//------------------------------//
// Thirteen Moose 
// Story: The Great Moose Census of 1001 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//


Some more years later...






Dark clouds and errant lightning bolts lingered over a hellish urban wasteland.

Swing sets drifted back and forth idly in a cold wind, creaking with haunting melodies.

Charred black playground equipment loomed in the shadows of bombed out buildings...

And then, in the first time in forever, a curious flash of light... and color.

P-POWWW!

A lavender unicorn appeared out of nowhere in mid-gallop.  She slid to a stop, rubbing her skull.

"Euuughhh..."  Shaking her head, Twilight Sparkle stood up straight, teeth clenched.  "Alright, Nightmare Moon!  You're done for as soon as I shoot the Elements with... a... spark..."  She blinked awkwardly, looking all around.  "Uhhhh... hello?"

Cold winds howled over the deathscape.  A lifeless tumbleweed rolled by, colliding coldly with a rusted chain-linked fence and then dwindling over the crumpled horizon.

"Uhhm... Nightmare Moon?"  Twilight blinked.  "Girls?"  She blinked again.  "This isn't the Ancient Castle of the Two Royal Pony Sisters.  Just how far did I teleport?"  She tapped her chin in thought.  "Hmmmmm... that... was a teleportation spell that I just cast, right?  After all, that primary magical component scroll was marked 'T' for 'transport.'  There's no way it could have stood for... for..."  Her ears folded as her pupils shrank.  "... ... ...'time.'"

She heard the cacophonous creaking of metal joints and she looked up.

"TARGET ACQUIRED!  SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY-SECOND LAVENDER EQUINE TO HAVE ARRIVED AT THIS DESTINATION VIA REVERSE CHRONOTON PARTICLES!"  WHURRRRRRRR-CL-CLANK!  "COMMENCING WITH EXTERMINATION PROCEDURES"

Twilight's body deflated in a growing shadow.  "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww poop."

WHUDDDD!  A giant metal moose hoof crushed her to a crimson pulp.  "TARGET NEUTRALIZED, ORGANO-HOSER!"