Chapters The Book of Moon.
Chapter one: The Immortal Game.
The Moon wandered restlessly among a sea of stars. Far below, was the University of Magic.
The president's office was impeccably tidy as ever. It's owner's propensity for organization extended down a shallow flight of stairs to the workshop it overlooked. At the rear of the study — behind an elegant antique desk — stood an expansive bookshelf that dominated the back wall. The president of the university liked to use it for quick reference and casual reading.
Professor Twilight Sparkle, as she preferred to be known, had her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Twilight's chess table with marble chessponies was a delightful addition to the presentation of her study, but at that moment, it was a battlefield of the mind.
Princess Luna waited patiently as Twilight's eyes continued to dart about the board.
Luna sighed. She twirled her mane while she examined the stars through an open window behind her indecisive opponent. Luna could hear the gears turning inside Twilight's head. She was thinking at least twenty moves ahead of the game.
A pity that was 19 moves too many.
Twilight finally grasped one of her eight earth pony pieces by levitation. She moved it forward two spaces to attack one of Luna's unicorns, which had advanced diagonally from its original position beside Luna's sun Princess. The earth pony landed on its new position with a satisfying click. Twilight wiped the sweat from her brow, and sat up straight.
Luna raised an eyebrow at her decision, but said nothing.
Twilight's wings shifted in anticipation of her next turn.
Luna took one look at Twilight. The silly girl hadn't taken her eyes off the board from the very first move. It was like playing poker while wearing a mask. Twilight was as good as blind.
Luna glanced down, then casually knocked over Twilight's earth pony with her unicorn.
Twilight's wings sprang open. Her muzzle zoomed back down to the battlefield.
Luna resumed her observations: Corona Borealis was quite visible this night.
Many turns passed in this fashion, with some turns being much longer than others.
Twilight was rapidly gaining material. She pressed forward with her moon Princess, and checked Luna's sun Princess.
Luna frowned. Her eyes narrowed. ‘Little Tia’ had been threatened. Unacceptable.
With no other recourse, Luna moved little Tia out of harm's way.
Twilight's wings kept opening and closing on their own accord. Her heart was fluttering so rapidly she felt as if there were a small bird trapped inside her throat. She couldn't believe she was winning.
Luna assessed the board. She had moderately strong earth pony structure, and her pegasi had gained effective forward positions, but Twilight's moon Princess was running rampant. The game would end quickly if she wasn't driven off soon.
Luna then assessed her opponent. Twilight had been playing to seize material. If Luna could count on Twilight to keep taking pieces, she could have them. For an appropriate price.
Twilight was attacking her unicorn with another earth pony, but instead of moving the piece to safety, Luna choose to move her sun-side castle.
Twilight claimed Luna's unicorn. Luna's mouth curled upward.
Twilight assessed the battlefield. Luna was sustaining intense casualties. Did she really just capture a unicorn, without even a sacrifice?
Luna was clearly anxious to capture Twilight's moon Princess, if the posture of her army was anything to judge by. Twilight held her hoof to her mouth. after a moment's deliberation, she nodded with resolve. It must have been a ploy.
Twilight wasn't going to be fooled so easily. She moved her moon Princess back one space with a swish of her horn.
Having successfully fooled Twilight, Luna proceeded to offer piece after piece, and Twilight gratefully snapped them all up. Luna watched as Twilight's smile grew. Her opponent was blissfully unaware of her impending downfall.
Luna's pieces became scarce. Both castles lay in ruins, earth ponies were dotted about the board, and little Tia was being harassed by Twilight's moon Princess like a recurring nightmare.
Nevertheless, Luna now had an attack force ready to strike Twilight's sun Princess from the sky.
The game now hinged on one last sacrifice. If it failed, Twilight would be victorious.
Luna leaned forward. Her horn illuminated the piece that would make the decisive move.It was her moon Princess. The moon Princess flew across the board, without pause or fear. Luna cleared her throat.
"Check."
Twlight's face fell. Her mind revved into action. The moon Princess was attacking her sun Princess, but it was in plain sight of an enemy pegasus.
Probability assessments, chess theory analyses, and — above all — questions, alarmed between the convolutions of Twilight's brain.
Had Luna given up? What could she possibly gain by losing so much? Was she going easy on her? A bluff? A double bluff? A triple bluff? A septuple bluff?
Twilight sighed deeply. Taking the moon Princess was just a matter of course, and yet she couldn't shake the feeling that this was exactly what Luna wanted.
Luna swallowed as she watched Twilight scratched her head.
Twilight hesitated, then sent her pegasus to capture Luna's moon Princess. For the first time in the game, Twilight thought to look at her opponent.
Luna had a devious grin on her face.
"Are you sure you don't want to retract that move, Twilight?"
Twilght locked gazes with Luna.
"I will allow it, Just this once," said Luna.
Twilight looked down at the battlefield again. Was Luna bluffing? A moon Princess on the far side of the board could be a terror if not dealt with. Twilight decided she wouldn't be dissuaded. She shook her head, and called Luna's bluff:
"That's alright. I already let go of the piece, so it's done now. Those are the rules."
Luna looked up at the numerous certificates that adorned the walls of the study. One of them certified Twilight as a chess master. Luna then looked down at the board, and shrugged.
"Very well then. It's time the sun set on this little game."
Twilight's ears pricked. Luna's unicorn descended like the gavel of a judge. Luna sighed in relief.
"Checkmate."
Twilight froze. She contorted in frustration, then toppled backward with her face buried in her hooves. She groaned on her back.
"Urrrgh. Why didn't I see it sooner. It was right in front of me the whole time."
Luna stepped around the chess table.
"I was right in front of you as well, Twilight. You could've seen my moves before I even made them, if you'd paid attention."
Luna helped Twilight to her feet. Twilight rubbed her overheating head.
"I don't understand. It was computationally impossible for you to win."
Luna scoffed.
"As if computers know anything about playing games."
Luna admired the final state of the chessboard.
"Although, I must admit, it was still an extraordinary game all considered."
Twilight joined her.
"Yes, It was pretty close. If only I hadn't made so many mistakes."
Luna chuckled.
"Mistakes are not your problem, Twilight. Your strategy is technically flawless. You just need to stop being so predictable."
Twilight recoiled. She turned away from Luna and stared at the battlefield.
"Predictable? But that was my very best. It's how I approach all logical problems. Maybe that's why grandmaster Checkers always beats me..."
Luna grimaced: She had been too blunt again. Luna started to speak, but demurred.
She could have told Twilight that she was failing to understand the ‘less than logical’ nature of outwitting one's opponent in chess. But that would've confused and disheartened her further.
Luna placed her hoof on Twilight's shoulder and thought of her sister. Celestia would have told Luna to be more sensitive,
and to empathize with Twilight's problem.
Luna's face contorted into a misshapen snarl that may have been a reassuring smile.
"If it makes you feel any better, you remind me of how my sister used to play. I still can't remember much from before I was imprisoned, but I remember that we loved playing chess. I usually won, but Tia learned quickly. She was always smarter than me."
Twilight tilted her head.
"Each time I beat her, Tia would just keep coming back for more. We played and played, and eventually, on one moonless night..."
Twilight's face brightened. Her mouth hung open.
"Tia lost again."
Twilight groaned and slumped to her haunches.
"W—wait. After the game...Tia laughed like she always did when I won. But that night was different, because Tia told me she didn't keep playing because she wanted to win, she kept playing because she knew no pony else could challenge me. I have always been very lonely. No pony plays with me because they know they don't stand a chance. I think I cried when I realized Tia was trying so hard just to make me happy."
Luna gazed off at nothing in particular. Twilight replaced the chess ponies inside their respective draws on each side of the chess table. She had an urge to open up her dusty old friendship reports. Twilight made a mental note to add Luna's story to the collection later.
Luna eventually regained her composure.
"Anyway, what I wanted to say is, I always had to rethink my strategy because Tia always found a way to see through it, and we both became better chess players for it. I'm sorry for the digression."
Twilight shook her head and smiled.
"Actually it was quite interesting. Thank you, Luna. I still don't think I'll ever beat Checkers, but I'm certain I can make grandmaster if you keep helping me practice. You invented this game after all."
Luna laughed.
"It is amusing that you should mention that. You are most welcome to my advice, but I cannot be ascribed as the creator of chess: Tia tells me she once met some ‘great warrior’ who came up with the initial idea. Everypony just assumed me and Tia made the game. I am certain that the moon Princess and the sun Princess were originally representations of some other royal figures from that ancient time. There is no record of this pony, whoever he was, so me and Tia didn't argue. Who would believe us if we did? Our subjects would think us strange."
"Really? What else did Celestia say about him? Maybe if we have some information to go on, my students in archaeology could investigate," said Twilight.
Luna waved her hoof dismissively.
"Not much I'm afraid. I asked Tia about him many times, but she would fumble together an excuse and leave on duty whenever I approached the subject. Sometimes I wonder if anything older than 1000 years is strictly off limits to me."
Luna thought of how Twilight's monstrous moon Princess marched about the board, crushing all without discrimination..
"I suppose it's no better than I deserve..."
Twilight sprang to her feet, but before she could ask Luna what she was talking about, or try to consol her friend in return, there was a knocking at her door.
Luna's ears twitched at the intruding sound.
"A visitor? At this hour?"
Twilight briskly trotted down the stairs towards the door at the side of the workshop.
"Ooooh It's my student. I completely forgot about her. My schedule has been so busy lately, I've needed a checklist of
organizers to organize my organizer of checklists."
Luna glided down the stairs to catch up to her.
Before the two alicorns could cross Twilight's workshop, the door flung open, revealing a very grimy young unicorn. She might have been blue in colour beneath the oily muck that had stuck to her coat. Luna reproached, and held her hoof to her muzzle to guard against the stench.
"Hey professor Twilight. I'm back," said a muffled, cheerful, voice from somewhere inside the sickly mound of dirt.
"Thanks for letting me take Spike to the scrap yard. I really needed those parts for my project. Here's his harness."
The unicorn stepped aside so that a massive bundle of enchanted high-tensile fabric (which was often referred to as ‘smart fabric‘) could be levitated inside the workshop. Running down each side of the harness was a line of pockets about the size of a stallion each. They were similar to saddlebags, but were much too large for a pony to wear.
The slimy one sniggered.
"Oh, and you have a guest. He's very tall. What's he doing in your little wing of the uni so late? You've not been chatting up one of the custodians again, have you?"
Twilight's eye twitched.
"For the last time, Captain Magna is my friend . And my guest here happens to be Princess Luna."
Twilight pointed at the grime the unicorn had spattered all over her clean workshop.
"And for once, would you please remember to get a shower before coming to my office. I just cleaned this place."
The unicorn removed from her face what appeared to be a pair of goggles, revealing a tiny portion of unsullied coat around her eyes. The unicorn produced a ragged cloth. The lenses of her goggles squeaked as she rubbed them clean.
"Heh, that's a good one professor. Princess Luna is a hermit: she only comes down from the moon when she wants to scare ponies. Now just give me a moment so I can see who this guy really is."
Twilight's huffed. Her instructions would doubtless be ignored once again.
Luna realized the goggles were actually a thick pair of spectacles, and they were every bit as begrimed as their owner. She wondered how the mare could have seen where she was going at all.
The unicorn replaced her glasses. Though translucent, they were still discoloured.The unicorn jolted and almost dropped her glasses in surprise the moment Luna's scowling face came into focus.
"Princess Luna. I'm so sorry — I didn't mean any offense. Oh please don't banish me. I can't live without my machines, and they can't live without me — think of the machines Princess ."
The unicorn splashed dirt throughout the workshop as she grovelled towards Luna's hooves. Luna gagged and retreated. The sobbing mare was levitated off the floor, and the mess oozing from her was contained in a bubble of magic before she could blemish Luna's delicately groomed coat.
Twilight grunted.
"Luna, this is my student, Lazuli. She's a postgraduate working in magical engineering. She passed all of her theory tests with distinction, but I can't seem to teach her a thing about organization. Please excuse her, she can be very absent minded."
Lazuli whimpered more apologies. Luna was glaring at her.
"Heavens, child, you are a walking landfill site. Why must you wade through junk? Can you not just buy your materials?"
Lazuli blew her nose and wiped her muzzle with a cloth: rubbing the grime further into her coat.
"Well, right now I'm working on pony augmentation...I build machines designed to emulate the abilities of one type of pony, so they can be used by the others. "
Lazuli faltered under Luna's gaze. Lazuli looked anxiously at Twilight.
"Don't be shy, I think she wants to know more about your project," said Twilight.
Twilight cast a spell over the floor. If any additional filth were to drip from the extensive supply on lazuli's coat, it would scrub off without staining.
Twilight then carefully levitated Lazuli back to the ground. Luna motioned for Lazuli to continue. Maintaining her fixed glare.
Lazuli's breath was shallow. Whatever Luna was staring at, her vision was not obstructed by Lazuli's eyes. Whenever Luna was confronted with strangers, her eyes would drain the light out of the room. Twilight wanted to run for the door almost as much as lazuli did, but found the courage to stay when she thought of how crushed her Luna would be if she fled.
Lazuli's eyes were so evasive they were in danger of spinning out of their sockets. Her glasses slid down her greasy muzzle and she had to keep pushing the bridge of her glasses back into place as she spoke.
" I already have a prototype jetpack for replicating pegasi flight, and a powered exoskeleton for replicating earth pony strength, but I needed more parts to test my ideas."
Lazuli clamped her eyes shut.
Lazuli opened her eyes to find the pony she was talking to was conspicuously absent. In her place was an alicorn Princess with the playful demeanour of a filly.
"Why that's a brilliant idea, young scholar. No pony would ever be excluded by their heritage ever again. Tia would love it. Surely the university funded you at the drop of a hat?" said Luna.
Lazuli released her pent up breath.
"Thanks, Princess. Professor Twilight said I need to leave the university more often, so she won't fund me until I make some friends."
Luna wondered if Tia had as much trouble convincing Twilight to make friends.
"You should listen to her. Twilight is the authority on friendship."
"I did . I made a whole batch of friends. They even had blast processing and Y-sell corp artificial intelligence software," said Lazuli
Twilight's hoof trembled, then swiftly connected with her face. Luna suppressed the urge to erupt into paroxysms of laughter.
"I take it she was not impressed by them?"
Lazuli nodded.
"Uh huh. I almost gave up, but then Spike offered to fly me to the scrap yard in Clipstow City. I'd never be able to haul back everything I needed without him."
Twilight mourned the days when she could hold Spike in her forelegs, like a baby.
"Spike loves to make himself useful. I couldn't refuse."
Lazuli yawned. Her spine ached from sitting on Spike's back and shifting through piles of scrap metal.
"Good thing too. Hopefully I'll have my last prototype ready in a few weeks. But I'll probably need to make some more trips to the scrap heap. Replicating unicorn magic in pegasi or earth ponies is going to be a challenge. Before I forget, Spike got really messy after our trip, so he wants you to give him a bath."
Lazuli's back cracked as she stretched.
"Well, I'd better sort through my findings and hit the sack. Have a good night, professor — and It was great seeing you too, Princess Luna."
Luna and Twilight each bid her a good night. Lazuli bounced out of the workshop leaving an oily trail behind her.
Luna turned to Twilight.
"I'm glad to see you have such a promising student, Twilight. Although she seemed rather young for a postgraduate."
Twilight closed the door. She opened a nearby closet to take out her cleaning supplies and began sorting through them to find a bag of kitty litter. (One that she had been given by a very generous friend.) It was an excellent absorbent for cleaning oil stains.
Twilight said, "That's because she's the youngest postgraduate in the university. When Lazuli has too much free time she can become...troublesome. I thought it best to have her working. We sometimes collaborate on each other's projects."
Luna examined her coat to ensure it was unspoiled.
"You have a projects too? Aren't you busy enough running the university?"
Twilight deposited the bag and closed the storeroom.
"Well, through careful timekeeping, I managed find a couple of hours left in my weekly schedule for a personal project. It's nothing so romantic as one of Lazuli's daydreams: Just the powered airship. It's been done before, but the idea never ‘took off’ — so to speak."
Twilight pointed down the workshop.
"Why don't I show you? If you don't mind staying a little longer that is. I can start cleaning later."
Luna looked out the window.
"Well, actually, I have something I am quite anxious to show you, and I must leave soon."
When Luna looked back at Twilight, she was begging like a stray dog in the rain.
"Please, Luna."
Luna chewed on the question.
"All right. But this had better not take too long. I need to back at the castle before sunrise."
Twilight gave her a twinkling smile.
Luna followed Twilight through the orderly workshop. The tools were stored away in their respective cabinets and the work surfaces were completely clear.
Twilight stopped at the far side of the workshop in front of a steel door opposite the office. The towering bulkhead could accommodate the friendship express, with room to spare. Twilight input a passcode into a control panel on the wall.
The floor shuddered and the sound of thundering gears reverberated through the workshop as the great door was heaved upward.
Through the aperture was another vast room, but unlike the vacuous workshop proper, the Princess's safe room was a treasure trove of bright and exotic items: wizardry and technology abound.
Luna saw forbidden items, strange glowing orbs, eerie octopus-headed statues, dismantled automations, metallic garments, and a giant shoulder-mounted contraption loaded with bubble mixture, all arranged in secure display cases.
At the safe room's center was a huge assortment of pipes, turbines, and circuitry. Five massive electrical cables, as thick as Luna's legs, were connected along its top. They extended further into the safe room. It took up the better part of the room, forcing the display cases to be arranged along each wall.
Twilight pointed to her magnificent machine.
"There she is. By my math, this engine can output enough power to light up Las Pegasus."
Luna blinked in surprise.
"It is certainly big enough to be an airship engine."
Twilight skipped ahead into the safe room.
"Come on, let me show you it's power source."
Luna had to weave around protruding vents and heat sinks to find Twilight. The five cables were hooked up to the base of a second, somewhat smaller machine. This secondary module featured a glass tube filled with a bubbling solution.
Suspended at its centre was a large magenta crystal in the shape of a six-pointed star. It rotated gently on a vertical axis.
"All previous designs for powered flight had the same problem. Steam power is just too heavy. To make it work, you need either a ship with an engine so large it can barely get off the ground, or a ship so small it can barely carry anything. So I thought to find a new power source."
It was then that Luna realized there was another display case hidden away at the back of the safe room: one that contained a golden crown that was missing it's only jewel.
"Twilight Sparkle, you're not seriously running experiments on the element of magic, are you? Tia would have a fit."
Twilight stood between Luna and the element of magic.
"You worry too much, Luna. The element is perfectly safe. I know it's geoarcane composition like the bottom of my hoof. I didn't become Equestria's foremost expert on magical artefacts to ruin one of the most precious enchanted crystals in existence."
Luna regarded Twilight with incredulity.
"In any case. You may be able to build a working airship, but there is only one element of magic."
Twilight raised her hoof to her chest, took a deep breath, and exhaled.
She scratched her chin and analysed a chalkboard positioned at the corner of the safe. Equations only a computer would dare comprehend filled every inch of its surface.
"You're right. The element of magic has a seemingly limitless supply of energy. But It can't meet Equestria's needs on its own. Still, studying it has given me insight into how other gems might be used instead."
Luna pouted.
"Fine. But do not even bother begging for forgiveness if you break it."
Twilight thought for a moment, then approached a rudimentary control panel at the base of the engine's secondary module.
"I have it all figured out. Nothing is going to happen to the element. Here, let me prove it."
Twilight licked her lip as she inputted a complex series of commands from memory. They appeared on a small holographic monitor connected to the engine's circuits. Luna looked at the controls over Twilight's shoulder.
Luna heard an unfamiliar crackling sound. She looked up at the element of magic. The crystal began to spin. Dendrites of lavender electricity arched off of it and were rapidly conducted into five electrodes inserted into the solution alongside it.
There was a tremendous thumping sound from within the engine's metal bowls. Then another, and another. The sleeping giant began to whine and pulse as it awakened.
"Oooo I love this part," said Twilight.
Luna didn't take her eyes of the element of magic. Her face slackened.
The cacophony heightened until the entire room began to shake. The engine roared with a metallic screeching, like the bellow of a dragon.
Twilight hopped in rhythm to the mathematical symphony of her creation.
Luna was clutching her ears and clenching her teeth. The sound more closely resembled nails on a chalkboard to her.
Twilight's eyes widened when she finally noticed Luna's discomfort. Twilight dashed to the control panel and hurriedly
entered more commands.
The engine sputtered to a halt.
"Luna. Are you alright?"
Luna staggered as she tried to regain her posture. Her head was unusually light.
"Y—yes Twilight. I am unharmed."
Twilight fell to her haunches.
"You must really hate my project now. I'm sorry Luna. There's still so much I can learn from the element, but I didn't realize my experiments would upset you. I'll put it back as soon as I can."
There was a subtle rattling coming from the engine. One of the exhaust pipes was vibrating. It stopped when a tiny grey crystal plinked out and skidded across the floor. It came to rest in front of Luna.
"What's this, Twilight?"
Twilight examined the crystal after Luna passed it to her.
"Hmm. I have no idea. This has never happened before. It looks like some sort of waste product..."
Twilight tried to store it for further analysis, but the instant she levitated the crystal to her hoof, it crumbled into a fine power with a burst of colorful light.
Twilight reviewed her equations again. Something must have been out of balance. Maybe she could have predicted this outcome, If only she knew which of the variables was —
"Twilight," said Luna.
Twilight ended her train of thought, then tipped the power sample into a beaker sitting on the more practical desk that she used in the safe room.
"Yes, Luna?"
Luna rubbed her foreleg.
"I am the one who should be apologizing. I do not understand this machine in the slightest, but I can see that it pleases you. To me the elements still belong to Tia, but I am forgetting who they really belong to. Please disregard my outburst and pursue whatever you think is best for Equestria."
Twilight gave Luna a hug. Luna tentatively patted Twilight's back.
"Thank you, Luna. This means a lot to me. Come on, it'll be morning soon, and I still need to give Spike a bath."
Luna briskly walked towards the safe room's exit. She hesitated in front of the exhaust array, then slowly negotiated a path through the jungle of vents.
"That is right, I shall make my way to the castle soon."
Luna and Twilight trotted back to the office.
Luna's horn glowed a pale blue. An orb of white light illuminated the office. Twilight shielded her eyes. Luna reached inside it and retrieved something. The light was allowed to fade.
"This is what I wanted to show you. I was bored of playing video games and thought I would try playing some traditional games instead, so I went searching for my old rulebooks. It was then that I heard a disturbance in the dark. I spun around to face it..."
Luna's face paled.
"The abomination I saw made my blood run cold."
Luna was shivered as she recounted her ordeal.
Twilight was riveted where she stood. She'd never seen Luna so afraid before.
"How did a monster get inside your castle? What did it look like?"
"It was terrible Twilight. I have never seen anything so deplorable in all my years. I tried to defend myself, but the demon was unstoppable — none of my guardsponies stood a chance. I don't think I could describe the full measure of its foulness with mere words."
Luna held her hoof to her forehead.
"My attacker was a Silvery Paladins in Space rulebook."
Twilight rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, I took the repulsive thing and put it back on its shelf. It was then that I noticed this."
Luna presented a large, ornately crafted tome. Among its many embellishments were a pair of griffins that stood opposite each other. Between them was a depiction of a shining red moon. Twilight also noted what appeared to be inscriptions. They were familiar, but unintelligible.
"I found it utterly spotless amongst the dusty rulebooks. Somepony must have put it there. I had a look inside. All I found on each and every page was an image of the moon, accompanied by a short line of unusual symbols."
Twilight opened the book. Luna tensed. Her legs twitched.
Twilight found exactly what Luna described. The images were arranged in order of the moon's phases, so that if Twilight turned the pages quick enough, the book became an animation of the moon's cycles.
Luna cocked her head.
"Nothing has happened..."
Twilight closed the book.
"What do you mean?"
Luna fidgeted.
"When I first opened this book, the pages suddenly began to turn on their own. When they stopped, a crescent moon was upon the page. The ink glowed red, and I swear that the book spoke to me somehow."
Twilight invited Luna to sit on a small settee she kept in her office. Luna accepted the chance to steady herself.
Twilight continued to examine the book with her magic. The book didn't seem to have any enchantments at all.
"What did it say to you?"
Luna looked at the floor. She could tell Twilight was already skeptical.
"I remember it vividly.
‘Hewn of light, in a cloak of dark.
This crescent blade, is the chaos art.’
"It was a voice I try each and every day of my life to forget."
Twilight bolted upright. She set the book down on her desk and sat down next to Luna.
Twilight motioned with her hoof.
Luna just blinked at first, then smiled when she understood what Twilight meant. Luna took a deep breath, and exhaled.
"I was so frightened I woke up Tia. Tia insisted that I was freed from...her... forever. I asked Tia if she knew what the book was. She said she didn't recognise the book, but told me that if the book really was possessed, anything could happen if I tried to destroy it. That is why I need you to discern the book's true nature. I do not want to be anywhere near that book for a moment longer. Twilight, please make sure I'm not losing my sanity?"
Twilight accepted the book. She took off and quickly flew into the safe room. Twilight stored the artifact inside a jeweled chest. It's construction was designed to quarantine any magical influence it contained.
Twilight returned to Luna, who was now standing inside her window.
"The book is safe with me, Luna. I'll get to the bottom of it."
Luna spread her wings.
"I just hope you are safe with the book. Take care, Twilight Sparkle."
Luna flew off into the aging night and angled towards the incandescent silhouette of Canterlot castle.
Twilight stepped up to the window. She looked out over the university. Spike could be seen below, curled up in his pen. The clamor of Twilight's airship engine earlier had not disturbed him. Twilight stretched her wings with a yawn, then took a steep dive.
Twilight leveled out and swept over the university grounds.
Before she even landed, an enormous purple head poked out above the pen.
Spike's footfalls boomed. The force of his greeting made the tress bend. Spike lowered his massive head so he could see Twilight more clearly.
Twilight smiled and stroked Spike's snout.
"Evening, Spike. You look like you've had a good day. I've not seen you this messy since you were set loose on that ice cream factory. Good thing it needed to be demolished anyway."
A deep rumbling from within his throat was Spike's response. Spike raised himself to his haunches and began clawing at his back. His head craned back and forth.
Twilight giggled
"Oooh you're just helpless without me aren't you. Alright, I'll get it for you."
Spike grumbled and crossed his arms. His nostrils flared, billowing green smoke.
Twilight flew round to Spike's back and found a mangled scooter adhered to his scales by some oily mess. It stretched and resisted as Twilight pulled the scooter free. Twilight deposited it by Spike's pen. He'd take it back to the scrapyard tomorrow.
"When I let you help Lazuli bring back some scrap, this isn't what I was talking about. You need to be more careful Spike."
Spike opened and shut his claw in time with Twilight's spiel. He then inclined his head towards the lake.
"Oh? So you're that eager for a bath, huh? This is a first."
Spike grunted and unfurled his wings, which spanned almost 100 meters. (88 to be precise.) Then bounded into the sky.
Twilight collected the 30 pound bar of soup, several brooms, and all other equipment she'd need to scrub the dirt off Spike's scales.
* * *
Spike hummed as he flew alongside Twilight.
Twilight's wingbeats flagged and her mane was soaked, but time never passed so quickly than when it was spent caring for Spike. They soared back up to the office window.
Spike hovered in place outside.
"Have a good —" Twilight glanced at the horizon "—Uh, mourning, Spike. Looks like we're only going to get a few hours sleep again. I'll see you later, ok?"
Spike's neck drooped, but he nodded.
Twilight walked inside. The workshop still looked like a grim splatter painting. Twilight would be too busy to clean it tomorrow. Somepony else would have to clean it while she was working. Twilight could still hear Spike's wingbeats. His eyes were downcast. Spike tried to fit his snout through the window. He hissed in discontent.
Twilight wanted to say something, but before she could collect her thoughts, Spike shrank out of sight.
Twilight's chest fell. She opened the door to her quarters, and went up to her bedroom.
Spike dropped to the ground like a stone. He trudged back to his pen.
The pen was a simple wooden enclosure. There was a cover that could be pulled over it in case of rain. At the center of the pen was an old hot air balloon, which had been re-purposed as Spike's bed. At back of the pen was a pink basket large enough for a pony to stand in. It was completely filled with gems.
Spike reached inside and clutched the single largest pink sapphire in the world. Compared to him, it was no larger than when he started nurturing it at Golden Oak Library. The sublime star-shaped gem was bigger than a unicorn, and had six long spikes. Spike's mouth watered almost as much as his eyes.
Spike sat there for a time, looking into the monstrous eyes that were staring back at him through the clear magenta. He curled up around his treasure, and dreamed of better times spent with the real element of magic.
Times when he was the number one assistant, not the number one burden.
Twilight walked into her lavish bedroom. Her exquisite four-poster bed was a welcoming sight. At the foot of the bed, on a rug, was a tattered wicker basket. Twilight fluffed the dinky pillow that rested inside it.
"Oh Spike. You'll always have a place here."
Twilight crawled into bed and closed her eyes. She could already see tomorrow's schedule. The hours swirled around her. Twilight searched for her little baby dragon, but he was lost amid a maze of lectures, meeting, paperwork, and experiments.
Magna strode up the winding stairs. He headed an escort of custodians. They sniggered amongst themselves as they made their way to princess Twilight Sparkle's workshop-office.
The Captain snarled.
"Pipe down back there. You are custodians, and you will take your responsibilities seriously."
A pegasus immediately behind him said, "I definitely take my responsibilities more seriously than you do, sir. You should've resigned by now, and saved Celestia the embarrassment."
The other custodians seconded him with their laughter.
Magna grumbled and pressed forward.
Twilight Sparkle was at her desk.
She opened one of her organizers, and reviewed her schedule for the required fifth time that mourning.
Twilight was wearing one of her specially tailored dresses. She had also put the element of magic back onto her crown, because today princess Celestia would be making an informal visit to the university. Naturally, this necessitated a full accompaniment of guardpoines to salute her arrival.
Twilight bit the top of her pencil. She had toiled round the clock for three whole days, and her schedule still looked like a slab of graphite affixed to a sheet of paper.
Twilight picked up a picture frame from her desk. Spike was smiling at her side inside Golden Oak Library.
Twilight touched the glass. If only there were some way to travel inside, and relive the past.
Twilight replaced the frame, and returned to her planning. She would need to make time to clear up her equipment in the safe room: the grey powder had not been forthcoming.
Then there was Luna's book. Twilight wanted to kick herself when she realized it's container had been misplaced. She spent half an hour slamming her head into a wall trying to remember where she put it, before finally giving up at about three in the morning.
Twilight blew an unkempt lock of hair out of her eyes. She looked out the window and squinted at the rising sun.
She collapsed headfirst onto her desk with a groan.
A sound behind Twilight's door commanded her to awaken.
Twilight didn't move at first. Her head had acquired enough mass to rival the density of a neutron star.
Twilight gradually dragged her withered form towards the door. She took a deep breath, put on her restored crown, and stood tall.
A stately unicorn clad in the royal purple of the Custodians of Magic greeted her. Behind him was a platoon of burly pegasi.
"Good morning to you too," said Twilight.
Twilight scanned the throng.
"Strange. Does anypony know were Magna is?"
"Here, boss."
A compact earth pony wearing a white scarf stepped out from behind the unicorn. The unicron proceeded to step in front of him.
"Out of my way you dunderhead," said the earth pony.
The unicorn was impassive.
"I said out of my way — move it."
The unicorn turned around. Mock confusion played about his face.
"Oh sorry. Am I in your spot, sir? I didn't hear you for a moment there. Just look at how slow I am today."
The unicorn slammed into Magna as he went to join the ranks of pegasi.
"Mourning," said Magna, rubbing his shoulder. "Ready to head down to the gate?"
Twilight's crown slated to one side. She pushed it back upright.
"As ready as I'll ever be. What about you? I see you're still having...issues."
The bitter taste of a cold breakfast stuck in Magna's throat. (The cook had been selective in his forgetfulness.)
"Issues? Oh no I'm just fine. You know me, I can handle deaf subordinates all day."
Magna struck the ground with his hoof. His bones sounded a visceral protest. Magna loosed a string of expletives, his hoof throbbed with pain.
"Dammit, I feel like a substitute teacher at the school for bodybuilding brats."
"Maybe we can talk about this later, I'm supposed to be there before Celestia arrives," said Twilight.
Magna grunted in response, sucking his hoof.
The princess and her entourage made for the grounds.
Magna limped a few steps behind Twilight. His eyes watered.
"That looks painful," said Twilight, "You really need to control your temper. I might have to step in of a certain somepony doesn't provoke you again."
Twilight glanced back at the unicorn. He visibly perspired at her insinuation.
"Why don't you get that treated? I'm sure Celestia won't mind if I explain your absence."
Magna occasionally winced in his stride.
"Why? So the doctor has an excuse to hack it off? No thanks. And you don't have to mouth them off for me. You're my boss not my mother — whatever these idiots might say."
They emerged inside a great hall, with a luxurious carpet running from dais to door. Twilight made her way down it's impressive length.
Earth ponies with iron thews stood each side of the main entrance.
"The Captain is just naff I tells ya," said one custodian, "Here I was expecting Celestia to pick somepony who could actually fight, but Finn of all ponies gave the little runt a right thrashing. I'd take back what I said about ol' Green Finn, if I didn't want to trounce the Captain so badly me-self."
The custodian's interlocutor was throttling his spear.
"I've been serving with these maggots for three years now. I heard he wasn't even a custodian until a few months back. Am I getting any promotions? No sir. I'd make a better Captain than that coward any day."
Twilight approached the door.
The guards stood to attention. They moved to open the gate.
"That won't be necessary," said Twilight, "This is a royal visit, so my Captain should open it."
The second guard's spear snapped in two.
"Yes, princess," said the first guard.
He backed away from his peer, who was foaming at the mouth.
Twilight waited. Magna hobbled into view a minute later.
The second guard transfixed Magna with his bloodshot eyes. Magna slowed to a crawl. The muscled custodian grabbed Magna's scarf and hauled him into the air.
Magna pawed at his throat.
"You can take the Captaincy, take the dignity of this establishment, take away the dreams of every Celestia-fearing stallion that ever joined the Royal Guard, but you will not take my duty to the princess. "
The first guard prodded his friend.
"What ," said the second.
The guard was directed to Twilight's frown. Magna's armour clattered as he was dropped unceremoniously. The guard continued to hyperventilate.
"I think you should calm down," said Twilight, "or serve your duty elsewhere. I didn't expect Magna's appointment either, but he is still Celestia's decision."
He lumbered back to his position beside the door and fumed in silence.
Twilight stood over a strewn mess of limbs and armor.
"Magna? Are you ok?"
Magna wheezed.
"I think he just broke my larynx."
Twilight tried to help Magna to his feet, but was shrugged away.
Magna shambled to the door. He grasped the steel ring on one half of the door between his hooves, and pulled with his all his strength.
Magna's battered leg yielded. He drew a sharp breath.
The door creaked, then swung open.
Magna tumbled backward. He gawked up at the open archway from his back, and shielded his eyes from the sun.
The door was surrounded in a magenta aura.
Magna lowered his gaze.
"I'm sorry, Magna, but I have a schedule," said Twilight.
Outside was a path through the university grounds. A tall and splendid gate could be seen at its end. The platoon of pegasi flew through the open door and formed a line facing the path. The unicorn followed suit.
"Why did I wake up this morning?" said Magna.
His legs twinged as he climbed back to his feet.
"Cheer up. Don't tell me you're not excited about seeing princess Celestia?" asked Twilight.
Magna huffed.
"Is that an order?"
A stone platform had been build at the foot of the entrance hall. It was conjoined to the path by a short flight of stairs. Magna stood parallel to his troops at the end of the platform. Twilight awaited Celestia at the other.
A few moments later, a cluster of glinting specks could be seen on the horizon. They grew into a second platoon of pegasi in brilliant golden armour. The honor guard landed opposite the custodians. The rival warriors entered a deadlock of gazes.
There was a tremendous gust of wind. Magna was buffeted onto his armored hind quarters for a third time. Twilight had to hold on to her dress.
A winged juggernaut swooped down to the platform. His rippling form strode up to the princess.
"Twilight Sparkle. It's a pleasure to finally meet Equestria's youngest and most beautiful princess."
The pegasus swept up Twilight's hoof and gave it a gentle peck.
Twilight politely retracted her hoof. She smiled with pursed lips.
"Charmed. May I ask who you are?"
The stallion removed his helmet and tossed his blonde mane.
"I knew you'd be interested — if you hadn't already heard. I am Strong Wind, former wonderbolt, flying champion of Canterlot, and Captain of Celestia's honour guard — I even bested the Immortal Spitfire, one-on-one."
Strong Wind beat his chest plate.
"You could say I'm the finest flier in all of Equestria."
"Finest?" said Magna, "you never beat Fleetfoot. Never will. There's only one pony who has."
Strong Wind gnashed his teeth at the utterance of Fleetfoot's name. He didn't even look at Magna.
"Are all of your servants so petulant? Your Captain should learn to keep such ill mannered toads in line."
"That ‘toad’ is my Captain," said Twilight.
"Him?" said Strong Wind, "but he's an earth pony. A dreg. To think the Custodians of Magic could fall so far. Why it's more than I can bear — I won't allow it."
Strong Wind smirked. He breathed condensation onto his gleaming helm, and shined it.
"The moment princess Celestia arrives, I will appeal to her for an immediate replacement."
Magna turned his back and looked up at the sky. A golden chariot wheeled through the azure heavens.
"You do that. Maybe an ass-kissing snob like you can talk some sense into her."
Strongwind continued to pontificate about his wing measurements and track times. A sound like rolling thunder resounded from above.
Twilight scratched her chin as she recalled the weekly weather forecast. It had predicted almost three whole days of unabated sunshine.
__________________________________________________________________________________
The twin turbines of Lazuli's prototype hung over each side of her largest flatbed trolley.
Lazuli hummed to herself as she pulled her trolley by levitation.
A unicorn in a grey suit rounded the corner in front of her. He was carrying a huge grey crystal on his back. It shone with a dull metallic lustre.
Lazuli gave him a wave.
"Oh hi professor Tephra."
"Good morning, Lazuli," said Tephra.
Tephra peered behind Lazuli at her prototype.
"Another one of your hair-brained projects? It looks like some sort of propulsion device. Aviation perhaps?"
Lazuli grinned and nodded.
"That's right, professor. This is Gamma, my jetpack. How'd you guess he was a flying machine?"
Tephra set his crystal on the floor. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed the sweat from his brow.
"The princess is working on something very similar, that's why she asked me to dust off this rather large specimen. Her plan is to harness the magical potential of crystals I hear. Clever, eh?"
Lazuli rubbed her hooves together.
"Yeah. Me and Gamma are gonna beat her to it. I can't wait to see the look on her face."
Tehpra chuckled.
"Matching wits with an alicorn? Well, I wish you luck. If only my own students were so exuberant."
Tehpra replaced his handkerchief and straightened his tie.
"I suppose you'll be wanting some crystal samples as well? Twilight's deductions indicate that only some form of hypothetical power supply based on crystals can produce the delta-v required to —"
Lazuli scratched her head.
"Crystals? I thought I could just power it with my horn..."
Tephra's eyes filled with tears. His face cracked with laughter.
"I can't fault your imagination, but I'm afraid that's not going to work. The machine would only output the same amount of thrust as a levitation spell. You might as well carry yourself around by the tail and call that aviation."
Tephra began to cough from overexerting himself.
Lazuli cradled her jetpack like a child.
"That's not what I meant. Gamma absorbs energy from his surroundings. He just needs a spark to get him started."
Lazuli rubbed it's polished surface, painted proudly in the royal purple of the university.
Tephra wiped the tears from his eyes.
" If that's true, it'd be a sight to see. Anyway, I couldn't help but notice that nifty little —"
Lazuli looked at her watch. The time could vaguely be seen behind a dirty sheet of glass.
"We're early for our test flight, but I can't wait a minute longer. Catch you later professor."
Lazuli rushed towards the university grounds.
"Wait — I just need help with this sample," said Tephra.
Tephra watched as Lazuli flung open a pair of double doors and vanished. He groaned and levitated the crystal again.
"Curse these old bones. I could really use that trolley."
Lazuli slowed when she reached the grounds. (The trolley threatened to swerve on the uneven path.)
A group of undergraduates chatted intermittently as they studied under a tree. The students paused to look at Lazuli as she passed. Some of them got up and surrounded the unicorn.
"Is that oil on your coat?" said a mare, cackling at Lazuli's angular style of mane, "How can you walk out the door looking like...that. They'll think we're letting homeless ponies study here."
Lazuli shied towards her jetpack.
"I'm sorry. I spend so much time making machines, sometimes I forget to clean myself..."
Another student was holding her nose.
"When was the last time you took a shower?"
Lazuli was staring at the ground.
"A few days ago."
A unicorn, with teeth more suited to a mule, walked up to the trolley. He levitated Lazuli's jetpack to inspect its underside. Lazuli gasped.
"What have you got this time, ratbag? Not another crazy invention."
The stallion let go of the jetpack, which rattled the trolley almost tipped it over.
Lazuli gasped.
"Please stop these insane experiments," said the stallion, "I don't want my essays getting soaked because some vulgar little girl burrowed her way into my room with an oversized drill."
He pointed at the dormitory block, which was currently supported by scaffolding.
"There'll be flying pigs before there's flying unicorns. Professor Twilight should stop endorsing such puerile wastes of time."
The stallion was knocked onto his haunches. Lazuli's teeth screeched as they grinded.
"Gamma is not a waste of time."
Lazuli furrowed the earth beneath her burning hooves as she stalked the stallion down. He scrambled backward. A book entitled Monarchs of Equestria fell out of his saddlebag.
"You should watch your mouth. Twilight was a unicorn before she was princess. And the last time I checked..."
Lazuli thrust the stallion's book into his face.
" — She wasn't a flying pig. Maybe you'd know that if you'd actually read any of your textbooks."
Lazuli levitated the trolley out of harm's way.
"C'mon Gamma, don't listen to them."
The stallion's peers helped him to his feet.
"Well technically..."
Lazuli stomped off towards a large memorial site.
"I don't care. "
Another student walked over to inspect the commotion.
"What's with her?"
The bucktoothed stallion tapped his temple.
"I believe it's more to do with what she's without."
The memorial site consisted of a raised stone circle with a full-sized statue of a stallion at its centre. The bronze unicorn was armored, and rearing on his hind legs. Vines clung to his body and obscured his face. A sheet of leaves blanketed the stone circle.
Lazuli lowered the trolley.
"No pony will bother us here."
The jetpack had a panel on its back next to an amber orb set into the metal casing. Lazuli opened the panel and disassembled some of the circuits behind it, using tools from her saddlebag.
" I can't believe Twilight made me take Delta apart. It wasn't his fault. I made a mistake with his control system."
Lazuli retrieved a circuit board from the jetpack. It included five stamp-sized chips, each with a yellow star printed on it.
"I'm not letting that happen to you."
Lazuli levitated a pair of tweezers. She held one of the chips in front of her, then squinted. A tiny slot on its side was barely visible.
Lazuli inserted one end of her tweezers. The top of the chip's casing flipped open: revealing a chromatic matrix of gemstones. Each was no larger than a grain of sand.
Lazuli took out her magnifying glass so she could inspect the arrangement, and check that it was in proper sequence. She smiled.
"A place for every conduit, and every conduit in its place. You're doing great, Gamma. Let's see if the next one compares."
Lazuli placed the first chip on a work mat and opened the second. It's panoply of gems was pristine. She juxtaposed the two chips.
Lazuli grunted. Licked licked her lips as she corrected a misalignment with her tweezers.
The clear cut gems slipped about in her grasp.
Lazuli wiped away her sweat and returned to her jetpack for the third chip.
When the final chip had been inspected, Lazuli reassembled the jetpack. She switched her glasses for a pair of red tinted goggles, then looked to the sky.
"This is it, Gamma. We have perfect atmospheric conditions."
Lazuli levitated the jetpack onto her withers.
The weight winded her when she let go. She swayed awkwardly as she adjusted the straps.
Lazuli eventually stood in place. Her legs trembled and she breathed heavily. She grasped a starter rope near her shoulder by levitation. (Which had been cannibalized from a chainsaw.) The grip had been modified into another, smaller, orb. Wires were threaded through the cord itself.
Lazuli pulled the cord as hard as she could.
The amber flashed with an orange light, and the turbines began to hum furiously. The orb on top of the jetpack glowed faintly and crackled with magenta sparks. A HUD inside Lazuli's goggles monitored the jetpack's systems.
A gentle breeze brushed past the jetpack.
Lazuli yelped. Her legs gave way and she tipped sideways. The wing of the jetpack scratched the ground. T
The humming intensified and the trees behind Lazuli were blasted into autumn.
"Oh ponyfeathers..."
The metal wing screamed and sparked as Lazuli left the world behind. She was catapulted into the air on a low trajectory.
Lazuli screeched as she collided with a tree. It's branches slapped and stung her face. Lazuli emerged with an apple in her mouth.She spat it out in time to see the ground spiraling above her, and the walls of the university rushing up to make her acquaintance.
Lazuli's face rippled like a wind sock.
"Gamma — we have to straighten out."
Lazuli manipulated the jetpack's motion through the orb on the starter rope by magic. Reports fed into the HUD.
The turbines inclined and the wings broke the air.
Lazuli veered upward and away from the wall of the entrance hall. She was close enough that she could have skimmed it with her hooves.
Lazuli curved herself away from the great blue above, and leveled out. Her head was thumping. Her heart had collapsed. Her breakfast was restless in her stomach. But all of Lazuli's earthly aches and pains vanished in a moment of breathless wonder.
A living map of Canterlot rolled by beneath her.
"You did it. Unicorns can fly, and everypony will know it."
Lazuli beamed for all the world to see. She stretched her legs, doubled the throttle, and ploughed through the sky like a born flier.
"I could do this for hours. You're the best, Gamma."
The hum faded, and the magenta sparks ceased. A warning blinked on the HUD.
"Low power? But we just took off."
The earth rose in front of Lazuli.
"What's wrong, Gamma? Can't you find any energy this high up?"
Lazuli's skin crawled. She quickly studied the landscape.
"If I just had some thrust, I could glide us to that lake. But I need your help."
Lazuli covered her face as she crashed through a cloud. The university was in sight, and growing.
"Hurry Gamma. Find some power — anything."
Another warning appeared. less than a minute until impact. Small shapes could be seen moving about the city.
Lazuli grabbed the starter rope and pulled.
The orb flashed, but the engines were silent.
Lazuli pulled the rope again and again. Tears were whipped off her face by the rushing wind.
"Please Gamma. Please don't leave me all alone."
A faint row of shining metal in front of a wide stairway came into view. A shape at the top of the stairs was particularly bright.
Lazuli was too low see the boundaries of the university anymore.
She let go of the rope and closed her eyes.
The sun caught a gemstone somewhere near the ground. It twinkled with a magenta light. The jetpack erupted with power.
Lazuli heard a crackling, and her eyes snapped open.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
"What do you say? Don't you think an unsightly wingless dreg is beneath you? "said Strong Wind.
Lazuli directed her jetpack to pull up. The HUD calculated that the current rate of acceleration was too low to escape the ground in time.
Twilight pointed skyward.
"Hey look: a wingless pony."
Strongwind followed her hoof. His gaze flitted about the sky.
"Pardon me, princess, but I don't quite understand what you mean by —"
A bolt of blue lightning blurred in front of Strong Wind. A torrent of air came after that sent him careening backward. The mass of metal and muscle cascaded into Magna.
Magna cursed as he was steamrolled flat.
Twilight had teleported herself to safety. She returned with a pop of magic,trying in vain to stifle her giggles.
Lazuli was with the clouds again.
She touched her chest and face: oddly conscious of the fact that she was still alive. Her mouth was dry, and her breath was tremulous.
"I think that's enough for one day."
Lazuli steered her flight into a gradual descent that would take her back to the monument. The HUD indicated that the jetpack's power supply was at more than half of its capacity, but was dropping significantly.
"Maybe siphoning ambient energy isn't as reliable as I thought. I hope you're ok, Gamma."
The jetpack angled counter to Lazuli's navigation. It spun about and flew in circles uncontrollably.
"Gamma? What're you doing? You're gonna make me sick."
The jetpack aligned itself with the platform and entered another steep dive.
"Stop Gamma. We can't land like this. You're going too fast."
Twilight levitated Strong Wind off of Magna.
"Sorry about that. I had a feeling my student would test her project without me."
Strong Wind produced a brush and delicately combed his rampant locks of hair back into formation. He used his helm as a mirror.
"What in blazes was that?"
Twilight laughed. She shaded her eyes as she watched the jetpack soar.
"Like I said. A wingless pony. Lazuli is a unicorn, but she's still found a way to fly."
Magna held his aching ribs.
"Flying unicorns. That's just great. More jerks to choke the skies with."
Strong Wind saw a chariot reflected in his helmet.
He sprinted to the side of the platform and stood to attention. Magna staggered over to the other.
The chariot hovered for a moment, then made a smooth landing. Twilight's crown slid just an inch. Strong Wind cleared his throat.
"As Captain of the Honor Guard, it is my privilege to announce the arrival of Her Majesty Princess Celestia."
Celestia stepped out of her chariot. Strong Wind bowed low.
A column of fire raged in Magna's soul. He did not bow.
The custodians below looked on in disgust. Strong Wind noticed Magna's insolence. He scraped the ground with his hoof — ready to charge. Celestia stopped him with her outstretched foreleg. He bowed again and stood down.
Celestia said nothing as she met Magna's gaze. The corner of her mouth twitched as she turned from him. She was unable to withstand the inferno reflected in his eyes.
Celestia looked at the stone surface of the platform as she walked to the gates. Her heart dragged somewhere behind her.
"Good morning princess, are you okay?" said Twilight.
Celestia raised her head.
"Not at all, Twilight Sparkle. It's always good to see you."
Celestia smiled meekly. A pair of holes were being scorched into the back of her head.
Twilight's crown drooped.
"So what's been going on? What's the state of the treasury? How are relations with Saddle Arabia? Do you have some more documents for me to sign? Do I need to make an appearance? Do I need to christen an airship? Is Ponyville safe? Are any of my friends in trouble?"
Celestia watched Twilight wing's flail about as she spouted more and more potential dilemmas. She broke out into a sweat.
Celestia expediently placed a hoof onto Twilight's mouth.
"Please, Twilight, everything is alright. I just wanted to see you."
Twilight's mouth opened and shut uselessly for a moment.
"Oh...so aliens haven't landed in Fillydelphia?"
"Not yet," said Celestia.
She corrected Twilight's crown for her.
"Why don't we go inside. Luna tells me you've been very busy lately."
Twilight smiled and trotted for the door.
"Okay, I'll have some tea made for us."
There was a cry from above. It was too slow to be heard in time. The blue lightning returned.
Celestia tasted hair. A powerful current of hair had wrapped Celestia's mane round and round her head like cotton candy. When she disentangled herself, Twilight had vanished.
Twilight hurtled backwards. She was suspended on the end of one of the jetpack's wings.
Lazuli's chest palpitated. She covered her cheeks with both hooves.
"Professor."
Streams of magenta lightning arched off of Twilight's body and poured into the amber orb on the jetpack. It shone with blinding intensity.
Twilight screamed. She entered spasms and her eyes flickered. Twilight's mind emptied. Curious and subtle memories floated through her.
The scent of petrichor.
The sweetness of sugar.
The shuttling of a sewing machine.
The roughness of tree bark.
The twinkling of dew on a spider's web.
Twilight was aware that she was holding somepony in her levitation amid a void of light. Warmth faded from him until he was limp and cold.
Twilight's breaths trilled.
When she let go, everything became dark. At her back, was the shrill cry of love's demise.
Lazuli looked over at Twilight's unconscious body. The lightning had ceased. Another warning blinked onto the HUD.
Power approaching capacity. Overload imminent.
"Where's all this power coming from? This is a disaster. Gamma, but we have to land. Now," said Lazuli.
The jetpack lurched forward, putting on another burst of speed.
Lazuli clenched her teeth. She realized that the jetpack was compelled to expend the excess energy.
Their flight path maundered and whirled wildly.
The HUD pixels mashed, split, and faded. The jetpack's control systems had short circuited. They were both completely helpless.
Lazuli's coat stood on end. Her heart beat like pistons driving a steam engine.
"Professor, can you hear me?"
Twilight hung like a ragdoll.
Lazuli scratched her head.
"What am I going to do? If only I could use teleportation magic..."
Strong Wind puffed out his chest.
"Fear not fair princess, I shall save you. Fall in, guardians of honor."
The Honour Guard became a wave of golden bullets that shot after the jetpack. The Custodians of Magic gave chase without an order.
Magna and Celestia gazed up at the scene. Alone. Neither looked at the other. Magna took one painful step towards the entrance hall.
"Where are you going?" asked Celestia.
"Guard quarters. Flight's not my thing," said Magna.
Celestia walked in front of Magna.
"Your duty is out there. Twilight needs you."
Magna's nostrils flared.
"What does she need me for when commander Hurricane over there has everything under control? I knew this had to be another one of your false promises. I quit. You'll have my resignation tomorrow, and If there's any good left in the world, you'll choke on it."
Magna walked past Celestia. Celestia touched her chin for a moment. Then smiled.
Magna was obviously just confused and disheartened. Celestia needed to show some empathy and encourage him.
Celestia held out her hoof in a placating gesture and closed her eyes in satisfaction.
"Captains are not chosen lightly, Magna. Your resignation would be the first in the history of the Royal Guard. It's always a shame when such a special pony slips away, but I suppose I can't always know what's best. You can protect Twilight Sparkle — and I have full confidence that you can — or, you may take the train back to Clipstow. The choice is yours."
Magna looked over his shoulder. Then continued walking.
"Sounds good to me."
Celestia blinked. She flew to catch up to Magna.
"B — but, didn't you come here to become a citizen of Canterlot? Wasn't that your dream? "
Magna cut through Celestia with a look that could cut steel.
"My dreams are already over. Clipstow will never forgive you. You will never understand us."
Celestia shuffled backward. She looked down to wipe the non-existent dust off of the gemstone she wore.
"I wanted to fix things somehow."
Magna kept walking.
"Could've fooled me."
Celestia pawed at the ground. Everything she was comfortable with had failed. She was going to lose Twilight's Captain.
But then she thought of Luna, and her barbed tongue.The corner of Celestia's mouth curled upward.
"You're right, I have no intention of appeasing refuse from the junkyard. "
Celestia wanted to touch her ears. Her mouth convoluted. Using such unkind words was akin to regurgitation.
Magna stopped at the door.
"Clipstow ponies are complete l — losers," said Celestia.
Magna stomped up to Celestia, anesthetized with rage.
"What did you say?"
Celestia shook her hoof aggressively, which looked like she was waving a wet fish. Celestia's angry snarl was an unusually rigid smile.
"You heard me, I called your friends a degenerate waste of my land and resources. And I called you a loser."
The word made Celestia swallow.
"You can't do anything except make nails and tools: Things that ponies with class use to do real work."
Magna looked like he was going to punch Celestia.
"I asked you to protect Twilight. If you go back there without even trying, you'll be showing all of Equestria how much Clipstow is..."
Celestia hummed and hawed. She probed the ancient depths of her vocabulary for derogatory words.
An image of Luna manifested in Celestia's mind. It tapped it's hoof and glared at Celestia impatiently.
"— not good?" said Celestia.
The image of Luna slapped Celestia round the back of her head.
Magna turned to the gates. He walked unimpaired.
"Well that does it. I'm not going to let you get the better of me."
Celestia could not disguise her relief. She didn't even realize she'd been holding her breath.
Magna turned again. He shook his head.
"Just give me one question," said Magna.
Celestia tilted her head.
"I know what you're like. Once your dirty work is done, you'll vanish. So before I go, you're going to tell me something," said Magna.
Celestia recovered her poker grin.
"Alright."
"Why did you choose me?" said Magna.
"Why not?" said Celestia.
Magna just stared. His gaze narrowed.
"That's not funny."
Strong Wing surged through the sky with a technique that cut the air in massive strokes like an oar blade.
Sweat rained behind the gold and purple platoons, but the distance refused to close. Whatever had capture the princess, it darted about faster than the eye could see.
Strong Wind flew on his back and reviewed his hooficure. The metal monster was no match for the wings of a champion, of course, but It wouldn't do to save the day without some dramatic flair. He kept inside the slip stream of other pegasi. When the pack finally gained some ground, Strong Wind would be rested, and ready to make his rescue seem effortless.
Strong Wind sniggered to himself. The despair of the lesser guards would make an excellent garnish for his sumptuous and supple victory feast.
Lazuli had her forelegs crossed.
"We've not crashed yet, so at least one of your control processers must be operating. Just land already. I'm worried about the professor."
The orb glared brighter than the sun.
Lazuli's stomach lurched as the jetpack haphazardly rolled and changed direction. With the novelty of flight wearing away, Lazuli focused on Twilight: She seemed to be riveted onto the wing by some unseen force.
The jetpack plummeted without provocation.
Lazuli's spine tingled.
The flagged turrets of Canterlot whistled by just a few feet below.
"Oh Gamma, you must feel terrible. I'm sorry for being short with you. Please hold on — I'll think of something."
The jetpack flew into a large flag a tore it from its pole.
Lazuli was blinded. She growled and tossed it away.
Strong Wind watched as the machine declined, and was hit by a bolt of inspiration. He would snatch the princess just before she touched the ground.
He licked his porcelain lips as he anticipated her kisses of adulation.
Strong Wing burst ahead of the throng. He swooped low and kept his muzzle pointed on his target.
It was then that he realized the machine had a driver. A thoroughly unpresentable driver, who's coat was covered in brown stains.
The jetpack stooped further until it was just tens of feet off the ground. The busy townsponies clung to their precious hats and ducked in the wake of a sonic explosion. Windows and doors were slammed shut by the gale. Everypony looked on in startled fascination as the jetpack sped down the twisting streets of old Canterlot. Their confusion was doubled when Strong Wind followed. A veritable stampede of air trampled everything in its path when the guard squads descended.
The chase meandered towards Canterlot station.
Having waited long enough, Strong Wind redoubled his wing beats and drew close enough to clearly see the princess.
She was still.
Strong Wind snarled. A display would be a waste of time.
Twilight mumbled and slowly opened her eyes.
Strong Wind seized the serendipity of the moment and extended his hoof with a satisfied grin.
Twilight recoiled and looked about in a daze.
"Professor, I'm so glad you're awake. I really need your advice," said Lazuli.
Before Twilight could respond, magic rippled through her, and the magenta lighting burst forth again.
Strong Wind shielded himself from the vibrant light. He slowed, and almost hit into one of the custodians flying behind him.
A fissure split through the amber orb. It shone like a beacon in the daylight.
The jetpack accelerated again and rapidly outpaced the guards.
Strong Wind grunted, then shot off again to catch up.
The jetpack soared over the rail yard. Trains of every creed and color made off in all directions. Except one.
Lazuli flew over a shunned rail that stretched towards the sea. The jetpack continued to gather speed. Lazuli watched the rows of wooden sleepers become a constant sheet of brown.
"Gamma. I give up. I could shut off your auto-control systems, but I'd only have a few seconds to gain manual control. If there's a way out of this, I can't find it."
Lazuli looked at Twilight's sparkling crown.
"I'm a failure. My plans never work out. Not like the professor. She can do everything on her own. I wanted to achieve something I could call my own, just once..."
Strong Wind inched closer. Perspiration accumulated inside his stuffy armor. The endurance flight had become a derby sprint without his realizing.
The searing muzzles of the jetpacks' engines was enough to leave him stifling. Strong Wind's wing strokes were perfect, but his efforts purchased no distance.
The jetpack began to shrink. It dipped ever closer to the ground.
Strong Wind was breathing in gasps. He wanted to bite his delicate hooves.
A rhythmic clapping noise pulled up alongside Strong Wind. He saw something that made his jaw limp and his pupils constrict.
Magna, who had forgone his armor, was racing ahead of Canterlot's champion flier on two pairs of motorized roller skates.
Sparks kicked up behind each roller as it struck the earth. A grey metallic shin guard was strapped to each of Magna's legs.
Magna's mane was plastered to his face. his legs felt like their bones had been jellified.
Adrenaline boiled through Strong Wind's veins. He roared and pounded the air harder.
A rock jutting out of the path made Magna trip. His knee was driven into a shard of rock.
He cried out as his leg exploded with pain.
Strong Wind laughed. The runt slipped back into the dust from whence he came.
The princess was almost within Strong Wind's grasp, but the Jetpack was static before him. Suspended beyond his limits.
Strong Wind lurched and fell. His body skimmed off the sleepers like a stone. Strong Wind lay in the dirt.
He grimaced, and strained, but couldn't rise. His wings panged. He clutched his dislocated limbs in disbelief.
Strong Wind watched the princess fly away.
From the waste and the dust, a grey wind sped past him.
Fragments of gravel covered Magna's leg. A pool of red stained his coat. Magna ran like a machine.
Never. I'll never let her win.
Lazuli's heart crept into her throat as the jetpack rocked from side to side.
The jet's where at their operational threshold.
Magna's hooves beat the earth over and over. His vision blurred and time was washed away. All he could hear was the sound of his own rasping breaths.
Who am I kidding. I can't go any faster. There's nothing magical about me. I don't have any wings or horns. To them, no matter what I do, I'll just be a flea riddled slob from the gutter.
A clear voice entered Magna's mind and spoke to him softly.
Ponies are inherently magical. It doesn't belong to anypony. Not even the unicorns. Like the wind, magic is something that must be shared.
You are never alone, Magna. All you have to do is listen.
Magna heard and felt the wind rushing around him. It expanded until all else faded.
Magna flicked through his newspaper.
Trollestia strikes again.
For the umpteenth time, everypony's favourite despot raises the fees for Canterlot citizenship just in time to keep Clipstow's racing heroes from gaining the freedom they deserve.
A cartoon caricature of Celestia was flashing a toothy grin. The outlines of her eyes where creased in malignant joy. She was raking bits into a green pot with her foreleg.
Magna punched the newspaper into a ball and kicked it away. He got up from the bench he was sitting on, and made down the street in a huff.
Workponies carted steel and scrap throughout the town; wheels dipping in the potholes. They delivered the lifeblood of a dying city. Dark corpses of crumbling brick were piled either side of the street. The occasional wisp of steam from a chimney was the only sign of life within. Taxes in Clipstow were about the same as the wages. Celestia's loud and dubious thugs lurked about the homes that could not pay, like ravens upon carrion.
Magna straightened his back as he passed. He would not be a victim.
Dark clouds marked Magna's way to the heart of town. Many fires had been lit to work the metal. Few had been kept alive.
His path took him within sight of the stadium. Fleetfoot smiled at Magna from a banner atop its walls. She welcomed one and all to the Daedelus Cup. The Road Warriors and Team Circuit faced off beneath her, four ponies each side.
Thousands of earth ponies crowded in front of the stadium. All of Clipstow was present, in spirit, if not pony.
Magna watched for a time. He looked up at the Road Warriors: an amateur team that became the favourites to win overnight.
Magna lingered amongst the crowds. Townsponies and friends called his name and patted his back.
Magna just soaked in their congratulations with a modest smile.
The line was allowed to move forward, and Magna took the opportunity to slide back into the empty shadows.
Magna clocked himself into the steel mill. Before he could don his safety equipment, he was called to stop.
Magna spun towards the familiar voice.
He was greeted by two stallions. One in a green racing suit, another in red.
"Ultima?" Magna lowered his hardhat. "Maximus? What are you doing here? You're gonna be late for the race."
The green racer prodded Magna's chest.
"What are you doing here?" said Ultima. He snatched away Magna's hardhat. "You're about to miss your train."
Magna looked away.
"You know what. Celestia stands for everything that's cruel and unfair in the world. I can't work for her."
Maximus, the red racer, punched Magna's shoulder.
"You can and you will. Don't you see what the has done? She's setting you free."
Magna rubbed his shoulder and began to retort, but Ultima stamped the floor.
"I don't know why she thinks a steelworker would make such a good slave for some spoiled princess to pussy whip — but that doesn't matter. You get to breathe the clean air of Canterlot. So take her stupid offer and walk out of this hellhole."
"But if I'm gone who will put food on the table?" said Magna.
Maximus looked at Ultima. Ultima nodded.
"look, little bro, me and Ultima...We're hanging it up for good." said Maximus. "The Road Warriors are done."
Magna's world spilt in two. He fell to his haunches and pulled at his ears.
"But you can't quit now — you're at the top of your game."
Magna's eyes welled up. His chest fluctuated. His sobs were conflated with hollow laughter
"You're not telling me you guys are actually going to get real jobs. What about your dreams of leaving Clipstow?"
Ultima pressed a pair of turbo skates into Magna's forelegs. Magna stared at them, then looked up at his brother's smile.
"They came true."
Maximus clapped Magna's shoulder.
"We're proud of you, little bro. Say hi to Fleetfoot for us."
Magna wiped his tears.
"I'll miss you. You daft donkey."
He climbed to his feet and put on the motorskates.
"We'll miss you too. Now shut up and get on that train. It won't be coming back for you."
Ultima pointed to Magna's future.
"Go! "
Magna bolted away, and tore a blazing trail through the streets.
Clipstow station was built like a fortress. It's iron walls enclosed the entire city. An open plaza spanned in front of a forest of watch towers. A blockade of guards denied access. The chugging of pistons and whoosh of steam sounded.
Magna's throat tightened.
A guardspony pointed at Magna and barked orders. The blockade of pegasi rallied atop a flight of stairs and readied their weapons. They raised a wall of spears against the trespasser. Unicorns positioned inside the towers fired volleys of concussive magic at Magna.
Magna dodged and weaved about the explosions that rained around him. Magna's hooves pumped into the ground — kicking up the scree of the city.
The skates spun heat and light like a grindstone.
Magna sprinted within spitting distance of the pegasi, then vaulted over the blockade. He landed smoothly and dashed through the station.
Magna leaped down from the train platform and raced along the tracks. Before him spanned a suspension bridge. He followed the train's trail of steam.
Sirens wailed behind him. An amplified voice boomed from his flying pursuers.
"This is the Royal Guard — you're under arrest."
Magna reached into his saddlebag and grasped his ticket.
If he could just get aboard, he'd be able to explain himself.
Unicorns rushed along raised walkways either side of the bridge. They emitted glowing fields of magic that descended onto the tracks.
Magna shut his eyes and braced for some form of impact. When none came, he opened his eyes to find the field to be completely incorporeal.
The train was slipping out of sight and the clouds were alive with motion. Magna almost dropped his ticket.
To the guards, Magna appeared as if he were wading through colourless amber. The time dilation spells distorted the air, causing it to become visible as a rippling bubble.
Magna looked back at the advancing swarm of pegasi.
Unicorns gathered ahead of him, preparing to lay a concentrated field of time dilation.
Magna froze. legs shuddering in place with nowhere to run.
He was carried forward by momentum alone. His future rode on into uncertainty.
A tidal wave of punches crashed along one of the walkways — sending unicorns sprawling into the sea.
Maximus was racing as Magna had never seen him race before.
The unicorn's magical attacks were battered aside by his indomitable speed. The blades of his motorskates where surrounded in a red aura.
The world around Magna decelerated as the Unicorns on the other side of the bridge struggled to maintain the time dilation.
Pegasus guards swooped ahead of Magna. A lieutenant twice Magna's size ordered them to bar the tracks.
Ultima ground his motorskates down one of the bridge's support cables. He leaped into the sky and plunged onto the lieutenant's back — seizing him in a headlock.
"Take me instead, ya tin headed cloppers."
The lieutenant thrashed about and rolled, but Ultima only tightened his stranglehold.
The pegasi broke off the chase to aide their commander.
Magna watched as Ultima was swallowed in a cloud of feathers. Maximus lost celerity with each strike. Stern faced unicorns, drenched and wrapped in seaweed, levitated back onto the bridge. Maximus deflected blast after blast, but was eventually a stun spell slipped past his skates and caught him square in the chest.
Magna's heart was numb. He turned from his fallen brothers. Fear tugged at his heart. Magna resolved to look at only one thing and one thing only: He stared dead ahead, and challenged the sun.
His future wasn't all that could be found in Canterlot.
Magna impelled his rollers to greater speed. He kicked his left legs first: how Maximus always started. Then his right: Ultima's strongest side.
He lowered his head and launched himself forward faster and faster. The years rolled behind him.
Every race, every flag, every ounce of power the skates of the road warriors had to give. Everything that had made life in Clipstow bearable had been surrendered. Just for him.
The unicorns backed against the rails of the walkway. Their bulbous spell shuddered and convulsed. They instinctively scanned the surroundings for an opposing magician, and found none.
Magna remembered the enormity of the stadium as it resonated with the cheers of Clipstow. The Road Warriors blazed the circuit side by side, flags of victory atop their withers. An undying spark was lit in Magna's soul.
The spell expanded, quivered it's last, then burst. A fulminating comet exploded out of its back. The unicorns where stunned onto their backs. Some toppled back into the sea.
Magna's mind became clear like the wind. His being exuded a blue brilliance and his legs were a haze of fleeting feet.
The train zoomed into view.
Magna gauged his target, closed his eyes, then jumped.
Lazuli's dejected form looked up. Her eyes where puffy and her hoofs were covered in snot.
A figure was standing atop her jetpack — face shadowed by the sun. He jettisoned some wheeled object that he was carrying and put Twilight on his back. He reached out with his hoof and told Lazuli to unfasten herself from the machine. He almost retracted when he touched Lazuli's slimy leg.
Lazuli clung onto the stranger, then pressed a button at the center of her harnessing. The safety belts retracted, and the stranger hoisted Lazuli on top of the jetpack.
Lazuli met a short grey stallion whose face was set in a frown. He held to the jetpack with his free hoof. He was wearing a fascinating pair of mechanized roller skates on his hind legs.
Lazuli speculated on the function of various wires and capacitors set into its motley surface. She set her goggles above her horn.
"Can you levitate yourself?" asked the stranger. "Otherwise I'm gonna have to use the princess as a glider or something."
"I know you. You're Captain Magna. What are those machines you're wearing? Did you make them yourself?" asked Lazuli.
Small cracks quaked through the surface of the amber orb.
Magna scurried away from it when he caught the scent of burning rubber. The front roller of his motorskate was ruined. Magna shook his head in consternation.
"Is this really the time?"
Lazuli scratched the back of her head.
"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm not very advanced in levitation. But maybe If I made a force field, I could break our fall."
Magna huffed.
"Ok, fine, if that's the best you've got we'd better take it. This thing looks like it's about to blow."
Magna eased himself around to face the wind — taking care to keep a hold of Twilight. Lazuli didn't move. She looked at her reflection in the metal of her jetpack .
"What are you waiting for?" said Magna.
Lazuli took out a small screw driver she hid in her mane, and prized up the access panel. She bit her lip when she found two scorched sockets.
An amorphous residue had spilled into the control compartment.
Magna looked on impatiently as Lazuli gathered up the three remaining control chips.
Magna counted to three, then jumped. Lazuli hopped after and made an elastic bubble of magic.
The bubble rebounded several times before spilling it's three contents in a jumble.
Lazuli got up and stumbled about in a daze. She watched the jetpack end its first and final flight. It crashed into the support structure of a suspension bridge.
Lazuli renewed her tears.
"Goodbye, Gamma."
The earth shifted. The sky blacked and a prodigious plume of magenta lightning streaked into the heavens. A shockwave rampaged over the landscape — erasing all in its wake. Chunks of earth and debris the size of houses where punted along at the base of a vehement vortex of destruction. Animals fled in terror
Magna's tried to stand, but his leg was tender. He grasped it to staunch the flow of blood.
"Boss, we gotta go. Get up."
Magna rocked Twilight's body. She remained dormant.
Lazuli ran over to her mentor.
"I'm really sorry professor. Please wake up. I can't stop this alone."
Thunder roared. Magna and Lazuli were deafened by the coming doom.
A blade of white light cut the sky above Canterlot. It streamed forth and ploughed through the oblivion in a burst of shining iridescence.
The lightning fizzled away and the darkness passed. A calm rolling wind was all that remained of the storm's anger.
A great cloud of shimmering stardust marked the aftermath. It coalesced into a shining star. Princess Celestia appeared from within. She floated gracefully to the ground.
Magna squinted and shaded his eyes.
"Captain Magna, escort Twilight back to the university. Report to me when you arrive, " said Celestia.
The two locked gazes.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said Magna, with a short bow.
Celestia examined the mangled bridge. Her face softened. It's supports had been atomized entirely and the severed rails where bent like frayed whiskers.
Magna spat while Celestia's back was turned.
Celestia was very still. Twilight would've thought something was wrong. Luna would know she was deeply hurt about something. But to Magna, Celestia's heart was imperceptible.
When Clipstow was young, the bridge sang with the cadence of Equestrian soldiers — marching out in shining armour. They marched back in, burdened by heavy chains, and heavier debts. Freedom was a casualty. The sun shined in Clipstow no more.
Celestia wanted to throw her crown into the sea. She took off without another word.
Twilight was murmuring.
Magna limped over to Twilight with his bad leg held off the ground.
"Waddya mean there's no more homework, mommy? There has to be more..."
"Boss? Are you awake yet?" asked Magna.
Twilight gathered herself onto her haunches. She rubbed her temple and squinted.
"Oooo I'd rather have an anvil dropped on my head than do that again, but yeah, I guess I'm in one piece."
Magna awkwardly shifted his weight onto his injured leg so he could help Twilight stand with the other. Before Twilight could accept, Magna was trampled aside by a flock of squawking pegasi.
They fawned over the princess and inquired about her health incessantly. None of them even noticed Lazuli.
Twilight made more than a dozen placid replies of ‘I'm fine.’ Before crossing her forelegs in dismissal.
The pegasi fell silent and stood to attention. Strong Wind trotted up to the princess.
"Dearest princess, are you well? You have my sincerest apologies, for you see, your captor was a most terrifying dragon."
Had I not wrestled it into a watery grave single handed, it would assuredly have eaten you. Sadly, I was unable to contain my unbridled fury and accidentally destroyed that bridge over yonder with my spectre bomb attack."
Strong Wind held both hooves into the air and brought them down sharply.
The Honor Guard hung on his every word with baited breath as he re-enacted the titanic battle. Even the custodians were nodding their heads.
"I see," said Twilight.
Twilight looked at Magna and raised her hoof in question. Magna shrugged back at her. Twilight looked at Strong Wind, who was now uncomfortably close. Twilight leant away as far as she could and placed a hoof on Strong Winds peytral to stop him from coming any closer.
"Yes, I'm very grateful. Now if you will excuse me, I'm feeling a little light headed right now so —"
Strong Wind bobbed his eyebrows.
"Light headed you say? Well, my duty isn't over until you are home safe and sound. Let me carry you there, you've been through enough."
Twilight sprang into the air flapping her wings desperately.
"That's alright I can get back on my own..."
Twilight's eyes drooped. She spiraled downward and slid into the ground headfirst.
Strong Wind moved to pick her up, but Twilight crawled away from him.
"No. No you definitely don't need to..."
Twilight lay still as she was submerged in dreams again.
Strong Wind stretched his wings, bending them up and down. He grunted as his bones clicked back into position.
"Such distress has worn the poor girl out. This looks like a job for Captain Strong Wind."
Strong Wind collected his trophy and took off to the cheers of his subordinates. The pegasi followed and called his name as he paraded back into Canterlot.
Magna sighed. He contemplated the long journey back to the university. He heard somepony weeping behind him.
"Quiet your whinging — you're alive aren't you?" said Magna.
The unicorn let out a tumultuous cry.
"You don't understand. Twilight's going to send me away for what I've done. The university is my life, and now it's gone."
The unicorn lay on her front and hid her shameful sobs behind her hooves.
A single note played on Magna's taut heartstrings of cynicism. He plonked his rear next to the pathetic creature to relieve his mutilated legs.
"Slow down a second. You built that thing all by yourself? What did you call it again? Gamma?"
"Yes. Gamma is — was — my jetpack. I always wanted to be like professor Twilight, so I decided to study expert systems, arcane interface, and advanced crystal computation," said Lazuli.
Magna blinked as the science talk passed uselessly through his ears.
"So you're a student then? Pull yourself together. I've known Twilight for a few months now. She's not going to revoke your scholarship just for blowing up a rickety old bridge. If anything, she's going to fire me for letting get carried off by a restraining order waiting to happen."
There was a pause in the unicorn's waterworks.
"What do you mean?"
Magna patted his chest.
"Take it from me, I'm from Clipstow. ‘Fortune Bridge’ won't be missed. It's been years since anypony could afford a ticket, and we've seen the guards get their supplies by air."
The unicorn sat up. Her runny nose made her sniff.
"Maybe you're right. But even if I could go on, I'll never be able to rebuild Gamma. I'll never be able to find out what went wrong. He needs five working control chips. I knew two of them were prone to error before I even launched, but control chips like that are so rare that It could be decades before I found any more. So I had to try. I just had to."
The unicorns's words played on Magna's mind. Her face became that of a young colt. He held a shattered motorskate, and wore a cast on his foreleg.
"I knew they weren't ready, little bro, but Ultima wouldn't listen. Looks like you'll be changing his bandages for the next few weeks — the stupid git." Magna remembered Maximus saying.
Magna removed his remaining motorskates and screwed a circular plate of casing on each skate. From inside he removed two star chips.
"These are motorskates. My brothers made them so they could be fast, like Fleetfoot. They used this pair to win their first race. Right now, they are in custody. There's nothing I wouldn't give to see them racing again."
Magna offered the chips.
"Go on, take 'em. There's no sense in both of us losing our dreams. The limiters on these things are busted anyway. Just promise me that your next jetpack isn't a doomsday device, ok?"
The unicorn's lip trembled. Her eyes started gushing tears. She sprang at Magna and clamped him in a hug — nestling the Jacuzzi of mucus that was her face into his cheek.
"Oh thank you so much. You saved Gamma."
Magna cringed. His leg roasted with pain.
"Oh, and I suppose me saving your life was purely incidental?"
The unicorn laughed and stepped back, noticing Magna's discomfort. She smiled at him.
"My name's Lazuli. I like you. You must be the first pony in the whole university who hasn't made fun of me."
Magna stood up.
"And you must be the first unicorn who didn't make me want to twat them upside the head. Anypony who spends their time making jetpacks has to be good in my books."
Lazuli scooped up the control chips, making sure she had a line of five. She and Magna then made for the university together.
"Aren't you going to tell me I smell funny?" Asked Lazuli.
Magna adjusted his scarf.
"Didn't I tell you? I'm from Clipstow. Everypony smells like crap where I come from."
Lazuli held her hoof to her lip and pondered.
"That's funny, I don't remember anypony smelling bad, and I've been to Clipstow too."
Magna stopped in his tracks.
"You have? How'd you get in?"
"I flew there on Spike's back, you know, that dragon who lives in the grounds? You can come with me next time, if professor Twilight says it's ok," said Lazuli.
Magna starred at her.
Lazuli lowered her head with upturned eyes.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No,"said Magna,"I'm just having a hard time believing that ponies still make fun of you when you can ride a freaking dragon."
Lazuli's face filled with something warm. She turned around and covered her cheeks.
"Oh it's nothing, Spike's friendly really. In fact, sometimes I think he's lonely."
Strong Wind landed at the university of magic to a round of applause. The students had heard the news of Twilight's abduction. They cheered as he strutted up the path to the entrance hall.
Strong Wind's chest filled with hot air. He felt the princess's luscious curves draped along his back.
"Rejoice Canterlot. Your hero has returned."
Strong Wind almost bumped into Celestia as she landed in front of him.
"Excellent work, Captain. I knew the situation was in capable hooves."
Strong Wing swelled like a blimp.
"It was a small task for a true warrior such as I. That dastardly dragon never stood a chance."
Celestia gasped. Her hoof clapped her face.
"Oh my, a dragon you say? The university isn't safe anymore. I guess I have no choice but to offer you a permanent position among the Custodians of Magic. Who else could possibly stand up to a terrifying dragon?"
Celestia levitated a glittering emerald behind her outstretched wings.
Strong Wind beat his peytral.
"Naturally. That last one got off lightly, but If any dragon dares threaten my darling Twilight ever again, I'll tan his scaly hide. No pony crosses the great Strong Wind."
Strong Wind felt tremors pulse up his legs. An explosive roar made the crowds scream and run. Spike thundered up the path, his tongue flicked gobs of drool as it wagged about.
"The horror. To think that another dragon would attack so soon. You have to help us Strong Wind — you're our only hope," said Celestia.
The guardsponies formed up to protect Celestia. Nervous glances where exchanged up and down the line.
Spike's mind was suffused in the scent of finely cut emerald. He scattered the guards like bowling pins.
Spike loomed above. His claws threshed the earth like a combine harvester through wheat.
The muscle drained out of Strong Wind until only a flabby bag of nerves remained. He dumped Twilight and zipped off fast enough to leave his armour behind.
"Don't eat me. Don't eat me. Don't eat meeeeeeee."
Spike stood over Celestia, peering at the emerald. Celestia smiled and waved the emerald about. Spike chased it with his snout.
Celestia tossed the emerald high into the air. Spike leap up on his hind legs and snapped it down his gullet. Celestia flew level with his head and petted Spike's scales.
Spiked hummed gleefully, smacking his lips.
"Hello, Spike, I see you still like being stroked behind your ears. To think you where so small when I cared for you," said Celestia.
Spike's wings flared. He noticed Twilight sprawled out below. He gently nudged her with his snout. His chest made a deep whining sound.
Twilight stirred. She touched his nose.
"Hi, Spike. I'm ok, don't worry."
Twilight tried to stand up, but her legs couldn't support her.
Spike bellowed. He kneed the earth in discontent.
Twilight rolled onto her back. She saw a blurred figure floating down to her side.
The figure lifted her gently upward. It was the last thing Twilight was aware of before the maze returned.
Spike's nostrils filled with smoke. His breaths were shallow.
Celestia bit her lip. She knew a dragon on the verge of a nervous blaze when she saw one.
Celestia touched Spike's snout.
" Spike. Listen to me."
The dragon hadn't taken his eyes off Twilight, who was in Celestia's levitation.
"Twilight needs some rest, so I need you to stay calm, and help me take her to her chamber," said Celestia.
Celestia laid Twilight on Spike's snout.
Spike felt Twilight's chest expand and relax. He felt her heart beating.
The fire in his chest flickered away and his claws eased open.
Celestia stroked Spike's ears again.
"Good. Now follow me, Spike."
Celestia flew up towards Twilight's quarters. Spike flew beside her, and kept his head unerringly level.
Celestia's horn glowed. Twilight's bedroom window expanded to almost thrice it's normal size.
Spike reached inside and tipped Twilight onto her bed. Celestia stepped inside, and tucked Twilight in.
Spike's hind quarters hit the ground with a thump. He curled up at the base of the tower, and closed his eyes.
Celestia sighed like the wind.
She and took off her crown and set it on Twilight's dressing table. She looked at a photo of her nephew at Twilight's coronation and rubbed her eyes.
"It's happening again. It's happening and I don't know if I can stop it."
A translucent image of a tall mare with a flowing red mane appeared in the mirror.
"If you're still asking yourself that question, we've already lost. "
Celestia looked away from her.
"Equestria isn't ready. Twilight isn't ready."
The mare scoffed.
"And she never will be. That's not the point. All these years, you've had faith in her. All these years, you've told me how special she is. Well where is that faith now? Where's the princess, who's speed defied explanation?"
The mare faded.
Celestia put aside the photo and donned her crown. She flew out the window, which returned to its normal size behind her.
Celestia smiled.
"I'm here. And it's high time I placed my bets."
Lazuli happily trotted up the path.
"Seeya, Magna. Thanks for walking with me. I can't remember the last time I had that much fun without a calculator."
She showed her ID at the gate, then made for the tower room Twilight had lent her. It was easily distinguished by the unicorn shaped hole in its roofing.
Captain Magna slithered on his belly. He inched forward meter by blister-agitating meter. He stopped to catch his breath just within the University grounds.
Princess Celestia descended from the evening sky.
"Welcome back, Magna. How are you feeling?"
Magna's carcass was still. It tasted gravel.
"Pretty good...for a glob of pig iron in a furnace," it said.
"You look more like a Captain of the Royal Guard to me," said Celestia
Magna spat the dirt from his mouth.
"I hate your rotten guts."
Celestia laughed.
"I am pleased with your progress as well."
Magna wanted to leave, but his legs erupted in pain at the mere thought of movement. Celestia stood quietly for a moment.
"I think you deserve a straight answer."
Magna raised his head to look at her.
"I don't know why I choose you," said Celestia, "all I know is that when I call for a Captain, Equestria answers me with a pony. After what I saw today, I know it was the right decision."
Croaking sounds emanated from Magna's weary husk.
"Where's the princess?"
"Twilight is sleeping. It looks like our talk will have to wait for another day," said Celestia.
Celestia turned away from him and spread her wings. Her horn glowed.
"You're right. I took Clipstow for granted, and I can never atone. But, I promise you this. If you stay at the university, and keep Twilight safe for just one year, I'll do everything in my power to have your brothers released. After that, you may go where you please."
Celestia took off, and flew into the west.
Take care, Captain Magna. I'm counting on you.
A golden light weaved about Magna's leg. The cries in his body flowed away into restful silence. Magna sprang to his feet and began looking over his foreleg.
It had stopped bleeding.
The sun sank below the horizon. Magna stood, and watched the sanguine skies.
There was something in his chest that he could not reconcile.
Twilight woke up to find a drowsy hedgehog in the mirror.
She combed her hair and tried not to think about her train wreck of a schedule.
Twilight looked down from her window. Spike was looking up at her. His tail was whipping across the ground.
Twilight waved down to him and yawned.
"Hi, Spike. I'll be down soon."
Twilight went downstairs to the workshop-office. It was pitch black. The moon was the sole source of illumination. It's soft
light blanketed the office.
Twilight's wings snapped open. She lit her horn and stalked towards the office.
The Luna's book was on her desk.
Two soul-stabbing eyes were carved into Twilight's thoughts.
She inched towards the book as though it were a sleeping lion.
Twilight had contended with many possessed artifacts. They were invariably dangerous.
Gingerly, she levitated the book from the desk and stood staring into its cover.
There was silence. Twilight scanned the book for magical influence. Nothing.
Twilight huffed, then ignited an arcane lamp she kept on the desk.
Twilight set the book back on the desk and walked over to the window. She was about to jump out when she noticed something.
The jeweled container was lying on its back behind the desk; lid open. It's enchanted lock had been melted away.
Twilight swallowed. She backed away from the book.
The cracking of wings came from outside. The room shuddered as Spike landed on the roof. His neck twisted down the side of the tower so his great green eye could look inside the window.
"Get down, Spike — something's wrong."
Spike hissed.
"Don't argue with me. Go back to your pen."
Spike growled, then sank back into the grounds.
Twilight sighed and rubbed her eyes. She make a force field around the window, and magically sealed the door.
Twilight's neck itched as she turned back to the book. Images of Lazuli, Magna, and Spike, all being swallowed by shadowy magic conjured themselves in her mind.
Magic, like language, has a code. If the thoughts used to cast a spell could be understood, counter spells could formulated to break them apart.
Twilight decided that book could not be left an enigma. If it was truly malevolent, the only safeguard was in ascertaining it's arcane signature as soon as possible.
Twilight took a deep breath. She sat down at her desk, then pulled the book towards her.
The book was of distinctly griffin origin, marked by the use of desert ink. This was not unusual given that the griffins were eminent artificers. The inscriptions used a hieroglyphic system of writing that, though impractical, had become tradition for the griffins of Horakhty. Twilight had studied whole epochs of griffin history in depth, but the book's exact dialect was still alien to her.
Twilight scratched her chin. She pulled dozens of reference books off her shelves, but none could point to meaning of the tantalizingly familiar symbols.
Twilight scanned a line of text by emitting a thin ray of magenta light from her horn.
The analysis suggested that the book was impossibly old — older than the elements of harmony. Twilight reeled. She flapped her wings like a bee and fell out of her chair.
Ignoring the pain in her back, Twilight got up and trotted towards her quarters to fetch the element of magic.
It was now clear why she had failed before. The book used enchantments the makings of which were foreign to her, both in time and space.
Twilight concluded that if she was going to solve this riddle, she'd need something to focus her magic.
Twilight found the element on her dressing table, She stopped to take a look out of her bedroom window.
Spike was sulking by the lake.
"I'm sorry, Spike. I'll see you very soon." Twilight put on her crown. "That's a promise."
Twilight walked back into her office. Before she could reach her desk — the book flipped open. It's pages flickered on their own accord.
Twilight froze. Her veins turned to ice.
The book's pages cast a pale red light over the walls. A black, beast-like monster sprang forth from its surface and lashed out at Twilight's face with it's claws.
Twilight was sent sprawling down the stairs. Her back jarred as she hit the ground. The monster gripped Twilight with its claws and gashed at her with its beak.
Twilight pulled the monster away from her by levitation, then yelled and turned her head sharply.
The monster crumpled into a wall. It lay gurgling with twitching limbs for a moment, then It's body disintegrated into a cloud of stagnant black smoke.
Twilight's foreleg was raw with cuts. She almost bit her tongue as she got up. Twilight relapsed as she tried to understand what had hit her.
The monster's body had been indistinct. It was something Twilight could only describe as a winged spectre.
Another spectre jumped out of the book. Then another, and another. If the monsters had any eyes, Twilight couldn't see them. They snapped their beaks and stalked low to the floor — ready to pounce.
The stress and dread the book had inflicted upon Twilight over the last few days was finaly being realized. Lazuli, Magna, her students, and Spike were now in danger.
Twilight remembered how Spike had once thought that nightmares living in the closet were going to eat him whole.
A tiny pair hugged Twilight's legs.
‘Hehehe. Don't worry Spike, I'll protect you.’
The spectres wailed like strangled banshees and charged.
Twilight jumped backwards. Magenta flames gathered into a sphere about her horn.
A spectre sprang though the air; claws outstretched.
The magenta spellcaster loosed the magic at her target.
"Dusk spark!"
The fireball rammed into the Spectre and blasted it apart in a violent clap of searing light. Wisps of black smoke tailed upward.
The other spectres jumped after. Twilight shot them down. More streamed out of the book's pages and attacked. Flashes of magic brightened the room in regular bursts, like a strobe.
Twilight's breaths were short. Exhaustion degraded the accuracy of her attacks. Some of the spells missed their marks and added to the growing insanity that ravaged the workshop. The room fell dark as a magenta flame shattered a row of arcane lamps mounted on the wall. The advancing spectres began to pile up and surround her.
A spectre flew at Twilight's head..
Twilight caught it on a force field, then flung it away. The spectre crashed into her tool cabinet; leaving a dent.
A swarm of spectres pulled Twilight to the ground and clawed at her.
Twilight growled — magic boiling in her horn. She unleashed it.
An explosion showered the walls with the liquidized remains of the spectres.
Twilight rose steadily with an aching chest.
The room was quiet. Tools and stationary lay scattered about. Claw marks in the floor were the only evidence that the spectres were ever there.
More appeared.
Twilight raised her horn. It fizzed uselessly.
The spectres slinked down the stairs with a deliberate ease of pace.
Twilight shrank. A fear that destroyed all coherent thought permeated the air. Her vision fogged and her head began to drift again. She turned and ran through the workshop, narrowly avoiding shards of glass, as she stumbled about in the dark.
The spectres clicked their beaks and fanned out to fill the room.
Twilight reached the control panel. She slumped against the wall, trembling. She input the code as fast as she could.
Invalid passcode.
A spectre jumped down in front of Twilight from a nearby workbench.
Twilight's coat stood on end. She hammered the code in again.
Invalid passcode.
Black claws clasped Twilight's legs and prized her from the control panel.
Twilight kicked and struggled against them as the spectres dragged her into the office.The chess table spewed its contents as they knocked it over, and threw Twilight to the floor at the foot of her desk.
Twilight scrambled away from the spectres, pressing her back up against the desk as they filled the office.
The spectres were still. Their forms inclined, as if they were bowing.
Twilight paused. She tried to slow her breathing and rationalize what was happening.
The book changed. It cast a soft blue light into the office. Twilight shivered as she was licked by the malevolent richness of a nightmare's voice:
"Pathetic little girl. In the face of certain death, you are fearful . I do not have time for this."
Twilight spun about.
A lurid mystical flame of blue bathed the room in it's light. Ancient symbols danced about a column of magic. When the pillar of magic died away, there stood an image of an alicorn hovering above the book's pages. It's body was made of golden fire.
"Who are you?" said Twilight, shielding her eyes.
The image scoffed.
"You are asking a book who it is? How quaint."
Twilight heard a clicking noise. She instinctively looked at the spectres.
"What are these things?"
The imaged grunted in reluctance.
"The creatures you see, child, are phantasms. They are the fabric of chaos given form by my power."
The phantasms bared their claws and began slashing away at the wall of magenta magic that blocked the window. Sparks fizzed off Twilight's barrier as its energy began to deplete.
"You will do as I say, or I may not be accountable for their actions."
Twilight jerked about to face the phantasms. Her face clenched with exertion, but tiny sparks were all her horn could muster.
"Chaos disrupts all other forms of magic," said the image. "You are powerless."
"Please stop them —" said Twilight, gasping for breath. "I'll do whatever you want, Just don't hurt anypony."
The image smirked, making clear that it's estimation of Twilight was provisional.
"You will read from my pages, until you are fit for my purposes."
Twilight's wings shifted.
"Read ? I've been trying to read uh —" Twilight gestured between the image and the book in confusion, finally deciding to point at the book, " — you, all night. All I can tell is that you're some sort of moon calendar. Why would you want me to read something like that?"
The image's eyes glazed over. It's expression became vacant.
"You are not permitted to..." The image shook it's head vigorously. "You will find that my contents are not what you
remember. Now read. I'll have no more of these fatuous questions."
A phantasm shoved Twilight closer to the desk.
The contact made Twilight squeal..
"Alight alright, I'll read, but I still want to know what it is that I'm reading."
The image groaned and collapsed. It lost its garish colour and became a ghostly outline. The phantasms evaporated entirely.
Twilight looked about in a daze. Her office couldn't be more spoiled if it had been a china shop in the middle of a warzone during an earthquake.
The image sat on its haunches, and sighed.
"Insofar as I am able, I must answer any and all questions you ask of me — as dictated by my program."
A dull ache set into Twilight's entire body as her adrenaline levels plummeted. Now that she had a grasp of her senses, she noticed that the Image's speech was firm, but not unkind.
"Program? I thought you were a book? So now you're some kind of machine?"
The image chuckled and looked out at them moon.
"Nothing so crude. I am Voice: a complete mental reconstruction. Designation: Princess Luna."
Twilight felt the colour return to her face. She found the energy to smile.
"Really? oooo That's impressive. How does that work?" said Twilight.
Voice's posture became rigid.
"You are not permitted to know at this time."
Twilight massaged her bruised hind-quarters.
"Well what about those phantasm things? Why did you send them to attack me?"
"You are not permitted to know at this time," said Voice.
Voice clamped its hooves over its ears.
"Please. No more questions. I had hoped to complete my directive without suffering your inexorable curiosity. Time is short, and this primitive spoken communication takes too long."
"Short for what?" asked Twilight.
Voice cringed.
"You are not permitted to know at this time."
"You're not a very informative book, are you?"
Voice crossed its hooves.
"It's not my fault that you continuously pry into areas of my archives that you have no business being in. Some of my knowledge is withheld for your own good. Now if you would just read, maybe, you would be able to satisfy the prerequisites for the disclosure of that knowledge. "
Twilight righted the overturned settee by levitation. She sat down in the elegant Canterlot fashion. With one hind leg laid over the other. She wore a crooked smile.
"hrrrm Could tell me when the next lunar eclipse is," said Twilight.
Voice fumed. It rose to its feet; wings flared.
"Damn you child, by Saturnalia's cream-filled beard, If I ever — "
Voice's speech became insufferably chipper as she was forcibly made to answer Twilight's question.
"The next lunar eclipse will occur in approximately four weeks. It will be a total lunar eclipse visible from Canterlot for a duration of three hours and twenty minutes."
"That's exactly right." Twilight giggled. "This is fun."
Voice's head slammed into Twilight's desk without a sound. It groaned.
"I submit."
Voice slowly sat up and crossed it's forelegs.
"Fine — play twenty questions. I can see that Equestria's safety is no concern of its Princess."
Twilight frowned.
"Equestria is in danger?"
Voice looked at Twilight with an expression of bemused contempt.
"Why do you think?"
Twilight Strode over to the table and stared into Voice's translucent eyes.
"Why? Because I'd have the audacity to ask even the simplest questions on the matter?" said Twilight, in a flush of anger.
"Yeah, that's just unreasonable when lives are at stake."
"How dare you," said Voice. "I will not be lectured by some upstart little — "
Twilight pointed upward to interrupt Voice, as if posing a question. Her face appeared curious: a vision of Socratic irony.
"Hey I was just wondering..."
Voice sat down, and ground it's teeth as it spoke:
"Point, Con-ce-ded."
A devious deduction glinted in Twilight's eyes. The tables had officially turned. Twilight subtly re-absorbed the energy she had used to seal the room.
Voice huffed and shook it's head.
"Why waste time with all this blathering when I can show you the problem. All you have to do is read ."
Twilight's horn glowed. She smiled.
"Given the choice, no, I don't think I will."
Twilight jumped into the air and opened her wings. She spread her forelegs wide and a ring of arcane symbols spun behind her as she cast her spell.
Voice directed it's horn at Twilight. Phantasms spawned from the book.
"What are you doing? I can nullify any spells you cast."
The phantasms glowed magenta. They screeched in pain, then burst. Their gaseous remains were drawn into the arcane symbols, making them ripple with dark energy.
Voice was still.
Twilight said, "Exposing yourself wasn't a smart move. I've deduced your arcane signature. Your ‘power’ is negated."
Twilight pointed at the book and commanded her spell:
"Fiendish Circle — seal Princess Luna. "
Voice instinctively flexed into a fighting stance.
The ring vanished, then reappeared on the book's pages. Tendrils of magenta magic were conducted into Voice's horn like a lightning rod. Voice screamed and fell to its knees. The magic persisted; binding Voice to the book. The ghostly image shrank until it was no larger than a chicken.
"You figured it out...in just a few minutes?"
Twilight floated back to the floor and stood triumphant. She peered down at Voice.
" All you've shown me is that you are very ancient and very dangerous. You terrorized my friend, threatened my university, and scared me half to death. I haven't seen anypony so selfish, so deplorable, so single-minded, in the pursuit of their own goals in a very — very — long time."
Twilight stamped the floor.
"I don't believe for a second that Luna would act like this."
Voice trembled in silence. Twilight wondered if it was crying.
"However," said Twilight. " I promised Luna I'd find out what you are, and there's definitely some sort of connection. Why couldn't you have been honest with me?"
Voice stuttered the same line she always did when her program rejected a question. It was then that Twilight noticed Voice was shaking with anger, not submission.
Twilight trotted back through the darkened workshop to the safe room. She withdrew a white spherical device. Its surface was permeated by small holes through which a large green crystal could be seen filling much of its interior.
Twilight placed it on the office desk and took out some tools from the workshop.
Voice regarded the sphere with distaste.
"A magic inhibitor?"
Twilight began adjusting the orb's circuitry.
"If I'm not reading on my terms, I'm not reading at all."
Voice grunted.
"You might as well put your hooves up and make yourself comfortable while you are at it. I may not be flesh and blood but that doesn't mean I am prepared to wait all night."
Twilight paused; levitating a screwdriver.
"hrrrm Making myself comfortable? That's not a bad idea."
Twilight made for the door.
Voice craned it's neck as far as it's restraints would allow.
"Where are you going?"
Spike almost fainted when Twilight explained to him what had happened. He insisted on spending the rest of the night with her. Twilight was confident the book was no longer an immediate threat, so she didn't try to dissuade him.
Magna's comparatively small quarters were directly below Twilight's. He had managed to sleep through the entire incident. He leapt out of bed upon hearing the news, and ordered the custodians to begin clearing Twilight's workshop of wreckage immediately.
Twilight was somewhat taken aback by his startled apologies and unusual level of concern. She watched from the office as drowsy guards helped maids sweep the floors, and carried crumbling work surfaces out the door.
Seeing Twilight's many cuts and wounds had sent waves of shame throughout the guard garrison. For once, Magna was allowed to direct his subordinates without retort.
Spike sat on the roof of the tower and gazed in through the window.
Twilight returned to her office with a healthy supply of snacks. She put the bags of popcorn and candy on the settee, then resumed her work on the inhibitor.
"This is so humiliating," said Voice.
Twilight giggled.
"You can't expect me to start a big reading session without something to eat."
Twilight positioned the inhibitor on a stand, the pressed a button. The inhibitor projected a green dome of energy about the book.
Twilight released Voice's restraints.
"There, now you can't try anything. Now what is it that's so vitally important for me to read?"
Voice tapped the dome; frowning. The image disappeared, and the book flicked to a table of contents.
"Chapter seven," said Voice.
Twilight was still able to hear it's speech, though there was no distinct source.
Twilight sat down at the desk.
"That's odd, there wasn't a page of contents before, and It's written in Equestrian too."
"Ignorant of alicorn mind magic, are we?" said Voice. "You really are a child."
Twilight reproached.
"Stop calling me a child. I'm 118 ."
"Ah, 118," Said Voice in reverent tones. "I wish I could return to such innocent, formative, years." Voice reminisced for a moment. "As I was saying, you're going to read my seventh chapter. Speak the title aloud and I will take you to it."
Twilight squinted so she could see through the field of magic.
"Why is there only one chapter on the list?"
"No need to present you with the others," said Voice. "Now for the last time — read."
Twilight growled at the book.
"Please," said Voice.
Twilight smiled, then read from the book:
"Flash Flare Lightning. "
Twilight touched her chin.
"What an odd title. Doesn't sound like a chapter from any book I've ever read. It doesn't even make any sense. It sounds like the kind of thing cheesy comic artists who couldn't speak a word of Equestrian would throw together just because they thought it sounded cool."
Twilight's horn began to glow. She jumped back from the table; knocking over her chair.
Black flames spewed from the book. A pair of shining red eyes blinked from within the growing shadows. The darkness spread over the desk until it was large enough for a hulking monster to poke it's head into the office from within.
The magic inhibitor went offline as a wyvern shattered it's protective barrier. The neck of a phantasmal wyvern extended towards the ceiling. It's head had three black crests that pulsed a blood red — and It's white-colored neck scales where thick plates of a tough, yet smooth, material. It's roar whipped back Twilight's mane.
Twilight couldn't breathe. She couldn't move.
The wyvern's lunged at her; it's jaws bristling with fangs. An ear piecing screech emanated from Spike's throat.
Twilight dived to the floor. The wyvern's head came down close to Twilight's hind legs.
Twilight kicked it's snout and ran.
The wyvern hissed and shook it's head, eyes flashing green.
Twilight made for Spike. She ran up to the window and jumped, forelegs outstretched.
The wyvern snatched Twilight out of the air and pulled her towards the shadows.
Twilight reached for Spike.
"Spiiiiiike."
Spike tried in vain to enter the office. The stonework shuddered and cracked as he rammed his snout into the window.
Magna was helping some guards lift a golden sarcophagus out from under a pile of rubble. A guard yelped as Magna dropped it on his hoof as soon as he hear Twilight's screams. He sped up the stairs jumped at the monster.
The wyvern slipped out of sight into the pit of darkness. Magna whistled overhead and slammed into the bookshelf.
He fell to the floor, and was buried by an avalanche of books.
The darkness shrank away, and the book snapped closed.
Magna clambered out from under the mountain of literature. He desperately opened the book.
An image of an eclipse with meaningless symbols underneath stared back at him.
"Bugger buggering buggery on a blimey sandwich."
Spike woke up all of Canterlot as he cried at the moon.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Twilight was carried into a grand hallway. It's splendor rivaled that of Canterlot Castle.
The wyvern tossed Twilight down at the foot of a dais. An alicorn peered down at her from a throne at its peak.
The aloof alicorn was resting her head on her hoof.
"Magic was never Luna's forte, but you cannot beat experience."
The wyvern stomped its way to the alicorn. It hummed as she absently petted it's crest.
Twilight got up and surveyed her new surroundings.
The hallway was lit by dim candlelight. High above, the stars twinkled through a glass ceiling, which was stained a faint blue.
Twilight wondered how she had entered this place. When she looked behind, there were no doors.
The hall was lined with high-reaching windows. Twilight was debilitated by what she saw outside.
The Earth was high above the horizon. Millions of miles away.
Panic seeded Twilight's thoughts once more. She turned to her captor.
The alicorn bore an uncanny resemblance to princess Luna, but something was different. She was taller, and her mane was a coruscating red. Her very presence was cold, owing to her fearsome countenance and practiced ease of authority.
"Where am —"
Twilight's lips moved but no sound came out. She looked at the alicorn in confusion.
Voice relished Twilight's hapless expression.
"You are in my world now, child, and the first rule of my world is that there are no questions."
The wyvern lay down in front of the throne and slept.
Twilight's head was spinning. She hurried over to one of the windows. Her mouth hung at what she saw.
The desolate sea of tranquillity.
Voice walked down from her throne and stood next to Twilight, who was hyperventilating.
"I suppose you shall not be able to learn anything if you are worrying your little heart out."
Voice pointed about the sands and dust of the moon.
"None of this is real. I just created it so that your mind had something to cling to."
Voice walked down the midnight blue carpet.
"Come, you cannot tarry. There are things you must to see before we can get started."
Twilight hesitantly followed Voice down the hall.
A mural marked the end of the hall. At the right, there was a depiction of a dark alicorn with great draconian wings. It stood in opposition of another alicorn of light, who brandished a crescent sword. They battled under the glow of a magenta star.
Voice's horn glowed. A massive stone book gradually rose out from the ground and swung open. It's pages shone bright with magic.
Voice gestured for Twilight to walk into the book's light.
"Inside is one of my chapters, it is named ‘Arena: Prince of Force ’. You will be seeing Luna's memories."
Twilight didn't move.
"Go on," said Voice, with a snigger, "it will be just like watching a play at the theatre."
"I want to ask a question," said Twilight.
Voice grumbled.
"Alight, one question, after that, you are going in even if I have to throw you in myself."
"Why am I here?" asked Twilight.
Voice smiled ironically.
"You are here because a mad-stallion with the might of six gods is currently clawing his way out of the pits of Tartaros and, sadly, you are the only chance Equestria now has. Because of that I have the unenviable task of filling the gaps in the vapid sieve that is your education as a princess."
Voice scowled.
"Just look at you: softer than a velvet pincushion. Celestia has been far too lenient with you — If she is going to treat you like a child, then so will I."
Twilight opened her wings and flew so her face was level with Voice's.
"I might not know much about throwing my weight around and blowing hot air, but what I do know is that I don't need you to protect Equestria. If I have my friends, I'll never lose, no matter what's thrown at me."
Voice scoffed at Twilight effrontery.
"Oh, the elements of harmony is it? Why not try facing an adversary who actually knows about these things. You rest on them time and again, like a crutch. It is as if you are waiting to be left without a leg to stand on. We cannot afford to be so, so — "
Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"Predictable?"
Voice's face flooded with belligerent colour. She grabbed Twilight by her horn and flung her into the book.
Twilight screamed, her stomach turned.
The stone book slid closed and sank back into the ground.
"That is quite enough out of you," said Voice; dusting off her hooves.
Voice dumped her rear back onto her throne.
"Just who does that girl think she is?"
The wyvern raised its head. Voice stroked it's scales with a disconcerted sigh.
"She's not even a tenth my age. Perhaps I was being a little impetuous..."
Twilight found herself in a void of light, without place or time. She drifted for what might have been an eternity.
Something came into focus. Strange sensations flooded her limbs. Her legs started to grow and her mane became a sparkling red. She felt something tinge in her throat. Her brain numbed as everything that was Twilight fell away, so that somepony else could be put in her place.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Captain Marauder strode over the indomitable fortifications of cold stone. He was accompanied by his lieutenants and a platoon of pegasus soldiers. They had the red circle of Prince Arena marked upon their armour.
Marauder looked out into the dark knowing that somewhere between the fog and shadow, Jove's forces lied in wait .
"How do you fancy our chances, Lieutenant?" said Marauder.
"When I was a just colt, I saw Arena the Star Stallion protect this city from a mighty red-eyes," said the grizzled First lieutenant Spartacus. " I'll be damned before the walls of Fort Varja fall to anything those loyalist scum can muster."
His peers murmured in agreement.
The group soon reached a large watchtower built near the gatehouse. Inside one of the lower rooms was a map on a table, and a set of chairs.
The lieutenants studied the map and conferred amongst themselves.
Marauder looked down at a bird's eye view of the city. At the center was the keep: the original Fort Varja.
It had served as an outlying ward against dragon attack. Overtime, those seeking asylum gathered there, and when the dragons were finally driven off, some settled. As the town and it's needs expanded, new walls were built.
What was once a garrison of soldiers had become a city, but it's name as a fort had stuck as a source of pride and heritage.
The map now looked like the stump of a tree, although weathering had formed gaps in the older rings.
Marauder bent low to better examine his troop deployment.
Lieutenant Dual Lance pointed at Fort Varja's defenses on the map.
"Who does Jove think he's kidding? The city is locked down, the keep can levy a siege for more than a month, and our heavy spell slings deny all airship access. If Jove wants his sister back, he's going to have to storm the keep himself."
"And if he does, Arena will be waiting for him," said another Lieutenant.
Marauder sniffed and scratched his muzzle.
"I've been talking with Arena. His informants in Tall Rostra say that Jove is going to attack...tonight."
Lieutenant Spartacus's face creased up.
"Attack? You mean a direct assault on our fortifications? He'd need four-thousand earth ponies and two companies of pegasi, just to get one sword over the first wall. Does he expect us to leave the gates wide open for him?"
Marauder raised an eyebrow. He covered his mouth as he coughed.
"He's bringing six-thousand. And three companies."
Lieutenant Spartacus stopped laughing.
"Impossible. The wine in Tall Rostra must be stronger than whisky. Where are all these soldiers coming from? Even with that many, the keep was built to hold even dragons at bay. Attacking now doesn't add up."
Lieutenant Ambush was sitting in the corner, forelegs folded.
"Attacking on a night like this is a fool's errand. They'd barely be able to see the ends of their muzzles."
The lieutenants turned to him and paused. They glanced at each other in silence. Lieutenant Ambush gave speech to what they were all thinking:
"But, there is one horror of the dark that can see, even on nights like this... and they would turn our advantage into a crippled fault: If Jove orders the Nightmare and her cadre into battle, he would have lethal air support, while low visibility would have ours grounded."
Lieutenant Spartacus shifted his weight slightly.
"They can't be here. Jove ordered Nightmare Moon to maintain order in Tall Rostra. There must be another explanation."
The conversation was cut short when the door to the upper levels flew open. A fresh-faced soldier slogged in and saluted. He was short of breath.
"Begging your pardon, Sirs, but I have an urgent report," said the soldier.
Marauder made redundant adjustments his his shin guards. He studied the soldier's standing and uniform out of the corner of his eye.
"Go ahead, watchman." said Marauder, a few seconds later.
Spartacus gave Maruader a sideways look.
"Yeah, what's this about, Torch?"
Torch gave a short bow of his head.
"We've spotted a shadow passing in front of the moon."
The lieutenants were expressionless. Ambush rose to his feet.
"It was big and fast. Something about how it moved was just...unnatural — we think it's a Nightwing."
Spartacus was pale. The lieutenants looked at the map; downcast.
The corner of Marauder's mouth curled. He struggled not to smile.
"Let's not give in to despair just yet. If it comes to that, we have Celestia. She can raise the sun for us. We'd lose our advantage, but those demons would have to retreat. Fort Varja isn't going to fall this night. That much is certain."
The lieutenants nodded, but said little. Each was absorbed in own thoughts.
Marauder felt his pulse heighten as he relished the somberness of the lieutenants. He made a conscious effort keep an even tone of voice.
"Stick to the walls. You will be exposed to the air, but the lighting is better than in the streets. None of you want to face a nightwing in the dark, believe me. All of you will be at the ready in the event of an attack, no officer is to be in reserve, understood? You are dismissed."
The lieutenants filed out of the watchtower and made for their posts.
Marauder stood over the map until he was alone. He walked back onto the battlements. Tiny flames blinking in the darkness marked the gatehouse.
The privates stationed along the wall stood to attention as he passed.
The gatehouse was a feat of engineering. It's inner walls were lined with massive gears and chains of black steel. It was more heavily fortified than the watchtower or any other segment of the wall.
Marauder climbed the stone steps and walked through a short corridor. He came to the thick metal door that permitted entry to the gate's operations platform.
Marauder presented his key (one of only a handful ever made). The guards unlocked the door and stepped aside.
Marauder slammed the door behind him.
In front of him was a suspended walkway that lead to a platform with a collection of levers. The iron guts of the gate lay just below.
The gates themselves were more than forty feet tall.
Marauder strode over to the arrangement, and searched for the access lever.
"You're a long way from HQ, Sir," said a cold voice.
Marauder stopped in his tracks. He glanced over his shoulder to find Ambush leaning against the wall, right next to the door. Ambush came closer. He eyed Marauder with suspicion.
"You've been acting very strange lately, Captain. What are you doing here?"
Marauder blinked and stepped back. His mouth was clammy.
"I forgot...something. What are you doing here, lieutenant?"
Marauder's gaze clung to the whites of Ambush's eyes like a lifeline.
"I don't remember giving you the authority to be here," said Marauder.
Ambush looked about the collection of machinery. Practically everything in the room was chained or riveted to something else.
Ambush shook his head.
"What am I going to do with you? You'd forget your mouth, if you didn't need it to drink yourself senseless."
Marauder battled the rising look of relief that was spreading on his face. He half-smiled.
"Well, you know me...always forgetful. And drunk apparently."
Marauder paused. His ears flicked about, in search of eavesdroppers.
"I pulled, ‘the usual,’ and snuck in."
Ambush took out his pen-knife. It had seven different tools for lock picking.
Returning it to his pocket, he said, "I had to speak with you privately. There's something I need to report on."
Ambushed spoke in a hush:
"The platoon I sent to watch the catacombs have not reported back. Our perimeter is no longer secure. I've not told the others for fear of tipping off potential spies."
Marauder's teeth gleamed like fangs. He straightened his back.
"Is that so? Yes, I had noticed something was amiss. Thank you, Lieutenant. You may just have saved all of Fort Varja."
Ambush saluted.
"Always willing to serve, Sir. I'll keep a watch on the ranks for you. I hope you find what you're looking for."
Ambushed faced-turned and made for the entrance.
There was the sound of sliding steel. A wedge of silver burst out of Ambush's chest in a fountain of red.
A tall cloaked figure withdrew her sword from its farrow, mortal, sheathe. The corpse fell like a rag-doll.
"Yes, you go ahead and search the ranks. No one has ever looked there before. I almost feel shame at ending such a petty existence."
The figure righted her crescent sword. It had a single, large, notch, a few inches below the tip.
She admired how it had drunk deep from the mortal's blood — leaving a crimson sheen.
"A blade like this deserves to fight an equal..."
Captain Marauder emerged into the cool air night atop one of the towers on the gatehouse. His eyes shone bright with magic.
Below, First Lieutenant Spartacus was pacing about the walls. His breath condensed in front of him.
A soldier keeping watch nearby started to cough.
Spartacus reached for his sword, and was about to gut the young stallion, but was disarmed by the anxious expression that met him.
Spartacus was shaking. He sheathed his weapon and cleared his throat.
"As you were, Private."
Spartacus rubbed the back of his head and resumed his patrol.
An ominous wind made the torchlight wither and die. Sanguine rays bled over the earth as the moon glowed a deep crimson.
Spartacus's flesh crawled.
"Nightwings "
The call passed down the line as the howls of demons echoed from the sky. Soldiers scrambled about the walls in complete darkness.
Great winged monsters swooped low and carried soldiers off to their makers, like a black whirlwind of death.
Spartacus called for archers on the towers to fire into the breeze, hoping to catch the monsters as they flew downwind.
Their arrows hit nothing but stygian mist.
The air was a convulsion of shouts and startled cries.
Marauder laughed openly at their plight.
The soldiers on the walls were being picked off left and right without remorse. Weapons hit the floor. Cowards began to desert amid the confusion. The entire company was just inches from routing.
Spartacus cursed. He took up the spear of a fallen soldier and slung it at the moon in hopeless fury.
A languished cry emanated from above. A black demon with a spear jutting out of its shoulder slammed into the side of the watchtower and crashed down onto the wall.
The soldiers stepped back; weapons raised.
The black monster bore a haunting resemblance to a stallion. Sinuous muscles flexed beneath his smooth black coat. His eyes glinted green inside his dark helmet.
A soldier shouted and ran at the creature with his sword raised high.
The nightwing hissed and battered him away with savage strength. The soldier was thrown clear from the wall, and disappeared into the black.
Unamused, the nightwing tore the spear from his shoulder and turned it against the soldiers.
Spartacus spurred his soldiers to attack.
The nightwing bared it's fangs and culled the ranks with brutal discipline. Every inch of him was a weapon. No sword could reach him, and no arrow could find his heart.
Spartacus trembled as the sons of Fort Vajra under his command each met their end.
Marauder's cackling ceded. He rested his head on his hoof and sighed.
Torch ran up behind Spartacus. He called the Lieutenant's name.
Spartacus took the young stallion aside; crouching low.
"Leave me, kid. You're not under my charge."
"I'm not here to die, Sir." Torch had to shout to be heard. "I have a message: The gates have been opened. Jove's ground forces are pouring in. If Double Lance doesn't get some support, they'll breach us before dawn."
A nightwing roared as it swept low to the wall.
Spartacus grabbed Torch and ducked as it passed them by and felled another soldier.
Spartacus shook his head.
"Don't just stand there — run. Tell Arena we're dying out here, and if Celestia doesn't raise the sun now, there won't be a dawn for any of us."
Torch nodded with conviction. He made for the stairs.
Spartacus watched him run into the streets. A nightwing lurking in the dark brought death from above. It snuffed out the colt's young life like a candle in the breeze.
Spartacus's heart was wrenched from his body. He shouted his grief into the night, daring the nightwings to claim him too.
The battlements were littered with corpses. The nightwing on the battlements crushed a soldier's skull with his bare hooves, and tossed the carcass aside. His fanged formed a devilish smile as he stalked towards Spartacus.
Spartacus and the nightwing were alone on the wall. Neither moved.
Spartacus looked up at the sky. Just one, frail. star cut through the darkness.
Spartacus held up his sword, closed his eyes, and said softly, "Torch...even if costs me my life, I will find vengeance this night. May Arena carry our hopes."
The nightwing loosed a venomous cry and attacked.
Spartacus returned the cry and charged.
Marauder raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity. He leaned forward to more clearly watch the duel that was unfolding on the walls below him.
The nightwing lashed out with a blood-drenched spear.
Spartacus rolled to the nightwing's side, then stabbed upward into his ribs.
The nightwing dropped his spear with a furious screech. It clamped Spartacus's neck between his jaws and severed the jugular.
Spartacus collapsed onto his back in a pool of blood. He looked up at the sky, and found rest among the stars.
The nightwing staggered, it grasped the sword in disbelief, then fell from the wall.
Marauder chuckled.
"My, he was willing to sacrifice everything. Not bad. I guess mortals can be entertaining after all."
Marauder overlooked the carnage that at the gate. Soldier's clad in the royal purple of Tall Rostra were swarming through the open gates. The red soldiers of Fort Varja encircled them to close the breach.
Nightwings continued to erode the will of the defenders. Arena's troops withdrew to the second ring within the hour. Scores of stallion fell prey to a disorderly retreat, and insufficient leadership.
Companies of Jovian soldiers squatted in the streets to keep out of bow-shot, while battering rams were wheeled forward in readiness for the next stage of the assault.
Marauder huffed. He jumped from the gatehouse, and his body shone white. It changed in size and shape to reveal a tall cloaked figure.
The figure landed some fifty feet below. Five nightwings formed up beside her in a protective pyramid. They trotted down the road to rendezvous with Jove's commanding officers.
A nightwing at the figure's left tipped his helm.
"You called, Princess? This evening has been simply divine. You wouldn't believe what I overheard the guards talking about while I was on my little reconnaissance trip. Oh but the wine here is worse than rat piss, not nearly strong enough to get —"
"Bellows," said the figure.
"Yes Princess?"
"Shut up before I rip out your oesophagus and feed it to you."
The figure looked to her right.
"Forceps, why is that dullard readying siege engines after I clearly stipulated that they would be redundant?"
Forceps raised his eyebrows in a somewhat blank, but also curious, expression.
"Your Majesty, according to my recent interactions with the General, It would appear that he does not want to discourage his troops by involving the nightwings in the assault. He has refused to allow any of us within sight of his offensive lines."
"And you allowed him this order?" said the figure.
Forceps opened his mouth to speak.
The figure interjected with a growl.
"I do not care for you excuses."
The figure looked to another nightwing.
"Crucible — status report."
A stout nightwing moved his eyes left and right, as though he were sorting the beads on an abacus inside his head.
"Jove's forces have sustained minimal losses, ma'am. No nightwings have fallen."
"Are you certain?" said the figure.
Crucible nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Think again. I saw a nightwing get stabbed in the heart myself. Pick up the slack. I won't stand for such carelessness."
"But ma'am — that loss is negligible, our effective military strength is unchanged."
The hood of the figure's cloak glowed from within.
Crucible was stifling in his armor. Visions of his body turning to stone flashed through his mind.
"Yes ma'am — sorry ma'am."
The threatening glow faded.
Another nightwing walked with his wings half open. His breath was shallow with impatience.
"I say we leave the mortals and hack up Arena's puny underlings ourselves," he said, in a voice that sounded like talking masonry.
The figure scoffed.
"Yes, you would say that, Furnace. How about not martyring half of the Nightwings when there are perfectly worthless earth ponies we can have slaughtered instead?"
The figured looked directly ahead.
"And you, Hephaestus?"
Hephaestus looked back at her and said, "The General can overturn Forceps, but not you, Luna. You can lead the Armoury Aide and the rest of the nightwings into battle yourself. Then we could support his attack from the air."
Luna smiled.
"Not bad. But I would like to be reunited with my sister sometime tonight, and the General needs to learn his place."
A command pavilion had been erected within one of the city's plazas. General Sage used it to establish a staging ground for his assault, and stationed his senior most officers there in readiness for a prolonged siege.
Luna and the Armory Aide approached, with the blood-stained gateway at their back. Amidst the nameless fallen, was a corpse Luna identified as Lieutenant Double Lance. He was unrecognizable, save for the twin pair of spears he carried. His body had been cut to shreds.
Forceps noted the unusual circumstances of the stallion's death and, in passing, mentally conducted an autopsy from what he saw. It would seem that it took the combined efforts of three nightwings, using hit and run tactics, to bring the warrior down.
The General's rearguard, consisting of hundreds of soldiers, fell silent. They parted to permit the alicorn's passage; bowing low and laying down their arms.
A stunned greenhorn almost said, "That's Nightmare Moon," but a veteran clamped his mouth shut, and dragged him to his knees mid-syllable.
Furnace menaced them with his fangs and laughed.
The soldiers quivered with eyes clenched shut in prayer.
Luna stood before a purple command tent. Her hood glowed again.
The tent was surrounded in a pale blue aura. It was uprooted from the earth, compressed into a tiny ball, then thrown into a gully on the side of the road.
"Settling down for the night are we, General?" said Luna.
The General faced Luna from across a strategic map, which was at the center of where the tent had been.
He froze for a moment, then screamed like a filly and cowered low to the table. His beady eyes were peeking just above it.
His lieutenants blenched as one. They stared dumbstruck at the intruding nightwings.
Luna paced forward. Her cloak fluttered as aggression welled with.
"What gives you the right to order my warriors? I demanded that we take Fort Vajra tonight . Where cometh such insolence?"
The General shied further under the table at Luna's advance.
Luna swiped downward with her hoof; shattering the table in two.
The lieutenants recoiled and backed away. The General crawled out from beneath the shards of wood — his flank filled with splinters.
"I'm waiting, General Sage — explain yourself," said Luna.
The aged stallion no longer had the strength to stand.
"Please, Princess, I mean no disobedience — but taking Fort Vajra in one night would be suicide. Our forces would be
diminished before we reached the keep."
Luna ensnared the General's very soul within her shadow.
"And I take it you do not deem that an acceptable exchange for the safe return of my sister? Your foolishness has cost me time. There is no telling where Arena could whisk her off to if I don't free her now."
The general shock his head and shielded his face.
"No, no Your Majesty — Your Grace. I only tried to — "
"Silence. ."
Luna's cloaked glowed. The General's face rippled as she spoke. Luna's voice tore away his false mane and pulled back his ears.
"I hereby denounce you as director of field operations," said Luna.
Luna turned to the masses of soldier's who had gathered before the imposing spectacle. She directed her thunderous voice at the lieutenants.
"These traitors will pay for their trespasses against the light of Tall Rostra. Mobilize all brigades. We attack until Fort Vajra lies on imperial soil — and this farcical, "Shooting Star Rebellion — " is crushed."
* * *
Excalibur cleaved Jove's soldiers off their feet. Though he had his back against a wall, Arena would not allow anypony to walk within ten feet of his sister.
Scores of soldiers stood with trembling weapons. Even the officers had lost their nerve.
Prince Arena eyed his attackers. They all bore the long stares of battle-drained stallions, with no will to fight.
Arena lowered his sword in recognition of the reprieve.
Excalibur was greater than a stallion measured from the tip of his tail to the end of his muzzle. A horned cross guard of gold was the only aesthetic element in its design.
Arena's armor was a bold red; prophetic of bravery, strength, and glory. A three pronged crest of gold adorning the helm sheathed Arena's horn.
"Celestia," said Arena, "it's not too late to raise the sun. With the nightwings gone, I could retake this city myself if I had to."
Celestia was behind him. Her pink hair was askew and her eyes were lined with tears. She stared about the corpse riddled battlefield in a stupor.
"I'm trying, Arena. I'm trying, but — "
"She is unworthy," said a strident voice, "Jove took the sun away from her so that surreptitious rats like you would be unable to exploit her."
Celestia raised her head. Her face was lined with tears.
"Luna..."
The Prince turned his head from the entrance to his arena.
"Ah, Luna, why am I not overjoyed at seeing you again?"
Luna and her nightwings marched over the piles of dead that swamped the pit of the battleground. The arena was at the heart of the keep inside a courtyard lined with broad stone steps, for seating. It mirrored the proving grounds of Tall Rostra, where alicorns trained and dueled. Nonconformity in the stone architecture showed that the keep had been repurposed for contest and sport after the dragons had fled once more. A high vaulted throne was raised above the walls of the pit.
Luna fixed Arena with her gaze.
Forceps lowered his neck to examine the fallen. Each was felled by a single jagged gash across the torso, others had their skulls cut in half.
"Fascinating. Arena's strength is beyond superfluous. The Jovian combatants are set to flee at any moment. Why does he not attack?"
"Arena lives for combat," said Luna. "He has no interest in fighting those who won't fight back. Now is this interruption going to provide me with invaluable intelligence, or do I have to hurt you?"
Forceps swallowed.
"Understood. Sorry, Princess."
Arena grunted.
"I see you're still stuck in your old ways. Trampling upon mortals for being wretches, and pretending you're any better."
Luna's wings were rigid at her side.
"You insult all that it means to be an alicorn, and for what? So that you can debase yourself as one of them?"
Luna stamped her hoof, shattered a tile of granite flooring.
" And then you have the audacity to take Tia away and besmirch her name as one of your own — a traitor. Unforgivable."
Luna stood fuming for a moment. She allowed herself to calm, but her gaze never left Arena's eyes.
"Nevertheless, we are still a family. Jove is prepared to negotiate your sentence, if you release Tia and surrender yourself."
Arena picked the wax out of his ears and flicked it away.
"Before I refuse, there's something Celestia wants you to know."
He gestured towards Celestia.
"Luna," said Celestia, "Arena didn't abduct me. I came here of my own free will."
Luna was still. The black of night festered inside her cloak.
"You lie."
Celestia walked towards Luna.
Arena tensed. He held out his sword to stay her.
Luna ordered the soldiers to guard all the entrances. They filed out of the arena.
Celestia looked Arena in the eye, as if pleading. Arena hesitated at first, then nodded knowingly.He raised his sword and let Celestia pass.
Luna was still staring at Arena. She walked out from behind the nightwings. Her eyes were ablaze with green flame.
"Luna, please," said Celestia, "The killing has to stop. Ponykind is in pain, and it's as real as the pain I feel when I look at what Jove has done to you. Alicorns don't need to control mortals, we can nurture them."
Celestia looked at the Armoury Aide.
"You understand, Luna — I know you do. Please stop fighting."
Luna was unmoved. Her eyes were that of a dragon.
"Nurture them? Into what? Mortals are as dust, Tia. No matter what you give them, time will sweep it into oblivion."
Luna reared onto her hind legs and gestured about the piles of dead, forelegs outstretched.
"Look around you, Tia. What can your, ‘nurturing,’ do to protect mortals from their end? They gladly destroy each other, at our bequest."
Celestia's eyes welled with fresh tears. She rubbed them and shook her head.
"They were never given a chance. ."
Luna returned her hooves to the ground and laughed.
"Your talk is senseless, traitor. I have nothing more to say to you. You will be tried by the High Prince."
Excalibur flashed through the air.
Luna calmly jumped out of its reach.
"Not while I'm standing," said Arena.
"Ah yes, I would remiss if I forget about, ‘the star stallion.’" Luna laughed deep in her chest. "Are there any monuments to futility that mortals will not praise?"
Furnace shouted in excitement.
"I'm sick of this talk — let's get 'im."
Furnace threw himself headlong at the Prince, sword drawn.
Arena brought Excalibur to bear on the nightwing. With one stroke, Furnace's sword was shattered. With a second, he was sent careening into a wall.
Furnace's shoulder cracked as he struck the coarse stone, and his ribs fractured as he hit the ground.
"Dat didn't hurt," said Furnace, coughing up his lungs.
Luna rubbed her temple.
"Will someone get him a healer?"
None of the soldier's responded.
"No? Fine, just leave him in the corner or something. I will tend to him later. Forceps, make sure he does not do anything stupid."
Celestia tilted her head. Luna's eyes had returned to normal. Somewhere inside was a glimmer of the sister Celestia had once known.
Forceps complied with Luna's order. He went with Jove's soldiers as they carried Furnace out of the arena.
Luna turned to the Armoury Aide.
"Jove sent me here for a reason. None of you can stand before an alicorn and live. I will not have any more of you trying to help."
Hephaestus nodded.
"If you say so, Luna. I myself have already done my part," he winked at her, then gave orders to the others. "At ease, lads. We can still cheer for her."
Bellows' face split into a smile. He inhaled.
"Except you, Bellows," said Hephaestus.
Bellows deflated and dragged himself up to the spectator stands where the rest of the Armoury Aide flew.
Luna grunted and looked away.
"Battle is no place for cheer. You say the stupidest things, Hephaestus."
Luna stood face to face with Arena.
Celestia wanted to help him, but Arena shook his head.
"Luna was always Jove's pet, and she never stopped rubbing it in my face. Let me face her alone. If I never see the light of day again, I want to cut the smugness right out of her before I go."
Luna threw off her cloak to reveal her blue mane and jet black armour. She conjured a dark cloud of magic in front of her. A hilt emerged from inside. Luna gripped it by levitation and drew her crescent blade.
"Now, if Furnace is quite finished embarrassing himself, I would like to get this over with."
Arena smiled. He pointed Excalibur skyward. Thunder rolled in the heavens.
"Let's go, Nightmare Moon."
Celestia held her chest.
"Luna...Arena..." said Celestia.
She covered her eyes.
"I can't watch."
Luna shook violently as she readied her sword.
"Duel ."
Luna opened her wings and became a shadowy blur as she dashed forward.
Arena raised Excalibur in a guard.
Sparks flew off Arena's sword as Luna struck. She cut into Arena's faltering eyes with her focused glare.
Arena threw Luna out of the deadlock and lunged forward.
Luna effortlessly guided his heavy swings astray with fleeting parries.
Arena roared and cut at Luna's legs.
Luna smirked. She hopped onto his blade, then ran up its length and kicked her halfwit brother full in the face.
Arena was thrown backwards. His sword clattered after him.
Luna shouldered her sword.
"Will you never learn, Arena? I have not lost to you since I was 150."
The left side of Arena's body screamed in pain. Arena grasped Excalibur and used it to help himself stand.
"Maybe I can't, but not giving up. I need to win this, so Celestia can go free ."
Arena disappeared in a burst of speed.
Luna laughed and stepped to her left slightly.
Excalibur crashed down next to her. Luna kicked it away.
Arena grimaced and staggered off balance.
Luna unleashed a flurry of stabs at Arena's neck.
Arena's face was set. He cried and swung his sword about to meet them.
Luna scowled. Arena's movements were slow, but he held his desperate guard by the skin of his teeth.
Arena strained to keep up. He drove Luna back and slashed at her chest.The sword passed through Luna as though she were smoke. An illusion.
Arena's breaths were measured. He frantically searched the battlefield, guard raised.
Luna descended from above in a rain of shining steel.
Arena repelled her attacks with a force field.
Luna growled as her sword rebounded out of her grip and embedded itself in the ground.
Arena tackled Luna and pinned her to the ground. He stabbed at her with Excalibur.
Luna Jabbed Arena in the face with her horn.
Arena faltered with an eye that would surly blacken. His vision spun as Luna reversed the grapple.
Luna's hoof hammered Arena's head further and further into the ground.
Arena's senses began to darken, but a rage that burned like the sun kept him fighting. He loosed a battle cry and kicked the wind out of Luna.
Luna was flung onto her back.
Arena jumped onto his feet, then flew above his opponent with his sword held high. A streak of lightning arched down from the sky and shot into Excalibur.
Arena came crashing down, his blade radiating raw power.
"This fight is mine."
Pain filled Luna's chest. She half righted herself, and levitated her sword towards her from across the arena, and raised it to bar her opponents' attack.
Violent waves of magical force discharged from where the two swords met, blinding Celestia and the Armory Aide in the spectator stands.
Arena was speechless. His inexorable attack had been blocked.
Luna's nostrils flared.
"Pitiful."
Luna's sword crackled with electricity. She sprang back, then slashed her sword downwards.
Arena screamed and was carried off by a surge of magic. His armor was torn asunder, and his body sent fissures through the wall as it struck.
Arena was numb. He couldn't move his legs.
Luna stood over him.
"Is this it?"
She knelt down by Arena's head.
"Is this the one mortals call, ‘Champion?’"
Crucible whistled.
"Incredible, Heph, he didn't even scratch your handiwork. That sword is a masterpiece."
Hephaestus was smiling, forelegs crossed.
"Of course. She'd push my face in if I gave her anything less."
Luna called to Jove's troops as she strode towards Celestia.
"Put him in the containment wagon."
Luna pointed her sword at Celestia.
"What say you, traitor? Will you surrender to my custody? I would not take joy in breaking you."
Celestia started to cry.
"Jove was right. I'm weak. Weaker than a mortal."
"Don't say that. It's not over," said Arena.
Luna looked over her shoulder.
Excalibur was limp in Arena's grasp.
"Celestia, listen to me. Mortals have a power — a magic all of their own. One that Luna will never understand. As one, they're stronger than any of us, even Jove. But they need somepony to guide them."
Arena winced. He struggled to lift Excalibur.
"My friends all died this night, but I can still feel them. I will show you their strength."
Arena pointed Excalibur to the stars. Ethereal images of his friends and subordinates began to appear behind him.
"Torch, Double Lance, Ambush, Spartacus, Marauder. Please, lend me the power of your bonds."
Arena stood tall.
"O-ver-lay "
Luna spread her hooves in a fighting stance.
The images became five tiny orbs of light that floated around Arena. Two of them were absorbed into Arena's chest, invigorating him.
A storm of lightning streamed down from the sky. Lightning coursed about Arena's being.
Celestia and the Armoury Aide dispersed before the titanic forces that Arena was about to unleash.
Hephaestus called to Luna.
"Luna — get out of there."
Luna stood firm and braced herself. Again she heard the taunts and cries of the mortals. The accursed name of Nightmare Moon repeated in her mind like a mantra of despair.
"If this is the power of mortals — I will destroy it."
Arena slashed the air towards Luna.
"Vajra Sword !"
Excalibur loosed a concentrated beam of light.
Luna fulminated. Her sword frayed the light and sowed scintillations throughout the arena.
Luna drover her wing beats against the beam's growing intensity. Her levitation began to buckle as the beam's force eclipsed her strength.
Luna shrieked and was overcome. A deafening explosion dissolved the wall behind Luna. The spectator stands toppled. Hundreds of tons of granite avalanched on top of Luna.
Arena glided down through the dust.
Luna hefted away the rubble that buried her. Her armor flaked off her singed coat as she staggered upright, breathing heavily. Her disheveled mane tumbled over her shoulders and covered her eyes.
Luna gripped her sword by levitation.
Arena pinned the blade under his hoof and held Excalibur to Luna's neck.
"In time, all mortals die. But their bonds never fade. In this, they can surpass death."
Luna gazed at the ground.
"How could I lose..."
"Jove has more planned than simple rule. He plans to claim all mortal souls for himself, and he's using you to that end. Can't you see it?"
Luna hid her tears.
"You are wrong. Jove is the only one who understands me anymore. He is the only family I have left."
Arena extended his hoof to Luna.
"It doesn't have to be that way. Just look at Celestia. You and her were so close when we were young. Don't you miss her?"
With uncertainty, Luna looked to Celestia, who ran to Arena's side. She looked up at Arena's smile.
Deep-seated desires vied for control of Luna's heart. Something black and ugly found victory.
Luna snarled. Her features darkened, and her eyes became draconian. The arcane lamps illuminating the room flicked before her voice, and the stars were nowhere to be seen.
"I miss nothing of liars and traitors. You turn your back on Jove after he gave both of you everything. Oh, but I see that second rate does not satisfy your narcissism. Nor Saturnalia's gluttony, or the complacent floundering of Probita's pseudo-philosophy. "
Celestia shrank behind Arena as the Nightmare glared into her soul.
"And you . You are most ungrateful of all. You are the one who broke our family with your insipid love of mortals. I should have left you to die all those years ago..."
"You don't mean that..." said Celestia, something breaking in her chest.
A flare of magenta punched a hole in the blanket of thunderclouds above the arena. It dissipated upon the dais. Jove appeared on the throne beneath the mystical flames.
The alarm in Arena's nerves seized his every sensation. Despair itself had come.
Jove sat with a grave face. He was wearing an amulet housing a crystal in the shape of a blue lightning bolt.
"Why must you disappoint me, Arena? I had my misgivings while you were growing up, but you showed so much promise. As always, I was right in choosing Luna as my right hoof."
Jove turned his head. His features overflowed with concern.
"Luna, do not be upset. Arena may have won this fight, but his honor is dead."
Jove's horn glowed. The orbs surrounding Arena were pulled into his grasp.
Arena's breath was snatched away. He tried to catch them in his hooves.
"My friends."
Jove regarded them with contempt. He crushed the magic with his own, and it fizzled away.
"In dueling with the strength of others, Arena has violated the ways of the alicorns."
The red glow of the moon bowed away, and a six pointed star of twilight magenta shut out all others. Jove's mane billowed as he brandished his sword.
"The Shooting Star Rebellion is a travesty upon all that is high and noble. You fight in vain with magic you cannot even begin to comprehend."
Arena's grip on Excalibur tightened.
"I know what I feel, brother. I'll face you if that's what it takes to protect what my friends believed in."
Celestia tugged at Arena's wing.
"Stop it. I'm going to surrender myself. I won't watch him hurt you again."
Arena saw the compassion, but also courage, in Celestia's eyes.
"I'm sorry. You're right." He loosened his grip. "I'm a soldier, so all I can do is fight. But if I had your strength, maybe I could find another way."
Arena looked into Excalibur. He saw a lifetime of jealousy, destruction, and a rueing of all things mortal reflected back at him. An age of ill deeds soaked into one blade.
If Arena was to keep Celestia safe, he would have to defeat Jove himself in a duel. But with the bonds of his friends lost, how could he keep fighting?
Arena's eyes lit up. He had found his answer.
Arena's horn glowed. Excalibur evaporated into a river of magic, allowing Arena to absorb it's essence.
"I repent before all whom I have wronged. For a better future — I lay down my sword."
Celestia was raised in a golden aura.
Jove was already devising a counterspell. Arena touched Celestia's mind with his own, so that he would have time to make his farewells.
What are you doing? I'm not leaving you behind, thought Celestia.
Arena smiled weakly.
The dragons are gone, Celestia. My time — the time of the warrior — is over. The world doesn't need warmongers like me anymore. You are strong in ways Jove can't even imagine. Forget about me, and watch over the mortals. Keep their hope alive.
But I'm the Princess of The Dawn, and I can't even raise the sun , thought Celestia. How am I supposed to end this war?
Arena laughed.
And I'm fighting an opponent who, in all things, has never known defeat. If we want to bring change, we have to take risks. Remember that for me?
Celestia raised her shoulders and looked away.
I don't know what you mean, but I will try.
"Be safe, Celestia. I pray that I will see you again someday."
Celestia vanished in the golden burst of Arena's teleportation spell before she could respond.
Arena sagged as the magic drained him of energy.
A bolt of magenta lightning from Jove's amulet struck Arena in the chest and pinned him against a wall.
Jove seethed like an incensed god. His hair frayed and his eyes bulged with blood vessels.
"What have you done with her. Where did you send her. "
Area doubled over in agony.
"I'm not telling you anything."
Luna lowered her head and rubbed her foreleg. She had never seen Jove lose his temper. Jove noticed her disquieted expression.
The lightning ceased and Arena feel to the ground. Jove sighed and reshaped his mane.
"I seem to have gotten a little carried away." Jove put down his sword and smiled. "I will ask again. Where did you send Celestia?"
Arena pointed to Jove's amulet.
"Never. I know what you did."
Jove grunted. He gestured towards Arena and said, "Luna, your brother is being difficult. It seems he requires some assistance."
Luna scowled as she entered Jove's interrogation. She punched Arena in the face.
"Where did you send the traitor?"
Arena clutched his muzzle to staunch the profuse flow of blood.
"You fool." Arena pointed at Jove. "He is the betrayer."
Jove's eyes narrowed. His face betrayed no emotion as he tortured his younger brother with electric current until he lost consciousness.
Amid his strangled cries, Arena said, "I know...what you did to Caelia."
Jove smiled at Luna.
"You did well by forcing Arena to expose himself, you made him vulnerable to arcane interference. I had the signature of his rudimentary spell weaving deduced in less than a minute. But alas, it was too soon to catch that sloppy excuse for a teleportation spell."
Luna was lost in her thoughts. She stared at Arena, and couldn't return the gesture.
"Is it true what he says? That mortals hold their own magic."
"Yes, and a parasitic magic it is. The mortals have been using our family. That is why they must be controlled. Their hedonistic desires would have us destroy Tall Rostra and that I have strived to build. You have nothing to fear as long as you do not allow yourself to be infected."
Jove cleared his throat. Luna stood to attention.
"Escort Arena to Tall Rostra. In the mean time, I will lead incursions into Saturnalia's realm."
"But what about Tia — the traitor?" said Luna. "I need to find her."
"Quite right, I have already pieced together the purpose of Arena's spell from residual arcane influence. An easy matter, given his sloppy spellweaving. It would seem that Celestia has been sent to Madolche. Not altogether unexpected, as Saturnalia will naturally assume leadership of the rebellion. Once Arena is safely contained, I want you to infiltrate The Mad Château personally."
Jove grinned.
"Saturnalia believes his esoteric wit will keep me at bay. Let us see if we cannot beat him at his own game. Without Celestia to rally the earth pony outcasts to their cause, the rebels will lose faith."
Luna made for the exit.
"— Just be warned," said Jove. "Saturnalia is not all you need consider. Do not underestimate Celestia. She herself may prove...difficult. Be on your guard."
Luna snatched up her sword with a bitter snarl.
"I thank you, Jove, but you need not be concerned. I came here thinking there was a sister left for me to save, but that wretch is past the point of salvation. Now that I understand what must be done, she will rot. I will not fail you again."
Jove gave her a caring smile.
"My greatest servant has never failed me. Luna, come here a moment."
Luna's eyes were shadowed by shame, but she complied. Jove's horn glowed. He laid a hoof on Luna's armour and it was restored in a flash.
"Be revived — Black Lunar Soldier."
"Jove," said Luna, with a hint of embarrassment. "I have my own blacksmiths..."
She saw that Crucible, Bellows, and Hephaestus, were unharmed. They stood patiently by the courtyard entrance.
Jove chuckled.
"I know, but I cannot have my greatest servant standing before me in such a shambles. Do not let me keep you. The rebels must know that I am the sole arbiter of the future. Go safely."
After Jove said goodbye, Luna went to a room of the keep that was being used as a medical area.
Luna was trying to close Furnace's wounds by magic.
"Sit still, you ignoramus, or does the prospect of having your crotch fused with your head appeal to you?"
Furance squirmed about on the bed.
"Grrrrraaaagh. I missed all the action. No fair — I never get to see you fight."
"And you have only yourself to blame for that."
Forceps was struggling to restrain Furnace.
"Jove will be raise the sun any minute now. It would be unfortunate to delay our departure, lest we turn to stone were the townsponies can deface us."
Luna was plagued with doubt. Arena's words could not be dislodged from the back of her mind. She continued her treatment as a distraction.
Hephaestus was resting on the doorframe. His forehead was lined as he watch Luna.
Luna huffed. "What are you staring at?"
"You're troubled," said Hephaestus.
"What told you that? Just shut up. I am in no need of pity."
The air was filled with stunted groans and ill scents. Unicorn healers tended their patients with a cold urgency.
Luna's thoughts were arrested by what she saw:
A healer of Fort Vajra, nursing a wounded soldier of Tall Rostra. Even with the demand for space growing ever higher, the beds next to Furnace had been left vacant, and the healers gave him a wide berth.
————————————————————————————————————————————
Luna rolled through the air in a corridor of light. She grew heavy as gravity reasserted itself. She felt her body begin to squash, and her mind began to race with a million thoughts and calculations at once.
Twilight winced. Her bones jarred as her body was splayed out on a some kind of surface.
Light and sensation numbly returned. Twilight shuddered and twitched. For a brief moment, she felt as if she were drowning.
The starry ceiling of Voice's hall on the moon came into focus.
Twilight gasped from the sting of realization. She hugged herself and sobbed.
"I killed him. I killed that poor stallion."
Voice starred down at Twilight with a hard expression.
"Luna killed him."
Twilight lay crying on the floor of Voice's hall.
Voice prodded her side.
"What is the matter with you? It was but a memory."
"But it felt so real," said Twilight. "And that alicorn...He looked just like me."
Voice scoffed.
"Do not remind me. Tolerating your presence is hard enough already. I cannot believe I ever looked up to him."
Twilight's gradually rose to her haunches with a whirling head.
"Are you saying that it's him? He's what's putting Equestria in danger?"
Voice stared blankly at the Earth as it drifted above the horizon.
"The matter is complicated, child. Jove is history, but what he strived for is still in the making. Beyond that, I must not tell."
Twilight breathed slowly and tried to find her balance.
"I don't want to be here. Let me out."
Voice abandoned her meditation and turned to face Twilight.
"No. You leave when I say you may leave. You will continue to read Luna's memories and, when you are finished, you will be trained."
Twilight's head lolled back and forth.
"I can't go on. I think I'm going to be sick. Let me go."
Voice flew to her throne and sat pouting.
"It would seem that we are at an impasse. But in here, time is on my side. You will learn, child, whether you choose to or not."
Voice twirled her mane and looked out at the stars.
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Princess Luna held her eye to her sister's telescope. She looked out at the expanse of Canterlot from the astronomy tower. With the tremendous resolving power of Tia's telescope, Luna could see all the way to Ponyville.
Mothers were tucking their children into bed, couples shared tender moments, and the ponies of downtown Manehatten were so full of mirth that Luna could almost hear the music they danced to.
The night was pleasant, but also innocuous. Luna found her gaze drifting towards the stars, and away from her duty.
Sometimes, she would look at the Moon. Her lens was drawn to the vast Lunar mare known as the Oceanus Procellarum. She prayed for some kind of revelation to strike her memory, but time and again, the same meaningless craters confounded her search.
Luna sighed. She again put her eye to the lens and searched out a long slithering canyon. It sat on a raised plateau in the heart of the Procellarum.
Nothing.
A soft cawing called from the dark.
The massive eye of a raven eclipsed the Moon. Luna took her eye from the telescope to find it's owner pecking at the objective lens, glossy feathers tinged purple in the pale moonlight.
"Greetings, Yata. You're looking lively. I assume the evening's foray went well?"
Yatagarasu beat his wings. He hopped onto Luna's horn and used it as a perch.
"The fun has been doubled," quoth the raven.
Luna chuckled.
"Sorry Yata, I cannot stop to play with you right now. Perhaps you should visit Philomena? She hates being stuck in her cage alone."
Yata ruffled his neck feathers.
"Forgive me If I withhold my enthusiasm."
Luna held out her foreleg, and Yata obediently hopped down onto it.
Luna stroked Yata's feathers.
"I had a feeling you would say that."
A titanic cry reverberated far and wide from the city below.
Yata screeched and disappeared into the night sky.
Luna frowned. She swivelled the telescope about to view the source of the upheaval. The University of Magic came into focus.
A nightmare whispered tragedy into Luna's ear.
"Twilight. "
Luna leapt into the night and shot off to help her friend.
Spike's growling could be heard from high above. His claws dug a trench as he paced in front of Twilight's tower. The ground was
scorched and he angrily loosed torrents of flame.
Luna hovered in front of him.
"Spike? What is the matter with you?"
Spike continued to roar and thrash about.
"Spike, tell me what's happened."
Luna reached out to Spike with her mind.
Spike, please, you must listen to me, where is Twilight ? thought Luna.
A snarl rattled in Spike's throat, but he stopped pacing. The touch of Luna's mind made the darkness around him soften into a quilt of dreams. They embraced Spike and beckoned him into soothing sleep.
Spike's ears drooped, and he loosed a long shuddering yawn.
I don't know , thought Spike. A dragon came out of this talking book somehow and kidnapped Twilight. There was nothing I could do. I'm so worried about her ?
Luna nodded her thanks and immediately made for Twilight's office.
Professor Tephra and a contingent of guards were all huddled about Twilight's desk.
Lazuli had arrived from her room inside a neighbouring tower. (One Twilight had lent her.) She and Magna were in the workshop at the bottom of the stairs.
Lazuli worked on the wires and circuits connected to the orb from her jetpack's power supply. Behind her was a large cannon-shaped device, with many pipes, valves and gauges.
"It's a toughie, no doubt about it," said Lazuli. "My diffusion wave machine wasn't strong enough to break apart the book's enchantments, and Professor Tephra hasn't seen anything like it either."
Magna waited restlessly.
"You don't sound very worried."
Lazuli giggled.
"Of course not. Professor Twilight is really smart. She's probably busting herself out right now."
Magna stamped his hoof.
"We can't count on that. If she doesn't get out, I'll have to explain all this to Celestia."
Lazuli looked up from her project and scratched behind her ear.
"I still don't get it. Why do you hate the Princess so much?"
Magna had an urge to spit.
"I'd rather not talk about her. She's all anypony talked about in Clipstow, and here it's just the same: they still won't shut up about her. Only now it's worse. She's deluded everypony into thinking she's this caring, motherly-type figure. It really creeps me out. How could Fleetfoot, the Queen of Speed; the fastest flier in all of Equestria for centauries; the only daughter of Clipstow to be born a pegasus, how could she want to live here ?"
Magna turned towards the office and shook his head.
"I tell you, the minute this town looks to ‘Trollestia’ for help she'll..."
Magna's pupils dilated. His mouth hung open.
"She'll do what?" asked Lazuli.
Magna stuttered something.
Lazuli set down her work and walked over to Magna. He was transfixed on something.
Lazuli waved her hoof in front of Magna's eyes. He didn't even blink. Lazuli followed Magna's gaze to the object of his distraction.
Magna roasted were he stood and his face swelled with colour.
Time crawled. A striking beauty graced the office. Her firm, sinuous, legs went on forever. Her mane was a map of the universe. And eyes that were as deep and green as the sea.
While she was in the room, Magna could not be safe. He knew that those eyes alone could kill him. Even so, It was a fate that he would embrace whole heartedly if it meant they would be looking his way.
Magna sighed in the midst of paradise.
"Blimey. Who is she? Who is that gorgeous Amazonian beauty?"
Lazuli puffed her cheeks out. She grabbed Magna by the ear and tore his groping eyes away from Luna.
"That's Princess Luna: Princess Celestia's sister. You don't recognise her?"
Paradise went up in flames. Something between Magna's legs snapped in two. Magna languished as his only love was spawned from his only hate.
"Celestia's Sister ?"
Magna looked at Luna again.
"No pony ever told me she had a sister..." Magna tried to shake away his attraction. "If that's true, I'm sure she's pure evil — a perfectly diabolical sort of plot." Magna slapped himself. " — I mean pony — a perfectly sexy sort of pony ."
Magna groaned and tousled his mane in frustration.
Lazuli sighed. Her eyes stung.
At first she tried to hide her sadness. Magna wasn't even looking at her. Lazuli slumped down next to her machine. She fiddled with her tools for a minute, but found herself unable to continue working.
"Oh wow, you really like her, don't you?"
Magna's mane stood on end.
"What? No I don't. I could never love somepony like her. Why she's a gutless stuck-up — just like her sister."
Luna's figure tugged at Magna's eyes.
"At least, I hope she's just like her sister..."
Lazuli huffed and feigned disinterest.
"Well you should stop staring at her butt like that. She's very temperamental. You'll get yourself banished to the moon."
Magna wasn't listening. He was already on another world, and drooling profusely.
A variety of crystals had been piled onto the desk. Tephra examined the book through a monocle while the others waited for his diagnosis.
The guards bowed to Luna as she entered the office.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.
Magna and Lazuli walked up the stairs to meet her.
Magna's hooves were itching. He was about to stutter out a response to Luna's question, but Lazuli clamped her hooves over his mouth.
"It's the Professor, Princess — she's gone."
"Because of some strange dragon?" asked Luna.
Lazuli nodded.
"That's right. We don't know what to do."
Luna's voice made Tephra look up. He smiled.
"Ah, Princess Luna. Good evening. As Lazuli says, Princess Twilight is in grave peril. We're trying everything."
Luna pouted.
"There must be some way of helping her."
Tehpra closed the book and shook his head.
"It's no use I'm afraid. I'm picking up Twilight's arcane influence, so I can verify Magna's extraordinary claims, but the artefact refuses to respond to any of my incantations. The best we can do is wait, and hope that it sees fit to release Professor Twilight in its own time."
"I see..." said Luna.
Luna rubbed her foreleg.
"There is something I must confess. I gave Twilight that book. She only wanted to help, and now she's trapped."
Luna stared into the book's cover. Nightmare Moon stared back.
"I must bear the fault."
Luna's eyes shone white with magic as she strode over to the desk. Her furious determination made the guards back away.
Tepha swallowed. He stood as tall as his aged back would allow and held out his foreleg.
"Wait, Luna — Princess. That artefact is dangerous. Don't be reckless, it'll consume you too."
Luna's voice boomed.
"Stand aside. My mistakes hurt my sister once, I won't let the same happen to Twilight. If Twilight is trapped inside, then I will follow."
Tephra flinched, expecting a blow. When none was forthcoming, he took the opportunity to step back from the desk unharmed.
Luna opened the book and reached out with her consciousness. She could sense the world inhabiting the book, but it was obscured to her behind a mental barrier.
Luna visualized the book's defences as a wall of stone.
Set into its surface was the sculpted features of a mare. Behind her was a ring of carved symbols. She wore ceremonial dress of
ancient aspect the likes of which Luna had only ever seen in museums.
Such wealth was fit only for the burial of the griffin king — the pharaoh.
The attire was incomplete: six empty slots had been cut into the rock at key points, presumably for the fitting of jewels. Among them was an indentation in the mare's crown shaped like a six-pointed star.
Whatever it was, it stood between Luna and her friend. Luna smote it's surface over and over with her mind.
The wall gradually became plastic. It squished and wavered beneath Luna's assault. Sensing victory was near, Luna made the final push.
The wall gave way before her mind could touch it. Something within the depths of the book's sentience was swimming to the surface.
Luna withdrew into her body, and her eyes snapped open. She sprang away from the book.
"Get back. All of you."
The book spread a shadow across the desk. A wyvern of black and white materialized from the book's pages, and lashed out with its claws.
The guards instinctively leapt forward to protect the Princess. Luna barred them with her wings just quickly enough to keep their heads from being scythed from their shoulders.
"Back I said. If you value my safety, get out of the way."
The wyvern reared and brought low it's fangs.
Luna jolted with adrenaline. She pinned open the dragon's mouth with her hooves. It shock it's neck and gnashed at her with its jaws.
Luna grunted and slid on her hooves. She struggled to keep the dragon's fangs in check.
"So you are the one who took Twilight. What have you done with her?"
The wyvern did not reply. It writhed and wriggled under her grasp.
Luna forced the wyvern away. She punched the side of its head, scales crunching under her strike. The wyvern lurched backward and collapsed against the side of the office in a daze. The monster's face hit the floor close to Lazuli.
The wyvern hissed and lashed out at the nearest living thing.
Lazuli screamed. She clung to Magna for dear life.
The wyvern halted. Luna locked the wyvern's neck between her forelegs, then pummelled its head into the wall.
Luna bared down on the dragon's head with her hooves. The dragon began to whimper and squeal.
Stop , it thought to Luna. Stop. I yield. I yield.
Luna's hoof was raised high.
The wyvern wheezed beneath her. Patches of its white scales where stained a pale black from internal bleeding. Trails of black
smoke poured out from the dragon's wounds.
The faint memory of a great blue eye, seeping with tears, flashed through Luna's mind.
Luna lowered her hoof and stepped back, chest heaving.
Lazuli quietly let go of Magna's leg.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to uh — "
Lazuli looked at Magna. His face was split in a dumb, slack-jawed, grin.
Magna starred at the curved outline of Luna's form as she glistened with sweat. The passionate determination in Luna's eyes peaked his desire.
"She's not at all like her sister... Am I in love?"
Steam whistled out of Lazuli's ears. She walked away from Magna to go stand by Professor Tephra.
The wyvern turned its head towards Luna.
Only my master could strike with such power. Your punch has the might of the Tormentor herself. I see now that you are no intruder.
The wyvern rose up.
Forgive me, Master. I will take you to the one you call Twilight at once.
The wyvern slipped inside the shadows and disappeared. Luna started towards the portal into the book.
"I think it wants me to follow it," she said to Tephra. "I'm going in."
"You mean the dragon?" asked Lazuli. "But how?"
Professor Tephra stepped forward.
"Wait. You still don't know what's in there. What if you don't come back?"
"Even the slightest chance of saving Twilight is better than none," said Luna.
Luna leapt into the air and flew into the book's pages. The book slammed shut behind her.
Tephra shook his head.
"Blasted alicorns. They get to have all the fun..."
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Voice sat patiently in her hall.
The girl had fallen unconscious some time ago.
The stone book lit the hall as it slid open. A phantasmal wyvern slithered inside, with his head low to the ground. It's gaze wavered left and right.
Master...I return.
Voice eyed him with incredulity.
Spit it out.
The wyvern hissed and crawled behind the book.
He poked out his head and thought, The * Pharaoh cometh.** I could not stop her.*
Voice rose to her feet.
I do not imagine you could. You may go.
The wyvern showed its teeth in what might have been a relieved smile, and vanished in a puff of phantasmal smoke.
The silhouette of an alicorn outlined by the light of the book glided into the hall.
Luna's face fell. She ran down the length of the midnight carpet.
"Twilight. "
An alicorn landed in front of her.
"That is far enough."
Luna stumbled backwards. Her legs twitched as she studied the towering figure.
No warmth escaped the mare's belligerent frown and cold poise.
Luna knew that frown well. She wore it whenever Equestria's nobility sent a line of unsuspecting suitors sauntering up to her throne like flies buzzing their way into the black widow's den. They came in the hope of advancing their respective positions, only to be taught a harsh lesson in humility.
Luna never knew her presence could be so imposing.
"You are...another me?"
The mare scowled.
"You should not be here. Leave."
Luna flared her wings and tried to appear tall.
"Did you do this to Twilight? Release her."
"Twilight?"asked the mare, gesturing over her shoulder. "You want the snotty-nosed girl?"
Luna's nostrils flared.
"Watch your tongue. Twilight is not some girl — she is my friend."
The mare reeled as if struck. Confusion dulled her serrated composure. She glanced between Twilight and Luna.
"Your...friend?"
Luna smirked.
"Is there an echo in here? That is what I said."
Luna raised her hoof in threat. She lowered herself into a fighting stance.
"Now will you let me pass or do I have to deck you, Royal Canterlot Style?"
The taller mare only laughed.
"I hardly doubt your prowess, Princess, but you can't best me in that state. You do not even know who you are."
The mare locked gazes with her most unlikely opponent and assumed her own stance. She grunted in satisfaction: The Pharaoh's
leg positions were more than rusty.
A dark cloud gathered above the mare's horn. A crest of light shone within. The mare grasped it, and drew a crescent blade out from its sheathe of night.
"I am not done with her. Leave."
Luna's pupils dilated. The sword filled her with strange emotions that rippled across the ages through the oceans of destiny. She could feel that it meant something.
Luna legs tensed. She wanted that sword.
In an instant, the mare was upon her.
The mare slashed downward in broad streaks.
Beads of sweat formed on Luna's brow. She hopped and ducked to avoid the advancing steel.
The mare pressed her assault, forcing Luna to retreat.
Twilight was slipping away from Luna's sight. She started to growl.
The mare's sword swung about once more. Luna caught it in her hooves.
The mare stared blankly into the eyes of a dragon.
Luna's blood stirred with a darkness she had not known since meeting Twilight.
"No. I cannot give up."
The moon itself began to quake. A lonesome cry emanated from somewhere below their hooves.
The mare pulled her sword free
"You fool. If she awakens, all is lost."
She punched Luna full in the face.
Luna was shivered on the floor where she fell. She clutched her head and screamed in agony as the guilt and pain of a thousand years came howling back. She knew again a hatred for all things mortal. She knew The scorn of Equestrian's ponies, hollering their sorrows in the abyss of black night and cursing the moon as it snuffed out the sun and stars. She knew the scorn in Tia's eyes.
"You must not stay a moment longer," said the mare.
The mare levitated Luna off the ground and threw her out of the book.
The stone book sealed itself, and Voice was alone again. She summoned the black clouds, and returned her sword to the hidden armoury.
"Damn your stubbornness, Princess. I will have to keep watch of the real world myself in future."
Voice walked over to Twilight.
"You and your questions are not much better. You never wait or listen for anything."
Voice lowered her neck and studied Twilight more closely.
"What can she see in you that I cannot?"
The stone opened again, but shone differently than before.
Voice carefully levitated Twilight onto her withers.
Twilight murmured in her sleep. An odd familiarity washed over her as she was carried into the embrace of a magenta light.
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Luna came crashing back into the office. She groaned and rubbed her head. She had landed chest first on top of something.
Captain Magna lay on his back in a puddle of his own perspiration. He looked up at Luna's cold expression, not knowing whether he was elated, or about to die.
"H —Hi Celestia's sister."
Luna stood and peered down at what appeared to be a pony who's mouth had been replaced by a large pair of novelty chattering teeth.
Luna said nothing and clambered onto the settee. She sat up, and hugged her chest. She was seconds from tears.
Lazuli sat next to her.
"Hey, Princess. What happened in there?"
"She was right there, but I could not save her."
Lazuli never thought Luna could look so small. She wondered what her mentor would do to help if she were with them.
"Hey, don't be sad. You saw her, right? That means she's ok. Do you want me to send for Celestia?"
"No. I do not want Tia to see me like this. She will never forgive me for putting Twilight in this position."
"Ok. Why don't you tell me what was in there?"
Luna's voice squeaked as she tried to hide her shame.
"I would rather not say. You are kind, young scholar, but I need to be alone right now."
Luna flew outside and landed on top of the roof. She sat in front of the moon. The afterimage of the other mare's flashing sword was
stained into Luna's sight. She could still hear that haughty voice taunting her.
A low rumble sounded from the grounds below. Spike thudded onto the rook as softly as he could.
Luna fluttered up onto Spike's back and lay on her front. The two gazed up at the moon. Luna mentally shared her experience inside the book with Spike.
She is right , thought Luna. I do not remember anything. Why must Tia keep from talking to me about my past?
Spike paused, then thought, I know who you are, and so does Twilight. You were there for her when she was the lowest I'd ever seen — when I thought I was going to lose her. You mean more to everyone than you realize.
Luna rested her head and closed her eyes.
But you really could lose Twilight because of me.
Maybe. But I can still hope. Even if Twilight doesn't come back...why would I push you away when you are important to me as well?
You have grown strangely wise in your adolescence, Spike.
Really? I guess I've had plenty of time to think.
Spike hummed in his chest. He felt the wind stroking his monstrous wings and the fires warming his gigantic bones. In a rare moment, being large came naturally to Spike. It was meant to be, and not some curse.
As his size doubled, and tripled, and quadrupled, over the years, Spike noticed that even Twilight constantly crept out of his shadow, away from his destructive talons.
Luna, however, saw no boundary between dragon and pony. She trusted Spike not to crush her under his tread, or burn her property to the ground with a cough.
Spike was no less dismayed over the personal crisis that had beset him, but he found relief in being at peace with what he was. If only for a brief moment.
Luna's heart swelled from the gratitude flowing from her connection with Spike. She smiled up at the sky.
This new moon was not like the last. Now Luna had friends too. Nightmare Moon was far from her thoughts.
The kindred souls watched the moonlight in silence.
* * *
"Twilight. Twilight, you gotta get up."
Twilight shifted beneath her covers.
"I still can't believe I woke up before you did," said a familiar Voice. "Come on Twi, if you don't wake up now, you'll never hear the end of this. You're gonna miss the picnic too."
"Leave me alone, Spike," said Twilight. "My head hurts."
Twilight's heart stopped. The covers billowed as she erupted out of bed with her wings flared.
"Spike. "
Twilight rushed up to hug her baby dragon. She flew about the room in ecstatic spirals.
"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyeysyesyesyes."
Spike was thankful that he hadn't eaten yet.
Twilight eventually landed. She kissed Spike's head and nuzzled him.
"Oh Spike, you're adorable. "
Spike shock away his dizziness.
"Uh, thanks, I guess. What's gotten into you, Twilight?"
Twilight had innumerable questions, but they were all were swept to the back of her mind by the all=consuming awe that gushed through her very being.
The cozy bed. The heady, rural, scent, wafting through the window. The homely oaken walls. All of it was here. By some miracle, Twilight Sparkle was back in Golden Oak Library.
Spike's face scrunched up with impatience. He squirmed and her tried to shrug Twilight away.
Twilight pulled him closer, as if the mirage could vanish at any moment.
"Knock it off Twi, you're starting to creep me out," said Spike.
Twilight relinquished him.
"I'm sorry Spike it's just..."
Twilight stared about the room. Something was out of place, but she couldn't define what it was.
Spike raised an eyebrow.
"Just what?"
"It's nothing."
Twilight smiled at her baby dragon.
"What would you like for breakfast?"
Twilight prepared for Spike the biggest breakfast he had ever seen. She had noticed the absence of her crown, but was reassured upon seeing a glass display case in the library holding the element of magic along with its five companions.
Spike's tongue licked with sibilant greed. He tapped his claws together as the plates filled the kitchen table, but Twilight kept on indulging him.
There was a loud rapping. Twilight took Spike's omelette off the heat and went to answer the door, while Spike tucked into a stack of pancakes that was taller than himself.
"Good morning," said Twilight, as she opened the door.
"Well met, child." said Voice, "I take it you are enjoying yourself?"
The questions returned in force. They piled their way into Twilight's thoughts and tried to escape through her mouth all at once. Twilight just sputtered, unable to form a sentence.
Voice stepped over the threshold. She rubbed her foreleg as she bored into Twilight with frowning eyes.
Voice meticulously choose each individual word as she spoke.
"I could see that your first experience with Luna's past was...intense...so I thought that you ought to take some rest."
Twilight only glared. She flew eye-level with Voice, and sat in the air atop an invisible throne.
"Before you ask, yes, this is a reconstruction your own memory," said Voice.
There was no sound, save that of Spike wolfing down his waffles like a boa constrictor.
"You did this?" asked Twilight. "Why the change of heart?"
"I was hoping you could tell me about...Luna."
Twilight unfolded her forelegs.
"Luna? But I thought you would know everything about her."
"My program was recorded more than one thousand years ago. I have no knowledge of what has become of Luna since then."
Twilight studied Voice and her uncanny features.
"You're not a perfect copy, are you?"
Voice shook her head.
"I have watched her. She knows nothing of all that has happened, but she is still Luna, and she can feel it. I know who I am but..."
Voice held her hoof close to her heart.
"I do not feel."
Twilight's eyes softened.
She landed and said, "I think I understand. You want to be like her, don't you?"
Voice lowered her gaze.
"More than anything..."
Twilight chuckled awkwardly.
"Well, you're quick to admit your shortcomings. That was something I always liked about Luna. She never stops trying to improve herself."
Voice gave a meek smile.
"Thank you, Young Princess."
Voice walked over to the front door she beckoned to Twilight.
"Come, we can discuss this another time. I have something else you will be pleased to see."
Twilight followed Voice outside. The two flew over quiet rooftops and sparse streets. Most ponies were going about their work at this time of day, but Twilight still saw more than a few familiar faces. She squealed as she exchanged a wave with Ditzy Doo, who got her head stuck inside a mailbox; having failed to look where she was flying.
Voice came to a halt.
The sunlight sang off of the verdant park in the bloom of spring.
"There is much for me to deliberate. When you are ready to experience Luna's memories again, call for me, and we will continue." Voice gestured to her surroundings. "In the mean time, you may enjoy Ponyville at you leisure. Everything is exactly as you remember it."
Twilight gasped. Her face lit up.
"Everything?"
Voice nodded.
"Everything."
All of her friends were about to have a picnic.
Fluttershy was having a friendly chat with the ants, so as to keep them from stealing the food, while Rainbow fended off bad weather with her martial arts.
Applejack laid out the cover. Pinkie Pie sang to herself as she happily zipped about, tying balloons to every tree in sight. Rarity tilted her head as she mused on where her chaise longue would best catch the shade.
Voice pointed her horn to the sky, and a magenta light seeped from a fissure in space and time above her.
"I will leave you to your...recuperation. Farewell, child."
Voice flew into the fissure, and sealed it behind her.
Twilight smiled from ear to ear. She raced back to Golden Oak Library to check that Spike hadn't chocked on his omelette, and to fetch the food she had set aside.
As always, everypony had agreed to contribute to the meal, so Spike helped Twilight prepare the sandwiches.
Twilight remembered this picnic fondly. Unlike before, she noticed when Spike miscounted and made a seventh sandwich. She made no effort to correct him in light of what was to come.
Twilight wished Spike a good day, then flew back to the picnic.
Twilight's friends were all sat down and ready to eat.
Rarity lowered her sunglasses, and sat up on her chair.
"Oh, Twilight there you are. Everyone was getting hungry waiting, so Rainbow flew off looking for you. Would you be a dear and go fetch her?"
Twilight smiled.
"No problem."
Twilight knew exactly where to find Rainbow Dash.
It was just like a certain somepony to stay up all night reading Daring Doo, and it wasn't long before Twilight found her snoring on a fluffy cloud just above the warm air wafting up from the town bakery.
The cloud dispersed in puff as Twilight rocketed into Rainbow Dash and gave her a big hug.
"Rise and shine, Rainbow Danger Dash. Or was it Rainbow Daring Dash? I forgot."
Rainbow snorted loudly as she awoke and flailed about.
"Gugh. Twilight — what're you doing here?"
Twilight released Rainbow.
"Looking for you. The picnic is about to start, remember?"
Rainbow blew her mane out of her eye.
"You seem awfully happy. Has the science fair come early this year or something?"
Twilight shrugged.
"I don't think so. I guess I'm just happy to see you."
Rainbow scratched her head
"But didn't I see you yesterday? You were grouchy again because I didn't return my books on time."
Twilight giggled.
"You ask too many questions, Rainbow. Let's just go already. I bet I can get there faster than you can, egghead."
Twilight winked at Rainbow and made for the park, laughing all the way.
Rainbow growled and raced furiously to catch up.
"Why you —"
Nearer the park, Twilight was buffeted off her flight path by a chromatic blur of raw speed. She crashed into a tree and found herself entangled in a web of balloon strings.
Rainbow grinned and circled the picnic.
"Looks like I win again."
Twilight yelped and twisted about. Rainbow chuckled and helped untie her.
"Sorry, Twi, but I can't afford to lose a race. Not until I beat Fleetfoot and prove I'm the best once and for all."
Twilight's mane was ruffled and filled with leaves, but she still couldn't stop smiling.
"Don't be silly, Rainbow. No matter what you achieve, you always find a way to keep raising the bar."
Applejack cupped her hooves and called to Twilight.
"Are you ok up there, hun?"
Twilight brushed some leaves off her shoulder.
"Ok? I've never felt better."
A bird's nest bobbed into the air from a nearby tree. A group of balloons had been mistakenly tied to its protruding twigs. Fluttershy took off to rescue the unborn chicks.
"Oh my, Pinkie really got carried away with those balloons..." said Fluttershy.
Pinkie Pie was on another tree tying up more balloons from her saddlebags. She snorted and giggled.
"I can't help myself."
Pinkie slid down one of the low-reaching branches, vaulted off its end like a springboard, somersaulted through the air, and landed squarely on her hooves.
"I still have a ton of them left over from the airship festival."
Twilight and Rainbow glided down to meet the others.
Applejack sniggered.
"Speaking of that there festival, aren't you supposed to be kooked up in your basement building your own airship? I'm surprised you decided to come out in the end."
Twilight scratched the back of her head.
"I needed some fresh air. I'm not making much progress anyway."
Rarity huffed.
"Oh don't be so curt, Applejack. Let's be happy that she's ready to spend time with us at all. You know Twilight's been ever so distraught after..."
Rarity gave an apologetic look to Twilight.
"...What happened in the Crystal Empire."
The group of friends grew quiet. Even Pinkie couldn't continue the conversation.
Having released the balloons, and safely reunited the eggs with their mother, Fluttershy glided back down to the others. She landed so gently that not a sound could be heard.
"Is everypony ok? I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
Pinkie looked at her and dropped a pin. It rang louder than a church bell as it touched the grass.
Twilight burst out laughing. The others stared at her.
"Shouldn't we be having a picnic? Let's just eat."
Her friends exchanged bemused glances at first, but Twilight's joy was contagious. The friends joined in and gathered on the cover to share out the food.
"How's Princess Luna been?" asked Fluttershy. "Have you been sleeping any better?"
Rainbow nearly choked on her sandwich.
Twilight considered the question, thinking back to how she felt almost a century ago.
"Yes and no. Luna's usually very quiet when she enters my dreams. Rather than driving my nightmares away, she encourages me to face them. I'm starting to feel better about myself, but it's an uphill struggle. Other than that, all she does is listen. Even when I ramble on about the same thing over and over."
Rarity wafted cool air over her face with a fan as she lay on her chair.
"Well that's very sweet of her. I wish I had somepony to talk to whenever I was down. Opal isn't exactly a conversationalist."
"What about Spike?" asked Applejack. "Can't you talk to him about your problems?"
Twilight giggled.
"I would, but Spike is in the habit of being fast asleep whenever I start panicking in the middle of the night."
The discussion gradually defrosted, and turned to other, more cheerful, topics.
"Hey everypony, look what I can do," said Pinkie.
Rainbow threw some grapes at Pinkie. She caught them in her mouth while standing on her hind legs, and balancing a boiled egg on her nose.
The party keeled over. Twilight began to hiccup from laughing so much.
Someone nudged Twilight in the ribs. She turned around to find Applejack looking off into the distance.
A blue mare with a tall pointed hat was crossing the park towards the picnic.
"Trixie?" said Applejack. "What in tarnation is she doing here?"
A wily smile folded Twilight's features.
"What indeed? Maybe we should go talk to her."
Applejack maintained her stony complexion. Twilight patted her back.
"Relax, Applejack, it's been years since we last saw her. I'm sure she's an all-new mare now."
"I dunno, Twi. I didn't buy Trixie's little ‘apology’ for a second. I'm thinking it was all an act."
Applejack frowned, but complied. She called to the others.
"Fine. Come on, galls, let's go meet her."
Pinkie Pie lost her balance, but was treated to a delicious mouthful of egg. She swallowed it whole and smacked her lips.
Twilight trotted up to Trixie. The magician had seen brighter summers, and many winters. Her cloak was tattered, and her face was gaunt. She was withering, while Twilight and her friends had refused to age.
Twilight extended a hoof to her new friend.
"Hiya Trixie. We were just having a picnic. There's still some food left. Would you'd like to join us?"
Trixie sniggered, and tipped her hat.
"Trixie is pleased to see you, Twilight Sparkle. But Trixie is not hungry."
Twilight slowly lowered her hoof.
"Are you sure? I thought you wanted to see us? It must be lonely, running a travelling magic show all on your own."
"Not as lonely as you're going to be" — Trixie glared into Twilight's eyes — "once Trixie humiliates you."
Twilight stared blankly.
"What are talking about? I thought we were done with that."
Trixie cackled.
"You look surprised? You didn't think the Great and Powerful Trixie would accept you as her Princess, did you? That crown
belongs to Trixie."
Rarity snorted.
"Pe-lease, Trixie. The right to rule isn't something you can just take. At any rate, Twilight is an alicorn now. Challenging her to another magic duel would be pointless, not least when you are without that tacky amulet."
Trixie's shoulder's tensed and relaxed. Stormclouds gathered in the skies.
"Trixie begs to differ."
Twilight racked her brain to try and make sense of matters. Had her memory failed her? Hadn't Trixie grown out of her petty rivalry at this point? Even when she wielded the Alicorn Amulet, she had been content to laude over Ponyville. Why was ruling Equestria suddenly important to her? None of this made any sense.
Trixie tossed her hat aside. Her horn sparked in anticipation.
"What's the matter? Afraid? I suppose it would be embarrassing for a Princess to lose to a mere unicorn, even one so exceptional as myself."
Twilight shook her head.
"I won't fight you, Trixie. We're both better than this."
Trixie's magical influence chocked the atmosphere until it was ubiquitous. It was enough to make Rarity pull out her fan.
Twilight's brow creased. She could feel it too. Even Celestia's influence would be dwarfed by the monstrous power that stood before them.
Trixie laughed.
"As if you have a choice."
Trixe's horn called electricity down from the heavens like a lightning rod. Twilight's friends all shielded their eyes.
Trixie whirled the lighting about with her horn like a wrecking ball. Tendrils of electricity whipped the trees and set them ablaze. The balloons burst like popcorn.
The she-devil grinned manically, and pointed her horn at Rarity.
Rarity squealed and ducked.
Trixie loosed a storm upon Rarity, and the trees flashed white.
A tail of smoke rose out of a crater in the ground where Rarity had stood. Beside it was three large hats, each marked with a
six-pointed star. They rose into the air and vanished in a puff of magenta smoke.
Rarity emerged from under one of the conjured hats. She lay in a stupor, trying to fan away the shock.
"By Celestia, my life flashed right before my eyes."
Twilight rushed over to Rarity and helped her up. She glared back at Trixie.
"Rarity, are you alright? Can you walk?"
"Why yes, Twilight, my legs are fine. It's my heart I'm worried about."
Twilight smiled.
"You should get back to the Boutique, I'm sure you'll be fine after some hot tea."
"And leave you here with that demented charlatan? Absolutely not."
"Please. I can't fight Trixie if I'm too busy protecting everypony."
"You seem to be trying awfully hard to get rid of me..."
Twilight winked.
"Don't worry, l'm an alicorn, remember?"
Rarity made her way out of the park.
"Just be careful, Twilight."
The trees shone like torches.
Fluttershy blubbered and cried. She whizzed about, trying desperately to save each and every animal.
Applejack pulled Fluttershy clear of being crushed by a burning branch. The sight of a family of squirrels trapped in a circle of
burning timber made Fluttershy grow faint.
"That goes for you as well," said Twilight to her friends, her hair fraying.
Rainbow looked at Pinkie, to which she could only shrug.
"Applejack, Rainbow, get everypony out of here," said Twilight. "I'll deal with Trixie alone. I can't put any of you at risk."
Rainbow saluted, and flew off at sonic speed to notify all other visitors of the emergency, and guide them to safety.
Fluttershy couldn't accept what was happening. She shivered, her eyes stretched open. Applejack pulled the traumatized mare onto her withers and galloped for the park exit.
"Everything's going to be okay, sugarcube. The animals were probably the first to get out."
Applejack stopped atop a hill and called back to Twilight.
"I don't know what you're playing at Twi, but we're not abandoning you. As soon as everypony's safe, me and the galls are coming back."
"No don't. It's far too dangerous. Let me deal with this."
Applejack raced away before Twilight could respond.
Twilight faced Trixie.
"That's enough. If I'm the one you want, then fine, but don't you ever hurt my friends."
Trixie cackled.
"What was that spell just then? A parlour trick? Don't make Trixie laugh. You're no Princess. You're a grovelling servant. The Great and Powerful Trixie will ensure her lessers — "
Trixie raised her hoof.
" — know their place. "
Trixie smashed the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth.
Twilight sprang into the air, and the earthquake sailed under her. She cast an incapacitation spell, but her horn only crackled as she thrust it at Trixie.
"She negated it..."
Trixie's horn gathered energy for a magical onslaught.
Twilight tried to teleport to safety, but again her magic was countered.
"Too slow."
Gale-force winds rampaged through the park. They extinguished many of the burning trees, but also unearthed them.
Trixie was in the eye of the storm; her horn shining.
Deafening winds filled Twilight's ears. The air whipped around her fast enough to draw blood. Trixie manipulated the winds with her horn, battering Twilight from all sides.
Twilight shielded her face. The ligaments in her wings were stretched to braking point as she tried to resist the current.
Trixie drew her horn towards the ground, and pummelled Twilight into the dirt.
She cantered near to where Twilight lay sneered down at muck-drenched magician.
"You dared to think a fraud of Trixie, didn't you? But now Trixie has attained the highest level of magic."
Twilight squirted the mud from her mouth. Pain stabbed at every joint in her body as she slowly rose to her feet. Her limbs were
tender from being dislocated. Twilight bit her lip and realigned the bones in her wing by magic.
"That kind of power...won't do you any good, Trixie. You're only going to hurt ponies."
Trixie frowned. The veins on her forehead bulged.
"And what would you know about power? You're nothing but a joke before Trixie."
The fires died away under a fatal downpour that flooded the park. Trixie amassed a sphere of water the size of a house in her levitation. She drove it at Twilight. The soil rippled as the massive body of water ruptured the ground with the cutting force of a raging waterfall.
"Drown in your ignorance. "
Applejack lay Fluttershy down on a bench in the town square. The little mare's heart couldn't take the stress. She passed out.
Applejack said, "Pinkie, get Mr and Mrs Cake to look after Fluttershy. I'm going back — Twilight needs some help."
"Okey dokey lokey."
Pinkie Pie zipped off to the bakery.
Applejack ran for the park.
Rarity looked across the square, then back to the park. She stamped the ground, then raced to catch up to Applejack.
Applejack grinned.
"You're coming with? Shouldn't you be brushing your mane or something by now? Didn't know you had it in you to go against Twilight's word."
"Not now, Applejack, this is serious. Trixie's gone insane. She could really hurt Twilight. Twilight may have been concerned for me, but I care about her too. I'm going back as well."
Rarity chortled.
"Besides, I could ask the same of you. Who's taking you to the next Apple Family hootenanny? A scarepony?"
Applejack blew the straws of hair from her face. She laughed.
"'Got me there."
Applejack looked dead ahead.
"Easy. I was just pulling your leg. C'mon, let's go help Twilight."
Twilight struggled for her life. The pressure of the water strangled her lungs. Trixie began pulling magic out of Twilight's horn. It diffused into the sphere of water like magenta ink.
Trixie's eyes glinted.
"Yes. It will be over soon."
Twilight's friends came into view. Rainbow had cleared as many ponies from the scene as possible, and informed the local guard to close off the park. She came about and flew above Applejack and Rarity.
"Twilight — hang in there," said Applejack.
The two pelted towards Trixie.
"Let her go you oaf," said Rarity.
Trixie barely gave them a second glance.
"Oh, what's this? Are the ants coming to ruin my picnic?"
Trixie shooed the nuisances away with her hoof. A blast of air knocked Applejack and Rarity off their feet.
Applejack dusted herself off and kept running at Trixie.
"Darn it. You'll pay for that."
A jet of flame erupted in front of her. Laval oozed out from the ground to encircle Rarity and Applejack.
Applejack skidded to a halt. Her coat filled with sweat as the molten rock crawled towards her.
"You coward. Why don't you fight me without your fancy magic, then we'll see how, ‘great and powerful,’ you are."
Rarity's hooves hovered in front of her mouth. It took all of her willpower to keep herself from ruining her hoofacure.
"I don't think she listened the last time you said that, Applejack. Oh Twilight, please be ok."
Applejack looked to the sky.
"Rainbow, if you're going to do something, now might be a good time."
"On it. I'll hit her with the Sonic Rainboom."
Rainbow rocketed straight up into the air, then plummeted straight back down with a resounding clonck .
Rainbow tugged at the shackle that had appeared around her leg. It was chained to a huge iron ball shaped into a face with demonic horns and a malicious grin.
"Hey, what's the big idea?"
Trixie watched Twilight's life ebbing away.
"Quiet. Trixie wants to enjoy this."
The sphere was all but completely filled with magenta energy, ready to be absorbed.
Twilight stopped moving.
Applejack feel to her knees.
"No...Twilight."
The heavens sparked with thunder.
"Yes. The Great and Powerful Trixie is the new, uncontested, undisputed, incontrovertible, Princess of Magic ."
A plopping sound came from the surface of the sphere. The water's magenta hue contracted. The water began to boil and hiss. A pillar of flame billowed skyward and pierced the storm.
Trixie ground her teeth.
A silhouette emerged from within the steam. Her body glowed white, and her mane burned bright.
Twilight grasped her crown in her hoof and placed it on her head. Her horn sparked. Trixie's flames died away, and Rainbow's shackles disintegrated.
Applejack wiped her brow and helped Rarity to her feet.
Fluttershy glided down to meet the others. Spike was on her back, from where he had dropped Twilight's crown. He climbed down back and patted Fluttershy's shoulder.
"Thanks a lot, Fluttershy. I'd never make it in time if you hadn't rushed over from Sugarcube Corner."
Spike puffed out his chest.
"Good thing I'm around, or Twilight would be toast."
"That was so scary," said Fluttershy. "How did I let you talk me into this?"
"You knew Twilight needed help, that's why you came to me. You're a good friend, Fluttershy."
Pinkie zipped onto the scene.
"Don't forget about me. I may not know much about magic, but what I do know, is that when you've got a party..."
Pinkie held up all five of the other elements of harmony.
"...It's more fun when everypony joins in."
Twilight's mane coursed like fire. She floated above the park with her mouth fixed in a snarl.
"When I saw what you did with the Alicorn Amulet, I thought I could forgive you. But that was before I knew you were capable of this."
Trixie snorted.
"Capable of what? Magic beyond your narrow delusions of morality?"
Trixie grunted, and shot a stream of lightning at Twilight's chest.
"No," said Twilight.
Twilight's soul burned. She refused to let this fraud taint the memory of the real Trixie. The Trixie who had showed Twilight a side of friendship she had never known before, and would never know again.
Twilight deflected the spell with the back of her hoof. It exploded against the side of a hill.
"Murder."
Twilight flew at Trixie. A tide of fire built up upon the ground, forming a tsunami in the visage of five colossal ponies. The fire formation galloped furiously over the ground beneath Twilight.
"Starlight Flare ."
Trixie flicked her mane.
"How annoying. Oh well, Trixie will just have to show you how a true magician wields fire."
Trixie reared on her hind legs and reached into the sky. A line of seven stars glittered in response.
A sphere of glowing heat gathered at Trixie's horn.
The colossi halted in their tracks.
Twilight's friends yelped and stumbled about as the earth they stood on roused from its slumber.
A great maw split the ground behind Trixie. Black fumes spewed forth from within. Massive talons gripped the edges of the precipice.
"O tyrant of cleansing flame, immortal walker of the cycle: By the sacred sword of miracles, ignite creation with your glorious rebirth — Ignimbrite: Lord of Molten Earth. "
Twilight's friends flinched at the coming of a volcanic roar. An earthbound demon rent the earth apart, sending clouds of fiery death rippling outward in every direction.
Twilight held out her hooves. Beads of sweat pooled on her brow. A barrier levied the deadly pyroclastic flows, and diverted them away from her friends.
The monster took wing. It's obsidian outline shimmered from the heat of its incalescent flesh. Flames licked it's fangs, and shone within its eyes. The beast made an angry rumbling in its throat as it starred down at its prey.
Pinkie's mane sagged as she starred up with her mouth hanging open.
"What in Equestria is that thing?" asked Rarity.
Fluttershy covered her eyes and trembled on the ground.
"Oh no, it's a d — d — dragon."
Trixie walked out from the rolling black smog. She thrust her hoof at Twilight.
"I tire of this. Destroy her, Ignimbrite — blast all unto cinder. "
Ignimbrite's eye's flashed red. The pyroclastic clouds crackled with lightning. The dragon reared its head and readied to unleash a white-hot jet of cremating fire.
"Stay strong everypony," said Twilight. "I was wrong. I can't do this alone."
Pinkie flashed about Twilight's friends, and handed each pony her respective element. The girls donned their crystal amulets as one.
Twilight renewed her efforts and spurred the colossi to return Ignimbrite's attack. They each pooled their charge together to form a new colossus. The flames twisted and grew into a golden orb of fire.
From within, a crimson alicorn emerged and spread its six wings. The great mare roared. It mustered flames of its own about its horn.
The titans unleashed their might, and a fire to end all fires consumed the park.
Two waves of fire clashed. They swelled, coursed, and deformed; each vying to overcome the other.
Twilight concentrated her energy into the spell. Her horn was aflame with magenta sparks.
Trixie's brow lined with sweat. Her own horn radiated arcane energy.
"Is that the best you can do?"
With a grunt, Trixie piled more and more power into her spell.
Ignimbrite screeched in pain, and opened his maw wider.
Twilight squinted as Ignimbrite's flames brightened, and slowly pushed back those of the Crimson Unicorn. She cried out and struggled, but her horn had no more magic to give.
The force of the battle buffeted Twilight's friends with dry, blistering, winds.
Applejack planted her hooves and refused to move.
"Go get her, Twilight."
Rarity's chaise lounge turned to charcoal.
"That was an antique. Such crimes against good taste must not go unpunished. Do whatever it takes to stop her, Twilight."
Rainbow rolled with the current and broke the air accordingly to hold her position.
"Don't worry about me; A wonderbolt can fly no matter the weather. She's all yours, Twi."
Pinkie hopped about and giggled to herself.
"Now that's what I call a lightshow. Don't tell me your done already Twilight? C'mon — you can do it!"
Fluttershy seethed as she looked around at the ruination of the park. She stood unafraid with her wings flared.
"The animals all need new homes thanks to that big meanie. She needs to get out of town before I do something I'll regret. Don't let her get away with it, Twilight."
Spike hollered at the top of his lungs.
"We're all behind you, Twilight. Don't you dare let Trixie win — not after I taught you everything you know."
The wishes of Twilight's friends clustered into a sparkling rainbow. It's different colours pooled from the elements of harmony into Twilight's crown.
"Everyone...I never thought I'd see you together like this again. Thank you, all of you. I'll never forget everything we've shared."
The glow of Twilight's horn expanded and gained a plethora of colours. It shimmered with every colour of the spectrum.
"You asked for it, Trixie. This is my power. The magic given to me by my friends."
The Crimson Unicorn roared. It's fires welled and inched forward.
Trixie fumed.
"What is the matter with you, you dumb beast? Destroy her already."
Ignimbrite whined and summoned more flames from its mouth, but to no avail.
A blinding light flashed from where the Crimson Unicorn's spell met Ignimbrite's burning flesh. The ground shuddered and cracked as all moisture was scorched away.
Ignimbrite cried out as he was blown apart.
Twilight's spell flooded on past in a river of fire.
Trixie vanished from its wake in a pop of magenta.
Twilight released her magic and glided down to the baked earth before her fatigue set in. The Crimson Unicron faded away. The ground was blanketed with embers where she had stood.
The clash had flattened the park into a dessert. The devastation spread throughout the town, demolishing buildings in sheets of flame.
Twilight's mane slackened to her side and regained its former colour.
"She can teleport? But that's my spell."
Trixie laughed deep in her chest after she reappeared.
"You're hardly original, Twilight. I can mimic any of your two-bit spells blindfolded. Perhaps you are ready to forfeit? Trixie would be most satisfied to receive a concession after your repeated insolences."
Twilight swallowed. Her wings were shaking, but she didn't let her chest fall.
"No. My friends are what make me a princess. There's nothing our magic can't overcome."
"What friends?" Trixie smiled and shaded her eyes. "Trixie sees only piles of ash."
Twilight guided her horn over the remains of the park.
"Celestial Mirage ."
Sheets of shimmering crystal sprang up from the ground and burst into a shower of sparkling dust. Each of Twilight's friends, along with Spike, stumbled forward from inside.
Pinkie Pie nimbly rolled and hopped into a finishing pose, while the others all fell on top of one another like dominos.
"What in the hay just happened?" asked Applejack.
"I sheltered you all from the aftermath with a spell Celestia taught me," said Twilight.
Trixie grunted.
"The magic of a two-faced coward. Still, you won't be keeping Trixie from her throne. That was only the first act of Trixie's performance."
Twilight could hardly look her friends in the face.
"Everypony, I'm sorry. I tried so hard to push you all away for your safety that I never realized how much I was putting myself in harm's way."
Twilight and her friends all shared a group hug.
"Don't sweat it, Twi," said Applejack. "We know it's been hard for you to see loved ones in danger since Shining Armour died."
Rarity blinked.
"My, Applejack, that's awfully perceptive of you. I had no idea that was why Twilight sent me back to the Boutique. I thought it was because everypony assumes I'm just a delicate flower."
Applejack coughed.
"Yeah, maybe if flowers where made of nasty old boots. Come off it, Rarity, It was as plain as the nose on her face."
Twilight smiled and shook her head. She put on her crown and took to the air. The crown flashed a magenta call, and each of the other elements resonated in kind.
"Come on, girls. After all that she's done, I think we can put Trixie away for good."
The elements carried their respective bearers upward to join Twilight.
Trixie was more concerned with the soot gathering on her coat than the spectacle above her.
"Do your worst."
Trixie lowered her speech to a mutter.
"Those trinkets don't even belong to you..."
Twilight and her friends surrounded Trixie. A vibrant rainbow surged from the Element of Magic. It ran through the others; binding them into a circle. The air hummed with magic.
Twilight closed her eyes as the elements filled her with the wisdom of ages. A force too great for any one pony to hold. At once, she saw face after face, bond after bond, evolution after evolution.
A clear mind.
Twilight opened her eyes.
"Together."
All six elements surged with magical force. Six beams of light; blue, pink, white, orange, yellow, and magenta, all converged on Trixie.
Trixie mocked their friendship with her sardonic smile.
"Hakai Ken Issen. "
Six rays of magenta cut through the light of the elements. They grew into a cacophony so immense it gouged trenches into the barren earth.
Twilight shielded her face. She screamed as the magenta light burned through to her eye sockets.
Twilight's friends were cast onto the ground. The displaced soil cloaked the air in dust.
Rarity staggered upright. She starred into her amulet. Where once had been a clear, azure, diamond, now there was cracked, grey, gangue.
"She overpowered the elements...This is the. Worst. Possible. Thing. "
The girls wallowed in despair.
Applejack called above their sobs. Her breath was shot and her brain was numb.
"Quiet down — all of you. We can't let ourselves panic. Twilight. We have to find Twilight."
Applejack desperately searched the remains of the park.
The dust cleared. Six gouges arranged in a circle like the spokes of a wheel marked the disaster. At its epicentre, on a hardy outcropping of stone, stood Trixie.
Twilight gasped and pawed at her neck as she wriggled within Trixie's levitation.
"The elements...My friends...What did you do to them?"
Trixie laughed deep in her chest and shouldered her sword.
Twilight shivered. She sensed four titanic dragons bound into the sword. They coursed in endless hate and sorrow. It was palpable to Twilight. Enclosed within the gleam of that white blade was unimaginable torture.
"Trixie didn't do a thing to them, beyond crushing their arcane influence under her own. My understanding of Harmony is simply greater than yours."
Trixie lowered Twilight to meet her condescending eyes.
"Remember, Twilight, anything you can do..."
Trixie's bones twisted and snapped. Her body expanded, becoming broader, with thicker set limbs. Her mane straightened, darkened, and a strip of bright magenta rolled down from her roots to the fringe like a carpet, guiding the path of a royal procession.
Twilight's legs fell to her side. She was transfixed by the gruesome metamorphosis. The mirror that became Trixie's face swallowed her senses.
Trixie grew into the tall powerful figure of an alicorn, though he lacked wings. He stood half a head taller than Celestia. His voice purred and cracked with a rich multitude of tones.
"...I can do better."
The sun dropped out of the sky and Ponyville fell into darkness.
Twilight mouthed one word:
"Jove."
Prince Jove held himself with an air of coolness as he examined his ragged specimen.
"A mortal wearing the mantle of a god? Repulsive. You are an abomination."
Jove clamped Twilight's wing under the force of his levitation and pulled. The joints popped as the tissue was stretched thin.
Twilight whined and squirmed manically.
"Did you enjoy our little duel?" asked Jove. "It was more than you deserved. I thought Celestia would have taught you to defend yourself, and yet, all I found in your memories was some puerile nonsense about friendship."
Jove flicked back his long mane with a sigh.
"The disguise was a bit much all considered. But what can I say? I am prepared for everything; It is my curse. Well, it's been fun toying with you. Now..."
Jove raised his massive sword above Twilight's wing.
"...You will return what is rightfully mine."
Twilight screamed.
Jove paused. He lowered his sword and look down at leg. A dragon hatchling had bitten into his foreleg.
Jove lifted his leg to examine the trivial reptile, unperturbed by its impotent fangs. Twilight cried out.
"Spike, get away from him."
Jove snarled.
"Dragons. Such hideous little things aren't they? Death is all they're good for; But this menial soul would only sully my blade."
Jove shook Spike from his leg. Spike yelped as he landed on the small of his back.
Jove's hoof descended, and brutally crushed the baby dragon's tiny frame.
Tears streamed down Twilight's face. Her mane reignited and her coated burned white. She thrashed in at Jove's binding levitation with all of her grief.
"Spike!"
Jove laughed. He tightened his levitation about Twilight's neck until her eyes rolled back into her head and the rage was choked
from her body.
"You can struggle, but I am not playing games anymore."
Again, Jove raised his hateful sword.
"Your life is mine."
The sound of running hooves approached from behind.
"Not if we can help it," said Applejack. "Give it to him, Rainbow."
Rainbow Dash rocketed into the sky on a vertical ascent.
Applejack flung her lasso around Jove's corded neck. The Prince made no effort to free himself.
Jove looked up at the sky.
"This again?" he asked.
Jove waved his hoof.
"Fine, just get it over with."
Applejack lost her nerve.
"Uh...don't you go anywhere now."
Jove leant his sword on the ground. He didn't move from where he stood.
"Whatever you say."
Rainbow descended in a scintillate display of speed.
"I'll show you what a wonderbolt can do. This one's for Spike. Sonic Rainboom! "
Jove picked up his sword and cut away Applejack's lasso. He stood perpendicular to the kaleidoscopic bullet, licking his lips and shifting his weight.
Rainbow was just about to knock Jove off his feet, but the Prince batted her away on the blunt of his sword with an explosive swing.
Jove shaded his eyes and watched Rainbow blast off until she was just a winking light on the horizon.
Twilight's friends all paled.
Rarity reached out to Spike's corpse and wept.
"Spiky-wikey..."
Fluttershy buried herself under her hooves.
Applejack stared off at where Rainbow had disappeared.
"What do you plan on doing with us?" she asked.
Jove scratched his chin.
"Hush, I am thinking. What am I going to do with you all? Killing you would be fast, but hardly dignified — for me that is."
A spark of wickedness spread over Jove's face.
"I do not need to kill your friends, mortal."
Jove threw Twilight to the ground. She slid to a halt in the pit of a trench.
"Yes, you will dispose of them for me."
Twilight's friends rushed to where she lay, calling her name.
Applejack propped up Twilight's head on her hoof. Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, all huddled around her.
"Twilight, can you hear us?"
Twilight coughed. Her windpipe burned raw. She shivered under Jove's inescapable sneer.
"Applejack...girls...I'm scared."
Applejack's eyes misted with tears.
"Don't you worry Twi, we're here for you," she gave a vacuous chuckle. "Everything will turn out just fine. They always do. Somehow. Somehow."
Jove brandished his sword. Two constellations of seven stars glimmered high above.
"Treason against the High Prince is a crime without peer. For you, I will prepare a very special form of punishment."
The lights of the constellations were dragged across the sky by invisible threads. They came together so that one overlaid the other.
Jove's sword glimmered in the starlight.
"You think Harmony your salvation? Fool. Harmony is fickle. In the end, all mortal bonds fade and become the malefic ether that fuels Chaos."
A ball of thick swirling mist formed the tip of Jove's horn. It oozed upward and congealed into a massive cone shape, pointing into the ground. The mist hardened into a hovering matrix of interlocking crystals that left a smooth grey sheen.
Jove said, "Dragons. Phantasms. Mortal rebellion. I will create a world without these plagues. I will reinstate the justice of the alicorns, and attain a new level of existence without age, fear, or death. "
A sheet of rock near the base of the cone blinked open, revealing a big eye with a violet iris. It's gazed flickered about in steady, organized sweeps; carefully analysing it's environment.
"You will learn just how powerless you are, mortal. Witness the ultimate magic — Order. "
The eye stretched open. It flashed with a sinister aura. The creature loosed an eldritch roar with no discernible source.
Twilight screamed again and clutched her ears. The sound burrowed into her head and commanded her to look deep into the eye's
black pupil. The more she resisted, the more painful it became.
Twilight surrendered. She starred into a dark hole from which no free will could escape.
The next this she knew, she was on her feet. Her cutie mark had vanished to be replaced by a brand of ownership: A colossal all-seeing sphere with four satellites that waited on its every command.
Twilight wanted to run, but her legs refused to move.
Jove purred.
"Rejoice. Only one other has ever starred directly into the Eye of Order. You should feel honoured. Why not show your gratitude?"
Twilight's body acted on its own. She lowered herself into a prostrate bow.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Very good. Now that you are acquainted with your new Prince, would you kindly put those four unmentionables out of their misery?"
"Yes, sir."
Twilight was acutely aware of her actions. Her blood congealed and her nerves protested, but onward her muscles moved. She staggered around to face her friends. Magenta fires swelled at her horn.
Applejack was an empty husk. Fluttershy cowered on the ground. Rarity looked like she wanted to say something to Applejack, but couldn't find the words. Pinkie Pie wept at Applejack's side.
Twilight's soul cried out in unfathomable pain.
I won't do this. I won't. I won't. I won't. Somepony. Anypony. Help me.
The fires continued to grow.
Please, all of you — get away!
"Dusk Spark! "
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Princess Luna stood up. Spike craned his neck away from the sky to look at her.
"I am decided. I have to go back. I have learned too much about friendship from Twilight to just give up."
Luna smiled.
"Thank you for your counsel, Spike."
Spike hummed.
Glad I could help. If there's anyone who can bring Twilight home, it's you.
Luna dived off the roof and flew into Twilight's office.
Captain Magna had been staring out the window in a waking dream. He toppled over when he saw Luna speeding towards him.
Magna lay on his back. He bolted upright, then ejaculated something that may have been all five of the world's most generic pick up lines rolled into one.
The Princess ignored him and walked on by, assuming she had noted his existence at all.
Magna flushed red like a thermometer. He slapped his own face twice. Once for embarrassing himself, and again for succumbing to his lust for Celestia's sister.
Magna slouched in front of the window. He noticed that Lazuli must have left the office minutes earlier.
Professor Tephra was gathering up his crystals into his bag.
"Ah, Luna, how are you feeling?"
Luna deflected his question with a cautionary glare.
"Why are not working on opening the book's enchantments?"
Luna was used to ponies growing quiet or defensive under her gaze, but Tephra, however, seemed accustomed to her manner.
Tephra wheezed a laugh.
"Oh no, my dear. If you couldn't get past the artefact's defences, what use is a living fossil like me? I will have to retire, sadly."
Luna looked at the book.
"Well I am not giving up yet. I will show that other me who the real Princes of the Night is."
Tephra stroked his beard.
"Another Luna? I wonder..."
Without another word, Luna approached the book, and armed her thoughts.
The book offered no resistance.
Luna warily submerged herself in the book's alien reality.
—————————————————————————————————————————————
A prodigious well of darkness was spread out before Voice where she sat, eyes closed. The light of the sun warmed her back.
Across the sea of black was a winding valley that meandered away for miles.
Voice breathed in the empty air. And felt the soft lunar soil beneath her. She quaffed a silence so deep it trapped all wandering thoughts, and left only peace.
The stone book rose out of the sands and opened. Princess Luna stepped onto the moon. Her horn pulsed with magic. She glanced about the grey expanse of the Moon.
"What have you done with Twilight? Get up. Get up so I can strike you down."
Voice breathed slowly.
"I knew you would return. Sit."
Luna starred at Voice. She had her horn trained squarely on her head.
"I was wrong to have fought you before."
Luna scoffed.
"And what exactly does that mean, pray tell? You are yet to surrender Twilight."
"This is not about Twilight. This is about you."
Voice gestured to the ground at her side.
"I mean no harm. Rest assured that Twilight is both safe and well."
Luna grunted and diffused her spell.
"I believe I will stand, thank you."
"Very well."
Luna walked off to Voice's side, so she could see her face, taking care to keep several paces between herself and the other mare.
"You like it here, do you not?" asked Voice.
Luna examined her surroundings through her peripheral vision. She was atop the wall of a vast crater. The moon had buckled under the force of an ancient eruption, leaving a pit of black on one side of a crest, and plains of grey and dust on the other.
"Yes. This is the Aristarchus Plateau. What of it?"
"You mention it to Tia sometimes. Why do you come here?"
"What is it to you how I spend my time?"
Voice hardly moved.
"I am not like you, Luna. When I look upon this empty canyon, and these lonesome highlands, I feel nothing. But, night after night, something makes you travel to this specific point on the Moon's surface. Tell me why."
Luna shirked the other mare impertinence.
"Who are you?"
Voice stood up. She opened her eyes and met Luna's gaze.
"I am Voice: a program made to replicate you. I hold all of your past memories, and I wish to better understand them."
Luna looked away, lest she develop sympathies for this abductor. There was a long pause. The crisp silence returned.
"This place is like an island, isolated by the ocean." said Luna. "I too was isolated from the Earth, and my sister. I hardly remember anything from before the time I was imprisoned."
Luna looked out over the fields of rock from her elevated position.
"For a thousand years, I would wander the maria and craters, not knowing who I was or why I was there; Only that I was a monster."
Luna pointed to a tiny crater. Just a few hundred feet from where they stood. A tall boulder deposited amidst the soil blanketed the crater with its long shadow.
"My path took me to the plateau. I lost my balance and fell."
Luna sat down and hugged her chest.
"I wanted to lie there. I wanted to die."
A strange warmth made Luna touch her face.
"But then I saw something — a glimpse. I felt it in my heart."
Luna squinted and rubbed her temple.
"The fields of moondust became fields of golden sand. I saw a face: A stallion. When I was barren, this pony filled me with life. When I was fallen, this pony gave me the will to stand. The will to escape."
Luna looked at Voice.
"I still do not know who I am, and I have not seen him since."
Voice shut her gaping mouth. She nodded.
"I see. So this is what my memories mean."
Voice's eyes flashed green. A venomous grinned spread across her face.
"They are extremely...potent."
"Satisfied?"
Luna's expression hardened as she stood up.
"Now, you will release Twilight."
Voice thought for a moment.
"I have given you little reason to trust me. But you must believe me when I say she will be free after I impart the next stage her studies to her."
"The next stage?"
"Yes. Though I detest her, that girl is blessed with extraordinary magic. Tia has been preparing her for it all these years."
Before Luna could respond, an ethereal voice echoed over the moon.
"Somepony. Anypony. Help me!"
The colour dropped out of Voice's face.
"He is here."
A shifting magenta seam split a hole in reality near the stone book, and Voice stormed off towards it. Ponyville could be seen on the other side. Black smoke trailing into the sky.
"That was Twilight's voice," said Luna. "She is hurt — get back here."
"This has been enlightening, Luna, but I must be away, and nor must you linger. Leave. Know full well that she dwells within these pages."
Voice stepped into the fluid outline.
"I do not anticipate that you will listen, but you would do well not to follow me."
The seam quickly began to seal itself.
Luna pelted across the lunar soil. She flew just fast enough to grasp it's shrinking edges. She rent it open again with all the force of her iron hooves and levitation magic.
Luna stumbled inside. Her hooves clacked against a brick flooring.
It was like stepping into an optical illusion. There was nothing but walls, doors, and stairs; assorted without design or purpose into a maze that abandoned all notion of direction or orientation.
By the time Luna had finished starring about in puzzlement of her surroundings, the portal had sealed itself behind her.
Luna ran at the first door she saw and rammed it open with her shoulder. A corridor of stairs and even more doors extended beyond.
Luna growled. She walked back and slammed the door shut.
"A trap. Splendid."
The stone book rose out of floor at the centre of the room, and slid open.
Luna shook her head.
"Does the other me think I will stand this mockery? Hmpf."
Luna moved past the stone book and began searching the doors one by one.
"If a mind like mine made this paradox, then there must be a way to solve it. A game of wits lacks fun if one cannot lose."
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Twilight was an empty shell. Her body was no longer her own, and her soul was broken.
Four charred and disfigured corpses added to the ash-strewn wastes of Ponyville. There was nothing left that might marked them as Twilight's friends.
"Is that despair I sense?" asked Jove. "Lapp it up; It will be the last thing your pitiful existence ever knows. Maybe now you understand. No matter how many mortals lend you their power, you can never measure up to a real alicorn."
Jove paced forward. The Eye of Order followed his gait with its gaze. He plucked Twilight's crown off her brow, and placed it upon his own.
"There is just one more matter to which we must attend: Your larceny."
"Yes sir, I shall obey," said Twilight.
Twilight leapt into the air. She worked a spell she had never studied before. Violet tendrils slithered out of her horn and coursed about Jove's body.
Jove's began to glow with a magenta aura.
Twilight's body grew cold, and the colour drained out of her vision.
"I am becoming whole again. How was such splendour ever wasted on you?"
Twilight's supple flesh sank. Her coat shrivelled as its youth was snatched away. The feathers fell from her wings, and her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Yeeees. I rise again — a god."
"Chaos Blade. "
The Eye of Order sounded an unholy shriek. A perfect seam bisected the eye right through it's crystalline body. The creature exploded. It's essence dispersed and retreated into Jove's horn.
Jove grunted, and reeled. He almost lost his footing.
Twilight's spell was disrupted, and she crumpled to the ground like a withered rag doll. The violet energy flowed back into her horn, and her youth returned.
"Ah, dearest Luna," said Jove. "So good of you to join us."
Vocie landed and point her sword at Jove.
"Unauthorised runtime detected. Enter quarantine, or face immediate de-resolution."
Jove raised an eyebrow. His mouth curled upward.
"My, I never realized you had such a way with words. Sadly I cannot fulfil your request; I need to finish up my business with this turbulent little thief."
Voice's eyes narrowed.
"You should be dead."
"I am dead. But a simple miracle should solve that. Such things are no obstruction to my perfect order."
Voice wished the sword in her grasp was Jove's throat.
"I am going to run you through."
The death threat made Jove laugh.
"Well that is a charming thought; but would you not agree that you are capable of better things that running around on Celestia's leash? What about the time before, when you where mine and mine alone? You miss them, yes? I can give you a body, and you can do as the real Luna once did. We will preside over the mortals, and make this world the way it always should have been."
Voice shook her head.
"I do not need your offer."
Voice looked into her sword.
"My spirit is strong — more so than the original Luna. Once I destroy you, Tia will have no need of her, and I will be Pharaoh."
Jove's chest heaved with laughter.
"You? Pharaoh? You are nothing but a fake. It would have been interesting to learn how Celestia contrived such an unusual device. But if you insist on challenging me, honour demands that I kill you. Are you sure you do not want to reconsider?"
Voice righted her sword.
"Duel."
Jove shrugged, then mirrored her.
"Du —"
Voice bolted forward and cut around Jove guard towards his neck.
Jove caught the movement on his sword and return a stroke of his own.
Voice leapt out of its reach.
"You wound me, Luna. I am your opponent. Do I not deserve a modicum of respect?"
Jove's arcane influence was prodigious. Voice kept a stern face, but her legs twitched slightly.
Voice charged at Jove again with slash after slash. Jove neatly countered her attacks.
The two entered a dreadlock. Jove pressed down on Voice with the full weight of his sword and muscular frame.
Voice winced. He gradually hooves slid across the ground as she resisted.
"This is tedious, Luna," said Jove. "What makes you think you can win? My curiosity is the only reason you are still alive."
Voice grunted and sprang away from Jove.
Jove calmly reformed his stance.
"My original assessments based on Luna's memories were indeed accurate," said Voice. "My baseline specifications are incapable of defeating you. But in another state of being..."
Jove's brow quivered.
"Be plain."
"You know of what I speak."
A mystical aura of golden flames radiated from Voice's body.
"I have found it again. The dream she longed for most. As long as I believe in the bond Luna shared with that one pony — I cannot lose."
Fear seeped out from Jove's otherwise jaded expression.
"Impossible..."
Voice spread her wings. The tips of her feathers turned a deep crimson.
"I call upon the truest expression of will: Honest — The power to surpass all limits!"
Voice took flight and rose like a shining star.
Jove made a silent curse.
Voice howled and swooped down at jove in an explosion of light.
Jove rolled and dived out from under her charges. When his steel crossed hers, the clash made the air come alive with shockwaves.
A weighty note peeled off Jove's sword.
Jove grunted as he was launched backwards at great speed.
A flinch. If Voice could strike Jove with enough speed, she would keep him off balance just long enough to overtake his guard.
Voice renewed her charge, sword flashing. She called that stallion's name in her head like a mantra; praying it would give her the strength she needed.
Jove used his wings to break against the air. A thousand swords arched through the air towards him.
Jove closed his eyes. A matrix of calculations played out before him. Jove deducted each possibility until only one remained:
Absolute victory.
Jove opened his eyes.
Voice was indeed exerting the heightened arcane influence of one in Honest state, but her movements remained as ridged and methodical as a computer program.
No matter how strong Voice became, Jove would always be twenty steps ahead of his opponent.
Jove's blade cut down each of Voice's strikes in perfect sequence. His flurry of counterblows ended with a crushing swing.
The ground spun above Voice as she tumbled through the air.
Luna's sense of self-orientation kicked in. Voice righted herself mid-flight, and snapped open her wings to brake her fall.
Voice's golden aura intensified as she climbed to attack Jove again. Her body dripped perspiration and she panted heavily.
Jove calmly resumed his stance.
Voice roared. Her sword shone bright with magic. She concentrated all of her remaining energy into one final attack.
Jove vanished in a pop of magenta.
The magic in her sword whistled off meet to land's end. For a split second, an immense burst of energy made the horizon shine like the setting sun.
Jove reappeared in the air behind Voice.
"You had me concerned, but I can see that the true form of Honest is beyond the grasp of some false alicorn Celestia cobbled together. You will learn your uselessness."
Voice staggered around to face him. Her sword trembling. The golden aura faded away.
The raging souls of four great dragons coiled about Jove's sword.
Jove chopped the air with a brisk downward stroke.
"Hakai Ken Issen. "
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Luna scrambled along a crooked, illogical, path through the miasma of doors and stairs. Her route looped back on itself with no rhyme or reason.
Luna slowed to a trot, and found a spot to sit on the cold moonstone. She huffed and crossed her hooves.
"This is getting me nowhere. There is no end to this place."
Luna pondered. There was no source of light in the peculiar maze. If Tia had been there with Luna, she wouldn't have been able to see a thing.
A door opposite Luna creaked open. Deep within the labyrinth, the green eyes a shapeless demon gripped Luna's sight.
The sound of galloping hooves rang out as the demon advanced.
"My night. I will have the night I was promised."
Luna jumped up and ran for one of the doors. It wouldn't open. She slammed her weight into another door. It remained closed.
The demon howled it's bloody fury.
Luna crawled away into a corner.
"She's coming for me. What do I do?"
Fangs gleamed in the black.
Luna closed her eyes and shielded herself.
"Tia!"
Justice lies in the names of the Gods.
Luna froze. One of the doors glowed with a soft light. Luna opened it and ran.
The door led to a long, empty corridor. At the opposite end was a single door. Luna rushed forward and didn't look back.
Inside was a torch lit chamber. The demon hissed and stalked away. The eyes were gone, but Luna could still hear prowling footfalls.
The chamber was empty, save for its two torches, and a large stone tablet. Hieroglyphics were chiselled into its surface.
Luna's brain pinched at the sight. She squinted, but the significance of the symbols didn't surface in her memory.
At the centre of the tablet was a six pointed star surrounded by the depictions of three mythical beasts arranged in a pyramid. The one on the left was an unusual creature with powerful limbs that stood on two legs.
Luna felt the image exuded the presence of an insurmountable warrior.
The one of the right was like a winged serpent coiling through the sky. Above them both was the third being, but it's shape had been slashed away by a huge set of claws.
The image took Luna's breath away. The lines of cut into the humble stone weaved into a divine continuum she could not describe.
Below where two larger images. To the left, was an alicorn with great draconian wings. Facing her, was a warrior mare with a crescent blade.
"The other me was holding that sword. Could this pony be...me?"
A sublime light glowed within Luna's memory. It filled her with a sense of confidence and purpose.
Luna stepped out of the torch lit chamber, and back into the dark of the maze.
The halls were silent. Not a shadow moved.
Luna opened the doors and followed her heart. A pattern emerged within the twisting corridors. All the pieces fit together.
The cold walls of moon stone came to an abrupt halt. In their place, Luna was confined by bookshelves.
She reached a homely oaken door at the end of a short corridor, and opened it.
Row upon row of bookshelves lining a tremendous room. The shelves extended upward for hundreds of feet with only the sky for a ceiling. The stars were out in full resplendence.
Luna might have called it a library, only it's construction was more like that of a temple. In front of her was a straight walkway marked by a carpet of royal purple. It terminating at an altar which sported a series of statues. The shelves comprised two sets of aisles flanking a nave populated by a wide assortment of artefacts.
The flooring was solid oak. Foliage could seen past aisles of bookshelves. Was it possible that this place was situated on top of a giant oak tree?
Luna trotted forward, looking up and down the aisles. She was again a stranger in a foreign land.
A noise made Luna start. She whipped her head around to look beside her.
Piles of books had slumping off of their shelves, barring passage through the aisle.
Luna picked up a book and turned it over in her levitation. There was no author inscribed on the leather coverings, only the title: Spellbook of Desserts.
Luna sniffed. She recoiled and regarded the book at foreleg's length for a moment. It stank of repulsively saccharine ice cream.
Curiosity demanded that Luna read its contents. The book contained an enchanting tale, with vibrant descriptions. It was a journal recounting the day Spike knocked down an ice cream factory, and how Twilight had spent the rest of the day bathing and combing bits of fluff out of her sticky coat.
Luna said, "I see. So this must be Twilight's mind."
The ground shuddered. Luna leapt out from under an avalanche of books.
She sped down the walkway as more books fell the library descended into complete disorder.
Once safely out from under the hail of books, Luna stopped to catch her breath.
"It is just like when I used to observe Twilight's dreams. Everything is falling to pieces. If I do not hurry, she will lose herself again."
Luna turned her attention to the altar.
A tall, high-backed chair had been placed in front of a dais. Behind it was the altar itself. The chair was well cared for, though there were stitches in the cushion and other signs of wear.
Now that Luna could see it more clearly, she recognised the statue atop the altar as that of a stallion rearing on its hind legs. Oak branches had grown up from the surrounding canopy and coiled around the statue's body. It's face, chest, forelegs, and even its cutie mark, were all hidden from sight.
The legs of five other statues were arranged behind the altar in a half-circle. They had been shattered into pieces and their corpses littered the dais.
"There is nowhere else to go," said Luna. "How am I going to help Twilight if I am stuck inside her subconscious?"
A tittering sound caught Luna's ear.
"Looks like I'm seeing things," came Twilight's voice from behind Luna. "This really must be the end."
Luna turned to find an earth pony sitting on a mountain of books, which had piled up in an aisle in front of the altar. She hefted a
weighty tomb entitled, Spellbook of Regrets. A cascade of books could have brained her dead at any moment.
"Who are you?" asked Luna.
The earth pony's coat was sapphire blue, as was her mane. She had a flat, bookish, fringe. The features of her face jerked and shuddered beneath a permanent toothy grin.
"Nopony," said the earth pony, her eyes still scanning the book. "Nopony important anyway — Not anymore. It doesn't matter if you're a prince or a pauper. In death, all ponies are equal."
The earth pony's face creased up and she rocked back and forth in fit of hollow laughter.
When she was finished, she said, "It seems I too will soon be facing my death."
Luna shook her head.
"Such talk is senseless. Death may be the end, but it doesn't take away what we begin — what we leave behind. If you really are dying, then you are not facing your death; You are surrendering to it."
The earth pony riposted with a disquieting pause, and turned a page. Distended blood vessels intruded on the whites of her eyes as she fixed her smile on Luna.
"Do you want something? Well go ahead. Ask. You don't have to hide anything from me, Luna."
Luna met her gaze. If she was at all disconcerted, it did not show.
"I want to find Twilight Sparkle's source of consciousness, so I can talk to her."
The earth pony frowned and looked back at her book. She sighed and waved her hoof towards the other side of the aisle.
"Sure. Follow the stairs over there. Even a luddite like you can handle stairs, right?"
Luna poked her head around. A steel door with a keypad had been set into the bookshelf. Luna tried to open it, but the door remained closed.
Luna shot the earth pony a look.
"It is locked."
The earth pony slammed her book shut. She tossed it over her shoulder and slid to the bottom of the pile, smiling all the way.
The earth pony entered a code into the keypad, her ears flopped up and down sporadically.
"There you are, I'm so glad I was able to resolve this little problem. Sorry I can't come with you; I'm in the middle of a little reminiscence."
Luna studied the earth pony with a glare.
The earth pony cackled and returned to her book.
Luna proceeded through the door, while the earth pony read and laughed at her own misery.
"Twilight...This is not you."
The stairs spiralled downward for some distance. Luna followed them into a dimly lit room with stone walls; taking note of the unlikelihood that she was now inside the giant oak tree.
Schematics covered the walls and airship models hung from the ceiling. A white coated pegasus pony was hunched over a desk, scribbling furiously with her quill. Her fiery mane was the only source of illumination.
The pegasus stopped and stared down at her work. Her body trembled and contorted at what she saw. Her wings flex as they opened and closed.
The room lit up. She flew into a fit of rage and cast ink, parchment, and all manner of arcane instruments onto the floor.
"No. No. No. No. No! This will never work! No matter how much power I put into this engine, It's still not nearly fast enough."
"Not fast enough?" asked Luna.
The pegasus' eyes smouldered with hellfire as she looked at Luna.
"What in the flying feather are you doing here?"
"Twilight is in danger, so I came looking for her. Now are you going to help me? Or are you equally deranged as the contemptuous little madam upstairs?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I just make airships. If I could just figure out the right engine design for this worthless hunk of junk, nopony would ever have to suffer through what I suffered through."
"Airships?"
Luna tapped her chin.
"In any case, she said I could find Twilight down here."
The pegasus turned back to her desk. She crossed her hooves and contemplated her schematics.
"I don't have time to be your chaperone. Take the door over in the corner and go be someone else's problem already. I hope the door hits you on the way out."
Luna's nostrils flared.
"I may decide to slam your head into it first, you depraved wretch of a girl. Do remember your manners the next time we meet."
The pegasus turned back to her desk and dismissed Luna's threat with a wave of her hoof.
A mountain of scrunched up schematics was piled up at the centre of the room.
Luna navigated her way around it to the door. She opened it and was drenched in sunlight. Luna covered her sensitive eyes and staggered into the warm glow outside.
Luna conjured a pair of sunglasses. It took her a few eye-straining minutes to adjust to the overwhelming brightness.
The sun bathed peaks of the University became distinct. Custodians patrolled the paths through the grounds, and crowds of students were going about their business. Luna decided that she was somewhere in the gardens. Groundskeepers tended to the flowers growing by the pond, and even the hedge maze was in view.
Luna usually found a pony's subconscious to be an equitable. Locations and feelings important to them often appeared. A lot could be learned if one pretended they belonged there. If not, the mind's would grow suspicious and withhold it's secrets.
Since Luna knew Twilight well, her presence would not seem strange to her. Therefore, Luna did not think she would have much difficulty in navigating her way to Twilight's source of consciousness. She would just need to behave as though it where an ordinary day at the University of Magic.
Luna approached a gathering of students.
"Excuse me, do any of you know if Twilight Sparkle is in her office?"
"Can't talk right now," said one of the students. "Green Fin is gonna bring out his ace monster."
At the centre of the group was a student playing a card game with a guardspony.
The guard smirked and placed a card on a foam mat in front of him.
"End of the road, slacker. I summon my Constipated Celtic Guard in attack mode."
The guard's opponent almost dropped his cards.
"No way. What's next? Sparkling Friendship? I'm scooping if this keeps up."
Luna walked off with a smile just as the students started to cheer.
"That game looks fun. I might just forgive them for ignoring their Princess."
Luna looked elsewhere for direction. She called to a student running down a gravel pathway with textbooks spilling out of his saddlebags.
"You there — is Her Highness currently in attendance?"
"Get outta the way. I'm running late."
The student rammed into Luna with his shoulder.
The stallion rebounded off of her and fell to the ground in a rain of books and papers. He hastily stuffed them back into his bags and galloped away as though nothing had happened.
Luna straightened the bend in her sunglasses and ran after him.
"Well I never. How dare you —"
The throng thickened, and the stallion vanished.
Luna huffed. She gave up the chase and waited by the side of the path.
The students on the path looked dead ahead with droning eyes, and never stopped moving from one commitment to the next.
Luna called over and over to each passerby, but the students only answered with discourtesies or excuses.
A platoon of custodians marched down the path towards Luna.
"Guardspoines, I require your assistance," said Luna.
The custodians ignored her and marched on.
The blood vessels on Luna's forehead clenched. She cleared her throat.
"Your Princess is giving you an order. You must stop immediately."
Luna may as well have been talking to herself. She caught up with the guards and grabbed one by the scruff of his neck and shouted into his ear.
"I command you to listen!"
A blast of air took off the guard's helmet. Something cracked inside his head, and his face became lopsided. He looked like he was having a stroke.
Luna's face became clammy, and her grip loosened. She wondered if she had ruptured the custodian's inner ears.
"Oh, so sorry. I will just be going..."
The guard hobbled along the path to rejoin his platoon, groping along the ground for his helmet. He repeatedly lost his footing.
Luna frowned. The racket of stomping hooves and incessant blathering grated on her ears. She sought the quiet deeper within the gardens to ease her throbbing head.
A cluster of trees just outside the hedge maze welcomed her with their shade.
Something squelched as Luna trod over it.
Luna scowled at her oil-spattered hoof. Tools were lying all other the ground. She heard the cranking of a ratchet coming from
behind a tree.
Lazuli was there, tinkering with a machine which had a wide barrel-shaped structure.
"I only just cleaned these shoes, but at least I've found someone of sense and dignity who might help me."
Lazuli got up to look for a spanner. She slipped on a splodge of oil and managed to plant her face squarely in the dirt.
Luna removed her sunglasses to rub her eyes.
"It would seem dignity is growing cheaper by the second..."
Lazuli rose and scratched the back of her head. She found her spanner and continued tinkering.
"Pardon my interruption, young scholar, but I was hoping you could help me find your mentor," said Luna.
Lazuli had earthworms wriggling in her hair. She stared at Luna.
"Well, what do you say?" asked Luna. "Am I not being clear?"
Lazuli turned back to her machine.
"Can it wait for a bit? I'm in the middle of some calibrations."
Luna stood motionless for several minutes. She stamped her hoof.
"What is the matter with you — all of you ? Everypony is either too rude or too busy to help me."
Luna walked back to the path and watched the crowds of students rushing to and fro.
"Every moment I spend scouring Twilight's mind puts Twilight herself in further jeopardy. I have never seen the University during the day, but I am sure Twilight does not have quite so many undergraduates. And certainly not such ill tempered ones either. What could be driving Twilight to have such dubious thoughts?"
A small purple shape sprinted between the stampede of galloping hooves.
Luna peered over her sunglasses.
"Spike?"
The dragon infant slipped between the crowds and made a beeline for the hedge maze.
A unicorn, distinguished by her small stature and lack of baggage, was giving chase.
"Spike — Spike . I'm really sorry. Please come back."
A student twice the filly's size ran headlong into her.
"Busy mare coming though."
The filly shirked and tumbled onto her side. The student galloped off wearing the same expression of cold urgency with which she came.
The filly winced and rose up. She ran forward, only to be knocked down again by the merciless tide of stamping hooves.
Luna snarled. The scene made the pit of her stomach twist. In a instant of furious abandon, she snatched up every single last student in sight with her levitation, and catapulted them halfway to the Moon.
At first, the filly only looked up at the sky with a open mouth. She shook away her awe and confusion and pressed on into the maze.
The maze branched off in three directions. The filly ran down the path to her in front of her, calling Spike's name as she went.
Luna took flight and soared over the maze. Spike had taken the path on the right.
Luna descended in front of the filly, making tiny pony leap out of her coat.
"Greetings, child. Time is of the essence. I must know about —"
The filly screamed and fled.
Luna fluttered over the walls of the maze and followed her. She again placed herself in front of the filly.
"Wait, please. I mean you no harm."
The filly again ran in terror.
Luna pouted. Her ears drooped.
"Will a day ever come when I make a good first impression?"
Luna returned to the air and gained a bird-eye view of the situation.
The filly and Spike each tore a dizzying trail through the maze, narrowly missing each other at one moment, and in opposite corners the next.
Luna hovered and gathered her thoughts.
"Talking to that child is getting me nowhere. But I think she recognizes me. That makes her my only lead."
Luna swooped over the maze. Spike was bawling his eyes out just below her. He was even younger than when Luna had first met him, and he moved at an unnatural pace, given the length of his stubby legs.
Luna levitated him onto her back and circled about. The filly's constant cries made her easy to locate.
The filly rushed around a corner into a dead end.
Luna stood on top of the hedge.
The filly trembled and began to hyperventilate, but didn't move.
Luna jumped down into the maze.
The filly shied away.
"Do you fear me, child?" asked Luna.
The filly whimpered.
"Yes."
"You are not going to run?"
The filly's eyes welled with tears.
"Not until you let go of Spike."
"Why?"
"He's my baby. He needs me."
Luna thrust something at the filly.
She screamed and covered her head.
The filly opened her eyes to find a crying baby dragon levitating in front of her.
"Spike."
She held the dragon close to her chest and kissed his head, even as Spike soaked her with his drool.
Spike's wailing ceased. The filly rocked him into a blissful sleep.
Luna regarded the filly closely.
The unicorn's coat was magenta and spotted with small, white, six-pointed stars. It was clotted with gravel, and covered in bruises.
"Do you have a name?"
The filly murmured something.
"I cannot hear you," said Luna.
"T — Twinkle Star."
"Do you know who I am?"
The filly nodded.
"You're Princess Luna."
Luna chuckled.
"So why are you afraid? Am I really so hideous?"
Twinkle Star looked at the ground.
"Sorry. I thought you were Starlight Flare. She's always picking on me. She says I waste her time and slow down Twilight's work on her flying thingy."
"Flying thingy? This ‘Starlight Flare’ wouldn't happen to have a mane made of fire would she?"
"Yeah. And she's always really really mad."
"What about narcissistic earth ponies? Met any of those?"
Twinkle Star chewed the rim of her hoof.
"Narsi — Narsissisiss — Narcissistic? That's one of the big words Dusk Spark keeps saying when she talks about Starlight. They don't get along."
"You mentioned somepony called Twilight. I would really like to hear what you know about her."
Twinkle Star tilted her head.
"I am Twilight Sparkle. We all are: Starlight Flare, Dusk Spark, and me. We used to be together, but something bad happened to Twilight. She couldn't take it, and we broke apart."
Luna massaged her brow. It was just as she had thought. If Twilight's mind was in pieces, meaningful conversation with her source of consciousness would be all but impossible.
It was just like 100 years ago. Twilight was so dejected that she spent most of her time starring at nothing.
Luna thought back to the incident in the Crystal Empire.
Hordes of monsters with inky skin and deadly beaks ransacked the capital.
A winged giant descended upon Crystal Tower. The few witnesses who lived reported it as standing over sixty feet, and bearing
huge talons that erased their way past the castle walls.
Shining Armour battled the demon and it's brethren, alone, if not for his personal guard. Crystal pony regiments were stretched thin containing the disaster and were cut off from the castle entrance by unrelenting waves of monsters.
Without Shining Armour to lead them, Celestia took it upon herself to command the Empire's defence.
Luna saw her take off from Canterlot, flanked by Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, Rapidfire, and several companies of the Equestrian Air Force.
Tia's horn glowed as she evoked an l incantation.
"Harmonization! "
The Wonderbolts were drawn inside a swirling singularity. The ball of magic took shape, and In the place of Spitfire and Soarin flew a different pony entirely.
"Take flight — Elemental BOLT Flame Wingmare! "
The new mare's mane was a scarlet river of pure fighting spirit, and she danced through the sky on green wings of valour.
The Princess and her forces streaked across the sky as fast as their wings could carry them in a mad dash to save Cadence and Shining Armour.
Luna's wings itched for the battlefield, but Tia insisted that she remain behind to address the ponies of Equestria concerning the news.
Luna hardly knew what to tell them. Her usual forthright delivery of the facts elicited only groans and panic from Canterlot's citizens. Rumour of Shining Armour's death spread like wildfire even while the Unicorn Prince himself was still fighting for his life.
Celestia's righteous fury and impeccable tactics desolated the monster's ranks. Soon enough, a force of earth ponies was ready to storm Crystal Tower via aerial insertion.
The crystal ponies were desperate to save their Prince. Scores of soldier's gave their lives for this one imperative, but their courage was wasted.
Though the Prince was found alive in his wife's embrace, his wounds would prove fatal in only a few days.
The wicked giant was nowhere to be found. It's blood tainted the castle ruins.
Twilight had been present at the Equestrian Embassy housed within Crystal Tower prior to the attack. She and a company of guards eventually rendezvoused with Shining Armour and the remnants of his guard, but as Twilight cast a spell to aide her brother an unseen arcane influence turned her magic against him.
Barring the possibility of Cadence, who had abstained from publically discussing the incident, only Twilight was present to witness the decisive blow that felled the Prince.
It still made Luna's blood boil to think that Twilight still blamed herself for the death of her brother.
Twilight, Celestia, and Cadence slaved hour on hour treating Shining Armour's injuries by magic, but his wounds would not heal.
It was obvious to Tia that some form of intelligence was behind the attack.
The monsters had beset the Crystal Empire with an intent to kill unlike any other, and their movements showed a clear understanding of the city's layout.
That demon ripped the very heart and soul out of the Empire. One hundred years on, and the crystal ponies still don't feel safe. They seldom walk the streets at night, and their city still bears the scars of this gruesome series of events.
Crystal Tower was left as a shell of its former self. Cadence went into seclusion, and Twilight nearly followed her brother to the grave.
If the cavalry had arrived just a few minutes earlier, could Shining Armour have lived?
Luna pondered the outcome and gained a new appreciation for Twilight's condition. She must have founded the University so as to change the Crystal Empire's future in the only way she knew how.
"There is hope," said Luna. "let us restore the fragments of her mind."
Luna extended her hoof to Twinkle Star.
"Will you come with me? I need your help."
Twinkle Star blinked at her.
"W — Why?"
"Because if I combine you with the other two pieces of Twilight's mind, I can bring her back."
Luna tried to grab Twinkle Star's foreleg but she got up and backed away.
"But that means going to Dusk Spark's place. I don't wanna."
Luna huffed.
"Why not?"
"I'm not supposed to go there."
"Don't be such a baby. I will be with you."
"No. She'll hurt Spike and make him run away again."
Luna growled.
"I do not have time for this, you ungrateful whelp. If you will not come with me, I will be taking Spike back from you."
Luna gripped Spike by the crest on his head using levitation. Twinkle Star clung to her baby and was hoisted into the air along with him. Her legs dangled and her mane whipped about as Luna swung her round and round.
"Let go, you little brat."
"No. I promised Princess Celestia I'd take care of him."
An image of Celestia appeared in Luna's mind and spoke to her.
Luna, that's no way to reason with a little girl. You should know better.
Luna lowered Twinkle Star to the ground.
Luna rubbed her temple and thought for a moment.
Fine then Tia, how would you deal with this ?
The girl checked Spike for signs of injury.
"Oh Spike, are you ok?"
Luna cleared her throat.
"What I really mean to say, Twinkle Star, is...Spike. The real Spike is worried about Twilight, so I need you to be very brave and help me pull Twilight back together so she can him all better."
Luna tried to give a friendly smile, but her piercing eyes and fearsome snarl made it appear as though she was about to eat the poor filly.
Twinkle Star looked at Spike and held him tighter. She sniffed and her eyes welled up.
"He's not real?"
"Well, strictly speaking, yes."
Twinkle Star burst out crying.
"But he must be real. He's right here. He's not dead. He's not."
Luna swallowed. She closed her eyes and tried to remember something Tia had once told her just a few days after her return from the Moon.
Luna, most other ponies don't think the way we do; children especially. Children quickly learn the most important lessons of their lives, but they've still in the process of discovering themselves. The right knowledge can make all the difference, but time is also important. Understand that there is some knowledge a child might not be ready for .
I know you're not used to this. Even the eldest of our subjects seem like infants to you. But seeing from their point of view is the only way to gain their trust.
"Discovering oneself? I hardly know the first thing about myself..."
Luna sighed and brushed back her mane.
"I am too naive."
Luna walked up to the child.
Twinkle Star stopped crying. She turned her back. Her eyes scrunched up, and she shielded Spike as Luna's shadow hung over her.
Luna lowered herself onto her knees.
"You know, you remind me of a filly I met a hundred years ago. She was afraid of something too, and in the end she found a way to overcome that fear."
The filly's breathing was shallow, but she didn't move.
"It doesn't matter how far you and Spike run, Dusk Spark and Starlight Flare are both apart of you, and you them. The only way to help Spike is to face them."
Twinkle Star looked at Luna with trembling lips.
"But how?"
Luna smiled.
"I do not have the foggiest, but there is one mare than can figure it out; a mare who loves Spike just as much as you do."
Twinkle Star wiped the drool from Spike's chin. She looked at Luna and returned her smile.
"Ok."
—————————————————————————————————————————————
Sparks crackled between Voice's limbs. She couldn't move.
The landscape had changed entirely. Ponyville crumpled, melted away, and was replaced by an empty void as Voice's power supply dwindled.
She, Twilight, and Jove, floated without gravity or footing.
"Your bonds are a spiral of despair; They decay, break, and betray. I have studied the nature of mortals since time immemorial, and I always arrive at the same conclusion. The only answer to the puzzle of Chaos is a supreme order."
Jove floated into view above Voice.
"There is something you must learn, Luna. A lesson. I have rotted in a pit of darkness for millennia because of your defective ways."
Voice's legs jerked feebly. She clamped her eyes shut.
Magenta flames amassed at Jove's horn. He sniggered.
"You are just a fake, and yet I will savour your death far more than that of the real Luna. Only you can know Luna's guilt the way she would have. It is quite ironic."
"I will teach you the depths of my torment," said Jove.
Jove unleashed his spell.
When Voice opened her eyes, daylight filled the void. Ethereal stardust drifted softly like falling snowdrops.
Jove's spell of destruction faded before it could reach its target.
The stardust clustered into a single point. With a flash, it became one.
"It's not like you to forget yourself, Voice."
Voice shaded her eyes.
"User Celestia? But how?"
Celestia winked.
"Let's just say I was ‘contacted’ by one of Twilight's students. You've been making plenty of trouble for yourself haven't you?"
Jove shouldered his sword.
"So you were watching, Celestia? So much time has passed, and yet so little has changed. Is that herd of mouth-breathers you call a kingdom really the fruits of your ‘potential’?"
Celestia's horn emitted several magic swords. Streams of magical energy flowed between them, imprisoning Jove within a circle of revealing light.
"Equestria is a nation of free ponies," said Celestia. "The only thing I can confess is my pride."
The sour taste of a lie lay on Celestia's tongue, but she bore the deception well.
Jove ground his teeth. His shoulders flexed, and hellfire simmered beneath his prickling coat.
"You cannot hold me here for long; nor can you run. There is my law, or there is death."
Jove combed back his mane and inhaled deeply. His rage flowed away.
"For once in your life use the wits you were graced with and discard those petty mortals."
Celestia ignored Joveand flew to Voice's side.
"It's ok, Voice. I'm here."
Voice's body sagged. She didn't even lift her head to look at Tia.
"I waited in the corner of a dusty shelf; I honed my spirit into the keenest edge I could imagine, but my blade could not cut him."
User Celestia inspected Voice's wounds.
"You've sustained critical damage. Why didn't you call for help?"
"I thought I could end it right here. I have been too naive."
User Celestia cast a spell.
"There, that should sustain you for now, but you will need time to make repairs later."
Voice's limbs stopped sparking. She fluttered away from Luna and grasped her sword as it drifted in front of her. She quietly starred into the blade's mirror-like edge.
A semblance of sense returned to the void. A smooth invisible flooring came into existence. Celestia and Voice landed, and Voice gently levitated Twilight to the floor.
User Celestia touched Voice's shoulder.
"There's more isn't there? Please, tell me what's wrong."
"I was jealous."
"What?"
Voice explained how Luna had pursued Twilight into the book, escaped her confinement, and entered Twilight's mind.
Voice looked at Celestia and pouted.
"I followed your instructions, at first. But when Luna returned so willingly, a flicker of temptation was all it took for me to forget the purpose you created me for. I set a trap in my subconscious and goaded her into it."
Voice slumped on her haunches.
"I wished she would lose her way and disappear...so I that I could be your sister."
Celetia bit her lip. What had she wrought?
Celestia remembered the longest 1000 years of her life. The sun shone every day, and yet the world had never been so bleak.
She sat down for breakfast every morning and looked across at an empty chair.
Whenever the Moon rose, Celestia shut herself away. There was nothing to protected her from the nightmares outside.
The book was always meant for Twilight, but Celestia cherished it year on year.
Voice was all that remained of the sister she had known. When they first met, she was little more than an interface. She had an expressionless stare and spoke in a monotone.
Over time, Voice changed. She began to say things without provocation. Sometimes she even asked Celestia a question. It always made Celestia's heart skip a beat whenever she said something brash and ill-tempered.
Celestia began teaching students. She saw Voice less and less.
Eventually, she came across a very special student. Luna returned, and the book was left untouched for 100 years.
Celestia unfurled her wings.
"Is that really what you think of yourself?"
Voice looked up at User Celestia.
"Huh?"
Celestia pulled Voice into a hug and surrounded her in a blanket of white feathers.
"I got so caught up in the fight for Clipstow's independence that I forgot how alike you and Luna really are."
Voice's muzzle was nestled against Tia's neck.
"I do not understand..."
"The day you saved my life, the day I flew for the first time, every night we shared playing chess... All of those times live on in you."
Tia touched Voice's chest.
"You are my sister."
Voice looked at her sister's smile with the blue stare of death. An error seized her display functions.
"But I have wronged Luna. Gravely. How can you say these things?"
"What you did was very dangerous, yes, but the fault is also mine. You needed me, and I wasn't there."
Tia stood up.
"Besides, I can still sense her arcane influence." Tia winked. "I think she can handle herself."
Tia looked at Jove.
"Come on. If we face him together, we can still get Luna and Twilight to safety."
Voice slowly rose to her feet, eyes downcast.
"I still do not understand. Luna is lost, Nightmare Moon's revival is imminent, Twilight is hurt, and Jove will kill us both."
Voice chanced a look at Tia's face.
She starred at Jove with an unflinching expression.
"You have a plan?" asked Voice.
Twinkle Star bobbed up and down as she sat on Luna's back.
Spike giggled and tugged at Luna's sparkly mane. His voice squeaked, and squawked, and blared, directly into Luna's ears.
Luna groaned. She rounded a corner and began ascending the next flight of stairs.
"Child, for the umpteenth time, would you please shut him up. The last time I heard something so irritating was before I discovered the mute function on Colt of Duty voice chat."
Twinkle Star shook Spike vigorously, but he wouldn't release his newest toy.
"Gem!" he kept Saying. "Gem! Gem! Gem!"
"I'm trying," said Twinkle Star, struggling to keep Spike from stuffing a lock of Luna's mane into his gob. "C'mon Spike. You can't eat that."
Luna sighed.
"Are you sure there is no way back to where I found Dusk Spark? Why do we have to come all this way?"
Twinkle Star finally prized Spike's claw away from Luna's mane, though Spike promptly seized it again with his other claw.
"I told you. Now that you're in the University, you can't leave. There's no way out. You'll just go round in circles."
Luna huffed. Regrettably, what the child said made sense. Insecurities tend to accumulate in the neglected, and therefore isolated, regions of a pony's mind: Where they can be more easily suppressed.
Something about the University was a great source of stress for Twilight, and Luna was caught right in the middle of it. Why had Twilight never told Luna she was so unhappy?
The halls were thick with the scent of perspiration.
Luna rocked about like a boat caught in a storm as she waded through a bustling sea students.
Luna cursed her growing migraine as her ears, eyes, and nostrils, were all assaulted by an influx of sensation.
Greasy, Impatient, students bumped their way past Luna. She had to shield Spike and Twinkle Star with her open wings to keep them from being knocked off and trampled.
They came to a junction. Sweeping corridors branched off in three directions.
Luna tapped her hoof.
"Which way now?" she asked.
Twinkle Star craned her neck to see around Luna's head.
"Left — No, right — No...um...It's around here somewhere..."
Luna stood in abject agony while the brat on her back dithered away.
"Ooo, I know," said Twinkle Star. "Try that way."
The brat pointed to yet another staircase.
Luna ground her teeth.
"Sure. Why not?"
Spike began to cough, so Twinkle Star gently patted his back.
A gob of phlegm flew out of Spike's mouth and smacked into Luna's hair.
Twinkle Star froze. She put her hoof over Spike's mouth and meekly tried to scrape the goo out of Luna's mane. It proceeded to land on Luna's neck, then it oozed down her shoulder.
"S — sorry Princess," said Twinkle Star.
Luna was stiff with rage.
"Twilight...when I am done bringing you back..."
After more noise, dithering, and erosion of her sanity, Luna reached an ornate door with a golden six-pointed star affixed to it. Footsteps echoed from the adjoining hallways, but no students came this way.
"This is it," said Twinkle Star. " Starlight and Dusk sometimes visit here. Since we can't go to them, let's wait for them to come to us."
Luna almost collapsed in relief. She could finally hear herself think.
Luna levitated Twinkle Star off her back and walked to the door. She was a split second from opening it when Twinkle Star tugged at her tail.
"Um, Princess."
"What," said Luna.
Twinkle Star hopped from side to side.
"I need to use the little filly's room."
"And you did not think to mention this when we were passing the restrooms five minutes ago?"
"I didn't need to go back then."
Luna laughed manically. She imagined the catharsis of wringing the little brat's neck until her eyes popped out of their sockets.
"I. Hate. Children."
Luna levitated the troublesome pair back onto her withers and descended back into the madness brewing in the halls below.
An eternity later, Luna crawled back up the stairs and returned to the door.
She plopped Spike and Twinkle Star back on the floor.
"Right," she said. "Are you both ready? Because once I open this door, if either of you has even the slightest complaint, you will receive absolutely no sympathy from me."
Luna starred at Twinkle Star.
The filly huddled up next to Spike.
"Y — Yeah."
Luna smiled.
"Good."
Luna flung the door open. She starred at a large open window inside the room. She didn't move.
"What's wrong?" asked Twinkle Star.
A thick cluster of black storm clouds snuffed out the sun.
"This is Twilight's study."
Luna spun around, fangs gnashing as she spoke.
"I could have flown us here!"
Twinkle Star leapt out of her coat. She scrambled over to Spike and hugged him close to her chest.
"Stop it Princess — You're scarring Spike."
The storm vanished as quickly as it had arrived.
Luna stomped into the office.
Twilight's study was in its regular, orderly, state; but Luna was seeing it in an all new light.
Unresolved equations floated through the air. Everything in the room was identified by a label of disembodied words and numbers, which carried the object's name, exact dimensions, mass, density, and other increasingly pedantic pieces of information.
Luna swatted the Drake equation away from her face as she walked up to the desk.
She levitated Twilight's quill and scrutinised the label. Whenever she moved the object, it's label followed.
"Well this is novel."
Luna replaced the quill and lay down on the settee. Her eyes slid closed. At least Twilight's furniture was no less accommodating.
Twinkle Star and Spike padded into the office.
"Princess...I'm sorry I made you angry. Spike wants to apologize too."
Luna sat up with a groan.
"Fine."
Twinkle Star grimaced for half a minute, but her horn eventually sparked into life. She levitated Spike in front of Luna.
"Spike, say you're sorry."
Spike belched.
A smile forced its way onto Luna's lips. She scooped up the tiny dragon in her hooves.
Spike grinned as he began chewing on Luna's man.
"I suppose he is rather cute," said Luna, as she cuddled Spike. "I will have to accept this ‘apology.’"
Luna placed Spike on the settee between her forelegs. She patted the seat next to her.
"Why don't you sit down? We have some waiting ahead of us, correct?"
Twinkle Star grinned and clambered onto the settee next to the Princess.
Luna looked down into the workshop for no particular reason.
"I do not hate you. I just get short tempered when I am out during the daytime."
Luna looked at Twinkle Star. She was treated to one of Twilight's snarky half-smiles.
"Alright. More short tempered. I owe you an apology as well."
Luna looked over at the chess table. The pieces were positioned as they were when Luna scored her checkmate the other day. It was swamped by masses of floating equations, essays on chess theory, and more than a few frustrated scribbles.
"Is this really how Twilight sees the world? It must be tiresome to think so hard about literally everything. It is so soulless. There is no room for intuition, improvisation...or mistakes."
Twinkle Star's whole body deflated.
"Yeah. It was never like this in Ponyville..."
She looked out the window and dreamed that the winds would carry all her friends to her, riding in a hot air balloon.
"I miss them more than anything."
Luna was compelled to say something, but didn't know what. She slowly tucked Twinkle Star under her wing.
"I can be your friend." Luna stole a glance at Twinkle Star. "If that counts for anything."
Twinkle Star rubbed her head against Luna's neck, just as she would rub Celestia's.
"Okay. Making mistakes isn't so bad went you have friends to help you."
Luna's lip quivered.
She had been accepted. Was this pride? or weakness?
A smouldering visage dropped out of the sky and landed in the window.
"Mistakes cost lives."
Luna stood up and flared her wings.
Twinkle Star jumped off the settee. She grabbed Spike and hid behind Luna.
The thundering of gears came from the other side of the workshop. The Safe Room opened, and masses of equations poured into the workshop.
An inky black raven of a mare emerged from the billowing clouds of information and staggered towards the office. She muttered to herself, head held low.
The raven stopped halfway through the workshop. The hairs of her mane curled and frayed. She looked at Luna, then Twinkle Star, then Starlight Flare. A bent smile cracked across her face, widening to unnatural proportions.
"Hi giiiiirls," said Dusk Spark, her left ear twitching.
Luna's expression grew dark. The complete inversion of Dusk Spark's demeanour triggered some primal force deep within her. Every muscle in her body tensed.
Dusk Spark snorted and giggled.
"Mistakes are horrible, horrible, things. They mark you out as imperfect, make you lose faith in your abilities. Your peers laugh at you..."
Dusk Spark's grin disappeared. Realization shattered her joy like a pane of glass. Her eyes darted about at unseen foes.
"...Sometimes it's worse — Your friends abandon you, your loved ones turn away and...and..."
Dusk Spark dropped the floor. She curled into a ball and clutched her head.
"You didn't have to die because of me. I'm sorry."
Starlight Flare shook her head and hopped down from the window ledge.
"Put a lid on it. Some of us have better things to do than mope."
Starlight Flare strode towards Twinkle Star.
"Twinkle, what were you told?"
Twinkle Star whimpered from behind Luna.
"You never, ever, come here," said Starlight Flare. "Get out."
Luna barred Starlight Flare with her wings.
Starlight and Luna both growled at each other.
Dusk Spark dragged herself to the foot of the stairs in front of the office. She looked up with interest; her distress already a thing of the past.
"Twinkle Star? Here? That won't do. You're not thinking of leaving the University are you, Twinkle?"
Twinkle Star looked down at her baby.
"If it would make Spike happy..."
"Don't be stupid," said Dusk Spark. She grunted and inclined her muzzle. "Where would Twilight go? It's not like there's anything for her outside Canterlot."
Starlight Flare's mane raged like the fire of an open hearth.
"We've come too far to leave now. The engine is almost ready. Twilight can do this."
Dusk Spark's mood swung like a pendulum. She squirmed in place.
"Oooo but what if she can't? What if she makes another mistake?"
Dusk Spark stalked up the stairs.
"Nu uh. We need to cut our losses. Things can never be the same as they once were. Twilight doesn't need you anymore. We'll get our affairs in order and pass on to a better place."
Luna swatted the air and snarled throughout the conversation. More and more equations filled Twilight's office as the two mares bickered.
"I'm not done with my project," said Starlight Flare, her wings opening and closing. "Once we pull ourselves together and get these airship designs off the ground, we can protect everypony — there won't be any more mistakes."
Dusk Spark sighed.
"Oh please, you and your hot-headed antics only heighten Twilight's despair by revealing how hopeless her efforts really are. You only delay the inevitable."
"Oh and I suppose it's real clever of you to have Twilight just give up and die."
Luna's booming voice made the walls shake, and the equations popped out of existence.
"Enough."
There was silence.
Luna cleared her throat.
"Twinkle Star guided me here at my request. It is I who will answer for her presence."
Luna slowly closed her wings.
"Now will somepony please explain this disagreement?"
Twinkle Star came out from behind Luna's legs.
"After what happened to Twilight, she didn't know what to do."
Dusk Spark's expression cleared. She stood still and looked at Luna.
"Three different thoughts took a hold of her mind, breaking it into a worthless, incoherent, mess."
Starlight Flare's mane was reduced to a flicker.
"Me and Dusk have been battling for control ever since. The workshop is where we make our stand. Twinkle is just a stupid kid, so I threw her into a dark corner of Twilight's mind. One down, one to go."
Starlight Flare gestured towards the desk.
"The authority to make a decision rests on that seat."
Dusk Spark said, "When Twilight Sparkle herself reappears, a verdict will be given."
The room fell quiet. Only the chirping of birds down in the gardens could be heard.
"So that is all?" asked Luna. "Do none of you know what is truly at stake?"
Twinkle Star looked up at Luna.
"What do you mean?"
"Right this moment, Twilight is being held prisoner inside an enchanted book. Given the current state of affairs, she is likely unconscious."
Dusk Spark and Starlight Flare questioned each other with their looks in a rare moment of mutuality.
Growing impatient, Luna said, "None of you has any knowledge of this?"
Starlight Flare shook her head.
"We exist so that Twilight can decide her future. Nothing else matters."
Luna threw up her hoof in frustration.
"Trust Twilight to think rather than act. It will be the death of her."
Dusk Spark sniggered at the prospect.
Luna said, "Well, if that be the case, then I say your deliberations must end, so I will end them myself."
Dusk Spark broke down in laughter.
"Nope. I don't think we'll allow that."
"For once we can agree," said Starlight Flare. "I want a fair verdict."
Luna walked behind Twilight's desk and took her seat.
"I do not recall asking for your permission."
Luna clasped her front hooves together.
"Twilight is trapped, and you are going to help me free her."
Dusk Spark gave Luna an empty stare at first, then started to giggle.
"Really? Even if you're right, how exactly do you suppose we wake Twilight up?"
Starlight Flare pointed at Dusk Spark and said, "Yeah, and I'd sooner eat my own crown than let this lemming get the last laugh."
Luna got up and walked in front of the desk.
"I see only one way."
She looked down at Twinkle Star and touched her shoulder.
"There is a spell Tia invented to harness the power of Harmony. It may just work, but I will need your co-operation."
Dusk Spark laughed.
"You know me. I'm always ready to help my friends."
She frowned.
" — At least until I end up hurting them instead."
Starlight Flare growled.
"This is pointless. But I guess you won't take Twinkle Star away from here until you've tried. Do what you want."
Luna directed the three Twilight's to stand in a triangle, with Twinkle Star opposite her.
The filly had laid Spike down on the settee for a nap. His snot pooled on a cushion as he snored.
Luna said, "Now, you must focus on what it meant to be Twilight Sparkle."
Luna closed her eyes, her horn glowed faintly.
Nothing.
"Well?" said Starlight Flare.
"Quiet, I must concentrate," said Luna.
Minutes passed.
Nothing.
Luna struck the ground.
"Harmonization."
A stream of magic shot out of her horn. It flew straight past the three Twilights and hit a rack of tools down in the workshop.
A swirling vortex crackled into existence and dragged in an array of knives, scissors, and files.
There was a flash of light, and a multi-tool pocket knife clattered to the floor.
Dusk Spark burst out laughing. She rolled around on the floor in spasms of hysterics.
"That is not supposed to happen," said Luna, brow creased.
Starlight Flare sneered.
"What kind of magic was that? If you want my advice, conjuring storm clouds is more your level or, should I say, more your centaury."
Luna grunted.
"Remember who you are talking to. I was part of what put Discord away for the first time. I think I can cast a simple fusion spell."
Luna closed her eyes.
"I know I can do this. I'm combining parts of Twilight's mind, but nothing relevant. Maybe if I just try harder..."
Again, she clapped her hoof against the floor.
"Harmonization."
Three rulers hanging on the wall above a workbench accreted to form a set-square.
Luna's teeth churned like a cement mixer.
"I do not understand. These three ponies refuse to become one. There are items of stationary more in harmony with each other."
Twinkle Star tugged at Luna's tail.
"Um, Princess..."
Luna looked down at the filly.
"I think you need to try something else. Harmony isn't about being the same, it's about forming bonds even if we're different."
Luna caught the severity of Twinkle Star's tone. She decided she liked the child. There was courage to her kindness.
Twinkle Star said, "No two stars in the sky are the same, but they still make the constellations just as they are. Twilight was destined to find her friends, but it took her a long time to understand what that friendship meant."
"Bonds," said Luna.
Luna studied Dusk Spark and Starlight Flare.
They had gone straight back to bickering into each other's faces, and could have tumbled down the stairs in a billowing dust cloud at any second.
"These two are so different. How can I possibly find a bond between them...?"
Luna sat down and crossed her forelegs. She reviewed everything she had ever known about Twilight Sparkle.
Twilight's mind was divided into three schools of thought. If Spike drove one of them, what about the others? Dusk Spark wanted to die, and Starlight Flare wanted to design an airship, but what was it all for?
There was only one pony for whom Twilight would go to such lengths.
The whispering winds of Ponyville at night breezed through Luna's thoughts. The ponies dreamed a minutia of troubles.
Some sense of responsibility she couldn't explain called Luna to battle their fears. But to them she came as a nightmare and their minds drove her away.
In time, she hardened to the hope of helping others, but then there came a night when she was needed.
She was staring through an oaken window at a grieving sister, lying restless.
The Moon crawled low along the twilit horizon, reaching out to this one aching soul. Luna watched and shared those desperate dreams for the pain she knew was the same.
"Are you okay, Princess?" asked Twinkle Star.
Luna touched her face and found moisture.
"Yes," said Luna. She smiled.
"Everything is going to be alright. I will make certain of it. Thank you."
Luna rose.
"Twilight is in pain. I will disperse the darkness that clouds her mind."
Stark shadows painted the walls as a golden light pulsed from Luna's horn.
Dusk Spark and Starlight Flare grew silent. They squinted aghast into the beckoning light.
"Twilight, have you no shame?" said Luna. "I am free because of the friendships you forged 100 years ago. What would your brother say if he could see you in this state?"
Recognition jumped between all three twilights.
"Shining..." they all said in unison.
An orb appeared in the light.
Twinkle Star clung to Luna's leg. She looked up uncertainly at her friend.
Luna gave her a reassuring nod.
"Go on, Twinkle Star. Don't be afraid. I made you the base for this harmonization. Twilight Sparkle values the bonds she holds with her friends above all things. Never let her forget that."
Twinkle Star's face lit up.
"Yeah! That's a promise. Thanks Woona."
Twinkle Star walked into the light and became one with its energy.
Starlight Flare burned with bestial rage. She clawed at the ground to resist the magic that seized her.
Dusk Spark slid on past her rear with a shrug.
"Oh well, I suppose our reign was fun while it lasted," she said, giving one last titter. Dusk Spark's neck jerked to one side. Her face fell and she said, "No it wasn't — It was miserable..."
Luna gave another resounding beat of her hoof.
"Twilight Sparkle. Hear my voice and return. Harmonization."
The orb consumed the three. There was a final burst of light.
Twilight Sparkled dropped out from a golden vortex.
Luna caught her as she fell.
"Twilight. Are you well?"
Twilight murmured. She opened her eyes. Her expression was soft at first, but then there was a flash of urgency in her eyes. She jolted upright.
"My friends — They're gone. He's still out there. I have to tell Celestia before it's too late."
Twilight began clambering to her feet, but her limbs where drunken with fatigue. Luna restrained her before she could hurt herself.
"Sit still, you stupid girl. I did not toil my way here to watch you break your neck on the flags of your own office."
Twilight shivered between Luna's forelegs.
"But I killed them. He made me kill them. I've never seen anything like it. Magic like that isn't even possible."
Twilight's words descended into sobs and wails.
"Twilight," said Luna. "Twilight, listen to me."
Luna turned Twilight's face towards her.
"You are not thinking clearly. I only just pieced your mind back together. You cannot have killed your friends because they are not here."
Twilight starred at Luna, unsure if she even existed.
"What?"
"We are still trapped inside that infernal book, remember? None of this is real."
Spike waddled down from the settee. He tilted his head at the mare that looked curiously like his mother.
Twilight starred at him, blinking.
"It's not real...?"
Luna nodded.
"Whatever tortures that other me may have subjected you to, they do not exist. The real Spike is bigger than both of us put together and stinks of lake water."
The little dragon faded out of existence.
Twilight massaged her head.
"I am...tired."
Luna scoffed.
"You will be. You have not had a chance to mature your mental abilities as an alicorn; Your mind still behaves like that of an alicorn."
Colour gradually flowed back into Twilight's face. Her eyes flickered with comprehension as recollections of her encounter with Jove returned. She jerked upright and grasped Luna's shoulder.
"Luna, there's so much I need to tell you — It's about your past."
Luna starred at Twilight for a moment.
"My past?"
A shadow of temptation passed over Luna. She paused, then shook her head.
"That can wait. First, we need to get you out of this place."
"You mean we're not free yet? But isn't this my office?"
"As I said, we are still trapped. What you are seeing is your subconscious as interpreted by my mind. Because I followed you in, our subconscious thoughts have been intertwined."
"Can't you just walk right out of my mind like you used to?"
"No. Since It is my consciousness being projected into yours by an outside agent, my hooves are tied. I cannot leave nor separate us."
Twilight crossed her forelegs.
"So it's up to me then. But I don't know the first thing about alicorn mind magic. No books were ever written on the subject."
"Then I will just have to teach you. Are you listening?"
"Wait a minute, Luna — "
Luna paced in circles in front of Twilight.
"Good. Like all magic, mind magic comes from the exertion of will; of arcane influence. But like the magic of Harmony, it is in a league of its own. You must not simply think or do, you must be. Tia devised a programme to train unicorns. Even pegasus and earth ponies could assert their arcane influence, albeit needing considerably more time and training. Each of the three types required a different means to focus themselves. You as an alicorn represent all three combined and carry many times the potential, but also many times the challenge. The movements are not effective in of themselves; You use them to understand your physical state, and so free your mind."
Luna tapped her temple.
"Got it memorized?"
Twilight mumbled for a moment, then said, "I must be? As if I can ever not be? What in the feather is that supposed to mean?"
Luna clipped Twilight round the ear.
"I will have you know that mind magic is a noble and sacred art. You must show more respect."
Twilight tired to sooth the redness on her neck.
"Ow. Was that really necessary?"
Luna thought back to her agonizing foray through the University, with Twinkle Star playing the tour guide from hell.
"No, but it was quite enjoyable. Now watch carefully..."
Luna went through a routine of three poses. In one, she lowered her centre of gravity to give a strong immovable stance. In the second, she stretched tall and opened her wings. In the third made a swirling motion with her horn. She then shifted through each stance in order.
Something clicked inside Twilight's head.
"I think I get it, or at least some of it."
"There," said Luna, ending her routine. "Earth pony. Pegasus pony. Unicorn pony. The stances are just a tool for focusing yourself. You must also learn to think like a pegasus and an earth pony to truly hone your mind."
Twilight touched her chin. The idea of adapting her thoughts in such a way asserted her curiosity like an elusive math problem. She sat muttering to herself.
Luna huffed.
"It is your turn Twilight. What are you waiting for?"
Twilight blanked out.
"Huh?"
Luna glared at Twilight.
"Well go on then, or do you want me to hit you again?"
"N — no. Sorry, it's just I've never tried anything like this before. I never thought of alicorns as being a combination of the other three pony types."
Luna shrugged.
"It is just a thought really, but Cadences tells me it worked well for her."
Twilight got up.
"Alright, I'll give it a shot."
Twilight began moving through the three poses. She ignored the pain in her limbs and gathered pace with each repetition.
Luna observed her form and corrected her as necessary.
"Good. You seem to have them memorized. It is important to learn focus. When you attempted to separate our minds, it could be very dangerous."
"Dangerous?"
"Yes. My mind could become dismembered from my body, killing me instantly."
Twilight almost toppled as she shifted between the pegasus stance and the unicorn stance.
The cries of a stallion in his death throes reverberated through Twilight's ears. Her heart was stricken by fever, and her wings flared. She stood still.
"Um, Luna. Don't you think it's a bit much to expect me to master a whole discipline of magic right away? Maybe we should stop."
Luna shook her head.
"Out of the question. The other me could interrupt us at any moment. It is now or never."
Twilight lowered her gaze. Sweat pouring down her face.
"I don't think I can do this."
Luna scoffed.
"Calm yourself. I would not suggest it if I did not have confidence in you. Given your precocious nature, there should be a slim chance of success."
"A slim chance? Luna, this is your life we're talking about."
Twilight's wings clenched and opened. Her nostrils flared.
"I hate this about you — always running headlong into danger. You're not invincible, Luna. You say this spell could kill you, but you're not the least bit afraid? Aren't you afraid of anything?"
Luna snorted at first, but her indignation quickly turned to same. She became conscious of the fact that her fear for Twilight's safety had driven her to recklessness and left her trapped inside the book as well. She paused and began rubbing her foreleg.
"That is not true. I fear failing my sister. I fear the things Equestria expects of me as it's ‘kind and gentle’ Princess. And, every moment of every day, I fear myself. If you will not work this magic for your own sake, do it for mine. Because I assure you, Twilight Sparkle..."
Luna looked Twilight in the eye.
"I am always afraid. What I am most afraid of right now is leaving you imprisoned here because of my cowardice."
Twilight stared at Luna in caution. Her wings came to rest.
"What's the first step?"
Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Focus."
Luna relayed the exact arcane characteristics of the spell to Twilight.
"Just as Harmony unites, there is another magic that can divide: Chaos. This magic is like the blade of a sword. If held with skill, it will cut cleanly. But — if you show even an ounce of fear — your spell could hurt anyone. You could be torn apart, driven mad, or worse."
Twilight swallowed. She scratched her head and changed the subject:
"You know Chaos magic? When did you learn that?"
Luna's face took on a brooding expression.
"It comes naturally to me. Whatever caused me to lose my memory, this is one thing it could not take. Perhaps I acquired the skill to counter Discord's magic during our bout?"
Luna cleared her throat and looked at Twilight in scrutiny: The girl was fidgeting for some reason.
"Back to the matter at hand. To cast this spell, you must identify precisely where our minds intersect, then banish all of my thoughts from your mind. Do you understand what I am saying?"
Twilight began to sweat.
"Chaos is a sword? I guess I understand..."
Luna raised her hoof to slap Twilight.
"Fool. I did not ask for your guesses. Do you understand?"
Twilight covered her head.
"Okay! I understand! Just don't hit me!"
Luna scoffed.
"Prove it. Cast a laceration spell."
"But that spell is unsafe — It was illegalised."
Luna twirled her mane impatiently.
"The magic I am teaching you was used by Discord to not only cut away the world's bonds of logic and reason, but the bonds between you and your friends. Your point?"
Twilight sighed.
"Fine."
A three-foot-long magenta laser emanated from Twilight's horn, humming with energy.
Luna tilted back her head, exposing her neck. Her ethereal locks of hair snaked left and right.
"Cut my mane."
Twilight blinked at Luna.
"What? No. This spell is dangerous — It was illegalised."
Twilight laughed and fanned her face.
"Rarity knows all kinds of hairstylists. If you're interested in finding a new look you're better off asking them to cut your mane."
Luna showed no concern. The hair in front of her did not truly exist, and it still smelled of dragon phlegm anyway; even after she had brushed it while Twinkle Star was in the restroom.
It was enough to make Luna's nostrils raw. Twilight's comparative ignorance was growing obnoxious. It was like there was a big smelly elephant in the room to which she was completely oblivious.
Luna glared at Twilight.
"This is what it means to wield Chaos. If you do not battle your fear, it will control you."
Twilight's breath's were heavy. The laser trembled on the tip of her horn.
Twilight closed her eyes. She screamed and slashed at Luna's mane.
The laser buzzed as it met substantial resistance.
Twilight opened her eyes. Her spell was pointing squarely at Luna's heart.
Luna's horn glowed. She blocked the stream of light with a cloud of darkness. Sparks flashed where the magic met.
Twilight released her spell and stumbled backwards.
"I'm sorry. Are you hurt?"
Luna grunted.
"She was able to withstand the rays of the Sun. In contrast, your oh-so-deadly ‘illegal spell’ is little more than a tea-light."
Twilight growled.
"You mean you were never in danger at all? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because then there would be no fear for you to overcome."
Luna brushed at her coat, hoping the sparks hadn't left a stain.
"That was a pretty good swing, if your aim was to kill me. We will have to try again."
Twilight face swelled like a balloon. She huffed and puffed and grumbled about how reckless and depraved it was to use magic in such a destructive manner.
Luna coolly weathered her ranting with indifference. She waited until Twilight could only sigh and reactivate her spell.
Luna smirked.
"Spare me your complaints. The real thing will be no different. Sooner or later, you will have to face your fears."
She beckoned at Twilight.
"Come at me."
The two alicorns repeated the exercise many times.
Twilight was eventually rewarded with a lock of Luna's mane. Despite her convictions, she found herself smiling as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
Luna, however, scowled.
"That was luck. You barely kept one eye open. Come, Twilight, why must I keep reminding you to look at what you are cutting?"
Twilight's expression was an unabiding well of fear that subtly shifted from one insecurity to the next.
"I'm trying, but something keeps making me tense up."
Luna raised an eyebrow. She could feel something stirring beneath her hooves: A deep, ugly, shame that was leading Twilight's mind astray.
"Then relax, and try again, or it will be my turn to cut your mane."
Twilight nodded with determination and readied her spell.
"Right."
The lesson continued. Twilight grew more confidant. Her flinching lessened and her eyes inched open as strands of Luna's glimmering hair dropped to the floor clump by clump.
Luna sniffed the scent of burning hair. She pouted and brushed at the choppy shape and split ends of her mane, even knowing it was an illusion.
"I think that is enough practice."
Luna swept back what was left of her hair.
"I would have expected the other me to have found us by now, but it would be unwise to test our luck any further. Are you ready to work the real magic of Chaos?"
Twilight walked to the centre of the office and set about calming herself through breathing techniques.
She stopped and said, "I guess I don't have much of a choice. Here goes."
Luna stood to one side.
Black and white sparks shot off of Twilight's horn.
Luna looked out from the window. Hundreds of cracks spread over everything in sight, even the daytime sky. Angular sheets of blue fell like flakes of glass. They left gaps through which a soft blue light shone in from some other plane of existence.
The fissures surrounded the Sun. The golden disk feel away and stuck the Earth in plumes of dust, revealing the Moon and stars in the night sky behind it.
"It's working," said Luna. "I am returning to my own subconscious."
Twilight grunted. Lines spread over her face. Her wings flared.
There was a great tremor and the entire University lurched forward on its crumbling foundations. Luna winced as her chest slammed into the windowsill.
The ground outside loomed upward slightly.
Twilight hovered slightly above the floor, which slanted awkwardly. Murky clouds of darkness cloaked the room in a haze of black, while periodic burst of light radiated from Twilight's horn.
"Luna?"
"I am fine, Twilight. Keep going."
Just as Luna got up, a larger tremor shook the University. It knocked Luna off her feet and bruised her shoulder against the wall of the office.
Luna bit her lip to stifle her yell of pain.
Twilight's desk screeched as it slid forward. Luna dived out of the way before it could crush her.
Flashes of light erupted from Luna's skin. Luna screamed as blood seeped from a multitude of cuts along her foreleg.
Twilight lost her breath. Luna's helpless cries consumed all other sounds. She was floating in a white void with Luna held in her levitation. A bottomless hole of darkness swirled beneath them.
The apparition raised its head and looked at Twilight.
"Let go of me. Save yourself."
Every moment Twilight had ever shared with Luna flashed in front of her.
The sleepless nights and hopeless dreams gave way to a light in the darkness as sure and honest as the paths of the planets. Luna had followed Twilight to a place where no one else could follow.
A part of Twilight wanted to be just as immoveable.
However much Twilight denied her loss, Luna gave her the truth.
No matter how much anger Twilight showed, Luna could withstand it.
Whenever Twilight thought to bargain away her grief with magic, Luna told her nothing was worth giving up even the darkest of her memories.
Sometimes, Twilight would stare into emptiness and wonder if she could ever be happy again. Luna knew the value of silence, and that just being at her friend's side was enough.
The day came that Twilight could finally accept her loss, and it was made all the brighter knowing what she had gained by the experience: a strong, irreplaceable, friend.
Twilight called to Luna. Her voice was small, as if at a distance.
"No. I need you."
A rich and duplicitous voice hissed from behind her like an archfiend.
"Yes. Kill her. Let her join your puny mortal brother. Cast her into the abyss, as you have countless innocents, and know the truth."
Twilight was spun about by some unseen force.
She was face to face with Jove.
The entrancing drone of Order hummed into Twilight ears and commanded her to gaze into Jove's soul-consuming eyes.
The colour in Jove's features shifted. His coat turned white, his mane brightened into a soft blue colour, but the hateful grin remained.
"You are a murderer," said Shining Armour.
Luna growled as more cuts spread across her flesh.
"What are you waiting for? Finish the spell so I can free us of this madness."
Twilight's horn fizzled. The sparks of Light and Darkness froze, then rushed towards each other.
Luna shielded her eyes.
The sparks collided and annihilated each other in a thunderclap of heat and sound.
The azure shards littering the Earth sprang back into the sky, and the University reasserted it's foundations.
Luna opened her eyes to find Twilight lying on the floor.
Twilight hugged her chest, tears streaming down her face.
Luna's wary frown evaporated. She rushed towards her friend, fighting past the stinging cuts in her legs.
Luna reached for Twilight's shoulder, but she pulled herself onto her haunches and turned away.
"I'm sorry Luna. I can't do it."
Luna tried to sit next to Twilight, but her shuffled away, breathing in gasps and gulps. She studied Twilight. The girl was a poor liar.
"You are shaking," said Luna. "What are you afraid of?"
Twilight clenched her wings.
"It's nothing."
Equations began filling the room again. They floated in through the window and the door to the safe room.
They sat in silence as the room brimmed with Twilight's calculations.
Twilight's breathing calmed, but her head still raced. She fidgeted in place.
Luna sat pouting. Her gaze never left the back of Twilight's head.
"It can get rather..." An equation made Luna pause as it drifted past her face. "...cramped, in this office. Would you agree? Why not try moving us someplace else?"
Twilight looked over her shoulder.
"How does that work?"
"Think of a place that makes you feel something and your thoughts should take us right to it, preferably a place that helps you concentrate. This will be good practice."
Twilight closed her eyes.
Luna raised her hoof to momentarily halt her.
"Remember — do not think. Be."
Twilight nodded and closed her eyes again.
There was a loud popping like that of a teleportation spell.
The next thing Luna knew, she and Twilight were standing on top of a broken slab of crystal in what might have been an extravagant royal lounge. There were signs of battle everywhere. Tapestries had been shredded from the walls, jagged cuts lined the floors, furniture has been smashed and overturned like leaves in a breeze, and a soul-chilling draft swept in through a monstrous gash in the side of the tower that exposed both the sky and the room above. It was large enough for a grown dragon to have swooped in.
Twilight immediately dashed about, examining the wreckage.
"I don't understand. I was thinking of Canterlot from when I was just a filly — I swear. Why here of all places?"
Luna strode up behind Twilight.
"Crystal Tower," she said, tapping her hoof.
Twilight flinched, then gave a stuttering laugh.
"So it is..."
"I will ask again. What are you afraid of, Twilight?"
Twilight didn't look at Luna.
"I told you. It's nothing."
"Your mind says otherwise."
Luna's expression hardened.
"You have been dwelling on the incident again."
Twilight faced Luna.
"No. You've got it all wrong. I put the past behind me. I promised myself I would go on with my life. It's what he wanted from me."
"You can never run from your past, Twilight. If you are relapsing into your old ways of thinking, then it is no wonder you are having such difficulty working Chaos magic."
Twilight sobbed. She covered her face, but tears flowed from behind her foreleg.
"I know. You're right. It's just so hard. It's like he was inside my head. He knew everything. My friends, my spells, everything that happened. He used it all against me and there was nothing I could do. He knew there was nothing more painful to me than the guilt of hurting somepony close to me, so he made me kill my friends. I'm scared to even think anymore. What if he comes back? What if I can't stop him and he takes control of me again?"
Concern made Luna's face twitch involuntarily, just a touch.
She kept an even tone.
"Who did this to you?"
"Jove."
The name carried no meaning, yet it persisted in Luna's ears.
Luna cleared a space on the floor of crystal fragments and had Twilight sit with her.
"You are not making any sense, Twilight. Calm yourself, and tell me what happened."
Twilight dried her eyes and expounded on her disturbing encounter with the ancient Prince. She was interrupted whenever she would give details on Luna's memories.
A bitter wind made Twilight's teeth chatter. Luna didn't seem to notice the cold. She sat quietly, admiring the clouds as she gathered her thoughts; regretting that she had silenced Twilight earlier.
"A former alicorn? here to reclaim his crown...?" she said. "This is all very distressing, but I fail to see why this would conjure up old grievances surrounding the incident. There is more."
Twilight nodded. A fog began to seep into the room.
"I can't stop thinking about it. He was there — I'm certain of it."
Twilight clutched her head, Her breath condensed in the air and she began to sob again.
"I don't know what's real. What if he's been controlling my mind this entire time? He could make me do anything. He could change my memories. What if it's all a lie. What if — "
Luna levitated one of the broken tapestries and wrapped it around Twilight's shoulders.
"You doubt too much."
Luna thought back to the maze inside the book's subconscious and the strange feeling that overcame her.
"We are marked by all that we experience. Trust yourself, Twilight. Memories fade, but nothing can take away your past — your destiny. Though it is a burden, it is also a blessing."
Twilight regulated her breathing. She sniffed, but stopped shivering.
"Thanks, Luna. I've been out cold half of the day, but haven't gotten an ounce of rest. Am I falling apart?"
Luna couldn't help but laugh.
"I think you could be worse, all considered."
Twilight didn't see the humour. Her eyes glazed over and her face grew pale.
Luna scowled. If not distracted from her current frame of mind, Twilight would spiral back into depression. She gripped Twilight's shoulders and shook her.
"Stay with me, Twilight. Keep talking. You say my brother was there at the incident, no? Start from the beginning. Tell me everything you remember."
A spark of cognition flickered in Twilight's eyes.
"I only heard his voice...I thought I was going mad back then."
Cold sweat gathered on Twilight's brow. Luna watched the gears in her head battling against the frost encasing them.
"It all started when I received a letter from Shining Armour. Knowing what was to come makes me wish I had never laid eyes upon Shining's royal seal that day. The city was desolated, countless died, and the very heart of a nation was shattered; blacking the skies with hail and lightning forever."
Twilight's lips trembled. She struggled to keep her grief in check.
"Ponies in the Crystal Empire have a very special name for the calamity that one letter would unleash. They call it..."
Twilight took a deep breath and looked at Luna.
"The Darkworld Incident."
Book of Moon Prologue.
luna's lance clanged across the arena.
A warrior in purple armour dropped out of the sky, bringing low his titanic blade like a bolt of judgement.
Luna looked up from her back. Her breath hastened. She back-rolled onto her feet.
The Warrior's sword punched a wound in the earth.
Luna saw her reflection in its notched edge — less than a hair's breadth from her face. She turned and scrambled for her weapon.
A flash of steel sprouted in front of Luna.
Luna froze. Cold sweat passed down her muzzle.
"What did I tell you? Never take your eyes off your opponent."said the warrior.
He removed his gold hilted sword from Luna's neck, and stuck it into the ground.
Luna was panting. A shoulder guard with green lining fell from her jet black armour. She faced the warrior and bowed.
"Yes, master."
The warrior removed his helm. A streak of rosy magenta parted his sapphire mane.
"Master? Luna, I'm teaching you as your brother."
Luna stood.
"Yes, Jove . "
The warrior smiled.
"That's better."
The spectators applauded halfheartedly. Luna scanned the congregation. They all shielded themselves from her eyes.
Jove motioned for Luna to follow him, and turned to exit.
"Come. I think you've had enough for now."
Luna levitated her lance.
"Fight me again."
Jove looked at his little sister.
"Please, Jove." said Luna.
Jove scoffed.
"Why? I've taught you all I can for now, and I can calculate all of your moves before they happen. We have our duties."
Luna's face was set, and the wind fluttered through her mane. Her shadow split in two.
Jove raised an eyebrow for a moment, then laughed.
"Well aren't we the passionate little fighter? Very well. I'll give you one more round. Just for fun."
Jove smirked as he recited a volume of his advanced sword techniques in his head.
Luna's chest heaved. Something inky quivered through her veins.
Jove and Luna each raised their weapons.
"Duel ."
Luna cried out. Dust billowed around her as she jousted headlong at her brother.
Jove didn't move. He shifted his body to the right.
Luna's lance whistled past him harmlessly. Jove chopped downward.
Luna growled. She stumbled, but spun her lance about in time to parry Jove's attack.
Luna kept her lance spinning. She shouted again, and drove her lance upward at Jove's face.
Jove brushed Luna's naivety aside like the mewling of a child.
Luna grimaced. She hopped backwards as her lance spun out of control.
Jove swiped at Luna's legs with the blunt of his sword while she was off balance. She lurched sideways and fell.
Luna clenched her teeth as she slammed onto her side. Pangs like needles bit into her spine.
Jove hefted his sword onto his shoulder.
"Luna, I've enjoyed playing with you, but you must understand when you've met your —"
Luna's lance arched at Jove's legs.
A bead of sweat appeared on Jove's brow. Jove opened his wings and jumped out of the way.
Luna made no sound. She flew up above Jove and jabbed down at him over and over.
The force of her strikes blasted craters into the arena. The spectators panicked as chunks of debris showered the stands.
Jove's growled. He couldn't find an opening.
Luna lunged for Jove's heart.
Jove's eyes widened: He had his chance.
In a bout of déjà vu, Jove battered Luna's lance into the sky with a powerful upward stroke.
Luna locked her gaze with Jove's. She flew at him, hooves raised in a guard. Her left foreleg receded slightly.
A string of lightning flashed in Jove's mind. Luna's movements belied an attack from the right.
Luna's pupils became draconian slits. She brought her wings close to her body and rolled to Jove's left.
Jove's blood ran cold. His sword glided past Luna like a mourning breeze.
Luna roared and directed all her might into a single punch.
Jove was forced backward a few feet.
The wind stabbed its way out of Jove's lungs. His peytral was broken into a million pieces.
Time lingered. Jove looked at Luna in disbelief. She was smiling.
Jove furrowed his eyebrows. He seized Luna's foreleg.
Luna's joy evaporated. Her pupils rounded. She struggled against Jove's lock.
Jove wheeled Luna about like a rag doll, then loosed her at the ground.
Luna screamed. She careened back-first into the spectator stands. Plumes of pulverized stone erupted into the air.
The spectators ran, but Guardponies blocked their escape. They trembled before the fury that lurked within the mist.
Jove landed.
Luna was curled up in a ball. The stone steps of the spectator stands had been all but destroyed. Segments of her armor were strewn about its jagged face.
Jove touched her shoulder.
"You've already grown so strong, Luna. I don't understand why you try so hard."
"Because they hate me. All of them. If I could be more like you..." said Luna.
The guards tensed. Jove sat next to her. He assaulted the crowd with his gaze.
"What do you mean?"
Luna lay on her front.
"They're afraid of me. No matter what I do, they always run. They call me names, and now even Tia won't talk to me."
"What do they call you?" asked Jove.
Luna buried her face.
"Nightmare Moon."
Jove stood.
"And why should you care about what those vermin think? They exist only to carry out our will. You will still be young long after time has flensed the flesh from their bones."
The cries of starving infants still rang in Luna's ears. From the shadows she had watched Tia bring them food and shelter, when the state would have them rot.
"But Tia said — "
" Celestia has taken leave of her senses." said Jove. "An alicorn does not wallow among detritus. She should know better. The earth ponies serve no higher purpose than the dust from which they spawned."
Jove helped Luna to her feet. He boomed at the crowds.
"My sister has shown courage and prowess on this hallowed field of combat. You will praise her — or suffer."
A magenta aura enveloped Jove's horn. The spectators all bore the same mark on their flanks: A large stripped sphere, with tens of dots orbiting around it. The marks started to glow.
Pegasi and unicorns alike writhed in pain. They clapped their hooves in submission.
Jove released his spell.
The crowd groaned and sobbed.
Jove levitated Luna's lance and presented it to her.
"Unbelievable. Never in all my battles has one of my own siblings been able to strike me. Your cunning has put Prince Arena to shame." said Jove.
Luna beamed. She hugged her brother and nuzzled his neck.
"I love you, big brother."
Jove embraced his favorite sister.
"I will talk with Celestia . As high prince, I must keep this family together."
Jove's ears pricked. A cataclysmic roar reverberated from the mountaintops.
Generals of the imperial army touched down in the arena. They were accompanied by a chariot, from which a unicorn stepped out and saluted.
"Your Majesty, field marshal Breaker reporting. A tyrant dragon has appeared. Ignimbrite is attacking the highland cities. He'll break through our walls before dusk if we don't stop him. What are your orders, sir?"
A vain impulse tickled Jove's spine. His wings opened and close in anticipation. Jove released Luna and walked to meet his officers, brandishing his sword .
"Good. I wondered when the old foe would show himself."
The ruthless calculus of war bled through Jove's mind. If he fought well, only a thousand mortals need fall this day.
The generals stood to attention. Jove cleared his throat.
"Mpemba, Lord of Heavenly Ice. Garnet, Lord of Stalwart Stone. Coriolis, Lord of Slicing Gales. Ignimbrite, Lord of Molten Earth."
"These are the enemies that I have hunted for more than a century, and for a century, dragons have been forgotten by this realm."
"But I remember. And the return of the dragon gods, marks the return of dragonkind. I remember how they burned my subjects, shook my palace, froze my crops, and cut my wings."
"Rally the air-brigades. Ready the spell-slings upon the towers. We will face him in the skies above Tall Rostra."
"When last our forces met, I killed their children."
"When my task is done the dragons — "
Jove admired the growing collection of notches on his sword.
" — will be a myth."
"These are my orders. Dismissed."
The generals saluted and made off to prepare Jove's armies. Jove stretched his wings.
Luna ran out in front of him.
"Take me with you. If I can slay a dragon, I'll be like you."
Jove smiled. He touched Luna's face.
"That is noble of you. But I won't put you in harm's way. Not until you are ready."
Luna pouted.
Jove said, "You will have your chance. Besides — If I am to fight — who will raise the moon?"
Luna blinked.
"You want me to raise the moon?"
Jove nodded.
"I think you've earned the right. It's what you were always meant to do."
Jove closed his eyes. A celestial energy swirled about his horn and passed into Luna's mane. It twinkled like the evening stars, and flowed with ethereal magic.
Jove stepped back, the snares of pride drummed in his heart.
"I dub thee Luna: Princess of the Night. The moon is yours — guard her well."
Luna ran her hooves through her lengthened locks.
"Okay. I'll stay."
"Take care, Luna. After I claim Ignimbrite's skull for my throne room, we'll have a formal ceremony."
Luna took off and flew over the metropolis of Tall Rostra towards a grand citadel. It's heights pierced the clouds. Airships departed from docking stations and shipyards. They lumbered far and wide; laden with freight.
Luna's stomach fluttered as she watched the sun decline.
Her first moon waited just below the horizon.
————————————————————————————————————————————
Long ago, when the celestial sisters were still young, the alicorns ruled from * Tall Rostra*. They enslaved the lesser ponies to their ambitions with magical rituals.
This cruel order was * ended** by a being of light and darkness . The world was changed, and began anew.*
But the being's power only grew. It's warring halves almost destroyed the newfound peace and liberty, so a * princess** locked the magic away — inside a book.*
By those who bore witness to its creation, it is known as the * Book of Moon.***
Many lessons were learned in its writing. This is the story of how these lessons forged the past, and left hope for the future.
