17 - Cessation/Commencement
Sherbert - 10th of Plantation, 29 AE
Kuromane Prison, Neighdo - Neighpone
This place sucked. I mean, obviously. It’s a prison. Prisons are not supposed to be super happy nice funtimes land. They are supposed to suck.
That said, this place sucked a bit more than it should have. It was the little things. The way the air conditioning only cooled the room just enough to be noticeably slightly better than miserably hot and muggy. The lumpy mattress. The incessant sounds of every other person imprisoned here.
In Equestria, when someone is awaiting trial, they hold you in a jail cell at the police station for a while. Apparently in Neighpone, they actually check you into a prison.
I wish someone had told me that before I turned myself in.
Well, that wouldn’t really have changed anything. I still would have felt I had to. I killed two people and accidently burned down a building that’s thousands of years old. They deserved it, and the building wasn’t totally my fault, but well… I wasn’t a soldier or anything.
I didn’t have the legal authority to dish out justice. I’d done a crime. So… Yeah.
The cell was tiny too. Very tiny. And lonely. And lacking a phone. Or a mage gem. Or a dragonfire candle. Anything.
I had no idea what happened since I was put in here. No idea when my trial would be. Not one hint about Kazumi’s fate.
Kaz… Did you make it? Please have made it.
The sound of hooves walking down the granite hallway distracted me from my thoughts. I turned my ears, seeking any clue as to who was coming. New prisoner? Guards delivering lunch? Book cart?
“It’s not necessary to deliver this in person, Ma’am,” a voice I recognised as Asshole Guard No 4 said loudly.
“No, but I am here, and I can, so I will,” a mare’s voice informed adamantly.
“Ma’am, what if the Kaiju-”
“The Navy reported they are retreating back into the deep ocean twenty minutes ago. A.L.I.C.O.R.N. units are on standby. It’s fine,” the mare repeated, her voice drawing quite close to the shimmering green forcefield which formed my cell’s door.
Wait, there was a Kaiju warning? Awww, I was hoping to see one before I left-
Oh. Um… Hmm. I might never leave Neighpone now. That’s a thing to think about.
A series of three loud knocks on my cell’s door frame snapped me out of that line of thought. I could see the familiar blue uniformed unicorn shape of Asshole Guard No 4 through the green haze of the force field, standing behind the mare he’d been talking to.
I’d never seen her before.
She was tall, with a very athletic build, Pinkie Pie pink fur, and a metallic gold mane and tail, each given an athletic cut. The interesting part to me was her horn.
It had been removed, and replaced with a precisely cut piece of white crystal. Combine that with the tight black catsuit uniform she wore, which had a series of other small white crystals embedded in it, and she was instantly recognisable as an A.L.I.C.O.R.N. pilot.
“Uh, hi,” I greeted with a little wave.
I REALLY didn’t want to be rude to someone tough enough to survive that horn-control-link implant process.
She nodded at the guard, who tapped the panel next to my cell’s door. The field shimmered and then dropped.
OH SHIT! She was pissed that I’d burnt down her alma mater or something! Think quickly! She doesn't have magic outside her mech anymore, so she can’t just disintegrate you, but she’s stronger than you, unless we go super, and that would kill her. Maybe if we-
The mare reached into a barrel pocket of her uniform and pulled out a folded sheet of paper, and held it out to me.
“Take this and go to the lobby,” she ordered. “You’re being sent home.”
I frowned and looked at the paper, then back at the mare. “Um… Explain?” I asked, one ear drooping back.
“You’re not a Neighponese citizen. We can’t keep you prisoner here. So you’re being deported. Equestrian forces are in the lobby and ready to take custody of you. These are your discharge papers. Don’t lose them,” the mare repeated more clearly.
I nodded and took the paper with my magic, holding it down near my left shoulder. I’d been surprised when they hadn't clamped an inhibitor ring around my horn when I arrived. And then less surprised when it turned out the cells were lined with zinc plates, and therefore basically absorbed any spell you threw at them.
“Thanks,” I said with a polite nod. “Um… But why did they send a pilot to deliver these?”
The mare smirked. “Kid, you need to watch more international news,” she chuckled, only to frown and hold a hoof over one ear for a moment. Turning to leave and glancing at the guard. “Make sure she goes the right way. Oh, and kid, you’ll want to read those papers before you turn them over.”
“Yes, Ma’am!” He said, snapping a salute as the mare jogged off.
“Thanks!” I called after her as she vanished down the hallway, moving at a speed which suggested something was wrong, but not ‘the Kaiju regrouped and are coming back’ wrong.
Man that had to be a really stressful job!
I remembered the way out so I stepped out of my cell and began to walk. Asshole Guard followed along behind me, probably just for protocall’s sake. It’s not like I could leave this part of the prison without getting through a checkpoint. Well, without using my training.
You’d think they’d have a separate prison for people trained in infiltration and escape artistry.
I unfolded the paper as I walked. It was a single straight hallway. I’d be able to read it and still walk.
I unfolded the white paper, and frowned. It was just normal white office paper, with normal government text on it, two seals, and three signatures. A standard government doc-
The ink on the page suddenly reflowed, forming new words, converting the document into a letter in the blink of an eye.
Miss Sherbert,
This is called Eyes Only Ink. I trust you are familiar with it, after all you were trained by Captain Rojā. However in case you are not, only you will see this message as containing this text. To everyone else these are normal prisoner discharge papers.
As a part of your training, a test you never passed, Rojā hacked your messenger gem. This is standard for all of his disciples. A way to teach the importance of vigilance, security sweeps, and also of subtle ways to gather information on your targets.
This particular hack also serves him as a teaching aid. The hack turns on your messenger gem’s diary function, and records everything to see, think, and experience. Because of this, he presented me with the events surrounding your imprisonment from your own eyes, and also used you as your own character witness.
Before I go on, I must state very clearly that you are being deported as a criminal. This is something you must not dispute. The story has been spun to make you sympathetic, your wife was murdered, you killed her killers in a passionate rage. Most Equestrian newspapers are on your side, calling Neighpone barbaric for not having laws in place to protect vengeful lovers on the grounds of temporary insanity.
You will be fine. Maintain this story. It is critical.
I am aware of the circumstances around the truth of the matter. I know you killed Mai in self defense. This is unambiguously self defense. The charges against you have been dismissed. The ones which at present have not been dismissed are as follows:
Murder in the First Degree of Master Hioshi Xii
Arson in the Second Degree resulting in the destruction of a cultural landmark.
I am aware that you killed Xii in self defense, and in service to me and my family line. He was a traitor and a criminal. I congratulate you.
I am aware that the fire you set would have been very minor if not for the interference of that thing. Discord censored whatever it truly was, but it’s clear you faced a being of great power.
However, I can not drop the charges against you. The House of the Flying Horse is a nationwide organization, with a dojo in most every major city. The odds of other Dojo’s leaders being members of Xii’s conspiracy is extremely high. As I am required to say why I have pardoned a pony of a crime, pardoning you would tip them off.
Until my operatives have scouted each Dojo, and a mass arrest has been made, we must pretend we have no idea of the circumstances around your heroism. I apologize for this inconvenience. There will be a formal, international press conference as soon as possible exonerating you of all charges. In the meantime, silence must be maintained.
Here is what will happen to you now.
Since she is here in Neighpone at the moment, I am releasing you into Princess Luna’s custody. She has been informed of the truth behind your actions, as have her Knights. Officially, you are being deported. You may retrieve your belongings, but must then leave Neighpone by nightfall, in the Princess’s custody.
I am sorry that you will not be able to study for your Mastery at Bat’s Academy, but there’s nothing I can do there. However, I have solved the other problem relating to the attack and your imprisonment. I have given you an honorary High School Diploma, it’s being mailed to the proper channels. Nopony will know you didn’t finish your schooling.
I wish you luck in your future endeavors, and I thank you for ending a threat to my nation. When we can openly speak of your heroism, we shall discuss a proper reward.
Her Imperial Badflankedness,
Emperor Mysuki Segata
He tapped… My… Messenger gem… SON OF A WHORE!
I grit my teeth, and did my best to keep myself from screaming in rage. How the hay could I have missed that!? He even showed me how to tap one myself! Arrrrrrrgh!
I couldn’t even be mad at him for it. This was MY fault. Though um… Good thing I didn’t notice. Also good thing that Rojā apparently knew the motherbucking Emperor! How the hay had-
Captain. She called him Captain.
Luna’s mane… The dojo was just a cover wasn’t it!? They are all active, practicing, government sanctioned special forces operatives. That explains Tami pulling rank on the cops, the frequent disappearances. They reason they all left on the day before the papers were talking about an attack on a nuclear plant…
My line of thought was interrupted yet again as the guard and I reached the security checkpoint. Getting through was a minor hassle. Show papers, guard stamps papers, writes thing down, stamps papers again, gets the box full of my stuff, hoofs it over, opens the secondary door.
I stepped out into the bland, white, sterile lobby. It was brighter out here than in the cellblock. I felt like I should be blinking, or otherwise adjusting to the light, but I didn’t have to. Everything was fine.
I used to still need to do that, even with my bionic eyes. Guess this was another perk of being a bit eldritch.
The first thing I noticed aside from the smell of disinfectant and floor cleaner, was the very awesome, yet off sight of Princess Luna and the Knights of the Rampant Moon just chilling in the shitty ‘waiting room’ chairs against one wall.
Princess Luna. Lyra Heartstrings, Octavia Melody, Vinyl Scratch, Bonbon, Meep of Amber, and Colegate. The Alicorn Princess of the Night and Dreams, four vampire knights, a sterile changeling Queen, and a friendly wendigo, just sitting there. Bored. Chilling. Literally chilling in Colgate's case.
It looked like everyone was just waiting for a doctor to come out and say ‘It’s okay, none of you have cancer’.
My brain locked up. Seeing your personal fillyhood heroes just sitting there, waiting for YOU will do that.
They all sat up right as I walked out of the cell block. I watched as Luna stood up from her way too small for her chair and walk over to me. Lyra had to reach over and hold her chair while Luna stood up so the legrests wouldn’t stick it to her flanks. I wanted to laugh at that, but I couldn’t.
Luna trotted over to me and flashed me a quick knowing smile before her face contorted into a serious expression. Her knights stood up and began walking over to me too.
“Orange Sherbert, you stand accused of murder and arson,” Princess Luna said in an extremely formal voice. “Our friend, Emperor Mysuki, has released you into our custody. We have been informed of the circumstances, and are willing to grant you mercy as you were heeding the call of justice.
“However, in light of your training as a spy, you are not subject to Civilian Justice within the court of Equestria.”
That fact hit me like a slap. “W-wait, what? Why?!” I asked, ears perking in alarm.
“Our sister long ago decided upon a threshold of combat training after which anypony, regardless of their affiliation with our military, is to be treated as a soldier or operative. You pass this threshold, and thus fall under Military Justice,” Luna explained, her formal tone remaining, though she shot me a wink which said ‘I’m doing a thing’. “As the Princess-General of Equestria, I am willing to grant you a pardon for your crimes, though with a condition.
“In exchange for your freedom, and the full dismissal of all charges, I will require you offer your services to me as a Knight in my service.”
I blinked once, laughed, and then passed out.
I came too sometime later, immediately jumping upright. I regretted that, because it turned out I was on a bed in the prison infirmary, and my head smashed painfully into the surgical light.
“OW!” I yelped loudly, reaching up to rub my head.
That had been one heck of a dream. I guess I ate some bad beans or something. The food here did taste like the cook had been taught how to prepare food by reading books on mechanical basket weaving.
“Are you okay?” A mare’s voice asked worriedly.
I turned around to find myself looking into Vinyl Scratch’s purple tinted sunglass. IT WASN'T A DREAM! WUT DO!?
My eyes widened sharply. “I um, I- er, Y-yes!” I stammered, grinning stupidly.
“Cool,” Vinyl said with a grin of her own. “That looked pretty painful.”
Vinyl turned around to yell out the open door. “Hey, Moonbutt, she’s awake!” She called.
I felt my eyes widen in pure horror. Oh, my, goodness! She did NOT just call Princess Luna-
Princess Luna trotted back into the room and gave Vinyl a smile. “Thanks for keeping an eye on her,” Luna said before turning to look back at me. “Are you okay? Feeling ill?”
Ears fully laid back in shock I pointed at Vinyl with a hoof. “Sh-she just called you-”
“Moonbutt,” Princess Luna said with a casual nod. “It’s my nickname. She’s one of my best friends. It would be more weird if she called me by name.”
“If it helps, she calls me Nomsferatu,” Vinyl snickered, her lips opening just enough for me to see the tips of her fangs..
“Took me a while to come up with a good one,” Princess luna agreed with a huge grin.
“But… But that sounds so insulting!” I said in shock, still not able to process the casual-
“That’s the point,” Lyra added from the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. “We’re all friends, we know it’s playful teasing. Sure, that’s not your average everyday ordinary friendship.”
“It’s advanced friendship,” Luna finished before clearing her throat. “At any rate, I need to finish offering you that pardon.”
“A-and a job?” I asked, nervously fumbling with my hooves.
Princess Luna nodded. “Yes. As a person with military equivalent training, who committed a crime of passion, legally you can go to jail, or join the Guard. I’m offering you a third option because I’ve been meaning to expand my Knights via adding a B-Team, and I don’t have a ninja yet.”
“Shinobi,” I corrected via reflex.
“Isn’t that just the Neighponese name for it?” Luna asked with a small frown.
I shook my head. “No. A Ninja is an assassin. A Shinobi is a spy. I trained to be a spy.”
“Ah!” Luna said with a small nod. “Regardless, while Lyra does have some espionage skill, my Knights do not have anyone formally trained in infiltration. Additionally, I saw the security camera footage of your fight with that psychopath. You’re highly skilled.”
“All of us would like you to join, actually,” Lyra said, flashing me a smile. “You can handle yourself well, you’ve got power above the pony norm, and well, too much of our group sucks.”
My ears and tail stood on end in a mixture of shock and rage.
“SUCK!?” I snapped, jumping off the bed and acrobatically landing in front of Lyra to stare into her eyes. “What are you high!? You six took down an Equestria and Zebrica wide foal trafficking ring, in just three months, using only-”
“Vampire joke,” Vinyl said with a deadpan smirk.
…
I facehooved. “Luna damn it,” I groaned.
Luna snorted. “Sure, why not? I damn thee, terrible joke!”
The Knights of the Rampant Moon were the exact opposite of what I had imagined… Which was kinda good, because they were like, normal people. But still… Why?
“But seriously, it would be nice to have a member who could feed us in a pinch,” Vinyl added. “And you’re as good at hoof to hoof as any of us, and while Lyra’s a great scout-”
“I’m not good at infiltrating,” Lyra finished.
“And what’s more, I really have been meaning to start supplementing our team for about a decade now,” Luna admitted with a light blush. “I need to not be my sister and work on normal time scales, not Alicorn time scales. So… What do you say? Will you accept?”
I took a deep breath to calm myself down. The whole reason I’d come here was to become someone worth having in my family. And I had always pictured this training as step one. Step two? Got to college and attend the Archeology class Lyra taught and use that to get in close with her and then join this exact group.
Now I could skip that. Yay! I was SO DONE with school!
But on the other hoof.
I frowned and turned around to look at Princess Luna. “I would love to, I um, I sort of wanted to join your Knights as an end goal. But can we wait for a while? I need to stay and- Oh… Right… Deported,” I said trailing off as it sunk in that this was it. “Y-you can’t come back to a place that deported you.”
These were my last moments here. In the place which frankly had become my home.
I’d thought that at the worst I’d spend a year or two in prison, and then could go back to the Academy and keep training. But no. I was being deported. With the context being ‘burned down historical site’, I wouldn’t be allowed to reenter the country for… A long time.
If the Emperor didn’t manage to flush that cult out, then I could NEVER come back, EVER. I wouldn’t get to finish training. Or even live with my friends for another year.
All I had left for me was the Princess’s job offer.
“Yes, I’ll take it,” I said before anypony else could say anything.
Luna nodded in satisfaction. “Excellent. Then I, Princess Luna, in the name of Justice, Honor, and Companionship, hereby induct you into the Order of the Rampant Moon, and dismiss all criminal charges upon your name. Welcome, Lady Sherbert.”
“Witnessed,” Vinyl said simply.
“Witnessed,” Lyra echoed. “Yay, that’s the legal crap done!”
I blinked once. “T-that’s it?” I asked with a frown.
Luna nodded. “Yes. We’ll do a formal ceremony later,” she promised. “But now, we need to go to your former home and pack your things. You have to be gone by sundown.”
I nodded once. My heart felt heavy. I wasn’t ready to leave yet…
“Y-yeah. Let’s go,” I said sadly. “Oh, um. Can I make a call first? I need to know what happened to Kazumi.”
Luna’s ears drooped sadly. “It would be best if you spoke with Nurse Tilk and your uncle about that in person. Come, let’s get packed. I’m teleporting us all home. The sooner you pack, the sooner you’ll be there.”
Sherbert - 10th of Plantation, 29 AE
Kōmoriakademī, Neighdo - Neighpone
I didn’t have many things in my room. I always knew I was going to leave, I just never knew it would be so hard to do.
Princess Luna and her knights had politely chosen to wait in the hallway for me to finish packing. I was hoping that Master Rojā would have been there, but he wasn’t. I’d gotten to say goodby to Cho and Yoshi, but Tami and Rojā were nowhere to be found.
On the upside, at least Rin was there to help me pack.
I closed my eyes to hold back a few tears. “I’m going to miss you a lot, Rin,” I said as honestly as I could.
“I’d go with you but… My family’s here,” he said sadly. “We’ll keep in touch.”
“We will,” I agreed.
“You bet your flanks you two will,” Ash said from behind me as she packed up her mage-stuff. “Or do you forget that I know how to teleport myself and others, and that your Uncle literally invented the teleport watch and you can totally just ask him for one so you can visit your friends and he won't say no?”
I paused, blinked once, and turned to look at Ash. “I’m being deported. I can’t come back here. Ever,” I said dryly.
Sure, it wasn’t true. I’d be allowed to once they finished wiping out Xii’s cult… However many years that took. I still had to keep the illusion up though.
And it really did hurt to know I couldn’t come here for years at the least.
Ash looked at me like I was an idiot. Her horn flashed white-blue, and Rin appeared between the two of us in a flash of arcane light.
“Oh look, he can teleport to you,” Ash said with a straight face before breaking out into hysterical laughter.
“Not cool, Ash!” Rin complained.
“Oh yeah, he can,” I said, blushing bright pink with embarrassment.
“That’s right, he can,” Ash said between giggles, flashing me a grin. “And I’m sure that Master Rojā will teleport or fly over to say hello when he can too. He wont like having missed saying goodbye.”
My room’s curtains billowed as the black suited batpony swooped in through the window and landed atop my bed.
“I didn’t miss a thing, what are you talking about?” Rojā asked, flashing Ash a grin before turning to look at me. “My apologies, Sherbert. I was looking for an answer where one sadly doesn't exist.”
I nodded and trotted up to the edge of the bed and reared up, giving the stallion a tight hug. “It’s okay. I’ll miss you.”
Rojā returned the hug. “It’s not okay. I failed you. You have the potential to be a master of several arts, but the path will be forever closed to you,” he sighed.
The curtains billowed again as Tamiko flew through them with a cry of “Dynamic entry!”
Rojā and I ducked, the cyborg mare flying over our heads to crash extended hoof first into the wall.
“You two set that up, didn’t you?” I asked with a grin. “‘I’ve passed situational awareness tests.”
Tami laughed. “It was for old time’s sake, Sherbert,” she said as she stood up. “Though, for drama’s sake… I hear you are interested in pursuing blade combat as your mastery. Is this true?”
I gave Rojā a deadpan stare. “I both love and hate you for tapping my gem,” I said before turning back to Tami. “Yes. I did. Why?”
Tami nodded and walked over to Rojā. “Rojā, we both know that I stayed in this outfit for the battles. Those are not things I get to do anymore. Oh, um, Sherbert… I sort of got fired for letting you go. Not that I hold it against you, just, you know, updates.”
I frowned. “Buck… I’m sorry,” I said giving her a brief hug.
“You mean from being a real ninja, right?” I whispered quietly into her ear.
Tami gave me a proud smile, clearly happy I’d worked it out, and nodded once. “Yes. I could stay here and teach but… That was never my calling. Rojā, you’re my best friend. I know how broken you are because you can’t finish her training. But it’s okay.
“I’ll do it. Sherbert, with your permission, I would like to accompany you home, and continue to teach you, as a peer.”
I blinked in surprise.
Rojā’s hoof immediately gripped my shoulder. Tightly. He was VERY upset about this.
“Please,” he said. “Let her. You have so much potential. I felt from day one that it would be a shame to waste even a drop of it.”
“Give me a few decades, and we’ll see what you can really do,” Tami promised with a smile.
How could I say no to that?
“I’d be happy if you did,” I said giving her a second hug. “T-thank you. Kazumi would have liked this. She-”
“Liked me,” Tami said with a nod. “I know. Rojā showed me the recording… I’m sad you didn’t get to say anything in happier times. I’m not exactly the biggest fan of vanilla sex, but I would have given it a shot with you two. I mean, you can kick my plot in the ring! If that’s not romantic love, then what is?”
“D-did I just hear a mare equate fighting with bucking?” Lyra called from the hallway.
“Yes,” Rojā, Rin, Ash, and I answered in unison.
“That’s weird. You’re weird,” Lyra said poking her head around the corner… Then grinning and holding out her hoof. “Hi! I’m Lyra. Big fan of weird things.”
Tami trotted over to shake Lyra’s hoof. “I’m Tamiko, rocket powered cyborg ninja. Currently Sherbert’s personal trainer. Hopefully a member of her little herd one day.”
“Rocket… Powered… Cyborg?” Lyra asked her head tilting incredulously while her eyes widened in the same way Dash’s did whenever she said ‘so awesome!’. “Luna! We’re taking her too!”
“Well, by powered I mean I have integrated rockets to help with speed. My actual power supply is a microsingularity made from a tiny bit of Neutron Star Matter,” Tami said with a happy grin, clearly delighted to find someone interested in her systems.
“You’re powered by WHAT!?” Meep yelped.
“We can hire more than one pony today, right?” Colegate asked.
“Yes,” Princess Luna decided as she trotted over to the doorway to peek inside. “Yes we can! Hello! Would you like another job as a warrior?”
Tamiko froze, blinked once, took a step back, then started for several long seconds at Princess Luna. “I- I hardly think I’m worthy of working alongside an Alicorn, Luna-kami,” she said, bowing low and spreading her wings.
Luna rolled her eyes. “I say you are,” she said simply. “In fact, I say you’re on par with any of my knights, socially speaking.”
Tami immediately stood up. “As you wish, Ma’am!” She replied, offering Luna a salute.
I smirked. That sly mare. Using the Neighponese view of Alicorns as deities to get them to stop sucking up to her.
“So,” Luna offered again. “I’ve been meaning to make a second team of knights within my order. If Sherbert qualifies, one of her teachers who is now out of work also qualifies and could use a job. Would you like a job?”
“What kind of job?” Tamiko asked with a hopeful smile. “A getting to hang out with your retenue job, or a field agent job?”
“A ‘join my knights as one of their peers’ job,” Princess Luna clarified with a smirk. “I’m offering you a knighthood. Please don't faint.”
“Yes please!” Tami squeaked with a blush, still a little star struck.
“Cool! Go pack your things. We’re leaving as soon as Sherbet ready to go,” Luna ordered. “We’ll get you inducted into the Order officially as soon as citizenship papers go through.”
“I, um, I’ll get back to packing,” I said, walking back over to my open suitcase.
Today was turning out better than expected. Of course… There was the small matter of Kazumi.
If Uncle Sky wanted to talk to me in person about her… Well, it couldn’t be good.
Sherbert - 10th of Plantation, 29 AE
Deck 13 Medical Bay, USS Phoenix - Phoenix
I’d teleported to the Pheonix many times. Uncle Sky had a teleport pad in his house to commute out to work. I’d expected Luna to take us to the central receiving pad inside the Phoenix. The place anyone teleporting to the changeling city would go for security reasons.
Nope. She took us all directly to her apartment.
Yes. Apartment.
Princess Luna, rented an apartment, in a changeling city, made out of the hull of an ancient wrecked starship.
Because ‘Changelings treat me like a normal pony and this place is far away from the horse apples that is Equestrian politics.’
Sure, a good reason, but… An apartment! For a PRINCESS! Whatever, if she liked it I guess that’s all that really mattered.
Whatever. It wasn’t really important. What was important was this conversation.
I’d walked down the familiar route to the Deck 13 Medical Bay, knocked on the door, and Immediately been told ‘You and Kazumi were in a herd with Ash, right? You’ll want to collect her as well. We’ll wait.’ by Tilk.
When a doctor tells you something like that… It’s never good.
So I’d gone back to Luna’s room, where Tami and Ash were waiting, and getting to know Luna’s wife Lightstep (Who is way bigger than you think she’d be, even though it’s common knowledge that she’s a giant.). I figured if they thought Ash should hear whatever Tilk and Sky had to say, that I should have Tami come too.
After all, she was going to be added to our herd. Kaz had asked me to. So Tami obviously meant a lot to her. I was going to respect Kaz’s wish. Tami would be a part of my family, to honor Kaz’s memory.
The three of us had just gotten back and sat down in the medical bay. Sky had set some chairs up next to Tilk’s office. For once, besides the five of us, the bay was empty. Must have been an extra safe week.
“So um… What happened to her?” I asked at last, looking at Tilk, hoping that she would at least say Kaz didn’t suffer.
The changeling nurse shifted in her chair, making the red cross cutiemark she spray painted onto her flanks shine in the light. “We did the best we could,” Tilk began. “She arrived already clinically dead. I’m afraid that I wasted about ten minutes trying to ressessatate her before I found the dart.
“Kazumi’s fur is oddly fluffy and deep. The dart got buried in it as I maneuvered her onto her back to try and restart her heart. If it weren't for the poison, I could have revived her. I have no idea what exactly it was, but I was able to analyze the effects it had on her body.
“That’s when I called your Uncle for help.”
Sky nodded. “Yeah, she asked me to whip up some medical nanobots to counteract the poison. That stuff is NASTY. Rips the body apart on the cellular level. Turns out it does it faster than my bots could repair her and also resisted being neutralized by the same bots.”
I sighed. “Yeah… It will do that. I know what it was. Rojā taught me how to make it.”
Tilk gave me a frightened look.
I shook my head. “I’m never using it. It’s beyond inequine. It’s genuinely evil. I- I should have called. Told you she was poisoned. This is my fault.”
Luna… I’d killed her I’d bucking killed her!
I started to cry. Ash leaned over to hold me close.
“It’s okay, Sherbert… It’s okay,” she said as soothingly as she could.
Tilk stood up and gently placed a hoof on my shoulder and then looked me in the eyes. “Sherbert, it’s not your fault. And the situation isn’t as bad as you think it is,” the changeling informed. “You see, Kazumi was cybernetically augmented by me before. Remember?”
I frowned. “Explain.”
Tilk sat back down. “Well, we were able to save her brain. The poison doesn't attack it very quickly, and between my surgical skills, and your Uncle’s nanites, we were able to keep her brain intact long enough for me to open up her skull and access the interface for her artificial joints.”
Sky nodded. “We were able to successfully accomplish a consciousness transfer into a spare positronic brain we keep for the androids who live here. You know, like Lyra’s sister’s wife, Amber? We figured we could store her inside one of those, and fix her body up, then put her back in. But um…”
“That didn’t happen,” Tilk admitted with an embarrassed ear droop. “I was going to call your father and ask if he could clone her a new body, in which case we could bring her back in a few months. But Sky remembered that Kaz hinted at wanting to go full cyborg a few years ago so instead we-”
“Built an android body to go with the brain?” I asked my heart soaring with hope. “Is she okay?! Where is she?”
Oh please, please please please be fine!
Sky scratched the back of his head nervously. “Well… It’s not all good. We got her a body. We even got her to my friend who was able to get her appearance correct. Problem was well… Her mind and the positronic brain didn’t mix.”
The hope exploded into a ball of pus.
“O-oh…” I said staring off into the abyss.
Tilk sighed. “It was the spells she had placed on herself to deal with a past trauma,” she elaborated. “They threw the entire meld out of whack. Her soul wasn’t sticking to the hardware, so she’d be fine for a few minutes, then die again, and then the soul anchor would pull her back, and she’d live for a few painful moments again. It was tartarus.”
Sky nodded twice. “So, we did the only thing we could do. We had my sister dispel the mind controls.”
“That was a… Mistake,” Tilk admitted. “Sherbert, Kazumi is alive, but um, we should REALLY have looked at her mental health records a bit more because those spells were put on her on her own request after eight years of her therapist failing to make a dent in dealing with her trauma.
“Even worse, turns out we can’t take her mind back out of the android body we built for her because of the way those spells damaged her and her new body. She’s fused to it. Digitally and physically. So we can’t clone a body for her and then mind control that body so she wont remember the incident.
“She’s alive, but she’s regressed to how she was immediately following that… Evil. She remembers you. There’s no amnesia or anything, but well… Um… Turns out that as an android we can’t put those same spells back on her. I’m sorry for mentally crippling your wife. She’s in isolation room two.
“You should- She needs help. She should be fine with enough time, since she remembers getting over things before but… It’s going to be a rough few years. She’s too afraid to be in the same room as anyone else right now. But-”
“But I’m an exception,” I said standing up and looking for the room’s doors. “Which door is it?”
Tilk turned and pointed to a door to my left. “That one. She actually asked to see all of you. Well, you and Ash. I’m not sure that Tami should go.”
“She wanted me to join their herd,” Tami said respectfully. “It might be a good idea if I joined them.”
“Oh, then yes. Go ahead,” Tilk said as she trotted over to the door and pressed a button near it to turn on an intercom. “Kazumi? Sherbert’s here. She’s coming in.”
Tilk opened the door slowly. The room inside was nice. Brightly decorated. Lots of soft things. A big comfy bed.
And Kazumi. She looked just how I remembered her. You couldn’t tell she wasn’t organic anymore. But even if you could, I wouldn’t have cared.
My mare was sitting in a scrunched ball in the corner of the room, as far as she could get from the door. Shaking. Shielding as much of her body with her wings as she could.
I walked over to her. She looked up, one eye opening. She saw me. She didn’t shrink away in fear, or make a sound, she just kept watching. Her eye twitches back and forth as Ash and Tami followed me in. She didn’t react to them either.
But that was a bad thing. Because she was still balled up in the corner, terrified out of her mind.
I finished walking over to her and wrapped my forelegs around her in a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry, Kaz,” I whispered, holding her close.
Ash walked up on my left and gave Kazumi a hug as well. “We’ll do everything we can to help you get better, okay?” Ash said as lovingly as she could.
Tami slowly approached. Kaz turned to look at her as she did, and squirmed slightly.
Tami gently wrapped one foreleg around Kaz as well. “It’s okay. It’s me. Remember? You wanted me to join you three? I promise I’ll help you too.”
Kazumi hesitated for a moment, then finally moved, pulling us all as close to her as she could with a super tight, extra strong android strength hug.
I didn’t care that it hurt. Kazumi needed me. She needed all of us.
“Girls,” I began. “From this day on, we’re family. We’re finding a nice house in Ponyville, on the outskirts, then were taking her there, and were doing everything our power to fix our little bat.”
“You didn’t have to say that,” Ash said firmly. “Of course we will, that’s obvious.”
“Right! You don’t leave family in this state. Do you think you can leave with us today, Kaz? We’ll protect you,” Tami said soothingly.
Kazumi paused for a while. A long while. Then she nodded once, and squeezed us all in a group hug again before letting go.
It was bittersweet to see poor Kazumi like this. Almost an animal, but clearly still a person. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for Tilk to be near her. The poor changeling must have been vomiting every few minutes from tasting her fear and distress.
But, she was alive. Disabled, yes, but alive. And there was nothing wrong with her that our love couldn’t repair with time. I had a good job now. I’d make plenty of money, so would Tami. Ash would always be available to stay home and help care for Kaz whenever the other two of us were working. No matter what Kazumi needed to feel safe, we would get it for her, and at least one of us would always be there.
The four of us would all be happy and healthy one day. I could feel it.
I bent down and gave Kazumi a kiss on her lips. “Come on love. Let’s go home,” I said gently.
The End
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Okay, let me break down what I feel about this:
1. YAY, Kaz isn't dead!
2. Aww crap, Kaz's mind got mucked up.
3. Dusk had better make sure that, if enough of Mai's soul is left, she suffers. A lot.
4. I'm very interested in seeing what happens next with this cast of characters.
Sorry to see it end especially like this for Kazu. At least she isn't dead and there is still hope. That's an interesting solution for trained fighters. Guessing after so many centuries Celestia has seen what can happen with trained fighter that go out of control.
8429503 Next Time! On Equis Cylinder Y: Lyra finally finds a way to start breaking the living Nightmare she's been subjected to. Vinyl learns a family secrite, one which breaks her world view, but enables her to help Lyra when previously she thought she couldn't. Sherbet is along for the ride too, as it turns out she shares something with Vi, that same thing that enables her to help... <Insert Title here>
8429506 Frankly, we should do that IRL too. At a certain point, the logic behind Military Justice applies to a civilian as well.
8429529
Heh.
Being able to sign your letters like that is an accomplishment in itself
Wait, Bonbon is a vampire? Wasn't she a half monster by halfway cured infection dive before she was simply a badass normal that got tired of everyone else in the group having some kind of Supernatural background? I think I remember you saying that along those lines in a comment in a previous story...
Poor tiny bat pony, she got broken. Alive, but broken. Let's help her pony'thullu girl can help her get better soon
8429530. indeed a number of laws make no sense. Like a martial artist can disarm themselves before entering a building with a no weapons policy and I won't get political on gun control either.
I look forward to the next chapter in this story also in seeing what changes her metamorphis brought in Sherbert. Of course the is still reaction of her parents to everything and I'm sure her grandparents will have something to say
8429503
I am 100% with you about nr.4
Sherbert deserves some more loving just like Jade and David. They kinda faded into the backgroung with only few cameos after their story so far.
8429561. Truthfully Jade is probably spending a lot of her time in Canterlot if she's not working with Twilight. They are after all still trying to settle her new kingdom which apparently is tied up diplomatic limbo. See Sherberts comment in "On the Era of Harmony"
8429579
Yeah, but David, Jade and Lilly von something of something essomething were THE thing that got me into meeps stories. Very distinctive and likable ocs you just can't get enough of.
Meep is very good at making lovable ocs, i blame him for wanting more of the old ones.
8429544
Celestia sighed. "Mysuki, do you REALLY have to sign your letters like that?"
The Emperor flashed her fellow ruler a smug grin. "I fight giant monsters with a halberd, that I wield via giant robot, and then have tea with a demi-godess. This is my Tuesday."
"... Touche," Celestia sighed, more than a little defeated.
No that was Colegate. But it turned out she was supernatural too, and all along. She just didn't know.
Sequel inbound soon.
8429561 Don't worry, these guys factor into the story-line far more. Sherberts an MC in the next story too. As for Jade, 8429579 You'll see her again soonish. In a biger capacity than Camieo.
8429587
Meep is a her :P And don't worry, you'll see more of Jade soon.
After tea with Discord and Twilight describing her days in Ponyville would such a signature even raise an eyebrow.
8429587. Meep has a lot of OCs we haven't seen much of snake BonBon, AI BonBon, Nyota, Austin, human Lyra, Chip among others. We've seen glimpses but not a lot of details
8429604 Part of the problem is that many characters are just secondary characters within stories, but people really like them, and um, I never planned to use them again in the first place. The other part is that I love making characters ><
8429598
Good to know, i have a loooooong history of messing up others genders.
Kinda gets awkward when you compliment a long haired dude that SHE has amazing backside.
8429612 It's even more awkward when it turns out to be a FtM transgender person with long hair... >< That was an awkward shopping trip.
8429561
Meep creates too many lovable OCs. It's a problem.
My favorite MIA heroes are Eeve and alpha-timeline Phoenix.
8429612. 8429618. 8429616. I tend to think of secondary characters more like the gun smith in "The Queen is Dead" rather than David or Jade both are well crafted and we can understand thier motivation. They are lovable and real to the point we want t root for them.
I'd almost consider Mai a secondary character we really don't see much beyond her actions. Her reasoning for wanting to kill Sherbert. We really don't get much about her or why she is like that till near the end
8429618
/me shapechanges so she can have a beard to stroke while pondering "Hummm..."
8429628 The problem comes from thinking about series arcs and the like. In that frame of refrence, Jade was just the bug who got the book to Twilight.
8429632 and yet you gave us her motivation and kept the reader engaged and caring about her along with David and Lilly
8429597
I won't lie I took Japanese for two years, hence why I saw it, Sumisu is a classic name in the workbooks. ehehe xp
8429648 Oh god... My very bad Japanese is going to make you so mad >< I'm sorry!
Now for a new chapter! *bounces up and down in excitement* always love seeing new chapters from you Meep, even if I don't get to read them right away sometimes.
Woo that is one crisis averted! IF they are telling the truth. Hoooopefully they are!
Yes indeed, that would have to hurt sooooooo much! *winces* here I have a toothache and that is bothering me enough, I can't even imagine the pain of having ones horn cut off!
I hear you there me mare, meeting all my fillyhood heroes would heh, probably make me faint in shock!
Hehe I like it.
I wonder what she calls our little Meep? 
*cackles* oh colt you just have me laughing through this chapter so much Meep!
Mmmm a foal trafficking ring eh? *forgets if we have seen/heard more about that already*
Noooooo this bodes ill! Or some twist where she is now largely some kind of bionic pony as the only way to save her.... *keeps reading....*
*chuckles* Aw Tami, never change. You are so cute. ^,^
Yessss letherletherlether!!!!!! *Does a Pinkie Squeal*
Awwwwwww
I-I don't know what else to say, lol except just that is so cute and sweet!
Of course Meep would be excited about that. *giggles*
Awww but then Sherbet would have a reason to tease her. *giggles* But yaaaaaay she gets to come along and be close to them allllll!
And we all know how ANNOYING politics can get!
Just the question the rest of us our wondering. *crosses her hooves*
Don't cry done cry don't cry *repeats to herself. Sobs anyway*
Just continue to pull those hearts strings why don't you Meep?
Poor, poor Kaz! :
: *sobs* I just want to wrap you in a giant hug and take away all the pain! 
Such a sweet but bitter ending. Those we love most made it through, but are going to have a hard time for awhile. Alas, such is the cause with battles and fights and wars. There is always at least one survivor that doesn't come out fully intact.
And hey I was right with my predictions about her becoming bionic/android like! Guess I know you too well, don't I?
Beautiful story Meep, I can hardly wait to see what comes next!
8429938
If you recall soem of my other fics, it's worse than you think. Unicorns have a third brain lobe contained within the base of the horn. Sooo A.L.I.C.O.R.N. pilots have to have a chunk of brain removed too, and then get the synthetic replacment attached in it's place. That's how their brain interfaces with their mech, and how they can cast their magic through the mech instead of through their own body.
Fortuantly, that bit of brain only enables the unicorn to make the complex magical calculations to cast spells better than any other creature alive. So removing it dosn't harm them like any other form of lobotomy would.
Oh, the relatability XD
Skinny Bug. Meep's queen form is very tall and very thin. Creepily so. That's whys he remains shapeshifted in the formof a Worker.
"But, I wanted to get a new paint job :c"
More like terrified XD Unless somehow stabilized, Neutronium would explode with more force than anything else in the universe. Normally what keeps it stable is the fuckton of gravity a newtron star has. It's squeazed too hard to go boom. (Newtron stars are the remains of supernova which almost but didnt' quite become black holes). In Tami's case, her core is kept stable via the rule of cool.
That's my job as a writer.
Yes, I do say I must shake those tropes up a bit.
I cannot wait for the next one.
Nomferatu is a hilarious nickname. How long did it take for you to come up with it, meeps?
Also, wait, 'light & Luna married already? Wasn't that supposed to be a diplomatic nightmare for her being Prance's heiress? And the cutest thing ever after SnekBon? Where's her, by the way? We needs moar SnekBon in our lives
8429649
As long as you spell it right all is well
8429618
IIRC, didn't Alpha timeline Phoenix turn evil? Or turn out to be evil? Or something to that effect?
8430154
She did. I just can't believe it. :)
You gave Tamiko cybernetics just so that you could use the phrase 'rocket powered cyborg ninja,' didn't you?
8429959
Yeaaaaah that doesn't sound fun at all! *shudders* But yeah I did somewhat remember... (though never hurts to have a reminder, right?
) But then I guess we must make sacrifices to help keep our friends, family, and countryponies alive.
Well that sure is good! Wouldn't want our poor unicorn's having to sip food through a straw or something because they go a little loopy with part of their brain gone!
Gotta love it right? *chuckles* One of the best things with fiction, being able to relate to your favorite characters so well!
*giggles* I like it!
Mmm so more like one of those Harry Potter style Thestrals? encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTD6Wce1HhX-SKXrTpF5-oOeNBJJIGQiDLVIbWTBG9oTX8FCvnDvA (Only of course buggy wings instead of batty) or not quite that skinny? I can see why she wouldn't want to be her queenly self then. *nods*
Well long as it is gold, black, or teal I guess that works? *chuckles*
Yeah terrified is the better word, lol. Wow that is some crazy stuff going on right there. (I love how you are indeed so much like your namesake with that kind of stuff.
Rule of cool eh? Too cool to blow up?
True, and you do a VERY good job of it!
*nods* perhaps,
Nice to be able to guess sometimes, but also nice to be proven wrong.
8430087
About 5 minutes of constant effort.
Not legaly, no.
8430195 No, I made her a cyborg because cyborg pones are awesome :D
8430388
Pritty much yes XD
She happened to be in the wiating room to get her augmentation done at the same time Discord made Fluttershy go to Pheonix so Doctor Tilk could find out what was wrong withher and cure it with "the best technology avalible!" It was an ordinary cold. But it did mean that Tami got to talk to Discord for a bit, and he's the one who gaveher the batter because "That would be cool, and realy confuse any scientist or engineer you talked to. Here you go!"
8430542
Wow, mare needs to get her some food and fatten up! *chuckles* What does Colgate think of her Queenie form?
So, how did she get messed up by mind spells? SHould've still worked...
8430743 Go back, read her backstory again, then read this again. It will make sense once you remember what happened to her before Sherbert met her. Cuz it DID work. they restored her. Minus existing mental controls she had for the entire story.
Well, first I'm both happy and sad that we have reached the end of another great adventure, just like with all of your stories.
Yes, it would have, you turn yourself into the mare Rin is having 'meals' with, and she leaves you in a cell because you killed the ponies that made her life hell for so long.
Not gonna lie, this made me chuckle.
Ya, did you also forget you're a foreign national?
Or how about just read about the country your in, you know like leaders and other important people.
YES!
Yes, you must now accept your fillyhood goal or go to prison, 100% of ponies surveyed would accept.
So would I
Imagin her shock when she called her one day for work and she answered with "THis is Moonbutt."
Also how long until she gets a nickname? and who will give her it?
......... YOU HAVE A CHANGELING! You know the race that can become ANYTHING! like a mug, or a marble and can get in anywhere.
You clearly haven't seen how big this place is.
Wait, wait, wait they finally got hitched? Back in "on the era of Harmony" they were still just dating.
Ya I would too!
Hold it, "androids" as in more than one, who else moved in?
Well... that is a personal hell that is beyond comprehension, she can remember getting over her trauma, she remembers getting it repressed and yet she can remember everything, I can't even.
Wow, that ending... just wow. Alright, Sky here is what you need to do, build Kaz a power armor suit and add all the weapons, this is the one-time overkill is the right answer, because if it's not dead after 10secons of constant fire, you need more Dakka!
I am reminded of one thing Meep said before, you don't always come out of things unscathed, and here we definitely see that Kaz is part of a family that can come back from the dead, and yet she doesn't come back in one piece.
Loved this adventure, as always can't wait to see more.
8430852
Hmm.
Okay, now that this stories finished, I can't wait for the next! Let me know ;)
8431927 Soon :3 2 days or so.
8431889
it's one of my faveroit little gags too ^^
She sort of did :P She thinks of the Acadamy as her home, and Sherb is a derp.
"You there! Cake or death?"
"Um, death? NO! Wait, I mean cake!"
Best part is that Luna DOES do that.
Once she's done something notable for the group. Whoeaver sees it done.
Yes. But Meep isn't formaly trained as a spy. She can blend in anywhere she likes, and is good at constructing the papertrail for a false identity, but if you ask her to gather information on a group, she'll be less skilled at it than a spy.
It's been 30 years :P But no, they are not legaly married. There's the whole "Equestrian leader marrying Crown Princess of Prance" thing to sort out legaly and diplomatically, which is a nightmare that could take several more deacdes to sort out. SO they were like "fuck it, we're unofficialy married. I love you wifiepoo!"
Since Fluttershy!3 started living in Pheonix, Twilight!3 decided to ask if they could send people to live there who needed a proper real non-dead world for the sake of their mental health. Captain Skriit agreed. To date, about 50 Equoids have received phycologist's referals to live in Equestria Beta as they are mentally harmed by living on the Tomb World that is Equestria 3. More on this next story.
I needed to make it clear to the audience that there are some things far worse than death for the sake of narrative drama. Too many characters can be revived, without there being other in universe consequences for the heroes if they fail, well... Things are less intense.
8432601
Wow! A lot sooner then I was expected!
Please tell me there will be a sequel. Otherwise I will stare at you through the computer. Very heavily. I may need to use eye drops like Aizawa in My Hero Academia.
8433761 The sequil is allready in progress. I write as my primary source of income. YOu wont be waiting months for the next thing I do.
Bittersweet. A good ending to another lovely story. Thank you Meep.
8434219 You're welcome :3
8434006
*Screeches in excitement.* Bats is in my top ton favorite stories now~
8434643 Fair warning, while Sherbert is a main character in the sequel, the story's focus is on Lyra. Though that doesn't mean it wont advance Sherbert's story, as well as continue some of the plot lines introduced in this story as well :3
8434887
Oh I'm fine with whatever, a sequel is a sequel
After RE-Reading a few things noted something that I could be wrong on.. Out of all the Knights of th Rampant Moon the only two that aren't effectively immortal are Sherbert and Tami
8432601 I was thinking not only Equidiod Fluttershy, AI BonBon and who ever had went full android over the years a spare brain or two might be handy and you never know you might have an emergency like what happened with Kaz
One of Luna's knights, that's a pretty good role for Sherbert.
I was half suspicious last chapter that they were going to arrange to finish her training in spite of the banishment, I'm glad to see that it is happening.
Also a good solution.
Well, crap.
Man, that could have ended better for Kazumi.
8437590 Yes, but sequils are a thing...