By morning, the rolling ocean below you has been replaced by the vast plains and deserts of Latigo. You stand on deck with Celestia, Pinkie, and the Apple siblings, sipping some coffee to help wake up while gazing out across the land.
“It feels weird to see it from the air like this,” you say as you take another sip.
Celestia nods. “Yes, and much has changed since I was last here. Without ponies to temper it, nature now runs free. What were once lush forests are now rolling deserts, and what were once barren wastelands now teem with life.”
“You’re sayin’ ponies used ta live here?” Applejack asks the pink-maned alicorn.
“Yes,” she replies. “It’s believed that all life emerged from the Cradle of Equus Island and naturally migrated to Latigo. You’re familiar with the Hearth’s Warming story, correct? Before the Tribes discovered Harmony and found the land we now call Equestria, they lived here.”
Mac stares with a hint of sadness at his now empty mug. “If ah recall correctly, they didn’t teach us about much prior ta the Unification in school.”
Celestia closes her eyes. “No records exist from before that time, as nearly everything was abandoned during the migration. Archeologists sometimes come here from Equestria in an attempt to dig up relics of the past, but even those are few and far between. The Earth Ponies were nomads, leaving nothing behind as they moved about the land. The great cloud city of Pegasopolis was torn apart and scattered in the wind, and the sprawling towers of the Unicorn capital of High Crown have long since crumbled along with the mountains they were built upon. Hardly anything remains.”
“Well, if they wanna know what happened so bad, why not just ask somepony who was there?” Pinkie asks with a giggle. She gives Celestia a big smile, only to find a gentle one returned back to her.
“I’ve learned many things over my long lifetime, Pinkie Pie, but perhaps the most important is that we should live in the present. The past is the past, and the future is unwritten. Lessons can be learned from yesterday, and elaborate plans made for tomorrow, but only through actions taken in the present do we forge who we are.”
You take one last sip of coffee. “…Sounds like someone’s got some skeletons in her closet.”
A pink tail lashes out to swat you in the side, and you turn to see a playful smile tugging at Sun Horse’s lips. “Fortunately for you, I left them all behind when I moved out of the castle.” With a yawn, she steps away from the railing. “In truth, the history of Latigo before the Unification has little bearing on the world of today, and Luna and I do not like to speak of it, so we don’t. Though we do secretly enjoy the frustration on the scholars’ faces when we’re inevitably asked the same questions over and over again with each new generation.”
“Well... ah always figured the Hearth’s Warmin’ tale was mostly a fable,” Applejack says, peering at the ground below with concern. “But how much’a it is true?”
“Bits and pieces. But the most important part, that the friendship forged between the Pony Tribes banished the cold darkness surrounding them, is true. Equestria could’ve never come to be were that not the case.”
Apple Bloom perks up. “So, if ponies don’t live here anymore, then who does?”
“Many creatures call Latigo their home, though most are feral,” Celestia explains. “Murderhounds, for example, while rare in Equestria, happen to thrive here. There’s also a fairly large retirement community for minotaurs that I hear is quite popular...”
You shudder. “Don’t remind me.”
“...along with several Dragon Clans who call a large network of caves in the north their home. The most notable inhabitants, at least when I last visited, were the Kiang, who inhabit the plateaus and valleys near the Inland Sea. They are a friendly, if somewhat eccentric tribe.”
“They’re fucking crazy,” you add.
Applejack laughs. “Sounds like ya’ve got some stories ta tell of your own, Anon.”
You look over at Celestia, who has that little shit eating grin she sometimes gets on her face. An unspoken conversation takes place and you suddenly feel you understand her a little better.
“I don’t really like to talk about it,” you say, pushing the memories out of your thoughts.
The orange pony shrugs. “Suit yourself. But ah do want ya ta tell us what your plan is. We got attacked by a bunch’a airships yesterday, so if you’re plannin’ on somethin’ like that happening again ah’d like a little warnin’, Captain.”
“Do I plan on having us get attacked by an airship fleet?” you laugh. “No. But would you really be surprised if it happens? You guys didn’t seem too shocked in the aftermath of all that stuff yesterday...”
Now it’s Applejack’s turn to laugh, though it’s more out of exasperation than joy. “Twi’s always been a little... overeager about certain things. But back before all this Princess stuff happened, me an’ the girls were always able ta help steer her in the right direction whenever she got too off kilter. That’s kinda how we worked as a group; if one’a us started ta go bonkers or lose sight’a what was important, the others would be there ta help her.”
She removes her hat and sighs. “But after that whole coronation mess, she stopped listenin’ ta us an’ figured she knew best about everything. Ah realized it when she sent out that decree ta prevent Celestia from workin’... with nopony there ta stop her, she’ll do anythin’ ta get what she wants, even if it ends up hurtin’ others.” Her emerald eyes gaze at you with sympathy. “A fleet’a airships showin’ up ta take what she thinks is hers doesn’t surprise me at all.”
“Ah understand what you’re lookin’ ta accomplish here,” she says, turning to Celestia. “Ya want ta get some magical rock thing that’ll bring your power back. But what ah want ta know is... what are ya plannin’ on doin’ afterwards? Ah hate ta be the bearer of bad news, but ya unleashed a monster on us and ah need ta know if you intend ta do anything about it.”
Celestia closes her eyes and the wind whips her strawberry mane around amidst the silence. “It’s true... this burden is mine to bear, and there are some duties that, once accepted, can never be relinquished. When my power is restored, we’ll depart for Canterlot. Twilight is young. She has many lessons left to learn, and I am still her teacher, whether she agrees or not.”
“But that is all yet to come,” she continues as she trots over to the bow of the ship to watch the earth moving below. “As I said earlier, we should focus on the present. Soon we’ll reach the Inland Sea, with Equus just beyond. That’s when this trial will truly begin, and unless we prevail, any hope of dealing with Twilight will remain only that.”
You grit your teeth and pound a fist into your open palm. As much as you want to throttle that little sperglord of an alicorn now, Celestia’s right. You need the Orb of Ascension to stand any chance...
“Um... big brother?”
The red stallion looks down at the filly tugging at his leg. “Yeah, sugarcube?”
“I think ya really should take a look at what’s behind us...”
The six of you turn to the aft of the ship, and...
...the black silhouettes of a rapidly approaching fleet of airships are there to greet you.
“Speak of the devil and he shall appear, as they say,” Celestia grumbles, rolling her eyes at the sight.
You quickly grab a pair of binoculars from the pilot’s console and peer through them into the distance. “They look like the same ones from before... could they be faster than us?”
Mac shakes his head. “Eenope. Their equipment’s a generation older than the Dawn Star’s, ‘n all the weapons they’re carryin’ makes ‘em heavier ta boot. They probably magically overcharged the engines. It ends up damagin’ ‘em in the long run, but it could put their top speed over ours for a while and allow ‘em ta catch up.”
Applejack replaces her hat and looks around nervously. “So you’re sayin’ we’re gonna be forced ta fight ‘em?”
“Well, if we can’t outrun them, I don’t see how we can avoid it,” you say, steeling yourself for what’s to come. “Pinkie, we’re gonna need you to do your thing.”
“Aye aye, Cap’n!” The pink mare salutes, and in a flash she’s disappeared below deck to prepare the cannons. You return to the controls and disengage the heading lock, then start the process of turning the ship around to face your pursuers.
Thirteen military class airships slide into your vision as the turn completes, and you feel your legs start to shake. Imagine that... turns out they look much more menacing up close. You can clearly see the open cannon ports on each ship’s bow and sides, the barrels of the cannons within them glimmering in the early morning light.
“Ahem. Is this thing on? Testing, one, two, testing...” To everyone’s surprise, a prissy voice echoes in your ears as a wavy image of a pristine white unicorn sporting a stylish commander’s uniform appears on deck before you. “Yes, well... erm... attention, unidentified vessel! By order of Princess Twilight of Equ—APPLEJACK?!”
“RARITY?!” The farm mare runs up to the image, a look of shock on her face.
“Applejack, what in the world are you doing here, darling?” She glances around, her confusion deepening. “And your brother and sister too! I... wh-what? I’m completely lost.”
“What in tarnation are ya doin’ ridin’ on a battleship, wearin’ that getup, and chasin’ after Anon?” Applejack shouts back. “Have ya gone nuts?!”
The unicorn’s face scrunches. “Well! What I decide to do in my spare time is my business. You don’t see me judging you for running around another continent with a strange ape creature, now do you?”
Applejack adopts a deadpan expression. “Not until ya just said that, ah didn’t. Rarity, don’t tell me you’re tangled up in whatever crazy scheme Twi’s got goin’ on now. Ah figured ya had more sense than that.”
“And I figured you would be a more understanding friend. Twilight is in love, darling, and love sometimes makes one crazy. Or in her case, more crazy than usual, but you get what I’m saying. I admit, I don’t understand the attraction, but you should see how happy she looks when she talks about him! If I can do anything to help her realize her love, I shall.”
She turns her attention to you and Celestia. “Ahem. Anonymous, Celestia, by order of Princess Twilight you must immediately return to Equestria under my custody. If you refuse to do so willingly, I am authorized to use force to make you comply, but I’m hopeful that it won’t have to come to that.”
“Wow, thanks for the ultimatum, Squiggletail,” you growl. “Real considerate of you to give us one after you ambushed us and opened fire without warning yesterday.”
Celestia approaches Rarity’s image without fear, her eyes locked on the unicorn’s own with an intensity that’s starting to make you more nervous than the enemy fleet off your bow. “Rarity, I understand your loyalty to your friend, and I do not envy your position. But I must warn you: this course of action will end badly for you if you choose to pursue it.”
You feel the temperature around you drop by several degrees. Holy. Shit. The way she said it and the look on her face... this is a side of Celestia you haven’t ever seen before, aside from little glimpses of it back when she was a Princess.
Yet, if you think you were affected by her icy tone, the poor unicorn on the other end of the magical link is clearly trying to suppress the shivers of fear running up her legs, though she does an admirable job.
“W-W-Well, then! I suppose it’s settled! I don’t know what you intend to do when it’s thirteen against one, but our rescue teams shall be on standby to retrieve you once we inevitably sink your ship. Good day!” She haughtily turns up her nose as the image fades away.
“Get back here, Rarity! Ah ain’t done talkin’ ta ya!” Applejack runs up to where Rarity’s image vanished and stomps a hoof in frustration. “What in the hay’s gotten inta her?!”
You turn from the scene, nervously rubbing the back of your neck. “Damn, Cel, you must have a hell of a plan to be so confident. I’m surprised she didn’t piss herself.”
“No, not particularly,” Celestia replies, her confidence unwavering. “The odds of us winning a direct confrontation with thirteen military airships currently able to outpace us are practically zero. I was actually hoping my bluff would cause her to turn tail and run...” She flashes you an apologetic smile, prompting you to let out a hearty laugh and slap her on the back in mirth.
“Ha Ha! So that’s what you were doing, you silly horse! ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?!”
The alicorn ignores your outburst and continues, “Even if Pinkie Pie turns out to be the best shot in the world and we miraculously manage to sink the entire fleet, they’d still achieve their goal.” She glances down to the Geas bands on your wrists which have all but disappeared. “They’re attempting to stall us from reaching Equus in time. Not only can we not win here, we can’t even afford the time to fight back.”
Applejack rolls her eyes. “Whoa there, nelly, we wouldn’t want any optimism ta slip past your yapper.” She trots over to her brother. “Mac, ya’ve had your muzzle in them doggone airship books all your life. Ah know ya’ve gotta have an idea of somethin’ we can do.”
“Eeyup.” The stallion nods confidently. “Our Junior Engineer is on her way with our secret weapon right now.”
“Secret weapon?” you ask.
“I got it, I got it!” Apple Bloom bounds up the stairs from below deck with a strange metal rod in her mouth, which sort of looks like a cross between something you’d see hanging in an auto repair garage and some weird D&D scepter. The filly gives it to her brother who then presents it to you.
“What the heck is this?”
“That there’s called a Harmonic Tuner,” Mac explains. “It’s one’a the tools used ta maintain an airship’s magical engine. ‘Specially useful when you ain’t a unicorn. Go on, give it a try.” He gestures to a trigger on the handle of the device.
You flash him a questioning glance. “Are you sure about this?”
He nods. “‘Course ah am. Go ahead an’ aim it at me.”
You shrug, then do as he says and pull the trigger. A small bolt of magic arcs from the tool to his body, but it doesn’t seem to have any effect.
The stallion grins. “See? The spell’s completely harmless ta ponies, ‘cause it’s only designed ta interact with the spell that empowers the engine.”
Applejack trots up beside her brother to get a better look at the device. “Well that’s great ‘n all, but how does it help us?”
“Well, Lil’ Sis, when you use this thing on an engine, it helps you retune the spell ta the proper timin’ ta work with the ship’s other systems. It’s normally harmless, but if you use it on an engine that’s been overcharged...” He adopts a sinister grin. “It tends ta make the engines tear themselves apart from the inside out due ta a mismatch in timin’.”
Your eyes widen in shock. “So, you’re saying we could take out an airship in one hit with this thing?!”
“Eeyup. But you gotta get real close ta use it. Naturally you ain’t gonna be able ta hit the engine itself since it’s inside the ship, but if you hit one’a the turbines the spell’ll jump ta the engine and it’ll work just the same. Problem is, we can’t normally get that close without gettin’ torn up by cannon fire or causin’ a midair collision.”
Your hope fades. “Oh. So we’re still doomed, then.”
“Eenope.” He shakes his head and then glances over his shoulder. You follow Mac’s gaze to see Celestia standing there with a surprised look on her face. She lifts one of her massive white wings and the two of you exchange a glance.
“You can’t be serious,” you stammer.
Mac shrugs. “You got any better ideas, partner?”
“Fuck...” You hit the intercom button on your pilot’s console. “Pinkie, you there?”
“Ready and waiting, Cap’n!” comes her static-y reply.
“I want you to target cannon fire on the six ships on the enemy flagship’s port side. Cel and I are gonna deal with the six on the starboard. Think you can handle that?”
“Yepperoonies!”
You turn back to Mac. “I guess you’ve got the helm. Try not to get her too scuffed up.”
“You got it. Good luck, Captain.” He gives you a salute for good measure.
You walk over to Sun Horse and pat her on the back a few times and she lies down and presents her back to you, just like she did during the blizzard. You’re honestly surprised by how quickly and gracefully she did it, and the look on her face shows she’s a little surprised too. Without another word, you straddle her back, the Harmonic Tuner in your hand, and she stands and paces around, fluttering her wings.
“This plan is absolute madness, you know,” she finally says as she approaches the rail.
You lower your flight goggles and grip her mane. “Compared to what we’ve dealt with recently? I’d say it just barely qualifies as insane. You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be, I suppose.”
You pat the side of her neck a few times. “Then let’s go.”
She begins to gallop, then takes a great leap over the deck’s railing. You experience the weightlessness of falling for a few moments until her wings extend and the two of you are flying, just as the sounds of cannon fire begin to rip through the air.
Under Mac’s capable hooves, the Dawn Star turns to avoid a volley as an explosion rips through the first of the port side enemy ships courtesy of a well-placed shot from Pinkie. Severely crippled, the ship begins to break formation as it loses altitude, and the column of dark smoke that spills from its hull starts to blanket several other ships, impairing their ability to aim and navigate. You notice rescue pegasi take wing from a few of the other ships to assist the crew of the damaged vessel before your attention is pulled elsewhere.
Celestia banks hard as she pulls herself around to the rear of the first ship in the starboard line. You grip the Tuner as she begins her approach toward the underside of one of the two large turbines and murmur a silent prayer that she’ll be able to get the two of you close enough without getting shredded to bits by the massive propellers…
~~~~~~~~~
“Unit 7 is hit! Reports critical damage to engine; losing altitude!”
“Unit 12 reports same! Requesting rescue team for evac!”
“It’s unreal... the accuracy of their gunner is unreal!”
“Units 4, 14, 10 indicate difficulty tracking target; the speed matches our best equipment and movement patterns are erratic!”
Battle reports continue to flood into PW-01’s bridge, where an oddly calm looking unicorn stands and considers the data before her. She primps her purple mane slightly before raising her head to address the assembled crew.
“Proceed with rescue operations for 12 and 7; have the remaining portside ships disengage and pull back to cover. Starboard group is to move forward and bombard the target.”
“Aye, madame!”
Rarity smiles. As an artist who has created countless incredible dresses in the midst of the storm of chaos that is her little sister Sweetie Belle, a frenzied battlefield like this is nothing. She can see the design in her mind; all that’s left is to realize it.
For a moment, an image of Twilight’s horrendous constellation dress flashes through her thoughts, but she pushes it away. As long as she remains focused, victory is sure to follow...
~~~~~~~~~
A cannonball sails past the Dawn Star’s starboard side and clips one of the vertical turbines, ripping it from its attachment point. The ship violently shudders at the impact, spinning out of control for a few seconds before its pilot can get the vessel under control and reoriented.
“Consarn it, Mac! What the hay are ya doin?!” Applejack shouts.
“Ah dunno if you realized this, but these controls ain’t exactly designed for hooves!” he yells back, banking the ship hard to avoid yet another volley. “If you think you can do better, she’s all yours!”
“Ah’ve got my hooves full with this!” Applejack holds up a leg with a trembling yellow filly clutching onto it for dear life.
“Are... are we gonna make it, big sis?” Apple Bloom squeaks.
“We’re gonna be fine, sugarcube, as long as butterhooves over there doesn’t get us sunk!”
Cannon fire rings out from the ship’s bow as Pinkie fires off another round.
“Ah swear ta Celestia, AJ...”
The orange mare sticks out her tongue. “Well too bad for you, ‘cause she ain’t here!”
The intercom in the pilot’s console crackles, “Hold it still, Maccy! I’m trying to line up another shot!”
“We’ve lost a vertical stabilizer Ms. Pie; it ain’t gonna be as smooth a ride as it was before.”
Pinkie giggles. “That’s fine, just point the bow where it needs to be and I’ll do the rest!”
~~~~~~~~~
“Unit 14 reports target hit! Target stabilizer damaged and movement impaired!”
Rarity takes a satisfied sip of her wine, her triumphant grin causing the hearts of some of the bridge crew’s stallions to flutter. “This is checkmate, my dears. When you can no longer flee it is all but over.” She giggles. “Perhaps Twilight was right, and I have a talent for this sort of thing after all...?”
“Unit 14 reports complete engine meltdown; all control lost; requests immediate assistance!!”
“Unit 10, hit by enemy cannon! Steering offline!”
“Unit 3, Wing 2, reports same as 14! Complete engine meltdown; cause unknown; unit was not struck by enemy weapon!!”
The glass of wine falls from her magical grasp and shatters on the floor as one of her eyes begins to twitch involuntarily. “W-What... what is happening?! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!”
~~~~~~~~~
The effect is immediate. As soon as you bring the Harmonic Tuner near the turbine and pull the trigger, a sickening screech can be heard from the belly of the ship, followed by the sound of gears grinding and coming undone as the engine rips itself to shreds. An explosion serves as the process’ grand finale, followed by the ship’s slow descent to the ground below.
Celestia pulls herself away from the crippled airship’s frame and lines up the next target. Despite the incredibly strong crosswinds that prevent you from even speaking to one another, she places you at the perfect angle to deliver the fatal charge.
Another screech, another ship falls, and Celestia pulls away once more.
By now, the rescue pegasi who’ve come to assist the first crippled ship have spotted you and figured out what you’ve been up to. The decks of the remaining ships shimmer with light as unicorns fire bolts of magic after you and more pegasi take wing to start their pursuit. It’s a valiant effort, but Celestia is beyond their reach. She moves with a grace that defies description, and the bolts of magic which sail past you serve more to accentuate her beauty than pose as a threat. Her powerful wings easily propel her into drafts and thermals through which normal pegasi can’t hope to follow, and all too soon, you find yourself underneath the third ship’s turbine.
You bring the Harmonic Tuner forward, aim, and fire!
~~~~~~~~~
The unicorn rears back in shock. “Celestia and Anonymous are WHAT?!”
“Yes, madame, they’re in independent flight and triggering harmonic cascades in the engines of Wing 2! We’ve lost half already; if we don’t do something we’ll lose the entire group!”
“B-But I was told Celestia had little to no magic,” she stammers. “How are they doing this? Explain immediately!”
The crew member cowers under her stare. “W-We believe it’s being done via a standard maintenance tool; our engines are vulnerable to the effect due to the overcharge you ordered!”
Rarity bites on one of her perfectly pedicured hooves with worry and ponders for a moment before commanding, “Well... well then, cancel the overcharge at once! And capture them while you’re at it!”
“But, madame... that would require us to discharge the engines. We wouldn’t be able to move for several days afterward!”
She scowls. “And are several days of immobility worse than having the engines completely destroyed and the ship lost?”
“W-well, no madame...”
The unicorn stomps her hooves in frustration. “Then make yourself useful and do as I say! Nooooowwwwww! And don’t forget to capture themmmm!” With each word her tone gets a little whinier.
As the young officer runs off to relay her orders, Rarity can feel the rising tide of overwhelming anger starting to pool within her. Her face contorts, snout scrunches, teeth grind, and then... she smiles, eyes shining with happiness.
“It’s fine! Yes, yes, completely fine! I believe I’ll step outside for some air! You there, take charge here!”
She trots from the bridge toward the flagship’s open deck, a skip in her step, leaving the very confused crew behind.
~~~~~~~~~
The distinct lack of the sound of cannon fire on the wind causes two orange ears to perk up and two emerald eyes to glance back to discover that the enemy fleet, or what’s left of it, has gone oddly silent.
“What in the hay are they doin’ now?” Applejack asks. “They’ve stopped movin’ completely!”
Mac smirks, then bites the scruff of Apple Bloom’s neck to peel her away from Applejack’s hoof, gently setting her down on deck. “They’ve discharged their engines, so they can’t move for a while, an’ that means we’re safely outta range of their cannons.” He turns to the yellow filly. “It’s okay, sugarcube, the worst’a it is over.”
Apple Bloom looks up with frightened eyes. “R-Really?”
The stallion nods. “Eeyup. But now we need ta get Anon ‘n Celestia back. There’s nothin’ more they can do out there.” He gestures over to a panel near the deck’s railing. “AJ, fire off a flare and let’s get the hay outta here.”
The Dawn Star begins to turn away, much more slowly this time due to the damage it sustained, and once again locks its course on Equus Island in the distance. An orange flare rockets into the sky and ignites above it, bathing everything nearby in a soft light.
~~~~~~~~~
The shine of the flare is unmistakable, but Celestia’s focus is elsewhere as she dodges magic bolts and pegasi. You pat her neck three times to get her attention and she notices the flare as well. With a beat of her mighty wings, she carries the two of you back to the ship, and soon enough you’re out of range of the unicorns’ magic and the pursuing pegasi give up the chase in order to help their comrades on the sunken ships as they originally intended.
The remaining airborne ships make no move, either, as if they’ve suddenly lost power. In cases like these you’ve found there’s no point in questioning your good fortune, so you pay it little mind and don’t even bother to look back. After all, you only have one goal: reach Equus as fast as possible. That ever so familiar feeling of dread is creeping up on you once more and every instinct you have is screaming at you to flee.
Celestia touches down on the deck of the Dawn Star and lays down to allow you to dismount. As you do, you run an encouraging hand through her mane and scratch behind her ears a bit.
“Well done, Cel. Looks like we made it back in one piece.”
You notice she’s panting for breath, though she’s smiling all the same. “It’s... been a while since I’ve exerted myself like this... but it was oddly thrilling, too.”
You run over to the controls where Mac is standing. “How’d we do?”
“Lost one of the stabilizin’ turbines. Our turnin’ speed is a lot slower now, but forward speed an’ acceleration should be the same. Pinkie ended up takin’ out four ships, and y’all got three.”
Apple Bloom hops around you, her confidence restored. “It was the most amazin’ thing I ever saw! It was like whoosh, boom! An’ big brother was flyin’ the ship, an’ Miss Celestia was flyin’ like a Wonderbolt, an’...”
Applejack scoops up her sister in one of her hooves. “Okay now, sugarcube, you can tell ‘em all about it later. Anon’s got stuff ta do now.”
“We on course for Equus?” you ask Mac.
“Eeyup.”
“That’s all I need to know.”
You punch the throttle without hesitation and the ship rockets off.
~~~~~~~~~
It wasn’t until she was standing out on deck that she realized the extent of the damage the fleet suffered during the battle. Seven ships sunk, three of which are probably beyond repair. Great columns of smoke climb into the sky from the wreckage. Thankfully the rescue crews did their jobs and everypony is safe.
But even so, she has failed. The retreating silhouette of Anon’s ship in the distance is a testament to that fact.
“I am Rarity.”
She trots to the bow of the flagship, speaking to no one in particular.
“A great crime against fabulosity is about to be committed as a result of what’s happened here, and I would rather abandon my title of fashionista than live with myself knowing that I didn’t do everything I could to stop it.”
Her horn glows and a dazzling series of sparkling gemstones levitates into the air around her. Carefully, she arranges them into a perfect pattern.
“Anonymous... Celestia... Applejack... I will not forget this day. I will not forget this ignominy. From Tartarus’ heart I stab at thee.”
Her horn shines again and a beam of light strikes the first gem. The beam jumps to the second in the series, then the third, the fourth, and beyond as it continues down the line, refracting and amplifying in power with each jump. At last, when it reaches the end, the beam is blinding in intensity, and it streaks toward the retreating airship in the distance while the gems used as focal points for the spell melt and waft away in the air.
She turns and trots away. There’s no need to watch the rest.
“Until we meet again, darlings.”
~~~~~~~~~
The sky darkens and a thin beam of light rips through the Dawn Star’s helium frame, damaging one of the main turbines and several stabilizing fins in addition to punching entry and exit holes through the structure itself. The ship shudders from the assault and immediately begins pulling off course, and you’re forced to grip the controls and fight them with all your might in order to regain control.
“Dammit, what just happened?!” you yell.
Mac runs to the aft of the ship to get a better vantage point to inspect the damage. “It ain’t good!” he shouts back. “Whatever they hit us with did a number on the frame! We ain’t gonna be able ta stay airborne without some serious repairs, so we’re flyin’ on borrowed time!”
“Shit... do you think we can make it to the island?” you ask, the desperation in your voice palpable.
He ponders. “Ah… Ah’ll have ta run some numbers, but maybe. It’s gonna be close for sure.”
The stallion heads below deck to perform the ancient arcane magic of fancy mathematics, but you know no matter what answer he comes back with, you have no real choice. You have to reach Equus or it’s all for naught. You keep the throttle at max while constantly correcting your course with the controls in order to compensate for your damaged main engine.
Celestia calmly paces the deck as you fly, though she remains oddly silent. Applejack stands at the stern of the ship, looking back at the rising columns of smoke that are rapidly disappearing in the distance with a scowl on her face. Pinkie helps Mac out with the math (?!) and planning the ship’s repairs while Apple Bloom watches on.
The land below you transitions to water again as you cross the threshold of the Inland Sea. Since you’re constantly losing altitude due to the escaping helium, the water is much closer than it was before, and strange dolphin-like creatures leap from the waves, following along in your wake.
Mac eventually returns, but he has no answers other than to tell you that once you land the ship won’t be flying again for quite some time. You turn and note the sun’s position... it must be a little past noon, now, and a glance down at your wrists confirms your worst fear.
The Geas is gone.
You grip the controls even tighter, as if doing so would increase the ship’s speed in some way.
“I see somethin’! I can see somethin’ out there in the distance!” Apple Bloom shouts as she does a little dance of joy near the ship’s bow.
You squint your eyes and bring up your binoculars to be sure, but...
“That’s really it. It’s Equus!” you cry.
Pinkie bounds over to get a look, along with Applejack and Big Mac. “Tarnation... even from this far out, it’s huge!” Applejack exclaims.
There’s no mistaking it; you could tell the island’s distinctive shape from anywhere. It looks especially familiar considering how close to the water you are on your approach. The entire island is essentially a giant volcano that descends straight into the sea. There’s nothing on the volcano’s face but barren rock so steep that attempting to climb it would be suicidal…
No, the true Island of Equus lies within the volcano’s caldera; a place overrun with life, where the sun has limited influence and many wonders await.
Celestia trots over to stand by your side. Again, it’s hard for her to find her words, but she eventually speaks, “This is a great triumph for us, but we can’t enter the island the normal way as things stand.”
She’s right about that. The normal way to enter the island is via a great bridge that stretches from the mainland across the sea to the volcano, where a huge gate has been carved straight through the mountain to the caldera. Since you’re approaching from sea, you can’t take this option. The way you were intending to enter, through the volcano’s top, is now also impossible due to the fact that you can’t gain altitude anymore. The ship’s belly scrapes the water for a bit, then leaps back into the air as if to accentuate that point.
“We’ll worry about it later,” you say. “We just need to get there...”
You check once again to ensure that the throttle is maxed out. It is, but even so, that feeling of dread grips your heart and you find that you’re shaking with fear.
A pony’s nose nuzzles your shoulder and you turn back to find Celestia staring at you with comforting eyes. She looks absolutely exhausted, her mane and tail are a mess from all the flying, and the feathers in her wings are sticking out all over the place.
“Remember?”
That’s all she says, but the conviction behind that single spoken word is more than enough. You smile back and your trembling stops.
“I do.”
And then you hear it. That distinctive crackling sound in the air. It’s a steady pattern, but you’d know it anywhere.
How many times did you awaken in your home to this sound, to start another day?
How many times did it haunt your dreams, and you’d wake to find nothing was there at all?
There’s a flash of light and the crackling thunders in your ears. And when the light fades, there, standing on the deck before you, is Twilight Sparkle.
“Hello, Anon.”
Your blood runs cold and your fists clench. This is no projection. This is no illusion. She’s actually here.
“Twilight...”
The purple mare pants slightly, resting against the far rail of the ship’s bow and well away from the rest of you. “Whew! I had to chain-teleport the rest of the way here once I reached the fleet.” She lifts a purple wing. “I’m not as fast as Rainbow Dash, I’m afraid. Not yet, at least...” She folds her wings again and looks around, and her eyes widen when she sees the other ponies present.
“Oh, you’ve brought some new friends with you this time. Hi Applejack, hi Pinkie Pie. How have the two of you been?” she asks.
Pinkie waves her hoof excitedly. “Hiya, Princess! We’re going on an adventure!”
Applejack scowls. “Howdy, Twi. How’s the whole rulin’-with-an-iron-hoof thing been treatin’ ya?”
“It’s been great!” Twilight cheerily replies. Her ears fold back and she blushes. “But I have to admit, most of my time lately has been devoted to wedding planning. I’ve had to leave some of my responsibilities in Luna’s hooves as a result.”
Apple Bloom scurries over to stand next to her sister. “Oh! Oh! Who’s gettin’ hitched, Princess?”
“Who else?” Twilight beams. “Anon and myself, of course!” She turns on the patented Sparkle Bedroom Eyes. “That’s why I’m here... to retrieve my errant, but deliciously sexy groom...”
She takes a step forward, and you almost take a step back until you realize that you need to stay at the controls to keep the ship on course. Your hand constantly touches the throttle as a reminder that it is, in fact, maxed out, and you peer around Twilight to the island in the distance. If you can stall her for just a few more minutes...
Apple Bloom scratches her mane. “Huh. I don’t get it. I mean, I’m pretty sure Anon loves Celestia, but ya say he’s marryin’ you? Weird.”
You see Twilight’s eye twitch and a few strands of hair pop out of place in her mane and tail, while all the other ponies present aside from Apple Bloom and Pinkie have looks of shock on their faces. Holy shit, that was the worst possible thing she could’ve said...
“W-Well, Apple Bloom, you’d be wrong! Anon loves me, and only me! He just doesn’t realize it yet!” Twilight takes another step forward, but Celestia moves in front of her to block her from reaching you.
The purple alicorn flashes a crooked grin. “Oh, hello, Teacher. I almost didn’t see you there. How have you been?”
Celestia closes her eyes and shakes her head. “Twilight Sparkle... it pains me to see you like this. I truly thought you were prepared, but it seems my lessons were deficient, and my judgment poor. You were not yet ready for the burden of true power or leadership, my little pony, though admittedly one rarely is.” She opens her eyes again and you see only sadness reflected in them. “I’m afraid, once this is all over, that I’ll have to take back the crown until such time as you can prove you are truly worthy of it.”
Twilight laughs. She laughs so hard that tears spill forth from her eyes, which she wipes away with a hoof. “T-Take back the crown! That’s rich! Look at you! I mean, really, look at you! You’re POWERLESS! I can feel it! Can you even lift a teacup now, or even one of your own feathers?” She shakes her head, a few giggles still escaping her lips. “You say it pains you to see me like this?! For me to see my former teacher, the pony I looked up to above all else, in such a pathetic state, pains ME!”
She shakes her head, her perfectly coiffed purple pony princess mane remaining pristine as it flows in the wind and her crown glimmering. “I… I admit, I don’t really understand why you’re so set on keeping this chase up, but you need to face it, Celestia: I’ve beaten you. I’ve surpassed you. Isn’t that what you always told me you wanted?”
Celestia’s eyes narrow in response. “Of course it is, but not like this. And you need to understand, my student, that I made you, and I can unmake you if I so choose. Even if not one of my lessons ultimately took hold in your heart, I will see to it that this one will.”
Twilight steps back to the rail and smiles. “Brave words. I know what you’re doing, you know. You’re trying to stall me until you reach Equus Island’s secondary magic field to force me to withdraw, but there’s no need for that. We crossed over the primary magic field boundary the moment after I arrived.” She closes her eyes and channels some magic, but her horn merely sparks a bit before the light dissipates.
“Your timing is impeccable. Had Rarity been able to delay you for only a minute more, Anon would already be mine. But now I suppose I’m simply here to give you a warning...” Her smile changes into a sinister grin. “This won’t work. You’re fleeing to your own prison.” She giggles. “But go on, don’t let me stop you. Run and find another Orb of Ascension if you want. Just remember that you’ll never be able to use it...”
Twilight turns to you, a hint of sadness on her face. “Goodbye for now, my love. I’ll be sending an escort to retrieve you for the wedding.” She spreads her purple wings and flutters backwards to stand atop the railing. “It won’t be long, now. The Pleasure Sphere is waiting for us...”
With another leap and a beat of her wings, she takes to the sky, flying away at an impressive speed just as the Dawn Star touches down in the water for the final time. You all grab on to whatever you can as the ship shudders, completely knocking you all off-balance, but you somehow manage to ease back on the throttle now that the immediate danger has passed.
After several minutes of coasting on the water, you reach the island’s shallows and maneuver into a position where you can drop anchor. You stand at the rail along with your crew and gaze upon the obsidian stone face of Equus Island. Your hand trails down Celestia’s back as you take in the sight, more to comfort yourself than her.
“Well... I guess we made it. Sort of.”
Celestia sighs. “Yes. It’s doubtless that Twilight will send agents to the island in an attempt to capture us, but I’m not too concerned about that right now. Equus itself is the real danger.”
You feel the tension in her voice, and a quick glance around reveals that the others can too. Worse still is the fact that she’s probably right.
“But for now...” The tired alicorn yawns and stretches, then turns to you and the assembled ponies. “We should rest and lick our wounds while they do the same.” She looks over to Applejack. “We have something yummy planned for lunch, I hope? All this flying has made me absolutely famished!”
The farmpony smiles. “Hold your horses, there. Ah’ll go whip up somethin’.”
“I’ll help!” Pinkie bounds after her.
Mac looks up, surveying the damage to the frame. “Ah suppose ah’ll get started on what ah can. Can you lend me a hoof, Junior Engineer?”
“Leave it ta me!” Apple Bloom beams.
And with that, you and Celestia are left alone on deck. You sit down and lean back against the pilot’s console, utterly exhausted, and Sun Horse trots over and curls up beside you, placing her head in your lap. You humor her with some ear scratches.
“Apple Bloom seems to think you love me,” she whispers.
“Well, you know what they say. Sometimes kids are even more perceptive about certain things than adults.”
You can feel her smile, even if you don’t see it.
“Yes, that’s certainly true.”
You close your eyes, fatigue getting the better of you as the adrenaline from the morning’s events drains away, and after several moments the sound of the waves gently rolling onto the island’s shore quietly lulls you into a calm sleep.