//------------------------------// // The Hero's Fall // Story: War of the Fallen Race // by PegasusKlondike //------------------------------// The ponies all awoke to their normal routine, reapply the spell, become humans and wash up for breakfast. They trudged to the mess hall at their appointed time to have the horrid breakfast of yeast cultures and reconstituted mystery mash. Perfectly normal morning, considering the definitions of 'normal' had been thrown out the window several centuries ago. Returning to their apartment to prepare for work detail, none of them expected what happened next. Klaxons blared as a message was played over the P.A. system. Warning, system override engaged. Containment Procedures aborted. All entrances open. "What's that mean Aaron?" asked a frantic Rarity who had her palms to her ears. He stood incredulously, his mouth slightly agape as he realized what it meant. "It means we are free, the doors have opened. We can return to the surface." All around him were dimmed cheers of people who craved their freedom from the oppressive underground Vault. Another voice came over the P.A., not a computerized voice this time, it was General McGoff. "All unassigned soldiers report to the armory, arm yourselves and begin reconnaissance of the areas surrounding Stronghold." "We don't have much time! Grab the Elements and lets get you all out of here!" They each grabbed their own Element, throwing it around their neck or in a pocket. Leaving Dr. Mcentyre behind, the seven charged out of their apartment, running full speed for the main door to Lazarus. Violently pushing people out of his way, Aaron led the way as they entered the main area of Lazarus. The stasis modules had all been cleared from the area, but throngs of people replaced them, all eager to get to the surface. A line of soldiers blocked the way at the main door, preventing any civilians or scientists from leaving before the area was declared clear. Without thought he grabbed all the magic in his arsenal, his hands and eyes glowing with his determination. A shout called out. "Stop them! They are the enemy in disguise!" It was the biologist from yesterday, carrying an omega detector that screamed out as it homed in on the magically infused pony women. The soldiers noticed the glow of magic coming from Aaron, raising their weapons they shouted to him as he charged ahead. "Dr. Patterson, stand down! You are infected!" With an outward push of his magic all of the soldiers were thrown to either side. People screamed as they saw his magic, nearly trampling one another to get out of his way. He and his friends exited the main door of Lazarus, charging up the stairs to reach the surface. They ran as fast as they could up the seemingly endless staircase, the true light of day becoming brighter with every step. They reached the ground floor of the main building, with a curse Aaron realized the lifts were working again, and a squad of soldiers was most likely on their way up right now. They dashed through the building to the light of day. Out on the tarmac a hole began to scrape open as the lifts started bringing out helicopters. With a final burst of speed they reached the front gate of Stronghold, he ripped it open with what magic he could summon. "Run! I'll hold them back. Go straight east until you find your army!" "We won't leave you behind! You're coming with us!" shouted Rainbow Dash as she grabbed his arm. "No, leave me! All that matters is that you get to safety." Rainbow Dash held on to him. "But you promised!" He threw his arms around Dashie, hugging her tight. "Sometimes we have to break promises to those we love most," he whispered to her. Rainbow broke away, joining her companions on the forests edge, they hesitated, then ran to the forest, all except Twilight. "Aaron, I won't leave you." "You have to Twilight, tell Princess Celestia and Princess Luna what you saw here, make them see us as more than monsters." She grabbed his head with both hands and planted her lips directly onto his cheek. Though brief, her kiss gave him strength. She broke away from him, turning to run to the forest, back to her own kind. His eyes burned with his own personal brand of magic. Aaron heard the rising roar of a helicopter engine starting up. He turned back to base, summoning every scrap of magic he grabbed onto the gunship. It groaned and strained in his grip, threatening with every second to break free. He growled as he tried to prevent it from pursuing his friends. Hands extended into the grips he had on the chopper, he strained with every fiber of his being. A squad of soldiers in full combat dress emerged from the main building, they dropped to shooting positions and began to fire. Bullets whizzed past him as he held onto the helicopter, coming close but never hitting. He diverted a single hand to encapsulate the soldiers in a shield. More soldiers were pouring out from every possible exit to Lazarus, another helicopter came up from the lifts to take the skies. Though taxed to every limit, he diverted his shield to capture the other chopper, though his hold on both could not hold long. The fire from the soldiers returned, a bullet grazing his thigh. Screaming in pain, he let go of his grip on the helicopters and threw a hand to his bleeding hip. Time slowed down, he looked to see yet another of the helicopters taking to the sky, entire battalions of soldiers approaching him. In his mind he saw their faces, the beautiful faces of all those he loved. With a primal shout he threw his hands back up, his shield weakly preventing any more soldiers from coming closer. A shot rang out and a bullet struck him in the shoulder like a fist. A third shot came and hit his shin. His mouth was wide with screams of pain that could not come. Falling to his knees, Aaron hoped he had given them enough time. Time was still slow from his point of view, he saw the boots of soldiers charge past him in pursuit of the six Elements. One pair walked, and stopped in front of him. Aaron lifted his head to see Commander Pilotte aiming an assault rifle at his forehead. He lowered it. "Why Aaron? They are the enemy, you were a hero to us. Why have you turned against us?" Choking on blood, Aaron struggled to speak. He coughed a crimson spray, blood pouring from his wounds. "For........Harmony." Pilotte was torn, Aaron was his friend. But he was also one of them, flinging his magic about like one of the enemy. He barked orders to some of his soldiers. "You three! Take Dr. Patterson to sick-bay, then to a prison cell. Keep Tesla units on him at all times." For Aaron, the world went black. ********************************************************************************** The six embodiements of the Elements crashed through the brush, their only thoughts being of getting to safety and of their friend who had sacrificed himself for them. They knew now that the humans knew of their true identities as the enemy. They ducked branches and leapt logs, and soon the smell of desert air wafted through the forest. "We're close! Keep running!" A white and gold blur slammed down in front of them, holding a spear level with their chests. Several more fell from the skies to surround the friends. "Well, what do we have here? A pack of demons out on a hunt?" a familiar voice called to them. A grizzled warrior walked out from the forest shadows. An aged pegasus that had the scars of many campaigns decorating his face and hide with the armor of a commander. "Sir, we are friends! We know you commander!" cried Rainbow Dash. "Don't talk to me demon! Your kind have our people prisoner, and I will not rest until they return to us! I will take all but one of you prisoner, the last one of you will return to your leaders and tell them our demands. Your life for those of the Elements!" Twilight called to him. "Sir, we are the Embodiements! We have the Elements!" she pulled the Tiara of Magic from her pocket, presenting it to the commander. He looked with confusion. "How do you have the Elements demon? HAVE YOU MURDERED THE MARES THAT BORE THEM?!?!" He whipped out a sword in anger that his beloved Elements may have been harmed. "We are the mares that bear them you nitwit! We took on human form for our safety!" shouted Rarity. Recognition dawned in his eyes, the not so subtle similarities to their pony forms becoming evident. "My ladies! How is this possible?" "We used a spell for our own safety, now take us back to the army!" "Yeah! There are thousands of them behind us!" screamed Pinkie. "Thousands of what?" "Humans, a whole dang army of 'em." A faraway crack sounded and a tree near Applejack's head burst in a shower of splinters. "On our backs! Now!" screamed the commander as more of the invisible projectiles hit trees and rocks around them. Jumping on the pegasi scouts, the six friends earned their wings as they took to the skies. ************************************************************** "By the Princesses...." the lone scout watched from his nimbus perch as The Army of Man poured out of hiding. They were like a swarm of insects, thousands of them emerging from every building as they fanned outward into the forest. Like a black wave they would consume whatever got in their path, relentless in their revenge. And then the monsters came. Great flying machines with blades for wings took to the skies, the din of their mechanical parts worse than the roar of any dragon. From the demon's holes came out thickly armored things that trundled across the ground. Great snouts of metal on top of impenetrable hides of steel. The human army began to bring out their heavy weapons, large versions of the weapons that they carried in their hands. "There is no hope, we cannot win." With his life in danger, the scout turned tail and fled back to the pony army. *************************************************************** "Princess! We have rescued the Embodiements!" a single warrior shouted into Celestia's command center. The army was in position at the borders to the Demon Lands, waiting for the enemy to rear their heads. Celestia and Luna looked to one another, then charged out to see her student who she had damned to the hands of the humans on the night of the Gala. "Twilight? Twilight Sparkle?!" she called out as she ran to the pavilion that they had been brought to. She ignored dignity, she ignored station, all Princess Celestia wanted was to see the student that had become like her daughter. Throwing open the flaps to the tent, her smile changed to a look of horror as six humans stared back at her. "Princess!" one shouted, throwing her arms around Celestia's neck. Though completely tolerant of humans, Celestia recoiled when the strange female human addressed her. Recognition dawned as she looked upon her student, then anger. "Twilight! What have you done!? What have you become!?" The human that was Twilight fell back, a look of hurt on her round human eyes. "I'm....I'm a human Princess. We were trapped in the Vault where the rest of the humans were and we became like them to fit in." "You have become one of them Twilight! I held back their memory for a reason, the evil their kind are capable of was the reason Mother decided to pacify them. They collapsed in on themselves!" she shouted to her student. Celestia's horn glowed with magic, a wave pulsed out and struck the six women. Their bodies shimmered and changed back to their normal forms. "You will go back to Ponyville this instant!" "But-" "No 'buts' young mare! You have done your part in this War, now go home before I see fit to take you back to Canterlot!" Though glad to see them alive, Celestia had to be harsh on them. She turned to leave. "...No." She stopped in mid step, her wings outspread in anger for her student's defiance. Celestia turned back to her student, her eyes glowering at the unicorn. "And just why not Twilight?" "We saw the good in humanity, they aren't monsters!" "Yeah, they're kind and peaceful!" shouted Pinkie. "They are a loving people Celestia, I have seen it!" said Rarity. "They're afraid, that's all. If we show them a little kindness they won't be afraid of us anymore," said Fluttershy as she hovered in front of the Princess' face. Rainbow Dash shoved Fluttershy out of the way to hover in front of the Princess. "Yeah, they're like me! Rough on the outside, but gentle and loyal inside!" Applejack pushed aside Rainbow Dash. "They're good and honest folk, but like Fluttershy said, they're just scared. I may not be as bright as y'all, but I know a decent person when I find one.They love their families and love livin' itself. They just want ta live Princess, that's all. And I sure as shoot wouldn't mind takin a step back to give them room to live." Twilight walked up to the Princess. "Princess, all my life I've never doubted you. Since the day I saw you raise the sun, I knew that you were powerful and wise. But today, these past few days, I've learned something. I've learned to doubt you. You say that those creatures, no, those people are vile and cruel monsters. Well, I've walked a mile in their shoes, I've seen them bring new life into this world. I know that they are people who have made mistakes, and I know that they are people who are just afraid and alone. For the first time in my life, I doubt you. Princess, please. Just look into my memories, see what I saw, see how good they can be. Give them another chance." Princess Celestia sighed in resignation, though she was still angry with Twilight, she loved her enough to do one small thing for her. "Countless times I have seen the folly of Man, but countless more have I seen what they are capable of when they use their hearts, and not their anger. I will look into your mind Twilight, but this is the only leniency I grant you." Her horn glowed white, and Celestia leaned to touch her student's horn. She held contact for a minute, various expressions crossing her face as she viewed the new humanity from Twilight's eyes. The bond between student and master was lifted, and Celestia opened her eyes. "Did he really do it? Did he really make their hearts whole and pure?" "He died once to give them purity, and he died again to give us freedom." Twilight's voice trembled, sure that her friend had died saving them. "Do not give death such credit, from my experience Aaron has more will to live than anypony else that I know. Now rest, the journey back to Ponyville is long." "But we can't go yet Princess Celestia, he still needs us." "Twilight, this place is about to be a war zone, if anything I should have you sent to Kali'Gryph at the very least!" Twilight finally acquiesced to her master, "If you so desire....my liege." And with the formality came the pain, Celestia had lost her student, her bright, beloved, intelligent Twilight had forsaken her. ********************************************************************** He felt separate, distant from his own soul. They had taken him to sick-bay, given him a rough shot of anesthesia and dug out the bullet lodged in his shoulder. They stitched him up and gave him another shot to ease the anesthetic. As soon as he could stand they hauled him off to the brig. Passing through the main area of Lazarus, people stared at him with looks that begged to know why their hero had betrayed them. Once inside he desperately tried to reach for his magic, but every time it slipped away. His clouded mind became clearer with every hour he sat in the completely enclosed room that was his holding cell. He realized with despair that they had gotten clever and erected a Tesla device somewhere nearby, making him a pitiful, useless shell of what used to be a man. After what seemed like millenia the door opened to admit the General. He brought in a chair, taking a seat across from Aaron. He looked down at the wounded wretch with several emotions running through his mind. "What are you Aaron?" Aaron lifted his eyes to see his old friend. "I'm just a man." "Bullshit, there has never been a man alive that can hold down two helicopters and fend off a battalion of soldiers like that." Aaron lifted a shackled hand and stared at himself. "I don't know what I am, I don't know where I belong," he said in a whimper. "You belong with us, at least you used to." The General ran a hand through his short hair, graying at the temples. "I don't know what to think of you anymore kiddo. You're the reason we are even awake, but suddenly you're on their side?" "I don't want there to be any sides. I just want peace." Aaron swallowed the pain of his wounds, accepting it as his punishment for his failure. "What about Eve?" General McGoff sighed, shaking his head and thinking about the other scientist. "She's being treated by civilian psychiatrists for Stockholm Syndrome. She didn't know who they were, and she won't be punished for it." Aaron saw the look in McGoff's eye when he talked about Dr Mcentyre, that care and concern that only implied one thing. "You love her, don't you?" General McGoff sighed and shook his head, returning to Aaron's interrogation. "So your friends, wolves in sheep's clothing?" Aaron nodded. "Damn shame, they were a fine group of young women. Are they why you defected?" He nodded again. "So you get some enemy tail and suddenly you're David Copperfield's wet dream? I can see the appeal, but I thought you amongst us wouldn't go that route." Aaron snapped out of his fugue, anger in his eyes. "I never touched them! They were my friends damn it! The best friends I could have ever asked for. And they were more than that! They were my family, like my own sisters! And I loved them as my family!" The General stood and shouted, veins bulging in his head. "Damn it Aaron, we are your family! Those people out there, scared and alone in the dark, the people we are meant to protect, that is your family!" "I did my duty to mankind. I gave us purity and wholeness. I don't want to fight anymore, I just want to go home, Tyler. Look inside yourself, do you really want to go out there and fight them?" The General breathed hard from the anger he had felt, but he composed himself. "That is beside the point. What did you do to us Aaron?" "I infected us, made us whole. We were made with a hole in our hearts, and I fixed that hole. It made us fight and kill out of fear when we could have done things peacefully. It made us suffer and hate when we could have loved." "How?" The General sat down again. "My friends used their magic to purify Lucifer, and I used Lucifer to purify us. Don't you feel it? Like a weight has been taken off your shoulders? Like a hole in you has been filled?" The General's eyes stared straight forward at Aaron. "How did you know?" "My friends did that for us. For every single human that has ever lived." "Aaron, I don't know how to feel about this. You willingly and knowingly contaminated all of us with Surge energy. What the hell is that going to do to us?" "I don't know." The General sighed. "What do I do with you Aaron? You are one of them, at this point our most ancient enemies. You committed aggressive acts against our armed forces and harbored the enemy. If the government was still out there they'd have me string you from the flagpole by your neck." "Then let me rot Tyler. It's the least I deserve." "Why? Why aren't you fighting for yourself?" "Because I failed. I failed mankind and now I failed them too. I'll never be accepted by either. I'm a monster, Tyler." The General opened his mouth to speak, then sighed. Standing up he grabbed his chair and left. As he walked out the door he turned back. "You were like a son to me Aaron."