Ch. 1; Any Landing You Can Walk Away From

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Log Entry 289:
I’m still not sure why the Order sent me after this Felanil Zhug character. Why is a smuggler and tomb robber so important? Still, Master Neece was explicit, “Pursue him wherever he may flee, and bring him back alive”. Considering how far out on the Rim I am, I hope this Zhug is worth all of this effort. Maybe he knows the location of a cache of holocrons or a lost temple? Or did he do something to get one of the senators after him?

Log Entry 290:
I tracked Zhug to an empty system with some help from my contacts in the bounty hunter guilds. No habitation, chaos, not even any planets! Just a K-class star, and an old hyperspace buoy. And I mean old. The thing looked like it predated the Mandalorean invasion. I managed to slice some of the files, and it turns out that someone downloaded a set of hyperspace coordinates from it only two days ago. It’s the only lead I have right now, so it looks like I get to play explorer and set out for Wildspace.

Log Entry 291:
Ten days down, and another 4 to go according to the navicomp. Wherever this system is, it is definitely isolated from the charted portions of the galaxy. Maybe Zhug is looking to lie low for a while? I just hope nothing goes sideways, or things could get charlie foxtrot very easy being this far out into the unknown. Wait, did I just … oh crap! I just invoked Murphy! Crap! Crap! Crap!

A jarring alarm shrieked through the confines of the old Fireshark-class blastboat, dragging Revan Vao, Jedi knight and former mercenary, out of a maintenance hatch and towards the cockpit at a dead run. The cyan-skinned twi’lek threw herself into the pilot’s chair as the ship shook around her and warning displays flashed on the monitors. “Caught between two mass shadows? How is that even possible?” Revan wondered as she grabbed the flight stick and braced for an unplanned, and uncontrolled, reversion to realspace.

As hyperspace collapsed around the ship and more alarms began to blare, Revan felt a chill clawing at her spine as she realized that a vitally important sound was conspicuously absent, just as a new set of alerts flashed on the main monitor.

Damage Control
* Hyperspace Drive: Offline
* Main Engines: Offline
* Maneuvering Thrusters: Offline
* Navicomp: Offline
* Long Range Sensors: Offline
* Concussion Field: Offline
* Ray Shielding: Offline
Alert
* Reactor unstable, automatic failsafe systems engaging.
Alert
* Current course will result in collision with planetary mass. Alter course at once.

As her ship hurtled at the blue-green planet that was quickly filling her viewport, Revan had only one thing to say, “Frelling Murphy.”

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Rainbow Dash, self-proclaimed fastest flyer in Equestria and future Wonderbolt, was lazing on a cloud, indulging in a little early-evening sky gazing, when her solitude was broken by a blonde-maned, lavender pegasus landing beside her. “Slacking off again, boss?”

Rainbow turned a half-serious glare at the newcomer, “Shouldn’t you be off tormenting Blossomforth, or trying to seduce somepony, Cloud?”

“Blossom is busy tonight, and what do you mean trying to seduce somepony?” Cloud Kicker asked, her attempt at sounding wounded by Rainbow’s jibe ruined by the grin that stretched her muzzle.

Rainbow simply rolled her eyes at her old friend’s antics, before looking up and pointing into the sky, “Hey, a shooting star! Cool!”

The two ponies watched the streak of light for a few moments in companionable silence. “I think it’s going to hit Mount Everfree,” Cloud observed, her interest in the distant object sharpening.

Rainbow started to nod her head, then stopped, her magenta eyes going wide, “Cloud, did you see that?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yeah ...”

“That shooting star just changed trajectory, right?”

“Not by much, but yes Rainbow, it did.” Both mares were now on their hooves, staring intently into the night. A moment later, the pegasi reflexively squinted their eyes against the sudden flash of light in the distance as the supposed shooting star impacted with the Everfree Forest.

“I gotta go see this!” Rainbow Dash declared, a quick flap of her wings pushing her off the cloud to hover in the air, “Hey, Cloud, go get Twilight, huh? I bet we could use that big brain of hers to figure out what that is!” she tossed over her shoulder before disappearing towards the distant forest in a multi-colored streak.

“Damn it, Rainbow, wait!” Cloud Kicker yelled futilely at the dwindling figure. With a resigned sigh, Cloud began flying towards Golden Oaks Library to fetch Ponyville’s resident polymath.

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The shooting star had torn through the Everfree, leaving shattered trees and a trench gouged in the earth to mark its passing, before coming to a rest a few hundred pony-lengths from the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash landed not far from the end of the furrow, gazing in wonder at the strange object before her. It looked like it was made of metal, whatever it was, and definitely had a manufactured feel to it. Partially buried in the dirt, flickering lights spilled out of the rents and gashes that marred its side, while part of it seemed to have crumpled in upon itself, and Rainbow could feel the heat radiating off it.

‘Aliens!’ Rainbow thought excitedly, ‘Just like in the comics!’ Her slow approach to what she was now certain was a starship came to a stop as a hatch suddenly slid open, revealing a figure backlit by the same wavering lights that poured out of the tears in the ship’s hull. Bipedal, the creature looked like it was maybe a head or two taller than Rainbow, and had black skin, except for on its hands and head, where the skin became the same light blue as Rainbow’s own fur. Instead of a mane, two short tentacles descended from the back of the alien’s head, while it kept one foreleg wrapped around its barrel. ‘No, bipeds call those arms.’

Actually, the alien looked pretty bucked up to Rainbow. Its left arm was hanging limp by its side, it was covered in blood, there were several lacerations marring its strange, muzzleless face, and … ‘Oh Celestia! Its right eye is gone!’ Her previous elation replaced with shock and concern, Rainbow took a step forward, her movement drawing the injured alien’s attention.

For a long moment the pony and alien merely stared at one another, when a hissing roar from within the ship broke their daze, ‘Dragon?’ Rainbow wondered in confusion, just before shooting flames and a pressure wave blasted out the ship’s open hatch, rolling over the alien before slamming into Rainbow and smashing her back into a tree, driving consciousness from her.

Ch. 2; Waking Up In A Strange Place

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Rainbow Dash’s head felt like Applejack had bucked it, and her back hurt. This was not how a pony was supposed to feel when waking up from a nap. Wait … hadn’t she been in the Everfree? Looking for the … aliens! Rainbow jerked upright, before the agony in her head and the light, ‘Cruel, treacherous light!’ stabbing into her eyes caused her to stop with a pained hiss.

“Easy there, sugarcube,” a familiar voice drawled, while a steadying hoof gripped her shoulder. “How ya feelin’?”

“Like I got run over by a cart,” Rainbow groaned, her eyes squeezed shut, “Is, is the alien okay?”

“Well, she is definitely doing better-ish,” replied a second, equally familiar voice.

Rainbow finally peeled her eyes open and looked around. She was sitting on a couch in Applejack’s living room, the farmpony beside her, and Twilight Sparkle, Cloud Kicker and Fluttershy were clustered around the long dining room table that the alien was laying on. Her black skin, ‘No, her clothes, duh Rainbow,’ had been peeled down from her arms and barrel, except for a strip of grey cloth wrapped around a pair of mounds on her barrel. The alien’s left arm was splinted and had been put up in a sling, while the numerous burns and cuts on her body, other arm and legs had been dressed as well. More bandages were wrapped tightly around her barrel for about a hoof’s-length below those weird mounds, and somepony had tied another bandage over the ruins of her face.

Confronted with her second, clearer, look at an actual alien, Rainbow immediately asked the first thing that popped through her mind, “Umh … how do we know she’s a mare?”

Cloud just chuckled and pointed a hoof at the mounds on the alien’s barrel, “Those are breasts, Rainbow, like what a minotaur cow has.”

“Yes, well, anyway,” Twilight began, her and Fluttershy both a bit red-faced at Cloud Kicker’s casual explanation, “She seems to be stable, despite her rather extensive injuries, and hopefully she’ll wake up soon.”

“Judging by her body, she’s a tough one. She ought to be up and about pretty quick,” Cloud mused, before she registered the shocked expressions on Applejack, Rainbow and Twilight’s faces, and the reproachful frown she was getting from Fluttershy. “What? No!” she reared-up to frantically wave her hooves at the other mares in denial, “I didn’t mean it like that! I meant all the scars Fluttershy and I found when we were bandaging her up!” Cloud gave a relieved sigh and self-consciously rubbed the back of her neck as the other ponies relaxed and stopped giving her looks.

Rainbow perked-up in her seat, the pain in her head temporarily forgotten, as she considered Cloud’s explanation, “Scars? You mean like a prize fighter or an adventuring explorer?”

“Or it could jus’ be she’s a guardpony, or even a criminal,” Applejack countered, shaking her head at her friend’s flight of fancy.

“Naw, she’s cool, I know it, and criminals aren’t cool,” Rainbow retorted, crossing her forelegs over her barrel, “Well, except for pirates.”

The other four mares just exchanged looks and rolled their eyes in amusement.

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As awareness returned, Revan kept her eyes closed and took stock of her situation, ‘Let’s see, I’m half naked, lying on what might be a table, and I feel like death warmed over. My arm is in a splint, my face feel likes a kath hound has been gnawing on it, and my ribs have been bound up tight. Far from the best condition I’ve ever woken up in, but not the worst, either.’

‘Someone patched me up, but this doesn’t feel like a medical table. I’m pretty sure I saw a domesticated herdbeast outside the ship just before the fuel cells blew, so it’s probably some local who came to investigate the commotion,’ Revan thought, ‘Well, I guess it’s time to meet my benefactor,’ she opened her eyes and … gaped in bewilderment.

Firstly, her right eye had been bound shut. Secondly, she was lying on a wooden table in a rather primitive-looking house. Thirdly, the only beings to be seen were five domesticated herdbeasts, like the one she saw early, ‘Wait that one over there on the couch is the same one from the crash …’ All of the creatures were vibrantly colored, with large eyes, three of them had feathery wings, the fourth a horn, and the fifth … was wearing a hat?

‘Okay, this may be one of the weirder dreams I’ve ever had. But it’s not supposed to hurt in a dream … one way to be sure,’ Revan reached over and grabbed her left arm under the sling, hard, “Mother pus-bucket getting ass-raped by a wookie!”

The five creatures jerked back, their oddly expressive faces showing a mixture of alarm and concern. Wiping the pain-sweat off her brow, Revan gave a sour laugh, “Well that settles that. I’m awake, your real, and to answer the obvious question, apparently I am that big of an idiot,” Revan’s brow furrowed as she saw the confusion on the locals’ faces, “And you don’t speak Basic, do you? Well, I have a few other options.”

<<Thanks for patching me up. Now what in chaos are you?>> she tried again in Bocchi, then repeated the exercise in Huttese, Mando’a, and finally, in desperation, even Rhyl. While it was clear that the quadrupeds were commenting to each other, they apparently didn’t speak any language Revan knew, “Well isn’t that just grand,” she groaned in irritation.

Currently at a loss for what to do, Revan looked around the room, with her gaze lingering on the exits. As she continued her survey of her new surroundings, Revan’s eye darkened when she saw her armor vest and weapons belt casually slung over the arm of another couch, ‘Easy now, Revan. They had to take off the armor to wrap my ribs, and removing the belt as well isn’t much of a stretch. I can see my blaster and lightsaber, and,’ she flexed her foot, ‘my vibrodagger is still in my boot, so I’m not unarmed. Let’s not go assuming the worst just yet.’ After a few measured breaths, the look in her eye lightened as Revan forced herself to relax, turning her attention back to the peculiar natives.

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“An alien, a real, live, alien,” Twilight breathed, her eyes fixed on their odd visitor, her mind already cataloging and prioritizing the questions she wanted to ask. So many questions …

‘I know! Isn’t it awesome?” Rainbow crowed, as she and Applejack moved up to stand with the other ponies, “Maybe she’s a space princess, or a member of a sect of super warrior monks, or --” her excited rambling was cut off as Applejack put her hoof to Rainbow’s muzzle.

“Ah think ya been readin’ too many of them comic books. What we got here is somepony who’s been hurt, an’ needs some help. Let’s get that taken care of first, a’right?” Rainbow nodded sheepishly at her friend’s rebuke.

“She seems to be educated, or at least well-traveled, judging by the multiple languages she tried to talk to us with,” Twilight continued with her ruminations, ignoring her friends’ antics, “I need to research a translation spell, so we can communicate with one another properly.”

“Just don’t ask her what she said when she first woke up,” Cloud Kicker teased, “I don’t think your innocent ears could handle it,” at Twilight’s look, Cloud simply shrugged, “I grew up surrounded by guardponys, I know swearing when I hear it.”

Twilight blushed, shifting uncomfortably under Cloud Kicker’s amused gaze and the alien’s curious one, before the alien’s eye went back to roaming about the room. Her embarrassment was quickly forgotten as the alien raised her good arm to touch the bandage over her eye, only to have Fluttershy lunge forward and grab the alien’s arm in her hooves, despite the alien’s startled attempt to pull away. “No,” Fluttershy said, her quite voice firm, shaking her head at the alien for added emphasis.

‘Just like with one of her animal friends,’ Twilight thought in amusement, as the alien lowered her arm with an irritable sigh.

The alien was not done yet, however, as she forced herself into a seated position with a pained grunt. After a few slow breathes, the alien raised her head back to the watching ponies and pointed at the thick vest and pouch-festooned belt that Fluttershy and Cloud had removed so they could treat her injuries, “You want your things back?” Fluttershy asked. The alien merely cocked her head to one side, then pointed at her belongings again, before making a pulling gesture back towards herself.

Igniting her horn, Twilight wrapped the objects in question in her magenta aura, levitating them over to where the alien sat, her eye wide, talking to herself in her strange language. After quickly checking over her effects, the alien managed to strap on her belt, and get her vest mostly on, although not without some grudgingly allowed assistance from Fluttershy.

Having reclaimed her possessions, the alien stood up from the table with another grunt, looming over the gathered ponies. Starting for the exterior door, the alien quickly found her path blocked by Twilight and Fluttershy, “You’re hurt! You need to rest! If that’s alright with you…” protested the timid pegasus.

Twilight added her own pleas, “The Everfree isn’t safe at night, especially for an injured pony! Please, you need to stay,” the alien wouldn’t understand the words, but hopefully she would hear the tone …

The alien narrowed her eye and said something in her unintelligible tongue, before pointing at herself, then jabbing her finger emphatically at the door.

Applejack sighed, before gently pulling Fluttershy aside, “Ah don’t rightly like it maself, but if she’s set on leavin’, we don’t have any right ta naysay her.”

The alien seemed to understand the gist of what was going on, and walked past Twilight, who drooped her head unhappily, before turning at the door to look back at the group of mares. After silently regarding them for a few moments, the alien raised her hand to give an odd two-fingered wave, before spinning on her heel and disappearing through the door out into the night.

The five ponies stood in silence for a time, reflecting on their rather peculiar night, even by Ponyville standards. Eventually, Twilight broke the quiet, “Well, it’s late, and I need to send a letter to the Princesses about what happened,” she bit her lip, casting a troubled glance at the front door, “And worrying isn’t going to help anything, right now.”

Rainbow threw a foreleg over her friend’s shoulders, “Hey, cheer up, egghead, you’ll bookworm-up some way to talk to the alien, and me, AJ and Cloud will keep an eye on her until you do. Easy.”

Twilight looked over at the Cloud Kicker and Applejack, who both shrugged and nodded their agreement with Rainbow’s exasperatingly vague plan. Still, it was better than having no plan at all, and all the excitement was beginning to catch up with her, with all of them really. Shortly, Twilight and Cloud left for their own homes, while Rainbow and Fluttershy headed for Fluttershy’s house on the edge of the Everfree, Fluttershy having gently insisted that her impulsive friend stay with her for the night, on account of her head injury, while Applejack finally sought her own bed upstairs.

Ch. 3; Communications

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“Dear Princess Celestia:
I hope this letter finds you well. As I am sure you are aware, a shooting star made landfall in the Everfree Forest earlier tonight. My friend, Rainbow Dash, investigated and found what appears to be a vehicle of some kind, as well as its operator. Unfortunately, both were injured in a detonation before any significant exchanges could take place. Don’t worry! Rainbow is alright, just bruised and a bit shook-up. The vehicle’s operator was more severely wounded, and we moved her (Cloud Kicker is quite certain the entity is a mare) to Sweet Apple Acres for medical care and stabilization.
The entity, or ‘alien’, regained consciousness later this evening. While not hostile, the lack of a common language has made interaction difficult, to say the least. The alien has also insisted, quite stubbornly to my mind, on returning to her damaged vehicle, rather than remain with us where she could receive additional medical care.
Given the enormity of this situation, I ask for your permission to investigate our visitor, in the hope of establishing meaningful contact with her. Also, could you suggest any research materials for developing a translation spell? While the stacks at Golden Oaks are most impressive for such a small town, I fear that they lack the specialized texts I currently require.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle
P.S. Please give my regards and greetings to Princess Luna, and advise her about our visitor. While I do not fully understand her dream-walking abilities, I suspect a surprise encounter with the dreams of an actual alien could be disquieting.”

“My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle:
While your desire to communicate with our visitor, as well as your concern over her welfare, fills me with pride, I must caution you against taking any unnecessary risks. Even the most goodhearted of ponies can lash out when gripped by pain, fear or confusion, and I am concerned that our alien guest may be experiencing all three.
As for your research, I have sent three tomes that I believe will be helpful via the post. They should be arriving within the day, or tomorrow at the latest.
I ask that you keep me informed on your progress, and please exercise care in your investigations and initial interactions with the alien.
Your mentor, Princess Celestia
P.S. Luna asked me to return your salutations, and to thank you for your concern.”

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Log Entry 292:
The ship looks like chaos, and I’m honestly not sure how much point there is in actually trying to salvage it, given my initial inspection results. Eh, I’ll do an actual damage control accounting once the sun comes up. At least I found a working datapad to make this log entry in.

I did meet some of the local populace tonight. They seem all right, patched me up and didn’t try to quarantine or dissect me or anything. Also, they are just so damn adorable! Maybe it’s the cranial trauma and general injuries talking, but I swear I just want to grab them, hug them, and squeal like a youngling! Thank the Force no one is likely to ever hear these recordings, I don’t think my reputation would survive.

Log Entry 293:
Well, that question is answered, between getting yanked out of hyperspace, the crash, and the fuel cells exploding, this ship will never fly again. The drives are kaput, several of the higher-end electrical systems are dead, and the hull will never be space-worthy again with the repairs I can do here. Oh, and I can’t get the reactor to go above 15% output.

It’s not a complete write-off, though, rudimentary computer functions still work, and I have basic sensors within a 100-meter radius, so the local wildlife isn’t likely to get the drop on me. Plumbing and water-recycling are both fine, and life support is working at 70% efficiency. More than enough, seeing as I have a breathable atmosphere outside and don’t have to deal with the temperature extremes of deep space. In addition, the galley actually came through mostly intact, which is just bizarre.

Sadly, Medical is another matter, I was only able to salvage three medpacs, everything else is so much scrap. The personnel quarters are in the same state, and it’s going to be a singed blanket on the deckplates and all of two changes of clothes from now on. Just like back in the slave pen.

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“Dear Princess Celestia:
Thank you for the tomes you sent, they have been very helpful, especially Cunning Tongue’s theories on meta-symbolism and the linguistic transference charms of the zebras. (Although I do wish Cloud Kicker would stop giggling whenever I mention them.) I feel confident that I will be able to engage our alien visitor in an actual conversation soon.
Applejack, Cloud Kicker and Rainbow Dash have been taking turns checking in on our currently nameless friend (if I may be so bold as to assume against our hopeful future relationship), and she appears to be doing better. According to my friends’ reports, she is often doing repairs to the hull of her ship, or engaged in what seems to be meditation outside.
Thanks to her “pinkie-sense”, Pinkie Pie quickly became aware of our visitor, but, happily, Applejack and I were able to persuade her that a “Welcome to Ponyville/Equestria” party should wait until after we are all able to speak with one another.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle”

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Log Entry 294:
Something is up, I’ve been here the better part of a week now, but the only folk I’ve seen are those five natives from the first night. Three of the five have shown up at my ship over the last few days, whether to keep an eye on me, or just out of curiosity, I’m not sure. (Well, the blue, winged one with the polychromatic mane may just be looking for a place to grab some sack time, she’s been here three times now, and took a nap each one.) But there has been no sign of Customs and Immigration, Security, or local troops, my “landing” was not subtle by any stretch, so where is the government? A meteor (at least) comes crashing out of the sky, and no one bothers to investigate? I don’t buy it.

On the plus side, regular uses of a healing trance have mostly repaired my burns, bruises and lacerations, and my ribs are now merely strained instead of cracked. My arm is still in bad shape, however, (it was really broken), and my eye is beyond salvaging.

I’d like to get back to fighting shape as soon as possible, especially given the suspicious lack of interest in my arrival. There is plenty of plant- and animal-life in this forest, I could just … no. I’ve walked that road before, and I know just how easy it is to slip, I won’t start down that path again merely because I’m too impatient to take the time I need to heal.

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“Dear Princess Celestia:
I did it! The translation spell is ready! I am going to go try it on our alien visitor later today, hopefully I will have plenty to report to you tonight.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle”

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Twilight Sparkle, personal student to the Princess of the Sun and Librarian of Ponyville, waved at the distant figure of Big Macintosh as she cut through Sweet Apple Acres on her way to the Everfree Forest. Beside her happily trotted Fluttershy, the handle of a first aid kit gripped in her mouth and a smile on her lips.

The shadows of the forest wrapped around the pair as they moved further away from Ponyville. Her friends had assured Twilight that the alien’s crash site wasn’t very far into the forest, a revelation that she had accepted with some relief. While the more dangerous beasts usually stayed to the deeper parts, even the outer edges of the Everfree were unsettling, and could hold hidden dangers. Still, a few minutes’ walk quickly brought the ponies safely to their destination.

The spacecraft’s violent arrival had toppled trees, creating a small clearing about the downed vessel, and leaning against the ship’s hull was the alien, for all the world as if she had been expecting the two mares, dressed just as when they had last seen her, except that she had left off the vest this time.

“Um, yes, h-hello,” Twilight stammered, the magnitude of what was about to happen, and what it could potentially mean for Equestria, leaving her somewhat tongue-tied. Taking a deep breath to pull herself together, Twilight forged ahead, “We met at Applejack’s a few nights ago, do you remember? Fluttershy and I wanted to make sure you were doing alright.” The alien merely cocked her head to the side and said something in her incomprehensible language. ‘Probably commenting on how she still cannot understand me,’ Twilight berated herself, flushing slightly in embarrassment. Stepping forward, Twilight ignited her horn, then raised a hoof to point from it to the alien’s forehead. She repeated the gesture a few more times, before the alien, whether out of comprehension or simple curiosity, pulled away from the hull and dropped to one knee, bringing her head down to the same level as Twilight’s. A beam of magenta light lashed out, connecting pony and alien for a brief moment, before the alien fell backwards in surprise.

“What the frelling chaos was that?!”

“I’m sorry! I needed to establish a connection so the translation matrix … do you understand me?”

“… Yes?”

Twilight began bouncing around the clearing like a little filly, “I did it! I did it! I did it!”

The alien turned her mystified gaze to Fluttershy, “Is this … normal?”

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The yellow native dropped the box she was carrying, ‘Was that a medical kit?’ and lowered her head to hide behind her long pink mane before replying in a voice not much louder than a whisper, “Twilight can be a little excitable at times. Could, could I check on your injuries? If it’s okay with you, that is…”

‘Wow, this, uh whatever she is, is really shy,’ Revan reflected with amusement, ‘Makes me want to hug her even more,’ after a moment’s consideration, the Jedi shifted backwards so her ship’s hull could support her back as she sat on the ground, “Go ahead. I try not to argue with medics.”

The small quadruped leaned forward to examine Revan’s exposed skin, her eyes widening when she saw that most of the injuries had already mended, “Oh my, you heal very quickly, did you use magic?”

‘Magic? Really?’ Revan thought in bemusement, “Trade secret,” she raised her voice to make sure Miss Happy Dance would hear, “So, I’m not sure what the proper, diplomatic way to say this is, but … what are you?”

“Oh my!” the purple one stumbled to a halt, her cheeks reddening, “Right, introductions. I’m Twilight Sparkle, and that’s Fluttershy next to you.”

‘It’s an entire race of living cute, I’m so doomed. And of course her name is as cute as she is. What else would it be?’

The native looked up from her examination to give Revan a timid smile, “Hello.”

“We’re Ponies,” Twilight continued, sounding like a teacher giving a lecture, “Specifically, I’m a Unicorn and Fluttershy is a Pegasus. There are also Earth Ponies, like Applejack whom you also met when you arrived. Then there are the Thestrals, which are a sub-species of pegasi, and the Crystal Ponies who are a sub-species of all three tribes,” Twilight paused in her discourse to give Revan an expectant look.

“My turn, then?” Revan couldn’t help but grin a little at the unicorn’s eagerness, “I’m Revan Vao, a knight of the Jedi Order, and my race are called twi’leks,” she raised her hand to stop Twilight before the unicorn could launch into what she could already tell would be a full-on interrogation, “Look, I know you have questions. Chaos, I have a few of my own, but I’d rather not have to do this three or four dozen times. Is there anyone I should be talking to first? Some authority or governmental representative or something? I’m pretty much stuck here, and I don’t want to start out on the wrong side of the law if it can be avoided.”

The unicorn nodded, “Yes, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule Equestria, as a representative of a foreign power, you really should meet with them as soon as reasonably possible. I’ll write them a letter as soon as I get home and make the arrangements.”

“Alright,” Revan replied. ‘“Make the arrangements?” Does she have direct contact with the ruling monarchs or something? Just who is this girl?’ “Of course, my meeting people depends on my fit-rep,” she turned a half-smile on the little pegasus beside her, “So, what’s the diagnosis, Miss Fluttershy?”

“Oh, please just call me Fluttershy, if it’s alright with you…” the bashful mare responded, “Your lesser injuries should be fully healed tomorrow or the day after at worst, and I believe your ribs should be finished mending within a week or so. Your arm … your arm is going to take at least another month to heal, and … a-and there’s nothing that even healing magic can do for your e-eye anymore … I’m so sorry!” the poor pony looked on the verge of tears as she finished.

The pegasus gave a startled “eep” as Revan impulsively drew her into a rough, one-armed hug, “Hey, hey, it’s alright, I knew the eye was a lost cause already, and the rest will heal with time. It’s alright.”

Twilight step forward to give her friend a comforting nuzzle, while Revan almost immediately pulled away from the ponies and focused rather intently on the forest, her own cheeks darker than they had been just a moment ago. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she pulled herself to her feet with a small groan, “Well, you have a letter to write, and I’m sure ‘Shy here has other patients to see too. And I have more work to do if I want to make this crate livable again. So, we should all be about it, I guess. Let me known when you’ve set things up with these Princesses,” with that, Revan palmed the hatch controls and slipped inside, leaving the two mares outside to stare at the closed portal.

Fluttershy turned to Twilight in a mixture of anxiety and confusion, “Was it something we said?"

Ch. 4; Introductions And Revelations

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“My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle:
Thank you for keeping me up-to-date on your activities. In regards to your request and Miss Revan’s desire to present herself officially to the government, I believe that can be arranged. If you would be willing to bring her to Canterlot at the end of the Day Court on the day after tomorrow, I believe that would provide Luna and me with sufficient time to make any necessary arrangements.
While your letter indicates that Miss Revan does not seem to see herself as an emissary, it is a promising sign that she is so readily willing to abide by our laws. In addition, you are quite correct, foreign dignitaries, even reluctant ones, are of direct interest to the throne. Having her recognized and her status formalized should simplify her time in Equestria, both socially and legally.
I look forward to seeing you, and to what I suspect will be an interesting conversation with the “knight of the Jedi” that has found herself in our fair land.
Your mentor, Princess Celestia
P.S. If your friends are available, please extend our invitation to accompany yourself and Miss Revan to Canterlot. Luna and I would greatly enjoy seeing them again.”

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“So, what’s she like?” Applejack, farmpony and daughter of the Apple clan, asked as she strolled through the late morning forest.

“Pleasant enough, if a bit coarse,” her companion replied, “Actually she’s rather odd. One moment she’s comforting Fluttershy, the next, she’s almost running away from us,” Twilight shook her head at the alien’s confusing behavior.

“Huh. Well, Fluttershy does have a way of makin’ other ponies feel protective of her. As for tha rough-talk, as long as she remembers ta curb it around Apple Bloom an’ tha other foals, it’s no skin off my muzzle,” Applejack chuckled at the unicorn’s puzzled glance, “Even if this Miss Revan wants ta be left ta herself, do ya really think tha Crusaders will leave somepony as interestin’ as her be?” Twilight could only give a giggle of her own as she thought back to some of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ more colorful attempts at earning their cutie marks.

The two ponies left the forest’s shade to find the twi’lek once again waiting for them, “Good morning, Miss Revan,” Twilight called out, “Are you ready for our trip to Canterlot?”

“Ready enough. Just don’t ask me for any acrobatics,” Revan looked Applejack over, “I’ve seen you before.”

“Howdy, name’s Applejack. Right glad ta see that yer doin' better,” the farmpony held out a hoof, which Revan solemnly shook, ‘Kind of a quiet one, or is that jus’ nerves?’

“Well, we better get going if we want to make our train.”

Revan raised a hand to stop the ponies, “Yea, about that, Twi’, are you sure having me tromping through your town is such a good idea?”

‘Quick with tha nicknames, ain’t she?’ Applejack thought, “This’ll jus’ help tha ponies get used ta their new neighbor a bit faster, is all, Ponyville’s a right nice place, if ya give it a chance.”

Twilight nodded in agreement, “Trying to sneak around would take more time than we can afford, and would just make ponies nervous, instead of setting their minds at ease.”

Apparently their explanations were enough for Revan, who simply nodded. The walk to Ponyville Station was quite, except for the murmurs and occasional exclamation from the ponies they passed. The twi’lek kept her thoughts to herself, being more interested in taking in her surroundings, while Twilight was obviously trying to keep her questions in check until they caught up with the rest of the gang. As for, Applejack, she just enjoyed the walk while trying to give Revan the once over without staring.

The knight, according to what Twilight had said, stood about as tall as Princess Luna, and moved with a controlled grace that meshed well with the whipcord muscles that could be seen in her exposed stomach and arms. Cloud Kicker had been right, a number of scars were easily visible now that Applejack was walking next to her, ‘Looks like she’s had a rough time of it. Dash is goin’ ta be disappointed that she’s a guardpony an’ not somethin’ out of tha comic books or a Daring Do novel.’

The platform was practically empty at this hour, making it easy for them to find Spike and the other mares, while introductions went about how Applejack expected, as Pinkie Pie immediately sprang forward, pushing herself up into Revan’s face with a smile, “Hi! I’m Pinkie Pie! Your name is Revan, right? That’s an interesting name, I wonder if it means anything? Welcome to Ponyville! What’s your favorite color? Was it fun living in space? Do you like cupcakes?”

Revan jerked back at the sudden invasion of her personal space, her working hand dropping to a metal cylinder on her belt for a moment, before she recovered, “Yes, not that I know of, thank you, red, it had its moments, what’s a cupcake?”

Pinkie’s mouth actually dropped open at the last answer, “What is a cupcake? What is a cupcake?! Only one of the most delicious things ever! Unless, you favor muffins like Ditzy and Cloud do …”

Rarity took Pinkie by the foreleg, interrupting the developing tirade before it could gather steam, “Yes, Pinkie darling, I’m sure Dame Revan will enjoy trying some of your pastries later, but we are a bit pressed for time right now,” the fashionista nodded at the approaching train, “Perhaps we can continue inside?”

The group quickly found an empty car and spread themselves out, with Revan deliberately putting her back into a corner, ‘Poor filly jus’ can’t seem ta relax. Well, Ah suppose a new world an’ all could be a might overwhelmin’.’

Rarity spoke up again as the assembled mares, and one dragon, got comfortable, “My apologies for Pinkie’s behavior, Dame Revan, she can be rather exuberant, especially when she meets new people, but she does mean well. My name is Rarity, and I would like to extend my greetings as well, and offer you a warm welcome to Equestria.”

Revan inclined her head at Rarity’s rather formal welcome, “My thanks, Miss Rarity.”

A certain blue weatherpony waved a lazy hoof from the bench she was sprawled across, “Hey, the name’s Rainbow Dash," suddenly sitting up straight, Rainbow fixed Revan with an excited grin, “So what made you crash like that? Pirates? A tear in reality? Space dragons?”

Applejack shook her head at her friend's fanciful questions, ‘Tears in reality an' space dragons, now? Dash needs ta lay off tha comic books for a mite.’

Revan raised a finger, preparing to explain what led to her presence in Equestria, while Rainbow, Spike and the other mares reflexively leaned forward in their eagerness, “Mechanical failure. Extreme mechanical failure and tempting Murphy,” as her audience gaped at her in a mixture of confusion and disappointment, Revan turned to the last member of the little group, “And who, and what, might you be?”

Spike stood up as straight as he could and puffed his chest out, “I’m Spike, Twilight’s Number One Assistant, and I’m a dragon.”

“A dragon, eh?” Spike wilted a little under the twi’lek’s amused gaze, “You’re certainly smaller than the dragons I’ve heard of, but then, they won’t shake hands.” The little dragon’s spirits lifted as he grasped the offered hand, ignoring the smiles and chuckles from the watching mares, along with the quite “d’aww” from Fluttershy.

Twilight had dug a notebook and pen out of her saddlebags and quickly launched into the inevitable questions, “Who is this ‘Murphy’, Miss Revan? A deity perhaps? And what does she -- is it a she? -- have to do with mechanical failures?”

Revan shrugged and indulged Twilight’s curiosity, “Murphy is a personification of the perversity of the universe. He gives a name to the simple fact that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong,” she reached up and began to idly stroke one of her head-tentacles as she continued her explanation, “Some cultures call him Glitch, the god of frellups, and actually swear by him, but it’s all basically the same thing. The only real tenet to ‘Murphyisim’, I guess you’d call it, is that you mustn’t say anything that could be seen as either a challenge or an invitation to Murphy, or you risk him deciding to show up and frell your life over.” Revan gave a wry half-smile, “A lot of soldiers and spacers actually take it pretty seriously, myself included, even if my head knows it’s just a silly superstition.”

Revan’s easy reply opened the floodgates, and soon she was answering questions about where she came from and life in space, while the Equestrians did their best satisfy her own curiosity, ‘Billions of worlds in this Republic? Thinkin’ about all those ponies, uh, folks, makes ma head hurt.’ It quickly became clear that she was skeptical about some of the ponies’, and dragon’s, explanations, however, especially anything to do with magic, or how the princesses controlled the sun and moon. ‘Eh, she jus’ needs some time ta realize that we ain’t pullin’ her leg is all. Still, it’s nice ta see her relax and open up some.’

“Excuse me, darling, but I just had to enquire about your ensemble …” Rarity inquired, no longer able to contain her curiosity, or her faint overtone of disapproval.

'Ah knew she’d ask about that eventually,’ Applejack grinned to herself, ‘A mite surprised she waited this long, actually.’

Revan glanced down at herself, “What? Is an old pair of trousers, a sport’s bra and a blast vest not proper attire for meeting royalty?” she looked solemnly into Rarity’s flabbergasted face for a several seconds, before breaking down into snickering laughter, “Oh, the expression on your face!” Revan took a few moments to regain her composure, before continuing, “I’m sorry, it was just too easy to pass up. Yeah, this isn’t a dress uniform or anything, but it’s the cleanest of what I have left.”

The fashionista pursed her lips, both at the teasing and the implications raised by Revan’s explanation, still, there were more questions to be answered, “Blast vest, darling?”

Revan tapped the garment in question, “It’s a type of body armor.”

As the Equestrians looked at the newly identified protective gear curiously, Fluttershy voiced the question that had occurred to all of them, “Why would you need armor to go and meet the Princesses? If you don’t mind me asking …”

“Need it? Maybe yes, maybe no, we’ll have to see, wanting it is another thing. I haven’t gone unarmed since I was twelve, and I feel naked without my armor. And not the fun, sweaty kind of naked,” Revan’s slightly vulgar justification brought accepting, if somewhat troubled, nods from the Equestrians, accompanied by faintly enflamed faces for both Fluttershy and Twilight.

________________________________________

“Okay, that is just wrong,” Revan said, staring up at the massive bulk of the castle perched precariously on the side of the mountain, “There is no way that is structurally sound, seriously, how has it not collapsed under its own weight?”

“Canterlot Palace was built a thousand years ago by the finest architects and magecrafters in all of Equestria,” Twilight expounded to the twi’lek, “It was designed to be a lasting tribute to the Princesses, both enduring and beautiful.”

“Magecrafters? So it’s being held up by magic?” Revan facepalmed, before almost growling in her exasperation, “Is that going to be your explanation for everything on this world? ‘It’s magic. Oohh, a wizard did it! Physics and the laws of nature don’t work here because we have frelling magic!’” the gathered Equestrians fancied that they could almost hear the sound of her teeth grinding.

“Hey, now. Ah get that yer confused an’ getting frustrated by things bein’ different than what yer used ta, but that ain’t no cause ta be gettin’ all snappish with us,” Applejack chided Revan, who had the good graces to look at least a little ashamed of her outburst.

________________________________________

As the rather unusual band closed in on the Great Hall, the ponies and dragon began to chatter with anticipation, drawing more than a few looks from the palace staff and assorted notables that they passed. Their twi’lek companion, however, actually slowed her pace as they progressed, looking about herself with too much intensity for it to be mere interest in the assorted artworks on display or the passing ponies, who often stopped to gawp at the strange creature in their midst.

Eventually reaching the engraved doors of their destination, Twilight gave a placating smile to the two uneasy sentries standing outside, then cracked the doors open to peek within. “Okay, the Princess is wrapping things up, so we should go in as soon as we’re ready,” she said, her voice unconsciously dropping to a near-whisper.

The group exchanged a quick glance, before proceeding into the Hall, where the Equestrians immediately dropped into bows. “Your Highness,” Twilight called out as their diarch looked up at their arrival, “I would like to present Revan Vao of the Galactic Republic, knight of the order of the Jedi.” Revan seemed taken aback by the unicorn’s sudden formality, but quickly recovered to bow at the waist to the Princess.

Celestia beamed affectionately down at Twilight and her friends, before she turned her attention to the stranger from so very far away that stood in her court. “Welcome Dame Revan, while I understand that your arrival was rather … traumatic, I am grateful to see that you are mending, and I hope we are able to establish a civil and harmonious relationship between our two peoples.” Soft hoof-stomps from the few courtiers and scattering of common ponies still in the hall applauded their diarch’s salutation to the exotic looking dignitary that the Bearers of Harmony had brought before the throne.

The polite interest on the faces of many of the observing ponies immediately soured as the Jedi gave a snort worthy of Applejack and waved her hand dismissively, “Just Revan will do fine, your Highness. As for establishing relations, if that was what the Republic wanted, they’d have sent a consular from the Order, or a First-Contact team from the Senate Diplomatic Corps. I’m afraid all I am is a battered attack hound who went and got herself stranded here and is now wondering what your laws have to say about castaways and unintentional immigrants.”

Rarity, Twilight, and many of the court frowned at Revan for her blunt response to Celestia, but the solar diarch’s smile remained as gentle as ever, “Indeed. Then perhaps we should have that discussion in a less public venue,” rising from her throne, Celestia smiled out at her subjects, “I bid you all a good evening, my little ponies. Twilight, if you ladies, and Spike of course, would be so kind as to come with us?” With the Day Court dismissed, Celestia led the motley group out a side door and away from the already rising chatter amongst the nobles.

________________________________________

Once they had passed through the door, Celestia Astralis, the Unconquered Sun, sovereign diarch of Ponykind, Pony of the Three Tribes and Princess of the Sun, paused to give Twilight a brief but fierce neck-hug, “It’s good to see you again, Twilight. To see all of you again,” she smiled fondly at the assembled Equestrians, “As for you, Revan …”

The Jedi ran her hand over her head abashedly as the group walked down the hallway, “Yeah, I pretty much frelled it all up back there, didn’t I?”

“Language!” Twilight scolded her, nodding pointedly down to where Spike ambled alongside them.

“While your comments were definitely to the point, you could have shown more tact, darling,” Rarity observed.

Revan shrugged ruefully, “I’ve never been any good at diplomacy, but it’s been a while since I was as bad as in there,” she sighed, “So where are we going anyway? Bureaucratic processing? Prison or execution for my behavior? I mean, seriously, what’s the point of you girls and Spike coming along, never mind her Royal Ponyness here,” as she turned to look at her companions, Revan saw their expressions, and immediately reached up to pinch her nose, “I just did it again, didn’t I? What the chaos is wrong with me?!”

‘If this wasn’t so amusing, it would actually be a bit painful to watch,’ mused Celestia, “Where we are going would be here,” she said as she opened a door to reveal a small (for the palace) dining room, with a meal already laid and Luna seated at the far end, her back to an open balcony. “Ah, Luna, you’re here, excellent. Revan, this is my sister, Luna, lunar diarch and Princess of the Night. Luna, this is Revan Vao, knight of the Jedi,” Celestia’s smile grew wider as she continued in a teasing tone, “She doesn’t like titles and is suffering from an acute case of hoof in mouth disease,” Celestia waved the group toward the table with a hoof, as she seated herself opposite her sister.

While the ponies and dragon cheerfully greeted Luna and took their seats, Revan was much slower about it, the confusion obvious on her face, “What’s going on?”

“It’s called dinner,” Celestia explained, her voice still playful, “A popular meal here in Equestria. It also gives us a chance to speak informally and discuss those concerns you voiced in the Day Court.”

Despite the solar alicorn’s attempted levity, Revan seemed, if anything, even tenser, “No, this isn’t right. I disrespected the throne and made an ass of myself in Court and you’re just going to wave it off? And then invite me to a meal with both of the reigning royals, as well as whoever these girls really are? With no guards about? I wasn’t even searched for weapons! You can’t possibly be this trusting! What are you playing at? What’s your angle?”

Luna frowned at Revan’s outburst, but answered her evenly enough, “We are showing thou trust indeed, and are presenting thee a chance to prove that thou are worthy of it. We have no ‘angle’ as thou put it, mine sister and I are simply offering thou courtesy, honest curiosity and the possibility of camaraderie in the future, as the Bearers of Harmony have already done. Surely thy experience with the good ponies of Ponyville could not be the first time somepony has offered thee aid or solace without an ulterior motive?”

Revan gazed into the distance for a moment, her eye misty with old memories, “Yes, once, someone helped me just because she thought it was the right thing to do, was my friend just because she saw that I needed one ...” Revan’s face hardened and her voice turned harsh as she returned her focus to the here and now, “It got her killed.”

Luna flinched, while the others at the table stared at Revan in shock, “I must beg thy forgiveness, I did not mean to cause thou pain, I too understand the anguish of a past that will not give thou peace.”

‘Oh, Lulu, why can’t you forgive yourself? What the Nightmare did wasn’t your fault!’

Revan stared into Luna’s eyes for a time, while an anxious hush gripped the room, whatever she saw therein must have been enough to convince her, as her face slowly softened and her tense frame finally relaxed into her chair.

‘Perhaps … perhaps this knight from the stars, even with all of her crassness, and Luna can help each other heal ...’ “Equestria is a land that endeavors to be guided by harmony, understanding and friendship, Revan. It may seem naïve to you, but those are the aspirations we have always strived for, even if we occasionally fail to reach that goal, or others try to use our ideals against us,” Celestia and the other Equestrians resumed their meals, while Revan finally began her own. “It is my hope that you will come to understand, maybe even appreciate, our ways, as peculiar as you may find them now.”

The dinner passed in a pleasant silence for a time, with the Jedi pausing to watch in half-disturbed fascination as Pinkie devoured an entire tray of pastries, before Rainbow Dash restarted the conversation, “What does a Jedi knight do, anyway?”

Revan blinked up at the inquisitive faces surrounding her, “Umh, well, primarily we are the special envoys and agents of the Senate. Jedi handle extraordinary, or delicate, situations for the senators, assist local Security with taking out crime syndicates or special dignitary protection and such, investigate occurrences that are too dangerous or bizarre to leave to normal channels, help in peace negotiations between worlds or cultures … Support and defend those who can’t defend themselves … Ugh, I’m not explaining it well at all …”

“I believe thou have made a commendable effort,” Luna disagreed, “Thine Jedi sound much like an elite branch of the guard who also act as mediators, mixed somewhat with the heroes of old or from these modern comic books.”

“Eeeyup,” Applejack nodded in agreement, “But how can ya be so bad at fancy-talkin’ when it sounds like such a big part of what ya do?”

“Like I said before, I’m an ‘attack hound’,” Revan replied with a sour chuckle, “I was a bodyguard to the actual diplomats and investigators, or I was sent to deal with situations where peaceful negotiations were no longer an option.” She shrugged disparagingly, “When you spend your formative years in a slave pen or being whored out on the streets, it tends to screw up your social development.”

Revan’s blunt declaration left the gathered Equestrians aghast, before Fluttershy’s voice, raised almost to a shout in her agitation, broke the silence, “You were a slave?! They made you …” the rest of her words were swallowed up as six ponies and a dragon ponypiled onto the startled Jedi, knocking her clean out of her chair.

“How can ya talk about such horrible things so offhoof like?” Applejack demanded from where she was wrapped around the twi’lek.

“‘Own it and it can’t hurt you’ and all that.”

“I don’t think that philosophy was meant for circumstances as extreme as yours, darling,” Rarity demurred, as she joined the rest of her friends in their attempt to squeeze all of the air out of the Jedi.

:What do you think, Lulu?: Celestia sent her thoughts to her sister as they watched their subjects try their best to either comfort or crush Revan, who seemed rather happy for someone buried under a sextet of ponies (and a small dragon).

:Her graceless candor does have a certain charm, but she is mistrustful of others, and her spirit has more scars, and stains, than those she has admitted to. Moreover, can somepony who treats their own wounds so callously be trusted to not handle others in a like manner?: Luna frowned as she considered the Jedi, :And her eye has an emptiness such as I have not seen in anypony since mine return.:

:I am not denying that she is damaged, Lulu, but at least part of that is from trying to deal with her issues by herself,: Celestia thought pointedly, drawing a quick flush from her sister, :Remember our Champions from the old wars after we overthrew Discord? How hard it was for some of them to adjust to an Equestria that was finally at peace? Tell me, would Revan have been out of place among them? She is lost and alone, with no way to return to her home. Please, Sister, give her a chance.:

Luna nodded, :Thou may be right, ‘Tia, but I will need a last question answered before I decide,: she rapped a hoof on the table, drawing the attention of the group still sprawled on the floor, “Revan Vao, answer me this, and answer true, are thou a danger to our little ponies?”

“Jedi are always dangerous,” Revan slowly answered, “but I don’t want to hurt anyone …” she shifted uneasily under the alicorn’s continued scrutiny, “Look, I’m not a Master of the Order, but I am … adept at some pretty Dark powers …” Revan finally wilted under Luna’s unwavering gaze, and waved a hand in surrender, “Okay, you offered me trust and ask me for the truth, fine, at least I’ll be damned out of my own mouth. Yes, I’m a danger! Do I intend to harm anyone, no, but what I want doesn’t always matter!” Sitting up as straight as she could under her covering of ponies, the Jedi glared defiantly up at the younger diarch, “I will always be a threat, because I’m a trained killer and I can’t guarantee that I will never lose control of my powers! The question is, Princess, what will you do with me now that you know?”

Celestia carefully smoothed a pained look from her face as she watched the twi’lek’s defiant admission, ‘She actually expects us to imprison her, or worse. What could her Republic be like that a member of a group with such noble ideals as this Jedi Order can have so little belief in the kindness of others?’

Luna brooded down at Revan as the Ponyvillians looked back at her apprehensively, while the Jedi did the same with an air of grim expectation, before finally nodding to herself, “I bid thou welcome to Equestria, Revan Vao.”

Ch. 5; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 1

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‘Why did I agree to this?’ Revan wondered as she sat in the town hall, making a desultory attempt at finishing the paperwork that the mayor had given her, while waiting for the clock to sound noon. The arrival of a familiar purple unicorn provided a welcome distraction from the tedium of bureaucratic bookkeeping, “Hey, Twi’, come to make sure I didn’t chicken out and take off to skulk about the forest like some deranged bogeyman?”

Twilight rolled her eyes at Revan’s poor jest, before giving the Jedi a friendly shoulder bump, “I know being officially presented to Ponyville isn’t your idea of fun, but it won’t be that bad. Just say hello, answer a few questions, and it will all be over,” she put her hoof on the seated twi’lek’s shoulder, “Your friends will be there if you need us.”

“Friends, you ponies throw that word around so easily,” Revan said, shaking her head in a mix of amusement and annoyance. Glancing back at the clock, she quickly dropped her forms in a basket and returned the quill pen she had been struggling with to its holder, “Looks like it’s that time.”

Heading for the front door, the pair quickly met with Mayor Mare, who gave them a professionally pleasant smile, “Ready?”

“Not really, but let’s get this dog and pony show over,” Revan immediately facepalmed, “And that means something completely different here, doesn’t it? No, don’t tell me, let’s … just get on with it.”

The Mayor’s smile slipped a little, but she nodded and led Revan and Twilight out the door and onto the porch, where the gathered ponies of Ponyville were waiting. “Good day, mares and gentlestallions, while I realize that Pinkie Pie normally sees to welcoming new ponies to town, the Princesses thought that something a bit more formal might be called for in this case. So, allow me to present Miss Revan Vao, formerly of the Galactic Republic, and Ponyville’s newest resident. I hope you will make her feel welcome in our little town.”

Stepping forward at the Mayor’s wave, Revan forced herself to relax as she looked out at the assembled throng of brightly colored quadrupeds that were currently stomping their forehooves on the ground, “So, yeah, hi! Looks like I’m going to be living here now, so I’ll try not to cause problems, and thanks for your hospitality. Did anyone have a question or two before we end?” Twilight had been rather adamant that she should answer some of the ponies’ queries.

Several ponies immediately raised a hoof into the air, only to begin shifting awkwardly as Revan simply stared at the gathering in puzzlement, before finally looking at Twilight for an explanation, “What are they doing?”

“They’re waiting for you to call on them, like in school?”

“Huh, I’ll have to take your word for it,” Revan replied, not noticing the mortified flush that spread over the unicorn’s face, “Ah, yes, you, the pony with the magenta coat?”

“D-do, do you eat ponies?”

Revan reached up to rub at her temples, ‘Not exactly an unreasonable concern, given that they’re a bunch of herbivores and a new predator just moved in, but really now …’ “A damn alien moves into town and that’s the first question you ask? … Alight then, let’s go with that. Your question has multiple answers, depending on how you meant it, but the simple answer is no, I don’t eat ponies, unless I have their consent,” Revan leaned forward a little to leer at the pony, her tone turning coy, “Why, are you offering?”

A mixture of shock, disapproval and amusement ran through the crowd, as Applejack chided the Jedi, “Stop teasin’ ponies, ya perverted polecat, this ain’t tha time or tha place for yer games! Ah swear, as if one Cloud Kicker wasn’t bad enough, now we got two of ya ta keep tha town all riled up.”

The ensuing laughter lightened the mood of the gathering, “Fine, I’ll try and keep my libido on a leash, just for you, AJ,” Revan grinned at the farmpony, “But I make no promises about later.” Looking out at the ponies, she spotted a few hooves still raised, “You, the pink unicorn, you had a question?”

“What is it that you do?”

“You mean professionally? I used to be a soldier and then I was an operative for the Order, but currently I’m on medical leave,” Revan gestured to her arm in its sling, “Once I heal up … I don’t really know … I guess I’ll figure something out. Chaos, I can always go back to mercenary work if nothing else turns up.” Choosing a final pony to ask a question, Revan raised her voice slightly, “You, the grey pegasus, what is your … wow … your eyes are really pretty.”

“T-thank you,” the wall-eyed mare stammered, her cheeks flushing at the sudden compliment, “The Mayor said you come from a ‘Galactic Republic’, are more of your ponies, umh, folk going to be coming to Equestria?”

Revan mulled the pegasus’ question over for a bit, then looked her in the eyes (or as best as she could) as she answered, “Based on my talk with the Princesses, as well as the circumstances of my arrival, I honestly believe the chances of someone following me, or simply stumbling across this system, are vanishingly small.” Revan looked out at the crowd as she continued, “Well, I think I’ve wasted enough of your time. Again, thank you for your welcome, and I bid you all a good day.”

________________________________________

“Whatcha thinking about, Twi’?” Rainbow asked as she lazily flapped through the forest’s shadows.

“I was just wondering if Revan will be waiting for us again,” Twilight replied, “Every other time I’ve dropped by, it was as if she was expecting me. Granted, the last visit was pre-planned for our trip to Canterlot, but it’s still curious …”

Rainbow smirked at her friend, “She’s a super warrior, just like I said,” she punched the air in victory, “Take that, AJ! And I bet she’s got all sorts of awesome stories to tell!”

“Just don’t press her too hard, Rainbow, okay? I know she tries to play it off like her past doesn’t hurt her any, but according to my books that really isn’t a healthy approach, and I don’t want to accidently push her away before we can get her to open up.”

Rainbow flapped over to gently hoof her friend in the shoulder, “No worries, egghead, we’ll play it cool until Revan’s more comfortable around ponies. Now come on, they’re waiting for us!”

True to Twilight’s suspicions, Revan was waiting for the ponies when they entered the clearing, “Heya, girls. Something I can do for you?”

Rainbow waved at the Jedi, “Nah, we were just going to grab some lunch, and thought we’d invite you along.”

Revan raised a brow and glanced at Twilight, who smiled innocently, “Please?”

Revan considered the two ponies for a time, before finally shrugging, “Eh, why not. Something other than ration bars would be a nice change.”

The trio bantered back and forth as they walked back into town, even if it mostly consisted of Revan listening while the two ponies talked about the local going-ons, or as Twilight chided Rainbow about having overdue books out at the library. As they finally neared their destination, the Jedi’s eye widened, “We’re going there?”

“Yes,” Twilight confirmed, “Sugercube Corner is the local bakery, and serves some very nice dishes.”

“Huh.”

Rainbow grinned at Twilight behind Revan’s back, before pulling the door open so that she could precede the two ponies into the darkened bakery.

“Surpri--” The cheerful shout died as Revan threw herself backwards to land ten pony-lengths away in a crouch, a sword made of light suddenly in her hand.

‘Okay, that’s awesome, but completely bucking uncalled for!’

“What the hay is wrong with you?!” Rainbow yelled, swooping over to the twi’lek.

Revan swiveled to face the irate pegasus, her lips pulled back in a snarl, “Ambush …”

“It’s not a bucking ambush,” Rainbow roared as she resisted the urge to grab Revan by the shoulders and shake her, “It’s a bucking surprise party!”

“What?”

“A surprise party,” Twilight repeated as she reached the pair, her voice was calm, but the twitching of her eye showed that she was close to losing her own control, “A social function to welcome you to Ponyville and help you make friends.”

“A social function?”

“Yes.”

“To help me make friends?”

“Yes.”

Revan deactivated her light sword with a crackling snap and returned the cylindrical handle to her belt as she looked up at the nervous ponies peering out at the confrontation from the door and windows of Sugarcube Corner, “Frelling chaos.”

“Yes,” the two ponies said in unison.

Revan turned away, only to find Rainbow blocking her path, “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Away of course. What do you expect me to do after snapping like that?”

Twilight reached up and carefully placed a hoof on Revan’s shoulder, “You could apologize, explain that you don’t like surprises, and stay for the party.”

“Apologize? What, say ‘I’m sorry for losing it and terrifying you’, and all is forgiven? Just like that?” the Jedi asked doubtfully.

The two ponies nodded, Rainbow pointed expectantly back at Sugarcube Corner while Twilight gave an encouraging smile. With a resigned sigh, Revan headed back to the bakery and the waiting ponies, the pegasus and unicorn falling in beside her.

“Surprise?” Pinkie and a scattering of other ponies called out tentatively as the trio stepped through the door.

“Yeah, uhm, so, I’m sorry I freaked out on you all there, but I really don’t like surprises, they set off all my old instincts. It was kinda nice of you to try, though …” Revan looked at the gathering for a few moments while an awkward silence filled the bakery, before turning to her escorts, “What am I supposed to do now?”

Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle shared a facehoof.

________________________________________

Revan slowly passed through the gathered ponies, exchanging greetings and pleasantries, a cup of something Pinkie had called “sweet tea” in her hand. Despite a slight lingering undercurrent of nervousness, most of the ponies seemed to have already moved past her earlier … blunder, ‘Huh, guess Rainbow and Twi’ were right.’

The sound of music floating through the room drew Revan over to a corner where a trio of ponies were clustered around a mint-green unicorn who was playing some kind of miniature harp, ‘And just how is she doing that with hooves, anyway?’ The rest of the little group consisted of the grey pegasus from the Mayor’s meeting, a beige earth pony and a lavender pegasus, “I know you.”

“Name’s Cloud Kicker,” the pegasus replied, holding out a hoof, “Nice to finally be able to talk. This is Ditzy Doo and Bon Bon, and that’s Lyra Heartstrings playing.” Revan shifted her cup to her other hand for a moment so she could shake the offered hooves.

“You were there with the other girls when I woke up, and kept an eye on me along with AJ and Rainbow,” Revan recalled.

“Eh, I was just helping out the boss, that’d be Rainbow, and Twilight,” Cloud openly studied the twi’lek for a moment, a slight smile on her lips, “So what’s it like to bang aliens?” the mare’s blunt question brought a fit of giggles from Bon Bon and Lyra, while Ditzy shook her head in indulgent amusement.

‘So, it’s like that, is it?’ Revan grinned at the cheeky pegasus, “About the same as ‘banging’ anyone else, I’d guess. Once you adjust for any physical or cultural differences, it’s all good fun,” she winked at the ponies around her, “Tentacles take a bit of getting used to, but it’s so worth it.” Leaning down slightly, Revan purred, “Maybe we could share notes, sometime?” she smiled as Cloud’s ears perked up, and an answering grin spread across the pony’s face, “But currently we’re at a party, and I’ve already danced on one social landmine today.” Revan turned her attention to Lyra, who was smirking happily at her and Cloud, “Your music is wonderful.”

“Thank you,” Lyra inclined her head at the twi’lek’s compliment, “Do you play?”

“Play? No. I love music, but I’ve never learned.”

Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly in consideration, “Sing, maybe?”

Revan blinked at the unicorn, “A little, yes,” her admission immediately brought forth a deluge of requests from the four ponies.

“Will you sing us something?”

“Oh, oh, a song about space?”

“Please?”

The ponies fixed Revan with a quartet of pleading, slightly pouting looks, ‘So damn cute, it’s not fair! Shields failing! Mayday!’ “Alright! Alright! I’ll sing something, just stop with the looks, okay?”

Will you do me a favor, Piano Man please?
I want you to write me a song ..
They call me the hero of Antelope's Run
And I gotta show them they're wrong.

From their place over near the windows, Applejack and her friends watched with growing approval as the Jedi, an oddly shy smile on her lips, entertained the growing crowd of eager ponies, “Ah think Revan might jus’ be off ta a good start.”

Ch. 6; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 2

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A beeping alarm brought Revan to her crippled ship’s cockpit to check the sensor array, ‘Hmmm … three signatures, coming from the direction of AJ’s farm and the rest of Ponyville -- still think that’s a silly name -- radar and thermal signatures are smaller than those of an adult pony, and they aren’t moving as fast … younglings maybe? Well, let’s go get setup to greet them.’

Slipping out the main hatch, Revan settled herself on the broken stump she had rough-smoothed into a stool with her lightsaber and turned to face her soon-to-be-arriving guests. “What can I do for you?” she called out as soon as the newcomers reached the edge of her clearing, which caused the three small ponies to come to a startled halt, ‘Hehe, I don’t think that will ever get old. Now let’s see what we have here, a white unicorn, a yellow earth pony, and an orange pegasus, all definitely younglings, and that pink bow is adorable.’

The three younglings shuffled forward, “Umh, howdy, Miss Revan, Ah’m Apple Bloom, Applejack’s sister, an' these are ma friends Sweetie Belle an' Scootaloo. We was wonderin’ if we could ask ya a few questions?”

“Questions?”

The unicorn, Sweetie Belle, nodded eagerly, “It’s a school assignment for Miss Cheerilee, we’re supposed to ask somepony about their history, and well, since you’re new to town, we thought we’d ask you.”

“Please?” the three younglings begged together, looking at Revan with wide, pleading eyes.

‘Oh chaos, it’s even worse than when the adult ponies do it! Must resist! Must … frell it, I’m done for …’ “Fine,” Revan yielded, her shoulders slumped in defeat before the unspeakable cuteness of the three younglings, “I’ll answer what I can, but I don’t know how much use to you it’ll be.”

The younglings exchanged confused glances as they dug paper and pencils out of their saddlebags, “So, where do ya come from?”

“Ah, starting with an easy question. Go back far enough and all twi’leks hail from one of the original clan-holds back on Ryloth.”

Apple Bloom nodded as she scribbled away, “Is that where ya grew up? At this Ryloth place?”

“Me? No, I’ve never even been to the mother world. I grew up on Ord Barris, a real shithole of a planet, the whole world is just one big cesspool of corruption, abuse and misery. Place should have been bombed into oblivion a few millennia ago, but every time a major war rolled through, somehow it got passed by,” Revan frowned broodingly, “You know, thinking back on it, the whole damned planet felt like the Valley of Tombs on Mar Kaas …” the Jedi shook her head to clear it of her dark thoughts as she turned back toward her young visitors, “Let’s move on, please.”

“Oookay … the next question is where did you go to school, and what was it like?”

“Actually, I never went to school, as such.”

The three younglings gaped at the Jedi in scandalized disbelief, “How could ya never have any schoolin’? Ya have ta have schoolin’ if ya want ta make somethin’ of yerself, Miss Cheerilee an’ Twilight are always goin’ on about it bein' fundi mental!”

Revan grinned down at the agitated little earth pony, “Fundamental. What you said is something else entirely,” her smile quickly vanished as she explained her upbringing to the three younglings, “When I was small, I wasn’t a citizen, or a resident alien, or whatever terms they use here in Equestria. I was property, and my owner saw no reason to waste time and resources on educating his slaves, especially when he didn’t plan to use me for anything more complicated than spreading my legs.” She reached over to gently push at Apple Bloom’s shoulder as a crooked half-smirk returned to her lips, “Besides, I don’t think I’ve done so badly, all things considered.”

The younglings scribbled down her response, and then it was apparently Scootaloo’s turn to ask a question, “Did … did you have any idols growing up?” The little pegasus practically flinched, clearly expecting another grim answer.

Revan’s cheerful laugh eased the younglings’ minds as she propped herself on her good arm and grinned at them, “An idol? Oh, yes, when I was your age, I loved my mother’s stories about Mission Vao, my ancestress. Just a street rat from the lower levels of Taris, but she fought alongside the Jedi warlord Revan, my namesake, the second time he saved the Republic!” she leaned back so she could hold up two fingers in emphasis.

“Twice? Wow! Well Rainbow Dash, Twilight and their friends have saved Equestria two times too!” the little pegasus declared proudly.

‘Is that a bit of hero worship there, Scootaloo?’ “Did they, now? Then I guess we’ll have stories to trade,” Revan winked at the younglings, “But best we get your assignment out of the way before we get too distracted. Do you have any other questions for me?”

The trio of younglings consulted quietly for a minute, pointing at their papers as they conferred, then Scootaloo stepped forward again, “Do aliens have cutie marks? And if they do, how did you get yours?”

Revan blinked in confusion, “What in chaos is a ‘cutie mark’?”

“Cutie marks are tha pictures that show up on colts an’ fillies flanks when they learn what their special talent is,” Apple Bloom explained.

“What, the but-tattoos I’ve been seeing on ponies? I thought it was just a cultural affectation … and they just appear?” the Jedi rubbed at her temples, “More magic,” she groaned, her disgruntled tone obvious, “Fine, whatever, aliens don’t get ‘cutie marks’, not that I’ve ever heard of, anyway. Sorry, younglings.”

Revan glanced around the clearing as the clearly crestfallen younglings debated what question to ask her next. ‘Wait, what was that? Something is watching us …’ She hissed at the little ponies and motioned to them for silence as she rose from her stump and scanned the trees, her hackles rising, ‘Where is it? Movement! There … oh frell me,’ a massive canine shape, easily two heads taller than Revan, slowly stalked out of the shadows of the forest, revealing its … wooden form? ‘It’s a bunch of logs and branches? But I can feel the hunger coming from it … Focus! Kill it now, ponder about it later!’

Igniting her lightsaber, Revan stepped in front of the ponies, “Alright little ones, I’ll get its attention, and then, once it’s concentrating on me, I want you to get your asses back to the farm and safe inside, hear?”

“Yes, Miss,” the younglings answered anxiously, Revan nodded and then advanced on the plant-beast, her lips peeled back to show off far more teeth than the fillies were comfortable with.

“Here! Over here, you walking bonfire! Come and get me!” she punctuated her shouts with a telekinetic strike that smashed into the creature’s muzzle, drawing an angry snarl from it.

Incensed, the ravenous plant-beast pounced on Revan, only for her to slip aside and lop off a foreleg with a single slash of her saber. Shifting its weight, the creature growled at the Jedi as its limb reassembled itself from the fallen branches, leaving her gaping in shock.

Her dumbfounded daze very nearly cost Revan dearly, but she twisted aside as the creature lunged at her again, ripping her shoulder and lek with its claws. Her savage smile contorted further by pain, Revan lashed out again with her lightsaber, but the angle was wrong for her to land a solid blow, and her blade only managed to pass a few hand-spans into the plant-beast’s torso.

Shifting back onto her guard, Revan’s eye narrowed as she saw that her last blow wasn’t healing, ‘So damage to the body remains …’ She turned to keep her blade on the creature as it circled to her left, when suddenly the beast sprang to her right and rushed past her, ‘The younglings!’ Whipping around, Revan flung her lightsaber at the plant-creature, if her aim had been true, she would have bisected the plant-thing, but all she managed to do was sever one of its legs along with a sizeable chunk of the creature’s flank.

Landing amongst the three shrieking younglings, the plant-thing lashed out with a paw, silencing one of the screams and provoking a roared “No!” from Revan. Pointing her hand, she unleashed bolt after bolt of lightning into the creature, shattering and igniting its wooden body. Knocked away from the ponies, the plant-beast clawed at the ground, whining pitifully as it vainly tried to regain its feet. Unmoved, Revan merely shifted her aim as she furiously stalked toward the creature, pouring a continuous barrage of electricity into its face until the beast’s head finally detonated, spraying the twi’lek with burning shards of wood.

Revan barely paused to confirm that the strange, predatory plant’s assorted logs, branches and vines had separated and collapsed before she turned and sprinted to the younglings, her hand reached out automatically to call back her lightsaber as she knelt beside the mangled unicorn. “Sweetie Belle,” the Jedi moaned, as she took in the four great gashes that ripped across the youngling’s barrel, the exposed bones, the erratic, gasping breathing and the blood that poured from the little pony’s mouth.

Placing her hand on the injured unicorn’s barrel, Revan took a deep breath, then swayed where she knelt as she felt her strength surge out of her. Shaking off her light-headedness, Revan checked Sweetie Belle again, grateful to find that her bleeding had slowed, her breathing had evened out, and the edges of the lacerations looked less ragged. Gathering the youngling into her arms as best she could, Revan surged to her feet with a howl of agony, tottering for a moment before she glared wild-eyed down at the other two ponies and rasped out a single word, “Hospital!”

Her harsh voice snapped Apple Bloom and Scootaloo out of their horrified stupor and the two merely nodded, before spinning around and running for Ponyville as fast as their legs would take them, Revan pounding along behind them with her grim burden.

In their headlong rush, it wasn’t long before the trio left the shadows of the Everfree for the more open lands of the Apple family orchards, where Revan and the two ponies immediately took advantage of the clearer ground to push themselves even harder.

Revan knew that the jarring run was aggravating Sweetie Belle’s injuries, but they couldn’t afford to slow down, not when every second lost could be the difference between the little unicorn’s life and death. They needed more time … her vision blurred and Revan lurched as she ran as she forced more of her own strength into Sweetie Belle’s broken body.

As Revan followed the two younglings up the path to Ponyville, her sight cleared enough to see the grey pegasus that dropped from the sky to match pace with the little band’s mad dash, “What happened?” Ditzy demanded, her yellow eyes wide with alarm.

“Youngling!” the Jedi gasped out, her voice ragged from exertion, “Hospital!”

As her face hardened with resolve, Ditzy shot ahead of the trio of runners, calling “This way! I’ll get help!” over her shoulder as she sped away.

Finally reaching the edge of Ponyville, Revan continued on her desperate run, ignoring the distraught ponies that scattered from her path as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, no longer able to maintain the brutal pace, collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Plunging deeper into the town, Revan could see Ditzy and another pegasus approaching with a stretcher, ‘Help,’ but was it enough? She was covered in blood and she could no longer tell if Sweetie Belle was even breathing, ‘Need more time …’ Her vision went dark and she stumbled along as Revan plundered her reserves, recklessly ripping away at her own strength in order to ram it into the limp filly clutched in her arms.

Steadying hooves caught Revan as she lurched, while more hooves pulled Sweetie Belle from her arms and a distant voice said, “We’ve got her.” Revan felt herself falling, and then the darkness claimed her.

Ch. 7; Dealing With The Aftermath

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Revan kept her eye closed as wakefulness returned to her, ‘Let’s see, I’m in a bed, in my underwear, I feel like crap, and it smells like a hospital. I must have blacked out again, which is happening too often for comfort, lately. What was I … Sweetie Belle!’ her eye snapped open as she lunged upright, ignoring the agony in her head as she tore at the sheets tangled around her legs. Final freeing herself, Revan headed for the door, while a distant corner of her mind noticed that her clothes and kit had been laid out over a couch in the corner.

Bursting through the door, she almost ran over a familiar looking white earth pony wearing a cap on her pink mane, “Miss Revan! You should still be in bed!”

Pulling herself up to loom over the pony, ‘Redheart? Yes, that was it,’ Revan snarled, “The youngling Sweetie Belle’s location and condition!” in her best “answer or bleed” tone.

Undaunted, the mare met the Jedi glare for glare, “She’s resting in her room, just like you should be doing! Now stop making a disturbance and go lie down!”

“Resting? She’s okay?” Revan swayed slightly on her feet as she sagged in relief.

Redheart’s face softened as she gently herded Revan back into her room, “Sweetie Belle will be just fine, she’s going home the day after tomorrow, and you won’t even be able to see most of the scars once her coat grows back in.”

Revan’s brow furrowed with confusion, “She’s going home so soon?”

“You and the Crusaders were brought in four days ago,” Redheart explained softly, as she stuck out a hoof to keep Revan in bed when the Jedi sat up in alarm, “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are fine, we treated them for exhaustion and muscle strain, and they were right as rain after a day’s rest. It was you and Sweetie Belle that had us worried,” the nurse reached up to pat Revan’s arm, “Now try and get some rest, alright? The Doctor will be in to check on you later.”

________________________________________

Revan tossed in her bed, unable to sleep and consumed with boredom, ‘Not even a datareader or a, what did Twi’ call it? A book? Yeah, not even one of those to pass the time with,’ giving up on sleep, she sat up in her bed and crossed her legs as she tried to clear her mind and meditate.

A knock at the door soon distracted her from the calm she sought, and brought a snarl to Revan’s lips as she glared at the light amber colored unicorn that had stepped into the room, ‘Glasses and a medical coat. Probably that doctor Redheart said would be by.’

“Ah, Miss Revan, you’re awake. Excellent. I’m Doctor Horse,” the stallion said, his attention partly on the medical file held in his cyan aura.

“… Seriously?”

“Yes,” Horse cocked an eyebrow at his patient, “You have recovered sufficiently that we can discharge you in the morning. The only lingering aftereffects from your … incident, should be some fatigue, which will fade in a day or two, the scars on your cranial tendril, and your arm requiring an additional week to recover from the stress you put upon it.”

Revan pouted as she reached up to touch the bandages on her lek, “Damn, I was proud of my lekku.”

“Hmmm …” Horse murmured as he jotted down a note on the file, “I am more concerned with what brought on your condition in the first place. Neither your injuries nor the Crusaders’ accounts explain why you were so far beyond exhaustion that your heart was barely beating. Even the worst cases of magic exhaustion do not directly endanger the patient’s life,” he looked expectantly at the Jedi.

Revan stiffened her spine as she felt herself begin to wilt under the doctor’s scrutiny, ‘How can these ridiculously cute, infuriatingly naïve, ponies get past my defenses so easily? I’m harder than this!’ “I don’t have a disease or physiological disorder, if that is what you’re trying to ask. My ‘condition’ was self-inflicted, but I doubt that particular situation is liable to be a repeat occurrence.”

“‘Self-inflicted’?” Horse queried, adding more notes to his records as he frowned in thought, “Your exhaustion had something to do with young Sweetie Belle’s injuries, didn’t it?” he continued to scrutinize Revan, but she remained mulishly silent. After a few more moments of reflection, Horse stamped his rear hoof sharply as his eyes widened, “You used necromancy to stabilize Sweetie Belle!”

‘Nerco-whatsis now?’

“That was very noble of you,” the stallion commended, “but it was also tremendously risky, as you’ve learned for yourself. I would ask that you exercise caution in the use of your talents in the future, however,” Horse waved aside Revan’s angry scowl, “Your actions were wholly justified given the extent Sweetie Belle’s injuries, but necromancy can take a terrible toll on its wielder, and many ponies have trouble differentiating between it and true dark magic.”

“Well, I’ll leave you to your rest,” Horse said, closing his file, “But do think on what I said, and try not to exert yourself for the next few days.”

________________________________________

Revan stared at the very round, very fancy building in front of her, ‘Was Big Mac pulling my leg?’

With a shrug, she walked up to the door, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique,” a soprano voice called out in response to her hesitant knock, as the door opened to reveal a familiar white unicorn, “Oh! Revan, darling! Come in, come in! What brings you by?”

“Hello, Rarity, I just stopped by to check up on Sweetie Belle, if I may.”

“Of course, darling!” Rarity graciously waved Revan inside before she raised her voice slightly to call to the little group huddled across the room, “Sweetie! You have another caller!”

“Miss Revan!” the little unicorn called out happily as Revan made her way past the pony-shaped mannequins ‘Ponyequins?’ that dotted the room over to where Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Spike were seated amongst scattered books and papers.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” Revan smiled at the youngling, nodding in greeting to the other two ponies and the dragon, as she dropped down to one knee, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired, sore, and bored,” Sweetie grumbled, “I want to go outside!”

“Now, now, Sweetie,” chided her sister, “You’re still recuperating. Doctor Horse said you could go back to school next week, but you’ll just have to be patient until you get your wind back, dear.”

“Get her wind back?” Revan twisted around to frown at Rarity, while Sweetie sighed discontentedly, “I wasn’t told of any permanent injures other than the scars.”

“It’s nothing bad,” Sweetie assured the twi’lek, “I can still run and sing and everything, I just need to take a break a little more often, is all.” The youngling was quick to recover her earlier cheery demeanor, “Thank you for coming to see me, Miss Revan! I like your eyepatch!”

‘Damn it, I screw up and Sweetie is the one who pays for it.’ “Well, I thought it was time for a change,” Revan forced herself to joke, as she reached up to touch the medical patch the hospital had given her to replace the, admittedly ragged, bandage she had been using to cover her empty eye socket, “So what are you younglings doing, anyway?”

“Homework,” answered Apple Bloom, “We don’t want Sweetie gettin’ behind tha class, an’ Spike came by ta help keep Sweetie from catchin’ cabin fever.”

“I’ve always hated being laid up, myself,” Revan nodded in understanding, “Used to drive the MedCorps nuts with me constantly trying to leave before the medics thought I was ready,” she gave a crooked smile as the ponies and dragon snickered at her confession.

Still chuckling, Spike joined in the conversation, “Would you come by the library for dinner later this week?”

Revan raised a puzzled brow at the little dragon’s request, “Dinner? Why?”

“Because you kept my friends safe, and I know you hurt yourself really bad making sure Sweetie got to the hospital,” Spike explained, his tone slightly exasperated at having to point out something so obvious, “I can’t ever thank you properly for what you did, but at least I can feed you a good meal. What do you say to pasta and wheatballs?”

‘This is important to him …’ “I don’t know, what do you say to pasta and wheatballs?”

The four ponies and the dragon stared at Revan for a moment, before a chorus of groans filled the air. “Okay, that was bad,” she admitted, “But not completely unwarranted, since I have no idea what pasta is,” seeing the concern on the dragon’s face, Revan smiled at him while slapping the hard muscles of her abdomen, “Not to worry, Spike, twi’lek’s have three stomachs, if a pony can eat it, so can I.”

________________________________________

Revan waved to Rarity and the younglings as she left the boutique, her intended visit having expanded into a couple of hours of tea and mostly pleasant conversation, along with an extracted promise that she would come back to be measured for an outfit once her arm was healed. ‘They sure seem insistent on rewarding me, given that I frelling failed to protect Sweetie,’ she grumbled to herself as she wandered through Ponyville, ‘And they all were so confused when I objected that I didn’t deserve all that they were doing, even Sweetie didn’t seem to understand.’

Despite herself, Revan soon felt a half-smile tugging at her lips, the memories of her visit with Spike and the ponies, coupled with the pleasant day as she closed upon Ponyville Lake, had made short work of her troubled thoughts.

The sound of voices raised in song made it apparent that she was not the only one who had been drawn to the lakeside this mid-autumn day, curious, Revan slipped through a small copse of trees to find Cloud Kicker laying on the lakeshore alongside a pale violet unicorn youngling and a pegasus youngling with a yellow-white coat. The three ponies where still singing, although it was clear that the little unicorn was not as familiar with the song as the two pegasi. Amused by the rather domestic scene, the Jedi leaned back against a tree to listen.

Here's forty bits on the drum
For those who'll volunteer to come
To 'list and fight the foe today.
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

When duty calls me I must go
To stand and face another foe.
But part of me will always stray
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

Then fall in ponies behind the drum,
With colours blazing like the sun.
Along the road to come-what may.
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

When evil stalks upon the land,
I’ll nyther hold nor stay me’ hand.
But fight to win a better day,
Over the hills and far away.

O'er the hills and o'er the main.
Through Prance, Zebrica and Germane.
Princess Celestia commands and we obey.
Over the hills and far away.

If I should fall to rise no more,
As many comrades did before,
Then ask the fifes and drums to play.
Over the hills and far away.

The three ponies looked up as Revan slapped her thigh to applaud their performance, “Hey, Revan, what brings you out here?”

“I was walking the shore when I heard you three,” Revan explained as she grinned down at the reclining ponies, “Nice bit of singing, that, even if it was different than the soldier’s songs I know.”

“It’s an old Kicker Clan tune,” Cloud replied, “Ah, manners, this here is my little sis, Alula,” the weatherpony gave a quick neck-hug to the little pegasus, “and this is Ditzy’s youngest, Dinky,” she reached out a wing to ruffle the giggling unicorn’s mane, “Fillies, this is Revan Vao, she moved in out past Sweet Apple Acres not long ago.”

“Hello, Miss Revan,” the two younglings hailed the Jedi, as they looked up at her with wide-eyed interest.

“Oh, oh! You’re the mare Bloom, Scoots and Sweetie did their report on!” Dinky exclaimed as she launched herself across the grass to latch onto the surprised Jedi’s leg, “Thank you for protecting my friends!” Dinky beamed up at Revan, not catching her flinch, “I’m glad you’re living in Ponyville now, rather than that horrible Ord Barris place.”

“Dinks, ‘Lula, Revan and I need to talk about grown-up things for a few minutes, okay?” Cloud rose up from the grass and walked over to Revan, “Don’t wander off, and stay out of the water, alright?”

“Alright, Cloudy!” the lakeshore was soon sounding with the giggles and shouts of the two little ponies as they frolicked and chased each other about.

“So,” Cloud said as she turned a scrutinizing eye on Revan, though her ears were constantly swiveling to keep track of the younglings, “What’s got you so troubled that Dinky’s thanks has you wincing like you’re expecting somepony to hit you?”

“Saw that, did you?” Revan pulled her uninjured lek over her shoulder and began stroking it, “It’s not just little Dinky, its Rarity, the other younglings, Spike, and even Sweetie Belle herself. Chaos, half the people I pass on the street want to thank me for guarding the younglings, and Spike and Rarity actually want to reward me for getting Sweetie to the medics in time.”

Cloud raised a puzzled brow at Revan, “And there’s something wrong with that?”

“Yes!” Revan snapped, “If I had done my job and defended the younglings properly, Sweetie would be fine now! Instead, she damn near died, and now she has to spend the rest of her life with scars and a damaged lung because I frelled up! I don’t like getting accolades that I damn well don’t deserve!”

“Whoa, easy now,” Cloud Kicker put her wing on Revan’s shoulder in an attempt to calm the agitated Jedi, “You didn’t buck up. Maybe, maybe, you could have handled things differently, but taking on a rogue timberwolf Alpha is no easy thing, especially when you’re already injured yourself. And playing ‘might have done’ will make you crazy if you let it,” Cloud bumped the twi'lek with her shoulder, “You think you should have done better? Fine, do better next time, however, Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and all those other ponies think you did a pretty amazing job. And so do I.”

Cloud looked into Revan’s eye to see if her words were reaching the Jedi, “You don’t think you deserve any thanks, that’s your call, other ponies are going to think otherwise, and you’re going to have to try and respect that. As far as Rarity and Spike wanting to give you tokens of their thanks goes, if you can’t accept them for yourself, than accept their gifts for their sakes.”

Revan ran her good hand over her head and sighed, “I hear you, I don’t really understand, but I hear you. And I’ll try, for Rarity’s, Sweetie’s, and Spike’s sake.”

“Try our best is all anypony can really do,” Cloud replied, as she give Revan a quick wing-hug that turned into a slow caress down the Jedi’s back, “Personally, I think you’re being too hard on yourself and letting all your second guessing and doubts rile you up, and that's my job.”

Revan gave an amused snort as she returned Cloud’s impudent grin and leaned comfortably into the pegasus as the Jedi and the weatherpony turned to watch the younglings play.

Ch. 8; Interlude - Conversations In Canterlot

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The hustle and noise of Canterlot Station surrounded Revan as she stepped down from the Ponyville Express, where she paused for a quick stretch, before she set off into the surrounding throng of brightly colored ponies. It didn’t take long for a sardonic smile to grow on the Jedi’s face as she noticed the ponies that stopped to gawk as she passed, or the small bubble of space that kept her free of the jostling crowd, ‘Always going to be the freak. Even with the ridiculous number of sentient races on this planet, I’ll always be the one who sticks out, the one who doesn’t fit. And I damn well better get used to it,’ Revan thought, as her eye ceaselessly scanned the crowd.

Her longer legs carried Revan along at a brisk pace, and it wasn’t long before she let out a relieved breath as she left the crush of the main streets for a quite avenue. Pulling a note from her pouch, Revan double-checked the address and time of this “appointment” that the Princesses had requested of her. ‘Given how much she reads, and what a little perfectionist she is, I’m surprised at how bad Twi’s writing is,’ she chuckled quietly, ‘No wonder she has Spike take her dictation most of the time.’

Making her way along the street, Revan eventually found her destination, a small, unassuming building that looked like someone’s home, an unobtrusive sign next to the door declared “Hopeful Understanding, PsyD”. Revan’s brow furrowed for a moment as she tried to puzzle out the strange acronym, before she shrugged and raised her hand to knock.

________________________________________

Hopeful Understanding, counselling psychologist and former guardpony, smiled up at the blue biped on her doorstep, “Good afternoon, Dame Revan, you’re a bit early, but there’s no reason we can’t get started. Come in, come in.”

Leading the way to her home office, Hopeful settled into her seat and waved at another chair with her wing. The pegasus took a moment to study her newest patient, who was currently examining the room as if she suspected somepony was hiding behind the bookcases or in the potted plants. ‘She looks … almost delicate, even with her height, especially with the eyepatch and her arm bound up in a sling,’ Hopeful absently tapped the arm of her chair as she thought, ‘She’s not fragile, however she may appear, but I don’t like the look in her eye.’ “My name is Hopeful Understanding,” the pegasus introduced herself, “Did the Princesses explain why they asked you to come and speak with me?”

Revan shrugged, “Not really, something about an interview? Does this mean you have work for me?” she smiled cheerfully at Hopeful, but the pegasus found the expression to be mechanical, something done purely out of habit.

“I’m afraid not.” Hopeful explained gently, “The Princesses felt you could benefit from some therapy, especially given your experiences and your current circumstances.”

“Therapy? You’re a mental health counsellor?” Revan’s friendly expression dropped away to be replaced with a cold sneer, “Well isn’t that just frelling grand.”

Hopeful cocked her head slightly at Revan’s sudden hostility, “You have something against psychologists?” Seeing the Jedi’s confusion, she clarified, “Mental health counsellors?”

“What was your first clue?” Revan retorted frostily as she frowned at the pony.

“Would you tell me why?”

Revan continued to scowl at the pegasus for a time before finally responding, “I’ve got no tolerance for anyone who thinks they can pass judgement on how I’m supposed to feel about my frelling life, especially when they’ve never been through anything even remotely similar.”

“I’m not here to criticize you, Revan, I’m here to help you, if you’ll let me,” Hopeful assured, “And while I doubt that there is anyone in Equestria who can fully understand what you’ve gone through on a personal level, my life and yours are not completely dissimilar. I served two tours with the Royal Guard before I left to study for my practice.” She smiled reassuringly, “We have that in common, at least.”

Hopeful was glad to see that the anger in Revan’s eye had faded a little, encouraged, she decided to try again, “Is your aversion to counsellors why you decided to ‘own’ the issues from your past?”

Revan shrugged noncommittally, “I’ve always preferred the Sith’s method, anyway,” she replied, her voice distracted.

“The ‘Sith’s method’?”

The Jedi gave a startled flinch, apparently, she hadn’t realized that she had spoken her thoughts aloud, “Frell it,” she said after a few seconds of reflection, “It’s not like the old wars are going to matter to anyone here anyway. The Sith hold that if your past was … damaged,” she bared her teeth at Hopeful in a mocking smile, “You can either let it drive you forward and give you strength, or you can let it break you. And the Sith have no use for you if you’re broken.”

“There is more than one way to be broken,” Hopeful demurred, “This … outlook does not sound like the Jedi Order, at least from how you described them to the Princesses, are these ‘Sith’ a variant sect?”

Revan snorted at the pony’s question, “‘A variant sect’? Yeah, you could say that, you could also say that the Sith and the Jedi are the opposites sides of the credit chip. The Jedi preach detachment, serenity, and protection, they’re big on the whole martial pacifism thing. The Sith, the Sith are all about passion, pushing your limits, and aggression, to a Sith, the best way to deal with an enemy or threat is to obliterate it before it can harm you and yours.”

‘She’s opening up to me a little, at least,’ Hopeful thought as she wrote down a few notes, “Do you ever regret leaving the Sith?”

“Wait, what?”

“Your expression, as well as vocal tone, can reveal a lot,” Hopeful explained, “Plus, my special talent is empathy.”

“Cheater,” Revan accused the pegasus, although she was grinning as she said it, “Yeah, I regret it, sometimes, the Sith took me in, taught me what I was and how to control my abilities, made me into more than just another hired blaster. And I betrayed them. My own troops would do their damnedest to send me to chaos if they ever saw me, now,” Revan sighed, all the humor drained from her, “You do what you have to, and live with the consequences, I guess.”

“And you had to leave the Sith?” Hopeful pressed, “You couldn’t find what you needed with them?”

“Some folk I knew before I joined the Sith pointed out that I was losing myself, and I found that I believed them, and then there was the fact that some of my powers were developing a lot faster than my control, making me a danger to my soldiers. So I left,” the Jedi shrugged as if the matter was of no great consequence to her, “I always fit in better with the Sith, than I ever did in the Order.” Revan chuckled, though Hopeful found it as mechanical as her earlier smile had been, “Cold pragmatism and bloodlust aren’t really part of the Code, you know?”

The pegasus frowned at Revan, “You left to protect your troops, but they would still attack you for it?” ‘There’s following orders and procedures, but turning on a member of the squad like that is just wrong!’

“A traitor is still a traitor, whatever the reason for it,” Revan suddenly stood up, “Well, it’s been … nice … speaking with you, Counsellor, but I have to go do … a thing … at the place …”

Hopeful rose to her own hooves as she pulled a small card out from her desk and offered it to the Jedi, “If you ever want to talk, Revan, my door is always open.”

Revan took the card from her hoof and looked at it for a few seconds, before giving Hopeful a sharp nod as she slipped the card into one of her belt pouches and turned for the door, “Good day to you, Counsellor.”

‘Not the best start for therapy,’ Hopeful sighed to herself, ‘but we must have faith,’ she sat back at her desk to begin her preliminary report for the Princesses.

________________________________________

“How was your meeting?” The Princess of the Sun was seated at table in one of the castle’s smaller dinning chambers, enjoying a quite supper in the company of her little sister and Ponyville’s resident Jedi.

‘It was a thing,” Revan replied, tossing an irritated glance at the alicorn, “You know, I don’t appreciate being thrown to a mental health counsellor, even if Hopeful was less sanctimonious than most I’ve met.”

“You were not ‘thrown’ to anypony,” Celestia countered, “You were made aware of a potential source of treatment, Dr. Hopeful is highly recommended, might I add, and given a chance to embrace the help that, to be perfectly blunt, you are in great need of.”

“I am with thou, Revan Vao,” Luna cut in, forestalling the Jedi’s retort, “I cannot bring mineself to fully trust these ‘psychologist’ either.”

Celestia rolled her eyes in exasperation at the both of them, before turning the conversation to less touchy, she hoped, matters, “How are you finding Ponyville?”

“It’s nice, if bizarre,” seeing the inquiring looks from the two alicorns, Revan clarified, “Last week a pony just burst into song, out of nowhere, and almost two dozen other ponies up and joined in like they had rehearsed the whole thing. It was entertaining as all chaos, but, like I said, bizarre.”

The warm sound of the sisters’ laughter filled the room, “I suppose our little ponies’ penchant for heartsongs is rather curious to those who are not used to it,” Luna observed, “Thou have been keeping thyself occupied? I am well aware of how poorly some deal with extended periods of convalescence.” The younger alicorn smirked at her sister, who responded with proper regal decorum, by sticking her tongue out at her fellow diarch.

Revan snickered at the princesses’ antics, “I try and keep busy. I even went out with Cloud Kicker, one of the local weatherponies, earlier this week,” she smiled at the memory, “I’m also spending a lot of time at the library with Twi’, answering questions and learning about Equestria.”

As she turned towards Luna, Revan’s face lost its earlier cheerfulness, “I’m glad that the girls and these ‘elements’ were able to free you, Princess, I’ve dealt with dark spirits before, and I wouldn’t wish possession on anyone,” she said gravely.

Luna’s ears dropped flat to her head as she looked away, “The Nightmare hurt so many, because I was weak, because I allowed mineself to become a danger to mine sister and our little ponies …”

“That’s enough!” Revan slammed her hand on the table as she angrily interrupted the lunar diarch, “This ‘Nightmare’ wore you like a frelling meat-suit, Luna! Its actions are on its head, not yours, if you keep tearing at yourself over what it did, you’re letting the bastard rule your life from the grave!”

“Thou speak as if dealing with mine blame was a simple thing,” Luna observed despondently, but her ears had risen slightly.

“Simple? Probably not for you,” Revan conceded, “It will take time, and somethings cannot be forgiven, but eventually, you need to stop condemning yourself for things you had no control over.”

The little group passed the next few minutes in a bleak silence, then Revan broke the somber mood when she leaned forward and leered at the younger princess, “If it helps, I’ll happily spank you whenever you start to backslide.” Her outlandish offer drew a surprised laugh from Luna, as Revan purred at the Princess of the Night, “I’ve had dreams about disciplining a naughty princess.”

“I fear I must decline thy most generous offer,” Luna asserted loftily, although her attempt at reclaiming her royal dignity was helped by neither her burning cheeks nor by Celestia’s giggles.

The conversation between the three turned to more mundane matters and common small talk for a time, although Luna remained pensive. Eventually, the small gathering wound down as Luna’s duties called for her attention, still, the lunar diarch delayed her departure for a final word with their guest, “Revan Vao, I would make an accord with thee.”

“Eh? What about?”

“I will try to separate mine actions from the Nightmare’s, and I vow to do mine best to shoulder only the weight of mine own sins, if,” Luna raised a hoof to point at the Jedi, “if, thou agrees to continue to see Counsellor Hopeful and thou tries to let her help thee.”

Revan blinked at Luna, “No spankings?” she pouted.

“No spankings,” Luna asserted, as she did her best to ignore her own heated cheeks and Celestia’s newest fit of giggles, “I understand that what I request may be no simpler for thou than mine own efforts will be for me, but that is the pact I ask of thee.”

Revan mulled over the alicorn’s offer for a few moments, before she hesitantly nodded her head in agreement, “Fine, I’ll do it, but only for your sake, Luna.”

Smiling her thanks, Luna excused herself, leaving Revan and Celestia alone in the dinning chamber. The elder princess watched for a time as Revan broodingly stroked her lek, before she finally intruded on the Jedi’s thoughts, “There’s no need to look so grim, Revan, you’re not being punished, after all. Luna and I only want to help you, and we believe that Counsellor Hopeful could be of great assistance, if you’d only let her.”

“Help,” Revan grunted, “Everyone wants to help me, you, Luna, Hopeful, the girls back in Ponyville, all of you want to help me ‘cope with’ my past, regardless of whether I actually want help or not. When did I become such a charity case?” Seeing the worry on Celestia’s face, she smiled crookedly as she leaned over to give the alicorn’s foreleg a quick squeeze, “I get that you’re all just concerned, I do, but I’ll be damned if I can understand why the frell any of you care so much.”

“‘Harmony, understanding and friendship’, remember? And a part of friendship is looking out for those you care about even when, or especially when, you are worried that they are not looking after themselves, even if your friend does not, or cannot, see why their behavior has you concerned.” Celestia levitated her cup of tea to her lips and watched Revan over the rim as she considered the Princess’ words, ‘Not as promising a beginning as I might have hoped for, but still, Luna and Revan are both at least willing to try, however reluctantly.’

Ch. 9; An Obligatory Joke

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Revan curled under her blanket as she tried to go back to sleep, yesterday had been so nice, she had finally gotten the sling and brace off her arm. Then, after helping out around Applejack’s farm, she had wandered through the Everfree Forest for hours, climbing the trees and slipping through the brush for the sheer joy of being able to use both of her arms. With a sleepy smile, the Jedi reached up a hoof to scratch her muzzle.

…

The stream of half-coherent blasphemies that followed could be heard all the way to the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, disturbing the early morning calm of the local birds and woodland critters as Revan spewed vitriol into the air.

Having vented her anger for the moment, Revan struggled to her hooves, only to have one of her wings suddenly snap out, sending her stumbling as she tried to regain her balance, ‘Wings? Oh for frell’s sake! Changing species wasn’t bad enough, I had to get extra limbs while I was at it?’

Revan slowly made her way over to her fold-out desk, her progress hindered by the wings that flared and flapped from random muscle twitches. Finally reaching her goal, Revan reached out with a hoof to grab her eyepatch, ‘Okay, I’ve seen the ponies do this hundreds of times. Just … grip it … somehow … it’ll work.’

It didn’t.

After several more futile attempts, Revan was gritting her teeth in frustration. Out of patience, she reached out with the Force and yanked the eyepatch to her telekinetically, ‘Why didn’t I do that to begin with?’ she wondered, as she banged her face into the desk in exasperation.

Eventually, Revan got her eyewear in place and sat considering her situation, as she ignored the pain in her muzzle, and the matching ache in the back of her head (courtesy of somehow smacking herself with her own wing), “Okay, I’m a pegasus, now. The only reasonable explanation is magic -- and that’s one line I never imagined saying -- so I need an expert on magic to figure this out. I hope Twi’ is up to this …”

After using her telekinesis to cycle the hatch, Revan sent out for Golden Oaks Library, although her progress was slowed as the random flailing of her wings frequently caused her to stumble or even fall. Eventually, Revan determined that she could control her wings if she concentrated hard enough, but the required focus did nothing for her speed, and distracted her enough that she still staggered over stones and uneven patches in the path.

As she finally arrived at her destination, Revan’s battered pride took comfort in the belief that it was too early for anypony to have seen the spectacle of her drunken-looking progress through the town. ‘I really hope Twi’ can fix this,’ Revan thought as she raised a hoof to pound on the library door.

________________________________________

Her eyes still heavy with sleep, Twilight staggered down the stairs, “I’m coming!” she yelled in irritation at whoever was beating on her door, ‘At least Spike is sleeping-over with the Crusaders, or this racket would already have woken him up.’ “Yes?” Twilight asked, having remembered her manners at the last moment, as she opened the door to confront a black-maned, cyan-blue pegasus with an eyepatch.

The dust-coated pony pushed past Twilight, “I know its early and your pissed, Twi’, but this is an emergency,” the strange mare said in an oddly familiar voice, as she turned to face the unicorn.

“Revan?” Twilight asked uncertainly as her sleep-fogged mind combined with the oddness of the situation to confound her usually quick wits, “You’re a pony?”

The pegasus looked herself over, “Yes, yes I am.”

“What happened to you?”

“I was hoping you could tell me!” Revan snapped, before she took a few deep breathes to calm herself, “Sorry, sorry, I’m a little on edge, you know?”

Twilight waved aside the Jedi’s apology, “You’re upset, I understand.” Sitting down at her desk, the unicorn pulled over a sheet of paper and levitated a quill, “So, let’s go over everything you did yesterday, and hopefully we can figure out what happened.”

“Alright … I got up at 0700 and did my normal morning routine. Left for Ponyville at 0830 so I could make my appointment with Dr. Horse at 0900. Got a clean fit-rep and headed over to Applejack’s, arrived around 1000. I was doing farm work until about 1300 --”

“Did anything unusual happen at Sweet Apple Acres?” Twilight asked, interrupting Revan.

“No, it was just manual labor, hauling wood, helping check the roofs for leaks and weak-spots, that sort of thing. Let’s see … after I left AJ’s I went into the Everfree to do some exploring and work some more of the kinks out of my arm --”

“Wait,” Twilight broke in again, “The Everfree? Did you come across a blue flower with large leaves?”

“Yeah, I did, a whole clearing of them. Kinda pretty, actually. Why?”

“Poison joke,” groaned the unicorn as she reached up to pinch the bridge of her muzzle, “Of course. Well, at any rate it’ll be easy enough to cure.”

“Cure?” Revan leaned forward as she stared intently at Twilight, “You can fix me?”

“Definitely. It’ll just take some time to gath--” Twilight found herself being the one interrupted this time, as the pegasus lunged across the room and kissed her full on the mouth.

Taken completely by surprise, Twilight was left red-faced and gasping for breath when Revan finally broke the kiss. “If you can get me back in my right body, Twilight Sparkle,” the pegasus said, her own face a bit flushed and her wings poofed out, “I swear I’ll do anything you want. You want it of me, you get it, no questions asked.”

“Eep!” was all the response Twilight’s overheated brain could come up. Flustered and out of her depth, Twilight fled to her basement laboratory, where she brought a hoof to her barrel and started in with her breathing exercises in the hope of regaining her composure. ‘She didn’t mean that the way it sounded,’ the agitated librarian thought, ‘Revan is just very affectionate, and her transformation has her disconcerted and overreacting, that’s all. She couldn’t actually be serious … could she?’ Twilight shook her head at the notion, ‘Revan was overstating her gratitude in her enthusiasm, nothing more. Yes, just some harmless exaggeration, is all, nothing to get worked up over.’

Her self-control firmly back in place, Twilight headed back up the stairs, only to pause as a thought occurred to her, ‘What do I do with Revan while I’m out collecting the materials for the cure?’

________________________________________

“Really, darling, it’s fine. You need something to keep yourself busy while Twilight is away, and you are overdue for some relaxation and pampering,” Rarity, Ponyville’s authority on fashion and semi-professional soprano, said as she used her tail to brush the dust off Revan’s coat, “Just give me a moment, after all, we don’t want to look like a ruffian, now do we?”

“I am a ruffian,” the cyan pegasus countered with a roll of her eye, prompting a prim sniff from Rarity and quite giggles from Fluttershy, “But seriously, girls, thanks for letting me tag along.”

“Think nothing of it, Revan. Once Lotus and Aloe get done with you, you’ll feel like a new pony,” Rarity gave her a last inspection before deciding that the Jedi-turned-pegasus was, barely, fit to be seen in public, “There we are, a little spa time and you’ll be a proper dashing hero again.” The unicorn chose to ignore it as Revan rolled her eye again.

As the three mares made their way through Ponyville, Revan’s stiffly measured walk caught Fluttershy’s notice, “Um, are you alright, Revan?”

“It’s these frelling wings,” Revan grumbled, not noticing the way her two companions frowned slightly at her crudity, “trying to keep them under control has my back cramping up.”

“Control your wings? Oh! You’re thinking about them too much,” the yellow pegasus explained in her soft voice, “It’s just like with your legs, all you need to do is let your instincts guide you, and then you’ll be able to handle them fine."

Revan just looked at Fluttershy for a moment, before she sighed and put a hoof on the timid mare’s shoulder, “’Shy, I’m not supposed to even have these wings, I don’t have any instincts for dealing with them.”

“Actually, you probably do,” Rarity disagreed, as she gently herded her two friends towards the spa, “That horrible poison joke gave you everything else you needed for your wings to work, I’d be surprised if it didn’t give you the instincts as well.” She smiled at Revan, “I understand that telling somepony to not think of something is the surest way to get them too, but if you cleared your mind, I believe the instincts that Fluttershy is talking about would surface.”

Revan pondered her friends’ advice while Rarity held open the door to the Ponyville Day Spa and waved the two pegasi inside.

________________________________________

Rarity and Fluttershy giggled like fillies as they made their way back to Golden Oaks, while Revan walked beside them with a look of discomfited annoyance on her face. “I’m sorry, Revan,” Fluttershy managed to say through her titters, “But who would have expected the brave knight to have such ticklish hooves?”

The Jedi tried to maintain her vexed manner for another few steps, but Fluttershy’s apology pierced her irritation and left Revan with a small, sheepish grin of her own, “Fine, maybe it was a little funny,” she glanced around, then leaned closer to her two friends, “Let’s just keep this to ourselves, okay? I have a reputation I’d like to maintain.”

“Honestly, Revan,” Rarity interjected, having finally gained control of her own laughter, “There’s nothing wrong with showing your softer side on occasion, no matter what foolishness Rainbow Dash insists on clinging to.” Turning slightly, she gave the cyan pegasus an approving smile, “And the spa was exactly what you needed, darling, you look like a gallant cavalier from a romance,” Rarity gushed.

Revan blinked at the unicorn, and then held out a hoof, “Hi, we apparently haven’t been introduced, I’m Revan Vao, I kill people and break things. If you’re looking for chivalry and refined behavior, I’m afraid you’ll need to try elsewhere.”

“Oh hush!” Rarity commanded as she put her hoof on the Jedi’s shoulder, “You are not the brute you insist on thinking yourself to be, and one day we’ll get you to realize it.”

The one-eyed pegasus snorted coarsely, and Rarity was certain that Revan had been as uncouth as possible on purpose, before she shoved the library door open and barged in with a shout, “Twi’! We’re back to pillage your archives and plunder your pantry!”

“Keep it down!” the librarian admonished the noisy Jedi, “This is a library!” Turning to the rest of the little group, Twilight’s face relaxed into a smile, “How was the spa?”

“Oh, it was very nice,” Fluttershy assured the purple unicorn.

Rarity nodded in agreement, “It was quite relaxing, and don’t let Revan bother you, Twilight, she’s taken it into her head to be difficult, even if she does look fabulous.”

Finally taking a real look at her transformed friend, Twilight blinked at the magic Aloe and Lotus had wrought on the normally rather indifferently dressed Jedi, “Wow. Uhm, I mean, Yes! The spa did a wonderful job. Not that Revan didn’t look nice before! I-I mean, oh, what did I mean? Yes! I have the cure ready! That’s what I meant.”

Rarity considered Twilight’s babbling with amused interest, while Revan ignored it in favor of eagerly descending upon the librarian, “You got it? All right, Twi’! Where is it? Do I drink it or inject it? How fast does it work?”

“Whoa, whoa,” Twilight interrupted the barrage of questions as she tried to calm down her friend, “The cure is topical, it’s in the red bottle on the counter in my bathroom. We need to fill the tub half-way, pour in the entire bottle, and then you’ll need to soak in it until the medicine can counteract the poison joke’s effects.”

“Half fill the tub, use the full bottle, and soak until I change back, right, got it. Where’s the bathroom?” Twilight pointed a hoof, and then shared a giggle with Rarity and Fluttershy at how enthusiastically Revan rushed for the tub.

The bookish unicorn gestured towards the coaches scattered about the library’s main room, “We might as well get comfortable, this might take a while.”

Settling themselves on the couches, the three mares whiled away the time as they exchanged the anecdotes and bits of news that they would have normally shared during their time at the spa, while the faint sounds of sloshing water could be heard from the second-floor bathroom.

After a time, the splashing water quieted, but the three ponies’ sensitive ears could hear the moans that replaced it, and then faint words, “Oh fingers, how I missed you. Oh, yes…”

Exchanging embarrassed glances, the mares slowly walked up to the bathroom’s door as the moans continued, “Revan? Is everything alright?” Twilight called out nervously.

The bathroom went quite, then there was the sound of splashing water before the door jerked open and a wet, naked, and herbal-smelling twi’lek glomped onto the surprised unicorn, wrapping around her in a tight hug, “Thank you, Twi’! Thank you! Thank you! I’m me again!”

Rarity grinned widely as she watched Revan’s behavior, as well as at how red Twilight’s cheeks were getting, though the librarian’s erratic breathing was becoming a bit worrisome … “Revan? Darling? Would you let Twilight go?”

“Don’wanna,” Revan pouted, cuddling closer to her captive unicorn and breathing into her twitching ear, “Twi’ is all snuggly.”

“I’m sure she is,” out of the corner of her eye, Rarity could see that Fluttershy was torn between how adorable the scene before them was, and a mounting concern for Twilight’s well-being, “But she cannot breathe, darling.”

“Oh, sorry,” Twilight waved away the Jedi’s apology as she brought a hoof to her barrel, and then slowly pushed it out as she tried to steady her breathing, her face still burning enough to light a fireplace.

“Well, I guess I should be getting back, thanks for everything, Twi’, girls,” Revan reached out to take Twilight’s face in her hands, pulling her into a short, but intense, kiss, “And you remember my promise, Twilight Sparkle, because I meant every word.” Revan smiled at the unicorn, as she gave her a second, swift kiss on the nose, before she rose to her feet and casually sauntered down the stairs and out the door.

Turing away from the departing Jedi, Rarity fixed Twilight with a scrutinizing gaze as a wide smirk adorned her muzzle, “And what promise would this be, Twilight?”

“Meep!”

Ch. 10; Winter Holiday, Part 1

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The cutting winter wind blowing through Ponyville station made Twilight glad she was wearing her scarf as she stood inspecting her saddlebags, a checklist held in her magenta aura, “Dark glasses, check, spare paper and quills, check, personal letters for Shiny and Caddy, check, books for the train ride, check, Hearth’s Warming gifts, check …”

“It should be nice to see your family for Hearth’s Warming,” Fluttershy murmured, “even if you are technically on royal business.”

“Indeed, darling,” Rarity said, as she reflexively reached out to adjust Twilight’s scarf, causing the librarian to roll her eyes good-naturedly at the white unicorn’s fussiness, “First the Princess’ personal student, and now Emissary to the Crystal Empire! Your star is certainly on the rise!”

Twilight blushed, uncomfortable with Rarity’s praise, “I’m just deliver some papers for Celestia, is all, there’s nothing for anypony to get worked up about.”

“Of course, darling, of course, there is nothing special about your trip at all,” the fashionista agreed, only to lean towards Twilight with a playful grin, “That only leaves the question of why the Princesses asked Revan to accompany you as your personal guard, hmm?”

“It’s nothing like that!” Twilight protested, “The Princesses just wanted Revan to get out and meet ponies, to see some more of the world, that’s all, nopony is actually taking this ‘personal guard’ thing seriously.”

“Are you sure?” asked Fluttershy, as she waved at the figure trudging through the snow towards them.

Reaching the trio of ponies, Revan pulled herself to attention while she raised a fist to her breast in salute, “Revan Vao, reporting as requested for security detail, Emissary Sparkle.”

“Not you too!” Twilight moaned in dismay.

Revan maintained her stiff pose for a few moments before she cracked a smile, “You’re just too easy sometimes, Twi’,” she said as she reached out to scratch the unicorn’s ear, causing Twilight to blush even more as she unconsciously leaned into the Jedi’s fingers.

While tittering inside at the picture the two presented, Rarity felt herself compelled to break in on their moment, “Revan, darling, don’t you have anything warmer to wear?”

Revan glanced at the other unicorn while her fingers continued their work, “I’m not exactly rife with clothing options, Rares. Anyway, I can deal with the cold, as long as it doesn’t get to bad, it’ll just drain me is all.”

“Unacceptable!” Rarity dug in her own saddlebags for a moment, before she pushed a wrapped package into the surprised Jedi’s arms, “This was supposed to be your Hearth’s Warming gift, but I simply insist you open it now.”

Twilight pouted slightly as Revan stopped scratching the unicorn’s ear to stare at Rarity in confusion, “Gift? Hearth’s Warming? What?”

“Hearth’s Warming is a celebration of harmony and the power of friendship, and also marks the anniversary of the founding of Equestria,” Twilight expounded, dropping into lecture mode, “One of the primary traditions, along with pageants and carols, is the giving of gifts to friends, family, and loved ones.”

“But I didn’t get anyone anything …”

“None of that now,” Rarity brushed aside the Jedi’s protests, “Open your present before you catch cold.”

Faced with Twilight and Fluttershy’s curious looks and Rarity’s expectant one, Revan shrugged and tore through the wrappings, “Oh,” she half-whispered as she stroked the densely woven red cloak in her arms, “Thank you, Rarity.”

“You’re very welcome, darling,” the fashionista replied with a smile, “Now get bundled-up, the train will be boarding soon.”

________________________________________

Having bid farewell to their friends, Twilight and Revan eagerly grabbed seats in one of the cars. Seeing as the train was only half-full, the car they choose was empty except for themselves and a family of four earth ponies. “How long is this trip supposed to take, anyway?” Revan asked as she stretched out in her seat.

“About four and a half days, unless we hit bad weather,” Twilight answered, as she got comfortable on her own couch, “The Princesses have really put a lot of effort into improving the rail lines between Equestria and the Crystal Empire. It took us two-and-a-half days the first time the gang and I went to the Empire on a guard express train, and then we had another two days on hoof before we reached the Empire itself.”

“Your first time … That would be when the Empire and Sombra returned, right?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, it was a pretty scary experience.”

“You girls do seem to have a nasty habit of going up against some heavy-hitters; Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis,” the unicorn felt her cheeks redden as Revan reached over to tousle her mane, “I wouldn’t mind hearing the boots-on-the-ground version of what happened, though, if you feel up to it.”

Twilight chewed on her lip for a moment as she considered the Jedi’s request, ‘It’s over and we won, even if I do still have the occasional nightmare,’ before she finally nodded and began her tale.

________________________________________

As the day wore on, the pair passed the time with talking, reading or by exchanging stories, with Revan providing the occasional tactical appraisal of one of the unicorn’s adventures. While Twilight found the Jedi’s opinions and insights to be interesting from a purely intellectual standpoint, the ruthlessness frequently involved, particularly Revan’s casual assertion that she would have simply concentrated on killing one or two of the mares during the trip through the Everfree to confront Nightmare Moon, left the unicorn rather unsettled.

After turning in, Twilight found the memories brought back by her talk with Revan, coupled with the newly identified bloody possibilities that she and her friends could have faced, left her unable to sleep. After what she suspected was a few hours of restless tossing, a shadow loomed over the startled librarian, but before she could ignite her magic, Revan’s voice whispered out of the dark as she wrapped another cover over the unicorn, “Sleep, Twi’. It’s alright, I’ll keep you safe.”

Her unease soothed, Twilight finally slipped into sleep before her tired mind could ponder why she found Revan’s words so comforting.

________________________________________

The smell of coffee, scrambled eggs, pancakes and haybacon teased Twilight back to consciousness, leaving her blinking blearily up at a grinning Jedi from where she was curled under her covers, ‘Why am I wrapped in Revan’s cloak?’

“Fall in, soldier,” Revan cheerfully bade the sleepy unicorn, “I brought you some chow, but if you don’t claim it right quick, these bandits will steal it,” she pointed over to the two giggling little foals that shared the car with them, both of whom were watching the breakfast tray with avid interest.

Faced with the threat of losing her breakfast, Twilight quickly made the decision that her bedmane could wait, despite how horrified Rarity would have been at the concept, and set to with gusto, although she did pause to ask, “Aren’t you having anything?” in between mouthfuls.

“I grabbed a bite earlier,” Revan replied, “You got a little something there …”

The unicorn wiped her muzzle, “Oh, yes, thank you for the loan of your cloak.”

“It was nothing,” Revan replied sheepishly as she took back the proffered garment, “You looked cold.”

‘That seems reasonable,’ Twilight nodded in response, ‘Revan appears a bit flustered, I wonder what’s wrong?’ “I still appreciate it. Did you sleep well?”

“I don’t sleep much,” Revan shrugged, “Haven’t for years.”

Twilight put down her mug and frowned up at the Jedi, “Prolonged periods of insomnia are often indicators of physiological or psychological distress. Have you spoken to a doctor about this?”

“I’m fine, Twi’,” Revan waved aside the librarian’s concern.

“If you’ve been having trouble sleeping for years, you are by definition not ‘fine’,” Twilight disagreed, “You know you can always talk to me or the other fillies. Please, let us help you.”

Revan considered Twilight for a moment, then snatched up the breakfast tray, “You should get ready for the day. I’ll take these back to the dining car,” Twilight sighed in disappointment as she watched the Jedi flee the car.

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As Twilight ran through her pre-disembarking checklist she thought back over the ups and downs of the past few days. Revan had continued being uncommunicative in regards to her chronic insomnia, indeed, she would withdraw into herself if Twilight tried to press her on the issue, and the unicorn found the ensuing cold silences particularly painful, although she could not clearly articulate the reason why, even to herself.

Aside from those occasional snags, Twilight found she had enjoyed the trip, whether talking with Revan, just reading together, or playing with the foals who shared their car. Twilight giggled to herself as she recalled how confused Revan had been when she and the two foals tried to explain the concept of a pillow fort to her. Once the Jedi had finally caught on, however, she had been quite enthusiastic in her assistance with the construction project.

Picking up the red cloak from beside her in her aura, Twilight walked over to where Revan was currently stretched out on a coach with her nose buried in one of Twilight’s Daring Do novels, “Thank you for your cloak, again, Revan.”

The Jedi shifted awkwardly in her seat, her cheeks darkening, “Yeah, you just …”

“Looked cold?” Twilight asked, “It appears that I have ‘looked cold’ every night of our trip so far,” she smiled at the Jedi, “It is very kind how you worry about me,” leaning forward, she nuzzled her friend affectionately.

Revan gave an uncomfortable cough, then quickly changed the subject, “So what’s with all the headwear?” she gestured at Twilight’s wide brimmed hat and dark glasses, “My briefing said we would need eye protection, but the Princesses didn’t actually tell me why.”

Twilight took a seat as she began her lecture, “The sunlight within the Crystal Empire is particularly intense, and can be damaging to the unadapted eye. It is believed to be due to a combination of the strong northern sunlight, a focusing effect that appears to be a byproduct of the magical dome that mitigates the worst of the sub-arctic weather, and the reflective qualities of the buildings and ponies of the Empire itself. Immigrants and long-term visitors get surgery to acclimatize their eyes to the extreme light, while short-term visitors rely on hats and dark glasses when outside,” she gestured to her own accessories, “You did bring something to protect your eyes, didn’t you?”

The Jedi rolled her eye as she dug into her pack and pulled out a pair of dark, wrap-around goggles, “I used to use these eye shields when I was doing repairs on my ship. If they can handle arc welders and laser torches, I think they’ll be good for some pumped-up sunlight.”

The train gave a lurch and its whistle let out a long blast, interrupting whatever response Twilight would have made, “We must be coming into the station,” she observed as she wrapped her saddlebags in her magenta aura and readied her scarf.

________________________________________

Having disembarked, the unicorn and twi’lek stood off to one side, letting the platform empty as they took in the glittering buildings – and ponies – of the Crystal Empire, “Wow.”

“I know,” Twilight agreed, “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

Revan looked out at the locals sparkling in the winter sun, “Are those ponies actually made of gems?”

“Not at all,” Twilight shook her head, “Their crystalline appearance is a byproduct of the Crystal Heart’s magic. When crystal ponies travel away from the Empire, their appearance become much like that of any other pony, although their coats and manes usually retain a distinctive gleaming quality.”

“Huh,” the Jedi considered Twilight’s explanation of the crystal ponies’ unusual looks, before she drew herself up and took a step toward an approaching figure, “Heads up, Twi’, we’ve got incoming.”

The stranger, a thestral mare in the purple livery of the Crystal Empire Legion, stopped a few strides away and saluted smartly, “Emissary Twilight? I’m Commander Schmetterling, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor send their regrets that they could not met you personally, and have requested that I escort you to the royal apartments. Their highnesses will join you as soon as their duties permit.”

“Thank you, Commander, this is my friend, Revan Vao,” the Jedi nodded politely to Schmetterling, but maintained her watchful demeanor, “Well, I guess we should be going.”

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“I appreciate your assistance with Twilight, Schmetterling,” Mi Amore Cadenza, Cadance to pretty much everypony, sovereign of the Crystal Empire, Princess of Love, and foal-sitter first-class, said to the thestral walking beside her, “However, I was wondering what impressions you gained of her bodyguard.”

“It’s no problem at all, Princess,” Schmetterling replied, “If I may ask, what did Princess Celestia tell you about this Revan pony?”

“Not much, I’m afraid,” Cadance grumbled, “Auntie ‘Tia was being enigmatic again. All she would tell me is that Revan is an alien, from outer space, who is stranded here, that she is friends with Twilight and the other Bearers of Harmony, that she was a knight, military not noble, back home, and that she has ‘issues’,” Cadance raised her forehooves to make air quotes on the last word.

The thestral stopped to gape at her liege, “We have an actual alien in the palace, and she’s a knight as well?” Schmetterling reached up to rub the bridge of her muzzle, “A space knight like something out of a bit novel, wonderful, how is Shining Armor not geeking out over this?”

“Oh, he is,” Cadance giggled, “He’s just doing it quietly. But that’s part of why I want to know your take on her.”

Schmetterling tapped a hoof on her chin, “My impression of her was … mixed, Princess. Her speech was pleasant, if somewhat coarse, during our trip to the palace, and she was often jesting with Emissary Twilight, or commenting on how wondrous she found our city to be. Her more subtle behaviors, on the other hoof, were less affable. She was constantly checking on every sudden noise or movement, and she tensed up whenever anypony came near. While such behavior could have merely been protectiveness of her charge, it did not feel so … benign to me,” the thestral shrugged and continued her report, “Based on my limited interaction with her, I believe Dame Revan is truly fond and protective of Emissary Twilight, but I also fear she may be a, at least borderline, berserker.”

Cadance frowned in thought, “So you think she could be dangerously unstable, but she may just be taking her duties as Twilight’s guardian very seriously, and either way, you believe she does care for Twilight. Wonderful,” she sighed, “The situation has the potential to become either horrifying or heartwarming, depending on which it is and how her relationship with Twilight and the other Bearers develops.”

As she opened the door to the royal quarters, the sound of a raised voice from deeper within caused the two ponies to pause just within the threshold, “Damnit!”

“Let me see.”

“Eh, it’s just bleeding a bit.”

“Give it here.”

“What?”

“Give it here.”

Cadance grinned as she motioned to Schmetterling to be quite and slipped into the suite, the two ponies quickly stole up to the kitchen doorway and peeked within to find Twilight calmly sucking on the finger of a markedly red-faced Revan. The princess and her soldier watched the scene for a few moments, until it became too much for Cadance, “D’aww.”

Whirling around, Twilight let out a happy squeal as she saw the ponies in the doorway, “Caddy!” dropping to the ground, she and Cadance began their traditional chant-and-dance greeting.

“Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake … clap your hooves and do a little shake!”

Cadance folded a beaming Twilight into a hug, while Schmetterling kept her face impassive at her sovereign’s display, and Revan simply stared at the two mares with a goofy smile on her face, “You know, Twi’, I usually have to pay a cute girl to shake her ass in my face like that,” the Jedi jested, smirking at the unicorn.

Blushing furiously, Twilight hoofed her friend in the shoulder, “Caddy, this vulgar mare is my friend Revan. Revan, this is Princess Cadance, my sister-in-law and the best foal-sitter in the history of foal-sitters!”

Cadance smiled at her little sister’s new companion, “Welcome to the Crystal Empire, Revan,” she extended a hoof for the Jedi to shake, “So, what were you two doing that got you a cut finger?”

“Twi’ wanted to have dinner waiting when you and her brother got back,” Revan explained with a shrug, “Since she isn’t the cook that Spike is, and I’m no cook at all, we haven’t finished yet,” she nodded at the kitchen counters where the chopped vegetables for a salad lay spread out while a pot of soup bubbled on the stove.

“So I see. Thank you for accompanying me back to the apartments, and for sharing your insights with me, Schmetterling, I hope you have a pleasant evening,” dismissed, the thestral excused herself as Cadance turned back to the kitchen, “Shall we finish getting dinner ready, then?”

________________________________________

Soon after they finished setting the table, Shining Armor returned to the happy squeals of Twilight and much hugging, Cadance smiled contentedly at the siblings’ display, while Revan rolled her eye in amusement.

Sitting down to their meal, the ponies happily caught up with each other’s lives, although Cadance observed that Revan said little, apparently content to merely watch and listen as the others shared their gossip and anecdotes. Shining had also noticed the Jedi’s reticence and tried to draw her out, “I imagine Ponyville must seem rather quite compared to traveling between the stars as a knight-errant. Have you been able to keep yourself busy?”

“I do get restless on occasion, but mostly I do odd jobs around town or go hunting in the Everfree to keep myself distracted. And there’s always drinking, and frelling for my downtime, since there isn’t much to fight, although I find I’ve been spending a lot of time at Twi’s library since I arrived,” Revan replied easily, oblivious to Twilight’s facehoof and Shining’s shocked look at her bluntness.

“That does it,” growled the mortified librarian as she raised her face to glare at her friend, “When we get back to Ponyville, I’m having Applejack and Rarity teach you some tact!”

Revan merely chuckled at Twilight’s embarrassment, “I think they can find a better use for their time than wasting it trying to put polish on a gutter rat,” her self-denigrating words drawing an exasperated sigh from Twilight.

Despite its rough beginning, the by-play between Twilight and Revan finally drew the Jedi into the conversation around the table, and she was soon cheerfully answering the crystal royalties’ questions, teasing Twilight or tossing off acerbic comments, all of which was observed with interest by Cadance.

As the night wore on and the discussion wound down, Cadance turned the little group’s attention to the coming day, “While most of tomorrow will be free for whatever you two might have planned, we are holding a soirée in the evening to celebrate Hearth’s Warming, and Shiny and I would like you both to attend,” she laughed at the sour look her request brought to Twilight’s face, “This won’t be as stuffy as the Gala, I promise. Really, how Auntie ‘Tia puts up with it year after year is beyond me! But I’m afraid it will be somewhat formal, since it will be the actual celebration for the royal court.”

Shining nodded in agreement as he joined in, “We decided to hold the official observance on Hearth’s Warming Eve, that way the palace staff could spend the holiday itself with their families,” he grinned at his LSBFF as he continued, “The ambassadors will probably be the same as the ones back in Canterlot, but the local nobility aren’t nearly as pompous, even if they are tremendously old-fashioned.” Shining ducked as Twilight groaned and threw a dinner roll at him.

________________________________________

“But I don’t want to leave you all alone on Hearth’s Warming Eve!” Twilight protested as she and Revan walked down a palace hall on their way to drop in on Shining Armor.

“You’re not leaving me alone,” the Jedi countered, “I’m giving you some personal time with your brother and sister, it’ll just be for a few hours. Besides we have that court function tonight, so it’s not like we won’t see each other today,” the twi’lek raised a hand in greeting to an approaching thestral, “‘Morning, Schmetterling.”

The legionnaire commander nodded politely to the pair, “Good morning to you, Dame Revan, Emissary Twilight, I couldn’t help but overhear your discussion, if I might offer a suggestion? Dame Revan could spend her time with the Legion while we train. That way you may enjoy your time with your family, Emissary, secure in the knowledge that Dame Revan has not been left forlorn, while you,” the thestral nodded her head at the Jedi, “can see some of how we do things here in the Empire. And perhaps we can learn a bit from your experiences out among the stars.”

Twilight chewed on her lip uncertainly as she looked back and forth between the two warriors, “I don’t know … are you sure you’ll be okay with this, Revan?”

“It’ll be fine, Twi’,” the Jedi reached out to give her friend’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, “I could do with some stretching, and I would like to see how you ponies train. Now you go and see your brother,” as the unicorn finally continued on her way down the hall, Revan turned to Schmetterling, “Shall we be off, Commander?”

Ch. 11; Winter Holiday, Part 2

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Revan stood at parade rest, the sweat from PT quickly cooling on her skin in the winter chill, as she watched a number of ponies sparring with spear, sword, or these odd-looking blades strapped to the wings of the few pegasi. “They look impressive,” she observed to the uniformed thestral standing beside her, “And you appear to work them hard enough …”

“But?” Commander Schmetterling asked.

“But they seem to keep passing up on killing blows,” the twi’lek frowned in confusion.

“The Guard and the Legion are primarily peacekeeping organizations, so we train our ponies to avoid needless bloodshed,” the mare glanced over at her companion, “I thought the Jedi were also peacekeepers, are their methods so different?”

“Peacekeepers yes, but when the blades come out, every Jedi is willing to leave bodies behind him,” Revan gave the legionnaire officer a predatory grin as she slapped her saber hilt, “Lightsabers can only kill or maim, there’s nothing ‘bloodless’ about them. Besides, I came up through the mercenary ranks and the Sith before I was a Jedi, it gives me a different perspective from most of the Order.”

“And what perspective is that?”

“A dead opponent doesn’t fight back,” Revan replied quietly, “And mercy is a luxury your enemies are unlikely to offer you.”

“This Republic you come from sounds like a vicious place,” Schmetterling frowned at the brutality implicit in the twi’lek’s comment, before she nodded over at an empty sparing circle, “Come, a practical comparison of styles should be a good exercise.”

________________________________________

Revan twisted to the side as the thestral lashed out with her rear hooves, turning what could have been broken ribs into only a bad bruise to add to the collection of scrapes and contusions she had collected since the match had begun. Raising her borrowed practice sword back into guard, she slowly circled her opponent, ignoring the surrounding ring of cheering legionnaires, ‘She’s quick, strong, and good with those wingblade-things. And she has so much mass that hand and foot strikes are about as effective on her as they would be against a gamorrean.’ The Jedi’s analysis was interrupted as Schmetterling lunged towards her, wings flared to strike, only to have her attack brought up short when Revan’s stop-thrust forced her to evade.

Schmetterling’s cool professionalism faced off against Revan’s happily wolfish grin as the two exchanged several more passes, with neither able to land a decisive blow. Tired of the protracted stalemate, the thestral launched herself a dozen meters into the air with strong beats of her wings, “Let’s see how you deal with this.”

The Jedi merely cocked a brow at the mare, before she turned and leapt over the heads of the encircling ponies to catch the nearby wall and use it as a springboard to hurl herself back at Schmetterling. The surprised legionnaire raised her wingblade to deflect Revan’s sword, but was not fast enough to keep the twi’lek from crashing into her and wrapping her other arm and legs around the pony, ‘That impact should have knocked her out of the air! How can she hold both of us up?’ Revan wondered as she pulled herself close to the legionnaire’s barrel to try and avoid the thestral’s flailing legs and battering wings. Raising her arm, Revan pressed the flat of her blade against the exposed underside of Schmetterling’s throat, “I win.”

Schmetterling dropped back to the ground with a disgruntled snort, “You were holding back,” she pointed an accusing hoof at the twi’lek.

Revan smirked at the legionnaire as she took a long pull from the canteen she kept clipped to her belt, “This match was for fun and honor, not blood,” she replied, offering the thestral the canteen, “Besides, you didn’t go all-out, either.”

“So who won?” Twilight asked, as she and Shining Armor walked through the ring of legionnaires, when the twi’lek flashed her a grin and a thumbs-up, she turned smugly to her brother and held out her hoof, “Pay up,” friendly laughter filled the practice yard as Shining dug into his bit pouch.

As the amusement faded and the gathered ponies broke up and began to head for their posts, Schmetterling turned to Revan, “So what is this ‘light sword’ of yours, anyway?” Both Twilight’s and Shining’s ears perked up at the thestral’s question, and the two quickly trotted closer, eager to hear about the workings of the alien weapon.

Revan unclipped her saber from her belt and hefted it thoughtfully, “Supposedly, it’s a coherent beam of high-energy plasma run through a series of energizers, focusing lens and a focusing crystal and then held in a force containment field that gives the blade it’s shape and arcs the plasma back into the emitter matrix to compete the circuit.”

Shining frowned at the Jedi’s words, “‘Supposedly’? You don’t know for sure?”

Revan giggled at the siblings’ obvious disappointment, “Supposedly, because a plasma cutter uses almost the exact same system, well except for the focusing crystal, and a lightsaber can do things that the cutter never could,” with a crackling snap, the saber ignited and a meter-long blade of blue energy sprang into existence. The little group looked at it quietly for a few moments, then the blade began to sputter and pulse, causing Revan to swiftly deactivate it, “Well that isn’t a good sign.” Turning to Schmetterling, she continued, “I need somewhere to take my saber apart and find out what’s wrong.”

The legionnaire officer pointed a hoof at the nearby storehouse where Revan had gotten her practice sword, “There’s a small armorer’s workshop in the back.”

The Jedi nodded her thanks and hurried inside, pausing to rack her borrowed blade, she made her way to the rear of the storehouse and dropped onto a bench as she began to dismantle her saber and lay the parts out on a table. The clop of approaching hooves heralded the arrival of the three ponies she had left outside, “Have you found anything?” Twilight asked as she looked over Revan’s shoulder.

Revan shook her head in reply as she put aside the emitter matrix and picked up the field energizer, “Not so far,” finding nothing amiss with the energizer, she put it back down and turned her attention to the focusing crystal, “Wish I had better light in here.” Behind her, the two unicorns exchanged amused looks and then ignited their horns, filling the room with a magenta glow. Revan blinked in surprise, throwing the ponies a grin, and then concentrated on the crystal in her hand, “Well, shit.”

“What is it?”

“The crystal is fracturing, if I keep putting all the energy a saber requires through it, it will shatter, and probably take my hand with it,” Revan turned in her seat to toss the crystal to Twilight, “See for yourself.”

The librarian casually caught the crystal in her magic, then stopped, her eyes widening, as the gem began to glow with a pale blue radiance, while flames the same color as her aura chased each other across the crystal’s surface, “Is it supposed to do that?”

“I’ve never heard of an Ilum crystal reacting like that …” Revan replied, looking at the blazing crystal in bemusement. The Jedi reached out and snatched the gem, which turned back into just another unassuming mineral as soon as it was removed from the grip of Twilight’s magic, “Huh.”

A bit of experimentation determined that the crystal only reacted to the touch of magic, but the colorful display did not seem to have any other effect on the crystal, “Can you fix your light sword?” Shining Armor asked, interrupting Revan’s reverie as she watched the crystal blaze in Twilight’s magic.

“Maybe? If I can attune another crystal, I should be able to rebuild my lightsaber, as for this one …” Revan began to grin as she reclaimed the damaged crystal, “It’s a unique gem that reacts in a rather dramatic fashion to magic … Yeah, I know exactly what to do with this one.”

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“Presenting her Ladyship, the Baroness Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic, Emissary of the Dual Throne of Equestria, beloved sister to our Sovereign Highnesses, and her escort Dame Revan Vao, Knight of the Jedi Order, Warrior of the Shadow Academy,” called out a great-voiced herald as the unicorn and twi’lek entered the hall.

“A baroness, Twi’?” Revan quirked a brow at her friend as the guests already present gave a polite spatter of applause, “Really now?”

Twilight blushed slightly under the Jedi’s amused gaze, “It’s not like it’s important. My parents oversee what little there is to the family estates, and we haven’t been involved in politics since my great-grandmother, Twilight Skies’, time,” she reached out a hoof to prod Revan’s shoulder, “And what about you, Miss ‘Warrior of the Shadow Academy’?”

“‘Warrior’ is just the Sith equivalent to a Jedi Knight,” Revan replied as she snagged a pair of mugs of hot chocolate from a passing servant with a murmured word of thanks, “Like I told Counsellor Hopeful, the old wars have no meaning here, so there’s no reason for me to downplay my past.”

The oddly matched pair spent the next few hours circulating through the small crowd, drinking, nibbling and talking with the other guests. For her part, the Jedi found the Crystal Empire’s nobility to be generally friendly ponies, even if their archaic speech occasionally needed to be puzzled out. The foreign envoys were a more mixed bag, however, with some being just as sociable as the crystal ponies, or at least politely neutral, while others proved all too eager to try to take advantage of Twilight’s relationship to the Crystal and Equestrian thrones. Thankfully, Revan’s looming, exotic presence and one-eyed glower was enough to dissuade even the most insistent among the ambassadors from pushing their manipulations too far.

“Excuse us, thy Ladyships,” a voiced piped up from behind Revan and Twilight as the two took a moment to listen to the musical quartet that was playing Hearth’s Warming carols, turning, they found a small crystal earth pony colt and an even smaller crystal unicorn filly looking up at them nervously, “Might Sir Spike be about? We wert hoping that it would be possible to meet him.”

Twilight smiled gently down at the foals as she shook her head, “I’m sorry, little ones, Spike is spending the holiday in Canterlot with our family.”

While clearly crestfallen, the two foals did not immediately turn away, but remained beside the unicorn and twi’lek as the music wrapped around them. “Art thou a pirate?” the filly finally burst out as she stared up at Revan in fascination.

Revan shot a glance at Twilight, “What is with you ponies and this obsession with pirates?” turning back to the foals, she dropped down to one knee before answering, “No youngling, I’m a weapons adept. I’ve met plenty of pirates, however, usually over a blade or a blaster,” Revan gave a half-smile to the pair of wide-eyed foals, “A bit of uninvited advice? If you’re looking for adventure and foreign lands, I’d become an explorer, like in the Daring Do books. Or join the navy when you’re of age, that way you’re serving your Princess and protecting your home and family at the same time as you’re seeing distant shores.” Reaching out, she tucked a fly-away lock of mane back behind the filly’s ear, then brought her fist to her breast and nodded her head in salute, “A happy Hearth’s Warming to you both, younglings, and may your lives be joyful.”

As the pair made their way back out among the revelers, Twilight gave Revan an affectionate shoulder bump, “What was that for?”

The unicorn just smiled at her.

________________________________________

Filled with a post-present-unwrapping lethargy, Cadance smiled contentedly as she soaked up the warmth radiating from the fireplace and her family in equal measure. She’d always loved Hearth’s Warming, but having Twilight here gave the holiday a little something extra. Looking out the window, Cadance giggled as she watched Twilight and Revan build a snow fort in the courtyard, “Shiny, come and see this.”

“Hmmm?” her husband wandered over from the kitchen, a mug of hot chocolate held in his magic, and gave her a kiss on the check before following her gaze, “Heh, I’d forgotten how much Twily enjoys building snow forts. Well, so long as she doesn’t raise a flag or anything …” Shining trailed off as he watched a stick, with a cloth that had been roughly patterned to match Twilight’s cutie mark tied to it, rise up in the middle of the fort, “Well you know what this means,” he said, smiling at Cadance.

The Princess gave back an answering grin as she went to get their scarves.

________________________________________

Fort Sparkle still stood, its flag flapping defiantly in the late afternoon wind, despite its crumbling walls and decimated defenders. Cadance, First Pony of the Free Pony Republic, looked over her remaining warriors as they stood about catching their breath after repulsing General Revan’s attempt to break their siege. ‘We lost poor Shiny and a dozen good ponies in that engagement,’ Cadance mused for a moment, before she broke into a cheery grin and shook her head in amusement at how a simple snowball war between family had escalated as foals, teens, and even full-grown mares and stallions from the palace and the city had happened by and picked a side. Turning her attention back to the enemy fortification, Cadance decided that one last good push would win them the battle, ‘Besides, it’s almost time for dinner,’ still, it would be proper to offer the defenders a last chance to surrender.

Walking to the front of her lines, Cadance struck a dramatic pose and called across the courtyard, “Ponies of Fort Sparkle! Your walls are breached! Your general and your best warriors have fallen! The day is lost! Yield, so that the Free Pony Republic may show you mercy!”

Movement could be seen behind the fort’s walls, then High Lady Twilight, wrapped in Revan’s red cloak and with the hood pulled forward to shadow her face, mounted the battlements to glare balefully out at the besiegers, “Our walls may be breached, our ponies-in-arms may be lost, but the Sparkle flag still flies! And by Celestia and Luna, we will defend it!”

‘Ooh! Good showmareships!’ Cadance noted approvingly, “All ponies, charge!” To the cheers and shouts of the spectators and “fallen” ponies standing on the sidelines, Cadance led her forces through the Sparkleite barrage to capture the fort and finally bring down High Lady Twilight herself with a half-dozen snowballs as she stood defending her flag.

With the snowball war over, the gathered ponies headed back to their homes leaving Revan and the royal family laughing, debating tactics and recalling highlights of the day’s activities as they made their own way back to the Royal Apartments.

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“I’m home!” Cadance called out as she entered the Apartments and immediately set about removing and storing her tiara and peytral. Stretching with relief, she wandered into the kitchen to find Shining Armor finishing up with the dinner preparations, “Where are Twily and Revan?” she asked as she nuzzled her husband.

“Still out,” Shining replied, giving Cadance a warm kiss, “With it being their last day to see the Empire, I expect them to be running a bit late.”

“So salad and hayburgers, then?” Cadance observed, looking at the simple repast Shining had prepared, “Well, let’s get started, and Twily and Revan can join us when they get back.”

The royal couple was halfway through their meal when their wandering guests returned, “Hi Shiny! Hi Caddy!” Twilight chirped as she dropped her saddlebags on a couch, “Yum! Hayburgers! Great, I’m famished!”

“So, how many museums did you go to?” Shining asked knowingly as he passed over the plate of burgers.

“Just the one, plus the archives and two bookstores,” Revan replied, her voice filled with amused patience.

“Hey!” Twilight protested, “Knowledge is important! Besides, you managed to get a few crystals for your laser sword and some gifts for everypony back in Ponyville,” she reached a hoof over to prod the twi’lek in the shoulder, “And you can’t deny that you had a good day, I heard you singing to yourself while we were out.”

“Singing?” Cadance’s ears perked up as she absorbed this new information, “I didn’t know you sang, Revan.”

“She’s actually rather good,” Twilight said eagerly, “Revan has been teaching her songs to Lyra Heartstrings back in Ponyville.”

Cadance smiled at Twilight’s gushing, and Revan’s suddenly inflamed face, “Well then, perhaps Revan would be willing to grace us with a song?”

While Shining was able to restrain himself to looking merely interested, Cadance and Twilight bent the full power of their puppy dog eyes upon the Jedi, who crumbled after a valiant, if futile, struggle, “Alright, alright,” Revan glared at the two mares, “One of these damn days, I’ll find a way to bloody well resist those pouts.”

“If you ever do develop a defense, I hope you’ll share it,” Shining teased, as he ducked to avoid the lazy wing swat Cadance aimed at him and the table sounded with laughter.

Having finished their meal and cleaned up, the little group retired to the sitting room where the ponies got comfortable before turning expectant gazes on Revan, who took a moment to compose her thoughts before she began to sing, her eye softening as she lost herself in the music ...

It's been two years since I saw you, since I stood upon the ground,
In the shadow of a shuttle that too soon for space was bound.
And now I am a warrior, a pilot for the fleet,
And they've told me I cannot go home, till the enemy's defeat.

________________________________________

Cadance sat at her vanity, brushing out her mane before she went to bed, “So … what do you think of Revan?” she asked, glancing at Shining, his muzzle buried in the book Twilight had given him, in her mirror.

“I like her, although I do share Schmetterling’s concerns about her behavior,” the stallion cocked his head to the side as he looked at his wife, “What brought this on?”

“Don’t you think she and Twily look cute together?” Cadance asked as she turned to face her husband, “The way they tease and banter with each other? That song? And I know you saw her glare down the Yakistan Ambassador when he kept trying to corner Twilight at the soirée.”

“Yes, I did,” Shining replied with approval, “But what’s this about the song? I mean I know it was romantic, in its odd way, but it was just a song. Wasn’t it?”

“Stallions,” the alicorn rolled her eyes, “Revan may have been singing that song for all of us, but she was singing it to Twilight,” Cadance grinned at Shining as she got into bed and pulled the covers over them, “There’s something between them, trust me.”

“You and your matchmaking,” Shining sighed, then reached out a hoof to gently boop his wife on the nose, “I know you want Twily to be happy, I do too, but please don’t interfere until they’ve had a chance to work out their issues.”

“Fine.” Cadance nodded in reluctant agreement, ‘Of course, nothing says I can’t contact Rarity, just to keep abreast of the situation, of course.’

Ch. 12; Interlude – Conversations In Canterlot, Part 2

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Celestia nodded graciously to the ponies she passed as she strode through the halls of Canterlot Palace. Reaching the antechamber she had been seeking, the solar diarch paused to observe the folk within, Revan was discussing political systems with Count Fancy Pants, in particular, they were comparing the Senate of the Galactic Republic with the Diarchy and House of Lords of Equestria.

She quietly observed the lively discussion and good-natured chaffing for a few minutes, before she used a bit of her magic to slip in unnoticed, “Did somepony say my name?” Celestia carefully hid her smile at the startled looks her sudden appearance had engendered, truth be told, her habit of mysteriously appearing out of nowhere was one of her guilty pleasures. Well, that and cake. And the trashy romance novels she kept on the locked shelf of her bookcase.

“Good evening, your Highness,” Fancy bowed to his sovereign, while Revan gave the salute she used during informal occasions, “We did, indeed, mention you during our debate.” Turning back to Revan, the unicorn gave her a friendly nod, “As I suspect you have other engagements, we’ll have to continue our discussion another day.”

“Looking forward to it, Fancy,” the Jedi grinned at the aristocrat, “Next time, though, we need some booze,” the stallion shook his head in amusement as they parted ways.

“I’m glad to see you and Count Fancy getting along so well,” Celestia observed as the pair headed for the private wings of the palace.

Revan nodded as she strolled along beside the princess, “Yea, he’s a good sort, for a spook.”

Celestia’s ear twitched as she shot the twi’lek an arched look, “Spook? I find nothing particularly eerie about Count Fancy.”

“A spook, an operative, an infiltrator, a cypher, an intelligence agent. You know, a spy.”

Celestia stopped to face Revan directly, “And just how did you know that Fancy Pants is part of the Equestrian Intelligence Service?”

“I can smell ‘em, spooks,” Revan frowned as she resumed walking, “But just spies and undercover security. Assassins, conmen, all that other clandestine crap, and I got nothing.”

“Hmm,” Celestia mused on this admission as they continued to their destination, the small dining room that she and Luna used for private gatherings.

Entering the room, Revan gave a cheery wave to the lunar diarch, “Heya, Spooky!”

“Will thou ever stop referring to me with that foalish nickname?” Luna asked with a long-suffering sigh.

Revan considered the idea as she and Celestia took their usual chairs, “Nope,” Celestia broke into giggles while the twi’lek grinned impishly at the younger alicorn. Leaning back in her chair, she looked at the diarchs, “So … why are you two spending so much time on me?”

Celestia blinked at Revan, her cup of tea paused half-way to her mouth, “I’m not sure I understand your question.”

Revan waved a hand at the two princesses, “You two rule the nation and control the movement of the frelling Sun and Moon, yet every week when I come up to see Hopeful, you ask me by for dinner, I know I’m fascinating, but come on.”

“Still so leery of others,” Luna shook her head in disappointment, “When mine sister and I called thou friend, did thee not believe us? Thou are right that ‘Tia and I have many duties, but that is exactly why we look forward to such engagements with those who are dear to us.”

“To be honest,” Celestia added, “At least part of our ‘fascination’, as you put it, is because you are one of the few who will actually treat us as just ponies rather than as ‘the Princesses’. Even dear, faithful Twilight and her friends can’t completely get over their awe of us,” Celestia took a sip of her tea, “Does that satisfy your curiosity?”

Revan ducked her head sheepishly, “Yeah, sorry, I didn’t mean to come off hostile or be an ungrateful little shabuir.”

Celestia waved off the Jedi’s apology as she dug happily into her eggplant parmesan, “So, how is your education in discretion going?”

“Twi’ told you about that?” Revan asked, clearly glad for the change of subject, “Rares and AJ are trying but … it’s a work in progress.”

“We noticed,” Luna observed, “Thou has only used two profanities since thou sat down,” she smirked at Revan, eager to get the twi’lek back for her earlier teasing.

Celestia watched the two banter back-and-forth for a time, before she cleared her throat to get their attention as they finally began to wind down, “Actually, Revan, Luna and I had a proposal we wanted to make you,” seeing the Jedi’s sudden eagerness she hastily elaborated, “For employment, of course.”

“Sure, get a girl’s hopes up,” Revan grumbled, “So, who do want me to kill?”

“… What?”

Revan merely shrugged and reached for another slice of bread as the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon stared at her in baffled disbelief, “It’s not like you have much other use for me and my talents. Well, I suppose you could want me to rough someone up or threaten some poor bastard, but that doesn’t really seem your style, and you have plenty of command staff, so it’s unlikely that you’d need me to lead troops for you.”

Luna glared as she pointed an angry hoof at the twi’lek, “Firstly, Revan Vao, if ‘Tia or I should ever decide somepony must be killed, we will handle it ourselves! Secondly, I am quite tired of listening to thou slighting thyself! Thou are not a monster, and there is more to thee than just thy warrior’s skills!” A look of disbelief briefly crossed the Jedi’s face before the force of Luna’s irate outburst drove her back into her seat, while the lunar alicorn merely continued on with her tirade, trampling over any reply Revan might have tried to make, “Thy heart hates thyself, Revan Vao. Thou hate thyself for the horrible things thee have done, both during war and during thy time as a Sith and a Jedi, and thou hate thyself even more because thou would do them again if thee had too. Thou hate thyself for being alive when so many of thy comrades are not, and thou hate thyself for 'betraying' those lost friends by daring to make new ones. Thou hate thyself for those things that thou still will not share with us but keep locked away festering within thy soul. All of this loathing thou have for thyself is toxic, and I say thee enough!” Luna reached out a wing to grip Revan’s shoulder, “Thou railed at me for reproaching myself for the Nightmare’s actions, now thou must understand that thou are not irredeemable. Thou have to forgive thyself, Revan Vao.”

Reaching out her own wing, Celestia griped the twi’lek’s other shoulder, “Luna is right, even if she is being rather vehement, like many ponies, you are flawed and damaged, but you are not the villain you see yourself as, trust us on this, please.”

The princesses pulled back their wings and shifted in their seats to give the dazed Jedi some space to recover her composure, “Well,” Revan finally replied, her voice hitching as she brushed a suspicious bit of moisture from her eye, “You said you had some kind of work for me?”

Celestia exchanged a glance with her sister, but yielded to Revan’s desire to change the subject – for now. “Yes, we were hoping that you would be willing to develop and oversee a training program to teach ponies in the use of the Force,” Celestia’s hopeful smile slowly faded from her face as the Jedi sat there staring at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head.

“You want me to train ponies in the Force? Do you have any idea how many things are wrong with that idea?” holding up a hand, Revan began to number off her concerns, “I don’t know how to sense Force-potential, which means we’ll waste months, maybe years, trying to teach ponies that never could have learned in the first place, and that’s assuming any even can. The only way I know to do the early training is the way that I was taught, and that was by the Sith, and their methods don’t just have a washout rate, they have a fatality rate! The Force can be corruptive, even properly trained Jedi have fallen, and I’ve walked too far down the Dark path to ever leave it completely, so anyone I train will probably be all the more likely to fall. Oh, and least we forget, the Force abilities I’m most capable with, and therefore best suited to teach, are almost all combative, since I trained as a warrior and not as a sorcerer or sage.”

“We are aware of the issues, Revan, after all, Luna and I did not decide upon this as a lark,” Celestia shook her head as she gently chided the Jedi, “Your unlucky encounter with poison joke showed that ponies can wield the Force, and also put an obligation on Luna and I to ensure both that our little ponies have the chance to reach their potential, as well as to guarantee their safety. But you are right, developing a spell or method to identify those ponies who are Force-capable is likely to be a long and frustrating process. That is simply the way it is, unfortunately. As for initial training, we intend to bring in instructors from West Hoof Academy and Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns to help you refine what you know into a less … ruthless teaching style.”

“We share thy concerns about possible corruption,” Luna added, “Magic can also be abused and corrupt those who use it carelessly, but that is why we have the Magus Corps, to monitor those ponies that are at risk and to deal with those who fall. We hope to expand the Magus’ numbers, training and jurisdiction to include Force-using ponies. As for thy own history, having an instructor with a … checkered past will help thy students learn the warning signs they should be aware of, as well as show them that a pony who falls to corruption, the Dark as thou call it, need not be lost forever.”

“As for your last concern,” Celestia said, “while I would like this Force-training to produce sages, scholars and seers, having it prepare ponies to defend the realm and each other as members of the Guard, the Reserves, or simply on their own, is far from the worst way to begin.”

Revan chewed on her lip absently as she considered the Princesses’ offer and arguments, “Would I have to leave Ponyville?”

“Not at all,” Celestia gave the hesitant Jedi a warm smile, “We would set you up with rooms and an office, of course, probably at West Hoof, but there is nothing stopping you from taking the train from Ponyville and back each day.”

“Alright,” the twi’lek finally sighed, “I’ll do it. I just hope we don’t all come to regret this.”

Even as she and her sister nodded to Revan in approval, Celestia’s thoughts drifted back to the doubts she had seen on the Jedi’s face earlier and she winced inwardly, ‘She thinks we are cowards for not confronting Equestria’s threats personally, even if she will not say it, and that makes it all the harder for our words to reach her. She is so convinced that having power also means leading the charge. I hope that one day she will understand that Equestria depends on Luna and me too much for us to have the luxury of risking ourselves when others are capable of standing in our sted, and maybe she and the others will even forgive us for it …’

Ch. 13; Into The Woods

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The crack of wood on wood echoed through the bright spring morning as Cloud Kicker backpedaled, dodging and blocking the whole time, in an attempt to ward off Revan’s advance. In an attempt to turn the course of the sparring session, Cloud tied up Revan’s practice blade in a block while her right wingblade darted for the Jedi’s exposed chest. Just as the blow was about to land, Revan twisted to the side, spinning about to free her blade from Cloud’s trap and add momentum as she brought it around to smash into the pony, sending the pegasus stumbling off to the side with a grunt, “Oof.”

“Better,” Revan commented as she reached out a hand to call her canteen and a pair of towels over from where they rested on a rough shelf formed by one of the dents in her ship’s hull, “Your rust is definitely coming off.”

“I thought I had you with that last one,” the weatherpony grumbled as she accepted the towel from Revan. Her glum features quickly returned to their usual cocky cheerfulness, however, “So, headed back to Canterlot, Miss Instructor-To-The-Princesses-And-I-Get-To-Feel-Them-Up-During-Training?”

Revan smirked at the incorrigible mare as she shook her head and took a long pull from her canteen, “Not today, I’ve got a few days leave and I intend to spend them in the Everfree.”

Cloud frowned slightly as she took the offered canteen, “You’re not going to watch Twilight’s display for the delegation? I heard that she’s been working really hard on it.”

“I know,” the Jedi replied, “But I’ve been getting awfully twitchy lately, even for me, and I need to work off my nerves, which makes it all the more important that I’m not around to possibly frell things up between Celestia and the Saddle Arabians. I’ll make it up to Twi’, somehow,” she sighed as she cast a wistfully gaze in the direction of Golden Oaks Library.

Cloud chuckled as she watched the twi’lek’s behavior, “You’ve got it bad, don’t you?” she raised a hoof to forestall Revan’s response as she lifted herself up to hover above the ground, “Alright, you go into the creepy, dangerous forest to get your head on straight, and I’ll undertake the arduous task of relaying your regrets to our town’s adorable librarian.” Turning for Ponyville, the pegasus paused to look back over her shoulder, “Just be careful, okay? I know you’re a certified badflank and all, but the Everfree operates under its own rules, and sometimes it likes to cheat.”

________________________________________

Revan hummed absently to herself as she slipped through the trees, despite its dangers, the Everfree was one of the few truly wild places in Equestria, and she found it oddly comforting. Detouring around a glade of poison joke, she glared at the innocuous seeming blue flowers, ‘Still,’ the Jedi reluctantly admitted, ‘Being a pony was interesting. I wouldn’t mind doing it again, under controlled conditions, of course.’

‘I’m making good time,’ she mused as she looked about for edible greens or berries to supplement her dinner, ‘Barring any incident, or Steven Magnet wanting to chat, I should make the Castle of the Two Sister’s before nightfall.’ Revan’s mouth began to water at the thought of roast squirrel or maybe some fish from the Wild Running River – while she could survive indefinitely on the mostly vegetarian diet the ponies preferred, or far worse fare if necessary, she enjoyed her meat too much to give it up entirely. Thus she indulged in these little hunting trips to feed her cravings and to stock up on a small supply of rough-smoked meats to keep in the cooler back in her galley.

The Jedi shook her head in bemusement as her mind drifted to how peculiar the fauna of Equestria could be; Winona, and presumably all other dogs, was just a hound like any other (although diamond dogs were sentient … even if some of them could lose a battle of wits to a potato), while rabbits were far more intelligent than their equivalents on other worlds, Angle Bunny especially. Deer were another sentient race, albeit an isolationistic one, while the ponies treated squirrels, both the tree and ground varieties, as merely another varmint. And fish … fish were just fish.

Revan winced slightly as she recalled how disappointed with her Fluttershy had looked when the Jedi had broached the subject with Ponyville’s resident animal caretaker. At least ‘Shy and Zecora had finally agreed to teach her on the differences between Equestria’s various wildlife, although the zebra had shown far less distress, barely any actually, at the twi’lek’s desire to continue with her predatory habits.

‘I suppose it all depends on what you’re used to,’ the Jedi shrugged as she pressed on, ‘Coastal ponies eat fish and crustaceans, and thestrals consider bugs and birds a major part of their diet.’ She smirked as she continued with her train of thought, ‘I don’t think ‘Shy would take it well if she learned that the Princesses indulge in their subjects’ more carnivorous fare on occasion.’

________________________________________

‘There we are, whistling leaves,’ Revan grinned as she crouched down to pluck the serrated, deep emerald leaves from the boggy ground. Personally, she found the greens too bitter for her tastes, but many animals relished them, particularly a certain bad-tempered rabbit and a high-flying tortoise of her acquaintance. Separating her find into two piles, the twi’lek wrapped them in scraps of canvas while she kept an eye out for hydras, bog serpents, manticores or the various other dangers that lurked in the Everfree Forest and Froggy Bottom Bog. ‘Wait, can I still use that expression? Shouldn’t it be “keeping a half eye out”? But you can’t actually do anything with only half of an eye …’ Revan snorted in amusement, between Twilight’s obsession with phrasing things correctly and Celestia’s and Luna’s fondness for wordplay, it should be easy enough to find out the proper saying if she really wanted to bother.

Stowing the bundles in her pack, Revan brushed the mud from her knees as she rose back to her feet. ‘This has been a pretty productive trip,’ the Jedi thought as she headed deeper into the bog, ‘Whatever had my nerves in an uproar seems to have worked itself out of my system, I managed to hunt down a good supply of meat, and I even found some amethysts for Spike and those whistling leaves for Tank and Angel Bunny. Chaos, with how much game I caught, I can put some aside for Opal, Gummy, Owlowiscious and Winona. Now if I can just find those wildflowers Twi’ likes so much …’

________________________________________

The crackling fire radiated a pleasant warmth that cut through the damp of the small cave as Revan bedded down for the night, ‘Took me longer to find those flowers than I expected,’ she thought, ‘Still, I ought to be back to my ship by tomorrow night. I’ll miss Twi’s exhibition, but I should be in time to drop in on her and the other girls before they turn in. Assuming this damn mist clears out overnight,’ the Jedi amended as she frowned out the cave mouth at the heavy fog that had rolled in over the last hour.

The morning, however, brought no relief from the dense haze, which had only thickened over the night, and a slight lightening of the general murk was all that revealed the risen sun’s presence. After wolfing down a ration bar for her breakfast, Revan headed out into the gloom.

Several hours later, the Jedi was still trudging through the seemingly unending fog bank that muffled the sounds of the forest and reduced the trees to half-seen shadows. ‘Shouldn’t this have burned off by now?’ Revan grumbled to herself, ‘I ought to be getting close to the castle,’ she added as she slowed down in the hope of finding the ravine that warded the Castle of the Two Sisters before she blindly walked off its edge.

Despite her increased caution, the twi’lek caught her foot on something hidden in the fog and staggered, nearly crashing into a tree before she regained her balance. Shaking her head in irritation at her own clumsiness, Revan looked up only to stop in confusion as she saw that the mist had suddenly thinned and night had somehow fallen upon her unnoticed.

As she slowly advanced through the trees, the Jedi soon came upon a familiar gorge, but what lay across it was not what she was expecting. The rough rope bridge had been replaced with a great stone span, while the castle beyond was a living fortress rather than the almost-forgotten ruin she had camped in but two days earlier. The moonlight revealed pegasi and thestrals of the Night Guard as they patrolled the local airspace while Revan could see the distant forms of more guardponies walking the castle’s walls, “What the chaos?”

“Hey you! Stop right there in the name of Nightmare Moon!” a raspy voice broke in on the twi’lek’s bewilderment as an armored pegasus with a distinctive polychromatic mane dropped from the sky to glare aggressively at her.

“Rainbow? Bones of the Emperors girl, what are you doing out here? What is all this shit?” Revan waved a hand at the castle and patrolling guards as she looked to her friend for an explanation.

“How do you know my name?” Rainbow Dash demanded, her voice dripping with suspicion as she flared her wings, her wingblades glinting in the moonlight, “What are you, anyway? And why are you skulking around the Princess’ castle?”

‘What the chaos is going on?’ Revan wondered as she stepped back from the hostile pegasus, ‘Did someone mess with her head? I don’t want to fight my friend when she’s not in her right mind,’ deciding that a bit of space between herself and Rainbow was called for, the Jedi made a Force-assisted leap backwards, only to stumble as vertigo suddenly gripped her and the lingering fog flared-up, thick enough to blot-out her sight.

As her disorientation faded, Revan frowned up at the ruined castle she could clearly see through the trees, its stones aglow as the sun peeked above the forest, ‘Okay … I don’t know what’s going on, and I think I don’t really want to know. Time for this girl to get back to Ponyville …’

________________________________________

Seated in the café porch, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were indulging in a late lunch after the stress of the last couple of days when the local Jedi strolled up to them, “Afternoon, girls. This is going to sound like a stupid question, but could you tell me when Celestia and the Saddle Arabian delegation came to visit?”

The four mares exchanged puzzled looks as Fluttershy and Rainbow accepted the cloth-wrapped packages Revan offered them, “The Princess and the delegates were here last night, darling.”

“It was great!” Pinkie gushed, “The animals were all flying around like ‘whoosh!’, and the fireworks were all ‘bam! ka-powie!’ and everypony was all ‘wow!’ Once Trixie got over that whole meanie-pants ‘taking over Ponyville and banishing Twilight’ thing, she and Twi’ worked together really well!”

“It was just last night? So I didn’t lose too much time … wait, Twilight was banished?!” without waiting for a reply, Revan spun around and took off for Golden Oaks Library at a dead run, leaving the mares to stare after her in bewilderment.

“Oh my, maybe we should stop her,” Fluttershy started to rise from her seat only for Rarity to stop her with a gentle hoof on her shoulder.

“I think we should leave this to Twilight, darling” Rarity suggested, a sly grin on her muzzle, “After all, it’s not every day that a knight comes charging to her rescue, and I wouldn’t want to deny her the experience.”

Pinkie and Rainbow exchanged confused looks as Fluttershy, now with a smile of her own, sat back down. Dismissing her friends’ weirdness with a shrug, Rainbow turned her attention to the packet Revan had given her before her abrupt departure, “Oh, hey! Whistling leaves! Tank loves these!”

Ch. 14; Knight And Crusaders

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Revan Vao looked up from the datapad in her lap as the proximity alarm began to sound, ‘It’s almost nightfall, who would be out here at this hour?’ making her way to the cockpit, she silenced the alarm as she glanced over at the sensor array, ‘Three younglings and an adult pony, a big one, coming from the Apples’ farm. Huh, I guess it’s time to go put on my show.’

Strolling out into the clearing, Revan settled herself onto her customary seat and stretched to loosen a muscle in her back, before turning to watch for her visitors to arrive. “‘Evening, Big Mac, younglings, what brings you out to my neck of the woods?”

“‘Evenin', Miss Revan,” the big stallion drawled as the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, outfitted in their red capes and with saddlebags and sleeping bags slung, raced forward to cluster smiling around the Jedi, “Ah hate ta impose on ya, but we have a mite of a problem, an' ah was hopin' ya would be willin’ ta give us a hoof.”

“What do you need?”

“Somethin’ came up, sudden like, an' Granny an’ Ah need ta head over ta Appleoosa for a few days, an' with Applejack an' her friends out of town, we were hopin’ that ya would be willin’ ta look after tha fillies.”

Revan stared at Big Mac for a moment, “You want me … you’d trust me to look after the little ones after what happened before?”

“Eeeyup.”

The twi’lek raised her hand and the hatch behind her cycled open, “Why don’t you girls head on in and I’ll be with you in a second,” rising from her seat, she paused to catch the red earth pony’s eye, “Thank you.”

________________________________________

Revan walked back into the BloodWraith’s tiny common room to find that the three fillies had already climbed up onto the acceleration couches and were looking around with poorly concealed disappointment at the utilitarian interior of the old blastboat.

“Yer spaceship is right … cozy,” Apple Bloom observed, clearly feeling that she should say something nice about their host’s home.

“‘Cozy’,” Revan grinned at the little pony’s words as she reached out to pat a bulkhead, “She’s cramped and ugly, is what she is, without a speck of luxury or grace to her, but my baby could carry a compliment of eight for two months, take a pounding that would vape a snub fighter and keep on going, and fly right through the heart of a fleet engagement to make a planetary landing or a hostile boarding. She’s a mean, tough and ornery lady, and we suit each other just fine.”

“Well, let’s give you the quarter-credit tour,” the Jedi continued, as she stepped into the room and pointed aft, “The bunkroom is through there, and there is a door on the far side that goes to engineering, please don’t play with that door, I have it code-locked.”

“To Port and Starboard we have the crew quarters, Port is mine, but you girls are free to use the Starboard quarters or the bunkroom, or even sleep out here on the acceleration coaches if that’s more comfortable.” Heading down the short hallway, Revan waved at the other doors as she passed them, “Over here we have the galley and stores, and on this side we have the closet we call a medical bay and one of the most important chambers aboard any ship, the refresher. That’s a bathroom to you ponies,” she grinned as the fillies giggled at her poor joke, “And finally, we have the cockpit. Again, please don’t play with anything in there without my permission.”

“Well, why don’t you younglings make yourselves comfortable while I see about getting us some chow?”

________________________________________

Later, after the prepackaged dinner had been eaten, the dishes put away, and the cups refilled, the little group relaxed in the common room, with the three fillies splitting their attention between the comics they had brought and discussing ideas for how to get their cutie marks, while Revan read through a proposed training regime for her potential students while half-listening to the Crusaders’ conversation and the music coming from the datapad on the table, ‘What exactly are they going to do with a catapult, anyway?’

“Miss Revan? Who are those ponies?”

“Huh?” the Jedi grunted eloquently, as she blinked at Sweetie Belle before her gaze dropped to the flat-pic of a motely group of armored aliens, their helmets off as they smiled, or smirked, at the holographer, that was currently displayed on the datapad, “Oh, those are my lads, Sweetie.”

“Yer lads? Ya mean like yer foals?”

“In a way, Apple Bloom,” Revan put aside her paperwork and picked up the datapad as the three fillies quickly joined her on the coach so they could get a better look at the flat-pic. “They were my platoon, the soldiers under my command, back during the Comzelar campaign,” she gave a soft smile, nothing like her usual crooked grin, as she touched the datapad’s screen, “We may not have all liked each other, but we were the Platoon, and we went through fire for one another.” The twi’lek leaned back, her gaze going distant, “I still worry about them sometimes ….”

“Who’s this one?” Scootaloo asked, snapping Revan’s attention back to the conversation as she pointed a hoof at one of the figures in the flat-pic, “She looks kinda like a dragon.”

“That’s Sergeant first class Tussh Drist, she’s a trandoshan,” the Jedi replied, tapping at the screen to enlarge the flat-pic, “She was my second-in-command and heavy weapons specialist, and you’re right, she does look like a dragon.” She reached over to ruffle the pegasus’ mane, causing Scootaloo to bat at her hand in embarrassment, “She was a lot like Rarity, actually, always proper, refined and polite, even when she was about to end you.”

“This mare’s eyes are really neat! Who is she?”

“Corporal Ina Yroc, mandalorian, communications technician, she always looked like she should’ve been in a fashion holo rather than out in the mud and the blood with the rest of us. I swear, it seemed like every other month some datapusher would try and transfer Ina over to Public Relations or Psychological Operations, but she wanted to stay in the field, so I kept her with the platoon.”

“These two look like they’re glarin’ at each other.”

“That’d be lance corporal Bres Khauc, weequay, trooper, and lance corporal Lem Soom, duro, trooper, two of the best soldiers in the platoon, and yeah, they were butting heads and trying to show each other up for as long as I knew them.”

“Kinda like how Rainbow Dash and Applejack are always competing?”

“Nothing so friendly, I’m afraid, Scoots. Bres and Lem really despised each other, but each was adamant that only they could kill the other one, and both Tussh and I had made it clear that the only way they were getting to each other was by going through us, so it worked … in a dysfunctional sort of way.”

“And the stallion with the big mustache?”

“Sergeant Jace Dekkert, human, medical corpsman, he was always singing, even though he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, and he was damn proud of that lip ferret of his. We lost him during the battle for the Verdast-Tilik Industrial Complex.”

The three ponies shuffled their hooves as they exchanged uneasy glances, “We don’t have ta talk anymore if ya don’t want ta, Miss Revan ….”

The Jedi sighed as she gave the little earth pony a gentle squeeze, “It’s alright, AB, losing people is just a fact of life when you’re a soldier, especially if you’re in command. The trick is remembering them all, and trying to make sure that their deaths counted for something.”

“So, who else do you want to know about?” Revan asked after a few minutes, breaking the melancholy silence that had descended upon the room.

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Apple Bloom, youngest daughter of the Apple clan and unsuccessful (so far) seeker after her special talent, patted a hoof against her stomach as she slipped out of the refresher, ‘Miss Revan sure likes her tea strong an’ sweet. She could probably give tha stuff Pinkie Pie brews a run for its bits,’ glancing around, she noticed that the door to the cockpit was open and her host’s seated figure was highlighted by the moonlight filtering through the windscreen.

Her curiosity piqued, the filly quietly walked forward, only to give a startled jump when the Jedi addressed her without turning around, “Hello, little Bloom, shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Ah was jus’ returnin’ all that tea Ah borrowed,” Bloom replied, “Oughtn’t ya be in bed, yerself?”

“Probably,” Revan admitted with a small grin as she hooked the cockpit’s other chair with her foot and spun it around to face the earth pony. Accepting the invitation, Apple Bloom scrambled up into the chair where she gave a contented sigh as she curled up on the comfortably battered upholstery.

After gazing out at the stars in a companionable silence for a time, Apple Bloom decided to bring up something that had been bothering her, “Ya really miss yer soldiers, don’t ya, Miss Revan?”

“Yes, I do. Three years out on the front lines makes for some tight bonds.”

“Then why did ya leave 'em?”

“I’m not proud of it, but cutting-and-running seemed like the best way to keep them safe at the time,” the twi’lek gave a tired sigh, “I’ve doubted that decision several times over the years, but what’s done is done. Besides,” a grin brightened Revan’s face as she leaned over to nudge the filly with her elbow, “If I had stayed with them, I never would have met any of you ponies.”

Apple Bloom giggled quietly as she returned the Jedi’s smile, “Ah wouldn’t worry too much, they have Sergeant Tussh lookin’ after 'em, after all, jus’ like we have ya lookin’ after us, an' all of us are lookin’ after ya.”

“You ponies are looking after me, are you?” Revan smirked down at the little earth pony.

“Eeeyup.”

“Well, thank you, then,” the Jedi chuckled, as the two turned their attention back to the starry sky outside.

Ch. 15; Archeological Aspirations

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“… Then we check in with the Mayor of Stalliongrad and make sure our permits are in order. Then we see what documentation we can look at and go over it. Then --”

“Come on, Egghead,” Rainbow Dash groaned from where she lay sprawled on one of the couches in the train car, “Only you could make exploring a Pre-Princesses ruin boring!”

“Temper, girls,” Revan jumped in before Twilight could voice the annoyed reply that was showing on her face, “We’re almost to Stalliongrad, so let’s remember that we’re all friends, okay?”

“Sorry, Twilight.”

“Sorry, Rainbow.”

“Better,” the twi’lek nodded approvingly at the two ponies, “Now, how about explaining why you brought me along on this little adventure, Twi’? I know that keeping RD away from a chance to play ‘Daring Do’ would take chains and a gag, but why’d you invite me?”

“Oh, that’s simple,” Twilight replied as she brushed a bit of her mane out of her face, “You’ve told us about your prior experiences dealing with ancient tombs and underground ruins, so you were a logical choice. And, well, we’ve barely seen you for the last few weeks …”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Revan apologized, as a quick burst of shame heated her face, “Working on this school and trying to train the Princesses in the Force is really eating up my time, I didn’t mean to ignore you girls.”

Rainbow flapped over to casually hoof the Jedi in the shoulder, “Hey, ponies get wrapped up in things, we’re cool.”

Revan bobbed her head in thanks for the mares’ understanding, then quickly changed the subject, “Do you really think you found something that everyone else missed, Twi’?”

“Not missed,” Twilight corrected, her face aglow with the joy of academic discovery, “But lacked the necessary information to find. While I have every confidence in the expertise of the archeologists who investigated Asphodel, they did not have access to the Crystal Empire’s archives, and I’m ninety-eight percent certain that there is a lower level that has been concealed from ponykind since Discord’s reign.”

Rainbow and Revan exchanged smiles at the unicorn’s enthusiasm, but the Jedi felt a moment of caution was in order, “You do realize that when folk go and hide away part of an underground complex, they usually have a reason for it? And long empty caves tend to acquire residents?”

“Of course they had a reason, that’s what I’m hoping we’ll discover,” Twilight tilted her head slightly as she gave her friend a confused glance, “As for monsters or aggressive animals, the Stalliongrad gendarmerie sends patrols through Asphodel specifically to make sure nothing dangerous moves into the complex.”

A long blast of the train’s whistle warned the three friends that they were approaching their stop, and sent them for their bags.

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The bitter cold of Stalliongrad in late autumn left the twi’lek and two ponies chilled to the bone and deeply grateful for the blazing fireplace as they stood in Mayor Visionary Forge’s office. “All of your permits seem to be in order, Emissary Tvilight,” the red earth pony stallion rumbled through his massive mustache, “Is there anything else my office can be doing to assist you?”

“Thank you, Mayor,” the unicorn replied pleasantly, although her ears had flattened some at being addressed as “Emissary”, “Could you please provide us with copies of any maps, notes or schedules you might have for Asphodel? It would help us narrow our search area.”

Visionary stroked his mustache in thought for a moment, then nodded, “Da, I can be doing that. It vould be best if you finished your vork quickly, however, veatherpatrol will be bringing in first snows next veek. There is an empty office just down hall, my secretary, Dusk Crown, vill bring papers to you there.”

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“Bored,” grumbled Rainbow as the other two poured over the documents Dusk Crown had provided, “Bored, bored, boredy mcbored.”

Unimpressed, Twilight pushed a small stack of papers over to the pegasus, “Just look for any patterns, Rainbow,” seeing Revan’s raised brow, she leaned over and whispered, “Trust me, Rainbow is actually really good at this.”

The quite rustling of papers and scratching of pens filled the room for a time, when Rainbow jerked up from her slouch, “Uh, fillies?”

“What’s up, RD?”

“I found that pattern Twi’ wanted,” Rainbow frowned down at her papers, “I’m just not sure what it means.”

“Show us,” Twilight urged as she and Revan moved around the table to join the pegasus.

“Well, I was looking at these patrol schedules, and I noticed that they all leave one part of the ruin uncovered,” Rainbow pulled over a map and pointed to an isolated, unremarkable chamber deep within Asphodel, “Right here, see?”

“I’ll be buggered,” the Jedi breathed, before flashing a wide grin at the weatherpony and clapping her on the shoulder, “You found it RD!”

“Great job, Rainbow,” Twilight agreed as she affectionately shoulder bumped the pegasus, “If somepony is going to all this effort to surreptitiously maneuver the gendarmerie patrols away from that room, than that is where we’ll start looking for the door to the lower level!”

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Blearily trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes, Twilight sat down at the small table her friends had claimed and gave the waitress her breakfast order along with a groggy smile and a massive yawn.

“Serves you right,” Rainbow teased the unicorn, “You could have just given that secretary pony back the papers, but no, you had to stay up talking to him when we’re hoping to make an early start.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Twilight’s apology was interrupted by another yawn, “It’s just Dusk Crown was so interested in my theories and research, and I got carried away.”

“Don’t worry about it, Twi’,” Revan replied as she casually swiped a piece of peppery haysausage off of Rainbow’s plate, drawing an indignant “Hey!” from the pegasus, “Finding someone who has both the wits and the education to really follow what you’re talking about is bound to sidetrack you a little.”

Rainbow frowned across the table at the Jedi, “Did you just call us dumb?”

“Only in comparison to Twilight.”

“Oh, well that’s okay, then,” Rainbow shrugged in agreement, then leaned protectively over her breakfast and mock growled at Revan as she jabbed her fork at the Jedi’s plate, while the twi’lek smirked in response and raised her own fork in turn.

“You two are as bad as the Crusaders,” Twilight sighed as she watched her friends’ clowning for a few moments, before she prudently moved her own plate away from the field of battle.

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“So what’s the intel on this place, anyway?” Revan asked as the trio made their way deeper into Asphodel’s tunnels, the glow emanating from Twilight’s horn lighting their way.

“The current theory is that Asphodel started out as a mine and storehouse, although we don’t know who built it, as it predates Stalliongrad’s construction by several centuries,” Twilight explained happily, “During Discord’s reign, portions of the complex were converted by different groups of refugees to serve as living spaces and shelters from the rampant pandemonium outside. Unfortunately a chaos storm buried the entrance and reshaped the immediate surroundings, sealing it away until it was rediscovered eight years ago by Jubilee Dasher and Diamond Snow.”

“Mines and stores, huh? What where they digging for?”

“Gold, iron, copper and gems, mostly,” the unicorn replied, “Although there were a few mana crystal deposits, as well.”

“I dunno, Twi’, seems like a lot of tunnels just for some mines and a few storage rooms,” Rainbow remarked as she looked around at the shadowed, echoing galleries that stretched on and on.

“Some of the tunnels and chambers where dug by the refugees,” Twilight admitted, “But Asphodel is still one of the largest mines in Equestria, even if it is mostly exhausted now. Ah, here we are,” the unicorn smiled as she led her friends into an empty chamber that looked the same as all the others that they had passed, “Now we can begin searching for the concealed door,” she continued, rubbing her hooves together eagerly.

“Wait a second,” Revan requested as she rummaged in the pouches on her belt. Pulling out a pair of small tubes, she slapped them forcefully against her other hand, causing them to begin radiating a green light, “Here, RD,” she added as she held out one of the glowing tubes for the pegasus.

For the next two hours the only sound was an occasional murmured query or remark as the twi’lek and the two ponies scoured the small chamber from end to end, before they finally gathered back in the center of the room to compare their findings. “So we’re pretty certain that the northern portion of the eastern wall is the door,” Twilight summarized, “And the two catches to open it are over here,” she waved a hoof at the north wall.

“Makes sense,” Revan observed, “If you have multiple catches that have to be worked at the same time, you don’t have to worry about someone coming along and triggering it by accident like in all those campy holoshows.”

“Well what are we waiting for?” Rainbow asked as she eagerly trotted over to one of the hidden catches, while her friends quickly followed after, pausing only to pull a small glowstone lantern from Twilight’s saddlebags to replace the dying glow sticks.

Reaching out their hooves and nodding their heads in a quiet count, Rainbow and Twilight each pushed on part of the wall, their hooves sinking almost an inch into the stone. Without a sound a section of the back wall slid backwards and then moved off to the side, leaving a tunnel deeper into the earth exposed.

Eagerly slipping through the doorway, the three friends found a lever just beyond that sent the stone slab ghosting back into place on silent counterweights when pulled. “Someone is definitely using this passage,” Revan said as she crouched down to examine the tunnel floor, “The tracks for the secret door have been cleared.”

“Oiled too,” Rainbow added as she and Twilight wrinkled their noses at the faint odor.

As they looked around the tunnel, Twilight began to bounce in place while an excited smile threatened to swallow her muzzle, “We did it, we did it, we did it! We found a lost site of the ancient world! Just like Professor Do!” the unicorn and pegasus grabbed each other in a joyful hug, too caught up in the moment to care about how they looked as they celebrated.

“Congratulations, girls,” the Jedi added, as she threw an arm around each mare’s neck, “But don’t forget that someone is using these tunnels and trying to be stealthy about it, so let’s be careful, okay?”

The two ponies having calmed down, the trio headed down the slopping tunnel deeper into the complex, with Rainbow carrying the lantern as she slowly flew alongside her land bound friends.

As the little band passed empty chamber after empty chamber, many with their stone doors hanging open, Rainbow began to grumble irritably around the lantern handle in her mouth. “I know, Rainbow,” Twilight sighed, “It looks like looters have already plunder this portion of Asphodel. If we’re lucky, they haven’t stolen everything, and we might even be able to gain some idea of who they are so that we can alert the authorit--”

The librarian’s words were cutoff with a surprised yelp as the wall and floor opened up and three diamond dogs lunged out to seize her and drag the mare back into their tunnel! Revan latched onto Twilight and was drug along with her, while Rainbow charged the tunnel only to find her way blocked by a shield of green magic as the tunnel filled in behind the diamond dogs and her friends.

Dropping the lantern, Rainbow angrily kicked the newly sealed tunnel, “Give me back my friends, you buckheads!” When a few more kicks did nothing more than hurt her hoof, Rainbow scooped up the lantern and flew down the tunnel, determined to find her companions and the plotheaded nags who had just made the massive mistake of foalnapping them.

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As she plunged down the steep incline Revan smashed into Twilight, the impact tore the unicorn from her captor’s paws and sent them both tumbling out into the room below. Rolling to her feet, the Jedi whipped out her blaster and lightsaber, the blade’s iridescent glow illuminated the chamber to reveal a motley collection of diamond dogs, scruffy looking ponies, gryphons and … changelings?

“W-what is going on?” Twilight stuttered in confusion as she scrambled to her hooves, her legs still wobbly from her tumble.

Revan moved to stand guard over the disoriented unicorn as she glared balefully out at the surrounding mob, “Looks like an abduction.”

“Right you are, lass,” a golden-headed gryphon nodded in agreement, then pointed his claw at the pair, “Get the unicorn!”

Two of the changelings ignited their horns as a dark brown earth pony mare dropped with a wet cough, drilled through her chest by Revan’s first shot, while a diamond dog yelped and grabbed his shoulder as he was hit by a second blaster bolt. Then the press of bodies was too thick for the Jedi to take more than the occasional snap shot as she concentrated on her saber work.

Pressed from all side, Revan constantly spun and twisted as she weaved through the mob, warding off the unicorns’ and changelings’ magic bolts and guarding herself and Twilight from their attacks as she fended away the throng, leaving severed limbs and broken bodies in her wake, while the librarian raised shields of her own and unleashed blast after blast of magenta magic that slammed their attackers back into walls or sent them sprawling with its concussive force.

One of the diamond dogs slipped around Twilight’s shield and reached out to scoop up the unicorn, only to have his cry of triumph cut short as Revan leapt back and swept his head from his shoulders.

‘All too easy,’ the Jedi thought as she rampaged through the enemy ranks, leaving two more lying on the cavern floor, ‘Twi’ and I’ll tear through this lot like a bunch of cheap clankers, and then we’ll go find Rainbow.’ She tossed a quick glance at the pair of changelings, their horns still ablaze with green magic, that had held back from the melee so far, before turning to plunge back into the fray, an unpleasant laugh burbling from her lips.

“Revan!” Twilight shouted, her frantic cry echoing through the chamber as the clatter of hooves heralded the arrival of another eight changelings. Whipping around, the twi’lek saw the unicorn desperately trying to hold off the swarm that threatened to overwhelm her, ‘When did … Why did I separate from Twi’?’ Revan saw one of the changelings give her an ugly smirk, ‘The bastards where in my mind!’ The changeling barked an order and Revan’s opponents pulled away, leaving the Jedi exposed and cutoff from Twilight.

No longer constrained by the risk of hitting their fellows, the reinforced changelings brought their numbers to bear, with half of them blasting the twi’lek directly, while the rest turned their magic against the chamber ceiling. Twilight’s pained cry of “Revan!” was swallowed by the rumble of the falling stones as the roof came crashing down and buried the Jedi.

Ch. 16; In The Depths Of Asphodel

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Nausea and vertigo gripped Twilight Sparkle as she lay limply across the back of the dark green earth pony stallion as he plodded deeper into the Asphodel mine while the rest of her captors trudged alongside, helping along their wounded and carrying their dead.

Physically, she was sick from the blow to her head that had laid the unicorn low, while the disorientation and sheer sense of wrongness caused by the magic inhibitor ring around her horn only served to further enhance her distress.

Mentally, Twilight’s thoughts were a confused jumble, but for one thing: the overwhelming, soul-wracking grief of having seen one of her friends die before her eyes, killed while trying to defend her. ‘I failed her,’ the mare reproached herself, ‘Princess Celestia’s personal student, one of the most gifted unicorn’s of my generation, and I couldn’t protect Revan!’

A change in the echoes brought Twilight’s attention back to the world as the band entered a massive cavern with several tunnels leading out of it, ‘Probably the mine’s central chamber,’ noted the analytical part of her mind just before she was unceremoniously throw to the stone floor by the pony that had been carrying her.

“You four,” barked the golden-headed gryphon who seemed to be in charge, “Head back down that tunnel and keep a watch out for the third one, the rest of you, bring in the other groups, when Dusk Crown arrives he’ll want to talk to everyone. And someone put some shackles on her,” he added, throwing a glare at the despondent librarian.

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The grinding of stone on stone disturbed the silence of the ancient chamber as rocks shifted within the mound of debris created by the recent collapse of part of the ceiling. More and more rocks tumbled down the pile to clatter against the floor as something moved within the heap, until finally a mangled, cyan-skinned hand burst out from among the stones.

The hand was soon followed by the badly ravaged form of a humanoid female that flopped onto the floor once she had escaped from her cairn. Faint, agonized wheezes of air leaked from her pulped lips as the slightest movement caused shattered bones to grind against each other and rip through the surrounding flesh.

After several minutes had passed the broken woman raised her head to look around, her sole eye far sharper than it should have been, given her condition. Having found whatever trace or sign she sought, the woman pulled her lips away from broken teeth in a rictus grin as she began to slowly crawl her way across the floor towards a tunnel mouth, a trail of bloody smears left in her wake to mark her path.

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“This whole job has gone to horseapples,” Sundancer grumbled to the earth pony mare beside him, “Eight of us dead and another dozen badly injured or crippled? This can’t have been part of Dusk Crown’s plan.”

“You want to take it up with Thornclaw?” the changeling, Actias, snapped from where he was standing guard across the intersection, “No? Then keep your muzzle shut and your eyes and ears open.”

“I was just saying,” the stallion muttered defensively, “Hey, where did Rex get off to?”

“He went back down the tunnel towards where we had the fight,” Rose Charm answered, “Something about wanting to keep an eye out for the ‘fire demon’.”

Actias shook his head in derision at the absent diamond dog’s superstitious behavior, “That weird biped? Yeah it was a nasty piece of work, but it’s nothing but worm fodder now. Rex needs to be concerned with the living, not wasting his time on ghoulies,” the two ponies nodded in agreement with the sour-tempered changeling and turned their attention back to the tunnel they were watching.

Rose raised her head, her ears swiveling uneasily as she turned to take a step towards the tunnel Rex had vanished down, “Did either of you hear that?”

Any reply her fellows might have made was interrupted by the bolt of lightning that streaked out of the tunnel to envelope the mare, the echoing boom of its thunder crack swallowed Rose’s dying scream, while lesser arcs of electricity knocked Sundancer to the ground and left him helpless as his muscles spasmed. Actias immediately whirled to flee down the tunnel and alert the rest of their crew, but after only a few steps, the changeling stumbled and fell, groaning in pain as he thrashed on the ground.

A nightmare figure of torn flesh and splintered bones lurched out of the shadow-filled tunnel into the light of the guards’ lanterns, ‘No, it’s not possible, we saw it get crushed under that deadfall! It’s dead!’ Sundancer thought hysterically as the thing that had been accompanying two of the Elements of Harmony limped her way over to Actias, one mutilated hand outstretched in a loose fist as if she was somehow gripping the changeling. Looming over the prone changeling, the biped gave a gurgling laugh as she opened her hand and bathed him in red lightning.

Sundancer scrambled back into a corner, ‘Rex was right, it is a demon!’ he gibbered in terror as Actias’ flesh withered away before the stallion’s eyes, even worse was the ecstatic moans coming from the demon as he could see her bones snap back into place and the skin and muscle flow back over her wounds.

Turning away from the shriveled corpse at her feet, the restored demon smiled over at Sundancer as she pulled out her light sword, “I have some questions for you,” the pegasus whimpered as she crouched down beside him, “Where did you take Twilight Sparkle?”

“Down there,” the stallion pointed desperately, “Four chambers down that tunnel!”

“I see,” the demon nodded at Sundancer’s answer, making her blade hum and crackle as she idly swung it, “And did any of you hurt her?”

“No! We just knocked her on the head and put an inhibitor ring on her horn, she’ll be fine, I swear!”

“Last question, how many of you lot are down there?”

“Maybe forty of us in good shape,” the pegasus nervously licked his lips as he blinked the fear-sweat out of his eyes, “Please, let me go …”

The demon cocked her head to the side in confusion as she looked at Sundancer, “Who said anything about letting you go?”

The stallion whimpered again as he squeezed his eyes shut … but the fatal blow never fell. After a few moments, he cracked one eye open, the demon was still crouched beside him, her blade raised and her face impassive, but the Pegasus could see emotions at war in her eye.

After what felt like an eternity to the waiting pony, the light sword lashed out … to point down one of the other tunnels as the demon snarled “Run!”

Not daring to question his sudden good fortune, Sundancer scrambled to his hooves and shot off down the tunnel as fast as his wings would carry him.

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“Have you taken leave of your senses?!” Dusk Crown roared as he glared up at the gryphon, “I told you that they were coming so you could block the upper door and start closing down the operation, not so you could foalnap one of the Elements of bucking Harmony and kill one of her friends!”

“Things got out of claw,” Thornclaw replied defensively, “You said they were already suspicious about how you diverted the gendarmes’ patrols.”

With an irritated snort Dusk turned away, a flash of green fire burned away the shape he wore to reveal the changeling underneath as he walked over to Twilight, “You have my apologies for what has happened, Baroness Twilight, not that they will mean much to you right now.”

‘A changeling, I told a changeling what we were going to do and all of my theories, it really is all my fault,’ the unicorn did her best to mask her guilt-ridden thoughts as she glowered at Dusk, “So what does Chrysalis want with Asphodel?”

“Really now, Baroness,” Dusk chided her, “Queen Chrysalis does not rule all the hives. We are just a simple group of mercenaries trying to fulfill our contract, a contract we’ll have to default on now,” he sighed, “Seeing as Rainbow Dash will probably be here with the gendarmes before nightfall, we’ll have to concentrate on our evacuation rather than getting out a last shipment.”

“And what happens to me?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Dusk smiled reassuringly down at her, “This entire nasty mess was a mistake, when your friend arrives with the gendarmes, you’ll be right here waiting for them and none the worse than you are now.”

Twilight blinked at the changeling, “You will have to forgive me if I don’t particularly trust the word of foalnappers and murders.”

“Perfectly understandable,” Dusk Crown nodded, “But in fairness, Baroness, I must point out that we are not the only ones with blood on our hooves.”

The unicorn opened her mouth, but the boom of a thunderclap echoing down the tunnel cut off whatever retort she had intended to make. Thornclaw and Dusk Crown exchanged worried looks, then the changeling began to shout orders to his assembled followers, “All casualties head for the lower gate! Walking wounded help the others! Everyone else, prepare to repel invaders!” the motley horde quickly fell in, readying spears and swords, or snatching up picks and shovels, as they formed up around the tunnel mouth.

As minutes slowly trickled by, the waiting mercenaries began to shift anxiously. “Maybe that wasn’t anything dangerous?” one of the changelings wondered, “Maybe it went down a different tunnel?”

“Did that sound like something that wanted to invite us out to tea and cakes?” Thornclaw snapped, “Now shut your muzzle! I can smell it coming.”

The gryphon’s words were punctuated by the lightning bolt that roared out of the tunnel, scattering the mercenaries before it shattered against the shields raised by a mixed squad of changelings and unicorns.

Her ears ringing, Twilight blinked away the afterimages from the lightning strike to see a familiar figure stalking out of the tunnel mouth, a hungry grin on her lips and her lightsaber in her hand, “Revan!” the unicorn’s happy cry faded as she saw the aura of red light that writhed and coiled around her friend like a living thing.

“I thought you said she was dead!” Dusk Crown shouted at Thornclaw.

“Dead?” Revan laughed ominously in reply as her smile twisted, “You took Twilight! Did you think dying would keep me from coming for her?!” the twi’lek flung herself at the mercenaries, the echoes of her angry roar still ringing through the cavern, her saber already swinging while the aura that sheathed Revan lashed out to twist around those nearest her.

Twilight watched in growing horror as Revan crashed into the gathered host, gone was the finesse the twi’lek had displayed in the previous fight or all of the times the unicorn had watched her spar, now she merely smashed through her opponents, brutally severing weapons and limbs, apparently heedless of the wounds she took in turn. Wounds that healed over almost as soon as they were inflicted as those mercenaries caught within her bloody aura shrieked in pain and wasted away before the unicorn’s eyes. Perhaps worst of all was the continuous stream of rapturous sighs and cheerful laughter pouring from the twi’lek as she butchered her way through the mercenaries.

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Rainbow Dash was in a bad mood, what was supposed to be a few days of exploration and adventure with two of her friends had gone, ‘What is that term Revan likes to use? “Charlie Foxtrot”?’ now Twilight and Revan were missing, foalnapped by some horseapples-for-brains nags who thought she would just let them waltz off with her friends! And when she found them, by Celestia and Luna, she was going to buck them so hard they would hear it back in Ponyville!

Rainbow darted along through the still air of the mine as she continued to follow the blood trail she had found, a trail that had grown fainter after it crossed paths with that weird diamond dog mummy that had been just lying in the tunnel, and now stopped completely. The weatherpony looked around the cavern, an angry growl building in her throat only to die unborn as she took in the corpses scattered about, and her mind finally registered the reek of burnt meat and tang of ozone that filled the air.

The shriveled-up changeling was bad enough, but the sight of the flash-fried earth pony mare was almost enough to make Rainbow revisit her breakfast. She had seen the results of a wild-lightning strike before, back during weathercamp, but that had just been pictures … this was a pony right in front of her. ‘Well, that explains the thunder I heard,’ Rainbow though distractedly, as she forced her stomach back were it belonged, ‘Except it doesn’t, seeing as we’re underground!’

Rainbow’s ears swiveled as the faint sounds of a battle echoed down one of the tunnels, ‘Twilight and Revan are still fighting them! Just hold on, fillies, I’m coming!’ she thought as she shot off to seek her friends, her face fixed in a determined glower.

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Twilight watched helplessly as the fight raged on. Faced with Revan’s brutality, lightsaber and necromancy, the mercenaries were growing desperate, their numbers ensured that the twi’lek had a ready supply of people to steal the life from as she rampaged through them, rather than allowing them to overwhelm her, while interfering with the aim of their changeling and unicorn members at the same time. As their ranks dwindled, with the wounded and dying falling only to be consumed by Revan’s murderous aura, the librarian could see the despair growing in Thornclaw’s and Dusk Crown’s eyes.

“Get in her head!” Dusk Crown barked at two of his changelings who stood nearby, “Make her run, make her stop bothering with that damn aura, something!”

“We’re trying!” the panicking changeling replied, “But everything we try just gets swallowed up in bloodlust and rage! We can’t influence her!”

A prismatic streak and an angry shout announced Rainbow Dash’s entrance to the fray, as she swerved around the knot of struggling figures in the middle of the cavern and slammed directly into a mixed squad of unicorns and changelings that had been throwing up shields to protect their fellows engaged in the melee.

Knocked sprawling at Twilight’s hooves by the impact of Rainbow’s arrival, Dusk Crown decided it was time to cut his losses, “Everyone fall back! Stand down! We surrender!” scrambling to his hooves, he sliced through the rusted chains of the shackles binding the unicorn with a burst of magic and then ripped the inhibitor ring off of Twilight’s horn as he shouted, “We surrender!” again.

Rising to her hooves, Twilight looked gratefully at her friends as Rainbow reluctantly backed away from the retreating mercenaries and Revan merely watched them, her lips curled in a snarl. Twilight’s relieved breath caught in her throat as she desperately flung up a shield to block the tendril of power that whipped out at one of the mercenaries, “Revan, stop! They surrendered!” The unicorn gritted her teeth as she felt Revan’s necromancy gnawing away at her shield before, with a visible effort, the twi’lek pulled her aura back to little more than a red glow about her body.

“What are you doing, Twilight?!”

“It’s over, Revan,” the librarian stepped forward to put herself between her friend and the mercenaries, “We’ll take them back to Stalliongrad and turn them over to the gendarmes.”

“But we can finish it, Twi’,” Revan cocked her head to the side as she grinned hungrily at the unicorn, her voice cajoling, “You, me and RD, we can end them.”

Twilight felt sick as she looked into the twi’lek’s eagerly smiling face as her deadly aura began to expand again, ‘This isn’t the Revan I know, something, the necromancy, I don’t know, is changing her, twisting her,’ Twilight’s mouth hardened as she began to gather her magic, ‘I won’t lose her again, not like this.’ “Revan, do you trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, Twi’,” the twi’lek replied gently as she furrowed her brow in confusion at the unicorn’s odd question.

‘She’s going to be so angry at me …’ “Then I need you to listen to me closely … Sleep!”

Ch. 17; Facing The Woman In The Mirror

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Revan groggily blinked her eye and rubbed at her aching head as she sat up, “Where am I?” she wondered as she looked around at a landscape composed entirely of shifting shadows and a familiar red haze.

A voice came out of the gloom, “About time you woke up, our little librarian can sure pack a wallop, eh?”

Revan rolled to her feet as she spun around to face … herself? A near-exact duplicate of the twi’lek stood a few meters off, one hand casual hooked through her belt and a mocking smile on her lips as she cocked a brow above her poisonous-yellow eyes.

‘So that what I would have looked like if I never left the Sith,’ mused a distant, cold portion of Revan’s mind, while the rest of her thoughts were concerned with more immediate issues, “Who … What are you?”

“I’m you, you stupid ass, I’m what we could have been, should have been, if you hadn't denied what we are and tried to cripple our power.”

“I didn't ‘cripple’ us,” the twi'lek retorted as she glared at her doppelganger, “I got us under control before the death-addiction overwhelmed us and we turned on our own!”

“Bah,” the doppelganger sneered, “We were SoulTaker! The Demon of Comzelar! We had the respect of the military and a bright future ahead of us in the Sith Order, and you threw it all away to go running to the Jedi! To be the attack hound they always regarded with suspicion even as they used us to do their dirty work! As for control, what did the Jedi have to do with our control? Our talents were ‘Dark Side aberrations’, all the Jedi taught us was how to suppress them! We earned our control, despite them, and we kept our power despite you!”

“And look at what you've reduced us to now,” the doppelganger continued, as she began to circle around Revan, “We have the power to take a place for ourselves, to protect these ponies from their own idealistic, softhearted, folly. But what are we doing? Serving them! Changing what we do, giving up on what we know works, in order to bow to their naïve principals. And still you hold our abilities back! It took Twilight being captured for you to finally stop pretending and embrace what we are!”

“You leave Twilight out of this!” the twi’lek snarled at her double, “And we have never sought power! All we ever wanted was to protect those we care about!” the fire in Revan’s face faded as she continued in a softer tone, “And things are so different here … It makes no sense, but, somehow, their idealism works more often than not. Maybe, maybe we don’t always have to make the hard choices anymore?”

“And that is your excuse for letting that merc go?” sneered the doppelganger, “‘Being soft works for the ponies’, so you just let him go free to come at our backs or go after Rainbow instead? What the frell were you thinking you di’kut?”

“And you think protecting others doesn’t take power? Did you sleepwalk through our training at the Shadow Academy?” the doppelganger didn’t bother waiting for Revan to respond, her voice dripping with derision as she continued, “If you’re so sure about how understanding these ponies will be, then why haven’t you ever told any of them what we really are? Not Hopeful, not the Princesses we are so fond of, not our friends back in Ponyville, not even our precious Twilight.”

She bared her teeth at the twi’lek in a cruel smile, “I’ll tell you why, all the things we’ve seen and done? All the lives we’ve drunk down? The choices we’ve made? How much we love blood and death, hunger for it? You know they could never accept the truth of what we are. So you hide it away, bury it and pretend that it never happened.”

“Pretend it never happened …” the doppelganger repeated slowly, before she raised her head to glare at Revan, her eyes blazing with a sudden rage, “You keep Maeve buried too! You just go about pretending what we did to her never happened, that she never even existed! You miserable bastard, how dare you?!”

“I’d never deny Maeve!” Revan swore as she stumbled away, driven back by the sheer force of the wrath and anguish that was radiating from her double, “I'll never forget what we did!”

“Liar!” the red haze swelled up, blotting out Revan’s vision as her doppelganger’s words, now filled with ice, continued from out of the dark, “You’ve tried to forget our sins, but I’ll make you remember!”

________________________________________

Revan blinked in a futile attempt to clear the blood from her working eye, the other was swollen shut, while more blood bubbled from her smashed nose and her chest screamed with every breath. With a grunt, the girl forced her hand to open and let the bloody vibroknife clatter to the gore-splattered duracrete floor of the pens. A wave of vertigo swept over her, and the twi’lek swayed as she stared at the two broken fingers on her right hand with sick fascination as she fought to regain her focus.

“Maeve!” with a jerk the girl lurched about and limped as quickly as she could to where Fass had dropped her beloved friend, “No, no, no, no ….” Dropping to her knees with a muted scream, Revan reached out to brush the zeltron’s blue hair away from the battered ruins of her once beautiful face, only to flinch away at Maeve’s sightless, staring eyes and the way her head lolled limply at the twi’lek’s touch.

“Mae’, no …” Revan whispered as she gathered the older girl’s body tightly in her arms, as if she could somehow squeeze the life back into her. After futilely holding her friend to her breast for a few moments, the twi’lek threw her head back and unleashed a wailing cry of naked grief and anger, filling the pens with the sound of her agony, although her eyes remained dry.

“For the love of the Makers, Revan Vao, stop this!”

The girl stared as a glorious, night-dark herdbeast, clad in metal armor and sporting great, feathered wings, a long horn, and a mane and tail made out of the starry sky, stepped out of the shadows of the pens, “Please, Revan Vao, stop this self-torment before thou destroy thyself,” it begged in a clearly feminine voice.

Revan gave a terrified whimper as she tried to scramble away from the strange quadruped, Maeve’s body still clutched in her arms, while the quadruped, in turn, watched the twi’lek’s actions with a look of surprise and pain clear on her face.

“She does not know you, Princess of the Moon, to her, it is seventeen years ago, on the day when our world burned and the universe decided it would be crueler to let us live.”

The girl and the quadruped looked about for the source of the coldly disinterested voice, but there was no one to be seen, even the slaves in the other cages had vanished, ‘What’s going on?’ Revan wondered, ‘Where is everyone? And why does that voice sound like ... me?’

“Who are thou? Are thou a danger to Revan Vao?” demanded the princess as she glared out into the darkness, her wings flared and her horn lowered in threat.

“I am Revan, Princess,” the voice replied in the same indifferent tone, “I am what makes sure we live and others die. And you should not be here.”

The princess narrowed her eyes at the shadows, “If keeping Revan Vao alive is thy purpose, then thou know that her self-hatred is poisoning her mind and spirit, it must end.”

“Agreed,” the voice finally replied after several moments, “The comparative peace of Equestria and the influence of you ponies have left us with too much time to contemplate our guilt, and to develop emotional connections that we have wisely refused in the past. Our current emotional state is no longer tenable.”

“Then thou will help us?”

“I am our survival and our pragmatism, Princess, I cannot heal our soul, however, I can keep us from doing anything too rash … at least for a time. But I warn you, the Darkness and I are integral parts of Revan’s psyche now, we can no more be removed than the events you have seen here can be undone, and any attempt to do so will have … consequences.”

The quadruped princess stood waiting for a time, as Revan continued to watch her fearfully, but when no further response from the shadows proved forthcoming, she walked forward to place a comforting wing on the young girl’s shoulder, “It is time for thou to leave this place and come back, Revan Vao, all of thy friends are worried about thee.”

“M-my friends?”

“Yes,” the princess nodded to the girl, “Thou are not alone, Revan Vao, but I think it is time that thou told us everything.”

“I can’t go,” the young twi’lek shook her head as she tightened her grip on Maeve’s body, “I can’t leave Mae’ alone ….”

The princess smiled sadly as she pulled the girl into a wing-hug, “She will not be alone, Revan Vao, thou have mine word.”

“… Okay.”

Ch. 18; The Shadows Of The Past

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Twilight Sparkle stood, a forgotten cup of coffee held aloft in her magic, as she focused on the emitter shroud that floated before her. The rest of the components of the disassembled lightsaber lay careful sorted on the side-table in one of the palace's sitting rooms where she had spent most of the last few days as she waited for Revan to wake up.

“Twi'? Sugarcube? What are ya doin’ there?”

“Meep!” 'I did not just squeak! That was just an expression of surprise!' the unicorn spun around to find her friends and Princess Celestia clustered in the doorway watching her uncertainly, “Nothing! I'm not doing anything! And I certainly wasn't trying to figure out how to adapt the plasma generation and containment systems from Revan's saber into a drive system for extra-atmospheric vessels that could take ponies to the stars!”

As the newly arrived ponies scattered to the seats about the room, Rarity made her way over to Twilight and snatched up the coffee mug, the cold, over-brewed sludge within elicited a sniff of distaste from the fashionista, “How much of this … beverage have you had, darling?”

“Just four or five ...” Twilight winched as Celestia and her friends exchanged looks and then all raised their eyebrows at her, 'That's actually a little creepy …' “... dozen cups,” she reluctantly amended.

Rarity simply shook her head and made her way to a seat, the mug held firmly in her aura as Twilight watched her departing coffee despondently.

“Too much caffeine isn't good for you, Twilight,” Celestia admonished her student, “And you should probably reassemble Revan's saber before she arrives.”

“Eeep!” Twilight squeaked again, 'That wasn't a squeak either!' turning to the table she quickly began to reassemble the lightsaber while throwing questions over her shoulder, “Revan is awake? She's coming here? I-is she angry with me?”

“Yes, yes, and not that I am aware of,” Celestia smiled gently at the agitated unicorn, “Luna and Revan are already on their way from the hospital wing, which is part of why I gathered all of you.”

“Ya said us bein’ here ta welcome Revan back was jus’ a part of it ...” Applejack observed, her face serious as the farmpony leveled an inquiring gaze at her ruler.

“It has to do with what happened to Revan in the mines, doesn't it?” Fluttershy added, seeing the other ponies’ curious gazes, she bashfully ducked her head, her cheeks coloring slightly, as she explained, “Rainbow likes to talk to me when she's upset, it makes her feel better.”

The solar alicorn nodded approvingly to the two mares while Rainbow Dash coughed in embarrassment from her seat, “You are both correct, my little ponies. Revan's … episode in Asphodel appears to be linked to some deeply worrisome issues in her past that she may finally be willing to talk about, but to get through it, she will need her friends by her side.” Celestia sighed as her voice became tinged with concern, “Luna has seen some of what lurks in our Jedi friend's memories, and even if Revan decides to be sparring with the details, I fear what we are going to hear could be quite difficult for some of you ...”

“Pshaw,” Rainbow scoffed, “I don't care what heebie jeebies Revan has in her head, we aren't going anywhere, right fillies?” Celestia beamed proudly at the other five Element Bearers as they all nodded in agreement with the brash weatherpony’s declaration.

________________________________________

Luna Astralis, the Blood Moon, Princess of the Night, Warden of Dreams and Marshal of the Guards, strode through the halls of Canterlot Palace, one eye on the twi’lek that slowly trudged alongside her, “Thou should be happy to be seeing thy friends, Revan Vao, instead thou are acting as if thou were on thy way to the headspony.”

“It might as well be the execution grounds,” Revan muttered, “There’s no way my relationship with the girls, or with you and Celestia, is going to survive this.”

The lunar diarch gave Revan her full attention for a moment, then reached out a wing to slap the dejected twi’lek upside her head, “Enough of that, thou wrong all of thy friends with these doubts and presumptions, we merit better from thou.”

“You do deserve better, all of you,” Revan agreed gloomily, “And once I get done explaining just what you’ve taken in, all of you will realize it, too.”

Luna sighed in exasperation, ‘As stubborn in her self-contempt as she is in everything else,’ the alicorn’s eyes narrowed as a small smile quirked her muzzle, ‘Thou will see, Revan Vao, the Bearers of Harmony accepted me despite my weakness and the Nightmare’s crimes, and they will not cast thee out either.’

Reaching their destination, Revan preceded the alicorn into the room only to be descended upon by the anxious ponies within as they pelted her with questions. Luna pressed forward, herding the twi'lek through the clustered ponies, who were all trying to talk over each other, and firmly ushering her into an open seat, before the younger princess settled onto a coach of her own and clapped her hooves together, “Gently, mine friends, gently. We will get nowhere if thou are all speaking at once.”

As the abashed mares returned to their seats, Celestia frowned as she watched Twilight shoot nervous glances at Revan, “I think we need to deal with this first, Lulu,” she remarked, nodding towards where the purple unicorn was currently trying to hide behind her mane, “Twilight, I believe that you have something you wish to say to Revan?”

“Y-yes,” the librarian stammered, “I want to tell you how sorry I am for what happened in Asphodel … for getting captured and dragging you and Rainbow into it … for asking you if you trusted me, and then ambushing you with a sleep spell … for disabling you while the mercenaries were still in a position to turn on us … for everything!”

Revan rose from her chair and walked over to slowly, almost hesitantly, put her hand on Twilight’s head, “You getting snatched wasn’t your fault, Twilight, as for putting me down … I can’t say that I’m happy about it, but considering where my head was, your only real options were letting me have the mercs, or fighting me, and either choice could have sent them against you just as easily. But asking me if I trusted you before bushwhacking me was a low ploy,” the twi’lek suddenly gave the nervous unicorn a crooked smile and ruffled her mane, “I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Twilight blinked as she tried to decided how she felt about gaining Revan’s approval in such a fashion, while the twi’lek glanced over at the Princesses, “What was the deal with those mercs, anyway?”

“It appears that they had been plundering Asphodel’s hidden reserves of orichalcum and mana crystals, as well as mining some live veins, for several years,” Celestia explained, “And they probably would have succeeded in stripping the mine bare if you three hadn’t discovered them.”

“They have been most reticent about who hired them,” Luna added, “And their two leaders, Dusk Crown and Thornclaw, have repeatedly insisted that they are solely to blame for their underlings’ actions, as they gave the orders.”

The group quietly considered the princesses’ words, “Well, while Ah won’t shed no tears if tha courts decide ta throw tha lot of them sidewinders in tha hoosegow and throw away tha key,” Applejack finally drawled, “Ah can’t say Ah don’t respect their loyalty.”

The other Ponyvillians nodded in agreement with the farmpony’s sentiment, then turned their attention back to Revan, who sat with her attention fixed firmly on her clasped hands for a time, before she finally began to speak, “Out there, in the rest of the galaxy, we’ve gotten very good at war. Artillery and Armor, air strikes, even orbital bombardment, we can reduce anything from a single building to the entire city down to ash and rubble in just minutes. Get a big enough fleet together and you can glass-over a planet in less than a day.”

The Ponyvillians exchanged glances, confused at what this had to do with Revan’s problems, while the two alicorns frowned as they considered the implications of her words as the twi’lek continued with her tale.

“But sometimes you want to hold the ground, or to keep the infrastructure intact for your own use. You want prisoners to interrogate, or just something more surgical than wholesale devastation,” Revan’s lips curled in a small smile, “That’s where me and my lads came in. I’m sure that some of you already know that back during the Comzelar campaign, I was in command of an infantry platoon, ‘GROPOs’ to use the common slang term. It was my first command after I completed my Trials at the Shadow Academy.

“The initial conquest took four months, but a whole world provides plenty of space for rebels to hide in. It took the better part of three years before we rooted out most of the insurgents’ strongholds, major cells and primary operatives and finally broke the rebellion’s back.

“My platoon spent most of that time in the field; hunting down insurgents in the wilderness, fighting house-to-house in the cities and industrial complexes, or storming rebel strongholds whenever command decided that we couldn’t just level the place. It was a nasty, brutish tour of duty, full of blood, pain and death … and I loved it.”

Rainbow frowned at the twi’lek in confusion, “So you like a good scrap, what’s the big deal?”

“It isn’t just the fighting, Rainbow, it’s the killing, the preservation of my own life at the cost of another’s. ‘Your turn, not mine.’ ‘I live, you die’,” Revan shook her head as she kept her gaze on the floor, “I’ve been weaning myself off kill-joy since I joined the Jedi, but I only realized how bad I’d gotten because of what nearly happened on Comzelar. And my ‘talent’ only made it worse,” she held up a hand sheathed in red light, before letting it drop back into her lap.

“You make lights?” Pinkie asked in bewilderment as she titled her head, “There’s nothing bad about that, silly-billy, unless you can’t turn it off when you want to sleep. Oh, oh, can you do shadow puppets?”

“The glow is just a side effect, Pinkie. My talent is called ‘death field’ or ‘dark healing’, depending on who you ask, and that should tell you plenty right there,” the twi’lek glanced up from her study of the floor for a moment, “I can rip the life out of other people, or animals, or even plants, and take it for my own, and I’m very good at it.”

“Is that what you used in the mine?” Twilight asked uneasily as she and the other ponies reflexively huddled together and the Princesses watched silently from their seats.

“Yes, I didn’t reach out too far during that fight, but as long as there is something to feed on, anyone skilled with dark healing is as hard to kill as a monster out of the old tales or a horror holo.”

“‘Didn’t reach out ta far’?” Applejack piped up from where she sat with a foreleg wrapped comfortingly around Fluttershy’s shoulders, “Jus’ how far away can ya affect ponies with this ‘talent’ of yers?”

“Single target? About fifty meters. I’ve also blanketed everything within twenty meters around me before,” Revan shook her head, “We’re getting sidetracked. My point is that while I love fighting and I do enjoy killing in battle, using dark healing is something more, stealing someone else’s life for your own is … euphoric, as good as sex … and for me, it’s addictive,” the twi’lek wrapped her arms around herself as she shivered in a mixture of pleasure and revulsion.

Luna bit her lip and frowned as she watched her friends and subjects react to Revan’s most recent admission, in particular, Fluttershy’s shrinking into her seat and Pinkie Pie’s deflating mane, :‘Tia I am unsure that all of the Bearers of Harmony should stay for the rest of Revan Vao’s tale ….:

:No,: Celestia thought firmly to her sister, :They must all be here if they and Revan are to move past this, besides, Lulu,: the elder diarch continued, her thoughts tinged with pride, :You know that our little ponies are much stronger than they seem.:

Revan had resumed speaking during the Princesses' mental discussion, “I honestly don’t know how many people I’ve drunk down, hundreds certainly, maybe thousands, but I used dark healing so often, and so effectively, that during the second year of the campaign, the PsyOps boys decided to use it to break the insurgents' morale and went and christened me ‘SoulTaker’. By the third year, I wasn’t just a platoon commander or a Sith, I was the ‘unkillable’ monster stalking the night for an entire planet.

“My lads were good at their work, and with me acting as the platoon’s walking terror weapon, we ripped a swathe through the insurgents, constantly going from one hotspot to the next, chaos, I don’t think we saw three months’ worth of actual downtime the entire war.

“And throughout it all, my death-addiction just kept getting worse. Towards the end, I had to actively force myself not to consume allied soldiers or civilians along with the enemy troops I took, even my platoon, my lads, were starting to look like just more meat to feed the hunger gnawing in my guts.”

Revan raised her face to meet the eyes of the listening ponies, “And the worst part? I didn’t even realize what was happening, I had to be shown what I was turning into by a group of vagabond troublemakers I knew from back in my mercenary days.”

“So, faced with the very real possibility of losing control and turning on some of the only people in the galaxy that I cared about, I went and ran like a miserable little hut'uun, deserting those who relied on me.” The twi’lek gave a tired sigh, “BloodWraith’s hyperdrive burned out during the trip, but spending four months trapped alone in deep space while I limped to a Republic system gave me the time I needed to break the addiction … or so I thought.”

“You think that what happened in the mines brought the addiction back,” Fluttershy’s quiet words were a statement rather than a question, “And you’re afraid that you don’t have the strength to fight it this time.”

“Four months, Fluttershy, four months with nothing to drain, and I managed to chain my talent enough that I could go out among people again. Five more years of keeping it locked away and trying to break myself from kill-joy and rein in my bloodlust, and Asphodel undid it all,” Revan looked away from her friends, her face hot with shame, “Twilight and Rainbow know, they saw what I turned back into. And the hunger is already pushing at me, urging me to find something, someone, to devour.”

“No!” Twilight snapped, her sharp words bringing Revan back to face the gathered ponies, “Yes, you made mistakes and did horrible things, and yes, you let the constant fighting on Comzelar twist you and blind you, but when ponies tried to warn you, you listened! And you acted to protect everypony else, even when it hurt you! But this time you don’t have to face it alone,” the unicorn’s face fell as she continued in a pleading tone, “Why do you always insisting on weathering everything alone when we are here?”

“Because you shouldn’t be here, not with the likes of me!” Revan snarled, causing the ponies to recoil in the face of her sudden anger, “I let the eight of you get closer than my lads, get closer than anyone since … and I was too weak to drive you away, and too much of a coward to tell you what you had befriended so that you would drive me off yourselves.”

‘It is this “Maeve” mare that is at the root of Revan Vao’s troubles,’ Luna decided, ‘Until she deals with what happened in those slave pens, she will not be able to come to grips with any of her other problems.’ “Revan Vao, I believe it is time for thou to tell us about Maeve, please.”

“‘Maeve’?” the fashionista asked, her perplexity clear in her voice, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that name before, Princess, who is she?”

The twi’lek pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms about her legs as she huddled into her chair, “You haven’t heard her name, Rarity, but I have spoken of her, that first night in Canterlot when we were all at dinner ….”

“You mean that friend of yours who died?” Rainbow asked, drawing annoyed glares from most of her friends for her tactlessness.

Revan didn’t seem to notice the pegasus’ bluntness, “She was more than just a friend, Maeve was my mentor, my big sister … my first love. She kept me sane in the pens after Mom was sold away, and taught me how to throw myself into whatever pleasures I could find in order to help endure the misery that would always come next, Maeve was my world.

“And I murdered her.”

Celestia’s calm voice broke the stunned silence that followed the twi’lek’s declaration, “Go on, Revan, please.”

“The Master, Morg Fass, was a big brute of a houk, and he had it in for me, I never did find out why. Mom used to shield me from the worst of it when I was a youngling, but Fass sold her off when I was nine, after that, I was always his first choice if he wanted someone to beat, or was just looking for someone small and tight to rape.

“Mae’ tried to protect me sometimes, and I hated it, I wasn’t some delicate flower that needed to be sheltered, and it always made me sick when she got hurt because of me. I told Mae’ that I could take anything Fass threw at me, as long as I knew she would be waiting for me when it was over, but she kept on interfering between me and Fass.

“I was twelve when it finally all came to a head. Fass just started tearing into me one day, I honestly don’t even remember why, but he really worked me over, sprained ankle, broken nose, broken fingers, cracked ribs, concussion, the whole package. Maeve had gotten out of her pen somehow, and she tried to drag Fass off of me, the miserable old bastard wasn’t having any of that, so he kicked me aside and started in on Mae’, beating her even harder than he did me.

“So there I was, trying to pull Fass away myself and all the while I’m pleading, begging him to stop as he stomps poor Mae’ into the duracrete. Finally, he tossed Mae’ aside like so much garbage and turned back to me, only I wasn’t scared of him anymore, I was angry. So angry that my guts and mind were burning, so angry I could barely see. But the anger took away my pain, made me stronger, faster, so that when I went for the vibroknife on his belt, Fass wasn’t able to stop me. Once I got my hand on the hilt, I just started hacking, and I didn’t stop until I couldn’t recognize what I was swinging at anymore,” the twi’lek gave an ugly bark that might have been meant to be laughter, “Not that it mattered any, Mae’ was dead, and it was my fault.”

The ponies digested Revan’s story for a few moments in silence, then Fluttershy rose from her seat and walked over to Revan, her action stirring the others in the room to join her around the seat where the twi’lek was once again staring down at the floor, “It will be alright, Revan,” she murmured gently, reaching out a wing to comfort her friend.

The twi’lek jerked away and glared up at the ponies surrounding her, “Weren’t you listening? I frelled up and Maeve paid for it with her life! I’m a friend-slayer and worse! Why the chaos are you still here, still pretending that you care about filth like me?!”

“Don’t you say that!” Fluttershy snapped, her own face flushed with anger, “Don’t you ever say that about yourself again! You’re a good pony!” this time when Fluttershy reached for Revan, the twi’lek wasn’t fast enough to pull away, and the yellow pegasus’ mass slowed her down enough for the other Bearers to join the ponypile, while Celestia and Luna stood at the edge of the little group.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Twilight tried to assure the twi’lek from within the mass of ponies that held her down, both to comfort Revan, as well as to keep her from fleeing or attempting something even more ill-conceived in her distraught state.

“No! Someone has to be responsible, someone has to be accountable!” Revan’s voice dropped to a near-whisper and thickened with long unshed tears, “Someone has to be to blame ….”

‘I think this is the first time she has ever talked to anypony about what happened in that slave pen, and it has festered inside her all this time,’ Luna closed her eyes for a moment, “Thou are wrong, Revan Vao, sometimes horrible things happen, ponies are hurt or even die, and no one is culpable. Sometimes, there is no one to punish. And in the end, all that thou can do is move on with thy life. Thou know this, as a guardspony, as a Jedi and even as a Sith, but thou have let thy grief and anger blind thee, shackle thou with hatred and contempt that thee do not deserve, especially from thyself …” the lunar alicorn’s words trailed off as she turned to look at the elder diarch, her eyes widening in realization.

:At last you understand, Lulu,: Celestia smiled gently at her sister, :Both of you were to stubborn and full of guilt to forgive yourselves, I know of your Tantabus and what service you ask of it, by the way, but each of you could see the mistakes the other was making and sought to help her. Now if we can only help Revan achieve the same epiphany you just had, the two of you will finally be able to actually heal, little sister.:

“Why?” Revan demanded, her voice filled with a mix of anger, confusion and fear, “Why won’t you hate me, why won’t you leave?”

“Ya’ve done more than enough hatin’ for all of us, sugarcube,” Applejack said gently, “An’ ya need ta stop. What happened to Maeve was horrible, but Princess Luna is right, ya tearin’ at yerself and tryin’ to keep yer heart locked up ain’t atonin' for a crime, it’s punishin’ one of tha victims.

“Ah know facin’ all of this is hurtin’ ya, but this is yer chance to leave all of this guilt behind an’ be tha person that Maeve knew ya could be,” reaching out a hoof, the farmpony raised Revan’s chin and looked her in the eye. “Ya ain’t betrayin’ Maeve or your guardsponies if ya make new friends, and ya ain’t betrayin’ them if ya stop tormentin’ yerself an’ live your life. Jus’ try ta live it in a way that would make Maeve and yer Ma be proud of ya.”

“We’re your friends, stupid,” Rainbow added, “The Princesses know we aren’t perfect, but we’re not going to turn on you, even if you do make us want to kick your flank sometimes.”

Celestia and Luna each reached out a wing to grip one of the twi’lek’s shoulders as Revan sat quietly, surrounded by her friends, then she shuddered and gave a thin, broken howl as the tears that had been held back for almost two decades at long last began to fall.

The ponies gave what comfort they could as Revan let her long repressed grief flow, hopefully washing away some of her remorse and self-loathing along with her pain, until, having finally cried herself out several minutes later, the Jedi raised her face to look up at the diarchs, “What now?”

Celestia smile down at her, “Now, you and Luna will finally begin to mend, it will be a long road, but we will be here for you both.”

“That’s not what I meant, Sunbutt,” Revan shook her head, while Luna, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack all attempted to control their snickering at the twi’lek’s impertinent nickname for the solar princess, “I’m still SoulTaker, I’m still hard, suspicious and ruthless ….”

“While you still think we ponies are soft, naïve and overly-compassionate, darling?” Rarity asked archly as she raised a brow at the twi’lek.

“I’m not so certain that that’s a bad thing, anymore, Rares,” the Jedi admitted.

“You and Luna are both damaged, Revan, but damage can heal,” Twilight said firmly, “And we’ll help you both through it,” the unicorn blushed, “Even if we have to occasionally ‘kick your flanks’ as RD puts it.”

Revan smile faintly, “‘Aliit ori'shya tal'din’.” Seeing the ponies’ confusion, she explained, “It’s an old Mandalorean proverb, it means ‘family is more than blood’,” looking up at the Princesses, she hesitantly held out her arm to them from within the pile of her friends.

Celestia and Luna exchanged surprised looks, and then happily joined the cluster of ponies gathered around the Jedi while Pinkie gleefully chirped “Group Hug!”

Ch. 19; The Last Battle Of Winter

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“A’right,” Applejack, duly elected leader of the Ponyville Partisans (she didn’t particularly care for the name, but she had been outvoted), said as she glanced over at her gathered army as they crouched behind snowy ramparts, “Once Rainbow gets back from scoutin’, we can get ta work liberatin’ Ponyville from this here ‘Foals’ Crusade’.”

“And then everypony gets milkshakes!” Pinkie added enthusiastically, drawing laughter from the other ponies.

“Umm, not that I’m against a friendly wager,” Thunderlane broke in, “But exactly how are Rumble and the other foals supposed to pay for the milkshakes when they lose?”

The unanimous reply of “Swear jar!” coming from several dozen ponies had Thunderlane’s ears drawn back as he stared at his fellows in confusion, “Swear what?”

“It was Miss Cheeilee’s idea, actually,” Twilight explained as she pointed a hoof over at where the schoolteacher, Mayor Mare, Fluttershy, and a number of other ponies had decided to merely observe the Fifth Annual Ponyville Snow War, “She thought that if we started making Revan pay a fine anytime she cursed, it might get her to clean up her language, and then she volunteered the currently collected funds to pay the forfeit.”

“Huh,” Thunderlane grunted slightly, “Has it helped any?”

“Eeenope.”

“Not in the slightest, I fear.”

“I haven’t noticed any difference.”

“I think she’s been making up new swear words.”

As the gathered ponies shared a chuckle, Rainbow dropped out of the gray sky to give Applejack a cocky salute, “Forward Reconnaissance Lieutenant Rainbow Dash reporting in.”

“Sure took ya long enough, RD,” Applejack groused good-naturedly, “What’d ya find out?”

“Hey,” protested the pegasus, “Once we start the “No-Fly” rule begins, and I wanted to make the most of it, besides, Sparkler and Dinky were really on the ball with the air defenses.”

“Those’re my fillies,” Ditzy chimed in with a proud smile.

Rainbow threw a grin at the mailmare as she quickly sketched a crude map in the snow, “So, the foals have a pretty basic snow fort going on, except for the towers they built here and here, and they built a second set of walls around their flag. I think they have a couple of tunnels dug so they can get between the two courts without having to climb over their inner wall …”

“Not bad,” Applejack admitted, “They’re bein’ clever, an’ we already know that they have Spike with them for snowball defense, did ya spot any other surprises that tha foals went an' cooked up?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow reached up a hoof to rub the back of her neck, “They brought in a ringer, Revan.”

“Can they do that?” Carrot Top wondered, “She’s an adult after all …”

“Ah don’t think there’s anythin’ in tha rules against them askin’ her ta join them,” Applejack glanced over at Twilight who nodded in agreement, “Ya had a snowball fight with her last winter, Twi’, what’s Revan bringin’ ta tha Crusaders?”

“Other than command and combat experience, and bloodthirsty enthusiasm?” the librarian tapped a hoof on her chin as she deliberated, “If she goes on the defensive with Spike, they could significantly hinder any assaults, unless we force them to split their attention, but I believe the both of them can be overwhelmed by enough concentrated fire.”

“Don’t ya worry yer head none, sugarcube, Ah got a plan that ought ta take care of tha both of them,” the farmpony raised an eyebrow as Pinkie Pie waved a hoof in the air bouncing in place like a filly with a question for her teacher, “What is it, Pinkie?”

“I was wondering, AJ, is anypony ever just whelmed?”

Applejack dropped her face into her hoof while her fellow ponies chuckled.

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Apple Bloom ducked back behind her battlement as a volley of snowballs splattered against the packed snow. Sweetie Belle dropped down beside her as she readied another missile, while Scootaloo yelled taunts over the wall, before she too retreated into shelter, her muzzle covered with a fresh layer of snow, “Who got ya?”

“Mister Time Turner,” the orange pegasus replied, brushing the snow off as she accepted the snowball Sweetie offered her.

Rearmed, the three fillies returned to their post, scanning the no-pony’s-land between the two warring factions for signs of yet another sortie by the adults. Despite their unflagging zeal, the three Crusaders all agreed that things where not going well. With their greater numbers, the vile, alfalfa-loving Partisans had elected to push their attacks aggressively, forcing the valiant fillies and colts of the Foals’ Crusade to keep on the defensive. The adults’ last charge, spearheaded by Bulky Biceps and Big Macintosh, had actually breached the outer wall before they were finally driven back, Miss Revan was down there holding the gap now, but that meant she was no longer providing snowball-defense to the others, and as determined as Spike was, he couldn’t be in two places at once.

The youngest Apple glared fiercely at the Partisans’ (not particularly) distant walls, hoping to see a familiar Stetson rise above their protection. Applejack had already participated in several attacks over the morning, but they had always been against other portions of the fort, denying (most unfairly, to Apple Bloom’s mind) her little sister a chance to pelt her with snow.

A pink unicorn mare with a violet mane clambered her way up to the tower where the trio of foals were currently bombarding Cloud Kicker, Berry Punch and Toe-Tapper as the Partisans tried to dig into a snowbank to escape the barrage. Sweetie Belle tossed a distracted, “Hi, Sparkler!” over her shoulder to the new arrival as she lobbed a snowball that just missed Cloud Kicker as the three adults dropped down into their newly-made bunker.

“Hey, fillies,” the teen replied, “How’s it going up here?”

“We’re holdin’ our own,” Apple Bloom declared resolutely, then the little earth pony’s boldness faltered, “But it would be good ta hear that ya an' tha other older foals done conjured up a plan.”

“Well, then this is your lucky day,” Sparkler smirked at the fillies, “We’re sending two three-pony teams under the back wall to try and sneak around and capture the Partisans’ flag, or at least create as much chaos as they can. And wouldn’t you know it, your three names where at the top of the list,” the unicorn’s smile widened as the three foals puffed up their chests, “Head on down and meet Velvet Lilly at the back wall, I’ll hold this tower until Snips, Snails and Zipperwill get up here.”

________________________________________

Applejack glanced over at the Ponyville clock tower while her fellow Partisans caught their breath and rearmed, ‘Almost noon, tha foals have made a pretty good showin’ of it, but Ah reckon it’s time ta wrap this up.’ “A’right, everypony, time for tha last big push, Pinkie, when we start, ya know what ta do, Ditzy, ya an' Parcel Post, stay here an' guard tha flag jus’ in case them Crusaders try anythin’ funny.”

Looking her troops over one final time, the farmpony took a deep breath, and then the Ponyville Partisans swarmed out from behind their ramparts with Applejack at their head, throwing volley after volley of snowballs as fast as their hooves could make them, while the two teams of ponies she had sent ahead arose from their makeshift shelters to lob snowballs on high arcs to drop behind the Foal’s Crusades’ fortifications.

Applejack squinted her eyes against the oncoming snow as the foals swarmed to their walls to try and hold off the mass of onrushing Partisans, while Revan stood grinning and shouting defiance as she swatted the adults’ attacks away with her lightsaber, a snowball of her own ready and waiting for anypony who tried to force their way past her.

Raising a hoof, Applejack gave Revan a friendly wave, and then darted to the side with a shout of “Pinkie!” A loud “Thoom!” echoed across the field on the heels of her cry, as a massive snowball streaked out from within the Partisans’ ramparts and knocked the Jedi mane-over-hocks. The farmpony grinned as Revan’s confused exclamation of “… the frell?” rang out, just before Pinkie’s “Winter-Revelry Cannon” sounded again and buried Spike and Lance in snow.

Yet, even as the adults of Ponyville thundered triumphantly towards the now undefended gap in the foals’ walls, Rarity and other ponies cried out in surprise and stumbled in their rush as snowballs pelted them from behind. Looking back, Applejack saw that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had somehow flanked her forces, while Dinky, Twist and Pipsqueak were inside the adults’ bulwarks and attempting to claim the Partisans’ flag from Ditzy and Parcel.

‘Why those sneaky little buggers,’ Applejack thought, giving credit where it was due, as she pushed into the foals’ outer courtyard, where she was quickly beset from both before and behind as the desperate Crusaders tried to turn aside her charge.

Despite the foals’ best efforts, Applejack forged ahead, her advance made easier first by Big Mac and Bon Bon taking up positions on her flanks to protect their leader from the Crusaders’ bombardment, and then by the incoming fire faltering as, with another “Thoom!” and startled yelps, more of the defenders where buried beneath Pinkie Pies’ snowy wrath.

The farmpony grinned as she heaved herself over the inner wall, one hoof already reaching out to claim the Foals’ Crusade’s flag … and the clock tower sounded twelve, bringing the Fifth Annual Ponyville Snow War to an inconclusive end.

________________________________________

As the gathered ponies (along with a twi’lek and a dragon) clambered to their feet and shook the snow from their coats, the question on everyone’s lips seemed to be “What now?”

Applejack brought her hoof to her muzzle and let out a sharp whistle to get everyone’s attention as she turned away from her brief discussion with Twilight and the four teens who had served as the Foals’ Crusade’s Directing Council. “Okay everypony, we’ve talked it over, an' seein’ as how neither side actually won, we’ve decided that we’re all goin’ to head over to Sugercube Corner an' everypony is gettin’ milkshakes!”

With a great cheer, the two groups left the trampled field together as they headed for Sugercube Corner, where the Cakes, no strangers to the often-whimsical wagering practices of Ponyville, already had trestle tables and benches waiting for them.

Ch. 20; A Jedi And A Princess Walk Into A Psychologist’s Office

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Hopeful Understanding quietly regarded the two individuals seated before her, a mug of hot chocolate gripped in a hoof to ward off the chill from the last scheduled winter storm that howled outside the window, ‘We’ve been making some good progress, now that Revan has completely trusted me with everything, no sudden leaps forward, unfortunately, but a slow, steady improvement.’ The retired guardpony frowned for a moment, ‘Though I’d love to give her COs a good buck in the head for what they pulled back on Comezelar. Best troops or not, propaganda and morale boosts or not, you can’t push guardponies that hard for that long without them burning out, mentally, spiritually, even if the body can keep on going. It almost sounds like they were trying to see how long it would take for the platoon to snap, and wanted to see what would happen when they finally did.’

The mare took a sip from her mug in order to cover her nervous excitement as she turned her attention to the dark alicorn who was currently finishing her second cup of coffee since she walked into Hopeful’s office, ‘Princess Luna is in my office and she wants my help with something! O Celestia, please don’t let me buck this up …’ “So, Princess, what brings you to see me?”

The lunar alicorn flushed slightly as she glanced down at the cup suspended in her aura, “This modern practice of admitting weakness to others beside one’s closest friends and family is still most strange to me, but mine sister and niece both have urged me to seek ‘professional help’, and I know of the work thou have done trying to aid Revan Vao.” Luna nodded over at the Jedi, then raised her muzzle to look the pegasus in the eyes, “So, Counsellor Hopeful, I ask if thou would be willing to take me on as a patient and assist me with mine own past as well.”

“Of course, your Highness, it would be an honor to help you,” Hopeful smiled gently at her diarch, and then looked over at Revan, “I gather you are here as moral support?”

“Something like that,” the twi’lek agreed, “Luna, Celestia and the other girls stayed by my side when I faced some of the darkest points in my life, returning the favor for my ori’vod is the least I could do.”

“Thy ‘ori’vod’,” Luna mused, “I like the sound of that, it is much better, more dignified sounding, than the other nickname that thou have given me.”

Revan grinned as she reached over to give the alicorn’s shoulder a friendly shove, “You and Celestia are both my ori’vods, but you will always be ‘Spooky’ to me.”

Hopeful couldn’t stop herself from grinning as the Princess of the Night shook her head in exasperation and grumbled, “I begin to understand ‘Tia’s, fair Applejack’s and gracious Rarity’s comments on the trials of being an elder sister.”

The pegasus’ smile grew even broader as Revan leaned over to wrap the now blushing alicorn in a hug, “Thanks, Luna, hearing you say that means a lot to me.”

‘Princess Luna seems much more … approachable than I thought she would be,’ Hopeful observed as she shook her own head in amusement at the twi’lek’s teasing, “Did you wish to begin today, Princess, or would you rather wait until our next session?”

“I have delayed for too long already, Hopeful Understanding, but I am unsure as to how we ought to proceed ….”

“We talk about whatever is troubling you, Princess,” the pegasus pulled a blank file from within her desk and shifted into a more comfortable position in her chair as she readied her quill pen, “We can begin with smaller issues and work our way up to the big ones, if that makes you more comfortable, and it’s perfectly fine if you ramble some.”

“Ramble,” Luna gave a prim sniff, “I will have thou know, Counsellor Hopeful, that a princess does not ramble!” the alicorn maintained her pose of offended dignity for a moment, then deflated as she leaned back in her seat, “Well, maybe we do digress from time to time.” The twi’lek and pegasus chuckled as Luna gathered her thoughts, her eyes distant with old memories, “I have not spoken of my fall with anypony except ‘Tia, even dear Cadance knows only the broad strokes of mine disgrace ….” The lunar princess fell silent for a time, then began her tale, “Looking at what Equestria is now, what ponies have achieved, it is almost inconceivable how different it was back when ‘Tia and I first vanquished Discord and sealed him away. Generations of his whims and misrule had devastated not only our lands but the neighboring nations as well, and in many places, the harmony that had be so instrumental in founding our beloved realm was reduced to little more than a memory.”

“After so long under Discord’s influence, rebuilding our principality was a battle of its own, ‘Tia sought to spread peace and unity through her words and guidance, and when her counsel was refused, I brought it with my wingblades.” Luna glanced at Revan and Hopeful, “Yes, the land of harmony, understanding and friendship was partially forged by the edge of a spear, and both mine sister and I consider it one of our great disgraces that we did not find a better way.”

“Even once we had unified Equestria again, relations with the other nations proved no better, Equestria had been the seat of Discord’s reign for so long that many simply could not see it as anything else. So, to protect our little ponies, we sent out the envoys, sent our Champions, and, when all else failed, the Guard marched.

“It took nearly two hundred years before ‘Tia and I could direct our attentions from protecting and stabilizing Equestria to focusing on improving the lives of our little ponies. Even then I found I was ignored in favor of ‘Tia, when I was not being outright feared, but I foalishly convinced mineself that it was merely a hold-over from the wars, that their dread and uncertainties would fade as ponies came to known me as somepony other than the Marshal of the Guards, and things would improve …”

“Sounds reasonable enough to me,” Revan observed as she refilled the princess’ cup, “Though plenty of folk, and ponies, are fascinated by soldiers, and you being a war hero and the head of all the guards should’ve had you beating them off with a stick, especially with you being a hottie.”

“Firstly, I would never beat any of my little ponies with a stick, that would be barbaric! Secondly, I thought thou had agreed to stop flirting with me.”

The twi’lek grinned at Luna as she handed back her cup, “In the first part, it’s just an expression, Luna, as for the second part, why would I ever agree to that?” Revan’s smirk dropped away as her eye narrowed, “Wait, so it really bothers you? I thought we were just teasing, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Given thy history, thou having … different … ideas on relationship behavior is only to be expected,” the alicorn replied in an abashed tone, “And since I do appreciate other portions of how open thou are about displaying thy affections, it did not feel like I had any right to complain about this one.”

“No,” the Jedi growled, “No-one should feel uncomfortable because of me unless I’m deliberately menacing them, especially one of my vod! I’m not a bully!” she reached out to grip Luna’s shoulder, “I’m sorry I was embarrassing you, that was never what I wanted, and I promise I will never knowingly do that to you again. Can you forgive me?”

The princess’ lips quirked in a small smile, “Thou are forgiven, Revan Vao, I know that thee did not mean to upset me with thy flirtations, and were merely trying to show comradery. Let us put this in the past.”

‘They both seem to react well to shared session,’ Hopeful observed as she jotted down a few notes, ‘Possibly some regular group therapy?’ “Did you try making public appearances, Princess? Meeting ponies outside of your official duties?”

“Yes, a number of times during the first few decades after ‘Tia’s and mine rule had settled. It … never went well,” Luna’s ears dropped flat as she lowered her gaze to the floor, “After those early … disappointments, I stopped trying to interact with ponies beyond mine sister, the castle staff and the Guards. I refused ‘Tia’s attempts to get me to mingle with other ponies and concentrated on mine duties and mine efforts to make the nights as beautiful as I could, hoping that mine work would win me what I apparently could not attain socially.”

“Of course, it did not succeed, ‘Tia held open courts and attended galas and other functions, ponies may have treated her with more distant propriety than ‘Tia wanted, but she was there, they could all see her. But the only time that they heard about me or mine Night Guard was when we dealt with a monster attack, the only time they saw me was in their nightmares, I should have known mine actions were doomed to failure.”

The Jedi opened her mouth, her face angry, but the alicorn raised a hoof to stay her words, “No, Revan Vao, I do not violate our accord, these are mine actions, mine failures, and they built one upon the other to form the foundations of mine fall.”

‘Accord? Something to look into latter, perhaps …’ “Recognizing your mistakes and learning from them is one of the keys to moving past them,” the pegasus tapped her quill against her chin in thought as she gazed at her diarch, “If you don’t mind me saying so, Princess, you seem to have a rather firm grasp on these issues.”

“I have had a thousand years trapped in mine own body with nothing to do but look back at the path that brought me to such a pass, and to think on those I wronged. It is a long time for mistakes and guilt to fester, and I had mine own tear-filled confession with ‘Tia not long after mine return,” Luna gave her head an irritated toss, “Well, let us finish with mine ignoble little tale.”

“Four hundred more years passed, four hundred years of loneliness, depression, and, I am ashamed to admit, an ever growing jealousy of mine sister and anger at our little ponies for their perceived rejection of me and mine night. And then Sombra happened,” the alicorn sighed and gave the other two a small, unhappy smile, “I have often pondered whether I would have fallen even without Sombra’s influence, or if I might, perhaps, have finally broken mine isolation, overcome mine envy, and joined ‘Tia among our little ponies. The fact that I have be unable to come to a definite conclusion vexes me greatly.”

“What was the story with Sombra anyway?” Revan asked, “Even from what little Twi’ knew about him, I’m surprised that you and Celestia didn’t stomp his ass earlier.”

“Princess Amore, Sombra’s predecessor, was a dear friend to both me and ‘Tia, and when she disappeared, we were distraught,” Luna drained her cup in a single draught, then continued, her face forlorn, “In our grief, we foalishly let the Peerage Council handle relations with the new 'King'. Yet another mistake that others suffered for, if we had dealt with him personally, perhaps we might have seen the evil growing within him before it was too late.”

“When we began to receive word of Sombra’s brutality to his own subjects, we wanted to intervene, I militarily, ‘Tia diplomatically and economically, but the Council prevented us. ‘An internal matter of the Empire’ they said, ‘Not any of our affair’ they said,” Luna’s aura suddenly flared, crushing the mug she still held, “Ponies were suffering! How was that ‘Not our affair’?!”

Hopeful pulled back into her seat, her eyes wide at the Princess’ outburst, while Revan placed a comforting hand on the alicorn’s shoulder, “Easy, Luna, the bastards are dead and gone, letting them rile you up is giving them more thought than they deserve.”

Luna took a few deep breathes and then nodded as she carefully placed the remains of her cup on the corner of the pegasus' desk, "I apologize for mine behavior, Hopeful Understanding, and for the destruction of thy property. I will have thy cup replaced, of course.”

“It’s quite alright, Princess,” Hopeful replied, waving off the alicorn’s apology, ‘Although, some anger management sessions might be a good idea …’ “But I have to ask, how exactly did the nobles prevent you and Princess Celestia from doing anything?”

“When ‘Tia and I first began reunifying Equestria, we often left whatever governments we found in place to reduce resistance to our reign and speedup reconstruction. This, regrettably, gave the aristocratic families a great deal of power, and it mortifies me to admit, several of them took advantage of the chaos and confusion of our early rule to expand their authority even farther.

“The Peerage Council continued to block our efforts to do something about Sombra’s actions, even as we learned of his additional atrocities, but it wasn’t until he invaded and occupied Stalliongrad that we were finally free to act.

“We sent the bulk of the Guards North in order to retake the city and rescue those ponies that Sombra’s legionnaires were already sending back to the Empire, while ‘Tia and I, along with a small bodyguard force, headed straight towards the Crystal Empire to deal with Sombra himself.”

Luna’s ears flattened as she flushed, “Despite the direness of the situation, I was happy. For the first time in centuries, ‘Tia and I were acting together, as equals,” the alicorn sat quietly for a time, then continued with her account, “When we reached the mountains that overlook the city, ‘Tia and I went on alone, so that Sombra would not be able to steal the minds of our guardponies, as he had done to his own legionnaires.”

“When we shattered the roof of his throne hall, Sombra hid himself within his shadows and attacked our minds with twisted visions and venomous words. I do not know what he showed ‘Tia, but it was horrible enough to drop her where she stood, while he tormented me with images of our little ponies’ fear and of mine sister betraying me. When that failed to break me, he tried to drown me in his corrupted darkness.” Luna wrapped her forelegs around her barrel and shivered, “I could feel it examining me, judging me. It was not until many years later that I realized that Sombra had made a pact with the Nightmare, and it was considering me for its new host.”

“I was able to resist Sombra’s attack, whether due to mine long experience fighting against the shadows, or some decision of the Nightmare’s, I do not know, but it shook him enough that his hold on ‘Tia’s mind faltered. With mine sister free, and Sombra no longer hidden, we were quick to join our power with the Elements of Harmony as we had against Discord, but instead of banishing Sombra and freeing the crystal ponies, Sombra’s final curse exiled the Crystal Empire alongside him.

“After our failure in the North, I fell into a deep melancholy, but as the months passed, my depression turned into delusions and misguided fury as the Nightmare tightened its grip upon me. It took less than a year for me to fall completely and raise an army to wage war against mine own sister.” Luna turned away from her listeners as she tried to shrink into her chair, “It took two years of civil war and bringing ruin and misery down upon the heads of our little ponies before ‘Tia confronted and finally vanquished me in our old castle.”

“And when I returned from my exile, if it had not been for the Bearers of Harmony, I would have carried out mine mad design and doomed all of Equus to a slow death,” the princess flushed with shame as she looked at the floor, unwilling to meet the pegasus’ or twi’lek’s gaze.

Revan reached out to give the alicorn’s shoulder a comforting squeeze, “Not meaning to poke at old wounds, but how did you manage to raise an army when damn near everyone was either ignoring or terrified of you?”

“Mine devoted thestrals headed mine call, even in mine madness, and the pegasus clans, save ever-faithful clan Kicker, blamed ‘Tia and the Peerage Council for the loss of the Crystal Empire, and their anger and desire for a changed government was greater than their fear of me. Others …,” Luna sighed, “Others followed me for their own reasons. Some were as misguidedly noble as the thestrals and pegasi, while others merely hoped to gain power or wealth from mine victory.”

“Still, mine madness and rebellion allowed ‘Tia to restrain the aristocrats’ authority, in that much, at least, mine crimes served Equestria.”

The twi’lek gave the princess’s shoulder a sharp shake as she frowned at the alicorn, “We’ve talked about placing blame where it belongs, Luna.”

“Indeed we have, Revan Vao,” Luna replied, with a small, sad, smile, “And yet, for all our words and admonishments to each other, we both still fall short of the mark, do we not?” the Jedi could only nod in agreement with the lunar diarch’s words, her own lips curled in a self-mocking smile of her own.

“So, Hopeful Understanding, now that thou have heard mine tale, are thee still willing to have me for thy patient?”

The pegasus raised a brow at her princess, “Of course, your Highness, I’m not here to judge you or your actions, and anyway, it seems to me that you have already served your sentence for your actions.”

Hopeful frowned for a moment as she considered the oddly matched pair seated across from her, “If I was a suspicious mare, I’d wonder at how similar your cases are, oh, not in the specifics of how your issues originated,” the pegasus continued with a wave of her hoof, “But both of you having problems with guilt? And both of you blaming yourselves for actions that were out of your control? The coincidences are a bit striking, is all.”

“Now then, your Highness, I realize that your day runs differently than that of most ponies, but we do need to schedule your regular appointments ….”

________________________________________

Luna glanced up at the snowflakes drifting thickly down from the leaden sky as she wrapped her scarf around her neck and sighed happily at its warmth, 'What an excellent creation this is, so warm and … what is the phrase ponies are using now? Ah, yes, “snuggly",’ her scarf finally adjusted to her liking, the princess began the walk to the Palace District, her two-pony detail of Night Guards falling in beside her.

“So,” Luna began, glancing at the red-cloaked twi’lek strolling alongside, “That is how psychological therapy is done?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Revan shrugged, “You do a lot of talking, and Hopeful does some talking of her own, mostly asking you questions.”

“And this has benefited thou?”

“Ehhh,” the Jedi stuck a hand out from beneath her cloak and waggled it back-and-forth, “Maybe? I think it’s helped, but I’m crazy, so what do I know?” Revan’s impudence left Luna rolling her eyes.

As the little band entered more heavily travelled streets, their pace slowed as startled ponies stopped in their tracks to bow, calling out pleasantries to their passing diarch. A scattering of foals, either braver than their elders, or merely less bound by decorum, trotted forward to give the Princess of the Night a quick hug, before scampering back to their friends or family.

“You seem to be popular with the younglings,” Revan observed as they passed through the palace gates, having paused to wave to the ponies outside and exchange embraces with a last few colts and fillies, “Keep it up and in a few generations you’ll probably be ‘Equestria’s Big Sister’ the same way that some of the papers call Celestia ‘the Mother of Equestria’.”

“I think that would be most excellent,” Luna replied with a smile, “Nachtfalter, Schattenlied thou are both dismissed, and I bid thee have a good night. Come, Revan Vao, ‘Tia is waiting for us.”

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Celestia looked up, a slice of apple held in her magic halfway to where Philomena was perched on the back of her chair, as Equestria’s only (for the moment) Jedi strode through the door alongside her little sister, both of them still brushing bits of snow from their heads. “Ah, there you are, I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you.”

“We ran into some of Luna’s fans on our way back,” Revan explained, reaching out to give one of younger alicorn’s ears a playful tug, “Spooky is a hit with the younger generation, it seems,” she added as she ducked aside to avoid the lazy wing-swat that Luna threw at her.

“So I have heard,” Celestia smiled, “And how did your meeting with Counsellor Hopeful go?”

“Acceptable, I think,” Luna answered, as she started in on her dinner, “Leastwise, Hopeful Understanding is still willing to provide me with treatment even after hearing of mine disgrace, for which I am most grateful.” She paused in contemplation for a moment, “In truth, retelling mine shameful history to Hopeful Understanding and Revan Vao was not as painful as I had feared.”

“You ponies can be damn tough, I’ll give you that,” the Jedi added from her own seat, “If I had spent a thousand years constantly going over my past and all my frell-ups, I’d be a total section-eight.”

“I have had extensive time with which to face mine failings, even if moving past them still eludes me,” the younger diarch observed, “And I did break down crying in ‘Tia’s chambers when I first admitted all to her,” she added in an embarrassed tone.

“You weren’t the only one in tears, as I recall, Lulu,” Celestia reminded her little sister gently, “Now come, enough of such gloomy thoughts! We have all the future before us, and it is up to us to make it as wonderful as possible!”

Luna rolled her eyes at her sister's overblown pronouncement, but could not help smiling at her, “Speaking of the future, Revan Vao, you should expect to be contacted by representatives of the scientific community, and possibly the press, in the coming months.”

“Huh? What would they want with me?”

The two sisters exchanged an amused look, “It might, just possibly, have something to do with you being a space alien,” Celestia observed with a smirk.

“You know, I’d completely forgotten that,” Revan retorted as she returned the solar diarch’s impish grin, “I meant why now? I’ve been in Equestria for over a year, why are they noticing me now?”

“In truth, much of the press, and a disappointing number of scientists, have apparently been dismissing reports of thy presence as mere fanciful rumors,” Luna gave a disappointed shake of her head. “As thou will soon be taking in students for thy … second class, it will surely draw attention, especially, I think, from those who seek to correct their earlier ‘oversight’ when faced with thy new official status.”

“Actually,” Celestia abashedly admitted, “Twilight has reported that she and the others have actually had a few ponies come looking for you. They sent most of them away as crackpots, and the few who seemed serious or respectable oddly all lost interest when they learned that you live in the Everfree.”

The three burst into a fit of giggles.

After their laughter had finally calmed down, Celestia turned to her sister, “I have been meaning to ask you, Lulu, what do you plan to do with your Tantabus?”

“I am not quite sure, ‘Tia,” Luna sighed, “For all that the Tantabus is a manifestation of mine own power, it feels … wrong to re-absorb or unmake it.” She chewed on her lips for a few moments, lost in thought as she watched Philomena affectionately run her beak through Celestia’s mane, and then her muzzle split in a great, toothy, grin, “I do believe that I shall get a pet.”

Ch. 21; Another Day In Ponyville

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Applejack kept a grip on the chain that hung from a pulley welded to the ceiling of the old starship as she gazed down into the open magazine, “How’re thin’s goin’ down there, sugarcube?”

“I think I’ve got the chains set right,” came the response from the twi’lek hidden from sight within the ship’s dark bowels, “You girls ready up there?”

“We’re all set up here,” Twilight replied as she stepped up to the edge of the well and ignited her horn.

“A’right then,” Applejack nodded as she took a firm grip on the chain, “On three … one … two … three, haul away!” with a rattling squeal, a missile slowly rose out of the shadowed hold, only to be guided over to a waiting wheeled cradle by Twilight, “An’ lowerin’, easy, easy, an’ we’re good!”

The farmpony wiped a bit of sweat from her muzzle as Twilight set about releasing the clamps holding the chain around the missile while Revan clambered out of the magazine. “Well, that’s one part-way done,” the grease-smeared Jedi observed as she tried to work a kink out of her shoulder, “Why don’t you girls hit the galley while I get this baby disarmed.”

Applejack shrugged and headed off to get some drinks while the unicorn lingered to watch Revan work, “Why aren’t you letting the Aeronautics Administration have the entire missiles? It’s not like they could actually launch them or anything.”

Revan looked up from the access panel she was working in to glare at the librarian, “And you just had to go and taunt Murphy, Twi’, I swear, I should start a Murphy jar for you girls.”

Twilight flushed slightly, her embarrassment not helped by Applejack’s snickering, “You were explaining why you are dismantling the missiles?”

The twi’lek sighed, “Look, I love you girls, and a lot of the ponies I’ve met have been wonderful people, but that just means that I’ve been having nightmares about all the things that could go wrong with just the drives and fuel cell, there is no way I’m letting any of you have the warheads and guidance systems. I can’t shake the fear that you’ll level the frelling palace or obliterate a couple of city blocks or something.”

“Swear jar!” Twilight frowned at her friend, “And I think you underestimate the abilities and professionalism of the Equestrian scientific community,” she added pointedly.

“Really, Twi’? In my own ship?”

“Consistent application is key to achieving behavioral adjustments,” the unicorn asserted, while Applejack’s laughter continued from the galley.

With a resigned sigh, the Jedi dug a pair of bits out of one of the pouches on her belt and tossed them onto the common room table, “Where were we? Right, the scientists’ competence. You’re probably right, Twi’,” Revan admitted as she reached over to scratch the librarian’s ear in apology, “But these missiles are way more advanced than anything in Equestria, and I worry.”

“Ah’m a mite surprised that any of tha missiles survived yer crash at all,” Applejack chimed in as she returned and deftly slid a tray of cups off her back and onto the table, “What’re ya goin’ ta do with tha, what did ya call them, warheads, anyway?”

“The magazines on these old Fireshark’s are reinforced and double-armored, inside and out, specifically to prevent ammo cook-offs,” the twi’lek explained as she gave the ship’s bulkhead an affectionate pat, “As for the warheads, eh, I’ll hold on to ‘em in case we ever need some heavy demolitions. You know, an old mine or dam needs to be collapsed, or we need a nasty surprise for an eighty-meter-tall, magic-eating monster, or something.”

“An eighty-meter-tall, magic-eating monster,” Twilight raised an eyebrow at the Jedi, “Seriously?”

“Hey,” Revan smirked cheekily at the ponies as she reached for one of the cups, “This is Equestria, I’ve learned that just because something is ridiculous, doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”

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Twilight waved to her friends as they parted ways at the Ponyville train station; Applejack was headed for the Apples’ stall in the market, and taking the wagon they had used to haul the missiles into town along to help with carting everything back to the farm when they closed, while Revan was off on the train, escorting the five disarmed missiles to their new home in Canterlot.

As for Twilight herself, the unicorn was soon prancing across town as she headed for her library, the datapad that Revan had entrusted to her secure in her saddlebags, ‘So much to read, so much to learn! I know I’m supposed to meet Fluttershy and Rarity later, but it couldn’t hurt to just skim through it a little ….’

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“Twilight, darling, are you in here? Is everything all right?”

“Bwah?” Twilight looked up from the technical readout she had been studying to see Rarity and Fluttershy entering the library, “Oh, fillies, hi! Wait … did I forget our spa trip? Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s just that Revan loaned me her datapad, and I thought I could just give it a quick glance over, but then I must have lost track of time, and --”

“Easy, dear, breathe,” Rarity placed a comforting hoof on the librarian’s shoulder, “So what fascinating little tidbits have you so distracted?”

“There is so much information in here,” Twilight held up the datapad eagerly as the other two mares sat down, “Technical readouts and ‘damage control’ manuals for the BloodWraith, social and legal guidebooks for dozens of worlds, bits of navigational charts, all of Revan’s stored music and pictures, and even ….”

Fluttershy and Rarity exchanged confused glances as Twilight suddenly trailed off in mid-sentence, her cheeks flaming. “What’s wrong, Twilight?” the pegasus asked in concern, causing the academic unicorn to blush even more.

“The datapad, it has Revan’s personal journals on it, her ‘logs’, it’s her diary!”

“Oh really?” the fashionista’s eyes glittered as she settled more comfortably into her seat, “And have you read any of them yet?”

“Rarity!”

Rarity raised a placating hoof as the other two ponies scowled at her, “Now hear me out fillies, does it make sense that Revan would just 'happen' to accidentally leave her diary on the datapad when she loaned it to Twilight, especially given how, well let’s be honest, obsessive, you can get when it comes to learning? Or it is more likely that Revan included it on purpose?”

“Well, maybe …” Twilight reluctantly conceded, as she studiously avoided looking at Fluttershy’s disapproving frown, “I suppose … it wouldn’t hurt to just take a little look ….” The unicorn’s magic enveloped the datapad for a second, and then an audio playback started:

“Log Entry 292:
The ship looks like chaos, and I’m honestly not sure how much point there is in actually trying to salvage it, given my initial inspection results. Eh, I’ll do an actual damage control accounting once the sun comes up. At least I found a working datapad to make this log entry in.

“Oh my …” Fluttershy, her curiosity getting the better of her, brought a hoof to her muzzle as she shared a giggle with her friends.

“Let me see …” Twilight’s horn flared as her aura manipulated the datapad’s controls for a moment, “Yes! I’m pretty sure this is a recent entry ….”

“Log Entry 395:
Cloudy and Lyra were teasing me about my 'crush' on Twi’ again, I know they mean well, that they’re just trying to give me a 'push', but how do I explain it to them? I’ve been in lust plenty of times, but the only other time I’ve ever been in love … yeah, that ended well.

Shit, look at me, I’ll walk into death with a grin, but I’m too frelling terrified of messing things up to tell the girl I love how I feel about her, I can’t even work up the guts to ask her out … damn, I’m pathetic.”

The three mares sat in silence for a few moments after the audio log ended, “Twilight,” Fluttershy’s voice was surprisingly firm as she turned to the librarian, “How do you really feel about Revan?”

Suddenly put on the spot, Twilight blushed furiously as she stammered an answer, “I-I-I t-think I, no, I know that I love her,” the librarian turned a pleading gaze to her friends, her face still burning, “But what am I going to do? I don’t know anything about starting a relationship!”

“Tut, tut, darling,” Rarity waved off the purple unicorn’s concerns, “Since Revan apparently can’t bring herself to make the first move, which I suppose is not really surprising, all things considered, than you’ll just have to initiate the courtship, is all.” The fashionista leaned over to place an encouraging hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, “But not to worry, Fluttershy and I, and Princess Cadance as well, I’m sure, will make sure that you’re ready for the whirlwind world of romance!”

As she looked at Fluttershy’s happy smile, and Rarity’s almost predatory one, Twilight found that she only had one thing to say, “Meep!”

Ch. 22; Interlude – Night Court

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Luna sat on her throne, her aura flashing on and off as she idly juggled a set of weighted balls, first with her magic, then switching over to Force telekinesis, then changing back to her magic. She reached out a hoof to turn the page of the latest Power Ponies comic (“The Maneiac’s Revenge! Special Double-sized Issue”) when a quite cough diverted her attention to the older, bolo tie-adorned, slate-grey earth pony stallion who was currently looking at the princess’ choice of reading material with a raised eyebrow and a disapproving frown.

The alicorn rolled her eyes in exasperation, then placed her comic book inside one of the folders used to store official correspondence and reports, “Are thou happy now?”

“Jubilant, your Highness,” replied Winter Shadow, her steward, as the stallion turned back to the small stack of reports, personal letters and Appeals to the Crowns that he was currently sorting.

The muffled ruffling of paper was all that could be heard in the Great Hall for a time, then Luna closed her comic with a contented sigh and slipped it, and the balls, into the saddlebags she kept under her throne, before she glanced resignedly around at the nearly empty Hall, “Winter Shadow, I have been thinking.”

“Huzzah, your Highness, shall I alert the press?”

Luna rolled her eyes again (she found that she did that rather often when dealing with her steward), “I am being serious, Winter Shadow, and I desire thy insights on a matter.”

The stallion put aside his paperwork as he focused on his princess, “What troubles you, your Highness?”

Now that she had Winter’s full attention, Luna found herself somewhat embarrassed by her question, and she shuffled her hooves for a few moments before she continued. “As thou know, Revan Vao will begin instructing her first formal class of trainees soon, and I was … curious how thou believe our little ponies would react if ‘Tia and I, as Revan Vao’s senior pupils, were to attend the training alongside our fellow ponies?”

Winter raised an eyebrow at his diarch and waited for her to elaborate.

“I realize these may be foalish concerns born out of mine own fears,” the alicorn went on, as her cheeks flushed slightly. “But so many of the aristocracy and the common ponies seem to have such high expectations of how mine sister and I are to act, and often react badly when we do not meet their expectations, furthermore, ‘Tia has warned me that some of these ‘reporters’ are always looking for something they can turn into a scandal.” The princess’ eyes hardened, even as her ears dropped unhappily, “I will not bring shame or hurt to mine sister, the Thrones or to Revan Vao … please disregard mine question, Winter Shadow, I realize now what mine choice must be.”

“Perhaps not quite yet, you Highness,” the earth pony demurred, “You have raised valid reasons for why you should continue with your lessons in private, now, if you please, enlighten me as to why you wished to participate in the group classes.”

Luna met Winter’s firm gaze for a moment, then yielded to his request, “I believe that if ‘Tia and I were to study and train alongside others, that it would show our support of Revan Vao and our trust in her, and help set our little ponies’ minds at ease. I hope that by showing that we still have things to learn, it would show them that we are not the all-wise, all-powerful paragons that so many ponies insist on treating us as, and perhaps they would let mine sister and I step down from the pedestal they hold us on. I think that as Revan Vao’s senior pupils, ‘Tia and I have a responsibility to assist those who are just beginning with their training. And finally, I know that this is horribly selfish, but … ‘Tia and I … we never had a chance to attend a school before.”

Winter actually blinked at that last bit of information, “You and Princess Celestia never …”

“Yes,” the lunar diarch admitted, her ears dropping flat as she confessed to an old shame, “‘Tia and I studied everything we could from our advisors and few mentors, but before that, we were mostly self-taught. That is why we pushed for a public education system, so the foals of Equestria could have what we did not.”

“I see … Perhaps you might wish to consider some additional information before you make any decisions, your Highness. Dame Revan’s close relationship with yourself and Princess Celestia, as well as with Baroness Twilight and the other Bearers of Harmony, is well established, and word has spread in some circles of her actions in the Asphodel mines. That particular combination has some ponies very uneasy, Miss Raven and I have already received a few letters from concerned ponies, as well as a number of requests for private audiences with Princess Celestia or yourself in order to ‘discuss’ what steps the Throne plans to take to ‘deal with the dangerous aberration lurking in Ponyville’.”

“‘Aberration’!” lightning flashed outside the Hall’s windows as Luna’s eyes blazed, “They would dare to call mine friend an aberration and try to compel the Throne into treating her like a monster!”

“Yes, they would,” Winter shrugged indifferently, “Granted while some ponies are merely hoping to acquire some political advantage out of this matter, others are legitimately concerned. Necromancy is not well understood outside of academic and medical circles, after all, your Highness, and what little most ponies know involves desecrating the dead, or using such powers with murderous intent. Dame Revan’s little display of weaponized necromancy was all but guaranteed to make somepony see her as a dangerous creature, especially when combined with her apparent self-reanimation.”

“So if thou agree with mine original judgement, than why did thee bring forth these other matters, when they serve no purpose but to dishearten me and to reinforce a choice I had already made?”

“Yes … and no, your Highness,” Winter answered as he idly straightened his tie, “As Steward of the Night Court, I am sworn to the Thrones, and I must urge you, my Princess, to distance yourself from Dame Revan, lest the Thrones be tainted by association with her … questionable actions and history. Between those ponies engaged in political maneuvers and those acting out of well-intentioned, if ill-informed, concern, there is a small, but real, risk that continued involvement with Dame Revan may cause even the less conspiracy-inclined to cast suspicion on the Crowns and their involvement with the Force Academy project, and from there, the misgivings could spread to other Royal ventures.”

Luna leaned back into her throne as she blinked at her steward, “Truly? My little ponies would let fear and mistrust turn them against a being that means them no harm, one that, in truth, is trying to help them?” the alicorn closed her eyes sadly, “Even after so long, has so little changed?”

“As much as it galls me,” the stallion replied, “I must admit that ponies do seem to be rather quick to frighten. Still, as Ponyville and others have shown, ponies are also quick to overcome that fear when suitably prodded or given the proper guidance.”

“So, there you have the advice of the Steward of the Night Court,” Winter leaned forward slightly to lock eyes with his diarch, “Now, here is the advice of Winter Shadow, who swore his loyalty to Luna. You and Princess Celestia should ignore any naysayers or gossipmongers, and study openly alongside your ponies. My liege lady would never allow politics or misguided fear to keep her from supporting a friend. And if anypony has a problem with that, then you should borrow a page from Captain Spitfire’s book and tell them to, ehm, ‘kiss your plot’.”

The Princess of Night blinked at her steward’s unexpected crudeness, then burst into a fit of giggles, “I thank thou for thy kind, if colorful, words, Winter Shadow, and I will try mine best to prove worthy of thy faith in me.”

The stallion gave a shallow bow, “I live to serve, your Highness.”

“So thou say,” Luna smiled as she waved her two guards over and reached beneath her throne to pull a package from her saddlebags, “Does that mean thou will not join us for some of these pastries Pinkie Pie and Ditzy Doo sent me from Ponyville?”

“Perish the thought, your Highness, are there any blueberry muffins?”

Ch. 23; A Big Step

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“Twilight, would you stop pacing already!” Spike looked up from the comic in his claws to glare grumpily at his mother/big sister figure, “Revan will be here in twenty minutes, just like she’s supposed to be, and if you mess up that dress Rarity made you, she’s going to be very annoyed with you.”

“But what if something goes wrong?” Twilight asked anxiously as she turned to face the young dragon, “We’re already violating the guidelines listed in the books I studied by having Revan pick me up when I asked her out! What if I do something to mess everything up? What if I say the wrong thing and Revan winds up hating me? What if --”

“Stop and breathe, Twilight, you’re hyperventilating again,” Spike got up from his couch to walk over to the unicorn and give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she began her breathing exercises, “You’re having your very first date, and it’s with an alien, I kind of doubt those books will be of much use anyway. And Revan hating you? Not going to happen.”

Having regained her composure, for the moment, Twilight affectionately rubbed the dragon’s frill, “Thanks, Spike, it’s just … I want everything to be perfect.”

“Not working yourself into a freak-out would be a good start,” Spike gave her shoulder another pat, and then ambled back to his comics while Twilight settled anxiously onto a couch.

‘What could be keeping Revan?’ the librarian wondered as she watched her clock tick by with glacial slowness, her nervousness mounting again until a knock at the door sent her starting to her hooves with a startled “Meep!”

Trotting over to the door, Twilight opened it to find the twi’lek, looking rather nervous in her own dress, waiting on the stoop, “Hey, Twi’, I know I’m a bit early, I hope that’s …” Revan trailed off as she stared at the unicorn for a moment, “Wow. I know I see you naked all the time, but who knew what a difference some clothes could make.”

“Well, fashion is Rarity’s thing,” Even though she knew from her books that the compliment was almost obligatory, Twilight still felt her cheeks warm as the Jedi continued to openly ogle her, and she couldn’t resist inquiring, “Do, do I really look all right?”

“You look amazing.”

“Thank you, you look very nice yourself,” the librarian replied with a shy smile, “Actually, that dress suits you.”

Revan blushed slightly as she returned Twilight’s compliment with her usual crooked smile, “How does Rarity know what works on a biped anyway?”

“She has her ways,” Twilight answered with a bemused shrug, before she turned her attention back to her date, “Wait, where is your lightsaber?”

It was now Revan’s turn to shrug, albeit with forced nonchalance, “My saber and my virbodagger are both locked up aboard the ‘Wraith.”

“I thought not being under arms made you uncomfortable?” the librarian observed, with a slight frown.

The Jedi’s smile became a bit more strained, “It does, but tonight is about being with you, it’s about doing things right. If that means that I’m a bit on edge, then I’ll just have to deal with it,” Revan gave a shake of her head as her smile brightened again, “Besides, can you imagine what Rarity would do to me if she saw me slapping my weapons belt on over one of her dresses?”

Twilight giggled as she imagined their friend’s reaction to such a ‘crime against fashion’, complete with hoof-to-forehead swooning and grandiose exclamations of sartorial anguish, “Well, I guess we should be off. Bye, Spike, have a good night reading!”

The two started out the library’s door, only to be brought up short by a firm voice from inside, “Just one moment there, young ladies.”

Looking back, the pair found Spike walking towards them with his claws clasped behind his back and an almost comically serious expression on his face as he turned towards Revan, “What time will you have Twilight back by?”

“Spike!” Twilight protested, ‘Can you actually die from blushing?’ “I’m not a little filly! Besides I asked Revan out!”

“And Revan is the more experienced of you two,” the dragon replied sternly, before turning back to the Jedi, “I want her back home no later than ten, and if you break Twilight’s heart, I’ll set you on fire.”

“Spike!” the unicorn gasped in embarrassment, aghast at the words coming out of her Number One Assistant’s mouth.

Revan, however, merely smiled at the little dragon as she dropped into a crouch and put her hand on his shoulder, “I’ll be the best gentleman that I know how, and treat her like the lady she is, I promise.”

Spike looked the two of them over, and then gave a reluctant nod, “I’ll be holding you to that,” stepping forward, he gave the unicorn a quick hug, “Have a good time, Twilight.”

“I’ll try, Spike,” Twilight smiled back at the dragon, as she turned around to join her date.

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“I’m really sorry about what Spike said, Revan,” Twilight apologized, still a bit flustered by the dragon’s unusually belligerent behavior, “I don’t know what came over him.”

“It’s alright, Twi’,” the twi’lek casually waved off the unicorn’s mortified apology with a grin, “He’s just trying to look out for you, besides, threatening the date like that is pretty much traditional, honestly, I was a bit impressed.” Seeing that Twilight still looked uncertain, she teasingly scratched the mare’s ear, “Don’t worry, you’ll understand when Spike starts dating, or once you have younglings of your own.” Revan smiled at Twilight as she leaned over to give the unicorn a gentle hip bump, “So what mischief is Spike going to be up to while we’re out?”

“No mischief tonight,” Twilight replied as she gratefully returned the Jedi’s smile and leaned slightly into her fingers, “Spike and Princess Luna just exchanged a stack of comic books, so he’s going to be curled up with his new comics and a few gems all night.”

The pair shared a laugh in the gathering spring evening, and then Revan turned to the unicorn, “So, my lady, what do you have planned for us tonight?”

Twilight bit her lip as she nervously smoothed her mane with a hoof, “I understand that it’s a bit of a cliché, but I made us reservations for dinner, and then the Ponytones are putting on a performance in the town square tonight … Revan, are you okay?”

“So adorable …” Revan blinked as she returned her attention to Twilight’s words, “That sounds lovely, Twi’, shall we be on our way?”

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“Buona Fortuna, Twi’? You really went straight for the high class right out of the gate, didn’t you,” Revan glanced over at the unicorn as they waited to be seated, “You do realize that Rarity has been trying to get a reservation here for weeks? She’s going to be jealous,” the twi’lek added in a singsong voice as she grinned impishly at her date.

Twilight’s response was interrupted by the maître d’s return, “Yes, signorina, may I help you?”

“Good evening,” the unicorn smiled at the earth pony stallion, “I have a reservation for two under Twilight Sparkle.”

“One moment … ah here we are, Baroness Twilight and her … personal escort,” the stallion’s eyebrow rose slightly as he glanced over at the Jedi, “Your table is right this way.”

As they made their way through the restaurant, Twilight flushed slightly under the twi’lek’s amused smirk, “I didn’t mention my title, really I didn’t!”

“I believe you, Twi’,” Revan laughingly assured the unicorn, “Actually, it’s nice to see you girls finally getting some recognition.”

After the maître d led the pair to their table, the waitress lit the candle in its glass chimney, took their drink order and then discreetly withdrew, leaving them with a measure of privacy.

“Did I go overboard with the restaurant?” Twilight couldn’t stop herself from asking as her nerves returned, “I know it’s much fancier than any place we’ve ever gone to with the other fillies, but all my books, and Rarity and Cadance, emphasized how I should strive to make a good impression for our first date ….”

“It’s fine, Twi’, really,” Revan gave a light laugh as she laid a hand on the unicorn’s hoof, “Besides,” she added as her cheeks darkened slightly, “I like dressing up and looking good for you.”

“You always look good,” Twilight earnestly assured the twi’lek, “It’s just you usually have more of a ‘roguish charm’ appeal, while tonight you’ve got a Rarity-style classy look.”

Revan grinned playfully at the librarian as she ran her fingers down her scarred lek, “Why, Twilight Sparkle, are you flirting with me?”

“That is what you’re supposed to do on a date,” Twilight gave Revan a timid smile, “Am I doing it properly?”

“Well, it’s definitely working on me,” Revan purred back at her, “But maybe we should practice your technique some more ….”

“Eherm,” the waitress cleared her throat as she placed the drinks on the table, “Are you ladies ready to order, or did you need some more time?”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Twilight flushed slightly at being caught exchanging even such relatively innocent intimacies, “I’ll have the lemon pepper pasta and the lily salad, please.”

“The grilled pasta and garlic bread for me, please,” Revan passed the menus back to the waitress, “Thank you,” as the pony withdrew, Revan turned back to beam at her date, “Now, where were we?”

“Well,” Twilight mused, “All my reference materials say that the first date is important for a potential couple to learn about each other ….”

“I think we’ve already handle that part over the last, oh, eighteen months, don’t you?” the Jedi replied as a slight look of disappointment flashed briefly across her features, “But I guess we could catch-up on what’s happened lately.”

“Yes, about that,” the unicorn looked away in embarrassment, “I may have gotten too wrapped up in an assignment from Celestia and given Spike my blessing to spend the rest of his life in service to Applejack when I wasn’t fully paying attention ….”

“What?” Revan blinked at Twilight, then her lips curled in an amused smirk, “Oh this should be a good story.”

________________________________________

“… and then the giant timberwolf choked and collapsed.”

“Are you shi—messing with me? The little guy took down a mega-sized timberwolf with a thrown pebble?” Revan burst into laughter, “So, are things good between AJ and Spike now?”

“Oh, yes,” Twilight took a sip from her glass as she smiled at her friend across their empty plates, “With them having saved each other’s lives, the life debts were canceled out, so they both agreed to go back to the Apple code of ‘that’s what friends do’.”

“So … dragon code of honor, huh?” Revan ran a heel of garlic bread over her plate, then offered it to the unicorn who took it with a small smile, “Anything else in this ‘dragon code’ I should be on the lookout for?”

Twilight giggled as she shook her head, “Nothing particularly comes to mind, mostly it’s just guidelines Spike uses to be a good dragon,” she looked at the Jedi curiously, “Are life debts a concern out in the Republic?”

“Not really, the wookies are pretty well known for their life debts, but they’re the only race I’ve heard of that practices it,” Revan gave a slight shrug, “It’s a big galaxy, though, so I’d give good odds that somewhere out there is another culture or race that does it as well.”

“True,” Twilight agreed, her eyes going distant as her thoughts turned momentarily to the unknown wonders that waited for ponykind out in space, “It does seem probable,” she glanced over at the clock and gave a slight gasp, “Oh my, is that the time already? We need to get going or we’ll be late for the concert!”

________________________________________

Twilight and Revan waved to Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie as they left the town square and began the trip back to Golden Oaks, “‘Shy was really into the music tonight,” the twi’lek observed with a chuckle, “I didn’t realize she was such a fan.”

“Mhmm.”

Noticing Twilight’s distracted response, Revan turned to look at her date with concern as they continued along, “Is something wrong, Twi’? You’ve got that look again.”

“Look?” the unicorn dissembled, “What look?”

“Your ‘something is troubling me, but I don’t know if I should bring it up look’,” Revan gave the librarian an encouraging smile as she reached over to take Twilight’s hoof in her hand, “Tell me.”

Twilight shifted uneasily, “It’s silly,” she protested, “And it’s not really my business ….”

“So ask me anyway,” Revan gave the mare’s hoof a small squeeze, “I won’t get mad if it comes out wrong, and if something is bothering you, I want to deal with it.”

“Alright,” Twilight took a deep breath, and then rushed her words out before her nervousness could stop them in her throat, “I know that you and Cloud Kicker have a relationship, and I was anxious about what that means for you and me.”

“Ah,” the Jedi smiled at Twilight as she continued to hold the unicorn’s hoof, “Actually, you have every right to wonder about what me and Cloudy being bang buddies might mean for us,” Revan gave the hoof in her hand another squeeze, “We’re still good friends, but that’s all we are now.”

“Really?” Twilight blinked as she felt a knot she hadn’t even known was there loosen in her chest, “Why? Oh, that sounded so rude, I meant you and Cloud seemed very happy with your companionship, and I don’t want to disrupt an already existing relationship ….”

“What me and Cloudy had together was great, but she understands I’m with you now,” Revan’s smile turned bashful as she stared into the mare’s eyes, “Wherever this goes, I’m in it with you, Twi’, and no one else.” The Jedi’s grin resumed its usual cocky tilt as she continued, “I may enjoy the view, but that’s all I’ll be doing unless I have your permission … and your active participation.”

“Revan!” Twilight’s cheeks burst into flames as she chided her date, ‘I really may die from blushing!’

“I’m serious,” Revan assured her, “Cloudy has already extended a standing invitation to the two of us.”

“W-what?!” the unicorn stammered as she began to hyperventilate, “Why would she -- when did -- meep!”

“Easy, Twi,” Revan reached up to stroke the librarian’s back as she tried to calm her date down, “Yeah, I warned Cloudy that ship might be awhile, if ever, in making dock.”

Twilight shook her head, “I-I don’t think I’m ready for something like that, I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for … that.”

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Revan sighed as her face fell, “I didn’t mean to upset you or ruin our night ….”

“It’s alright,” Twilight assured the Jedi as she raised her hoof to gently bop Revan’s nose, giggling as the twi’lek’s eyes crossed, “I asked, after all.”

“But only after I pushed you,” Revan argued, “I wanted to help, but instead I just freaked you out and made everything all awkward.”

Twilight sighed, and then smiled wryly at her friend, “Fine, the both of us were at fault,” she giggled again as she nuzzled the twi’lek, “And you did help, truly, it made me very happy when you said that you were mine, is that selfish of me?”

Revan smiled happily at Twilight, “Maybe a little, but I think you’re allowed to be a little selfish,” leaning down she whispered into the unicorn’s twitching ear, “You want to know a secret? Saying that I was yours made me very happy, too.”

The two continued to smile somewhat foolishly at each other as they made their way to the library, ‘Poor Spike,’ Twilight thought in amusement as she took in the dark windows, ‘I guess he just couldn’t stay up until I came home.’ “This was really nice,” she said, blushing yet again as her voice broke into a squeak, “I mean, it was completely awkward at times, but still … I enjoyed it, did-did you?”

“I had a lovely evening, Twi’, thank you,” Revan replied as she smiled gently at the librarian, and then leaned closer with her lips pursed.

‘Oh my gosh, she’s going to kiss me, really kiss me!’ the thought sang happily through Twilight’s head as she closed her eyes and slowly leaned forward to meet Revan’s lips.

After a long moment, Twilight slowly, reluctantly, broke the kiss, “I really do need to get to bed, I’m afraid.”

“Yeah, I should grab some sack time as well,” Revan admitted as she smiled at the unicorn, “Would you like to go out again next Saturday? Hopefully have a little less awkward?”

“I’d like that.”

The twi’lek reached out a hand to run her fingers down the mare’s cheek, “Sleep well, Twi’.”

“Good night, Revan, pleasant dreams.”

Ch. 24; Welcome To The Academy

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Almost a dozen ponies waited in various states of boredom or nervousness in the empty classroom in WestHoof Academy. They ranged from a fourteen-year-old earth pony colt with the overawed look of somepony who had never been to a town bigger than Ponyville, to a jaded-looking unicorn mare in her mid-thirties, who was wishing that she was back out in the field with her Magus Corps peers.

“So,” a teenage pegasus spoke up as she idly scratched at her red and orange mane, “Does anypony know why we’re all here?”

Her question brought a disdainful sniff from a blue-coated unicorn stallion that looked to be only a few years older than she was, “We are here because the Princesses specifically chose us to train in a newly discovered form of magic.” The stallion looked down his muzzle at the younger mare, “I should think that would have been made clear enough from the letters we received, even to such an apparent ignoramus as you.”

“Wow, does that stick up your plot make it hard to sit down?” the pegasus retorted, drawing snickers from several of the listening ponies, “What I meant was why us? If this is a new type of magic, what are pegasi and earth ponies doing here instead of just unicorns? And just who is this ‘Revan Vao’ pony that we’re supposed to be learning from, anyway?”

“Oh, oh, I can answer that!” a tiny unicorn teen bounced eagerly in her seat, waving her hoof in the air, “According to the Canterlot Times and Equestria Daily, she’s a non-equestristrial life form that emigrated to Equestria and has since taken service with the Thrones. While the Manehatten Post says that she’s actually a soldier from an alien army that was shipwrecked in the Everfree Forest, got adopted by the town of Ponyville, and has sworn her personal loyalty to the Princesses. In addition, the Stalliongrad Informer says that she’s a one-pony apocalypse that singlehoofedly defeated an entire army that was trying to foalnap the Bearers of Harmony and that she’s the greatest necromancer Equestria has seen since the Magus Corps defeated Honey Grace five hundred years ago. Oh, and the Star has been printing that Revan Vao is actually a spy sent by evil alien powers to gain our trust, corrupt our culture, undermine the morals of our youth and national heroes, and weaken Equestria’s defenses in preparation for an invasion by her masters and their changeling collaborators.”

“Okay …” the pegasus looked at the little unicorn in slightly overwhelmed confusion, “Well, thanks for all that … uhm ….”

“Licorice,” the teen replied, waving happily to the other ponies, “Hi!”

“Hiya, Licorice-whip, name's Blaze,” the pegasus shook her head, “So, an honest-to-Celestia space alien huh? Sounds like something from out of the comic books,” she observed, while some of her fellows nodded in agreement.

The sound of approaching hoofsteps drew everypony's attention to the side door, which shortly opened to admit a raspberry red unicorn mare with her pale green mane tied back in a bun and an earth pony stallion with a yellow coat and a short-cropped dark blue mane. As the two arrivals made their way to the front of the room, the door opened again, causing everypony to scramble to their hooves as the two Princesses and a strange blue biped with an eyepatch walked in. The three exchanged nods, then the biped walked over to stand with the other two ponies at the front of the room and said “At ease,” with an amused smirk, while Celestia and Luna took seats in the front row of desks.

“Good morning, everyone,” the biped continued, “And welcome to the first class of the Equestrian Force Academy. I'm Revan Vao of the twi'lek species, newly commissioned as Legate to lead the Academy and oversee your training. These are Madam Moonlit Prism of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and career Sergeant Courage from WestHoof Academy, and they'll be helping me train you ponies.” Revan hopped up to sit on the instructor's desk, ignoring the irritated looks she received from Moonlit and Courage, “So, here's the intel, it turns out that some of you ponies have the ability to wield a power that the rest of the galaxy knows as the Force.” Seeing the expressions on the listening ponies’ faces, she merely grinned and shrugged, “Yeah, it's a less than inspired name, but what can you do? Anyway, I've been asked to teach you how to control your talents, as well as how to use them responsibly. There's been plenty of Force-wielders who were complete bastards, and we'd like to keep the number of them that come out of Equestria to a minimum.”

The legate looked over her audience as several shot awed glances at the princesses in their midst, “You seem to have noticed senior apprentices Celestia and Luna,” her grin grew as the ponies started at her words, while Celestia smiled kindly to her fellow ponies and Luna gave them a shy wave. “It's thanks to their efforts and sacrifices that we managed to reduce the fatality rate of the training regime by thirty-percent,” Revan's smile became, somehow, even wider and more toothy as the ponies gaped at her in shock, while Moonlight, Courage and Celestia favored her with exasperated looks and Luna indulged in a very non-regal facehoof. “Do I have everyone's full attention, now? Good, because I wasn't kidding. Back when I was an apprentice, maybe sixty-percent of a class would make it through the Trials, and a lot of those who didn't wound-up as corpse meat. So, yeah, Celestia and Luna have been training the old way so we could develop a better method for teaching you and those who will follow after.”

Revan gave an exasperated sigh, “Look, I've been told that these things normal go with the headmaster or whoever giving a speech to welcome the new students, maybe give them a brief rundown on what they can expect for the year, and try to inspire them to dive into their studies. Clearly I am crap at that, so why doesn't everyone grab a chair and huddle-up, and we'll do a little q-and-a.”

The gathered ponies looked at each other, and then shifted to form a rough semi-circle around the desk Revan was still perched on, while Luna moved forward to poke the twi’lek in the shoulder with a hoof, “That is twice that thou owe the swear jar, Revan Vao.” The legate grumbled as she dug into a pouch and handed the smirking alicorn a handful of bits, while several of the ponies chuckled at the byplay.

As the group settled back into their chairs, Revan looked down at them with a small smile, “So, who’s going to be first? Ah, let’s go with you, Wiggles, is it?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the lavender earth pony mare replied, “What kind of magic are you going to teach us, and, well, are you really sure that earth ponies can do it?”

“Just Revan will be fine, Wiggles, or Legate if you really feel a need to be formal,” Revan replied, “Old Jutzu would love this, say it was my well-deserved comeuppance,” she added under her breathe before she turned her attention back to the mare. “Okay, time for a quick lecture, the Force is an energy field created by, and connecting, every living thing. While most folk don’t have the ability to manipulate it, almost every species has the potential, so, yes, earth ponies are just as likely to be Force-sensitive as a pegasus or a unicorn. As for what I’ll be teaching you, that varies, all Force-wielders share some basic talents; enhanced physical abilities, situational awareness and sensitivity to others’ emotions, telekinesis, extended lifespan, and the ability to manipulate the weak-minded. Beyond that, it will depend on your individual gifts; healing, of yourself or even others, commanding lightning, creating illusions in others’ minds, and even foreseeing the future are all possibilities.”

“You said something about responsibility earlier,” the older unicorn mare spoke up, her eyes slightly narrowed as she considered Revan, “So there is a risk of corruption with this training, then?”

“Every skill or talent can be misused or turned to ill intent, River Breeze,” the twi’lek responded, “And the Force responds, not only to what you do, but to why you’re doing it. Calling on the Force out of anger, fear, hate, greed, aggression or other negative emotions will open you to the Dark side, and those emotions will begin to fuel your abilities and color your thinking. Go too far down that path, and you can be lost in the Darkness.” Revan looked at the gathered ponies, catching each of their eyes in turn, “I want you all to understand, being a Darksider does not automatically mean being a monster. They can still be capable of compassion, love and self-sacrifice, and people have left the Dark and returned to the Light, or even wielded the Dark for what they believed to be a greater good. That being said, without an anchor in the Light, truly heroic willpower, or the pure dumb luck to be shown what they are becoming before they slip too far, anyone who calls too heavily on the Dark side runs a very real risk of those same raw passions and negative emotions that give them their strength twisting their perceptions and personalities and turning them into horrors.”

River’s features hardened slightly with disapproval, “You were one of these Darksiders.”

“Yes, I was one of the monsters, the SoulTaker of Comzelar actually, but I managed to leave that way behind and tried to embrace the Light for many years, although my success is debatable. The Dark still comes easily to me, however, and it is what I am best at,” Revan looked around the little group again, “We, Moonlight, Courage and I, intend to teach you the ways of the Light and, hopefully, how to avoid slipping into the Dark. Still, who knows, maybe one of you will learn what has eluded me and be able to balance the Light and Dark, drawing on the strength of each without having to fight not to lose yourself. And even if you resist all of the temptations and complete your training, even the gentler Trials used by the Light have broken aspirants, so if any of you think the risks are unreasonable, please say so and you may leave and never waste another thought on the Academy or anything we’ve discussed so far.”

The ponies exchanged uneasy glances as they considered the legate’s warning and offer, then Licorice piped up, “If we stay, does that mean we will be studying alongside the Princesses?”

“As a matter of fact, it does, for that matter, Celestia and Luna have already spoken to me about offering tutoring to any of their junior apprentices who might need additional help.”

Licorice’s hooves flew to her muzzle as she let out a happy squeal, causing Luna to cock an eyebrow at her sister, “Was Twilight Sparkle like this when she was thy student?”

“Very much so, Sister,” Celestia replied with a small smile, “Personally, I always thought it was rather endearing.”

Revan silently watched the seated ponies for a few minutes, causing many of them to shift nervously, then grinned, “So, apparently I haven’t scared any of you off, good, you'll need that bravery during your training. What's on your mind there, Silver Chaser?”

“Just how much time is this training expected to require?” the blue unicorn asked as he reached up to brush a lock of his silver mane away from his face, “Some of us have already spent many years in scholastic endeavors, and were looking forward to the chance to apply our educations and make our marks in the world.”

“Dunno,” Revan replied with a casual shrug, “What the Shadow Academy did in four years, the Jedi Temples do in fourteen, but based on how well Celestia and Luna have been coming along, you ponies learn very fast, so we'll just have to wait and see.” Silver crossed his forelegs with a disgruntled snort as the twi'lek turned her attention to the young earth pony teen sitting anxiously next to Celestia, “You have a question for me, Bouncer?”

“Yes'm,” the colt dipped his head respectfully, “Miz Licorice said that you was a necromancer, and I was jus’ wondering if you would be teaching that as well?”

“That is a rather unusual question, my young pony,” Celestia observed gently, “May I ask what inspired such an interest?”

Bouncer glanced away from the princess as a blush darkened his yellow-brown coat, “My grandpa was killed on the road when he was away on a long trip, and one of them necromancer ponies found his spirit lost and wandering and led him back home sos that he could say goodbye.” Bouncer turned back to face them, “It meant a whole lot to my family, and I want to be able to help other ponies like that.”

“I'm sorry, Bouncer,” Revan gave the colt a sad smile, “My 'necromancy' as you ponies call it, is just the brute-force giving and taking of life energy, I don't know how to lay the dead to rest or give peace to the living, but that's a noble goal you have there, and I wish you luck with it.” Bouncer nodded unhappily, his blush darkening as Celestia laid a comforting wing across his shoulders.

“So,” the legate suddenly clapped her hands loudly, “Let's wrap this up, WestHoof has graciously provided us with housing and access to their library, mess hall, laundry facilities and training fields, along with classrooms to use. Moonlight has your keys and rooming assignments, and my office is number two-fourty-two-West, in case you need to talk to me outside regular training hours, although I normally take the seven-fifteen train back to Ponyville, so if you slack-off, you'll need to wait until the following day to see me. I suggest that you get moved in and spend some time learning the Academy's layout, and then grab some sack time. Your actual training will begin at eight-o-clock sharp in this room tomorrow.” Revan hopped off the desk to grin rakishly at the ponies surrounding her, “Welcome to the Force Academy, my ade.”

Ch. 25; One Night In Canterlot

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Twilight Sparkle was walking through the halls of WestHoof's administrative wing, humming happily to herself and nodding politely to the occasional pony she passed, when a voice, roughened by years of bad weather and cheap cider, called out to her, “Celestia bless me! It's little miss Twilight Sparkle, but not so little now!” Twilight turned to find a wiry pegasus mare with an umber coat and greying mane grinning at her.

“Good evening, Captain Crimson Skies,” Twilight greeted the pegasus happily, “How have you been?”

“Same old, same old, Miss, still kicking useless cadets into proper officers. But you now, fancy titles, memorials in the Palace, you've come quite a ways from the little filly who used to try and sneak into the Academy to see her big brother,” the unicorn's cheeks flushed slightly at the older mare's teasing, “So, what brings you back to our little corner of Canterlot, Miss Twilight?”

“Actually, I was hoping to catch Revan Vao before she left for the day, so if you would pardon me, Captain …,” Twilight reluctantly excused herself from the old guardpony, before continuing on her way.

Only a few minutes later, the librarian found the door she sought, but as she raised a hoof to knock, an exasperated voice reached her ears through the wooden barrier, “Bones of the Emperors, what am I going to do with you two?”

Letting her hoof fall, Twilight stepped back from the door, ‘We really should let Revan know that her voice carries unusually well to pony ears,’ she thought, as she continued to guiltily listen in on her friend's half of the conversation.

“Look, Silver, Blaze, I can't make you like each other, but you need to be able to work together, and this feud you two have needs to be resolved, it's interfering with your studies and distracting the other apprentices. … I don't know, drink it out, fight it out, frell it out, chaos, maybe you could talk it out, I hear that's worked wonders for some ponies. … Or you might try ignoring each other! … Alright, get out of here, you're both confined to barracks for the weekend, and I'll see you on Monday.”

Quickly smoothing her face into a happy smile, Twilight stepped back to the door, ‘I wasn't eavesdropping, not at all, la, la, la,’ only to have it open as a pegasus teen and a young unicorn stallion, both of whom were very conspicuously not grumbling (or looking at each other), exited the room. Slipping inside, she called out “Hi, Revan!” as innocently as she could, while indulging in a quick look around her fillyfriend's office. Desk, chairs, file-cabinets, all that kept the room from being depressingly utilitarian was a scattering of pictures on the walls; the Princesses, Twilight and their friends from Ponyville, and a rather well-done reproduction of the image of Revan's old platoon from Comzelar.

“Hey, Twi’,” the Jedi almost purred as she returned the unicorn's greeting with a warm smile, “What brings my pika by?”

Twilight's own smile widened at the foreign endearment, “I thought I would drop by and see if you wanted to do anything tonight.”

“What, just hanging out, or did you mean more like a date?”

“I know it's kind of last minute,” Twilight admitted as she bit her lip and fluttered her eyelashes at Revan like Rarity had taught her, which the librarian knew was playing dirty, “But it would be our tenth date ….”

The twi’lek shook her head with a grin as she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and locked it in her desk, “So, is there a plan, or are we going to try and wing it? I don't know what's showing in any of the theaters, but we could try and catch a show, or there are a bunch of clubs if you want to go dancing ….”

Twilight's ears perked-up at the last suggestion, “I've never been to a club, and I do enjoy dancing, but … well … I'm really bad at it.”

“How bad are we talking here?”

Twilight blushed slightly as she looked away from her grinning fillyfriend, “Four left-hooves bad, Applejack asked me not to dance at the next Apple Clan reunion because I might break the barn bad.”

“Ah, Twi,” Revan chuckled as she came around her desk to give the unicorn a hug, “I learned how to dance in seedy dock-side cantinas, so let's go have a good time, and if it happens to scandalize some ponies, well that's their problem, what do you say?”

Twilight leaned up to give Revan a brief kiss on the cheek, “Let's do it.”

________________________________________

“I'm beginning to think we might be somewhat under-dressed,” Twilight observed as she looked around at the colorful, often clashing, outfits and hats that adorned the ponies standing with them as they waited outside the nightclub.

“I think we stand out already, dearest,” Revan laughed as she hip-bumped the unicorn, “But if we really like it, we can always scrape up the bits for a club outfit or two.”

Eventually, the bouncer waved them in, and the pair passed through the club's thick doors to be assaulted by the heavy beat blaring from the speakers that lined the walls. Inside, one wall was taken up by a long bar and a scattering of booths and tables, and a pair of staircase led up to the balcony that wrapped around half of the massive room. The rest of the floor was an enormous dance floor, filled with happily gyrating ponies while strobing, multi-colored lights shown down from above, and the DJ reined over all from her raised stage.

Making their way around the mass of dancing ponies, the couple grabbed some stools and turned to the bartender who walked over to them, “What can I get you?” he had to yell to be heard over the blaring music. After placing their orders, and then thanking the stallion for their ciders, Twilight and Revan turned back to watch the crowd as they enjoyed their drinks.

“Are clubs always so loud?”

“The ones I've been too, yeah,” Revan shrugged, “You get used to it.”

As they finished their drinks, a young, lavender-coated earth pony mare slipped out of the throng of dancers and headed over to lean on the bar as she caught her breath. Glancing around the club, she noticed the unicorn and the twi’lek sitting nearby and shot to her hooves, “Legate Revan, Ma'am!”

“At ease, Wiggles,” Revan waved her mug at the mare with a laugh, “We're off duty, and what have I told you about calling me ‘Ma'am’?”

Twilight reached over and gave her fillyfriend a gentle poke and a quirked eyebrow, causing Revan to smile sheepishly, “Sorry, manners, Twi’ this is Wiggles, one of my apprentices, Wiggles, this is my sweetheart, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Hello,” Twilight greeted the earth pony politely, trying her best not to giggle as the Jedi kissed the top of her head, “It's nice to finally meet one of Revan's students, she often talks about all of you.”

“Really?” Wiggles blushed slightly as she shook the offered hoof, although Twilight suspected it could as easily be from excessive cider consumption or the mare's exertions on the dance floor as embarrassment at hearing that her teacher talked about her, “What brings you here? I mean, the whole club-scene doesn't really seem like your thing, Legate.”

“Why, because I'm half-again your age, or because I'm your teacher?” Revan grinned at the young earth pony, taking the bite out of her rebuke, “Twi’ and I wanted to go dancing is all, speaking of which,” she slipped off her stool and turned to the unicorn with an extravagant bow and held out her hand, “Shall we, my Lady?”

“Why yes, I believe we shall,” Twilight accepted the offered hand, and the pair made their way over to the cheerfully cavorting horde of ponies.

“Just dance as if no-one was watching,” Revan advised as a new song began, “A Corellian girl told me that back when I was first learning, and it's always helped me.”

________________________________________

‘This is great!’ Twilight thought happily eight songs – and numerous appalled, astonished, amused or annoyed looks – later, ‘Though I do wonder if it's just cutting loose or the fact that I am dancing with Revan that makes it so fun,’ the unicorn wiped some sweat away as she and Revan made their way back over to the bar.

Stretching, the pair settled down to enjoy watching the other ponies dance, when a rising commotion dragged their attention over to where Wiggles was facing a trio of stallions, “I said I'm not interested!”

‘Dang it, why do some ponies have to be so pushy?’ reaching up, she put a hoof on Revan's shoulder as the twi’lek started to rise, “Let me handle this, okay?”

“You’re sure?”

“I love you, Revan, but I can already tell that you want to go give those stallions a pounding for harassing your student,” Twilight gave her fillyfriend's shoulder a brief squeeze, “And we want to de-escalate the situation, not make it worse.” After Revan nodded reluctantly, the unicorn walked over to where the three stallions were still trying to change Wiggles mind, ‘Whew, they've definitively had a bit too much to drink. It's probably contributing to their obstinacy.’ “Excuse me, but the lady said she wasn't interested.”

“No pony asked you, fillyfooler,” one of the stallions scowled at Twilight, “Me and the mare are talking, so you can keep your muzzle out of it,” turning back to Wiggles, he continued, “Come on babe, we promise it'll be worth your while.”

“And I said no,” retorted the earth pony mare, “Go pester somepony else.”

Unfortunately, the three stallions weren't finished yet, “Don't be like that,” one cajoled as he put his hoof on Wiggles' flank.

With a small sigh, Twilight tried again, “Look, she's a friend of mine and she already told you no,” she stepped forward to try and gently herd the stallions back, “You should act like proper gentlestallions and back off.”

That, it seemed, was the wrong approach to take, as one of the stallions took a drunken swing at the unicorn mare, telegraphing like a Pony Express branch. Twilight ducked out of the way, a small bubble of pride welling up inside her at avoiding the, admittedly clumsy, assault, when her eyes widened and she shot her hoof out to catch Revan as she came rushing up, her lips pulled back in a snarl. “You really don't want to push this,” Twilight advised in her calmest and most reasonable tone, “Just walk away and we can all get back to enjoying our evening.”

Alas, these stallions were not in the mood to be either calm or reasonable.

The first stallion aimed a wild haymaker that came nowhere near Twilight, while the second lunged for Wiggles, only to run straight into a kick that sent him bowling into a couple at a nearby table. The third stallion charged Revan, but the Jedi slipped aside and helped him along his way, sending him careening out into the dance floor. What had started as a private quarrel suddenly turned into a free-for-all.

Twilight could only stare dumbfounded as ponies, generally considered one of the more peaceful species, pounded on each other with gusto. Metal grid-works had risen from the floor to separate the bar and the DJ's stage from the brawling mob, while the DJ kept right on playing her music, her muzzle split in a toothy grin. ‘How can she be so calm? Just how often does something like this happen here, anyway?’ her distraction proved painful, as the stallion took advantage Twilight's bewilderment to finally land a blow that almost knocked the unprepared mare to her knees.

‘Hitting a pony when they aren't looking? That's so cheap!’ Twilight was not a particularly physical mare, but several of her friends were, and she had paid attention during their various adventures. Surging back up, she swung a hoof that, more by luck than any skill, slammed into the stallion’s muzzle, staggering him, “I tried to be polite! I tried to be sensible! But no, you just had to be a … a … ruffian!” Twilight punctuated her rant with repeated blows to the drunken stallion’s head, and finished with a haymaker of her own that sent him slithering to the floor. ‘Did, did I just do that?’

“That's my girl!” Revan crowed as she slammed her open hands down on a pegasus' ears and then proceeded to kick the dazed pony in the stomach, leaving her gasping for breath.

Twilight stuck to Revan and Wiggles' sides like a bur, even when a punch to the ear left her seeing stars, as the ponies around them did their enthusiastic best to wreak the nightclub and each other.

Ducking under a flung mug and retaliating with an Applejack-style buck, the librarian called out, “Revan!” and pointed a hoof at the surge of grey and gold armor that was plowing into the fracas as the Canterlot gendarme poured through the club's front doors.

“Head out the back!” Revan yelled as she reached out to drag Wiggles away from the brawl, galloping down the back hall, the trio burst out into an alleyway and set off at a brisk trot, a few twists and turns later, and the little group was leisurely walking away from the club.

“So, Twi’, what did you think of your first time clubbing?” Revan asked as she draped an arm around the unicorn's shoulders.

“It was fun,” Twilight admitted, “Up until those louts wouldn't leave Wiggles alone, and I could have done without the fight,” she added as she prodded a loose tooth with her tongue.

“An unfortunate reality of the club-scene,” Wiggles acknowledged with a shrug, “Mix the adrenaline, the alcohol, and frequently a good dose of other hormones, together and some ponies just get too aggressive for their own good.”

Twilight nodded, then blinked at her two companions as a thought occurred to her, “You're studying at the EFA, why didn't you use your abilities of suggestion to get them to leave?”

The earth pony suddenly became very interested in the cobblestones, “I tried, but it didn't work.”

Wiggles looked back up as the Jedi reached over to clasp her shoulder, “Suggestion is exponentially harder on groups than individuals, and being drunk actually makes some folk more resistant.” Revan smiled proudly at the two mares, “You both tried to keep the situation peaceful and you both stepped-up when that failed,” she gave Twilight's ear a playful tug, “AJ and RD are going to bust a gut when they hear that you, of all ponies, got in a bar-fight,” she added teasingly.

Wiggles grinned as the now blushing unicorn swatted Revan in the shoulder, “Well, it’s a bit too late to try and get into another club, so I think I’ll call it a night. Have a pleasant evening, Legate, Miss Twilight, it was nice to meet you.”

Twilight and Revan waved and called out quite farewells as the earth pony started back to the Academy dormitories. “I should go get a room, as well,” Twilight admitted, a bit self-conscious to have forgotten something as important as arranging for her night’s lodging.

“Not to worry, Twi’, I’ve got an apartment attached to my office, you can have the bed,” Revan put a finger to the unicorn’s lips to silence her protests, “I insist.”

As the pair made their way back to WestHoof, Twilight kept shooting sidelong glances at her fillyfriend, as the ever-growing swarm of butterflies in her stomach slowly replaced the residual alcohol and adrenaline in her system.

Finally, Revan unlocked the door and flicked on the lights to show a bedroom equally as utilitarian as the outside office, a bed – that looked like it had never been used – an empty bookcase, a bureau and lamp, while a second open door let into a small bathroom. Overall, Twilight felt vaguely disappointed, “I expected it to have more … personality.”

“I never really expected to use this room,” Revan admitted, as she awkwardly ran a hand over her lek, “My home is back in Ponyville, after all.”

“It’s alright, Revan,” Twilight assured the twi’lek, “But if I’m taking the bed, where will you sleep?”

“I’ll sack out in a chair.”

“And you’ll keep me safe?” the unicorn asked with a grin, giggling as she recalled their trip to the Crystal Empire.

Revan cupped Twilight’s cheek, “Always.”

‘This is it, Twilight, this is the right moment,’ the unicorn thought to herself as she nuzzled into Revan’s hand, “You know,” Twilight said as seductively as she could, “Keeping me safe would be much easier if you were in bed with me.”

Revan pulled back, almost breaking contact with Twilight, as she stared at her fillyfriend, a smoky glow in her green eye, “Are you sure, Twi’?” she asked, her voice suddenly husky, “I don’t want to push you into anything ….”

“I’m sure,” Twilight bit her lip as she smiled nervously at the twi’lek, while the butterflies in her stomach danced as if they were back at the nightclub, “I love you, Revan Vao, and I trust you. Please ….”

Revan tipped Twilight’s head up to kiss her, their lips warm and alive against each other, “I love you too, Twilight Sparkle, with all my heart.”

Twilight never could remember which of them turned out the lights.

Ch. 26; Developments

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Celestia hefted her halberd carefully as she eyed her teacher, while nearby Luna flared her wings, causing her wingblades to glitter in the early evening moonlight that washed over the WestHoof training field they had appropriated for their match. The two alicorns separated and began to slowly circle the grinning twi’lek that stood between them in a relaxed guard-stance, her lightsaber humming, as she waited for the sisters’ attack.

A small crowd of murmuring ponies had gathered at the edge of the field, as often happened whenever Revan took the princesses’ training outside the classrooms, but the three combatants ignored them. Such distractions had no place during the “fast game” as Revan called it, when live blades and full use of Force-abilities meant that any misstep could have fatal consequences.

The alicorns didn't even glance at each other as they shifted position, they would know when it was the right time to engage, and when that moment happened, the sisters lunged forward, Celestia aiming high while Luna swept her wingblades low. Their blades failed to bite, however, as Revan twisted between their attacks, and then leapt over and past the princesses before one of them could crush the twi'lek under their bulk.

The two whirled about, only for Celestia to stumble as a telekinetic strike slammed into her flank. Fortunately, Luna's protective presence prevented Revan from following-up on the temporary opening in the elder diarch's defenses, and once her guard was firmly back in place, Celestia quickly joined her sister in pressing the attack, slowly driving their instructor across the field.

Although Celestia's muzzle lacked the wolfish grins that adorned Luna's and Revan's, she still felt pride as a year of regular training scrubbed away at the millennium's worth of rust that had coated her old martial skills. ‘Some more time regaining our abilities and Lulu and I, okay, let's be honest, Lulu will have poor Revan completely outclassed in physical combat,’ the solar alicorn mused, indulging in a moment of reflection as she circled around where her sister and teacher were currently exchanging blows.

She pulled up short as Luna and Revan unleashed simultaneous Force-pushes at each other, while the lunar princess stumbled a few steps to the side before regaining her balance, the Jedi was hurled several pony-lengths away, only to roll to her feet and call her lightsaber back to her hand with a cheerful laugh as she shouted, “Good!” at Luna.

:Sister,: Luna's thoughts whispered in Celestia's mind, :Let us claim the high ground, and remind Revan Vao of what it is like to be the less mobile combatant.:

Celestia shot her little sister a brief smile, and then the two alicorns rose into the air on strong beats of their wings, hovering above the twi'lek that was shaking her fist at them from the ground.

“Getting cocky are we, my vod?” Revan shouted up at the princesses, just before her hand shot out and sent a bolt of lightning streaking at Celestia. The elder diarch spun her halberd and caught the bolt on the blade, encasing it in a crackling web of lethal electricity for a moment, before she flicked her weapon and sent the lightning thundering into the ground.

‘Oh, my … I didn’t know we could do that …’ with the ease of long practice, Celestia kept her surprise from her face as she watched the Jedi below her who gazed back with an odd look. Revan shifted her stance, and then more lightning thunder forth from her hand, directed this time at Luna, who trapped and held the bolt on her wingblades.

Holding the charge bound her wings, however, and as Luna plummeted towards the ground, she freed her wings by the simple expedient of sending the lightning back to Revan, who deflected the blast into the earth at her feet in turn.

“Celestia! Luna! Fall in, front and center!” the alicorns exchanged uneasy glances as they landed to stand before their instructor, who still wore that odd expression as she returned her saber to her belt and considered her two senior apprentices. “That. Was. Awesome!” she suddenly trilled, lunging forward to wrap an arm around each diarch’s neck in an exuberant, three-way hug, “I wish Twi’ and RD had been here to see that!” Revan continued in a happy babble, as she literally bounced with glee between the princesses, “Even old man Jutzu would have to crack that stone face of his and admit he was impressed by what you two just pulled off!”

“Thou are pleased with us then, Revan Vao?” Luna asked as she gave the beaming Jedi a small nuzzle, “In truth, I had not realized that we could capture and redirect lightning in such a manner until I observed ‘Tia do so.”

“Actually, I had no idea we could do such a thing either,” Celestia admitted with a small, embarrassed laugh, “It just … sort of happened,” she continued with a vague wave of her hoof.

Revan pulled back as far as she could without releasing the alicorns from her hold to fix them with a stunned stare, “The both of you just … stumbled onto an advanced Defense technique that is still beyond me? During a full-contact spar?” she laughed as her hug tightened once again, “Ah, my vod, my wonderful, crazy, ori’vod, you and our madcap vod’ika back in Ponyville may well be the death of me.” Finally stepping back from the sisters, Revan wiped a tear away from her eye, “The both of you devour Jedi and Sith lore, history and philosophy as fast as I can dredge it out of my memory. You’re solid on physical training, weapon skills and core Force abilities, and you’ve both attuned a weapon to the Force … I think you’re ready ….” The Jedi took a deep breath, and then fixed the two with a stern look as she proclaimed, “Aspirants Celestia and Luna you are relieved of your obligations as apprentices for the next three days so that you may prepare yourselves and make arrangements for your duties to the Thrones. On Saturday morning, Discord and I will come for you, and your Trials will begin.”

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Cadance's ears drooped slightly as she made her way into the ancient mines beneath Canterlot palace, 'I'm a big filly,' she thought to herself crossly, as she fought down the urge to shiver, 'And I will not be afraid of these caves … even if they are creepy and full of bad memories.' Despite herself, she quickened her pace as brighter lights came into view, spilling into the tunnel from one of the side chambers.

Gratefully entering the light of several glowstone lanterns, and even a few torches, Cadance smiled at the two ponies within, “Good evening, Twily, Blue.” Her cousin and sister-in-law returned the Princess' greeting as she walked over to join them on the benches that some thoughtful pony had brought in to make what had become a de facto waiting room more comfortable.

“How was court today, Caddy?” Twilight asked as she absently scratched the ears of the possum – Tiberius, Aunt Luna's new pet – that she held cuddled in her forelegs.

“Tiring,” Cadance admitted, “On top of the usual politics everypony kept asking 'Where are Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?' 'When will they return?' 'Well why don't you know how long this “testing” is supposed to take?',” the Princess of Love groaned and rubbed her muzzle with a hoof, “I know that they're concerned, but seriously ponies, asking me the same questions every third petitioner isn't going to magically change the answers.”

“The nobles have good reason to be anxious,” Blueblood pointed out, “Auntie 'Tia and Auntie Luna have been down in these caverns for a week, and no pony has heard from them or Legate Revan this entire time. Discord is raising the Sun and the Moon, when he is not off in the mines as well, and whenever anyone tries to ask him what is going on, he just gets that smug grin and winks at them!” Blueblood ran a hoof through his mane, ruining its fashionable styling, “I'm worried about my Aunts,” he admitted as he threw an uneasy glance at the massive door that had just appeared, likely courtesy of Discord, weeks ago at the far end of the chamber to seal off the tunnels beyond.

Cadance moved over to wrap a comforting wing around her cousin's shoulders, “It will be okay, Bluey, Auntie Luna and Auntie 'Tia can look after themselves, besides they have Discord and Revan with them in case something goes really wrong.”

Silence filled the chamber as the three sat quietly for a time, until the sound of hoofsteps in the tunnel heralded the arrival of almost a dozen ponies, only for the new arrivals to come to a startled halt as they caught sight of the trio of nobles.

“Yes?” Twilight inquired as she turned to face the new arrivals, “Can we help you … Wiggles? What are you doing down here?”

“Hello, Miss Twilight,” the earth pony nodded politely, “We came down to … well, I’m not rightly sure, we just all felt we had to be here, for apprentices Celestia and Luna.”

“That is Baroness Twilight and Princesses Celestia and Luna to you,” Blueblood snapped testily as Cadance and Twilight both frowned at his tone, “I will thank you to show the Royal Family the respect they deserve.”

“Of course, your Highness,” a young, blue-coated, unicorn stallion replied with a bow as his coral aura flared to wrap around the mouth of white pegasus teen with a wild, red and orange mane, “My fellow students meant no insolence, they have merely taken the Princesses’ informality a bit too much to heart.”

Blueblood sniffed in disapproval while a little unicorn teenager, not much bigger than a filly, stepped forward to stare wide-eyed at Twilight, “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! You're Twilight Sparkle! Princess Celestia's personal student! The Element of Magic! You actually completed the Dragon's Egg test! You scored in the top five-percent of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns graduates of all time! Eeee--”

An earth pony teen cut the tiny unicorn off by the simple expedient of sticking his hoof in her mouth, before turning apologetically to Twilight, while shooting nervous looks at Blueblood, “I'm sorry, your Ladyship, but Licorice is a big fan of yours, and she gets carried away some. She didn't mean no disrespect, honest she didn't.”

The librarian silently stared at the two ponies for a few nerve-wracking moments, before her muzzle stretched in a massive grin as she happily squealed, “I have FANS!” Scooping up the diminutive teenager, the two unicorns retreated to a corner of the chamber and immediately immersed themselves in a conversation about, as far as Cadance could understand, academics and magical theory, while an annoyed Tiberius squeaked from where he had been left on the bench, and the poor colt stared after them in bewilderment.

“Silver Chaser! Take that gag off Blaze! The two of you can flirt on your own time,” snapped an older unicorn mare as she dropped onto the bench Twilight had just vacated. The blue unicorn and white pegasus exchanged horrified looks at the mare’s words and quickly fled to opposite sides of the chamber, as the rest of the newcomers chuckled and sought seats of their own.

Shaking her head in amusement, Cadance sat beside the mare who seemed to be in charge of these ponies and picked up Tiberius, “So, Auntie 'Tia and Auntie Luna's fellow students all decided to check on them, Mistress ….”

“River Breeze, your Highness,” the unicorn replied with a slight bow, “Yes, we all got this feeling that we should be here, and since 'trusting your feelings' is an important element of Force training … here we are.”

“Well, I always thought Revan was a very 'gut-instincts' kind of mare,” laughed the alicorn, turning, Cadance smiled at the gathered ponies, “I want to thank you all, I know it would mean a lot to my Aunts that you came down here to support them. The rest of the Royal Family and I are also very touched by your actions, even if Blue can't bring himself to admit it,” she added, giving her cousin a teasing smirk.

“Really, Cadance?” Blueblood whined, incidentally doing an excellent job of puncturing the regal and pompous air he usually tried to maintain, “Must you be so casual with the common-ponies?”

The princess tapped a hoof on her chin meditatively as she considered Blueblood's complaint, “Hmmm … yes, Blueblood, I believe I must,” her smile widened as the stallion sighed in exasperation.

Any further ribbing between the Royals was interrupted as, with a loud and melodramatic creak, the heavy door opened to reveal a pair of bedraggled, battered and bruised alicorns, with their weapons leaned tiredly across their shoulders.

Blueblood, Cadance and Twilight immediately rushed to the diarchs' sides, their cries of “Aunties!” and “Princesses!” cutting through the uproar that had broken out.

“W-what? Cadance? Blueblood? Twilight? How did ...” Cadance felt oddly pleased at seeing her Aunt caught flat-hoofed for once as Celestia and Luna wrapped their wings around the younger ponies and Tiberius happily climbed onto his mistresses head, “Not that we aren't glad to see all of you, but … how did you know to be here at this time?”

“Caddy, Blueblood and I have been spending as much time as we could spare down here waiting for you,” Twilight explained.

“Actually, Aunties,” Cadance added with a sly grin, “Bluey has spent more time than he could spare waiting and worrying about you,” she and Twilight burst out in a fit of giggles as a furiously blushing Blueblood was nuzzled by his aunts.

“That explains why our Niece, Nephew and Twilight Sparkle were waiting for us,” Luna observed, “But how did our fellow apprentices known to be here at this time?”

“The Force,” Wiggles replied, as her companions all nodded or shrugged in agreement.

“Truly? Huh.”

“Well?” Blaze demanded eagerly as she trotted over to the little group, “Did you do it? Did you pass the Trials?”

“We might find out if someone could get their flanks out of the door and let the rest of us in,” Revan groused from behind the Princesses.

The little group sheepishly moved away from the door to make way for Revan, looking just as disheveled as her senior apprentices, and Discord, “Thanks,” looking over the gathering, Revan gave an amused shake of her head, “This is unexpected. Still, no point on dragging things out.” Turning to Discord, the twi'lek drew herself up and clasped her hands behind her back as she bowed her head slightly, “Master Discord, I ask you to render your judgment on aspirants Celestia and Luna.”

Discord grinned and snapped his fingers, suddenly draping himself in an open-fronted black robe and a long, grey-white curly wig, as he began to circle Luna and Celestia while contemplatively stroking his beard. After a few moments of this, he returned to Revan's side, “After due consideration, I must, reluctantly, find … that Cely and Lulu have passed their Trails!”

Revan nodded, “I concur,” with the twi’lek’s agreement, Discord snapped his fingers again, and now everyone was wearing a party hat (even Tiberius), while mariachi music played from the air.

Unfortunately, Revan's roar of “We're not finished yet!” cut off the festive atmosphere just as it was beginning. Handing her hat to Twilight, the Jedi unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and took the ignited blade in a two-handed grip, the point towards the floor, “Celestia, Luna, this is your oath, to be without fear in the face of your enemies. To seek justice but strive for mercy. To speak the truth, unless it would do greater harm. To follow your conscious, even if it leads to your death. To safeguard the helpless and respect all life, regardless of its form. Will you so swear?”

“I will.”

Raising her saber, Revan brought it down to hover a breath above Celestia's shoulder, than arched it over to do the same with Luna, “Celestia Astralis, I dub you Knight-Seer, Luna Astralis, I dub you Knight-Warden,” she declared. “Now we celebrate!” Revan added with a grin, shattering the solemnity of the moment.

________________________________________

The group had put their party hats back on and relocated to Donut Joe’s, most of them, anyway (with his Aunts’ well-being confirmed, Blueblood had returned to his apartments, while Discord had said something about his judging talents being needed in Las Pegasus). The impromptu party had been going on for a few hours; when Cadance decided to have a few words with the twi’lek, “Revan, I have to ask, why would you have Discord of all ponies evaluate whether Auntie Luna and Auntie ‘Tia passed their tests?”

After glancing around to confirm that the other ponies were currently wrapped up in their own conversations, Revan gave a jerk of her head and led Cadance off a little ways, “Mostly, it was simple pragmatism. I needed Discord’s help to run the Trials anyway, and his antagonistic relationship with Celestia and Luna made him a good counter to my own bias.” She paused to take a sip from her mug and continued, “My ori’vod deserved an honest Trial, and I think Discord let me give them that.”

“Well, I’m glad to have all of my Aunts back,” Cadance remarked, as she picked up an éclair from the table to nibble on, but the obvious confusion on Revan’s face sent her into a small fit of giggles, “You never realized, did you? When you made Auntie ‘Tia and Auntie Luna your Sisters of Choice, you also became an Aunt to me and Blue. It’s the same with Twily and her friends, when you made them your Sisters, you got their families as well,” the alicorn gave the twi’lek a small shoulder bump, “Congratulations, your part of one of the largest extended families in all of Equestria.”

“I hadn’t thought about it like that,” Revan admitted, “This’ll take some getting used to ... wait, does that mean Rarity and Blueblood are ….”

“… Yes.”

The two just stood there for a moment, grinning at each other like a pair of fools, and then Cadance eagerly proclaimed, “I call dibs on telling them!”

Ch. 27; Field Work

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“Legate Revan, Ma'am!”

Looking up at the young pegasus guardspony hurrying down the hallway towards her, Revan moved aside so she wouldn't be blocking the flow of traffic as ponies left the mess for their afternoon duties, “What is it, trooper?”

Catching up with the waiting Jedi, the guardspony saluted, “Ma’am, Princess Celestia would have you met her in her offices with all possible speed!”

Revan nodded once, and then took off at a dead run, using her Force-enhanced agility to weave through ponies as she charged towards the palace.

________________________________________

Princess Celestia's private office was filled with several centuries’ worth of accumulated books, portraits and knickknacks and smelled of parchment, wood-smoke from the fireplace and tea. Usually, Revan found it rather relaxing, but the urgent summons, coupled with the grim frown the alicorn wore as she looked at the report held in her magic, caused the twi'lek to dispense with her usual impishness, “What's is it, Celestia, what’s wrong?”

“Four foals have disappeared from the town of GreenWood in the past month, and unexplained lights and sounds have been reported from the Woods.”

When the Princess didn't explain further, Revan gave a small cough, “Lost younglings are always a bad thing, but I think I'm missing something here.”

Celestia blinked at Revan, before giving a small, embarrassed laugh, “I'm sorry, Revan, the Nightmare Woods have been a reoccurring problem for centuries, and I forgot that this is all still new to you.” Pulling a map from the shelves, she pointed at a large forest along Equestria's eastern marches, “The Shadowed Heart Forest forms the northern border between Equestria and Germane, but all of the neighboring ponies have called it the Nightmare Woods for the last eight centuries.”

“The Woods are a place of wild magic, much like the Everfree Forest, but a century after I lost Luna, somehow the forest became twisted and corrupt, strange lights would be seen and inexplicable noises would echo from within the trees. Mares, stallions and even foals would vanish from nearby settlements, and never be seen again, while the beasts and monsters of the Woods became more hostile, and at times would even leave the Woods to hunt ponies. As for those ponies who braved the Woods, looking for answers or lost loved-ones, many did not come out, and some of those who did return were changed … turned mad, murderous, or both.

“You've heard Licorice and River Breeze talk about Honey Grace, I believe? Before she started on her mad war against all living things, she was a traveling entertainer with a knack for illusions and an amateur archaeologist,” Celestia closed her eyes for a moment as old, painful memories returned, “A friendly mare, if rather fond of dramatics, who, much like our Pinkie Pie, lived for making other ponies smile. Then she went into the Nightmare Woods ….”

“So-kay,” Revan whistled, “I'm starting to get the holo, though I have to ask why anyone is still willing to live near this place?”

“The Woods have their periods of quiet,” Celestia explained, “Often several decades in length. More than enough time for ponies to start doubting the old tales, and GreenWood is a good hours trot away from the Woods ...”

Leaning over the desk, Revan tapped a finger on the map, “And no one knows what's causing this corruption, or what wakes it up?”

The solar diarch shook her head sadly, “No pony, the Magus Corps has sent four expeditions into the Nightmare Woods, all returned empty-hoofed. I have searched the Woods time and again with my magic, but I found neither points of power nor lay-line crossings that might justify the forest's darkness. Now, however, we have another possible explanation ….”

“The Force,” Revan nodded as she finished the alicorn's thought, “If the forest was a Dark Side site, it could explain everything. I'll head out immediately,” she continued as she stood up.

“Not alone,” Celestia said firmly, “You should take some of the apprentices with you.”

“What?” the Jedi cocked her head at her sister, “I mean, sure, field work is a normal part of the training, but if this is a Dark Side site, they're not as resistant to Force influences as I am.”

“And yet, they are still better defended they any other ponies, and unlike you, they have no previous Darkness that might be used against them,” Celestia argued, “You can keep watch over each other. And besides, searching for missing foals is not a one-pony job.”

“Point,” the twi'lek agreed wryly, “Fine … River Breeze, Silver Chaser and Blaze are the most advanced of the class, I'll grab them, hit the armory to gear-up, and be on the next train,” she shot a glance at Celestia, “You'll let Twilight know what's happened?”

“Of course,” the princess assured her, “How is Twilight handling her accession?” Celestia inquired, a look of concern crossing her muzzle.

Revan gave a short bark of laughter, “She's a nervous-wreak part of the time, terrified of disappointing you, bothered whenever ponies treat her as a 'Princess' instead of 'Twilight', giddy at being able to research Pegasus and Earth Pony magic first-hand, and she's still looking for a guidebook on being a princess. Spike, the girls and I have been keeping Twi' from fretting herself sick, and making sure no one tries to take advantage of her. And I'm still pissed with Discord for the whole Plunder Vine thing,” she added with an angry snarl, cocking a brow at Celestia, Revan continued in a calmer tone, “You or Luna coming by to see her would help set Twi's mind at ease, and she would love to see you again.”

“I know, I know,” Celestia replied, before winking at Revan as she held a hoof to her lips, “Luna, Cadance and I are setting up a 'Princess Summit' for a few months from now, but don't tell Twilight yet, I want everything ready first.”

“My lips are sealed,” the Jedi promised with a laugh, before her face lost its humor, “Well, sooner begun, sooner done.”

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Blaze, apprentice of the Equestrian Force Academy and all-around awesome pony, shifted on her train bench as she tried to downplay her excitement, 'We're going on an assignment! Yeah, I'm stuck with Silver, (stupid, annoying, cute Silver Chaser) but we get to go use our powers and help ponies!'

The pegasus looked up as her instructor slipped into the compartment and latched the door behind her before turning to River Breeze, “Everything stowed and accounted for?”

The unicorn mare nodded, “Weapons, armor, rations, field medical supplies, camping gear and cold-weather gear, despite it being mid-summer.”

“Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it,” Revan replied as she dropped onto a bench of her own. “So, once we disembark at Fillyville our mission objectives are as follows: One, proceed to the town of GreenWood and locate four missing younglings if they are within the area of GreenWood, the two neighboring settlements, or the Shadowed Heart Forest. Two, upon finding the younglings, affect their safe return to their homes if possible, River, with your Magus experience, I'd like you to liaise with the local gendarme investigator and be the point man for these objectives. Objective three, deal with the reason for the younglings’ disappearance. Four, enter the Shadowed Heart Forest and attempt to determine the source of its corruption, this objective may be carried out concurrently with objectives one through three. Five, destroy or otherwise neutralize the source of the corruption if possible. The sixth and final objective, return the entire detachment to Canterlot in reasonable health and sanity, questions, ade?”

“Reasonable health and sanity?” Silver muttered uneasily, voicing the concern that was on Blaze's mind as well, while River mulled over their mission.

“Shadowed Heart … Shadowed Heart …” River's eyes widened as she turned to stare at the legate, “We're going into the Nightmare Woods?!”

“Well, that doesn't sound good,” Blaze observed, her usual brazen demeanor shaken slightly by the older mare's reaction, “Just how bad is this place?”

“Oh, it's just like the Everfree Forest, except with the addition that every single animal considers ponies to be good eating, and just going into the trees has rendered ponies irreversibly insane.” River looked over the little group and gave them a thin smile, “Granted, with this lot that may not be saying much on the last part,” she added, sparking a brief round of laughter from Blaze and Revan, and a annoyed sniff from Silver Chaser.

“Since no one has ever found a magical cause for the Woods condition, Celestia wants us to check for a Force-based one,” the twi'lek explained, “If the Woods are a Dark Side site, well, such places frequently have a fount of unrestrained emotion at their heart, fear, hatred, battle-rage, what-have-you. And since windigoes are drawn to hatred …” she nodded at their packs with the cold weather garments inside.

'I wonder what other feelings have created Force-strong sites,' Blaze mused idly, 'Does it have to be the ugly emotions, though, or could it be something else? Hmmm, a lust-based site might be … interesting,' she smirked as lewd images began to play through the teen's imagination.

“If there are windigoes, can we actually confront them?” Silver asked, distracting the pegasus from her salacious daydreams, “They're almost immune to any magic weaker than an alicorn's, and even that is more speculation than confirmed fact.”

“I don't know, Silver,” Revan admitted truthfully, “We're charting new ground here. Still, we can deal with Force spirits or revenants that may be lurking in the Woods, although it may cost us, and I think we'll be able to handle any magic-spawned ghosts that we might stumble across as well.”

Stretching out a hand, the legate called a weatherproofed pouch over to her from within the gear they had stored under the benches, “Anyway, I've got copies of the reports that were sent to Celestia, as well as copies of the most recent survey-maps of GreenWood and the surrounding farmlands. We've got three days until we hit Fillyville, let's get to work.”

Ch. 28; The Curse Of GreenWood

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GreenWood was a small, pastoral town, if a bit down-at-the-heels since the lumber mill closed three years ago, filled with hard-working farmponies and hearty shopponies, certainly not the kind of place where a pony would think to find multiple missing foals. Now a pall hung over the town, and the few ponies out and about shot distrustful looks at the quarter of armored figures traveling their streets.

Blaze shivered inside her harness, the itching at the back of her mind whispered to her that there was something wrong with this town, and while it could merely be due to recent events, her guts said that whatever afflicted GreenWood was older than the current tragedies.

Glancing at her companions, the pegasus felt oddly relieved that she was not the only one unsettled by the town, Silver was watching every movement and shadow, while River and Revan had moved to flank the younger ponies, the hardened veterans shielding the weaker members of the herd.

Eventually, the little group reached the simple blockhouse that served GreenWood's gendarme, all three of them, a unicorn and two earth ponies. Those worthies were currently pouring over a map alongside a pegasus mare in guard's armor, her helmet sitting on a desk, disrupting the uniform enchantment. “Yes, Ma’am, is there something we can help you with?” the guardsmare asked, a small frown creasing her muzzle at the interruption.

“Afternoon, gentleponies,” Revan replied as she pulled a scroll from a case on her belt, “I'm Legate Revan Vao, these are my apprentices, River Breeze, Silver Chaser and Blaze,” she held up the scroll, “And this is a writ granting me Crown Authority, we've been sent to assist in the search for the missing younglings.”

The three gendarmes exchanged confused looks, but the guardsmare gave a relieved sigh as she ran a hoof through her short red mane, “A courier brought word that the Princesses had sent more help, I'm Steel Mist with the Criminal Investigation Division, and these are the local enforcement officers, Wind Bolt, Shadow Tail and Marble Chocolate.” As the three ponies nodded, Steel waved the new arrivals over to the map, “It's been over a week since anypony's seen Graceful Blooming, and it's looking like she vanished without a trace, just like the other three foals.”

“Did anything strange happen around the time that the foals disappeared,” River asked, “Strangers in town, family troubles, unusual magical phenomena, anything?”

“There have been no strangers in town for months, GreenWood doesn't see a lot of travelers ever since the mill closed,” Marble explained, “As for family, most of them are good, Celestia-fearing ponies, but, well, Carrot Sunrise's folks are mainstays of the inn. We have one or the other of them in here pretty much at least once a week to sleep it off.”

The mare gave a rueful shrug as Silver and Blaze started at her in horrified disgust, and Blaze's ears dropped as she watched as the older ponies shrugged off Carrot's family situation to concentrate on other matters. ‘I don't know what's worse, that a pair of sots are allowed to raise a foal, or that everypony seems so resigned to it.’

“We haven't had any weird magic in town,” Wind added, “But there's been lights out in the Nightmare Woods and weird voices on the wind since Winter Wrap-up.”

River looked over at the local unicorn, “Voices? Saying what?”

Wind shrugged, “I don't know, the voices are usually faint, and nopony is really willing to listen all that close, it's voices on the wind from out of the Nightmare Woods, listening to stuff like that can turn a pony queer in the head.”

“We can hear the laughter and the screams clear enough,” Shadow offered, “There's been a few times where you'd almost think the screams were coming from inside the town.”

“Perhaps they were,” Revan murmured, so quietly that Blaze doubted that the Inspector or local ponies even heard it, “What are these?” she asked, pointing at the map.

“That's the mill and the old quarry.”

“They've been searched?”

“We're not idiots,” Wind snapped as he glared at the Jedi, “We searched the quarry and nopony goes near the mill.”

“Does anypony still live out here?” River inquired, indicating a steading on the outskirts of town.

“That's Granny Bridle's place,” Marble explained, “She's lived here as long as anypony can remember, but she went a bit … odd after she lost her husband and daughter in the quarry collapse sixty years ago.”

Revan drummed her fingers on the table as she looked at the map, “Alright, River and I'll go and scout the quarry, Silver, you and Blaze look over the mill.”

“We already did that!” Wind protested, “We can't be wasting time while those foals are out there!”

“I heard you,” the legate replied calmly, “But they're still the mostly likely places for a child to suffer an accident, or for something from outside the town to set up undisturbed, and we need to rule them out.” Revan turned back to her apprentices, “This is a sneak-and-peek, not a reconnaissance in force, ade, you see anything off, you haul ass back here and wait for me and River, got it?” Once Silver and Blaze had reluctantly agreed, she smiled at them and continued, “When you’re done with the mill, swing by Bridle's and see if you can talk to the old mare, she might know about hiding spots and trails that the rest of the town has forgotten. Head over to the inn afterwards and grab some chow, River and I'll find you there when we get back.”

________________________________________

There were more ponies on the streets as Blaze and Silver parted ways with their elders and headed towards the mill, but the town maintained the same cheerless air as before, even the scattering of foals and teenagers were subdued. “How can they stay here?” Blaze wondered aloud, “This town makes my fur crawl.”

“This is their home,” Silver replied, “They have all of their memories of how things once were to hold on to, and their hopes that things can be like that again.”

Blaze grinned at her fellow apprentice, “You know what River says about hope.”

“River Breeze is a remarkably cynical pony, who has seen far too much darkness in her life and has allowed it to twist her worldview.”

“Revan agrees with her.”

Silver cocked an eyebrow at her, “You do realize that your argument is supposed to counter my point, not prove it for me, don't you?”

The pegasus blinked, and then threw a half-serious glare at him, “Fine, you win this round, Silver Chaser,” she grumbled as the unicorn smirked and drew a tally-mark in the air.

________________________________________

“Another almond cookie, dear?” the emerald-coated earth pony asked as she held out a worn tray.

“Yes, please!” Blaze hummed happily as she took a bite, before wrinkling her muzzle at Silver, “Don't you judge me! These cookies are delicious and you know it!”

“I would never dream of slighting Mistress Bridle's bakery skills,” Silver retorted as he sipped his tea, “But if you keep eating so many sweets, you're going to develop a pudge.” He grinned slightly as the pegasus patted her flank self-consciously, before turning back to their host, “Thank you again for your hospitality, Mistress, and for your knowledge of the old mushroom hunter's shack in Whiteleaf Woods.”

“Yeah, the Legate will probably have us out to look the shack over tomorrow,” Blaze added, “But, and I'm not trying to be rude, Granny, but what is with this town? I've been jumpy almost the whole time since we got here.”

Brassy Bridle frowned sorrowfully, “GreenWood was a good place once, even if we had the occasional bit of wickedness seep out of the Nightmare Woods, but three years ago, it was like a hex was put on the town.” The elderly mare sighed as she settled back onto her couch and sipped her own tea, “On Hearths Warming, Cherry Glass' little colt, Caramel Crunch, didn't come home. We found him in the millpond a week later, with his head bashed in and his hooves tied with stones. The uproar was the last straw for the lumber mill, and they closed before the month was out, almost a third of the town moved away after that.

“Two years ago we had the fire on the Summer Sun Celebration, six houses burned down, but at least no pony was badly hurt, thank Celestia.

“Last year somepony murdered Old Tinker, the handypony, and put his head in the birdbath outside the mayor' residence, the gendarme never did find the rest of the poor stallion.

“And now, we have these four poor foals gone missing,” the earth pony pulled her shawl closer around her with a shiver, “What has happened to my town?”

Putting his cup down and motioning to Blaze with his head, Silver stood up and placed a comforting hoof on the old mare’s shoulder. “We have to go now, Mistress Bridle, but I promise you, we, the Legate and River Breeze and us, we won't leave as long as there is any hope of finding those foals, and the Princesses willing, we will end whatever is plaguing your town.”

________________________________________

The two younger apprentices looked up as River and Revan dropped tiredly onto the bench, mugs and bowls of thick vegetable stew clattering on the table, “Anything?” Blaze asked hopefully.

“Nothing,” River sighed, “Other than the gendarmes, it looks like no pony has been by the quarry in a year or more, did you have any luck?”

“Some,” Silver replied, “Other than Mistress Bridle and one earth pony teenager, the ponies of this town are rather closed-mouth with outsiders, but we did learn the location of an old shack the mushroom hunters used to use in Whiteleaf Woods, and the teen confirmed that nopony goes near the mill.”

Revan glanced up from her meal, “But you checked out the mill anyway, right?”

The young stallion started to answer, and then stopped in confusion, “We must have …” while Blaze slowly nodded in agreement.

Dismissing the tingling in the back of her mind as more of the unease that GreenWood seemed to generate, the pegasus decided to bring up something that had been bothering her, “Boss, about Carrot Sunrise's parents ….”

“You have doubts about a pair of apparent drunkards being left with the care of a youngling,” the twi'lek finished for her, “And it could be your right, or it could be they were good, if far from perfect, parents who have been driven even deeper into their cups by their pain. We'll look into it, but if everypony is as tightlipped as you two say, I honestly doubt we'll get very far.”

Seeing the unhappy frown on her apprentice's muzzle, Revan drained her mug and leaned forward as she continued, “Look, back in Ponyville there's a mare, clumsy, accident prone, a bit of an airhead, and I swear her stove catches fire at least once a week. Doesn't sound like a fit parent at first scan, does she? But Ditzy is a honest, hard-working mare, dependable as the sunrise and absolutely devoted to her daughters, and Sparkler and Dinky both adore her,” the Jedi pointed at the pegasus with her spoon to emphasis her words, “When it comes to interfering in ponies’ families, we need to take our time to line-up our shots and make sure of our intel rather than just charging ahead.”

Blaze could feel her cheeks burn with shame as she nodded abashedly to her instructor, “Yes, Legate, I'm sorry if I was being over-eager, it's just … I really don't like the idea of ponies mistreating foals.”

“You're protective of little ones,” the twi'lek observed, her crooked grin easing the pegasus' mind, “And you, all of you, want to make Equestria a better place with your talents, and I'm proud of you for that. But,” all humor fell from Revan's face as she caught each of her student's eyes in turn, “No matter how noble our intentions, no matter how much good we create, it doesn't mean we're right. And that is one of the hardest lessons we have to learn, my ade.”

________________________________________

“So, where are Wind Bolt and the rest?” Blaze asked the pegasus guardsmare who was flapping through the morning rain alongside her, while her fellow Force-wielders trudged through the damp forest behind them, “I’d have thought that they’d want to be here to follow up on any new clues we find.”

“Wind, Marble and Shadow are doing their jobs,” Steel Mist replied, “With you helping me to pick up the investigative duties, they need to concentrate on keeping the peace in GreenWood. Ponies are scared and looking for somepony to blame, and the gendarme need to be on their toes to keep old grudges and new fears from getting out of hoof or turning into witch hunts.”

“Enough jawing, you two,” Revan hissed up at the pegasi, “We’re almost to the shack, so I need the both of you to fly ahead, quietly, and scout things out.” Blaze started to salute with an eager grin as the Jedi continued, “Stealth protocols are still in effect, so you don’t go into the shack until we get there, and you don’t engage any hostiles you can avoid, are we clear, Blaze?”

The teen gave a dejected sigh, “We’re clear, Boss.”

The two pegasi ghosted ahead on silent wings until a dilapidated, long-abandoned shack came into view sitting in the middle of a small glade, its door hanging open to the world. The pair of scouts slowly circled the edge of the clearing, before perching in a large oak tree to compare notes in hushed tones, “I didn’t see anypony, Steel, what about you?”

“It doesn’t look like anypony has lived here for decades, but that door looks like it was forced,” the older pegasus confirmed, “So, what’s the problem, Blaze, what has a bur under your tail?”

“B-wah?” stuttered the teen in mortified bewilderment, “H-how did ... but I didn’t say anything ….”

“I’m with the CID, remember?” Steel said to her with a gentle laugh, “Observation and getting a feel for ponies is a part of the job, however this isn’t about your mixed feelings for that stallion of yours, but about how you’re chaffing over how your Legate keeps slapping the reins on you.”

“It’s not fair,” Blaze grumbled, pointedly ignoring the older mare’s comment about Silver Chaser, “We’re out here to help ponies, but she still keeps treating us like foals, and I know from the Boss' own tales that she was out fighting pirates and infiltrating gang bases and going on all sorts of adventures back when she was an apprentice.”

“Okay, a few things you need to think about,” the guardsmare said, a serious tone underlying her friendly voice. “What we’re doing isn’t an adventure, sure some guard’s work really gets the adrenaline flowing, but if you go into it dreaming about adventure instead of minding your duty, you should take a good hard look at why you’re doing it at all. Second, for some officers – and often the better ones – risking their own neck is easier than risking others and you might want to look at her valuing you and your fellow apprentices like that as a compliment. Lastly, if your Revan was out pulling that kind of guard’s work at your age, then I’d wager good bits that she has a lot of mental and spiritual scars. They don’t look as impressive as the physical ones, but they do more damage and they’re harder to live with.”

“Alright, fine,” Blaze sighed, “It’s just … Revan and the Princesses and the Element Bearers and the Wonderbolts … they all make a difference for ponies, they’re all heroes!”

“And you want to be like them,” Steel nodded, “You’ll get your chance, Blaze, don’t you worry, there’s no need to rush things, now let’s report back before your Legate starts thinking something has happened to us.”

Once the pegasi reported in, the little band headed for the shack, but as they closed in, the ponies stopped, their muzzles wrinkled at the faint smell of rotten meat that wafted out the door. “What do you smell?” Revan asked her hand dropping to her saber-hilt as she noticed her companions' sudden unease.

“Something, or somepony, has been rotting in there,” Steel answered, “I'm no scent-tracker, but I think it’s more than a week old.”

“Alright, keep your eyes and ears open, just in case”

Flapping her wings so she could peer over her teacher's shoulder as Revan slid the door open, Blaze looked around at the mess of leaves that had been blown in over the years and a ridiculous number of yellowed-white or yellowed-brown sticks scattered about. When she realized what exactly she was seeing she dropped to the ground with a thump as her wings stopped working in shock, “Celestia and Luna have mercy ….”

After recovering from their initial shock, the group set to work clearing out the grisly shack, with River and Steel laboring away in grim silence, while Silver toiled alongside them in a sickened daze, and Blaze and Revan wore their rage openly as they went about their macabre business. By noon, they had sorted out the bones of four foals and the headless skeleton of a stallion, “Mister Tinker ...” Silver guessed at the identity of the last, “At least now he can be properly buried.”

“The Princesses damn it all,” Steel cursed softly, “This was done by one of the thinking races, probably a pony, wasn't it?”

“Yes,” Revan growled as she looked up from where she was crouched beside the pitiful piles of remains, “These bodies were dismembered, and it wasn't by an axe or cleaver, the cuts are too clean,” she glanced over at her companions, “I'm thinking the saws at the lumber mill.”

“Nopony goes near the mill,” Steel, Blaze and Silver all said together, and then shifted anxiously as River and Revan stared at them.

“'Once is accident, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action',” Revan muttered as River stepped forward and her turquoise aura enshrouded the three ponies’ heads, each in turn.

“Nothing,” the unicorn mare observed, “I can't find any mind-control spells at all, although our detection of such magics is … unreliable,” she cocked an eyebrow back at Revan, “Force persuasion?”

“Possibly,” Revan agreed, “Though to work on trained Investigators and Academy apprentices, the Force-wielder would have to be fairly powerful, or at least have a talent for Mind Tricks.”

“So, what do we do with them?” River asked, waving a hoof at the three bewildered ponies.

“We take them with us,” the twi'lek decided, “If it's just normal Force persuasion we can just shepherd them to the mill and that should break the compulsion. If it's some kind of domination effect or deep conditioning, however ...” she sighed, “We won't know until we try anyway, so we'll have to burn that bridge when we come to it.”

________________________________________

“Blaze,” River called out gently as the white pegasus started to wander away from the group, “We're going this way.”

Blaze blinked and walked back to the group, 'Why are we bothering with this? Nopony goes near the mill, and anyway Silver and I already checked it out … didn't we?' Her pondering was interrupted by their arrival at the shores of Sunny Creek, the dark bulk of the abandoned lumber mill looming over them.

As she looked across the stream up at the mill, Blaze felt a fog lift from her mind at the same time as a coldness settled in her bones, “Something horrible happened here, I can feel it.”

“This place feels of pain and horror,” Silver agreed as he loosened his sword in its scabbard.

“Death as well,” River added, “And … sadistic joy?” her face hardened as the unicorn turned to their teacher, “I think we've found our murderer's killing ground.”

“We'll probably have to tear the damn place down, or burn it, once we're done,” Revan observed, her eye fixed on the mill, “If it's not a minor Dark Side Fount already, it won't take much to turn it into one.” Pointing at a door on the second floor, she continued, “Blaze and Steel should be able to force that door and help Silver and River inside. Then we should be able to recon the place without advertising our interest to the whole town.”

And as easy as that, they were inside, with the pegasi carrying the unicorns up to the door and Revan simply leaping up to the landing. Making their way across the catwalks, Silver and Rain lit their horns to push back the prevailing gloom, as the four ponies and one twi'lek almost immediately began to sweat in the sweltering, shuttered darkness of the mill.

As they spread out to search the mill-floor, Blaze found herself dragging her hooves as the malevolence that seemed to fill the building pressed down on her. “What the hay is wrong with you?” the pegasus muttered to herself, “There's nothing there! It's just the ghosts of those poor foals and Tinker and whomever else this bucking monster has murdered, and you're failing them! Now pull it together and prove that you deserve to be here!”

Oddly, her little display made her feel better, and the pegasus continued into the mill with a lighter heart and quicker steps, 'Huh, verbal self-abuse as a form of morale boost. Who knew?' Unfortunately, her improved spirits didn't last long, as Blaze noticed a heavy chair barely visible in the light of her friends' magic, and the table with glinting metal objects on it nearby, “Oh horseapples, Silver, River I need more light over here!”

As the others gathered around, the increased light revealed the hatchets, hooks and saws sitting on the table, probably taken from the mill's own tools, and the extensive dark stains on the wooden chair and surrounding floorboards, while a faint odor of rot drifted from the bits of flesh caught in the saws' teeth.

Revan and Blaze's wrath had returned in full force at this discovery, and it was clear from his face that Silver was beginning to join them, though his fury currently struggled with his horror for dominance, “How can somepony do something like this to another pony … how can anypony be so sick?”

“Some ponies are just broken inside,” Steel offered as she laid a comforting wing across the unicorn's shoulders.

“Broken, you could call it that,” Revan spat, “And some are so broken that they can never be fixed, or are just flat-out evil,” she gestured at the chair, “It seems pretty clear to me which one we're dealing with,” she added, as River reluctantly nodded in agreement.

“Well that's just rude,” a young mare’s voice said from behind them, “You haven't even met me yet and already you're calling me evil.”

Turning around, the five people found a brown-coated, green-maned earth pony teen standing with a cocky smirk on her muzzle as she raised a hoof to wave at them, “Hello, I’m Amber Moonlight, and you’re all going to die.” A distortion of the air surged out from the earth pony on her last word, tearing a furrow through the heavy planks of the mill floor as it smashed into the Force-wielders and guardsmare.

River and Silver managed to protect themselves with hastily conjured shields, but Revan and the two pegasi took the full brunt of the telekinetic blast and were flung, bruised and bleeding, across the floor by the impact.

“Telekinetic Wave! Don’t bunch up!” Revan shouted as she rolled to her feet, her lightsaber igniting with a crackling snap as she spat blood to the side.

“You can’t beat me!” Amber gloated, “My powers are beyond the miserable magic of any mere unicorn, beyond even the Princesses themselves, and once you’re dead, no pony in this pathetic little town will even remember that you were ever here!”

“Oh, shut the buck up!” Blaze growled as she charged through the air at Amber, her wingblades at the ready, only to veer away, narrowly avoiding an incoming Force-strike as the ranting earth pony turned to face her.

The two unicorns were quick to capitalize on Amber’s distraction, unleashing a bolt of magic and a Force-push at the teen. A telekinetic blast intercepted the magical attack, but the Force attack sent the earth pony stumbling.

“W-what, h-how?” Amber stuttered in surprise, “No, the power is mine! Mine! You can’t have it!” she shrieked, spittle flying from her lips as her muzzle twisted in an inpony frenzy and pieces of the floor tore free to whip about her in a telekinetic wind, while all of the dark emotions that filled the lumber mill surged forward to enshroud the earth pony in a visible cloak of darkness.

However, before Amber could unleash her fury, a thunder crack shattered the air as a lightning bolt streaked from Revan to smash into her, while Blaze flung the torture table into the earth pony with all the force the pegasus’ righteous wrath could muster, leaving Amber in a moaning heap on the floor.

As they gathered around the fallen teenager, Revan looked at her companions, “Does anyone recognize her?”

Silver Chaser spoke up, “Yes, she is the teen that spoke with us on our first day in GreenWood, while Blaze and I were on our way to the mill.”

“I’m certain that I’ve talked to her a time or two as well,” Steel added, as she slipped a set of hoofcuffs from a pouch and quickly restrained the earth pony.

“That’s probably when she used her Mind Tricks on you,” River observed, before turning to the legate with a frown, “Will you put your saber away? We need answers, not another corpse.”

Revan raised a brow at the unicorn’s words, but deactivated the saber and returned it to her belt, “You want answers? Fine,” she said as she knelt beside Amber and pulled the teen’s head up so she could meet the dazed earth pony’s eyes, “Wake up,” Amber shuddered, and then her eyes snapped open as her wits returned, “Ask her your questions,” the Jedi instructed, “But I doubt the answers will give you any peace.”

River nodded to her instructor before she turned her attention back to Amber, “Did you torture and murder four foals and hide their bodies in the old shack in Whiteleaf Woods?”

“Yep, and Tinker the handypony too,” the teen admitted with a happy smile that sent Blaze’s insides twisting.

“Who made you do these things?” Steel asked her voice heavy with mixed anger and regret, “Who helped you?”

“Made me? Helped me?” Amber sneered at the guardsmare, “I did it all on my own!” she declared proudly, “These useless, weak-willed, herd-followers couldn’t make me do anything, and certainly none of them have enough guts to ever actually be of any use to me.”

Steel and River exchanged disturbed glances, but Silver had more questions to ask and was unwilling to wait on his elders, “Did you have anything to do with the Summer Sun fires two years ago, or with the death of Caramel Crunch?”

“They ruined my fun,” the earth pony pouted, “All that effort to get those houses to go up together and not one pony had the decency to die!” Amber’s smile returned with a blissfully reminiscent sigh as she continued, “And little Caramel! You never forget your first time, you know, and his fear was so yummy!”

Blaze had heard enough, lunging forward, she grabbed Amber and started to shake the earth pony, “Why?” she demanded, her wings quivering with a barely-restrained need to plunge her wingblades into this, this, thing!

“Why? Why?” Amber laughed in Blaze’s face, “Why not? I did it all because I could, because I wanted to, you stupid filly!”

Revan put a hand on the young pegasus’ shoulder and gently pulled her away, before she turned a hard eye back to Amber, “How did you learn your … ‘powers’, who taught you?”

“The spirits of the Nightmare Woods,” she replied, her eyes going distant and dreamy as her smile softened, “Their voices came to me after I did sweet little Caramel, and they taught me what I could really do.”

“Satisfied?” Revan asked as she turned to the older mares.

“Almost …” River said as her horn ignited and her turquoise magic encased Amber’s head for a moment, “Nothing, I can’t find any spells compelling her behavior,” the unicorn grimaced, “This is just who she is.”

“Alright,” the Jedi turned to her two younger apprentices, “Go on outside, we’ll join you once we’ve dealt with her,” she gestured at the restrained earth pony who was grinning arrogantly as she watched her captors.

“Wait outside? No!” Blaze protested, “We want to see this through!”

Revan sighed and put a hand on Silver and Blaze’s shoulders, “Listen to me, ade, I have enough blood on me that a little more won’t even be noticeable, but I would prefer to keep it off the two of you for a while longer if I can … please?”

Silver waved a hoof over at River and Steel, “Then why are they staying?”

River put her hoof on the younger unicorn’s other shoulder, “Just because the Legate is already bloody doesn’t mean we should leave her to take it all, warriors share that burden for each other, understand?”

Silver Chaser nodded and gently herded Blaze from the mill as Amber began to laugh mockingly at them all. Silver closed the door firmly behind them, the earth pony’s laughter following after them, only to abruptly cutoff a few moments later.

Ch. 29; Forest Of Voices And Madness

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‘Three days,’ Revan rubbed her forehead tiredly, ‘Three days of paperwork, reports and meetings with the gendarme and Mayor Fluffernutter and we're finally able to put GreenWood at our backs. It was so much easier back when I just had to say “Sith” or “Jedi business” and everyone obeyed without a fuss ... at least we got the lumber mill torn-down before we left.’

As she squinted her eye against the early-morning sunlight, Revan idly turned her attention back to her apprentices' conversation as they trudged across the grasslands. “... being married to a guardspony or a Magus on deployment can be rough on a couple,” River was explaining to the two younger ponies, “And I doubt that marriage to a member of the Academy will be much easier, still, Brass Tacks and I have managed to make it work.”

Blaze shook her head, “I still have trouble picturing you as a mother, River, what about you, Boss?” she added, glancing over her shoulder, “What are your plans for when this mission is over?”

“Me?” Revan grinned down at the pegasus, “Once I get done with all the reports and administrative paper pushing, I'm catching the first train back to Ponyville, hunting down Twilight, and hugging her royal snugglyness until she squeaks.”

“Ugh,” the teenage pegasus groaned, causing her fellows to chuckle, “Too much mushiness,” she added with a roll of her eyes.

The quartet's good cheer wilted away as they cleared the crest of a hill and looked out at the dark mass of the Shadowed Heart Forest; despite the mid-summer sunlight, the forest was shadowed and swathed in mist, and as Revan watched, figures appeared in the fog, lasting for but a breath before they dissolved back into the haze, ‘Darhec? And was that Ignatz beside him? What the chaos is going on?’

“Uh, is it just me,” Blaze asked nervously, “Or is anyone else getting weirdly freaked-out by a bunch of mist with lights floating in it?”

“I feel it too,” confirmed Silver, “Something … Sweet Celestia, one of the lights just waved at me!”

River cocked an eyebrow at her fellow apprentices, “What are you two talking about? There aren't any lights in the fog, although ... I do see shapes moving in it, they could almost be … ponies ….”

“Why are we seeing different things?” mused Silver, “What do you see, Legate?”

“... Boss?” Blaze asked as she reached out a wing to nudge her instructor, as the twi'lek's continued silence stretched out enough to make the ponies uncomfortable.

“Ghosts …” Revan finally replied in a faint voice, before she shook her head and continued in her usual tone, “Alright everyone, stay alert, watch each other's backs and don't listen too close to any strange voices.” She glanced over at the uneasy pegasus, “For most folks, fear is the proper, and sane, response to someplace like this, but we're not going to let some eeriness keep us from doing our jobs, are we?”

Blaze's features hardened with determination, “No, Boss,” the pegasus' head rose a bit higher at the Jedi's approving smile.

“So, do we have any particular destination in mind, or are we just going to wander around?” asked Silver, as they started for the tree line.

“The old maps said that there was a major lake and some hills near the forest's center,” suggested River, “We could make for them.”

Revan nodded in agreement, “It's as good a starting destination as any, I suppose.”

A chill descended upon them as soon as they passed under the forest's eaves, and the already heavy fog quickly thickened until the little band could barely see ten meters through the trees. And with the fog came the voices – screams, vicious laughter and even ecstatic moans echoed out of the haze, while other voices murmured to them with words to faint to be heard clearly, but whose tones ranged from seductive to demanding to pleading to manic.

The next several hours passed like something from a bad dream, with the lack of visibility, complete absence of any animal noises (except for an occasional scuttling sound from just beyond sight), and the constant voices combining to wear away at the group's nerves.

“Murderer!”

“Did any of you hear that?” asked Revan as she looked around for the source of the accusing voice, frowning out into the apparition-haunted mist when the ponies only shook their heads.

Continuing on their way, the Force-wielders pressed deeper into the forest, but now all of them were occasionally beset by taunts and accusations that none of the others could hear.

“Coward!”

“Traitor!”

A silent snarl was plastered across Revan's face as she stalked through the trees, looking for something to vent her growing anger and frustrations on. Glancing over to the her side, her scowl fell away to be replaced with shock at the sight of the familiar armored, reptilian, biped walking beside her, only to revert back to River Breeze when the Jedi blinked her eye, ‘Sergeant Drist? Why am I seeing her here?’

“Friend-slayer!”

The twi'lek’s lips twisted as she began to growl again, only to stop as she noticed her companions' ears twitching and swiveling as they hunted for a sound. Quietly following behind her ponies, Revan slunk through the woods until a slight thinning in the haze revealed a dead bear … and the scurry of misshapen squirrels that was enthusiastically devouring it.

The quartet simply stood and stared for a moment at the feasting squirrels, ‘They didn’t … kill that bear … did they?’ when some faint noise or scent caught the rodents’ attention. Whipping their heads around, the squirrels fixed the twi’lek and ponies with beady, glowing, eyes, before they charged at them with eager, chittering barks and bared incisors.

The squirrels’ rush proved to be futile, as between the Force-wielders’ armor and ability to support each other they quickly overwhelmed the rodents’ numbers and suicidal zeal, although the squirrels did manage to penetrate the Equestrians’ harnesses to inflict a few vicious bites and scratches.

Having bound their wounds, and dosed them with the stinging blue antiseptic that the ponies used, the group gathered around their attackers, “Where they rabid?” wondered Silver apprehensively, “Is that why they attacked us?”

“Rabid animals don’t work together,” River pointed out, “But there was definitely something wrong with them,” she added, waving a hoof at the visibly tumorous and overly muscled rodents.

“This bear looks like it has the same sort of deformities,” Blaze called over quietly from where she was poking at the dead ursine with a stick, “Nasty looking thing.”

“Let’s get a move on,” Revan ordered, “I want to get as far as we can before we start to lose the light.”

________________________________________

The afternoon was fading when the companions came upon a village, half-consumed by a long-ago fire, the settlement had been a graveyard for years, if not decades or even more, before the Equestrians stumbled across it. Left untouched by scavengers, some quirk of the woods had mummified the deer who once lived there, despite the ever-humid air, leaving the marks of their rape, torture and murder all too clear to see.

Revan’s insides twisted with a mixture of horror and impotent fury as she walked among the violated corpses, ‘Bucks, does, even the fawns, no one was spared ….’

“No deformities.”

“What?”

“These deer have no obvious deformities,” Silver repeated in a clinical tone, “Either they were not here long enough for the mutations to become noticeable … or they were living here before the corruption started.”

“What the hay, Silver Chaser?” Blaze retorted angrily as she turned to glare at the young unicorn, “How can you be so cold about these poor deer?”

“Because screaming and freaking-out will not help them any,” Silver replied as his mask of academic detachment started to crack, “But if we can figure out what happened to them and why, then maybe we can make it right.”

The teen blinked, then walked over to wrap a wing around the stallion’s shoulders in a quick, apologetic hug, “Sorry, this bucking place is getting to me, and I took it out on you.”

“Sergeant, get the lads moving,” Revan ordered as she stood up from where she had crouched down to examine the wounds on a little fawn, “We’ll find somewhere else to camp.”

River cocked a confused eyebrow at her instructor, “What was that, Legate?”

“I said get everyone moving, River,” the Jedi frowned at the unicorn mare, “Whoever hit this village doesn’t look to have ever come back, but I don’t want to take any chances, and I don’t want us sleeping among all these ghosts.”

________________________________________

A half hour’s walk from the defiled settlement brought them to a cave large enough to shelter them all. “First watch will be River and Blaze,” Revan said as she finished her supper of cold rations, none of them were particularly eager to risk drawing attention with a fire, “Silver and I’ll take second watch.” The two ponies assigned to guard duty nodded, while the twi’lek and stallion settled down in the hopes of getting a few hours of uneasy sleep.

________________________________________

The next day found Silver and Blaze snapping at each other as they pushed deeper into the woods, while River and Revan struggled to maintain a grip on their own tempers. For her part, Revan’s state of mind was not helped by the figures in the haze, now a near constant reminder of the legion of ghosts that followed her shadow. Nor by the half-heard blandishments that urged her to embrace her power, and to release her anger and frustration … and to unleash the dark craving that was once again stirring in her guts, “Will you shut the frell up?!” she finally shouted at the mist and its endless voices.

“Listen to the mouth on you, schutta,” Revan spun around, her lightsaber crackling to life, as an all too familiar humanoid figure loomed out of the fog to tower above her, “Still, what can you expect from a worthless little shag barely fit to be a chik youngee?”

“Morg Fass …” the Jedi breathed, “You’re dead!” she shouted, her voice ugly with hatred.

“Whatever I may be, you are mine, shag, just like that zealtron schutta you were always mooning after, and I keep my property!”

“Maeve’eswo is free of you, you bastard,” Revan snarled, “And I’ll never be your chattel again!” Raising her hand, she blasted the spectral figure of her old master with lightning, pouring all her rage, hate and long-buried fear into the thunderbolt as it tore through the phantom and into the forest beyond, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

“Legate? Legate! Revan!”

“There’s nothing there, Revan,” River said firmly as the Jedi turned to face her, “Put your weapons away, you’re upsetting your ade.”

Revan blinked at the mare, and then frowned down at the lightsaber in her hand and the red aura that coiled hungrily around her, closing her eye in concentration, she reeled her power back in as she returned her saber to her belt.

“Who was it?” River quietly asked as she put a hoof on the Jedi’s shoulder, while the two younger apprentices nervously watched their teacher.

“My owner, come back from his grave,” Revan replied, “It just means I get to kill him again,” she added as a vicious smile flashed briefly across her lips, “Let’s keep moving.”

The Equestrians encountered more animals as the day went by, and each time they were forced to put down mutated woodland creatures turned savage that pressed their attacks seemingly without a care for their own survival.

As the hostile wildlife became more frequent, the aspect of the forest darkened as well, with unwholesome looking fungi growing from the trees and sprouting out of the forest floor, while creepers caught at their legs.

“I hate this place … I hate this place … I hate this place …”

Revan raised her hand, incidentally stopping Blaze’s muttering, as she dropped to a crouch and stared out into the mist. After a few moments, she waved the ponies forward as she slowly advanced upon what had caught her attention … the savaged remains of a dismembered manticore.

“Horseapples …” Silver breathed as he took in the gore-spattered trees, several of which had broken limbs and shattered bark from heavy impacts, while others had great rents torn into their trunks.

“What could have done this?” wondered Blaze as she reflexively moved closer to the unicorn stallion.

“A chimera maybe? Or a hydra?” suggested River as she shook her head in disgust, “It looks like whatever did this didn’t even bother to feed on the manticore.”

“This happened only an hour or two ago,” observed Revan as she studied the carnage, looking around, she frowned and rose to her feet, her saber in her hand, “It’s watching us.”

As the ponies readied their weapons, a massive biped lumbered out of the mist to glare at them with sulfur-yellow eyes, its fanged maw twisted in a silent growl. Standing five meters high, the beast’s over-long arms ended in great, three-taloned hands, while a spiked carapace covered its back and head. Oozing tears, courtesy of the manticore’s claws, marred its hide, but the monster paid these injuries no mind as it threw back its head and gave voice to a howling roar that sent shards of icy dread stabbing through the twi’lek’s heart.

“Terentatek …” Revan whispered, before her eye hardened as she let her rage and bloodlust drown her fear as she started forward with a shout, “Terentatek!”

As quickly as she reacted, the ponies were even faster, with River Breeze and Silver Chaser unleashing paired Force-strikes at the beast, while Blaze took to the air and dove at its face, aiming her wing blades for the terentatek’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the monster simply ignored the telekinetic attacks, and twisted aside, with more agility that a creature of its size should have, to smash the pegasus into the ground with one massive hand.

Snarling, Revan threw a bolt of lightning into the terentatek’s face, the attack did little harm, but it dazzled the brute for a moment, giving her time to issue orders to her companions, “Sergeant, grab the lads and withdraw while I keep its attention on me!”

“What? No!” objected River, “Fighting that thing alone is suicide!”

“Damn it, Tussh!” snapped Revan as she grabbed her subordinate by the shoulder, “This is an order! This mission is scrubbed! Evac our people and tell Command to send in the bombers and flatten this entire district! Now go!”

Moving away from her troopers, Revan let her death field aura reach out from her, withering the nearby plants as she sent a second lightning bolt into the terentatek, “Over here, Sithspawn! Plenty of Force-active meat right here! Come and get me!”

Rounding on Revan with that uncanny speed, the terentatek lashed out, ripping through the Jedi’s armor and sending her slamming back into a tree, before the terentatek could close, however, Revan bounced back to her feet. “It will take more than that to kill me, Sithspawn!” she taunted while her murderous aura quickly reduced the tree she had collided with to a hollow husk.

With a curse, River turned and galloped over to Blaze, her turquoise magic lashing out to drag Silver along with her, hoisting the unconscious pegasus onto the older mare’s back, the ponies turned and fled back into the forest.

Ch. 30; All For One

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“So, what do ya fillies’ think’s goin’ on, anyway?” whispered Applejack to her friends as they sat in the royal chariot that was currently winging its way through the skies towards Canterlot.

“It could be nothing more than a social call,” pointed out Rarity, “Our Princesses can be a tad eccentric, after all.”

“Oh, oh, maybe they need help with a super-secret surprise party!” suggested Pinkie, her eager grin threatening to split her muzzle as she bounced in her seat.

“Maybe, Pinkie, maybe,” Twilight could only smile at the party pony’s boundless enthusiasm, “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

Not long after, the chariot banked and started to descend, but when it headed to the train yards rather than the palace, the six mares began to shoot questions at their guards, who had been oddly closed-mouthed the entire flight.

“Oh dear,” said Fluttershy, pulling her friends’ attention from the still silent pegasi, “I don’t think there is going to be a party,” she added sadly as she pointed a hoof at the guard express train they were headed to, with Luna, in full armor, pacing impatiently beside it.

Pinkie’s ears fell, “Bummer,” she sighed dejectedly.

________________________________________

As they made their way down the train’s corridor, the seven ponies passed squads of Royal Guards and Night Guards as they stowed their equipment and settled in, while a glance through a window showed Twilight several of the EFA’s apprentices in another car, “Princess, what’s going on?”

“Patience, Twilight Sparkle, ‘Tia will explain,” the lunar alicorn said as she opened a door emblazoned with the royal seal and waved the younger mares through, “I must speak with the engineer, and then I will join you all.”

Entering the car, the Ponyvillians were greeted by the sight of the elder of their sovereigns bent over a tiny, fold-out desk as she read a report, “Twilight, fillies, come in,” Celestia waved them at the few seats and two beds in the rather bare car, “I’m sorry to have summoned you all so suddenly, but we have a situation.”

“Of course, Princess,” Rarity replied, “Whatever we can do to help, just ask,” the other mares nodded in agreement, even as Twilight nervously bit her lip as she noticed Celestia’s armor and halberd racked along one wall, with Luna’s wingblades beside them.

“Thank you,” Celestia sighed and reached up a hoof to rub at the bridge of her muzzle, “Twilight already knows some of this, but several days ago, I asked Revan and the three top apprentices at the Force Academy to investigate the Nightmare Woods … it didn’t go well.”

Applejack tipped her hat back as she frowned at her liege, “Jus’ how bad are we talkin’ here, Princess?”

“The three students are awaiting our arrival as they recover from their injuries in GreenWood. As for Revan ….”

“A madness has taken Revan Vao,” Luna declared grimly as she stepped into the car, “Although she retained enough of herself to order her apprentices back to safety while she stayed behind to fight something called a ‘terentatek’.”

“Oh no!” Fluttershy’s horrified words voiced the thoughts going through her friends’ minds, as, with a shriek of the steam whistle, the train lurched forward and started on its way.

‘It’s not over!’ thought Twilight adamantly as she swallowed the lump in her throat, ‘The Princesses wouldn’t bring us here if there was no hope!’ “Do we know any specifics of Revan’s psychosis?”

“She claimed to see ghosts,” replied Celestia, “She was talking to, and even attacking, ponies who weren’t there, she even believed that the ponies who were there were different individuals. And she was drawing heavily on her dark healing against the terentatek.”

“I should have gone with her, ‘Tia,” Luna broke in agitatedly as she began to pace through what little open space remained in the car, “There must have been something, anything, I could have done!”

“The mind-block spell wasn’t even experimental when Revan left,” Celestia reminded the younger diarch, “And if you had gone, we could be facing the possible loss of two sisters right now.”

“We’re going to do something, right?” demanded Rainbow, “We’re going to get Revan back, right?”

“That is our hope,” the solar alicorn smiled gently at the weatherpony, “Lulu, why don’t you inform our little sisters of the plan?”

‘Oh goodness,’ Twilight blinked as, despite the seriousness of the situation, her cheeks – and her friends’ – turned hot for a moment, ‘We’ve all figured out what Revan was calling us, but to hear Princ— to hear Celestia refer to us as her sisters ….’

Luna dropped onto a bed with a sigh, somehow squeezing herself between Applejack and Rarity, “Once we have conferred with Silver Chaser, River Breeze and cheeky Blaze, we, the eight of us, will seek out Revan Vao in the Nightmare Woods, relying on the mind-block enchantment to protect us from the forest’s fell influence.”

“Um, excuse me,” Twilight interrupted, her hoof raised like a schoolfilly, “What is this ‘mind-block’ spell?”

“It’s something that Lulu and the Magus Corps have been working on,” Celestia explained, “It should protect us all from the illusions, madness and hostility that the Nightmare Woods generates, unfortunately, it is still too cumbersome for anypony other than an alicorn to cast.”

Luna resumed her tale, “Once we have found Revan Vao, ‘Tia and I will engage her in battle and keep her distracted so that you six may use the Elements of Harmony, and the Makers willing, return her to her proper mind. After that,” the lunar diarch shrugged, “We will have to see.”

“So, what’s the deal with all the guardponies?” asked Rainbow, “Are they coming with us after Revan?”

“The guardponies, and the other Force Academy students, are accompanying us to ensure the safety of the ponies of GreenWood,” replied Celestia, “And to oversee the town’s evacuation if it proves necessary.”

“Ya think it might get that bad?” Applejack asked quietly, “No offense meant, but ah have ta ask, why haven’t ya burned tha dang place down already?” The farmpony gave Fluttershy an apologetic look, “Ah mean, tha Everfree is a right nasty place sometimes an’, sure, it’s got monsters living in it, but ah remember my uncle, Apple Strudel’s, stories, an’ this Nightmare Woods makes ponies inta monsters!”

“It is not so simple, fair Applejack,” Luna wrapped a comforting wing around the earth pony, “The Nightmare Woods are over twenty-six thousand pony-lengths wide, and more than three times that in length, we simply do not have the guardponies it would take to besiege it. Even if we were to rain fire down from the heavens, as happened in Revan Vao’s old wars, the monsters and twisted animals within would merely flee out into Equestria and Germane. As objectionable as it may be, allowing the Woods to stand protects the bulk of our little ponies by restricting its horrors to one small corner of Equestria.”

“Enough of such depressing talk,” Celestia said, clapping her hooves together, “We have work to do, and only two days until we reach Fillyville in which to do it.”

Twilight’s ear twitched as she glanced at her mentor, “Do you have something you want me to study?” she asked, eager for a distraction.

“Actually, we have tasks for all of you,” the solar diarch smiled down at the purple alicorn, “You, Twilight, need to learn the mind-block spell.”

“And I had the guards bring extra weapons and harness so that we could properly outfit each of you,” Luna added with a merry grin, although it was clear to the watching ponies that her good cheer was rather forced.

________________________________________

The ponies of GreenWood packed the roadside to stare and cheer as the small column of armored ponies marched through the town, with the three princesses at its head. Walking between the two diarchs, Twilight did her best to hide her anxiety as she smiled and waved at the watching crowd.

“You’re doing well, my faithful student,” Twilight blinked as she learned another thing about her mentor – she could talk without moving her lips! “I’m afraid that you will find that putting on a tranquil front is a regrettably necessary talent for a Princess.”

“It will not be much longer, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna consoled the young alicorn, her own muzzle never changing from its shy smile, “We are almost to the gendarmes’ blockhouse.”

Not long after, with the gurdponies and apprentices dismissed to erect their encampment in the fields just beyond the town, the diarchs and the Elements of Harmony managed to extract themselves from the nervous Mayor Fluffernutter and went into the blockhouse to meet the ponies waiting on them.

“Your Highnesses,” the three worn-looking ponies said as they bowed, “We’re ready to depart for the Woods whenever you are,” River added as they rose back to their hooves.

“While we appreciate your dedication, my little ponies, we wouldn’t think to ask you to accompany us, especially with some of your injuries still healing,” said Celestia gently, “We only require directions to where you last saw Revan, and warnings of any hazards along the path, and then you will remain in GreenWood to continue with your recoveries.”

“What?” asked Silver as he exchanged bewildered glances with his fellow apprentices, “What do you mean we’re not going with you?”

“Just what I have said,” replied Celestia, her tone was still kind but brooked no argument, “You have been through much on Equestria’s behalf already, and I will not subject you to more without need.”

“Well to tartarus with that!” snapped Blaze as she stomped forward to glare at her diarch, “If you’re going into that nightmare to get the Boss back, we’re coming too!”

Luna placed a wing on her sister’s shoulder as she stepped forward to meet the young pegasus’ glower with one of her own, “This is a matter of the Thrones and the Academy, young Blaze, and a family affair what’s more. Mine sisters and I could well be forced to banish Revan Vao, or seal her away for the safety of Equestria,” Luna’s manner softened as she continued, “We would spare you three from such anguish, as well as spare you from yet another journey through the perils of the Nightmare Woods.”

“The Boss is your family, but she’s our teacher, our leader,” retorted Blaze, her voice beginning to roughen, “And we left her back there!”

Silver put a comforting hoof on the young mare’s shoulder, “The Legate ordered us to retreat without her, Blaze.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” the pegasus replied, her voice muffled by a face full of puffy mane as Pinkie bounced forward to wrap the teen in a hug.

“With all respect, and apologies for Blaze’s outburst, your Highnesses,” River spoke up, “We are going back after the Legate, on our own if we have to.”

Twilight looked between her friends’ sympathetic faces and the apprentices’ resolved ones, before she turned back to the elder alicorns, “If they are so determined to go, would it not be better for them to come with us? Actual guides would be faster than following directions, and we can shield them with the mind-block enchantment.”

“Very well,” Celestia sighed, “You may accompany us. However,” the three apprentices snapped to attention as Celestia’s usually motherly tone sharpened, “I expect you to follow orders and show proper discipline! Understand?”

“Yes, Princess!”

________________________________________

“This is far enough,” said River as she brought the band to a halt, “Once we clear this rise, we’ll have a clear view of the Woods … and it’ll start playing with our heads. Princess, you said something about a spell?”

Luna nodded as she turned to her fellow alicorns, “With such a large group, I think it best that Twilight Sparkle and I both cast the mind-block to ensure our defenses. I am unsure of how long the spell will endure, so we will likely have to recast it a few times throughout the day,” she smiled reassuringly at the ponies, “The mind-block should ward us all against the Nightmare Wood’s influence, although you may experience some minor dampening of your emotions, but it is nothing to be fretful over.”

Despite the lunar princess’ assurances, the cluster of ponies fidgeted anxiously as Twilight’s and Luna’s horns glowed with the power they were gathering, after a few moments, the alicorns were ready and unleashed their magic, causing Twilight to stumble as the spell’s backlash left her dizzy.

Applejack reached out a quick hoof to steady the librarian, “Ya a’right there, sugarcube?”

“Just a little lightheaded,” Twilight smiled reassuringly at her friends.

Cresting the hill, the group paused as most of them took their first glimpse of the Nightmare Woods, “Well, it definitely has the whole ‘creepy haunted forest’ look,” Rainbow admitted.

“Where are the lights?”

“What lights are you talking about, Mister Silver?”

“The last time we were here, Silver and Blaze saw lights moving in the fog, Lady Rarity,” River explained, “I saw vague figures instead, while the Legate said she saw ghosts … was it all in our heads?”

“At least the mind-block seems to be working properly,” said Luna with a satisfied smile, “Still, the Woods possess numerous physical dangers, we must stay on our guard.”

“Don’t ya worry none, Princess … err … Luna, we’ve got yer backs,” Applejack gave an annoyed glance at her armor, “Even if we’re still tryin’ ta get used ta all this ironmongery.”

“Is it really so hard to address us by our names, Applejack?” Celestia teased the farmpony, “Still, the day is getting shorter and we should be on our way,” she added soberly, letting her playful smile fade.

________________________________________

‘After long enough, I guess even the sinister can be reduced to the merely irritating,’ Twilight mused hours later, as the group trudged through the forest. Despite the sounds hidden in the haze, and the shared certainty among the ponies that something had kept pace with them for almost an hour, not a single bird, beast or even insect was to be seen, ‘Celestia, Luna and the apprentices are still on full alert though. I almost wish something would happen, just so everypony could relax, this stress can’t be good for them.’

As if summoned by her thoughts – or by a malicious deity – a pair of deformed bears suddenly loomed out of the mists, snarling and snapping their jaws as they locked glowing eyes on the surprised ponies.

Even as the two twisted ursines began their charge, and the ponies readied their defenses, Fluttershy, staggering slightly under the unfamiliar weight of her armor, charged forward with a cry of “Stop!”

The yellow pegasus held her ground as the two bears lurched to a halt, looming over her, “I’m sorry if we wandered to near your cave,” said Fluttershy firmly, “But we can barely see in this horrid fog, and that is no excuse for being bullies and trying to hurt us! You should be ashamed of yourselves! I have a mind to find your mothers and tell them what you’ve been up to, what do you have to say for yourselves?”

The bears looked at each other sheepishly at Fluttershy’s scolding, until one snarled irritably and lashed out with its paw, while the other roared and lunged forward to bite at the shy pegasus! Fortunately, a trio of shields – golden, magenta and turquoise – enveloped Fluttershy before either blow could land.

Luna, Silver and Blaze were quick to come to Fluttershy’s aid, with Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity only a step behind, as they descended upon the bears in a flurry of hooves and weapons. The ensuing fight was brief but bloody, and ended with Luna driving her wingblades into the back of the second bear’s skull as it was reaching out to crush River, heedless of the spear the unicorn had run through its heart.

“What is wrong with this danged place?” asked Applejack as she wiped the sweat and blood from her brow, “Never mind that those were tha freakiest bears ah ever done see, but bears don’t push a fight like that unless they’re mad or protecting their cubs.”

“They were both ‘boars’,” Fluttershy offered from where she was checking the other ponies’ injuries while resolutely keeping her eyes away from the carcasses, “Colt bears. Actually, they shouldn’t have been traveling together at all.”

Celestia walked over to give Fluttershy a brief neck-hug, “You were able to get them to stop and listen to you, even if just for a moment, and that is a wonderful sign.” She smiled at the gathered ponies, “Now at least we have hope that the creatures of the Woods may return to normal in time, if the source of the corruption can be found and dealt with.”

________________________________________

A few hours later, they stopped to wait as the apprentices conferred, the other ponies exchanging confused looks as the three struck out on a new path, perpendicular to the way they had been going the entire day, “Hey, what’s up?” Rainbow flapped ahead to ask their guides, Pinkie bouncing along beside her, “Why are we changing our course?”

“There is a place ahead, a village,” replied River tersely, “We need to go around it.”

“Why?” asked Pinkie, her eyes bright with curiosity, “Is it full of grumpy, meany-pants ponies or something?”

The three apprentices paled as their faces froze as if turned to stone, “If it pleases you, Lady Pinkie,” said Silver through clenched teeth, “Never ask us that again.”

________________________________________

After a night of uneasy sleep, the companions pushed deeper into the twisted forest. Having learned her lesson the day before, Twilight maintained her vigilance, straining to catch any hint of the Wood’s creatures, but hour after hour passed with no sign that anything other than the ponies moved in the forest. Eventually, their guides waved them to a halt, “We’re almost to where we last saw the Legate. It’s not pretty,” River said quietly with a glance over at Pinkie and Fluttershy, “And we don’t know if that terentatek is still about, so we need to be on our guard,” their warning given, the apprentices continued forward, while the two elder alicorns dropped back to flank the group protectively.

Advancing slowly through the mist, the ponies soon came upon a copse of broken, withered trees, while a few scattered bones were all that remained to mark the manticore that had fallen prey to the terentatek days earlier.

As they looked over the scene, Fluttershy’s quite cough drew the ponies’ attention, “It looks like they went that way,” she said, pointing down a trail of ravaged and scarred trees.

“Would you look at all this,” whistled Rainbow after several minutes of walking, “Must have been one hay of a fight.”

“Quite true, Rainbow Dash,” Luna agreed as she looked at the ruined landscape they could barely see through the omnipresent fog, “But this devastation causes me great concern, for reasons beside the obvious power of this terentatek creature. Was Revan Vao so lost in the addictive nature of her dark healing that she was indulging it through the battle? Or was it such a vicious contest that she had to embrace her darker nature merely to survive?” the lunar alicorn shook her head sadly, “Both possibilities fill me with dread of what we may find.”

Luna’s concerns put a damper on Rainbow’s enthusiasm, and the ponies walked on in silence for a few more minutes before they came to an opening in the forest. Bare, cracked earth, surrounded by lifeless trees marked what had once been a sylvan glade, but all eyes were quickly drawn to the massive, bipedal form lying motionless in the dirt.

“It’s dead, the Boss beat it,” Blaze gave a relieved sigh as they gathered around the carcass, their muzzles wrinkling at the stench, “… but where is she?”

“This beast has been dead for several days,” River observed, “The Legate could be anywhere now.”

As they helplessly looked around at the mist-filled forest, the ponies’ ears twitched as the sound of a familiar voice raised in song came to them from out of the haze.

Yoshibelle is a gypsy lass,
She’s survive through any pass,
A third rate ship, but a first rate ass.
Who do you love?
Who do you love?

Eagerly setting out in pursuit of the strangely cheerful, considering the situation, singing, the band quickly came upon Revan herself, strolling through the trees, her riven armor hanging around her in tatters, as casually as if she was taking a turn through the palace gardens.

You think it’s easy, maybe you would,
To have more choices than one man should,
There is ---

The twi’lek’s singing cut off, her poisonous-yellow eye widening in surprise and her hand falling to her saber hilt, as the ponies burst out of the mist, “Well, well, what do we have here?”

“It’s us Revan,” Celestia said, flaring her wings to keep the others back, as she stepped forward to confront the twi’lek, “Your vod and ade, don’t you recognize us? We’ve come to bring you home.”

“My vod? My ade?” Revan shook her head in confusion as her eye darkened back to green … before it returned to yellow and Revan’s lightsaber crackled to life in her hand, “What lies are you spewing? I have no vod!”

“Guard the Bearers of Harmony!” shouted Luna over her shoulder at the apprentices as she sprang forward to assist her sister, while a golden shield wrapped around Celestia, protecting the solar diarch from Revan’s stroke as her saber lashed out.

Twilight snapped her mouth shut as she shook off her shock and reached inside herself for the bonds of magic and friendship that connected her and the other fillies … but instead of the sudden, overwhelming rush of power she had felt when they faced Nightmare Moon and Discord, the magic answered in a sluggish stream.

The librarian could only grit her teeth as the Power of Harmony slowly swelled within the six Bearers, watching helplessly as Luna and Celestia used their martial skills to keep Revan contained, while their shields kept the twi’lek’s murderous aura from reaching out to ravage the other ponies.

Finally, after what felt like long, agonizing minutes to the young alicorn, but likely was only a few moments, the magic reached its peak, causing her body to vibrate with its power, “Celestia! Luna! Now!”

Two things happened as the blast of rainbow light leapt from the six mares, firstly, Celestia and Luna’s shields dropped, allowing Revan’s dark healing aura to lash out at the other ponies. Secondly, Celestia failed to fully block one of Revan’s strikes, causing the lightsaber to tear into her muzzle just as the Power of Harmony smashed into the twi’lek, driving her into the ground and causing the grasping tendrils of lethal power to fade away before they could claim any victims.

The ponies gathered around the prone twi’lek, Celestia holding a hoof to her injured muzzle, while they waited anxiously to see what effect the Elements had had on Revan.

Twilight let out a relieved breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as Revan rolled over and blinked at them with a confused, green eye, “Twi’? Girls? Ade? What are …” Revan reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose as she shook her head in disgust, “Great, I’m hallucinating again.”

Applejack, Rarity and Silver all “hmphed” in annoyance at being mistaken for a mirage, while Rainbow and Twilight started forward only for Luna to beat them to the punch as she reached out a wing and whapped Revan on the back of the head.

“Hey!” pouted Rainbow, “I was going to do that.”

“Elder sibling’s privilege,” Luna smirked at the weatherpony.

Revan watched the byplay in stunned silence for a moment, and then lunged forward to wrap her arms around Twilight in a bone-creaking hug as she buried her face in the librarian’s mane, “You’re here! You’re real! The Force and the Emperors, you’re real! I didn’t just imagine all of you!”

“We’re not a delusion, Revan,” Twilight assured the twi’lek as she gently stroked Revan’s lekku, while Celestia re-cast the mind-block charm and the other ponies grinned at the pair, “We’re real, and we’re taking you home,” she pulled back slightly to glare at the older woman, “And don’t you ever put me through that again!”

“I’m sorry,” sighed Revan with a grimace, “But I can’t leave.”

“What?”

“What are ya talkin’ about, Revan?”

“Are you under some kind of hex or something?”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Revan turned, her arms still around Twilight, to look at the others, “It just that I … holy shit, Sunbutt! What … I did that to you, didn’t I?”

“It is alright, Revan,” Celestia gently touched the cauterized gash that ran most of the length of her muzzle and nearly reached her eye, “You were not yourself. Though, I must admit, it itches horribly. Now why can’t you come home?”

“Because I found the source of all this,” Revan explained, waving at the fog-shrouded trees as she got back to her feet, “And I can’t just walk away, not when I have a chance to destroy it.”

“Do we have to destroy the source?” asked Twilight, “Couldn’t we at least try the Elements first?”

Revan shook her head, “Too much risk, and I doubt it would work anyway, come on, it’ll make more sense if I show you.”

________________________________________

After almost an hour of hiking through the trees, the fog faded away to a thin haze as they came to the lakeshore, and the ponies all stopped in their tracks to stare at the hulk of the crashed starship sitting offshore, a crude metal bridge running between a hatch in the ship’s side to the shoreline.

‘It must be over two hundred pony-lengths long,’ Twilight thought, even as she itched to get her hooves on the records and datafiles the ship’s archives surely must contain.

“This is. So. Awesome!” Rainbow’s rush towards the wreck was arrested by Rarity clamping the eager pegasus’ tail in her cornflower blue aura, but Rainbow was so excited she barely noticed, “There are even more aliens in Equestria! Wait, does this mean these aliens are the bad guys?”

“The aliens are long dead, RD,” Revan replied with a small smile, “Ladies and gentleman, allow me to present the Kyozist, an over-sized example of the ancient Derriphan-class battleship, and the home of our problem.”

Fluttershy cocked her head at the Jedi, “But you just said that the aliens were all gone?”

“The Kyozist’s crew isn’t the issue, ‘Shy,” explained Revan, “The holocron they left behind is.”

“And what is this ‘holocron’ thou have found, Revan Vao?”

The twi’lek idly dropped to her heels, starring out across the lake at the wreck as she explained, “A holocron is … think of it as an interactive archive, only the librarian is the ghost of a Sith Lord or a Jedi Master. Often, the ghost, or gatekeeper, is just a tutor and archivist, and the most it can do is locking out portions of the holocron’s data if it feels the need, but some, some gatekeepers are vastly more powerful.” Revan glanced at her companions, “And this holocron is strong enough to create the Nightmare Woods, to reach Amber Moonlight’s mind back in GreenWood … and to sink me in my Darkness and convince me that all of you were just a dream.”

Rainbow scratched her head, “So … why can’t we Harmony-blast this holocron thing?”

“Because there’s no person for you to target, RD, just a … memory of someone long dead inside a talisman. And even if the Elements did work,” Revan added, “To hit the holocron you’d have to go inside the Kyozist, within the gatekeeper’s reach.” The Jedi frowned, “When I stumbled across this wreck I … think I was still mostly in control, but then I found the temple compartment and the holocron … and it only needs to get its claws into one of your heads to disarm the Elements, assuming it doesn’t have more directly lethal abilities, like Force-lightning, at its disposal.”

“So, if going after the holocron directly is out, how were you planning on dealing with this, Legate?” inquired River, breaking the silence that had followed Revan’s analysis.

“See that breech in the hull?” asked Revan as she pointed at a great rent in the ship’s side, “That’ll let me into the cargo hold, and from there I can hopefully get to engineering. After that, I’ll manually disable the failsafes, set the reactor to overload, and then … ‘boom’.”

“Hmmm,” Celestia tapped her chin with a hoof as she thought, “Before any decisions are made, we really should see if we can even reach engineering,” the Princess of the Sun grinned, “And, truthfully, how could we pass up a chance to look around a starship, even if it is only the hold?”

“What? Wait! We don’t know if it’s safe yet!” Revan found her protests ignored as the ponies, heedless of possible dangers, eagerly trotted into the lake and started swimming, or the case of the pegasi and alicorns, flying, for the wreck.

Blaze paused to throw a glance back over her shoulder, “Boss? Are you coming or what?”

________________________________________

Despite her enthusiasm, and the images conjured forth by her Daring Do books, Twilight knew better than to expect much too come of their little expedition. Almost a millennium of exposure to the elements and the lake, never mind the effects of the crash and any salvage efforts by the Kyozist’s crew, would almost certainly have reduced the cargo bay to bare walls and piles of decayed refuse. When she alighted inside the partially submerged hold, her horn one of several lighting the darkness, she found her expectations to be disappointingly accurate.

As the ponies wandered through the maze of rotted casks and crates, the most interesting thing they found was a scattering of canisters that where still sound despite their age, and a set of strange metal frameworks that formed a row of massive, open-sided cubes, all connected by heavy cables to a group of large, boxy devices. “What were these for Revan?”

“Hmm? What have you found?” the Jedi soon slogged her way over to where the ponies had gathered to examine the strange structures, “Well, I’ll be damned,” she whistled as she looked the objects over, “Stasis cages, and hooked up to a bunch of generators to keep them powered if the ship’s main reactor went down. What the chaos were these guys carrying?”

“I found something like your datapad on one of the walls,” offered Pinkie as she poked at one of the sealed containers they had found, “Would that help?”

“Sounds like a cargo terminal, I should be able to call up a manifest if it still works. Thanks, Pinkie, where did you see it?”

Her curiosity piqued, Twilight followed the twi’lek and earth pony and watched eagerly as Revan powered up the computer and began punching away at the keyboard, “Have you found anything?”

“Patience, pika,” Revan smiled at the alicorn, “A lot of this data is corrupted … Ah, here we are … Bones of the Emperors, were they insane?”

“What? What was the ship carrying?”

The Jedi turned to face the two mares, her face grim, “Two breeding nests of shyracks and a pair of terentateks!”

“So, another one of those terentatek meanies is around here?”

“Maybe, Pinkie,” sighed Revan as she ran a hand over her lekku, “Or it could be in hibernation somewhere, or dead, or ten thousand kilometers away, for all I know. We better tell the others.”

________________________________________

“So, what’s a ‘shyrack’ anyway?” asked Applejack as she leaned against the stack of a half dozen cases that the ponies had recovered.

“A kind of blind, flying, cave-dweller,” Revan explained, “Sort of like a bat nearly as big as me that hunts in swarms and can bite through armor. They’re a dangerous pest if you have a blaster or other modern weaponry, and their numbers aren’t too great, but they’d be a real terror for folks only armed with swords and spears.” The twi’lek frowned in thought for a moment before she continued, “Since none of you have heard of them, I think they either all died out or they don’t leave the forest …or no one has ever survived an attack to report them.”

“Let us focus on the matter to hoof for now,” Celestia reminded them, “Revan, did you find what you needed?”

“I located the hatch to the engineering bay,” the Jedi replied, “I still have to see if I can get inside, and then I’ll need some time to kill the failsafe systems and rig the reactor, that’ll give you time for everyone to get clear of the blast zone.”

“Are you sure that the explosion will destroy the holocron?” asked Rainbow, “I mean, this ship is kinda big.”

“Holocrons are tough, but they aren’t that tough, RD,” Revan reassured the pegasus, “Between the reactor, the fuel cells and these extra generators, not to mention whatever missiles are still in the magazine, the Kyozist will go up like a second sun. And since the interior bulkheads are a lot weaker than the armored hull, the entire temple compartment should be consumed before the superstructure fails.” She glanced over at the ponies’ scavenged containers and smirked, “Getting some looting in before we go?”

“Salvaging, dear,” Rarity corrected primly, “We are gathering salvage from an unclaimed derelict.”

“Uh huh,” the twi’lek nodded, “So what did you find, anyway?”

“Three crates of those nasty ration bars you poor aliens live on,” said Pinkie, waving a hoof as the stack, “One crate of ‘all-weather blankets’, one crate of ‘powercells’ and one crate of ‘medpacs’.”

“That’s … actually not a bad haul,” Revan admitted, “Well, you should get started now if you want to get your loot --”

“Salvage!”

“-- safely away from the lakeshore,” the Jedi continued, “I’ll meet you in the forest once I’m finished with everything here.”

________________________________________

Revan looked over her preparations one final time, ‘Engineering bay and reactor chamber doors jammed open … check. Maintenance hatches to the fuel cells open … check. Failsafe systems deactivated … check. Stasis cage generators cranked up to full and their safety systems disabled ... check. Exit route cleared … check.’ Turning back to the computer, she took a deep breath, ‘Reactor ready to begin a catastrophic overload as soon as I hit the switch … check.’ Closing her eye, Revan opened herself to the Force, letting it flow through and empower her, before she reached out and hit the execute command.

Spinning around, she dashed for the hull breech as fast as her legs could carry her.

________________________________________

Celestia watched her little ponies with concern as they regained their bearings; between the ground shaking, the blast wave that roared through the trees, and the brilliant light that had managed to burn away the ever-present fog for a moment, it was no surprise that their legs were unsteady and their wits a bit scattered.

“Oh my, that was a bit unpleasant,” murmured Fluttershy as she got back to her hooves, “Do you think Revan is alright?”

“I’m well enough, ‘Shy,” came the reply as Revan, muddy and bleeding, limped out of the trees, “I may have cut it a bit close, though.”

There was an audible “thump” as Twilight dove into Revan, “I told you not to do that to me!” she growled at her fillyfriend, her forelegs wrapped around the Jedi.

“I’m sorry, Twi’eswo,” Revan apologized as she gently stroked the alicorn’s mane, “I’m yours, heart and soul, and I’d do anything for you, but I can’t promise to never go into danger.”

“Really?” deadpanned Applejack as her two friends continued their embrace, “Ya call that a marriage proposal?”

“Applejack!”

“What? Ah’m jus’ sayin’.”

Revan shook her head at her friend as she knelt down to bring her eye even with Twilight’s, reaching out, she took the purple alicorn’s hoof in her hand before dropping her head shyly, “Twi’ … Twilight, I know what I do scares you sometimes. Some of the things you get into scare me too, but nothing scares me as much as the thought of life without you. I know you deserve the best, someone who will back you up without limits, and love you without end. Will you let me be the one?”

Twilight could only stared at her fillyfriend for a moment, tears in her eyes, before she threw herself into Revan’s arms with a glad cry, “YES!”

Ch. 31; A Meeting Long Delayed

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“So …” Twilight glanced at the woman walking beside her as they left WestHoof Academy behind and headed for her parent’s house on the edge of the Noble District, “How’s it going out at Shadowed Heart?”

“Better than expected, but not as good as we had hoped,” replied Revan, “No reports of voices or figments lurking in the fog anymore, but we still have the fog, and the creatures of the Woods are still as bloodthirsty as ever. Still, given how big the damn forest is, all we’ve really achieved is to cull back the beast population in the areas closest to GreenWood and the other towns.” The Jedi gave a philosophical shrug, “The corruption will probably linger for generations, if not centuries, and it may never fade from some places, but things will get better.”

“Will you have to be heading back to GreenWood soon?”

“Not unless there’s an incident that the local troops can’t handle,” Revan reached over and began to scratch the alicorn’s ear, “It’s back to teaching for me.”

“Good!” declared Twilight emphatically, “I know that you’re good at what you do, Revan, but my heart almost stopped when I saw you with that bloody bandage wrapped around your head and the Doctor told me that one of those creatures had ripped your face open.” She raised a wing to gently brush across the paler skin of the surgical graft on the twi’lek’s cheek, “I’m still a bit surprised at how good a job the doctors did.”

“And now I’m finally meeting your parents … only three months after we got engaged,” the Jedi gave her head a rueful shake, “They must be thrilled.”

“Oh, pony up,” laughed Twilight, almost purring as she leaned into Revan’s fingers, “We’ll get through this, and I’m sure my parents will love you, now come on, Mom and Dad are waiting for us.”

________________________________________

Night Light, Astronomer of the Royal Academy, Viscount of House Sparkle and currently concerned parent, was anxiously peeking through the living room curtains as he tried to spot his daughter and her suitor. His ear twitched as the sound of approaching hoofbeats presaged the arrival of his wife, “Really dear?” she asked as she gave him a small nuzzle, “Didn’t you get all of this ‘overprotective father’ thing out of your system with Shining?”

“Bite your tongue, mare!” Night took the unlit pipe out of his mouth and returned his wife’s nuzzle, “I’m an unending font of Fatherly Protectiveness, and when Spike starts dating, you can bet your saddle I’ll be doing it again!”

“Aww, I thought you liked my saddle,” Twilight Velvet pouted as she gave his ear a nip, causing the stallion to blush.

“You always get frisky whenever you finish writing a book,” Night observed with a small smile, “And I suppose embarrassing Twily with our antics would be a measure of punishment for making us wait so long to even meet this fiancé of hers.”

Velvet reached over and bopped him lightly on the shoulder, “Twilight has been busy with her new duties, not to mention all those escapades she and her friends get up to, and Revan has been either out on the borders working for the Princesses or in the hospital, it’s not like they were trying to avoid us.”

“I know, darling, I know,” he sighed, “It’s just … I would have liked to meet this Revan filly before she and Twilight got engaged, is all,” Night gave a sudden snort of laughter, “And poor Spike! Shining marries a Princess, while Twilight is engaged to a space alien! I’m not sure if I should be curious or terrified about who he’ll be bringing home one day.”

“Oh, Nighty,” giggled Velvet, “Weren’t you watching Spike during Shiny and Cadance’s wedding? He’s completely mane-over-hocks for Twilight’s friend Rarity.”

“The fashion designer? Well good for him! Ah, here they come now …” Night’s words faded away as he and Velvet spied the two figures approaching through the waning autumn sunlight, “So that’s what an alien looks like, for some reason I was expecting a quadruped … oh, they’re almost here! Quick, act casual!”

“You big goof,” grumbled Velvet fondly as she took a seat while her husband snatched up yesterday’s copy of the Canterlot Times and stuck his muzzle in it, pretending to read.

There was a quick knock at the door before it opened, “Mom! Dad!” Twilight bounced in and descended upon her parents in a nuzzling, embracing mass of ponydom, eventually she pulled away and turned to face the figure grinning at them from the doorway, “Revan, these are my parents, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, Mom, Dad, this is my betrothed, Revan Vao.”

“Hello, Sir, Ma’am,” Revan gave a small bow as she stepped forward, “I’m glad to finally be able to meet you.”

‘Well, she’s polite enough,’ Night thought, ‘Even if she does look rather like a villain from one of Velvet’s, or Yearling’s, novels.’ “Welcome to our home, Miss Revan,” he said with a smile, although there was a slight growl to his voice. “Although I must say most youngsters know enough to ask for the parent’s blessing before proposing–” the two mares shot Night Light a pair of truly venomous glares, “—which is of course happily given,” he continued without missing a beat or losing his grin.

Revan looked faintly confused as Velvet ushered her into a seat, “I was supposed to ask for permission?”

“It is rather traditional, dear,” the unicorn mare observed gently, “Now tell us, how did you and our little Twily first meet?”

________________________________________

“… and then Revan bursts through the door with her sword drawn, calling my name and swearing bloody vengeance on Trixie! She almost gave poor Spike a heart attack!” Twilight beamed at her fillyfriend as her parents laughed, “It was actually rather sweet,” she added reaching a hoof across the dinner table to grip Revan’s hand.

“It was rather impulsive of me,” the twi’lek admitted wryly, “But my emotions can get the better of me sometimes, and when Pinkie said Twi’ had been banished I stopped thinking clearly.”

Velvet shook her head with amusement as she sipped from her glass, “So, when are you planning to have the ceremony?”

“Well, there’s the whole ‘Princess Summit’ thing next month,” said Revan, “And then Hearth’s Warming in December ….”

“We’re making arrangements for a mid-February wedding,” Twilight added, “Even with the holidays that will give us a few months to prepare.”

“So soon?” asked Night in surprise “Wouldn’t you like more time to organize everything, Twily?”

“Yes!” the alicorn’s eye twitched slightly, “But the longer we wait, the more likely that politics will get involved, like what happened with Shiny and Caddy’s wedding, and I want our wedding to be our way, just our friends and family, not some big royal ceremony.”

“Yeah, no royal ceremony, with a princess getting married and at least two more in attendance, that’s going to happen,” Revan said dryly, “Never mind having Rarity and Cadance putting their two credits in trying to make everything ‘perfect’.”

“Considering how her own wedding went, you can’t really blame Cadance for wanting to see that yours’ goes right,” Night observed, “I hope your duties with the Princesses haven’t been interfering with the wedding preparations too much,” he added, turning to the twi’lek.

“It’s been a bit of a juggling act,” she replied with a shrug, “But I’ve been backing Twi’s lead, so we’re holding our own.”

Velvet frowned slightly, “Surely you have some ideas for your own wedding?”

“I never thought about getting married before,” Revan confessed with a faint blush, “Chaos, for the longest time I didn’t think that I would live to see thirty, I know how important this is to Twi’, and I don’t want my ignorance to screw anything up.”

“Not wanting to cause problems is all well and good, young lady,” Night chided her as he reached for the salad dressing, “But you and Twily are creating a partnership, and dealing with your wedding is the first major test, one of many, the two of you will face together as a couple. You should be embracing the experience, my dear.”

________________________________________

“So … what do you think?”

“What do I think about what, dear?” Velvet glanced over at Twilight, her face a mask of false innocence, as she prepared some coffee and dessert.

“Mom!” the alicorn whined, “This is important!”

“Oh, I’m just teasing, Twilight,” Velvet giggled, “I’m delighted that you’ve found somepony, and so is your father, even if Revan is not what we might have expected,” she leaned over to give her daughter a quick nuzzle.

Twilight bit her lip nervously, “So you and Dad really approve?”

“Yes, Twily, we do,” Velvet assured her, “Now how about you and I have an extra slice of cheesecake in here while Nighty does his fatherly duty and terrorizes your bride?”

“Dad terrorizing Revan?” the Princess of Friendship gave a giggle of her own as she took a seat, “I hope he won’t be too disappointed.”

________________________________________

“Eh, I give it a three out of five.”

“What? You’re grading me on my paternal intimidation?” Night blinked at his soon-to-be daughter-in-law, “And I only got a three?” he added in a hurt tone.

Revan smirked at the stallion, “I used to hunt people for a living, I know intimidation, and using words that I’m going to have to look up cost you some points, plus, I have to admit, Shining's effort was more creative, and Spike’s was more impressive.”

“Spike’s? Really?”

The Jedi grinned, “Oh yes, when I went to pick Twi’ up for our very first date, the little guy threatened to set me on fire if I ever hurt her.”

“Good for him!” chortled Night, “Err, were you serious about not expecting to see thirty?”

Revan gave Night a small smile as she nodded, “Freelance mercenaries don’t have the life expectancy of those that have a Company to support them, and Jedi and Sith are always high-value targets … and to be honest, there was a time where I wasn’t really trying to stay alive. Fortunately, old Jutzu, my Master at the Shadow Academy, managed to beat most of that out of me, and my psychologist here in Canterlot has been helping me deal with my other issues.”

“Does Twilight know about this?”

“What, that I’m a bag of crazy?”

The stallion frowned at Revan’s flippant reply, “This is a serious matter, young lady.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” the twi’lek replied apologetically, “I have a smart mouth sometimes. Yes, Twi’ knows about my past and that I’m under therapy,” a blissful smile spread across the Jedi’s face, “She’s seen me at some of my worst moments, but she still loves me anyway …” she added, her voice filled with wonder.

Night couldn’t help but smile himself, the mare was clearly, unabashedly, in love with his little filly, “Alright then my filly, let’s dispense with all the rigmarole, so … welcome to the family.”

Ch. 32; The Big Day

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Revan reached up to tug nervously at the collar of her dress uniform as she paced the antechamber, only to have her hand swatted away by a burst of pale blue magic. “Stop fretting, darling,” Rarity admonished her as she trotted over to adjust the Jedi’s uniform – for the third time that morning, “Remember, this is one of the happiest days of your life.”

“Right, I’m marrying Twi’, I should be giddy with joy,” the twi’lek slumped onto a sofa next to Applejack and dropped her face into her hands, “So why am I so frelling terrified?”

The farmpony put a comforting hoof on Revan’s shoulder, “This is a big step for ya an’ Twi’, sugarcube, ah’d be worried about ya if ya weren’t scared at least a mite.”

“Indeed,” Luna said, chiming in from her own seat, “Such apprehensions seem to be quite normal before a wedding, and as thy bridal party, it is our duty to prevent such worries from overwhelming thou on this most joyous day.”

“So what we want is a distraction,” Cloud Kicker, the final pony in the room, observed, “Hmm … oh, I know! What was it like on the other side of that portal thing?”

The peagsus’ question caused Luna to twitch slightly in surprise, “Thou know about the portal?”

“Well of course, Luna,” replied Rarity nonchalantly, “Twilight told us about it when she came back from the Crystal Empire, although she hasn’t given us the full story yet.” The unicorn’s eyes glittered as she and Applejack leaned forward eagerly, “I must admit, I am rather interested in hearing more about this other world and our doubles.”

Revan gave a short bark of laughter, “Sorry girls, I’m almost as much in the dark about this alternate Equestria as you are.”

Applejack cocked an incredulous brow at her friend, “Wait, ya let Twi’ and Spike go ta another world without ya?” she asked, “That don’t sound like somethin’ ya’d do, what happened?”

“Celestia happened,” the twi’lek answered as she continued to chuckle, “She practically sat on me until Cadance got me tied up, and our Princess of Love is really good with knots, by the way.”

Luna blushed slightly as the other ponies joined in the laughter, “’Tia may have been somewhat … ardent in her actions, but she did have good intentions, with the portal open once more, she hoped that Twilight Sparkle could redeem Sunset Shimmer as she and our dear friends had done with mineself ….”

“But if our dear, suspicious, Revan had gone through, she would have just seen a threat that needed to be neutralized,” grinned Cloud as she finished the alicorn’s statement, “I, for one, understand Celestia’s actions completely.”

Although she was still faintly red-faced over her fellow Princesses’ behavior, Luna joined the others in their mirth, “Are thou feeling better, Revan Vao?” she asked once they had all regained their composure.

“Yeah, I am, thanks girls, I needed that.”

________________________________________

“How are you holding up, Twily?”

“This is now number three on my list of most nerve-wracking situations,” Twilight replied as she turned and buried her muzzle in her BBBFF’s shoulder, “This is even worse than when I had my entrance exam for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns!”

“That bad, huh?” Shining asked as he gave the alicorn a comforting pat on the head, “Are you sure you still want to go through with this?”

“Of course I’m sure!” Twilight glared up at her big brother, before sagging back against him, “All we wanted was a simple wedding with our friends and family, how did everything get so complicated?”

“Well, you’re a Princess and a national hero,” Pinkie offered from her seat, “Oh, and Revan is the only confirmed space alien in the world and the head of a kinda spooky-mysterious government agency,” the earth pony tapped her hoof against her chin in thought, “Maybe we sent out too many invitations?”

Fluttershy gently put a wing on the Princess of Friendship’s shoulder and led her over to a seat, “It will be alright, Twilight, just a little while longer and you and Revan will be walking down the aisle together,” the shy pegasus gave a sudden giggle, “Right now, Revan is probably just as anxious as you are!”

Twilight smiled gratefully at her friend, “You’re probably right, Fluttershy,” she admitted with a small laugh of her own, “Revan doesn’t handle emotions nearly as well as problems she can confront head-on.”

“Where are the two of you going to live, anyway?” Rainbow asked as she poured herself a cup of water from a pitcher on a corner table, “I mean, you have the library, but Revan’s got her ship ….”

“We’ve decided that Revan will move in with me and Spike in the library,” Twilight said, in between controlled breathes as she started in on her breathing exercises, “Revan said that she could power everything down and set the ship for ‘long-term storage’, and then she would only have to check in on it every decade or so.”

“Aww, but then it’ll get all covered up by the forest,” Pinkie pouted, “It’ll just be a hill instead of Ponyville’s Alien Landing Site (trademark pending),” her odd statement caused the other ponies to exchange confused glances, before they shrugged it off.

A quick knock at the door drew the room’s attention as Cadance slipped inside, “It’s time!” she chirped happily as she enfolded Twilight in a wing-hug, “You look beautiful, Twily,” she added as she nuzzled the younger alicorn, “Now let’s go show Revan how lucky she is!”

________________________________________

Revan stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat, as she got her first look at her wife-to-be in her wedding dress, but a nudge from Luna got her moving again. Before the two bridal parties, the Cutie Mark Crusaders cheerfully scattered flowers petals along the carpeted path (despite some earlier disappointment from the three fillies at not getting “Royal Flower Filly” cutie marks).

‘Damn, that’s a lot of ponies,’ the Jedi mused as she risked a quick glance around the Hall. In addition to family and friends, ‘It looks like almost half of Ponyville is here,’ there were the assorted dignitaries, ambassadors and members of the press one would expect at a Royal wedding. More important to Revan than any of those notables, however, the entirety of the Equestrian Force Academy, both students and teachers, had shown up to see their Legate get married.

The twi’lek’s lips quirked as she looked to the end of the carpet where Celestia stood, ‘Damn cheating alicorn healing,’ she thought with amusement, ‘Barely three months for that scar I gave her to fade away like it never happened.’ As the two bridal parties finally reached the waiting Princess of the Sun, Twilight and Revan both smiled at their eldest sister, while Shining and Luna stepped forward to take their respective places as Best Stallion and Best Mare.

Returning the couple’s smiles, Celestia raised her voice to address the gathering, “Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Twilight Sparkle and Revan Vao. Will you now speak your vows before these witnesses?”

Turning to face Revan Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only for nothing to come out. Blushing furiously, the alicorn coughed a few times before she was finally able to begin, “I see these vows not as oaths but as privileges: I promise to love and care for you, and I will try in every way to be worthy of your love. I will try to always be honest with you, kind, patient and forgiving. But most of all, I promise to be a true and loyal friend to you.”

“Twilight,” Revan said in turn, “You know me better than anyone else in this world and somehow still you manage to love me. You have been my best friend, mentor, playmate, confidant and you have made me a better person. But most importantly, you are the love of my life and you make me happier than I could ever imagine and more loved than I ever thought possible ... you are my best friend and one true love. There is still a part of me today that cannot believe that I'm the one who gets to marry you."

“Do you, Revan Vao, promise to love and honor Twilight Sparkle as your lawfully wedded spouse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in adversity, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

“And, do you, Twilight Sparkle, promise to love and honor Revan Vao as your lawfully wedded spouse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, in joy and in adversity, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Please take each other’s hoof,” instructed Celestia with a smile. Once they had done so, she wrapped an embroidered sash around their joined limbs in a loose knot, “Before the Makers and those assembled here today, I pronounce you Married, the brides may now kiss.”

Neither of them needed to be told twice, and the newly wedded couple’s enthusiasm was met with applause, cheers and some good-natured hooting from the audience, while Celestia unwrapped the sash.

Turning to face the gathered ponies, Revan blinked as she saw that a mixed file of Royal Guards and Night Guards had slipped in while she and Twilight were distracted and now flanked the aisle.

“Center face!” barked one of the guardponies, causing the detachment to turn and face each other across the aisle, while with an order to “Arch lances!” the guards raised their weapons to create an archway over the aisle.

Smiling like loon and with her heart fit to burst, Revan started down the aisle alongside her beaming, beloved, Twilight as the two of them began a new life together.

Ch. 33; Sacrifice

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“Luna?” Revan barked into her comlink as she passed through an eerily deserted Ponyville at a fast trot, 'Two years of peace and quite, well, other than my pregnancy, and now this!' “Damn it, Spooky, answer me!”

*Legate Revan?* River Breeze’s voice was faint, even with the static and the tinny overtones that the crystal radios, a recent import from the Crystal Empire that was being integrated into the Guard, seemed to give everyone, *Are you still in Canterlot?*

“Ponyville,” the twi’lek told her apprentice, “I have my old commlink tied into the BloodWraith’s com-system, now what’s your situation? Where are my sisters?”

*We have failed … Tirek has taken all of Canterlot’s magic, most of Equestria’s strength … the Crystal Empire has fallen … the other Princesses are gone … Princess Twilight is our only hope now.*

“Frelling chaos,” Revan swore, “River, does Tirek know about Twi’?”

*… Yes … I’m so sorry, Legate.*

“Where is Twi’, River? You were assigned to help guard Celestia, do you know where she sent her?”

*To the Everfree … to the Castle of the Two Sisters,* Revan was losing the signal, she could barely hear River, but the apprehension in the unicorn’s voice still came through, *What are you planning, Legate?*

“The Princesses made me Knight-Protector of the Thrones, River, I’m going to do my job,” came the Jedi’s grim-voiced reply, “And the only way that bastard is getting to Twi’ is over my dead body.”

*Revan, stop! Don--* the signal cut out, interrupting River’s last words.

Revan didn’t have long to ponder what River had been trying to say, as she soon reached the town square and was confronted by the sight of the other five Bearers of Harmony, her sisters, trapped in a cage, slumped listlessly against the cage walls, they all looked half-dead and – Revan blinked in surprise – their cutie marks were gone! “Bones of the Emperors,” she breathed, “What happened?”

“Tirek,” Applejack replied in a flat, empty voice that barely sounded like her, “Discord was workin’ with him, tha no-good sidewinder, but Tirek double-crossed him, an’ now he’s gone after Twilight.”

“He hasn’t got her yet,” Revan growled, before her face paled with fear as all her bravado fell away, “What about the shelter?”

“Tirek never went near it,” replied Rarity, her voice barley louder than Fluttershy’s, “They’re all okay.”

‘Mission, she’s safe, our little baby is safe!’ the twi’lek slumped in relief for a moment, ‘But my sisters … no,’ Revan’s face hardened, ‘They’ll be in just as much danger out of that cage if Tirek isn’t stopped.’ “Twilight will be back for you soon as she can, please … look after her and Mission and Spike for me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” demanded Rainbow, a shadow of her usual fire returning, as the five mares moved to the edge of their cage to stare uneasily at Revan, “What the hay are you up to?!”

“I’m going to protect Twi’, even if it means throwing myself into the rancor’s mouth and choking it with my corpse.”

________________________________________

The ponies’ angry cries and desperate pleas carried for a surprising distance, given the mares’ condition, ‘Rarity has got a mouth on her when she gets going.'

Finding Tirek proved to be rather simple, the centaur towered over the trees of the Everfree, after all, although the trail of devastation and the occasional near-comatose pony he left behind would have made him easy to track regardless.

‘He’s not heading for the Castle,’ Revan thought, ‘Wait, he knows about Twi’, but not specifically where she is, I can keep him away from her! Now, the only question is how do I stop him?’ looking around for something she could use to even her odds against the giant, the Jedi blinked as a bloodthirsty smirk stretched across her face, ‘Well, well, thank you, Murphy!’

________________________________________

A bolt of lightning cracked out of the forest to smash into Tirek, causing the monster to jerk in pain, as Revan’s shout echoed through the woods, “In the name of the Thrones of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, I order you to stand down and face judgement!” ‘That bolt barely hurt him! It’s going to be the damn terentatek all over again!’

“What do we have here?” Tirek rumbled, “One of Celestia’s pets, and one without any magic, besides? Be gone pest, you’re not worth my time.”

“Stupid and arrogant, aren’t you?” Revan jeered, “And clearly compensating for something,” she added as she held up a fist with a bent pinkie slightly raised, before the twi’lek dropped down from her perch in the trees and unleashed another blast of Force-lightning, this one smashing into the monster’s face.

“How are you doing that?!” the centaur roared in exasperation.

“Come and find out, you fierfeked gelding!”

Revan led the furious giant deeper into the woods, her mocking laughter, and an occasional lightning bolt, goading him onward, until Tirek stood astride a low hillock, unheeding of the crude metal door that graced its side. Dropping into a nearby gully, the Jedi pulled a small control pad from one of her pouches, ‘This won’t have near the power of the warheads striking him directly, but it should still ruin his day.’ Entering a few quick codes into the pad, as the centaur cast about for her, Revan crouched as low as she could and hit execute.

With a blinding flash and a thunderous detonation that could be heard back in Ponyville, the hillock tore apart, raining rubble for hundreds of meters.

‘Suck on that, you bastard!’ thought Revan viciously, only to have her triumphant grin fade as she rose from the gully to see Tirek, a shattered shield bubble fading around him, clamber unsteadily to his hooves, ‘He lived through that?!’

Revan’s expression went from dumbfounded shock to cold calculation as she saw the centaur’s shaky stance and the blood coating his barrel, ‘I hurt him, maybe not mortally, but I hurt him, I have a chance.’

“Is that the best you can do, little pest?” chuckled Tirek scornfully as he wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, “You aren’t even worth using my magic on, I’ll crush you like an insect!”

The twi’lek responded with a crude gesture as her lightsaber crackled to life and her murderous aura flared, ravaging the surrounding flora to fill her with extra strength for the battle.

Striding forward, the monster brought one massive hoof down, intending to carry his threat out literally, only to yank it back with a sulfurous oath as Revan dodged away from the blow and her saber bit into his pastern. Unfortunately, whether due to his sheer size or the magic he had stolen, Tirek’s flesh had hardened like that of a terentatek or a krayt dragon, and the plasma blade failed to bite deep.

‘I’ll have to kill him with bug bites,’ Revan thought in disgust, before her lips curled in an ugly smile, ‘Too bad for Tirek that this "insect" is venomous,’ rolling away from another crushing stomp, she raised a hand and focused her dark healing directly upon the giant centaur.

A pair of shrieks echoed across the Everfree, “You dare to steal from me!” roared Tirek in outrage, pain and a growing confusion, “I’ll pull you apart, limb by limb!”

Revan had no breath to spare to answer him, she was too busy trying to control the overwhelming, nearly mind-breaking, ecstasy that was coursing through her, ‘He must have stolen a bit of life from every single pony, along with their magic! He’s gorged on the lives of millions of ponies!’

It was fortunate for the Jedi that Tirek’s wrath had left him careless, because in her besotted state she barely avoided his next attack. Summoning up the bloodlust she had tried to spurn for so long to drown her rapture and allow her to focus, Revan sprinted back into the fray.

The battle surged back and forth, as Revan hacked away at the centaur’s hooves, fetlocks and anywhere else she could reach, her aura tearing at him the whole time, while evading Tirek’s blows, anyone of which would likely reduce her to a red smear if they caught her full-on. More than once, a glancing blow sent the twi’lek staggering as her armor groaned, or even split, and her bones broke and organ’s ruptured, only to repair themselves instantly with the life force she was stealing from the giant.

And through it all, Revan’s crazed laughter and blissful moans continued unabated.

“What in tartarus is wrong with you?!” Tirek demanded, unnerved by the Jedi’s disturbed behavior and seemingly aberrant powers, “What makersforsaken corner of Equss did those prattling Princesses find you in?”

The centaur’s foreleg buckled, no longer able to bear his weight, and Tirek crashed down to one knee, although a sweep of his hand sent Revan rolling away before she could try to capitalize on his vulnerability, “Look at you,” he rumbled as his eyes narrowed slightly, “Drunk with blood and stolen life. You have so much potential, so much power, and yet you’re wasting it serving these pathetic ponies! What did they do to make you such an eager little retainer? Please tell me it wasn’t their puerile babbling about ‘friendship’ that put these chains on you.”

Tirek smiled as Revan stopped her assault for a moment, only for it to change to a frown as she began laughing again, “There are no chains on me, you frell!” she snarled as she hurled her lightsaber at Tirek’s face, and only a quick jerk of his head allowed him to keep both of his eyes. “Equestria is my home. These ‘pathetic ponies' are my people. Those ‘prattling Princesses’? My sisters!”

“Then, by all means, join them!” roared Tirek as he hurled a bolt of red and black energy at the woman.

Revan swatted the blast away with her saber, but even that brief contact left her arm covered in burns that swiftly healed away, while she deflected a second bolt back at Tirek, who smirked, opened his mouth … and swallowed it.

The centaur rained blasts of energy, and the occasional smashing blow of his fist, down on the twi’lek, but she weathered the onslaught, resulting in a strange sort of stalemate. Tirek was unable to land an outright killing blow, while he had pilfered so much life energy that it would take Revan hours of whittling away and draining him to kill the monster.

Tirek slapped out at Revan again with an irritated grunt, but the woman slipped aside, to find over a dozen trees flying at her! ‘A damn feint!’ she desperately twisted, cut with her saber and shoved with the Force to get through the suddenly airborne grove, only to be caught dead-center by one of Tirek’s magical blasts.

Smashed back into, and partially through, the jumble of trees she had just escaped, Revan lay trapped beneath one of the logs as her body began knitting itself back together. Her vision blurred by blood and sweat, the Jedi could just see the ugly smirk on Tirek’s face as he rose back to his feet, smoke rising from his wounds as they evaporated away, “Goodbye, insect,” he sneered as he quickly strode forward, and then his descending hoof filled Revan’s vision.

________________________________________

Revan’s body screamed at her in agony as she blinked her eye, ‘Huh, I’m not dead.’ Looking around, she saw that she was in a hospital room, ‘Probably at Ponyville General,’ while the sight of a purple alicorn draped over a couch in sleep, a tiny azure pegasus filly snuggled in her forelegs, brought a smile to the twi’lek’s lips.

She must have made some sound, as Twilight’s ear twitched and the Princess raised her head to look blearily over at the hospital bed. Seeing that Revan was awake, she quickly disentangled herself from the slumbering filly and flew across the room to wrap her forelegs around her wife in a bone-cracking hug.

“Ow.”

“Sorry,” Twilight apologized sheepishly.

“It’s okay, Twi’,” replied Revan with a smile as she slowly sat up in her bed, “Was anypony hurt?”

“Everypony’s fine,” the alicorn assured her as she carefully snuggled closer, “The fillies and I managed to defeat Tirek and banish him back to Tartarus. Caddy, Celestia and Luna are free, and everypony has their magic back.” Twilight gave a despondent sigh, “But the library is gone.”

“I’m so sorry, Twi’, I know you loved the library tree …Wait, is Owlowiscious ….”

“He’s alright, Revan, everypony is okay,” Twilight sighed. Looking at her wife, the princess’ eyes narrowed just before she hoofed Revan in the chest, “What the hay were you thinking, attacking Tirek on your own like that?” the alicorn glared at Revan as she opened her mouth, “And if you dare try to give me some horseapples about being ‘expendable’ I’m going to be very angry with you!”

“Why, Twilight Sparkle, such language!”

“Don’t you try and distract me!” Twilight glowered at Revan for a moment, before she buried her muzzle in the woman’s chest, “Cloud and Big Mac had to dig you out from beneath the rubble, and everything for over a dozen pony-lengths around had either been shattered or reduced to dust!”

Revan frowned as she stroked her wife’s mane, “The Guard had already fallen, and of all our family, only four of us have ever been soldiers, and of those four, I’m the only one who isn’t helping shoulder an entire government. It has to be me, Twi’eswo, that’s the simple, bloody math.”

Twilight pulled back a little to glare at her, “You’re just trying to weasel word your way into saying that you’re expendable!” she accused.

Revan sighed, “I want you and Mission, all of our friends, our family, to be safe and happy, Twi’, and if the cost of that is me, then I’ll pay it.”

“I don’t accept that!”

“You wouldn’t,” Revan said fondly, “But can you honestly say that you wouldn’t have done something similar if things had been reversed and I was the one who need help?”

“I … I … alright,” replied Twilight grudgingly, “I would have done something crazy too.”

“And that’s part of why I love you.”

A surprisingly loud yawn drew their attention back to the couch where the little filly was peering around drowsily. Upon seeing her parents looking back at her, she gave a happy squeal and immediately began trying to scramble down from the couch. With an amused grin, Twilight plucked Mission up in her magic and brought her over to snuggle happily against her mothers.

Revan gave a slight groan as she wrapped her arms around her wife and daughter, while Twilight looked up at her in concern, “No more suicide missions, okay? I mean it.”

“Is that a royal edict, my Princess?”

“Worse,” the alicorn giggled, “It’s an order from your wife.”

“Ah, in that case I shall do my best to obey,” Revan smirked as she leaned down to kiss Twilight, her arms tightening around her family.

Ch. 34; Epilogue

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“I’m home!”

The patter of tiny hoofbeats rang through the crystal halls as a four-year old, azure pegasus filly with a black-streaked, purple mane came scurrying out of a doorway, her wings flapping excitedly, “Momma!”

“There’s my little girl!” crowed Revan as she scooped up the giggling filly and nuzzled her, “Where you a good girl for your Mommy today, Missi’?”

“Uh huh! I pwayed with Pum’kin and Pound, and later I hewped Mommy and Spikey in the wibrary, and then Mommy, Spikey and me made a book fort!”

“Sounds like someone had a busy day,” the Jedi observed as she carried her daughter deeper into the Palace of Friendship, “So where are your Mommy and Spike now?”

“In the kitchen,” answered Mission eagerly, “Spikey is making vegetabwe stew and garwic bread for dinner!”

The sound of wood smacking flesh and a cry of “Ow!” suddenly echoed down the halls, causing mother and daughter to exchange amused grins.

“It sounds like your Mommy just tried to sneak some garlic bread,” Revan said as she tickled the filly in her arms, “Let’s go save her from your big brother’s wrath.”

Walking through the halls of the nearly empty palace, they quickly came to a large kitchen that had be altered to serve double duty as a family dining room. Inside, Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, was embarrassedly rubbing one hoof while Spike, her Number One Assistant, glared at her from beside the stove as he shook a wooden spoon at her. A tray of bread was cooling on the counter near Twilight, filling the air with the smell of hot butter and garlic.

Gently lowering Mission into one of the seats, Revan walked over to kiss Twilight, “Hey, pika.”

“Hey, yourself,” the alicorn grinned up at her wife, “I was wondering what was keeping you, is everything okay at the Academy?”

“Everything’s fine,” the twi’lek assured her, “Although Licorice and Nightfall will be ready for their Trials soon. No, I just stopped in at the Palace for a brief word with Celestia is all, and then I ran into Rarity and Rainbow at Canterlot Carousel.”

“I know Rarity went back to Canterlot to work on her new line,” remarked Spike as he stirred the pot, “But what was she and Rainbow up to together?”

“Apparently, there’s a reception at the Palace for the Wonderbolts tonight and an aerial show tomorrow,” Revan explained as she went to fetch cups and bowls from the cabinets, “And Rainbow invited Rarity along.”

“So, what did Celestia want?” asked Twilight as she got up and helped set the table.

“Oh, she just wanted to talk about getting you a personal guard detachment again.”

“She’s still going on about that?” the alicorn gave an exasperated sigh, “Caddy didn’t have any guards assigned to her until she took over the Crystal Throne, so I don’t understand why Celestia is so eager for me to get some, and what would I do with guards anyway?”

“They could assist the Ponyville gendarme and patrol the edges of the Everfree,” Revan suggested with a shrug.

“And they can enforce the library return policies,” proposed Spike, causing the others to break out in a fit of giggles, “What? Some of those books have been overdue for months!”

The room was filled with random small talk for a time as the family enjoyed their dinner, until Revan finally pushed her empty bowl away with a satisfied sigh and a word of thanks to Spike, before she turned a considering eye on Twilight, “You know, Twi’, I’m thinking we should take a little time to get away as a family.”

“We could visit the other Equestria through the Mirror!” suggested Spike eagerly, which brought an enthusiastic “Yeah!” from Mission.

“I don’t know ….”

“Is something wrong, Twi’?”

“Not wrong, really, it’s just …” Twilight suddenly became fascinated with her cup as a small blush spread across her muzzle, “I sort of asked Sunset to not mention that I was married or had a daughter to any of the other girls.”

Mission’s muzzle fell, “Did I do something bad, Mommy?” she asked forlornly.

“What? No! No, sweetie,” Twilight quickly moved over and wrapped her wings around her little filly, “It’s just that everyone is much younger through the Mirror because of the temporal distortion and they all think that what they’ve seen is my actual age, and I was uncertain about how understanding they would be.”

The little pegasus frowned at her mother in confusion, before turning to Revan for a translation.

“What Mommy is saying, Missi’, is that she got scared and forgot to trust her friends, and then she did something even more silly, and that she’s very sorry for what she did.”

Mission’s eyes grew wide as she stared up at the alicorn, “Mommies get scared?”

“Yes, sweetie,” chuckled Twilight as she nuzzled the filly, “Even Mommies can get scared. I’m sorry, Mission, I never meant to hurt you but I did anyway … can you forgive me?”

“I forgive you, Mommy,” the pegasus said as she wrapped her forelegs around her mother, “But I stiww want to go meet my other Aunties,” Mission added, turning the full force of her big, pleading eyes on Twilight, with Spike quickly joining in.

Revan had to give Twilight credit, she held out against the pouting younglings for almost a minute before she caved, “Okay, okay, I’ll write Sunset and start looking into when would be a good time for a visit.”

“Whoo-hoo!”

“Yay!”

Revan reached across the table to ruffle Mission’s mane, “Who taught you how to do that with your eyes anyway, or is it just something all Equestrians can do?”

“Appwe Bwoom was teaching Spikey and me.”

“‘Spikey and I’, sweetie,” corrected Twilight, while Revan shook her head in amusement.

“Of course she did,” the Jedi chuckled, “Trust your cousins to weaponize cuteness.”

“So, we’re really going back through the Mirror to visit?” Spike pressed as he finished off the last of the garlic bread.

“Well, not right away,” replied Twilight, “It could take a while to get everything scheduled, but, we will go, just as long as no major problems come up, of course.”

Revan, Mission and Spike all looked at each other, before turning back to Twilight and, in perfect chorus, all three of them said “Murphy jar!”

Star Wars: A Second Chance

by Dorath

Ch. 1; Any Landing You Can Walk Away From

Ch. 2; Waking Up In A Strange Place

Ch. 3; Communications

Ch. 4; Introductions And Revelations

Ch. 5; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 1

Ch. 6; Meeting The Neighbors, Part 2

Ch. 7; Dealing With The Aftermath

Ch. 8; Interlude - Conversations In Canterlot

Ch. 9; An Obligatory Joke

Ch. 10; Winter Holiday, Part 1

Ch. 11; Winter Holiday, Part 2

Ch. 12; Interlude – Conversations In Canterlot, Part 2

Ch. 13; Into The Woods

Ch. 14; Knight And Crusaders

Ch. 15; Archeological Aspirations

Ch. 16; In The Depths Of Asphodel

Ch. 17; Facing The Woman In The Mirror

Ch. 18; The Shadows Of The Past

Ch. 19; The Last Battle Of Winter

Ch. 20; A Jedi And A Princess Walk Into A Psychologist’s Office

Ch. 21; Another Day In Ponyville

Ch. 22; Interlude – Night Court

Ch. 23; A Big Step

Ch. 24; Welcome To The Academy

Ch. 25; One Night In Canterlot

Ch. 26; Developments

Ch. 27; Field Work

Ch. 28; The Curse Of GreenWood

Ch. 29; Forest Of Voices And Madness

Ch. 30; All For One

Ch. 31; A Meeting Long Delayed

Ch. 32; The Big Day

Ch. 33; Sacrifice

Ch. 34; Epilogue