Fallout Equestria : Black And White

by Philweasel

Chapter 3.10 - The Chronicles of Harmony

Puppysmiles felt vision return, felt her components boot up. She woke up to Ace's look of intense concentration, the buck drawing back as he saw her start up. He observed her for a moment before questioning her in slow, weary tones, "Are you there Puppy?"

"Yeah, I... I feel odd though." Puppysmiles scanned her systems, tried to initiate a damage report. It came back rather empty, missing... pretty much everything "I don't think my wiring is connected up right. I can only detect my back up battery system and voice modulator."

He smiled in relief, an oddly pleasant sight on the grumpy teen, "Thank Celestia. I was worried we'd lose you too."

"Too...?"

Ace sighed, digging into his pack and holding up a mirror, "I'm sorry Puppy."

Puppysmiles looked into the mirror in horror, seeing reflected there nothing but the grey chunk of star metal that held her and Selene, connected up to some off the shelf computer components, a set of tapped together energy cells and a whole lot of cheap wiring.

She fought for words that described this experience. All she could find were, "Well that kinda sucks..."

"You don't know the half of it." Ace muttered.

¬

The mood in the camp was understandably somber, with most of them still dealing with their injuries on top of everything else. Ace and Easu were both still hobbling on legs bound up in stiff bandages, Fluttershy on heavy amounts of Med-X to deal with the sprains and torn ligaments she had picked up.

Ace's teacher had fled at the first sight of Fluttershy despite her wounds. They could only hope she had got out alright. Star Swirl they hadn't seen since she had run off after Nazir.

And Zenai... "Can I see her?"

One thing she could say about her new situation, she was far more portable. She was currently lying on Fluttershy's back, Puppysmiles feeling she should make an effort to get to know the one member of the group she had the most trouble relating to. Unfortunately and understandably Fluttershy wasn't in the best mood, though she was at least willing to explain the medical care she was applying to everyone. At this question however she was hesitant, her ears drooping, "That... might not be the best idea."

"Why... not?"

Fluttershy sighed, her eyes moving over the little form wrapped in cloth that lay at the side of the camp, "I'm not a undertaker. I only wish..." She finally shook her head, "Her face was quite badly damaged . I'm sure Zenai would like everyone to remember her the way she was."

Puppysmiles felt a tingle of... something. Emotions that she couldn't identify and wasn't really sure how to process. Disapproval maybe, at ponies just being so fragile, at... death not being clean, "I'm sorry... that must have been difficult for you."

"I've seen it before. It's just a body." She stated, her voice surprisingly cold and matter of fact, "The difficult thing is the... her absence, and the events that took her away. Not what's left."

She was... rather surprised by the lack of emotion in her words. It made sense, but that wasn't something she expected from Fluttershy, "Is that how you really feel?"

"We weren't always able to identify the bodies. Back during the war." Fluttershy stated quietly, "We gathered all the parts of a pony that looked the same general color, placed them in a grave and assigned a random dogtag. On a couple of occasions funerals were held for ponies who later turned up alive. And a lot of graves were just filled up with left over parts we had no way of identifying. Some were empty."

Puppysmiles processed this quietly. It didn't seem possible... but of course it was. Her memories from Luna were a thousand years out of date, a griffon talon or a spear didn't leave a body unrecognisable. A bomb or a missile on the other hand... "I..."

"No... please Puppy, ignore me." Fluttershy interrupted, shaking her head as the emotion flooded back into her voice, "It's difficult... but it's not something you should be hearing. I should be ashamed of myself."

"No." Puppysmiles answered with a firm conviction, "I need to learn these things Fluttershy."

"I wish I hadn't." She answered, raising her eyes to the sky, "Looking at that every day, reading the casualty reports, caring for the what was left of the ponies they brought back alive. I couldn't help but feel... what could be worse? And so I took risks, because I couldn't see any other option."

Puppysmiles sighed, understanding a little better... and understanding why Fluttershy wished she understood a little less, "Poor Dust Kicker. He had to bring Zenai back."

"He's seen it before too. And he saw it from an early age." Fluttershy smiled slightly at this, "You know, modern theories theorize that children permanently adapt to the situation they are placed within during their developmental stages, and that it effects how they respond to all future situations."

Puppysmiles supposed it made sense. Ponies after all had colonized so much of the world by being naturally adaptable, "I guess that means... well, you must find all this difficult."

"Ace Gold must find it difficult too." She commented, shooting Puppysmiles' camera a smile, "That's the thing Puppy. Right now, the new world is ruled by those who grew up in the wasteland, who learned the lessons the wasteland taught them. Velvet Remedy approaches problems like a Stable Overmare. Velvet Promises never got over the trauma of being sold into prostitution, then seeing her home destroyed by raiders. High Elder Peach Trees still thinks the NCR is a dangerous frontier full of evil monsters and defenseless civilians." She gave a hopeful smile, looking across to Ace Gold, "But it will be their turn next."

One pony wouldn't get theirs, "Ponies like Zenai?"

Fluttershy head fell, her tones heavy, "Yes, it's true. Zenai... did the things she did, lied to us, didn't trust us... because more than anyone, she understood how out of touch we really are." Her eyes slowly panned over to the small bundle, irises misting over, "She was right, and we were wrong. And yesterday, she paid the price for her bravery in standing up and declaring what we all should have figured out a long time ago."

Puppysmiles inquired hopefully, "You're going to try and save the NCR?"

"I'm going to try."

"I agree!" Puppysmiles cheerfully declared, glad that somepony saw how silly this was all getting, "Now you just have to get the others to stop being silly!"

Fluttershy gave her a questioning look, "Silly?"

Puppysmiles answered in affirmation, glad she finally had a chance to get it off her chest, "You admit that the things Zenai fought for were right. And I thought everypony else did too."

"They do Puppy."

"Then why is everyone just sitting around, being all lazy and unfriendly!" Puppysmiles declared, searching for understanding, "They should be moving forward, trying to make the world a better place! Because Zenai can't anymore. That means... we all have to work that much harder. Instead it seems like everypony has given up." She finished with an angry grunt, looking over with her camera to where the others sat around looking unmotivated and useless.

Fluttershy paused for a moment to consider this, eventually giving a soft sigh, "What you said makes sense Puppy. Unfortunately ponies don't always make sense. Zenai was a part of us, and losing her... it's as shocking as losing a limb."

"I lost my entire body." Puppysmiles pointed out, feeling rather put out by the idea that this was sufficient to make some ponies just give up, "It's annoying, but whining about it won't help anypony!"

Fluttershy considered this, smiling gently and thankfully looking a little perkier and a little more motivated. Maybe she was actually being convinced!

After a short while Fluttershy replied, slightly chastising however, "Puppy, part of working towards harmony is accepting that everypony is different, and we react to events in different ways."

Puppysmiles felt a chill sweep through her, a moment of primal horror, "Is this because... I'm a demon?" She felt the panic grow, wondering if she had admitted something terrible without realizing it, "Is it because I don't care, that I don't... get all depressed and hurt when bad things happen?"

"No Puppy." Fluttershy stated firmly, "I think you care a great deal. As I said, part of harmony is that you accept that not everypony is the same. You just show your grief in a different way."

Puppysmiles wanted to believe her; still her understanding of the word grief just didn't seem to match up with anything she was feeling, "How do I show grief? I... I'm not sure even how to..."

"Dust Kicker told me himself, how he's never seen you more enthusiastic. A day ago you were full of doubt, now you are more devoted to your ideals than ever." Fluttershy looked back at her, giving her a deeply sincere smile, "I think I could learn from that. I think we could all learn from that."

And then she started towards the group, stopping a short way away and addressing everypony in a firm, confident voice, "Excuse me everypony, I would like to say something."

Everyone looked up as Fluttershy spoke up, shocked out of their malaise and all looking rather surprised. Puppysmiles herself had never heard the elderly pegasus sound quite so confident or commanding.

Dust spoke first in reply, nodding his head, "Go ahead Fluttershy."

She nodded back to him, lowering her voice but not abandoning the firmness in her tone, "We need to talk about what we do now."

"We need to find Star Swirl." Easu stated glumly, avoiding everypony's gaze, "I know she's alive, I can feel it. She's nearby... I don't know why she hasn't come back."

Puppysmiles had a reply to this, it feeling good to be helpful, "Don't worry, I can help with that."

Dust looked intrigued by this, "How? All your scanners were destroyed."

"Has everypony already forgotten that I'm the Princess of the Night?" Puppysmiles declared happily, "As soon as Star Swirl falls asleep, I'll be able to find her."

"Handy." Dust stated with a warm grin, moving up onto his hooves and shaking his coat out, "Ok, well that's one suggestion. Did you have something else in mind Fluttershy?"

"Yes." She responded with a nod, "We need to continue to the capital and take control of Caesar's Curse."

"Why?" Ace replied, looking deeply unconvinced, "No offense Fluttershy, but we did what we came here to do..."

"No. We haven't." Fluttershy countered, firmly commanding now, "We came here to make peace with the zebra, to make a better, kinder world. And that's what we're going to do."

Ace grimaced deeply, "Do you really think that's possible now? With everything..."

"No! Don't you dare!" She shouted, making Ace and pretty much everypony else jump out of their skin. She reinforced her unexpectedly intimidating performance by advancing on them, staring each pony in the face as spoke, "Peace is always possible! No matter how entrenched the hate, no matter how much those in charge have to gain from war!"

Easu caused her to pause for a moment, meeting her gaze with one of his own, "You've been here before Fluttershy."

She only hesitated briefly, "Easu... if zebra and ponies... or pony and ponies, or zebra and zebra... if they're going to kill each other and take the world with them, then ultimately that's going to happen whether we help or not." She looked around the camp, expression pleading, "But I believe that now, when the lessons of the wasteland are still so clear in our minds, is the moment where we all have the best chance of finding common ground."

"I don't disagree as such but..." Dust sighed, shaking his head, "You're gambling Fluttershy."

"So did Littlepip." Fluttershy replied, "She refused to take Red Eye's offer, of becoming a god queen who could force ponies to live in peace. Instead she trusted that we would find our own way there."

"At the moment, that idealism is yet to be justified." Easu muttered, turning his gaze back up at her, "Zenai believed in it too, and it got her killed in the end."

Fluttershy stared straight back, expression hardening, "I'm not afraid to die."

"I..." Dust hesitated, looking away in frustration, "Fluttershy, there has to be an easier way."

"There is." She responded, "Give up. Go home. Trust that things will work themselves out."

Ace grunted to himself, stamping his hoof a little, "Damnit Fluttershy, we are not remotely qualified..."

"Well neither was Littlepip. Neither were me and my friends." Fluttershy straightened out, proud and resolute before them, "I believe in what Zenai wanted to do! I believe in Littlepip's vision! And I... believe in myself. We are the best chance anypony has right now, and I will not back down out of fear!"

"Fucking hell Fluttershy, you're pulling me over the coals here..." Dust responded with a tone that seemed torn between amusement and irritation, "...but I believe in you too."

Ace Gold just glared for a moment or two before speaking, "Fluttershy... I think this is a terrible idea, and honestly... I don't think you know what you're doing." He snorted and angrily kicked up some dust, a slight grin moving across his face, "But you're the only pony in my life who's ever made any sort of sense, and I'm not about to say no to you now."

"Burn the world or save it..." Easu considered, finally giving a dark and mirthless chuckle, "I have always faced danger without fear. Perhaps this is the same." He turned his eyes up to Fluttershy, "Perhaps you will show me what ponies are truly worth, for better or for worse."
Dust took a deep breath and gave an exasperated smile, "Well... I guess we should get started."

"No." Fluttershy answered, "There's something we have to do first."

¬

"Gawdina Grimfeathers once said that the roots of the NCR are watered by the blood of those who love it. She knew this better than anyone, having lost so many members of her own family to the battle against the wasteland. And yet despite this her path never faltered, each death driving her onwards to the shining destiny she saw for all of us. The histories of our young nation are written with the blood of the martyrs, and their courage and conviction are an inspiration to all of us. Today another of the brave pioneers has made the greatest sacrifice, giving up their own life so we may all continue to live in peace, strive for the future the Lightbringer showed to us in that day of sunshine and rainbows." Fluttershy bowed her head, shaking away a tear as the earth was piled up upon the tarpaulin that held Zenai's body. She took a deep breath and centered herself, lifting her head and giving a proud smile, "May the chronicles of harmony forever remember her name."

She stepped down, Puppysmiles giving her a moment before speaking, "Thank you Fluttershy. That was so beautiful."

Fluttershy gave a sweet little smile at the praise, "It's not the first time I've said those words. You're right, they were the right ones. I hope they help Zenai find the peace she deserves."

"Is that a pony funeral then?"

Fluttershy lifted her head in surprise, seeing Easu standing just a short way ahead. As ever he looked and sounded rather tense and angry, still Fluttershy only hesitated a moment before answering, "Well they're often a lot more elaborate, but given where we are at the moment... that was the military standard version, when a unit is out in the field." She gave him an inquisitive look, "Is it that different from a zebra funeral?"

"Hmm." He replied with a soft breath, thinking for a moment, "The words are."

Fluttershy smiled, "Those are actually for griffon members of the NCR military originally. They've grown popular among patriots of all species though, and Zenai was very committed to the NCR."

"Zebra funerals are all about what happens to the soul after death, about the return to the holy fire, about wishing the soul well on its journey." He shrugged, "That was more focused on those of us still here, and what we should remember about death. I... like it. It's a lot more practical."

"Ponies tend to be rather worldly, at least when it comes to religion." Fluttershy chuckled, shaking her head with a grin, "We're not so different. Where zebra say holy fire, we talk about harmony. They’re both intentionally vague concepts help us understand the world we give in, give it meaning. We all need ideals that we can believe in, to drive us to virtue when virtue is hard."

"I... don't believe." Easu finally forced out, "I am a member of the Order of Sacred Darkness, the Lampbearers. But I don't not believe that the things in the dark should be embraced, I believe they are evil and dangerous. I am a shaman, but neither I do not believe in some holy fire that begets all life."

Fluttershy turned her head, "Then why?"

"Because I also do not believe that I am worth redemption, that the world will find peace or that our quest will succeed." He turned hollow eyes to her, "But I follow those who do, because for a moment they can almost convince me otherwise. And that is enough to keep me going, when I can see no other reason."

Fluttershy nodded her head, smiling kindly upon the zebra, "I will show you a better world Easu. I will show everyone in time."

He nodded back at her, "I deeply hope to see it Lady Fluttershy."

¬

Puppysmiles stepped into her dream self, feeling it incarnate and solidify around her. She marveled once again at how smooth and easy it was, Luna's far more mortal body having always been hard to steer. Her new spiritual form on the other hand was as smooth as silk as she moved through dreams. She dared to wonder if she might even be better at it.

And as such she easily found the pony she sought, shivering as the she looked around Canterlot. It was a lot worse down here compared to the view from above, the city covered in grim artifacts of the war. Pinkie Pie was watching her, and Zebra were the enemy. The ministry of magic promised wonders that would help end the war, and she was advised to question whether her co-worker could be an enemy spy.

Puppysmiles had lived during this era, yet she did not remember it ever being as bad as this. Posters covered every wall, a weak sun peaking through the clouds to do little but lengthen the shadows. She looked down the street nearby, a major thoroughfare, and saw only a troop of Steel Rangers making a slow march, faceless visors scanning the surrounding houses with grim suspicion.

She took one final look around before hurrying up the steps towards the roof of the house opposite, Canterlot opening up before her. They were on one of the higher levels, near the palace, and so the view would have been spectacular if the city hadn't been so grey and deserted.

And Star Swirl stood there, silently watching. Her hair was longer and streaked with white, her body was thinner with tight muscle stretched across bone. Puppy advanced cautiously, scanning her for reactions as she approached, "Star Swirl."

Star Swirl took a deep breath, reluctant to reply. Finally she turned her head to look back at Puppy, frustration upon her drawn, sunken face, "I'm fine. Go tell them I'm alive, and apologize on my behalf."

Puppysmiles hesitated, still she wasn't giving up that easily, "Easu could feel you were still alive."

Star Swirl turned away, "Of course he could."

"We buried Zenai today. It was nice. You should have been there."

"Uhuh."

"We care about you Star Swirl."

She shifted uncomfortably, her voice shaking slightly, "I understand that, and it's good of you... but I just don't understand."

"Understand what?" Puppysmiles questioned.

"The world, other ponies, myself... and right now, I need to find my own answers." She paused for a moment before her expression became bitter, looking up at Canterlot before her, "I came here looking for guidance. I didn't realize just how bad it was."

Puppy gave a sad nod, "Yeah..."

"Surely there must be something left out there. The ministry mares, the Princesses..."

"Princess Luna is locked in the palace dungeons."

Star Swirl considered this for a moment before her wings extended, resolve filling her eyes, "Then let's go get her."

Puppysmiles grinned, she liked that look. Still... "Luna wants to be there Star Swirl, she can escape any time she wants. What we really need to do is take the element of magic off Twilight Sparkle."

Star Swirl considered this information before shooting her a doubtful look, "Do you really think I'm capable of wielding the element of magic?"

"You don't have to wield it." Puppysmiles stated, pretty... fairly sure she knew what she was talking about, "Just have it with you when you wake up. Hopefully it should return to the real world with us."

"And how do we acquire the element exactly?"

There was suddenly the sound of yells and gunshots nearby, both mares turning in the direction of the disturbance with ears pricking. It seemed to die down fairly quickly however, Puppysmiles readying her magic as hoof falls echoed against the stairs.

Selene's earnest face appeared above the rooftop, the wounds on her body already healing, "I am shot."

Puppysmiles grinned at the mare, trotting forward to meet her, "Who shot you?"

"Bad ponies in armor." Selene considered her words briefly before continuing in the same emotionless drone, "I did not kill them. That is right?"

Puppysmiles shrugged, "Well... they're already dead, sooooo..."

"It just resets them Selene." Star Swirl clarified, "You can't really kill them, at least not with brute force. Feel free to let loose."

"And thank you Selene, but you just answered our question!" Puppysmiles joyfully declared, waving her hoof dramatically towards the palace, "We beat up Twilight, and take the crown from her body."

Star Swirl considered the plan, her brow furrowing, "Two things. One, that requires us to beat her. Two, that requires us to get past her guards."

Puppysmiles grinned proudly, already having planned all this out, "For the first thing, we're awesome."

Star Swirl glared for a second before replying, "Go on."

"Second..." She concentrated for a moment, letting her will penetrate through her body... until a pair of fluffy pink wings exploded from her back and she struck a pose, "We're alicorns!"

Star Swirl's expression shifted ever so slightly, fighting between cynicism and cautious acceptance, "That's actually a decent point. I'm actually an alicorn, and Selene... well, she certainly does a decent impression." She paused briefly before eyeing Puppysmiles coldly, "But not many alicorns were short and pink."

"It will be fiiiine!" Puppysmiles already felt enthusiastic, the glow of an adventure in the making enough to make her bounce, "I'll let you do the talking."

"Hmm." Star Swirl looked back at the palace, "We just... stroll in, blast Twilight and take the element?"

"Sounds like plan enough for me!"

Star Swirl looked over to her for what seemed like an age before giving a grim nod of her head, "What have I got to lose?"

"Yay!"

¬

And so they made their way through Canterlot, Puppysmiles, Star Swirl and Selene, all doing their best to alternatively try to look like proud alicorns or keep themselves as inconspicuous as possible. Star Swirl had convinced them that flying would be a bad idea and so they made their way on foot, Puppysmiles finding navigating the mess of streets all very confusing considering... her multiple memories of the city, "You know, when Canterlot was the capital of the Unicorn Kingdoms it was a lot more organized."

Star Swirl looked up at the grey, joyless buildings around them, "Well I much prefer New Canterlot."

Puppysmiles shrugged, "You're not really seeing it at it's best."

"Ponies approach?" Selene commented, her ears suddenly picking up.

Puppysmiles turned to her, Selene looking a little confused as she peered around. She spoke as the mare slowed her pace, "What's wrong Selene?"

And even as she said that she promptly ran straight into Star Swirl's flank as the mare stopped suddenly, getting a facefull of butt and sent staggering backwards. She was about to complain before looking up to see two new alicorns who had just emerged from a side street a short way down, two of them. They both looked as surprised and wary as Star Swirl did, one of the alicorns a mint blue and the other purple with a... pink mane... "Ha. See, there are pink alicorns!"

Star Swirl gave her a dirty look, "Puppy!"

"Well, I guess she's more purplish, but she's got those pink streaks... um, I'll be quiet." She muttered insincerely, before stepping forward to address the new arrivals, "Good day fellow alicorns."

Star Swirl looked horrified, the two alicorns both looking at each other in panic for a moment before the purple one finally stepped up with a smile, "Indeed, a very good day."

"Have you oppressed any innocents today comrades?" The mint blue one asked in a rather poor Stalliongrad accent.

"Um... hundreds?" Puppysmiles ventured.

"Oh... um... good work!"

Star Swirl winced, "Puppy... stop talking." She shifted Puppysmiles to the side and stepped up to speak herself, staring proudly and firmly as she inspected the two alicorns in front, "What is your purpose here?"

"Our purpose?" The mint blue alicorn started, before a kick from her companion caused her to reconsider, "Um, that is... we're here to oversee... security? For the executions?"

Star Swirl's eyebrow raised, "What executions?"

"Of the zebra war criminals?" The purple alicorn explained, looking a little suspicious now.

Selene frowned at this information, her normal dull monotone tainted by a hint of disapproval, "That is not nice."

"No, it's not..." Puppysmiles breathed, glaring up at the pair, "Where is this happening?"

Star Swirl shot her another frustrated look before turning back to the alicorns, "We are required to provide security."

"That way." The purple alicorn stated with slightly confused look, "You don't... look like normal alicorns..."

"Thank you for your assistance sisters." Star Swirl quickly interjected, before shuffling Puppysmiles and Selene away. She ran behind them to force them to hurry, looking behind to make sure the two alicorns weren't following. Reassured they weren't, she moved beside Puppysmiles and shot her a glare, "You're the least convincing alicorn ever."

Puppysmiles pouted, she didn't think she had done that bad, "Sorry..."

"And this? I thought we were going to fight Twilight?"

Puppysmiles had to stop now, glaring back at Star Swirl with genuine anger, "You're just going to abandon innocent zebra?"

"They're ghosts." Star Swirl reminded her, "If they're killed, they'll just pop back into existence later on."

"Death is still painful!" Puppysmiles replied angrily.

"Be logical here..."

Puppysmiles took a deep breath, feeling something cold run down her spine. She looked to Selene, looking nervous as she watched them. Puppysmiles really didn't want to say this in front of her... but maybe it was for the best, to get this off her chest now, "You know what really frustrates me, about Zenai?"

Star Swirl looked rather surprised at this line of conversation, thrown off guard, "What?"

"I can't mourn her, not properly. Because I'm not a pony, I'm a... a thing. I don't have glands, I don't feel emotion like you do." She felt her body shake, caught up in a wave of passionate feeling, "Someone who was important to me is gone, and I don't understand how I'm supposed to react. I'm making it up as I go along, but one thing... feels more right than any other."

Feels...

It felt like an absurd paradox, given said lack of glands. Still although she didn't understand it she couldn't not deny its existence, "Logically, if a servant of harmony is gone, that means the rest of us all have to work a little harder. And if I respect Zenai and want to make her death meaningful it means I have to do my best to be more like the pony she wanted me to be. Because if I don't believe in justice, kindness, harmony... what am I?" She glared coldly up at Star Swirl, suppressing her identity long enough to feel the chill of the unfeeling predator she knew she was underneath, "My values are ALL I have. I will not compromise them."

Star Swirl looked down at her in shocked silence, her jaw drooping open. Then she closed it again, sighing gently and looking away, "Ok... we'll do it. But I think it's a bad idea."

"Good." Puppysmiles replied, trying to find her cheerful 'Puppyness' again. She looked across at Selene, hanging back a short way, "Selene?"

She looked up happily at the sound of her name, "Yes Puppysmiles?"

"What do you think we should do?"

The mare looked confused at this question, eventually nodding her head emphatically, "What is right."

"Ha!" Puppysmiles declared with a laugh, "Selene understands."

"I don't think that's entirely fair..." Star Swirl started before giving a big sigh and just going with it, "Let's hurry."

¬

"And that these Zebra are convicted of war crimes most foul, and have been sentenced to military execution by the wise judgment of our great Princess Twilight Sparkle. Let it serve as a message to all enemies of Equestria, that their evil will not prevail, that we will uncover it wherever it lurks and bring those responsible to justice!"

The zebra looked up at the hateful faces of the crowd, felt the fear and rage there. She couldn't help but feel they deserved it, feeling her own self loathing reflected back against her.

She didn't know anything about the other zebra hanging beside her, their hooves secured on tight ropes that suspended them above the plaza. She had no idea what they had done, whether they deserved it.

Her though. She could only call herself... a simple killer. For she had given up her name, turned herself into a merciless killing machine. She had slaughtered innocent ponies without hesitation, with bomb, with knife, with her bare hooves. She had killed babies, unleashed waves of pink gas against civilian hospitals...

It hurt to even think of it, her eyes filling with tears. She just wished they would get it over with so she didn't have to live with the memories.

"Perk up girl! It could be worse!"

She looked across at the insufferably perky face of her seemingly permanent companion, wondering if this was some sort of great cosmic joke on the part of the universe, "How could it be worse?"

"They could have already shot you." The floating, ghostly ghoul noted cheerfully, "Now you get to enjoy my company a little while longer."

"Lucky me." She responded as she studied the floating figure once again. As before no pony else seemed to see her, the ghoul some sort of personal ghost apparently. And what a ghost she was, melted and scarred, her skin fused into a tattered straight jacket, her ragged hair widely sticking in all directions. Yet despite her lack of beauty and her insufferable perkiness... she was glad she wasn't alone, "I'm glad you're here ghost girl."

"No problem zebra girl." She replied with a grin.

Killer smiled, then turned her eyes towards the rows of equestrian soldiers readying their guns. She firmed herself and stared straight at them, figuring even if she had lived like a monster she could still die like a zebra.

"Soldiers! Ready! Aim!"

She sighed, a smile moving across her face.

And then chaos broke out.

¬

Star Swirl teleported between the soldiers and the zebra, bullets shattering against her shields. Puppysmiles grinned as she used to the distraction to run full tilt into the officer in front. He was sent flying into his men, sending them scattering like skittles, Selene stalking above the outskirts and sending the gathered civilians fleeing with an evil glare.

"How dare you impede justi...!" The alicorn in charge started before Puppysmiles leapt forward and slammed a shoulder into her shields. It hurt a fair bit but her dense frame took the impact, more importantly it sent the alicorn staggering and her glowing barrier shattered against the impact. She quickly redeployed the shield to guard against Puppysmiles but that left herself wide open as Star Swirl levitated a fallen rifle and cracked the mare over the back of the head.

"Go, go!" Puppysmiles shouted, using her magic to cut the bonds on the zebra and gently lower them to the ground. Unfortunately they all were quite understandably shell shocked, several of them retreating backwards as Puppysmiles approached. She pouted, frustrated by their lack of action or appreciation for their rescue, "You can escape!"

"Why are you helping us?" One of the zebra asked, scared, shaking eyes looking up at the three alicorns, "We're zebra, we deserve to be punished."

"You deser... wha...?" Puppysmiles just stared at the zebra in horror, her words frozen in her throat, "That makes no..."

"Puppy, we have to go!" Star Swirl shouted as she dueled a pair of approaching alicorn alongside Selene. Selene unfortunately was quickly sent reeling with a energy bolt to the chest, Star Swirl forced to fight the two alone. Good as she was, she was obviously challanged, her shields flickering as she desperatelly tried to defend herself, "These girls are no pushovers!"

Puppysmiles went to help but was stopped in her tracks as bullets bounced against her shields. She turned her head to the side, spotting an approaching unit of Steel Rangers, "Oh... poo..."

And then a crack of lightning streamed down, smacking into one of the alicorn fighting Star Swirl and knocking her to the floor with fur smoldering. Star Swirl was only suprised for a moment before moving forward and overwhelming the defenses of the other with quick stinging blasts of magic, eventually teleporting forward and smacking the alicorn between the eyes with a decending hoof.

Puppysmiles looked around for the source of the lightning bolt, eyes widening as she saw another alicorn hanging above. She was green in color and had a star cutie mark, her horn flashing with magic as she sent a rain of meteors slamming into the approaching Steel Rangers, "I will cover your escape! Go!"

"Zebra friends, please forget your fears. We are here to aid you!" Another alicorn approached from the edge of the square, galloping to the huddle of zebra and extending a gentle hoof. Her voice was soft but commanding, her eyes full of compassion, "Your chance for freedom is now. All of you, follow me and Magic Star, we will lead you to safety!"

This alicorn mare was red in color, Puppysmiles only taking a second to recognize her, "Princess Galaxy?"

"You were very brave to do this." Galaxy replied with a smile as she turned to her, waving her hoof to urge the zebra forwards, "Still Twilight Sparkle should be here soon, and you do not want her attention. Run, as fast as you can!"

Didn't they? Puppysmiles grinned as the zebra retreated past her, Star Swirl hesitating as she saw Puppysmiles standing in place, "Puppy, you heard her!"

"This is our chance." Puppysmiles stated firmly as she saw the glow of teleportation start to form, "Back me up, we can end this now."

"Puppysmiles, I'm sorry but I'm going to help these zebra escape." Star Swirl stated grimly as she started to move away, "This is not the time for a fight against Twilight."

Puppysmiles grunted with frustration, quickly looking back to reassure herself that the zebra had for the most part managed to run to safety. Selene hesitated nearby and she reluctantly shouted to the mare to run, now sure that if she was going to do this she would have to do it alone. She concentrated for a moment as her wings sparkled with power, drawing in magic from her surroundings and storing it at her heart. Her own conviction started to dim a little as she prepared herself, still it was too late to run now...

The teleportation glow faded, three alicorns stepping out. None of them were Twilight, instead consisting of two glassy eyed drones like the ones before and...

She knew the one in front. She looked different as an alicorn, but the green fur and the gemini cutie mark were unmistakable. The alicorn regarded Puppysmiles with a vague, scientific interest, her manner full of chilly distain, “You are... another of those.”

“And you are Gestalt.” Puppysmiles replied, feeling her blood boiling at the chance to wipe that expression off her face, “Who are ‘those’?”

“The false princesses. The last pathetic remnants of those pretenders to my ladies’ throne.” She snorted, “I have beaten plenty of you before. And you do not look all that impressive a specimen.”

Puppysmiles didn’t have time for this, “Bring Twilight Sparkle here! Then we’ll see who’s the pretender!”

“You think yourself worthy of her personal attention?” Gestalt commented with a dry sneer, “You have a woefully poor grasp of where exactly you stand little girl.”

Puppysmiles tired of this. If she wanted to confront the big bad, it looked like she would have to deal with the miniboss first. She would have to pace herself of course, she needed her full strength if she was going to take on Twilight Sparkle. Still, she had the memories of Princess Luna, and raw power to spare.

She stepped forward, gathered her magic and fired a beam of intense power straight at Gestalt. It stung all along her horn and made her skull vibrate. It should have taken Gestalt out with one shot, even with shields in place.

Gestalt barely even blinked however. Instead she levitated a small mirror from her pack, throwing it in the blast’s way. Puppysmiles' beam hit the mirror with a harsh crackle and slowed dramatically, Gestalt seizing the magic with her horn and heaving it about her head. It built up momentum all the way, Puppysmiles feeling the blood run from her face...

Gestalt released the bolt of energy and it flew back towards her with a roar, hitting her shield, shattering it to pieces and kicking her in the chest like a cannonball. She flew backwards and hit the wall of the building behind, feeling the concrete explode outwards as she went straight through. After that it was just a few small bounces before she rolled to a stop, a vague, irritating ringing in her ear.

Then she lost consciousness.

¬

“Damnit...” Killer turned, unable to tear her eyes away as the pony who had saved them disappeared from view in a cloud of dust and rubble. She took a step towards the alicorns, feeling her blood boil at the injustice...

A gentle hoof caught her shoulder, calm words at her ear, “If you go back you will surely die, she fights so that we might fly.”

“Then go.” She shrugged off the hoof, tensing her muscles as she tried to remember something, anything... and she remembered alright. Memories of death and murder, of killing ponies by the hundreds with a cruel satisfaction. It sickened her to the very core to even contemplate it, but the memories felt far too raw, too real to be false.

She was a killer. And that meant she could do something.

Killer turned her head back to her fellow zebra, giving her the most sincere, commanding look she had, “Run!”

And then she charged in, running at full tilt towards the building the girl had been knocked into. Gestalt noticed her coming and fired a beam of sharply curving light, Killer vaulting through the air and twisting her body to sail safely through. She hit the ground in a roll and saw a squad of Steel Rangers approaching, tensing herself before leaping through their weapons fire and slamming into them.

The first dropped unconscious to the floor as she kicked his helmet, amplifying the shockwave travelling through the metal and slamming his skull into the side of his own armor. That put her just at the right angle to access the helmet release latch of the second, popping it open with her teeth and throwing the helmet straight into the forehead of the ranger beside. The now bareheaded pony in front had no defence as she struck him hard about the skull, then flung him into his fellows. They scattered, thrown to the floor and pinned by the weight of their own armor.

“Restrain her.” Gestalt ordered, Killer instantly feeling the glow of telekinesis form around her. She went limp for a moment for the grip to solidify before suddenly arching her body to the side, breaking the brittle hold just as a blast of magic flew past. She ducked and rolled, kicking a broken piece of the wall and sending one of the alicorns crumpling to the floor as it rebounded off her head. Gestalt barely turned to acknowledged her fallen comrade, her face simply growing angrier and more intense as magic crackled around her, “So you really seek to challenge my lady’s order...”

And then a bottle flew through the air and shattered across the ground in front of Gestalt, sending a deep wave of green gas billowing upwards to assault her nostrils. Gestalt choked and gasped, the magic at her horn dying as she desperately tried to back away.

Killer turned, seeing the zebra from before already mixing up more potions from the contents of a medical pack she had taken from the fallen rangers, "Thank you."

"Leaving our savior behind would indeed be wrong." The zebra smiled approvingly, "But we must hurry, that won't hold them for long."

Killer nodded in agreement, jumping through the hole in the wall and galloping over to the fallen form of the alicorn who had helped them. It hurt to see her fallen, a small pink form crumpled in a pile of rubble. The mare couldn't be more than sixteen, and already so brave and strong. She ran a hoof along the mare's side, trying to...

The mare... wasn't a pony. She could feel it, swirling twists of chaos and raw magic sustaining a form barely real. She was like Discord, this was a spirit. A dangerous one.

But she had saved them, and Killer was hardly one to judge. She took the mare in her teeth, threw her up onto her back and ran towards the door. She felt the alicorn waiting behind and twisted round as she reached the wooden frame, delivering a mighty buck and sending it crashing into the alicorn beyond. The mare’s shields shook from the impact, leaving her totally open as Killer jumped through and tripped the alicorn’s gangly form as she ran past. She immediately saw the zebra alchemist wave at her from a nearby street, setting off at a sprint before the alicorn could recover.

"Never before have I seen such skill." The alchemist stated as she met Killer at the road, running beside her as they followed the other retreating zebra, "And I can't help but notice that you did not kill."

Killer grimaced, "There's already enough blood on these hooves."

They quickly caught up with the other zebra, Killer and the alchemist quickly getting the group moving faster as they helped and encouraged those lagging behind. The sight of the green alicorn flying above was very reassuring in itself, rangers actually retreating from their path as they saw her flying above.

An ironic feeling. She remembered it clear in her mind, even when everything else was a blur. Trying to kill Celestia, dedicating her life to the destruction of ponykind as picture of Princess Luna burned on the campfires... now a Princess stood in defense of her people, a reassuring beacon of hope.

But she was quickly reminded that some alicorns were to be feared, one of Twilight Sparkles' mutants emerging from the shadows with an unsettling smirk. It seemed to be on its own, but it was quickly made obvious that this was not just one of the drones. Its cutie mark stood out upon it's green fur, a microphone and a musical note.

"Little, little zebras, want to play a game?" The alicorn spoke, her horn igniting with magic as they closed, "This one I learned from a dear friend..."

Killer felt the magic surge in her horn but saw no effect, no blast of magic, no...

She turned, looking up as the towers of Canterlot came down upon them in a rain of solid rock, "Scatter!"

The zebra weren't fast enough, freezing in place as they looked up at the rain of death above.

But it didn't matter. A blue glow seized the rocks, arcane symbols appearing around them as they slowed just enough for the zebra to escape. Princess Magic Star descended, magic runes swirling about her body as she glared down at the alicorn, "Singer..."

The alicorn lowered her horn, lightning flashing through the air. Her voice was joyful as she shouted out, "Magic Star! Now this will be FUN!"

The Princess deflected the lightning with a single flick of her horn, glowing crystals forming around her to blast at Singer with rainbow light. The alicorn shook from the impacts, concrete shattering around her as her shields took blow after blow... but still they held, and still she smiled. Magic Star frowned, frustration furrowing her regal features, "You can't win this fight Singer!"

"But I can delay you." She stated with a smirk, that smile growing wide as two more alicorn soared in from the sides.

Magic Star teleported away to avoid the attacks, appearing nearby and instantly opening up with another blast of arcane energies that blasted one of the alicorns out of the sky. Killer saw Singer draw a bead on the Princess however, and even if Magic Star was clearly able to defend herself Killer was unable to just stand here and do nothing, "Take the girl."

The Alchemist took the child from her back without protest, her eyes warning, "Losing you would be hard to bear, I must ask you to take all due care."

Killer simply nodded before turning towards the battle, breaking into a hard run and focusing her mind for the fight.

Singer saw her coming, her mouth creasing into a sneer and her horn flicking round to unleash a blast of eldrich lightning. Killer simply avoided it with a practiced leap to the side, her hooves meeting the wall. She applied just enough magic to stick herself to the marble, sprinting across the horizontal surface before leaping off again to descend straight towards the alicorn.

Singer grinned, unleashing another blast of lightning. Midair, Killer had no way of dodging it.

Which is why she caught it in her hoof, gritting her teeth at the pain as she brought it down upon Singer's shields with a yell. The alicorn's eyes went wide, more so as Killer refused to let go.

There it was. The magical frequency of her shield. Killer focused her mind, took the magic at her hooves, and pushed. The shield deformed, caved inwards and shattered with a loud ringing noise, Singer gasping with a look of total shock and desperately punching forward a hoof. Killer's hooves moved all on their own, feeling almost totally at peace as she blocked the clumsy attack and leapt upwards. She span in midair, summersaulting sharply and taking the alicorn under the chin with enough force to spin her backwards.

Singer hit the ground in a crumpled heap, Killer landing upon all four hooves with a resigned sigh. Her eyes flicked over to the unconscious alicorn, reassured by the fact that she was still breathing. If she could get out of this with no further loss of life, all the better.

"Star Swirl warned me to never underestimate the strength of the zebra." A regal yet kind voice stated from behind her, Killer turning to see Magic Star helping the scattered zebra back to their hooves. The Princess turned, her expression soft but warning, "But you cannot face what comes. Run, and run fast."

"What about you?" She asked, seeing something painfully resigned in that expression.

She removed all ambiguity in her intentions, her eyes bitterly pained, "Even death cannot keep me from my sisters, I have faced it before. You however will be scattered to the winds, even if you make it back from the void."

"At least let me help you."

"Then who will protect them, lead them to safety?" She looked at the injured, terrified looking zebra around, fixing killer with a judgmental glare, "The innocent care little for your honor and pride."

Killer understood only too well, giving a final respectful nod before turning to the others. It felt unnatural to speak in this way, she was no leader. Still Magic Star was right, somepony had to lead, "Stand tall, all of you! We have been given a chance, a chance bought with the blood of brave ponies! Take it and follow me!"

Her words sounded hollow, still she saw the spark ignited in their eyes. She turned quickly before they saw the truth in hers, doing her best to keep her posture confident as her hooves pounded the concrete.

If they believed, that was all that mattered.

¬

Magic Star settled down upon the rooftop, allowing herself a small smile as she considered how those scared faces had turned to hope. She saw a lot of herself in that zebra, never having been much of a leader herself. She had been terrified when she had become a princess, never considering herself anything but a quiet, diligent scholar and student of magic. Never the less ponies looked upon her shyness and called it strength, and if that lie gave them the courage to face their fears then so be it.

Even the other Princess spoke of her in tones too respectful for her comfort. As the one who almost did it. Who almost fulfilled the prophesy. The star on her flank, the magic at her horn.

But she had taken after her master in the end. Had chosen the lonely path. Had disappointed Celestia.

Just like another. One born long after, given the same expectations...

"Must we return to this... silliness? You know I am the greater mage."

Magic Star looked up at Twilight Sparkle, the mare full of power and bearing arrogance to match as she hovered their before her. Magic Star frowned, her master's words coming to her, "Greatness is not judged upon power, but what you do with it."

That had worked before. This time Twilight Sparkle seemed to be either learning from her mistakes or becoming far more impatient, her voice cutting out in barely controlled anger, "I have no time to debate you! Live in your delusions if you wish, but I have other engagements!"

She moved to fly away, Magic Star giving her a warning glare, "Turn your back on me at your own peril Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight paused, observing Magic Star with utter contempt for a moment. Then her horn surged with dark energies, the building Magic Star was standing upon suddenly atomized in but a moment.

Magic Star cried out in pain, her defenses and quick countermagic unable to save one of her wings. She hit the ground with a thump, the stone cutting into her as she used her telekinesis to throw herself back onto her hooves. An attraction spell sent a cloud of debris at Twilight, the mare shattering it apart with a blast of raw focused rage.

Magic Star tried to teleport away, only to wince in pain as she felt like she had slammed into a brick wall. Twilight smirked at this, Magic Star feeling a note of fear as she realized the mare had really gained enough power to be able to lock down the flow of aer without even seeming to try. She summoned up at cloud of harmony crystals to blast at Twilight but the mare tore them apart before they even got a chance to let off a shot.

Then Twilight teleported herself, appearing just overhead to slam a hoof down upon Magic Star's skull and slam her into the ground. Magic Star gasped in pain and shock, coughing on gravel and blood as Twilight delivered another kick to the mare's stomach, "Who is the better mage!? Who is the better Princess!?"

"You have no understanding of either of those words." Magic Star forced out of ruined lips, focusing all her magic in the pit of her chest. Twilight saw it coming and slammed her hoof down upon Magic Star's horn, shattering it apart with ease.

More fool her. The pain only fueled her magic, and she didn't need a horn. She felt every moment of agony as she let her magic flow uncontrolled, atomizing her in a single mighty blast of raw power that took out half a block.

Her last thought as darkness took her was hope. That she had at least brought her sisters a few moments.

¬

Killer was starting to worry, the zebra at her side already injured and exhausted by their imprisonment. Now the adrenaline was wearing off they were starting to slow, little she could say to encourage them.

"What is that?"

Killer looked round, feeling a rush of relief as she beheld the building in front. It was just across a large courtyard filled with trees and flowers, the color and life standing in stark contrast to the grey city around it. And the building itself... a vast marble hall, statues of regal, honorable looking ponies bearing both spear and scroll decorated the front, stained glass windows depicting harmony in all its forms. And standing at the entrance was an army ready to protect it, at least four Princesses standing among a large number of other important and resolute looking ponies of all species. As the zebra galloped over they saw other groups of rescued prisoners emerge from the city beyond, five more princesses flying overhead as they escorted them towards the hall.

"Behind us." A princess of pure white with a long, silver cutie mark across most of her body declared as they reached the crowd in front of the hall. The crowd parted as the zebra were let through, Killer staying to watch. The princesses landed and others emerged from the crowd, gathering around as the white princess inspected the situation, "Star Swirl."

"Yes?"

"Princess?"

The white princess frowned at one of her sisters, a skinny purple alicorn with violet hair streaked with white. After a second the purple alicorn gave an embarrassed look, shaking her head and averting her eyes, "Sorry... um... I'm also called Star Swirl."

"Well that's going to get confusing quick." Star Swirl the Bearded declared with a cheerful laugh as he stepped up, positively dwarfed by the powerful looking mares around him, "Silver, you wish something of me?"

Killer wasn't sure how to react, feeling a thrill run through her heart. Princesses were one thing, but that was Star Swirl the Bearded. She had read his books!

"Don't get cute Star Swirl, you know well what I need." Silver nodded firmly, pointing a horn at the vast army of rangers, enclave forces, alicorns and general equestrian military forming up on the edge of the square, "Please quickly, before they find the courage to attack."

"I have just the thing. My apprentices are preparing it now." Star Swirl declared, going to move away before hesitating and looking back up at Silver, "I'll just need you to buy me some time for it to work."

Silver turned back to the army before them, "So long as Twilight Sparkle doesn't show up we should..."

Another of the princesses suddenly gave a whimper, cutting her off, "No such luck..."

Silver grimaced at the sight, "Princesses of Equestria, form up!"

Killer stared out into the void, unable to restrain the full force of the... terror that seized her as the purple alicorn stepped out from the ranks of her army. Her wings trailed behind like a cloak, the violet star gem fused into her horn just radiating wrongness in its slightly twisted geometries and facets.

And then that gem started to pulse, black light inverting the colors of Canterlot as her army all stood to attention as one. Shadowy essence drained from them and fed into the gem at her horn, Twilight’s body becoming larger and more monstrous looking with every moment. Scales replaced fur, claws replaced hooves, her eyes dyed black and her horn grew long and twisted. Muttering increased among the Princesses, several of them looking openly scared.

“Hold fast ponies, you only have to give me a little longer.” Star Swirl the Bearded stated gravely as he joined his fellow mages, the magic between them starting to form into recognizable shapes as he joined his magic to theirs.

Then Twilight Sparkle unleashed a blast from her horn, a glowing cyclone of black and purple. The Princesses of Equestria stood to face it as one, six of the greatest heroes Equestria had ever known. A shield of pure harmony formed around the hall, the unimaginable energies of the best and brightest of pony kind.

And the shield twisted and contorted, rainbow energy dyed into horrible, unnatural colors as it desperately held against the assault. The walls of the halls of harmony cracked and shattered, gilded statues of noble heroes toppling to the marbled ground. Ponies and zebra were thrown to the floor by the impact, Killer only just managing to hold herself steady by rooting herself to the floor. The Princesses staggered, a couple of them only just remaining upright.

But the blast had faded, the shield had held...

A giant glowing hoof slammed against the shield, once again causing it to shift and buckle. The last embers of Twilight Sparkle’s attack cleared, only to reveal the mare herself rising up inside a great spectral alicorn. It was twisted and evil looking, body corrupted and wrong, eyes glowing with unnatural light. It’s body became firmer and more real with every passing moment, the energies of her army now feeding her in ever greater amounts. Killer could only gaze in mounting terror, feeling a sense of... religious awe at the being in front of such a being.

It could only be described as a god. It brought both hooves upwards and slammed them down, the shield breaking in places with a high pitched shattering sound. Star Swirl the Bearded shouted to his fellow mages and a few of them broke off to reinforce the shield, other unicorns doing their best to add their own energies.

“WHY WON’T YOU DIE!? LOOK AT YOU COMPARED TO ME! I BRING THE PONIES OF EQUESTRIA TO A BRAVE NEW FUTURE, WHILE YOU SIMPLY SAT BACK AND LET THE ZEBRA TAKE EVERYTHING FROM US!” Twilight stepped back and blasted the shield with a wide blast of dark energy, leaving burning trails across the surface of the hall and sending several ponies and zebra inside the barrier screaming to the flaw with their flesh seared and smoldering, “YOU AID TRAITORS AND MURDERERS!”

“No...” She heard one of the Princesses whisper, a soft pink alicorn near the centre.

“THEY KILLED MY BROTHER!”

“No... please Twilight...”

“THEY KILLED EVERYPONY!” She screamed out the words, light flashing at her horn and a thousand spectral figures of broken and blooded ponies screaming outwards. Soldiers in shattered power armor, pathetic and broken grunts dying in lonely fields, once noble princes now broken corpses on forgotten battlefields...

The pink princess gasped, staggered backwards and fell to her knees, the magic fading at her horn.

And the specter had an effect on Killer as well, because as she looked at the broken figure of that noble prince and she remembered, remembered the blow, remembered the sword... remembered the hooves that had wielded it. And she knew...

This was all her fault. She was responsible for all this, for Twilight's madness, for the destruction of Equestria. A raw, burning truth at the pit of her soul.

But she didn't find herself discouraged. Instead she felt... emboldened. For if this was truly what she had wrought, then she had a responsibility to fix it. Even though it felt like an absurd imposition...

Even if she knew how the princesses would react to her dark magics.

And for a moment she looked at those Princesses and considered. Her memories were full of atrocities, she had murdered innocent ponies by the hundreds, ruined lives, destroyed innocence. But behind it all... she must have done it for something. For her friends, for her country. Why did she fight? What drove her to kill, and destroy?

And though she remembered nothing, no names or faces, some dim memories peeked through. Of good feelings, of better times. Of those... who she loved, and fought to protect.

With those feelings guiding her she brought up her forehoof, bit deep and tore a chunk of flesh away. It was way too easy, simply what had to be done. She ignored the pain, watching as the blood collected upon her hoof before running at the faltering shield with a fierce sense of determination driving her steps.

Harmonic resonance barrier. Rare, but she had studied them. This one was unusual in that every single Princess was producing her own and combining them, Killer seeing the gaps where the souls of the Princesses didn't quite line up. The subtle competition, the egos, the hurt feelings... even Princesses of harmony were not free of such conflicts it seemed.

And so Killer reached the edge of the barrier, her blood splashing across the surface in glowing arcs as she wrote the rune, slamming her hoof down in the center as the meaning blazed it in brilliant light.

Harmony.

She gathered the magic of the remaining Princesses, harmonizing and equalizing them, allowing the full force of their connection to manifest. The shield strengthened and solidified, her blood flowing in full stream from her hoof to maintain the runes spreading out across the rainbow surface. Twilight Sparkle blasted the shield with her magic but it held firm, energy falling from its shimmering surface. Twilight beat and screamed but it stood defiantly against the punishment, its rainbow light blazing into the darkness.

Killer smiled softly, she had done it. She had saved them. She willingly accepted the price, feeling her body run cold, her heart run dry. She was after all maintaining a shield of magic keeping out a god with her own blood and life essence, standing among the Princesses of Equestria. And she was simply mortal.

Her knees buckled, and she prepared herself. Vision blurred, her body going numb.

And then a cleansing warmth flowed through her, rejuvenating and strengthening. Instantly she felt her mood lift, her resolve once more affirmed. Her magic flowed into the shield, empowered and fierce. She looked to her sides, the two Princesses flanking her two of the smallest and most innocent looking. One was a mint green with a cutie mark that looked like triple umbrellas, the other purple with what looked like a wisteria flower as a cutie mark. Neither of them seemed suited to combat of any sort, still they stood firm and brave before Twilight Sparkle. And that warm glow from their horns now enveloped Killer, the Princesses offering her a pair of impossibly sweet and sincere smiles as they fed their energies into her failing body.

Killer blushed, but the warmth she felt fill her heart couldn't be contained. She smiled wide, even though her memories told her she didn't deserve such happiness. She ignored those feelings for a few glorious moments, turning back to the shield and feeling the glorious sense of family that came from standing next to such a pair of comrades.

"And... there!" Star Swirl shouted as a blast of sparkling energy radiated outwards across the city, shooting past them and giving Killer a strange, tingling sensation up her spine. It's effects on the others was far more immediate, the zebra, many of the other ponies, Twilight Sparkle and her entire army all suddenly stopping in place and staring straight forward with dull eyes.

Then as one they all turned around and departed wordlessly, Twilight's magic failing around her as she opened her wings and flew back towards the palace.

¬

"What... did you do?" Star Swirl asked as the Princesses moved to round up the rather confused zebra, all of whom were now wandering aimlessly about the courtyard.

"Reset them." Star Swirl the Bearded explained, taking a deep breath and shaking out his body. He removed his hat and hung it on the tail of one of his assistants before giving the alicorn a grin, "One can consider ghosts as echoes, living out dim memories of the lives they led before their deaths. Their ability to process things cognitively is limited, and I further inhibited that ability temporarily. They should return to their normal lives, forget what has transpired today."

"It didn't affect you." Star Swirl stated, holding out a hoof to stop one of the zebra from walking through the now fading shield, "Or the Princesses."

"Yes, you see the spell only affects the cognitive processes originating here, in the lower dreaming." Star Swirl the Bearded explained, twirling his hoof and sounding to be right in his element now, "The Princesses... and myself, ahem... have a connection to our souls in the realms beyond due to our studies into the arcane mysteries. You on the other hand are simply projecting yourself into this realm from the waking world."

"Enough with the speeches old man." A white colored alicorn stated with a cheerful smile, escorting the zebra and ponies into the hall behind, "We have injured, and really should get everyone into cover."

"Yes, yes Diamond Glow, I'm coming." He nodded cheerfully to Star Swirl, shooing her on, "Please my dear, after you. I just need to get a few things cleaned up out here."

They were led inside, the Hall of Harmony both awe inspiring and deeply intimidating. Marble statues of the great heroes of Equestria flanked the central chamber, around it wide balconies holding a hundred libraries worth of books and manuscripts. The stained glass windows celebrated events both long forgotten and still spoken about in legend, Star Swirl finding her eyes drawn towards the last. It stood in a far, shadowed corner, little light shining through the black and pink shards that comprised the majority of the image.

The towers of Canterlot and its ponies, tumbling into pink gas and balefire.

There were cheers as they moved inside, though she noticed a few wary eyes thrown in her direction. The ponies here came in every shape and she recognized some of them, public servants, heroes, scholars... the great and good of Equestria, "Are the mares of the ministry here?"

"No." Silver answered with grim tones, "They disappeared when Twilight Sparkle took the throne. We still do not know what happened to them."

"What about Gawd and the other heroes of the wasteland?"

"Diamond Glow would be best placed to answer that."

The alicorn beside Silver nodded, "The history of this place ended with the megaspells. What came after seems to lack ties to this hall, indeed for a long time we thought the world must have truly ended." She defied such grim words with a cheerful smile, "But then we saw your world out there in the mist, knew there were those fighting out of there. We hoped we would find some way to link this hall to the future beyond, were working on it quite enthusiastically...”

“But Twilight Sparkle has rather delayed us in that effort." Silver concluded.

Star Swirl wondered at the laws at play here. It all seemed rather arbitrary, "But why? Is it because what came after is not... Equestria?"

"We truly are not entirely sure." Diamond Glow answered with a sigh, "This hall was built by the alicorns for a purpose unknown for us, and converted to its present state by Elder Sister Celestia. She was the only one who truly understood what rules govern it, and she did not share that information with any of us."

Star Swirl admitted that the question of Celestia was one she wanted to ask about, "Where is she?"

There was a silence that reigned for long enough to become uncomfortable, Diamond Glow finally answering with careful tones, "We do not know for sure."

Silver looked frustrated at this answer, her tone clipped as she elaborated with some annoyance, "No pony here has ever seen her spirit enter the lower dreaming."

Star Swirl looked up at the statues above, seeing Shining Armor standing proud among the other great warriors of Equestria. She already knew he wasn't here in spirit, that he had been banished from this place by the manner of his death. Was that Celestia’s fate too? "Her spirit was completely severed from the walking realm? Her connection to the world was too badly damaged to stay in this place?”

"Her plinth stands empty." Diamond Glow motioned up at the statues at the far end of the hall, a long line of noble figures that began with Princess Luna and ended with Princess Cadance. There was indeed a plinth next to Luna, the nameplate below broken and scoured clean by some kind of acid damage by the looks of it. Diamond Glow gave a hopeful smile, turning back to Star Swirl, "And Luna at least believes that her sister still walks the earth."

"Why is her plinth damaged?" Star Swirl questioned, before her eyes were once again drawn to a statue in the middle. An alicorn like the rest, rather than the heroic triumph found in the other statues this had its body bowed and defeated, wings folded around it to obscure the face. Like Celestia's spot, this too had its nameplate scratched clean, "That one is damaged too."

Diamond Glow’s eye traveled to the statue, and then to a cafe just off the main hall. A mare was serving there, a pretty young thing with a double emerald cutie mark. As they watched she passed another waiter, a handsome young buck, the two briefly sharing a quick smile and peck on the cheek before moving off once again.

"Princess Emerald resigned her position after her family were killed in a dragon attack." Star Swirl repeated from memory, having been told this very story by Midnight Dreamer back at the city under the mountain, "She willingly gave up her immortality and connection to harmony, so that they did not have to be parted. She died within a month."

"You know the story?"

Star Swirl nodded, finding it all rather odd really, "A friend of mine told me it." She really didn't want to talk about that right now, eyes traveling back to Celestia's statue, "Does that mean she's lost her connection to harmony?"

"We do not know." Silver stated firmly, "I advise you not to worry overmuch about it. Celestia is lost to us, and lost to you as well it seems."

Diamond Glow gave her a slightly disapproving look before returning to her look of gentle kindness, "I choose to believe she lives still."

"Then why does no one living know what happened to her?" Silver commented, looking deeply bitter, "Why do none of us know what happened to her? If she lives, or if she resides within the dreaming... then she has abandoned us either way."

Diamond Glow's eyes fell, "Silver..."

"She has abandoned us to the mercies of her student." Silver turned a part of dark, hard eyes to Star Swirl, "And as I'm sure you saw today... we are losing."

Star Swirl had to admit... this is not what she imagined, "But you're the Princesses of Equestria."

"Half of us cannot even fight. The rest would still not last a moment against Twilight Sparkle." She waved a hoof, "So we cower in this hall, arguing about how best to fail and die."

Star Swirl shook her head. That was not how this was going to go. Puppy was right, to just give up would make... everything that had happened pointless. And that made her angry, the first emotion she had felt in a little while, "No. We'll beat her. We'll take the element back."

"You have courage." Silver acknowledged, "And power. I can feel your strength, exceptional even among Twilight's best mutants. But is it enough to match what you saw today?"

Star Swirl wasn't about to be intimidated, "She's still just a pony. If you get past her power, she can be hurt."

"She has an army to protect her." Silver answered with a shake of her head, "An army that sees with her eyes, shares her every thought, is driven by her will. The element of magic is our most powerful artifact, and she has the power to use it to its full potential."

"So we just give up?"

Silver looked frustrated, like she was about to reply. But then she just turned and walked away, her voice quiet, "You have only just arrived. We have spent years losing and dying to that monster. Judge me all you wish."

Things were quiet for several moments before Diamond Glow spoke, her voice soft and gentle, "Don't think too poorly of her. She was the last of us to lose hope, and with Celestia and Luna absent, she is the eldest. The burden of leadership, and the burden of what has happened, lies upon her most heavily of all."

Star Swirl wasn’t about to judge. Sometimes... she felt pretty hopeless too.

Maybe she still did. It wasn’t as if the things Silver said weren’t true, and she didn’t even know what was happening above in the real world.

The whole world was falling to ruin, and not even the Princesses of Equestria could stop it.

¬

Killer strayed at the back of the room as she observed events going on around, trying to avoid attention. She hated being here, hated the sense of shame it endangered. Ever single symbol of harmony, every single beaming face... it reminded her of how she had dedicated her life to bringing it all down. To spreading hatred and death.

She looked up, a statue of Shining Armor standing proud just a short way again. It stabbed her wickedly through the heart, Killer dropping her head and feeling the tears come to her eyes.

"None of these ponies are judging you Killer."

She opened one eye to glare at the Ghost Girl, "They would if they knew..."

"Know what?"

Killer swept round with fear filling her heart, almost about to run right there. She cringed and backed away as she saw the two Princesses who had helped her before moving towards her, biting her lip and doing her best to look innocent.

The first, the mint blue one, came forward with cheerful enthusiasm, extending a firm hoof that made Killer flinch away in panic, "Hi, I'm Minty!"

"Minty, you're scaring the poor mare!" The other Princess chided, her expression kinder as she stopped a little further away and gave a warm and motherly smile, "My name is Wisteria. This is Princess Minty."

"I'm scary?" Minty stated with quite adorable looking confusion, falling back onto her hindlegs with a thump. Her eyes widened after a moment, looking down at Killer’s hoof, “You’re still bleeding.”

“Oh... ah!” Killer looked down, her hoof stained red where she had bit it and a small pool of blood on the marble floor. She quickly lifted it and pressed it against her body to stop the bleeding, blushing red, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make a mess on your floor. It must have opened up again...”

“Here.” Wisteria stated, tearing a strip of bandage from the bag at her side and taking her hoof. Her touch was gentle and her hooves were skillful, Killer’s hoof soon bound tight by strips of gauze, “Much better.”

Killer smiled, already feeling a little better, "It's good to meet you both. I'm... um..." She wondered what to call herself. She didn't really want to go with 'Killer'.

"None of you know your name do you? That's so sad." Wisteria answered with sympathy, "It's ok, we..."

"Black Lotus!" Minty declared happily, grinning as the other two looked at her. She shrugged at the moment of silence, "She just looks like a Black Lotus I guess. She's all exotic, and..."

"Black?" Killer asked with a growing smile.

"And white." Minty added with a nod, "But Black Lotus makes you sound mysterious."

Wisteria looked deeply dismayed, shaking her head for a moment before giving Killer an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, she's always like this."

"Friendly?" Black Lotus stated softly, before giving Wisteria a warm smile, "It's good name, though I'll stick with Lotus. And thank you. For... cheering me up."

Minty gave her a cheerful grin, "You looked sad."

"I was." She accepted, "But I feel better already."

"Element of Laughter, natch!" Minty cheerfully declared, "No room for frowny faces!"

"We wanted to thank you as well." Wisteria added, "We would have never held that shield without your help."

Lotus blushed at the praise, "I... well, if she had got through, she would have killed me too."

"Why are you so down on yourself?" Wisteria asked, looking a tiny bit angry, "What you did, that's real magic. The sort of magic that proper Princesses like Celestia and Diamond Glow talk about."

Lotus was confused, "Blood magic?"

"Using your own life force to power your magic. If we hadn't stepped in, you would have died." Wisteria explained, eyes full of respect, "That's how Princess Diamond Glow died you know? She used up her own life energy to bring Duchess Sapphire Shine back from the dead, save Equestria from civil war."

She was being compared to a Princess now? "I can hardly... I'm a zebra. I used this magic to hurt ponies."

"Look around." Wisteria spoke quietly, looking at all the great pony heroes that stood about the hall, "A lot of us here have made mistakes, have things we're not proud of. And I don't care what Twilight Sparkle says, I don't believe zebra are any different from ponies. Right Minty?"

"Sorry, I kinda... tuned out for a moment there." Minty replied with a blush, chuckling a little and grinning up at Lotus, "You're just so beautiful. How did you get so lean and strong? You must exercise, like, all the time."

Lotus hesitated, feeling her cheeks glow red. After a moment she saw Ghost Girl creep up behind the two, chuckling at Lotus' reaction, "Take the complement already. Not every day a Princess calls you pretty."

"Um... ah." She started, finding her bearings once more, "Actually most of the exercise I do it for magical control. It... ah, allows me to manipulate my body how I want it."

Minty and Wisteria both goggled at this, "You can magic yourself thin?"

"Not exactly, but... kind of?" Lotus found this difficult, not even knowing she knew most of this given the state of her memories, "I can speed up or slow down my metabolism, control which muscles develop and how fast."

Wisteria whistled, "Wow... you've got to teach me that..."

¬

"Is she going to be alright?" Star Swirl asked with a hint of concern peeking through the uncaring numbness, looking down once again at the unconscious Puppy. She looked and felt intact, still the girl had taken a pretty hard hit, "I mean, you know she's not..."

"This isn't my first spirit dear." Diamond Glow answered with a warm, matronly smile, her horn glowing softly as she moved it across the mare's body, "Though I must admit I've never had a chance to work on a child of the stars."

"Wait, what!?"

Diamond's head lifted, looking disapprovingly down her muzzle. Star Swirl looked back at where Minty and Wisteria were standing with a rather confused looking zebra.

"She's not a pony?" Wisteria questioned as Minty gave her a pleading look, "She's... one of them?"

"Yes." Diamond Glow answered with a smile, returning to her work, "A patient."

Star Swirl looked down at the Princess, willing to be impressed. Not a moment of hesitation or fear, "Puppy is doing her best to do what's right."

"I can see that." Diamond Glow answered, "Saving those zebra without a moment's hesitation."

Star Swirl sighed, feeling her eye twitch slightly, "She could have done with a tiny bit more hesitation..."

"But it turned out for the best, yes?" Diamond Glow stated as she finally sighed and moved up to her full height, inspecting Puppy with an assessing gaze, "I think I'm going to have to try something more drastic."

Star Swirl shivered a little, "What's that?"

"This." Diamond Glow answered as she leaned down and poked Puppy in the flank with her horn.

"Yow!" The mare's eyes shot open and she darted away, rolling onto her hooves with horn glowing. Star Swirl and the others all prepared to defend themselves but Diamond Glow simply kept up her smile, Puppy's horn quickly dimming. She looked around with a confused expression, noting the various winged and horned figures around the room, "Where am I? What happened?"

"You are safe." Diamond Glow assured her, "This is the hall of harmony."

Puppy's eyes went wide at this, her eyes finally seeming to take it in, "You're... a princess!"

She gave a nod in return, "Yes."

"Oh WOW! Eeeeeeeee!" Puppy stamped her hooves excitedly, jumping backwards and expanding her wings full size with a proud look, "See, I have wings too!"

"It's a... demon, fangirling over princesses..." Wisteria muttered to herself, "Now I've seen everything."

Star Swirl took a second to cough, thinking that it wasn't really that rare in the grand scheme of things. Which reminded her... "Where's Selene?"

"She's babysitting the children." Diamond Glow stated with a chuckle, nodding over to a corner nearby where Princess Cadance was looking on with a mixture of confusion and amusement as Selene cheerfully played with a gaggle of foals and filles. She looked happy, happier than Star Swirl had ever seen her, gentle and careful as they climbed and roughhoused with her. Diamond Glow paused for a moment before turning back to them, nodding her head cheerfully, "That's what I love about being a healer, you meet such fascinating creatures."

After a second more of silence Minty finally moved, stepping forward with only a little hesitation. She stopped in front of Puppy, lifted a hoof and left it hovering there like she was locked in a military salute. It took Star Swirl a moment to realize it was a (rather clumsy) attempt at a hoof bump.

Puppy grinned back, lifted a hoof, and bopped Minty on the nose, "Boop!"

Minty looked surprised for a moment before giggling, "That's not fair!"

"You did leave yourself kinda open." Puppy explained with a wide grin.

"You are more than welcome here, all of you. Never doubt that." Diamond Glow stated, her voice warm and affectionate, "Indeed, in an hour you accomplished more than we have in months."

"We did kinda put you in danger..." Star Swirl started.

"We were always in danger." Diamond Glow firmly corrected, "It was brave of you to stand against Twilight Sparkle, and it gives me new hope. I had forgotten that such a thing was possible." She nodded at Puppy, "What is your name traveler?"

"Puppysmiles." Puppy declared, looking around at Star Swirl, "And this is Star Swirl. And over there is Selene."

"Three children of the stars, traveling together, seeking harmony." Diamond Glow chuckled, "Makes me realize the universe still holds things of wonder."

Wisteria finally moved, looking embarrassed as she gave them all an apologetic glance, "I'm sorry, but... well I grew up on tales of Nightmare Moon. Still that doesn’t excuse me..."

"It's alright." Puppy declared with a big grin, "We killed her."

"Wha..."

Star Swirl looked at Puppy, wondering if she was going to stop. She didn't, the mare’s grin growing wider as she continued, "We found out I was Nightmare Moon in a previous existence, and she tried to take over. So Star Swirl went into my dreams, and together we wiped out the Nightmare Forces inside of me!"

"You did? Just the two of you?" Wisteria commented with a look of surprise.

"Oh, there were others there too... maybe." Puppy accepted with a sly little smile, "But it was mostly me. And Selene."

Wisteria just stood with wide eyed shock, “Wow...”

"You have had quite the journey, I can tell." Diamond Glow's eyes traveled between Puppy and Star Swirl, "One bound to a mortal pony, the other free. Neither of you what I expected."

Star Swirl felt the need to defend herself, "I've... we've... had troubles lately." She dropped her head, "I'm not at my best."

"We lost someone we cared about." Puppy explained, her normal perk dimming, "We're all dealing with it in our own way."

"Quite astounding." Diamond Glow stated with a look of deep curiosity, "In fairness, the attitude of Wisteria has plenty of merit. All three of you are still beings of natural chaos and evil. Accepted reason is that this state cannot be changed... yet both of you embody a wellspring of harmony that matches any pony here."

"It’s been a long time in the making. All my existence I've wanted..." Star Swirl started, unable to restrain herself, "...to understand. To live in this world, to be a part of it. To make it better. I’ve tried so hard..."

"I'm so sorry." Wisteria pleaded, looking between them, "I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright." Star Swirl cut in, shaking her head, "I'm one of Twilight Sparkle's alicorns, and a star demon. You have every right not to trust me."

"That's so weird." Minty stated with a little giggle at the end, "That the big heroes here in the halls of harmony would be a zebra, a mutant-alicorn, and two star demons."

Puppy grinned happily, looking around the vast hall. Finally she placed a hoof on her chest, her tone full of emotion, "I've dreamed of finding this place you know? All my life I've studied the elements of harmony, told that's it's my mission to use that knowledge to save the world." She shrugged, her grin dimming as her eyes turned downwards, "It was difficult when I thought I was an artificial intelligence. Now that I know I'm a demon, it’s only more so. Sometimes it seems so unattainable.”

Star Swirl turned away, those words stinging far too hard for comfort, "Puppy..."

Puppy hesitated for a moment, then grinned happily as guitar music seemed to emerge from out of nowhere. Star Swirl looked around for the source of the sad, gentle cords but saw nothing, no musicians or sound systems. Puppy seemed to have no such concern, simply taking a moment to compose herself before twirling around with bright eyes shining. Her voice was melodic and sweet, faced them all and taking a deep breath before explaining, "I wasn't born a pony. Sometimes I feel like I have to keep proving... I belong."

And then she opened her mouth again, a sweet, resounding note sounding out, "I study hard, I read the books, but everywhere I turn. It’s seems like there’s a zillion things, that I still need, to learn..."

Star Swirl froze in horror and confusion, her jaw dropping. It took her a moment to regain control of her tongue, it still getting itself tied in knots as she tried to speak, "What... is she doing...?"

"Singing, duh." Minty explained with a tilt of her head.

"It happens a lot around here." Wisteria concurred.

"I’ve got the horn, I’ve got the wings, but those are all just things. I’ll try to be tough, but is it enough? In this game of kings?"

"She's got a very pretty voice." Deep tones commented as the zebra wandered over, looking quite moved by the performance, "Makes me... feel, like I haven't in a long time."

Star Swirl stammered, "...but... where is the music...and the lyrics...?"

"Star Swirl, this is Lotus. Lotus, Star Swirl." Wysteria introduced, before nodding hastily over to Minty, "Come on, quick. She's nearly at the chorus."

Star Swirl looked at her, "Where are you going?"

"Back up singers!" Minty explained as she cantered by, "We might not be big wasteland adventurers like you, but we know how to sing!"

"Oh how do I keep on trying and just stay strong? With so many times, I wonder if I belong?"

"This is stupid." Star Swirl grumped, refusing to be drawn into the moment.

"They look at me, what do they see? Am I noble or just pretending to be? But this is the day, to make them all say. That I did it perfectly."

"Stupid..." Star Swirl repeated.

"It is true, my real form, a demon out of lore. But I believe, that what's inside should mean a whole lot more.

So I got to go, face this test, I’m gonna try my very best. To make the right move, and finally prove... we’re as Royal as the rest."

"You look upset." Lotus observed, her eyes looking up with sympathy.

"Yeah." Star Swirl muttered, hiding her expression as she took in a deep breath, "...I never was a very good singer..."

"There may be things, I may get wrong. But I gotta just stay strong.

I’m gonna finally show them...I belong."

~

Star Swirl reluctantly conceded that the Princesses of Equestia, the mares she had worshiped all her life... had underwhelmed her. They were smaller than her, bore themselves casually, lacked the heaven shaking magic that the legends had spoken of. Many of them clearly didn’t even know how to fight.

And they joked about the one in front of her, standing alone and watchful, troubled by the day’s events as the others laughed and joked their cares away. Her body tall and strong, her bearing dignified. Her white fur shone in the moonlight, the silver cutie mark glittering.

Silver turned her head at Star Swirl’s approach, unsurprisingly suspicious and hostile. She spoke no words, Star Swirl taking that as an opportunity to start, “I’m sorry if I make you uncomfortable.”

Silver’s expression become interested now, “You must understand, I have had... limited opportunity to speak to your kind. Normally they are trying to eradicate me and all that I love.” She looked Star Swirl straight in the eye, both her expression and her words gently challenging, “I’m sure you’ve noticed many feel the same. Unlike them I consider it dishonourable to disguise my true thoughts.”

Star Swirl appreciated that, offering a smile, “To be honest I make myself rather uncomfortable, especially... seeing my sisters here, hurting other ponies.”

Silver smiled now, even if it was distant and lacking in warmth, “You struck out at your twisted progenitor. That is enough to win my respect. What you are should never be allowed to disguise what you do.”

Her twisted progenitor... that was something they agreed on, “Would what I am stop me from taking the element of magic?”

“I’m afraid so. It is an honourable aim, but misguided.” She stated with firm resignation, “None of you can take the element without it corrupting you. In this instance, what you are indeed bears weight, as ironically it does for us.” She looked up, quietly judging, “Neither of us belong in the waking world, and the element does not belong here. One of our greatest weaknesses is that the element of magic is as poisonous to us as it is to you. I am long dead, and you are...”

“A demon.”

Silver observed Star Swirl for many long moments, a hint of sadness behind her stoic eyes. Eventually she spoke, unexpected gentleness in her tone, “Twilight Sparkle formed you as a calculated insult to everything we are. Where we are powered by the forces of harmony, you are powered by balefire and dark magic.” She turned her head away, “The element of magic rejected her, Celestia rejected her. So she created you to destroy harmony. It is a sad truth, but the mare has made you fundamentally incapable of wielding the element of magic. She did it on purpose.”

Star Swirl smiled now. Smiled bitterly at the wickedness of it all, “The ultimate antithesis. Rendering ponies incapable of harmony, leading them into chaos, turning the element of magic to evil.”

Silver smiled back, “Yes.” She leaned forward, suddenly serious again, “Don’t let that discourage you Star Swirl. You cannot help us maybe, but you do not need harmony to make the world a better place.”

Star Swirl gave her a questioning look, “An odd thing for a Princess to say.”

“Do not think I’m unaware of what others think of me.” Silver stated, her head rising regally and her expression proud, “I am not a nice pony. I do not like the others, I do not like the commoners who I serve. I do not understand why I am a Princess, nor why Celestia chose me for that honor. But I believe it is because at the end of the day I will stand for peace and harmony. Not because I love the world, not because it loves me... but because it is the right thing to do.”

Star Swirl lowered her head, feeling the words dig deep, “I understand that...”

“You must. You have been called demon many times I expect.” She frowned, bitterness behind her eyes, “I have been called many things too. But while you might enjoy the company of Minty and Wisteria now, tell me who you would rather have at your back when the monsters come calling?”

“I should... not try to be liked?”

“You should not try to be anything but yourself, dedicate yourself to the things you believe.” Silver gazed coldly upon the Princesses below, “I respect my fellow Princesses for doing that. I wish they would give me the same courtesy. We are not all built the same.”

“No.” Star Swirl admitted, “I am a fusion of a star demon who dedicated her entire life to learning to live alongside ponies, and an alicorn who rejected everything she was in favour of being harmless and unthreatening. All I ever wanted was to fit in, and I dedicated so much effort to that...”

She looked down to the hall below, watched as Puppy laughed and talked, the other princesses gathered around her with smiling faces, “Puppy, she used to be Nightmare Moon. Everything I know tells me that without a body to inhabit she has no real emotions, that she’s just faking them... but if she is, she’s doing it a lot better than me.”

“You have emotions Star Swirl. Deep ones.” Silver looked at her, sympathy behind those quiet, impassive eyes, “Do not let your mind be tainted by jealousy. You are not Puppysmiles. She can dance and sing because she does not bear the weight we do.”

“No...” Star Swirl agreed, before feeling the tears form in her eyes. She... was surprised at that. Her heart still felt numb, “I told... a good friend of mine that I still wished for peaceful times. When I was just another pony, that I didn’t have all this... expectation.”

Silver smiled now, the look transforming her face, “Then you now truly know what it is to be a Princess.”

Star Swirl chuckled, “I always thought it would be... bigger. More.”

“We all did.” Silver agreed, before moving forward and placing a hoof on Star Swirl’s shoulder, “But really it’s just like growing up. The lessons and responsibly mount up, until one day Celestia’s standing in front of you and you’re admiring a new horn and pair of wings. But things don’t really change, not at first.”

“Then what is the point?”

“That’s up to you.” Silver moved her hoof down, placing it upon Star Swirl’s breast and looking her in the eye, “No one is going to tell you what your destiny is Star Swirl. If you want to be a Princess, then that it something you’ll need to find on your own.”

Star Swirl thought on this for several long moments before her thoughts crystallized and her resolve set. She knew what she had to do, “You’re right. I can’t keep chasing after the respect of others, if I want to help this world... I’ve got to do it my way.”

“Good luck Star Swirl.” Silver stated with a respectful nod as she moved back, “Fight hard, and be true. In the end that is all anypony can ask.”

_________________________________________________

Puppysmiles

Level Up - Level 11 Reached
Perk Gained – Songstress Level 1
You have cultivated a clear and resonant voice, and the ability to think up lyrics on the fly. By substituting any social test with a song you can increase the chances of success by 30%.

Author's Note:

Author's Note:

Author's Note:

This fanfiction is based on Fallout Equestria by Kkat, it is highly recommended that you read that first for context. Reading Fallout Equestria: Pink Eyes by Mimezinga will help understanding, but isn’t required.

Many of the characters and much of the setting are not mine but are on loan from the very awesome Kkat, or are taken from My Little Pony - Friendship Is Magic by Hasbro. This story makes no pretentions at being canon with either, and is merely a ‘what-if’ set in the same world.

If you enjoy Fallout Equestria Side Stories, you will want to check the Fallout Equestria Side Stories post on Equestria Daily and the Fallout Equestria Side Stories thread on Ponychan.

Comments

[Kexisoc]

Sincerely sorry about that delay with my review. But let's get started!

Well, if there's one consolation, Ace's mentor was not added amongst the casualties. I can't imagine how Ace would bear losing two close companions in a single span.

Either the events were censored from our news, but I wonder if Fluttershy's account of random dogtags being assigned with unrecognizable body parts for funerals is an allegory for a real event. Either way, the war seemed beyond brutal given Fluttershy's tone of it.

That one little sentence explaining Velvet Promises' wasteland life sheds a lot of light on her hostile demeanor towards Silent Steel and her political policies prior to her assassination.

["High Elder Peach Trees still thinks the NCR is a dangerous frontier full of evil monsters and defenseless civilians."] The irony Peach Trees was correct about his suspicion rings a beautiful irony with Fluttershy's dismissal of his approach.

I'd like to address the discussion the party has between themselves about whether to keep moving forward or not. Unfortunately, saying that I like that scene seems to be an understatement. In most fictional settings, be it novels or games, every member of a group seems absolutely confident they'll win, which kinda breaks the plausibility of the desperate situation they're in. But here, I love the skepticism everypony shared with Fluttershy's assertion in light of one of their members dying. Ace acknowledging they're not the ideal individuals. But that makes their concluding resolve all the more meaningful.

Now color me skeptical, but Star Swirl seems unusually calm and nonplussed seeing how the last thing she saw before she blacked out was Sunshine Ivory being coincidentally present around Arick's Mercenaries and Zenai's execution. I can only assume the injuries impacted her short term memory. Because...you'd think she'd immediately mention to Puppy, "Oh yeah, you may want to watch out for Sunshine Ivory..."

["Have you oppressed any innocents today comrades?" The mint blue one asked in a rather poor Russian accent.

"Um... hundreds?" Puppysmiles ventured.

"Oh... um... good work!"]

As humorous as that exchange was, I think it's only fair to remind you that as corny as it is, it may have helped to identify the accent as Stalliongrad instead of the Russian - human labelled ethnicity which may break the momentum of the escapism.

Oh dear, Twilight's further acts of delusion and ignored epiphanies are feeding my urge to snap the sense back into her. But seeing that Star Swirl, Puppy and Selene have rallied at the spiritual alicorn sanctuary, I don't think I'll have to wait for long. The alicorns were surprisingly accepting of the newcomer's arrivals given they were identified as star demons immediately.

*sigh* I wish I can elaborate on more insights, but between my sleep fatigue, and assignments deadlines in RL being due one consecutive day after another, I didn't want to leave you hanging about my thoughts. But anyways, analyzing your latest chapter is a gentle reprieve from analyzing financial data. Good luck with the next chapter.

[Philweasel]

5761659

Either the events were censored from our news, but I wonder if Fluttershy's account of random dogtags being assigned with unrecognizable body parts for funerals is an allegory for a real event. Either way, the war seemed beyond brutal given Fluttershy's tone of it.

Given her research into Wartime Stress Disorder I took from the modern genesis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the shell shock of WW1. I figured it made sense, as like in WW1 Equestria found itself in the kind of war it had never experienced before, with weapons and strategies that inflicted causalities on a scale never before imagined. There’s a bit of Lionel Logue and Isabella Stenhouse in there.

The alicorns were surprisingly accepting of the newcomer's arrivals given they were identified as star demons immediately.

While we know a lot about Star Demons, most of the Princesses have never encountered one. They’re princesses after all, judging a creature purely by reputation after a clearly heroic act would be rather low of them. As she had been treating her, naturally Diamond Glow had already worked out that she was a spirit and dealt with that internally before the topic came up.

Oh dear, Twilight's further acts of delusion and ignored epiphanies are feeding my urge to snap the sense back into her.

You can’t entirely blame Twilight. Being an only barely sentient memory, the sort of corruption a misfiring element of harmony can pack is impossible for her to resist. And it's only got stronger, adding to it years of dark energies.

And I’d also make a note to not put too much stock in anything Silver Swirl says about other ponies. Among her flaws, an extremely judgemental streak.

Now color me skeptical, but Star Swirl seems unusually calm and nonplussed seeing how the last thing she saw before she blacked out was Sunshine Ivory being coincidentally present around Arick's Mercenaries and Zenai's execution.

Star Swirl has a lot going on internally at the moment. You might have to wait a while to find out exactly what.

Oh, and if you’re interested...

Minty
https://derpibooru.org/783508?scope=scpec32b8be9af29386ffe90678282ff5ad8b3a0fd44

Wisteria
https://derpibooru.org/246332?scope=scpe1be8a82e49da85de98d2c7c7f2520548d0118a5a

Silver Swirl
http://soulscapecreatives.deviantart.com/art/Meeting-the-Princess-296171530

Diamond Glow
http://pony2.aien-hime.com/pony.php?PonyID=71

Galaxy
https://derpibooru.org/547880?scope=scpebf834ae7218adc4de525ed61f0d95f530e6b82da

Magic Star
https://derpibooru.org/549519?scope=scpef8697c29b2e5d5b5d2b56eb0bebef75b02a20d18

Next chapter is aaaaaalmost ready. It’s quite possible it could be out tomorrow.