XCOM: Ranger

by Wanderer D

Chapter 254 - Intermission Pt. 2: Home Research

XCOM: Ranger
Chapter 254 - Intermission Pt. 2: Home Research
By Wanderer D

After she was done throwing up, Moon Dancer grimly accepted the handkerchief Rarity levitated up to her.

"That was recorded by Twilight," Rarity said. "When crossing the magical mirror, she became a human, just like them. She made new friends there, and she chose to help them the best way she could."

Moon Dancer had never seen any creature's face and torso dissolved by acid until now. She had never wanted to. But now she had, and wished she hadn't. She wanted nothing more than to drink something and ignore the world again, but Rarity continued speaking.

"She's had to live with surviving her first group of friends there die horribly, and also with watching many others die, even if she wasn't on the field with them." Rarity shook her head. "I don't know what your history with her is, darling, but she's not asking for your help just to annoy you." She raised a hoof to her chest. "We need your help. The girls and I have no idea where to begin with all of the information we have… these humans are just discovering magic, and we can help them. But we need someone who knows how to do all of this, and I'm afraid we don't have the background in research that you do."

Wiping the last of the bile away, Moon Dancer gave Rarity a look. Her thoughts went back to years of friendly rivalry with another young filly, one that she had loved as a dear friend, but who had simply left her behind.

On her birthday.

It wasn't that she had wished Twilight harm, or the worst luck or anything like that. Twilight's presence at her party would have made the day, and her absence hurt a lot. She had told herself for some time that Twilight hadn't had a choice, with Celestia ordering her to go to Ponyville... but finding out that Twilight had made many new friends on that same day and hadn't spared a thought her way.... that had been a painfully clear message that Twilight hadn't considered her a friend at all.

And then news of Twilights escapades and adventures and success had reached her, each like a new stab to the heart. It had hurt to know that she had invited all of them to the Gala… but never thought to ask her. It had hurt that she had never received a letter of invitation or apology.

It sounded selfish at times to think about it that way, but at the same time, how else was she supposed to deal with it? She could only understand things on her terms, after all, she was her own and only real point of reference. All she knew was that… she would have asked Twilight to go with her, if the roles were inverted.

She would have attended Twilight's party.

She would have…

She sighed. "Twilight Sparkle was my only friend. And she just left me. I'll help you, but not for her sake." She glanced at the still image of the Assassin smiling down at the camera. "I'll help you because nocreature should have to suffer at the claws of that."

Moon Dancer had to admit Twilight had been thorough.

Once she had reluctantly acquiesced to joining the research team, she had been picked up the very next morning by the Royal Guard and taken over to Canterlot Castle, where a large hall had been turned into a secure lab and research facility.

Several scrolls were pilled on a long table—all of them from Twilight—alongside many of the flat devices called tablets. Several sliding boards had already been set up with information on alien biology, as well as the weapons from the various factions involved.

There were factions.

Moon Dancer had joined several other ponies as Princess Luna herself explained each of them: Advent, the Elders, Reapers, Skirmishers, Templars, Twilight's faction, XCOM, and finally the blood witch, Sunset Shimmer.

A brief outline of the events as they were known was provided, and after a reminder that this was to be kept absolutely secret from the public at this time, the several ponies there were dispersed into their own specialties, with her going into the magical research division alongside Twilight's friends.

She took notice that the other ponies involved did not stay in the research hall more than necessary. They had duties more involved with healing, and helping produce rations that could be sent safely to their human allies.

"It seems you managed to convince Twilight's friend to come," Princess Luna said once the unfamiliar faces (save for two female griffons) had left. "Thank you for coming, Moon Dancer. Both Twilight and Celestia had only good things to say about your scientific acumen, and we need all the help we can get."

Moon Dancer quickly bowed. "It's my honor, princess."

This seemed to amuse Luna, who gave the others a knowing look before nodding and walking away with her griffon companions to speak briefly with the leads of the other areas of expertise that had gathered outside the lab.

"Well then," Rarity spoke, walking up to Moon Dancer. "Now that you're here, we all will assist you as much as we can. But we'll need direction."

Moon Dancer grimaced as she turned to look at the sheer number of scrolls. "We need to prioritize. Help me find Twilight's checklist."

Spike quickly provided the required document, as well as the several asides Twilight had prepared. How her erstwhile friend could function without him was something Moon Dancer could only guess at.

"Let's see. Twilight wants us to prioritize information and countermeasures against the Sirens and by extension Sunset Shimmer."

The name of the Blood Witch made Twilight's friends shift uncomfortably, and Moon Dancer sighed. "I know enough about Blood Witches to know how scary they are, but you lot seem to have a different issue with this one than simple fear."

"I don't like her," Spike said when the others remained quiet. "She took Twilight away."

Fluttershy wrapped a wing around the dragon's shoulder as Moon Dancer turned to face Rarity and Applejack.

"She's the one that opened the portal," Applejack said after a moment. "She came here and stole the Element of Magic, then got into a fight with Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, then ended up dragging Twilight with her to Earth."

"It was an accident," Rarity continued, grimacing. "But Twilight ended up stranded on Earth with Sunset. I know she tried to help our friend and even tried to stop Twilight from joining XCOM, but…"

"Are we talking about the Blood Witch?" Moon Dancer asked, raising a hoof for a pause. "Because that doesn't sound like one."

"It's… complicated," Rarity grudgingly admitted.

"What isn't?" Moon Dancer retorted.

"Cake!" Pinkie replied. She grinned, passing a piece of it to Moon Dancer. "Anyway, it's not that hard to explain! Let me do it!"

She bounced over to the blackboards and dragged one already full of information and pictures of a unicorn. "So, Sunset Shimmer who is Princess Celestia's adopted daughter ended up going to Earth several years ago and joined XCOM and the Skirmishers! She's really tough! But she also had a book on Blood Magic that she stole from the Forbidden Section of the Library! Why is there always a section like that, huh? I'd think that something as dangerous as Blood Magic would have been put in a place where it was actually unreachable! But that's just me, I don't get why you can figure out how to make a Horcrux out of readily available fairy tales either, but I guess that's why other ponies manage these things!"

She took a deep breath and started talking again before Moon Dancer could stop her.

"Anyway, Sunset has been a blood witch for several years now and somehow managed to control the magic while on Earth! But it turns out that the Element of Magic somehow managed to accelerate her magic powers and she slowly turned unstable, and after watching friends die she finally snapped! But now she's joined the sirens an—mph!"

"And that's why Twilight wants us to look into that first," Rarity interrupted, putting a hoof on Pinkie's mouth. "She believes the sirens and blood mages are related in more ways than one. She found some information with the help of Daring Do, and that is what they're looking into... but we don't know if that lead will prove successful."

Moon Dancer nodded as Princess Luna walked back to them. The older of the two griffons passed a book to Rarity, who took it while giving the griffon herself a cold look.

The griffon sighed. "Alright, alright. I'll get to it. You—" she turned to the pegasus in the room. "Fluttershy… and Pinkie Pie… come here a sec."

The group watched the trio as they made their way to the other side of the room.

"Will they be alright?" the younger griffon asked.

Princess Luna nodded. "Pa enkyete w ti grifon mwen…" she smiled and gave the youngster a quick hug. "I believe they just need a chat."

"Princess Luna has a strange accent," Moon Dancer muttered. She then shook her head. It wasn't like she could figure that out right then and there. There was research to be done!

"Okay, let's start at the Library, I want all the books we can find on Starswirl and the Pillars of Harmony. They're the earliest known group to fight the Sirens."

"Right!" Rarity and Applejack said.

Comments

[Black--Soul]

Update ♡
camo.fimfiction.net/eMqsPDSgEPBj6w6G4-RGyq4SyiM7XNuL5JG__YQDbAg?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.discordapp.com%2Fattachments%2F710628688722395220%2F713938038161408060%2F36c97434865a857567df3cbb75f4a28b.gif

Isn't a friendship laser to the face a option?
It worked on Nightmare Moon...

[Frostgear]

11825299
I thought twilight said that would purge her corrupted soul and leave her a husk or turn her to stone.

[Black--Soul]

11825394
Currently re-reading, i think it was indeed a uncertain outcome that stayed her hand.

[falloutshelters]

I think there's some confusion at the end, the Griffin calls rarity, fluttershy, and pinkie pie, but rarity is still around to help search for books? Because, "you, fluttershy, and pinkie pie" implies three different ponies.

[Wanderer D]

11825703
Good call, I fixed it.

[FanOfMostEverything]

The heartbreak may not be resolved, but at least it’s been tabled for now. There are other concerns to address, after all. I just hope there will be time and opportunity for Twilight to properly apologize when this crisis has been resolved.

[Black_Knight]

Nobody's gonna tell Moon Dancer that someone else is inhabitating Luna's body, no?

And of course, Pinkie makes a Harry Potter reference.

[RolkFlameraven]

11825394
and normally she would be right. But Sunset is still in there when she shouldn't be, so it should work. Only they have no idea about that and would probably not try unless it was a last resort, and then only because there would be a chance of saving her, over Sunset's own failsafe.

Going by how long Sunset held out on Earth, its possible the Laser of Friendship might work there. But I don't think Twi is going to risk her friends on Earth with only a "maybe" to go off of.

[KMCA]

11825932
media1.tenor.com/m/Jf1PLtSreWgAAAAC/titanic.gif

[Reese]

11825988
...?

[Black--Soul]

11826345
To soon?
11826663

You're welcome

[Reese]

11827118
I still do not understand, sorry.