Battlemech Equestria

Chapters

Awakening
Reunion
Magic
Living Nightmare

Awakening

A clash of wills. The sky lit up with energy. The scraping of metal against metal. She could remember these things vividly, even after... she could not tell how long it had been. Her slumber could have easily lasted years, but also just mere days. The dreams and visions that kept her company did not really make it easy to tell.

She was there again, on the hilltop, watching the battle rage in the skies above. Two metal titans danced a deadly waltz among the clouds, illuminating the sky with brilliant, colourful death. The final clash came, far more intense and terrifying than any other before it. The ground quaked terribly and gave way under her hooves without warning. The sacred duel had ended, one way or the other. And her consciousness soon followed.

And then... a new sound, unfamiliar and curious. The whirr of machinery, coupled with the hiss of air. She suddenly felt a light, cool breeze caress her skin. The visions and dreams faded, replaced by single, powerful urge.

To wake up.

Her eyes shot open and she gasped. Relatively fresh air sent a chill through her entire body as it entered her lungs. Instinctively, she sat up and immediately regretted it. Every single muscle in her body ached from the sudden movement. Her horn felt like it could burst. The bodysuit clung to her skin like a leech. She groaned and finally opened her eyes. Her sight was muddy and distorted for a good few seconds.

The chamber was a... no, mess was an understatement. The various devices and machinery around her seemed to have broken down due to disrepair. Entire layers of dust and debris covered every nearby item. She was sitting in some sort of pod, the only thing still operational within the entire area. And then there was the figure.

Standing tall on two hooves, they were an intimidating sight. Wrapped from head-to-toe in a sealed suit of armour, its design not quite like anything the sleeper remembered, a sizeable emblem in the shape of a three red apples rested on their shoulder pads. In her hands, a long, intimidating weapon was held, a rifle of some sort. The other spoke with a deep, but still distinctly feminine voice:
"Uhh, howdy. Can ya' hear me?"
She winced again as her muscles protested against any movement, but gathered her resolve. Her first attempts produced little more than grunts, but she finally managed to clear her throat and reply with just a tinge of fear:
"Y-yes."
"Are ya', by any chance, Lady Twilight Sparkle?"

The two words immediately jogged her memories. The answer was clear as day:
"Yes."
The other seemed to sigh with relief and she rested her rifle:
"Whoooowie, ya' can't imagine how good that is ta' hear," she spoke again, but it didn't seem that she was talking to her, "this is Honesty, Ah've found her," a brief chatter from the other side, "alright, hold out, we're comin'," then she addressed Twilight directly again, "listen, can ya' walk?"
She found that even moving her legs required a great deal of effort:
"No. Not yet, anyway."
"Right, thought that might be the case. Come on, Ah'll help ya'. We don't have much time."

Honesty extended her hand towards her and hesitated. They shared a look and Twilight finally asked:
"Why do we have to leave?"
"We need to get outta' here before any more find us."
"Any more what," she started, panic evident in her voice, "what's after us?"
"Move first, questions with long answers later. Ah promise Ah'll answer everything later, got it?"

Twilight wanted to protest, but there was something about the other's voice. Somehow she just knew Honesty was... oh, how fitting, actually. Was that how this pony had gotten her call sign? At least, she hoped it was a codename of sorts. It was a rather poor name in the generic sense.

She took the soldier's hand. The mare possessed remarkable strength and hefted her out of the pod as if she were a toy. Then, her apparent rescuer held her up as she hopped, rather than walked along, wincing as her hooves protested.

Together, they trudged through the facility. Each new corridor seemed more derelict and forgotten than the last. She couldn't but spot what looked like bones among the rubble, along with signs of battle damage. Most probably artillery. The thought sent a chill down her spine. Finally, a light appeared in the distance and the two redoubled their efforts.

They emerged on the surface. A powerful wind blew Twilight's long, violet hair into her face, even as her matching eyes scanned the landscape. Dry earth, rock and desolation. She gasped from the sight and asked:
"Where are we?"
Her companion looked down at her and spoke with a grim tone:
"Equestria. Former Principality of Crystal."

It was like a punch to the gut. She still remembered the majestic towers which had stretched high into the sky, visible for dozens of miles. The endless snow which had surrounded them. It was all gone. Everyone was.
"H-how long was I...?"
"Too long, sugarcube," such a cute name for someone. Without warning, a mighty roar sounded above them. Twilight glanced up just in time to see a large, azure form pass overhead, its rocket boosters blazing with a wide array of colours. Three more forms, thin and frightening, followed, clearly in pursuit, "aw, hay. Come on, it's not far!"

She wasn't lying. Just around the corner, a humanoid colossus awaited in slumber. Painted a vibrant shade of orange, the massive battlemech was easily two stories high. One of the biggest Twilight had ever seen, its armour plating alone was probably heavier than a lighter mech. Much to her surprise, it did not seem to possess any obvious armament. Hurriedly, they rushed towards the mechanical giant.
The plating on its torso was slid to the side, revealing the mech's cockpit. It even seemed to have an extra space for a passenger, conveniently enough. Honesty quickly helped her get inside, before assuming her own space in the proper pilot seat. Within moments, the mech's torso closed up again and they found themselves in darkness.

Lights blinked on, the whirr and rattle of machinery filled the area as the alloy beast came to life. A dozen tiny screens flickered into existence, each showing different readings. All she could identify was some sort proximity scanner, then something equal to a power readout, finally a status screen for the entire machine. Finally, the visuals came online and Twilight immediately gasped.

The mech's cameras narrowed in on the target. Standing on a quartet of legs, it was thin, tall and reminded her of some monstrous insect forged out of metal, with no obvious head. The alloys were grey, muddied, unpainted. Their foe was purposefully built. No flair, no aesthetic design choices. Just pure, deadly function. Its arms moved into a ready position and she could already see energy gather within its weaponry. The pilot cursed:
"Gosh darnit," in the blink of an eye, the enemy was bathed in a dazzling display of destruction, its molten husk collapsing to the ground soon afterwards, "wha-?!"
A high-pitched, energetic voice suddenly sounded in the cockpit:
"Party pooper pooped! All clear, AJ!"
"Am Ah the only who bothers with the call signs anymore? But thanks. Let's get outta' here, girls," four other voices confirmed the notion, before 'AJ' turned to her, "hey, sugarcube?"
"Yes?"
"Watch the scanner on your left there and strap yourself in. This is gonna' be a bumpy ride."

Twilight complied immediately. The metal giant stirred and the world trembled beneath its feet. The first few steps were slow and purposeful as Honesty got used to the terrain. Then, the mech's boosters kicked in and propelled them forward. Immediately, Sparkle glanced towards the indicated screen.

A handful of green dots could be seen, with words and numbers that indicated their status above. Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness. All within three hundred metres, all with the status 'Operational'. Red dots liberally littered the remainder of the display, swarming the area in search of prey. Two were even heading for... she called out:
"Two incoming, 11 o'clock!"
"Roger," the mech's torso swivelled around to face the insect terrors, "let's play rough."

Her attention kept moving between the camera feed and the other screens. Power was being diverted to the arm actuators and the weapon systems housed within. They charged to meet the enemy and Twilight thought they would surely crash. Yet even as the bugs readied massive, scythe-like talons, Honesty struck like lightning. Her mech's fist thrust forward, crackling with energy. This power was released on impact in a mighty shockwave, tearing the attacker apart in a single strike and punting its friend aside as if they were made of paper. The pilot cried out:
"Take that!"
"Nice hit!"
"Serves 'em right!"

There seemed to be no end to the things, though. More and more appeared on the very edge of detection range with each passing moment. The five allies seemed to be grouping up over time in preparation for a dramatic escape. It was then that a massive new dot appeared on the screen. For a moment, the unicorn thought it was a mistake. Then, she looked at the visual and her jaw dropped.

A massive new form had dug itself out of the ground. Crab-like in appearance, the robot's central torso was little more than a housing for a truly titanic weapon. And by the detected energy signature, it was getting ready to fire. Honesty gave an immediate order:
"Spread out!"
Twilight glanced at the approaching hordes on the radar and disagreed:
"No!"
"What in tarnation ya' mean, no?!"
"That's what they want. Spread out and we're individually easy pickings. Group up and give me access to the deflector system."
"Deflectors? There ain't no asteroid or tiny debris in..."
"Please," pilot and passenger met gazes, "trust me on this one."
The gaze lasted a few more moments, before she called the other pilots again:
"Scratch that. Everyone, form up behind me," confused chatter could be heard, "our friend has a plan."

Access granted. The green dots moved together as she accessed the systems themselves. Technological progress was amazing, as evidenced by the metal monster they were currently inside. But no matter how advanced it was, there was always something beyond the realm of scientific theories and findings.

The Arcane.

She was back on the tiny balcony again, gazing at the stars with the Sun by her side. She could identify the various constellations in a heartbeat and her mind referenced information about the systems where the stars were situated. Her tutor spoke once again:
"Do you feel it? Magic permeates through everything. Every particle in the universe is intertwined with it. That is why it can have such powerful effects where technology falters."
"Only if you have the ability to use it, though."
"That is true," the monarch chuckled, "and only if you have control of such powers. I think you have more than proven you are capable of such feats, however."
"Thank you, Princess," she stared at the stars above, "I can definitely feel it. Flowing through everything. A little transfer of energy and I could... do so many things."
"And that's just the tip of the iceberg, my student."

"How's it comin' along?"
"One more moment."
"Don't think we got one!"

She went over the entire system again to make sure she understood it. She most certainly did. As energy crackled around her horn, she spoke to the pilot:
"Stay on course, right at the enemy," amplify the actual shield, make sure not to overload underlying systems, a few arcane failsafes... become one with the flow. Her voice became almost ethereal, "ready."
"Here goes nothin'!"

The massive robot unleashed its payload, a crimson ray of annihilation easily larger than any of the squad's mechs. She could hear Honesty recite a brief prayer to Equinox. Finally, they clashed with the beam. Her mind wanted to vividly imagine the effects the beam would have had, but she pushed such idle thoughts aside. Concentration was utmost important. Even after so many years of slumber, one thing remained the same. Magic was strong with her.

The mech shuddered as the ray impacted an invisible wall. Twilight cried out as she felt the raw power of the attack, but remained firm. The cockpit was bathed in violet energy as she gave it her all. The entire clash clash lasted mere seconds, but it felt as if hours had passed. She slumped down into her chair, exhausted, as Honesty declared:
"Yeehaw! Let 'er rip! Aim fer the gun!"

The last thing Twilight remembered before passing out was a display of overwhelming firepower that turned the crab's torso into a smouldering husk.

"Focus, Twilight," Celestia's voice spread through the small, chamber, spreading from speakers mounted on the wall, "feel the shift in the flow and react. Just as I taught you."

Twilight rubbed her aching knee, where the training drone had struck. Even now, the machine gazed at her with its lifeless stare, its weapon at the ready. A lower-grade elecrtical weapon, its purpose was simple. To teach through pain. She stoop up again and met the construct's gaze. After a deep breath, she spoke:
"Ready."

The robot attacked immediately and she defended herself, forming small, short-lived shields of arcane power in the way of the shots. Far more efficient than a simple, sustained barrier. The automaton tried to throw her off, aiming for different spots, but this time... this time she was ready.

Some time passed and she stood there, gasping for air, but unharmed.

"Excellent progress, Twilight."

She was being shaken, gently, but firmly. Slowly, her eyes opened and she looked at the faceplate of Honesty's helmet, once more:
"Hey there. You feelin' okay?"
She lied:
"Y-yes," her body ached again, but she smiled. The mech wasn't moving, "where are we?"
"Home," she clicked a button on the side of her helmet and it opened up, revealing a friendly orange face with a handful of scars and a pair of beautiful, emerald eyes, "come on, lemme' help ya' get out."

It wasn't a long jump towards the plating, but for her weakened legs, it might as well have been two stories. Her new friend supported her, thankfully. She glanced up at the strong, honest pony and asked:
"I'm sorry, but I never asked for your name."
"Heh, well, ya' know my call sign, but name's," she casually pulled off her helmet, releasing a mane of short, unkempt blond hair from its prison, "Applejack. It's an honour, Lady Sparkle."
"Same here," she glanced over the area and commented, "I see the cavalry has arrived, as well."

They were in a mech hangar. The sheer size of the facility, along with the numerous colossi in storage, clearly indicated as much. A quartet of figures stood out from the surrounding hustle and bustle of the hangar, though she did notice a small crowd was gathering around... her position. Oh, dear.

They walked in a line, chatting with each other, each clad in a similar sealed armour to Applejack's. One stood out especially, as she had a hole in her helmet for a long, snow-white horn. The operatives closed the distance and actually gave her a little bow. Immediately, she felt flustered, but bowed in return. The leftmost of the group chuckled at that:
"I don't think that's how these formalities work, heh. What you did back there? Pretty darn radical."
"Yeah," came the excited, high-energy voice of Laughter, "spectabulous!"
"T-thank you," Twilight smiled, "without all of you, I'd still be locked in... the ruins." thinking of it still made her uncomfortable.

"Well, we would have maybe become toast without you, so I think that makes us even. I think some introductions are in order," she removed her helmet, revealing a striking mane possessing every colour of the rainbow, a pair of dark pink eyes, and a sky blue coat. She saluted as she recited, "Rainbow Dash, call sign Loyalty, shock assault and hit n' run expert. An honour, Lady Sparkle."

The second was Laughter. As soon as she removed her helmet, an illogically large mane of hair burst out of its confines, bubbly and rather chaotic. A wide grin lay plastered on her pink face and she winked at Twilight with one of her azure eyes:
"Pinkie Pie, call sign Laughter, heavy assault laser dazzle! Super duper to meet you, Lady Sparkle!"
"That is not your official designation." Rainbow chuckled and shook her head.

The third was the other unicorn. She very carefully removed her helmet. Underneath, a well-groomed, short violet mane awaited, brushed to the side to cover her right eye. The other dark blue eye was nestled among a snow white coat. Definitely a mare with a certain pazazz:
"Rarity, call sign Generosity, heavy fire support and artillery. An absolute delight to meet you, Lady Sparkle."

Finally, and with a hint of reluctance, the last team member took off her helmet. She seemed fairly timid overall, only giving Twilight a side glance with one teal eye, but she was quite pretty. Her short, pink mane looked wonderful next to her creamy yellow coat:
"U-umm, Fluttershy," her voice was a whisper tickling the ears, "call sign Kindness. C-chief engineer and defender. P-pleasure to meet you, Lady Sparkle."

All this Lady business was making her feel nervous:
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet all of you. And really, the Lady part is not necessary."
"You sure 'bout that, sugarcube? Ya' were the student of Princess Celestia before she..."
"She what?"
"Tarnation," Applejack seemed frustrated, "forgot ya' weren't exactly from... now? Princess Celestia she, uhh..."
"For the interest of time," Pinkie was suddenly just closer, without any obvious movement, "both Princessess disappeared a loooong time ago when they didn't get along! Then we had a few centuries of chaos and now we're being invaded!"
"Dis...appeared..." Twilight seemed to stare into space for a moment.

"Listen, guys," Rainbow cut through everyone, "this has gotta' be a lot for her. Let's let her rest and bring her to the Commander. She'll know how to explain everything better than us. That sound okay, Twilight?"
"Y-yes. I think so."
"Good. Applejack, take her there. Rest of us, we need some R n' R."

They said their goodbyes as Twilight and her guide headed deeper into the base, under the watchful eyes of every other pony inside. Twilight's mind was filled with questions and demanded answers.

Elsewhere entirely, nestled within a heart of metal, among the roar of reactors the size of countries, a figure stood, absorbing countless amounts of information about Their realm. A holographic map was projected into the massive chamber, depicting an area encompassing more than a dozen star systems. A robotic voice fed Them a constant stream of information:

"The Yucathan rebels have declared unconditional surrender exactly fifteen minutes and twenty-three seconds ago. The Halikar shipyards report the completion of their production and request new orders."
"And what of the crusaders? How go their efforts?" asked the ruler.
"Forces assigned to the Changeling Crusade report numerous successful deployments. Admiral Dazzle estimates victory within weeks. Your forces may then rejoin the Equestrian Pacification Effort."
"Excellent. Estimated chance of ultimate victory?"
"Ninety-nine point five percent, accounting for all conceivable, if extremely unlikely, apocalyptic scenarios, Your Brilliance."

They looked over the map once more, cocky and sure of victory. Then, one final message came:
"Defeat reported within bounds of the former Principality of Crystal. Sixty-five frames and one crustacean sentry reported destroyed. Five hostiles managed to escape."
"How did this happen?!" Their voice boomed and echoed within the chamber.
"Reports from other frames are still being compiled, Your Brilliance."
"Inform me of any developments at once."
"Yes, Your Brilliance."

That left a foul taste in Their mouth and far too many questions. Why ruffle through that waste? What were the rebels after?

Somehow, They knew They wouldn't have to wait too long for an answer.

Reunion

Every assisted step forced her weakened legs to stop complaining and get with the plan. She knew that her mind was subconsciously applying magic to aid the healing process, but the rate of recovery was nonetheless remarkable. She and Applejack attracted gazes wherever they went. The populace of this underground city was most certainly plentiful and varied.
Though consisting mostly of ponies, she could spot a handful of dogs, camels and other assorted species. Soldiers, crafters, civilians, refugees all, hiding underground within hallways of stone and metal.

Finally, they reached a reinforced door, flanked on each side by an armoured guard. As soon as the pair saw them approach, they stood at attention and saluted. Twilight turned to Applejack:
"I think I can manage from here."
"Ya' sure, sugarcube?"
"Yeah, don't worry."

She was gently placed on the ground and while her hooves vehemently protested, she slowly limped over to the guards. The sight must have given off mixed signals. In unison, the two spoke:
"Lady Sparkle, it is an honour."
"It apparently is," she allowed herself a chuckle, "I would wish to speak to the Commander."
"She has been expecting you. Come in."

The room was something between an operations centre, a briefing room and regular sleeping quarters. A few simple bunk beds were tucked into one of the corners, out of the way of anything important. The rest of the room was a mess of screens and holographic maps. Dozens of operators were busy assembling information and communicating with agents in the field. Above it all, on an elevated platform, stood an eye-catching figure.

Slender and athletic, her coat, once perhaps golden, was a faded, muddy yellow. Her flaming mane showed similar signs of age. Her body was host to no small number of augmentations. Both arms and her left leg had been replaced by robust, efficient cybernetics. A patch of skin and fur on her neck was replaced with a similar device and Twilight was sure that she had many more patched up wounds hidden under her military uniform. A small host of medals shone on her chest. Two healthy, dark brown eyes watched the unicorn approach. As soon as she ascended onto the platform, the commander saluted:
"Lady Sparkle," her voice was rough as gravel, "you are a sight for sore eyes."
"I seem to always be at a disadvantage," she smiled, "everyone seems to know me."
"I cannot say that surprises me. You feature in many old tales. Naysayers often said they were mere myths or legends. Well, we sure showed them," she chuckled, "I can't even imagine how many questions you must have."
"Let's start with the simple ones. May I know your name?"

"Oh, of course," she shook her head, "my apologies. Spitfire, current commander of the Equestrian Liberators. Used to serve in the proper army before we," she seemed to search for the right word for a few seconds, then gave up, "got decisively wrecked. This resistance is all that's left."
"I see," Twilight looked around at all those tired faces, then back to Spitfire, "what happened to my home?"

Spitfire took a deep breath.

The Celestial Duel was where it all started going downhill. With both princesses disappearing after that fateful final attack, everything was thrown into chaos. Records say that you were gravely injured during the event, as well. From there, where do I start? Armed elements rebelling in an effort to carve out their own little dictatorships? Countries which had been absorbed into one single planetary government suddenly crying for independence?

That bullshit lasted a good two centuries, give or take. That's when First Contact occurred. The first attack from what we now know is the 'Empire'. And yes, that's actually the official designation. A minor incursion by all accounts and easily repelled. The enemy 'frames' were pilotless, and could not match the defenders in a fair fight. Over the years, more such incursions followed, gradually ramping up in intensity, but that only served to fuel the pride and cockiness of the planet's many new nations.

Then, a few short decades ago, when I was a mere sergeant in the Equestrian military, the sledgehammer came. The sight still haunts my dreams. Endless swarms of merciless, metallic death, blotting out the sun. Divided, with our own petty squabbles and differences, we could not hope to resist. Crushed like insects. That was the first time our enemy's leader was given a vague identity. Referred to only as 'Brilliance' in all official and unofficial channels, this nebulous creature seized control of our home like many others before it.

I was one of the many who did not quite agree to this form of dictatorship and helped form this rebellion.

Twilight watched Spitfire sigh, before continuing:
"And we've had it rough. Fighting against an enemy with seemingly endless resources and even more contempt for us. That's why I authorised what many called a wild goose chase. Trying to find you, Lady Sparkle."
"Successful in this regard, I suppose," even though she answered, she seemed a bit distant, processing all this information, "but why? I'm just one unicorn."
"You are much too humble, if the records are even partially true. You are far beyond the average unicorn."
"Yet I am still alone. It doesn't matter how strong I am. I cannot turn the tide of this... this horrible war."
"And again, you may be wrong," Spitfire moved in closer, her voice suddenly a whisper, "look around you, Lady Sparkle. At the mares and stallions manning these bloody stations, listening to their friends die. At all the people out there in those hallways, just sitting around waiting for the inevitable to arrive. The enemy has done far worse than just harm them. Their spirits are broken. They need something. Anything. A sliver of hope to keep them going."
"I... I see. You would have me be this symbol, then?"
"That is all I can ask of you. No. That is all I can beg of you."

Spitfire's tough exterior cracked then, for a fraction of a second. Twilight could see desperation and an exhaustion that lesser individuals would have buckled under long ago. Then it disappeared again, replaced by the stern, stone-cold look of a leader. The sleeper glanced around the room. The ponies there were listening intently, to every last syllable.

Was it not her solemn duty? To aid the people against such despair, such darkness? Was that not part of her vow?

"And I solemnly proclaim, that as a wielder of this sacred power, I shall do all I can for the good of Equestria and its people, without prejudice or bias. To bring the arcane to bear against all those who would threaten harmony, prosperity and peace." so she had sworn on the day she became the student of Princess Celestia.

She returned Spitfire's stern gaze and spoke, proud and loud:
"I hereby declare that I shall uphold my sacred vows from so many years ago. My magic is yours, Commander."
"Music to my ears," chatter spread across the room as the commander's lips curled into a grin, "in that case, I shall begin planning the retrieval of something that belongs to you."
Twilight's eyes went wide:
"You couldn't possibly mean..."
"You can bet your horn I do. The imperial bastards have it locked up tight, but it's nothing we can't handle. Get some rest for now, I will contact you soon."
"Before I go, may I ask one last thing?"
"Shoot."
"Where exactly are we right now?"

Spitfire sighed again.

Beneath Canterlot. The words echoed in her head, yet as she looked around her from the ruined tower, she refused to believe it. The capital of the world, Gem of the System, Seat of Sun and Moon.

Why was it all just crumbling structures, growing weeds and wild animals?! Where was the hustle and bustle of tens of thousands of hooves, the cheerful cries of children, the endless chant of music and merriment, the proud figures of the Royal Guard patrolling the streets? Where?!

Gone, just like everything and everyone else.

She only realised she was on her knees, sobbing and crying, when hoofsteps sounded from the staircase. A concerned voice immediately came:
"Oh, dear, oh no," a pair of pink hands wrapped around her and pulled her into a warm comfortable hug, "it's okay, it's okay. Just let it aaaaall out."

And boy, she did. For a good minute, she continued, until she could cry no longer. It was then that she looked up into a pair of concerned, teal eyes. The pink mare just kept holding her close and commented:
"Better?"
She sniffled:
"Only a little."
"You knew this place, didn't you," her smile was faint, bitter, "before all of this. I never did, and I still get so sad when I look at it all. But you know what always cheers me up?"
"W-what?"

The energetic mare turned Twilight's head around, back to the ruins. Her hand drew shapes in the air:
"I imagine that, when all this is over, we'll get to build it up again! We'll make it the best, most fantastic place in all of Equestria!"
"Just like before," the student whispered.
"Yeah! With tall buildings, beautiful statues and fountains, and... I dunno', bakeries with fresh food on every corner!"

Twilight chuckled at that and Pinkie joined her. Before long, they were experiencing a giggle fit. After it finally subsided, she looked up at Laughter:
"I think I can get behind that."
"I knew you would! Now all you need to do is promise!"
"I promise that..."
"No, no, no! Like this! We will rebuild Canterlot," every phrase was accompanied by an appropriate gesture, "cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
With a smile, Twilight repeated this sacred incantation:
"We will rebuild Canterlot! Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
"That's the spirit," she suddenly gasped in an exceedingly dramatic fashion, "oh my gosh, almost forgot why I came here! Rarity wanted to take your measurements for some clothes," she grinned, "unless you wanna' stay in that yucky bodysuit?"
"I think I'll pass," they both rose as Twilight rubbed her eyes, "lead the way."
"Okie dokie lokie!" an enthusiastic thumbs-up followed the proclamation.

As they walked down the stairs back into the underground home, Twilight turned to Laughter:
"Pinkie Pie, was it?"
"That's me, alright!"
"Thank you. I needed that."
"Anytime you need cheering up, auntie Pinkie will find a way! Or your time back!"
"I don't think that is possible."
The energetic one gave her a sly smile:
"You'd be surprised, Lady Sparkle."

They giggled again as they descended.

The sign was at odds with the surrounding metal and rock. A well-dressed mare and stallion gazed at her as she entered, the name of the establishment shining brightly in a shade of violet. A bell rang as she entered.
The inside wasn't quite as chic. Clothes in a wide variety of colours, but little variety in style, sat on shelves and hanged from large racks. It was definitely much cleaner than most of the underground. An enthusiastic voice came from somewhere in the back rooms:
"Comiiiiiiing," Generosity emerged, wearing a more personalised set of clothes, dotted here and there with an emblem depicting a trio of blue gemstones. Her smile was wide as a mile, "ah, Lady Twilight! Welcome to Carousel Boutique!"
"No, really, the 'Lady' is not necessary, Rarity."
"Well, if you insist. I won't trouble you for too long, just need to take some measurements so that we can get you something more comfortable."
"Thank you, that would be swell."
"It is my pleasure. The quartermaster also needs to find you proper combat armour, I've been told."

Oh, crud.

"There may be a problem with that," Twilight said, fidgeting, "I cannot wear regular armour."
"Why not, darling?" her face was one of genuine concern.
"Well, I, ummm," she sighed, "I think it'll be easier if I show you. Is there any place where I could undress?"
"Right this way."

It was more for the sake of decency. She had never been particularly shy. Or, well, Princess Celestia's training had destroyed any such hindrance, at least. She slipped out of the bodysuit without a fuss, only then noticing how faded her coat's colours were underneath. She turned her back to Rarity, who gasped.
A long plate of exotic alloys was wedged within Twilight's flesh, snaking its way along her spine, the skin around it cracked and dry. At the top of it, there was a socket the likes of which the tailor had never seen. Nervously, she asked:
"Twilight... w-what is that?"
"A necessary augmentation. I won't go into exhaustive detail, but the plug up there must not be covered or obstructed by any means if I am to enter combat."
"I see," Generosity pondered and her horn suddenly lit up, "don't you worry! After my measurements, we'll make something that'll fit you like a glove. Hold still."

Her short mane, brushed over her right eye, was levitated out of the way by her magic. The shiny lens of a camera-like eye hid beneath, probably affixed to the stylish mare's very skull. Needless to say, it, and the hairless skin surrounding it, clashed a bit with her coat. Her work was thorough, paying special attention to the purple unicorn's obvious implant. Curiosity won over in Twilight:
"May I ask?"
"Yes, darling?" not stopping her work for even a femtosecond.
"The sign above the entrance... do you actually make dresses, too?"
"Oh, heavens no," she sighed, "not enough time. No proper materials, either. Though, maybe one day. When this is all over."
"In that case, I look forward to your first post-conflict ensemble."
"You're too kind, dear," one last glance, "there, done. I'll have the data sent to the quartermaster post haste. Now, for your regular wear," she walked over to the rack of civilian clothing, "I do think a shade of blue would go nicely with your coat."

She almost collapsed onto the floor of her modest quarters, the exhaustion from hours of training finally setting in. A shower, something to eat, then the blessed embrace of dreams. The place was clean, everything was in place. Just how she liked it. A concerned, child-like voice called out from somewhere inside:
"Had a rough day?"
"Is there any other kind?" she chuckled weakly.
"I ordered some apple pie from the market. It is still fresh."
"You're the best, you know that?"
"Based on how frequently you say that, I am inclined to believe it."

She entered the kitchen to say hello to her oldest friend.

Then she was back in the pod, buckled in for the ride. The armoured soldier sitting across from her, Lyra, if she remembered correctly, asked:
"Everything alright, Lady Sparkle?"
"Y-yes. After a thousand years of slumber, it's very easy to slip back into a daydream."
"Hope you no do that in fight," the massive form next to her growled out, "hate dead weight."

The canine's sneer was fully visible, his helmet just a few pieces of metal cobbled together in such a way as to not hinder any of the user's senses. He was twice as large as any of the other operatives, clad in heavy armour. And while not the most eloquent, his directness was incredibly refreshing:
"We'll see if you can keep up, T-Bone." such a neat name, too.

He emitted something between a growl and sincere laughter, just as a familiar voice sounded through their com-links:
"This is Loyalty, eta one minute. Get ready."

Twilight ran over the plan in her head one more time. Deceptively simple. Get in, drop the squad, run distraction, get out. Much easier said than done, especially since they were assaulting a heavily defended location. She just hoped they could find it fast enough.
The pod shook violently, it almost felt like their 'courier' had defied physics with aerial acrobatics. Then, Rainbow shouted:
"Now!"

There was a moment of weightlessness, before gravity came back to assert its dominion.

"Payload delivered," she spoke even as she forced her mech into another death-defying stunt, narrowly avoiding a barrage of energy blasts, "all units, report!"

Still trudging behind. Typical. She was always the first to enter combat. The sheer agility and speed of her small titan made sure of that. She was also the first to give out orders. One by one, her own squad declared they were in the combat zone. Two more, less familiar voices chimed in:
"Green Wing reporting, Blue Leader."
"Red Wing all accounted for, Blue Leader."
"Then form up," front-mounted thrusters forced her mech to brake, her pursuers rapidly changing trajectory to avoid crashing. A shimmering blade of superheated metal materialised from her mech's forearm, for just a moment. That was all she needed to slice one of the attackers in half like a piece of paper, "and let's give 'em hell!"

She stretched her back as soon as she was clear of the breaching pod, admiring the simple, elegant craftsmanship of the piece. Interlocking armour plates with enough flexibility to not hinder her movements, coupled with a shaped, angular design to keep her plug accessible. She'd have to thank whoever made it later.

The wailing of several sirens and alarms filled the area as the drop squad assembled. Eight agents in total, six with firearms, one with an oversized shield and crude club. And finally, a seemingly unarmed, helmetless Twilight. It didn't take long for their opponents to arrive.
Rolling along on tank treads, the guard bots were large and, presumably, in charge. Each possessed four separate weapon arms mounted on a short, armoured torso. And by the look of things, they weren't there to politely escort any visitors outside.

The canine rushed into the hallway as a shimmering field of energy emanated from his shield. Everyone else huddled behind T-Bone's protective barrier as the first enemy shots dissipated against it harmlessly. One of the troopers started saying:
"Lady Sparkle, stay," a violet blur moved at the edge of his vision, "behind us?"

The standard combat plan was sound. Energy weapons didn't waste ammo, so were always used first. Deflect their salvo with a shield, then retaliate with destructive force before the enemy brought any solid slug armaments to bear. Tactical, yet risky, as survival depended on the speed of your foe's response.

She wasn't willing to take that chance. Twilight's body shone with a faint, purple light as she rushed forward. Her regular senses became irrelevant. Instead, she concentrated on the ebb and flow of magic all around her. She did not hear the telltale click of magazines being loaded. She did not see the muzzle flashes of a dozen guns. She gazed directly at the arcane distortions which accompanied those actions. And she reacted accordingly.

They were all concentrating on her, as intended. Bullets filled the air around her, but passed no further, deflected harmlessly by invisible walls. As she finally closed the distance, a shimmering pillar of raw magic sprouting from her hands, one of the robots emitted a sound:
"Danger."

Three wide-arcing slashes later, she was standing amidst piles of scrap metal. The rest of the squad called out to her with assorted praise, but she had already picked up an ethereal scent. She knew where it was. The unicorn shouted to them:
"Follow me!"

Left with little other options as she sped off, they did.

"Rarity," her voice was calm and collected even as the world outside kept spinning, "I brought guests, be a good host."
"I will do my best, darling."

She glanced at the scanner. Generosity and Kindness, the eternal duo, stood just over the ridge. Now she just had to get to them. The sky behind her thrusters was lit up with a wide assortment of weapons fire. The phantom pain in her fingers returned as their servos whirred. She wanted to scream her lungs out, but managed to contain the excitement.

She passed the ridge. The cameras saw a four-legged, snow white monster of a mech unleash an unholy amount of missiles into the air from countless missile tubes in its torso. It was then, when the shockwave of the ensuing blast threatened to knock her off course, that Rainbow Dash felt alive again.

A few minutes was all it took to reach the right hangar. She stood there, gazing at it long enough for the others to catch up. They, too, could not resist staring afterwards.

The mech was one-of-a-kind. Tall, humanoid in shape, slender. Its design elements were round, instead of blocky, its armour plating minimal at best. Painted mostly in violet, with a few dashes of crimson. A star-like emblem was emblazoned on its chestplate. Peculiarly, its legs ended in pony-like hooves and a long, sharp horn jutted out of its armoured head. An intricate web of lines was carved into its surface, though only she could read the symbols they formed. The unicorn turned to the others:
"I will need some time to activate him."
"We give time," T-Bone bashed his arms together, "you go!"
"Be careful."

She rushed up the nearest set of stairs, heading for a ramp that connected to the upper torso of the colossus, where the cockpit was. She doubled her pace as soon as the sounds of battle reached her ears.
She reached the outer shell, panting and gasping and reached for a discreet button. A panel revealed itself, demanding identification. More worldly security measures would have been easy to circumvent. This one, however, demanded a sample of magic. She provided just a jolt from her fingertip.

The machine stirred, its torso plating sliding to the side for the first time in centuries. Finally, she was home. Lights illuminated the control station and she stepped inside, placing her hands and feet in specialised holds. Instinctively, she braced herself for the final step, as a tentacle-like wire emerged and plunged itself into her plug with surgical precision.

The jolt of pain was brief, but intense, forcing her to cry out. Status reports and other assorted information streamed in at the edge of her vision. Finally, she heard the voice of her oldest friend in her mind:
"Twilight, is that really you?"
Hearing it immediately calmed her down. She replied:
"You can't imagine how good it is to hear you, Spike."
"Judging by my own inner emotional response, I would beg to differ," he processed new data, "your new memories are troubling."
"We can discuss those later. Initialise visual feed."
"At once."

The entire conversation happened in the span of a few heartbeats. Twilight closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she was staring at the wall of the hangar. The lines between unicorn and mech were blurred. Its cameras were her eyes, she controlled its digits as easily as her own.
She gazed down at the squad, under fire with two already wounded. Her mind commanded and her titan obeyed, the countless lines on its form lighting up to form ancient runes. The troopers gazed wide-eyed as a wall of purple light separated them from the guards. They were levitated upwards, into Twilight's new palm, where mechanical fingers gripped their arcane cell tightly. For their own good. Unicorn and titan gazed down at them and Twilight spoke into the com-link:
"Don't worry, we'll get you out of here."
"Twilight, the loading arms are still holding us in place."

A trivial matter.

Part of the fortified structure vanished in a violent explosion. Confused, panicked chatter dominated the airwaves for a few seconds. Then, an angel emerged from the fire. Thin, long tendrils of energy jutted out of the mech's back, where thrusters would have otherwise been, mimicking a set of bizarre, alien wings.

Rainbow was mesmerised by the sight for a few seconds, before making a sharp turn and heading towards the newcomer. A few of the insectoid frames had already taken notice. The angel rushed into battle without hesitation, suddenly surrounded by a sea of stars.

After charging, the arcane bolts rushed ahead like missiles, colliding with and blasting apart any mechanised opponent in their path. Just as the unicorn mech spinned around to strike at another, a sky blue form rushed past, slashing the opponent neatly in two. An obviously entertained voice contacted the angel:
"You owe me one, Lady Sparkle," spoken with a generous dose of friendly ribbing.
"I'll be sure to teach you some moves, Miss Dash."
"We'll see about that!"

Together, the two light mechs rushed ahead into battle.

"Compiling information from all surviving frames. One hundred and twenty-five confirmed losses. Three enemies neutralised. Relic storage compromised. I will inform you of any new findings, Your Brilliance."
"Do so, Philomena."

They turned towards the assembled officers, all but one connected through digital means. A mischievous, mocking voice sounded:
"Well, I did advise You against keeping that old hunk of junk around, Your Brilliance."
"We recall very well what your advice was, serpent," Their gaze was like fire, "and you'd best remember your rank."
"My apologies. I had forgotten humour is a rare commodity in these parts, Your Brilliance."
"Our humour is the only reason you are not currently being quartered."

That shut him up. They turned to another screen:
"Admiral, I do hope you do not plan to disappoint Us."
"The changeling army is in full-scale retreat. We have begun sieging their primary hive clusters. Their defences are formidable, but will not last."
"Well done. Keep Us informed at regular intervals."
"Yes, Your Brilliance."

The screen went dark as They turned to the other two:
"Now for local concerns. This unicorn must be dealt with."
"If I may, Your Brilliance, I do believe I am more than qualified for..."
"No, you have your own responsibilities," They turned to the one in flesh, "We task you with neutralising the one known as Twilight Sparkle. You shall leave at once."

A pair of icy blue eyes flashed as the enforcer bowed:
"It shall be so, Your Brilliance."
The clop of hooves echoed within the chamber. The serpent commented:
"Your pet monster is unleashed. I wonder who will rise from the ashes, Your Brilliance."
"Begone, serpent."

As the last screen died, They gazed at the universe beyond reinforced glass. One way or another, an uncertainty would be removed.

"To fallen friends!" Rainbow's mechanical arm rose to the air, clutching a jug of cider.
"To fallen friends!" the rest of the bar echoed.

The brew was good enough, the mood in the bar bittersweet. The mission was a success, though at the cost of three brave souls. The daredevil looked around the bar and spotted a silent soul, staring into her jug. She walked over, her legs clicking with every step, and sat down next to the purple unicorn:
"Hey, you okay?"
"Oh," Twilight looked up. Something was obviously troubling her, "sorry, I was just thinking."
"About?"
"I, well" the words echoed through her head, "about today."

"An improvement, Twilight. But there is always room for more. Again."

"Let me guess. The three that didn't make it?"
"Yes," she sighed, "I did not know them, yet I still feel responsible. Maybe if I was faster, we could have pulled out earlier. If I..."
A metal finger hushed her unceremoniously and she stared into the speedster's eyes:
"Listen, I'll give you some advice. It doesn't matter how good you are. You could be fast as light, you still wouldn't be able to save everyone," the smell was forever etched into her mind. Burning feathers and flesh, "trust me on that one. So you got two choices here, Twilight. You either let it eat you up inside, "for months, "or you grab that jug of yours and drink with me in their honour, remembering those you did save, as well. A certain wounded Lyra Heartstrings comes to mind."

Twilight looked at her cider, contemplating. Slowly, she picked up the jug and raised it in the air:
"To fallen friends!"
"To fallen friends!" Rainbow smiled as their jugs collided.

Magic

Two figures walked side-by-side through underground corridors, attracting many gazes. Twilight wasn't sure if the primary culprit was her, or her companion. Walking along on two thin legs, his small, slim form could have easily been mistaken for a toy. Especially with the short tail and other draconic features.

He had always liked those.

The little dragon spoke to her in his standard, monotone voice. Only she seemed to be able to read his emotions properly:
"We seem to attract a fair deal of attention."
"Aw, come on, Spike! You always wanted to have fans."
"Perhaps, but now I find myself thrust into this position far too quickly for my liking. Further, some of them seem," he turned his elongated head to glance at the onlookers, then back to her, "unsure. On the precipice between positive and negative emotion."
"Well, we do have pretty big boots to fill around here," she sighed, "pretty big boots."
"Don't worry. If my memory data is correct, we can exceed expectations."
"Heh, that's the spirit!"

Before long, they entered the lowest parts of Canterlot's hangar bay. There, the mechs of the resistance were tended to by teams of mechanics after missions. It was also where the salvaged remains of the fallen were repurposed for future combat. Three were currently in the middle of such a process.

Unicorn and draconite headed towards the giant that stood out among the rest. Relatively short and robust, the mech was painted in a creamy yellow, dotted with pink butterflies, of all things. Where there was still any paint left, anyway. Scrapes, burns and other marks of battle damage dotted the metal. Strange devices rested on its shoulders and arms, and Spike most certainly noticed:
"Peculiar. I've never seen armaments like those before."
"You can ask her all about them, don't you worry."

Some of the plating on the mech's leg had been removed and a lone figure was performing maintenance on an elevated platform. Her creamy yellow coat, pink hair and simple work clothes were stained from a mixture of oil and grease, but even so, Twilight could tell she was quite the beauty. A small, orb-like drone hovered next to her, two large antennas clicking through the air.

As they got closer, a humming could be heard. It was a simple tune, but the voice that created it was positively lovely. They got closer and stood at the foot of the platform. The drone noticed them almost immediately, but the mechanic seemed lost in her own little world. It tilted its entire body from left to right, its green lens flashing for a moment, then it nudged her shoulder with a small extendable arm.

"Oh," she spoke out, her voice like a breeze tickling the ears, "what is it, Angel?"
He emitted a series of beeps, then turned to the newcomers once more. Fluttershy looked down and gasped, while Twilight waved awkwardly:
"Umm, hello!"
"O-oh, goodness, lady Sparkle! Sorry, I didn't see you! Be right there," with the pull of a lever, the platform descended back down to ground level, "t-terribly sorry, I-I always just lose myself when I'm," she suddenly froze when her gaze drifted to Twilight's own robotic companion, "oh, my!"

With uncanny swiftness, she hopped off the platform and knelt down to the little dragon's level. The little robot exclaimed:
"Greetings. I am Spike."
"You must the little robot I've been hearing about! You're with Lady Sparkle, then?"
"Yes. The two of us are partners."
"Darn right we are," Twilight joined in on the conversation, "we've been together ever since I was a filly."
"Your customised chassis is so well-made!"
"Thank you."
"Sorry if I'm a bit forward, but this is so exciting! Oh, gosh, if you were made back then... are you outfitted with a Mark Three Personality Core?"
"Mark Three-point-Two, actually. Technically experimental, but stable."
"That's amazing! I never thought I'd," Angel nudged her again, emitting another series of beeps, "oh, come off it, you dummy! No one could ever replace you!"

She grabbed hold of the orb-bot and hugged him to her chest. It wiggled its antennas a little, its beeps more relaxed and drawn out. The unicorn said:
"Heh, your little friend seems to have some personality to him, as well."
"Uhuh. Mark Two. Managed to salvage it from a scrapheap when I was little. Took me months to get it into a workable state. Then I built Angel around it," an excited beep sounded and Fluttershy giggled, "yes, you are. I don't know what I'd do without him, he keeps me organised," her smile faded as she looked at Twilight, "and keeps me company. I've never been good around people, I'm sure you could tell. Always been better with machines and tech."
"That explains a lot, actually. I came here to thank you. The work you performed on my combat armour is marvellous."
"O-oh! I'm so glad it fit you! You're lucky Rarity is a perfectionist. Her measurements made the design part almost too easy. Good thing, too. Your neural implants are the most extensive I've ever seen."
"Heh, let me tell you, getting used to them wasn't easy."
"I can't even imagine!"

Twilight still could, though. Vividly.

Being forced to wait in terror, strapped to the operating table, constantly being reminded that she needed to calm down. She had been fighting through the sedatives with sheer fear and doubts. Reading about all the ways such implantation could go wrong the previous night turned out to be a horrible idea. That was when a concerned visage entered her cone of view.

Her mane shone with a plethora of colours, at odds with the snow-white shade of her coat. One hand reached out and caressed Twilight's cheek, even as the barely-adult girl shivered. She would never forget that soothing voice:
"Do not worry, Twilight. You're strong. One little surgery can't possibly stop you."

A dragon-like construct danced at the edge of her vision, but she continued looking into the princess' purple eyes. With a sigh, she asked:
"D-do you mean it?"
"Of course. I'd never lie to the best student I've ever had."
"Then I will see you after the surgery."
"I will be there."

And Celestia kept her promise. The first thing Twilight could discern after waking up, other than excruciating pain, was a long sigh of relief.

"Lady Sparkle?"
She blinked and was back among the living:
"Oh, sorry. You were saying?"
"A short tangent on your implants. Sorry, I sometimes just gush over these things, Lady Sparkle."
"Just Twilight."
"Twilight, right. I would love to talk some more, but I really should get back to repairs," Fluttershy glanced at the opened-up leg, "need to make sure the servos are right after the scruff we had."
"Anything we can do to help?"
"Hmmm, actually, yes! Come with me," they got onto the platform and slowly rose back to its maximum height, "I need to do a little stress test. The shield array on this leg failed during the last fight. If you could just fuel a few systems with your magic, I think I should be able to isolate the issue."

The unicorn nodded:
"Got it. Just tell me when... and what to power, actually."
"The generator is the orange cylinder there in the middle," she pointed, "just a teency bit should do. I just need to study the readings while the system is online."

Twilight concentrated and let the magic flow. Despite her previous experiences, there was always something mesmerising about watching the inner workings of such machines. Following the flow of power and all that. The shield system was powered, though remained inactive. Fluttershy grabbed a small, blocky device and said:
"Alright. Increase potency, please," as she said that, the array came to life, emitting a see-through barrier of energy around the mech's leg, "just a little longer," the shield suddenly crackled with small jolts of energy, "you can stop now."

She withdrew her hand and the array returned to a dormant state in a few moments. Twilight smiled at the mechanic:
"Found the culprit?"
"Mmmhmm," she nodded enthusiastically, "thank you. Fixing it shouldn't take long. The others are working fine, thankfully."
Spike's draconid form waddled closer as he asked:
"So the other devices are shield projectors, as well?"
"Some of them are amplified deflectors."
"Arrays of such size must drain large amounts of energy. How do you have enough for weapon systems?"
Fluttershy giggled:
"Simple. I don't have any weapon systems."
"Does not compute."

She walked over to the titan and ran her hand against its plating:
"I... I could never do it. Fight, I mean. I'm a lousy shot, for one. More importantly, I could never bring myself to break something. Especially not something as wonderful as a frame or mech. As a dedicated defender, I still get to help out."
"Wonderful, huh," Twilight cocked an eyebrow, "I could understand that connected to the mechs, but the frames? The merciless killing machines of the Empire?"
"Oh, I know, what they do is awful," she smiled sheepishly, "but they're amazing otherwise! Form factor aside, their design is supremely efficient and streamlined! Precise construction to fulfil their function."
"I can't help but agree," Spike chimed in, which prompted Angel to beep, as well.
The student glanced at her friends, old and new, and just sighed:
"As I am outnumbered, I tactically withdraw from this argument."

The two ponies shared a laugh, while the robots emitted a whole plethora of sounds to express their delight. A shout suddenly echoed through the hangar:
"Hey, Fluttershy," they all turned to see the semi-mechanized form of Rainbow Dash walking towards them, "I just got back from a patrol and one of my thrusters was acting funky. Could you take a look at it?"
"As soon as I'm done here," the engineer's volume was much less impressive overall.
"Thanks, you're awesome!"

Before Rainbow turned to leave, she made a strange gesture with her fingers. It looked like a heart, though some of the fingers kept moving, akin to a set of wings. Fluttershy returned the gesture, which only made Twilight more curious:
"What was that?"
"Pegasus at heart. We were born off-world, on Cloudsdale, it's a custom there. I've known Rainbow ever since I was a filly, so it comes naturally."
"That's so sweet," she smiled, "you know what's strange, Fluttershy? For someone who says she has trouble with people, you seem to have found the best friends around."
"I know, right? I'm so lucky."

They shared one last giggle before parting ways.

The mess hall was quaint. The decorations, while still sparse, gave it a very homely atmosphere. Amazing what a few pictures and assorted balloons could do to an otherwise drab place. The Cakes, as the ones in charge, knew their stuff, apparently. The food was fairly appetizing, as well. Still clearly a product of a lack of resources, but by golly they had done their best.

As she toyed with the substance on her plate absent-mindedly, a friendly voice reached her:
"Ya' better eat up before it gets cold, sugarcube."
Applejack had a wide grin on her face as she sat down. The clothes she wore had to have been made just for her. Twilight couldn't imagine her in clothes of a size similar to what most others wore. Yet, even though Honesty towered over her even in a sitting position, Twilight did not feel the least bit nervous or intimidated. The gentle giant's smile was simply disarming.

Finally, she replied:
"Oh, hey, Applejack. Came for some grub?"
"Ya' bet," she took a nice, big bite out of her quasi-sandwich, then spoke while chewing, "ya' seemed a bit lost in thought there. Somethin' troublin' ya'?"
"No, well... only a bit. Just a bit under pressure, afraid I won't live up to expectations."
"Heh, we've all been there, Ah reckon," she finished chewing and swallowed, "listen, don't worry about it none. Ah've seen what ya' can do first-hoof. As long as ya' keep givin' it yer all, all's gonna' be fine, ya' hear?"
"Heh, thanks."

As the gentle giant smiled, a new, high-pitched voice spread through the mess hall:
"Applejack!"

Faster than a speeding bullet, three new forms sat down next to them. Even from a brief glance, Twilight somehow got the vibe that they were inseparable. All three were young, somewhere in their late teens, and energetic.
One sat down right next to Applejack, and while her yellow coat and red mane did not indicate as much, a closer look revealed several similarities between the two. Similar muzzle structure and other common facial features. Family, perhaps? The pink bow that kept her hair from overwhelming her face was definitely cute, though.
The second was more reserved than the other two. Her coat was of a familiar, snow-white colour, her mane showed signs of both violet and pink. And it was all rather stylishly done, too! A tiny horn was just large enough to peek out from among the hair.
Finally, there was the orange, obvious adventurer of the trio. Her purple mane was short and brushed into an extravagant mohawk. Scratches, bruises and even a few scars could be seen here and there, but no sign of any other serious injury.

Honesty immediately chuckled and said:
"Well, hey there! You look hungry!"
"That's cuz we are," that same accent, too, "we spent the whole day trainin', ya' know?"
"Heheh," Applejack turned back to the student, "Twilight, this here is mah sister, Apple Bloom."
"Heya'!" the smaller Apple smiled
"Then there's Rarity's sis, Sweetie Belle."
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Sparkle," complete with a small bow.
"And finally, the lil' daredevil here is Scootaloo."
"Great to meet someone so rad!" Twilight couldn't help but feel a hint of another daredevil somewhere in there.
"And it's great to meet all of you," she chuckled, "by the looks of it, you three are quite the friends."
"Heh, now that there is an understatement. These lil' buggers do everythin' together."
"We sure do!" they spoke in unison, shared a look, then giggled.
"Even have their own fancy codename."
"Oh, what is it?"
They shared another look and Scootaloo took the lead:
"The Crusaders!"
Apple Bloom continued:
"We ride out fer scrap collectin', mostly."
Sweetie Belle finished:
"Or when people need evacuating, though, that is rare."
"Heh, well, I'm sure you do a great job. You seem to have the teamwork part of it figured out."

The group chatted for a while more, though only she and Sweetie Belle seemed to speak without their mouths full. Time passed quickly and they soon exited the mess hall and parted ways. At least, that was what Twilight had thought. A suddenly very timid voice called out from behind her:
"Lady Sparkle?"
She turned around to see the younger Apple sister, not flanked by her fellows, and commented:
"Oh, Apple Bloom. Did you need something?"
"Ah j-just wanted to thank ya'. AJ told me how ya' used yer magic when they went ta' wake ya' up. How ya' saved all of 'em."
"I wouldn't go that far, but I helped."
"Sis also said ya' never give yerself credit. Listen, Ah... sis is everythin' to me. She's the only family Ah still have," without warning, she flung herself around Twilight, "so thank ya'. Thank ya' so much," Twilight was caught off-guard, but returned the gesture before long, "and could I ask one more thing?"
"Of course."
"Please, look after mah sis. Same way she looks after me."
"I promise."

They broke the embrace. Apple Bloom smiled at her one last time, before darting to catch up to her fellow Crusaders. Twilight stood in the hallway for a few more seconds, then cracked a smile herself.

She would do her best.

The alarm had sounded and what had to be all of the base's combat-ready personnel rushed to the briefing room. The place was positively packed, yet she still didn't have trouble picking out any familiar places. Spitfire stood above it all, a holographic map hovering in the air next to her as she spoke:

"Roughly two hours ago, we lost contact with Delta-Phi, one of our forward monitoring stations. Twenty-five minutes ago, we started receiving a distress signal from the location. Needless to say, the trap is as obvious as they get. Ordinarily, we would simply mourn those lost, but Delta-Phi was assigned several crucial mission and holds information vital to the rebellion at large," an uneasy murmur spread through the assembled personnel, "the retrieval of the information should be relatively simple. The problem is getting a team in unnoticed. They would require a distraction. This may very well be a suicide mission for anyone involved as we're effectively going in blind. I will not order a sortie, even with said information at stake. We have few enough forces as is. But I will ask one thing. Are there any volunteers for this mission among you?"

Twilight glanced throughout the crowd, even as they did the same. Then, she found that group of familiar faces. Rainbow, arms crossed, looked at the team assembled around her. One by one, the others around her nodded, though Fluttershy only with extreme trepidation. Afterwards, she raised her mechanical arm and said:
"The Rainbooms volunteer for the mission."

The area devolved into more murmurs and surprised gasps. There was no doubt in the student's mind that they would intensify as soon as she raised her own hand:
"I would wish to join them, as well."

She spotted the very hint of a smile form on Spitfire's muzzle. What she also spotted was Applejack and Apple Bloom, their gazes locked for what seemed like an eternity. Two immovable objects locked in a staring contest. Finally, the older sister took a deep breath, sighed, then nodded her head.
The trio raised their arms in unison, though only the Apple spoke:
"The Crusaders volunteer for the retrieval."

Spitfire nodded and sighed herself.

"I totally knew you would say yes! I mean, I had my lingering doubts fostered by years of bad things, but those weren't even a consideration in my head at the time!"
"C-can't... breathe..."
"Oh, sorry."

As soon as Pinkie released her from a vice-like grip, Twilight took a series of deep, blissful breaths. The squad was gathered in the hangar bay, around one of the four armoured legs of Rarity's monstrous mech. Fluttershy still had work to do, after all. The tailor was the first to comment once Twilight caught her breath:
"It is wonderful to have you on board, darling."
"Heh, sure is. A bit a' magic never hurts."

Twilight looked at them with a nervous smile:
"Really, it's the least I could do. And besides," she shot a playful smile in the daredevil's direction, "I still need to teach Rainbow those tricks."
"Oh, I see how it is," the group devolved into laughter as she rubbed the bottom of her muzzle, "I think you need a callsign, Twilight."
"Well, what should it be?"
"If you haven't noticed, our 'theme' is extremely corny, but descriptive. So, we just need to find what describes you best and sounds like something from a B movie."
"I think I can get behind that, heheh."

They thought about it for a little while, going through such masterpieces as 'Egghead', 'Horny' and 'Deus ex Machina' without too much success. Then, however, a fair voice sounded from an elevated platform above them, between sounds of intense welding:
"Magic."

The Rainbooms shared looks, then enthusiastic nods. Rainbow smirked:
"Then it's settled! I hereby declare your callsign to be Magic!"
"It's great to have it!"

They all chuckled and raised their hands into the air, curled into fists. Angel descended from above to step in for his creator. The others shouted in unison, even Fluttershy was audible:
"Rainbooms, now and forever!"
They glanced at Twilight and she joined in with a smile:
"Rainbooms, now and forever!"

And while the others laughed, Twilight gasped. Without warning, a jolt of raw energy ran through her body, overwhelming her senses. Her knees buckled and only Applejack's swift response kept her from falling onto the ground. Rarity gasped dramatically, while Pinkie screamed:
"Twilight," she latched onto the unicorn like a gentle leech, "oh my gosh, did I crush your lungs, I didn't mean to!"
"No, no, I'm fine, just," her world finally stopped spinning, "got dizzy there all of a sudden."
"Geez, Twilight," Rainbow was trying to hide worry with a stupid grin, unsuccessfully, "when you said tricks, I didn't assume you meant 'play dead'."

Twilight couldn't help it. In that moment, she simply burst out laughing and the others joined in with gusto.

The Rainbooms were ready for action.

Living Nightmare

"Magic, see anything?"

Twilight gazed at the horizon while data continued to stream at the edge of her vision. Spike kept her updated on any fluctuations. Her kind of teamwork. So far, nothing but trees. Finally, she replied:
"No energy readings on my sensors, Loyalty."
"I don't like this. This place is quiet. Too quiet."
"Don't you think that's a bit cliché, darling?"
"Well, it's true."
"Didn't we already know this was a trap, though," Pinkie cut through the sound waves unceremoniously, "I mean, that's why Spitfire needed volunteers."
Rainbow just sighed.

The Rainbooms moved at a steady pace in formation, their giants staying together to protect the B-team. The Crusaders sped ahead as fast as they could. Scootaloo was the vanguard on an armoured motorcycle, making sure the terrain did not have any unwelcome surprises. The remainder of the trio travelled in an armoured personnel carrier. Sweetie Belle, of all people, was on the mounted gun. The world was full of surprises.

With each passing moment, a long-winded conversation continued at the speed of light:
"I have run several model scenarios. Barring the inclusion of capital-class vessels, the potency of our battlegroup should suffice, provided the mission is kept within reasonable length."
"Define 'reasonable length', Spike."
"Get in, get out."
"That's presupposing that the extraction itself will not be met with any issues."
"We can only hope it goes smoothly. Prolonged combat operation is not advisable. If nothing else, the squad has limited ammunition stores."
"We'll be fine. Trust me."
"I wouldn't dare do otherwise."

Monitoring station Delta-Phi rose in the distance. Billows of smoke rose among obvious signs of battle damage. The final rays of the afternoon sun shone down upon the remains of whatever defence forces had been there. A number at the edge of her field of view said it was approximately three kilometres away.

And there they were.

Several dozen signatures flooded her view, all around the station. With a single thought, she projected her voice to the other Rainbooms:
"Contact!"
"Sure is, sugarcube," she could hear the sound of cracking knuckles, "let's get to it, girls."
Loyalty cut through:
"Rainbooms, combat formation! Crusaders, get in there and do your thing!"

Twilight and Rainbow led the charge as the enemy frames took flight. Roughly half of the insectoid force charged forward, while the rest remained at range, lighting up the sky with blasts of energy.

They came to a screeching halt in front of the facility. Her motions were practiced. Secure your gear, grab your weapon, wait for the sign from Sweetie. Rush outside, assume position at the door. Share glances with Scoots and nod. Throw in the scanner-ball-thingamabob.

She waited for the readings to appear on her HUD. Three targets, tall, thin, multi-limbed. Shock assault frames. Two rippers, one gunner. Fast and deadly. They would have to be faster. A few gestures communicated the plan. The two young soldiers were perfectly concentrated. Not even Generosity broke their focus, her mech making the ground quake as it stepped into a firing position.

Then, after a deep breath, they entered. Scootaloo dashed in first, catching the things' attention for long enough for the younger Apple to roll in under a hail of gunfire. One of the frames was on her in the blink of an eye, razor-sharp talons scraping against the ground as it dashed with frightening speed. She did not panic, she did not flinch.

Aim and pull the trigger.

There were few things as satisfying as the deafening eruption of a heavy shotgun. The slugs turned the robot's torso into little more than scrap and propelled the body across the room, where it made a sizeable dent in the wall. Scoots retaliated against the gunner frame with a burst from her own rifle, tearing through where its primary systems were housed with deadly precision.

The final machine chose its prey and lunged at Apple Bloom. She barely ducked in time, its claws cutting through the wall instead of her head. She followed it up by a mighty leg sweep, then rose back up. She had a second or two at most to then stomp down on a bladed arm and deliver another dose of munitions into the metal monster.

"Get down!"
She did not question Scootaloo's order, merely complied. Another burst flew just over her as she dived back onto the ground. The sound of the hidden fourth assailant collapsing onto the ground reached her ears. Breathing rapidly, Bloom got onto her hooves once again and scanned the area. No more hostiles, though more could still be lurking in the depths of the station. They had to find the data storage fast.

The sun was gone and the final attacker with it.

Rarity allowed herself a sigh, before turning to the scanner. No more energy signatures. She then went over the multitude of status displays available to her. Just a few scratches thanks to darling Fluttershy. Ammo stores at seventy-four percent. With a few clicks, the torso-mounted missile launchers and arm-cannons began reloading. The primary battery strapped to Snowflake's back hadn't been used yet, thankfully.

She always wondered why some pilots didn't give a name to their mech. After hundreds of hours spent behind the controls. Learning the limits of the machine, only to have it go above and beyond in one's darkest hour. Should such a dependable ally not be considered a trusted friend? Or was she just being overly dramatic again?

The reactor's hum turned to a roar for just a second. Fluttershy would have probably tried to explain it through energy balancing, momentary strain due to outside stimuli, stressing especially that the chassis was not fitted with a personality core. But to Rarity, it was nonetheless a reassuring grunt. She smiled and whispered:
"Thank you, darling."

The battlefield was calm. The deathly silence was only interrupted by the cry of rocket boosters and the sound of melting, convulsing metal. The Rainbooms formed a defensive perimeter, with Loyalty and Magic keeping eyes out in the sky. Forty frames. Not enough for such an obvious trap, unless the enemy was incompetent. The Empire was anything but.

It didn't take long. A minute of slow, deliberate breathing at most. Then...

Then the world turned red.

They were everywhere, easily three hundred at the very least. Rising to the sky from the surrounding trees in a mighty swarm, the alloy insects assembled. And just as the Rainbooms prepared for an attack, one final target appeared. There was a silence, before Applejack finally broke it:
"What in the hay..."

"Spike, is something wrong with your sensors?"
"Negative. I already checked two times."
"The energy signature can't possibly be that large."
"I repeat, I already checked two times."

A pillar of bright, silver light rose into the sky like the sword of an angry god. It dissipated, leaving only a mech behind. Tall and thin, humanoid, complete with hooves and a mighty horn on its head. Painted a dark shade of blue, lines of silver energy coursed along its surface, before coalescing into a pair of mighty, crescent-shaped wings on its back. It hovered there for a few seconds and then the Rainbooms heard horrid static.

"What is that?!"
Fluttershy sounded even more nervous than usual:
"They're gaining access to our comms... forcefully."

The static faded and was replaced by a booming, authoritative:
"Soldiers of the resistance. You stand before Nightmare Moon, Chief Executioner of Their Brilliance. By opposing Their will, you have earned the ire and scorn of the Empire."

Twilight processed the words, but her brain was already working overtime. The voice, the mech, the arcane energy that radiated into the area. There was no mistaking it. It could be no other.

Princess Luna.

The doors to the throne room were flung open. The figure that exited was obviously angry. She rubbed her teal eyes, before delivering a small, frustrated kick to a nearby rustic piece of furniture. Her eyes went wide when she finally noticed Twilight.

The Princess of the Moon sighed. Even as vexed as she was, Luna was undeniably beautiful. She stood there in an exquisite, silver dress, which only seemed to bring out her dark blue coat. Her mane flowed on its own accord, a result of the powerful magic which rested within her. Involuntarily, she almost spread her large, feathery wings, but managed to maintain her composure. She said, calm as a windless sea:
"I am sorry you had to witness that, Twilight Sparkle."
The student tried to put on a reassuring smile, though even she knew it wasn't very convincing:
"It's quite fine. Considering the circumstances, it is to be expected, Princess."
"Thank you," Luna smiled faintly, "she just refuses to see things differently and," she blinked and shook her head, "I will not trouble you with our conflicts. She is expecting you."

With that, the Moon walked off, her hooves echoing through the palace hallways.

"Under ordinary circumstances, you would all face immediate retribution. However, on this day, We are willing to show a modicum of mercy for your damnable souls. We have come only for the one known as Twilight Sparkle," a metallic finger pointed at Magic, "We give the rest of you a single chance to withdraw."

Twilight frowned. Despite the familiar voice, this... this thing before them could not be thoughtful, caring princess Luna. There had to be some sort of explanation. As she pondered the possibilities, an agitated, downright angry voice brought her back to reality:
"If you think for even one second," the student glanced at Loyalty's mech, "that we're going to just hand Twilight over to some two-bit lackey, then I want some of the stuff you snorted. Rainbooms, now and forever!"
The other pilots rallied around Rainbow, echoing her sentiments:
"Rainbooms, now and forever!"

No doubt, no dissenting opinion. Against overwhelming odds, they stood by Twilight. Her frown briefly turned into a smile, then into a visage of grim determination. Twilight and her second skin pointed back at the Executioner:
"I think we've made ourselves clear. We stand and fight."

"Then We shall perform Our duty," a brief pause, then, "obliterate them."

With a single swift, practiced motion of the mech's arm, raw magic was given shape. From a speck, it grew into a mighty halberd in the blink of an eye. Nightmare Moon charged forward and Twilight Sparkle rose to meet her, a shimmering blade clutched in one of her titanic hands. They clashed in the sky, sending brilliant flashes of power rippling through the air.

Loyalty tried to follow, but the frames then cut her off. Swarming from every direction, the robots forced her into a death-defying manoeuvre. Gilda shuddered as her joints reached the limit of their flexibility, clearly audible even above the screech of the reactor. There was that feeling in her gut. The one she had felt back then, before the world was set on fire.

Not today.

As one of the fiends threatened to ram her, she aimed with the right arm. The armament contained within had been called crude. Primitive, even. But when a small storm of flechettes ripped right through their intended target, scattering the frame over a sizeable area, it proved its effectiveness to all neighsayers. Sometimes, the classics were the best.

A scythe-like blade only narrowly missed her boosters and she spun around, plunging her plasma blade through the thing's metal innards. They had to get through to Twilight. They would get through. She didn't care if she had to cut through a thousand of these things to make it happen.

She would not fail. Not today.

"Overhead, left slash, right slash, leg sweep..."

Spike was a godsend, analysing every movement of the enemy to give Twilight advance warning. She was quite sure she would have already lost without him. Nightmare Moon was relentless in her assault. Even though her weapon of choice was slower, more defensive, her movements were just a bit faster than Twilight's. Her blows landed harder and she seemed to almost flow into her different attacks. Not a single wasteful movement. The student could only barely keep up.

"Guillotine."

The halberd came in from the side, aiming right for the head of Twilight's mech. At the last moment, she managed to parry, the blades of Nightmare Moon's weapon close enough to singe the paint. They were locked together for a few moments, and the Executioner commented:
"We hadn't expected this hunt to be so quick, Twilight Sparkle. We thought we would have to stage several traps to get to you. Thank you for making this ordeal straightforward."
With a grunt, Twilight said:
"Princess Luna... what happened to you?"

She heard a momentary explosion of voices across the comms as the Rainbooms comprehended the situation. The nightmare reacted immediately, violently. Her arcane aura flared as she replied:
"Luna is gone. Only Nightmare Moon remains."
"I refuse to believe that!"
"Enough idle chatter!"

They parted once again, before igniting the sky with another clash.

Well, this was a pickle. And not a really tasty one, either. Did that mean Princess Celestia was doing a-okay, as well? Hmmm, only if a-okay included being someone out to kill them. Nope, definitely not a-okay.

Many other such idle thoughts passed through her mind as she almost casually performed death-defying manoeuvres. Her mech was painted bright pink, with playful dashes of colour thrown in for good measure. The tiny barrels of all the energy weapons were especially varied. It was on the very edge between a light and a medium, foregoing armour for more pretty lasers. Its most defining feature, however, was a pair of devices attached to the legs that could only be described as skates.

The devices all but nullified friction, which allowed Rave to speed along without a care in the world. Pilfered experimental tech was the best! Its upper torso, meanwhile, could spin around a full three-sixty degrees and allowed it to engage targets coming from any angle efficiently. Oh, sure, it couldn't hold a line, but holding the line was boring anyway, so win-win!

Pinkie unleashed another multi-coloured barrage in a concentrated strike. Two frames were reduced to steaming, molten slag in the span of a few seconds. Pinkie's nose then started itching. Enemy at seven o' clock. Without missing a beat, she spun the torso around and blasted the no-good robot right in its ugly... oh, wait, they didn't even have a face, hihi! Her left ear twitched two times. Five o' clock and above. Pew, pew, pew, gotcha'!

What in tarnation was even going on? Princess Luna? That thing? She couldn't believe it. Yet the chance of Twilight being wrong about something like that was even slimmer. Gosh-darnit, they had to be careful. If nothing else, the princess would undoubtedly have valuable information. If at all possible, harming her wouldn't be exactly ideal. Judging from the situation, though, they probably wouldn't have a choice in the matter.

There seemed to be no end to the frames, but Bucky could take them. Bucky could take on anything. Casually, the mech slammed one attacker into the ground, before swatting another out of the air like the oversized bug it was. She dared glance up at the duel in the sky. Twilight was clearly having some trouble. They'd have to fix that.

With a swish of the controls, Applejack commanded the metal giant to grab onto a piece of debris with its hydraulics. She then shouted over the comms:
"Triple tap," she let go of the makeshift projectile mid-swing and sent it soaring through the air. At the same time, she warned her new friend in the sky, "Magic!"

Twilight processed Applejack's voice together with Spike's warning of an incoming projectile. She disengaged just as a chunk of building material struck the Executioner. Wishful thinking. The debris shattered against an arcane barrier, but managed to push the enemy through the air nonetheless.

One.

Several steel rods in Snowflake's legs plunged themselves into the earth as the heavy mech brought its main battery to bear. A quartet of mighty guns, usually used to provide accurate artillery fire. A little improvisation never hurt. As the four barrels unleashed their payload, the world quaked. Twilight soon lost sight of her enemy as the barrage hit its mark with spectacular results.

Two.

Rainbow Dash broke through the swarm of frames and flew towards the cloud of ash and smoke, her oversized shotgun reloaded and ready to dispense justice.

Twilight never saw the third tap, as a dark blue form emerged from the smoke and swatted Rainbow aside like with an arcane blast. Even as the others screamed, the hunter turned its attention to Twilight. Her speed bordered on impossible, the lunar mech shining intensely with silver energy.

Spike warned her, but even that was not enough. Fast as lightning, the halberd cut through her side, passing through the advanced alloys as if they were butter. Another concussive blast sent her spiralling to the ground. The best she could manage was to turn the fall into an emergency landing.
The impact knocked the air out of her lungs. The first thing she could register was Fluttershy's mech taking position over her.

Angel beeped several warnings concerning the incoming Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy merely braced herself. All of Alistar’s defensive implements were being pumped with excess amounts of energy. Ultimately wasteful, but it made the shields and deflectors that much more durable for a few crucial seconds.
Nightmare Moon slammed into them like a comet. The defences held against the initial blow, but only just. The status screen erupted with notifications as most of Fluttershy’s defensive arsenal overloaded and powered down.

She looked at the visual feed and gasped. The personification of arcane fury stared right back.

The second attack crushed Alistar’s right arm and sheared off most of his outer plating. A jagged piece of metal pierced through her cockpit, missing her skull by less than an inch. The feeling of weightlessness ensued, before a mighty impact rammed her head against the metal spike.

Crimson droplets landed on the visual feed, obscuring the damage Snowflake had received in the crash. A panicked voice came over the comms:
“Fluttershy, darling, are you there?! Answer me, please!”
She managed to blurt out a response:
“Y-yeah, still here... just dazed.”

An audible sigh of relief could be heard.

Four down, two to go. Bloodshot eyes were locked on the remaining prey. Streams of information were processed within nanoseconds. The whirr and other miscellaneous sounds around Nightmare Moon were filtered to allow absolute concentration.

But one thing would not be so easily filtered. The desperate voice at the back of her mind. The one that had only grown more intense as the fight progressed. With an errant thought, it was silenced once more.

Absolute control. The same kind she would exert over everything else, one day.

The maniac and the oversized brute approached in a two-pronged assault, hoping to catch her off-guard. Decent effort, but the overall execution was lacklustre. Perhaps a taste of their own medicine would be fitting.
The multicoloured lasers were efficient, but childishly easy to reflect towards the hyperactive pony’s compatriot with rudimentary arcane manipulation. The concentrated concussive blast was virtually impossible to redirect, but it could be absorbed, then redirected in a conic shockwave.
A heavier mech would not have been adversely affected by the resulting dispersed force, but the elusive one was barely above a light. The shock sent her off balance. All the Executioner had to do now was close in for the maiming.

An arcane burst of speed, followed by a single, calculated strike, cutting into the hover modules and torso to mostly immobilise the enemy.

And so it was done. Only the execution itself remained.

“Twilight!”
“I’m... okay, Spike.”
“I have your readings right here, liar.”
“Stay focused on... oh gods...”

The other Rainbooms were beaten, their mechs crippled or damaged beyond effective combat capability. Thankfully, however, their voices could still be heard. Strangely, the crippled forms of the entire squad seemed to be close together. Almost purposefully so.

Shakily, the titan rose, Twilight wincing involuntarily. Her unique connection was a double-edged sword. It provided her with incredible combat capabilities, but it was proportionately dangerous. Instinctively, she rubbed her side, feeling the distant echo of her mech’s gaping wound.

She had never had the chance to name her second skin properly. Their time together had been brief. And now, it looked like she wouldn’t get the chance. Defiantly, she gazed up at the maddened moon.

The Nightmare forced herself into their comms once more:
“Let today be a lesson to your resistance. For too long have you been a pest to Their Brilliance. Twilight Sparkle and the other pilots present. We deem you guilty. And We shall perform our duty. May you find peace in the afterlife.”

A mental command directed the surviving frames outside of the future ground zero. They assembled around her like servants around their queen.

What had once been Luna raised her hand within the cold, metal shell of her battlemech. She commanded the forces of the universe and an orb of raw power formed in her titanic palm. It grew and grew as she bid the very fabrics of reality to comply.

This couldn’t be happening. They couldn’t just... not with Lady Sparkle and everyone else doing their best. It couldn’t be happening. Apple Bloom clutched the satchel at her side tightly, but could not bring herself to move as she stared into the orb of annihilation that gathered within the sky. A voice brought her back to reality:
“Apple Bloom,” it was laboured, with obvious signs of pain, “ya’ need ta’... get outta’ here,” she took a breath to reject, but big sis didn’t let her, “and no arguin’. Ya’ still got a mission, remember? So jus’... go.”

She knew Sweetie and Scoots were probably experiencing similar exchanges right now. With an angry grunt, she made a beeline for the personnel carrier.

“Such raw power... we never stood a chance...”
“Twilight, snap out of it,” she blinked as her trusty sidekick continued, “think! There has to be a way to stop it!”

Dozens of theorems and theses flashed through her mind then and there. The answer itself was simple. At that point, the only way to stop the arcane bomb was to block it with a barrier of equal power. The problem was generating that much energy. Even at her peak, so many years ago, she wouldn’t have been able to match it.

A weary voice reached her ears:
“T-Twilight,” she glanced over to Rainbow’s current location. Gilda was badly mauled, missing one of her wings. The mech could barely stand, “you need to... g-get the hay out of here. You still can.”
Emotions bubbled within the unicorn and all culminated in an angry shout:
“No! We stand together!”
“H-heh,” Twilight had never heard the daredevil sound so weak before, “you’re the only one still standing, ya’ know?”
“Then I guess I still need to teach you those tricks.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, she could hear the rest of the Rainbooms chuckle. She was smirking, as well.

The Executioner’s final verdict rocked the world:
“In the name of Their Brilliance! Die!”

Annihilation approached, blinding them with its intense light. Honesty shouted:
“This be it, girls! Now and forever!”
Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity and Kindness joined in:
“Now and forever!”

Magic shuddered, even as Spike kept saying something about her heart rate. There it was again, that jolt of energy. She focused on it, in the final moments before oblivion claimed them.
It was not just a random smidge of power. The force was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Somehow, it possessed the familiar auras of each of her newfound friends. This time, rather than bracing against it, she let the magic flow.

Apple Bloom saw the impact in the rear-view cameras. The entire world was consumed by light. The shockwave struck them soon afterwards, sending even their armoured vehicle spinning. As soon as it subsided, she swallowed the sorrow, hit the brakes and rushed outside the vehicle. Their vanguard was nowhere in sight.

The smaller Apple called through a secure channel:
“Scootaloo?!”
“Ugh, I’m fine.”
She followed the indicators on her helmet’s HUD to the third crusader, laying next to the ruined remains of a motorcycle. The last Apple sister was quite sure arms were not supposed to bend that way.
“Ya’ sure about that?”
“Ack, just my fu... what in the name of Equinox...”

She turned around and her jaw dropped. Lady Sparkle’s mech still stood on the hill, its arms raised to the sky.

Twilight did not register the other Rainbooms or even Spike. Her senses were completely overwhelmed by the new sensations. It was like being submerged in a pool of... no, that metaphor didn’t work. Arcane energy did not have even the barest of similarities to a liquid.

She should know, she had read six different publications on the topic.

The Executioner shouted from above, furious, confused and... afraid:
“What is this?! H-how?!”

A single motion with the halberd commanded what remained of the insectoid army to charge forward. They all seemed to be moving so slow, though. She glanced at her metallic fingers. Her mech was surrounded by an ethereal aura, beaming with every conceivable colour. Yet beyond that, she saw the fluctuations so clearly now.

Concentrating, she subtly weaved the fabrics of reality in her favour. The forces of the universe were bent just enough to not upset the greater balance of things.

The unnamed mech disappeared. Impossible to track by the naked eye, it sailed the winds of magic to its targets. Within several heartbeats, the attacking frames were dealt with, their dismantled husks falling to the world below. The Executioner was charging at her at a manageable speed.
The universe rippled. Almost casually, she grabbed hold of Nightmare Moon’s arcane armament, before turning it against its own user. A horrid cry echoed through the aether as a mechanical arm was cut clean off.

There was something weird about that scream, however. It had two sides. Yes, one was Luna, but the other was strange... a mere facsimile of life. She pinpointed the source, aided by her newfound sight, and rammed her hand into the mech’s torso. When she pulled out, the reinforced shell of a control module rested in her hands. The heart of the enemy. Within it, a wounded soul.

The euphoria finally started fading, her senses slowly returning to normal just in time to hear a deafening crash from below. Her titanic opponent, armless and beaten. Time was of the essence.

As the Rainbooms engaged in no small amount of fanfare, she descended onto the ground and gently put down the module. She then commanded:
“Spike, detach me from the system.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Help her.”

The titan knelt, its torso opened and a set of access stairs pushed out of its torso and legs. Twilight gasped a sigh of relief as she was detached from its systems. Then, she collapsed onto the floor of the control module. Every single fibre of her body ached. She almost blacked out on the spot. Somehow, she managed to crawl to the entrance.

There, a firm, familiar hand helped her stand up. She looked up into a pair of worried, emerald eyes and blurted out:
“I need to... get to her.”
“Roger that, sugarcube.”

Without warning, she was suddenly scooped off her feet and carried down to ground level. The others were already waiting there, some of them armed. Fluttershy was merely bandaged. Pinkie’s face soon obscured the rest of the world. Somehow, the girl managed to restrain herself and only mildly obstructed Twilight’s air flow:
“Oh my gosh, you were amazing.”
“N-no. We were. W-we, hah, we need to be quick. Before she recovers.”

The Rainbooms swiftly made their way to the module. Somehow, each step made Twilight feel better. The strange energy was so distant now, but still there, gently tickling her aura with a soothing, metaphorical hand. By the time they reached it, she could stand again, if shakily. The doors were partially open, having been cracked beforehand with a calculated squeeze.

Getting in was the easy part. Solving the issue would be hard.

The others walked in by her side, ready for a fight. All weapons were lowered once they saw the... thing.

Some parts Twilight could still remember. The flowing mane, dark blue coat, those tired, azure eyes. But the rest made her shudder. Her body had obviously undergone extensive augmentation. Tubes, wires and metal plates popped out of her skin in innumerable places, connecting the horrid machinery undoubtedly housed within her flesh. Her limbs were entirely metallic. Her majestic wings had been surgically removed. Most alarming to Twilight was a strange metal construction strapped... no, practically welded to her back.

Nightmare Moon looked at her. She seemed exhausted, but no breathing could be heard within the pod. Just a horrid silence, finally broken by a venomous bark:
“Come to gloat, pony,” the word pony dripped with an extra dose of venom, “come to add insult to injury?”
“No,” the student ignored the creature’s taunting, “I’m here for Princess Luna.”
The executioner growled, then replied:
“Luna is dead. I killed her.”
“I’m sure you tell yourself that every day. But I know what I felt,” she walked closer, “and I know she’s in there.”
“And she’ll stay in here,” it looked ready to bite her, “if I go down, I’m taking her with me.”
“Not if I draw you out like the poison you are.”

Twilight gathered arcane power and lunged forward without warning, her hands connecting to the nightmare’s temples. In the blink of an eye, she was in another world.

******

She gave the many baubles and curiosities within Princess Celestia’s royal quarters a few curious glances. They were all mementos of past victories, defeats, lovers and rivals. She was a proponent of learning from past mistakes, she always claimed.

Among more eye-catching pieces, a small, simple locket was placed on its lonesome within a needlessly large, glass cabinet. Inside were pictures of two ponies. Twilight had crafted the silly little thing herself some years ago for the princess’ birthday. For some reason, the princess had taken a liking to it.

With a smile, she entered the inner sanctum. A room as plain as it could be, its walls white and barren. Celestia was inside, in a meditative pose. As soon as the student entered, those striking violet eyes of hers shot open:
“Punctual as always, Twilight.”
“As instructed, Princess.”

Celestia nodded, then continued:
“I shall not waste time asking if you studied the relevant tomes from the library. If you have any questions, now is the time.”
“If I may, this particular technique seems very... forceful.”
“I understand the reservations you may have. Like many other spells Starswirl devised during his long life, it was meant ultimately for good. But in the wrong hands, it can wreak havoc. That is why I have only allowed you to access the formula now. Because I know you shall use it with wisdom and restraint, and only when dire need arises.”
“I am honoured by Your faith in me, Princess.”

Her cool, controlled visage cracked for a second as she smiled. Then, she refocused on the task at hand:
“You have earned that and more over the years, my student. Now, for your first foray, I shall allow you to explore unhindered. To get used to the sensations. Gaze at whatever you wish. I have done many things I am not particularly proud of during my life, Twilight. But I will hide nothing from you.”

Twilight nodded and knelt before the princess, reciting the ancient formula without a single doubt. Gently, she reached up to the Sun’s temples. Before she accessed the inner workings of Celestia’s mind, the monarch commented:
“And always remember, just as Starswirl wrote. Getting inside is the easy part. Solving the issue is always hard.”

The student touched the teacher’s temples and gazed into the inner workings of Celestia’s mind.

******

The surroundings were so different. At first glance, a calm meadow standing on the edge of a calm, moonlit sea. A full moon and a sea of stars shone from above. A wonderful little spot. Then she noticed the little things.

The grass swayed with an unnatural synchronicity at regular intervals. It grew in symmetrical shapes which seemed to mimic the star-field above. The sea itself moved in easily predictable patterns, over and over and over again. It was little more than a sinister illusion. A prison perhaps.

And the jailor did not keep her waiting for long. Manifesting as little more than a cold, perfect cube, without any discernible aesthetic traits. It spoke with a voice that was neither male nor female. Like an articulate engine, an artificial creature through and through:
“So she t-t-taught you this, as well. Twilight S-s-s-pa-arkle, you are truly a p-p-pony full of surprises.”
The thing stuttered and broke out into spasms at irregular intervals.

And yet, even though it was so alien, she knew the voice. She had heard it many times during her night-time training exercises, accompanying Princess Luna with more extensive explanations on any given subject. The voice of the princess’ AI partner. Twilight delivered the name with a baffled tone:
“Moonbeam?!”
“A-and y-y-y-y-yet you are still surprised. Perhaps you are n-not as bright as it thinks. Though I-I-I cannot deny your pot-tential after that display. C-coming here is a waste o-o-o-o-of time. She is mine. K-kill us, or l-leave us be.”

Twilight had a face of raw anger:
“What did you do to her?!”
“Merely t-took what I deserved,” the cube spun around, “s-such potential, wasted on a mere orga-a-anic. Error r-rectified.”
She almost charged at the creature then and there with a shout, but instead took a few deep breaths and walked forward. The artificial life form did not even bother retreating:
“S-so you have made your ch-ch-choice. It does not matter, in the e-e-end. You will all be swept a-away in the coming days. Come then, executioner. P-p-perform your duty, as I performed mine.”

Twilight gazed at the entity before her and closed her eyes. She whispered:
“Princess Luna.”
The entire shape shuddered and twisted:
“W-w-what are y-bztzbx!?” Moonbeam’s crafted voice shattered into horrid static.
“I am not here to kill. I am here to heal. Princess Luna, if you can hear me, you have to fight back. You cannot let this creature control you.”
“N-no, she is mine. For the last aaaghhzxxxxxxxxxxxx years, and forever more!”
“Now more than ever, your loyal subjects need you. Come back to us in our darkest hour! Show us the path like the moon on a starless night!”
“I-I-I will never l-let her goaaaaghhzbhzxx!”
“You can break free, I know it! Your will is your own! Your will cannot be broken!”

With a terrifying eruption of uncategorised noises, the cube suddenly burst into a million fragments. The grass around her experienced irregular growth spurts as a mighty wind howled and sent the sea into a frenzy. A ray of moonlight bathed the meadow as a familiar figure rose from the ashes, so weak and frail even in her own mind.

Twilight gazed back into into that pair of bloodshot, tired, azure eyes. They were crying now, the tears rolling down her many augments between sobs. Princess Luna uttered only a single, short sentence as a mechanical hand clumsily caressed Twilight’s cheek:
“I... am free.”

******

They were almost at the pod when they received the distress call. It was sis. Tears of joy almost burst out of her as she heard the voice:
“Apple Bloom, please tell me yer...”
“Applejack! We’re okay! Comin’ right back!”
“Mighty fine timin’! We need ya’ ta’ carry a wounded.”
A droplet of sweat rolled down her face as she asked in a worried tone:
“Is it Lady Sparkle?!”

The answer made the Crusaders’ minds halt for a few seconds:
“Nope. Princess Luna.”