The TealBlood Incident
Night Patrol 2: Awakening, chapter 24 The Teal Blood incident.
By Foxgear
Year 7 ANM
“I stand here today, honored by your work and accomplishments. I know you will do Equestria well with the skills you have acquired here over your years of study. May I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, present the seventh graduating class of Celestia’s school of Mages!”
The crowd went wild as did the twenty-seven graduates as they fired magic blasts into the air, creating a brilliant fireworks display. At the front of the rowdy students was Tel TealBlood, a noble, proud member of the EUP, and soon to be the leader of this year’s class of graduates. He would lead his mages to glory on the battlefield and finally show the Princess that her reliance on those inferior night ponies was no longer necessary. He would show her the unicorns are the superb race! All others could step aside, even the likes of the Rinin. The crossbreed freaks that they were.
“Thank you very much, Princess. I’ll have you know I and my mages will serve you well. We eagerly wait for the battlefield!” He said, but something felt off, the Princess’s smile was different today then it had been last year when sixth class graduated. Her smile was… happy. Everypony knew Celestia didn’t like war, thus her smile at the mage’s graduation tend to be fake, but today it was real. That could only mean… no.
“I’m very proud of your patriotism Lord Tel, but I’m happy to announce that the I just received news from Admiral McGather, he and Night Patrol have ended the war between Prance and Hispania, they are coming home and so you don’t need to go. Isn’t that wonderful news?” She beamed walking towards the crowd, proclaiming the news. She didn’t notice the look of dread on his face. His plans, his ambitions, gone! How can he rise up his favor if he cannot prove himself!
Tel stomped the stages angrily, “Damn, Rinin!”
“Master Tel, what are we going to do now?” One of his students asked.
Another said, “Yeah, we wanted to get some glory!”
He took a breath, righting himself as he faced his mages. “Don’t worry. Another war will happen. It was only in AMN 4 that we were at war with Maredor and only a year a half later did we go to war with the Griffons again, and then Prance and Hispania, there will be plenty of chances for us! The ponies of Europona cannot help themselves.”
“I guess you right,” Mog Maroon, his prized student, and heir to the Maroon Blood family. Ever since the members of the Rainbow Council were killed the lesser houses have been gaining for power. He, of course, was looking to push the TealBlood family to new heights, like how the Bluebloods, Graybloods, and the Fancy families have. He didn’t know what the Bluebloods did, but the Graybloods had mages in the third graduating class and served in the Maredor campaign. They were now the third most powerful family in Canterlot, after Blueblood and the Royal family of course.
Speaking of the Royal Family. Duke Crusader Whiteblood, Celestia’s ‘son’ if you could call that antlered freak that, just arrived. How he despised the antlered rinin, he represents everything Tel found wrong with Equestria, a crossbreed bastard child of the princess and one of those rinin. If that wasn’t bad enough the ‘Duke’ was apart of the same group that just stole all their glory.
The only thing worse then the Rinin were the original Night devils, the thestrals, who worshiped the mare in the moon, Nightmare Moon. Hordes of Bat pony cults have sprung up since the dark Alicorn’s defeat. The foolish cultist believed the black alicorn to be the true princess of Equestria and their god.
“I’ll deal all of them in due time,” Tel mumbled darkly. For now, he must plan and wait for his chance.
“How is she? Is she going to make it?” Blood covered his armor, not his blood, but the blood of the young mare he just pulled from the wreckage. She was missing three of her legs, mewing softly like a wounded kitten in Prench as the doctors inject morphine into her system. The table and floor covered in her blood. “I asked you a question!”
“It’s too soon to tell Commander Sixes,” Snapped Doctor Blue Cross, the peach tone pony waved him away as she focused on her patient. “Get out, you’re in my way. Hey, we need type O blood over here!” Blue Cross hollered as a herd of nurses ran around the operating room, it was pure chaos as dozens of wounded were being tended too at the same time. “Hey clean up this blood! Sixes I told you to leave! Unless your planning to donate blood, get out of my sight!”
Wordlessly he left, knowing he would be no help here. He wasn’t a pony that healed, he was on that killed. Still, the number of wounded was a lot higher than usual. He blamed Celestia for that. It’s been seven years since Luna’s banishment and they’ve gone soft under the sun Princess’s leadership or lack there off.
Night Patrol's decline started after the Maredor complain when they finally brought the survivors of Rainbow Factory to their bellies and confirmed the death of Doctor Hoofenstien. VeeVee had been the one to pronounce the doctor dead on site.
Since then their recruitment has gone down, the number of normal ponies in Night Patrol declining drastically. But that was partly because they refused to lower the standards to that of the EUP. Now, most of their recruits came from the young Rinin that had been with them in the caves and in the factory now reaching adulthood. Making their pool of new patrollers very small.
The next thing he blamed their decline was again, Celestia’s empathizes on magic over tech. They had no new tanks, she wouldn’t allow them to produce more flying iron ships, in fact, they only had one factory making ammo and parts for the Nightmare while all possible bits went into the training of mages.
Then there was the biggest reason and that was Celestia’s flakiness. He remembered after the Maredor campaign when they were at their peak numbers and strength. Celestia called for them to disband to go out and try different professions. She even offered to fund their schooling and training. That’s when the bulk of their forces retired, many rinin, like Trinity, moved to Nippon where their race was beginning to thrive. The fact that Kira, a fellow Rinin ruled the country was very appealing too.
Of course, the peace after Maredor didn’t last and after a short year and half the Griffons starting raising a fuss with a number of allies behind them. After the first six months, when it became clear Celestia’s greenhorn mages and EUP battalions weren’t up for putting the bird cats in their place she came to them. They, of course, got the job done.
And of course, following their victory Celestia once again called for their disbanding. This time they refused. Choosing to simply patrol the Everfree forest and live in the old castle, while the EUP took over their other patrol routes. It was shameful to do that, but they didn’t have the numbers to run the routes anymore. Not long after Celestia came to him, Fury and Topaz with an interesting proposition. With Luna gone and Starswirl and his band of heroes currently missing, it occurred to Celestia that there was no pony readily available to stop her if she ever turns evil. Thus, this time it was the Princess who disarmed.
First the smelting of her armor and axes. Next Celestia personally trained him, Fury, and Topaz in unique magic that didn’t require horns to use. He didn’t know what she taught Fury and Topaz, but he was taught runes, or scripting magic to use with his gold lava. She also taught him how to forge counterfeit armor and weapons of legend. One use, fragile weapons, but they packed a punch. He became her armor and weapon maker, only giving her the tools when she requested. As funny as it may seem to have no permeant armor or weapon put Celestia at a disadvantage. Thus, increasing their chances of defeating her in case she ever turn evil as Luna did. That being said, there was still no guarantee they’d win either, but they had a chance at least.
“Ugh, I’ve been monologuing for too long.” He said with a sigh as he comes to his room. Dropping his armor on the ground Sixes warily sways to his bed, finding a note laying on it. It was from Applejack. Probably sent via Gadget or Starwind as he preferred to be called now. He opened it.
(Dear Sixes,
Hiya pal, it’s been a while, not since Whiskey and Ale were born. I got a third in the oven right now in case your wondering, but those two are quite the hoof full now, I can’t imagine what three will be like. Why don’t you come around and see them? I think seeing their cute little faces would do you some good. Oh right, I just heard yawl finished things up in Prance just the other day. Ponies here are mighty excited.
But you’ve probably guessed by now this letter isn’t just to get you to come to visit. So, I’ll be frank. I’m having trouble at the farm. We’ve had a rash of thieves taking apples lately, by what I can tell its bat ponies. Luna’s always had a soft spot for them, so I tried to do what I could for them. Letting them take the apples too bruised to sell and stuff like that. We probably lost about a bushel of apples a week to them. This had been going on for about three months.
Anyway, to cut to the chase, Ah’m afraid I can’t keep supporting them like this. I thought they were just a little colony living in the Everfree, but the amount of food taken suggests a much larger group then what the land can support and what we can give out for free. I was hoping you could do what Luna did for you and give them home in Night Patrol or get them set up somewhere else where they can take care of themselves. I would do it myself, but I can’t seem to find their colony, but I think they’re in the northwest part of the Everfree forest.
Hope to hear from you soon,
With love, Applejack)
“Thestrals huh, sounds interesting.” He tossed the letter on his desk and laid down on the bed. He’ll worry about Applejack’s bat problem when they get back to Equestria in two months and get things sorted out. No doubt Celestia and the council would want a report and some asshole is probably going to accuse them of war crimes. He wonders which noble family it’d be this time. Probably the ones that didn’t get a chance to go fight like last time.
Closing his eyes Sixes settled down for a restful sleep or at least he hopes it’ll be restful. He’s had a hard time sleeping for a while now. He bit back a curse as he soon realized he’d have to stick around Canterlot for a few days when he got back. That’d mean he’d be plagued by both Celestia and Crusader during his stay.
“Shit… I wish those two would just play house without me,” he grumbled turning over on his side. Slowly sleep came to him.
2 months later
“And that is our report, We defeated the Hispania army and delivered the Nippon forces back to their home. ” Said Admiral McGather to the council comprising of Celestia, Azure Blueblood, Fancy Skirt, Ion Grayblood, and everypony else that think they matter. “Any questions?”
“Yes,” a withered teal mare said, Lady Lilly-White TealBlood, raising her hoof. “I heard rumors your group took a Prench Mare aboard your ship. Care to explain this rumor?”
“Yes, we found a native in need of treatment. We took her aboard our ship, she can either go home when she’s healed or apply for citizenship. Commander Sixes has already explained this to the Princess.” The council looked toward Celestia, who nodded.
“Yes, Sixes, I mean Commander Sixes told me the situation, I see no issue taking… umm…” Celestia began flipping through the pages of the report. “Aha, yes Platinum De Belle, as a refugee.”
McGather rolled his eyes as Lady TealBlood seethed, she had wanted to accuse them of kidnapping or something of like. Honestly, it was like playing chess with a child. “Right, now that oh so very important matter is cleared up, are they any relevant questions?”
“Yes,” It was lady TealBlood again. “Just where is Commander Sixes? He should be here making his report in person.”
Again, McGather rolled his eyes, “Night Patrol is not a branch of the Earth, Unicorn, Pegasus Pony Platoons. We are a separate entity under the command of Princess Celestia in exchange for privileges such as not paying taxes and not paying for goods and service that do not exceed more than a hundred bits from any Equestrian establishment. The council may not summon or order any officers of Night Patrol. The only Pony that is allowed to be summoned is I, Admiral Hunter McGather, Top Night Patrol commanding commissioned officer and representative in any and all legal matters that may concern Night Patrol.” McGather took a breath, sighing deeply. “But you all know that, yet you still pretend you don’t. Princess I would like to raise a vote of no confidence against Lady TealBlood, she’s clearly no longer mentally fit to sit on the council.”
“Denied,” Celestia tiredly replied. This wasn’t the first time this argument has happened. “But Speaking of TealBloods, I notice your son Tel, has taken his unit of mages out onto a patrol. I don’t recall assigning him to the area in question though.”
“We thought it would do the new students some good to get them some experience in the field fighting off monsters. We sent them two days ago. I apologize if it seems like we went around you, Princess.” Lady Lilly-White explained.
Celestia eyed the old mare strangely, “It’s not a serious matter, but I doubt they’ll find any monsters to hunt near Applejack’s farm.”
“Yes, well, there are many types of monsters out there.”
“I’m aware, but there is nothing out there that needs the attention of twenty-eight unicorn mages,” Celestia stressed, a strange feeling of foreboding rising in her gut.
McGather coughed, getting everyponies attention, “Well I don’t know what fairy tale monster your son and his troop are hunting, but since everypony seems to keen on his whereabouts, Sixes is also in the area, so…” He trailed off noticing Lady Lilly-White had turned pale. He cocked his head trotting towards the aged mare. “What’s wrong ma’am? You don’t look well, is there a reason Sixes being there is concerning?"
Lilly-White jittery shook her head, “No, of course not. Why would it?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.”
“That’s enough Hunter,” Celestia commanded, “I call this session to a close. We’ll question Master Tel when he returns. Dismissed!”
Tel TealBlood was salivating, he and his troop has been sleuthing through this stupid apple orchard for over a day now in search of the bat pony colony rumored to be nearby. The best part is this colony was rumored to also be actual Nightmare worshipers! Not that he cared, he desired their kind all the same, but being cultists did give him certain protections if the colony happens to be wiped out.
Which is why when he saw the three bat ponies stealing apples he was eager to jump and arrest them so they could take them to the rest of the colony. A simple thief charge that escalated into a killing when the thieves ‘attacked them’ would be a simple report to make up and send to his mother. They’d show Celestia just how devilish the night devil truly could be.
However, his plans were dashed when SHE entered the picture. The legendary Commander Applejack of Night Patrol. He knew this was her land, of course, it was risky interacting with her as she had Celestia’s ear. Not that stupid mud pony used it. What a foolish simpleton. She could be a duchess of something even greater if she’d just ask the princess, but no, she just chose to be a stupid farmer! What a waste of all that political capital. Capital he was fighting tooth and nail for. While she just walked into it because she happens to be the Princess’s favorite!
“You three there,” Applejack barked approaching the three bat ponies currently scooping up her apples into their beaten-up saddle bags. Even with her six months pregnant budging belly, the former Night Patroller had an air of authority about her. “I told you we can’t support your colony anymore! You eating us out of house and home!”
“You said we could take the bruised ones, these are all bruised see?” The bat pony the middle said, showing off the battered apples. “They are for the taking then, yes?” Applejack’s eyes narrowed as she slammed her hoof against a nearby tree, the mighty trunk vibrated from the hit, but no apples fell.
“Don’t try to lie to me, I saw you pick those apples and then drop them on the ground. But this isn’t the first time you’ve lied to me. I took you at your word that your numbers were only a dozen or more, but you lied, the amount of food your taking is for at least fifty ponies. We can’t support that many ponies for free and make enough food and money for ourselves.”
“We had a recent influx of numbers.” The center pony said. “Don’t you want to help us poor little bat folk? We are the children of the night after all. Princess Luna’s favorites.”
“I helped you as much as I could, I tried to teach you what was edible around here, I even offered you jobs, but you refuse to learn or work. You just take. I’m afraid my kindness as run out. This land can’t support the number of ponies in your colony if you don’t start producing your own food, we’ll all starve. You either need to leave or start putting in some effort to your own survival.” Applejack took a breath glaring hard at the three ponies. “And Luna wouldn’t have tolerated this behavior either. If you're claiming to be her followers then you better start following her teachings. Like I am. I got a friend coming by later, he might be able to help you, but I’m beginning to doubt even he can.”
Applejack turned to leave, the bat ponies fuming, their bodies shaking with rage. Tel smiled as he watched the bat pony charge the earth mare. This was perfect.
“You bitch! We are the true children of the night!” The lead bat pony screamed, Applejack calmly turned, her hoof glowing with magic as she stomped the ground creating a rock wall in front of her. The bat pony screamed as it smashes face first into the wall. The other two attend to their leader as the wall lowers back into the ground.
“That’s what you get.” Applejack scoffed, continuing towards the house. She stopped cold, feeling the familiar tingle of magic being used, unicorn magic, she recognized it well. She began to sway falling to the ground, it was a sleep spell! “What’s… going on?” She mumbled as the sound of many hoofs surround her. A pony was screaming orders.
“Attack! Burn the trees! Kill the Bat ponies and place them next to the mare! Find the husband!”
“What about the mare? Sir?” Another pony asked.
“Don’t touch her, let the fire get her, same with the foals. Remember my teachings. This is our moment!”
As Applejack’s vision faded she saw the trees surrounding her house go up in flames, black smoke filling the yard. It would take a long time for the fire to get to the house, but the smoke would get to her children well before that.
“No… Ale… Whiskey…” Already the smoke began to hover around her, her body feeling weak. Using what magic she could gather, she took a deep smoke-filled breath and used the spell Luna had taught her so long ago. The royal Canterlot voice! “RAWHIDE!” Her voice traveled far, reaching to the storage barn they had out in the west orchard where Rawhide was working today. As her eyes close she heard the gurgling sound of a pony getting a pickaxe through their throat. “Save them, honey… save the kids.” Applejack cried. Her head gently falling on the grass.
The skies were clear as Sixes flew toward Sweet Apple Acres, home of Applejack and Rawhide. Really it wasn’t that big of a deal to go see his old comrades. Their farm was only maybe an hour, two-hour flight from the Castle of the two sisters depending on how big of a hurry you’re in. They chose to settle in the area just outside the Everfree Forest proper. Something about a special breed of apple they found keeping them there, even as the forest slowly grew towards them.
Still, he was glad they were happy. Though it was a shame most of AJ’s family decided to keep traveling, the Apple clan scattered across the land like apple seeds in the wind. But he supposed that was no surprise for AJ, her family were pioneers, once enough of their family settles down in an area the rest still feeling restless move on. It did bogle his mind that AppleJazz’s parents left her behind. At the young filly’s, no young mare’s insistence. But really she was… um… “Seventeen? Is that right? Geez, I’m suddenly feeling old. Has it really been that long already? She was eight when I first met her, two years and then Celestia restarted the calendar years after Luna’s banishment, seven years… yeah... she’s seventeen. Shit, now I do feel old. Oh yeah, the rinin foals from the cave are finally growing up too. That kid Gloves has some potential… (Sniff, sniff) what smells like roasting apples?”
Black smoke filled the blue sky, Sixes looked down at the burning trees that made up the Apple’s farm, his eyes shrinking in horror. “Applejack! Rawhide!” Spotting the storage barn Sixes dived towards that first just in case somepony was in there. Leveling out and weaving between the trees he caught the scent of blood, a lot of blood, he found ponies in gold armor with teal capes and large puncture wounds in their bodies. Wounds consistent with the ones Rawhide would inflect with his pickaxe. What was going on here? Why were there EUP mages here? Why did Rawhide feel the need to kill them?
“Doesn’t matter,” He growled continuing toward the barn. “I know who my enemies are at least.” Arriving at the barn clearing Sixes saw more dead mages, one was run through Rawhide’s pickaxe, stuck to the barn door. The big red one-eyed pony lay inside the barn covered in blood and burns. Burns from magic blasts. “Rawhide!”
He runs to his friend, Rawhide coughs as he lifts the red pony off the ground, the fire drawing closer to the barn. “Come on, I’m going to get you out of here.”
“No,” Rawhide protested hoarsely. “AJ… Kids… first.”
“Alright,” Sixes took Rawhide to the center of the clearing. As far away from the fire as he could get at the moment. Taking a deep breath, he shot a huge burst of fire into the sky and pulled out his gem com. “This Commander Sixes to all available Night Patrollers in sector J7-H2, Applejack’s farm, we have ponies down in need of medics. Flare marks the spot.”
“This is VeeVee, I have a copy, my team will be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Good,” Was his reply as he sprints towards the house, the smoke was so thick he couldn’t fly above the trees. Flapping his wings Sixes increased his speed. He heard crying and shouting.
“Keep them in there!” A stallion yelled. Sixes entered the farmyard, he saw five unicorns and at least ten bat ponies. One unicorn was holding the door to house shut with his magic while the others engage with the bat ponies. He was about to support the bat ponies when he saw them picking apples and dashing away into the forest, a few more came out of the house with AJ’s things, AJ her self-lay on the ground unconscious and the kids…
“HELP US! MOMMY! DADDY!” Came the cries of Apple Whiskey, the eldest son, from the burning house. Their cries making Sixes' blood run cold as he looked upon the scene before him. His jaw began to ache with unrestrained fury, his pupils dilating to narrow slits. His eyes fell on the pony holding the door shut.
He would die first.
“This is for the greater good kids! Just go peacefullahafklhh!” The unicorn holding the door shut let out a terrible blood-curdling scream as he felt the tight grip of Sixes' claw on his horn, both Bat, and unicorn ponies pause in their battle to watch as the black rinin bent the unicorn’s horn and then SNAP! “AHHAAHAH! MY HORN!” The unicorn screamed in horror, blood gushing from the hole in his head. His pain was short-lived as Sixes shoved the pony’s own horn into his throat. The two factions took one look at the raging rinin and collectively decided to run!
Sixes watched them flee, he wanted to hunt them all down right now, but he had more important things to do. Opening the door, he let the two Apple children out and picked them up with his tail, and placed them on his back.
“Uncle Sixes!”
“Ale, Whiskey, keep your eyes closed and try not to breath in the smoke.” Acting quickly Sixes raced across the yard to Applejack. The orange mare unmoving.
“Mommy!” The two Apple kids cry.
“She’s alive, she just sleeping.” He told the two picking Applejack up. “Hang on to your mother kids. We’re going to get your papa.” Trotting low to try and limit the amount of smoke the kids inhaled Sixes raced back to Rawhide as fast as he could, the big pony right where he left him. “Come on! We’re going!” Grunted Sixes using his tail to lift the big pony on his back with AJ. He flaps his wings, but there was too much weight! “Shit.”
“Leave me,” Rawhide begged. “Save AJ and the kids!”
“Shut up! I’m saving you all!” Sixes barked back walking as fast he could away from the fire. The entire Apple family on his back.
“You’ll never get us all out of here with me weighing you down! Drop me and fly out of here Sixes!” Rawhide pleaded.
“Just be quiet! I’m not leaving a pony behind!” Weaving between the trees Sixes fires flares up through the smoke, hoping VeeVee and her team would see them. His eyes were watering from the smoke and he could barely see in front of him. He stretched out his wings, trying to feel for the trees. The kids begin to cough violently. Rawhide was silent, probably unconscious.
“Uncle Sixes, I’m scared.” Ale coughed.
He smiled, trying to alleviate their fears. “I know, don’t worry, I’m going to get you all out of here. You’ll see.” He continued on, shooting up fireballs for the others to find. His vision blurred, his breath shortens and his legs tremble from carrying the four ponies on his back. Sixes fell to his belly, gasping for air that wasn’t there, there just smoke. “Kids?” No reply. “ALE! WHISKEY!” He set the Apple family down, all four ponies silent. “Wake up!” He cried lightly slapping their faces. “Come on! Wake up!”
Suddenly the smoke cleared as the sound of a Night Patrol Chopper rumbled overhead. The black flying machine came from the sky with VeeVee standing by the door with her medic team. “There they are! Let’s hurry!” The medic team quickly descend toward them. Four ponies jumped out of the chopper picking up the apples and placed them on the chopper. VeeVee waved at him.
“Come on! You too!” Sixes nodded, stepping onto the chopper and they take off. He stood at the edge of the passenger bay, watching Applejack’s dream burn before his eyes. He looked at his friend and her family, all of them breathing faintly.
“Are they going to be ok?” He asked as they head towards the castle. VeeVee frowning. “What?”
“The kids and Rawhide should recover just fine with the proper treatment, but AJ…”
“What about her?” Sixes demanded fiercely.
“I’m worried the stress and smoke may cause her to miscarriage,” VeeVee said touching AJ’s belly with her claw. “We’ll have to have Doctor Blue Cross look at her, hopefully, I’m wrong.”
The rest of the trip was in silence.
52 hours later
Sixes paced the outside of AJ’s room. As VeeVee predicted Rawhide and kids did recover or are recovering fine. There was some worry about the children’s health from all the smoke they were forced to inhale, but all of the medics in Night Patrol were determined to ensure the children’s’ health, thus every test, treatment, and precaution was being taken. The Doctors were consulting with Rawhide on ways to help ensure no future problems arose.
As for AJ, she’s been the ICU the whole time asleep. Somepony case a strong sleep spell on her, so she inhaled a lot of smoke, not only that, but magic could lead to complications in her condition. Everypony was waiting for the news outside her door when Doctor Blue Cross exits the room.
“Well, is AJ and the baby, ok?” AppleJazz asked instantly. The doctor’s face was one of sadness.
“AJ should recover fine, but…” Suddenly Applejack’s mournful wails pierced through the stone halls. Her heavy sobs saying what the doctor didn’t need too. “I’m sorry, there was nothing I could do.”
AppleJazz began to cry herself, knowing how the news would affect Rawhide and the kids, they’d been so excited for the new baby. How could they explain it to the two little Apples? “What are we going to do Sixes? Sixes? Where’d he go?”
Tel TealBlood licked his lips eagerly as he and his squad carefully traveled under a camouflage spell, following the surviving bat ponies to their lar. It was obvious the bats were taking the long route home, trying to cover their trail, but even as they check and erase their tracks it was pointless, he and his unicorn squad were right on their tail. The years of loyalty instilled into his students was paying off, their burning of the Apple’s farm a great prize. It was a shame one was killed, but there was no way any pony could survive such a fire. Applejack was dead for sure.
The bat ponies scurried into a cave, disappearing from sight, they were here.
“Come, on boys, let’s go make some new boots.” He whispered as they approach. This is it. This was his time. He’d bring glory and honor back to his mother, he’d finally get her revenge on the filthy race that had taken his father from her. He’d prove to them all that Unicorns stood supreme! “Get the bat whores! Strike them down!” Tel commanded as they rush the cave, magic blasts and sonic screams being exchanged.
Nightdress, priestess, and head of the Everfree bat colony couldn’t believe what was happening! They were under attack! She growled as a magic bolt blows a chunk off the rock wall she was using for cover. Poking her head out she lets out a sonic scream to keep the unicorns from rushing.
She had wondered what took their scouting party so long to get back. When only half of them returned she knew something wrong and when the news that their food source, the apple farm, was gone she wasted no time in ordering everypony pack up and flee. Alas, the unicorn mages followed her scouts back, and they now covered the main entrance
.
“Kill these heretics!” The unicorn leader shouts. So that was their game.
“Kill the sun lovers! Remember Nightmare Moon is on our side!” Nightdress screamed to rally her own fighters. Years ago, she saw the power of the bat like Alicorn, their goddess that would bring them their birthright. Sure, their savior was currently trapped in the moon, but she was sure after enough sacrifices, the goddess would be free again. “Come on! Let us cut their throats and make them offering to the great goddess of the night! Nightmare Moon!”
The battle was intense, the close quarters of the cave making for some tight fights as bats and unicorn club each other with their hooves. The unicorns pushed them back into the larger chamber where the foals and mares of their group were huddled. The foals and mothers took refuge inside smaller burrows as they continue to hold back the invading unicorns. One unicorn, a teal one, takes a shot at her, missing and blasting open the ceiling. Nightdress was about to make her escape when the unicorn screams in rage.
“You! You are the whore! That lead my father astray!”
Nightdress squinted down at the unicorn in question, finding him striking to the unicorn she had seduced for money and to be sacrificed a number of years ago. “Oh, is that you little Tel? You’ve grown up.”
“You shut your whore mouth! Your nothing but a harlot that masqueraded as our maid and stole my father from my mother!”
She laughed, “Oh Tel, Tel, I didn’t steal your father, he was so easy to sway with these luscious hips of mine. But if it makes you feel better, after I had him devoice your mother, taking half of his fortune with him, he didn’t live long after.”
“You bitch!”
Nightdress laughed mocking at the unicorn, urging her followers to fly towards the exit the fool had made for them. “Thanks for the exit step-son, give your regards to your mother! HAHAHA!”
“Sir!” A unicorn screamed, “The entrance has been sealed!”
“What!” Rages Tel, but the news made Nightdress pause, there was no pony on that side of the cave that could have done that. None of hers at least. And then they all heard it. The haunting whining roar of a dragon pony diving from the sky. She looked up the moon, a black dot in the middle of its white beauty. The black rinin fell upon her without warning, pinning her to the ground as it shoots lava from its jaws, hot molten rock sealed the exit. She saw pulsing gold veins appear across the black rinin’s body and the hot liquid that dripped from its jaws burned through her flesh, she screams in agony as the rinin’s claws tighten and then…SNAP! Nightdress’s head rolls to the side as the black rinin turns to both sides, his feral face haunting in the dim glow of the cooling lava above. The light of the lava flickers, casting the cave into complete darkness.
Everypony tenses… then they scream!
“Kill him!” Tel screamed. “Kill him now!”
Bright gold chains shined in the darkness, the horrible rattle and the sharp jerk of a body being hung from the ceiling filled their ears as they heard the sound of organs hitting the ground. Tel felt a swoosh of wind, the pony next to him gone, his screams echoing with the sound of grinding metal and then they stopped.
“Celestia save me,” Tel trembled as he pressed his flank against the wall. A soft glow appeared beside him, the light grows brighter as Sixes opened his jaws, his teeth black silhouettes against the bright glowing orange.
Then it goes dark. And he heard the words, “No one can save you.” Whispered into his ears. Sixes opened his fire-filled jaws again and bites down on Tel’s neck, the noble not even getting a chance to scream.
The rest of the ponies, unicorn, and bat alike stand silently in the darkness, the deadly silence making them gulp in terror as they heard the soft patter of claws clicking against the stone floor. A gold light cuts through the darkness, revealing the hidden horrors as molten gold takes the form of chains and hooks, enough to hang them all. The light goes out.
“Run, if you can.” The deep vitriol voice of Sixes said. The trapped ponies began to scream, pounding away at the walls the rattling of chains draws closer and closer.
Sixes' dream world, Present
“I arrived later, the scene we witness early was of the last pony to be killed,” Celestia explained as the world around them shifted to a blank black void. “An investigation revealed Lady Lilly-White was funding Bat pony hunters because of what happened to her husband. She raised her son to be a bat pony hater, added on top of the Unicorn supremacy ideals of the time and Tel easily indoctrination an entire class to his ideals. Right under my muzzle too. I hadn’t a very hoof on approach to teaching and I carelessly let a pony like Tel TealBlood slip by me. I’m sorry.”
Luna grimly nodded, processing the events shown to her. Her stomach churning with dread, anger, and sadness for what happened to her friend. If those ponies were alive today, she’d kill them herself. Still what hurts the most was the Bat ponies betrayal. “There was a cult that formed around Nightmare Moon?” Luna whispered in disbelief. “How… how could they think sacrificing ponies to the moon was anything I would want?”
“That’s why we didn’t want to tell you,” Sixes said mournfully. “We left them alone because, for the most part, the cultists were helping the bat ponies out. Making towns, supporting each other, regular committee and religious stuff. Nightdress was an extremist, but after her, we had to crack down on the cultists. Erasing them from history.”
Luna hung her head, seemed even without Nightmare Moon around, she still caused havoc. “Why would you think I’d you as a monster Sixes? You did what was right by punishing those who’d sully my name. And after what they did to Applejack, you should feel no guilt.”
“I don’t feel guilty.” Sixes asserted looking the princess in the eye. “I was happy to kill them, the unicorns, the bats, even the younglings. I didn’t bat an eye. I burned them alive and hung them out for the flies. To take joy in such actions… I worried every day about how I could face you again.”
“I very much doubt it was joy you felt,” Luna said softly, holding Sixes' face in her hooves. “It was your duty as a friend and Night Patroller to get revenge for Applejack, they attacked her first, and left her to die. The bat ponies, while I do consider them my children and my heart will always have a soft spot for them. Even I cannot overlook their actions. And well I am not comfortable with these events, I would rather you tell me them, then let them fester.”
Sixes’ entire body relaxed a great weight lifted from his shoulders. “Thank you.”
“It’s what I do.” Luna smiled. “Still, while I understand a little better what has put a wedge between you two, I can’t but feel there’s something else.” She looked between Sixes and Celestia, both clamping down hard on their memories.
Celestia coughed, “We had several disagreements about this and that, but ultimately it’s all rather personal stuff. I would like it if you could let us sort it out ourselves. Right, Sixes?”
“I suppose,” Sixes grumbled.
Luna supposed that was good enough for now, but there were still more matters to discuss. “Now that we’ve dealt with the past, let’s talk about the present. Starting with what drove you to rampage to Tartarus, Sixes?”
“Rampage? I wasn’t rampaging, I was patrolling.” Sixes declared much to the shock of the two sisters. “Really,” He snorted. “You go ballistic once or twice and everypony thinks you’re a powder keg. I’ll admit, I did go off to blow some steam, but after I found that first chimera, something struck me as strange.”
“Strange? What was strange?” Questioned Celestia. “Natural Chimera roaming the land is nothing new these days, Hoofenstien bred so many that they started maintaining their own population. What was the big deal?”
“The big deal,” Sixes snapped lightly. “Is Chimera don’t usually run in packs in three or met up with other monsters and start running off together, ignoring easy prey along the way. So, I followed them, and then I happen to overhear them talking.”
“Chimera, talking?”
Sixes nodded, “To hydras and the like, they were whispering that after the changeling’s attack now as the chance to join forces and take the Princess down. Of course, they couldn’t do that without a certain centaur.”
“Lord Tirek,” Luna interjected grimly, realizing what had happened. “The monsters in the entrance, the ones we thought were inmates.”
“They were rescuers.” Confirmed Sixes. “They overwhelmed Cerberus with their numbers. There was even more than the ones I took out along the way. It was probably several groups of monsters. A few flew past Campe the Jailer and had just managed to break Tirek free, in thanks he took their magic and that’s when we started fighting and then you guys arrived. I’ll admit, I was maybe a bit… out of my mind. I didn’t think to call for back up, I’d gotten into a killing rage and was focused on only stopping the monsters before they freed Tirek. Sorry about the Grimsville guards. They didn’t make it.”
Celestia cringed, she knew she’s been forgetting something. “What happened to them?”
“I was fighting at the entrance with Cerberus and they made the mistake of getting behind the big guy. He thought they were monsters in disguise and he ate them. That’s why he was pouting outside, while I went deeper into Tartarus.” Sixes explained. “But I shouldn’t have to explain what this means right?”
The two sisters shook their heads, “No,” Celestia sighed bitterly. “We may have won the battle, but the war has just begun. My moment of weakness against Chrysalis will inspire others to come and try. This monster insurrection is only the beginning.” The Sun Princess was suddenly looking her age as she looked at her sister and Sixes. “I’m afraid, I’ll need Night Patrol’s help again.”
“You’ll need more than that,” Sixes retorted sharply to her. “We are far from our peak and it’s not just monsters that will be getting riled up after that invasion. Signs of weakness breed war, but I’m sure you remember that lesson.”
“I prefer to believe in the good nature of the ponies across the sea. I have furthered our relationships with many other nations now, now just Nippon. War will not break out so easily.”
“Didn’t Hispania and Prance just go to war two weeks ago?” Luna pointed out, much to Celestia frustrations.
“Yes, but that’s Prance and Hispania, they're always fighting.”
“What about Germane? The Kaiser was very suspicious during my visit, sister.” Luna pointed out again.
“Yes, well, Germane has never been very friendly, to begin with, but…” Celestia sighed, seeing how fruitless her argument was. “Ok, fine, the world isn’t perfect, but I’ve been trying! Can you two just follow my lead on this before starting Pony War IV?”
Luna cocked her head, “Pony war IV?”
“We already had two and three. They were fun times.” Grinned Sixes, his smile not wavering under Celestia’s glare. “What?”
“Nothing,” Celestia lets out a long yawn. How was it possible to be tired inside a dream? “I think we did all we can tonight, Luna. Please put me back in my own dream.”
“I would appreciate some privacy myself,” Sixes yawned as well. “Urgh, I forgot how mentally exhausting it was to dream like this.”
“Dream walking does require a certain amount of mental energy. If your aware your dreaming, it can be like being awake sometimes. The body is resting, but the brain is not. It’s the same for nightmares.” Luna explained pulling on the threads connecting them. “Have a good night you two, what’s left of it.” She smiled severing the connections. Celestia faded away, going back to her own dream door, while Sixes' dreamscape took a radical shift. The black void replaced with the castle of old. “I hope you can enjoy your happy memories now, instead of just the bad ones.”
Sixes smiled softly as foal versions of Dusk, AppleJazz, Ale, and Whiskey run around them. Night Patrol members, alive and dead passed in the hall. Smiling, waving and chatting. Both Sixes and Luna tear up as the phantom image of Emerald Cutter passed by. When she was out of sight a small orange filly came running by.
“Was that?” Luna asked Sixes nodding with a smile.
“Yeah, Applejack the second. The original one, the one that didn’t make it. I never met her or the real Applejack the second, the first… well… you know and the second one was born after we sealed ourselves, but I like to imagine what she’d be like. Judging from the current Applejack, I wasn’t wrong assuming she’d be a clone of her mother.” Sixes chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s kind of scary how much they look alike.”
Luna conjured an image of Applejack the Eighth for Sixes to view. “There are some differences. Eighth has red eyes. But I digress, I will leave you, now. Just don’t be surprised when you wake up?”
“Why would I be surprised?” Sixes said as she begins to leave his dream. The happy scene becoming a speck in the void as Luna reenters the hallway of dreams. A play smirk dancing on her lips as she imagined Sixes' surprise when he woke up in her bed and her sleeping next to him!
Of course, this wasn’t the first time they shared a bed either, so maybe he won’t be that surprised, but she was positive his reaction would be… Luna breaks from her musing looking around the dream world. Where was she? She was falling, much like when she fell through Cadence’s dream and ended reliving the Battle of the Crystal Empire. Luna touched her horn, feeling the dream strings still tethered to her horn.
“Drat! I’m still connected to Celestia and Sixes! I better…” Her falling comes to a sudden stop as her hoofs touch the floor of the old castle It was the top floor where her room was located, Sixes room just down the hall with the other Night Commanders. This had to be another event after her banishment, a shared memory between Celestia and Sixes. With neither one around to filter the memory.
Hearing the trotting of hooves Luna saw an image of Celestia’s past self-holding a cup of coffee and something else her magic. A small pink vile. Celestia approached Sixes’ room, her hooves clicking nervously as she pours the vile into the cup.
“Just for a little while,” Celestia mumbled, “I just want us to be a true family for a little while, for Crusader’s sake. Yes, that’s why you're doing this.”
If there was a more obvious lie, then Luna wouldn’t know it. But she wondered just what Celestia was doing? Her sister poured the pink contents into the cup while knocking on the door. Luna’s blood running cold as little pink hearts float out of the cup.
“No…” Luna backed away, hot tears falling down her face as Sixes opened the door, accepting the cup from Celestia. “You wouldn’t? You wouldn’t do that, right? Celestia?” She choked back a sob as Sixes took a sip of the love potion spiked coffee.
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8907651
I’m glad I nibbed that in the bud.
We tend to learn and have it stick the hard way rather than be observation or being told
8908062
Very true
I love this
8924046
Thank you. Any parts in particular you like or thought could be better?