The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Chapter 31 - So Long, Old Friend

As they walk the general turns to Arc.

“I’m sure your doctor, as well as mine, should have some news by now.”

Arc nods. “That’s what I hoping for.”

“Please understand that Doctor Rieper did what he felt he had to do in Shelly’s case.”

“While I can’t be angry at him for having a child, I am a bit upset regarding the other things he’s done.”

“All necessary, I assure you.”

Arc clenches a fist. “And for dumping her in an orphanage!”

Mustang sighs. “I won’t try to justify that particular act. You would have to talk to him about that directly.”

Arriving back at the lab the general turns to Arc.

“Would you do the honors?”

Arc appears confused. “Honors?”

“You still have that badge I gave you I assume.”

“Of course. But why?”

“Use it on the door.”

Shrugging, Arc pulls the badge from his pocket. Swiping it on the reader the light turns green and a click rings out. Pulling the door open Arc steps through... and is immediately pinned to the wall by a visibly furious Diva. She prepares to punch him but Mustang’s hand grabs her wrist and stops her mere moments before the others charge toward them. Arc calls out to his friends.

“All of you stand down!”

Max grits his teeth. “But sir...!”

“I’m fine!”

Mustang looks to Diva, soberly. “Let him go, colonel.”

Hammer cracks her knuckles. “Yeah! Unless you want a whoopin’.”

Slowly, Diva relaxes her hold and takes a step back. The general releases her wrist and frowns.

“You already know about our latest member.”

Diva scoffs. “Sir, we both know it’s a mistake to allow him into the base!”

Auriel frowns. “Let us?!”

Frank calls out from the bedside. “You couldn’t keep him out if you wanted!”

Maria groans. “Please keep it down everyone.”

Rieper nods angrily. “Yes, we’re trying to work here.”

Arc calls out. “Everyone just calm down and breathe.”

He looks around as his friends back up. Pushing gently past Diva, he walks over to Maria.

“Any progress?”

Maria nods. “Actually, yes. With the advanced machinery here we’ve been about to take readings from Shelly that would otherwise be impossible.”

Rieper smiles proudly. “All thanks to my years of research on the subject.”

Maria folds her arms over her chest. “Yes. So you keep telling me. However some of it appears, shall we say... familiar.”

Arc frowns. “Don’t start with who discovered what right now. Just stay on topic.”

Mustang nods. “That goes for you too, Rieper.”

Grunting, the man goes back to his work. Arc returns his gaze to Maria.

“Can I get a status report?”

“The readings we’re taking here will hopefully allow us to come up with a proper substance to put in my machine back in Equestria. With time, and a bit of luck, we’ll have a chance at figuring this out.”

Max returns to the bed and takes Shelly’s hand. “Hear that, Shelly? They’re going to make you all better.”

Rieper calls out from his computer. “She’s in a very deep medically induced coma at the moment and cannot hear you.”

Hammer snarls. “Just shut up and do your job for once, Rieper!”

Rieper turns to her angrily. “For once?! I have been...!”

Maria groans. “Let’s stay on task here.”

Frank looks to the pair angrily. “Indeed. Less chatter, more clickity-clack on the keyboards.”

Auriel turns to Arc. “Is Lily around?”

Arc looks to Mustang. “Can she come out now?”

“For security purposes, no.”

Diva smirks. “She’s fine anyways.”

Turning to Arc, she grimaces.

“Uh... might I have a word with you?”

“Sure. What do you want to...?”

Diva interrupts him. “In private.”

Hammer grits her teeth and storms over. “You stay away from him!”

Auriel follows. “Right! Anything you want to say to Arc you can say to all of us!”

Maria shakes her head. “If you two ARE going to talk, please do it elsewhere.”

Rieper nods. “All this arguing is not helping us work!”

Mustang motions to the door. “You could just step out into the corridor.”

Frank glares at her. “But don’t try anything, Diva!”

Max holds two fingers to his eyes. “We’ll be watching!”

Diva scoffs. “Whatever.”

Mustang turns to her. “Diva?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Play nice.”

The general pushes open the door to allow the pair to leave. The step down the corridor and look at Shelly through the glass silently. Eventually Diva speaks.

“I hate you.”

Arc nods. “I know.”

Diva smirks. “Does that bother you?”

“Not in the least.”

“Not after all I did to your little friends even?”

Arc narrows his eyes. “Don’t push it.”

“Oh, so the illustrious hero CAN get angry!”

Arc narrows his eyes. “Keep talking and find out.”

“You’ve never been able to take me before. What makes you think you could now?”

“Because I’m not alone.”

Diva clenches a fist. “You’d be down and out before they even knew what was happening.”

“So do it.”

“Believe me, I’d love to!”

“But you won’t.”

“What makes you so sure of that?!”

“Because the general told you not to. And you always listen to what he says.”

Diva frowns. “That I do. I’m assuming Hammer told you about the general and I.”

“A bit, yes.”

“You have a problem with our relationship.”

“Not in the least. You do whatever it is you want. However I doubt you called me out here to talk about this.”

“You’re right. I wanted to know something.”

“What is it?”

“First off, this doesn’t go any further.”

“Fine. But why confide something in me of all people?”

“Two reasons. First, you’re the only one in your party who’s even remotely intelligent enough to have complex thoughts.”

Arc frowns. “Ha.”

“Second, if you breathe a word of this to anyone else, I will personally hunt you down.”

“Given those circumstances, you can count on me to keep a secret.”

“I want to know if...”

She takes a deep breath before continuing.

“...if Princess Celestia is doing alright.”

Arc turns to her. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’m asking you if she’s recovered.”

“Interesting question.”

“Then answer it!”

Arc sighs. “Fine. Yes, her body has fully healed. But her mind is still rather... shaky.”

“Explain.”

“Imagine being locked away underground with no ability to move or see for over a year. How do you think you’d fare?”

Diva rolls her eyes. “She can’t be THAT bad. After all, my former teacher is the epitome of bravery, grace, and courage.”

Arc shakes his head. “Then you don’t know her nearly as well as you think.”

“I was her student for years! You’ve known her for months!”

“That may be. But I have NEVER seen or heard of anyone being THAT messed up mentally.”

“She’ll recover.”

“Agreed. But let me ask you this. Celestia was your teacher and mentor for years, right?”

“Of course.”

“How could you betray her like that then?!”

Diva scoffs. “Me betray her?! Ha! If anything it was the other way around!”

“How so?”

“She sensed my power. The potential within me. But rather than encourage me to expand my horizons I was kept in musty libraries and old classrooms learning from books.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I was ready for SO much more! But she NEVER gave me the chance!”

“She probably had some kind of a plan.”

Diva rolls her eyes. “One that saw me doing research and experiments well into my twilight years, no less.”

“Maybe. But now you’ll never know.”

“Not that I care anymore.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah?!”

“Then why are we out here?!”

There is a tense silence as Diva glares at Arc. Eventually she turns away and groans.

“Look... you can’t be with someone as long as I was with Celestia and not... bond with them. I just wanted to make sure she was okay. That’s it.”

“So you do care?”

“Minutely, yes.”

“You know, you could just go see her.”

Diva frowns. “You’re a moron.”

“I know you can travel between the worlds.”

“Of course I can. But do you really think she’d want to see ME of all pon... people?!”

“Probably not.”

“Then why even suggest it?!”

“Because when I said that YOU could go see her, I didn’t mean Diva.”

“What are you...?”

Arc interrupts her. “I was referring to Sunset Shimmer.”

Diva seethes. “That name no longer has any meaning for me!”

“It is the name of your true self. You’ve only forgotten it.”

“No, you’re wrong! I’m Diva now and I always will be!”

“You may have arms, hands, and fingers, yes. But inside you are whom you are, Sunset Shimmer. I heard about what you did with the Crystal Mirror. How you used it to leave Equestria and Celestia’s tutelage behind. There’s no reason you couldn’t go back and...”

“I have worked VERY hard to be what I needed to be to advance The Organization’s agenda!”

“That doesn’t mean you owe them anything.”

“I owe the general EVERYTHING! He took me in when I didn’t have anywhere else to go! I’ll do all I can to help make this world into the one he envisions! And nopo... no ONE is going to stand in our way! Not now, not EVER!”

“Fine. But know this. Eventually you or The Organization is going to go too far. And when that day comes I’ll be here to stop you.”

Diva smirks. “Good luck.”

“Don’t underestimate my friends and I, Diva. I’m told you did that not so long ago.”

He gestures to her uniform before continuing.

“And I’m guessing you’ve got a few scars under that uniform to prove it.”

Diva frowns. “Shows how much you know.”

“Oh?”

“Healing wounds, even grievous ones, are NOTHING to The Organization!”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

“How about mental ones?”

“Nothing can fix those!”

Arc nods to her as Diva looks away angrily. Eventually he speaks.

“Remember that when next we face off. My forces will put a few more holes in you.”

Diva motions to the door as she sneers. “They’re welcome to try.”

Arc nods as he steps toward it and pulls out his badge. “We’ll do more than that.”

Swiping it, he re-enters the room with Diva. Mustang looks to her.

“I trust your talk was... insightful?”

Diva scoffs. “No, sir. It was a waste of...”

Several machines around Shelly suddenly start beeping wildly. Rieper and Maria rush over to her side and begin examining her. Maria calls out.

“Respiration shallow and weak!”

Rieper grits his teeth. “She’s going into cardiac arrest!”

Max gasps. “What’s that...?”

Arc steps forward and quickly pulls Max back. “Let them work!”

They watch as Rieper grabs two defibrillator paddles. Maria puts a gel on them before tossing the tube away. As Rieper rubs the paddles together to disperse the gel, Maria presses a button on the machine. Pulling back the sheet to expose Shelly’s bare chest, Maria looks at the readout and nods to Rieper. Putting the paddles on Shelly’s chest he calls out.

“CLEAR!”

Pressing the buttons on the paddles, electricity surges through Shelly’s body causing her to go rigid. Max grimaces as he watches. Rieper looks at the electrocardiogram and sighs as he turns back to the general.

“She’s back.”

Maria frowns as she presses a few keys on her computer. “Shelly’s condition is beyond critical!”

Rieper rushes over to his console and begins typing. “It’s now or never!”

Auriel calls out. “Is the cure ready?!”

Rieper continues typing. “It’s synthesizing now and will be complete in two minutes!”

Diva points. “We should get her to the device in the adjacent lab then!”

Mustang nods. “Agreed!”

Maria frowns. “But that machine was constructed using the old plans!”

Hammer gasps. “Old plans?!”

Auriel nods soberly. “We’ve made numerous improvements to the one back in Equestria!”

Frank turns to Arc. “Then that’s the one we should use!”

“Agreed!”

Diva points a finger. “You’re using the one here, and that’s THAT!”

Mustang shakes his head. “No, colonel. They can take Shelly back with them if it gives the best chance of survival.”

Rieper groans. “Fine! But we still need Doctor Knowles for the next phase of the plan!”

Auriel gasps. “But she’s needed to run the machine back in Equestria!”

Max looks up from Shelly’s bedside. “Can we hurry please?! “

Hammer clenches a fist. “Right! Shelly doesn’t have time for this!”

Mustang looks to Arc. “Take Shelly and Doctor Knowles with you. However, I will keep Lily here as collateral in the meantime.”

Arc grits his teeth. “COLLATERAL?!”

“She’ll be released after you return Doctor Knowles to us.”

Auriel shakes her head vehemently. “You won’t keep my mother!”

Arc smirks. “Agreed! Ember, phase two NOW!”

Hearing this over her radio, Ember pulls Arc’s guardanium knife from a sheath on her side. Channeling her magic into it she deftly slices through the door lock. Putting her shoulder into it, she heaves the heavy door open. Lily gasps as she spies the armored individual in front of her.

“What the...?!”

“Lily! It’s me, Dragon! You need to come with me!”

“I won’t leave without Shelly!”

“We’re meeting up with her and the Hero! Now come on!”

Nodding, Lily follows Ember out the door. Seeing the jailbreak, the guards rush down the corridor towards them. Ember turns to Lily and hands her the knife

“Give me about ten seconds.”

Lily gasps as she takes the blade. “What are you...?!”

Ember cracks her knuckles. “Taking out the trash!”

Charging forward, Ember makes short work of the guards. Motioning for Lily to join her they run toward the locked door leading to the corridor. Taking the knife again, Ember effortlessly slices through the heavy lock and smashes through the door.

“This way!”

Meanwhile, Diva draws a blade and points it at the group menacingly.

“None of you are going ANYWHERE!”

Arc nods angrily. “Oh, yes we are! Phase three, NOW!”

Diva suddenly drops her sword as an invisible force knocks it from her hand. Before she can react a robed figure appears behind her and grabs her wrist

“Give it up.”

Gritting her teeth from the painful grasp, Diva reaches into her belt and pulls a knife. Attempting to stab behind her, the figure effortlessly grabs the knife, slashes a long but shallow path up her side through her uniform, and holds Diva’s own knife to her throat. Mustang appears surprised as he speaks.

“Who are you?”

The figure keeps its gaze and grip on Diva as they speak.

“Special Agent Tempest.”

Diva gasps. “What?! B-but...!”

Tempest cuts her off. “Shut your mouth or I’ll shut it for you!”

Arc looks to the general. “We’re leaving! With Shelly, Lily, AND Auriel’s mother!”

Rieper gasps. “You can’t!”

Max cries out. “Please just let us go! Shelly isn’t...!”

Tempest cuts him off. “Stand aside, or I gut your little officer like a fish!”

Mustang narrows his eyes. “One of Arc’s friends wouldn’t dare...!”

Tempest interrupts. “I am NOT one of his friends!”

Diva grimaces fearfully. “She will too, sir! Tempest is the most ruthless agent ever produced by Equestria!”

Mustang frowns. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Opening the door, he allows everyone to slowly pass. Maria and Auriel push the hospital bed out the door as Hammer watches from the rear. Rieper pulls the vial from the machine and hands it to her soberly.

“Take good care of my little girl, sergeant.”

Hammer nods as she takes it and hurries after the others. They cautiously make their way back to the massive elevator room. As they approach the vehicles Ember and Lily arrive. Spotting Arc, Lily runs over to him.

“ARC! What’s....?!”

Taking advantage of the situation, Diva casts a quick Fire Spell at the console’s exposed wiring, rendering it inoperable. Tempest spins her around and slams the young woman’s head into the concrete wall. Diva falls to the ground, unconscious as innumerable soldiers pour into the room. Hammer is the first to speak.

“Great! Reinforcements!”

Auriel grimaces. “What now?!”

Max grits his teeth. “Get Lily and Shelly into the Landmaster!”

Frank grabs Lily’s arm. “This way!”

He and Max along with Ember help push the bed into the vehicle as Arc looks to Maria.

“Phase four!”

Nodding, Maria hurries toward Auriel and Hammer. Setting something in front of them on the deck she turns back to the general and his forces.

“Now then, I suggest you allow us to leave peacefully before this gets out of hand.”

Mustang shakes his head. “You’re trapped on a broken elevator with your backs against the wall. We have the upper hand here.”

“I think not, general. We have one last card to play.”

She nods to Hammer and Auriel whom begin channeling their magic into the object on the floor before them. Looking to her former commanding officer Maria continues.

“General... I’d like to introduce you to someone very important to me.”

A figure grows quickly in size before them to cast a massive shadow over the general and his men.

“My husband.”

King Malevolence towers over them. “FLEE NOW OR PERISH, MAGGOTS!”

Opening his mouth, the king lets out a mighty roar. Those before him take a step back but hold their ground. Mustang points a finger at Maria.

“I cannot allow you to leave, doctor!”

“YOU DARE SPEAK TO MY QUEEN LIKE THAT, FILTH?!”

Grabbing Arc’s Jeep, King Malevolence winds up. General Mustang cries out as he grabs Diva.

“FALL BACK!!!”

Malevolence throws the vehicle at retreating soldiers and general. It obliterates the doorway and prevents the guards from reentering. Turning back to his wife he speaks again.

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT, MY DEAR?!”

“Just fine! But time is of the essence!”

“WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?!”

Arc calls out. “Cast a Telekinesis Spell to lift the elevator back to the surface!”

Maria nods. “Agreed!”

The king channels a spell and the massive elevator begins to rise. Arc and the others head back to the Landmaster’s back door. Maria enters the vehicle and looks Shelly over. Putting a hand to her neck she frowns.

“She’s not breathing! No pulse!”

Hammer and Auriel hurriedly pull out a defibrillator and set it up. Max puts a respirator over her face as they do so. Handing the paddles to Maria they step back. Arc takes Lily’s hand as the doctor puts the paddles on Shelly’s chest.

“CLEAR!”

Maria shocks Shelly as Lily latches onto Arc’s arm. Looking at the readout she grits her teeth.

“Nothing!”

She pushes a button to recharge the machine. As Shelly is shocked again Lily buries her face in Arc’s chest and sobs. Max grits his teeth and yells.

“Come back to us, Shelly!”

Looking at the readout again, Maria groans and puts the paddles back.

“She’s back.”

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief. Lily looks around for a few moments before speaking.

“Arc... who are all these people?”
“
Never mind that right now, Lily. Just know that they’re all here to help Shelly.”

Frank calls out from the deck. “I can see the top!”

Hammer grins and runs to the cockpit with Max. “Then let’s get ready to roll!”

Max grimaces as he takes his place next to her. “Take it easy though! Shelly can’t take much more!”

Maria calls out from Shelly’s side. “Well, we need to put some distance between us and the base if we want to open a portal back to Equestria!”

Arc nods. “Right! That anti-magic gizmo is probably still functioning!

Touching his earring, Arc speaks as Frank closes the back door.

“Arc to Viktor.”

“Viktor here, sir.”

“Prepare phase five now.”

“Yes sir.”

He motions to the others. They pick up their weapons and take careful aim. Arc waits until they are near the top before calling out.

“FIRE!”

Xenos, Hugh, and Viktor pull their triggers, releasing a stream of purple flames and strange looking projectiles. They hit the base’s turrets dead on. Reloading, they take aim at the main building’s massive door. Firing again, they are successful in blowing a hole in it large enough for the Landmaster to fit through. Arc calls out to Hammer.

“Hammer, go, go, GO!”

Tires screeching, the vehicle lurches forward. It crosses the grounds and smashes through the gate as King Malevolence follows them on foot. Crossing the bridge they spot several vehicles pulling out behind them. Arc calls out.

“Viktor, take those guys out!”

“We got your back, sir!”

He and the other take aim and make quick work of the pursuers with their magical rocket launchers. Reaching the end of the bridge, Hammer slows down to carefully turn onto the highway. Coming to the tree line where they stopped originally she pulls over.

“We’re at the extraction point!”

Auriel attempts to cast a spell, but fails.

“The magic is still out though!”

Arc carefully pushes Lily into Frank’s arms and head for the back door. “Just give me a minute!”

Leaving the vehicle, he slams the door behind them as he calls out.

“Viktor, status!”

“Taking aim, sir. And... they’re away!”

The sound of whistling rings out as Arc spies several rockets flying through the air toward the base. A large tower topples as it explodes. Hugh’s voice rings out in his ear.

“Dampening tower is down, sir!”

Arc nods. “Good. Standby for transport.”

Calling forth his gauntlet, Arc opens a portal. Xenos, Hugh, and Viktor run through just as King Malevolence catches up. Arc casts the Matter Compacting Spell on him and pulls the Rainbow of Light from his ring. Channeling his magical power into it he runs to the front of the Landmaster and opens a portal back to Equestria. Motioning for the vehicle to pass, Hammer slowly drives through it as he turns back to the others.

“Everyone follow the Landmaster! We’re getting out of here!”

They nod and do as he says as Arc brings up the rear. Arriving in the center of Auriel’s lab, he runs over to the Landmaster as the back doors fly open. Auriel and Maria hurriedly push the gurney toward the waiting machine as Hammer and Max shut down the vehicle. Frank and Ember slowly lead Lily out the back and to a spot out of the way. However she does not take her eyes off of the bed and her friend. Auriel rushes over to a circuit box and throws the lever before calling out.

“We need two minutes for the machine to be charged up!”

Hammer runs over to Auriel and holds out a vial. “Here’s the stuff from Rieper’s lab!”

Auriel grabs it. “I got this mother!”

Ember frowns. “She’s not looking too good over here!”

Maria looks her over and frowns as she turns to Max and Hammer. “Paddles, NOW!!!”

They run back to the Landmaster and retrieve the defibrillator along with a crash cart. Running over to Maria, whom is performing CPR, they quickly hand her the paddles and step back. Maria places the paddles to Shelly’s chest and cries out.

“CLEAR!”

Pressing the buttons, Shelly’s body stiffens. Lily turns away as Arc walks over to her and Frank. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Frank carefully pushes Lily into Arc’s arms. She looks over to the bed again as Maria grits her teeth.

“Again! CLEAR!”

Shelly spasms from the shock as Lily buries her face in Arc’s chest and begins to openly weep. Looking back to the screen, Maria eyes the readouts for a moment before groaning and restarting CPR. She looks to Hammer before giving mouth to mouth.

“Epinephrine!”

Hammer opens a drawer in the crash cart and pulls out a syringe with a truly massive needle. Uncapping it, she hurriedly gives it to Maria. The doctor taps it and looks down at Shelly. Carefully plunging the needle deep into Shelly’s chest she mutters aloud.

“Right into your heart, Shelly. Come on...”

Lily looks over just in time to see the doctor depress the plunger. Falling to her knees at the sight, she vomits heavily and falls over. Arc and Frank help her up as Xenos runs over with a paper towel from the nearby sink. Together, he and Hugh do their best to clean Lily up as she wails.

“Shelly...!”

Maria looks back to the screen and sighs as she drops the syringe.

“She’s back.”

Arc calls out to Maria. “Heartbeat and respiration?”

“Heartbeat irregular. Respiration slow and shallow.”

She motions to the defibrillator before continuing.

“And I can’t use that on her again. The next time her heart stops... it’s over.”

Max looks to Auriel. “Are we ready?!”

“Thirty seconds! Get her into position!”

Hammer and Ember grab the gurney and wheel it over to the spot indicated by Auriel. Maria quickly pulls the hospital gown the rest of the way off of Shelly before grabbing the blanket and throwing both aside. Auriel tosses her mother a sponge and a bottle of liquid. Dumping it over Shelly’s body, Maria quickly spreads it over all exposed skin before throwing it aside to join Auriel at the controls. They work quickly as the machine begins to hum loudly. A strange light from it covers Shelly’s body which glistens from the liquid. Lily looks up to see what’s going on. Pushing Arc and Frank back lightly she walks closer to Shelly as they follow her. Tempest frowns and calls out.

“Keep your distance, sunshine! No telling what that thing would do to you!”

Lily watches on in silence as Auriel and Maria work. The glow grows more intense as does the sound. As it becomes ear-piercing Maria calls out.

“IT’S TIME!”

Auriel presses a button which causes a blinding light to burst forth from the emitter. Lily screams.

“SHELLY!!!”

As everyone else instinctively covers their eyes from the light’s sheer intensity, Lily rushes toward her friend blindly and grabs her hand. Her eyes closed, she smiles.

“I’m with you, Shelly. To... the... end...”

Comments

[Munro]

i love it when a plan works

bet mustang did not expect to meet maria's husband

[Kamahido]

11483601
For once even General Mustang was surprised.

[SilverHoof01]

“Special Agent Tempest.”

WHOA!!! DID I MISS SOMETHING? I MUST HAVE MISSED SOMETHING!!! WHAT A UNEXPECTED TWIST!!!