//------------------------------//
// Precious Resources Final (unedited version) 
// Story: Among Luna's Stars 
// by LadyofSorrows 
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“Let go of me you ruffian! I can trot perfectly fine without your grimy talons dragging me along.”

Rarity tried to tug her mane free of the griffon pulling her along, but the tom was firm in his grip. She was being followed by Pinkamena, the formerly vibrant party pony was reduced to mumbling to herself in dark undertones. It was taking all the words Applejack knew to keep Fluttershy moving while the farm pony carried the unconscious Rainbow Dash.

A short fat Griffon approached them once they were on board. He was missing a wing and a patch of fur on his hind end had been replaced with a scar from an old burn.

“When Blueblood promised us insurance against the princesses, never did I assume it would be the bearers in the flesh.”

Applejack pushed her hat back a little bit as she looked up at the griffon.

“Told ya he was no good Rares.”

Rarity was not pleased to be reminded of her fixation on the prince. Her rather shameful actions in how she was trying to deal with the outcome of that first gala. In all fairness, nor would she ever tell Applejack, the cake was delicious even if it was on her rather than on a plate.

“Why thank you Applejack for kindly reminding me of my very worst night ever. I thought we all agreed never to speak of that night again?”

Applejack shifted Dash back center on her back. The griffon spoke again to avoid pointless conversation starting among his new prisoners.

“I doesn’t matter what he is, what is fact is you are now under the hospitality of the griffon kingdom. Take them below and prepare to get underway.”

Two griffons approached with their spears leveled as others that were watching began to move towards the mooring lines. The ponies didn’t need to be told, and silently went with the push of the guards towards the stairs leading down. Below deck was normally lit well, and being a transport ship it was outfitted to be luxurious for the guests. However, the wall lights were out at the foot of the stairs, and the ponies could smell it in the air. The smell of blood made their noses wrinkle a bit, and their stomachs uneasy as they stepped into the dim light.

A guard surged ahead, not liking the smell one bit as he looked left at the blackness of the hall that went to the port side first class cabins. Looking forward down the starboard hallway he saw the first signs of blood. Every instinct in his body was telling him to go back up the stairs, and a creak from his left and he swung around spear ready to thrust, only to see the familiar blackness, he fought down his growing paranoia, and instead chose to find out where the others were down here.

“Alright you lazy feather brains, where are you, and why are you not guarding the door like you were told?”

A soft girlish giggle echoes from the darkness. The tom shouted into the dark hallway.

“Will you stop fooling around and get out here!”

The voice was older, feminine, but approaching from the darkness.

“If you are in a hurry to die, I will honor your request, but do not expect to achieve victory in the fight.”

Lola features became more defined as she slowly came into the light. She was everything as to how the mares had seen her in Cecilia’s memories. Taller and more toned, hairstyle was different, and her clothing was not a uniform per say, but ran along the lines of what a food worker would wear. Rarity could see a defining few stains that were certainly food based, easily recognizable considering how often she had to deal  with Sweetie Belle’s disasters in the kitchen. Lola came to stop as the hum of the engines grew to normal cruising pitch. The stare down lasted another minute before the griffon launched his first attack with a thrust of his spear for the center of Lola’s chest.

Lola backstep turned to the right, avoiding the attack, and her hand came up glowing blue to chop the spear off in front of her. The griffon watched as a quarter of his most precious family heirloom was just severed as easily as cutting paper with scissors. He dropped what was left and charged with his front claws leaving gouges in the wood floor. Lola pounced out of the way, leaving the griffon to disappear into the darkened hallway. Lola glanced over at the ponies.

“Deliverance from this nightmare lies straight ahead, the third door on left, and my debt to you be paid in full.”

Nopony moved and Lola ducked suddenly as the roaring griffon came out of the darkness, his claws raking gashes into the wood paneling of the wall. Lola grabbed an exposed wing joint, and with a jump she swung herself around to get on his back. She dug her toe claws in as the griffon reared up onto his hind legs hoping to have gravity dislodge his passenger. She charged her claws on her free hand drove it into his back severing his spine. Lola rode his body to the floor. She stood up from where the griffon now lay defeated but not dead. He managed to croak out as Lola walked towards the frozen stiff ponies.

“Why do you not finish it?”

Lola turned around and gestured to the other griffon coming down to rest her spear against his throat. She pulled off her helmet and the old tom’s eyes widened as did the ponies. Gilda spoke as she dropped her helmet to the floor.

“Weren’t you the one who betrayed mom to lead our family? You should have seen this coming, father. It is your tactics, after all. And this is the extent of my love for you.”

She drove her spear into his throat and held it there as the blood ran and the life drained from his eyes. She removed and threw the spear aside. She turned around and noticed the shocked ponies still standing there.

“You dweebs better get moving, bets are already being made on how epic Twilight is going to freak out.”

Gilda walked past them and up the stairs, and once more she was gone. Jezabelle walked out of the darkened hallway.

“Command is ready papa, we are ready to depart soon as you say the word.”

Lola just nodded and Jezabelle took the cue touching places on her tablet before stowing it away. The hallway was gone in a flash, and not a moment later the ship was reduced to pieces of burning wood and heavy fabric. Gilda watched from the locomotive before turning away and shoving the drive lever forward and picking up the shovel.









(Deck 34 midships, event room 24A, Battleship Glaxia, ten minutes prior to arrival)

“This is a bit extreme Vivian. When I signed off on a party, I didn’t think you would recreate one from the surface. The captain’s going to have my bars for this when she finds out.”

Sheffield rubbed a spot on the side of his head and the person he was talking to dug around for a moment before producing a canteen and two aspirin. She spoke her response as the commander took the pills.

“You brought me on board with this because I have dealt first hand with ponies before. Unlike the first meeting, I understand now that we need to keep them calm in order to expedite our jobs. Intel wouldn’t tell me much since I’m just a simple doctor, but I got the chief of medical to get your approval since I know this will work out. If the captain still wants your bars after it’s all over, I’ll take the lionshare of the blame Lenny.”

Sheffield turned back to face Vivian, his tone becoming stern at the lieutenant.

“Lieutenant, you have to stop falling on the sword all the time. Half the reason you don’t have the chief’s job is you constantly take the blame for others, or let them take the opportunities of advancement you earned. You’re assigned under the night shift yet you took this time slot on top of your duties tonight, you’re going to kill yourself at the rate you keep doing this.”

Vivian was about to respond when the room filled with small ponies and two hybrids. She merely brought her hand up to salute, which the commander returned before hurrying off to catch up with the departing Lola. Vivian took a deep breath and reaching down she turned on her headset.

“Good evening everyone, and welcome to Glaxia.”

The ponies began to look around the room for the speaker, and Vivian continued on with her opening bit.

“I’m Lieutenant Vivian Sparks, field medical doctor 1st class, and I’m standing near the center of the crowd, My pigtail bands can be easily recognized as they are the mark of a certain pony named Fluttershy.”

Now they were all looking at her, and Vivian had a taste of how expressive pony eyes could be.

“My colleagues are going to do everything to expedite your return to your homes, but it will take some help on your part as well. You will be taken aside individually and with privacy secured be asked where you live, we will address any minor injuries that need looked at, and have a blood sample taken to make sure your time here will not pose any risk to you later.”

A pegasus mare with a small colt on her back spoke up.

“What about families with foals? They would be terrified to be separated from parents.”

Vivian turned in the direction of the mare.

“A parent will accompany their child, or foal since you gave me the proper term. While they may not have to answer any questions, a blood sample will be required from them because the risk to them is the same as it is to adults.”

The same mare spoke again, clearly worried about this risk to their health.

“What is the risk your test is required for?”

Vivian somehow knew this was going to be a problem trying to sell the test but a counter came to mind.

“Ma’am, any doctor can tell you that environment plays a key factor in the health of any living being. Pony, human, hybrid neko, standard neko, or any of the other countless species and races of sentient life in the universe. The air you are breathing right now is filtered of all dust, cleaned of any airborne germs, and it also has other things added to it that boosts the immunity to diseases that are normal for me. For example, the common cold. Unless I go out of my way to get it, I will never get a cold, because I breathe treated air which gives my body the ability to stop it before it starts even the first symptom. However, this process may not be the best for you, or it could be dangerous in prolonged exposure. I have no intentions of going before your princesses and trying to explain why or how you died for just breathing air. I get that you're scared and distrustful, but if we did not have your best intentions at heart, why would we save you from being prisoners of griffons?”

A stallion stomped a hoof on the deck plate.

“Alright, these fillies can question you till Tartarus freezes over, but where do I go to get this test?”

Vivian gestured to the three high wall cubicles set up at one end of the room. There was a nurse standing in front of each with a smile on their face.

“If you wish to be proactive you can line up outside those three cubicles, the nurses will come out and lead you in, or they will come and get you if you are enjoying the party. You will exit out the back and come around to rejoin the party once you’ve received your badge. Those who are waiting can enjoy the party we set up, all the food and drinks were brought up from your planet, there are several screens over there in which you can entertain foals with a wide selection of cartoons. Eating or drinking will not cause any trouble with the testing, and modifications to the bathrooms were made, yet they are outside of this room and therefore a guard will escort anyone needing the bathroom who does not have a badge. Those who have a badge are free to leave the room to use the bathroom at will. We have closed this section off from the rest of deck thirty-four to prevent getting lost. Feel free to approach me and ask me any questions you have, and I will do my best to answer the questions. However, be aware there are some things I will not be permitted to answer.”

It took a good half an hour before the ponies loosened up enough to try even the food. Vivian was talking herself dry answering questions of all kinds. She helped with the screens, and it was nice to see children being awestruck by animation even if it was an educational program about growing flowers. Taking a glass of water and putting her back to a wall she slid down to sit asking a question more to herself than anyone in the room.

“How the heck do you entertain so many ponies, Trixie?”

Vivian sipped at her water and looked at her aching feet. Now she was regretting her choice to pull a double, but the laughter of the children at the screen made her forget her discomfort.

“You must be the Vivian Trixie talks about, but why is Fluttershy’s cutie mark in your mane?”

Vivian focused on the voice and smiled seeing Rainbow Dash with a bandaged head and a badge around her neck.

“I hope Trixie said nothing but good things about me, and I choose Fluttershy’s mark solely on grounds her lifestyle and personality better reflect my own.”

Rainbow nodded and looked back over to where the rest of her friends were watching her. Jezabelle stood with them giving Vivian a smile. Rainbow waved a hoof for them to come over, and the group began to make their way over to her. Rainbow looked back at Vivian.

“Cool party, but you’ve a lot to learn before you reach Pinkie’s level of parties. Really though, this is kind of freaky you could get all this together on such short notice.”

Vivian laughed as she rolled onto her side to slide her legs under her.

“What do you want to be for the rest of your life?”

Rainbow cocked a smile, hovering up and pulling a quick lap around the group before coming in for a landing with her best Wonderbolt stance.

“That’s easy, I’m going to be the best Wonderbolt in Wonderbolt’s history, and I’m going to beat Cecilia in our race! I’m sure to get the fast track into the academy with that under my belt.”

Vivian’s smile dimmed as her eyes moved down to her lap.

“A fine goal to have, but why don’t you chance a guess at what my dream was?”

Rainbow shrugged folding her wings.

“I don’t know, be an awesome doctor or something, and don’t really know you well enough to guess.”

Rarity just stabbed a guess without being asked to.

“Finding the right person to spend the rest of your life with?”

Applejack shook her head.

“Rarity, if love is what she was searching for then she would have found it already. I think she wants a home more than anything else, and not here on this ship.”

Pinkie jumped right in front of Vivian.

“No sillies, she wanted to have a child of her own, but her parts are broken. So she tried to use science to fix herself, fell into the wrong crowd, made a race she substituted for her children for a while, but truth was they weren’t her children, and she is reminded of who she was before that whole dark part of her past.”

Pinkie breathed and continued on with her rambling much to the growing sadness that was weighing Vivian down.

“So when Chrysalis came she was reminded of the lie she is living, and it brought back all the horrible memories and fear. Worse of all she never fixed herself and her desire to want a child of her…”

“Pinkie stop!”

Fluttershy’s normally soft voice was a shout, and she flew past her pink friend to wrap Vivian in a hug of hooves and wings.

“There there, it will be okay, and I’m sorry she went so far.”

Jez was completely blown away, never in her dreams would she believe she would be standing before one of her races creators. However, something did not sit right with her.

“Vivian, who died in your place?”

Vivian did her best to wipe her eyes as she looked up at Jezabelle.

“My identical twin sister Vivian died in my place, willingly, and by aid of a genetic modification shot that would rewrite her DNA to match mine. Sorrow can’t read souls even with her magic, and it was the fear of mine that those who aided her would discover the ruse and come for me. You probably hate me now.”

Jezabelle crouched down. “As far as I’m concerned Yolanda Sparks DeMystic, fifth master genetic engineer for the hybrid neko project is dead, because her twin sister lives her legacy for her. However, I have an innocent soul to go save from a not so nice punishment.”

Vivian spoke as her arms squeezed Fluttershy a bit tighter eliciting a soft “eep” from the pegasus.

“You mean that you’re not angry for what I did?”

Jezabelle stood back up and cracked a smile as she summoned her crown.

“I wouldn’t be here otherwise and I’m proud of what I am outside of my divine title. You followed us into the lion's den to care for us. I see no reason why you are not fit for the title of grandmother. However, only an official judgment can clear you of any further pursuit by Sorrow. You are under my divine protection until then, no soldier of Glaxia, or divine dare touch you lest they forfeit their life to my anger. You go where I go and conduct yourself in the same manner befit an officer. I expect you to be field ready in twenty minutes, because your colleagues will done in twenty-five minutes. Now if you excuse me I have to go get your sister from a not so nice punishment, and tell Samantha I’m taking you with me.”







Spike squeezed his way into the throne room once again, only to be hit with a lavender missile impacting his forearm and hugging it. Spike looked down at Twilight and gave a smile as he spoke to her.

“Told you I was going to be okay, but now that you can feel it for yourself I need to bring everypony up to speed on what’s happening outside.”

Twilight let go and followed Spike back to the projection table.

Spike bowed to the princesses quickly before getting serious about the matter at claw.

“Your majesties, he is on the move, and if he if he stays on his general course, his destination is right here. Glaxia, Mindy, and the second army of Glaxia are pushing the underground route. He was already moving prior to their discovery, and on my way back I took the liberty asking my mental passenger along with questioning my escort to build a list.”

Spike produced his list with a flourish of dragon magic. This got Twilight asking the question.

“You seem to be using magic more, you’re not taking advantage of it are you?”

Spike looked past his list and down at Twilight.

“Don’t get me wrong Twi, magic is cool, but I can’t silent cast yet, so it's my passenger doing the work, but the list is my idea.”

Twilight just smiled and pointed her hoof at the giant list and then at the table.

“Set your list face down on the table, you’ll really like this thing, I’ve been trying to convince Sorrow to let me have one with all the maps she has of Equestria.”

Spike shook his head.

“That is the last thing we need the library. Moving on, the first thing on the list is the division of loyalty in Blueblood’s forces. The changelings that Mindy and Glaxia were able to convince to surrender were quick to point out that others might remain loyal to Blueblood. The attack on orphanage in my opinion, and the opinion of the those with me at the time, is strictly for clean up. He wants the changelings gone, including those that worked for him, and he would use the righteous fury of the public to do it.”

Luna nodded gesturing to Arcadia.

“We were discussing that very idea before you entered, but that still doesn’t explain why he is coming to the castle. Have you or your entourage come to any conclusions as to why he would make such a bold move?”

Spike dismissed the list back to nothingness it was pulled from.

“I came up with a reason, but you’re not going to like it.”

Spike stroke a claw down the links of the necklace.

“I believe that somewhere in this castle is an artifact that is directly linked to either the magics that govern this world, or to a pony that has ascended to a role much like Nepta has. He gains that power, I’m not certain we could win against him outside of Cecy or Jez stepping in.”

Luna sighed somewhat in relief, knowing only an immortal could wield her mother’s item. Then again, their mother knew of her ascension ahead of time and could plan for it.

“Only an immortal can wield the sword and scabbard of Faust. The spell of Immortality was lost in the age of Discord, and soon as he touches it he would be destroyed by the magics he seeks to control.”

Celestia’s rump hit the floor and it didn’t go unnoticed by Twilight. The unicorn sped over to her teacher.

“Princess, are you okay?”

Luna now took noticed and she too became concerned for the welfare of her sister.

‘Tia what ails you so?”

“A young adventurer, by the name of Daring Do, found the scroll of immortality on one of her quests. She brought it to me, and I...I stored it in the vault. The same vault that mother’s Sword and Scabbard reside in.”

Luna couldn’t believe what she was hearing from her own sister. Celestia was always the most cautious, always planning ahead for possible dangers. And above all else why was she not told of the vault when she returned from the moon?

“Tia, how long does it take for you to reach and enter the vault from here?”

Celestia felt a little better seeing as her sister was not openly yelling at her, which was her first guess given the dark look in her eyes. However the answer was not something Luna would like to hear either.

“It takes about forty minutes to an hour to disarm all the traps and magically undo the seal on the vault door. Operator, a map of the city please.”

The operator of the table changed the top to a perfect three dimensional map of Canterlot, including the palace. Celestia looked up at Spike and gestured to the map.

“Your best guess on where he is right now?”

Spike took a claw and placed it right near the east gate. Celestia’s eyes widened, and she was back on her hooves wings spreading wide.

“We haven’t a moment to lose, Sorrow, per chance that your technology could place us inside the vault?”

Sorrow shook her head shooting the idea down with that simple gesture.

“Many of the principals that operate a IMMT system are based in the original fixed mirror system. The crystals that make up some of the caverns below the castle could act as a control system when exposed to those energies. Glaxia and Mindy are currently in dark territory, if they run into trouble they have to withdraw or wait for support to catch up to them. Even updates through standard communications is patchy due to the crystal formations.”

“I can send Celestia or Luna there, it’s untested, but I’m not sure how safe it is for a living being.”

Celestia looked at Spike suddenly curious as was Sorrow. Spike continued the reveal of his idea as the rest took interest in this sudden solution.

“I can send them via my flame.”

A hair popped out of place on Twilight’s mane.

“Spike! have you completely lost your mind, you’re suggesting that you incinerate a princess of Equestria and send her right to Blueblood.”

“You can’t afford for me to lose my mind Twilight. What other magical or technological options do we have readily available?”

Cecilia shook her head.

“We are out of time, yet we must still think of prevention, we send anypony now, and they will arrive most certainly into a trap.”

Luna grumbled as she stared at the map.

“In all the years I have lived, never once have I had to give such an order, but this is certainly no place for our innocent subjects. I order the immediate evacuation of Canterlot and the palace staff, only the guards of commander rank or above are permitted to stay behind, and even then I strongly recommend they evacuate with the others.”

Sorrow immediately got on the wire calling down more reinforcements to assist the guards in the home by home evacuation and being quite clear that field commanders were to follow the orders of the guard liaisons






“Abbey Belle…”

“Abbey Belle, I need you to wake for a moment”

The injured changeling stirred rather painfully, and her eyes met the darkened hospital room. The beep of the machines beside her providing sound, but not the warm soft voice that roused her from slumber. She clicked and chattered in her native tongue.

“Who is there?”

A large shape came into the glow of the single light left on in the room. Abbey found herself suddenly under prepared as the alicorn approached her bed.

“No one you should fear young changeling, but my interest in you begs me to visit home for the first time since I left this place in the care of my daughters. Steadfast in your belief that I would deliver your race from the brink of starvation, and bring the acceptance from ponies you have craved for centuries. Why do you put such faith in me when it would be easier to denounce me for what I have let transpire?”

Abbey glanced to the door worried about someone catching them in their conversation. The alicorn reassured her with more gentle words.

“You need not worry about being disturbed, the door is not visible from the outside, and only the most strong willed of minds could see through the illusion. Even if they accomplished that it would still be locked, please be at ease young one, I have traveled far to meet with you, and my time is short given I am required elsewhere.”

Abbey relaxed the best she could and thought about her answer to the question posed by someone she believed held all the answers before waking her.

“Your majesty, I believe you already know why I have such faith, but if you need me to say it I will honor your request. I believe you put us on this world for reason, it was my obsession with the answer to end the suffering with education rather than force that led to my separation from my brothers and sisters. I had to have faith that you would guide us back to our purpose, that perhaps my odd behavior was your guidance, but despite my faith and my obsession I am what I am. I had to hide, I had to lie, because in this world it is the only way my kind can survive.”

The alicorn’s smile faltered a bit, before returning, and she leaned forward speaking as she gave the changeling a nuzzle.

“Indeed I have had a hoof in guiding you for another purpose. A purpose which you have completed with a resounding success in the training of Chrysalis’s heir. Abbey Belle, you have completed your purpose yet you hesitated on the threshold of death. Why would you wish to stay alive in such a world only beginning to change for the better of your kind?”

Abbey looked at her hooves.

“I was reminded of a new purpose, and so many sacrificed for me to throw it away carelessly.”

The alicorn smiled stepping back and spoke as her horn began to glow a soft gold color.

“When you wake I hope my gift does not cause you too much distress.”

Abbey went to say something but the room was becoming foggy as voices were becoming louder. She opened her eyes and was met with the stunned look of a nurse and doctor. Also standing in the room near the door was two large bipedal beings Abbey couldn’t identify. The doctor spoke first as he set the charts on the bed.

“Abbey Belle, are you consciously using magic right now?”

Abbey responded with a shake of her head causing the nurse look at the doctor for a moment before looking back.

“You are Abbey Belle, the changeling that was placed under our care by Princess Luna, fought two unicorns at the Canterlot Central Orphanage.”

Abbey nodded bringing a hoof up to wipe some crust out of her eye. That is when it started, changelings didn’t get crust in their eyes. She looked at her fur covered hoof that was missing the large holes and chitin plates. That is not to say the injuries that should be present, the machines beside her started rising in tempo, and the nurse placed a comforting hoof on Abbey.

“Clam down Abbey, I’m sure there is a reason for this, but we cannot do our jobs if you panic. Is there anything you can remember that might be a cause for this?”

Abbey chanced her voice seeing as injuries were not present on her body.

“I do, but you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. Who are they?”

Abbey gestured to the silent beings by the door.

The doctor fielded this question.

“They are the reason we came in here. The princesses have ordered the evacuation of Canterlot. It seems you are okay enough to walk out of here on your own power. However, you are still under the protection of Princess Luna, meaning you go nowhere without a guard, these stallions hail from the ship above, and are assigned to you.”

Canterlot being evacuated meant something very bad was coming, or was already here, and was about to break whatever containment the princesses have constructed to stop it. Abbey started yanking off wires and leads, the nurse managed to block her from jerking the IV out, and pulled it out the proper way. Abbey was on her hooves in no time, and under escort to the back courtyard where groups of thirty were disappearing in a bright flash only to have another thirty walk or be pushed into the area. More bipedal escorts like hers were assisting armored guards that were barking orders, as ponies from the street were being led into the courtyard from a street gate.






Blueblood stood in the room he had waited three years to enter, all around him artifacts of immense power, or scrolls with wisdom or spells of unforeseeable damage lay stacked in order. The team of earth ponies that had breached the vault stood just inside the broken wall entrance. The bravest of the team of six spoke to the silent prince.

“Your lordship, is there anything else you wish for us to do?”

Blueblood was looking through the scrolls and he paused to look over at the ponies that seemed to cower a bit under his gaze.

“Indeed I do have something, somewhere in this sea of scrolls is one that is titled, In æternum vive**, anything close you can bring to me for clarification, but the first to find it will have their payment doubled. However, be careful with these scrolls as they are centuries old, and can be destroyed by mishandling them.”

The search continued for a hoof biting thirty minutes until someone by the main door spoke up.

“My lord, I think I found it!”

The others paused praying to Celestia it was not like the other twenty failures that was submitted to be the one. Each one came with a stream of insults until the foolish one scrambled away to restart the search. Blueblood carefully read the scroll and a smile finally graced his face as he moved the ancient document to the table behind him.

“You have done well, you are all dismissed, and spend your fortune well.”

They wasted no time running out the opening they made in the vault. Blueblood picked up the scroll once again looking over the faded ink before opening his mouth to speak.

“Placant et effuderunt mortali…”*






Celestia watched the evacuation on the surface of the table. Cadance had left only minutes prior to find her husband and return to the empire under the orders of Luna. It took considerable effort to persuade Cadance on her part, let alone Luna’s arguments as to why she should return to the empire. Arcadia had left with Spike to be of assistance in the evacuation effort.

Celestia feared the lack of time, as it didn’t take a degree in magic to feel the large amount of magic being cast below their hooves, and the wisp of magic that drifted in collected above her horn. She cast the appropriate spell and the scroll dropped into her magical hold unrolling. Celestia gave a weak smile and drifted the message over to her sister and released it as Luna’s magic took hold. Celestia looked at the worried Twilight.

“Spike has secured your parents on the same train with Shining Armor and Cadance, he is waiting at the secondary lines with a full regiment of royal guards.”

Twilight let out a sigh of relief that was short lived, as the throne room doors were thrown open and threw everypony and everyone on edge. Horns, blades, and weapons were trained on the five mares, Vivian, Shion, and Jezabelle. Sorrow growled out as she holstered her pistol again.

“A little warning would have been nice Captain Barnum.”

Jezabelle let the others enter the room before closing the doors behind her and this time barring them shut.

“Com traffic is at an all time high captain, but now that the gangs all here what’s the plan?”

Luna looked at the table operator, and the silent order was completed as the map of Canterlot was back.

“The plan is to contain the spread of the influence. While the elements may not have the strength to overpower mother’s magic, they can contain it for a short while with the help of my sister and I. This will also give additional time for our subjects to evacuate the city. The placement is going to be tricky, and will take considerable courage from the bearers as well.”

Luna pointed to eight spots that were not in line of sight of each other and formed a rough circle around the palace.

“Each of us will take one of these spots. I will assign each of you a guard to help lead you and protect while we wait for the signal. When the signal is given Twilight will begin to link the elements and hopefully Tia’s and my own magic as well. It will be important that you do everything in your power to maintain it once it starts. It will be asking a lot from each of you, to channel so much power for so long, but time is what her majesties will need to defeat him.”

Rainbow Dash hovered up clearly not happy with a role as a fence post.

“Seriously, you’re asking us to be a fence, we should be pointing these things at Prince Buckhead and giving him the Discord treatment.”

Twilight turned around and glared at the pegasus.

“The magic we’re facing is stronger than the elements, and the one wielding it is not afraid to kill! He’s done it once already Rainbow, to a bunch of foals no less, and tried to blame it on changelings. So you want us to take our one shot at saving the world by standing right in front of him and throwing a metaphorical pebble at him in the hopes we manage to turn him to stone? There is a line between being awesome and being stupid, and you just dismissed an hour of planning because it’s not flashy enough for your own ego…”

The sound of a slap ended the rant, Twilight was stunned for a few seconds as Applejack brought her other hoof up off the floor to wrap Twilight in a hug.

“I’m sorry Twi, but your out of line there. Sugarcube, it’s eaten you same as me, scared ta death of dying again, but ya ain’t worth nothin thinkin’ thata way. RD runs her trap more times than I have bushel baskets, but you know that she’ll stick to the plan if we do it the princess’s way.”

The palace shuddered heavily for a second causing a few items to crash onto the floor, causing poor Fluttershy to scream and bury herself into Pinkie’s side. The operator looked at Sorrow as the table went blank.

“Magic saturation levels have passed the operational thresholds, we lost our signal shipside, we’re down to line of sight messaging, and any further orders you want to send?”

Sorrow drew her sidearm and tossed it over to the rising operator who caught it and brought it down to point at the floor safely.

“All that can be done is done, Samantha will know what to do, and get the hell clear of the threat until it blows over. So all that is left for us to do, ensign, is survive and hold the secondary lines with Spike and whatever is left of shared forces on the ground. That leads me to the question of why Lieutenant Vivian is here, Captain Barnum?”

Jezabelle looked at Sorrow, and her tone reflected the authority of speaking to a subject rather than superior.

“Lieutenant Vivian is here on the orders of my crown pending a judgment of my sister. I do not wish to carry any more innocent than I have to, so I’ll stack the odds in my favor, and someone with Vivian’s skillset can cross treat the same as Anna and Cecy.”






(On the train north of Canterlot)

Cadance looked at the mirror in her train car and wondered who put it there. Two unicorn guards were checking it for dangerous enchantments or traps, and other than for magics outside of their understanding, it showed no sign of being dangerous. Shining wouldn’t let her move any further into the train car until the rest of the guard team finished their searches.

“Captain, we found a note addressed to the princess!” A guard came from the sleeping area holding the note out for the prince to take. It was snatched from the guard before Shining lit his horn to take it. Cadance unfolded it and began to read.

Dear Princess Cadance

I think in one of our many fights you told me that I would get my just deserts for how I treated ponies when I studied under Princess Celestia. I never imagined that warning ever coming true, but it did happen despite all the reasons I told you it couldn’t. I watched my life get destroyed and eventually end figuratively when my double passed through the mirror. I was a fool Cadance, if I had listened to what Celestia was trying to teach me I would have had other ponies not so ready to believe what happened at face value. I would have had friends that would have known the difference between the real me and the fake. I had every chance for that with you, and instead I hated you for what you had and what I wanted to happen, because of some stupid mirror. I started to drive you away, and it was a mistake I regretted all the years I was imprisoned right underneath your hooves.  Lord  Blueblood orchestrated your capture with the changelings, and the one chance I came across you in the caverns I had a glimmer of hope. I called out to you but was caught and paid a heavy price when Blueblood removed my ability to speak. He was relentless in breaking whatever spirit I had left, and he came real close to it if had not made a friendship out of necessity. Red Lace is the pony name she uses, but she works as a prostitute in The Shipmaster. 

I don’t have a whole lot of time Cadance, but hopefully you keep the mirror on the train and it makes it as far from Canterlot as possible. If you’re anything of what a princess of Equestria should be you’d do just, that since it is a threat so long as Blueblood lives. It is a lot to ask of you considering who is doing the asking, but it might be my final request to anypony in this life. I’m sorry for being such an obnoxious pony to you, and please tell Celestia I’m sorry as well, or just show her the note. 

Sunset Shimmer

Cadance yanked the emergency brake cord with her magic causing her to topple but was braced up by Shining. The shouts and screams of the sudden stop were heard from other cars and Cadance got back up on her hooves as the train finally ground to a halt. Shining met the eyes of Cadance and sure enough the spark of anger was back. Cadance looked at one of the guards.

“Guardsman, I need your sword.”

The guard wasted no time unclipping the scabbard and held it out for Cadance to take. Shining asked the question that he wanted an answer for.

“Caddy, what is going on, where are we going that you need a sword?”

Cadance looked at Shining Armor and gestured to the mirror with a hoof.

“Shiny, I’m going to ask a lot of you right now, but I need you to get this mirror to the empire and put it someplace safe. I have to go back to Canterlot to fix a mistake I made a long time ago. You remember me telling you about Sunset Shimmer?”

Shining Armor’s look soured at the mention of the name, and he clearly was reluctant on the subject of escorting a mirror

“Cadance she went through the mirror, she is gone, and this is probably some ploy of Blueblood to get under your fur. Celestia and Luna both ordered you to leave, if you go back now you’re going to be in trouble, and they will dismiss your reasons the same as I just did.”

Cadance frowned at the appearance of Shining’s stubborn streak. Sure he had the reasons to be hesitant that she was making a mistake, but she had to know for sure. If there was even an ounce of truth to this letter she couldn’t abandon Sunset twice especially in her time of need.

“Shining, I’m going, and I’m ordering you to escort this mirror. You just have to trust me, just as I trust in you to get this mirror where I know it will be safe, and I promise to be safe and not take risks.”

Shining relented and Cadance smiled for a brief moment as Shining Armor looked at one of the rookie guards.

“Private Sentry, you’re the fastest flier I got on this train. You let Cadance out of your sight, I’ll train you so hard that you’ll quit. Are we clear on this private?”

Flash Sentry came to attention stance bringing a hoof up to salute his superior.

“Crystal clear, Captain Armor.”

Shining looked back at the glowering Cadance.

“That is the measure of our compromise, can I get a kiss before you go, or did I just put nixes to that?”

Cadance bent her head down and gave the soft nuzzle that was usually their precursor to the kiss that soon followed. The guards respectfully looked away to give them some measure of privacy within the space.  All too soon the kiss ended and Cadance made her way out, Captain Armor was back to barking orders at the remaining guards. Cadance hung the sword around her neck considering the strap was too small to fit properly where it was supposed to go. Cadance ignored it as she sped towards the mountain in the distance, the tips of the palace just barely visible above the edge of it.






(The vault beneath the palace)

Blueblood held the item in his hooves and felt such unbelievable power, never in all his years could he believe how ironic this situation was. Indeed the quill was stronger than the steel of blades, or that the ink could outclass even the elements of harmony in magic. He searched for a piece of parchment and dipping the quill it was time to correct a failing of the immortality spell.
Prince Blueblood is to be granted the wings and power of an alicorn.

Blueblood watched the words fade off the page and was about to accuse the items as being false when his whole body suddenly felt like it was on fire. Wings of energy appeared on his back and solidified into the matching color feathered wings that his aunts and cousin bore. As the burning in his body faded away he noticed the floor was further away. He approached a regular mirror across the room and indeed he was taller, only a few hooves taller than his cousin, but still slightly shorter than his Aunt Luna. He unfolded his wings and admired them through the reflection.

“Truly magnificent, a true prince if I ever saw one...no...a king, with this power any and all will bow before me. However, it is time I made a few more empty statues in the garden.”

Blueblood returned to the crystal caverns to make his way to the secret exit into the palace. As he walked a wonderful idea crossed his mind and taking the quill in his magic once more he wrote upon the parchment.

Six golems of crystal, untouchable by magic, one for each element bearer to whom they will seek. Once found, each golem will become the prison entombing the one they sought and return to me. 

Blueblood put the items away looking over the dark cavern he was in, he startled a bit as six pairs of red eyes suddenly looked back at him from the darkness. A low moan emanated from the cavern as the sound of breaking rock and shattering crystal registered in his ears. Blueblood would not admit publically that the whole thing freaked him out, and he quickly made his way out of the caverns.






(palace statue gardens, the statue of Discord)

Cecilia laughed a bit to no one in particular since the garden was deserted, before looking up at the stone statue.

“You do understand if I ever pulled something like that my mother would hang me by my tail.”

Cecilia felt the tremor under her feet.

“I felt it too, he’s getting serious, and I have to say he’s doing a bit better than you did on your latest breakout. Then again he’s watched a few fail hard in the villain department, and made adjustments since then.”

Cecilia refolded her wings but stiffened suddenly putting a hand to her ear.

“What was that, I didn’t quite hear you there?”

Cecilia leaned back as far as she was able as she mock gasped in surprise of what she heard.

“You...Discord, master of chaos, want to help? I don’t know what to say to that.”

Cecilia snapped her fingers and the stone dissolved away leaving Discord to answer audibly and completely unaware that he was loose. He was still maintaining his pose on the pedestal.

“Yes, Yes, I know complete shocker to even me, but I wouldn’t ever get out if King Buckhead managed to get on the throne.”

He blinked his eyes twice, and gravity took over causing him to topple sideways. However, before he hit the ground he teleported back up in the air to float as his lion paw and eagle claw patted down the length of his body.

“I’m free, I don’t believe…”

Glancing at the raised eyebrow expression on Cecilia his eagle claw snapped and he was standing on his legs with all his limbs in the correct spots. He bowed slightly speaking quite seriously for someone who spent his entire existence pulling pranks or jokes on others.

“How may I be of service your majesty, and might I say you look better than when we first met.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes the smile coming back on her face.

“Thank you Discord, but I’m afraid your release is only temporary, as I cannot fully override what harmony has decreed for you. What I can do for you is shorten your term based on how well you do tonight.”

Cecilia shifted her clothing to that of a business suit and she stood in front of a slot machine that she pulled the handle on and the spinners began to stop. From left to right he got a six over a picture of a calendar month, the next was an arrow pointing to the next column over, and the final column had a picture of Fluttershy giving her adorable one eyed wink with a number one imposed over it all.

“So with these numbers and you still willing to help, the term will be shortened to six months if you you really bust your tail and don’t die, or a year if you give it minimal effort.” The side facing Discord spat out a sheet with the precise terms on it and Cecilia returned back to her dress and the machine vanished as well.

“All it needs is your paw print on the line.”

Discord face palmed into his lion paw.

“That was terrible, you are better off leaving the chaos to me, I’m going to have nightmares at how pathetic that was.”

Cecilia put her hands on her hips just in front of her sword hilts.

“I do believe there is a vacant pedestal with you name on it. Quite literally in fact, and since you’re making fun of my attempt I’ll just take this and shred it.”

Cecilia bent down to pick up the piece of paper only to have a lion paw pin it down. Discord was even eye level with her.

“Let’s not be too hasty, but you’re seriously going to attend my chaos seminar soon as I’m free again.”

Cecilia smiled and threw an arm around Discord’s neck.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but only if you bring your best material.”

Discord made a gagging noise and had a disgusted look on his face.

“Yuck, you're getting all friendshippy on me.”

With a flash he was above Cecilia again, and scrubbing away with a shampoo labeled friendship with a red circle and diagonal line through the circle.

Cecilia picked up the piece of paper.

“Well, what I need you to do is keep the elements and the princesses safe, the golems that Blueblood just made are immune to magic, but they are not immune to conventional weapons that the Lady of Sorrow’s has. If they should break the containment try to slow them down, but get the element bearers to the train station.”

Discord rolled his eyes as he dried them off in his paw before popping them back into their sockets.

“I should have known there would be a catch to this.”

Cecilia sighed turning to leave and she paused after a few steps to look over her shoulder.

“You’ll figure it out  in six months to a year, but I suggest you move since the golems are going to be breaking the surface right where you’re floating.”






Twilight was nervously pacing at her assigned spot as the tremors got worse, and when the first of the low moans escaped she froze and looked at her pegasus guard.

“Sir, can you kindly fly up and tell me what is making that noise?”

The guard did as asked and flew up to roof top height before making a slow gliding turn. From the general direction of the palace gardens stood a building size crystal being with red glowing eyes looking right back at him. The sight of it terrified him and he noticed two others moving in the direction of the bearers closest to his. That made three of these colossal beings. He got back on the ground quickly to report.

“Large crystal beings, total of three that I saw, each one moving for an element bearer including us, they are slow moving but I estimate ten to fifteen minutes before ours reaches us.”

Twilight racked her vast mental library of books trying to think of what type of beast or construct that would be. Nothing was coming to mind, but the threat was real to her friends.

This is not the time to try a figure it out, this has to be the sign Cecy was talking about.

Twilight just hoped she was right and started the process. Her element beginning to glow brighter as what could only be described as Captain Armors shield spell began to form in front of Twilight. Twilight felt Rarity and Rainbow Dash’s elements join and the shield formed faster.

Sweet Celestia, this is nothing even close to hard, this is insane, how are we to maintain this if I’m already feeling like I’m going to catch on fire? 






Cadance and Flash cleared the peak and had a bird’s eye view of the last of the rainbow ribbons linking to Luna. The shield was almost complete, forcing the two to stress their wings to the max to make for the slowly closing window to get inside. They made it not a moment too soon, but the first of their troubles began as they both had to separate to dodge the huge tower of the palace that came out of nowhere. Getting back into some resemblance of a formation, they made the wide loop to dump their excessive speed and have time to choose a landing spot on the palace. Cadance decided that she was going to avoid the obvious places trouble would find them, and landed on Celestia’s balcony.

She had to grit her teeth as her wings folded, she would pay for all her stunts ten fold later, and that was if there was no joint damage to make the process longer. She was not even an hour into her trip and already pushing against the extreme of the gray area in her promise to stay safe. She turned her attention to Flash, and despite his protocols to stand ready, she could tell by the fact he was trying to fold his wings he would need special attention later as well.

“Private Sentry, under no circumstances are you to act aggressively towards Sunset should we locate her. If we come across Blueblood we run, and pray to Faust he doesn’t have any time to do anything horrible.”

Flash gave his salute and they entered Celestia’s quarters with the help of an unlock spell. Cadance left a note for her aunt that they came through her room. In the hall she reapplied the locking spells before setting her destination for the castle library. The castle felt colder with the lack of ponies that usually milled about doing various tasks. It didn’t help their nerves any with the moaning of those golems outside, and the sounds of fighting in other parts of the castle. The latter was probably the confrontations with Jezabelle and Cecilia and whatever Blueblood cooked up to fight them, or himself if he was power tripping bad enough to grow a false spine.

If the castle was promoting a bad vibe, the royal library felt like Tartarus. Lights were out, trap runes were everywhere, and the restricted section had a barrier spell placed on it that had the familiar chill of Luna’s magic. A quick sweep of magic revealed the vast room to be empty, yet even Flash was on edge from the constant nag of being watched by somepony.

“Princess, we should leave, clearly she is not here. Perhaps we should try her old room, here in the castle?”

Cadance was hoping Sunset was still holding onto some of her bad habits.

“I was afraid of that, but why would she put mirror on the train and not leave with it?”

Flash continued to watch the dark room with his ears, but unsure if the question was directed at him so he answered it observing regulations.

“Your highness, permission to speak freely.”

Cadance rolled her eyes.

“Private, you have standing permission to speak freely while we’re alone.”

Flash quickly responded with his answer.

“Ma’am, clearly she is attempting to slip the prince’s control, and if my briefing is true then he could simply summon her back with a quill stroke. If he were to use some sort of higher sense and determine she was on the train he would discover the mirror as well. Then all the hard work Ms. Shimmer did would be for nothing. It would make sense for her to remain here, from a tactical standpoint.”

Cadance nodded and began moving for the servants entrance.

“I just wish she would have left us a clue to follow.”






(Secondary lines, 883rd Royal guard regiment)

Spike watched the golems pound on the barrier right at the points where his friends stood. He was in amazement at how long they were holding the barrier. He took his focus off the amazing feat of magic that would make Trixie jealous, and gave Nepta a mental nudge.

The cracks are getting worse, you sure there is nothing we can do?”

Nepta heard this question more than once as the day – and now the night – progressed, and her answer stayed the same.

There is nothing we can do without the full of my power being restored, and Cecilia won’t allow that until the amulet is no longer in possession by Braxus.

Spike was quiet for just a moment and some obscure piece of information popped in his head.

You told me earlier that a dragon forges their amulet for life, but if you died but ascended then technically when you became part of me you are alive again. You can reforge your amulet and remove your ties to your old one.

Nepta sighed internally knowing he spotted the slight technicality.

Spike, even if we were successful, the consequences would be yours to shoulder. You would be forever altered in species, in gender, or in the worst case you die in the process. If you do happen to survive it, you become part of my family, and I wouldn’t ask that of any child of mine. Spike, this not something I will humor you with, it’s dangerous, and you gave your word to your sister.” 

Spike took off and glided over to the train station. Sorrow was busy directing her soldiers as Glaxia stood off to the side playing with a group of fillies waiting for the train. Sorrow paused as Glaxia stopped playing, her face lighting up with a smile.

“Spike!”

Sorrow turned around, raising an eyebrow.

“To what pleasure do you pay me a visit, Prince Spike?”

Spike ignored the screaming dragon goddess in his head.

“I need you to teach me how to forge an amulet.”

As Sorrow tossed her tablet onto a table a level of seriousness descended to a somewhat quiet train station.

“Spike, it's a small technicality, but if you came to me you’re fully prepared for the consequences. We cannot perform it here.”

Sorrow turned to look at Glaxia.

“Any desert on this planet, preferably not close to any settlements, they’ll bring me back, and you’re in charge.”

Glaxia completed the request and the officers looked to her. Glaxia untangled herself from the mess of hooves that was hanging onto her. They wanted her to keep playing with them, and they looked so sad. Glaxia forced a smile onto her face.

“Now, none of that, I had fun, you had fun, but I have to go be important right now. Maybe you can ask your parents to be in charge of something too, and really help them out.

A few more protests that resulted in hugs, but eventually Glaxia was rescued by the fillies parents coming over to collect their daughters. Glaxia approached the table picking up her mother’s tablet and gave it a quick glance before looking at the expectant officers.

“So how’s the fence holding up?”

The stallion in charge of observing spoke up quickly.

“The cracks are getting worse, and the unicorns think it can go any minute now. All teams have arrived at their predetermined spots, we’re as ready as we can be.”

Glaxia looked at the maps on the table.

“I surely hope so, because it's about to start right now. Recovery Three reported a hole just now. Everyone and everypony get to your stations. Risk takers are grave makers, save the heroics for the bar, and the first round is on me.”

It was a scramble as the shield flickered one last time before shattering into motes of energy to fall like snow as it winked out. Whole groups of pegasi guards were already airborne gaining altitude to their holding pattern as they waited to drop their payloads on an assigned target. Glaxia watched her equal in terms of guard command step up to the table.

“You ready for this commander?”

The mare looked at Glaxia raising an eyebrow.

“I could ask you the same question, and its Captain Comet Tail. Just call me Tail for short, this is not exactly how I wished to earn my first major command post.”

Glaxia smiled and gave her a friendly shove on the shoulder.

“Have some pride or I’m going to hug you!”






(Recovery Team Four, right as the shield fell)

Arrows and bolts of light exchanged sides, with a side of tremors as the golem approached the position of Recovery Four. Soon as the shield was gone the exchange had begun, but numbers favored the enemy, and being a city there was plenty of avenues for the enemy to flank their position. The defenders found themselves wondering how in the name of the queen did they not know about the ground forces prior to the shield going down. Eternity would have been a shorter period of time as they waited on the team to bring who they came for.

Rarity was aware of the shouting and the steady flashing of lights that had the accompanying pulse like sound. Hooves pushed her to roll, she could could feel the rough canvas of the stretcher, her unfocused eyes could catch the glint of metal as the flashes of light reflected off the surface.

“Who?”

Rarity was shocked at how dry and weak her voice was, and was further surprised to hear a response.

“Lady Rarity, I’m Crossed Stitches, reserve guard medic, and I need you to stay awake as much as possible. You still took a nasty spill even with your protection guard breaking most the fall. I did what I can to ease the pain, but it might hurt once we start moving to the cart.”

Rarity moved her eyes to the voice, but they were still a blurry and her mind was getting cloudy as the option to sleep it off looked more promising by the second.  The voice was back along with a soft nudge.

“Don’t you dare fall asleep on me.”

More voices were heard speaking and now a constant red light filled her vision.

“It’s about time you got here, driver, floor it, anything gets in the way you run it over!”

“Yes sir!”






(Recovery One, chariot extraction from the palace viewing balconies)

“Hell of time to have air sickness private, get your gun up and back up our fliers out there before they get killed saving your ass!”

The private finished spitting out the vomit as he tried his best to aim down his rifle at the pursuing griffons, a conscious Celestia trying to hang on to the medical attendant as if her life depended on it.

One of the pullers shouted back at the chariot.

“We’ve caught up to Recovery Two, and things are not looking good. Princess Luna seems to be okay, but they're down a puller and only have one escort guard left.”

The lead looked up and smiled at the good fortune coming down to help. A full platoon of reserves split up between the two struggling teams.

“It seems your comrades have come to help.”

The pursuing enemy pulled back heading back into the parts of the city they controlled for now. The pullers exchanged looks with each other, and they began the glide into land at the train station. Cheers erupted from both sides for a moment as the princesses were carried over to the medical area for examination. Luna could see beds with Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Twilight. Tatiyana caught her looking and moved over to the princesses.

“We’ve no word from Recovery Five, but Recovery Eight did pass them on a road before being forced to split up by the golem chasing Recovery Four. You know about as much as anyone outside of command at this point.”

Luna gestured with her nose at the sleeping mares.

“Thou must tell thee how thy friends fair?”

Vivian came up to the table and taking the tablet from one of the nurses to read for a moment she answered the question.

“If your speech is slipping I diagnose you as exhausted, but they are in no danger. Rarity has a concussion, Twilight and Rainbow Dash share your affliction, Applejack was okay, but in transit a hard turn caused her to fall wrong and fractured a hoof. Pinkie was found unconscious, field diagnosis was exhaustion, but further examination discovered severe low blood sugar levels. Somehow a cloud of cotton candy and a cup of chocolate milk ended up by her table, I turn to ask who brought it, and look back and it's gone with traces on her muzzle. I’m still trying to figure that out, but she’s stabilized and we are monitoring her sugar levels.  Celestia has a few small lacerations that require bandages while sharing your affliction and that sums up everypony you asked about.”

Celestia had to blink to make sure she was actually seeing what just happened, and sure enough in the course of Vivian talking to Luna the overly kind doctor had started an IV without Luna being the wiser. Luna looked at the tube her eyes widened, but Vivian placed a finger on her lips causing the princess's eyes to cross for a moment before they blinked and set into a glare. Vivian kept her smile in place and pulled her hand back to her side.

“We do not take kindly to trickery!”

Vivian’s soft laugh confused and riled Luna a bit more, and the doctor merely leaned in to give the princess a kiss on the forehead. Vivian picked up her tablet glancing at the still contemplative Luna.

“Now you get to sit back and watch me pull a fast one on Celestia.”

Luna looked at Tatiyana.

“What does ‘pulling a fast one’ mean?”

Anna answered as she and pony nurses finished their clean up of the lunar princess.

“It’s another way of saying trickery as you put it a moment ago.”

Luna humphed as a more permanent rolling bed was situated next to the table.

“I wager ten bits she is unsuccessful.”

Celestia frowned at her sister’s idea, nopony knew about her terror of needles—well nopony still alive, that is—and she was not about to have that exposed in front of her sister.

“Sorry Lulu, but I’m not going to agree to have one to begin with.”

Vivian smirked as she returned from the supply table with materials to clean Celestia.

“You already have one Celestia. Tatiyana started yours before moving to help the nurses start on Luna.”

Celestia glanced down at her foreleg.

"So she did."

Vivian’s tablet started screaming alarms, which got the attention of every conscious patient and nurse. Celestia faced dragons and any manner of terror for her ponies, yet Luna watched her pass out and get caught by the nurses from a simple needle in the leg.

Vivian silenced her tablet and spoke as she continued on with the care of the solar princess.

“If she breaks the subject of her fear, you can talk about it, but you are not allowed to bring it up.”





(Recovery Five, in the house of Lemon Hearts )

Fluttershy was trying to do her best to stay brave. There wasn’t much else she could do tied to the back of her current transport and last of her defenders. The young woman was at her wits end as well, between the wreck of the truck and the attempt on foot her entire squad was wiped out. The only good news was the air support was keeping the golem from catching up quickly. However, its changes in direction were also a good indicator for enemy ground forces to pursue. She couldn’t risk exposing herself to signal the flying ponies for help, and her latest place to rest was someone’s home.

She undid the ties and Fluttershy felt the floor take some of the weight as the human twisted around to finished settling her on the floor.

“I’m so sorry Fluttershy, but to get any closer would be suicide for us both.”

The pegasus drew the kneeling woman into an embrace.

“It’s okay, you did your best, and you don’t need to apologize for any of it. I’m the one who is useless, if I had half the courage of Rainbow, I wouldn’t freeze up forcing you to carry me so much. You can still make it if you leave me here.”

The woman pulled out of the embrace, and Fluttershy gasped at how tight her hand gripped her hoof.

“I will hear no more of that kind of talk, I joined the military for people just like you, and I would disgrace the fifth if I left you here to save my own skin. I’m just scared, scared I would be making the sacrifice so early, and I wanted to have a kid of my own someday too.”

The shudder of the ground grew in intensity, signalling the approach of the golem. They would need to move soon or risk getting caught in an explosion. Fluttershy watched the soldier take stock of her equipment, but something about her last statement begged a question to be asked. She mustered her courage and asked her voice barely that of a normal speaking voice, but above a whisper.

“What is your name, if you don’t mind me asking that is?”

The soldier finished her check, and let out a sigh before answering the question.

“Corporal Jessica Walters, why do you ask?”

Fluttershy smiled looking up at Jessica.

“So I can tell my children who saved me today.”

Jessica had to do a double take as she spotted a data pad sitting on the mantle.

“The hell…”

Jessica walked over and took it down, and a creepy tingle ran down her spine knowing this was from her dead squad leader. Fluttershy looked at her with concern and worry at her sudden outburst. Jessica smiled and touched a few places on the display.

“Glaxia command, Recovery Five, authenticate midnight sun, and request immediate support at my location.”

Glaxia’s voice came almost immediately, and the front of the display changed to a static riddled display of the two commanders.

“Corporal Walters, where is the rest of your team, and what is the status of Fluttershy?”

The amount of relief that swelled up in Jessica threatened tears.

“The rest of the team is dead, Fluttershy is with me, but she is unable to walk. I have to move out soon, if I stay too long in one place they will surround us, and you should be able to track us.”

Glaxia moved out of the picture the pony standing there spoke quickly.

“Do whatever it takes to keep her safe, we’re putting together a rescue party, your new authentication is rubic.”

Jessica shook her head.

“Negative, I’m coming to you, I’ll authenticate at the line with the word rubic.”

Jessica in effect hung up, strapping the data pad in place, and loaded Fluttershy on her back.






(Pegasi combat staging area F)

Mindy had to resort to carrying Glaxia as they weaved through the waiting ranks of small groups being reloaded with a round ball of explosives stuffed in a sock with a detonator. Explosive experts from Glaxia trained replacements on how set off the makeshift bombs, and the crash course in aerial bombing.

Mindy found who they were looking for resting with other blue suited pegasi. The best fliers this country had if Mindy heard Captain Tail correctly, and so far they were living up to the praise. The chalkboard beside their rally point had more success checks than any of the groups she passed so far.

Glaxia was set down and she immediately spoke; “Captain Spitfire, we have a priority mission, and we need no room for errors.”

Spitfire cracked an eye from her cat nap. “You are aware we’ve flown about 30 so called priority missions. What makes this one different, because if you send us up now there is a good chance I’ll start losing friends at a rate I’m not comfortable with.”

Glaxia was quick to answer and stayed to the point. “We just reestablished contact with Recovery Five and of the eleven that were sent out to pick up the target. So far only one defender remains alive to protect the target.”

Spitfire closed her eyes and kept them closed through her response. “Can we at least have a drink before we charge to our deaths?”

Glaxia smiled; “I have just the stuff you’d be interested in.”





(Canterlot Palace Throne Room)

Cecilia finished the latest round of Blueblood’s creations. The self made alicorn prince seemed determined to not get his hooves dirty and fight her directly, which was probably smart considering her experience in combat alone. Then again, she was not content with him sitting there watching either.

“You’ve been a very bad pony, Blueblood.”

Cecilia glanced over at her sister, and Jezabelle shrugged in a way to say ‘it wasn’t me.’

Blueblood stood up from Celestia’s throne with a laugh.

“I thought we already tried parlor tricks Cecilia, your illusions are annoying, and to mimic a queen violates one of your own rules right?”

Cecilia caught sight of the newcomer and smiled turning back to Blueblood.

“There is no illusion or violation. The original is present, your queen is present, although a bit late might I add.”

Faust merely rolled her eyes.

“Your highness, the traffic outside was just ridiculous, and poor Fluttershy’s lone defender needed a boost in morale.”

Cecilia smirked casting a shield spell.

“You brought friends, you do know that I cannot repair your throne room right?”

Faust followed suit along with Jezabelle.

“I think repairing a castle is foal's play to building a world from imagination to reality.”

The horde of enemies between the entrance to the throne room and the throne itself was blasted straight through the the opposing wall.

Nepta stepped through the giant hole in the wall. She looked pissed and the few enemies that charged her found the tip of her flaming halberd incinerated with the intensity of a sun.

Nepta looked at Blueblood and gave a dismissive snort of smoke his way before making her way to where her fellow queens stood.

“Your majesty, I’m not very happy with you. What you did was reckless, and could have gotten him killed or worse.”

Jezabelle shifted her scythe to lean against her other shoulder.

“Glad to see you too Nepta, we can always put you back there if you don’t like the circumstances of your return.”

A glare that could turn mountains to magma focused on Jezabelle, and Cecilia laughed at the slight smolder of her sisters cloak. Jezabelle brushed the small ember off her shoulder.

“Thanks sis, you’re a real help here, death is not supposed to feel this warm.”

“ENOUGH!”

Blueblood effectively got their attention, his seething anger at being ignored finally having reached a boiling point. Nepta’s eyes widened in shock as Faust's shrank to pin pricks in the same feeling. Blueblood’s aura had changed, from its pale white, to black as coal, malevolent energies began to rise exponentially, and it was clear that left unchecked Blueblood would make the last life altering choice of his existence.

“Think about what you’re doing, you commit to that you cease to be who you are. You’re not too late to stop, but any further will bar me from helping you.”

Nepta tried to appeal to him, hoping to spare a worse punishment befalling him. Blueblood reared up on his hind hooves while his wings spread out for balance.

“I don’t want your help, I want you all to die!”

His forehooves slammed down cracking the marble and sent wave of dark magic flooding back. It chewed at their shields, and when it passed Faust was immediately dodging the incoming attack with a short teleport. Blueblood’s black blade of magic left a huge gash in the marble that seemed to have black tar bubbling out of it. Faust reappeared at the throne, her expression grim. Her subject was gone, and swallowed in his own madness his destruction was certain. If not for that fact alone, she would have a touch of pride for his ability to hold his own against Nepta’s devastating strikes. Faust shook her head, now wasn’t the time for thinking, it was a time for action, and she could not let herself be sentimental to what her subject has done.

Picking up her discarded quill and inkwell she touched each item to either side of her flank. The swell of power was welcome along with the return of her cutie mark. With its return she lit her horn to summon forth the last half of her power left behind for the benefit of her world.






(Canterlot Train Station Medical Station)

Twilight was giving the nurses the twenty questions treatment when it started, a pull upon her element, and fearing the worst she resisted the pull with little effect. Gasps nearby broke her out of concentration and she watched as her friends’ elements were already loose and moving towards the castle. Hers followed suit and she watched helplessly as Equestria’s strongest defense was possibly stolen by Blueblood.





(In Fashion Boutique, 4 blocks from the main battle line)

Fluttershy was doubly helpless as she watched Jessica fight hand to hand against the latest swarm to storm the boutique they hid in. Watching her element drift away gave her that feeling of failure, and a fear of what the princesses would say to her when they found out she let something important slip out of her hooves.






Faust accepted the elements as they came in, her first step crushed loyalty, the necklace and gem warping into the ornamental shoe. The gem taking on a deep amber color, the same thing happened to honesty, laughter, and generosity. Magic formed to her needs in a set of armor, and the trailing kindness reformed to the most basic crown to ever grace a leader. The simple gold circlet with the matching deep amber gem at its center.

Faust reached the bottom of the steps and the last of her power arrived, the half crescent blades of the sun and moon respectively. One burned with white golden flames and  the other a soft silver light. Her rise in power was noticed and her blades crossed to lock the dark blade and swing it away, her quick shield took the brunt of his dark blast. He backed away to the ceiling, she wasn’t about to let that slide with all that had happened, and spreading her wings she gave chase. Her blades following, to parry his strikes, as they battled it out in multicasting in the high ceiling of the throne room.






(The Shipmaster, Canterlot Dock District)

Cadance climbed out of the tunnel and Flash was busy looking around the room. The smells of perfume and floral arrangements couldn’t completely mask the smells of alcohol and sex. Flash tried one of the two other doors and it opened into an alley. He closed it and moved across the room to quietly open the other to see a mare sitting at the bar.

“Your highness, I think we are at the destination, there is a mare at the bar that fits Sunset Shimmer’s description, but given changelings are involved I recommend proceeding with weapons drawn.”

Cadance pushed the door the rest of the way open with her magic as she entered the main room of the bar. Sunset turned to look at them both as Flash hurried to stand between Cadance and Sunset. Sunset looked back and pulled down two more glasses and filled them while refilling her own. She finished by levitating the two new glasses down to the closest point on the bar to where the princess and guard stood.

“So you doomed us all by not listening to my note.”

Cadance looked at Flash.

“Stand down, and enjoy that drink. It’s not every day and mare buys a stallion a drink for no reason at all.”

Cadance moved closer and sat beside Sunset.

“If the train stayed on time, Shining Armor will have the mirror secured within the Crystal Palace, and that said I didn’t doom us all.

Sunset set her glass down rather forcefully, and turned an aggravated look on the princess.

“What did you track me down for?”

Cadance brought her drink down to her and took a sip, immediately hating the choice Sunset made. In reality she needed time to think of something to say, because as it stood it was as if time never passed and the same mare sat beside her. The truth presented in the note painted a completely different pony.

“Sunset, the first rule of being a princess is taking care of the subjects that look to us for guidance and safety. I’ve done a decent job at it, but your letter pointed out how bad I failed you.”

“How was you to know I was going to get taken and used to achieve a means to an end?”

Cadance set her glass down after a sip.

“I failed before that happened, I let my anger get the better of me, and in our last fight I told you many things I later regretted but was to proud to apologize for. I abandoned you, and failed as a princess, in the end I guess you were right.”

Sunset finished her glass setting it down.

“You don’t have to worry about me being that bad anymore, Red Lace did quite a number on the old Sunset, but I still have my moments. You did pretty good for yourself, not everypony gets to marry the Captain of the Royal Guard, or rule an empire that has been gone for a thousand years. They don’t have your talent in matchmaking.”

Cadance finished the horrible drink and waived off a refill.

“Speaking of Red Lace, would she have been working here at the beginning of Blueblood’s campaign?”

Sunset seemed to sag a little in posture.

“Probably, she’s most likely dead or captured.”

Cadance’s ear twitched a bit, and a smile crept to her face.

“So have we found a special somepony?”

Sunset rolled her eyes and took a drink as Cadence turned to see the slight blush on her cheeks.

“Oh my Celestia, you do have a thing for her! Red Lace is very much alive and has taken asylum within the commonwealth of Glaxia.”

Sunset finished the glass.

“That sounds like it's outside of Equestria.”

Cadence gave a nervous laugh.

“Let’s just say you need more than a train ticket.”






(Main Battle Line)

Long Trot joined the guard to cash in on the assistance it provided in education, and to see places that he normally couldn’t afford to travel to. Never in his wildest of nightmares would he believe he would be fighting hoof to hoof in the streets of Canterlot. His group of unicorns and earth pony guards were being reinforced by off worlders since the last golem had changed course towards their position. Word from command was this golem was chasing what was left of Recovery Five, which was last reported heading their way, and Long Trot had made sure every pony under his lead knew the code word.

“Rubic.”

Long Shot nearly jumped out of his armor at how close that sounded to him. He saw nothing, yet his mouth worked on automatic.

“Everypony listen up, code was given, do not attack, come on out Recovery Five.”

A storm drain cover lifted and slid over, and the guards watched in awe as Jessica climbed out with Fluttershy clinging to her chest. The battered and injured soldier covered in every manner of filth stared at the ponies for a good long moment before sitting down. She moved an arm to support Fluttershy. Long Shot motioned with a swing of his head and the medic for his unit moved forward, nose scrunching up from the smell, and he stopped a hoof reach distance away from the pair.

“Corporal Walters, I need to examine you both, but any major injuries?”

She shook her head; “Minor stuff, but we did have to crawl through a sewer to get under their lines sir.”

He tilted his head to the side; “Corporal, do you know you have a wound on your side?”

Jessica could definitely feel it now and with a sigh she gently set Fluttershy down to stand on her own. “I honestly could feel only a burning sensation, but it wasn’t debilitating to my mission.”

The medic was giving it a closer look while things floated out of his saddle bags to treat the bleeding; “I think some stitches, light duty, some anti infection medicine, and a good scrubbing should take care of your ails. I’d love to do more, but we don’t have the means here to wash you both up.



Twilight was just getting settled down from her freakout over the elements being whisked away when being helped into the area was Fluttershy. The pegasus was starting to tear up seeing her friends were okay, while the two nurses that accompanied Fluttershy pushed in close to support her. Then it started, Pinkie shot over and wrapped her in a hug, and pretty soon the whole gang was all welcoming their friend with hugs and words of comfort. Fluttershy didn’t care about the tears rolling down her muzzle, she finally felt completely safe, and could give in to her exhaustion.

Vivian and Anna went back to work on their patients on the tables. Vivian spoke to the two nurses that accompanied Fluttershy as she stitched a guards wing.

“So who gets the thanks for bringing her in?”

“That would be Corporal Jessica Walters, and she’ll make a full recovery after a few hours of much deserved rest. She was the only survivor of the Recovery Five team.”

“How many was that?”

Tatiyana fielded Celestia’s question.

“Three feather jockeys, two rifleman, one gunner running the turret, driver, navigator which is squad leader, a royal guard medic, and squad medic. So nine lives lost out of eleven.

Luna blinked a bit at how casual Tatiyana spoke of five shipmates being dead.

“How can you be so calm about it?”

Tatiyana finished and looked to the receiving nurse and she shook her head. Tatiyana peeled off her protective gear and threw it in a marked trash container. She poured herself a glass of water and after a drink she answered Luna’s question.

“I’m calm because right now thousands more are training to take the place of those we lost here.”

The sky lit up in fire as the ground shook, and passing just a few meters above the walls was the formation of Wonderbolts that delivered the final blow. They stayed in sight as they started a long turn to get rid of their dive speed.

“Commander…”

Tatiyana looked to the entrance and standing there was Mindy with the limp form of Glaxia in her hands. Tatiyana moved over pulling out her tablet.

“What happened to her?”

Mindy went to explain as she laid Glaxia onto the bed the nurses wheeled over.

“The young lady forgets she’s a kid in body, Captain Tail has assumed full command until Sorrow or Prince Spike returns. General Silverton is advising on our end, and I’ll be observing here as she is under my guard until relieved.”

Tatiyana’s scan revealed exactly what the Mindy explained, and she put her tablet away and followed the bed back to her table.

“We’ll take care of her, and any word on when it will end?”

Mindy stayed close as Tatiyana laid Glaxia on her table and started removing the pieces of her costume.

“You’re guess is as good as mine commander, but from what I can tell the enemy seemed to evaporate right along with the golem. Feather jockeys were sent out to check before we start pushing into the city. That’s the extent of what we managed to pull out of aides working the command area.”

Vivian finished awhile ago, but listened in while she took her break before she would start her first round within the recovery area. Tatiyana merely nodded her acknowledgement of what the Mindy said as she removed the wing assembly to set it aside. Vivian spoke up pulling a salute.

“Thank you Senior First Lieutenant, and let's hope the report is favorable.”

Mindy returned the salute before going quiet and Vivan turned her attention to the five mares still around Fluttershy.

“Ladies, I’ll let it slide that you wanted to greet the return of your friend, but I don’t need to look to ensure the orders of my colleagues stating she needs to rest. So please don’t make me order it, but kindly show her to a bed so she can rest. Then I suggest you do the same despite how you might feel.”






(Canterlot Castle Kitchens)

Faust felt herself being helped up by the aide of familiar magic. She turned and her mouth fell open as her husband stood there with a smile upon his face.

“You need to be more careful, tougher doesn’t mean you’re not going to feel that in the morning. And before you ask how this is possible I’m not really alive. I was lost in the corruption, call me conscience, call me a voice of your soul, but no matter what you call me you need to wake up.”

Faust began to tear up flinging her forehooves around his neck.

“I can’t beat him, every advantage we gain his darkness grows to match us blow for blow. If he is still gaining strength like this, we’ll lose, and my world…”

He ran a paw through her mane.

“Lauren, we faced worse together, and never once did I hear what I am hearing now.”

Faust leaned back to look into the eyes of the draconequus that her husband became. It had been so long since someone had called her by her first name. She didn’t even flinch as the eagle claw wiped the tears from under her eyes. Then the magic she felt made sense, and her heart ached worse knowing this moment wouldn’t last.

“How long did Discord give you?”

He gently set her down to stand on all her hooves.

“Long enough, but it’s time wake up Lauren.”

He snapped his claws and Faust felt herself thrown into the tempest of darkness swirling around her consciousness. The voice within the swirling shades of black continuing an onslaught of hopeless statements and the promise of no pain should she just give in. Why did he throw her back into this, what use was there to be awake to see only darkness, and hear only hopeless words. It would have been nice to see Luna’s face when she came walking out to greet her. She was so young when she had to leave, Celestia pleaded with her to stay, but it would be nice to see them both again. Celestia with her smiles that lit up the day, rather than in tears with a young Luna pressed into her side bawling her eyes out.

A point of light caught her attention, where did that come from? Did her daughter's sense her distress, were they so foolish as to come to the palace when the danger was so great? The mother in her rose and the point of light got bigger, the fog in her mind was clearing, and things began to make sense. It was positive emotions that were breaking the hold the darkness had, and she began to branch into other areas. All the mother’s she would make happy when she graced them with happy innocent foals, the elderly she would welcome after a tired journey in life, and further make them happy with the reunion to family that went before them. Starswirl’s lectures at what he discovered about magic in the afterlife, even if he was so far from being right, it made him happy and she would listen and give him a crumb of information to get him searching on another track. Clover would sit with her and they would get scolded as he would catch them joking to each other about his lectures.

She would visit the statue of her husband in her personal courtyard. Each stroke of her quill, each color flooding into the emptiness of space until the world was made, and at her side he was always there offering suggestions. He gifted her the moon on their anniversary, and she gifted him back months later with the birth of their last daughter. The look of pure love in his eyes as he gave that last kiss before he succumbed to the corruption. How it always made her float and tingle all over, and burst into song. Faust opened her eyes and she was just touching down to stand in the ruined kitchen. Black tar like shadows rolled down the walls and dripped off the ceiling. Faust turned towards the door, but paused as she opened it, and looked back into the wrecked room.

“Thank you Discord, and take care of him. He means everything to me.”

She left and pulling the door closed with her magic. Two floors up and on a balcony Discord sat slumped against the wall. Sorrow opened her eyes and let go of his eagle hand, and leaned her head back against the wall. She watched her ship reappear in the heavens above the planet, and she rolled her head to look at Discord.

“That was a real stand up thing you did there Discord.”

Discord didn’t respond right away, and looked at his now empty paw.

“It is my nature to do it, but to take it back would mean I cease to exist. It goes against my nature to do it, and little miss queen bee didn’t exactly try to stop it. How did you do it? I buried him so deep even I forgot where I stuffed his consciousness away, and it was too stubborn to be erased.”

Sorrow got to her feet but had to catch herself and lean against the wall for a moment.

“My specialty as a dragon was mind magic, and my mother was a master in it. She taught me the basics when I followed in her footprints. However, with my body altered like this, those spells would kill me nowadays. If I hadn’t gone through you, I would probably be dead rather than extremely weak. But we need to get out of here.”

Discord raised an eyebrow clear off his head.

“We’re leaving the whelp here, and why did you decide to let her go help the big golden dragon? Your mind magic would be better suited for her rather than making me all sappy.”

Sorrow nodded at Discord.

“We are leaving, and Soelia will do her job just fine. Besides, I couldn’t do what needs to be done without dying in the process. You on the other hand, I can work with. Besides, it will help on that deal you made with Cecilia.”

Discord huffed out as he snapped his claws, transporting them both to the command table at the train station.






(The ruins of the Canterlot palace gardens)

Nepta ran for her life, trying to find a way out, a way to leave her dying world. Her loyalists were dying by the hundreds to hold the way out for her, but somehow Nero and his faction had got past them and were chasing her down. She was the last hope for her race and she was being hunted within the halls of her old palace. Every turn she knew would get her out seemed to disappoint her with another corridor that seemed to stretch for eternity.

Everywhere she looked she saw servants that waited upon her, her husband, and their mangled bodies were like knives to the heart. They did nothing to deserve their fate, but Nero wanted to completely purge the old monarchy before imposing his rule. Finally she turned a corner and standing in the middle of the hallway was a purple dragoness with green claws and horns, and for once Nepta didn’t know this dragon. The wing drapings and the amulet she wore confused her. None of her dragons wore amulets like this, and the draping gave the station of a chief assistant to the king. She knew the chief assistant, and he betrayed them all in the long civil war that followed the decision of her husband to abandon the path of dark magic.

“Who are you to wear those drapings, are you one of them? Answer me servant, or die by my claws!”

“You tell me, because this is all you.”

Nepta heard the sound of her pursuers catching up.

“We have to run, if they find us they will kill us for sure, and I have to get off this world.”

Soelia used her tail to knock a hole in the wall.

“This way your majesty.”

Nepta looked through the hole and seen the desert.

“By what magic can you move such distances without the use of a mirror?”

Soelia shrugged and walked through the hole onto the warm sand. Nepta was unsure if following was a good idea, this stranger could be a trap set by Nero, but it didn’t have the familiar dark feel to it. It felt innocent, pure almost, and as the first spell struck the ceiling above her she dove through hole. She did her best to spit the sand out of her mouth, but it would be impossible without the aid of water.

Nepta looked back and the hole was gone, just more desert lay behind her, and turning back to the stranger in front of her. She wanted answers and she was going to get them.

“Answer me servant, who are you, I haven’t time to wander a desert with you, I have the future of my kind to save.”

Soelia began walking in what looked like a random direction, and answered the question.

“Your daughter by ritual, and everything will make sense your majesty.”

Nepta began to follow Soelia.

“I’m no queen anymore, I failed, and my subjects paid the price for it. Why did you disobey and come back when I ordered you to flee to the stars?”

Soelia laughed at that and looked back over her shoulder.

“Keep telling yourself that and you’ll begin to believe it. He really did do a number on you. I received no such order, nor would I abandon someone in need, because my sister would be cross if I did.”

Nepta looked down, ashamed at being given a blunt truth by a lowly servant. She wouldn’t have stood for such words at the height of her power, only her husband and family could be so frank with her.

“Nero’s betrayal hurt more than you know, my husband trusted him completely, and so did I. When he suggested my husband to send the bulk of our forces into that trap, and then start his coup…”

Soelia stopped at the edge of where sand turned to glass. Nepta’s eyes widened at how large an area it was, and the fact it looked like a massive explosion created it with waves force forever trapped in glass.

“I was referring to Blueblood, but this is the place.”

Nepta took her eyes off the scene before her and looked at the servant.

“What is this place, why did you bring me here?”

Soelia gestured to the far off epicenter.

“Right there at the center is where I set you free at the cost of my own gender and species.”

Nepta was taken aback by this. While she was no stranger to selfless acts, to give up one's body and gender was unheard of and a terrible blow to a dragon’s pride. Most would rather die than give up either of those things.

“Set me free from what, you’re not making any sense, you act like something different than a dragon, and it’s infuriating at how calm you are about it.”

Soelia just smiled and turned around to leave.

“I was raised by ponies, and I wouldn’t trade it for all the magic in Equestria.”

Nepta turned to follow but Soelia stopped and pointed back towards the center.

“You need to go there, I’ve done the best I know how, but the rest is up to you.”

Nepta abandoned her grace for a moment.

“Soelia, wait!”

The young dragon stopped and turned to face the queen. Nepta dipped her head a bit.

“Thank you, I’m still confused, but are you just a hallucination of my mind?”

Soelia put a claw to the bottom of her chin for a moment.

“A little of both I would have to say, and you’ll figure it out. You’re better at this stuff than I am.”

Nepta just watched as the young dragon disappeared into the night of the desert. Turning her attention back to the glass crater she took a deep breath and took her first step. Wind and blackness assaulted her senses, and terrible messages foretelling her doom. She kept going, Soelia spoke the truth, she detected no lie in the young dragons body or speech, and if the truth was at the center of this maelstrom she would reach it.

Soeila stood watching the black mass that was Nepta. She peered over the edge into the black abyss that the golems crawled out of and gave a whistle.

“The gardener is going to pull his mane out when he sees this.”

She waved to the royal guards flying overhead and gave the signal to leave the area. They did so without any further communication necessary, which suited her just fine. She didn’t feel like arguing with them about the threat level of Sombra like power – seeing your worst fears brought to life was bad enough once. She at least had Twilight with her then. Sorrow told her to leave as soon as she finished, but the Rainbow Dash in her compelled Soelia to stay. She didn’t have many dragon friends, Garble’s change in heart made him the first, and Nepta shared a head with her. She knew all her secrets and Soelia knew all of Nepta’s, if that didn’t make them close friends she was going to complain to the authority on friendship; twilight was going to hear a lecture for a change.

“Nah, scratch that, she’d probably enjoy it, and distract me with taking notes.”

A gurgling noise started beside her, and she looked over just in time to get a face full of liquid darkness as the gardens lit up in light and the sound of a massive roar could be heard. Thinking of a towel, and feeding that picture to her magic, she felt the tingle in her horns and the pop of it appearing and adding to the things on her face. She was about to lift her forearm up to mop the stuff off her face, but the sensation of magic working the towel made her abandon the act. The towel was thrown aside and she was lifted into a crushing hug.

“You stupid hatchling, you could have fallen right along with me, but...stupid pony raising.”

“I...breathe…”

Nepta looked down and gasped, loosening her hold, and after a few precious breaths Soelia responded with deadpan look.

“Nice to see you too your majesty.”

Nepta set her down and drew herself up to full height.

“Don’t ever call me by my title again Soelia, you are family to me, and the proof is around your neck. My debt to you is unrepayable in any lifetime.”

Soelia shook her head.

“Nepta, there is no such thing as debt between friends or family in our case.”

“More of your pony raising I presume?”

Soelia nodded a touch of pride filling in her chest.

“Yeah, you tend to pick up a few things when you hang around six mares that represent the elements of friendship.”

Nepta reached over and placed a claw on Soelia’s shoulder.

“I’ll put a good word in to Faust for you. You may not qualify as a pony princess, but as family you are princess among my kin.”

Soelia raised her hand a placed it against the forearm.

“Don’t pressure her or anything, I’ve a lot to learn, and if she shoots it down then I’m happy being an assistant and a princess among dragons.”

They retracted their respective limbs and Nepta headed back inside the castle. Soelia removed her amulet and jammed it in the correct spot under her right forearm scales, then spread her wings after she grew in size to match the golden oaks. The short trip back would give her little time to come up with an explanation to Twilight.

“At least I didn’t break a Pinkie Promise.”






(Roof of the castle guard barracks)

In the closet hung two different uniforms that hadn’t been worn in decades – Master cook of the commonwealth of Glaxia, and Senior First Lieutenant of Squadron Operations. The room itself was pretty plain in decor, and not from lack of those who tried to convince the two that slept in this room to spice it up with some color. They simply didn’t see the point of it in all the decades and centuries they had lived, the curse of their design, the curse of perfection, and it would end with them.

They would leave their legacy to their children. In this simple room upon the bed laid the centuries old parents of Cecilia and Jezabelle. Mindy and Lola were holding hands, and Mindy’s other hand was stroking back through Cecilia’s hair; it was the only real comfort she could give her daughter. Mindy had rejected yet another offer from her daughter for eternal life.

Cecilia sat up after a while and summoned her book, wanting to distract herself with happier times. It immediately opened to her will, and looking on the page made Cecilia blink for a bit and check the cover of the book to ensure she summoned the right one. The book was only showing her memories on the events she requested, and she wanted her mother’s. It was about the easiest way to get her emotional state on things, even if it was just words on the page. Cecilia would use her imagination to fill in the blanks, but as she flipped more pages only her memories as time progressed.

She closed the book and thought of her next request, and it opened to the first page. In the course of reading a single name on a list, the scenery changed around her. The swirling darkness made its first offer as Cecilia stood up from a now empty bed.

“I can give them eternal life, your majesty, without them being the wiser of it, and you would never have to say goodbye to them ever. For all the book’s truths, it is known that what I have shown to be truth as well, even as perfection they suffer a mortal’s curse…”

Cecilia lashed out the first of many gemstones forming on an elaborate but unfinished work by a certain unicorn fashionista.

“They are imperfect, flawed in every cruel way of the science that made them, and perfection is a word I hate when it is used to describe them. I love my parents, but they earned their right to choose for themselves. They passed that right onto me and so much more, and if I took it back to make such a selfish deal with you they would forever hate me. What I would gain is nothing but heartache, and I won’t spend eternity looking into their eyes seeing you in the background laughing at me.”

Storm clouds were growing above the barracks, throwing the city back into darkness from the dawn being brought forth by Faust. Soldiers and ponies were scrambling to get injured or equipment into buildings. The winds began to gust up to speeds that would make flight too dangerous for even the most skilled of fliers.

“For all your talk of not using parlor tricks, you are nothing more than a hypocrite and broken record of cowardly acts. Even with the vast power of dark magic at your call you still think like a mortal. Sombra at least set higher goals and realized the potential to an extent to curse an empire to disappear should he fail. You’ve played your hoof of tricks, now get out, and prepare to get your flank handed to you.”

Cecilia ejected him from her mind after her little speech, along with all the compassion she had of him. Meaning he was probably nursing a headache while dealing with three pissed goddess. Looking down at the unfamiliar feel she noticed the change in clothing, and feeling it move about in the strong winds she had to smile.

“Your talent is extraordinary Rarity, but I shouldn’t reveal it until you finish it.”

With a thought she changed back to her old clothing choice, and as the rain wall hit she let it wash away the dull ache in her heart. Her parents would die, but she was a goddess and could visit them even after their deaths. Maybe not as much as she could now, but a little something is better than a whole lot of nothing. Stepping forward off the flat peak, she let gravity force the slide as her wings opened, and with the push of her legs at the edge she took flight once more heading towards the fight. Blueblood apparently was trying to cut and run, but it is hard to do with three goddess tailing you. Cecilia let her teeth show in a predatory smile as she leaned forward into her dive. Judgment would wait no longer, but there was a few things Blueblood didn’t earn that needed removal. For the first time she drew both her swords at once.






(Fashion Boutique)

The dawn did wonders for the whole line of defenders and patients in terms of morale. The sudden storm and its cause did raise concern in the mane six in terms of their new friend possibly falling to old ways. The sound of the door and the howl of wind before its close and the sound of the reception nurse speaking.

“Are you here for treatment young dragon, and would you like a towel to dry off with?”

The mention of species nabbed the attention of many of the patients in the room. Prince Spike was still unaccounted for, and when Sorrow stopped by to check on Glaxia she mentioned a Soelia would be by to explain what happened to him.

“I’m looking for Twilight Sparkle, and Captain Comet Tail told me they were here.”

The nurse responded, thankful for the unicorn to have someone from the outside to tell her anything. She was driving the other nurses nuts with questions.

“She is here, but...excuse me, you can’t just walk back there…”

Rainbow Dash was closer to the door, and watched the dragoness move into the store. She slid off her bed and planted herself in the dragon’s path.

“I think you misheard the nurse, you can’t just go barging in here like you own the place. This isn’t the dragonlands–“

Soelia gently picked Dash up in her magic and carried her along as she continued deeper into the store. It didn’t take long to find her under the care of two recovering alicorns. Twilight immediately swallowed as Rainbow was set down by Fluttershy’s bed. Everypony that could move was gravitating towards the dragon. Those that couldn’t move listened intently, only hearing the rain pound on the glass of the storefront, and the sounds of breathing. Soeila did her best to bow to the alicorns speaking as she did.

“It’s good you’re both okay, but I have news concerning Spike.”

Luna spoke instinctively placing her wing over top of her sister’s already covering Twilight.

“That would make you Soeila. Rise, Sorrow mentioned you would be stopping by. Speak your news as all are curious it seems to hear of his condition.”

Soeila looked directly at Twilight as she stood back up.

“The Spike you know is gone forever.”

Twilight’s pupils shrank, and both princesses could feel the vibrations in the unicorn as her emotions were coming unhinged yet again. The shock rolled back through the crowd with a mixture of emotional responses. Soeila continued gesturing to a clothing rack.

“Spike made a Pinkie Promise, and as you found out you do not break those kinds of promises ever.”

Celestia was quick to interject a question.

“How would you know about the promise made? You were not in Spike’s party when he spoke about it, and I’m sure you were not present in the throne room.”

Soeila watched Twilight relax a little, she was still on the emotional roller coaster, and it was time for the next loop.

“I made the Pinkie Promise, princess.”

Celestia’s eyes widened right along with Luna’s, and it was a second time Soeila was hit by a purple missile.

“Spike what did you do to yourself? Can you change back? Where is Nepta? What is that glowing amulet around your neck?”

Soelia ran a claw carefully through Twilight’s mane. Twilight shivered at the feel of it as it caught tangles, but she refused to let go fearing her assistant would change again.

“I cannot change back, I set her free, and this is the amulet of Soelia Sparkle Celfus. The amulet of a queen’s divine power, and the seal of my station as one of her daughters.”

Twilight looked up brushing tears out of her eyes. “What about our family Spike? Why would you leave us behind for her family?”

Soelia just ran a claw through Twilight’s mane in soft gentle strokes.

“Number one assistant here, they don’t hand that out at any magic school ya know. Magic has consequences, something I got to learn first hoof from your days in school. One of the consequences is that I must be a part of her family, but that doesn’t mean I will not love the one that raised me.

A round of chuckles and the tension seemed to melt away. The giggling clothing rack made Fluttershy scoot to one side of her bed and keep an eye on it. Twilight backed away and looked up then with a sigh she turned away and looked at her hooves.

“I’m just having a hard time accepting the changes.”

Soelia reached out and lifted her eyes by her chin.

“Hey, let's think positive for once, so checklist time, and you’ll like this one. We’re all alive, check, we held Canterlot, check, and I put one more goddess against Blueblood, check. The absolute best on the list, we’re not in the rain, and check.”

“You must be Soelia Sparkle, formerly Spike the Dragon, I’m Lieutenant Vivian Sparks, and it seems you’re harassing my patients.”

Soelia looked over watching Tatiyana and Vivian make their way towards her. She gave a toothy smile.

“Rumor has it you threw an Equestrian party on Glaxia. How good did you do, or do I need to consult my expert?”

Vivian gave a soft laugh.

“I’m just a curious as to how well I did. I’ve one opinion from Rainbow Dash stating it wasn’t near as a good as a Pinkie Party, but call out your expert. I’m willing to bet I did at least an honorable mention.”

Pinkie hopped out of the clothing rack, she brushed the underside of her chin with the tip of her right forehoof, and gave Vivian a very scrutinous look. She popped back to her bouncy self a moment later.

“You did good on your first try, you got bonus points for good cupcakes, but you’ll get better when I throw a party.”

Vivian nodded and looked right at Soelia.

“I earned a good rating, but while we’re on the subject of rumor have you made it to princess yet?”

Soelia shook her head.

“Not officially in Equestria, but there is a vacancy to fill, but let's not get distracted here.”

Vivian hopped up to sit on Twilight’s empty bed.

“A good distraction is what we need right now Soelia, and I heard you riled Nine Seven Two Three over a game of billiards. Since you apparently have no visible lacerations I assume she let you off the hook.”

Soeila watched Rainbow bring her ears up in interest and trying to head this off before the hard questions got asked she spoke quickly.

“Good thing the tables were closed...wait Nine Seven Two Three?”

Vivian shook her head.

“Sorry, you would know her better as Mindy Barnum, I know her better as Nine Seven Two Three. But I never took dragons to play the game.”

Soelia’s facial scales began to change color.

“Some do, but topic change; why a number? Mindy asked me to address her by name only.”

Vivian let out a sigh.

“That is the name I gave when she was conceived, and anything more personal like an actual name would have had no meaning in the number produced at the time. Sometime after Tri Star they chose their own names. I’m not going to kick up a fuss about it, they earned it having to put up with me, and the disappointment I turned out to be. When I researched it, I found that they simply used the names of the ships they were on, and applied it to make first and family name. The Lola James carried Lola to Tri Star, the Mindy Ju carried Mindy to the same destination, and they left Tri Star on the Barnum.”

Twilight turned her attention on Vivian.

“How many did you make? Obviously an army, but are we talking in thousands or hundreds of thousands?”

“One trillion alpha class hybrids were sent to Tri Star to fight the approaching third army of the Seven Interstellar Empires. It is still the largest single site battle in the history of the universe. One trillion whose names are nothing more than a number, but you’ll never hear Mindy or Lola speak of those trillion as anything less than sisters.”

Sorrow walked into the small clear oval, taking a moment to look around at the expectant faces. Seeing as she had their full attention she continued her speech.

“The topic is not a good distraction, but let me tell you something good. So set was I to get revenge upon those that destroyed my body, I became blind to the gifts they truly gave me. That truth was shown to me as the population on my ship swelled in number. Where I lacked in size and magic I made up for it with technology, I built the biggest battleship in history and engineered some of the deadliest weapons. My intent was revenge, but the foundations for something greater were laid the same moment...I never stopped to think about what Glaxia really is, Glaxia is a vessel that contains the most precious of resources, and defends it viciously as any parents would their young. When I became a parent, the knowledge hit me harder than any physical blow I’ve ever taken. Whole generations have been born, raised, and died on my ship. Not one would be possible without Yolanda doing what she did, but let's talk about something you have done for us. Part of which you can see in Vivian’s hair, but that is but a tiny fraction of what you’ve inspired.”

Sorrow went to speak again, but a wave of magic passed through and they found themselves back in a restored throne room. The injured guards were gone, but a few of the minor injured remained, and they were in positions around the room. Cecilia and Jezabelle, and to Cecilia’s right sat Nepta, and to Jezabelle’s left sat Faust herself. They filled the normally large space where Luna and Celestia would sit. Even at a significantly reduced size, Nepta still caused Fluttershy to drag her hooves, and Nepta let out a huff leaning forward as she spoke.

“Lady Fluttershy, I just got out of time out, I don’t need to give anyone excuses to put me back in it, and I can promise you that.”

Fluttershy blushed terribly and hid behind her mane. Faust leaned forward and looked down the line to Nepta.

“You always pick on the shy ones?”

Nepta grumbled looking down the line.

“Not intentionally, last thing I want the poor thing to have is a heart attack thinking I’m out to eat her. I don’t need food anymore, kind of a byproduct of being dead you know, she’s too cute to eat, were she a dragon, I’d be tempted to invite her to my chambers to share with me and my husband. Besides, she’s got to sweep that–”

Cecilia forcefully cleared her throat effectively, getting both pony and dragon queens to look back forward and Cecilia stood up.

“Since my sister decided that you continue to act in accordance to the rules that govern officers, and without a valid transfer of care or MRD form filed. Your patients get to bare witness to the judgment I must pass. If that is unacceptable, transfer care, or discharge your patients. I give you five minutes to decide, Yolanda.”

Vivian reached up and untied her pigtail bands, and turning to her side she took Sorrow’s hand and placed them in her palm. She curled Sorrow’s fingers over them  as she leaned in to give a hug.

“Even when you win, don’t change, because somewhere out there someone needs that little piece of heaven you provide.”

Vivian backed away and moved down the line to Tatiyana, and pulling out her tablet she moved a few things around on the screen until a soft chime came from Anna’s.

“They’re all yours Anna, and sorry its a bit early. I wish you and Cecy the best, and congratulations.”

Vivian turned around and with a deep breath in and a slow release she spoke what would probably be her last words.

“I’m ready your majesty.”

Cecilia came down the steps.

“Any other last words or requests?”

Vivian shook her head, her body steeling itself against anxiety, or worse the embarrassing tears of failed dreams. Cecilia gestured towards the main doors.

“Let’s take a walk, and I’ll give you your judgement.”

Vivian turned to follow as Cecilia headed for the doors, the guards stationed there opened them, and Cecilia gave a nod of thanks as she passed by into the hall with Vivian in tow.

(Deck 77 Detention, Battleship Glaxia)

Red Lace and her fellow changelings from The Shipmaster were currently occupying a rather unusual cell. It had all the comforts of a house in terms of rooms, kitchen, and bathroom. The only thing they were not permitted to do was leave it unless told to. They had no shortage of visitors either, and Red Lace could understand the officers, but she couldn’t understand the fact that they were being visit by what were obviously children doing visiting criminals that sought asylum. Red Lace wouldn’t play with them, wary of a trap that could cause her to be sent back, but she did watch her girls have fun playing silly games. It was a welcome change from seducing ponies and taking control of their positions to exploit weaknesses in the government.

She had to put her hoof down when it became ridiculous, and so far to present they hadn’t been bothered since. That was turning out to be a good thing, since this morning half her girls were sick from over indulging on love and adoration. This was the one thing she hated about her caste in life, being a caretaker sucked, but she learned to deal with it and become the best. That is why these changelings listened to her, and stayed with her since she looked out for them. She knew they could have been like the lone wolves that Blueblood had sent out for other missions, but being separated from the hive for so long changed a good portion of them into something nasty. Ponies feared them like monsters, and a few seemed to have devolved to fit the bill. Something she wouldn’t let happen to these girls.

A message was spoken over the loudspeakers hidden through the space at a comfortable volume.

“Changeling Red Lace, please report to the hallway. The queen wishes to speak to you, and you are to come alone.”

Red Lace spoke up from where she was helping one of the sick changelings puke up her breakfast.

“I’m a bit busy at the moment, is there any way she can talk in here? Because I can’t leave my girls when they’re like this.”

Red Lace found herself in the hallway a second later via transport, and she was quickly starting to fume like a volcano of Tartarus.

“Do not give them an excuse to change your living arrangements, Red Lace, because I’m most displeased to find you’re still breathing after all that you’ve done.”

Arcadia seemed to have grown more and she towered over Lace, but still lacked the intimidating size of Chrysalis. Changeling queens were terrors in their own right. There was no way Lace could stand up against her in a fight on her own. Lace was just stupid enough to trust the promise of a child after all.

“You condemn me for the pony who told us nothing of his true plan, and then sentences us to die in righteous fury of ponies. I didn’t kill your foals, I had no knowledge of it, and had I known I would have left his service to die in starvation. I’m a caretaker drone for bugs sake!”

Arcadia seemed to change completely, and it threw Red Lace for another loop and now she was unsure of what to think about the queen. Arcadia spoke to remove any further doubt.

“I apologize for pushing you, Red Lace, but I wanted to be sure you were telling the truth. I cannot force my way in as you are protected here by the terms of your asylum. However, I did not come here to fault you for the failure of my mother or my own as her successor.”

Arcadia turned to leave and coming around the corner of the hall was Princess Cadance with a miserable looking Sunset leaning against her. A strange bipedal being with four arms was fussing over the two of them for overindulgence. Cadance looked considerably less miserable, but her wings were wrapped and pinned to her side by more wrapping. The final pony to come around the corner was Flash Sentry, his wings were in casts, and pinned to his side by wrapping. His armor that couldn’t be worn was stacked on his back. Lace changed quickly to her pony disguise, and in less than a second and against all physics she was at Sunset’s side.

“Shimmy what did you do to yourself?”

Sunset rolled her head to the sound and it took several seconds for mind to catch up to sight.

“Lace?”

Sunset’s eyes began to water as Lace just nodded the answer to Sunset’s question. She launched herself at Lace wrapping the disguised changeling in a hug, sending them both to the floor. Arcadia just smiled slightly looking at Cadance.

“Your work, I presume?”

Cadance returned the smile indicating Sunset with a hoof.

“I had no influence in their union, but I think its powerful evidence in helping your case with the public.”

Arcadia shook her head beginning to walk to the source of suffering she felt.

“Baby steps princess, I don’t think the public could handle that sort of news right now. Besides, it is not right to use them as a crutch for better standing, that is something my mother would do, and I’m not her.”

The guard at the door to Lace’s quarters stopped the queen.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve no permission to enter.”

Arcadia didn’t seemed fazed by the guard.

“I read the entire document outlining the terms of their asylum, and you cannot stop me from seeing them.”

The guard nodded and pulled out a tablet and brought up the exact document Arcadia was given in paper form. He pointed at a single line. Arcadia read it and felt rather insulted by the implied reasoning of the guard.

The queen drew herself up as tall and intimidating as she could.

“To even consider I would be so stupid while I’m completely at the mercy of this tin can’s operators. If it would not ruin a friendship, I’d tear you to pieces for the insult, and lack of common sense.”

The guard smiled and opened the door speaking as he stood back in place.

“You’re mother was a bitch to me too, and try to stay out of trouble Your Majesty.”

Red Lace spoke from behind the queen.

“Ignore him, he’s a jerk to me too, and his superiors will be along to chastise any moment.”

Arcadia growled as she passed through the door, followed by Red Lace and Sunset. Flash and Cadance entered last and the door hissed closed behind them. Four other changelings in the room were frozen stiff in terror at the sight of Arcadia, and it didn’t take a magical spell to figure it out. Shaking limbs literally rattled against other plates, and Sunset took a seat as Red Lace dropped her disguise to go calm down her terrified drones.

“I’m sorry if I lack proper tribute, Queen Arcadia, but these gluttons would only make themselves worse if I requested any love brought down.”

Arcadia didn’t seem offended by the lack of a meal.

“I was escorted by a potent source, I’m sure if I asked nicely she would offer, but she is married so just snack size would be all I could take.”

Cadance didn’t seemed too thrilled with the idea.

“Your mother put the nixes to any chance of that, Shining would have my head if he found out, and I’m already in deep lecture territory with messing my wings up. Last thing I want is to give him any chance of getting Nurse Cadance, the most terrible idea he’s ever had in the bedroom, and I never want to do it again.”

Arcadia gasped and turned to look at Cadance.

“You in one of those nurse outfits, you could feed a swarm on fantasies alone, and I demand Nurse Cadance should I ever be injured!”

Cadance made a disgusted sound and facial expression before settling on a glare.

“Seriously, Arcadia, I don’t know whether to be honored or disgusted by that, and you just said I was married for Celestia’s sake!”

Arcadia smirked evilly and with a pillar of green flame, she was now a very sultry dressed Nurse Cadance. She advanced on the shocked alicorn, every step just oozed seduction, and Arcadia had amazing bedroom eyes. Cadance shook her head to clear her mind, but Arcadia grinned knowing she had the poor mare right where she wanted her.

“Cadance, you cannot tell me this is not sexy, and every stallion’s wet dream. This is but a simple tool for me, I gain nothing from it, and take a loss while using it. For a little snack, I could trade places during Shining’s request, you won’t feel like throwing up, and I can feed my changelings. The win, is that it's not adultery if he believes it's you.”

Red Lace looked over at Sunset, and the amber unicorn was passed out with a nosebleed. With a heavy sigh she moved over with a rag drifting from somewhere in the kitchen to clean the poor unicorn’s muzzle.

“Your Majesty your doing more harm than good, can you please get serious, because I cannot care for three.”

Arcadia just sighed lifting a gilded shoe up to trace down the alicorns muzzle gently.

“I’ll keep the invitation open my sweet.”
Arcadia finished it off with a soft peck to the muzzle, and the sound of metal parts spilling on the floor and the five still well turned to see Flash passed out on the floor his armor still wobbling to a stop.

Arcadia took the chance to resume her natural appearance and approach the two sick changelings. With a little magic she carried one towards the bathroom. A soft clicking from her mouth seemed to put her passenger at ease.

Red Lace felt better as the unicorn stirred awake from the cloth on her muzzle.

“You should have told me you had a fantasy like that Sunset, I can’t mimic Cadance, but there are plenty of nurse disguises among the hive mind.”

Sunset pushed the cloth away with a hoof.

“Well it's good that we cleared that up then, because it was you i was thinking about as she was being such a tease to Cadance.”

Lace smiled genuinely some of her fears dying instantly, but the guilt of doubting Sunset lingered a bit longer.

“Sunset, we can’t stay here forever, but I also don’t want to lose you either.”

Sunset pushed herself up to sit, but Lace threw her weight on top to keep her down.

“Stay down for a bit longer please.”

Sunset could never argue when Lace was being her normal kind self. She settled to her stomach and got around to answering Lace’s worries about their relationship.

“Lace, Blueblood warned me that if I failed to do my final task that he would find me and kill me. Which is kind of ridiculous considering he already did that to a degree with that lone wolf he had masquerading as me.  Now how much that holds true in his defeat I can’t say for sure, but I’m not going to take any chances at being wrong.”

Lace put a hoof out and laid it atop of one of hers.

“Sunset, you’ve been underground for years, don’t rush into a plan based on old information, and if Blueblood’s reach is as good as you say. Then where can we go and be safe?”

Sunset didn’t like the idea of leaving Equestria, but it seemed the only logical means to escape detection.

“We’ll have to leave Equestria, since nopony loyal to his ideal will stop looking for us, and the fact bitter ponies will not stop at the truth.”

Lace poked Sunset in the side softly to give her coming point emphasis.

”You owe your mentor an explanation then. You cannot leave her wondering, especially as word gets out of what happened to you. You told me countless times how you wanted to make things right with her at least.”

Sunset stared at her hooves.

“Alright, and I sort of need to ask her for a pardon for you and the girls.”






(Canterlot Castle Throne room shortly after Cecilia Left)

Princess Luna abandoned all protocols of station, and behavior befit a princess of the realm. Tears in her eyes she shot across the distance to her waiting mother. Faust waited for the inevitable tackle hug, and when Luna made her leap Faust reared up catching her. With a flap of one wing she gave her youngest daughter a spin around before letting her down gently till Luna’s rear hooves found solid purchase.

“Still clingy as always my little Woona.”

Twilight and her friends were blown away, just a few lengths away stood the Queen of Equestria, a myth Twilight had only read once in a book leant to her by Celestia. Even then Celestia wouldn’t let Twilight read it outside of her presence. Still, a few paragraphs did nothing to describe the majesty and power she felt coming from the alicorn. She looked over at Celestia. Her ears flipped back seeing her mentor look at the floor in shame. She wasn’t the only pony to notice this whole different side of Celestia, Rarity was giving Twilight a “look” and Fluttershy was wringing her hooves over some internal debate of going over to say something. Twilight cracked under Rarity’s gaze and got to her hooves to start making her way over to Celestia, and Fluttershy abandoned her internal debate yet seemed mildly ashamed for not being able to go do it herself. Celestia’s ear turned towards Twilight’s approach and she once again put on the mask her whole body shifting back to the pony Twilight recognized. Empowered by what she saw Twilight finally broke her silence.

“Princess Celestia, what’s wrong, you looked so sad a moment ago.”

Celestia was going to try a tried and true method first, before employing her more devious methods.

“It’s nothing Twilight, just problems from the past that I can’t fix, and you shouldn’t concern yourself with them.”

Celestia looked at Twilight to give her a reassuring smile, but the smile faded as her eyes shrunk to pin points. Twilight felt alarmed by the sudden change in Celestia, and looking behind her she found out why. Faust had slipped behind her undetected, with a still clingy Luna held to her side via wing. The queen opened her other wing and spoke.

“Come Tia, you dwell too much in the past, and I’ve had a very terrible night having the worst things shown to me.”

Celestia’s muzzle and face started to tint pink to red as she started to make her way over.

“Mother, i’m not a young pony anymore, and do we have to do this in front of everypony?”

Faust lowered her wing pulling the blushing sun princess tighter to her side.

“Tia, you will be my daughter now, and for all eternity in this world. Let the other ponies talk, and take pride that you have this chance to be with me for a short while.”

Luna finally breached the subject that was on both of their minds.

“Mom, I’m sorry for going mad and attacking my sister.”

Faust let out a slow sigh.

“I know you are, and I have punished and forgiven you both for it. You’re in good hooves now Luna, but let's not mar my time here with the past.”

The door opened and in stepped four more, Glaxia, Mindy, Captain Comet Tail and someone that made Fluttershy smile. Glaxia paused on the way to her mother to stare at the alicorn queen.

“Princess Celestia said there was only three princesses.”

Faust nodded as she smiled at the younger double of Sorrow.

“She was correct in saying so, I’m the mother of princess’ Celestia and Luna, Queen Faust, and you are Glaxia given what of heard of events outside the castle.”

Glaxia nodded; “Uh huh, that’s me, unfortunately my costume got damaged when Miss Anna removed it, and I never got my picture with Princess Cadance.”

Faust laughed softly; “We can’t have that, how about I propose a better picture, a group picture of all the gathered royalty and leadership participants. Does that sound a bit more appealing, and can I get your aide on gathering the required participants?”

Glaxia nodded quickly starting to bounce in place kinda.

“Let’s see, we need Shining Armor, Cadance is upstairs with Sunset, Arcadia, Red Lace and her girls, ensign in training Garble, Cecilia, Vivian, Discord, Commander Sheffy, Gilda, Lola, and Samantha. Umm, I need momma to reset my head first, but I can make it happen.”

Glaxia half bowed and took off towards Sorrow, Mindy’s emotionless stare left the group of alicorns, and she turned to continue past Sorrow and start her way up the steps. Jezabelle sent her scythe away as her mother came to a stop to her side. Jezabelle hugged her, and Mindy left her arms at her side.

“It still fails me to understand why you and your sister insist upon greeting me in such a fashion. I cannot return what you seek from it. You’re cold like this, do you still require your crown’s services?”

Jezabelle spoke from where her head rested on her mother’s shoulder.

“If you just returned the motions it would mean the world to us, even if you couldn’t convey the emotion behind it, and after what I’ve been through in this fight I’m a little wary in taking it off.”

Mindy brought her arms up and loosely wrapped them around Jezabelle.

“Completely pointless, any enemy that raises its arms against you now will suffer me, and I will show no mercy to them.  As my daughter, put some meat on your bones. The locals are very hospitable and I know you father feeds us well enough. I don’t care if you are death itself, i don’t like hugging corpses if I’m made to do so.”

Jezabelle huffed leaning back upright and taking a step back to reestablish comfortable space. “Total mood killer mom.”

Mindy didn’t seem affected by the comment.

“Don’t ask for the impossible then, although I should perhaps experiment with your sister when she returns. There may be some truth in emotionless actions.”

Jezabelle smiled a bit removing her crown allowing the return of her uniform and return of her natural living body mass. “More than you could ever imagine mom.”

Captain Comet Tail approached the Princesses before stamping her salute.

“A full sweep of the city has been conducted and any trace of enemy has been verified as gone. I seek your permission to lift the evacuation order and have the city residents return to their homes. Through our temporary alliance with the military of Glaxia, General Silverton has put in a request for their expedited return, he is still waiting for approval, but has informed me to have normal means by train ready in case the request is denied by their leadership.”

Luna spoke up from her place under her mother’s wing.

“Thank you Captain, issue the orders to have everypony return home, and be sure to return here once that is done along with General Silverton. Mother has honored a child’s request, and you both are part of that request.”

Captain Tail nodded speaking as she did; “At once your highness.” She turned and headed back out the doors.

Jessica found a spot next to Soleila completely misunderstanding her need to be here. Soelia glanced down; “Thanks for looking out for Shy, and you do know she’s coming over here with her friends.”

Jessica didn’t look up; “Just doing my job maim, and thanks for the heads up.”

Soelia kept quiet as Jessica turned in time to get hugged by Fluttershy.

“I’m so happy you’re okay, and my friends wanted to meet you.”

Jessica hissed out; “Fluttershy, you do remember me having an injury on my side right?”

Fluttershy gasped and let go almost instantly and flung herself back with aide of her wings to be caught by Rarity’s magic and set down gracefully. Jessica let out a relieved sigh, a hand instinctively going to the hidden injury to rub softly.

“Thank you for helping our friend Jessica.”

Jessica looked at Twilight and taking a knee to appear less intimidating she pointed her hand at herself while speaking to the new crowd of ponies in front of her.

“I’m Corporal Jessica Walters, 5th army support vehicle turret operator, Battleship Glaxia, and while I know who Fluttershy is through my previous orders and briefing. A round of introductions would be helpful minus the hugs given my injury.”

They each introduced themselves including Soelia, and Jessica responded with a nod of understanding to each. She went on to respond to Twilight first.

“As I told Soelia here, I was ordered to ensure she made it safely to the train station, and while I appreciated the outstanding job of Pegasi tasked with bombing those crystal brutes. They were a little premature on one and flipped our truck with the concussive force. That was where the real adventure began.”

She turned her attention to Rainbow Dash.

“Its nice to finally meet the mare behind the words. Fluttershy spoke often of desiring your confidence.”

Rainbow returned with a grin; “Yeah I’m awesome, but don’t count her out either. You endanger an animal and Fluttershy will make you regret it.”

Jessica nodded; “The only animals we had were trying to kill us.”

Applejack spoke up; “Families got ta be mighty proud of ya.”

“So far the only one who knows anything is mom. I have no love or kindness for my older brother, he can just stay the hell away from me, and out of my affairs as a whole.” Jessica stopped realizing her voice was rising and took a long deep breath in before resuming calmly; “The subject of family is touchy, and I apologize for raising my voice.”

“Nothin by it sugarcube, why I recokin ya do a might better than Rarity. She gets a twist in her tail we Apples know about it without leavin the farm.”

Rarity blushed slightly; “I absolutely cannot help myself if I spot something hideous and criminal in terms of fashion.”






(Glacier Caverns, Crystal Empire )

Yolanda was doing her level best to not be a complete baby about the situation she found herself in currently. However, she was failing hard as she bawled into her sister's shoulder, Vivian doing her best to just brush a hand through her sister's hair and whisper comforting words. Cecilia stood back with Discord by the railing giving the reunited sisters their moment.

Discord grumbled a bit annoyed by Cecilia’s methods; “Are we seriously going to stand here watching two girls hug and cry like a cheap movie?”

Cecilia turned a page in her book. “If you’re in a rush to return to your sentence as a lawn ornament I can add a few months to your sentence. Besides, we are waiting on Isis to return with the bells to activate the mirror. I cannot believe she would lose something so dangerous as an Interstellar Mirror that is still connected to the network.”

Discord snapped his talons and the little mirror and famous unicorn sitting in front of it casting magic on it. “If it is any consolation to her, the fool had no clue what it was, and ended up creating a whole separate plane of existence. I missed out on the chaos it caused;” the smaller versions of Celestia, Starswirl, and Isis started to fight. “Even from my rather annoying pos–”

“I’m actually reading about that right now, and my version comes with sixty percent less theatrics from a master of chaos.” Cecilia turned another page as Discord discarded his illusions with a bored huff.

“You’re insufferable, how does anyone enjoy being around you?”

“They usually ask questions about her likes and they compromise to do things that both enjoy doing.” Yolanda spoke as she and Vivian came over joined by a serious looking human with a lot of weapons strapped to her. The last new arrival was another hybrid appearing the same age as Cecy’s parents. She wore important looking robes, but unlike her parents she had a smile on her face.

Cecilia closed her book and dismissed it away as she leaned off the wall. “So my theory was true, this does a lot to change my impending judgment Yolanda, and by what number bears your name? I’m Cecilia, daughter of Lola Barnum, nine seven two three, Mindy Barnum nine seven two four, and you’re secret is safe with me.”

The hybrid’s smile faded; “I have chosen the name Aya, but I used to be 11million and two in number. If our mother has sent her servant to warn us, then her secret is out, and I speak for the survivors of Tri Star whose final mission is to protect the secrets that made us. I forced the messenger to bring me so that I may appeal to her judge.”

Cecilia nodded gesturing to a level spot where a table appeared with chairs on one side of it. Cecilia moved to a spot facing the table where she fashioned a throne out of ice. “Please be seated except for you Aya, stand in front of the table and speak as you requested, but I warn you now that lies will upset me.”
Aya stood in place and kept solid eye contact with Cecilia the entire time she spoke the case. Yolanda was surprised at how much support she had from the survivors. It probably came in large part to the patches she had made to overwrite the programming her fellow scientists had initially used in the hybrids. Patches she couldn’t give to Lola or Mindy given they would ask how or where she got them which would lead to Sorrow finding out her secret before it was time. When Aya finished Vivian stood up and took the place where Aya stood.

“I’m not going to take up too much of your time. As I tried to explain to the one who judged me, and later to death itself when it freed me from the punishment I endured. Divinity failed us, and it was only later that they tried to cover up the mess they made that my sister and I pay a price for a second time. I want to be absolutely sure you take into account the failures your kind has made as well.”

Vivian returned to her seat and Natalia took the place to speak. “Cecilia you and Jezabelle have been friends with me since you joined the military. I was your senior and taught you a lot about respecting the uniform which in turn builds respect for authority you have. I have willingly aided Yolanda in her tasks because I believed her to be the kind person we all try to be before we meet your sister. I took a huge leap of faith in committing the act of treason, but when I found everything she said to be true upon landing in Aya’s ship I held no further regret for my actions. Yolanda has in my opinion gave exactly what the uniform represents, hope, to her children, and guiding them to a home safe from the Cleansing Act. You can tell the captain if she ever finds it, I’ll be there waiting for her to carry out the execution I’m sure to have earned.”

Natalia went and sat down content at saying her peace on the subject. Cecilia summoned a quill and parchment. After she finished she rolled it up and set it on the armrest to wait; “Yolanda DeMystic please rise for your judgment.” Yolanda stood up composing herself the best she could against the anxiety. Cecilia continued; “The weight of guilt is heavy to those whose lives have no end, and only those whose minds are ready for such a burden should bear such a curse. You and the four others you worked with were close to stumbling into the key to such a curse. Immortality has no business in a petri dish or at end of a syringe.

Cecilia stood up and breaking off a sizable chunk of her throne she shaped it into a goblet of ice filled with water. She set the cup on the table and spoke; “The guilt of your actions has weighed upon you, and you sought to correct the evil the five of you committed on your own. Yet all the good is no excuse for the bad you have committed. Drink.”

Yolanda picked up the cup and did as instructed, it tasted like ice water, and Yolanda felt no sudden difference at all. Cecilia waited until Yolanda set the cup down. “Yolanda DeMystic, upon your death you will learn just how heavy guilt can be. I will begin teaching you what you need to know in order to carry out the station of oversight for those you have created, and when I have finished with you my sister will teach you her part. You will need to select one upon you ascension to act as a collector.”  Enjoy your remaining time among the living, and do think of better names besides numbers for your children. You’re free to go.”

Yolanda looked at the table top; “I don’t deserve it.” Vivian placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, and Yolanda reached up with a hand to cover it.

Cecilia sent the table away stepping close she reached down and took Yolanda’s free hand in her own. “Immortality is the ultimate punishment, and the more I teach you the truth the more your heart will ache of the future to be. Yet, there is a silver lining, you will make mothers happy, you will watch over the growth of your children, and by my appointment I settled the last of your internal debates. You are the last parent the hybrids have, you are their mother, now and for all eternity, and their is no other I would appoint as guardian of my parents afterlife than you.”

Isis coughed to gain attention before she walked into the cavern. “We’re still missing one, and I’m not ready to commit suicide to break into a heavily secured battleship full of beings that will want to see me dead by such an act.”

Cecilia nodded; “Then we will finished this at the palace.”






(Canterlot palace throne room)

Soelia waited nervously as Twilight Velvet and Night Light both got the story from her sister. Velvet looked her way more than once and the story was repeated halfway through with the appearance of Shining Armor and Cadance. Soelia felt a large claw on her shoulder, and turning her head up Nepta was beside her.

“You worry too much Soelia, if you were ever truly their son, they will still accept you as the daughter you’ve become in their hour of need. They will love you no matter what skin you wear, and your sister Twilight has already proven that along with her friends.”

Soeila let her worries come out in the form of words. “They mean a lot to me Nepta, parents to an orphan dragon, something that even Celestia failed to be, and I’m scared of losing even a little of that love.”

Nepta tightened her grip on the young dragoness shoulder. “Celestia never abandoned you, she just never was in a position to give you what you needed to grow to the dragon you are now. Have a little faith my child, because in the absence of everything you’ve known I am here with you for eternity.”

Soelia went to respond but a clearing throat brought her attention to the gathered Sparkle family, and  Twilight’s friends hovered behind and the nerves were back in force. “H...Hey mom, uh I can explain–”

Velvet spoke; “Twilight has already explained everything to the best of her ability based on what she was told by you. I’m proud of you, and we came to the easy conclusion that no matter what you’re still the same dragon Twilight brought home after her first year of school. Just improved in a selfless act of bravery and so much like your older brother and sister.”

Soelia’s eyes started to water seeing all the supportive smiles coming from those she held dear. Inwardly she blamed new hormones for it, and she subconsciously snagged them all up in her magic and brought them up to hug. “Thank you so much, I was so worried that you would miss Spike that you would...would reject me.”

Night Light took this chance to speak as the group was set down gently; “Let the first pony speak otherwise, and they will regret it right Shiney?”

Shining Armor nodded; “On my honor as a Sparkle and a guard.”

Soelia felt better; “Sorry for getting all emotional like that.”

Cadance smiled; “You’re not the only one in this room.”

Sunset was busy weeping into Celestia’s chest with a nervous looking group of changelings behind her. Abbey Belle looked utterly helpless in Arcadia’s grasp, the formidable changeling queen just accepted the comforting words from her former caretaker and teacher.

Soelia sucked in a deep breath taking the slumps out of her stance, spreading her wings half way she fed the image of herself in the hallway of Nepta’s memory. Her horns began to glow and the navy colored wing drapings began to form, and when she was finished she was trimmed to the nines in respectable Interstellar formal wear. “So how do I look?”

Shining spoke first; “Bigger.”

Velvet was next; “Pretty.”

Cadance took on a sly smile; “I have someone else I can take clothes shopping now.”

Rarity swooned before passing out, and with a grunt Applejack starts fanning her with the hat off her head.

Night looked back from the small distraction; “Charming.”

Twilight smiled; “Like Royalty.”

Soelia felt so great that the tinge of sadness of leaving behind the life  she lived as Spike, and she retained those memories no longer sad by them. “Thanks, but get your checklist ready sis, because I’ll need to be taught how to be a proper dragoness. Rainbow and Applejack are the only ones I know that can pull off the tom mare personalities.”

Rainbow shot right up to be nose to nose with Soelia. “I can be a classy mare whenever I want to be, same for Applejack, and we both proved it at the first gala.”

Soelia smiled showing a bit of teeth; “Don’t like being on the receiving end of a tease do we?”

Rainbow huffed backing off crossing her forehooves; “I’m going to prank you so hard for that.”

Soelia’s smile vanished and a soft growl sounded behind her words. “Just know I can dish it back now.”

“Presenting her royal highness, Queen Cecilia, and guests!” The guard at the door, did his best to speak loud enough to get everyone’s attention. As Cecilia entered the room she was followed by what looked like two Vivian’s, a hybrid in robes, a strange human, and lastly the smaller form of Isis who still had to squeeze a little through the door.

Mindy put her plan into motion as the other guests of Cecilia split up, the Vivian the ponies knew sought out Sorrow and received her hairpins back before proceeding to put her ponytails back on. Jezabelle leaned down and spoke to her father.

“This is going to be epic.”

Mindy continued to stride forward even as Cecilia came to a stop to speak.

“I glad to see you well–” Anything else Cecilia had to say died on her lips as her mother hugged her. Cecilia was stunned, but slowly her arms came up to hug her mother back. Her eyes softened, turning glassly, and then she buried her face in her mother’s chest. Mindy turned her head to looked back and Jezabelle gave a thumbs up with a big smile on her face.

Mindy looked back forward whispering to herself; “Completely ridiculous, but if it makes them happy.”

Cecilia responded; “More than you know mom.” Cecilia released her arms and Mindy followed the cue to do the same. She took a deep breath, and a quick wipe of her eyes with the back of her sleeve.”You ready to get spoiled rotten Glaxia?”

Glaxia nodded; “I really can’t thank everyone enough for this, and I promise to cherish the memory forever.”

It took forever to get everyone settled right and after a few shots which were saved to Yuma’s private server. Then it was madness as the photographer was swarmed by requests and it ended with one last picture. Cecilia sitting in the center of the ponies and one dragon that helped her regain her crown.