There are no Unicorns or Pegasai, only Earth Ponies. one decides She's gonna fly. She's Rainbow Dash
Magic Fall. A phrase that conjures in the minds of ponies, a time of great strife and death, when magic abandoned pony-kind and left them to fend for themselves in a hostile world. Luna now sits alone on the throne as she has for the last one thousand years and watches as technology slowly but surely fills the gap that was left.
The Worlds Fair is in full swing in Canterlot and with the launch of the first ever Celestia Class airship, 'The Harmony', many predict a new era of peace is to come. But when disaster strikes and nearly takes the princess out of the picture, one pony who dreamed of flight will take to the skies and save Equestria.
This is the story of RAINBOW DASH and her MARVELOUS MECHANICAL WINGS...
“I got the idea from the old mares tale of the Father and son trapped in a labyrinth,” Rainbow Dash said, gesticulating wildly in her mounting excitement. “I can't remember what it's called but in it, the father's a real egghead and he makes a set of wings for his son out of feathers and wax so that he can get away, but the kid goes too high. The sun melts the wax and he falls into the sea and drowns. I know it doesn't end too good for the kid but the idea of flying. Oh man. Just think! No more walking, no more long trips between cities. All that freedom.” She heaved a wistful sigh, plopping onto her haunches.
Rainbow Dash had been pacing in front of Pinkie Pie, rambling about the idea she'd had for a set of clockwork wings. Unfortunately, she was no egghead and lacked the technical know-how to pull it off. Pinkie on the other hoof was a maverick mechanist, renowned across Equestria. At last tally, she had nearly a score of patients under her belt. She listened intently, her mind abuzz, not only with ideas for the project that the sky blue pony before her was pitching but also three separate and wholly unique ways to make strawberry pineapple upside down cake. She resolved on option two and then spoke.
“Oh! This sounds like so much fun!” Pinkie all but shrieked with her usual exuberance. Dash smiled gratefully as the Pink mare began rummaging through a drawer in her workshop above the kitchen in Sugarcube Corner. “We're gonna need to talk to Sepia Tock to get some gearwork and machining done, but beyond that, I should have all the materials here! I've even got a tab at his store. Speaking of... I should probably pay that one of these days... How much was it? Twenty... No Twenty five thousand bits... Hmm...”
“Sepia who?” Rainbow dash queried, as she watched Pinkie toss random objects from within the drawer across the room. At her interjection, Pinkie froze and looked at Rainbow quizzically.
“Sepia Tock! The Clocksmith?” Dash continued to look confused. With an unamused expression Pinkie levelly said, “Dr. Whooves... He hates that name by the way. Always has. He and Colgate run the Clock Shop on Fillyton street.”
“Oh! Him? I've seen him all over the place. Brown colt with the hourglass cutie mark.”
“That's him! Sepia Tock. Master Clocksmith, and absolutely not a Time-traveling pony from space.” Pinkie returned to her rummaging, tossing several unlikely items out onto the floor behind her until finally, she emerged with a large notepad and stylus in her mouth. “Now Dashie. Before we get started, There's a very important question I have to ask you.”
“Alright Pinks. Shoot.”
“Do you like raspberry or boysenberry in your pancakes?”
Rainbow paused for a moment, looking incredulously at the utterly serious expression on the pink mare's face. Resigned to the inevitable, she sighed. “Raspberry...”
“Alright! Now, about these wings...”
---
“No! Absolutely not!”
Sepia Tock glowered at the grinning pink mare before him. Here she was again, a debtor to him that owed nearly enough to cover his operating costs and mortgage for the next year and she had the nerve, the unabashed gall to ask him to extend her more credit! Colgate stood off to the side, her disapproving look boring into the side of Sepia's head.
“No Pinkie. I won't say it again.”
“Awww. Please, Mr. Tock! It's really super-duper important! And It's not even for me!”
“Pinkie! You owe my shop over twenty thousand bits!” He all but shouted, tossing his hooves in the air in exasperation.
“Twenty-Five Thousand,” Pinkie corrected. Sepia gave her a very level look.
“I can't keep doing this. You need to start paying this money back. I mean it Pinkie.”
“I know, and I Pinkie Pie Promise, This will be the last time I ask you until I pay you back! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Pinkie even went through the accompanying motions, skillfully avoiding jabbing herself in the eye like most others who did the promise happened to.
“I cannot believe you're even considering doing this!” Colgate said as she watched Sepia's resolve fade. “This mare's inventions never sell! They're all too... Too Weird! We're lucky she's not put us out of business. If you didn't sell to that purple mare from the library, we'd be bankrupt right now!”
“Well, it's either take Pinkie at her word or listen to her beg us until we give in. You remember what happened last time?”
Colgate visibly shuddered. “Three weeks... I don't think she slept once. Fine. I see your point, but I swear on Luna's Bucking Moon, this is the last time.” She turned to Pinkie Pie, a dead serious look in her eye. “The... Last... Time... Tock, you take care of this. I've still gotta finish repairing the Mayor's clock.” With one more disapproving look at the two ponies before her, Colgate turned and left the room.
“Alright, Miss Pie. What'll it be?” he said, pulling a large book from beneath the counter and laying it before the pink mare. She leafed through the pages and jotted several product numbers and quantities down on an order slip, which she hoofed over to Sepia. Taking the paper, he began rummaging through several boxes and crates behind the counter and collecting various gears and components. “I really hope you know what you're doing this time Pinkie.”
“Oh, I said before, It's not me! I'm just helping a friend with their idea this time.”
Sepia Tock shook his head and boxed up the last of the Mare's orders. “That should be it. And good luck.”
“Thanks! Oh, yeah! You'll be at the party this weekend right? It's Twilight's 'Congratulations on your newest invention' Party! She's been getting a lot of those... Huh...”
“Wouldn't miss it for the world Pinkie. Now, will there be anything else or can I actually get some paid work done?”
“Nope! All done. I'll see you at the Party Sepia!” Pinkie chirped, with the box of components balanced squarely on her head. With her trademark smile, she trotted from the store. Sepia Tock heaved a sigh of relief.
“Colgate,” Sepia called, making his way into the back room where Colgate had retreated. “make sure to check the escapements again. It seems like they're sticking occasionally.”
“Check them yourself, Tock. I've gotta find out how we're gonna pay the mortgage and cover overhead. I won't be taking a pay cut because you can't say no to that pink mare.”
Sepia let his head sink to the worktable with a solid thump. This was going to be a long day.
---
Pinkie was busily tinkering in her workshop when there was a knock at the door. Carefully, she set her tools aside and gingerly removed her goggles and proceeded to bounce merrily to the door. Jerking it open, her gleeful smile was met with an exhausted Rainbow Dash who was lugging a very large bundle on her back.
“Here it is Pinks. The pinion and skeletal construct for the wings. All to spec,” She said, wearily trotting into the workshop. “You have no idea how difficult it is to hold all those gears in place and fit the joints together.” Carefully, she shrugged the bundle off her back and onto a bare workbench that Pinkie had led her to.
“I'm sure you did a super-duper-great job Dashie. I'm still trying to fabricate the drive motor but some of these parts are so fiddly-widdly.”
“I really appreciate you helping me with this Pinks,” Rainbow said, as she inspected the incomplete drive system. “It really means a lot to me.”
“Awww, it's no problem Dashie! I'm always ready to help a friend, and besides. I was getting bored,” Pinkie replied, reaching past the cyan mare to tweak some loose parts on the drive motor. “My automatic Cupcake Cannon got confiscated last month, and with the Worlds Fair in Canterlot right now, so many ponies are gone that I'd feel guilty throwing any parties if they couldn't come. Thank goodness it's over this weekend!”
“Yeah! Twi's party is gonna be awesome!” Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof in the air with only slightly contained excitement. “I wanna show her our wings, get her professional opinion on the design.”
Pinkie gave a gasp like a bellows as the idea struck home. “Ohhh! We could totally get help from her getting funding to make more! I'm sure Somepony in the Equestrian Academy of Sciences and Technology would be interested! Oh and then, when we get the funding, I can throw a 'thanks for the funding' party! We can have cake and ice cream and games and all kinds of neato things!”
Rainbow Dash's smile only faltered for a second as her excitable friend took wing on the winds of sugar that apparently powered her through the day, and it returned in force when she actually got to thinking about what Twilight might be able to help them with. Her excitement was beginning to swell before a bit of reality drove itself home as Pinkie's spastic flailing knocked the workbench and several small and undoubtedly important components from the drive motor went 'ping' off into the corners.
Princess Luna sat in her office, idly tapping a hoof as she read over a stack of reports pertaining to the Equestria World's Fair. Her mane, usually held in its resplendent ethereal form by what little of her magic remained was now it's normal sky blue and laid gently across her withers. The magic that usually maintained it's striking appearance was now tasked to holding her paperwork aloft as she poured over the printed figures.
Her vestigial wings, still splendidly toned but for all the world totally useless, were pressed to her sides and twitched in time with the tapping of her hoof which in turn tapped in time with the ticking of the large Grandfather Clock in the corner. The clock had been a gift from a dear friend of hers, the Cesar of The Zebrican City-state of Terpsichore. Luna was abruptly interrupted by a loud knock at the door. Quickly, she dropped the papers and with an almighty heave of mental strength, forced her magic into her mane, causing it to flow and ripple as if tugged by an unseen wind, her glorious night reflected in its unearthly form.
“Enter,” She called, hoping that this was not another unannounced visit from some foreign dignitary bent on pestering her for her favor. The guard stepped smartly through the door and saluted.
“Twilight Sparkle to see you, My Lady,” He said, dropping the salute and stepping aside. Behind him, the mare in question stood, a pleased if a bit harassed smile on her face. Luna's face lit up at the sight of her most faithful student. Thanking the guard, she dismissed him and motioned for Twilight to sit on one of the many comfortable cushions ranged about her office.
“What a pleasant surprise. I was honestly not expecting you until after the presentation,” She said, as she snapped the door shut behind her and let the illusion fall from her mane. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Oh, no reason,” Twilight said, allowing herself to relax into her plush seat. “I have another hour until my presentation and nothing to do. I'm not interrupting, am I? I know you're quite busy Princess.”
“Oh, heavens no!” Luna said with an airy laugh, taking a seat across from the lavender mare.
Twilight smiled with obvious relief. She had a tendency to over think and overreact and it was much to her credit that she had managed to keep calm these last few weeks, mused the princess as she settled in to relax alongside her student. Twilight Sparkle had been rising quickly through the ranks of her chosen field of research culminating in her latest invention; the Thaumaturgic Energy Detector. Supposedly, the device would allow ponies to read the background magic in Equestria. It was a small wonder she had withstood all the skeptics and neigh-sayers that sought to discredit her device.
Luna's musings had just begun to escape her when Twilight spoke again. “Good. I'm glad,” she said. “I'd hate to be a bother.” Another moment passed, and the two simply took in the rare peace they were experiencing. At length, Twilight broke the silence once again. “This is quite the turn out for the fair though, isn't it?”
The Princess nodded, glancing to her window which overlooked the gardens where the main body of the fair was held. “It most certainly is. I would love to say it's because of all the wonderful inventions that all the peoples of the world have brought together, but today, I would go so far as to say it's the christening of the first ever Celestia class Airship, 'The Harmony'. Quite the feat if I do say so myself.”
“Naturally,” Twilight agreed, following Luna's gaze out the window. Just beyond the gardens, the airship in question floated, moored to the Royal Skytower. It's massive frame casting a shadow over most of the castle. “It's the most impressive looking invention on display here.”
“Impressive 'looking' you say?” Luna said, smiling a bit. “Don't let dear cousin Blueblood hear you say that. He'd be very cross with you seeing how many bits he sank into that project. And speaking of, I heard from the Nobles that he's been courting your friend Rarity. How is that going?”
“Ugh... don't even get me started,” The lavender mare groused, rolling her eyes to the sky. “Let's just leave it at, I'm glad when he's not around.”
“Fair enough. I've always found him rather grating, so I understand.”
At this, they both shared a laugh at the stallion's expense. “Grating is putting it nicely. I'd be more in the school of Acidic. But if Rarity's happy, I'm happy... I guess.”
“How very noble,” Luna said, half mockingly, gaining a wry smile from the purple mare. “I cannot deny the magic between them though. They seem to be genuinely in love.”
“Yeah. Maybe she can buck some sense into him. But there's actually something I've been meaning to ask you, Princess,” Twilight said, her expression becoming more serious.
“Then ask,” came Luna's reply. She waited patiently as Twilight gathered her thoughts.
“It's... It's about magic, princess. More specifically. Where it went. You told me years ago that you would explain it when I was old enough to understand and I've been studying for years now. I'm a leader in theoretical magic and I hold the highest degree from your academy. I was just hoping maybe you could tell me now?”
Luna blinked for a moment, pondering her student's words. It was true that years ago, a young Twilight, in the midst of her studies had asked her where the magic went. Luna had promised to tell her when she was old enough to understand, but what she meant to say was, 'I will tell you when you're old enough to forgive me for it.'
What cheer that Twilight's visit had brought left with those thoughts. Luna closed her eyes and ordered her mind. It was long past time for her student to know the truth. The truth of why she can't use the magic that should have been hers. The truth of why so many died a thousand years ago.
“Very well, but not now. Later, after your presentation. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity Twilight. Meet me afterward. I'll tell you everything you wish to know.”
---
Luna's head hung low as she watched Twilight leave. Today would not be easy for her. For the first time in a thousand years, she would reveal the truth behind 'Magic Fall'. It was nerve-wracking. Truly she never intended to tell Twilight, but the mare's curiosity was legendary and no amount of denial could dissuade her from pursuing knowledge. Not to say Luna was even capable of denying her precious student such a thing. It was her right to know.
The minutes ticked by on the grandfather clock. She attempted to pass the time by reading the reports but quickly abandoned the task when she realized she had read and reread the same line five times and couldn't remember a word from it. The time approached, and Luna quickly attempted to gather her wandering thoughts. From her window, she could see Twilight Sparkle walking across the lawn behind the crowd barriers between the fair and the castle. In mere moments, she would be there. Briefly, she considered lying, saying that she was suddenly quite busy but Twilight's tenacity would mean this would only delay the inevitable.
“Twilight. Welcome back,” Luna said, as the mare in question trotted briskly through the office door. “Let's not dally. I would like to have this done quickly.”
“Yes Princess, please, lead the way.” Twilight struck a bow and Luna smiled in return. Making her way past, she trotted slowly down the hall.
“Twilight. Before we reach our destination and all is revealed, there are some things you should know. First, I imagine you are not aware, but I have a sister.”
“A sister? I had no idea.”
“Yes. She was,” Luna began, her voice suddenly failing her for a moment. She quickly schooled her emotions and continued. “She was kind and beloved by all in her time. And she is at the heart of Magic Fall. Her name is Celestia. And when she and I ruled, she was the most powerful being in all Equestria. Therein lies the problem. She was so dangerous too. The power I commanded then was prodigious. Hers dwarfed mine. I controlled the moon and the stars, and she, the sun. My power was subtle, elegant. But hers. Hers was a fearsome and raw power.”
“So she was the cause?” Twilight asked, trying to understand.
“Yes. And no. She was at the heart of it, but Discord was the cause.”
Luna let that sentence linger for a time as they trekked downward into the sub-levels of the castle. Here the walls were rough and the floors were dirty. “Discord,” Luna said, bringing Twilight's attention back to her in full. “was once a trusted member of the court. His hijinks and practical jokes had won both our hearts and we honestly enjoyed his company, but all Equestrians are intimately familiar with how that part of the story ends. He betrayed us and sent us far away. We came back and defeated him. Or at least, that's how the official history tells it.”
Luna looked over her shoulder and met Twilight's curious eyes. “What do you mean princess?”
“I mean,” She said, stopping before a large expanse of wall. Gently she tapped her horn to the surface, causing it to ripple and fade revealing a nondescript wooden door. “Some things in the history of Equestria, I'm sad to say I've had suppressed and expunged. Not the least of which is the very existence of my sister and her connection to the fall of magic in Equestria. But more so... My connection.”
“Your connection?”
“When I said my sister was at the heart of the matter, I meant it. But what I did not say was that the events of that day were the fault of my shortcomings. In those days, my sister was the paragon of harmony, and I, the youngest was still brash and hotheaded. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Please step inside. All will become clear.”
Twilight took a nervous gulp as she nosed the door open.
---
“What is this,” Twilight breathed, her gaze falling upon the awesome sight. A cavernous room perfectly spherical and filled with a nearly blinding light stood before them. In the center was a form, vaguely equine but blurred and indistinct.
“It's a prison,” Luna said, stepping beside her student her expression pained and grim. “A prison that holds the most powerful being in Equestria. The only being still in possession of true magic, my sister, Princess Celestia of Equestria.”
“Why is she here?”
“That's the real question, isn't it? It's a long story, but you deserve to know what I've done.”
Sepia Tock set the springs carefully within the brass casing of the mantle clock now occupying his work table. Colgate was out running whatever errands she ran on a Wednesday and that left Seipa with time to finish some back orders. This particular clock belonging to miss Bon Bon was a regular patron of his table. The mechanism was old, very very old and had a distressing habit of warping the springs that were set in it, making it run slower and slower until it eventually stopped altogether. He often offered to rework the gears to solve this problem, but Bon Bon refused outright every time. When asked why she made some noncommittal remark about Heirlooms.
And so, as he did almost once a month, Sepia Tock screwed the back cover onto the clock and replaced the winding key, gave it seven full turns and pulled out his stopwatch. As the clock's second hand passed the 12, he gave the button on his watch a tap and waited. Exactly one minute later, both his stopwatch and the clock struck 12:01. With a satisfied nod, the clock was set aside for pickup, and a Kuoo-Kuoo that had been dropped some height took its place at the table. It was in desperate need of his attention but it would seem that it would have to wait as at that very moment, the bell chimed above the entrance.
“Sepia, we've got some business to take care of,” Colgate said, as she joined the clocksmith in the workroom. She set several parcels down by the door and shrugged her saddlebags off. “Three deliveries to Canterlot and there are some issues with a specialty part that Twilight Sparkle ordered. It's going to be another two days and she requested that we inform her of any problems. Apparently, the Factory was overrun by Parasprites and they only just managed to save the machinery but the stock was completely devoured.”
Sepia gave a groan but stood from his work and looked at the list of Parcels to deliver. Mostly light stuff. A Specially engraved watch/compass combination pocket watch, an electric Clock (a relatively new invention courtesy of the Heartstrings Corporation), and a shipment of sprockets and gears for a fellow Clocksmith who was running low on parts. All in all, a light load, but still enough to fill a day and leave Colgate with the shop.
“Gah, these darn deliveries are killing my productivity,” Sepia complained mainly to himself. He stuffed the order forms in his saddlebags and went about gathering the parcels. “Do we know where Miss Sparkle's going to be?” he asked, hoping he could just leave a message for her at whatever hotel she was staying at.
“She's staying in the palace,” Colgate began as she helped gather his travel gear together. “so you'll have to meet her at her presentation. Security's been ramped up since Canterlot's hosting the World's Fair. Apparently, while the Princess is perfectly happy to let the folks come and go, the nobles are a bit antsy about Gryphons roaming the halls of the palace. Go figure the upper crust being rigid and intolerant.” With a smirk, she buckled the bag shut and helped Sepia put them on.
“Well, that's just wonderful. I'll probably be back sometime tomorrow morning then,” Sepia grumbled. Making for the door he made a second pass to make sure he had all that he needed before he left. After a few moments of fumbling, he turned to Colgate. “Have you seen my Travel Pass?” he asked, still absently patting the pockets of his waistcoat.
“Saddlebags, large inside pocket.”
A bit of fumbling later and Sepia removed the pass from the bag and clipped it to his collar. “Thanks. I'd hate to get airborne and find out I forgot my pass.”
“I'm pretty sure they stopped throwing ponies from the airships decades ago Sepia,” Colgate deadpanned. A chuckle from Sepia made her smile and the brown colt took his leave.
---
The airship ride was uneventful, but Sepia didn't expect anything less. While it's true that Canterlot was always busy, now busy would not do it justice. The capital city of Equestria was positively swarming with all manner of beings, be they pony, Diamond Dog, or Minotaur. The Airship Sepia rode set down upon the southwest mooring tower alongside its sisters and the gangway was dropped. Sepia's window faced away from Canterlot proper so disembarking set him up for the shock of his life.
The papers had ranted and raved about “The Harmony”. It was supposedly the largest airship ever constructed and was dubbed Celestia class by Her Highness Princess Luna. Previously the largest ship, “The Vanguard” was a Luna class seating one thousand ponies comfortably and boasting a payload numbering in the hundreds of tonnes. “The Harmony” was near three times as large and Sepia nearly fell to his haunches as his eyes landed upon the hulking behemoth that drifted lazily above the palace.
“By the moon and stars,” Sepia whispered as his gaze laid transfixed on the ship. He couldn't marvel for long as the flowing throng of ponies pushed him towards the spiral stairs leading to the city below. As the airship passed from view, Sepia began his arduous trek across the tiered city towards the central commons where Twilight's presentation would be taking place.
---
“Alright, how's that fit Dashie?” Pinkie Pie asked, as she wiped away, or rather smeared a spot a grease across her cheek. “Not to tight?”
“Kinda heavy but, good otherwise,” Rainbow Dash replied, flexing her shoulders. The metallic wings now fully articulated and assembled on her back shifted slightly with her motion. “So, how's this work Pinks?”
“Well, when I connect the leads to the harness,” She said, doing so as she spoke. “Your body will control the wings. With a bit of help from the Library, I found out how the Pegasai used to move when they flew and tried to emulate the motions in my design. I think it's all right, but We won't know till you're soaring with the birdies!” as each of the leads snapped over their corresponding points on the harness, the wings began to twitch and flair awkwardly. Dash yelped once or twice when the strange motions made the metal wings pinch her exposed fur.
“There!” Pinkie exclaimed as the last lead took hold and the wings flared out wide. “Now, you'll be able to control the wings but until we get the motor running, you won't have enough power to generate lift. The most they're good for now is gliding.” Pinkie explained, her temporary seriousness bringing Dash's excited gaze to her. “So, let's test the bad boys out!”
Dash's grin widened as she stretched her back. Like Pinkie said, the wings responded to her motions, the action causing the wings to raise as if beginning to flap. It was awkward trying to figure out what did what, and in the confines of Pinkie's workshop, many boxes and schematics were knocked to the floor and scattered about haphazardly. The grin slowly began to fade as Rainbow realized she was demolishing her friend's workshop. Sheepishly, she contracted her shoulders, causing the wings to pull in to their resting state.
“Sorry about that Pinkie Pie,” She said, rubbing her neck with a fore-hoof. “Maybe we can take this outside?”
Pinkie looked around the now more thoroughly destroyed workshop with a thoughtful expression “Hmm...” she murmured, tapping her chin idly with a hoof. The hoof suddenly met the wooden floorboards with a solid click. “THAT'S PERFECT!” She shouted, and immediately began dragging Rainbow Dash through the door.
Downstairs Mrs. Cake looked up and spotted Pinkie as she mare handled Dash through the store. “Pinkie Dear,” she shouted, causing Pinkie Pie to halt abruptly and Rainbow Dash to tumble down the rest of the stairs bodily. “Do try to be careful, and remember, you're taking the morning shift tomorrow so be sure to get plenty of rest. Carrot and I are going to the hospital for my last Checkup.” She said this with a motherly smile and reached down to caress her stomach, distended with foal.
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie said, a wide smile spreading across her face. “Come on Dashie, You heard Mrs. Cake. We've gotta go! It's getting late.”
“Uhhh...” Dash moaned from the floor. Thanks to her fall, she had become tangled in the leads, a few of which had come undone and were rooted firmly in her mane. “A little help please?”
---
After a bit of swearing-filled jiggery and a rather awkward departure from a riotously laughing Mrs. Cake, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie found their way to the outskirts of Ponyville. Applejack had long since forbidden Pinkie from testing her gizmos and gadgets at sweet apple acres so they had to settle for an open field currently in possession of the crown.
“Alright,” Dash said, as she got used to the wings being tugged by the breeze. “Pre-flight tests?”
“Yuppie Duppie!” Pinkie chirped, pulling a clipboard from a saddlebag and beginning the list. “Lateral range?”
“Check,” Dash said, pulling her wings forward and back with subtle twitches of her muscles.
“Dorsal Range?”
“Check.” Dash's wings rose up and down.
“Independent control?”
“Check.” The wings each began twisting and flaring individually to demonstrate the full range..
“Ready for ignition?”
“Check.”
Pinkie set the clipboard down and trotted up to the artificial Pegasus. With a careful tug, a ripcord was revealed which she pulled sharply. The motor roared to life and the wings became ridged and twitched seemingly randomly as Rainbow Dash stood beneath them. “Okie Dokie Lokie! Give 'em a flap Dashie! Let's see this Pegasus fly!”
One subtle motion later and the wings snapped into action. Only to plow Dash face first into the grass and get the leading edge of one wing caught in the dirt.
“Ouch...”
“I'll say...”
---
Sepia Tock found his way to Twilight's pavilion easily. Her Presentation was headlining today's events after all, and honestly. Who wouldn't be excited about her work? Her invention could open up a whole new avenue into Thaumaturgy. Her stated goal; Reintroducing Magic to the Masses. Just think! But that's assuming her invention performs as advertised.
The Pavilion was crowded by the time Sepia arrived, and guards blocked the entrance to the stage, so it seemed he would have to wait until after to catch her. Fine by him. He'd been interested in her work for some time and this was an opportunity to see first hoof what all the fuss was about. On stage, a large curtain blocked Twilight Sparkle's construct from view and a podium stood beside it. A few moments passed and finally, out trotted the lavender mare. She took her place and prepared to begin.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts,” She said, projecting her voice across the gathered ponies. “Beings of all species. Today I will present to you what may well be the future of Equestrian civilization, and the catalyst to a new age of enlightenment.” There were murmurs from the crowd at this but they quieted down quickly. “Thaumaturgy, the study and practice of the magical arts is an ancient and mysterious science dating back eons. After Magicfall, the three most potent and practical forms of magic were lost to us. Earth pony magic, Pegasus magic, and Unicorn magic. All gone for reasons unknown”
The crowd was enraptured at this point and she had barely even begun the exposition. This was shaping up to be good. “Today, magic is still possible, but the methods are tedious and wildly impractical, not to mention dangerous and often unpredictable. I seek to change all that. With my new invention, the Thaumaturgic Energy Detector or 'T.E.D.'”
There were a few chuckles at the acronym, Twilight's included, but she continued. With a flourish of her hoof, the curtain fell revealing a rather unremarkable looking machine and several boards containing complex equations and Thaumatic figures. “Everyone, Meet Ted. Ted's function is to read and record background magic. Simple as that. What's not so simple is how he actually does it. Inside are several crystals each painstakingly enchanted using rituals that took weeks to establish and complete for relatively simple results. Just constructing Ted is a testament to how insanely ineffective magic is today.”
Twilight lifted the top panel of the machine and revealed it's inner workings to the crowd. Seven gems glowed in its core and complex machinery spread out from there, all inert currently but ready to begin their task at a moment's notice. “Inside of Ted, I've constructed an array that should, if my calculations prove correct, read the pulsations of each of the gemstones and translate that pulsation into quantifiable numbers which will allow us to study the effects of rituals on a fundamental level and maybe simplify them into much more manageable size and scope.”
“The hope is to eventually be able to recreate ancient spells as described in the writings of Pre-Fall scholars such as Star Swirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever. Magic has long been lost to pony kind but I hope to reintroduce it to the world at large. Before I begin the practical demonstration, are there any questions?” Several hooves, talons, claws, paws, and hands rose into the air, and Twilight began fielding questions about General Thaumaturgy and the process by witch she assembled the necessary materials to create Ted.
After about five minutes, Twilight called the questions to a close and turned to her creation. Closing it, she began a small ritual that was pre-constructed for the purpose of the demonstration. All it did was create a small puffy cloud of water vapor, but Ted began its work in earnest. Buzzing and whirring and extruding paper covered in figures. After the ritual was complete, the machine ceased its machinations and Twilight removed the paper. She then flipped the centermost board around and revealed two similar papers pinned to it, to which she joined the third.
“As you can now observe, the three papers you see before you are similar, but not identical. Each was created in the same way, by allowing Ted to read the magic while I performed the same ritual. Further study will be required but we believe that the figures presented could one day lead us to understand the fundamental principals that govern magic.”
From there most of the audience became well and truly lost as Twilight began explaining the advanced science and maths that went into the creation of Ted. Some of her colleagues seemed to be nodding along or shaking their head and taking notes in the front row, but Sepia, along with most of the crowd, just stared wide eyed and slack-jawed as Twilight sparkle spoke circles around the lot of them.
A half hour later, the presentation concluded and Sepia rushed to the stage to meet Twilight as she left. Upon his arrival, she spotted him and politely extricated herself from the throng of scientists who were questioning her about her methods.
“Afternoon, Mr. Tock,” She said, smiling warmly at him. “What brings you to Canterlot?”
“Among other things, I needed to speak with you, Miss Sparkle. It's about your special order.”
“Hmm? What about it?”
“Well, it's going to be another two days before it arrives. According to Colgate, the Factory was eaten or something. Parasprites or whatever. But the point is, they won't have the part to us and by extension, to you, for two days.”
“well that actually works out pretty well then,” she said as she began moving towards the edge of the crowd. “I'll be needing a couple days to relax after all of this. Anyway, I'm sorry I can't stay and chat, but I have a very important meeting to get to and I don't want to be late.”
“I understand. And congratulations on your machine. It looks quite impressive!”
“Thank you. I'll see you at Pinkie's party?”
“I suppose. But I really don't see the point of a party every week,” Sepia said, half seriously.
“Well, it's better than being bored all the time,” Twilight said flashing a grin and waving. “I'll see you there then. Bye!”
---
Dash stared glumly at the wings as Pinkie packed them away for the night. “Better luck next time I guess.”
“Oh, don't feel so bad Dashie! You're going to be the first flying pony in a thousand years soon! Just keep trying and you'll get it.”
Rainbow Dash smiled. Pinkie was right. One little setback wasn't gonna ruin her mood. “Thanks, Pinks. You're a real pall.”
For a long while, Luna merely looked into the blinding sphere of light, her gaze distant and unfocused. Twilight for a moment considered prompting the princess somehow but before she could commit, Luna spoke.
"It was the darkest time in all of Equestrian history, the day we now know as Magic Fall. The day when the driving force of our nation was ripped away without warning. Most know about the untold destruction that resulted, the many many deaths that came from that loss. What nopony knows is why it happened. Nopony but me." She tore her gaze away from the prison and looked down at Twilight.
"The story I'm about to tell you... I want you to know that I had no choice. I wish there was another way, and every day I think back and my heart breaks again." Luna closed her eyes tight to hold back the tears as she spoke.
"I didn't know it at the time, but our defeat of Discord was not the end of his mischief. When we used the Elements of Harmony on the traitor, he had one last prank to play, and it cost everypony dearly in the end, and the punchline was that it was the saviors of pony kind that would bring it about.
It was nearly fifty years after his defeat that the change began to take hold in my sister. She became irritable and stress seemed to weigh heavily on her withers. At the time, she assured me that she was well and that it was just the stress of ruling the nation. I believed her and went about my business. Soon though, her irritability became hostility. She was never an angry mare, but then, her temper was as hot as the sun. She became suspicious of everypony. She saw spies and assassins in the shadows and would never be alone, though she did not trust her guards either." As the story progressed, Luna's voice descended into a depressed monotone and her gaze lost focus. For the first time in her entire life, Twilight saw the Princess openly displaying weakness, and it frightened her.
"Some time passed and her distrust began to grow. One day, she denied me entry into the throne room for noonday court. The guards informed me that I was not permitted to see my sister. The guards stood blocking my way, but I was orders of magnitude more powerful than even Starswirl the Bearded at the peak of his power. With a thought, they found themselves in their barracks, unarmored and I strode in to confront my sister.
In the throne room, my sister sat atop her dais, but mine was gone. So too were my banners and my court advisers. To this day I do not know what became of them. There sat my sister, but she was not my sister. You've seen depictions of her you know. In my chambers, there was a painting of a white mare with wings and a horn. I had told you she was a dear old friend who was gone from this world. That was my sister Celestia, but that was not the more I beheld sitting upon the royal Dias.
Her mane was aflame, whipping about wildly and scorching the marble Lengths behind her. Her iridescent white fur radiated with the powerful summer heat and her magenta eyes, once full of love and compassion became steely and hateful when they beheld my entry. I will not repeat what was said, but she heaved accusation and slander at me and would not hear my plea for reason. Before I realized what was happening, I was blasted back into the hall by her magic. It was then that I realized that I would not be able to reason with my sister.
My only recourse would be to fight her, but I did not have the power to oppose her directly. I sought out the Elements. With them, I hoped to restore my sister to harmony. I procured the artifacts and brought them to bare. Sadly I failed. The elements were not all attuned to me. I was Laughter, Loyalty, and Honesty. She was Kindness, Generosity, and Magic. Without being attuned, the Elements were little better to me than pebbles, and so I resigned to my fate. I knew that my sister would end my life –Twilight gasped in surprise but Luna carried on– but I had hoped that the action would bring her to her senses again. It was just before she struck me down that her words spurred me into action.
It was her intent to cast the world in perpetual day, to eradicate the shadows so that assassins and thieves and liars would have no safe haven to scurry to. I knew, as well as she did that this would spell the end of the world. The sun would scorch the land and burn off all life but ours, that is the reason for my night, to preserve life on Equestria and she sought to undo eons of balance. I could not stand by and allow that to happen. I could not risk her carrying through with her plan if my death were not enough to break her madness.
There is a little known fact, Twilight, about Alicorns and Magic. We each are intrinsically connected to all magic in Equestria. Our power stems from all of our little ponies and because of this, that magic is at our disposal as well. There was only one hope for the survival of our world. I had to tap that seemingly bottomless well of magic and defeat my sister before she could end this world. What I had not counted on was the amount of magic it would require to incapacitate a demigod like my sister and me." Luna's voice broke as she continued to tell her story.
"When I committed to the spell, every scrap of power needed was drawn from every available source and it then hammered my sister into submission and enshrouded her in the prison you see before you. An unanticipated effect was Magic Fall. I knew that magic would be temporarily drained from the world. What I did not know was that my sister would require a constant spell to contain her, one I would not be able to dispel for fear of her escape. This would mean that I could not allow the spell to end. I could not return to my little ponies that power that made us prosper after Discord's defeat.
And so for a thousand years, I have maintained this spell of containment, not allowing the magic to escape and return to the ponies of the world. Technically I still have my personal magic, but it is nearly all directed to keeping the spell intact. That is why I have my wings yet cannot fly. Over the last thousand years, I've redirected that innate magic so that I have my practical spells, levitation and the glamor I cast on my mane to impress the dignitaries."
Twilight was completely speechless. She had never, not in her darkest nightmares, considered such a thing. Years she had spent, countless hours studying magic and Magic Fall in hopes of gaining insight into the truth of the whole terrible event but now that she knew the whole truth, she desperately wanted to forget. To forget what her mentor had told her and return to the blissful ignorance. She knew that was impossible but her heart screamed that she must find a way.
Luna sat in silence and watched her student's inner struggle play out in Twilight's eyes. The turmoil of the realization that her teacher, leader of all Equestria and the only pony that she trusted without question was responsible for the single greatest tragedy in all of Equestrian history. It was a tortuously long moment before Twilight spoke again and what she said was a surprise to both.
"I... I forgive you, Princess," Twilight said quietly. She looked up at her mentor, a deep sadness in her eyes, but sincerity as well. "I know that you would have done something else if you could."
Luna was speechless. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes and she did not try to hide them. "I do not deserve your forgiveness, my dear Twilight. But I suppose that if Everypony were only given the forgiveness they deserved, we would live in a very different world indeed."
Luna bent down to nuzzle her student, but Twilight shied away causing Luna to pause. "I forgive you, Princess, I do. But I think I need time to gather my wits about me. This..." She gestured at the room in its entirety, "is so much for anypony to take in. I just need to think... Okay?"
"You're right," Luna said, sadness evident in her voice. "I will escort you to the sky-tower, I'll need to be there soon anyway to christen the maiden voyage of the Harmony." Both Mares took their leave, Twilight in the lead. Before the door closed, Luna glanced back into the room. She did not move her gaze until the door snapped shut and vanished into the wall again.
---
Rainbow Dash sat glumly gazing out of her window at the setting sun. Her first foray into flight was a flop and frankly, she was frustrated. Heaving a sigh, she stood and cantered over to her kitchen for something to eat. She rummaged through her Ice Box, making a mental note to go buy a new block of ice from Deep Freeze's. An apple in hoof, she swung the door shut. Pinned to the front of the door was a picture she had bought on her last trip to Cloudsdale-Falls. A beautiful rendition of the ancient cloud city, Cloudsdale as the backdrop with Pegasai flying hither an yon, sitting on clouds and generally living life. It was a cheap copy of a famous painting in the Cloudsdale-Falls Historical museum painted by one of the last Pegasai shortly after Magic Fall.
According to the Museum, Fleeting Feather was one of the few Pegasai that were grounded during Magic Fall. He was one of the lucky ones. Yes, he had lost his magic but he had done so when he had four hooves solidly on the ground. Those flying about or living in Cloudsdale found that the clouds offered no purchase and the winds, no support. They plummeted to their deaths, terrified and confused. Fleeting sought to capture the bliss they felt before their lives ended in horror. The painting was called 'Before the Fall' and it was her favorite.
Dash looked at the picture for a long moment, her mind racing suddenly and her daredevil heart beginning to pump. It was early enough, she figured, to give the wings one last go. She remembered the shed that Pinkie had put them away in. Taking a huge bite of her apple, she made for the door.
---
As Twilight embarked the Royal Airship, the Princess smiled a kind of half smile.
"You know you're always welcome at the palace, Twilight. You don't need to be such a stranger."
"I know Princess," Twilight said, her dour mood lifting slightly now that the evening sky was overhead. "I'm sorry. I'll see you at Pinkie's party, right?"
"Oh! I wouldn't dare miss it," The princess said, nodding. "That mare can throw the best parties. Anyway, I must be off. I'll be expected to ride the evening voyage of the Harmony. Take care Twilight, and do come to visit more often."
"I will Princess. Goodbye," said Twilight, briefly nuzzling the Princess beneath the chin. The door slid shut and the airship's engine roared to life. With her protege on the way home, there was no longer any reason for the Princess to dally. The Christening was to begin shortly. She descended the spiral stairs from her private dock down to the larger lower docks where the press and dignitaries that would be riding the new ship were gathered.
Prince Blueblood Stood proud beside the loading ramp of his Airship, a massive grin splitting his handsome face. Beside him stood Rarity, her usually regal and flamboyant mane done up in the practical style of the aircrews. To it she had applied her own flair, of which the fashion magazines would be raving for weeks, Luna was sure.
Ranged to the left of Blueblood and his lovely date were the Griphonic, Saddle Arabian and Zebrican ambassadors as well as other figures of political influence from nations abroad. To the right of the Prince were several individuals of varying import who had procured status as honored guests. Luna approached from the left wing, greeting each ambassador as she passed. She reached the center and gave her nephew an affectionate nuzzle, which he begrudgingly accepted.
"Auntie, Must you really?" He bemoaned. Rarity just giggled at his consternation.
"I think it's sweet," she said. "And how are you today Princess?"
"Quite well Lady Rarity, Thank you," Luna said, smiling warmly. "If you will, I must attend the ceremony. I'll speak with you aboard the ship."
"Yes, of course, Princess."
Luna turned and smiled at the congregated press ponies eager to see the newest and most massive flying machine ever constructed take to the skies for the first time. Luna scanned the audience for a moment before she began.
"Fillies and Gentle Colts, Ponies, Dogs, Gryphons, and Zebras and all others besides. I welcome you all to this, the Crowning Moment of The sixth decennial World's Fair. Once a decade, every nation comes together for a week of celebration of progress and prosperity." Luna let the words hang for a moment. "This year, we have seen many grand inventions too numerous to name here, but this moment, we come together to recognize what is surely the most impressive feat of aeronautical engineering since the invention of the hot air balloon. The first ever, C-Class Airship is to be launched on her maiden voyage today before our very eyes. I did have a long speech prepared for this, but I've had a trying day, and I suppose if you wanted to hear boring political ponies ramble all day, you'd run for councilor." This earned a smattering of laughter, and Luna smiled.
"So, without Further ado –she lifted a bottle of champagne in her magical aura— I christen the 'The Harmony'!" a heave of effort and the bottle shattered against the prow of the massive ship.
Blue Blood approached the front and began to speak next.
"Thank you, Auntie, and a special thank you to all the engineers that helped to make this beautiful ship sky-worthy. My auntie and I are of one mind. Let's not waste time prattling on." Blueblood heaved a great breath and Bellowed in true naval fashion, "ALL ABOARD WHO'S COMING ABOARD!"
---
Rainbow Dash opened the Shed door with the key that Pinkie had given a while back. There, on a cleared table was a large, tarped object. With a steady hoof belying her racing heart, she moved the tarp aside and saw the Mechanical wings that she had helped to bring into being. She quickly struggled into the harness and pulled the wings onto her back. After much trial and error, she had the leads all connected to their hooks.
An excitement overtook her as she strode out into the middle of the slowly emptying streets of Ponyville. She was getting looks of confusion from all who passed her by. The wings clanked and scraped as they sat idle on her back, currently unpowered. She found her way to the same field for earlier in the day and took her place at one end. Deciding on a new strategy, she reached back and, with a quick yank on the ripcord, the Drive mechanism began to clink and whirr.
This time, she determined, This time she would soar like the Pegasai in her painting. She would reclaim the bliss they felt in the air. It was just a matter of getting the wings to carry her. She readied herself, then began to trot, working furiously to keep her movements from triggering the wings. She picked up the pace when she got it down and began practicing slow sweeps of the wings while moving. Soon she had that motion down too. After two or three dry runs, she felt that if she couldn't do it now, it would never happen.
Cocky confidence in her trot, she returned to the edge of the field. Just as she was about to begin galloping full tilt, she heard somepony calling her name.
"Rainbow Dash! Wait!" Pinkie shouted as she galloped over to her. "Wait... What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to fly Pinkie," Dash said, pulling the goggles away from her eyes. "I had to give it one more shot today."
"I'm glad I caught you then, Dashie. I was looking at the designs, I don't know how well the carpel joints are going to hold up. If you went up now, the drag could shake the wings apart in mid-air. We'd need to test them in a wind tunnel before we did any real flying. OHMIGOSH! I can't believe I was gonna let you fly today! You could have been hurt, I'm such a Dummy McDumberson!"
Rainbow Dash sighed and hugged her friend. "Don't worry about it Pinks. I would have been fine anyway, and It's not like I ever got off the ground in the first place."
"Oh! But I was gonna let you, I should have known better... I'm a terrible friend, and everypony's gonna hate me because I helped my friend do something dangerous and they could have gotten hurt!"
"Woah there, Pinkie. I said It's cool, and it's not like you could have stopped me earlier either. I'd have gone up even if you'd told me the wings would explode."
Pinkie gave a loud sniff and dried the tears that had begun to stream down her face. "I... I guess you're right... OH! Look! It's the Harmony coming over Ponyville! So Pretty!"
Indeed, there in the distance and coming closer every moment was the massive form of the Harmony. For a moment, Rainbow and Pinkie just marveled at the thing and it drifted through the sky. Suddenly, something caught Rainbow's attention in the distance. Several specks were approaching from over the Everfree Forrest. Too small to make out, they began to close in on the Harmony. Before Dash could realize what was going on the Harmony's hull was ablaze. The specks, now seen to be a wing of griffins were circling the hulking ship and strange devices on their backs were shooting gouts of flame from long tubes held in their fore-claws that stuck to the side of the ship and burned white hot.
From the gondola, several griffins emerged, each wearing the standard of the Gryphon kingdom and most engaged the attackers. Rainbow Dash reacted before her brain could catch up. Pulling the ripcord, she was off like a shot, galloping at full tilt. The wings opened and began to flap powerfully, a deftness born of adrenalin evident in her actions. She was airborne in seconds and making a b-line for the nearest attacking griffin.
Her hooves made solid contact and the surprised avian was sent spiraling away, dazed. Two more closed in on Rainbow, confusion evident on their faces as she rushed the rightmost one and took a hold of his wing between her forelegs. His comrade finally regained his composure and streaked in after her. Wrenching the wing in her grasp, she forced her captured opponent into his allies path and they collided midair. It was then that she saw the Princess bailout from the Airship with a familiar looking white mare on her back.
She also saw a trio of the attackers take notice of the Princess attempting to glide to safety as well. They closed in on her and began taking swipes at her exposed flanks with talons. Not thinking twice, Rainbow barreled into one of them. There was a sickening crunch and the griffin tumbled from the sky into the trees below. One of the others came up from below and body tackled the mechanical pegasus. The wind was knocked from her and her assailant took that opportunity to tear at Rainbow's face and neck. After a moment, Rainbow's senses returned and with an inexpert shift, the wings shifted and clocked the griffin hard on the crown of the head.
Rainbow disentangled herself from the Gryphon and righted her flight. She Spotted the Princess again, being harried by the last of the pursuers. Rainbow rocketed herself after the retreating forms and slammed her full force into the last griffin. She punched and bit at the half feline bird. A clawed hand grasped at wires along Dash's flank and ripped. Her left wing rattled and locked in place and Dash was forced away by the Gryphon who immediately renewed his assault on the Princess.
Acting quickly, the stricken flier began to one by one reconnect the lines. She found a few were snapped clean but she persisted anyway, in the hopes of at least catching the princess should she fall. The princess had glided low to the ground and was now past the edge of the forest. She dipped suddenly towards the ground, the griffin following her closely. As she glided over a lake, there was a scream as the white pony was pitched over into the water. The Gryphon paid it no mind and continued after the Princess, claws outreached.
The princess touched down and immediately extended her powerful back legs into an expert buck which struck the griffin in the neck, snapping his spine but not muting his momentum. The dead weight barreled into the Princess, taking them both dock over withers across the ground. When the stopped, neither moved. Rainbow abandoned her attempts to repair the wings and angled herself towards the fallen royal.
Exhausted, she stumbled to the ground, the wings rattling and grinding loudly as the mechanisms failed catastrophically, one after another. As she reached the princess, she heaved a sigh of relief to realize that she was still breathing. Suddenly the ground shook and there was a blinding flash from Canterlot mountain. Looking up, Canterlot Mountain was a-glow with a strange blue-white light that expanded quickly. Within seconds, it was upon them. Rainbow Dash felt a strange lightness as it washed over her, but it passed as soon as it had begun.
She dismissed it for the moment. There were bigger issues now. Like getting the Princess to safety before more of those Gryphons come for her. As carefully as she could, she lifted the Princess onto her back and began on her way back to Ponyville. Hopefully, Twilight was home. She could help figure out what that light was...
Rainbow Dash grunted under the weight of the Princess. She could still hear the sound of the massive dirigible burning in the distance, and the clash of steel on steel. She felt blessed that no one up there had noticed her dragging an alicorn across open fields, because she was sure that after the beating she had taken at the talons of that gryphon earlier, she wouldn't last two seconds against another. That's not even mentioning the state of her one advantage, the wings. They were completely wrecked! Just minutes after their first successful flight too.
She hadn't realized while she was flying, but moving through the air, she ate up a lot of distance in a very short time. When she needed to get to the ship that was all well and good, but now that the fight was over, her energy was flagging fast, and there was no way she was going to be able to get the Princess to Ponyville before her legs gave out. Casting about for something to hide under, she spotted a small copse of trees growing apart from the forests to her rear. Doggedly, she dragged the Princess towards them and secreted her away in the underbrush. With that done, she promptly fell to the ground, exhausted.
As she lay there, her mind began to wander. She got to thinking about her friends out in Ponyville. She knew that the fight was easily seen from the town and Pinkie was probably up the walls with worry. She thought about how it had felt to fly through the air with that contraption on her back, and how it had felt to clobber some of those featherbrained Gryphons for attacking the Princess.
She smiled a bit at that. She'd helped to save the Princess. Who could ever say that? Looking up through the concealing leaves, she saw a large shadow pass overhead from the direction of Ponyville. She could hear ponies shouting in the near distance. With a heave of effort, she pulled herself to her hooves. That would be the rescue brigade coming to see to survivors. As she stumbled from the cover of the trees to meet them, she thought to herself...
"All in all, today was a good day."
---
Canterlot was still alive with a rare energy when Sepia Tock stepped out of Sprocket Tooth's Fine Time Pieces, the eponymous stallion bidding him a good evening as he unpacked the bags of precision machined gears and escapements that Sepia had delivered. The evening was still young as he wound through the packed streets, dodging hockers and showponies attempting to catch his attention (or at least his bits). Looking at the Fair's schedule, he saw that if he hurried, he could see the Harmony from the port on her maiden voyage and then make his way to the Ponyville Direct line with enough time to find a nice window seat.
Quickly, he found his way to the aerodrome where Her Royal Majesty's Skytower moored the Harmony. He was a bit late in coming, but with a bit of work, he shuffled his way to the middle of the gathered ponies. Only press and political figures were permitted in the tower itself so the on- lookers were forced to gather around it's base. The Harmony floated beside the tower far overhead, and Sepia took a moment to just take it all in. This was probably the defining moment of aeronautical design, he thought. The single largest lighter than air vessel was mere ponylengths away from him.
Quite lost in his thoughts, he was startled when Luna's voice began to blare over the Audiophone system erected at the base of the tower. Her words held a tinny undercurrent as they issued from the brass horns, but to the common folk, it was like the princess was speaking to them directly. After the short speech drew to a close, the prince, Blueblood, took the stage and said some short words as well. Before long, the fanfare was blasting as the massive dirigible was pulling away from the Aerodrome amidst wild cheers, to which Sepia could not resist adding his own. His chest swelled with pride as he watched the marvel of modern science drift into the distance. Equestrian hooves had toiled at the creation of that wonderful machine.
With a spring in his step, Sepia headed for the Ponyville Direct. The throng of ponies headed for the little burg was quite large by his reckoning. The Fair was winding to a close, all the headline events had already passed and now, the citizens were on their way home to continue their lives. He swiped his travel pass at the turnstile and was quickly boarded. He moved to his preferred seat, amidships on the port side, and sat gazing out of the window. He couldn't see it right then, but the Harmony would be in view for the entirety of the trip and he couldn't get enough of seeing that marvelous machine soaring through the sky.
As the engines roared to life, the doors slid shut and locked with a whir of gears. Over the on-board Audiophone the captain gave her usual, pre-flight spiel.
"Trans Equestria Skylines thanks you for choosing us for your transport today, I'm your captain, Sea Sands, and we'll be departing momentarily for Ponyville. This is the Direct line, no stops in lower Canterlot. Our estimated travel time is a half hour. We have a decent tail wind and no turbulence is expected. Please Fasten your safety harness until we reach cruising altitude. Thank you, and enjoy your ride!"
Sepia pulled his harness across his chest and fastened himself down for the ride. The engines picked up steam and the rotors outside began to turn, pushing the ship skyward. As the ship lifted, the rotors tilted forward and began driving the ship forward. The hum comforted him as the engines worked to move him through the air. It reminded him of why he became a clocksmith.
His father, Steady Tick was a clocksmith too, but not just any clocksmith. He was the best, not just in Sepia's humble opinion, but in the opinions of all those that mattered. A clocksmith was invaluable in the field of aeromechanation. So many moving parts had to be planned, placed and calibrated, and Steady was the one everypony wanted on their team. Sepia often spent his days after primary school watching his father work, be it in the workshop, at home, or down in the shipyards in Lower Canterlot. His father would often work late, and Sepia would stick by his side, learning the trade until eventually the droning hum of the engines being tested would lull him to sleep.
Before long, Sepia's reminiscing began to do the same. His eye lids were becoming heavy with sleep and slowly he was succumbing to the stress of the day. This was all forgotten as the ship turned onto it's flight path and the Harmony came in view. It's massive balloon easily seen against the darkening blue backdrop of the sky. From around the cabin, ponies were remarking about how beautiful the ship looked and how lucky those ponies were to be aboard the vessel.
Sepia stared, again transfixed by the sight when the first flash of red light caught his attention. Not sure what to make of it, he leaned forward, peering through the glass at the ship. More flashes, and some of the light didn't go out. Murmurs from the other passengers confirmed what he was seeing.
The Harmony was catching fire. No; it was under attack!
The fire was spreading across the balloon cover, eating away the supposedly fire-proofed tarpaulin that protected the precious gas that held the ship aloft. Sepia was horror stricken as it occurred to him that aboard that ship was Princess Luna. She was in grave danger and there was nothing to be done but watch as that great feat of engineering crashed and burned with her aboard. The other ponies were nearly panic stricken and the stewardesses were hurriedly attempting to calm the passengers. A mare near the rear screamed as the Harmony went aground and somewhere aboard, a foal cried in fright. Sepia felt like he could break down in tears as well.
Minutes passed and the stewardesses got the bedlam aboard the ship under some form of control. Sepia sat, shell-shocked by the development. Who would attack the Harmony? Who would attack the Princess? Was she okay? What about the other ponies aboard that ship? So many questions were buzzing in his head that he almost didn't notice the bright blue flash from the direction of Canterlot. The rear windows gave a clear view of the mass of blue that was rushing across the terrain, approaching impossibly fast. What had taken the airship minutes to travel, this wall of energy was clearing in seconds.
Sepia braced as it neared the ship and squeezed his eyes tight shut. The ship pitched forward heavily, slamming him into his seat and then against his harness in rapid succession. Panicked screams rent the air and a shuddering groan marked the death of one of the two propellers that powered the ship. The stewardess and several of the other passengers who had unbuckled their harnesses were haphazardly sprawled across the seats and isles and the ship, with it's one remaining rotor turned lazy circles over the Equestrian countryside.
Stricken, the ship sat suspended in the air for nearly an hour before the Air-Rescue teams were able to get a tow out to them. Sepia sat in silence the whole time, a deeply worried frown across his face as he watched Air-Rescue sweep the crash site of the Harmony, searching for wounded and dead alike. Ground teams roamed the fields down below, Electric Lamps casting light in the early night. The Airship eventually was pulled into the Ponyville Aerodrome but as the passengers were preparing to disembark, a royal guard stallion marched through the door.
"Ladies and Gentlecolts," he said, blocking the doorway with ease. "Before you return home, you will please submit to questioning in regards to the incident with the Harmony."
This was met with much grumbling, but everypony present queued up and were one by one interviewed by the guards. Sepia's turn was some time in coming but he eventually found himself face to face with a guardmare with a bored expression and a pen gripped between her teeth.
"Name?" she asked, sounding as bored as she looked.
"Sepia Tock," He replied, getting set for the long haul.
"Occupation?"
"Clocksmith."
"Please Describe what you saw in regards to the incident with the Harmony, Mr. Tock," Here she readied her pen. As sepia described the events, her pen flashed across the parchment and she gave little grunts of acknowledgement as he spoke. Before long, she had taken his statement and Sepia was getting ready to go when she stopped him.
"One last question, if you don't mind, Mr. Tock," she said, but made it sound like she knew that he didn't mind and that he would find this out very soon. "Did you, at any time during your visit to Canterlot, see any Gryphons acting in a suspicious manner?"
This gave Sepia pause. What an odd thing to ask. Why Gryphons? After a beat he told her he had not. She nodded and allowed him to leave. He departed as swiftly as his tired legs would take him and made a b-line for Fillyton Street and his Clockshop. His head was hurting and he was hungry and he just wanted to go home and sleep until the next World's Fair came around. The streets of Ponyville were deserted, but that was to be expected. They were likely all either gathered around town hall or out with Air-Rescue attempting to save everypony on the harmony.
He arrived at his shop and fumbled the door open, only to be nearly floored as Colgate slammed into him with tears in her eyes.
"Oh-my-Luna! Tock, you're okay! I was so worried!"
Sepia was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor. Usually, she would give him lip about being late, and ride him about all the orders that came in while he was gone, or go on a tangent about how he was always extending credit when the shop was suffering. Here though, she was nearly hysterical with worry for his safety. He could only pat her on the shoulder feebly, confused by the whole thing.
"I'm so sorry! I've been horrible to you these last few weeks. The stress was getting to me and I wasn't thinking about it, but when I heard that airships were being attacked, I thought... I... I'm just glad you weren't hurt!"
"I'm fine Col'," he said, when she finally let him get a word in. "Just a little bruised from the harness when that weird blue light hit us. Knocked the ship around a bit and killed one of the engines. Air-Rescue had to tow us into port, then we were questioned by the guard before we could leave." He gave her a squeeze then pulled away. "I think we may have bigger worries though."
"What do you mean?" Colgate asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. "What happened?"
"I think something could have happened to the Princess. She was on the Harmony when it was attacked."
"What? Attacked!? What happened?" Sepia described what he had seen, and what the guard had asked him before he was released. When he finished, Colgate was silent for a long moment before she spoke again.
"I would say 'Luna help us', but I think she may be a bit busy right now..."
---
Twilight sat on the plush cushions of the Royal Airship turning the words of the Princess over and over in hear head. So much that she thought she knew about the Princess was suddenly cast in a whole new light. That infallible facade that she once saw when she looked at her mentor had suddenly faltered, and beneath it was something that Twilight was not sure she ever wanted to see.
Before, the truth was the only option in Twilight's mind but for the first time in her entire life, she longed for the bliss of ignorance. The truth behind Magic Fall was so very different from what she had expected and she found it difficult to reconcile this new information with the reality she had believed to be true. Little more than an hour ago and her world was normal, totally understood and completely under control but now? Now her idol had revealed that she was just as capable of failure as Twilight was.
Even still, she loved and respected Luna, just as much as any Equestrian if not even more for the unique position she had found herself in since fillyhood. She wouldn't let this new revelation sour her relationship with her mentor, but it would take some time for her to come to grips with it, and as well it should. After all, what sane pony could have their entire world view upended and come out fine mere hours later?
The airship touched down on the Ponyville Aerodrome and Twilight disembarked. She circled around the platform and looked towards the distant form of the Harmony. As soon as she laid eyes on the ship, she knew something was terribly wrong. Flames licked the sides of the vessel and it was loosing altitude quickly. Her heart skipped a beat when the ship crashed into the forest. Seconds later, the sound of the frame fracturing echoed across the plains.
Without a second's hesitation, she turned tail and sprinted down the spiral stairs and out of the tower. Quickly she galloped to the Guard outpost. With little more than a thought, she burst through the door, eyes wide and searching. They focused on the Captain as he rushed into the room from the back.
"What's The meaning of this!? Ms. Sparkle? I'm sure you have a good reason for damaging property of the crown," he said, gesturing at the door which was now only attached by it's top hinge.
"Captain! Thank goodness. Quick, muster the Air-Rescue team! There's been a crash. The Harmony's down and the princess was aboard!"
The Captain's eyes widened. This was the Princess's personal protege. Sure she sometimes overreacted but she was in a position to be aware of such things.
"Where?!" he demanded, looking her dead in the eye.
Twilight told him what she saw. His expression became grave as he hurried through a side door.
"Silver!" he bellowed. "Silver, get out here! We got a situation."
A gray coated stallion followed the captain through the door looking rather harassed. It looked like he was preparing to leave for the day as the captain gathered him. He had saddlebags across his back and a driving cap on his head, the keys to his auto-carriage still hanging from his mouth.
"Round up the crew and fuel up three Pegasus Class ships. There's been an incident."
Silver gave a quick salute and hurried into the back of the post. Moments later, he came galloping through with his guard armor draped over him unfastened and a clipboard in his mouth. He was out the door in a trice and out of sight.
"I'm coming too," Twilight said as the Captain made for the door as well.
"You most certainly are not," he replied, stopping and looking her in the eye.
"Why not? The Princess is in danger, she may need my help!"
"Precisely why you can't come with us," He said, turning to face her fully. "I have a squad of seventeen fully trained Soldiers and fifty Air-Rescue volunteers all of which have taken the six month course. I have everything I need to get this job done right and what I don't need is a civilian who wouldn't know a splint from a splinter getting in everypony's way."
Twilight looked hurt at his words. The Captain's gaze softened and he patted her on the shoulder. "I do appreciate your drive and I'll be sure to have you informed as soon as we're finished so that you can see to the Princess."
"Thank you." She said, still a little put out by his refusal. Before she could dwell on it however, she spotted a bright blue light in the corner of her eye. She turned and was nearly bowled over by what felt like a wall of force. The Captain looked as surprised as she felt at what had just occurred. Looking out the door, the wall of blue energy carried onwards unimpeded. "What in Luna's mane was that?"
The Captian did not respond right away. His mouth hung open as he watched the strange even fade from view. When it was gone he shook his head as if coming to from a trance. "Strange as that was, I have bigger worries right now. I'll leave sussing that out to the scholars like yourself." With that he snorted and galloped from the room leaving Twilight slightly befuddled by the entire thing.
---
With little else to do, Twilight left the Guard-post and made her way to the Ponyville general hospital. It would be some time before the crews began transporting injured ponies, but Twilight decided to take it upon herself to see to preparations for the Princess, should the need arise.
The staff was very accommodating and before too long, a double room was cleared out and the one Alicorn sized bed they had in storage was brought out. While usually they would have cleared out a whole floor, there would soon be too many patients for that to be possible so the Princess was only separated from the others by a single room on all sides.
Twilight sat and waited for what seemed like hours before a doctor finally came into the room, informing her that the Princess was on her way to the hospital. Relief flooded Twilight followed suddenly by panic. Before she could voice a question however, the doctor cut her off good-naturedly.
"Relax, Miss Sparkle. The Medics on sight said she suffered little more than a bump on the head and some scrapes and bruises. She was discovered when a miss Rainbow Dash came crawling out of a thicket of trees. Apparently she had dragged the princess to safety and then flagged down the Air-Rescue teams. They're both being admitted now, but Miss Dash is a bit worse for wear than the Princess."
"Rainbow Dash was there?" She asked, incredulous. What would she be doing that far from town and what were the odds that she would be close enough to the crash to do anything about it?
"Indeed, and according to Miss Pie, she flew there." The doctor shook his head with a wry smile and Twilight gave a little laugh. Just like pinkie, making her laugh even when she wasn't around. "Be that as it may, the Princess is on her way here now and we've put Miss Dash in room c-153." Just then, the door swung open again and three orderlies led in a gurney with the Princess laying atop. A few deft moves later, and she was deposited onto the bed.
"Thank you Doctor," Twilight said as she moved over to the Princess' side. For a while, the Doctor simply hooked the Princess up to the vaious monitors around her bed. Before leaving, he turned to Twilight, a slightly worried look on his face.
"Now that the Princess is settled in for the night, I have to ask, pony to pony. What on Equuis is going on here?"
"You know as much as I do at this point Doctor. I'm hoping the Princess can shed some light on the situation when she wakes up."
The Doctor left on that note and Twilight sat on the stool by the bed and waited.
---
Luna awoke slowly. The light hurt her eyes as she tried to open them and her head pounded fiercely, centered just below her horn. With a groan, she forced her eyes open and gazed about her. The room she found herself in was stark white and very clean. On her left were several machines, each silently reading off her vital signs. Immediately she knew she was in a hospital. Looking about a bit more, she spotted Twilight leaned against the bed, snoring softly, one hoof inches from her own. With a smile on her face, Luna gently placed her hoof atop Twilight's.
Upon contact, Twilight started awake, blinking blearily. Her gaze alighted on the Princess and her face cracked into a beatific smile.
"Princess! You're awake! Sorry, I must have fallen asleep, do you need anything? I think the nurse said the call button was around here somewhere..."
"Twilight, calm down," The Princess said calming the mounting frenzy that her student was working herself up into. "It's fine. I hardly expect you to be awake all the time. Everypony needs sleep now and then." She smiled as Twilight visibly relaxed. "Now then, do you know if Rainbow Dash is okay? It was thanks to her that I was able to get out of that little ruckus."
Twilight shared what the Doctor had said, hoping to get a laugh from the Princess for Pinkie's antics, but instead, the Princess just nodded. Twilight was taken aback.
"Um, you seem rather unsurprised by the fact that Pinkie seems to be under the impression that Rainbow Dash can fly. I mean, I know she's proud of her pegasus heritage, but that's a bit much, don't you think?"
Luna just looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping her chin with a hoof tip, she briefly glanced down, noting the absence of her regalia before shrugging it off. "I don't know about that, but perhaps you should ask her yourself when you go to see her."
Twilight nodded, and the two of them lapsed into silence, just enjoying the company for the time. Before long though, the strange occurrence at the guard post sprang to Twilight's mind.
"Um... Princess, there was actually something I wanted to ask you about," She said, looking up at the alicorn who was currently massaging her forehead at the base of her horn. She glanced up at Twilight in askance, not ceasing her ministrations and wincing slightly.
"After the, um... the Incident, there was a strange phenomenon. I don't really know how to describe it. Best I can come up with is it was a massive wall of energy. When it hit me I stumbled but it passed through walls and objects with no effect. It happened without warning and didn't make a sound. Just a bright blue light and it washed over everything." For a moment she paused. The Princess had stopped rubbing her head and instead was looking very thoughtful. After a lull had passed, Twilight decided to prompt. "Do you have any idea what it was?"
"An idea, but nothing more. I will look into it, but please put it out of your mind. It will do you no good to dwell on it until we can gather more information." Luna glanced over to her bedside table. There stood a metal pitcher of water and a glass. She reached but it was just out of her grasp. Without a thought, she reached out with her magic and enveloped the pitcher. Suddenly and with no preamble the steel container crumpled as if it were made of paper, spraying water everywhere.
Luna just sat there, staring at the tiny crumpled ball of metal, completely nonplussed, water soaking her mane. Twilight was Likewise agape. Luna released her magic grip and the ball fell to the table with a solid thunk, their eyes following it as it rolled from the table and fell to the floor.
"Princess?"
"I... I don't know, Twilight." Slowly, she channeled magic into her horn again and reached for the ball. Gently as she could, she lifted it. It suddenly shot upwards and left a massive dent in the ceiling and Luna dropped it again with a surprised yelp. "Now... Isn't that something..." She looked over to Twilight who stared transfixed at the gouge in the ceiling. Luna could hear the gears turning in her head, see the ideas and theories shooting hither and yon. She drew a breath to speak when suddenly, she felt very lightheaded. Her vision began to fade slowly and she slumped back onto the pillow, still conscious, but only just. "I think I need some rest, Twilight. Why don't you go and see to your friends? I'll keep for the night."
"But... But Princess! What about the Pitcher?"
"I'll have the orderlies bring me a new one."
"You know what I mean," Twilight huffed.
"Yes. I do. I also know that without vigorous testing and numerous experiments, we won't know what we're dealing with. Go see your Friends. We'll crack this egg over breakfast." Luna's vision was beginning to clear as Twilight wrestled with her own curiosity. She looked over at the lavender mare and smiled. "It really is quite a tale that Rainbow will no doubt be bursting to share."
"Alright, but I'll be back first thing tomorrow, and you can bet your bottom bit that we're going to figure this out." Twilight stood and before she could stop herself, she wrapped her hooves around the Princess in a hug. "I'm glad you're okay Princess."
She pulled away and smiled. Luna flashed a smile of her own and Twilight departed leaving the princess alone in the room. As soon as the door snapped shut, she immediately turned her attention back to the little ball of metal on the floor. "How very peculiar... it's almost as if... No. It couldn't be." As she attempted to ponder on the possibilities, her head began to throb once more. Before long it was too much to think through and she simply shut her eyes and let herself drift off to sleep.
---
"And WOOSH! There I was! The stupid birdbrains didn't even know what hit them!" Rainbow Dash had come to soon after arriving in the Hospital and not long after, she was suddenly accosted by her friends. Pinkie Pie was, obviously, first and completely panic stricken when she arrived. She had brought along Fluttershy and Applejack, the former seeming to have been asleep moments before.
Now Dash was telling them the story of how she had single hoofedly dispatched a whole squad of gryphon Wing Knights.
"Man, Pinks! You should have seen me! These babies let me fly circles around those chumps!" She patted the mangled remains of her Mechanical Wings. A few stray pieces fell out and clinked to the ground which caused Rainbow's ears to fall back. "Sorry I got them all busted up..."
"Oh! It's okay Dashie! I can always make more and now that I know they work, you can tell me how they can be better and I can make them better and then you can fly better and everything will just be better! It's gonna be the Best!"
Rainbow smiled broadly and wrapped a bandaged hoof around Pinkie's withers. "You bet! And now that we know they work, I bet we get funding to build more and pay of your debt to Sepia if we ask Twilight!"
"Ask me what?" Twilight said, stepping into the room. "Actually, first, I need to ask you something. Why does everypony seem to think you can fly all of a sudden?"
Pinkie Chirped up at that with a broad smile. "Well that's Cause she can, silly! Why else?"
Twilight just shook her head. Typical Pinkie.
"That's right Twilight!" Rainbow declared, pulling the junked remains of the wings onto her lap. "Just like a pegasus, and it's all thanks to this!"
"It looks like a scrap heap in miniature..."
"Oh yeah?" Rainbow fiddled with the sides and pulled out the arms of the device. Suddenly Twilight's impression of the thing changed. Not a pile of junk, no. Rather it was an elegantly crafted, if heavily abused set of fully articulated wings. As the thing unfolded, her brain began piecing together the mechanics behind it.
She was on it in a trice, poking and pulling and inspecting every available inch, all the while loosing a barrage of questions. "How did you make this Dash? I was under the impression that you were mechanically illiterate, but this is genius level work here! I mean, if you were capable of building these, then what was I always fixing your old appliances for you?"
"Well, for starters, it wasn't me, It was Pinkie. She's the Egghead when it comes to machines."
If anything, this surprised Twilight even more. She stopped her inspections to look at Pinkie in wonder. "Well," Pinkie began. "None of my inventions ever sold but I do have over a dozen patents. The Party cannon, that has yet to be returned to me, might-I-add, was an invention of mine."
"What else don't I know about you Pinkie?"
Pinkie just shrugged.
"Sorry to butt in," Applejack said, moving forward and extending a hoof. "I don't think we've been prop'ly introduced. Name's Applejack, Co-Owner of Sweet Apple Acres."
"Oh! Right!" Twilight returned the hoofshake as she introduced herself as well. "Twilight Sparkle, Golden Oaks Librarian and Protege to the Princess. Come to think of it, We have met before. You sold me a bushel of apples on my first day here."
"Sorry Sugarcube. Ah sell a lot of apples, but Ah'll be glad to sell you some more if you ever want some."
Twilight looked past Applejack and spotted the last occupant of the room. Sitting with her back to the wall, Fluttershy cowered slightly when she noticed Twilight's attention had been drawn to her. "And you are?" Twilight asked receiving only a barely audible squeak from the shy yellow mare. "I'm sorry?"
"My name's Fluttershy, it's nice to make your acquaintance." She said again, louder this time, but still only just above a whisper.
Twilight turned to Applejack, wondering if she had done something wrong. Applejack just smiled. "Don't fret none. Fluttershy's just... well... Shy. She'll warm up to ya eventually. Ah mean, if she can be best friends with a mare like Rainbow..." Applejack let the statement hand and glanced over at Rainbow, who just stuck out her tongue.
After that, conversation began in earnest. Rainbow recounted her story for Twilight's benefit. She was still completely gobsmacked at the prospect of a personal flying device but she listened intently. Afterwards, she picked Pinkie's brain about the design, a mistake on all counts by her reckoning as it soon devolved into a discussion about baking.
Rarity entered just as Applejack had told everypony about how she had beaten Rainbow in the 'Ponyville Iron Pony Competition' and Rainbow was up, muzzle to muzzle with the cowpony, issuing one on one challenges.
"Am I interrupting? I can come back." Rarity said, a wry smirk on her face. Her eyes lit up as she spotted Fluttershy. "Oh! I didn't expect to see you here dear! How have you been?" Fluttershy trotted over to the alabaster mare, a smile on her face and her previously shy demeanor greatly reduced.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you. I'm actually glad to see you just now. I need to push our get together back a few hours on Wednesday. Angle Bunny's quite ill and I need to take him down to the Veterinary clinic to get some prescription medicine for him." The two of them chatted for a moment before Twilight came up to them, causing Fluttershy to retreat back behind her mane, though not as deeply as before.
"Rarity, what are you doing here? It's two in the morning," Twilight asked her friend, noting the slight bags under her eyes.
"Oh, I know. I must look a fright, but I simply had to visit my dear brave Blueblood. He was aboard the Harmony too, and from what the guards tell me, he made a decent account of himself, though he'll never admit it. Anyway, I had heard that you were here visiting your friend Rainbow and I decided I would drop by and say hello, though I never expected our circles to overlap so completely." She paused for a moment before adding. "Though I suppose Pinkie doesn't count. She's everypony's friend."
Pinkie smiled and nodded vigorously, her hair bounding wildly about.
"But I digress. I also hear that we have Dear Rainbow Dash to thank for our princess' timely escape. You'll be a celebrity in no time, darling. I would expect you'll be needing a wardrobe for public appearances. Just stop by my shop and we can talk about fashion!" Rarity set a business card on the bedside table and turned to take her leave. "Oh! Twilight, after all of this stress, you should take a day for yourself. You're welcome to join Fluttershy and myself at the Spa. Aloe and Lotus are simply the best. Consider it won't you? Ta ta!"
---
After Rarity's brief visit, the group began to tire and soon everypony was taking their leave. Twilight was the last out, and she thanked Rainbow for saving the Princess. With a hug and a promise of further visits, she took her leave as well and trotted towards the library. It occurred to her that she had not been home in nearly a week and a half. She was looking forward to curling up in her bed so that she could wake up tomorrow and meet up with the Princess.
Her musings were brought up short when she spied the lights were on upstairs. Nopony was allowed upstairs, Booksmart knew that. She'd entrusted him with watching over the Library while she was away and one of the only rules outside of keeping up the library was to not go upstairs. Maybe some colt or filly sneaked up there and left the light on by mistake.
With an irritated huff, she trotted through the door and let it snap shut behind her. She was unpacking her bag when the sound of a hoof on wood caught her attention. She froze in place. This was Ponyville. It hadn't even occurred to her that it could be an intruder. Thinking as quickly as she could, she grabbed the stylized bust on the center table and creeped towards the stairs. More thumps and her heart was in her throat. At the top of the stairs, the hall split in two directions. Picking the left, Twilight began creeping along, the statue held aloft in one hoof.
Behind her, somepony spoke.
"I'm sorry to disturb you at this late hour, My Faithful Student, but I'm afraid something very odd has happened." Twilight turned and there stood Celestia, Her rose eyes locked onto hers.
Celestia awoke suddenly, completely confused. She was laying in the bottom of a deep basin made of what seemed to be smoothly polished stone. It was warm to the touch and she could feel the magic still draining away from it. The events of the past day were a blur now, but she remembered she had charged Twilight and her friends with rehabilitating Discord. The mismatched maniac had caused some trouble at first but Celestia had been confident in the abilities of her student.
While the details of the day were lost, there was one other thing she did remember. A bright, nearly blinding blue light. She felt as if she should know the significance of that, but try as she might to conjure up it's relevance, it escaped her. Shaking the thought away for now, she unsteadily got to her hooves. It was a laborious process. She felt weak for some reason. As if she had not walked or stood for quite some time. Huffing to her hooves, she took in her surroundings.
The chamber she found herself in was perfectly spherical and the stone was polished to a near mirror shine. Looking closely, she could see veins of crystal interlacing the rock. A very distinct mixture of blue, green and purple crystal. She was under Canterlot somewhere. How had she gotten there? Up the curved surface, there was a depression that looked deep enough to stand in that didn't share the polished finish of the rest of the room. Spreading her wings, Celestia gave a grunt of effort as she lifted herself into the air and flew.
Landing unsteadily, she saw that it was some sort of entry way. A nondescript stone hall led back to a large wooden door. Approaching the portal, she nudged it open, feeling a weak cloaking spell break as the door shifted. The bright light from the other side forced her to squint as she allowed her eyes to adjust. What she saw made her loose a sigh of relief. The familiar white marble walls of Canterlot Castle greeted her. She walked onto the marble floors and heard the sound of a bare hoof striking the floor. Looking down, she realized that her royal Regalia was missing.
Her brow knitted in thought. Was this one of Discord's pranks? If so, she was missing the punchline obviously. Leaving the strange room behind, she made her way into what she hoped was the castle proper. Looking for a land mark, a familiar tapestry from which to glean her location. She found none. After several long minutes of walking through unrecognized corridors, she realized that none of these halls should exist. She'd ascended several flights of stairs and she hadn't seen a single window. She must be very very deep within the mountain, but the castle didn't go that deep.
Her confusion only mounted as she spotted several copper pipes, cleverly hidden in alcoves and behind pillars. They hummed and whooshed quietly as whatever it was they contained traveled through them. They were warm, Celestia discovered when she touched one, nearly hot even. As she moved ever upwards, she heard the sounds of metal shod hooves.
"That must be the Guards," She said to herself, picking up the pace. Rounding a corner, she saw three guards moving down the hall towards her. They were Earth Thestrals from Luna's Night Guard. Their dark fur and yellow draconian eyes gave credit to this assessment. Drawing herself up into as regal a pose as she could without her Regalia, she rounded the corner and made for the guards.
Their reaction was not what she expected. The lead Thestral immediately took a defensive stance and the other two took little black tubes from their sides in their mouths and with deft swings of the head, they extended into batons.
"HALT INTRUDER!" The commander shouted, spreading his fore-hooves into a wide solid fighting stance. "THIS AREA IS RESTRICTED! IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND SUBMIT!"
Celestia took a step back, shocked by the Guard's words. Nonplussed, she spoke as requested, not sure what was happening.
"I am Princess Celestia of Equestria, as you well know! What is the meaning of this, soldier," She demanded, taking an authoritative step forward.
"Don't play with us. You will Identify yourself and submit, or we will subdue you! This is your last chance!"
Celestia was becoming irritated and decided to end this game quickly. "I am Princess Celestia! Ruler of Equestria, Steward of the Sun and Guardian of the Day! You will cease this nonsense immediately and explain to me what is going on here, or so help me, I will have you dressed down in front of every soldier in Canterlot!"
"Your words are Treason. You will submit, Now!" Celestia stood fast. "No? Very well. Firelight, Runner. Take her down!"
Celestia's resolve began to falter as the two guards bolted forward. Suddenly this wasn't just a joke. The first to reach her, swung his head and the baton clenched in his teeth struck her across the muzzle, she stumbled at the impact and the second baton hooked behind her knee and drug her to the floor. She sat there dazed as the two guards began to pull at her hooves and the third approached with shackles.
"You will be held in the dungeons until Princess Luna returns from the Maiden Voyage of the Harmony, at which point you will be tried for Trespassing, Resisting Arrest and High Treason against the Crown."
Celestia glared up at the soldier as he leaned down to secure the manacles. Quickly, she charged her horn, grabbing the manacles and securing one end to his front right hoof and the other to his back left, she then threw all three guards away with a small burst of force and spread her wings wide, standing tall. She loomed over the prone guard who glared up at her, contempt in his gaze. The other two got to their hooves and began to approach cautiously from behind. With another deft spell, she lifted the shackled pony and tossed him into his comrades. She then began galloping as fast as her weakened limbs would carry her.
Not long afterwards, Celestia could no longer hear the sounds of pursuit. She had wound her way up further into the castle. She knew she was above ground. There were windows now, and she could see the dark blue sky of early evening as she dashed past them. She ran through a side hall and found herself standing outside, in an inner courtyard that she did not recognize. She looked wildly about for anything familiar but there was nothing.
As she stood, she heard a peculiar, rapid clicking noise and then a whooshing thump. Looking up, she saw a pony sat atop a strange device, pointed directly at her and a net soaring through the air towards her. She dodged to the side and the net wrapped itself around the trunk of a tree. The same ratcheting clicks came again. She saw the pony turning a wheel that was making the device rotate. He was aiming to take another shot!
Thinking quickly, she flared her wings wide and took to the air, soaring up faster than the machine could aim. She rose above the spires of Canterlot and looked down. What she saw nearly caused her heart to stop. This was not Canterlot. Not the Canterlot she knew. Very little of this place even remotely resembled what she knew of her city. The further from the castle the more strange and different it all was. The streets were aglow with a strange bright and consistent light. It didn't flicker like gas lamps and was a clear white. On the streets, among the walking ponies were carriages that moved on their own, weaving between the pedestrians. The ponies down there were pressed together closely, each going about their own business but so close to one another that there was scarcely ever a hoof's breadth between any two of them.
It was the same wherever she looked. Where had she ended up? And why? If this was Discord's doing, then he had departed from his usual work. While it was all strange and new to Celestia, there was a definite order to things. The city, as it stretched down the mountain was separated into several terraces and on those terraces the streets uniformly divided the buildings on a grid. Looking behind her, she saw a tower jutting up past what she assumed was not her Bedchambers any longer. Around this tower nearly a dozen airships moored. All different shapes and sizes.
As far as she knew, there were only seven working airships in Equestria but there around that tower were several more, none of which she could identify. As she stared, one broke away and began to drift through the air. She watched it as it progressed across the sky until it turned towards her and began to accelerate. She saw that it bore several guards, all glaring at her. At it's helm, another of those net launching things swiveled, much faster than the one on the building down below. Before she could react, the net was upon her.
In the blink of an eye, she was ensnared in the net, her struggles only getting her more tangled. She was dangling from the prow of the airship by a rope and up above her, she could hear cheers from the guards as she was slowly drawn up. Deciding enough was enough, she focused on a spell she'd not had use of for a long long while. A burst of red light shot away from her, sundering the net and streaks of the light scored the underside of the ship. The blade spell burst outward with deadly force and her eyes widened in panic as she saw one of the blades cut a deep and long gash in the balloon.
The remains of the net fell away and she regained the air as the ship lurched and began to sink lower and lower, picking up speed as it went. If it was allowed to crash, all those guards and anypony unlucky enough to be caught underneath could die. Thinking quickly, she wrapped the thing in her magic and pulled against it's decent. She briefly noticed that her magic, which would normally be enough to toss this ship through the air like a toy was only just able to keep it airborne.
She spotted a broad, flat topped building and gently maneuvered the ship to a rest atop it. Fearing that she may have hit one of the guards with her spell, she alighted beside the ship as the guards disembarked.
"Is everypony okay? I'm very sorry about that but you left me no choice."
One of the guards approached her, looking none too pleased. "What in Luna's starry mane was that? The hay are you lady?"
"I beg your pardon?" Celstia was taken aback, yet again. Of everything she'd expected, from A fearful plea for mercy to another attack on her, she hadn't expected the guards to just yell at her.
"Whatever the hay you are, we sure as Tartarus can't stop you, so please lady. Just get out of here. You've already destroyed a multimillion bit Airship and publicly humiliated the guard, so please, what ever you are, just leave!"
Another guard spoke up just then, before Celestia could do or say anything. "But Commander! What about our orders? She was trespassing in the restricted halls!"
"Private, did you see what she did to our airship? And that was her trying to get away! Imagine if she was trying to do damage. I've no doubt in my mind that she could rip every one of us to bloody pieces with ease, but she hasn't and that's good enough for me. Besides, we have our hooves full down in the city today after that weird blue whatsit came rushin' through putting everypony into a panic.."
Celestia took a step back, Cringing at the Commander's grotesque words and unsure of the entire situation by this point. She apologized again for the ship and took to the air as quickly as she could. As the guard commander had said, she was allowed to leave the city unmolested. She flew without aim for a while, just running through her mind what had happened. It was so very confusing. Last she could recall, she was waiting for Twilight and company to set Discord to rights once again, and now she was in a Canterlot that wasn't Canterlot and possibly an Equestria that wasn't Equestria. She needed to get to the bottom of this, and she could think of only one pony to help her with that.
She banked hard and re-angled herself towards Ponyville. Twilight Sparkle would be able to assist her with this conundrum.
---
As the night wore on, Celestia finally approached Ponyville completely bone weary. The flight was foals play to her normally, but now she was nearly falling from the sky. Luckily, it was right where she remembered and from the air it looked just the same as it always had. This lent some credit to her theory that Discord was somehow behind these events and after she spoke with Twilight, she was going to have a very stern word with the Draconequus. She alighted on the balcony of golden oaks library, and with a light application of her magic, the door swung inward.
Inside, the familiar arcane books and drawings littered the shelves and desktops of the bedroom. Sighing in relief, Celestia sank to her haunches and allowed her tired body a moment's reprieve. She was somewhere familiar, somewhere she knew. She flicked a nearby lamp on and stood again. She began poking about some of the open books. Magical theory, old spell books and other things of that kind. A few of the books were on mechanical processes and metallurgy and strangest of all, ritual magic.
Pushing it from her mind for the moment, Celestia allowed the events of the night to play in her mind again. Canterlot was changed somehow. Everything about it was different. The guards didn't recognize her and the castle's layout was completely wrong. It was all she could do to keep her thoughts moving though as the tiredness was beginning to creep up on her. She fought it off for as long as she could but soon, her eyes began to droop and she began dozing in the middle of Twilight's bedroom.
Some time later, Celestia couldn't tell how long, a noise downstairs startled her awake. The Front door snapped shut with a sudden click and she jerked to her hooves. That must be Twilight. She began moving towards the main room of the Library, anticipation of Twilight's affectionate greeting swelling her heart. When she stepped into the hall, she saw Twilight headed down the other hallway. She was holding, for reasons unknown, the stylized unicorn bust that decorated the lobby.
With a smile Celestia got her attention.
"I'm sorry to disturb you at this late hour, My Faithful Student, but I'm afraid something very odd has happened."
Twilight wheeled on the spot, locked eyes with Celestia, and screamed at the top of her lungs. Before Celestia could react beyond folding her ears back and taking a step away from the panicked mare, she felt the bust slam into her face. Stumbling back, she fell to her haunches, clutched her abused snout and watched in confusion as Twilight, in a fit of athleticism not often expected of her leaped over the railing down into the lobby and then galloped at a full clip right out the front door.
---
Twilight Sparkle ran as fast as she could. Suddenly, she knew what that energy was that swept across Equestria. It was Celestia shrugging off her binds after a thousand years! She's come back to reclaim Equuis from her sister and burn all life from the face of the planet. She had to get to Luna as quickly as possible, to warn her, to help her escape while she recovered. Something! Heart pounding she glanced over her shoulder as she ran and what she saw behind her caused her heart nearly stop in fright. There was Celestia, following her, but not on hoof. No. She was held aloft on her massive white wings, soaring after Twilight, eating up the distance between them far more quickly than Twilight felt was strictly necessary.
Power born of panic pushed her faster forward, trying desperately to escape the mad goddess that stalked her, but it was no use. Before she had made it even half way to the hospital, the white alicorn was beside her, still flying and speaking to her.
"Twilight Sparkle, calm down this instant!" Celestia said, using her most authoritative voice. Much to her surprise, Twilight merely turned and ran away from her in a different direction.
Twilight ducked away from the alicorn and made for the heart of Ponyville, hoping to come across some sort of aid but before she made it far, suddenly everything stopped going by. She was still running, legs pumping in quick succession but she was going nowhere fast. She looked back and saw that a golden aura had enveloped her. Magic! Just like Luna had! She felt herself lifted up. With no recourse, no weapons and no way to defend herself, Twilight merely curled up and covered her face, hoping that her death would be quick.
"Twilight?"
She didn't answer. She barely even registered that her name had been spoken.
"Twilight," Celestia said, speaking more loudly than before.
Twilight's shivering ceased. How could this goddess know her name, bound as she was for the last thousand years deep under Canterlot Mountain. Cautiously, she glanced up at the Alicorn, a pair of rose eyes gazed back at her. Fear still coursed through her. Her heart beat a frantic rhythm against her ribs, but she found herself asking,
"H... How do you know my name?"
Celestia was saddened by the question. She had hoped that Twilight at least would remember her. She looked at Twilight for a moment longer, her eyes lingering on her forehead where there was something so conspicuously absent that Celestia was surprised that she'd not noticed.
"I don't supposed you'd believe me if I told you that I was your mentor and friend for the better part of your life?"
Twilight shook her head in stark defiance. "No, that's not possible. I'm Luna's student! I have been since she took me in when I was a filly. And besides, why would I want to be the student of a pony who wanted to burn away all life on Equuis?!"
Celestia recoiled as if struck. An anger began to build inside of her. Not at Twilight. This wasn't her fault, but at Discord. This prank of his had gone too far, to force her beloved student to believe such things about her was unforgivable, even more so than the warping of her will or the theft of her horn. This was a despicable low for the god of Chaos and she would see him pay for it. But first, she would need to undo what he had done.
First, she would break the spell on Twilight and release her mind from the lies Discord had woven. Opening her sight to take in the magical energies, she looked at Twilight and gasped. There was nothing. No magic at all. Not unicorn magic, no chaos magic just a void at her core! No... not a void, but something so near to one that it may be indistinguishable to any but the keenest observer. At Twilight's core, a little seed of magic too fresh for her to have been born with it had taken root.
Celestia briefly extended her sight and sought other ponies but every one she spotted be they off in the far distance or in a nearby building was the same. It occurred to Celestia then that maybe something more was happening here. Maybe it wasn't Discord's doing after all but something else. She couldn't say, but Twilight had confirmed that there may be one who could enlighten her.
"Twilight. I need you to take me to Princess Luna," Celestia said, setting her down on her four hooves. "I don't know exactly what's going on here, but I have a feeling she might."
