Things are bad here. Worse than we thought. The rebels stormed the palace last night during the celebrations and managed to kidnap Queen Sunny Flare. The royal guard suffered heavy casualties in the defense of the palace and the capital. To add to it, a fleet of ships has blockaded the planet and chased off the Kentoph defense force out of the system. An attempt on Pharaoh Hisan was fortunately prevented by one Crimson Napalm, a Celestial Knight, though he was slain by one of the other Sirens. The losses have shaken the Pharaoh and he has been locked up in his quarters for the last few days while his highest ranking commanders are scrambling to come up with some sort of response. They've recalled many of the troops from the various campaigns to reinforce the capital for any further reprisals from the rebels and to aid the citizens who've had their lives disrupted again from this attack.
I also regret to inform you all that Master Tempest Shadow was also slain in the fighting. Zaza was...well...Adagio Dazzle has returned. She also defeated Sunset Shimmer. She was thrown from the palace ramparts. Fortunately, her body was thrown into the river and she was found by a local villager and brought back to the palace. The doctors say she'll live but she won't be getting around anytime soon. They have her in a bacta tank for now but she will need to be sent off world eventually for better treatment.
The members of the Friendship Council looked to one another in concern as Fluttershy finished her report over the long range transmitter. "Thank you for your report, Fluttershy." Twilight said as she thought. "And what of Padawan Roseluck?"
Fluttershy cast her gaze to the ground. "I...don't know. She took Tempest's remains with her wherever she went." The master could detect a bit of scorn in her voice before turning her attention back to the mission at hand.
"I see. In any case it's of the utmost importance that you help keep the situation stabilized. I'm not certain we'll be able to give you much aid."
"We'd never get close to the planet without a Republic fleet." Applejack commented.
"I doubt the locals would appreciate a Republic presents either." Rarity said. "Especially if the senate decided they wanted to station troops on the planet. And who knows what the political situation would look like."
"I'm afraid we can't give you additional aid at the moment, Fluttershy." Twilight stated as she began to rub her head. "It's of the utmost importance that Sunny Flare be rescued. I'm aware it's a task easier said than done but, she is a key to keeping things on the planet under control, however draconian her methods may be. Without her, I believe the civil situation on the planet may become much worse."
"Worse still if she's executed." said Applejack, "It would definitely embolden the rebels and could lead to escalated attacks against the military and civilian population on both sides."
Fluttershy nodded. " I understand. I will do my best."
"We know you will, Fluttershy." Twilight said before a look of concern. "And about Adagio...."
"I'll handle it, Master Sparkle. Don't worry." Fluttershy interrupted, a look of cold determination on her face. "Goodbye." The broadcast cut immediately as Fluttershy stepped away from the jury-rigged transmitter that had been assembled. The two engineers that had been working on getting it running took notice and rushed over as it sparked out.
"Well that was productive." The one said as he looked over the device. "With transmissions being blocked like they are, that was our one chance to get a signal past the blockade."
"You know how long it will take to get another of these working?" The other said. "Not to mention trying to get another coded frequency they can't detect. This one won't work again."
"I think we're on our own." Fluttershy said as she walked off. She went to her temporary housing in the palace as it had been reconfigured into a temporary headquarters and barracks for the troops as many of the troop quarters in the city had been destroyed in the preceding attack. Fluttershy knelt down on a mat on the floor of her room and quietly meditated.
Four Days Ago
Only minutes after landing on the palace grounds and before she could do anything, a number of armed troopers raced out onto the platform and aimed there weapons at her before one of them identified her as a Jedi. She was then promptly ferried into the damaged and smoking structure that was once the resplendent palace of the royal family. Soon she was face to face with a young woman with snow white hair and violet skin.
"Fluttershy?" She asked as a confirming nod was all she needed from the long haired Jedi before giving a brief salute. "Commander Sugarcoat. Please tell me you're here with reinforcements." She asked in a monotone voice, receiving only a disappointing shake of the head. "Of course not..."
Just then, and injured Rose, aided by a guard, entered the room as the two turned to her. "Fluttershy..." The normally calm and shy Jedi approached Rose with a frightening presents about her.
"What did you do?" Rose shook in fear as the tone of Fluttershy's words were unnaturally harsh coming from her lips.
Rose could do little but mutter a few words, unable to explain herself. "I...I..." Her friend, or rather former friend looked at her in contempt and disgust as she gestured for Sugarcoat to follow her.
"I need to be debriefed of the situation, commander." Sugarcoat nodded in confirmation and walked with her as they left a pained Rose there.
Present
Fluttershy's brow furrowed as she found herself dwelling on the errors of Rose and forcing her into the situation she now found herself in. She knew precisely what needed to be done. The queen needed to be rescued, the war was definitely coming to a head, unnecessary loss of innocent lives had occurred as well as the loss of Tempest Shadow. Thing was, her mind kept going back to one undeniable truth: Za...Adagio Dazzle needed to be....
"Fluttershy..." Her eyes opened as she found herself knelt down on an astral plan of white light. Similarly kneeling down in front of her was her master, Rainbow Dash.
"Master Rainbow Dash? What...what is this?"
Dash chuckled. "Well, since we can't get communications out to you the old fashioned way, I decided to reach out to you through the force. It's an old technique I learned from my master. Took some time but looks like I can do it." Her face takes on a more concerned look as she addressed her padawan. "Fluttershy, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." She responded, her eyes refusing to meet with Rainbow's.
"Fluttershy, you know I'm here for you, anytime." She received no response from her as her apprentice's eyes never came back up to look at her. "Please. Don't do this."
"Don't do what?"
"Don't break my heart." The emotion in Dash's words caught Fluttershy off guard as she tensed up. "I've known you for a long time now. I was your teacher but I've learned something from you, something I had never had before I met you. Kindness, compassion, empathy. Those qualities about you are so beautiful and they've effected me more deeply than I can ever express. They are what made you who you are and gave you access to that." She pointed to the geode around her neck. "I can't claim to understand everything you're going through and I know you are hurting inside, but please don't let that change who you are."
Fluttershy kept her head bowed as she really had nothing to say to her master. Dash waited for a moment before closing her eyes as the connection between them ended. The Jedi Knight sat with folded legs in her quarters and looked to the Equus sky out of her window. "May the force be with you, Fluttershy."
At the main rebel headquarters, Adagio was in her private quarters preparing herself for the next step of her plan. She removed much of her gear that had been damaged in the palace extraction and put on a new set of black robes that matched closely to what she was accustomed to wearing, seeing as how Aria would no longer need them. It took her a moment as she lingered on her former comrade. She'd forgotten the link the three shared, how she could feel what they felt as long as they were in close proximity of each other. As Aria had fallen in that duel with Sunset, Adagio could feel her anger at her opponent, her frustrations that she could not come close to the goals she had failed to achieve, and her fears as she took her last breaths dying alone.
Adagio shook her head of these thoughts as she went to her mirror to make herself presentable for the meeting. She grabbed a brush and prepared to fix her hair when she looked into the reflective surface and saw a pair of innocent eyes staring back at her as the visage that gazed back at the siren was none other than that little girl again. The brush dropped from her hands as she was agitated that she had to see that face again. "You...What do you want?" She received no answer as the padawan simply kept her eyes locked with hers. "Why won't you just go away?" Still, no words were spoken from this apparition. "Say something. Answer me!" Her outstretched hand channeled the force in an instance and shattered the glass, sending it flying in shards across the floor with several bits cutting up Adagio's face and hand. "Why can't you just leave me alone?" She fell to her knees in frustration, tears rolling down her eyes as the mirror now perfectly reflected her mind; broken.
Her wounds proved only superficial as they rapidly healed even as she clutched herself tightly. "But...this is you." Her eyes opened wide as she heard a young voice coming from somewhere in the room. She crawled on her hands and knees, ignoring the glass that cut into her skin, until she found the source, a large shard of mirror that rested across the room. She peered into it to see the girls face again, this time appearing far more expressive.
"Get out! This is my body, it always was!" Adagio demanded.
"That's why this still appears to you. Don't you see, this reflection and you are one and the same? It's you, the purest part, the real you."
"No. This is the real me. Everything I've achieved so far for this moment. It is who I am." Adagio reaffirmed.
"If you really believed that, than why berate Aria for bringing you back? Did you not feel anger with her for pulling you back from what you truly were? You said it yourself and you were right. With the Jedi, with Sunset, with Fluttershy, you were happy."
Adagio covered her ears in denial. "Shut up. Just...shut up."
"Please, don't block out your feelings. You know it to be true. It's not too late. You can turn around, you can stop this before it's too late."
"I-I can't. They'd never forgive me. Tempest. She's dead because of what I've done."
"If you continue on this path, more innocents will die. You don't know what the Jedi will think, what they will do, but you know what must be done...regardless of personal cost." The reflection of Zaza pressed her hand against the surface. "You can't change what's happened, you can only move forward and learn from that." Adagio looked to the shard and hesitantly reached out her hand to it. No sooner had her palm overlapped the tiny one against the other side then her eyes shot open widely as her mind raced as the two halves became one in perfect synthesis. She breathed heavily as she looked back down to the mirror, seeing only Adagio Dazzle there and yet, there was something new, something different this time. She slowly rose to her feet and, after momentarily stumbling, headed for the door. No sooner had she opened it than she was met by Sonata on the other side with a stern look on her face. "Sonata?"
The blue siren didn't answer at first, looking her master up and down for a moment. "Everything...okay, Adagio?" The suspicion in her voice was all too apparent.
"Yes, yes of course." The elder warrior did her best to give a voice of assurance. "Just preparing myself for our final plans."
The answer seemed to satiate Sonata's curiosity as she smiled. "Of course. So exciting. Anyway, Doctor Patchwork wants us in her lab ASAP. She says it's something definitely worth seeing." She gestured down the hall as Adagio stepped out and the door shut behind her swiftly, though just slow enough for her disciple to notice the broken mirror before the two made their way to their destination.
In the depths of the base sealed off to all but those with the highest authorization were the prison cells, at this moment scarcely populated. The sole resident none other than Queen Sunny Flare, though at this point she looked anything but royal. Her elegant garb had been stripped from her and replaced with stained rags, her make-up mostly washed off, though some smeared portions still remained. All this was complimented by a shackle placed around her neck that was fastened to the floor by a chain. Sunny was curled up in the rear corner the cell as she shivered from the damp and cold conditions, a small tin of food sitting beside her, it's contents too repugnant for her to consume.
"Food not to your liking? You always were hard to please." A voice came from the cell door as Indigo Zap stood on the opposite side of the bars, a grim look on her face. "Hope you're enjoying your deluxe accommodations."
"Indy, you have to listen." Sunny said weakly, the
"You don't get to call me that! The only reason you're still alive is because the siren demanded it. If it had been up to me you'd be dead for what you did to Lemon Zest."
Flare looked to her in confusion and concern. "Lemon? What are you talking about? What happened to her?" Sunny is answered as Indigo slams her arm against the bars.
"Don't play dumb! You always did take me for an idiot. Your people and that gas attack on our HQ. After all those years of your 'moral high ground' talk and you pull something like this? Unlucky for you I wasn't there...but Lemon was and she and a good chunk of my command staff were and now you have to answer for that."
Sunny's mind tried to piece together the seemingly senseless rambling that was coming out of her former comrade's mouth. "What are you talking about, you idiot?! I never signed off on anything like that! Even when we were bogged down in the muck on Mimban, where death was a certainty, with Republic forces breathing down our necks, I shut down any plan to use chemical weapons! So, why would I even think about using anything like that now, especially against you?"
Zap looked her over and stared deeply into her eyes and could see something. Perhaps it was the truth, the Sunny she knew would never have agreed to that kind of attack, but still... "Maybe I just don't know you as well I thought I did. Never thought you'd stab me in the back either."
"We agreed, all of us did, Lemon included, that this planet needed our help to stabilize it." Sunny defended.
"Yes, stabilize, not stay here to become part of the ruling class. It was to help people! Who died and made you queen!" Indigo shouted.
"I am trying to do my best. Hisan's kingship is the best chance this planet has for cohesion. All those rebels that fight for you, they don't have a plan. The only thing they have is an agreed dislike of the royal family. After they've killed him, put his head on a pike and paraded it around the city before burning the whole place down, those 'freedom fighters', yeah, they'll implode on themselves. We have a plan. I have a plan! And none of it involved killing people with poison gas!" She stopped suddenly as she clenched her stomach and released a cry of pain through her clenched teeth.
"What's wrong?" Indigo showed some small look of concern for her former friend as she leaned against the bars.
"It's-it's the baby." She said in a strained voice.
Indigo's befuddled look said it all. "Baby? Baby?"
"Baby. Yes, a baby!" Sunny shouted. "Look at me! What did you think?!"
"I just thought you were getting a little fat from all that palace food."
"Oh my Gods! You always were an idiot!" Sunny continued to berate her even through the pain she was currently enduring. Soon she began to perform her breathing exercises as the pain and her temper began to die down.
"Geeze, Sunny, I'm...if I'd known I'd never have..."
Sunny let out a slow breath before calmly answering. "It's alright. I never imagined when we started out that things would get like this." Indigo's gaze was cast downward as she contemplated. "So, what do they have planned for me?"
"Exchange is my best bet. Trade you for prisoners or hoping Hisan will stand down with you at stake." Sunny nodded with acknowledgement. Given Hisan's character, he'd surely trade anything to get them back. "Or, more likely we'll hold you and barrage your forces, hoping that the royals will collapse without your leadership." She walked a short ways. "As for the gas attack; I don't know who's responsible. Now maybe it was someone under your command operating independently, but I know you had nothing to do with it. All I know is what I got from the command reports. I will get to the bottom of this...we owe Lemon that much." Sunny gave a stern, confirming nod. "I'll see if I can't get you something a bit more comfortable for you and the baby."
Just as she finished, the doors to the cell block opened up and two troopers stood in the doorway. "Ma'am, Dr. Patchwork requires your presence, both of you." The trooper gestured to Sunny Flare as she and Indigo traded quick glances. A few minutes later and Indigo was escorted by her two guards to Patchwork's on base lab in the belly of the fortress and behind her, two further guards escorted a handcuffed Sunny Flare. They were soon greeted by the doctor who was flanked on either side by the two remaining siren sisters. At a work station, the shackled Flash Sentry was silently at work, paying no mind to anything going on.
"Greetings!" Patchwork shouted in joy as they approached. "Glad you could join us, Ms. Zap..." she turned to look at Sunny. "and Queen Flare, looking as good as can be expected." The Kentoph royal sneered at the scientist who simply smiled back. "Well let's get down to business. As you know we are on the verge of winning this war..." Sunny scoffs at this as the doctor looks to her before turning her attention back to her words. "As I was saying, this war is ours for the taking thanks to the donations from our generous benefactor who has decided to grace us with her presence. We're ready for you." She spoke through her wrist mounted communicator as the doors on the opposite end of the room opened and a black hooded figure, escorted by eight commando droids, four in front and back of them, marched confidently up the walkway and stood alongside Patchwork. They were slightly shorter than the others in the room as the hood was removed and revealed a teenage girl whose stern face and pale complexion contrasted her vibrant violet, blue and pink hair. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce, Princess Flurry Heart."