//------------------------------// // In Which The Consequences Are High // Story: Filly Fantasy VI - The Return of Magic // by The Wyld Stallynz //------------------------------// Doctor Whooves felt the tremors seconds before the ceiling caved in. In a display of agility fueled by fear and panic, Whooves streaked across the room, dodging falling pieces like a ballerina. With one final dive, he hid himself under a metal desk. More chunks of the ceiling fell, some falling on the desk and denting its polished surface. Whooves cringed through the onslaught, huddling back as far as he could. An impact stronger than any before it finally ended the carnage, but not his terror. A humanoid being now stood above the debris covered floor. It was riddled with muscles and stood taller than three stallions stacked together. Doctor Whooves could feel its wrath as it swept its gaze around the room, stopping on the rust colored stove. The creature roared and reached forward, grabbing the superheated metal in its broad arms. With one colossal pull, the creature wrenched the stove out of the floor and tossed it like it weighed as much as a pillow against the wall. The stove cracked open, spilling out the partially melted slab of ice contained within. “Gigas, what did you find?” came a voice from above. Gigas mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. He stepped forward and propped up the ice slab, getting a better look. His lips curled up into a smirk. “A friend,” he called back. Cocking back a fist, Gigas gave a roar and punched the ice like a wrecking ball. He yowled in pain, dropping the ice and cradling his throbbing hand. Doctor Whooves took this moment to take a much needed breath, having held it ever since Gigas had dropped in. He dared not move until the creature was gone. “Gah! Stupid magic ice!” Gigas roared and kicked the aforementioned offending ice prison. He cried out again as his foot joined his hand in sustained injuries. From the hole in the ceiling, a red, spherical creature with slitted eyes and a wide mouth floated down. It took one look at Gigas and twisted its entire body, as though ashamed. “You doofus, are you trying to break every bone in your body?” “Shut up, Bomb!” Bomb grinned, revealing rows of pointy, white teeth. Doctor Whooves shrank down into his hiding spot even more. “This guy won’t be getting out with muscle. We’ll need to have Ifrit work on—” A crack like splintered wood came from the ice, stopping all conversation. Gigas even forgot his pain as he stared at the hairline fracture. “Or not.” All at once, the ice shattered into thousands of pieces, sending sharp fragments flying through the air. Gigas and Bomb twisted away, receiving several cuts but nothing too damaging. Once the rain of ice settled, they turned back around. The released esper shook itself free of lingering ice. It took one look around before settling on the two beings before it. “Let me guess. Nothing’s changed.” .o.O.o. Spotter noticed them first. “There they are! They’re coming out of the camp!” “Roger!” came Pinkie Pie’s response. With a twist of the wheel, she maneuvered the Party of One above the Imperial base. A wooden lift lowered soon after, allowing the returning group to pile on and rise up to the deck. Rainbow Dash opted to fly. The moment the group touched down, they were besieged on all sides by concerned ponies. “Are you guys alright?” Shining Armor said. “When we saw those things fly off, we didn’t know what happened.” “Twi managed to get the gate opened,” Rainbow Dash replied. She huffed and stomped a hoof. “But because of Gilda, we didn’t get a chance to talk to them! Which way did they go?” Shining Armor’s eyes shifted west, towards the center of the mainland. “Umm… that way I think.” “Should we chase after them?” Pinkie Pie asked. Maduin nodded. “Yes, we need to make contact as soon as possible.” “Got it!” With that, Pinkie Pie steered the airship around and directed it towards Vectorlot. With their destination confirmed, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Spike excused themselves and headed for their cabins. The bushed ponies and dragon wasted no time in collapsing to their mattresses and quickly falling asleep. .o.O.o. A few hours later, but what only felt like minutes, Twilight snapped her eyes open and bolted out of bed. She rushed out of her room and made a beeline for the deck. Pinkie Pie still guided the airship while singing a jaunty tune. Twilight ran up to her. Upon seeing Twilight, Pinkie Pie smiled and waved. “Hey, how you feeling? Sleep well?” “I feel okay, but that’s not important.” Twilight gazed out into the distance, her mouth clenched up into a frown. “I… I think something’s coming.” “Like what? Birds? Clouds? Impending doom?” “The last one, I’m afraid.” Pinkie Pie lost her smile. “Um, maybe I should turn—” She never got to finish as something fast and glowing sped past port side, far too quickly to get a good look at it. The ship rocked from the wake of the unidentified object, forcing Pinkie Pie to wrestle with the wheel to right it. Seconds later, another bright object sped past on the starboard side, tilting the airship in the opposite direction. From below deck, Shining Armor came running up the stairs. “What is going on?! Are we under attack?” “Brother!” He snapped his head towards the voice, spotting Twilight gripping the railing near the bow. With a burst of speed, he raced for her. Another being flew past, this time clipping the underside of the airship carriage. The deck lurched, tossing equipment and Shining Armor into the air. He landed on his back and let out a pained grunt, but quickly got back up and rushed to Twilight’s side. “Are you all right?” Twilight, her body shaking and her hooves gripping the railing as hard as she could, gave a shaky nod. “Y-yes. But there’s more coming!” Looking up, Shining Armor found that she was right. A bright ball of light was heading right for the airship and would be upon it in seconds. With no time to spare, his horn burst with pink magic. Instantaneously, a hemisphere of pink energy surrounded the front of the ship. The glowing object bounced off of it, careening away. “You did it!” Twilight cheered. Her cheers died when more speeding lights struck against the shield, each impact like cannon fire against her ears. She heard Shining Armor cry out, followed by a sound of shattering glass. Twilight managed to catch sight of Shining Armor falling to the deck just before the airship rocked violently, sending her sprawling end over end. Something impacted her head and all went black. .o.O.o. “I think she’s coming around.” Twilight Sparkle cracked open an eye, her sight picking up only moving blurs. She groaned and made to sit up but a hoof to her back kept her down. “Easy there. You shouldn’t move so fast.” Too woozy to resist, Twilight settled back down, the feel of a bed beneath her. “What happened?” “Um, I’m not sure. I was looking after the girls when everything just went crazy." The speaker quickly added, "But everyone’s all right! But… um… I don’t think the airship is in good shape.” Twilight forced her eyes to open, finally getting a good look at her caretaker. The concerned face of a yellow pegasus loomed over her. “I’m sorry, but, I’ve forgotten your name.” “Oh, it’s Fluttershy.” “Thanks for looking after me, Fluttershy.” Smiling radiantly, Fluttershy gently lifted up Twilight’s head and laid her on a pillow. “Oh, it’s no problem at all. I’ve been helping out with all the others and I just happened to be walking by when I saw you stir. Everyone’s really appreciative of all this healing magic I have now.” Twilight swallowed, suddenly realizing how dry her mouth felt. “If it’s not too much trouble, could I have some water?” “Oh, sure!” Fluttershy skipped off and returned moments later with a canteen. With a little help, the bedridden unicorn began taking large gulps of water. “Thank you,” Twilight said after satisfying her thirst. Feeling much better, she propped herself up without suffering a dizzy spell. “So, do you know where we are?” “Sorry, I don’t,” Fluttershy replied, putting away the canteen. “Some of the others went to scout around. I’m sure they’ll tell us when they return.” The two fell silent, Twilight processing everything she had been told and Fluttershy standing by looking unsure of what to say. “Um, if you don’t mind, I’d like to check on a few others.” Twilight blinked, her eyes coming back into focus. “Oh, sure! Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you.” “It’s fine. So much has happened that it’s a little overwhelming. Even Pinkie’s been quiet.” “Right, I think I’m feeling good enough to walk around now.” So saying, Twilight hopped off the bed and took a few tentative steps. Nodding in satisfaction, she headed for the cabin door. Fluttershy fell into step next to her. “I’ll go with you. We can check up on the others together.” “Yeah, I’d like that.” The two headed out and were nearly bowled over by one of the airship’s crew members rushing by. She was out of sight before Twilight could call to her. “Oh dear, I hope this doesn’t mean anything bad. Let’s follow and see what’s going on.” Fluttershy offered no objections, allowing both to trot briskly after the fleeing crew member. Their pursuit took them to the deck and the bright, sunny day. Too bright and sunny. Twilight’s mouth hung open upon seeing the state of things. “Wha… what happened…?” Where normally a giant gas balloon would be floating above their heads, now there was open sky. Cables that would normally be stretched taut to hold the balloon to the cabin were now limp and spread all over the deck. Parts of the floor were splintered or completely caved in, making it touch and go for all the crew members scrambling around. Twilight spotted Pinkie Pie looking over the railing of the deck and made her way carefully towards her. As she got nearer, Twilight cocked her head. Something was off with Pinkie Pie’s bright pink coat. It now seemed duller. “Pinkie Pie, I’m so glad you’re alright.” The airship captain turned her head and gave a smile that didn’t reach very high. “Oh, hey Twilight. Yeah, glad you’re okay too.” Twilight gasped, finally spotting what was so odd about the other pony. “Pinkie, your hair! It’s… flat.” Pinkie Pie’s eyes swiveled to the side. She ran a hoof through a mane that had once bounced with every step but now hung straight down. “Oh, you’re right. Huh, hasn’t done that in a while.” Coming closer, Twilight gave a worried look. “Are you okay? Do… you need me to cast a healing spell?” “No, no, that’s okay. I’m not hurt, just a little bummed, that’s all.” Her gaze returned to the ground below. Twilight stepped up to the railing, Fluttershy taking up position on Pinkie Pie’s opposite side. Both sucked in a breath. Down below, the entirety of the Party of One’s balloon lay spread out, flat on the ground. The giant pink balloon’s canvas had a hole the size of chocobo in it. “Oh my…” was all Fluttershy could say. “Yeah, pretty much,” Pinkie Pie said. Facing Pinkie Pie, Twilight placed a hoof over her back. “I’m sorry. Is there any way to fix it?” “If the hole weren’t so big I could probably patch it together,” Pinkie Pie responded, not taking her eyes off the balloon. “But I don’t have the materials to fix something like this. Plus, the engine isn’t looking so good, too. The only place I can get the parts is in Vectorlot.” “Oh.” Falling silent, the trio just stood there, contemplating the situation. How long they would have remained that way was left to the imagination as Spotter ran up to them, heedless of the broken floor. “Hey, Pinks, my dad and Applejack are back!” he said in a rush. “They want everyone to get together.” Before any of them could get a word in, he dashed off to another group of ponies. Pinkie Pie gave one more look at the deflated balloon, sighed, then walked off towards the gangplank. Twilight and Fluttershy shared a look as they followed. .o.O.o. “Gather round y’all!” Applejack shouted as Returners began heading down the gangplank. She noticed Rainbow Dash missing, though that wasn’t much of a surprise. The pegasus had volunteered to fly in the opposite direction Applejack had taken for scouting and must not have returned yet. Once she was satisfied that everyone else was gathered, she gave a wide smile and swept her hoof towards a yellow chocobo standing next to her. “This here’s Willowgale. Shining Armor, Rarity, Spotter and I helped him out of a jam not too long ago. I can’t plum believe it, but we landed on the western side of the Empire. Willowgale and his pals have been hiding out in a forest not too far from here. Just a day’s ride from there is Mareanda.” Rarity cleared her throat. “I think it would be best to avoid going back there. We don’t want to be captured like last time.” “Yeah…” Applejack sighed, losing her smile. Willowgale cocked his head, peering down at the earth pony. “Just where are we going, then?” “Well, this is going to sound crazy, and it is,” Pinkie Pie said, some of her chipperness entering back into her voice, “But if I can get to the capital, I may be able to get the parts I need to fix the airship.” “Right into the antlion’s den?!” Willowgale cried. Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Maybe if I go in real quiet, they won’t notice me. It’s not like I’ll be going in with the Party of One.” “Well, if that’s the plan, you ain’t goin’ alone,” Applejack said. She made to say more, but a blue spot in the distance caught her eye. Within moments, Rainbow Dash landed among them, panting for breath. “You… you guys… w-won’t believe this,” she gasped out. “Breathe first Dash,” Applejack said with a shake of her head. “R-right.” Steadying herself, Rainbow Dash took in deep breaths. After a few seconds her breathing became normal. “Okay, so, I decided to fly a little further than I planned but it was worth it. We’re still on the Empire’s continent and saw that Vectorlot was on fire!” A confused look passed through the group, Shining Armor voicing his thoughts first. “You mean you saw all the smoke from the factory, right?” “No! I mean the whole friggin’ city is on fire! The whole place is in ruins! I wanted to get closer but those darn telstars were flying around so I headed back here as fast as I could.” Another look circled through the Returners, ranging from concerned to disbelief. This time, it was Twilight who got the first word in. “But, how could that happen? Did Mayor Mare attack already?” “It was the espers.” All eyes turned to Maduin who sighed and shook his head. “It has to be. They are the only ones able to cause so much damage so quickly.” “Wow, guess it was a good idea to let them loose,” Rainbow Dash said. She suddenly jerked back as an angry pony got right into her muzzle. “How could you say that?!” Fluttershy cried, her gaze boring into Rainbow Dash. “There are innocent people who live there, not just the army. There could be hundreds dead or dying right now and all you can think about is winning?” Rainbow Dash wilted under the onslaught, muttering out a weak, “S-s-sorry…” A white hoof draped itself over Fluttershy’s back and gently pulled the livid pegasus away. “Dear, to be fair, this is what we had planned all along,” Rarity said, her voice melancholy. “Though, it is unfortunate that it had to come to this.” “We have to go there then,” Fluttershy replied. “We have to help any way we can.” “I agree,” Applejack said, walking up to them. She tilted her head towards Pinkie Pie. “Looks like your plan won’t be so crazy after all.” “I think you’re all crazy,” Willowgale muttered under his breath. Either not hearing or choosing to ignore him, Applejack said, “Alright, y’all. Let’s figure out who’s going and who’s staying. There’s a ship that still needs fixin’ after all.” “I’ll stay,” Pinkie Pie spoke up. “I’ll get a list together of everything you need so I can focus on getting my baby back together.” “Sure. Let’s head in and get things decided.” .o.O.o. Traveling by chocobo was an odd experience, Twilight reflected. Having someone else carry her along rather than the other way around took some getting used to, but she couldn’t argue with the results. Even ladened down with ponies on their backs, the chocobos raced through the countryside with nary a misstep. At the pace they were going, they would arrive at Vectorlot by nightfall. With nothing much to do other than hang on and watch the scenery whiz by, Twilight looked over to the others that had decided to come. She spotted Fluttershy nearby, riding a flaming red chocobo that Twilight couldn’t remember the name of. Fluttershy had been adamant in coming along, surprising many in how forceful she had been. The normally shy and quiet pegasus became a totally different pony when other’s lives were on the line. Twilight hoped that her calming presence and advanced healing magic would be central in dealing with the Empire. It was too bad more ponies didn’t have the kind disposition that Fluttershy carried. What also surprised the Returners was Fluttershy’s insistence that the filly trio be brought along as well. Fluttershy claimed that Sweetie Belle’s own healing magic would prove useful, along with the potions Apple Bloom had bottled up. Not to be left behind with her friends going on a grand adventure, Scootaloo had come to fill out the ranks. So far, the three hadn’t been a problem but it was too early to tell how long that would last. Craning her neck upwards, Twilight saw Rainbow Dash flying above, easily keeping pace with the long-legged chocobos. Twilight wasn’t surprised that Rainbow Dash wanted to come. It seemed the adventurer couldn’t sit still, even after braving a dungeon of fire and dragons. Or, as Twilight reasoned with a knowing smile, she didn’t want to stay at the airship and be put to work. Twilight swiveled her gaze back down, catching sight of Applejack and Rarity on their own chocobos. Applejack had put up a little fuss about being carried when she was perfectly capable of galloping the whole way herself, but a little browbeating from Rarity had convinced her that being fresh when they arrived in case a fight broke out was important. Rainbow Dash got a pass due to no one being able to catch her. Rarity had elected to come herself to deal with the “shopping” list Pinkie Pie had given them. The unicorn assured them that she would be able to get what was needed with the gil they had. The way Rarity had said it made Twilight’s coat stand on end, keeping her from wanting to know what Rarity had meant. Behind her, Twilight could hear the rattling of a large cart being pulled by a pair of chocobos. Even though she couldn’t see him, Twilight could imagine the discomfort Maduin was in as he rode in the rickety cart. However, her father had yet to complain. It was risky bringing Maduin along, and everyone knew it. To literally deliver an esper to the Empire’s doorstep after all the effort had gone into releasing them was something weighing on all of their minds. However, Maduin made the point that if any espers had stayed in Vectorlot after their attack, he would be the best chance of talking them down. Anyone else, even Twilight, would be too much of a risk at this point. “How you hanging, Twilight?” Twilight started, turning to look at Spike. The dragon had pulled up alongside her without her noticing. He waved from Stardust’s back, grinning like a kid who had found a horde of candy. “I’m fine,” Twilight responded. “How are you?” Spike jerked a claw at Stardust. “Well, Dusty here hasn’t been much fun to talk to.” “Hey, I’m running here, alright?” came Stardust’s annoyed reply. “You want me to throw you off and waddle the rest of the way?” “Take it easy,” Spike said and patted the chocobo’s ruffled feathers. “It was just a joke.” Stardust grunted but didn’t press the issue. With his ride mollified, Spike regarded Twilight again. “Anyway, I decided to eat the gem the Red Dragon gave me. Wow, was that good!” Tilting her head, Twilight said, “Oh, really? So what powers did it give you?” “Not sure yet, but I’m guessing it’ll make my fire breath a lot stronger. I haven’t had the chance to test it out yet.” “Don’t get any ideas while you’re riding me,” Stardust warned. “Relax, I wouldn’t do that.” Spike winked at Twilight. “My ice breath on the other hand…” “Don’t you dare!” “Sorry! Sorry!” Spike waved his hands in a placating manner. Conversation lapsed soon after, the chocobos keeping their distance from each other to avoid collisions. It was as night began to fall that the group encountered their first obstacle that Applejack and Rarity had warned them about. A security checkpoint. Only, as the chocobos got closer, it quickly became apparent that the site was abandoned. No lights or guards could be seen though a quick check of the premises found piles of abandoned gear and food. With night coming on shortly, the Returners decided to camp at the checkpoint and finish the journey to Vectorlot in the morning. Tired after a long day of traveling, the chocobos seconded this idea and settled in. No one made comments about the reddened sky on the horizon where Vectorlot lay. .o.O.o. “I can’t believe it, Dash. It’s just as you said.” Looking down on the valley of Vectorlot, Applejack and the rest of the group took in the sight of the mightiest city in the world ravaged by flames. Even days after the attack, Vectorlot had pockets of fire that still burned. Pegasi and telstars dotted the sky above like flies over a corpse. Even with the numbers available to the Empire, the citizens and army had yet to get all the fires under control. It left the group speechless. “Please, let’s not waste anymore time,” Fluttershy urged them. Applejack gave a grim nod. “Right. Let’s get down there.” The trip proved uneventful, save for a few bands of citizens heading away from the city and out into the country. When pressed for answers on what happened, most simply said a plague of demons came out of nowhere and attacked. There was no warning and little in the way of keeping safe. In one day, the espers had brought the Empire to its knees. Just as the group reached the main thoroughfare into the city, they were greeted by a familiar face. “Oh, thank goodness you are alright!” Mayor Mare said as the chocobos approached. “When I didn’t hear from you, I began to worry.” Applejack hopped off Willowgale and gathered Mayor Mare up into a hug. “Whoa, Mayor, didn’t expect ya to get here so quickly.” “It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure,” Mayor Mare said, returning the hug. “We pretty much had to make a surprise raid on South Fillygaro to get us a ship. But, we made it and now…” Her gaze swept over the smoldering city that only days before she had planned to invade. “Now I’m not sure what to do.” Applejack looked around, spotting more Returners and a host of Neighshe guards milling around. Firming up her features and tilting her hat, Applejack said, “Well, it’s mighty strange to say this, but we got here as quick as we could to help. The Empire needed to be stopped but its townsfolk didn’t have this coming. So we’re going to go in there and show ’em just what we Returners are made of.” “But is that wise? Maybe we should head to the palace and secure it first. The soldiers aren’t going to be fighting the fires forever and could attack us when our guard is down.” Applejack frowned and her eyes furrowed as she thought it over. Her thoughts scattered as a throat cleared behind her. She twisted to see Rarity trotting up, a satisfied smirk to her face. “How about a compromise,” Rarity said. “Mayor Mare and her forces will focus on helping the city while the rest of us head to the palace.” “That’s not very favorable for us in numbers,” Mayor Mare countered. “True, but many of us have become more proficient with our magic and should be able to deal with any difficulties or… unruly Imperials.” “Can we move this along?” a low but anxious voice spoke up. Fluttershy forced herself to look away from the smoking city and at the ponies discussing strategy. “The more we wait, the more poor ponies, chocobos, and whoever else is in there are going to suffer. Me and the girls volunteer to help with the recovery. Right, girls!” “Right!” the Cutie Mark Crusaders exclaimed. Mayor Mare sighed, took off her glasses, and rubbed her forehead. “This whole situation is unreal. Nothing makes sense. Okay, we’ll stay in the city and the rest can go to the palace. But I want some way for you to contact us in case things go south.” “Aha!” Rarity cried, startling Fluttershy. She closed her eyes and soon her horn began to glow a gentle blue. At the tip of her horn, a small, white glowing object began to materialize. Shaped like a needle, the object floated towards Mayor Mare who just blinked at it. Moments later, a second needle appeared, this one heading for Applejack. Once the two were in place, Rarity reopened her eyes. “There, this will do.” Applejack pawed at the magical needing hovering in front of her, giving it a guarded look. “What is it?” “Glad you asked. These are a little something I came across while practicing my new magic. It’s simple, really. These two needles are connected. If you vibrate one, the other will vibrate as well. So, Applejack, all you have to do is keep one on you and if you run into trouble, give it a good shake. The one Mayor Mare will have will then shake as well. That will tell her that she needs to get to you as quickly as can be.” Rarity finished her explanation with a flip of her hair. “Brilliant, if I do say so.” “Huh,” was all Applejack could say. Shrugging, she plucked the magic needle out of the air and stuck it in her hat, near her ear. “Well, that takes care of that.” “So are we going, or what?” Rainbow Dash said, her forelegs crossed. “Simmer down, Sally, we’re going, we’re going.” A wing poked her in the side, prompting Applejack to look up at Willowgale. “I think it’s best if we chocobos stay with your friends out here. I don’t like the idea of going straight into the Emperor's home.” Maduin walked up next to him, his expression weary. “I will stay out here as well. I don’t sense any of my people nearby and I’ll only bring fear to those within.” “Sure, sure.” Applejack turned to the rest of the group, comprising of Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Rarity. “Everyone else comin’, follow me!” With that, the Returners charged down the main thoroughfare, towards the heart of Vectorlot. .o.O.o. The journey to the palace didn’t take long. The damage to the city was severe but spread out, leaving large swaths of Vectorlot untouched. Most of the main roads remained intact, a fact that the Returners put to good use, making a beeline for the center of the city. All around them, citizens and Imperials alike worked to put out the worst of the fires still raging, ignoring the group of ponies running through the streets. The main gates of the palace soon loomed before them, dark and foreboding against the smoke filled sky. “My, my, this place doesn’t seem all that damaged, does it?” Rarity pointed out. With the exception of a few scorch marks, the palace looked relatively untouched. “Yeah, well, this is probably the most guarded spot in the whole Empire,” Rainbow Dash said. She pointed a hoof towards the stop of the gate. “See? Look.” Rarity followed her hoof, spotting a line of soldiers and magitek armor stationed on top of the wall. Her steps faltered. “Um, maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all?” As if to punctuate her statement, a laser fired from one of the magitek armor impacted the roadway only a few meters in front of them. The Returners came to a screeching stop. “Halt!” An Imperial decked in black armor appeared above the gate. “Do not come any closer! We are not taking in any refugees, so turn around and go back.” Taking a deep breath, Applejack stepped forward. “We aren’t refugees. I’m Applejack Fillygaro and we need to speak with Blueblood.” A murmur rose through the troops, Applejack catching the word “Returners” and “espers” being thrown about. The black Imperial stomped his hoof with a resounding clang, silencing all of them. “That’s enough!” He turned back to the ponies in front of the gates. “So, it seems you are here to take us down at our weakest, am I right? Well, as you can see from my legion here, we are not as vulnerable as you thought.” “Listen, there’s been enough fighting as it is!” Applejack swept back a hoof, encompassing all the damage behind her. “Don’t you see what this war has done to both of our sides? We’re here to make this all stop.” “Save your breath,” the Imperial replied, his tone unimpressed. “I don’t care what you have to say. I only take orders from my emperor.” He raised his hoof, causing the Returners to tense. “Open the gates! Let them through.” The Returners gaped as the large iron gates rumbled open. Dozens of soldiers poured out and formed a line on either side of the group, creating a straight path for the Returners. Applejack, her jaw hanging loose, quirked an eyebrow to the Imperial in charge. He obliged her curiosity. “My orders are to let you in. Emperor Blueblood wishes to see you.” “This is a trap,” Spike hissed. A trail of flame leaked from his mouth. “If we go in there, they’re going to take us out.” “Applejack?” Twilight came up to the earth pony, her ears pinned back. “What do we do?” The Imperial loudly cleared his throat. “Come along now, we mustn’t keep him waiting.” He turned to the soldiers around him and gave a nod. As one, the Imperials dropped their weapons. Swords, knives, and magitek guns hit the floor, creating a cacophony of ringing metal. Soldiers switched off their magitek armor and climbed out, taking positions next to their comrades. Satisfied, the Imperial turned and hopped down from the wall and out of sight. Seconds later, he reappeared in the entrance and trotted up to Applejack. “If it makes you any more comfortable, you can take me prisoner should any of my stallions attack.” Applejack stole a glance to the others, receiving a quick wink from Rarity. Smiling, Applejack regarded the Imperial. “I’ll go along with that. Lead on.” “This way.” Presenting his back to them, the Imperial headed for the gate. The Returners followed, keeping close. He led them past the gate and into an expansive courtyard. Very few trees or plants could be seen growing, with most of the decorations being large stone statues of Blueblood and hanging red tapestries. Dull metal grey dominated the color scheme wherever the Returners looked, giving a sterile, lifeless feel to the palace grounds. Workers and soldiers dotted every corner, giving them dispassionate looks as they passed. “Jeez, my caves back home have more cheer in them,” Spike remarked from his spot on Twilight’s back. Twilight turned and gave him a glare. “Shh!” Discussion ceased as they passed under an archway that led into the main building. More metal walls and dangling tapestries greeted them in the lobby, a huge space dominated by a fountain in the center of the room. No one was surprised to see it shaped in Blueblood’s angelic form. The lead Imperial took them up a flight of grand stairs draped in red carpeting. The stairs were wide enough for eight ponies to walk abreast. At the top, a set of steel double doors barred their path. Their guide trotted up and rapped on them in a rhythmic sequence. Seconds later, the doors parted on mechanical gears. Applejack mused that Big Macintosh would have been right at home here, if this happened to be a social call. “The Emperor is within,” the Imperial said as he stepped to the side. “Behave yourselves in his presence.” Rainbow Dash snorted. “It’s not like he’s a god or anything.” “No, but he’s our ruler and I will not tolerate any disrespect.” Applejack waved Rainbow Dash off before she could retort. “Dash, let me do the talkin’. I’ve dealt with him before back when we were allies.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes but remained silent. With that taken care of, Applejack led them through the entrance. The throne room appeared like any other room they had encountered so far. Red drapes and carpet lined the walls and floor, with portraits of Blueblood hanging on the metal walls. A exotic chandelier ladened with candles hung from the ceiling, providing plenty of light for the windowless room. At the end of the hall lay a throne made of wood and gold, polished to a mirror shine. Sitting on the throne, gold crown on his head and red robes covering his body, was Emperor Blueblood. The white unicorn stallion looked up from a half-dozen papers he had levitated before him, his mouth pressed in a thin line. He passed the papers to an aide standing next to him and dismissed her with a wave of a hoof. Blueblood barely shifted as the Returners approached him, staying so still he could have passed as a lifelike statue. However, his regal stance couldn’t hide the deep, dark creases under his eyes. “Welcome, my friends,” he said, his voice echoing in the room. “I see you have come to me in hopes of ending this war. Well, you may have your wish. I no longer have the will to fight.”