LEGACY
“Twilight?”
“She’s moving.”
“Finally, I was getting worried.”
“Twilight, darling, can you hear us?”
“Her eyes are opening.”
Light flooded Twilight’s world as her weary eyes opened, and she squinted to make the transition from dark to day more bearable. In her blurry vision, she could see a number of colorful shapes moving before her. Purple, white, blue, all of them standing right in front of her. And as Twilight’s vision cleared, she finally saw where she was.
The crystal walls of her bedroom rose around her, and she felt her soft bedsheets on her coat. Standing at the foot of the bed were Starlight Glimmer, Spike, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Dash wore a large cast around her wing, and had bandages covering her midsection and flank. The color had returned to her coat, however, and Twilight smiled.
“Hey,” she groaned, her voice weak. “What… what happened?”
“You passed out, Twi’,” Spike answered, running to his friend’s side. “You’ve been asleep for four days.” Twilight’s stomach rumbled, and she had no trouble believing Spike’s report. She had never felt so weak, or so hungry.
“What’s the last thing you remember, Twilight?” Starlight asked, joining Spike.
“Um… fighting off the machines on Legacy,” Twilight replied, searching her mind. They were being overrun, and Twilight had thought for sure that they would die. But here she was, safe and sound…
“Captain Maxwell successfully opened all the lockers,” Starlight said. “You told me to keep the shield up, then you lit your horn… You teleported the three of us, and about two-hundred boxes, several hundred kilometers back to Canterlot. It’s no wonder you collapsed from exhaustion.”
“So… it worked, then?” Twilight asked, looking around. “I mean, we’re all still alive, so… Machina is gone?”
“Yes,” Rarity said. “Machina is gone. Legacy is gone, and we are safe.” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, a smile forming on her face. She lay back in her bed, feeling a great weight lifted from her shoulders.
“Good…”
“Princess Celestia is here, and the rest of our friends are in the dining room,” Spike said with a grin of his own. “Think you can walk?” Twilight nodded, and carefully dragged herself out of the bed. As soon as her hooves hit the floor, she stumbled forward, only to be caught by Spike. He held her steady as she adjusted to standing, giving her a worried look.
“I’m fine,” Twilight said, taking a step forward. She still felt weak, but she was managing. And while she did have to take care with each step she took, by the time she reached the door she was walking far more confidently.
With her friends by her side, Twilight made her way down the memorized corridors to the dining room. She could hear a light conversation from inside, though it stopped as soon as she opened the door. Twilight found all eyes on her as she made her entrance, and a sigh of relief went through the room.
“Twilight, thank goodness,” Celestia said from her position next to the seat at the head of the table. “I was worried sick. How are you feeling?”
“I’m managing,” Twilight replied, walking to her chair. She sat down, looking out over the rest of her friends. Fluttershy had a bandage near her chest, and she picked at the food in front of her. Applejack and Pinkie Pie had escaped with minimal wounds, just a few scrapes and bruises that were already beginning to heal. But Twilight noticed one pony that was missing. She looked to Celestia, confused.
“Where’s Luna?”
Celestia froze, and she slowly lowered the fork she had been lifting to her mouth. Her brow turned up, and Twilight began to fear the worst. What had happened?
“She took a few hits while we were getting Machina into the hangar,” Celestia said. “She’s stable, but… it was rather touch-and-go. The doctors are keeping her in Canterlot, under close supervision. She is not permitted to leave for another few weeks.”
“Oh…” Twilight frowned, feeling sorry for the princess of the night. She made a mental note to visit at some point, when she was strong enough to leave the castle. “And… Captain Maxwell?”
“He’s still in Canterlot,” Starlight responded. “Onyx Star is helping him combine the beacons on the pods to increase their strength, or something like that. He’s going to set up a distress call, and try to get help from one of the other colonies.”
“He did want to extend his thanks,” Celestia interjected. “Because of you, nearly five thousand fertilized human embryos were able to be saved. He says he lacks the proper equipment to incubate them, but if no other ships arrive, we still have the option.”
“That’s good to hear,” Twilight said, smiling. She yawned as Spike brought a plate to her, and began to eat. “It’s a bit hard to believe it’s over… Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Machina is gone, but…”
“But so is the opportunity to study Legacy,” Starlight finished. “Well, if another ship arrives to help the captain, we can always learn from them.” Twilight nodded, and dug into the meal before her.
The ponies ate in silence, each one with their own thoughts. Twilight was trying to get used to the fact that the struggles of the past weeks had finally come to an end. She smiled as she remembered how she felt when Celestia first gave her the expedition. Such a massive task, one that made her doubt her own organizational abilities. For it to have escalated the way it did… Twilight was glad it was over.
“I must return to Canterlot now,” Celestia said, pushing her chair back and standing up. “Luna needs me, and… there is much work to be done. Many lives were lost, and the damage to the city is extensive. It will be a while before everything is normal again.”
“Send me any work you want,” Twilight offered. “I’ll gladly take some off your plate.” Celestia smiled gratefully, and waved goodbye to the ponies. She exited the dining room, and Twilight and her friends sat in silence for a few more minutes.
“So… back to the friendship lessons?” Starlight asked, smiling. Twilight laughed quietly, and nodded.
“Soon,” she replied. “When things quiet down a bit again. In the meantime, I might need your help with some of the paperwork.” Starlight groaned, but her smile remained.
The ponies continued eating, none of them speaking. They simply sat together, enjoying one another’s company. For the first time in recent memory, they could relax, and forget about the worries of the world. Legacy was gone, Machina was gone, and Equestria was once again free from threats. And while Twilight knew it was just a matter of time before she had to get back to work, she wanted to enjoy this moment…
TWO WEEKS LATER
Canterlot was a hive of activity when Twilight arrived; ponies bustled about, everyone pitching in to assist with cleanup and repairs. Celestia had not been exaggerating, the damages to the city were more extensive than Twilight had expected. Rubble filled the streets, and the city’s skyline was missing many of its gold-capped towers.
The castle had suffered the worst of the damage. The courtyard was utterly trashed; its gates were in pieces, the walls were crumbled, and the towers had collapsed into massive piles of debris. And through the rest of the castle, random holes could be found in walls where stray bullets and missiles had impacted. All in all, it would take months to fully repair everything.
Fortunately, the School for Gifted Unicorns had remained primarily intact. A few classrooms in the upper levels were damaged, but the lower levels – namely the Noontide Lab – were perfectly unharmed. Twilight walked down the corridor to the lab, followed by Princesses Celestia and Luna. Luna moved slowly, each step a great effort for her. She was trying to mask it, but her discomfort was evident. A large bandage covered her chest where her necklace once had rested, and she breathed heavily. Two of the bullets had punctured her lungs, but thanks to the power of magic, she was able to be healed before the damage was irreversible.
Upon arriving at the lab, Twilight instantly saw Captain Maxwell and Onyx Star standing at the end of the room. Several of the pods lay in pieces, their internal components exposed and resting on various tables. One pod remained intact, and the human and pony were walking around it, carefully examining the modifications they had made.
“Doctor, Captain,” Celestia greeted as the three princesses approached.
“Ah, Princesses!” Onyx said, smiling as he turned away from the pod. “It’s good to see you here. We just finished up the last of the modifications to the pod.”
“If it works, we should have effectively quadrupled the range of the distress transmitter,” Maxwell said, pressing a few buttons on the pod’s computer. The screen lit up with a green box, and the captain smiled. “There we go. Now all I have to do is wait…”
“Do you think anyone will pick up the signal?” Twilight asked, trotting over to the pod.
“I don’t know,” Maxwell replied. “Like I said, the ships were hastily built. Quality was sacrificed for speed. And in space travel, a lot can go wrong. But if any of the ships made it, and successfully established their colonies… Well, I might just have a chance.”
“Know that, whatever happens, you will always have a place with us,” Celestia said, smiling. “After all, we are partially responsible for Machina’s return. The least we can do is offer you a home.” Maxwell nodded grimly, stepping away from the pod.
“Even if someone does pick up the signal, it could be a long time before they’re able to reach us,” he said. “And I’m not exactly getting any younger. So, if they arrive after I’m gone, tell them everything. Let them know about me, about Machina, about it all. And make sure they know I don’t blame you.”
“What will happen if they do blame us?” Luna asked, worried.
“They might… try billing you for the ship.” Maxwell smiled, and the ponies shared a laugh. The human stretched, cracking the bones in his back. “I’ve been cooped up in this lab for the past few days. Some fresh air would be nice, I think.” With a nod, Celestia turned and led the human and ponies out of the lab. From there, they did not have to walk far to get a view of the outdoors. The broken walls and shattered windows made it rather easy for fresh air to flow through the corridors of the school and the castle.
As they walked through the castle, Twilight watched the ponies busily at work with repairs. The broken bricks and columns were being cleaned up, and in some sections, framing for new walls was being built. All of the destroyed machines had been recovered as quickly as possible, and were being stored in a closet of the Noontide lab. Still, Twilight could see evidence of their existence. Bullet holes still riddled walls, and charred metal fragments rested on the ground.
Finally they came to a section of the castle that remained primarily untouched. It was further back, where the machines had not had the chance to attack. The only evidence of damage were a few broken windows and some cracks in one wall, the result of a nearby missile explosion.
At the very back of this section was a large, secluded balcony. It looked out over the plains to the north of Canterlot, which stretched on for hundreds of kilometers before encountering any forests or mountains. The wind blew through the mountain and past the balcony, creating a rather cool climate. Perfect for relaxation, as far as Twilight was concerned.
“This is nice…” Maxwell said, sighing contentedly. He helped himself to one of the available chairs and reclined back, yawning. “If no other ships arrive, well… I could get used to the idea of staying here.”
“Like I said, you will always have a place among us,” Celestia said. “That does not necessarily have to mean now. If a ship arrives and you leave with it, you are always welcome back.” The human grinned, and stifled a yawn. Celestia crossed to Luna, and whispered something in her ear. The princess of the night frowned, but nodded.
“I’m afraid we must go,” she said. “We have much to deal with regarding reconstruction. Enjoy the rest of your afternoons.” Twilight and Maxwell waved goodbye, and the princesses departed, leaving the pony and human alone on the balcony. Twilight crossed to the parapet and rested her hooves on the railing, looking out over the countryside. Maxwell joined her, and the two stood in silence for a moment.
“It’s peaceful when there’s not an ancient magic monster trying to kill you,” the human observed. Twilight laughed, and nodded.
“It’s usually like this,” she said. “Excusing the occasional world-ending threat, Equestria can be a very peaceful place.”
“Seems we chose well, then.” Twilight turned to Maxwell, confused. “I mean, when we were observing planets from Earth. We found roughly fifty that could potentially support life, and when it was determined that we couldn’t build that many ships, we had to narrow our choices down. Despite what has happened, I’m glad we picked here.”
“Well, I’m sure aliens weren’t a part of the original mission,” Twilight said with a smirk. “I’m glad you came here, too. Still, I wish our expedition had been met with a bit less…”
“… Attempted genocide?” Maxwell finished. Twilight paused, then nodded.
“Yes,” she decided. “Less attempted genocide. Maybe next time we’ll get that.”
“If there is a next time…” Maxwell looked up to the sky, watching the sun. “Over a hundred million stars in this galaxy. If we found life at this star… I wonder if the other ships found aliens, too.”
“If they did, hopefully none of them are like Machina.” Twilight shuddered to think what else could be out there, among the stars. Even the idea that something worse than Machina could exist was too much.
“You know… I want to thank you,” Maxwell began. “Not only for helping secure the samples, but for everything else. Putting yourself in harm’s way to get me off of the ship, getting me back to health, feeding and housing me… You didn’t have to do any of that, and yet you did.”
“It was the right thing to do,” Twilight said. “Never doubt that. I had no trouble making the decision to rescue you from the ship, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.”
“You’ve done more than I can ever repay,” the captain continued. “You finished my mission for me. You finished Legacy’s mission.” Twilight did not know what to say. Instead, she simply smiled at the human and gave a nod. There was silence between them for a moment, before Maxwell took a step away from the parapet.
“I know it’s still early, but I think I’m going to get some sleep,” he said. “I didn’t last night. Never advisable.”
“Sleep well,” Twilight said, waving her farewell. The human exited the balcony, and Twilight found herself entirely alone. She stood against the parapet, letting the wind blow through her mane and the sun beat down on her face. She smelled the fresh air, and looked down at the acres of grass beneath her. It was all serene, peaceful. From this view, it was as if a battle had never occurred.
The past weeks had been strange, that much was certain. Twilight and her friends had faced down death and come out alive, mostly unscathed. And once again, she had saved Equestria and its inhabitants. The princess sighed, content for the moment. She closed her eyes, and pushed away the memories of Machina and of Legacy. For now, she wanted to be alone with her thoughts.
Equestria was safe. Twilight was safe, Maxwell was safe, her friends were safe. And the rest of the ponies of Equestria were safe. The pain, the struggle, it all had been worth it.
Twilight did not know how long her eyes were closed, but when they reopened, the sun was setting. The day was coming to an end, and so was this chapter of Twilight’s life. At this rate, she would have many more exciting chapters to add to her biography one day. Twilight only hoped that she would be around to write it.
As the sun lowered past the horizon, and the sky turned from orange to purple to black, stars began to blink into existence. Twilight looked at all of them, wondering if any were the stars that humans had chosen to visit. And if any were, she wondered if they would detect Maxwell’s signal. The chances were slim, Maxwell had stressed that, but Twilight was hopeful. She did want an opportunity to explore a ship without the threat of death.
Twilight yawned; it was late, and her past few weeks had been decidedly stressful. She pushed herself away from the balcony and turned to go inside. The darkened balcony became temporarily lit by the orange glow of candles as Twilight opened the door and stepped inside the castle.
The moon rose on Equestria, and the country was covered in a blanket of glowing stars. The humans had gone to the stars to secure their legacy. They had sent thirty ships and thousands of humans across vast distances in an attempt to save the species. Some may have succeeded, others may have failed. But on Equus, Legacy’s mission had been successful. Regardless of what had happened with Machina, one human remained standing, and he was in possession of several thousand samples. Machina was defeated, its plans had been foiled, and the ponies survived what would have been a massacre. Two legacies had now been secured, and the future was open to them. And whatever that future came to hold, only time would be able to tell…