A Rift Between Worlds

by Cinders of War

Chapter 31: Dual Threat

“What about Duality?” was the question that left Rarity’s mouth as the group emerged in Twilight’s castle. “She’s still around here somewhere. What if she shows up too?”

“We’re in Equestria,” Rainbow pointed a thumb at herself. “If she shows up again, we can just head on over to the Void and destroy that… that Neutral Sentry or whatever it was.”

“But what about the S-Stalker?” Fluttershy shuddered at the thought of splitting up. “C-Can we take both of them at the s-same time?”

“We shall succeed, Fluttershy,” Trinity said in their heads. “We will not let any harm come to the Lotus, however many opponents we have to face.”

“Trinity is right,” Nyx added on. “No matter how incompetent any of you are, today, you shall all be heroes.”

“That doesn’t sound very nice, Nyx,” Twilight chided as they proceeded down her castle’s stairway.

“It was a compliment, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Well, maybe you need to work on those.”

Normally, Twilight would simply teleport them to the sun princess’ castle, but seeing as she was in her human form, that wasn’t going to happen. They had to get there from Ponyville. Hopefully, the Stalker wasn’t too far ahead of them, otherwise… Twilight didn’t want to think about it.

“Nyx, are you getting any readings from Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked as they left the front doors of her castle. “Has she said anything else?”

“I’m afraid not, Twilight Sparkle…” Nyx sounded pretty worried. “But we cannot let that creature end the Lotus. She created us. We owe it to her to protect her from scum like this.”

“Too true, Nyx.”

Twilight noticed the stares of the other ponies in town, but she couldn’t stop, not when Princess Celestia’s life was on the line. Besides, most of them didn’t know who she was with the suit on. She hoped her friends weren’t around as well. She’d hate to stop to explain things to them.

Though, Twilight thought about it for a second. Since getting their Warframes, they have yet to use their friendship magic on any of these spacial threats. What if they were to use them in the suit? Plus, her friends from the human world didn’t bring their instruments.

The lavender princess thought about it all the way to the train station, where they quickly boarded the one heading for Canterlot. Rainbow Dash and Flash Sentry had opted to hurry on ahead on their own to find Eclair and Loregiver, with Fluttershy and Sunset following, just in case. Thankfully, Flash’s speed skill affected the entire team.

The train conductor stared at the rest of them for a second, but after clearing things up with him, he agreed to get going immediately.

“Thank you,” Twilight told him as she returned to the carriage all her friends were in.

“So how long is this trip?” Home Run asked, gripping the handle of his hammer anxiously. “I hope we make it in time…”

“Home Run, think positive,” Trixie nudged him with an elbow. “Trixie thinks it’ll all be fine. We’ll get there in time.”

“Count on it,” Applejack nodded in agreement from across the aisle. “We ain’t lettin’ no Stalker hurt anyone or pony.”

“Yeah,” Home Run twirled his hammer firmly, almost smashing a seat off the train. “My bad, but alright! We’re not letting this Stalker win. Crunch time, people! Just like in a baseball match. This is the point where we turn this game around!”

“Right you are, Homey!” Pinkie yelled and fired off her party cannon.

“Pinkie! Not in such tight spaces!” Rarity complained, swatting confetti off her hair.

Twilight smiled as she watched her friends. Whether they were from Equestria or the other world, they were all good friends.

“Nyx, I’m glad you’re my partner. I mean, sure, we didn’t start well, but you’re a good friend to have.”

There was silence for a moment before Nyx spoke. “Likewise, Twilight Sparkle. You’re not the best of fighters, but it has been a pleasant and knowledgeable time spent with you.”

“Thanks, Nyx,” Twilight chuckled. At least her Tenno partner wasn’t throwing insults at her anymore. “We’ll do this together. As friends.”

“Very well, Twilight Sparkle. You have my friendship. I will fight alongside you, my friend.”

Without warning, Twilight was suddenly surrounded by a magical pink aura, spreading all across her Frame. Her hair grew out to her legs, while wings sprouted from her back, instantly covered by Warframe parts. Her ears had also relocated to the top of her head, where the armor moved itself accordingly.

“Woah!” Home Run jumped back a few inches. “That… Is awesome. Is this what happens to you girls when you play your music? It’s so cool.”

“Yeah…” Twilight turned back and looked at her mechanized wings. “Though, it’s as you say. It happens when we play music. Could this be-”

“Yes,” Nyx answered her. “This is what we call Maximum Drift. Where pilot and Tenno become one in mind and action. Though this must be a side-effect of your magical abilities. I was wrong about you, Twilight Sparkle. You do have the potential.”

Twilight felt as if there was someone else within her, someone else that wanted the same things. She could feel it in her head. Their Maximum Drift. Normally Nyx was Twilight’s opposite, unwilling to open up. Today, it seems, things have changed.

“Let’s do this, Nyx,” Twilight clenched a fist. “Together.”

---

Princess Celestia had sealed the doors to her inner sanctum, standing at the ready by her console, awaiting whatever was on the other side. Earlier, she had sent all the guards in the castle away, including the other Eclipse agents. Some refused and wanted to fight on, but Celestia couldn't let them. Not against an enemy like this. She cast a sleep spell before teleporting all of them to a safer location. She wasn’t going to lose anypony today.

There was a steady knock at her doors, followed by two more heavy thunks. Then a rapid barrage of bashes, denting the door from the other side; Celestia could vaguely make out fists in the metal.

This time, she wasn’t going to let the attacker get the better of her. Facing against Captain Vor and his void key had been a mistake, but this time, she was the one with the key.

Smoke began pouring through the cracks in the door, followed by an ominous drawn out sigh. “Lotus… I have found you. Your reckoning is here…”

“Whatever you want, Stalker,” she kept a close watch on the smoke. “I didn’t do any of it. It was before my time.”

“This day… is your time. Time to accept your punishment. The blood of the Orokin are on your hands.”

Celestia looked at her hooves for a second and frowned, readying the golden key beside her horn. “By the time I was around, the Orokin were already gone!”

“Your lies will not protect you anymore, Lotus.” By now, the smoke was already forming in front of the door, expanding by the minute. Celestia had to breathe through her mouth in the enclosed space. “Your Warframes did as you wished. They butchered my masters, and for that, you must now pay.”

From the smoke, the rogue Tenno quickly formed, casting his cover aside, immediately nocking an arrow. The sun princess tapped into the void key’s power and brought up a radiant shield around herself, deflecting the arrow away from herself.

Charging up its power, she fired a concentrated blast of golden energy at the Stalker, who swirled to the side and tossed a couple of knives her way. Celestia flapped back a step and halted them all with her magic. Before she could loose them back at their master, the Stalker was already beside her, delivering a vertical slash towards her head. Celestia didn’t have enough time to fully bring up a barrier, but managed a small shell. His scythe connected with it, sending her flying across the room, breaking the pedestal where she kept her Lotus mask.

Pain lanced across one wing as she crashed to the ground in a heap. Probably broken. Celestia cried out once as she fought to stand.

“Even with the powers of the Void,” he said, already beside her, lifting his scythe under her long white neck. “You are weak. Your reckoning is here.”

She grabbed the void key with her magic, but the Stalker yanked her up, one hand around her neck, squeezing hard. She lost her concentration and dropped the key, desperately beating at his arm with her front hooves.

“S-Stop… this… I didn’t… kill Orokin…” she gasped, fighting to breathe.

“No more lies, Lotus.”

She closed her eyes as the scythe approached her, but she never felt the blade connect with her neck. Instead, she felt his grip lessen, and then the plated floor as her head hit it. The alicorn managed to force an eye open, watching as Loregiver and Eclair rounded towards her, putting themselves in between her and the Stalker.

“Sister,” it was Luna, hauling her up around the hooves. “Are you alright?”

“Fine enough…” She winced at the pain on her throat and wing.

“We’ll cover you, princess,” Eclair spun her own scythe from one hand to the other.

“Foolish Tenno.” The Stalker dashed for them, swinging his scythe in a large arc. “You protect a liar and a killer.”

Eclair ducked low and swiped up with her weapon while Loregiver met the Stalker’s blade in the middle, both their weapons clashing against each other. The Stalker bent himself, avoiding Eclair’s attack before kicking into her hand, forcing her to drop her scythe. She swiftly countered, knocking the Stalker across the room with a soul punch.

As they fought, Luna propped her sister over her back and walked around the room, heading for the door. “Don’t worry, Tia. I’ve have you. I’m going to get you out of this place.”

“Can’t…” Celestia croaked. “Not safe… He wants me… He will follow.”

To prove her point, a dagger lodged itself into the wall beside Luna’s head with a hiss.

“I shan’t abandon you, sister,” Luna said adamantly and turned to look at the Stalker; he was facing them slightly, but his blade was locked in combat with Loregiver. “If he wants a fight, then he shall receive a fight.”

Luna fired a laser at the Stalker, but the dark Tenno pushed back and leapt out of the way, throwing two more daggers their way. The moon princess grunted and hopped out of the way, carrying her sister behind her.

Just then, the doors close to her blew open, pinning the blue alicorn behind one, while tossing Celestia a safe distance away. The sun princess rolled before coming to a stop by the elevated floor, her vision blurry.

The last thing she saw before closing her eyes were four Warframes, along with a white mechanical pony with a golden mane flying in, landing a few feet in front of her.

---

“Trouble?” Home Run asked his partner as the team hopped out of the train, rushing straight through town.

“I’m afraid so, Home Run. I sense another presence inside. It is as we feared. Duality has returned.”

“Well, great…”

“The plan must proceed,” Vauban said and accessed their Warframe comms. “Zephyr, do you copy?”

“Right here, Vauban,” she replied in Home Run’s head. “A little busy now. We’re trying to stop the Stalker and Duality. It is not easy.”

“Hang tight. We’re on our way. But the four of you need to head to the Void. You must stop Duality at her root.”

“But the Lotus-”

“Duality isn’t after you,” Vauban reminded. “She’s after Excalibur. He can handle himself I’m sure. But to really help, you need to go. Now.”

There was a moment of silence, allowing Home Run to examine his surroundings a little more. He had never been through Canterlot’s town, and it didn’t resemble home one bit. The place was mostly of a purplish colour, along with fancy cobbled streets. In their Canterlot, everything looked just like a regular city.

“Very well, Vauban. We shall go. Good luck, and do hurry up.”

“So what’s our plan, buddy?” Home Run asked after Zephyr signed off.

“We hold Duality back and we stop the Stalker.”

“Easy enough.” Sure, the plan was simple, but putting it to action… That was something else.

“Everyone,” he called back behind him. “We need to hurry. The princess is counting on us.”

“Of course, Homey!” Pinkie hopped along beside him. “Mirage and I are ready! Let's go get them!”

“Pinkie Pie is right,” her Tenno replied. “We will destroy the Stalker and Duality, and then bathe in their blood. With our combined effort, nothing’s going to stand in our way. It’s party time!”

“Not like that, Mirage!” Pinkie yelled, but something must’ve clicked, because the energetic girl was suddenly lifted in a magical aura before her hair grew out past her knees, along with new pony-like ears at the top of her head. “Oh. Just like that, Mirage! Let’s go!”

Home Run marveled at his friends. Apparently, the rest of them were able to do that, which was really cool. He wondered if his hair would do the same if he had their magic. Then again, perhaps a guy with such long hair was a little strange.

Canterlot Castle was now in sight, just directly across a small bridge. Home Run recognized the place from his few times here. The door to the princess’ inner sanctum wasn’t far now. They just needed to make it to her study first.

Canterlot Castle was soon in sight, just a bridge away. Home Run immediately recognized the place from the few times he had been here, remembering part of the way to the princess’ inner sanctum.

“Come on!” Twilight rushed them, arriving at the top of the castle steps first, still flying in the air. “We need to hurry!”

“Go on ahead of us!” Applejack waved to her. “We’ll slow you down. Get to the princess and help her! We’ll be right behind you!”

Twilight nodded and ran off, disappearing behind the huge entrance to the castle. There was no time to lose; every second counted when Celestia was in danger. Home Run and the others followed behind, but by the time they arrived in the princess’ study, Twilight was already nowhere in sight, though the secret floor had already been opened. Smashed was more of the right word. The floor seemed to have fallen apart as if something powerful tore its way down there.

“Stay alert,” Trixie warned the others. “We don’t know what’s down there.”

“Whatever,” Limbo replied in their helmets. “It’s probably just the Stalker or something. Nothing to get worked up about.”

“Nothing to get worked up about?” Rarity bent backwards, shocked. “Nothing? The Stalker so far has been kicking our butts, and now Princess Celestia is in danger! Nothing to get worked up about?”

“Relax, Rarity,” Mag told her. “It’s just Limbo. He doesn’t really care much about anything. I think he’s spent too much time in that rift of his.”

“You should try it some time. It’s very relaxing.”

“Trixie does not agree,” she said, moving down two steps at a time. “The great and powerful Trixie will not hide about in another world instead of getting all the glory for herself!”

“Whatever.”

“Absurd!” she looked to the others. “Why, Trixie thinks she might have made a wrong choice with her Warframe. May she swap out for a… more cooperative one after all this?”

“The Tenno take time to bond with, Trixie!” Pinkie said beside her. “I mean, not all of us are great with our Tenno like Rainbow Dash. Some, like Twilight, take time to become great friends! I mean, look at her now! She’s already gone ahead with that Maximum Drift thingy!”

The trickster sighed, but kept going. “Trixie supposes she’ll have to give Limbo some time.”

“Doesn’t matter to me,” Limbo droned.

Home Run was once again thankful for not having such a hard partner to deal with. Princess Twilight had had it bad, but now, well, they almost seemed like the best of friends now. Trixie would just have to wait and see how it all plays out. The flight down the spiral underground steps was easy enough. The baseball player almost slipped a few times, but Vauban caught him and continued down.

The dim hall below had been completely ruined, as if a tornado had just made its way through. There were slash marks and dents on the walls, and some of the pipes were split in half with steam and smoke pouring across the area. One light was flickering and only stopped after Home Run and the others passed it.

“Stay on alert, everyone,” he warned, readying his jat kittag. As they got far enough from the hissing steam, the blue haired boy began hearing the sounds of a battle ahead; blades were clashing against each other and there was the occasional laser or gunfire. That only made him pick up his speed, hurrying over to the destroyed entrance to the inner sanctum. Vauban’s Warframe fell once, but they managed to right themselves before jumping into the large circular room.

The first thing he saw was Princess Celestia, unconscious by the floor, while Princess Luna was trying to squeeze her way out from under a wrecked door. The Stalker tried to reach the white alicorn, but Eclair and Loregiver were holding him back, while the latter was trying his best to fend off Duality at the same time, who flew at him with her lasers and magic.

“You have my thanks, Home Run,” Luna nodded as the boy helped lift the metal plate holding her down. The moon princess inched out and levitated herself up the rest of the way.

“Kids!” Loregiver called from his spot. “You need to keep the Stalker away from the princess! Don’t let him get to her!”

“Oh man…” Home Run muttered before charging into the fray, gripping tightly to his jat kittag's shaft. This was going to be one fight to remember.

Comments

[LuftRaptor]

I keep thinking,how are they having trouble with the stalker,then I remember Breeding Grounds.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

Home Run marveled at his friends. Apparently, the rest of them were able to do that, which was really cool. He wondered if his hair would do the same if he had their magic. Then again, perhaps a guy with such long hair was a little strange.

Tell that to EQG Sombra.

[MoonlightRift]

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