The Crusaders: Iron Mare

by Solaris90

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, or any of the ideas or characters related to it. I do not own Iron Man, and I don't work for Marvel. I don't own the music. I make no money from this writing.

My Little Pony

IRON MARE
Chapter 2

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Four days after getting out of the hospital, Galaxy was already well into the construction of the first suit. The project was kept secret down in her personal garage work area, away from her company and unknown by anyone else except Glory and Cello. They had been supportive of the project, to Galaxy's honest surprise, both offering to help in whatever way they could. It seemed Galaxy had two, not one, friends. Or perhaps it was pity on Cello's part; Galaxy didn't know or particularly care.

Integrating the repulsor boots into the design of the support harness, Galaxy found, solved the problems she had been having with both. A central power source of sufficient strength located around the chest area of the suit and feeding into secondary batteries in the boots themselves overcame the flight ceiling problem. At the same time, the already-armored nature of the boots gave Galaxy the idea of how to proceed. With an armored outer layer protecting the user, her, from the G-forces of flight and other possible injuries, stronger and more dangerous power sources could be safely used.

"Palladium will serve well enough as a capacitor, for now at least." There was the whir of motors and servos as Galaxy walked around her lab, overseeing several computers as they ran the numbers. Monitors shone bright blue, displaying diagrams, calculations, schematics, and everything else she might need. Next to the main computer display sat a voice recorder.

"With the reactor outside my body I won't have to worry about poisoning, but there are upper limits to palladium's energy capacity that I'm uncomfortable with. Special gems can be used to harness, focus, and direct the energy, but too much strain could shatter them and damage the suit. Dark Realm? No, out of the question. Magic is an option, but a skilled enough unicorn or other magic user could harness it against me. Even ignoring that, there are too many variations of the simple magic drain spell to account for all of them. I need..."

Galaxy stopped in front of one computer screen and stared at it for a while. It displayed the bare-bones schematics for the very latest version of the support harness... which to Galaxy's growing shame was ten years old and twenty years out of date of what it could have been. At some point contentment had settled in, and with it came apathy. Apathy was the killer of invention, and what Galaxy needed most of all at the moment was great invention.

The click of the recorder stopping from the silence snapped Galaxy out of her thoughts and back to the moment. She turned her head to examine the support harness she was wearing. Thick, jointed metal struts supported her legs, the movement enhanced by servos powered by little motors. The struts connected to a flexible length of metal tubing running the length of her spine from the back of her skull to just above her tail. This was partially fused to her back, capable of being removed for maintenance. Inside the tube was a complicated array of crystals and wires that allowed magic and thoughts to bypass broken back and move her body. Blinking blue LED lights revealed her general health to the world.

She needed to create a better version of the harness before she could proceed. She needed to ship in the correct materials for everything. She needed to study flight engineering and calculate vectors and design targeting systems and... and...

Galaxy looked at the elevator, her thoughts turning to the fully-stocked bar up in her apartment suite. Her legs started moving. "I need a drink."

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Night was Glory's favorite time. It had been ever since she was a filly, staying up late to gaze at the moon and star-filled sky with her sister. The night had been so peaceful back then. But then the cities had grown, and with them the light pollution to block out the weaker stars. Along with this, the sound of car and plane engines and blaring horns went a long ways in ruining the peaceful ambience. But still, late-night strolls did wonders for her stress. And lately, Glory Belle had been feeling very, very stressed.

"Well hey, beautiful. Walk these streets often?"

Glory looked behind her and smiled at the sight of a donkey, his messy suit and untied tie telling her he was a well-to-do citizen, perhaps a businessman that had just left one of the Pavilion's many nighttime bars. He certainly smelled the part.

As the donkey came closer with a slow, unsteady gate, Glory turned to face him fully, dragging her tongue across her lips to make her blood-red lipstick shine in the soft light of the moon. "Sure do, you handsome fellow. And a nice, healthy male like you are just what I was looking for."

The donkey's face lit up in a blush. "G-gosh! Forward, aren't we? Heh, I like that. Where should we take this, sweetie?"

A limousine rumbled past. Glory looked at it, saw her red eyes and lengthened canines reflected back at her in one of the blacked-out windows, turned back to the donkey, and then turned to strut down the sidewalk just a few feet to a darkened alleyway. She turned completely around to face him again, smiling as the donkey followed her into the shadows without question.

"Just relax, darling, and remember. When you wake up tomorrow, you asked for this."

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"Hup, buumg, bleeegh .... mmmbuueeeeeghhh..."

Galaxy groaned, her stomach roiling as she slumped against the toilet. Her body shook as she fought to keep from puking again. "I'm sick... so sick... I think I'm dying"

Cello sighed and patted his employer's shoulder, while chucking an empty wine bottle into the trash can beside the toilet. "That's ten bottles in as many days, ma'am. I understand that these are trying times for you, but trying to drink them away is just idiotic. I always took you for a child, but not an idiot."

"Shut up, Cello..." Galaxy gripped the sides of the bowl with her forehooves and heaved again, but nothing came out but spit and stomach juices. She had rid herself of both lunch and breakfast, courtesy of three Vodka Martinis and a glass of Cabernet. Not her finest moment.

Galaxy looked at the previous contents of her stomach now swirling aimlessly in the toilet, and wondered in a mild craze if she could see shapes in it like someone could see shapes in clouds. Then she spit out some gunk and pushed herself up, rolling around to lean against the wall between the toilet and the sink. She looked at the wall across from her, the light-pink wallpaper turned red by her gem eyes, but didn't really see it. Her thoughts were on the support harness, the growing exo-suit, the betrayal in her inherited company; on everything. "I thought I was perfect... but it's all... so much..."

"Galaxy?"

At her name Galaxy turned her head to look at Cello. "Do you... have any idea what it means to still be a blank flank at my age? Any idea what it means to me?"

The stallion shook his head, as Galaxy expected he would. "I'm sorry, no. I got my cutie mark at around the regular age, playing my favorite instrument to entertain some foals I was babysitting. In fact, I was the youngest of my family to ever get a cutie mark."

"Yeah, I didn't think you would." Galaxy let out a snort and made to stand up. But then the room swayed around her and she decided to keep sitting there for a little longer. Grabbing a towel with her magic Galaxy wet it and started cleaning her mouth and cheeks. "Two weeks ago, I almost died."

"Yes, I know, Glory told me-"

"No you don't know!" Galaxy let out a scream, wadded the towel up, and threw it away from her. "I nearly died...with nothing to show for it! Nothing accomplished, nothing achieved, nothing to leave a mark on the world, not even a cutie mark." Galaxy wanted to cry. She needed to cry more than she ever had before. But she couldn't, and that made her want to cry all the more. "Except... except that's not true. I did leave a mark on this world. Other ponies died in that attack that was meant to kill me. Other ponies, all with their cutie marks and all with a real effect on the world. That's my legacy. When I die the papers will say 'Famed Blank Flank Took Away Lives'! If they say anything at all! Blast it, I... I SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE AT ALL!"

Cello slapped Galaxy's cheek. She stared up at him, utterly dumbfounded, and brought a hoof up to touch where she'd been hit. He glared back down at her, stern and unyielding, almost in contempt. "Don't you ever say that again. Not ever again."

She continued to stare at him, her mind whirling as she tried to comprehend this. "But it's-"

He slapped her again, the other cheek this time. "Not ever again. If you shouldn't be alive at all, if even one pony shouldn't be alive at all, then NO pony should be alive, ever. Nothing makes you special like that."

Galaxy stared up at Cello a few seconds more, before forcing herself to stand up. Her support harness whirred as it worked to compensate for her staggering, a noise she found herself hating. Or maybe she hated Cello. Or herself. "If I should be alive, then why? Why am I alive when others aren't?"

"You're alive," answered Cello, "because Miss Glory Belle and Princess Celestia and a great many others worked to keep you alive. Because some angry pegasi and gryphons tried to kill you and failed. Because this suit you're building will be the most important creation ever. You must build it."

Galaxy staggered over to the sink and turned it on, filling the basin with water. Cello continued as she ducked her face in. "You're scared about what kind of legacy you're leaving. Well, your highness, you never knew them, but your parents left the whole world to you as their legacy. Those ponies that died when you didn't, that's their legacy to you. So are you going to honor those legacies, or should I open up another bottle for you?"

Galaxy pulled her face out of the basin. Water dripped from her cheek and nose, her chest hurt as she gasped for air, but most important to her, the skin around her gem eyes felt hot and wet. Hot and wet like tears. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment and, at least for the moment, did not hate what she saw.

"Cello, open that bottle." Galaxy turned from the mirror and pushed past the stallion for the door. "I'd like a drink while I work."

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"Are those what I think they are, darling?"

Galaxy looked up as Glory entered her bedroom, the other mare today wearing a brilliant blue blouse. Galaxy looked back down at the two golden tickets she held in front of her with her magic, and then passed one over to Glory. "Yes, they certainly are what you think they are. Tickets to this year's Grand Galloping Gala."

Glory took the ticket with her own magic and trotted over to a couch set in front of the bank of TV screens. "Oh, this is so great! I was worried, you know, that with the recent troubles with that horrid group New Tambelon, the Gala would be canceled this year. Oh, I must have some dresses commissioned over at my distant cousin's place. Something to match the brilliance of your eyes, for sure."

"If you insist something like that can be done in a mere two weeks. I mean, since it'd be impossible for a dress to match the brilliance of my mind…" Galaxy shared a grin and chuckle with the other mare, sat down on the opposite end of the couch, and turned the main TV on while popping open a champagne bottle. She poured herself a glass, then another for Glory, and then put the bottle back in its ice bucket. "Anyways, I figure this will be as good a time as any to get back into the public eye. A straight month of being busy here... yeah, the Grand Galloping Gala will do just fine."

Glory took a sip of her drink and shook her head. "Well, if I recall correctly, I've been saying you should get back into the public eye all this time. It's been your decision to spend all your time working on that... that suit in the lab." She took another sip. "Are you quite sure you can't just go to Princess Celestia with your suspicions? I'm sure she would believe you at least enough to take Storm Chaser in for questions."

Galaxy shook her head. Finding the sports channel the TV was on to be boring, she grabbed the remote and started changing channels until she came upon a news channel those were always good for background noise. Refilling her glass, Galaxy shook her head again. "No thanks. This problem is personal. I want that pegasus to answer to me. Then Celestia and the judicial system can have whatever's left."

"If you insist. I still think... think that... Galaxy, quick, turn that up."

Galaxy looked over at the TV, caught sight of video showing trees burning, and turned up the volume at once. She caught the voiceover mid-sentence.

"-rrived on the scene soon after the blaze started, local firefighting units were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the blaze. By the time help arrived from Canterlot and other neighboring towns, the fire was estimated to have consumed nearly half of the apple orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. By the time the blaze was extinguished it is estimated that nearly seventy percent of the trees were lost."

The video on the screen changed to show a damaged farmhouse. Standing in front of the house, facing the camera and looking utterly devastated, were a yellow-coated earth pony stallion with a red mane, a green-coated earth pony mare with an orange mane, and an earth pony mare with her father's coat and her mother's mane. She was just a little younger than Galaxy, and wore the most tattered, beat-up old Stetson Galaxy had ever seen.

The voiceover continued. "Sweet Apple Acres, the oldest apple farm in Equestria and main provider of apples and apple-related products to the nation, is not a stranger to the national spotlight. Members of the Apple family have long worked as pioneers and town starters, and proudly counts three Apple ponies among the ranks of Element of Harmony bearers. One of these ponies went on to found a new line of apple farmers in the neighboring country of Gildedale, who even now are sending all possible aid to their Equestrian family. Despite this, it is doubtful if Sweet Apple Acres will be able to recover from such a terrible loss."

The video switched back to unicorn newscaster in front of the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, her light-blue coat marred in places by the smoke still drifting from burnt trees. "As for what started the fire, investigations are still ongoing. One clue, however, may rest in the phrase 'New Tambelon' carved into the Apple family's front door. Official in Ponyville have not-"

Galaxy turned the TV off and slumped back on the couch. A few feet from her Glory fidgeted in place, looking back and forth between Galaxy and the TV, as if wondering what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

After nearly half a minute of silence, Galaxy found the words she needed to say. "It's not personal. It was, but now... now it isn't."

Galaxy felt Glory's gaze on her. "What are you going to do now?"

That, Galaxy didn't know. Standing up, she cast another look at the TV before walking around the couch to the full-sized window. From there she watched Canterlot and its ponies go about daily life. From that high tower she could see it all, her mind grasping on to every detail as she thought and thought. It was mid-afternoon, the sun slowly coasting to the west, starting to cast a golden shimmer on the world. A blimp passed by, advertising the next big Wonderbolt show. Farther away a pegasus in a mailmare uniform flew by, a trail of letters and, oddly enough, muffins, falling behind her. From somewhere down on the streets drifted up music, perhaps from someone's boom box or open-windowed care, Galaxy didn't know. It was a perfectly fine day in Canterlot, while miles away Ponyville was having a terrible day. Thoughts of those sad, defeated faces tormented her.

Glory joined Galaxy by the window. "Gal, darling? What are you going to do now? If it's not personal anymore, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." Galaxy looked over her shoulder to where she'd set the Gala tickets down on the table. Suddenly, she did know. "ArmEx is going to be making a very grand public gesture to Sweet Apple Acres during the Gala. I'm not gonna let them fail." She looked back at Glory. "And don't bother with the new Gala dress. I have a suit to wear."

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Cello split his attention between watching Galaxy test the suit's leg joints for full range of movement, and examining the planned flight controls for the suit displayed on the computer screen in front of him. They were easy enough to follow, mostly about using the forelegs steer and the rear legs to propel. Repulsors would be controlled through specific movement of leg muscles, while the other weapons, and there were plenty, would be either voice or mental command. And the weapons themselves were works of art.

"Your highness, you are a true genius."

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"The attack must take place at the Gala. It MUST. Galaxy will be there. There is no room for mistake this time."

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Princess Celestia examined the rows of computer screens set up to display up-to-date calculations and revisions; the intricate assembly line of robotic arms and sliding compartments; the tunnel leading out of the garage and to the streets, modified to handle not just cars, but something flying as well; watched as her closest remaining cousin readied for the upcoming test, tying her mane up tight against her head and neck to keep it out of the way.

What the princess of the sun found herself feeling more than anything else was a strange pride, as well as concern. "Thank you for coming to me with your suspicions, Galaxy. I will ask my sister to discreetly look into Storm Chaser. She and her husband are better at that sort of thing than I am. Are you sure you need to do this though?"

Galaxy finished typing a command into the main computer, and then hopped up onto the make-shift assembly area's platform. As she did she thought over Celestia's question and found that yes, indeed, she did need to do this. "Totally. I already talked to, well…just about all of my two friends about it. But uh, basically, I'm mortal. I'm going to leave a legacy behind, be remembered for great things. Also, I really want to punch Storm Chaser in the face. Now then, would you mind pressing the Enter button on the computer I was just at?"

Celestia pressed the button. At once the machinery came to life, compartments sliding open to allow the robotic arms to take out pieces of armor and electronics. The floor opened up in squares beneath Galaxy's hooves, sleek metal boots sliding up into place and connecting to the leg supports Galaxy already wore. The garage echoed with the whir and hum of machinery as Galaxy was covered up, pieces locking into place on the support harness with a click. Last was the helmet, built with protective areas for her ears and horn. The faceplate slid over Galaxy's face, the eye slits lighting up with the same red hue as the unicorn's gem eyes, and it was done. The entire process took less than a minute.

Celestia looked Galaxy over as the armored pony stepped off the platform. "Very impressive. But, when I requested you take another look at the support harness, this isn't exactly what I had in mind." This was said with a chuckle and grin.

Galaxy shrugged. "I'm an overachiever. This is just the testing prototype though. Later I'll install the weapon systems, targeting systems, programs for identifying peoples and technologies I encounter, radio, surround sound, shovel…"

Celestia laughed at those last few. "In other words, New Tambelon will wish it had never even been an idea."

Galaxy marched over to the alicorn, armored steps ringing in the enclosed space. When she was three feet away she stopped and glared. "I'm going to make Storm Chaser and New Tambelon wish they'd never broken my back and taken my eyes. That they never hurt the Apples. Now if you excuse me, I have some test flights to do."

"Galax-" But Galaxy had already leapt into the air, repulsor boots igniting to send her flying down the tunnel and out of the garage. Celestia watched the unicorn go, before sighing and turning to leave through the elevator like a normal pony would, her thoughts in turmoil. "I must leave it all to you then, my dear Princess Galaxy. You are spoiled, immature, proud, and arrogant... but you are more pony than royalty. You can do things now that we no longer can."

The elevator doors closed behind her. "The world is moving on."

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Flying was the most awesomely fun thing Galaxy had ever experienced in her entire life. Nothing she could think of compared to it, before or since. "Perhaps a little show at the Grand Galloping Gala is called for. Who says the Wonderbolts get to have all the fun…"

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"Into the Gala, into the Gala!

And we'll have the best night ever!

At the Gala!"

As the echoes of the last few lines faded into the night, the ponies that had gathered on the expansive lawn in front of Canterlot Castle started to head inside. They went singly, in couplings of two or three, and in small bunches. They were all chatting away, chatting and laughing in excitement for the year's grandest party.

Galaxy stepped into the entrance hall, dressed in a slim white dress, red and gold images of starbursts imprinted on the edges. A smile grew on her face as she looked around and took in the familiar surroundings. There were carefully crafted stained-glass windows; there the hallways to the left and right, leading to the ballroom and the VIP area respectively; and there stood Princess Celestia at the top of the steps leading deeper into the castle, greeting the various dignitaries and other guests that wanted to say hello. The line was long, so Galaxy settled for a nod and smile to Celestia, which the alicorn returned.

"Well golly! Ah've never seen anything quite like this place before!"

Galaxy turned to look at her guest for the evening standing a couple feet away, yellow and orange mare that would one day run Sweet Apple Acres, Golden Cider. The earth pony was cleaned up and dressed in an old-fashioned but still beautiful saddle and dress combo of green and brown, and the Stetson remained perched atop her head. Beyond that, the only amount of "frou-frouing up" the farmpony had allowed were a hot bath with lots of soap and a good brushing.

Galaxy chuckled at the awed look on the other mare's face, going over to stand beside her. "First time off the farm and away from Ponyville I imagine? Must be weird."

Golden Cider shook her head. "No, all them ponies singing that song outside was weird. This is just... wow. Didja really grow up here, Princess Galaxy, ma'am?"

"I did." Galaxy began leading her guest down the hall to the VIP area, where refreshments could be found. "My parents... weren't around to raise me, so Princess Celestia took me in. Though obviously she didn't have the time to raise me herself. Servants did that. Still, they were good years."

"Ah can imagine somepony like you enjoying that. Me, Ah don't know what Ah'd do without some dirt on my hooves and some work to get done. Though, with the farm how it is now..." Cider paused a moment, her eyes growing moist and ears folding back. "Well, it's just gonna take a lot of work to get things back the way they were. Thanks for promising to financially support us while that happens."

They passed a gryphon in military dress who nodded toward the pair. Galaxy nodded back, and then they were in the VIP area, ponies of all types crowding the large room, and Cider spoke again. "Not to sound ungrateful though, but why didja offer to support us? And bring me here, for that matter?"

Galaxy waited until they were at the refreshment table near the exit out into the garden before answering, to gather her thoughts. "Let's just say that I feel a certain sense of... responsibility for what happened to Sweet Apple Acres. That's not something I want to get into right now." She ladled them both out some punch, took a sip of hers, and let out a sigh. "That, and having recently gone through a... terrible event on my part, I know what it's like to hurt."

To the earth pony's credit, Cider didn't even glance at the gem eyes, for which Galaxy was grateful. A few moments passed by in silence, where all they did was sip their drinks and look around at the high-class ponies around them, Galaxy mildly wishing she was drinking something stronger than punch. Overall though, she found it surprisingly pleasant.

But then Cider looked over and cleared her throat, ruining everything. "So uh, is it true that you're still a blank-"

The glass in Galaxy's magic grip shattered. Cider instantly shut her mouth as Galaxy glared at her. "That is a subject we never discuss. Ever. Do you understand me, farmer?"

Cider gulped and nodded, knees shaking as she backed away. "Y-yes, um, Princess Galaxy, ma'am. Ah understand completely. Just don't..."

"Don't what?" Galaxy took a step toward the hastily retreating earth pony, but then paused as she noticed that the room around her had grown quiet, far too quiet for the Gala. She looked around and saw the partygoers in the room all silent and staring at her, some worried, some confused, and many clearly scared. Galaxy didn't know why until she caught sight of herself in a mirror set up near the refreshment table. Her gem eyes, the magic inside them reacting to her emotions, had taken on a furious red glow, casting the scarring around her eyes and mouth in stark relief.

At this her anger melted away, leaving Galaxy only with regret. She had not meant to yell. She had not even meant to get angry, but nerves from upcoming events and the unexpected question had caught her off-guard.

Before anything could be done or said however a hoof touched Galaxy's shoulder, and after the bang and flash of a teleportation she suddenly found herself in the heart of the gardens, the hedge maze if she remembered right, outside the castle and away from all those stares.

"It looked like you needed some help getting out of a tight spot, dear niece." Galaxy looked beside her, into the cyan eyes and warm smile of Princess Luna. The princess of the night stood like a shadow in the night, not scary but warm and inviting. It was a warmth Galaxy could not match, so she quickly looked away. Luna frowned and brushed a hoof over the smaller mare's mane. "I learned long ago that it often helps to talk about it. I am always willing to lend an ear to anyone's trouble, especially family."

Galaxy rolled her eyes, brushed away the hoof, and turned away from the taller princess under the pretense of looking around at their surroundings. This was a good pretense, as it was halfway true. Galaxy had not stepped hoof in the gardens since she had moved out of the castle those many years ago, but it remained exactly as she remembered it: beautiful, lively, and exotic. The lush greenery stayed in pristine condition through a combination of automated sprinkler systems, magic enchantments to protect from the worst diseases, and hard work from dedicated groundskeepers. Flowerbeds hummed with the attention of bees and hummingbirds, while from somewhere up in the trees the music of songbirds drifted down. Somewhere out of sight there was the chattering of the animals kept in the garden, and farther of, the voices of ponies.

"You know," said Luna from nearby behind Galaxy, "on my first Nightmare Night, I kept frightening the citizens of Ponyville away from me through how I acted, even though I only wanted to make friends. My problem was solved when I realized that my expectations, firm as steel, were what kept me from being accepted."

"And you think that means you can relate to my situation," said Galaxy, finishing the thought. "Well, Miss Night Light, I don't think you can, because there's a big difference in our situations. You were trying to make friends, and I'm not. Friends are nice to have, but incidental in the grand scheme of things." Even to her own ears, Galaxy's words did not sound fully true. It was too late to stop however. "My help to little Golden Cider in there? Pity. Just pity."

Again Luna came over and brushed a hoof through Galaxy's mane. "Pity can lead to better things, Galaxy. It is contempt that one must be wary of, for it will poison you. Like the contempt those of New Tambelon feel for non-flyers."

Galaxy narrowed her eyes, a scowl coming unbidden to her lips as her thoughts turned to those that had hurt her, had used her company against her. Then she thought about the evening's activities, both planned and... unplanned. Her scowl turned into a smile as she looked back at Luna. "It's nearly time, isn't it?"

Luna sighed, closed her eyes, and nodded. "The pegasus called Storm Chaser has arrived. He's in line to greet Celestia as we speak." She opened her eyes and looked toward the nearby lights of the castle. "There is more to be told, however. We keep very thorough guest lists for the Gala, especially for non-pony attendees. Security has estimated nearly twice as many gryphons here as there should be, yet their tickets seem genuine. It is troubling."

Galaxy didn't care if there were five times as many. If they were New Tambelon agents prepared to make trouble, that would be all the better for the statement she planned to make. These needed to be taught a lesson in who not to mess with, courtesy of Canterlot royalty.

"Luna, 'port me to my garage. It's time for me to suit up."

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It was a long-standing tradition of the Grand Galloping Gala, dating back over 500 years, for the royalty to watch over the arriving guests in the entrance hall and greet the elite and the aristocracy as they came. It was a practice that had lessened in recent years as the aristocracy shrank, but it would still be a long while before Princess Celestia got to go and actually enjoy the Gala.

That was, if this was any other Gala. Celestia had a feeling though that there wouldn't be much partying in an hour.

"Princess, are you okay?"

Celestia finished shaking hooves with a horse from Germaney and looked down beside her, where Miss Glory Belle stood and looked up at her in concern. The unicorn was dressed in a snow-white dress accentuated with brilliant sapphires. She was there to fill in for Princess Galaxy, who would be busy that night with other work. Celestia put on a smile to ease the little pony. "I'm fine. Just nerves, I suppose. Things are going to change tonight, and I hope Galaxy appreciates how much trust I'm putting in her."

"I'm sure she does, your Majesty. Galaxy really loves you, I think." Glory smiled, before looking forward and losing that smile. "He's here."

Celestia followed Glory's gaze and saw Storm Chaser next in line to meet her, a smile that oozed falseness painted on his face. He wore a stark black suit and tie and a white shirt, as if this was all just another board meeting for him. Perhaps in his twisted mind it was. Celestia didn't know.

"Ah, Princess Celestia," said Storm Chaser, coming to a stop a foot from her and giving a bow. "It is always such a pleasure seeing you." He acted as if Glory wasn't there at all, his eyes only for Celestia and the two pegasus guards to her left and right.

"I must confess though," he continued, "I imagine it is quite a nightmare having to stand there all night as pony after pony walks up to greet you."

"You are correct," said Celestia, moving a step forward to tower over the pegasus. "Especially when I have to speak to scum like you. But thankfully, you're the scum I've been waiting for." Several nearby ponies gasped at this statement, while others turned to spread the word. The hall began to grow quieter as news of some sort of confrontation spread.

Chaser meanwhile dropped his smile immediately, fear appearing like a shadow on his face. "W-why, Princess Celestia, what do you mean? If I've done something to upset you, I will do my best to make up for it if I can."

"Upset me?" Celestia noticed from the edges of her vision ponies crowding into the hall's entrances from the other areas of the castle, all wanting a view of the unfolding spectacle. It made her want to teleport herself and Chaser away to somewhere private to finish this, but that would not be going along with Galaxy's plan. If they wanted to strike a real blow against New Tambelon, this all had to be public. This was about as public as it was possible to get. It was the best, the only choice.

"Princess, please," said the pegasus. "What do you think I have done?" Celestia saw his quivering legs, his fidgety wings, his eyes looking all around, and realized that he almost certainly knew.

"Storm Chaser," said the princess, putting every ounce of her power and authority into her voice, so much that the air seemed to quiver with the force, "Evidence exists connecting you to the terrorist attack on the Pavilion three months ago. It has been discovered that you had a motive for helping orchestrate the attack, as well as the ability to make the attack possible. Therefore, you are under arrest for your crimes." As Celestia spoke she marched forward, forcing Storm Chaser and many other nearby ponies to hastily back away. "Please, do not resist. Come quietly and nobody needs to get hurt."

For a moment it looked like the pegasus stallion would do just that, and Celestia allowed herself a sigh of relief. But then Storm Chaser stopped backing away, eyes growing hard. At the same time this happened, a dozen pegasi and gryphons, including two in royal guard armor, took to the air and started winging their way toward Celestia and Storm Chaser. From beneath their wings poked the barrels of concealed weapons. The sound of screams and pounding hooves filled the air as the regular party-goers panicked and ran from the concealed weapons.

Storm Chaser looked at the oncoming support, then at the mere two guards at Celestia's side. "It looks like you are short on soldiers, a bad mistake. And you don't dare fight us yourself, you being a great goddess and us being mere mortals!" All fear now seemed gone from the pegasus.

Now it was Celestia's turn to smile, motioning with one hoof for Glory to leave with the rest of the Gala's guests. "You would be right, if I was relying on my guards. But there is a pony who wants to bring you to justice herself, and I find that only fair. GALAXY, IT'S TIME!"

Celestia's shout echoed through the entrance hall and out into the night air, but nothing happened. The few guards there, Storm Chaser, and the other members of New Tambelon present all stared at Celestia, and she stared back at them, her cheeks growing pink as the seconds passed. She coughed and looked around. "Galaxy? Little niece? Now is when you should fly in with your armor and... something isn't right..."

Storm Chaser laughed, before taking out the two guard beside Celestia with two spring-loaded guns beneath his own wings. "It appears that someone put their faith in the wrong pony, hehehe..."

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~5 minutes earlier~

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As soon as Luna and Galaxy appeared in the unicorn's garage/lab area, all lights except the computer monitors dimmed, Galaxy staggered and nearly fell, only staying on her hooves with some help from Luna. The alicorn gave an encouraging smile, but Galaxy could only groan and shake her head. Teleporting, especially getting teleported by others, was just something she couldn't handle, it seemed. It annoyed Galaxy to no end, but there were more important things to do at the moment.

"Right, okay, let's get this started." Galaxy pulled away from Luna and started for the bank of computers closest to the suit-up platform. As she walked she stripped off her dress, shoes, and jewelry. "Luna, I need you to go open the garage doors. I am NOT letting you teleport me back to the Gala when I can fly just fine."

Luna nodded and turned for the door controls set next to the tunnel leading out of the garage. "Certainly. Is there anything else I can be of assis-"

Before Luna had made it five steps to the controls, a bolt of green magic flew past Galaxy's head where she stood at the edge of the platform and struck the princess of the moon on the shoulder. Luna had just enough time to begin screaming before disappearing in an orb of white light. Her scream reverberated through the room, continuous yet hazy, like coming through a fan's hum.

"LUNA!" Galaxy made to run for the orb, until a blue repulsor beam blasted the floor a foot in front of her, sending smoldering chunks of stone flying. Galaxy ducked beneath one piece whizzing toward her head, then turned back toward the platform at the sudden sound of deep, slightly mechanical laughter. "No..."

Cello lumbered out of the shadows in the full version of the Iron Mare suit, fully armed and armored aside and painted gold and purple. The faceplate slid up, revealing the stallion's smirking face. "Good evening, your majesty. My compliments for the weapon you've unwittingly provided me." He began walking toward her, slowly, a predator confident it has its prey. The faceplate slid back into place, adding an artificial growl to his voice. "Now I think I'll put it through its paces."

Galaxy stumbled back as Cello advanced, blocking her off from both the elevator and the suit-up platform, where she thought she could have at least gotten in the prototype suit to defend herself. But this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. She had never even considered the possibility that...

"It was you..." Galaxy looked to the left, at the orb of light, and then back at Cello. "You sent New Tambelon after me. Why? Why would you do that, after all these years?"

Cello laughed again and, lifting one foreleg up, casually blew apart one of the computer banks. The sight of the sparks and metal shards flying made him laugh again. "Because this is power! Power a selfish, disloyal, dishonest, cruel unicorn like you doesn't deserve! You or any royalty!"

At those words Galaxy glanced again at where Luna had been. Cello followed her gaze and laughed. "A weapon of my own invention. I smuggled into the design while you were busy. It interacts with the unicorn's magic, forcing the teleportation spell to activate uncontrollably for ten full minutes. Doesn't kill, just forces them into a continuous teleporting loop, so fast they have no time to escape. From the screaming, I imagine being in two places nearly at once is excruciating."

Something about this casual cruelty, the traitor Cello's sheer indifference regarding it, made Galaxy snap. This was a pain far closer and far hotter than what the Pavilion attack had done to her. It no longer mattered that Cello had betrayed her, that Cello had the armor, that Cello had her backed into a corner both figuratively and literally, or that Cello had taken one princess down with ease.

Galaxy scowled. "You're going down."

"Oh, really?" Cello's smirk could be heard as he raised one foreleg up, aiming the repulsor at the end at Galaxy. "And how do you imagine that happening?"

"Simple." Galaxy looked to the side, away from Cello, holding up one foreleg to shield her eyes. "Voice command: all flares."

Inch-wide panels slid open on the armor's forelegs, hind legs, and shoulders. The next moment the room was lit up brighter than looking straight at the sun, burning-hot flares of Magnesium/Teflon/Viton shot out from the open compartments, scorching everything they touched. Made for flight use where they would trail behind the armor, distracting and blinding pursuers, standing still like this in an enclosed space resulted in the same result, only for Cello himself.

"GAAHHHH!" Blinded by the flares going by inches from his face, the armored unicorn staggered and fired blindly. Galaxy ducked beneath one stray repulsor shot and ran past Cello, a magic shield enough to protect her from the burning but forceless flares.

A quick discharge of magic as she jumped up onto the platform, and the ball was rolling. Panels opened up and robot arms retrieved suit parts, locking them into place on Galaxy's body with machine precision. The whir of gears and hum of motors coming to life and clink of metal on metal was a symphony of achievement, Galaxy's achievement, and it was hers alone. It was time to teach that to the traitor.

Galaxy slid the helmet on and stomped off the platform just as Cello's armor ran out of flares to fire. He continued waving his forelegs around as if to ward them off, screaming in rage, before falling back to all fours and staggering around to look at Galaxy. Scars and burn marks ran all across his armor, especially the face. Galaxy could quite nearly feel the anger boiling off him.

"You think... this... is going to be so easy?" He marched toward her with shoulders hunched, looking ready to charge her down. A compartment on the chest opened, revealing a stubby two-inch wide barrel crackling with electricity. "I still have the better suit! I still have all the weapons, all the armor, all the-"

"All the special features," said Galaxy, sounding calmer than she felt. "Like this. Voice command: radio, bookmarked channel, top volume."

There came the squeal of speakers from Cello's armor, from the armored portions for his ears, followed by a blare of Heavy Metal loud enough to be heard outside the suit.

"I will break into your thoughts

With what's written on my heart

I will break, break!"

Cello screamed again, not in rage this time but in agony. He clutched uselessly at his armored ears, stumbling about as if drunk. Galaxy imagined his eardrums would burst at any moment, if they hadn't already.

"I'm so sick,

Infected with where I live

Let me live without this

Empty bliss,

Selfishness

I'm so sick

I'm so sick!"

"Stop it! Oh Celestia, make it stop!" Cello fell to his knees, banging his helmet against the cement floor.

"Okay, enough of that." Galaxy leapt forward, activated the repulsors in her boots, and flew into Cello at seventy miles an hour. There was the crunch of metal, and then she hooked her forelegs under Cello's, used him as a makeshift battering ram through the tunnel gate, and flew down it toward the open streets outside. Grinding Cello's faceplate against the cement down the whole eighty yards to the exit was a pleasant bonus.

"Next stop, at the Gala..."

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It was over faster than Princess Celestia could have believed if she had not been there herself. One moment she was throwing up a golden magic barrier to block the barrage of gunfire from the New Tambelon agents, hoping without hope that she would not be forced to fight these assailants herself, that something would come along to spare them. The next moment, the hall was filled with screaming and the sound of ripping flesh and breaking bones.

The thump of a body hitting the floor signaled the end of whatever one-sided battle had occurred. Celestia let her shield fade away and looked at the dozen or so bodies lying on the tiled floor, and then at the solitary figure standing in the middle of them all, cheeks and fangs dripping with blood. "Are any of them...?"

Glory Belle wiped away the blood smeared around her mouth, licked the fluid from her hoof, and then looked up at Celestia. "I kept to that old promise, my princess." Gone was that posh Canterlot accent, replaced by one sounding almost from the more rural Ponyville. "I broke plenty of limbs and drained enough blood to keep them down, but they will most certainly live."

Celestia released a sigh of relief she hadn't known she had been holding and inclined her head. "Thank you, young one. If I had been forced to handle them myself..."

"A bunch of ash stains on the tile, I know." Glory ignored as guards finally ran into the room, her shining red eyes focused on Celestia. "What happened with Galaxy?"

Ignoring for the moment how much the gaze of a vampire unnerved her, Celestia directed her several of her guards to collect the pegasi and gryphons littering the floor and take them to the infirmary, others to check on the well-being of the Gala guests. Messengers were sent to rally the castle's full garrison, alert those in Parliament who needed alerting, and whatever else Celestia thought needed doing. Only then did Celestia allow herself to worry about Galaxy and Princess Luna. "I don't know what happened to Galaxy, or my sister for that matter. They should have been here by now."

Glory looked as worried as Celestia felt. "Maybe... maybe they encountered agents like these attacking elsewhere. Maybe even Galaxy's apartment itself."

Celestia frowned and began walking down the stairs toward the exit. "Maybe..." Truthfully, it was possible, but she doubted it. There would be no reason to attack Galaxy's apartment when everyone believed the unicorn was at the Gala. Something else had happened. "In any case, we need to make sure the situation here is handled properly. S-Glory Belle, go make sure-"

An earth-shaking explosion outside sent Celestia and Glory stumbling. Celestia used her wings to steady herself and looked to the east, ears perking up as screams and smaller explosions began filling the air. "That came from the gardens!"

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The flight to the castle, once they had exited the tunnel and Galaxy had stopped grinding Cello against the ground, had been a blinding flurry of kicks, headbutts, and repulsor blasts. When they arrived Galaxy had tried crashing them somewhere that would cause the least collateral damage possible, somewhere other ponies might not get hurt, somewhere it could be just the two of them if things went bad despite her earlier advantages. The dense foliage of the garden's trees gave away with little enough resistance. Then they hit the ground and sent up a plume of dirt and grass twenty feet high, the shockwave shattering the windows of the nearby castle.

"Gah!" Galaxy lost her grip on Cello and tumble ten feet, managing to bang pretty much every inch of her body against the ground before coming to a rest at the foot of a tall oak tree. The impact shook the tree hard enough for a branch to fall off and hit Galaxy's helmet with a clang. "Oww... please let it be over, please let it be over, please let it be over..."

The sound enhancers in Galaxy's armor caught the hum of repulsors charging, giving her a split-second to roll to the side. Two beams of pure concussive energy hit where she'd been a moment ago, ripping through ground and tree like it was all paper. A deafening creaking and rumbling filled the air, followed by a great crash as the blasted-open oak tree fell to the ground, kicking up more dirt.

Galaxy flew over the fallen tree and fired her repulsors at where the blasts had come from, but Cello was already out of that spot and racing toward her along the ground, back to the earth and forelegs aimed right at her.

The repulsor blasts hit Galaxy square in the chest with all the force of a freight train, sending her flying back one hundred feet and cratering into the side of the castle above the Gala's VIP room. The guests still there started screaming and running about, but Galaxy forced herself not to get distracted.

"Have to stay focused, have to stay focused..." The stone crumbled around Galaxy as she pushed herself out of the crater. She forced herself to stay limp and let the armor absorb the blow as she fell the dozen-ish feet to the ground. The energy readout on the inside of her armor showed the suit's remaining power at a mere 12%, and she couldn't afford to waste any of it.

"GALAXY!" Cello burst through a hedge, rockets at full power as he barreled at her. "I'LL CRUSH YOUR HEAD LIKE A SOUP CAN!"

Galaxy couldn't move, lest the maddened stallion hurt any of the nearby civilians around or behind her. Instead she planted her rear hooves and held her forelegs out as if to hug him, and took his charge head-on. "Oh this is going to hu-"

CLANG. CRUUUNNNNNNCCHH. Galaxy grit her teeth, forelegs gripping Cello's shoulders and rear hooves dragging through the marble tiles as she was driven backwards. Ponies scattered at their coming, at least.

"You're going to die! I'm going to kill you!" Cello slammed repulsor-charged hoof after repulsor-charged hoof into Galaxy's helmet, until finally the metal gave way and he was able to rip it from her head. They came to a grinding halt in the center of the hall, just a few feet from the alicorn statue, and he began hammering her gut. "You think you can just make a power like this and then just keep it to yourself!? If you do, you're as bad as the idiotic Storm Chaser thinks you are! Now. Just. FALL!"

A repulsor blast to the gut and Galaxy fell to her knees. She coughed and gagged, and red splattered the floor beneath her. This was the moment. She waited until she felt Cello preparing the final blow and then looked up at him with a smirk, the sheer confidence in her face enough to make the stallion pause. "You're one to talk about Chaser being an idiot," she said, "considering the fact that that armor was designed to integrate with a support harness, which you don't happen to have."

"...meaning...?"

"Meaning there's an inch-wide opening in your armor all the way down the back!" Galaxy jumped up from her kneeling position then, avoiding Cello's panicked repulsor blast and wrapping her forelegs around his midsection. "And now that it's all banged up like this, I can peel that armor off you like an oyster shell!"

The metal screeched as Galaxy did just that, gripping the sides of the opening with her hooves and ripping off the back, side, and chest armor in two solid chunks. Cello shouted obscenities at her and flailed away at her back with his hooves, but with the main power source located in the chest gone, there was no strength left in the blows at all. Galaxy then worked her way up, tearing off the armor on the shoulders, forelegs, and then finally the helmet, leaving Cello blinking and exposed for all those remaining in the hall to see, including Princess Celestia, Glory Belle, and the half-dozen guards who had just run in.

"Hello, Cello," said Galaxy, staring right into his eyes with her gem eyes, sweat running mussing his caramel coat. One hoof pressed against his bare chest, repulsor charging up. "Goodbye, Cello."

"N-" The repulsor fired. Cello flew, tumbling through the air across the length of the hall, and crashed into a pillar, nearly breaking through it. Then he fell to the floor, where he remained, unconscious.

Near-silence filled the hall, Galaxy's labored breathing the only noticeable sound. Then a sobbing Princess Luna appeared and crumpled to the floor, prompting Celestia and the guards to run to her, while Glory Belle ran to Galaxy and hugged her as best she could through the armor.

"Galaxy! Are you okay? What happened? Where were you? Why was Cello-"

Galaxy interrupted by hugging Glory back, kissing her on the cheek. "I'm fine, I'm good, I'm fine...just really tired. I need a vacation. And I know this is going to come as a shock, but I was wrong. Or I mean, not all right. It wasn't just Storm Chaser responsible for the attack, it was Cello. Cello tried to kill me."

"What?" Glory blinked and shook her head, as if not sure she had heard right. "But why would he do that? And I thought New Tambelon was a flying-supremacist group, why would they work with a unicorn?"

"I don't know," Galaxy said, and she meant it. It didn't make any sense at all. Slowly, with Glory helping her along, she started on her way toward her two fellow princesses. "But then again, that's why we left all the bad guys alive, so that they can tell us. I'm assuming things went fine here without me, anyway. And you know, we beat the bad guys, saved the day, probably stopped some kind of convoluted plot to destroy Equestria. I think we can count this as a good day. Yeah, good day. I definitely earned that vacation."

Glory giggled. "I can't argue with that. Come on, let's make sure Luna's okay, and then get you to an infir-"

A mare screamed. Immediately all tiredness left Galaxy's body and she was running, Glory beside her, to the source of the scream. A group had gathered around Cello's body, and it was from here the scream came. Galaxy and Glory reached just behind Celestia and the guards, while Luna followed after a little while.

Something in Galaxy's gut told her something was terribly wrong as she started pushing her way through the crowd. "Move aside, get out of the way! What happened? Celestia, what's wrong?" Celestia didn't have to tell her. Galaxy got to the center of the crowd and saw what was wrong right away. "That... that's not Cello."

Beside Galaxy, Glory gaped at the black insectoid creature lying where Cello had fallen, the remains of the armor on it telling them that was somehow the same being. "Not Cello? That's not even a pony. What does it mean?"

Galaxy and Celestia shared a look. The elder princess scowled and looked back down at the changeling. "It means, we have a big problem."

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Iron Mare will return in:

THE CRUSADERS

Comments

[The Fiery Joker]

Oh you've GOT to be kidding me...

Not a bad ending, but just...

Wow.

[Solaris90]

1489901

Care to elaborate?

[The Fiery Joker]

1492160

It's just...

Changelings. If they're involved, s**t's going down. With that little plot thread, you just added a dose of potential. I did wonder how Changelings existed in this universe.

Sorry if I came off as negative, I was just surprised.

[Otrepony]

A very good chapter.

[Avenging-Hobbits]

ponycraft.net/wp-content/forum-image-uploads/nobe_oddy/2012/06/170374-ancient_aliens-changeling-conspiracy-Giorgio_Tsoukalos-meme.jpg

[Avenging-Hobbits]

I GIVE THIS STORY THE:
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