Chapters Prologue
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The metallic growl filled the air shaking the lavender alicorn princess from her bed in her castle. Landing on the floor with a resounding thud from the violent staking of the world around her is what brought the princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle back to the living. Looking in the darkness as she struggles to her hooves, bright red flashes of light occasionally illuminating her bed room as she attempts to get her bearing. Taking a single wobbly step before bursting into a run her four hooves making an echoey clack sound as she sprinted through the empty castle. Reaching the exit and pushing her way through the massive double doors a horrific sight greeted her in the distance. Canterlot her hometown, the home of her parents, the location of the castle the housed not only her mentor the ruling princess but her mentor's sister the other ruling princess was gone, laying in a smoking rubble at the base of the mountain it was built into the side of.
Her musing was cut short as a beam of red light struck Ponyville Town hall vaporizing in before the beam traveled up taking out several homes instantly killing its occupants. "Twilight!" Came the shout of five voices catching her attention away from the horror, in front of her running and flying toward her where her friends in panicked tones.
"Girls we have to get inside and use the harmony before it is to late" cried out the lavender mare before turning and moving back inside heading toward the throne room flanked by the other five. Moving quickly the six surround the six point star in the center of the room focusing their minds and wills on the task needed to be done. 'We must stop the monster doing this" was the collected thought, though the wording in their heads each varied. The star started to glow brightly engulfing them in a bright light before swallowing up the rest of the crystal tree like castle and raising up into the sky leaving an empty spot where the castle had once stood.
Deep in the dark forest, in a cavern another crystal tree started to glow before shattering into shards of multicolored lights. Floating in places was six gems each shaped differently, an orange apple, a red lightning bolt, a blue balloon, a pink butterfly, a purple gem, and a violet star. The light began gather slowly begin absorbed into each of these floating gems. When all the shards where gone darkening the cavern once more, the gems shot out streaking off into the sky toward the large glowing sphere that floating above here the castle once stood joining with it before it shot into the sky and into the starry night. Now inside the light the six young mares can see the bringer of such destruction, before them floating in the heavens with them was what could roughly in their minds was a gigantic metal squid looking creature firing read beams of light at the ground.
Focusing on the task trying to ignore the oddity before them a rainbow beam fired from their magical sphere of light striking the monstrosity with unbelievable force causing an explosion that put a stop to the red beams of death raining down on their loved ones. They watch as the beast curled up the light going out they drifted away from it into the pitch black void surrounding them. Each give a bittersweet smile of the thought of their home now safe before everything went dark and time seemed to come to a stop to them.
In a burst a ling silver star ship appeared in a desolate star system cutting through the blackness as it moved toward its intended target. Inside the standing at a holographic map of the galaxy stood a tall man with buzzed black hair and short stubble on his face listening to a distress call. "This is Professor Ground Breaker from the Equestria University onsite of a dig requesting aid from anyone, we are under attack by Geth forces! I repeat ...." The man ended the message with a motion of his hand. "Kaidan and Wrex meet me in the Mako on the double!" He barked over the ships comms, turning back on his heel making his way down the stairs to the slow lift that would take him to his intended destination.
The star ship dropped down close to the barren, gray, dusty world before dropping out a six wheeled tank letting the vehicle drop. Just before slamming into the ground four jets of blue flame shot from the bottom of it slowing its decent. Landing smoothly at a slight angle toward the location of the distress call, it did not even come to a stop upon hitting the ground rolling at full speed to its target.
The run was a straight on with only a few craters dotting the passage, and an army of one eyed, three fingered synthetic troops, and a few larger ones standing on four legs. The tank not even taking a moment's hesitation opened fire from the large cannon at the first of the four legged colossus sending it falling over. The rapped tak tak sound filled the inside of the armored vehicle as the machine gun sprayed out at the smaller troops. Using the speed momentum to run over more troops and another colossus it fired its cannon at the remaining one that was turning toward it from the metal shaft sticking from the ground it had been focused on. In mid turn the colossus fell to the dusty grey soil before the tank came to a stop at the metal shaft.
Three men entered the tube leading to the dig sight below, the first man leading the team into was the man who stood giving the orders on the ship he wore black skin tight armor on the right arm was a red stripe going down it with white stripes on either side, on the right side of his chest was N7. The next was a behemoth of a creature wearing dark red armor with a hump going up from the back to the back of the head. His head was a gray reptilian like face with bright red slitted eyes and a red bony like cranium all covered in scars. The last was another smaller man with solid black skin tight armor and short black hair with tan skin. The lead man held in his had a pistol with both hands pointing it unwavering in front of him while the other two held shot guns at their sides ready to take on any enemy that they may face.
Upon entering the first chamber they took in the sight of the tall thin horse men laying on the ground in pools of crimson. Just beyond them more synthetic troopers now aware of their presence turn toward them firing bursts of light from their weapons at the three making them take cover behind a few crates. The leader taking aim with his pistol fired 3 shoots striking the first of the troopers in the glowing light on its head and hitting the other two around it for good measure, the other two following up behind him blasting the incoming troopers. Working their way through the onslaught of metal soldiers the three slowly made it to the next tube clearing out any opposition along the way.
After a long arduous battle they made their way into the last chamber where the only survivor lay beyond the doors holding his side as a river of blood runs down his side. The tall horse man looked up at them with his long thin furred coat face, the worry in his dark eyes giving way to relief.
*cough*"Thank mana you are here *cough* you have to get this out of here" The horse man spoke blood running from her muzzle. The leader of the three knelt down before the dying horse man to inspect him, "I am Commander Shepard we can get you out of here." Though deep down he knew it would be pointless the horse wasn't going to last another 5 minutes let alone the time it would take to get him to the medical bay on their ship. To his surprise though the horse man forced his way up shaking his head, "follow me." He limped leading them into the back of the room where a rainbow pentagon shaped gem sat. "I won't *cough* make it, but this is more important then my life. *cough cough* It is what they are after and the key to my Equuis history, you have to get it out of here." The horse man coughed once more spilling blood from him mouth before collapsing with a raspy gasp, then moved no more.
Shepard looking from the now corpse to the gem he gave his life for and stepped closer to it. He could feel some kind of energy unlike anything he had ever felt before pulsating from the large gem. It seemed to call to him in a gentle tug in the back of his mind wanting him to touch it, a vast different feeling from the forceful pull of the last thing he had encountered that pulsated. A blank expression filled his eyes as he stepped toward the gem raising his hand, and with out any control laid his hand upon the gem. Once his hand grasped the gem it flashed in a bright light blanketing everything in its gentle shine making the world around the three seem to disappear.
Lost in Time
The Elements of Harmony reached out through time and space seeking the very last collective through the six had as the darkness took them, the thought of home. This light moved through a single moment in time and searched for Equuis trying to find answers for their bearers. With in the glowing mass the six ponies saw the search as they watch moving from star to star, until it found the small blue, green and brown sphere that held the nation of Equestria. Looking upon the landscape upon defeating the beast, the mountain that Canterlot had once set along the side of was hit with a stray shot causing it to crumble burying the once great capital under a ton of boulders and dirt leaving not a trace. Their home Ponyville, while much was still standing the destruction was obvious and several ponies they knew lay lifeless killed in the destruction of their homes. Some homes which took direct hits from the beast left no evidence of their occupants to be seen, the red light making only ash to remain.
Time seemed to speed up as day and night passed in a nearly strobe light like fashion watching as homes where rebuilt and the dead where given loving funerals. Time slowed again to fast but not blinding speed. They watched as chaos came not only to their home all of Equestria upon the knowledge that all but one of the princesses where gone from the world. Riots and crime began as homeless numbers grew and parents forced to do what was needed to feed their starving foals, even if sometimes it meant the death of another.
The kind royal guards vanished in number as they where replaced by ponies in heavier armor and higher brutality who would sometimes drag ponies from their homes beating them if they even spoke out of line against the now ruling King Blue Blood, whom was on a trip to Manehatten at the time of the attack or any of his court. Relations with the Crystal Empire slipped as Cadence spoke out against her aunt's replacement, other allied nations followed like Saddle Arabia and the Griffon Kingdom due to the new kings treatment of foreign dignitaries.
A revolution started up in the once happy utopian kingdom, as the disenfranchised citizens rose up being aided secretly by the Crystal Empire through an underground movement. Many died on both sides friend killing friend, brother killing brother, families destroyed in the carnage that drenched the land in blood. After what seemed years of war Blue Blood and his cronies where drug from their fortresses and executed publicly and their bodies dumped into the trash as a final insult to the tyrant. In the place of the police state dictatorship rose up a republic with each town having a representative to represent their needs to cast votes what the nation did.
Again time speed up again to the watching eyes months and years passing in the blink of an eye before slowing down again to allow them to observe another massive change occurring in their world. The beast that they defeated still in orbit had deteriorated over the years and was now leaking a dark substance from the massive corpse, this dark substance slowly raining all over the world. The people began to grow sick and birth defects began in mass, as the beasts corruption began to plague the land in an seemingly earnest revenge. As the corruption continued it seemed unicorn and pegasus foals where no longer being born, then coats started to loose their bright technicolor shades instead settling for browns, blacks, tans, and whites. Manes lost their bright tone as well turning more subtle in their shades, back hooves grew in length as a membrane slowly grew segmenting the tip of the hoof allowing it to fold a little for better stability and walking in the hind legs. With the forelegs no longer needed for stability hooves on the fore legs began to vanish from the new born foals slowly giving rise to four bumps at the end of the appendage that eventually grew into three fingers and an opposable thumb. Ponies grew in height as well eliminating the ponies altogether leaving only 7-8 foot tall horse people. By this point mana use or magic as they called it vanished from it citizens being replaced by varying biotic abilities, seems the world kept the clans separate even if they did not know it. Three types of biotics arose some could create barriers usually stronger barriers then any other race but could do nothing else. Others could generate around themselves allowing them to manipulate gravity fields around them for levitation, long range leaping or even limited flight. Another group could wield biotics on a level of that of an Asari with a small number of the most powerful enough to be ranked with Asari Matriarchs.
The plague and also brought famine that hit the other races much harder then the equine, hydras began to attack cities making the armies of the republic fight them and with sheer numbers eventually brought the multi headed serpents to extinction. The plague had done in the dragons weakening them with sores and scale loss killing most in fever fits while others meet the same fate as that of the hydras, in the end only one dragon remained, a friendly ancient purple and green dragon who stood guard watching the heavens as if hoping and waiting for something. In the end even he too gave in, dying alone in his cave in his sleep holding in his claws a faded tattered photo and a single tear running down his cheek. With the loss of magic the changlings could no longer feed on love and slowly starved to death. In the end only two sentient races remained the equine and the griffons, while the equines evolved the griffons did not as the birth rate dropped drastically. With fear gripping the shrinking griffon kingdom, they placed the blame on the equines calling it an act of war. Even with the reduced numbers the sheer strength of the griffons made the war a bloody one, but even with heavy losses the equines had won and what was left of the griffons had retreated where they faded from existence leaving the once strong proud race to die out not with a bang but a sickly whimper. After nearly five thousand years Princess Cadence the last relic of the old world and ex ruler of the once Crystal Empire finally passed away in her sleep, her strong alicorn magic protecting her from the plague but not of the ravages of time proving that even the once believed immortal alicorns grew old in enough time.
Time once again sped back up decade and centuries passing in a instance as the civilization grew again now relying on technology over magic. The beast now no longer held by the effects of the magic of the planet drifted off into the void leaving it and the old world only as a myth. They watched as their races descendants started to travel to the stars and eventually uncover a Prothean ruin where mass effect technology was uncovered and the mass relay was found. Being a curious adventurous race they where they jumped at this chance to explore the galaxy and discovering the massive station the citadel and a new race who had only been there ten years the Asari. The two friendly races came to an alliance rather quickly, and added a third race to that alliance merely a few days later. As the six watched the tall equine shake hands with the smaller amphibian creature everything went dark as unconsciousness took them.
Awaken
To Shepard and the rest of the universe the blinding light had only taken a few seconds before receding back into 6 small glowing pony forms. Each of the forms though was its own color with a different shaped and colored gem floating over them. One was an orange apple with small green leaves coming from the top the pony shape under this gem was also orange with waves of same colored light coming off the form that seemed to give a feeling of strength and trust.
A blue party balloon was the next one that caught his eyes below another glowing pony form this one was blue with waves coming off gave a feeling joy and laughter making each of the tree a challenge to keep a straight face and not smile and laugh.
The next was a purple gem that was actually shaped like a gem beneath the glowing pony form was a little little different then the other two as it had what looked like a single horn from the middle of its head, this one gave off a sensation of beauty and generosity.
Beside that was a pink butterfly shape the pony under it glowed pink as a well but its form seemed to have what looked like wing shaped from its back, its aura felt of unending kindness and gentleness.
The fifth was a red lightning bolt shaped gem and like the pink one the red glowing one seemed to have a set of wings on its back, its aura felt of determination and a friends show of loyalty.
The last one was a magenta six sided star the pony bellow was the most unique seeming to be a little taller then the other and have both wings and a horn, the aura was also the most different as it gave off a feeling of knowing and nearly bring you to your knees power.
The glow ponies all at once seemed to all open their mouths at once as more of the same color energy came out swirling around their individual forms slowly. This continued until all six where completely raped up in an egg shaped cocoon. This held for merely a minute as the pulses of emotions seemed to increase in both speed and intensity, while the gems over head spinning speed increased at the dame level until the their shape was impossible to make out. The gems after a solid five minutes of this slowly started to descend down into the glowing cocoons and the pulses stopped altogether and the glow subsided.
The chamber around them dimmed as the glow receded and the colorful cocoons slowly broke away fading into nothingness. Looking out as the glow was gone entirely leaving only bright spots in the three sets of eyes making it impossible to see anything for a few moments. When their visions cleared they could make out what looked to be six Equines where the glow was, those though seemed different then any of the equines they had seen wandering the galaxy. First the colorful fur coats with only three of them seeming to have colored coat colors and only one of those had a normal color mane.
This one was orange it seemed almost tan colored in the lighting and a blond colored mane and tail both which oddly enough tired up into pony tails. The other normal colored coat one was white but that's where the normalness ended as it had a white spiral horn coming from the center of its forehead and a obviously well maintained deep purple mane and tail both of which where curly. Next up was the other somewhat normal coated one it was a soft yellow but again that's where the normalness ended as sprayed out on the ground under its shoulder blades where two soft yellow wings, its mane was a soft pink color that seemed to be well taken care of but not obsessively so. This mane brought Shepard's attention to another pink as his eyed took in a shockingly pink equine with a darker pink mane and tail, that remind Shepard of childhood and cotton candy as it swirled up into a poofy mess on its head. Next to the pink one was a light blue one, like the yellow one this on had a set of light blue wings coming from its back spreed out across the ground under it, the mane and tail were wild like the creature had better things to do then take care of it and where literally rainbow colored each color evenly spread out with somehow non over lapping the other. The last one was a lavender color with a dark blue mane and tail both had a purple and pink strip though them, this one had both lavender wings and a spiral horn of the same color coming from its head.
Besides the odd features and colors he noticed like other Equines they where bipedal and somewhat horse like with a set of dual segmented elongated hooves that made it easy to walk and hold ones balance and four digit hands. But unlike the tall Equines theses six where short five seemed to be an average height of 4'11" to 5', the lavender one was about 5'3" still short for human standards let alone Equines. Their heads where another oddity as most Equines had long horse faces, but these six had rounded heads with small cute short perky muzzles coming out.
Walking up to the small group he got a better eye of their naked forms and the lack of dangling genitalia and the dual lumps on their chests made him identify all as female, luckily the fur coats hid most that could be considered embarrassing. Kneeling down to the lavender one he slowly felt for a pulse. He quickly found a strong one and looked out at the other five he noticed the slow rhythmic chest moving that indicated that they were all alive and breathing, just unconscious. Picking up the lavender one, placing her over his shoulder he moved the the orange one and did the same putting her over his over shoulder. Turning he motioned to his two squad mates to do the same before all three made their way quickly back the the Mako gently carrying the girls.
Back inside the Normandy's medical bay Shepard, Kaiden and Wrex brought in their cargo and all but Shepard left the room. After explaining the events to Dr Chakwas while she was examining the six. "Well Shepard, I can honestly say other then some odd energy coming off from them, of which is throwing off a lot of my instruments. The six of them are extremely healthy, actually are the most healthy Equines I have ever seen." The silver haired physician said in a strong wise voice.
Shepard looked out at the new passengers with a raised eyebrow. "What about the odd coloring and extremities, I have never seen such things on an Equine?"
The Doctor looked back at her commanding officer and friend with a smile and spoke softer now not wanting to wake up the guests. "When I was studying the physiology of the different races, I visited a museum on Equuis. They had ancient fossils that showed their ancestors. Now you said that when they where glowing the looked to be on all fours right?" The man nodded to her. "This fits before around 48 thousand years ago the races of Equuis where far more diverse, not only where Equines quadrupeds but there where several more species that existed. Griffons, dragons, an horse like insectoid creature and ponies a slightly smaller version, all living on the same world. Now the ponies descendants still exist having evolved and merging with the Equines today, but back then they were separated into four clans who peaceful coexisted. This these two while normal shape in our eyes are different then the ones we know today."
Chakwas pointing at the Orange then at the pink one. "They are called Earth ponies and were believed to be stronger, more resilient and able to grow plants easily. How the later was is not known, but that's the myth. The next two where called Pegasus." Motioning this time to the winged blue and yellow ones. "It was believed that they could control the weather by flying around moving the clouds or agitating them in some way to make rain of even lightning. The white one is a Unicorn, this one was believed to actually have magic" She snorts a little at the thought. "Maybe they can manipulate that strange energy they all seem to have. The last one there is the rarest, the museum said that according to myths there where only four in existence." She motions to the lavender one as she speaks." Alicorns these where supposed to be not only royalty but viewed as gods of the old world, believed to have attributes of all three sub races and more magic then the others." "What of the strange markings on their well... err butts." He said trying to a straight face. "Don't know maybe tribal something to alter the furs pigment colors. You'll have to ask them that when they come to." Shepard nodded making his way from the medical room as two guards stepped in to take his place for the doctor's safety.
Heading across the mess to his new quarters with a thoughtful look on his face. After letting the door close behind him he went to his desk and activated the extranet punching in the name 'Professor Ground Breaker'. Reading over the info that came up was basic info the name that he was 268 years old he was a professor of precorruption history at Equestria University one of the premiere schools in the galaxy. Shepard switched to information on his work in the field trying to figure out why a history professor on Equuis history would be on a dig several systems away. 'The Princess and Harmony' was the title on the screen. This was what he was looking for as the professor's notes spoke of an ancient myth about how one of the four alicons and a group of five of her closest friends wielded and ancient power, supposedly the most powerful objects in their would to defeat a what the ancient texts called the 'Star Beast' before being lost into the heavens. Looking up at the wall in front of him that would house the medical bay across the hallway and the six female Equines and wandered if there were some truths to the middle aged Equines theories.
On a bed in the medical bay a certain lavender that was currently making Shepard curious start to groggily come to her eyelid slowly opening as her violet eyes slowly tried to adjust to the light that had not entered them in more then 50 thousand year.
Getting Answers
Raising her right arm her eyes mostly adjusted to the bright lights at this point and rubs her eyes, letting the soft thin fur covered digits push the dried crust from her eyes. It took a moment of rubbing for a thought to finally click making her eyes shoot open and holding her new hand in front of her face to get a better look. She sat there starting at the lavender hand and fingers, she wiggled them in test to see if they where actually her's not having the concept fully click within her mind. Watching the three fingers and thumb wiggle at her command the process finally clicked and there was only one thing she could do it this situation.
A loud scream echoed not only in the medical bay but all over the deck alerting everyone who knew they where there they one was awake, it also jolted the others from their dark dream land making them jump a little. Chakwas turned in her chair to look at the screaming lavender mare noticing the others awake also staring at their scream companion. "It's okay calm down." Spoken as gentle as she can approaching her as the screams settle a little into deep quick breathes.
Chakwas watched as the violet eyes seemed to focus as if digesting information. The good doctor had been right of course but couldn't even imagine on what really was passing though Twilight's mind, as the memories the gem had picked up looking for home started to process into her mind. She remembered the memories of her people's descendants evolution and how her, and looking around her friends new appearances seemed to fit what she saw. So even though she couldn't understand the silver haired woman's language her new form was starting to no longer frightened her.
It took but a moment for the fear to give way to sadness as she remembered the memory of the purple and green dragon, her friend, brother, son assistant figure dying alone in the cave with only an old ratty photo of her and the girls as company. Her large eyes closed as the tears fell down her muzzle, lowing her head as the tears fell into her lap. Lost in the sad memory of her first real friend outside family she didn't notice one of her friends pulling her self up on the bed until she felt arms wrap around her torso and a head nuzzling into the back of her neck bringing her some comfort. Before she could open her eyes to look four more sets encircled her, her face burying itself into the one in front of her. Her ears twitching as now she heard soft sobs of the ones holding her and a dampness in her mane and against the back of her neck.
Chakwas watched as the six seemed to try to comfort each other, just watching them she could feel the love and caring in each of them for one another, she knew these six where closer then most could even imagine. She was so focused on the love she could feel pouring off of them she jumped as she heard someone talking to her. Taking a moment to notice the language wasn't translating yet. "Try again dear, maybe it can pick up your language this time." Said to someone who couldn't understand her yet either, she raised her left arm as the orange holographic gauntlet appears and began making adjustments.
"Where are we?" Simply asked the lavender one in the center of the others still clinging to her as her language was now being picked up in her omnitool. "There much better, can you understand me dear?" The six of them nodded to her inquiry. She smiled at them her eyes showing a gentleness. "Okay now I am sure you need answers, but those are better left to my commander. But first you girls are, well indecent so I got some clothes from the female crew. Now for the three of you with wings there isn't a slot for them to slip though, so you'll need to keep from spreading them till we can find more accommodating outfits. She said as she started to hand out shorts and tee shirts the female crew gave her from their shore leave supplies.
Watching with a raised eye brow though when the girls who she would have guessed never wore close seemed to figure out how to put them on rather easy, she was about to ask before the door to the med bay opened. The girls looked up at the man who had come in, watching as the guards at the door saluted making Twilight who had watched her brother raise up in the military meant that this guy was in charge. He broke the silence only a few moments after entering the room "Let us take this out in the mess table, I had the crew there clear out for now so we can talk undisturbed and more comfortable."
It did not take long for all to take a seat at the eight chaired table, Shepard on the right side chair closest to the stairs to the CIC, across from him was the lavender Equine and to her left was the white one, the yellow one and the blue one the other two siting on his side with the pink one closest.
"Let us start off with introductions, I am Commander John Shepard of the Alliance ship Normandy and recent counsel Specter." It was the lavender one who spoke, Shepard noticed she had a slight authority tone to her voice meaning she had at least some experience of being in charge.
"I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship and bearer of the element of magic. Beside me in order are Rarity element of generosity, Flutteshy bearer of the element of kindness, Rainbow Dash bearer of the element of loyalty, and on the other side are Applejack bearer of honesty and Pinkie Pie bearer of the element of laughter." Remembering lessons on diplomacy from Celestia that when given titles it is good to give titles back in the return greeting to even to playing field and not make the other person doubt you.
"Good to meet you your highness and the rest of you ladies. Now where would you like to start?" asked Shepard. Twilight though a moment before making her questions.
"Let us start with the most crucial where are we and how did we get here?"
"Where you are is on my ship the SSV Normandy traveling to a crucial mission in the Artemis Tau cluster. I think it be best to you the extranet to understand the star cluster, the info is a little vast for us to try to talk about. Now for how you got here is a little harder to explain. I found you or rather the large rainbow gem you were all encased in when responding to a distress call from a professor from your home world who was looking for any evidence of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony according to the extranet, which I believe you girls are from you info. He was attacked by a group of synthetic creatures call Geth, who seemed to what to get to the gem you where encased in from the force they used to wipe out the research team. How you ended up there, I can only guess if you drifted there from your last action in stopping what your people's history book calls the 'Star Beast'. When I got close to the gem it seemed to want to touch it, it called to me pulling me to do just that and when I did my team and I where blinded by a bright light that came from it. When the light receded the six of you where encased in individual glowing cocoons with an orange apple, a blue balloon, a pink butterfly, a red lightning bolt, a purple gem, and a magenta star gems floating over. The bam out came you six as you are now and we brought you back to my ship for your safety."
Twilight looked at him a moment digesting what he had said before following it up. "What happened to the gems?"
"They went into each of you light cocoons and where gone when the light faded so couldn't tell you, I'm sorry." He opened his mouth to say something else before a communication came over the speakers over head. "Commander I thought i would let you know we are approaching Dr. T'Soni's last known coordinates and I am picking up Geth activity so you may need to get down there quickly."
"Rodger Joker have Garrus and Ashley meet me at the Mako." Cutting it off as he returned his attention to the girls one last time. "Sorry ladies I have to get down there, but before I go I will have a crew member teach you how to access the extranet and you can look up any information that doesn't have to do with your rescue. Any more about the team who found you I will answer later that you can't find on there, the name of the professor who found you was Ground Breaker."
Standing up slowly as he finishes telling them the name he moves over to a young human female standing against the wall away from them and says something Twilight can't make out properly before heading out.
Settling in
After Shepard left to go on his mission down on the planet below, Twilight found herself talking with the female soldier that he had talked to on his way out. She listened to the woman explain bout the machine in front of her that unlocked nearly limitless information at the touch of her finger tips. Needless to say the idea of a massive library contained within the small device sitting in front of her definitely had the alicorn's full attention.
Beside Twilight only Rarity stayed behind to learn about it, wanting to hear about how she could look up new fashion trends in the galaxy. She wanted to focus on the information given to her about the second device in front of her to take her mind off of the loss of her little sister and parents whom would have died so long ago no one would have even know they existed. She had sat a little closer to Twilight then before playing off it was easier to hear the information the two were given then the truth. She sat closer to her light purple friend taking comfort in the familiar presence.
While the two horned mares stayed behind the rest went off to explore the ship and maybe find something to catch their attention so they too could take their minds off the loss of everything that had ever known.
Rainbow Dash was one such person as she careful walked up the stairs to the large command center on shaky legs. The door at the top of the stairs had opened into a sci fi lovers dream, with the most prominent feature to catch her eyes was the large command center in the center with a sloping walk way leading up to holographic display of the galaxy, along the sides are a line of orange holo screens. Moving slowly into the room she notices a bald man with dark facial hair giving her a dirty look from one of the consoles.
She quickly moves past him and the command station, moving up into a hallway with what seemed to be a trench on each side lined with more consoles. She wanders her way forward seeing the end of the hall where a man sat looking over his own displays. "Hey!" She hollered as she entered the cockpit. "Guess you the one flying this thing?" she asked with an intregued tone.
Joker nodded to her and anouced with a boasted voice. "I sure am, best pilot in the alliance." He looked back the cyan colored pony with a raised eyebrow.
Rainbow smiled as she sat down in the seat next to him and looked over the console in front of her wandering what it would be like to fly something so massive and so fast. She looked over at him this time with a sly smile. "Think you could teach me how to fly a space ship?"
Fluttershy wandered back into the med bay where the most quiet and less people seemed to congregate. Walking over to the doctor was her steps slow, shuffling her hooves in a anxious manner. Quietly taking in the aged doctor's demeanor as the older woman turned to look at her.
"Oh ...umm if it is not to much trouble could you umm teach me about medicine?? Though the last words to come from her mouth here barely audible, the doctor heard her only just.
With a warm calming smile at the skittish mare, thinking for a moment about having company in the lonely medical bay Chakwas nodded to her before speaking in a soft gentle tone. "Sure, tell you what while you're here why not aid me as my nurse. This way you can learn about medicine from hands on experience?" All the yellow mare could do was nod her head and show a bit of excitement in her eyes.
Pinkie Pie went down the slow elevator ride to the cargo area with Applejack, but split off from her from there. Applejack wandering around walking slowly like Rainbow dash did still getting used to being bipedal, she unlike Dash came down to the cargo hold so that she could spend sometime walking around the empty area and get steady on her hooves.
Applejack wandered the cargo bay walking in circles for around five minutes her steps becoming steadier, after feeling comfortable with her balance she started to jog this time going in a figure eight pattern slowly increasing her speed each moment. After another 10 minutes ending with a steady sprint slipping only occasionally as the hard hoof slid on the smooth metal parts of the floor. On the last lap she slid more then she had before colliding with Wrex, her weight barely budging him a inch before hitting the floor with a thud.
"Hey watch where you're going you furry runt!" Came the gravely voice in a grating tone that seemed to aggravate the orange mare. Getting back to her hooves she turned to the Krogan and like Dash never one to back down looked him fearlessly in the eyes. "What the hay twas an accident, no need'n to have an attitude bout it. Fer what it's worth sorry ah ran into ya."
The Krogan gave a gravely chuckle before testing the waters a little to see how tough the mare was, remembering the hit while near weightless to him her body was solid. He pushed out to shove her away, and in reflex she moved to the side of the movement and grabbed his wrist pulling to throw him off balance. With a bit of force but not as hard as she felt she could she got a surprising result as the massive reptilian alien went flying half way across the cargo bay and landed with a resounding thud.
Wrex got back up and looked at the small mare with a predatory grin. "Thought I saw the fight in your eyes runt, you got a pair of quads that's for sure." Stretching a little before slamming his fists together his grin getting bigger. "Let us see how tough you really are, how bout a friendly sparing match? I'll try not to hurt you to bad."
Applejack gulped but her pride would not let her back down from the challenge she raised both arms in an instinctive manner to guard her face before exclaiming. "Bring er on partner!"
Pinkie on like the other seemed to have no problem walking on only two legs, even got her bounce back as she and Applejack split up. Bouncing into engineering as her eyes widened at the massive engine on the other side. Before seeming to materialize against the console next to Tali, her already massive eyes still wide in wander at it as it seemed to call to her.
She turned to the closest person that being Tali and ran up to her getting to close her breath as she spoke making the glass of the mask of her suit started to fog up with each rapid word. "Hi I am Pinkie Pie who are you? What are you? Would you be my friend? Tell me how the giant glowing ball thingy works please, please, please, preeeeetttttttyyyyyy ppplllleeeaaasseee."
Taken aback to the bright pink mare's sudden closeness and number of questions all of which where said in a single breath dumbfounding the Quarian profusely. "Ummm Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. I am a Quarian, I guess I could be your friend." She spoke with a confused yet somewhat amused tone. "I guess I could try to help you understand how it works a little."
"YAY " She yelled out loudly before hugging the exo suit wearing alien before settling down as much as she could, which isn't much for the pink ball of energy. She stood back a little to listen with a never changing smile on her face.
Back up in the mess area Rarity's focus had somehow shifted from fashion to fashionable and very unfashionable armors. She found both Human and Equine armors ugly. She started reading up on how they are made though and how each type is different in terms and levels of protection. In her mind she started to lay it out how to mix the compounds to make the tough plates. Though she was not sure how well the barrier would work, but decided to take that up with Shepard to see if he could point her out to the right person to give her the right information to make her and the others their own more appealing armors.
As she continued with her research she kept clicking on the next link in the series until gun and other weapon information came up. Surprisingly Rarity found the information facinating to her the design of most of the guns seemed like a fashion accessory.
Next to her Twilight had worked through the history and current culture of Equuis, most of the hard details having worked their way into her's and the other's heads thanks to the vision so the research had not taken long. She quickly began to search on information of their host Shepard and all relevant data on it, like what a N7 and specter were. She learned about him being born to parents who also served in this worlds military making him what they called a spacer. She read on the horrors of how he was the only one to survive an attack on a human colony world called Akuze, and how his whole squad had been killed by a giant worm like creature called a thresher maw. As she looked through his information she came across two video files one very recent and another the day before. The first one showed the video of Shepard's enlistment into the Specters, the second one was called leaked footage of Eden Prime, and one image in that video really caught her attention.
What Happens Now
Shepard got up from his seat in the Mako following out his team members an the newly acquired Dr. T'Soni after having parked the tank in it's usual spot in the cargo bay. As he leaped from the hatch and back onto his ship he bumped into the three who seemed to be standing right outside in the way. Stumbling a little he goes to say something in aggravation before a loud bang sounded through the large metal room, forcing him to look up only to discover why the other three where halted right outside the hatch. There on the other side of the bay the small orange equine Applejack had body slammed the massive krogan into the wall with incredible force. He now like the other three stood in awe as the barely 5 foot pony woman lifted Wrex right back up with seemingly no effort the hurled him halfway across the room making him slide at their feet.
After Wrex came to a stop Shepard found his voice. "What the hell is going on here?" His tone and demeanor showing his frustration thinking Wrex or Applejack started something.
With a grunt the massive alien warrior brought himself to his feet and gave a gravely chuckle. "Just a little match there Shepard. Can't say I fought like that in a while little fur ball has surprising strength." As Wrex spoke his arms dropping making the equine do the same showing their match was over, while the grin on his face showed just how much fun Wrex had been having.
Shepard turned to Applejack with a raised eyebrow in question. "Is this true Applejack?" The orange mare nodded with a proud grin before speaking to Shepard. "Sure is, ah and that varmint Wrex just hav'n a bit of fun. Thou suppose should be get'n back up to Twi, ya'll have a good day now ya hear." And with that she turned and walked to the elevator leaving the group of assorted races and a still grinning Wrex alone in the bay.
Shepard just shook his head at not only the spectacle but also the surprise that she had a southern accent, he had never heard an equine with one before. He then motioned the other to the elevator. "Alright enough about that I need you all up in the communications room we need to discuss what's going on with Liara." Then lead all of them to the elevator while sending out communications to Tali and Kaiden to head up as well.
After the meeting and a quick communications with the council Shepard headed back down to the mess to have a talk with Twilight. As he approached the table he only saw Rarity and Applejack there, the former still looking up information on the extranet terminal they had provided her and the later chatting with her with soft tones making it hard to hear what was being said but didn't appear secretive.
"Where is Twilight?" He asked the two.
Applejack pointed back toward where the sleeping pods where, and sure enough there was the light purple mare sitting cross legged her eyes closed seeming to meditate. "She's over thar, said she need'n to check on some'n when ah told her bout feel'n stronger."
Nodding to the two he turned walking toward the alicorn leader of the group. As he started to get close to her he started to feel heavy, like something was pressing down on him making his movements slow down. The oppressive feeling never got to the point of being restrictive luckily. "Twilight?" He said to get her attention, and upon seeing the violet eyes now looking back at him he motions his thumb up over his shoulder. "Let's head back to the table so we can talk. "With a nod she stands up with somewhat still shaky legs and with out a word follows him to the other two, while Shepard sent out a ship wide broadcast telling the others to meet them there as well.
It took about 15 minutes for the rest of them to finally make it each having been caught up in what they were doing, and once again the meeting commandeered the mess again so the mares sat in the same spots as the last meeting.
"Well I thought it would be best to talk about what happens from here." He said looking around making sure he had all their attention before continuing. "I have one more mission in the cluster, though it is only a investigation and or rescue mission shouldn't take to long. After that we will head back to the citadel where I will take you to the equine counselor, after that you should be safe with your own people no more danger."
A moment passed as the mares seemed to think this over before Twilight reaching over activating extranet terminal before speaking in a slight bit of a subdued tone as if she were afraid to say what she was saying. "Well while i haven't talked to the other girls, I think I and maybe we all would like to stick with you." She continued to mess with the terminal looking for something.
"Not that I want to get rid of you ladies, but this is a dangerous mission and I couldn't put your lives in danger for no reason when you could be safe with your people." Shepard responded his eyes watching the light purple alicorn.
Twilight found what she was looking for on the terminal before letting out a grin that seemed to only show she was happy at being able to find it. Her eyes that shown down on what she got were a different story showing a little sadness, fear and curiosity all in equal measures. "Well there is a reason, and a good one. Now I know we don't fully understand this new universe we are in, nor do we know how to use the weapons and technology completely yet. We have our own skills and some new ones we will have to discover." She paused a moment taking a deep breath. " We will come back to those, the reason I want to stay is this. I saw the recording of your initiation into the specters and your mission so I know what you have to do. I also saw another video apparently from the description was posted by one of six people you saved on a planet called Eden Prime."
Turning it so everyone could see the stilled video on the screen to show the massive ship Shepard himself saw over the decimated colony. While it should not have been posted with six civilian survivors there was bound to be a leak somewhere. What he didn't expect though while looking at the image was for the other five to gasp in recognition of it.
He was about to ask if they knew it before Twilight beat him to it. "While not a perfect match, there are some small differences this looks like the thing that attack Equuis all those millennia ago. After my research into the history of the galaxy I discovered the time of the attack also coincides with what seems to be around when the Protheans started to disappear. I don't think that is a coincidence, also this thing may have answers as to why the star beast attacked and we lost everything we loved to defeat it. So yes I want to stay with you and join your mission." As she spoke her voice got harder and more angry until at the end Shepard can hear her rage.
"We may not know about how to use your weapons yet but that we can learn. We do on the other hand bring our own gifts. I know you saw what Applejack did and how much stronger she should be for her size." She looked up to see an intrigued Shepard nodding to her before she continued. "After she told me what had happened I went back to focus on my magic core, though I think my people eventually called the energy mana. I noticed my mana was a little more then twice the size it should be meaning somehow we are more powerful then we have ever be. I think the new mana is manifesting in different was for each of us, in AJ's case strength an durability, in mine stronger magic. While I don't know the rest yet I have a theory on two of us and could guess one of the other two know her's." Looking at Pinkie as she said that last line, remembering Pinkie seemed to know things she could never possibly know.
She gave the information to sink in before getting their attention with a shout "Rainbow Dash!" before pulling out a small rubber squeeze ball she had borrowed from Dr. Chakwas while they waited for the others to gather. Using her magic she flung it at Rainbow Dash using her magic to make it fly so fast it became nearly invisible blur.
Rainbow Dash so looked up in time to see the ball flung at her watched as it slowed down to her, as she looked around it looked like everyone in the room was frozen. Looking back at the ball she reached up and snagged it from the air in a relaxed pace before everything seemed to return to normal.
A gasp filled up the group including Shepard minus Twilight who looked smug and Dash who looked confused. To them she seemed to blur moving so fast they couldn't follow.
"Applejack has always been one of the strongest and most durable ponies in Equestria now it seems like it's amplified, I was always one of the most powerful magically and now my reserves and the strength of the feel of my mana is increased, and Rainbow over there was the fastest pegasus known now it seems her speed, reflexes and reaction time are amplified." She looked at the group watching as it sunk in before continuing. " I will work with the others to explore this new development and figure out what they can do as well as try to learn more of the galaxy, its history and its cultures. I do have a theory though of how this happened. " Looking up at Shepard. "You said you saw those odd shaped gems floating over us as we changed, then vanished into the cocoons of energy around us right?" He nodded. "Those gems from your description of them were the Elements of Harmony, in our time the most powerful objects ever known. What I think happened was the elements merged with us while we were transforming, this would have had some serious side effects. Those included but not limited to some of our traits being amplified like my magic, Rainbow's speed and Applejack's strength. I will have to study it to see what other effects it had on us. So as I said we bring in gifts of our own to help this mission."
Shepard seemed to think about this before standing. "While it is not all that simple I can see why you want to , also how some of these gifts would help the mission. Problem is getting your government to agree, you see you six are considered historical mythological heroes, so I doubt they will be so willing to let you run off into battle and risk your lives. I will talk to some of the crew and my team to see somethings and see if I can get some support to talk this over with your counselor. You may need to make your own plea to him and explain your case. Till then this meeting is over, work with your team Twilight try to figure out what else they can bring to the mission, if you can talk him into it they won't have time after the meeting to figure it out as we will need free time to train them. Also most of you thank to your wings and or your horns will need specific armor, we would have to figure it out how to get it."
"I could make our armors I have been learning about how combat armor is made for different races, noting majorly specific but enough to make our own style." Rarity cut in. "I can work on the planning with Twilight and design and build them once we get the resources to make it."
Shepard nodded in acceptance. "Very good till we get to the citadel this meeting is adjourned." He then turned and walked out back up the stairs to the command center again deep in thought.
Around the Normandy
Not to long after the meeting the mane six wandered down to the cargo bay each standing in silence in the excruciatingly slow elevator. After finally reaching the bay the starboard side of the hold huddling up together in the corner the six cuddling into one another taking solace in the others presence as they slowly drifted off to slumber on the cold metal floor.
While the girls where drifting off to a hopefully dreamless slumber Shepard was making his way around the ship wanting to talk to a few of the crew to make a decision on wither or not he should allow the mares to join him having heard they intermingled with various crew members. His first stop was the cockpit having heard from Pressly that Rainbow Dash had hung out with Joker for quite a bit while he was on the mission.
"Joker, I am going around the ship to see if I can get some insight on the worth of our equine passengers. I head your spend several hours with Rainbow Dash and would like your opinion of her and what you two spoke of." Shepard said as he stood at the disabled pilot's right shoulder.
"She mostly wanted to learn to fly a ship actually. So for the first couple hours I discussed some of the basics. She picked those up rather fast, I suppose being able to fly on your own and being taught that stuff growing up gives you an advantage in the technical mumbo jumbo." Joker chuckled to himself before continuing. "I then set up the copilot's terminal to run a simulation and walked her through how the controls worked. Don't worry I disabled the terminal from the actually ship control so she couldn't really do anything. After she got that down I ran a battle simulation for her, and well it was astounding. Not only did she pick up the controls fast but her reaction time in the simulation was inhuman. Now she isn't my level yet but give her some time practicing and I bet you she will be second only to myself in piloting."
Joker paused and thought about it for a few moments. "If I might make a suggestion, teach her drive the Mako and have her drive the team around. With her reflexes she would be able to use it to it's full potential and probably could get it through any attack with little to no damage. That is if they are sticking around, kinda hope she does I like the little blue horse she is a trip to be around."
Shepard nodded taking in the information given to him. "Thank you for you input Joker there are a couple others I need to check with then get some sleep, still have a mission early tomorrow." With that Shepard walk toward the doors to the stairs leaving the pilot alone again.
The next place he headed was the medical bay to talk to Chakwas having heard from some of the troopers about Fluttershy's time with the gray haired physician.
"Dr. Chakwas, I heard you spent several hours with one of the mares that have recovered. I was looking to see how that time went, I want to see if there was any reason to try to keep them on board the ship after we reach the Citadel."
Turning in her chair to face the hardened commander with a thoughtful expression. "Yes I spent a lovely time you young Fluttershy. She wanted to learn more about modern medicine, she had a general grasp prior to talking to me. Apparently she used to care for animals in her old home, also seemed to be familiar with several basic and advanced first aid methods. While she doesn't have the schooling to be a doctor right now, and unfortunately with her meek nature I doubt she would make it through the schools. She does show great promise in being a nurse and a field medic with a little time."
"Would said meek nature be a issue on a mission in a fire fight though." Shepard responded his eyes fixated on the older woman.
"Would she possibly be able to fight herself? No, I don't think she has it in her to shoot anyone. But I think if she sees someone on the team hurt she could function in a fire fight to dispense aid. I heard about her facing down a dragon around 20 times her size to help her friends even though it is her greatest fear. She is a strong person inside you can see it in her eyes, but needs the right conditions to bring it out. Healing others even in a fire fight I think she could thrive."
Shepard thanked her for her advice and left to visit one last member of his crew and team.
The last place Shepard went to was the engineering room hearing that Pinkie stayed in there the whole time he was gone. With that knowledge he headed up to Tali to see what info she had on the pink mare.
"So Tali what do you think of your visitor today?" He asked walking up to the suit covered alien.
She turned to him her mask making it impossible to read her expressions. "Surprisingly well, Pinkie is a little eccentric but friendly and very smart. Well more then a little eccentric, but she picked up everything i explained to her and learned it instantly as if knowing this was second nature. She seems to understand the engine more then the computer systems which seems to be the only thing she struggled with."
Shepard nodded. "Seems to be pair for the course as all the others showed great promise in other areas. Thank you for your information, with the others input and my own observations gives me a lot to contemplate on. Thank you again Tali, I am retiring for the evening and I think you should do the same we have a mission in the morning and I am think of having you join in on the mission." He said as he waived to the quarian as he walked out and back to the elevator to head to his quarters for the evening.
Citadel and Preparations
It had been two days since the meeting with Shepard, Twilight had spent much of her time working with the others trying to figure out what ability they had gained from fusing with the elements. When she wasn't with the others she was working on the extranet learning about the galaxy and other races, on the side she spent time learning a skill herself. She was learning something that she felt would open doors to new knowledge, hacking. She also worked with Rarity in planning out the design and materials need to make them all armor. It was during one of these armor planning sessions that she and the others were called over the intercom to come up to the bridge of the ship.
"Thought you would all enjoy the sight of the Citadel." Shepard informed them as the stood around him and the bearded pilot. The sight to Twilight was fantastic, not just the sheer size of it nor the shape it was the sight of the atmosphere that each of the arms seemed to posses. Her scientific mind was trying to come up with an explanation to the artificial structures actually having its own atmosphere.
It wasn't long after the ship docked that the six of them where coming out of an elevator into what would appear to be out doors. Twilight looked around as she walked slowly behind the silent Shepard at body of water that ran through the center with numerous walkways and stairs winding along the side and above said pools. She looked and the various healthy trees that littered all around. The sky was the more curious to her as she looked at the blue sky of day time even had small puffy white clouds drifting around, but saw no sun to create the color she was seeing. Not knowing the technology yet she couldn't figure it out as even though the station was bright it should still show a black sky, maybe starless from the light pollution but still black.
They kept a some what straight path through the area Shepard called the Presidium, drawing her attention from the aesthetic of the massive space station she noticed so many races all intermingling with one another like it was an every day thing. One though seemed to give her the creeps, taking a closer look at the four legged green insectiod a flash of pain filled her head. Suddenly visions passed through her mind as she saw these creatures working among the blood and bodied of several alien races, non of which she had seen in the station in their walk nor in any information on the extranet. As quickly as they came they left her, now the creature was back to working on the terminal like before only a dark aura surrounded it with a tendril coming off of it and leading deep into the space station.
What are those things?" She asked with a shaky voice from the visions she had taken their toll on her.
"Wha... ohh those are the keepers they maintain the station." Shepard responded with a thoughtful look.
Twilight kept her eye on in the dark aura bothering her a bit. "Where did they come from?"
"No one really knows they have just always been here, they don't communicate with anyone either. It's against the law though to interfere with their work so no one as of yet has completed any research on them." Purpassly leaving out the knowledge of his aiding the salarian scientist Chorban's research by scanning them because of all the people around it may get him in trouble.
Twilight tried to ignore the visions she had just gotten and the sight of the aura by looking forward at Shepard and for a moment noticed a dark blue field coating him. Her vision quickly returned to normal after turning away from the keeper, but left herself a personal note to look into it later whether or not she was remaining on board the Normandy.
After another elevator ride into the darker area known as citadel towers where counsel races offices where located. Following Shepard along one of the corridors to a door with a surprisingly familiar symbol appeared on the door, two alicorns chasing the sun and the moon. Out of the six only Twilight was not surprised having read that the legend or myth as many modern equines called it of Equestria still held with in the culture and the flag of the lost kingdom was used to represent the race as a whole. She had read how even though equines were constantly exploring and looking toward the future they still held the past and legends with relevance. Having read the history and culture of the leading races as well as humans she knew that meeting them would be like Shepard meeting King Arthur, Merlin and the knights of the round table.
After entering the door they entered a waiting room with rows of seats made out of a leather like material and a female equine secretary at the far end of the hall giving the six shorter brightly colored equine females a funny look. They followed Shepard up to the mare in question.
"I am Commander Shepard, I have an appointment with Counselor Silver Tongue." He said in a crisp professional tone his eye sternly locked on the mare still staring and the six girls with him, making her jump a little and for the first time noticed the human leading them.
"erm ... wh ... right Shepard umm have a seat a moment, I will inform the Counselor that you are here. It will just be a moment." She started stammering as she tried to refocus her attention on her job.
It only took a few minutes with her silently talking into a communications device on her desk before she looked back at the group still trying to hide her curiosity at the strange group. "Counselor Silver Tongue will meet with your all now please head through the door." As she pointed to the door on her right.
Shepard once again lead the six girls into the massively spacious office,that seemed to have a lot of relics of Equuis through like a recreated broken alicorn statue that they had seen the the castle of the two sister's library. At the end of the room was a tall white equine male with a long black mane tied back into the ponytail wearing a shiny black long sleeved high collard top with the collar white that runs down with a white line running across his chest three times. He sat behind a large steel desk.
"Counselor Silver Tongue, might I introduce you to Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. " He said to the stuned stallion.
"Shepard, I got your message but to actually see them in person." He announced standing up to display his full eight foot height making him tower over the elements, whom he had seemingly rushed over too. Reaching out with his hand to the lavender alicorn with a huge smile on his long face and excitement in his huge eyes. "Your Highness it is a pleasure to meet you, like many equines I grew up on tales of you six. To actually meet you in person is well, an honor and a real privilege.
She took his hand in hers to shake as the large white hand engulfed her own tiny one. For the first time since reading about the size her people descendants evolved into had the differences between the six of them of their people been so blatant. " Same to you, Counselor Tongue but I seriously doubt that title still holds I haven't been on the throne for more the fifty millennia."
"Thank you Shepard, for returning our legends to us." He moved to Shepard shaking his hand as well with exuberance.
"We do have a problem though counselor." The tall equine in question tilting his head in question to Shepard's responce. "I'll tell Twilight tell you it's her request anyhow."
Clearing her throat the room turned to her. "To put it blunt counselor, we would like to join Shepard's mission."
"What, why, you just came back to our people and you expect me to allow you, the last of the ancient royal alicorns and the rest of the legendary elements of harmony to just go out on a dangerous mission with a human." The tone in the white stallion's voice doing a complete 180 going from excited tone to an enraged yet questioning one.
"Truthfully, answers." She motions to Shepard who brought up the still video image of the reaper that attacked Eden Prime. "This thing looks so much like the one that attack that day, it might have answers to what happened why the other attacked. We need to know, we need to understand why everything we knew and loved was taken from us that night. Our friends and families either died that night or grew old and passed on with us being frozen in time and never getting to be there with them. Heck our whole race has changed since our time, mana and magic gone to this eezo and biotic, the pony race in general gone and you horse race taken its place." She sighed as she looked from the image to the Silver staring him right in the eyes. "We need answers before you parade us around in front of the equine media."
The stallion seemed to think about it and grumbled to himself. "Well I would still like to say no but truthfully I couldn't refuse your request. First of all let me say I completely oppose this, but we are a free race and unless you volunteer to join the military I have no say to tell you know since it is not against the law to travel with other races as long as it doesn't bring harm to our own people. Secondly if you are dead set on doing this give me a moment I will give you something."
The stallion went over to console on the side of the room and starts input data into it. After a few moments of typing he returns with a card handing it to Twilight. "There is one million credits on that card should be more then enough to outfit you and the others with weapons and armor. If you are sure your going to go on a risky mission I want to make sure you have the best chance of making sure you all come back alive."
Twilight smiled as she took the card in her furry fingers. "By the way would you happen to know where we could get assorted gem stones and the materials to craft armor?"
After a catching a transit cab to the market in the wards the six mares and one humans wandered around to the various shops. First Twilight got a six savant x omni tools from a salarian dealer for her friends to have access to data and keep in touch better if they separated also a hack upgraded one for herself. They went to a a volus merchant and got ceramic, metal and cloth to create armor and clothing for them all.
After getting the armor components Shepard spoke having been quiet while the girls shopped. "Hold off on the guns ladies, I will provide them for now when we figure out what you are each proficient in. Now what else do we need?" He finished looking at Twilight.
"Just some gems for the armor. After that Rarity will start crafting them then I will finish it up with some touch defense magic." She relied to the human.
"Okay after that we will return to the ship Rarity can work in private in the cargo bay at William's usual bench. I will have her work with you all in how to use fire arms and decide which will work well for whom.Because you will be working on the armor I am going to have you sit out on the next mission till you get some weapons training Rarity." He finished as they climbed into the cab he had called to take them to the presidium's market area.
The cab pulled up to the the transit point near the markets and the seven pulled themselves from the vehicle and headed into the open space that served as an upper scale market. Twilight leading as they made their way to the asari jewelry merchant on the far end of the right side.
"Greeting, I was told you sell uncut gemstones is that correct?" Twilight asked looking up at the beautiful blue saleswoman.
"Yes what kinds do you need I have a decent stock of them I haven't used to make jewelry of." She replied in a pleasing tone .
"I need six diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. I also need one gemstone of certain colors orange, pink, blue, purple, red and magenta. also if you have a few strips of gold as well." Twilight listed off.
"Just a few moments I think I have what you need." She relied in a happy tone looking forward to the commission of this sale. She went over to a large locked safe and opened it and went inside to get the needed items.
The group waited around five minutes before she came back out carrying a large box. "Here you go." Opening the box to let twilight confirm the contents.
When it was verified Twilight took the bow. "How much?"
"Comes to 479 thousand credits." She stated happily as Twilight handed over the card she had been given by the counselor.
She handed the box to Rarity with a small smile. "Okay you know what to do with these Rarity."
"Of course darling, with the supplies I should have my part of the armor done in a day or two that could give you girls time to ready yourselves." The white mare said in rely.
"Then that is all, we are ready to head back. After you, Shepard." She said as the six fell in behind the commander heading back to the Normandy and off into the stars hopefully for some answers and a little closure.
Getting Ready for the Mission
Once back to the ship with their supplies in toe the group moved swiftly to the cargo bay.
"Ashley I need you to help with something, it would seem our new friends what to join us I need you to help teach them how to use fire arms and see what they are more proficient in." Looking over at the turian "Garrus maybe you could help split them up set up a barrier with some targets and let them try out weapons with you teaching them how. Also if one of you could teach Rainbow Dash how to drive the Mako we could put her reflexes to good use. Only rarity will not be participating for now as she will make the others their armor, Twilight may need to stop to help her at times." Trying to ignore the scowl on the gunnery chiefs face no matter how the raven haired woman tried to hide it with a professional air.
"Yes commander!" She snapped a salute.
"Well got nothing better to do anyhow Shepard, at least till we get to Noveria. How about I take Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, I can join it with setting up the simulator on the Mako for her to train on between weapons training." Spoke the turian ex c-sec officer.
Ashley was about to comment when a low gravely voice came from behind the group. "If it's all the same Shepard I want to work with Applejack I think she has the makings to be a true warrior and would work best with a warriors weapon." He let out a gruff laugh as he pulled out his shotgun and gave a smile to the orange mare who grinned back at her friend.
"Well Garrus since we have one less to work with trade out you take Twilight since she will need to take stops to help Rarity besides I think she fits more her magic and a pistol like a biotic and Rainbow Dash gives you more time to teach her the Mako. I will take the rest since I don't think I will be able to do much on the workbench seeing as it's being commandeered." Looking as Shepard and the others set the supplies on it.
"Good you have your duties I have work to do in the CIC. Let me know when you finish the armor Rarity." HE then turned and headed to the elevator to return to the command deck.
While the girls and their two new alien companions started to look through the weapons Rarity started to get to work, by starting with the more difficult ones Twilight going first.
"Twilight, dear come here for a moment so I can get your measurements." She stated as the measuring tape surrounded in a soft blue aura slowly levitated up in an old habit. After getting over the the white mare she watched as the fashionista carried a data pad over entering the information into the pad while her telekinesis moved the tape around making her accomplish the work faster then a normal tailor who would have to stop the take down the info.
Ashley who caught the movement in the corner of her eyes turned a little surprised by the control she had, not even an asari could make such fine movement control as the white mare was doing with out even a struggle but wasn't sure about the whole magic thing still. deep down she thought it was bull and just an advance for of biotics. She had not seen any of the girls do anything that special yet short of Applejack tossing the massive krogan around like he weighed nothing.
"All done darling I may need you to come back here once I have a few pieces done." She smiled as she turned back to the table to start. Setting the tape down she started to levitate the components into the air a picture forming in her mind of what she wanted the first piece to look like and started reaching over toward the crafting equipment before she felt a pull on her mana reserves. In a flash the raw materials started to glow and change taking the shape of the item in her mind and in a moment a pair of magenta gauntlets were now floating where the raw material once was. Slightly shocked sure she had a few spells that could craft small things but not like this it was like how Spike had told her about the time she was possessed by the 'inspiration manifestation' spell. A smile formed thinking how much time she just saved.
"Twilight be a dear and come here again." She waived her friend back over. In front of her held the gauntlets much to the Ashley and Garrus's surprise at how fast she finished them.
"You got some done already Rarity?" Asked the shocked alicorn.
"Dear I think I found my ability, remember when Ponyville was being altered by magic like the streets turning to gold?" The white unicorn asked.
"Yeah Spike told me you got possessed by a spell he found in the ancient library." Twilight replied with curiosity and a small bit of a pained voice at the mention of her baby dragon brother.
With a smile she lifted the rest of the raw material needed to make Twilight's armor and moved it toward the lavender mare who only looked at the items in a curious manner. As the material reached her it started to glow a bright blue and wrap around her like it was melting over her coat. As the glow faded much to the great shock of the aliens in the room and only slight surprise Twilight now stood there in a full suit of armor. The armor was formed around her fitting perfectly with a opening for her wings to fold out along her back the armored plates here a soft magenta the same color as her element and magic with small hints dark blue fabric under it, over the left breast embroidered in gold was a shimmering magenta six sided star with six white spike coming out of it forming what looked like a second white star behind it and five more white six pointed starts surrounding it.
"Seems that's my special ability to use that spell with out the side effects. Going to make getting you girls armor and clothing done much quicker so I can learn to use the fire arms too and will be able to help out as soon as possible." She said with a happy glee, as she also imagined how after this was over she might be able to get back to creating fashion. "Better do Dash's next so she can fly around, I know being grounded is driving her nuts."
An hour after leaving the Citadel Shepard was talking to Joker in the cockpit when Twilight's face appeared in a monitor next to him. "Shepard Rarity and I are finished."
He looked at the smiling face of the small horned equine with a raised eyebrow. "How is that possible it's been maybe an hour, you told me she was good at crafting not inhuman?" He tried to hide the littler reservation he had about this, each one seemed to be showing inhuman feats and the knowledge the lavender colored one was supposed to be the most powerful of the group in magic scared him a little.
"I'll explain when you get down here, besides there is something I need you or Liara to help me with." She said before the image cut out.
"That look in her eyes kinda scares me Joker." The heroic leader said in half jest.
"I can imagine, the ones who have shown what they can do so far are abnormal I can't wait to see what the others can do. All but the pink one from the time i had wither her, she frightens me." The pilot said with the last bit in a slight whisper so only Shepard could her him. The commander chuckled as he walked out heading to the cargo bay.
After the slow elevator ride to the cargo bay Shepard stepped out and looked ahead in a slight shock there in front of him in full armor where the six mares.
Rainbow Dash who now hovered above the group her wings flapping rhythmically and a look of freedom on her face making him realize that she hated the fact that the clothing she had to wear before kept her grounded. She was decked out in red plated armor with a hint of black fabric under it over her left breast embroidered in gold was a shimmering puffy white cloud with a rainbow colored lighting bold coming out of it. Fluttershy wore pink plates with green fabric under and three pink butterfly gems outlined in gold on her left breast, unlike Rainbow she was still on the ground. Applejack's was a brighter orange then her coat also with green fabric underneath and three red apples with green stems in cold on her left breast. Pinkie Pie's was blue plated with yellow fabric on her left breast was two blue balloons with a yellow one in between wrapped in gold. Finally Rarity who had purple plated armor and blue fabric on her left breast was three gemstones surrounded in gold.
As he looked at them and the gem symbols on their chest he remember finally about the same markings on their behinds when they first found them. He had forgotten about them because of the clothing and all the stuff he had to do in the mean time.
"Okay that was really fast but several questions to mind, first off how did it happen so fast?" He finally said after taking in the details of the new armor.
"I can answer that darling, seems that I can alter matter into what I vision it as. Though it gets rather taxing since I don't have the level of mana reserves Twilight does." The white unicorn jumped making his eyes widen at the thought of a power.
"Alright second how will this work with the wings and horns some of you have, I don't see any helmets and armor on the wings would effect fight I believe." He asked quizzically.
This time Twilight answered. "Well that's why I needed the gem, they can be enchanted and hold said enchantment easily. The diamonds which were separated in pieces through out the armor where enchanted for strength making the armor far harder then it should be. The emeralds which are also separated around the collars and openings for the wings are enchanted to generate an atmosphere around them with renewable air so we don't need to cover them or use a helmet. The sapphires were enchanted to create a magical defensive barrier around our whole body. Finally the rubies were enchanted to maintain a constant comfortable temperature, so thanks to those enchantments our armors are lighter, tougher, more versatile and more comfortable then normal armor. Shame you have to have mana to utilize them more we could make some for everyone."
Shepard almost wanted to pout like a child at not being able to have a set of that armor sounded better then his, and it looked far better then what was available to humans. "To bad indeed, I must say Rarity you did a good job, though not my colors they seem to fit you all perfectly."
"I made the plate colors to match our element colors." She said with a smile happy for the praise.
"Okay last question then I will let Twilight do her test. I noticed those marks on your left armor breast on you behinds when we found you, what are they?"
Twilight replied going into what the other girls called lecture mode. " They are called cutie marks, modern equine wouldn't have them since they appear from magic. Cutie marks are symbols that appear when we are young around 10 to 12 years of age they symbolize our special talents, in other words what we are good at. Though the symbols meanings are up for interpretation. Mine for instance appeared when I had an explosion of magic while testing to get into an elite school when I was a filly so besides the striking resemblance to the original shape of the element of magic, the point it appeared told me and others it meant magic was my special talent. I won't get into the other girl's stories they can tell you if they want but that is the gist of it."
Shepard nodded taking note of it before looking at Twilight again. "Okay now what do you want to test?"
"I need a biotic to test to see how well magic works against biotic abilities so I need to have a quick spar either you or Liara to see. Nothing to bad just an attack or two to see how mana and eezo react to one another. I have been waiting to test this till I was able to get a better feel of my increased reserves, I learned my lesson on how to handle it after the last time the were aped up." She replied motioning for the others to clear a little space. "So if you would be so kind lets try abilities only, okay."
After they cleared the area Shepard started off the spar launching a warp at the alicorn who's horn started to glow magenta and with a sweeping motion with her right hand created a bubble of the same color around her that the warp splashed harmlessly against. After the dark blue energy rippled across the dome Twilight aimed her right hand with an open palm at Shepard and a magenta beam launched at high speed sending the commander flying into a wall ending the spar rather fast from the speed of it. Standing up unhurt as both had held back, he looked at her noting how easy mana could be used to guard against biotic attacks reminded himself she might be good to bring against Benezia.
"Well that answers that, keep practicing your weapons and driving in Rainbows case we should arrive at Noveria in about 12 hours so make sure to get some rest after you get a feel for it." He commanded as he headed back toward the elevator.
Asari Matriarch vs Alicorn Princess
The Normandy and her crew had finally after two days of travel reached Noveria were one of Shepard's leads was. After coming into landing the available team members were told to meet in the conference room in the back of the CIC. The six mares remained standing as there were not enough seats for them yet something they were told would only be a temporary inconvenience.
"Okay team Noveria briefing, counsel had received reports that here were some possible leads to either what Saren is after or how to get to him. Information is limited as of yet so I am going to take a small team down now to gather info on what is going on and once all that is settled I will decide on who to take on the actual mission. There could be a chance that time window is limited so I want everyone prepped and ready in case you are needed, that includes you six." Shepard spoke to the group in his command voice making it apparent that he would not have anyone questioning his decision. "For the scouting mission I will be taking Tali for her technical and hacking skills, never know when that will be needed and Ashley in case things go south. You are all dismissed to get ready."
The six of them headed back down to the cargo bay were they would gather the weapons that they sound best suited them. Twilight was just a pistol as she found using most attack spells were better focusing through her hands as she didn't have to lower her head to loose sight of her opponent and the pistol left her left hand free for casting. Applejack thanks to her mentor and friendship with Wrex had been taught assault rifle and shot gun. Rainbow Dash had surprisingly show proficiency in a sniper rifle thanks to her enhanced pegasus eye sight and a pistol for more up close combat. Rarity seemed to prefer the assault rifle herself and seemed to do okay with it. Pinkie Pie took after Tail and seemed to do best with a shotgun and pistol. Fluttershy like Twilight only carried a pistol but also equipped herself with field medic equipment.
After gathering their equipment the six of them gathered with the other team members chatting and getting last minute advice from the ones whom had been in combat situations like these. The girls luckily had been tested in some combat saving their world several time so knew at least they wouldn't freeze up when the danger started but while they had been responsible for the death of Sambra they had never actively taken a life with their own hands. So the advise was on how to try to keep their mindsets when they finally had to do the horrible deed. The group stood around doing this chatting for two hours waiting before finally Shepard's voice came through telling Applejack, Twilight and Liara to head up to the airlock and be ready to head out to a possible hostile situation.
It took only 10 minutes for Twilight and Applejack to find themselves with Shepard, Tali and Liara on board the Mako with Tali driving and Shepard working the gun and cannon. Twilight was strapped in next to Liara the to of them whispering softly of the information Shepard had told them about Liara's mother Matriarch Benezia actually being here. Twilight was trying to comfort, reassure and gather info on the asari's parent all at the same time. In the few days she had been there her and the blue female had a few chances to talk and found it enjoyable to converse with one another having a shared love of knowledge.
Across from them Applejack sat silently with her eyes closed trying to get her mind together for the mission. The three of them were suddenly shaken as they felt the Mako's bottom thrusters lift them into the air followed by an explosion sound beside them and the cannon over head gave a loud crack letting them know it was going to be a hostile mission.
Twilight had no idea how much time had passed as the massive six wheeled tank had to fight through hordes of Geth, by when they pulled up to the entrance to the facility she let out a breath of relief to at least that part being over. She happily climbed out of the vehicle stepping out into the blizzard conditions that rained down torrents of snow on her and her team, this was the first show of how well the enchantments held up as she didn't even notice the cold air and had no trouble breathing without a helmet unlike the others with the exception of AJ.
The team followed Shepard into the door making their way into a garage are and took cover behind a few crates as gunfire filled the area around them. Shepard moved first firing a fully powered warp at one of the attacking krogan knocking it back a little and damaging it as the energy began tear its victim apart. AJ followed suit grabbing one of the crated and hurled it at the other krogan with enough force to send him crashing into the back wall. Twilight taking a hint as she leap up aiming at the geth entering the fray and with a swift motion and a glowing horn created a lightning spell in the center of the group of synthetics quickly frying them and rendering them permanently shut down. The weakened krogan and the few geth not hit by Twilight's spell where finished quickly as the group opened fire, while Twi and AJ only hit about three out of every five shots thanks to their inexperience they did the job.
"Good work team lets move." Shepard gave command as the last geth fell.
The group followed Shepard up the staircase on left side of the room stopping at a few crates to 'commandeer' supplies the group made their way into a narrow corridor with two turrets facing away from them.
"Why are the turrets facing the wrong way?" Liara asked with a cautious tone.
"They want to keep their people in as much as they want to keep others out." Tali replied. The idea they they would shoot their employees jut to keep them locked in their place of work sickened both of the mares.
The team kept moving filling into the elevator Shepard pressed the button and the team to a moment to relax for a few moments as the lift carried them to their destination. Their time was short lived though as right after moving through the frozen corridor and into another frozen room the team were attacked again by a small group of geth, though with none of the heavy hitters the machines were quickly wiped out in a hail of gunfire.
After the last geth fell the team regrouped in the center of the room as strange sounds started to bring them all back to alarm with weapons at the ready and Twi's horn growing with magic ready to cast a spell.
"What was that?" Asked Liara with a attempt to hide the nervousness in her voice.
The question was soon answered as small insect like creatures started to charge at them quickly the group opened fire wiping out all but one of the creatures who in turned got close to Liara and exploded hitting her with a few droplets of a green goo. Liara seemed to slow for a few moments as her face grew flush a wave of sickness hitting her. She did not have time to let it effect her much as larger creatures soon joined the fray, these were almost as tall as the two equines and walked on four legs with claws attacked to tendrils coming out of its sides. In a shift double team Liara threw out a singularity capturing the two attackers lifting them into the air and making them float harmlessly and Twilight launched a magical pulse. When the mana powered attack connected with the unstable eezo powered attack the mixing of the two elements in an unstable focus caused a reactive explosion vaporizing the beasts and sending the team flying back a few feet and sliding across the room.
"Okay what was that?" Asked Tali as she worked her way back to her feet.
"The creature or the explosion?" Shepard responded as he was the first to get back up.
"Actually both." The quarian replied.
"I don't know about the creatures I am not an expert in xenobiology, nor am I am expert in magic and its side effect." Liara quipped a little shaken by the blast.
"I don't know enough about lifeforms in this galaxy yet to guess about the creatures, but I may have a theory about the blast. I noticed Liara's affliction when the creature exploded on her combine that with the shock of the unknown monsters I believe it affected her biotics making the energy less contained then it normally would be. It would seem is mana and unstable eezo come in contact they have a rather violent reaction, this maybe useful if in a controlled situation down the road." Twilight hypothesized struggling to her hooves with AJ giving her a helping hand.
"We should remember that and be careful when combining the two in the future when using magic around unstable biotic attacks then." Shepard finished and waved with his hand to motion them to move on.
The team after one more creature attack quickly made their way up another elevator going up and entering the central chamber of this station and another attack from the small ones this time. Before coming to the mainframe for the V.I. at the end of the room.
"Tali think you can get the system back up?" Shepard asked looking at the massive semi circular computer in front of them.
"Such I think I saw a power junction box at the other end let me get power back up and I'll head down and reboot the system." With out another word she walked away and with only a few moments the computers voice gave out a warning about need to reactivate the V.I. in question. Tali soon came back and entered the lift to the bottom entering the core and took only a moment for the skilled quarian engineer to reactivate the holographic information woman.
After using his specter status to get as much information as he either had available to him or could answer he got the answer on how to get to the rift station via the tram line.
"Tali take Applejack and head up top get the communication line back up, then meet up at the tram when done. You two are with me we are going to get the fuel lines back up, move out." And with that the group split up fighting their way through more creatures and geth respectively and getting the menial tasks done much faster then hitting one at a time.
After a quick tram ride and helping the security team fight off a wave of the hideous monstrosities they finally found a area of survivors had taken refuge. Shepard quickly started to ask around for any information on the creatures and or Benezia, leads sent them to a doctor downstairs whom after a few questions was told about a bio weapon that infected the scientists Shepard being the hero he was volunteered the team to get a cure using his notes.
Walk out of the elevator toward the labs after getting the captains permission they came across a volus scientist standing alone in the center of the room muttering to himself.
"You came to find about them didn't you?" The small round alien asked randomly.
"The alien creatures, you mean?" Shepard responded after catching on.
"About the rachni?" The volus answered giving them a name and to three of them who read about the rachni wars a slight shiver. They quickly learned that their was a live queen egg found ab brought to the facility to make a living weapon out of the feared creatures but everything got out of hand.
The team left getting into the lab getting the cure and yet another ambush this time by the asari scientist they had briefly spoken to in the refugee area and couple more geth, they were easily dispatched without much effort and the cure was given to the doctor and the group were given access to the maintenance corridors which allowed them to get past more enemies with out fuss they found their way into the lab and finally stood before the mother of Liara T'Soni, Matriarch Benezia herself.
"You do not know the privilege of being a mother. The power to create. The power to shape a life. Turn it toward happiness or despair. Her children were to be ours. Raised to hunt and slay Saren's enemies. I won't be moved by sympathy. No matter who you bring to this confrontation." The powerful asari spoke to them as soon as the entered the room. Twilight while the woman spoke vision shifted again and the energy began to form around each person, she noticed Liara like Shepard and a few other biotics she had come across had ranges of darker blue auras but Benezia's was pitch black like that of the keeper with a tendril going off into the sky to Celestia only knows where.
"Liara's here because she wants to be. Not because I asked her to." Came Shepard's response. Twilight still in her new vision mode started to notice a gradual gathering of energy to one of her hands and started to gather mana to her horn to prepare a defense.
"Indeed? What have you told him about me, Liara?" The Matriarch questioned her only child. Twilight's hand slowly moving toward her pistol her mana now ready but kept the signs down with intense focus so only the swirl on her horn would give off a soft glow so would not be noticeable at such a distance.
"What could I say, mother? That you're insane? Evil? Should I explain how to kill you? What could I say?" Liara responded with only a little emotion. Twilight's hand gripped the gun her closeness behind Shepard hiding her move from the insane asari.
"Have you faced an asari commando unit before? Few humans have." Benezia quipped stepping forward.
"I can't believe you'd kill your own daughter." Shepard shot back looking back at the asari in question.
"I know realize I should have been stricter with her." And with that last comment Benezia through out a stasis field at the group freezing them in place. As soon as the field hit Twilight pulsed out her mana and with a shattering sound and a pump of her wings breaking the free and taking to the air in a single move her gun already drawn.
"Nice try, lets see if what could be called one of the most powerful biotic in the galaxy can compare to the element of magic." Firing a magical blast at the ancient asari sending her tumbling back to the floor as she took off after. Asari commandos now flooding the room as the others were free from the stasis.
"Shepard if you and the others can deal with our guests, Liara and I can deal with her mother!" Called out the alicorn as she moved quickly to raise a barrier around herself letting a powerful warp attack splash over them with enough force to make her slide back a few inches.
"Liara you up for it?" Shepard looked at her taking cover behind cover as shots rang out at them, the flash of dark blue and magenta light randomly flashing across the room as the two ancient and power forces dueled one another.
"I think so." She replied in a slightly hasty voice before sprinting up the stairs pushing against the pressure the two were putting out making it near impossible for most to even get near the fight. As soon as she reached to top of the stairs in a flash of magenta Twilight appeared next to her encasing them both in one of her protective barriers.
"Look I think I can save your mother, Liara. I can see the corruption if you stay here behind this barrier for now let me weaken her, as soon as the barrier comes down I need you to restrain her somehow. Think you can do it?" Twi asked holding up the the barrier around them both.
"I will try, Twilight." Liara gave with a small smile to hid her tribulation. With that Twilight teleported out of the barrier leaving Liara safe inside launching another magenta blast striking the barrier with enough force to send the matriarch flying into the container that held the rachni queen and made her fall to the floor in a rag doll state. The Barrier dropped around Liara releasing her from the safe bubble.
"NOW!" Twilight screamed and in a single motion the asari archaeologist hit her mother with a stasis field of her own locking the weakened elder in its grasp.
As soon as she was held in place Twilight began to glow and seemed to change a little her mane and tail gaining in length with yellow stripes joining the pink and purple and her wings grew in size with pink followed by purple tips. The power she was now putting out was near suffocating as she reached out toward Benezia. As soon as her hands were with in a foot of the downed asari matriarch a black field became visible to everyone with the alicorn straining at the darkness pulling at it with intense force.
"BEGONE " She roared in what only Applejack recognized as the royal Canterlot voice. and with a great pull the darkness shattered dissipating into thin air also destroying Liara's stasis field. After both were gone a magenta sphere shimmered around Twilight returning to normal as both she and Benezia collapsed into unconsciousness.
Shepard and the group joined the passed out alicorn and the tired asari scholar AJ running over to her downed friend gently picking her up into a princess carry.
"She'll be right soon ah reckon. Just used to much of er magic to save your mom thar, Liara." The farm pony said with a smile glade her friend was alright.
"Heh heh, remind me never to piss her off." Tali made with a joking tone as Shepard made his way to the container and Liara struggled up lifted her mother off the ground.
"Now what to do with you?" Shepard muttered to the rachni queen.
Pinkie Party in Space
Twilight slowly opened her eyes looking up at a familiar metal ceiling that she remembered from the first time she had awaken in this time line. Siting up with effort and a groggy nauseous feeling floating all through out her body. This was a sensation Twilight was very familiar with from her time as a student of Celestia, when she would push herself to hard and would get sick from magical drain.
A soft rhythmic breathing off to her right drew the lavender mare's attention to the bed next to her's. There on the bio bed laid a light blue elder Asari, the same one she had been in combat with during her last memories of the mission.
"Good to see you're awake Ms. Sparkle" Came the familiar voice of the ship's doctor. Turning her head the other direction she looked up toward the older human, whom was standing just off to her left looking down at the now flaring orange omni tool. Groaning the lavender slowly sat up her fingers gently caressing her aching horn, her studies and training telling her a after sign of mana exhaustion.
"Slowly Ms. Sparkle you seem to have over taxed yourself helping on the mission, they had to carry you and the matriarch back to the ship" The aged doctor quipped.
"What happened after I lost consciousness " Twilight asked squinting in the bright lights of the medical bay.
"We left ya and her with Liara as guard while the rest of us took care of the rest of the Rachni" came a country accented voice from the doorway making Twilight turn her head toward the voice. Leaning against the door frame was the still armor wearing orange earth pony.
"And the queen, Shepard didn't kill her did he" Twilight asked her as her violet eyes fixated on her friend as they adjusted to the lights.
"Shep didn't feel he had the right to turn a race extinct, so he let her go with a promise not to cause problems. Ah don't think them there council folk like that to much but he stood up fer his decision" AJ said with a tone of respect toward the human leading them. This caused Twilight to sigh with sigh of relief at that.
"Come on Twi Pinkie has been waiting fer ya to wake back up with ... some patients, let us head on down to the cargo bay." With a nod from the doctor Twilight followed her orange friend out of the room. Noticing on the outside of the door stood two armed guards weapons at the ready, guessing they were in case Banezia woke and was still a danger to the crew.
After exiting the slow elevator the two entered the cargo bay they noticed just about everyone was there, not doubt being dragged down there by their hyperactive pink friend. Said friend was standing in the middle of the group facing them with a huge grin on her face.
"We have finished our first mission as a team and even saved Liara's mom, you know what this calls for" asked the pink earth pony her grin never lessening as her friends all rolled their eyes knowing what was coming.
"A party" Pinkie exclaimed loudly her voice echoing over the metal storage area as she reached behind her back and to the surprise to the crew and strangely Twilight pulled her party cannon from her back making it appear from thin air. With a single pull of the cord on the base a powerful boom filled the making most of the crew flinch at the noise while the non combatant soldier ducked with fear. From the explosion a shower of confetti and streamer filled the room, and when everyone looked around to their shock the whole cargo bay was decorated for a party and even had a refreshment table right beside the requisition officer making him jump in shock at it's sudden appearance.
"Pinkie how did you do that" Twilight asked as she looked around at all the new stuff that appeared from thin air around them.
"Whatcha mean Twi, Pinkie used to do this all the time back in Ponyville" Aj asked beside her.
"Not really, I figured out how she did it eventually. Pinkie is surprisingly better at slight of hoof then even Trixie as she had most of her supplies hidden all over the place and would pull them from those hidden location by distracting our eyes with some other motions" Twilight commented as pupil changed into a magenta six sided star unknown to her as a few others who had been looking at her noticed the change. "I see now they are composed of pure mana" she finally commented after several moments of looking around now noticing not only the ability to see energy but also how much brighter the cargo bay was. Ignoring this for now she continued her thought process "It would see that Pinkie's ability would be manifesting temporary matter using her mana as a construct. There seems to be a limit though I can see the very slow break down, if I were to give a rough estimate I would say without her constant mana support it would take about an hour to break down and vanish."
"Yeah, well enough of this egghead stuff Twi. Who cares how she does it let's just party and deal with this stuff later" Rainbow said loudly breaking her brainy alicorn friend from her thoughts knowing her well enough to know she would go on and on all night if they let her.
"Yeah party time" the pink mare exclaimed as she materialized a jukebox, pulling it in front of her make Twilight shake her head at how easy Pinkie seems to pick up her new ability as if it were second nature. Decided to let it go for now and not spoil it for everyone else, the room darkened and the visible energy vanished from her sight as her eyes changed back with a lack of focus.
As the party raged on, most of the crew thankful for the distraction from the stressful work they had to undergo day in and day out. The only down side was that while Pinkie's materialized punch and treats had taste they couldn't fill you up as they broke down instantly inside of any person without mana to support them, much to Wrex's chagrin having tried to eat most of it himself.
Twilight found herself bopping her head to the music and a feeling of wanting to do her non dancing dance. Just before she was about to 'bust a move' so to speak she saw Liara making a beeline toward her with a thankful expression on her face.
"Thank you Twilight for saving my mother, I know it would have been easier to just kill her to free her but you used all your power to free her from the control she was under" the archaeologist looking slightly down at the shorter equine with a smile. "I could never repay you for it" she continued making the mare blush prettily making the Asari marvel at how the fur actually changed color when she blushed. Liara couldn't seem to help it, as she spent time with Twilight learning from one another and the powerful energy she used to save her mother had the young Asari finding herself now more drawn to the ancient equine than Shepard. Swallowing her fear as she continued once more with a slight stutter of nervousness in her voice "Twilight, umm I was wandering if when we get back to the Citadel if you would umm go out and grab a bite with me."
Twilight looked back up in shock after trying to look down to hide her blush at Liara. Twilight would be lying to herself she she said she didn't find the woman attractive mentally and physically, she also knew that the Asari were monogendered meaning this would not be weird. Taking in the hope-filled eyes of her friend she wandered if she was asking because of attraction or something else. "Liara, if this is about my saving your mother you don't have to."
"No Twilight that is not it, with our little talks here and there I have been finding you attractive on a intellectual level. I have rarely meet a person who picked up technology and never once even heard of a person becoming as skilled a hacker as you have done in so little time and could see in a year at most you will become one of the best hackers in the galaxy. This last mission I will admit though when you were all heroic fighting my mother, I saw another side of you. This brave woman who would do what ever it took to do what is best for others, who would face down one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy and pound her into the ground was, well rather sexy. So no it's not all about generosity for saving my mother, so will you" she asked again the pigments in her cheeks changing slightly.
Smiling embarrassed at her she nodded a little. "Well if you feel that way, then yes I would love to go out with you"said looking at the floor.
