Chapter Nineteen: Spoliation
~BlackRoseRaven
The moon shone down over the desert from the clear night sky above alongside countless twinkling stars, bathing both rolling sand and tall mountain peaks in soft light. It was bright enough that the cadre of ponies didn't need any additional light to see through the darkness as they made their approach towards the mountain pass leading up to the lonely fortress of the Replicants.
Luna and Celestia were at the head of the column, and Scrivener Blooms followed just behind with Antares and Scarlet Sage. The golden-armored ivory winged unicorn was already frowning uneasily up at the sky, and Luna felt something was wrong too: visible even through the dark night air, there were columns of thick black smoke rising into the sky above, but no storm brewing any longer, nor even the weakest growl of thunder.
There was only silence and empty skies, and as they began to ascend slowly up the ramping, natural stone path, Celestia asked quietly: “Do you think we're too late?”
“Maybe, sister. Maybe, I do not know.” Luna murmured back after a moment as she adjusted the crisscrossing bandolier of rifle rounds across her armor, shaking her head and grimacing before she shot a glance over her shoulder, adding moodily: “I know not if I am disappointed for them or glad...”
Celestia smiled a little, knowing that Luna was referring to the ponies of this layer: Big Mac and Shining Armor were pacing on either side of Princess Luna, and Applejack and Braeburn were following behind with Tex near the rear, growling as he strode beside Apple Bloom, who kept giving him sour looks. Pinkie Pie was walking next to Meadowlark, and Rainbow Dash was flying along just above the group, the cyan Pegasus looking uneasy as she clutched her own short rifle in her front hooves. Last, bringing up the end of the column, Discombobulation was striding slowly along and trying to keep himself focused as he looked uneasily back and forth.
They remained mostly silent as they made their way up the pass and to the front of the fortress, halting on the other side of the mucky yard. Luna immediately frowned, noting that there were only a few thin drips streaming down from the drainage pipes now, and it looked more like filthy water than the thick mire that had been pouring down before.
The fortress had seemed hollow before, but now it seemed... even less than that. Celestia looked questioningly over at Luna, who shrugged and shook her head quickly, and the ivory mare nodded hesitantly after a moment before turning her eyes forwards as she asked quietly: “Scrivener Blooms, do you mind?”
“Not at all.” Scrivener smiled embarrassedly all the same as he stepped forwards past them, reaching a hoof down and touching the mire, and a ripple passed through it before the yard of black muck solidified, becoming akin to black stone as he murmured: “Feels like it's starting to cool... I mean, it warmed back up at my touch, but it feels like-”
He was cut off by a crackle of electricity, and a moment later the stallion was knocked sprawling as a wall of translucent but apparently very-solid energy sparked into existence. Scrivener blinked stupidly from where he now lay between Celestia and Luna, and the sapphire mare grinned widely as she flicked her horn and her rifle was immediately hefted off her back, exclaiming cheerfully: “Excellent! An opportunity to test out my new toy!”
“Intruder alert. Security breach.” rumbled a mechanical voice, and Celestia's eyes narrowed as she gazed through the glowing wall of energy at the outline of some large, pony-like shape hidden in the shadows of the entrance to the fortress. “Turn back immediately. All further attempts to enter this zone will be met with extreme force.”
“That sounds like either a promise or an invitation.” Luna grinned widely over at Celestia, as the ivory mare set herself and flicked her horn, and her enormous, gleaming sword rose into the air, Tyrfing glowing with the same eagerness only half-hidden in Celestia's eyes. “Shall we?”
“Mister Gorbachev, open this gate! Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Discombobulation shouted, pumping his metallic fist in the air, and then he cleared his throat and added mildly: “Well, if he won't do it... Celestia smash?”
Luna grinned widely over at her big sister, who moodily looked over her shoulder, but then she sighed a little and smiled wryly after a moment, turning her eyes back ahead before she murmured: “We try this my way first, Luna. Then we'll do it... the old way.”
The sapphire mare nodded eagerly, and Celestia cleared her throat before raising her head, calling clearly: “I am Freya, and I seek to palaver with Thesis. Please identify yourself, so we can communicate as equals. We are willing to negotiate peacefully, but we will not hesitate to use force if it is necessary, as we cannot allow innocents to continue to be harmed!”
“Designation 113257, Vallation. All hail the Clockwork King!” responded the mechanical voice: it was cold, and crisp, and yet there was some hint of emotion in it just beneath the surface, as the shape shifted and saluted. And behind Luna Brynhild and Celestia, Shining Armor stepped forwards with a frown on his face, tilting his head uneasily as he felt a strange familiarity stir inside him at the sound of that voice.
Scrivener grimaced as he finally sat up, and then Vallation continued clearly: “No entry is permitted, under direct order of Commander Thesis. Turn back immediately. Any further actions will be met with extreme force.”
“We're coming inside. Whether you like it or not.” Celestia said grimly, and then she dropped to a ready position before saying curtly aside to Luna, as she grinned almost like a child: “It's a simple force barrier. Let's bring this down quickly.”
Luna roared in agreement, and then both she and Celestia faced forwards, their bodies tensing as they readied themselves before both leapt forwards, Luna smashing her shoulder into the barrier before beginning to slam her front hooves into it over and over as fiercely as possible, as Celestia's sword began to slash back and forth in fierce, broad strokes, the entire barrier trembling with every blow from the mares.
They worked in almost perfect rhythm with each other, Scrivener smiling and feeling the same excitement in his body that was now pulsing through Luna's veins as she and Celestia attacked the barrier side-by-side before Luna leapt up with a grin and slammed her head into the wall of energy as Celestia slashed her sword down in a rending overhead blow, and the wall of force was shattered into motes of energy that sizzled backwards before quickly fading from sight.
“Security breach. Preparing to engage.” The creature standing in the open doorway of the fortress set itself, then slowly strode forwards, clicking and clanking strangely as thick blasts of steam vented from either side of it, and Celestia and Luna both dropped back to ready positions, weapons raised, as the Clockwork Pony strode into clear sight. And Shining Armor almost staggered backwards in horror, going pale as he stared in disbelief at this bulky, mechanical pony that all the same reflected... him.
His features were a perfect match for Shining Armor's, apart from how cold and emotionless they were, from his icy eyes to his two-tone blue mane. His horn was tall and proud, except there was some kind of metallic ring around the base that looked like it had been literally bolted into the stallion's skull, while his body was covered by bulky rectangular full plate, leaving not an inch of his body unprotected. A strange, silvery dome glinted over his back, eerily glowing beneath the moonlight, and spiked hooves trod heavily through the mire, sinking into the gunk even with how solid the dark goop had become.
“Initiate.” Vallation spoke calmly, and his horn glowed brightly as Luna and Celestia both watched, before a spherical forcefield burst into life around the Clockwork Pony in a crackle of electricity. “Lethal force has been authorized.”
“As if I need thy permission!” Luna snapped, aiming her rifle at the barrier and firing a round into it, but the bullet only bounced uselessly off before the mare winced, lifting a round free from her bandolier to clumsily reload her weapon as Celestia charged forwards. “Damnation, thief!”
Celestia only smiled coldly, ignoring her little sister's half-frustrated yells as her sword chopped down and smashed into the barrier, sending up a surge of energy as the glowing sword slowly began to cut through the spherical shield of energy. But a moment later, a shockwave of force blasted the mare backwards, making her grimace before Tyrfing cut back and forth in front of her almost of its own accord as several blasts of energy rocketed towards her, Vallation slowly but surely approaching as he continued the barrage of magic while announcing calmly: “Beginning analysis.”
Celestia blocked another thin blast of energy from Vallation, then she curled her sword downwards and slashed viciously through the mire, the sword scooping up a thick cluster of black ooze before she snapped her horn forwards and sent the wave of muck splattering forwards over the front of the forcefield. It clung to the energy even as it began to steam, and Vallation muttered in his mechanical, disconnected tones: “Visual contact lost. Rectifying.”
The shield sparked violently before bursting into a wall of fire and electricity, Luna wincing backwards in shock and Celestia's own eyes widening in surprise as she stepped quickly backwards, before snarling as the firewall vanished completely, leaving the armored pony unprotected for a moment. Immediately, Luna fired her rifle and Celestia stabbed fiercely forwards, but dinner plate sized shields of energy appeared between the two warriors and the Clockwork Pony.
Luna cursed as her bullet again ricocheted uselessly off before snarling as she forcefully yanked another rifle round free to try and jam it quickly back into the gun, while Tyrfing shattered the disc of energy, but was slowed enough that it only tore a thin rip over the Clockwork Pony's shoulder and knocked him staggering. Celestia swiftly leapt forwards to follow up, slamming the flat of her blade against the stallion... and then she cursed and staggered backwards as the Clockwork Pony's eyes glowed and his body sizzled with electricity, jolts of lightning sparking all along Tyrfing before the mechanical stallion flicked his head back and the static energy was released in a burst of concentrated electromagnetic force.
Luna and Celestia were both thrown backwards as their metal armor was violently repelled by the blast, and Scrivener winced as he was knocked stumbling as well: in the same moment, Luna and Celestia's weapons were both torn from their psychic grips and flung far away, the static energy now sparking over them enough to temporarily interrupt their telekinetic abilities.
“Damnation!” Luna shouted furiously, and then she snapped her horn out and sent a blast of blue fire at the Clockwork Pony, but Vallation barely twitched from the fireball before his horn glowed brightly, and a moment later he was surrounded by a protective barrier again. “Celestia!”
“We need to...” Celestia broke off, her sharp eyes watching as Vallation dropped his head forwards for a moment and plates of armor on his sides clicked loudly as they slid upwards and swung smoothly open on hidden hinges. She caught a strange glow through what looked almost like grates in his sides as steam vented out of his body, and then the thick armor plating quickly slid back shut. “We need to pressure him as much as possible! Antares, Scrivener, trade-out!”
Luna cursed but leapt backwards as Scrivener and Antares both immediately ran forwards, neither questioning the orders of the ivory mare as Vallation said tonelessly: “Adapting. Reengaging under new parameters.”
As Scrivener dove at their opponent, the Clockwork Pony's horn gave a pulse before spikes of energy appeared over his shield, and the stallion cursed in surprise before Antares leapt quickly up beneath his father and shoved him out of the air. Scrivener grunted as he hit the ground on his side, but quickly rolled back to his hooves as Antares skidded across the mire in front of Vallation, snapping his horn forwards to send a blast of white flame into the shield.
It didn't leave so much as a mark, and Vallation's horn glowed before he tilted his head forwards, short bursts of energy blasting out of his shield towards Antares. But the young stallion only swept his horn fiercely back and forth, smashing apart every magic missile fired at him before Scrivener slammed both hooves down into the mire with a snarl.
The mire around the Clockwork Pony rippled, then violently spun, and Vallation was knocked off his hooves, falling heavily on his side as his shield flickered out of existence. He laid prone as if stunned, and Scrivener and Antares both leapt forwards, beginning to savagely smash their hooves down into the heavily-armored Clockwork Pony.
He barely reacted to their attacks, twitching only slightly even when a hoof smashed directly into his cheek before his eyes glowed brightly, and both stallions cried out in pain as the Clockwork Pony electrified his body. A moment later, they were both blown backwards by a wave of force, and Luna winced in pain even as both she and Celestia both stepped forwards, both unleashing blasts of different-colored fire.
Blue and gold flames smashed into the Clockwork Pony, and he was knocked skidding backwards by the explosion before the flames became a violent conflagration, supernatural fire rapidly spreading over his metallic body and the mire beneath the mechanical pony. And yet it didn't seem to affect him in the slightest, his body refusing to burn even as Celestia and Luna both focused on the flames, the heat rapidly becoming more and more intense.
Vallation flicked his horn calmly, and a blast of force and static energy emanated from his body, the flames going out in a whiff as Luna and Celestia both cursed and staggered backwards from recoil. He seemed unwounded and unhindered, his armor only slightly melted as another spherical barrier burst into life around him.
“Now! Everyone, attack the barrier!” Celestia shouted, and the ponies that the ivory mare had lined up while Scrivener and Antares had bought them time all began to fire as fast as possible into the shielding around the Clockwork Pony. At the same time, Princess Luna, Shining Armor, Celestia and Luna Brynhild all snapped their horns forwards, and Antares joined quickly in, sending his own blast of white fire following the barrage of magic.
Scrivener concentrated on the mire as he shoved his hooves into it, only trying to add what force he could to the tidal wave of attacks battering the shielding around Vallation, and thick spikes of black mire shot upwards into the forcefield around the Clockwork Pony: along with the fireballs, bolts of energy and bullets, it was more than enough to crack the protective shell of magic around Vallation before Celestia snapped her horn downwards, sending another golden fireball rocketing into the damaged shield.
It exploded in a magnificent blast that shattered the magical barrier, Vallation twitching as he staggered backwards before the Clockwork Pony twitched as bullets hammered around his frame, stumbling another step backwards before his horn glowed and a thin wall of energy appeared between him and the ponies shooting at him.
Celestia and Luna didn't miss the opportunity themselves, both running towards either side of the Clockwork Pony in wide, curving paths even as Vallation's barrier began to expand... before the barrier stuttered out of existence as electricity shocked over the mechanical stallion's body, and he dropped his head forwards as the plates on his sides both slid open.
Luna and Celestia both snapped their horns forwards in perfect time as Scrivener heard a mental shout from the sapphire mare, and the stallion shoved down into the mire with a wince: fireballs smashed into the vents on either side of the Clockwork Pony just as they opened for a moment, and from inside the guts of the mechanical stallion came a series of metal screeches before black, thick sludge blasted up over the Clockwork Pony, flooding and jamming up the vents.
Electricity exploded over Vallation's body as he threw his head back and gave a jarring, echoing howl, his eyes glowing brightly as he staggered back and forth, and both Luna Brynhild and Celestia winced and leapt backwards as lightning tore through the air around his body in wild arcs. They both hurriedly backed up as ponies stared in shock, watching as the Clockwork Pony staggered back and forth before announcing in an almost emotionless voice: “Warning. Core temperature rising... danger, core temperature has reached maximum operating temperature... d-danger, core temperature exceeds maximum safe value... core temperature is... 120% of safe value... 140%... 180%... 2-2-2...”
Then the Clockwork Pony suddenly arched his back, and lost his synthetic tones as he screamed in agony and desperation as his body vibrated violently, electricity tearing through the air around him as his eyes and horn glowed almost white before the entire left side of the Clockwork Pony exploded in a blast of shrapnel, charred black cables, and burnt, reeking shards of plastic. The mechanical stallion twitched a few times, somehow still on his hooves even as smoke and some kind of boiling chemical spilled out of his side, staining the ground beneath him like blood as he slowly lowered his head, mouthing wordlessly as both horn and eyes lost their aura.
“Malfunction detected. Catastrophic system failure imminent... please contact a r-repair... technician... immediately...” the Clockwork Pony's voice skipped like a record, then he gave a groan that sounded like a machine winding down before collapsing on his broken side. He lay on the ground, staring brokenly outwards, shivering slowly as the ponies of this layer stared in horror, and Scrivener and Luna traded a grimace.
Celestia carefully strode forwards, reaching a hoof down to touch the side of the mechanical stallion's neck. Then she waved her hoof slowly back and forth in front of his eyes, before she murmured: “He's still alive. He's aware as well, to some extent...”
“Well, you gotta help him, right?” Pinkie Pie asked worriedly from the group, and Celestia looked up in surprise, and the bright pink pony shook her head fiercely even as Rainbow Dash and Applejack both tried to shush her. “No, no you guys! Look at him, you gotta help him, right?”
“I...” Luna Brynhild reached up, nervously touching her black pearl, and she could feel Twilight's spirit shift restlessly inside it as it pulsed against her hoof. Unnaturally warm, almost vibrating with the emotions of the Lich, and then the sapphire mare grimaced as she looked slowly over the ponies that had come with them and saw Shining Armor's still-shocked features and Princess Luna's almost pleading eyes. “Oh damnation. Celestia?”
“He's more machine than pony, and Clockwork Ponies are ruthless and powerful.” Celestia began slowly, but then she sighed a little as she felt Antares' eyes settle on her, joining the looks she was receiving from many others, before she turned her eyes down to the creature at her hooves... and after a moment, she finally murmured: “My instincts tell me to kill this pony. To end his suffering, and more importantly, to remove the possibility that he will be a threat in the future. But... these instincts have been wrong before. Perhaps they're wrong now, too.”
Luna grumbled and shook her head, but she had to admit there was perhaps a little relief there as Scrivener smiled awkwardly, before Celestia looked over her shoulder at the silent fortress. Then she looked back over the group and said softly: “Discombobulation. Perhaps you could be of use and take a quick look around.”
“Now come, Celestia, you know I'm no big league fighter like you are. Besides, if I got involved, I'd do nothing but get in your way and cause trouble.” Discombobulation said mildly, gesturing at her politely before he glanced meditatively upwards. “But I'll do even better than a quick look around... I'll take a hop, a skip, and a jump, and...”
Discombobulation vanished into the air, and Celestia nodded before she turned her eyes towards Apple Bloom, saying quietly: “Please assess the damages that you can, this Clockwork Pony seems much more synthetic than many others we have dealt with over the years. Meadowlark, treat him... as best you can. He doesn't seem to be in pain, though. Everyone else, set up a perimeter and keep your eyes open. Scarlet Sage, Scrivener Blooms, Antares and Brynhild, all of you come with me.”
Luna Brynhild grunted as her horn glowed, turning her eyes towards their fallen weapons and lifting both even as Princess Luna stepped quickly forwards and said hurriedly: “Wait, you can't leave us alone out here and... we want to help against the Replicants, haven't we proven-”
“You have helped. And besides, I don't think we'll be here very long.” Celestia said quietly, and Princess Luna frowned uncertainly. The ivory mare only smiled in response before turning away, nodding to her younger sibling as her own horn glowed to take Tyrfing when the sword was offered.
She slipped it back down into a comfortable position across her back, leading the way across the hardened mire as Apple Bloom and Meadowlark carefully studied the Clockwork Pony, both apprehensively beginning to check it over as others watched nervously. Shining Armor fidgeted uneasily as they rolled this pony that looked like him over, and then he flinched away from the gaping hole in its side, swallowing thickly as Apple Bloom muttered: “Smells like an engine exploded.”
Meadowlark nodded slowly, then nervously looked up to look at Antares, who was lagging behind his family as they headed for the entrance of the fortress. The stallion seemed to sense her gaze, looking over his shoulder nervously... and then he closed his eyes for a moment, biting his lip before turning his eyes back ahead and asking impulsively: “Do you mind if I wait out here? I mean... I... I think I understand what you meant, Aunt Tia. This was a diversion, wasn't it?”
“It was. But I'd prefer you step inside with us, Antares, I don't know what we'll find. There may be another Clockwork Pony laying in wait, hoping to ambush us.” Celestia said quietly, halting in front of the open gates, and Antares nodded embarrassedly as his parents and sister all turned to look at him curiously. He only smiled a little in response though, to make it clear it wasn't a bad feeling at all... just a moment of... well...
He wasn't sure, to be entirely honest. Yes, he was confident that there was nothing here, and he knew that Celestia was too. At most, there was likely to be some kind of message... but the Replicants had most likely moved on already and abandoned this fortress. Still, he knew the routine: they had to inspect it anyway, they couldn't risk missing a clue, and they couldn't just go wandering in without keeping an eye on each other's backs, too. After all, who knew what dangers might be lurking inside, even if Thesis and the other cuckoos were gone?
Antares knew better... he knew he knew better. But he had seen Meadowlark, standing over that downed but who-knew-if-really-out Clockwork Pony and... he had been willing to forgo everything he'd been trained in to protect her... hell, not even from anything real, but just the thought, the possibility, that something might happen. The young stallion shook his head out a little, looking silently away as he felt his insides twist uncomfortably, but thankfully his attention was drawn away a moment later when Luna growled: “Well, that is not at all conspicuous, is it?”
“Not it.” Scrivener said mildly as he warily surveyed the steel pedestal now sitting in front of the elevator in the foyer, topped with a suspicious-looking sphere of crystal. Luna glared at him, shoving him towards it, and the stallion winced a bit before he muttered: “Okay, I guess I'm it after all.”
“I can go, Dad.” Scarlet Sage said softly, and Scrivener only smiled to his daughter as he stepped forwards, the Pegasus sighing as she gazed after him before adding in a mutter: “And Mom, anything that happens to Dad, you feel too. You remember that, right?”
“Oh shut up, Scarlet Sage. Not... everything. Besides, there is a masochistic satisfaction in when Scrivener Blooms triggers some trap or other. Through him I feel the pain, so... 'tis very like I have just experienced and once more eluded certain death myself.” Luna mumbled, and Scarlet Sage and Antares both gave their mother a flat look as Celestia slowly shook her head. “Oh shush. Scarlet, thou art married, thou should know what it feels like when Apple Bloom gets hurt. The little bit of profound relief and crazed adrenaline mixed with the concern for thy beloved mare's welfare.”
“I just realized why my book was so popular. It must have read like a comedy.” Scrivener muttered as he reached the pedestal, and then he hesitantly leaned forwards and studied it, adding apprehensively: “I feel like I've seen this kind of thing before. I really don't like that feeling, because-”
The crystal glowed brightly, and Scrivener threw himself backwards with a wince as Luna leapt forwards beside her husband, dropping herself at the ready as electricity crackled through the air, but a moment later the glowing magic stone projected a cone of ghostly light upwards before it formed into the shape of Thesis.
Celestia looked at this illusion sharply, studying it intently as the image of Thesis said quietly: “Hello, my friends... first of all, I want to apologize. I did a terrible thing... I gave into a chemical reaction, and I lashed out, and put your lives in terrible danger. I should have done better to resist my biological programming, and I am truly, truly sorry.
“I think that we can still come to an agreement, my siblings. And so to avoid conflict, I have moved my operations to another layer. There's nothing left here, and no way for you to follow us... the machinery that helps power the portal is very fragile, and it will be destroyed shortly after we leave. Of course, if you must, please feel free to explore the facility. I've taken everyone with me... my Replicants, my soldiers, my experiments.
“I will send Kismet to contact you with an offer when my project nears completion. Again, I am honestly sorry for this misunderstanding... my emotions got the better of me, and I failed to place myself in your hooves, look at this from your angle. I only selfishly saw my own motives, and I felt... exposed and vulnerable, and allowed the way I was programmed to think to take over. I am sure you can understand how that is not entirely my own fault. Do not worry, Protelea understands what she did she was wrong, and Cheshire will be... chastised.”
He paused and glanced over his shoulder, as there was a miserable, muffled scream from the illusion's background, and then Thesis looked back forwards, putting his front hooves together and bowing his head towards them silently. “I will give you plenty of time to rest and recover, to enjoy the comforts of your own layer.” A pause, and then Thesis smiled calmly and looked up. “By the way. Congratulations on your book, Scrivener Blooms. I plan to read it with great interest.”
The illusion flickered out, and Scrivener gave a sick little smile as Luna's expression curdled on her own features, before Celestia murmured quietly: “Charming, exudes great compassion, perfect body structure and clear intelligence. And worst of all, I think he was honest. On top of that, he implied that he has more Clockwork Ponies available... he clearly didn't expect Vallation to stop us.”
“Aye, he does not underestimate us. But 'tis coy all the same, is it not? The Clockwork Pony was a defense unit. He castled, and we were just little pawns, trying to take a rook.” Luna muttered, and then she shivered violently before spitting a few times as Celestia frowned worriedly and Antares and Scarlet Sage looked at her oddly. “'Tis... 'tis nothing. I... Celestia, what do we do?”
Celestia remained silent for a few moments, then she asked without looking around: “What did you find upstairs, Bob?”
“Well, I thought I found courage, but apparently not because I just wet myself, thank you very much.” Discombobulation said sourly, glaring at her back, and Celestia smiled slightly without turning around as the other ponies stared in surprise and Luna only grumbled about show-offs. Then he brushed at himself a few times before shaking himself out and muttering: “It reeks of... awful things up on that rooftop. There was a hole here, it's gone now.”
“Cursed be them who came from beyond, that escaped my mind whilst shattered, and now made whole, cannot fathom how to force these monsters back into the entropy inside my thoughts and seal them away once more.” Scrivener Blooms muttered, and Discombobulation awkwardly leaned sideways to look at the earth pony as he stood up and cleared his throat. “Sorry. Old poem by... I forget his name. He was a very moody pony, though.”
“Oh congratulations, Luna. Was he gay, too? Because that would narrow it down to about eighty percent of famous old writers.” Discombobulation retorted, and Scrivener snorted in amusement before the Draconequus paused meditatively and looked up at the roof. “But there's no holes, no writers, no gaiety of any variety up there. It's all been burned away.”
Celestia shook her head slowly, then she tilted her head when Discombobulation strode quickly up beside her, looking down at her curiously before he reached up, and with a flick of his wrist, seemed to pull a shard of glass out of her ear, remarking mildly: “Tia, that must have been hurting. Why didn't you say anything?”
“I'm not one to complain.” Celestia smiled faintly, leaning up a little, and Discombobulation's eyes met hers, lingering for the longest time before he cleared his throat and hurriedly turned away, holding the large shard of wine-colored glass between them like a shield. Scrivener and Luna traded amused looks as Antares only tilted his head and Scarlet Sage glared at the Draconequus pointedly, but Celestia only calmly took the glass shard with telekinesis, saying calmly: “This isn't normal glass... it's been damaged to an extreme, but look at how much it lights up just being touched by my aura alone. It's from an amplification lens.”
“And those are both rare and difficult to manufacture.” Luna muttered, then she studied the piece of glass and frowned slowly. “The curvature...”
Celestia smiled at this, nodding in agreement. “That's right, little sister. I'm surprised you caught on to that detail. One side is smooth and curved, the other is jagged and broken. It's enough to let me estimate the size of the lens... probably large enough to take up a saddlebag by itself, but far from difficult to carry. If Thesis was willing to destroy this, then he either has moved past the need for it... or more likely...”
“He probably has another place outfitted with everything he needs.” Antares said quietly, and Celestia and Luna both nodded before the young stallion grimaced and asked: “Should we split up into pairs and search this facility? I... I get the feeling Thesis was telling the truth... no, more than that. I think he wants us to look at what he's been doing.”
“I do too. I'm going to ask the others to pair off, and we'll search as much of this fortress as we can access. At worst, we can at least give Appleloosa and a few families some peace of mind when we return to the city.” Celestia said quietly, and the other ponies nodded. “Scrivener, Luna, do you remember the layout of this facility at all?”
“We were led pretty much on a straight line... but there's an archive above I'd like to check out.” Scrivener said quietly, and Celestia nodded before the stallion looked over at his children. “Why don't you two come up with us? There's a few places upstairs you can check out for us while Luna and I scour the archives... unless that's been burned out too, of course.”
“I suppose I'll take a look around by myself, let you know if I can find anything.” Discombobulation paused, then he rubbed his hands together firmly before holding up his metal claw, and in a puff of sparks, Ratatoskr appeared, Celestia smiling a little as the Draconequus said seriously: “It's dangerous to go alone. Take this.”
The squirrel hopped onto Celestia's shoulder, and the mare said quietly: “Keep in contact. Whether you find anything or not.”
The Draconequus smiled a little, then he gave a short, comic salute before vanishing from sight. Celestia's eyes turned to watch as her family climbed into the open lift to head upstairs, but it was clear that she was gazing into the past more than watching the present, as the squirrel made itself comfortable on her shoulder. But after a few moments, she shook her head and turned around, heading back outside to ask for the help of the ponies of this world.
The assumption throughout Appleloosa, when they dragged back the body of Vallation, was that he was the murderer responsible for the disappearances. The fact he was an alien and mechanical Clockwork Pony didn't help much with making the townsfolk feel any pity for him, and they had all been very eager to string him up and hang him. Not at the gallows, no: they didn't want to see his neck broken. They wanted to watch him die slower than that.
Princess Luna was able to get the crowd under control... well, with a little help from the large, scary warrior mares who resembled the princesses of this Equestria, of course. Vallation was no threat to anypony in the state he was in: Apple Bloom had removed most of what she'd determined was powering the Clockwork Pony, and he had remained mostly unresponsive to anything and everything they did.
He was alive, though, in a sense: like every Clockwork Pony, it seemed that no matter how much of him was synthetic, there were real flesh and organs, too. Most of this seemed to be on the front half of Vallation's body, however: almost all the limbs, middle and rear of the mechanical stallion was nothing but steel and gears and synthetic parts.
Dragging the mostly-metal pony back had been a pain, although it had made everyone half-thankful that they hadn't found anything else out at the fortress that had been worth taking with them. He at least hadn't done more than simply stare around at them every now and then, and this behavior had continued even after they'd locked him up in the flimsy town jail, most of the ponies well-aware a cell wouldn't actually be nearly enough to hold him if he wanted to break free. But he hadn't even moved from the floor... Apple Bloom and Meadowlark were both starting to think that he couldn't move at all, and might not even be... all there, assuming he had been to begin with.
After all, he had spoken like a machine, not a pony. And he'd only shown one real moment of emotion... even if Meadowlark said when he stared at her, he looked like a pony trapped under a layer of ice. Luna had grumbled that she would be glad to make this metaphor literal and Scrivener had hit her absently, but later on the two had discussed the possibility quietly with Celestia that maybe... there was someone trapped in there.
They couldn't do anything here, though: Apple Bloom didn't have the tools or the experience necessary to start fiddling around with a Clockwork Pony. Instead, they would wait and bring him over the Bifrost with them, and see what Cowlick and the Nibelung Artificers could come up with when they got a chance to examine Vallation.
They were all growing eager to head back home, but Celestia insisted on staying a few days in Appleloosa. It was quieter here, and she could take the time to think a little on things... which was what she was currently doing as she sat by herself on a gentle slope, gazing down into the immense apple orchard, quietly stroking Ratatoskr's back as the squirrel almost purred contently beside her. Most of the ponies were off celebrating in town, which she was glad for. They deserved it... and it was nice to have a little time just to sit and let her mind wander.
When they got home, she knew she was going to have to assemble the Starlit Knights and their friends and family. Almost all of them veterans who deserved a little bit of peace... but she would have to warn them, and worse yet, take their calm away from them and get everyone ready once more for war, because she was all-too-well aware if she didn't... Scrivener and Luna would just go off and try to face this menace alone. Or with just Twilight Sparkle.
She smiled faintly, closing her amethyst eyes as she lowered her head silently. She still didn't know how she was going to justify it, though, and she knew she couldn't do more, really, apart from just... asking their friends to help. Because this time wasn't like the times before, as she recalled: Thesis was only interested in Scrivener and Luna, and claimed that once he got them by either friendship or force, he would be done. It made things more complicated, and it made her hurt, because the rational thing to do was to convince Luna and Scrivener to at least hear this creature out, in spite of whatever atrocities he had committed, to try and reach a neutral negotiation... while on the other hoof, every emotion and instinct in her body screamed to hunt Thesis down and rip him limb-from-limb for threatening her family.
Celestia sat back a little and sighed softly, reaching up and touching her chest, feeling naked without her armor as her multicolored mane twisted quietly backwards. She reached up and touched the rainbow locks with a faint smile, brushing them back out of her eyes as she thought of how some things never really changed. Sure, she had adopted a few new tricks, learned some self control... but that didn't change who she was inside, who she had always been.
Gentle? Speaking softly didn't make you gentle. Compassionate? Showing mercy was not the same as showing compassion, not by a long shot... not when mercy could make someone owe you a favor, or make you appear generous and benevolent to an entire nation. Strong? Oh yes, she was strong... just not in the ways that most ponies thought. Honest? She was trying to be... but it was hard, and telling the truth now didn't mean she was eager to begin revealing the lies in her past. Protective? To extremes, but only of a very limited sample of ponies, willing as she was to throw herself into danger for Equestria or any innocent life. If the choice came between a stranger, or even an entire nation, and the ponies she truly cared about...
Her rainbow locks twisted backwards, lifted a little... then settled as her mind settled, reaching up to silently touch the scarf she'd taken to wearing. She liked it, a gorgeous gift from Rarity, but she thought the inspiration for it had come from someone else. The ivory mare smiled faintly, then she shook her head slowly before cocking her head with interest and glancing to the side, and a smile spread over her face at the happy interruption she saw coming towards her. “Antares.”
“Hi, Aunt Tia. You looked like... well. I thought you could use a bit of company.” Antares said gently, and the ivory mare nodded after a moment. The two studied each other for a few moments, and then the young stallion cleared his throat and reached up to rub at the scars on his chest compulsively. It made Celestia smile again: not at the wounds he bore, but because he didn't seem to recognize it was a self-conscious gesture he'd inherited from his father. Scrivener didn't rub at his chest, no... but every time he was feeling anxious about something, he always touched the scar around his eye.
There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares simply sat down on the other side of her squirrel, and the two ponies looked off into the orchards together before the mare asked softly: “Why aren't you out celebrating with the others? I thought you and Meadowlark would be happy to have this opportunity to spend a little time together like this.”
“We are, and well, we did, but... they've been partying for almost two full days now, ever since we got back.” Antares laughed a little, smiling over at Celestia. “That seems like kind of a long time for me and Meadowlark.”
“It seems all too short to me.” Celestia said softly, and Antares gazed at her warmly as the ivory mare continued, as a smile spread over her face: “In the old days, celebrations could last a week, with ease... any time of happiness was stretched out as long as possible, because... well, happiness wasn't in such easy supply back then. Or rather, that's what I tell myself, but...”
Celestia halted, looking down thoughtfully and murmuring: “Ponies always seem to remember the very best and the very worst, forgetting that almost all of us... we're somewhere in the middle. Forgetting that some of the luxuries we take for granted today, see as 'necessary' in our lives, they didn't even exist back then... and ponies were just as happy, went on just as well without them. Nowadays, there's so much... structure, and order, and control. And yes, I know I'm responsible in large part for that in our home Equestria, but it seems all my happiest memories... they all have a little bit of chaos in them.”
The ivory mare looked down with a soft smile at Ratatoskr, nodding once to herself, and then she drew her eyes back up to Antares and asked: “So how are you and Meadowlark doing, Antares? I don't mean to pry, but... I am curious, of course. And she's very, very fond of you.”
“Yeah, and I'm... really fond of her.” Antares hesitated, then looked down for a moment, and Celestia's amethyst eyes sharpened a little as she studied him. Yes, this had something to do with why he had come to find her in the first place. “It's just that... I mean, I don't... want to... impose or anything, and I know you're busy...”
“I'm here to help, however I can. You're my nephew, and like a son to me.” Celestia said softly, and Antares glanced up with a faint blush as the ivory mare smiled softly. “And you're also like an apprentice, in some ways, too. If I want to honor those things, I have to be here to teach and help you in any and every way that I can.”
Antares nodded awkwardly, and then he looked down as he rubbed a hoof slowly through the grass in front of him, lowering his head and mumbling finally: “I guess... I'm just... thinking about feelings and stuff, you know? About how things like that can affect us, I guess you could say. It's... because of Meadowlark, sort of.”
Celestia tilted her head with interest, and the stallion looked up at her with a faint smile. “I just... I tried to sidestep my duties in the mission for Meadowlark. I know we didn't find anything and I know the fortress really was abandoned, like we thought, but... I let myself get distracted, and I kept thinking about her and worrying for her, and... I know that she can handle herself, even if she is quiet and seems so fragile sometimes. She's not, she... she's a strong mare. But all the same...”
“You care about her, Antares. Of course you're going to want to be with her, and protect her if at all possible.” Celestia replied quietly, smiling faintly and shaking her head slowly before she continued softly: “And you seem to be forgetting that you mastered yourself and helped us search the fortress without complaint.”
“Yeah, but... it made me think, if Meadowlark was in danger, and I had the choice between going to her or completing the mission, I'd probably go to her. And I don't know who I'd choose between her and my friends and family... it scares me a little, Aunt Tia.” Antares glanced over at ivory mare with a faint smile. “I spent my entire life being raised with honor and integrity, to know my role and to do my best to help and protect the innocent. What does it mean that I no longer know if I could... I could stand to see her hurt, even if it put others in danger?”
Celestia only smiled over at the young stallion, then she gazed up towards the sky and said softly: “It means you love her, Antares Mīrus, and... that's all. It means in a dangerous situation, you'll protect the ponies you care about first, and cold as it may sound, I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I always put my family and my own friends first, too.”
Celestia stopped, then continued in a quieter voice, when Antares looked at her almost uncomfortably: “But I think that... if you had to make the impossible choice, between saving her or saving the lives of innocents, saving your home, your country, your world... unlike me, you could still make that decision. You've been through experiences that have taught you what it's like to lose... someone so incredibly important, and you've survived and come out the other side a stronger, better pony for it. I know that pain is part of the reason you feel compelled now to do anything to protect your marefriend... but I know at the same time, I think you're beginning to understand that if you truly care about someone, you have to honor their wishes. Even when...”
She quieted, and the two sat silently for a few moments before Antares stated more than questioned: “Mom said something before that wasn't like her. It's because of the soul-link, isn't it, and because of... of what's happening to Dad.”
“I think so, yes.” Celestia answered quietly, knowing that Antares deserved the truth even with how worried he looked, and then she added softly: “I think it's because Valthrudnir has planted himself so deeply in Scrivener's mind. Scrivener may have naturally absorbed some of his knowledge, and that was passed on to Luna.”
“So she used that weird chess metaphor, even though Mom knows nothing about chess.” Antares glanced up and smiled a little, saying finally: “It's funny to... be able to recognize stuff like that. The little details, even though... the big picture still eludes me now and then.”
“No one's perfect. No pony, no god, and nothing in between.” Celestia closed her eyes and nodded once before she turned her eyes back towards Antares, the two studying each other before she prodded gently: “Go ahead.”
Antares blushed and looked awkwardly away, staying silent for a moment longer all the same as he stared out over the apple orchard, and then he finally asked: “What are we going to do? The Replicants are powerful... and there's the issue of Valthrudnir, and... so many other problems all cropping up at once. I'm worried, Aunt Tia. I don't know if I'm strong enough to help...”
“You drove off a Replicant by yourself, Antares, while your parents had trouble just escaping one between the three of them.” Celestia smiled over at the young stallion, shaking her head slowly. “Don't worry about that. You're strong, and more importantly, you're intelligent and skilled. You can be relied on in a battle... yes, I mean that, even though you told me about what happened with Kismet already. But I know you won't make that mistake again, and you were there when it was necessary.”
She stopped, then added softly: “Even with all the years that have passed and the battle you've seen, you're still pure in many senses... you still have this innocence about you, this powerful sense of right and wrong that... does make you seem a little naïve and anxious at times, yes...” Celestia smiled slightly over at him, as the young stallion cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away with an embarrassed smile of his own. “But it's a good thing. I'd rather you come to me questioning your moral decisions than come to me, wanting to learn new ways to hurt other people.”
“You teach me to deal with both.” Antares replied before he could stop himself, and Celestia laughed and shook her head slowly, gazing over at him with warm amusement.
“I suppose I do.” she said softly, then she looked out over the apple orchard, the two remaining quiet for a moment before Celestia asked curiously: “Have you decided whether or not you're going to start mastering a weapon yet?”
“I just can't find anything that suits me.” Antares said honestly after a moment, shaking his head and smiling lamely over at Celestia, then he shrugged a little. “When I horn foil, it... it all feels so natural to me. But when I use a sword, well... you saw what happened last time you were trying to teach me, I cut my own face open and you had to stop me from bleeding to death. And spears were just as bad, and well... I don't even want to pick up a hammer or anything.”
“Did we ever try and teach you shield combat?” Celestia asked after a moment, and Antares tilted his head with interest, making the ivory mare smile slightly. “I didn't think so. What about crosshatch blades?”
“No, no, Horses of Heaven no. I still don't understand how Avalon can be so amazing with them, I cut myself just trying to put them on.” Antares laughed and shook his head. “Which is funny, because I know I'm pretty fast on my hooves. But what about shield fighting? Don't I need to pair it with something else?”
“Sleipnir never did. And no, not simply because of how physically strong he is, either.” Celestia smiled slightly, then she stood up and strode calmly down to the bottom of the slope, and Antares stumbled to his hooves to follow her curiously down into the dirt road, the mare glancing back and forth before nodding once as she turned to face him. “Let's do a short demonstration. I don't have the same skills as Sleipnir, but I think that I can still remember enough to give you a good example.”
The mare closed her eyes, her horn glowing for a moment before she flicked it gently upwards, and a circle of shimmering light formed before it solidified into a buckler of golden metal that floated silently in front of the mare. Celestia reached a hoof forwards, slipping this carefully on as Antares said softly: “It really amazes me how you can do that, Aunt Tia. And Mom... Twilight, I mean, can even create sprites now, and Mom can raise the dead... and I can... well. I can now levitate stuff without flinging it into the air.”
Celestia laughed and shook her head slowly, smiling warmly down at her nephew. “Your talents aren't in magic, and that's perfectly okay, Antares. The magic you can use is not to be underestimated, and you possess many admirable skills in other areas. Now, I want you to attack me. I'll defend and respond each time with the shield.”
“Just please don't hurt me too much, okay?” Antares smiled again, and Celestia nodded with a quiet laugh before the stallion dropped to a ready position, and Celestia slid back to a more defensive pose, smiling in return before the young stallion leapt forwards in a straight rush, swinging his horn in.
Celestia easily blocked with the shield, halting his slash before quickly drawing her shield back: only an inch or so, but when she swung it back forwards to collide with his head, it was more than enough to knock Antares staggering back a step out of surprise more than pain. But he caught himself smoothly and this time sidestepped before lunging in at the unguarded side of the mare, hooking in a punch-
Celestia tilted the shield sideways as she swung in to counterattack, smashing the round edge into his other shoulder and knocking him sprawling. He cursed in pain as Celestia used the momentum from her own attack to turn her body to get her shielded side between them again as Antares crawled up to his hooves, before his eyes widened when Celestia stepped suddenly forwards, smashing the shield once into his chest to knock him off balance.
He grunted, staggering but quickly swinging a hoof up: Celestia managed to block it with the buckler, however, and then she stepped smoothly towards him, looming over him and applying sudden pressure back against him, leaning into the attack, and Antares' eyes widened in surprise as he automatically braced himself to keep from falling over. His entire frame shuddered as she pinned him with the shield, forcing him to push back against her as hard as possible as it felt like his bones were bending and he was being crushed, gritting his teeth with a curse of surprise.
And then Celestia suddenly hauled upwards with the buckler, and Antares was knocked staggering, guard completely broken before she stepped forwards and bashed him fiercely backwards, almost knocking him sprawling with a yelp. He stumbled comically until he fell heavily on his rear, blinking dumbly across at the mare before Celestia snapped her foreleg upwards as her horn glowed, and the stallion's head shrank between his shoulders as he ducked with a yelp, the buckler shooting just over him.
“Aunt Tia! Come on!” Antares glared up at her, and then he blinked as Celestia only winked, the stallion realizing a moment too late that her horn was still glowing before the shield shot back through the air and just clipped his horn on its return flight, knocking him flat on his face.
The buckler twisted around Celestia as the mare laughed and shook her head slowly, and then the shield vanished into motes of light as Antares mumbled a little from where he now lay on his face. Then he finally sighed a little and glanced up, saying wryly: “So that wasn't hurting me too much?”
“You know I could have done much worse, Antares.” Celestia replied kindly, and then she offered a hoof to him, and the stallion smiled as he reached up to take it and let her help him up to his hooves, shaking himself out briskly as the mare added in a softer voice: “Thank you for indulging me a little, Antares, I think I needed that to help clear my head.”
The stallion only smiled a little up at her and shrugged after a moment, and the two studied each other before the glossy-black unicorn rubbed a little at his face, saying finally: “And apparently Sleipnir is the one who's good, and this is just... what you remember?”
The ivory mare nodded in response, laughing quietly. “Yes, but Sleipnir also almost never uses his shield, as you may have noticed. He doesn't like bringing weapons into combat and prefers to rely on his own strength as much as possible... Luna and I usually had to do a lot of convincing in order to get him to use his shield, unless we were going into battle against Tyrant Wyrms.”
Antares nodded slowly, then Celestia suggested: “You should ask him about it, though, and see if he'd be willing to teach you. I think Sleipnir trusts you more than enough to share any secret with you, Antares... he's very fond of you.”
The stallion smiled at this, bowing his head respectfully to Celestia, and the ivory mare bowed her own back before Antares suddenly looked up and said impulsively: “Aunt Tia... don't take this the wrong way, but... you really need to talk to Discombobulation. He misses you, and you miss him, and you two are so sad when you're together these days but I can see you both really want to be happy, so... why... why don't you just... talk to each other?”
“I think I hurt him, Antares. I think I hurt him and pushed him away, and it has something to do with... this.” Celestia replied quietly, reaching up and gently touching the scars on the stallion's chest, and Antares blushed a bit as he looked up at her awkwardly, but didn't look away. She appreciated his concern, he could feel that... even if she was clearly a little surprised by his forwardness, too. “But he won't talk about it. I think because he doesn't want to hurt me or bring up what happened... something that has to do with... mistakes we all made.”
Antares nodded slowly, looking down as he reached up and touched his own scars, then Celestia smiled and said softly: “It's very sweet of you to care so much, Antares, but I'll be fine. Bob and I will figure things out, one way or another. We had a wonderful time together and we're still very good friends, after all...”
She smiled, glancing down as there was a chattering, and a moment later Ratatoskr leapt onto her leg and scurried up to her shoulder, the mare gazing softly at the squirrel. Antares looked up with his own small smile, and then Celestia shook her head and said finally: “Come on, let's go into town, and join the celebrations. Perhaps we've both spent more than enough time sitting out here, thinking too much about what's not even certain yet, instead of enjoying our accomplishments and the time we have with our friends.”
Antares Mīrus nodded firmly in response to his aunt, and the two ponies fell into step side-by-side as they began to stride away from the orchard: very different ponies from very different eras, but all the same, close family and confident friends.