Reba

by ErraticOverlord

Of Swift Wings and Silver

My mouth hangs open. My mind goes blank. I stand, still as a statue, in the main building of Sweet Apple Acres. Swiftwing Silver, the apparent head of the dissident movement, was dating Applejack right before she disappeared. If I had doubt it is quite gone now. The dissident movement is responsible for taking Spike, Applejack, and Celestia, not to mention the guards Celestia brought with her. Swiftwing Silver must be stopped. After regaining my voice, I thank the Apples and dart out the door.

I need to find Swiftwing Silver, but how? Who would know where he lived? Hang on, the Apple family might know at least a temporary residence. I reach an overgrown hedge before turning around and galloping back. reaching the Apple family’s house once again, I trot in. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh look up from their-long since cold-bowls of porridge.

“Do you know where this 'Swiftwing Silver' lives?”

I ask, somewhat in earnest. Granny Smith replies.

“It’s one of the apartments down by the river. The address might be in Applejack’s room.”

Her accent is not the thickest I have ever heard but it takes me a few moments to process what she says. When I do, I nod my head and trot up the stairs, to Applejacks room. I open the door, to reveal a musky smell, that of hay and fresh earth. Although it had been several days since Applejack had been in here, the smell remained, yet another grim reminder of Ponyville’s missing friend. I turn to the table next to her bed and see a calendar hung above it. I move closer to see what is written on the calendar. I scan my eyes along the sheet of numbers, until I see the last date marked. It reads “August third, day of remembrance.”

Strange… Very strange.

I look down and see her address book open to a very particular pony:

“Swiftwing Silver, twenty one twenty one, Shetland Street.”

I thank the Apples again, for their help, and canter out the door, donning my Happytune disguise on the way. When I reach the edge of Sweet Apple Acres’ property, I run into three fillies; one was a Unicorn with a white coat, green eyes, and a striped mane of pink and purple. Another, was a Pegasus with an orange coat, purple eyes, and dark purple mane. Finally, there is an Earth pony with a yellow coat, orange eyes, and a light red mane. None of them had cutie marks. I thank Olympus that my disguise is in place. The Earth pony speaks:

“Hey a haven’t seen ya 'round Ponyville before. What’s yer name?”

She spoke with a slow, southern drawl with a fast undercurrent, a river under rock. I reply with a friendly smile.

“My name is Happytune. What is yours?”

The three fillies reply, almost before I finish asking the question. The Earth pony speaks first:

“A’hm Applebloom!”

Then the Pegasus speaks:

“I’m Scootaloo!”

The Pegasus speaks with a slightly lower voice, although still high pitched and excited. She seems to be attempting to sound like Rainbow Dash, the element of loyalty. I could swear I had heard her voice somewhere before, but, I cannot remember where.

The Unicorn speaks next:

“I’m Sweetie bell!”

Her voice is strong and soft, a singer’s voice by the sound of it.

Applebloom, she is a member of the Apple family. Maybe I can find out more information about Applejack from her.

“Applebloom, you would not happen to be related to Applejack would you?”

The three fillies’ faces fall. They look at the ground, downcast. My heart aches for my subjects, but I must press on. I am sorry Applebloom.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

I say. Applebloom nods.

“I’m trying to find out what happened to her. Can you tell me what you know?”

Applebloom nods slowly and looks up at me, teary eyed.

“A-ah guess so.”

She says, uncertainly. I ask my first question:

“What do you know about Swiftwing Silver?”

I ask. A more serious tone creeps into my voice. Applebloom smiles, some of her earlier mirth returning to her. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo snicker. Applebloom speaks again:

“Yah mean Applejack’s date?”

She asks, not sad, but serious.

“Yes. That’s the one.”

Applebloom thinks, then turns to me and says:

“Well what do ya wanna know?”

She asks.

“Were they very close?”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo snicker again, but are silenced by a glare from Applebloom.

“Applejack said she loved Swiftwing and Swiftwing said the same, so yeah; they loved each other.”

Well this doesn't complicate things at all.

I hush my sarcastic thoughts, and nod. I ask my next question:

“Tell me about Swiftwing.”

I say. Applebloom nods.

“Well I didn't see Swiftwing around much. Applejack said Swiftwing’s work was very demanding so that was why. When Swiftwing was there, Applejack and Swiftwing were very luvy duvy with each other and Swiftwing was nice. Swiftwing loved apple tarts… I don’t know too much, sorry.”

Work…Riiiiiight.

Hush.

“Thank you for your help. If you have anything else to say and can’t find me, you can just talk to Twilight and she will let me know.”

Applebloom nods again. I move on my way, cantering towards Shetland Street. It is about time I paid Swiftwing Silver a visit. That is, if he actually lives there. Either way, it is well worth trying, should I find him there. I make my way through the center of town where I hear somepony I did not expect to:

Celestia?

Yes. That is Celestia. I recognize her voice. What happened? What is she saying? I move in closer to the throng of ponies gathered around the town square and, I assume, Celestia. Finally, I hear what Celestia is saying.

“…If you choose to dispute my rule then I will be forced to destroy you, through Celestia. Soon you will respect me as a ruler…”

Celestia has a young filly in her magic. The filly has a recently broken leg and is crying in mortal terror. I try desperately to wrap my mind around the scene, while my Happytune disguise wavers. Celestia… Broke a filly’s leg? Why? Celestia continues.

“This filly, by the name of Archer, will be an example of how disrespect is rewarded. Observe.”

Celestia bends her magic and another of the filly’s legs break with a sickening crunch. Archer cries out in pain and the crowd winces. My Happytune guise flickers again. Celestia releases her grip on the foal and Archer drops like a stone, hitting the ground with a dull thud. Nopony tries to help Archer, instead, looking on Celestia with horror. She continues.

“I think I’ve shown what will happen, should anypony disrespect me, enough. I bid you adieu.”

Celestia spreads her wings in preparation for flight.

No.

“Celestia.”

I drop my illusion, to reveal my true form. My Alicorn height allows me to stand taller than my subjects, making it so Celestia can easily identify me. She looks upon me, an evil smirk upon her face. On her forehead there is a red mark; the mark looks almost like a nine but it is turned slightly on its side and the usually circular top part is squarer.

A rune.

‘Celestia’ speaks again:

“Well, if the moon doesn’t look up at the sun. How have you been dear sister?”

Her words curl upward, like her lips. A sadistic undertone present in her normally kind voice. A wild thought hits me and the current situation makes only a little more sense.

That is not Celestia. Either she is a Changeling or she has some sort of spell on her.

The rune would suggest the latter.

Agreed.

I frown.

“You are not Celestia.”

The not-Celestia’s smile grows wider.

“Right you are, Princess.”

This does not make sense; if the dissidents were behind capturing Celestia, why would they do a public demonstration like this? If they wanted me to be alone on the throne, it would be better to just have her quietly disappear, so, why this? It simply does not make sense.

“Too slow, Luna.”

I look up, just in time to see a golden clad hoof connect with my muzzle. The force of the impact shatters the bones located there and throws me backwards into the ground. The crowd scatters at the battle between immortals. I stand on wobbly legs, while the bones in my nose regrow. Celestia launches herself at me again.

“Yaaaaaah!”

I sidestep, to avoid her sloppy charge. Whoever is controlling her does not have combat experience. No combat experience means she took control of Celestia’s body through trickery. That would suggest…

“Gahg!”

Damnit!

I use my left wing to bat Celestia to the side of me, but even so she lands a powerful buck to my left fore-hoof, breaking it on contact.

I have to focus.

The pain from my nose and fore-hoof makes me see red in my peripheral vision, but I cannot let that bother me now. Celestia charges me again, her broad, sick, grin contrasting sharply with her normally calm demeanor. Crimson blood mats her coat. I turn my attention towards Celestia.

I…Am sorry.

Celestia charges at me again, in exactly the same manner as before.

You have to give her controller points for consistency.

I grimace, pushing away thoughts not pertaining to the battle at hand. Celestia is three meters from me now…two…one… I raise my left fore-hoof and slam it down, hard, against Celestia’s head. I hear something crunch and she is thrown backward into the dirt. I slam my wings against the air behind me, to rocket me forward. I land on top of Celestia, raise my hoof again, and…

Third Quarter

I slam it down on Celestia. The force of the impact makes her fly through the air, eventually to land on one of the pillars surrounding the Palace Garden. The Palace Garden seems to be only the worse for wear during our fight, but I care not. I see the Everfree Forest loom very close to us and briefly consider taking the battle there. I shrug the idea off; no amount of combat advantage would compete with the statistical likelihood of a monster appearing and eating the victor. Celestia groans and stands up.

“What is the matter Celestia?”

I spit her name out, on the utterance of it. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth whenever I use it now. Celestia collapses on the floor again. Her blood mats her coat, while my silver armor remains pristine.

It seems Celestia’s sentiment will lose her this battle, her life as well. I see Celestia use her magic to pick something up from the wreckage. A yellow hue surrounds it as Celestia bends the magic within to lift it, and place it on her head. Her helmet has been destroyed in our battle; this was her crown.

No.

Magic, greater than anypony’s including mine or Celestia’s, whirl into being around Celestia’s crown. Before she fires the Elements of Harmony contained in her crown at me she says one thing:

“I… Am sorry, Luna. The Elements will cure you of whatever spell you are under.”

Magic arcs towards me as the Elements’ power is released. A spell she says; well, unless it can cure me of my own dark thoughts I don’t think the Elements will do much of anything.

Why not? It would be worth it, if only to see the look on Celestia’s face when she realizes they do not work on me.
I stand with a triumphant smile on my face, tall, my posture straight, hair back, and coat clean, as the rainbow of energy surrounds me; only then, do I realize it is not trying to cure me. It is trying to stop me. I feel my energy bonding with those of the moon, sealing me inside of it. The last thing I feel is an unimaginable pain as my soul is ripped from my body like fruit from a tree.

I guess this is game over... I lose.

First Quarter

“Agh!”

I clutch my throbbing temples and fall over, stumbling away from Celestia. Celestia stands, after catching a few mouthfuls of air. One of her eyes is brownish and rather puffy and her nose is badly swollen. As I watch, the swelling goes down and the colors not germane to her coat disappear, over the course of a few minutes of us gasping and watching each other. Celestia grimaces.

“Do not think this is over, Luna. It isn’t.”

Celestia spreads her wings with an audible ‘wooshing’ sound, and with three swift flaps, she is gone. I collapse on the ground, darkness overcoming my vision.

* * *

After a while, I wake up in my room in the southernmost tower of Canterlot. I read the note beside my bed and find that, Twilight brought me here after my fight with Celestia or, as whomever Celestia’s controller is said: the Runemaster. I lie back in my bed for a few more minutes, before getting up and out the door. Every part of me aches, after my fight with Celestia so I opt to lift my Happytune illusion onto me and take the train to Ponyville. After a while of walking, I find that the town, though not fully recovered, is doing very well after the sudden attack by the Runemaster. Also, it seems they don’t remember Happytune becoming Luna in front of their eyes.

It was lucky. I have to be more careful.

I walk in relative peace to the doorstep of twenty-one twenty-one, Shetland street; which, as far as I know, is Swiftwing’s address. Hesitantly, I knock on the door four times, one after the other. The door is solid, made of wood, and has an engraving on it which has been faded away through time. I hear a muffled voice say something akin to ‘who is it?’ to which I reply.

“Is this the residence of Swiftwing Silver? I wanted to ask some questions about Applejack.”

There is a pause, then I hear the word ‘coming’ and with a click of the lock, the door opens. I blink in unadulterated surprise. The creature attacking the logical parts of my brain looks at me and says:

“Yes, I am Swiftwing Silver. Who are you?”