My Little Pony: The Star Wars
Exposition
Previous ChapterIt took less than thirty minutes for the three to leave the Everfree, the Timberwolf cub now sleeping soundly in Poma’s arms, his cape still wrapped around it.
As the town came into sight with his infared filter activated, the first thing the droid noticed was the designs of the buidlings, and the colors. Bright. Vibrant. Almost festive. It intrigued him.
“Are your centers of population usually designed with this style of architecture?” He asked.
Twilight nodded. “This is pretty normal for us, but I don’t know what kind of architecture you are used to.” She stated.
“The kind not nearly as colorful as this.” Poma replied honestly. “Most of the buildings I have seen are black, white, and grey, and stretch up sometimes kilometers into the sky, I’ve even fallen and jumped from a few. Not my greatest moments I will admit.”
Twilight looked at Poma, turning around to face him. “Kilometers? They are kilometers tall?!”
“Quite so. The tallest ones I have seen are up to 15.” Poma replied.
Twilight shook her head in awe before turning back around. “Let’s just get this pup to Fluttershy, after that, you and I need to talk.”
“Agreed.” Poma stated.
As they approached a large building that looked like it had grass or moss for a roof, surrounded by boxes with sticks and holes on them, Twilight turned to Poma, and said. “It’s best if you give me the pup, you might startle Fluttershy if I don’t prepare her for you first, and that’s not what we want right now. I’ll give the pup to her and tell her to come to my castle in the morning.”
Poma gave a single nod of confirmation and handed the pup to her after unwrapping it from the cape.
Twilight then said. “You’ll need to hide, too, just to be safe. Though I don’t know where…” She paused.
“I can do you one better.” Poma said as he clipped his cape back on. He concentrated on the Force within and around him and employed an ability that was one of the few that took him roughly a thousand years to master: Force Cloak. He called upon the Force to photo-kinetically bend light and sound around him, rendering him invisible to audio and visual detection, making it seem like he was never even there to begin with.
Twilight’ and Rainbow Dash’s jaws dropped in amazement.
“I suggest you hurry. While I can maintain this illusion for a time I cannot do it indefinitely.” Poma’s voice sounded from the same spot.
Twilight shook herself out of her stupor and nodded, before galloping to Fluttershy’s cottage and knocked. After a few knocks the being Poma assumed was Fluttershy opened the door, bags under her eyes indicating her recent slumber, but they vanished the instant she saw the pup. She muttered something inaudible before grabbing and cradling the now awake infant and asking Twilight something, to which Twilight replied quickly, before gesturing to her castle. Fluttershy nodded and said something else before closing the door. Twilight trotted back to Dash and Poma. “You can come out now.”
Poma reappeared in an instant. “Shall we go to your castle now?” He asked.
Twilight nodded. “Yes. Follow me.” With that she turned to Rainbow Dash. “Do you want to go to bed? It’s pretty late.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head. “And leave you with this thing? No way! I’m staying with you until I’m sure he won’t hurt you!”
Poma looked at Dash. “I assure you, once again, that I mean none of your kind any harm.”
“And how-“ Dash asked as she got into his face. “-Am I supposed to believe you?”
Poma stared back at her. “By trusting that I only hurt those who are a threat to me or the innocent.”
“Really? Well I’m not buying that. I’m sticking with Twilight until I know you’re safe!” Dash said.
Poma merely shrugged. “If you insist.”
Dash glared at him as she slowly got down. Twilight shook her head in both annoyance and appreciation at just how loyal, yet stubborn, her friend could be.
It took them only minutes to reach the castle due to the empty streets, caused by the night, and Poma soon saw the interior as Twilight opened the doors. It was made of crystal, entirely, and Poma couldn’t help but wonder just how the ponies managed to build this structure so flawlessly. It was almost as if this structure had sprouted from the ground…
They soon walked into a room that had a large table, surrounded by multiple chairs with various symbols on them, one of which glowed for a moment as Rainbow Dash sat on the one that matched her own on her flank.
Twilight also took a seat, before looking at Poma, and then looking around the room.
“Would you… Um… Like a seat?” She asked awkwardly.
“I will stand, thank you.” Poma replied.
Twilight nodded as she brought up a quill, ink, and a scroll from her saddlebags. She dipped the quill into the ink before hovering it over the scroll, now unfolded, and wrote something down. “You said your name was Poma, right?” She asked.
“That is correct.” Poma replied.
“Ok. What is your age?” Twilight asked.
“I am currently 4,137 years, 5 months, 14 days, 15 hours, 32 minutes and 16 seconds old.” Poma replied instantly.
Twilight looked up in mild shock, before looking back down and scribbling something onto the page.
“Where were you created?” She asked.
“I was born on Taris. I became what I am today on a planet called Tython.” Poma replied.
Twilight looked up again. “Born? But you’re a machine.” She stated.
“Correction: I am a machine now. I have not always been one. I was once a human, until I decided to become something more, something that could not age.” Poma stated.
“Human?! Oh, Celestia, Lyra is going to freak… Ok, how did you become what you are now?” Twilight asked.
Poma explained as much as he safely could about the process he went through, though it was difficult, and nearly 15 minutes later he was finished. By now Twilight had used 3 scrolls and was grabbing a fourth.
“Ok, now, explain to me how you can do all of this. The levitating, the invisibility, the sensing… How?” Twilight asked.
“The Force.” Poma stated, as though the answer was obvious.
“The Force?” Twilight asked.
“Yes. An energy field that surrounds all living things. It surrounds us, flows through us, and penetrates us. Without it, many of my feats today and many days before, would have been impossible. I am surprised you know so little of it, you are using it right now, after all.” Poma stated.
“I am? But, I’m using magic, are you sure that we’re using the same thing?” Twilight questioned.
“Absolutely, over 4,000 years of existence, and I have never failed to identify it.” Poma stated.
Twilight was stunned.
“Tell me everything you know about it.”
-Six Hours Later-
Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep hours ago, but Twilight was still wide awake even though the sun was rising, as she scribbled onto her 24th scroll of that day.
“So you are saying that Pegasi manipulate the Force for flight, Unicorns manipulate it to use spells, and Earth Ponies use it to enhance their strength and farm?” She asked Poma.
“That is correct, by my observations, yes.” Poma stated.
Twilight shook her head for the umpteenth time that day.
All of this was clashing with every magical theory she had ever studied in her life, it was absolutely ground breaking, and if it was true…
Hundreds of year’s worth of theorizing and speculation: Gone. Defenestrated. Useless.
It was mind-blowing.
“There are two other things I should mention about the Force. The Dark Side. And the Light Side.” Poma stated.
Twilight looked up. “Dark Side? Light Side? What are those?”
“Two separate, yet connected, aspects of the Force. The Dark Side follows emotion, greed, power. The Light follows serenity, peace of mind, and clarity. The Jedi follow the Light. Whilst the Sith follow the Dark.” Poma stated.
Twilight grabbed 4 more scrolls from her saddlebags, the last ones, before saying. “Speak.”
Poma did just that. Another two hours passed as he explained the differences, similarities, strengths, and weaknesses of both sides.
“The Rule of Two?” Twilight questioned.
“Yes, first implemented by Darth Bane, followed through by every Sith to this day.” Poma replied.
“How does that work?” Twilight asked.
“I will let him explain.” Poma stated.
Before Twilight could question that, Poma’s eyes suddenly closed, and his mouth glowed red as it flashed while speaking in a voice that was not his own:
"The Force is not fire, it is venom.
If should the Master be struck down, the apprentice becomes the Master, and the Order continues.
As the recording ended Poma opened back his eyes, to look at Twilight’s shocked expression, of which also possessed some fear. After that she simply stood up and said.
“I’m going to need some Coffee.”
That was before a piercing scream filled the room.