Buzzing and throbbing. Mostly throbbing. That’s what Spike woke up to. And just as soon as he opened his eyes he shut them in a grimace. When he had opened them he went blind and his eyes burned. He couldn’t see, he couldn’t move. But he could hear. And what he heard brought back memories.
“Master! Master! Wh-”
Turning as far as he could to his right he addressed his young padawan Twilight Sparkle.
“We were betrayed. Set up. And now- now we wait. My young padawan.”
Whatever her response was going to be it was drowned out by a severe increase in sound. Buzzing and yelling were the predominant features but if one listened and used the force, one could hear some other things too.
The faint sound of rippling cloth. The sharp clack of hooves on stone. The whispers of a hundred hundred mouths. Those were but a few things that Jedi Master Spike could hear. It was intense and taxing but it was worth it. For their salvation was coming. Soon.
The yelling died down and a voice savored its words as it echoed from behind the captives.
“My. Little. Ponies... The time of these felons has come! These so called heros have become the very things they have fought to destroy! They are spies and traitors, murderers and thieves! And tell me little ones. What do we do with filth like them?!”
Varied cheers, jeers and cries broke out from all around the three captives, deafening them with the acoustics. Amid the sound of the buzzing throngs, the three captives held a short conversation amongst themselves if only to try to come up with a plan. But they were cut off by the sound of a tinny voice that reverberated around the arena.
“Let the executions begin!”
With that order, the sound of chains briefly overpowered the roars of the crowd, but the captives, blinded by the light as they were, could not see the hideous monsters that were unleashed upon them.
None of the captives could move as they were bound to the ground by viscous green goop. Rarity, tired and wounded though she was, frantically struggled to rip her dress off. It was the only thing holding her down.
Spike was held down, his arms and legs had been coated in the green slime and he found that he couldn’t move.
Twilight was chained, she was positioned with her back over a cold stone table and her chest and stomach were exposed to the damp cold air of the hive.
Whatever sounds the creatures made as they slowly meandered towards their bound prey were hidden behind the hoots and hollers of the assembled crowds. And the captives could only watch in stoic silence as the first of the monsters slid into view.
The soft sound of rippling cloth muffled the hard clicks of hooves were deadened by a shadowy figure that made its way through the roughly hewn tunnel and stopped right behind two cameoed figures. One was tall and lean like a predator, its body was a shadow and its color indistinct against the outline of the bright lights cast from the base of the dias’ railings. The second figure was cast in a similar fashion, though its body was smaller and looked to be armoured in the traditional Pondelorian way.
Past the two occupying figures, it could see the floor of the arena bathed in a white fluorescent light and in it were six figures. Three were held to the stone floor and the other three; the other three were monsters.
The closest one was a gelatinous ball of rolling green slime. As it moved it left a wet trail behind it and in its body there were small flickerings of light reminiscent of stars in a night sky.
In front of the mysterious figure, the taller of the two cameoed ponies leaned into the smaller one and spoke in a hushed whisper.
“That’s the Smooze. He is a personal favorite of mine.”
Down below in the pit, a second and third monster crawled into the spotlight. The first one was a rather odd looking Cragadile. It’s rocky armour had been replaced with metal plates and its eyes glowed with cybernetic replacements. Peering closer, the hidden pony saw that there were numerous dents, dings, and scratches decorating the armoured Cragadile.
Shifting its gaze over, the pony saw a horrifying sight.
A Cockatrice.
Blinking and backing away, the pony’s breath hitched in it’s throat as it saw the Cockatrice slither out into the field. The chicken legs and wings were now fleshy stumps and in place of its eyes were bloody furrows that cried fresh blood. Holding back a disgusted gasp the pony made its way towards the entrance, towards the two ponies responsible for all this suffering.
Drawing close to its targets the pony dug its right hoof into its robe and withdrew a metal cylinder, activated it and took a step forward.
Out of the corner of one of her slitted eyes, a purple glow appeared and was swiftly followed by a hard voice.
“You know, I never thought I’d be the one to say it but this party’s over.”
Chrysalis slowly turned around and found herself muzzle to muzzle with a tightlipped Jedi Master.
“Why Master Pie, it is so good to see you. We’ve not seen each other in years... And now you come down here for moi? You’re just in time!”
Pinkie grimly smiled back at Chrysalis and gave a light, tinkling laugh that was not appropriate for the situation as the Jedi whom had been hiding all around the arena activated their light sabers.
Chrysalis blinked, stepped forwards and gravely intoned,
“Brave. But utterly foolish. My friend, you’re impossibly outnumbered. You can’t win.”
With that, Chrysalis stepped out of the way as Pinkie, propelled by a kick from her hostage, flopped over the railing and into open air. Twirling, Pinkie discarded her robe and landed with a graceful thud having skimmed past a stalagmite on the way down. The dust settled around her and she could see metal cages opening and various droids running onto the arena floor.
Locking their gazes together Twilight, Spike, and Rarity knew they were doomed. They had tried. They had tried so hard but they wouldn’t live through the day. They prepared to say their goodbye’s as the monsters approached them. As one they would bravely face their doom with their eyes open and head forward. Not that they had much of a choice in that matter.
Twilight, looking over to Rarity met her stoic gaze and smiled grimly.
“Rarity- Rarity!”
The object of her desire did nothing but smile and say,
“I know.”
Then their world was shredded into pieces.
The fighting had been intense, the losses were great on both sides and Jedi Grandmaster Pinkie Pie carried within her every last drop of every fallen jedi’s spirit. She would have justice. The spirits of her fallen comrades demanded it!
But, while she was free of mind, she was physically stuck, her hind legs were bound by a thick pulsating band and she was staring at the cause of all her pain.
“Pinkemania!”
Silence.
You have fought valiantly... Truly your efforts are the stuff of legends. But like all legends. They will be forgotten in time.”
Pinkie’s face had gone slack when Chrysalis said that old name.
“But, if you surrender your lives to me, then I can assure you that none of you will be forgotten ever again.”
The few remaining Jedi blinked in confusion. What had Chrysalis meant when she said that none of them would be forgotten? And what did she mean ‘again’? Many of them pondered her appetizing words. But Pinkie, upon hearing Chrysalis speak had remembered something that was buried deep in the vault in the back of her mind. She opened it and a slow, deep voice crawled out.
“Mina! Don’t say that! You know we will never forget you.” But they did. And Pinkamina Diane Pie had waited seven long years for her family to come back. But they never did. Instead, her new family came back, just like they did every year for the past seven years.
Pinkie tried to shut the vault door, but she couldn’t even budge it.
Vague shapes and images flittered through her failing vision, she saw the madame of the house, Lady Le Flour; her son, Sir Lintsalot; Their uncle, Mr. Turnip; and the guard Rocky.
Pinkie tried everything to close the door but it wouldn’t budge and her family came closer to her.
‘More punch?’
‘Great pahtay’
‘Might I trouble you-’
“-Noooo-” Pinkie forced the vault door shut with a loud bang!
“Oooooo!!!” And Pinkamina, finally unleashed, launched towards Chrysalis in a fit of blind rage.
And she was truly blind. She had one thing in her sight. Chrysalis’ head and her traitorous mind. But still, despite her great powers she was blind. And that blindness would cost her dearly.
Sunset Shimmer, mercenary for hire, launched a jaggedly tipped spear of stone at Jedi Grandmaster Pinkie and smiled as it buried itself in her target’s side. Then she lit her horn.
One moment she had been flying through the air then the next she had a burning pain lancing through her body. She felt the pain of the spear in her side. And she flew on. She barely felt the brush of Chrysalis’ tail. She flew on. She didn’t feel anything as her bloody body slammed into roughly hewn stone wall. All she saw was darkness. Wonderful darkness and peace.
The forcibly gathered Jedi had listened as Chrysalis spoke. They had watched as Jedi Master Pinkie Pie broke her bonds and flew through the air towards the villain. They were helpless when a spear of cold, black rock had materialized from the shadows and impaled Master Pinkie. And none could take their eyes away from the still, broken form that was being peeled off the wall by cyan magic.
They all heard the metal hoofsteps as the murderer stepped forward on the dias. And they all saw the demonic form that had just ripped their beloved masters life away. And their ears trembled as it spoke, looking at the twitching body it held in its ill colored magics.
“I’m just a simple pony trying to make my way in this universe. Unlike you Jed-”
“DIE!” In a violet flash Sunset Shimmer’s head flew off and rolled off the dias and headed to the ground below.
The arena was once again bathed in silence until the separated head landed and was impaled on a dull stalagmite. The sound of the skull cracking and its juices dripping echoed around the arena chamber.
Chrysalis started but as soon as Sunset’s magic faded Pinkie was limp on the ground and a hollowness rung throughout the force. The Jedi gathered at the center of the arena gasped as they felt the weight of the beloved master’s death. Chrysalis stared at the limp, dull body with a mournful expression and whispered. It sadly echoed around the vast chamber.
“I’m sorry, old friend.”
Chrysalis took a few moments to breath before turning to the assembled Jedi.
“I-I-” Chrysalis closed her eyes and focused “-I am sorry.”
She gave her commander the final signal, turned around then walked out of the arena.
The droids in the arena pit readied their blasters. The remaining Jedi prepared to go to their deaths.
They charged.
And the ceiling fell from on high, parted by the fury of the sun.
*Click*
...
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
"Those beeps, the soft hum of lights and machinery are the only sounds that one can hear if they enter Grand Master Pie’s medical room. Looking over the monitors one can see lines and graphs showing the beat of her heart. However; those jagged lines mean that she is still alive. So, where there is a heartbeat there is a chance. After talking with the doctors and surgeons I can say that Grand Master Pie was lucky. Even the doctors were astounded by her survival. Perhaps her life was spared because of all the joy that she had brought to her fellow Jedi by ways of pranks and parties. Though I have not attended any parties nor suffered any pranks I have heard rumors of the potency of Grand Master Pie’s parties and their effects on even the most downtrodden of folk.
"Grand Master Pie survived because of the heroic efforts of Jedi Master Spike during his resuscitation of the Grand Master and the valiant defense put forth by his former padawan, Twilight Sparkle, now a Jedi Knight. Grand Master Pie would’ve died if not for their actions and sacrifices. But despite their efforts Grand Master Pie will have to reside in a Bacta tank for the next few days in order to heal from her wounds.
"Grand Master Pie was not the only Jedi to have been injured in battle. Of the 212 Jedi that partook in the assault, only 30 Jedi survived long enough to be extracted by numerous squads of Special Operations Forces that were dispatched from the Celestial Fleet. In the ensuing battle, three more Jedi died. Those that survived suffered from various injuries, notably Padawan Twilight Sparkle suffered burns and shrapnel wounds to her left flank, left eye and horn after shielding her master from an explosion during his attempt to resuscitate Grand Master Pie. Ambassador Rarity Belle suffered major lacerations to her front right leg and several lesser cuts and bruises to her body after having grappled with a droid in defense of a fallen Jedi Knight. Rarity was later incapacitated by minor blood loss and shock.
"182 Jedi were killed in action. Their bodies were left in the Arena for the duration of the battle on Geonosis. Afterwards, several squads of soldiers and Jedi were dispatched to recover the fallen Jedi and soldiers as well as some ‘High Value Targets.’ The teams sent to recover the bodies of the fallen were successful. They recovered their dead and treated them with full honors.
"However; because of the vacancies left by the deaths and crippling injuries of so many, a vote was taken and Jedi Master Spike was granted the position of Grand Master by the Jedi Council. I trust he will do the best that he can given the situation.
"As for his apprentice Twilight Sparkle, she was recognized for her actions and aforementioned sacrifices. She was granted the rank of Jedi Knight. Despite being a reporter with good intentions, I was not granted permission to enter the temple grounds. However a couple of weeks after the ceremony I had the opportunity to talk with several eyewitnesses and close friends of Jedi Knight Twilight Sparkle. The news I was given was... not what I expected, in fact it was disturbing. They said that Twilight changed after the ceremony. She was not the same, she would be distracted, emotional, and sometimes suffer violent mood swings after which she would disappear from anywhere between an hour to a couple of days. She would not speak about where she went or what she did. Repeated efforts to trail her were met with failure.
"However; after a bombing in the Jedi Temple that left 55 ponies dead, Twilight's presence was requested by Luna, The Commander of the Special Forces division of the Celestial Fleet. Not even an hour afterwards, Twilight cleaned out all of her accounts, her quarters in the Jedi Temple, then vanished without a trace.
"Despite her recent affiliation with Jedi Knight Twilight Sparkle, Commander Luna claims to have no knowledge of Twilight’s whereabouts nor has she answered any further questions relating to that matter.
"It is the opinion of this reporter that given recent events there is something going on. A cover up, a conspiracy, something that requires commanders to possess plausible deniability. However, with nopony able to answer our questions the only thing we can do is speculate and work out an answer on our own.
" -S.A."
...
*Click*
Author's Note
Blog.
