> Fallout Equestria: Return of the Guardian of Equis
>  by King Artermis
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> What in Tartarus Happened!?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

What in Tartarus happened!?


I gaze at the world in the sky as something wrong was brewing on the surface of said world that I so protect.
I could only hope that my bonds would be released soon so I could see just what was happening as my home world burns with bright green flames.
My mirror inside my castle pulses with a message from the two young alicorns on the planet. The two that were the only ones still free to rule.
I teleport to my mirror before tapping it with my horn to hear what was sent to me. My heart thumping in my chest.

“Artemis, something terrible is occurring.” The voice of my youngest niece cries in the message, “Mega spells are detonating all around Equestria. We need you here, but my sister and I are no longer connected to the elements to break your binding to the moon, so I beg of you to come when you have the magic to do so on your own.” I heard coughing from the crystal in front of me. She is dying! I heard groaning in the background that could only come from Celestia. My heart froze at the thought of loosing them.
“Once you are able to return to Equestria, and if Celestia and I survive we will be in a shelter under Canterlot called Stable One.” I hear Luna drop to the ground with heavy breathing.
“If we don’t see you again…” She is crying even more now, “please know that we both love you so much!”
The message was cut short with what sounds like an enormous explosion of magic most evil.
“NO!” I shout at the mirror.

ooooooOOOOOO-----OOOOOOoooooo


I jolt awake from that Tartarus of a dream. Tears stream down my face from the two century old nightmare. Before I moved I looked up from my bed, and gaze at the grey cloud covered world that was killed by mega spells created by zebras of the worst mindset, the extremists that believed that the stars were evil.
I dragged my depressed form out of my bed. My dark midnight blue coat is matted from my tears, and my ethereal mane has knots in it from my thrashing about.
I cast a minor restoration spell over myself, cleaning my coat, and unknotting my mane, before silently levitating my armor to my form.
After my silent dressing, I move to my crystal mirror, and light my horn with now ancient and forgotten magic.
A small stream trickles into the mirror, and it starts to glow. Scenes from the surface are shown in the picture. The area I was scrying on was currently experiencing a storm, so I adjusted my magic, and the scene changes.
I am happy to find a group that I had been watching for a while now. A small grey coated unicorn mare was trotting through Canterlot with three others. One of them was a brown coated Pegasus that wore some kind of battle saddle that held two really narrow long barrel cannons. Another was a nearly black grey unicorn mare with a silver mane and tale that had yellow and pink stripes in it. The third pony seemed to be made of metal, and was very well armed with two small cannons, and one long box that must have held the ammunition for its guns.
The four ponies were running away from false alicorns, and the sight of these artificial ponies made me simmer with anger at whoever made them.
I had seen this group many times before though, and I knew some of their names.
Little Pip was the name of the young unicorn mare that seemed to lead the group of heroes across the remains of Equestria.
Velvet Remedy was the slightly older charcoal coated unicorn, and she was also the field medical pony.
Calamity, this was the brown Pegasus pony that bore the tiny long barreled cannons on his battle saddle.
The last of the group was known as Steel Hooves. I knew very little about this stallion, other than the fact that he seems to be a golem of some kind, and a he had a core of flesh at that.

They were all retreating into a sky chariot that was augmented with arcane technology that still managed to confuse me. I watched as the group piled into the Pegasus pulled vehicle before something terrible happened.
One of the false alicorn shot a bolt of lightning at the vehicle.
My body shook in rage as I see the pain the heroes were in. I light my horn with blazing magic as I ready to break magic law. I aim my horn at the crystal mirror, and slowly push my head through.
“NOT THIS TIME!!!” I shout in a magically amplified voice before letting lose the magic that I had readied.
My spell hurled straight at a small group of false alicorns with deadly intent.
I pull my head back from my mirror, and watch as my spell detonates in the mass of mutated ponies. My spell also washes over the small band of heroes, healing them of their wounds that the alicorns had caused.
Before I could see anything else I am hit with a massive amount of pain as magic law punishes me.
I feel my magic being restrained deep inside of my being. I cry out as my magic is forced into a seal, causing my mane to stop flowing in its ghostly wave.
After what seems like millennia, the pain slowly leaves me. I look up to the crystal to see that my punishment was worth it though, as the four ponies leaved the poisoned capital city.
I watch as the image fades away, as I now didn’t have the strength to feed the mirror’s scrying spell.
Now that my magic was weakened I felt like I tried to pull the sun around the stars for a year.
I manually removed my armor, and climbed back into my bed before falling asleep again until my magic was released from its prison inside of me.
“Night protect the heroes of Equestria.” I say before my mind slips away again.

> Watching from afar...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I woke from my slumber again.  My punishment by magic law was still active.  I growl as I pull myself out of bed.
I light my horn with my limited magic, and start strapping my armor to my body once again.
“I guess I should see if I can scry with my magic sealed as it is.” I say grumbling to myself, as my armor straps to my body.  I channel magic into my horn and attempt to power up my crystal mirror.
My mirror slowly flickers back to life, but before an image could be shown my horn sparks and the spell fails.
I grumble in frustration, and try again. I watch my mirror light up once more, and then it slowly focuses on Little Pip’s group.
I see that they are on their way to Splendid Valley to see the leader of the false alicorns.
I already knew Little Pip’s full plan, and I was hoping that the balefire mega spell that was hidden underneath Maripony was strong enough to break, or at least weaken, my bonds to the moon.
“What cha movin around fer?” I hear Calamity ask Little Pip as he flew the young mare to the false alicorn leader.
Before I could get an answer I felt a jolt in my mind from another alicorn… no it was from the leading false alicorn.
I refocused my mirror onto the Maripony Ruins before opening my mind partially to speak with the so called, ‘goddess.’
[WHO ARE YOU TO GAZE UPON US FROM SO FAR AWAY?] The ‘goddess’ asks me.
{I am one of the few remaining true alicorns, but you must listen to me now. Let me speak first before you interrupt so that you can understand.} I say back to the ‘goddess.’
[WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU?] She asks in return.
{Because I am ten thousand years old young one, now LISTEN!} I shout to her, causing her to whimper at my voice.
[Very well then, speak.] She says normally.
{I have been watching over the young mare that is entering your home, and I have a request from you. I need you to channel your magic to me so that I may return to right Equestria’s health.} I say to the overpowered unicorn.
[What is in this for us?] She asks me.
{I will heal the land that is dying from the war that you were a part of. I could perfect your unity of alicorns into what is an actual civilization of perfect beings.} I say with my tongue slippery with silver.
[I... okay.] She answers before I feel massive amounts of magic flow from my mirror into my being. The seal inside of me broke, and my magic unleashes. I sigh as my mane returns to an ethereal whisp, and my magic flourishes back to full strength.
{Thank you child, now tell your children to flee their home. There is an undetonated mega spell beneath Maripony.} I tell her as she gleans the information from Little Pip’s mind.
[WHAT?! FLEE MY CHILDREN, FLEE!!!] I hear before I refocus my mirror to look for Little Pip, who is now inside a safe room, with what looks to be a black metal Pegasus golem.
Before I could tell what was going on, my mirror brightens into a bright green flare for a whole minute as the balefire mega spell detonates beneath Maripony.
I wait for the glowing mirror to refocus on Little Pip, but it doesn’t. I sigh before ending the spell, thinking that the balefire cut off my view for a few days.
I cast another spell on myself to check my binds to the moon, and see that they are weakened greatly. I could easily shatter them if I needed to, and I planned on doing so if Little Pip survived the blast.
I end my autopsy spell, and cast a minor sleep spell on myself to pass the time quickly.


I woke a few hours later, and quickly activate my scrying mirror to check for Little Pip.
She’s alive! And she was no less, in danger once more. The tainted magic sludge had gotten into contact with her.
I gather my magic to break the seals keeping on the moon.
“I will not let her die.” I say before my horn flashes brightly, breaking my bonds to the moon.
{[(LEAVE!)]} I hear my moon scream to me.
I end my scrying on Little Pip before launching out through my windows, and towards Equestria to hopefully save the ponies that were surviving on the poisoned soil.
I turn my head back to my moon, and watch as it becomes smaller. It shrinks back into the size of a large beach ball.
I look forward to my home world once more before I raise a shield around myself, and prepare for reentry.
> ... and returning with a Bigger BOOM!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I hit the atmosphere of Equis without much turbulence, but scream in pain as the air resistance burns at my shield.
I manage to keep my shield up long enough to keep from burning to a crisp, and drop it once I was inside of the atmosphere safely.
I see that there is a layer of clouds covering Equis, and I unfurl my wings to fix that.
I close my eyes before flapping as quickly as I could to speed up as swiftly as possible.
Opening my eyes I can see the rainboom forming in front of me. I move my hooves in front of me to break the barrier, and retract my wings.
I squint at the wind, and watch the clouds get closer rather quickly.
Just on the edge of a Sonic Rainboom, I hit the clouds. The boom happens right in the center of the cloud cover, and I splay my wings, and slow down before pulling out of my extreme dive.
I keep my speed up to about 600 mph, and head towards my destination of Maripony crater.
The shockwave of my rainboom was just a few meters behind me, and I was screaming through the sky with a huge grin on my muzzle.

My rainboom faded away after a few minutes of flying, and I was nearing Maripony crater.
Putting on a burst of speed I climb back up through the clouds, and immediately dive to create another boom.
Another sonic rainboom followed behind me as I now flew at top speed to the crater that was before me.
Before I could get much closer I see a sky wagon leaving the crater, so I decide to follow it.
Still ahead of my second shockwave I flair my wings, and slow right up next to the small Pegasus mare that was glowing bright green. I quickly put up a shield from the radiation she was producing, and smiled to her.
She smiles back to me, and I see that she is a mutated pony, telling me that she was alive before the war.
“Do you have a unicorn named Little Pip?” I ask her. She nods, and points to her wagon.
I nod and ask, “May I speak with her?” Her head shakes before pointing up ahead to a covered wagon with four other ponies near it.
I look back to the mutated Pegasus mare, and see she is holding up a chalkboard with writing on it.
‘Wait over there, and talk to her friends.’ The board read.
“I shall be there then.” I answer before speeding ahead, and landing at the small camp that Little Pip’s group was at.
I ruffle my feathers, and adjust my armor before extending my wings, and looking at the group of four before me.
I see that they all have weapons pointed at me, well save for the Zebra, who was looking at me in terror.
“I am not a foe.” I say before folding my wings to me side. The group before me gasps from my words.
I lay down, and let my shield that I had up fall. This gets the attention of Velvet Remedy the most.
“Who are you?” She asks me.
“I am the Prince Artermis Eclipse, and I come bearing great news.” I tell her. I look to the metal golem.
“Relax, I have no ill intentions for any of you.” I say to it before I look up to the sky, and smile.
“You may want to cover your ears.” I say to them before my rainboom rushes over us all. The clouds being cleared away by the force of my shockwave.
I smile even more as I look to see that they were all looking up to the sky in wonder.
“A gift.” I tell them. The zebra looks to me in shock.
“You did this?” She asks me. I nodded.
“Yes, Equestria has been covered for far too long, and the fastest way to clear the sky-” I am interrupted by Calamity.
“Is with a sonic rainboom. Now, who are ya really?” He asks me with his battle saddle aimed at me.
“I have already told you who I am, but if you wish to know more then you will have to wait for Little Pip to arrive with the mutated Pegasus mare.” I say before standing up, and looking for the small wagon.
“Little Pip is alive?!” Velvet asks me.
“Yes, and she is going to be here soon.” I say before I am tackled to the ground by the metal golem pony.
“Tell me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now?” It asks me.
“Get off of me and I will.” I answer with anger in my voice. Who I now recognize as Steel Hooves, growls before getting off of me.
“You’ve got 10 seconds.” He says with his cannons pointed at me. I sigh as I stand up again.
“I watched as the mega spells destroyed the land two centuries ago. I waited to be released from my prison, that I was wrongfully lock into, so that I could come back to Equestria, and heal what is now poisoned. I am the only true alicorn left, and I have come to help Little Pip in her quests to save this land from the darkness that has fallen on it.” I tell him. This seems to placate the golem pony, as he returns to his previous spot.
“I don’t believe you, but you haven’t given me a reason to kill you.” Steel Hooves says before sitting back on his metal haunches.
“Wait, if you’re an alicorn, then what ‘ave we been fightin’?” Calamity asks me.
“Magically mutated ponies that took the shape of alicorns. They were nothing close to the actual power of an alicorn though.” I tell him as I see the wagon carrying Little Pip land nearby.
“They’re here.” I say as I start on my way to the wagon. The others rush past me as I calmly walk to the Pegasus mare.
“Is she okay?” I ask the mare. The mutated Pegasus nods before detaching herself from the harness.
“Can you speak?” I ask her. In an answer she drops one of the chalk boards, and writes on it. I read what she writes, and growl at the cruelty she has suffered.
‘Raiders cut out my tongue.’ The board read.
“Hold still.” I tell her before lighting up my horn in a brilliant display of magic.
The mare’s eyes go wide before my magic washes over her. Her glow dies away swiftly, and her form slowly heals back into what it was before she was irradiated beyond her pony form. I left her immortality as it was, and healed the rest back into her original shape.
When my spell finishes healing her, I let go of my magic, and my horn stops shining like a beacon in the night.
I am left breathing hard as the young mare hugs me immediately.
“Thank you so much.” She says into my chest plate. I chuckle before placing a hoof around her, returning her embrace.
“No need to thank me.” I answer before she lets go of me.
“How did you do that?” Velvet asks me in shock. I look to the small group of people nearby, and raise a brow.
“I used one of the high powered restoration spells to restore her form to what it was before it started decaying. She will still be unaffected by radiation, and will still live as long as she wants to live.” I say before looking to the young mare that I had decided to come help.
“Little Pip,” I say to the young mare that was on Calamity’s back, “How are you fairing?”
“I’m hurt, exhausted, and I’ve come into contact with the taint again.” She tells me. I move towards her, and light my horn again, only this time without the big lightshow.
“Be still.” I say as I mend her body, and purge the poison from within. I see that the machine on her leg is fused into her skin, and decide to fix that as well.
My horn gains four layers of over glow as I separate the small device from her leg.
After the last pieces were mended back into place I cut off my magic, and lay down trying to catch my breath.
“There… now you… are better… again.” I say before trying to stand back up again. My legs falter under my weight.
“Rest Prince,” Velvet tells me, “you have done enough already.” She lights her horn, and I lift off of the ground.
“Let me be.” I say with a strong voice. She sets me back down, and I slowly stand up again, my strength already returning.
“I recover faster than anything else on this world, save for a full grown dragon.” I say as I ruffle my feathers again. Before anything else could be said I feel the ground tremor beneath us.
I light my horn again, and take to the skies once more with everyone in my magical grasp. Once we were all in the sky I look down to see a heavily mutated diamond dog burst from the ground.
I shoot a heavy bolt of magic at it, and it falls back to the ground, asleep.
“What was that?” I ask as I set us all back down. I place a shield over the ground that only I would be able to get through.
“That was a Hellhound.” Calamity says before Little Pip slides herself off of his back.
“Okay, who are you and wh-” Little Pip’s words get caught in her mouth as she gazes upon me for the first time.
“Little Pip, I am the Prince Artermis Eclipse.” I say to her as I fold my wings back against my sides.
“P-p-prince?” She asks in a high voice.
“Yes, and I have come back to Equis to assist you on your journey.” I tell her. She seems to be unable to understand this, and promptly faints. I sigh in frustration.
“Hey, we should go.” The grey Pegasus mare says as she points up to the sky.
I look to where she is pointing, and my jaw drops at the huge machine that I see descending from the sky.
“What in the moon’s sand is that?” I ask in awe before I see the giant magical weapons mounted on the huge machine glow with a sick green light.
“WE GOTTA GO NOW!” Calamity shouts before running over to the sky chariot that they had hidden.
“Where!?” I ask him.
“Anywhere that is not here.” Steel Hooves says before picking up Little Pip, and rushing over to the chariot, and jumping inside with Velvet, and the zebra mare.
“Prince, we gotta go.” The grey Pegasus tells me right before the weapons on the massive flying war machine up above us fire. I snap out of my stupor, and raise a shield to stop the magical blasts from reaching us.
“GO, I will take care of this!” I shout to the gold eyes Pegasus. She quickly hooks herself back into her wagon, and flees as fast as her wings could take her.
I look over to Little Pip’s group, and see the take off as well, so I return my focus to the massive flying machine, and launch up towards it with my horn shining with my magic once more.
I drop the shield, and fire my magic in a constant beam, and watch as it cuts straight through the machine’s hull.
I cut the machine in half before turning, and retreating with Little Pip’s chariot.
Looking back to the machine, I see it falling from the sky before it explodes with the magic used to power it.
Seeing this I teleport up next to the two flying vehicles, and wrap them in my magical field before teleporting away from the massive explosion that was now washing over where we just were.

> Let’s Upgrade our Wagon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“That was too close.” I say as we all land at what seems to be a rest stop for chariots.
“At least we got away.” The mare that I now know as Ditzy Doo says as she looks over her wagon for any damage.
“Save for the fact that the teleportation scrambled my spell matrix.” Steel Hooves says from inside the Sky Bandit, as Calamity had called it.
“I already offered to heal you, and you refused.” I tell him, only to earn a ‘humph’ in return as Little Pip did something with the armored pony.
“Okay, so let me see here. You are one of the last three Alicorns on the planet?” Little Pip asks me. She had woken up a few minutes into the flight after I teleported us away from the Enclave’s flying battle ship.
“Yes, unless you count the false alicorns as well.” I answer the short mare.
“And you came here to help me fix this?” She asks, gesturing to the wasteland around us.
“Correct.” I answer before looking up to the sky to see that the clouds were covering the sun back up.
“Why do the pegasi cover the sky up?” I ask in idle thought, not really expecting an answer.
“It happened right after the mega spells hit Canterlot.” Calamity says as he comes out from under the Sky bandit.
“The pegasi back then decided to wait before coming to the rescue, but that was a load o’ lies they told everypony to keep ‘em up there, and not see the truth.” He finished.
“So in other words, it is so the Enclave could forget Equis as a whole, and live with the sun as it is.” I replied before spreading my wings.
“I’ll be right back.” I say as I crouch to preform another sonic rainboom to clear the skies again.
“Wait!” Little Pip shouts to me. I stand up, and look to her with a brow raised.
“If you clear the skies again the Enclave will know where we are, and send even greater numbers to try and kill us.” She tells me.
“So you’d rather that I let them cloud the skies until after they are gone?” I ask with a tilt of my head, “It seems to me that the Enclave needs to be dealt with.”
“Prince, y’all aren’t thinkin’ ‘bout goin’ up there are ya?” Calamity asks me. I nod as I fold my wings.
“I believe that the pegasi need to see what is going on down on the surface, and to do that I need to clear the skies, but if you wish to travel in silence, then I will go up there myself, and finish what the war had started.” I say before lighting my horn, and sending a bolt of magic at the clouds, causing them to thin away in mass amounts.
“But I see that this would be wrong, so for now, I will use my magic to clear the skies while keeping our location unknown to the Enclave.” I look up to the now partially cloudy skies, and see pegasi looking down to see why the clouds were breaking up.
“Prince, why do you wear such old fashioned armor?” Velvet Remedy asks me as she returns from the inside of the rest stop.
“This is my royal battle regalia. Is there something wrong with it?” I ask her. She shakes her head.
“No, just that with the weapons the wasteland’s bad ponies use can tear through that armor without much resistance.” She tells me with a tilt of her head.
“Then I will have to create new armor for myself once we get to a settlement.” I answer before looking to my armor, and sighing. This armor had saved me too many times for me to just throw it away.
“Or instead of a new set I could upgrade your current armor to be better made for the Wasteland’s harsh environment.” Ditzy offers with a smile.
“That would be nice, but I don’t have anything to repay you with.” I tell her with a return smile.
“Oh, don’t worry about paying me. This would be my way of saying thank you for healing me.” She tells me as her right eye wanders away from me.
“Are you sure?” I ask her. She nods with a big smile.
“All we have to do is make it back to New Apploosa.” She replies before stepping into the back of her wagon.
“Where we go is up to Little Pip though.” I say as I turn to her. Her eyes widen before looking at me.
“I have no clue where we should go next.” She says to me before looking at the others in her group.
“Ah’m fine with wherever you want to go Pip.” Calamity says to the young mare.
“A trip back to New Apploosa would be nice, but if you have somewhere else in mind then that’s where I’ll go too.” Velvet says as she floats food out to everyone.
“I need to get back to the other Rangers soon.” Steel Hooves says before looking up to Canterlot in the distance.
“We also need to go get Star Sparkle from Canterlot soon as well.” He says after a little bit.
“Well,” Little Pip starts, “We should go get Mrs. Sparkle first, and then drop Steel Hooves off at Fetlock before heading to New Apploosa to get Prince Artermis some better barding, and then we’ll head to Tenpony tower to make sure Mrs. Sparkle has a better place to stay.” Little Pip says with a nod.
“Then I will go where you go.” I say with a nod.
“So will I.” Calamity says after me.
“You can always count me in.” Velvet says to us.
“I will follow as well.” The zebra known as Xenith tells Pip.
“I’ll be going with you to get Mrs. Sparkle too.” Steel Hooves says from inside the sky bandit.
“I wish I could go, but I need to get back to Silver Bell.” Ditzy says as she comes out of her wagon with a weapon of some kind on her back.
“What is this?” I ask the blonde pony.
“Something that you might need soon.” She tells me before holding the weapon out to me.
“Whoa, Ditzy when did ya get that?” Calamity asks as I pick up the magic energy weapon with my magic.
“I have had this for a long time now, and it was given to me by an old friend of mine. I never use it, so I figured that you should have it Prince.” Ditzy says as I look over the weapon with mild interest.
“What does it do, and how do I use it?” I ask aloud.
“Well, Ah reckon Ah could set up a quick shootin’ range if you want to see and try ‘er out.” Calamity says before zooming off into the rest stop, and return with a dozen bottles in his grasp.
I watch with mild interest as he sets the bottles out around the station at varying distances.
“Alright Prince, here is how you use a projectile weapon.” Calamity says as he faces the small line of bottles that have now been deemed fit for ‘target practice.’
“All ya have ta do is aim down the sights of the gun, and pull this here trigger to fire.” He teaches me while pointing to certain parts of the magic weapon.
“Now before ya’ll go and start shootin’ I’ll need to tell ya what this gun does.” He continues, “This here is what I like to call a, ‘long range lightnin’ rifle’ or for the sciency term, a long range lightning recharger fire-arm.” I look over the weapon in my magic grasp with a new found respect.
“Now, once again I gotta tell you something. Don’t ever point that beautiful weapon at anyone that you think is friendly, as it’ll kill with just a few shots.” He tells me with his eyes closed.
As he continues to ramble on about safety features I lift the rifle up to aim down the sights, and line up the small iron protrusions on one of the nearby bottles.
Crack-throom
The rifle releases an arc of pure lightning straight into the bottle I had aimed at. I quickly move to my next targets.
Crack-throom
Crack-throom
Crack-throom
Crack-throom
I pulled the trigger once more, but the gun fizzles at me. I lower my weapon, and look at what is left of the five targets. Small glowing pieces of glass were all that was left of each bottle, and I didn’t miss a single shot.
“Holy shit! I thought ya didn’t know ‘ow to use a gun!” Calamity shouts to me.
“I don’t, but it is very similar to firing cannons. Only that I can take down more targets faster than any cannon of old could ever even try to attempt.” I say as I watch my rifle slowly start to glow and cackle with magic energy again.
“What in tarnation is a cannon?” Calamity asks me. I look to him before looking down to his small long mini cannons.
“Those fire small projectiles, yes?” I ask him.
“Hm? Yeah and they always hit their mark.” He says with pride. I smirk before looking over to the rest stop, and lighting my horn with heavy telekinetic magic.
The sound of lots of metal being torn and reshaped is heard for a few minutes as I make a rusty cannon from the metal that was once the rest stop.	
“This is a cannon.” I tell him before lifting the small metal ball, and placing it into the long barrel.
I focus my magic into a small compressed explosive mass behind the cannonball as I aim the cannon at a large sign that is about thirty meters away from us.
I let the compressed magic release itself in the explosion that I created, and watch as the cannon roars, and spits the metal ball straight into the sign, tearing it to shreds from the low velocity shot.
“HOLY CELESTIA!” Calamity shouts as he takes in the damage my cannon produced.
“Prince! Is everything alright over there?!” I hear Little Pip ask as she rounds the corner of the Sky Bandit.
“Everything is fine Little Pip. I was demonstrating what a cannon is to Calamity. I apologize if I startled any of you with the loud boom.” I say before looking back to the cannon I had made rather swiftly.
“Wow, do ya think that ya’ll could mount that on top of the sky bandit?” Calamity asks me.
I look over the rather unstable vehicle before shaking my head.
“Not without it tearing the wagon apart the first time you fired it.” I answer before looking at other options for the armaments of the civilian transport.
“However, I could make smaller swivel cannons that could be mounted in the windows for defensive purposes.” I tell him. This catches his and Little Pip’s attention.
“That sounds like a good idea, but armor is more of a priority before weapons.” Steel Hooves says as he exits the sky bandit. I look to him, and see that his armor, not his skin, was working again. Little Pip must have rebooted the spell matrix within it.
“I agree with Steel Hooves dears, so Prince if you would be kind enough?” Velvet Remedy asks me. I chuckle as her balefire phoenix lands on her shoulder.
I eye the mutated immortal bird with a tilted head.
“What is causing Pyrelight to burn as this color?” I ask as my horn lights, and tears the cannon I made to pieces before placing them onto the sky bandit, adding about three inches of metal armor to the vehicle.
“Pyrelight is a balefire phoenix, so she burns with radioactive bale fire instead of regular fire.” Velvet answers me. I look to the bird before asking in its natural language if she would like to be a true phoenix.
Pyrelight tilts her head at me for a few seconds before asking if she could keep her radiation powered flames. I nod in return, and the phoenix takes off to me before landing on my back. I turn to Pyrelight, and light my horn with blood red magic. My magic flows into Pyrelight.
The bird of fire slowly starts to glow a more red for her darker feathers, and her golden hued feathers turn into the balefire green. Pyrelight nuzzles my neck in thanks before taking off back into the sky for a few seconds before giving a loud true phoenix screech.
“Wow.” The group of ponies, and zebra say as Pyrelight lands on Velvets back once again.
“Just as she wanted.” I say before turning to the remnants of the rest stop, and lighting my horn once more, and tearing the rest of the metal out of the building, and adding it to the sky bandit with ease. I finished after a few minutes of re shaping the chariot into something that could withstand much more damage, also I encased the spark batteries in seven inch thick metal plating that could only be accessed from the inside.
“There, now it should hold together even if nine inch cannons shot it.” I say as I finish making the cover for the driver. I look over my work with a smile. I had recolored the sky bandit as I went along my repairs and armoring of the chassis, and it now looked a lot like a flying ship than a chariot. I had magically painted the sides with the ancient alicorn flag of Equestria.
“How in the world did you do that?” Little Pip asks me. I look to the young mare and smirk.
“I used an advanced form of telekinesis to form the metal, and then heated it so it welded onto the ship.” I tell her. She squeals at the idea of magic being able to warp and shape metal.
“Could you teach me?” She asks me. I nod before looking up to the sky to see another huge warship heading towards us.
“What is that?” I ask as I point out the huge ship in the sky. Calamity looks up to it before dashing over to the driver’s spot on the Sky Bandit, and strapping in.
“That is an Enclave Thunderhead mobile siege ship. The Enclave only had four before you showed up, and destroyed the Glorious Dawn.” He says as the other pile into the mini gunship.
“How many ponies are inside it?” I ask as I ready my wings.
“Ah don’t know, a few thousand?” Calamity answers before looking back to me.
“Ya’ll aren’t thinkin’ about goin’ up there are ya?” He asks me. I look to him.
“Could you fly it?” I ask him. He looks bewildered at what seemed to be a death mission.
“I could, but I would need lots o’ help, but ya’ll can’t just go and kill ‘em all.” He answers.
“I won’t, I’ll give them the choice of landing first, and changing over to my colors.” I say as Ditzy tosses a strap to me. I catch it, and strap it to my rifle before slinging the energy rifle to my side.
“Get to New Apploosa. I’ll meet you all there with our without this thunderhead on our side.” I tell the group.
“Wait, I would like to go with you.” I hear Xenith say, before hopping out of the Sky Bandit.
“Do you have everything you need?” I ask her. The Zebra mare checks her bags before nodding to me.
“Very well then, climb aboard.” I say as I lay down, and spread my wings for her to climb onto my back.
“Prince, make sure she comes back safely.” Little Pip tells me. I nod before taking off into the sky, heading towards the giant Pegasus machine that halted its descent in the sky.
“Is there a certain reason you decided to come with me?” I ask Xenith.
“I simply wish to see if you are a star born.” She tells me as we see a large ramp extend from the bottom of the Thunderhead. I could see a welcoming crew waiting for us, so I sped up, but stayed at a pace that would still allow a quick few words between me and Xenith.
“We are all star born Xenith, this entire world was created with the remnants of a dead star, and the life came from this world, all the matter was formed into shapes by the dead remains of a star, so don’t think so bad of the stars themselves, but what is born in the remains of them.” I say before landing in the belly of the Enclave warship.
“Welcome to the Thunderhead New Cloudsdale.” The Pegasus in the most decorated armor says as I let Xenith off of my back. I put up a shield between Xenith and I, and the pegasi that were surrounding us.
“As high general of the Grand Pegasus Enclave I ask that you come with me.” The now known general says before turning, and walking into the depths of the dark war machine.
“I’d rather stay right here.” I say to the general before strengthening my shield.
“Stay here under the clouds that you seem to enjoy tearing apart?” He asks me.
“Be mindful of who you are speaking with.” I growl at him. He chuckles and turns to face me.
“And who am I speaking with?” He asks with a grin. I scowl at the holier than thou general.
“We are the Prince Artermis Eclipse of Equis, and thou shalt show us respect as we can tear this ship in half with but a thought!” I shout at him in the royal ‘we’.
“Oh? And here I thought I was speaking with another would-be god.” He says in reply, with the smirk still on his muzzle.
I see the game he’s playing at, so I walk through my shield, leaving Xenith inside, gesturing for her to stay. Xenith nods to me, and I look back to the general to see many of the pegasi had their weapons pointed at me.
I start to chortle at their petty weapons, and I slowly increase my hysteria into full blown belly laughing.
“You think your little toys scare me?” I ask him while still getting my laughing under control.
“Please, I already have withstood greater blasts with my bear form, so if you must, then fire away at the only remaining male alicorn left.” I say to the pegasi around me.
They opened fire on me without a second thought, and I absorbed the magic energy they shot at me, adding it to my own reserves.
I let out more laughter as my horn grows longer, and my wings stronger.
“Cease fire!” I hear the general shout, causing the barrage of magic to halt. I am left chuckling as my power now was triple my own stores while I was at my best.
“You all have no clue what you just did.” I say in a multilayered voice. My whole body was sparking with the energy I had absorbed into my being.
“I AM THE FOURTH ALICORN, CREATOR OF ALL MOONS, AND FATHER OF CELESTIAL MAGIC!!!” I shout in the royal voice, causing everyone in the nearby vicinity to yelp in pain.
“DOTH THOU UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE NOW?” I ask the general.
“Yes, and I apologize for my actions.” He says before bowing low, and spreading his wings in front of his self. An ancient Pegasus tradition for when bowing to royalty. This was so that if I was disappointed in him I could smash his wings easily. I grinned lightly at the gesture.
“Rise, my little pony and let us speak on amiable terms.” I say in a regular voice. The general stood up from his position before all the pegasi that saw what he did bowed to me in the exact same manner.
I gave a genuine smile at their change of heart.
“FOR THE TRUE PRINCE!” I hear them all shout at the top of their lungs.
“General, set a course for New Apploosa. I have a few ponies I want you to meet. Do so with much haste.” I say to the now reformed Pegasus pony.
“Of course.” He says with a nod, “Helms ponies start on a course for New Apploosa at full speed.” The general says into his headset. I feel the giant airship slowly change direction before the entire craft lurches into motion.
“Prince, if you and your Zebra come with me we can go to the control room, and wait there while we make way to New Apploosa.” The general says to me. I nod, and let Xenith’s shield fall before we both follow the general into the giant beast.

> Let's move onward to New Aaaaaappleloosa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I was on the bridge with Xenith at my side. She was silent so far, and it was starting to unnerve me.
“Bit for your thoughts?” I ask her. She blinks a couple times before looking out the windows of our new mobile command center.
“I am contemplating what you said before we got onto this great machine.” She tells me, “That with what you said after we landed has stirred my thoughts.” She says before giving a small yawn.
“You must be exhausted.” I point out to her.
“Yet I will not rest until I have Little Pip with me again.” She says to me before yawning again.
“That is no way to help this world. How can you expect to help if you fall asleep when we get there? Come, let’s get you to somewhere you can sleep for the next little bit. We still have a couple hours left before we arrive at New Apploosa.” I tell her.
“Very well then.” She says before standing once more. She stumbles, and I am at her side, steadying her without a word.
“General, can you send for someone to escort us to a room to rest in?” I ask the stallion in the command chair.
“Yes,” He answers before putting a hoof up to his headset, “Night Feather, report to the bridge.” He says into the small device. After a few minutes a Pegasus mare enters the bridge before saluting the general with the metal tail of her armor.
“Night Feather reporting as requested.” The mare says.
“Fly steady soldier.” The general says returning the mare’s salute with one of his own. The armored mare moves into a different stance.
“Please escort the Prince and Miss Xenith to some quarters to rest in.” He tells the young mare.
“Yes sir.” The mare says with another salute. The general returns it swiftly before we follow the mare out into the hall, and down into the belly of the Thunderhead.
“Miss Feather,” I say remembering the name slightly.
“Yes Prince?” She asks me.
“Are you related to a Unicorn mare known as Feather Touch?” I ask her.
“Yes, I am one of her descendants.” She answers, “If I may ask, why?” I chuckle.
“Feather Touch was my Head maid back before I was imprisoned on the moon. I asked because your voice is almost exactly the same.” I say before Night stops in front of a door.
“These are your rooms, the general has ordered me to bunk you both in my room as there are three empty beds.” Night says before sliding the door open with her hoof.
Before the door opens all the way I catch a spark of a magic plasma weapon. I shoved Night out of the way, and took the shot that was meant for her, and felt the plasma burn into my chest plate. I light my horn to retaliate, but Xenith moved in, and incapacitated the assassin that was in wait at our room.
I burst into the room, and ignite my horn to fill the room of blinding light to any other aggressors that waited for me.
I hear one other pony yelp at the sudden brightness that only they could see.
I turn to the pony, and slam them into the metal wall of the room with my magic, causing the pony to black out.
“Night, I want you in here to guard Xenith as she rests.” I tell the enclave mare at the door before picking up the two would be assassins in my magic, and exiting the room before retracing our steps back up onto the bridge where the General was sitting with a fresh hot beverage of some sort.
“These two thought it would be a good idea to try to kill me and my friend.” I say before tossing them in front of the general with little care. The one Xenith had hit groaned into the flooring, and the other was still unconscious.
“You have my apologies prince; I will take care of these two personally once we have arrived at New Apploosa.” The general says before pressing a button on the side of his chair.
After a few seconds six ponies trot into the room, and stand in front of the general with salutes.
“Take these two to the brig. They tried to harm our guests.” The general orders the six dark blue armored ponies. Said ponies salute again before taking the two assassins away from the bridge.
“How much longer until we arrive?” I ask the general.
“Hour and a half at most, but with the raptors tugging us at their full power we’ll most likely be there in 45 minutes.” He tells me. I nod in acknowledgment.
“Send someone for me once we arrive.” I say before leaving the bridge to head back to the room I was sharing with Feather, and Xenith.
“As you say Prince.” The general answers before the door slides shut behind me.
The walk back to my room was uneventful, and I was glad for it. I was already tired of using violence as a means of negotiation.
I entered the room to see Xenith sleeping next to Night Feather on the same bunk.
I smiled at the sight before taking off my armor and royal attire, before I laid down on one of the other bunks, and falling asleep.


I wake up to a pounding at the door to my shared room. Night was the first to wake up fully, and get to the door to see who was at the door.
“The general sent me to inform the Prince that we have arrived at New Apploosa.” I hear from the doorway.
“He will be up soon.” Feather replies with a hoof salute since she was out of her armor.
“Take him to the hanger instead.” The other Pegasus says before leaving.
“Prince?” Feather asks me.
“I heard, but thanks for asking anyways.” I say as I drag myself out of the cot, and don my now scorched armor.
“I have a question.” Night Feather says. I gesture with a hoof to tell her to continue.
“Is there any way I would be able to go with you on your journeys?” she asks me. I look to her before shifting my eyes over to Xenith before moving back to Night.
“I have a better idea. I’m going to ask if I can have this ship, and I need someone that can keep her and her crew running. If I acquire this ship for myself would you be willing to be her new general?” I ask her.
She looks shocked in the least. She sputters for an answer as I wake up Xenith with my magic. The Zebra rolls out of the cot, and stands up and stretches, giving me a rather pleasant view that I averted my eyes from without much difficulty.
“How long was I asleep?” Xenith asks me as she stands up straight.
“A couple hours at most, but I can tell that it was well deserved.” I say as I sling my rifle over my neck, and look to Feather to see she is fully suited up in her black Enclave armor.
“Then let us go.” Xenith replies before we feel the ship shudder as it starts to slow to a stop.
We all break into a light trot down towards the hangar. I was feeling a little giddy at the idea of a literal flying fortress of my own.
It took a few minutes for the ship to stop fully near the town of New Apploosa. We had made it to the hangar during that time, and I jumped out of the open bay doors at the end of the hangar where the ship met the sky.
Xenith was already on my back by then, and we dived for the small town beneath us.
I see Night come up next to me with her helmet off, and nod to her with a small smile before we both pull out of the dive.
I made my way into the railcar wall town, and landed in the center of it.
Before much could be said from the town’s ponies Pyrelight gave a happy trill from overhead before landing on my shoulders.
\Hello my friend./ I say to the phoenix.
\I’ve been waiting for your return./ She replies as she nuzzles my neck from behind. I ruffle my feathers from the heat Pyrelight pressed into my neck.
“Prince, we have company.” Night says before I look to see Little Pip and her friends approaching, as well as Ditzy Doo and a small unicorn filly. I wave to them, and they wave back.
“They’re friends.” I answer Night as Xenith slides off of my back.
“Heya there Artermis, how was the talk with the High General?” Calamity asks me as he trots up in front of me.
“I’d say I managed to get us a new ride.” I say as I look up to see the New Cloudsdale fire a harpoon into the ground below her to act as an anchor to keep itself in place.
“What!? Ya’ll mean to tell me that ya got the New Cloudsdale’s General to give ya his services?” Calamity asks in shock. I look down to the group before me, and nod.
“Yes, but it will not stay that color if I get the pony that I want to be in charge of her, and she will be renamed as well.” I answer to the befuddled Pegasus before me.
He promptly faints from the apparently unbelievable feat that I just accomplished.
“I think it is time you explained the how.” Ditzy says as she gets closer to me, and then gives me a hug. I smile, and hug her in return.
“Well,” I say as she lets go of me, “Xenith and I simply flew up to the New Cloudsdale, and told them who I am. The general was very willing to lend me his services.” I say as I look up to the giant arcanotechnological marvel that was looming over the small town.
“Prince, why did you really come back?” Little Pip asks me. I look to her with a little surprise at how she saw through my lies fairly easily. And I am a master at deception.
“I have given my reasons, but if you Little Pip wish to know more, then it will have to be in an area where only you and I can talk freely.” I tell the young mare before me.
I notice a few of the pegasi from my ship drop down, and land next to me.
“Prince, the General would like to speak with you.” One of the soldiers says to me.
“Then he can do so on the ground.” I reply as I look back up to the thunderhead.
“He said it was either you come to him, or we leave.” The soldier replies with a bow to me. His wings spread in front of him. I extend my wings before looking down to the soldiers near me.
“Then tell him that I will be there soon. I have a few things to take care of here before I can speak with him.” I answer. The soldier nods before the small group of pegasi take off back to the ship.
“Night Feather, if you are going to be joining me I need you to change the color of your armor.” I tell the mare that had sworn herself to me.
She nods before asking, “What colors would you prefer Prince?” I look over to her.
“The colors that represent Equestria, before she was poisoned.” I answer. Night nods at my answer before taking off to my ship to do as I asked.
“Mommy, who is that?” I hear a little filly ask. I look to where the voice came from, and see the small child next to Ditzy looking at me with a tilted head.
“He is the one that healed me, and fixed my body to look good again.” Ditzy tells the young filly.
“Do you think he could...” I couldn’t hear what she whispers into her mother’s ear. Ditzy looks to me after the filly was done telling her mother what she wanted me to attempt.
“Prince, is it possible to regrow a unicorn’s horn?” She asks me. I blink a couple times.
“That depends on how much of the horn is left.” I answer before looking to the little hornless filly.
“May I see?” I ask her as I lay down in front of the filly. The child shies away from me, but Ditzy pushes her to be in front of me.
“Go on Sweetie Pie, he won’t hurt you.” Ditzy says to her adopted daughter.
I smile gently to the scared filly, and she slowly moves her hoof to part her hair out of the way. I look upon the remnants of her horn to see that she had sawn it off on purpose near the base. There was barely enough for my spell to work on her. I look into Sweetie’s eyes.
“I can fix it, but it will hurt quite a bit.” I tell the young child in front of me.
“I could give her an anesthetic spell so she wouldn’t feel it at all.” Velvet Remedy tells me as she tends to the still unconscious Calamity.
“No, the body would never be able to tell that the horn was regrown without the pain telling it that it did so.” I answer before looking back to Sweetie.
“Do you want me to heal it, and have you face the pain to be able to use magic again, or do you just want to leave t as it is?” I ask her. She looks terrified at the idea of having to sit through the pain as I heal her, but she slowly nods either way.
“Okay, I will do the spell only at your home though. I don’t want to get distracted by something out here.” I say before standing up, and using a simple force spell on myself to push the dirt on my coat back down to the ground.
“Prince, you have a few more pegasi on the way down.” Little Pip tells me. I glance at the soldiers for a couple seconds before saying, “Miss Doo, please go home and wait for me there, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I tell the grey mare.
“Okay, just don’t take too long.” Ditzy tells me before letting her daughter up onto her back, and trotting on towards her home.
I look up to the second small group of soldiers to see that they all have pure white armor with a simple red cross on the chest plate. These were medical ponies.
The medical pegasi land, and bow to me with their wings spread before the forward one spoke to me.
“Prince, we have been sent by the general to offer aid to this town.” The lead tells me.
“That is very generous of him. Now, remember that not all the ponies here see very many pegasi, so I suggest removing the helmets while you are on the surface.” I say to them.
“But the air-” I cut off his rebuttal.
“Is just fine, I have been breathing it for long enough to tell if it were toxic or not, and the only thing wrong with the air is that it is uncared for.” I say to him with a small smirk.
“Tend to your duties medical pegasi; I have something to take care of before I go to see the general.” The white armored ponies all bow once more before trotting off, and offering assistance to anypony who would accept it.
I turn to go to Ditzy’s home, and see that Xenith was there looking at me with what looks to be confusion.
“Yes Miss Xenith?” I ask her. She looks me in the eye.
“I find it hard to believe that you are simply here to help when your cutie mark is that of the night.” She says with her eyes narrowed.
“Xenith, this is a talk for later when I don’t have an injured pony to deal with. I will tell you and the others my story only after my previous meetings are finished.” I say before walking around her, and heading for Ms. Doo’s home.

I watch as ponies from this small town look on at me in wonder, and fear. I could understand their emotions, especially after what the false goddess had created.
I make it to Ditzy’s home, and find that it also doubled as a store. I read the name to the store, ‘Absolutely Everything,’ and chuckle before heading inside.
I see that the inside of the store was similar to that of a hardware store. Random objects were hung from the walls, and what seems to be quite literally everything, from small trinkets to what looks to be a single cannon that fired anything from it, literally anything. This item was labeled the ‘rock-it launcher.’
I then cast my gaze to the griffin that was guarding the store from one of the corners. I tilted my head slightly at the sight of the non-pony being that was looking at me warily.
“Oh, you’re here!” I hear to my side where there was a door that I had previously assumed was to a broom closet, but was actually the home part of Ditzy’s shop.
“Yes, is Sweetie Pie ready?” I ask her. She nods her head with a worried expression.
“As much as she can be right now.” Ditzy answers with her right eye wandering away from focus. I nod to her and follow her into the small living room of her house shop mix.
“This spell will take probably five minutes, but since Sweetie had purposefully removed her horn it may take me half an hour to regrow her horn. Now if she still had the removed piece of it I could just reattach it to her remaining horn without the painful process of regeneration, and she wouldn’t have to rebuild her fortitude for magic.” I explain as we enter the unicorn filly’s room.
“I… I think I still have my horn.” Sweetie says quietly before moving to the small metal cabinet that works as her dresser.
Opening the middle drawer, she removes a small silver colored horn from said drawer before holding it out to me.
“I hope whatever caused you to remove it is not a problem anymore, because I can only regrow it once, and reattach it once.” I say before my horn lights in a brilliant lightshow.
Silver’s horn slowly moves from the filly’s hoof back to where it was before it was removed from its home.
“Hold still.” I say gently before infusing my magic into the horn to make it heal back onto Silver’s forehead.
It took three minutes before the horn was completely fused back into place.
Silver bell had fallen asleep from the magic bursting back into her after so long without.
“She is fine, but she will need to rest for some time. I will return when I can to check on her from time to time. Until I see you again Miss Doo.” I say before leaving the store.

> New colors and a New Friend
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I am met by Little Pip in the nearby saloon in New Apploosa, and she seems to be dead set on something.
“Prince, we need to talk, now.” She tells me. I blink before using my magic to hold the doors open for her.
“We’ll be fine in here, so come on.” I answer. She nods before entering the saloon. I look up to the New Cloudsdale, and cast a quick anchor spell on it so that the general wouldn’t be able to leave without my permission.
I enter the saloon and a small smirk plays on my lips from the recognizable scene from what most would expect from a saloon. There was a large radio somewhere playing what one would consider ‘country’ music. There were a few ponies at the bar downing hard drinks, and there is a bartender who is using a rag and magic to clean cups, and mugs.
“Welcome to the Glimmering Spout, I’m Radsberry Sasperilla, and this is my saloon. What can I get for ya?” Asks the rather tall slender mare behind the bar.
“A place where my friend and I can talk in private.” I tell her. She looks between me and Little Pip before looking back to me.
“It’s 50 caps, or 10 bits, for a room if that’s what ya want.” She tells me. I roll my eyes before pulling my royal coin pouch to bear pulling out ten bits, and placing them on the counter. Ms. Sasperilla takes the bits, and puts a key in their place.
“The room is yours for the night.” She tells me. I nod before taking the key, and reading the number on it rather easily.
“Prince?” I shake my head as we enter the room I had rented for the night. She tilts her head before I light my horn, and cast privacy spells over the rather nice room.
“There, now nopony can hear or see us while we are in here.” I say to explain what I did. Her eyes glimmer at how I made this room rather unknown to those that would eavesdrop on our talk.
“How many spells do you know?” She asks me. I chuckle at her curiosity before laying on the bed in the room, and removing my chest plate to repair it.
“The last time I counted I came up to around 2500 spells for everyday use, and about 400 combat spells, 500 medical spells, and 120 forbidden spells.” I tell her as I look over my armor to see if I could repair it.
“3520 spells?!” She asks in shock. I look to her before shaking my head.
“Those are spells that a unicorn could use if there talent was magic itself. Counting the alicorn and other spells that any other beings could use boosts that number to about 250000 spells that I could perform just on a regular day, and there are some spells that would knock me out for a few hours to a few hundred years should I use them. So in total I know, and can use, about 500000 spells.” I teach the young mare.
“So, you are an actual alicorn?” She asks in a high squeaky voice. I sigh before looking up from my armor, and into her eyes.
“If you are still doubting what I claim to be then come here so I can share my memories with you.” I say before looking back down to my armor, and closing my eyes. I can’t fix it without more moon crystals to replace what was incinerated by the magic plasma.
“Are you sure you want to share your memories with me?” She asks me. I could hear her curiosity, but could tell she didn’t want to invade my privacy out of respect.
“I could show you everything I know, or only the day of my birth if I so choose, but I leave the choice to you if you want to see my memories.” I tell her with sadness in my eyes.
“I…” She hesitates before answering with, “I want to see them, but only what would show me who you are.” She tells me before climbing up onto the bed next to me.
“Very well then, I’m warning you now. What I am going to show you is going to either scar you for life, or give you a reason to help me fix this dying world of ours.” I tell her.
She looks into my eyes before I started the spell that would show her my past, and see that she was prepared as she could be.
“We’ll be in her until dawn, so get comfortable.” I say to her as I lie down all the way.
She does so as well, but is too far away from me for the spell to work.
“HEY!” She shouts as I pull her into my chest.
“It’s the only way the spell I’m going to use can work. I know you don’t prefer stallions, but if you wish to see my memories this is the only way I will allow it.” I tell her. My coat hid my blush from her eyes, but she wasn’t as lucky as I. She was blushing up a storm, and was looking into my eyes with slight anger and embarrassment.
“You could have told me before you startled me.” She complains. I roll my eyes before lighting my horn, and touching the tip to her own to connect my mind with hers.
We fell asleep to those that would have been watching had I not cast the privacy spells.


My spell places us in my currently empty mind.
“Where are we?” Little Pip asks aloud. I look to her before chuckling.
“We are in my mind, or more specifically you are in mine.” I answer without speaking to her. She blinks a few times before trying to spot something.
“So where are your memories?” She asks me. Instead of answering I used my dream walking abilities to open up my memory of a talk between me and the king of Equis, my eldest brother.
I kept the memory from playing to let Pip see what had changed.
“Who is that?” She asks me referring to King Shadow.
“That is Celestia and Luna’s father, King Shadow.” I answer, “He is the one that created the foundation of the universe.” I let the memory play after saying this.
“Artermis, it is great to see thee again.” Shadow says to the younger version of me.
“Tis good to see thee brother, but thou hath summoned me hither for what?” I asked my bother. I winced at my tone of voice in this memory before smiling lightly at the chuckle Shadow gave in return.
“I wished to tell thee some rather amazing information of mine and Aurora’s.” King Shadow says before waving for the young me to follow. Pip and I are pulled along by my spell’s power, keeping us nearby the images that are being shown in my head.
“What is it thou wish to tell me?” I asked the king.
“Aurora is expecting our children; the royal doctors confirmed her pregnancy just last night to me.” Shadow said to me. The young me pauses in his steps with his jaw on the floor of the Everfree Castle.
“Thou must be jesting!” I had answered to the smiling king.
“Nay, the child will be born within the year.” The king replies with a grand smile. I stopped the memory before my reaction was given, and change to the next memory that was a few months after.
“Hello Aurora, how is thy child?” The young me asks the rather gorgeous mare that was resting on her bed. This mare was the embodiment of the stars themselves.
“That is Celestia and Luna’s mother, Queen Aurora. She is also my eldest sister.” I say before letting the memory continue. Little Pip surprises me by pausing the memory herself.
“Why are you showing me this?” She asks me with a raised brow.
“I assumed you wished to know more about Celestia and Luna. If you want to know about me only I can show you my most important memories that I am willing to share.” I answer in slight confusion.
“It’s not that, I was just wondering why.” She replies. I smile gently.
“I’m showing you this so that you understand why I came back, but I guess I could show you more of the why instead of what built my current mindset.” I tell her.
“Could you show me Celestia and Luna?” She asks me. I chuckle at her eager smile. I stop the current memory before moving on to the first time I was asked to watch over my dear nieces.
“Uncle Artermis! Uncle Artermis!” The slightly older me hears two young fillies shout. The other me turns to see the young alicorns galloping to me.
“Hm? Who was that we heard?” I asked playfully.
“It was us Uncle!” The filly with a white pink coat, and a sparkling pink mane and tail says with a giggle. This filly was joined by her younger sister who had a deep blue coat with a bright sky blue mane and tail.
“Oh! It was you my little nieces!” I said to the young fillies before using my magic to place them on my back.
“So what is the occasion?” I asked them.
“Mother wants you to watch us while she and Father go to see Aunty Flair.” The deep night blue filly answers.
“Oh? And when is this?” I asked them as we entered the throne room.
“We were hoping you would do so tonight Brother.” Aurora says as she and Shadow walk towards me to say farewell.
“You know that I enjoy watching over these two. Tell cousin Flair hello for me?” I ask my brother and sister as we embraced for what I now knew as the last time.
Celestia and Luna had mourned for three decades before they recovered from the loss of their parents. My memory ended before it could show what the after math was.
“They never returned from that trip. A grand Ursa Major attacked their chariot on their return trip, and were slain. Celestia and Luna were devastated for years, and I sought revenge on the beast that took my brother and sister from their family.” I said before pulling another memory into view.
“This is my first battle with the evil lord of chaos, Discord.” I say before letting the battle memory between me and the chimera continue.
“Discord, you crossed the line this time!” I shouted to the demon that was sitting on a throne of alicorn bones.
“Oh hello Artermis, and here I thought you were in hiding on the moon with the two little princesses, or is it three now?” Discord asked with a devious smirk.
“You leave Terra out of this Discord! You’ve slaughtered too many, and shattered the greatest kingdom just so you can laugh at our dying people. It is high time you are dealt with, and I am here to be sure you die.” I curse at the demon.
“Oh if only you knew Artermis. I’m going to tell you something so listen, and listen well.” Discord says before he teleports next to me.
“There will come a time where the world burns, and you will lose more than you can ever imagine to something that even I cannot predict. I’ll leave this world for three centuries if you agree to see what I have. I know you know what I have seen before, but this even I couldn’t have foretold.” Discord said before returning to his throne of bones.
“You promise to leave this world for three centuries? No, that is too short. Fifteen centuries is the least amount of time away from this star system that I will agree to before even glimpsing at what you know.” I reply in anger.
“Fifteen it is then and I will leave the star system only after you agree to see what I have to show you.” Discord says with a shark grin.
“Fine, but if you don’t leave without harm to anything or one, I will kill you.” I tell the mixed being. Discord gives a snagle tooth grin before I am knocked unconscious.
“What happened after that?” Little Pip asks me.
Discord planted what he had seen into my mind, and left just as he said he would, and life returned to normal until he returned.
“Terra and I had a daughter, Princess Mi Amoré Cadenza, and Celestia and Luna took their Parent’s spots atop the thrones. During this time Equestria was founded, and the tree of harmony was planted by Terra and I.” I say before my spell starts to fade, but I renew its strength enough for us to finish speaking.
“And when Discord returned?” She asks me.
“Terra and I fought him. He was stronger than we both anticipated, and my inability to cast spells fast enough cost Terra, my wife, her life. I was enraged at him, and cast the first forbidden spell, causing him to be turned to stone, and in turn sealing myself on the moon. I spent five thousand years on my own moon, waiting for something to have enough of an effect on Equis to weaken my bonds enough.” I continued.
“What finally did it, what weakened your prison enough to come back?” Little Pip asks me with childlike enthusiasm.
“It was the Maripony Balefire Mega spell that your enemy Red Eye detonated under Maripony.” I answer with a grimace, “The damage to the planet itself was the last straw for my prison to be weak enough. I launched from my moon, and returned here. I found Ditzy Doo had saved you, and I believe you know the rest.”	
“So, why are you here?” She asks me. I look Little Pip in the eye.
“I want to find my daughter after Equestria is healed.” I say right before my mind melding spell ends, and separated our minds into our bodies.


My eyes open, and I let go of Little Pip, but she pulls me closer. I look down to the mare, and see that she had cried during the spell.
“Little Pip, it is time to wake up.” I say softly.
“I’m up, but I want to be here with you for a little bit longer. You deserve the most out of us all for some comfort.” Little Pip says before looking up to me. I smile, and embrace her for a few seconds.
“Thank you Little Pip.” I say as she held onto me for a few more minutes. We let go of each other after this, and I got off of the bed, and put my burnt armor back on before looking to Little Pip with a small grin.
“I think it is time for the sun to rise on time again.” I say before she hops down from the bed, and follows me out into the saloon.
“How was it you two?” Radsberry asks with a wink to me.
“It was nice, thank you for renting the room to us.” I say as I return the key to the slender mare. She nods as she takes the key back.
“Come again.” The slender mare says as we leave the saloon.
I waved before exiting the saloon, and looking up to the night sky. My internal clock told me it was time for the sun to rise, but the moon was still in the sky.
“Ready to see the sun be properly risen into the sky?” I ask Little Pip. She smiles before nodding.
“Then head to the top of the wall with your friends, and wait for a little bit.” I tell her before taking to the sky, and stop inside the clouds.
“Time for the skies to be clear over Equestria.” I say to myself before moving magic into my wings, and compacting it there as Pegasus magic.
I look down through the clouds, and see that Little Pip had gathered her friends atop the wall along with quite a few of the town’s ponies.
I grin, and force more magic into my wings, causing them to glow brightly.
I hold my wings straight up above my back. I release my compressed Pegasus magic with one mighty flap of my wings, causing the clouds to be ripped apart by the shockwave. I flap my wings a few more times, causing more bursts of Pegasus magic to push the clouds over the horizon, giving a clear view of the night sky, and the full moon.
“CITIZENS OF EQUESTRIA, IT IS TIME FOR THE SUN TO RISE, AND I ARTERMIS ECLIPSE SHALL RAISE IT FOR YOU!” I announce to all the ponies within a fifty mile radius using the royal voice.
Before any of them could refute this I light my horn in a brilliant white light. I look up to the moon, and see it start to descend to the west, and down below the horizon. I then change my magic to that of the sun, turning it from the bright white to a brilliant golden yellow.
The eastern horizon began to change colors, and after a few moments the sun slowly soars into the morning skies.
I smile at the bright golden hues the sun cast over the wasteland, and drop from the skies, before hovering in front of the towns ponies and giving a midair bow.
When I look back up to them I see that they are all bowing to me in respect, even Steel Hooves was bowing to me.
“Who are you?” Asks a well-built rust coated unicorn stallion. 
“I am Prince Artermis Eclipse, and I have returned to Equestria to lead you all into a new bright future.” I answer, loud enough for them all to hear me.
“Where are the Princesses though?” I hear one of the other ponies ask.
“I do not know.” I tell them, “But if they live, then I will find them, and bring them back to you all.”
Before anypony else could ask something a few pegasi from above the remaining clouds started to descend to see what was happening.
“There are ponies living down here?”
“I thought the surface was still too poisoned to live.”
“Look, that’s the New Cloudsdale, what’s it doing here?”
These were what I could hear the few pegasi that were closer asking. I look up to the descending pegasi, and take in a deep breath.
“Pegasi! The world you see below you has been alive for many years now! The enclave has lied to you all! This is the town New Apploosa, and they are living just fine down below the clouds!” I call to the ponies that were descending to the town below them.
I notice the New Cloudsdale release its harpoon anchor, and try to leave, but my spell was still active on it.
“Prince, why is the thunderhead still here?” Steel Hooves asks me. I look to him and smirk.
“You mean my new ship? I have a spell keeping it in place is all.” I answer him before landing on the wall of train cars near the ponies of N.A.
“Looks like you have company.” He replies as the hangar doors open on the New Cloudsdale, and three armored chariots pull out of it. I also see one Pegasus wearing the enclave armor, but it was a bright white with blue accents.
“Ponies of New Apploosa, I suggest going to your homes while I take care of this.” I tell the amassed ponies around me. I then look up to the now hovering group of pegasi, and quickly fly up to them.
“Go back to your homes before they banish you from them. Claim you saw exactly what they have been telling you, but tell your friends the truth. Tell them Prince Artermis is here to heal Equestria back into the land of peace and happiness that it once was.” I tell the group of about twenty pegasi.
“What happens if they find out we’re lying to them?” A purple coated, and black maned mare asks me.
“Then go to the town below, and wait for me there. When I return here it will be for those that wish to be a citizen of Equestria once again.” I tell them before flapping my large wings, and heading for the armored chariots.
The pilots of the chariots slow to a hover before me, and I do the same.
“Return to the thunderhead now.” I tell the three chariots.
“I’m sorry Prince, but the general has ordered us to detain you at all costs.” The center pilot answers me.
“If your general thinks he has power over me he is fatally mistaken. I just restored the sun and moon to their proper cycle, so if you wish to oppose me then feel free, but if you stand down, and join me I will reward you with the honor of being the first ponies in the new royal guard.” I counter as I slowly light my horn, having my magic at the ready.
The side chariots and all the pegasi within agreed to return to the thunderhead, and left the center chariot behind.
“I won’t abandon the Enclave, but I will follow what you say for now.” The pilot says before returning to the New Cloudsdale with the other two chariots.
I waited in the air for the white armored Pegasus to reach me, and smile to her.
“Welcome back Ms. Feather.” I say before we descend to the ground in the center of town.
“Good to be back, Prince.” She answers as we land. I look up to the thunderhead, and see the main siege batteries charging.
“Go find Little Pip, and keep her safe for now. I may have angered the General a bit more than I anticipated.” I tell the mare that was looking up to the New Cloudsdale in shock.
“If they fire, this town is gone.” She says in horror. My eyes widen at the probability of losing another town to war, and my horn explodes in over glow upon over glow as I grasp the entire thunderhead in my magic before siphoning the magic out of its giant spell matrix.
I watch as my coat slowly turns pitch black, and cry out as my horn lengthens even more. My mane starts flickering like a fire rather than billowing in an unfelt wind.
“Prince?!” Feather asks as my appearance changes. I could tell my eyes are glowing white, and the last thing I remember it seeing a pure rainbow shooting up from me into the sky.

> Memories
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has been five years since my brother and sister died. Celestia and Luna are still mourning the loss of their parents. I understand their pain. My brother was my closest friend before he was slain by that grand ursa.
I went and killed the beast with my fiancé Terra. Its bones are hidden inside the royal treasury for they are priceless and hold magic qualities that cannot be found elsewhere. 
Terra is the alicorn that came before I did, and she created the planets that orbit the stars that Aurora created prior. I fell in love with her soon after my moons were created.
“Lord Artermis, art thou in here?” I hear a guard ask from my chamber doors.
“We are. What is it guard?” I ask him in the “royal we.”
“Ladies Celestia and Luna hath asked to speak with thee.” The guard answers me.
“Send them to us please. They must be tired.” I say before closing my personal journal, and placing back onto one of the shelves that is nearby. I stand from my laying position atop my writing pillow, and exit my personal library.
“Of course milord, they will be here shortly.” The guard replies before leaving my chambers, signaled by the two large doors latching closed.
I move to my desk that is in my office, and sit down behind it on another large pillow. I pull out a few pieces of parchment, and begin writing a summons for the other alicorns across Equis, as we needed to elect one of us as the new King or Queen of Equestria.
There is a group of knocks on my doors.
“Enter.” I call from my desk. I hear my doors open, and close before looking up from my work, and looking over the two young fillies that entered my chambers.
“Hello mine nieces.” I greet the white and blue fillies that came to the front of my desk rather morosely.
“Hello uncle.” They reply in unison before sitting in front of my desk next to each other. I frown slightly at their mood, and move from behind my desk, and embrace them both.
“What is wrong?” I ask gently.
“We don’t know.” Celestia answers for the two of them as I pull away. I look at both of my nieces in turn before sighing.
“Come, I hath something I want to show both of thee.” I say to the fillies before making sure they followed me.
I led the fillies through my chambers, and into my personal library. They followed silently as we approached the oldest section.
“The books in here hold ancient spells of creation. Only alicorns can use them, but there is a particular one that I want you to see.” I tell the fillies as I light my horn, and pull one of the scrolls off of the highest shelf.
“Why are we back here Uncle?” Luna asked me.
“Because you both are so sad that you are causing me sadness, so I’m going to make something for you both. One thing that your imagination can conjure. I cannot recreate your parents, but I can make anything each of you wants.” I tell them as I slowly open the scroll in front of me, and reread the spells on it.
Before the scroll could blind me like they were made to do I rolled it back up, and replaced it.
“You mean we could have any one thing we could want right now?” Celestia asks me.
“Yes, so long as it is something I can do. Even alicorn magic has its limits little ones.” I answer before heading to the center of my library, and grabbing a piece of chalk.
“So have either of you decided?” I asked them. Luna looks to me before lighting her horn in what magic she could use.
[Wouldst thou make me a bird made of ice that gets reborn from itself after it dies by having it freeze over, and hatch again?] I heard her ask in my mind.
“Of course.” I say before my horn explodes into a brilliant pure light of magic.
I could now see the strings of pure energy that made up everything. Using the magic that I had only harnesses once before, when I had created the moon, and began shaping Luna’s wish into reality.
I slowly formed the life that I was creating, and then pushed the small detail of rebirth after a frozen death into its soul before gathering the physical matter to create the egg of Equis’ first bird of ice, a Sirin.


I woke up in the bunk I had slept on in the New Cloudsdale. I was crying from the memory that I had relived while I was unconscious.
\You’re awake!/ I hear Pyrelight say before she lands in front of my head so I could see her.
/Yes, why are we on the thunderhead?\ I ask the phoenix. She gives a soft coo before looking me in the eye.
\You absorbed the magic that the machine was going to use to destroy New Apploosa, before letting loose a beautiful rainbow of magic into the sky./ She answers but takes another breath to continue, \When the general tried to order the pegasi to attack they refused, and took the machine in your name./
I smile lightly at the thought of my little ponies fighting for the right cause again before asking, /How long have I been asleep?\
\About two suns now./ She answers before the door to Feather’s room opens, and in walks Feather herself.
“Oh thank the goddesses you’re awake.” I hear her say quietly to herself.
“Where are we?” I ask her.
“The thunderhead is still just outside of New Apploosa. Is there something you need?” She asks me.
“Armor, and water.” I reply before slowly trying to stand up. I manage to get up onto my hooves, but feel dizzy, so I lie back down onto the bed.
“I can get you some water fairly quick, but the armor will have to wait until the rest of the thunderhead’s power is restored.” Feather says before moving into an adjacent section of the room. I hear the sound of running water before she returns with a glass held in her hoof.
“Thank you.” I tell her before grasping the glass with my hoof, and taking a long drink.
“Will you bring Calamity and Little Pip to me? I wish to speak with them.” I ask Night Feather.
“Yes your highness.” She says with a bow before leaving to do what I had asked.
“Pyrelight, come here please.” I say to the phoenix that was still in the room.
\What is it my friend?/ She asks me.
“Would you like to be able to speak as I am now?” I ask her. She tilts her head before ruffling her warm feathers.
\Yes, it would be nice to speak with Lady Remedy./ Pyrelight answers with a happy trill.
“Well, once my magic is stable again I’ll bless you with the ability to speak as I do.” I reply with a smile.
This was said right before Little Pip, and Calamity entered the room.
“Is there something you need Prince?” Little Pip asks me as the door closes.
“Of both of you if you have the time.” I answer before looking down to my chest plate and sighing at its state.
“What in the hell happened?!” Calamity asks as he eyes my armor’s new hole.
“A Pegasus that has already been detained.” I answer before looking up to Little Pip
“I need you to reboot the thunderhead’s spell matrix.” I tell her. She blinks a few times, rapidly.
“This thing has a spell matrix big enough to power it?” She asks in shock.
“Yes, it is what I drew magic from a couple days ago. I didn’t realize how much I had absorbed, and I blacked out from over-storage.” I answer.
“Yeah and when the Ursa-ma matrix tried to recharge the guns it couldn’t keep up with you sucking out the power, and you ended up killin’ it.” Calamity finished for me.
“That sounds about right. But I need the HMT Alicorn Blade to be ready to move ASAP.” I reply before the door opens, and in walks Velvet Remedy. 
“Prince, I’ve been told that…” She pauses as she sees the other two here, “why do I have the feeling that you’re not going to listen to me like my other patients?” She asks as she sees Pyrelight still snuggled up to me.
“Probably because of the way the world likes to screw with me.” I answered before moving to get up, but am forced back down by Velvet’s magic.
“Release me.” I say flatly. I never submit to being restrained unless I tell the one restraining me to do so.
“Not until you are as healthy as I can get you to be.” She replies. I delve into my darker self so that I could growl at her. I feel my magic give me an evil or dark feeling in my horn, and growl in a way that ponies just cannot.
“Release me!” I command forcefully. The malevolent magic I was calling upon giving my voice a dual tone.
I feel the Velvet Remedy’s magic field fade away swiftly, and I calm down.
“My apologies if I was rude, but I loathe being restrained against my will.” I say with my head bowed.
“I accept your apologies, but please take it easy for a while?” Velvet asks me.
“I fully plan on doing so, but with what needs to be done, it will become a secondary priority on my list.” I answer before moving to stand up again.
I manage to get up to my hooves once more, and manage to keep myself standing without getting lightheaded.
“Little Pip, please go reboot the spell matrix for the Alicorn Blade. Calamity, I would like your help in making me some new armor that can take more than one hit before being useless.” I tell the other two ponies that were still in the room. I try to light my horn for simple levitation, but find that my magic is thoroughly exhausted.
My horn sparks a few times, but that was it. I’m completely burnt out.
“Alright, but what kind uh armor do you want?” He asks me.
“The kind that you think Princess Luna would use.” I answer before looking over to the door to see one of the dark blue armored pegasi that I had seen on the bridge when the general had called for somepony to take the two assassins away.
“Yes?” I ask them.
“Prince, I am Captain Shock Wave of the Wonderbolts, and I would like to speak with you on what you plan to do with the New Cloudsdale.” The Pegasus mare, by the tone of her voice, tells me. I nod to her, and look back to Little Pip.
“Please work on the projects if you have the time. If we’re here after three days we’ll need to leave.” I tell her. She nods, and bows before leaving with her friends.
“What is it about my plans for the HMT Alicorn Blade you need to know?” I ask the captain.
“HMT Alicorn Blade?” She asks as she enters the room completely to let the door shut.
“HMT is short for His Majesty’s Thunderhead. I also renamed this machine as it is now under my command.” I tell her before moving to the door.
“What are your plans for Equestria?” She asks me. I stop walking slowly, and look to the armored mare.
“I plan on revitalizing what was killed and lost. The Alicorn Blade is going to be my insurance that I can do that.” I answer. I push open the door to let her out of the room, and she leaves without much trouble.
“One more thing Captain,” I say before she left the room, “If I find that anypony is harmed or stars forbid killed, then those that committed the crime will be given the same fate, but three times worse. I want this known to the entire crew.”
“As you say Prince.” She answers before bowing with her wings spread.
I nod to her before going, and returning to my bed. I am suddenly exhausted.
 
It has been two years since I had made Celestia and Luna their pets, and I was now spending time with my wife, Terra.
“Artermis, thout seems troubled.” Terra says before nuzzling me.
“I hath a feeling that something will happen soon, but cannot tell if tis good or bad.” I answered her before returning her affection with a quick peck on her cheek.
“Thou are nervous for Celestia and Luna?” She asked me.
“Tis been years now Terra, yet they still mourn.” I said with a sigh. I stepped away from my dear one, and looked out upon the capital city of Equestria.
“They were still very young; they may mourn for many more years.” Terra answered before she moved to my side, and gazed at the civilian alicorns as they went about their lives.
“Let us hope not.” I answered before hearing the bells from the top of the castle signal the time for night. My love and I moved out onto the balcony before lighting our horns in a glorious light, and pushed the sun below the western horizon, and pulled my moon up over the east.
“Shall we retire to bed tonight?” Terra asked me. I nod, and we retired for the night.


I woke up again just in time to feel the Alicorn Blade rumble as it powers back up to full capacity.
I step off of the bunk I was on, and stand up without a single problem. I had recovered enough to be independent again.
I exit the quarters I was in, and start on my way up to the bridge. I was joined by Night Feather not long into my walk.
“Prince, the HMT Alicorn Blade is ready to travel. Little Pip was able to reboot the ursa-ma matrix without too much of a problem.” She reports to me.
“Good and what of Calamity?” I ask her as we enter the elevator to the bridge.
“He was close to finishing your new armor when I last checked on him. That was ten minutes ago.” She tells me. I let the corners of my mouth tilt up in a small smirk.
“Anything out in the wasteland that is noteworthy news?” I ask her.
“The enclave is struggling with the civilian pegasi protesting about their lies. Nothing violent has happened, but if the Enclave doesn’t change their plans they will have riots.” Night answers as we step onto the bridge.
“PRINCE ON THE BRIDGE!” Shouts the first Pegasus that spotted me.
“At ease everypony.” I say before taking the general’s chair.
“Status report.” I say to the eight pegasi.
“The Alicorn Blade is almost ready to take off. Once the engines are fully charged we can leave whenever you’re ready.” Night Feather says as she takes a seat in the chair to my forward right.
“Very Good, are all of Little Pip’s friends aboard that are traveling with me?” I ask in return.
“All but Xenith.” Feather answers.
“Alright, will someone bring Little Pip to me?” I ask one of the few pegasi that were guarding. One of them bows before moving off to do as I asked. I sit into my chair as I wait.
After ten minutes of listening to pegasi calling readings out to each other as they check the Thunderhead’s systems over, Calamity enters the bridge.
“Prince, I finished the armor ya asked for.” He says before bowing to me. I also noticed that he was wearing the revised armor that Feather had repainted.
“Feather, you’re in command until I return. Don’t take off without my permission.” I say as I stand up, and move to follow Calamity.
“As you say Prince.” Feather says before taking my chair.
I nod to her before leaving with Calamity.
Before the elevator got to the selected deck level it stops, and Little Pip, along with the Pegasus that I had sent to find her enter.
“Ah, just the young mare I wanted to see.” I say as the doors close again.
“Okay, what’s up?” She asks me. I blink a few times before looking up, and searching for what it was she was asking about.
“I do not understand, what am I looking for?” I ask her as I look at the ceiling of the elevator. I look back down to her to see she is giggling along with the other two.
“No, hehe, ‘what’s up’ is a way to ask how are you, or what do you need.” She tells me before letting loose a few giggles.
“Oh?” I ask before thinking about it before letting loose a chuckle as well.
“Well, I wanted to know if Xenith was coming along with us to Canterlot.” I tell her. She smiles a little bit before shaking her head.
“No, she said she wants to stay here with Ditzy and help around town.” Little Pip tells me as the elevator stops on the level that Calamity had my armor on.
“Oh, that makes things easier. Where is Steel Hooves?” I ask as Calamity leads us into a hallway.
“He’s where we’re headin’.” Calamity answers as we round a corner. I nodded as we then entered a room that Steel Hooves was waiting in.
“Good, You’re here.” The armored ghoul says as the four of us entered the room.
“Yes, and we have good news. We’re moving out now.” I say as I look over my new armor.
“Guard, get word to General Night Feather that we are to be heading to…” I say as I look to Little Pip.
“Canterlot.” She says with a nod.
“Get word to General Night Feather to make way to Canterlot as swiftly as possible.” I tell the Pegasus that followed us.
“As you say Prince.” He says 
“All righty then, since ya didn’t specify on the type of armor that ya wanted, we made ya a set of medium enclave armor that match your natural colors rather well. Steel Hooves here will teach ya how to use power armor, as ah doubt that ya’ll have ever worn it before.
“It looks rather flimsy. What is it made from?” I ask them as I look over the set of armor that they had made me.
The armor that was in front of me had a partial helmet that has a sliding visor. The weapons that were hooked to the sides were constantly glowing with magic, telling me that they are energy weapons.
The entire set was white with dark blue accents, the colors that Night Feather had chosen for the Revived Equestrian Crown.
“It is made from Obstinatium, and will take more than three hits from the main guns of a Pegasus enclave raptor. But just because it can, doesn’t mean you should go looking to get hit.” Steel Hooves says as I circle the armor, and see that there was a place for my crown to be locked onto the helmet, and that it still has elements of royal armor regalia.
“All right, how am I to use this Steel Hooves?” I ask the armor ghoul that helped make the armor.
“Okay, you may what to sit down, for this may take a while.” He starts before sitting his steel haunches down on the floor.
“When using any kind of power armor you let the armor bear the weight of your equipment…” Steel Hooves says as he explains to me how to use magic enhanced power armor.
“… and that is how you use power armor without injuring or killing yourself.” He finishes about twenty minutes later.
“I see, and I can also see why this was important, but now is it time to adorn my new regalia?” I ask the steel covered ghoul pony.
“Yea, that seems like a waste of time since the enclave armor has a few more safety features, but I think the prince is right. Its time to suit ‘im up.” Calamity says as we feel the thunderhead’s main engines, the black thunderclouds, rumble to life once more.
“Well, we’re on our way to Canterlot, and we’re finally moving to heal Equestria again.” I say as my magic takes a hold of the armor before me, and I start to put it on with the help of the three ponies in the room. The whole process took ten minutes to finish, but after my armor was finally on my form, I smiled like a grizzly bear that had caught a fish.
“Thank you for making me new improved armor you two. Maybe now I can finally keep the promises I made so long ago.” I say to the two soldier like stallions.
“Ah shucks, wasn’t a problem Prince.” Calamity answers before I exit the room, making my way back up to the bridge. I noticed that Little Pip was following me.
“Prince, can I ask you something?” The young mare asks me.
“Yes, you can.” I answer her. We enter the elevator, and I press the button for the bridge.
“Is there a way to bring a pony back to life?” She asks me. I look down to the young unicorn with my brow furrowed.
“Yes, there is a way to do such a thing, but I am curious as to why you wish to know.” I answer her as the elevator lifts us up through the levels of the Alicorn Blade.
“Well, it’s just that the last time I was in Canterlot, I found the bones of Princess Luna.” She tells me. I didn’t hear the next part of her reasoning as my anger blocked out all of my senses.
“What happened to her remains?” I ask in a quiet low growl.
“I-I b-b-burned them.” She answers in fear. I smile lightly before sighing in relief.
“Good, that makes my job easier.” I say to her as my body starts to shift.
“W-w-what are you g-g-going to d-do?” She asks me.
“I’m going to need three dead foals and the ashes of Luna’s bones so I can bring her back.” I say before the doors to the elevator open to the bridge. My body was normal again, but I was enraged on the inside.
“Night Feather, I need a high speed vehicle, and I need it for a few hours.” I say to the General that was sitting in my chair.
“Of course Prince.” She answers before speaking into her headset.
“Hangar Crew, ready one of the Thundernovas for the Prince.” After a few seconds Night Feather nods to me before looking to the guard that had escorted me before, and nodding again.
“Right this way Prince.” The guard says before opening the other elevator to the bridge, and letting me and Little Pip on.
“Um, Prince…” Little Pip starts before trailing off.
“No, I will be going in alone.” I tell her as the doors opened.
“But what about-” I cut her off with a stomp of my front hoof.
“I will be going alone this time. This is not up for discussion Little Pip. The magic I am going to use may very well bring Luna back, but it may also destroy half of Canterlot.” I tell her as the guard leads us to a rather intriguing machine.
“Alright Prince, there is a training program on the computer inside of this lovely aircraft, so It shouldn’t be too hard for you to learn. It may be a tight fit because of your size, but you should be fine.” The guard says as the pilot’s spot in the machine opens to show the inside.
It looks rather cramped inside, but seems easy enough to fly.
“Thank you, and tell General Feather that she is to guard Canterlot from any outside threats.” I say as I slowly climb into the very sharp advanced flying vehicle.
“Yes your majesty.” The Pegasus says before I press a button to close the cockpit.
“New username input.” Says a simulated voice softly in my ears. This simulated voice was also very familiar, but I can’t remember why or who it reminds me of. 
The voice repeats it’s previous statement. The screen in front of me is displaying a microphone symbol. It’s a feminine voice, and sounds almost like a mentor or teacher.
“Prince Artermis.” I say aloud in my normal voice before it could repeat the request again.
“Welcome, Prince Artermis. Initiate first flight training program?” The machine asks me.
“Yes.” I answered. I see a few lines of text appear on the screen.
[Strap in.] I did so and let my mind wander to who I knew that was very studious, knowledgeable, and kind. As I did this I read the new line of text.
[Place hooves, and wings on control surfaces designated by your EFS glow.] I placed my limbs onto the various glowing surfaces that my eyes forward sparkle designated as controls to the aircraft.
“Please sit still while this Thundernova synchronizes with your power armor to be able to control the craft efficiently.” The machine tells me. I do as it says as feel a few things plug into my armor.
My E.F.S. places a ‘heads up display’ that shows what was around the Thundernova.
“Please go through the pre-flight checklist.” The computer tells me. My EFS blinks the screen in front of me, and I read the new text on it.
[Flaps: controlled by placement.] I looked over to each of my wings, and pivot them around. The Thundernova’s flaps twitched and moved in different directions.
My EFS pulls my attention back to the screen. The flaps text line was checked off to the left of it before the text slides upwards, and is replaced with: [Engines: controlled by forward position of pilot’s head.]
I blink before moving my head to point slightly down, and hear the engines on the aircraft rumble to life.
“Pre-flight check complete, please use your hooves to taxi out onto the runway. Front right hoof controls the brakes, and forward movement by pushing forward or back on the right forward control surface. The front left hoof controls landing gear steering while on the ground, and the rudder while in the air.” The computer voice tells me. I push my left hoof to the left a bit, and move my right forward a tad.
This makes the Thundernova slowly move forward for a second before it starts to turn left.
“This is Thunderhead Alicorn Blade to Thundernova Eclipse, you are clear for takeoff.” I hear over the radio channels. I press the button on the side of my helmet with my magic to reply.
“Thunderhead Alicorn Blade, proceeding to takeoff.” I reply before stopping my aircraft on the short runway that the HMT Alicorn Blade had in its hangar.
My EFS highlights the runway before blinking the screen again.
[For takeoff: position wings for a gliding position before a landing before increasing thrust to full.] I moved my wings to do so before looking back at the screen.
“Rewrite throttle control.” I say aloud.
“New throttle control?” The computer asks.
“Use right front fore hoof to control the throttle during flight, and take off.” I answer the machine.
“Control rewrote, save configuration to your armor’s spell matrix?” It asks me.
“Yes.” I answer. The Thundernova beeps a couple times in confirmation before I return my gaze to the runway. I push my radio button again before saying.
“Thunderhead Alicorn Blade, this is Thundernova Eclipse taking off.” I report to the hangar air traffic radio.
“Thunderhead Alicorn Blade to Thundernova Eclipse, have a safe trip.” The radio operator replies.
I smile as the hangar bay doors open letting a strong wind inside before I push my right front hoof forward until it clicked against the cockpit’s hull.
The twin engines burst to life and roar as they push my aircraft into the blue green skies.
“Please kick your rear left hoof to raise the landing gear.” The computer tells me as I slowly bank away from the Alicorn Blade. I do as it asks, and feel the gear lock into the hull.
“Set course to Canterlot Castle gardens.” I say as I circle my thunderhead, and level out facing Canterlot.
My EFS places a waypoint to where I wanted to go before I scream past the Alicorn Blade.
“Computer, does this aircraft have vertical landing options?” I ask as Canterlot slowly gets bigger.
“Yes, when wanting to land vertically please slow the craft down to seventy miles an hour before lowering the landing gear, and looking to where you wish to land. Once you are over the landing point the aircraft will descend and land itself.” The synthesized voice answers as I near the ancient capital of Equestria.
I slide the throttle back to about half power as I enter the city limits. I slow down, and hear the machine move around to compensate for the slow speed.
As I neared the gardens I slow even further before kicking the landing gear down, and looking at the spot I wish to land in.
“Landing site locked, please wait for this Thundernova to come to a complete rest in the designated landing zone.” The aircraft tells me. I feel my armor shift a bit as the Thundernova unhooks itself from me.
I bring my wings back to my sides, and rest my hooves on the steeping spots as the craft slows, and descends down onto the ground.
Once it was stopped the machine turns off, and the cockpit opens.
I make my way out of it, and step down onto the garden grounds. The city was empty, and quite, but it was clear of the pink cloud that was in it when Little Pip and her group came here previously.
I step away from the aircraft, and its cockpit closes. I then look up at the tower that should hold Luna’s bed chambers, and take off for it.
I can only hope that what I need is there.

> Finding Ingredients
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I land on the balcony that connected to Luna’s room.
Entering the young alicorn’s room I see a dead green coated alicorn, and a pile of wet ashes where Luna’s bed was.
I sigh before tapping my horn with my hoof, and nodding as it didn’t hurt anymore.
The book shelf creaks, and I look at it to see why.
It was a feral ghoul pony, and it was blind. I shed a tear at the horrible fate that befell the pony before me.
CRACK-THUUM!
I look away from it as it was now a pile of pink goo.
Facing the ash pile that was Luna, and her bed, I light my horn.
“Please let this work.” I whisper as trillions of particles are grasped in my magic before bringing them up in front of me.
“Why didn’t you escape while you could?” I ask quietly as the ash ball slowly grows bigger as more of Luna’s remains gather. Some particles are floating in through the open doors, and from off the ceiling.
It takes me five minutes to have all of Luna’s remains gathered before me.
Keeping the ball of ash in the air, I grasp a nearby urn that was relatively unharmed by the pink cloud’s affects, and slowly stream the ashes into it before I close the urn, and place it on my back.
My armor shifts a bit, and I look back to see that a couple straps had moved around the urn to anchor it to my back.
“Interesting and useful.” I mutter under my breath before taking off out the balcony doors.
I scan over the city to look for the hospital that most likely held the bodies that I would need to revive Luna.
My EFS notifies me of the important buildings that I spot, and I find the Hospital after a few seconds.
“Canterlot Royal Hospital” is what my EFS tagged the building as, so I bank, and start on my way there.
As I flew I see that there are a few Canterlot ghouls that Little Pip had found, out and about now that the cloud was gone.
I am halfway to the hospital before a bat pony ghoul stops right in front of me.
“HALT FALSE GOD!” The ghoul shouts at me. I blink before slowing to a hover a few feet away from him. The bat pony ghoul is wearing old lunar royal guard armor, and has the included enchantments. The armor had melded into his body.
“We were not aware that any of the old royal guards were still alive.” I say to him before lighting my horn, and removing my helmet to let my ethereal mane flow from my head, and neck.
His eyes widen as he looks upon my star ridden mane.
“What art thou!?” He shouts at me. I blink again as I see a small rodent scamper up to his shoulder.
“We are the last male alicorn, Prince Artermis Eclipse.” I answer him. His jaw drops before he hangs his head in a flying bow.
“Forgive me your majesty; I was unaware of your return.” He replies before raising his head.
“You’re forgiven for now, but what is your name?” I ask him as I start on my way to the hospital once again.
“I am Lionheart, the last surviving lunar royal guard on Equis. Oh, and this is Mouse.” He tells me as we land on the roof of the hospital.
“Well then Lionheart, Mouse, I may need some assistance in the task I am hoping to complete. Would you be willing to help?” I ask them.
“I was born to serve the royal family.” Lionheart says with a low bow to me. I smile at this.
“Good, then let us be on our way. What I need you to do is help me gather three dead foals that have barely decayed. I need their bodies intact so that I can use them to revive my niece.” I tell the guard. His jaw drops, and I chuckle at this.
“Re-revive Princess L-L-Luna?” He asks in shock. I simply nod before we entered the roof access of the hospital.
Before much more could be said Mouse jumps down, and puffs a small cloud of pink. My eyes narrow at this.
“Mouse, are you really a mouse?” I ask the rodent.
It shakes her head. I blink a few times before scanning her with magic. She’s the dragon that was fueling the pink cloud.
“Ah, you are the dragoness that Celestia made a boon with.” I say as my magic reports its findings.
“Would you like to be a dragoness once more? If so you will still be similar to your current size, but you will be a dragon again.” I ask the dragon turned mouse.
She seems to think for a few moments before nodding.
“Very well then, hold still this will only take a few seconds.” I say as I gently levitate her with my magic. I feel the transformation spell on her, as well as the size spell. I tear the two away from each other, isolating the forms so that they don’t rely on each other before undoing the transformation spell, and leaving the size spell intact.
As the magic keeping her as a mouse fails, I am forced to place her back on the ground before she slowly starts to morph back into her original form.
Her fur poofs away from her skin before her scales replace it. Her small beady eyes return to slits, and her back explodes with blood as her wings regrow from it.
Once her un-transformation was complete, I sooth her with a simple healing spell.
“Better?” I ask the small dark emerald green dragon that has pink spines and eyes.
“Yes… is that really what I sound like?” She asks in a high squeaky voice. She looks annoyed as all Tartarus, and Lion and I burst into laughter.
“If you don’t stop, I’ll cloud you both!” She shouts at us in anger, but it only makes us laugh even harder.
“Oh-ho-ho-ho… Alright, now we need -*chuckle*- to get moving on my tasks.” I say as Lion and I get over the ridiculous voice that Mouse has.
“Heh-heh-heh, of course Prince.” Lion says as Mouse climbs her way back up onto the guard.
We move farther into the hospital, and I see my EFS light up with hundreds of red dots. Eventually I have to stop, and manually tune my EFS so that it only shows the threats on the same floor.
“So, three dead foals?” Lion asks quietly.
“Yes, one of each pony and Luna’s remains, which are on my back in the urn.” I say as we look over a directory that was near a nurse’s desk.
“You already went to the castle?” He asks me as I spot the infant/small foal nursery on the directory. The area we would most likely find what I needed would be on the second floor of the hospital.
“Lion, Mouse, come here, and be as still as you can be. I’m going to teleport us to the room we need.” I tell the two others.
Lion steps up next to me, and I let out my magic in a pulse with my eyes closed. As my pulse got farther and farther away I could sense, or see where I needed to pull us to.
I did just that. The room I needed was fairly close, and relatively empty of living bodies, ghoul or otherwise.
With a snap followed by a brief flash we teleported into the nursery.
“Let’s be quick.” I say to Mouse and Lion. We both move, and start searching the small beds for any remains that were preserved.
“Prince, I found one that is still relatively fresh.” Lionheart calls for me. I blink and quickly walk over to him to see he had found a young filly unicorn that is perfectly preserved within a foal survival bed.
“Good work, but please keep searching while I free the body from this shelter. One more thing, make sure they are all fillies.” I whisper to the guard. He nods, and moves to search more of the beds. I return my attention to the dead newborn inside the survival pod-like bed.
Pushing magic into my horn, I slowly tear the protective shielding away from the dead foal before pulling the body up and out of the shelter. I push magic into the dead foal to restore its physical form.
My sense for living beings tells me that this body is reanimating because of my restoration magic, so before the unborn foal could be re-born, I sap its life energy into Luna’s ashes. The body stops reanimating, and I place it on my back. My armor throws a few straps over it, and I move on.
Lion and Mouse lead me to two other foals, one a Pegasus filly and the other an earth pony, and I had to sap the life energy from these as well.
“Lionheart, I have an offer for you.” I say as the three of us fly out of one of the many broken windows of the hospital.
“And what is your offer?” He asks me.
“First, I offer you a place beside me while I travel, and if you want it, I offer to restore your physical form to what it was before.” I say as I see my thunderhead nearing Canterlot.
“I am honored to have a place at your side, and I would be ever so thankful to you if you restored my body.” He says as I change our course to the castle gardens so that I could use the Thundernova again.
“Well, I am happy that you would like to join me, but I have another task for you.” I say as we land in the gardens.
“Whatever you need Prince.” He says with a bow.
“I need you to go and Prepare Lady Starlight Sparkle for her move to a safer location.” I say as we near my aircraft. My EFS blinks a couple times before the cockpit opens for me.
“Where should I take her?” He asks me before Mouse hops onto my shoulders.
“Anywhere in the open that you can land a large sky chariot in. Now, I must return to my thunderhead. I will return with other ponies to retrieve Lady Sparkle, so move with haste my guard.” I order the ghoul bat pony.
He bows for a couple moments before launching into the sky.
“So Mouse, is there a reason you didn’t go with him?” I ask as I enter my Thundernova with the tiny dragon on my shoulders.
“I owe you my company for restoring my dragoness form. I also wish to meet these ponies.” She tells me before I settle into the cockpit.
“Well, let’s go then.” I say as the cockpit closes.
“Welcome back Prince Artermis.” The computer says before the machine hooks into my armor. The familiarity of the voice finally reminds me of who it belongs to.
“Computer, is your voice that of Twilight Sparkle?” I ask as the aircraft straps me in, and places the controls over my wings.
“Yes, this model of the Thundernova assembly line was installed with an A.I. with the voice of the Ministry Mare Twilight Sparkle in honor of her achievements.” It replies.
“Okay, please set a course back to the HMT Alicorn Blade.” I say to the A.I.
I see a holographic path on my EFS, and feel the engines rumble to life before my Thundernova lifts itself off of the ground, and starts towards the thunderhead.
“Please be ready to take control.” The A.I. tells me before a small number in the corner of the screen starts to count down. I place my hooves in the control slats before the number reaches zero.
I take control, and burst towards my thunderhead with the throttle 75% forward.
“This is Thundernova Alpha, asking for permission to land.” I say over the radio as I circle my thunderhead.
“Thundernova Alpha, you are cleared to land on runway delta.” The air traffic control pony replies.
“Thunderhead, copy that, coming in for landing.” I say before slowing down to one fourth of full speed, and kicking the landing gear down.
I gently land on the outer runway before pulling the throttle down all the way into idle before letting the control switch over to land controls, and pulling back with my right front hoof to engage the brakes.
“Welcome back Thunderhead Alpha, please taxi over to the lift before leaving the aircraft.” Says air traffic control.
“Understood, and please send a message to General Feather, and Little Pip that I wish to see them in my chambers.” I say before stopping on the specified lift.
I power down the Thundernova, and let the machine unhook itself from my armor, and wings.