Canterlot's halls were heavily hung with solemnity, the very stones saturated with dread that left none of the ponies within free of its cloying grasp; as it was, this was caused by the quietude within the walls of the castle, tangible to only those who knew of the severity of the conflict facing the nation…
Celestia sat up in her throne in the center of it all, struggling to maintain the calm and collected facade that she cultivated over the past centuries of ruling the nation. Yet, try as she might, the distant laughter and chatter from the approaching mares from outside in the halls, she found it more difficult emotionally to keep her composure. And yet there was no other choice, she knew her words were due to bring terrible fear and pain to the mares that she owed everything to; if the nation were to stand a chance against this new threat, she was going to have to remain truthful.
Even with the heavy burden weighing down on her both consciously and within her heart, the corners of her lips couldn’t help but lift a fraction of an inch as Twilight’s friends entered through the doors on the other side of the room, the eager and happy chatter that passed between them was a welcoming sight and a knife to her heart simultaneously, knowing that the positive mood was about to be shattered. Spreading her wings, the tall mare stood up from her throne and began walking down the short line of steps.
“Welcome, my little ponies.” She managed to keep her voice leveled as the collection of mares came to a stop and bowed before her. “Please rise. You five have more than earned the right to see me without such pleasantries being necessary.”
The group lifted their heads as one, with Rainbow Dash being the first to speak as she gently took to the air, “So what’s going on, Princess? We got another big bad that we need to kick into next week?” She said, kicking the air with emphasis several times as she hovered above her friends’ heads, their eyes drawn away from the grimace that crossed Celestia’s face.
“It is rather sudden that we were called to the palace,” Rarity added, then quickly added, “n-not that we aren’t delighted to see you, Princess. It is just that it is unusual for us to be here without Twilight.”
“Speakin’ of,” Applejack drawled as she looked around the throne room, “where is Twilight? Didn’t she come and see y'all a few days ago fer somethin’ important?”
A sigh escaped Celestia’s lips as she lowered her head, “Yes, I did send for Twilight several days ago, and it is in part because of that situation that I have called you five here now. I am uncertain what she told you before she left, so I would like to hear your understanding of things as they are now.”
“Well, she seemed super worried about the visit but at the same time not.” Pinkie said as she bounced next to Fluttershy, “Like the kind of worried that you don’t know what is going on but not too worried about it.”
“She didn’t tell us why she left,” Fluttershy added, “only that she was called to the castle to see you about something but that you hadn’t said what it was.” One bright blue eye met Celestia’s gaze as the timid mare asked, “Did something happen to Twilight?”
That brought the mood down in an instant, with all five mares turning to face Celestia, their worried expressions driving the knife deeper into her heart for being the bearer of bad news.
“I’m afraid something has happened,” Celestia said softly, “but in order for you to fully understand the situation, I must first explain why I called for Twilight in the first place. You see, Equestria is in a state of war…”
“Wha–? Pfft! No, it isn’t!” Rainbow waved off her words but paused as she realized that she was now the center of everypony’s gazes, “Um, I mean, we would have heard about it if the country was in a war…wouldn’t we?”
“For now, the word of what has happened is being kept under wraps,” Celestia replied, “and those that are involved are instructed not to share anything about the situation until a formal declaration from the crown has been issued. But yes, Equestria is at war. Manehattan is currently under the control of the gryphons, with more of their troops landing on our shores by the day.”
“WHAT!?!” The cry escaped the mouths of everypony present echoed as they recoiled in shock.
“That can’t be true!” Rainbow Dash cried, “Gilda would've told me about something crazy like that when we wrote letters to each other last month!”
“I’m afraid it is the truth,” Celestia countered, “and because of the new technology they possess, we are losing ground rapidly as they move further inland along with expanding up and down the coast.”
“But why would they attack us?” Fluttershy asked, “What have we ever done to them?”
“While the exact motives are still unknown, we do know one thing, and that is the reason I sent for Twilight before, and why I have called on all of you now.” Celestia’s wings spread wide once again as she addressed them, “Princess Twilight was sent on a mission to discover and capture the source of the new technology the gryphons now use against us. Since she has not returned and has been unable to contact any of our agents with news, it is assumed that she has been captured by the enemy and is unable to escape. I need you five to rescue her from the gryphons and assist her on her mission to the best of your ability.”
“You mean we’re being sent into a warzone to try and save Twilight, along with tracking down whoever is behind this new technology the gryphons are using against us?” Pinkie clarified, “Can I bring my party cannon?”
“I don’t think this is the type o’ situation that would work fer, sugarcube.” Applejack said as she laid a hoof over the pink mare’s withers, “Unless ya got somethin’ a might more than balloons and cake in yer cannon.”
“I believe what Applejack is trying to ask,” Rarity added with a nervous expression, “are we expected to fight our way through the soldiers between us and Twilight? We aren’t exactly warrior material.”
Celestia nodded, “I understand that Rarity, and it would be foolish in the extreme to send civilians into a war zone without any training or help. Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do to assist, given it is believed that Twilight is being held aboard the gryphon’s new flagship off the shore of our eastern coast.”
“Why do ya believe she’s bein’ held there?” Applejack asked.
“Because that was the location she designated as her primary target prior to her disappearance.” Celestia replied, “She was going to look for clues as to the location of the gryphons’ outside source there before reporting back. Thus, we believe that her attempt to gather information ended badly before she could return.” Celestia paused for a moment to let the information sink in before adding, “Given pegasi scouts have not reported any craft leaving or joining the flagship in the time since Twilight’s departure, we believe that she is still on the ship, so that is where you are going to attempt a rescue.”
“Alright,” Rainbow’s voice had calmed drastically after hearing Celestia’s explanation, “so when do we leave?”
The others stared at the pegasus like she had grown a second head, “Oh come on, you know we can’t leave Twilight hanging. We wouldn’t be very good friends if we didn’t try to save her, right?”
“But won’t the gryphons try to hurt us if we attempt a rescue?” Fluttershy squeaked out as she hid behind her mane, “And Princess Celestia did say that she was being held on a ship out at sea. How are we supposed to get to her?”
“Leave that to me.” Celestia’s smile didn't look as reassuring as it normally did for the mares, “I placed a tracking spell on Twilight before she left in the event something happened. It is a very subtle spell and is still active as we speak. I cannot do anything to help Twilight directly, but I can use the location to help you get close without needing to use additional resources or extended travel time.”
“What do you plan to do, Princess?” Applejack asked. Celestia was proud beyond measure that the mares before her were already stepping up to help their friend. Then again, what should she have expected from the Bearers of Harmony?
“I will be placing an invisibility spell on all of you, along with a cloud-walking spell for the non-pegasi.” Celestia explained, “Then, I will teleport you to a location near the ship with a cloud to act as both transport and cover from the enemy troops. The flash of teleporting that distance will be bright, but with you five invisible to everypony but each other, they will assume that it is a false alarm. I will also be sending you just after my sun has risen, to help hide the flash of the teleport from the gryphons aboard.”
“So, once we find Twilight and free her,” Rainbow raised a hoof above her head, “how do we get back to shore?”
“Twilight is a powerful magic caster in her own right.” Celestia’s pride in her former student showed as her smile softened into a motherly grin, “She will be able to teleport you all back to shore once you free her from whatever is preventing her casting. Most likely an anti-magic ring has been placed on her horn, so removing that will allow her to transport you back.”
“Well, Ah say we get this show on the road!” Applejack yelled as she lowered the brim of her hat over her eyes, “Let’s git ready girls, and show these varmints who’s boss!”
“I couldn’t agree more, darling.” Rarity added, swiftly followed by Rainbow’s “Aw yeah!” Pinkie bounced on her hooves with her usual wide grin and Fluttershy did her best to look brave, even while shaking like a leaf.
Celestia smiled as she nodded in acceptance, “Then rest, my little ponies, for tomorrow morning will be a difficult one. The castle staff are aware of the situation, but do not share anything with others outside these walls. I know that it will be hard to keep a secret, but right now we need to keep the ponies of Equestria calm so we can face this threat with level heads. In the meantime, please enjoy the palace facilities as much as you like. It should help to take your mind off things until our plan can be put into motion.”
The Bearers nodded and turned as a group to exit the throne room, leaving Celestia behind as they chatted about what they were going to do once they got Twilight back. It did her heart good to see her ponies so optimistic, even in such a dire situation, but guilt still clung to her for leaving the mares in the dark about her sister.
While the situation with Twilight was a dreadful thing and needed to be handled as quickly as possible to avoid disaster, the fact that Luna had been in a coma for the last several weeks with no signs of waking up worried her on a primal level. Luna had said that she would be searching the dream realm for the source of their troubles… and had not awoken since, leaving Celestia to ponder in fear that only grew with each passing day just what kind of threat they were dealing with, and how could they stop a being that could trap a pony in their dreams if they so choose?
Only time would tell if her gamble would prevail, and she prayed that the defeat of this mysterious benefactor would free her sister from her current state. Woe be to the creature that had harmed her ponies, especially to those that would dare to hurt her family.
Woe to her as she had no idea that it was not any creature she had ever encountered…or had any hope of predicting…
They’re going to be picked up on the radar of the Bismarck quick, and then shredded by anti-aircraft fire
11638057
Eeyup.
11638082
Wasnt it said that she would make them invisible?
11638054
I will admit I actually keep forgetting to tell Shadow about that. For now let's assume that he's just adjusting to his new body that haven't fully developed his senses yet. Just like with him flying.
11638125
Correction: Visually invisible, not physically. The radar could probably pick up thermal signature.
11638125
Invisible means you can’t be seen. But being invisible doesn’t mean you’re not tangible. That means while you might be invisible to the naked eye, the very mass of your body can be easily picked up on by a Radar which uses radar waves that bounce off your mass and returns to the unit. Allowing you to be seen even if you’re invisible.
Of course, this is going to backfire immensely on Equestria. But that is what tends to happen when your enemy uses technology you have no idea about. Cause remember: Celestia admitted that her spies know nothing about this ship nor the technology it holds. And the Gryphons upgraded it with magic too.
It’s not just a Bismarck. It’s now a Bismarck with arcane upgrades in a world where wooden ships were king of the ocean.
11638133
100%. Couldn't have said it any better. Thank you. 😎👍
Celestia is a bafoon as always I see. Sending not trained infiltrators with the same mission, but damn civies....
This will be interesting. Kinda reminds me of friends scene if I may say.
Ugh, now I wonder the more about pony collaborators here
11638057
Let's not be too hasty.
11638133
So the Bismarck will detect them without them knowing since ponies don't have radar.
11638137
Keep in mind. As far as Celestia knows, Twilight was captured by Gryphons. She has no idea that changelings are involved. As far as her Intel knows, these 5 civilians are more than enough to bypass the gryphons on the ship and rescue Twilight.
Celestia doesn’t know how Twilight was captured, but it is easy for her to assume that the reason for it was Twilight not being ready for such a mission. While Celestia might not know it all, it is very easy to tell that a pure Gryphon crew is no match for the other Elements.
Pinkie pie has her randomness, Rainbow has her speed. AJ has her powerful hooves, Rarity has her magic. And Fluttershy has her devastating Stare.
So yes. As Celestia, knowing only what she does about the Gryphons and the things her spies tell her, sending the other 5 is a good plan. Cause this way she can prepare them instead of them rushing out on their own.
You also can’t forget that Celestia treats Twilight like the Daughter she never had. So she really wants Twilight back as soon as possible. From every point of Celestia’s view, Twilight is a very important piece atm.
Twilight is an Alicorn Princess, morale drop if she’s reported captured. She’s a member of the Elements of Harmony, Panic would erupt if ponies knew their most powerful set of artifacts were useless. Twilight also has high intellect, so she’d be very useful for understanding any salvaged tech Equestria could get it’s hooves on. And we can’t forget Twilight also went onto this ship alone and got captured, odds are high that she discovered something big that took her by surprise. That Intel alone would be worth a rescue effort.
11638200
Ponies don’t have a lot of tech that we know the Bismarck had before it sank. And who knows what else it has now that Gryphons gave it Magical upgrades.
11638205
The fact Twilight failed means she should trust spec ops not the other mane 6
My gues is on a failure with at least two dead elemental bearers. Probably RD because of her recklessness and Fluttershy because she hesitates too much
11638127
11638054
I actually have been paying attention to that particular detail, and the primary reason Kepler doesn't necessarily have the same abilities as a traditional Thestral is two-fold. Firstly: there are no Thestrals in this version of Equestria. He is one of a kind in this world so any capabilities that he might possess are going to be unique to him and him alone. Secondly: His body was created by magic during the transit between worlds, thus there are aspects of his being that are still unknown, even to him.
However, for this particular aspect I simply chose that in this version of events Thestrals don't have night vision. His hearing is second to none, as later chapters attest, along with other things that will come up later, but for the sake of clarity and to help prevent additional confusion, he does not have nor ever will possess night vision that is any better than that of a regular pony.
Hope this helps clear things up and thank you for your input! It really helps if I forget something or accidentally goof something up!
See you next chapter, and I hope you continue to enjoy the book,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.
11638350
So, echo location than as well? I have seen that concept apllied to Thestrals in other stories before, but always considered it to be a bit OP so I am curious about that deitail
11638350
OK thank you dear, that about sums it all up now.
11638332
Eeyup
I can't get the image of pinky as their unofficial cheff.
How, exactly, does one keep word of a state of war existing within the very nation said war is being waged upon with a major city and transport hub having fallen, hidden from the citizens of that war?
To be fair, Ponyville residents can panic over something as minor as a cow stampede.
A ship powerful enough to bring the entire Equestrian navy to its knees would be catastrophically frightening.
Read from start to finish in a day, curious to see where this is going. And I do appreciate how Keplers character is written. Boy I sure can’t wait to see him put a round in chrysalis.
Anymore coming soon??
Well... honestly...I think Equestria communication disadvantage is basically making them lose the war ,and Celestia soon or later will pull out a nuke from somewhere if she doesn't find a way to stop the invaders....if I'll be the Griffin Emperor I'll just take some land's from Equestria, offer them a piece Treaty,and the return of war prisoners under payment or Concessions . After all I don't think pushing Equestria to the wall will be a good idea because :either Celestia will personally pay a visit to the Griffin Emperor and have a "friendly talk" with him (let's be real Celestia is like the pinnacle of individual strength unless Chrysalis do something about her ,she can basically steamroll anyone do to overwhelming strength, unless there is some kind of power balance I'm unaware of ), or create the largest coalition making some sort of " Soviet union move " of all races in Equis and make the Griffin Empire lose ground do to overwhelming numbers just like in ww2.
Or something completely out of my expectations happens like Chrysalis betraying the alliance at some point for whether reason, the Griffin Emperor somehow being unable to stop a revolting ultimately killing him and the repercussions of that will change everything...or just Equestria straight up surrender.....well there are so many possibilities I just wanted to look cool by acting like someone who figured it all out :)
All in all yours is a good story keep it up .
11645121
Simple, information sharing is as good as medieval times, it probably will spread but it's too slow at this point of time (let's just assume that the christal the equestrian use are like rare artefact and can't be use without a central server and while we are at it let's just say it's Luna with her DreamWolkNet acting as Central server and now that's she's captured this oversight is somewhat patched up ✓)
I'm just speculating :)
Will the show go on? Will twilight’s friend have a rude awakening that the best friend is not as she seems? Will the Rainbow find out gilda is in a relationship with the main anti-hero? Oh what will happen !!!
Just binged this is a few hours, loving it. My only major complaint is that Chrysalis is acting like a complete idiot, but I guess that can be normal for her depending on her depiction. Looking forward to more.
Celestia, you damned fool!!!!!
Welp, like lamb to the slaughter. Someone's gonna die next chapter