Subject Delta - Rapturous for Equestria

by TheMightyT

Sharp Fangs Of The Everfree Forest (Chapter 7)

The soft bluish light of her moon illuminated her the path that her sister had taken through the forest, when she began to chase the golem. Princess Luna galloped through the forest, her own Royal Guard not too far away; the remaining five Elements of Harmony galloping right behind her.

Celestia’s Guard wasn’t familiar with the forest like hers was, so they were getting behind quite a bit, all of them on hoof; because it was too difficult to fly between the trees that littered this forest so densely. They all assumed the worst, as the golem apparently could bend water to his will and make ice of it; something that even she and her Sister couldn’t do. But when Luna saw the ice that the golem had used to cross the river and the guards that he knocked aside in his dash through the forest, she feared that her sister would once again lose control...

The Royal Guard vowed to protect their Princess at all cost, even if that means they’ll have to follow her when she... changes. With the past events and the return of the Elements of Harmony, her Guard could finally once again serve her; without the shame that came to many to them, when she had called upon them not long ago. Now they knew the forest well, when they followed her back to their old castle; when she came back after thousand years of exile, still possessed by the foul taint that is the Nightmare... Luckily she was saved by the Elements before she tried to take Equestria’s throne for herself... for a second time; and the Nightmare was destroyed, with him the monster that carried the name of Nightmare Moon. Luna would rather not think about those days, but she had to remember them; so she could learn from her mistakes, and make sure she would become the best she can be.

It all happened too fast for Luna to completely comprehend what just happened, or more so, what just went wrong. They managed to teleport close to the golem’s position, sneaking up on him; surrounding him from all sides, but he managed to escape before they could stop him. Luna didn’t want to point the hoof at anypony, but she knew that it was probably not the best idea to use Celestia’s Guard for the approach from the air, as their golden armor glistens so much in the light of her Moon. Things has happened now, it was too late to change tactics; and the golem already had managed to get away from the bulk of the guards. After getting the Elements over the river, she immediately chased after her Sister; knowing that Celestia would keep galloping no matter what. And they were get close now, she knew it.

She could hear the clopping of various hoofs from the following guards on the forest floor, while only the five Elements and a portion of her own Guard managed to follow close. Suddenly they all could hear a small explosion in the distance, one that shocked her in more ways than she thought it would; the explosion being accompanied by a hint of her Sister’s magic. With a growl Rainbow Dash flew past her, her wings moving so fast they seemed to not even be moving; the Element of Loyalty skilfully dodging between the various trees, while still retaining her top speed. It was better for her to stay on the ground, as she knew she wasn’t as agile as Rainbow Dash; nor her wings and bigger figure would help her dodge between the dense trees of the forest. She just wished they all would be safe...

Luna jumped over a small crater in the ground, the smoke that had arisen there still dissipating from sight; the leaves from the trees above still fluttering to the ground. Celestia’s explosion was meant to be demobilizing, but the damage to the forest floor proved otherwise. Luna’s heart told her to go faster, now a dread feeling came over her. If Celestia was going to... no, she wouldn’t, at least Luna hoped so. Twenty of her best guards ran behind her, making a protective wedge behind her and the Elements of Harmony; all bearing the looks of determination on their faces, all ready to take action when needed. Luna only hoped they didn’t need to...

A small hum could be heard, after screaming pierced the shadows of the forest; the light and the hint of magic accompanying it making Luna’s hair stand up slightly. She recognized that magic, as her Sister had used it on her so long ago... The bright flash, the wave of heat; the same thing now felt by those that were in the forest, below the thick canopy of the old and overgrown trees. But this time it was accompanied by the shattering of trees... various other sounds filled the forest ahead.

Above the forest, many clouds carried their watery contents, slowly beginning to weep on the canopy below, the rain piercing it in some places and reaching the ponies that galloped so fast; as Luna and the four remaining Elements approached the newly made clearing. The weather above the Everfree forest always managed to change unexpectedly, harassing the forest and the creatures below; but since the Elements of Harmony were removed from their resting place it only had become worse, as the forest no longer was kept in check by their presence. The Everfree Forest was now really forever free...

They finally burst out of the tree line, taken back by the destruction that was caused to this part of the forest. Luna cringed when she saw the trees that were torn out of the earth, all carrying traces of the fiery heat that had hit them; but Luna moved quickly, making decisions without any second thoughts. She put her hoof up in the air, making a circular motion; causing her Guard to fly up and begin to set up a perimeter around her Sister, who was still embracing Twilight with Rainbow Dash. The rest of the guards shook themselves out of it, helping Luna’s Guard to form the perimeter; while the Elements moved quickly when they saw their friend crying in the hooves of her mentor.

Slowly letting go of her star pupil, making place for her friends, Princess Celestia moved back slowly; noticing Luna, who was giving orders that her Guard followed without hesitation. The five Elements cooed to Twilight, trying to calm her; but she kept muttering something, but it went unheard. Celestia looked up at her Sister, her coat dishevelled and lost its shine; her weariness shown clearly in her stature. She greeted her Sister without many words, Luna carrying a concerned, but yet shocked look on her face. Celestia now finally realized what she had done, seeing the destruction that surrounded her, that she caused with her magic; seeing her Sister eyes, a hurt look in those pools of cyan.

Luna saw her Sister and it almost broke her heart, as almost nothing was left of Celestia’s, normally always present, royal stature; and without a second thought she dashed forward, pulling her Sister in an embrace.

“Are you okay, ‘Tia?” Luna asked with a concerned tone in her voice, as she know that the magic that Celestia just had used is draining; even more so when her Sister’s Sun wasn’t shining.

Celestia pulled her head out of the embrace, looking at Luna, but trying to avoid looking her in the eyes. “I’m fine, Luna, I’m fine,” Celestia said weakly, struggling to keep her voice together; a sigh following promptly, as she knew deep down that she wasn’t fine.

Luna pulled her back in the embrace, placing her head next to her Sister’s, slowly nuzzling her. “It’s okay, Sister...” She whispered, but Celestia quickly broke the embrace, her eyes beginning to tear up.

“A vow, Luna, I made a vow!” Celestia began, her royal stature now completely gone, “I promised to never take it this far again, to no longer let my feelings control my magic...”

Luna came closer, cooing to her sister: “I know, ‘Tia...”

While sobbing Celestia threw herself at her Sister, once again embracing her, but this time showing no signs of letting go: “I-I h-had no choice, L-Luna.” She muttered, her snivelling making it harder for Luna to understand her, while her tears damped Luna’s mane and coat.

“It’s alright, ‘Tia, it is all going to be alright.” Luna said, while patting her Sister’s back.

“I-I a-am so ter-terribly s-sorry,” a voice said from Luna’s dishevelled and damp mane.

“Shhh...,” Luna said in a singsong tone, trying to cheer up her Sister; giving her some time, so she could regain her composure.

As Celestia wept in her Sister’s mane, knowing that she just killed a living creature; while she had vowed to never let her emotions get the best of her, since that dark day in their past... So did the clouded sky and Twilight Sparkle, she still was muttering something; while she was being hugged by her friends. Luckily none of them saw the Princess of the Sun fall apart in tears, while the Guards finally formed a perimeter around them; keeping a protecting circle between the group of ponies and the pile of trees, where the golem laid under.

The five cooed to their magical gifted friend, trying to stop her from crying and muttering.

“Easy now, Sugercube,” Applejack said in her thick accent, feeling the lavender mare shiver in her forehooves.

Twilight weakly tried to push them away, but failed as all her energy was drained. This day seemed to have taken a too large of a toll on her, as she just became a crying ball of lavender fur; finally stopping with crying, when she passed out in the hooves of her dear friends.

After some time passed and the clouds from above stopped their crying, just like Celestia, who finally regained her stature; Luna stepped up, examining Twilight briefly with her magic.

Pointing with her hoof to three of her Guards and a small group of Celestia’s Unicorn Division, she said: “Take Twilight Sparkle and the Elements out of the Forest and to Ponyville Hospital, they should be ready by now.”

The Guards nodded and surrounded the six ponies, the Unicorns already beginning to ready their magic, when Rainbow Dash spoke up: “Wait, what about that golem?” She said with some difficulties, pointing at the pile of trees; that showed no signs of life.

“My Sister and I will take care of that-,” Luna began, but Rainbow Dash broke her off and began to dispute, only to be silenced quickly by a glare of the Princess of the Moon, “We'll handle this, Twilight needs to get to the Hospital as quickly as possible.” Luna said sternly and Rainbow Dash just nodded; seeing that it was a lost fight and that it was better to get Twilight out of this nightmarish forest.

With a grey flash the group of ponies teleported out of the Everfree Forest, leaving Luna with her tired and wounded Sister; a big group of Royal Guards still present and throwing glances at the shadows surrounding them, the thick canopy of the surrounding trees giving no chance for light to pierce through.

Luna looked around and with a stern look on her face, she began to speak to her Sister: “’Tia, I need you to go too...” Celestia tried to speak Luna out of it, but she didn’t waver in her resolve.

“I know you want to stay, Sister. But you need some help,” Luna said, while examining the wounds on her Sister’s forelegs and the burn marks on her chest, “And you wouldn’t be a great help, after the amount of magic you used.”

Celestia nodded, knowing that, at this point, she was only a burden for her Sister; and with a quick embrace and some parting words, she teleported, with the help of her Guards, to Ponyville Hospital. Now left standing in the clearing, where her beautiful Moon shone so gracefully, were twenty or so of her Guards and ten of her Sister’s. All of her Guards were Pegasi, with some Earth Ponies; so that left her with ten of her Sister’s Unicorns. She just hoped she wouldn’t need them...

Subject Delta was holding, once again, a life in his hands; feeling the quick beating of the rainbow coloured pony through his gloved fist. His hand began to close, pushing firmly on its throat, making it so that the pony began to suffocate; her wings still outstretched as she was weakly trying to break lose. He didn’t notice any of that, he only felt rage; as these pony’s where trying to take his Twilight away from his, try to hurt her.

He felt the soft hooves of Twilight pressing on his side, her weight almost unnoticeable as she was leaning against him; while standing awkwardly on her hind legs. He turned his head to meet her gaze, her eyes pleading him to let go. Finally he realized what he was doing, this wasn’t who he was; he always tried to forgive or search for another way, this rainbow pony... maybe it wanted to hurt Twilight, but it wasn’t right to kill a helpless creature.

His hand loosened around the neck of the pony, causing her to fall to the ground; her hooves reaching for her throat, while she was coughing and breathing with difficulties. Twilight however kept staring at him, standing just before him; as she had stopped leaning against him, giving him the chance to get on his left knee and meet her gaze. He saw her beautiful, violet eyes, twinkling from the milky light of the moon above.

The moment between him and Twilight was brutally broken by a hum and a glimpse of that golden light; making Subject Delta look abruptly to his side. And there she stood, that big pony that tried to stop him earlier; her horn engorged by its golden aura, a look of determination in her eyes. Without thinking he pushed Twilight out of the way, giving the large pony an easy shot. A beam of light, hot like the sun and shining like nothing he saw before, hit him straight in the chest; causing him to go airborne. The wind got knocked out of him, when his short flight made him collide with several trees. When he hit the last tree, a very big and old looking oak, it’s bark overgrown with vines, he almost blacked out. When the tree broke in pieces, which buried him; he finally let the darkness take him...

Pain. That was the only feeling he had left, making the empty void flare up with a red shine. Slowly he began to remember what happened and once again he awakened, alone. He could see the singed barks of the once grand oak, that now covered him; the faint yellow light emitting from his helmet illuminating the small space above it. The crushing weight of the trees kept him down, but that wouldn’t be for too long. He only needed for his vision to stop spinning and then he would quickly get out of this mess...

Faintly he heard voices, but he couldn’t understand them. He could hear hooves on the forest floor, he could see droplets of water penetrating the pile of trees and collecting on the visor of his helmet. His chest felt like it was hit by the sun itself, the heat and crushing hit managing to pierce his suit. Luckily that wasn’t too much of a problem, because the inside of the suit was lined with a special plasmid; that made the suit regenerate itself somewhat, although if the damage was to great, then there was no amount of plasmids that could repair the damage. But that would be when the suit was mostly gone, bringing with it the promise of his death.

He could see the faint flashing of light, the same he had seen before; making him try once again to lift the trees from him, freeing him from his wooden grave. But to no avail, he was not getting out from here fast.

After some more flashes, Delta could hear the clopping of hooves; but this time it was only coming from one pony. The pony stopped and he saw a faint dark blue light for a moment, but the light stopped as sudden as the rustling came in the forest surrounding them. Something was coming, fast... and it was huge...

Luna looked around, feeling better now she knew that both her Sister and the Elements were safe and sound. She eyed the pile of trees curiously, she should... No, it should be dead after that kind of magic.

Looking up at her magnificent sky, a star-spangled blanket that kept Equestria warm; her Moon shining upon her, helping her make her decision. “Leave the Forest at once, there’s no need to linger here any longer.”

The Guard came back from their guarding spots, surrounding the Princess of the Moon; but there was one that spoke up, the commander of Luna’s Royal Guard.

Wearing the same, dark purple armor that all of her other Guards wore, but with the exception that her armor had hints of silver, outlining it; the signs of a higher rank, because all the Guards look the same in their armor. A powerful spell, enchanting the armor to make them all look like the same dark gray stallion or mare, with those bat-like wings; making it hard for any Guards to recognize their superiors, hence the lining of silver to hint at her higher rank.

With a soft voice, while bowing humbly in front of her Princess, the commander spoke up: “And the golem, Princess?”

“I’ll take care of that, when I’m done I’ll join you all at Ponyville’s Hospital.” Luna spoke up, her tone less stern than before; a small smile lingering around her lips.

“But Princess, not that I want to question your orders, but-” The commander began, but Luna broke her off.

“Dear Shadow Stalker, do you still remember the day I appointed you as commander of my guard?” Luna asked, a hint of a teasing tone in her voice.

With a bow Shadow Stalker answered softly, looking up with a look of gratitude in her eyes: “Yes, my Princess.”

With those words Shadow Stalker turned around and with a small flash Luna was alone in the forest. It was quiet, no sound could be heard; and that worried her, but she was also very curious. She stepped closer, each of her hoofsteps easily audible on the muddy forest floor. She looked at the weapon of the golem, laying in the mud and she levitated it carefully; surrounding it with her dark blue magic aura. She examined it closely, no longer paying attention to her surroundings.

A rustling in the forest broke her out of her trance, making the weapon fall to the ground. Something was moving in the shadows surrounding the clearing and it was huge. She could hear faint hissing, a sound that made her heart skip a beat. She moved back, trying to pierce the shadows of the surrounding forest with her eyes; while still keeping her eyes on the ground. If it was what she thought it was, then she shouldn't look it in its eyes...

Behind her she heard the noises of trees falling to the ground, making her turn around and staring at the pile of trees. She could see the golem, freeing himself from his wooden tomb; slowly getting up. Suddenly it seemed like all time stopped, that all light was blocked away; no noise could be heard, except the pounding of her own heart. She could hear the hissing just behind her, but before she could even think about using magic she was knocked airborne; a scaled tail hitting her in the back, making her fly over the golem.

A basilisk...

Subject Delta strained himself an began pushing the trees up, the heavy weight now resting on his arms; but he pushed through, the satisfying sound of trees rolling of the pile and falling on the ground reaching him. He began to free himself, getting up; only to be greeted by another pony.

This pony was bigger than Twilight, yet smaller than the other one that had buried him earlier; her coat a dark sapphire blue with a cobalt blue mane, moving without any wind and showing tiny, white dots in it. The pony was also wearying some kind of necklace and a dark blue crown; a moon resting in the night sky adorning her flank. But he didn’t look to closely at the pony, what towered behind her captured his attention...

A gigantic snake, pushing itself up in the sky; towering above them and making Subject Delta feel tiny. He could see the blackened scales, once a brilliant green; it’s once yellow eyes, now showing a white hue. It was huge, it looked like it was very old and deadly; as Delta could see its fangs, when it opened its mouth in a hiss. Those fangs were probably larger than his drill... The pony with the moon on her flank shivered, when she heard that hiss; but she didn’t move. Subject Delta watched as the gigantic snake hit the pony with its tail, making her fly over him. The snake now seemed to take an interest in him, lowering down and looking straight at him. It opened its mouth, showing its various sharp teeth; and although Subject Delta couldn’t smell it, he knew that the most foulest smell came from it when it hissed...

He was going to need a bigger drill to take this thing down...

Author's Note: After many delays, this chapter finally gets posted. I'll write a blogpost about it later, but there's only one thing for me left to say: I hope you all enjoy this chapter!