The first awakening
Night Patrol 2 awakening ch 7
By Foxgear
It was early morning, very early morning. The moon was still in the sky and the sun hadn’t even peaked over the horizon yet. Celestia was still asleep. True to her nature Celestia has not changed her sleep schedule in over a thousand years. Luna has become very well versed in Celestia’s schedule, Celestia’s schedule organizer, Time Keeper, was very thorough. Though it did lead Luna to worry how easy it would be for an assassin to strike if they were able to obtain said schedule. Such information could be used to any ponies’ advantage.
Now was actually one of those times. She was going to take this chance while her sister slept to take control of not only the moon but the sun, allowing her to make an eclipse. Something Celestia would be against.
Luna had thought of simply asking her sister to perform the task, but if Celestia refused she would be left with no options till her powers returned. She did not know why, or maybe she did, but Celestia was nervous about eclipses and not just for the obvious reasons. An eclipse was when she made her debut as Nightmare Moon.
And there were other reasons. Much to Luna’s chagrin, there was a sun and moon schedule now. Many nations, not Equestria, have made prophecies modeled on the sun and moon cycle as well as calendars and other special events. An unscheduled eclipse could send many in the world into a chaotic rage of hysteria. End of day’s kind of nonsense.
That was the reason why she was doing this so early in the morning; most of the world was still asleep. Hopefully, she could activate the eclipse, get in the doors and give up control before Celestia even knew what was happening and retook control.
She just needed to somehow gather enough power to do it.
“Is everypony ready?” Luna asked her sleepy quadrate of guards. They nodded drowsily causing her to roll her eyes as she arranged them with a pair on either side of her. She didn’t have the power to move the moon and the sun in her present state. However if she could recreate what she did with Sixes and the others during the battle of the Crystal Empire, then maybe, just maybe she could do it.
Closing her eyes Luna let loose her aura and covered Goodnight, Night Glider, Daring, and Spitfire in it. Instantly they woke up, fully awake and aware as she worked to connected time into one giant battery.
“What’s going on? What are we doing?” Spitfire demanded failing around. She’d been so sleepy she didn’t even realize she was in front of the old castle.
“Relax, I only need to borrow some magic,” Luna assured them. “Now please keep quiet, this is hard enough to do as it is.” Magic flowed into her, giving her power and strength almost on par with what she had before. Almost being the key word.
“You look a little short hooved,” chuckled Kusanagi walking up to the group with Miso on his back. “I can be of help if you wish. Thanks to this little one I was awakened much earlier than expected.” Luna smiled and nodded as Kusanagi laid a sleepy Miso onto the grass.
Kusanagi stepped into Luna’s aura, granting her access to his magic reserves. Instantly she felt a boost in power. Closing her eyes she gather all the magic of her friends into her body and focused, her eyes snapped open, black as the void, shadows slithered beneath her as she called out to the moon.
She felt its presence. She could feel the moon, high in the sky, seemly cold and distant, but soft with a confronting white glow. Severing Celestia’s connection to HER moon, Luna felt its strength and reassurance filled her, longing for her and she longed for it.
(How dare she keep us apart, even if I have not the strength to move you, but I can still feel you…) Anger boiled beneath Luna’s skin. Celestia kept what was hers away from her! How dare she… how dare her! (No, no, I must calm down, focus, focus… I must find the sun. I’m running out of time.)
Luna called for the sun with her magic. Instantly she found it, hot, bright and unapproachable, an accurate depiction of her sister if she were asked. In retrospect, they were both much like the celestial bodies they controlled. She was a bit cold and distant, and she took some time to grow on ponies and them her. Celestia like the sun was warm and inviting, but no pony could really get close to the real thing. She wondered what ponies would think of Celestia if they could ever get past her sister’s masks.
(Enough mindless dribble, I need to focus,) Luna berated herself. Time was of the essence after all.
Keeping control of the moon, Luna made a grab for the sun, forcing her will upon it. It didn’t like that. The sun flared, burning hotter as if snarling at her.
(Luna…? What’s going on?)
Great, Celestia was waking up. Baring her teeth Luna grabbed for the sun again, imagining a lasso tightening around the big glowing sphere. She jerked it from Celestia’s control, completely shell shocking her sister.
(Luna! What are you doing? Do you have any idea what will happen…)
(ENOUGH!) Luna screamed as she pulled the sun into the sky, feeling its warm rays brush against her coat. Quickly she pulled the moon in front of it, the sky darkened as the moon overlapped the sun. She released both when she heard the sound of mechanical gears turning behind her. The doors of the castle were opening!
“We must hurry!” She ordered running for the doors. She had to completely abandon control of both sun and moon; it wouldn’t be long before Celestia put them back where they were supposed to be.
Luna, Spitfire, Goodnight, Night Glider, and Daring all made it into the old castle as the door slammed closed behind them. Kusanagi stood outside as the sun and moon separated. Satisfied that the Mother Queen’s wishes would finally be fulfilled, now all there was to do is wait for Luna’s return. Hopefully, she did return, it was rather dangerous in there after all.
“She is the legendary Tsukihime, she will be fine,” Kusanagi reassured himself. He really didn’t want to write a letter to Celestia saying her sister’s been killed. With nothing else to do but wait he decided to go enjoy breakfast with his wife and daughter.
“Daddy look! This cloud is made of cotton candy and rains chocolate milk!” Miso declared happy, making Kusanagi stop in his tracks and look up at the sky, which was filled with pink clouds.
“That’s not good.”
“Princess Celestia it’s terrible! The moon is eclipsing the sun, has that vile Nightmare Moon returned?” Time Keeper screamed skidding into Celestia’s room. The Princess of the Sun was busy returning the moon and the sun to their proper places. She turned glaring at Timer Keeper. “Um forgive me, your majesty, I misspoke…”
“Enough games, I know it’s you Discord. I didn’t place your statue in view of my window because I enjoy looking at your frozen face.”
Time Keeper’s expression went from worried to annoyed, “Oh poo, and here I thought I would lighten the mood. You’re such a stick in the mud Celestia.” Discord said reappearing as himself with a mere snap of his claw. “You should really learn to lighten up; it’s not every day a dear old enemy returns or is it? You always did favor the seal it away for later method. As do most goodie two shoes. Really, though, I must thank you.”
Celestia growled at the spirit of chaos, “For what?”
“Why releasing me of course! I mean, I started to break free yesterday after these three little fillies starting arguing in front of me, but that would have taken weeks if I only relied on that. But then!” Discord created a stage and made several unsuspecting maids his actors. “Then the unthinkable happened, an eclipse! Only when there wasn’t supposed to be one! The chaos around the world! Ponies, griffons, dragons and all in-between screaming to their gods for salvation for it were surely the end times! Really glad I took a moment to go out and enjoy it all. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the more primitive tribes were sacrificing virgins already.”
Celestia slammed her hoof down, destroying the scene of Discord dangling her maids over a fire. “All of you leave, now!” The maids scurried out of the door, only to be brought back by Discord so they could run out again. Celestia slammed her hoof again, creating a shock wave, “Leave them alone!”
“Oh fine, they were getting to be no fun anyway,” Discord pouted as he let the maids go, but not before changing their uniforms into something a little more… explicit. “I wonder how long it will take them to realize what they're wearing. What do you think Celestia? Will they be called hookers or sl…”
“Enough!”
Discord chuckled, “Is that your safe word? Well if you’re telling me yours, I guess it is only fair I tell you mine.” He disappeared and reappeared as a black stallion in lots of leather. “It’s Q. Wink, wink. Get it? Q?”
“You made that joke last time.”
“Really? Huh, you’d think after a thousand years I would have better material. That being said something seems… different about you, you seem to be glowing brighter than before. Has somepony been doing their magical pushups? You seemed have gained some bulk or maybe that’s fat, how’s the cake diet treating you?”
“Why don’t you find out?” Celestia’s mane and tail ignited into a blaze of golden fire as she pounced on the spirit of chaos. The floor cracked and crumbled from the heat as she charged tackling Discord and stabbing him with her horn. They both crashed through the wall and fell down into the roof of the building below.
Celestia staggered out of the crater, her body returned to normal; annoyingly flicking the inflatable of Discord off her horn and glared as the spirit of chaos reappeared in front of her with a certain box. Carefully she hid her grin.
“Let’s see what’s in box number one, oh yes, the elements of harmony. Was this your plan, to try and use these little trinkets against me again? And here I thought I was reusing old material.” Discord laughed as he summoned a vortex. “Perhaps these would be better served in some other plane of reality or maybe…” Discord held the box between his mismatching hands. “I should just destroy them.”
Celestia snarled as she flared her magic again, summoning the bright gold aura around her once again, “Go ahead.”
“Really? You want me to destroy these trinkets, the McGuffin of problem solvers? I guess I did say you should relax and have a little more fun, but this… this is almost sexy. Are you on the path to becoming a villain like your little sister? Now that would be interesting!”
“Don’t you dare talk about my sister like that,” snarled Celestia charging at Discord, her power was certainly stronger than a thousand years ago, almost dangerously too powerful, even for him. She came charging so fast, the room disintegrating around them from the intense heat! It was as if she was the sun itself! She might just kill him! Discord’s mind went blank and for a moment he was at a loss at what to do, so he held up the box of elements as a defense. Much to his surprise, it worked, Celestia stood paralyzed in place.
“Oh Celestia, I knew you didn’t really want the elements destroyed. I’ll be the bigger man and admit you got me, but… Celestia… um, Celestia… hey, I’m trying to give a villainous speech here!”
Discord marched up to the frozen princess, waving his claw in front her eyes. She remained frozen, but her eyes continued to glare, but not at him, but the elements of harmony. He stepped back making the connection. Looking into the magical plane he saw multicolored chains binding the princess, the elements of all things had just saved his life!
“Oh my, my, this is indeed an irony. You were actually trying to destroy the elements! What’s more they have placed a curse upon you! Let me take a look at what we have here. I see I see, oh this is rich!” Discord tucked a finger under Celestia’s chin giving her a wide cheeky smirk. “You're actually rebelling against the elements! And such power just boiling under that lovely white coat, yet constrained by these seemly harmless shackles known as the elements of harmony. So much power and they won’t let you use it. Why is that I wonder?”
Celestia’s jaw tightened, “Shut up and just destroy them! I’ll finish you off with my own power this time!”
“I think not,” said Discord closing the box. “As much fun as not having these little things around would be, I’d rather be sealed then destroyed.” Snapping his fingers Discord repaired all the damage from their brief fight. “Tell you what, I’ll go and hide these and you can call whoever the new bearers are and I’ll play with them. You can just sit back, relax and watch as I make your little ponies my new playthings. I’ll even give a play by play. Bye, Princess.”
Celestia’s face contorted in anger. That had been her one chance. Her one chance to get rid of the elements! To make them pay for what they did to her sister!
“No, there will be more chances to come. In the meantime, the elements still have a use,” Summoning a scroll and quill Celestia began to write, “Dear Twilight…”
The door closed leaving Luna and her group in darkness. Her four guards huddled close, close enough that their coats were brushing together. The princess rolled her eyes and squeezed between them for some room. If there were indeed some sort of dangerous creatures in here then she wanted to be able to move around and not be part of a multi-kill streak. She’s seen that happen before. She’s done it herself a few times. Once during the changeling invasion of the Crystal Empire, she had cut up five or more changelings with a single attack.
Pulling her star blades free from their holster Luna unfolded her old weapons to make sure they were in working order. The pin that the blades turned on was properly oiled and the arms of the blades slid with practically no resistance. Not bad for a one thousand-year-old weapon. Folding the blades closed she holstered them leaving safety latches unsnapped for easy drawing.
Looking to her guards she took a tally of their own gear. Before coming here they had stopped by the armory and outfitted themselves with some Nippon weaponry and armor. How useful they would be was up in the air, but it was better than nothing.
Focusing on their surroundings Luna took note of the pile of treasure before her. Seems Kusanagi’s story was true, they were really throwing treasures in here with disregard. She wondered what was so terrifying in here to make them do this.
“It’s so dark in here,” Night Glider complained stepping away from the group. Blue flames ignited on the touches on the wall, giving off an eerie presence. The young Wonderbolt’s ears flopped against her head and she quickly rejoined the group.
“Now that’s creepy,” Spitfire commented stepping beside Luna. She was going to ask what the battle plan was but stopped when she notice the princess looking up. Following suit Spitfire and the others saw a picture revealed by the blue flames.
The picture was a pony completely covered in armor and bright glowing blue eyes. Below written in old blood, complete with the artist’s skeleton laying blow the picture was the words ‘BEWARE!’ scrolled on the wall.
(What did you put in here Kira?)
“What’s the plan? Should we split up and look for the stairs?” “Spitfire suggested flying up to the ceiling. “The halls are tall enough to fly in; we could send a pony in either direction and be there and back before you know it.” Daring chuckled, earning a glare from the wonderbolt captain. “What’s so funny now?”
“You. You see a skeleton with beware written in blood and you want to split up? You’re really showing that tactical mind of yours Spitfire.”
“Oh yeah, Then what do you suggest? You’re the Tomb Raider after all.”
“Tomb Raider was my mother, but since you asked I’d say we go off in pairs and search or move as a group. Either way, it’s up to you Princess, what do you want us to do?”
Giving the present danger staying together was a safer option, but even if the halls were tall, they were not overly wide, not with the treasures taking up most of the space. Speed maybe their ally. The quicker they find Nightingale’s amulet, the faster they could get out of here.
“We will split into two teams; Daring and Night Glider, you two will go right, while Goodnight, Spitfire and I will proceed down the left hallway. If neither finds the stairs in an hour we will reconvene here, if one team finds the stairs they will leave a pony stationed there as the other goes to inform the other team. Be sure to mark your paths. These old castles can be like mazes.”
The four Pegasus saluted and they all parted ways.
Daring looked longingly with bright and mischievous eyes as she and Night Glider made their way down their respected hall. The treasures lining the walls were ones she would have a fair amount of interest taking back home. Some were ones her mother had told her about. Ones that her mom had spent many years searching for, it was a shame she wasted her time crawling through the muck and swamps when they were lined up here, perfect for the taking.
(No, no, Daring you’re not a thief, these treasures have a home and they're well-guarded. Besides bad things happen when you take stuff in places like this.)
Turning the corner she and Night Glider entered a small room with even more treasures. However one item in particular caught her eye, the blue rosary necklace sitting on the pedestal, the Kori beads. Her mother had been searching for those for a long time… maybe she could just…
“This looks like a dead end,” Night Glider said trotting around the room. There didn’t seem to be any secret switches or stairs, not that she dared to touch anything. The room was creepy, especially the suits of armor besides each pedestal, with six in total. “We should probably head back.”
“Right, right, I’ll be there in a minute,” Daring said not even turning to acknowledge Night Glider; all of her focus was on the rosary. Taking her helmet off Daring held it beside the pedestal and knocked the rosary into it and then placed it on her head. “Ok I’m ready, let’s head back.” She said turning around only to run into Night Glider.
“Hey watch where you’re walking kid!”
Night Glider didn’t apologize; she stood frozen with her hoof pointing straight ahead. Daring followed the pointing hoof to see it aimed at the suits of armor… which now had glowing blue eyes. Daring knew that that meant.
“Crap… run kid!” Daring screamed sprinting ahead at full speed. Night Glider yelped and followed after like a rabbit being chased by a fox. Behind them, the suits of armor came to life and moved their heavy iron hoof steps and came thundering after the two mares.
“What happened?” Night Glider screamed as the statues began firing arrows at them.
“Must have triggered the security system somehow, not a big deal, I’ve dealt with things like this before.” Daring turned and dug into her slight suit and pulled her necklace of good luck charms out. Night Glider looked at her god smacked, Daring just smiled back at the young wonderbolt as she pulled one of the gold charms free from the chain.
“Like I said, always keep a necklace of lucky charms!” Giving the charm a toss Night Glider watched as the gold charm hit one of the metal guardians in the head. The Guardians looked down at the coin and back up towards Daring and Night Glider only find they weren’t there anymore.
“What the fuck was that!” Night Glider screamed as they ran full bore back to the entrance.
“Impromptu distraction, you’d be surprised how often that works. I mean it doesn’t work on the same pony twice, well… scratch that… sometimes it does, but best not to press your luck. Either way, just keep running!”
Arriving back at the main hall they saw Luna’s team up ahead. Spitfire waved them over as they approached, the two Pegasus passing right by the three screaming, “RUN!”
At first, the three didn’t know what was going on. Then the six guardians rounded the corner. Luna moved firmly in front of Goodnight and Spitfire with her horn charged with the Magical drill horn blast spell. Luna released the spiraling blast of magic; the spell flew hitting the lead guardian right in the torso and knocking it back into the others behind it. She smiled and looked on with satisfaction at her work.
“Even in this state I still got it,” Walking closer Luna inspected the moving suits of armor. Her blast had drilled through the breast plate with ease and even dug into the plated steel beneath. A sudden sinking feeling developed in her gut as she removed the guardian’s helmet, her blood freezing at the sight of its metal face.
“Iron ponies,” gasping in horror she dropped the helmet and fired another blast into the iron pony, the blue flame ignited in it and its brethren’s eyes and they rose back to their hooves. They weren’t as tough as the iron ponies she fought before, but they were still tough. Grabbing one with her magic she used it as a wrecking ball against the others, causing minimal damage. Now was probably the time to retreat she figured turning and running way. Her breathing labored from using her magic.
(Curse my depleted stamina!)
Had she been at full power iron ponies the likes of these would be nothing for her, but she wasn’t at full power, so she has to contend with what she had.
“What do we do Princess?” Spitfire asked as Luna rejoined the group at the other end of the long hall. They watched as the six iron ponies suddenly gained more allies as more iron ponies crawled out from beneath the piles of loose treasures.
“We do the only thing we can, go up, come the stairs are this way,” Luna said leading the way. The five rounded the corner following the marks left by Luna’s team earlier towards the stairs.
“Hey wasn’t there a suit of armor here before?” Goodnight pointed out as they passed one of the many dead ends along the way.
Spitfire nodded, remembering it, “Yeah, a one with Pegasus wings attached.”
Luna looked up at the ceiling and fired a blast of magic, “Everypony run!” She yelled as an iron pegasi came crashing down to the floor. The iron pony shook itself off and rose once gain as the others come around the corner.
Up head, more iron ponies amassed, and Luna threw up a shield and kept running, plowing the iron ponies down, “Hurry the stairs is not much further!” Climbing a set of half stairs that turned and lead upwards the five arrived at the second floor.
“There!” Luna pointed to the next flight of stairs across the room, “Hurry!”
The five ran into the wide open room, only to realize half way across they had been lead into a trap. Lining the walls on either side of them were twelve unicorn model iron ponies, with six on each side their horns ignited with blue flames. The iron unicorns fired, letting loose a barrage of blue fire bolts.
Luna threw up a shield, but not before two bolts slipped through and hit Daring in her front shoulder. The first blast destroyed the armor she had been wearing there; the second blasted her side between the gaps in her side. The rogue wonder faltered and fell.
“Daring!” Night Glider screamed scooping up the tawny mare quickly and tossing Daring on her back. The group continued to run, running pass a makeshift barricade left behind by previous intruders. Luna passed through the stairway first and stopped to better focus on her shield. Goodnight and Spitfire passed through next, but Night Glider didn’t or rather she couldn’t. A blue barrier rose up between the door frames stopping her from advancing.
“What the hell is going on?” Spitfire screamed pounding her hoof against the barrier, it wouldn’t let her back through!
“A trap to separate us, very clever,” Luna grimly admired. Kira defiantly had a claw in making this. She tried to force her way through, but the shield was too strong. They’d have to find the source that was powering the shield and the iron ponies to put a stop to them. “Night Glider take refuge in the barricade! We will save you as soon as we can!”
Night Glider nodded, already hiding behind the wrecked defenses with Daring out cold beside her. She took up the bolt thrower she had taken from the Nippon armory and fired a few warning shots from the large cylinder through a small window in her meager defense wall. The bolts struck the iron pony, tearing through its armor and sticking into its body, it fell to the ground but didn’t get back up like before, the arrow seemly messing up its gears or something.
“I’ll do my best! You guys just keep going! We’ll be fine!” Night Glider said as encouraging as she could. For a moment Luna and the others looked on helplessly, before nodding and rushing up the stairs. With them gone Night Glider’s bravo faded as she looked at the remaining iron ponies, there seemed to be almost twenty of them left and though they seemed a little more cautious about charging her now, that wouldn’t last long
She held up the bolt thrower, took aim and waited. She only had maybe forty bolts and this thing fired in bursts of three, she needed to conserve her ammo and hold out. Besides her Daring groaned and tried to stand up, Night Glider held her down.
“You just lay there; I’ll get us out of this.”
Luna hurried to the next floor of the castle Goodnight and Spitfire hot on her heels. Coming to the top she slowed spreading her wings to stop Goodnight and Spitfire from running ahead of her. Cautiously Luna stuck her head out from the stairwell, scouting the room, what she saw surprised her.
Skeletons, piles, piles and piles of skeletons draped in Nippon armor lay scattered about the destroyed room. Signs of a massive battle were everywhere. Among the dead were broken iron ponies. These were a different model; they were not unicorns, pegasi or earth design, but alicorn. One lay not far from her, the sculpted face gave her chills, it looked like her.
“Princess,” Whispered Spitfire as she poked her in the side, “We need to get going.”
She nodded and waved them up, “Proceed with caution some of them may be playing possum.” She warned as they trekked through the remains of the Nippon soldiers. From the flags it was obvious they belonged to the royal family. So they probably weren’t rebels. From the looks of things, it seemed as if they deliberately attacked the iron ponies.
Speculation was best left for later Luna concluded, best focus on the task at hoof, but Kusanagi would have some explaining to do once they got out of here.
As the three walked, mindful not to disturb anything, they felt a presence watching them. Luna and Spitfire acknowledged the presence. Turning their eyes to glance closer without giving away the fact that they noticed, Goodnight was not so experience he turned his head spotting the watchful pair of glowing eyes. He stared and they stared back. He stood frozen in place.
“Goody, what’s keeping you?” Spitfire inquired softly, she cursed under her breath as she spotted the iron pony Goodnight was engaged in a staring contest with. Freezing in place she found another just to her right hiding under a pile of corpses. “Princess…”
“I know,” Luna replied, ahead of her were two more iron ponies by the stairwell rising out of the bones and rusty armor. All around them more iron ponies rose. Luna counted fifteen of them; some were in better shape than others. Some had exposed gears and joints and were nearly devoid of any armor.
Regardless, they were surrounded.
“Run!”
They broke into a gallop. The iron ponies came charging at them their heavy hooves crushing the skulls of their previous victims beneath their heavy stomps. Luna looked towards the exit, dodging blue fireballs that singed her coat. The smell of burned hair made her snort and sniffle making her eyes close for a brief moment. When they opened two iron ponied barred her path. She fired a magic beam at them though watery eye and missed! The iron ponies reared back, blue fire dancing around their horns. She braced for the pain.
“Look out!” Another body crashed into hers, sending her sideways, Goodnight flashed ahead of her with greater speed then she thought her guard was capable off, Goodnight’s wings were a black blur of movement as he tackled one of the iron ponies taking a fireball right in the barrel! He rode the iron pony down and snarled at the other revealing long white fangs.
Luna had to do a double take as she finally got a real good look at Goodnight’s black leathery wings. He was thestral! Goodnight was a bat pony!
Goodnight let loose a high pitched scream at the other iron pony blocking the staircase. The pony’s metal body shook and rattled as the pins and bolts holding it together shook loose and the iron pony fell in a heap of scrap to the floor.
Taking the chance Luna and Spitfire passed through the entrance to the stairwell. The same blue barrier rose, blocking Goodnight from continuing on with them.
Luna screamed as she slammed her body against the barrier, “Goodnight!”
Goodnight looked at her with wide fearful eyes as he equipped his wing blades. He smiled at her, a wide shaky smile she’s seen plenty of young stallions and mares as they found themselves on the battlefield for the first time. Luna pressed against the barrier trying to reach for her child of the night.
“Go,” He said turning around to face the approaching iron ponies. “I’ll do my duty.”
He let out a sonic shriek, attacking with vigor against the iron ponies. Slashing and bashing his way through their ranks. Luna watched as six iron ponies’ dogpiled on top of Goodnight. He let loose a scream and climbed out from under the pile, bleeding and screaming as he held the horde at bay.
Spitfire laid her hoof on Luna’s shoulder, “Come on, we can’t help him.”
Luna looked on as the brave thestral fought for his life. Why hadn’t he told her he was a bat pony? What reason could there be to hide his heritage from her? The questioned swirled around in her mind, but she pushed them aside, now was not the time for such things.
“We will come back! Just hold on!”
Goodnight blasted an iron pony with a sonic blast and smiled at her, his chest heaving heavily as sweat dripped from his coat, he was being pushed hard. “I will!” He yelled returning to the fight.
Turning away from her soldier Luna lead the charge up the stairs.
Throwing caution to the wind Luna and Spitfire stormed the fourth floor immediately prepared for battle. The fourth floor was much like the third, a wide open room covered in corpses, however, there were far fewer this time. From what she could see in the dim blue light only ten of the Nippon ponies that stormed the castle made it.
Inspecting one of the corpses closer, Luna found two large puncture wounds in the corpse’s side running through his armor and body and out the other side. Whatever did this hit like a battering ram, the corpse’s bones weren’t just broken, they were shattered!
“This seems familiar… but why?” Luna wondered thinking of all her past battles, but coming up blank. She looked around the room, not finding any signs of iron ponies. Perhaps they were taken out? “Let’s make a run for the stairs Spitfire,” She whispered leading the way, gently they flapped their wings and hovered over the ground so they wouldn’t make noise, their eyes scanning for any movement.
The exit was just ahead, they were almost there! This was going to be easy, too easy… now that Luna thought about it. She stretched out her leg to stop Spitfire just as two massive shadows came charging on either side of them. Luna turned to face them, Spitfire had another idea. The wonderbolt captain turned and bucked Luna past the entry way, the same blue barrier appearing, trapping Spitfire.
“Spitfire!” Luna ran against the barrier watching as Spitfire nimbly dodged the massive iron ponies. They were bigger than the previous models, bulkier, and had bull horns. One turned and snorted blue fire out its nostrils, giving Luna a clear look at its face. Now she knew why those wounds looked so familiar.
These iron ponies were based off Bulldrake, one of her Night Patrollers, he was called such because he looked more like a bull dragon hybrid then a pony, his bull horns being the main cause of this. That was beside the point. She knew who made these iron monsters and that pony was Starwind the Beardless or Gadget as he was called sometimes, another one of her Patrollers. He was the only one who had the genius to do such a thing, but why did he do it?
The answer, as well as the means to stop these metal monsters laid most likely upstairs.
“Hold on Spitfire, I will return for you!”
Spitfire flipped and spun, dodging the stream of flame fired by one of the iron Bulldrakes, “I’ll appreciate it!” She cried as she equipped her wing blades, dancing like a whirlwind around the Bulldrakes her swords creating a shower of sparks and earring cringing clanks against their iron skin.
Spitfire looked at her chipped blades and then to Luna, giving the princess a desperate look, “Are you still here?” She cried as she quickly ducked out of way of the iron rinins charge.
Luna shook herself and got going. She hadn’t meant to stand there like a dunce, but seeing Bulldrake, even if only an imitation was startling. That and the thought that Starwind would make these metal monsters after their encounter with the original iron ponies really disturbed her. However, as she climbed the stairs to the top floor a sickly feeling arose in her gut.
Starwind was a clever pony, Starswirl’s parallel when it came to engineering, but he was not a rich pony. He wouldn’t have the funds to create this many iron ponies, nor would he have a reason to, unless somepony gave him the material and bits to do so and a reason.
As she climbed the final steps the mystery unfolded as she met face to face with an iron pony replica of Kira. The iron rinin stared blankly at her with cold eyes of blue fire. It stood firmly in place, Kira’s personal treasures behind it, such as her swords, hair sticks, and even Nightingale’s medal.
It was clear to Luna now. Kira had asked Starwind to create the iron ponies so they could protect her family’s treasures. However, with both Starwind and Kira dead, the iron ponies went rogue, killing any pony that entered the castle. The dead soldiers must have been part of force meant to reclaim the castle. Once they failed the Nippon royal family built a new castle instead, while using the old castle as a vault to protect treasures they could never get back.
A lump filled in her throat as Luna looked at the iron replica, the attention to detail was startling, if not for the iron ponies gray skin, she would had thought the iron pony was Kira.
“What possible reason is there for such accuracy? Will you tell me? Is there a practical reason besides the pain on my heart?” Luna asked the iron pony as tears rolled down her face. She couldn’t help but think in the deepest craven of her mind that this was Kira’s punishment for killing Emerald Cutter.
Emerald and Kira had been like sisters, their bond forged over their shared oddity of being rinin born with six legs and their time spent on the battlefield together.
The iron Kira did not speak, only stared with dead blue flame eyes as it drew its swords with a ‘Skink!’ Luna pulled her star blades from their holsters, the blades unfolding with a ‘click’ she held her star blades up, waiting for the iron pony to make its move.
Luna took a deep breath and released. Metal rang as star blade and katana in a clash of sparks! Luna pushed will all her might against the heavy push of the iron Kira, the iron ponies metal body making it difficult to overwhelm her. Iron Kira’s mechanical limbs squeaked and creaked as they pushed against her blades and much to Luna’s horror her hooves began to slide across the floor. Gritting her teeth and she pushed back with more power! Her magic’s flaring up like a flame.
For a brief moment, Luna held her ground.
Not a second later she was being pushed back again. Iron Kira’s eyes were glowing brighter as her legs pushed harder and harder! The iron pony was like a steam engine pushing Luna along the tracks. Luna knew she could not overpower her opponent, so she chose to outsmart it.
Jumping to the side Luna let iron Kira zoom past her the moment she withdrew her star blades. She watched with satisfaction as the iron pony went barreling into the adjacent wall with a loud crash! Knowing this wasn’t the end Luna took a moment to regain her breath and ready her defense.
As she raised her blades for another round Luna made a horrifying discovery. Her star blades, gifted to her by her precious Night Patrollers, were cracked!
Rage boiling over Luna ignited her horn and let loose a powerful beam of magic that slammed iron Kira against the wall! Steam rose off the moon Princess’s body as she pressed her attack, a burning pain rose in her muscles making her cringe and falter in her steps, but she pressed on, till her horn overheated.
Luna’s attack died, leaving her panting heavily, her coat drenched in sweat as she dry heaves, her throat dry as the desert. Silently she cursed her own foolhardiness. She lost control and wound up with magic exhaustion again!
(Celestia will be so mad if she finds out. That is if I live through this.)
From the rubble of the wall, Iron Kira emerged, her armor gone, but her swords intact. The side of her head was cracked, the parts of her body where Luna’s attack hit directly were shaved away leaving the iron ponies left front legs weak, but still functional.
Carefully iron Kira stepped forward, testing how much weight her damaged limbs could take. After a few cautious steps, she seemed to conclude she was ok and took up her swords and charged towards Luna in a lancer's pose.
Luna tried to get out of the way, her body screaming at her as her muscles locked up, locking her legs stiff as steel. She couldn’t move!
“Dammit,” she cursed forcing her magic to work, her horn sparking in protest as she lifted her star blades and spun them. Taking aim she fired her first blade like a buzz saw and let it loose aiming for Kira’s injured limbs. The blade whizzed through Kira’s poised swords and hit the iron pony’s injured shoulder, the thin metal did little to stop the spinning blade as it pierced through the metal skin.
Kira’s left front legs locked up, and she was forced to drop her left katana, but it didn’t stop her.
Taking aim with her second star blade Luna was quickly running out of time as Kira was barely six feet away. Sweat poured down the princess’s brow, the star blade felt heavy in her magic and it wobbled as her focus faded in and out. With a final chuck, she let the blade fly! The star blade spun, but something was wrong, it’s veered off course the blade splitting in two with the two halves embedding themselves into the floor.
(The pivot pin must have been cracked.) Luna concluded tiredly as her body gave out. She slumped to her flank, staring her impending death in the eye.
Suddenly an overwhelming amount of power filled her! The shadows gathered beneath her and rose up like tentacles ensnaringthe charging iron pony in their inky black grip. From the depths of Luna’s mind, an angry scream shouted forth from the darkness.
“I’M NOT READY TO DIE!” The voice screamed desperately as Luna held her head in great pain, staggering around as the shadows consumed iron Kira. She knew that voice. After how could she forget it?
It was the voice of her nightmares, the very same voice that mocked and haunted her for a thousand years, the voice of Nightmare Moon.
“No… it can’t be,” Luna panted heavily, her head hurt like somepony was pressing a drill to her skull, but her magic kept raising, raising to even greater power! Her eyes fluttered open and then widened in shock by what she saw. It was her hair, her hair was floating! Not only that but she was taller, more muscular, more… her! She had regained her true form!
“I’ll deal with you later,” Luna warned her dark counterpart as she turned her attention to the opponent at hoof. Readily Luna summoned up her shadow shroud, the inky black mass of magic draped over her like a protective cloak. Iron Kira desperately tried to escape the inky black web of darkness, but Luna would not allow it.
“Be gone from thy sight imposter!” She commanded, the shadows slithered across the ground and wrapped the iron pony up in its grasp, the darkness eating away the iron pony’s body entirely.
Letting out a deep sigh Luna recalled her shadow and stepped forward to grab her prize, Nightingale’s medal. She took the medal off the wall and placed it in her holster. Next, she raised her horn and cast a scanning spell, looking for the source of the iron ponies’ power.
A bright blue light came from behind the wall. Focusing Luna reached out with her magic and pulled the object from the room hidden on the other side. The wall shattered as a blue gem embedded on alicorn engraving floated before her.
It was the blue Alicorn Amulet, somehow she was not surprised.
“Hopefully this will put an end to these iron ponies,” Luna said as she descended the stairs.
The barrier to the fourth floor was gone and the two Bulldrake iron ponies were frozen in place, their horns pointed to a heavily breathing Spitfire with her back against the wall. The wonderbolt captain looked at her with wide and wondering eyes, before looking back to the horns that had just about impaled her.
“Took you long enough,” Spitfire cried with exhaustion as she slumped to the floor. Luna chuckling as she picked the fiery mare off the ground and placed her on her back, happy that her friend was safe and even happier to be back to normal.
“Let’s get the others,” Luna smiled as she raised her horn, she quickly found the presence of the other and with a mere flick of her horn disappeared.
Goodnight let loose a scream destroying another iron pony and then spun and destroyed another! Quickly he wiped his brow of sweat and blood, swaying on his hooves as he tried to keep the horde of iron ponies at bay. An arrow shot from somewhere and hit his shoulder plate, the arrowhead piercing through into his shoulder. He hisses and let loose a blind scream into the darkness.
He fell to his belly. Exhausted. He couldn’t even lift hit wings anymore, let alone his legs. He looked up as an iron pony stood over him and aimed it’s horn downwards like a spear.
This was it.
At least he got to go into battle with Luna once. Shame she didn’t see him, he managed to fight off all but four of them.
Content Goodnight closed his eyes and waited for the final blow that never came. After a few seconds of waiting he wonders if he was already dead, but once he opened his eyes he was relieved to find that he wasn’t. The pain was a good indicator unless you could feel pain when you're dead, and if so, then his priest lied to him.
Opening his eyes he saw the iron ponies frozen, it’s horn a mere inch away from piercing his skull.
“Goodnight!” The princess’s voice called out from the dark room, all the torches were out, the only light coming from Luna’s horn. The light was white, warm and inviting.
“Maybe I am dead,” he chuckled, “I’m seeing angels.”
Luna picked him and placed him beside Spitfire on her back, “Thanks for the compliment, but I’m not an angel and you're not allowed to meet them just yet. Understand soldier?”
Goodnight chuckled as he snuggled against Luna’s coat, probably the only time he would ever get to do so, “Understood ma’am.”
She smiles and descends to the next floor. There were two more to save.
Night Glider fired her last arrow bolt, but there were still a lot of iron ponies left and now that she was out they had no hesitations left. They charged and they charged all at once! She hit the first to climb over her barricade with the bolt launcher.
She brought the launcher around to smash the second one, but the third knocked her flat on her back. She falls beside Daring, rousing the mare from her slumber. Daring looked up with blurred eyes, reading the situation.
Reluctantly she reached for the Kori rosary in her helmet. She hadn’t wanted to use it, she didn’t want anypony to know she had it, but she had no choice. The magical necklace circled around her leg as she pulled it out; a cold sensation crept up her leg as she felt the magic imbue her.
Suddenly the iron ponies stopped cold and Daring quickly replaced the rosary back in her helmet just in time for Luna to appear. In a brief second, the iron ponies were swallowed by what could be best described by her as ‘pure darkness’ and crunched and crumbled into tiny little metal balls of scrap.
From their spot in the corner, Daring and Night Glider sat slacked jawed, “Holy sweet Celestia! Is that you princess?” Daring asked already knowing, but the Princess of the Night looked so… different. She was more power, more imposing, more like Celestia-given the height gain. Before Luna had barely been taller than her, now Daring was feeling a little short.
“Indeed, it is I,” Luna said gather Daring and Night Glider up with her magic. “And I believe it is time to leave this place.”
In a flash, Luna teleported them all outside, where Kusanagi was waiting with several medic ponies. Seems he had been expecting them for some time as there were tents set up and everything.
“I see you have regained your true form, your highness,” Kusanagi said bowing before her. When he rose he waved over several ponies who took Spitfire, Goodnight, Daring, and Night Glider away for treatment.
As Luna watched her friends be carried away she looked up to the sky, it had been morning when they entered, now it was nearly evening. The perfect time to show the world she was back.
Raising her head Luna called out the moon, this time there was no need for others, she pushed Celestia’s control away from the celestial object with so much force and power that it was clear to her sister that she was taking back her moon.
In her mind, Celestia’s voice whispered, “Welcome back sister.”
Luna smiled as the sun lowered and the moon rose, revealing the stars. She let loose, letting the stars shine brighter then Celestia could ever make them. She looked out at the black sky that was her canvas and rearranged the stars to her liking creating new star formations for the first time in a thousand years. She even wrote four big letters for north, south, east and west so ponies traveling at night could still find their way.
“It’s good to be back.”
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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8013777 Never watched Girl und Panzer, I've heard about it, but tanks were already in the story, so decided to expand on that.
So. She still can't accept her own role in what happened. Pathetic.
Putting N W S E in the sky is helpful as fuck! Wow! Literally fuck anyone who has a cutie mark in astronomy xD