No Heroes Part IV - The Crystal Empress

by PaulAsaran

Rating: teen
Tags: Octavia, Lightning Dust, Adventure, Main 6, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Princess Luna, Original Character
Length: 106190

Empress Silma Ril has the Ancient Stones. She's returned to take Equestria, with Mane Archon at her side and a mythical sea beast as her superweapon. Only six ponies stand between Equestria and a new dark age... and they're no heroes.

This story is a sequel to Lightning's Bolt.

An ancient enemy from the princess's past has arisen, seeking to re-establish a forgotten empire. With Canterlot under this new villain's sway, the princesses compromised and the Element-Bearers under the enemy's control, it's up to Luna's team to find a way to save Equestria. This is what they were chosen for, the reason they have been brought together.

Can six noponies really make a difference? Are they mere shadows of the light?

The time has come to show that you don't have to be the best to be the heroes.

Cover art commissioned from the awe-inspiring Eosphorite!

The No Heroes Series
Chronological from Top to Bottom:
Shadow Pony
Reddux the Tyrant
No Heroes Part I - The Roster
No Heroes Part II - The Journey Home
Lightning's Bolt
No Heroes Part III - For Dreams
No Heroes Part IV - The Crystal Empress
No Heroes: Beyond the Everfree
No Heroes: Life of Pie
No Heroes: Hot Chocolate at the Isekai
To My Uncle

Published 2013-07-31 18:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-10-04 23:56:56 UTC

The Fall

The sun was just beginning to set over the great trees of the Everfree Forest. All was quiet in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, an ancient ruin forgotten by many. It was too quiet, in fact; where were the birds, the bugs, the beasts? They had all fled before the enigmatic entity that now resided within.

At the entrance, a single grey unicorn strode along the tall grass and loose cobblestones. He wore a thick black coat, his silver mane hanging slightly over his eyes and a big black box swaying from his necklace. Floating just in front of him was a long, thick blade with a couple small holes near the handle, a rag wiping it clean.

Mane moved leisurely, in no hurry. He didn’t expect Silma to be finished just yet. He was relishing the thought of his coming victory, and saw no reason to rush to it. Why hasten through his happiness?

You have come.

He didn’t stop walking, making his way to a tall plinth. “Yes, I’m here. I thought you would like to know that the small army of mindless drones we’ve assembled have arrived.”

He walked up some stairs so he might better view the top of the plinth. There, floating a few feet above it, was a pair of thick gemstones, one yellow, one blue. They were kept carefully apart from one another, a powerfully bright orange glow surrounding them.

They are hidden around the city, then?

“They await only our orders.”

Very good, Mane. I can feel Riptide. It rests comfortably, it would seem.

Mane touched at his forehead gently, a slight frown on his lips. “It doesn’t like what we are doing. I can sense its anger.”

It is under our control now. We have nothing to fear.

“I wish I could share your confidence,” he muttered, glancing about as if expecting the beast to attack at any moment.

Worry not, my comrade: the time to strike will be very soon.

He eyed the gems intensely, trying to gauge their power. “Very soon as in a few days? A few weeks?”

Very soon as in “a few minutes.”

Mane Archon took a cautious step back, the resonating voice echoing through the night. “Silma?”

The orange glow of the gems suddenly intensified to such a degree that Mane was forced to shield his eyes. He grimaced at the brightness, but after a few seconds it began to dim. He lowered his leg to see the light slowly taking on a physical shape.

“At last…” Silma’s deep, powerful voice called from the form. “…at long last! I am whole again!”

The shape began to form something familiar… a tall, slender pony rearing back. Legs thinned, solidified. A long horn began to stretch from a face of pure light. Hair grew long, billowing wildly in a nonexistent wind. And wings… huge, powerful wings of brilliance like Mane had never witnessed before. The light dimmed, shimmered, grew dark. Silma landed atop the pillar and fell to her knees, breathing deep from exhaustion.

Mane could only stare in quite awe. He’d seen many things in his interdimensional travels, but this was truly a first: a crystal alicorn. Her body shimmered black, then white, then black again. Every motion made her reflective body shift between the two, as if she were made of a thousand tiny mirrors. Her long, beautiful mane flowed like pitch black water, literally appearing to drip off her shoulders and back. After a few awed seconds she raised her elegant head, turning it to face him with powerful white eyes.

“Wow.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Silma declared without the slightest hint of a smile. She stood to her full height, revealing her to be immensely tall. She stretched her wings, testing them, the feathers shimmering between dark and light. As they rose high he at last caught a glimpse of her cutie mark: it was half a sun and half a moon, joined together to make a single great orb.

“So,” Mane whispered as he sat to watch her test her new body, “this is what you look like. I’ve never seen a crystal princess before.”

Her wings snapped closed. She turned to him, head held high and eyes sharp. “I am no princess, Archon.”

“No?” He eyed her with wonder. “Then what are you?”

“I am Silma Ril!” The gemstones floated to either side of her, basking her in their powerful orange glow. “Owner of the Ancient Stones. Goddess of Order. Ruler of all the lands which pony eyes have beheld. I, I am an empress!”

He couldn’t help it: he was intimidated. But not enough to be cowed, not yet. He stood up to face her properly. “You’re no empress yet, princess. Not until we’ve taken over Equestria.”

A bolt of energy zapped from the crystal pony, hitting Mane so hard he literally went flying. He smacked into a crumbling wall of the castle and dropped onto the grass, the sword he’d been keeping close landing nearby. “What was that for!?” he jumped to his hooves, wincing at the pain. “I’m on your side, damn you!” The sword arose and pointed at her threateningly while a pair of large, metallic golden claws rose up from under his coat like vast scorpion tails.

“I am an empress, Archon,” Silma declared regally, not at all intimidated by his weaponry. “Do not insult me with such an inferior title again.”

“I will not play the underdog to your ego,” he snarled.

For several tense minutes they stared one another down, each waiting for the other to make a move. The ruins were filled with an intense silence, as if the world itself awaited the coming duel.

And then Silma fluffed her wings in a showing of indifference. “This is pointless. If either of us dies, Riptide will be uncontrollable.”

Archon remained poised for a few more seconds, but then sighed and sat in the grass, the sword disappearing in a flash of light and the two tails disappearing under his coat. “Considering his fury at being tamed, I doubt he’d go easy on the world. No point in ruling a dead land.”

Silma nodded. “Though it is disagreeable to us both, we must remain partners. Let’s try to keep things civil between us, shall we?”

“Lets.” He eyed her for a moment unpleasantly. “At the very least I can say my co-ruler is a beauty.”

The alicorn turned away from him and, shimmering wings opening wide, floated off the plinth to the grass below. The two glowing gemstones followed her down. “I thought you above such petty considerations.”

“Pardon me,” he replied coolly, approaching. “I am glad you wish to rule from the Crystal Palace.”

“As am I,” she acknowledged with equal displeasure. “You say the subjects are prepared to move?”

“Yes,” he replied, “but you’ve only just regained your body. Do you need time to get… reacquainted? It has been some 1,500 years, after all.”

She took a long, deep breath, seeming to savor the simple pleasure of breathing. “It has been so long since I enjoyed fresh air… but I would prefer the groveling of my former students. No, Archon, let us advance immediately. I will remember what to do as we are proceeding.”

“So be it,” he agreed, turning rigidly to the woods. “To Canterlot.”

Silma’s eyes grew wicked, a sinister grin coming upon her lips. “To the Royal Pony Sisters.”

Fine Crime was doing something that, just over a week ago, he’d have considered unusual: he was going for a stroll through town.

Who was he kidding? It still felt unusual. With every step he had to fight the urge to hide in a corner, or teleport onto a roof, or any of a hundred other ways he knew to escape public view. It wasn’t that he was scared or nervous, it was just… him. Yet he had promised himself that he would make a solid attempt at living a bit more of a normal life, and that started with getting over his habit of sneaking around everywhere he went.

It also meant going out to actually visit his friends every now and again, hence the primary reason for this little stroll. He still wasn’t used to the idea of having friends, though. The thought had once been his equivalent of a naughty word. Now he had eleven of them, not including a certain Princess he worked for, and it seemed like a big jump.

He was out a little late today – or by his habits a little early – with the sun just creeping down the horizon. Most ponies ignored him as they made their way home. He didn’t mind; even though he’d been living near Ponyville for months, he hadn’t exactly been around much. Most of the ponies here surely didn’t recognize him. He wondered if he shouldn’t introduce himself properly later… then again, Pinkie was probably planning some sort of welcoming party. She was running a little later on that than her usual, if rumors were to be believed.

“Well, look who’s come to mingle among the commoners,” a familiar, friendly voice called.

Fine turned about to find Jimmy Stone approaching with a picnic basket on his back. He was followed closely by Twilight Sparkle, Octavia Melody and Rarity. “Well, look who’s the proficient lady-killer,” Fine countered with a grin.

Twilight came to an abrupt halt, eyes narrowing. “Excuse me?”

“He’s joking,” Octavia explained, rolling her eyes.

“Oh I don’t know,” Rarity offered with a giggle and a wink at Jimmy, “this one might be qualified.”

Jimmy tilted his head with an exasperated sigh. “Right, Nye’s totally rubbing off on me. Jim the tail-chaser, that’s me.”

Fine chuckled and gestured to the picnic basket. “Well I see you’re enjoying your vacation.”

“Last day,” Jimmy confirmed. “Honestly, I’ll be glad to be back at work.”

“Alright,” Twilight declared, shooting a knowing smile at Fine, “I know better, but I’m gonna ask the question again anyway: and what do you do for a living, Fine?”

“Oh do tell,” Rarity urged with a grin.

“I have been wondering,” Octavia noted. “You work for Luna, obviously, but in what capacity?”

“He won’t tell us,” Jimmy reminded them, “but I am wondering how the heck you could afford that huge house, Fine.”

He cast a glance at each of them, his mind going through all the possible answers he’d imagined up in the past. At last he grinned and replied, “I’m the leader of the Dark Archons of Equestria.”

They all facefaulted at once.

“Knew he wouldn’t answer the question honestly,” Twilight muttered, though she was still smiling. In fact none of them seemed offended by the claim; they were all used to his ridiculous answers.

“Why won’t you answer that question honestly?” Jimmy asked.

Fine waved a dismissive hoof, his expression smug. “Maybe at some point I did and you just didn’t believe me.”

“Right,” Twilight added with a ‘I give up’ expression, “like the one where you said you were the creator incarnate?”

“Or a weapons dealer?” Jimmy threw in.

“How about the one where you were a repo pony for illegal organs?” Octavia mentioned haughtily.

“Oh, I know,” Rarity joked, “it’s the host stallion one, that’s it isn’t it?”

“I sorta like that one, myself,” Fine admitted, striking a pose he knew didn’t flatter his appearance one bit. “Sorry ladies, I’m booked for the night.”

Twilight, at last properly getting into the jovial nature of the conversation, threw a jab of her own. “Like any mare would pay for that.”

“Where are you headed, anyway?” Jimmy asked. “You usually don’t come all the way to Ponyville unless you’re gonna visit somepony.”

“Sugarcube Corner.”

“Sugarcube Corner?” Octavia echoed, sharing a confused look with the others. “You’re going to visit Pinkie Pie?”

“What’s wrong with Pinkie?” Fine asked.

“Nothing at all,” Twilight replied honestly. “It’s just… given your history she’s not the first pony we’d expect you to visit.”

“Normally I’d agree. Usually I target Fluttershy…” He winced. “’Target’ sounds so inappropriate in my head.”

Rarity and Twilight exchanged smug glances. “Inappropriate?” Rarity pressed sweetly. “In what way?”

But Fine shook his head with a weak smile. “You… wouldn’t believe the truth. Trust me.”

“That’s only going to make them want to know more,” Jimmy warned with a grin.

Fine glowered at him. “Look, if I…”

All ears perked up as a new sound interrupted the stillness of dusk. It was a rumbling noise, growing steadily louder, and it seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. They all turned circles, searching for the source even as the rumbling increased to a thunderous crashing cacophony!

“What the hay is that?” Jimmy demanded, having to shout over the noise.

Ponies were beginning to come out of their homes to investigate. The sound of a pot crashing to the earth brought their attention to the buildings themselves, which were visibly shaking! A few seconds and extra decibels later and the ground was rumbling beneath their hooves.

“I-Is it some sort of earthq-q-quake?” Octavia offered fretfully, fighting to keep her balance.

“I-i-impossible!” Twilight declared through chattering teeth. “T-t-this isn’t a-a fa-fa-fault z-z-z-zone…!”

Fine dropped to his knees to keep from falling entirely, closing his eyes and covering his ears as the sound intensified to painful levels. For a few nervous seconds nopony moved or spoke; they just lay there and waited for the earth to stop shaking. But it wouldn’t; almost a whole minute went by with no change.

Jimmy let out a shout, his voice just barely audible over the cacophony. “What in the name of Celestia is that thing!?”

Fine opened his eyes to spot a vibrating Jimmy lying sprawled on his side, eyes up towards the eastern horizon. He turned his head, hooves still over his ears, and saw something he’d never anticipated in all his years: a massive wall of scales. The thing literally appeared to be over three-hundred feet tall, and it slid across the earth towards Ponyville at an alarming speed. Trees were being crushed in its path like toothpicks, its vast slithery motions resembling those of a snake.

Fine understood, even as his mind was freezing in terror. His heart nearly stopped as he recognized those vast purple scales. It was impossible… after twenty five years, he knew it was impossible. The one thing that had kept him safe was the land…

The gargantuan body didn’t quite reach Ponyville; instead it stopped nearby, the body moving along past the town as if intentionally bypassing it. Fine’s wide eyes followed the scaly mass, mouth open a he struggled to breath through his growing terror. It couldn’t be… it couldn’t possibly be… this was a dream. He had to be dreaming. “L-L-Lun-na…?”

The body was making its way to Canterlot. He saw something rising in the far distance, something huge and menacing in its anger: a dragon’s head, long and sleek and with a mouth glistening with tree-sized fangs.

He saw his mother, horn missing, blood drifting over her in the sea.

He saw fangs closing around her.

He saw hungry eyes watching him from murky depths.

He didn’t know he was screaming, or running. All he knew was the terror of truth: it was on land. It had eaten his mother. It was back for him.

He would never be safe.

Celestia and Luna were in the Canterlot Gardens, having just traded royal duties for the evening, when the beast had come. They had watched in abject shock as the gigantic snake-like monster had slithered its way right past Ponyville and up to Canterlot, crushing everything beneath its impossible mass. Now it had paused, head reared back hundreds of feet above them and eyeing the castle with a furious, hungry gaze.

“What in mother’s name is that thing!?” Celestia cried, landing on four hooves now that the shaking had ceased.

“By the moon’s gentle light,” Luna whispered, landing next to her sister, “Fine was telling the truth all along…”

They stood still, staring up at the creature in silence even as their royal guards clambered to form a protective circle around them. But the beast, despite having a mouth large enough to devour a few airships in one gulp, didn’t attack. Indeed it didn’t seem to move at all. It just stared down at the castle and city, seeming to wait for something to happen.

“Is it going to attack?” Luna asked nopony in particular.

“I have no idea,” Celestia admitted, “but we can’t just stand her gawking!” She cast a commanding glance to the captain of the guards. “Marshal everything in Canterlot immediately. Every unit, every soldier! And send word for reinforcements from anywhere we can get them, highest priority!”

“Y-yes ma’am!” The captain saluted, wide eyes still on the giant beast as he departed.

“You don’t intend to attack that thing, do you?” Luna whispered in her ear.

“Not if I can help it,” she whispered back, gazing up at the monster’s fangs with wide eyes. “It looks as if it might wipe out the entire city just by sliding on top of us! No… no we must… we must lure it away.”

“I’m sorry to say that won’t work.”

The sister’s turned abruptly towards the voice. At first they saw nothing… but then somepony appeared from the bushes. He approached, ignoring the guards who turned on him with weapons raised, and bowed politely. “It has been a very long time, Celestia.”

Celestia blinked and took a cautious step forward. She studied the stallion carefully even as she kept one eye on the giant above them all. “Not that we have time for this, but do I know you?”

“You thought you did once,” he declared, standing up to his full height and giving her an ominous glare. “You accepted my help, as much as you hated to, and my organization helped Equestria find harmony. If only I’d been around for a little longer, history might have been very different.”

Suddenly he had her full attention. She gazed upon him with wide eyes, clearly not believing what she was seeing. “…Archon? Mane Archon?”

Luna, her attention still largely focused on the massive monster, spoke up. “You know him, sister?”

“Y…yes…” she admitted. “Archon… we thought you were dead! How can you be here? The accident occurred over 700 years ago.”

“Not dead, just missing. But now I’m back,” he added, looking up at the monster, “and I brought some friends.”

Celestia glanced at the mysteriously quiet beast, its furious yellow eyes glaring daggers at the castle. “You mean you brought this thing here!? What is it, Mane?”

“The means to victory,” Mane Archon replied, his voice suddenly serious. “And your defeat.”

“Defeat?” Celestia struck an aggressive pose, her guards all doing the same. Luna’s head tilted sideways to observe Mane properly for the first time. “We were allies, Mane. Why would you seek to defeat me?”

“Allies.” He spat the word as if it left a nasty taste in his mouth. “You were always so naïve, Celestia. If that accident hadn’t knocked me through the rifts I’d have become King, and you’d have never noticed the knife until it was twisting in your heart.”

The Princess of the Sun reared her head back, eyes flashing white-hot with anger. “So you were treacherous from the very beginning. I knew it was wrong to trust you.”

“Don’t forget,” Luna whispered into her ear, “he does have a giant snake… dragon.”

Mane’s ear twitched, and he grinned wickedly. “That’s right, I do. And unless you want Riptide to lay waste to Equestria I suggest you surrender to us immediately.”

The fury in Celestia’s face was so intense that even her guards took a cautious step away. “You dare… Equestria would never submit to such tactics. I have not forgotten, Archon: you were a weak mage. If you can tame this beast, so can we.”

Mane’s smile didn’t fade even as the grass beneath Celestia’s hooves withered from her burning anger. “Oh… I didn’t tame the beast. Not on my own, at least. I had an accomplice.” He turned his attention high up to Riptide’s face. “I think you’ve met.”

A flash of light, so bright it made even Celestia glance away, announced the magical arrival of somepony else. The sisters turned to address this new threat, but all they could see was a dot atop the nose of the ever-still monster. The dot leapt into the air and began to glide down, slowly approaching the Gardens.

“I will handle this newcomer,” Luna offered quietly, her horn shimmering with the tiniest of magical auras. “You handle Archon.”

“I won’t argue,” Celestia agreed, casting a scathing glance at him. But then she heard Luna suck in a sharp breath of alarm, and when she looked again her anger died in an instant, along with her scorching magical aura.

“Hello, my little ponies,” the crystal alicorn called politely as she landed softly in the grass before them. “It is so good to see you both once more.”

There was no way to properly describe Celestia’s emotions. They were something of a mix between astonishment, disbelief and, overshadowing it all like a vice, terror. “S…Silma…?”

“That’s not possible…” Luna whispered, taking a horrified step back. “We saw you die…”

“And I’m certain that was very painful for you,” Silma noted kindly, but then her voice grew dark. “I assure you it hurt me far more than it hurt you.”

Celestia, unwilling to take her eyes off Silma, called out. “Archon, do you even know who this is!?”

“Of course I know,” he answered.

“I told him all about our history,” Silma Ril admitted. She placed a hoof to her glistening, reflective chest. “Your betrayal burned a hole in my heart. I feel it to this day.”

“We never betrayed you,” Luna snapped, taking a daring step forward. “It was you who betrayed the world!”

“Little Luna,” Silma replied dotingly. “Still the underachiever, if what I’ve heard is correct; always cowering in your sister’s shadow.”

Luna’s eyes flared white. “I do not cower!”

“That’s not what I remember,” Silma noted, her tone still sweet. “What about you, Celestia, my star pupil? Do you remember Luna clinging to your tail?”

Celestia sneered and stepped forward to stand resolutely with her sibling. “You will not divide us, Silma! We bested you once, we can do it again.”

“Such determination,” Mane Archon offered, still standing far to the right of the Princesses. “It’s almost admirable.”

“Not at all,” Silma replied without so much as a glance his way. She flicked a hoof through her lightless mane, all pleasantness gone. “Dear Celestia, I have no need to divide the two of you. Once through treachery you defeated me, but now you stand no chance.”

Luna rose into the air abruptly, eyes shining like beacons and mane flaring. “We shall see!” Her horn shined bright, and a thin blue beam of energy streamed from its tip.

Silma sneered, her own eyes fading black. Abruptly appearing from within her mane, the Life of Earth and the Light of Day floated forward. The beam of energy struck something solid, an invisible shield that seemed to directly absorb the magical attack.

“Luna, stop!” Celestia’s warning was too late: a massive ball of white energy burst from the protective barrier and hurtled itself directly into Luna, erupting in a shower of sparkling energy. Luna collapsed to the ground with a pained cry, smoke rising from her chest.

The soldiers surrounding the Princesses let out furious cries and attacked even as Celestia called for them to stop, but they were too angered to listen. She extended her wings, ready to join the fray, but just as she was about to leap something huge crashed into the soil before her. It was a massive, spiked ball that glowed with an unnatural blue aura. Celestia turned to see a long chain attached to it, coming from Mane Archon’s coat.

“Oh no you don’t, Princess,” he declared gleefully, rushing at her just as a massive sword emerged from his coat. “You and I will play, first!”

Celestia sneered and, with a thought, lifted him off his hooves. “You. You are nothing.” And with that she sent him flying like a rag doll across the gardens. She jumped high, landing atop the massive ball, and was horrified at the sight of all her guards frozen in red crystals. Silma Ril was nowhere to be seen.

“That was a disappointing display.”

Celetia started to turn around, but before she even saw Silma she felt the burn and was sent flying. She landed hard in the grass among the crystals, grunting in pain. When she looked up she was staring straight into the eyes of one of the soldiers, his face frozen in fury but fear apparent in his eyes. Those crystals…

She rose to her hooves, ignoring the pain in her side where the spell had hit, and turned to glare at her opponent atop the giant orb. “So it was you all along,” she muttered angrily. “You helped Sombra in the Crystal Empire… and you assisted Tazel in Nildia, too. You’ve been behind it all. Why, Silma!?”

Silma grinned, pale and dark surfaces reflecting strangely in the light of the two gemstone that floated ominously on both sides of her. “Why, to buy time to find my stones, of course. You hid them well, Celestia, but it was only a matter of time.”

The stones. Celestia took a terrified step back, at last recognizing them. “No…”

“Yes,” Silma interrupted, “they are with me, back where they belong. And now I’m going to use them to rebuild my empire. With your help of course.”

“I would never help you.”

“Oh little Tia.” Silma rolled her eyes with an amused smile. “You were my prized student, but somehow always missed the obvious. You’ll help me, we both know it.”

The stones glowed brightly, and abruptly a ring of yellow energy surrounded the Sun Princess. Before Celestia could respond the ring enclosed upon her, and she couldn’t resist screaming at the pain.

Silma took on an apologetic tone. “Of course, after your betrayal you understand that I just can’t trust you like I once did, so I’ll have to… ‘re-educate’ you. Just a little.”

Celestia tried to cast her magic, to defend herself in some way, but the intense pain made it impossible to concentrate. She fought to calm her mind and focus, but the pale blast of energy that finally fired from her horn only fizzled uselessly against Silma’s shield. Tears in her eyes, the Princess of the Sun collapsed to the ground. “Si…Silma… stop…”

“I know it hurts,” Silma offered. “Think of me as a mother: I punish you to teach you a lesson, Celestia. Nothing more. It is an act of love.”

Celestia struggled to raise her head through the pain. She gazed up and saw her sister hovering high in the air above Silma. Her eyes shined with anger as she cast another beam at their seemingly unaware opponent… only for the beam to bounce off the shield and embed itself harmlessly in a nearby tree.

“Oh yes, there’s still the matter of Luna,” Silma noted, turning her head to eye the Moon Princess. “I have everything I need to make my rule final… with one exception.”

In an instant Celestia knew of what her former teacher spoke, and the thought filled her with terror. “Luna!” She fought to stand, to catch her sister’s attention. “Luna, go! You’re the one she wants!”

Luna, startled by her sister’s outburst, barely dodged the blue wall of light that had been fired at her. “I will not leave you!”

“She has the stones!” Celestia cried, wincing as the pain intensified. “We cannot defeat her as we are! Please, don’t give her what she wants!”

Silma was facing Luna directly now. He gestured to her with a hoof. “Come now, little Luna. You don’t want to offend your teacher, do you? Just tell me what I want to know and it will all end quickly. Your Empress promises.”

“You will never be Empress again!” Celestia screamed, falling once more for the agony. “Luna, please! Run!”

“Luna…” Silma called with a warning tone.

For several seconds Luna hovered in place, clearly torn between her duty and her desires. At last, with a frustrated cry, she turned and flew away. “I’ll be back, Celestia! You have my word!”

“Oh.” Silma watched Luna flee with a forlorn expression. “That’s a pity.”

“You will… never get the… third stone…” Celestia muttered, her body jerking involuntarily from the pain and face wet with tears.

Silma turned to her, a slight smile on her lips. “Is that so?” She dropped down to land before the Sun Princess. “We shall see, little Tia.”

Despite all the pain, Celestia was determined to maintain her bravado. “Luna… she… she’ll find a way… she’ll stop you…”

Silma chuckled ominously. “She’ll try, of course. I’m counting on it. As for you… I think I’ll let you have some time to think on your sins.” Her horn shined, this time a bright red.

Celestia’s moist eyes jerked open as her legs locked, staring in terror at the dark crystal that was forming around her body. “No… Silma, I will not be controlled by you!”

“Even an alicorn princess isn’t immune to my magic, Celestia,” Silma reminded her. “You know that as well as I do.”

Celestia struggled against the crystal, opened her wings and flapping against its hold, but she couldn’t break free. She tried to use her magic, but the more she did the more intense the pain became, until she could think of nothing else. “Silma… W-we had no choice! You w-were out of c-control! Please, remember what you were like before!” The crystal began to encase her wings and rise up her neck. No matter how she tried to twist and shake it off, it simply wouldn’t stop. “Silma, please! You can’t ju…”

Celestia’s words cut off as the crystal rose above her mouth. She stared with begging eyes at the former empress, knowing that there was no escaping her fate. The crystal covered her eyes, and her world became engulfed in dark red. A few seconds later and she was completely encased.

Silma approached, tapped the crystal with a hoof. Celestia could hear the quiet tink-tink of the motion. She watched as Silma’s smile faded into a grim sneer. Her voice echoed eerily in Celestia’s head. “Disappointing. You used to be so strong, Celestia. Fifteen centuries without my guidance has made you soft. I will have that fixed by the time you are freed… which, with my personal attention, will be in a matter of hours."

She turned about, noticing something beyond Celestia’s limited vision. “Ah, there you are, Archon. I hope you are not so useless later.”

“Let me be,” his voice echoed, “I wasn’t expecting her magic to have grown so strong.” His face appeared in her blood-red vision, eyeing her solemnly. “I see even the mighty Celestia was no match for the stones.”

“Not now, and not then,” Silma declared.

Archon grunted exactingly before turned away. “What about Luna? You let her escape?”

“Of course I did,” she replied. “I needed her to. The first thing she’ll do is go find their precious Element Bearers and bring them here to fight us.”

“…that’s serious. How are we supposed to fight the Elements of Harmony?”

“That will be easy, if left to me.” Silma appeared in Celestia’s vision once more, confident and looming. “That’s right, Tia, I know you don’t hold the Elements anymore. Luna is playing into my hooves. I look forward to seeing the two of you reunited.”

Celestia wanted to respond, but she couldn’t utter a sound. She could only remain, still as a statue, helpless and desperate as she could feel the magic already clutching her mind. Luna, Twilight, all her friends… there was nothing to be done except pray to anypony listening that, when the tiem came, they would do what was necessary.

Fluttershy was trembling within the bushes near her home, hiding and watching at the same time. She gazed out in mute horror, entire body trembling at the sight of the massive beast that was even visible here on the opposite side of Ponyville. Granted, all she could see was a thick section of its serpentine body… but that was more than enough to keep her dracophobia alive and strong.

She glanced at Angel, who stood beside her head and patted her comfortingly even though he was clearly just as terrified. “W-w-what do you t-think it is…?”

He shook his head and clung to her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I… I hope Twilight kn-knows what to d-d-do about it…”

Her thoughts were interrupted by an unfamiliar sound. Staying low, she perked an ear up and listened… and after a few seconds came to realize somepony was screaming. In pain? In fear? Fear, definitely fear. And whoever it was, he was coming closer. She covered her ears against the sound; the pony had to have been in a state of complete terror! And she thought she was afraid…

Then she saw him: Fine Crime. He was running towards the Everfree Forest as fast as his legs could carry him. Fluttershy jerked into a sitting position, her head bursting out of the top of the bush to get a better look. She was going to pass at a good distance, for he wasn’t minding the road. In fact he didn’t seem to be minding anything at all. She got a good look at his face when he glanced back, and the sight of it made her flinch: she’d never seen so much horror in an expression before.

“Fine?” she called out to him, but either he ignored her or didn’t hear her in the first place. He just kept running, hooves kicking up grass and dirt and tears visible even from this distance. For a moment she could only watch him go in stunned silence…

Then she pieced the puzzle together. She glanced at the great body stretching out beyond Ponyville towards Canterlot, took note of the purple scales. Huge, familiar scales. She’d seen them before. “Oh my… Fine…”

She turned to Angel and nudged him towards the road. “Angel, I need you to wait for me at the cottage, please?” He clung to her hoof for a moment, eyes on the serpent, but at last nodded and let go. She rose just a couple feet into the air. “I’ll be back soon. Stay safe until then!”

She went after Fine. She flapped as hard as she could, hoping that he would stick to the trail once he got into the forest. She strained her ears to listen for his screams, but they did not come; perhaps he’d run out of breath.

Fluttershy paused at the entrance to the forest, feeling a slight chill run down her back. She’d come through here many times while taking care of him, but never at night. She glanced up at the moon that was just rising over the horizon and tried to take comfort in its glow. She knew she couldn’t back down: if that thing really was the beast from Fine’s foalhood then he would need all the help he could get.

Sucking in a deep breath and controlling her fears, Fluttershy flew into the forest. She kept to the trail, praying he would go to his home. It was the only place she could think of that he would go.

As she flew she tried to listen to the forest for comfort. It didn’t work: the woods were too quiet. In fact they were so quiet she began to wonder if there were any animals out there at all. Had they all fled from the giant snake thing? She couldn’t blame any of them if they had.

Fluttershy was by no means a fast flyer, and it took her nearly an hour to reach Fine’s home. To her relief she found the door opened wide; Fine had been so eager to escape the beast he’d not bothered to close the door behind him.

She scoured the house as best she could. Every room, every piece of furniture was checked and double checked. She feared he might have entered one of his hidden rooms. There was a great many of them, she knew because Fine had revealed a few to her. But there was no way for her to gain access to most: they were opened by magical puzzle locks that were literally hidden behind the walls! Even if she knew where the puzzles were, she couldn’t see them or use magic to work them. It wasn’t like in mystery novels where you pressed a secret switch and a panel opened: there was no way to access the hidden puzzles without tearing the outer layer of the wall down.

But there were a few hidden rooms in the house that used simpler hiding methods. They were few, but she knew of a couple. They were her only hope.

She decided to visit the hidden room she was most familiar with: the Shadow Room. She’d been there every day for six very difficult weeks, so she had no trouble getting in. She found the seemingly pointless, barren room from the hall and, approaching a corner, pressed her hoof against the secret panel. The door opened at her side with a swish, and she wasted no time going up the stairs.

There was a closed door at the top of the stairs. She paused before it nervously, closing her eyes and taking slow, deep breaths. She hated this room. Her memories of it were ones she’d have rather forgotten. But Fine had chosen it for a reason: he considered the darkness soothing. It was his place to unwind, think, and sometimes relax. That made it the best place to go when terrified, right?

At last sure of her decision, she opened the door. As she entered the lightless room her eyes instinctively darted to the spot at its center, imagining a torture rack sitting there. But as her eyes gradually adjusted she could see that the rack had been removed. Of course; it had been replaced nearly two weeks ago. Now the room was well decorated: big soft chairs, a large bed, an antique record player in the corner. Everything in the room was designed with one thought in mind: there was no light. There were no pictures, no windows, no artwork. Such things were pointless here.

She closed the door slowly, listen to its quiet squeak. The tiny amount of light that had allowed her to see the décor faded as the opening closed until she was completely swallowed by black. As soon as the squeaking ended her ears perked up at a different sound: whimpering. “Fine?”

She moved towards the sound, walking very slowly so as not to bump anything. It was so dark in the room: a total and complete absence of light. She considered flying up to the chandelier above them, but discarded the thought as she had nothing to light its candles. She just kept going, occasionally pausing when she bumped into something.

She reminded herself again how much she hated this room. She could still vividly remember Fine’s furious screams, his cold and violent words, his bitterness and hate. Even now, two weeks after he’d been cured of the Bloodmane, the memories were clear. Top that off with her fear of the dark and she was something of an emotional mess herself.

But she remembered Fine’s face at that moment when he was passing her house, the expression of unparalleled terror. She needed him again, and though she did not understand why she was determined to be there for him.

“Fine…?” she called quietly over the sound of his crying, “talk to me. It’s Fluttershy. Where are you?”

No answer. Could he not hear her?

She bumped into something with a fearful squeak, but relaxed as she felt at it with a hoof: it was the bed. Was he on it, then? She listened carefully, but couldn’t place him there. Still, he was nearby…

Of course. She dropped to her knees and tucked her head under the bed, and his whimpering abruptly became very clear. She almost couldn’t believe it: he was actually hiding under his bed. That sounded more like something she would do!

“Fine, it’s alright,” she whispered. She reached a hoof forward slowly. “It’s me, Fluttershy. You don’t have to be afraid.” She felt something soft, realized it was his mane. Her hoof traced it slowly, until she found his face. “Fine… come on Fine, speak to me.”

He just kept crying. She chewed her lip and, pulling her way deeper under the bed so that she was much closer, tried again. “Verity.”

His crying stopped. She heard him sniff dejectedly. “M…momma…?”

Momma?

She hesitated, wondering how to respond. He shifted in the darkness, making her decide that the deception was worth it. “It’s okay Verity, I’m here.”

“…I’m s-scared Momma…”

His voice sounded so small, so horribly feeble. Just hearing it made her feel horrible. She remembered going into the Door of Fears with him, witnessing the death of his mother when he was just a colt. And that beast… that horrible, horrible beast that ate her… “It’ll be alright, Verity. I promise.”

“No it w-won’t,” he whispered even as he slipped closer and embraced her neck. He was crying into her mane, as if he were a colt all over again. “It c-came b-b-back… it’s c-come for m-m-me…”

“It’s just a dream, Verity,” she assured him, fighting to keep the tears from her eyes. She patted his mane tenderly, praying that she could help him out of this lifelong trauma. “Sleep, Verity. It’s just a dream…”

Author's Note

This is it, folks: the last part of the No Heroes story. I could have stretched it out to make this into two books, but concluded that it was better to make the finale fast. I'm not worrying about length this time: I want everything to happen one after the other. I've waited a long time to get here and I don't wanna wait anymore. I imagine the very few who started this and are still here would be thinking the same thing.

For those who are just finding this, I'm trying to write it so that it can somewhat stand alone without the rest of the books. Even so, things might get confusing if ya haven't read the first three books, so I recommend doing so.

This is not going to be an easy victory for our ponies: things have to get worse before they can get better.

This entire story would have been up last night, except that I wasted literally three hours pouring over MLP fanart for a cover. I knew what picture I wanted, I'd seen it before... but now that I actually need it I can't find it anywhere. It's like the damn internet deleted it completely right when I actually had a use for it! I was bitter and grumpy, and I'm still a little annoyed, but I guess this Jormungandr cover will do the job in the meantime.

I will be working both on this story and my new Trixie story at the same time, as well as doing editing work on a couple other stories, so updates won't be at their usual pace.

Oh, and one more thing: I hate Silma Ril's design. I must have redesigned her a dozen times looking for something that wasn't dripping with cliche sauce, but just couldn't manage it. I finally settled with this and said 'screw it.'

A Plan of Action

Fluttershy let the hidden door close behind her. She stared at the fake wall panel for several long minutes, feeling decidedly miserable. She hated leaving Fine up there, but she didn’t know what else to do; there was just no consoling him. She had to find somepony who could help… but what if that monster was still out there? Nopony in Equestria was going to help Fine if they were still having to worry about that thing.

But she’d been up there for nearly two hours and had achieved nothing, unless she counted getting him from being under the bed to on top of it. Which she didn’t. She needed advice or… or… she didn’t know what she needed, but she wasn’t doing any good staying there.

“Fine?” Fluttershy turned at the familiar voice, mildly surprised to see Princess Luna trotting out of the hall. The Princess came to an abrupt pause at the sight of her. “Fluttershy? What are… is Fine home?”

The urgency in her voice worried Fluttershy a bit. “He’s… not doing too good. Is this about that monster?”

The Princess nodded, her face as serious as death. “Ill or no, I need everypony to be gathered. We face a crisis the likes of which has not been encountered since… since before written history.”

Fluttershy stared at her with wide eyes. “Is… is it r-really that s-s-serious…?”

“Where is Fine?”

The demanding tone, the barely-controlled urgency, the quiet fidgeting… everything told Fluttershy that something truly terrible had indeed come to pass. But Fine… “I’ll show you.”

She led Luna up the hidden stairwell, not uttering a word despite the discomfort of having the princess so close at her back. When she opened the door at the top of the stairs the now-familiar sound of Fine’s whimpering immediately caught her ears. She allowed Luna to pass her at the doorway and followed with head bowed, wishing she could go back downstairs.

Fine was illuminated in the soft glow of Luna’s mane. Fluttershy had tucked him under the covers, where he fretfully slept. His legs kicked in tiny jerks against the sheets, tears dripping down his cheeks. His lips moved swiftly as he mumbled, his terrified words not quite discernible even in the perfect silence. Every now and again his entire body would spasm in a single, small motion, usually accompanied by a tiny yelp.

Luna sat and stared down at her closest ally. Fluttershy went to the other side of the bed and saw, to her alarm, a haunted and lost expression on that royal face. She’d never imagined that she might see such a worried look in the eyes of a Princess.

“Has he been like this ever since the creature arrived?” Luna asked, her voice hollow.

Fluttershy nodded, still staring at her face. “I’ve been trying to help him… but I don’t think he can even hear me anymore.”

Luna’s head turned away from the bed. She set a hoof to her chin and thought for several seconds, her fearful eyes shifting as if to follow some unseen object in the distance. “We have no choice,” she said at last. “We must proceed without him. There simply is no time.”

“Proceed to do what?”

Luna turned to her, and all the doubt that had been there a moment before was gone. “I need everypony gathered here immediately. Not just the Element-Bearers, but Fine’s team as well. You must go, Fluttershy, and quickly!”

Fluttershy winced at the tone, worry eating at her mind as she took a few steps to the door. “Umm… what about Fine?”

Luna turned back to the bed. “His analytical prowess would have been helpful… I will try something, and tend to him until you return. But we cannot wait for him to recover: too much is at stake.” There was a brief pause, and then Luna cast an angry glance at Fluttershy. “Go, Fluttershy! There is no time to waste!”

It had taken nearly three hours for the ponies to gather at the house in the Everfree Forest. They were all in what Fluttershy claimed was Fine’s dining room around a massive table, waiting impatiently for Luna to come down from the tower. When she at last appeared she looked worn out and miserable, her mane slack and its glow dim.

Fluttershy was the first to speak up. “How’s Fine?”

Luna shook her head as she made her way to the head of the table. “There is nothing more I can do. I left him a small token, something I’ve been working on for the past year, but I do not know if it will help. The rest is up to him.”

Rainbow was the next to speak, rising up out of her seat excitedly. “What’s that big monster out there, huh? Where did it come from!?”

“The only pony who might be able to tell us that is mentally out-of-order,” Twilight answered with head bowed, pointing to the ceiling with a hoof to indicate Fine Crime.

“I fear Twilight is correct,” Luna confessed. “I know not what it is or where it comes from, only that it is under the control of Mane Archon and Silma Ril.”

Her audience all exchanged questioning looks. “Who?” Nye asked.

Luna considered them all for a moment, appearing just a bit hesitant. “I cannot say who Mane Archon is. His name is familiar, and what little I do know suggests that he was an important – but unknown – figure in Equestrian History.”

“That’s strange,” Twilight noted, “if he was then shouldn’t I have read about him at some point?”

“Egghead,” Lightning Dust called out, but nopony found the taunt funny.

“Alas, I cannot tell you anything more, because I simply do not know about him,” Luna admitted. “But he works with Silma Ril, so I can only assume he is very dangerous.”

“That’s twice you’ve mentioned this Silma Ril,” Rarity noted. “Who is she?”

“Oh oh, she’s a witch!” Pinkie offered excitedly. “Or maybe a demon. No wait, a human! Oooooh, a human-demon witch!”

There was a long, strained silence. The heavy atmosphere saw Pinkie’s smile fade, and she slowly sat back down with a pout. Luna’s extended silence had everypony feeling on edge; they exchanged looks and waited anxiously for her to respond.

“We have precious little time, so I will spare the details,” Luna said at last. “Silma was an Empress who ruled long ago, before even the founding of Equestria. She was the first great evil my sister and I stood up against. We thought she’d been killed.”

“Killed?” Upper Crust asked in alarm. “…not… defeated? Or imprisoned? Or…?”

“Killed.” Luna’s tone was firm. “There was no other option: it was her or us.”

Another nervous silence filled the room. After a few seconds Luna went on. “My sister and I fought Silma, and it was a desperate battle. We barely achieved victory, and then only through the aid of another. Now she is back and we MUST defeat her as swiftly as possible, before she returns to her full strength.”

“Umm… Princess?” It was Twilight, and she suddenly had a very scared expression. “Why isn’t Celestia here with you? She’s… protecting Canterlot?”

Luna’s face cracked for just a moment, and she quickly glanced away to recover. After a few tense seconds she finally answered. “Celestia… my sister… cannot help us now. She’s been defeated.”

“WHAT!?”

The room erupted in terrified chatter, but Luna reared back and slammed her hooves on the floor, a crack of thunder radiating out of her mane to char a black mark along the walls. In the ensuing silence she spoke. “We can save her, if we act swiftly! As we speak Silma is attempting to enslave the minds of all the ponies in Canterlot, including my sister. This will take up much of her energies, so we have a singular opportunity to do something about it. The Elements of Harmony are our only hope: if we can get you to the Castle and use the spell against Silma she will be defeated.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Rainbow asked, once again leaping out of her seat.

“Wait,” Jimmy countered, “that can’t be the only option. Princess, how did you and your sister defeat her before?”

“That option is not available to us,” Luna replied solemnly. “I am afraid Rainbow Dash is correct: there is no option but to go in haste to Canterlot.”

“I don’t like it,” Octavia declared. “If this Silma’s so strong we can’t just jump in! We need to form some kind of plan.”

“We will,” Luna responded firmly, “but let us think of it on the way. Every second we waste brings my sister closer to mental capitulation.”

“The Princess would never submit ta some weird mind spell mumbo jumbo,” Applejack announced confidently, but then cast a wary glance towards Luna. “…would she?”

“…we must hurry.” Luna’s answer didn’t comfort anypony.

They marched towards the capitol, hidden under the protective cover of Luna’s darkness. The princess was in an obvious hurry, and nopony blamed her for wanting to rescue her sister. But they were only civilians, and some were not at all physically suited for the trip; she made no attempts to press them. They moved as fast as they could through rolling hills and forest, Canterlot Castle looming high above them as they edged ever closer. Once again she wished the trains had been working, but of course the great sleeping beast had destroyed the train line.

“Luna?”

She glanced back, her thoughts interrupted, to find a very worn out Nye walking swiftly just behind her. He was out of breath and limping, clearly unaccustomed to such constant activity, but he’d not complained all night. For once she wasn’t all that happy to see him. “Yes Nye, what is it?”

He picked up his pace with visible strain so as to come alongside her. “I was…wondering how you’re…holding up.”

If the situation weren’t so serious she might have laughed at the comment; he was the one struggling to keep up. But she knew what he really meant. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t look at her, and his voice was firm. “Don’t lie to me.”

She glanced at him with genuine surprise; that was a tone she’d never heard in him before. He went on before she could respond, huffing between phrases. “I’m a soft pony…everypony knows that…but I didn’t…make friends with you…for the prestige of it.”

She turned her head forward once more, her face becoming regal but her mind lost. “Your meaning eludes me.”

He glanced aside, as if to make sure none of the others were listening, and then leaned close to her. “Talk to me… Let me know what…what you’re thinking…”

Oh, now she understood. He was offering to listen, to be a comfort. “I appreciate the sentiment, Nye,” she managed coldly, “but there is nothing you can do.”

“Don’t give me that,” he hissed angrily. “We’ve been…spilling our guts…in our letters to…one another for…four years now. I know you…Luna.”

She frowned, still refusing to look at him. “What do you want me to say? That I’m scared? That I need a shoulder to cry on?”

“I want you to say what you feel,” he snapped, though he managed to keep his anger bottled down to a whisper. “You’re playing…the leadership role. …I get it. …but you can’t…go in there like this…”

“Like what?” she demanded, tone sharp.

He was abruptly in her way, forcing her to stop or run him over. Her simmering anger was dissipated somewhat by her surprise at his unusually aggressive manner. “Like it’s…all or nothing.” He answered firmly. “I know what…what you’re thinking, Luna.” He took a deep recovering breath before pressing on. “You’re willing to risk it all, even your life if it means saving your sister. That’s why I’m talking to you right now.”

Dear Nye. Sometimes he could be so perceptive. But right at this moment it wasn’t endearing at all. “She’s my sister. What do you expect, subject?”

“Nye?” Twilight appeared at his side, setting a hoof to his shoulder. “…I don’t think now’s a good…”

“Shut up!” He shoved her away and turned back to Luna, who now realized that all the others were watching the exchange. Everyone was clearly worried, both of Nye’s extremely odd behavior and Luna’s potential response. “We’re about to go get ourselves killed. There’s no better time.”

“Nye, what are you doing?” Jimmy asked, his head low and ears tucked.

“I’m making sure we all understand what’s happening here,” his brother responded, eyes locked on Luna.

“I think you need to calm down,” she told him sharply, “and I think we need to keep moving.”

She tried to go around him, but he shifted to get in her way. She considered merely flying over him, but he spoke before she could act on the thought. “I can’t speak for everyone here, but I don’t want you to go into Canterlot with this kind of attitude.”

Such impertinence! “Friend or no, you should know better than to speak to your Princess…”

“I am not finished,” he snarled, and this time her surprise was so complete she actually forgot her anger. “You’re the princess, Luna! What is Equestria going to do without you? You’re ready to sacrifice yourself to save your sister, but have you considered the consequences should you fail?”

“I won’t fail,” she countered vehemently. “I can’t!”

“I’m sure Celestia thought the same thing,” he fired back, “and look where she is?”

There were collective gasps from the onlookers, Octavia whispering a horrified “Nye!”

“Any plan that risks losing Luna is too dangerous!” he snapped, turning to glare at all of them. “We need her! Equestria needs her!”

“Equestria needs Celestia,” Luna countered grimly.

“Just because you do things differently does not make her better than you,” he claimed. “Think about all those ponies who you’ve visited in dreams. Think about every pony who has come to rely upon you to protect us when we are at our most vulnerable. Think about me, about all of us, about Fine Crime!” He reared back to press his hooves against her shoulders firmly, his eyes resolute. “Celestia might rule Equestria, but you are our Princess, Luna, and we need you! Not Celestia, you. So I’m asking you, don’t go in there with plans to sacrifice your life for hers. You’re too important.”

She gazed into his eyes, momentarily stunned not just by their determination but also their honesty. “...Nye…”

“Lay off.” Jimmy abruptly appeared, shoving Nye back. “Stop making eyes at the princess. Rainbow’ll get jealous.”

“Will not!”

“My brother’s an idiot, Your Highness.” He turned to her with a weak smile. “But… this time he’s right.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Octavia noted as she stepped up behind Nye with a regal air. “Celestia might rule Equestria, but there are some of us who prefer you.”

“Wow,” Twilight noted as she eyed the three in mild amazement, “I wasn’t expecting this.”

Upper Crust and Lightning Dust exchanged telling looks and stepped forward as well. “We’re behind you, Princess,” Upper Crust declared.

“And in front, if that’s what it takes,” Lightning confirmed.

“And if Fine were here,” Nye concluded, pushing his brother out of the way with a soft smile, “he’d be saying the same thing. Heck,” he added with a self-conscious blush, “he’d have probably said it better, too.”

Luna gazed at all of them, the ponies who had just a few years ago been nothing in even their own eyes. And now they were here, ready to fight… and they weren’t even doing it for Equestria. She didn’t understand the strange swelling feeling within her chest. Was this what her sister felt for the Element-Bearers? It was… by the moon, it was pride. She gazed out over her little ponies to the Element-Bearers, who stood nearby in a group to watch with happy smiles, and saw Twilight give a weak nod. “We’re with you too.”

She sat and brushed her eyes tenderly. “Nye Stone… I keep telling you to stop this kind of thing before you embarrass me…”

“Way too late for that,” Lightning noted.

“Alright. All of you, alright.” She beamed at them, amazed at how happy she was at that moment. “You win: I’ll be careful.”

Her team shared a collective sigh of relief, Nye adding, “That’s all I ask.”

There was a moment of pleasant silence as she gave him the happiest smile… and then Rainbow abruptly appeared between them. “This is really nice and all, but I think we’ve got a princess to save!”

Getting into Canterlot itself had been surprisingly easy. All the royal guards had moved to the barracks near the castle and were clearly trying to fight their way in. Luna and the others had assumed that Silma would have tried to brainwash the entire city in one go, just as Sombra had tried in the Crystal Empire. But there were no crystallized ponies in the city, nor any ponies with red eyes. At first this had seemed like a good sign… until Luna realized that Silma must have been focusing most of her energies on Celestia.

Suddenly everything seemed much more urgent.

When they at last reached the castle they found it surrounded by city guards and soldiers, all of whom had their spirits raised at the sight of Luna and the Element-Bearers. Some of Luna’s team felt a bit unappreciated, but they let it slide; there were more important issues at hoof.

While questioning the Captain of the Guard they learned the surprising truth: a small army of griffons and nilgiri tahr had attacked the castle that night from the skies. They’d taken over the highest floors of the castle and were fiercely guarding all access points. When asked the Captain confirmed the worst: all these invaders had red eyes.

“They must have been planning this for weeks,” Jimmy noted as they all huddled into a group to discuss strategy.

“More like months,” Upper Crust corrected, eyeing the castle worriedly. “How are we supposed to get to Celestia?”

“Well some of us can fly,” Lightning pointed out.

“There’s four pegasi and one alicorn. We can’t carry the rest of them up there, Dustie,” Rainbow pointed out grumpily.

“Flying is not an option anyway,” Twilight noted. “The Captain said the griffons are brutally after pegasi, and you’d all be too busy carrying us to defend yourselves.”

“In that case what are we supposed ta do?” Applejack asked. “If the soldiers can’t bust through them defenses, who’s ta say we can?”

“We can still fly,” Luna corrected, eyes upon the castle above them. “We need only a distraction.”

“A distraction?” Nye asked skeptically, “what kind of distraction?”

“The flying kind, of course,” Rarity said.

Luna nodded. “Indeed. Some pegasi can go up and attract the attention of the griffons. If we can lure them out to give chase then those of us who need to can fly into the castle safely.”

Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest with a confident grin. “I can do that! You just watch me, I’ll…”

“Not you, Rainbow,” Jimmy ordered.

“What?” She squinted at him scrutinously. “You need speed, agility and guts for a job like this! Who better than me?”

“The single most important thing is to get the six Element-Bearers to Silma,” Luna declared. “Mr. Stone is correct, Rainbow: you cannot be the distraction. You have to join the others so that the Elements of Harmony can be used.”

“Guess that means I’m up,” Lightning announced with a smug grin at Rainbow, who crossed her legs and sulked.

“And you will not be alone,” Luna told her. “We’ll have the pegasi soldiers help.”

“Umm, Princess?” Fluttershy whispered, somehow managing to catch everypony’s attention. “What about the m-m-monster?”

“Yeah,” Pinkie threw in, “and that Archon guy? What do we do if we run into him?”

“Archon is the smallest threat… I believe,” Luna replied after a moment’s thought. “While the Element-Bearers handle Silma my team will fight Archon. I imagine they will be close together at this early stage in their plan.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Octavia agreed.

“…and the m-monster?” Fluttershy pressed.

An awkward silence passed among them as they considered this dilemma. Several of them cast their eyes to the edge of Canterlot, where the beast’s massive body stretched on in the into the horizon.

“…Silma and Archon learned to control the beast,” Luna answered hesitantly. “Celestia and I will have to learn to do the same.”

They were gathered within a tall building, near the castle but away from the soldiers. Above Lightning and a small swarm of pegasi were circling, diving the castle’s spires with fly-by maneuvers that seemed dangerously close. The griffons couldn’t be seen through the windows below, save for the occasional claw swiping out at a pegasus just out of range. Yet no matter how many times they tried they just couldn’t reach the ponies, and from the sound of their eagle calls it was clear they were getting frustrated.

“How long has it been?” Applejack asked, tapping her hoof impatiently.

Upper Crust glanced at the stars to do a little guess work. “Half an hour.”

“I can’t believe they haven’t attacked,” Rainbow Dash said. “My old friend Gilda always had a hot temper. I thought it was a griffon thing.”

“Just be patient, everyone,” Octavia suggested, though she cast a worried glance to Luna. The Princess hadn’t said anything in some time. Her gaze had been firmly locked on the castle in a manner suggesting determination, but the occasional fidgeting and her deep breathing revealed her anxiousness.

She wasn’t the only one. Twilight sat nearby, mirroring Luna’s studious gaze but unable to hide her fear for her mentor. Jimmy, Nye, Fluttershy and Rarity were farther to the back of the room, where Pinkie was trying to keep their spirits up. Even she didn’t seem to have quite the same bounce in her step, though. All the rest remained near the windows, watching the castle above them and waiting for the opportunity to strike.

The minutes ticked by, and a very impatient Rainbow Dash made her way to Nye and pulled him aside. “You okay?” he asked as they settled in a dark corner.

“No, I am not okay,” she snapped, casting a grumpy look to the others. “…tell me I can’t do anything… I need to fly! Every second we sit here is another second Celestia has to fight on her own.”

He scratched his head, appearing just a bit helpless. “I understand how ya feel, Dashie, but what can we do? They need you with them to take on Silma.”

“I know,” she admitted, sagging a little. “I just… can’t stand waiting like this.”

He eyed her for a moment, a small smile on his lips. “Well, at least the view’s good.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. “Do you ever stop?” she asked, shoving him the chest playfully.

“Can’t,” he replied, shaking his head. “If I did you might stop paying attention to me.”

That didn’t sound like a joke. “Why do you think I’d stop paying attention to you?” He blushed and looked away, not answering the question. “Come on, Nye, spit it out.”

He glanced at her for just second, and there was genuine worry in his eyes. “It’s just… I’m simple Nye. Nothing special.” He scuffed the ground with a hoof. “I guess I’m afraid some Wonderbolt will show up and steal you away from me, or something like that. Let’s face it, you’re awesome…”

The gained a smug smile and took on a satisfied pose. “I am, aren’t I?”

“…and I’m just me.”

Her smile faded as she watched him for a moment. Clearly he meant every word. The sight of him looking so worried had her feeling fairly crummy, too, and now was hardly the time for that kind of talk. Glancing back to make sure nopony was watching, she edged a little closer and wrapped a hoof around his shoulder. “Hey, you’re pretty awesome yourself.”

He huffed in obvious disbelief. “Flatterer.”

“No, really. That little speech you gave Luna earlier? That was awesome. How many stallions out there can claim to have given a pep talk to a Princess?”

He sighed, for a moment appearing unconvinced. But then he cast a small, wry smile at her. “I was pretty good, wasn’t I?”

“And the way your team rallied behind ya?” she added. “Goosebumps. Oh… and I still remember the Everfree Forest.”

He glanced about nervously. “I thought we agreed not to talk ab…?”His words caught in his throat as Rainbow abruptly nuzzled his neck tenderly. If he’d had wings he was certain they’d have popped open right then; for once he was glad his brother had been the lucky one.

“Now stop talking about me leavin ya,” she ordered with a smug grin, abruptly moving a couple feet away. “I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.” And with that she trotted her way back to her window across the room, leaving him to stare after her in stunned silence. He rubbed his neck for a moment, recalling her delightful touch, then noticed Jimmy and Rarity both smiling smugly at him. With a blush and a self-conscious cough he turned and made his way to another window.

“They’re goin!” Applejack declared.

All the ponies not at a window rushed to one quickly. Sure enough, above them they could see the griffons lifting off with furious cries. The pegasi scattered at first, dodging the initial attacks, and then began to disappear one at a time behind the castle. They weren’t going to go very far: they didn’t want to risk the griffons turning back for the castle they were charged with defending. Yet even though they were all disappearing from sight the ponies below knew the fighting was just on the other side of the castle, where the pegasi would keep the griffons busy while the team began their infiltration.

“Everypony outside!” Luna ordered, and they all rushed to obey. Fluttershy, despite her earlier protests, was the scout and thus flew up first. Rainbow grabbed Nye and Jimmy caught Octavia and began to carry them into the air. The rest were swept up in a spell created by Luna and lifted into the sky along with her in a thick, dark-blue mist. By the time they were halfway up they saw Fluttershy land on a balcony, and a few seconds later her head appeared over the side and she gave the all-clear signal.

“Whew, that was fun!” Pinkie announced heartily. “Can we do it a…”

A hoof landed on her lips, supplied by disgruntled Twilight. “Keep it down, Pinkie.”

“Oh, right, sorry,” she offered with a big, blushing grin.

Once they’d all landed they took a moment to listen. The sound of fighting nearby made it clear that they weren’t far from the level where the brainwashed nilgiri were holding the castle guard back.

“We need to hurry,” Rarity offered, “before the griffons come back.”

“Or the nilgiri decide to check up on their friends,” Jimmy added.

“To the gardens,” Luna ordered, leading the way through the pearly, gilded halls.

The castle seemed entirely devoid of life. No ponies, griffons or nilgiri ever appeared to block their movement through the hallways and rooms. “What do ya think happened to all the ponies that were up here when the attack started?” Nye asked.

“M-maybe they escaped,” Fluttershy offered with a worried glance at a darkened corridor.

“Or they’re dead,” Jimmy added, making the timid pegasus emit a horrified squeak.

“Not a chance,” Upper Crust declared with confidence. “They don’t want to kill us, they want to control us. You just wait, we’ll find a small army of crystals in the gardens.”

“I sure hope not,” Octavia grumbled. “The last time I was surrounded by those things I ended up with a broken leg, among other things.”

“Whatever we find we’ll just have to deal with,” a determined Twilight said.

“Right,” Applejack agreed. “We’ve got the Elements! There’s nothin we can’t beat with that.”

They all slowed to a stop: ahead of them were the massive doors leading to the castle gardens. Luna paused to consider the doors for a moment, but before she could say anything Twilight appeared next to her and set a hoof to her shoulder. “Princess, let me and the others go. You don’t need to go out there.”

“I appreciate your concern,” Luna told her, “and I know you’re trying to protect me, but I could not live with the shame if I didn’t go to help my sister.” She glanced back at the others and, at their worried expressions, smiled. “Do not fear, my little ponies: I will be cautious.”

They all seemed to accept this, though there was still some anxiety among them. “Caution is nice an all,” Applejack noted, “but if it’s all the same ta you, Princess, wah don’ ya let us Element-Bearers go in first?”

“I agree,” Rarity added. “After all we’re the ones who are supposed to be defeating Silma.”

“Yeah,” Pinkie agreed, abruptly appearing right in front of Luna. “We’re really good at this whole saving-the-world business, lots of experience. You can be our backup!”

“Actually,” Jimmy countered, “I think you would be best placed helping us deal with that Archon guy. We are down Fine Crime, after all, and none of us really know what he’s capable of.”

“Now that sounds like a plan,” Upper Crust agreed.

Luna studied them for a moment, lips cast in a frown and clearly thinking hard on the topic. It was obvious she didn’t want to accept the plan, but eventually she sighed and said, “Very well. I admit I want to confront Silma, but your plan does make much more sense from a tactical perspective. Lead on, Bearers, and be sure you don’t underestimate Silma Ril: she is without a doubt the most dangerous foe you will ever face.”

“Thank you, Princess,” Twilight acknowledged. She cast a confident look at the other Element-Bearers, who’d gathered around her, and together they headed for the gardens. The others allowed them to get a little ahead before moving on as well.

True to Upper Crust’s prediction, the gardens were filled with ponies trapped in red crystals. Guards, servants, officials, all had been dragged there to be trapped in the enslaving prisons. Some were in fighting poses, clearly having resisted to the end. Other appeared to have been begging or attempting to flee. No matter how they responded, though, it seemed nopony had escaped this terrible fate.

“Just think,” Jimmy noted unhappily, “in a matter of hours they could all be released as mindless pawns.”

“Not mindless,” Luna corrected, her tone ominous. “Not themselves, but not mindless.”

“So let’s take care of things before it comes to that,” Nye ordered, casting nervous looks at the frozen ponies all around him.

“Where’s Celestia’s crystal?” Octavia wondered, studying each crystal they passed with interest.

“It will likely be with Silma,” Luna answered.

“Ah, look who finally showed up!”

The team gathered together as a grey-coated, silver maned unicorn strode up between two crystals. “Princess Luna! How nice of you to come back to us.”

“Archon,” she hissed. “I do not know who you are or why you have joined with Silma, but if you wish to see the next moonrise you will surrender to us immediately.”

“Hmmm…” Archon bumped the box hanging at his throat a couple times thoughtfully. “…no, I don’t think so.” A tall, long and thick sword solidified over his shoulder and pointed at them threateningly.

Octavia glanced to the side and noticed that there was no sign of the Element-Bearers. “We’ve gotta keep him occupied while the others do their job,” she whispered. They all nodded their agreement and spread into a line to face the enemy.

“A united front,” Archon noted. “That might buy you some time, I suppose.”

“Where’s Silma?” Luna commanded.

“Busy putting your sister through the mental grinder,” he answered with a grin. “Or at least she was last I checked. She’s probably done by now.”

Luna let out a snarl, eyes glowing white. “Celestia would never succumb so easily.”

He tapped a hoof against the nearest crystal. “You haven’t seen what those stones of hers can do. Oh wait, that's right: you have.”

“Stones?” Nye asked. “What stones?”

“You haven’t told them!” Archon laughed, a deep rolling sound. “How delightful! They have no idea the power they face, do they?”

“You don’t understand it either, Archon,” Luna snapped. “They are too great to be controlled, even by Silma! The power will consume her, but not before she betrays you.”

“She can’t,” he replied with utmost seriousness. “It took ages for us to tame Riptide, and we both must work together to do it. If either of us cut our connection to the monster, all control will be lost. Silma can’t break from me, Luna: it’s too dangerous.”

Many of the ponies shared uncomfortable glances, but Luna remained confident. “You toy in powers far above your knowledge,” she told him. “We will defeat you and let such powers rest, as they always should have.”

He sneered, and as he did another weapon appeared from under his coat: a scythe attached to a chain. The scythe rose up above him and began to spin, the chain whistling through the air. “You wouldn’t dare fight me,” he declared angrily. “You are the one not understanding the powers behind me! It took me seven-hundred years to get back home, and on that journey I picked up toys the likes of which you’ve never imagined.”

“Guy looks damn good for his age,” Nye quipped to nopony in particular.

“More to the point,” Archon continued, “even if you could defeat me, I can severe my link to Riptide at any time. He doesn’t like being tamed, and he’s very very angry. If I lost control of him now? He’d probably destroy the world.”

“You won’t intimidate us,” Upper Crust told him.

“Indeed,” Octavia added. “It is truly the height of arrogance to assume that the beast can only be tamed by you!”

“Your bluff has been called, Archon,” Luna claimed, her tone ominous.

He studied them for a few seconds, expression grim. “So… I guess you won’t be surrendering?”

“Looks that way,” Jimmy replied.

The attack came so quickly after Jimmy finished his sentence that it caught all of them off guard. The big blade sliced down to smash into the ground, and when it did three blue, crescent-shaped blades of energy raced along the ground at them! Even as they all darted aside in alarm the chained scythe went flying through the air, aimed right at Jimmy. He’d gone airborn to dodge the first attack and only barely managed to evade.

Luna rose into the air, her horn glowing darkly in contrast to her shining eyes. A great cloud of pale, shimmering mist appeared before her and, with a beat of her wings, flew towards Archon. By the time it was halfway to him the mist had coalesced into a collection of small, sharp spikes. But before they could reach Archon’s horn glowed and, within under a second, a great dome of ice surrounded him. The spike impaled themselves on its surface harmlessly.

The team began to surround the ice barrier… which proved a good thing, for the entire dome suddenly shattered as a massive glowing blue ball erupted and smashed into the ground right where they’d all been, spikes glinting wickedly.

“Where the hell does he get these things!?” Nye cried, ducking just in time to dodge the scythe as it came flying for his throat.

Octavia charged, but just as she was almost to him something appeared from beneath Archon's coat. It was a massive, metallic looking claw that just barely missed slicing her with an upwards swipe. Octavia jerked to a stop and found herself staring face-to-face with a flaming skull… which promptly exploded.

“Octavia!” Jimmy cried, unable to get out of the way as her flying body smashed into him.

“This is ridiculous!” Upper Crust shouted, jumping just in time to avoid the giant ball as it came smashing down to the earth.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Nye answered, ducking as the scythe came at him once more. He saw the hair of his mane go flying by the brief encounter and was so very relieved when the thing ended up embedding itself into a nearby crystal, just barely missing the imprisoned guard’s neck. “Gotcha!”

“Enough!” Luna cried, a thin beam of energy slicing through the ground towards Archon.

Archon saw the beam coming and, eyes wide, jerked on the chain holding the massive ball. It landed in front of him just in time to block the laser-like attack. The ball glowed brightly and, with a resonating crack, exploded. Archon flew through the air, but before he could hit the dirt something dropped from the sky, smacking right into him and slamming him face-down to the ground so hard dirt and grass erupted into the air.

“Take that you piece of shit!” Lightning shouted triumphantly. Archon let out a pained groan in response.

“Lightning!” Nye cried, “are we happy to see you!”

“I think that takes care of that,” Upper Crust announced. She had a nasty cut on her cheek and was covered in dirt, but otherwise appeared fine.

“It better be,” Lightning warned while grinding a hoof against Archon’s head, “’cause we don’t have time to play around with this guy.”

“Are you two alright?” Luna called to Jimmy and Octavia. The two slowly climbed to their hooves, Octavia smoking and covered in soot.

“Just a little singed…” she answered wearily.

“And sore,” Jimmy agreed in a similar tone.

“I guess him calling on that beast was a bluff after all,” Upper Crust noted as they all approached the downed Archon, Lightning still pinning him. “I had to wonder for a moment.”

“You will take us to Silma Ril, Archon,” Luna ordered. Her tone made it clear that she had no intention of wasting any more time.

He looked up at her with one eye in annoyance. “Already? No interrogation, no torture chamber? Amateur. Fine, if that’s what you want.”

“I don’t like it,” Lightning announced, pressing down a little harder on his head. “For all the hell it looked like he was giving you guys I didn’t expect him to agree so quickly.”

“Time is of the essence,” Luna replied. “Let him up, Lightning. We must find my sister quickly.”

Archon made no attempt to fight once he was allowed back up, though he did take a moment to brush himself off. “This way.”

They followed close behind, Luna’s horn glowing threateningly at his back. He led them past a small forest of crystallized ponies, moving towards the place where he’d first appeared to the Princess that evening.

“You’re gonna have to tell us how to undo the effects of these crystals,” Jimmy reminded Archon sternly.

“What,” the prisoner asked, “haven’t figured out how to do it on your own?”

“Don’t make fun of it,” Octavia hissed. “There are still dozens of nilgiri and hundreds of crystal ponies in mental hospitals around the world because of what you’ve done!”

“Don’t blame me for Silma’s magical gifts,” Archon replied, eyes cold. “In her eyes all ponies are slaves, anyway.”

“And to you?” Upper Crust asked.

He shrugged. “Whether they obey me willingly or not, I don’t care. As long as they do in fact obey.”

“Charming guy,” Nye grumbled. “Where the heck did you get all those weapons, anyway?”

“I’ll tell you after you serve me,” Archon replied with a confident grin, though it faded quickly when Luna pressed the tip of her horn against his back. “Watch where you’re poking that thing.”

“I still don’t like this…” Lightning muttered, hovering just above them with sharp eyes on their guide. But then her tone changed to excitement as she looked up. “Hey, I see them!”

“What are they doing!?” Nye demanded, worry thick in his voice.

Lightning rose a few feet higher to get a better look. “They’re fighting Silma!”

“Go!” Luna ordered, engulfing Archon in a cloud of mist that carried him forward as she galloped ahead of them all. The others wasted no time following.

“Have they used the Elements yet?” Octavia called up to Lightning.

“Don’t think so,” she answered. “I think they’re trying to get together to do it, but she’s keeping them separated!”

“They’ll do it,” Jimmy declared, though the hesitancy was thick in his voice.

“They have Rainbow,” Nye added, more confident than his brother. “They can do anything!”

They emerged into a clearing just in time to see the Element Bearers rising within an aura of colors before Silma, who stood defiant atop a marble fountain that had once been decorated with a statue of Celestia, now reduced to rubble.

“They’re doing it!” Upper Crust cried.

“What do you say to that, Mr. You're-Gonna-Serve-Me?” Nye demanded of Archon.

Luna stepped out into the clearing, watching the scene with sharp, expectant eyes.

“Now that’s a sight!” Jimmy cried as, with a burst of energy, a rainbow arose from the Element Bearers. It bore down on Silma Ril, its might so great that those well outside its path, even the ponies with no horns, could feel its power.

Silma did not run. She did not try to fight. Indeed she didn’t do anything at all… save stand and wait. The rainbow swirled about her, engulfing her in a torrent of colors and magical power.

And then, to everyone’s shock, it arose from her and flashed back across the garden to strike just beneath the Element Bearers in a cacophonous explosion.

“No…” Luna dropped to her haunches, eyes wide with terror. The ponies behind her had similar reactions. Twilight and the others, crying out in surprise and pain, collapsed from the sky into the still-rising debris and disappeared among the dirt and grass. When the dust finally settled the lot of them were lying in a heap at the bottom of a crater.

“I don’t believe it…” Archon whispered, and from his tone the sentiment was genuine.

“Wha…” Rainbow Dash woozily arose from the crater, wincing in pain as she stared in amazement at a completely unharmed Silma Ril. “Why… didn’t it work…?”

“I don’t understand,” Twilight called from below as Silma dropped slowly from the fountain, her wings shimmering brightly and the gemstones close behind. “The Elements should have worked!”

Silma landed in the grass just outside the crater, gazing down at the ponies with an expression both regal and ominous. “I think that settles the matter. Now let us get to the real work at hand.” And then, with her eyes going dark, a red beam streaked its way into the sky and struck Rainbow Dash. She let out a shout, tried to fly… and dropped to the grass, encased in red crystal.

“Rainbow!” Nye was running, terror on his face.

“Nye, stop!” Jimmy went after him.

“Silma, don’t!” Luna screamed, even as two more beams flashed down and caught Rarity and Applejack.

The remaining three screamed and tried to flee; Fluttershy arose from the crater but didn’t get more than a few feet into the air before she fell back to earth. Pinkie darted out of the hole and managed to dodge four different shots before the fifth brought her to a sliding stop at the edge of the clearing.

“Wait!” Twilight shouted, just managing to climb out of the hole. She gazed up at Silma Ril in horror. “You can’t…” She froze mid-sentence, her crystal tipping over and dropping back into the crater.

“No!” Luna arose, tears in her eyes. “It can’t be! Why didn’t it work!?”

“Rainbow!” Nye clutched at the crystal, gazing down into Rainbow’s terrified eyes. “D..don’t worry… w-we’ll think of something. I promise, we’ll get you out of there!”

“Nye,” Jimmy was standing next to his brother, horrified eyes on Silma Ril. “Nye, I really don’t think we should be here…!”

“Shut up!” Nye shoved him away and turned back to the crystal. “I… I have to do something!”

“Luna Luna little Luna,” Silma spoke, turning to the stunned princess. “You did everything just as you were meant to. Thank you so much!”

“W-what…?” Luna asked, taking a cautious step away.

“Princess,” Octavia called anxiously from behind one of the crystals, “w-we need to go…”

“I knew you’d come back with the Elements,” Silma pressed with a smile. “Now all the most powerful threats to my new rule have been dealt with. It’s all thanks to you.”

“No… that’s not true!” Luna cried, showing some defiance at last. “There’s still the Empire!”

“The Empire is mine,” Silma snapped. “It always was, I founded it!”

“Luna, come on!” Lightning shouted.

“You will be stopped,” Luna declared, inching back from Silma. “We will find a way. Equestria will not return to your dark age!”

“Oh come now,” Silma replied as she patiently took a seat. “Don’t be like that. Join us. Your sister would like you to.”

“Celestia would never succumb to you!”

“Don’t be so sure,” Silma whispered with a smile and a gesture of her hoof.

Luna blinked and glanced behind… then let out a surprised shout: Celestia was standing just at the edge of the clearing. “Celestia!” She ran to her sister. “Celestia, we have to… Celestia?”

“Yes, Luna?”

Luna stared at her sister… and let out a horrified shriek at the sight of her red eyes. “Celestia, no!” She shook her forcefully. “Wake up, snap out of it! You can’t have given up that quickly!”

“I’m sorry, Luna,” Celestia whispered, and an abrupt flash of light burst from her horn and sent Luna sprawling back into the clearing.

“Holy mother no…” Upper Crust whispered, backing away into the shadows.

“T-this can’t be happening,” Octavia mumbled, staring at the Sun Princess in abject terror.

“No way,” Lightning said, rising a few feet, “th-that can’t be Princess Celestia…”

“Now that’s how you take over a kingdom,” Archon threw in with glee.

Luna rose to a sitting position, tears in her eyes. “Tia… oh sweet moonlight, Tia…”

“Silma Ril is the Empress, Luna,” Celestia announced softly, walking into the clearing with head held high. “We must remember our old allegiances.”

Luna got to her hooves to confront her sister. “You… you don’t mean that!”

“Of course she does,” Silma declared, “she’s my most trusted apprentice!” Her light tone grew sweet as honey. “You can avoid this fate, Luna. I can spare you the crystal if you would but help me.”

Luna looked between her sister and her former mentor, visibly shaking. “I… I refuse!”

“Come on, Luna!” Lightning shouted, “Fly! Get out of there!”

“Help me, Luna,” Silma whispered. “All I want is the stone. Tell me where you hid the Shades of Night and you can rule as my chief advisor. I’ll even give you a kingdom of your own. That’s what you wanted a thousand years ago, isn’t it?”

“That’s never what I wanted!” Luna shouted angrily. All her horror gone in an instant, she took on an aggressive stance and glared with fury at Silma. “You and everypony else! None of you! Not even Celestia understood what I was trying to do!”

“Is that so?” Silma asked with genuine curiosity. “Then what were you after?”

Luna made a quiet but furious sound, pawing at the soil threateningly. “To prove that I am no mere shadow.”

Silma’s smile faded. She eyed Luna for a moment, like a judge preparing to cast a sentence. “But that is all you are, Luna. You and this… ‘team’ you’ve put together.” She glanced towards Nye, still laboring over Rainbow’s crystal, and Jimmy who cowered next to him. “Really, Luna, this is the best you could muster? But then I suppose they suite you: they’re shadows of the light, just like you.”

“We are not just shadows,” Luna declared, glancing menacingly at Celestia who was walking past her to sit just behind Silma. “We exist just like everypony else. We are the flip side of the bit, Silma! And we can make the same difference as your precious light.”

“So you claim,” Silma responded, rising to her hooves regally, “but in the end you’re just the muck under our hooves. The blatant difference between you and your sister just proves the point. But…” Her tone became sweet once more, “I can make you the better sister, if that’s what you’d prefer. No more being a shadow. You’d like that wouldn’t you?”

“No.” Luna took another cautious step back. “I don’t’ want to be better, Silma. I want to be equal.”

Silma’s face grew dark.“There are no equals. There are only the powerful and the stepped-on. I grow tired of lecturing you, Luna. You know there is no escape.” The gemstones arose slightly, basking her in their powerful orange glow. “You can flee and tell me after I’ve converted you, or you can spare me the trouble and tell me now. It makes no difference. Now where is the Shades of Night?”

Luna glanced back at Octavia, Lightning and Upper Crust, her face firm compared to their fear. When she turned back to Silma she declared, “I don’t remember.”

“Wait,” Nye cried, abruptly turning to Luna. “Luna… no, you can’t be caught too! Luna!”

“If that is how you wish it to be,” Silma said with a sigh, and a moment later a red beam truck Luna directly in the heart. The princess didn’t fight or panic: she merely stood and waited as the crystal swiftly began to encase her.

“Luna, Luna no!” Nye screamed.

She gave him a calm smile before being completely imprisoned.

Author's Note

I had a ton of trouble with this chapter. Hopefully the issues aren't too glaring.

This entire chapter - indeed, almost this entire book - had been planned before I'd even finished the first book. Everything I did all along has been a buildup to this moment. And before anyone goes to griping about how the Elements didn't work against Silma, I assure you that there IS a reason for it that will be brought up within a few chapters.

Also, protip: writing scenes that feature over a dozen characters is hard. I've been struggling with giving every character some face-time in this story, carefully selecting dialog and trying to ensure nobody gets left out. In fact the sheer number of characters is the main reason this series is so long in the first place. I'll have to try and avoid that kind of thing in future stories.

Nye's little speech to Luna was another major scene I'd planned from the beginning. It didn't go quite like I had anticipated, but I think the current form does a nice enough job. Fact is, 'Luna is our Princess' was originally set as the single predominant theme of the entire story. It's something I truly believe: if I were in Equestria I'm pretty sure my loyalties would fall 100% to Luna rather than Celestia. Since the beginning of Book III I've been trying to seed hints at it as much as possible. For a long time I debated on who would get to make the speech - I juggled between Fine Crime, Upper Crust, Octavia and Nye. In the end Nye simply made the most sense to me.

Now... about Mane Archon. I worry about that guy - I'm afraid he may never get much of a spot in this story. I mean he's a major villain and I had big plans for him, but thus far I just can't find a place to get in his backstory from his perspective, which would go a long way in establishing his character properly. As it is it might never happen, which I would consider a failure on my part.

The fight against Archon was unfortunately swift, but that was necessary to get the ball rolling. Writing that fight was easily the hardest part in the whole chapter: I had to make a lot of careful decisions about what to include and not include. What do I mean? Well...

...it's time for the Archon game! Has anyone figured out where he gets his powers? I've left hints all over the place, particularly in his weapons. I won't go saying much in the open just yet: I'd rather see if my readers can figure it out on their own. But because I'm a sporting guy, here are a few tips regarding Archon's actions during the fight:

Blade Beam
Rensen Geki
Ice Release: Ice Dome
Balor
Durga Fire

If you get that, you get Archon's fighting style. And just wait 'till you see what's in the box he's always carrying with him!

Separate Ways

“Holy mother of Luna this is not good.” Lightning Dust reacted in an instant, swooping down and grabbing Upper Crust. She cried out as she fled, “Octavia, come on!” Upper Crust allowed herself to be carted off as she stared with wide, unbelieving eyes at the frozen Luna.

Nye ran from Rainbow Dash’s crystal to Luna’s and set his front hooves against it. “No no no, Luna, this can’t be happening!” Tears poured down his cheeks as his brother rushed to his side.

“Nye, come on, we have to go,” Jimmy insisted. He grabbed at Nye’s waist and tugged, but his brother violently threw him off.

“I will not leave them!” the younger Stone snarled without so much as looking at his twin. He pressed himself against the crystal as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him.

Octavia hesitated, taking a step into the clearing. “Jimmy… Jimmy, you have to…”

Jimmy picked himself up from the ground and cast a forlorn stare at her. He glanced back at Silma Ril, Mane Archon and Princess Celestia, then back at Nye. For a long time he stared at his brother with a wretched frown, listening to the sobs. At last he turned back to Octavia and shook his head: he would not leave Nye.

Octavia’s eyes shifted, moist and indecisive. She lingered for some time, but at last she turned and fled the garden, disappearing among the crystallized ponies.

Silma glanced down at Archon, who had a smug grin. “Do you not intend to give chase?”

He shook his head. “I think they serve our needs better if they escape. Survivors spread fear, and fear is our ally.”

She considered this before smiling, but only a little. “I approve. Perhaps you’ve not lost your touch after all.”

He rubbed his chest in a self-satisfied manner. “I didn’t trick Celestia into letting the Archons join her inner circle by being an idiot.”

She raised an eyebrow but did not comment, instead turning her attention to Luna. “Such a shame. I had hoped she might relinquish her knowledge before I enslaved her. Now I will have to wait until she is loyal to attain the Shades of Night.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he reminded her, “whether we have it now or later, our victory is secured.”

Celestia had been listening to this exchange, and with a timid air she spoke up. “My Empress… I am afraid my sister spoke the truth: she does not recall where she hid the stone.”

Silma and Archon’s heads turned to her in unison. Silma scrutinized Celestia with an ominous frown. “Were you not bound to my will I might assume that to be a joke, but that cannot be as you would never do anything I would disapprove of. Explain yourself.”

Celestia shifted from hoof to hoof for a moment before answering, her voice cautious. “When Luna hid the Shades of Night, she asked me to erase her memories of the act. I used the very spell you taught me. So you see, Your Eminence, she truly has forgotten the location of the stone.”

“What?!” Archon cried. He sneered and cast a livid glare at the crystallized Luna, her frozen smile appearing somewhat more self-satisfied. “You mean we went through all that trouble freeing her from exile on the moon for nothing? We might as well have left her there!”

“Calm yourself, Archon,” Silma instructed with a quiet, patient manner. “This is only a small delay. We will still obtain the Shades of Night.”

“How?” he demanded. “Can you bring her memory back?”

She shook her head. “No. If Celestia cast the spell I taught her correctly – and I have full faith in her magical aptitude – then there is no recovering Luna’s memories. However, she will soon be loyal to me once more. When she is properly obedient I shall merely send her to search for the stone.”

Archon considered this, tapping the box at his chest with a thoughtful frown. “I suppose you are correct. Who better to guess where she hid the stone than herself?”

“Precisely.” Silma glanced back at the enslaved Celestia. “Fear not, my little pony: I do not blame you for this error. You truly are not the same Celestia that you were then.”

Celestia beamed at these words as if they were the loftiest of praises. “Thank you, Your Eminence!”

“In the meantime,” Archon pressed, “we need to strengthen our position. Even if we have Celestia and Luna at our beck and call we would be hard-pressed to control Equestria by ourselves. I will begin by subjugating the soldiers below.”

Silma nodded her agreement. “That is good. We will need many loyal soldiers, and very soon: it will not be long before that upstart princess sitting on my throne learns what has happened. We must be prepared to strike the Crystal Empire before they can respond.”

“Agreed.” Archon glanced at Luna before turning to go. “You stay here and hasten Luna’s capitulation. I will see to rounding up some more slaves.”

Silma glanced back to Celestia. “Assist Archon.” Celestia set a hoof to her chest and bowed before following him.

For a time there was silence, the garden eerily quiet in the night. Silma took the opportunity to relish her victory, but she didn’t wait for too long: she had work to do. She turned to Luna... then noticed the two stallions who still remained.

Nye was pacing before Luna’s crystal, lips curled in a tight frown. It seemed he was trying to think of some way to free her, which was of course a preposterous idea. A few feet away was his brother Jimmy, sitting in the grass with head bowed and eyes glazed over in a hopeless stupor. Neither of them paid her any mind. In fact it almost seemed as if they’d forgotten her presence.

Silma studied them, wondering at their behavior. The others had fled in appropriate terror, but these two remained. Silma had an idea of why; she could never be loyal to any pony, but that did not mean she didn’t appreciate it when given.

She sat in the grass and coughed in an attempt to catch their attention. When that failed she decided to be more direct. “Why do you stay here?” They both responded, albeit in different ways; Nye jerked about to face her, as if expecting an attack, but Jimmy merely blinked and slowly raised his head to observe her.

“I refuse to leave my friends!” Nye snapped, pawing the grass threateningly. “You can do what you want to me, but I refuse to abandon them!”

Silma set a hoof to her lips, smiling thoughtfully. Her eyes drifted to Jimmy. “And you?”

Jimmy didn’t bother to stand. His handsome face remained soft and miserable as he glanced at Nye. His answer was so quiet she almost didn’t hear it. “I won’t leave my brother behind.”

“Such loyalty.” She nodded, confident in her decision. “You two will do nicely.”

“Will do?” Nye repeated, his anger fading to confusion, “Will do for what?”

“Yes.” Jimmy stood, suddenly appearing much more alert, “What do you have planned for us, and why would we ever help you?”

“You are loyal to Luna, are you not?” Silma asked. She stood and began to circle the brothers, a confident smile upon her lips. “Soon Luna will be subservient to me. I might just let the two of you keep your minds, if you would but remain loyal to her.”

Nye and Jimmy gave one another surprised looks. “Why would you offer to do that?” Jimmy asked.

She eyed them as she continued her circling. “I suppose there is no harm in admitting it: I need followers. Not the kind my crystals produce,” she tapped Luna’s prison lightly, “but real followers. The ponies I’ve enslaved are blindly loyal, and would gladly sacrifice their lives if I told them to. But such loyalty comes at the price of free will.”

Nye considered this, and after a second his eyes lit up in understanding. “You need ponies who can think for themselves.”

“Very good, young stallion.” She nodded with a pleased grin. “It is not enough that I have slaves who blindly follow orders: I also need ponies to guide them. As incredible as my powers might be, even I cannot be everywhere at once. You two could help me.”

“I don’t think so,” Jimmy declared with a sneer.

“You will be loyal one way or another,” she reminded him, tapping Luna’s crystal again. “I’m offering you a chance to keep your free will and identity. It will also put you in a position of power, for you will each be in command of armies of slaves! All I ask is that you remain loyal to my dear Luna, who will soon need officers to deliver her commands.”

Jimmy gazed up at her, his jaw slack with disbelief. After a few seconds he closed his mouth with an audible click of his teeth, face determined. “If that’s what-”

“I’ll do it.”

Jimmy literally choked on his words. He turned to gape at his brother, who stood tall before Silma. Nye, face firm and eyes hard, nodded to her. “I will always be loyal to Luna, no matter what. I never want to leave her. If that means serving you, so be it.”

“Nye… are you serious?” Jimmy set his hooves to his brother’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. Nye shot him a determined glare that made him lean back in astonishment.

“I’m serious, Jimmy,” he replied. “This is the only way I get to stay with Luna and Rainbow. It doesn’t matter who’s ultimately in charge as long as I’m with them.”

“Well said,” Silma declared.

Her eye fell upon Jimmy, who stepped away from his brother with a resigned sigh. He turned to her and nodded. “If Nye's in, so am I. I have to look after him.”

Silma grinned, but there was something wicked about the way she was bearing her teeth. “Very good. Of course, the two of you understand that I have no reason to trust either of you just yet. Let me be perfectly clear: at the first sign of betrayal I will be more than happy to burn you both into a pile of dust – literally, and in full view of the public.”

The twins’ eyes grew wide, and they shared a mutual stare of quiet alarm.

Jimmy recovered first. “Well. It’s either that or be a mindless slave.”

Nye nodded. “As long as we just stick to serving Luna?”

Jimmy hesitated, shooting a wayward glance at Silma. She was watching them with the sharpness of a hawk, and it clearly made him nervous. “Umm… what about our friends?”

Nye delivered a sharp poke to his brother’s chest. “That kind of thinking’s gonna turn you into a cinder.” He turned to Luna with adoring eyes. “They abandoned our Princess, whom they only just promised to stand behind! They aren’t our friends anymore.”

Jimmy gasped. “You really believe that?”

The younger Stone shot a very serious glower at him, which said enough.

“So?” Silma pressed, her horn glowing red in preparation.

Jimmy studied his brother for several seconds. It was clear that Nye was set to this course. At last he turned to her and, with as much firmness as he could muster, answered. “We’re in.”

Octavia ran for all she was worth, struggling to catch up with the speedy pegasus. “Lightning!” she cried, “Lightning, stop!”

At last her call was heeded, Lightning slowing in the hallway just before a large balcony. She dropped to the white tiled floor, depositing a very quiet Upper Crust. Octavia at last caught up, panting a little from the exertion. “Thank you! Where do you think you’re going?”

Lightning flew higher and gestured for the window. “Out of here. You saw what just happened! Both Equestria’s princesses couldn’t stop Silma, and neither could the Elements of Harmony!”

“But we can’t just run away,” Octavia insisted. “We have to come up with a plan!”

“A plan?!” Lightning threw up her hooves in frustration. “It’s over, Octavia! We lost. All our best options just got turned to crystal, and by this time tomorrow every last one of them will be in the enemy’s camp. What are we supposed to do about that?!”

Octavia hesitated, genuine fear numbing her thought processes. “I… I don’t know! B-but there has to be something. We can’t give up!”

“Watch me.”

“Lightning!” Octavia reared back as she cried the name. “We are supposed to back up the Element Bearers! We are Luna’s team, hoof-picked for jobs like this. How can you just fly away?”

“Luna’s team?” Lightning countered, “We’ve lost half our numbers! Jimmy and Nye sacrificed themselves like idiots, and Fine’s a shivering mass of wimp in his bed. The three of us alone can’t defeat Silma and Archon, and to top it off now we’ll have to take on Celestia, Luna and all six of the Element Bearers! We don’t stand a chance, Octavia!”

“Bu… but…” Octavia struggled for some sort of argument, but she was still in a state of shock over what had just happened. “I… we… but what are we going to do?!”

“I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do,” Lightning snapped, “I’m getting Keen, and out of here!”

“Lightning!” Too late, she was gone.

Octavia watched her go, her mind frantic. What to do, what to do?! Her breath coming in short gasps, she struggled for some sort of solution. She glanced at Upper Crust, who kept a firm face and appeared to be strongly considering the situation. “Upper Crust! You’ll help, won’t you?”

Upper Crust gave her a serious look, lips set in an angry frown. “I’m sorry, Octavia, but no matter what scenarios run through my mind – and there have been many – I just can’t see us winning.”

Octavia dropped to her haunches, head bowed. “But we can’t just let this happen,” she whispered.

Upper Crust walked up to her friend and embraced her, startling the distraught mare. “There’s nothing we can do.”

Octavia’s mind was blank. All she could feel was sorrow and misery, and for once she just wanted to let it out. So she did; she broke down in tears, clutching Upper Crust tightly. Her friend didn’t bother to speak, to whisper comforting words. What comfort could there be in a situation like this?

She just cried and cried, thinking about all who were gone. Rarity, whom she’d never share tea with again. Twilight, who somehow always made her feel good about herself. Nye, who kept her smiling even at the worst times. Jimmy, who was there to help no matter what. They were all going to be slaves to that monster, and there was nothing she could do about it.

At last the tears stopped, though the two mares held on for a little longer. When they at last separated Octavia saw that Upper Crust had been crying, too, though she still had that firm look about her. “I-I’m sorry,” Octavia muttered, wiping her eyes, “I haven’t broke down like that in so long…”

“Equestria as we know it is about to end,” Upper Crust reminded her with a miserable sniff. “If there’s a better time to let it go, I can’t think of it.”

Octavia nodded, keeping her head low. “So… what are you going to do?”

Upper Crust stood up and turned to gaze down at the city below. “I’m going to find my husband and make for the Crystal Empire. I don’t know if we’ll be safe there, but I need to at least get Jet out of here.” She glanced at Octavia with worry in her eyes. “What about you?”

“I… I don’t know,” she admitted.

Upper Crust turned and set a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “If I were you, I’d gather up my family and head to Nildia. Equestria’s gonna have a lot of refugees after this; you’d be better off getting ahead of the masses.”

Octavia sniffed and glanced up at her friend. Upper Crust gazed at her with sad eyes, but her jaw was set and she appeared determined. It was something that a year ago she would never have expected, and it amazed her. “You’re an entirely different mare from the one I met outside the Crystal Empire,” she noted with a weak smile.

Upper Crusted’s expression didn’t change, but she nodded her acceptance. “I think we’re all a little more than we once were... though that didn’t change the end result.”

Yes… yes, they were all a little different, weren’t they? Upper Crust was confident and focused; hardly the cowering, indecisive pony from before. And Octavia had to admit that she had grown a little, too, so that she was more accepting of her new friends. She’d always been something of a loner up till now, hadn’t she?

Then, abruptly, she knew somepony they were forgetting. “I need to get to Fine Crime.”

Upper Crust tilted her head. “Fine? What for?”

Octavia stood, more confident now that she had something resembling a goal… even if it was a depressing one. “Fine is the one who chose us for this team, not Luna. The end results… well, ignoring them we owe Fine a debt. I can’t leave him alone in Ponyville.”

Upper Crust smiled in understanding. “You’re right, he does deserve better. But,” she added seriously, “my top priority is my husband.”

“I understand,” Octavia agreed. “We’ll get out of here together, and then go our separate ways.”

Upper Crust nodded, and together they went in search of a stairwell. “I guess this means Luna’s team has been dissolved,” Upper Crust noted with a guilty expression.

But Octavia shook her head. “No… no I don’t think so. We’ll come together again, I’m sure of it.”

“That would be nice,” Upper Crust admitted, “but I won’t be getting my hopes up.”

The door opened to Luna’s private chambers, and the two stallions marched into the darkness. Jimmy eyed his brother, anger bubbling within him. He wanted to say something, but he just couldn’t find the words. He didn’t want to say anything he would regret, anyway. He took a moment to study the oval-shaped room; it was huge, with three large windows revealing the shimmering night sky. The full moon’s rays illuminated the space, making it easy to see. Artwork of night scenes decorated the walls, and a suit of armor stood to one side. Jimmy studied it for a moment and realized it was the armor of Night Mare Moon.

“Close the door, would you?” Nye asked as he began searching a large desk near the center window.

Jimmy glared at him, but did as he was asked. Keeping his mouth tightly shut, he went to search under the massive bed at the center of the room. Everypony liked to hide things under the bed, right?

“You’re mad.”

Jimmy paused to give his brother a sinister look. “Yes.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

He ground his teeth to keep from shouting, his body trembling. “You abandoned our friends and joined Silma Ril, and dragged me into it!”

“You didn’t have to stay behind,” Nye noted as he carefully rummaged through a drawer.

“Yes, I did!” Jimmy turned to him, barely able to keep from tackling his twin. “You stupid bastard, what don’t you understand?! I couldn’t leave you here! And now that witch and her friend are gonna be looking over our shoulders. Luna and Celestia, too! How am I supposed to get you out of here now?”

“You mean you only joined up to buy time to change my mind?” Nye asked, glancing at his brother in wide-eyed wonder.

“Yes!” Jimmy threw up his hooves in exasperation. “You think I want to work with that hateful alicorn?”

“Well,” Nye answered, his tone ever calm as he turned back to rummage through another drawer, “looks like we’re almost on the same page.”

“No, we are-” Jimmy paused, his brother’s words echoing in his head. “Wait… what do you mean?”

Nye suddenly pulled something out of the drawer and pounded it to the top of the desk with a victorious grin. “Gotcha!”

“Got what?” Jimmy asked, walking up to see what his brother had found. “Aren’t we supposed to be looking for clues as to where this stupid stone is?” When he got next to the desk he saw that Nye had found a large bottle, its liquid contents a dark blue not unlike Luna’s coat. “Wine? You’re getting excited over wine?”

“This is not wine,” Nye corrected, pulling a quill and some parchment from the same drawer. “I asked Luna to explain this to me a while back, after Twilight failed to recreate it. This is the potion she uses to instantly send letters to Fine Crime! She’s got one for me too, but we can’t use that, obviously.”

Jimmy considered this for a moment, then his eyes went wide. “Wait… you mean you can use this stuff to send notes to Fine?”

“I’m hoping so,” Nye answered. “The one Luna made for me to use only works for me. If we’re unlucky this one will only work for her. Only one way to find out.” He began writing a note, taking nearly a minute to scribble out something. He folded the parchment and, pulling out the bottle’s cork with his teeth, dropped into the blue liquid.

The letter dissolved within seconds, until there was not a trace of it left.

“Yes!” Nye hoof-pumped. “That, bro, is what I call a success.”

“Waitaminute.” Jimmy turned to set his hooves on Nye’s shoulders, looking him right in the eye. “You mean the only reason you said all that in front of Silma, the only reason you agreed to join her, was so that you could be a spy and send notes to Fine?”

Nye blushed. "No, the original panic was very real. Other than that?" He grinned. “Didn’t think I had it in me, did ya?”

Jimmy let out a long breath. “Holy cow, Nye. I’m actually impressed.”

Nye rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah, I know, that’s probably the last time I’ll hear you say that in my lifetime.”

“No, seriously, that’s incredible,” his brother assured him. “You’re right, I didn’t think you had it in you!”

Nye grinned for a moment, but his expression grew serious very quickly. “We aren’t out of the woods yet: we still have to maintain the illusion of loyalty so we don’t end up all crispy.”

“Yeah,” Jimmy acknowledge with an anxious glance at the closed door, “there is that. But that’s not all; what if Fine never gets out of his slump?”

“He will,” Nye assured him. “Fine’s a tough guy, and Luna gave him something to help. He’ll recover, Jimmy, we’ve got to believe it. As long as we believe it, there’s a chance.”

“That’s not exactly logical, Nye.”

Now it was Nye’s turn to set his hooves to Jimmy’s shoulders. “Forget logic, Jimmy. Forget all the engineering lessons and if-then thinking and cold hard facts. What we need to get us out of this is faith that Fine will pull through, find our notes and come up with a plan. And then he’ll come to Canterlot with the mares and kick Silma’s butt!”

Jimmy stared at his brother in amazement. “Do you really believe that?”

Nye nodded, his face firm. “I have to. Fine was always the one with a plan. We’re scattered and broken, but if anyone can find a way to take advantage of the situation it’s Fine. He’s good, Jimmy. Scary good. I promise you, he’ll get back on his hooves, see the problem and puzzle together a solution within hours.”

Jimmy considered this for a moment, but just couldn’t gather his brother’s enthusiasm. “I dunno… but I guess right now we’ve no other option.”

Nye smiled and whacked a hoof against Jimmy’s shoulder playfully. “Don’t worry, bro. We haven’t lost quite yet.” And then, to Jimmy’s surprise, Nye engulfed him in a tight hug. “…and thanks, Jim. Thanks for sticking with me. I don’t think I can do this alone.”

Jimmy smiled, abruptly filled with that all-too familiar feeling of love as he returned the embrace. “Hey, what are brothers for?”

“No, Jim.” Nye shook his head, and Jimmy realized his brother was crying. “A year ago I never thought you’d have done it. It means more to me than you can imagine.”

“Hey, stop that.” Jimmy leaned back to give his twin a grin. “I’d never leave you behind, bro. You’re all I have.”

Nye sniffed dejectedly, head low and ears tucked. “Until you get your legacy back?”

Jimmy stared at his brother for a few seconds, startled by the statement. But then was it really so surprising? All his life he’d been after a single thing. It was only recently, while in Nildia, that he’d discovered the truth.

And the truth was: he didn’t need a legacy anymore. He need Nye… and Octavia, and Rarity, and Twilight. He needed his friends, and his brother. “There’s a lot more to you than you let on, bro,” he said at last, a weak smile on his lips, “but you’re not the only one who’s changed over the past year. Screw my legacy; without you I might as well be another Stickin Stone.”

Nye blinked, looking up at his brother as if he were doubting his ears. “Jim… you mean that?”

“Yeah,” he answered quietly, “yeah I do. Luna taught me a little lesson in friendship. I was the grade-A student between us, remember?”

Nye chuckled, eyes lighting up just a small fraction. “I remember. How could I forget, when father reminded us every day?”

Jimmy nodded, the memories of their school days flitting through his head. “I might have be smart one,” he admitted, “but without you I’d be like our old stallion. I can’t imagine a more miserable fate. So thanks, Nye. Thanks for rescuing me.”

Nye considered him for a moment, his head slowly rising to its full height. He smiled, his smug attitude coming back at last. “Well, I guess that means you owe me one.”

Jimmy made an exaggerated huffing sound. “Not anymore; it’s because of you I’m stuck here, risking my hide as Silma’s lackey! I think we’re even.”

Nye sighed deeply, as if he’d just lost a nice advantage. “Yeah, fair enough.”

Jimmy glanced around the bedroom with a stern expression. “Alright, it’s time we got to searching. At the very least we need to make it look like we were thorough.”

“I’m with ya,” Nye agreed, but paused to cast a questioning look at his brother. “Umm… what if we do find something?”

Jimmy considered the question for a moment, thinking on Silma and her very serious threat. He didn’t like the idea of being turned to ash… but they certainly had to slow her down in whatever way they could.

“Keep it to yourself.”

The streets of Canterlot’s upper class district were empty, the locals still enjoying their sleep. They were all ignorant to the disaster unfolding in the castle above them, even as the occasional bright flashes of magical combat illuminated the night sky. Getting out the castle had been a trick, and in the end it had required an outright fight and flight to escape Silma’s enslaved minions.

But they had managed it, and now Upper Crust was alone and running through the streets, her mind focused on a singular goal. She ignored the blood creeping down her cheek from the cut on her forehead. It didn’t matter that her body was bruised and battered or her mane was a tangled mess. All the things that once would have been so important didn’t even register in her mind.

Jet Set. He was all that mattered.

She at last reached their house. She rang the bell and banged on the wood furiously, not caring about decency. She called his name as loud as she could, determined to catch his attention. It seemed to take ages, but at last she saw the light in the hallway come on. A couple seconds later and the door swung open.

“Uppity?” Jet peered at her through tired eyes and he worked to tie his green robe. She was caught off guard by his disheveled appearance, made all the more clear by the unusual amount of facial hair he’d developed. “Do you know what time it is? Why didn’t you just use your key?”

She wasted no time, grabbing him and jerking him outside. “Hey, what are you-“

“Look!” She pushed him into the street and pointed over his shoulder at the castle in the distance. Right at that moment a series of yellow flashes burst through an entire floor of windows in rapid succession.

Jet blinked, squinted, shook his head. “What was that supposed to be?”

Upper Crust let out an angry growl and magically dragged her husband by his collar back into the house. He squirmed in protest and confusion. “Hey! Uppity, come on, stop it! What’s going on?!”

She released him and slammed the door before turning on him. “What’s going on is a national catastrophe. No, international. Global!”

He sat up and stared at her through eyes still clouded with sleep. “What? Does this have anything to do with that giant snake monster that just sitting there outside and doing nothing? ‘Cause if it is I’m going back to bed.”

She stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief. “Jet… it doesn’t bother you?”

He waved a dismissive hoof. “Come on, Uppity, things like this happen all the time. Night Mare Moon, Discord’s return. Remember the Changeling invasion? Everypony panics every time, but then one of the Princesses steps in or the Elements of Harmony are used and everything’s all right again. So you’ll excuse me if I think you’re over-reacting.”

She dropped to her haunches. His words stung, though he could have no idea why. Very suddenly she wanted to break down and cry all over again. “Jet… you… you big... dumb, handsome idiot. This isn’t like the other times.”

He saw her distress and his annoyance melted into a soft smile. He walked over and wrapped his hooves about her shoulders. “Hey,” he whispered, “don’t worry. It’s going to be alright. You’ll see, soon Princess Celestia…”

She let out an angry snarl and shoved him so hard he fell to the floor. “Celestia is gone, Jet! Celestia, Luna, the Element-Bearers, they’ve all been defeated!”

He sat up and glared at her. “You’re panicking, Upper Crust. You have no way of knowing-“

“I was there, Jet!” she screamed, jumping into him. She had him pinned to the floor, her face so close their muzzles touched. “I watched Celestia obey the will of some power-mad alicorn like a slave. I saw Twilight Sparkle and her friends use the Elements of Harmony and fail to stop her. I had to sit there while Princess Luna – my Princess Luna! – got caught in a crystal prison just like you did back in the Empire. By this time tomorrow they’ll all be mindless slaves to Silma Ril’s will, and Canterlot’s going to go to hell in a handbasket!”

She glared down at him, huffing in anger and exhaustion. For some time he only stared right back, eyes wide and jaw slack. Any doubt he’d had was clearly gone now. After several seconds her anger faded to despair. She stepped back and sat, sagging as she began to cry once more. “W-we have… have to g-get out of C-C-Canterlot…” she whispered through her hiccups.

He remained on his back for several seconds, just staring at her. “Uppity… Celestia… was she really defeated?”

She just cried. It was all she could do. Her legs were sore from an entire night of running, her head throbbed, and her entire body ached from the desperate fight to escape. To top it all off she was so weary she thought she might collapse right there in the hall; it had to nearly dawn. She was mentally and physically exhausted.

But there could be no rest. “We have to go to the Crystal Empire,” she whispered, struggling to get back to her hooves. “We might find refuge there…”

She took a step, slipped and dropped on top of him. Jet, though it was clear by his eyes that he was still trying to grasp the situation, wrapped his hooves around her in a comforting embrace. “Uppity, what have you been through? You’re in no condition to go anywhere.”

She didn’t try to escape, but she shook her head against his chest. “No, Jet… I have to get you out of here. I’ve lost so much tonight, I won’t lose you too.”

“Tomorrow,” he insisted, burying his muzzle in her mane affectionately. “You have to rest, Uppity. Let me look after you for a while.”

She wanted to sleep, she really did. Just slip into unconsciousness and forget everything that had happened. He was so very comfortable. His smell, that delightful aroma she’d missed for so long, came upon her and began to lull her. She knew she shouldn’t, but it was just so tempting.

“We’ll figure something out,” he whispered into her ear as she began to fade. “I promise, Uppity, we’ll get through this.”

Lightning flew through the sky, her eyes on the horizon. The sun should have come up by now, but instead the night persisted. Surely the ponies of Equestria were beginning to realize that something was wrong. There was no time to worry about that, though; her mind was locked on finding Keen.

She was flying fast and hard, but not as fast as she once could. With every flap of her wings she felt that familiar, painful jerk in her muscles. She was pressing the old wound, but months of experimenting had taught her what she could and couldn’t do, and she was being careful. No matter how desperate she was to grab her adopted child and escape, it wouldn’t do to lose her ability to fly.

The great beast’s serpentine body stretched in the distance as far as the horizon. She’d been watching it throughout the return trip, searching for an end to it, but as far as she could see there was none. Not for the first time she had to question where the monster had been hiding all this time.

At last Ponyville appeared in the distance. She scoured the town with a practiced eye and could see some of the locals gazing up at the sky. Good, then at least they weren’t totally unaware. She slowed and began to descend, making her way straight to the small house she’d rented a few months back. She landed in the grass before the front door and entered swiftly.

It was a neat place. Lightning herself had never been a tidy pony, but since she’d adopted Keen she’d made an effort to put on a good showing, if only for the social worker. She passed through the small rooms, making her way to the back where Keen should be. She didn’t waste any time thinking about what to say or do, preferring to go right into Keen’s room.

The tiny filly, her long white mane and tail seeming bright in the dark, was sitting on her bed and staring up at the moon through her window. She turned to Lightning, worry etched on her tiny face. “Mom…?”

Lightning paused and felt at her chest for a moment; why did hearing that word make her heart melt every time? “Y-yeah, Keen, it’s me,” she answered, a silly smile on her lips.

Keen looked back at the window, missing the moment of weakness. “…the sun’s late.”

Lightning frowned and went to sit by the bed. She followed Keen’s gaze to the moon, it’s light seeming unusually bright. “I know.”

“Did something happen to the Sun Princess?”

A pang ran through Lightning at that question. She looked down at Keen, so tiny and childlike, and wondered what she was supposed to say. The filly had handled so much already, perhaps it would be cruel to tell her the truth.

But Keen spoke before she could come up with a proper lie. “She’s in trouble.”

Lightning, still struggling to find a cover story, decided to play innocent. “Why would you think that?”

“’Cause you wanna lie.”

Lightning’s jaw dropped. She stared dumbstruck at Keen, but the filly wouldn’t look at her. She just kept gazing up at the moon. After a while Keen spoke again. “You get quiet, Mom. You think. That means something bad happened, and you don't wanna tell me.”

The pegasus bowed her head, a wave of misery sweeping over her. “I’m that obvious, huh?”

Keen turned to her, sliding over to sit just before Lightning. “Look,” she said, and when Lightning did she saw a faint glow from Keen’s horn. “I caught moonlight. Uncle Fine taught me.”

Lightning sniffed, rubbing her nose. She smiled at this tiny attempt to cheer her, even though she felt like weeping. “He did, did he?”

Keen lowered her head, her eyes sad but calm. “Can the Moon Princess help?”

“I don’t think so,” her adoptive mother whispered.

“Uncle Fine? Twilight?”

Lightning couldn’t answer. She couldn’t even look Keen in the eye. For a long time there was a silence between them as she thought on the night’s failures, and what she could possibly do. But what was there to do save run?

Keen clapped her hooves and took a long, deep breath. “When a pony dies, if the pony was really good, the pony will meet her mom.”

Lightning shifted, her ears perking up. She slowly looked up at Keen, who had her hooves together and her eyes closed as she continued. “A pony’s mom fills her with happiness, ‘cause a mom’s love is perfect. So always work to make Mom proud, and you’ll be forever happy, even if you lose.” She opened her eyes, which were filled with love, and smiled in her soft way. “Mom’s love defeats all evil. Mom always protects you, because Mom loves you.”

Lightning gazed at her little unicorn filly, the words echoing in her mind. “Little Bolt, where’d you hear that?”

“Uncle Fine taught me,” she answered. She walked to the edge of the bed and nuzzled her mother. “He called it a chant. He told me to say it when I’m scared or unhappy. I think you need it, too.”

Lightning smiled and returned the gesture. She was a mother now, wasn’t she? And Keen needed her to be strong, especially now. She was so proud of her precious little filly, trying to comfort her like this. It gave her the tiny boost she needed to snap out of her brief, unhappy daze. “Thanks, Keen. Since when did you spend so much time with Uncle Fine?”

Keen sat up straight and blushed. “Um… well… I don’t think I can tell.”

Lightning had a sudden suspicion, and raised her eyebrow at the filly expectantly.

Keen flinched. “W-well… he kinda… sorta… visits.” Her head sank a little. “At night.” And a little more. “While you sleep.”

Lightning stared at her, not sure how to respond to this news. “He does? Since when?”

“Umm… since you became my mom?” Keen ventured. “He worries, I think.”

Lightning was stunned. She always assumed Keen liked Fine because he’d helped rescue her from the changelings, but suddenly him being Uncle Fine made so much more sense. Had he felt guilty for not being able to save the others at the orphanage? For not figuring things out sooner? Or did he feel responsible for Keen, the only one they had rescued? And to think she’d assumed Keen was talking in her sleep!

“Is Uncle Fine in trouble?” Keen asked, her head still hanging low and a guilty look on her tiny face.

Another sharp pang to the heart. She knew what Keen was really thinking, but even so the answer was the same. Lightning reached out and pulled Keen to her in a tight hug. “Not because of you, Little Bolt. I’ll have to have a talk to him later about your bed time-“ If she ever saw him again. “-but I’m not mad at him, promise.”

Keen beamed and snuggled against Lightning’s chest. “Good. I was scared for him.”

There was a long comfortable silence between them. Lightning wished she could hold the tiny filly forever; nothing in the world made her happier than moments like these, and for just a moment she allowed herself to be content.

But it came crashing down when Keen spoke again. “What are you gonna do about the Sun Princess?”

Lightning sighed and looked her in the eyes, petting that pale mane. Sometimes she wondered if the small act wasn’t more comforting to her than to Keen. “We’re gonna go away for a while. We’ll go somewhere far away, somewhere safe from that big scary snake outside.”

“But what about Uncle Fine?” Keen asked, eyes big with worry. Damn those eyes for making her heart bleed!

“Uncle Fine’s dealing with something very important to him right now,” Lightning answered after a moment’s thought. “He can take care of himself.”

“But I’m worried,” the filly confessed with a tone to match her words. “Can we see him before we go?”

Lightning opened her mouth to reply, paused and shut it again. What to say? That her ‘uncle’ was cowering in his bed in a dark room, barely aware of the world around him? “I… I think we should leave him be, Keen.”

Keen bowed her head, her horn pressing against Lightning’s chest for a moment. Seeing that expression on her face was like a spear to Lightning’s heart. Keen looked up again, though. “What about our friends? Sweetie Belle, Airheart? Everypony in Ponyville. Are we gonna leave them, too?”

“We can’t stay, Keen.”

“Do they know what’s wrong?”

That made Lightning stop and think. Did they? Come to think of it, probably not.

Keen frowned, her small face determined. “I can see you, Mom.” Lightning blinked and stared down at the filly in mild surprise, but Keen spoke before she could respond. “We have to warn them, right? I don’t wanna leave without our friends. What will they do?”

Lightning thought her chest might burst from an excess of love. She clutched her child close, happy tears streaming down her cheeks. “Oh my precious Little Bolt, I am so proud of you! You’re right, you are so right!” Here she was planning on abandoning everything, and Keen was thinking of others first. To think Lightning was supposed to be the mature one! “I love you so much, Keen.”

“So we’ll help our friends?” Keen asked, an eager smile spreading across her face.

“Yes, yes we’ll help them all,” Lightning assured her, still holding on. “We’ll go straight away and guide everypony in Ponyville to safety, you and me!”

“And Uncle Fine?”

“Uncle Fine, too… if we can reach him.”

Author's Note

Just to point out: I adore Keen Arrow. I love writing scenes with her in them, they make me happy. I might have mentioned this before, but it is a strong possibility that the first thing I'll be writing when this story is finally complete is a chronicle of Lightning Dust's raising of Keen. And I will be grinning the whole time.

This chapter was a real trick to write. I went back and made various changes, added new parts, modified things I didn't like. Usually I don't worry about all that, but for some reason this one bugged the heck out of me. There was so much I wanted to do, and a number of things I realized I'd forgotten after finishing certain scenes. All in all, I've probably had to do more work with this one chapter than any other.

I'm not exactly certain what the next's chapter's going to be about. I could go in one of two directions, and I still haven't decided. No matter, for now I can divert my attention to Trixie vs. Equestria; I've decided to alternate updates for the two stories. This is proving a godsend, too, 'cause by stepping back and focusing on something else for a while I find I can approach each story with much greater clarity, and often with fresh ideas.

A Little Faith

Upper Crust awoke with a start, jerking up with a shout. Her heart pounded against her chest, and for several seconds she could still see the image of Princess Luna encased in crystal.

But then her mind cleared, and her breathing slowed to a normal rhythm. The memory faded, and with it her fear, though it was replaced by a bitter sadness. She almost laid back down… but then realized that she wasn’t in her bed. Or rather, she was, just not her Ponyville bed. She was home… in Canterlot. Then she remembered going back to Jet.

She rubbed her head, feeling foolish. Why had she let him lull her to sleep? Then again the rest did seem to have done her good; she was still sore, but the aching was far less horrible than it had been before. She yawned, pushing her mane out of her eyes and sliding off the bed. Jet was nowhere to be found, though the disheveled nature of the sheets made it clear she’d not slept alone.

On instinct she raised her hoof to sniff at it, and got a small whiff of Jet’s cologne. It made her smile, and she couldn’t help taking another deep breath. She wanted to find him… he was probably below, making breakfast. She started for the door, but paused when she noticed the window. She hadn’t seen that view in so long. A quick peek wouldn’t be wasteful of her time, would it?

The view was delightfully nostalgic. Canterlot Castle in the distance, the pearly white streets and buildings, the green beauty of the nearby park. A true delight on the eyes. It was too bad she would have to leave it, possibly forever. She leaned against the windowsill and took in the sight, pleasure and morning laziness combining to give her a content feeling.

But then she caught movement. Her eyes shifted to the street below. Soldiers in golden armor were walking the roads, knocking on doors. She watched, fear growing in her chest. Her gaze locked on the home three buildings down from her own, where one of her neighbors came out to greet an officer. The two exchanged a few words, and then the stallion was being led into the street. A couple soldiers entered the house and soon came out with a mare and a colt. They were escorted to a large carriage, the kind usually reserved for mass cargo transport.

Upper Crust wanted to believe there was an evacuation going on due to the events of last night. She wanted to… but there was another, far worse possibility: this could be a round-up.

She pulled herself from the window and hurried down the stairs. She came to the kitchen where, true to her expectations, Jet Set was sitting at a table enjoying some breakfast. “Uppity,” he called with an excited grin. “Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought you’d be in bed ‘till noon!”

She opened her mouth, but before she could say anything the doorbell chimed.

“Wonder who that could be,” Jet said, starting to get up. Terror griped Upper Crust like a vice. Her husband glowed a soft green and found himself being slammed back down to his seat, eyes wide. “Uppity! What’s gotten…”

She shushed him and went as quickly and as quietly as she could to the front door. Hesitating for only a moment, she reared back to set her eye to the peephole. Through it she saw three Canterlot Guards, their shapes rounded strangely by the glass. They were stern-faced, appeared very impatient… and their eyes were red.

“Crud.” She turned and found Jet standing at the end of the hallway, looking not just a little confused. She rushed to him and began pushing him towards the study in the back of the house.

“Uppity, what is wrong with you?”

“We have to get out of here, now,” she hissed just as the guards began to knock loudly on the door. “We’ll go out the back.”

“But why?” he demanded, “Who is it?”

“Canterlot Guard,” she answered quickly, closing the door to the study and locking it.

He stared at her in frowning disbelief. His tone was dull as he asked, “Uppity, why are you trying to run from the Canterlot Guard?”

She shook him violently. “Because they’ve all been enslaved by Silma Ril, and if they get their hooves on us we’ll be next! Now come on.”

“Uppity, you can’t be serious about this,” he pressed. “Who's Silma Ril? Where are we going to go?”

“We’re not going anywhere,” she told him in a whisper, “but we have to get away from them first!”

“That makes no sense,” he pointed out, his voice filled with confusion.

She opened the door and stepped out onto their perfectly-cut back lawn. “Jet this is no time to argue. We have to…”

“Hold it right there, ma’am.” She froze, staring in alarm as one of the guards appeared from around the corner of the house. “My apologies, I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

She eyed him warily and saw that his eyes were red like the others. Before she could say anything Jet appeared beside her with a welcoming smile. “Well hello, officer! Is there a problem?”

“No, no problem,” the guard said even as two more guards rounded the corner behind him. Upper Crust glanced back to find a third coming up behind her. “However there is something very important going on. Princess Celestia has a major announcement and has made it mandatory for all citizens in Canterlot to come to the castle to hear it. If you would accompany us, we have a carriage waiting.”

“Oh,” Jet replied with an uncertain frown. “I hope everything’s alright. Can’t my wife and I have a few minutes to prepare? We’d like to look our best.”

“No time,” the officer said. “We need you to come with us now.”

“But…”

The guard set a hoof to Jet’s shoulder, his face becoming stern. “Now.”

Upper Crust reacted without thinking, delivering a one-legged buck to the soldier behind her. Her hoof connected with his face, and he dropped like a rag doll. An instant later a spell shot from her horn; it was a small white ball that flew right over Jet’s shoulder and erupted in a blinding flash. Jet and the three guards all cried out and covered their eyes.

A second later and Upper Crust was among the guards. She jumped past Jet, cracking her hoof across the skull of the nearest guard as she landed. She then turned and delivered two rapid one-legged bucks against the second guard, once against the knees to make him fall and one against the face. The third guard was just beginning to recover his vision when she fired a red-hot beam at the ground under him. The resulting blast made him rear back from the heat, and she slammed a hoof into his exposed underbelly.

The four guards were all down, leaving Upper Crust amongst them and breathing hard from the excitement.

“H-holy horseshoes…” Jet whispered, eyes big as saucers. “Uppity… where did you learn to do that?”

She sat to stare at her front hooves with equal astonishment. “I… I can’t believe I pulled that off.” She would have to thank Twilight for teaching her a few of those spells… if she ever saw her again.

“What’s going on back there?”

Upper Crust’s moment of self-directed awe faded quickly as she realized the trouble they were now in. She grabbed Jet and jerked him out of the yard and into an alley. “Come on, we have to get to the lower districts!”

“That’s a little low-class, don’t you think?”

She ignored his comment as she emerged in the next street, open air just ahead of her as they were now at the edge of the city. She slid to a stop and saw a group of guards nearby. She ran, Jet Set right behind her, and they pursued. Fear filled her, but there was also determination. It was an entirely new feeling for her, taking charge like this and thinking on her own. On the one hoof she rather liked the feeling it gave her. On the other she would much rather that feeling coming from a far less dangerous activity!

She slid to a stop as some pegasus guards landed a few house ahead of them. “Halt! Don’t make us take you by force! We promise you and your husband won’t be hurt.”

“No, but we won’t be us, either,” she fired back.

“Come on, you two, play nice,” a guard called from behind.

Upper Crust and Jet Set were back to back, surrounded by guards. She ground her teeth in frustration, knowing she’d never be able to take on so many at once. Her eyes frantically searched for an escape, but the only way was to drop off the sheer side of the city on her right. That certainly wasn’t an option, though falling to her death would be a much better fate than losing her free will.

Then she caught sight of something below, and her special talent kicked in.

“Umm… Uppity?” Jet called over her shoulder, “I don’t really know what’s going on, but now might be a good time for a-“ She grabbed him and, using magic to give him a boost, tossed him over the edge. “-plaAAUGH!”

She leapt over the rails, ignoring the surprised shouts of the guards. Jet, screaming in terror, was falling just ahead of her. He fell about fifty feet… then landed atop the cushion-like surface of a passing airship's blimp. A second later and she landed right beside him.

“In the name of all that is Celestia, don’t ever do that to me again!” Jet screamed, mane akimbo and eyes filled with fresh terror.

Upper Crust ignored him, looking up in time to see four pegasi guards flying down to them. Thinking fast, she grabbed hold of her husband and dropped them both to their bellies. “Hold on!” She grabbed one of the ropes that secured the ship’s blimp with her teeth and, once the guards were close enough, zapped a small red beam against the canvass.

A hole ripped in the blimp, and helium erupted out like a geyser right into the guards’ faces. They flapped wildly in response and lost all control of their flight. Two swerved sideways and ended up smacking the wall, dropping like rocks to the city below. A third plummeted forward and punching through the canvass, the sound of smashing wood making it clear he’d crashed into the deck below. The fourth guard successfully maneuvered and escaped the erupting helium, but he was so busy with that he was unable to dodge Upper Crust’s beam attack. It cut into his wing and sent him spiraling off wildly.

Finally free of pursuers, she wrapped a hoof around the securing rope to give her sore teeth a break. Jet was clutching her like a baby to his mother. “Oh Celestia we’re gonna die, we are so gonna die!”

“Shut up, Jet, we’re not going to die,” she snapped, eyes locked on the ground that was coming up to meet their ship. Truth was she couldn’t be confident about that, but it was too late now, so she just held on tight and prayed. She caught a glimpse of something long and purple out of the corner of her eye, and she glanced over just in time to spot the massive snake’s body before it was covered up by the rising buildings.

Whoever was piloting the ship managed to get it between buildings and over a street. It hit the ground with a resounding crash, and both Upper Crust and Jet Set went sprawling through the air. On instinct she tucked herself in, and when she hit the hard ground she was rolling across the stones. She ended up sliding painfully on her back, and when she at last stopped her hind legs were touching her shoulders.

She let them drop and lay there for a second, wincing at the pain. But there was no time to think on that; guards were almost certain to come investigate the crash site. She climbed to her hooves, standing tall and observing the wrecked ship. She really hoped whoever had been in there was okay.

“W-who…who are you?”

She cast a scathing glance down to see Jet lying on his belly and staring up at her with big, amazed eyes. His awed expression, the excitement of the chase and the thrill of the fight had stirred something within her. Pride, determination and drive filled her mind and made her feel… capable. No, not just capable: responsible. It was an entirely new sensation, and she didn’t want it to go away.

“I was chosen by Princess Luna,” she replied firmly, turning back to the wreckage. “She wanted me to be a hero, even though I never was one. Well I’m tired of watching the others do all the work. It’s time I did what I was always supposed to.”

“U… U-Uppity?”

"That’s right, Jet,” she answered firmly, a new purpose guiding her words, “I am your wife, Upper Crust… and I am going to fight to get Luna back.”

She left him lying there, rushing to the crashed ship. She climbed atop it and began to search, and soon found a big white-coated stallion climbing out of the wreckage. He was dazed and bleeding in a few places. “Are you alright?” she asked, brushing his shiny black mane out of his eyes to get a look at them.

“I… I think so…” he replied, his eyes both angered and confused at once.

“Was there anypony else with you?”

“What…? No. No, it was just me.”

“Then come on,” she snapped, dragging him out of the wreckage. “You need to get out of here.”

Jet was waiting at the edge of the ship. “Uppity… what are you planning to do?”

“Evacuate,” she told him, helping the pilot to the street. “Everypony we can reach. I have to warn them, Jet!”

He stared at her, shifting uncertainly. “But… but just last night you wanted to leave for the Crystal Empire.”

“Last night I was tired, traumatized and terrified,” she countered. “I couldn’t think. Today I am alert and aware and ready to fight! That starts with evacuating Canterlot: the more we help escape, the smaller Silma's army will be!”

Jet rubbed his head, temporarily at a loss for words. “Is… Is your life always this exciting now?”

“No,” she answered, looking about at the crowd that was beginning to gather around the crash site. “No, this is pretty new. But I can get used to it.”

The twins stood close by, watching as Silma Ril worked her magic. She stood before Luna’s crystal, eyes closed and horn glowing brightly as the two great gemstones hovered on either side of her. Neither of them said anything, but the tension in their minds was clear.

Jimmy didn’t want to be here for this. He’d rather be anywhere but here, even living with his old stallion again. But Silma had ‘requested’ their presence, and they both knew better than to say no.

The first crack resounded through the warm afternoon air. Jimmy glanced aside to see that it was Fluttershy’s crystal, a long line stretching across her face. A few more cracks began to form, and soon all the Element Bearers’ crystals were breaking. Jimmy’s chest went tight at the thought of what he was about to witness.

A large chunk of crystal fell, releasing part of Fluttershy’s left side. Her wing, having been stuck in a flight position for the entire night, stretched and flapped a few times. Seconds later the rest of the crystal broke apart. She dropped to her knees, breathing heavily.

“Fluttershy?” Nye called, taking a tentative step towards her, “are you… okay?”

Her eyes opened to gaze at them, and Jimmy’s heart stopped at their red color. She smiled sweetly and carefully got to her hooves. “Of course I am. Never felt better.”

Jimmy fought not to sag or show any other negativity towards the situation. He smiled, even though deep down he was feeling nothing but fresh horror. He glanced at the others, all of whom were slowly coming out of a daze and getting to their hooves. He spotted Rarity and approached with timid steps. “Rarity? How do you feel?”

Her eyes, red as rubies, flashed pleasantly at the sight of him. “Oh just wonderful, Jimmy. Thank you for asking.”

“Yes,” Twilight spoke, stepping beside her with a smile that made Jimmy shiver, “I think we’re all just fine.”

“R-Rainbow?” Jimmy glanced aside to see Nye approaching his mare-friend. There was no way to hide his nervousness and fear. “Rainbow… you know who I am?”

Rainbow observed him for a moment with a studious frown, and then suddenly engulfed Nye in a hug. “Of course I remember you, Nye! Why the hay would I forget?”

Nye’s lips trembled up into a smile as he returned her embrace. “Oh thank… Silma.” He said the name with no small difficulty. Jimmy winced and glanced at the self-proclaimed Empress, but if she’d noticed the falter she made no indication, her eyes sharp and locked on Luna.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Nye confessed. “I didn’t know if you’d recall me, or remember what we are together.”

“Come on, stop trying to embarrass me,” she instructed, stepping back to whack him on the shoulder playfully. “You’re such a mare, Nye.” He only laughed.

Jimmy watched the interaction with a sickening feeling. He understood this brother’s satisfaction at this moment, though he didn’t like it one bit. But they both knew that the real odds of saving everypony were small. When they’d confirmed this to one another Nye had made one statement that Jimmy found disturbing: as long as Rainbow still cared for him, he would at least try to be content. Jimmy couldn’t really blame his brother, but the sentiment seemed very defeatist for somepony who’d been so confident the night before.

“Wha’s wrong, Jim?” Applejack asked, her seemingly genuine worry offsetting the red shine of her eyes.

“Nothing…” he responded, fighting to ignore his sadness. “I’m just… hoping everything turns out okay.”

“Don’t you worry, Jimmy,” Pinkie said, “with Silma in charge everything’s going to go wonderfully.” He glanced at her and for a moment had to stare; her usually bushy mane had become straight. Were her colors a little less bright now? She smiled at him, but it wasn’t the big happy grin of Pinkie. It was something softer, something with a meaning he couldn’t quite grasp. He’d seen that kind of smile before. He didn’t know from who, but it was familiar and it gave him the creeps.

Twilight walked up to Silma, who’s focus remained set upon Luna. The other Element Bearers followed close behind. “Empress, thank you for helping us see things more clearly. We are all so very sorry for our behavior! Please, whatever it is you need, we are at your command.”

Then, to Jimmy’s disgust and terror, all six of them bowed low before the alicorn. He glanced at his brother, who’s white face seemed to go an extra shade of pale, and wondered if he didn’t have the same expression. He glanced back to see his friends still bowed and awaiting Silma’s response. The sight gave him an intense urge to vomit.

“Your offering of servitude pleases me,” Silma told them even as she refused to look at them. “I hold nothing against you, my little ponies: you were fooled by the wiles of a once-treacherous princess. I would be delighted to call upon you all as my elite guard.”

Jimmy turned his head away in shame as they cheered this response.

“What would you have us do?” Twilight asked with an eagerness so fawning it made Jimmy wince. “Anything, Empress, just give the order. Please, we long to prove ourselves!” The others sounded out their agreement.

“I understand, young ones,” Silma answered, a small smile on her lips as her horn’s glow began to fade, “but please, give me a moment. I must accept the loyalty of one more lost child.”

And then there was a crack in Luna’s crystal. Slowly, a small piece at time, the crystal began to break apart and turn to dust around her. A hoof came free, then a wing, then her tail. It took much longer than the others had, but at last the Princess of the Night was freed from her prison. Her wings flapped and she shook to remove dust from her coat. She let out a deep, relaxed breath and opened her eyes to reveal that now familiar red glow.

Nye let out a weak, agonized sound. Jimmy glanced at him to see his brother on his knees, tears in his eyes, and slowly bent down to whisper to him. “Get up, Nye. Remember, no weakness!”

“I know.” The misery in Nye’s voice was like a knife in the heart. “I know… I’m t-trying…”

“Silma,” Luna spoke, her voice firm and confident as she dropped into a deep bow, “Empress and teacher, please forgive me my transgressions. I beg of you to be merciful and understanding of I, your rebellious and foolish student.”

“My Luna,” Silma answered, her voice filled with compassion as she went to stand right before the princess. “My dear, sweet little Luna. Always the shadow, never the light.” She reached a hoof under Luna’s chin, making her look up to her. “You were frustrated, you were lost. You had to follow your sister’s shadow, whether you liked it or not. I understand the dilemma you faced at the time. If anything, your act of betrayal is my own fault, for I did not see the treachery in Celestia’s heart, or the power she held over you. You are forgiven, my student, as I have forgiven her.”

“Thank you, Your Eminence, thank you!” The joy in Luna’s expression, even as she remained bowed before Silma’s hooves, filled Jimmy with such loathing as he’d not felt in all his life.

“You are most welcome,” Silma stepped back, her kind expression replaced with one that could only be defined as frigid. “Arise, Luna. I have a very important task for you.”

“Yes, my teacher,” Luna answered with fawning obedience. Jimmy cringed and glanced at Nye, whose face was rigid and emotionless. His brother’s gaze was locked on Luna, and Jimmy could see the fury in his eyes. He understood perfectly: if appearances weren’t the only thing keeping them alive, Jimmy might have been screaming.

“Silma.” All eyes turned to the edge of the clearing, where Mane Archon appeared. He approached, head high and an official, solemn grimace on his face. “I see you’ve finished converting the infidels.” There was a certain sarcasm in his tone that didn’t match his expression at all.

“Archon,” Silma greeted coolly. She turned to the others present, her gaze firm. “Listen and obey, my little ponies: this is Mane Archon, my ally and partner in this new age. You will obey and serve him loyally as you would me, is that understood?”

They all voiced their agreement, making Archon smile with wicked pleasure. “Ah, I miss the sound of loyalty,” he confessed. “I look forward to abusing this power you’ve given me.”

“Where is Celestia?” Silma pressed. “I have a task for her.”

“I left her in charge of rounding up the mindless masses,” he replied. “I felt the citizens would be more compliant if they were ordered into servitude by their former leader… not that it matters, considering they will be trapped by the time they hear the announcement.”

“I see.” Silma nodded her stern approval. “How goes the collection of citizens?”

“We ran into a small problem,” Archon confessed, his tone dark. “According to the Guard’s officers, one of the ponies we let escape last night has sounded the alarm in the lower levels. The response has been sluggish, but it would seem she is triggering a mass exodus from the city. We won’t be able to collect as many minions as we’d originally hoped.”

Jimmy barely managed to avoid a smile at this news. Who could it have been? Octavia, perhaps? Maybe Lightning. Regardless it was a sign that the others were at least trying to do something about the situation. Perhaps Nye was right and something could still be done… but he didn’t dare show his pleasure at the idea.

“The peasant rabble does not concern me,” Silma announced with confidence. “What of the soldiers? Have we captured the barracks?”

“They fought well throughout the night,” Archon replied, “but after Celestia remembered to raise the sun she was able to convince the soldiers to lay down their arms and surrender.”

Silma at last smiled. “Perfect. I will make the barracks my first visit, but even with the intense power of the Stones, it will take at least a week to convert so many ponies at a time. We will need to act accordingly.”

Archon nodded, face as stern as ever. “What did you have in mind?”

“I will focus my attention on converting a small number of soldiers,” she told him. “That should take only a few hours. Once that is done I will send Celestia with a small unit to the Crystal Empire to catch the so-called Princess of Love by surprise. Once Cadance is here I’ll work on converting her, as well.”

Archon considered this for a moment, a dubious frown on his lips as he tapped the box hanging from his neck.. “Are you certain you want to send Celestia to do that? You said it yourself that those enslaved by your magic are less… capable as a result.”

“Alicorns are not so heavily affected in that regard,” Silma answered. “A minor flaw in the spell that often proves more an advantage than one might expect. I have faith that Celestia can handle herself.”

“Fair enough,” Archon said, “but I thought you wanted to kill Cadenza?”

Silma’s lips pursed to give her a dour expression. “I do hate that wanton wench for sitting on my throne… but an alicorn always makes for a good addition to our forces. Perhaps I could leave her to you as a gift.”

Archon grinned wickedly, and Jimmy fought not to think on what the bastard might be intending. He wanted to find some way to warn the Empire… but how? He glanced at Nye, who appeared to be in a desperate fight to keep his lips closed as his livid eyes shot daggers at Silma. Jimmy bumped his brother’s leg with a hoof, earning him a scathing glance. But Nye took the hint and let out a deep, calming breath.

“Luna.” Silma turned to her, and the princess stood erect in preparation for her orders. “Have you any thoughts on where the Shades of Night might be hidden?”

Luna’s face flushed with anxiety and fear, but she was able to answer. “I am sorry, Empress, but I cannot recall. If Your Eminence would permit a guess, I would suggest searching the moon.”

“Then that shall be your task,” Silma told her. “I will grant you a small army of servants, who you shall bring to the moon to commence the search.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Nye Stone.” Jimmy saw his brother flinch out of the corner of his eye as Silma turned her head to him. “From what you told me before, I imagine you know Luna very well.”

Nye bowed on shaky legs, eyes wide with fear. “Y-yes, Empress.”

“The moon is very large, of course, and Luna will need an officer to help her lead the servants.” Silma turned to him, tilting a little towards Luna. “Luna, would you vouch for this stallion?”

The princess gazed upon Nye, her expression regal and studious. Jimmy couldn’t help worrying; would she recall his brother in the same way Rainbow had? He had a distinct feeling that Nye was about to be severely judged by Luna’s reaction, and for some reason that scared him. He watched Nye, who was visibly shaking from fear, and wished he could comfort him in some way.

At last Luna answered. “Nye is my oldest and most dear friend,” she said, a pleasant smile coming to her lips. “I have absolute, unwavering faith in him. To have him join me in this quest would bring me much pleasure.”

Nye looked up at Luna with true happiness in his eyes. Jimmy felt it too… but he also felt a horrible fear in the back of his mind. Nye was going to the moon? If his ruse was discovered there, escape would be impossible!

“So be it,” Silma announced, “Nye Stone will join you as your chief officer. May he serve you loyally until the end of his days.” That last line was aimed directly at Nye, and judging by his solemn expression the hidden implications weren’t lost on him.

“T-thank you, Your Eminence,” Nye replied, taking another deep bow. “And to you, Luna.”

“My genuine pleasure,” Luna told him with a smile to match the sentiment.

Silma glanced back at Archon, who’d been listening to the conversation intently. “I believe you claimed to have need of an engineer, did you not?”

He nodded. “Indeed, I have a certain defensive weapon I’d like built on the castle’s tallest spire. It’s a little something I discovered during my travels, a technology the likes of which this world has never seen.”

Jimmy’s attention had been captured the instant he’d heard the word ‘engineer,’ knowing it could only relate to him. Sure enough Silma turned to face him. “Jimmy Stone, you will work with Archon to build this weapon of his.”

“As you wish,” he replied, bowing and wishing the tight feeling in his chest would go away.

“Know this, Mr. Stone,” Silma announced with a voice cold as ice, “my faith in you is far less than that which I have for your brother. Succeed at this and you will have taken the first step in a long path towards my trust.

Do not let me down.”

Ponyville was a whirlwind of activity; ponies gathering their things, some already leaving, others arguing over the point of it all. Octavia noted it and recognized the somepony must have called for an evacuation. Even so, she couldn’t get too worked up.

After spending all that night trying to get to Canterlot, she’d gone and devoted all day trying to get back. She hadn’t slept in almost two days and her body was terribly sore from the fight to escape the castle. She was as miserable as she could ever remember being, but she kept putting one hoof in front of the other. The sheer effort of walking seemed almost unbearable.

But she refused to stop. She would get to Fine first, and not until she had would she rest. She didn’t know why it was so incredibly important to her, she just knew it had to be done. Somehow, in some strange way, she felt that Fine would help her solve everything. Was it wishful thinking? Was she a little delusional from all that had happened? Maybe she’d already fallen asleep, and this was a vivid dream. Whatever the case was she kept going, watching her hooves take the slow, weary steps.

But then something was in her way. She blinked so very slowly. She wanted to reach up and brush her mane from her face, but feared doing so would unbalance and topple her. There was a noise in her head… somepony was talking to her. Though her head felt unbearably heavy she forced it up and tried to clear her vision and hearing. It took several seconds and a lot of effort.

“…ook terrible.” Lightning’s voice came into focus at about the same time as her face, which was full of worry. A small filly – Keen – had her hooves on Lightning’s ears for leverage as she peered over the pegasus’ mane at Octavia.

Octavia opened her mouth to speak, but her words didn’t come out quite right. She swallowed, her weariness making the act slow and methodical, and tried again. “...I’ve got to get to Fine’s place.” Her voice sounded terrible, even to her own ears.

Lightning’s frown spoke volumes about skepticism. “You look like you couldn’t walk another step.”

Octavia closed her eyes against the pounding in her head for a few seconds before answering in her ever-slow voice. “I have to get to him. We owe him.”

Lightning seemed at a loss for words. Keen, standing tall so she could get a better view over her adoptive mother’s head, asked, “Tavi, what’s wrong?”

“She’s just tired,” Lightning explained. She stepped to Octavia’s side and pressed against her. “Come on, Octavia, let me help you.” It took a lot of effort just to raise her leg high enough, but Octavia complied and set it around Lightning’s shoulder so she could lean on and use her for support. “Now why is it so important you see Fine?”

“I don’t know,” Octavia confessed, her voice barely a whisper. “I want to help him escape… I think part of me also hopes he can find a solution.”

“He has to get better, first,” Lightning noted, but not unkindly. “I don’t know if it’ll do any good, but I can understand you wanting to help him get out of here. I guess we all sort of owe him.”

Keen moved back to between Lightning’s wings so she could look Octavia over more closely. “Are you really okay?” she asked, frowning with anxious concern.

Octavia tried her best to smile for her, but doubted she was fooling the filly. “I’ll be fine, Keen. I just need some sleep, that’s all.”

Lightning studied her for a moment with a fretful eye, then let out a sigh. “Alright, then.” Next thing Octavia knew she was being lifted by her shoulders into the air.

If she weren’t so worn out Octavia might have cried out in alarm. Instead she just asked a dull, “What are you doing?”

“Flying you to Fine’s place, what’s it look like?”

Octavia bowed her head, too weary to say anything beyond a quiet “Thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lightning answered, her voice unusually soft. As they ascended and began flying just over the canopy of the Everfree Forest she said, “Look… I’m sorry. I feel real bad about ditching you and Upper Crust back there.” Octavia wanted to say something, but couldn’t conjure up the energy. “I sorta just… well, it’s my old problem. I think of a solution and rush in. I should have helped you two out of there. It was a bad move, and I’m really really sorry about it.

“I want to help Fine, too,” Lightning continued. “If it weren’t for him there’s no telling where I’d be. Dead, probably. Or still wandering around Equestria searching for meaning. My life sucked before he came along.”

Despite her weariness, Octavia found herself listening intently. She and Lightning never spent much time together, and even if she had she wasn’t certain the pegasus had spoken like this to anypony before. The words rang with importance, and she didn’t want to miss a single one. “Without Fine I wouldn’t have Keen. Without Keen, my life would be hell. Yeah, yeah…”

Octavia didn’t know what that last part about, but something told her Lightning was responding to Keen just then. A hug, perhaps? Lightning went on. “I know I haven’t been much of a team player. I haven’t given any of you guys reason to believe in me. When the going got tough I ran, just like how I ran from my failure at the Academy, and when I try to help I usually end up making things worse.

“But today I came to realize that I couldn’t just run. I’m sick of running. So I didn’t leave Ponyville, like I said I would. I stuck around, sounded the alarm. I’m helping them get away safe. I know it’s not much, but it’s better than running, right? I want to take responsibility for my mistakes, starting with how I left you two in the castle.

“So let me help. In whatever way I can, I’ll do it. I owe Fine my life and my kid, and I owe you an apology. So I’m sorry, Octavia. If you need me, come and find me: I’ll be around. I won’t leave Ponyville until everyone is safe and gone, and that includes you and Fine. …Octavia?”

“I’m not dead yet,” Octavia said, a weak smile on her lips.

“Well don’t you have anything to say?” Lightning asked in a fretful tone as they began to descend. Fine’s home, its tall roof poking up from the trees, was easy to spot. Lightning gently set Octavia down in the grass before landing in front of her, real worry on her face.

It required a lot of energy, but Octavia pulled it off: she embraced Lightning in a tight hug.

“I knew you wouldn’t abandon us,” she whispered. “I have faith in everyone on this team, Lightning. Myself, Jimmy, Nye. Upper Crust and Fine. Even you.” She stepped back to find Lightning speechless and wide-eyed, and couldn’t help giggling a little. “We’ve all gained something special by being in this team: I learned to trust all of you; Fine got a second chance at a normal life; Upper Crust gained confidence in herself; Jimmy learned to appreciate what he already has; Nye found a purpose of his own; and you found Keen.”

Keen poked her happy face up over Lightning’s at the mention of her name, causing Octavia’s smile to broaden. “I think this team can still do what it was founded to do,” she told Lightning. “We’re scattered and doing our own things, but you just watch: three days tops and we’ll be together again. The only thing missing is Fine, and once he’s back on his hooves everything will fall into place. We’ll need you in the end, Lightning. We all will.”

Lightning remained silent for several seconds, her eyes moist. After a few seconds of lip-trembling, and a valiant effort at self control, she finally thrust a leg up to cover her face. “S-stop it, already… y-you’re gonna make m-me look sappy in front of m-my kid…”

Keen tilted her head, looking down at Lightning with worried eyes. “Mom…?”

The pegasus let out a weak cry. “D-don’t call me that now!” Then she whipped around to clutch the filly in a tight hug as tears began to flow. “W-why’d you have to call m-me that, Little Bolt? If R-Rainbow saw me n-now I’d never hear th-the end of it!”

Octavia sat heavily in the grass, weariness coming over her again. “I… I think I should get inside… get some sleep…”

“Oh, r-right,” Lightning whispered, setting Keen down and wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry, l-let me help…”

“That’s okay,” Octavia said, struggling back to her hooves. She started for the front door. “You need to help with the evacuation, right?”

She came to a pause as Keen trotted up to her. The filly stood in her way and looked up with eager, grinning eyes. “I’ll go with you!”

“Oh… I don’t know…” Octavia glanced at Lightning, not sure what to say.

Lightning, still trying to dry her eyes and stop her hiccups, waved a dismissive hoof. “I-if my Little Bolt wants to g-g-go. It’s probably safer than b-being around a bunch of p-panicky ponies trying to escape town.”

Well she was no help. Octavia looked down at Keen, whose expression was so bright. “But honey, I’m going to go straight to sleep, and Fine’s not going to be awake. You’ll be bored.”

Keen shook her head. “I wanna help Uncle Fine, too. He’s sick, right?”

Uncle Fine? She shot another glance at Lightning, who was beaming at her adopted filly. “Are you sure, Keen? You really will be very bored.”

“That’s okay,” she answered, her tone going from cheer to strained hope. “I’ll behave, and nap with you. Twilight n’ Uncle Fine showed me magic. I can practice.”

Octavia tried to think of something else to say, but then Lightning was there to whisper in her ear. “Let her come, Octy. She’s been worried sick about Fine, and she’s too good a kid to be any trouble.”

Octavia saw Lightning’s encouraging grin, then glanced down to find Keen sitting and gazing up at her with big, hopeful blue eyes. It was too much: those were the kind of eyes a mare just couldn’t say no to. “Alright, Keen, we’ll watch over Fine together.”

Keen instantly bounced to her hooves with a big grin. She tugged at Octavia’s hoof and, in her soft but eager voice, said, “I’ll help you! You won’t fall asleep ‘till we see Uncle Fine, promise.”

“Okay okay, I’m coming,” Octavia said, smiling at her eagerness.

“You go on ahead for a moment, Keen,” Lightning instructed, “I have one more thing to say to Octavia, k?”

“Yes ma’am!” Keen turned to run for the door, long mane and tail bouncing at her happy trot. Octavia was going to go open the door for her, but to her surprise the door glowed a dark blue and opened for the filly. She stared as Keen entered the house, the door slowly closing behind her. She was what, seven? And already moving large objects?

“She’s really good,” Octavia noted in wonder.

Lightning chuckled, eyes on the door and a proud smile on her lips. “Yeah, Twilight called her ‘prodigious,’ whatever that means.”

Octavia observed her friend, feeling as if she was seeing her for the first time. Lightning – headstrong, brutal, temperamental Lightning – had the quiet, warm glow of a proud mother. It was like looking at an entirely different pony.

Lightning turned to her, that warm smile still on her lips. “Thank you, Octavia. For believing in me, I mean. It means a lot more than you could know.”

Octavia returned the smile. “You’re welcome.”

But then Lightning jumped into the air. “That’s it, that’s all I wanted to say! I’ve got to get back to work before all this bonding turns me sappy again. You take care of Fine and Keen, I’ll handle Ponyville.”

“It’s a deal,” Octavia answered, chuckling at her friend’s attempt to hide a blush. Lightning did an encouraging hoof-pump before flying off over the trees, the canopy quickly covering her departure.

Octavia considered Lightning for a moment, realizing just how far she’d come since their team had been formed. She wished she could know what Upper Crust and the twins were up to right now. Were they out doing their own thing as well? Were they also shining at this moment of adversity? She wanted to think so. If that was the case then she could truly believe that this entire situation might be salvageable. All that would be needed was Fine.

And she realized that she did believe it. Somehow, she just knew that everything would be fine.

Certainly.

Author's Note

This chapter let me do something I've been wanting to do for ages: give Upper Crust and her special talent a chance to be awesome. I knew from the moment I first thought of it that her 'estimation' talent, while on the surface very boring, could be put to incredible combat use with a little creativity. I'm really hoping the next time she uses it - and there will be a next time before this story's over - it will be appropriately awesome. I felt strangely proud having her stand up to the guards and taking on a leadership role.

The only question now is how her husband will react to this in the long run. I've got an idea, but we'll have to wait and see.

As to the twins, this last scene finally put them where I've been trying to get them. Nye going to the moon was something I'd planned from day one, and I was pleased to finally do it. And Jimmy and Archon's weapon? While I never decided exactly what it would be - and I'm still thinking on it - it's an opportunity to show Jimmy's true talent while also helping to have Archon give a larger amount to the 'war' effort.

Even Lightning, Octavia and Keen's scene was interesting to me, as we finally see Lightning accepting her role as part of the team and Octavia losing her distrust once and for all regarding the team's functionality. Everything's coming together wonderfully, and all the players are in place.

Except Fine Crime.

Hmm... wonder who the next chapter's gonna be about?

Hero of a Dream

Night on the island. No stars, no moon, just an empty blackness over a tropical canopy. Fine jerked to his hooves, surprised to find himself standing on a sandy beach next to a small stream. How had he come to be there? He tried to remember, but the only thing he could see in his mind’s eye was massive fangs and yellow eyes.

The beast.

He dropped to his knees, breathing heavily and heart pounding. He was doomed. The thing was on land now. There was no escaping it! It would eat him, just as it had eaten his mother. For a moment his mind latched onto this terrible thought, and it was all he could do not to run.

Running was stupid. Where was he going to run to?! Forget the fact that he was on an island; the beast could move on land!

He was dead. It had waited twenty-five years to make its move, always teasing him in his nightmares, never giving him any rest, only to finally come for him. Why hadn’t it eaten him yet? Was it biding its time, enjoying his terror?

He didn’t want to do anything, nothing save find a deep dark hole and cower.

“Verity…”

He raised a hoof from his eyes to peer into the darkness. The voice had been soft… almost dream-like. He could have sworn somepony had called him like that before, and recently.

“Verity Fine…?”

Though his heart continued to pound in his chest, he slowly stood to look around. That voice… he knew he’d heard it before. In fact he couldn’t shake the strange feeling that somepony had been trying to call him for days. Maybe it was only his imagination.

“Verity, I’m waiting for you.”

That time the voice had a much more definite quality to it. He glanced around, trying to determine direction. “Who are you? Where?”

“Over here.”

At last he could determine direction. He turned around to find himself facing the tall hill at the center of the island. He felt drawn to that voice even as he felt a deep suspicion towards it. Still, he was going to die soon anyway thanks to that monster. Surely this couldn’t be any more dangerous? So he followed, pushing his way through thick palm leaves.

He raised his head to call out. “Let me hear from you!”

“It’s about time,” the voice answered, and this time the very sound of it changed. It wasn’t the familiar voice he’d thought of… now it was something very different, a voice he could easily recognize.

“Upper Crust?” He pushed past some particularly thick bushes and, to his amazement, found the unicorn sitting at the foot of the hill. She smiled pleasantly at him and gestured to him in welcome. His eye was immediately drawn to the necklace she wore, which was decorated with a beautiful amber maple leaf. He knew that necklace… but from where?

“I was starting to think you’d never notice me,” Upper Crust told him as he stepped up to her.

He stared at her beaming face for several seconds in complete confusion. “Upper Crust… what are you doing here? How’d we get on this island?”

“You’re the one who did that,” she replied as if the answer were obvious. “Come on, we’ve got a hill to climb.”

He sagged in disbelief as she turned and began to walk up the steep incline. “What?”

“You, me, hill.” She gestured to the hill’s crest. “Come on, do you want to get out of here or not?”

“There’s no getting out of here,” he told her, but followed behind anyway.

“So,” she began as they climbed side by side, their pace slow, “this is the island, huh? And you lived here for three months?”

“How’d you know that?” he asked, eyes going sharp. He’d meant to look at her face, but instead he found himself eyeing her necklace, which swayed almost hypnotically to her steps. “Only Twilight and Fluttershy know that! And Luna, come to think of it.”

“Did you feel safe here?”

He glowered at her. So she wasn’t going to give away her source? No matter, he’d figure it out eventually. “I did, once.”

“But you don’t now.”

“The monster can move on land,” he pointed out fearfully. “What protection is there against it?”

“Yet you always saw the island as a haven,” she reminded him. “As a colt it was a place of solace. In your dreams it was where you could retreat to safety.”

Now he was getting upset. “How do you know that?”

“Patience,” she instructed, her voice kind. “It always begins with a single step.”

He was getting tired of her riddles; they didn’t suit her at all. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Would you please start talking like Upper Crust and not some pony run wacky on poison joke extract?”

“Alright,” she answered, casting a grin his way, “how about this: what did you see in me?”

“Pardon?”

“When you recruited me,” she pressed. “What did you see that said I would make a good member of this team?”

For a while they trudged up the hill in silence, the trees gradually thinning as their elevation increased. He wasn’t sure why she was asking such a question, and it took him several seconds to collect his thoughts on the matter. Even so, he'd known the topic would come up eventually.

“I saw a mare blinded by her own ignorance, wanting to be satisfied with her meaningless existence but desperate to see past the fog of her upbringing. I saw in you a pony with incredible potential, potential that had been stifled. I knew that if I could wipe the clouds from your eyes you might make for an excellent member of the team.”

He glanced at her, nervous of her reaction. He’d always wondered how she felt about having been selected for this group in the first place. She appeared to be giving his words deep thought, but after a time she glanced at him, expressionless, and asked, “What do you think of me now? Have I met your expectations?”

Why was she talking about this? “Well… you’ve become largely independent, and I think you have a good grasp of the real world now. You handled yourself in Nildea, too. I think you’re an excellent member of the team, but your potential hasn’t been fully realized. Yet.”

She gained a warm smile. “Thank you for being so honest. You helped me get this far, so thank you for that, too.”

“I didn’t do a thing,” he replied. He glanced back the way they’d come to find they were high enough to see the endless ocean that surrounded the island. They’d almost reached the top.

“You did,” she told him. “You opened my eyes to the world. You introduced me to ponies like Jimmy and Octavia. I almost feel like I’m part of a new family. Maybe you didn’t do much, but it was more than enough to get me started on the path. That’s why I’m here now.”

He paused, staring as she climbed onto the crest of the hill and smiled down on him. That necklace seemed to shimmer, and just in that moment he noted a star twinkling into existence over her shoulder. “Umm… you’ve lost me. Why are you here?”

“You helped me,” she reminded him. “Now I’m helping you.” She looked out to the sea behind him and nodded, indicating he should look. He studied her for a few seconds, fairly confused, but turned as she suggested.

The wave was massive, and it was coming right for the island.

Fine let out a startled cry and scrambled the rest of the way up the hill. “When did that get there?!”

“It’s always there,” Upper Crust answered, observing the wave's approach as if it were an everyday occurrence.

“What do you mean, always there?” He watched it, trying to determine its height and speed. Would it reach over the island and get to them?

“It’ll be about a mile high when it hits shore,” she pointed out without concern. “It’ll crush us like a pair of apples in a wine press.”

His breath shot out of his chest as he saw yellow eyes gleam from within the wave. “Upper Crust… w-we have to get out of here…” The head began to emerge from the wave, a massive fanged mouth opening wide in preparation. “Oh shit… we’re g-gonna die…”

“Oh calm yourself, Verity,” she instructed, standing tall and ready for the monster. “Riptide isn’t going to harm you, that’s why I’m here.”

Fine turned to grab her by the shoulders and shake her violently. “What do you propose to do against that?!”

She brushed his legs away with surprising ease and stood between him and the approaching monster. “Just stand behind me, ya big baby.”

“No! W-we have to… we have t-to…” But where was he going to go? It was an island. He gazed with tears in his eyes and legs shaking as the creature surged over the island’s beaches. It’s head, as wide as a building, rose tall over them as it rushed for the hill. Fine felt his legs go weak and collapsed behind Upper Crust, a shivering wreck of terror. He wanted to scream, but no sound would come out of his mouth. He could only stare up at those hungry eyes and meet his end.

“Remember, Verity: your strength comes from us.”

He didn’t know what she was talking about. His mind couldn’t process anything but the cold, heart-stopping fear of his inevitable death.

And then there was light. Bright, powerful white light that almost blinded him in its intensity. The great serpent shivered, massive eyes wincing in pain. Its aim shifted, and the huge head smashed deep into the solid earth just below the crest of the hill.

Fine screamed as his world erupted into bits of sand and rock. He went flying through the air, and then he was falling. He prayed for some kind of salvation, anything that might keep him from dying right at this moment!

He hit the hard wood floor on his belly, chin bouncing painfully. For several seconds his eyes swam, his heart hammering in his chest. He lay there for a few seconds, groaning at the pain of the hit. After some time he pushed himself to his knees and rubbed his sore chin. Then he saw something… purple.

“Well, look who dropped in to visit.” He glanced up to find himself staring eye-to-eye with Spike the Dragon, who was standing on the bottom step of some wooden stairs. He didn’t look at all glad to see Fine. “You’re not here to steal any books, are ya?”

“Books?” Fine looked around and was shocked to realize he was in Ponyville’s Golden Oaks Library. How had he come to be there?

“What the hell?” He sat up and rubbed his head, trying to make sense of things. What just happened? He closed his eyes and tried to think of the last day, or the last hour. He had nothing. He opened them to find Spike staring at him with an eyebrow raised expectantly. “Umm… no, I’m not here to steal anything. I think?”

“Leave him alone, Spike.”

“Indeed, the poor stallion’s got enough on his hooves without your pestering.”

Fine blinked and turned in the direction of the two voices. On one side of the library, sitting at a big desk covered in books, was Twilight Sparkle, who was reading something very intently. Opposite her was Rarity, who was at a table working on something with a noisy sewing machine.

Spike turned and went upstairs without a word, leaving Fine to walk between the two Element Bearers. “Rarity? Twilight? What am I doing here?”

“Running scared from a big brute of a beast,” Rarity told him without looking up.

“That’s about it,” Twilight agreed with similar interest.

“Oh.” He glanced about the room, at a complete loss. There were no doors, so how was he supposed to leave? How were they? “How do I leave?”

“Do you actually want to leave?” Twilight asked, still not looking at him.

“Don’t you think it’s safer in here?” Rarity added.

“There’s no safe place!” he snapped. “That thing could crush this library like… l-like…” His eyes had fallen upon the window just behind Twilight, through which a single gargantuan eye was staring right at him. “Aw hell!” He took a few tentative steps back, tripped and fell on his haunches. “It’s here! We… we have to hide or… or…”

“Or what?” Twilight asked, turning the page in her book.

“What other option is there?” Rarity threw in.

“I-I don’t know!” he shouted, turning to look to Rarity. His heart stopped at the sight of massive scaled thing out the window behind her. “Oh Luna, w-we’re surrounded…”

“You can’t hide from Riptide,” Rarity noted.

“And there’s no place that’s safe,” Twilight reminded him. “So why hide? Or run?”

There was a loud creaking sound, and the walls began to surge inwards. Books fell off the shelves, lights flickered, the windows cracked. “What else can I do?!”

“Wouldn’t you rather fight?” Rarity suggested, blissfully ignorant of the danger.

“You can’t fight this!” Panic ran through him as the walls deformed even more. The damn snake was trying to squeeze the entire library!

“Are you really sure about that?” Twilight asked, not batting an eye as some books dropped onto her desk haphazardly.

He screamed in frustration. “I can’t fight! There’s no fighting this!” He dropped to his belly and covered his head in his hooves, tears coming to his eyes.

“But if you could… would you?”

“Yes!” He raised his head to glare at her. “If it were possible to defeat the beast I’d do it, but it’s not!”

At last Twilight looked at him, a proud smile on her lips. “It’s only impossible if you don’t try.” She stood, her chair scratching against the wood, and about her neck was a necklace he recognized; it had a solid amber mapleleaf. Another scratching sound made him turn to face Rarity, who had also stood to reveal that she wore the same necklace.

The two Element Bearers nodded to one another firmly and turned about to face the broken windows. Fine could only stare in amazement as they became engulfed in a bright light.

The light faded. He glanced around at sturdy stone houses, tall pine trees and rocky mountains. Foal Mountains. Why the heck was he in Foal Mountains?

Come to think of it, where had he just been?

He wobbled to his hooves, a fear he couldn’t explain filling his subconscious. He looked around anxiously, but he was all alone. Where was everypony? “Hello?”

“We have a visitor.”

He turned around to find himself staring at the old orphanage. Wait… the orphanage? He studied it for several seconds, trying to make sense of things in his head. Why did it seem so wrong for him for there to be an orphanage here?

“Hey, up here!” He looked up to find Lightning Dust grinning down at him from the roof. She was wearing a strangely familiar necklace. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

He glanced back at the orphanage’s front door, then up to Lightning. “What’s going on here?”

She sat on the roof’s edge, hooves dangling on the side, and shrugged. “Beats me. In the end it’s all up to you.”

“What are you talking about?” He watched her for several seconds, but she only kicked her legs playfully and grinned. Finally he gestured to the building. “The orphanage shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should I,” Lightning pointed out. She gestured to something below her. “She shouldn’t be here, too.”

“She?” Fine observed the building for a few seconds, then noticed something white in one of the windows. He quickly realized it was Keen Arrow, staring down at him with big, curious eyes. “I thought you two left Foal Mountains.”

Just as he finished speaking, there came a cacophonous crashing noise. He jerked about to see, in the far distance, something rolling over the hills. It was huge, thick and scaly, but most notable of all was how it was literally crushing the trees like toothpicks.

“Dang, that thing’s persistent,” Lightning said with a pleasant smile.

Fine took a few terrified steps back. “Oh no, not again! Lightning… fly me out of here!”

“Sorry, Verity, no can do.”

“What?!” He turned to her, wanting to glare but too scared of the thing thundering towards them to pull it off. “You have to! It’s the only way we’ll escape!”

She shot him a critical look. “Escape? You actually wanna escape this thing?”

“Yes!”

“What about Keen?”

He blinked and glanced down. The orphanage was on fire! Not just a little fire, no, the entire place was blazing! He jerked back from the sudden heat. “W-where did that come from?!”

“Uncle Fine?” He looked up in terror to see Keen still in the window, unconcerned even as smoke billowed around her small frame.

“Hold still,” he shouted to her, then glanced back in terror to see that the monster was getting closer, annihilating everything in its path. He turned to Lightning in desperation. “Lightning, you have to save her!”

“I couldn’t,” she told him, her voice uncharacteristically patient. “I tried, remember? I tried to save the whole orphanage, and it burned down with all my friends inside.”

“But you rescued Keen!” he screamed, “you can do it again!”

“This isn’t about Keen, and you know it.”

“Lightning!” He looked at Keen and was startled to find that in each and every window there were changelings. Tiny, black, foal-sized changelings, all staring at him with malicious grins. The flames that were consuming the building were of no concern to them. Amongst them all was Keen, staring down at him solemnly.

He kept glancing back at the monster, the roar of its mere movement battling with the flames for dominance over his hearing. “Lightning, what do you want me to say?! Help her!”

Lightning at last showed some anger. “I want you to tell me why my children had to die! I want to know that you didn’t sacrifice them just to get me to go to Ponyville!”

“I didn’t!” He dropped to his knees, fear-induced tears welling in his eyes. “Lightning, I would never! I had no way of knowing for certain!”

“But you had a hunch, didn’t you?” she accused. “You had a feeling something was wrong, and you could have acted on it! Four dozen foals died because you wanted to find solid evidence! And what’s worse? They were already dead when the fire took them!”

“Yes, I could have acted,” he cried. “I could have, I should have!” He gazed up at Keen, her precious form silhouetted by black faces and smoke. “Please, just get her out of there!”

“So that you can get away from the monster?” Lightning asked. “I don’t think so. It’s up to you, Verity; run and save yourself, or try to rescue Keen.”

“But it’s pointless,” he shouted, not daring to glance back at the beast he knew would crush him at any second. “I can’t save Keen and get away at the same time. If I go we’ll both die!”

But Lightning would not budge. “Is that why all my kids had to die? Just like that engineer on the train, you chose to let death have a victim to further your goals.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“You better make a decision soon,” she reminded him, pointing to the monster behind him. He could hear the sound of buildings being crushed; it had to be right behind him!

“Lightning, please. She’s your child, now!”

“No!” Lightning stood, flames licking at her hooves and smoke flowing around her. The necklace she wore shimmered in the light of the blaze. “This isn’t about me. Keen is your responsibility, because what you decide right now will affect her just as much as it affects you. Decide, Verity!”

He stood for precious seconds, hyperventilating as he tried to think of some argument. He didn’t want to die, but Keen…

At last he let out a roar of frustration and charged, smashing his shoulder against the wooden door. It gave with a single hit.

He stumbled forward, lost track of his hooves and fell to the floor on his face. He slid forward on slick, polished crystal, his motion making a squeaky sound. Slowly, painfully, he picked himself off the floor.

“The Crystal Palace?” He looked around, completely amazed. His face reflected back at him from countless mirror-like surfaces that made up the walls. He couldn’t remember coming here, not since his disastrous trip to visit the Door of Fears. So how…?

“Well look who it is,” a familiar voice called. He turned about to find himself before the Crystal Heart, which floated innocuously a few feet above a plinth. It shined black as death. Sitting to its left was Rainbow Dash, and opposite her was Applejack. They were both encased up to their necks in red crystals, but even so he could make out the familiar necklaces they wore.

“Oh not again,” he grumbled, giving the two Element Bearers critical looks. “The Crystal Heart’s been compromised?”

“Who said anything about the Crystal Heart, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“Yeah, that’s just fine,” Rainbow told him with a grin.

He stared at her in disbelief; how could she smile when she was almost completely encased in crystal? “Are we seeing the same thing?” he asked, gesturing to the Heart between them. “Look at it!”

“That ain’t the Crystal Heart,” Rainbow said.

“What do you mean it’s not the Crystal Heart?!”

“She means it ain’t the Crystal Heart,” Applejack replied, gesturing to it with her head. “Take a closer look.”

He tilted his head at her in perplexity, but finally decided to do as he was told. He came forward a few steps and peered into the Heart’s reflective surface…

He let out a horrified cry as a pair of big yellow eyes glared back at him. He fell to his back in alarm and crawled away as the entire room began to darken, and seconds later massive purple scales were reflected in the smooth surfaces all around him. He tried to scramble away, but there were no exits; soon he was completely surrounded by the beast’s massive scales!

“Riptide’s been in here for a while,” Rainbow noted. There was no fear in her voice, only curiosity.

“Yeah, I’d say he’s completely taken over,” Applejack added in a similar tone.

“What am I supposed to do?!” Fine crawled back from the walls, but didn’t dare approach the Crystal Heart. “We… We’re surrounded! Girls, I can’t…”

“Man, you’re such a wimp,” Rainbow told him in disdain. “It’s not even in the room.”

“How can you act so calm?!” He turned on her furiously, but he spotted those yellow eyes in the Heart and lost all his anger in favor of terror. He dropped to his knees and covered his head in his hooves, weeping.

“Geez, Verity,” Applejack said, “is it really that bad?”

“Don’t ask me,” he screamed, “can’t you tell just by looking?!”

“Ya know, ya could always ask fer help,” she reminded him.

“Help?” He jumped to his hooves to glare at her. “Help how? What can you do?! You’re trapped in crystal, and even if you weren’t you couldn’t beat that thing!”

“How do you know we can’t help?” Rainbow demanded. “You don’t even bother to ask.”

“Because you can’t help me,” he shouted, cowering at the sight of those massive scales that kept slithering about the room. Their very presence was threatening in his mind! “You can’t even help yourselves, and you want to help me?!”

“We’re not tryin ta help ourselves,” Applejack told him, “we’re tryin ta help you.”

“But… but…”

“All you have to do is ask,” Rainbow pointed out.

“But what can you do?!”

“We don’t know,” Applejack confessed.

“We won’t know until you let us try,” Rainbow added.

He peered through his hooves at them, but mostly he just saw purple, writhing and twisting and pushing purple. He covered his eyes once more and trembled in terror on the smooth floor.

“Do you want our help or not?!”

“Yes!” Fine clasped his hooves together and shook them at the two Element Bearers, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Yes, please! If you can help me, do it!”

“’bout damn time,” Rainbow declared.

“Yeah, ah thought ya’d never do it.” Applejack added.

And, as he watched, the two raised their heads and closed their eyes, as if concentrating on something. A second later a beam of light emerged from their two necklaces, converging on the Crystal Heart. The beast’s eyes winced in pain on contact, and the massive scales began to shiver and twist in agony.

Fine gazed in amazement, not understanding what he was seeing. “W… w-what are you doing?”

“Helpin,” Applejack said with a soft smile.

“Just needed you to ask,” Rainbow added with a smile of her own.

The scales faded into the background, until they were completely gone, and with them went Fine’s fear. He let out a long, relieved breath. It felt so good… as if he’d been unable to breathe for an eternity. He gazed at the walls, which were now black with so many star-like shimmers. He set a hoof to his chest and took a few more breaths, relishing the freshness of the air.

Then the two lights that were hitting the Crystal bounced off of it to strike him in the chest. The force of the hit sent him flying backwards. He let out a shout as he smashed into the wall, which erupted in a shattering of crystal.

He landed on top of something hard, which broke with the familiar sound of cracking wood. He collapsed to the floor and let out a groan at the pain in his back.

“Hey, watch it! Ya break it, ya bought it.”

He turned onto his belly and stood, shaking his head to clear it. When he opened his eyes he was startled to find himself in a café illuminated in a dark shade of blue. Nye’s Nights?

Nye was at the bar, juggling drinks in his usual show-off manner. Before him, sitting as a customer, was his twin Jimmy. Both were wearing an amber necklace that he knew he’d seen from somewhere before. Jimmy waved to Fine, a stick of blue extract between his lips, and gestured to the seat next to him.

Fine glanced to the floor and saw that he’d crushed one of Nye’s dining tables. How had he done that? Why had he even been falling? He walked up to the bar, feeling not just a little anxious as he sat down next to Jimmy. “Hey guys… sorry about the table.”

“No you’re not,” Jimmy declared with a grin and a puff of smoke.

“No, I am,” he insisted, turning to Nye. The younger Stone had just finished a Lunar Metropolis, which he set before his brother. “I’ll pay for it.”

“You’ve got a lot to pay for, don’t ya?” Nye asked as he grabbed a few bottles and began to juggle them once more.

Fine blinked and glanced around the restaurant, but aside from the table everything was in place. “Do I?”

“Yeah, ya do,” Nye went on, his voice patient. “All that time ya spent hiding from us. We don’t appreciate it, y’know.”

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, glancing away from them. “It’s not my fault I’m so introverted.”

“That’s not an excuse,” Jimmy told him.

“And what about my job,” Fine demanded, giving him a scowl. “It keeps me pretty busy.”

“You mean the Archon thing?” Nye asked.

Fine was on his hooves in a second, cast vicious glares at them both. “How do you know about that?!”

“You told us, Verity,” Jimmy said, not at all bothered by Fine’s anger. He took a puff of extract and blew smoke in Fine's face.

Fine waved the smoke away angrily. “I did not!”

“Maybe not out loud,” Nye confirmed, “but in here we know. We also know that your job doesn’t keep you near busy enough to keep you from dropping by to say ‘hi’ every now and again. Catch.” He tossed a bottle Fine’s way. Fine was just barely able to catch it in his hooves.

“What am I supposed to do with this, drink it?” Fine tried to offer it back, but Nye only tossed another at him. He used his magic to catch it.

“Hey, that’s cheating,” Jimmy said.

“Your job and your team,” Nye said. “Or do you even want to be our friend?”

Fine glanced from one bottle to the other, not sure where the twins were going with this. “Sure I do.”

“I think you’re lying,” Jimmy announced.

“It’s not a lie!” Fine shot him an annoyed look. “I’m just busy. I’ve got to meet with Luna regularly-” Another bottle was sent his way. “-and manage our team-“ And another. “-would you stop that?!”

“Come on, man,” Nye teased, bottles flying over his head as he spun around. He grinned, half a dozen bottles bouncing from hoof to hoof.

“Give it a try, Verity,” Jimmy suggested from around his extract stick.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Fine grumbled, but did as they suggested. To his surprise the bottles flew about in a nice neat circle between his hooves, but maintaining the motion was pretty hard.

Jimmy leaned forward to frown at Fine. “Why are you always avoiding us?”

“I… I’m not…” he answered, trying to keep focused on the bottles.

“I think he’s scared,” Nye suggested.

“Scared?” Fine would have laughed if he weren’t trying to keep his concentration. “Scared of what?”

“Of making friends,” Nye answered.

“Of becoming attached,” Jimmy added.

“You don’t know what I’ve been through,” Fine snapped. “This team could shatter! Anypony in it could die with any mission. Equestria isn’t roses and honey, that’s what Celestia has painted it out to be! I work for Luna, who doesn’t try to hide behind the sunshine and rainbows.”

“So why haven’t you told any of us that before?” Jimmy pressed, tapping off the burnt end of his extract stick in an ash tray. “Don’t we deserve to know?”

“If we work for Luna, we’re bound to meet that shadowy side of the coin,” Nye reminded him.

“Lightning already has,” Jimmy pointed out.

Fine could feel himself sweating under the pressure of their interrogation. “I didn’t think you wanted to know!” Another bottle flew his way, and it was all he could do not to drop it. “I was trying to protect you!”

“Now that’s a lie if I ever heard one,” Nye declared.

“We became friends,” Fine reminded them, a strange sense of desperation filling him. “We became friends after you all saved me from being a Bloodmane.”

“Did we really?” Jimmy snapped. “We still don’t see you around much.”

“You’re never there, Verity,” Nye reminded him with displeasure. “For a friend you sure don’t do much with anypony.”

“Because I don’t know what to do!” Another bottle was sent his way, and this time he couldn’t keep going; they collapsed to the floor with a resounding crash. He stared at the shattered remains, a terrible sense of misery filling him.

“I’ve never had friends…” he went on in a whisper. “I don’t know how to keep them, or what to do with them. I like you guys, all of you… but I’m lost. What am I supposed to do?”

Nye set a bottle down on the table and pushed it to Fine. “You could come by and talk to us about it. Just ask, Verity. Any of us. Get out of your comfort zone and try, instead of hiding from it in that mansion of yours.”

Fine took the bottle in unsteady hooves, staring at Nye. The younger Stone gestured to the bottle. “Try it, it’s new.”

There was a tight feeling in his chest. Fine wasn’t sure he wanted to take a drink. He glanced at Jimmy, who grinned and nodded his encouragement. He took another look at Nye, then looked down at the bottle. Well… if it would help him get out of his rut…

He leaned his head back and took a swig of the drink.

Water splashed onto his face, making him cough and sputter in surprise. He tried to rub his face, but found that his hooves would not move. He tried to look at them but could barely maneuver his head. The entire world was dark, dark beyond recognition. He almost felt as if he were floating in space… but no, he wasn’t floating. He was on his back, strapped down tight. Where was he?

“It’s about time you got here,” somepony spoke from the shadows. He recognized that voice. How could he forget it?

“Pinkie?”

“No.” She appeared from the darkness, strangely bright despite the absence of light. She stared down at him with a hard face, her mane straight and her eyes cold. “Pinkamina. I told you to call me Pinkamina.”

“Sorry,” he whispered. “It’s just that everypony calls you Pinkie.”

“If I looked like Pinkie, I’d be Pinkie,” she told him, brushing a hoof through her straight, loose hair. “I don’t, so I’m not.”

“How does that even work?”

She leaned over, setting an elbow atop his stomach and resting her cheek on her hoof. Only then did he see the amber necklace she was wearing. “You’ve got bigger things to worry about. Once you’re out of here you’ll have to deal with the real thing.”

“Out of here?” he asked. “Where is here?”

“Your dream,” she answered as if this were obvious.

“Dream?” He glanced around at the shadows all around them. “Can’t be. I dream of only two things: homicide and the monster.”

“This one’s gonna be a little different, thanks to a friend of yours,” she told him, patting him on the chest. “You’d best remember what you’ve learned so far.”

“Learned? What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know?” She sat up straight and clapped her hooves together. Above him something came into view. It was Upper Crust, wearing that same necklace. She seemed to be standing on the wall above him, but as far as he could tell there was no wall. How was she not falling through the air?

Upper Crust gave him a pleasant, happy smile. “You brought us together, one big happy family.”

Then he remembered; the island, the monster, her words.

Pinkie clapped her hooves again, and Upper Crust was gone. A second later she was replaced by Twilight and Rarity, again wearing the necklaces. And when they spoke in unison his memories came flooding back. “You can’t fight your fear unless you are willing to.”

Another clap of hooves, another change. This time it was Lightning Dust, Keen beaming from her back. “Don’t bury your guilt. Face it.”

Clap; there was Rainbow Dash and Applejack. “We’re willin ta help ya, sugarcube,” Applejack told him.

“Yeah,” Rainbow added, “but you have to let us know you need it.”

They spoke in unison. “Even if you don’t think we can help, you can still ask.”

One more clap, and there was Jimmy and Nye. They spoke as one. “If you want us to be your friends, you have to make an effort. We’ll help you along.”

They faded, and soon Fine was in total darkness again. And, to his surprise, he had tears in his eyes. “W… why am I crying?”

Pinkamina appeared over him, leaning uncomfortably against his stomach once again. “Maybe because you already knew all of that, but just couldn’t bring yourself to accept it.”

He stared at her in quiet amazement. “This really is a dream, isn’t it?”

She nodded, her mane shifting to cover one eye as she gazed on him sadly. “Yes, it is. And this is the seventh time you’ve landed on the rack.”

He blinked. “You mean I’ve had this same dream six times already?”

She nodded again. “You do a little better each time. I think this time you’re ready for the next step.”

“Next step?” He pulled against his bindings, but to no avail. “What’s the next step?”

She smiled and turned away from him. He could hear her handling a number of things in the dark. “You’ll just have to go there and find out.”

“How many steps are there?” he asked, anxiousness suddenly filling him. “What happens if I complete all the steps?”

“Then you’ll wake up.”

That sent a shiver down his spine. “Y-you mean I won’t wake up? Not until I’ve completed all the steps?! How long have I been out?”

“Who knows?” she answered. “Hours? Days? Weeks? Forever, if you don’t figure it out.”

She turned around, and he was alarmed to see her carrying a big, scary-looking axe in her hooves. “W-what are you doing with that?”

She felt at the blade, a small smile on her lips. “Verity, we’re trying to help you get over your fear, but you have to accept a few things about yourself, too. Call it the icing on the cupcake.” She leveled the axe at his throat.

“P-Pinkamina…?” He eyed the weapon fearfully. “You… you’re not gonna use that on me, are you?”

“One of the things you have to accept is your guilt,” she said, raising the axe over her shoulder.

“But I’ve already accepted that!”

She shook her head slowly. “That was the guilt you feel for command decisions as an Archon. I’m talking about the guilt you accumulated as a Bloodmane.”

He swallowed, mind suddenly clear. “You mean all the ponies I killed personally.”

“That’s it,” she answered with a weak smile. “I know exactly what that’s like. Maybe if you get killed yourself then it’ll help.”

He stared at her, and realized that he had no fear of her. “You say I’ve been here six times already?” She didn’t answer. “And this is where I always fail, isn’t it?”

She shifted her hooves to have a better hold on the axe, eyes locked on his throat. She kept her mouth tightly closed, not willing to answer his question. It was all the answer he needed; he looked straight up at the darkness above, which slowly began to twinkle with stars. It was like a night sky, shimmering and beautiful.

“Dying,” he said at last. He saw faces, dozens upon dozens of faces flashing across his eyes. “167 ponies,” he whispered. “I kept count. If dying now would appease them, then let it happen.”

Pinkamina blinked and shifted her head to stare at him. Her lips slowly turned up to form a pleased smile, to which he only smiled back.

Then she swung.

He sucked in a deep breath, eyes wide as he clutched at his throat. The axe… it had cut his head off! But no… he was still alive. His neck was still attached? But he’d been about to die.

He lay there for a minute, breathing heavy and trying to come to grips with the fact that he was not dead. Then he became aware that he was loose, and the world was bright again. The soft fragrance of flowers filled his nostrils, a familiar smell that helped him to relax. There was more than just flowers in the scent; there was the smell of animals of all kinds, and the aroma of fresh vegetables. And something else… something rosy and delightful and…

Fluttershy.

He sat up and looked around. He was sitting atop the dining table in Fluttershy’s kitchen. Somehow he knew he was still in the dream… but this time he remembered everything. All his meetings with the others, all the lessons they were trying to impart to him. It was such a complex dream he was having. So Fluttershy was next? Where was she?

As if his thoughts were a summons, her soft, wonderful voice came to him through the window. She was singing a gentle, pleasant tune. No words, just her delightful voice carrying through the air into his ears. He followed the sound out the front door and around the back of the house, where he found her sitting amongst some flowers at the edge of a field.

“Oh, you’re finally here,” she said, turning to him with her beautiful smile. He immediately noticed the necklace she was wearing, just like all the others. “I was starting to think I’d be waiting forever.”

“I’m sorry to keep you,” he said with complete honesty. He couldn’t resist smiling; he was so happy to see her right now. “I take it you’ve got something to tell me, too?”

She nodded. “It’s not so important to your fear, I suppose. But maybe it will give you something to fight for?”

He blinked in quiet confusion and glanced around at their pleasant surroundings. “I’m not sure I follow.”

“I didn’t think so,” she confessed, picking a flower and sniffing it. She smiled at the smell and tucked it into her hair. She began to pick more and setting them into her mane one at a time. “I’d like to let you stick around and spend time with me, Verity. I know you want to. But Pinkamina’s right; there are things going on outside that need your attention, and if you fail to move on you may never awaken.”

He considered this for a moment, and despite himself there was a lot of hesitancy in him. “You mean… moving on involves leaving you?”

“Not quite,” she answered, still setting flowers in her mane. “You just have to accept certain things, then be willing to leave.”

“Certain things?” he repeated. “Like what?”

“Like why do you spend so much time with me?”

He shifted anxiously and dropped to his haunches. He turned his eyes away as he answered. “Because… because you helped me. Because I owe you, and appreciate you.”

“Is that all I am?” she asked. “You stand by me because I’m useful?”

“N-no… it’s not just that. I’d like to think-“

“Is it because I look like her?”

He froze, his jaw dropping in quiet alarm. “L-like… her…?”

She turned to him, a particularly large flower covering the lower half of her face as she eyed him over the petals. The look was strangely… alluring. “Yes, her. Your mother.”

His chest tightened, and his breath was gone. He lowered his head and tried to find the right words, licking his dry lips to buy time. “I… well… y-yes, you do. You have her… her c-coat. And your mane’s all long and… and fine like hers.”

“But hers was red,” she pointed out, “like yours. You should stop dying it, by the way.”

He turned his head away. “But you do remind me of her. I-in so many ways…”

She tilted her head. “Is that why you’re so attracted to me?”

“No,” he whispered. “No, that’s not the only reason.”

“What else?” She set the flower in her tail as she waited for his answer. When he couldn’t offer her one she asked, “Is it because of what I represent? All that which you never had?”

He set a hoof to his lips and fought to keep his emotions at bay. “Y-yes… yes, something like that.”

“Something like it?”

He didn’t want to say it, but he had no idea why. He kept his mouth firmly closed, his eyes turned away.

“Verity, please,” she insisted in her soft, quiet tone. “Talk to me.”

Damn it; he had to, didn’t he? “My life has always been blood and pain and schemes,” he said at last.

“The dark side of the coin.”

“The side Luna deals with,” he continued with a nod. “You represent the happier side of Equestria, of life. You’re happy. You’re free. You’re ignorant of all the terrible things that are out there.”

She stared at him with sad, understanding eyes. “And you wish that you could have had a life like that.”

“Yes…”

A long silence passed between them, interrupted only by the playful songs of birds in the trees nearby. After a time she leaned forward, face serious but sorrowful. “Verity, you know that being with me won’t make you forget.”

He sniffed dejectedly. “I know. But… but maybe, if I can be with you, and help you avoid the things I’ve seen, if I could protect you from that darker side… then maybe it would be worth it.”

Then he began to feel that he was understanding something truly important. “I’ve lived all my life keeping the bad elements at bay,” he said, giving her a look of gentle recognition. “All this time I was trying to find some sort of justification for why I had to be one of the unlucky one. But now that I really think on it… maybe the reason I got stuck with this hellish life was to let ponies like you live a happy one.

“And you know what?” He gave her a weak smile. “I think that might just justify everything.”

Fluttershy flashed her pretty smile and, leaning forward, gave him a peck on the cheek.

The contact made him blink, and when his eyes opened Fluttershy was gone. He sat there for several seconds, an intense feeling of lose coming over him. He slowly reached a hoof up to feel at his cheek, which was still moist from her lips. How strange, that he should feel so satisfied with himself over such a simple thing.

A deep sound hit his ears. It was music… a cello. That could only mean one thing.

He observed his surroundings and easily established that he was in the Canterlot Gardens. This place he was very familiar with, and so he made his way along the green paths between shrubs and trees and flowerbeds in pursuit of the music.

He found Octavia standing in a gazebo overlooking the city of Canterlot. She was playing a slow, gentle tune, her eyes closed and a faint smile on her lips and that ever-present necklace swaying from her small motions. He sat beside her to watch and listen, the sound making him feel deeply content. He always liked her playing; even a pony with no musical aptitude could recognize excellence when he heard it.

“I was wondering when I’d finally have an audience,” she said without opening her eyes, voice just loud enough to be clear over the instrument. There was a certain serenity to her manner that really appealed to him.

“I had to go through a lot to get here,” he told her.

Her smile broadened just a fraction. “I’m sure it wasn’t all unpleasant.”

“No,” he agreed, softly touching his cheek, “it wasn’t. So… what great wisdom do you intend to give me?”

For several seconds she didn’t answer, instead focusing her attention on the music. “We’re friends, we’re allies. We can work together, we can come up with plans.”

He waited for her to continue. When she didn’t, he asked, “So?”

“Tenor, Bass, Baritone, Soprano,” she answered. “Strings, drums, flutes, piano. Harmony, melody, flow. Put them all together to create your song. And then?”

He stared at her, not sure where she was going with this. He wanted her to look at him, to give him some sort of clue, but she kept her eyes closed and continued playing, a tranquil expression on her face. He rubbed the back of his head as he thought on her words. “And then… and then you have an orchestra, right?”

“Not yet,” she answered. “Something’s missing.”

Missing? He tilted his head and considered all the ingredients. “Umm…”

“The conductor,” she said at last. “It’s all for nothing if there’s nopony to hold the baton.”

“Oh.” He lowered his head guiltily, understanding where she was going with this. “I never wanted to lead our team, Octavia.”

“But you agreed to do it, did you not?”

“Well, yeah…”

“Why would you agree to be our leader if you had no intention of doing the job?”

“I was going to,” he insisted, sensing a need to justify himself. “I lead you during the Crystal Empire crisis, didn’t I?”

“And after that?” she asked.

He frowned and turned away. “I… I guess I lost steam.”

“You didn’t feel that you were right for the job,” she corrected. “You thought it was a mistake.”

“Because it was a mistake,” he said, voice so quiet he almost couldn’t hear himself over her music. “Somepony like me, leading a team of ponies? I’m too much of a loner.”

“Have you already forgotten Jimmy and Nye?”

“No,” he acknowledged, “no I haven’t forgotten. It’s just an excuse, I suppose.” He turned to her, voice strained. “But I… I never saw myself as leadership material.”

“You lead the Dark Archons.”

“That’s different,” he claimed. “For the most part I don’t have to deal with ponies directly. Most of my decisions are made by relaying messages. The Dark Archons don’t have a central meeting place for command center, we stay spread out across Equestria. This team for Luna is more like… like a club. I feel like I should know all of you on a more personal level to really lead you.”

“Have you not decided to give that a try?” she asked. “You want to be friends with us, don’t you? You’ve made a conscious decision to go out of your way to get to know us, haven’t you?”

“Well… yes…”

“Then it’s enough. You don’t have to know us to lead, Verity, as long as you’re willing to start learning. Start leading, and the friendship will happen on its own.”

He stared at her for several seconds, the words playing over and over again in his mind. Her soft, deep music played on, keeping his emotions calm. “So… all I have to do is… be there?”

At last her eyes opened, shining mulberry pink as she smiled at him. “That’s one the most important thing about friendship, Verity. As long as you are there for the team, we’ll be there for you.”

He smiled in understanding. “I already knew it, didn’t I?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t have told you otherwise. The trick is to believe it.”

He wondered at this. There was a certain strange sense of happiness in him. He was eager to see the others, though he couldn’t understand why. “Does this mean I’m ready to wake up?”

“Oh, not yet,” she replied, tilting her head away from him in a coy manner.

The ground abruptly shook, making them both stumble. The music came to a halt as a familiar crashing sound erupted through the night. A second later and a massive head appeared from beneath the castle, rearing up high into the sky to glare down at them with huge yellow eyes.

“Oh come on!” Fine cried, crawling back from the beast. “I thought we took care of that thing!”

“No,” Octavia shouted, standing and setting her cello back into place. “We cannot kill it, Verity. We can delay it, but not kill it. Only you can do that.”

“Me?!” He tried to stand, but the castle rocked wildly once more as a thunderous crashing noise filled the air. “W-what am I supposed to do?!”

“Not my place to say,” she answered, turning to him with solemn eyes. “You need to move on.”

“Not your place? What do you mean it’s not your place?!” He managed to stand despite the shivering soil beneath him. “Aren’t you here to help?”

“I have helped,” she declared. “I did my part. Now you must move on.”

“But…” He looked up to see the colossal monster rearing back, it jaws opening wide to strike. But for once its eyes weren’t locked on him. “Octavia, look out!”

“Do your part, Verity.”

He cursed and charged, catching her in his legs just as she beast lunged. But it was so vast there was no chance either of them could dodge in time. It had been a stupid idea, driven by his urge to protect her.

He stumbled, screaming in terror, and almost fell to his knees. But he caught himself, realizing that he’d missed. No, not missed…

He’d moved on.

He sucked in a long, calming breath and closed his eyes. How many times had this happened so far? He should be used to it by now. He counted to ten, waiting for his heart rate to slow and his breathing to return to normal before opening his eyes.

He recognized his surroundings instantly. It was home. Not his home, at least not anymore. It was a suite, clean and neat and lavishly decorated. He knew every room and corner and piece of furniture. How could he not?

He sensed the presence and turned around, not at all surprised to find a unicorn standing a few feet away. It was a stallion, with a long, bright yellow mane and a mottled brown coat to match Fine’s. He wore that same necklace, the one constant of all these strange dreams. He was smiling, pride filling his expression. “Hello, son.”

“Dad.” Fine smiled and nodded. “I… wasn’t expecting you.”

His father stepped forward and embraced him in a tight hug. “Well I’ve been expecting you,” he said after a moment, pulling away to flash a beaming smile. “You’re doing great, son. You’re almost there.”

“I’ll be so glad to wake up,” he confessed, “but at the moment I’m pretty happy to see you.”

Fleurboard nodded his agreement. “You don’t come by to visit often enough.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“Do you know why?” his father asked. He was still smiling, but something about the way Fleurboard’s eyebrows raised expectantly, and the look in his eyes, told Fine that his answer was important.

So he considered it carefully.

“Because… I don’t know.”

His father frowned and took a step back. “Are you sure, son? Think hard, now, ‘cause there isn’t much time.”

Fine tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

An instant later the entire suite rocked, and both ponies found themselves on the floor. Fine sat up, but the continuous swaying kept him from getting to his hooves. “W-what the heck is that?”

His father, still on his belly, gave Fine a worried look and tapped the floor with a hoof. “That would be Riptide. Check the window.”

Fine turned and moved for the window as instructed, slipping and sliding on the floor as she entire building rocked. At last he reached it and, propping his hooves on the sill, picked himself up to gaze outside. The entire city of Las Pegasus was swaying back and forth! No… the city was perfectly still. It was he who was swaying.

“Look down, Verity!”

He did, and let out a horrified shout; the massive beast was below, literally eating the building whole! Its mouth worked the steel structure, gradually pulling it all down a few feet at a time. It’s vicious yellow eyes glared daggers at him, making in clear who it was really trying to eat.

“There’s no getting out,” Fleuboard called, having read Fine’s thoughts. “Answer my question.”

“I think we have bigger things to worry about,” Fine snapped, falling back into the room as the monster gave the building a good shake.

“Haven’t you been paying attention?” his father shouted.

Fine glared at him, fear and frustration mixing in his mind. “Of course I have!” He struggled to stand, but couldn’t do any more than sit precariously. “This is another test, isn’t it? I’m tired of tests. I just want to wake up!”

“You’re not going to wake up until you handle this,” Fleurboard fired back. “If you don’t answer my question, and answer it correctly, then you’ll have to start all over from scratch! Answer, Verity!”

“Fine!” Fine fell back against the wall at another shaking of the building. He could hear glass shatter and steel snap somewhere below. “You wanna know why I never come home? It’s because I’m scared of you, too!”

“Scared of me?” Fleurboard shouted, his teeth flaring and his eyes furious. “I’m your father! Why are you scared of me?”

“Because of your principals!” Fine braced himself against the wall, watching his father slide across the room. A tall statue fell and just barely missed Fleurboard, shattering into pieces that scattered wildly across the shaking floor. “You’re one of Celestia’s loyal advocates! You believe in the world she’s pulled over your eyes!”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m a murderer, Dad! When I’m not killing ponies myself I’m giving the order to somepony else!” The room rotated and got stuck at an angle, so that Fine was facing upwards and Fleurboard had to stare down at him from behind a decorative plinth on the wall. “I work for the Archons, I live in the other half of reality! I make bad things happen to bad ponies so that they won’t happen to the good ones like you.”

Fleurboard stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief. When he saw those eyes Fine’s anger faded, and all he could feel was a terrible, pained emptiness. The shaking slowed, and for a moment everything went quiet; just them and their labored breathing.

“That’s what I’m scared of,” Fine whispered, pointing to his father. “That look, right there. Every time I come to see you, I wonder if I can conjure up the guts to tell you the truth. In Celestia’s Equestria, everything is perfect. How can I tell you that I’m not part of your pristine, sweet little world? What if you end up hating me, your only son?”

He let his hoof fall to his side and leaned his head back. Fear gripped him, but for once it wasn’t the fear of the monster outside. Suddenly, for some strange reason, that thing wasn’t so scary right now. So he stared at his father, waiting for the verdict, waiting for hatred.

“Verity,” his father said, words coming slowly, “you know you’ll have to face me eventually.”

Fine closed his eyes and sighed, wishing he could just let go of his fear. “I know…”

“Now that you’ve finally acknowledged it,” Fleurboard said, “it’s time you faced it.”

Fine raised his head to give his father a questioning frown. “Faced what?”

“Everything. Your fear of me, your feelings of guilt, your doubts about your role in the team. That thing out there?” He nodded with his head to the window. “That’s nothing. It’s simply a manifestation of all those worries and fears and doubts that you’ve been holding in all your life.”

“No.” Fine shook his head, glancing towards the window with fear. “It really exists, Dad. In the real world. I saw it.”

“Yes,” Fleaurboard acknowledged, “but is it what you’re really scared of?”

Fleurboard stood against the tilted floor and plinth, raising himself so that the amber necklace he wore was clearly visible to Fine. He smiled and tapped the maple leaf that hung from the chain, and it began to glow. The glow became a bright light, and the light intensified until it was blinding Fine.

“It’s time to deal with it. Do your part, son.”

“Verity.”

He shifted. Moaned. Covered his eyes.

“Verity Fine.”

“No more…”

“Wake up, Verity.”

His eyes opened. Wake up? Was he...?

He sat up, hope filling him for just a moment. But it went away in a flash at the sight of water. Endless, rolling crests of water as far as the eye could see. His world rocked, and he fell onto his back. He gazed up to see a sky full of twinkling stars that swayed back and forth with the motion of the sea.

Then came the terror.

He jumped to his hooves and pressed himself against the cabin, staring in wide eyed horror at the endless ocean that surrounded him. A boat… of all the places he might find himself, he was back on his father’s yacht!

“Verity…”

“Who is that?!” He looked around for somepony, anypony, but he was alone. That voice… he recognized it. “Who… who’s there…?”

“I’m right here, Verity.”

Water erupted beside the boat, soaking him and nearly sending him sprawling. He sputtered and looked up, gasping at the sight of a gargantuan length of purple, scaled tentacle. It rose hundreds of feet into the night sky, swung over the boat and went crashing into the ocean on the other side. The entire vessel rose with the resulting wave, and Fine had to scramble to grab the cabin’s rail to keep from sliding into the depths.

“Oh Luna…” he whispered, terror gripping his mind. “Oh sweet Luna, not again…”

“Verity, you have to face it.”

“I can’t!” he screamed, clutching at the railing for dear life. “Whoever you are, I can’t!”

The serpent’s body arose from the water in several places at once, surrounding the boat in a forest of scales. They wreathed and squirmed, waves crashing wildly against one another and making the boat rock dangerously. Fine wept and held on with all the strength he could muster.

“Verity, think on what you’ve learned.”

“It doesn’t help!”

“Do you have friends?”

“W… what?” Water splashed into his face, and when his mane came over his eyes it was red. Bright, vibrant red.

“Do you have friends?”

“What does…? Y-yes…”

The boat shook, but he held on.

“Can they help you?”

“If… If I ask…”

A length of body crashed down, threatening to tip the boat over.

“But they can’t defeat it.”

“O-only… I… can do that…”

The frenzied motions of the monster intensified. The waves grew higher.

“You are responsible for your actions.”

He raised his head, eyes going to the nearest squirming form. “And my decisions.”

“And those which were beyond your control?”

The giant body surged forward and crashed against the boat, sending it spiraling through the waves. But Fine didn’t fall, or scream. “Those weren’t my fault, but I will make amends nonetheless.”

“You must try.”

“I must be there.”

The tentacles crashed through the waters, their motions furious at this unexpected resistance.

“They need a leader.”

Fine released the rail and stood facing the waves, a feeling of confidence coming over him. “I will do what I promised.”

“What did you give them?”

He glared at the water, all his frustration and anger fixed upon the beast below. “I gave them hope. I did the things I had to do, and I brought them into my world. We will see the dark so the rest can see the light!”

Yellow eyes peered at him through the waves, angry, menacing. He saw fangs open wide and knew that this time it had just one goal: to end him. But this time Fine wasn’t scared; he was determined.

“And if they don’t want to see the darkness?”

“Then that is their decision,” he cried, not hesitating against the unexpected question. “The dark isn’t for everypony, but it is my home!”

The beast broke through the water, head rising high into the dark skies with a deafening, violent roar. It’s mouth closed with a tremendous clash as it peered at him, threatening and bloodthirsty.

Fine didn’t flinch. He stood ready, lips turned up in a sneer and eyes locked with the monster’s. “You took my mother, you ugly thing. Now come and take me!”

The beast roared, rearing back slowly in preparation for the strike.

“Face it, Verity!”

It lunged, and Fine screamed his retaliation.

He was standing in the darkness, in a field that stretched on to infinity. Above him, the stars were twinkling brightly, peacefully. A full moon shone down on him, its rays filling him with a sense of serenity. The beast was gone, and all he could feel was… elation.

“I’m so very proud.” Fine turned to the voice, and what he saw made him gasp in newfound disbelief.

She was beautiful. A yellow unicorn, her red mane matching his perfectly. He’d not seen that pony in twenty-five years, but even so he could never forget her. Or her voice.

Or her necklace.

“Momma…?”

“Yes, Verity,” Mapleleaf answered with the sweet, gentle tone he recalled so vividly, “it’s me.”

He dropped to his haunches and stared for several long, tender seconds. “But… b-but you died. It ate you.”

She smiled softly. “In some cultures, it is believed that when a pony dies, and led a good life, he will see his mother.”

His heart almost stopped. “Are you saying I’m dead?”

She laughed, a high, musical sound. “I’m making a point, honey.”

He let out a relieved breath, bowing his head and smiling. “Thank goodness. For a moment there I thought it really was over.”

“Not yet,” Mapleleaf assured him, walking closer so that she was standing over him. She was a lot taller than him; even as a colt he’d recognized her size.

She petted his mane, like she used to do when he was little. “You told that little story to many ponies. Lightning, Jimmy, Keen.”

“Well, it always made me feel better,” he confessed.

She tilted her head with a kind but questioning expression. “What culture is it from?”

He looked up into her smiling eyes and grinned. “My own special culture, of course.”

She embraced him, a slow and meaningful motion, and he returned it with tears in his eyes. “I miss you so much, Momma.”

“I know you do,” she whispered, “but I never left you, Verity. I’ve been watching, and I am so proud of all that you’ve done.”

He leaned back to look her in the eyes, surprised mixed in with fear. “E-everything? Really?”

She gazed back at him, her long horn touching his gently. There was a warmth within him, ignited by that touch, and when she spoke he found himself truly believing. “Everything.”

He let out a weak breath and leaned against her shoulder, cheeks moist with fresh tears. “You have no idea how good it feels to hear that.”

“Yes, honey,” she assured him, “I do. I am so sorry you had to lose me so early.”

“That wasn’t your fault.”

“But you never let it go, did you?” Mapleleaf held him tightly once more. “All these years of pain and loneliness, it all stems from that harrowing moment. I know, Verity, because I’m always watching.”

“I don’t blame you, though,” he reminded her. “If you’re always watching, then you know that, too.”

“Yes,” she agreed, her hoof tenderly petting his mane. “I’m glad for it. Your life could have been so different, otherwise. So much worse.”

He chuckled and leaned back from her again, brushing the wetness from his cheeks. “It’s not exactly been rosy, either.”

She reached up and held his cheeks, her smile proud. “And yet you triumphed over the one thing that held you back all these years. You faced it, Verity. You faced me. And now it’s time to move on.”

His lips curled up into a weak smile of his own. “I understand.”

She nodded, as if confirming to herself that he would be alright, and took a few steps away. “You will sleep for a while, and then you will awaken. Really awaken. Promise your mother that you will live your life looking forward from now on.”

“I promise.”

She smiled. “Good. That means being there for them, and doing what you promised. And honey…? Act on your feelings.”

He tilted his head, frowning. “My feelings?”

She turned away, but cast one final, pleased glance over her shoulder. “She really does look a lot like me, doesn’t she? I suppose I should be flattered.”

His face went red as she walked off, her form gradually fading in the darkness. He sat in the soft grass and stared, his heart filled with loss. But that feeling slowly faded… and was gradually replaced with a relentless, deep happiness.

He couldn’t wait to wake up.

Author's Note

I knew this chapter was coming from the very beginning of the first series, but up until I finally started writing it I had no idea how I was going to approach it. In the end it was very hard; I had to come up with some meaningful element to Fine's character in relation to each and every important pony in his life. I hope I did it properly. In truth I feel as though I could have done a better job in the emotion.

But for now I'm fairly happy with the results.

Stories and Schemes

Fine’s waking was slow, a gradual easing into awareness. The first thing he noticed was the tickling sensation on his nose, leading him to rub it. As he did he became faintly aware of something small pressed against his chest. It took some time to clear his head to investigate; twice he fell back to sleep. But after a while he was finally awake and aware enough to observe his surroundings, and the first thing he did was look down. To his surprise, he found a small ball of white hair lying next to him on the bed.

It was Keen, her tiny, alice blue head just barely peeking out from under her long white tail.

For a long time he watched the filly sleep, her heavy breathing just barely visible under the mess of hair. He couldn’t help wondering how she had gotten into the room… or how she even knew about the room. Had Lightning-

His mind went blank as a single thought jumped into his mind: he was awake. He lifted his head to glance around the dark room. As his eyes roamed the space he was able to assure himself that yes, he was most certainly awake.

Keen shifted from under his leg, which he had absentmindedly rested on top of her in his sleep. He glanced down and saw that she was slowly waking up, her lips parting in a long, quiet yawn. She blinked her sleepy eyes and glanced up at him with a mall frown.

Not sure what to do, he finally smiled. “And how did you get in here?”

At the sound of his voice her eyes went wide. “You’re awake?”

He nodded, and now his smile was genuine.

She stood up slowly, his leg falling off her back lazily as she stepped up to look closely at his face with a worried expression. “You’re better now?”

He glanced around, as if to find something to disprove his situation. His mind was so incredibly clear; it was as if he’d spent all his life looking through a fog and never knowing it. He turned to smile at her once more. “Yes, Little Bolt, I think I’ll be just fine.”

She let out a happy shout that surprised him – it was so unlike anything she’d done before! – and wrapped her hooves around his neck. “I thought you’d never wake up,” she whispered in his ear. “We were so scared…”

He sat up, holding her to his shoulder tenderly. She was quietly crying, and he patted her on the back for reassurance. “Hey, it’s okay, kid. Your Uncle Fine’s right here.” His stomach let out a long growl. “And very hungry.” She giggled as he set her down on the bed. He leaned forward to drop to the floor and felt something shift around his neck.

It was a necklace. A tiny golden chain decorated by an old, worn amber maple leaf. He sat on the floor and stared at it, eyes closely following the minute, faded details of the leaf’s surface. Something was welling up inside him… pride? Yes, pride and pleasure. He noticed Keen, standing at the bed’s edge and studying the necklace curiously. He tried to speak and failed, so he swallowed the lump in his throat and tried again. “H-how… why is this here?”

Keen noted his expression and smiled nervously. “I dunno. Tavi thinks the Moon Princess gave it to you.”

Luna. Of course, how could it have been anypony else? He clutched the necklace close for a moment, silently thanking her for coming to his rescue with this precious heirloom. She had to have borrowed it from his father, there was no other explanation. He would visit the old stallion at the first opportunity, for this was a gift that he could never repay.

“Uncle Fine?” Keen tapped him on the shoulder, a worried frown on her face at the sight of his fresh tears.

“I’m okay, Keen,” he whispered, letting the necklace drop to his chest and nuzzling her tenderly. “Your Uncle Fine has never been better.” He turned so his back was beside her. “Come on, I need something to eat.”

She climbed onto his back, and he made for the door. “Keen, do you know how long I was asleep?”

“Three days.”

Well, that wasn’t so bad as he’d feared. “No wonder I’m so hungry.” He gave her a goofy grin, and she giggled. As they began to climb down the dark stairwell he asked, “How did you get here?”

“Tavi brought me,” Keen answered happily. “Mom was busy, but Tavi and me were worried.”

“Well I’m glad you came,” he assured her as he opened the hidden door and passed into the less secretive portion of the house. “Thanks, Keen. You’re a good girl, you know that?” She only beamed in response. “So where’s Octavia and your Mom?”

“Dunno,” she admitted, resting on her belly comfortably. “Maybe they wanna eat, too.”

Just as Keen had supposed, upon reaching the kitchen they found Lightning and Octavia. Octavia was sitting at the table, her cheek pressed against a hoof as she stared down sullenly at a salad before her. Lightning was sitting across from her, staring at the wall with a grim frown and brooding eyes.

And then, to Fine’s surprise, there was Spike. His back was to Fine, but he was clearly eating something. None of them spoke, or noticed Fine’s and Keen’s arrival.

“Well,” Fine told Keen, “looks like I’ve got all sorts of visitors.”

“Fine!” Lightning cried, turning to him so quickly she almost fell out of her seat.

“You’re awake!” Octavia shouted, rushing over to give him a hug he happily returned.

“It’s about time,” Lightning snapped.

Spike, who had fallen onto his back at their combined outburst, looked up at Fine and tried to feign indifference. “Great, he’s up. Now what?”

“Nice to see you, too,” Fine told him with a smirk. He glanced at Octavia as she stepped away; she was so happy she appeared on the verge of tears. “I’m okay now. I’m more okay than I’ve ever been. Excuse me.” He walked past her and made for the fridge. “Have you guys been watching over me all this time?”

Lightning blushed and glanced away as he opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients for a salad, hardly noticing that they were starting to age. “Ah, don’t make a big deal out of it,” she told him in a blatantly dismissive tone, “it was mostly Keen and Octavia.”

He shot her a grin. “Well I appreciate it, anyway.” He set the ingredients on the table and began mixing everything directly with the lettuce. He glanced at Spike. “What about you?”

Spike sat back up, a big tub of ice cream between his legs. “I just came ‘cause I want to help Twilight and the others,” he explained with a sour expression. “It’s not like I’m here for you, ya thief.”

Fine laughed, took a big bite of his not-quite mixed salad… and paused. He chewed for several seconds, staring at Spike with his brow furrowed. When at last he swallowed he asked, “What do you mean, help Twilight and the others?”

The room went silent. He cast a long, slow look around, giving each of them a hard stare. Finally, Lightning said, “It’s a long story, but we’re in a lot of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” He took another bite of salad, unable to ignore his hunger.

“The kind that benchwarmers like us can’t handle,” Lightning answered with a dark expression.

“You don’t know that,” Spike shot at her. “Twilight wouldn’t have quit!”

“Twilight works for Silma now, Spike,” Octavia noted with a dejected sigh.

Fine’s ears perked up, eyes growing sharp. “Did you say Silma?”

His guests all shared startled looks. “You know her?” Spike asked.

“It wouldn’t happen to be Silma Ril, would it?” They all nodded in unison. “I know of her. She’s supposed to be dead.”

“We’ll she’s very much alive,” Lightning grumbled, “and she’s set to claim Equestria as her own. Face it, guys, we’re screwed.”

Fine could see the despair on their faces. He looked to Keen on his back, and she bowed her head in a sad, worried gesture. He pulled his salad bowl close as he said, “Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out.”

So they did. He sat there eating his salad and listened as they told of how the giant monster, now known as Riptide, had arrived. That, at least, he remembered. Then they went on to describe how Luna had come to guide them all against Silma and Mane Archon, and of how they arrived at the castle to find Celestia already enslaved to Silma’s will. Spike actually choked up when Octavia related the capture of Luna and the Element Bearers.

He asked no questions. He only listened and thought on the situation, which did indeed look grim. He finished his salad and had another before the story was over. When at last everything had been told, he started his questioning. “So Upper Crust?”

“She said she was going to go to the Crystal Empire after getting her husband,” Octavia answered, her eyes low.

“Jimmy and Nye are probably enslaved to Silma by now,” Lightning added bitterly.

Fine considered this for several long seconds. Everything had gone to hell since he’d fallen asleep. The idea of Luna being controlled by Silma, of having her very mind twisted into blind obedience, sickened him. The thought filled him with a deep, burning hatred… but he kept his temper in check. He was her closest ally, the ever-present shadow of her intentions. If he couldn’t do something about this, nopony else would.

Fine realized that he wasn’t afraid. His mind was clear, his thoughts unclouded. He was angry, he was worried, but he was not afraid. Perhaps it was how he’d just emerged from a convoluted dream that helped him overcome his fears and self-doubts. Whatever the case, he wasn’t thinking about if they could save Equestria; he was thinking of the next step.

His mind kicked into gear. “Come with me. All of you.

“What did Luna tell you about Silma Ril?” he asked as he lead them through the house.

“Not much,” Lightning admitted.

“Only that she was an old threat,” Octavia acknowledged. “What do you know about her?”

“Did she have some gemstones?” he pressed. “There would have been three.”

“What?” Lightning asked. “Umm… she had two, right?”

“I remember seeing two,” Octavia agreed.

“Then she’s not finished,” he noted firmly, more to himself than to them. “I read about her shortly after becoming Mane Archon. As far as I know there’s only one book in the world detailing her existence; all other evidence of her life was destroyed by her former subjects, a sign of their undying hatred. Fortunately that one book happens to be in my portion of the archives.”

“Archives?” Lightning asked, “What archives?”

Fine reached a section of a hallway, and his horn began to glow. Objects could be heard sliding around in the walls, and after a couple seconds there was a loud clicking sound. The floor just ahead of him shifted and dropped down to reveal a hidden staircase. “The archives of the Dark Archons.”

“The Dark Archons?” Spike asked as he and the others descended the stairs. “Come on, Fine, we’re talking serious threats to Equestria and you’re going on about the…” His voice died when lights came on to reveal a vast room with artifacts, filled bookshelves and rows upon rows of filing cabinets. “…holy cow.”

Fine set Keen on the floor with his magic before moving on, his eyes roaming as he walked on. “Silma Ril was the Empress of the world. Her realm stretched beyond the known world today. She was also Celestia’s and Luna’s teacher.”

“She’s that old?” Lightning asked in alarm.

“So where’s she been all these centuries?” Spike asked.

“Dead, or so I read.” Fine was reading the titles of various books one at a time, dismissing each one with a solemn glower. “She was originally a benevolent ruler, but then she found the stones and things went wrong. After she made the Elements of Harmony-“

“She what?!” That came from Spike.

“-everything went to hell. Celestia and Luna rose up together, along with the Unknown Princess, and killed her.”

“Did she really create the Elements of Harmony?” Spike asked with awe in his voice.

“Yes.” Fine moved on to another bookshelf. “The spell was supposed to be used to defend her empire against evil. Damn it, where’s that book?”

“Waitaminute,” Lightning called, sitting amongst the mass of armors, weapons, books and trinkets, “I’m confused. What are these stones? Why did Silma go bad?”

“Was it the Stones that caused the problem?” Octavia added.

“The stones: The Life of Earth, The Light of Day and the Shades of Night,” Fine explained, abandoning his current bookshelf to rummage through a big chest. “Nopony knows who made them or how, but they were ridiculously powerful magical artifacts. Silma got her hooves on them, but didn’t understand the danger. Each stone is magically opposed to the other, like magnets that don’t want to come together. Individually they grant great power and are harmless, but when they come in close proximity their opposed magics interact chaotically, screwing with the minds of anypony caught in the crossfire.And Heaven-help everypony if they were to actually touch; according to the theories, the resulting destruction would be apocalyptic.”

“So it was the stones,” Lightning declared, pounding her hooves together.

“No,” Fine corrected. He left the chest with a snarl and went to scour another bookshelf.

“You know, if you told us what you were looking for…“ Spike ventured.

“Huge red tome,” Fine instructed without looking at them. “’The Rise and Fall of an Empire’. Be very careful! The book’s so old it might fall apart at the slightest touch. If you find it, let me know and I’ll use magic to handle it.”

They all began to search. Octavia asked, “You were on the stones?”

Fine moved to another bookshelf. “If I remember the book correctly, the stones’ negative impact on the mind is a very slow process, requiring centuries. They only started Silma’s downward spiral. It was the Elements that threw her over the edge.”

“But the Elements of Harmony are supposed to be a great power for good,” Spike pointed out.

“Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty and Magic,” Fine answered. “Silma didn’t understand what she was doing; the Stones were ruining her common sense. She sacrificed the six elements within herself to create the spell, and in so doing lost them all.”

“What?!” Octavia paused in her search to give Fine a shocked look. “You mean she gave up all those emotions within herself?”

“Thus began the end of her Empire,” Fine continued. “She became a tyrant, devoted to bringing about a terrible world of perfect order where all chaos was wiped away. It also helps to explain why the Elements failed to defeat her; they are literally part of her being.”

“But that doesn’t make sense,” Lightning shouted from across the vast room. “If she sacrificed her magic, how could she defend herself and stay in power?”

“She didn’t sacrifice all of her magic,” Fine corrected as he searched an antique set of drawers. “What she had left made her more than a match for, say, Celestia. And she still had the three stones, which amplified her powers beyond anything we can imagine.”

“Okay, so she died,” Lightning said. “How the heck did she come back?”

“I have no idea.”

"And where have the stones been all these centuries?" Lightning pressed.

"Luna and Celestia decided they were too dangerous, so they chose to get rid of them. The stones couldn't be damaged by normal methods, and since the stones' power was theorized to be limitless, combining them could result in cataclysmic destruction. In the end each princess hid one of the stones, none of them telling the others were they hid them."

"Looks like they didn't do a good job," Lightning noted sourly. "Silma found at least two."

Octavia turned to him, eyes shining with hope. “Fine… do you actually think we can stop her?”

“Found it!”

“Don’t touch it!” Fine spun about to see Spike standing next to a tall bookshelf, pointing to one of the mid-level shelves. He ran around all the objects and used his magic to very slowly lift the ancient book from its place, dust drifting off of it in small waves. He let it drop gently atop an old desk nearby and very carefully opened it to its table of contents. “I don’t know if we can stop Silma Ril, but it’s our job to look for a way. That starts with undoing the damage and freeing our friends.”

Lightning appeared at his side, Keen standing between her legs. “But how? It looks like the same kinda magic Sombra used in the Crystal Empire, and those ponies are still in mental hospitals with no sign of improvement.”

“That was before,” Fine told her, eyes roaming the list of contents. “Now that I know Silma’s behind everything – and I guarantee you she helped Sombra – we can do something about it. I recall somewhere in here that Silma used the same kind of magic to try and put down rebellions.”

“How does that help us?” Spike asked, climbing on top of the desk to stare down at the book with a questioning frown.

“Ah-hah.” Fine concentrated on the page number, gently turning the book with his magic to get to the page in a single motion. He flipped gradually through one or two pages before finding what he was looking for, and a big grin came upon his face.

Octavia, standing at his side opposite Lightning, studied the page for a moment. Her eyes went wide. “Fine… is that what I think it is?”

“Yes,” he confirmed triumphantly, “it’s an antidote.” He concentrated on the page, closing his eyes and focusing intently on a spell he’d not used since his days as a field agent. It took nearly a minute, but at last a page appeared seemingly out of thin air, a perfect copy that floated gently into his hooves.

“Whoa, where’d you learn to do that?” Spike asked.

“Tricks of the trade,” he answered, slowly closing the book. “Alright, we got what we came for. On to the next step!”

He led them out of the archives, the secret staircase closing behind them with a soft murmuring of gears. Once it was closed all the way he turned to Spike. “You know how to get to Zecora’s from here, right?”

“Sure I do.”

Fine offered Spike the sheet of paper, and he took it carefully. “I want you to take this to her. She’s the only pony around with advanced potion knowledge. Tell her everything. We’re gonna need lots of potions, make it a dozen. If she needs more ingredients I should have them.”

Spike snapped to attention. “Got it! But… if you’re not a potionmaker, why would you have the ingredients?”

Fine answered with a resolute tone. “In my business it pays to be ready for anything. Oh, and take Keen with you.”

“What?!” Lightning cried, her wing moving over the filly protectively. “You can’t send her into the Everfree Forest without asking me, first!”

“I want her to feel helpful,” Fine said, winking down at Keen as she peered through Lightning’s feathers. “She’ll feel bored if she stays here.”

“But it’s dangerous out there!”

“Spike can watch after her,” he countered, casting a smile at the dragon. “Right, Spike?”

Spike glanced worriedly at Lightning, who was shooting Fine a sinister look. “Well, yeah, I guess. But why do you want Keen to come with me? Wouldn’t she be safer-”

“Look,” Fine interrupted patiently, “I’m about to discuss some things with Lightning and Octavia that are a bit mature for a filly her age. Besides, Zecora can look after her while we go do our hero thing.”

Lightning considered him, eyes untrusting as she chewed her lip in thought. After a while she turned to Spike, who quailed under her gaze. “I think Fine knows what he’s doing, Spike. But you better watch my Little Bolt, you hear me?”

Spike saluted, fear in his eyes. “Yeah, I got it! Don’t you worry, I’ll guard her with my life!”

Lightning seemed to accept this, though her eyes betrayed her worry. She stepped back so that Keen was standing before her and knelt down to nuzzle the filly. “Okay, Keen, you’re gonna go with Spike and spend some time at Zecoras. You cool with that?”

Keen frowned, clearly troubled by Lightning’s manner. But she nodded, and said, “I’ll go. I like Miss Zecora. I like how she talks.” After a hesitant moment she added, “Everything’s okay, right Mom?”

Lightning pulled her child close for a tight hug. “Everything’s gonna be just right, Little Bolt. I promise.” She let go and sat up to press a hoof against her eye, a soft smile on her lips. “Pinkie promise.

“Okay,” Lightning said once Spike and Keen were gone, “what’s this thing you need to talk to us about?”

He pointed a hoof upstairs. “First, we go to my office, and I talk a little about Mane Archon.”

“You mean you know of him, too?” Octavia asked as he led them to some stairs.

“Let me guess,” Lightning grumbled, “you’re gonna say he’s part of the Dark Archons, huh?”

“Part of it?” Fine asked, “He founded us.” Lightning let out a disgusted sound, and Octavia groaned. He cast a glance back at them. “You still don’t believe anything I say about the Archons, huh? What about the archives you just saw?”

“You work for Luna and your clearly rich,” Lightning told him. “Considering the introverted egg-head you are, I’m betting you’ve just been collecting all that crap to satisfy some weirdo habit of yours.”

Fine rolled his eyes. Octavia actually giggle despite the seriousness of their situation. “Alright,” he said, stopping in the middle of a hallway, “if you won’t believe that, perhaps you’ll believe this.” He turned to the wall, horn glowing dimly. The familiar sounds of objects shifting and clicking reached their ears, and after a few seconds a hidden door swished open.

Fine’s office was covered in scrolls and letters, which had piled so high on his desk they’d fallen to the floor in heaps. Even as they stared more letters were poofing into existence in the air above the usual spots. “Well,” Fine remarked, “glad to see the organization didn’t collapse without me.”

“What is all this?” Octavia asked, peering around the corner as Fine stepped gingerly into the room.

He cleared some space on the desk and set his book down before sifting through some of the letter and scrolls. “This is what happens when the leader of the Archons takes a three-day nap. Here,” he found an interesting letter and tossed it to her.

Octavia read the letter curiously, then her eyes went wide. “F-Fine, why are ponies writing to you about killing somepony?”

“What? Let me see that.” Lightning snatched the letter from her and read it. “Oh please, it’s a joke or something.”

“Aw crap,” Fine shouted, eyes going over a letter. “They finally found the Butcher of Biscneigh and I’m asleep?! We’ve been trying to off that bastard since Hoofknife was still running the organization!”

Lightning and Octavia read a few letters and scrolls at random, both of them very silent. After a while Octavia turned to him, eyes wide. “By Luna’s mane, you were serious?”

Lightning fell to her haunches as she read the first page of a large manuscript. “Fine… this is a report on changeling hunts in orphanages all over Equestria.”

He used his magic to grab the manuscript and take a closer look. “Oh good, I’ve been waiting a week for that one. It’s not like Ammo to be late.”

“You mean the Archons exist?” Lightning asked, her tone making her disbelief clear.

“And you’re the leader?” Octavia added in a similar manner.

“The title,” he corrected as he set the manuscript in a place of prominence on the desk, “is the Mane Archon.”

They gave one another alarmed looks. “You mean like-“ Lightning started.

“Yes,” he interrupted, “just like the Mane Archon you fought. The title is a tribute to our founder.”

Octavia glanced at Lightning anxiously, then back at Fine. “Suddenly you make a lot more sense.”

“But… but…” Lightning rubbed her head as if it were hurting. “But why didn’t you just tell us that in the first place? Instead of lying all the time?”

Octavia gave her a doubting look. “Would you have believed him if he had?”

“Well… no, I guess not.”

“The lies were all designed to keep you from guessing the truth,” Fine announced as he waded through piles of paper to get to his seat behind the desk. “The Archons aren’t supposed to exist in the public eye. Everything we do revolves around complete secrecy. We don’t want ponies to believe in us.”

Once again, Lightning and Octavia shared confused looks. Octavia came forward, shoving papers aside as she did to stand opposite him. “So… why are you telling us about this now?”

“Because the faster we strike, the better our chances of stopping Silma Ril and Mane Archon,” he answered. “I need your help, ladies. I think Archon secrecy can be set aside in favor of rescuing Equestria.”

“Hold on,” Lightning said, waving a hoof at him in frustration. “I still wanna know who this Mane Archon guy is! You said you’d tell us.”

“Lightning, I think-“ Octavia began.

“No,” Fine said, “she’s right. You need to know what we’re dealing with.” He finally managed to clear his chair of letters and scrolls. Sitting, he turned to them with a solemn frown. “Mane Archon lived 700 years ago. Back then Celestia was struggling to unite Equestria, but there was a lot of division. At that time Equestria wasn’t as you know it now; it was smaller, and still trying to promote its messages of peace and unity to its neighbors. Celestia was a capable leader, of course, but she was working against incredible odds.

“Enter Mane Archon. Archon founded the Dark Archons in order to protect his local community against brigands. He was a masterful leader, and expanded the secretive order to cover much of Equestria. By that time the organization’s public purpose was to protect Equestria against both domestic and foreign threats.”

“And Celestia approved of such a shady organization operating within her realm?” Octavia asked, a doubting frown on her face. “That doesn’t sound right to me.”

“Actually, Celestia hated the Archons,” he told her. “She still does.”

“So why put up with them?” Lightning asked. “Why not give them all the boot?”

Fine thought about this question for a few minutes, tapping his chin as he considered his answer. “I guess the best answer is to repeat what she told me. She saw how the Archons were taming the darker side of Equestria, and knew that she could never have achieved that goal on her own, not so quickly. She decided that the Archons were a necessary evil to keep the peace, though she kept a close eye on Mane Archon and his people. To do that, she offered to induct them directly into the Equestrian government.”

“Whoa, risky move,” Lightning noted.

Fine grinned. “You have no idea. Turns out that’s what Archon was after all along. His real goal was to take over control of Equestria, right out from under Celestia’s hooves.”

“That seems fairly risky, itself,” Octavia said. “This Archon was either very bold or very arrogant.”

“Both,” Fine replied. “But he was also an expert at deception; for all her fretting over Archon’s affairs, Celestia never saw it coming.”

“Really?” Lightning asked. “Celestia? Didn’t see it coming? I’m supposed to believe that?”

Fine leaned forward to give her a critical look. “She didn’t see him coming this time, did she?” Lightning frowned and said nothing, though her brow furrowed in anger.

“I think this is a bit of a different situation, Fine,” Octavia noted.

“The point is, Celestia’s not infallible, and this guy’s good,” Fine told them both. “Or at least he was. His grand scheme never came to pass.”

“Why not?” Octavia asked.

“Because about thirty years after Celestia inducted the Archons into the government, he disappeared in an accident involving some magical experiments. Just vanished into thin air.”

Lightning blinked, thought about this with a confused frown and asked, “What do you mean, just vanished? That can happen?”

Fine shrugged. “He was trying to develop some new teleportation spell, and poof-“ he clapped his hooves for emphasis – “gone just like that. Nopony’s seen hide or hair of him since, till now. Nopony knew if he was dead or what. He was just gone.”

Octavia set a hoof to her chin in thought. “That sounds really farfetched.”

“As opposed to Silma coming back from the dead?” Lightning asked.

“Good point.”

“But what about those weapons he used?” Lightning asked, her attention going back to Fine. “I’ve never seen anything like them!”

But to this Fine only shook his head. “I have no idea. I don’t recognize any of them. If we knew where he’d been in the past seven centuries we might have a better understanding, but right now? Not a clue.

"At any rate, without his ambition and leadership, the Archons went through a long period of changing states and arrangements until they became the super-secret, publicly-nonexistent entity it is today. The only hint of Archon’s influence comes strictly from my job title, and even that’s only a nod in his direction. He might not even know his organization still exists.”

“Great,” Lightning snapped in frustration, “so all we really know about this guy is that he’s dangerous and deceptive.”

“I wouldn’t fear him so much,” Octavia noted. “We were able to beat him, after all. I think Silma’s the real threat. Her and that monster, Riptide.”

“Hmm, yes,” Fine answered with a solemn frown, “that is a problem. It’s the big mystery.”

“I dunno how we’re gonna deal with that thing,” Lightning admitted. “I mean look at it! And not to mention the mere sight of it sends you running like a little filly.”

Fine touched the necklace he was still wearing, confidence filling him. “That won’t happen again.”

“You sure ‘bout that?” she asked. “’Cause I’m pretty sure every pony in Ponyville could hear you screaming.”

Fine shot her a firm look. “I don’t know what that thing is or where it came from,” he snarled, “but I won’t be running again. It took my mother, so I’m gonna take its head.” Lightning and Octavia’s eyes went wide at his vicious tone.

“Your mother?” Lightning asked, voice much quieter than before. “Really?”

“But…” Octavia ventured, “how are we gonna kill it?”

“One thing at a time,” Fine instructed. “Right now we have to figure out the situation in Canterlot, and that starts right here, with you two.” He gestured to the letters just in time for one to poof into existence and fall onto his hoof. “These letters come from my agents. Most of them are minor jobs and communications, I just get them for quality control. Others are directed to me. If they’re doing their jobs, everypony should have stopped to focus on the current crisis.”

His teammates looked down at the letters uncertainly. “Okay,” Lightning said, “so what does that have to do with us?”

“I’m going to read this book,” Fine declared, gesturing to the massive red tome on the desk. “I want to try and get some sort of understanding of Silma, analyze her. It should take me a few hours. In the meantime, I want you two pouring over letters.”

“What?!” Lightning shouted, flying into the air to emphasize her disapproval. “You want us to read when we should be out there fighting?”

“We can’t win if we don’t know what we’re up against,” Octavia pointed out, though she sounded hesitant.

Fine nodded and shot Lightning a serious scowl. “Lightning, I think by now you should know the dangers of rushing in on something like this. Sit. Read.”

She glowered at him, but after a moment’s consideration dropped back to the floor. “Damn it, I hate all this waiting…”

“It will be worth it,” he told her. “Trust me.”

“So what are we looking for?” Octavia asked, pulling a pile of letters towards her from the desk.

“Anything relating to the situation in Canterlot,” he explained. “Anything at all relating to Silma, Archon or Riptide, no matter how unimportant. If you find something talking about them, tell me immediately.”

“And then what?” Lightning asked with a dull frown, plopping to the floor amongst the letters and scrolls.

“Then we form a plan,” he answered, pulling out some paper and a quill. “I’m gonna write a mass letter to everypony, let them know I’m still around and ask for a sit-rep. Octavia, try to read those as they come in, alright?”

They were at it for hours. Fine felt as though the work was going well; he skimmed through much of the book and felt he was getting a decent picture of Silma’s behavior. He wasn’t sure how reliable the book would be, especially when he considered that she might be mad from the effect of the stones, but it was his only source. Lightning was continuously frustrated, the entire exercise proving a true test of her patience. She complained, but she did the job. Octavia, fortunately, took to the task easily and with fervor.

A number of things were quickly established. For one, most if not all of his agents in and around Canterlot had escaped Silma’s attempts to control the city and were reporting their individual situations in a timely fashion. He thanked his predecessor from two hundred years ago for the rigorous training regime the agents had to go through now, for without it he doubted things would be going so well.

Silma Ril had taken control of the top half of the city, but was still in the process of trying to enslave the population with her magic. The lower half of the city hadn’t been taken over yet, and he was pleased to learn that Upper Crust – of all ponies! – was leading an evacuation. Fine suspected the only thing keeping Silma from launching an all-out attack for complete dominance of Canterlot was her desire to have all the elites and soldiers under her control. If she pulled that off he knew it would be a disaster for the ponies below.

They knew Luna was on the moon, searching for the Shades of Night. He realized now that Silma and Archon had to have had a hand in her return from exile, hoping that Luna could get the stone for them. She’d thrown a wrench into their plans, though – he knew about how she’d made herself forget its location. That was fortunate, for otherwise they would have been much farther along in their plans at this point.

The first thing that alarmed him was the news that Celestia had left for the Crystal Empire. That was almost two days ago, and he knew it meant Princess Cadance was going to be Silma’s next victim. He hoped Cadance and Shining Armor were putting up a fight; he wanted to be ready and strike before Celestia returned to bolster Silma’s power.

And then there was this news of some sort of object being installed on the tallest tower of Canterlot Castle. He suspected it was some sort of weapon, but none of his agents could confirm. It was worrying, to say the least.

Zecora arrived near the end of the third hour, flanked by Spike and Keen. She was eager to help but lacked ingredients. She’d already made a few sample potions for experimentation and was convinced she had it right by this point. Fine brought her to his alchemy lab, where she quickly made herself at home and got to work, Keen and Spike assisting in whatever way they could. Satisfied that progress was being made, he returned to his book in the office, Octavia and Lightning still pouring over the letters.

Fine was about halfway through his book when Octavia let out a shout that caught his and Lightning’s immediate attention.

“Those wonderful, stupid boys!”

“What are you talking about?“ Lightning asked.

Octavia was grinning from ear to ear, a letter in her hooves. She laughed, but looked like she wanted to cry. After a few seconds of uncertainty she finally just offered the letter to Lightning, who read it swiftly. When she was finished she looked up with a crooked, silly smile. “I don’t believe it.”

Fine waved at her with both hooves. “Can somepony please tell me what we’re not believing so I can get in on it?”

Lightning tossed the letter to him; he caught it with his magic and brought it up to his nose.

Fine,

I don’t know if writing this will do any good, but Nye insists I try. He was sent to the moon this morning, along with Princess Luna and a small army of ponies. They’re out to find some kind of stone, though I have no idea why. There’s no telling when or if they’ll find it, but Nye has to come back once every twelve hours to report directly to Silma. Why he has to do it and not Luna, I don’t know, but the point is Luna’s not in Canterlot.

Meanwhile, Celestia’s been sent to the Crystal Empire. She’s supposed to kidnap Princess Cadance and bring her back to Canterlot to be enslaved like the rest of them. She left last night.

Silma’s devoting all her attention to enslaving all the soldiers and elite ponies in one massive spell. I overheard her say it would take around a week, so you’ve got another five or six days before Canterlot’s completely under her control.

Archon’s having me build some sort of superweapon atop Canterlot Castle. According to the blueprints he provided it’s something called a Tau Cannon. It’s got technology like I’ve never seen before, so it’s taking a lot of time to build. I’d try sabotaging it, but Archon’s watching the entire process like a hawk.

Fine, my brother believes that you’ll find a solution to this situation. I’ve got no choice but to believe in you, as well. If you read this in time, act now! Celestia and Luna are gone. Archon and Silma are both distracted. If you’ve got a plan, hit them while you have the chance! I don’t know how long we can keep up this charade.

Jimmy

“They’re actually spying on Silma and Archon,” Lightning declared with glee. “Can you believe that?”

Octavia shook her head. “I wouldn’t if I hadn’t read the letter myself. How in Equestria did they ever convince Silma to let them keep their free will?”

“I donno,” Lightning confessed, “but I’m impressed. I didn’t think they-“

“Please, be quiet!” Fine was staring at the letter, mind running wild with scenarios and possibilities. What did this mean, how could he use it, what would the twins likely do I this situation? It was the old analytical tik-tok of his brain, back and working like never before. He was so excited he was actually short of breath!

“Everything stops,” he ordered, dropping letter and turning his gaze upon the letters that still covered much of the room. “Forget everything else! We need to find every letter Jimmy and Nye sent us!”

Octavia started immediately, but Lightning was giving him an uncertain frown. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

He barely heard her, his mind still running frantic. But a plan was forming. A risky, dangerous plan, but a plan nonetheless. “Nye’s on the moon,” he noted solemnly, more to himself than to her. “That means they haven’t found the Shades of Night yet. That’s the key. If we can get that stone, we can do this. I need… I need…” He shuffled through the letters to find a blank piece of paper and immediately began scribbling a note.

Octavia lifted her head from the letters she was going through to give Fine a hopeful smile. “You’ve got a plan, don’t you?”

He folded the letter and concentrating on a certain face, dropped it into his teleportation potion. “I’ve got a plan,” he acknowledged with a proud grin. “It’s dangerous, it’s risky, and the start of it rests completely on the shoulders of Nye.

“But I’ve got a plan.”

Jimmy stepped back from the weapon. It wasn’t as big as he’d expected, but its unusual shape made a mount absolutely necessary. It wasn’t quite finished… but almost. His emotions were mixed; on the one hoof, it was a marvel of engineering that made him proud; on the other, what it was going to be used for made him sick to his stomach.

Archon walked past him to study the newly-installed parts with a critical eye. Jimmy wasn’t nervous; he’d followed the blueprints to the letter. If there were any flaws, it would be from the work of the smiths who made the parts in the first place. He was confident that the work so far would meet inspection.

Archon continued to study the deice for nearly a minute, but at last he turned to Jimmy and nodded. “Fine work. Looks like you’re an engineer, after all.”

“Thanks.” Jimmy forced a smile to his lips, even thought all he wanted to do was buck the bastard in the face.

“Come on,” Archon ordered, climbing down the steps and gesturing for Jimmy to take the lead. “You’ve done enough for one day.” His horn flashed, and a semi-transparent wall of energy arose around the weapon, protecting it from potential saboteurs.

“I enjoyed the work,” Jimmy confessed, for that part at least was true. “Where in Equestria did you find that thing?”

“Stole it from a group called Black Mesa,” Archon answered as if he were discussing laundry.

“Never heard of them. Are they a foreign firm?”

Archon grinned. “You could say that.” His tone changed to something more businesslike. “You’ve been doing good work so far. I had my doubts about you, but keep this up and I might give you a more permanent position in my government.”

“I appreciate that,” Jimmy said, but then shot an annoyed look at his ‘boss.’ “I wish you’d stop hovering over me all the time. I feel like I’m back to being my old stallion’s apprentice.”

“I don’t trust you quite yet,” Archon admitted.

Jimmy watched as he locked the gate leading to the stairs. “Can I ask you something?”

“You can ask,” Archon said, “but I might not answer.”

Jimmy followed him down the tower stairs once more. “Between you and Silma, how’s the power going to be shared?”

“Why do you care?”

“Just trying to get a clear picture of the future,” Jimmy replied in as honest a manner he could. “If I’m going to do well in the new Equestria, I need to know what’s going to happen.”

“A prepared pony. I like that.” Archon wasn’t smiling. “I will control Canterlot and the surrounding provinces. Silma Ril will take over the Crystal Empire, which was hers to begin with, and the majority of Equestria.”

“Two nations?” Jimmy asked, genuinely surprised. “I thought you were going to rule together.”

Archon paused by a window and gestured to the sleeping form of Riptide in the distance. “Silma and me? We can’t stand one another. But it takes both of us to keep that thing under control, so we have to put up with each other.”

“Ah. So this way you two stay out of one another’s manes?”

“That’s the general idea,” Archon replied.

A shadow passed over them, and they glanced up to find a pegasus circling to land on a balcony a floor down. It was Fluttershy. The two left the window to meet her at the stairs.

“Hello Jimmy,” she called to him with a beaming smile. It required all his will to smile back at the sight of those red eyes. She turned to Archon. “My Lord. I was hoping to see the weapon.”

“It’s not ready yet,” Archon told her with an official air and head raised. “You can’t work with it.”

“Oh.” She lowered her head a little and pouted. “I want to use it. All my friends have jobs to do, I feel left out.”

Jimmy swallowed the lump in his throat and forced himself to pat her on the back. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I think we’ll have it up and running tomorrow. Right, Lord?”

Archon nodded, his face as stern as ever. “Most likely.”

“See? Don’t worry, Silma can’t expect you to use the weapon if it’s not ready yet.”

“I know,” she mumbled. “I just want an opportunity to prove myself.”

“You’ll get your chance,” Archon said as he passed her to head down the stairs. “Don’t worry; at some point soon there’s going to be an attack on this castle, you can count on it. Silma and I don’t expect the world to just sit back and watch.”

Jimmy watched him go with a bitter frown, then turned his attention to the depressed Fluttershy. It was so odd. She looked like herself, talked and thought like herself. Yet she so clearly wasn’t Fluttershy, who would never have been so eager to use a weapon clearly designed for mass murder.

They were all like this now. Every single one of the Element Bearers; they behaved as if they were still their normal selves, but weren’t. If it weren’t for the red eyes he’d have never known they were working for Silma.

She bit her lip and looked up at him. “Have you heard anything about Fine?”

He blinked. “You’re worried about Fine?”

“Of course I am!” She turned to him with a frown. “We left him all alone, and I feel terrible about it. If our Empress didn’t require I stay here, I’d be at his side right now.”

He studied her for a moment, a strange sadness filling him. “You really care about him, don’t you?”

She sighed and bowed her head once more. “I just feel responsible…”

So, her concerns for their former leader had survived the brainwashing. It hurt to think that Fine might be willing to fight her despite everything. He struck Jimmy as the kind of stallion who’d do that. But even if she was the enemy now, he couldn’t ignore that pouting face.

He set a hoof under her chin and made her look him in the eye. “Fine’s a tough guy. He’ll pull through, you’ll see.”

She smiled weakly and nodded. “I guess I’ll just have to believe in him.” She turned to start downstairs. “I’m supposed to talk to Twilight about something tonight, so I better go. Thanks, Jimmy, and good luck with the weapon.”

He watched her go, noticing how her head lowered just before she passed beyond his sight. So he hadn’t really helped… well, he wasn’t certain what he could do about it. Right now? Probably nothing.

“Jimmy.”

His ears perked up at the familiar voice. He glanced around, but found he was alone in the room. “Who’s there?”

“It me, Lightning.”

“Lightning?” He spun about rapidly, trying to locate the voice. He had a big smile on his face. “Oh, am I glad to hear you! Where the heck are you?”

“Right here.”

“Where?”

Something grabbed him and forced him to face the window. He stared, but there was nothing for him to see. He glanced at his shoulders, where he could still feel something touching him, but all he saw was air. “I don’t…”

“A friend of Fine’s cast an invisibility spell on me.”

His ears perked up again, his heart jumping into his throat. “Did you say Fine? You mean he’s awake?!”

“Oh he’s awake,” her disembodied voice replied with wicked pleasure, “and he’s got a plan.”

Jimmy reached forward and felt something just before him, gathering it was Lightning’s chest. He immediately came forward and engulfed her in a hug, ignoring the strange sensation of holding solid air. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that!”

“Oh, I’ve got an idea,” she countered, but then pushed him away. “Sorry Jim, but there’s not much time; this spell will wear off in another fifteen minutes or so.”

He was still grinning, and had to stop himself from hugging her again. “Alright,” he whispered, giggling. “S-sorry… I’m just… I thought me and Nye were alone. Do you have any idea what’s it’s like to stare in your former friends' eyes and pretend everything’s okay?” He dropped his head back and let out a long, relieved sigh. “The past three days have been hell.”

For a moment Lightning said nothing. She was silent so long that he actually started to wonder if he weren’t going crazy and imagining her, but then she touched him on the shoulder. A soft, reassuring touch. “Everything is going to be okay, Jimmy. Your stupid brother was right this time. Fine got over his problems, and he came up with a plan. He sent me here to get the ball rolling.”

Jimmy stared in the general direction of the voice, abruptly serious. “I never should have doubted you guys. Alright, what are me and Nye supposed to do?”

He could hear Lightning rummaging through something, perhaps a pack. After a few seconds an object appeared seemingly out of thin air; a small wine bottle filled with a red liquid. He took it in his hooves and studied it, feeling a little confused. “I take it this isn’t wine.”

“It’s a cure,” Lightning corrected. “It will undo Silma’s mind control.”

Jimmy’s eyes lit up. “Really? How’d you find that?!”

“No time to explain,” she said, her voice rushed. “Nye comes back from the moon in a few hours. Tell him he needs to get Luna to drink the potion. Tell him that the entire plan rests on us getting the Shades of Night, not Silma.”

He wanted to show his disbelief, but there was no face to focus on. So he stared at the bottle, instead. “You want Nye to convince Princess Luna to drink this? You mean the entire plan hinges on him?”

“If anypony can do it, it’s Nye,” Lightning assured him. “At least that’s what Fine said. We need the Shades of Night, Jim. Fine’s entire plan revolves around it. Once they have it, Luna can send Fine a notice, and he’ll signal her our location in the city.” Something else appeared; a golden necklace with an amber maple leaf. "Tell Nye to give this to Luna after she's back to normal. Fine said she'd know what it means."

Jimmy accepted it, studying the piece of jewelry. It was a rather pretty piece, but what was it for? No matter, he had something else to worry about. “And what am I supposed to do in the meantime?”

“Nothing,” she replied, her tone firm. “Trust me, I know waiting’s a pain in the flank, but just keep doing what they want.”

“But… but it might take forever for them to find the stone,” he pointed out.

“Sorry Jim, I can’t stick around any longer. I can’t risk getting caught. If things change I’ll come back for you, I promise!”

“But… but Lightning!” He could hear her hooves on the stone steps. He sat there for several seconds, worry eating at his stomach. After a while he looked down at the potion in his hooves. It looked so… harmless. Was this thing really going to save Luna?

He had doubts, but he decided to ignore them. Fine was awake, and if anypony knew how to scheme up a solution it was him. Jimmy would trust in this plan. He had four hours before Nye’s return, so he tucked the bottle under a leg and made for his new room to think on Archon’s weapon and how to sabotage it.

Fine had never let them down before. He had to at least try to help out in whatever way he could.

Author's Note

This was supposed to be up yesterday, but my internet crashed for the entire day. Oh well, it's up now.

I really wanted to include a scene where Fleur met with Upper Crust and informed her of Fine's recovery, but in the end decided the chapter was long enough as is. I'm thinking I'm gonna skip a number of scenes in the coming chapters, just to get the ball rolling and really start the fighting.

To Rescue a Princess

The bright white of his existence faded, and Nye found himself standing amongst barren grey rocks, the desolate landscape stretching out as far as the eye could see. He instantly dropped to his knees and fought the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. How did Luna stomach doing this all the time?

He slowly overcame the moment of vertigo, and as he opened his eyes he spotted the two necklaces he’d been given. One was thin and just a little too big for him, with a complicated design of moonstones. That one had come from Luna, and allowed him to travel to the moon and back without her help. The other was a gold chain with a weathered but shining amber maple leaf. Jimmy hadn’t told him what it was for, just that it was to go to the Princess and she would recognize it.

He raised himself up to a sitting position and slowly took in his surroundings. The lunar surface was nothing but pale rock and sand. It wasn't as pretty as he’d originally imagined it, and every time he arrived he had to wonder how Luna’d maintained her sanity living alone in such a dull place for a thousand years. He knew what the moon was really like, and now Celestia’s choice of punishment for her own sister seemed disproportionate to Luna’s crime.

But there was no time to dwell on ancient injustices. He turned at the soft sound of hoofsteps and discovered a Canterlot guard approaching. The stallion saluted him with a stern, official expression. “Sir, welcome back, sir!”

By Luna he hated the manner of the soldiers! He didn’t ever want to be referred to as a ‘sir.’ But he held his tongue; there was no point arguing with these mindless, red-eyed drones. “Where’s the Princess? I need to relay orders.”

“Sir, I don’t know, sir.”

Nye ground his teeth and resisted the urge to snap. “Then I’ll ask around. Carry on.”

The guard saluted and went about his business, which involved checking on all the other enslaved ponies to see if they’d found anything. Nye left him to his task and went in search of Luna. She could be anywhere, but he knew that ponies were spread all over the place searching for the Shades of Night, and one of them had to know where Luna was.

His mind was filled with worry. When Jimmy had told him that Fine was awake and had a plan, he’d been thrilled! But then he learned that he was the initiator of said plan, and that killed his enthusiasm quick. He glanced back at the pouch on his saddlebag, the one that held the wine bottle. How was he ever going to trick Luna into drinking it? He wasn’t a deceptive pony. This required somepony with smarts, like Fine or Octavia or Jimmy! He knew why it had to be him, but… why did it have to be him?

It was easy for Fine to suggest this, he was as sneaky as they come. Nye wasn’t sneaky. He wouldn’t call himself brave or heroic, either. He was just… Nye. And if Luna caught on, what would she do to him? Worse, what would Silma do, not just to him but to Jimmy as well? He knew that if either of them were caught in their deception, both would suffer.

He didn’t want this responsibility.

He paused and sat, trying to clear his head. His thinking was all wrong! He gazed around at the ponies that were scattered in the distance, all of them searching. Slaves, every last one. He gazed up into the stars and thought of Luna, a slave herself. Maybe he didn’t want this responsibility, but it had fallen into his hooves nonetheless.

He cursed himself, trying to regain some of his usual positive manner. It was one thing to encourage others, but encouraging himself was an entirely different thing. Even so, he tried to firm his mind to the task. He was Luna’s friend, and now he was her direct personal assistant. True, that role had been given to him by Silma, but he was doing it for Luna. Even if she was a slave to that monster, he still wanted to help her in whatever way he could. And right now, that meant rescuing her mind.

He started walking once more, still struggling with his doubts. He tried to set the situation in terms he could accept. Engineering? No, too technical. Bartending? Yeah, right. What else was there?

He paused to ask a pony about Luna, and was pointed in a certain direction. As he continued on, he thought on these poor slaves, their minds sealed and shut tight to make room for Silma’s re-programming. They were all so simple, so mindless, so-

Zombies.

He recalled that terrible night in the Everfree Forest with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. He could still vividly recall the hideous, grinning face of that rotting undead alicorn. Under his fur his leg had a big, nasty scar from the wound she’d given him. How Fine could live so close to that horrible village he would never understand.

That was it. That was the situation he needed to recall. These enslaved ponies were little more than zombies, and Silma was their alicorn matriarch. In truth, Luna was probably more befitting the role in the current situation, but he couldn’t possibly think of her in such a manner.

Yes, he’d been terrified. Yes, he’d been severely wounded. If Rainbow hadn’t rescued him, he probably would have died that night. But he’d survived. Outnumbered, horrified, hurt, he’d survived. If he could get through that, he could get through this. He had no Rainbow to rescue him this time, so he’d have to be extra careful, but he could do this.

He repeated it over and over in his head, praying that when the moment came it would actually be true.

Silma had assigned over a hundred ponies to help with the search, and Luna had spread them all over a vast range. Some merely scoured the barren, rocky ground. Others tried to dig holes, which Luna had called a foolish endeavor. Nye was of the opinion that the entire search was foolish; there were no hiding places on the moon, and Luna was not so simple as to just bury the gemstone like a dog buries a bone! It was insulting to her capabilities and intellect. But he kept his mouth shut and let them search.

It took a long time to find Luna, and by the time he finally spotted her he’d been walking nonstop for well over two hours. He paused at a distance, observing her. She sat all alone, far away from any of the others. Her dark body and beautiful, shimmering mane contrasted starkly from the pale moonscape. She was staring up at the stars, red eyes thoughtful.

This beautiful creature was his princess, and it filled him with heartache to think of how such a noble, powerful alicorn could be reduced to Silma’s slave. The fact that she didn’t understand her own slavery made it hurt even more. The intense emotions slapped the doubt out of him; no matter the risks, he had to try.

He started to approach, but stopped; he was still wearing that gold necklace. If it meant something to her, and it came from Fine, then she might associate it with her old team. Was that a good thing? He couldn’t be certain… but he decided to hide it in one of his packs, just in case.

She noticed his approach. “You are late.”

His mind went frantic for a proper response. He gave himself time by walking close and sitting next to her, joining her in stargazing. “Archon wanted to be part of the interview process this time,” he lied, hoping he was convincing enough for her.

She frowned, her gaze never leaving the stars. “I have to question why Silma puts up with him.”

“Riptide?” he suggested. Luna didn’t answer, and for a while the two of them merely stared up at the stars. His mind kept going over possibilities. How was he going to approach the topic of the potion? Call it wine? But why would he offer it to her? He couldn’t just make it look like a spur of the moment thing. He needed something… something to make it seem appropriate.

Seeking to break the ice, he asked, “So what are you doing out here?”

She was quiet for several seconds, but finally replied, “Observing the motions of the stars.”

He blinked, his worried thoughts fading at her answer. He focused on the stars more intently, but as far as he could see they were perfectly still. “I know the stars are always moving… but can you really see that just by sitting there and staring?”

At last she looked down at him, an amused smile on her lips. “I am the Princess of the Night, Nye.”

He blushed. “Well, you know, I just can’t see them move, that’s all.”

“I understand,” she said kindly, turning back to gaze at the sky. He relaxed, glad to not have those red eyes on him. “Nye, did I ever tell you how the stars were made?”

He glanced at her, not certain of why she was asking. “No, I don’t think so.”

“It’s always been a personal matter, how I learned to make and control them,” she admitted, her voice soft. “It seems like such a simple topic now, but it can be easy to forget over the centuries what brought them about.”

“But you’re going to tell me,” he whispered in quiet surprise.

She looked down at him once more, that same gentle smile on her lips. “Nye… you were my first friend after my return to Equestria. You never really treated me like royalty. It can be said that I have a taste for formality, but even I would like to have somepony to just… be my friend. Over the years your letters have brought me laughter and happiness, and you have truly indulged my need for companionship. I’ve spoken to you of matters I withheld even from my sister.”

Then, to his awed alarm, she lowered her head to nuzzle him, a sign of affection she’d never offered before. He knew she was enslaved to Silma, but this… this couldn’t be from her influence. He recalled the others and how they maintained their emotional attachments, and knew this had to be something real.

And he was touched.

“Nopony has stood by me like you, Nye,” she whispered, raising her head to beam at him. “Not even Celestia. Even now, when I so quickly rejoined Silma’s glorious cause, you stuck by me. I know it had to have been a difficult decision, to abandon your friends. I was so happy when Silma told me you’d be at my side. I wanted you to know that. So yes, Nye, I’m going to tell you about the stars. It might seem like a small thing, but it’s what I can offer.”

If only her eyes weren’t red. Then he’d be the happiest stallion in existence. But for now he’d accept it; how could he not? “It’s been my pleasure,” he told her with utmost sincerity.

A long, pleasant silence passed between them, neither of them wanting to break this happy moment. But at last Luna did, turning to gaze up at the stars once more. “Before my time, there were no stars. There was a moon, but no stars. The ponies of the world didn’t care, for they’d had nothing better to look at for all recorded history.

“It was our father, Gentle Knights, who first conceived of the stars. He claimed to have been inspired by my mane, and thought that he could beautify the night sky by making it appear as I did. Perhaps he just said it to make me happy, but I appreciated it all the same. He devoted hundreds of years studying a vast collection of spells in hopes of finding a way to create an astral body. Some ponies think the endeavor is what killed him. Regardless, after what seemed like an eternity, he finally managed to create the very first star.”

Horn glowing slightly, she raised a hoof to the night sky, and as Nye watched a small group of stars gradually dimmed. After a while a single star, very faint, began to glimmer and brighten. “This is Minchir, of the Hydra formation. It is the first star ever formed. It is normally very faint, as my father used minimal magic in its creation.”

Slowly, the stars returned to their natural state, until Nye could hardly recognize which one was Minchir. “After that he made another, Eltanin, of the Draco system.” She indicated a certain star, which shimmered brightly at her call. “Of course, he didn’t know they would be part of constellations at the time.

“Father’s parting gift was to teach me, and in so doing he made more stars and mastered the art.” She pointed to different stars, each brightening significantly when she beckoned to them. “Sheliak of Lyra, Kitalpha of Equuleus, and Ankaa of Phoenix were all created by him while he was teaching me. I personally only managed to make one star before his death: Vega, of the Lyra system.” She smiled faintly. “My father was so proud of my success, and it remains special in my heart.”

Nye didn’t know as much about constellations and stars as he would have liked at the moment, but even he knew Vega. It was such a bright star, he could have pointed it out easily without her help. “It’s a spectacular first attempt,” he noted.

She smiled at him. “A nice try, my friend, but I know you aren’t too knowledgeable about stars.” He bowed his head, ears flattening at his failure, to which she added, “I appreciate the attempt… and it truly is a magnificent star, if I can be permitted a little self-gratification. But I will spare you the intricate details on the differences of stars; I do not wish to bore you.”

“I wouldn’t be bored,” he quickly offered, but by her wry look he knew he wasn’t fooling her. If he couldn’t deceive her with such a simple thing, how was he going to handle the potion? He sighed and turned to gaze up at sky once more. “…I guess you made the rest of the stars after that?”

“Indeed.” She reared back to spread her hooves wide, face shining with pride. “All of these I created, mastering and developing my father’s gift. To make them required nearly a hundred years of toil, hard work I believe was well worth the effort. Just gaze upon it! Is it not beautiful?”

He smiled, glad that even now she could take pride in her sky. She deserved to feel good about it. “It truly is. Every pony who appreciates the night sky must love you for it.”

“I would like to hope so,” she confessed, her tone growing sad. “It seems it is all I have to share.”

Her tone worried him. “There’s more to you than just stars, Luna. There are ponies out there, ponies like me, who truly appreciate you for all that you do.”

She rewarded him with a small smile. “You are too kind, my friend.”

“I’m not the only one,” he pressed. “What about Fine Crime? Have you forgotten him?”

She sighed and turned to glance at the green and blue Earth, a small ball in the sky. “No, I have not forgotten. I wish he could be here now; that stallion has a gift for analysis and planning. If anypony could find the Shades of Night, it’s him. And like you, I know he’d stand at my side no matter what.”

If only she knew how right she was.

Was this it? Would this be the right time to offer… offer what? A toast? That didn’t sound at all convincing in his head. No, not now. But when? How would he know if the time was right?

“Curious.”

He blinked, pulled from his thoughts by her tone. He looked to find Luna staring intently into the starscape, as if she’d noticed something unusual. “What’s wrong?”

She glanced his way, seeming to have just recalled his presence, then looked back out into the sky once more. “Did you know that I do not move the stars anymore?”

He tilted his head. “Anymore? But the stars still move, don’t they?”

She nodded. “But moving the stars every night requires great amounts of magical focus, and distracts from my royal duties. So I decided, about fifty years prior to my exile, to pre-arrange the motions of the astral plane. The stars now move entirely on their own.”

He scratched the back of his head, thinking on this. “Well that’s interesting, but why bring it up now?”

Her head turned back and forth, red eyes scanning the stars as she spoke. “My father’s stars follow their own movement and dictate the motions of all the others. They were the focus of all motion. Except… my father created five stars.”

He glanced around at the sky, but had no idea what she was searching for. “So?”

“You cannot see it with your untrained eye,” she explained, “but even now I can see how the stars behave in relation to one another. My father’s stars are supposed to dictate the motions, and only my father’s stars… but there are six stars doing that job.”

“You mean Vega’s doing it too,” he offered, thinking he understood.

But she shook her head. “It’s not Vega. It’s that one.” She pointed with a hoof to a single star, which shimmered brightly. “I do not recall creating that star, and it is not one of my father’s. In all these years, how could I have forgotten?”

Nye considered this, trying to think of some plausible explanation. “Well… you were disconnected from the stars for a thousand years, weren’t you? Maybe you just lost track.”

“But I could still see them,” she countered, a sharpness in her tone betraying her frustration. “The stars were my only companions for a millennia! So why did this one slip my…”

She looked down at him abruptly, her eyes wide. “I… I forgot.”

And then he realized what she was thinking. He stood up, excitement and worry mixing in his mind. “Do you think?”

“Of course...” she whispered, gazing up at the star once more. “Polaris. Solid, steady Polaris.”

Her horn began to glow. She closed her eyes to concentrate, and the glow intensified into a bright, sparkling torch of cobalt blue magic. Nye watched in silent awe as the star shivered, dimmed… then grew so bright as to make the other stars seem pathetic. It erupted in a tiny splash of light and sparks… leaving behind an empty void.

He stared in the darkness where the star had been, expecting something to happen. Nothing did. “I guess we were wro-“ His words cut short as he turned to Luna and saw that her horn was still sparking like a fire, her eyes closed tight and her lips set in a determined frown. He turned again to gaze up at the sky, waiting to see if perhaps he’d missed something.

Then he saw it; a small object, so dark it was almost invisible in the night sky. It floated down to them, a thick gem similar to the two he’d seen Silma use before. There was no question; they’d found the Shades of Night.

Luna’s face softened. Her magic faded to a dim glow as she let out a long, relieved sigh. Then she opened her eyes and saw the jewel, suspended before her face like a black diamond. At the sight of it she let out a shudder of joy. “We found it.” Her voice was weak with pleasure. “I… I can’t believe we already found it! Oh Nye, thank you!”

He blinked, blushing at her gushing tone. “Me? What did I do?”

“Everything!” She shot him a beaming smile. “You did everything, Nye. From the moment we met, everything you ever did and said. I wanted to thank you, so I told you the story, and the story made me remember! It’s as if our entire relationship has been leading up to this moment! Oh, Silma’s going to be so happy!”

His moment of ecstasy from her praise died in a heartbeat. Right, there was still her…

Luna set her hooves to her cheeks. “This is so amazing! I just can’t… we must go immediately! Silma has to have the stone, and I will be the one to deliver it into her hooves! Come on, Nye, let’s-”

“Wait!”

She paused, wings outstretched. She turned to give him a questioning look, confusion and alarm in her face at his interruption. “Y-yes?”

It was now or never. For a few seconds he stood there, hoof stretched towards her and mouth hanging open. His mind ran rampant with possibilities and worries, but he stamped them down and forced himself to speak. “I… I had something for you, too.”

She smiled nervously, eyes going to the Earth above them. “Nye, I appreciate whatever you’re offering, but it can wait. We must…”

“No.” His voice was so firm it surprised even him. Ignoring her alarmed expression, he quickly realized what he wanted to say. Curiously, it was the truth. “Do you really think Silma’s going to appreciate this?”

Luna blinked at him. At first she seemed lost… but then her head bowed and her eyes grew sad. “No… no I don’t. Silma appreciates nothing.”

“I thought not.”

“But I still have to deliver the gem to her,” she insisted. “She needs it, Nye.”

“Maybe she does,” he agreed, “but you know that she’s just gonna take it and send you off on some other menial task she considers below her. She won’t appreciate your work, and we both know Celestia’s not going to care.”

She raised her head in alarm, and at first he thought she’d argue with him. But her eyes were hurt, and her ears drooped. “You… I mean…” Her head lowered once more. “She won’t, you are right.”

He stepped forward to set a hoof to her side – about as high as he could reach – and smiled. “So stay here for a while. Silma will get her stone. You’ve got a pony who appreciates you right here.”

She gave him a weak smile. “I don’t know…”

“Please.” He stepped back and reached into his saddlebag, pulling out the bottle. “I was holding on to this for just this occasion.”

She tilted her head, studying the bottle as he set it to the ground. “Is that wine?”

He chuckled to hid his anxiousness and tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach. “It’s a special brew I made. I’ve never mixed wines before, so I dunno how it’ll come out.” He nudged the bottle with his nose, offering it to her. “I… I just thought you deserved something special.”

She sighed in a manner of quiet exasperation. “Did you name this one after me, too?”

He smiled, but couldn’t meet her gaze. “Yes. Silma and Celestia never saw how great you are. They want to paint you as a mere shadow. But you’re the Moon Princess. Look at this sky!” He reared back to spread his legs, copying her earlier motion. “You give us this beauty every night. You visit our dreams to save us from our worst fears. You created a team of ponies, and saved all our lives in the process! You deserve better, and I want to give that to you. I’m going to give it to you. Even if I’m the only pony in Equestria who does it, at least you’ll have me. That’s a promise, Luna.”

She stared at him, lips parted in a soft expression of disbelief. He took delight in how her eyes shined just then, for the sentiment had been wholly honest. After a few seconds she blushed, that pleasant smile coming to her lips as she glanced away timidly. “Nye, you finally succeeded in embarrassing me. Alright, I’ll stay for a while. You’re right; Silma will get her stone eventually, and the timing is not so important.” She beamed down at him. “Thank you, my friend. Your kindness means more to me than you can know.”

“Not just kindness,” he replied with a grin. “It’s loyalty. I have every confidence in you, Luna.”

She blushed once more. “Enough! You’ve embarrassed me enough.” The glow of her horn intensified for a moment, and a pair of wine glasses appeared between them. “Let us enjoy this new drink of yours. What did you say it was called?”

“I didn’t,” he replied, his heart skipping a beat as the wine bottle rose, its cork popping out at her magical tug. “To be honest, I was still thinking about the name.”

“Oh?” She poured some of the potion in each glass. “Have you any ideas?”

“Please, more for you,” he offered with a wave of his hoof. “I made this for you, after all.”

“Are you sure?” He nodded, hoping she couldn’t see the fear in his eyes. “So be it.” One glass arose and poured into the other, until it had nearly twice as much potion as the other.

The glass with less liquid floated down to his hooves, which were trembling. Part of it was his terror that something might interrupt this moment, right when he was about to succeed. The other was him wondering if drinking the potion when he didn’t need it would have any negative side effects. But to keep it realistic…

She lifted the glass to float beside her head and raised an eyebrow with an expectant smile. “The name?”

He blinked, having forgotten all about that bit of info. He considered for a moment, then gave her a nervous smile. “Moon Savior.”

Her smile broadened just a touch. “You never stop with the flattery.”

He raised his glass to her, struggling to keep his shaking under control. “You know me; Nye the tail chaser.”

She let out a light giggle and raised her glass in return. “To Nye, the most dependable and loyal friend a pony could ask for.”

His shaking stopped, his fear replaced with a moment of clarity and pleasure. “To the glory of the Moon Princess.”

And they both drank.

It tasted sweet, for which Nye was relieved. There was a number of strange and unrecognizable tastes along with it, and a rather jarring aftertaste that reminded him of eggplant. That was unfortunate; he hated eggplant. But even without it, he could tell this wasn’t something he’d ever have mixed on his own; the flavors and textures and sensations of the drink just didn’t meld right at all.

He lowered his glass to observe Luna, who finished off her own and lowered it with a clear attempt to hide her distaste. “Well…” she said with an forced smile, “that was… interesting.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, “not my best mix.” He tried to keep his tone congenial, but he was watching her like a hawk. Had it worked? Was it supposed to be immediate, or did the effects take time?

“Don’t feel too bad,” she offered kindly, studying the bottle up close. “By your own confession, you’ve never mixed wine before. But I did not taste any alcohol in…”

She blinked, shook her head. “Nye… do you feel… different?” She began to tilt sideways, her face going green. “Oh my… what was in that?”

He stepped back nervously. “Umm…”

She lowered her head, clutching it in both hooves as she let out a long groan. “I don’t feel so… oh… oh no…” Her red eyes slowly widened in understanding. She raised her head, eyes locking with his. “Nye… how could you?”

He took another worried step back. “I… uh… are you okay…?”

Then, abruptly, she let out a piercing scream and reared back, vast wings flapping wildly. “Traitor! How dare you! Of all the ponies, you!” And then, to his alarm, she fired a blue beam of energy from her horn. He jumped in terror, the beam slicing into his leg. It was only a small cut, but damn did it hurt!

“Luna, wait!” He dodged a second shot, terror running through him. “What are you doing?!”

She cried out in fury, her voice a horrible shriek. “I serve Silma!” The Shades of Night dropped to the pale ground, forgotten in the Princess’ rage. “Ponies, to me! Kill the traitor!”

Oh hell. He turned about to see the ponies in the distance come running. “Shit! Luna, I’m sorry!”

He turned back just in time for her to fly into him. He fell to the ground on his back. Pinned by her magic, he could only struggle in futility as she lowered her horn dangerously close to his throat. “Luna, please!”

“You’ve betrayed Silma,” she hissed, her eyes bright and terrifying. “Worse, you betrayed me! Me, your beloved Princess! I will kill you, Nye Stone, and when I get back to Canterlot with the stone I will find your brother and tear him to YAAAH!” She reared back, clutching her head. Flailing and screaming in agony, she fell onto her back, and Nye was free to move once more.

He jumped to his hooves, but didn’t dare approach. Had the potion been brewed incorrectly? Had he accidentally poisoned her?! He wanted to help, to do something for her, but all he could do was stand there and feel like crap. “L-Luna…”

“Stay away!” She tossed and turned, eyes going to him in alarm. “Nye, run… get awNO! I’ll kill you, you insubordinRUN!”

She was fighting for control! Maybe the potion was working… but was it a guaranteed cure? What if she reverted back? What if-

He jerked about at the sound of hoofsteps, cursing as he remembered the other ponies she’d called upon. He was already surrounded by half a dozen enslaved ponies, two of them guards, and they didn’t look friendly. Mind working quick, he ran to the Shades of Night lying innocuously nearby and snatched it up. He nearly dropped it; he could feel the energy of it! It was almost like a jolt of electricity.

“Easy there, Mr. Stone,” one of the guards called. “That’s property of Silma. Just hand it over and-“

“Go to hell!” He thrust the gem into a pack and backed away, looking for an escape. Zombies, that’s what he kept telling himself. These red-eyes slaves were no more than zombies. He’d handled zombies once before. He turned a circle and saw that the ponies had surrounded him and the still-struggling Luna.

“He’s hurt the Princess.”

“Kill him!”

“No, bring him to Silma!”

“It’s the Princess he hurt, let her have him.”

Nye gave Luna fearful look, but she was too busy with her internal battle to even notice him. She was on her stomach now, hooves pressed and tense against the ground and baring her teeth in a frightening display. Whatever was happening in her mind, it was clearly painful.

There was nothing else to do; he bolted. He ran between two mares, the weakest looking of his aggressors, and they were too surprised by his sudden decision to stop him. He broke through and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, ponies screaming in fury at his retreat.

A fight wasn’t an option. He didn’t have Jimmy’s or Octavia’s strength, or Lightning’s speed and guts. Fine Crime had his wits, and even Upper Crust had a certain determination and resourcefulness. He was Nye, and he was no fighter. His only chance was to keep them occupied long enough for Luna to recover.

So he fled, distinctly aware of the massive gem bouncing against his side in the pouch. He glanced back and saw that they were gaining. He’d expected that; he was by no means an athletic pony. But it was all up to him, and though he lacked his fellows' gifts he refused to give up!

He looked ahead again and saw a pony just ahead, looking up at him with confused, red eyes. “Mr. Stone, what’s going on?!”

For an instant Nye considered pitting the ponies he met, those not yet in the know, against the ones following him. It would be easy enough, just say he was being followed by traitors.

“Somepony hurt the Princess,” he shouted just as he flew by the stallion. “Everypony needs to go to Luna, now!”

He couldn’t use them like that. They’d tear one another apart, and he would not be responsible for that!

He kept running, glancing back every now and again to check on how close his pursuers were. He was getting winded, but he forced himself on. One of the guards was the first, easily getting ahead of the others. He’d be on Nye in seconds… but for once Nye knew exactly what he was doing.

The guard was so close that he opened his mouth and tried to catch Nye by the tail. That was his cue; he lifted his legs and let himself fall, adding a last kick to turn himself sideways. He hit the ground and rolled. The guard, caught by surprise, tripped over him and landed face first against the hard ground.

Nye scrambled to his feet and broke into a run once again, making sure to stomp on the guard’s leg as he did. The stallion beneath him let out a pained scream as a terrible cracking sound filled the air. Nye felt a little guilty, but didn’t look back or let it slow him down; better a broken leg than death.

His breath coming in gasps, Nye glanced back to see the others closing in. Whoever caught up first wouldn’t fall for the same trick. Now what? He couldn’t keep this up forever!

Something big and dark landed before him. He slid to a stop, nearly falling in his momentum. He looked up in terror at Luna, who stood tall and imposing. He closed his eyes, ready for the pain… and was suddenly flying.

“It’s okay, Nye, I’ve got you!”

“Luna!” When she looked down at him with clear, cyan eyes he actually broke into tears. He wrapped his hooves around her and laughed like a fool. “Those are the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen!”

“Ponies!” She shouted to the crowd below, “I will handle this traitor! Return to your duties!” He looked up at her, momentarily alarmed, but she winked to reassure him.

They flew for a few minutes, neither of them saying anything. Nye was so happy right then that he couldn’t get any words out, so he just held on to her and wept tears of joy. She was back, his Princess was back!

She brought them down in an area far removed from the other ponies, such that they were completely alone. He released her, took a step back… and his mind went blank as she planted a kiss right on his lips. For several seconds he just sat there, eyes wide and unable to think of anything but the fact that he was getting kissed by a princess.

She released the kiss and engulfed him in a tight hug. “Oh Nye, thank you thank you thank you! I knew I could count on you, you wonderful, lovable stallion!”

“It’s nice to see you, too,” he replied, still dazed from the kiss.

She laughed like he’d never heard her laugh before; loud, joyful and energetic. “I can’t believe it, I’m free! And we have the stone! Oh thank you, Nye, you’re amazing!” She sat back, giggling uncontrollably.

Nye grinned, all his fears and doubts washed away at last. “I am so glad to see you back. I was afraid I’d never have my Luna again.”

Her giggling finally under control, she beamed at him and took a moment to compose herself. “Nye… now I owe you my very soul. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for what you’ve done, but I promise-“

He raised hoof, and she went silent. “I don’t need you to repay me. Just having you back is reward enough.” He considered this answer, then added, “On second thought, if you could promise not to ever tell Rainbow about that kiss, that’d be nice. Pretty sure she’d get jealous quick.”

She laughed and raised a hoof in a sincere gesture. “It’s a promise. You just… I’m so happy! How did you ever find a cure for Silma’s spell?”

“Oh, I can’t take credit for that,” he admitted. “The potion was somepony else’s idea.” He pulled out the amber leaf necklace and offered it to her. “I was told to give you this, and you’d understand.”

She lifted it up with her magic to get a closer look, and once she recognized it both hooves covered her mouth in a gesture of surprise. “Oh… Fine Crime…” He was surprised to see her eyes moisten. “He’s awake. Then… does that mean he’s okay?”

Okay? “I don’t know,” he admitted, scratching the back of his head. “I didn’t see him. The necklace and potion were given to me by Jimmy, and he says they were given to him by Lightning.”

She gazed upon him with a smile that suggested mild disbelief. “You mean the team’s still together?”

“I think so. We’re supposed to find Fine in Canterlot. If you send him a message, he’ll show you were he is. Or so Jimmy told me.”

She shook her head, a soft and pleasant expression on her face. “Dear Verity Fine. Such a crafty stallion. And to think I had such serious reservations about him when he first started working for me.”

Nye grinned and waved a hoof at the planet high above them. “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go save Equestria!”

But Luna made no attempt to leave. “Not so hasty, my friend. You and I need to talk a little, first.”

“Talk?” he asked, “About what?”

She was silent for several seconds, staring at him proudly. “Nye… I remember everything.”

He blinked, not sure where she was going with this. “Umm… okay?”

“The others left,” she pressed. “It was the right thing to do. But you and Jimmy… you stayed behind. You refused to leave me to Silma and Archon, even though you risked your lives.” She bowed her head, emotion filling her voice. “I was so scared for you… and proud, too.”

“Luna…” He moved a little closer, trying to look her in the eyes. “I had to stay.”

She sniffed, but her eyes shined with joy. “I wanted to thank you. I… I never thought anypony would ever do something like that for me. And,” she added before he could speak, “I remember what you told me just a few minutes ago. ‘Going to give me better?’”

He blushed, eyes moving away from hers. “Oh… that. You remember that too, huh?”

She lowered her head to nuzzle him affectionately. “Even under Silma’s control, I was so thrilled to hear it, and I know you meant every word.”

He pressed back, feeling light with pleasure. “I did mean it. You deserve so much more credit than you have.”

She straightened and grinned. “When this is over, if we defeat Silma Ril, I am going to knight you and give you a title. I don’t know what yet, but you’ve more than earned it.”

He gaped. “Me? A knight? Seriously?”

She nodded, setting a hoof to her chin as she studied him. “Hmm… maybe a count. Count Stone of Ponyville.”

“I dunno if I’m royalty material, Luna,” he admitted with a blush.

She laughed and wrapped him in another hug. “You’d be nobility, not royalty. But it doesn’t matter; the point is that you’re a hero. Ah-ah, no, don’t argue. You’re my personal hero, and I will make sure the whole of Equestria knows it!”

His face grew even more red as she backed away. “Luna, keep this up and you’re gonna embarrass me.”

She giggled and flashed a grin. “I believe that’s called ‘payback.’ Now, have you any idea what this plan of Fine’s is?”

Glad to finally be off to a new topic, he sobered quickly. “No, can’t say I do.”

“Then let us return to Equestria,” she declared, “and see what our friends have in mind.”

Upper Crust kept her husband close. They were sitting together by a bar, staring at the catwalk in the middle of the room. Well, trying to; she kept eyeing her husband, who in turn was trying not to eye the posters that lined the walls, each showcasing a different supermodel. One of those supermodels was sitting right across the bar, mixing herself a drink: Fleur Dis Lee.

There were so many crazy thoughts going through Upper Crust’s head at the moment. First, she learned that Fine Crime was awake and on his way to Canterlot. Then she discovered that the Dark Archons were real. And most shocking of all? Fleur, one of Canterlot’s top models, whom she always took for an airhead even before developing her new outlook on life, was one of its major agents! Fleur! She kept waiting for somepony to deliver a punch line.

But Upper Crust’s doubts faded quickly after watching the supermodel cast that invisibility spell on Lightning. That was no small magical feat! Fine had referred to her as an illusions master, and Upper Crust had to wonder how much of that magical aptitude was put to use in her modeling career. She had to acknowledge that it was the perfect front. A front for what, she didn’t know; neither Fine or Fleur would talk about just what the supermodel really did for the Archons here in Canterlot.

She eyed her husband, who seemed to be working a bit too hard at keeping his eyes well away from Fleur. Did he think she’d be mad? That she’d accuse him of cheating as he once had accused her? She knew better than to ever expect that of him… but at the same time she had to admit a guilty pleasure in keeping him on the tips of his hooves.

He’d insisted on coming along with her. She’d tried to convince him to evacuate with the others, but apparently he wanted to understand her life, and meet her teammates. He’d struggled to be helpful in the past few days, and in that time she finally had the chance to observe him. He’d changed in the past year, and she could see the direction his life was taking. He was starting to care about others, to worry about things other than parties and image. He was… well, it seemed he was walking the same rocky path she’d taken. It made her so happy, and she couldn’t help thinking that she’d had a hoof in this new direction of his.

But she was still terrified for him. At any time they could get the call from Luna, or have to flee to another hiding spot from Silma’s slaves. She didn’t want him here, it was too dangerous. Seeking to take her mind of that particular worry, she cast her gaze around the auditorium.

Lightning was resting in a dark corner by the stage. It looked as if she was sleeping, but Upper Crust could tell she was awake. She’d heard that Lightning had spent the past three days leading the evacuation of Ponyville, so she had to have been a little worn out. She deserved some rest, but sleep wouldn’t come. She was probably fretting over Keen, who she’d left behind with Zecora and Spike.

Octavia was lying on a sofa atop the stage, sipping tea and studying sheet music. Upper Crust could tell from her anxious glances and fretting eyes that she was trying to distract herself with a little study, but it wasn’t helping much. Fleur had tried to help out early on with Octavia; the model had insisted that the cellist had all the physical qualities necessary to be a model herself. Upper Crust was tempted to believe it – the mare was certainly a beauty – but Octavia would have none of it. Fleur had even tried to convince her to take a spin on the catwalk, an idea the cellist stamped out swiftly and with no small amount of blushing. So now she was just lying there, trying to keep her mind off the dangers they could face at any time.

And that left Fine Crime, who at that moment was on the roof getting some fresh air and keeping an eye open for threats. Upper Crust had been so happy to see him; somehow, knowing that Fine was back made her feel a lot more secure about everything. She’d wanted to talk to him, and he’d indulged her a bit, but Fine was in a working mood. For whatever reason he was more focused and determined than ever, and the only thing on his mind was the task at hand.

“Here.” Upper Crust turned in her stool to find a shot glass at her elbow. She gave Fleur a questioning glance. “For the nerves.”

She accepted the shot, if only to avoid seeming rude. “Thanks.”

Fleur took the glass and poured another, offering it to Jet. He hesitated, rubbing the scruff of his unshaved chin, but finally accepted it.

Upper Crust studied the supermodel pony for a few seconds, curiosity urging her on.“Can I ask you a question?”

“You can.”

“How did you get to be an Archon?”

Fleur gave her an apologetic, pretty smile. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

She nodded, knowing better than to press the issue. “And Fine, he’s really your leader?”

Fleur nodded, eyes flitting up to the ceiling. “In the hierarchy of the Archons, yes, he makes all the final decisions. Yet he also reports directly to Princess Luna – well, he did.” Her confident voice weakened a bit. “So unofficially the Princess leads the Archons.”

“I’m still trying to grasp the idea that the Archons are real,” Jet Set pointed out nervously.

Upper Crust nodded, feeling much the same way. “It is a bit hard to grasp, even now.”

Fleur smiled once again. “That’s our intention, of course; be unbelievable.”

“But what now?” Upper Crust asked. “Fine spilled the beans to the team. And my husband,” she added as an afterthought. That wasn’t entirely true; Fleur had been the one to approach Upper Crust with news of Fine’s imminent arrival and plans, so technically she was the one who’d revealed the secret. Yet she was acting under Fine’s orders, so it counted as his fault in Upper Crust’s mind. “Now that the Archons are known, what will happen?”

Fleur’s smile turned wry. “No, Miss Crust, it’s not that simple. Even if the seven of you are aware of us, it doesn’t change anything. Some of you will keep quiet about us, like you and Octavia. Others like Lightning may talk about the Archons at some point. But remember: we’ve spent centuries keeping our existence under wraps. Do you really think anypony would believe it if, for example, Nye Stone started telling everypony that the Archons were real?”

“When you put it that way…” Upper Crust answered.

“Well I don’t intend to share,” Jet admitted. “The last thing I want is the Archons coming after me.”

Upper Crust laughed and nudged him playfully. “Really, Jet, the Archons aren’t going to come after you!”

“Most certainly not,” Fleur agreed. “For one, you aren’t a threat to the public good, or Equestria in general. For another, you are the husband of Miss Crust, who in turn is a close associate of my boss. I do not think he’d condone any of us touching you, Mr. Set, which would be a requirement as assassinations cannot be carried out without his authorization.”

Jet’s eyes went wide. “Y-you mean you really do assassinations?”

Fleur grinned, resting her chin atop her hoof and eyeing him playfully. “Oh dear, I’ve said too much.”

Upper Crust was less bothered by this news; after having seen threats like Sombra, Tazel and Silma, she had little doubt that such methods were necessary. Undesirable, but necessary. Even so, she had difficulty believing that somepony like Fleur was going around murdering ponies. Then again, as she eyed the glamorous model, she realized that Fleur was perhaps the perfect pony to do that kind of job.

“What about Fine?” Upper Crust asked. “How long has he been the Mane Archon?”

“Not long,” Fleur answered, pouring herself a shot. “I can’t give you exact numbers, you understand, but I can tell you he is one of the youngest ponies to ever lead our order. I suppose the closest approximation I could offer is that he was the Mane Archon prior to Princess Luna’s return from exile.”

“At least four years,” Jet declared.

“He’d have been 26 then,” Upper Crust noted thoughtfully. “He truly did climb the ranks quickly, didn’t he?”

Fleur waved her hooves in a manner signifying she could tell no more, then drank her shot. “By the way, we Archons owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Upper Crust blinked and glanced around, as if expecting the words to be meant for somepony else. “Me? What for?”

“Not just you,” Fleur corrected, “but your entire team. And the Element Bearers, as well. You cured Fine of his Bloodmane illness, and that has made him much easier to work with. As somepony who has worked closely at Fine’s side on more than one occasion, I must admit it is a weight off my shoulders.”

Upper Crust studied her for several seconds, her mind working this information and her special talent trying to come up with theories. At last she came to a conclusion. “You feared him.”

Fleur gained an anxious frown as she nodded. “We all did, every pony who ever worked closely with him. We never felt safe; he always claimed his Bloodmane problem was under control, but there were… incidents. It’s not easy working for a pony who might kill you the instant your back is turned for no reason other than an opportunity presented.”

Jet gave Upper Crust a worried look. “And this is your leader, Uppity?”

Upper Crust rolled her eyes. “He’s cured, Jet. He’s not the same stallion he used to be.”

“That may be,” Jet replied anxiously, “but he sounds like a scary character.”

At that Fleur gave them a dark smile. “You are correct, Mr. Set; Fine is still a very scary pony.”

A familiar voice rang out through the auditorium. “Ladies and gentlecolts, the star of the show has arrived!”

All eyes turned to the auditorium’s side entrance. There, a smug grin on his face, was Nye Stone.

“Nye, you’re okay!” Octavia jumped off her sofa and literally leapt into him, knocking him to the floor in a hug. “I could kiss you, you stupid colt!”

“That’s some hello,” Lightning noted, slowly climbing to her hooves with a grin.

“Hey, don’t I get a hug?” Jimmy appeared in the doorway, eyeing Octavia as she held his brother tightly.

“Jim!” Octavia let Nye go and repeated the tackle on the elder Stone. “Do you have any idea how scared I was?!”

“Happy?” Lightning asked with a grin as she and Upper Crust approached the scene.

“It’s a start,” Jimmy admitted with a blush, on his back as Octavia affectionately rubbed cheeks with him.

“Hold on,” Upper Crust said, glancing from brother to brother. “How is it you’re both here?”

“We took a detour,” Nye answered, accepting Lightning’s helping hoof to stand.

“We?” Octavia asked, finally letting Jimmy up. “Does that mean-“

“Yes.” Luna appeared in the doorway, smiling happily down upon them all. “Nye has rescued your Princess.”

“Luna!” Everypony shouted at once, gathering excitedly around her.

They were all asking questions, jostling for her attention. The Princess laughed and waved at them in a calming fashion. “Yes yes, my little ponies, I’m thrilled to see all of you, too!”

Lightning caught Nye by the neck and rubbed her hoof against his head playfully. “Damn, Nye, I didn’t know ya had it in ya!”

“Hey, stop that,” he cried, struggling to escape. “I’m gonna be a Count now, ya don’t do that to a Count!”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”

Fine appeared at the doorway behind Luna, a confident smirk on his face. “See guys? Told ya he could do it.”

“Now we just have to free the others,” Upper Crust declared happily. “Princess, we’ve got enough potion for all the Element Bearers and your sister!”

“And we don’t have any time to waste,” Jimmy pointed out. “A letter came to Silma less than an hour ago: Celestia’s on her way back, with Princess Cadance in tow.”

“So what are we waiting for?” Lightning asked, jumping into the air in her excitement. “Let’s do this!”

But Luna raised her hooves once more. “Not yet. Everypony, quiet down. I have something to say.” They did as she asked, all listening eagerly. She turned her head slowly, studying them one at a time. There was pride in her eyes and a beaming smile on her lips.

“All of you, each and every one of you, have made me proud. I learned everything from Fine, how you all handled yourselves after our defeat. You could have fled. You could have given up hope and hid away from this threat.

“But instead you faced it. Each of you overcame your fears and doubts in your own ways and chose to work against this, even after my sister and I were defeated, even when he Elements of Harmony failed. And here you are, united again, ready to work together. None of you are the ponies you were when you joined this team. No matter what happens in the coming hours, I wanted you to know: you are all heroes.”

Lightning pumped her hoof with a grin. “And after this, all of Equestria will know it!”

They all shared eager, proud looks. They were a team. Not like before, when they’d merely worked together; this time, they were a real team.

Fine stepped forward, giving them all a confident, smug smile. “Silma’s biggest mistake was to dismiss us as insignificant. It’s time everypony learned that those considered noponies can be dangerous when ignored. This fight is the culmination of everything this team stands for.”

“No more doubts,” Upper Crust agreed.

“No more waiting,” Octavia added.

“We don’t have to be the best,” Lightning declared.

“We just have to be there when it counts,” Jimmy announced.

“To believe in ourselves,” Nye concluded, “and each other.”

There was a moment of silence as they all shared a moment of pride. In themselves, in their abilities. In the team.

“And now,” Luna said at last, “it is time Fine told me about his plan.”

“Told everypony,” Upper Crust corrected. “He’s been keeping us in the dark, too.”

“Wait.” They all turned, and were surprised to find Jet Set standing before them. He shrank under the sudden attention, but shook his nervousness off and turned to Luna imploringly. “I want to help.”

Upper Crust’s jaw dropped, and the others shared skeptical looks. “I don’t know about that idea,” Octavia offered.

“You mean it’s a terrible idea,” Lightning suggested.

Upper Crust stepped up to her husband. “Jet… no. You’re not ready, you haven’t…”

“I want to,” he told her, voice firm. “You can’t ask me to just stand back and let you go off to fight.”

Luna set a hoof to her chin thoughtfully, then turned to Fine. “It’s your plan. You decide.”

Fine had been silent, his brooding eyes locked on Jet. The upper-class stallion shifted anxiously under that harsh gaze. At last, Fine said, “I understand every pony on this team, and I think I know exactly where to put them. I don’t know you, so I have no idea what role you could take. But… Upper Crust, he’s your husband. Impress upon him the situation. If he still wants to go, I won’t object. After all,” he concluded, “we were all green once.”

Upper Crust groaned and pulled Jet aside, anger filling her. “What are you doing?” she hissed once they were on the opposite side of the auditorium.

“Trying to make a difference,” he answered haughtily. “I can’t let you do this alone, Uppity.”

“I’m not alone, Jet. I have my friends with me. I’ll be fine!”

“You don’t know that. I won’t spend the rest of my life alone and regretting that I didn’t at least try to help!”

Her response died on her lips, his words hitting her hard. It was so strange, hearing them from him, because it was similar to her own sentiments back when she’d been undergoing her long, arduous change. “Jet… you mean that?”

He nodded, sitting down and bowing his head. “Uppity, ever since you left, nothing seemed right anymore. I tried to get on with things, but it just wouldn’t work. I became a wreck. Not just because you left, but why you left. It got me to thinking about… things. I’ve been feeling like… like my whole life’s a pageant play, and I’m the comedy relief.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing! She knew what he was going through, she could remember the distress, the frustration and self-directed anger. This change in her husband was just like her own… and she didn’t know whether to feel proud or guilty about it.

He continued. “But then this disaster happened, and you came back for me. I didn’t understand that that’s what you were doing, not at first. I get it now. More than that, I’ve been watching you these past three days. You’re magnificent, Uppity. Truly. I couldn’t believe that brave, confident, independent mare was my wife. You were inspiring.”

He looked up at her, and his eyes were moist. “And now I see you with these ponies, standing tall alongside Princess Luna. She’s right, Uppity: you’re a hero. My wife, a hero. When I saw you there, with all of them, I finally understood your reasons for leaving. I get it, all of it, and I want to be part of it.” He set his hooves to her shoulders and gazed into her eyes imploringly. “Let me be part of it, Uppity. Let me be a husband to make you proud.”

The sincerity in his eyes, the hope and desperation, it all affected her. He’d taken the same journey she had, in a roundabout way, and had finally come to the same conclusions. She loved him for it.

But she was still scared. “Jet… do you really understand what’s at stake here? You might die, any of us could. If we fail, death’s almost a certainty. Are you sure? Really, really sure?”

His face became firm. “Uppity, short of marrying you, I have never been more sure about anything in my life.”

She loved that answer. She leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheek. “Alright, Jet. Let’s do this together.”

Author's Note

This chapter was a challenge for me. Rescuing Luna was of course a stand-out moment, and brings shining clarity to the relationship of her and Nye. I expect people will read this chapter and think that their relationship borders on romantic, but really it's just a very close friendship. Here's hoping everything came out like I wanted.

And yes, I know there's no noise on the moon and gravity should be weaker. We're dealing with a story where ponies talk, unicorns exist, and an entire civilization was made by creatures with no fingers, much less thumbs. I don't think voices in space is a big jump.

The second part of this chapter was a nuisance for me. I knew I wanted it, but couldn't decide whether I'd be doing it now or in the next chapter. In the end I chose this route, as it lets me jump straight to the mission of saving Equestria in the next chapter, which I don't think should play second fiddle to anything else.

There were a lot of things I wanted to do with that second scene, and most of it went undone. It would have taken too long and this chapter was already stretching it in terms of length. In particular I wanted to address the relationship between Luna and Fine by having them get a moment to talk about it in private. In the end it didn't happen, and that makes me a little sad, because if it didn't happen here it not going to. I suppose I could always write a one shot later regarding the topic - I do have a ton of extra material for the No Heroes universe, after all.

One thing that I debated with myself on for a long time was Fine's plan. My options were to either reveal it in the next chapter (and put the second part of this chapter in with it) or not reveal it at all. In the end I chose with the latter, as I feel not knowing the plan makes things more interesting for the reader.

Next up: the fight begins. Excuse me while I rub my hands with glee.

The Duels Part I

On the walls of Canterlot Castle, griffons and pegasi kept close watch on their surroundings. Their eyes were glued to the city below them, determined to keep out any who might threaten their new leaders. They scoured the skies, they observed the streets, they peered at rooftops. Anypony watching from beyond would see them and think there was a whole army waiting within. It would have been a good bluff.

Unfortunately for them, they did not know that one of their former leaders had been freed. There was no reason to watch the castle itself, so when the moon glistened and flashed a beam of light into the courtyard, signifying that somepony was returning to the castle from above, not a single one of them paid it any mind. When the light faded there were six ponies standing in the courtyard.

Upper Crust’s eyes widened as she came to recognize their surroundings. “Wasn’t she supposed to put us in the gardens?” she asked, her whisper filled with horror.

“Hey, she did good,” Nye pointed out. “Have you any idea how hard it is to aim with that kind of precision from the moon?”

“I think Luna’s had a lot more practice than you,” Jimmy pointed out anxiously.

“Stop yapping and start moving,” Fine hissed, darting into the shadows of the castle with surprising swiftness. They all followed, relieved that nopony spotted them.

Once they were all concealed within the shadows – somewhat – they gathered in a circle. “Alright,” Fine whispered with sharp eyes, “everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, right?”

They all nodded, and Upper Crust and Octavia moved to stand close to him.

“Okay guys,” he announced, “this is it. This is the whole reason we were brought together. Let’s make Luna proud, shall we? Jimmy.” The elder stone raised his head attentively. “When the going gets tough, the tough start listening.”

Jimmy tilted his head, confusion plastered on his face. “Umm… okay?”

“Just remember it,” Fine said with utmost seriousness. “Nye: try to keep her from getting hurt. Please.”

Nye took on an expression similar to that of his brother’s. “Keep who from getting hurt?”

“It’s just a request,” Fine answered. “You’ll get it when the time comes. Jet?” Jet Set, who was eyeing his wife worriedly, turned to him. “If my knowledge of Archon’s methods are accurate, you’ll need to be cautious. Don’t rush.”

Jet was clearly nervous, but at least Fine’s advice wasn’t so cryptic in this case. “I’ll try to bear that in mind.”

“Good luck, you three,” Octavia offered.

“You too,” Nye said.

“Jet,” Upper Crust called, catching his fretting eye. “Don’t worry. The boys know what they’re doing, and so does Fine. It’ll turn out alright.”

Jet swallowed the lump in his throat before responding. “If you say so, Uppity. Just be careful, okay?”

“Don’t worry,” Octavia told him with a confident smile. “Your wife can be quite the fireball when she wants to be.”

At that he gained a small smile of his own. “I’m starting to realize that, myself.”

Fine, who’s face never slipped from its combat-ready firmness, said, “Luna will be starting soon. Let’s get to it.” Octavia and Upper Crust nodded their acceptance, and his horn began to glow. Black smoke arose seemingly from nowhere, covering the three of them… and they were gone.

Jet raised his hoof as the smoke cleared, as if to snatch his wife back.

“Come on,” Jimmy instructed, tapping the worried husband on the shoulder, “we’ve got our own work to do.”

Flying over the fields and forests north of Canterlot was a brilliant carriage, lead by a pair of pegasi in gold armor. A small group of pegasi soldiers hovered about the vehicle, in which Celestia sat with a regal air. Carted behind them on a long chain was a cage. To the casual eye it would have seemed like a bird’s cage, but the alicorn held within was not singing. She lay shackled to the bottom bars, a metallic cone set upon her horn to prevent the use of magic. Cadance was a prisoner, but before long her situation would be much worse.

Canterlot was in view by now, and soon the victorious procession would be flying over the city. Its arrival in the castle would be the final nail in the coffin of everything that was Equestria, and as things stood there was no reason to believe anypony would attempt to stop them.

So when a dark blue beam abruptly shot down from the clouds, scarcely missing the carriage, it caught them all off guard.

Celestia issued the order, and most of her soldiers flew up into the clouds to meet the enemy, leaving only a trio of pegasi behind to watch over her. She eyed the clouds with suspicion as the soldiers disappeared within. Soon after the audience was dazzled by a display of flashes and thunderous crashes, followed by a long, tense silence.

The cloud parted, and the moon appeared. Luna descended, slow and majestic, to hover over the carriage. When Celestia saw that composed, commanding face and those crystal clear eyes her jaw dropped.

“Luna,” the Sun Princess stood, eyes wide with disbelief, “what are you doing?!”

“Fixing wrongs,” her sister announced, her voice firm. “Old and new. I will not let you return to Canterlot, sister.”

“Wrongs? What wrongs?” Celestia sat once more, waving a dismissing hoof. “Silma is waiting for me to deliver Cadance. Now is not the time for-“

Luna’s eyes flashed dangerously, another beam of energy flashing past Celestia’s carriage. “What wrongs?! Even as Silma’s slave, your words are too cruel. You know exactly what wrongs, and tonight they will be rectified!”

Celestia’s pursed her lips, hardly flinching at the warning shot as she glared up at her sister. The three soldiers closed around her protectively. “I am no slave, Luna. I have merely accepted my place. You should remember yours. If Silma learns that you are acting out against her in any way-“

“I have no interest in Silma,” Luna declared. “Tonight my grievance is with you.”

Celestia’s face grew harsh, her impatience clear in the tiny grimace she fought to conceal. “I do not know what this is about, but we are sisters. Let me deliver Cadance, and then we can discuss this properly. Silma should not be kept waiting.”

Luna’s head reared back to allow a haughty, regal expression. “You have already failed your precious Empress.” She gestured with a hoof, and Celestia raised a skeptical eyebrow. But the Sun Princess glanced back anyway… and was stunned to see Cadance’s cage gone, the chain that once held it dangling loosely in the open air.

Celestia sucked in a deep, furious breath, jerking about to glare venom at her sister. Luna only gazed back in judging silence. The former ruler of Equestria gained a vicious sneer, her entire body tensing. At last she let out a shout and ordered, “Find her! Do not let Cadance escape!”

Her guards obediently turned and darted to the land below. Celestia spreads her wings and took off, turning her attention on the carriage drivers. “You too!” They left the sisters alone in the dark sky. She flew up to match her sister’s elevation, eyes burning with anger. “You’ve taken this childish grudge too far, Luna. Silma will never-“

“Stop. Talking. About. Silma!” Luna scowled with an intensity that quieted her elder sibling. “What is happening now, at this very moment, has nothing to do with Silma, so leave her out of it! This is you and me, just the two of us, settling an old debt.”

Celestia stared at her for several seconds, angry eyes thoughtful. At last it was Luna who broke the silence. “Can’t you even say it? A millennia ago you threw me away.”

Celestia’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “That? That’s what this is all about?! I thought we’d gone through all of this four years ago, Luna.”

Now it was Luna’s turn to sneer, eyes flashing yet again. “A typical response from you. You never changed. When a problem arises, ignore it and let it go away on its own. The Elements of Harmony might have cleared my head, but that does not wipe away a thousand-years of injustice!”

“You are risking Silma’s plan, and our status, over this?” Celestia threw up her hooves in frustration. “What is wrong with you?! What do you want me to say? I apologized, I let you be co-ruler again, I-“

“Be silent!” Lightning crackled between them, its flash blinding Celestia for an instant. “Are you truly so naïve? Did you actually believe that you could exile me to a millennia of isolation and loneliness on a false charge and expect me to not be upset?! You even created the legend of Night Mare Moon to demonize me!”

“I did not come up with that,” Celestia declared defensively. “Why would I make up lies about my own sister?”

“But you didn’t try to correct it, did you?” Luna fired back furiously. “You let it grow and fester, until I was hated throughout the entire world. You did not even try to defend me!”

“And you fed it,” Celestia countered. “Did you not take on the name as your own upon your return? Did you not prove your former wickedness by continuing the very activities for which you were exiled?”

Luna calmed, but her fury was boiling within her words. “Perhaps you should try living on the sun for a millennia. Let us see if you are not driven mad by anger and isolation when you have nopony to speak to, and must waste your existence wondering what you did to deserve such a fate!”

“You would threaten me?” Celestia reared back, red eyes flashing dangerously. “After I gave you a chance to redeem yourself?!”

“I did nothing wrong!”

“You were building an army!” Celestia thrust her hooves at her sister as if to strike her. “You were discovred planning a secret coup!”

Luna, still quiet, still simmering, took a moment to take a deep, controlling breath before answering this accusation. “I was planning for the changelings, Celestia. The signs were everywhere. I knew they were coming. And they did come, didn’t they?”

Celestia went silent, her anger fading to solemn attention. She didn’t answer.

“If you had paid attention and listened to your sister, you’d have been ready,” Luna pressed. “I stood by and watched you sipping tea and eating cake, telling everypony who would listen that Equestria was going to be perfectly fine. And I seethed, because everypony loved you, and your word was law. Tell me, dear sister, how many ponies might have been spared in that war if you’d just let the forces I crafted stand and fight at your side, instead of inciting civil strife that split Equestria in two and made it ripe for the picking?”

Celestia’s lips worked for a few seconds, as if she were searching for the proper words. “How do I know the truth, Luna? If that were true, why did you not just tell me, instead of having one of my advisers learn about it and reveal the conspiracy?”

“Because you wouldn’t have responded,” Luna snarled viciously. “For the sake of a brighter image, you would have denied all evidence and ended my projects. The results would have been no different than if I’d done nothing at all. So I kept my silence, and I worked to rescue Equestria from the threats you chose to ignore.”

Once again Celestia’s anger flared. “You have no place to speak to me so! I have ruled Equestria for a millennia without you!”

“And you struggled for three centuries,” Luna shot back. “Wars, civil unrest, crime! It was not until the Archons offered their services that Equestria improved, and the only reason they failed to replace you was because of Mane’s disappearance! Tell the truth, Celestia, had you any idea until recently that he was trying to overthrow you? Even the faintest of suspicions?”

Celestia didn’t answer. She kept her mouth tightly closed, eyes flashing with anger and body heaving.

“I thought not!” Luna cried. “I visited the dreams of ponies every night. I saw the evils lurking in the dark corners of every pony’s mind. While you were in your palace hosting galas and making pretty speeches, I was in the dark corners trying to protect Equestria! There is a whole world of corruption and evil waiting to destroy your perfect little world. Laws and governance isn’t enough, Celestia. I was trying to protect you and your work and you exiled me for it!”

Celestia let out a frustrated shout. “What was I supposed to do?! All the evidence pointed to you staging a coup!”

“I’m your sister.” Luna’s voice was calm and firm. “Did you even consider asking me about it? Did it ever dawn upon you that I might have had a reasonable explanation?”

“You were building an army behind my back!”

“And who informed you of my army? Did they not insist you act immediately? Did they not take over the very soldiers I’d trained, and lead them against you in the resulting civil war? Your own advisers, who you trusted more than your own sister, manipulated you! You cast me out when they were the ones trying to take over Equestria!”

Celestia’s eyes grew sharp, her tone bitter. “Oh yes, Luna, I remember their treachery. And I am sorry I let it happen. Perhaps you are telling the truth, but I’ll never know. What I do know is that I defeated the changeling hordes and the Lunar Republic! I earned the right to rule without you, and if you dare to get in Silma’s way I swear to our dear mother and father that I’ll send you to the moon for another millennia!”

But Luna was undeterred by these threats. She raised her head in a regal, confident pose and gazed upon her sister as if she were beneath attention. “The Elements of Harmony are broken. Silma dealt with them when she enslaved your precious little ponies. But my ponies are alert, ready and aware. I visit them at night, gain their faith by actually helping them overcome their fears and desperation. I don’t ignore them when they need help! I have cared for them, and in return they have given me their loyalty.

“The tides are changing, Celestia. A new Republic is growing from the wastes of your rule. No longer will the problems of society be swept under a rug while you and your government lackeys congratulate yourselves on the pretty world you’ve made. I am going to keep this world safe, and this time you are not going to stop me.”

Celestia seethed in rage at these words, baring her teeth in a sinister snarl. “You would betray me again? Betray Silma again? After we both gave you a chance at redemption?!”

Luna shook her head. “I am not betraying either of you. It is the two of you who have betrayed the ponies you claim to rule!” She lowered herself, leaned forward in an aggressive posture. “I’m not like you, Celestia. I will give you an opportunity to defend yourself.

“And after you fall we shall see if you can accept the same cruel injustice as you imposed upon me!”

Rainbow Dash saw the flashes of light and heard the roar of magic from clear across Canterlot. Concerned, she diverted off of her patrol route and made for the scene, the land below merely a blur. She knew Princess Celestia was on her way back; what if she’d been intercepted? Who would have the nerve to try?

It didn’t matter. Whoever threatened Celestia, Rainbow would come, for her loyalty to the Princess was second only to that of Silma.

She was so focused on her destination that she never saw the streak of lightning coming at her. It zipped across her vision, and something smashed against her shoulder as it passed. Shocked by the sudden hit, she spun, corrected and jerked to an aerial stop. She turned about… and her red eyes grew wide. “Lightning?”

Lightning Dust hovered a dozen feet away, eye simmering with anger. “That’s right, Rainbow: Lightning!”

“What are you doing?” Rainbow demanded angrily. “You’re in the way! I don’t have time to mess with you right now.” She turned away from Lightning, but before she could fly off her old rival had darted through the air and was in her way once more. “What is wrong with you?!”

“Payback,” Lightning snarled, pounding her hooves together in a threatening gesture. “I’ve been looking for a chance to get back at you for what happened at the Academy. It’s time, you backstabbing pile of snot!”

“What? I thought you were over that!” Rainbow threw up her hooves in frustration. “I didn’t backstab you. You were the jerk!”

“If it wasn’t for you I’d be a Wonderbolt right now,” Lightning hissed menacingly. “Since we’re not friends anymore, we might as well be enemies.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Rainbow snapped. She gestured to the flashing lights and crackling noises that were ongoing behind her former lead pony. “Celestia might be in trouble as we speak. That could be her fighting back there!”

“It is,” Lightning declared. “Celestia’s fighting Luna.”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “W-what? You mean Luna’s turned traitor? That can’t be!”

“Oh it can, and it is,” Lightning corrected, locking angry eyes upon her foe. “Luna’s challenging Celestia, and I serve Luna. So if you’re gonna try and help Celestia, it’s my job to stop you!”

“Don’t be an idiot! You-“ Rainbow’s words were cut off as Lightning flashed forward, cracking her hoof against the Element Bearer’s chin as she passed. Rainbow dropped for a few seconds, recovered and began hovering once more. “Lightning, sto-“ Her rival blurred by, moving straight up and landing a powerful uppercut, making Rainbow fall back once more.

“That’s it!”

Rainbow darted for Lightning, who dodged, and for nearly a minute the two ace fliers were flying in close proximity, each trying to hit the other as they formed a compact ball of rainbows and lightning bolts. Neither of them were able to land a hit, and finally they separated to hover and glare at one another.

Rainbow shouted, “This is pointless! You might have been my equal at the Academy, but you’ve got a bum wing now. Ya don’t stand a chance, LD!”

“Then let’s go,” Lightning snapped. “Let’s see just what I can do with this bum wing!” She darted forward, and Rainbow just barely managed to dodge the attack. She let out a furious scream and gave chase, their individual wakes streaking across the night sky.

In the distance, clouds were erupting with magical energy.

Mane Archon stormed through the halls to the great doors that had once lead to Celestia’s chambers, now taken over by Silma. The two griffons at the door stood in his way before he could reach it.

“Get out of my way, peons!”

The guards didn’t flinch at his fury, their red eyes hard and focused upon him. “The Empress is sleeping. No visitors,” one of them declared firmly.

Archon snarled and, his horn glowing, pulled out a strange blade with a curved handle and a strange barrel attached to the bottom. The hovering weapon’s bladed tip pointed just above and between the griffon’s eyes. “Move.”

“Your foreign toys don’t scare me, Archon,” the griffon snapped. “Silma’s orders supersede yours.”

A small handle tightened, and the griffon’s face seemed to literally explode, blood and bone splattering the wall behind him.

The other guard fell against the wall, eyes wide in horror as the weapon was turned on her. “Get out of my sight before I shoot you, too!”

“I… I can’t…” she whispered in terror.

The trigger was pulled, and a hole was blasted into her throat.

Archon replaced the weapon within his coat, ignoring the squirming body on the floor. A few seconds later the door opened, Silma glaring at him with weary eyes and her two stones glowing threateningly on either side of her. “What is the meaning of this, Archon?”

“Your subjects need to learn respect,” he noted angrily.

She glanced at the two griffons, barely acknowledging the pleading eyes of the female who’s movements were gradually slowing. “You do realize they are literally incapable of disobeying my commands? These were pointless deaths, Archon.”

“Not so; I caught your attention,” he pointed out. “Now if you’re done trying to lecture me, you can perhaps come out and stop your idiot pupils!”

“Luna and Celestia?” Silma studied him with renewed interest. “What about them?”

Archon shouted in frustration. “They’re having a grudge match just outside the city! They’re trying to tear one another apart out there!”

Silma considered this for a few seconds, a wicked grin coming to her lips. “How delightful!”

“Delightful?” Archon was both stumped and alarmed. “How is it delightful?! What if one of them has betrayed us? You need to intervene!”

“What nonsense,” Silma snapped, stepping past him and making for the stairs down the hall. “Why would either of them betray me?”

“Why else would they be fighting?” Archon asked in frustration as he followed behind.

But the Empress was unaffected by his suspicions. “You were born after Luna’s exile, so you wouldn’t know of it. The sisters have been fighting all their lives. Little Luna in particular has always been jealous of Celestia. She’s probably trying to prove herself to me in hopes of becoming my new star pupil.”

Archon wasn’t convinced. “To begin with, why would you condone such a thing?”

“Because it’s entertaining,” she replied with a pleasant smile as they began to ascend the stairs. “Besides, a little healthy competition keeps them alert and ready for anything.”

“I don’t think this qualifies as a little competition,” he noted skeptically. “Aren’t you the least bit worried that one of them may have recovered from your magic?”

“Impossible, that would imply there was a cure,” she countered, opening the door at the top of the stairs and stepping out onto the walls of the castle. The guards present stopped watching the magical spectacle in the distance to bow as she passed. “The recipe for the antidote was destroyed centuries ago. I know, for I made sure of it through Tazel. So you see, Archon, it is not possible for either of them to have regained their free will.”

He glared as she settled between the battlements to watch the aerial display. She seemed genuinely undisturbed… even a little excited. “You aren’t taking this seriously at all, are you?”

She sighed and gave him a look of disdain. “Archon, I lost my sense of ‘normal’ humor and entertainment a very long time ago. I must find amusement in other ways. You worry too much.”

He let out a frustrated shout. “No, I worry just the right amount! It is you who aren’t worrying enough!”

She glowered at him for a few seconds before turning her attention back to the battle in the distance. “Do what you want, Archon, and leave me to what few pleasures I have left. I promise, within a few hours you’ll be feeling like a fool for fretting over this.”

He watched her for a few seconds, trying to understand her manner. Was she really that confident? Or perhaps it was conceit.

He noted a tiny flash of color in the corner of his eye. He turned away from the spectacle, looking beyond Canterlot Castle to the south. There he saw the increasingly-familiar sight of a rainbow streaking through the sky… but it was also accompanied by a bolt of lightning.

That blue pegasus, who’s name he couldn’t recall, was chasing – fighting? – another pegasus.

He cast another dark glance at Silma, who seemed completely unaware of his presence, before storming off to the stairs. She could pretend nothing was wrong; he wasn’t going to take any chances.

“How many more o’these do we have ta go through?” Applejack asked as she sorted through another pile of spellbooks.

“I know it’s a lot, AJ,” Twilight told her apologetically as she flipped through the contents of a particular book, “but Silma’s counting on us to go through everything in the library. You just have to be a little patient, that’s all.”

“Patience is one thing,” she countered, eyeing the massive library with an anxious frown, “but this is crazy! It’s not like ah’d recognize a spell that was new or not, anyway; ah don’ know the first thing about magic.”

“I’m sure Silma had good reason to pair you with me on this,” Twilight assured her with a smile. “trust in her judgment, okay?”

“Yeah, ah guess so…”

Seconds ticked by, Twilight scouring every book she could while Applejack tried her best to sort older books based upon type. Neither of them noticed when the air shimmered just behind one of the bookshelves, revealing Fine. His peering eyes darted about the room swiftly, then locked upon the unsuspecting Applejack.

He came forward and pounced, grabbing her up in his hooves.

“Hey! What the-“

Black smoke arose, and they were gone.

“Applejack!” Twilight rushed to the spot where her friend had been, shocked at the sudden disappearance. She closed her eyes and tried to sense the direction in which the teleportation spell had been used, but before she could get a clear image and follow something hot zipped past her face. She jerked back, eyes flashing open, and turned to see a small black spot seared into one of the bookshelves.

She spun about to face her attacker and was momentarily stunned to silence at the sight of Upper Crust, who stood poised and ready just before the library entrance. The double doors slammed shut, leaving the two unicorns alone in the massive room.

Twilight stared at Upper Crust for a couple seconds in mute surprise, but finally managed to blurt out, “What are you doing here?”

“Doing my job,” Upper Crust answered, her voice steady and solid.

“Your job?” Twilight shook her head, clearly confused. “What job?”

A green light shimmered into existence over Upper Crust’s head, swiftly taking on the form of a short axe as Upper Crust gestured to Twilight. “Defeating you, in Luna’s name.”

Twilight blinked, staring at the axe that seemed to be pointing at her. A disbelieving smile came to her lips. “Come on now, Upper Crust. Luna works for Silma, now. I don’t know how you got in here, but you’ve always been reasonable. Let’s just go see Silma and-“

The axe flew through the air, the glowing edge smashing into the table before Twilight and cutting it in two. Scrolls and books flew, but Twilight and Upper Crust never lost eye contact. Twilight’s lips pursed tightly, her eyes going sharp. Upper Crust glared right back, the axe fading away and two new ones appearing on either side of her.

“This is Fine’s doing, isn’t it?” Twilight asked, her voice low.

“Just one part of a bigger picture,” Upper Crust explained cryptically.

Twilight shook her head as her horn began to glow ominously. “I have to say, this has to be one of the worst ideas he’s ever concocted. You, one of the weakest members of your so-called ‘team’, against me, Celestia’s prized pupil? It’ll be a short fight.”

“Maybe not as short as you think,” Upper Crust hissed, clearly offended.

Twilight took on an aggressive pose, a commanding grimace on her face. “I’ll only ask once: what did he do with Applejack?”

Upper Crust let out a small cry, her green axes slamming down onto the tables on either side of her.

“You should be more worried about me!”

Applejack squirmed and tried bucking her captor off; he let go and darted back to safety. She jerked around to face him. “Fine Crime! What in tarnation do ya think yer doin?!”

Fine grinned wickedly, waved, and was gone in a puff of smoke.

“Wait!” She reared back angrily. “Where the hack did ya bring me?”

She let out an angry huff and glanced around. She was in a large room, covered in dust and cobwebs. Was she even in the castle anymore? It appeared to be a wine cellar… except that it hadn’t been used in ages, from the looks of things.

She began to pace the room, moving between the shelves and searching for an exit. She cursed under her breath over and over again; if this was meant to be a prank it wasn’t at all funny. She couldn’t imagine why Fine would abandon her in a musty old place like this!

She turned a corner and had to rear back to keep from walking into another pony.

“Octavia!” she cried in surprise, taking a step back to get out of her friend’s personal space. “Did Fine drag ya down here, too?”

Octavia smiled. “You could say that.”

Her answer was cryptic, at the very least. Applejack tilted her head and raised a questioning eyebrow. “Whaddaya mean?”

Octavia shrugged. “I came here willingly.”

“What?” Applejack looked around at the dark space around them. “Wah would ya wanna come here? Wait…” She gave her a suspecting look. “Does that mean ya knew Fine was gonna bring me here?” Octavia nodded. “Then ya know wah he did?”

Octavia gestured to herself. “I’m supposed to keep you occupied for a while.”

Applejack’s confusion had not been lifted. “Occupied? What fer?”

Octavia raised her head regally. “Luna wants to stop Silma. The battle has begun.”

“What?!” Applejack turned about, eyes scouring frantically for an exit. “Ah gotta get outta here! They need me!” Octavia stood by patiently as Applejack ran around the room, desperately trying to find the way out. She listened to every curse, fretful worry and eager guess.

After several minutes Applejack was sitting in the middle of the room, head bowed as she fretted over her situation. “Ah don’ get it,” she muttered. “There has ta be a way out. There’s gotta be!”

“Just wait,” Octavia suggested. “Win or lose, Fine will let you out eventually.”

Applejack’s head raised slightly, then she turned to face Octavia with a dark glint in her red eyes. “You. Ya know how ta get out, dontcha?”

Octavia smiled. “Maybe.”

Her opponent stood to glare threateningly. She could be rather imposing when she wanted to be. “You listen ta me, sugarcube; let me outta here, or ah’m gonna have ta hurt ya. Ah don’t wanna hurt ya, Octavia; ah still think o’ya as mah friend.”

Octavia’s pleasant appearance finally faded, her lips dropping to a grim frown. “So long as you serve Silma, we are not friends.”

“Octavia-“

“You stand for Celestia, and right now Celestia and Luna are enemies,” she continued ominously. “You might have thrown away your integrity and Equestria with it, but we serve Luna, and only Luna.” Octavia stood to her full height, revealing that she could be plenty intimidating, herself.

“You want me to tell you the way out? Try and force it out of me, if you can.”

The going was slow for the three stallions. They had to move through the castle and try to reach the great tower, but it was a lot farther away than original intended. If it had just been Jimmy, it might have been easy; he was expected to be seen around the castle anyway. Nye was supposed to be on the moon, but explaining away his presence was easy.

Jet Set, on the other hand, was outright not supposed to be there. As a result, the entire trip was delayed significantly just because of the need to keep him hidden whenever another pony appeared in the halls. On at least two occasions Jimmy had been forced to knock a guard out to keep Jet from being discovered, and disposing of the ponies so their sleeping forms wouldn’t be found had wasted even more time. It was frustrating at least and fear-inducing at worst; who knew how long they had before the signal was sent and the others were engaged in all-out combat?

But at last they were approaching the tower. They only had so much farther to go before-

“Stone!”

At the familiar voice Jimmy came to a sliding stop, turning in the hallway to see Mane Archon approaching. He was flanked by Fluttershy and Rarity. For just a moment panic filled Jimmy's mind, but he glanced aside and was relieved to see that Nye had managed to snatch Jet and hide him in an open doorway before they’d been spotted.

“What can I do for you, my Lord?” Jimmy asked, hoping his voice was calmer than he felt.

Archon stormed past him, eyes set on his goal, whatever that was. “Walk with us.”

He did as he was told, not certain about what was going on. “Is something wrong, my Lord?”

“I don’t know yet,” Archon admitted, his voice firm, “but I have a hunch. I’m going to rush the cannon; I believe I can have it activated within a short time.”

That made Jimmy nervous. “Very well, I’ll go with you and-”

“No.” Archon shook his head as they exited the castle and approached the tall tower. “I know the technology far better than you do; you’ll only be in the way. I will finish it on my own.”

Jimmy blinked, caught entirely off guard by this statement. “You mean you could have finished it in short order? So why even have me make it?”

“I have to teach somepony else how to make them,” Archon snapped as if the answer was obvious. “Otherwise who would oversee defenses in future locations while I’m trying to rule? And besides,” he added seriously, “what’s the point of leading if you can’t command others to do the dirty work?”

Even though the villain was Jimmy’s enemy, he had to admit he could appreciate both answers.

Mane Archon paused at the entrance to the tower, turning to face the three ponies who were following. “Fluttershy will join me and use the cannon once it is finished. Rarity, Stone, you stay here. Nopony enters this tower without my permission, is that understood?”

Jimmy wanted to object, but he knew better than to try; he bowed his head with an obedient “As you wish.”

“I understand,” Rarity agreed with a slightly smaller bow.

Jimmy watched Archon and Fluttershy ascend the circular stairwell, chewing his lip anxiously. This was not good! He, Nye and Jet were supposed to be going up there now to sabotage the weapon! How could he do that with Archon up there? They couldn’t face him, he’d tear them to pieces!

Now what were they supposed to do?

Rarity sighed. “That stallion is so paranoid,” she declared in her self-assured tone. “If there were a threat to the castle, would not Silma be the one passing out orders?”

He gave her a curious look, not sure how to answer that. “Umm… I suppose?”

“Well I’m not too worried,” she told him with a smile. The sight of those red eyes sent a shiver down his spine. “He just had all available ponies run to the wall to watch for potential attacks, so nopony’s going to come here anyway.”

That was good news, actually; it greatly reduced the risks of this little operation. Had Fine anticipated that? Had he anticipated this, too? Jimmy glanced back towards the door to the castle, suspecting that Nye and Jet would be just hidden inside. “Guess we’ve got an easy job, then.”

“Not just that,” Rarity said, giving him a wry look. “It’s an opportunity, too.”

He was so focused on trying to think of what to do next that he completely missed the change in her tone. “An opportunity for what?” he asked distractedly.

She took a couple steps, and suddenly he realized she was very close. Uncomfortably so. “For you and I to have a little talk… on our own. I’ve been looking for a chance to speak with you, Jim.”

Her closeness made him nervous, and he took a tiny step back as he noted her playful smile. “Umm… okay… about what, exactly?”

She raised her head a little, a hurt expression on her face. “You mean you didn’t notice?” He stared at her blankly, and she sighed with a pout. “You disappoint me, Jimmy. After I dropped so many hints…”

His confusion was so complete he almost forgot why he was here. “H-hints?”

She slipped a little closer, a hoof coming up to tenderly rub a small circle against his chest. “Yes, Darling, hints," she cooed. "Like this one.”

Understanding hit him like a jolt of electricity, and he raised his hooves in a denying gesture. “N-now wait just a minute, Rarity! I-I don’t know if now’s…”

“Oh don’t play coy, Darling,” she whispered, leaning close with a hungry look in her eyes. “Now that Octavia’s out of the picture I get to claim you without fear of appearing… possessive. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this chance, Jimmy Stone?”

He blinked. His mind, unaccustomed to processing such information as what she as giving, slowly churned through the situation. The touch of her hoof against his chest was really distracting! “W-wait… you thought I was with Octavia?”

She gave him a surprised look. “Weren’t you?”

“No!” He shook his head violently. “I never saw her as anything more than a friend! Just like-”

A hoof touched his lips, and her eyes were shining. “I could have claimed you earlier? How foolish of me! No matter,” she added with a grin, her legs beginning to wrap about his shoulders, “I’ll make up for the lost time.”

“Whoa!” He pulled back, escaping her attempt at a hug with big, terrified eyes. “I-I thought you w-wanted a Canterlot stallion! Y-you don’t want me, really!” Was this a side-effect of Silma, or was that really Rarity speaking to him right now? Either way he had no idea how to handle this situation. “Y-you want a stallion who’s… w-who’s…”

“Come now, Jimmy, that’s no way to treat a Lady,” she told him in a manner of mock lecturing. “Besides, who needs a Centerlot stallion? Now that you work for Silma, you’re better than a Canterlot stallion! You already had everything I wanted,” she concluded, taking another daring step forward. “I only held back because I thought you were a taken stallion. And now?” She grinned wickedly and licked her lips. “You’re mine.”

He raised his hooves to stop her from coming any closer, panic welling within him. She pressed against his hooves, clearly not intending to take ‘no’ for an answer. “Umm… a little help, please?!”

And then, abruptly, Nye was there, wrapping a leg around Jimmy’s shoulder in a leisurely fashion. At his sudden arrival Rarity let out a terrified squeak and practically leapt backwards, blushing wildly. “Nye! Y-you’re supposed to be on the moon! Oh dear, I c-can’t believe I let somepony see me behave in such a manner!" She clapped her hooves together in a beseeching gesture. "You won’t tell anypony about this, will you Nye? Oh please oh please oh please!”

Nye grinned. “Relax, Rarity!” He gave his brother a grin. “Jim, I just want to say that you-“ He poked Jimmy in the chest. “-are an idiot. To think, ponies say I’m the dim one!”

Jimmy, still too flustered by Rarity’s sudden confession to think properly, asked, “W-what are you talking about?”

Nye rolled his eyes and winked at Rarity, who was still blushing wildly. “You’ve got a super hot mare all over you and all you can do is stutter and call for help? What in Luna’s name is wrong with you? Let me tell you what you’re supposed to do in this situation: woo her!”

“What?!”

“Well,” Rarity said with a nervous laugh, brushing her mane from her face and eyeing something far to her left, “under the circumstances, I can’t argue with his logic.”

“You see?” Nye said with a grin. “You could have made this easier on everypony present if you’d just puckered up, gave her a smooch, and brought her to a nice shadowy corner for some alone time.”

“You’re joking,” Jimmy countered in a dull manner.

“I think I like his idea,” Rarity offered with a wry grin, though she still couldn’t look either of the twins in the eye, and her face had grown even more red at Nye’s suggestion.

“Look, you try this again,” Nye suggested, pushing Jimmy towards Rarity. The elder Stone planted his hooves firmly onto the stone ground and jerked to a stop, heart leaping into his throat as he came closer to the mare. “Meanwhile,” Nye went on, waving towards the castle, “me and Jet will go take care of things. I mean it’s a ton of fun seeing you look like a moron, but we sorta have business to attend to.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide, and her blush disappeared in an instant. “Wait, Jet? What are you-” She gasped when Jet Set walked quickly between the brothers and entered the tower, giving her a worried, apologetic look as he did. “Wait, you can’t go in there!”

“Have fun you two,” Nye suggested with a playful grin and a wave before disappearing into the tower as well.

“H-hold on, Archon said-“ She took a step forward to stop the two trespassers, but Jimmy sidestepped into her path. He was still anxious, but he also had come to realize what he had to do. Rarity gave him a fearful look, eyes darting to the tower entrance over his shoulder. “Jimmy, I know I was… well… you know… but Archon said nopony was allowed in! Duty first and all that.”

She tried to go around again, and he once more stood in her way. She gazed up at him, eyes wide and lip trembling. “J-Jimmy? What are you doing?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat, ready for the disaster to begin. “We have to stop them, Rarity.”

She stared at him for several seconds, clearly trying to make sense of his words. She looked up at the tower, then turned her head to gaze north, where the lights of battle continued to flash in the distance. When she faced him once more, her red eyes shined with horrified comprehension. “You were never on Silma’s side,” she whispered. “Archon was right; Luna’s attempting a coup.”

He didn’t answer, but he took a cautious step back.

Her expression slowly changed, her lips curling into a deep, tight-lipped frown and her brow furrowing. It was the most sinister, livid expression he’d ever seen on a pony in his entire life. “Jimmy… you betrayed me.”

Heart pounding, knowing he was in a lot of trouble, he tried to answer as calmly as he could. “I’d explain it to you, but you wouldn’t understand. I had to, Rarity.”

Her breathing grew shallow, her lips pulling back in a vicious sneer. Her horn began to glow and she visibly shook with rage! At last she let out a scream and reared back. “Get out of my way!”

He leapt into the tower entrance, just barely avoiding a gem-shaped magic projectile that erupted in a shower of violent sparks against the floor.

In the crystal caverns beneath Canterlot, cages were set all about the walls, ready to receive prisoners. For now they were empty, their rusted black bars reflected in the smooth surfaces that surrounded them.

But that did not mean there were no prisoners.

Over a great gorge, one mare was hanging upside down from a rope, her front legs tied behind her back as she gazed with teary eyes at the black depths below. On a ledge nearby was a guillotine, in which was tied a stallion, sweat dripping down the side of his head as he stared up at the sharp blade. On a higher ledge was a colt, a shackle about his throat. His legs were tightly tied to a heavy-looking ball and chain, which itself was precariously situated on a wooden platform that hung over the edge.

In the center of the them all, standing amongst a small collection of torture devices, stood Pinkamina. She observed each of her prisoners, smiling happily at their pleading eyes and the muffled cries. Their struggles gave her plenty of amusement. Every now and again he would torment one of them; go to the rope holding the mare and cut a strand, perhaps, or maybe jostle the guillotine’s trigger handle a bit.

But for all the amusement the possibilities gave her, she would not kill these ponies.

Yet.

She raised her head as she noticed the presence. Brushing her long, straight mane from her face with a grin, she turned about to face the stranger. “I was wondering when you’d...”

Her words died on her lips; the stallion standing just at the edge of the cavern was Fine Crime. “You?”

He glanced around at the setup of the room, his face solemn and businesslike. “Nice arrangement,” he remarked. “A bit of training and you could work at Cloptrotamo as an interrogator.”

She scrutinized him for a few seconds, ignoring the praise. “I was expecting Nye or Upper Crust, thought you’d go to rescue Fluttershy.”

He approached her, eyes roaming to examine the cages. “That would be a bit like sending a regiment to kill a canary.” He touched one of the bars, rust peeling off as he pulled his hoof back. “I see you prefer the rotting environment. Don’t blame you, it adds a certain medieval terror to the experience. Doesn’t go too well with the crystals, though.”

Pinkamina sniffed at him in a derogatory fashion, eye hardening. “Did you come here to insult me or fight me?”

He paused about a dozen feet away and gave her a dull, judging look, as if to lecture her on her tone. His gaze went to the three prisoners, who’s eyes were locked onto his imploringly. “Let me guess; you want to make me choose who to save, and while I’m struggling to save everypony you do me in. Am I right?”

She sighed, head drooping and mane covering part of her face. “It would have worked against one of the others.”

“Don’t feel bad,” he offered, his tone suddenly becoming kind. “It’s a good plan, especially against somepony like Nye. Upper Crust, too. You never know, maybe it will work against me.”

“No,” she grumbled, “I’m pretty sure it won’t. If I had known you were coming I’d have tried something else.”

He raised an eyebrow with a patient but expectant expression. “But you’re still going to do it, right?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

For a long time they gazed at once another, each gauging the situation. Fine was trying to size up Pinkamina’s choices; which would she go for first? The guillotine? The foal? The pit? How would he respond to ea-

“No time to think!” Pinkamina shouted, abruptly darting for the guillotine.

Fine sneered; she was trying to outpace his analysis! But she’d made the wrong choice, and he immediately went for the foal. He kept Pinkamina in the corner of his eye, waiting for the right moment as he magically pulled the knife from around his neck. Just as she grabbed the lever he threw the knife, which embedded itself in the slit that guided the guillotine blade, forcing it to a stop.

Pinkamina let out a curse and turned for the foal, grimacing when she realized Fine was already there and using a cutting spell to slice the rope on the child’s legs. He turned and lifted the massive iron ball in a red glow, tossing it so that it smashed through the blade of the guillotine, rendering the device useless.

At this point Pinkamina was already at the rope that held the mare over the gorge. She didn’t bother to see if Fine was coming; she pulled a knife seemingly from nowhere and sliced the rope, face grim with determination.

Fine leapt from the higher ledge and charged. He flew past Pinkamina and threw himself over the edge of the cliff, smacking against the mare, who’s scream was clear even through her gag. His horn flashed, and smoke engulfed them.

A second later and they reappeared in the air on the opposite side of the gorge. They hit the ground, hard, but Fine didn’t bother to check on the mare. He jumped to his hooves and spun about, surprised to find Pinkamina already in his face. How has she crossed the pit so quickly?! He reared back and brought his hooves together, just catching the knife-bearing leg that was coming for his face.

He pushed her leg aside, making them both turn sideways, and shoved his shoulder against hers. She fell back a few steps, anger and frustration in her eyes. She looked as though she were about to come at him once more, so he quickly summoned up a long crimson sword to defend himself. At the sight of it Pinkamina paused, considered the situation, and retreated.

“What’s the matter, Pinkie?” he snapped, taking a threatening step forward. “Don’t you wanna play?”

She attained a wicked smile. “My dungeon, my rules. Twitchy tail!”

He looked up – it was almost instinctual – and was surprised to find a trio of pony-sized crystal boulders falling towards him. He cursed and jumped backwards, just barely avoiding being crushed. When the dust settled Pinkamina was gone, her laughter echoing through the crystal cavern.

“Come back here!” he shouted, climbing over the rocks and pausing next to the mare, who was still tied up. He cast his gaze around for a few seconds before spotting the tunnel to this left.

“Find me, find me,” Pinkamina's voice sang from within, “In the dark the Fine must find me!”

Oh, so she wanted to play hide and seek, did she? Did she have no idea who she was dealing with?

It might be her dungeon, but this was his game.

Author's Note

At last! I thought we'd never get to this point! I debated with whether of not I would do the fights one at a time or all at once. In the end I chose to do them at the same time, because they all occur at once chronologically and writing each fight in its entirety before moving on to another might have been confusing. At least this way it's easier to understand that it's all going on concurrently.

And yes, Mane Archon used a gunblade.

So let me address these duels individually, hmm?

Luna vs. Celestia
Was there ever any doubt that this was going to happen? I mean come on, seriously.

But how much of what Luna says is true? How much of her anger is legitimate, and how much of it is her simply trying to get Celestia into a fight? This is the first time we hit upon my own theories about Luna's exile, and I fully intend to write a story someday to reveal the truth behind the matter. For now? You'll just have to think on it.

But seriously, you've been exiled to the moon for 1,000 years and you're expected to just come back without complaint, to be happy?

Lightning Dust vs. Rainbow Dash
Another obvious match-up. Let's face it, Lightning's the only one on Luna's side that can match Rainbow. But Rainbow is correct; Lightning's wound from Book 2 is a serious problem. Does she even stand a chance? Only if she uses her wits... which Rainbow is now lacking thanks to Silma's mind-control.

I never really addressed the rivalry between Lightning and Rainbow in this story, even though it surely had to have come up between them at some point. Contrary to what I'm betting is popular belief, I did not forget about this topic. I intentionally ignored it because 1) I intend to address it later in a side story and 2) it never really became important for this story until now. So the question here is pretty much the same one for Luna; how much of that anger is real and how much of it is her just trying to goad Rainbow on?

Upper Crust vs. Twilight Sparkle
First thought: what a mismatch! Upper Crust, by her own admittance, has never been a strong mage, so having her go up against Twilight seems about as dumb as Twilight thinks it is.

But this might not be as mismatched as it looks. Upper Crust has grown significantly, and is nothing like the uncertain, confidence-lacking unicorn she was in Book 1. Besides that, Twilight's not what she once was, thanks in large part to Silma's enslaving magic. With her new confidence, determination and surprising capabilities, Upper Crust might not be such a pushover after all.

Octavia vs. Applejack
I was hard-pressed to determine who Octavia would fight, and in the end I have to admit that it came down to who was left. That said, this pairing makes for an interesting duel. For one, we've got the class battle; an uncouth farmer against a sophisticated musician. It sounds like a mismatch at first, but is it?

Applejack is established as the strongest of the Mane 6. In comparison, Octavia fought alongside Jimmy in Book 1 to take down at least four waves of enemies (that we know of), marking her as a very capable fighter. So this might not be such a crazy match-up. My only regret is that Octavia and Applejack haven't had a lot of interaction throughout this story, so in terms of personal vendettas and whatnot these two might not provide much drama.

Jimmy Stone vs. Rarity
I pondered for some time whether Jimmy or Nye would face Rarity. In the end this struck me as the best pairing, if only because Rarity's been hinting her interest in him since Book 2. Her coming on to him here isn't that sudden once you realize she's been crushing on him for so long. Having her recognize the betrayal felt like the perfect way to mix up the purposes of all the fights a little, so that at least one of them isn't about a rivalry or old grudge.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Nye Stone vs. Fluttershy
Okay, so this hasn't actually happened in this chapter, but given the circumstances it should be pretty obvious that it's going to. I knew whichever twin didn't face Rarity would be going up against Fluttershy by default. I much prefer this pairing, too, because let's face it; neither of them are exactly combat material. In a big way, the weakest pony of each team is in this duel. Does that mean there won't actually be a fight?

Maybe, maybe not.

Fine Crime vs. Pinkamina
This is another fight I couldn't resist. In many ways these two are perfect opponents. Both were once Bloodmanes, both have their dark sides, both are experienced killers. Pinkamina's capacity for defying the laws of reality seem to give her an edge, but how would she fare against a stallion who can hide in plain sight? He can analyze her behavior and actions to predict what she's going to do next; she can break the forth wall and thereby predict events before they occur. Neither are afraid to bloody their hooves, either. All in all? This looks to be an interesting duel. I just hope I can do it justice.

Why would Fine choose to go after Pinkamina instead of, say, Fluttershy? Well for one, any pony who fights Pinkamina would have to discover the darker side of her personality; since he already knows about it, he's sparing her the trouble of revealing the secret, even if she won't appreciate it until she's cured. Next, like most ponies, he knows about her weird abilities. Unlike most ponies, he realizes how Pinkamina could utilize those abilities in a fight. Better he go, prepared and alert, than somepony else who would get surprised and may lose before the fight even starts. Last, but certainly not least, Pinkamina will be out for blood, but none of the other ponies in the team would know it and would thus be entirely unprepared for her lethal action. Fine knows, so he can prepare.

So, as you can see, pitting these two together makes perfect sense.

What's that? I forgot Riptide?

No, no I didn't.

The Duels Part II

Fine didn’t run. He didn’t speak. He walked, keeping to the shadows and listening intently. The crystal walls shimmered in the darkness, and he could hear his quarry’s swift hoofsteps somewhere ahead. There were no torches. No lights at all, save for the occasional glowing crystal half-buried among its less-magical cousins.

The darkness kept the place in an eerie atmosphere, punctuated by the occasional giggle of Pinkamina. But Fine was cautious.

Fine was always cautious.

The path split in two directions before him. He eyed his left, then his right. Playful laughter echoed through the dark, and Pinkamina’s voice taunted him. “Which way? Which way?”

He glanced up, barely spotting a flash of pink in the reflection of the ceiling. It suggested he should go left, but his instincts said to go right, so that’s what he did.

“Aww, you’re no fun,” Pinkamina’s ghostly voice declared in mock distress.

He went on for a ways, paying very close attention to every minute detail. The hoofsteps, his own and hers; the irregular flash of pink in a reflection; his own cool, focused face peering back at him. He paused, noticing how she’d gone silent, and examined his surroundings. He spotted the tiniest of cracks in the wall on his left and, taking a deliberate step back, banged the side of his hoof against it.

The thin wall shattered like glass, revealing a startled Pinkamina on the other side. Her surprise swiftly changed to frustration as she swung the axe she was holding at him, but he ducked and her aim went high. The blade clanged against the crystal wall with a spark. He lunged, but Pinkamina released the axe and fled down the hidden passage with a frustrated snarl.

He gave chase, summoning up a collection of glowing red knives as he did. The blades flew through the air after her, but she dodged and managed to turn a corner unharmed, the weapons sticking into the crystal walls with a series of audible cracks before popping out of existence. Fine saw her blurry reflection and slid to a stop just as a crossbow bolt flashed by the corner.

The pink image disappeared, and he turned the corner to find her fleeing into a large cavern. He followed, noting how she came to an abrupt stop when she reached a deep ledge. For just a moment he thought he had her… then he felt something tiny snap against his legs and, letting out a curse, scrambled to stop. He pulled it off just before the end of the tunnel, where a massive spiked gate swung down to smash against the opening. He sucked in a relieved breath, staring at the tipped point less than an inch from his muzzle.

Pinkie glared at him through the bars from her spot near the ledge. “Holy Horseshoes, why won’t you die?!” she shouted before dropping over the edge.

Fine grimaced and focused his magic, black clouds covering him. He teleported beyond the bars and into the cavern, making his way to the ledge cautiously. What was she-

“Hah!” He jerked around, startled to find Pinkie dropping down on him from above. She slammed into him, knocking him onto his side, then reared back to pull a sledgehammer seemingly from nowhere! He rolled, just barely escaping having his head crushed like a melon, and jerked to his hooves. As he turned to face her he was alarmed to see she was already swinging the weapon in a wide, spinning arc, and jumped back to avoid a hit. His back hoof slipped; he was at the ledge.

The swing unbalanced her, and her recovery gave him enough time to respond; when she swung again he caught the hammer with his magic. She snarled and fought to free the weapon from his magical grip, during which time he lowered his head and fired a single, thick beam of energy. It hit her in the chest, hard, and sent her sprawling.

He came after her, sledgehammer held aloft and focusing on her legs. The weapon smashed down, but she dodged and got up at the same time. He swung again, and again, and some more, always aiming for the legs. She danced about, gritting her teeth and struggling to keep up with the attacks. He noticed her drop something; it was a cupcake.

He released the hammer and leapt away just in time to avoid an explosion. He landed on his belly, but was up quickly and facing her again. He let out a shout and dropped once more, though, when she threw a half-dozen kitchen knives at him in a single toss! The blades flew over his head harmlessly, but when he looked up again he was startled to see her aiming a cannon his way!

“Party cannon!” she cried with a wicked grin, pulling the firing cord. He focused and was covered in black clouds just as a mass of something green and sizzling reached him.

He teleported to a spot in the air above her, but as he came down to hit her he was shocked to see her jump backwards and actually go into the reflective wall of the cavern!

He landed and stared. What the…?

She grinned from beyond the wall, waved, the leapt straight up.

“Hi!” He looked back with wide eyes as she suddenly appeared behind him with a knife in each hoof, as if she’d just bounced up from under the floor. The blades came down, but his instincts kicked in and he bucked, sending her sprawling before they could do more than scratch his flanks.

He turned to face her, taking a moment to catch his breath. She was good!

Pinkamina slowly climbed to her hooves with a groan. For a moment they glared at one another, neither willing to attack just yet. She reared back a little and pulled yet another pair of knives out of nowhere; he responded by summoning up his red sword from before. Save for their heavy breathing, the world was encased in silence.

Then she let out a demented giggle, eyes wicked and eager from under her long mane. “You’re a lot more fun than I thought,” she confessed. “I’ll be very sad when this is over.”

He sucked in a deep breath to get his breathing under control before answering. “I know you will, because I know you don’t want to kill me.”

“Of course I do,” she whispered, waving her weapons playfully. “And you want to kill me. We’re Bloodmanes, after all.”

“We were Bloodmanes,” he corrected knowingly, “and I don’t think you’re so eager to go back to being one.”

“I do what Silma says,” Pinkamina countered, anger in her voice. Her eyes lost their eagerness in favor of menace and hate. “If she says to kill, then I kill.”

He tilted his head away from her with a bored expression. “Well, you’ll try.” He punctuated the sentence with a sudden attack, firing a small beam from his horn even as he charged.

Pinkamina dodged the beam, but just barely, and raised her knives to block his sword. For several seconds the two exchanged attacks, but neither could break through to land a blow. They twisted and turned in the shadows, blades dancing wildly as they struggled. Pinkamina seemed to be out of special tricks, for she kept with her knives and didn’t try any of the weird methods she’d been using.

Or so he thought. Their battle brought them to the edge of the cliff, and just when he managed to knock her blades away with a powerful swing she jumped backwards, falling over the ledge. He stepped to the edge in alarm, and saw that they were above the original prison. Pinkie twisted, turning to face the floor below… and sailed right through it with a scream.

Suddenly that scream was coming from overhead. Fine jerked about just in time to see her falling on top of him, and had no time to prepare; when she hit they both went sailing over the side. A fall like that wouldn’t kill, but he knew what it could do. Thinking frantically, he grabbed her just as she tried to kick off of him and tugged her into a hug.

“Hey!” She struggled, front legs locked under his. “What are you doing?! Let me go!” He ignored her protests and twisted in midair, holding on tight.

They hit the solid crystal floor with a loud whack. There was also a loud snapping sound, and Pinkamina let out a scream of agony that drowned out Fine’s mere grunt. The air had been knocked from his lungs, and all he could do was lay on top of her. Pinkamina let out a pained wail before shoving him off; he rolled onto his back and fought to regain his breath.

She sat up, clutching one of her lower legs with tears in her eyes. She didn’t linger on the broken bone, though, instead crawling on top of him and pulling out another knife. “For Silma…” she whispered through gritted teeth, raising the blade high over him.

He was out of breath, but he wasn’t beaten. His horn glowed, and suddenly his unicorn knife, lost amongst the debris of the abandoned guillotine, came flying through the air to sink into her back between the shoulder blades.

She gasped, eyes going wide with pain. Before she could respond he snatched the knife from her hooves using his magic and stabbed into her front-left foreleg, eliciting another pained shout from her lips. Not willing to take any chances, he conjured up his smoke and disappeared, reappearing above and behind her. Before he even started to fall he summoned up a weapon: a long, red spear.

Pinkamina turned, red eyes wide with fear as she desperately tried to dodge the weapon, but his aim went true; the spear stabbed through her hip and into the crystal below, pinning her. She let out a wail of agony, tears spilling down her cheeks as she clutched at the shaft and feebly attempted to pull it away.

Fine landed on four hooves, breathing heavily as he watched her squirm. She tried to use both front legs to tug on the spear, but flinched away at the pain. She fell onto her back and, biting her lip so hard it bled, jerked the knife from her foreleg. It clattered to the floor beyond her reach as she lay there, sobbing and bleeding all over the crystal floor.

He glanced about, expression brooding. The three prisoners had escaped during the fight, so they were alone. Good, that’s how he preferred it.

“Go ahead,” Pinkamina called, raising her head from the floor just a little. “Kill me! That’s what you came here to do, isn’t it?”

He walked past her to one of the tables, where there sat the vial of potion he’d quietly placed down before the fight. “I told you, we’re not Bloodmanes anymore.”

“I don’t care!” She tried to sit up, but couldn’t conjure up the strength and fell back again. “She wants me to interrogate, to kill. I don’t want to kill!”

“You won’t have to,” he claimed, approaching her with the potion hovering before him. “We’re fixing things, Pinkamina.”

“You’re trying,” she whispered, holding her injured leg tenderly and not looking up at him when he stood over her. “You want to cure me with that. You want to save Equestria. You can’t guarantee the plan will work, Fine.”

He knelt so just above her head, looking down at her solemnly. “It’ll work.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

He caught her face in his hooves and forced her to look him in the eye. “It’ll work, Pinkamina.”

For a long time she stared up at him, eyes moist and lip quivering. “Maybe,” she admitted at last, but she didn’t sound at all comforted. “Even if it does… look at what I’ve done. What if I’m a Bloodmane again? The potion won’t fix that. I’d rather die than go through the horror a second time.”

Fine sighed and carefully set the vial down beside her head. “Pinkie, no good would come of you dying.”

“Mm-hmm,” she whispered. “I’ll finally see my mom and dad again, and my sisters. That’s good, isn’t it?”

He gave her a serious, gloomy look. “I don’t think they’d want to see you like this.” He took her hoof in his and carefully placed the vial in it. “You’ve got a chance to go back to spreading joy and happiness across Equestria. And believe me, Pinkie, after tonight the ponies are going to need it. Now I don’t have time to stand here and debate with you on the merits of living over dying, but I will take the time to say this: anything that you go through, I will help. Your life is worth far more than you know, no matter what you might have done in the past, and besides that we need you, Pinkie Pie.

“If you’re going to die,” he concluded as he stood, “do it in a way that would make your family proud. This isn’t it.”

The spear faded and disappeared, freeing her at last. She stared up at him, doubt and grief and worry mixed all over her features. “Fine… can you promise me everything will be alright?”

He shook his head. “No, Pinkie. Not without you.”

She looked down at the vial in her hoof, considering his answer long and hard. At last, with a despondent sigh, she uncorked it and drank.

Fine was already gone by the time she finished it.

Octavia met Applejack’s fierce gaze, standing firm before her opponent. Applejack lowered her head to offer a threatening glare. “Yer insultin mah integrity? Yer walkin a fine line, little miss big shot.”

“Am I?” Octavia tossed her mane back in a proud gesture. “You abandoned Equestria and your friends.”

“Mah friends are here, fightin fer Silma an' Celestia,” Applejack countered viciously, taking up an aggressive stance.

Octavia wasn’t intimidated. She stared down at Applejack with a withering gaze. “And what about your family? Do you really think Granny Smith, Bic Mac or Apple Bloom would understand? Do you think they would approve?”

At those words Applejack hesitated. “Maybe not… not yet. But in time they’ll understand!”

Octavia glowered, but she had the answer she’d been seeking; Applejack wasn’t going to budge without a fight. She removed the small bag tied around her neck and set it on a nearby shelf, keeping her steady gaze upon her opponent the entire time. “So be it,” she declared regally. “If you won’t see reason, I’ll have to force you.”

Applejack flashed a confident grin and regained her combat-ready stance. “You, force me? Ah think ya’ve forgotten who yer dealin with.”

“As have you,” she countered quietly. “Or did Silma mix your head up so much that you can’t remember the Crystal Empire?”

Applejack let out a vicious snarl. “Ah am not Silma’s slave!” She charged, but Octavia was ready; she dodged sideways and delivered a hit to Applejack’s jaw just as she passed. Applejack recovered very quickly, though, and made to buck Octavia.

Octavia knew one thing; avoid getting bucked! She dodged to the center of the room just in time, Applejack’s legs smashing the shelf behind her to splinters. Dust flew up, briefly covering the Element Bearer, and Octavia took the opportunity to rush in and deliver a rising head-butt against her chin. Applejack reeled back from the blow, and Octavia caught her and used a tripping maneuver to send her sprawling back to the center of the room.

Applejack picked herself up, rubbing blood from her lip as she did. “Alrigh, maybe yer not the pushover ah thought ya’d be,” she confessed with a sneer. “But there’s no way some two-timin, high-brow musician’s gonna beat this country pony!” She came forward again, this time rearing back once she was close enough to strike with her front hooves. Octavia did the same, and for several seconds they exchanged attacks.

They both got some hits in as they circled around the room, kicking, biting and bucking for dominance. Dust flew, shelves shattered, curses were flung. Octavia was holding her own, but she could tell that Applejack was far more powerful than she was. She would need to use her special tactic, but there was no chance to do so while she was frantically trying to keep up with her more experienced opponent.

At last it was Octavia who made the mistake, attempting a buck at the wrong moment as Applejack dodged and came forward. She bit down on Octavia’s mane from behind and, in a shocking showing of strength, literally tossed her across the room! Octavia smashed painfully into an old wine rack that shattered on impact, and for a second she could only lay on her belly in the debris, dazed.

A second was all Applejack needed; she came forward and stood firmly and painfully atop Octavia’s front legs and back, effectively pinning her. “There,” she declared in a smug tone despite how she was huffing from exertion, “that autta settle things.”

Octavia coughed from the dust and squirmed, but it was no use; Applejack had her. “This isn’t over,” she breathed.

“Ah can’t believe ya actually thought ya could win this!” her opponent declared. “But tha’s jus like you ponies under Luna; ya keep tryin ta be heroes. If ya’d learn ta actually fight like a team ya might have amounted ta somethin.”

“We never wanted to be heroes,” Octavia corrected angrily, turning her head to glare. “We just wanted to help!”

“Help?” Applejack looked as if she’d just heard a bad joke. “How's fightin us supposed ta help? That makes no sense.”

“About as much sense as you serving Silma,” Octavia countered.

“Stop tryin ta get me ta betray Silma! It’s not gonna happen.” Applejack leaned down so she was just over Octavia’s head. “Now yer gonna tell me how ta get outta here so ah can help mah real friends! Ya better pray Silma decides not ta-”

By leaning forward, Applejack had set most of her weight on her front hooves. It meant Octavia’s legs hurt more… but it also meant she could breath properly. She sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let out a long, musical tone, her soprano voice filling the dank air.

Applejack reared back with a cry, clutching at her ears in pain. Octavia shifted, and her opponent fell off of her. She jumped to her hooves and turned to see Applejack shaking her head and rubbing her ears.

Applejack looked up at her with an alarmed expression. “What the hay was that?!”

“A little something Luna gave me to help,” she declared. She sucked in another deep breath before belting out a series of notes that made Applejack squirm on the floor in agony.

“Stop!” Applejack clutched at her head, fighting to drown out the singing. “For the love o'Celestia, stop!”

Octavia came forward and stood over the trembling mare, only pausing in her singing when she was certain Applejack couldn’t move. Applejack reeled in the silence, eyes closed and breath coming in short, hard gasps. “This…. this isn’… over…” she whispered.

“Funny,” Octavia noted calmly, “I said the same thing a few seconds ago.”

“Somepony… will hear ya,” Applejack noted ominously. “They’ll… They’ll come an'… stop ya…”

Octavia smiled. “There’s a reason Fine put us down here in the abandoned basement of the castle; nopony ever comes down here. So I can sing to my heart’s desire.” She sucked in another breath.

Applejack’s eyes went wide. “No, don-!”

The pitch was much higher this time, Octavia exercising the phenomenal range granted by her little-known special talent. Applejack covered her ears and gritted her teeth, eyes rolling back into her head as she arched her back at the pain. “P-please! Oct-t-ta… vi…”

Octavia went silent, observing her captive as tears ran down Applejack’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Applejack, but unless you give up…”

“N… N-no…” Applejack shook her head slowly, still clutching at her ears. “Ah won’t… Ah won’t be-betray…”

Octavia sighed and left the defeated pony were she lay, approaching one of the very few shelves that hadn’t been destroyed in their fight. “You were wrong about us; we have learned how to be a team. Every pony on Luna’s team is here, supporting her.” She found the bag and pulled out the potion from within. She turned back to find that Applejack hadn’t moved; the enchanted song had stunned her.

“My keeping you busy is just one small part of a bigger plan,” she explained as she went back to Applejack. “I’ll admit, when things started off I was skeptical, but now I believe in them, every single one. We’re going to beat Silma Ril, Applejack.”

Applejack saw the potion and tried to crawl away, eyes widening with fear. “No… N-no, ya can’t make me!” She slipped and fell on her back once more, still suffering from the paralyzing effects of the spell. “What is that? Ah won't drink it!”

Octavia stood over her, a rigid frown on her lips. “We were formed to support you, Applejack. If that means facing you down and making you see the light, so be it. Drink.”

“No!” Applejack began to rise, glaring in defiance as her strength began to come back at last. “Ah will noAAUGH!”

Octavia let out another high tone, and Applejack collapsed. She stepped over the prone mare and offered the potion. Her voice was commanding. “Drink!”

“Ah… Ah won’t!” Applejack tried to swat the vial away, but didn’t have enough strength. “Y-ya… Ya can’t make me!”

Another deep breath, and Octavia belted out a tune from one of her favorite concerts. Applejack opened her mouth to scream, and she promptly shoved the opened vial into her victim’s mouth. She kept singing, and Applejack was so busy covering her ears and responding to the pain that she couldn’t fight back. Octavia rubbed Applejack’s throat as she sang, keeping the vial firmly in her mouth, until she saw her swallow.

Her work finally done, she stepped back and waited.

Nye and Jet Set hovered under the stairs, where they knew they wouldn’t be seen. Just one floor above them, Mane Archon was busy working on the Tau Cannon. Fluttershy stood nearby on the stairs, eagerly awaiting the chance to do what Silma had originally assigned her. At the bottom of the steps was a magical shield put up to keep unwanted guests from interfering.

So all Nye and Jet could do was wait. There was no way they could defeat Archon on their own. It was Jet’s job to bring down the barrier, but if he tried to do that now they’d surely be caught and killed. Archon had to leave before either of them could do anything… and they were both getting impatient.

Jet was hovering just outside of Fluttershy’s visual range, studying the shield anxiously. Nye, keeping more to the shadows, kept glancing up at the pegasus and hoping she wouldn’t end up spotting either of them, despite their precautions. But she was far enough away, and Archon was making enough noise, that he was at least confident they wouldn’t be overheard if they were cautious.

He leaned over to Jet and whispered, “So, you think you can get through it?”

Jet gave him a nervous look. “It’s not as complex as Mr. Crime was expecting,” he confessed, “but it’s not a simple spell, either. I’m guessing… three minutes, without distractions.”

“Not bad,” Nye confessed. “I guess practicing on your dad’s vault as a kid is really paying off, huh?”

Jet gave him a weak smile, ducking fearfully when a particularly loud bang came from above. “By Celestia, this is terrifying.” As if looking for something to distract from his fears, he asked, “Do you really think it was wise to leave your brother down there alone?”

But Nye was unconcerned. “Jimmy’s more than capable of taking care of himself,” he replied, casting a nervous glance at Fluttershy once again. “Besides, that’s a conversation those two have been needing to have for a long time now.”

“I don’t think she’s going to want to just talk,” Jet whispered, sneaking closer to the stairs to be better hidden.

“Don’t blame her,” Nye chuckled under his breath. “After making her wait so long, he deserves to get raked over the coals. He’ll be fine, trust me.”

Jet frowned and did not answer. He sat and drooped, ears tucking down as he stared out the nearest window. Nye followed his gaze, and outside they could see the castle’s outer wall and just a little bit of the horizon. But the window was facing the wrong way; they had no view of the light show being put on by Celestia and Luna.

“Do you think Uppity will be okay?” Jet asked, worry blatant in his voice.

Nye observed him, considering his answer. It was clear that Jet couldn’t possibly be comforted, and he didn’t blame him one bit. Still, he had to come up with some sort of answer. “I think Fine wouldn’t have given her the task if she wasn’t ready for it.”

Jet frowned and glanced away. “But she’s fighting Celestia’s prized pupil. That’s… a big task.”

Nye had his own doubts, but he didn’t dare voice them. Instead he set a hoof to Jet’s shoulder and offered as comforting a smile as he could muster under the circumstances. “Hey, Fine Crime’s a pro, a real genius at this kind of thing. If he thinks your wife can handle Twilight, then she can. Trust me on this.”

But Jet only sighed in a forlorn manner. “I wish I could, Mr. Stone. I really-“

Jet suddenly cringed, his horn flickering with a dark blue glow. “W-wow…”

“It’s here!” Archon’s voice rang clear to them through the ceiling. “Fluttershy, bring down that pegasus!”

Nye, helping Jet to keep from falling, heard Fluttershy call out some kind of response, and then there came a high-speed, repeating sound. The weapon must have been finished! Jet leaned sideways and let out a gasp as the glow on his horn faded. “Jet, what happened?”

“Power,” Jet whispered, straightening up and rubbing his head as if it ached. “Real, intense magical power.”

They were out of time. Nye cursed and ran, daring to come out into the open to look up the stairs. Archon was gone entirely, and he could just barely see Fluttershy sitting on some sort of turret, firing off shots at something in the sky. He had to assume Archon had teleported. “Jet!” He gestured to his ally. “Come on, the barrier!”

“Oh… right!” Jet ran up to the front of the stairs and lowered his horn to just barely touch the magical shield, which seemed to pulsate and flex when he began to pour a blue stream of energy into it. Nye ran to a nearby window to view the northern wall where Silma had been watching the Princesses duel, and cursed when he saw the self-styled Empress flying rapidly down into the castle courtyard beyond his vision.

“They’re closing in on it,” he noted, casting a worried glance at Jet. “We've got to get up there, now!” Shouting could be heard, and when he glanced out again he saw the pegasi and griffons guarding the walls rising up to face attackers. The Archons had sneaked in soldiers, just as Fine had planned.

But how long could the distraction keep Silma’s guards busy?

He shot another glance at Jet, who was visibly sweating as he struggled with the barrier. The wall was shifting hues and shapes, almost as if it were actively fightling to keep the unicorn from breaking through. Nye bounced from hoof to hoof, wishing Jet could go faster! They were losing precious time, they should have been done with this already!

Suddenly the barrier flashed, and there was a spark of electricity that surged into Jet’s horn. The unicorn let out a startled, pained cry as he was forcibly flung from the stairs, smashing into the wall. Nye jumped at the sight and ran to him, carefully lifting him into a sitting position against the wall. “Jet! Jet, talk to me. Don’t you dare be dead, Upper Crust will kill me if I let you die!”

Jet was in bad shape; his horn was cracked, and there were bad looking burns on his forehead and various parts of his body, all of which were smoking and emitting sizzling sounds. He let out a long moan and slowly looked up at Nye with weary, pain-filed eyes. “If I live to see the morning, I will be feeling that.”

Nye couldn’t resist a small smile. “Hey, I’m the one who gets wry in bad situations,” he noted. “What happened?”

“Booby trap,” Jet muttered. He raised a shaky leg to gesture at the stairs behind Nye. “But I brought down the barrier.” There was a tiny note of triumph in his voice.

Nye glanced over his shoulder; sure enough, the shield was gone. “Good. You did good, Jet. Can you move?”

Jet shifted to give himself room and experimented with his legs for a second. “Y-yeah… I think so.”

Nye nodded, casting another nervous glance back at the stairs. “Alright, good. Look, I still have a job to do, and there’s no time left. Try and get back to the castle, and keep hidden. Can you do that for me?”

Jet slowly climbed to his hooves. “Are you sure? I might-“ He sucked in a pained breath as he tried to apply pressure to one of his front legs, nearly collapsing from the effort.

“You’ve done your part,” Nye told him, carefully helping him stand properly. “Now it’s my turn. Go, and be safe.”

“A-alright,” Jet whispered, limping his way to the stairs leading down. “Good luck, Mr. Stone.”

Nye only waited long enough to be sure that Jet could go down the stairs under his own power before turning to head for the second floor. He kept low as he climbed, listening to the sporadic firing from Fluttershy’s weapon. When he was close enough he was able to get a good look at it; she was sitting on a tall seat, the gun emplaced before her. The weapon was surprisingly small, but turned on its own as Fluttershy controlled it with some sort of mechanical instrument set before her.

Nye ducked as Fluttershy unleashed a series of energy-like bullets into the air, the gun swirling around as Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust flashed by in a blur. It was clear that Fluttershy was trying to hit Lightning. Nye’s heart leaped into his throat; her aim was so poor she was just as likely to hit Rainbow! On the one hoof, Rainbow needed to be defeated. On the other, that was his mare-friend, and he had absolutely no interest in her getting killed by an errant shot!

He climbed to the top of the stairs and eyed the weapon. It was a good thing he knew a lot about engineering, else he might not have recognized the cables as important. He followed their path to a large device at his side, which was humming loudly and vibrating like it was some sort of engine. Perhaps it was the power source?

He studied it carefully for a moment, fighting not to be distracted by another pass of the dog-fighting pegasi. What to do, what to do? There were so many cylinders and wires and parts, and one of them could be vital. Then again, remove the wrong one and the thing might explode! It was a technology like nothing he’d ever seen before, and that meant he was clueless.

As Fluttershy let off another series of shots, he realized there was nothing for it but to guess; he reached in and grabbed a large cylinder. Grateful that it wasn’t too hot, he gave it a few firm tugs until it finally broke off the machine with an audible snap, sending him flailing on his back.

The machine rumbled on for several seconds as he sat up, but then it began to whine and make some frightening sounds. Nye prepared for the worst, bracing for some sort of explosion or other horrible effect, but after a while the thing just died with an piercing whine.

Good. Good, now for the next task; he went over to Fluttershy, who was struggling with the controls in frustration. As he got close he could hear her muttering in her quiet voice. “Oh, what’s wrong? I was just starting to get the hang of it!”

Despite the situation he leaned against her seat and smiled his most charming smile. “Hey there, beautiful.”

She let out a startled squeak, turning to him with a frightened expression. Her fear was rapidly replaced by confusion as she recognized him. “Nye? What are you doing here?”

He gestured with his head towards the machine behind them. “Toying with things I probably shouldn’t.” He showed her the cylinder he’d removed, tossing it up I the air playfully. “Looks like this is a pretty important part.” Her eyes went wide with realization, but before she could respond he caught it and tossed it over the tower’s edge.

“No!” She made to fly after it, but he caught her as she passed him and forced her to the ground on her stomach. “Nye, what are you doing?!”

He reached into his pack and pulled out the potion. “You know,” he joked to her as he worked to uncork it, “there was a time when I’d have given anything to be in this kind of position.”

She spotted the potion and let out a horrified cry. “What is that?!” Her wings began to flap wildly, buffeting him and making it hard to keep his balance.

“Dammit, Fluttershy, I’m trying to help you!” He covered his face against the strikes, falling from his hooves. “The potion will make things better!”

She clawed at the stone floor, struggling to get out from under him. “I don’t believe you! Please, let me go!”

There was no way he could open the vial like this, he’d spill the potion! He had to find some way to pin her, but how was he supposed to do that without hurting her?

He recalled Fine’s request from before about not hurting her. Somehow he’d known that it would be him in this situation! He had to be cautious; Fine was trusting him to take care of his little guardian angel, and he was not about to let either of them down.

He leaned forward to press down on her shoulders, pinning her. “Fluttershy, calm down! Fine sent me, do you think he’d ask me to do anything that might hurt you?”

She set her hooves firmly against the floor. “You’re lying,” she declared fearfully. “Fine wouldn’t send somepony else to help me. He’d do it himself! Now get off!”

He let out a surprised shout as she abruptly pushed up with her hind legs, sending him flipping head-over-hooves to smack his back on the floor. Fluttershy leapt to her hooves and ran for the edge, wings opening wide, but Nye reacted with a speed that surprised even him and caught her long pink tail in his teeth. She tried to lift off, sailing over the edge and jerking him forward. He locked his hooves to the floor and was dragged forward a few inches before he came to a halt just at the edge.

“Let me go!” she cried, wings flapping wildly as she struggled to fly out of his grasp. “Nye, you can’t stop us!”

He struggled to hold on, eyes set fearfully at the ground far below, and fought to pull her back into the tower. For several seconds they struggled in a fierce tug-of-war, and for a time he wondered if he would be able to hold on. Just as his jaw began to grow sore, though, her wing power weakened, and he was able to pull her back an inch at a time.

“N-no!” She let out a horrified shout as he finally started to drag her back. “Somepony, help me! I finally had a chance! I can’t lose now! Archon, Silma, Rainbow, anypony!”

He gave a final tug, bringing her down to the ground and catching her in his hooves. She struggled and screamed, but after a few seconds of wrestling he managed to push her onto her back and sit on her chest. She squirmed and kicked, tears streaming down her face. “Nye, please, don’t hurt me!”

“Hurt you?!” He looked around, frustration filling him as she kicked with her forehooves. “I’m not trying to hurt you! I just want… aha!” He found the vial lying on the floor nearby and snatched it up. “Alright, Fluttershy, open wide!”

She shook her head, opened her mouth to scream, and he forced the vial into her mouth. “Come on, drink it!” She pushed at his legs, trying to pry the vial from her throat, but he held it firmly in place. She wouldn’t drink, though; she refused! She gargled the liquid, tried to shake her head to get rid of it. Finally he pressed a hoof atop her muzzle, restricting her breathing. She continued to squirm and kick, but after what seemed like an eternity she was finally forced to drink.

“Thank you!” he cried, relieved that was finally over.

Then the world erupted in an explosion of color and light, and the entire tower began to shift. “What the-?!”

He fell off of her as the tower tilted sideways, the sound of snapping wood and falling rocks loud in his ears. He looked up and realized, to his terror, that the entire tower was falling! He tried to stand, slipped and fell on his side. “No no, crap no!”

He was startled to see Fluttershy, screaming and clutching her head as she began to slide past him for the edge. He recognized that behavior; the spell was working. But that also meant she wouldn’t be able to fly! They were screwed… but he would be damned if she died because of this!

He dove for her just as they started to go weightless from the tower’s collapse, catching her up in his hooves. She wreathed and wailed, mind lost in the tumultuous struggle for self-identiy and completely unaware of their coming doom. He, on the other hand, was very much aware of the solid stone hundreds of feet below!

There was nothing else to do; he held her close and fought to turn them, until he was between her and the ground. The least he could do was try to cushion her fall and give her the best possible chance at survival! He closed his eyes, tears rising in the air as he prepared for impact.

He hoped his brother would be proud.

“Ingrate!”

Zap.

“Brainless!”

Zap.

“Simpleton!”

Zap.

“Traitor!!”

Zap zap zap.

Jimmy choked down the lump in his throat as a gem-shaped burst of magic shot into the room through the doorway. He kept himself pressed against the wall, not daring to move lest Rarity should get an opening to blast him. “C-can’t we talk about this?”

“Talk?!” Zap. “That’s all you ever want to do. I’m sick and tired of talking to you!” Zap.

He was in trouble. All that time he’d been worried about Archon, but it seemed like he should have been afraid of her, instead! He wanted to go upstairs, but to do so he’d have to cross the doorway, and there was no way he was daring that. Besides, his first obligation was clearly to keep Rarity busy while Nye and Jet sabotaged the cannon. Funny, he would have expected Nye to be in this position.

“Come out, you coward,” Rarity cried. He heard her suck in a deep breath, and after a pause a big blue orb drifted slowly into the room. Jimmy didn’t know what it was, but he had an idea what it was going to do; he dropped to the floor and covered his head as the orb erupted in a shower of sparks, a circular shockwave spreading wide just over his head. “You can’t hide in there forever!”

And she wasn’t going to wait outside forever. He needed a plan! “Rarity, I’m sorry!”

“Sorry?” Her voice took on that high-pitch tone of fury usually reserved for her sister. “That’s what you have to say to me, sorry?!” A stream of small beams blasted into the room.

The barrage ended, and after a anxious second he peered past the door. She stood a dozen feet away, huffing in visible fury and horn smoking. “I had no idea you were interested! What do you want me to say?”

“How could you have no idea?” she shouted, firing off another gem that made him duck for cover. “Did all that peering over the drafting table make you go blind?! I went out of my way, I sacrificed orders, I dropped hints whenever I could!”

Had she? Was he so socially inept that he never saw the indications? What were the indications? “I… I…”

“You come out here right now and get what you deserve, or I swear to Silma…!”

Suddenly, he remembered Fine’s words. “Rarity.”

Zap.

“Rarity!”

Zap zap.

He cringed, preparing himself for the pain, and stood in the doorway to face her. “Rarity!”

Three gems smashed into his chest, popping like glass and fading away upon impact. Each hit was like being whacked with a hammer… but he fought to keep on his hooves and held his ground. He winced in pain before giving her a solid, determined frown.

She glared at him for a second or two, but then blinked and raised her head with an uncertain frown. Clearly his sudden willingness to face her had her wondering.

He sucked in a deep breath to buy time to consider his words. “I’m listening, Rarity,” he told her. “I won’t hide. Just… tell me what you’re feeling, right now. I’ll listen.”

She hesitated, horn glowing threateningly. “No… you’re trying to distract me!”

“You say I’m missing the obvious,” he declared with force. “I won’t miss it this time. Tell me! I want to make it right.”

“Make it right?” she repeated, astounded. “How can you ‘make it right’? After all this time?”

“I don’t know,” he confessed, anxiety and determination mixing in his voice. “But I can’t do it at all if you won’t let me try. Please Rarity, what am I missing?”

Uncertainty clouded her eyes as she considered him, and after a few seconds her anger faded to anguish. “Me. You’re missing me, Jimmy. When you first moved to Ponyville I didn’t even notice you, but then there was the whole Crystal Empire thing and… and suddenly I saw you.” She let out a frustrated cry. “Why won’t you see me?!”

She looked away, covering her face as if in shame. “When you first asked to join me for tea I was so excited; I thought you were sending me some kind of message. Imagine my disappointment when I realized you were just interesting in ‘talking’ and ‘being friends.’ Then I learned you spent a lot of time with Octavia, and I thought you were with her!”

He stared at her, amazed to realize that she was on the verge of tears. He’d really had no idea, and now he felt… foolish. “But… B-but what could you possibly see in me?”

“What’s not to see?” she asked. “You’re smart, you’re rich, you’re rugged! You’re a gentlecolt, hard working and oh-so kind. And until now I thought you were loyal.” She added that last part with a regal, lecturing tone as she turned her head away and her nose up, punctuating her meaning with a ‘hmmph!’ sound.

Jimmy couldn’t believe his ears. He lowered his head and thought, eyes shifting as a maze of ideas and concepts and theories swam about his head. She was serious, absolutely serious! But more importantly, so was he.

For the first time in his life, he was able to connect the dots on his own. He had an epiphany, and all at once he knew what to do about her… and for her. He raised his head just slightly, gazing at her through his bangs as she struggled to hold back tears. It was now or never.

“None of it matters,” Rarity whispered, her horn glowing brightly. “You betrayed Silma, so now I have to... h-have to…”

He raised his head. “Alright, Rarity. You win.”

She blinked, her sadness combining with her sudden confusion. “W-what?”

He took a step closer. “You win.”

She took a step back, horn flashing dangerously but face worried. “S-stay back! I have to take you to Silma! D-don’t make me hurt you…”

“You already did,” he reminded her seriously, tapping his bruised chest. He took another step. “I’m ready to try, Rarity.”

She shook her head and leveled her horn at him, but her voice was shaky. “Y-you don’t m-mean that! You’re just t-trying to distract me!”

He sighed, ready to let the truth out. “I thought I wanted a legacy,” he announced sadly, “but I realized it was pointless. Luna-“ Another step. “-Luna showed me the truth; I was never looking for a legacy. I was looking to affection, for love.” Her head jerked up at that word, the glow of her horn fading almost instantly in her disbelief and astonishment.

Another step.

“I grew closer to my brother. I thought he could help me, and he did. I thought that was all I needed. But now?”

And another.

“Now he has Rainbow. His life revolves around her, Rarity. No more room for me. What’s a guy to do?”

“J-Jim…” She shook her head and aimed her horn once more… but she didn’t fire.

Another step, and the tip of her horn was pressed against his chest. “I have to get my love from somewhere else. I should have been looking all along. I’m looking now, Rarity.”

There was a long, tense pause as they stood there, her horn set against him, him staring down at her. Seconds passed. Maybe a whole minute. He wasn’t nervous. To his surprise, he wasn’t even afraid, just calm.

Jimmy reached up and touched her chin. She resisted his push, but only a little, and when he brought her head up to look at him she was crying.

“I’m looking now.”

And he kissed her.

Her horn flashed brightly, and she tensed, grabbing him up in a tight embrace as she made strange mumblings he couldn’t make sense of. The sound of the cannon’s fire hit his ears, the shouts and noise of the soldiers attacking the walls began to reach them, but he hardly noted any of it. For a moment, just one tender eternity, all he knew was that this was his first kiss, and it felt… amazing.

He had no idea how long it lasted, but when he finally pulled away, he had no breath.

She stared at him, eyes half closed and lips parted in a dazed expression. He heard her take a long, shaky breath…

Then set the vial in her mouth.

She blinked, caught between the heat of the moment and total confusion, and swallowed the potion before she could muster up the thought to question what he was giving her.

She stared at him for a second longer, then shook off her daze. She promptly spit the vial out and coughed, clutching her throat. “Jim,” she asked in a lost manner, “what was that nasty stuff?”

He opened his mouth, closed it, glanced away to consider his answer, tried again. “Umm…”

His fumbled response was interrupted by a resounding crash and a spectacular flash of colors! The two of them turned away from the brightness that made the darkness like day. A second later the flash was gone, replaced by the sounds of falling stone and shattering glass. The both let out a surprised shout as a brick the size of a pony’s head smashed into the ground between them.

The tower was falling! Jimmy looked up in alarm to see the tower leaning towards them, the midsection of it crumbling to pieces. He heard a scream and saw Nye and Fluttershy fall over the edge of the tower’s parapet.

Another scream, and he turned to see Rarity dropping to her knees and clutching her head in visible pain as the potion began to affect her.

For an instant panic filled him; how was he supposed to save all three of them at once?! He hesitated, but only for a second, before grabbing Rarity by the shoulders and throwing her as hard as he could, sending her sprawling through the open door of the tower. As soon as he was sure she was in, he leapt and opened his wings, flying for his brother. Nye was clutching Fluttershy close, clearly trying to protect her from the fall.

Jimmy hit them. Their weight was far too much for him, though, and he struggled just to stay aloft! He looked up in terror to see the tower coming down on them. He ducked his head and held the two ponies close, ready for the hit…

Nothing.

He blinked, looked down at Nye and Fluttershy in confusion. Fluttershy was shivering, grinding her teeth and pressing her forehead against Nye’s shoulder with tears in her eyes. Nye, on the other hand, was looking up at Jimmy with a startled expression of his own.

At last Jimmy looked up. The tower was encased in a dark glow, hovering just inches above his head. They were saved… but wouldn’t be for long if they didn’t get out from under it! He struggled to control his descent, making for the tower entrance where he could guarantee everypony’s safety.

“Am I glad to see you,” Nye noted fearfully, adjusting his hold on Fluttershy. “Rarity?”

“She drank it,” Jimmy declared between breathless huffs, the effort to maintain a safe descent wearing him down quickly.

“Fluttershy, too,” Nye declared. “With a little convincing.”

Author's Note

Fine Crime vs. Pinkie Pie
I wanted to go the detailed route with this one, and I think the reasons speak for themselves. Pinkie can do so much, how could I not take the time to show her fighting? There were a lot of things I wanted to play with, but in the end I cut a lot of ideas simply to keep the scene from getting ridiculously long. Aside from her usual reality-defying abilities, I also took advantage of her ability to break the fourth wall by making her fully aware of a lot of things she shouldn't be, such as knowing what the potion does or that Luna's team was going to come. In keeping with the Rule of Pinkie (widely referred as "She's just being Pinkie Pie"), I had Fine take her knowledge in stride.

All in all, it was a fun fight to write! I regret that I didn't use Pinkie a lot in the overall story - I'm always rather nervous about writing her in, feeling like I won't be able to write her properly. Maybe I'll make up for that with a Pinkie-centric story someday.

If Fine weren't going for Fluttershy, he and Pinkie might have made an interesting shipping pair. Too bad, maybe in an AU...

Octavia vs. Applejack
I went in the complete opposite direction for this fight, favoring less detail and a speedier resolution. This was simply because neither of these two have any magical or particularly special abilities other than that they can fight, so there's nothing to really 'ooh' and 'aah' over. Granted, I could have gone into greater detail about just how they fought, I thought it would be more trouble than it was worth.

As I considered how to handle the battle, I realized that, even if Octavia had stood up to several waves of enemies in the Crystal Empire, she probably wouldn't have the experience or strength necessary to go up against Applejack in a fair fight. She needed an edge, and her underused special talent struck me as the perfect medium for a magical weapon, courtesy of an enchantment from Luna, of course.

One thing I noticed during the pre-post editing is Octavia's calm manner. She never really gets excited, does she? This is an element of her character I used to have to work towards, but has by now become second-nature. I wanted from the beginning for Octavia to have an ever-calm, patient manner, which I think highlights her as a character.

Nye vs Fluttershy
The very first trick here was figuring out what to do with Jet Set without letting him get involved in the fight. It took me a while to come up with the shield idea, but I think it works out just fine. If I ever get to that Jet Set-centric fic I've been thinking about I'll likely go into further detail about why he has this kind of ability.

The fight between Fluttershy and Nye isn't really a 'fight', per se, as it is a brief wrestling match. Regardless I think Nye really proves himself through his determination and willingness to sacrifice himself to protect her. I debated for a long time on how to handle the battle, and even thought about bringing out 'Flutterbitch' or 'Flutterrage' to make it more exciting, but decided that this would be more realistic to the character, particularly since I've not used either of those 'personalities' for her previously in the series.

Jimmy vs. Rarity
I knew very quickly that this was how their 'fight' would go. Throughout the series I was seeing possibilities for Jimmy to be with either Octavia or Rarity, as they were both very clearly are his type (even if he didn't recognize it, himself). In the end Octavia's general disinterest in romance left the door open for Rarity, and I tried to seed small hints every here and there of her interest. I don't really think I did a good enough job of that, mostly because I couldn't fit in enough scenes featuring the two of them together. For the sake of fixing that error, I'm also considering writing a shipping fic detailing their relationship.

The relationship between Jimmy and Nye is pretty strong, and sometimes the terminology surrounding it can seem a bit iffy. I was just trying to emphasize how close they are, but I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up one day to find people trying to ship them as a twincest. At any rate, Jim's realization that he needs to start looking for a relationship outside of family is something of a milestone for him and signals good things in his future.

The Duels Part III

In the night sky, the near-abandoned city of Canterlot was being treated to an aerial display of color and sound. To the North, great flashes of light and rolling sounds like thunder filled the air, punctuated by the illumination of partial cloud cover. Yet as all eyes focused upon the known but unseen battle, none took heed of the duel occurring just above the rooftops.

A streak of lightning flashed across the sky, followed closely by a rainbow. They zoomed about, rising into clouds, circling one another, diving down to the streets below, crisscrossing the alleys and zooming between tall towers. It was an intense chase, but any pony who might be watching would have noticed how the rainbow was gradually catching up.

Lightning knew she couldn’t outfly Rainbow. The occasional tightness in her side reminded her of her weakness, and she was forced to limit her speed or risk falling out of the sky entirely. Yet she had one major advantage over Rainbow: she wasn’t Silma’s pet, so she could think to her full capacity. She might not be the smartest pony in Equestria, but as of right now she was definitely the smartest between them.

She heard Rainbow shout over the wind. “Come back here and finish what you started!”

Lightning banked and circled a tower, mind frantic for some sort of solution. Just as she’d completed her reveres-course, however, the air was filled with the sound of shattering glass; Rainbow had flown through the building! Lightning let out a startled cry and dove, but still took a blow to her side that sent her spinning wildly. With the experience and skill of an ace, she swiftly found her horizon and corrected, coming back to a level flight.

She’s lost Rainbow, who took advantage of her momentary spin-out to appear out of nowhere right in front of Lightning and crack a hoof against her cheek. Lightning recovered, blocked a couple extra strikes, then caught the fourth in her hooves. She spun in a tight circle and threw Rainbow towards the tower, but Rainbow recovered almost instantly and reversed course, slamming head-first into Lightning’s chest.

Lightning realized she was being pushed down, probably to be smashed against another building. She fought Rainbow’s hold, freed herself and managed to kick up and away. Rainbow’s reflexes were shockingly quick, and Lightning’s tail was caught in her mouth. She jerked to a stop and found herself spinning, Rainbow attempting a toss in a similar manner as Lightning had done to her. Lightning prepared herself, and as soon as she was released opened her wings to come to a jerking stop. She repeated Rainbow’s counter maneuver, turning about in an instant and charging… only to be hit hard in the muzzle by Rainbow’s knee. Rainbow followed up the strike by smashing down with both front hooves on Lightning’s head, dropping her like a rock to the land below.

Lightning’s nose was broken and her head throbbed, but she was far from beaten. She fought back the pain, rubbed blood from her face and leveled out just before hitting the roof of a building… only to be hit from her right by Rainbow. She smacked the ground and lid to a painful stop, and when she looked up her age-old rival was staring daggers down at her.

“Face it, Lightning,” Rainbow snarled, “you never stood a chance.”

Lightning took a moment to rub some more blood from her nose. “Maybe I don’t,” she answered, “but I’ll still fight you whenever I get the chance.”

Rainbow let out a frustrated sound. “What for?! What good will it do you to lose time and time again?”

“What about you?” Lightning demanded, slowly climbing to her hooves. “What are you fighting for, Rainbow?”

Rainbow puffed out her chest in a proud pose. “For Silma. Duh!”

Finally at her full height, Lightning shot her a scathing glare. “Yes, that’s obvious. What else?”

Rainbow blinked uncertainly. “What else?”

She sneered in a blatant sign of disdain. “There’s nothing else, is there? That’s what makes you pathetic.”

Rainbow let out a snarl and struck her in the chest. Lightning reeled back from the hit, but refused to go down. “Look at you,” she shouted. “You once stood for something! You bore the Element of Loyalty, for Luna’s sake! Ponies looked up to you, I respected you. And now? You’re just Silma’s pet. You see that, Rainbow? You’re nothing more than a lapdog!”

Rainbow’s eyes flared in fury. She flashed forward, and Lightning tried to defend herself, but Rainbow dodged the attack and struck, her hoof smashing against Lightning's left side.

Against the weak spot.

Pain like a million daggers seared through Lightning. She let out an agonized cry, her wing clamping down and her legs locking in response. Tears in her eyes, she toppled to her side, breath coming in gasps as the pain slowly receded.

“You think I’m a dog?” Rainbow hissed into her ear. “Well then what does that make you? You’re vermin, Lightning. No matter how hard you try, no matter how good your intentions, you always end up the loser. And you think I’m the pathetic one?”

Lightning’s leg was finally unclenched from the pain, and she immediately reached up, set her hoof behind Rainbow’s head, and slammed it down into the gravel. She pushed up against her squirming opponent and lifted off, hovering a few feet above and clutching tenderly at her waist.

“You little-!” Rainbow’s head rose, but she went down again as Lightning immediately came down to crack a hoof against her jaw.

“Maybe I am the loser!” she cried, finally recovering from the pain and backing a few feet in the air. “Maybe I can’t be better than you! But I understand now that I never won because I never had anything to fight for, nothing but myself. I was selfish, and I paid the price every time!

“But I have a reason to fight now,” she declared as Rainbow picked herself back up. “I’m not just in it for me, anymore. You’re not facing the old me, Rainbow, you’re facing a Lightning Dust who has purpose!”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow lifted off, hovering just above her and glaring menacingly. “Like what?!”

Lightning, heart filled with pride, mind filled with determination, answered. “My child.”

She charged, smashing into an off-guard Rainbow and sending her sprawling. Rainbow recovered swiftly and blocked Lightning’s rapid follow-up attack, and for a few seconds the two struggled to land a hit. Neither could pull it off, but then Lightning caught Rainbow’s hoof and jerked on it. She managed to get around Rainbow and shove her down into the building, but she was up an instant later and circling, eyes livid and face bleeding.

“I’ve had enough of you!” Rainbow shouted, abruptly charging. Lightning responded by flying straight up, and once again the chase was on.

Lightning knew what she had to do, despite the risks. She led Rainbow through a supersonic chase, flying past towers and into the hills outside the city. She glanced back to find Rainbow gradually catching up, and though her side protested she pushed her wings for more speed.

“You can’t stay ahead of me forever!” Rainbow shouted furiously.

No, but she could pull it off for long enough. She darted about a hill and flew back to the city, making a break for Canterlot Castle. She was there within seconds, and to her surprise something white flashed past her. She glanced back to see Fluttershy firing at her from some sort of weapon emplacement. Was that the secret weapon Jimmy had warned her about?

No time to think on that, Rainbow was gaining! She flapped harder, going for her old speeds, and her side began to sting from the effort.

“You can’t keep it up!” Rainbow cried. Lightning glanced back to see that her pursuer was hell-bent on catching her.

She made wide turn, using another hill to keep Rainbow from intercepting, and flew back for the castle. Another pass by the tower, another stream of shots fired from Fluttershy, but this time Lightning noted Nye sneaking up behind. There were so many risks, but she had to do this! She pressed her wings for more speed. Faster, faster, faster!

“Damn you!” Lightning glanced back to see that she was actually flying faster than her pursuer! Rainbow let out a rage-filled shout. “You’re gonna play it like that, are ya?! Fine, let’s see you handle this!” And then she changed course, rising high into the night sky through an opening in the clouds.

This was it, what Lightning had been fighting for!

She circled and headed back to the city, keeping her eye on Rainbow’s ascent. She had to time this just right…

Rainbow was a mere speck in the sky when she finally paused and came flying back down. Her speed increased at a phenomenal rate, and Lightning knew it was now or never. She altered course and made her way back to the castle, pushing her wings to the brink of her old limits. Her side was on fire, the pain bringing tears to her eyes, but she bit down on her lip and kept going. She would do this, she could! It had to last, if only for a little longer!

She looked up and saw Rainbow coming down on her, a white cone of air covering her rival’s body. She was going for point-blank impact! Lightning cried out at the pain and silently begged for just a little more endurance. Her eyes locked on the tower, she made straight for its midsection...

And then the muscle snapped.

Lightning screamed in agony, clutching at her waist as her wing locked. She toppled from the sky, but just at that moment her world exploded in color. The shockwave of Rainbow’s sonic rainboom pushed her back, slowing her down as she dropped like a rock onto the castle rooftops. Though tears were in her eyes and her body seared with screaming pain, one thought was on her mind: Rainbow had missed her. She’d aimed ahead, and missed. The muscle’s breaking had probably saved her from the impact.

But had her plan worked?

Her body rolled to a stop on the steepled rooftops. The legs on her left side wouldn’t move, or her wing. Her cheeks were moist with fresh tears, her body shivered from the agony, but she forced her head up and her eyes open.

The tower was falling. Rainbow had smashed right into the solid pearly wall, too focused on hitting Lightning to notice the obstacle in her way. The plan had worked; Lightning had won, and the weapon was no longer a factor.

She collapsed at the edge of the roof, head hanging over the side. She watched as the Jimmy flew up to catch Nye and Fluttershy, stared uncomprehendingly as the tower hovered in a black aura while he brought them into the tower for safety. She was so tired, and in so much pain, that seeing a tower float hardly bothered her.

The tower shifted and, losing its aura, dropped to the castle grounds with a resounding crash. When the smoke finally cleared, Lightning had a perfect view of the floor where the crash had occurred. Rainbow was lying unconscious against the wall, a large crater signifying where she’d impacted. The sight reminded her of the time they’d fought together against Sombra. That seemed like an eternity ago.

Then she saw something that really caught her attention: Jet Set, who appeared from the rubble near Rainbow. He looked miserable, burns covering his body. The unicorn pulled himself out of the debris and made his slow, limping way to Rainbow, inspecting her.

Lightning remembered what she was supposed to do.

She called for Jet, but her voice came out frail. She coughed, took a few preparatory breaths, and tried again. Her voice came out louder, but not loud enough to catch his attention. Slowly, wincing in pain at the effort, she raised herself up on one leg, sucked in a deep breath, and shouted as loud as she could.

Jet turned, eyes wide in alarm and fear. He spotted her and ran to the edge of the tower, though he didn’t speak. Taking a moment to recover her breath, Lightning reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out the vial of potion. Though the effort stung, she turned her head and tossed the vial to him. It sailed through the air in a shallow arch, and though it clearly hurt him to do so, he managed to catch the vial with his magic.

She watched as he took the potion to Rainbow and pour it down her throat. Not until he gestured his success to her did she allow herself to collapse back to the roof and relax.

She lay there on her belly, weariness and pain coming over her. As she watched Jimmy, Nye, Fluttershy and Rarity appeared on the stairs to investigate. They spotted her, tried to catch her attention. It was no use; she was too weak to offer up a response. She merely closed her eyes and thought about Keen.

She’d done it. For once in her life, she was a hero. Even if the rest of the plan failed, even if she’d just sacrificed her wings, she would be returning to her precious little filly a proud mare.

And that made it all worth it.

Upper Crust was alert, aware in a way she’d never been before, and she was ready to fight. There was no doubt in her mind, no hesitation. This was the task assigned to her, and she was prepared to carry it out to the best of her ability.

A purple beam flew through the air, but one of her green axes rose up to block it. As the books and sheets finally drifted out of the way she spotted Twilight, rearing back on the opposite side of the library to stomp both hooves to the floor with a crash disproportionate to her size. Instantly, the two pieces of the table Upper Crust had destroyed arose and went flying at her. Her axes flew through the air and embedded in each before erupting in a pair of green explosions that shattered the wood to splinters.

Twilight’s calm expression cracked, revealing her frustration. The glow of her horn intensified, and abruptly small beams were firing out and hitting the floor. Each hit caused a pillar of purple energy to erupt from the ground! Upper Crust was forced to dodge wildly, but fortunately the attacks didn’t seem to have much accuracy at all.

Upper Crust had been experimenting in the past few days. Her flight from her home had helped her to truly understand the latent capabilities of her special talent, and by now she had a solid grasp of a real advantage: magical estimation. As she danced about to avoid the rapid-fire attacks, her mind conceived of a spell and began to consider how it might be cast. Coming up with a quick solution, she bought herself time by knocking over a table.

Momentarily protected, her horn glowed as she cut a clean circle in the air. When the table erupted from being hit by Twilight’s pillar attack, the circle was already filled with green energy and spinning like the blade of a saw. Upper Crust sent it flying, and Twilight had to hurry to dodge! The disk embedded itself deep into the wall behind her before dissipating into tiny green bubbles.

Twilight glanced at the deep cut in the wall, eyes wide, then turned back to Upper Crust. “When did you get so good?”

Upper Crust took up an aggressive pose, four more axes forming around her. “I was always good,” she declared forcefully. “I just didn’t know it!”

Twilight’s surprise shifted to determination as the four blades flew at her in wide arcs. Her horn flashed, and four small white orbs shot out, hitting each axe. The magic of the axes were absorbed, growing the four balls to several times their original size. An instant later they came together to form a single large mass of shimmering energy that rocketed for Upper Crust, who responded by firing a thick, constant beam of black energy.

The two spells connected in the center of the room, and the eruption was so fierce it knocked both unicorns off their hooves.

Upper Crust smacked into the doors painfully, but climbed back to her hooves as soon as she hit the ground and charged. A white fog, the residue of the blast, filled the room and limited her vision. She conjured up another axe, ready for anything…

Twilight appeared from the fog with a fierce shout, a long, thin violet sword slashing down. Upper Crust blocked the attack. The two traded blows, weapons clashing with audible sparks of green and violet energy. Upper Crust summoned two more axes; Twilight countered with another two swords. They danced about, struggling to get through one’s another’s defenses as the fog began to clear.

“Look at what you can do,” Twilight shouted over the electric clashes. “Look at how strong you’ve become! Why are you wasting it on a lost cause?”

“We are the masters of lost causes,” Upper Crust replied, eyes shining with determination. “I’m no longer the pathetic pony I once was! I rose from my own ashes, and I learned what it really means to be important.”

“Important?” Twilight asked furiously. “What does that have to do with… Ah!” One of Upper Crust’s axes finally broke through, the flat of the blade cracking against Twilight’s cheek and sending her sprawling.

“It’s nothing!” Upper Crust paused, letting her opponent climb to her hooves. “I don’t need to be special anymore. I don’t need to be adored! I just need to be satisfied with myself. You and your friends taught me that, just by being around me.”

Twilight rubbed her bruised cheek, eyes simmering with anger. “And you repay us by trying to kill me?”

“Kill you?” Upper Crust shook her head. “I’m not trying to kill you. I’m trying to save you.”

“I don’t need saving,” Twilight muttered, her horn flashing, “but you do.”

Upper Crust sensed the magic before it hit, a jolt of pain surging through her body. She cringed and looked down to find a circle of magic beneath her hooves, white jolts of energy zapping into her legs. She dropped to her knees with a gasp, unable to move for the pain. Her mind began to run through the numbers, and the questions flitted through her mind in defiance of the agony.

“You might have a lot of potential,” Twilight acknowledged with an ominous frown, “but you’re still just a rookie. Did you really expect to defeat me that easily?”

Upper Crust didn’t answer; she was too busy thinking through the pain. Not yet, it was too early. They needed more time!

“I’m sorry to do this,” Twilight explained gravely, approaching her opponent, “but you left me no choice. The pain will be over soon, and when you wake you’ll understand Silma’s perspective.”

Upper Crust’s mind hit upon the proper arrangements, as near as she could estimate. It was a risky maneuver, but if it worked…

Her horn shined brightly, and the jolts of electricity came to a sudden stop. Twilight blinked, surprise on her face. “What are you…?”

The circle shrank rapidly, and the energy flowed into Upper Crust’s hooves. It flowed up her legs and into her body, a tingling white circle of energy that left her feeling cold. The energy flowed up her neck, through her head, and into her horn. As soon as it reached the tip it erupted out in a massive white bolt that struck Twilight and sent her flying across the room to smash into the wall.

Upper Crust’s entire body was painfully chilled from the force of the magic. The sheer power of the spell had been beyond her physical limitations, and she found herself incapable of movement. Had she been accustomed to such concentrated magic she might have been fine, but for a unicorn who’d spent all her life using the weakest of spells, this was a severe blow.

So she simply lay on her belly, breath coming in gasps and body shivering. Her horn fizzled and sparked, releasing tiny bits of unused energy. She was worn out, her vision blurred, but she’d bought enough time with this act. She was safe… she’d done what was needed for the others.

Twilight let out a low moan from across the room. She attempting to stand on wobbling legs, but collapsed back to her knees. She had a big black mark on her chest, and her entire body had smoke rising from it. “I… I can’t believe it…” she whispered, eyes weary but still able to convey her amazement. “Magical augmentation, using… yourself as a conduit? That… That kind of magic is… too dangerous for an… an amateur like you! You could have killed yourself!” Her breathing finally normalized. “I wouldn’t have dared try it, and I’ve been studying magic all my life! How did you do it?”

Upper Crust shook her head, trying to clear her vision. “T-take my advice,” she muttered with a groan. “Don’t do it. It hurts like you wouldn’t believe.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed critically. She struggled to her hooves, and this time they held. “You wore yourself out. You used everything with that attack, didn’t you?” She took a wobbling step, nearly falling from the effort. “You… you don’t have anything left. Now I can turn you in to Silma.”

Upper Crust, body warming and vision clearing, smiled up at her as she approached. “The fight’s not over yet.”

“What are you going to do?” Twilight asked, growing more confident with each step. “Bite my knees?”

“You forget,” she countered calmly, the strength slowly returning to her, “this was arranged by Fine Crime, and he has a plan for everything.”

Upper Crust shifted, testing her muscles. She still wouldn’t be able to stand. A little more time… “I’m saying that right now each one of us is fighting every one of you.” Twilight frowned, clearly not understanding. “Lightning Dust against Rainbow Dash. Fine Crime against Pinkie Pie. We’re all here, fighting all of you for Equestria’s future.”

Twilight tilted her head with a skeptical but hesitant expression. “That doesn’t make any sense. You wouldn’t stand a chance without Princess Luna.”

Upper Crust smiled once more. “That’s why we cured Luna of Silma’s magic. She’s fighting Celestia as we speak.”

Twilight stared at her for several seconds, not comprehending. Then her eyes went wide. “No.” She turned and ran for the doors, but they wouldn’t open for her.

Time was up; Upper Crust could move properly again, if slowly. She climbed to her hooves and concentrated, ignoring the throbbing headache of a magic overdose. She’d bought more than enough time for the others to do their parts, and it was time to finish this.

Twilight’s horn glowed brightly, and she flashed as if to use her teleportation magic… and reappeared in the exact same location. “What?” She shook her head, tried again. Another flash, and she hadn’t moved.

“Something wrong, Bearer of Magic?”

Twilight turned to face Upper Crust, who was standing at her full height and smiling wickedly. The Element Bearer’s face went from confused to angry. “How? You’ve exhausted your magical abilities!”

“Have I?” she countered. “You’re stuck here until I say you can leave!”

Twilight’s eyes flared in frustration. “How is that possible?” She rushed Upper Crust, a violet ball of energy forming atop her horn. “I can see it, you’re all used up! How are you doing this?!”

Upper Crust reacted with a thought, and something emerged from her pack. Something large and dark, that came between them just as Twilight lowered her horn to strike. The violet ball smashed into the object and popped, as if it were nothing more than a bubble of air. Twilight gaped at her reflection in the black surface, horror and alarm mixing in her expression. “That’s-”

Upper Crust merely thought of the act, and in an instant the Shades of Night unleashed a black beam of energy so wide it completely engulfed Twilight. She sheer force of the blast made Upper Crust’s horn vibrate painfully, and Twilight let out a horrible scream of pain.

The beam faded almost as quickly as it had formed, a thin black line of magical residue bubbling up into the air. Twilight was lying on her back before the doors, which had been blown open by the impact, a massive dark stain on the wall beyond. Though she shivered in pain, Twilight didn’t have a mark on her body to indicate what had hit her.

There was no time. Upper Crust rushed to the defeated Element Bearer and, using the Stone’s power, pulled out her vial. Though Twilight was awake, she was too stunned to resist as the potion was poured into her mouth and down her throat. As soon as the deed was done Upper Crust thought and, entire body tingling, disappeared from the room.

She reformed in a room nearby, the Shades of Night at her side, and swiftly conjured up a shield to hide its power, as she had managed all throughout the fight. Head pounding abd too tired to run, she made her way to a nearby window, discovering that she was within the castle’s outer wall. She watched as Silma Ril and Mane Archon, alerted by the sudden power of the spell that defeated Twilight, converged on the library tower.

Perfect. Everything was going according to plan.

She took a moment to study the gemstone. It was so black it was almost invisible in the darkness. She peered at it, gauging it, trying to fathom its power. Seeing it blast Twilight like that had helped her significantly, but she needed more. Another demonstration, something else she might use it for. Of course, she could always wait-

There was a powerful burst of noise from outside, colors pouring into the room so bright they illuminated the entire hall. Upper Crust rushed to the window and, to her surprise, saw the castle’s tallest tower collapsing. She was even more alarmed when she spotted Jimmy, Nye and Fluttershy beneath it!

Reacting on instinct, she concentrated on controlling the gemstone. She thought it would be difficult, but she found holding up the entire tower surprisingly simple. She stared at the Stone, astounded at its sheer power… but then she started paying attention. This was what she needed!

Her mind went through the cautious connections, trying to gauge the Stone’s power. When she saw that the others were safely away she turned the tower to a safer orientation and let it fall with a crash to the ground. It had been so easy…

“Where are you?!”

Upper Crust’s heart jumped to her throat. She grabbed the stone and teleported just as Mane Archon appeared around the corner.

Wind wiped through the air. The clouds roiled like a sea in a storm. Lightning crackled and flashed through the sky. The sheer density of magical energy in the atmosphere was causing nature to go wild!

Luna flew out of the clouds, a towering beam of white energy slicing along at her back but just missing. She released a trio of massive black, semi-transparent orbs in her wake, and when Celestia emerged from the clouds they erupted and sent her flying back.

Luna hovered, horn glowing darkly in the night. A dozen dark shards of energy erupted from it, flying out in an arc and darting for Celestia’s magical presence within the clouds. Celestia appeared, expression livid, and flew right at her little sister! Just as the shards were about to strike, a shockwave of energy erupted from her horn, shattering them.

The Princesses circled one another, the clouds below spinning like a hurricane with their motion. Great streaks of lightning flew from their horns, connecting and nullifying together as they crisscrossed the black sky. The intense magical energies between them intensified with their anger until, with a magical spark from Celestia, they erupted in a mighty red shockwave.

Luna was momentarily blinded, unable to see her sister either through sight or magic as she flew back from the blast of pure destruction. She rose high into the starry sky, head turning swiftly as she searched for Celestia.

The shockwave dissipated, and Luna abruptly felt her sister’s presence. She jerked bout just in time to summon a dark blue shield, deflecting the magical spear that was thrust in her face. Celestia, eyes glowing red and baring her teeth, came upon her sister with a dozen spears, swords and axes!

Luna backed away, giving herself time to summon a sword. The weapon swung in a wide arc, leaving a sparkling trail in its wake that shattered Celestia’s weapons as they tried to break through. As the two dueled, the clouds below continued to swirl, moving faster and faster in response to their mutual fury.

Luna’s shield arose between the Princesses, glowing ominously as it gathered force. Celestia saw the attack coming and pulled her weapons back, converging them into a single massive yellow wall just in time to take the brunt of the transparent blast of magic. The shield and wall shattered at the same time, and through the opening Celestia fired another of her massive, scorching beams, but Luna had already dove out of the way.

“Luna!” Celestia let out a shout. “This is pointless! Speak to me!”

Luna skimmed the clouds, massive blue orbs bursting into existence on either side of her path. “We are beyond words, dear sister!” The balls began to fire thousands of tiny black lasers at Celestia, who was forced to dodge wildly.

The Sun Princess rose straight into the sky, her horn glowing brighter until her entire body shined. Her wings left white, sparkling contrails and her colorful tail and mane spread color in a wide cone below, which absorbed the tiny shots. “What do you hope to gain? Even should you defeat and exile me, Silma has two of the Stones! She will crush you!”

Luna turned to her, standing atop the roiling, thundering clouds. Head held high, she spread her wings, and from the dark shadows they forged beneath her arose a thousand tiny black orbs that shot like bullets for Celestia, stardust trails sparkling in their wakes. “Silma’s reign of terror ended fifteen hundred years ago! She will never be Empress again, no matter how hard she might try.”

Celestia turned to face her sister, spreading her wings wide as well. A powerful white lights shined over the sky, incinerating the projectiles before they could even get close. “Then you have betrayed us! A pony of such treachery does not deserve a throne. You do not even deserve the title of Princess!” The clouds climbed beneath her, taking on the form of a mighty funnel that leaned down and threatened to engulf Luna.

The Princess of the Night arose, flying directly for the tunnel as a cone of swirling energy surrounded her. She pierced the cloud vortex, protected from its buffeting winds, and burst through it. Celestia had come down to face her, and the two met, their horns clashing together and producing an explosive jolt of power that sent the both of them flying wildly in opposite directions, the clouds below spreading out from the invisible shockwave.

Luna recovered quickly, flying in a wide arc. Celestia had recovered as well, and matched the circling flight. “You cannot defeat me, Luna! You have always been the weaker of us.”

But Luna was not intimidated. As the clouds began to turn beneath them once more, she held her head high against the buffeting winds. “And you always were the confident one, dear sister, but on this night you will learn the power of my conviction!”

“You conviction is nothing without my order,” Celestia countered in a sage tone. “The shadow has always existed only because of the light!”

“That is the greatest misconception of all,” Luna declared fiercely. “The darkness has always existed! It was the origin, the primordial source of all existence! Your light might chase my darkness away, but the darkness shall always exist. Can your precious light say the same?!”

Celestia’s sneered, her red eyes flashing dangerously. “I gave Equestria order!”

“And I gave it security!” Luna fired back. “When you removed me, the Archons merely took my place as the shadow. Equestria needs both light and dark to survive!”

Celestia came to an abrupt stop, eyes bright with energy as she rose above the tumultuous funnel their building energies had formed. “Equestria does not need you!”

The energy release was magnificent. Below, the great funnel of clouds began to glow an intense orange. Luna, recognizing the force of the spell, arose to cast her own. The moon shimmered, and abruptly began to glow brighter than any night had known in centuries. Black energies began to form high in the inky blackness of the sky, swirling in a sparkling vortex of power!

The Princesses faced off, their spells of mass destruction forming at once, readying for a final blow that both hoped would end this worsening conflict. No words were spoken; they were not needed. Luna’ bitter anger; Celestia’s harsh fury. The air was so densely saturated with magical energies that it began to shiver and ripple.

The flames arose from below, swirling about the vortex’s edge like a mighty twister from Hades.

The darkness coalesced before the moon and formed a mighty beam of negative energy, a hammer from Heaven.

The two forces met at the level of the alicorns. The resulting magical eruption shattered the land below, a mighty wave of power forming in the sky and sending the clouds away in a massive circle. The Princesses were consumed within the magical energies, sent flying uncontrollably amongst the torrents and eddies of a ethereal hurricane that neither of them could control or fight.

Below, the great beast known as Riptide stirred from its slumber to gaze up in curiosity, the great blast little more than a wind to its face.

Luna’s world was pain. She had no concept of direction or orientation; she merely knew that she was falling. She hit solid ground, the jolt stunning her. For a long time all she could do was lay there in a daze, body gradually recovering from the pain. The intensity of the magical eruption had been so fierce it had actually paralyzed her. Her vision was gone, her hearing filled with a distinct shrieking noise, and even her thoughts were frozen in the understanding of the power that had been used this night. For the first time since the war against Silma, she’d tapped into her most potent magical reserve, and the impact was beyond even her comprehension.

The winds died, the energies dissipated. Slowly, so very slowly, the pain began to subside to a mere tingling. Her vision cleared to reveal a crystal-clear night sky, the stars twinkling beautifully about a bright moon. The shrieking in her ears subsided, replaced with a stark silence that reminded her eerily of the moonscape.

And then there was Celestia. The Princess appeared in the night sky, floating down slowly to land nearby. She was huffing, the intense magic having taken a toll on her as well. But she still stood; somehow she had managed to avoid at least some of the sheer ethereal power they’d unleashed, though Luna could not fathom how.

Her elder sister glared down at her, red eyes sinister and condemning. “You… you put up a magnificent fight…” Celestia whispered. She approached, barely able to keep on her hooves. “Father would have been proud… of your masterful abilities. But… it ends here, Luna!” She dropped to her knees before her prone sister, who couldn’t muster the energy to resist as Celestia lowered her horn to her throat. “I will send you back to… to the moon for another thousand years. Perhaps when you… return next time you… will know better than to challenge… Silma.”

Luna stared up at her sister, serenely calm. “I will never submit to Silma again.”

“Then you will never return to Equestria,” Celestia whispered, having finally recovered her breath. “I am sorry it had to be this way, Luna. I truly wished for us to serve Silma together. I still cannot believe that you would dare to challenge me on your own.”

Luna let out a light laugh, which made Celestia sit up and glare at her. “Clearly you weren’t listening from before,” Luna declared quietly, a soft smile on her lips. “I was never alone, Celestia.”

The Princess of the Sun, utterly confused, tilted her head and asked, “What do you-“

Abruptly both their horns sparked, a sharp pain running through them. To Luna it was a welcome signal. To Celestia it was like an alarm, her eyes going wide in startled understanding. “The Stone… it’s here!” She looked down at Luna in amazement. “But you’re here… when did you find it?!”

“I told you, dear sister,” Luna explained, finally able to roll off her back and to her stomach, “I have allies. They’re at the castle right now.”

“You mean…?” Celestia thought on this for a few seconds, and then her expression grew alarmed. “Silma. No-!” She turned South, wings beginning to spread… and something was clamped onto her horn.

Celestia paused, staring mutely at Princess Cadance in an uncomprehending stupor. She slowly reached up and felt the metal on her horn, the same magic-negating cone Cadance had worn on their trip from the Crystal Empire. Comprehension dawned upon her face… and then horror. She let out a terrified scream just before Cadance, her face the epitome of rage, fired a small pink orb that struck her in the chest. The orb abruptly expanded, completely encasing Celestia within, and violent energies began to broil about. Celestia’s cry of horror turned to shrieks of agony as she wreathed and struggled for freedom, to no avail.

A few seconds later the bubble popped, and Celestia fell to the ground in a trembling, shivering lump.

“That,” Cadance whispered, “is for backstabbing me, and trying to offer me as a gift to Archon.”

Luna gave Cadance a critical look. “I am not sure that was necessary.”

Cadance’s answer came in a cool, uncaring tone. “She nearly killed my husband. Even I have limits to what I am willing to tolerate.” She concentrated, and a large bottle of potion appeared in a puff of pink smoke at her side.

Luna, slowly rising, eyed it with a feeling of calm satisfaction. “I see Fleur dis Lee handled her part of the plan. You are caught up on the situation, I presume?”

Cadance nodded, expression firm. “Remind me to thank Fine for including my rescue in his overall scheme. Now,” she turned to Celestia once more, “about you.”

Celestia, on her knees before them, raised her head in alarm with terror in her eyes. “C-Cadance! You don’t understand, I-I had to! We have to join with Silma, it’s the only way!” The Princess of Love approached, eyes threatening. Celestia tried to use her magic, a soft glow appearing under the cone on her horn, but could manage nothing. She crawled back, reaching up to try and push the cone off, but it was of course sealed on tight. “P-please! Luna is the enemy, you must believe me!”

“You come to my lands,” Cadance snarled, her voice growing steadily louder with each word, “feign friendship, strike me from behind, severely injure my husband, seal away my magic, trap me in a bird cage, cart me off like luggage, attempt to sacrifice me as a slave to Archon, and you expect me to think Luna is the villain?!”

Celestia, realizing she couldn’t talk her way out of her situation, scrambled to her hooves and made to fly away, but Luna, at last possessing enough strength to move properly, blocked her path. “You will not escape us, sister!”

She fired off a spell, striking Celestia in the chest with a small beam of energy that knocked her onto her back. A dark glow covered her, pinning the Sun Princess down as she kicked and squirmed for freedom. “Silma! Archon! Anypony, help me!”

“Goddess,” Cadane whispered in disgust, forcing the tall bottle into Celestia’s mouth. “I can’t wait until she returns to her old, serene self. This version of her is grating.”

“I agree,” Luna announced, the two sitting next to one another to watch. “Having my real sister back will be most welcome.”

She held Celestia in place for some time. After a few minutes the Sun Princess began to howl and struggle against her magical bonds. Convinced the potion was working, Luna released the spell and let her sister be. Celestia tightened into a fetal ball, tears in her eyes as she babbled nonsense. Luna recognized the behavior; she’d been very much the same when she’d been cured. Cadance shifted anxiously, clearly disturbed by what she was seeing, but Luna only waited patiently.

It took several minutes for Celestia to calm down, and when she did she wept like a newborn filly. After a while she raised her head and looked around, sniffling and rubbing the tears from her eyes. “I… I’m free. Thank the Goddess, I’m me again!” And then her eyes locked on Luna, who smiled happily at her… and Celestia began to tear up once more.

“Welcome back, dear sister,” Luna whispered happily.

“Luna…” Celestia gained a pained expression. “Oh, dear, sweet Luna! I am so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?!”

Luna knelt down next to her sister, mildly surprised at this behavior. “Celestia… you know you are not responsible for what Silma-“

“I don’t mean that.” Celestia came forward to hold Luna in a tight embrace. “A thousand years. You are right, I should have trusted you more. Your hatred… I can think of nothing more justified!”

Luna felt tears welling in her eyes; at last, at long last, her sister understood. She rubbed her affectionately, a small smile on her lips. “Oh Tia, I do not hate you. I was angry, true, and there was more than a little truth to the words I spoke tonight, but I do not hate you.”

Celestia sniffed, her tone miserable. “I… After what I’ve done… Perhaps I do deserve to be exiled to the sun for a thousand years. I am so, so sorry, Luna. And Cadance!”

Cadance, who was standing a respectable distance away, smiled and raised a silencing hoof. “You don’t need to say anything, Celestia.”

“But I do!” She pulled away from Luna to give them both a wretched look. “Even if I wasn’t in control of my actions, what I did to you is unforgivable!” She bowed her head and removed her crown, staring at it with tears in her eyes. “I’m not even certain I deserve to be Princess…”

“Don’t say that,” Luna ordered sharply, setting a hoof on the crown and looking her sister in the eye. “I told you: Equestria needs the light and the dark if it is going to survive. You made a terrible mistake, Tia, but you of all ponies should know that the best way to make up for it is to work with what you have. You are the ruler of the Equestrian day; you have a lot to work with.”

Celestia considered these words, then gave her a weak smile. “You are very wise, my sister. I wish I’d had your council these past thousand years.” Slowly, she set the crown back upon her head. But then she gave her fellow Princesses a worried look. “Yet Silma Ril has the Life of Earth and the Light of Day. By now she may even have the Shades of Night. How are we to stop her?”

Luna and Cadance shared knowing smiles. Luna helped her sister stand, confidence brimming in her expression. “Soon Silma will be stripped bare of her greatest assets. A plan is in motion, dear sister, and we have but one more part to play.

“Join us, and we will take back our Equestria.”

Author's Note

Lightning Dust vs. Rainbow Dash
An aerial battle between two pegasi sounds awesome, but when it comes down to it it's not so easy to write. Even so, I'm rather pleased with the overall results. Also: a major battle featuring Rainbow Dash and no sonic rainboom? I think the Holy Book of Faust names that as one of the Great Heresies. I didn't want to be a heretic.

Lightning Dust is a favorite of mine in this group, considering all she's gone through. Her potential sacrifice was planned from the moment I first conceived of this battle, but I'm still seriously debating whether or not the effect will be permanent or the muscle will heal. Opinions?

At any rate, I wanted Lightning to give more than anyone in this fight. Aside from Luna (and arguably Fine Crime), she had the biggest challenge. Defeating Rainbow Dash was a big request, and I wanted it to be clear that Lightning was outmatched in every way. To willingly face her old rival, to face inevitable defeat against an opponent faster, stronger and more talented than you, and still pull off a victory through a potentially life-changing self-sacrifice? That's the stuff of which heroes are made.

Upper Crust vs. Twilight Sparkle
Out of all the characters on Luna's team, Upper Crust has shown the most growth and improvement, and I am proud of that. She went from having absolutely no likable traits in the show to... well, this. And finally grasping the true power of her estimation talent, to be able to see and understand how spells beyond her normal capacity might function and be cast! It's the ultimate magical gift, granting her the capacity to be one of the most powerful mages in Ponydom. When Fine noted in Book I that she had potential, this is exactly what I was talking about.

Upper Crust has grown into someone who is confident, resourceful, intelligent, fast-thinking, and powerful. It was slow-going, but she's at last reached the level of greatness I was after. Once her full potential was unlocked, Twilight didn't stand a chance. And the Shades of Night? Icing on the cake. The fact that Fine was willing to give the most powerful weapon in their arsenal to Upper Crust to help in her fight is just one more sign of how far she's come.

Luna vs. Celestia
I knew from the get-go that there was no doing this battle justice. It simply isn't possible. It could have been a lot longer, too, but I learned long ago that people get tired of reading battles with surprising swiftness, no matter how awesome the battle might be. Even so, I'd like to think I at least made the fight interesting enough to warrant acceptance as something that could happen between the sisters, should they ever come to blows.

And yet, even though I adore Luna, I remain convinced that Celestia is the superior battlemage. Having it this way wasn't just a method for achieving a little drama, I actually believe Luna is outmatched by her sister. Having Cadance show up to save the day at the last moment was part of the plan all along, and defeating Celestia with the very tool she used to capture Cadance was the perfect way to put an instant end on what could have been another long, drawn out battle (that Cadance never could have won).

There are only two things that concern me: first, that Cadance did a revenge hit on Celestia, which I'm certain people will flag as out of character, and second, Celestia's emotional breakdown after being cured, for the same reason. In Cadance's case, I'm thinking that even she has limits, and I imagine having Shining Armor seriously hurt would be one of those limits. Regarding Celestia... regal and calm as she's always depicted, even she has to have her emotional breaking point. I would think her guilt towards Luna, especially after finally being faced with the consequences of her actions a thousand years ago, would do the trick.

But wait, we're not done! I've got something special planned for the next chapter.

Time to see what's in the box.

Reunions

Silma was sitting atop the castle’s wall, enjoying what she considered a spectacular light show. She could sense the immense power in the distance, and appeared to be taking great pleasure out of it. She was disappointed when it ended, though very curious to see which of the sisters had won. Probably Celestia; she’d always been more prodigious.

She saw no reason to wait for the results. Their petty squabbles were beneath her attention… though they made for nice entertainment now and again. She turned to make for the stairs, prepared to go back to bed…

And then she felt the familiar blast of magic. It resonated within her horn so intensely that she was actually pained by it! She came to an abrupt stop, cringing at the sensation, but her heart was leaping into her throat.

“Archon!” She jerked about, eyes falling upon the castle library. “It’s here!” She opened her shimmering wings and launched off the wall, flying down to the library entrance as swiftly as she could manage. In the back of her mind she knew that something was wrong; how could the Shades of Night be here, in the castle? If it had been hidden here, then surely somepony over the centuries would have found it.

But Luna was out there, fighting her sister. If she hadn’t found it, who had?

She landed in the grass and galloped for the closed doors, her two gemstones following closely behind. There was a flash of light, and Archon appeared near the doors, face alarmed. “Silma!”

“I know, I know!” The doors flung open at her call, and the two raced inside. “In the library. We must get the Stone!”

They came upon the double doors, the library’s primary entrance. They had been blasted open, a black stain marring the exterior wall. Silma paused at the opening, taking just a moment to examine the wall. The magical residue was so familiar, there could be no doubt as to the source.

“Silma!” She turned to find Twilight on the floor just beyond the doors. She was wreathing as if in agony, clutching at her head with tears in her wide, horrified eyes. “Silma, please, help me!” The self-styled Empress stepped over her and into the library. “P-please, I don’t want to go back!”

“What’s wrong with her?” Archon asked, taking care to walk a wide path around the weeping Twilight.

“She was probably hit by a spell from the Stone,” Silma declared, eyes peering into the darkness. She quietly wondered about the lack of lighting. Why hadn’t the torches been lit?

Archon’s voice was hard, but he couldn’t hide his worry. “I don’t like this, Silma. It reeks of a trap.”

“Anypony that tries to trap me,” she remarked smartly, “would regret it with their souls.” She eyed the unlit torches and, raising the Life of Earth high, concentrated. An instant later the torches all lit up at once with sparking red flames.

“Silma!”

She blinked, shocked to realize that the power of the Stones had suddenly diminished by half. She glanced at the Life of Earth, which sparkled brightly at her, then mentally felt for the Light of Day… and there was nothing. She turned about, confusion in her expression.

And there, standing in the corner of the library with a grin on his face, was Fine Crime, the Stone in his hooves. “Pleasure robbing from ya,” he declared with a wave, black clouds beginning to form around him.

Silma’s eyes flared black, her face contorting in rage at the realization that she, the single most powerful sentient being in existence, had just fallen for something so preposterously simple. “Fiend!!!” A black beam fired from her horn, cutting a thin line through the smoke and the wall beyond… but Fine was already gone.

Another sensation of magic hit her; somepony was using the Shades of Night. She turned on Archon, who fell back at her fury. “Find the Stone! Leave the thief to me!”

She flapped her wings and flew straight up before he could answer. The Life of Earth shined brightly, and the ceiling above her erupted in dust and stone. She rose through the castle and out into the night sky, horn glowing and crystalline body churning with white and black mixes that emulated her fury. “Where are you?!”

“Right here.”

She jerked about to see Fine Crime standing atop a nearby tower, tossing the Light of Day as if it were a mere child’s toy. She let out a furious screech and charged at him, horn sparking with condensed magic. She was halfway there when something flashed past… and her power was gone.

Silma was so startled she forgot to flap her wings, toppling several feet before regaining control. She looked up to see that Fine was gone, and turned rapidly to find that The Life of Earth had disappeared. Horrified, her head swung about in search of who might-

Jimmy Stone. She spotted him flying to the other side of the castle, the Stone in his hooves.

Twice. They’d made a fool out of her, twice in under a minute. She let out a vicious scream – “Traitor!!!” – and began to pursue… but then a blast of yellow energy came down just before her. She had to fight to stop from being struck.

Celestia landed on the roof of the castle just before her. “Celestia!” Silma waved to the pegasus wildly. “The Life of Earth, get it back! I demand you kill that-“

“No, Silma.” Celestia’s voice was firm and confident, her bearing regal as she gazed upon her former mentor. “It is you who shall obey, now.”

Silma stared in bewilderment… then saw Celestia’s eyes. The Princess had been cured. “No… how did you free yourself?!”

“She had help.” She turned about in time to see Princess Cadance land on the wall nearby, her usually pleasant face shadowed by anger. “Your ‘reign’ is at an end, Silma.”

Silma sneered, anger and hatred flashing in her eyes. “So,” she whispered, turning to Celestia darkly, “you failed. I did not know you were so pathetic, Celestia. You could not even defeat this amateur Princess? And to think, I thought you were fighting your sister.”

“She was.”

Silma’s blood ran cold. She spun about to see Luna, landing atop a tall tower nearby to gaze down upon all three of with authority. “Your power is no more. We are free, Silma, and your precious Stones have been stolen, just as they were centuries ago.”

It was at that moment, seeing the confidence in those cyan eyes, that she realized her situation. But Silma wasn’t defeated yet; she simply needed to think. “What happened?” she demanded, hoping to buy time. “How did you break my spell?”

Celestia was the first to answer. “You failed to comprehend the very thing I only just came to grasp. We Princesses rule Equestria, and so you cut off the head of these lands.”

“And in capturing the Elements,” Cadance continued, “you took care of the most powerful weapon in our arsenal.”

“But you neglected my ponies,” Luna declared, voice proud. “Like me, you considered them low, weak, beneath your attention. But even without some powerful weapon such as the Elements, or your Stones, they were a threat.” She flashed a triumphant, satisfied smile. “You neglected my lowly, substandard non-heroes, Silma, and that is why you have lost. They are capable of more than your simple mind can fathom!”

Silma sneered up at her, feeling at once humiliation and rage. Luna’s team? That ragtag, pathetic mish-mash of noponies? She was in this situation because of them? He horn flashed dangerously, and she flapped her wings to rise high. “Even without the Stones, I am still a viable threat to all of you! Let them have the things; they could never learn to use them! I still have Riptide; it can destroy the world, should I wish it! I will face all three of you now, and this time I will not give you any chances. Celestia, Cadance, this night you shall die.

“But you, Luna? You will not die; I shall break you!”

Mane Archon winced as Silma flew through the library’s ceiling with a crash of stone and wood. He glared up at the hole she’d left behind with a grim frown, unable to believe that she’d allowed herself to lose one of the Stones so easily. And that stallion who’d taken it… a spy? An assassin? Clearly he was a pony experienced in keeping hidden.

Archon was impressed.

There was no time to admire; with the loss of one Stone, finding the Shades of Night was more important than ever! He focused on the general area where he’d last felt its magic and teleported, flashing away in a bright light. When it faded he was in a long, dark hallway. He could sense the Stone’s power fading and swiftly climbed the nearby steps. “Where are you?!”

He spotted the pony for an instant, but she disappeared as if she were fog. But… he could sense her direction. Horn flashing, her teleported again, and this time found himself on one of the inner walls of the castle. He saw her running away, looking back to him in alarm and fear with the Stone floating just over her head.

“Give me that Stone!” He gave chase, magically reaching into his coat to pull out a long device with a thin barrel running along its length. He aimed, targeting her head, and pulled the trigger.

The bullet erupted in a blast of fire as soon as it left the barrel. The small explosion made Archon slide to an alarmed stop just as some black clouds formed between him and the retreating mare. A second later, and the stallion who’d stolen the Light of Day was before him, the Stone hovering just over his shoulder.

“A gun.” The stallion raised a curious eyebrow, lips set in a solemn frown. “Haven’t seen one of those in an eternity.” Archon pulled the rifle back, cocking the weapon as he did and glaring at this newcomer.

“Fine!”

The stallion didn’t look back at the unicorn. “Get going, Upper Crust. You still have a job to do.” She gave him one last concerned look before fleeing.

“Fine?” Archon asked.

He nodded, a small smile coming to his lips. “Verity Fine Crime. I am very pleased to meet you, Mane Archon. Your journals were quite fascinating.”

Archon’s eyes flashed dangerously, and he leveled his weapon at Fine once more. “My journals were hidden! They should be dust by now.”

But Fine shook his head. “You should know, sir; the Archons take great pride in their heirlooms. Do you think we’d just throw away the journals of our founder?”

Archon’s jaw dropped. He almost dropped the gun, too, but recovered and aimed once more. “The Archons were destroyed four hundred years ago! I may have been gone for centuries, but I am not ignorant of this world’s history.”

Fine frowned at him ominously. “I'm surprised. Even you couldn’t fathom it?” At Archon’s dark but hesitant expression he sighed. “The Archons were never ‘destroyed.’ We simply faded from public view. Your organization – I’m sorry, my organization – is alive and well. You know, we still call the leader of the Archons the ‘Mane Archon’, in your honor.”

Archon lowered his head thoughtfully, though he kept his eyes locked harshly on Fine. “So… you are the… ‘Mane Archon’?” Fine nodded. “I don’t suppose you’ve come to swear fealty to your founder? The Archons were designed to gain dominance over Equestria!”

“They’ve been repurposed,” Fine noted, and his horn glowed threateningly. “After your disappearance, we were assigned a new task: the protection of Equestria.” He shot Archon an ominous look. “From all its enemies.”

Archon scowled, slowly taking on a more aggressive pose. “I see. Well, I must thank you for keeping the organization intact. After killing you, I think I’ll take it back.”

“Two problems with that plan,” Fine noted. He gestured sideways with a hoof. Archon glanced aside and was surprised to see the walls being stormed by soldiers. “First, the Archons are die-hard loyals of Equestria, and would never allow you back in control.

“And second?” Fine reared back and raised his hoof as if to carry something at his side. Just then a pegasus – Jimmy Stone! – flew overhead, dropping the Life of Earth into Fine’s waiting hoof. “I have some real power on my side.”

Archon watched Jimmy fly a circle with a sensation of combined rage and horror. The traitor!

Jimmy was giving Archon a dark look as he made his way back to the castle’s interior. “Give him hell, Fine!”

“Archon!”

He blinked, recognizing Silma’s furious voice. He turned and was surprised to find the Crystal Empress locked in magical combat with all three of Equestria’s princesses! Lightning flashed from Luna, fiery white beams pulsed from Celestia, White orbs gave chase from Cadance. Silma, visibly struggling to hold off their attacks, shot him a look pure fury. “Get the Stones or we fail!”

Archon knew just then that all their well-paced plans were crumbling.

He turned to address Fine, but was hit by something barely visible, a whisp of air that sent him sprawling. Fine pursued, the Stones glowing as they followed close behind.

Archon knew he was in trouble. He couldn’t stand up to the Stones. He’d seen what Silma was capable of with them, and he’d never been a potent mage. His mind fought for a solution even as he jerked to his hooves and pulled out a huge sword, his rifle lost in the hit. He charged and swung down, but the weapon clashed against an invisible barrier. The two Stones each fired a lone beam, one after another, that burned him in the sides. He winced, swung the sword back for another attack, and was sent flying once more when the barrier seemed to erupt before him!

It was no use. He knew it was a pointless struggle. How was he supposed to stand up to this threat? Fine was inexperienced in the Stone’s use, but after those two hits it was clear that his inexperience wouldn’t make a difference. He needed time to plan! “Wait!”

A white circle appeared under him, and he was slammed upwards by a powerful magical force. He rose several feet and crashed back to the floor, body screaming in pain. He looked up and saw Fine approaching slowly, eyes menacing. That expression was very familiar to Archon. He’d seen it thousands of times in his life, in his work. Fine wasn’t the kind of pony to waste time; he was going for the kill, right now.

“Wait…” Archon retreated, trying to think of something to hold this opponent off. “You can’t use them, they’ll drive you mad! Like they did Silma. You don’t want-”

He fell on his back, just barely avoiding the massive red beam of energy. “W-wait! If you kill me, Riptide will go out of control!” He jumped to his hooves and, with visible effort, worked to control the mind of the beast. The world shook as it responded, raising its massive head high above the castle to emit a furious roar. “You see! It will destroy your precious Equestria!”

Another blast of energy, this one sending him clear over the wall and into the courtyard below. He hit the grass and rolled, mind reeling from the pain.

“I have a contingency plan for your pet,” Fine shouted down to him. “The monster frightens me no more.”

Archon tried to sit up, but couldn’t muster the energy. He gazed up at Fine, who glared down at him from the wall, the two Stones hovering over his shoulders. “But… it could kill thousands of ponies! Hundreds of thousands! You can’t fight it, you can’t kill it!”

“I would rather a hundred thousand ponies die before I let millions be subjected to your rule.”

Those words sealed Archon’s fate, and he knew it. If Fine was the kind of pony willing to make sacrifices like that, he didn’t stand a chance. All his potential bargaining chips were gone. Archon had but one option left, and it was one he was afraid to try. Yet, as he gazed towards Silma and saw her fighting, he understood that it was their only chance.

He reached down and lifted the necklace from around his neck, horn glowing as he prepared to open the box. He could only pray his soul would survive...

Fine could not believe the sheer, unbridled power he possessed! He couldn’t imagine how it might feel to have all three Stones! But he couldn’t risk it, not yet. It didn’t matter, anyway; Archon couldn’t defeat him with one Stone, much less two. He would finish off Archon, and then Silma. And then…

He glanced up at the monster hovering far overhead, at its massive fangs and menacing yellow eyes, and felt a shiver run down his back. Riptide, that was what they called it. He wondered about its relation to the Nilgiri myth. God or no, he had a plan for it… but not until he’d covered all the bases. The rest of his team had done their parts; the rest was up to him.

He heard screaming. He turned back to Archon, eyes going wide at the sight of the black, smoky tendrils that were wrapping about his enemy. He’d opened the box… and something was consuming him.

Fine Crime felt a moment of inexplicable fear; he didn’t know what Archon had unleashed, but he knew it had to be stopped before it could begin! His red sword appearing over him, he leapt from the wall and dropped, using the Stones to propel him down for the attack. He would kill the bastard now, before he could finish what he’d begun!

He landed within a second, but just as he was about to strike Archon rose. An incredibly long, thin blade appeared and swung; Fine blocked, and was sent flying! He had to use the Stones to keep from smashing into the castle wall. He landed and looked up in alarm.

Archon was… no longer Archon. He was taller, his mane longer, his face harder. He stumbled, observing himself with soft green eyes that literally glowed. He raised a hoof and studied it, as if not knowing what it was.

Fine took a cautious step forward, not sure what to make of this behavior. “Archon?”

The stallion gave him a calm but uncertain look. “No… I’m… something else?” He turned a full circle, taking in their surroundings. “I am… I don’t know. This place… I know it, like the fleeting edge of a dream.” He sounded confused, but also very certain of himself. As if he didn’t understand what was around him, and yet knew he could handle his own ignorance.

Fine didn’t like it. He leveled his glowing sword at the stallion once known as Mane Archon, the Stones behind him flashing. “State your intentions!”

The stallion turned to him, face solemn as he observed Fine. “My… intentions.” He considered for several seconds… then gained a slow grin. He reared back his head in a slow, methodical motion, and his long horn fired a dark line of shadow into the sky. As soon as he did, clouds began to roil and churn together, blotting out the stars.

Fine prepared himself, this sudden display of power worrying him. He’d not planned for anything like this...

“A part of me wants to rule this world,” Archon admitted softly, a calm smile on his lips. “It tells me to conquer, to dominate, to manipulate.”

Fine sneered, his sword swinging threateningly. “I won’t let that happen.” Yet even as he spoke, he hesitated; there was a sense of alien strength to this stallion, a kind of power he’d never felt nor heard of.

“You won’t have to,” Archon announced, his long, thin blade coming down to aim at Fine. “I don’t want a world as pathetic as this. I must start life anew in another world. But first…”

Fine tensed. “But first?”

Archon closed his eyes, as if to think on his answer. It was a very deliberate, patient motion. “I need to rid this one of the vermin.”

The sword dropped low and sliced up, and to Fine’s alarm a wave of earth and air rushed at him! The Stones flashed, and he leapt high to dodge the-

Archon was in his face, sword flashing! Fine was barely able to block, grunting with the jolt of being knocked through the air a second time. He used the Stones one more to slow down and-

Archon was below him, a smug smile on his ever-calm face. Fine let out a shout in alarm as that impossibly long sword slashed, and again, and again! The weapon came at him in a flurry, and it was all he could do to keep up. Archon’s strikes were so rapid and strong they were literally keeping Fine in the air with each parry.

Fine snarled and used the Stones to gain altitude. Once high enough he aligned them side-by side before him and conjured up a massive green and yellow beam that seared a hole in the ground, but Archon had already dodged. Archon’s four hooves hit the wall as if it were floor and kicked off, sending him flying directly for Fine!

Fine, not having time to recover from his attack, desperately summoned up a collection of glowing red knives, which flew at Archon. The villain knocked them away with one swing of his sword, not even slowing down. Panicking, he jerked the unicorn-bladed knife from around his neck and used it to block the attack.

Once more Fine flew through the air, barely able to hold on to the Stones with his mind. He slammed into something soft and started to fall, but was caught up by somepony. He looked up and was surprised to see Princess Celestia. “Fine? What are you-“

Archon appeared overhead and swung. On instinct Fine summoned another sword to block the attack, but the force of the hit made him and Celestia drop like rocks.

Celestia was able to recover and land, keeping Fine from hitting the ground hard.

“Archon!” They looked up to see Silma approaching Archon, who was somehow able to stay in the air despite having no wings. “What happened to you? Never mind, we must-!” She reared back in alarm as he took a swing at her. “Archon! What are you doing?!”

“Giving you a gift.” Another slash. “The same gift I’m giving the rest of this worthless world.”

“That isn’t Archon,” Celestia noted gravely.

“I gathered.” Fine glared up at the villains, anger filling him; this wasn’t going at all according to plan, and he hated when that happened. As Silma was forced to retreat in the face of her former ally’s shocking strength, Luna and Cadance hovered about, clearly at a loss for what to do.

But Fine had the Stones.

“Please stick to the plan,” he told Celestia in a tone that brooked no argument. “I can handle him.”

The Princess clearly had her doubts. “Are you certain?”

He gave her an ominous look. “I am certain.”

He concentrated, lowering his body and focusing as intently on the Stones power as he could. Something sparked on his back, then a dim light began to form over him. The light divided, stretched, reformed… and in a flash it had formed into glowing, aural wings. Celestia took a step back, eyes wide, as Fine leapt, new wings flapping to hold him aloft. “You! You’ll have to deal with this vermin, fist!”

Archon paused in his assault against Silma, who was barely holding on, and turned to look down at Fine as he approached. “Oh? Consider yourself a hero?”

Fine poured his concentration into his attack, and when Archon dropped down to meet him he summoned up his red sword and parried… and this time he didn’t go flying. “Everyone tries to be a hero at some point.”

Archon gave him a small, impressed smile, eyes glowing dangerously. “I know.”

Upper Crust watched the fights with an intense focus. She was amazed at how much information she was gathering just by watching the different ponies in their different attacks. Silma had nearly been killed by Archon – or, somepony who used to be Archon – but now she was once more locked in magical combat with the Princesses. Watching them fight had, at first, been an awe-inspiring moment; to see the Princess of Equestria going all out against an Alicorn who, if it was to be believed, was actually keeping them at bay? It was the stuff of legends!

But all that was dwarfed by the resumed duel between Archon and Fine. Fine had the Stones, and by now she thought she had a good estimate of how powerful they really were. But Archon… his was a magic she’d never seen before, and so she had no way to gauge its power. What was it, where had it come from? And why wasn’t he Archon anymore?

She winced as Fine was sent rocketing away, just barely able to conjure up a shield around himself before slamming into and through the castle wall. Archon flew in after him, leaving Upper Crust to fret over the possibilities. Was it possible that, via this new power, one pony could be more powerful than Silma’s Stones?

She turned to study the Shades of Night. If she could just grasp its full potential. Fine hadn’t expected to have to use the Stones like he was, he didn’t really know how to. She knew, by what she’d seen so far, that he was making it up as he went, learning the Stones abilities a little bit at a time. She needed to learn more, and immediately!

“Upper Crust!” She looked up to see Jimmy flying down to her with a relieved look. “Am I glad to see you. Help me get Lightning!” She followed his gesture and spotted Lightning Dust, lying unconscious atop the castle roof. She was dangerously close to the fight between Silma and the Princesses.

“I’ll get her,” Upper Crust agreed. “Meet me in the tower with the others.” She focused on the Stone and a moment later was standing beside Lightning. She had to brace herself to keep from falling on the steep roof, but was able to stay on. She bent over and brushed Lightning’s windswept mane from her eyes… and was surprised to find her sleeping with the most peaceful expression she’d ever known.

She stared to lift Lightning, ready to use the Shades of Night to teleport the both of them to-

The roof erupted in a shower of electric sparks, stone and tile! The force of the blast sent both of them over the edge, Upper Crust just barely having the time to notice Fine and Archon flashing through the hole, their weapons clashing so fast and hard they were a blur of sparks! She held Lightning close and focused as hard as she could on the tower…

She and Lightning hit the floor of the tower’s highest undamaged level with a loud ‘smack.’

“Upper Crust!” Octavia was at her side, helping her up. “Thank Goddess, you had me terrified for a moment.”

“Ooh,” Nye noted, kneeling beside Lightning. “I’m glad she wasn’t awake to feel that.”

“Are you okay, Uppity?”

She turned and let out a horrified scream at the sight of her husband. “Jet!” She ran to him, but resisted giving him a hug. She looked him up and down, alarmed at the burns on his body. “W-what happened? Oh Goddess, your horn…”

He winced when she touched it, and she jerked her hoof away. “It’s okay,” he told her, managing a smile through the pain. “I’m sure it’ll heal up, right?”

She frowned, a spark of anger coming to her. “I shouldn’t have let you come. I told you it was dangerous, Jet!”

“No time,” Jimmy called as he landed amongst them. “We have to get out of here! The Princesses can’t fight and watch us at the same time, and I don’t think that guy Fine’s fighting is going to be picky about collateral damage.”

“He’s right,” Octavia noted seriously. “We’ve all done what we were supposed to do. It’s time we retreated and let Fine and the Princesses finish this.”

Upper Crust nodded. “Agreed. Where are the Element Bearers?”

“Applejack and Rarity went to get Pinkie,” Nye replied, working to lift an unconscious Rainbow Dash. “Fluttershy went to find Twilight. A little help?”

“Here,” Octavia offered, taking Rainbow’s opposite side.

“I’ve got Lightning,” Jimmy offered, easily lifting her off the ground.

Upper Crust turned to Jet. “You go. I’ll catch up later.”

Everypony paused to stare at her in alarm.

“Later?” Jet shook his head, wincing at the pain of the motion. “Come on, Uppity, we need to leave now! It’s too dangerous.”

“No, Jet,” she declared with force. “I’m staying. Fine might not be able to handle this new Archon, and I have the Shades of Night. If he has trouble, I’ll have to help.”

“That’s not your job,” Octavia snapped. “We save the Element Bearers, Fine handles Archon, the Princesses finish Silma. That’s what we agreed to.”

“Fine didn’t count on Archon becoming… whatever he is,” she argued, unmoving and confident. “Things aren’t going according to plan. I’m staying.”

“Do you see what’s going on up there?” Nye asked in frustration.

“And don’t forget Riptide,” Jimmy noted with significantly more calm than his twin. “If it’s true the monster will go wild once Silma or Archon is defeated, who’s to say it won’t make Canterlot its first target? Nopony can stay here, Upper Crust!”

“I know the risks,” she assured them. “It’s worth it.”

“Uppity!” Jet held her cheeks in his hooves, fear etched in his expression. “You don’t have to stay behind! You’ve done enough. You’ve proven yourself to everypony here, I’m sure of it. You don’t have to fight anymore!”

“Yes, I do,” she told him, and at last her harsh expression broke. “Don’t you understand, Jet? This isn’t about proving myself to anypony, not anymore. I’m doing this because it needs to be done. I believe I can help Fine, and if he needs it then I must act. It’s about responsibility.”

Jet stared at her, sadness and worry in his eyes… but at last he stepped back. “Okay, Uppity. Okay… but promise me you’ll be okay.”

“I promise.” She turned to the others and saw that they, too, understood. “All of you, be safe.”

“You too,” Octavia answered, and the others nodded their agreement.

She watched them leave. Jet was the last to go, limping behind and giving her a worried look. She shot him her most comforting smile, and he tried to smile back for her. It was a nice try, at least. And then he was gone.

Upper Crust took a deep breath, preparing herself for the task ahead. With a moment’s concentration, she teleported to a nearby wall. Almost immediately, she spotted Fine and Archon above the city, weapons clashing brightly in the night. She noted the Stones Fine was using, and how he was wielding their power to enhance his speed, reflexes and strength to match his opponent's. It had to be taking a serious toll on his body.

She dropped to her haunches and thought on the Shades of Night, which floated down into her waiting hooves. “Alright,” she whispered, staring at its smooth crystalline surface, “let’s see if I can figure you out.”

The clash of their weapons sent red and white sparks through the darkness, illuminating the rooms of the building. Fine and the former Archon were literally flying through hallways and rooms, bouncing off walls and dealing ridiculous damage to the structure.

Fine’s body was filled with a dull, constant burning. He’d quickly learned to use the Stones to enhance his physical abilities and keep up with his mysteriously superpowered opponent. But he could feel it which every jump, every parry and swing, every flap of his magical wings. His body couldn’t take the strain, and if he kept this up for too long he would be in serious trouble. But if he didn’t focus all his energy on keeping pace with Archon, he would lose.

On the other hoof, Archon – or the pony formerly known as Archon – hadn’t even broken a sweat! He was always moving just a little bit faster, always attacking with a touch more strength. Worst of all, he always seemed so damned smug! He wasn’t even using any magic, unless you counted his strange ability to fly; just his sword, his strength and his speed. It was almost humbling.

“You’re stronger that I expected,” his opponent noted calmly between attacks, effortlessly dodging Fine’s lunge. The two bounced from wall to wall, weapons clashing with each pass as they moved through the dark hallway. “Perhaps there’s something worth taking from you, after all.”

Fine gritted his teeth as he blocked a trio of lightning-quick slashes. “You already plan to take the world.” He was upside down on the ceiling, and the two met once more in the air. “What else would you take?!”

His opponent was able to knock him back, and he crashed through a window. He fell a few stories before clumsily catching air with his wings and righting himself. How did pegasi make it look so easy? He looked up and let out a shocked sound as an entire floor of the building seemed to shatter at once, and a moment later it was falling down towards him. Archon was standing patiently in one of the windows as the building fell, watching Fine with a smile.

Fine let out a snarl and flapped his wings, rising up to meet him. Archon dove out of the window just as it went horizontal, the room he’d been in erupting in a shower of stones and furniture.

“Tell me what is precious to you,” Archon whispered, his voice barely discernible above the clash of their weapons and the noise of the collapsing building. The two were knocked apart, Fine landing on the side of the building and Archon on a large chunk of outer wall. Another large piece of the structure fell between them, and Fine leapt for it, hoping to surprise his opponent.

The hunk of masonry gained three long red cuts, shattering into pieces as Archon came streaking through the debris! Fine let out a surprised shout and blocked the attack, only to take a rapid one-two kick that sent him sprawling back to smash into the side of the building. Pain tore through his body, but he was able to recover and leap away into the night and away from the collapsing building before Archon to deliver the follow-up blow.

“I don’t understand anything you’re saying,” he cried as he jumped from wall to wall across the buildings, making his way back to the castle. “I don’t even know where you came from!”

Archon flew through the buildings with phenomenal speed, meeting Fine in midair and exchanging slashes with him. Fine focused harder on the Stones, struggling to push more speed out of his body, to give him mind the reflexes necessary to keep up!

“I don’t recall,” Archon noted, deftly deflecting blow after blow. “My origins don’t matter. All that matters is that another rotten world stands in the way of my glory.”

A well-placed upward slice sent Fine flying, unable to handle the sheer strength of the hit. He recovered, straightened and met the lunging upwards attack, panting as his body ached from the effort. He couldn’t keep this up. Why wasn’t the bastard showing some kind of fatigue?!

His plan had failed. He was supposed to have defeated Archon within seconds, but now it looked like he was going to lose. He just couldn’t fathom how his enemy could stand up to the Stones!

His couple seconds of thought was all it took for Archon to land a real blow, his blade slicing through Fine’s shoulder. Fine cried out and struggled to focus, to maintain his speed. His body was practically on fire from the intensity of what he was putting his body through! One more slash, just one good hit, it was all he needed!

He wouldn’t get it; he raised his magical blade up to block a downward slash, and it shattered. Archon swung his weapon back and struck Fine in the chest with the hilt of his sword, sending him crashing down to Earth. Fine closed his eyes and concentrated, heart hammering, body screaming in pain, struggling to use his magical wings to recover…

He hit the roof of a building, smacking the surface so hard he cracked the concrete. He let out a pained shout, wings breaking like glass and fading away. The Stones dropped like mere rocks beside him; he was too weak to wield them anymore. He could only lay there, huffing in pain unable to move.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Archon land lightly next to him, that long sword aimed at his chest. He stared along it to Archon’s face – that long, strong, confident face that didn’t fit the Archon he’d first met.

“You disappoint me,” Archon note in his calm manner that was almost pleasant. “I guess you’re no hero.”

Fine tried to raised his head to answer. “I was never cut out for being a hero, anyway.”

Archon smiled slowly, weapon rising above his head to strike. “Everything will return to whence it came. Do not worry. You will see my glorious future.”

Fine looked up at that blade and felt his heart stop. In that moment, he saw everything. His mother in the sea, laughing with Kit, earning his cutie mark, killing Sugarcube, becoming an Archon, reuniting with his father,meeting Luna, defeating Sombra, being strapped to a rack, the moment of freedom. And Fluttershy. Suddenly, for reason he couldn’t fathom, but with emotion that brought tears to his eyes, the thought that he’d never see her again…

The sword began to fall-

-and Fine’s world became a shimmering black.

He stared up at the heated beam of condensed energy, the hair on his coat and mane rising up as if drawn to it. He saw Archon’s body consumed in the blast, a barely-discernible pony shape that rapidly shrank and faded until there was nothing left.

Then the beam was gone, and so was Archon. Tiny black spots of magical residue arose along a line above him. Fine stared at that line, unable to believe what he was seeing, and slowly traced it back to the castle.

Upper Crust. She was leaping excitedly, shouting and hollering triumphantly at him, the Shades of Night glowing brightly before her. He gaped at her for several seconds, then let his head drop to the ground, breathing an intense sigh of relief.

Maybe this plan would work, after all.

A second later, his moment of pleasure was clouded by an intense rumbling that shook the building, and an ear-splitting screech of horror.

Author's Note

First off, let me just say that I know Archon's change seems completely out of left field. I know many will probably disapprove. BUT I actually laid down a number of hints regarding his true nature from the very beginning. Granted these hints were intentionally vague, so I wouldn't be surprised if nobody caught on.

Let's see if anyone recognizes who Archon just became. I think it's obvious, but then, I'm writing the story.

I wanted the fight between Archon and Fine to be much longer and significantly more dramatic. But then I realized that every time I try to do that I end up with people whining because my fight scenes are too long. So yeah, much shorter fight this time.

We're winding down to the finale. That's a problem, because I don't know for sure how to really end the story. More importantly, I have always been of the firm view that my endings suck, so I'm kinda dreading that moment.

Next chapter is going to go a little differently from what I originally envisioned... but I don't think that's a bad thing.

The Serpent

Stickin Stone was at the cemetery, standing silently over Sweet Dream’s grave, when the tremors hit. The force of the shaking was so intense that he dropped to his knees and had to struggle to keep from falling down. He looked around in alarm; tree were swaying, gravestones were cracking, and ponies were fleeing for shelter. First the night went on too long, and now this!

Something terrible had to be happening; Manehatten didn’t get earthquakes.

The shaking did not stop, and a thunderous sound began to fill his ears. Ponies were screaming. He noted the direction they were all pointing and turned to see the city beyond the park… and gasped: buildings were falling. A massive wave of ocean came across the land, a vast shape within sweeping over the city.

Stickin’s mind was numb at the impossibility of what he was seeing. The wall of water would come upon a building, enveloping up to thirty stories at a time in its glimmering sheath. Then the massive, dark thing within would hit, and the bottom of the structure would literally shatter from the impact. But it was not one building. It was thousands, all at the same time.

The ponies around him began to flee in terror. He hardly noticed them. His intensely logical mind was so busy trying to grasp the reality of what he was seeing that running didn’t even cross his mind. Even as the water began to wash over the park, he didn’t flee.

He couldn’t recover. There was no recovering from something like this. He had just a moment – a split second of understanding – to think on his sons.

And then the water hit.

Fleurboard’s breakfast fell with a crash as his entire apartment rocked violently. He held on to his chair for balance, crying out in alarm as it began to slide across the room from the vibrations. Las Pegasus had been through an earthquake or two in his day, but this was ridiculous! Surely it must be some sort of record.

He tried to wait for the shaking to pass, but it only grew worse. The building seemed to swerve from beneath him, and he toppled to the floor painfully. He began to wonder if the building itself could handle this much shaking. Nervous, unable to stand, he did exactly what all the bulletins and public warnings told him never to do: he went to the window. Crawling along, keeping his jaw set to keep from biting his tongue, he made his way along in hopes that he might see the state of things outside. He was at last to the window, though he had to really work to get himself high enough to see out of it.

He stared in awe at the sight. A massive, purple, scaled body came sliding across the desert that surrounded the city. He was just in time to see it literally crushing the outer residential sectors, and was astounded by the sheer size of it! His heart bled for all the ponies who couldn’t have possibly survived.

The snake-like tentacle crashed into the outer skyscrapers and casinos, bowling them over effortlessly. He could hear the screams of the ponies below, could see the masses trying to flee. Pegasi erupted from the streets and buildings, desperately trying to gain altitude and avoid the devastation. Many were carrying ponies with them, friends or loved ones.

None came for Fleurboard.

He felt his chest tighten at the realization that he was about to die. He didn’t try to escape; what was the point? No, he merely sat at the window, the world still vibrating wildly around him. Fleurboard chose to wait, and pray that his son might have a better chance to escape this horrible thing that had come upon Equestria.

The body struck the building, and it began to tip over. As he was sent flying across the room, he tried to reassure himself.

At least now he could finally see his wife again.

The world began to shake, and Benjamina fell to her knees. She’d been in the courtyard of her home, wondering why the sun was still up here in Nildia. She tried to stand, but the ground wouldn’t allow it. She’d been through plenty of earthquakes in her time, but none had ever rivaled this. She was glad to be outside, where it was safer.

But then she looked through the open walkway to the city of Nilhi beyond her hilltop, and her eyes went wide at the site. A snake’s body, impossibly huge, was flattening the city.

Benjamina was a practical unicorn. She didn’t know what she was seeing, but she understood that things would never be the same. She could see the buildings getting crushed under that mass, and knew the loss of life would be phenomenal.

Then she realized that it would be coming over her home, and soon!

Mind frantic, she tried to think of some way to escape this situation. Her servants were fleeing, but that was pointless. What to do, where to go?! The massive body was coming up the hill…

Inspiration hit. She struggled to fight the shaking earth beneath her hooves and literally threw herself into her pond. The water rose over her head, and the chaotic noises went dull. A precious few seconds later, the world went dark.

She gaze upwards, the thunderous noise almost deafening, the water churning all about her. She used her magic to struggle against the motions and keep herself low, knowing that touching that monstrosity would probably be the death of her.

Then there was light, and she burst from the water with a gasp.

Gone. Her home was completely gone, wood and glass and stone scattered across the area in a wide, flattened mess. In the distance, the tentacle rolled on, ignorant of the destruction it had wrought.

Benjamina crawled out of the pond, mind frantic from the reality of what had just happened. Was this a dream? Some sort of twisted, bucked up nightmare? The rumbling lessened, but her mind was so lost in confusion that she couldn’t stand properly. She fell to her knees after a couple steps, staring around at the shattered remains of not only her home, but bits and pieces of things from the city that had been dragged all this way.

She lowered her eyes, trying to think, and that was when she saw the smear. It was wide, long, wet and red. So very red.

Her heart leapt into her throat in understanding of what it was.

And then she thought of her family.

Silma Ril had been attempting to block an attack from Cadance when she felt something happen in her mind. It was almost like an important cord had snapped, and she realized almost instantly what it was. She was so shocked that she lost track of the situation, and took the full force of Cadance’s attack. She flew through the air and smacked the already-damaged roof of the castle, but the pain didn’t matter. Neither did her plans for dominion. At just that moment, nothing mattered.

She flipped to her belly and stared out across the castle, to where a black beam was just beginning to fade. Fine Crime, the stallion he’d been fighting, lay on his back, worn out but alive.

Mane Archon was gone. The connection was gone. The control was gone.

And Riptide was furious.

She let out a piercing scream of terror as she felt the monstrosity break loose of her now-frail bonds on its mind. Already the world was shaking from its anger, and as she turned she heard it emit a roar so fierce it made the roiling clouds above split away. The beast squirmed and flung itself from the castle, rocketing away as if determined to make as much distance between its former captors and itself as possible.

“It’s over, Silma!” Celestia cried, landing before her with authority. Luna and Cadance landed shortly afterwards, all three gazing down at her with menace.

“You fools!” She pounded her hooves furiously. “You have no idea what has just happened. That thing will destroy the world! I can’t control it!”

“Then we will,” Luna declared simply, even as she slipped on the sudden vibrations of the castle beneath her.

Silma leaped to her hooves, mind frantic, eyes wide. “We… we have to find a way. It’s going to kill everypony!”

“You cannot lure us into-“ Cadance began.

Silma turned to her furiously. “Listen to me! We have to stop it. We must work together, it’s our only chance. You cannot fathom the sheer power of that monster!” And she was off, flying through the air at the greatest speed she could muster. “Help me, please!”

She didn’t bother to see if they were following. She chased after the beast, panic and terror in her mind. What good was defeating the princesses and conquering the world when there was no world to conquer?! She gazed down and saw the massive, purple, scaled body writhing below, crushing everything in its way. She knew its size, knew that the monstrosity was now wreaking havoc across the entire planet.

Damn that Archon, how could he have failed? Why had she trusted him to handle any of this? Her utopia of perfect order was about to crumble before her, and there might be nothing for her to do about it!

“Silma!” Celestia appeared at her side, struggling to keep up with the panicked empress. “What do you intend to do?!”

“We must try,” she cried back.

“Try what?” Cadance asked, appearing beneath her.

“To control the beast!”

“We would never combine forces with the likes of you,” Luna declared from opposite Celestia.

The head came into view, making its hasty way to the coast. They rapidly caught up and flew past, into the hilly country to the West. “I wanted to rule the world, not destroy it,” Silma shouted, pushing her wings for more speed. “I am not the greatest threat, anymore!”

They were far enough… she hoped. She dove, the princesses following, to land on a large hill in the beast’s path. “If you want there to even be an Equestria, you will help me!”

Riptide was coming straight at them, its yellow eyes glowing with rage in the distance.

The princesses landed about her, facing the monster. They all took tentative steps back as the world began to shake under its sheer size. “What are we supposed to do?” Cadance asked anxiously.

“Combine our powers,” Silma insisted, standing firm despite the fear tearing through her. “Concentrate on controlling the beast’s mind. We have to control it!”

“Sister?” Luna asked nervously.

“She is right,” Celestia announced, her voice concerned. “Like it or not, the monster must be tamed!”

Silma’s horn glowed darkly, and she concentrated all her energy into Riptide’s mind. A second later and she sensed the power of the princesses, who joined her in the attempt. “Yes, that’s it! Tame the beast!”

Riptide slowed, eyes flashing in fury as it felt the tugs on its mind. It let out a vicious roar and raised its head, writhing wildly against their attempts. Silma pulled relentlessly, desperate to regain control of the monster. It winced, thrashed, cast its menacing gaze upon them. It approached, coming to the bottom of their hill, but Silma refused to flee. She would defeat this thing!

“Silma, it’s too powerful!” Cadance shouted.

“No! We can do this, we must!”

The beast reared up, mouth clamping with a clash of teeth so loud it was ear-splitting. Smoke began to billow from its lips. Silma glared and pressed everything she had into the controlling spell. She could do this!

“Silma…” Luna’s confidence wavered.

Silma let out a frustrated scream, her furious pulls on the monster’s mind meeting indescribable resistance.

“It’s no use,” Celestia called. “Silma, we have to retreat!”

“No!” She glanced back to see Celestia ascending. “You can’t give up!” She looked back to see Cadance already departing. “We have to stop it here!”

“It is a hopeless cause, Silma,” Luna announced fearfully. “Do not throw your life away!” And she was gone, too.

Silma ground her teeth. Cowards, they were all cowards! If they were too scared to succeed, then she would just have to do it herself.

“Foul beast!” She turned on Riptide, who gazed down upon her with pure hatred. “I am Silma Ril, founder of the Crystal Empire, creator of the Elements of Harmony. I controlled you once, I shall control you again! I call upon you by your true name:

“Jörmungandr! I am Silma Ril! You will obey!”

A vicious hiss sent shivers down her spine, but she refused to back off. Sweat pouring from her face, her horn red hot, black sparks flying, she put everything she had into the magic.

The monster raised its head in a gargantuan bellow, smoke and heat erupting from the depths of its mouth.

“You will acknowledge me! You will obey me!” Her voice was going shrill.

The beast gazed down on her, mouth gaping wide, a bright yellow light growing intensely within its cavernous throat. The air began to radiate with heat, but Silma would not back down!

“Obey!”

The bright yellow beam erupted from its mouth. The intensity was so great that the hill began to disintegrate from the sheer power of the blast.

And then it was over. The hill was gone, replaced by a massive crater in the earth.

Silma Ril was no more.

“Fine!” Upper Crust appeared at his side, helping him to sit up. “Are you okay?”

He groaned and shook his head. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, and his words came out slowly. “Careful, I’m tender.” He gazed out to see Silma and the Princesses speeding away into the night. “Looks like they’re going after it.”

Upper Crust nodded. “Was that part of your plan, too?”

“Not really.”

She hesitated, but then used her magic to offer Fine the Shades of Night. “I did what you asked, and I was able to figure it out. The power of the Stones isn’t infinite, Fine! Even when taken together, there are limits to their power. You can do what you want with them.”

He glanced at the Shades of Night wearily. “And the risk to the mind?”

“It’s a long-term thing,” she said. “For what you intend, there shouldn’t be any side effects.”

He looked up at her with a weak smile. “How do you know what I intend?”

She returned the smile, and abruptly the urgency she'd been feeling was gone. “It’s my special talent to guess things, remember?” She sat and held the Stone, which he hadn’t made any attempt to take. “You want to face Riptide, right?”

He considered her for several seconds, face serious, but then bowed his head with a peaceful expression. “I did, yes. Not anymore.”

She blinked, caught entirely off guard. “What? But, isn’t that the entire reason you wanted me to gauge the power of the Stones?”

He nodded, then slowly lay back down. When he spoke, the exhaustion in his tone seemed far more pronounced. “Yeah, it is. But some things happened I didn’t expect, like Archon being a real beast. Thank you, by the way; if you hadn’t intervened, I’d be dead. I’m spent, Upper Crust. I don’t even have the energy to stay sitting up.”

“Oh…” She glanced up in the direction the Princesses had gone, worry filling her. “Then… what are we supposed to do about Riptide?”

“Not us,” he whispered. “You.”

She turned to him in alarm, eyes going wide. “Me?” He looked absolutely serious. “Oh no. Goddess, no!”

She set the Shades of Night down and waved her hooves at him in a denying motion. “This was your idea! It’s your childhood monster! I… I don’t know if I could…”

“Listen,” he whispered. He raised a hoof, and she took it in both of hers nervously. He looked her right in the eyes, and he was smiling. “This is your moment, Upper Crust. There is nopony else. You know how to use the Stones, and you know exactly what needs to be done to defeat that beast. The Princesses tried to hide the Stones, but that was wrong.

“You have a chance,” he pressed, tugging her down to look her in the eye and emphasize his meaning. “Riptide must be destroyed, and it must happen now. Thousands of ponies could be dying as we speak! Use the Stones, Upper Crust. Face Riptide. As of right now, you are the single most important pony in the world. You’ve earned this moment! Everything you’ve been through has led up to this. The yacht, your husband, your job, Nildia, all of it.

“I believe you can do this,” he concluded, griping her hooves tightly.

Upper Crust was overcome with emotion. How did he know just the right words to use? She felt tears in her eyes, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. This stallion, who had challenged her very existence four years ago, was saying such things! “I… I mean…” She bowed her head, taking a moment to control herself. “What… W-what about you…? I can’t just leave you here.”

He chuckled and lay back once more. “I’m not gonna die, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m just… so… tired.” He waved a hoof feebly at her. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

She stared at him for several seconds, wishing she could put her feelings into words. She just couldn’t think of anything appropriate, so instead she dropped down to give him a tender hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for including me in all of this. You have no idea how much it’s meant to me.”

He returned the hug, legs weak. “You’re welcome. Now go on, you’ve got a snake to kill.”

She stepped back, wiping tears from her face, and used her magic to collect the Light of Day and the Life of Earth. Together with the Shades of Night, they offered her power so great it made her reel. The sheer magnitude of the energies within was staggering! But she had no time to think on what she’d just been given; there was a world that needed saving.

She dropped to her knees and concentrated. It didn’t take long, and soon a massive green light began to engulf her. Within seconds the light had morphed and shifted, until she had a large pair of green, bug-like wings floating just over her back.

Body pulsing in her green aura, wings buzzing eagerly, she cast one last look at Fine. “I promise, I won’t let you down.”

He smiled, and slowly closed his eyes. “I know you won’t.”

She watched him for a little longer, but decided she could waste no more time. Concentrating, she took to the air and flew through the night sky, a green line trailing her path.

She was passing over the serpent’s long, writhing body, dropping the occasional green energy bomb onto it. The attacks weren’t meant to cause any serious damage; she simply hoped to get it angry.

The Princesses appeared in the distance, heading back for Canterlot. She slowed down and allowed them to fly alongside her.

“Upper Crust!” Celestia shouted over the wind. “What are you doing with the Stones?!”

“I’m going to take down Riptide,” she answered with determination.

“What?” Cadance was flying just above her. “But I thought Fine Crime was going to-“

“Fine can’t use the Stones now,” she interrupted. “His fight with Archon was too much. He has asked me to do this in his place.”

“Fine did?” Celestia asked, her doubt clear. “I don’t think either of you understand the danger. The Stones will destroy you if you use them. You mustn’t try.”

“Let us take care of it,” Cadance offered.

“No!” Upper Crust increased her speed, moving ahead of them. “Fine entrusted me with this task, and I will not fail!”

“Upper Crust,” Celestia called out warningly, “listen to us! We are only-“

“Enough, sister,” Luna interrupted, even as she managed to catch up to Upper Crust. She cast a calm, knowing gaze at her. “If Fine trusts you in this, then so will we.”

Celestia caught up, giving her sister a concerned look past Upper Crust. “Luna, are you certain that is wise? You know as well as I what could happen.”

Luna nodded. “I trust Fine’s judgment. He wouldn’t have given her the Stones without good reason, and Upper Crust is far more capable than you know. Believe in my ponies, Celestia!”

Upper Crust gave her an appreciative look, thrilled to have the Princess’s endorsement. She looked to Celestia, who was taking her sister’s words very seriously. “I can handle this, Princess. Please, let me do this!”

“Let her try, Celestia,” Cadance offered, finally catching up. “Goddess knows we don’t have any ideas!”

Celestia eyed Cadance, then cast a serious look at Upper Crust. “We are in this mess partially because I took my sister’s recommendations too lightly,” she confessed. “I have ignored her advise far too many times, and we have all paid the price. I will trust you, Upper Crust. Be careful, and remember: the Stones are dangerous! Do not take them lightly.”

“Thank you, Princess!”

Celestia nodded before banking off.

“Good luck,” Cadance offered before departing, as well.

Upper Crust looked to Luna, who was giving her a firm, but proud, look. “Of all my ponies, none have come so far as you,” she declared. “I have faith in you, Upper Crust, and will be watching from a distance. No matter what happens tonight, rest assured that all of Equestria will be proud.”

And she flew away, leaving Upper Crust with a heart bursting with confidence.

Riptide was crashing its way over a forest when Upper Crust finally caught up. She’d been following the body all this time, and was genuinely astounded at the sheer size of the thing. She was intimidated, but also devoted. She knew what needed to be done… if not just how to do it.

But first? She had to catch its attention.

She glanced at the three Stones, taking a moment to reassure herself, then opened fire with a single wide beam. The magic streaked across the forest, cutting a jagged line in the landscape. When it passed over Riptide’s body it let out a ferocious roar and jerked up at the pain. It’s head raised, she fired a large ball of energy that popped like a bubble upon hitting the back of it, sparks flying about wildly.

The head jerked around to glare at her, yellow eyes flashing dangerously. Upper Crust hesitated at the sight, a moment of real fear running through her, but refused to let up; she poured out literal rain of small red lasers upon the beast’s head! “Come on, you ugly thing! Got some tasty pony for ya, right here!”

The beast let out a furious roar, and she had to respond quickly to avoid getting swatted out of the sky when its body rose high into the air. It began to coil tightly, keeping parts of its body high to swing wildly at her, and for several long seconds she as caught in a dodging game against the building-sized serpent.

She fired violent shots of black lasers from the Shades of Night, dropped massive green energy bombs from the Life of Earth, and kept a constant yellow beam slicing all around via the Light of Day. She knew she wasn’t doing any serious damage, but at least she was getting its full attention.

Soon the serpent’s body was squirming all about like a mass of gargantuan tentacles, each trying to knock her from the sky! She weaved over, under and around them, a veritable maze of purple scales and furious noise. Fear and adrenaline kept her alert, and somehow she was able to dodge every sudden shift and swinging attack, all while keeping the attacks up blindly.

She let out a horrified scream when, out of the pillars and columns of slithering scales, a gaping maw appeared under her! She dodged sideways as the fangs clamped closed, swearing she felt a hair or two of her tail being pulled out. She was sure to release a powerful shot from all the Stones as she retreated, the hit making the monster’s head reel in pain.

“Come on, Uppity,” she shouted to herself, dodging down to avoid another swing of serpentine body. It wasn’t going to attack in the way she wanted! She had to get it out in the open…

Over a wall of scales, around the swaying body, she found herself face-to-face with the monster! It let out a snort, almost like a sneeze, and from its eyes bolts of electrical energy fired off. They hit her in the chest and sent her reeling, green wings flailing wildly. She was able to recover through the Stones despite the pain, but when she looked up a massive shape was coming down to crush her! She dodged, barely avoiding being crushed.

An opening!

She darted up, a yellow and green blur in the sky as she went for the hole in the mass of scales. Riptide saw its prey about to escape and tried to block her path. Upper Crust sped up, eyes tearing from the pressure of the wind against her face. The space was rapidly closing…

She burst into the open night sky!

“Hah!” She flew a quick circle and looked down at the huge mass of writhing purple below. “Let’s see you get me up here!” A pair of tentacles shifted apart, revealing Riptide’s open maw, which was glowing yellow. “Crap!”

She flew out of the way, a massive yellow beam searing the sky where she’d been seconds before. The heat of the beam was so intense she thought her hair might catch on fire! The tentacles squirmed about, and the face was gone once more.

How was she supposed to beat that?!

No, wait… that was exactly what she needed!

“Come on, ya big snake!” She fired a ball of energy down amongst the scales. “Try that again!”

Riptide obliged, it’s face appearing in an entirely new location and blasting another shot of energy at her. She cried out and dodged, sweating from the heat of the beam that curved through the sky in an attempt to catch her. The beast ran out of breath, though, and retreated back among its body.

She knew what needed to happen. It was a huge risk, but if she could get the timing right…

Another parting of scales, another yellow blast. And then another, in a different spot. Then another! With each shot she was able to dodge, but only barely. Yet she was also getting a feel for what to look for. If she got this wrong…

With the fifth shot her tail was literally seared off! It was getting closer to hitting her, and she knew it wouldn’t miss again. But she finally had the motions down, she knew what to look for! At least, she thought she did. Praying she wasn’t making a terrible mistake, she flew high and eyed the mass of scales below. She had to look for just the right motions, make the timing perTHERE!

She did something that, to a bystander, might have seemed like suicide: she threw the Stones. All of them. They sailed through the air, faint magical energy sparking as they gradually grew closer together. Jolts began to fly among them, yellow and green and black shining chaotically in their wake! Upper Crust struggled to control their flight paths and stay aloft at the same time. “Come on, you big ugly thing, open up. Please, open up…”

The tentacles parted, and Riptide was there, it’s massive fangs opened wide and intense yellow heat forming in its throat. The Stones flew into its open mouth, down into that yellow light…

…and touched one another.

Upper Crust was literally blinded by the brightness of the explosion. She covered her burning eyes and felt the unbridled, sheer force of the Stones’ power unleashed in explosive fury! Sensations of heat and cold came over her like shockwaves of the blast, and then a cataclysmic combination of noise and pressure and energy sent her flying into the sky, a stream of magical energy following in her wake.

Her body burned from the concentrated energies. Had she just killed herself? Her mind flashed through a lifetime of uselessness, then to achievement and success. She saw her friends, her enemies, her struggles. She saw her mother and father, her wedding. Jet Set… She saw Jet.

Just as tears began to form in her eyes, she felt herself slowing. Something was tugging on her shoulders, but she couldn’t see for the intense light still in her eyes. Her ears were ringing, but she thought she heard…

“…Crust! Are you alright? I have you, you’re okay.”

Luna.

Though she couldn’t see, she could feel just fine, and clutched a the Princess desperately. “Princess! It burns!”

“You’ll be okay, Upper Crust,” the Princess whispered as they hovered in a world of white. “It will fade soon.”

True to her words, Upper Crust’s vision was already beginning to clear, and though her body still burned, it was now more like being too close to a flame, rather than actually being on fire. She held on tight, cringing against the pain even as she thanked anypony who might listen for the knowledge that she was going to live.

Author's Note

Riptide was originally inspired by Leventhan, the final boss of the awesome RPG Odin Sphere. Leventhan itself was taken from Jörmungandr, the legendary world-eating serpent of Norse mythology. In this rendition, Riptide actually is Jörmungandr, accidentally pulled into the world of Equestria by Mane Archon.

How's that for a final boss?

Two scenes in this chapter were planned since Book I: Silma Ril's ultimate demise, and the defeat of Riptide. Silma's death went more or less exactly as planned. Riptide's did too... except in my original rendition, it was Fine Crime who did the killing. I think it's far more fitting that Upper Crust, the pony who's come the farthest since her very first appearance, should get the final hurrah.

The world's faced a veritable cataclysm. Millions are dead, global infrastructure has been crippled, entire landscapes laid waste. And in one more chapter, No Heroes comes to an end.

Sounds like the perfect setting for potential sequels, no?

To Begin Anew

A month had passed since the crisis, now being dubbed “The Silma Incident”. The citizens of Ponyville and Canterlot returned to their homes, grateful to discover that both the town and city had been spared the destruction. Much of the world had not been so fortunate; entire cities in ruins, smaller nations wasted, millions of ponies killed. Not just ponies, but the griffons, the nilgiri, and all the other races, too. Major seaports had been wiped off the map, leaving naval trade routes unusable and the world economy in a state of freefall. Refugees poured into the more fortunate lands that managed to avoid the devastation, overfilling borders and leading to mass chaos.

Riptide had all but destroyed modern pony civilization.

Fine and Octavia walked the pale halls of Canterlot Castle’s medical wing. Fine wanted to speak up, but he had no words for his companion. She, in turn, was silent, her mind set upon her own troubles. The medical wing wasn’t so bad as the hospitals in the city itself, which were overflowing with refugees. Here everything was quiet and calm and sterile, like a proper medical center.

They came upon the room they’d been seeking, Fine rapping his hoof against the pale door.

“It’s open.”

Lightning Dust’s room was significant for a mere hospital residence. As one of the heroes of the recent crisis, no expense had been spared for her recovery. Fine had spent some time in one of these rooms himself, as had Upper Crust and Jet Set. Pinkie Pie had been released only recently, though all the others had healed much more quickly.

“Hey, guys.” Lightning greeted them with a strained smile. “How’s it goin'?”

“You first,” Fine countered, casting a wary look at Octavia’s frown. “Did they figure anything out, yet?”

Lightning’s smile grew more honest. “Yeah, they did! The doctors think the muscle’s healing properly, so I should be able to fly. They’re keeping me another week before release, though.”

“That’s great news,” Octavia declared, giving their friend a hug. “I’m sure Keen will be thrilled!”

Lightning gained a worried expression as they separated. “How is she? Doing okay with Fluttershy?”

The question had been directed at Fine, who nodded pleasantly. “She’s just fine. Her lessons with Twilight are going well. She really misses you, though. Sorry we couldn’t bring her along.”

“It’s alright,” Lightning replied, though she sagged just a little. “I can’t wait to get out of here. Being cooped up is terrible!”

“So you’ve mentioned,” Octavia noted with a weak smile.

Lightning gave her a curious look. “What about you, Octy? Any news from Nildia?”

Octavia tensed, and for a few seconds she struggled to keep from breaking into tears. “Y-yes…”

Fine rubbed her back soothingly before giving Lightning a sad look. “We found out just yesterday. Benjamina’s okay, but Rochette… he didn’t make it.”

“Oh.” Lightning wilted. “Octavia, I’m sorry…”

“Me too,” she whispered miserably. “But… everypony else is okay… so…”

It seemed nopony had come out of the crisis untouched. Foal Mountains had been hit hard, so some of Lightning’s old friends were gone. Jimmy and Nye learned of their father’s death early on, just as Fine had learned of his own father’s demise. Jet Set and Upper Crust had both lost relatives. The Elements of Harmony weren’t spared, either, losing friends from around Equestria. Applejack had been hit the hardest; entire branches of the Apple family tree had been swept away in the catastrophe.

But they all pressed on. In the chaotic aftermath, there was no other option. Except maybe to give up, but none of them were ready to do that. Everypony was doing his or her part, and though the month had been long and filled with pain, it had also been a time of progress.

And now, something new had come up.

“Luna and Celestia have called a meeting today,” Fine told Lightning. “If you’re up for it, we’re here to fetch you.”

Lightning sighed, relief and sorrow mixing in her expression. “Please, yes! Anything to get out of here for a little while.”

Fine comforted Octavia some more as Lightning got out of her drab hospital attire. She was being unusually cautious about her wing, and even had them wait until a nurse could answer her call and check her bandages, just to be sure, before they left. The risk of never being able to fly again weighed heavily on her mind, and though it took every ounce of willpower not to try and be active, she devoted herself to following the doctor’s orders and keeping rested.

At last, the three of them left the medical wing, Lightning’s midsection in a fresh set of bandages. “So,” she asked them curiously, “what this meeting all about?”

“Don’t know,” Fine admitted. “For once, Luna’s kept me in the dark.”

“As long as we’re not being praised, anymore,” she muttered grumpily. “I know we rescued the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses, but…”

“We all feel the same way,” Octavia declared, having finally recovered somewhat from her bought of sadness. “After all that’s happened, none of us are feeling very heroic.”

“Maybe not,” Fine agreed, “but now everypony’s looking to us for guidance. It’s rather annoying, really.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lightning grumbled. “You were only vaguely mentioned in Celestia’s and Luna’s award speeches, and of course you weren’t there.”

“I’m still the Mane Archon,” he noted solemnly, “and the Archons are still a secret organization.”

“Which means we get the brunt of the fans,” Octavia noted unhappily. “No thank you.”

He offered her a small smile. “Oh come on, just think about what it’s doing for your career.”

They were approaching the Royal Conference Room, and were pleased to see a few familiar faces coming from the opposite direction. Jimmy, Nye, Rarity and a still bandaged-up Pinkie greeted them before the large double doors.

“Well, look at the lovebirds,” Lightning noted with a grin at Rarity and Jimmy.

Jimmy blushed, a common thing nowadays, but Rarity only grinned proudly. She raised her head in a proud fashion. “You’re just jealous at me for catching the best stallion in Equestria.” She snuggled up to Jimmy, who broke into a foolish grin.

“Yeah, jealous, that’s it,” Lightning replied with no small amount of sarcasm. “Hey Pinkie, feeling any better?”

“Oh, I’m feeling a lot better!” she cried excitedly. “I’m so happy to be back in Ponyville and making friend, friends, so many new friends! I can’t wait till you get back, I’ll introduce you to all-“ She had started to raise her legs in a wide gesture, but cringed and lowered them once more. “Ehehe… Keep forgetting I can’t move around so much right now.”

Fine cringed. “Sorry…”

She shook her head, wincing only a little at the pain. “It’s okay, you did whatcha had to. I’m glad it was you who did it, I can’t imagine having to fight somepony else!”

He tilted his head uncertainly. “Thanks… I think?”

Rarity gave him a high-browed, unpleasant frown. “I still think you were too rough on her, Fine. Pinkie might have been a hoof-full, but she’s still-“

Pinkie set a hoof to Rarity's lips with a comforting smile. “I keep telling ya, Rare, it’s okay. I appreciate that he came for me at all.”

Octavia took the opportunity to address Nye, who’d been watching the entire scene with a bemused smile. “So, feel any different now that you’re officially a Count?”

He chuckled, scratching his head nervously. “Not really. A lot of the refugees keep coming to me as if thinking I’m some super-important figure who can make things happen. They haven’t figured out that it’s just an honorary title.”

“You’re still an important figure, Nye,” Fine told him with a pleasant smile. “You better get used to it.”

Nye sighed dejectedly. “I guess… I don’t feel so important. Being a Count doesn’t make me feel any better about how things turned out.”

The silence that passed amongst them was depressing, and lasted just a little too long. They all felt much the same way.

“Well,” Rarity offered with an attempt at a smile, “you all should head in. No doubt the Princesses are waiting for you.”

“Wait, you’re not coming?” Nye asked in mild surprise.

“Nopies,” Pinkie replied with unusual quietness, “this meeting is for Luna ponies, only.”

Fine tilted his head at her. “Then why’d you come all the way out to Canterlot?”

“Does a lady need a reason to visit Canterlot?” Rarity asked, batting her eyes at him.

But his attention was on Pinkie. She gained a nervous smile and glanced away. “What? I just wanted to come and see you guys, that’s all. Get going, Luna won’t wait forever!” She pushed him to the door with just a little too much force.

“They’re right,” Nye noted, opening the doors and giving them all meaningful looks. “Let’s get in there. I think Upper Crust’s already inside.”

They bid Pinkie and Rarity adieu for the time being and made their way in. The conference room was dimly lit, and not as big as any of them might have expected. Except Fine, who’d been there before. Just as Nye had predicted, Upper Crust was already sitting near the head of the massive table.

“Hey, Crustie,” Lightning called, earning a cringe from Upper Crust. “How’s Equestria’s star dragonslayer?”

Upper Crust drooped in a sulking fashion. “Wishing everypony would forget she’s slain a dragon.”

“Good luck with that,” Jimmy noted, giving her a friendly hug. “Even the most conservative estimates put the cleanup of the body at something around twenty years.”

“And so long as there’s a body, everypony’s gonna think of the pony who killed it,” Nye added, following up his brother’s hug with one of his own. “How’s Jet doing?”

“He’s not whining like a foal anymore, if that’s what you mean,” she told him with a grin, turning to hug Lightning very carefully. “He’ll be okay, provided I can get him to stay still and stop fretting over everything.” She held on to Octavia for a few seconds longer than the others.

“I don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about what this meeting’s about?” Lightning asked her as they all took seats. It was an awkward sight, a mere six ponies settling down at a table clearly meant for a couple dozen.

“Luna didn’t tell any of you?” she asked, clearly surprised by this news. She turned to Fine, who had sat next to her. “What about you? Luna tells you everything.” She offered him a hug, which he accepted in a slow, uncertain manner.

“Not everything, it seems,” he answered with a small smile.

“And for good reason.” They all turned to see both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia coming from another entrance. They both appeared quite pleased with themselves. It had been Luna who’d spoken.

Celestia added as they approached, “The decisions behind this meeting required a lot of dialog between my sister and I, so we couldn’t have explained it properly.”

The ponies all stood to bow politely, waiting for the Princesses to take their seats at the head of the table before following suite. That done, Luna spoke with a touch more familiarity; “My sister and I will try to keep this as brief as we can. We’re aware that one of you-“ She nodded sympathetically to Octavia. “-will need to make preparations for a long journey.”

Octavia bowed her head a little. “I appreciate that…”

Fine leaned forward to eye Luna purposefully. “Alright, so what’s this all about? It sounded pretty important.”

The sisters cast knowing looks at one another. It was Celestia who answered. “Tell me, have any of you heard of the Lunar Republic?”

Most of them cast clueless looks about the room, but Octavia and Fine both responded with scowls. Octavia was the first to speak. “A group of ruffians who – if you’ll pardon my rough language – bastardized Luna’s name and sullied her reputation.”

“Oh, it goes deeper than that,” Fine noted dourly.

“Indeed,” Celestia agreed. The others were clearly confused, so she went on. “The Lunar Republic claimed to be a group of ponies dedicated to the rule of my sister. They formed immediately following her exile, supposedly in retaliation for her unjust punishment.” All the ponies present shifted anxiously, not a single one of them daring to ask if she’d just acknowledged something ponies throughout history had been suggesting.

Luna coughed distractingly before resuming for her sister. “Who they were and what they intended no longer matters. The Lunar Republic is gone, and it is a good thing.”

Nye, clearly confused, asked, “But if they’re all gone, why are we being told about them now?”

“For a little background,” Celestia offered cryptically.

“In English?” Lightning asked with an annoyed expression.

The Princesses shared yet another knowing look. “Celestia and I have been discussing how my role in ruling Equestria is to be revised,” Luna answered.

“The events of the past month have revealed many things to me,” Celestia admitted, a touch of shame in her tone. “Things between my sister and I were never truly righted, and now I intend to make amends.”

“Make amends how?” Jimmy asked, a modicum of skepticism in his voice.

“By reinstating the Lunar Republic,” she replied with a pleasant smile.

There was a collective gasp from the ponies. Most appeared no less confused than before… except for Fine, who had a contemplative, grim expression, and Upper Crust, who stood up in anger. “What? Why would you want to do that? Didn’t you just say that the Lunar Republic was corrupt?”

Luna nodded. “The leaders of the Republic abused my name, and manipulated thousands of ponies, to enhance their own power. Yet this new order, this ‘New Lunar Republic,’ shall be led by myself. It will do what I would have wanted.”

“Which is what?” Octavia asked anxiously.

Neither Luna or Celestia answered. A moment of anxious silence passed through the room, all the ponies wondering about the question. In the end, his voice steady, Fine spoke. “To protect Equestria, of course.”

Luna gave him a pleased smile. “You understand perfectly.”

“But there is more to it than that,” Celestia went on regally. “I, like so many others before me, chose to ignore, or even belittle, the contributions of certain ponies. I even failed to heed the fears of my own sister. Because of this, Equestria – indeed, the entire world – was nearly swept away by corruption.”

“I think I see where this is going,” Fine noted, sinking down in his seat fretfully. “Brace yourselves, everypony, we’re about to get praised again.”

“We know you all don’t feel like the saviors much of Equestria is touting you to be,” Luna admitted sadly.

There was another anxious pause. It was Lightning who finally responded, tone bitter. “We might have rescued you and the Elements, but we’re also responsible for everything else.”

“With all due respect,” Jimmy added quietly, “we’re no heroes.”

Upper Crust, with head bowed and guilt on her face, spoke. “If anypony here is responsible, it is me. If I hadn’t killed Archon, Riptide-”

Fine stood, his steady but firm presence driving her to silence. He cast his looming gaze upon all of them, even the Princesses. “It was my plan, my decision. As I told Archon – and Upper Crust and Jimmy can confirm it – I was prepared to see hundreds of thousands, even millions, perish if it meant protecting posterity from the rule of Silma. I’m not proud, but if the situation occurred a second time I’d do nothing differently.”

None of them would debate him. They all bowed their heads, or looked away, but they wouldn’t disagree. Not a single one of them thought any differently.

“And that is what makes you all so important,” Celestia announced quietly. They all gave her alarmed looks, not comprehending what might drive her to say something like that. “Fine, that willingness to make the sacrifice is important. It’s one of the reasons Hoofknife chose you as his successor.”

“And do not forget,” Luna added with equal solemnity, “that I could have overruled your plan at any time. I did not. We are all guilty; we allowed the world to be horribly scarred to prevent its enslavement. That we feel guilt for the ruination is not a bad thing, provided we remain confident in our view that what we chose was the best decision available. I, for one, have no doubts.”

“Nor do I,” Nye added when it was clear she’d finished. “We did what we had to.”

“The consequences of our actions are terrible,” Octavia added unhappily, “but, when I think of the alternative…”

There were several nods of agreement. “I think we all agree that what we did was necessary,” Upper Crust suggested. Nopony argued.

Celestia let her horn shine, not very brightly, but enough to catch their attention. She possessed a regal pose, but when she spoke her voice was soft. “These events have made me aware, as well. I learned a valuable lesson, one that I intend to take to heart. It has been said by many ponies here that Equestria is a land of opposites. For centuries I attempted to bury the darker half of our world in shimmering light. I was afraid of what the darkness might produce, unaware that my very actions were creating these corrupt elements of Equestria.”

“The darkness only seems darker when the light grows brighter,” Fine noted in a tone of experience.

Celestia shook her head. “So many believe the shadow is a product of the light, but that has never been the case.”

This statement made many of the ponies cast questioning looks at one another. Luna, at her sister’s nod, explained. “The sun was created to drive back the darkness. Hence, the darkness was there first. It is the most natural and purest of elements. For centuries, ponies were led to believe that the darkness was corrupt and dangerous.”

“A belief spurred on by my neglect and ignorance,” Celestia admitted sadly. “But now I’ve come to understand that darkness is not the source of corruption. Silma proves, beyond any doubt, that those who represent the light can be just as dangerous.”

“And you, my little ponies,” Luna concluded happily, “have shown the world what those who represent the darkness are capable of. All of you, in some fashion, have faced the darker side of Equestrian life. Your experiences have made you strong, so strong that you were able to do what the Elements of Harmony could not.”

Lightning Dust had been quieter than the others, but now she shook her head. “This one event doesn’t change all that. I mean yeah, we’re famous now, but there are thousands, maybe millions of ponies out there like us who won’t be treated any differently.”

“It will be a slow process, that is true,” Celestia admitted kindly, “but it is progress that you all have begun. You six have brought Equestria on its first step to becoming better than it ever was, a step a thousand years in the making. There are things that you can do which I never could.”

“Really?” Upper Crust asked, sounding skeptical.

“Like what?” Nye added in a similar tone.

Celestia smiled sadly and lowered her head. “Like… make the decision to permit so many to perish for the good of the future. I promise you, had I been in that situation, I would not have made the same decision. Even now, knowing that it was the best course of action, I would not be able to do it.” She raised her head, eyes firm. “That is why Equestria needs ponies like you, and like my sister. Such decisions must be made at times, and only those baptized in darkness are truly prepared to make them.”

Fine raised his head, eyes lighting up. “The New Lunar Republic.” The others gained expressions of understanding at his words.

“Yes,” Luna announced proudly. “We will be the defenders of Equestria.”

“I intend to announce the Republic’s formation next week,” Celestia told them. “A new order, under the guidance of Luna. There are countless ponies out there who are dissatisfied, ponies who want things to be different. Luna will lead these ponies; for the first time since Silma’s original rule, my sister will have ponies loyal specifically and only to her.”

Jimmy, scratching his head uncertainly, was the first to pose the question. “So, what is the Republic? A new nation? A secret organization?”

“Generally speaking,” Luna answered, “all ponies within the Republic will still be citizens of Equestria, but their allegiances will fall to me, rather than Celestia. There will be nothing secretive about who is in the Republic.”

“But what about governance?” Octavia asked worriedly. “Will ponies in the Republic be answerable to the same laws as the rest of the citizenry?”

“How will it be organized?” Upper Crust added.

“What will these ponies be responsible for?” Lightning threw in.

Celestia raised a hoof, effectively silencing these questions. “The details need to be worked out, and carefully. The one thing Luna and I have agreed upon is that, just as I have a council of advisors, she will need a council of her own. So, along with the Republic, the first order of business is to assign the Order of Shadow, as Luna wishes to name said council.”

Nye leaned back in his seat, appearing not just a little worried. “Is this going where I think it’s going?”

Luna gave him a pleased smile. “I think that, for now, a six-seat council will be just right.” The six ponies went silent in combined disbelief. For a long while, nopony could say a single word.

Jimmy finally broke the silence. “You want us to be your royal advisors?”

Lightning sounded downright frightened. “You want us to lead a nation within a nation?”

“Don’t get us wrong,” Celestia added hastily.

“We are not pressing any of you into service,” Luna told them reassuringly. “But, as ponies who have more than proven yourselves, and as my personal friends, I want you all.”

Fine stood once more, his expression calm. “Two things I want clarified immediately. First: what’s going to happen to the Archons? It almost sounds to me as if they’re being replaced.”

“Do not worry, Fine,” Celestia instructed kindly. “The Archons are vital to Equestria’s well-being. These recent events make that more clear than ever. Your ponies aren’t going anywhere.”

He breathed a relieved sigh, gaining a small smile at this news. “Good… Second: is this role you’re offering an administrative position, like a governing office? Or is it more of an advising role or, if we’re still to be compared to the Elements of Harmony, a supportive role?”

“Leadership is to be expected, of course,” Luna told them, “but when it comes down to it, I will rule the Republic. You will be advisors, and there will be powers assigned to you. But even then, should you all wish to lead your normal lives rather than take a direct leading role, that would be acceptable. As we said, we’re still working out the idea.”

“I dunno,” Lightning said hesitantly. “Some of us aren’t exactly decision-makers.”

“You do yourself a disservice, Lightning,” Upper Crust declared, and she was curiously confident. “We’ve all had to make big decisions in the past few years.” She turned to look upon Luna, expression calm. “I recently got a taste of real responsibility. It helped me to realize that I don’t want to just sit on the sidelines and let the important decisions be dictated to me.

“Of course,” she added with a nod to Jimmy, “I don’t want to quit my current job, either. So I’d be willing to take on an advising role.”

Luna beamed at this news. “I am so very glad to hear it!”

At this confirmation, Nye leaned forward in a leisurely fashion that defied the mild nervousness in his tone. “I’m already a Count,” he noted. “I appreciate the title, but without at least some sort of responsibility attached, I’m not too comfortable with it. Aside from that, I’m always willing to help you, Luna, in whatever way I can.”

“A point you’ve more than proven,” Celestia mentioned, her tone grateful.

He smiled at her, blushing as he brushed his mane from his face. “Yeah… so… I’ll be an advisor. I don’t know if anything I say will be worth the air it takes to say it, though.”

“Your opinion will be no less valued than that of anypony else,” Luna assured him with a grin.

“Good Goddess,” Jimmy muttered, casting a mocking but anxious look at his twin. “If Nye’s on the Council with nopony to talk sense into him, the Republic’s time will be up before it even forms! Now I have to sign on just to protect you from his bad ideas.”

Nye whacked Jimmy’s shoulder playfully. “Thanks for the support!”

Octavia gave a small sigh, a wry smile on her lips. “A mechanic, a lazy tailchaser, and an estimator. I suppose I must join, now, otherwise who will give the Republic a proper sense of class and culture?”

Luna gave a small giggle at her words. “I am sure you will be more than suited to the task.”

All eyes fell on Lightning and Fine. He was sitting with elbows on the table and hooves touched just before his muzzle. It was a very serious, contemplative expression that adorned his face. She, on the other hoof, was shifting anxiously in her seat. She glanced at Fine, who’s eyes shifted to her with an intense focus.

At last, with head bowed, she spoke. “Tough times are ahead for everypony. We’re already seeing signs of it, and my first concern is for my little filly.” She looked up to gaze upon the Princesses, her anxiety abruptly gone. “Keen is now going to grow up in a world ravaged by Riptide. I want to give her every advantage I can. If my being on this Council will help to make the world better, then for her sake I will do it.”

“And you will be most welcome,” Luna agreed. “I can think of no better motivation.”

Lightning gave her most confident smile; her decision had been made, and she wouldn’t be turning back.

That just left Fine, who was still set in that solemn, firm pose. Everypony was watching him now. A few tried to speak, but something about his demeanor kept them silent. Luna and Celestia both frowned, matching his expression with solemn looks of their own, yet even they didn’t speak. His deliberation – for it was clear that he was considering the situation carefully – made all the others feel as if their decisions might have been hasty.

“I am concerned,” he said at last, finally lowering his hooves from his face. “I am the Mane Archon. I have an entire organization of very dangerous ponies with an international reach under my command. Now you’re asking me to have a hoof in the formation and potential leadership of an entirely new national order. I feel as though it’s far too much power for a single pony.”

Celestia raised a doubting eyebrow. “I find it difficult to believe that you, Fine Crime, are afraid of being too strong.”

“Power corrupts,” he declared. “No disrespect is intended when I say this, Princess, but nopony who has grasped power can honestly claim not to have abused it at some point.” Celestia pursed her lips in an unpleasant scowl, but when she averted her eyes it was as good as conceding his point. “I like being in charge. It makes me feel good. I like to think that I use my powers responsibly… but I do not want to risk it.”

Luna spoke up, her voice quiet. “Let me remind you that you would not be leading the Republic, only advising me.”

“But leadership is expected,” he countered ominously. “As you said.”

They all shared anxious looks, his words clearly worrying them. It was Octavia who spoke. “You’ve proven on many occasions to be a perfectly responsible leader, Fine.”

“You got us through the latest crisis,” Jimmy confirmed.

“Your plan saved Equestria,” Lightning added.

“Without you we wouldn’t even be here,” Upper Crust mentioned.

“It wouldn’t feel right without our fearless leader,” Nye told him.

Yet despite their praise, Fine did not appear at all swayed.

“I’ll make it as clear as I can,” Luna said in a determined tone, eyes locked firmly upon his. “Fine, in a time of crisis, when tough decisions must be chosen, there is no opinion I value more than yours. Indeed, I want you on the Council more than anypony here. Your experience as the Mane Archon makes you perfect for helping us plan the organization of the Republic. Your foresight would be invaluable in planning for the Republic’s merging with the existing Equestrian governing system. And should Equestria come under threat from forces Celestia and her ponies of the light cannot handle, nopony is better suited to lead the Republic against such dangers. I need you on the Council, Fine.”

Fine tilted his head, a calm, investigative motion. “So… the first order of business for us would be to help you design the Republic’s governing structure?”

She nodded, and he considered this for a long time. None of the others spoke. They only watched him with hopeful, or worried, expressions.

“If I am to join this, I want power restrictions,” he said at last. “You suggest that I might be made to aid the Republic in a situation of dire need? I want little to no power, Luna. Unless a situation calls for my direct involvement, this is your show, and I want everypony to know it.”

“So you will join?” she asked.

“Yes,” he nodded, “but now you let me be clear: if the manner of this Republic’s design appears to be moving towards granting me any powers at all, I’m gone. I am an Archon, and I want my leadership role to stick to them.”

“I think that is suitable for everypony,” Celestia declared with a pleased smile, and Luna nodded her acceptance.

“In the meantime,” he went on, his manner more relaxed now that his gravest concern had passed, “might I make a starting suggestion? I think the Council will need a leader to oversee what we’ll all be responsible for.”

Jimmy leaned back with an annoyed wave of his hoof at Fine. “I thought the same thing, and until a few seconds ago I was going to recommend you.”

“I was the leader of the team,” he acknowledged, “but something tells me this will take precedence over that. We’re not a team, anymore; we’re a Council, and I’m washing my hooves of the leading role. Despite all your praise, I really think I’m not best suited to the task anymore. Besides, I already have to lead the Archons in addition to whatever I do with you guys.”

“Then who would you suggest lead the Council?” Upper Crust asked.

Fine smiled and turned to gesture past her. “Octavia.”

“Me?” She sounded mildly surprised, but not worried. “Why me?”

“Need I remind you?” he asked. “If Luna hadn’t specifically asked me to lead this team, you would have led it at my recommendation.”

“I can see that,” Nye admitted. “You’re smart.”

“Brave,” Lightning agreed.

“Strong,” Jimmy noted.

“Confident,” Upper Crust acknowledged.

“The list could go on,” Fine concluded, “but the point is that you’re a natural leader, Octavia. You just haven’t had a chance to prove it.” He cast his eyes upon Luna.

The Princess nodded in understanding. “And you’ll get that chance. Assuming you’re willing to accept it?”

Octavia looked at all of them, a small smile on her lips. “You guys… I suppose I don’t have a choice, after being heaped with so much praise.”

“Then it’s settled.” Celestia nodded to Luna, eyes shining with pride. “I’m sorry it took so long for you to get this, little sister.” The two shared a satisfying moment of silence, but it was short lived. “And now I will be taking my leave.”

“What?” Lightning raised her head curiously. “Already?”

“The Order of Shadow is having its first meeting,” she declared happily, “and I am not a member. Good luck, everypony.”

She departed with head held high and a spring in her step. They all watched her go in silence, a certain happiness filling them for reason most didn’t understand.

“What just happened?” Upper Crust asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Nye asked, grinning up at Luna. “Luna’s been promoted.”

“Promoted?” Lightning asked skeptically. “How do you promote your co-ruler?”

“By giving her equal powers,” Fine declared, a smug look on his face. “How does it feel to not have her looking over your shoulder, anymore?”

“Pleasing beyond words,” the Princess declared with emphasis, her smile and tone matching his wry manner. “I want to thank all of you. I was very hopeful that you’d all agree to this.”

Nye stood, catching her eye and speaking in a proud tone. “I said it once already: you’re our Princess. We believe in you, and in turn we believe in this new Republic. It’s about time you got the appreciation you deserve.”

“I’ll second that,” Jimmy declared, standing and wrapping a leg around his brother’s shoulder. “I welcome this change.”

“As do I,” Octavia announced, standing as well. “This land and its people are in for dire times, and yet I believe that this moment foretells great things in Equestria’s future.”

Lightning stood, too. “I’ll admit, I was never very patriotic about Equestria,” she confessed without guilt. “But this? I can get behind the Republic.”

“Far be it for me to be left out,” Upper Crust said, joining them. “For the future of Equestria, and for Luna.”

Fine, ever calm but no less proud, slowly stood. “For Luna.”

The Princess beamed at them, visibly touched by this showing of support. She nodded to them all and breathed a deep, pleased breath.

“To the New Lunar Republic, and the future of Equestria.”

Author's Note

And that's it; the main series of No Heroes is over. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I never like my endings. I was going for something with quiet meaning, but I'm not sure if it has the effect I was going for.

For such a short chapter, it sure took ages to write! Combining my work and my search for a new car, I haven't had anywhere near as much time to write as I'd like. Some days I couldn't get in more than 500 words! It was frustrating, to say the least, and it had nothing to do with a lack of ideas.

But now No Heroes is done, and I can start on a new major project. That project, I've already decided, will be a Lightning Dust fic set in the same universe as No Heroes.

And that's the great thing about what I did with this story, in my opinion. I've opened a can of worms and made a new future of Equestria, and thus have given myself plenty of room for expansion and development. I have side stories planned for all the characters in No Heroes.

The past several months have been fun, and I don't intend to stop now. Maybe as I expand my No Heroes universe and gradually gather more followers, the original will grow in popularity. Who knows? Could happen.

Other stories of the No Heroes Universe:

Lightning's Bolt