Tales Of An Outcast

by PrismStrike

Chapter 24. Preparations.

It only takes a few minutes to arrive at the throne room as Luna trots forcing me to jog to keep up with her. When we arrive Celestia is already on her throne speaking with the Twilight and her group of friends.

"...Now Twilight I know you and your friends want to help out but in this case I think it would be best left to the.." Celestia stops speaking as me and Luna enter smiling wearily to her sister before addressing us. "Hello sister, hello Prism. I was just informing Twilight and her friends of the situation"

Luna smiles back to her sister before walking over to her throne giving her sister a quick hug with one of her wings before taking her seat. "Please continue on dear sister, do not let us interfere"

"Thank you sister. Now Twilight as I was saying I think this would be best left to the guards to handle. Losing anyone of you would be a major blow to pony moral around Equestria. If our attempt to stop him now fails you will all be needed as hero's of Equestria to help keep the population calm so that if it came to it we could re-muster our forces for a second attempt. Though i am hoping that our first attempt will be successful" Celestia says to Twilight and her friends in a calm controlled manner.

"But Celestia if what you have said is true and your brother has attacked Appleloosa and that he is moving towards Canterlot. Then his very next target will be Ponyville. I could not sit on the sidelines while my home is being attacked. There are many ponies there that I also consider to be my friends. I simply could not abandon them " Comes Twilight's swift if slightly emotional reply followed by a chorus of her friends.

"Yeah I could never leave Ponyville hanging in its time of need" Rainbow Dash says with pride.

"Yes Princess, though your brother may be acting quite garish, Ponyville is my home and I would fight for it." Rarity says quickly

"If he attacks Ponyville a lot of ponies would get hurt, and id just feel sooo bad about not having been there to help all of my friends" Pinkie says solemnly her mane and tail partially deflated at the thoughts of all the sad ponies.

"My farm and family are in Ponyville and we apples always stick together" AppleJack says with conviction.

"I...I don't want to have to fight anypony but..but I couldn't just sit here while Ponyville is being attacked" comes Fluttershy's quiet and meek voice last though it holds the same tone of finality to it that the others have had.

Finally all eyes turn to me and I simply shrug before speaking "I have already made up my mind to face him. To personally stop him from hurting anymore ponies and to maybe make up for the fact that were both the same species. Ponies have begun truly accepting me as of late, especially those in Ponyville. I would die before I let him hurt another Equestrian Citizen"

Celestia looks over each of us seeing the determination on the faces of her little ponies along with the decided finality on mine before nodding "I can see that none of you will be dissuaded. Fine if that is what you wish I will see you each are issued armour. Twilight you and your friends will follow me, Prism you will follow Luna"

Twilight and her friends bow to Celestia followed by a quick bow from me before that group quickly exits the throne room heading for the guard barracks and armoury. Luna however simply sits upon her throne looking stoically at me as she speaks. "Such strong words Prism, though much more than words will be needed to defeat our brother. Were you truly serious when you said you would die to protect our ponies?"

I look right into her eyes unblinking unmoving as I reply to her with a deep fire in my voice and strong conviction in my words. "Yes Princess. If it came down to it, I would give my life in order to stop your brother."

Luna smiles softly letting her stoic mask break "Good. Now come there is much to do to make you ready for this fight." She stands from her throne, swiftly lighting her horn before i can even think or move the crack of a teleportation spell goes off in my ears as I am partially blinded by a strong flash of bluish magic.

When my vision clears it becomes immediately obvious that I'm no longer in the throne room. The walls of the hallway I now stare at are the flat dull grey of unpainted stone, the floors and ceiling matching perfectly.

"Come Prism our destination is not far" Luna says to me as she begins to walk forwards down the hallway. after several minutes we come to a large metal door the sounds of a hammer striking metal coming from beyond it. "This is the royal smithy. When either our sister or myself needs something made we come here" Her horn glows once more the door being covered by the same aura before opening.

The door exposes a stair case that leads down quite far, the room beyond it being almost like a massive cavern. A bright glow from the bottom the only light as the sound of the hammer continues on. "Come Prism, let us go and see the royal smithy" Luna says as she motions for me to head down the stairs, following behind as I start to descend.

It takes several more minutes to reach the bottom where I am struck dumb by the sight. A gigantic room filled with metals and gems, a massive furnace taking up one entire wall. Off in the corner of the room though sits a bright red scaled dragon holding a huge hammer in one scaled hand striking something that i cannot see as its hidden by the dragons body.

"Maltharoz" Luna's voice cuts in over the sound of the dragons hammer striking metal cuasing it to stop and turn around.

"Ahhh Princess Luna, how good it is to see you again. Your order is almost finished, a true masterpiece of metal and magic if I do say so myself." The large red dragons voice is deep yet still kind and inviting.

"Thank you Maltharoz, your work is always of the highest quality. I have brought the recipient of said item here to be fitted" Luna smiles as she speaks her voice soft and kind yet still filled with authority.

"Alright Princess." the dragon says before moving so he can get a better look at me. " Hmmm I see now why you had this made Princess, this one is in definite need" The dragon then shifts his body revealing a pair of what could only be described as metal wings.

My jaw drops seeing them being rendered speechless twice in a short span and I simply stare at the items dumbfounded until Luna gives me a slight push with her wing.

"Go on Prism give them a look" though I hear Luna her words barely register, although her push does get me moving forwards until I am standing over the anvil upon which the wings sit. I run one of my scaled hands over them slowly, feeling the magic contained within them. as I do the large dragon near me speaks up.

"These wings have been made to be as light as possible while also being enchanted to not only act like normal pegasi wings but also to allow normal pegasi magic to flow through them. The outer layer is purified dragon steel while inside is a crystal lattice of purified mana stone to allow your natural pegasi magic to flow through them. While heavier than normal pegasi wings they should be able to perform at or even above the same level as natural ones." As the dragon speaks my head turns towards him looking up at it in awe, the dragon smiling down at me with pride.

I turn to Luna before rushing over throwing my arms around her in a tight hug. "Thank you so much. I'm not going to let you down Princess. I promise that I will stop your brother."

Luna goes to reply but Maltharoz's laughter cuts her off. "Dont go thanking her just yet little one. You still need to go through the attachment process, which sadly will not be in anyway pleasant, as they need to be connected not only to your flesh but your natural leylines and magical channels"

I nod letting go of Luna. I look to the wings, then to the dragon then finally back at Luna seeing her looking back at me sadly. "Do not worry Princess. I will make it through this and i will stop your brother. for now why don't you go and see to the others along with the calling of your guard. I will stay here and get this done with."

Luna looks from the wings then back at me before nodding. "Alright Prism. come and see me once you have finished." She then looks up at Maltharoz. "try not to be to hard on him ok, we do need him alive to help fight."

Once again the dragon laughs. "No Promises can be made Princess but I can promise that he will be returned to you in one piece."

Luna nods once before heading towards the stairs then out of the royal smithy. I turn to the dragon once she is gone and simply say. "alright lets get this over with."

Maltharoz's smirk should have been my first warning as several moments later I am strapped face down on a table with my back fully exposed the tiny stumps of what where once my own wings being held up by wires. "ok little one I am going to start by simply placing the wings over the stumps of your old ones"

I nod and the dragon lifts up the pair of wings from its anvil placing the hollowed ends over my stumps. "Ok now comes the bonding process. his could take anywhere from a few minuets to over an hour and it is going to hurt like nothing you have ever felt before. Please try not to die" I go to reply but instead let out a blood curdling scream of pure anguish as I feel the metal first heat up then begin to send what feels like tiny worms down into my flesh"

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OUTSKIRTS OF APPLELOOSA

The crimson creature looks over the burning ruins that was once a sleepy pony settlement smirking happily to itself as the smell of smoke, fire and burning ponies fills its nostrils. "Another town destroyed, another group of weak ponies removed from existing. truly I hope something comes to challenge me, for I am starting to get bored with these weaklings." its attention turns off towards Canterlot mountain and it lets out a hard huff.

"Soon my sisters i will be there and when you both lay at my feet defeated i will make you tell me just how wrong you both were." the creature laughs once before continuing on its trek towards Canerlot.

Author's Note:

almost to the end buckle up kiddies its about to get pretty bloody