Metal Fire

Total destruction. That's all Saber could use to describe what had happened here. Total and utter destruction. Saber's eyes turned white and he was at a loss for words. Slowly, his armor, wings, and eyes turned the color of blood. Deeper than the blood the Changeling war had brought. He took a deep breath and settled his armor back to a purposeful sky blue. Saber turned to the others.

"You can come out and have a look, but you're not gonna like what you see." he said, trying to control his anger. The rest of the group stepped out and gasped. Most of the crew had lived here.

"Saber, what part of Ponyville are we in?" Fluttershy asked,

"My- My home." he said, voice cracking, "Where my house was. Where my parents lived. Where my whole family lived." all of a sudden, a young voice called out.

"S-s-saberStar? I-i-i-i-is that you?" Saber turned around to see his own sister and brother, MoonStar and SunFlight, covered in ash so their coats and manes were a dull black.

"MoonStar! SunFlight! Oh thank god you're alive! Where are Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle?" he exclaimed, putting his wings around the young Pegasi. Moon started crying and Sun was silent. "Oh god," he whispered, eyes, wings, and armor turning white. His eyes filled with tears.

"Saber?" Sun asked, "Who is everybody here?"

"Friends," Saber replied, "And one who's more than a friend."

"Where are we going to go?" Sun said, looking up at Saber with his ice blue eyes.

"With us. You two are part of the crew now." Saber responded, "Luna, can you take these two in? They need food and rest."

"Of course." the former princess replied. "Children, come with me." She led the two inside the Tardis and closed the door.

"I need some time alone or with one person." Saber asked the group, voice breaking. "I just-" He stopped and didn't say anymore. Dash walked up next to him.

"I'll go with you," she said, "I'm not leaving you alone in this." she gestured to the ruins of a once peaceful city. His wings turned from shock to the deepest blue and began to flicker.

"Alright. Let's go." he replied, wrapping his wing around her and walked towards where SugarCube Corner once stood, now razed.

The couple walked along the charred remains of Ponyville. Saber nearly tripped over something and turned around to see it. It was the body of his own uncle, SaberSlash. He kneeled beside his uncle's remains.

"Who is it?" She asked.

"My dad's brother, SaberSlash Brightwing. He must've tried to lead whatever attacked Ponyville away from the rest. Him and my father were the bravest fighters before me." Saber responded, armor turning the color of a bluish stone. Mourning. Dash kissed him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry Saber. This must be harder on you than anything." she replied.

"I will never let this happen to you. Never." He promised, pulling her closer. "I think we'd better get back. I don't want to find anymore bodies." The two walked towards the Tardis and opened the door with the key the Doctor had given them. The door creaked and the thirteen other ponies looked at him and Rainbow. MoonStar and SunFlight had been cleaned. SunFlight was a bright yellow Pegasus with orange eyes and a white mane, and MoonStar was a black unicorn with glowing whitish gray eyes, and a gray mane. The siblings looked ready to cry. Saber walked slowly over to them, his wings flickering. They glowed bright for a second and then went out completely. Saber relit the color and flew up to his perch, silent. Three others joined him. Dash, SunFlight, and MoonStar. Dash lay down next to him and his siblings sat down on the other side. Saber put his wings around the three and his eyes turned to pink, but with a tint of the deepest blue. "I-I know this isn't the best time," he said, "But what happened?"

"We-we were at a Crusaders meeting, trying to get our Cutie Marks. Me and Moon had just gotten ours when we saw what looked like a meteor heading towards Sweet Apple Acres. We went to go get Uncle SaberSlash, when there was an explosion. It knocked us all backwards and the ground rumbled. Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo hid, while me and Moon explored." Sun continued, We wish we never had. We saw Celestia herself, enslaving some of the citizens. U-u-uncle tried to stop her. S-s-s-she killed him. Grandma and Grandpa were 'to old to work' she said, and she killed them too. We ran before she could find us and told the rest of the Crusaders to get to Zecora's hut. They found their way there, but we stayed behind. And then we heard this machine you have and we found you." Moon started to cry and Sun looked on the verge of tears. Saber pulled the foals closer and kissed them both on the foreheads.

"It'll be okay," Rainbow replied in a soothing voice. "Nothing's going to hurt you guys as long as Saber is here." She kissed Saber and his eyes brightened by a hair.

"Do you love her Saber?" Moon asked, looking up at the couple. He was silent for a while before he responded.

".............That depends on your definition."

"Like, y'know, do you love her? Just, you know......?" Sun said. The silence wasn't as long before he replied.

".......Yes. I do. Did you ever have a crush, Sun? Do you have one now?" Sun was silent.

"He does. He has one on Scootaloo." Moon replied for him. Sun looked like he was blushing. Saber grinned at his younger brother.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure she might feel the same." Saber said. Moon looked like she was about to say something but she couldn't.

"Yeah about that..." she said, "One time, Sweetie Belle pulled me aside and told me that Scootaloo had a crush on you." this time, his brother was blushing furiously. Sun looked away.

"Now they're gone," he said, "And it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault. We'll get them back." Saber replied, "I'm pretty sure we can make it to the edge of the Everfree and make our way to Zecora's." Saber and Dash helped Sun and Moon down and opened the Tardis doors. Big mistake. Celestia was standing, looking insane. "Go. Get to the others. Tell them she's here!" Saber said urgently. "Go!" He shoved the others towards the inside of the Tardis. Facing the tyrant, he warned her with a voice sharp as broken glass. "Leave now. Leave and don't come back." She ignored him and her horn glowed with an evil aura. Saber was blasted backwards, but not before he was able to close the Tardis doors. His wings had been disconnected and vaporized. He was losing consciousness when he saw the others race into the room. Saber's vision faded and he saw no more.