The Awakening (First Blood)
The Awakening (First Blood)
By: Travis Kingsley
Location: Ponyville, Equestria
Time: 09:12 hours
A cloud of smoke rises on the horizon, but there is no pony to see it. The inhabitants of the city are gone. Many had fled into the Everfree Forest, some were locked in shelters underground, others still sat behind barricades, awaiting the doom that swiftly moves their way. Sugarcube Corner sat an otherwise cheerful sight if not for the gloom hung in the air. No ponies were there for sweets today. No bakers bustle to fill orders. It was vacated. On the counter sat a note, penned in sadness, paper stained with tears, ink dripping with spite:
Dear Princess Celestia
No-one,
I am writing this letter so that whoever finds it may know what happened here today. And more than that, I need to tell somepony, and this is the only way I know how. I just received word that Canterlot has fallen in a horrific attack from our former allies the Griffon Nation. Princess Celestia is dead, and Princess Luna has fled for her life. She came to me, Twilight Sparkle, Student of the Princess, for advice and aid. We are safe for the moment, but it is certain that the Griffons will not stop with Canterlot, and will soon advance throughout Equestria as well. We will fight.
I don’t know how long we can last against them if they took the royal city, for we are few in numbers, and even fewer in trained fighters. But fight we will. We will fight for our Princess. We will fight for Equestria. And we will not rest as long as there is one of us standing. I do not fear death. I do not fear pain. For the pain in my heart is already enough for several lifetimes. There will be blood...
Twilight Sparkle
Only a short time earlier Twilight had been sitting in her study, reading, when her door was thrown open. “Twilight Sparkle we must speak to you!... I must speak to you” shouted a frantic looking Princess Luna. “I hate to barge in on you so suddenly but this is of greatest importance!”
Twilight was visibly startled by the Princesses entrance, but nodded for her to continue, which Luna did without hesitation.
“There has been a devastating attack on Canterlot. Our former allies the Griffons have stabbed us in the back in a surprise attack leaving most of the city in ruin...”
“Where’s Celestia?..” Twilight shouted, breaking into Luna’s speech.
The Princess of the Night stopped, unable to speak any further. The single question she hoped Twilight would not ask, but feared would be the first, rang through her ears. She was choked silently by the very breathe that filled her lungs. Her gaze turned from Twilight to the floor as a single tear fell from her eyes. “...She...fell...” was all that Luna could say.
“NO!!!” Shouted Twilight, as the collapsed to the ground in a sudden outpouring of tears. Her legs failed as the cruel tendrils of emotion and gravity pulled her toward the floor. Every muscle and every vein in her body was screaming out in agony at what she had just learned. She had been brutally robbed. Her mentor, best friend, and sister had been stolen from her in an instant.
Luna bent down to console the broken unicorn. Her cheeks were moist with her own tears, sweat, and blood, but she comforted Twilight for a moment before saying “there will be time for mourning later young Twilight. For now, we must move quickly if we hope to live.”
Twilight did not move. She failed even to look up.
“Now child!” Luna shouted. “We must move now!” Finally the urgency in her voice prompted Twilight to move, following Luna even as Spike following somberly behind her.
“We need to see the one you call Pinkie. We need to see her immediately!” With that the two made it quickly down the street to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie was busy baking when Luna burst through the door with the same force and manner as she had done at Twilight’s.
“Oh hey Princess Luna you’re just in time...” The dark Princess quickly cut her off.
“Pinkamina, we have a code black and we need to move now!” She shouted.
At these words Pinkie’s face changed. Twilight was caught completely off guard as the normally care free and happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie she knew and loved completely vanished before her eyes.
“Right away Luna” she responded with haste in her voice and a stone cold resolution in her eyes. She moved toward her hall closet with deadly precision, reached inside, and pulled two of the coat-hooks inside. With that, the back wall of the closet pulled away revealing a staircase going underground.
“Follow me” was all Pinkie said as she disappeared into the dark staircase, and follow they did. She flipped a switch and a single light came on in the underground room at the end of the stairs.
“Princess Luna, please brief me on the situation” said Pinkie.
Luna cleared her throat and began “it was early in the morning, about 2am when they launched their attack. We had no warning, and were taken completely off guard. The griffons hit from the north west. They came with guns, claws, and bombs. They struck us from the air. Most of Canterlot was destroyed, and those who survived fled into the nearby forests. Princess Celestia is dead – as are most of the royal family. I’m the only one I know that is left, but I still hold out hope that there may be more of my kinsman that survived...”
With this statement Luna’s emotion got the better of her, and she began crying. Her stature was still strong and noble, but her face was distraught and now clearly showed the pain she felt inside. She had to be strong for her kingdom so she forced herself to be the leader they needed. She took a deep breath and continued “Their army was setting up base in Canterlot, and they were dispatching troops in this direction as I fled. They will be here soon.”
“Princess Luna, I need as many details on their forces as you can give me. I need numbers, weapons, ground forces, and vehicle counts. I need to know as much details as you can spare. Firstly, we need to get the town defenses up.” With that, she flipped a switch and another wall started moving.
The wall folded back and several florescent lights ignited to reveal a moderate armory. There were various guns, blades, and some light battle armor. Pinkie gestured for Twilight and Luna to get some armor, helmets, and some weapons as she moved frantically, but precisely gathering supplies for herself.
“You need to be ready if anything happens. We need both of you to help prepare to town and evacuate everypony. Luna will brief you on the plans...that means she’ll tell you what you need to do Twilight. Will you be ok?” Said Pinkie.
Twilight just sat there staring blankly forward in shock.
“I....I....I don’t know...” She said. “What the hay is going on...Where am I? Can somepony tell me what the buck is going on here?...” Twilight continued hollowly. Can you blame her? Her entire world had just been shaken to its core. Somepony she loved very much had fallen prey to a brutal sneak attack, and what she thought she knew about the friends she had, had just been shattered like glass being hurled against a stone. She started shaking, going into shock. She could feel herself loosing grip on reality and slowly she slipped into unconsciousness...
“Twilight? Twilight?!” Shouted Pinkie as her friend collapsed forward onto the table. Her cries echoed in Twilight's ears as the darkness embraced her, but she was unable answer, and barely able to comprehend. “What is going on? Celestia...” were the rough thoughts that slipped through her head as it hit the table.
“Pinkamina, it can’t be helped, there’s no time! We need to get everypony off the streets now, and the militia assembled. I’ll start the emergency plan, you round up the others in your squad.” Barked Princess Luna.
“Right away” said Pinkie, and she was off out the door.
A black vest adorned her body with a black helmet covering her head, combat goggles waited ready if needed, and daunting blades guarded the sides of her hooves and legs. A large black bag sat on her back, draping over her sides as well, loaded with enough supplies for several other ponies. She moved quickly toward the edge of town, Rarity’s was her destination and she meant to get there in moments. Luna was already out in the town, ordering citizens to take shelter and the militia to assemble. Time was against them, but if they worked fast they could be prepared when the assault undoubtedly would reach them.
“Rarity! Are you here!?” Shouted Pinkie as she approached the door to her shop.
“Yes Darling what do you...” she started to answer as she opened the door, but she was cut off by Pinkie.
“We have a code black, grab your gear and get moving! You know what to do” barked Pinkie. She was firm but not intentionally mean. Time was against everyone, Rarity knew this and her demeanor changed, much as Pinkie’s had when the words ‘code black’ had fallen on her ears...
“Yes Pinkie” Rarity answered without hesitation then questioned “what is the nature behind the code?”
“Sneak attack from the Griffons, unknown numbers, heavily armed, Canterlot has fallen and their force is headed here next.” Answered Pinkie as she produced two smaller (but still rather large) satchels from her bag and dropped them on the ground for Rarity. She was then off without another word, heading for Sweet Apple Acres and the team members that resided there.
Rarity levitated the bags into her house and quickly emptied the content from one: a black vest (similar to Pinkie’s, but specialized for unicorns) and a black helmet (also specialized for unicorns, with a shape for their horn, and a thin silver layer around the horn meant to amplify their magical abilities). Next was a black folded pouch and a hard case. The hard case contained an assault rifle (not like ours of course, but designed by ponies and for ponies), 6 clips of ammunition, and a small maintenance kit. Rarity levitated the rifle and slung it around her neck, ready at a moments notice, and loaded the clips into her vest along with the maintenance kit. The folded pouch was then opened, producing 6 simple blades, a worthy backup for a skilled unicorn. Rarity put the blades into the sides of the vest, grabbed the other bag, and quickly set course for the meadow, and Fluttershy.
She ran flat out for the distance to Fluttershy’s cottage and got there in just a few minutes. She couldn’t help but notice that she had broken a sweat while running, but as vain as she was she pushed the complaint out of her mind. She had a job to do, and was not going to let anypony else down. Even if she did have to get dirty...
“Fluttershy darling!” she said as she pushed through to door without knocking. I hate to barge in on you, but we have a code black.”
“A code....black?....Oh...oh my.” said Fluttershy. Clearly startled as she sat tending to an injured lark.
“I need you to find Rainbow Dash and get with her to Cloudsdale as soon as you can. We need to alert its citizens to the current situation and bring back air support as soon as possible. Have you got that?” Rarity said in her usual charming way. She new she could not be stern or panicked with Fluttershy, or it would just send the poor dear into shock. “you should stay in Cloudsdale until we know more.”
“Oh, ummm...okay” said Fluttershy “just let me finish up here and I’ll be on my way.”
“I’m sorry dear, but I don’t think you quite understand. You must move now.”
“But can’t I just...”
“No Fluttershy” Rarity said, sternness breaking through in her voice “go now.”
“I’m sorry...okay then. Thank you Rarity” said Fluttershy and she was off, flying toward Dash’s training arena. That was the most logical place for her to be this early, as she always practiced for a few hours in the morning.
With Fluttershy on her way to Rainbow Dash, and air support, Rarity turned flank and headed toward Sweet Apple Acres to rendezvous with Pinkie and the others.
“Pinkie Pie, I hope this ain’t what the hay it looks like!” Shouted Applejack as Pinkie was walking up the road to Sweet Apple Acres. “It looks like go-time for something.”
“We have a code black... Griffons” said Pinkie dropping her large bag on the ground. “Get Granny Smith and the fillies into the cellar and tell Big Macintosh to come see me for his gear, then you get back her for your gear as well.” (The Cutie Mark Crusaders had been sleeping over in their clubhouse.)
Applejack didn’t need to hear another word. She knew what code black meant just as the other ponies did, and quickly shouted for Big Macintosh as she took off toward the house. Pinkie was emptying the contents of the bag into piles and separating them for the ponies as Big Macintosh approached her. “You called?” He said in his slow, laid-back drawl.
“Yes, we have a code black. Get your gear and get ready to roll, we move out in 5 minutes and make for Sugarcube Corner” was Pinkie’s reply.
“Eeyup” was all Big Mac said as he started donning his gear in silence. Since he was built for hauling, the equipment he wore was the heavier weaponry. He wore the same black vest as the others, but his hoof blades were significantly larger than the other sets, to match his physique. Also, strapped to his vest on one side was an RPG with 4 more rounds on the other side.
Soon Applejack appeared with news that everyone was safely in the cellar, and started donning her own vest, helmet, and blades, all identical to Pinkie’s. Rarity arrived shortly before they were ready to go and briefed Pinkie Pie that Fluttershy had been sent off for Rainbow Dash and air support successfully. The team was assembled, and moved quickly to make it back to Ponyville in time.
Meanwhile, in the basement under Sugarcube Corner Twilight slowly regained consciousness. She woke up confused and dazed, slowly coming to grips with the reality that was going on all around her. Luna was outside, busy warning people to take shelter and hide. Twilight had been moved to the far end of the table, away from the door where common pony after pony poured into the armory and exited as soldiers. Twilight had heard rumors of a town militia, but never thought much of it until now when it all was sinking in just how real everything was. Her comfortable existence had been torn away like a scab, and now the fresh skin underneath was left exposed, to toughen. It was painful. Twilight’s mind was in agony, her very life torn raw, but she had no choice but to deal with it.
The chaos had finally died down, for now, as the final soldier shuffled out into the streets to ready themselves behind the make-shift ramparts and barricades. The earth ponies were armed with blades, and protected with light armor. The unicorns had the long-range weapons such as guns. While a few highly skilled unicorns were given multiple guns, and special blades likes Rarity had been. These few unicorns were the elite. Able to concentrate their magic on multiple objects at once. Making them especially great soldiers.
Twilight was left alone with her thoughts, as jumbled as they were. She defaulted to the only thing she knew best. She quickly found a pen, ink, and scroll in the room, and proceeded to write down her thoughts. She began “Dear Princess Celestia...” She paused a moment, something felt off, then it hit her. She began to cry. The tears fell down like raindrops as she crossed out her former mentors name. Her heart broken again as she struggled to find words, as she struggled to see the page and quill. “No-one, that will have to do” she thought and she began laying the days painful evens out orderly. Separating herself from them would help her organize her thoughts, she had learned this over her studies, and had used this trick to become excellent at organization. This time...just this once, there was no way to pull the events out like that. They were too close, too personal, and as she wrote she felt her sadness fade and quickly grew into anger, and into rage. Her final words or her letter were dripping with anger and vengeance; “there will be blood.”
She was just signing her name when the room shook, as if the very roots of the world were being violently attacked.
The griffons were here. The bombs were falling.
Spike woke up from where he was sleeping in the corner and started to move toward the door but Twilight stopped him. “No Spike, stay here where it’s safe” she instructed her friend and assistant. “We’ve lost enough today as it is, and I need you Spike, so please stay here.” She said, a tear forming in here eye.
Spike said nothing, but walked to Twilight and hugged her like there was nothing else to do. For there really was nothing else to do. Words? What did words mean in a dark time such as this. Friendship, a soft touch, those were what were real. Spike may still be young, but he is no fool.
They hugged like this through shock after shock, bomb after bomb, until the bombing ceased. “Spike stay here. Promise me” said Twilight.
“I promise” said Spike nodding somberly as Twilight exited the door. She wasn’t even sure why she did. Maybe she could help? Maybe it was her drive to learn, even of something as terrible as war. The sight that greeted her was not a pleasant one. much of the city lay in ruin and there were bodies of griffon and pony alike laying in the street. Some dead, some wounded and dying, other that may still live. She sat her note on the counter and looked out into the street, watching in horror as a griffon slay a pony with it talons, then in turn was dismembered by two earth ponies and their hoof-blades. Twilight weakened at the sight of the blood, her stomach and limbs growing uneasy. But still she stared on in fascinated horror at the death strewn before her hooves. She could do nothing but watch.
“The griffons are here!” Pinkie shouted as the shock wave reached her and her small squad. The bombs had begun falling when they were within a final sprint of the city.
“Take cover!” She screamed her orders, throwing herself to the side and into a wooded area. The rest of her team followed suit and they watched, cold and emotionless as the bombs fell. Rarity let out a muffled scream as her shop was hit, and one side shattered. It remained standing still. The others just watched, nothing could be done as the team of griffons high above the city continued emptying their payload of destruction. Suddenly one of the griffon fell as a streak of color blazed past. Rainbow Dash had arrived with her team from Cloudsdale. They outnumbered the griffons, were faster, and more agile. Griffon after griffon fell out of the sky as the Pegasi blazed past them in a slash and run assault. The bombers were virtually eliminated, and the few that survived were forced to land or flee.
“Now’s our chance! Go go go!” Shouted Pinkie. Her squad of friends following her into the city. Rarity’s gun was already in the air to be ready at a moments notice, the griffons she saw were many, and much of the town’s militia had fallen in the initial bombardment. The griffons were quickly overrunning those that remained, though they fought fiercely. Rarity leaped over a downed griffon and opened fire on four griffons that were about to shred two earth ponies. She aimed for the chest, and two of the four fell before they heard her battle cry. She quickly changed heading to the side as the two remaining squared up, intent on devouring this new foe. So intent that they forgot about the 2 earth ponies, who took this opportunity to slit their throats – one each from behind.
Rarity winced at the sight of the blood it brought, but she knew this was no time for vanity and moved on, a rogue warrior as her three companions, all earth ponies, formed a spearhead, driving through the griffon lines from the back, catching them unaware as they sliced and fired at pony after pony in the town’s militia. The griffons had not foreseen this much resistance and were planning on catching the ponies off guard.
Pinkie Pie lead the spearhead formation, with Applejack on one side, and Big Mac on the other. Big mac cleared out a grouping of 3 griffons with a single shot from his RPG, quickly reloading as Pinkie and AJ rounded a corner and caught a squad of 4 griffons from the side. The two closest fell as Pinkie and AJ slashed their throats in almost perfect unison. The next 2 turned and opened fire just as their fate was closing steps. Pinkie’s target missed her as she slashed first its gun-arm, then with her other hoof lay a follow-up strike into its chest, dropping it to the ground. Applejack’s target fell to another throat slash, firing as it fell and sending several bullets into Applejack’s hip and leg.
Applejack screamed in agony as the fire and lead tore through her flesh. She fell to the ground, plunging her blades into her foe as she did.
“Mac!” Pinkie screamed “Get her to cover!”
“Eeyup” was Mac’s response as he loaded another round into the RPG after firing his second shot at a fatefully doomed squadron passing by. “Come on AJ” he said calmly as he dragged her into an alley. He remained standing guard over her as Pinkie moved on alone.
It’s no secret that Pinkie seems very well to defy the laws of physics. She moved quickly and quietly through the alleys around the town, catching griffon after griffon from behind. Foe after foe fell to her blades. She had spent many years lurking through these alleys and streets, and was not about to let anyone lay waste to her city, nor to her friends.
She coolly navigated her way to Sugarcube Corner, emerging from an alley across the street from the front door. It was still standing, and relatively undamaged. She checked left, then right to make sure the path was clear, then quickly made a rush for the door. She had just reached it as her eyes locked with Twilight's through the glass, a look of horror and sheer terror on her friend’s face. Twilight tried to scream, but she couldn’t move, all she could do is watch as 2 teams of 4 griffon each rounded the corner behind Pinkie.
They opened fire, shattering the windows around Twilight and peppering the wood with bullet-holes. Pinkies eyes locked in Twilights as she felt the bullets burn through her flesh. The pain was immense, but not as immense as the pain she felt knowing that without her there, Twilight would be an easy target, and would fall next. The pain of failing a friend was intense. She collapsed onto the ground unable to move further. She lay there laboring for her breathe as her energy drained slowly into the dirt around her.
Twilight watched the whole thing in slow motion, unable to pull her eyes away from Pinkie’s face. Then the emotion hit her like an avalanche. Her eyes were torn from the sight of her friend as she collapsed onto the ground outside. Pinkie was gone... She felt herself losing it. All the pent up rage was overwhelming her. Her life was being torn apart and there was nothing she could do but watch. She felt helpless. Slowly that helplessness combined with the rage and grew into power. She lost control of her own actions and gave into the powerful anger that surged through her body. It felt like fire and lightning were surging through her very blood as she stepped out in the street. Her magic had been awakened.
The griffon squadrons had already passed by without seeing her, but upon hearing the door open, and the glass crumble they turned to face, and lay waste to another pony victim. This time the tables had been turned.
Twilight had lost control. She had given into the magic and the hatred that filled her body and soul. The ground trembled as she took her stance to face the griffon squads ahead of her, and the army behind them. Her eyes glowed white, purple ions surging through the air around her, ionizing it into and intense storm of lightning and raw magic energy. The griffons opened fire immediately, their confidence turned to terror. Their bullets flew wild, and the few that were true to their mark disintegrated as the entered the field of magic around her. The ground under her hooves started to crack, and she cried out in a scream of rage as the star that was her cutie mark was burned into the very rock she stood on.
Rocks rose into the air, rubble was sucked from the streets around her, all started circling her in a field of magic. She walked toward the squad that had felled her friend, gathering more and more material and energy into the field around her. She was closing in on them, they started to flee in their panic, but it was too late. She glanced right at them with her lidless white eyes, and at her will they were bombarded with pure magic, rock, and rubble. They fell, all eight, in one brief moment. In one glance they fell, some burning, others riddled with holes and dripping with blood, their flesh ripped apart for the crimes they had committed.
Twilight then shifted her gaze further ahead, on the army that was filling the streets . Their fate would be different though. The rage that poured through her veins had not been quelled by the avenging of her friend, but rather had intensified. Thoughts of Pinkie, Celestia, Canterlot, Ponyville, and Spike all flooded her mind as she charged head-on at the remaining ranks of the griffon army. They opened fire on her, but nothing could stop her. The griffons tried and tried again to fell her, but their bullets were not reaching their target. In fact, her magic was bending them, and they were sailing back into the griffon ranks.
Just as she reached them she let out a final cry. Loudly, she screamed letting out the entire day in one horrific, ear-splitting sound. She fell to her own magic and it took her completely. The purple sphere around here dug into the ground tearing up rocks and earth, the exploded in a massive burst of pure magic energy. The ground rippled away from her like water being struck by a boulder. It poured away in waves wrecking buildings, shredding trees, and scorching griffons. The few that survived scattered into the wind for their very lives. Twilight collapsed, darkness engulfing her as she fell from where she had been standing into the empty crater of glass she had opened beneath her own hooves.
Dear No-one
Chapter 2: Salvage and Requiem
“Haaaa!” Luna shouted in rage as she ran her horn through her foe’s neck. Her horn glowed fiercely with magical energy and was stained red with the blood of her enemies. The griffon she slew fell limp at her feet, a pool of blood forming from its wound. In a split second she verified it had been disabled.
“Onto the next one” she thought instinctively, but that had been the last. She searched in vain to find another victim, but all near her had fallen already. She paused briefly, panting heavily as she struggled to catch her breath, but a few short breaths later it was back to the task at hand. She began trotting hastily toward the noise of the battle when she felt the air around her ripple with magic. A wave of energy had surged past, her delicate fur standing on end as she sensed only what an expert magician could; power. An ancient and primal power she had not felt from another except the Elements of Harmony themselves rippled through the space around her. Pausing to consider the meaning behind it, her questions were only multiplied when the ground shook and surged as if the very roots of the earth were being undone.
A moment later, the sky lit up bright purple as the whole city shook. The sky was dripping in raw magical energy as debris from the distant explosion rained down. Some of it glowed purple and white with traces of magic, others glowed molten red, still a few more were glowing white hot as the air shimmered with fragments of glass. Luna knew what had happened, but did not know it’s source. Her mind raced as she considered all these things, racing toward the sourse with all the speed her weary body would allow.
A few brief moments later she was at the source of the blast, ground zero. Before her was opened in the earth a crater, coated in glass and shimmering in the sunlight. It would have been beautiful but for the destruction that rained all around. Trees were torn away, leaving only stumps behind. What remained of their bark and branches scattered outward away from the blast. The same was true for any nearby structures, as well as the griffon army. Many griffon lay strewn about. Limbs hewn from their bodies, blood pooling from their open wounds, and also sprayed away from the blast, much like the trees and buildings.
Luna swiftly but cautiously approached the crater, observing the destruction all around her. But as she did, her eyes fell on a limp figure. A blackened purple unicorn lay in the basin before her. A unicorn she had conversed with many times before and counted as a friend. She dove in quickly, without regard for her own safety. The fragile glass crumbling beneath her hooves as she ran toward the limp body of Twilight Sparkle. Luna lifted the unconscious unicorn and carried her from the smoldering glass crater. Twilight woke slightly, for just a moment, and mumbled “Pinkie...no...” before fading back into darkness. Luna could sense something was wrong and after laying Twilight in the shadow of a piece of a wall (under the care of a nearby unicorn-soldier), she began searching...
A pegasus pony spotted Pinkie Pie from the air and alerted Luna, who was almost instantly by her side. She lay in front of Sugarcube Corner, facedown in a pool of blood.
“Get Redheart!” Shouted Luna “She is still alive! Pinkamina, hold on!”
Luna’s horn began to glow, shoring up her friend’s open wounds as she fought to stabilize the town’s party-pony.
“Hurry! She is critical and needs immediate attention!” Cried Luna as the pegasi around her scrambled to find Nurse Redheart and other medical ponies.
The seconds fell like drops of rain. Slow as molasses across the ice cold emotion hanging in the air. The few moments it took to find medical aid felt like years. Luna watched as the tides of time passed in front of her. As Pinkamina’s life was draining like the sand from an hourglass. Each breath that passed through Luna’s lungs, was one less Pinkie would have, but help arrived just as the cold darkness was setting in. Luna used her magic. Nurse Redheart and her assistants used their medical skill. The end result that was, after hours of delicate procedures, and powerful spells, it seemed Pinkie would live.
***Meanwhile***
Twilight’s eyes began to open. The world was blurry and swirling. Her head pounded like the bombs that had been falling.
“Bombs?” She asked herself, the pounding in her head bringing back a vague recollection of the morning’s events.
“What happened...Ugh...”
Then it all began flowing back inter mind. The images were rough, but the feelings, they were real. Her eyes finally focused on the soldier by her side.
“Who...who are you?” Asked the still-dazed Twilight.
“I’m Sharpy. Princess Luna asked me to watch over you while she tended to Pinkamina.”
“Pinkamina?” Twilight muttered, her mind trying to burn through the haze around it. “Pinkamina Dianne Pie... Pinkie!” She leapt up.
“I watched her die in front of me...trying to protect me!” Shouted Twilight, tears streaming down her face. “I should have saved her! I should have...I...It’s all my fault she’s dead...”
“Whoa, but she isn’t dead, miss!” Interrupted the soldier. “She’s wounded pretty badly, but between the Princess and that nurse Redheart, they expect her to make a fair recovery.”
“She’s okay?” Said a cautious Twilight Sparkle.
“Not really okay, but she is alive, and it’s looking very promising. It was close there for a while...” Sharpy corrected her.
“A while?” Inquired the puzzled unicorn. “How long was I out...what happened? I remember watching Pinkie be attacked...and bleeding out in front of me. Then I killed a few griffons? I killed griffons...” her complexion dropped “but they attacked my friends. Then I remember feeling angry. Very angry. Then a bright light...and now you. What can you tell me? I need to know Sharpy.”
“I saw the whole thing miss...”
“Twilight Sparkle. Call me Twilight.”
“I saw the whole thing miss Twilight. I was just rounding the corner when I saw your friend go down. You came out of the shop...madder than a rampaging Ursa Major, and more unstoppable too.”
He paused for a moment thinking “I...” he stopped again and his face drooped.
“I’m not proud to say it, but I hid. I was afraid of you. The air around you crackled with magic, and you were glowing...bright white eyes...oh Celestia your eyes! I hid...but I came out when I heard, and felt, a massive explosion.” He gestured to the crater.
“We found you in the bottom of it. Best Luna could tell is that your magic caused the explosion. And let me tell you, it was a big one.”
Twilight needed no convincing. She had noticed the devastation around her when the stallion had first gestured to the crater.
“I...I caused...that?” Stammered Twilight in shock. “I’ve never seen something that could cause that power... No spells I’ve ever heard of, let alone that I know myself. I don’t believe it...” she sat, hoof rubbing her head while she pondered on what the soldier had told her.
Did she really cause that? What power was this!? She was completely lost. She needed to speak with Luna. To find out more about this possibility. Princess Celestia herself had told Twilight she had the most raw magic of any pony she’d ever seen. Perhaps it was true? Not that the Princess would lie, but Twilight never thought this power possible, even for Celestia. Celestia.... The thought brought tears to Twilights eyes. “I miss her...” Thought the royal student “a lot.” And her tears fell.
“This isn’t the time for this.” Twilight scolded herself “there are things that need doing. The time for mourning will come. This is the time for vengeance...”
With this realization, Twilights complexion turned stone cold. Her tears of sadness turned to tears of anger. Her emotions were over whelming her. She needed to find Luna, and to see Pinkie.
“Where is Luna?” Twilight questioned her guard “I must speak with her as soon as possible.”
The guard nodded “follow me” and trotted toward Sugarcube Corner. Twilight stepped carefully around the bodies. She was trying to avoid soiling her hooves, and understandably so. For the terrors and aftermath of war are never pretty. As she walked she continued to ponder the destruction laid, quite literally, at her feet. Her mind raced trying to explain the information given to her. Her head pounded from the racing thoughts, combined with exhaustion from her magic-induced blackout. Had she really caused that? And if she had, where did this power come from? Perhaps...perhaps she really has that strong. But her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Twilight, I am glad to see you awake.” Luna addressed her calmly, with a touch of relief showing through her voice. “You were in the back of my mind for some time now, though Pinkiamina was my primary concern.”
“Where is she?” Asked Twilight, quickly snapping from her philosophy session and back to reality. She pushed her pondering to the back of her mind as she focussed on her friend.
“How is she?” Twilight asked. The image of Pinkie collapsing, their eyes locked in silent fear, was burned into her memory. It kept replaying over and over on the back of her eyelids. She needed to see her, to know she was alive in order to avoid the panic and dread that was overtaking her.
Luna saw this in Twilight, and could tell what had happened. The answers to her own questions were beginning to fall into place.
“Right this way Twilight. Follow me.”
As those words went from her lips Luna turned and walked into Sugarcube Corner. Twilight followed quickly behind her, anxious to see Pinkie. Anxious to see her friend alive.
“She is resting” the princess informed her young counterpart. “She is asleep now recovering her strength, but I know you are anxious to see her. Also, I am sure Applejack will be glad to see you as well. She has some wounds, but nothing life threatening I assure you.”
Twilight nodded, and continued to walk beside the princess. The pair passed bed after bed, finally coming to the one where the pink pony lay sleeping. Her body was covered in bandages, spots of blood soaked through many of them. But she was breathing. Twilight sighed in relief, but refrained from speaking so as not to disturb her. The purple magician looked up at the princess, here eyes filled with tears of happiness. Luna understood exactly what she meant, what she was trying to say, and smiled back. Her own eyes were damp with tears as well. The two nodded silently, and the alicorn began leading her sister’s student to the bed of Applejack.
“Thank you” Twilight whispered. And a moment later “Thank you, for saving her.”
Luna just nodded, smiling sadly as a single tear rolled down her cheek. She knew the pain of losing her friends. It’s a pain that alicorn will know better than any other, for their nigh-immortality. The pain of loss was still very fresh for her in fact, but happiness crept back into her heart seeing the friends reunited. And soon she would realize more of the same joy and Twilight trotted softly beside Big Macinstosh, to Applejack’s bedside.
“Hey AJ, Mac” Twilight greeted them softly so as not to disturb the surrounding patients.
“Hey Twilight. Boy am I glad to see y’all.” Answered the earth-pony softly. Her complexion quickly lifting. Here face was wrinkled with pain and discomfort, but the edges of her face were upturned happily at the sight of her friend.
The purple mare sat gently at the foot of the bed and smiled warmly at her friend. Concerned, she just sat silent for a while. Breathing relief that her friend was okay. The time passed quietly as the friends relaxed, happy just to feel each other nearby and safe. After some time and some smalltalk, Rainbow Dash joined them, followed by Fluttershy and Rarity, who quickly said her hello and well wishes, and trotted off to find a washroom and get cleaned up.
“I am pleased that you are well AJ, but if you will excuse me, I simply must be getting cleaned up! The fight is over, and a lady should look presentable!” And with those words, Rarity disappeared.
“Hey AJ!” Said Dash enthusiastically “I saw some of your moves down there and your were awesome! Almost as awesome as me!”
Everyone laughed at the pegasi’s inflated ego. No one was sure if she was completely serious. The speedster herself didn’t even know anymore. Was she really cocky and arrogant? Or just doing it for comic relief that was so desperately demanded in a time like this? Everyone knew she was headstrong, and proud of her own achievements, and rightfully so! But she was probably just kidding; at least some of the times.
“I do apologize, but your friend must get her rest” said a worn looking nurse Redheart. “You all can come back in the morning, and I hope you will!”
The friends all jumped a bit, startled at the sudden appearance of the medical mare. Their eyes drooped as the words sunk in. Knowing it was needed, and accepting their parting for the night were two different things. The scarred country belle looked up with sad eyes, but no one said a word in dispute of the nurses orders.
“I’ll see you tomorrow AJ” Twilight said sadly.
The others nodded in agreement and the group proceeded to walk somberly toward the entrance of the makeshift clinic. Twilight drug her feet through what was left of the door, head hung low, but was suddenly stopped as her head bumped against a black coated chest.
“Princess Luna!” the unicorn gasped, her eyes widening in her astonishment, then wrinkling in thought as she recalled her need.
“Princess, I need to talk with you.” She paused briefly, searching her tongue for the words that needed said; “about magic.” Twilight was questioning her own words, but Luna had known what she wanted even before her tongue had begun uttering. The princess knew more than her sister’s student did, but it wasn’t much.
“Twilight” she began “my sister saw something special in you from the moment you first applied to her school. The details of what she saw were kept private to herself only. I do not know the details, but she saw great power in you; great potential for abilities far surpassing other unicorn.”
“I do not know details, my sister kept them to herself, but there is a chance she wrote them down in her diary. If her pages survived the attack on Canterlot then when this war is over there is always a chance that we might find answers together. My sister loved you Twilight.”
As Luna spoke, the thoughts and memories of her sister came flooding back into her mind. Her complexion grew steadily more mournful. Her mind kept forcing her back from the present to that fateful moment, less than a day earlier, where she had watched her sister fall. The bombs had been falling and the sisters were pushing through to their escape route when the blast hit the hallway they were in. Luna was thrown across the room, but as she flew she could see behind her, her beloved sister disappearing into fire and rock. The Night Princess felt the pain as if it were her own, perhaps is had been only her own body hurling into the opposing wall. But the sisters had a bond like nopony else, perhaps she really had felt her sister’s pain as the rocks and fire consumed her. She had most certainly felt when her body was crushed, and her soul slipped it’s frail bonds and went to peace in the afterlife.
“The afterlife...” Luna thought as her address to Twilight came to a close.
“I love you, Dear Sister” Celestia’s last words echoed through Luna’s mind, haunting her and bringing her peace.
“Enough for now dear sister” Luna’s thought lay cast on the wind.
“There is a war to fight.”
And with that Luna drew her attention back to the present demand as a strategy began forming in the void of her mind where thoughts of her sister had dwelled only moments before. There was a war to fight. The first battle had gone well, but had left many more questions than answers, and had certainly done plenty of damage to Ponyville and its inhabitants as well. She needed to act fast, and yet time was against her. Time...
