//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: The Long Road Home // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 10 Surprise grinned widely. “All righty then Equestria! It’s time for a SURPRISE!” Surprise raised a hoof into the air and brought it down zealously on the control panel’s large red button labelled “launch.” Nothing happened. “What?!” Surprise cried out in frustration, mashing the button again, and again. With a small click and an electronic whirring noise, the room was filled with noise from the loudspeakers. “This is Doctor Emerald Sparkle to whoever just tried to launch the missile! Sorry to say that the joke’s on you! I took the liberty of personally ripping out and smashing the missile’s thrust control modules, while I ordinarily disapprove of the destruction of technology... I see that my fears were well warranted after all. Don’t get any funny ideas. Let me fill you in on a little secret. I destroyed the targeting computer as well; you can’t arm the missile remotely! You want to use the bomb? You’ll have to arm it yourself... something I’m going to guess you don’t know how to do! Ha ha ha. Joke is on you!” “Ha. Ha. Ha,” Surprise mocked back at the recording. “I guess the joke is on YOU! Because I do know how to arm it manually!” Surprise was mildly disappointed when the recording didn’t respond, instead she smashed the glass window panes in front of the launch console, and she climbed out and flew up to the tip of the missile, completely forgetting about Scootaloo all together. ... Twilight and Vinyl made it into the control room. “Scootaloo!” Vinyl said running over to the filly’s side and throwing her forelegs around her. “Oh Scootaloo! You’re okay! I was so worried!” “You... you were!?” Scootaloo asked as tears began to form in her eyes. “I... I ran away because I thought you didn’t love me anymore!” “Oh Scootaloo... I’ll always love you!” Vinyl said, smiling at the filly. Scootaloo smiled back, giving her first smile since Rainbow Dash died. “Scootaloo,” Twilight said. “Where is Surprise?” “She... she broke the window and she flew up there!” Scootaloo said, pointing to the top of the missile. Twilight and Vinyl looked up and their minds filled with panic. “We need to get back to town right now!” they both said in unison. ... With a quick pop, Surprise had exposed the inner workings of the nuclear missile’s warhead, she began tracing wires back to where they ended and began, the design was rather simple, and Surprise had it working in a few moments. All she had to do was tug the right wire and everypony around would be in for the biggest surprise they had ever seen! That was when it came out of nowhere. Ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka! The cloud of black smoke collided with Surprise, sending her flying backwards into a ruined building, the force of impact snapped the pegasus’s neck with a loud crack, and her body collapsed onto the ground. The Siblings Nightmare materialised from the cloud of smoke, and began to examine the missile. “Did not expect to ever see one of these again,” Nightcaller said. All three of the Siblings ears twitched slightly as they heard something approaching them. Docka-docka-docka-docka-docka! “Ah it seems our dearest brother had decided to show himself,” Nightsinger said. The cloud of grey smoke poured into view, and as the sun rose, the spectral form of Overdrive made itself visible, glistening in the early morning light. “Hello dear brother,” Nightshadow said simply. Overdrive did not reply, rather he merely cocked his head to the side, staring at the Siblings Nightmare, and then at the missile. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were quick to join him. Pinkie Pie looked around with complete disinterest. Applejack however was looking at the sun as it rose. “Hold on a moment!” She cried out. “It’s way too early fer th’ sun ta be risin’!” Neither beings of order or chaos seemed to be interested in this fact at all; they merely turned their heads towards the town hall. Princess Celestia was standing on the roof, looking out over them. “I do believe, we’re just one card short of a full house,” Nightcaller said simply. Celestia leaped down from the roof and approached them. “Indeed we are,” she said plainly. The three sides stared each other down, waiting for another to make the first move. Each of them wanted the missile, to each their own reasons. Ironically, the one to make the first move would be none of them. Almost fitting as it had gone this way the last time that they were all together. Twilight Sparkle and Vinyl Scratch galloped through town and towards the assembled group, their horns lowered; an old unicorn tactic to spear the opponent. “They cannot possibly be serious,” Overdrive said. “I think they are,” Nightsinger said. Order and Chaos both lashed out with their minds, striking the two unicorns down with a telekinetic attack. Applejack watched as they went down with a look of panic on her face. Pinkie Pie didn’t seem to care. Twilight and Vinyl both groaned in pain, and rose back to their hooves, only to be struck down again by another blow. “Submit,” Overdrive said simply. “Do not make it any harder on yourselves.” “Or don’t! Stand up to the big bad tyrant!” Nightshadow cried with a small laugh. Celestia remained silent, just standing and watching. Twilight looked at her desperately. “Please... princess! Help us!” she cried out. “No,” she said simply, lowering her head and frowning at her once prized student. Twilight felt tears flowing from her eyes. Princess Celestia, her mentor, was going to let her brothers do whatever they wished. In truth, it made her far more dangerous than either of them alone, because she was just going to sit back and let it happen. Twilight lay on the ground, her eyes half closed, staring out into the deserted streets. A streak of blue light darted into her vision, and was just as quickly gone again. “What?” she asked herself quietly. Overdrive and the Siblings Nightmare approached the fallen unicorns, but stopped when a loud crack filled the air. “Hold!” The group turned to look; standing behind them was Princess Luna, along with a gathered assortment of ponies, Lyra, Bon Bon, Braeburn, Big Macintosh, Derpy, Trixie, and Rarity. “It will come from the west,” Overdrive said. “Face east. When it comes, we must have our backs to it.” “Nice to see that you can still quote ancient text brother,” Luna said with a smile. “Ppff, I don’t see what this has to do with anything.” Nightcaller said. “You came from the west, so what? What exactly are you expecting to do? Fight us? Without the Elements of Harmony, you’re not exactly going to get very far.” “There are other elements, Nightcaller,” Luna said. “Or in this case, shall I say, bonds?” Overdrive snorted loudly. “What do you expect us to believe that you have discovered the bearers of the Bonds of Eternity? They have been lost to time.” “Well then, I suppose it’s a good thing that she’s got a time traveller on her side!” cried a new voice from the town hall. “Hello! I’m the Doctor! Time traveller extraordinaire, pay me no mind though, this is her show, not mine, I only came by to help.” “Indeed, the Doctor was instrumental in gathering the bonds together. I thank you for this Doctor,” Luna said. “Don’t mention it! Well, seems you’ve got everything in hand... er, hoof, I best be off!” the Doctor said, opening the door to his blue box that nopony had taken notice of until just now and departing for places unknown. “Yes, the bonds of eternity... bit of ancient magic thought to be lost, until they were found!” Luna said with a smile. “Derpy Hooves! Whose need to take care for others at little regard for herself, is the bearer of the Bond of Responsibility!” Luna’s horn shone brightly enveloping Derpy in light and empowering the dormant energy of the bond within her. “Lyra and Bon Bon! Whose love for each other and for their friends has never wavered, are the bearers of the Bond of Fraternity!” Luna said as light enveloped the two, empowering them with the light of their friendship. “Big Macintosh! Quiet and reserved, yet willing to lend a helping hoof to anypony with a problem, bares the Bond of Labour!” Luna said, her light enveloping him “Braeburn! The stranger from the west! Thrown from his home without a second though, and devoted himself to his family, bears the Bond of Love!” Luna said as light enveloped him. “Trixie! The outcast returned against her will, but rather than turning tail and running again, stayed and helped those who once shunned her, bears the Bond of Compassion!” Luna finished. “Wonderful,” Nightcaller said plainly. “And you think it will be enough for the three of us and the other ingrates?” “Oh, I’m not concerned with you right now,” Luna said with a smile. “I’m concerned with them. NOW!” The light from each of the bonds shone brightly and pierced through Applejack and Pinkie Pie, sending them flying towards where Vinyl Scratch and Twilight Sparkle were lying. They landed on the ground hard. Applejack began to rub her head and realised that she was the one doing it. She looked at Pinkie Pie and discovered that her eyes were no longer red. They were their normal blue. They were free! “Minor setback,” Overdrive said, showing no concern. “Still no consequence, the elements of harmony are useless.” Rarity had joined her friends by this point. “I wouldn’t be sure of that,” Luna said. “Look up.” Overdrive, Celestia, and the Siblings Nightmare looked up, two bolts of energy dived at them, striking them to the ground and darting over towards Twilight. Twilight watched as the ghostly outlines of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy took their places alongside their friends. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked in disbelief. Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her shoulder, and smiled reassuringly at her. “What is this!?” Nightcaller cried out in surprise. “This?” Twilight said. “This is the end for you!” The bearers of both the elements of harmony and the bonds of eternity focused their power on their enemies; light began to pulse between them. “Do something!” Nightcaller cried out! “I am doing something,” Overdrive said smugly. “I’m watching you as you’re about to die, that’s plenty enough a reward for me.” “You really hate us that much, don’t you brother?” “Yes.” The bearers unleashed their power, sending all the energy that they could muster. It impacted the five ancients, and they all screamed in pain as their life forces were all snuffed out.