//------------------------------// // Salvage and Requiem // Story: Dear No-one // by Ninjeneer //------------------------------// Dear No-one Chapter 2: Salvage and Requiem
 “Haaaa!” Luna shouted in rage as she ran her horn through her foe’s neck. Her horn glowed fiercely with magical energy and was stained red with the blood of her enemies. The griffon she slew fell limp at her feet, a pool of blood forming from its wound. In a split second she verified it had been disabled. “Onto the next one” she thought instinctively, but that had been the last. She searched in vain to find another victim, but all near her had fallen already. She paused briefly, panting heavily as she struggled to catch her breath, but a few short breaths later it was back to the task at hand. She began trotting hastily toward the noise of the battle when she felt the air around her ripple with magic. A wave of energy had surged past, her delicate fur standing on end as she sensed only what an expert magician could; power. An ancient and primal power she had not felt from another except the Elements of Harmony themselves rippled through the space around her. Pausing to consider the meaning behind it, her questions were only multiplied when the ground shook and surged as if the very roots of the earth were being undone. A moment later, the sky lit up bright purple as the whole city shook. The sky was dripping in raw magical energy as debris from the distant explosion rained down. Some of it glowed purple and white with traces of magic, others glowed molten red, still a few more were glowing white hot as the air shimmered with fragments of glass. Luna knew what had happened, but did not know it’s source. Her mind raced as she considered all these things, racing toward the sourse with all the speed her weary body would allow. A few brief moments later she was at the source of the blast, ground zero. Before her was opened in the earth a crater, coated in glass and shimmering in the sunlight. It would have been beautiful but for the destruction that rained all around. Trees were torn away, leaving only stumps behind. What remained of their bark and branches scattered outward away from the blast. The same was true for any nearby structures, as well as the griffon army. Many griffon lay strewn about. Limbs hewn from their bodies, blood pooling from their open wounds, and also sprayed away from the blast, much like the trees and buildings. Luna swiftly but cautiously approached the crater, observing the destruction all around her. But as she did, her eyes fell on a limp figure. A blackened purple unicorn lay in the basin before her. A unicorn she had conversed with many times before and counted as a friend. She dove in quickly, without regard for her own safety. The fragile glass crumbling beneath her hooves as she ran toward the limp body of Twilight Sparkle. Luna lifted the unconscious unicorn and carried her from the smoldering glass crater. Twilight woke slightly, for just a moment, and mumbled “Pinkie...no...” before fading back into darkness. Luna could sense something was wrong and after laying Twilight in the shadow of a piece of a wall (under the care of a nearby unicorn-soldier), she began searching... A pegasus pony spotted Pinkie Pie from the air and alerted Luna, who was almost instantly by her side. She lay in front of Sugarcube Corner, facedown in a pool of blood. “Get Redheart!” Shouted Luna “She is still alive! Pinkamina, hold on!” Luna’s horn began to glow, shoring up her friend’s open wounds as she fought to stabilize the town’s party-pony. “Hurry! She is critical and needs immediate attention!” Cried Luna as the pegasi around her scrambled to find Nurse Redheart and other medical ponies. The seconds fell like drops of rain. Slow as molasses across the ice cold emotion hanging in the air. The few moments it took to find medical aid felt like years. Luna watched as the tides of time passed in front of her. As Pinkamina’s life was draining like the sand from an hourglass. Each breath that passed through Luna’s lungs, was one less Pinkie would have, but help arrived just as the cold darkness was setting in. Luna used her magic. Nurse Redheart and her assistants used their medical skill. The end result that was, after hours of delicate procedures, and powerful spells, it seemed Pinkie would live. ***Meanwhile*** 

 Twilight’s eyes began to open. The world was blurry and swirling. Her head pounded like the bombs that had been falling. 
 “Bombs?” She asked herself, the pounding in her head bringing back a vague recollection of the morning’s events. “What happened...Ugh...” Then it all began flowing back inter mind. The images were rough, but the feelings, they were real. Her eyes finally focused on the soldier by her side.
 “Who...who are you?” Asked the still-dazed Twilight. “I’m Sharpy. Princess Luna asked me to watch over you while she tended to Pinkamina.”
 “Pinkamina?” Twilight muttered, her mind trying to burn through the haze around it. “Pinkamina Dianne Pie... Pinkie!” She leapt up. “I watched her die in front of me...trying to protect me!” Shouted Twilight, tears streaming down her face. “I should have saved her! I should have...I...It’s all my fault she’s dead...” “Whoa, but she isn’t dead, miss!” Interrupted the soldier. “She’s wounded pretty badly, but between the Princess and that nurse Redheart, they expect her to make a fair recovery.” “She’s okay?” Said a cautious Twilight Sparkle. “Not really okay, but she is alive, and it’s looking very promising. It was close there for a while...” Sharpy corrected her. “A while?” Inquired the puzzled unicorn. “How long was I out...what happened? I remember watching Pinkie be attacked...and bleeding out in front of me. Then I killed a few griffons? I killed griffons...” her complexion dropped “but they attacked my friends. Then I remember feeling angry. Very angry. Then a bright light...and now you. What can you tell me? I need to know Sharpy.” “I saw the whole thing miss...” “Twilight Sparkle. Call me Twilight.” “I saw the whole thing miss Twilight. I was just rounding the corner when I saw your friend go down. You came out of the shop...madder than a rampaging Ursa Major, and more unstoppable too.” He paused for a moment thinking “I...” he stopped again and his face drooped. “I’m not proud to say it, but I hid. I was afraid of you. The air around you crackled with magic, and you were glowing...bright white eyes...oh Celestia your eyes! I hid...but I came out when I heard, and felt, a massive explosion.” He gestured to the crater. “We found you in the bottom of it. Best Luna could tell is that your magic caused the explosion. And let me tell you, it was a big one.” Twilight needed no convincing. She had noticed the devastation around her when the stallion had first gestured to the crater. “I...I caused...that?” Stammered Twilight in shock. “I’ve never seen something that could cause that power... No spells I’ve ever heard of, let alone that I know myself. I don’t believe it...” she sat, hoof rubbing her head while she pondered on what the soldier had told her. Did she really cause that? What power was this!? She was completely lost. She needed to speak with Luna. To find out more about this possibility. Princess Celestia herself had told Twilight she had the most raw magic of any pony she’d ever seen. Perhaps it was true? Not that the Princess would lie, but Twilight never thought this power possible, even for Celestia. Celestia.... The thought brought tears to Twilights eyes. “I miss her...” Thought the royal student “a lot.” And her tears fell. “This isn’t the time for this.” Twilight scolded herself “there are things that need doing. The time for mourning will come. This is the time for vengeance...” With this realization, Twilights complexion turned stone cold. Her tears of sadness turned to tears of anger. Her emotions were over whelming her. She needed to find Luna, and to see Pinkie. “Where is Luna?” Twilight questioned her guard “I must speak with her as soon as possible.” The guard nodded “follow me” and trotted toward Sugarcube Corner. Twilight stepped carefully around the bodies. She was trying to avoid soiling her hooves, and understandably so. For the terrors and aftermath of war are never pretty. As she walked she continued to ponder the destruction laid, quite literally, at her feet. Her mind raced trying to explain the information given to her. Her head pounded from the racing thoughts, combined with exhaustion from her magic-induced blackout. Had she really caused that? And if she had, where did this power come from? Perhaps...perhaps she really has that strong. But her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. “Twilight, I am glad to see you awake.” Luna addressed her calmly, with a touch of relief showing through her voice. “You were in the back of my mind for some time now, though Pinkiamina was my primary concern.”
 “Where is she?” Asked Twilight, quickly snapping from her philosophy session and back to reality. She pushed her pondering to the back of her mind as she focussed on her friend. “How is she?” Twilight asked. The image of Pinkie collapsing, their eyes locked in silent fear, was burned into her memory. It kept replaying over and over on the back of her eyelids. She needed to see her, to know she was alive in order to avoid the panic and dread that was overtaking her. Luna saw this in Twilight, and could tell what had happened. The answers to her own questions were beginning to fall into place. “Right this way Twilight. Follow me.” As those words went from her lips Luna turned and walked into Sugarcube Corner. Twilight followed quickly behind her, anxious to see Pinkie. Anxious to see her friend alive. “She is resting” the princess informed her young counterpart. “She is asleep now recovering her strength, but I know you are anxious to see her. Also, I am sure Applejack will be glad to see you as well. She has some wounds, but nothing life threatening I assure you.” Twilight nodded, and continued to walk beside the princess. The pair passed bed after bed, finally coming to the one where the pink pony lay sleeping. Her body was covered in bandages, spots of blood soaked through many of them. But she was breathing. Twilight sighed in relief, but refrained from speaking so as not to disturb her. The purple magician looked up at the princess, here eyes filled with tears of happiness. Luna understood exactly what she meant, what she was trying to say, and smiled back. Her own eyes were damp with tears as well. The two nodded silently, and the alicorn began leading her sister’s student to the bed of Applejack. “Thank you” Twilight whispered. And a moment later “Thank you, for saving her.” Luna just nodded, smiling sadly as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She knew the pain of losing her friends. It’s a pain that alicorn will know better than any other, for their nigh-immortality. The pain of loss was still very fresh for her in fact, but happiness crept back into her heart seeing the friends reunited. And soon she would realize more of the same joy and Twilight trotted softly beside Big Macinstosh, to Applejack’s bedside. “Hey AJ, Mac” Twilight greeted them softly so as not to disturb the surrounding patients. “Hey Twilight. Boy am I glad to see y’all.” Answered the earth-pony softly. Her complexion quickly lifting. Here face was wrinkled with pain and discomfort, but the edges of her face were upturned happily at the sight of her friend. The purple mare sat gently at the foot of the bed and smiled warmly at her friend. Concerned, she just sat silent for a while. Breathing relief that her friend was okay. The time passed quietly as the friends relaxed, happy just to feel each other nearby and safe. After some time and some smalltalk, Rainbow Dash joined them, followed by Fluttershy and Rarity, who quickly said her hello and well wishes, and trotted off to find a washroom and get cleaned up. 
 “I am pleased that you are well AJ, but if you will excuse me, I simply must be getting cleaned up! The fight is over, and a lady should look presentable!” And with those words, Rarity disappeared. “Hey AJ!” Said Dash enthusiastically “I saw some of your moves down there and your were awesome! Almost as awesome as me!” Everyone laughed at the pegasi’s inflated ego. No one was sure if she was completely serious. The speedster herself didn’t even know anymore. Was she really cocky and arrogant? Or just doing it for comic relief that was so desperately demanded in a time like this? Everyone knew she was headstrong, and proud of her own achievements, and rightfully so! But she was probably just kidding; at least some of the times. “I do apologize, but your friend must get her rest” said a worn looking nurse Redheart. “You all can come back in the morning, and I hope you will!” 
 The friends all jumped a bit, startled at the sudden appearance of the medical mare. Their eyes drooped as the words sunk in. Knowing it was needed, and accepting their parting for the night were two different things. The scarred country belle looked up with sad eyes, but no one said a word in dispute of the nurses orders.
 “I’ll see you tomorrow AJ” Twilight said sadly. The others nodded in agreement and the group proceeded to walk somberly toward the entrance of the makeshift clinic. Twilight drug her feet through what was left of the door, head hung low, but was suddenly stopped as her head bumped against a black coated chest. “Princess Luna!” the unicorn gasped, her eyes widening in her astonishment, then wrinkling in thought as she recalled her need. “Princess, I need to talk with you.” She paused briefly, searching her tongue for the words that needed said; “about magic.” Twilight was questioning her own words, but Luna had known what she wanted even before her tongue had begun uttering. The princess knew more than her sister’s student did, but it wasn’t much.
 “Twilight” she began “my sister saw something special in you from the moment you first applied to her school. The details of what she saw were kept private to herself only. I do not know the details, but she saw great power in you; great potential for abilities far surpassing other unicorn.” 
 “I do not know details, my sister kept them to herself, but there is a chance she wrote them down in her diary. If her pages survived the attack on Canterlot then when this war is over there is always a chance that we might find answers together. My sister loved you Twilight.” 
 As Luna spoke, the thoughts and memories of her sister came flooding back into her mind. Her complexion grew steadily more mournful. Her mind kept forcing her back from the present to that fateful moment, less than a day earlier, where she had watched her sister fall. The bombs had been falling and the sisters were pushing through to their escape route when the blast hit the hallway they were in. Luna was thrown across the room, but as she flew she could see behind her, her beloved sister disappearing into fire and rock. The Night Princess felt the pain as if it were her own, perhaps is had been only her own body hurling into the opposing wall. But the sisters had a bond like nopony else, perhaps she really had felt her sister’s pain as the rocks and fire consumed her. She had most certainly felt when her body was crushed, and her soul slipped it’s frail bonds and went to peace in the afterlife.
 “The afterlife...” Luna thought as her address to Twilight came to a close.
 “I love you, Dear Sister” Celestia’s last words echoed through Luna’s mind, haunting her and bringing her peace.
 “Enough for now dear sister” Luna’s thought lay cast on the wind.
 “There is a war to fight.”
 And with that Luna drew her attention back to the present demand as a strategy began forming in the void of her mind where thoughts of her sister had dwelled only moments before. There was a war to fight. The first battle had gone well, but had left many more questions than answers, and had certainly done plenty of damage to Ponyville and its inhabitants as well. She needed to act fast, and yet time was against her. Time...