Chapter 8-
Set Me On Fire
Sirens. Flashing lights. Muffled tones and shouting. It was all Coloratura could do to plaster her ears to her skull, shivering as she sat on the edge of one of the ambulances with a blanket wrapped around her withers. She took another deep, shuddering breath. The mare let her breath back out slowly before nearly jumping out of her skin as something touched down on her shoulder. Opal eyes shot up to find the NetNavi in the blue and yellow jumpsuit that had saved her life standing over her.
“Hey,” she greeted, a worried frown on her face as she took back her hand. “You okay?”
It took a moment for the performer to process the question before she took a shuddering breath and nodded her head. “...Not really,” she admitted, looking away and moving a strand of her mane out of her face. “I, um… have a thing about fire….”
The Navi pursed her lips together and nodded her head in understanding. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, rubbing her hand into the mare’s shoulder. “They get you checked out? Call somebody for you?”
Coloratura simply nodded at that, giving a slight smile at the concern the NetNavi was showing her. “I gave them my manager’s number,” she informed, raising a hoof up. “He should be here any min-”
“Col-Or-A-Tur-Aa!” Both pony and navigator winced at the high pitched, over-enunciated cry, turning to watch as the vermilion and gray stallion came trotting up, his NetNavi trodding along behind him. He came to a skidding stop in front of them, Amelia raising an eyebrow at the pair. “Thank Celestia you’re alright! You weren’t hurt, were you? No smoke inhalation?”
Green eyes narrowed at that even before Svengallop brought his hooves up and started checking the popstar’s throat. For her part, the musician only chuckled. “I’m fine, Sven,” the mare chortled, gently pushing him back before waving a hoof towards Amelia. “This Navi here made sure I was safe.”
Svengallop turned a critical eye on the woman before him, his dark brown eyes going up and down her form in the most unflattering way Amelia had ever witnessed. “And who might you be?”
The green-eyed Navi actually took a moment to smirk at that, though her eyes didn’t convey any form of humor. “Amelia Jaeger,” she introduced, crossing her arms as she cocked a hip. “Bass.EXE program and virus buster, at your service.”
“A virus buster, hm?” The stallion questioned, raising an eyebrow. "And who might you belong to? I'd like to thank them."
Amelia's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. "I don't belong to anyone," she answered coldly. "I'm my own Navi."
Sven's eyes widened dramatically and he took a step back. "You're a rouge!?" He spat, clear disgust in his voice and demeanor. "How on Firma did you get past Canterlot's cybersecurity?"
It was Amelia's turn to raise an eyebrow. "So you guys do have a network in place," she murmured to herself, putting a knuckle to her chin. "No wonder I feel better than before…."
Sven gulped visibly as his NetNavi took up a defensive stance. Coloratura, however, looked curiously over the pink-haired woman. Something felt familiar about her, though the mare couldn't put her hoof on it. Before she could voice any questions, though, another voice interrupted.
"Amelia!" Green eyes raised at the shout, a little gasp escaping her as she laid eyes on Princess Celestia, the Alicorn standing a few yards away with her wings flared slightly. The two stared at each other for several moments, tension building in the air. They started to step towards each other, pace building until they were all but sprinting. They collided against one another, the mare easily catching the young woman as they wrapped each other in an embrace.
"Oh, God," the woman gasped, arms wrapped around the Princess's neck and shoulders while Celestia wrapped her legs around her back. "It's so good to see you."
"It's good to see you, too," the Alicorn whispered, giving another squeeze with both her chin and hooves before backing away a little. "What happened to you? Where have you been for the last millennia?"
"Millennia?" Amelia questioned, brows furrowing before she shook her head. "I got knocked into an adjacent dimension when the Life Virus exploded. I met some guys that helped me get back, but I was only there for a year."
"Only one year?" Celestia gasped, her look of surprise turning to a light chuckle. "And here I was getting jealous of your youth! You look practically the same!"
The woman gave her own chuckle, hands going to her hips as they relaxed their stances. "And look at you!" She exclaimed. "All aged up and adult-like. What happened?" She reached a hand out and curled some of the mare's wispy, rainbow mane through her fingers. "Go through a midlife crisis and dye your hair?"
Celestia's mood dropped drastically at that, eyes drooping to the ground for a moment. "That's… a long story," she answered, looking back up and flashing a tense smile.
Amelia gave a small frown but nodded. "Okay," she said softly before looking around. "Where's Luna?"
The alabaster mare gave a little sigh and relaxed, her smile becoming more genuine. "She's taken some guards and is searching the premises for some clue as to what happened."
Amelia's frown tightened into a line. "I could give you guys some insight on that," she informed, crossing her arms. "But you may not like it."
Celestia matched her expression and nodded. "We should take this elsewhere, then," the mare agreed, magic igniting and summoning her PET. "Pharoahman, would you send a message to Luna? Tell her to meet Amelia and I at the palace."
"Right away, Majesty," the Navi replied, giving a bow before the screen blinked off.
Celestia nodded and put her terminal away, looking back to the young woman. "Shall we?" The princess asked, raising a brow as she started to turn.
"One sec," Amelia answered, turning away. "I'll be right back." With that, she jogged back towards Coloratura and her manager, both of which had stared with wide eyes at the interaction.
"Hey," the Navi said, coming to a stop in front of the songstress. "I don't usually leave rescuees alone until they're cleared or the paramedics take them, but there's a bit of a situation I need to get to. Will you be alright?"
The genuine concern in the woman's voice took the mare back a moment. "U-um," she started before putting a hoof to her head, closing her eyes, and smiling before looking back up. "I think I'll be fine. Thank you for your concern, Miss Jaeger"
The NetNavi smirked at the, her form shimmering a moment before reappearing in her battle gear. "Just 'Amelia' is fine," she answered, giving a little bow as her cloak flapped. The Navi straightened up, flashing a grin before turning. "Catch you later," she added before making her way back towards the princess.
Coloratura stared as the princess and Navi walked away, eyes wide in shock. Sven watched as well, giving a little scoff as they both took off into the air. "How could the princesses hang around wretches like that?" He grumbled before turning back to the pop star. "Now let's get you back to the hotel."
He put a hoof to her to lead her away only to stop as she remained unmoved. He raised an eyebrow at her wide-eyed expression, glancing between her gaze and where the two had left. "...Is something the matter, Coloratura?"
The question seemed to knock the mare out of her stupor, the star taking in a deep breath and squeezing her eyes shut to the ground before looking to her manager. "No," she breathed with a shake of her head. "It’s nothing."
“You failed to kill the target.” Mulberry eyes winced at the sharp tone in the aged voice, illuminated by the screen before them.
“Don’t blame me,” the snarky female replied. “It was that Navi you paired me with. I told you I’d need more power than he’s capable of putting out.
“Silence!” She flinched again at the shout that was quickly followed by a series of coughs. “Fireman was programed specifically for this mission. The only error here is with the Operator!”
Another fit of coughing interrupted the angry old man, the female frowning at the sounds. “We’ll try again,” she promised, tone much more reasonable. “This time I’ll make sure Fireman takes her out.”
“You’d better!” The old man wheezed before clearing his throat. “Our time is running short, and if you can’t, there are plenty of others here that can!”
The screen went black with the last angry remark, the young female giving a sigh. “You heard the old man,” she said, bringing up a red and silver PET in her fuchsia hoof, Fireman looking back at her. “Find the popstar, and this time, make sure we get what we want and she stops breathing!”
"So!" Amelia clapped as she and the princesses walked into the throne room, the guards closing the doors behind them. "What have I missed since I tore a hole in space-time?"
Luna gave a little chuckle as Celestia once more averted a guilty expression. "Good to see thee haven't lost thy spark, Miss Jaeger," the lunar princess commented before continuing. "To be honest, the last thousand years weren't as eventful as one would think."
"Oh?" The Navi smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Do tell."
"After thee defeated the Life Virus," Luna began, "the Crystal Empire underwent a revival. Princess Amore appointed Amber to beest her chief advisor while Sombra wast sentenced to a decade of civil service. He didn't argue with the punishment and spent his time wisely, eventually building himself up to beest the Princess's archmage. Together, they ushered in a new age of peace."
The woman nodded as she absorbed the information. "This was a thousand years ago?" She questioned, her voice growing solemn.
Hearing the change in the Navi's voice, Luna gave a little frown. "Yes," she answered lowly, eyes drifting to the ground.
Amelia hesitated a moment, taking a deep breath to soothe the tightness in her chest. "So… they're all…" she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, glancing up at the younger diarch.
The blue Alicorn let out a soft breath at that and nodded. "Sombra and Amber hath passed on," she answered. "Amore clings to life, but hath relinquished the throne to her granddaughter, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and her husband, Shining Armor."
The dark Navi let out a little sigh, shoulders slumping as her head bowed. "...I knew when you told me it had been a thousand years," she murmured, lifting a thumb to her eye. "But… some part of me still hoped…." The trio fell silent for several long minutes, the sisters allowing the grieving woman to mourn the loss of her friend and partner.
After a few tears managed to hit the floor rather than be caught by the tattered cloak, Amelia took several deep breaths and wiped her eyes once more. "Anything else I should know about?" She asked voice strained through her clogged nostrils.
The Alicorns glanced at each other a moment before Luna cleared her throat to continue. "Well," she started, rolling a hoof through the air. "There wast our whole, um, Nightmare Moon phase."
"'Nightmare Moon'?" The navigator questioned, raising an eyebrow. "What's that?"
Luna gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of her head. "W-well," the princess stuttered, avoiding Amelia's gaze. "We might have allowed ourselves to become jealous of our sister's popularity, and, as a result, became possessed by a dark entity…."
When the Princess of the Moon looked back at the woman, she found her blinking in disbelief. "...You were possessed by a demon!?" She exclaimed in disbelief gesturing with a hand. "For how long!?"
Here, the princess let out a tense chuckle. "About… a thousand years…" she replied, Celestia's face buried in her hoof.
Once again, Amelia blinked before letting out a long sigh. "Things are never simple," she muttered, rubbing her eyes before looking back up. "Okay, what next?"
"A thousand years of peace," Celestia spoke up, bringing herself into the conversation. "When Nightmare Moon returned, my student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends became the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony and purified Luna. Since then, an ancient god of chaos has awakened and reformed, a hive of shapeshifters tried to take over Equestria, Twilight became an Alicorn and a princess, and a powerful tyrant almost succeeded in draining all ponies of their magic."
The purple Navi stood in silence, eye twitching as her brain literally processed all of the information that had just been dumped. After a few seconds, she blinked and let out a long, heated breath. "Oookay," she muttered to herself. "And here I thought the craziest thing I'd ever hear about was an angry forest god trying to kill a bunch of student campers…."
"Speaking of," Amelia looked up as Celestia took a few steps forward. "Where have you been all this time?"
The woman chuckled at that, her helmet dematerializing as she rubbed the side of her head, hot pink on pink ponytail coming over her shoulder. "I spent a year in a world with other humans," she answered simply, giving a little shrug. "They just weren't my humans."
"What dost thou mean?" Luna asked, earning the Navi's attention.
"I mean they were human," she began with a shrug and a look to the ceiling, "but they had abnormally colored hair and skin. Humans, where I’m from, have skin tones along the brown or tan spectrum with hair that normally runs along the same path alongside red. But the humans I visited had skin and hair tones from the entire color spectrum, kind of like the ponies here. In fact, they even shared names with some of the ponies here. There was a Celestia, a Luna, even a Sombra."
She paused and looked between the sisters who were sharing an amused glance. "...What?"
The princesses gave little giggles and chuckles before the elder answered. "It sounds as if you found your way to the mirror dimension," she stated a little smile on her face. "Twilight Sparkle discovered it not long ago herself."
Amelia frowned at the information before letting out a sigh, a sad look on her face. The sisters shared another look, this time of worry. "Is… something the matter…?" Luna asked gently, lifting a hoof.
The woman gave a little sniff and once more wiped her eyes before giving a tense nod. "Yeah," she replied tersely, looking back up. "Yeah, I'm okay." She took a moment to collect herself before continuing. "I don't think I was in the same dimension. I ended up meeting two Twilight Sparkles, one a young girl and the other claiming to be a pony princess in human form. That and there were alien and monster attacks every few weeks or so."
The Alicorns blanched at that, eyes widening. "That is…" Luna started, trailing for a moment, "unsettling. It certainly wasn't our mirror dimension thee wast sent to. It must have been terrifying for thee to deal with such atrocities alone."
At that, Amelia gave a melancholy smile. "Well," she replied, shifting a little. "Not totally alone." She looked at the diarchs' confused expressions and smiled a bit brighter. "I met a couple of brothers who helped me out. They were Displaced, just like me."
"Displaced?" Celestia questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Right, that would be foreign to you guys," the woman said, itching her temple. "Basically a Displaced is a person that was taken from their dimension, given the powers and or identity of a fictional character, and thrown into one version of Equestria or another."
"So there art others like thee?" Luna asked, eyes widening alongside her sister's.
"More or less," Amelia answered with a shrug. "Nick and Justin were brothers, but they each had different power sets from different works of fiction. Nick became Ultraman Seven and Justin got the power to transform into Gridknight. Both were way different from my powers and abilities."
Both princesses gave a relieved breath at that and smiled. "It's good to know you weren't alone in such a different place," Celestia said, taking a few steps forward. "And we're glad you were able to find your way back."
The NetNavi chuckled at that as she gave the alabaster Alicorn another hug as said Alicorn put a leg around her shoulders. "It's good to be back," she agreed, voice low.
The pair held the hug, Luna joining a moment later. The three stayed like that for a few seconds more before separating and sharing a round of smiles.
"As nice as this is," Celestia eventually spoke up, straightening up in a business-like manner. "There has been an attack on a public event and I would like to know why. Amelia, I understand you may have insight on the matter."
"A bit more than insight, ma'am," the Navi answered, standing straighter. "I can tell you that the NetNavi that attacked the concert was Fireman and that he is most likely not working alone."
Both diarchs narrowed their eyes. "Explain," Luna growled.
"He and his operator are likely working for a terrorist organization known as World Three," Amelia continued. "The aim of said organization is the complete destruction of the net."
"But why?" Luna questioned, raising a brow. "The net hath done nothing but bring the world closer together and allow information to be shared globally."
"The answer is actually a lot simpler than you'd expect," the dark Navi replied, hands going to her hips. "The guy running the show, Doctor Wily, is seriously childish. He and his rival were in a race to see what field would dominate the world; robotics or cybernetics. Cybernetics won out and Wily swore to devote his life to tear down the Cyber World."
"That is…" Luna paused, blinking for a moment, "quite a lot to digest." She shook her head before continuing. "But we don't know of any 'Wily'. Surely if the rivalry had been as big as you say, we would have heard of him."
At this, the woman only shrugged. "There's a chance it may not be Wily," she admitted. "But it is almost definitely some variation of the cyber-terrorist theory. According to what I learned about Displaced, we tend to warp the reality in which we landed." At the confused looks of the princesses, she continued. "Basically, things from the Megaman universe will start to appear here in this world. And considering you guys did the hard work of creating a network, Navis, and terminals, it was a matter of time before something like this happened."
The Alicorns looked to one another. They seemed to have a silent conversation before it ended with Luna nodding her head and steeling her features while Celestia gave a small breath, bowing her head a moment before looking up with a fierce gaze. "What should we do?" She asked.
"We first need to increase security here in Canterlot," Amelia answered, once again straightening up. "Both on the streets and within the network. The more the merrier. Next, we need to attempt to backtrack Fireman's trail. It's highly unlikely that he was manifested outside of the building, meaning he had to travel the network from his operator's location. Even if the op changed positions after logging Fireman in, they sent several battlechips to him which had to travel the net for Fireman to utilize them."
"What will you do?" Celestia asked, looking to the Navi. "You're not the type to simply sit around waiting."
The Navi nodded her head at that, crossing her arms as she looked to the floor. "I'm going to follow up on a hunch of mine," she replied, eyes thoughtful. "Fireman was after something at the concert and it had something to do with that Coloratura mare."
"What makes thee so sure?" Luna questioned, tilting her head.
"When he had the chance to take you out," the program answered, looking up at the lunar princess, "he didn't. He could've at least tried to take you down when he had the opportunity. Instead, he took interest in Coloratura as soon as she made herself known. Why? They had to have had a reason for attacking the concert specifically, especially considering the enhanced security with the presence of both princesses and all of the A-list celebrities. Fireman attacked the concert during Coloratura's performance and targeted her when he got the chance. I'm going to find her and see if I can figure out why."
Both mares nodded at that as Amelia started to walk towards a balcony overlooking the city. "Should we send you with backup?" Celestia offered, taking a step forward.
"No thanks," the woman answered, turning on her toe to walk backward. "They'd only draw unwanted attention and besides," a glint lit up her eyes, "I've gotten pretty good at stealth." The Navi jumped back, body shimmering before disappearing into the night.
The air was thick. Almost impossible to choke down as she crawled across the floor. The ceiling above was blacked out while everything else glowed in a sinister light. Her only thought was to keep moving. Keep moving and hold onto-
Coloratura blinked as knocking brought her back to reality. She looked up from her glass into the brown eyes of her slightly worried bartender. "I'm sorry, miss," the light mint stallion apologized while flashing a weak smile. "The bar's about to close for the night. Do you need some help getting to your room?"
The mare looked at him for a moment longer before glancing down at the tumbler and the hardly touched alcohol within. A heavy sigh escaped her before she slid the glass over to him. “No,” she answered, slowly getting off of her stool. “I think I’ll be fine. Just add the bill to my room and I’ll pay it when I leave in the morning.”
“I’ll see to it,” the stallion replied, taking the glass in his hoof. “You have a goodnight, miss.”
“Yeah,” the pop star replied, turning away. “You, too.” Coloratura trotted slowly out of the bar area into the lobby of the hotel she’d been staying at, crossing the scarce carpet towards the elevators. Despite the fact that she’d ordered a drink that could have easily put her on her tail, the mare was the furthest thing from drunk she could be. Memories and nightmares kept flashing through her mind like railroad spikes, constantly sending wave on wave of anxiety and fear crashing into her. It left her feeling more exhausted than she’d felt in a very long time.
Maybe I should make an appointment with my therapist, she thought to herself as she watched the elevator doors close in front of her. Haven’t had to do that in years. And truthfully, she hadn’t. Despite her bimonthly visits with her therapist to keep an eye on her mental health, she hadn’t had a reason to have a full-blown session since she was a filly. Until now.
The Earth Pony let out a heavy breath as the doors opened back up, allowing her to walk out of the elevator onto her floor mechanically. She continued on her way, completely unaware of her surroundings as her thoughts kept her crushed within her own mind. Even as she passed two very heated voices, she couldn’t muster the energy to focus on them. However, she only got a few more feet before a light touch had her shooting out of her skin.
“SWEET SISTERS IN A BASKET!!!” Coloratura’s scream echoed through the carpeted hallway, the mare’s natural Earth Pony strength kicking in to almost send her into the ceiling. She spun as she came back down to the floor, chest heaving.
Her heart hammered in her ears as she started to process a very startled Vinyl and Octavia, the latter standing in the doorway to her room in a nightrobe. The three mares stared at each other for several moments before Coloratura cleared her throat and smoothed her mane.
“H-h-hey, girls,” she stuttered out, stomach tying itself in knots. “Sorry for the fright, I wasn’t paying attention.” She ended her short-lived apology with a halfhearted giggle.
The mares could only stare at her for a moment, concern clear on their faces as they took a moment to look towards one another, whatever argument they’d been having clearly forgotten. “You okay there, CC?” Vinyl asked, looking back at the disheveled idol.
The response she got was a forced chuckle, both she and Octavia raising an eyebrow. “I’m fine, Vivi,” Coloratura answered, waving a hoof through the air to dismiss the question. “I mean, I’m a little shaken, yeah, but nothin’ a filly like me can’t take.” Another chuckle finished her response, the mare glancing at the pair to gauge their reactions. She felt the lump in her throat tighten as neither of them looked the least bit convinced.
“...You do know you can open up to us,” Octavia spoke up, stepping out of her room to stand next to Vinyl, the unicorn nodding her agreement. “We’re all show mares here, Coloratura. You don’t have to keep the mask up for us.”
The pop star deflated at that, shoulders slumping as the butterflies in her stomach caught fire. “I-I know,” she murmured, rubbing her forelegs together nervously. “I-it’s just… today’s been a lot, y’know? A-and I know I interrupted earlier today, but I reallydon’twanttogetinthewayofwhat’sgoingonbetweenyouguyscauseI’msureit’sseriousandit’snoneofmybusinessandIshouldjustkeepmynoseoutofitandfocusonnotthinkingaboutbeingalmostburnedali-” Coloratura interrupted herself by shoving a hoof over her mouth, bringing the flood of words to an abrupt stop that left the others blinking.
Several tense seconds ticked by before the songstress let out another harsh chuckle. “Y-y’know what? Just forget I was ever here! Goodnight, girls!” Before either the DJ or Cellist could react, the aqua-gray pony turned on her hoof and all but ran down the hallway, disappearing behind the next corner.
Vinyl reached out as if to go after her only to stop as a hoof landed lightly on her shoulder. “Let her go, Vinyl,” Octavia said, pulling her hoof back. “If she’s that bothered by what happened, the last thing she needs is for us to force ourselves in.”
The white unicorn looked as if she were about to argue only to stop and look back down the hallway. After a second, she let out a sigh, shoulders relaxing. “You’re right,” she conceited, looking towards the floor as she slid her shades back down on her face. “I guess this is goodnight, then.”
The darker mare only pursed her lips as the vibrant pony started to walk away with her head and tail hanging. Octavia watched her for a few more seconds before letting out a quiet breath and turning back to her room.
“Tavi?” The orchestra pony stopped in her doorway and looked back out, Vinyl Scratch looking past her shoulder with her shades still on. “I really am sorry for everything I put you through. I hope he makes you happy.” With that, she turned and continued her walk.
Octavia watched her go, letting out another sigh as she turned back to her room. “That mare,” she muttered to herself as she closed the door with a tightness in her chest.
Down below, in the lobby, a figure in a tattered brown cloak approached the front desk. The stallion working it, a colt barely out of school, didn’t notice the nearly silent footsteps until a large shadow loomed over him. With a little jump, he turned to face the figure.
“O-oh, pardon me,” he apologized, taking a moment to wipe at his brow. “I didn’t see you there. How can I help you?”
The colt couldn’t help a little shudder as a pair of red eyes stared down at him. “I’m here to meet with the Countess.”
Coloratura all but slammed the door to her room shut, her back to it as her chest heaved. She hadn’t been expecting to see Octavia and Vinyl again after the show, and definitely not in the same hotel as her. Cool your jets, girl, the mare silently told herself as she reached a shaky hoof to lock the deadbolt to her room. She let out a heavy breath as the bolt slid into place, pushing herself off the door to walk further into her room.
It was a nice room, she had to admit. Although, as Svengallop had put it, it was “far below her standards.” She let out a dry chuckle at that. The room was far more than she could’ve asked for with its queen-sized bed, personal workspace and vanity, entertainment center, and a fully furnished bathroom that was more like a mini-spa.
“It was the best they could do on short notice,” she remembered her manager saying, adding a little snort after his assessment.
Coloratura just shook her head again as she collapsed backward onto the bed with a sigh. “Better than what I grew up with,” she muttered to herself as she stared up at the ceiling. Several moments passed before she looked over to the vanity, eyeing the crystalline trinket box sitting on it amongst jewelry and makeup.
With a frown, the mare rolled back onto her hooves, walking slowly over to it. She pulled herself into the posh chair that was provided to her, stopping to stare down at the little box. Tentatively, she put her front hooves out towards it, stopping only a small distance from actually touching it. She pursed her lips as she stared down at the dull, marred surface of the crystal, making her shiver as memories came rushing back to her again. She closed her eyes as her breath caught in her throat, pushing back deep into the cushions of the chair she was in. They’re just memories, they can’t hurt you. They’re just memories, they can’t hurt you. They’re just memories, they can’t hurt you! She chanted internally as she got her breathing under control, taking in deep breaths as she imagined herself on a beach on the west coast of Equestria, sun shining off the crystal clear water as the sounds of gulls and waves brought her to peace.
After several minutes, she felt her body begin to relax as her mind calmed. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her heart still beating rapidly as she continued to breathe in deep and controlled. She kept her gaze down for a few more moments before she finally looked back up at the box before her, unmoved and unchanged. She let out a huff and hardened her features before reaching out again, this time taking the small container and pulling it closer. “Memories can’t hurt you,” she muttered to herself again, this time aloud as she lifted her hoof and flipped open the lid. She stared down at the contents, her pursed lips forming a frown without her knowledge.
“Quite the artifact.”
Coloratura jumped out of her seat, turning in midair as she came crashing down, spilling a good portion of her belongings on the floor as she caught herself. Her eyes were wide as she looked the cloaked figure up and down, nothing visible in the shadows of the hood except for a pair of dull red eyes.
“Wh-who are you!?” Coloratura stammered, struggling to untangle her legs beneath her. “What do you want!?”
The figure only cocked its head to the side. “You already know the answer,” it intoned darkly, a cylindrical appendage coming out from under the cloak, revealing the red suit underneath.
The mare let out a gasp that choked her as a small burst of flame lit the cloak at the neck, causing the burning fabric to fall away, igniting the carpet in an instant. “Give it to me,” Fireman growled, aiming his arm at her as flames built within.
Amelia raced along the rooftops of Canterlot, her Invisible BattleChip keeping her completely undetectable to the naked eye as she went. “She can’t have gone terribly far,” the Navi muttered to herself as she continued to sift through the network she had connected to. Faster than any normal supercomputer, she rifled through every known hotel, inn, and motel in the city, checking guest lists, checkouts, and reservations.
“Hmph,” the woman grunted as she caught herself on the pinnacle of a tall building, hanging out with one arm as she surveyed the area. “Who knew this place could hold so many rest stops.” Green eyes continued to search the city below, enhanced vision scanning every pony and NetNavi in sight.
“Where are you…?” she mumbled to herself before she stopped as her search came up with something. She pulled herself in as her free hand came up to her helmet, pressing on the side. A result sprang to life in her vision, showing her a grand hotel, its staff, and guest list. And amongst the long list, highlighted for her convenience, was just the name she was looking for.
“Bingo,” she murmured as a grin spread out over her face. She looked out over the city once more, her HUD updating to give her a green arrow pointing to her left. She turned her head until a building highlighted in the same green came into view. Her grin widened again before she shot off, racing even faster than before as she made her way.
Before she could make it halfway, though, a huge spire of flame skewered the hotel, racing into the sky for several seconds before disappearing. “Shit!” She shouted, her system already reaching out to alert the authorities as she dug into her library. Her body flashed as she activated Dash, her form becoming a blur as her invisibility dispersed.
Sirens wailed as she jumped and slid to a stop in front of the building, security and officers that were already close to the scene helping get guests out as flames licked at the upper windows. “What’s going on here?” The NetNavi commanded, approaching a nearby officer.
The mare only gave her a short glare before answering. “There’s a rouge Navi up there,” she answered, continuing to wave civilians to safety. “Lit the whole place up pretty good.”
“Fireman,” Amelia growled, her eyes flashing for a moment before looking up to the upper floors. “Where did the fire start.”
“Third floor,” the police mare answered, not looking back from her duty. “We already sent in some Buster Navis to take care of it.”
“They won’t last,” the dark Navi muttered, taking several steps back. She scanned the windows and the rooms within, finding almost every hazardous room devoid of life signs with a sigh of relief. Her eyes turned red for a moment before she widened her stance and crouched down.
A flash of light caught the officer’s attention, the mare looking back to see a bubble form around the cloaked Navi before shrinking down to form a barrier that hovered no more than an inch from her body. “Hey hey, what’re you-!” She didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence as Amelia rocketed into the air in a burst of purple aura, easily crashing through one of the third-floor windows.
A scream ripped through the air as Coloratura slid around a corner, letting out a grunt as her side slammed into the wall, her trinket box held under one leg. The mare didn’t stop though as she kicked her legs into high gear, racing away just in time to avoid being engulfed in a beam of flames. Fireman followed around the corner soon after, glaring down the hall after the aqua-gray mare.
“You can’t run forever,” he called after her, raising his arm once more.
The pony let out a squeal as she jumped out of the way, feeling the ends of her mane singe as several fireballs raced past her. “Screw you!” She shouted back, scrambling back to her available hooves and running off once more. Before the Navi could get off another blast, she darted around another corner.
Here it comes! She yelled at herself before she jumped in the air, another beam of burning flames cutting through the wall beside her and only just missing her underbelly. He’s getting closer, she thought as she landed and kept running. If I’m not careful, the next one’ll have me. She dismissed the thought and refocused on running. She took another turn, this time to her left, her eyes widening at what she saw.
“There she is!” Vinyl cried out, getting Octavia’s attention with a hoof on her haunches. The dark maned mare turned to see Coloratura racing towards them, a look of relief coming to her face.
“RUN!” The shout made both mares peel their ears back, both furrowing their brows before widening as they watched the red NetNavi step around a corner.
“Oh, shit!” Vinyl shouted, turning alongside Octavia as Coloratura caught up to them, the trio racing off together. Octavia screamed as she was forced out of the way by Coloratura, a blast of flame racing past them.
“What are you two doing here!?” Coloratura questioned as they ran.
“Lookin’ for you!” Vinyl answered. “We weren’t gonna leave you in another burning building!”
“Why are you being chased by a pyromaniac!?” Octavia yelled, chest heaving.
“He wants- AW!” Coloratura was cut off as she failed to dodge a ball of fire that grazed her shoulder.
“CC!” Vinyl and Octavia skidded to a halt, turning back to their friend, Vinyl reaching down to help the pop star get her hooves back under. “C’mon, girl, we gotta move!”
“Gh, it hurts!” Coloratura gasped, shaking as she tried to stand.
Vinyl frowned, taking the mare’s chin in her hoof and tilting her head back. Opal eyes stared dully back, telling the unicorn all she needed to know. “She’s checked out,” she muttered, stepping out of the way and pulling Octavia closer. “Take her and get out of here.”
Octavia stared with wide eyes for a moment, mouth agape as she put a leg around Coloratura’s shoulders. “Wh-wh-wait! Wait just a second! What about you!”
“Don’t worry about me!” The shout drew the darker mare back as Vinyl turned to face the oncoming Navi. “Run!”
Octavia did as she was told, limping away alongside Coloratura as Vinyl used her magic to yank two doors off their hinges. They rounded yet another corner, still running for their lives as the cellist frantically looked around them. “Stairs, stairs, stairs! Where are the stairs!”
They kept going, taking another turn only to stop as they almost collided with a group of NetNavis. Their appearance made the mare freeze up for a moment only to shake her head as they rushed to their aid. “Help! My friend’s hurt and there’s a Navi chasing us! My mar- my friend is back there!”
The Busters looked between each other before nodding. “We’ll go get your other friend,” one of the Navis, a police navigator with a gold epaulet and a two-tiered arrow, assured before looking to another Navi, this one not having an epaulet. “Get them out of here and to an ambulance!”
“Yes, sir!” The navigator replied, taking Coloratura into his arms as the others raced off. “Let’s get you two out of here!” Together, they turned and started to run back the way the NetNavis had come. They weaved down several more long hallways, the Navi taking the quickest route to the emergency stairs.
The trio finally turned to see the door at the end of the hall, a green sign with a pony descending steps marking it. “This way!” The Buster ushered, leading them down the hall. They came to a stop at the door, the Navi pulling it open with one arm and holding it open. “Go, go!”
Octavia needed no spurring as she hurried into the stairwell, rushing down the steps, the Navi following not far behind. Octavia barely made it to the first landing before a cry of pain made her look back. She let out a yelp as she hit the deck, a line flame scorching the wall behind her as it pierced the Buster on the flight above her. The beam died and the Navi slumped, body disintegrating to the sound of a voice saying, “logging out.”
Coloratura fell to the steps, rolling down the last few stairs before sliding to a stop against the wall of the landing with a yelp of pain, the box she’d been carrying clattering away from her. Octavia ran to her friend, looking back up the stairwell with wide eyes.
Fireman stood at the top of the stairs, arm still smoking as he lowered it, his other arm occupied by a bruised and beaten Vinyl Scratch, one side of her shades busted out to show off a black eye. “Give me,” the fire Navi started as it stalked down the stairs. “The. Box.”
“N-no.” Octavia looked down to find Coloratura reaching towards the box, grabbing it and pulling it back to her. “H-he can’t h-have it.”
Octavia stared at her friend for a moment before looking back up at the menacing program that had stopped halfway down the stairs. After a moment, she let out a frown before reaching up. “This is so uncivilized,” she muttered with hard eyes as she pulled out a brown PET with gold accents. “Glyde! Materialize and power up!” The upgrade piece flipped down, a ray of data shooting out as a figure followed. The NetNavi that formed was a tall humanoid, a black suit under mostly brown armor that covered the chest, forearms, and lower legs, wing-like fins sprouting from its back.
“Let the young miss go-!” The heroic Navi’s cry was cut short as Fireman lifted its free arm, crossing it over his body before swinging it into the oncoming navigator. He swatted Glyde into the wall with a crash, leaving the butler Navi in a crater.
“Pathetic,” he growled before flames erupted from his arm, engulfing Glyde as the weaker Navi screamed.
“Glyde, logging out,” the same robotic voice stated as the brown Navi burst into code that rushed back to Octavia’s PET. The mare looked at her device, flipping it open to see Glyde sitting in a heap.
“I’m sorry, Miss Octavia,” the Navi apologized tiredly.
Octavia could only let tears form in her eyes before a thud brought her attention upwards. Vinyl lay slumped on the steps, too injured to move as Fireman held an arm out towards her. “Enough of this,” he growled, flames starting to lick at the barrel of his arm. “Give me the box or I’ll kill this one.”
The gray mare could only stare up with her mouth open as everything unfolded. “I-I-,” she stuttered, her voice escaping her.
The red NetNavi only sighed and rolled his eyes before glaring down at her. “Three,” he intoned, flames growing higher. “Two-”
“One.” A flash erupted from the arm pointed at the unicorn’s head, the Navi’s eyes widening as wind rushed down the stairwell. Meanwhile, on the landing, Amelia laid Vinyl to rest next to Octavia and Coloratura. The darker pony rushed to the white mare’s side, checking over her worriedly.
Amelia leaned back to give them space before looking towards a wide-eyed Coloratura. “You good, kid?” She asked, catching the mare by surprise.
“U-um,” she stammered, staring up at the NetNavi that had saved her twice now. “Y-yeah, I-I think so.”
“Good,” the dark Navi said sharply, turning towards her in her crouched position. “Now, I’ve got to ask. Why’s flame brain up there after you?”
The idol winced at that, looking back up the stairs to see Fireman groaning in pain while holding the stump of his severed arm. “...H-he…” she started, looking back at the Navi in front of her. “He wanted this.” She pushed her trinket box towards the green-eyed navigator, the crystal scraping against the floor.
Amelia narrowed her eyes, shifting a bit to reach out and pick up the box. Tenderly, she lifted the lid, eyes immediately going wide as she saw what was inside. Several moments passed before a large, toothy grin split the woman’s features. “Y’know,” she said, reaching into the box. “I had a good feeling about you.”
Coloratura looked confused at that, tilting her head as Amelia put the box down and started to stand, turning back to the injured Navi above them. “Hey, hot-head!” The shout drew Fireman’s attention to the group on the landing, eyes widening as he saw the dark Navi below him and what she held.
Amelia smirked as she held one arm in front of her, one finger lifted away from the black and purple PET that bore her mark. “Game over.”
Fireman had no time to react as Amelia’s finger fell, clicking the button that opened the face of the device, light gleaming out of it like a miniature star. “Navi/Terminal link, reestablish!” The voice announced light flashing to blind all present. When it faded, Fireman looked down the steps to find a cloud of purple and black aura surrounding the dark NetNavi, her eyes shining red.
“I told you to stay out,” Amelia growled as she slipped her PET into her cloak before starting to stretch her arms out to her sides. “Now… I’m going to kill you.” Her forearms folded back into each other before folding back out, solid metal blades sprouting from gold cross-shaped bases, the right blade glowing red while the left one glowed blue. She raised both over her head as yellow aura started to glow around each of them, the colors starting to brighten to white until it flashed as her arms reached their apex. A blade fell into her hands, curving to a point that stepped out in the back at the top. Pure purple energy sprang out around it as she brought it down, Amelia’s aura seeming to die down until it was a solid purple outline around her body.
Fireman, for his part, made his mind up very quickly. “Fireman, logging out,” the robotic voice stated, the fire Navi starting to break up.
“Maybe next time,” he replied smugly before his body suddenly came back together. “Wha-”
“Error.”
“You guys need to pay more attention.” Fireman’s eyes widened, his head quickly looking over his shoulder to find his opponent at the top of the stairs, Dream Blade coming to rest on her shoulder.
Fireman looked down at his feet, finding bear traps with cartoonish eyes starring up at him. He looked back up and already knew. “Well, played,” he groaned as the purple slash across his body grew. His eyes went dark and a moment later his form shattered like glass, a single message following after.
“Fireman.EXE, deleted.”
Amelia turned back around, red eyes fading slowly back to green as she did so. She let out a heated breath, her body relaxing as she let her sword disappear. She made her way back down the steps, coming to a stop and kneeling down next to the group. “Can you walk?” She asked, looking towards Coloratura.
“Um…” the aqua-gray mare murmured before she looked herself over. “Y-yeah, I should be okay.”
Amelia gave a nod at that before looking to Octavia and Vinyl Scratch. “I’ve got her,” the Navi said, leaning over and very gently bringing the unconscious unicorn into her arms. “You help Coloratura down the stairs.”
Octavia said nothing, only sniffed and nodded with still misty eyes before getting up and going to assist the other mare. Amelia watched them a moment before turning to walk down the stairs.
“Wait.” She stopped and looked back towards Coloratura, the mare looking up at her with a surprisingly hard look. “What was all this about?”
Amelia stared at her for a moment before she gave a little breath. “Let’s get you and your friend here to a medic first,” she answered, shifting her arms to be more comfortable for herself and Vinyl. “Then the princesses and I will explain everything.”
Octavia and Coloratura both stared wide-eyed after the woman as she started down the steps again, exchanging looks of shock at the mention of the princesses. “Let’s go!” The Navi’s call had them moving very quickly after her, questions buzzing in their mind.
Mulberry eyes stared down at the screen as it flashed with a single word. “...How…?” She breathed, ‘deleted’ blinking over and over again in her vision. “How could a single Navi do that to-”
She stopped as her PET began to ring, a new message telling her that a video call was incoming. “Shit,” she hissed before answering it. “Doct-”
“Not a word out of you.” The coldness in the man’s voice was enough to make her shiver. “You have failed me. Worse, you got your NetNavi deleted. A NetNavi that took a great amount of time and resources to create. You’re through. Return to us so that we can plan our next move.”
The female gave a defeated sigh at that, letting her eyes fall to the ground. “Understood,” she replied. “I’ll return at once.” With that, she began to close her PET only for a last message to slip through.
“I am sorely disappointed in you, Aria Blaze.”
