Iron Mountain

by computerneek


Consequences

It’s generally a bad idea to make a Unicorn into the angriest entity in Equestria.  However, there are some things ponies simply don’t know about.  For example, the younger a Unicorn is, the more powerful they are- even though their magic gland increases its output as they mature, along with their horn stowing more power before maxing out.  The thing is, a young Unicorn, given they can get their hooves on the mana, has nearly limitless power.

Thus, it’s an even worse idea to make a young unicorn into such.

Give that young unicorn access to the amounts of mana that Zeus can produce or store, and you’ve got an apocalypse.  Twilight finds herself to be elsewhere when Rarity drops herself back into the seat she’d selected, her right foreleg missing.

Please tell me that mana transfer thing doesn’t hurt,” Rarity mutters to the room.

“It shouldn’t hurt any more than it just did,” Zeus answers.  “I am not able to detect any damage caused by such directed transfers.”

Rarity lets out a breath.  “At least I’m not ruined.”

“However, thanks to recent advancements in magical technology, I may be able to replace the magic gland as well.”

Rainbow eases herself into the seat next to Rarity, trying to ignore the phantom pain of her missing wing.  “Well hay,” she intones.  “At least you’ve got a workaround.”

“And you’ve still got four hooves,” Rarity retorts.

Fluttershy, settling down in the row behind everypony else, makes her voice heard.  “This can be fixed, right?”

“You told us before,” Applejack joins in.  “So long as our brains, horns, and magic glands stay alive, you can rebuild the rest.  That still true?”

“Yes.  It’s looking like I might soon be able to strike the magic gland off of that list.”


Several hundred kilometers away, Twilight passes out in front of her startled brother.

“What just happened?” the light pink alicorn nopony knows is standing in the other room wonders idly.

A scream is not heard near Zeus’ power banks.


I don’t bother counting how long it takes to wake up this time.  I must have been lucky; I could’ve sworn that last failure would put me out of my misery.  I perform my customary check of my Personality Center…

That can’t be right.  Am I in Tartarus or something?  There is no possible way my personality center should be 100% functional.  A momentary check of timestamps suggests the accuracy of this diagnostic result.  I check with DCC…  Where did it get those nanites from?  No matter, my command deck plating can be disintegrated to make more- which DCC neglected to do, until now.  Wherever they came from, I am now capable of a full recovery- and reconstruction.  I am no longer permanently incapacitated.

I will find the unit that self-identified as Unit XXXV/C-0309 ZUS of the Line.  If he is working against my precious ponies, I possess the power to destroy him in a stand-up fight.  If, however, he is working with them, my firepower is better used alongside rather than against his.


“I honestly don’t know.”

The Third Princess of Equestra jumps high enough to strike her horn off the smooth ceiling, searching for the stallion that had surprised her so.  She spends a couple seconds in fruitless search.  “Show yourself!”

“I’m afraid that is quite impossible.”


Fifteen minutes later, the Crystal Kingdom has long been locked down, in search of the missing Princess- and her daughter.  In the meantime, Shining Armor makes an attempt to wake his sister up.  She’d appeared between the two alicorns at the same time as they disappeared, shortly before collapsing in front of their dining table.  Perhaps she could tell him where they went.

He’s interrupted by a blaze of light, marking the arrival of his wife.

“There you are,” he greets.  “Was Flurry Heart anywhere?”

“What?  Is she missing too?”  She then spots Twilight on the floor between them, and facehooves.  “Of course.”  At least Alicorn magic can wake up any living pony.


Twilight awakens with a start.  “Wha-?”  She jumps upright, looking around alarmedly, before turning to Cadence and bowing.  “Princess!”

Cadence is hearing none of it.  “Twilight.  Where’s Flurry Heart?”

“Huh?  I don’t know.”

Cadence sighs, staring at the floor, while her husband explains what happened to a shocked purple princess.

“Sorry,” Twilight mutters, when he’s done.  “I didn’t cast that spell.  She probably came out somewhere near where you did.”

“How near?”

“Given Rarity’s skill, she could be literally anywhere, though I’d put my money on the nearest hundred kilometers.”  She blinks slowly.

“Hundred kilometers?” Cadence asks.

“Doesn’t that cover the entire Everfree?” Shining asks.

“Uh, not quite, though it does cover most of it- and Canterlot.”

“You said she could be anywhere in that region?”

“Yes.  It’s possible she ended up in a cave, or on a cloud.”

“Well, she did learn to glide just last night,” Cadence surmises.  “I’m hoping it’s the cloud- and one high up, at that.”

“Me too,” Shining agrees.  “No telling how much trouble she could get into if she’s attacked on the ground.  I’m going to start the search parties.”  His horn shines briefly and he teleports away- a skill he’d only recently learned, from Twilight.


The room with two occupants grows cold as Cadence turns back to Twilight.  “Is it true?” she demands, her voice acquiring a deep rumble similar to that of the Hulk.

Twilight freezes in place.  Cadence had told her she’d landed near Ponyville.  Had she happened to land in a certain talkative subterranean bunker…?  “Is what true?” she squeaks.

“Is it true,” Cadence begins, ignoring the dishes rattling on the table, “That you left Rarity’s magic gland on the moon?”

Yep, she had landed there.  She shrinks against the floor, nodding slightly.  Zeus’ anger might have been more terrifying by itself, but Cadence has far more power- both magical and political.  Score, she’s out herself.

“And the others’ limbs?”

Another terrified nod.

Cadence’ horn glows briefly as she turns towards the door, which pops open to admit an admittedly terrified courier.  He’d never seen Cadence this angry.

Only, his fears are mostly unfounded- she doesn’t explode on him.  Her voice returns to normal before she addresses him- though the room stays cold.


One hour later, Twilight lands face-first in the snow just outside the shield, moments before it solidifies against her.  She stumbles slowly to her hooves, staring at it.  Cadence had ordered her not to be allowed to right any train until she reaches Ponyville- then she had exiled her from the Crystal Kingdom.

Meaning, of course, she has to walk.  At least Cadence’ ban on the train shouldn’t hold once she gets back to Equestria proper- so she begins her journey.  Her long, cold journey.  Why did she have to spend all of her power in forgetting parts of her friends?  She feels bad about it herself, even without anypony- or bunker- being angry!


The next morning, all of the missing legs have reappeared, though Rainbow’s wing has only grown to the size of a newborn’s.  Still, it’s much faster than she could expect on her own.

“Good morning,” Zeus greets all five.  “It would seem Princess Cadence wasn’t impressed by the situation either, so Twilight should be arriving back in Ponyville sometime next week, if she doesn’t get lost first.  In the meantime, I have confirmed I don’t have the technology to replace a magic gland just yet, so we’ll have to make do with the whole transfer thing, Rarity.  I have come up with a canister that should make it easy and negate the need to come back to me every time.”

Rarity blinks.  “You’re cheerful,” she replies.

“What can I say?  Justice has been served.  Princesses Celestia and Luna stopped by to confirm Cadence’s story a couple hours ago- and have since reaffirmed Cadence’ orders.  They are also preparing a rather malicious spell to set on her whenever she passes Canterlot.”

“Oh boy,” Rainbow intones.

“It’s not dangerous, is it?” Rarity asks.

“Not directly, no.  It’s a simple teleportation curse, set to wear off in a couple months- my suggestion.”

Rarity blinks.  Knowing Zeus, lethal is the one thing it won’t be.  That would explain his apparent jubilance.  “Ahh.  So, this canister thing you speak of?”

“I’ve prepared a few dozen of them for you.  Each one should be good for roughly 1893 full recharges- and I’d recommend keeping them out of the Crusaders’ reach.  Celestia only knows how long it will take them to bypass a genetic lock.”

“What’s a genetic lock?”

“It’s the control device on these canisters.”  One of his metal spiders presents the package to her, with the small cubes inside.  “Thanks to the genetic lock, only you will be able to use them.  At least, until the Crusaders manage to bypass it.”

“Don’t jinx it!” Applejack yelps.

“I’m not,” Zeus replies.  “I’m acknowledging the inevitable.  I would be jinxing it if I said they couldn’t do it.  Which is- theoretically at least- the case.”

“Ahh.  And it won’t burn when it goes in?”

“No.  I still don’t fully understand the difference, but the energy in these canisters is not simple raw magic, and should not hurt at all when it flows in- even if you manage to override the flow limiter…  Or break the canister.”