//------------------------------// // Line of Sight // Story: Pinkie Pie The Royal Knight // by Diablomuerte2 //------------------------------// Line of Sight Steel Wall had never been in a more messed up situation. His life was leading to greatness and glory. Now it was trying to teach a hyperactive mare combat lessons while secretly knowing she will never pass. He didn't have a grudge personally, towards the pink mare, just knew she wasn't cut out for royal guard duties. "For the last time, Pinkamena, you need to stay out of the line of sight. If you are in their LoS then you’re SoL got it?" Pinkie Pie couldn't grasp the concept of staying still and being hidden. She had to keep moving or suffer the sheer agony of being bored. "This isn't really helpful. Wouldn't somepony who knows magic find you, anyways using it?" Steel Wall sighed and wished he stayed in bed. "No! If you really are this dense, I suggest quitting now. You can't be targeted by spells if you can't be seen." Pinkie Pie rubbed her chin slowly as if in deep thought. "So then what about area of effect spells?" Steel Wall became stunned by the knowledgeable question Pinkie asked. "Well in that case, I would have to agree with your methods of running around like a chicken with her head cut off." Pinkie Pie gasped loudly. "Ponies cut the heads off chickens? For what? Do you eat chicken?" Steel Wall face hoofed and prayed to Celestia that Pinkie would vanish. "Just... continue practicing staying still and being hidden from your partner. This exercise is almost over anyways." ____________________________________________________________ Twilight's gingerly stroll, through the hallways of the Canterlot Castle, was interrupted by the appearance of an old flame. "Hey there Twilight, long time no see," the loser stallion said. He was the one pony Celestia thought would be with Twilight and actually approved of. "Hey Flash, let's just not do this," Twilight angrily said. The coldness of the hallway was matched only by the shoulder Twilight gave Flash Sentry. He felt disrespected and unworthy by her actions and became infuriated by her attitude. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but I don't remember being the enemy." "Pinkie got into me, if you must know, and you're the pony who threatened Spike," she answered while still walking away. Flash tackled Twilight and pinned her with fumes expelling from his nose from sheer rage. "I don't know what happened at the wedding, all I do know is I never told you I was a colt-cuddler. Now, I find you are filly-fooling with a friend, because you thought I didn't want you. All I want is to talk... so let's talk." Twilight struggled to get free. "Let me go, or I will use my magic to hurt you." Flash Sentry called her bluff. "I said let's talk... we can talk civilized, but you have to hear me out." "Let her go!" a voice called out in the distance. Twilight looked to her would be savior and yelled, "Spike!" Flash looked at the charging baby dragon with mirth and fury and got off Twilight and charged at Spike for interfering. "This will teach you to buck off." He almost stomped on Spike's head until a magical force teleported him a short distance away. Twilight rushed to Spike and checked him for injuries. "Oh Spike... are you alright?" Flash Sentry angrily flew away to cool off. He knew he was going to get in trouble, but with the support he had from Celestia, he was determined to not let it stop him. Spike tagged his own body to make sure he was still among the living. "Yeah... it's a good thing you zapped him with your magic before he stomped my head in... What's with that guy?" Twilight frowned. "I'm just so glad he didn't get to hurt you, before I reacted... if anything had happened to you..." "Hey I'm fine, alright... plus I think he won't be bothering us anymore," Spike said with a grin. ____________________________________________________________ Luna had Celestia at her mercy. She was gently sliding a hoof up and down her sides eyeing her predatorily. "Now dear sister, it seems your fate is in my hooves, and all I need to know is... do you trust me?" Celestia nervously nodded. Her breathing quickened and her body was displaying signs of discomfort. "Yes... I do," She weakly lied. "Is that so? Well then explain why I smell fear coming off you in waves?" Luna asked while caressing Celestia's face gently with slow strokes. "It's just the horn being unable to function worries me, not you. I just fear some pony taking advantage of the situation while you aren't attentive," Celestia said fearfully. "My dearest Tia, don't tell me you fear your subjects." Luna was rubbing her hoof along Celestia's lips gently. Celestia nervously giggled before slowly licking the said hoof. "Don't be absurd, I have no enemies." Luna allowed Celestia to lavish her hoof and grinned. "No enemies? Well that's good to know. I would hate having to smite other ponies just to keep my lovely sister alive." Celestia smiled and felt more relaxed. "Yes Luna, I am your lovely sister. So can we rid ourselves of this horn ring and get busy?" Luna caressed Celestia's horn and stimulated it. "Oh, I quite like this to be honest... It must feel odd being powerless to do anything about it I assume. So now you can understand the ponies around you better." Celestia could sense something was off. "I see... so you betray me. You won't get away with this Luna!" Luna put her horn near Celestia's neck and gingerly pressed it against it. "I could push it in right now Tia, and your reign would end. I could do so without consequence." Celestia started shaking in fear and resorted to begging. "Please don't do this Luna... I will give you anything you desire." Luna began planting kisses along Celestia's neck and moved her horn away. "What I want... is the truth... can you give me that?" ____________________________________________________________ Pinkie Pie was being chased by a unicorn cadet, who was zapping magic at her. "Darn it. How are we supposed to counter if we can't take them head on?" she asked Steel Wall who was supervising the exercise. "Well Pinkamena that is the million bit question. How do we counter a force that can subdue us from a distance? You must simply stay out of their linear path of aiming and only use erratic movements when in combat. Unicorns and alicorns alike, are easily outmaneuvered since they have to focus on their magic. Given that knowledge all you have to do is-" "Done!" Pinkie shouted making Steel Wall look at her direction. What he saw gave him a sense of awe. "Well would you look at that... you managed to counter attack an enemy you had no chance of winning against." There was a stallion lying on the ground with a proud Pinkie Pie standing over him. "Yeah, I used my Pinkie Sense to avoid his magical attack, and then did what you taught me. I used erratic movements, and that special punch you used on me in the spar!" Pinkie had a grin on her face and the attention of every pony in the class. Steel Wall then realized that Pinkie Pie used a powerful attack on a fellow student. "Somepony check to see if he is alive. Pinkamena, I should have told you, we don't use excessive force on fellow cadets," He said angrily. Pinkie Pie felt offended. "But, you used that attack on me!" she yelled sadly. Steel Wall was at a loss for words. It took him a minute to respond with, "Yeah, and for that I am sorry, but from now on be careful with yourself. You aren't like most mares, or ponies, I know. I don't know much about your abilities but with enough training, you could definitely be something amazing." Pinkie Pie beamed and jumped in joy. "You think I can be amazing! Oh I know I shouldn't, but I can't resist!" In her excitement she brought out the fabled party cannon again and, for the second time in her training, launched a party out of it. "Yay!" Needless to say, Steel Wall banned the party cannon. "Mother of Celestia... please tell me this is a joke." ____________________________________________________________ Celestia told Luna everything. In some ways it was a curse knowing all the secrets and lies the eternal sun deity kept. It was almost unbearable and it made her feel sick. "How long has this been going on?" Celestia had no reason to lie anymore. "Since you have been gone. I originally had plans to make Twilight your replacement... but when I thought of you... I honestly couldn't bear getting rid of you, Luna. I used Twilight to get you back... I knew one day you would return and prepared her for it." Luna was shaking from the images flowing in her head. "Why did you want me back, and the real reason, Tia." "Because I needed you. I felt incomplete and it wasn't just about love, it was about necessity. You raise the moon so I can recover from always being on duty. You lower the moon so I can raise my sun. Without you it was hard keeping everything in order. I needed you Luna... that was the only truth that mattered." "So why do you continue to plan out Twilight's life? If you got me back what do you need her for?" "Because she is the only pony I know who can find a way to better this world. She has talents that is beyond us, and she has compassion that I have never seen in my life." "Then why not allow her to be free and happy? Why force her to go through these trials and attempt to sabotage her relationship." "Because if she marries Pinkie Pie, then Pinkie Pie will be the first earth pony princess in Equestria... and if we turn her into an alicorn, to keep the status of princess to alicorns only, then it would be another disaster in it’s own right." "We can talk about that later, right now I want to know about your deal with Spike... you told me some horrific things but I can't believe you have that kept hidden from him." "Well if you want to tell him about it do so. I won't reveal the location of it, and until you let me go I can't let you know what I also have already planned." "You said that you told me everything..." "Everything I felt you should know, there are still things in the works that I can't tell you... until I feel you are ready." "You forget I have you where I want you." "Oh, dearest Luna... you actually think nopony will start searching for me? I will be reported missing and a nation wide search would begin." "So then why spill your secrets, if you didn't have to?" "Because it was fun watching you suffer for being curious. Now let me go, I have things to do." "Do you really love me sister?" "Luna, if I didn't love you. I would have killed you instead of banish you all those years ago. Now release me and I will forget you did this and we can go back to just being sisters." Luna began crying. "But I..." Celestia smirked. "You thought what? That there would be some way of us being together after this?" Luna nodded and wiped her tears. "Oh poor Luna. I tell you what, if you take the device off and apologize, we can kiss and make up." Luna tried fighting the feeling of giving in. "I really want to believe you Tia... I still love you even after everything I learned... I don't want us to be enemies." Celestia leaned up and gently kissed Luna's cheek. "Trust me sister... I will give you a chance if you can trust me." Luna began removing the horn ring. "Promise me you will stop all this nonsense, and grant Spike his reward... he did a brave thing." Celestia put on her most innocent tone. "Yes, Luna I promise you, and you shall not regret this." ____________________________________________________________ A loud noise erupted from the room of the lunar goddess. The entire castle of Canterlot shook with a great force. Ponies all over the castle stopped what they were doing to investigate such a ruckus fearing the worst. When Twilight and Spike made it to the room they saw something that made them confused and angry. Luna was lying on the ground unconscious with Celestia standing over her with a hoof firmly planted on Luna's neck and tears spilling from her eyes. "What happened here Celestia?" Twilight asked horrified. Celestia with the most deceitful act she could put on said, "Luna attacked me... I had no choice but to put her down." Spike gulped. "Is ... she dead?" ____________________________________________________________ Across the castle in the training grounds Steel Wall and the recruits were not able to see or hear the full effect of the magical blast. "What in Celestia's name was that?" He got ready to rush off and noticed Pinkie's body twitching. Pinkie became depressed at what her Pinkie Sense was alerting her to. "Whatever it is... it's not good…”