//------------------------------// // Chapter Six // Story: One Winged Pony // by Majin Syeekoh //------------------------------// "So, Miss Fluttershy," Safer intoned into her ear, "what do you do around here?" "Oh, n-nothing special Mister Safer," Fluttershy replied, her fur sticking up on the nape of her neck from the private intrusion, "I just take care of all the animals in Ponyville." "Oh, an animal handler. How fascinating...tell me about them." "Well I have kitties and seals and otters, falcons, eagles, toucans and bats and flamingos, and a v-very cute flying squirrel." Fluttershy said, "but my favorite is my Angel bunny." "Angelbunny?" "Oh, no, no, no...his name is Angel, and he's a bunny. He's very much alive." "Who said angels have to be dead?" "What do you mean, Mister Safer? When ponies and animals pass on, they turn into angels. They float around in the sky...and that's how my Angel bunny makes me feel." "Like an angel?" Safer questioned. "Well, yes." "Canterlot to your right! Here we have Equestria's very own city on a hill, home to Equestria's elites in fashion, business, and entertainment!" "City on a hill...Zion..." Safer mused. "I see you're appreciating the view, Safer," Celestia shouted over the din of flight. "Ah, Yes. Very much so." Safer agreed as they touched down in the palace gardens. Everypony got off the carriage and walked onto the grass. Fluttershy extended a wing, and several cardinals landed on it. "Oh, hello, my little babies, how are you? Did you miss me?" Fluttershy asked the birds. They chirped in acknowledgement. "Oh thank you, cause I missed you too!" Suddenly the cardinals flew away as Safer trotted past, followed by Celestia. Fluttershy sighed, and followed Celestia into the castle. They trotted down several hallways, eventually coming to the dining hall. "Here is where we will make our business," Celestia stated. "Let us sit-" "-oh Shutterfly!" Discord popped in and grasped the yellow pony in a bear hug. "I-it's Fluttershy, Discord." "Ah, yes." Discord intoned, "Well, I thought we could go somewhere and play!" "Oh no, Discord. I'm here as a guest of Safer and I couldn't possibly-" "Nonsense, Fluttershy! Why, they're going to be discussing boring business matters, like diplomacy and interdimensional relations, nothing that would require having you around. So how's about it?" "Well, if it's okay with everypony..." "I insist, Fluttershy. Go and play with Discord. I'll be sure Safer is most...entertained." Celestia said with authority. "Far be it from me to keep old friends apart," Safer said, "go ahead, Fluttershy. I won't take offense, my angel." Fluttershy started, "Well, ok then..." "Then it's settled! Come, let's frolic in the garden, my dear Fluttershy!" and with a snap of his fingers, both Fluttershy and Discord vanished into thin air. Celestia let out a breath. "Now...Sephiroth." "El," Safer Sephiroth replied, "or is it Adonai Elohim, or Adonai Eloheinu or Kadosh Barukh Hu? Perhaps El Shaddai-" "-Celestia will do for now, but you're going to wish it was El Rakhum by the time I'm done with YOU!" as she fired out a bolt of pure sunlight from her horn. ---- Fluttershy's vision shifted as they were suddenly transfered to what appeared to be a bedroom. Inside the bed was a pony shape, which Discord shook awake. "No, I doth not wish to goest to magic kindergarten this day, mother..." Luna said, rolling around in bed. "Oh dear..." Discord admonished as he snapped his fingers, summoning a bucket, which then turned upside down, revealing the contents to be ice. Discord winced as they touched down. Luna snapped awake as the ice hit her form. "Sephiroth!?" "I'm afraid so, Loonie..." Discord said, accompanied by a rumble that reverted across the palace. "Sephiroth!? Where!?" Fluttershy panicked. "Thine friend Safer. He is not what he seems." Luna said. "So S-s-safer's Sephiroth!?" Fluttershy yelled, "but he's alone with the Princess!" ---- Safer Sephiroth deflected the ray, watching it ricochet into a wall. He then grasped Celestia with his magic and began to throw her across the room. Just then, he saw gold as the world literally turned upside down as he was slammed against the floor. He threw Celestia into the celing as he was pulled across the room, slamming into the table. He then proceeded to slam Celestia into a stone column. Safer began to stand, when a chair flew into the back of his head, followed by another. Then the table slipped out from under him, and slammed into his side like a baseball bat. He flew into the stone wall and hit the ground, the table following as it cracked upon his head on impact. Sephiroth was feeling dizzy. "How DARE you attempt to wrestle me, Sephiroth!" Celestia shouted as she lifted the broken column in her golden glow,"How DARE you attempt to usurp the name of Israel for yourself! You're not even half the man he was!" She yelled as she acsended into the air. "Well that's because I'm a god-damned PON-eeeeuh!" Sefer was cut off as the column slammed into him, barely able to catch it in his hooves. "HOW DARE YOU USE MY NAME IN VAIN!! BEGONE, ABOMINATION!!" Celestia roared in her Royal Canterlot Voice, her form enveloped in gold as she pressed down the column into Sephiroth's hooves. Sephiroth was struggling against her awesome might, as he noticed her eyes glowing gold, along with her horn. He charged his own dark magic, dots of black overtaking his vision as he felt his own horn pulse with power. ---- "The battle appears most titanic," Luna noted. "Oh, my Celestia, I hope she's alright!" Fluttershy squeaked worriedly. "Now, now, Fluttershy, Celestia's nigh unkillable! Nothing to worry about, dearie." Discord comforted Fluttershy as the three of them headed off to the landing pad. "Now, Loonie, you zip-a-dee-doo-dah Fluttershy over to Ponyville and tell them about mean and cream in the dining hall." "But what of the Elements?" Luna asked concerned. "Oh, I'm sure Miss Sparkle's got a trick up her sleeve-" KRA-KOW!! Two ponies flew out of each side of the castle, then rushed towards each other above the tallest tower. "That is our cue, Fluttershy. Climb on and let us go, posthaste!" Luna said. Fluttershy climbed on and Luna took off, the shockwave unbalancing Discord as he landed on his haunches. "Ya coulda WARNED me, ya know!" The draconequus yelled into the sky. ---- Celestia and Sephiroth rushed towards each other, locking their hooves and wings, slowly wafting towards the ground. Celestia then pulled back and bucked Sephiroth straight in the gut, then rushed towards him, grappling him with a wing and throwing him downwards. Sephiroth caught himself just in time to block a downward kick and catch a hindleg in between his forelegs, throwing Celestia with a flip and slamming her down with a blast of magic, leading her to careen into the Canterlot streets below, her form skidding across the street, coming to a stop across a storefront. Ponies started walking up to her, asking what was the matter, offering her help, when she saw Sephiroth coming down with a flying dropkick. She put up a barrier just as he landed, catching his hoof. She felt the impact in her gut as ponies all around her screamed and ran away. She pushed Sephiroth off with her barrier, then flew in for a punch. It hit him square in the jaw, shattering glass from the impact. He returned with a blow to her barrel before the glass hit the ground, shattering more windows and glass. They both staggered back from the blows, Sephiroth wiping off a trail of blood from his snout with his wingtip. ---- "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS ALICORN WELCOMING COMMITEE, YAY!" Applebloon, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle screamed in front of Twilight's library. Twilight rushed out and shouted, "Geez, girls! Take it somewhere else, okay?" "No, Twailaight, we're stayin' raight here for when Mister Safer comes back!" Applebloom said in her cutsey drawl. "Yeah, we're gonna be here when he comes back!" Scootaloo piped up. "We're gonna sing him a song! Wanna hear it?" Sweetie Belle chirped up. Just then, Princess Luna plummeted from the sky, the shockwave knocking over Twilight and the girls. Fluttershy was still holding on for dear life, quaking in her horseshoes. "Princess Luna!" Twilight quickly said while standing up, "w-what are you doing here?" "Elements of Harmony, come to the library posthaste! Safer is Sephiroth, and is locked in mortal combat with Princess Celestia!" Luna commanded in her Royal Canterlot Voice. "That's...quite an entrance." Twilight stated, in shock at sharing a room with madpony. The clopping of hoofsteps were heard as the four ponies rushed into town. "I made a jacket for that ruffian!?" Rarity exclaimed. "Ah shared mah drank wit' dat animal!?" Applejack shouted. "I called that jerk awesome!?" Rainbow Dash grumped. "I welcomed that meanie into Ponyville!?" Pinkie yelled. "At least you didn't share a room with him," Twilight grumbled. "He creeped me out." Fluttershy whispered. "Quick, use the Elements!" Luna commanded. "How? Last time it was musically activated, but we can't reach Canterlot from the cave or sing to the tree from here! What do we do?" Twilight queried worriedly. "Alright, everypony, I got this!" Everypony turned to see the source of this bold declaration. They saw Vinyl Scratch leaning against her bass cannon with her forelegs crossed, grinning.