Clearing History
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Editors:
“Your past is always your past. Even if you forget it, it remembers you.”
― Sarah Dessen, What Happened to Goodbye
“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
― Winston Churchill
"Once upon a time; long before the peaceful reign of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know Harmony."
― Spike
Canterlot, The Royal Gardens, 2nd Year Anno Harmonia
Celestia stared at Discord, unable to believe what he had just said, her thoughts racing as the words bounced around in her skull.
"Impossible!" Luna interjected, glaring at the Spirit of Chaos. "As much as we would love to see you gone, killing you is beyond anything we could accomplish. Even the Elements could not do such a task!"
"Like they ever would, or could..." Discord muttered under his breath. Walking towards Celestia, he wrapped his arm around the stunned solar princess and gently knocked his lion paw on her head, "Don't be so sure of yourself Lulu. Celestia here seems to believe me. Then again, she and the human knocked more than their heads together, so she might be a tad loopier than usual."
"How do you even know this?" Celestia whispered, turning to look him straight in the eyes. So far as she could tell, Discord wasn't playing his usual tricks, and the last few minutes alone threw everything Celestia knew about him out the metaphorical window.
Discord chuckled, giving the alicorns a sense of wariness, especially since his amusement failed to reach his eyes, which instead seemed to gleam with a silent hatred that begged to be released. "Oh it is quite easy to witness one's own death, especially for multidimensional entities such as we here."
"Tell us Demon!" Luna demanded, putting one hoof forward, the bold action bringing a forced smirk to Discord's warped features. He clapped his paw and claw together and released an exaggerated breath of air. "Story time kiddies! But we are going to make this short and nasty, since some of us want to move on from here."
"What?" Cadance looked at him with even more confusion at the exchange. "What was that about multidimensional?"
"Ah, so young, just trembling on the cusp of immortality. You'll learn, Crystal Princess, through the long tenure of eternity," Discord answered, condescendingly patting her on the head before whipping out a pair of hand-puppets..
"It all started when my handsome and oh-so-smexy twin was freed from his prison," Discord started his tale, illustrating his tale with the puppets. Celestia watched as the familiar scene unfolded before her, a supporting cast of shadow-puppets depicting her and the Element-Bearers entering the vault that held the Elements of Harmony.
"Sadly for my twin, the Celestia he once knew... was no more."
The three Alicorns watched as the puppet-show ballooned into hyper-realism, and the other worldly Discord made his stage debut in stained glass, oblivious of the menacing glow around his Celestia's horn. Either that or he simply didn't care.
This Discord found out the hard way that Celestia was not herself. Her magic slammed him into the glass ejecting the Draconequus and hurling him into one of the castle's towers. 'Celestia' flew after him with vicious force.
"They did not know, nor comprehend," Luna murmured, taking note of the Elements Bearers' surprise at this turn of events.
Celestia watched as her twin shattered the tower's foundations and brought it down on top of Discord, feeling sick to her stomach as the upper minaret sheared off and tumbled into a busy street below. The feeling only intensified when she realized her counterpart had just collapsed the Palace Servant Quarters, at a time of day when the entire night shift would be resting within.
With the tower destroyed and rubble and blood spread across the garden, the other Celestia touched down in the dust and gore, patiently waiting for something. After a couple of seconds the lingering dust cleared as a large piece of rubble was lifted off and thrown aside.
It revealed Discord, who was looking at Celestia with surprise. What caught the observing alicorns off guard was a large amount of ponies; maids, butlers and porters, huddling all around and underneath Discord, most in bad condition but sheltered by his magic, before they vanished in a flash of light as he teleported them away with a snap of his claw. Then he was pounded into the ground by a powerful spell.
Celestia sat numbly, watching as Discord faced off against her twin, a fight which he was losing. Of all of the battles flashing in her mind, not once did she ever remember gaining an upper hoof against him, even when she had her sister and all the armies of Equus at her side. Only the Elements of Harmony had ever given them an upper-edge over his raw, unbridled chaos.
'She is stronger than me...'
Celestia felt the chills running up and down her spine as the other world Discord was thrown into a mountain, and then drilled even further into it as the other Celestia bodily tackled him, a smile plastered on her face.
Silently, Luna and Cadence reached out a wing to support and comfort the trembling immortal.
The image began to darken, the other Discord weakly attempted to get back onto his feet, before he was forcefully thrown into the side of the Canterhorn. As shadows swum around her, 'Celestia' lightly raised her Royal Halter from her breast and replaced it with a familiar canvas bag.
"Tirek's nifty bundle of darkness and hate." Discord stated, his eyes glued on the bag, lost in his memories. "I have only seen it once before, weilded by the Centaur himself, and the horrors it can work at terrible and sublime. The source of his power and life, completely indestructible by any known ways, including my own power; that time, I was unable to so much as tear it. Then again...I was only a child defending his mother."
"Discord..." Celestia turned to him, a question on the tip of her lips. Discord stopped her.
"I'm sorry Celestia... I have no answers to give in regards to the whereabouts or history of the bag. It slipped out of history centuries ago, only for that mockery of you to dredge it up out of some unknown hole..." Discord muttered, glaring at the bag. "The only thing I can truly tell you that anypony who finds it should not touch it, physically or magically, but instead open a hole beneath it, the deepest darkest hole you can make, and bury it deep. Preferably they should then toss a mountain on top. After that, simply hope and pray that no creature ever finds it."
The other Celestia smiled as the bag glowed, it's deep sickly, purple aura surrounding her. Her smile became much more deranged, and she gave off a small titter of laughter. "Oh, I have big plans for you, my... little... draconequus..."
Then...
Darkness...
*
A blood curdling cry filled the garden, emanating from the illusory recording before Discord cut it off. The floating screen on which the entire battle had played out vanished, leaving Discord alone again with the three Princesses.
"Believe me, the next two years were not easy," he murmured grimly, idly toying with his tiny sock-puppet doppelganger.
"I..." Celestia didn't know what to say. "Did... she torture you?"
"No, not really." Discord answered. conjuring up another image, one showing dozens of crystals surrounding the beaten Discord. All of them brimming with stolen magic, his magic. In the center was the Draconequus himself, chains encasing his body and holding him upright, his eyes tired and exhausted. "Simply drained me of everything I had."
"How? Your magic is too-" Luna started but was cut short as Discord rounded on her and stormed up to her face, his deranged form towering over her smaller frame. Neither Celestia nor Cadence dared move.
"Don’t you tell me..." He hissed, his eyes flaring in rage and disgust. "What can and can not be done. I am currently suffering almost two years of Tartarus pits of borrowed memory, and five more years inside the mind of an Element Bearer who lost more than her mind."
"Discord!" Celestia pushed herself between the two, shoving the enraged being back. "Enough! Please!"
"Your Highness...Aunty," Cadence ventured. "Can we really trust him?"
"We must." Celestia spoke with authority, her eyes hardened as she looked at Luna and Discord's little deadlock, neither of the two eldritch beings backing down. "Discord is giving us what we need and is helping us in his own way, without mind games or jokes."
"I can see he's suffering..." Cadance spoke out, her voice soft as she looked up at the chaos god. That single sentence was enough to break Discord's attention, and he turned towards the youngest alicorn with surprise written across his face.
"Luna..." Cadence continued. "He just said he's been burdened with almost seven years of new memories, the first two alone would have crippled anyone of us. Even Auntie Celestia is still reeling from the memories of the human, and she has more than she is contend with."
"Bah!" Discord waved away at Cadance's concern. "They don't care, they never care. All they care about is their precious kingdom, tea and crumpets being disturbed."
"Discord-" Celestia started, and he glared back, causing her to lose her voice.
"If you two fillies had only stayed out of the lives of all the beings on this world, none of this would be happening." Discord said, his tone final. "No world jumping humans, no genocidal alicorns, none of it."
"We could not allow the ponies to fall into disarray, it was our duty," Celestia argued but her voice was drowned by Discord’s as he roared out in anger.
"YOUR DUTY CONSISTS OF MOVING THE BLOODY BALL OF FIRE ACROSS THE SKY AND NOTHING MORE!" Discord scowled at her, his chest heaving from the shout. "Scribe wrote you and Luna into being solely to make sure the sun and moon were properly adjusted to sustain life, not lead ponies into stagnation and the 'perfect life'. She wanted you to lead happy lives in the shadows, not step forward to rule empires!"
"WE HAD TO AFTER YOU WENT INSANE!" Celestia roared back, the Royal Canterlot Voice in full reign. "YOUR LITTLE RAMPAGE FORCED OUR HOOVES AND BOUND US IN CHAINS OF STATE! DO YOU THINK I'D EVER FORGIVE YOU FOR ENTHRONING US, FOR TAKING LUNA FROM ME, FOR TWISTING PRINCE SOMBRA TO MADNESS AND STEALING CADANCE OF HER HOMELAND AND BIRTHRIGHT! ALL OF THAT TRACES BACK TO YOUR EGOMANIA DISCORD!"
The two beings stared at one another, both channeling eons of rage, Cadance was shocked but forged ahead, now was not the time to get cold hooves...even though both being could probably banish her to the moon with little thought.
"This....argument sounds like it has happen before... Many times in fact. But we need to get back on track." She said aloud, head held high as she placed herself right between the two of them. "More is at stake here than epic grudges best left buried in history."
The words of reason seemed to linger a little in the air, the two beings held themselves for a moment taking it in, but continued to stare at each other with a frown, each with a different emotion. After what felt like an eternity, Luna spoke.
"Cadance is right." Luna said, cautiously placing herself between the two. Discord snorted once before taking a step back and waving his claw.
The image return, Discord in the image was glaring at Celestia, who smiled kindly at the chained prisoner. Standing behind her, the Elements of Harmony stood by, their own smiles plastered on their faces.
Celestia shivered in disgust, their smiles seem fake and held false kindness within their eyes. She couldn't help but welcome a warm feeling of rage blooming deep within herself, as it covered the unsettling coldness of fear that threatened to overwhelm her. The only thing that seem off was the fact that one of the Elements was missing. Rarity was not seen at all.
"What do you want, Celestia?" Discord cough up, his tired eyes looking at her with contempt.
"It is Queen Celestia, Discord." Celestia gently chide him, which he responded with a snorted. "Such insolence... no matter. Soon you will usher in a new order and Harmony."
"Yeah? How exactly you going to make me do that?" Discord chuckled, looking at her with amusement.
Celestia leaned in close to him, her voice soft and lyrical. "You are going to open a portal to another world and let me spread my rule to humankind."
Discord look at her with confusion, his face quickly morphing to one of pleasant outlook. "You are a bigger fool than I thought. You, bring order to a group of beings that thrive on chaos and order with a mix bag of general insanity? I have seen them, long ago before you were even a speck in Mother's mind. They are powerful and will destroy you and all your ponies the moment they feel threatened."
Celestia gently tapped him on the nose, causing him to try and take a bite off her hoof. She merely smiled and giggled, "Discord...I have not been wasting away my time with foolish ideas. No...I will share with them the chance of ponydom, to make them perfect beings and a new life under my care and rule."
Discord look directly into Celestia's eyes, his narrowing into slits. "I will not help your cause nor can you make me."
Celestia smile became even bigger, a hint of madness glinting in her eyes. "That is where you are wrong, my little draconequus. You will help...even if you are not around to witness it."
Discord's eyes widened in shock as Celestia simply turned around and walked back to the others. He struggled with his restraints, attempting to break free from his prison. His eyes desperately looking for a way to escape while Celestia's horn glowed with power.
Almost immediately, his face quickly to the form of acceptance and relief. Celestia smiled at this. "This is good Discord. Your sacrifice will usher in a new era."
"I'm not smiling due to your stupid plan." Discord said simply, his smile became much more mischievous, putting Celestia on guard. "Just hoping I can take the look on your face into the great beyond after I do this."
"Do-!" Celestia reared back as Discord open his mouth wide spat out a large yellow ball of magic and sent it careening towards the Elements, mainly one Twilight Sparkle. Twilight yelped as she was sent tumbling end over end. The view wavering and distorting during this before it finally stabilized to be centered on the small unicorn. Celestia turn and glared at the exhausted looking draconequus who held a weak smirk. But it didn’t last as he screamed in agony by Celestia who unleashed her spell.
Discord withered, his body spasmed making the three alicorns sick, Cadance nearly vomiting as Discord slowly became thinner and thinner, before his screams finally ended and his body simply hung in the chains before finally crumbling into dust.
"So ends chaos." Celestia whispered before looking back to Twilight. "Twilight, are you alright?"
Twilight checked herself over, before she looked up and smiled"Just a last shot, nothing more."
Before she could speak further, a swirling vortex of magic formed before a letter appeared before Celestia, which she open to read its contents. A beaming smile appeared on her face.
"Whatcha get oh great and powerful Queenie!?" Pinkie jumped up and down in excitement.
Celestia chuckled and rolled the scroll up. "It appears my guards finally tracked down our wayward Element of Generosity. They are bringing her in now. Come, Elements, we have a long lost friend to greet."
"And Spike?" Twilight asked, her face impassive as she looked to her leader.
Celestia sighed, shaking her head. "The foolish dragon will still needs time, perhaps punishment for defying my rule and stealing an Element will correct his mind... Maybe he will join us once he is properly adjusted to Harmony?"
Celestia whimpered as Discord waved his paw through the image of the smiling queen, wiping it away. "So there you have it. My twin being gank and a small piece of him is within the mind of one corrupted Twilight Sparkle. We should really thank him, if it wasn't for him, we would never seen Marcus or even know about any of this... ‘Conversion Bureau’ nonsense." Discord's shoulders slumped forward, his face full of mock despair. "Thanks Me, you are a real pal."
"I feel sick." Cadance muttered before she walked to the nearest bush and voided her stomach.
"Weak stomach, that one has." Discord commented, as frown appeared on his face. "We only began to fall down the hole full of horrors and sins, so start kicking and screaming, kid. It's only going to get worse."
"Discord...enough." Celestia pleaded. "Even somepony of your strength has fallen to her madness. What we have to do is prepare..."
"What we need to do," Luna interjected "is to gather our army, all of Equus’ armies and face against this threat. We tallied too long already."
"Lulu is right." Discord said, promptly ignoring the scowl on Luna's face at the nickname."You need to take the horn and give it a toot to call everyone here. This doesn't just involve ponies, this will involve everybody on this world. Here, catch."
Celestia almost didn't catch the ancient horn, almost unconsciously used her magic to catch it. Concordia Maxima, the same horn given to her by the Scribe herself.
"Discord! That is an ancient relic given to us by the Scribe!" Luna yelled at Discord, who was covering his ears and glaring back at her, for his treatment of the ancient horn. The Royal Canterlot Voice echoed through out the Royal Garden Maze. "It was given to us- WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP THAT NOW!"
Discord had taken the horn back from Celestia and was now using it to hit stone buttress, vaguely looking like a certain blue alicorn and hitting it as hard as he can. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! MY EARDRUMS ARE RUPTURED FROM A PARTICULARLY LOUD HAG AND I AM UTTERLY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW! MAYBE HITTING THESE STONE STATUES WILL HELP OUT, I WILL DO SO WITH THIS-Hey!"
Celestia yanked the horn out of Discord's grasp, her wings spread before taking off to the tallest tower. Cadance open her mouth to say something but Celestia was long gone. Discord rubbed his claws while he watched Celestia fly off. "Hmph, pushy. Hmm?"
He turned to see Luna glaring up at him. "Something you need, you’re Royal Megaphone?"
Luna glare deepened, her eyes searched him a little before she leaned in closer. "You're hiding something from us." She said finally after a minute of silence.
Discord shrugged his shoulders, "Indeed I am." he claimed. Cadance, hearing the two discussing, turned to the scene behind her.
"Well....what is it?" Luna demanded, stomping her hoof to prove a point. Discord eyes gained a faraway look, his face grimacing at the knowledge.
"Let's just say that the event at the north where dear old Celestia made a mile circumference of glass and a dozen miles of destroyed forest will be a petty marker of anguish if I had told her what I know." Discord said softly, Luna's eyes narrowed at that. "I doubt she would withhold her rage and grief if I told her here and now, after all that has happened."
Discord turned to look at Cadance before looking back to Luna "I wasn't lying when I said the story gets darker from here on. We are on the edge of Tartarus itself and we are pushing the beings of this world to jump head first to save those still struggling to survive."
"I...see." Luna whispered.
"No you don't." Discord snapped. "You couldn't imagine the horrors that humanity was forced to do to survive. The Changelings are dead, as well as the Minotaurs and dragons. The griffons are barely hanging on with food shortages, and the zebras are all but counting the days until Equestria turn their sights on them. No one has even seen the Reindeers for years, but I got the feeling the Tyrant paid them a visit to 'check up' on them. Probably nothing but burnt corpses now."
Discord snorted once before turning. "You would go mad with grief and anger if you knew what I knew. Pray that you never do... It’ll haunt you for the rest of your life."
Luna gave him one last look before sighing, she opened her wings and took flight. Discord turned to stare into the sky, his arms crossed against his chest.
"Discord? I... I have a question." Cadance asked meekly, her head low as she approach the draconequus. Discord said nothing, ignoring her entirely. Cadance took a breath, steeling herself before asking away. "What happen between you and Celestia?"
There was a moment of silence, and then another, time seem at a slow as Cadance waited for his reaction. But even the princess of love has her limit as her eyes narrowed in irritation. "Hey! You can at least give me a no, ignoring me is not going to make me go away."
She growled as Discord continued to ignore her. She moved closer, trotted up to him and jabbed at his back. "Hey! I'm talking to-!"
Discord wobbled to and fro before collapsing forward. Cadance held her breath for a single seconds and then she let it out in frustration. "Really Discord? A cardboard cut out? How childish....”She sighed” I guess I can help Luna and Auntie Celestia...but I will find you."
She took flight and left the maze, yellow eyes watching her leave before they closed, melting back into the bush.
Canterlot Castle, highest tower
Two guards jumped in surprise when Celestia landed before them. "Princess!"
Celestia ignored them as they bowed, lifting the horn to her lips before blowing. The horn's single note blasted clear from the ancient relic, the guards looked in surprise as the horn began to glow, ancient runes forming in the air around the horn before gathering above Celestia and the guards.
They watched in shock as the single note grew louder, the ancient runes growing brighter before they flashed once before they shot off in different directions. The single note being carried with them far across the land.
"Princess?" One of the guards hesitantly spoke up, gaining Celestia attention. "W..what was that?"
Celestia gave her guards a sad smile before looking to the distance, specifically Ponyville. "A call to war, my little ponies, a call to war...."
Her answer caused the guards to freeze in shock, but were stung even more when she continued on. "A war that will test all of Equus...and not only our survival, but of an entire species rest within our hooves. Prepare yourselves, my Royal Guards, because after today, Equestria marches to war."
Ponyville, Golden Oaks Library
Spike glared at the back of the human in their kitchen, using their food, after he almost maimed and kill Twilight and their friends. He was glaring as hard as he could to get the human's attention, but was ignored ultimately by the human's uncaring attitude.
It didn't help that Pinkie was helping him too.
Pinkie occasionally looked back at Spike, shivered a bit before going back to help Marcus gather what he needed to make himself something to eat. She didn't say anything to Marcus, feeling that taking it slow was a better way in gaining his respect and friendship than loudly forcing herself to become his friend. Her flank still ached somewhat from the light scratch he gave her, as well as her bruised cheek. She had the feeling Marcus wouldn't appreciate if she tried to force them to become friends. After all....
Her counterpart was a giant meanie.
"Sorry" Marcus muttered to her as he watched her wince as she moved to the side.
"Hmm?" Pinkie looked up at him in confusion, before giving him a warm smile, which caused her to wince, which caused her smile to look forced.
"For punching you in the face." Marcus stated as he chopped the potatoes into slices.
"Oh! It no big deal! I get hurt all the time!" Pinkie laughed, before yelping a bit and tenderly rub her cheeks. But she was all smiles again soon after.
"That's it!" Spike growled as he stomped up to the human. Marcus quirked an eyebrow before he turn back to his potatoes. Spike glared at him before grabbing a chair and hopping up onto the counter.
Pinkie gasped "Spike! You know you are not supposed to be on the counter! It's unhealthy! Who knows where your feet has been!?"
This stopped Spike and Marcus, who were now staring at the pink earth pony in confusion. Marcus opened his mouth. "Don't you use your hooves to eat?"
"Well duh!" Pinkie simply stated, completely ignoring the fact that she just finish bringing Marcus some blueberries from outside using said hooves to get them.
"Okay....moving on." Marcus muttered. "What's your beef, little man?"
"Beef? The heck is beef?" Spike looked at him in confusion.
"Slaughtered cow." Marcus answer bluntly. "Good eating too."
Both Pinkie and Spike looked a little green at his answer, but Marcus only rolled his eyes. "It’s another way of saying 'What is your deal or issue'. Don't ask me who made it up, I don't know."
"Obviously somepony that hates cows." Pinkie muttered darkly.
“Or a human...” Spike muttered to himself before shaking his head, he returned to give the most efficient death dealing glare he could at Marcus. Marcus simply rolled his eyes.
"Work on the glare kid. I’ve seen terrorists with more ‘oomph’ than what you're packing." Marcus said as he placed the sliced potatoes in a strainer and began to wash them out.
"Yeah? Can they breathe fire?" Spike countered as his mouth actually began to drip green flames onto the countertop, which startled Pinkie as she quickly slap out the flames with a towel. Turning off the flames she sighed in relief, only to stare in utter surprise as the towel was now on fire. Marcus only snorted once at Spike’s threat.
"They can blow themselves up." Marcus replied as he gave Spike a small amuse look before pouring the potatoes slices into a boiling pot of vegetable oil. Pinkie's eyes searched for a means to put out the flaming towel. Throwing said towel in front of the kitchen door she grabbed a bucket and slammed it on top of the burning fabric, trying to snuff out the flame...
She used a wooden bucket.
Pinkie’s eyes grew wide; her jaw dropped in utter horror as the bucket was now on fire. She quickly rushed to the cupboard and found a pitcher and began to quickly fill it with water.
"You attacked Twilight and our friends!" Spike growled. "You tried to kill them!"
"Yes, yes I did.” Marcus confirmed as he poured in some flour, eggs, and some milk into a bowl he picked from the side of the sink. He attempted to grab a fork, but Pinkie slapped a whisker in front of him, she smiled nervously before running off with a pitcher of water.
Pinkie dumped the water on the burning bucket, which was slowly beginning to eat away at the floor. She gave a sigh of relief when the fire went out, she wiped her foreleg across her forehead.
The bucket promptly burst back into flames...even bigger than before.
Pinkie yelped, her hooves holding the sides of her head, the look of panic plastered on her face, before rushing out the backdoor.
"Well, what are you going to do about it!?" Spike demanded, baring his teeth, his anger slowly boiling.
"The hell do you want me to say? 'Sorry I tried to kill you, you just look like the sworn enemy of mankind, my bad?'" Marcus rolled his eyes as he took two pans and placed them on the stove.
"Yes!" Spike yelled as he pointed his claw at him in anger.
"Do you know how stupid that sounds?"
Pinkie rushed back in, a water hose in her hooves and a firepony hat on her head. She gave the growing flame a wicked grin before dosing it with the water hose. Pinkie smiled as the flames drowned in the torrents of water, and cried out as the roaring green flame burst out and completely ignored the water spray.
She looked about before she rushed into the library. Leaving the two arguing males in the kitchen with the growing flames.
"That's not the issue is it?" Marcus placed two hay strips on one pan, while the other he placed two large spoonful of butter. Spike only growled, his eye began to twitch as Marcus still continued to make his meal. "You feel this is unresolved...at least in your eyes."
"No duh! Suddenly we are all buddy buddy with you, even Rarity and Fluttershy are after you tried to kill them." Spike jabbed his claw into Marcus's shoulder, which Marcus reacted by sending the small dragon a look of warning.
Pinkie dragged Fluttershy and Rainbow into the kitchen, pointing at the growing flames. Fluttershy simply squeak in fear while Rainbow balked and grabbed Fluttershy, dragging her outside and pointing to the sky. Fluttershy nodded and flew up to the clouds.
Spike couldn't help to finally slap the human in the shoulder to get Marcus to look at him. Marcus eyes hardened a bit, glaring at the small dragon. "Kid, you're pushing your luck."
"Then leave, and don't come back!" Spike shouted at him. "I don't like you! You hurt my friends! You hurt Princess Celestia! You destroyed our home! Go back to your world!"
Fluttershy had pushed a particularly heavy rain cloud through the door, Rainbow scrambling it inside and onto it with Pinkie's help, Pinkie pushed Rainbow not the cloud. Fluttershy position the cloud over the green flames and both pegasi began to jump up and down, letting out a downpour of rain. The green flames slowly dwindle down.
"Sure Barney, I will just pull a portal out of my ass and jump through..." Marcus said annoyed of the familiarly colored dragon, he whisked the combination of eggs, milk and flour in the bowl making sure it was well mixed as the pans heated up.
“At least you would be gone..." Spike says under his breath, grinding his teeth. But what Spike considered under his breath was actually at hearing intensity as Marcus stopped whisking the bowl. Spike looked on, hopeful that the human would now pay attention to him.
Marcus then added blueberries to the mix. Spike left eye twitched as Marcus continued on unabated.
The green flame sparked once before it roared out, Rainbow and Fluttershy dived off the cloud as it evaporated due to the growing inferno. Pinkie cried out, which prompted Rarity and Applejack to find out what was happening.
"What is goin on in- Holy Celestia!" Applejack stared in shock at the growing green flames.
"It's the Beautiful Green Wild Beast!" Pinkie cried out. "It demands a worthy opponent to be its offering!"
Pinkie picked up a wooden chair and held it over her head. "Please accept this chair made of dense Maple, Oh Eternal Beast of Youth! It shall be a worthy opponent for your Will of Fire!"
Pinkie tried to throw the chair, but was yanked out of her grip by Rarity. "Pinkie Pie! Stop feeding the fire!" Rarity scorned the pink pony.
"I'm sorry! Nothing else works!" Pinkie cried as tears pour from her eyes. Marcus eyes wandered off behind Spike, to the ensuing chaos happening behind them.
Spike groaned as his frustration overloaded out of the peak and finally yelled, “Stop with the cooking!”
Marcus stopped.
Marcus moved his entire body to face Spike, Spike prepared to eat the human alive with his words. But Marcus was not looking at the dragon but at the ponies attempt put out the green fire with little success. He only sighed and turn back to the pans. "Your fire is out of control." Marcus said blandly as he pour some pancake mix in the sizzling pan.
"What?" Spike blinked at the sudden change of topic. Marcus reached up with a single hand and grabbed the dragon by the head. Spike yelped as Marcus lifted him off his feet and set him down a second later...
Staring directly into a large green wave of fire that was about to consume half the kitchen.
"Good job Barney, you truly can make a fire.” Marcus stated as he flipped the recently formed pancake, ignoring Spike's yelp.
"Ah! Fire!" Spike yelled, picking one of the near wooden buckets he tried to throw water on fruitlessly.
"Oh...man, if I only had a camera..." Marcus chuckled. Spike glared at him, gnashing his teeth at already taxed nerves.
"Why aren't you helping?! You'll burn too!"
Marcus only smiled, his form gently lighting up. Speaking up, his voice carrying a strange accent. "Magic Runes, Laddie." Before setting his first batch of pancakes down. "Why don't you just Will it away."
"It a FIRE, not a bad dream!" Spike cried out, throwing pitchers of water onto the flame.
“Yeah a magical fire ‘you’ started, you should be able to control it, like any unicorn with his magic. Calm yourself.”
“B-but I-” Spike couldn’t continue, he watched desperately as his friends tried frantically to control the fierce flames. What else could he do?
Spike swallowed hard, his rage to Marcus, fear to his friends safety and recent scares for his ‘sisters’ life have made his emotions and mind go out of control. It was not easy to draw down.
The flames have reached the already dark ceiling, the tree was sure to burst into flames any second now.
“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!” Spike murmured repeatedly as the flames grew his mind was lingering with what would happen if it didn’t. He couldn’t stop the flames with his mind! The human was poking fun at him with the all the-
“What’s going on down there? Am I smelling smoke?” Twilight’s voice was heard asking from the second floor. Spikes heart stopped.
“Quickly Twilight you should really come down... here and... help?” Pinkie Pie began saying urgently but ended confused as the flames basically disappeared from the spot it once was with only the burned floor and ceiling as proof that it was ever there.
“N-noting Twilight, it’s j-just the human making something in the kitchen, I’ll tell him about the s-smoke.” Spike said out loud from his paralyzed and frightened spot near the kitchen door.
“Hey! Twigirl! Someone should clean all the magic burns in the walls and floor from my thing with the princesses, it just looks wrong!” Marcus yelled behind Spike making the dragon make a double take.
“Spike could you take care of that?”
“Yeah! ... yeah I’ll... take care of it.” Spike ended saying, his small heart beating a mile a minute. He turned to the human with a very clear question on his face. The ponies in the living room couldn’t be more confused at the situation. They were so caught up in the vanishing of the flame that they didn’t hear Spike’s or Marcus’ lie.
“What?” Marcus asked as he took two plates from the side of the sink and placed them at the side of the stove.
"How did you know that would work?!"Spike yelled, in which he immediately covered his mouth praying that Twilight didn’t hear. Marcus chuckled and said.
"I didn't."
Spike fell to his knees staring at the human as he continued with his cooking, breathing heavy. Spike’s mind reared ‘What in tartarus just happened, I was just mad and... and...‘
“I simply told you to try and it work. Good job kid.” Marcus said as Spike continued in his mind bugling mind twist.
“Uh, Pinkie? What just happened?” Asked Rainbow Dash, looking at the spot the un-turn-offable flame once resided.
“What? How should I know?” Pinkie replied looking at Rainbow with confusion, already in the place the flame once was, she was jumping in a circle confirming that there was no heat whatsoever.
“Well... I’m used to asking you in, uhh, things like these, yeah that.” Rainbow Dash finished with a forced smile as Pinkie now was rubbing her face with the floor. It weirded Rainbow out.
“Eh, sugarcube, what are you doing?” Applejack asked, Pinkie was now rolling on the burned spot. ‘That pony can only go so weird.’
“Umm, Pinkie, like Applejack just asked I am too, curious, as to why you are now trying to cover your impeccable fur with as much burned wood as possible?” Rarity asked a little disturbed at the now dark coal coated pony in front of her.
“I feel fine, that’s weird.” Pinkie answered as she coughed a bit of the dust and ash that had reached her mouth.
“There’s always something weird around you,” Rarity muttered under her breath, which everypony except Pinkie heard and nodded to, “Pinkie, you just need to let me help you clean your coat, and mane and... just come with me.” Rarity asked desperately, the dark ash on Pinkie’s coat was driving her crazy.
“There’s no 'hot' here.” Pinkie said cryptically.
"Well, obviously,” Rainbow added, she spread her wings, which would have made a better effect if it wasn’t for one of them being injured, “the fire got down because of our awesome responding, right Fluttershy?”
“*Cough* Well, I-”
“Not that Dashie, the fire was hot and it made everything around it also hot, especially when we tried to turn it off, but everything around wanted to be cold which the fire didn’t let because it was hot, and so everything around was then hot, but now... it looks like if it was never here.” Pinkie pondered, her hoof reaching her face only to retract remembering that it was in pain. No pony in the room understood what she meant.
“Hey, umm, hi?” A new voice added itself to the mix, everypony which wasn’t discussing with Pinkie about her coat, basicly everypony except Rarity and Pinkie herself, noticed Lyra coming down the stairs.
“Hey Lyra you there?” Marcus’ voice yelled from the kitchen.
“Oh, yeah I’m here!” Lyra responded back, she looked nervous as she passed the very dirty, almost burned, looking ponies. ‘What happened here,’ she thought as she looked back at them before proceeding to the kitchen, stopping before the entrance, taking a breath before heading in.
“There was a racket down here, what... happened?” Lyra, as she entered the kitchen now noticed the burned ceiling and floor as well as the half burned bucket and towel lingering next to the kitchen door.
"I tried to do a flambé and as you can see, didn't turn out so well." Marcus said, laughing at his own joke. Lyra looked worried at Marcus before looking at Spike, said dragon simply lowered his view, still on his knees pondering.
“I made ya something, what do you think?” Marcus asked as he turned to the unicorn two plates entered her view. There were two pancakes, over easy eggs in the middle of them, slathered in syrup, some fried potatoes slices and hay strips at the side.
“Wow, that looks great!” Lyra look at the plate with surprise clear in her voice, not expecting an incredibly well done meal waiting for her.
“It should be,” Marcus said as he moved the ‘chair’ that was in his side of the table, adding as he sat, “it’s your favorite.”
At that, Lyra stopped her eying the food at looked at it closely, it was her favorite. Something in her mind stringed slightly, ‘How much did Marcus knew about me. Were we an...item?' Lyra blushed fiercely at the thought, her eyes quickly train themselves on his hands.
“But sit Lyra I would like to talk to you about something.’ Lyra snapped out her thoughts at Marcus’ intermission, she shook her head softly making sure to ask the question once Marcus finished what he wanted to say.
“Sure,” Lyra said placing herself in the stool that was on her side of the table, Marcus didn’t touch his plate, apparently waiting for her to join before he even looked at his plate.
The silence of the room was noticeable due to the clarity of the discussions happening outside the kitchen and on the second floor. Spike, Lyra and Marcus remained silent. Lyra was beginning to get uncomfortable with all the quietness.
“Sooo... what did you want to talk about Marcus?” Lyra said cheekily very aware that whatever the human was to say it was of some importance due to his seriousness that she only had seen the moment they meet.
By this point Spike had moved next to the table, eyes in thought he picked up some cleaning materials and tools and directed himself towards the burned floor and ceiling leaving Lyra to be very conscious of the silence and Marcus’ blank stare, which seemed focus on Spike.
Lyra open her mouth to ask if Marcus was alright when he finally spoke up. "I didn't know that about them...huh. Lucky guess."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lyra looked at Marcus with a questionable glance as she used her magic to begin to cut into her pancakes.
"Nothing... nothing. Just thinking out loud about something else." Marcus answered, taking his own fork and began to cut into his own meal. Once more the silence rang out, the only noise was coming from the next room.
Marcus was just getting a drink from his cup of milk when Lyra decided to pop a question. "Were we together, like lovers?"
Marcus twisted his head and spat out his drink in reflex, coughing violently as he slapped his chest several times to clear his throat.
"Aw crude." Spike wiped his face from Marcus' spit, before walking to the sink to wash off, grumbling under his breath.
"Um...I take that as a no?" Lyra gave off a nervous chuckle as Marcus gave Lyra a look of surprise and shock.
"Jeez, you would think I would be use to your antics by now." Marcus muttered, before sighing a bit. "Then again..."
Lyra flinched a bit at the tone. 'Oh...right. I'm dead in his world.' As she remember what Marcus told her about her counterpart.
Before Marcus could say anything, Pinkie came tumbling in, her mane wrapped up in a towel and Rarity speaking as she trailed after Pinkie.
“Well, darling the only thing left for you is a nice dryer for your curls, a good brush for your fur and we can be out of our way to clea-”
"No time! Spike! We need to solve the mysterious vanishing green flames!" Pinkie exclaimed, Rarity gave a frustrated sigh as she muttered under her breath, “Oh what I have to go through to help you Pinkie.”
"Sugercube, Ah think you need to let it go." Applejack said as she leaned against the entrance way. Rainbow scoffed as she walked inside, gently pushing her way through, followed by Fluttershy.
"Knowing Pinkie, half the town would be questioned before she even entertains the thought of 'giving up'." Rainbow eye the meal Lyra had before her, attempting to grab the hay strips before a golden dome appeared around the plate. "Aw...please?"
"*cough* Um...Pinkie, why are you asking for Spike's help?" Fluttershy murmured quietly, she gently rubbed her throat and Marcus shoulders dropped a bit. Pinkie's explanation was quickly tuned out by Marcus as his mind simply retreated into itself, but still kept track of everything happening around him
Marcus watched them all interact with each other, his eyes jumping between the mares as they spoke to one another. "They're the same... but so different at the same time." Marcus muttered out loud.
Lyra turn to Marcus as she heard his words. "Marcus?"
"I guess fate was on your side yesterday." Marcus continued on, his eyes look far away, like he wasn't even in the kitchen anymore. His words gaining everyone's attention.
"Lyra? Is he alright?" Applejack ask, looking nervous as Marcus continued his muttering.
"I.... I don't know?" Lyra ask as she move to gently shake him. Marcus reacted the moment she touched him, squeaking as his hand grabbed her hoof in a steel grip. His eyes burning into Lyra's.
"I could've of killed them all yesterday." Marcus stated, every-pony in the room flinch at this, completely unnerved by his calm declaration. "If the event happen earlier, when I still had my runes in good condition... I would’ve done it. I would've left a bloody trail of corpses and sing praises of their death as I marched to Canterlot with their heads in a bag."
Applejack took a step back, she was unsure what to feel about the human now that everything was said and done. But here he was, talking like he was simply discussing the weather and not about their horrible mutilation by his own hands. But she suspected that it was due to the growing amount of guilt. She couldn't blame him either, given the circumstances surrounding the entire event.
It struck Applejack that he was now just realizing that he could've killed a bunch of innocent ponies simply because they looked alike as the ones that hunt him down, basically twins actually. Not that any of her friends would blame him. If she was in the same situation, she would be sure she would have a similar reaction, not on the level he showed that’s for sure, but was understandable in some form.
Not that it would stop other ponies from seeking justice for Marcus crimes with their deaths.
"H-hey! You could give us some credit! We... we could’ve..." Rainbow tried to defend themselves that it would turn out okay in the end. But even she couldn't lie to herself on that level. Memories of todays fight flashing before her mind, forcing her to be silent.
Marcus going toe to hoof with not only Celestia, but Luna as well, at the same time. Injuring them and forcing the Princesses to perform more dangerous magic and skills. And Marcus just kept coming, taking the hits and returning them with equal force.
Facing off against the changelings, outnumbered almost 15 to 1, and not only putting more than a dent in their numbers, something that Royal Guards had trouble dealing with (Along with Shining Armor drilling the guards into the ground for weeks afterwards), made them believe they could take on anything. True, they still were captured, but they did so of their own volition when they were too tired to fight and the numbers simply too overwhelming.
They believed they could take on anything if they work together to overcome any obstacle. Marcus came in and crushed that train of thought with a vengeance. They won that fight against a single opponent, but barely so with casualties on their end. And even then, their opponent was still fighting while restrained, not looking worse or weared off in any way.
To see him go against the Princesses after a single night of rest was terrifying. To watch the fight happen before their eyes, to now realize the scope of how lucky they truly were. Paste was an accurate description of what would have happen to them if Marcus came through ready for a fight, not the exhausted and weaken form in which he was in.
"Its over Marcus... you don't have to worry about that anymore." Lyra said as she gently tugged her hoof free from Marcus's grip. Marcus shook his head in denial however.
"No, its not. I almost killed a bunch of innocent people. I injured their leader... Your Princess in such a way. She was so sure that it was just a giant misunderstanding. But I showed her the truth...and she found herself all in utter disbelief." Marcus voice lower to a whisper. "But when she saw all six of you coming for me... She didn't want to see anymore... But I forced her to watch... I forced her to watch versions of you perform something so wrong and tragic, all with smiles on your faces while doing so.” Marcus leaned in his seat, he stared at the ceiling.
“For all I know... I drove your Princess into complete and utter madness. She could be out there, mind utterly broken and resentful of all ponies, looking at all of you like ticking time bombs waiting to go off."
"I don't think so."
Twilight's voice startled everyone in the room. Twilight walked in, Shining Armor trailing in after her glaring daggers at Marcus.
"I believe Princess Celestia will be okay. She has Princess Luna back to keep an eye on her and help her back to her hooves." Twilight said with a slight smile, she turn to Marcus and gave him the biggest and warmest smile she could muster. "And I forgive you. I truly mean that, from the bottom of my heart. We all do."
All the ponies nod their heads (aside from a big brother and dragon) in agreement with Twilight, beaming smiles at Marcus to show him their united support.
Marcus almost had his breath taken away from this declaration, he seen it before, dozens of times, with the ponies of the PHL, but he was never on a receiving end of their fame forgiveness and heart warming smiles.
'Very good, Twilight.'
Marcus' eyes snapped into focus, startling the ponies with the intensity they showed. Marcus' mind raced, using the training methods he was taught by his Lyra to throw off mental compulsions and invaders to corrupt his mind and turn him into a double agent, he felt numb.
Weeks of mental training, hours of fending off dozens of spells aimed at corrupting or invading human minds, all for the single chance to survive against the unicorns' mental magic. Marcus and thousands of others trained hard to look for signs of magical tampering within their own mental psyche.
And now he knew there was something wrong.
Each person's mind was their temple and retreat. Some may have it as an old family home, or an area that they feel comfortable in like a library or mall.
Marcus's was in Paris, the good french capital, a place where he found a small sort of peace after his tours. With bits of various places he had been to, places of importance or something that held some fond memories of, seemingly form into the beautiful city, giving it an allure of majestic beauty and innovation of mankind itself.
Marcus looked at the familiar street before him, following the signs that directed him to various parts of his mind.
Childhood
Youth
Adulthood
Jacob
Dad
Mom
Iraq
Cheerilee
????
"There." Marcus thought/said as he glared at the sign, following the direction for what seemed like a second before finally arrived very far from his initial position at something he had never seen before within his mind.
Giant double doors barred passage, set within the wall of stone within Central Park, a place of fond memories of his father when he was a child. Standing before the doors, sounds of childlike laughter echoing around him.
"Come on Dad! Throw the ball!"
"Careful Marcus, I don't need your mother breathing down my neck because you trip and fell!"
"Hah! Got it."
"Good job Marcus. Come on, time to go. Let go see if your mother needs any help with Jacob."
"Can we come back here after you are done with your deployment?"
"Of course, we will come here to celebrate my glorious return! Ha Ha!"
Marcus pushed the memories back, fighting the happy memory before they led to him to a darker time of his life. He growled and focused on the door, attempting to push through, only to be refused when he tried to force them open.
"Open this door, Celestia." Marcus demanded, his teeth grinding against one another. "I may believe in forgiveness, but you making a back door into my own mind is low, even for you."
"It's not a back door." A voice resounded as the doors slowly open, the small figure of Celestia slowly walked out, gently closing the door behind her. Marcus looked at the little version of Celestia warily, it was the same young, swan-like version he had seen in his first mental encounter with Celestia. It was strange indeed, but he was in no mood for games.
"They're memories.” The small Celestia said, now Marcus noticed the most obvious difference, this Celestia seemed ten times as bold. “Celestia's memories, and I am their caretaker."
Marcus narrowed his eyes. "So Celestia placed her memories in my mind?"
"No." The small alicorn looked at Marcus with annoyance. "You did. You forced the connection between yourselves, even when she tried to pull out. Your will was much stronger than what Celestia believed, or was used to. You changed the spell's parameters. I have no doubt there is some small Marcus running amok in Celestia’s mind."
Marcus looked grim at the news, "So....you exist because of me? Anyway to get rid of you? I like to have my own voice in my head, thank you."
The Celestia copy only rolled her eyes, Marcus wasn't liking her attitude of ‘I’m better than thou’. "Unless you fancy being a vegetable, I am not going anywhere. I am the only thing holding back over a millennium worth of memories. Even Celestia would be bedridden for days, maybe even weeks, from absorbing over 20 years of knowledge, customs, and languages. Unless your copy is a sadist, which I somewhat fear, it might just throw everything at Celestia out of spite until it figures out what happened."
Marcus frowned. "You certainly don't speak like her."
"That is because I am a mix of personalities at the moment." The copy stated, looking somewhat embarrassed, the key word in ‘somewhat’. "Your emotions run strong, far stronger than any other species that I have knowledge of. A few more hours should give me enough time to stabilize myself."
Marcus sighed, rubbing his face before looking at the copy. "Fine. Just...just don't touch anything. Okay?"
"I can't touch your memories." The copy stated, rubbing her face as well as she looked at Marcus with exasperation on her face. "Only Celestia's. The best I can do is see them, and talk to you, give insight on political scene once all this is over."
"Political scene?"
"Your world will be very different after everything is said and done, Marcus." The copy gave him a small smile, turning to open the doors to proceed inside.
"You make it sound like we already won? What gives?" Marcus couldn't help but look as the copy paused at the door. She look back, giving a small smile and winking at him.
"Because human kind is too stubborn to give up...plus, you and a scant dozen others are the light in the darkness. Leading your people, having them believe in Hope and a chance to stand against the Tyrant."
"I'm just a soldier." Marcus waved his hand before him, attempting to place himself as a normal grunt.
"A soldier who leads millions of others into a fight? A soldier who form a union of ponies who stand against their mad Queen? A soldier who opened his arms to other species of Equus into the alliance? A soldier who managed to convince various foreign militaries to defend one of the last few bastions of safety and military power? No Marcus Renee, you are no mere soldier... "
She trotted inside, giving him one last look before the doors closed on him.
"You are a hero. And it is time you raise yourself to the pedestal by the very people who built it for you, but deny yourself as one. You are a symbol of Hope and Humanity, one that the Tyrant would destroy the moment she has a chance."
Marcus blinked, looking at the assorted ponies and dragon before him, a look of worry on their faces. (Aside from one stallion, who look like he was ready for a fight). 'What do I call you?'
'Tia will be fine. Now, you have an apology to give, do you not?'
'Yeah yeah.'
"Marcus? Are you alright?" Lyra leaned in close, her golden eyes taking up his view. He chuckled slightly, gently pushing her away.
"I'm fine, Lyra. Just learned that Twilight's spell may have....unforeseen consequences." Marcus rubbed his head in slight annoyance, not thinking any further than that.
Twilight on the other hand...
"Oh no! Did I cast the spell wrong! “She gasped,”that means that the Princess may be affected too!" Twilight began to rush about the library in a panic. Marcus raised an eyebrow at the small unicorn antics, looking to her friends for help.
"Uh...you guys going to do something about this?"
"No."
"Nope."
"Nah."
*cough*
"We learn to just let it run its course, my dear Commander. Last time we tried to convince Twilight that nothing was wrong, she blew it completely out of proportion and half the town running amok." Rarity stated, giving a soft sigh as Twilight grabbed a dozen of scrolls and quills and began to mark down her steps when she cast the spell. "As long as she stays in the Library, she should be fine."
"At least she is not fortifying herself within a book fort." Shining muttered under his breath, watching as Twilight closed her eyes and began to retrace her steps. Marcus rubbed his face before getting up from the table and walking towards Twilight. The ponies opened a path for him.
"Twilight, it’s fine." Marcus said gently, but Twilight completely ignored him. His eye twitch slightly, before trying again, slightly raising his voice. "Twilight I said its fine."
"No time, Spike." Twilight said to him, causing Marcus to stare at the unicorn dumbfounded.
'Did she just call me Spike?'
By this point, all the ponies, except for Lyra, Spike and Rainbow Dash exited the kitchen to watch Marcus try and fail to speak to Twilight properly.
"I need to go through the step by step process of the Mind Share spell. If there was an issue with what I casted, there could be dire consequences!" Twilight muttered as she walked away from Marcus.
Marcus only shook his head before turning back to the kitchen, giving up on trying to snap Twilight out of her panic state. "Hey, Lyra...come here."
Lyra looked up from her meal, fending off Rainbow from her attempts at getting her hay strips. She grabbed the strips and pop them into her mouth, much to Rainbow's irritation, and quickly trotted up to him. "Hey-*squeak*!"
Marcus took a knee and wrapped his arms around the startled unicorn, hugging her gently. He smirked a bit at her involuntary squeaks, but held his chuckles. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I cast you aside like trash and didn't think anything more of it. I know nothing I can say can really take back all what I said, but I like to start trying to get back into your good graces."
Lyra stood still, shock by his apology. He was right though, he did throw her aside the moment he found out that she wasn't 'his' Lyra. It hurt so much to be just cast away, but she long ago thought that was due to high strung emotions and even poorer choice of words. She closed her eyes and returned the hug, smiling a bit before pulling away. "You owe me a month of breakfast meals."
"Deal." Marcus chuckled before standing up. "Now, let's get back to eat-"
The Library door blasted open startling everyone in the room. Marcus, by reflex of several years of ambushes and training, reacted immediately by grabbing the closes living persons near him.
Lyra and Fluttershy yelped in shock as Marcus wrapped his arms around them before throwing himself into the kitchen, all within seconds of the door opening.
"COMMANDER RENEE!" Luna's voice boomed into the library, nearly deafening everyone still in the room.
"Jesus fucking Christ lady!" Marcus roared in anger from the kitchen, his head poking through the doorway, glaring at the alicorn with barely veiled spite. "Do you think you can yell louder I don't think the people in the next county fucking heard you!"
Luna blinked at the cursing human, there was a pause, surely of her trying to understand what he meant and in another second her face flushed in embarrassment when she realized she reverted back to the RCV. "Oh...I...I apologize, Commander."
"What the fuck was that all about?!" Marcus glared, shaking his head before checking over Lyra and Fluttershy, giving a quick apology for his rough grab and tumble.
"I apologize for startling you, all of you." Luna said as she looked over all of them with a blush on her face. "But we must not tarry any longer. Shining Armor, gather your Guards and report back to Canterlot for debriefing."
Shining Armor saluted Luna, he couldn’t hide the slight confusion of his face as he nodded once before giving the human one last glare before heading out to gather his men.
Twilight was still trying to calm her racing heart when Luna walked up to her. Her ears immediately flatten against her skull, preparing for another round of ringing ears. "Twilight Sparkle. You and the other Elements are needed at the Castle as well. My sister should be calling all the leaders of Equus soon. Commander Renee, we need to escort you to Canterlot and prepare our troops for battle."
Marcus grimace a bit, hearing the name of the city still caused him to flinch, nodding his head before walking to stand before Luna, "By the time you manage to gather the force needed, even if the other leaders are willing to help, it might be too late to help."
Luna lowered her head, conceding to Marcus' point. "What other choice do we have?"
Marcus nodded his head, taking a step to the blasted door, and suddenly stopped. He snapped his fingers and rushed back into the kitchen. He quickly walked back out, his plate in his hands, scarfing the food down quickly. "Let's go!" He managed out from his stuffed mouth.
Marcus had barely taken a step outside, when the lone note of a horn echoed all around him. Marcus barely had time to wonder what it was before his runes flares to life without his knowledge and with no warning.
Only a slight hiss of warning was to hear, but in the end, all the ponies stood in shock as a golden orb slammed into Marcus' face, who couldn’t protect himself properly due to the plate in his hands, and was sent flipping over once onto his belly, into the cold world that is unconsciousness.
Canterlot, Main Hall
Discord had just finished whipping up himself an expensive chocolate milk, much to the shock of the head chef of the kitchen, as Discord used Celestia's private stocks of chocolate to do so.
He was just about to walk out to the private garden when he heard his name being called out.
"Discord!"
Discord flinched, looking back to see Princess Cadance trotting up to him. Two Royal Guard accompanying her, both glaring at the chaos creature with contempt.
"Ah...drat. Thought I lost you at the maze." Discord muttered out loud.
Cadance said nothing to this, turning to the guards. "Go, you have your orders."
"Yes Mam." Both guards salute once before trotting away. Cadance turned back to see the draconequus slipping inside. Cadance sighed a bit at his current avoiding nature before following him inside. She looked around for a moment, her ears flicking back and forth before she made a beeline to a tree.
Cadance looked up to see Discord hanging from a branch with his tail, sipping on his extra expensive chocolate milk.
"You're tenacious, I give you that." Discord call out from a tree. "What do you need, I'm busy being a pain here."
"What happened between you and Celestia?" Cadance asked, her thoughts on their argument quickly filling her mind. "Why was it important that she stayed out of the way of pony kind?"
Discord dropped to the ground, standing at full height as he stretch his body. "Tell you what. If you answer my question, then I will answer yours in full detail; no tricks, no games, just the blunt truth, how about it?"
Cadance look at him with a frown. "And if I get it wrong?"
"Then I don't answer the question, obviously." Discord picked at his ear, flicking a ball of ear wax away.
"Fine. Ask your question." Cadance replied, steeling herself.
"Just to warn you, not even StarSwirl or his protégée got this little riddle right." Discord said with a smile. "Ready?"
Cadance nod her head and Discord beamed. "Life always moves forever forward, but what must be done to insure that we do move forward in our lives?"
Cadance balked at the small dittle, it was the type of question that could hold many answers. No doubt Discord chose it because it held a deeper meaning that what most ponies think about.
Discord chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Take your time Princess, no doubt that you are going to spend a long time to come up with the right answer. I'll be waiting for your response." Discord turn to proceed further into the private garden.
"We must live through and beyond our past." Cadance answer echoed out, causing Discord to stop. "To make sure we don't make the same mistakes that led us to them and grow beyond it."
Discord turned back, his stunned look caused Cadance to beam at him. "Very good Princess. StarSwirls' answer was 'Live for today and worry about tomorrow later.' What an idiot. Clover's answer was closer than he thought. 'The journey through life is one filled with mistakes, I just have to make better ones tomorrow.' Close, but no cigar for him." Discord walked up to Cadance and sat before her.
"So I was right?" Cadance asked, unsure if she was being yank along.
"Oh, you are right, Spot on actually." Discord scratched his beard, looking thoughtful at the alicorn before him before he started laughing. "Remember them, but never re-live them. That would bring anypony into madness. Hahahaha!"
Discord patted the ground next to him, which became a very comfortable chair. The spirit of chaos sat in nothing and Cadance took the seat next to the draconequus. Discord smiled a bit, before he began to recall the true history and the 'Royal' sisters part of Equus to the young Alicorn.
Canterlot, Throne Room, 2023 Anno Dominae
The Queen sat on her throne, glaring at nothing at that particular moment, reviewing the last few hours that passed with growing ire.
First was the stunning fact that the lowly humans had managed to put a pause on the expanding barrier. How, she did not know, but decided to leave it be, since the barrier was still maintaining itself and ever so slowly overcoming whatever the humans did.
Why waste precious magic if it will simply bowl over it eventually.
The Second was much more severe. The Rescue Fleet and Salvation Army were torn asunder.
The Rescue Fleet, along with the Great Equestrian was made up of over forty airships and thousands of her warriors. To hear every single one of those ships was gone was a blow she did not see coming.
The Salvation Army was the follow up blow, four hundred thousand of her brave ponies were stuck in the Americas. At least ten thousand of them were taking cover in the Boston airport, but was quickly getting pounded into the dirt by missiles, artillery fire, and bullets. Even worse was the portal station in Nova Scotia was recently taken out by a band of Griffons, Diamond Dogs, and to her shock, a Minotaur.
Celestia was so sure she destroyed all of them.
The Third blow came from the Blue Spy. She did not only managed to sneak into Canterlot, given that a report of a pony shifting into a different pony was called to the guards, she also managed to free the dragon from his prison.
She also blew the entire prison apart, making it collapse on top of her.
Finally was the simple fact that she lost the chance to utterly destroy humanity's leading champion. Colonel Marcus Renee, the 'Commander' of the UN forces and the main reason why the PHL existed and its continuous thorn in her side. She growled, frustration morphing on her face. The Elements attempt to turn all the humans into stone failed utterly, and while they did separate the Commander from his forces, the Elements chose to send him away, against their ‘masters' wishes.
And to add more insult to injury, she managed to find him, using the late draconequus of chaos power to figure out where he was sent. She found him and her lesser counterpart, she attempted to show her the light of humanity's sins.
She was cast out and since then, been unable to glean into their world.
(Music-right click and open new tab for fun!:D)
She stomped her hoof, cracking the dais with her strength. She quickly got up and made her way out of the room. She ventured deeper into the castle, passing Starswirl the Bearded's hall, where Twilight was busy working on a new spell, hoping to figure out a way to bypass the new defenses of humanity. She moved forward, ignoring all the ponies that bowed to her before finally reaching the bottom section of the Castle.
She smiled as her horn glowed and the doors quietly swung open. She quickly trotted inside, her smile grew bigger as she watch the source of the Barrier hum with power.
The room was made of crystals, covering the ceiling, all around the walls and surrounding the floor. The energy they brought made the room feel overwhelming for anypony who dared to see the beautiful sight. And in its center, its purpose.
The machine made little sense, but it worked, and that is all Celestia cared for. The large spiral of crystal was composed of a large crystal in the center, stones keeping it in place as smaller crystals floated by, coming out of the larger crystal and spinning out for a couple of seconds before stopping in random spot and reentering the behemoth, all in a sequence. There was a dull sheen of copper right in front of the massive thing, which contained the massive power within. It pulsed once before humming out loud and shooting a bolt of lightning to one of the spinning crystals.
Celestia quickly made her way to a small hatch on the main body of the copper block in front of the crystal body, opening the copper case and giggling as she pulled out the Bag of Tirek from its container.
"A minor setback, nothing more. Soon, they will see the error of their ways..."
The bag glowed, gently covering the Alicorn with its power, causing her to moan at the energy that caressed her. Her eyes snapped into focus, her smile becoming much more deranged as she placed the bag back.
She tested her power, flicking her horn eyes glowing white. The room seemed to tremble, all the crystals began to remove themselves from the walls and flowed aimlessly around the powered Queen, spinning in an endless circle. The Queen laughed sinisterly.
"Or they will be crushed under my hoof in the process, no matter, they will realize that they can never beat a goddess."