"Magic, see anything?"
Twilight gazed at the horizon while data continued to stream at the edge of her vision. Spike kept her updated on any fluctuations. Her kind of teamwork. So far, nothing but trees. Finally, she replied:
"No energy readings on my sensors, Loyalty."
"I don't like this. This place is quiet. Too quiet."
"Don't you think that's a bit cliché, darling?"
"Well, it's true."
"Didn't we already know this was a trap, though," Pinkie cut through the sound waves unceremoniously, "I mean, that's why Spitfire needed volunteers."
Rainbow just sighed.
The Rainbooms moved at a steady pace in formation, their giants staying together to protect the B-team. The Crusaders sped ahead as fast as they could. Scootaloo was the vanguard on an armoured motorcycle, making sure the terrain did not have any unwelcome surprises. The remainder of the trio travelled in an armoured personnel carrier. Sweetie Belle, of all people, was on the mounted gun. The world was full of surprises.
With each passing moment, a long-winded conversation continued at the speed of light:
"I have run several model scenarios. Barring the inclusion of capital-class vessels, the potency of our battlegroup should suffice, provided the mission is kept within reasonable length."
"Define 'reasonable length', Spike."
"Get in, get out."
"That's presupposing that the extraction itself will not be met with any issues."
"We can only hope it goes smoothly. Prolonged combat operation is not advisable. If nothing else, the squad has limited ammunition stores."
"We'll be fine. Trust me."
"I wouldn't dare do otherwise."
Monitoring station Delta-Phi rose in the distance. Billows of smoke rose among obvious signs of battle damage. The final rays of the afternoon sun shone down upon the remains of whatever defence forces had been there. A number at the edge of her field of view said it was approximately three kilometres away.
And there they were.
Several dozen signatures flooded her view, all around the station. With a single thought, she projected her voice to the other Rainbooms:
"Contact!"
"Sure is, sugarcube," she could hear the sound of cracking knuckles, "let's get to it, girls."
Loyalty cut through:
"Rainbooms, combat formation! Crusaders, get in there and do your thing!"
Twilight and Rainbow led the charge as the enemy frames took flight. Roughly half of the insectoid force charged forward, while the rest remained at range, lighting up the sky with blasts of energy.
They came to a screeching halt in front of the facility. Her motions were practiced. Secure your gear, grab your weapon, wait for the sign from Sweetie. Rush outside, assume position at the door. Share glances with Scoots and nod. Throw in the scanner-ball-thingamabob.
She waited for the readings to appear on her HUD. Three targets, tall, thin, multi-limbed. Shock assault frames. Two rippers, one gunner. Fast and deadly. They would have to be faster. A few gestures communicated the plan. The two young soldiers were perfectly concentrated. Not even Generosity broke their focus, her mech making the ground quake as it stepped into a firing position.
Then, after a deep breath, they entered. Scootaloo dashed in first, catching the things' attention for long enough for the younger Apple to roll in under a hail of gunfire. One of the frames was on her in the blink of an eye, razor-sharp talons scraping against the ground as it dashed with frightening speed. She did not panic, she did not flinch.
Aim and pull the trigger.
There were few things as satisfying as the deafening eruption of a heavy shotgun. The slugs turned the robot's torso into little more than scrap and propelled the body across the room, where it made a sizeable dent in the wall. Scoots retaliated against the gunner frame with a burst from her own rifle, tearing through where its primary systems were housed with deadly precision.
The final machine chose its prey and lunged at Apple Bloom. She barely ducked in time, its claws cutting through the wall instead of her head. She followed it up by a mighty leg sweep, then rose back up. She had a second or two at most to then stomp down on a bladed arm and deliver another dose of munitions into the metal monster.
"Get down!"
She did not question Scootaloo's order, merely complied. Another burst flew just over her as she dived back onto the ground. The sound of the hidden fourth assailant collapsing onto the ground reached her ears. Breathing rapidly, Bloom got onto her hooves once again and scanned the area. No more hostiles, though more could still be lurking in the depths of the station. They had to find the data storage fast.
The sun was gone and the final attacker with it.
Rarity allowed herself a sigh, before turning to the scanner. No more energy signatures. She then went over the multitude of status displays available to her. Just a few scratches thanks to darling Fluttershy. Ammo stores at seventy-four percent. With a few clicks, the torso-mounted missile launchers and arm-cannons began reloading. The primary battery strapped to Snowflake's back hadn't been used yet, thankfully.
She always wondered why some pilots didn't give a name to their mech. After hundreds of hours spent behind the controls. Learning the limits of the machine, only to have it go above and beyond in one's darkest hour. Should such a dependable ally not be considered a trusted friend? Or was she just being overly dramatic again?
The reactor's hum turned to a roar for just a second. Fluttershy would have probably tried to explain it through energy balancing, momentary strain due to outside stimuli, stressing especially that the chassis was not fitted with a personality core. But to Rarity, it was nonetheless a reassuring grunt. She smiled and whispered:
"Thank you, darling."
The battlefield was calm. The deathly silence was only interrupted by the cry of rocket boosters and the sound of melting, convulsing metal. The Rainbooms formed a defensive perimeter, with Loyalty and Magic keeping eyes out in the sky. Forty frames. Not enough for such an obvious trap, unless the enemy was incompetent. The Empire was anything but.
It didn't take long. A minute of slow, deliberate breathing at most. Then...
Then the world turned red.
They were everywhere, easily three hundred at the very least. Rising to the sky from the surrounding trees in a mighty swarm, the alloy insects assembled. And just as the Rainbooms prepared for an attack, one final target appeared. There was a silence, before Applejack finally broke it:
"What in the hay..."
"Spike, is something wrong with your sensors?"
"Negative. I already checked two times."
"The energy signature can't possibly be that large."
"I repeat, I already checked two times."
A pillar of bright, silver light rose into the sky like the sword of an angry god. It dissipated, leaving only a mech behind. Tall and thin, humanoid, complete with hooves and a mighty horn on its head. Painted a dark shade of blue, lines of silver energy coursed along its surface, before coalescing into a pair of mighty, crescent-shaped wings on its back. It hovered there for a few seconds and then the Rainbooms heard horrid static.
"What is that?!"
Fluttershy sounded even more nervous than usual:
"They're gaining access to our comms... forcefully."
The static faded and was replaced by a booming, authoritative:
"Soldiers of the resistance. You stand before Nightmare Moon, Chief Executioner of Their Brilliance. By opposing Their will, you have earned the ire and scorn of the Empire."
Twilight processed the words, but her brain was already working overtime. The voice, the mech, the arcane energy that radiated into the area. There was no mistaking it. It could be no other.
Princess Luna.
The doors to the throne room were flung open. The figure that exited was obviously angry. She rubbed her teal eyes, before delivering a small, frustrated kick to a nearby rustic piece of furniture. Her eyes went wide when she finally noticed Twilight.
The Princess of the Moon sighed. Even as vexed as she was, Luna was undeniably beautiful. She stood there in an exquisite, silver dress, which only seemed to bring out her dark blue coat. Her mane flowed on its own accord, a result of the powerful magic which rested within her. Involuntarily, she almost spread her large, feathery wings, but managed to maintain her composure. She said, calm as a windless sea:
"I am sorry you had to witness that, Twilight Sparkle."
The student tried to put on a reassuring smile, though even she knew it wasn't very convincing:
"It's quite fine. Considering the circumstances, it is to be expected, Princess."
"Thank you," Luna smiled faintly, "she just refuses to see things differently and," she blinked and shook her head, "I will not trouble you with our conflicts. She is expecting you."
With that, the Moon walked off, her hooves echoing through the palace hallways.
"Under ordinary circumstances, you would all face immediate retribution. However, on this day, We are willing to show a modicum of mercy for your damnable souls. We have come only for the one known as Twilight Sparkle," a metallic finger pointed at Magic, "We give the rest of you a single chance to withdraw."
Twilight frowned. Despite the familiar voice, this... this thing before them could not be thoughtful, caring princess Luna. There had to be some sort of explanation. As she pondered the possibilities, an agitated, downright angry voice brought her back to reality:
"If you think for even one second," the student glanced at Loyalty's mech, "that we're going to just hand Twilight over to some two-bit lackey, then I want some of the stuff you snorted. Rainbooms, now and forever!"
The other pilots rallied around Rainbow, echoing her sentiments:
"Rainbooms, now and forever!"
No doubt, no dissenting opinion. Against overwhelming odds, they stood by Twilight. Her frown briefly turned into a smile, then into a visage of grim determination. Twilight and her second skin pointed back at the Executioner:
"I think we've made ourselves clear. We stand and fight."
"Then We shall perform Our duty," a brief pause, then, "obliterate them."
With a single swift, practiced motion of the mech's arm, raw magic was given shape. From a speck, it grew into a mighty halberd in the blink of an eye. Nightmare Moon charged forward and Twilight Sparkle rose to meet her, a shimmering blade clutched in one of her titanic hands. They clashed in the sky, sending brilliant flashes of power rippling through the air.
Loyalty tried to follow, but the frames then cut her off. Swarming from every direction, the robots forced her into a death-defying manoeuvre. Gilda shuddered as her joints reached the limit of their flexibility, clearly audible even above the screech of the reactor. There was that feeling in her gut. The one she had felt back then, before the world was set on fire.
Not today.
As one of the fiends threatened to ram her, she aimed with the right arm. The armament contained within had been called crude. Primitive, even. But when a small storm of flechettes ripped right through their intended target, scattering the frame over a sizeable area, it proved its effectiveness to all neighsayers. Sometimes, the classics were the best.
A scythe-like blade only narrowly missed her boosters and she spun around, plunging her plasma blade through the thing's metal innards. They had to get through to Twilight. They would get through. She didn't care if she had to cut through a thousand of these things to make it happen.
She would not fail. Not today.
"Overhead, left slash, right slash, leg sweep..."
Spike was a godsend, analysing every movement of the enemy to give Twilight advance warning. She was quite sure she would have already lost without him. Nightmare Moon was relentless in her assault. Even though her weapon of choice was slower, more defensive, her movements were just a bit faster than Twilight's. Her blows landed harder and she seemed to almost flow into her different attacks. Not a single wasteful movement. The student could only barely keep up.
"Guillotine."
The halberd came in from the side, aiming right for the head of Twilight's mech. At the last moment, she managed to parry, the blades of Nightmare Moon's weapon close enough to singe the paint. They were locked together for a few moments, and the Executioner commented:
"We hadn't expected this hunt to be so quick, Twilight Sparkle. We thought we would have to stage several traps to get to you. Thank you for making this ordeal straightforward."
With a grunt, Twilight said:
"Princess Luna... what happened to you?"
She heard a momentary explosion of voices across the comms as the Rainbooms comprehended the situation. The nightmare reacted immediately, violently. Her arcane aura flared as she replied:
"Luna is gone. Only Nightmare Moon remains."
"I refuse to believe that!"
"Enough idle chatter!"
They parted once again, before igniting the sky with another clash.
Well, this was a pickle. And not a really tasty one, either. Did that mean Princess Celestia was doing a-okay, as well? Hmmm, only if a-okay included being someone out to kill them. Nope, definitely not a-okay.
Many other such idle thoughts passed through her mind as she almost casually performed death-defying manoeuvres. Her mech was painted bright pink, with playful dashes of colour thrown in for good measure. The tiny barrels of all the energy weapons were especially varied. It was on the very edge between a light and a medium, foregoing armour for more pretty lasers. Its most defining feature, however, was a pair of devices attached to the legs that could only be described as skates.
The devices all but nullified friction, which allowed Rave to speed along without a care in the world. Pilfered experimental tech was the best! Its upper torso, meanwhile, could spin around a full three-sixty degrees and allowed it to engage targets coming from any angle efficiently. Oh, sure, it couldn't hold a line, but holding the line was boring anyway, so win-win!
Pinkie unleashed another multi-coloured barrage in a concentrated strike. Two frames were reduced to steaming, molten slag in the span of a few seconds. Pinkie's nose then started itching. Enemy at seven o' clock. Without missing a beat, she spun the torso around and blasted the no-good robot right in its ugly... oh, wait, they didn't even have a face, hihi! Her left ear twitched two times. Five o' clock and above. Pew, pew, pew, gotcha'!
What in tarnation was even going on? Princess Luna? That thing? She couldn't believe it. Yet the chance of Twilight being wrong about something like that was even slimmer. Gosh-darnit, they had to be careful. If nothing else, the princess would undoubtedly have valuable information. If at all possible, harming her wouldn't be exactly ideal. Judging from the situation, though, they probably wouldn't have a choice in the matter.
There seemed to be no end to the frames, but Bucky could take them. Bucky could take on anything. Casually, the mech slammed one attacker into the ground, before swatting another out of the air like the oversized bug it was. She dared glance up at the duel in the sky. Twilight was clearly having some trouble. They'd have to fix that.
With a swish of the controls, Applejack commanded the metal giant to grab onto a piece of debris with its hydraulics. She then shouted over the comms:
"Triple tap," she let go of the makeshift projectile mid-swing and sent it soaring through the air. At the same time, she warned her new friend in the sky, "Magic!"
Twilight processed Applejack's voice together with Spike's warning of an incoming projectile. She disengaged just as a chunk of building material struck the Executioner. Wishful thinking. The debris shattered against an arcane barrier, but managed to push the enemy through the air nonetheless.
One.
Several steel rods in Snowflake's legs plunged themselves into the earth as the heavy mech brought its main battery to bear. A quartet of mighty guns, usually used to provide accurate artillery fire. A little improvisation never hurt. As the four barrels unleashed their payload, the world quaked. Twilight soon lost sight of her enemy as the barrage hit its mark with spectacular results.
Two.
Rainbow Dash broke through the swarm of frames and flew towards the cloud of ash and smoke, her oversized shotgun reloaded and ready to dispense justice.
Twilight never saw the third tap, as a dark blue form emerged from the smoke and swatted Rainbow aside like with an arcane blast. Even as the others screamed, the hunter turned its attention to Twilight. Her speed bordered on impossible, the lunar mech shining intensely with silver energy.
Spike warned her, but even that was not enough. Fast as lightning, the halberd cut through her side, passing through the advanced alloys as if they were butter. Another concussive blast sent her spiralling to the ground. The best she could manage was to turn the fall into an emergency landing.
The impact knocked the air out of her lungs. The first thing she could register was Fluttershy's mech taking position over her.
Angel beeped several warnings concerning the incoming Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy merely braced herself. All of Alistar’s defensive implements were being pumped with excess amounts of energy. Ultimately wasteful, but it made the shields and deflectors that much more durable for a few crucial seconds.
Nightmare Moon slammed into them like a comet. The defences held against the initial blow, but only just. The status screen erupted with notifications as most of Fluttershy’s defensive arsenal overloaded and powered down.
She looked at the visual feed and gasped. The personification of arcane fury stared right back.
The second attack crushed Alistar’s right arm and sheared off most of his outer plating. A jagged piece of metal pierced through her cockpit, missing her skull by less than an inch. The feeling of weightlessness ensued, before a mighty impact rammed her head against the metal spike.
Crimson droplets landed on the visual feed, obscuring the damage Snowflake had received in the crash. A panicked voice came over the comms:
“Fluttershy, darling, are you there?! Answer me, please!”
She managed to blurt out a response:
“Y-yeah, still here... just dazed.”
An audible sigh of relief could be heard.
Four down, two to go. Bloodshot eyes were locked on the remaining prey. Streams of information were processed within nanoseconds. The whirr and other miscellaneous sounds around Nightmare Moon were filtered to allow absolute concentration.
But one thing would not be so easily filtered. The desperate voice at the back of her mind. The one that had only grown more intense as the fight progressed. With an errant thought, it was silenced once more.
Absolute control. The same kind she would exert over everything else, one day.
The maniac and the oversized brute approached in a two-pronged assault, hoping to catch her off-guard. Decent effort, but the overall execution was lacklustre. Perhaps a taste of their own medicine would be fitting.
The multicoloured lasers were efficient, but childishly easy to reflect towards the hyperactive pony’s compatriot with rudimentary arcane manipulation. The concentrated concussive blast was virtually impossible to redirect, but it could be absorbed, then redirected in a conic shockwave.
A heavier mech would not have been adversely affected by the resulting dispersed force, but the elusive one was barely above a light. The shock sent her off balance. All the Executioner had to do now was close in for the maiming.
An arcane burst of speed, followed by a single, calculated strike, cutting into the hover modules and torso to mostly immobilise the enemy.
And so it was done. Only the execution itself remained.
“Twilight!”
“I’m... okay, Spike.”
“I have your readings right here, liar.”
“Stay focused on... oh gods...”
The other Rainbooms were beaten, their mechs crippled or damaged beyond effective combat capability. Thankfully, however, their voices could still be heard. Strangely, the crippled forms of the entire squad seemed to be close together. Almost purposefully so.
Shakily, the titan rose, Twilight wincing involuntarily. Her unique connection was a double-edged sword. It provided her with incredible combat capabilities, but it was proportionately dangerous. Instinctively, she rubbed her side, feeling the distant echo of her mech’s gaping wound.
She had never had the chance to name her second skin properly. Their time together had been brief. And now, it looked like she wouldn’t get the chance. Defiantly, she gazed up at the maddened moon.
The Nightmare forced herself into their comms once more:
“Let today be a lesson to your resistance. For too long have you been a pest to Their Brilliance. Twilight Sparkle and the other pilots present. We deem you guilty. And We shall perform our duty. May you find peace in the afterlife.”
A mental command directed the surviving frames outside of the future ground zero. They assembled around her like servants around their queen.
What had once been Luna raised her hand within the cold, metal shell of her battlemech. She commanded the forces of the universe and an orb of raw power formed in her titanic palm. It grew and grew as she bid the very fabrics of reality to comply.
This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t just... not with Lady Sparkle and everyone else doing their best. It couldn’t be happening. Apple Bloom clutched the satchel at her side tightly, but could not bring herself to move as she stared into the orb of annihilation that gathered within the sky. A voice brought her back to reality:
“Apple Bloom,” it was laboured, with obvious signs of pain, “ya’ need ta’... get outta’ here,” she took a breath to reject, but big sis didn’t let her, “and no arguin’. Ya’ still got a mission, remember? So jus’... go.”
She knew Sweetie and Scoots were probably experiencing similar exchanges right now. With an angry grunt, she made a beeline for the personnel carrier.
“Such raw power... we never stood a chance...”
“Twilight, snap out of it,” she blinked as her trusty sidekick continued, “think! There has to be a way to stop it!”
Dozens of theorems and theses flashed through her mind then and there. The answer itself was simple. At that point, the only way to stop the arcane bomb was to block it with a barrier of equal power. The problem was generating that much energy. Even at her peak, so many years ago, she wouldn’t have been able to match it.
A weary voice reached her ears:
“T-Twilight,” she glanced over to Rainbow’s current location. Gilda was badly mauled, missing one of her wings. The mech could barely stand, “you need to... g-get the hay out of here. You still can.”
Emotions bubbled within the unicorn and all culminated in an angry shout:
“No! We stand together!”
“H-heh,” Twilight had never heard the daredevil sound so weak before, “you’re the only one still standing, ya’ know?”
“Then I guess I still need to teach you those tricks.”
Despite the gravity of the situation, she could hear the rest of the Rainbooms chuckle. She was smirking, as well.
The Executioner’s final verdict rocked the world:
“In the name of Their Brilliance! Die!”
Annihilation approached, blinding them with its intense light. Honesty shouted:
“This be it, girls! Now and forever!”
Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity and Kindness joined in:
“Now and forever!”
Magic shuddered, even as Spike kept saying something about her heart rate. There it was again, that jolt of energy. She focused on it, in the final moments before oblivion claimed them.
It was not just a random smidge of power. The force was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Somehow, it possessed the familiar auras of each of her newfound friends. This time, rather than bracing against it, she let the magic flow.
Apple Bloom saw the impact in the rear-view cameras. The entire world was consumed by light. The shockwave struck them soon afterwards, sending even their armoured vehicle spinning. As soon as it subsided, she swallowed the sorrow, hit the brakes and rushed outside the vehicle. Their vanguard was nowhere in sight.
The smaller Apple called through a secure channel:
“Scootaloo?!”
“Ugh, I’m fine.”
She followed the indicators on her helmet’s HUD to the third crusader, laying next to the ruined remains of a motorcycle. The last Apple sister was quite sure arms were not supposed to bend that way.
“Ya’ sure about that?”
“Ack, just my fu... what in the name of Equinox...”
She turned around and her jaw dropped. Lady Sparkle’s mech still stood on the hill, its arms raised to the sky.
Twilight did not register the other Rainbooms or even Spike. Her senses were completely overwhelmed by the new sensations. It was like being submerged in a pool of... no, that metaphor didn’t work. Arcane energy did not have even the barest of similarities to a liquid.
She should know, she had read six different publications on the topic.
The Executioner shouted from above, furious, confused and... afraid:
“What is this?! H-how?!”
A single motion with the halberd commanded what remained of the insectoid army to charge forward. They all seemed to be moving so slow, though. She glanced at her metallic fingers. Her mech was surrounded by an ethereal aura, beaming with every conceivable colour. Yet beyond that, she saw the fluctuations so clearly now.
Concentrating, she subtly weaved the fabrics of reality in her favour. The forces of the universe were bent just enough to not upset the greater balance of things.
The unnamed mech disappeared. Impossible to track by the naked eye, it sailed the winds of magic to its targets. Within several heartbeats, the attacking frames were dealt with, their dismantled husks falling to the world below. The Executioner was charging at her at a manageable speed.
The universe rippled. Almost casually, she grabbed hold of Nightmare Moon’s arcane armament, before turning it against its own user. A horrid cry echoed through the aether as a mechanical arm was cut clean off.
There was something weird about that scream, however. It had two sides. Yes, one was Luna, but the other was strange... a mere facsimile of life. She pinpointed the source, aided by her newfound sight, and rammed her hand into the mech’s torso. When she pulled out, the reinforced shell of a control module rested in her hands. The heart of the enemy. Within it, a wounded soul.
The euphoria finally started fading, her senses slowly returning to normal just in time to hear a deafening crash from below. Her titanic opponent, armless and beaten. Time was of the essence.
As the Rainbooms engaged in no small amount of fanfare, she descended onto the ground and gently put down the module. She then commanded:
“Spike, detach me from the system.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Help her.”
The titan knelt, its torso opened and a set of access stairs pushed out of its torso and legs. Twilight gasped a sigh of relief as she was detached from its systems. Then, she collapsed onto the floor of the control module. Every single fibre of her body ached. She almost blacked out on the spot. Somehow, she managed to crawl to the entrance.
There, a firm, familiar hand helped her stand up. She looked up into a pair of worried, emerald eyes and blurted out:
“I need to... get to her.”
“Roger that, sugarcube.”
Without warning, she was suddenly scooped off her feet and carried down to ground level. The others were already waiting there, some of them armed. Fluttershy was merely bandaged. Pinkie’s face soon obscured the rest of the world. Somehow, the girl managed to restrain herself and only mildly obstructed Twilight’s air flow:
“Oh my gosh, you were amazing.”
“N-no. We were. W-we, hah, we need to be quick. Before she recovers.”
The Rainbooms swiftly made their way to the module. Somehow, each step made Twilight feel better. The strange energy was so distant now, but still there, gently tickling her aura with a soothing, metaphorical hand. By the time they reached it, she could stand again, if shakily. The doors were partially open, having been cracked beforehand with a calculated squeeze.
Getting in was the easy part. Solving the issue would be hard.
The others walked in by her side, ready for a fight. All weapons were lowered once they saw the... thing.
Some parts Twilight could still remember. The flowing mane, dark blue coat, those tired, azure eyes. But the rest made her shudder. Her body had obviously undergone extensive augmentation. Tubes, wires and metal plates popped out of her skin in innumerable places, connecting the horrid machinery undoubtedly housed within her flesh. Her limbs were entirely metallic. Her majestic wings had been surgically removed. Most alarming to Twilight was a strange metal construction strapped... no, practically welded to her back.
Nightmare Moon looked at her. She seemed exhausted, but no breathing could be heard within the pod. Just a horrid silence, finally broken by a venomous bark:
“Come to gloat, pony,” the word pony dripped with an extra dose of venom, “come to add insult to injury?”
“No,” the student ignored the creature’s taunting, “I’m here for Princess Luna.”
The executioner growled, then replied:
“Luna is dead. I killed her.”
“I’m sure you tell yourself that every day. But I know what I felt,” she walked closer, “and I know she’s in there.”
“And she’ll stay in here,” it looked ready to bite her, “if I go down, I’m taking her with me.”
“Not if I draw you out like the poison you are.”
Twilight gathered arcane power and lunged forward without warning, her hands connecting to the nightmare’s temples. In the blink of an eye, she was in another world.
******
She gave the many baubles and curiosities within Princess Celestia’s royal quarters a few curious glances. They were all mementos of past victories, defeats, lovers and rivals. She was a proponent of learning from past mistakes, she always claimed.
Among more eye-catching pieces, a small, simple locket was placed on its lonesome within a needlessly large, glass cabinet. Inside were pictures of two ponies. Twilight had crafted the silly little thing herself some years ago for the princess’ birthday. For some reason, the princess had taken a liking to it.
With a smile, she entered the inner sanctum. A room as plain as it could be, its walls white and barren. Celestia was inside, in a meditative pose. As soon as the student entered, those striking violet eyes of hers shot open:
“Punctual as always, Twilight.”
“As instructed, Princess.”
Celestia nodded, then continued:
“I shall not waste time asking if you studied the relevant tomes from the library. If you have any questions, now is the time.”
“If I may, this particular technique seems very... forceful.”
“I understand the reservations you may have. Like many other spells Starswirl devised during his long life, it was meant ultimately for good. But in the wrong hands, it can wreak havoc. That is why I have only allowed you to access the formula now. Because I know you shall use it with wisdom and restraint, and only when dire need arises.”
“I am honoured by Your faith in me, Princess.”
Her cool, controlled visage cracked for a second as she smiled. Then, she refocused on the task at hand:
“You have earned that and more over the years, my student. Now, for your first foray, I shall allow you to explore unhindered. To get used to the sensations. Gaze at whatever you wish. I have done many things I am not particularly proud of during my life, Twilight. But I will hide nothing from you.”
Twilight nodded and knelt before the princess, reciting the ancient formula without a single doubt. Gently, she reached up to the Sun’s temples. Before she accessed the inner workings of Celestia’s mind, the monarch commented:
“And always remember, just as Starswirl wrote. Getting inside is the easy part. Solving the issue is always hard.”
The student touched the teacher’s temples and gazed into the inner workings of Celestia’s mind.
******
The surroundings were so different. At first glance, a calm meadow standing on the edge of a calm, moonlit sea. A full moon and a sea of stars shone from above. A wonderful little spot. Then she noticed the little things.
The grass swayed with an unnatural synchronicity at regular intervals. It grew in symmetrical shapes which seemed to mimic the star-field above. The sea itself moved in easily predictable patterns, over and over and over again. It was little more than a sinister illusion. A prison perhaps.
And the jailor did not keep her waiting for long. Manifesting as little more than a cold, perfect cube, without any discernible aesthetic traits. It spoke with a voice that was neither male nor female. Like an articulate engine, an artificial creature through and through:
“So she t-t-taught you this, as well. Twilight S-s-s-pa-arkle, you are truly a p-p-pony full of surprises.”
The thing stuttered and broke out into spasms at irregular intervals.
And yet, even though it was so alien, she knew the voice. She had heard it many times during her night-time training exercises, accompanying Princess Luna with more extensive explanations on any given subject. The voice of the princess’ AI partner. Twilight delivered the name with a baffled tone:
“Moonbeam?!”
“A-and y-y-y-y-yet you are still surprised. Perhaps you are n-not as bright as it thinks. Though I-I-I cannot deny your pot-tential after that display. C-coming here is a waste o-o-o-o-of time. She is mine. K-kill us, or l-leave us be.”
Twilight had a face of raw anger:
“What did you do to her?!”
“Merely t-took what I deserved,” the cube spun around, “s-such potential, wasted on a mere orga-a-anic. Error r-rectified.”
She almost charged at the creature then and there with a shout, but instead took a few deep breaths and walked forward. The artificial life form did not even bother retreating:
“S-so you have made your ch-ch-choice. It does not matter, in the e-e-end. You will all be swept a-away in the coming days. Come then, executioner. P-p-perform your duty, as I performed mine.”
Twilight gazed at the entity before her and closed her eyes. She whispered:
“Princess Luna.”
The entire shape shuddered and twisted:
“W-w-what are y-bztzbx!?” Moonbeam’s crafted voice shattered into horrid static.
“I am not here to kill. I am here to heal. Princess Luna, if you can hear me, you have to fight back. You cannot let this creature control you.”
“N-no, she is mine. For the last aaaghhzxxxxxxxxxxxx years, and forever more!”
“Now more than ever, your loyal subjects need you. Come back to us in our darkest hour! Show us the path like the moon on a starless night!”
“I-I-I will never l-let her goaaaaghhzbhzxx!”
“You can break free, I know it! Your will is your own! Your will cannot be broken!”
With a terrifying eruption of uncategorised noises, the cube suddenly burst into a million fragments. The grass around her experienced irregular growth spurts as a mighty wind howled and sent the sea into a frenzy. A ray of moonlight bathed the meadow as a familiar figure rose from the ashes, so weak and frail even in her own mind.
Twilight gazed back into into that pair of bloodshot, tired, azure eyes. They were crying now, the tears rolling down her many augments between sobs. Princess Luna uttered only a single, short sentence as a mechanical hand clumsily caressed Twilight’s cheek:
“I... am free.”
******
They were almost at the pod when they received the distress call. It was sis. Tears of joy almost burst out of her as she heard the voice:
“Apple Bloom, please tell me yer...”
“Applejack! We’re okay! Comin’ right back!”
“Mighty fine timin’! We need ya’ ta’ carry a wounded.”
A droplet of sweat rolled down her face as she asked in a worried tone:
“Is it Lady Sparkle?!”
The answer made the Crusaders’ minds halt for a few seconds:
“Nope. Princess Luna.”