//------------------------------// // 65 - Spire // Story: Re:Harmony // by starcross7 //------------------------------// Chapter 65 - Spire High up from his vantage point they appeared as ants.  An entire race of servile crystalline Earthians orderly marched single file through each of the colosseum's six entrances.  There were a dozen of unicorns among them as well, but he harbored no love for them.  Their blood had already been defiled by generations of interbreeding since the unicorns’ arrival into the Empire.   The first set piece had been deployed and ready.  The second set piece floated between its two control pillars in the center of the floor.  The third set piece lay in a bulb-like container suspended from the ceiling at the end of the chamber.  A profusion of wires wrapped around her horn.  Her wings were clamped shut, and her hooves shackled by a nigh-unbreakable diamond wire.  It was a pity, really.  The beautiful and young Queen, beloved by her subjects, willingly complied to his demands under duress for the sake of her stepdaughters.  He needed her, but not for any physical intercourse, though the temptation did tickle his fancies.  She was the Pillar of the Empire, and as the Pillar, the Crystal Heart could not be tamed by anypony but her.   The fourth set piece had arrived when Shining Armor hovered the diamond-like Greed Gem into a diamond-shaped slot on the console, which was being controlled by the likes of the twin Viziers.  The gem was a gift from the leader of the Diamond Dogs for allowing them into the Empire.  The inclusion of guns, tanks, and Gaean technology were welcome perks, but he loathed having any of the mutts dirtying their paws on the splendor of the Crystal Empire.  He drearily hoped that they and the Crystal Rebels would end up mutually annihilating themselves.  Then the victor of their little spat would suffer tortures beyond imaginable he planned for them.   Then there was Sunset Shimmer, the pretend princess.  Already she had taken the royal jewels for herself, and parading them before Shining Armor’s deadpan eyes.  Hopefully, she would be rid of once the invasion was complete.   “The last of them have arrived, your highness,” said Flim.   “Ninety-five percent of the population has been accounted for,” said Flam.  “That should be enough for a devastating demonstration, I might say.” “So who should we hit first?  Gaea?  Pegasopolis?” “Perhaps we should, as they say in the outside world, flip a coin?” Shimmer grinned.  “Shining darling, you still have that one 'bit' coin on you, right?” “Mm, hm.”  From his armor's pockets, the blue-maned and white unicorn levitated one of those cheap metal foreign currency into Shimmer’s magical hold.  The mustard-orange unicorn gleefully flipped the coin in the air, which then plunk against the glass prison of the Crystal Queen Cadenza and then landed after a brief spin.   “What’s it say?” asked Flam.   “Heads,” replied Flim.   “Heads?  So we’re targeting Gaea or Pegasopolis?”   “Heads mean heaven,” said Shimmer, “although I strongly want to annihilate the lot of those Earthians in fell swoop for endangering our race.” “In due time,” said Shining Armor, “but it would be strategic to strike Pegasopolis first, to make them think it was Gaea who did it.” “Hey, you’re right.  Let the equine vultures and the mud ponies kill each other before we take over.  All right Flim and Flam, fire the Spire Cannon.  Target: Pegasopolis!” How foolish.  They readily obeyed her command as if she was already queen.  The twin Viziers fiddled with the complex controls of the console made from a mishmash of CrystalTech and industrial Earthian technology.  Switches flipped.  Speakers blipped.  Buttons pounded, and soon a moving image magically materialized before their eyes.   Past the safety of Shining Armor’s magic barrier was a view of the blizzard, and the twins cast a spell to filter out all the snow flurries for a clearer view.  The cloudlands of Pegasopolis were still distant, but Flim and Flam twisted several mechanical dials and zoomed in to get a clear shot of the winged nation’s most important fortress: Black Cloud.   “Black Cloud in focus,” said Flim.   “Adjusting targeting system to compensate with planetary curvature and weather anomalies,” added Flam.   “Begin charging Spire Cannon.” He listened as silence gave way to the agonizing screams of thousands whose emotional energies were violently sucked from their souls.  He could even feel the heat of power emanating from the colosseum, which then routed through its crystalline leylines and into the Crystal Castle.  The power spun the Crystal Heart in its vertical axis madly, and the same power was then routed into the core being of the Crystal Queen who started wailing in agony.   The wires carried the power from the Crystal Queen and into the control console, feeding into the avarice of the Greed Gem.  It glowed dark red, and after twin Viziers pulled the final switch together, the power of the Empire flowed into the fully armed and operational Spire Cannon.   The five now bore witness to the firepower of the Spire Cannon shooting from the top and piercing through the Empire’s barrier.  In an instant, the dark rainbow ray tore through dozens of cloud ships, pegasii, and other winged vermin as it reached its target.   Alas, it was off by about a kilometer or so, but to their awe, the Spire Cannon beautifully stuck down a large cloudland, causing it to collapse and burning from within.  The Five expressed their triumph with beaming smiles as they watched the equine vultures flee in terror like frightened larks.  If this could strike down one massive cloudland, one could only begin to imagine the sustained firepower when one hundred percent of the population was enslaved.   Time to go down to the mines.   Everything should be fine.  The Diamond Dogs were defeated.  Their factory was destroyed.  And the slaves were freed.  Yet Applejack and Pinkie Pie watched in confusion Rarity wailing on a neatly arranged straw mat placed upon a lounge-like throne made out of rock.  The way she kicked all four hooves in the air appeared comically dramatic, but adorable at the same time.  She wasn't wounded to say the least, and her mascara was running a bit.   "My dearest Princess," bowed Spike.  "What has happened to you?" “THEY SHOT MY TAIL OFF!” Rarity declared.   “Seriously?” asked Applejack as she cocked one of her eyebrows up.  In retrospect, she shouldn’t have said her thoughts out loud since North Star glared at the orange mare for such callous insolence.  Yet when Pinkie Pie waved at her, the maidservant squeaked and shrank back to hide behind the rock throne.  Indeed, Rarity was missing most of her tail, and what had been lobbed off was gathered in a straw basket that Opalescence snuggled into like a warm blanket.   “Yes, it’s true!” cried Rarity.  “Here I was protesting the ungodly conditions we ponies were forced to slave in.  I mean, have you seen these rusty harnesses?  Let’s not forget their gaudy guns and the lackluster bullets that were in them.” “They shot your tail off because of that?” “Yes!” cried Fido, the tall and gangly Diamond Dog, who was coraled and cornered with the others.  A few of the freed ponies kept guard over them with spears and guns.   “I mean, no!" he corrected.  "It was an accident.” “Accident?” asked Applejack.   “Spot didn’t wanna shoot her because he wanted to cover his ears from all the whining.  I didn’t wanna shoot her ‘cause boss ways we might use her for hostage negotiations.” “Big Fido here and I got in fight,” said Spot, the smaller and loud Diamond Dog.  “Bullets went off, but nopony got hurt.” “Nopony got hurt?” asked Rarity.  “You buffoons shot my tail off!  Do you realize that half my collection of ribbons and hair clips have been rendered useless?  They’ll go out of style way before my tail grows back!” “Please foreign ponies!” begged Fido.  “Take her away from us!” “Or shoot us!” cried Spot.   “There ain’t no pleasure or honor in killing you dogs since y’all been defeated,” said Applejack, “but honestly, this is a hilariously fitting punishment for you Diamond Dogs.  Still, I do wanna ask you some questions.” “We’re contractors,” said Fido.  “Hired guns.  We don’t know anything.” “I brought the leader in,” said Ingrid as she and her sister Bella dragged in a rope-bound Red Rover.  “He’s not talking.” Puffed, beaten, and bruised, Red Rover of the Diamond Dogs retained a defiant grin as he faced his accusers and judges.  Applejack had thought of using her Sword of Truth to pry information out of him, but chances were high that that parts of mind was already erased by the cabal’s magic.  Apple Bloom and Fluttershy might have been fortunate to be spared from the Sword of Truth’s wrath, but the orange pony did not want to have another repeat of Photo Finish.   "Ingrid, Bella," said Applejack.  "Take care of things here.  Pinks, you're with me.  Let's go!" "Who the hay elected you leader?" asked Ingrid.  "Hey!" For all Applejack cared, the slaves were freed, and the two Unicorn Hunters would be enough to handle the captured Diamond Dogs as things settled.  The orange pony galloped before anypony besides Pinkie Pie caught up to her, but then she heard two more sets from a quadruped runner.  It wasn’t like she didn’t want the Unicorn Hunters’ help, but she had no time to argue with them.   Not far behind, she saw Rarity closing in.  For a lady, she was quick.  Quick enough to gallop.  Quick to dry her tears and reapply her mascara.  Not far behind Rarity was Spike and Angel Bunny riding on Winona’s back.  And not too far behind Winona was Gummy riding on Opalescence’s back.  Owlowiscious flew on ahead.  Their help was welcome, but it wasn’t necessary for the Diamond Princess to accompany them in their quest.   “Princess, we got this covered,” said Applejack.   “On the contrary,” said Rarity.  “You need my help to find your way back to the Castle.” “Weren’t you cryin’ over your missing tail?  And wouldn’t your maidservant be worried about you right now?” “I thought about it, and realized that short tails might be in this season.  And I gave Lady North Star the slip even though I offered her to come along.  Something about Lady Pinkie Pie being too… Well, anyway, I must insist, Lady Applejack.  I want to put a stop to the cabal who’s trying to take over my beloved Empire.  Please don’t think of me as an ordinary Princess.  I can fight just as well as you do.” “And eat as well as I do!” Pinkie exclaimed.  “I’m watching you, sister.” “Of course, of course, but let’s try to refrain from speaking about that mess we caused in Underton again.  I do want to request something out of you two.” “Of course!  What are friends for?” “I am glad you think of me as such despite our misunderstandings, and I’m certain you have your reasons from withholding information upon our first meeting.  Lady Applejack and Lady Pinkie Pie, all that has been going on so far is so much to take in that I myself could not believe it.  Please, tell me everything that you know about the outside world, and I want the real truth this time.”   It was an effort to explain, as best they could, the truth about the outside world while galloping through many tunnels and numerable stairwells back into the castle catacombs.  Both Applejack and Pinkie Pie took turns telling Rarity.  The orange farm pony started out with cold hard facts, and Pinkie Pie often took over, injecting her whimsically colorful recollection of the events of the start of Applejack’s journey.  Oddly, Pinkie Pie knew specific details about Applejack’s first meeting with Twilight Sparkle, which greatly surprised the orange mare since she only told the abridged version to her pink friend.  Pinkie Pie especially knew about the Twilight's mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.   Yet Pinkie’s own brand of storytelling could not brighten the dark truth of the world Rarity fantasized so much about.  The Winter Famine.  The Great Pony War.  The near-extinction of the unicorns.  And the brutal experimentation committed by the pony scientists in the Labs.  Even at a galloping pace, the orange pony could see the growing sullenness befalling upon the Diamond Princess.  Once or twice she had to stop to collect herself, and there were subtle hints of Rarity refraining from throwing up from the gory details that were told.   “How?” she asked.  “How could ponies hurt Sir Spike in such a manner?  And the unicorns nearly extinct?  I could understand why the cabal would want to invade the outside world.” “But they’re forcin' your own ponies to fight against their will, usin' them as energy and whatnot,” said Applejack.  “Just like my own government forcibly drafting many of my cousins just so they could die in the front lines, and they killed those who refused to fight.”   "And if the Crystal Empire comes out of hiding," said Pinkie, "there's gonna be an all-out war with Pegasopolis and Gaea thrown into the mix.  It'll be like, bang!  Zoom!  Dudududududududududu--aw, you got me!  You got me in the pancreas!" "Which is why need the Elements of Creation to put a stop of the war before the two countries--" "Now three…" "...Three countries annihilate each other.  But first we gotta rescue Twi' and put a stop to this cabal's plans.  We don't want a third country upsettin' the power balance."   "Then I must offer sincerest apologies for getting you mixed up in our Empire's politics," said Rarity.  "If there is anything I can do to help…" "You can tell us if we're goin' in the right path," said Applejack.   "Yeah," said Pinkie.  "Are we at a dead end?" "Sorry about that," said Rarity.  "This way, please."   A moment ago, Applejack saw her lurching against the ancient crystalline prison bars with Spike fanning her with a makeshift fan made of neatly-arranged straw.  The Diamond Princess suddenly straightened up and daintily trotted over to a blank wall and pressed a hidden switch to reveal a hidden stairwell.  From thereon, she led her companions up into a brightly-lit and familiarly open area.   Then right when her front hoof tapped the ground floor, all the ponies felt the entirety of the castle rumble ominously.  Yet there was something else about it that perturbed everypony.  Rarity felt it.  Pinkie felt it.  Geosense or not, Applejack could feel the cries of thousands upon thousands crying out in agony and eventually subliming into silence.  She could still feel them groaning in pain and wishing for the end.   “You felt that didn’t you?” Rarity asked.   Applejack nodded.  The agreement between the three mares compelled them to move on and move faster.  Yes, this cavernous room was familiar.  This was the same place they had set up the pop-up infirmary of the many injured guards suffered under the Crystal Rebels.  Thinking back at that time made Applejack a little incensed at being defeated by them, but that only strengthened her resolve to hurry and save the Empire so she could kick their flanks in retaliation.  Or in good sport.   From the multi-purpose hall, they emerged into the foyer leading up to the first floor, and yet the three mares, the baby dragon, and the animal companions had yet to run into a castle guard.  Something didn’t feel right, and as anxious as they were, they could not help but slow their own advance as the ominous silence grew.  The cabal was laying a trap, but what it was, nopony knew.   They had no time to dwell, and as much as they didn’t want to, it kept their minds occupied and paranoid.  Upon starting their ascent to the second floor, Applejack felt a blast of aura pressure sparking up through her hooves.  At this stage, she could either make a dash up or slowly turn around and face their pursuers.   Crystal Rebels Castle and Quicksilver stood on the very same floor Applejack had fought them on their first encounter, and their appearance was anything but pleasant.  Applejack quickly summoned her Sword of Truth to quickly parry Quicksilver's speedy strike of her dagger in speeds rivaling that of Pinkie PIe.  The eyes in the yellowish crystal pony were devoid of all known emotion and glowed briefly green before she spun around for an attempt to stab the orange pony in the back.  Barely did Applejack avoid a serious wound by rolling back down to the first floor to safety, but she ended up receiving a long and shallow cut on her leg.  This wasn’t the same Quicksilver she encountered in the streets.  Nor was it the same Castle who pounded and shattered the floor in his bid to pulverize the skate-assisted Pinkie Pie.  Their tactics were drastically different, with the agile pony going against the strong pony, and vice versa.  With her and Pinkie Pie busy battling the hypnotized Crystal Rebels, she hoped that Rarity, Spike, and their animal friends would decide to advance further without them… No… They were running towards her direction.  They were scattering.  What were they doing?  And now growing like Hellroots from the floors and walls were obsidian equine golems marching in to block everypony’s escape.  Their appearance were jagged, spiky, and altogether demonic.  Their slow and lumbering movements and relatively brittle nature were disadvantages Applejack and Pinkie Pie took advantage of, and that allowed them to smash a few with their Geosense strength.  But they were numerous, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie still had to fend off against the Quicksilver and Castle respectively.  The others weren't faring much better, and as the golems' numbers swelled, Applejack found herself separated from her group.   "BLAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Following an equine roar, a dozen or so Obsidian Golems were tossed into the air.  Many of them landed around Applejack and many more shattering upon striking Castle who remained standing and unfazed thanks to his Geosense abilities.  That did nothing to slow down the pony heroines' demise, but things did start looking up when the crack of a large caliber bullet ripped a straight path that shattered any of the black golems into dust in its wake.  Two more shots widened the path, and Applejack found her companions.  Then it soon became clear that at one end of the floor lay Ingrid in a prone position with an anti-materiel rifle slotted on her left shoulder.  Standing close to her was a black stallion they thought to be dead.  His head was bandaged, and his royal red cloak was now dirtied and torn.   “Father?" Rarity asked.  "You’re alive?”   “Don’t worry about me right now," he said.  "The Empire must be saved, my daughter.  Save them from--” A pair of Obsidian Golems cut him short by attempting their lunge at his Highness, who then bucked them high up into the air.  As he fought more, Ingrid fired more shots to shatter more golems, but they kept on growing out of the walls and surfaces.  At the very least, she was clearing a path for the others to run through.   "And this is why I don't take orders from you, Rebel Applejack," said Ingrid.  "'Cause you always get into stupid messes like this!" "Go now!" Umbra cried.  "To the throne room!  We'll hold them off!" The heroines accepted Ingrid's and the King's charity, and pressed forward up towards the stairs.  The brainwashed Quicksilver turned her attention towards the new challengers, leaving Castle and his troop of Obsidian Golems blocking the last few steps to the second floor.  Clever boy.  His Geosense abilities turned him into an impenetrable wall that Applejack and her friends would have trouble passing through, despite their full day's worth of training.  Before anypony could even make a move, Applejack felt a breeze in her rear turn into a burst of heat.  Bright green flames surrounded her body, and she felt her entire being wafting in intense heat until she emerged on an empty floor with Rarity and Pinkie Pie.   "That was interesting," said Rarity after fixing her mane.   Dragon teleportation.  Obviously it was Spike's doing, and the little guy managed to get Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie a little further.  The little guy and the animal companions were still on the stairwell gnawing on and weighing down Castle and his Obsidian Golems with all their struggling efforts.  Even so, Spike's determined stare gestured the heroines to keep on moving.  Rarity didn't for all her concerns and hesitation for the little guy, and that forced Applejack to nudge her in the rear out towards the tall doors of the throne room.  Just when they thought they had a clear entrance, more of the abominable Obsidian Golems grew from the walls and floor in spades.  Applejack and Pinkie Pie smashed several as they pressed forward, but more of these creatures appeared, reappeared, reformed, and sometimes merged into multi-legged and multi-headed abominations of various sizes.  The throne room was so close, and yet so far.   "Isn't there another way in?" Applejack asked.   "There is the top window," said Rarity, "but it's too high up." "Good enough for me," said Pinkie PIe.  “Rarity!  AJ!  Get on my back!” “Pink," said Applejack, "what are you--oh, no.  Can’t you think of somethin' else?" “Pinkie Gear Special Ability #2: Van Der Waals Wheels!  Vroom!” The pink pony vanished in a pink blur, and less than half a second later the pink blur picked up Rarity.  Half a second later, Applejack felt the full force of Pinkie Power blasting her through space as they rode along the walls and the ceiling with nauseating dizziness.  As they neared the stained glass window leading into the throne room, the Obsidian Golems, as invasive as roaches, grew and stuck themselves around it.   "Pesky golems!" Pinkie cried.  "Sorry gals, you'll have to go on without me.  Say hi to Twilight when you see her."   Nopony could protest Pinkie's action or plan, should she have one, and the speedy pony launched Applejack and Rarity into the air in mid-run and upside-down.  The orange and white mares crashed through the stained glass, the illuminated service catwalk, and then shattered through the other window leading into the throne room.  Applejack grabbed hold of the ledge to save herself from falling, and Rarity's magical assistance lifted her back to safety.   "Thanks," said Applejack.  "But do you have a spell that can lower us down safely?" "Alas, my magic is more tuned to sewing needles and putting Sweetie Belle to bed," said Rarity.   Time was running out.  The Obsidian Golems began growing from within the service catwalk and dragged their black hooves towards the two mares.  Rarity started flinging glass fragments at the advancing enemy, leaving Applejack to take one look back down to the floor of the throne room.  Certainly this was a huge drop towards a pristine crystal floor.  But if Geonsense could make ponies as hard as a rock, then it could make rock as soft as pillows.   "Lady Applejack, what are you doing!" Applejack gulped and took a leap of faith to dive headfirst to what might be her demise.  But she wasn't afraid.  She was supremely confident, but was also mindful that she must execute this technique with the utmost perfection or the worst would happen.  The approaching ground responded to her call, and in turn Applejack held out her front hooves.  Their tips tapped the ground, and in that instant she spun around, landed, crouched, and slid backwards into a graceful halt.   "Jump, Rarity!" Applejack cried.   "It's too high!" "Honest to goodness truth, I will catch you!  Now, hurry!" Even from down there, Applejack could now see the Golems clawing at rarity with their obsidian hooves.  The way she swayed back and forth at the ledge made Applejack think that the Diamond Princess was more focused in trying to protect her mane instead of her life.  Soon she gave in and plunged herself from high up, but her fall was far from graceful.  She flailed all four of her legs as she wailed wildly.  Her corkscrew descent caused Applejack unintended panic, forcing the orange pony to circle around to anticipate such a risky catch.  But she was going to catch the Diamond Princess.  She had to, or else she would not live with herself for failing to do so.   Crack!  Rarity slammed onto her back with her back, and nearly gored Applejack's forehead with her horn.  She rolled off safely and quickly fixed up her mane after a brief rest while Applejack reeled from the smarts she suffered.  Her Stetson hat had been smashed, but nothing like a good punch out would easily fix.   "My apologies!" cried Rarity.  "I promise that I'll fix your hat and lose a few pounds in the next month."   The orange pony grumbled.  Of all the dangers Rarity faced, all she could think about was her weight and her mane.  At least she kept her cool, relatively speaking.  The Obsidian Golems from above did not jump down to resume their chase, and Applejack expected them to grow out from the walls and floor of the throne room when they retreated back.  Yet they didn't.  Despite the outside explosions and the chaos of their friends' battles, the throne room remained still, silent, and shimmering.   Then to Applejack's delight, she found Twilight sitting off to the side.   "Twi, you're okay!" she cried out.   The purple unicorn did not move.  Since Applejack and Rarity's landing, Twilight had been sitting and staring at appeared to be a doorway to a blank wall.   "Quit jokin' around, Sugarcube.  Our friends need our help!" She still did not move.  Applejack grunted over anger and desperation and started a gallop over to her dearest friend.  But one magical blast to her hooves stopped her from reuniting with Twilight, and then she heard the sound of two mustard-yellow hooves clapping against one another.   Like a tyrant queen, Sunset Shimmer sat on the throne sipping red wine from its glass while an armored Shining Armor stood by with a cold and emotionless expression.   “Good morning ladies,” smiled Shimmer, “and welcome to death!”