The Metal Complexity

Luna ran up to the mysterious pony and pulled off the cloak that they had been wearing. Luna gasped; it was a young grey colt. He had a grey and white mane and a digital pattern.

“Hey! What gives?” The young colt asked

“Huh, you are not who I expected to be. Most important of all, what are you doing here,” Luna asked in shock.

“I bet you were looking for Dad. I still can’t believe you can’t remember me. It’s me, Ironplume,” The young colt told

“Oh of course, I’m just like your father,” Luna said. The young colt then proceeded to hug Luna. Luna then blushed as she glanced at Fluttershy.

“It’s complicated,” Luna whispered to Fluttershy

“Where have you been all this time Mommy?” Ironplume asked.

“Oh, I was in a place far away, but I was watching you,” Luna explained, “What did that riddle mean?”

“Oh, many people don’t even know that I exist, so I have to hide but many ponies have a story of me that I am just as bad as Dad. Most people are scared of me because of my circuit mark. Oh, and Dad is much stronger than me,” Ironplume explained.

“I see you had your circuit mark, not long before you get your cutie mark,” Luna said optimistically.

“Yeah, my cutie mark. Can’t wait to what destiny I am permanently bound to,” Ironplume said sarcastically.

“So what are you doing here, shouldn’t you be out with your friends?” Luna asked suspiciously

“Friends, what friends, soon as you disappeared I was dragged to this boring place. I have even forgot what the sun even looked like now,” Ironplume sulked

“Right, we are going to find your father and we are going to give him a piece of your mind,” Luna sternly said.

“Fluttershy, you can come along if you…”

“Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen, she must have ran away once she saw Ironplume. Luna put Ironplume on her back and ran around like a headless chicken, trying to find the room

“One question, how come you and your Dad are still as young as I last saw you?” Luna inquired.

“Oh that’s simple. The room is filled with a gas that stops ageing. Magic or science I'm not sure, the difference between is blurred now,” Ironplume explained, “Wait, stop here”.

Ironplume stumbled off Luna’s back and went up to a small control panel. It seemed to be a map of the facility. Ironplume placed his hoof in the small circle shaped receptacle. The map expanded to a much larger tunnel network.

“Ok, I know where to go. I’ll guide you along,” Ironplume ordered

Luna and Ironplume began to venture deeper in the facilities’ bowels until they reached a much bigger room. A circular room full of levers, buttons and TV screens. This seems to be a recurring theme of control rooms. But this one was different. In the centre of the room was a button. Ironplume ran up to the button and slammed his hoof against it.

The room suddenly went pitch black, the giant metal doors behind them slammed shut, and then a spotlight came onto a balcony with a shadow like pony on the edge, looking down on them.

“I thought I taught you not to press random buttons,” The shadow tutted.

Luna then appeared out of the shadows, being a pony of the night really helped when blending in the darkness. The Shadow looked at her for a short time and then looked away.

“He…He doesn’t notice me,” Luna sobbed

“Well duh, this isn’t Dad in his physical form. He is in Sector A in the command centre, this is just a shadow copy of him,” Ironplume explained, “He was always paranoid, so he made copies of himself and commanded them from here. Though I haven’t found any books in the library about what technology he is using to control them,”

“Silence fool, you shall fear me as you fear the monsters of the night,” The shadow rudely interrupted.

“You shall not address the son of Princess Luna like that you peasant!” Shouted Luna, in the traditional Canterlot voice.

“Hmmm, it has been decades since I have witness a voice like that, but you do not threaten me, I have heard worse,” The shadow mocked. “Enough discussion, let us do this,” The shadow said, summoning out a sword out of pure darkness.

“Yes, lets,” Luna agreed, doing the same spell.

“Ah, I see you are experienced as well in the shadow arts,” The shadow complimented

The 2 ponies locked swords, fighting with fury while the grey colt watched the fight in horror as he saw his 2 parents fighting to the death. The shadow pony used all of his might to break Luna’s defence and cause the sword to fly away. He then raised his sword and then got held back by a magic, he looked at Ironplume who was casting a levitation spell to rip the sword from his hands. Luna summoned a new sword and ran it through his chest, causing him to drop to the floor like a stone. The shadow dissipated in the air.

Luna dropped the sword and stared at her hooves, she began to cry.

“I…I killed him,” Luna sobbed. Ironplume ran up to Luna and tried to reassure her by giving her a hug. Before Ironplume could say anything a loud alarm began to blare amongst the tunnels of the facility. The massive metal doors opened with a Stallion in the doorway, he had black metal legs that made him taller than Celestia and wings that shined in the dim lights. He had blue eyes that could melt a mare’s heart in seconds and on both sides of his head was a digital pattern. His grey and white mane was shining under the artificial lights. It was Steelwing in his original form.

He groaned in pain, rubbing his head with his hoof. He attempted to walk up to Ironplume but fell halfway. Ironplume ran up to him and tried to get him back up on 4 legs.

“What…happened,” Steelwing asked, still groaning in pain.

“I don’t know, might be a corrupt clone I think,” Ironplume explained. Steelwing laughed to himself and rubbed his hoof in Ironplume’s mane.

“You have learnt so much in so little time,” Steelwing said proudly, he then proceeded to hug him. His eyes darted over to Luna standing in complete shock.

“Who is this Ironplume?” Steelwing asked suspiciously. His head began to hurt even more.

“You don’t remember me?” Luna asked sadly.

“I can’t say that-,” Steelwing trailed off before having a massive migraine. His head began to hurt that he fell on the floor, rolling around in complete pain. He was screaming, but the only thing that Luna and Ironplume could do was watch as they knew what was happening. He stopped rolling around and dusted himself off. He opened his eyes and looked at Luna, he stopped in complete shock and began to cry tears of joy.

“Luna?” Steelwing whispered. “Luna, it’s you! Eros, I thank you for this blessing.” Steelwing rejoiced. Luna and Steelwing ran up to each other and hugged each other. Ironplume put his hoof near his mouth in the way that would make you sick.

“Luna, oh Luna, it has been centuries since I last seen you. Please, don’t leave me like that again,” Steelwing said, still blinded by tears.

“It was my sister who sent me away, she didn’t like our ideas and banished me to that grey and rocky wasteland,” Luna explained, “My sister…MY SISTER,” Luna remembered. “My sister has gone completely insane, we need to rescue the 6 ponies who uncovered the facility and exposed my sister,”

“Well, come on lets go. And don’t think you are coming with us Ironplume; you go to the nearest town and wait for me there. I don’t want you in any danger,” Steelwing ordered

“But Dad, I want to stay and fight with you,” Ironplume moaned.

“No buts, you go to that town and stay there. You are too precious to lose,” Steelwing told.

Ironplume flew to the facilities exit while Steelwing and Luna ran around, trying to find the assembly chamber where the 5 ponies were being held captive.

“Wait, I need to do something.” Steelwing said. He went into a room they just passed and brought a massive metal cylinder.

“What purpose does that serve,” Luna inquired.

“Don’t matter; I hope I don’t have to use it. Let’s move before Celestia blows up the place, or worse keeps it,” Steelwing avoided.

The 2 ran around until they finally heard a maniacal laughter emanating from a nearby room. They looked around the door and saw Princess Celestia looking at the giant robot’s construction. She then looked at the 6 ponies suffering. Rainbow Dash was nearly dead, Twilight was starving, Pinkie Pie was bored out of her brains, Rarity was screaming and Applejack did nothing. Fluttershy was on the floor next to them, tied up to watch their friends die slowly.

“That’s a Titan class assault bot, we used it in frontal assaults but we never managed to construct more than 2,” Steelwing explained, squinting at the giant robot, “If Celestia uses that, Equestria is doomed,”

“Well, let us make haste,” Luna rallied.

“No, we need to go silently. Celestia still has influence on the defence grid and can wipe us out when she sees us. I need time to hack the grid control console,” Steelwing rambled, while Luna stared at him blankly. He groaned as he forgets that the technology being used by the Metaquines is much more advanced than simple pony folk.

“You distract her while I switch off her weapons,” Steelwing ordered sharply. Luna flew up, revealing herself to Celestia.

“Well hello little sister, I wasn’t expecting you here. I thought you were supposed to be asleep at this time,” Celestia said in surprise.

“Your time is up big sister, release the ponies and surrender and you get to keep your royal throne,” Luna threatened. Celestia laughed.

“You really think you, the little, stupid, weak mare who I banished to the moon for 1000 years, can defeat me?” Celestia mocked. Luna shuddered at the word moon; even the mention of the word brings back memories.

“What has happened to you sister, you were sweet and kind, and a good leader too. Now you are this tyrant who is killing her own friends!” Luna shouted.

“Friends, Friends! Who needs friends when you got everypony wrapped around your hoof? What I say goes and nothing is going to change that, nothing!” Celestia laughed manically.

“I got it!” Shouted Steelwing.

“Who is that, I don’t remember anyone else entering the facility,” Celestia asked in confusion. Then Steelwing flew up and glared at Celestia. Celestia squirmed under that glare and then her jaw dropped. “That’s impossible, how did you get out of the tube?” Celestia asked in fear.

“Long story, but now are you prepared to surrender, or be succeeded?” Steelwing asked, giving Celestia a last chance.

“Try me, tin can,” Celestia insulted.

“That’s it, prepare to be dethroned!” Steelwing unsheathed the large metal cylinder that he got from the previous room. “Behold, my weapon against your tyranny,” Steelwing announced

“Ha, what you going to do, package me,” Celestia mocked. “Forget this nonsense, I’m just going to do it,” Celestia said, she then powered up her horn and tried to fire a sun beam at them. “Face the fury of the sun,” Celestia shouted. Steelwing dropped the giant, heavy metal cylinder and flew out of the way. Celestia, taking her chance, flew towards it and grabbed it with one quick swoop.

“Ha, I now have disarmed you; you have no chance of victory. I recommend you leave now, otherwise I will dispose of you,” Celestia commanded. Steelwing looked at Luna, who was looking at her sister in slight shock. He then looked at the Mane 6, suffering with their curses.

“No, I have a different plan. I will leave you be, if you release those 6 ponies from their suffering,” Steelwing negotiated. He then glanced at Luna and winked. Luna was staring at him.

“Seems fair enough, those 6 were messing up my new floor anyway; fine I shall release them,” Celestia agreed, she removed the curses. Rainbow Dash was near death and would have died if it weren’t for Steelwing negotiating.

“Run, go to safety,” Steelwing ordered the 6 weakened ponies.

“Now, fulfil you part of the bargain,” Celestia shouted. “You’re messing up my new factory.

“Very well, enjoy your tyranny,” Steelwing replied in disgust. “Let’s go Luna, we don’t want to be anywhere near here,” Steelwing said quietly.