Soul's Requiem

Celestia and Twilight gaped at what Canterlot had become as they walked out on the Geneisi Tech Lab's main airstrip. Skyscrapers rose tot eh sky and threatened to break through into space. Strange metal vehicles flew through the sky in lines and pegasi could be seen flying between the behemoths of metal and glass.

"This is astounding!" Twilight said in awe of it all. She looked over at Luna, who appeared bored," Aren't you amazed at this?"

Luna just shrugged," One temporal shock will last one a few hundred years at least. For us this is how they say been there done that."

"Still the things ponies must have accomplished while we were gone," Twilight beamed.

Celestia's expression was less amazed and more shocked. She felt so small, so obsolete. She had always been needed and now she was nothing more than a bed time story for foals. The kingdom she and Luna had built had managed, no thrived without her.

"Alright lets do this!"

They looked to see Ironsight and the other alicorns walking toward them but this time there was yet another alicorn with them. He wore the same uniform as his siblings but carried a pair of bulky retro head phones around his neck. He stood a bit taller than Luna and had electric blue fur and a dark yellow mane with white streaks in it. Luna immediately reckonized the voice and rushed him.

"Thou art not a penguin!" Luna shouted as she glared up at him. Celestia and Twilight  shared a confused look.

The stallion blinked before he recognized her," Hey your that one crazy mare."

"We are not crazy and thou art a liar," Luna shouted.

"What did you do Infinity?" Ironsight asked as he walked up to them. Wildfire watched on curious from her perch on his back.

"Nothing just helped the security nab her," Infinity shrugged and placed his headphones on his ears.

"Thou said that our frends were in there," Luna said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah that's what we in the business call a lie sister," Infinity deadpanned.

"Then those commoners shot us with some strange tube!"

"First of all that was a dart gun and second chill out you were out of it for maybe three minutes before you came up swinging at Tempy," Infinity scoffed matching Luna's glare.

"Twas unpleasant!" Luna huffed.

"Ok what's with the archaic speech," Infinity asked," What are you from the dark ages?"

"Dark ages?" Luna saked, confused," What are these dark ages you speak of?"

"Ya know I'm gonna give up before you give me another headache," Infinity grumbled before clicking on a devise at his side. Loud music erupted from the headphones. Suddenly the wind picked up as their ride descended. It had red hull and was sleek in form. On its side was a phoenix with its wings outstretched. When the loading bay lowered Twilight made a bee line for the cockpit.

"How is vehicle powered?" she questioned," Is it powered by a combustible engine or mana powered?"

Infinity and Ironsight went inside with Wildfire bouncing beside them and took a seat on the metal benches. Luna and Celestia gazed up at the metal vehicle.

"Things are so different form your time aren't they?" Temperanced asked. She wore a sympathetic expression.

Celestia shook her head," There are some similarities but yes its...intimidating."

Luna put a comforting hoof on her sisters shoulder," I know tis sister but thou art not alone. We are with you and so is Twilight Sparkle. Now come we wish to see what this thing the little one called a Tertex is."

Luna headed inside and took a seat beside Ironsight. Temperance followed and after a moment so did Celestia. On the way to their destination Celestia stared out of the viewing screens at the sprawling futuristic city. Luna was deep in conversation with Wildfire. Though it more resembled an argument over what ice cream was and Luna was sadly enough losing to the smaller alicorn. Twilight continued to bombard the pilot with question after question from her seat beside him. He looked about ready to jump out of the window. Ironsight stayed silent while Temperance fussed with Wildfire's messy mane much to the excited filly's dismay. Celestia turned her gaze at the scene across from her. They looked like a family in truth and reminded her of the time she Twilight, Luna and Cadence shared.

'Cadence,' Celestia felt a tear roll down her eye. She was used to sorrow herself and she knew Luna saw sorrow as a disrespect but Twilight hadn't so much as cried yet save for a few errant tears. The smaller alicorn had lost so much in the years before the Windego attack on The Crystal Empire and Celestia feared she was close to breaking down entirely. Celestia was shaken from her thoughts as she felt their ride land.

When the loading bay lowered they started to get off. Celestia noticed Twilight wasn't moving from her spot as she continued to grill the pilot. She went over to the lavender alicorn and placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"Twilight I'm sure you have many questions but we are leaving," she said. Twilight looked up at her and smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry I got a little carried away," she said with a nervous chuckle. They turned to leave and the pilot flashed Celestia a grateful look before beginning his takeoff sequence. Outside they saw creatures of all kinds running to and fro.   All wore clothing of some form. Making Celestia feel strange in the jump suit she had been given.

"This way," Ironsight rumbled, taking the lead. They followed him down the sidewalk. The stone was smooth, like marble and without cracks or other blemishes.

Wildfire fell into step between Twilight and Celestia," So who made you?"

Celestia blinked at the small filly," We weren't made little one we were born."

"Born?" she cocked her head to the side," How were you born with wings and a horn?"

"We were destined for a great purpose little filly," Luna answered," We were chosen to carry the Moon and Sun. Twilight Sparkle ascended into her alicorn-hood when she mastered the magic of Friendship."

"Pfft," Infinity laughed," Wow that is freakin corny."

Luna rounded on him," Hold thine tongue. It twas that magic that saved us from ourself."

"Uh huh sure and next your gong to tell me she zapped you with a rainbow," Infinity scoffed.

"Yes they did," Luna said matter-of-factly.

Infinity only gaped at her before shaking his head," I'm gonna quit talking to you before I gag."

'The Magic of Friendship is a legitimate field of study," Twilight fumed suddenly in Infinity's face.

"Uh huh," Infinity chuckled and pushed past Twilight," Sure just keep telling yourself that toots."

"Believe it or not Infinity," Temperance cut in," Magic in that day and age was at it's most powerful whenever a caster held strong emotional bond to another and whether or not that bond was held by healthy emotions. The idea of Friendship and Love powering magic is accurate."

"And thank you Tempy," Infinity gagged," For that inspired speech."

"No need to be rude Infinity," Temperance said with an even tone. Infinity shrugged and caught up with Ironsight. Temperance sighed then turned to Twilight," Forgive him. He is.."

"A mule's posterior," Luna offered.

Temperance giggled," Sometimes but he means well. Get past his attitude and he can be rather sweet."

"We will believe that when we see it," Luna said," Now I must ask. Why do the ponies here seem to avoid us. I feel a fear in them."

Luna had noticed that since they entered the streets ponies wouldn't look at them and avoided them like the plague.

"That's because they do fear us," Temperance said shocking the three aliconrs," We were brought into this world by unnatural means and hold a great deal of strength. That and..." She trailed off.

"They fear us because of Bastion's rampage," Ironsaight said from in front of the group," He went rogue and killed hundreds of ponies before we were able to bring him down."

Temperance's eyes shown with sorrow at what Ironsight said.

"And who pray tell is Bastion?" Luna asked.

"A bad memeory," Temperance said ending the conversation there. They arrived at a small diner minutes later. Inside a massive minotaur stood behind the counter.

"Dicy!" Wildfire squealed and rushed the minotaur. She wrapped her hooves around the minotaur's leg.

"Little Fire how are you chere?" the minotaur's accent was distinctly Prench and high-pitched despite his massive size.

"I'm great," Wildfire beamed.

"C'est bien," Dicy chuckled," The usual je suppose?"

Yes thank you," Ironsight said as he took a seat at the diner's bar.

"And who are these belles juments?" Dicy asked gesturing to Twilight, Celestia, and Luna.

Twilight recognized the language instantly. She was amazed that the Prench language survived.

"Mon nom est Twilight Sparkle," Twilight said then gestured to Celestia and Luna," C'est Celestia et Luna.  C'est un plaisir de vous rencontrer monsieur."

Dicy's eyes lit up while the others were shocked by Twilight's ability to speak Prench, save for Celestia. She knew her student knew just about every language under her sun.

"Je n'ai pas rencontré quelqu'un qui connaissait mon languige sauf pour quelques mots. Parlez-vous couramment?" Dicy said.

"Oui je suis. J'ai fait un point d'apprendre la langue après une rencontre particulièrement embarrassant avec un griffon chaud tête." Twilight said.

"Ah ces griffons peuvent être plutôt tempéré chaud hein," Dicy chuckled," Your food is on the house. Order what you like."

"Merci," Twilight giggled.

Wildfire stared up at Twilight in amazement," Wow your so awesome I've never met anyone that can speak Prench like Dicy."

"You like the Prench language?" Twilight asked.

"Uh huh," Wildfire said," I love their culture and I really wanna go to Poulis when I get the chance."

"Believe us little one," Luna said," Tis a most unpleasant place we suggest not going."

"You had one bad experience and lets face it you brought it on yourself,' Twilight said with a roll of her eyes.

"That commoner had no right to cover us in that dish!" Luna said trying to defend herself.

"You insulted his cooking and then proceeded to call him a peon," Celestia added," I love you Luna but I would have done the same thing."

"Whose side are you one?" Luna growled before crossing her hooves over her chest.

Celestia smiled and wrapped a hoof around Luna's shoulder," We are only teasing though you did have it coming. Now then lets have some lunch hmmm?"