//------------------------------//
// 16. A Vote of Confidence / The Eclat of Obstinacy 
// Story: Nation Shall Speak Peace Unto Nation 
// by Dan The Man 
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	15. - Canterlot Great Hall

 
(Princess Luna, Finch, Matuszek and Hartfield are situated around a table, standing in the middle of the large hall. Luna had to grant the diplomats three minutes time to come out of the awe-induced catharsis. Mr. Finch proceeded to lay out a few papers on the table, which were outlines of treaties as well as written statements of most of the world leaders. Outside, the cheering and babbling of the crowds continued throughout. The excitement was big.
No one outside the castle knew any details about the truly violent history of Humans, Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns living together. It was in ancient times, in the eras of Homer, that the groups began to separate. The equines , feeling oppressed by human settlements, migrated into well less-known areas of the globe, swearing mutually not to engage with humans anytime soon.
But not even luna knew the remaining chapters of this very book. There were ‘incidents’ between equines and humans before and after Reynard’s takeover. The only one who could indeed say that she was there absolutely every time, was Celestia.
The crowd outside went silent suddenly. Luna looked up from reading the bids and congratulations of the world leaders, and so did Finch, Hartfield and Matuszek. What was happening out there?)
 
·Luna: We believe there may be a predicament.
·Hartfield: Sounds like one.
·Luna: *rising* We might have to beg thou to follow us.
·Finch: Why so, Your Highness?
·Luna: Believe us, thou shall understand soon. *to her servants* Lead our guests to the scriptorium. And bid our sister welcome.
·Matuszek: Your sister, Ma’am?
·Luna: Princess Celestia. She has not been informed of thy visit.
·Finch: Please, Your Highness, that will not be a major complication.
·Luna: She took her experiences with humanity very… personal. Please, follow Lily Odor through the door and up the stairs. We will summon thou and thy companions later.
·Finch: Just one moment, Your Highness. *moving to Special Agent Levin, who stands near the door, talking to one of the Royal Guards* Agent Levin. We’ll be moving on. Princess Luna is suggesting that her sister will not receive us very friendly. Be aware that it might turn critical.
·Levin: Thank you, Mr. Finch. I will do my best. I will ask around if there are any alternate exits.
·Finch: Good. Just remember; mark my words: No fighting and no killing. As a diplomatic mission we have no right to attack them, should they restrict us from travelling on or leaving the country.
·Levin: I know how this works, Mr. Finch. This is not my first escort assignment.
·Finch: This is not the Taliban, Levin. We are in a full functioning, legitimate state, not at war, but with a currently positive stance towards us. Don’t mess this up.
·Levin: I know how to do my job. You don’t have to patronize me, Finch!
·Hartfield: Mr. Finch. Please, get over here.
 
(They speedily cross the great hall, servant in front. The reach a small side door hidden in one of the mirrors on the side. The servant clumsily drags out a set of keys, and then cannot decide which one is the right one for that lock.
In that moment, the grand gate of the hall, on the other end of the room, opens. One dozen Pegasi guards enter in a militaristic gallop. Once they have cleared the entrance, Princess Celestia comes in. Her face is dominated by both urgency and weariness. Rainbow walks to her left, with an abnormally worried expression. Worried because of her regent)
 
·Celestia: *to Luna, who is standing closest to her* Luna, good that you are here already. Come with me, we have to brace ourselves.
·Luna: *rather indifferently* Against whom, my dear sister?
·Celestia: The humans. They have returned. They preparing another try. We must get the Royal Guard scrambling to encounter them! *she moves to the table that has been used by Finch and Hartfield just a minute before and clears the pages away left and right with her levitational magic, without even noticing what is written on them* We need all of the maps of Equestria, right now! They have acquired some new weapons this time…
·Rainbow: *whispering to Twilight* Gee, you have no idea what kaboozles is going on up in Cloudsdale. Some weird ponytale creatures flew up in one of those things like Pinkie uses, you know those, you know… whirling things on top…
·Twilight: Rotors?
·Rainbow: Yeah, exactly. Now, we trid to scare ‘em away and then and then they totally crashed into our clouds! We arrested them, and then Celestia personally came to ask them where they came from, and then they started shouting and complaining, and then…
·Twilight: What?
·Rainbow: Twilight, Celestia started shouting back. As if she was not herself in that moment.
·Twilight: Oh dear. You mean, that Celestia was angry at them?
·Rainbow: That doesn’t even put it, really. I don’t know what it was, it must have been something far back.
·Twilight: Oh no. I’ll talk to her now, don’t worry. *to Celestia* Princess Celestia. What is the matter?
·Celestia: Oh Twilight. It is good of you that you are here. Please, bring me some of the plans from the Marble Tower Library, will you?
·Luna: But Celestia. Hear me out first. Diplomats have arrived to talk with us both.
·Celestia: I told you that we do not have the time. We are at war!
·Luna: At war?
·Celestia: Yes. We may face the gravest danger since the release of Discord.
·Luna: Are you certain? Please, Celestia, just look to your right and then tell me that the diplomats are of less importance.
·Celestia: *looks up and right* Yes, why? *she sees the Finch, Hartfield, Matuszek, Laukkinen, Levin and her agents still waiting at the door, with the servant having completely lost the faith of becoming the door open*
·Luna: Our visitors, my dear sister.
·Rainbow: *clinging on to Twilight with excitement* They… they’re humans! They’re the humans! Twilight, how did they get here?!
·Twilight: They asked to speak to the princesses.
 
(Once more, silence prevails as Celestia sees and understands)
 
·Celestia: *slowly and silently* The audacity…
·Luna: Celestia, please, refrain just for once.
·Celestia: No, Luna! *to the Pegasi* Guards, seize and arrest the humans.
·Levin: *instantly unholstering for her weapon* Hold your horses! This is the Diplomatic Security! In the name of the UN!
·Finch: Levin! Stop!
·Agents: *pull their guns and jostle their way in front of the diplomats as if to form a defensive line*
·Luna: Royal Guards! We order thee to abstain!
·Celestia: Stop playing your silly games, Luna! These humans not only assaulted innocents, but then even have the gall to come into these very halls.  And to lie to us while looking into our very eyes!
·Luna: As your sister I have the right to order our Guard to halt!
·Celestia: Guards; apprehend them.
·Luna: Guards! We demand that thou all desist of our guests! *to Celestia* They came here to talk peace! They came not for war.
·Celestia: They came for war, sister! They did before and they do so now.
·Finch: *intervening from the other side of the hall* Your Highness, please! We came with no violent intentions whatsoever!
·Celestia: Silence! You will answer when you are asked. I cannot bear another lie from the mouths out of the likes of you! Have you or have you not brought along the large, black birds that circle Canterlot like vultures circle a dying bison?
·Luna: Celestia, what ever you are talking about…
·Celestia: On my way here, I was nearly thrown off the chariot by one of the creatures. I saw that there were humans inside them, commanding their every movements!
·Finch: *silently to Hartman and Matuszek* What? Fighters? Does she mean aircraft? Where the bloody hell did they come from?!
·Matuszek: Mr. Finch… what have you done?
·Finch: *audibly* I did not order a thing!
·Matuszek: *accusingly* Then who did order it?
·Hartfield: No one did! No one could have possibly given that order from here; we’re out of the radio reach. You know that!
·Celestia: *overhearing every word; trodding menacingly towards the surrounded diplomats* What do you have to say, humans?
·Finch: Your Highness. I say that no air strikes or any other combatant moves were agreed or ordered! This must be a misunderstanding…
·Celestia: Then is the downed iron ‘helicopter’ that gored the very foundations of Cloudsdale earlier this morning a misunderstanding as well? And is the human that dared to threaten Equestria with war and redemption after we had captured him an misunderstanding, too?
·Rarity: And is the cowardly assault upon Pinkie Pie of all ponies just a coincidence as well, human?!
 
(Everybody turns around to witness Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie enter the great hall, taking their side next to Princess Celestia, Rainbow and Twilight)
 
·Applejack: Ah sinceerleh hope dat for yer little scheme didn’t spare any trouble or expenses, ‘cos it fooled nopony!
·Pinkie: That meanie-pants hurt me right here! *points right on her forehead*
·Celestia: *to her sister; nearly jeeringly* Is this your own special perception of peace, Luna? Can’t you see that the humans try it all again? Every time our cultures crossed ways, it had ended in the cold misery of greed and war and slavery.
·Luna: Celestia. You know that it is not right to succumb to one’s very own prejudgements. What Reynard did, was truly appaling. I was there, sister. I, too, was very fond of old Starswirl the Bearded. I too saw with my own eyes how he was struck down during the battle for Ponyville. His frail body was no match for their steel.
But the cardinal difference, Celestia, lay in the fact that afterwards, I forgave. I tried to see good, and I saw it. The book of the humans, though utterly unfeasible and occasionally immoderate, was pure in its principles and clean in its morals. I understood, that they were deluded in the book’s words, rather than actively ignoring them.
·Celestia: Did you really believe that Reynard was the only time, Luna?
·Luna: *taken by surprise by this revelation* What do you mean?
·Celestia: I mean that if Reynard would have been the only time, it would have still been possible for me to forgive. But it was not. During your grievious absence from this world, sister, the humans came back. Two times. They came in smaller groups, passing our frontier in a very similar manner. They were different from Reynard’s army, but what they had in common was the lust for glory. While you, Luna, may have had spent a forlorn presence in your banishment, I am glad to say you were at least kept away from the tensions.
Tensions that would have fed a thousand Windigos. It were difficult years. They came, they stayed, they claimed many both lives and spirits. I had to… to sweep them away. *she halts, being shaken by her choice of words*.
·Luna: *cutting off her explanations* Look upon the table, sister!
It is from their leaders. They wrote us their personal guarantees.
 
(Celestia bows over the table. She skims through the now wildly scattered epistles and formalities. To show her ultimate despair, she flings all the papers off the table with a non-present, magical fist. Luna steps forward forcefully. She picks up one of the letters with her horn magic, and levitates it all the way into Celestia’s face. This all happens much to the curiosity of the humans, who had not yet true levitation at first hand)
 
·Luna: Read! 142 individual addresses. It is certainly not a small horde of thieves or groups of mislead fanatics this time.
Now it is the entity of the human civilisations, who has sent us their greetings, each with their own respective seal, crest and signatures. Without even one demand. Without even one shout for compliance.
Not even a human would be foalish enough to back such words with troops-in-arms.
·Celestia: *discarding the letter in front of her nose, although she is visibly chipped in her assertiveness* It makes no sense. *to the diplomats* Why do you do that?
·Finch: *pathetically, pitted by the rate of change of state* We did nothing. I swear to God in the heaven above… that we came here with a peaceful purpose.
·Celestia: You swear to your own God?
·Luna: Yes sister. He just swore to his God.
 
(Not one second after the words were uttered, a thunder-like echo emits from outside. It was followed by the roaring of two jets overpassing Canterlot with great speed)
 
·Luna: What was that?
·Celestia: The iron birds…
 
(There is another short moment of assessment of the situation. Finch, roused by the homely sound of military engines, makes a speedy decision)
 
·Finch: *hands the suitcase he had been holding on to the entire time to Matuszek* Hold this will you? *before Dr. Matuszek can inquire what he is trying to do, he suddenly breaks out of between the others, heading quickly for the main exit*
·Hartfield: Finch! What are you doing?
·Levin: Stay here, Mr. Finch! Are you crazy?!
 
(What happens then is a matter of a few seconds:
He brushes aside the DS- agents, who try to stop him vehemently, but only manage to grab and pull off his security vest in the process.
He storms across the room, past the Guard Pegasi who had kept the humans in check just a minute ago. They try to cut off his way and to hold him, but they barely miss him while trying to jump him to stop him in his tracks.
Celestia and Luna are taken as much by surprise as everybody else, but regain their senses quickly as they start shouting at their Guards to stop him or to leave their escapee be, respectively. Also, they cannot apply their levitational magic in time as Finch tackles the last guard in his way and then heads directly for the door.
The Mane six prepare to engage him as he tries to pass through the portal to the outer entrance gate of the castle building. Applejack stomps her hooves and Rainbow Dash prepares her wings. Pinkie and the princesses join the Guard Ponies in their chase of Finch.
Finch reaches the outer atrium of the hall and shifts open the heavy door…)
 
(At the exactly same time, the contignent under the lead of Vice Marshal McIntyre lands outside the Canterlot district, on a small knoll in the royal Gardens near a connectional road between Ponyville and Canterlot, overseeing the back gate of Canterlot Castle itself, and unwittingly being merely 500 metres away from the UN delegation inside. As that large building had been determined to be a major tactical landmark beforehand, it was the duty of that special helicopter to land and hold this spot until the diplomats could be located. The SAR mission would “begin right here”, as McIntyre put it.
Above them, an interesting dogfight between two Recon jets and half a dozen Guard Pegasi took place, who all whirled through the air with an immense agility and traded sporadic machine gun fire and the occasional heat-seeking missile (by the jets, not the Pegasi), who would always get outmanoeuvred by the Pegasi and then blindly past them and explode in mid-air.
Back on the ground, McIntyre climbs out of the landed Chinook, dragging his field radio operator with him)
 
·McIntyre: *into the radio* Hello! Hello! This is Grasshog 1 speaking. Respond, over! *throwing the handset back at the Field Radio Operator* God damn it! Does anything work in here?! *to the SASR members* Right: square position around the Chinook, at the double! Machine gunner, you get your gear over there! Facing 14:00 o’clock at the gatehouse and buildings! Sgt Eyre, you stay right where you are! Group Captain White, join Sgt Eyre, will you?
Everyone else, get that square going! Defensive position, wait for my
firing order! *he uses his binoculars to take a look at the Pegasi flying above him* Pegasi formation. Up at 11 o’clock. Ignore them, the fighters will steer ‘em clear from us! *he proceeds to watch the gate in front of him* Aha! The gate’s opening. Somebody is coming out to greet us, eh?
 
(The gate moves open and shut again, as if there was a struggle on it’s other side. Soon, it flings wide open as Finch personally stumbles out, only to be immediately followed by Applejack, Rainbow and lastly Princess Celestia)
 
·McIntyre: *still through his binoculars* What the hell? *to Jane* Hey, Eyre. My eyes aren’t that good now. Listen, can you tell me who that fellow is who just made his way out of the gate?
·Jane: *accepting the binoculars* Sir… that is Donathan Finch!
·McIntyre: Is he?!
·Jane: Almost certainly, sir! And… he is chased. We have to do something, sir!
·McIntyre: *taking the binoculars* Right! Machine Gunner, 14:00 o’clock, 500 metres, engage at my s-
 
(The machine gunner, having located and zeroed in on his target rather quickly, immediately opens fire, spraying ten bullets into the crowd at the gate, ant it takes a shove from McIntyre to make him stop)
 
·McIntyre: You stupid bastard! Wait for my order! That was a diplomat who was standing there!
 
(A trice earlier, Finch stumbles out of the exit, and, before he can be finally seized for good by Applejack and Rainbow, he sees the helicopter and the dug-in SASR-units in the distance. Then, he sees a machine gun’s mussle flash illuming from one of the barrels. Instinctively, he tries to turn away and lie down immediately. But Applejack and Rainbow, having not yet noticed the helicopter, however keep him upright. Finch decides to bowl them over to protect them, as well as Princess Celestia who stands behind them)
 
·Finch: Geddown!
 
(But the area is promptly convulsed by erupting bullet holes and little dust clouds, as mason debris and chinking margin sounds fill the atmosphere.
The three land on their knees and back-hooves, having never made behind cover flat on the ground. There is a short moment of realisation: Finch himself had been hit by one of the lead projectiles in his side. Applejack and Rainbow let go of his wounded form, out of deep shock and regret. Whatever had happened to him; it could have happened to them as well. He stumbles a little bit, but manages to keep himself standing upright by leaning against the archway. Celestia herself is momentarily surprise-stricken at this unforeseeable turn of events. She slowly approaches him, but Finch absent-mindedly refuses any aid)
 
·Finch: I… I will talk to him myself…
·Celestia: Wait! Don’t be a foal!
 
(He keeps dragging himself further towards the helicopter at a snail pace. The rest of the mane six, the guards and the rest of Finch’s delegation arrive at the gate, and Twilight and Fluttershy immediately rush to the limping human’s help before anyone can stop them.
They support him left and right, and help him to move along faster. Nobody still feels the need to chase that one down anymore. Still, Finch knows that he needs to keeps moving; if he can’t put that madness to an ultimate end then and there, then God knows how it would end for him and his colleagues. And for their countries. And for Equestria.
Halfway on the way to the knoll, McIntyre orders two of the Commandos to run up and to receive the wounded man, which meant break their carefully placed cover. But the men obey and jog to the three creatures, heads held low)
 
·Jane: Sir, can I take the binoculars once more? *he receives the binoculars and scrutinises Finch’s two helpers* That’s… unbelievable. I swear, there is one of the ponies I encountered in the woods. The one on the right… she bandaged my injuries…
·McIntyre: You’re sure?
·Jane: Definitely, sir.
 
(The two commandos receive Finch practically into their arms. He can hardly support himself, and is taken by the soldiers like on an invisible stretcher. But then he starts revolting trying to address the soldiers in the  most neutral of stances)
 
·Finch: Where is Vice Marshal Edmond McIntyre? I want to speak to Vice Marshal Edmond McIntyre!
·Soldier: Sir, calm down. You are wounded.
·Finch: I could not care less. Get me McIntyre on the radio! That stupid cretin is not getting away with this! Do you want to start a goddamn war?!
·Soldier: The radios are out. Please, calm down, sir.
·Finch: Calm down? You nearly shot the regent of this country, and nearly killed me! Don’t you expect me to calm down. You better get those weapons of yours untied, you are on foreign soil without an authorisation to march through! This is an act of war, you need to surrender your weapons or they may retaliate!
·Soldier: *to his comrade* Hold him like that. *they help him onto the ground*
·Finch: *looks back at the helicopter* Are you from McIntyre’s detachment? You can go back and tell them that they don’t need to hide! The ponies are ready to abstain if you abstain! Surrender, now! Or they’ll fight back! We, do, not, need, war!
·Soldier: *nods hesitantly and turns around. He waves at the others to come to them*
·McIntyre: *through his binoculars* What the hell is going on? What do they want?
·Major: He says we should move forward. He wants you, sir.
·McIntyre: Well that may be, but we are in the middle of a combat situation right now! *looks up* Where did the jets go to, anyway?
·Major: Retreated, it seems.
·McIntyre: Christ, I hate it when there is no way to communicate properly! Without air support we have to keep on moving. *to the other soldiers* Right, move forward, scatter, slowly and steadily. Weapons at the ready. Defensive stance shall remain.
·Major: You’ve heard him, guys. Pack it up!
 
(On the steps of the gate, Celestia and her sister observe the situation.
What had Finch achieved? On moment he was nearly dying, the second one, he looked like he strived for putting up an argument with the other humans, and the very next moment, the human soldiers abandon their position and approach the castle. However, they did not discard any of their weapons in the process. She did not know if she should be suspicious or instead fully trust the human.
Only a few hundred metres away, Finch finally manages to address McIntyre, while Twilight and Fluttershy look on helplessly, unwilling to return to the castle)
 
·McIntyre: Mr. Finch! Good to see that you’re alive. Were you treated well? *looks at Twilight and the hopelessly intimidated Fluttershy* Are they medics?
·Finch: *sarcastically* The best there are. *he quickly proceeds to nonchalantly punch McIntyre in the face. He gets immediately restrained by two of the other soldiers*
·Fluttershy: *exasperatedly* Oh, no…
·Twilight: Mr. Finch! Please!
·McIntyre: *holding his nose* What the hell is wrong with you?!
·Finch: You nearly killed us all! That’s what’s wrong! You nearly started a war! That’s what’s wrong! Get your face off the soil. You’re provoking World War III here!
·McIntyre: *wiping his nose* Are you aware we came here to rescue you and the Royal Australian Airmen that were attacked out there by those creatures?!
A small fucking Thank You would be in order!
·Finch: I have no idea what you talk about! I was being threatened with incarceration for allegedly promoting an armed assault on the country! Where does that come from, do you think?!
·McIntyre: This is denouncement, pure denouncement! I will not remove a thing from here until the security of the entire diplomatic mission is ensured!
·Finch: They are being held at the castle due to the presence of you! Pull back your troops now, McIntyre! I carry the full responsibility for whatever happens after this!
·McIntyre: No, I won’t!
That is so typical of your kind! Diplomats… lying so-and-so. It is I who has to carry the burden for the security with this operation. You will get off scot-free in any case… except when you die, then it also wanders on my record! Rule no. 1, as a CO, do not ever let anyone else vouch for you!
·Finch: I will hold what I will promise, you silly sod! Pull off the men! You are on their territory.
·McIntyre: *beat; to his men* Detain him so he won’t subverse this SAR-mission! Prepare to advance upon the castle buildings.
·Finch: *still supported by two soldiers* Go to hell, McIntyre! You big bloody idiot! *in his plight, he looks around and quickly addresses Twilight and Fluttershy* Get back, you two! Tell Princess Luna it will not come about!
·McIntyre: No! Hold them! They are POWs from now on!
·Finch: Run!
 
(Without a moment’s hesitation, Twilight uses her levitational magic to make the soldiers next to her and Fluttershy topple back. She nudges Fluttershy to keep moving, using the gained time)
 
·Twilight: Quick, Fluttershy! Fly as fast as never before!
·Fluttershy: Oh, Twilight… what about you?
·Twilight: I can manage myself! Quick, fly to the princesses!
 
(Before the soldiers can overpower her, she jumps and takes off, whizzing back to the castle with a break-neck speed. She dodges a few stray bullets and drops upon the gatehouse’s platform with a scared yelp. She lands before Celestis’s hooves, who quickly proceeds to help her up with levitation.
McIntyre rages on his inside at the escapee, who would now definitely try to warn that “princess”)
 
·McIntyre: Right! No time to loose. Company: Scatter and advance at slow pace upon the gatehouse. Open fire upon my command only! Get Mr. Finch on a stretcher. He will accompany our advance *spots  the scared Twilight, still standing there* And take her with you. We might still need her, POW or not!
 
(The company advances on, slowly closing in on the gatehouse where the Guards wait for take-off order by Princess Celestia.
Fluttershy starts to report quickly and breathlessly)
 
·Fluttershy: Yyyyour Highness, Princess Celestia! Mr: Finch says that the other don’t want to stand down!
·Celestia: Then I won’t either! Sergeant, make the Guards ready to fly!
·Matuszek: *Interveningly and appeasingly* Please your Highness, consider the lives that can be preserved!
·Celestia: They openly choose war, and by the sun, I will give them war!
·Matuszek: But they do not even directly act on accord of the UN.
·Celestia: I do not care for whom they work.
And this is why I will not harm you. You may have come here with good intentions, but they have not. Now I know my enemies.
·Matuszelk: Please, your majesty, believe me when I say that you don’t! Let them live!
·Luna: I believe her, Celestia. Her philosophy is wise, she would not lie to us.
·Celestia: Then what do you suggest, Luna? Should we simply let them rage on our soil, even though we should protect our ponies?
·Luna: *thoughtfully* No. We shall not, sister. *resolutely* But you know as well as me that there is a way to make them stand down their arms without shedding blood on either side.
·Celestia: Do you mean the Moon Spark Spell, Luna? You know that it requires a lot of energy and strong confidence. Even an Alicorn cannot do it by herself.
·Luna: Then we shall do it, sister. Together, we may be able to effectuate it alright.
·Celestia: I don’t know. I am not confident. It is a difficult spell and very consuming.
In the end, it may not even work at all, and yet we would have wasted much of both of our powers. We would be helpless against them, then…
·Luna: Then believe, sister. Trust me. I was led to believe that since I… returned, I would have gained your trust again.
·Celestia: Luna, I…
·Luna: You swore it to me, Tia.
·Celestia: *she closes her eyes contemplatingly* I did. *she turns to the Mane five* What do you think, my element bearers?
·Fluttershy: Please, I would like to vote for the peaceful solution
·Rarity: For these lowlifes? Why, one must do what can defeat them the fastest, your Highness! I say, do what you have to do!
·Rainbow: Uh, I don’t know. They looked quite affable to me… perhaps they are just doing their jobs, protecting here and serving there., just like the Royal Guards; they shouldn’t deserve something that… harsh …
·Applejack: Well, ah’ve heard much about them ‘umans, but seeing how those appear t’be more violent than others, ah’m ‘fraid ah cannot decide joost for mahself…
·Pinkie:  Well, I don’t know either. They are mean, yes… but you can’t just sink on their level… My Ma always said ‘Pinkie, be always happy and polite. Be yourself and they will always lose’. Aren’t you usually so polite when you’re yourself, Princess? Maybe it’ll work.
·Celestia: We can try it. But I hope you are aware, that if we fail, we might as well be completely helpless against them.
·Lua: I know, Sister. *she solemnly touches Celestia’s horn with her hers* Let us try it.
·Hartfield: *worringly* What,… spell, your Highness?
·Matuszek: What is the “Moon Spark Spell”?
·Celestia: Well, you better close your eyes for this. *to the Mane Five* you too, please.
·Hartfield: *under his breath while closing his eyes* Oh, this is not going to be good, is it?
·Luna: *overhearing him* Do not worry, Lucas Hartfield. Thou shall be safe.

(Luna and Celestia point their horns at each other and close their eyes. Their horns start to glow subtly at first. Dr. Matuszek cannot believe her eyes, but quickly closes them as she remembers Celestia’s words)
 
·Celestia: *faintly* Captain; should we fail at casting this spell… do not show fear. Show no mercy. Defend Equestria,… to the last…


(Concluding Music Cue)