries in what they lacked. “Well, we could, but then our subjects would likely just be brainwashed and mindless, and we certainly do not wish that”
“Yet they remain independent and free outside the moments like this, but when they are soldiers they are a machine unlike any other” He briefly looked to her, then turned back to see what was already long beyond his sight. “I don’t even think Queen Chrysalis could work so efficiently”
“Likely because Morphosia does not command them to obey, they do not resist when she makes this call” Cadence studied his emotions, and was amused by them. “I still find it hard to believe, my husband, one who spoke so loudly against the Changelings, now stands in such admiration and even jealousy”
Looking back at her again, he tried to read her only that she was much better at keeping a straight face. He knew she was teasing him, yet she looked like she was serious. “I can respect and admire an efficient militaristic might, and in the many years I’ve been in charge of royal guards and ponies the like, I have never seen such an organization or would wish to face against a power of such unity” No longer taken by the memories of those off to fight a battle he could not, Shining turned to return inside the castle. “This chapter in Equestrian history has made quite a few unexpected turns, finding friends and foes with new definitions. Making us take a new look at what we once knew…”
Cadence followed soon behind him, and turned her head from him as she spoke bitter truth. “I don’t know what is truly worse, between the shock of enemies to allies, or the loss of friends to foes” Her mind was a bit heavy to think of things in the past. “There still remains that faint possibility things could change again, and this time out of our favor. We cannot allow ourselves to completely drop our guards, not until we can secure our future against a betrayal”
Shining did not like the underlined implications, not after all that has happened. “How can you think that she could turn on us, after all that she and her broodkin have done for us? Even some of the most spiteful of their ranks have come to value and treasure what they have here, and I cannot believe they would risk losing the bonds they’ve formed. You of all ponies, who can read hearts and intentions, would think that their was some hidden plot against us?”
“I don’t want to think like this!” Cadence cried. “After all the troubles we’ve dealt with, all the fighting and changes that came, there remains a piece of myself that warns me to ‘remembering how Shining was tricked by Chrysalis, and how nearly everything was lost because it is the very nature of the Changelings to deceive and take forms to break down our guards’ even if in my heart, and in most of my mind, I don’t believe she could do that to us… I don’t think she would do that to you” She shook her head. “You and Morphosia have a love that isn’t some illusion, and though I’m still on the outside, I feel a love for her too. I just can’t shake the lessons of the past, and the voice gets louder the closer we get to finally ending this war”
“You were there at the trail, you saw how that Changeling acted toward the little filly. You’ve seen the good they’ve done, risking themselves time and again for us all, and even as we speak” Shining countered. “Yes, I suppose we can’t be too careful, not now, but don’t be too ready to listen to that voice when too much evidence is in their favor”
She gave a sigh, as she moved around the room. “I hate the thoughts, thinking that things like Switch-A-Roo’s trail was only an opening act to lure us in, that her actions to stop Countess only helped cement their alibi… that every effort to help us is one to just pick off their own rivals. There is a part of me that thinks Chrysalis is still alive, there is a part that thinks my fath- Sombra is still alive… I cannot always fight the terrible thoughts”
Going to her, he did his best to soothe her. “We can’t start picking apart our allies. Who’s to say that the Stormbreakers, the ones we’ve put so much faith and trust in before all others, are not the ones using us?” Cadence froze a moment, not liking the idea of that. “They came from nowhere, when we needed them the most, and have systematically taken down, or helped in taking out the Apex of Villainy while their own power and numbers grow. They have Elements of Harmony, but they’re not the same ones from before, or even what the Princesses had before” He laughed at the obscurity. “lay that out, and it sounds as suspicious as Changelings becoming our friends”
“So you don’t trust the Crusaders?” She read him, and could tell this was not a spur of the moment thought. “You’ve thought about this for some time. So now you and I stand apart, because I harbor doubts in your Changeling friends, and you in the ponies who hold the Elements”
Shining stepped away, but did not answer right away. “Yes, I’ve had this thought many times. It could easily be a trick of Discord, or maybe some new villains that have been growing just outside of anyone’s notice. Sisters of the last Elements of Harmony, two who disappeared near the start of the Shatter Storm, and one who willingly followed with the Third Flock. Two foals on the edge of what is left of Equestria, show up with Spike after so many years. It all lines up to a pretty possible plot to not only destroy the Apex of Villainy, but leave us vulnerable to be taken down”
“You’ve made too many campaigns in those Dragons and Caves games of yours” Cadence said with a tone of annoyance and anger. “You trust my abilities to read the Changelings, yet it is questionable against the very champions we’ve both embraced and endorsed? Perhaps if they had seduced you you might have more faith”
Snorting in a matching rage, Shining did not like that she was so dismissive. “So it is easier to cast aside all the efforts of people who we’ve worked side by side with, than think for a moment that ‘ponies’ who come and go, and return with new members and powers could be a possible threat? Maybe you can read hearts, but don’t focus enough on the mind!”
Being silent for a time, Cadence was dumbfounded that he would choose Changelings over ponies. “It seems we’ve made a stance, you and I. You’ve bought fully into the Changelings, while I believe completely in the Crusaders”
“That seems clear. I can only hope we’re both wrong, as I’m tired of fighting every day just to live. I don’t believe they will betray us, and I hope that the Crusaders won’t either, but regardless the chance remains and only time will tell” He turned from her. “I’ll try not to be shocked if I’m right” He slammed the door to the room, and Cadence was left with her fury and pain. Somehow a wedge was forming between them, and it was those who they had come to trust and bet on for so much. Now she was alone, and in grief over the reality that they could not truly trust anyone. For if one was playing them, it meant her abilities did fail to see it.
Outside, the winds started to pick up. A soft, distant and ghostly howl was lingering in the air. Through the Empire, it was starting to feel colder, and those within the realm were taking notice of it.
