Rearranging Perspectives

by The Dimension Traveler

Closing In

Rearranging Perspectives

Chapter 16: Closing In

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It had been a week since the battle in Las Pegasus and recovery efforts there were well underway. However, the main focus for the Ponies and Sam was towards the Griffonstone Empire, home of the Griffons. While there had been no reports of anything unusual from the ambassadors, deeper scans showed a worrying picture.

Griffonstone itself was built in and around a great tree, something Twilight personally appreciated from her time living at Golden Oaks. At the crest of the tree sat the Royal Palace, home of the Griffons’ Emperor. Or it would be, had the throne not been empty for some decades. At the time, Griffonstone was ruled exclusively by the nobles and bureaucrats. The Palace was all but abandoned. Except it wasn’t anymore.

A scout team had preformed a stealth scan of the entire city of Griffonstone in order to narrow down Twilight’s findings from her tracking spell. They had discovered the tree that supported Griffonstone and the Palace had been suffused with Darkness. As far as these unobtrusive scans could determine, the nexus for the corruption was the throne room.

“I say we evacuate the Griffons and blow the whole place to Tartarus,” Rainbow Dash opined.

“That’s assuming the Griffons come willingly and that we’re able to defend such an exodus from the Sun Eater’s base of operations,” Twilight came with a counterpoint.

“Also, what’s to stop the Sun Eaters from just setting a new base somewhere else? Whatever drew them to Griffonstone in the first place, with how frayed the dimensional walls are becoming I doubt they have to stay there,” Sam put forth. He and Discord had been working to observe the damage the Sun Eaters were doing to the dimensional walls. Things were quickly reaching critical status.

“I am afraid, my Little Ponies, that we must begin preparing for a final assault. We must bring everything we have to bare, once the Sun Eaters are on to us, they will fight to the last to protect the portal. Twilight, Sam, how are the preparations for surviving on the other side?” Celestia asked.

“We can only sustain a livable space of either 23 feet cubed or about 8 individual bubbles. Any more than that and the natural entropy of the Sun Eater’s home dimension will collapse the spellform,” Twilight reported sadly.

“Then it is clear who must go. Carrying the Elements of Harmony will almost certainly be pivotal, so the six of you will go. Sam with Solaris are no doubt key to victory. That leaves just myself to go,” Luna stated.

“Luna, no!” Celestia immediately objected.

“Who else would be able to go? Even with the Elements and Sam, having the might of an Alicorn can only be a boon,” Luna stated simply.

“What about Discord, surely-”

“Discord won’t be able to come. His magic reacts violently to the entropy of that dimension and the spell won’t hold around his ambient Chaos,” Sam quickly interrupted, “That’s why it took so much out of the Sun Eaters to keep him contained.”

“Luna, you can’t go,” Celestia protested weakly.

“Again, who would go in my stead? Nephthys? She may have once been Nightmare Moon, but she has yet to regain any real strength. Cadence? She is young yet and has not tapped into her true potential as an Alicorn. I am a fully realized Alicorn and goddess of the Night and Moon. Goddess 1^st class, if I must remind you dear sister. Or are you suggesting you go? We both know why you cannot. You must lead the Ponies if all else fails. The Ponies of this time do not need me as a Princess. They need me now as a warrior,” Luna’s face was a mask of impassiveness. Celestia slowly walked over to Luna and wrapped her in a hug.

“I can’t lose you, not again,” Celestia said in a raspy whisper. Luna’s shoulders dropped and her ears folded flat against her skull.

“Sister, even if the worse should happen and I perish on this mission, it is either losing me now on the mission or losing me later when everyone and everything dies at the hands of the Sun Eaters should the mission fail. Which is much more likely if I am not there to assist,” Luna said firmly. Celestia cringed.

“Why do you have to be right?” The white Alicorn murmured.

“I promise to do everything in my power to see she makes it back alive,” Sam promised quietly, but there was steel in his voice to backup the promise.

“She won’t even have a scratch with all of our awesomeness backing her up!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“It ain’t like we’re gonna just ditch her first chance we get,” Applejack drawled.

“When we get back we’re all gonna have a super duper ‘We Saved Equuis” party!” Pinkie shouted with her usual exuberance.

“Even if she does get hurt, I’ll make sure to patch her up,” Fluttershy swore.

“Darling, we’re the heroes, of course everything will turn out fabulous,” Rarity said with a dazzling smile.

“We’ve all learned a lot from fighting this war. We just have to put it to the test one last time and this whole thing will be over. We’ve made it this far, so please, Princess Celestia, trust us and trust Luna,” Twilight implored. Celestia took a deep breath and let go of Luna.

“You’re right. You all are right. I’m just being a silly old nag. Now, let us begin planning our final assault.”

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Author's Note:

Hmm. I appear to be alive? Or is it merely a trick of the light?

Comments

[Eris Dis Harmonia]

Seriously, I haven't seen a lot of comments running about.

[ChakatRedstripe]

10242452
It has been awfully quiet for such a good story

[The Dimension Traveler]

10340283
I know exactly how I want this to end, but I just can't muster the will to write anything for it. The ending is trite and dumb and I just want to roll my eyes every time I think about it, but I can't think of a better way to end it.

[ChakatRedstripe]

10340315
Friendship nuke?

[The Dimension Traveler]

10340506
Think less Orbital Friendship Cannon and more Duel of the Fates

[Valk]

ORBITAL FRIENDSHIP CANNON