Chapter 15: Shadow of Intent
Talon stands in the hangar, his jaw agape in complete and utter shock at the sight before him. Piles of twisted and scorched metal lay strewn everywhere, chunks of glass, rubber and wire scattered along the high polished marble tile floor. In the center of the massive room resting on large stands, a broken and crippled war bird. It's missing a wing, the remaining landing gear on the left rear hanging down upon a twisted and bent strut, the tire separated from the ground and damaged rim.
Luna hangs her head low, sadness and shame upon her features as she stands beside him silently. They've been standing in this spot for nearly fifteen minutes now, the pilot not saying a word to her. Since he entered the room and seen everything before him, his only sounds were quiet, strained breaths.
"Mine flame...say something to me...anything. I understand if...if you hate me now. I will understand if thou wishes to never see us again..." She says in a haunted whisper, tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes and beginning to stream down her muzzle. She paws the ground slowly and nervously.
The pilot remains silent, not even looking at her. She told him everything. She told him about how Pearl Shine and the others refused to help them, how they attacked the aircraft. Luna had also told him some unknown force had struck the aircraft upon landing, causing the crash. He hears her quiet sniffling and hiccup sobs, finally turning to her.
He raises his hand, the alicorn shrinking down and pulling back, bracing herself to be struck by him. The hit never comes, only his soft touch and gentle stroking of her back and withers. She opens her red tear filled eyes and looks at him, the fur upon her face matted and soaked from the tears.
"...Any landing you walk away from is a good landing Luna. Even ones like these." He says quietly, motioning to the aircraft with his free hand. He sighs and falls to one knee, coming to direct eye level with her. "You got us home safe. For that I am proud. Please...don't cry."
Her eyes open wide with confusion at his words. "But...but I..." she says weakly. Her ears pin back and her wings tighten, her body rigid as she is pulled into a tight embrace within his arms. She can feel his slow steady heartbeat against her chest, his rhythmic breathing soothing her. She can sense no malice, no hatred. Only love and kindness within his heart and mind. Her body goes limp in his loving and protective embrace, her eyes closing and her wings loosening against her sides, before she finally wraps him within her own feathered embrace.
"No buts." He whispers to her. "You did the right thing. Machines can be rebuilt. They can be repaired and remade. You can't. All I care about is that you survived the crash. You could have left me to die, but you didn't." He chokes out. Tears are welling up within his own eyes and the emotion begins to break through the military training, his feelings finally coming to the surface. "You kept me alive, and you came back for me when that damned bug had me...If losing my wings... means I get to keep you, that's a sacrifice I'll make anytime."
Luna tightens her hold on him, tears once again coming to her own eyes. She can feel the love radiating from him, spilling out of his warm heart. She too begins to cry there in the hangar with him. This being the first time she had ever witnessed or felt such a strong emotion from him. Her heart ached, knowing full well now just how deep their love truly was. True love, if there ever was such a divine truth.
The guards and engineers within the room quietly watched, not daring to disturb the pairs moment, deciding it best to simply give them both the space they need to both mourn their loss, and to seek comfort and solace in one another's soothing embrace. The engineer ponies that were once hard at work on restoration of the war machine, had all taken pause, to show respect to the night princess and pilot.
* * * * *
Rarity sat in her seat, staring out the window quietly as the train made its way through the rolling hills and expanses from Ponyville to Canterlot. She and the other element bearers all seem to be on edge since Twilights urgent summons only hours ago. She sighed heavily and looked at the parchment in her hooves, reading over it once more.
Rarity,
I know this is short notice, but Princess Celestia has requested that you and the others return to Canterlot immediately, regarding urgent matters that have arisen. Please come as quickly as you can, bring only what items you absolutely need for an extended stay here at the palace. All other items will be provided for you. I will explain more once you and the others arrive.
Your true and ever faithful friend
Twilight~
P.S. Please bring the "Items" we discussed for the commander. Also please give spike my warmest regards. I miss him!
The fashionista shook her head, her gaze returning to the window. She could see Canterlot castle in the distance, the grand city of gold and glamor coming into view over the horizon. A small smile came to her muzzle as she took in the sights. Despite being worried about what could have made Twilight and Princess Celestia request the presence of all of the element bearers, she was in fact happy to be returning to Canterlot once more. Even if it was a rather large inconvenience for her business.
'Bring the items...oh Twilight dear...why was it so important that I bring this with me now? Yes, it's ready...but we weren't going to present this gift to the prince until after him and Princess Luna returned from Horseshoe Bay...' Rarity thought to herself. She thought it odd that the wedding took place on such short notice, with no warning or invitations of any kind. She quietly cursed the fact that she didn't even get a chance to design Luna's dress, as she did for Twilight's and Celestia's wedding, as well as Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armors.
She reached over with her foreleg, resting her hoof upon the heavy saddle bag sitting on the bench next to her. The contents of it were a closely guarded secret for weeks now, being designed and managed by herself and Spike as a request of Princess Celestia herself. The now teenage drake having been useful and key in its production. Rarity smiled inwardly, looking forward to being able to deliver it finally. The anticipation has been eating at her since she completed it.
On the other side of the train car, was Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. The four ponies sat quietly with fierce looks of determination on their faces, all of them scowling and grumbling. Applejack glanced to her side at Rainbow Dash, glaring at her.
"Alright...Ah'll call your five bits....and raise y'all another fifteen." The cow pony said through clenched teeth, looking again at her hoof full of cards.
Fluttershy squeaked out a small squeak, pushing her last twenty bits into the massive pile in the center of the table. She still couldn't believe her eyes, seeing the once small pile with a few bits and pieces of candy grow in the course of a betting war between Rainbow and Pinkie, now the pile so high it threatened to come crashing down to the rest of the table, and onto the floor. She swallowed hard, her eyes shifting and beads of sweat forming on her coat.
The cyan pegasus narrowed her gaze to Applejack and grumbled, throwing her last fifteen bits into the pile. "There's no way your cards are as awesome as mine AJ...you should have folded before you bet the farm on it." She said smugly.
"For the last time Rainbow! Ah didn't bet mah farm on anythin! Now you just hush up before I plant mah size seven hoof in your rump for even startin Pinkie off on this durn crazy game." Applejack bit out through clenched teeth.
Pinkie, the pink menace sat opposite of the cyan and tan ponies at the table, wearing a pair of dark goggles she had won earlier in their hands, along with Applejacks stetson hat. Beside her was a massive pile of bits, empty candy wrappers and an autographed record by the rock pony Cyril that Applejack had bet earlier. She had a serious stoic look on her face, unflinching and hiding her jubilation. There was no way she could lose the next play and win the full pot. She grinned inwardly, knowing full well she had another three aces tucked away in her poofy tail just in case some pony had a better layout.
"That's the last bet...I call." Pinkie says with a cold calm voice. "Show em' or fold em girls."
Rainbow throws down hers first upon the tabletop, a smug grin on her muzzle. "Three of a kind, oh yeah!" Her cards have three princesses of cloves, hearts and spades, one five of hearts and one three of spades.
Next Applejack lays hers down, grinning ear to ear now. "Four of a kind RD. Read em' and weep!" Her hand contains four sevens and one ace of spades.
Fluttershy swallows hard and nods, laying down her hand. "Um...here's mine. It's a Royal Flush...if that's ok." She says quietly, a small smile coming to her muzzle. Her hand contained one ace of hearts, one prince of hearts, one princess of hearts, one jack of hearts and one ten of hearts. "I think um...this is the best one?"
Pinkies jaw drops on the table, her plan now having no way to work for their nineteenth and final hand. She folds down hers and sighs. "I fold..." Her hair seemingly deflating upon seeing their hands. Fluttershy squeaks out an adorable squee, raking the huge pile to her as she begins to happily munch on a small gumdrop from her winnings. Her wings bob lazily at her sides, as she hums a quiet song in joy.
"Ah shoot. Ah'm out then." The cow pony grumbles. "Ah shoulda brought more bits with me knowin y'all were gonna play this game."
Pinkie giggle snorts and grins at Applejack. "It's ok AJ, it was all just in good fun. Do you want your record back though? I don't really listen to rock that often."
Applejack glares, giving pinkie a stink eye. "Nah, Ah'm fine with that being won fair and square pinkie, Ah'm just gonna miss mah hat is all." She sniffles. "And I just cleaned it this morning too."
"Your hat and my goggles." Rainbow says as she lazily hovers above the table, looking out the window. "I got those from Spitfire at the best young flier competition five years ago in Cloudsdale! How the hay did pinks keep winning all of those plays?!"
"Just the Pie luck is all." Pinkie says, grinning ear to ear. She looks back down at her winnings as she puts the cards away back in their box, still smiling. As she's looking down, the tip of Rainbow Dashes tale hangs close by her muzzle, the fine silken hairs tickling her nose ever so softly by accident. Pinkie lets out a mighty sneeze, her own mane and poofy tail flaring outwards explosively in her classic pinkie style sneeze. The three aces fly out and float lazily in the air, falling slowly down to the table.
"Now wait just a durn tootin moment now!" Applejack hotly declares, looking down in shock at the sudden appearance of the cards. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy also look down in surprise, the three returning their glares to Pinkie as she shrinks back in her seat.
"Um...where did those come from?" Fluttershy says slowly, her stare fixated on Pinkies. The pink menace shrinks back in her seat as the three scoot closer to her, anger written on their features. Pinkie gulps big and grins a wide nervous grin, eyes wide as she sweats profusely.
Rarity looks over at the sudden noise from the other side of the car, watching a mysterious dust cloud form in the same spot the three friends were playing suddenly, then vanish moments later. When the dust settles, Rainbow Dash is suddenly wearing a stetson hat, Applejack suddenly a pair of goggles and Fluttershy giggling nonstop on her back, rolling around on the floor.
Pinkie Pie is hanging by her tail on the trains luggage rail, hog tied and gagged with the record case in her mouth. She sways slowly in her spot, her eyes swirling as her mind is reeling. Applejack and Rainbow both look at each other, giggle then trade headgear as they begin to split the pile of bits three ways equally again.
The train whistle blows and sounds loudly in the air, as they approach Canterlot station. Waiting for them on the platform that Rarity can see and waving happily, is none other than their dear friend Twilight. Rarity jubilantly waves back with a wide smile, then stands up in the isle and starts remounting her saddlebags to her. The others follow suit as the train slows and enters the station.
A few minutes pass, the doors finally open and the occupants spilling out onto the platform. Once every pony clears away, the element bearers step off finally and greet Twilight in a group hug. They all canter around her, hugging and embracing her, giggles and laughs all around. This takes place for a few more minutes, before they turn and begin to make their way back to the palace.
"So Twilight dear, what could have been so urgent that we all needed to come quickly like this? And why did you request..." Rarity clears her throat and leans in near the young purple alicorn, whispering in her ear. "The items?"
Twilight smiles weakly and looks at the white unicorn. "I can't openly say out in public like this...all I can really tell you is that it's very important, and we need to get to Princess Celestia right away."
"Twi, is there some kind of ruckus here in Canterlot? Because ah'm ready for anythin sugarcube." Applejack says with a proud smile. "Ah even brought mah lucky lasso with me just so ah could help."
"Yeah egghead, what gives? We were just here not long ago. Did PL and that guy get into some kind of crazy adventure again? Because that would be so awesome! Or is it he accepted my challenge to race finally?!"
Twilight sighs and looks at them sternly for a moment, stopping in front of the group and turning to face them. Her wings are open and held out high upon her back. "Girls, I really can't say anything in public like this. And no Rainbow...the pilot did not want to race. Not that there is a pegasus or alicorn alive that could chase down his machine anyway. Unless you figured out how to fly supersonic speeds within the last month."
Rainbow Dash grumbles and crosses her forelegs against her barrel, displaying her annoyance as she lazily hovers above the ground. "Well...it could happen! I bet Spitfire is faster than his machine is."
Twilight sighs and is about to speak, when pinkie suddenly grabs onto her neck with her foreleg and smiles. "It's a party, isn't it. We're planning the big super mega ultra party for the princess and pilot when they get back from their honeymoon, right?" She smiles widely. "Oh my gosh! That's it! This is going to be so fun, I'll even make cherry chimichangas for it!"
Twilight lets out a huff of air, her wings and ears drooping in annoyance. "No Pinkie." She deadpanned. "It's not a party. Now enough questions, lets get to the princess. I'll explain more then."
* * * * *
Talon paces about in Celestias study, awaiting her to enter. Luna is resting on a pillow, her horn alight as she uses a hoof file upon her forehoof. She appears bored as she grooms herself, awaiting her sister. Finally after the two have waited for what seemed like a solid hour, the white alicorn arrived.
Celestias eyes were red, fatiuge written all over her features and bags under her eyes. She yawned loudly as she enters, a now pot of coffee floating by her side in her magic. She takes a sip directly from it and finds her way to her desk chair, before taking a seat and setting the half empty pot upon her desk.
"Sister! You look as though you are ready to fall asleep on thy hooves! Please take a nap instead of seeing us right now." Luna said, concern heavy in her voice.
Celestia smiles at her younger sister and nods, before turning her attention to the pilot. "I will lulu, but first there is something I need to discuss with the both of you before the element bearers arrive. It's about the aircraft and its weapons." She states calmly.
"Commander...as you have seen for yourself, your craft is damaged severly. I assigned the very best engineers to its restoration last night as you two lay in the medical ward. The reports are good, but speculation never the less. It is believed the aircraft will be completely repaired in four sunrises. Perhaps five at the most."
The pilot nods, taking a seat at the desk with Celestia. "Ma'am, with all due respect. I don't expect you and your kind to rush so much on my account. But I do thank you. What is it you want about the weapons though?"
Celestia draws a deep breath exhaustedly and smiles softly at him. " We've been studying the weapons you have onboard, as well as the various other devices hidden within the aircraft. I wanted to ask specifically about the durability of your superweapon. What does it do, and what can it be used for?"
Talon sighs and folds his arms, leaning back in the chair. "After that crash, nothing ma'am. To be quite honest, nuclear weapons are quite delicate pieces of equipment. It takes a very specific sequence of events to happen in a very specific time frame within it for it to achieve detonation of any kind. A good solid bump to it directly could have rendered it innert. More than likely that crash jumbled up the internals so bad it can't ever be used for anything again."
He sighs, looking at her. "That bomb had a pretty high yield. It was designed to obliterate everything within a fifteen mile radius, damage structures and land as far as fifty miles away in all directions. It really also depends on the prevailing winds how far the nuclear dust is carried away. A bomb a bit smaller than mine was dropped on a place called Hiroshima about seventy years ago on my planet. The city was wiped out."
Celestia nods slowly, her magenta orbs focused on him. Luna continues watching quietly from her resting place. "If it were somehow still usable...could it still be considered effective against the parasite once we discover their location? Can it strike underground or in a cavern? Could you launch it from your aircraft once it was repaired, and it not harm my subjects or city's?"
He thinks for a moment, then looks over a maps hanging on her study walls. After a moment, he speaks. "If the bug is located somewhere in those badlands, the only two city's at risk would be Dodge City and Appleoosa by the looks of it. It could go either way, depending how close they are to the borders of that mountain range." He points to Macintosh Hills on the map.
Celestia alights her horn and concentrates for a moment, before a bookshelf moves behind her, revealing a hidden space. The hallway is large behind her, leading to a hidden room. She gets up after locking the study door with her magic, then motions for the pilot and midnight alicorn to follow. The three make their way down the long corridor before entering a large room.
The room is painted a bright white, with gold ornate lace and carvings all over the walls. There are shelves lined against every wall, stuffed full with books, trinkets, jewels and of all things, plushies. Various sized teddy bears, plush ponies and one life sized fluffy puff plush resting on a large box. What draws their attention however isn't the various trinkets and toys, but in the center of the room a large wooden crate.
Celestia clears her throat and alights her horn again, the pilot and midnight alicorn watching quietly as the lid and sides are removed. They gasp. Within the crate and resting on two large cradle stands; was the nuclear weapon.
"I know what you're thinking. In honest truth, I had personally removed the weapon from your aircraft the night you two had spoke of it to me in the study. I was afraid you would go and use it without speaking to me first. Now however since we are in fact at war...I've reconsidered use of this weapon. However....only in such an emergency that it is needed." Celestia said, looking at them.
"Sister! Thou has fibbed to us! Why would thou act so foalishly?!" Luna hotly demanded, stepping forward. She narrows her gaze at her elder sister, anger flashing in her eyes. The pilot however, is smiling at Celestia, a low chuckle coming from him.
"Nice one sunny butt. Very nice. I didn't see this one coming at all." He said, walking around the nuclear missile. "I won't ask how you managed to sneak it off...but considering you've already been though the warbird yourself and have been advancing your own technology at an alarming rate, I wont ask. Just please...for the love of all that is good tell me you're not building more of these." He says looking at her. Anger and worry clearly written all over his features.
"No...I will not allow my ponies to have access to this kind of destructive power. Just one of these abominations is enough to scare me, commander. I'd rather it didn't exist to begin with. I had almost cast this wretched thing into the sun myself...but my heart told me to wait, instead. That it had a higher purpose in the future, and would be useful."
Celestia looks at him in the eyes, sorrow and shame within her own. "I didn't want to deceive either of you. But I couldn't allow the chance for Chrysalis or any pony to get their hands on this device, and use it for evil. For that, I am sorry...and I pray to mother that you could find it in your hearts to forgive me for my transgression."
Talon steps forward and pats Celestia on her withers, smiling. "Nothing to forgive ma'am. You did what you felt right by your subjects. If you didn't, we'd be short our trump card against the parasite anyway. It's a win win. Just have your boys finish my aircraft, and we'll send that bug straight to Hell."
Luna nods, a smile coming to her muzzle as she takes her position at her flames side. "Agreed, mine sister. I bare no resentment for thy ruse. Thou hath nothing to be forgiven for."
"Then why are you using your olde speak, lulu?" Celestia asks, raising an eyebrow. She watches Luna's smile fall into a smug grin.
"Because it annoys thou to no end." Luna says in a sing song voice, her gaze locked onto her elder sisters eyes.
* * * * *
Twilight and the others enter the study of Princess Celestia, coming to find the pilot, princesses Luna and Celestia all sitting around the fireplace enjoying coffee together. Rarity is the last to enter, the saddlebags upon her back and the contents clanking softly within them. The white unicorn uses her magic to levitate the bags off of her and set them down by the door, before taking a seat and joining the group by the fire.
Celestia clears her throat and smiles tiredly at the group, her gaze falling on Rarity as Twilight takes her seat and snuggles up against her love and mentor. "Thank you for coming on such short notice every pony. I know it was unexpected." The regal white alicorn says quietly.
"Ah shucks princess. It 'taint a problem. You've done so much for me and mah kin, that I couldn't refuse anythin y'all ask. What can I do you fer?" Applejack asks, removing her stetson in a polite bow.
Pinkie giggle snorts and leans in against Fluttershy, whispering. "Twenty bits! Twenty bits!" Fluttershy looks at pinkie in annoyance and rolls her eyes, returning her calm gaze back to the regal white alicorn.
Rainbow Dash thumps Pinkie Pie on the back of the skull with a hard hoof, glaring at her. "Pinks! That's mean! ...She's worth around fifty." She says through stifled giggles.
Twilight glares daggers at the two. "That's quite enough girls. This is serious!"
Celestia smiles softly at the cyan pegasus and the pink party pony. "That's right! Besides...I'm worth more than either of you could afford." She says with a sly smile, life returning to her eyes despite the fatigue gripping her.
Luna giggles behind a held hoof, while Applejack, Twilight and the pilot simply stare with blank expressions at Celestias comment. The laughs continue for a few minutes, before they all calm down enough to speak again.
Talon clears his throat, looking at the group sternly as he rises to his feet slowly. Luna follows suit, adjusting her wings uncomfortably with the bandages. "The reason why you've all been called here, is because the parasite struck in Horseshoe Bay. The damned bug made her intentions clear. We're in for one hell of a fight."
Luna chimes in, a resolute and grim look upon her features. "Mine sister has decreed officially that we are now at war with the parasite. It's clear that the insect pest has already done so to us, now attacking myself and mine flame twice now directly, as well as infiltration of our ranks with drones. Thanks to mine flames craft, we were able to seek out and remove all of the drones from Canterlot, by spotting them with his searching glass."
"Camera, lulu." Celestia adds. "What Luna says is correct, my little ponies. We are now at war. I have summoned you here today, because I feel that use of the Elements may be needed should the parasite indeed be planning a full scale invasion like before. I have sent out several scouting patrols to various city's around Equestria. Though we have yet to hear word, I am confident we shall receive some news as to the parasites movements. I have also dispatched word to Legatus of the Dragon Nation and our neighbors in the Crystal Empire to make ready for the assault."
The room is overcome with hushed whispers from the group before Rarity finally steps forward. "If it's a fight those ruffians wish...then we shall give them one! I simply can't allow for such uncoof insects to tarnish this beautiful city's streets with their filth!" She hotly declares.
"Yeah, we can't let mrs. meanie mc mean pants come here! Good thing I brought my party cannon just for changeling invasions!" Pinkie produces said party cannon from Faust knows where, before deploying a large explosion of streamers, confetti and glitter. "Ta-da!"
"Oh...my. I don't like fighting..." Fluttershy squeaks, hiding her face behind her mane. Rainbow Dash leans down and whispers something in Fluttershys ear, forcing a look of distress and rage to take over. The butter yellow pegasus gasps, her eyes shrinking to pinpricks before she narrows her eyes. "Hurt animals?! Oh I'm going to break every bone in her body!" She says whilst gritting her teeth.
Applejack snorts, grinning, a resolute look of determination on her features, a devilish grin upon her muzzle. "Ah reckon its about time we give ole buggy a good swift kick in the teeth for this. Any pony that lays a hoof on a friend of mine is askin for a good ole fashioned throw down with this rodeo girl."
"Count me in every pony. No way am I gonna leave my friends hanging. Especially after this pest screwed up my two favorite flying buddies honeymoon. Yeah, I'm in for sure. This. Is gonna be. AWESOME!" The cyan pegasus says as she pulls a flip in mid air. She comes back to a hover. "They don't call me the Element of Loyalty for nothing!"
"Then it's settled. We all agree we are going to war." Celestia says after yawning. For now whilst we prepare for the coming battle, please get settled in and acquire anything you may need around the city. You have use of the royal treasury if you need to purchase any basic items you left in Ponyville. "
Rarity clears her throat. "Um...princess. As per Twilight dears request, I brought the eh heh." She coughs. "The Items...you had commissioned. Is this the time you wish them to be delivered?"
Celestia smiles serenely and nods. "Yes, Rarity. Now is the time. Please feel free to do so.
Rarity stands up and smiles, a sweet smile upon her lips as she alights her horn and levitates the saddle bags to her. The flap opens on each side, revealing several objects wrapped carefully in silken smaller bags. "I made these for you, commander. They're crafted out of the finest metals and strongest fabrics Equestria has to offer, and fit for you now that you're royalty. I got the pattern and design out of a book from your machines database. Twilight had sent me the specifics."
Each smaller bag unfurls, revealing masterpiece crafted armor, made just for the human pilot. The chest piece is a thin curved plate of high strength steel, gold and silver inlay upon it with engravings all over it. Similar pieces of armor also appear from the various magically held bags, amounting to a full armor set of grieves, open handed gauntlets, leg and lower body protectors and a back shield. With those is a finely crafted tight knit chain mail vest and leggings, as well as a dark blue over cover of fabric for the chest and leggings. The markings display a embroidered white oak tree, with a dark blue long cape resembling the night sky, inlaid with small gem fragments and stardust.
The pilot stares in wonder at the gift. "Miss Rarity...wow....thank you!" He comments, looking over the master craftsmanship. "What is the reason for this armor, if I may ask?"
"Well darling. Princes alike all wear fine battle armor, even for just normal day to day reasons here in Equestria. It's only fitting that you have something from your own world in this case. That was a very interesting and long book by the way. Your worlds authors sure are imaginitive. I was surprised at the mention of Unicorns." She says calmly. She giggles softly whilst looking at him with her half lidded gaze.
"How romantic of the hero. A ranger, in love with an elf of another kingdom. No matter how tempted he was with power, bits or other mares, he kept true to her. Ah...how I love romance novels with beautiful endings." She says sweetly. "It was a pleasure crafting these, it honestly was darling."
Luna looks at the armor and smiles. "It's grand, miss Rarity. You honor us by this gift. I thank you." Luna says with a small bow.
Rarity smiles. "It was no trouble at all your highness, really."
* * * * *
Hours pass, the element bearers have since gone their separate ways to sight see about the city, and check out the new local restraints in the area. It's lunch time now, the midnight alicorn and elder sister having joined the pilot in the royal kitchens for their first taste of an Earth dish called 'pizza.'
The regal white alicorn now more awake, licks her lips as she sniffs the scents of the kitchen. It's a unique smell to her, never having thought herself of using tomato sauce and cheese on bread before, let alone placing said foods together in an oven. A smile comes to her muzzle as she watches the dish intently through the glass.
"Mine flame...are you sure this is a popular dish among your kind? It seems as though it takes too long to make...wouldn't you be hungry from such a wait for a single dish? And why would you bake vegetables? They're perfectly fine raw!" Luna said, confusion upon her features.
Celestia laughs melodically and grins. "Oh lulu. We should be thankful the commander is taking time to treat us to a meal he himself is cooking. It's not often you get to experience a dish from another world. I say lets try it!" She says jubilantly.
"I did promise that I would make you two this when we were in the infirmary, Luna. Just relax and enjoy it. Believe me, you're going to love this." Talon mused. He opened the oven door and removed the large cooking stone with the pizza upon it, cooked to perfection under his watchful eye. He added several toppings with it, including mushrooms, onions and various greens he had found available in the cupboards and royal pantry. Drawing a short knife from one of the drawers nearby, he cut the pie into several large equal slices, before serving one portion each to the alicorns.
Celestia was the first to dig in after cooling it down by blowing on it, the warm slice being nibbled on at first, before she gasped with joy and started wolfing it down in large delighted bites. Luna watched her sister intently, listening to the moans coming from her elder sister as she consumed each bite.
"Well...how is it mine sister? Is it good?" Luna asked, still slightly confused. She isn't used to the scent, and finds herself unsure as to weather or not she likes it.
Celestia nods furiously as she lets out a small ladylike burp, grinning widely with the pizzas tomato sauce staining her muzzle fur. "Lulu! You have to try this! It should be made law that every food establishment makes one!" She said, her calm regal mask completely cast aside as she clearly enjoyed it. "May I have another slice, commander?"
Luna watched as her flame had served her elder sister yet another large floppy hot slice of the Earthen dish, before looking down at her own. She swallowed hard and lowered her head to the plate, sniffing it slowly before taking a small nibble of the tip. She chews the piece slowly, detecting all of the various flavors and spices used upon her pallet, before going wide eyed herself. The pilot and elder white alicorn watch intently as Luna suddenly becomes ravenous and attacks the slice with such ferocity that even Nightmare Moon would run in fear.
Luna looked up at the commander grinning a wide toothy grin with the pizza sauce all over her face and muzzle. The red sauce drips off slowly as she does. "This really is delicious!" She proclaims enthusiastically. "May I have another as well?" She says, still grinning. Her wings bob lazily at her sides, all of her features relaxed as she sways slowly in her seat.
As Talon is serving the midnight alicorn another slice, a solar guard trots into the kitchen, carrying the pilots missing satchel from Horseshoe bay in his mouth. Poking out of the tan canvas messenger bag is the muzzle of the rifle, both pistols and the spent and empty clips stuffed into the external pockets. The guard trots in with a smile, until he sees the midnight alicorn eating ravenously with a strange dish before her. Luna pauses and looks to the solar stallion and grins a wide toothy grin, more of the red tomato sauce upon her muzzle. Celestia suddenly notices the guard as well, closing her eyes in a serene sweet smile. The red tomato sauce also showing brightly on her pristine white coat.
The guard gapes his mouth in shock, dropping the satchel before his eyes roll into the back of his head, the white pegasus pony suddenly keeling over in fright. He accidentally mistook the sauce for blood.
Luna and Celestia both look at the guard with confusion for a moment, then back to eachother, then shrug, returning their focus back to their meals.
* * * * *
Luna sits back in her seat at the counter in the royal kitchens, patting her full belly with a hoof and a satisfied smile upon her now clean muzzle. During their mealtime, the pilot had cooked up three more full sized pizzas for the alicorns, serving some to the kitchen staff as well. He was absolutely correct; it was a huge hit amongst the ponies.
"That dish was simply divine, Commander. I'll have to see to it that recipe is used the next time we host a large party, perhaps after we have solved our issues with the parasite." Celestia says calmly, whilst patting her own full belly. She herself had consumed roughly one and a half of the large pizzas to herself, enjoying every bit of Earth cooking.
"Mine love, you must share more of your worlds recipes with us! If that was so delicious, I could only imagine what others your world must hold!" Luna exclaims jubilantly. The midnight alicorn lets out a soft satisfied burp, then blushes.
"I'll make it a point to do that. I've always enjoyed cooking. It's just more fun doing it for others beside yourself. Between duty stations and deployments when I was in the Navy on Earth, I often stayed in the barracks and had to cook for just me all the time." He says, smiling. He finishes cleaning the dishes every pony ate from, setting down the dish rag.
The kitchen staff in the room all chattered amongst themselves, looking over the recipe list they had gotten earlier from the pilot while he was cooking and prepping each pie. Even the solar guard who had passed out earlier seemed happy now, after awakening to find he had misunderstood, and was given a slice for himself to enjoy.
"Well ladies. If that is all, we should consider heading out and beginning plans and preparations. It also wouldn't hurt to check in with the engineers and see their progress on the warbird." He says after a small sigh. "That is, if you two are up to it."
Celestia tiredly yawns, then smiles at the pilot with a lidded gaze. "We have already done all that we can do for the moment, Commander. We have doubled the guards watching around the city, as well as bolstered our defenses. I do however, have something else I wished to show the both of you before I myself retire for the afternoon."
Luna raises an eyebrow, coming back on all four hooves. She takes her place next to the pilots side. "Another surprise mine sister? You certainly have been very active as of late."
The white alicorn giggles softly. "It's all in progress, lulu. I had mentioned I was considering a program to begin building more of the commanders craft. Though none of our own scientists and engineers have begun to do so, our wonderful subjects have gone ahead of their own accord and put together something rather wonderful." Celestia calmly states with a wry smile. "Follow me."
As Celestia stands and walks slowly out of the kitchen, the pilot and midnight alicorn follow her. They travel through the halls of the palace, coming to a stop near the front entrance to the gardens.
"Tia, this is an unused storage room." Luna deadpanned, looking at the doors. Her eyes peer into the darkened room through the door glass, not seeing anything but shadows.
Celestia opens the doors and alights her horn, flicking on lights within the room. Before the three are several rows of tables each containing various pieces of equipment upon them. In the large room also against the walls, are two more incomplete engines that were being built by the engineers a few weeks ago.
"What is all of this?" Talon asks, looking at the un-powered monitors and equipment. "This looks like some kind of control center. What have you been up to sunny butt?"
"That's still Princess Sunny Butt, Talon." Celestia says, grinning. She clears her throat and paws at his chest with her hoof, before turning and motioning to the equipment with her foreleg. "You are correct, it is a control center. We modeled what we could off of Lulu's description of the bridge of your ship. My guess is it was built to have better communication with you, not only for missions but for your routine flights."
The pilot nods, looking around. "I figured as much. You got all of this off of Luna telling you about her dream walking with me on the Enterprise?" He asks, confused. "What the hell else are you space ponies building off of my peoples tech?"
"Only what's critical to our aircraft, mine flame." Luna states, stepping forward. "And I see that a certain elder sister of mine is in trouble for reading mine diary again." Luna turns and glares at Celestia, who smiles sweetly.
"Don't worry lulu...I didn't read all of the really juicy stuff...more than once." She giggles. "I had thought that this could be useful in the future, so I had mentioned it to a few of our more tech savvy ponies and engineers. Oh what was it you called them lulu?"
"Nerds." Luna says through gritted teeth. "Just so you know Tia...I'll get you back for going through mine sock drawer again."
The elder white alicorn narrows her gaze, grinning. "And I look forward to it, dear sister." Celestia blows a rasburry at Luna and giggles melodicly. "I'm off to retire to my study for a while. Please feel free to come see me should either of you need anything."
* * * * *
Hours more have passed, the Element bearers having since returned to the palace to one of their rooms, all including princess Twilight, all relaxing and playing games. Not far down the hallway is Luna and the pilot, making their way to Lunas chambers. They hear the faint sounds of giggling coming from the room, and hushed gossip between the six mares.
Talon sighs, turning to Luna. "This really seems kind of off, Luna. We should be planning for a war, not having slumber parties and pizza." He says, yawning. He winces after stretching out a bit too far, his injuries still not completely healed. His body is still sore from the fight with Chrysalis and the drones in Horseshoe Bay.
Luna stumbles a bit for a moment, before catching her balance and stopping. "Mine love...we must remember to think on happy times and relish in moments of peace like these. It is not our way to always consider war and conflict. The way of my world is to love and embrace others around ourselves, to always strive for peace."
He grunts, turning to her. "That rule is thrown out the window when we have a bug queen hunting us, Luna. We need to focus more on this, we need to train, rearm and plan the attack. Once the bird is fixed, I say we get in and go send the parasite straight to hell. I don't want to even give her the chance to carry out her plans."
The midnight alicorn smiles and nickers. "I know you wish to protect us, mine love. But you must understand. Mine sister said that we have done all we can for now. Our hooves are tied for the moment, and we should be relaxing like the good doctor had spoke of. Nurse Redheart was also correct, we cannot plan for a battle if we ourselves are not in fighting condition."
Talon sighs, then nods. He folds his arms to his chest. "It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to check with Dark Fury about the parasites hive location. We should also ask your sister if she knows anything about what brought down our aircraft. It seems odd to me that something would knock the bird off balance like that. The auto pilot should have kicked in and landed the thing safely if the computer sensed any trouble with the aircraft itself. Sounds to me like it was an outside deal."
Luna opens her mouth to speak, but stops, thoughts turning in her mind. She recalls the approach for landing through the canopy and remembers the aircraft violently jolt hard before the crash. She turns her gaze back to the pilot. "Mine sister did have a good view when she was chasing us down. It is likely that she could have seen something...but why wouldn't she have already mentioned it?"
He turns on his heels, bound for the regal white alicorns study. "More than likely she was waiting for us to ask. Lets go Luna. I have a feeling that she knows exactly what happened."
She sighs heavily and slowly turns, returning to his side as they walk through the long halls again, bound for her sister. She yawns quietly, still tired. All she wants to do at this point is take a long bath, preen and go to sleep. But the question is eating at her never the less. What did bring down the aircraft? Was it her lack of experience flying the machine? Or was there more here than meets the eye?
The walk to Celestias study was quiet and uneventful. The pair had passed a few guards along their walk, two maids and one very curious red unicorn with a billowing blond mane and tail dressed as a chef. He had caught the night princesses attention on how he seemed to suddenly take great interest in a statue when she turned and looked at him.
They reach Celestias study door, finding it cracked open slightly. Luna pushes the heavy door open slowly with her foreleg, poking her head in to search. "Sister, are you in here?"
She hears a soft murmur and a strange noise within the room, catching her attention. She turns to the direction of the sound, finding Celestias head laying down upon the desk, her sister slumped over on the edge of it in her chair. Beside the regal white alicorns head upon the desk is two empty pots of coffee, some scrolls and something she does recognize. Nestled between her sisters hooves, was Luna's diary.
Luna scowls and quietly steps in, her wings held tightly to her sides. Talon steps in quietly beside her and watches. As Luna approaches, she is able to see more of her elder sisters face. Celestia adorns a small open grin upon her muzzle, a small puddle of drool falling to the ornate desks surface from her gaped maw. She's snoring quietly, mumbling incoherent words about moonshine and cake.
The midnight alicorn alights her horn and retrieves her beloved diary from her sisters hooves, replacing it with a random book off of the shelf behind her of equal size. "Tia...you're such a snoop." She whispers angrily, glaring daggers at her sleeping sister. She sighs and turns to the pilot, who has since walked near the desk. He's grinning mischievously. Luna tilts her head and quizzically looks at him, shaking her head slowly. "Mine flame...what are you doing?" She whispers in a hushed tone.
The pilot looks around the study, seeing a sink nearby and an empty snack bowl upon another table. He moves quietly with all of his stealth, tip toeing around to the bowl. He carries it to the nearby sink and turns on the faucet slowly, filling the bowl halfway with warm water. He snickers, walking back. "Luna, do your space pony magic thing and pull off her bracer!" He whispers, grinning wickedly.
She cocks an eyebrow, not following what his intentions are. She quietly huffs and complies, alighting her horn again and gently removing her sisters golden hoof slipper from her foreleg. The pilot very carefully lifts Celestias dainty hoof and sets it in the warm water, the liquid pooling around the soft sensitive flesh and nearly overflowing. Celestia stirs for a moment, before letting out a loud snort and dazedly snoring again.
He starts to step away as Luna steps closer, looking over her sister and holding back a giggle. She sighs quietly with a grin adorning her own muzzle and turns, stepping out with the pilot, her diary tucked safely beneath her wing as the two exit and return for their own chambers.
They close the door, quietly rushing away from her elder sisters study and bound for the night princesses chambers, laughing quietly as they make their return journey. The pilot grinning wickedly the entire time.
"Talon...pray tell, what did you do in there? What was the point of the water?" She asks, still laughing. "I don't think mine sister is going to be asleep long enough to gain a pruney hoof."
He looks at her with a smirk on his lips. "I used to pull that trick on my sisters when I was growing up. Trust me, it'll work fine and make for the perfect prank." He says cryptically.
Luna slowly nods, keeping pace with him. The two reach her chamber doors and enter the room, Luna locking it behind them. She tosses her diary onto her bed, heading to the balcony. She can feel it's near time for the sunset, her own celestial charge tugging at her subconscious. The pilot joins her on the balcony of the chambers and watches intently as she alights her horn, setting the sun for her elder sister, then willing the moon into the sky with her power. One by one the stars come out and shine beautifully, the skies alight with her jeweled tapestry and wrapped within its soft eternal lullaby. The pair stand leaning against one another watching the moon come over the horizon slowly, enjoying one anothers company.
Elsewhere in the palace, the regal white alicorn snores peacefully, dreaming of being in a field of moonshine cakes, Manehatten cheesecakes and fluffypuff plushies. Her mind is sent lurching to reality when her body registers a foreign sensation of warmth below her. Her eyes groggily open as she sits up and takes in the scenery around her for a moment, before she looks down at the location of the warmth. Her eyes widen as she realizes its source, then fall to the bowl of water and her now wet hoof. "Oh son of a---"
* * * * *
The next few days pass quickly for every pony, the palace buzzing with activity. Over the time period, the pair has worked on various projects. Everything from assisting where they could with the repair efforts to the war machine, to helping Celestia with preparations and coordination of assembling the guards.
The regal white alicorn was somewhat annoyed with the prank, discovering just who the culprits were only moments after she had awakened that night. The next morning after a thorough scrubbing of her floors and one very extended three hour bubble bath later, her righteous fury had dimmed to a mild simmer and planning of her own prank to seek revenge.
It's been four days since the bearers of Harmony had returned to Canterlot, they themselves having also been busy with assisting with preparations and planning. For added measure, they have all been asked to adorn their elements at all times, even whilst bathing or sleeping. Dawn has arisen on the fifth day after their arrival. It's been very quiet within the city, with no word or mention of the parasite. Patrols have been sent out and reporting in constantly, with nothing to report back other then the usual quiet activity of a peaceful Equestria.
Celestia, Luna and the pilot all sit in the throne room together, managing day court and dealing with the normal mundane issues of running a kingdom. As the last petitioner leaves before Celestias lunch hour, the night guard Dark Fury enters. He bows respectfully to the alicorns.
"What have you discovered, Dark Fury?" Luna asks, tilting her head. Her wings bob lazily and loosly at her sides, the bandages having since been removed. She smiles serenely at him, a content look of peace upon her features.
"Princess...Ve have discovered ze parasites location. Ze drone had vished to speak vith you directly, as vell as the commander. Ve believe it to be broken, yes? So ven should I arrange for you to speak vith it?" The Lunar elite guard asks, his golden draconic eyes locked onto his princesses.
Luna is about to speak, when the pilot clears his throat. "I'll deal with it alone. If you wouldn't mind Fury, take me to it." The stallion shoots the pilot a glare for cutting off the princess for a moment, before his features return to their unflinching stoic norm.
Luna closes her mouth and thinks quietly for a moment, glancing at the pilot, then nodding slowly. She returns her gaze to the stallion. "...do as he says, Dark Fury. If mine flame wishes to speak with the insect first, then he shall have what he asks. Take him to it, I will join you both shortly."
Dark fury grunts and salutes, then rigidly bows and turns on his armored hooves. He escorts the pilot to the dungeons, where the drone that had attacked Luna directly was being held captive.
Luna smiles, turning to her sister. Celestia is holding a small frown. Luna raises an eyebrow, confusion upon her features. "What is it, mine sister? Art thou still furious about mine prank upon thee?" She asks, grinning.
"I seen the blood on him lulu. I know what your guard has been doing to the parasite." Celestia says in a hushed tone. She looks off to the side and to the floor. "I know you gave him that order lulu...I thought we evolved beyond methods of torture to get information out of prisoners a thousand years ago."
Luna narrows her eyes, grinning darkly. "You may have, Tia. But as the saying goes...all is fair in love and war. This mine sister, is war." Luna's eyes meet her elders sisters magenta orbs, her own jade ones flickering to draconic slits for a moment. "What's the cost of one insect, for the salvation of all of Equestria? Thou should be grateful I haven't punished that whelp of a nephew to pain of death for his cowardly actions upon mine self and flame."
Celestias eyes open wide looking at her sister. "Lulu...you didn't!" She gasps. "Tell me you didn't hurt him!"
"You think I didn't glance at the open scrolls upon thy desk when we were coming to see you, sister?" Luna asks, her tone still dark. She steps off of the throne dais, the room seemingly beginning to darken with her every step. The air temperature around them drops harshly within a span of seconds, the nearby candle flames upon the walls flickering violently.
"I entered that whelps dreams that night, to have a talk with him, Tia. And do you know what I had seen? That our so called nephew cares nothing for mares alike, ourselves included. He is a sick, twisted, perverse cur that should be put to the sword! " Luna comes to a stop before her sister, opening her wings in a snap.
Celestia sighs and steps slowly to her younger sister. "Show me then, my beloved sister. Show me what you had seen, let me see for myself your memory of your vision. I wish to know what you have done."
Luna shakes her head slowly, her gaze still locked onto Celestias. "I couldn't, mine sister. I refuse to subject you to such a cruel nightmare. I care for thee too much." Luna's features soften slightly, a look of rage still deep within her jade eyes, however. "Blueblood the gelded will serve his fate as thou hath given. I will not take the life of our subjects, no matter how much one may deserve such a fate."
Celestia sighs with relief, looking into her younger sisters jade orbs. " Thank you...lulu. Thank you." She whispers, a small soft smile coming to her muzzle.
"I did not tell mine flame...you are to leave the report if he asks, our craft had simply connected with an unknown spell from mother knows where. As much as that worthless cur deserves the beating of a lifetime from mine flame...I will stay my fury upon his worthless head."
The elder white alicorn nods. "Alright then lulu...I will."
"Furthermore...these insects hold no meaning to mine self or this kingdom. The parasite is just that, Tia. A pest. They deserve no quarter, especially since they have called this fate upon themselves. This is our war now, sister. Let us put this to a quick end, and protect our kingdom. I wish to put this behind us, so that we may resume our normal peaceful lives."
As Celestia opens her mouth to speak, the doors of the throne room explode open, shattering and splintering off of the frame. Another massive explosion rocks the palace. Smoke begins to billow from the grand hall, as a large shadowed figure slowly storms into the throne room. It's the largest drone either of the alicorns have ever seen, easily as tall as them. Its stalky form adorns a cobalt blue armor with large sharp spines upon the back, heavy bracers of steel upon its legs. The drone lets out a loud rumbling howl before charging the two confused alicorns.
* * * * *
Talon and the Lunar elite guard enter the dungeons after decending a long spiraling staircase of stone. The air is freezing cold, the hall dark and somber. The air smells of dust and mildew, the atmosphere feeling depressing and lifeless. The pilot swallows hard looking around, this being his first visit to this part of the castle. Dark fury stops short of the cell rooms, turning to the pilot.
"Ze princess...She has choosen you to be her mate. I vill obey both hers and your orders...But do not believe zat I vill simply turn a blind eye, should you ever harm her heart. You are clear, da?"
The pilot nods. "You have my word as both a man of honor and a Naval officer, I will never bring any kind of harm to her. Luna means more to me than my words can describe, my friend. I promise you...I will always protect her as long as I draw breath."
Dark fury nods and allows a small smile, his fangs gleaming in the shadowed room. "I know this. Ve shall be good comrades. You keep her happy. This I like about you, strange pony." The stallion laughs, his husky Slavic voice letting out a low rumble. "Da! Good then. Ve understand one another."
Dark Fury pats the pilots arm with a firm armored hoof and laughs, resuming his gate to the cell holding the drone. The two make their way the short distance, finding the drone upon the floor of the cell and laying curled into a small black ball. Talon clears his throat. The drone moves and turns to him, hissing quietly. When the stallion lifts his hoof to step forward and glared menacingly, the drone suddenly whimpered and cowered in the corner.
"You attacked Luna, and I know your able to still communicate with your other parasite friends." The pilot growls out. "Well shithead...Luna and Sunny Butt aren't here to save you. So lets talk. Lets hear what you had to say."
The changeling drone steps forward into the light slowly. Its teal glass orbs seemingly glow in the darkness. As it slowly creeps forward, the pilot can get a full view of it. Its body shows cracks everywhere along its outer shell. Dark green blood oozes from several of the larger cracks, the wounds appear to have trouble healing. One of its fangs are broken off, the tooth showing signs of infection. The drone chatters loudly, flapping its stumps where its insect like wings once were.
"SPEAK, YOU VERMIN!" Dark fury bellows, kicking the aged cold iron bard hard with his fore hoof.
The drone suddenly begins to chuckle darkly, its voice echoing as it does. Its horn alights with a sickly green magic, the anti magic restraint band snapping off and shattering upon its head. It begins to glow brightly.
"Oh shit...RUN!" The pilot yells, turning away and grabbing Dark Fury by his armor. The two turn and rush away quickly, a massive explosion shattering the walls of the dungeons nearby. The force of the explosion sends them both flying forward and impacting against the thick stone walls near the entrance. Smoke and flame billow from the cell where the drone once was. The pilot stunned turns slowly and looks.
The bauble around his neck glowed brightly for a moment, the star within spinning wildly violent. He coughs as the dust settles, the thin magical shield around him from the bauble dropping. He blinks the stars from his eyes, shaking his head. "Fury!" He coughs out.
Talon hears gasping and searches the dark chambers for a moment, finding the stallion pinned under chunks of stone and debris. He gets to his feet and rushes to him, lifting what stones he can off of the fallen guard, heaving them with all of his might. Beneath the rubble was the wounded guard, a large broken spike of an iron bar through his back and standing up in the center of his barrel. Blood trickles from his mouth.
"Holy shit..." the pilot breathes out, kneeling down to lift the heavy stallion. Dark Fury coughs and shakes his head slowly, laughing.
"Niet, comrade." he gasps out. "I vill not make it..." He winces and gasps, still grinning. "My time has come here...no more borscht for me." Talon mouthed wordlessly, disbelieving how the stallion is acting.
"No way. Lets get you to the doctor! I won't leave you to die!" Talon frantically says, trying to lift him once more. The stallion pushes him away with his wing weakly. Dark Fury smiles at him, his eyes focusing on the pilots.
"Protect...princess." The stallion unfurls his leather like wing, removing his honor guard sword from his side and lifting it weakly and shakily to the pilot. "Take...and keep her safe...she make good vife."
Talon shakes his head and starts to lift the night guard again, as he heard the final gasp and release of air from the fallen stallion. The pilot stops, looking for signs of life. The golden draconic lifeless eyes are still open, staring at the dark ceilings of the dungeon. The pilot swallows hard and nods, lifting his hand and placing them over the dead ponies eyes, closing them for him. "I will..." He whispers out. He takes the long sword into his hands and grips it, rising to his feet. In the distance, he hears more explosions within the city. "Luna..." He says quietly to himself, turning on his heels and running back to the throne room.
* * * * *
Luna's eyes go wide with shock as she quickly scoots back on the floor, kicking wildly with her hind legs. She alights her horn again and fires another powerful blast at the massive changeling behemoth advancing upon her. The bolt deflects harmlessly off of its exoskeleton and smacks into a nearby pillar, disintegrating it to ash.
"What in Tatarus are you?!" She shrieks out in fright. The attacking insect swings at her again with its massive armored hoof and connects, impacting her in the side and sending the fallen alicorn into the nearby side wall. After a few moments of being stunned once more, she attempts to rise to her hooves, coughing up blood.
The blood splatters to the ground in droplets from her nostrils and mouth, forming a small puddle upon the cold marble tiles of the palace throne room. As she's coughing and regaining her bearings, the drone picks her up with a single foreleg, before rearing back with its free one and driving it straight into her muzzle. She's sent flying backwards again, impacting the throne and toppling it over.
"Luna!" Celestia screams out, tears in her eyes. The regal white alicorn weakly attempts to rise to her hooves, falling over again. Her legs buckle from the searing pain, keeping her grounded. "Luna! Run away sister!" She cries out loudly.
The behemoth drone slowly steps to the broken throne chair, lifting it up and tossing it aside as if it were weightless. The massive stone and steel seat crashing against the side wall of the dais and cracking the entire wall. It focuses its glowing teal glass orbs upon its prey, saliva dripping from its gaped fanged maw as it approaches.
The drone is struck in the back by a bullet, knocking it forward slightly. It stops in its tracks and turns slowly, its attention now drawn behind it. Coming through the smoke billowing from the grand hall, a shadowed figure slowly walks through into the room.
Talon trains his pistol on the changeling and fires again, shot after shot. The bullets sail through the air, every round striking its mark and impacting the drone in the chest center of mast. When the drone does not fall, he charges forward at it and leaps into the air, dropping an incredible punch to its jaw.
The drone staggers back slowly, turning its bloodied muzzle back to him. The pilot is breathing hard, fire within his eyes. "You're mine you son of a bitch!" He growls to the insect, running and tackling it to the ground, driving his shoulder hard into its bleeding mid section.
Celestia weakly rises to her hooves again, her magenta orbs wide with shock. Her magic was useless against this unstoppable foe, but here it was sheer brute force was prevailing! "Luna!!" She screamed out, slowly limping to the midnight alicorn. Behind her, the pilot and changeling are trading massive blows. It's a ferocious battle unlike she has ever seen or experienced.
Luna dazedly opens her eyes, rolling onto her side and coughing hard. Her elder sister finally reaches her and collapses, crumpling to the ground. Sounds of other explosions are heard in the distance, more subtle tremors felt beneath her. She cranes her head and blearily looks, watching her flame valiantly fight against the behemoth.
"Luna..." Celestia cries out, embracing her sister gently and looking at her bleeding form. "We have to get out of here! We need to escape and get the element bearers!"
Luna slowly shakes her head, watching the fight. "No mine sister...we need to drive these insects back! But why isn't our magic working?!"
"I don't know lulu! We need to run!" Celestia pleads. "This isn't a fight we can help the commander with!"
The changeling drone smacks hard into the wall beside the two alicorns, before sliding down it slowly. Talon picks up the pistol and leaps onto the changeling drone, then empties the clip into its skull. The blood and flesh splatters in a wide spread, the changeling falling limp and lifeless. He pants hard for a moment, before continuing to pummel the now dead changeling in anger.
Luna slowly rises to her hooves with great trouble, then weakly steps to him. "Mine flame...stop, it is dead! You have slain it!" She cries out, weakly attempting to pull the enraged human off of the dead parasite.
He finally gets up stops attacking it, ragged enraged breaths coming from him. He looks at her injuries, fury still within his eyes. "You going to be ok?" He asks slowly. He kneels down to her and embraces her gently. "I came as fast as I could Luna...I really did."
"I know my love, I know." She says quietly, holding him with her aching foreleg. "We hath never seen or encountered a hunter drone before...I pray there are not any more of those...Our magic isn't working on them. We were defenseless."
"It's not just you." He coughs out, looking her in the eyes. "Your guards had the same issue. The magic just bounces right off of them. The only way to bring these pests down is with steel or bullets. And I'm all out of bullets..." He says, annoyed while he checks the emptied clip.
The alicorn nods. "I'll get myself and mine sister to the infirmary...keep trying to drive the parasite away mine love. We will rejoin you as soon as our injuries are mended." She says through slow ragged breaths. Luna kisses him with her bloodied lips and muzzle before turning around and helping the elder white alicorn to her hooves. "Be careful mine flame!" She calls out. They watch as the pilot rushes out the door, holding a sword he scavenged from the rubble and a dead solar guard in the hallway.
* * * * *
Luna and Celestia limp slowly to the infirmary, the elder white alicorn leaning heavily against the night princess. Celestia was the first to be attacked by the massive drone, and had taken the worst of the hits when it had first entered. The two alicorns gasp when they enter the ward, disbelieving their eyes.
Doctor Life Flight rushes to them, his eyes wide. "What the hay happened?! I've heard explosions, and I have three solar guards here in my infirmary!" He desperately calls out.
Luna nods quickly and clears her throat, gasping for air. "We were attacked! A drone broke through the palace gates and attacked us in the throne room during mine sisters noon day court!" She helps her elder sister come to a rest upon the nearby gurnie in the room, then turns to the pegasus doctor. "Mine sister needs medical attention! See to her first!"
The pegasus frantically shakes his head yes, his mouth gaping wordlessly. "You need medical treatment too, princess!" He calls out. "Nurses! This way, over here!"
They hear screaming and moaning coming from behind them, a cyan pegasus carrying a heavily bleeding blond earth pony on her back. The cyan pegasus has one wing hanging down and bent the wrong direction, the other badly burned and the feathers melted.
"Some pony help!" Rainbow Dash screams out. "Help her please!" Tears are streaming down her muzzle. There is blood covering her entire right side, dripping quickly out from the earth ponies missing leg. "She's going to die! Help us!" She cries out.
Nurses and other medical ponies all rush the door, gingerly getting Applejack off of Rainbow Dashes back. They levitate her to one of the medical beds. "We need to get the bleeding to stop now, doctor! We're already losing her!" Nurse Redheart shrieks out.
Rainbow limps in, wailing loudly. "Help her please!" She sobs. "Don't let her die!"
"Miss Dash, what happened?!" Luna calls out, stepping to her. Blood trails from her own muzzle as she wearily looks at the cyan pegasus.
Rainbow sniffles and sobs, desperate as she watches the nurses roll her mare friend into a room quickly, others coming to her and inspecting the broken wings. The pegasus ignores the searing pain, her mind on Applejack. "The bugs! A few were in the restaurant AJ and I were having lunch at! They attacked and turned themselves into us! Then they exploded! The stupid waiter thought we were the changelings, and started attacking us! He hit AJ and hurt her! Her leg, it...it!" She starts to wail loudly, falling to her rump and burying her head in her hooves, sobbing and inconsolable.
Luna has a look of fierce determination upon her muzzle, turning and storming out of the hospital ward doors while the nurses are all busy with the other wounded. She has to get to Talon, she must protect her subjects. She closes her eyes and focuses her magic for a moment, sensing with her heart of where he is. She can feel the bauble with her mind, calling to her. The alicorn opens her eyes and gallops through the halls, racing to where the pilot is.
* * * * *
Talon breathes hard, running past building after building, disbelieving the carnage around him. Buildings everywhere are on fire, the once peaceful city now in flames from the attack. He curses loudly and runs, searching everywhere he can for any stray drones to kill.
Luna finds her way to him quickly galloping. She comes to his side and pants raggedly stopping. "Talon!" She calls out. "The elements! They've been--" She's cut off.
"I know Luna. I seen for myself. I'm looking for the others. Twilight is with the pink one and they're at the palace safe. I couldn't find Rarity or Flutters anywhere." He responds, coughing from the smoke. He hears a faint scream a short distance away, catching his attention. "This way!" He yells out, running in the direction.
Luna takes a deep gulp of air and gallops quickly after him, rushing to where she prays that the other two are. Hopefully in far better shape than the young farm pony was.
* * * * *
"Fluttershy! We have to get out of here darling!" Rarity screams out, dodging the falling burning debris all around her. The nearby window shatters from the heat of the flames licking the walls, causing her to jump in fright.
Fluttershy coughs, the smoke getting to her. The butter yellow pegasus crawls weakly, one of her hooves broken from bracing herself for impact against the wall she was sent into from the explosion. The fire is beginning to get out of control within the destroyed shop. The nearby racks full of fabric rolls suddenly catches fire, the plume of flame and heat knocking her down to the ground again.
"Ra--Rarity!" She coughs weakly. "Run! Save yourself and run away!" Fluttershy screams out, tears in her eyes. She struggles to her hooves to push forward. Her body is screaming pain within her, her side and belly bleeding heavily. Blood slowly flows out of the open wounds, trailing behind her onto the floor.
The white unicorn desperately looks around the burning room, seeing all of the exits and windows covered in a wall of fire. Panic begins to set in as she frantically searches for a way out. She gallops forward through the rising flames, leaping over a small work table on fire. She clears it safely, landing closely to the wounded pegasus. "No! I won't leave without you! I won't abandon you, dear!"
She alights her horn, lifting the butter yellow pegasus onto her back. She struggles under the added weight, coughing heavily from the smoke. It stings her eyes and nose, her lungs burning from it. The air around her is so thick with it, she can barely see a few feet in front of her muzzle despite the light from the fire and burning room.
Fluttershy loses consciousness upon Raritys back, falling limp as she hangs there. Rarity grits her teeth and desperately continues pushing forward, carefully side stepping what she can through her blurred vision. Her legs brush close against burning tables and small side fires within the shop, the searing pain of burning flesh ripping through her. She cries out in agony, but continues forward slowly.
"Hang in there darling! Just hang on!" Rarity cries out, craning her neck and glancing back at the passed out pegasus. "Fluttershy! Wake up! We're almost out of here!" She shrieks out. She turns her attention ahead again, seeing the doorway just ahead. As she steps forward again, a burning beam above her collapses, smacking her in the side and against a hot metal rack. She cries out in pain. She opens her eyes, still determined to save her friend.
She alights her horn desperately, grasping her butter yellow pegasus friend with all of her might within her magic, then tosses the unconscious mare out of the door and into the street, safely away from the fire. She gasps for breath and attempts to rise to her hooves again, determined to escape her fate.
The remainder of the column above her breaks free from its bonds, the edge landing upon her back and pinning her. The flames lick her flesh on her back and flank, the burning wood holding her down on her withers. She screams out in agony. The flames begin to singe and sear her fur and mane, the air being filled with the scent of burning flesh.
The pain is more than she can bare, her strength and life fading. She screws her eyes shut and cries out. She tries relighting her horn to move the debris pinning her down under its crushing weight, unable to make a field from her inability to focus.
Her eyes open as she hears a screeching sound just in front of her, praying it was one of her friends returning to rescue her. Her heart nearly stops within her barrel from what she sees. Standing over her with its fanged maw agape with a sardonic grin, was a drone.
* * * * *
Luna gallops beside the pilot, running to the sounds of the screaming. "We have to hurry mine flame!" She yells out, her eyes darting about as she sees various buildings on fire within her vision. Her heart is racing within her barrel as she runs harder than she ever has before.
"It came from this way!" He calls out in response, running to the sounds of screaming and panic. They come skidding to a stop in front of a shop, Fluttershy laying on her back in the open street. Her fur shows signs of scorching and soot, blood flowing out slowly from her sides and foreleg. He glances over her. "Luna, is she alive?!"
The midnight alicorn quickly scans her with her magic, then nods. "Yes, but barely. We have to get her to---" She's cut off as they hear another scream, the sounds of it loudly in the air nearby. Luna's blood runs cold. "There's some pony in there!" Her eyes wide in shock.
Talon looks through the fire, seeing movement and a black figure standing over a large section of wood. His eyes zero in on the movements, finally seeing a white hoof flailing wildly under the figure. He doesn't stop to think, just acts on instinct. He charges into the doorway, shielding himself with his arms as he leaps through the flames. His eyes go wide with shock, then narrow with anger as he finally registered whats going on.
Rarity is being mauled and attacked by a drone while pinned. Anger surges through his body as he charges forwards again, drawing back his fist and knocking the drone in the side of the head. He hits it so hard, the drones skull cracks wide open from the impact before it falls away and to the ground.
The screams have since gone quiet, only the sounds of the roaring fire around him, glass shattering and objects crashing to the ground. He coughs profusely, desperately searching the area around him for the now silent unicorn. There a few paces away in the smoke, he finds her.
The pilot rushes back over to the fallen beam, the flames licking at his body as he forces his way through the fallen and burning debris. He quickly grabs the beam on the bottom below the flames in an area just off of the unicorns side, straining with all of his might to lift and push it off of her. His face goes red, blood and power surge through his muscles as he fights with all of his strength to move the heavy ashen beam. It budges finally. With a mighty heave he pushes it back, casting it to the floor. Pain rips through his arms and legs from overexertion.
He picks up the limp body of the unicorn into his arms, cradling her there as he turns, looking for the exit. He can feel the warm flows of her blood seeping into his ruined fatigues. He coughs raggedly from the smoke, rushing back through the wall of flames and leaping through the door way again, crashing hard and rolling into the street with the lifeless body of Rarity in tow.
"Talon!" Luna calls out, rushing to him. He's coughing and wheezing from the exhaustion and smoke. No time to rest however. He gingerly rolls the unicorn on her back, feeling her bleeding throat for a pulse. He can't sense one. New problem; she's not breathing.
He quickly looks her over, noting the severe damage to her back and sides, the deep cuts on her muzzle and face, her throat and the deep slash upon her chest. Thinking quickly, he tilts the fashionistia's head back slightly and aligns her airway, before taking a deep breath and forcing his own air into her through her lips.
Luna's eyes open wide with shock, flabbergasted at watching this. "Mine flame! What are you doing?!" She asks, both surprised and confused. She watches as he continuously switches from what she thinks is a kiss to putting his ear to her chest, then pressing down on it several times and repeating the action. As she's storming to him, the unicorns eyes shoot open and she coughs loudly, gasping for breath as she comes to life and turns onto her side.
He stops administering CPR to her and leans back, giving her space. He coughs and turns to the midnight alicorn and points to Rarity weakly with his dirty and bloodied hands, then grins. "That."
Talon pants and rises to his feet again, then bends down and picks up the white unicorn in his arms once more. "Luna, we need to get these two to the palace medical bay as soon as we can. Pick up Fluttershy and lets go!" He calls out, turning and starting to run raggedly with her in his arms.
Luna nods, still unsure. She levitates the butter yellow pegasus onto her back, draping her like saddle bags and securing her within her magical grasp. She then gallops after the pilot, rushing back to the palace.
* * * * *
Twilight fires bolt after bolt at the changelings, fighting them back with the solar guards, two of the insects have gotten passed the security perimeter and are making a move onto the crippled warbird. Pinkie leaps around in fight, bucking and kicking wildly at the drones. She kicks one in the jaw and sends it into a nearby tree.
"Princess, fall back! Get out of here and leave these to us!" Captain Jolt Flash yells out. He clutches the spear in his hooves, charging forward with his wings wide open.
"Pinkie! Run!" Twilight yells out, firing another volley of magic at the drones. The bolts defect harmlessly off of their glossy black bodies, ricocheting against the palace walls and trees. The two drones come together in the center of the courtyard just past the taxi way of the grounds, both laughing loudly and chattering. Their horns begin to glow brightly.
Pinkie gallops as quickly as she can, her eyes wide with terror. "Twilight, lets get out of here!!" She screams. The ground is rocked with an explosion, opening a massive crater and smoke in the area where the drones once were. Jolt had tackled the alicorn to the ground, shielding her with his body as chunks of stone and earth fly their way, bouncing off of his armor.
When the two turn and watch the dust settle, they see a bottomless crater billowing smoke, and the palace guards and pink earth pony missing now. Twilight gasps in horror. "No....NO! PIIIIIINNNNKKKIIIIIEEEE!!!!!!"
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