The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum (The Original)

Chapters

Harmony and Hegemony
Monsters
Interlude: A Different View
The Answer (Part 1)
The Answer (Part 2)
Hidden Truths
Clearing History
Consequences of Conflict
Sanguine Meetings and Bloodied Past
The Writes of Passage(Gag)
The Writes of Passage
Pushed to the Limits
War March and Past Sins
The Bigger Score
Knell
For Whom the Bell Tolls (WARNING: EXTREME GORE)
Trust
Sons of Legacies: Part 1
Sons of Legacies: Part 2
Sons of Legacies: Part 3
Setting It Right
Training Days: First Days Part 2
First Month
Second Month
Final Words
Invasion Plans
Love and Hate
Woven Within Details
The Board Is Set
Of Broken Pasts
Converge (1/4)
Converge (2/4)
Converge (3/4)
Converge (4/4)
Only Human
Old Wounds
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 2: 'The Changing Face of Evil'
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 3: 'Wrongs Darker Than Death Or Night'
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 5: 'In The Hands of the Prophets'
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 6: ‘By Inferno’s Light’
Reveries – Part 1: Out of the Void
And Then It Was...
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 1: 'In Purgatory's Shadow'
In The Pale Moonlight – Part 4: 'Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges'
The Human
Memories
Strike
Training Days: First Days Part 1 (WARNING: CLOP SCENE)

Harmony and Hegemony

CHAPTER THREE: HARMONY AND HEGEMONY

"Even though a hedgehog may want to become close to another hedgehog, the closer they get the more they injure each other with their spines. It's the same with some humans."

– Neon Genesis Evangelion

“You’ve gotta share! You’ve gotta care!”

– Pinkie Pie

New York City, 2023 Anno Dominae

The title ‘UN/PHL Joint Task Force Regional Headquarters’ conjured up images of vast military bases filled with drilling soldiers and sympathetic ponies. Once upon a time, that might have been the case. Pegasai might have flown alongside the best aviators humanity could produce, while Unicorns and the scientific crème-de-la-crème poured their collective intellects into reverse engineering the principals of magic.

It was a nice fantasy, but what with the current state of the Union, besieged and terrorised, over-populated and under-fed, collapsing under an ever-growing swarm of refugees, just a fantasy.

The nuking of Washington DC had not helped either.

So now, New York’s remaining Special Forces and Ponies for Human Life had taken control of a former Cold War bunker, a compact warren of tunnels and subterranean galleys planned back when the worst-case scenario was mere atomic annihilation.

Deep in the old fallout shelter, one mare stood slightly apart, a bulky flak jacket protecting most of her barrel, chest and forelegs. Her burgundy coat had faded somewhat away from the light of day, and her mane had been tied back in an efficient braid, but the three flowers emblazoned on her flank still smiled brightly.

“Any time now...” Cheerilee said softly, gazing at a map of continental North America. A series of curved lines had been drawn over it like contours, expanding out from the direction of Europe. The first few, curving down across Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, had been filled in with solid pink, marking the advance of the Barrier since landfall.

“...word from further up in New England is that people are fleeing south across the border...” murmured a man standing beside her, his arms folded in a tight crush of muscle. “The Narrows are crammed with ships that got out of Halifax before it was swallowed.”

“And if what they say is true, then Celestia’s forces are getting more...proactive...” Cheerliee, acknowledged, directing her attention towards a series of photographs littering the chart table. One was taken just before what could charitably called ‘the Battle of Halifax’, and depicted the Barrier advancing on that city’s Angus MacDonald suspension bridge. More worrying however, was the colossal airship slowly emerging from the dimensional void, a seven-hundred-foot long cigar of hot air, fabric and enchanted clouds.

“I always wanted to travel in a skyliner...” she said wistfully, one hoof touching against the image. “Flying the friendly skies. But now...”

“...now they’ve learned a few tricks from human history,” the man finished for her.

“Yes” Cheerliee nodded, slowly turning through the remaining photographs. The pictures depicted squadrons of pegasai disgorging from the airships, hurling glass phials of Ponification Potion into the streets below. In response, anti-aircraft fire poured up into the air, only to explode harmlessly against a shimmering field of purple energy shrouding the airborne leviathan.

Something seemed to catch in Cheerliee’s throat, and slowly the former schoolmare sank to her knees, sobbing painfully.

“It’s so wrong! How did we go so...so wrong!?”

“Shush-shush” the main said soothingly, dropping into a crouch so that he could comfort her. “It’s not your fault Cher, any more than its Spitfire or Zecora’s.

“We should have done more!” she howled. “Campaigned harder, spoken out more vehemently against Celestia, back before she began to push the barrier out.”

“Mad gods caring not then...” someone, or somepony, interrupted, their voice a discordant mess of tangled syntax and lilting tones. “Now we’re truthing seer of her.”

Cheerilee paused in sniffling and looked up, as did the man who was holding her tight. “Hi, Bon Bon.”

“Bonnie...” the human greeted, a note of shame creeping into his voice. “How are you holding up?”

“Will being fine, concordant concern contrasting....” the creamy Earth pony replied. She was standing in a pool of shadows, appearing to almost glow slightly with some inner luminescence. Slowly, she began to trot towards them, face screwed up in concentration. Something about her was...wrong, something about how she moved, like a drunken marionette, her legs working against each other.

And then there was that thing about her eyes...both Cheerilee and the human had lived around Derpy Hooves for years, so were used to the idea of a lazy eye. But Bon Bon’s condition was...different, and it went deeper than just strabismus. Both moved independently of the other, focusing on other things...and other times.

Strapped to her side, in a modified bandolier, she was carrying a dusty, slightly battered lyre.

“Is being daymare bad...” she forced out, jaw muscles chattering in an attempt to formulate syllables. “But amfine-amfine-AMFINE!”

Shaking slightly, the mare began to weep out of her right eye, the left instead focusing on something only she could see. Such was the fate of Bon-Bon, ever since the PHL had rescued her from her own execution, but moments too late to save Lyra. Doctor Whooves had sadly diagnosed her suffering as chronological lobular desync disorder, an emergency crossing of the time-dimensional barrier causing Bon-Bon’s already damaged psyche to crack wide open.

In simple words, she had suffered a temporal stroke, leaving the two halves of her brain in separate time zones. One was always in the present, while the other...wandered.

Sometimes she babbled about events that had yet to happen, or screamingly re-experience past horrors, not just from her own life, but of Eldritch nightmares from eons before Equestria’s founding.

It was a painful, debilitating and humiliating fate. But at times, the ability to experience the future before it happened was extremely useful.

“Soon...” Bon Bon said, managing to co-ordinate her facial muscles enough to smile sadly. “Hurts, but soon, promising...”

Her head turned jerkily, so that one eye could catch sight of the lyre she took everywhere, and the small smile grew in its melancholy. “Not me...her and me...gone away, neverwhen again.”

Now her left eye glistened with tears, the right narrowing in wrathful indignation. Slowly, Cheerilee broke away from the man who held her and moved to embrace Bon Bon.

“Oh Bonnie, I’m so sorry...” she said, before her tone grew firmer. “Bon Bon, I need you to focus. Listen to my voice, you’re here, you’re now, with us...and if you’re seeing something, something important, then you have to tell us what that is...”

The former chocolatier’s eyes rolled, one side of her body shaking as if being dragged around by invisible hands, then she managed a shuddering breath and stared straight at Cheerilee.

“Equestria, is, coming...” she said in short gasps, throat and lungs clenching. “Celestia...will...fight.”

“What!” the human started. “She’s going to fight on the front lines?”

“Noes!” Bon Bon cut him off, struggling to be understood, before a beatific smile spread across her muzzle. “Not...Tyrant, Celestia! Celestia, Luna, fight, with, us!”

Her head lolled to one side and both of her eyes converged on him.

“Fight with you too...” she said, voice half laughing, half groaning. “In Equestria, silly foals...say hello, to Lyra, and me...”

Her shoulders twitched like a beam engine, and then she began to giggle and sob, vaulting between the two like a tennis ball hurled back and forth across a net. Cheerilee held her tight, whispering gentle words, while the human simply turned and stared at the map.

“Fight with me, in Equestria? What does she mean.”

Any further time for thought was cut short however. With a sharp knock on the door, another figure entered, the light glinting on the tribal jewellery adorning her neck and forehooves.

“Dearest friends, forgive me, I plea

But deeds are afoot of the gravest degree.

Ill news I bring from the refugee train,

The Barrier has passed through New Brunswick, to Maine!”

Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville, 2nd Year Anno Harmonia

In between everything that had happened, everything that had been called into question, one thing remained constant: when in doubt, Twilight Sparkle turned to books for the answers she sought.

But as she cautiously circumnavigated the library, one eye trained on the huge figure resting in the corner, Twilight would never have imagined that she would ever be searching for information on the demi-mythic creatures known as humans. That information was more the terrain of eccentrics and fantasists like Lyra...

...yeah, she was going to drop that train of thought, with a vengeance.

The human shifted slightly, resuming the same pose after moving to another section of the library; one from where his view of Twilight would not be blocked by any shelves.

Her friends, having been roused, were now sitting in a cautious ring at the center of the candle-lit room. The curtains had been drawn and the ‘CLOSED’ sign was planted outside like a talisman intended to ward off any unwarranted attention. Lyra was with them, talking in a rapid murmur and trying her best to allay their fears. So far, none of them had made a move against him, though that might have had more to do with their memories of their last encounter than any success on her part at diplomacy.

She only hoped that no-one pointed out the absence of Spike; the young drake, having woken and declared that he had to ‘go potty’, had left for the bathroom while she had been putting the finishing touches on her letter to Celestia, before everything had gone wrong. The human, despite his familiarity with the rest of her closest circle of friends, seemed unaware of Spike’s existence, having not demanded that she produce him or even questioned the scent of sulphur that faintly permeated the air (a sure sign that ‘Past Spike’ had eaten something that disagreed with him, which ‘Present Spike’ was now paying for).

Now Twilight could only pray that ‘Present Spike’ was keeping hidden upstairs, and that ‘Now Or The Near Future Spike’ had the sense to put out an SOS to Canterlot, while she made a show of going along with Lyra and the human’s demands...

The human suddenly made a movement, reaching out with his club to gently push one of the curtains aside and peek out of the venerable old treehouse. Dimly, Twilight could hear the sound of familiar voices and hooves trotting past. Trying to see who he was spying on, she got a decent view of his ‘club’, and shivered slightly in disgust when she realised that it was in fact the limb of a dead Timberwolf.

It made her worry as to what he was carrying around in the sling that hung from one of his shoulders.

“The Whooves family...” she heard him grunt in surprise, before he lowered the curtain back into its normal place. Then he turned to them and made a curious observation: “Dinky’s missing her cutie mark.”

“What in the hay!” exclaimed Applejack. “Derpy and Time Turner’s lil’ filly, that Dinky? She ain’t missin’ a cutie-mark, she simply ain’t found her special talent yet!”

“Her special talent is empathic perception” he replied bluntly. “Her cutie-mark is five golden sparkles, one for herself, each member of her family and her coltfriend.”

“My good sir, kindly keep your perversions at bay!” Rarity said haughtily. “A young filly is hardly of an age to be seeing boys!”

“When a colt and a filly help one another through a warzone and back to their families, I consider it perfectly acceptable for them to forge a relationship,” he replied coldly. “Dinky and Pip have been dating for over a year.”

Cautiously he drew the curtain aside again, watching the lavender filly happily bouncing around her mother, step-father and adoptive sister, Sparkler. “We had a cutecenera for her in New York nine months ago...or we will do – this Dinky looks younger, and Sparkler’s not had her ear pierced yet.”

He turned slowly towards the gathered ponies and glowered deeply. “...did I go back in time? Is this Equestria before contact was made with Earth?”

After a long moment he seemed to realise the foolishness of his question and coughed deeply. “Forget I said anything...”

Twilight nervously shifted to grab a hold of one library book with her teeth: when she had first tried to retrieve one with her magic he had threatened to rip off her horn. The most horrible thing was, she felt he meant it. The weight of his gaze was heavy on her, promising judgement and condemnation for crimes allegedly committed. Turning towards her slightly she once again shuddered at the cold depths of his eyes. If she could compare Fluttershy's Stare to the human’s, there would be no contest. Fluttershy's gaze overwhelmed and cowed, stripping away lies and excuses and forcing the offender to feel her sheer outrage at their actions.

On the other hoof, the Human's Stare promised only pain and suffering. Lot and lots of pain and suffering. And Twilight knew that he could break her and her friends with just a bit of effort. She doubted she could get away with throwing him through a wall twice. It was amazing that he had been able to get back up after that, let alone attempt to take his own life, and then fight and struggle through all the hospital’s attempts at magical sedation. Any other creature should have been barely able to walk, let alone fight, not after that amount of punishment.

And still the mystery of his origin presented itself. That he knew them, in some manner, was impossible to deny. His reaction to Dinky and the Whooves was also one of concerned familiarity, unless it was all part of a superb act.

‘Is he right? – has he come back in time, from a point after some terrible catastrophe hurled his world and ours together...’ she pondered as she retrieved the last reference book. Her own experiences with time-travel had led her to not discount the possibility, but the implications were catastrophic, to say the least.

“Here”, she announced, transferring the book in her mouth to the small stack on the table. “Everything I have on humans is contained in these volumes.”

It was an eclectic collection, to say the least, ranging from renowned texts like ‘Unmagical Beasts and Where to Find Them’ and several anthologies of ‘The Royal Canterlot Archaeological Society Gazette’, to far-side quackery like ‘Ponyland: Fact or Fable?’ and ‘The Dream Valley Conspiracy: What They’ll Never Tell Us’. From the date stamps inside, Twilight had seen that all of them had at some point been loaned out by Lyra, and now the mint-green unicorn fell on them like old friends.

“Oh!” she said excitedly, flicking through the pages. “The Archaeological Society thought Doctor Waggoner had gone off the deep-end, but he was right! And all these years, I knew that someday I would prove him right!”

Twilight glanced over her shoulder, and saw that the human was not approaching, instead remaining in a position where he could see all of them at once. Gauging his reaction, she slowly stepped closer to Lyra. He growled slightly in warning, but made no effort to approach them.

“Lyra...are you alright?” she asked. “Did he hurt you?”

“No...he just...just told me a lot of things.” Lyra stated as she searched through the books.

“How did you even find him? And where is the pony he foalnapped yesterday?” Twilight hissed, her eyes narrowed on the bipedal interloper.

“Foalnapped?” Lyra asked in confusion, before a look of understanding crossed her face and she beamed. “Oh...yeah, that was me!”

“What?!” Twilight replied. “You were the doctor from Canterlot!?”

“He he...” Lyra said, bashfully scratching the back of her head. “Er...surprise?”

“Lyra...” Twilight sighed, one frustrated hoof pawing her own forehead.

“Look, I'm sorry, okay?” Lyra sniped back. “I come back from visiting my parents in Manehattan, and what’s everyone in town talking about the second I get off the train? Only that Twilight Sparkle & Company picked a fight with a dangerous creature that called itself a human! So I...”

She trailed off, hooves clopping together nervously.

“...I kinda hid outside the library and eavesdropped on your conversation. Very sorry! Hugs and kisses make better?”

“I...I just...argh!” Twilight exclaimed, instinctively reaching out to bop Lyra on the snout like she often had back in school.

This time the human acted, crossing the room in two strides and hefting Twilight up by the tail so that she dangled from his hand like a mad piñata.

“Do, not, touch, her...” he said gravely, voice growling and rumbling like an avalanche in birth.

“Lyra, this guy is dangerous!” Twilight shrieked, even as she hung upside-down from his powerful grip.

“Only to my enemies,” the human muttered, before looking towards Lyra with a strange expression on his face, uncertainty laced with disquiet. Lyra nodded, her eyes beseeching, and slowly the human lowered Twilight back onto her hooves.

“Fine” he grunted. “I'll play nice. But only because Lyra convinced me you six are possibly not the monsters I know. At least, not yet...but make no mistake, I am watching you, Sparkle.”

Twilight’s friends, who had all jumped to their hooves when he made his move, now slowly settled back into various seating positions. The tension in the room deflated with an almost audible sigh, but still it lingered in the background. Like the human’s stare, it was laced with threat.

The scholarly unicorn was now pleading with the universe that reinforcements would soon arrive from Canterlot. ‘Please please please Spike, please have called for help!’

“Right...” Lyra said, making placating gestures with one foreleg. “We’ll all nice, everypony, and every...human. Hrm...is ‘everyhuman’ the right word?”

“Everyone.”

“Right, everyone. Now, if we could all, nice and easy, gather around the table, and then we’ll have a friendly little chat...”

“Lyra...” Rainbow Dash snorted. “We’re not in some Mobpony Movie, so stop talking as if we’re about to get pie-bombed.”

“Yes darling...” Rarity put in. “This is our home, not the Blizzard Conference...”

“Princess Platinium!” the human exclaimed. “That’s it, I knew you reminded me of someone from Lyra’s pony history lessons! Both of you are stuck-up bitches!”

Rarity might have lashed back in outrage if Lyra had not made a pleading expression, and with a little more cajoling, the seven mares and one human gathered around the table.

“This...” Lyra began, smugly holding up one book so they could see the image of an elder unicorn stallion printed inside. “Was Doctor Howie Waggoner, the pony who led the KV62 Party to a distant corner of the Griffin Kingdoms, a place called ‘Dream Valley’.”

“A party!” Pinkie exclaimed, only for Applejack to cut her off by clamping the party pony’s mouth shut with both hooves.

“She means an’ ecsphedision, Pinkie, not candy and games.”

“Right” Lyra continued. “Based on stories passed around by Griffin traders, they were searching for evidence of possible pony habitation, from tribes who might have fled Equestria during the Discordian era...”

“Lyra...please don’t go down this path again...” Twilight groaned. “Doctor Waggoner was unfairly maligned by his peers, but there’s never been any evidence to lend credence to his theories. I mean it’s not like magical trans-dimensional portals...pop into existence...every...single...day. Oh.”

She trailed off, slowly looking towards her unusual ‘houseguest’, before turning her attention back to Lyra, affected cheer dripping from her words. “Right, please continue Lyra, full steam ahead!”

The anthropologist’s grin grew even wider, and she did a little victory dance as she began to hold up more and more exhibits cribbed from the various texts. “Waggoner’s digs in Dream Valley unearthed signs that yes, at some point ponies had indeed inhabited the site, before they were forced to leave by what is believed to be an eruption of a nearby volcano, what the Griffins called ‘Mount Gloom’. Buried beneath layers of ossified mud floes, the expedition found an empty but perfectly preserved pony castle, with most of its contents protected by the smoozy goop that had covered it. The best part however, was that many of those ponies had kept records...”

She leaned forward, trying to adopt a spooky tone of voice. “...records that spoke of ‘humans’, powerful friends and allies from a distant land, a land ‘beyond the Rainbow Bridge’...”

She closed the book with a snap. “Now tell me Twilight, if that does not sound like a metaphorical description of a portal!”

“Yes Lyra...” Twilight sighed, looking about as gleeful as if she was about to receive one of Colgate’s root canals. “But Doctor Waggoner claimed his ‘evidence’ was lost at sea en-route home to Equestria. All he had to prove his alleged ‘findings’ were his own words!”

“But look at us Twilight!” Lyra exclaimed. “There’s a human standing right next to you – one who must have come from the same place, somewhere beyond the rainbow!”

“Way up high...” the human added in a deadpan tone. “In a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby...”

The librarian’s face scrunched up, and then Lyra cocked her head, smiling winsomely.

“Look, Twi. Do you have a map or globe of the world?”

“Huh?” Twilight was confused by her question, before turning back to the human and a look of understanding appeared on her face. “Oh, it’s just over there...”

“Uh uh.” the human pointed his stick at Twilight, shaking his head at her. “A globe’s too big for one pony to carry, and I’m not having you using magic, Sparkle. Let Lyra grab it.”

Twilight huffed again, but directed Lyra towards the appropriate door. A few seconds later, Lyra pulled out a globe of Equus, and placed it in front of the human. He scowled darkly and gave it a quick turn before, turning back to Twilight.

“It’s all wrong...” he started to say, before Lyra cut him off:

“Twilight, is this an up to date globe?”

“Of course it is,” Twilight responded, an insulted note creeping into her voice at the accusation that she would allow substandard research materials into her home.

“Right...” Lyra turned back to the human, and gave him a long, hard look. “Show her your cutie mark.”

Eyes narrowed in suspiscion, the human complied, hitching up his tattered poncho to reveal one of his upper forelegs...arms, Twilight corrected herself. Anatomic accuracy went out of her mind though when she caught a glimpse of the complex image emblazoned on his strangely hairless skin.

‘How...’ she wondered, glancing back at her own flank, and at how her cutie mark was indelibly marked in her fur. ‘Is it some magical change in his skin pigmentation?’

“It’s not a cutie mark,” he grunted abruptly, his eyes flickering sternly towards Lyra. “S’ a tattoo...”

Twilight momentarily recoiled, realising he was describing a form of self-mutilation, the barbaric practice of injecting foreign dyes into the skin, but to her surprise she heard Rarity make a sound of understanding.

“Ah, like the zebras practise, Zecora told me all about it...oh settle down Twilight, dear, it’s just a custom among his people, I’m sure.”

“Okay then...” Twilight replied, making a mental note at how the human’s face had flashed in recognition when Rarity had invoked the name of Ponyville’s resident shaman herbalist. Then she slowly trotted forward at Lyra’s prompting, keeping her eyes carefully fixed on the human as she approached him. He gave a single, heavy nod of permission, and the bookish unicorn carefully leaned in to examine the half-hemisphere emblazoned on his shoulder.

As she examined the strange pair of continents, turning her head from side to side in an attempt to reconcile it with any part of the geography of Equus, she heard Applejack speak up.

“Alrigh’ ten bucko. If that ain’t yer cutie mark, then wher’ is it, or are you like em’ poor mules and donkeys, wit’ no magic to speak of?”

Twilight heard the human make a braying snort which she realised was some sort of broken laugh, and cautiously backpedalled as he answered Applejack.

“No magic on Earth; just fairy-tale stories, until Equestria manifested...”

‘Manifested?’ Twilight shook her head in confusion, before turning back towards the minty unicorn who was somehow at the heart of all this.

“Well Twilight?” Lyra asked, expression serious. “That there on his arm is a map of part of his world. Does it in any way match with ours?”

“No...” Twilight answered at length, and she saw Lyra direct her gaze at the human, as if trying to convey some kind of point. Beseechingly, Twilight extended a hoof towards her former classmate, desperate for answers, or at least a context.

“Lyra, what’s happening here? Please, what’s going on?”

The other unicorn simply inclined her head thoughtfully, and in her golden eyes Twilight suddenly felt a little spark of Princess Celestia, coaxing her towards finding the answer to a difficult problem on her own.

“Twilight, how much magic will it take to displace a being or object to another location, trans-dimensionally?” Lyra asked rhetorically.

“Lyra, you know about this...” Twilight began, only to trail off when she saw Lyra's jab her snout pointedly towards the human. Case in point.

“Alright then...” she sighed and slowly massaged her forehead, particularly the sensitive sinuses and nerve clusters around the base of her horn, trying to recall what she had felt yesterday when their guest had arrived in Ponyville. “A lot – I mean a crazy lot. Transmat spells require gigathaums of magic potenia, focused and directed with extreme precision. Put simply, you take a basic teleportation spell (which, I might add, not a lot of unicorns can cast anyway) and then invert it, trying to create a junction between two places so that mass can be shunted between them. But what you’re suggesting is...look, a transmat spell is unstable enough as it is, but to pierce the dimensional veils would require a massive amount of arcane energy to stabilise the wormhole’s boundary radius, otherwise the event horizon would just collapse in a burst of Squawking radiation. This is the kind of magic that is beyond the practical, or the theoretical...”

“Alright, so that’s the initial connection” Lyra interrupted. “Massive power. And what then? Would there be a limit on what you could send through that portal?”

Despite the growing headache Twilight decided to let Lyra continue leading with questions. “Yes, that would have an effect. It would be dependent on the volume, mass, and number of objects being teleported. And then there are distance factors, once you account for relative dimensions in time and space...”

“How much to move a single house?” Lyra asked, and Twilight balked, giving out a short croak of laughter.

“Don’t you remember Hearts and Hooves Day!? When Big Mac dragged Berry Punch’s house off its foundations and all the way to Rarity’s boutique!? It took the magic of every unicorn in Ponyville, including yourself I might add, just to teleport it five hundred yards back to where it should have been!”

“Ah...yeah, point taken...” Lyra blushed. In the corner of her eye Twilight could see Rarity wincing, and she felt herself reciprocate the motion. Having acted as the nexus for the spell to relocate Berry’s house, guiding and shaping the raw magic supplied by Rarity, Lyra, Colgate and all the others, she had been bed-ridden for a week afterwards from magical over-exertion. The other unicorns had not fared so well either.

“At the level you’re describing, Lyra, it depends on whether the unicorn wants to be alive or not after they try to force it.” Twilight said at last “I could do it, possibly. But it would damage me, badly. I’d spend months recovering, assuming I didn’t shear my horn off, mummify my magical tissues, or give myself an aneurism in the process.”

All the other ponies, and the human, were now paying rapt attention, sensing that this conversation was nearing its peak. Lyra slowly trotted in place, a nervous tick Twilight had seen before, swallowed, and then raised her head.

“So, if that’s just one house, then how about all of Equestria, all the way to our borders, and the ground beneath our hooves.”

Twilight stared at Lyra, mouth hanging open, and then she felt her expression harden.

“No...that’s just not possible. Not even Celestia could bend reality like that.”

“But...” Lyra began, only for the now severely frustrated Twilight to cut her off, storming along in a full rant.

“Is that what you’re saying? That somepony popped Equestria out of our reality and crashed it onto his? How’s that even meant to work? Several trillion tons of continent does not make a gentle impact on another world, not without mega-tsunamis and earthquakes that would level entire cities, followed by a dust cloud that would blanket the world in an artificial winter lasting decades! And what about the world we leave behind, what about Equus? Would it just carry on spinning without a care, despite having a hole several-thousand-miles-across gouged out of the planet’s crust? Even if you didn’t breach the mantle, creating a supervolcano that would pull the planet inside-out, the change in mass and absence of the Princesses would throw the sun and moon out of their orbits, causing them to collide, or even worse, to impact with Equus itself! Anypony – anything, left behind would die, horribly! Every griffon, every dragon, zebra, reindeer, whatever!”

Everyone just stared as Twilight continued to vent, now pacing in a tight circle.

“And even if you could safely do something like that, without killing every being and creature at both ends of the exchange, what then? What about the social factors, the political, the economic! There’d be a revolt, an uprising, collapse of society even, especially if, and this is a very big if, it was revealed that the Princess had something to do with this, and don’t try to tell me that you’re not accusing her of this, because I CAN SEE IT IN YOUR EYES!”

Chest heaving, eyes huge and glaring, Twilight suddenly fell backwards and landed on her haunches with an exhausted sigh. The shocked silence was broken only when she curled up into a small, fuzzy ball and began to weep softly.

“But why...none of this happened, or has yet to happen, I don’t know which. But why, why, why would anypony do something like that?”

Even as her friends moved to comfort her with soft nuzzles and embraces, Twilight stared up at the two figures standing across the room, silently begging them for answers; a small unicorn staring self-consciously at her hooves, and a huge, imposing figure who somehow, now, seemed a little ashamed at having made her cry, and not a little surprised to see how tenderly the six ponies were embracing one another.

Then, something changed in his face. The brief flash of compassion, perhaps even a tender appreciation of friendship in its most primal, nurturing state, suddenly collapsed under a storm of rage, and he swung his arm in an arc and punched the wall.

“WHO ARE YOU PONIES!” he roared, and even Lyra took a step back. From across the room, despite their injuries, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and surprisingly enough, Fluttershy, moved to put themselves between him and their friends.

“We’re the Elements of Harmony, buck...” the farm pony said resolutely. “We take care of one another...”

“No!” he responded, a righteous fury seizing him. “You’re meant to be monsters, lording your supposed ‘harmony’ over us like a mandate for our destruction. Argh!”

The fight seemed to purge from his system as quickly as it came, and he raised a hand in a gesture of ‘wait’, which the other pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Right, just...keep away. You’re NOT the ponies I know, knew, you to be but...stay back. You have no idea what kind of shit I’ve been through since Equestria first made contact.”

He turned and peered towards the fireplace, seeming to find a moment of peace in the dancing flames.

“The last time we all met, we were at war. Applejack pinned me down so that Twilight could administer the potion, promising to make me ‘perfect’...a perfect pony...”

“Ponies ain’t perfect, bub!” Applejack snorted grimly. “Anyone tells you otherwise don’t know their flank from their face...”

“A-hum...” Fluttershy nodded. “Ponies can be mean, and cruel...but also kind...”

“Yeah!” added Rainbow Dash, proudly thrusting her chest out. “Look at me. I mean, I am kinda awesome but well, I can be a jerk some of the time...a lot of the time...”

Her ears fell flat at the self admission, only to perk up when Rarity stepped up and gave the cyan Pegasus a friendly nuzzle.

The human watched them both, a wan smile playing on his lips.

“I never thought I’d see the day...ponies used to seem like the biggest hypocrites to have ever lived, going on about harmony, friendship, love and tolerance while they did...all that...”

He shook his head, expression darkening as he turned back to deep contemplations in the fire.

“Potion...” someone said, and the circle of friends opened up slightly so that Twilight could rise unsteadily to her feet. “You mentioned it in the hospital, and again just now. Ponification Potion. What is it?”

“Exactly what it says on the can” he murmured absently, continuing to gaze at the writhing fireplace. “Rewrites a person into a pony...changes their body, their mind, binds their soul in chains...”

He leaned forward to rest his forehead against the chimney. “...takes them away from you.”

As he stood there his shoulders suddenly twitched, and he made a low whimpering sound, gritting his teeth like an animal in pain. Then the ponies saw a thin line trace itself down his cheek, glowing gold in the firelight.

He was crying.

“...I...” Twilight said, moving to try and comfort him, even as her mind tried to twist itself around what he was saying, but Applejack raised a foreleg to block her path, allowing Lyra to instead come up to the huge, bear-like biped. Carefully, the unicorn reared back on her hindlegs and leaned against him, embracing him in a hug. Even teetering on her hooves as she was, she barely came up to his chest, but after a moment, he brought up his hand and slowly began to tousle her shaggy mane.

“...the Princess, did that?” Twilight said at last, hating to break the moment. “She, tried to make you into ponies?”

“Tried, and succeeded” he said at last. “I think something between one third and half of the planet’s population has either ‘gone pony’ or died, by now. Several billion lives, either snuffed out or disfigured into something else.”

“I...I don’t understand...” someone said, their voice low and saddened. The ponies turned and realised, to their surprise, that it was Pinkie. “Why wouldn’t ponies and...people, want to be friends. If there was a potion to become a pony, then there must be an antidote that could make a pony into a human – that would be so much fun, to transform and change shape like that.”

Her mane, hanging limply around her, seemed to regain a little vibrancy for a second. “The parties would be amazing! I’d love to be a griffin for a little while, or to have fingers like yours.”

Lyra, still buried in the human’s embrace, gave a little laugh that went all but unnoticed.

“There are spells that allow for temporary transformation...” Twilight said slowly. “Remember when I gave Rarity wings, or allowed the rest of us to walk on clouds? But they’re never meant to last. All of them use Starswirl the Bearded’s Amiomorphic Spell as a base, and he himself said that...”

“That true transformation, permanent metamorphosis, would require the ensorcelling of the subject’s soul...” the human said dully. “Like I said, putting the victims of the potion in spiritual chains...”

“But why would Celestia do such a thing” Twilight all but wailed. “Changing ponies...sorry, people to another form is against everything she ever taught me. Friendship, Magic, Harmony. Equestria itself, since the day of its founding, has always been about working together in spite of our differences, not trying to make everyone the same! That’s not Harmony, that’s Hegemony!”

“It was an accident...” the human said slowly. “Our worlds making contact was not intended, or at least, that’s what we think.”

Six sets of eyes slowly traveled towards him, and he swallowed, before straightening up, allowing Lyra to drop back down onto all four hooves.

“There is...was, a place on Earth, my world, called CERN, where they did advanced, experimental science, trying to understand the mysteries of life...the first principles of the universe. Bits of matter would be collided into one another at high speed in their laboratories, and they would study what was left afterwards...”

Twilight nodded softly, eyes now aglow with familiar curiosity. Even when broken down, her inquisitive intelligence shone through.

“Bashing rocks together to make a spark...” she said softly. “Like when our ancestors first discovered fire...”

He nodded, the two of them seemingly finding a common cultural touchstone, before continuing. “One day, I don’t remember the date, something happened. CERN was on the other side of the world from my own homeland, but the news spread fast. Somehow, during an attempt to track and identify tachyon particles, they breached the fabric of reality...”

The human paused, remembering something deeply personal. “I can remember the first photographs released of it...the portal. It was pink, and ‘self-sustaining’, that was the words they used to describe it – even after they cut the power to the experiment, it remained open. Any attempts to send a probe or camera through failed, the materials simply disintegrated. One scientist attempted to put his hand through, and lost his arm for it...then, about two days after the initial event, with the entire world watching, ‘she’ came through...”

The weight in his words left no doubt as to who he meant.

“She said that only ponies could pass through the portal’s barrier – through the ‘door’, as it were. That creatures without magic, like humans, could not survive in Equestria. Ponification Potion, and the Conversion Bureaus that administered it, were at first presented as a diplomatic measure, a necessary means for dignitaries and potential immigrants to enter into Equestria.”

He rubbed at his face, fingers leaving deep tracks in the ash and filth worked into his sweat.

“Then, about a month after the Bureaus opened, the portal’s event horizon began to expand, swallowing CERN, then the nation of Switzerland, and so on...” he looked towards Twilight. “Equestria never collided with Earth, or physically made contact. The two realities are still separated, but Earth is being terraformed, transformed into...‘another’ Equus, one with a magical climate and ecosystem, and the nature of the barrier means that nothing man-made survives the transition. From what other ponies in Lyra’s PHL told us, inside the barrier newfoals and Equestrian natives are colonizing the lands Celestia has claimed, moving back and forth between the two worlds through portal stations.”

Bitterly he glared down at them, and even with her friends around her, Twilight suddenly felt afraid. Not of the human, as such, but from the blazing sincerity in his eyes. Impossible as it seemed, what he was describing felt truthful.

Which meant that somewhere, deep down inside of herself, she had the capacity to be the murdering monster he described her, the ‘other’ her, to be. That terrified her, but not so much as the fear of what that could mean for everypony she knew and loved. He friends, her family, even her beloved teacher...

“For a while” the human continued, “we simply thought that Celestia had panicked, that she was trying to protect her subjects from a potentially dangerous race...”

“No...” Twilight whimpered, putting her hooves over her ears. “I don’t want to hear this!”

“But if that was the case, diplomacy would surely have made her see reason, that we wanted co-existence on mutually agreeable terms...”

“Please, stop...” she all but begged, tears now welling from her eyes. Not the Princess, not Celestia, the pony who she all but thought of as family, a second mother...

“But when Lyra showed us the truth, that Celestia was building an Equestrian Empire, we realised that she was just the latest in a long line of despots and dictators, a mad god trampling down on everyone and everpony.”

“STOP!” Twilight screamed in anguish, at the same time as the library door was blown in from the outside. The human spun on his heel, face contorting into a hideous snarl at the regal figure standing in the doorway.

“Step, away, from my subjects!” Princess Celestia hissed, her barrel and chest clad in shining golden armour. The Solar Alicorn’s head was bowed slightly, so that her horn was directed straight at the human’s chest, while her wings were spread in a show of dominance. Quickly, her eyes darted between the sobbing Twilight and the huge figure standing dark against the fireplace, and then the rosy orbs narrowed into diamond-hard slits, hinting at the warrior-queen who had led Equestria to victory innumerable times in centuries past. “I won’t ask a second time.”

“Oh, this is bad! Very bad!” Lyra muttered, seeing the human slowly straighten into an erect posture, arms handing loosely at his side but gripping tightly to his improvised club. “Not good at all!”

With a sudden crack of midnight energy, a second Alicorn teleported into the room, positioning herself in a defensive position between the human and the ponies. Luna, Regent of the Moon, her starfield mane crackling with controlled rage and body clad in gunmetal war-barding, was every inch as imposing a sight as her sister, perhaps even moreso from the calmly measured look of battle-readiness on her face. It was a reminder that it was not a single Princess that ended the Discordian era, but two, united.

“My little ponies” she said over her shoulder, voice dark and deep as a forest pond at night. “You must escape while you can. My sister and I shall protect you...”

Even the sight of Spike seated on Luna’s back was not enough to rob the moment of its sheer majesty and terror. He had clearly not only sent a message for help, but had convinced the princesses themselves to lead the charge.

“Twilight, let’s go!” he shouted, jumping off his royal steed and wrapping his stubby arms around his adoptive big sister. “The whole Royal Guard will be here soon!”

“C’mon ladies...” Applejack said sternly, backing away and trying to herd her friends around the perimeter of the room. “You heard the Princesses, things are bout’ to get ugly in here.”

“No” Lyra said suddenly. Head held high and proud, the small unicorn rushed with a surprising burst of speed into the center of the room, positioning herself in the very centre of the impending cross-fire.

“Highnesses!” she called, sweat beading on her brow. “This creature is not the enemy!”

“He is dangerous, Madam Heartstrings” Luna interrupted. “Not of this world, not of our kith or kin. His very essence breathes the stench of Discord...”

“Leave the way you came, trespasser” Celestia intoned in turn. “Or we shall forcibly return you there.”

“Please!” Lyra begged, teetering on her hindlegs and spreading her forehooves out as if in an attempt to keep the three apart. “He didn’t come by choice; somepony sent him here!”

“Oh?” Luna replied, eyes still narrowed with suspicion. “And what force, pray tell, could pluck the strings of reality with such skill? Transit between worlds was an arcane myth when our royal self was sealed away a millennium ago, and I have seen little evidence that it has become commonplace in the interim.”

“Ponies!” Lyra shouted, on the verge of panic. “Ponies did it! His world is being invaded by another Equestria, a fallen Equestria, and an attempt to teleport him into captivity went wrong. I said that he’s not the enemy, and that’s because we are!”

Both of Equestria’s rulers took a startled step back, though neither for a moment relaxed their posture, limbs tense and magical reserves coiled, ready to strike.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Luna suddenly exclaimed, as the unicorn in question suddenly leapt to Lyra’s side, tear-streaked face set with a sudden resolve. Even the human seemed surprised, especially when Twilight put her back to him, hiked her legs and lowered her horn straight back at her teacher, mentor, friend and ruler.

“Twilight!” Celestia said in shock, voice cracking momentarily. “I don’t know what’s happened here, but you need to get to safety, right now.”

“No Princess...” Twilight’s tiny chest heaved and her throat was dry, even as she willed herself to speak. “You need to hear what he has to say, because I think he’s telling the truth. I’ve gone over every possibility in my mind, and what everything is telling me is that he’s right!”

“This is madness you speak, Twilight Sparkle” Luna decried, though her eyes were soft with concern. “Step aside now and we shall have time to discuss your concerns once we have dealt with this invader...”

“We’re the invaders!” Twilight yelled back. “Not him! Somewhere, somewhen, another Equestria touched with his world, and from that jumping-off point we ponies devolved into monsters worse than any of our tribal ancestors. But when someone attempted to teleport him in the future, he ended up here! He’s a sign of what we could become if we make the same mistakes!”

Her words trailed away into the ominous hum of the two Royal Pony Sisters’ magic. Then, the sound of laughter filled the room, as the human’s shoulders slowly heaved in large, broken chuckles.

“Too long, didn’t read...” he said, fighting to get the words out between his deranged laughs. “Going by what I’ve seen and felt, I was simply knocked back in time. So that would make this the past, the prelude to the Conversion Bureaus!”

“No!” Twilight tried to say. “That’s not what I said...”

“I DON’T CARE!” he barked, before slowly pushing forward, forcing himself between Twilight and Lyra with surprising gentleness, but expression still steely as he faced Celestia. “From what I’ve seen since I got here, I’ve got no quarrel with you, much as it pains me to say, Twilight Sparkle. But YOU, Celestia, I’ve got plenty of beef with!”

The Solar Alicorn’s hoof, shod in a razor-edged battle shoe, pawed once at the ground. The human slowly drew his club and presented it like a sword.

“Celestia, Binarch of Equestria and Regent of the Sun. I am Marcus Renee, formerly of the United States Marine Corps, now acting Co-Commander of the United Nations/Ponies for Human Life Joint Task Force. Though you are not yet the Solar Tyrant you are destined to become, I speak now for the billions of lives you shall shortly hurl into the abyss of history, and bequest a single boon of you.”

“Very well...” Celestia said guardedly. “Speak it, Marcus Renee.”

“Kindly DIE!” the human, Marcus, spat, before hurling himself forward with a bellowing war-cry, swinging the club in an arc that would surely connect with Celestia’s head.

“Princess!” Twilight shrieked, before Celestia abruptly ducked her head beneath the club. ‘Marcus’, expecting an impact to cushion his swing, was pulled off balance by his own momentum and forced to shift his weight, giving the Princess enough time to snap open one wing under his chin, primary feathers coiled in a bludgeoning punch. Features contorted into an expression of divine rage that Twilight had never seen before, and never wished to see again, Celestia then hurled herself forward, forehooves raised in an attempt to pin the attacker down.

They never connected with their targets. Instead the human crossed his arms in front of his face and the air flashed with a sudden release of magical energy.

Time froze for a moment, then Twilight regained her senses, shaking off the sudden disorientation, and saw that Celestia’s strike had been blocked by a shimmering field of protective magic.

“What the!” she heard Pinkie exclaim. “He has magic!? How can he have magic!? Hax, I’M CALLING HAX!”

Hax or not, it was unexpected. Twilight could see energy shimmering on the human’s skin in arcane patterns, as if it had been etched into his flesh.

‘Like a magic tattoo’ she realised, suddenly feeling sick.

“Runic Magic!?” Celestia exclaimed in disbelief, and the human’s grin grew wider, secure behind his shield.

“You can thank Sparkler and Zecora for that! How’s that for the magic of true friendship! Didn’t have the strength left to use this when I first arrived. Good thing too, or I’d have probably made mush out of a bunch of innocents. But I doubt you’ve ever been an innocent Celestia, past, present, or quasi-trans-dimensional-demi-goddess-future-tense. Now please, as I said before, die with dignity, and spare both our worlds your madness!”

More glyphs flared into life across his skin as the shield collapsed, and with a titanic surge of strength he threw himself up off the floor and onto Celestia, forcing the huge Alicorn to the ground, where he began to pound into her face with the same primal fury Twilight had witnessed only yesterday.

But this time, his blows were strengthened with thaumic power, perversely drawing on Equestria’s own ambient magics as he attempted to break Celestia.

Twilight, mind a shattered mess of jumbled thoughts, could only sit slumped in horror, before she was suddenly bowled over by the blurred form of Princess Luna rushing to her sister’s aid.

“THOU SHALL NOT PREVAIL, ABASED CUR!”

Before the human who called himself ‘Marcus’ could throw up another shield, the dusky blue mare collided forcibly into him, bowling him over and launching into her own vicious series of jabs and pounding downthrusts in an apparent attempt to stick him like vegetables on a kebab skewer.

“Twilight!” Celestia yelled, even as she staggered to her knees and readied herself to return to the fray. “Please, I’m begging you, get away, get yourself and your friends to safety!”

Her words were dull, ringing soundlessly in Twilight’s ears as everything played out in front of her. Celestia’s shimmering mane was streaked with dust, and velvety blood dribbled from her lips with each word. Within moments the wounds began to heal, driven by her semi-divine nature, but the look of fearful desperation in Celestia’s eyes pierced Twilight to the core worse than any wound.

Suddenly, the Princess looked frightened, and ready to lash out.

“Twi, yer’ heard her there, we’ve gotta get out NOW!” Applejack insisted, using a not-so-gentle headbut to Twilight’s flank to shake the unicorn back to reality. The rest of her friends were gathered around the door, ready to flee but unwilling to leave without her, and all strangely captivated by the ferocious death match being played out before them.

With a screeching, animalistic whinny, Luna suddenly reared up, legs flailing and eyes blazing with magic.

“I WILL NOT FAIL MY SUBJECTS AGAIN!” she roared, the Royal Canterlot Voice in full effect, but the words strangely flanged, twisting towards the doom-laden cadence of Nightmare Moon. “YOU SHALL NOT STAND AGAINST THEM, OR US!”

Powerful forelegs lashed out and struck the human in the chest, a blow that should have reduced him to so much strawberry jam. Instead, his entire body lit up with blazing glyphs, shielding him so that Luna’s blow simply slammed him back through several free-standing bookcases and into a wall.

Kill, Twilight realised. Luna had struck to kill.

“It’s happening...” she heard someone say, the words ringing clear as a bell through all the madness. “We’re slipping down the same slope as...as the other Equestria did.”

Twilight turned to see Lyra, sitting morosely in a similar position to herself, just a few feet away. Fluttershy had stepped up and laid a comforting hoof on her back, but the green unicorn seemed inconsolable.

“Is it true Twilight. Did his coming back in time simply set us all up to fall? Is this how we start down the road to...to Conversion Bureaus and an Equestrian Empire?”

“Twi! Move! Now, or I’m gonna lasso you and drag you outa here!” Applejack demanded.

“No!” Twilight said, suddenly rising to her feet, not quite sure whether her answer was meant for Lyra, Applejack, or both of them.

She shook her head, and suddenly found focus. “This is wrong, this isn’t pre-destination at work, just something getting out of hand.”

“Getting out of hand Twilight?” Rarity exclaimed, aghast. “They’re practically tearing the library apart!”

“That’s what I mean!” Twilight replied. “This is like three foals squabbling, just much larger. He’s not strong enough to hurt the Princesses, and they’re not going to do anything so powerful as to damage us or Ponyville, which means that THIS FIGHT IS ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS!”

Those last words were delivered in a reasonable facsimile of the Royal Canterlot Voice, a trick she had picked up from Luna, and it was enough to momentarily break the three-way struggle.

“Girls...” Twilight said firmly. “Let’s go.”

Before any of the three combatants could protest, Twilight had galloped forward and thrown herself onto Celestia’s back, where she held on tightly in a death-hug.

“Twilight, what is...” Celestia began, but before she could finish her statement Pinkie had joined her friend.

“Yeah, Princess, this is kinda not fun anymore, and you are Luna are turning into a pair of meany pants! Okay, he’s not much better, but Lyra’s going to set him right, right?”

Sure enough, Lyra had thrown herself back onto the human, pinning him down while embracing him, and one by one, the other Elements of Harmony joined the group, putting themselves right in harm’s way so as to force a stalemate.

“Set...me right?” the human growled, bloodshot eyes locking onto Lyra’s.

“Please Princess, we have to stop this...” Twilight pleaded. “If we keep this going, we’re just going to fall into the same trap as the other Equestria...”

“The...other...Equestria?” the human replied, his words coming in between heavy gasps, but hands curling into tight fists.

“That’s what she was trying to tell you earlier, idiot!” Lyra said sternly, prodding him firmly in the chest with one forehoof. “Say it again Twilight.”

“Gladly, Ms Heartstrings...” Twilight beamed, before turning serious again. “According to my own experiences and Time Turner’s Theory of Temporal Dynamics, time travel does not work the way you believed, Mr Marcus. Time is closed, a sealed loop where any attempts to change the past either fail, or cause the event-loop that led to you going back in the past in the first place. The world you described, the one that invaded your Earth, is another Equestria, one that runs parallel to our own, just a few years out of sync...”

“Time Turner...Doc Whooves?” the human murmured.

“Twilight...” Celestia began, her words lacking some of their previous conviction. “Even if what you say is true, he still attacked us without provocation.”

“And I’m not trying to make excuses for him” Twilight said firmly. “But from what he and Lyra have said, he comes from a world where we...our counterparts, have done him so much harm, that he saw this as a chance to avoid all that...”

Celestia’s face twisted in momentary confusion, until Luna abruptly spoke up.

“Perhaps she speaks wisdom, sister. After all, would that you could travel back in time and petrify Discord in his youth, before the depredations of his rule, would you not do so?”

The Solar Alicorn closed her eyes, as if waging some deep inner conflict, and then she slowly gave a nod, opening them again and bathing Twilight with a smile that was full of affection and pride.

“Well done, our Elements of Harmony, and especially you, my faithful student, and teacher...”

Twilight’s ears flattened in response, a bashful blush rising to her face, before Celestia’s expression grew cold, and hard, the expression of a mare of state ready to argue for the soul of her nation.

“Commander Marcus Renee...one of my dearest, most trusted subjects has asked me to give you the benefit of the doubt. She says you come from a world where ponies have waged brutal, deplorable war against your kind. But, before I commit to a response, I ask for proof of your accusations. What say you?”

The human did not move for a very long time, simply returning Celestia’s stare with a level gaze, as if trying to weigh her measure.

“Are you...offering us your help?” he said at last.

“That is correct,” Celestia replied. By any scale, she certainly made a proud and warlike sight in her battle regalia. “These are crimes of a nature intolerable, and neither we nor Equestria shall stand for it...”

“No,” he replied, cutting her off. “Not now, not ever...I don’t care what you say, or do, I will never believe that this isn’t simply a trick...”

“Please, believe us!” Lyra practically begged, her hooves pressed tight against his chest. “You’ve got to!”

He looked back at her, and she suddenly shivered, not seeing the warmth he had previously regarded her with, but hurt and anger.

“If what Sparkle says is a lie, then this is all a ruse, that’s the Solar Tyrant in front of me, and you’re just a mindless drone, a mockery of Lyra Heartstrings. If what she says is true, then you’re not my Lyra, the mare who died quoting the Great Dictator, spitting in Celestia’s eye!”

He reached forward as if to caress her cheek, and then suddenly threw his weight sideways, knocking her off him and onto the floor, allowing him to roll back onto his feet.

“And that means I’ve nothing to lose!” he roared, spinning around and hurling something heavy, round and wet out of the sling he wore underarm, straight at Luna. The Lunar Alicorn, momentarily shocked into inaction by the sight of a decapitated Timberwolf’s head flying straight at her, took the mass of wood and sap straight to the forehead, knocking her back in a dizzy swoon. Celestia, encumbered by Twilight’s weight on her back, was unable to do anything but rear up as the maddened being hurled himself at her, fists and forehooves locking together in a combination of pony magic and dextrous fingers, the two combatants vying to force the other down. Runes on Marcus’ arms and chest flared brightly, energy sizzling across his flesh like fat in a pan, while Celestia’s horn burned like a fiery sworn as she summoned her own strength.

“You enter our borders without invitation....” she hissed. “You kidnap my subjects, win their trust only to betray it, and turn down an offer of parley! What is wrong with you, ‘Marcus Renee’!?”

“Nothing that wasn’t your doing!” he seethed, teeth gritted. “You, or some counterpart, or future iteration! You think I enjoy this, and you know what, I do, and that sickens me! This is what you’ve reduced me too, your highness, a madman straddling the line between justice and murder! So if there’s even the slightest chance that striking you down will enable me to win this war of worlds before it even kicks off, and spare future me, or another me, and everyone else, pony and human alike, all that hurt and pain, then that’s a chance I’m going to take!”

His grin, gritty and full of teeth, had grown by now into an almost deranged rictus, and his hands, magically strengthened and reinforced, clenched around Celestia’s hooves even tighter, fingertips digging deep into her flesh.

“Your restraint is admirable,” Celestia replied, her eyes narrowed. “But I too know the secret of self control, otherwise you and everypony in this room would be reduced to nothing but ash. And the reason that I am keeping myself in check, is because I care, Marcus Renee. For my little ponies, for all life, including yourself, if you would but let me-AH!”

Her words ended in a shocked gasp as pinpricks of thick fluid suddenly rose out of where his fingers had dug like knives into the flesh above her hooves, the dripping substance coloured a deep, almost impossibly rich burgundy. The Solar Alicorn blinked in disbelief, as if the sight of her own blood was an old, almost forgotten friend. Responding to the same development, the human’s grin grew even more manic.

“Compassion is a strength, but only when you’re willing to die for the ones you love. I’m ready, Celestia. Are you?”

He twisted his arms roughly sideways, and Celestia’s ankles snapped like kindling.

After a horrified moment’s silence, the Regent of the Sun screamed, the keening wail piercing deep into the mind of everypony present. Luna, just getting back onto her feet, took it worst, clutching at her ears and howling in pained harmony, as if magically sharing in Celestia’s agony.

“That is ENOUGH!” a third voice shouted, as a almost-forgotten lavender unicorn hurled herself off Celestia’s back, a furious nexus of magic boiling at the tip of her horn as she sailed over the heads of both the human and the alicorn. As she released the spell, student and teacher looked eyes, and shared a moment of understanding.

“Well done, Twilight...”

And then both Celestia and Marcus were engulfed in a flash of indigo magic, and slumped to the floor, unconscious. Twilight hit the ground awkwardly at the same time, ending up on her side, badly winded.

“Ow-ow-ow! That’s gonna leave a bruise!”

Elsewhen, neverwhere, someplace far away, yet near at hand...

Marcus groaned as he staggered upright, his footsteps rattling on a metal surface. With one hand pressed against his throbbing temple, he forced his eyes open and saw that he was standing in the centre of a busy street, atop a sewer hatch. The words ‘Ville De Paris: Service Des Egouts’ were cast into the metal. Slowly he looked up.

Traffic rushed past on either side of him, cars and buses streaming by with the insanity that could only come from rush hour in Paris. He knew it well; the French capital had been his first posting when he transferred into the Marine Corps Embassy Guard, years before First Contact with Equestria. And this was the Champs Elysses, just a hundred yards over from ‘4 Avenue Gabriel’, the American Embassy. Patting himself down he realised he was in his old dress uniform; every crease of the black tunic and navy-blue pants ironed to a razor-edge, and his chin was smooth and free of stubble.

“How...” he muttered, peering along towards the Louvre. “Paris was wiped out years ago...”

Then he turned and gasped. At the far end of the street, through the open centre of the Arc D’Triomphe, he could see New York’s Freedom Tower glinting in the sun, the giant crystalline shard seeming to pierce the vault of the heavens. Spinning on his heel he could see the Statue of Liberty rising out of the centre of the River Seine, dwarfed from behind by Tokyo Tower. In the distance he could hear Big Ben striking the hour.

“So beautiful...” a hated voice gasped in wonder, just from behind his shoulder. “Is this your home city?”

“Celestia...” he hissed, slowly turning around. “None of this is real, is it? You’re raping my mind, trying to break me o...open...”

His words died in his mouth. The mare standing in front of him was without a doubt Celestia, but smaller and apparently younger, her swan-like features less pronounced and her proportions a little rounder and chubbier. Her mane, instead of flowing in a sheet of myriad colours, was instead a uniform pink waterfall that fell almost to her hooves.

“This is as real as we wish it to be,” she answered plainly. “Here, we are our truest selves.”

Then, after a long moment, the rosy-haired alicorn knelt, wings tucked in and chin almost brushing the asphalt.

“My apologies for intruding,” she said, holding the submissive pose. “No-one’s innermost space should ever be invaded like this.”

Marcus clenched a white-gloved fist, and the traffic around them immediately vanished, evaporating like apparitions at dawn’s first light.

“Get up! You’re a colossus acting meek before a insect. It’s sickening. If you’re going to split my psyche open, then at least lend me some dignity in my final moments.”

The buildings trembled, and then began to crumble. Some burst into flames, while others simply collapsed in on themselves. In a distance, a huge wall of pink energy climbed over the horizon, advancing rapidly on them.

“This is your own innerspace, Marcus Renee. Here, you are rightful Lord and Master, and I am an unwanted intruder. Magical strength counts for nothing here, in the very throne of your soul.”

“I said get up, your highness...” Marcus said in disgust. “First rule of being inside my head; no bullshitting!”

“By your command...” Celestia replied, before rising back to her own feet, looking up just in time to see the facsimile of the barrier racing towards them. She visibly shivered, ears drooping in dismay as it overtook the growing ruination, and roared past, leaving just the two of them standing in the midst of a featureless white void.

“Your pet, Sparkle, she cast a Mindshare spell, didn’t she?” Marcus said, arms folded and feet spread slightly apart. “Vinyl Scratch used them for post-mission debriefs back home. But Sparkle’s forced the two of us into a little psychic time-out, where you could force my compliance without fear of hurting any of your precious little ponies.”

“Yes to the first, and no to the second...” Celestia said at last, looking around, voice conveying more than a little shame. “You know how to shield your thoughts and feelings I see. Thank you for that; partaking of somepony else’s hopes and memories against their will is...a violation that I’ve never enjoyed.”

Her eyes met with his, conviction flashing in the air between them.

“Strike me...” she said calmly. “Beat me, bruise me, break me. Show me what has filled you with such rage, and I will carry that burden. I won’t resist, I promise. Show me proof of ‘Equestria’s’ crimes, and I promise you that the armies of Equus will soon descend upon your foes with great and wrathful justice.”

“I said cut the bullshit!” Marcus roared. “I know you Celestia, you don’t care about anything about morals or scruples, just chasing the dragon of a little ponified utopia!”

As he shouted, Celestia flinched, and with a *flash*, the Void was suddenly filled with sight and sound. Pegasai whirled and dived in the air, hurling potion-bombs down into the midst of panicked people crowded onto the pitching, tossing decks of several passenger ferries. Other flying ponies were whipping up a storm, trying to drive the fleet of evacuation ships back towards shore with driving rain and micro-hurricanes. Wind and voices screamed together as the panic rose, before several people staggered across the deck, their clothes and hair matted with viscous potion. As they screeched in fear, denial and pain, their limbs began to twist and deform, fingers fusing and joints cracking, forcing them onto all fours...

Then, everything snapped back into serene white. Marcus’s chest heaved, while Celestia, eyes dilated, staggered back several paces.

“You told the truth!” she gasped in horrified disbelief. “My little ponies, they did that!?”

“Stop playing dumb!” Marcus bellowed, taking a stride towards her.

Another *flash*, of smiling newfoals, their expressions glassy and vacant, singing songs of praise and thanksgiving for Equestria’s grace.

“Please...” Celestia groaned, flopping weakly onto her side. “Share your pain!”

“Shut up!” Marcus unbuttoned his gloves and flung them down, the white garments striking the ground with a retort like thunder.

**Flash. The A.S. Great Equestrian, largest skyliner ever built, loomed over the skyline of Boston like an angel of death, disgorging chariots from which unicorn mages began to fire down bolts of lethal magic.

“Show me more!” Celestia begged, teeth gritred and tears weeping from her clenched eyes. “All of it, I can take it!”

His jacket came off, the Void roiling like an earthquake where he dropped it.

**Flash.* Marcus was lying in a mound of rubble, trying to shield a child with his body. As a pearly white unicorn wearing tinted shades and a harness-mounted mini-gun shouted for him to fall back as six familiar silhouettes trotted into view through a wall of fire.*

Celestia’s eyes flew open. “NO! I don’t want to see that!”

Marcus grabbed hold of her throat and dragged her up as she began to struggle. “STOP, MESSING!”

**Flash.* Vinyl Scratch was knocked aside by a bludgeoning wave of magic, before the same force dragged the injured child from Marcus’s arms. Six pairs of eyes and six famous cutie-marks shone in the firelight.*

“Not the Elements!” Celestia howled, limbs flailing like those of a frightened foal. “Not the girls!”

Marcus reared back, muscles straining. “WITH, MY!”

**Flash.* A horn shimmered with beautiful sparkles of indigio magic, levitating a bottle of purple goop into view and forcing it down the child’s throat. Within seconds the girl’s feebly struggling arms fell limply to the ground, sedatives entwining her nervous system even as the potion went to work. Flesh began to flow like water...*

“Not, not my Twilight...”

His fist flew forward. “HEAD!”

**Flash. Smiling victorious over her transforming prey, eyes aglow with purpose, Twilight Sparkle unstoppered a second flask of potion and pushed it towards Marcus with her magic. “Trust me, soon you’ll see everything in a new light.”

The punch connected squarely, snapping Celestia’s head to one side. Then, like two particles colliding, an explosion of light and memories erupted between the two of them, throwing the Marine and the Princess apart.

Childhood, foalhood. Clover the Clever’s nurturing smile, Megan Renee cradling a bruised boy in her arms, kissing his playground wounds better.

Adulthood. A mare grown, fearfully regarding her immortal future. A young man, head newly shaved, nervously trying to sleep on the first night of boot camp.

War, Peace. Discord’s reign blurred into the carnage of counter-insurgency warfare, Canterlot fusing with Baghdad. Then came the ponies, rising up under Celestia and Luna to cast out the Chaos God, simultaneously swooping down to subjugate Earth.

Beloved siblings fell, consumed and twisted into mockeries of themselves. Nightmare Moon’s cold laughter burst from the mouth of the pony that had been Marcus’ kid brother, now fighting for the glory of Celestia. Tears and exiles and the snapping of necks tangled up in an almighty mess.

Faster and faster, flashes of two lives, two worlds, roaring around in a cyclone of raw emotion. Faces, places, victories, losses.

And in the eye of the storm, tearing and thrashing one another, a pony and a human, an Alicorn and a Marine, fighting one another even as they shared their most intimate memories, screaming and weeping, grief and rage burning in their souls as they mercilessly beat one another in an attempt to expunge the pain they felt.

“I’M SORRY!” they screamed together, both of them ragged wrecks, exhausted but unable to stop, fuelled by the raw power of feeling coursing through them. “I’M SO SORRY!”

A final supernova, of love and hate, life and death, crammed so tightly together that they overlapped, fused and reacted in a cataclysmic swell of rainbow-tinted light.

Then darkness.

The two bodies were tangled together in the centre of the library. Twilight and Luna had dragged the two of them together to strengthen the spell’s connection, and now the tip of Celestia’s horn rested in the furrow between the human’s brows, looking as if she was about to confer a knighthood.

Since Twilight had cast the spell, the two of them had remained unconscious, locked so deep in the exchange of minds that they barely moved, except for the rhythm of their breathing and the flickering of their eyelids. Twilight was trying to follow the magic at work with her own thaumic sense, but the information bouncing back and forth between the two participants was moving too fast for her to process.

“How did he do it?” she suddenly heard Rainbow Dash say, and she looked across to see the Pegasus examining the human...‘Marcus’ closely, with a little touch of what seemed to be envy. “How did he use magic?”

“Runic Magicks, dear Rainbow Dash...” Luna replied solemnly. “Trust me when I say, you should not covet this gift. It is an art that draws on deep, turbulent forces, and one that in times past, before we or Equestria were born, almost led to the world’s end.”

The Lunar Alicorn closed her eyes in deep thought, and then gave an almost foolish pout and a snort. “However, we too are mystified as to how runic power was anchored to a being with no magical reserves of his own to speak of.”

That was something that had bothered Twilight too, but before she could hazard a guess, Rarity suddenly gave a prim cough and stepped forward.

“I believe I can field that question. Pinkie, hat please.”

In response, Pinkie produced from nowhere a deerstalker cap, famed accessory of the great literary detective Sherclop Pones, and handed it over without a word.

“Lovely” Rarity preened as the piece of headgear settled over her carefully coiffed locks. “Now, if you’ll recall, he did say that he owes his magical skills to Zecora and Sparkler, by which I assume he means Amethyst Star, elder daughter of the Whooves clan.”

“There’s that family’s name coming up again,” Rainbow muttered. “I swear, there’s something weird about those ponies.”

Rarity abruptly shushed Rainbow before continuing. “Now some months ago, when I noticed Sparkler had three cut gems as a cutie-mark, I assumed her special talent was jewellery and approached her with the goal of commissioning a piece to match a new ensemble. To my embarrassment however, I found Sparkler’s skill as a unicorn mage is not the crafting of gems, but the ensorcelling of them.

Twilight nodded; the enchantment of gems to act as warding talismans or magical tools was a treasured unicorn skill; Sparkler had recently opened up a small gemsmithy in Ponyville to cater to that market, and the pretty young unicorn had proved herself gifted in the art.

Her own horn lighting up, Rarity cautiously approached the human and Celestia, still engaged in their two-way mental link, and touched the tip of her horn to one of the burnt runic aftermarks on his skin. It lit up for a moment with a shimmer that Twilight recognised as Rarity’s gemstone-locating spell, and after a moment faded.

Everything suddenly fell into place in Twilight’s mind, and she felt her jaw fall open with such force that half expected to hear the trill of a cash register nearby.

“As I thought!” Rarity said in delight. “Zecora, naturally given how much she cherishes her culture, would be a skilled tattooist. All she need do is create a solution of finely ground gemstones – gemdust almost, and tattoo it into his skin in the shape of the necessary runes. Sparkler then enchants them with her gift for gemstone magecraft and viola! One magically-endowed warrior.”

The various ponies all made sounds of understanding, even Luna pursing her lips to demonstrate how impressed she was.

“My, my...” Rarity blushed. “I do seem to have a knack for this ‘deductive reasoning’ lark, don’t I?”

“Yeah...don’t oversell yourself sugacube...” Applejack said lightly, cautiously approaching the human to marvel alongside her. “Hoot golly. It musta hurt but he’s got some gumption to go through wit’ that. Worked too, guy was strong enough to beat me in a fight before, but with them there fancy letters burnin’ bright, why I reckon he could take on Big Mac in a wrassle and win’.”

“He was fast too...” Rainbow added, pausing to regard her own damaged wings. “I wonder if...”

“Don’t go there kid!” Luna said, momentarily lapsing out of her usual formal speech, before pausing , abashed. “Ahem. Yes, as I said before, runic magic is not to be toyed with, but I must confess an admiration in how a combination of unicorn and zebra skill, and this human’s will, have managed to produce a form of magic never seen or practised before...quite remarkable....”

“Yeah, real sweet!” Lyra said bitterly, and Twilight glanced sympathetically towards her old classmate, who had not stirred from the corner of the room since the end of the fight, forehooves folded sullenly.

“Oh, the poor thing’s hurting so bad...” Fluttershy said softly, drawing Twilight’s attention away from Lyra. The empathic pegasus’s face was contorted in sympathy, and seconds later panic when Pinkie perkily bound up beside her as if trying to both set her at ease and frighten her half to death.

“Aw he’ll be fine, he’s a real tough cookie that guy!”

“Um, actually, I wasn’t referring to the...ah, human,” Fluttershy said meekly, trying to cover behind her mane. “I actually, meant, ah, Princess Celestia...”

“What!?” was the collective response, and with her heart sinking Twilight turned to see Celestia’s face was indeed screwed up with pain, tears weeping from behind her tightly closed eyes.

“Oh, Sister, my sister...” Luna said, one hoof coming to her mouth in a sudden expression of horror. “What is he showing you?”

Droplets of sweat were now trickling all across the Solar Alicorn’s body, beading on her armour and war-harness. The lights seemed to dim slightly as she gritted her teeth and moaned in pain.

“No...don’t, hurt them...keep away from me...HELP!”

Celestia’s eyes suddenly flew open, the pupils collapsing into terrified pinpricks as she broke the link and staggered back, weaving about on her feet as if uncertain of where the floor was.

“Sister, pray tell us what...” Luna began, only to suddenly step backwards as Celestia made a disgusting retching sound and emptied her stomach contents all over the floor. Bits of chocolate gateau pooled around the feet of the two alicorns. Then, still groaning pitifully, Celestia sank down onto her knees, uncaring of the fact that she was sinking into a foul-smelling goop that had not long ago been a tasty piece of confectionary.

“Celestia!” Luna cried, throwing herself down beside her sibling and bringing their heads together. Celestia was sobbing, chest and voice catching in repeat bursts. “Dearest sister, what didst thou see?”

“Mon...” Celestia struggled, looking pitifully up at her younger sister in a strange reversal of past positions. “Mons...”

“Princess Celestia...” Twilight implored, and the Princess’s tear-stained eyes flickered in the purple unicorn’s direction, only to collapse into terrified pinpricks as she sighted the Elements of Harmony.

“MONSTERS!” the Solar Alicorn screamed, scrambling to her feet in a frenzied panic. Then, before anyone could act, her horn alit with brilliant light, and in a instinctive act of self-preservation, Celestia teleported away in a thunderous crack of magic.

As the smell of ozone settled over the shocked ponies, another voice spoke up, sounding strangely groggy.

“Luna...”

The night mare turned in further surprise as a hand suddenly landed on her forehead, fingers rustling through the silken strands of midnight sky that made up her mane.

Then Marcus tousled her. Still propped up against the wall, he was at just the right height to reach her, and was smiling with a strange mix of pain, affection, exhaustion and delirium.

“She loves you so much...” he smiled wearily. “But she’s so afraid of hurting your feelings again...”

He laughed, not a broken cackle but a deep, warm belly laugh.

“I’d heard from Lyra that she had a sister, but never really got to know you in person...” he said, eyes fluttering drowsily. “You’ve got...beautiful eyes. Nowhere near as pretty as my Cher’s though...”

His hand fell away from her brow and he slowly slumped sideways, a smile of contentment plastered across his face.

“...I really like your mane,” he muttered, before sleep took him. From the look on his face, it was perhaps the most restful slumber he had gotten in years.

There was a slight tapping of hooves, and then Lyra, eyes still showing her hurt but smiling bravely, trotted to his side and lay down beside him in a protective position.

“Right on!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed in approval.

“Twilight Sparkle...” Luna said at last, tone firm and commanding as she crossed to the library’s front door. “I leave things here in the capable hooves of thyself and the Elements of Harmony. Guard our guest well until we return.”

“But, Princess, where are you going?”

“To find our sister. I cannot imagine what horrors she has witnessed, but I can surmise one thing...somewhere, out there in the animate vastness of worlds and possibilities, a terrible crime is being committed. My Sister spoke truly, Equestria cannot stand idle which such sins against Harmony are revealed to us...”

The Lunar Regent’s head, previously held proud and high, dipped slightly as she stood at the threshold.

“I’m sorry my little ponies, but it is my fear that we are to go to war.”

Then, with a great sweep of her wings, Luna vanished up into the peaceful skies.

Monsters

CHAPTER FOUR: MONSTERS

"Seeing my malevolent face in the mirror, my benevolent soul shrinks back"

Mason Cooley

"I wasn't prepared for this"

Twilight Sparkle

Canterlot, the Citadel of Equestria, founded upon the flank of the mighty Canterhorn. It was said that in ages past, before Discord, before even the Princesses, the Peace of the Three Tribes had been struck here, on the first ever Hearthswarming Night. Drawing on this, romanticists liked to say that there was nowhere else on the planet quite so magical.

They were right, though in a far more literal way than they might have realized. The mountain was the very heart of Equestria’s magic, a million-ton lodestone of living iron and gemstone, anchoring together the leylines that spread out across all of Equus.

And Canterlot itself was a conduit of that magic. The city was sculpted from gleaming marble, on foundations rooted deep in the core of the mountain; like water drawn into a sponge, the magicks welled up out of the mountain, flowing through the veins of quartz and iron that were part of the capital’s fabric. The ponies living here were mostly unaware of it, even as the ever-present force weaved around them, lending them strength and health.

But the young alicorn standing on one of the palace balconies could feel it, like a tingle that suffused her from hoof to hairtip, setting feathers and fur on end.

It scared her, as much as it amazed her. Moments like this were frighteningly common nowadays, where she suddenly ‘perceived’ things with a depth of understanding that bordered on the divine. Just minutes ago she had glanced at her breakfast (a daisy muffin) and had somehow known its entire life story, from where the flowers had bloomed to which bakery had produced the confection (for the record, Sugar Cube Corner, who had a clandestine agreement to supply the palace with treats too ‘low brow’ for the distinguished chefs in the kitchens to behoove themselves to prepare).

So now, to take her mind off things, with her husband out leading a complement of the Royal Guard to Ponyville on an urgent, clandestine mission, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was attempting to fly.

“Alright…just breathe…” the Princess (though she preferred simply to be called ‘Cadence’) whispered to herself, nervously kicking off her golden regalia and ruffling her wings as the morning breeze tickled her mane. “Like Aunt Celestia said…just spread your wings, and let instinct guide you…”

The balcony projected out over the roaring waterfalls that poured down from the city terraces. If she did fall, it would take a long while to reach the bottom…

Cautiously, the last scion of the lost Crystal Empire, and presumptive Crystal Princess, trotted to the balustrade and rested her forelegs on it, hooves dangling over the yawing abyss.

Again, she tentatively fluttered her wings, pausing to glance over her shoulder at their powerful build and wide spread, before turning to gaze back over the rail at the void below. It almost seemed hungry, mouth open, ready to swallow her whole…

“You’re not some crippled little groundling anymore Cadence!” she hissed to herself. “You’re an Alicorn now, and have been for months. You belong in the sky just as much as any Pegasus! What would happen if the Crystal Empire returned right now and you couldn't even fly, let alone claim a throne and a kingdom!”

But years of life on the ground led weight to fears that she would simply fall out of the sky. Despite being of royal blood, for most of her life Cadance had simply thought of herself as a unicorn who happened to have a pair of vestigial wings. ‘Pegacorns’ were a genetic fluke that traced back hundreds of years, manifesting at random intervals like herself. Winged unicorns incapable of flight, or horned pegasai unable to cast even a basic spell.

That perception of herself changed on the last Hearths-Warming Night. As a pony whose special talent was literally ‘love’, she had always enjoyed just walking through the streets on that particular night, basking in the special ‘glow’ she felt radiating off everypony. This year though, the glow had become a blazing heat striking through her, filling her with pain and fire until she passed out. When she had woken, she had found herself in the Royal Infirmary at Canterlot Palace, with no less than two Princesses watching over her with expressions mingling concern with pride.

Cadance found that she had been changed…transformed. Her first reaction upon seeing her own reflection was a blushing awareness of just how ‘attractive’ she had become, her proportions and frame longer, more elegant, swan-like. Like the Princesses.

But the shift went deeper than just appearance; she’d immediately been aware of a force, a warmth way down inside of her, as if she was carrying around a fire within her breast. It wasn’t the soothing, familiar tingle of her magic, or the passionate heat of a fireside snuggle with her then-coltfriend Shining Armor. No, it was deeper, stronger, and all the more alien.

‘Ascension’ was the term Luna had used to describe what had happened to her, though Celestia, smiling knowingly, had suggested the more egalitarian word ‘Awoken’. Apparently the two of them had been waiting for eons for a moment like this, and Cadence’s mind had swum when she had heard why. Her world had suddenly been opened up, the two elder Alicorns entrusting her with knowledge kept secret for centuries.

The Crystal Empire, King Sombra, and so much more, a birthright now claimed for her by force. It meant she was no longer just a princess in name alone, the heir to a forgotten crown. No, apparently now she was a key player in a long-fought campaign for the very soul of Equestria. More than anything, it was not so much humbling, as terrifying.

They were still unsure of what the full ramifications of the change were however. Cadence had found herself to be stronger, faster, more confident in her abilities and capable of vast feats of physical and magical exertion for extended periods of time, but it was still uncertain as to whether or not she now ranked among the immortals.

More than any of the recent changes, that prospect, of eternal life, scared her most; of not only outliving Shining Armor, but outlasting him, of continuing on through centuries until her brave stallion’s life and legacy was just a memory. It had been Luna who had broken that concern to her, the Lunar Regent speaking from a long-scarred-over wound deep in her heart, of how she had loved, and lost, of how she had raised a family, and saw them all succumb to old age while she remained young, an eternal rock in the sea of time.

Her potential immortality was something Cadance had no control over though, and so she had put it out of her mind, hoping it would never present itself as a problem. She was perhaps the only mare in the world who looked forward to one day finding grey hairs in her mane.

Perhaps that was why she and Shining had rushed into the wedding, to bind themselves together before any doubts could tear them apart. Maybe, yes maybe…

This though, flight, was another matter. She had flown once before, on the day of Chrysalis’s invasion, and although that was just a brief glide, the sensation of soaring through the air had awoken something deep inside, centuries-old yearnings once buried deep. Even as much as she feared it, a primal part of her now longed to be in the sky, to claim her birthright as a creature of the air.

“Right…” she said, steeling her features. “Here we go…”

Closing her eyes and holding her chin high she stepped up onto the rail, flaring her wings so that they caught the breeze, and brought her hooves together, ready to push off.

Then she made the mistake of taking a quick peek, saw the mile-high precipice she was poised over, and toppled back onto the balcony with a panicking whinny, hyperventilating as her vision swam.

‘I must be the only alicorn to have ever had vertigo!’ she seethed, pounding the floor in frustration. It had only been meant as a light blow, but her hoof shattered the marble, leaving a six-inch-deep cavity in the stone.

‘Another sign of just how much I’ve changed’ she thought glumly as she tried to push chips of tilework back into the hole in a pathetic attempt to infill the damage. ‘Just when I thought I was getting the hang of all thi-AH!’

“MONSTERS!”

Somewhere, far away, someone screamed, and Cadence sprang to her knees, somehow knowing that a kindred soul was crying out in fathomless pain. Whipping her head around her ears twitched as she gazed out southwards towards Ponyville. The magical field that permeated Canterlot was flaring, surging in time to the scream, but below, on the terraces, she could see the citizenry going about their daily routine without a care in the world.

Magic, she realized. Deep, primordial magic was at work here, and somehow only she, it seemed, could perceive it.

Fear vanished in a second, drowned out by concern, and a sudden, indescribable sense of being called to action, to duty.

Instincts finally took over, and the Alicorn of Love drew herself up and coiled her hindlegs, before hurling herself in a powerful leap out over the balustrade into thin air. Her wings snapped open and with an ear-shattering *CRACK* they swept back, hurling her through the air at near sonic-speeds in the direction of the cry that had summoned her.

As first flights go, it was not a bad show at all.

Celestia fled, not caring in which direction she was headed in a mad attempt to outrun the memories now pouring into her mind. Far below, the ground sped past, at speeds that would make a certain rainbow-maned pegasus blaze with envy. Information parsed from the mind of Marcus Renee informed in that the human term for her current velocity was ‘Mach 3’, and that at this speed and altitude, the skin should have been flayed from her bones. But physics bowed before immortal biology, and Celestia was not only surviving, but crying, tears flowing over her cheeks to be ripped away and cast off into her slipstream like scattered ice crystals.

More information poured through her mind, memories and knowledge ripping through her pscyche. Suddenly a particularly vivid memory slammed into her mind, sending spiraling into a screaming tailspin as she lost control of her body.

Paris, France, 2019 Anno Dominae

**“I'm sorry....”* Cheerilee had wailed. “Twilight...She...she turned him, Marcus!”*

Marcus stood still, head bowed and fists clenched in grief as he read a brief message addressed to ‘Next of Kin’.

JACOB ALLEN RENEE: b1991, p2019

His brother, Jacob, forcibly ponified by one Twilight Sparkle in Equestria’s assault against the White House. Jacob had been part of the First Family’s Secret Service detail, chosen for his skills and service in Serbia. The fact that he was young, personable and had qualified in child psychology (riding on a military scholarship) had seen him appointed as personal guard to the President’s fifteen-year-old daughter.

Details of the assault on the White House were still sketchy, but it was fairly clear that several PER cells and a squadron of Equestria’s Royal Guard had attempted to convert the President and his core staff. Marine One however was known to have safely evacuated the First Family, Jacob having forcible thrown the First Daughter onto the helicopter before slamming the door shut and screaming for the pilot to take off.

Jacob had last been seen trying to rescue a group of interns pinned down in the West Wing. The pony wearing his name however, had appeared on television not an hour later, praising his new bondage and flirting with Twilight Sparkle in the Oval Office. It had torn Marcus’ heart to see the creature speaking with Jacob’s voice planting a grateful kiss on Sparkle’s cheek.

It was only one of multiple simultaneous attacks around the world, all focused on heads of state. Equestria had attempting to cripple human resistance by cutting off the head of their national governments.

The results had been…mixed. Few world leaders had been converted, but more had been killed resisting. Japan’s Prime Minister Rokubungi, a former commando in that nation’s Strategic Self Defense Forces, had managed to fell several of his attackers before taking his own life so as to deny them any semblance of victory. The more outlandish rumors said he had died half-ponified, using a severed unicorn’s horn to commit ritual seppuku.

Most notable among the dead however was Queen Elizabeth the Second. The ninety-four year old monarch had been residing in Balmoral Castle in Scotland at time of the attack, which had come too suddenly for an evacuation. With the roads off the remote estate blocked, and helicopters unable to arrive in time, the PER had streamed the final assault live over the internet in a moment of triumphal arrogance.

They were perhaps not expecting for the venerable castle to have been rigged with demolition charges. The Queen’s final words, broadcast to the world, had become a rallying cry in nations far beyond her former Empire.

“You think you can come into MY palace, MY country, and destroy the will of MY people! I may be old and decrepit, but I. WILL. NOT. STAND FOR THIS INSULT!”

“Potion the bitch!”

“I think not. Say goodbye to the world, and may God Almighty show you the mercy I withhold!”

BOOM!

People were already calling it the Balmoral Address. Such sentiments did nothing to assuage Marcus’ own grief however.

“I'm....sorry...” Cheerilee whimpered as she approached him at the memorial, only for Marcus to fall to his knees and embrace in a hug. “I'm sorry....”

‘Jacob’ had died two months later when the Marines recaptured the White House. He had taken to calling himself ‘Stalwart Heart’ by then.

Celestia slammed into the ground, gouging a several-hundred yard furrow into the earth before skidding into a lake. Several thousand gallons of water, suddenly superheated by the impact, erupted skyward in a pillar of steam, and after a long moment several dozen dead fish rose to the surface, killed by the shockwave. Any other being would have soon joined them in death, but the Solar Alicorn was made of tougher stuff. Her body was sore, cuts and welts adorn her body as she laid on the ground, crying her eyes out as the memories played on.

London, England, 2020 Anno Dominae

“Sir, we’re getting massacred here!” a soldier yelled as he rushed up to Marcus, ducking a high-flying bolt of magic as he slid behind the cover of a uprooted chunk of roadway.

“Tell me something that isn’t obvious!” Marcus growled as he leveled his AA-12 shotgun, swung around the edge of their cover, and let loose a burst of buckshot, a form of ammunition ironically designed for game-hunting. The unicorn before him tried to keep his barrier up, but the precision needed to stop multiple pellets was too much for him, and the field collapsed with a flicker of wasted potential. Marcus already had a second round chambered, and once again he ducked out of cover, leveled the shotgun and pulled the trigger. The weapon jerked in his hands, and the unicorn splattered into a gory mess.

“They can still die, private! Just keep firing on them! We got to give those French troops time to pull the last civilians out!” Marcus yelled at them.

“Is this a right time for a joke about the French retreating?” the soldier answered, managing a sickly grin. Marcus only shook his head, not even finding a flicker of black humor in their situation.

“Just keep your head down and your cover on!” he snapped back, before everything went to hell. One moment, he was staring at the private, reaching out to tighten the rookie’s helmet straps, the next, a rainbow-colored blur dashed past, tackling the younger man and catapulting him down the street. Marcus whirled around to see the kid land in a tangle of broken bones, screaming in pain, before his flying attacker looped back and hurled a fragile phial of potion into the screeching mound of flesh. Immediate exposure to his internal organs must have sped the transformation, because after just a few seconds of horrified howls, Marcus saw a weeping newfoal stagger to his hooves, helped by his now-landed midwife who had ‘birthed’ him, a rainbow-maned Pegasus recognized from the news.

“Welcome to the herd kid…” he saw her say, giving the newly-minted pony a quick hug, before directing a mocking grin back in his direction in a perversion of friendship.

“RAINBOW DASH! YOU FUCKING ANIMAL!” Marcus screamed, rage cascading throughout his entire being.

Before he could do anything other than scream impotently, Dash had taken back off; her new recruit carried between her and another Pegasus.

“Renee!” Marcus’s radio crackled. “Last civilians are out! Recover Ambassador Heartstrings and Bon-Bon, then fall back to Heathrow Airport, now! We’re pulling out of the country!”

“Acknowledged…” he answered, bloodshot eyes fixated on the three figures vanishing beyond the wall of the advancing barrier.

Celestia struggled to her hooves and limped out of the lake. The impact, although severe enough to tear every piece of armor from her body, had not hurt her near as much as what was going on inside her head. Gritting her teeth she tried to hold back another memory surfacing in her mind, but prying open cracks in her mind it forced its way through.

Mexico City, 2021 Anno Dominae

“Corre!” Marcus barked in Spanish. While not entirely confident in his syntax and pronunciation, he knew enough of the language to get a point across, and following his orders, a father and his son fled by him as he laid down covering fire for their escape. The father gave him a nod of thanks as he passed, shielding the boy with his body and carrying a tiny revolver for protection. Overhead, helicopters were dueling with flying chariots in a howling maelstrom of steel, fur, feathers and blood.

Mexico, in the post-Convergence economy, had become a major provider of military hardware, the country’s auto plants quickly refitted to churn out armored vehicles and support trucks. It had also made it a major target for the PER, the self-styled ‘liberators of the Earth’ using Equestrian magic and reinforcements to try and take out vital cities in the supply chain, along with sowing indiscriminate carnage in an attempt to crush morale. Marcus had found himself unfortunate enough to have been in the country inspecting a growing weapons stockpile when one such attack had been launched.

“Mi hijo!” Marcus turned around to see the father drag his son into an alley. Seconds later, to his horror, Marcus heard the familiar ‘fw-WHORP!’ of an opening portal, and the child screaming.

“Hold this position!” he shouted to the few soldiers he had under his command, before charging round the corner and into the alley, just in time to see the father charge an orange coated-pony, howling in grief.

“Ah think you should take seat pardner,” the cowpony said bluntly, pivoting on her forehooves to buck the enraged man, the impact shattering his kneecaps.

‘No! Where’s the child!’ Marcus thought, before he noticed two Royal Guards pinning down a writhin figure behind several fallen trashcans. He fired, and one was hurled back, his neck a bloody ruin. The other threw himself onto Applejack and triggered some kind of talisman, throwing up a protective domed shield around them. Enraged, Marcus advanced, pouring full-auto fire into the micro-barrier before something causing him to stop on horror.

From behind the trashcans, a small pony had just stood up, a literal new foal, a smiling colt.

“No! Dios mio, NO!” the father wailed!

“Papá! Está bien! Yo sé mejor ahora! Únete a mí papá y nos-” the tiny creature said, dancing on his hooftips in elation, before a sharp crack snapped through the alley and the newfoal slumped to the ground, a hole in his head, eyes darkened forever. Marcus and the ponies alike turned in shock to look at the downed father, the revolver shaking in his hands as he bled out from the knees.

“You darn monster!” Applejack screamed, hurling one hoof against the inside of her shield. “That was your colt! We helped him! Made him pure and good, like us! Ayh’d have done the same for you too you ungrateful varmint!”

“Perdóname Padre, porque he pecado ...” the broken man stammered, before words began to tumble rapidly from his mouth in a final prayer. “Santa Maria, Madre de Dios, rezar por los pecadores somos, ahora y en la hora de nuestra murte!”

He pressed the gun to his own temple, glaring balefully at Applejack. He wanted her to see this.

“Amen!”

Marcus closed his eyes and turned away as the hammer came down.

Celestia could do nothing but weep openly as the memories of the human, Marcus, seared in her mind, sizzling with raw emotion, each one stronger than the last. Injustices heaping atop abominations and massacres. Even in her long years, fighting against enemies as diverse as Discord, King Sombra and Nightmare Moon, Celestia had never encountered war as total and uncompromising, and the sudden loss of that innocence was agonizing.

Heathrow Airport, 2020 Anno Dominae

“Get the King out of here! Get him on the jet!” Marcus roared as a Landrover screeched to a halt on a jetway, disgorging the new monarch of the United Kingdom and his family. King William himself was armed, one arm wrapped protectively around his wife’s shoulders as troops hustled them and their children towards the largest plane in the jam awaiting takeoff, a British Airways Airbus A380.

“Speedbird 1!” the radio clipped to his belt crackled as the control tower issued orders to the Airbus’s pilot. “As soon as the King’s onboard, takeoff!”

“How, the runway’s jammed with other planes in the queue!”

“Ignore them! Turn around and takeoff across the jetpad if you have to, ASAP! We’re giving you emergency clearance to get off the ground by any means necessary!”

As the jet’s captain acknowledged the call, Marcus turned to regard his own protectees.

“Lyra, Bon-Bon. You’re going too! This might be the last flight out and we need you to get-”

“STOP!” someone demanded, and Marcus turned to find himself staring into the eyes of a small yellow pegasus.

“Fluttershy…” he heard Bon-Bon say softly, but the words seemed like they were coming from a million miles away as he faced down the twin aqua pools boring into his soul, overwhelming pressure bearing down on his mind. Dimly he perceived other soldiers caught in the legendary ‘Stare’s’ field-of-fire had frozen too, unable to move.

“Now, put your weapons, DOWN.”

Body twisting against his will, Marcus slowly placed his gun on the ground, even as he mentally screamed with every fiber in his being to blast Fluttershy out of existance. But he couldn't/

“Now then...I want all of you to take these potions here, and DRINK,” the pegasus said, wearing a kind smile that failed to reach her eyes. The soldiers nodded stiffly, before shuffling forward like marionette puppets to take from a satchel of potion bottles Fluttershy had placed on the ground in front of her. None of them broke her fearful gaze until after they had swallowed, at which point they collapsed sideways, retching and gagging. One tried to force his hand down his throat in an effort to vomit up the purple goop, only for his fingers to fuse into a hoof too large to force past his lips.

All of them were screaming.

All of them expect Marcus, who had not drunk, or moved from his initial position, still staring down Fluttershy and jerking spasmodically as two wills fought for dominance.

The screaming voices had fallen silent now.

“Oh, you poor thing…” Fluttershy crooned, the pressure on Marcus’s mind intensifying as she slowly spread her wings and lifted off the ground, coming up to his eye level and almost pressing their faces together so that her huge eyes filled his entire field of vision.

She smelt of hay and wildflowers, and her mane, brushing against his cheek, was soft and warm and soothing as an embrace. Every Freudian notion Marcus had ever considered was screaming at him to embrace her like a mother and join her in gleeful ponydom, to gallop through endless fields as a joyous member of the herd. But the air of soothing compassion she projected was offset by the cold depths of her eyes. He was meat to her, not a real person until he walked on all fours and sung her praises. His real mother’s love had been unconditional.

“Would you please take this potion...”

Marcus only glared, jaw clenched so tight that blood was seeping from between his lips. His body was jerking, every muscle straining against the conflicting desires. Unless something happened soon, he was going to tear several ligaments, and that would be the end of him.

“Please, I am asking nicel-AIIIIE!” The buttery pegasus shrieked as a bullet ripped through one of her wingtips, and she whipped her head sideways as she struggled to stay up in the air, breaking the stare. Once again master of his own body, Marcus instinctively bellowed and threw his head forward, headbutting her in the temple with all the strength he could muster, before he collapsed in exhaustion. His head was ringing from the massive blow, but the pressure was gone. Knocked unconscious, Fluttershy hit the ground hard, and he heard a satisfying snap as at least one bone broke.

Chest heaving, he rolled sideways to see who had saved him, and to his shock saw Lyra standing just a few feet away, a discarded pistol held awkwardly in her mouth. She must have used her tongue to pull the trigger. Like him, blood was trickling from her jaws where the recoil of the weapon had cracked several teeth, but despite the immense pain she must have felt, Lyra stood frozen in shock at what she had done, trembling like a tree just before a gale downed it. Tears were beading in her eyes, and Marcus suddenly understood; although she had only clipped Fluttershy’s wing, her intent had been to kill the buttery pegasus.

“Lyra…” he whispered in sympathy, knowing the horror she must have felt, the same as he had felt after his first ‘kill’. Taking lives got easier with time, but to cross that line for the first time was to permanently brand one’s soul with a mark that ran deep

Bon-Bon was just behind her marefriend, mouth open and aghast. “Lyra, what have you DONE!? YOU SHOT FLUTTERSHY!”

Before Lyra could answer, the former Ambassador was tackled by one of the newfoals, a turquoise unicorn who minutes before had been a Royal Marine..

“Traitor!” he screamed, one hoof coming down on Lyra’s snout with a blistering ‘crack’! “Monster! Meanie-pants!”

The unicorn raised his hoof to knock her out, when he suddenly gurgled, looking down at where a bayonet blade was embedded in his barrel. Then he looked up to see that his killer was Bon-Bon, the blade’s hilt grasped in her teeth. Like Lyra, tears were flowing from her eyes.

“But…why…” the newfoal spluttered, before slowly collapsing onto his side, life ebbing away. “We’re…we’re ponies…”

The bayonet had pulled away from him as he fell, leaving it hanging from Bon-Bon’s mouth, the blade covered in blood. Her grip slackened, and it clattered to the ground. The creamy mare stared at it in mute silence, before shuddering and sniffling. Her marefriend did the same, and moments later the two ponies had pulled one another into an embrace, howling together at the loss of something that had been a fundamental part of their identities.

Still lying on the ground, limbs burning from his duel of wills with Fluttershy, Marcus watched the two of them mourn the loss of their innocence, tears trickling from his own eyes.

Rapid footfalls heralded the arrival of King William, who threw himself down next to the mortally wounded unicorn, dragged off his jacket and pressed it to the knife-wound. “Get this man a doctor, or a vet, whatever, RIGHT NOW!”

“Your Majesty…” someone stuttered. “That’s…that’s the enemy!”

“This ‘enemy’ was one of my subjects two minutes ago, and God help me he still will be come the end of all this! MEDIC!”

The rest was all a blurr. Equestrian Royal Guards came crashing in ahead of the Barrier to recover Fluttershy and the other newfoals, and a running gunfight had ensued as Lyra, Bon-Bon and Marcus were lifted or dragged to the Airbus, the King carrying the feebly struggling newfoal in his arms.

“Speedbird 1” the tower yelled over the radio. “All VIPs are aboard, takeoff now!”

“But what about you…”

“GO NOW! DON’T WORRY ABOUT US! GODSPEED AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU AL-OH GOD!”

Rocking on its landing gear, the Airbus’ engines roared, and then the mammoth aircraft made a power-turn off the taxi-ramp and accelerated across the jetpad as the Barrier swallowed the airport, the shockwaves of its approach felling the control tower. Just as it reached takeoff speed, the superjumbo dropped roughly off the asphalt and onto grass, almost bogging down before air caught under the wings and it soared upwards, buffeting wildly as it caught the turbulence of other aircraft.

“HOLD ON TIGHT!” someone yelled over the cabin address system, and several hundred evacuees crammed aboard shrieked as the pilot rolled the jet onto its side to avoid other aircraft taking off in a panic. Marcus had been thrown against a window, and stared straight down in horror as he saw two Boeing 747s collide in mid-air just five hundred feet below them. The shockwave almost swatted the Airbus down, but somehow it stayed aloft as the burning wreckage of the two entwined jets fell away beneath them. Marcus watched in silent horror as the entangled aircraft plunged onto Windsor Castle, an immense fireball marking the funeral pyre of countless lives.

As the Airbus banked away to the North, he briefly caught a glimpse back towards London. The city was gone, and all that could be seen was the Barrier, advancing down the runaways of Heathrow. When it reached the ruins of Windsor, it would wipe everything away. The jets, the castle, the bodies. There would be no funeral or grave for the dead, and for a moment fiery rage consumed him, before he was suddenly drowned in grief and weariness.

Perhaps the dead were the fortunate ones; their troubles, after all, were over now. It was the living that had to suffer on.

“Damn them…damn us…” he heard someone whisper, and as the plane leveled out he weakly looked sideways to see King William cradling the lifeless body of the newfoal he had tried to save. Somewhere else in the cabin he could still hear Lyra and Bon-Bon crying together, their pained whinnies standing out amid a rising chorus of tears and cries as the plane gained altitude.

The King closed the dead pony’s eyes, shoulders twitching. “So much loss, so much death and pain and suffering and rape of innocence…”

Marcus nodded in understanding.

“We’ll all go to the Devil for this.”

Celestia managed to drag herself to the lake, and began to drink earnestly. Sighing, she looked down to see her reflection gazing back at her…

…and smirking!

Le Havre, France, 2020 Anno Dominae

Marcus’ stomach growled painfully; with the exception of some near-expired MREs, he hadn’t eaten all day.

The Normandy shoreline stretched away into the rain, buildings dark monoliths in the gloom, deprived of light and power, crouching on the leaden edge of the English Channel. Tens of ships had already fled, carrying away as many refugees as could climb aboard them for the relative safety of Britain, but even more remained, waiting for the next round of evacuation and hoping to escape before the barrier claimed them. Turning he took in the few dozen people he was shepherding through the outskirts of Le Havre. They looked tired, exhausted even, which confused the Marine greatly; the civilians he could understand, but even his own troops looked haggard, despite today’s evac having been a cakewalk compared to the previous week’s litany of running gunfights. They’d even been able to salvage some stale pastries from the back of an abandoned patisserie, though Marcus had foregone his share in favor of leaving more for the rest; he’d eat when they got to the ships.

It was almost suspiciously quiet, like something unseen was gathering breath, preparing to shout.

“What the hell is going on with you people?” he demanded.

“I...I don't know Sir...”a lance corporal beside him heaved, a donated bomber-jacket hanging off his shoulders. “I just fell…so heavy...”

“Get it off me!” a voice suddenly shrieked from the back of the group, where one man was struggling with his coat.

“What’s wrong!” Marcus grabbed the man, who was tearing at the sleeves of the trenchcoat, another piece of clothing scavenged during the long hike to the coast.

“Too tight!” the man cried out “It won’t come off!”

“Don’t talk shit, it’s just-DAMN!” Marcus jumped back as the collar suddenly zippered itself shut and a button-up flap snapped shut across the throat, buckling tight.

“Help…me!” the man gasped, choking for air. Suddenly portions of the jacket tore open and thick straps flew out from hidden compartments in the lining, wrapping around him and pinning his arms in place. Unbalanced, the man tipped onto the ground, panting in panicked, shallow breaths heralding the onset of unconsciousness.

“Ensorcelled fabric!” Marcus shouted in sudden understanding, before spinning and yelling back towards the rest of the group. “Knife! I need a kni..”

The order died in his throat. More than half of the people under his care had just as abruptly found themselves prisoners in their own clothes. Most were already prone on the ground, while a few struggled willfully against the enchanted garments. One woman had managed to pull off most of her sweater, but the item had latched onto her arm like some extra-terrestrial parasite, a free sleeve lashing out like a tentacle to bind her other arm in place, before it pulled her into a submission bind with such force that he heard the bones in her arms snap like twigs, and the unfortunate refugee passed out from shock.

“Quick! Get them free before…what’s wrong with you all!” he shouted, trying to rally some action out of those still on their feet, but they just regarded him dully, eyes unfocused and faces blank, almost like the gaze of a cow.

Then, like puppets jerked by a string, they all turned to face a flyover that carried the Route Nationale 29 over this part of the docks.

“Oh my…the plan went wonderfully!” a voice called out from the bridge. “Now you wait right there my dears, and you’ll be all right in just a minute.”

Instinctively Marcus rolled into the cover of a railroad wagon parked on a dockside siding. Unshouldering the grenade launcher he carried on his back, a German-made Neo-Panzerfaust, he used the stock to carefully knock through a rusting panel in the side of the empty coal hopper, and peering through he saw two ponies standing on the edge of the highway span.

One was a vibrant pink Earth Pony, her mane a mess of candyfloss curls. The other was a prim unicorn, from whose back a pair of gossamer-like butterfly wings projected. Pinkie Pie and Rarity, he understood their names to be. Two of the so-called ‘Elements’, or Celestia’s personal cadre of advisors, generals, puppets, whatever.

Carefully he aimed the Neo-Panzerfaust, lining the two up in his sights. If he could use the inbuilt rangefinder to detonate the grenade just as it passed them, the explosion should take the both of them out…

“Well Pinkie…” the elegant alabaster mare said, turning to her companion. “I was dubious about your leaving drugged food supplies out for them to take, but it worked just as well as my bindwear. I guess I owe you that cupcake after all. All the same, isn’t it wonderful when they so willingly accept the gifts of our generosity?”

“Yuperoony!” The pink one bounced, before, to Marcus’ horror, turning to point straight in his direction just as he brought his finger to rest on the trigger. “Except that one! He didn't eat anything this morning. We should catch him!”

“Allow me Darling,” the white unicorn replied, fluttering up on her butterfly wings, her horn lighting up. Without time to program the rangefinder on the grenade, Marcus squeezed the trigger, and the Neo-Panzerfaust spit out a high velocity grenade riding on a jet of flame. Whirling aside on her wings, the white unicorn caught the offending object, and nonchalantly threw it down onto the bridge.

“Really, there’s no need to be so crud-AH!”

Even without the rangefinder set, the grenade was still live, and tossing it onto the roadbed was enough to light it off. The shockwave from the blast was enough to swat Rarity from the sky, tossing her into the shipping channel, and as for her companion…

…where had Pinkie gone? She had been standing right where the grenade had landed…

“Hi there!” said pony chirped in his ear, and Marcus spun to see Pinkie’s head protruding from the clenched fist of the railroad car’s coupler-knuckle. How had she…

“You’re not very nice are you?” the offending mare continued, pulling herself free of the coupler as Marcus struggled to reholster the Neo-Panzerfaust and draw his pistol. “Maybe that’s because you’re so hungry. ANypony can be pretty mean on an upset stomach. Here, have a cupcake!”

From somewhere unseen she suddenly produced a small piece of confectionary, the icing patterned with rainbow-stripes, and hurled it at Marcus like a cartoon bomb.

Time slowed down as it hurtled straight for his face. It could be more drugs, or even laced with potion…if a few drops got in his mouth, or even made contact with his skin…

A burst of gunfire snapped him out of his fugue, bullets shredding the cupcake in mid-air before it could reach him. Pinkie yelped and dived back into some nether-realm within the four walls of the railroad car, and Marcus spun to see a troupe of people in haphazard military gear storming up the docks towards them. Some soldiers, but quite likely a lot of angry civilians with rifles too.

“Quickly!” one of them, a woman, shouted in French. “Grab those people and get them to the ships.”

The deep breath truly did preface the plunge, because just as they reached the drugged or incapacitated ponies, a wing of Pegasai shock-troopers dropped out of the leaden sky, hurling rounds of potion. The stationary people who had fallen prey to Pinkie and Rarity’s ‘generosity’ were almost all hit, and a few of the rescuers too before the remainder routed the skybourne ponies with strafes of full-auto fire.

When ingested, the Potion contained a sedative that knocked out the subject until the process was complete. If absorbed through the skin however, they felt everything, and the pain was enough to wake the unconscious and snap the drugged victims out of their stupor.

Their screams were mercifully brief. Struggling to tune them out by taking action, Marcus had managed to grab the woman whose arms had been shattered by the bindwear, and carried her in a fireman’s hold to the first evac ship he came to. But the damage to her limbs had resulted in several blot-clots, and one had eventually broken free and reached her heart…

She was buried at sea, her frail body committed for a while to the deep as the pink wall of death slowly advanced over the horizon, consuming the last of Le Harve…

‘Ah, there you are. So, Twilight Sparkle really did throw that poor animal into another Equestria. We did wonder…’

Celestia stared at the image before her. This wasn’t her reflection, dirty and beaten, tears bleeding from her eyes. No, its bearing was prim and proper, a small smile gracing her face and flickers of magic flowing up and down her horn.

‘Oh, don’t cry for them, it doesn’t become a Goddess. We’re only doing what is best for them after all...' the reflection spoke.

The afternoon air fell strangely silent, as birds and creatures of the forest, even the insects that swarmed by night, sensed something terrible stirring and fled in terror. Fish that had survived the Princess’s dive into the lake shot downstream as Celestia’s gaze hardened, her eyes quickly drying. “You are her…the Solar Tyrant...”

‘I am you Celestia, and you are I, though a lesser shadow…I am you fulfilled, made complete, the you that is destined to bring perfect Harmony to entire worlds…’

“Don’t even say the word Harmony!” Celestia suddenly snapped, a mote of rage blooming in her chest. “What you’re doing is nothing of the sort!”

'You poor thing. Has he really filled your mind with such delusion in so little time. They’re just misguided, resisting because they don't know the Harmony we can bring them...'

“I Said To Not Abuse That Word!” Celestia intoned, the Royal Canterlot Voice looming as a threat at the edge of her voice. “This is not what Clover, or Starswirl, or even the Scribe taught us of the ways of Harmony. You bring naught but disaster and destruction...”

'They need to change, it is their salvation...'

“You are destroying them....killing them...”

'Monsters need to be killed...' the doppelganger said, her face composed and full of righteous conviction. Seeing it triggered another surge of borrowed memories, and Celestia gritted her teeth as the wave broke over her…

Bern, Switzerland, 2019 Anno Dominae

“What did you say...” a reporter said in numb shock.

“While it is in my power to stop the barrier...I morally cannot.” Celestia smiled benignly down at the human reporters gathered before her in Equestria’s Swiss embassy. “Your world is too dear, your lives too precious, for me to do otherwise. To allow you to continue as you are would be a crime.”

She was happy to see several ponies in the room as well, though that brought to mind a sour note as counterpoint; she understood that the London Embassy was refusing to acknowledge her instructions to go into lockdown – once this was done she should go speak with Ambassador Heartstrings and clear up this little misunderstanding.

“The barrier is expanding, and the only way to survive is to change,” she continued, seeking to ease their evident confusion and misbegot fear. “The Conversion Bureaus were set up precisely for that reason, to rid you from the violence and chaos that so perverts your inner equines, to set you gloriously free as prosperous, happy ponies, truly alive and aware of the magic arou-”

“What if we don't want to change!?” A reporter from NBC shouted in anger, the interruption throwing Celestia’s train-of-thought off the rails and into the cornfields. No-one had questioned her in centuries, no-one except for Luna…no, no, that was a memory too raw and recent to remember.

“We cannot allow you to not change…” she said, drawing on that lingering hurt from their recent fight and channeling it into resolve. “In our recent war with the revived Crystal Empire, Equestria has seen the hurt and suffering that comes with allowing chaos and evil to reign free. You are just as much slaves to your inner demons and destructive technology as my dear ponies were slaves to King Sombra. I regret having to kill him, but I shall not kill a single one of you. Instead, we shall save you, one and all!”

She had hoped they would accept her words with shouts of thanks, but instead the reporters were beginning to back away from her, as if she was a dangerous animal. How dare they! Some attempted to flee to the doors, only to run into the Royal Guard and an assortment of smiling newfoals, recently the human members of the embassy staff. Seeing the beaming faces of her new little ponies lit a fire in Celestia’s breast, and he drew herself up proudly upright, committing history to its new Course.

“You here will be the first, and the whole world will see and rejoice with you in your salvation.”

“You can't do this!” screamed a young female reporter as the Guards began to advance, corralling them. Celestia only smiled at her, shaking her head in amusement.

“I can and I must. There is nothing in this world that can stop me, for your very world itself calls out to me to rescue you from yourselves...”

She nodded towards the newfoals, and bowing briefly to her they then pushed open a set of doors and revealed racks of potion stored in thin glass phials, which they began to toss into the crowd, who were roaring with fear and anger. Then they began to scream, and Celestia felt her eye twitch involuntarily. Curious…perhaps she was wrong to do….

The first peals of laughter shattered that fragile voice of dissent, and as her newborn ponies awoke to discover the delight of their new bodies she felt the fire within burn all the more hotter, like a loving blaze crying to be set loose on the world, to consume everything in Harmony.

“We are the harbingers of your perfection…” she said kindly, turning to face the television cameras. “And there is no force in this world that can stop the barrier....accept your fate, and join us.”

The world watched in horror at what was being broadcasted live to across any country with a television set. Before the keys of billions, the God-Empress of Ponykind pronounced mankind as unfit to live, and transformed the gathered reporters against their will.

And so it was that Princess Celestia declared war against humanity.

And she did it with a smile.

“No!” Celestia declared, all tears and grief forgotten now, a hoof stamping down in the reflection’s face not out of spite, but out of conviction. “You are the monster, an affront to all life!”

As the lake rippled around her hoof the other her flickered on the surface of the water, jumbled and broken, but her eyes sad and pitying.

‘So you refuse this truth…I’m so sorry for you, Little Princess…if you can’t accept it, then why not let me show you what awaits you if you proceed down this path.’

Once again Celestia felt her mind succumb to an external, or internal force, and opened her eyes to find herself back in an open white void, bound and shackled in a kneeling posture, stripped of her crown and regalia. The same human, Marcus, stood before her. He was dressed in faded fatigues, with pouches of various sizes adorn his body armor. Around his neck he wore a necklace of unicorn horns, and a pegasai wing was clipped to his belt as a bloody trophy. He was holding a weapon, what she knew was called an ‘M4 assault rifle’ in his hands, aiming straight at her skull, and hatred was burning in his eyes.

Celestia lowered her eyes, as if in acceptance of her fate, and began to chuckle softly.

'You poor, deluded little thing…you know absolutely nothing of this man-RARGH!'

Rearing back she roared with strength, and the bounds and shackles and the Void itself shattered into nothing, leaving her standing back on the shores of the lake, eyes blazing with incandescent energy.

‘What!’ shrieked the reflection of the Solar Tyrant. ‘How can you deny what I showed you, how can you ignore that they only want to kill us all!’

“Because he shared his innermost self with me, all of his memories!” Celestia said, one hoof coming down in a stomp that broke no argument. “And as well as the bad, I saw the good!”

‘There is no good in them!’ the Tyrant seethed, her own eyes crackling with force from across the dimensional veil. ‘Only a twisted parody of virtue, subsumed beneath everything that makes them imperfect. It is our destiny to make that spark manifest, but burning away the rot!’

“Your mind is small, worm of the wastes, your heart shriveled by fear and distrust” Celestia said, her voice booming with the rage of an entire world and horn roaring with fiery white plasma. “Let me show you the truth of HARMONY!”

With one sweep of her wings she ascended high over the lake and released a brilliant surge of purest Memory…

A limping Marcus staggers into the New York bunker. Cheerilee is waiting for him, and before he can even raise a hand in greeting she gallops straight at him and envelops him in a passionate hug, knocking the two of them to the floor. There are no words, only love.

Derpy Whooves, brave, strange, dizty and misunderstood Derpy, soaring through enemy formations, dodging, weaving and looping erratically to evade Pegasai warriors, a saddlebag stuffed with medical supplies hanging from her side and a first aid kit clenched in her teeth. Suddenly she dives and plummets in a controlled stall, before swooping behind a mound of rubble where two wounded soldiers are awaiting rescue.

A woman, the French commando, tossing little Dinky in the air, the lavender filly shrieking with laughter as they celebrate her new cutie-mark.

Vinyl Scratch and her cousin Allie Way, ‘the Blue Belles’, galloping through the streets of Boston. Vinyl, the legendary DJ-Pon3, is bobbing her head to a selection of the greatest rock hits of all time, an MP3 player strapped to her forehoof. Allie, a bowling prodigy with an eagle eye for ballistics, is wearing a holographic HUD visor. Three unicorn mages suddenly lunge into view, and Vinyl stops and hits a switch on her other hoof. Twin loudspeakers mounted on her battle-saddle blare solid walls of sound that break the ambusher’s line. Allie, an auto-aiming turret carried on her own back, fires tear gas grenades into their midst to keep them down, before the two-pony-team continue on their way, weaving between the battle-lines, delivering vital intelligence.

Spitfire lying prone on a street, downed in an attack, one wing broken. Suddenly a solider throws himself over her to shield her from harm. Two hurled spears embed themselves in the adamantine plates of his flak jacket. She looks up, her eyes narrow in shock, and she rears up and throws him off, before hurling herself onto his chest, shielding him in turn from a potion phial that shatters harmlessly across her flank. They bop foreheads together in mutual thanks and share an adrenaline-fueled grin.

Lyra and Bon Bon cuddling on a couch, watching a movie with Marcus, Cheerilee and the rest of the humans. Marcus is scratching his ‘Cher’ behind the ears when tiny Pipsqueak, a war orphan, trots in, sees the two couples, and mimicks vomiting in disgust. Everyone just laughs back at him in good humour, all aware of how the young colt’s eyes are always flicking towards the younger daughter of the Whooves clan.

Zecora calmly tattooing tribal markings on the back of another zebra, laughing as she shares a joke with a Kenyan soldier recently recruited from the Mombasa Resistance.

Doctor Whooves and his daughter Sparkler, working on a small piece of metal, Marcus hovers behind them, an expression of wonder on his face as he watches them craft.

“These precious memories destroy the lies you have built to shield your conscience!” Celestia boomed, her entire body burning with power. “This Is Unity! This Is Love! THIS IS HARMONY!”

Below her the image of the solar tyrant had swollen to fill the entire surface of the lake, glaring balefully up at her.

‘There can be no peace, no compromise, no accord between Us and Them. You have seen his memories, how they poisoned their world, incited violence and murder, turned our own ponies against us!’

“And you have done just the same, or even worse!” Celestia roared back down, the reflection rippling at the force of her shout. “You have corrupted your Equestria, tainted the souls of precious ponies with cruelty and malice, and drawn two realities into a war of endless death and atrocity! Harmony, true harmony, transcends species and worlds – it is the finding of common ground despite differences, the nurturing of love between all! You would create a desolation and name it Peace!”

The Tyrant moved to retort, when the surface of the lake on which her image was cast exploded in a mountain of foam. Celestia’s armor, called from where it had fallen in the her crash, roared out of the depths and flew to its mistress. Golden plate, bucklers, pauldrons and mail all wrapped around her as the warrior princess readied herself for the fight once more, head bowed and gaze turned inward. Finally a last fragment of gold shot out from the lake, a familiar crown set with a single amethyst gem. As its weight settled once again on her brow Celestia opened her eyes, which now glared down at her other self with a quiet focus.

“I will not allow some Tyrant rule with an iron hoof,” she said, in what was almost a whisper.

The air wavered from intense heat. On the shore of the lake, a bush burst into flames, sparks and embers spreading the blaze to nearby trees.

“I will not allow an entire species to die quietly and fade into the darkness.”

The entire lake was boiling. The forest around it was being swallowed in the growing conflagration.

“I will not stand to see the rape of innocence and innocents alike, of the peaceful being forced to take up bloody arms, and the grotesque being violated in mind, body and soul!”

The Tyrant glared back at her, her face roiling like some ghostly image on the turbulent surface of the lake.

“Equestria, all of Equus, will rise against you! We will fight.”

Celestia's wings snapped open in a battle-stance, leaving her suspended in the air by magic alone.

“We will turn this darkness away, and come to the rescue of all you have subjugated, Pony and Human, Earthborn and Equestrian alike.”

Her entire body filled with a gold light.

“We will cast you down, and cast you out!”

Screaming in rage, Celestia dived like a golden sunbolt, broke the sound barrier in less than a second, and impacted into the very center of the Tyrant’s face The resulting explosion lit up the surrounding hills and mountains as the entire contents of the lake flash-boiled into steam. After a long moment the particles of air were seized by an immense magical field that pulled them back into condensation, hot rain that poured down on the ruined valley, extinguishing the burning trees.

In the punchbowl crater that had been the lake, Celestia stood firm, cracks radiating out from where her hooves were embedded in the stone exposed by her rage. The falling rain did not faze or even touch her, boiling back into steam the moment it touched her luminescent coat or glowing, superheated armor.

“In Harmony’s name, I swear it.”

Luna flew as quickly as she could over the rolling countryside, homing in on the beacon of energy that was her sister. But despite flying at just above the speed of sound, she knew she would not reach where Celestia had landed for several more minutes; for her all skill and speed as a flier, when possessed of deep emotion an Alicorn’s power transcended the physical realm – Celestia, in the depths of the pain and grief inflicting her soul, and flown away with a speed that had not been seen in all of Luna’s many centuries.

‘Princess Luna!’ she heard a familiar voice cry out in her mind, and rolling onto her back she blinked with surprise to see a pastel-coloured dot soaring along in her slipstream. A moment’s time for her eyes to focus revealed her pursuer to be Princess Cadence, several miles behind and struggling to catch up, even as the younger alicorn’s wings blurred with preternatural strength.

“Cadence!” she cried out, before righting herself and easing back a little, allowing the Alicorn of Love to come alongside as she spared her great-descendant a momentary smile of pride. “One sees that we are not alone out flying today…it is good to see you are here as well…but tell, me, how didst thou come to be at our side?”

“I…I was on a balcony outside Canterlot Castle, when I felt someone scream…I…I think it was Aunt Celestia…” Cadence said slowly, the words hitching in her throat. “I was like a call, a call that only I could hear and muster. I had to come.”

“And we are most glad to see you…” Luna said kindly, reaching out with one hoof to lightly touch Cadence in a gesture of comfort. “Please my dear, there’s no need to address me by my title; are we not family?”

“Oh?” Cadence replied, a touch of youthful bravado making itself shown. “Well, there’s about fifty generations between us, but would ‘Grandmother’ do?”

Luna spluttered and almost fell out of the air, giving Cadence momentary fears of banishment and exile at the hooves of the warlike mare clad in midnight battle armor. But to the young princess’s relief, when the Lunar Alicorn recovered her flight, she was laughing.

“Grandmother? Haha! Oh it’s been many, many years since anyone honored me with that name, but no my dear. Appropriate as it may be, I’d rather think of us as sisters of a sort; equals, not merely ancestor and descendant. We are alicorns, a rare and lonely breed, too few to treat as anything less than the closest of kin. Please, call me Luna…”

Cadence blushed at the show of kinship, before her ears twitched and she felt a pull in her chest drawing her on, and from some unknown inner source of strength she surged forward, keeping pace with the now somber Luna as they powered over valleys and mountains, far beyond Equestria’s borders and into the wild lands that covered most of Equus, wooded wastes home only to the fey creatures that thrived beyond the light of ‘civilization’.

“…I fear family is one of the few things we have left to cherish in this new and turbulent time…” the Princess of the Night added darkly.

“What happened, Luna?” Cadence enquired, unable to keep a nervous note out of her voice. “Have the Crystal Empire and King Sombra returned as you predicted they soon would?”

“No, dear Crystal Princess…” Luna replied, a slightly sad smile gracing her face. “Your own time of trial is not yet upon us. No, if anything all Equestria now faces a test and a threat unlike any other – ourselves.”

When Cadence made no show of understanding, Luna explained further. “You understand that Shining Armor was called away on a secret mission this morning. Celestia and I voyaged to Ponyville on the same business, after receiving a missive of distress from master Spike, squire and assistant to thy sister-in-law…”

“Twilight’s in danger!?” Cadence cried out, ready to tip her wings and bank back towards Ponyville, until Luna gave a gentle telekinetic tug to keep her on course.

“Twilight Sparkle and her good friends are safe, I assure you Cadence, though at first we had reason to believe they were under attack from a dangerous animal” Luna said, indicating with a wince her bruised ribs. “It did not go well.”

“What kind of beast could wound you like that?” Cadence asked. “And where’s Aunt Celestia?”

“No beast could be so fierce while knowing any touch of pity,” Luna answered her. “It is a being, a sentient mind and heart as surely as we or any pony, griffin or dragon. Its’ species is called ‘human’, and the example we met was very powerful indeed, with advanced runic markings on its body to enhance its abilities. Such work has not been seen since the creation of the Crystal Ponies, as it is a long art we decreed should be forgotten.”

“And Aunt Celestia?” Cadence twisted and gave Luna a look over. “Is she okay?”

“I do not know,” Luna said quietly. “The creature claimed to be from another world, cast into ours by a fluke of arcane magic. She tried to pry into his mind, to see for herself the veracity of his words. It back fired on her. She fled in terror, and had we tried to contain her, I fear she would have attacked myself and the Elements of Harmony. It is her grief that you feel within you, her mind reaching out to all she considers her kin, begging for comfort.”

Again Cadence felt a warm glow at being thought of as family to such long-lived and powerful beings, another reminder of how much she had changed, even as a subtle sense of horror began to dawn upon her.

“What…what did she see?” Cadence she finally inquired, made fearful by the implication that the Solar Regent, Equestria’s eternal champion, could be reduced to such a low by a single mind. “What nightmare world did he come from to frighten her so?”

“As you say, a nightmare world” Luna answered, her voice low and guarded. “It seems that the realm of humans is under attack, driven to a grim and terrible war of survival. We shall know soon enough – Celestia stopped running away some time ago, and if my senses are still as keen as they once were, she lies just beyond the next ridge. Then we shall have our answer-”

The sentence remained unfinished, because as the two of them ascended to fly over the crest of the wooded ridge, pillar of light appeared in the distance, stretching to the heavens.

“BRACE YOURSELF!” Luna yelled, a second before grabbing hold of Cadance and spinning around to shield the younger princess’s body with her own as the shockwave hit. Tornado force winds smashed the two of them out of the air, and Luna ploughed straight through several trees, shattering them like matchsticks as she kept herself curled around Cadence in a protective embrace until...

*CRASH!*

…a final blast of heat and pressure leveled the forest as far as the brow of the rise, laying the trees flat. The same current of air threw the two fliers back into the air before they struck the ground, and Luna released her hold on Cadence, allowing the pair of them to catch sky under their wings and recover their previous course and altitude.

“That…that…” Cadence gasped in shock.

“That was not bad for one’s first flight…” Luna smiled gently, before her expression grew stern. “But if you are to someday ascend to the Crystal Throne, you must hone your body as much as your mind and spirit. In times of peace a monarch must juggle naught but the niceties of politics, but when war arises, it is to us that our warriors look for leadership in battle…”

“But, I’m not a soldier, I’m not even…” Cadence began, before slowly looking back at the burning remnants of the forest, a conflagration hot enough to crack and shatter solid stone, brought on by an explosion that had leveled thousands of trees. Yet it had not left so much as a scratch on her, or singed the tips of her mane’s hairs.

“You are you…” Luna said softly, but not unkindly. “And you are kin, with all that entails, precious one. I think that someday, you shall make a great Princess and ruler. But today, we are called to fight, if what I see before me is true.”

She pointed forward to what must have been the epicenter of the blast, a rising column of fume and steam. “We have gone far beyond charted Equestria, into the far reaches of Sibearia. This valley was once called Ponguska, and that was, until a moment ago, Lake Kowbel. COME! THIS WAY!”

With that she dropped forward and dove down towards the bottom of the Ponguska valley. Cadence followed, gasping as she took in what had once been a lake. Now there was a large circle of dark glass almost half a mile across. No trees or stones, just a deathly smooth depression. The edge of the circle was wreathed with flames as what few combustibles remained shouldered. Buffeted by turbulent updrafts from the rising steam, Cadence matched Luna’s course towards the center of the circle, a small white dot on an irregular island of charred stone. As they did, she felt the air around her tingle with the familiar trill of Celestia’s magic, before the choking mass of vapor was siphoned up into an immense cumulus that began to rain condensation down on them. Instinctively she cast a shielding spell, and the rainfall bend around her.

‘When did I learn how to do that?’ she wondered for a moment, before trying to put the unnerving thought out of her mind, repressing a shiver as they came in for an ungraceful landing beside the far more composed Luna.

“I swear it…” she heard Celestia speak aloud, the Solar Alicorn’s entire form glowing with ethereal light.

“Sister!” she heard Luna cry out, punctuating it with her own shout of “Aunt Celestia!”

Celestia turned to face them with a surprised start, her eyes momentarily loosing focus…

Reykjavik, Iceland, 2021 Anno Dominae

Continental Europe had all but fallen. Britain and Ireland were gone as well, and the Barrier now touched on two more landmasses, Asia and Africa, reaching as far in various directions as the Black Sea, Morocco, and the Faroe Islands. The only consolation was that it had slowed down somewhat once it hit the Atlantic.

The island nation of Iceland would fall within six months, by all projections, which begged questions of why Marcus was in that country’s capital city, accompanied only by Lyra and two volunteers as bodyguards. One carried a video-camera, recording whatever would transpire.

“Are you sure this pony’s on the level?” he asked for what seemed the thousandth time, breath forming white clouds in the crisp night air. “Because asking me to come virtually alone, without even giving me the name of our contact, makes me question my faith in even you Lyra.”

“I guess asking you to just trust me then isn’t going to help?” Lyra smirked, her hooves trotting lightly on the ground as they moved through the city’s industrial district. “There’s no need anyway; there she is.”

At her nod the two guards spun, directing gun-mounted flashlights into a patch of shadows, which suddenly gained mass and texture, forming into a quadrupedal form. Marcus blinked, even as his hands hung by his twin holsters, ready to draw if necessary.

Like detail fading in, the mass of shadows slowly coalesced into the form of a large pony, a dark blue in colour, except for her mane, which was pale as powder.

“Oh, Princess!” Lyra gasped, one hoof flying to her mouth in shock. “What happened to your mane?”

Marcus however had only heard the word ‘princess’ before his eyes darted between the horn on the newcomer’s forehead and the wings projecting from her back…

“It’s the Solar Tyrant in disguise!” one of the guards shouted, before Lyra threw herself forward.

“Wait! No, she’s not…she’s…”

“Princess Luna, Alicorn of the Night, Regent of the Moon…” Marcus said evenly, before tipping forward in a courtly bow he had learnt during his Embassy service, keeping on his best behavior and aware of how the video camera would record his every word and move for posterity. “It is a pleasure, milady.”

“Please, I am but Luna,” the dark alicorn replied, kneeling in turn. “I come before you stripped of my crown and throne, and were all Equestria to beg me to take up either once more I would say ‘nay’. I present myself to you as a willing exile.”

“On the contrary, I see nothing but true royalty here, your highness,” Marcus replied, smiling kindly. “We are glad to recognize one of Equestria’s leaders, if she comes in peace.”

“I do indeed, but not in any regal capacity. I am as I said, an exile. My sister has long embarked on a course of madness, and now that I have openly tried to move against her, to oppose her crimes against humankind, I find myself once more unwelcome in the nation whose founding I witnessed as a foal. I and my companion come now seeking asylum, and offering what help we can…it’s safe to come out now Cadence.”

From behind a warehouse a second figure meekly trotted into view, and Lyra suddenly gave a gasp and galloped forward to greet her.

“Cadence! It really is you!”

Marcus cupped a hand to his mouth to mask a smile as the two began to do some sort of greeting dance involving sunshine and ladybugs – this must have been the foalsitter Lyra remembered from her childhood, the one who had also done the same for Twilight Sparkle. Cadence, a young pink unicorn, was about the same size as Lyra in build, if a few years older, but otherwise unremarkable.

Then he noticed the pair of wings on her back, and he gave a low whistle that drew Luna’s attention. Like him, the alicorn had been smiling wistfully watching the two old friends reunite.

“So, ah…is she like you, your highness?” he enquired, tapping first his forehead and then his back.

“An alicorn? No, though for a while we had hopes…” Luna sighed, before explaining. “Cadence is a pegacorn, a rare condition where a pony is born with vestigial traits from another race. Your friend Ms Heartstrings is one if I recall – a unicorn who can walk on clouds, but I digress. Cadence herself is my great-great-descendant – another long story – and heir to the throne of the Crystal Empire.”

Marcus nodded, having learned of that debacle through Lyra’s lessons on Pony history. The Empire, a long and almost-forgotten city-state, had reappeared after a thousand-and-then-some-year ‘absence’ not long before Equestria and Earth had made contact. With it had come its tyrannical ruler, King Sombra, who had quickly re-established his throne despite the intervention of the Elements of Harmony, resulting in a war between Equestria and the Crystal Empire that had not concluded until after First Contact with Earth, just weeks before Celestia had announced to the world her plan for the forcible ponyfiction of all Earth. He had wondered a bit about the convenient timing, but had eventually decided that having got Equestria onto a war footing, Celestia had decided to turn those same forces immediately against Earth.

“We had every confidence that the Empire’s reappearance would be heralded by an Ascension,” Luna continued. “The transformation of a suitable member of the Crystal Bloodline into an Alicorn who would act as a nexus and focus for the love and unity that flowed from the Crystal Ponies. Cadence was a very likely candidate, but nothing ever came of it. Looking back now, I realize that I should have seen that as a sign of a rot spreading though into Equestria, a rot that had first touched Celestia, and spread through her and the Element Bearers. Alas, that I had not seen it sooner, but in those brief, happy days I was simply so glad to be home and loved once more to question things that seened ‘off’ to me. In the wake of Sombra’s defeat I suggested establishing Cadence as the Crystal Princess, but by that point relations between myself and Celestia had…soured, and my suggestion was met with hostility. Celestia by that time had come to regard herself as rightful holder of the Crystal Throne. Cadence would at best have been a puppet on a throne, dancing to Celestia’s whim.”

Marcus stared in silence, enraptured. When Luna finished, he finally spoke. “Would you be willing to testify to that, not just to me, but to both worlds.”

“You have the means to do this?”

“Yes.”

“As I had hoped. Yes, we would be glad to spread the truth of Celestia’s madness, along with other secrets that illuminate the depths she has fallen too.”

Before Marcus could ask further, he heard Lyra, who until now had been happily talking with Cadence, take on a curious and worried tone.

“Cadence, where’s Shining Armor. He wouldn’t let you come here without him, the two of you love each other too much.”

Marcus turned to see Cadence’s smile gradually collapse into a frown, and finally noticed telltale signs of weariness and exhaustion; lines around the eyes and mouth that spoke of nights spent crying into a pillow.

“That is another matter of which I wish to speak…” Luna intoned. “Much as how Celestia’s potions compel the love and loyalty of all touched by them, she has violated the will of the entire Royal Guard by invoking a Geis upon them.”

“A what?”

“A Geis…” Cadence spoke up, addressing Marcus for the first time. “A Tynged, or magical vow. When anypony is inducted into the Royal Guard, they swear an oath of loyalty to Equestria, with one hoof placed upon the Charter of the Guard. Celestia has enchanted the Charter so as to compel everypony who swore on it to obey her without question. If she gives them an order, they will not carry it out without a word. Jump off a cliff, potion-bomb children…” she gave a sniff. “…or betray their loved ones...”

“No…” Lyra gasped. “Not Shining Armor. Cadence, he loved you too much for Celestia to be able to break that!”

“She did!” Cadence snapped. “My special talent is Love, Lyra, I can sense its flow and currents. Even before me and Shiny were married, I could feel something worming its way through Equestria, subtle at first, then stronger and more insidious once Celestia took the Crystal Throne. At least when Sombra was on it, it only incited rage and hate, but now…” she shuddered, looking a little green around the face. “Now those same emotions flow through Equestria, but hiding behind the mask of Love…a love that sickens and poisons all others, spreading a taint that flows deep into hearts and souls and relationships, turning ponies towards Celestia and away from compromise or compassion for humanity.”

She swallowed hard and looked up at Marcus, eyes hard, and for a moment he saw a flicker in them, as if for a moment they had flashed like crystalline facets. Suddenly he felt a great deal of potential in this mare, a pressure-drum waiting to burst.

“So…” he replied, standing up. “She’s brainwashing and ensorcelling her own citizens. Is that how the potions compel the obiedience of the newfoals as well?”

“No.” Luna answered, her eyes gaining a haunted air. “There is a deeper, darker secret to the potion, wherin my sister has courted with powers dark and magicks vile.”

Marcus shivered at the way Luna was eying him. “Yes, on some level you understand what I’m saying, even if you don’t have the words to describe it. I…I didn't want to believe it when Celestia first promoted the potion. I believed that her heart was pure, that she had found a way to safely bypass the limits of the Amiomorphic spell, but she has not changed the foundational principles, and has even turned those flaws to her advantage. The newfoals, the barrier, and their obedience are all bound together in a pact Celestia has wrought, a triumvate of power-exchange made possible by her us of…of…”

Marcus waited eagerly as Luna trailed off, slowly turning her head away towards the city, ears held high and pupils shrinking into pinpricks. “She’s here!”

She spun on her hooves, teeth bared in a scream. “You must leave, now! She’s looking for me, and if she finds you all, she’ll force the change upon you all. You, who have killed so many, and helped a brave few turn their efforts to a common good, she will rejoice in your conversion, and take notes as you gladly spill every secret of your organization to her!”

Pirouetting again she thrust a hoof at Cadence and Lyra. “And you two! All she’ll have for you is a knowing smile and a show trail before death by petrifaction! Any truths you have to say will be discarded as the pitiful insults of traitors in the dock! This cannot be allowed to happen!”

Marcus crouched to look her in the eye. “You’re going to sacrifice yourself, aren’t you? To stay behind and draw her attention while we escape.”

“Indeed,” Luna nodded, her mane bouncing like silvery threads.

“I can’t let you do that, your highness. Your life and loyalty and love for our cause is too great to loose.”

“You fool…” she chuckled softly. “There is nothing else you can do but let me show my love and loyalty by giving myself for this cause. Though it might help if you left me that…” she added, pointing to the still-recording camera.

“We’ve fought ponies before…” Marcus growled, standing proud with his guards. “We’ll fight them now.”

“Don’t fool yourself, Marcus Renee,” Luna answered back. “You’ve fought thralls, slaves and the Elements of Harmony! My sister is none of these!”

To illustrate her point she suddenly hurtled around in a whirlwind kick, balancing on her forehooves to deliver a powerful buck into a shipping container, sending the entire multi-ton object flying into the harbor. “I have fought time and again for Equestria, and am a combatant of rare skill and power, but Celestia has had a thousand years more to perfect her skills.”

“Technology can remedy that…” was Marcus’ reply, brandishing the same trusty Neo-Panzerfaust that had saved him in Le Havre. “I’d like to see her swallow a rocket-propelled-grena-HEY!”

With a burst of telekinesis Luna had snatched one of his holstered pistols and tossed it in the air. As it fell she grabbed hold of it again, flipped the barrel to face her and clicked off the safety. Before anyone had time to shield themselves she magically pulled the trigger, and pony and human like shouted as the pressure wave kicked them in the ears. The guard with the camera dropped the precious device as he fell to his knees, hands pressed to the sides of his head.

Blinking, Marcus looked towards where he expected Luna’s body to lie, only to see the Lunar alicorn standing proud, the bullet embedded in her forehead like a second, stubby horn. For a few moments the wound wept blood, and then the bullet fell out and tinkled onto the ground, revealing a glimpse of Luna’s skull, as adamant and whole as tank armor.

There was a moment’s stunned quiet as Luna trotted over to the video camera and gripped it curiously between her hooves, before lifting it to film her grotesque wound.

“We two are cursed lives, not born or begotten but conjured into being by ancient spells, souls spawned artificially from Equestria itself…it is impossible to fight beings such as we, not without magic of your own” she said woefully, the words resounding in Marcus’ mind despite the ringing in his ears. “We cannot be killed by mortal means; the cold of steel or the heat of flame do not pierce or burn us, and only magicks most powerful may wound us for a while. Celestia and I exist until Equestria itself wills us to die, and the tainted spirit of the land has so far only turned against me, sapping my life and power and strength, yet even as weak as I am I stood here with one of your bullets embedded in my skull and did not die. Now run!”

Suppurating sickly, the bullet-wound closed back up, flesh and fur knitting together to leave Luna’s head as blemish-free as it was before she had shot herself.

“Run!” she said again, turning her gaze from the unblinking eye of the camera’s lens.

His hearing still tinny, Marcus did not hear the familiar sucking ‘push’ of a portal opening, but Luna did, glancing behind her as a pink mote of light danced into being on the street behind them, rapidly swelling in size and girth.

“RUN!” she screamed, physically and telepathically, and without question Marcus grabbed Lyra in both arms and fled, one of the other guards scooping up Candence. Then they were gone, giving Luna a moments peace.

“Now, how does this contraption work?” she said to herself, considering the camera she still held with her magic. “All the battles I’ve ever fought and it might be Luna Vs. ‘Samsung’ that defines my life. Ha!”

Quickly she expanded the zoom and determined the best orientation, leaving the camcorder discretely positioned in the shadow of a steel drum as she trotted out into the center of the street. It patiently recorded all that followed, and when Marcus returned the next day, was still where she had left it, battery flat but hard-drive intact and full of valuable footage;

“I see I been betrayed.” a soothing voice preceded Celestia’s appearance.

“It is you who is the betrayer, sister...” Luna said, before planting her hooves firmly on the ground and summoning a speck of magic to the tip of her horn. “Do you not deny all you have done, all the holy promises and vows you have defiled, the lives and minds you have raped?”

“A mere bagatelle Luna, necessary for the glory that will be accomplished…” Celestia replied, finally stepping into view, the soft light she cast mired only by the dark shadow of a canvas bag she wore round her neck, convulsing softly like a beating heart. “You mean to fight me?”

“Forever and a day, for our little ponies, and the humans too.”

“Don’t force my hoof against you again Luna…” Celestia said sternly. “I will not lose you again dear sister, but I will not allow you to pervert the destiny of this world.”

“You lost me Celestia” Luna replied, smiling through her tears. “When you lost yourself. If there is any of Equestria’s noble ruler left, the one who led our ponies, our people into a thousand years of peace, then please, let us be sisters again, and bring true light to both these worlds, and recompense and truce.”

“No Luna…” Celestia decreed. “There will be no truce, only a final peace, and a perfect kingdom that spans two worlds, a kingdom that will last another thousand years, and beyond.”

“So be it…” Luna wept, rearing back on her hooves. “I love you, Celly.”

Luna cast her spell, and the bolt of light flew straight and true, until, with her own power, Celestia bent the magical shot around in an arc and back at the Lunar Alicorn.

Luna staggered, and then with remarkable swiftness, turned to stone, the effect flowing up from her hooves to encompass her head. In the final moment, with a swirl of venting magic, her mane exploded into a gorgeous starfield, billowing for just an instant before it too was frozen, a stone corona framing her peaceful expression.

Celestia slowly trotted up to the new statue, neck bent as if the weight of the back she carried was too much to bear. Then, hooves staggering, she fell against her petrified sibling and sobbed pitiably.

“And I love you, Lulu.”

Luna and Cadence both jumped in surprise as Celestia, after her moment’s hesitation, hurled herself forward with a single swoop of her wings and held them both close. “My dear, dear girls”, she said softly, before stepping back and bowing low. “Brave and true Princesses of Equestria, I kneel before your wisdom and compassion.”

Cadence blushed, and Luna cocked her head. “Well, that’s somewhat unexpected.”

“Oh Lulu…” Celestia smiled softly, rising to her feet. “I’ve seen so much, the highs to which we can aspire…and the lows to which we might sink…”

“I…I don’t understand…” Cadence murmured, before Luna shushed her by pressing a wingtip to her lips.

“Is what the human claimed true, Celestia. His world is under attack by an Equestria not so different to our own.”

“Yes…he speaks truth… the human, Marcus, has arrived from a war torn plane of existence where the enemy is myself.”

“What?!” Cadence stared at her Aunt in confusion.

“The enemy was my alter-ego, the Solar Tyrant, and her corrupted Elements of Harmony,” Celestia answered, spreading her wings to take flight, with Luna and Cadence following after her. “An alternate dimension where, for whatever reason, I took upon myself to forcibly change an entire species against their will, and worse yet to Equestria.”

“How so?” pressed Luna, and Celestia’s head drooped with shame, before she turned back to gaze at them. “This Tyrant, this me, has perverted her rule, claimed the Crystal Throne, and now foolishly wields a power she has no understanding of. We have to stop her.”

“So the time has come?” Luna’s eyes widened. “You mean to use the Concordia Maxima and summon all nations and armies to our side?”

“Yes, but first, I need to speak to someone else who might have insight. An old friend who makes a hobby of pulling apart my psyche. Perhaps he can throw light on things.”

Realization dawned on Luna with devastating force.

“No!” the Alicorn of the Night all but jumped on Celestia’s back to draw her attention. “He is dangerous beyond compare; not even Sombra can compare to his mastery of trickery and deceit!”

“And I’m willing to risk that Luna!” Celestia replied. “Please, trust me on this! For once, we actually need Discord’s help!”

“Discord, the Draconequus?” Cadence said, shock pouring through her words. “Isn’t he the Elder God of Chaos itself!?”

“Yes…” Celestia admitted. “But we now face a weapon even more devastating than even his guiles and magic.”

“What!” Luna demanded.

Celestia paused in mid-air, and the other two alicorns came to a halt in turn. Wings beating nervously, Celestia drew her sister in and touched their horns together in embrace, before giving Cadence a hug that spoke of boundless pride and trust. Then, and only then did she look Luna directly in the eye, her words silencing all of the Night Princesses’ arguments.

“The Solar Tyrant now wears the Bag of Tirek round her neck…her dominion is built upon its power, the power of the Rainbow of Darkness.”

TO BE CONTINUED…

(A/N: And done. As you can see....its not dead yet! TB3 and myself worked hard to give you something and here is the results of that work.

Please leave a review and tell us what you think!

One more thing....

Its only the beginning

Interlude: A Different View

INTERLUDE: A DIFFERENT VIEW

New York City, 2023 Anno Dominae

“Shit, Sparkler!” Marcus winced, hissing acidly as he pressed a wad of cloth to his upper arm. “Zecora’s brilliant, but having powdered gems tattooed into your flesh is always going to fucking hurt!”

“Oh stop whining” the young unicorn mare sighed in exasperation, giving him a forceful jab of her horn as he moved to remove the wad and glance at his arm. “And don’t pick at it!”

“Yes Mam’,” Marcus grumbled back. The cloth, actually one of Zecora’s magical surplices, impregnated with esoteric herbs and liniments was a little something designed to speed along healing after his sessions ‘under the runic needle’.

“And besides!” Sparkler pouted. “If Zecora’s brilliant, what does that make me?”

“Sorry kid,” he smiled fondly, unable to resist the sheer adorableness of the elder Whooves daughter. “You’re a genius. Crazy, unlicensed and uncertified, but definitely a genius.”

“That’s better!” the pony also known as Amethyst Star smiled, before levitating a small tuning fork out one of her jacket’s many pockets (which, in defiance of Euclidian geometries, were considerably larger on the inside). “Right, you know the drill Renee! Hold still.”

Marcus obliged as she spun the instrument in her magic, until it hummed softly in cadence with her thaumic field. Then, she held it close to Marcus’ arm, listening for the telltale ‘ring’ of magic at work. Finally, after several long minutes, she nodded in approval.

“Excellent!” she said briskly, turning away to examine a wall diagram depicting a stylised human outline, one covered in multiple esoteric markings. “The final graft held. Which means there’s nothing left except to put you TO THE TEST!”

Abruptly bucking herself off the chart with her forehooves, Sparkler flipped back in the air and cracked her head in a neat arc, firing off a bolt of offensive magic. Marcus yelped and thrust out one arm in self-defence, fingers sprayed and eyes squeezed shut as he awaited the impact...

...it never came. Instead, he gradually became aware of a faint, almost pleasant tingling in his fingers, and slowly opened his eyes.

“Well...that’s something...”

He had caught Sparkler’s spell in the palm of his hand. Curling his arm around, he stared in silent awe at the flickering ball of energy now floating in his grasp like a magical baseball. The runes now permanently etched into his skin, normally invisible, now shimmered softly in tune with the ebb and flow of the caged spell. Curious and more than a little awestruck, Marcus’ eyes drifted to where he had just been holding Zecora’s suplice to his arm. Now exposed, the skin underneath, previously raw and red from the tattooist’s work, was knitting back together before his eyes. It didn’t even hurt beyond a gentle tickling.

“Congratulations,” Sparkler beamed, trotting beside him, affecting a gruff British accent. “Y’er a wizard, Marcus.”

Against his will, Marcus felt an involuntary grin stretch across his face; one of a childhood dream realised.

“Expelliarmus!” he shouted, thrusting his arm out and ‘firing’ the spell off at Sparkler’s examination table...

...which promptly burst into flames.

“Wha...but...that’s...” Marcus stammered, before slowly turning to regard Sparkler with a somewhat horrified expression. "You cast an INCINERATION SPELL at me!?”

“And I had every confidence you’d be just fine,” Sparkler beamed, before abruptly pulling a bag of gelatin-free marshmallows from another infinitely-deep pocket and skewering them on the tines of her magical tuning-fork. “Who’d have thought that table would make such a good bonfire.”

Marcus could only shake his head. Adopted or not, this mare was still the scion of the Whooves clan. Lateral thinking seemed to come with the name.

“Ah, excooze me...” someone broke in, their young voice layered with what sounded very much like a Brooklyn accent. “But weez got some dispatches fer’ yers.”

Marcus turned to where an orange-and-pink mare, a filly just into her teens, had stuck her head in through the door, two saddlebags strapped to her stocky barrel and an opening seed proudly emblazoned on her flank.

“Hey Babs...” Sparkler greeted cheerfully. “Want a smore?”

“Sorry Sparks,” Babs Seed replied tersely. “I’ve got important news for Mr Renee.”

“I said before Babs, you might be my Adjunct, but you’re also my friend, and that mean’s it’s just ‘Marcus’...” the man in question said gently, to which the Manehattan-born filly simply bashfully ducked down behind the cover of her fringe. “Anyway, what’s the story?”

At that, Babs abruptly straightened up and nimbly pulled several sheets from her saddlebags with her teeth, which she handed to him.

“Mz Zecora and Cadenz say they’re ready to move out and prep tings’ in Boston. Dem books from Miskatonic Univoosity came in real’ handy with tracin’ Earth’s old leylines. They reckon well be gud to deploy their Trench-Spell once the Barrier hits.”

The report was supplemented by several photographs, depicting a now infamous vessel hanging in the sky.

“However, te’ ‘Great Equestrian’ has been making forayz ahead o’ the Barrier. Spitfire’z askin’ if we can send the modified jets up against it in a field-test?”

“No, keep them in reserve for now...” Marcus said, half to himself. “They and the other runic weapons are our ace-in-the-hole. Use them now and we’d just be showing the Tyrant our hand. What about on the home-front? How’s everyone been while I’ve been recovering?”

“Everyone’z fine...” Babs replied, nervously turning her attention towards the floor. “Well, mostly, like...”

“Babs...” Sparkler said softly. “How is Scootaloo?”

When the orange filly looked up, her green eyes were glistening with tears. She sniffed, and then managed to strike a tone of resolve.

“The doctors say her wings have to be amputated...if they ain’t, then the necrosis is gonna infect her whole body.”

Marcus grimaced in sympathy. “How’d she take the news?”

“Like a Cutie Mark Croosada of course!” Babs answered, defiant pride now lacing her voice, despite the tears and emotional pain she felt for her loyalest friend. “She’s volunteered to go unda’ anaesthesia and let the docs do a biopsy on her wings while they amputate. Let dem’ understand pony physiologies better. Nopony can doubt that Scoots ain’t got moxie!”

“Brave little filly...” Sparkler whispered, and Marcus agreed wholeheartedly. “Rainbow Dash never deserved her adoration.”

“Mz Wildfire’ promised Scoots that once out, she’s getting a motorized scoota all her own. She’s got Doc Whooves workin’ on modifyin’ a Vespa right now! And there’z more good news!”

With a triumphant flourish, Babs pulled an entire folder stuffed with documentation out of her saddlebag. “You know how yooze said you wanted all the world’s best soliders here’ afore’ we duke it out in Boston? Well we’z gotten an answer from a real legend! The Knight o’ Germania himself!”

“That guy?” Marcus said in disbelief as he opened the folder. “The man whose unit stormed the Bundestag when Equestria targeted the German Chanellor. Hell yes!”

Sparkler edged in closer, chewing on a smore. The examination table continued to smoulder cheerfully. “There was some real tough fighting on the European front, wasn’t there?”

“All too right. I didn’t get into combat until the Barrier was impinging on France. Before that though, in the earlier days...well, it was hell. This guy went through it all. I remember meeting him once....feels like a long time ago."

“Ida’ thought youz two would be best buddies,” Babs smirked, all shyness and hero-worship forgotten in a chance to show off a little Marehatten snark. “Two hard-fighting badazzes wid a combined kill-count higher dan’ Mz Spitfire’s flight ceiling.”

“Like I said, our paths rarely crossed...” Marcus murmured, stroking one of his older scars thoughtfully. “Though there was this was this one sparring bout...but that’s neither here nor there.”

“Has anyone passed this news along to our ‘Blue Spy’ yet?” Sparkler interjected. “I thought the two of them were longstanding partners-in-crime? It’d be good to reunite them before we move on Boston...”

“Yeah...” Marcus replied absently, before his expression hardened. Standing he grabbed a fire extinguisher and doused the remains of the table in retardant foam. “We’ve got work to do. Anyone and anypony who’s combat-ready needs to prep for Boston. That’s were we’ll make our stand. Babs, I’m trusting you to personally respond to the Knight of Germania. Radio, magic, carrier-pigeon, courier, dragonfyre, whatever we’ve got. Tell him we accept his offer and forward co-ordinates so he and his crew can link up with several units under our command, I need the best of the best..."

"...and I need them damn soon."

The Conversion Bureau: The Other Side of the Spectrum, Side story: Europe

The Answer (Part 1)

The Answer, Part 1

Written by TB3 and Redskin122004

Guest Writer: Proudtobe

"Only a mind free of impediments is capable of grasping the chaotic beauty of the world. This is our greatest asset."

―Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

“It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.”

―Sun Tzu

Canterlot, Equestria, 6th Year Anno Harmonia

“Sign up today!” recruiters called from podiums and platforms. “Join the Salvation Army and bring about a more perfect peace!”

“Extry, extry!” newscolts shouted, hawking copies of the ‘Equestria Daily’ and the ‘Equestria Enquirer’. “Queen Celestia appoints new Minister for Newfoal Affairs! Thrilling reports from Boston, Nairobi and New Delhi! Ponydom’s noble battle to save Earth from itself!”

In the heart of the city, not too far from Scootaloo Station, one pony was giving a soapbox oration at the foot of a statue depicting a rearing stallion. The statue’s face was composed in a look of selfless determination, while the speaker expressed the beaming, unnerving joy of a newfoal; his smile was just a little too wide and his eyes large as saucers, bright yet slightly glassy, as if focused on something that nopony else could see.

“Stalwart Heart was the embodiment of the pony ideal!” he cried, one hoof laid in reverence against the bronze effigy. “A human who, despite at first resisting our glorious herd, embraced it with all his mighty heart after transcending his flawed flesh; he was a loyal soldier, a fiery patriot, and a loving fiancée, to no less than the beauteous Twilight Sparkle; it is not just she, but all of us who grieve for the loss of the stallion she loved, murdered at the hands of the ape that once called him brother. Can anything else show just how broken humankind is; that they should murder their once-and-former kin, rather than join with them in perfect bliss? When I walked on two legs I called myself a King, and was arrogant and proud enough to assume myself to stand above all peers. Now I am humbled, and have embraced that humility as one limb in the glorious body of Equestria, serving gladly as a subject of the One True Monarch, She who brings us the sun and the moon and lights a fire of love and harmony within all out hearts…”

As he continued to preach, to a crowd mostly comprised of newfoals like himself, a lone unicorn mare made her way alone through the back of the rally, growling softly to herself and holding her head high as if above such plebian nonsense; with her forest green mane expertly coiffed, and her tail tucked up beneath a flowing dress that made her the desire of of any princeling, she was the very image of aloof Canterlot nobility…

…the truth was something else entirely.

As she attempted to circumnavigate the growing crowd of newfoals adulating the pony speaking from the Stalwart Heart memorial, she felt her lip curl involuntarily, and as she brushed against the flank of one mare her fur stood on end, as if a thousand spiders were crawling over her body. Newfoals more than just unnerved her; they sickened her in a way that was deeply personal, and almost spiritual.

'Damn that Commander Renee! Damn Cheerilee! Damn all these stupid broken baboons!' The mare growled mentally. 'I shouldn't be here! I should be by my partner, helping him in Boston!'

She gave a quiet sigh as she stopped, her head hanging in sadness. 'No....my mission is important...Perhaps Ste-'

Caught up in her thoughts, she misplaced one step, fumbled for a foothold, and then tripped snout-first into the back of the crowd. Almost immediately the bystanders all but leapt to help her up, and she found herself assaulted with more of those bright smiles and bulging eyes, hooves and magic and dexterous wings touching her all over as she was lifted up and put back on her hooves.

“Are you alright?” countless voices asked. “So sorry, my fault…can we do anything for you? Praise Celestia you’re not hurt.”

And again, that sense of wrongness, of insects swarming up and down her spine, and her horn resonating in such a way that she almost swooned in a faint. The magical aura of all the newfoals was just like their words and expressions; forcefully strong and bright and sickly sweet, like milk on the verge of curdling.

She couldn't stand it.

“Get back!” she shouted at last, hooves clopping into a rapid backtrack. “Keep away from me! I don’t need your help, I don’t need anypony’s help!”

At those words, the newfoals obligingly parted to let her out from her midst; the majority still beaming as if she had responded to their cloying helpfulness with fulsome praise. Only a scant few showed even the slightest signs of hurt or disquiet.

“Miss, you really shouldn’t talk to them like that!” somepony snapped, and she turned to see a punch-pink Earth Pony trotting towards her, expression dark and eyes narrowed. A cluster of grapes and berries adorned her flank, and she carried both an eager-looking unicorn filly on her back, and a determined expression on her face; no-doubt that this was a native Equestrian, not one of the little golems Celestia had transmuted out of the monkeys…

“I can talk to them as I wish,” the unicorn mare replied haughtily, a seething hiss edging her words. “And I wish to draw everyone’s attention to the fact that these are NOT ponies, just aliens molded into an equine likeness…”

“How dare you!” the plum-colored Earth Pony made a gesture as if to slap her across the face, but restrained herself. Both herself and her unicorn daughter wore sashes that proclaimed them to be members of PETN; Ponies for the Ethical Treatment of Newfoals. “Yes the newfoals can seem a little…strange at first, but that’s just as a result of the world shift they’ve gone through. Can you understand how much it hurts to be like they were; addicts, slaves to a condition, only to be instantly set free, reborn with a new purpose and focus? Of course they’re going to take time to naturalize…”

Her words had the tone of a true believer, and the upper-class mare felt a sudden rush of unwanted empathy. Despite everything that had changed in the past few years in Equestria, some things remained the same; the kindness of strangers had been a balm to herself not so long ago…

…then she noticed how the PETN mare’s daughter had no cutie-mark, despite being well into her teens, and felt a little sliver curl off her heart, hardening her tone and voice.

“Naturalize? Look at that thing up there…” she glowered, waving one hoof in the direction of the proletysing newfoal up on the Stalwart Heart memorial. “He’s been a pony for, what…three years now. Does he even look remotely naturalized? No, he looks just the same as any newfoal fresh out of the bottle. They, are sick…and whatever disease they’re a symptom of, it’s spreading…”

“Princess Celestia tells us that…”

“Look at your daughter!” she growled. “She’s practically fully grown! Where’s her cutie mark? And if those animals that trot on four hooves and smile truly are ponies, then where are their cutie marks? All of them, to the last, are blank-flanks! Explain that to me, and then explain how all of this doesn’t terrify you!?”

The mare glared furiously back as she put a protective hoof around her now sniffling daughter and held her close. “Experimentation by the Royal University assures us that the Dearth is just a passing phase, a result of Equestria’s magic being spread thin in expanding the barrier. Once Earth is wholly ponified, they predict we’ll see a Second Magical Renaissance, and I can’t wait for that day!”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” the unicorn replied absently, shuddering as a passing newfoal brushed against her. “Ugh, unclean animals…”

“Look at you…” the PETN activist said, he tone now more sad than angry. “You rant about the newfoals being broken, but they’re the ones being persecuted by ponies like you. Feared by some, abused by others, despite Celestia’s words that we’re all just ponies. Despite all that, they keep smiling and keep on working to make Equestria a better place. That’s love and courage beyond compare. Their example gave me the strength to drag myself out the of the depths of a bottle. What have you done for anypony? You’re practically a traitor!”

With a flick of her head she turned, bit hold of something in her saddlebags, and threw a sheaf of pamphlets at the green unicorn’s feet. “Come on Ruby. This mare’s got her hatred for company…”

Turning, the two of them turned away, though the mother momentarily paused at stared back, as if commiting the angry mare’s face and features to memory. Said unicorn felt a little shiver run down her spine, and glancing down she angrily trod a hoof into the PETN literature that had been literally pounded into her…

…when she looked up, she saw the two activists having a spirited conversation with a nearby Guardspony, and gesturing in her direction. No doubt words such as ‘dissention’ and ‘objectionist’ were being used. When he nodded and began to trot towards her, the mare immediately bolted back into the crowd, cursing her actions.

‘Dammit dammit, dammit. I got worked up again, nearly blew myself! They taught me better than that! Now I’ve got to change outfits!’

Pushing through the heart of the rally, her horn shimmered, and as she flitted between oblivious newfoals her appearance began to flow like water. Her mane restyled itself into a set of slicked-back spike while her dress unraveled into a simple work-harness, and her horn appeared to wither into her skull as a trim pare of wings formed, tucked tightly against her barrel. A wash of fresh colors finalized the job, and as the Guardspony continued to hunt through the crowd for a forest-green lady-in-waiting, a creamy young Pegasus labormare walked straight past him in the opposite direction, heading out of the square and deeper into the city.

'Next time....Go as an old crone.' she muttered to herself. ‘There’s so many beggars around nowadays that no-one would notice one more…’

Finally, she reached her destination on the corner of Moon Drive and Sunset Blvd, where a lowly flower shop overlooked the mouth of the four-track railway tunnel connecting Canon Street and Scootaloo Stations. She dimly remembered that it had been a single-track bore until increased military-traffic had resulted in it doubling-out during the Crystal Empire affair. And then just a few years later two more tracks had been added. Entire streets of houses had been knocked down so that the cutting could be widened. Looking down, she suddenly realized that one of now-destroyed dwellings had been a flophouse where she’d been taken in after that…unpleasantness in Ponyville, and felt a pang of…well not so much sadness, for it had been a flea-infested dive that she had fled within days, but loss.

‘The first shock of a great earthquake had, just at that period, rent the whole neighbourhood to its centre’ she suddenly thought, quoting a line from Dickens, something that Stephan had once read her during the long days and nights of the European campaign. ‘The yet unfinished and unopened Railroad was in progress; and, from the very core of all this dire disorder, trailed smoothly away, upon its mighty course of civilisation and improvement.'

For the first time, she could feel the cynical derision that seeped deep into the prose. As she approached the door of the flower shop, down below street level a whistling locomotive erupted from the tunnel mouth in a broiling cloud of steam, hauling behind it an endless string of wagons laden heavily with coal. The pony who resembled a hardy laborer of the skies watched it, her eyes narrowed, as with a scream of brakes the black steam engine checked the speed of its heavy train and started to descend the long gradient into the valley below, where huge, fuming factories awaited an unending supply of war materiel…

The squeal of steel wheels on worn rails was suddenly drawn out by a roar from above, and cracking her head back she saw two pegasai rocket by in perfect formation, trailing a pair of distinctive contrails as they shot towards Canterlot Palace. One was the rainbow-maned Captain of the Wonderbolts, while the other was her loyal (and some said, loving) lightning-fast second-in-command. Within seconds, both had disappeared within the gleaming spires of the citadel, and from the fact that they had been flying supersonic over the capital, the implication was that they bore urgent news.

‘Suddenly I think now’s a bad time to be a strange mare out on her own…’ she thought to herself, and sure enough, just seconds after that realization, a scream of primal anger erupted out of the not-so-distant castle, amplified by what could only be Royal rage and might. Everypony in sight immediately spun in the direction of the howl, like weathercocks turning to the wind, their confused voices filling the void it left with babbling discussion.

“What was that?”

“Sounded like the Queen.”

“She doesn't really sound happy.”

“Oh no, did something happen with the Rescue Fleet?!”

Ignoring them, the mare took advantage of the sudden distraction and entered the flower shop, her eyes wandering over the many assorted blooms before spotting before a single one that stood out amid the storm of color.

A White Rose.

“Oh what a beautiful rose! What an exquisite color!” She chimed, gaining the attention of the vendor, a sturdily-build unicorn stallion, his pearl-white coat brushed to a shine and mane hidden behind a bandana that kept the sweat out of his eyes.

“Really now?” he asked, turning towards her, a smile on his face as he plucked the rose with his magic and presented it to her. “And does the fair lady want to buy such a beauty?”

“Oh yes, yes!” The mare nodded her head rapidly. Then she frowned. “Do you have anymore? I understand that they are awfully hard to grow around this time of the year.”

“Well...” the stallion said as if unsure, tapping his chin and thinking hard. “I do have a fresh batch inside the cellar.”

“How is that possible?” the mare looked at him in feigned astonishment. However, if any pony got close enough, they would of seen her left eye twitch somewhat, a tell that spoke of he frustration with this necessary charade of codes and pass-phrases.

“Trade secret,” he smiled wearily, his eyes gaining a look of understanding.

“I'll take a dozen,” the mare quickly answered, and the vendor chuckled and waved for her to follow him.

“Then follow me please, Madame.”

As they passed the three mares that actually did the work of running the flower-shop as a cover-business, the vendor spoke up; “Daisy, Lily, Roseluck. I have a special customer my dears. Please take care of the shop until we get back.”

“Of course,” they answered softly, exchanging a few wry looks as the door slammed shut behind the exiting pair.

“FINALLY!” the mare cried out once they were in the secretive dark of the cellar, her magical disguise shimmering and melting away to reveal a blue unicorn whose eyes were hidden behind a delicate domino mask. Her powder-blue mane was tied back in a pony tail, and where a cutie mark normally would have been showed only a blank flank. “Sweet Luna, how corny did all of that sound?”

The stallion removed his bandanna, to reveal an elegant parted gunmetal-blue mane “I think we did all right, Blue Spy.”

“So says you, Trade Secret...or should I say Fancy Pants,” the ‘Blue Spy’ smirked as the stallion placed a monocle on his left eye, before she bowed in a slightly mocking curtsey. “It’s an honor to be called before Equestria’s Prime Minister.”

“Former Prime Minister…” Fancy Pants corrected, though not without both a chuckle and a slightly pained grimace. “Still, Trade Secret is my cover name, and I trust you to keep that secret.”

“Understood,” Spy answered curtly. “Now, why am I even here? I should be back on Earth, fighting with the others.”

“The Battle of Boston is over my dear,” Fancy replied, his eyes scanning over several sheets of paper filled with names. “Or at least the first day’s worth of fighting. Our intelligence indicates that both sides formed up lines and dug themselves in some hours ago, once the new front established itself.”

Spy blinked several times before a look of worry began to creep across her face. “And...and who gained the upper hand?”

“Well, a stalemate would normally imply any ‘victory’ would be a nominal one.” Fancy replied, telekinetically removing his monocle and wiping it clean with the bandana that previously had been used to tie up his mane. “However, it appears that the Ponies for Human Life and the United Forces have turned a major milestone on its side. So far as we can tell, the Barrier has indeed stopped.”

He looked towards Spy as if expecting some verbal response, but all she could muster was an astounded squeak and a slight smile.

“I understand your surprise,” he continued, and despite his reserve, momentarily fumbled with his magic, dropping the monocle. “So it stands to reason that all our prayers are answered, at least for a little while. No doubt word of that was what resulted in our radiant monarch’s little ‘proclamation’ a few minutes ago. I doubt Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust particularly enjoyed having to drop such news at her hooves.”

After a moment’s pause he picked up the dropped monocle, now cracked from where it had hit the floor, and gave a dismissive little snort. “Pity.”

As Spy waited for further elaboration he returned the damaged piece of eyeware to its perch atop his snout, before trotting around to face her, expression now stern and more than a little concerned. “However...we should not get ahead of ourselves. Celestia was not expecting the level of resistance encountered at Halifax and learned her lesson. So far as we can ascertain, at Boston she finally played her trump card; the Elements of Harmony…”

“What happened?” Spy demanded, putting one hoof forward and her voice catching, all the while mentally promising great and terrible retribution against Twilight Sparkle if that nag so much as touched one hair on her friends’ heads...

“We’re…not entirely sure,” Fancy Pants admitted, ducking his head in what humans would call a shrug. “It certainly produced no result that anyone predicted; the elements did not cause a mass ponification, or backfire on their wielders as one might have hoped. No…Twilight Sparkle pulled all her forces back to lure the defenders forward, and when Commander Renee exposed himself, she and the other Element Bearers tried to force their ‘Harmony’ upon him…at the moment he’s MIA.”

“You don't think…”

“No.” Fancy answered before the question fully formed. “Were he captured or ponified the Queen would no doubt have been ecstatic. No time would have been wasted in presenting him to the world, cheerily renouncing his past loyalties and spilling every secret he had to offer. Did that scream from earlier sound like one of happiness?”

“I guess not...so...where is he?” Spy asked as she simmered down. “You don’t think he could be…dead, do you?”

“In all honesty I have no idea.” Fancy said, withdrawing several documents from a filing cabinet and walking back to her. “From the tone of young Ms Seed’s dispatches, no-one is entirely sure of what transpired. All we know is that whatever happened caused considerable distress to Twilight Sparkle and the other Element Bearers, and they immediately fled back past the Barrier. The ever-capable Lady Cheerilee has stepped up to take command of the PHL in the Commander’s place, and I’ve no doubt that the best minds on both sides will be attempting to identify his fate as we speak.”

“Oh....”

“Yes, indeed, ‘oh’. But that is neither here nor there. We can worry about the esteemed Commander Renee later on, but right now we have business to attend to,” Fancy concluded, throwing down a bio sheet before the spy and sometime assassin. “This here is Green Fields, a recently-retired captain of the Royal Guard and veteran of the Crystal Campaign. I believe he may have info on our missing pony...or should I say, ‘our missing drake’?”

Spy grimaced. “If this Fields is a member of the guard, retired or not, then he’s going to be under the effects of Celestia’s Geas; he won’t divulge information even if he wanted to.”

“Ah, but is that not the specialty of our magically-gifted Blue Spy, to retrieve precious intel despite the obstructions of might and magic?” Fancy beamed. “Even someone under the influence of the Charter of the Guard will run their mouth, if they believe they are in the company of a friend…remember, the Geas compels loyalty and obedience, not intelligence…”

“Humph…” the Spy snorted. “You clearly have a ‘high’ opinion of the plat-de-jour. What else can you tell me about him? Why should he know anything about the dragon?”

“Because the good Captain cannot handle his cider very well.” Fancy grinned. “In addition, he has attempted to mitigate the boredom of retirement by taking up several good causes, such as supporting the Ponies for the Ethical Treatment of Newfoals…”

Spy’s head whipped up, eyes narrowed. “Your wife’s little circle of do-gooders? Does she even know what you do behind her back?”

She waved one hoof in an arc to indicate the shop, and Fancy’s expression fluctuated from anger to shame and then affection in just a few seconds.

“No…no she does not. My darling Fleur is a true-hearted mare, but she is loyal to the Crown. Yet despite all that, she is very much an advocate for the wellbeing of those poor, damaged Newfoals, and for that I cannot help but love her all the more…regardless!” he continued. “I happened to be in the presence of the former Captain Fields at a PETN fundraiser recently, and made sure that I was the one buying all the drinks. Let us say that after a while his lips loosened and he began to rant at all those ‘traitors’ and ‘subversives’ who are evidently to blame for Equestria’s current predicament, and eventually told a story that very much intrigued me…”

Spy tilted her head, waiting to hear more.

“As it so happens, the Good Captain Fields last assignment before retirement was a mission, entrusted personally to him by the Queen herself, to rescue the Element of Generosity from the clutches of an…ahem, ‘evil dragon’, which I take to mean ‘find those traitors and drag them back to my hooves before they can do any damage’…”

“Rarity and Spike…” Spy gasped, despite the bad taste both names left on her tongue. “So it is true that the two of them attempted to flee Equestria in the early days of the war?”

“Yes indeed, and they were not alone; you were not here at the time, but before Celestia magically closed all of Equestria’s borders, quite a large number of ponies escaped, and well done them…anyhow, Fields tracked said dragon and pony to a boat heading towards the Gryphon Lands. From that point on the tale became increasingly disjointed and no-doubt, drunkenly elaborated, but Fields described himself and thirty other guardsponies clashing with the beast in a near fight-to-the-death.”

“Wait, hold up. That doesn't make sense...” Spy argued, “The dragon we are looking for is a baby dragon, an infant drake...”

“Fields described a maturing young buck, fully armored in deep purple scales, with razor-sharp green spines, large wings and a powerful tail. This dragon’s fire glowed a deep emerald green and all but incinerated anypony foolish enough to stay in its path.” Fancy stated, his eyes expressing not the slightest doubt. “It is arcane knowledge, but dragons have been known to undergo accelerated growth rates under specific directions. Dragons who nurture their inner greed, are apparently the most dangerous, but I’m sure there are other scenarios that would allow for our young drake to grow up quickly...as for his fate beyond that encounter, I do not know; Fields by that point in the story was several drinks under the table and fell asleep. What we do know is that he succeeded in returning Rarity to Canterlot, and she duly reappeared as a Lady of the Court, fully supportive of the Earth Campaign, and whatever Celestia did to coerce or compel her loyalty makes me shudder just to contemplate...”

Spy stayed silent for a few moments, deep in thought. As she did, Fancy stood up and walked towards where his coat hung on a rack, his horn glowing as he retrieved a small something from the pocket; a nautilus shell set on a length of cord so that it resembled a simple necklace.

“A little magical something the Whooves family cobbled together…” he explained as Spy’s attention shifted to the shell. “It’s made entirely by pony craft using natural materials, so can be smuggled through the Barrier easily enough; it functions as a two-way speaking device and beacon.”

He quickly demonstrated how to use it, and then held the bell-end of the shell up to his mouth and spoke into it. “Trade Secret to New York, come in New York?”

“Yo Trade! Whatz da Newz?” the familiar voice of Babs Seed answered, and Spy held back a whinny of disapproval at the rambunctious young mare, who was shouting to make herself heard over the sound of shouting voices and metalwork.

“The news my dear” Fancy chuckled. “Is that Blue Spy is with me at the moment, I am passing the device to her now, and will then proceed to sterilize my operation, as agreed.”

“Undastood. We’z got good newz of our own. Doc Whoovez has fineuly’ got his new machine runnin’, so if Spy needs extraction, he’z ready to pick her up in an instant.” Babs answered, gaining a smile from Fancy. “Good luck on your end. New York out.”

“Trade Secret out…” Fancy replied, before handing over the nautilus necklace to Spy. “Excellent young mare that, a little rough around the edges, but stalwart-hearted and true. We’ll need peoples of such caliber in the days to come.”

“Yes, yes, enough praise and adulation,” Spy responded as she strung the cord around her neck, even though she would have gladly soaked up and encouraged any compliments directed at her. “What do you mean by ‘sterilizing your operation’.”

Fancy’s face fell slightly, before being replaced by a familiar sad, but loving smile. “You may have heard outside that our dear Tyrant has named a new Minister for Newfoal Affairs. It’s Fleur that she’s asked to join her cabinet, and that makes me too much of a risk, both to our cause, and my darling wife…I won’t endanger either of them to further danger. This will likely be the last you see of me until all this unpleasantness is ended.”

“So you’re going to…”

“Burn the house down, so to speak…” Fancy answered curtly, levitating a set of matches from his desk. “So dangerous, oil lanterns. So easy to knock over…Every piece of intelligence I’ve ever gathered is safely duplicated and hidden in caches across Equestria, but this shop and everything in it has to be reduced to ash. Trade Secret might be a pony that exists only on paper, but I won’t risk things tracing back to Fleur and myself in the event that this shop is ever exposed as a cover, not now that she’s a cabinet member. Before, I might have been able to escape with her in secret, but now that she’s accepted a government position it’s going to be impossible for me to be anything except her supporting husband.”

Spy nodded, and then in a move that surprised even her, trotted forward and embraced him in a hug. “Good luck Fancy. Stay safe, and I’ll see you on the other side.”

“It was my pleasure, ‘Blue Spy’. You’ll find Green Fields’ residence at 34 Celestial Lane. Now go, hurry…”

“Alright,” she answered, straightening her new necklace and summoning up a new disguise, before trotting back up the stairs and into daylight. By the time she was several streets away, she could already smell smoke and hear the clatter of fire-chariots rushing to the burning flower shop. No doubt Fancy would have made himself scarce and the three mares that ran the mock-business would be putting on a nice show for the fire-stallions.

The horror, the horror…

Fields Manor

For the retired Captain Green Fields, life was reaching its peak. His family was growing, his grandfilly was about to start school, and although his body was too frail for him to still serve in Equestria’s glorious armies, he could still do good work in the name of Celestia by helping out those poor newfoals that so many otherwise-decent ponies seemed to find unsettling.

Being able to enjoy a hot cup of tea whilst smoking his pipe, with a good book for company, was just the cherry on top of the well-frosted (if slightly bloody) cake that was his life.

“All is well”, he sighed, closing the book and placing his tea back on the table beside him. Perhaps this evening some of his friends still serving in the forces would pop round for a friendly chat, bringing word from the frontlines. It was his greatest regret that the blasted dragon had left him too lame to take part in the Earth campaign, but living vicariously through his colleagues in the comfort of his own home was ample substitute.

‘Only a few more months now…’ he thought sleepily, as yet unaware of events transpiring in a city known as Boston. ‘Then that ‘Earth’ place will be pony, and all Equestria can look on in pride of a job well done. So many more newfoals too, might be useful to train some of them up, turn a few battalions loose against the gryphons and zebras, damn weak-stomached backstabbers. Why not make them pony too…all happy and bright-smilin’.

Yes, all was well.

Warm and comfortable in his thoughts of Perpetual Ponydom, Fields was just drifting off to sleep when the creaking sound of a door opening startled him awake.

“Uh!? Wha?! Satin Glove, is that you?” he called, expecting it to be his newfoal valet, only to turn and see the door leading into this private study swinging slowly on its hinges.

“Stupid door, always got to open on its own,” he growled, stomping over to shut it, before throwing himself back into his comfy chair and draining the rest of his tea. Then, smacking his lips he glanced down at the empty cup, wondering why the dregs had tasted somewhat sweeter than usual. Strange, but nevertheless a pleasant taste. He’d have to go down to the kitchens and…and…make some…some more…

Something was wrong…the whole room seemed to be tilting sideways…

“Hel-help..” he managed weakly, before stumbling and collapsing onto his side, eyes wide as he sluggishly attempted to get back on his feet, thoughts turning to slush. “Wha...what’s wrong with meeeeeee...”

“You should really lock your doors,” a mare's voice echoed, seemingly from miles above him, even though he could now see her standing just in front of him. Squinting, he tried to identify her, but his vision was beginning to blur, colours and shadows swirling together. “You never know who might come in....”

Darkness claimed him.

*SMACK*

Fields was startled awake, and found himself blindfolded, legs trussed beneath him and lying on his side. Unable to see but perfectly capable of hearing his ears flicked to attention, taking in the distant sound of terrible industry and labor. There were not a few screams and cries comingled in the roar of smithies and machinery, and everything had an echoing, reverberating quality, as if he were deep underground.

He felt the distinct clip-clop of hoofbeats approaching and stiffened, old battlefield training coming back to him with a will.

“Captain Green Fields, Equestrian Armed forces, 33rd Royal Guard, Retired! Stallion-number UE33/7921!” he barked out. Name, rank, posting, and serial number. Give nothing else.

That resolve melted slightly when he felt the tingle of unicorn magic tug away his blindfold, and as his eyes adjusted he realized to his horror that he was no longer in Canerlot…

…in fact, he doubted he was in Equestria.

“Welcome to New York, Captain Fields”, the Great and Powerful Trixie announced…

To Be Continued…

A/N: Now, normally I would of used that niffy Author's note on the bottom, but I have more to show all of you!

Now introducing to the scene! Blue Spy! Her Bio and Picture are just below!

Name: Trixie Lulamoon

Aliases: Blue Spy

Age: Not your business

Classification: Spy, Assassin, Saboteur

Prefer Weapons of Choice:

Illusion Magics= Invisibility, Chameleon, Changling Make-up, Flares, Fireworks

Offensive Magic= Bolts, Levitation, Push

Defensive Magic= Shields, Home Made Talismans

Physical Offensive Weapons= Robert Klaas Kissing Crane Stiletto (Equestrian Made/Modified), Explosives (Both Modified and not), hooves

Physical Defensive Weapons= Flash Bangs, Smoke bombs, Pepper Bombs

Bio: Trained under the watchful eye of the Knight of Germania, Trixie has long since made her own weapons in the war against the Tyrant. While Front line fighter she is not, like her partner, her skills in illusion magic has made life easier for those she is paired with on the battle field, plus her ability to make life hell for the enemy has been spread out through out the Tyrant Armies.

She was contacted by the PHL after Battle of ThunderChild, and since ponies were the only ones that can go through the barrier, she was asked to perform several missions for the PHL.

Since then, she don the infamous name Blue Spy, which initially started as a joke from her partner's comrades. He has been using that nickname for her ever since.

Both to place fear into their enemies and to hide her true identity.

The name has now spread through dozens of Tyrant controlled bases on Earth. How this single mare can lay waste to 200 hundred strong, with out a single word of warning being sent out before they find the base in ruins.

At each ruined base, a single note would be left behind following words and picture:

She is one of the top ten most wanted beings on Earth. Taking the number 7 spot on the list, with her partner, the Knight of Germania, taking number 2 respectively.

Bounty- Alive: 1.5 million bits/ Dead: 1 million bits

The Answer (Part 2)

****Warning****

You must read Proudtobe's story TCB: Spectrum, Side Story.

The last Chapter: United in Diversity holds a lot of information important to this chapter, as it deals with characters written by him and their history. Will be somewhat lost if you don't.

Please read and rate it before reading this chapter.

Thank you.

United in Diversity

The Answer

Part 2

Writers:

Redskin122004

TB3

Proudtobe

Editor:

Drawdex

*Dedication to the Victims of the Boston Bombings:

A million words would not bring you back, I know because I've tried.

Neither would a million tears, I know because I've cried.*

In war, resolution; in defeat, defiance; in victory, magnanimity.

Winston Churchill

War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left.

Bertrand Russell

Secrets and lies! It's all secrets and lies with those ponies!

-Pinkie Pie

New York City, New York; NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital; 2023 Anno Dominae

“Okay, so, before we start, the purpose of this record is for future reference, and academic interest. Documenting today’s procedure are Senior Airman James Johnstone, USAF, and Photo Finish, PHL. I am Doctor Catherine Sheffield, International Degree in Reconstructive Microsurgery, and assisting me is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Maya Akagi, and Nurses Redheart and Barry Romero. Our patient is this brave young lady…”

“Um, hey there…”

“Name, Scootaloo. Adolescent female Equestrian, Pegasus Subgroup. She is afflicted with a magipomp developmental disorder known as Juvenile D/H Necrosis, focused on the alicornial tissue structures of her wings, which require amputation. In this first session, we will be surgically removing the metacarpal bones of both wings, and associated musculature and tissue. Further amputations and reconstructive surgery will follow in subsequent sessions…”

“Enough talk already Cath! The more time you waste chatting to the camera, the more harm she’s in from the necrosis spreading!”

“Just one minute Fire’….ahem. Scootaloo has graciously allowed for these sessions to be recorded, improving our understanding of magical anatomy and biology. Due to the healing physiomagical qualities of positive emotional states in Equestrians, also known as the ‘Harmony Effect’, she will be accompanied through the procedure by her nomi-legal guardian, Wildfire, and her fillyfriend, Babs Seed. The current time is 10.04pm, and we are about to begin pre-op anesthesia. Are you ready to go Scootaloo?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be Doc…’…I’m sorry, I guess I should be cooler about this?”

“Watcha’ talking bout’ Scoots? Youze not loosing ya wings, youze gaining a place in history. Ain’t nopony gonna forget whatyer’ doin’ here.”

“Th…thanks Babs…Wildfire…guys…please don’t go?”

“Never honey…never…”

“I…love you... both…”

“And we love you…”

“…there, she’s sedated now. Wildfire, Babs, if you just remain close to the head end of the table, and we’ll keep to the back and sides. Feel free to sing or talk to her if you think it helps…right, I am now commencing the primary incision…”

Love. Four letters representing an emotional state brought on by mere hormones and stimulated neuro-emitters, but capable of so much.

Cadance knew that better than most. The…‘unconventional’ mentor that the PHL had produced for her to study under had taught her that much.

‘Chrysalis was right; you really can almost touch it…wherever the old monster has gone to now, I hope she’s at peace…’

Even separated from the Operating Theatre by thick glass observation windows, she could feel the spectrum of feelings radiating from inside. Wildfire and Babs practically radiated with affection, devotion and concern, whilst the staff attending to Scootaloo were shaded in softer tones of compassion and care. Now, soaking up those disparate feelings that could all be classified under ‘love’, Cadance felt strong, in body and spirit. As Wildfire leaned in to nuzzle her young ward, the mare who would have been the Crystal Princess felt an involuntary shiver run through her, and her emaciated wings gave an involuntary, vestigial flutter. She was beginning to see where the Changelings had crossed the line into emotional addiction…

“Cadance?” a voice interrupted, and with a shamefaced flush on her face, Cadance trotted around to see Cheerilee standing in the observation gallery’s doorway. The burgundy mare had more lines around her eyes nowadays, and her forelegs were wrapped in bandages from where she had volunteered to go under Sparkler’s runic needle, becoming a unicorn in all but name and horn…

“Trixie’s got the prisoner secured,” Cheerilee continued. “She’s ready to receive you now.”

“Alright”, the young pegacorn nodded. She could feel a low wave of concerned love emanating from Cheerilee and paused to embrace the older mare. “Don’t worry Cheerilee; they will find Marcus, I know they will.”

The acting commander of the PHL did not answer, but instead loosely returned the hug. “I hope so Cadance, I really do.”

Then, her magical batteries fully charged from bathing in the emotions pouring out of the operating theatre, Cadance left with her head held high, ready to prove a point.

That when Power was confronted with Love, Love would win…

It HAD to win. For her Shiny’s sake, and the sake of everyone and everypony else…

“Who...what is going on!?” Fields managed, outrage fighting hoof-to-hoof with fear.

“Tsk tsk, Captain Fields” the blue mare that had evidently captured him tutted, slowly pacing back and forth before him with brazen cheek. “Wouldn’t a seasoned soldier know an interrogation when he sees one?”

Fields returned a hostile glare, a swell of righteous indignation punching straight through his rising dread. “You’re the Blue Spy?”

He managed a derisive snort. “The fabled Blue Spy is really the Oh-So- Great and Powerful Trixie? Ha! A failed mountebank, a carnival showmare now turned traitor! How very pathetic.”

“Ho-hum” Trixie replied, rolling her shoulders with affected nonchalance. Her horn shimmered as she telekinetically tossed a small knife in the air. Momentarily it landed on her nose and she gave it a casual flick, vaulting it over her back where it was caught in a deft flick of the tail.

“So is this it?” Fields hissed, trying to push a possible advantage. “Is this dingy cellar all the fabled Human Resistance can muster? Is this the final squalid bastion where you will cower from the Rescue Fleet and the Salvation Army.”

“Hmm? Oh them. No we’re well behind the front lines – it might surprise you to know that the Battle of Boston has stretched out into a bit of a stalemate, and so far as I know, the Rescue Fleet was all but destroyed. I’ll show you the video of the Great Equestrian crashing into the Hancock Tower when we’re done; you might find it quite entertaining. And the Salvation Army out of Stalliongrad has been reduced in numbers by over a third.” Trixie said nonchalantly, her horn glowing as she unfolded the switchblade. “No, the reason we’re down in the bottom of the bunker network is so that the others can’t hear you screaming. The PHL has quite a few bright young mares and colts under their wings, and we don’t want to scar them for life.”

With a sudden flick she thrust the blade into Field’s face, hovering it an inch from one of the older pony’s eyes.

“This is a Robert Klaas Kissing Crane Stiletto. The company that makes them has been around for nearly two centuries now. They started with penknives, and eventually produced a wide variety of interest variants, all designed for a specific purpose.”

The knife slowly crept closer, until the tip was lightly pressing against the soft cartilage at the base of Field’s horn.

“This particular blade is made for stabbing, and the ‘carnival showmare’ now holding it has used it plenty of times to put hundreds of unaware monsters...oh...I'm sorry, I mean new foals, out of their misery. This is what Equestria did to me, Captain Fields, forced me to find a better cause than myself, and drive me to shed a lot of blood for that cause. My blood, and the blood of others, so much until I practically bathed in it. Like some vampiric tyrant of old.” The mare leaned in close, her eyes narrowing upon him. “I’m hardly a pony anymore, but at least I can say that my mind, my soul, my heart are my own, as are those of the humans and ponies that I care for. Can you say that, Captain Fields, slave of a fallen Queen, child of a perverted nation, wannabe champion of a genocide that defies all that was good and right about Equestria?”

“Go to Tartarus!” Fields shouted, “Whatever info you want, you can spill as much of my blood as you want. And you’re no pony, you’re one of those…those human things! You might trot on four hooves, but you’re the very image of what Equestria needs to stomp on, squash out, crush underhoof until nothing is left! YOU, ARE, AN, ANIMAL!”

“She is loved, and loves in return, truly and honestly,” a new voice butted in, and from the corner of his eye Fields saw another mare trot into view. Pegacorn, pink, slightly above average build, from a royal house most likely because of the withered wings. But the eyes…oh he had seen eyes like that on the faces of troops back from the front. Trixie, the Blue Spy, hid her emotions quite well, but this mare let it all show. So much pain…

“What is the measure of a person Captain?” Trixie pushed. “I might kill, I might be a depraved perversion of the pony ideal, but I can say I am a free pony. You, are not, and we’re going to help you see that.”

The pink pegacorn stepped closer, her horn lighting up, and Fields felt a sudden twitch deep inside him. She radiated…something, something that made him think of…

/Childhood/mother/adoration/compassion. Older, Celestia, not Queen, true Princess/right/honest/true. Swearing in, oath of trust/brokenBROKENbetrayed…/

“Stop!” he screamed, trying to roll away. Something inside him was twisting, coiling around his very life. Such thoughts were…wrong…comparing the Queen to how she used to be was-/FORBIDDEN-FORBIDDEN-FORBIDDEN-DONOTTHINKDONOTREMEMBER-OATHOATHOATH!/

Blue Spy smiled, something that put Green Field on edge. “You have spunk, Captain. I’m pretty sure that if you could choose, you’d be on our side. Sadly, that choice has been stolen from you, your very will and identity violated. You’re no new foal, but you stand with those ideals, and you don’t know why....do it Cadance…go deep”

She stepped aside, and Green Field's stomach dropped the pink mare, Cadance….(one of the minor princesses?)…lowered her horn as if ready to joust and pressed closer, her horn radiant and her very fibre tingling with that same terrible force that had touched him just now.

“I’m sorry to do this, Captain Fields, but you will thank me for it,” she said, her tone mournful but determined. “But you will thank me for it. Now, what do you treasure the most? WHO do you treasure the most?”

/QUEEN CELESTIA…no, how could he think that? /DUTY OBEY!/His family, his beloved daughter and granddaught-/CELESTIA! NO OTHER HIGHER LOVE…CONFORM-OBEY-SERVE!/

“Focus on that Captain!” Cadance shrilled. “Family, your own blood, the daughter and grandfilly you love so much. Hold onto that, not what Celestia’s Geas compels you!”

Family-kith/kin-somuch-love-COMFORM OR DIE, CONFORM OR DIE-nonono-two small foals he’d held when they were infants-GLORY/INCARNATE/RADIANT/PERFECT/WORSHIP AND OBEY! OBEY OR DIE!/

“Yes, think of that Captain…” Trixie hissed into his ear, lips curled in a smirk. “Think of them tied to a chair, my knife dancing in front of their eyes…that’s what will happen unless you yield…after all, who said I had to draw your blood to hurt you?”

/Protectforever/never let them be hurt/on his life-/ON YOURSOUL!!!! OBEY! OBEY! SERVE FOREVER! LOVE HER FOREVER!/

“STOP!” he screamed, the force in his chest now a vice crushing that which was his most inviolate self. “YOU’RE KILLING ME!”

But still the Pink mare forced on, forcing up memories: wife, friends, family-/SERVE SLAVE! YOU ARE PROPERTY! YOU ARE THE LIMB OF OUR WILL!/

“She’s not doing anything Fields, much less killing you. That’s all dear Celly’s work. But I will kill your daughter and grandchild, and my work will not be quick and merciful, but slow…

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” he screeched, back arcing involuntarily.

“You can save them…simply tell me what I want to know…tell me about the dragon, Spike…”

Field’s mouth slammed shut /SLAVE! OBEY/SPEAKNOT, and he struggled for breath.

“I…can’t!”

“Why not…don’t you love them? Does he, Cadance…”

“Deeply and truly Trix…come on Captain, you can feel what’s been done to you. FIGHT IT!”

/YOU-ARE-SLAVE/THING/INSTRUMENT/TOY-SERVE AND LOVE US! LOVE ME DO!/

“I…CAN’T! It…won’t let me!”

“What won’t? Just say it, defy the spell. Scream the name of your oppressor.”

“IT-SHE! ARGHHHHHHH!”

“Fight soldier! Do your duty to those that deserve it most, your family. As a Princess of Equestria, as the Scion of the Crystal Empire, I am ordering you to fight it, in the name of Highest Love and Harmony!”

/YOU-ARE-OURS/

“What would be best, Fields? Should I start with your granddaughter, and make her mother watch? Or would it be better to make the child watch as I mutilate her mother?”

/I love you daddy./ His baby girl, all grown up, watching as she gave him a warm smile full of love.

/SERVE US!/

/I love you too grandpa./ His granddaughter, her young face full of laughter and life.

/OBEY US!/

/Buck up Green,getting tired you old stallion? Ha! Don’t you worry about it, I can handle everything for the both of us./ His loving wife, their twilight years flashing before his eyes, the happiest he had ever been.

/LOVE US!!!!!REVERE US!!!!!ADORE US!!!!/

“Oh...looks like daddy doesn't care, Sweety. Don't worry; your grandfilly will get a share.” Blue Spy, taunted, the words tripping out in a demented lullaby.

“I…she…the Queen!” Field’s mouth babbled, seizing shut and releasing in spasms, froth and spittle flowing over his chops. Whatever was wrapped around his soul was screaming in tune with him, like a snake that had been skewered but refused to die.

“Do it Captain!” Cadance shouted, horn a column of blue fire and sweat pouring down her face from the strain. “You’re almost at the summit soldier! Just defy her once, and you’ll raise the flag of love forevermore! Love, Captain, USE YOUR LOVE!”

“I…am….your loyal…Captain, PRINCESS CADANCE….” Fields roared suddenly. “SHE DID IT! CELESTIA DID THIS TO ME, TO ALL OF US! OH SWEET MERCY, WHY!?”

Something snapped inside of him, and for a second Fields felt a numbing cold wash over him, and knew that his heart had stopped.

‘So this is it. All those battles, and this is how it feels to die. And here comes the Pale Mare to take me away…hello old friend, we meet at last…’

‘Oh buck up Green you sappy old romantic…’ The ghostly unicorn that filled his vision laughed softly. ‘You’re not dead yet, just very exhausted.’

No, it wasn’t the Pale Mare…that build, that face, those loving eyes…his wife?

‘Maybelle…but, you’re dead…long dead…don’t go, stay with me, please…’

‘You fought well my darling, through your hardest battle yet…but we’re not destined to be reunited just yet. Go…our family needs you…’

‘I’ll do it, May…I’ll fight again, for them, for everyone. Oh powers, I am so sorry…’

‘Hush, hush…what was done to you through the Charter of the Guard wasn’t your fault, but overcoming Celestia’s Bind was certainly your triumph…and I never left your side…I’ll always be here…’

Something lurched inside his chest and Fields felt feeling come surging back with a sickening gasp. Every part of him ached, and yet somehow, he felt lighter…lighter than he had in years. Free…

Slowly, he opened his eyes. He had fallen into the embrace of the most-assuredly Great and Powerful Trixie, who was slowly stroking his mane with mechanical precision. Princess Cadance was slumped a few feet away, happy tears running down her face.

“It worked… love won, love…; love can win again…”

“Yeah…” Trixie said numbly, as an exhausted Fields breathed heavily in her forearms. “Love…”

Slowly she looked over to the princess, who was now repeatedly sobbing her husband’s name.

“Cadence…what has this war done to us? What are we going to be when it’s done? Heroes, criminals, monsters worse those than those we’ve fought…or, something else altogether…it scares me Cadence. It scares me…”

“So, Spike’s being held in the Everfree…” Cheerilee mused, a pen tucked behind one ear and a veritable library’s worth of digital reports carefully arranged across one of her office’s four e-walls, separated into categories: Boston, Intelligence, R&D, Black-Ops, Internal, on and on. At the center of it all, trying to assimilate everything, separate the chaff from the wheat, the curd from the cream, Ponyville’s former schoolteacher trotted back and forth, warily levitating a notepad beside her with her newly-applied magic.

“That’s right…” Cadance confirmed, wings tucked in and hooves together as she stood at attention (Cheerilee neither asked for or demanded parade-ground formality, but having spent enough time in the company of soldiers and guardsponies, Cadence felt it respectful and appropriate). “Fields gladly shared everything he knew once we shattered the Geas acting on him. After he and his troops subdued Spike over Equestria’s Eastern Ocean, he was escorted under armed guard to the Castle of the Two Royal Sisters.

Cheerilee paused and attempted to magically draw the pen from behind her ear, but instead fumbled the object and dropped it: right before it hit the floor, Cadence caught it in her own blue field of magic, holding it still for Cheerilee to recover.

“Thank you Cadence…and I thought learning how to write without my mouth was hard…” Cheerilee acknowledged, before reverting her attention back to the incoming reports projected on the wall, gesturing with the pen for emphasis.

“We’re holding Boston for now, but can’t maintain it forever. Zecora’s spell depends on Earth’s own neglected magic to hold back the barrier, and the Miskatonic leyline won’t last much longer before Equestria’s magical might is focused to overpower it. Now we’ve got border incursions all down Massachusetts and New Hampshire as the Solar Guard attempt to drive a spear in our flanks and rear. But we’ve gained an important metaphorical victory, in that we’ve halted a previously unstoppable advance, and forced them to change tactics…who knows what results a few more upsets to Celestia’s applecarts may yield…”

“Such as a high-ranking Captain of the Royal Guard defecting?” Cadence suggested, and Cheerliee wondered if she meant Green Fields or was suggesting abducting and ‘turning’ Shining Armor. Both had merit.

“Yes…or a dragon joining our campaign,” she answered. “The PHL and the UN forces could certainly use some draconic support, and from what we now know, Spike has grown into a powerful young drake, so he would be a valuable asset. Better yet, he could easily pass through the barrier at will, and come out the other side still armed with his natural fire; a few quick strikes in and out of Equestria would certainly make more ponies question ‘Celly’s’ invulnerability and assurances of invincibility…”

Cadence nodded, even as the two of them shared a weary and slightly strained expression.

“You feel it too, huh?” Cheerilee asked, and Cadence nodded.

“We’re both committed to all this, but the fact that it had to come to this just feels wrong. I can’t help but imagine what could have been if First Contact had not descended into…well everything that we’ve lived through.”

“Yeah…we’ve lost a lot, but learned a lot too…” Cheerilee levitated over a handkerchief to wipe down her face (levitation and basic spellwork came easier to her than it had Marcus, but the lack of a horn to act as a natural magical focus made even rudimentary magic demanded a lot of focus). “When this is all done, I’d just like to settle down somewhere with Marcus, build a home, and then…we'll, try to rebuild the world…lots of children are going to need foster parents, billions will need proper homes, the newfoals are going to need so much therapy…and time, we’re all going to need time…”

Cheerilee sighed, and once again fumbled the pen. This time, Cadence was too emotionally drawn to catch it, and it clattered onto the floor.

“Trixie’s already gone after Spike…” Cadence said softly. “I think she needs to keep moving to keep her mind off of all this…”

“She’s not alone Cadence…if I don’t keep working, all I can think about is Marcus, and wherever he might be now. Is it the same for you and Shining Armor?”

“Yes…”

“Well, I get the feeling that we’ll be moving into the endgame of the war soon…and hopefully we’ll have both of our loved ones back to help us endure the peace that comes next…because it’s probably going to be worse than anything we’ve suffered yet…”

Cheerilee’s voice trailed off, and a long silence prevailed. Reports clicked in and out on the e-walls, bouncing away into the digital ether, until finally Cadence managed a sorrowful smile.

“But at least we won’t be alone, and will have homes to go home to at the end of the day. Hooves and arms to be held in, friends and family to share our pain; that’s more than many will have, and we should treasure that.”

The pen lay on the floor, forgotten. Printed down the side were a faded Union Jack and the words ‘A Present from Historic London’…

Everfree Forest, Castle of Two Sisters

“Dammit!” Trixie…no, Blue Spy again, cursed to herself as she ducked beneath a low branch. “Its’ times like this that I wish I had enough power to Teleport. That trip took too long! Stupid forest, stupid dragon, stupid train, stupid newfoals and stupider baboons!”

Some might have seen this as a nascence of a split personality. Blue Spy was not one of those people.

“Come on, Tr-Uh...I mean Spy, let’s go!” a cheerful voice echoed in front of her, the words touched by a musical tone.

“Shut up!” Spy hissed at the young mare who was leading the way. “Do you want to give us away!?”

“Sorry...”The teen whispered. Spy simply shook her head.

“How much further Sweetie Bell?” she sighed, and the youth paused at the forest around her. Again, some might have observed this and assumed Sweetie Bell was lost: in truth, she was simply assessing which of the several routes available to them best avoided the ‘enthusiastic’ life indigenous to the Everfree. Taking up residence in Zecora’s old hut did that to a filly. It was also why Spy had sought her out to guide her through the forest. Finally, Sweetie pointed ahead of her and slightly to the left.

“That way, and that way alone: veer more than fifty years off that bearing and you’ll find quicksand on one side and manticore territory on the other.”

“Manticores? You’re sending me past their territory!?”

“Well you could try taking the path through the chupacabra burrows, but I wouldn’t recommend it; the manticores are migrating between nests at this time of year, so the various packs are more likely to be paying attention to one another than you.”

With a sharp buck, Sweetie Bell tossed two small phials out of her saddlebag, balancing them on her forehead and snout. Spy’s eyes narrowed, suddenly noticing how much more…well, graceful Sweetie Bell had become since moving into the Forest. Did she always have that leanly muscled, athletic build and…was…was that a machete sticking out of the pack!?

“The pink phial is hydra hormones, highly concentrated” Sweetie said cheerfully. “Spread it on your knife and it should induce fairly quick cardiac arrest in anything you cut it with; useful when fighting off the larger carnivores.”

“What’s the yellow one?” Spy asked, not wanting to know how the clean, fresh-faced, and frighteningly well-prepared young mare had obtained these supplies. She didn’t exactly look feral but…well; she did live in the Everfree, alone…

“Hydra urine…keep it uncorked and the scent will do a better job of deterring anything than trying to fight them.”

Nose wrinkling in disgust but nodding, Spy ignited her horn and made to seize the phials, before Sweetie Bell unexpectedly slapped her across the nose, a move that might have earned her a stiletto in the jugular, were it not for the unexpectedness of it all.

“No! No magic! The parasprites have been reproducing out of control since Celestia took the Crystal Throne, and they’re drawn to strong sources of magic; and where parasprites go, scavengers follow!”

Sweetie shook her head, muttering about ‘moronic townsponies’ and turned to point into the undergrowth.

“Now, after half a mile you’ll hit the old Royal Road; it’s a stream-bed now, which is why almost no-one knows it still exists. Follow it downstream, keep quiet, and don’t make eye contact with anything with scales or feathers, especially if it’s got scales and feathers, and eventually you’ll reach the gorge: the bridge is just up from where the stream pours off. You’ll see the castle on the other side.” Sweetie Bell spouted off.

“Alright…” Spy nodded, before shooting a quick glance at the youth. Despite everything, Sweetie Bell was still a blank-flank; she seriously hoped it was due to Equestria’s spreading sickness, because from how scarily good she was at playing survivalist, the world might be in danger when Sweetie discovered her special talent.

“What about you? Don't you need a guide?” Sweetie asked

“Don't need one; I have a ride waiting for me.” Spy answered, and Sweetie smiled.

"Doctor?"

"Doctor."

“Alright, well, be careful.”

“Thank you Bell…” Spy said curtly, taking two steps forward before pausing and turning, ears flicking as if embarrassed. “Look, it’s going to get tough in Equestria soon. Go to Golden Harvest Ranch; Carrot Top can get you out into New York. You’d be safe there, and Seedling and the Chicken could do from seeing you about.”

“Oh no, I’ll be fine” Sweetie smiled, showing slightly more teeth than might be expected. “Besides, how else would Zecora make all those magical lotions for you, Scoots, Babs and the rest without me gathering supplies from the Everfree? Now vamoose ya varmit!”

With that, Sweetie pulled the machete (yes, it was indeed just that) out of her saddlebag and, with it clenched firmly in her jaws, trotted off into the gloom of the jungle, softly humming a lullaby as she went.

Watching her melt away as if she was part of the Everfree itself, Spy felt a shiver run through her; then she stomped it out with a huff, before smirking.

“Okay, so you’ll be fine. But what about me?” she muttered, carefully treating her blade with the hydra solution as directed, before uncorking the phial of urine; then, with it tucked into an open pocket on her combat harness, she slowly slunk forward into the forest, careful not to make a single sound.

That is not to say that she did not go unnoticed. Just before reaching the old Royal Road she had a run-in with an adolescent manticore, most likely a rogue male which had been driven out of one of the migrating packs. It had been dining on…well, what was once a lost guardspony. A few thrusts of the drugged blade had put it into cardiac shock before it could do any damage to her, and Spy had for good measure run another knife through the venom sacks in its tail, making sure to work the stuff into the blade’s serrated teeth: double protection. She even got a decent, if slightly punctured chest-plate off the dead guard (it momentarily occurred to her that The Great & Powerful Trixie would have most likely run screaming and then become another entrée for the predatory chimera, but that moment passed quite quickly)

Eventually however, she hit the gorge. The Castle was evidently occupied, from the partly-restored structure and the new prison wings built onto it (in concrete, she noted, evidently a concept that Equestria had borrowed off humanity). Traitor’s Walk, the highway that connected the fortress to Ponyville and, thence, Canterlot, followed the gorge out through the forest in the opposite direction, but there was still a bridge, albeit a modern suspension span wrought in steel.

As she approached, the sound of hooves on the deck of the bridge prompted her to sidle into hiding behind a large rock. Two guards trotted past, muttering lowly to one another.

“Did you hear?” the larger of the two said. “The Recovery Fleet’s surge into America was thwarted!”

“No way, those humans don't have the ability to do that!” protested his colleague. “The Great Equestrian-”

“-was destroyed too! Didn’t you read today’s circular? Something halted the barrier in Boston and the Salvation Army was portaged through from Stalliongrad to sweep for the cause of it.”

“What happened?”

“The humans deployed some kind of magical flying-machine and took out the portal station, cutting off the supply-line from Stalliongrad. The troops committed found themselves lured into a sack and were forced to dig in, carrying only the supplies needed for the fast-strike, not an extended campaign. About sixty percent of them have fallen back through the Barrier to Base Shadowfax in Nova Scoltia, but the remainder is still entrenched along the new front.”

“What!? No! You lie! The Salvation Army is nearly a million strong! That means four-hundred THOUSAND ponies are trapped in…that dirty place.”

“Oh, they’ll overwhelm the humans through sheer force of numbers, but after all this, Her Majesty will demand heads roll for this insult. Good riddance too!”

They both spat on the ground in agreement, and Spy rolled her eyes. They weren’t newfoals, just average Pony-Joe guards under the influence of the Geis, but still…who, other than an ideologically-enforced zombie, talked like that? On the other hoof, interesting Intel on Boston; she’d have to pass on the tidbit about Equestrian troop commitments and supply-lines to Cheerilee when she got back.

The two troops were following what appeared to be a predetermined patrol, and keeping well back she followed them, using a featherstep charm to silence her hoofsteps and listening intently; one interesting thing was that, with Equestria itself so remote from the fighting, no-one had seemed to grasp the concept of ‘careless talk costs lives’; even Celestia’s Geis did not stop the two from trading what would otherwise be intelligence gold, only colored their emotional response: they were gleeful at victories, furious at defeats, and rabidly xenophobic and brutal when imagining the fate of humans and ‘traitors’, but never actually questioned the orders that had resulted in such a tactical nightmare. Curious.

As she listened in, she began to assemble a little picture puzzle from what the two were discussing: rumors of humans behind drenched in potion but remaining unchanged, shielded by a new form of heavy armor that also deflected or absorbed all but the most powerful of spells. PHL ponies and UN troops charging through Equestrian lines led by a huge figure wielding a claymore, and aircraft that for the first time showed magical shielding resilient to the tactics that had previously given pegasai control of Earth’s skies. Minor victories and defeats, skirmishes and strikes. Altogether the disparate factlets spoke of two armies suddenly thrown into a new theatre, one where magic was no longer solely on the side of those who walked on hooves.

‘Oh brave new world, that has such creatures in it…’ she marveled, before shaking off the shiver of joy that was running down her spine; here and now, she had to retain a professional cool.

Then however, the conversation took a more disturbing turn.

“But now we’ll strike back!” the two guards agreed, creepily appearing to think in unison, as if telepathically sharing in some grand strategy (was that even possible?). “The monkeys might have stolen themselves some magic, but they can't stand against us all! The Salvation Army has gauged their strength, seen their new tricks, and will soon respond, with fresh troops and supplies!”

Exulting in brutal joy, the guards finally returned to the bridge, their patrol ended. “Even the humans and their savage technology cannot resist the harmonious might of several million ponies! As the Queen has decreed it, so shall it be!”

‘Several, million?’ Spy processed in horror, her heart seizing monetarily. 'Shit on a spit!'

Again she resisted the lure of emotion; now was no time for a panic. Cheerilee and the human generals had committed to fighting in Boston to try and throw Celestia off-balance. A moment’s self-doubt would translate into entire days that Equestrian troops would be held back, giving time for Earth’s United Forces to either fortify Boston or withdraw…but now, it seemed that ‘Dear Sweet Celly’ had pulled several hundred extra divisions out of her flaming asshole, and had such confidence in pony-kind’s martial strength that she was willing to commit them…but where had she gotten such a swell of horsepower from?

‘The newfoals…’ she realized in a flash. ‘She’s got to be weaponizingthe newfoals; reprogramming their base emotional configuration to make them more war-like…there’s practically billions of them to draw on, an infinite well of reserves that she can spend like loose change…cannon fodder!’

Even with all the reservations she had for the newfoals, the disgust they invoked in her, now she just felt saddened and dismayed…troops rushed through basic training in just a few weeks, untested in combat, sent smiling to the front lines…that was just sick.

She shook her head, pushing those depressing thoughts into a mental folder and shutting it away in a filing cabinet deep in the basement of her psyche (it had a sign on it warning ‘beware of the leopard’). Time was increasingly of the essence – she had to move fast.

The guards she had been stalking had now re-entered the castle, leaving a second pair to guard the bridge. Now, how should the Sneaky and Deadly Spy take care of these fools…oh, she really had to stop doing that.

Something clicked in her bag, and she glanced down at the knife she had doused in Manticore venom. She thought back to the dead animal she had left in the forest, no-doubt an outcast that had challenged one of the clan males. Sweetie had said this was their migratory season…

After a moment of thought, a small smile graced her face.

"Perfect."

It took a while; several minutes backtracking, and then the unwelcome task of bottling the dead runt’s urine, and then even more effort to locate one of the migrating Manticore packs. But then, all it had taken was a spritz of musk and…

"HELP!"

The two Earth ponies guarding the bridge jumped at the sounds, and looking towards the bridge over the gorge they saw a green unicorn mare fleeing towards them.

"Halt! Do not- what the buck?!" One guard started, only to trail off in horror as a massive Manticore charged into view, apparently chasing the fleeing mare.

"Ah! It’s going to eat me!" the mare shrieked as she ran across the bridge. The Manticore followed, leaping the gorge with one swoop of its powerful wings. "I don’t want to be an appetizer! Save me!"

“Have no fear mam’, Manticores always turn at the sight of steel!” the larger guard said, hefting his spear, right before she splashed him with a pale yellow liquid. “Wha…what was that?”

“Tag, you’re it!” the mare laughed, before retreating up against the castle door, a twisted grin on her face.

The guards blinked. It would be the last thing they would ever do.

Ponies stationed at the Castle of the Two Sisters were, indeed trained to know that Manticores would flee at the sight of a raised spear. What they were not trained to do was fight off an enraged and very hormonal tom who now thought you were that runt bastard male he had chased off his territory two days ago…

The result was a very bloody and savage evisceration. Spy, protected by a few good splashes of ‘Eau-du-Hyrda-Piss’ watched with a dispassionate curiosity, only blinking when a severed eyeball glanced off her snout. Finally, once she was convinced the two guards were dead, she magically raised his spear and skewered the manticore through the eye. Simples.

Of course, it was impossible for no-one inside the castle to have not overheard the screams, snarls, and assorted interesting sounds a body made when being rent limb-from-limb, but by the time they had raised the portcullis and come rushing out in a futile rescue, all they found was a pair of dead bodies, and a trembling, traumatized guardsmare who had bravely slain the monster that had attacked and murdered their brave friends and colleagues. From the huge dent in her breastplate, it had nearly gotten her as well…

…in the rush to get her into the infirmary, it never occurred to any of the garrison that they had never seen the mare in question before in their lives…

Twenty minutes later, as soon as the medic had gone to report on her condition to the Prison Warden, Spy had abruptly stopped gibbering, sweating and chewing on the blankets, and gotten out of bed. Two more minutes work quickly secured her a full suit of armor from the adjacent locker room, and a quick dash of Changeling magic had reconfigured her appearance into that of a trim young Pegasus guardsmare with a white coat and an elegantly-coiffed mane of purple and lavender curls (it seemed right to pay a little tribute to Sweetie Bell). Now she could walk around quite unmolested, and the helmet let her keep her horn out without having to hide it…

…of course, locating Spike depended on access to someone with knowledge on where he was secured, and for that, the best target was of course the Warden himself. Thankfully, the medic, a unicorn with a propensity for levitating a notepad wherever he went, had left a magical signature a mile-long, one that a skilled sorceress could track with her eyes shut and her ears plugged.

Ten minutes after leaving her bed (quite against Doctor’s orders, but that couldn’t be helped), Spy was in the corridor outside the Warden’s office, standing at attention as if guarding the door (no-one ever paid attention to a guard standing outside a door), putting out a few magical probes to perceive what was going on inside…

“What in the blue blazes is going on Purple Heart!?” a furious voice demanded, loud enough that she hardly needed magic to listen in. “The last I heard, two of my best guards were dead, and another has gone mad!”

“I’m sorry to say that is true. Grave Sight and Drum Green were attacked by a Manticore from the Everfree. I’m not familiar with the mare, probably one of the newfoal recruits, but she acquitted herself marvelously it seems. Still, it seems she wasn’t ready to take a life; even that of an animal’s…she’s showing all the signs of breaking down, like first earlier newfoal recruits did.”

“Crab apples, we were assured the latest conscripts had more spine than that!” the warden cursed, and Spy rolled her eyes in disbelief.

'You know....humans are right...Our curses does sound stupid.'

Suddenly the office door slammed open, and the Warden, a unicorn, stormed out and bellowed down the corridor.

“Focus Ray!” he barked. “Get up here!”

True to form, he paid no attention to the dignified young pegasus mare guarding his door, except perhaps to give her shapely flank a quick glance as he ducked back inside his office. Again, pretty much as she had expected. Despite all of Equestria’s efforts, the majority of ponies were not cut-out for sustained war, and magically trying to compel that just seemed to dim other mental faculties, such as the ability to ask ‘who the buck are you?’

After a few seconds another unicorn, a Lieutenant who was presumably ‘Focus Ray’, rushed up from the lower levels and charged into the office.

“Sir!”

Spy could practically hear him salute.

“I need you to go into Ponyville and report to the barracks that we’re now three bodies short of a full garrison,” the warden ordered. “Also, we’re going to need the legal team round to initiate next-of-kin proceedings for Grave Sight and Drum Green, and a newfoal liaison to drag our third casualty back to sanity.”

“Yes Warden Star!” Focus Ray snapped back, and Spy heard him trot around as if to exit the office.

“Ahem, Focus Ray....” the Warden sighed, as if exasperated. “Your key?”

“Oh! Sorry Sir!” the lieutenant stuttered, and Spy heard something clatter onto the Warden’s desk. She tilted her head quizzically. 'Key?'

Before she could cogitate further however, Focus Ray exited the office, nodding curtly towards her as he went. Well, at least he hadn’t been checking out her…military assets. In fact, from the slightly distracted, narrow-focus aspect, she wouldn’t be surprised if he was a newfoal…

Back inside the office however, she could now hear the Medic, Purple Heart, pacing around curiously.

“Is that…”

“Yes, this is it…” Warden Star answered, a note of smug pride lacing his voice, and Spy ‘felt’ the telepresent twinge of something being levitated. “One of the seven keygems that secure our…honoured guest in his – haha – penthouse suite.”

“A dragon…” Purple Heart marveled. “A real live dragon... It must be quite the responsibility.”

“Yes indeed…I keep my own one of the seven on my person at all times. Here it is…”

Another magical shimmer, and a long pause…

“A maturing dragon at my mercy…buck me Heart, but if that isn’t something…”

Spy resisted the urge to put a hoof through her own forehead. ‘Idiots! If you’re going to brag, at least close the office door! Ray left it standing wide open when he left…who knows what dangerous enemy agents could be standing outside listening in…oh yeah, haha, Me…’

She rolled her neck, feeling a satisfying crack as she loosened her muscles, and then with a magical gesture, grabbed hold of her eavesdropping spell and pulled it inside-out. Now, instead of hearing everything that went on inside the office, she had soundproofed it…

Then, with a quick turn and a kick of the hooves, she entered the office and slammed the door shut behind her. Warden Star and Purple Heart looked at her in surprise.

Fifteen seconds of meticulous (and utterly silent) violence ensued.

‘Two down, five to go…’

It stood to reason that Star would have distributed the seven keys to the highest ranking officers under his command, but to Trixie’s surprise, the prison’s now-sadly-deceased commander had shown a flair of creativity by sharing them out among a random selection of staff members.

Of course, he had then gone and written it all down in the event of him forgetting, though to be fair, he had probably never expected anyone else to have been going through his own personal files, which made for very interesting reading…

Right now, Star was lying on the desk, head impaled through a metal spike on which he had previously skewered paperwork. He looked faintly surprised. Purple Heart, who had not put up a fight, was simply unconscious.

Humming softly Spy flipped open one of her saddlebag’s pockets and dumped every piece of documentation she could find into it, for later analysis. Sparkler Hooves had personally assured her that the enchantment on it rendered the pocket roughly the size of a small cottage. In the event that she was ever on the verge of capture, Spy had considered hiding herself inside it…

But that was not here or now…having sacked the office, she donned the Sweetie-Bell inspired disguise (which she was starting to think of as ‘Guardspony Tulip Bell’, a fresh young Cloudsdale mare who had enlisted with the ‘horn-heads and mud-ponies’ so as to defy her oppressively traditional pegasus family) and checked Star’s list of staff trusted enough to hold onto Spike’s key.

“Okay, so, first we have Quartermaster Vegan Stalks…”

Stalks, it had turned out, was a glorified cook-slash-janitor, and not a very good one; in fact, ‘Tulip’ was not sure if the large black cauldron she had half-drowned him in was meant to be a mop-bucket or tonight’s dinner. Ultimately she had decided it was meant to be a soup of some sort, and turning the heat down to a low simmer, she had pocketed Stalks key and rotated him so that he could breath, with the amazing visual effect that he appeared to be bathing in the goop. Just before he had passed out he had wet himself from terror – she wondered if it would improve the flavor…

Next on her list was ‘Warrant Officer Bright Spark’ – true to his name however he was no fool (or at least, not the garden variety of such), and quickly recognized that Tulip was not on the payroll. She had presented herself as behind a greenhorn fresh off the boat and, instead of batting her eyes, had affected an air of desperately eager professionalism, which seemed to win him over, and before Tulip knew it, he was giving her a guided tour of the staff facilities as he oversaw her induction into the staff. Ah well, so long as it took her to the last three keys…

Sergeant Lucky Card was, it turned out, taking a nap in her bunk when Spark showed Tulip the mares’ barracks. Tulip had quickly produced Spy’s stiletto, and, while Spark was finding an empty bunk for her to take up residence in, slammed it through Card’s skull, killing her instantly, before she pocketed the next key. As they left, Spark waved good-bye to the corpse, not realizing what had happened.

“Card’s an alright sort…” he said softly. “But she has trouble sleeping through to due to stress from the European Front…asked for a backwater posting to get some peace. She’s a bloody hero though, so we tolerate her cat-naps so long as she gets some proper rest…”

Tulip felt a moment’s pang, and wondered if she’d have enjoyed serving under Card. Well, she had given her the peace she wanted…

Spark was nothing if not efficient, and after assigning her a bunk took her straight down to the armory to get her armor properly fitted (“It’s hanging off you like you stole it from someone else!” he had chastised).

Garrison Armorer Cold Steel was working at his forge as they entered. Spark gave him a passing glance, while Tulip simply cast a telekinetic shove, knocking Steel off his hooves and into the forge. Worse than his screams had been the smell…

Feigning shock, Tulip had screamed, and Spark had rushed forward to pull Steel off the gridiron, hollering for water. She obliged, and after dousing Steel had used the empty bucket to brain Spark across the back of his skull, knocking him out. Two more keys acquired cleanly; Spark was simply out cold, and Steel had passed out from shock, his wounds neatly cauterized and sealed by the same heat which had caused them. A quick sanitizing spell ensured he’d not catch an infection…Trixie and Blue Spy did not give a damn, but Tulip could never stand the sight of burnt flesh, not since she was a little filly and her father had scaled himself by accident…

…before she left, she had taken Spark’s advice and fitted herself with properly sized armor. Not only might it come in useful for Spy sometime in the future, but if Guardspony Tulip Bell was going to defy her family by joining the ground-pounders’ armed forces, then she was going to do it with style…

It would be the last name on her list that gave her some trouble. As in find a way to get him away from view, given how he was fluttering about in the sky over the prison’s exercise yard! If only her wings were real, and not just a pair of illusions with all the substance of morning mist.

“Associate Warden Sir Frozen Blades!” she saluted, shouting up to the pale pegasus who held the last key. “I’m Private Tulip Bell, late of Cloudsdale, with an urgent message!”

Blades, a rare member of the Pegasus Aristocracy, touched down and returned the salute. “At ease, daughter of Cloudsdale. What’s the problem?”

“Sir! Warden Star has told me that Queen Celestia is en-route to speak with our…uh…’esteemed guest’…”

Blades’ wings had gone abruptly rigid and his eyes were wide as saucers. “Impossible…any request for access to the dragon would have come through the proper channels!”

His tone turned both suspicious and angry. “What game do you think you’re playing, Private!?”

Tulip had felt tears coming, and struggled hard to hold them back. “Sir…it’s no game…hic-hic-sob. The Warden, Warden said to give you these…”

Carefully, she turned, and with her mouth opened her saddlebag to show the six gems. Blade’s alabaster coat became if anything, even whiter. He believed her now.

“What exactly did Warden Star say?” he hissed, eyes narrowed.

“He said…hic…that Her Highness was coming immediately, that she had a way to…to turn the Dragon to our True Harmony…”

Tulip’s mind settled on that thought, and a comfortably savage glow settled in her stomach, and she grinned toothily, shedding the last tears.

“…she’s going to turn the Dragon on all of Equestria’s enemies! Warden Star wants you to prepare to release our new Knight while he welcomes Her Highness. He says that this night will guarantee victory for Equestria…”

It was all a lie of course that a single dragon could turn the war, but some part of Tulip believed it, so Blades believed it as well.

“This way Private – bring the gems and keep silent!”

Frozen Blades led her down the hall, showing her straight to wherever Spike was located. Tulip was quite pleased with that little accomplishment, as Warden Star had not written down where exactly the drake was contained in the refurbished fortress. She was a little sad though, because she could feel herself slipping away, and Blue Spy coming back to the surface...ah well, no-doubt she’d get to come out and play again soon.

It had been, Tulip decided, a nice birthday…

Blades had been ranting joyously about what horrors would befall all the traitors and monkeys throughout this little persona-transition, and had not noticed the mare beside him gradually shifting her posture and gait; head held higher and prouder, steps more confident and assured, and a small smirk crawling onto her face. Ah well, it would not have done him any good if he had.

Finally, the two of them came to a halt before an unobtrusive door. Blue Spy, now wholly herself again, glanced at it in some disbelief.

“The Mares’ Restroom?”

“Yes…” Blades smirked, opening the door for her. “Rather cunning, isn’t it?”

Spy wondered if he was aware of how somepony had evidently lifted the idea from the Harry Potter novels. How very curious, and human…

With the two of them inside and the door bolted shut, Blades he had triggered a secret trapdoor which opened out and down into the depths of Equus.

“The Dragon Dungeon…” he said with some pride. “Here we keep the most deadly creature ever to threaten pony kind, and soon our greatest weapon!”

Spy gave a grateful nod. “Thank You Sir Blades. Equestria and Earth thank you for your service…”

Blades barely had time to cock an eyebrow before he found himself lifted and thrown through the air. Unable to fly in the confined space he slammed hard into the washroom mirror, shattering it and the sink below as he fell. Groaning he struggled to pick himself up, but with a flick of her horn Spy hurled him into the toilet stalls, before levitated up dozens of sharp shards of glass, wood and porcelain. Frozen barely had time to look up before she brought them down with vicious force.

He didn’t even scream. Somewhere in the back of Spy’s mind however, she could hear newborn Tulip whimpering, and the Great and Powerful Trixie scowling with distaste. Foals, what did they know?

Trotting up to the corpse, her hooves carefully hoofing around spreading blood, Spy found the final key. Pocketing it with its fellows she smiled in triumph, before producing the Nautilus shell Fancy Pants had gifted her back in Canterlot. Time for the Endgame act, and then she’d perhaps be able to rest for a while. Let Trixie run things up front…hearts and hooves but she felt so tired…

“Doctor, are you there?” she hissed into the mouth of the disguised communicator, ignoring the smell of blood that was filling the room.

“I'm here.” Doctor Whooves answered. “You my dear have got to move, our contacts in Ponyville told me that a Lieutenant from the Prison arrived half an hour ago.”

“Hrm, that would be Focus Ray…” she tutted, picking up a shard of glass and checking her mane. Maybe she should cut it short….no, that was Trixie thinking, focus Spy, focus…

“Yes, well Lieutenant Ray is already heading back towards you, and from the look of it, in quite a rush, and he’s bringing reinforcements!”

“Damn...understood. Lock on to my signal then, I will get inside and take care of freeing Spike.”

“You have ten minutes, Spy. Anymore and we will be pushing it.”

“Got it, Blue Spy out,” she signed off, before trotting to the lip of the dungeon. Cautiously, she descended into the bowels of the fortress, and eventually into a vast open space hewn from rough rock…from the look of it she was deep below even the foundations. The viaduct staircase descending into the chamber was old, but the dozens of spears lining the wall, facing in like tank-traps were most certainly new…

…not that they were necessary. The creature chained down in the center of the room was far too big to escape through the tiny staircase…either he was much smaller when he arrived, or teleportation magic was used to transport him into this very…very large cell.

At the sight, Spy’s resolve wavered…

“Oh, Spike,” Trixie whispered.

Spike had grown, drastically. When she had last been in Ponyville (and admittedly, not on good terms with anyone), Trixie had observed a small, foal-sized reptile that was blatantly crushing on the Element of Generosity.

Now…he had grown. More than twice as long as a man was tall, and sheathed in deep purple scales that, although dirty, still reflected the torchlight with a dull luster. From his back swept two muscular wings, these had been savagely pierced to allow for two manacles to clamp around the supporting bones.

Slowly Trixie circled him, coming round towards his face. He lay on his side, fore and hind limbs shackled together, and his neck and tail bound just as tight to the floor. A steel muzzle was riveted around his mouth.

Slowly, she counted; a lock for each wing, two for the paired-off legs, one each for his neck, tail and mouth. Seven locks, seven keys.

It was brutal, painful and humiliating, but it was not the worst of it. Spike had been mutilated; deep scars crisscrossed his face, and the tips of his wings had been nailed to the walls! As a final insult, iron shafts an inch across had been forced THROUGH his hands and feet, rooting him to the ground. Thick, burgundy-colored blood was splattered all over his limbs and the ground, along with far older, crusty, long-dried stuff, and he was covered in a mixture of dirt and his own excrement…

…except for around his eyes, where the filth had been washed clean by tears.

Trixie’s legs suddenly felt as soft as rubber, and she sat with a horrified gasp. Wet tears of her own ran down her face. This was worse than the newfoals, worse than the war. This was a life brutalized and tortured, by Equestria…

Equestria. Loving and tolerant...

Equestria. Peaceful and forgiving…

Equestria no more…

The resolve of Blue Spy was not enough. With her, Tulip, the pegasus workmare, the Canterlot snob and a dozen other personas all grieving inside of her, Trixie sobbed uncontrollably. Crying for Spike, crying for a homeland degraded beyond recognition, for lives lost (how many had she killed and maimed today alone), and crying for her own battle-torn, fractured psyche…

Spike, who it seemed had long ago retreated into some inner mental refuge, did not respond to her howls, except to cry a little harder himself; huge, smoking tears ran down his elegant snout and steamed on the dungeon floor.

Something flitted past Trixie’s vision, something white and dart-shaped. It landed at her hooves; a paper…no, a parchment aeroplane. Senses dull, mind uncomprehending, she unfolded it and read the words scribbled on the surface.

TO ALL GARRISONS. THE BLUE SPY IS IN EQUESTRIA. BE ON ALERT FOR STRANGE OR UNFAMILIAR MARES. IF ENCOUNTERED, DESTROY AT ONCE!

She felt a magical ‘zing’ behind her and instinctively rolled to one side as a massive spear embedded itself in the ground where she had just been sitting. Blue Spy…she HAD to be Blue Spy right now, threw up a shielding spell, and another spear shattered against it.

“Oh great…” she scowled. “The newfoal.”

Lieutenant Focus Ray magically hefted another spear out of the wall and poised with it. Spy strengthened her shield, gazing at him through the translucent field of magical force.

“Attention All Hoofs!” he bellowed aloud, a gem on his armor taking up the shout and amplifying it across the whole castle.“This is Acting Warden Focus Ray! We have been infiltrated by an Earthling spy; all guards are to form on me in the Dragon Dungeon immediately to subdue the race-traitor; all other staff shall prepare to receive reinforcements from the Ponyville Regiment at the Main Gate!”

Orders given, Ray squatted back on his haunches and steadied his position on the stairs, blocking Spy’s only visible path of retreat. To his credit, he did not gloat or brag; but maintained a steely cool quite different to his earlier Newfoalish eagerness. Spy wondered if it was military conditioning, or a trace of his fettered personality shining through.

Ah, it didn’t matter anyway. Dropping her shield for a second, Spy rolled sideways behind the bulk of Spike’s body. Ray, his unicorn magic giving him precision control over his spear, loosed it in a curving arc that bent behind the dragon and impacted into the ground with a solid ‘thunk’…

“Missed-me!” a multitude of voices, all Spy’s, chorused, and Ray blinked as the chamber suddenly filled with no less than a dozen illusionary duplicates of the saboteur; parading in formation around and on top of the comatose dragon. His horn flared with combat-disciplined magic, and a hoof-full of gravel swept off the floor in a wave, dowsing the illusions. A coating of dust would easily show up the real traitor…

…every one of them vanished from sight. Another trick.

Then, from out of the shadows a bolt of magic fired past Ray’s head. The magical blast spattered itself on the roof of the tunnel leading up to the rest of the castle, plasma clicking on the naked rock.

“You missed” Ray said softly, even as he hurled his fresh spear wordlessly towards her location. Pulling a very impressive backflip, Spy launched herself out of the dark and dodged almost certain impalement.

“No, no I didn’t,” she laughed, voice echoing off the worlds. Blinking, and suddenly aware of a sinister sizzling sound, Ray turned to look behind him, and saw that Spy’s burst of magic had in fact been very carefully aimed…

…to ignite the fuses on several orange tubules glued to the arch of the tunnel.

He threw himself down the stairs just as the first detonated, triggering the rest in a sympathetic reaction and collapsing the tunnel. The blast wave picked him up and hurled him down to the floor of the cavern. Recovering in a roll he managed to recover his stance. Then, seizing a pair of spears he held them tight to his barrel and turned, surveying the chamber around him.

He did not notice a lone figure, her coat dimmed to the dusky tones of the cave’s walls and floor, hidden in the patch of flickering shadow between two of the guttering torches. Slowly, keeping her magic dim, she levitated out her two best blades; the stiletto treated with hydra steroids, and the machete impregnated with manticore venom. Her magic tensed, the two knives drew back as if tensed on the strings of an invisible bow, and then, she let them fly!

TWHACK!

The machete, doused in manticore venom, hurled straight into the shaft of one of Ray’s spears: he had thrown it up at the last second. The stiletto however struck his helmet with enough force to knock it off.

“Buck!” Ray hissed, blinking away a rivulet of blood trickling into one of his eyes and using his own magic to arm himself with the machete. As her magic yanked the stiletto back to her, Spy briefly examined the edge of the blade and saw no trace of red – none of the steroid had gotten into his bloodstream!

“SPY!” Ray roared, and this time he did not bother with spears but instead, with the machete hovering beside him, charged straight down the stairs and engaged her in single combat.

“Come on sir, let’s begin!” she smirked, hefting her stiletto as he closed on her, the machete swinging around in a furious arc.

Hoot met hoof. Envenomed blade met steroid-coated blade in a frenzy of steel and violence that would have done Hamlet and Laertes proud. Each swooped and dived the others blows, bucking and punching as the two knives blocked and feinted around them.

Then, Spy spun around in a whirlwind kick she learned from a Castilian acrobat-turned-mercenary and got a solid punch on Ray’s snout. As he staggered, she leapt in, grabbed the stiletto out of the air with her teeth and snapped her head up from left-to-right, driving the tip of the knife into the sensitive tissue exposed around his amour’s foreleg openings.

‘Hamlet, Hamlet, thou art slain…’

Ray shrieked in pain as the blade buried deep in his barrel, and Spy slipped behind him and bucked into his back with all the strength she could muster. There was a sickening snap, and he slumped sideways onto the cobblestones. Weakly he tried to raise himself, only to realize his hind legs were numb. And inside him, he could feel his heart beginning to race…

“How…” he groaned. “How dare you…you smuggle human blades and death-sticks into Equestria! How…the barrier should have, kept us pure…”

Something was tossed in his direction, bouncing off his snout with a dull thump. Opening his eyes he saw another of the little explosive devices that had brought down the tunnel roof – it was a mixture of what looked like wet wood-pulp, stuffed into a hollowed-out carrot.

“Entirely home-grown materials; this little toy was made here, just like me,” he heard Spy say disdainfully, before she slowly trotted back around to his front. “Sawdust soaked with a distillation of pine-oil that’s been processed with aqua fortis, spirit of niter and sodium sulphide. The result, before impregnation into the sawdust, is a substance Equestria has used to color clothing for decades. They call it ‘Yellow Dye #6’, but in your last life, you would have known it as ‘trinitrotoluene’ – TNT. It’s amazing what timid little Carrot Top learned to do with an over-the-counter alchemy set.”

Ray coughed, and rolled the device over with his snout, examining it curiously as sweat beaded on his head and his breathing accelerated. Healing spells and charms on his body and armor were working overtime to purify his bloodstream, but the Hydra steroids were already settling into the tissues of his heart…

“A carrot-stick-of-dynamite. Ha!” he laughed. “Crude, but effective. Monkey-me used to stuff pipe-bombs with this stuff back in the Real IRA…” he gave a horrified little shudder as his heart flailed, and then focused himself again. “What did you use for a firing cap?”

“The core of a retail firework…” Spy said, voice now cold. “When I want a remote detonation, a gemstone enchanted as a Spark Talisman does just as well.”

She was now poised right in front of him, her disguise melting away to reveal a blue mare in a domino mask and a stolen suit of armor. For all the chill of her words, the anger radiating off her was almost blisteringly.

“So,a real IRA?” she seethed. “I learned about you during the European Exodus. Fought alongside some of them, and killed more than a few too. You guys sacrificed lives and love for Irish independence, but now you’re kowtowing to a Monarch that has destroyed Ireland and Britain alike! I might be a traitor to the monster that calls itself Equestria, but I’m still loyal to what it once stood for. You’re a miserable wretch who has abandoned his entire species!”

Ray managed a little laugh, ignoring her as his limbs began to shudder.

“Oh I used to be very good at killing, but I’m all better now; I save lives, and I’m going to save you too, Blue Spy!”

Slowly he dipped his head so that his horn was resting inside the tip of the improvised explosive device, right where the firing cap would go. With a great effort he got his breathing under control, even as his heart continued to thunder away inside him…

“So all I need to do to set this off is…visualize a magical spark?” he said, the honeyed tones in his voice layered with steel.

Spy froze, cursing herself at a foolish error, no-doubt from that egotistical bragard Trixie’s need to gloat. She should have just snapped Ray’s neck and been done with it.

“Sit down,” Ray ordered calmly. “No movements, and no magic, or I’ll blow you to Tartarus, and myself to the Goddess’s loving embrace.”

Caught in a bind, Spy warily sat her plot down. From above could be heard the shouts of frantic labor as the castle’s guards, and no doubt the reinforcements from Ponyville, struggled furiously to clear the tunnel.

“We’re going to talk until they get down here,” Ray said gently, soothingly, as if talking to a foal. “And when they do, you’re going to happily come with us to be made better.”

“I’m fine!” Spy replied haughtily. “It’s you who needs help.”

“No,” he replied simply, with the conviction of a true believer. “I know that’s not true, otherwise how else would I be at peace? Back…back then, I was angry, so angry, and hurting. Driving my rage into bombings and attacks, and then weeping and praying for those innocents I’d killed in the name of Freedom. Just an animal lashing out and then curling up to lick its wounds. Full of doubt, uncertainty, and questions no-one could answer, not even the false god I prayed too. Now, I’m truly me, and I feel none of that pain. Right and wrong are so clear and perfect, and I bask in the love of the One True Goddess every second. I have certainty, purpose, and peace, and I know you do too. After all, it’s in our nature as ponies…”

“You’re nothing of the sort!” Spy snapped, lowering her head to look eye-to-eye with him across the carrot-bomb. “No sentient being lives free of fears, hopes, dreams and doubts, not without some serious brainwashing or sheer self-delusion. You, with you sanctimonious serenity, are just a golem programmed to not question its’ masters, hardcoded to get a positive emotional kick every time you obey unthinkingly. True ponies, true individuals, are free to question their lives, free to fear, free to doubt, and free to find their own purpose.”

“True ponies are gentle, and honest, and sweet…” he said with insufferable kindness. “You’ve just caught a little of the madness that once infected me, but you’ll be alright soon.”

“Um, hello, have you met my alter-ego? She’s called Trixie Lulamoon, lived her entire life in Equestria, and was an insufferable ass long before that Bitch with the large flank fucked reality with her horn!”

“She is a Goddess! She is your Holy Mother!” Ray shrieked, his eyes shrinking to pinpricks, and Spy felt a mental sigh of relief; for a minute his conviction had actually scared her, but seeing his hardwired emotional outburst neatly put a pin in that moment’s doubt. Looking at it from another angle, it was possible to take that as confirmation that she was truly free…after all, when you couldn’t feel the pain, you could only be dead…

…and it made her wonder, just how much else was hard-coded into Ray. Summoning her courage, she rose to her hooves.

“So yeah…I’m just going to stand here and goad you until you take your horn out of that carrot in a moment of impassioned stupidity.”

“Sit down!” Ray shouted, driving his horn almost into the carrot-stick-of-dynamite’s core. “I’m warning you, I’ll destroy us both!”

“No, you won’t” Spy said haughtily. “You’ve decided that I’m worth saving, and I think that means, in the convoluted web of spellcraft that governs your mind, you’re not allowed to kill me. It’s all about the parameters. If I was a human you’d want to ‘potion’ me, or in a pinch, maybe kill me. Pony traitors, fighting against you in a field of combat, might also be valid targets. The Geis you’re bound too under the charter of the guard might be potent enough to override it, if couched in the right words, but that sheet of parchment said to destroy me on sight, yet here we are having a friendly chat. Here, here in perfect Equestria, we’re just two ponies having an argument that will ultimately be solved by the Power of Friendship; or at least, that is what your subconscious is telling you.”

She trotted around him in a circle, eyeing his mangled spine before coming back to his face. “Celly’s a raging hormonal bitch, did that do anything for you? No? Okay, what if I called her a sociopathic, genocidal psychotic dictator, whose actual ability to empathize with her subjects, let alone genuinely care for them, withers more and more every day?”

Ray’s face was twitching, expression fluctuating as if caught in a seizure. It was nothing like when she and Cadence had deprogrammed Green Fields; that had been a pony’s true nature rebelling against a bond that had been placed upon him. This, this was software fighting itself, a decision-making-schematic on the verge of collapsing, even as his body succumbed to the toxins polluting it. She almost expected to see the Blue Screen of Death flash up in his eyes, but his willpower was extraordinary.

“She’s good! She’s PERFECT! She’s loving and SWEET and HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST! GLORIA! GLORIA! GLORIA IN EXCELSIS!”

Focus Ray was frothing at the mouth now, his screams becoming pained howls.

“Laudámus te, benedícimus te, adorámus te, glorificámus te, grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam!”

The babbled words were Latin, a prayer that once he must have learned as a boy attending Mass. Except then, with a manic gleam in his eye, Ray twisted the message on its head.

“Domine CELESTIA, Regina Caelestis! CELESTIA Matris Omnipotens! WE PRAISE THEE, WE BLESS THEE, AND WE GIVE THANKS TO CELESTIA FOR HER GREAT GLORY!!!”

With an agonised scream, he threw himself at her, and the carrot-bomb went flying. Armoured hooves thrown forward, Ray drove them into her neck with larynx-crushing force...

...and went straight through her.

As the illusionary mare dissipated, Spy, the real Spy, caught the hurled bomb with her magic and stepped out from the shadows. Ray meanwhile, landed hard, the impact folding his body weight up and around, shattering what might have remained of his spine. Screaming and howling like a broken beast his hooves pawing at the ground as if feeling for the stick of dynamite.

“Where is it?Where is it?!...mother, I’ve failed you...Mother, MOTHER!”

The pain in the words was heart-wrenchingly real, and Spy wondered if it was a scream from the golem that thought it was a pony, or the horror of a man pleading for deliverance from the nightmare he was living. She shivered in horror...

...and Trixie took over. Trixie who, for all her faults, was indeed a good soul at heart, but who still had only the most basic idea of how to support and comfort someone. Slowly she knelt by Ray and stroked his mane, a simple and almost worthless gesture; just like the one she had offered Green Fields.

‘Stoppit Lulamoon!’ Spy hissed sibilant. ‘He’s dying anyway; what good does comforting him do?’

‘We could help him,’ Tulip suggested. ‘Take him back to New York, keep him alive; fix him, like you fixed Green Fields.’

‘That was a pony! This is an animal that only loves the Tyrant that forced it into life, let it inhabit someone’s transfigured corpse!’

‘He’s human inside!’

‘He’s an ensorcelled shocktrooper, all the way down! If he had children as a man, he’d give them over to be ponyfied, with a smile! And what would he do to us if he could?’

‘You don’t know…’

‘I know, Guardspony Bell! You’re not a day old, even if you have our memories! I’ve fought him, and creatures just like him! They have no compassion for humanity, or its allies! They would feed Stephan that purple potion, disfigure him, and then order him to kill us, and he would do it, because he’d just be another one of THEM! Another smiling, happy, xenophobic ZOMBIE!’

Tulip sobbed softly as Spy directed the full force of her ‘thoughts’ back at Trixie.

‘Snap his neck. trample on it and put the beast out of its misery. Do it now, do it now!’

“No…” Trixie answered, levitating a small stone out of her saddlebag. “I won’t be like them…I’ll give him mercy if I can. If he’s going to die, then I’ll comfort him; but if he can be saved, if just one of them can be saved, then I’ll move Equus and Earth to do it!”

The stone was a bezoar, a gall-stone taken from a Chinese ox, treated by Zecora to bring out its ancient alchemical properties; the ability to nullify all poisons and toxins. She hoped it would work on the hormonal excretions of mythological creatures as well.

…she noticed something, she felt... a prick no worse than a bee sting… slowly she looked down, and saw Ray, eyes crazed and wide with his veins pulsing with every heartbeat, had taken up her machete with his faltering magic, and slowly pressed its tip into her chest.

‘I am dead, Horatio…’

Ray’s body was on the verge of death, his magic so weak that he’d only been able to get a half-inch of the knife into her chest, and yet, that was enough…the machete was doused with Hydra venom; she had seen to that herself.

‘See! You’re an idiot!’Spy seethed, and taking momentary control she lashed out with her free hoof and crushed Ray’s horn into a mess of shattered cartilage and alicornial tissue. The pain must have been blinding, and his screams once again jolted Trixie back into control, even as she felt the cold death of the venom spreading through her…

The bezoar had fallen on the floor. She tried to pick it up with her magic, but the venom was already affecting her nervous system, and her horn could only spark feebly. Beside her Ray had gone into convulsions as the steroids finally accelerated his heart to bursting point; Limbs heavy, Trixie bent down and picked up the magical purative with her teeth…

‘Swallow! Quickly!’Spy shrieked.‘If you die all of us in here check out with you! What about Steph-No! What are you doing!’

Ignoring her, Trixie had dropped the bezoar into Ray’s mouth and slumped forward so that her hooves rested around his mouth, forcing his jaws shut and prompting him to swallow…

…he gave a shuddering lurch, and then relaxed, eyes still wide and rolling, but limbs still…it had worked.

‘You foal! You should have taken it yourself! Now we’re all going to die here because of you!’

‘Oh shut up!’ Tulip snapped back. ‘Help’s coming for us, and they’ll be bringing medics to help Spike! Trixie’s a good and honest pony, and she’s going to be just fine!’

“You’re going to get better, Lieutenant…” Trixie said, the words hesitant. “There’s good ponies, good people who’ll mend your back, and free your soul…”

The sounds of the tunnel being cleared were coming closer. A particularly large boulder tumbled down the staircase, and a pinprick beam of light shone in from above.

“You’ll never escape…” Ray chuckled brokenly. “We’ll win…we always win, because She wills it so…”

Trixie shook her head, a wry smile playing on her lips as she felt an unseen force ripple through the cave.

“No…we’re leaving here, right now.”

A sudden sizzling sound filled the room, and she looked up just a glowing column of energy zapped down from the ceiling, quickly coalescing into a freestanding metal structure, an old New York City phone booth Dinky Whooves had scavenged out of a junkyard. Other than an illuminated panel across the door-jamb declaring ‘Phone’, the only markings it bore was the graffitied assertion that ‘Wyld Stallyns R Xellent!’ As Trixie sighed in relief, the phone booth’s shutter-doors banged open, releasing a large quantity of smoke and an Earth Pony stallion.

“Well, not quite the perfect maiden flight for the new TARDIS, but reasonable enough. The new girl’s breaking in quite well. Oh, hello Trixie, Spy not at the wheel right now?” said Doctor Whooves, an easy-going smirk tugging at his lips.

Then his eyes slid to the broken creature in Trixie’s forelegs, and the immense, brutalized dragon looming behind them.

“Gallopfrey and Zarquon! My poor boy, what have they done to you?” he hissed, before spinning his head around and shouting into the phone-booth. “Redheart, Tenderheart, Med-Team, QUICK!”

Shapes, comfortingly familiar ponies poured out of the doors, and Trixie sighed in relief, allowing herself to rest. Somepony rushed up to her, and she managed to gasp out the word ‘poison’. Another bezoar was forced down her throat, and instantly she felt her magic flare to life and the creeping numbness dissipate from her limbs. Take THAT Blue Spy...

Ray was still fighting weakly in her grasp, and as she tried to pull him into a recovery position she saw his eyes alight on Doctor Whooves.

“Time Turner…Most Wanted Stallion Number One!” he said mechanically, and Trixie had no time to react before he bucked her off.

‘And now Lulamoon?Will you let mego?’

‘…yes.’

“Doctor!” Spy shouted as she rolled into a battle stance. “Retreat, now!”

Too late. Despite his shattered horn, Ray’s magic, strengthened by his will and burning bright enough to blind, seized hold of one of the spears embedded in the wall and hurled it straight through the tawny stallion’s shoulder. Ponyville’s lord of all things timey-wimey fell to the ground, eyes staring in disbelief at the shaft piercing him.

“Oh my…” he said, and the shock hit him hard enough to knock him out before he could even scream.

“Hey! Arsehole…” Spy shouted before anyone else could be skewered, pulling a new disguise on, one that would almost certainly grab Ray’s attention; her mane trimmed itself and her build slimmed, as her palette shifted to two-tone green…

“…eyes on me!” ‘Lyra Heartstrings’ finished defiantly, parading herself in a charcoal stab-vest, the PHL crest proudly printed on one sleeve and a golden harp resplendent on her flank. “I’m the one you want!”

Like a moth to a flame, Ray’s maddened focus slid straight to her, as did his attacks. ‘Lyra’ glanced sideways and saw that trusty, sturdy Sparkler Whooves had sprinted out of the TARDIS and thrown her own magical shield up, protecting Spike and everyone around him in an amethyst skein of magic. She felt a fond smile tug at her lips, and then she was jumping, dodging and flipping as Ray hurled spear after spear in her direction, plasma arcing from his ruined horn and stirring up a storm of wild magic; rocks, gravel, stalactites and anything else lying around getting sucked into his whirlwind of death.

“We are kin!” Ray roared, his voice laced with authority, assertion, and more of that same smug, unwavering sense of righteousness. “We are Ponies! We shouldn't be fighting one another! We should be fighting the humans!”

“WE ARE NOTHING ALIKE!” ‘Lyra’ screamed, her horn blazing with rage. “YOU SPEAK AS IF YOU’VE BEEN A PONY ALL YOUR LIFE! YOU ARE JUST ONE BROKEN SOUL AMONGTHE MILLIONS THAT WERE CONVERTED! THE GRIFFONS ARE MORE KIN TO ME THAN YOU ARE!”

“So be it!” Ray screamed.

‘Oh Shit’, ‘Lyra’, Spy, Trixie and Tulip thought as one, as with a blaze of magical strength, Ray’s focused magic summoned every spear in the room, and assimilated them into a single colossal weapon.

“DIE AND EMBRACE TARTARUS, RACE TRAITOR!”

The mega-spear fired forward, driven at the back by a magical impeller not so different to a rocket. ‘Lyra’ felt time slow down as it thundered towards her eyes…

‘Bon-Bon…’ she thought, an alien affection invading her mind, prompting a reflex transformation…

“Stephan…” Trixie whispered, ears drooping as she embraced her death…

Then something huge, scaly, and purple filled her vision, and she blinked…time smashed back into normal speed, and the air was filled with a bellowing, animalistic roar…and raining fragments of wood, all the size of a splinter.

Trixie swallowed, and trotted back two paces, before falling on her butt. Spike, who until this point had done nothing but silently cry, had ripped his hands and feet free from the nails anchoring him to the floor, stretched his restraints to their utmost give, and thrown himself into the path of the spear…

…which had shattered into splinters on impact with his draconic hide.

There was a long moment where all Trixie could do was breathe, but then someone was shaking her, asking her to break the magical locks still manacling Spike’s limbs and extremities. She had wordlessly levitated the gems out of her saddlebag, and within a minute chains and locks began to fall to the ground. Where magic did not work, oxy-acetylene cutting torches did.

Finally she looked around. Two medi-ponies were dragging Doctor Whooves (bleeding and unconscious, but still alive) into the TARDIS, while Spike simply lay limp on his side, chest heaving. Beyond, past him, she could hear Focus Ray wailing in despair.

Slowly, she trotted around to Spike’s far side. Ray, tears pouring down his face and horn sparking, was desperately trying to grab hold of the particles of wood and metal that lay everywhere, trying to form some weapon, to carry out his programming. It was not funny, nor was it sad.

It was downright heartbreaking. Unseen, unnoticed by the maddened stallion who was once a terrorist, Trixie came beside him and cast a sleeping spell. His mutterings and cries broke off mid-sentence, and he fell peacefully to the ground. In the back of her mind, Blue Spy still screamed for her to stamp on his neck and give him true peace, but Trixie ignored her. She was tired of listening to Spy’s rage and pain, and for a moment, just wanted to care…without anypony getting hurt this time.

“Your fight is over, rest now. I don’t know how long it will take, but we will help you. You, and everypony…everyone…that this war has touched.”

She bit back tears. Maybe, at the end of it all, she could get some help for herself. What was happening to her?

Composing herself, but keeping Spy firmly under wraps, she turned and looked towards Spike. The med team was working on him, pony medics trying to stem blood flowing from reopened wounds, injecting antibiotics through needles designed to tranquilize full-grown elephants. Another team, unicorn technicians mostly, were jacking his limbs up with a portable car-lift, so as to slide him onto a wheeled flatbed trolley, while Redheart and Tenderheart were gathered around his face, gently trying to rouse him.

“Spike!...Spike dear...Open your ey-” Redheart started, before crying out when she saw he was nearly missing an eye. “Please Spike, wake up.”

The mighty being twitched at the voices, groaning as his single good eye opened, its coloration a brilliant emerald green that glowed deep with inner fire. “Re...Red Heart?”

As he focused on the mare standing before him, he looked away, trying to flee but too weak to do so, he was still resisting against whatever tried to break him. “N-no...Leave me alone....I will never....join Celestia’s....armies...”

“Spike?” a new, familiar voice called, and Derpy Whooves glided out of the TARDIS’s doors, backlit like an angel, and touched down gently next to him, her expression the definition of kindness and gentility.

“Derpy?” the distraught Redheart pressed. “What about your husband? He’s hurt, he needs you.”

“The Doctor will be fine Reddy,” Derpy said softly. “He’s survived worse than a spear through the leg; much worse…”

Then the grey mare walked up to Spike and embraced his snout, googley gold eyes peering into emerald green. “It’s really us Spikey. Remember me? Derpy? You know my whole family; Sparkler used to give you leftover gems from her business?”

“Illusions...”He whispered, his eye closing once more. “Nothing more...”

“Hmph!” Trixie forced her way forward, her horn glowing to rip off her domino mask and hairtie, allowing her powder-blue mane to fall around her face in a silvery waterfall. “I am hardly an illusion, ‘Number One Assistant’. Tell me, is the Great and Powerful Trixie a mare so weak-willed as to fall prey to Celly’s feeble magicks!”

“Wha-what?” His eye opened wide. “Tr...Trixie?”

Then, softly, he chuckled. “Oh you’re real…no-one else could imitate that blowhard ego…oh heavens…it was all real…”

His immense chest heaved in a sulphurous covered sob, and several of the ponies embraced his huge snout, stroking and comforting as he was finally hoisted onto the gurney and rolled slowly towards the open doors of the TARDIS.

“It’s us Spike....all of us, it’s really us.” Redheart cried, tears of joy falling from her eyes. “We’ve been searching for you for these past three years...we’re so sorry...”

“Spike,” Derpy said softly. “What happened to bring you here? Was it Twilight who sealed you away, or Rarity? We thought at first one of them was protecting you, but then Trixie learned of you and Rarity’s attempted escape.”

Spike snorted, then gave a painful laugh. “Rarity…Twilight. The both of them were so good, all of them were so good; before Celestia took them ‘into her confidence’. I should have seen it coming with Twilight, but when Rarity was taken, I knew…”

Confusion was worn on all the faces of the ponies in the room. “What...What do you mean?”

“Rarity fought tooth and nail to escape Equestria, plotted and schemed and traded away everything she had to protect me. Sent Sweetie-Belle into hiding and wiped her own memories so that she could never betray her little sister. On the boat, when they came for us, she promised me that they’d never change her heart…but then, they brought her to visit me here…brought the THING they’d made of her, and all the Elements of Harmony. They saw me hear, heard my cries, and laughed…Fluttershy threw me crumbs of bread while tittering at how ‘spunky’ I was…they weren’t my…family, they were perversions, victims that had been…” he shuddered, fresh tears flowing. “…violated…”

“What happened Spike?” Trixie demanded. “What was done to them?”

He couldn’t answer. Instead, his huge muscles heaved and he began to shake violently, whistling jets of flame venting through his teeth and nostrils.

“He’s going into Hypovolemic shock!” Tender Heart shouted. “He’s too weak to contain his inner fire! Derpy, we need to get him into surgery within minutes! Now!”

“Double time everyone!” Trixie shouted, hustling them forward as ponies and humans alike wrestled Spike’s immense bulk through the phone booth’s doors. As they did however, a deep resounding gong resounded from the depths of the arcane time-machine.

“That’s the Cloister Bell!” Derpy shouted. “Something’s resonating with the TARDIS’ power supply, the Eye of Harmony!”

“What does that mean?” Trixie answered, shouting to be heard over the resounding booms of the Cloister Bell.

“It’s like a Master Alarm, warning that something BIG is happening, or coming!”

At that moment, the debris blocking the tunnel to the surface exploded downwards, obliterated by the force of an immense fiery bird of fire, a Phoenix in flight.

“Philomena!” Spike shuddered through his spasms. “That’s it…the herald before the storm. CELESTIA IS COMING!”

Troops were pouring in now, and several trained PHL members answered in force, covering everyone’s retreat with their modified saddle weapons. A well-placed flash-bang brought down Philomena, just as Redheart and Tenderheart forced Spike’s serpentine tail through the doors of the TARDIS.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Trixie shouted, urging that everyone fall back. Then, her eyes alit on Focus Ray, unconscious and broken in the corner…

…she did it without thinking, throwing herself forward and triggering another disguise, one that was fresh and young and full of courageous defiance.

In just two steps, Trixie Lulamoon gave way to Tulip Bell, who spread her wings and flew.

Ponies, both PHL and Royal Guards alike, moved out of the way as she swooped, rolled, pirouetting around spell-fire and hurled projectiles, scattering carrot-bombs from her saddlebags and impaling them into the walls. Then, suddenly, she rebounded with all four hooves off the ceiling, dived hard onto Ray, and pulled up at the last second, hooking him underarm and soaring like a bolt into the TARDIS…

…and as everyone knew, was much larger on the inside, large enough to hold a dragon, Trixie, Focus Ray, seven medic-ponies, several PHL soldiers, and the extended Whooves clan. Time Turner. The Doctor, was lying sedated on a gurney, while his and Derpy’s two bright-minded daughters were gathered around the central control panel, above which an immense hourglass was tumbling end-over-end in a vertical glass column. Dinky quickly calling out for Pipsqueak from the new armory to help them set up.

“Launch it Muffins!” Derpy shouted, slamming the door shut behind the last pony in and throwing her weight against them to hold them shut. “Launch now!”

Bright-eyed Sparkler nodded and danced her hooves over the control panel, while tiny Dinky and her coltfriend Pipsqueak shouted out pertinent data from their own side of the column.

“Time Circuits on! Status Dinks?”

“1.21 Gigthaums of power flowing from the Eye of Harmony.”

“Time-tunnel opening, we’re right on the vortex!”

“RTTP set and locked!”

“Tachyons and Minovsky Particles fluxing!”

“Red Mercury flowing! Capacitors primed!”

“Timeframe locked. Pip, set vanes for thirty-degree slide bubble!”

“Vanes set, approaching Infinite Improbability!”

“Hourglass revolutions accelerating to 88 revs per second!”

“Spin-point achieved, hold it there Sparky!”

“Schwarzschild Radius contracting; we have a singularity, go-go-go!”

“Vee-One! Rotate!”

The three youths threw their combined weight onto the main lever, the spinning hourglass roared into an omniscient blur, and the entire cabin lurched as space bent according to the Brown-Schaeffer-Cooper-Hofstadter principle of Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.

The sound the time-machine made was biblical, the sound of the universe itself. Tulip (-no-Trixe-no-Spy-no-Lyra!) could only compare it to a million voices trying to hum an entire rock symphony aloud as she sat in stunned silence on the floor, slowly flexing her wings. She had flown…these were real wings, with feathers and muscles and an urge to preen kicking in, not just an illusion. What was she becoming?

Around them the TARDIS thundered, rocked and screamed, until, with abrupt silence, the engines halted, the doors slid open, and they poured out into what had once been a hangar at JFK airport.

The backwashing energy from dimensional transition must have broken through the sedation spell Trixie had cast on Focus Ray, because his eyes slowly flitted open in time to the doors, laying the first glimpse on the world that had once been his home.

It would be his last sight, as the second he saw paramedics running in to stabilize Spike and the Doctor, his eyes narrowed and he bared his teeth in a feral snarl.

“DESTROY AND CONVERT ALL HUMANS!”

The words had no sooner left his lips, before Blue Spy drove her stiletto into his neck, and with one single, merciful stab divided his spinal cord in two. He died instantly.

“He couldn’t be saved Trixie”, she said softly. “Not easily at least, not without too much effort that would divert our attention from winning this war. If we’re going to save the rest of them, we can’t get distracted along the way…”

Trixie and Tulip were silent, too exhausted and stunned to argue.

Levitating Focus Ray’s body beside her, and with activity flurrying all around her, she slowly trotted out into the grey, drizzly light of a New York morning.

They were home.

Most Excellent.

From the perspective of the guardsponies in the cave, all that happened was that, with a strange grinding noise that suggested urgent need of oil, the TARDIS had faded out of view.

Ten seconds later, they all bent their heads in supplication as the Solar Sovereign teleported into their midst, eyes narrowed on the slightly smoking spot that the time machine had just launched from

“Doctor...” She hissed in anger, ready to storm out when one of the guards called to her.

“My Queen, they left a note.”

She cocked an eye, then delicately lifted the roll of parchment from the floor and broke the seal. Focused on the message inside, she did not notice a small gem roll out from the tube of paper and land on the floor, beeping quietly.

To Fat Flank Bitch

Have a nice Day.

With Love,

Blue Spy, and the Ponies for Human Life

P.S.

3....2....1

The Mare who would be Queen opened her mouth, but got no further, as all the carrot-bombs Tulip had scattered detonated simultaneously, and she and every guard in the chamber found themselves in the middle of an explosion.

No one could have known that the Dragon Dungeon (which had been opened out from a natural cave) actually bisected a small fault-line. Plate Tectonics were a relatively unknown science on Equestria (even on Earth only being taken seriously in the mid-to-late twentieth century), and so no-one had known this when the castle was built above centuries ago.

Now, lubricated by the shockwaves of the explosion, the fault shifted, hit a momentary resistance caused by the castle’s foundations, and then sheared parallel to them…

With slow, unstoppable force, the ground cracked along the front of the Castle of the Two Sisters, then the promontory crumbled and slid off into the bottom of the gorge, the bridge that connected it to Traitor’s Walk fluttering down after it. Only the prison itself was left, perched precariously on the edge of the new cliff-face. Ponies standing on the battlements gaped in disbelief, and then roared in jubilation as a blazing fireball erupted from the steaming ruin.

Queen Celestia ascended, seemingly carrying aloft on the cheers of her subjects (strangely, no-one seemed too concerned about the several dozen guards lying crushed and shattered in the imploded cave). Her face was bloody and her wings were bent at odd angles, but otherwise she appeared unharmed as she landed gracefully and walked among her subjects, passing out a cursory nuzzle or word of kindness...

Physically, she was fine.

Her pride on the other hoof had taken a severe beating with everything that has happen so far, and mentally she let out a scream of frustration that carried far and wide, until it finally reached Canterlot, where it re-vibrated through the petrified and ossified neural pathways of the statue that had once been Princess Luna.

“This is not over!”

The statue could not smile. But if it could, it would have.

John F Kennedy Airport, NYC; Emergency Medical Facility

“Several life threatening injuries.” Tender Heart relayed to the attending surgeons, almost unable to handle what happen to the once cute dragon; adorable in his youth, now older and half dead. “We need to stabilize him, and then operate to expose his plasma-gullet and control the Flame within!”

The human doctor quickly cut away hastily applied field dressings, and swore in disgust.

“My God! There’s a hole through his entire claw!”

“Same here.”

“Same on the feet. What the hell?! Did they crucify him or something?”

“We’ll need fire-retardants to control his Flame; borates, hydroxides, polymer gels – someone find all the chemical fire extinguishers; there must be some over in the fuel depot!”

“Got same signs of rotting on his waist, neck, and tail area.”

“He is already in the first stage of Coagulative Necrosis, we need to cut away all the dead flesh, someone get me a scalpel- scratch that, give me the powersaw with runes inscribed on the blade.”

“Doctor, he lost a lot of blood, he is not going to make it through the surgery if we don't get him some replenishing potions from Zecora's wares.”

“Shit. Derpy – your husband’s stable, but outta it, so please get the TARDIS over to Boston and drag Zecora’s striped butt over here, pronto!”

“Gotcha, come on girls, Pip!”

“Allon-sy Ms Derpy!”

No expense or consideration had been spared in preparing for Spike’s rescue. With air traffic all grounded due to the dangers of pegasus attacks on airliners, many of America’s larger airports had been transformed into emergency facilities. JFK, with its huge hangers and cavernous terminal buildings, had become one of the largest field hospitals in existence, a necessity considering the millions fleeing ahead of the barrier every day. Grounded jets became bunkrooms, runways parade grounds for assembling vast amounts of military hardware.

Despite all of that, it had been possible to reserve an entire hanger for the care and accommodation of what many hoped would be a trump-card for the United Forces; a living, fire-breathing dragon.

From high above, in what had once been a maintenance office, ‘Lyra’ watched down as Spike was wheeled into a pre-prepared mega-scale medical facility; vets, doctors, and pony mages all working together to stabilize the enervated drake. It was heartening, and inspiring, and completely failed to reach her.

Quietly, she focused, feeling the tingle of magic, spread a pair of graceful wings as her horn withered away into her skull. Yet she could still feel her magic, waiting until it could be used. Then, just as slowly, she retracted the wings and felt her body grow a little stockier and stronger, limbs toughened with Earth Pony grit and muscle. Finally, with another thought, she flowed back to being a dusky blue unicorn, the Once and Former Trixie.

She shook a little on her hooves, and began to weep, memories of several missions tangling up. But dominant were the faces of Spike, Green Fields, and Focus Ray, all of them in pain; some of it, a lot of it; pain of her own making.

At the back of her consciousness, Blue Spy sneered.

In the past few weeks, ever since Chrysalis had died, leaving her training in Changeling magic unfinished, Trixie had feared she was losing her mind. She had long ‘compartmentalized’, envisioning Blue Spy as somepony tougher and stronger than little Trixie Lulamoon, but now her disguises were taking on actual personas, with fake memories and emotions of their own. It scared her.

And now she was losing control of her body too…

“Trixie?” a deep voice called to her, and she looked up to see her partner, her caretaker, her love. “Is something wrong?”

“I...I don't know Stephan...” She whispered, tears falling down her face. “I don't know....I...tortured before...heard their screams, but didn't think of it...but...but seeing Spike...seeing him like the way we found him.”

The human kneeled down and holds her chin between two fingers to make her look at him and took out a handkerchief to clean her cheeks.

“It’s different when you know them, right?” he asked softly.

Trixie closed her eyes and nod weakly. “Y-yes...”

“You’re a compassionate mare Trixie; I’d expect nothing else.”

She gasped as strong arms took her in a hug and she felt her face press against his warm chest. She breathed slowly, listening to his heartbeat.

“In fact I’m glad you’re this torn up,” he whispered.

She looked up with confused eyes. “Why? Why are you glad that I’m crying?”

He smiled at her. It was that kind of smile he used to make her feel warm in her chest. “Because that means you’re still Trixie, the mare I love, and not just a cold, ruthless assassin.”

She shook her head. “You, don’t know half of it...”

Gently she pushed at his chest, and he set her down.

“I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of, always for a good cause…but I think it’s…it’s damaged me…”

She closed her eyes and flipped a switch in her mind, letting Tulip out to play. Stephen watched on in pride as her mane, coat and eyes shifted, and a pair of wings spread…

But when ‘Tulip’ took off and, hovering, bopped him playfully on the nose, he fell back in shock.

“Hi there sir; I’m Tulip Bell, and it’s an honor to meet the man of Spy and Trixie’s dreams!”

“Trix-Trixie…”

“Not quite, but I can get her for you…”

Touching down, Tulip’s form and mind slid smoothly, transitioning in just a moment from a cheerful, brave and sometimes dangerous pegasus youth to a weeping, stumbling unicorn mare.

“How…how can I be your Trixie, when I’m not anymore…there’s so many of them in my head, like parts of me branching off…I don’t know how Chrysalis could hold onto herself through it…”

“Mein Liebe…my love” he said quietly, and she looked up. Sitting cross legged Stephen opened his arms, and without hesitation she flew into his embrace.

“You are afraid you are losing your identity. I don’t know magic, but I do know a little about post-battle stress, and I know you can hold onto yourself.”

She looked up at him. Again she felt his strong hands resting on her coat and she pressed a little tighter. “How?”

“You can because you are a strong mare. You can do it because you know who you are, and you know right from wrong. All those times you’ve kept yourself in check, kept ‘Blue Spy’ in check show that you’re stronger than her. And because...”

Holding her close he rested their foreheads together, before giving her a quick peck on the tip of her snout. “...because you know that I’m always there for you when you need someone. Just like how you were there for me in the beginning, helping me in my time of crisis.”

She blushed a bit and nuzzled his neck. “Thank you.”

Pressed to him she could feel his calm but strong heart. It was calming her own, soothing its anguish until they seemed to beat in sync. He always had that effect... she don’t know how to describe it. But she just wanted to be with him the entire time. Like this in his arms and her head on his warm chest.

Maybe, someday, she could take this transformational magic to the point where she could stand on two feet beside him, and hold his hand with her own…yes, that would be perfect.

“I have to go soon”, he said gently. “A lot happened while you are away and I have to assist Cheerilee in planning the next stage

Trixie nodded and smiled at him. “Yes. Okay. I will do what I can too. But please, can we just stay like this for a little longer.”

“But of course, mein liebe…”

She smiled, and suddenly understood how Chrysalis and her brood might have held onto their minds. Love…given, taken or stolen, directed at another or selfishly focused on oneself, love was a powerful force…

And right now, she felt like the strongest mare in the world.

‘For love…for our loves, we will do anything’, her disparate personalities agreed.

Hidden Truths

Written by:

TB3

Redskin122004

Guest Writer:

Proudtobe

Editor:

DrawDex

All war is deception.

―Sun Tzu

He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.

―Albert Einstein

"MOVE!"

“WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!” The building was shifted dangerously to a side, the two men ran as fast as they could. Anywhere was a better place to be.

“GET DOWN!!”

“MOVE, DOWN THE STAIRS, DOWN THE STAIRS!” They noticed that the stairs were cracked dangerously as they descended, some steps even made the cracks that they so desperately avoided, any step could be their last.

Salvation in front of them, in the form of a wooden door. The one with heavy armor ran to the door and tackled it with his shoulder.

“THE STUPID DOOR WON'T BUDGE!!”

He tackled a busted solid *metal** door.*

“DON’T YOU HAVE SOMETHING LEFT!!!” Yelled the man with light armor.

“I’M ALL OUT!!!” Yelled back the one banging the door.

"التحرك وتا الطريق!!" A yell came from behind them, only the one of the two screaming men not occupied was able to turn. A man with a huge rock over his head moved towards them.

“HOLY FUCK, WHO’S THAT?!!!!” As if to answer him, the man threw the immense rock over them into the door. It banged the door, breaking it easily.

“THE DOOR'S OPEN, MOVE MOVE!!!!”

“قد علاء حماية روحي الخال!”

The explosion resounded throughout the city, both men were barely able to move out of the doorway, the blast of fire and force rushing through the windows causing cracks to form on the walls.

"Damn... poor scary bastard." The light armored man grumbled as he dusted himself off.

The other coughed, clearing his lungs of dust. " That man just sacrifice his life for us."

"He could’ve just run with us out but *no*, he needed to go all hero.” The other spat, looking back up at the flaming room they just vacated "I think he thought we were just tag alongs in his quest for Heaven's holy wrath, you know, when he was screaming allah, I heared that one clearly."

"I believe that was the warning." The heavy armored said dryly, standing and stretching his legs.

"Some warning."

With their bodies in one piece and their lungs full of dust, the two men moved into the nearest place they could think to be safe. They were sure that a large ground force would be making its way towards them, so the smart thing was to hide in a building and watch the events unfold before them. Until they could leave.

The building was easy to ascend, their eyes kept looking down to check for cracks, they arrived at the second floor breathing heavily. Noticing a amateurly barricaded window with one slap open for vision, both men moved towards it.

“Renee, status.” Said the man of armor as he made sure there was no rupture in between his articulations.

“I’ll be fine, are you checking to see if there’s anything between your plates Stephan?” Renee replied as he checked his back and legs runes.

“I’m already on it.” Said Stephan, checking if anything he was carrying before had in some moment dropped.

There was a low hum in the air.

Both Renee and Stephan froze in place.

The hum became louder, making it easy to tell that it wasn’t a hum.

That was flapping.

Like a cloud the street was covered in a layer of shadow, the sound went into a creciendo as the flapping became easily noticeable now. Both Stephan and Renee slowly moved their heads down to have an angle to confirm their hypothesis’.

A damn ‘flight pack’. They were usually a prelude to a large group of ground troops.

The couple dozen of pegasi moved in a swarm like way, it was wondrous how they didn’t crash against each other. Renee peeked out into an upper angle to see where they were heading, some of them were checking the building they had the pleasure of not being in.

The ground shook slightly as the rest of new foals arrived. The large amount of ponies sicken Renee greatly, at least a dozen of them had no armor whatsoever, meaning they were human just a few short hours ago.

Looking closely to the left side of his vision Renee saw what seemed to be a tank, M1A3 Abrams model, driving towards the inside of the city. Some soldiers on the manning machines on top, there was one in particular that had his- correction her long hair flapping in the wind. The sordenong sound stopped for a second.

This became the horde's target. Almost as one, they turn and rushed at the single tank, smiling faces and sounds of multiple voices echoing out false promises of freedom and adoration from an insane leader.

Their answer came in the form of a fifty caliber round tearing through their ranks, the female soldier's heavy machine gun roaring out quickly.

The tank fired rounds at the approaching horde. The woman manning the machine unleashed death in droves, but did nothing to deter the zealots in their quest. The female soldier swore loudly before ducking back into the tank as horde of new foals swarmed over it, covering it completely.

Stephan muttered a curse as he watched several unicorns step up and blasted the tank with magic, attempting it to force it open. "We should help them!" He hissed at Renee.

Renee only smirked. "Give it a minute..." He muttered. The new foal army seemed to stop their outreach of a moment, they looked at the tank with confusion.

The tank suddenly glowed brightly with runes, painting the tank in a strangely haunting light. "Hey,” yelled a new foal, “What are runes doing-"

The tank seemingly blew itself up, taking the horde of new foals with it. The force of the blast sent both men onto their rears, Renee laughing insanely at the blast.

"Whoa! That was terrific!"

"Are you insane?! Those soldiers are dead!" Stephan scrambled back to the window, horror covered his features, only to have his jaw slack with surprise as the tank rumbled out of the smoke without scratch.

The Abram rolled over the dead and dying without care, the runes on its armor slowly vanishing from sight, moving on to the next target location.

"But..." Stephan looked on in confusion, words failing him at the moment.

"Yeah, don't worry too much about." Renee patted his shoulder, getting up and moving out of their hiding spot. "I take it you just skimmed over the heavy armor protection notes Sparkler handed to you?"

Stephan only nodded once, shaking his head at the absurd American before him.

"Yeah, me too. Just told her to tell me plainly, like explaining to a small child." Renee looked over his shoulder, the mask covering his lower face did nothing to hide the smile he had plastered. He raised his hands making 'quoting' gesture "Pretty writing glow, big boom, no stand close."

Before Stephan could utter a response, the sound of a missile could be heard flying overhead. Both men look out of the window to see a vapor trail of said missile, then another passed by, then another, until their entire view, if only for a second, was filled with missiles.

"Holy..." Renee watched as the last missile race out of sight, the sound multiple explosives ringing out, the force could be felt in their chest.

"Someone* pissed off Admiral Chirkov badly." Stephan finally muttered out loud.*

"Part of me wants to feel sorry for the poor bastards." Renee shook his head, chuckling somewhat as he stepped across the room to exit, Stephan trailing behind him, "Another part of me *really** hopes that someone recorded it to show me later."*

The earth shook, the missiles surely responsible, some of the boards on the windows broke off letting light fill the dim room.

“Tell me again why couldn’t we wait for the others?” Stephan asked, the new light in the room showed his entire appearance which resembled that of an ancient knight, but with the addition of modernized hardened material instead of metal which made less sound when moving, additions into usually exploitable defects in the joints and modern weapons ammo slot spaces, and with *all** this he walked about as if he was naked. His HK417 in his grip tightened as he quickly swung his weapon and searched for enemies down the hall.*

“One, it would've taken too long for them to go back and work our way through the city with a group.” Renee stated, unlike his companion he was lightly armored; a simple digital printed armor vest covered his torso, his face covered with goggles, and a mask covered his mouth and nose. He was carrying a M240 Light machine gun in his arms and a Neo-Panzerfaust launcher on his back.

“Two, we are faster on our own, you with your armor and me with my runes. Three...” Renee fell silent, he turn and began to look for the exit.

Renee didn’t give him time to speak as he motioned Stephan towards the streets, a silent gesture that Stephan understood perfectly.

They moved fast and silently, the stairs made no sound as they descended to the streets. Stephan looked outside, his armor was a perfect camouflage for the gray streets. Looking at all the possible directions including the sky, he motioned Renee to move. They moved to the closest intersection, away from the direction of the used missiles.

“You will not lose her, Renee.” The armored man stated, giving the other a confident look, struggling to catch up.

“Thanks Stephan. And it’s Marcus.” Marcus lightly corrected him, but slowed down all the same. Both men reached an intersection, both of them separating and placing their backs to the wall, their weapons aimed down the street opposite of them. Marcus shook his head to Stephan, indicating that the street was cleared, but Stephan immediately ducked behind a car, causing Marcus to grimace.

“Damn it.” He muttered under his breath, waiting for Stephan to make his way to him.

“Um Gottes willen...” Stephan growled as he slided up to Marcus. “I thought we had the city evacuated.”

“You know damn well that most people will ignore it and stay to defend their homes, Americans being the worst offenders.” Marcus gave a quiet sigh. “How many?”

"At least ten.” Stephan answered, “How do you want to do this?”

“It will take too long to try and go around... Fuck. Go with a bang.” Marcus placed his M240 to his side on a special clip just for the ocation, he reached back and pulled his Neo-Panzerfaust out. “How many meters?”

“Fifteen.”

“Shit that is close...” Marcus shook his head, setting the grenade before setting himself up.

“I was truly fortunate enough not to be seen.” Stephan agreed.

“Well, like the old saying goes...” Marcus grinned darkly as he stepped out from around the corner, startling the new foals with his appearance. “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

The grenade went flying into the group, detonating in mid-air and catching all the new foals with the blast. Stephan stepped around Marcus, his HK417 sweeped the area before he lowered it, realizing it was clear. He turned to Marcus and cocked his head to the side in confusion.

“‘Die Hard’ reference?”

“Too much?” Marcus asked, holstering his Neo-Panzerfaust and bringing out his M240.

"I think you tried too hard.” Stephan answered, causing Marcus’s shoulder to slump a little. “Sounded cool though.”

Marcus grunted in responce, “Come on, we still got to get to Cheerilee’s group.”

Both men began to run once more, making it down the street only to slow as they reached the end of the intercection, and finally to a stop when the saw a Potioneer ship float over the building ahead of them.

“Look! Humans off the portside! Ready Potions!” A happy cry floated from the deck, the Potioneer Ship slowly turn to them, making its way to the two men.

Marcus scowled at the ship, “You have got to be shit-” He never finished his thought. The side of the ship exploded, its shield taking the brunt of the attack, while the force nearly knocked Marcus and Stephan off their feet.

“Verdammt!” Stephan swore as he looked up to see an American F-22 Raptor and a Chinese FC-1 Xiaolong quickly turning away from the ship. Both men barely had time to take a couple of steps back when the sound of 30 mm guns going off from two Apache Helicopters made themselves present.

The Potioneer ship attempted to use the buildings to help shield itself, but the attack helicopters simply readjusted their machines above the ship and continued their onslaught, the shield failed to stop the powerful rounds as they ripped into the enchanted fabric and deck. Both helicopters fired several salvos of missiles at the defenseless ship, the missiles slamming into the top deck and exploded, taking everything out...

Including the pilot.

“Scheiße/Crap!” Both men cursed at the same time, they watched as the now pilotless and deck-less ship quickly make its way towards them. The ropes holding the ship and balloon together were the barely holding it as the ship gained speed as the enchanted clouds leaked out of the fabric that held it. The ship slammed into the ground, shoving aside cars, lampposts, and mailboxes as it quickly tore a path towards them.

“Book it!” Marcus shouted, running back down the street, Stephan quickly followed.

Marcus turn back to see the ship quickly making its way towards them.

He would make it... but Stephan wouldn’t.

The enchanted armor was extremely good at maintaining the wearer. Able to help stave off poison, improve the wearer's health and stamina, it even gives them a small barrier for protection. But it could only do so much.

Marcus looked to the side and saw a small H&R Block, clear glass windows beckoning to him. He stop and turn back to Stephan.

“What are-!?” Stephan only got as far as that before Marcus quickly grabbed Stephan, lifted the cursing German and throwed him through the window before jumping through himself. Seconds later, the entire wall of the building was brushed aside and crumpled as the ship slide its way through.

Stephan and Marcus picked themselves up off the floor and watched as the ship finally slowed to a stop, but unfortunately it stopped with them still trapped in the building itself.

“Great, is there an exit?” Stephan asked, shaking his head at what used to be the front of the building. He then turn and punched Marcus in shoulder.

“OW! What was that for?”

“That didn’t hurt, you big baby.” Stephan growled. “You could've at least told me to throw myself into the building, not physically pick me up and chunk me!”

“Sorry, I was just trying to save your life.” Marcus smirked a bit, looking around a bit before sighing. “And to answer your first question, no, there is no exit.”

“Terrific.” Stephan growled.

‘Marcus?’ The radio in his ear buzzed to life, Marcus was quick to answer the call.

“Cher? Are you okay?”

‘We’re fine Marcus, don’t worry. Vinyl showed up along with a dozen fresh troops and supplies. Everything is fine now.’

“Oh thank god.” Marcus leaned against the counter, stress and a small mist could be seen leaving his body. “I’m-”

‘Don’t you dare start that! I know you will be trying your hardest to get here, but the entire city is under siege. I don’t expect you to appear before me when I asked.’

Marcus only smiled at this, giving a small chuckle. “Fine fine. You win. Are you and the others going to be fine?”

‘We...We will be. We lost a couple of soldiers and some of the civilians here. I am beginning to understand the term ‘Zergling Rush’ better now. But with Vinyl and the armor tank now here, we should be fine.’

Stephan got on his radio and linked up with the frequency. “Cheerliee? It’s me, Stephan. Did you hear anything about Alica and Daniel? Did they make it to you?”

There was a short pause while Cheerliee figured that out.“Yes, they are here. And they said you should work and stop worrying about them.”

Stephan let out a sigh. “Yup, that’s them. Thank you.” Marcus let out light snigger of amusement, which Stephan responded with a glare.

“Doesn’t work too well with that bucket on your head.” Marcus chided slightly, laughing somewhat before returning to the radio. “Be safe Cher...I love you.”

[size=7]“What do you say sister?”[/size]

“I love you too, Marcus. Get back to your group. We still have a battle to win.”

Marcus beamed at his. “Yes, Ma’am!”

“Problem!” Stephan decided to butt in. “We don’t have a way out.”

“Sure we do! Just use that sword of yours to cut a hole through the wall.” Marcus explained, Stephan’s armor head shift to the wall close to him and lightly tapped it with his fist. Small amounts of debris and dust quickly fell to the floor, covering them.

“That is why.” Stephan said as he shook his head, waving his hand to clear the dust. “With the ship taking out a good portion of the wall, this entire building, or at least this section, is in danger of collapsing. If I even so much pierce the wall, the entire section would kill us...Or maybe pin us, not sure if the armor or your runes will stand up to the weight though.”

Marcus scowled at that, looking around before his eyes settled on the ship’s wooden hull. He quickly walked up to it slowly brought his hands up, hovering over the ship.

“What are you doing?” Stephan asked, looking on in confusion.

“Gauging how much magic is still within the hull. Don’t want to drain too much or I will be forced to expel it before we get out.” Marcus frown a bit before he clapped his hands together and rubbed them quickly. “Its not a lot, but it is really complex, and those tend to be a bit of hassle in draining. Alright, give me some time to drain this puppy.”

Stephan leaned against a table, watching as the runes in Marcus’s arms glowed dimly as he began to drain the hull, a frown hidden underneath his armor mask. “Tell me something, Marcus.”

“Yeah?”

“Why do you not wear armor, or at least some sort of cover?”

Marcus look back, his smile hidden beneath his mask. “What are you talking about? I do have cover, see this mask and goggles?”

Stephan only stared at Marcus, his arms crossed as he tapped his finger against his arm, Marcus winced internally, Stephan wasn’t playing around. “Jesus, fine. I only know the basics, got to ask Sparkler if you want the technical part of it. All I know is that I have 3 different runic shielding.”

“Three?” Stephan stared, shocked by that statement.

“Yup,” Marcus said, his eyes narrowed as he saw some of his runes slowly grow brighter. “The first one is called Runic Shield, I have to activate it myself with my will. It more or less a basic shield you will expect from unicorns, only powered by runes.”

Marcus rolled his shoulders a bit, and Stephan saw the glow travel from his back to his legs before disappearing. “The Second one is called Runic Armor, it...well the best way of saying is that secondary shield appears over the skin, like a backup shield. Real magic consuming though, but it works in keeping my body in shape. It’s also the ones that have all the other runes tied in, like healing, draining, or strengthen runes. Real pain in the ass, literally in my case when they put it on.”

Stephan watched as Marcus smiled and take a step back, nodding his head. “Alright, good to go!”

“And the third?” Stephan looked at him, Marcus only sighed a bit before answering.

“The third protects me from the potion.” There was a moment of silence before Stephan stomped over to Marcus, glaring at him through his helmet.

“And why hasn't this been passed out to the other troops?” Stephan hissed in anger, coming close to punching the man before him. Anger that this man was taking something for himself rather than sharing with everyone else that could be protected.

Marcus shook his head, waving the man off of him. “It’s not that simple, there is a reason for the goggles and mask. I can still change if I get some into my eyes or mouth. And before you start, no, it’s not perfect either. I have to wipe off the potion before it drains me of what magic I do have. Whatever is in the stuff, it makes the runes react badly and viciously at the same time. I got maybe 5 minutes top to wipe the stuff off before I either change or my runes activate to kill me. The reason why I got several canteens filled with water.”

Stephan stared at Marcus in surprise. “So...”

“Yeah, I can still change if I am not fast enough...or I will die.”

“How?”

“If I can’t wipe the stuff off in time? The runes on my head will fry my brain. If I am taken down and forced to drink the potion with a butt ton of magic still in me? My entire body becomes a IED.” Marcus murmured, shaking his head. “Cher was against it from the beginning, but I demanded it...I...”

“You didn’t want to hurt her...” Stephan finished for him. “In case the Tyrant attempted to use you to destroy her will or everyone else. Believe me...I know the feeling, I have enough C4 strapped in the chest plate to level a two story building.”

Marcus stared at Stephan for a moment before opening his mouth. “Damn! You don’t hold back do you?”

Stephan only rub his head, shrugging a bit. Marcus nodded his head, smiling somewhat, “Yeah... so, I can still change, it’s just takes longer if I am not careful. It might make the troops last a bit longer, but it will also force them to keep getting hit with spells and such. It also takes a long time to put on. It took several weeks just for me and Cher. Even worse is that Humans lack magic, so we have to rely on friendly unicorns or the enemy in charging us. Ponies don’t have that problem, they have their own magic to work with through the runes. Whatever I got, is all I have until some idiot decides to hit me with a big spell or something.”

Marcus stared at the hull for a moment longer before stepping aside and waving his hand towards the hull. “Enough chit chat, go on Mister Knight, do your stuff.”

“Gladly.” Stephan stepped forward, taking out his machete and staring at the small pendent on the end. “Hm...7 charges left for quick swipes, 3 at the minimum. Better make this count.”

Stephan activated the blade, the machete glowed a bright blue, elongating to the size of a claymore, even hinting at the shape of it. Stephan grunted once, swing the blade diagonally downwards, then swiping horizontally, then finally diagonally upwards for the last time. The magical claymore slowly morphed away, and Stephan took a step back, nodding once.

“Viola, an opening!” Stephan said smiling, and pushed...

The triangle shape hull that refused to budge.

Stephan grunted once, then twice, then began to throw himself at the cut out shape in an attempt to move it. “Was zum Teufel!” Stephan growled taking a step back before a hand rested on his shoulder.

“Let me handle this. Your armor is good, but my runes are better.” Marcus smiled at Stephan, who only step aside to allow him room.

Marcus hefted his M240, a smirk adorning his masked face. He walked up to the door, his runes glowing brightly on his legs. “Knock, Knock!”

The hull flew inward, a single cry escaping before it was violently cut off from the piece of flying timber. Marcus pointed his weapon through the hole, slowly sweeping the small room before entering, soon followed by Stephan.

[size=8]“Sister...Did you hear me?”[/size]

“Poor bastard.” Marcus muttered, looking at the the heavy piece of hull on top of an injured Royal guard, his neck snapped from the force of the blow.

“No time for that now, we should-!” The building they were just in collapsed, filling the hole with debris and stone. “No going back now.”

“Not like we were going back anyways.” Marcus muttered. “Take point?”

“Of course. I am the one with the armor after all, not the neat runes.” Stephan chuckled, both men taking either side of the door.

“End of the line from my view, ends at a wall.” Marcus relayed.

“Got a hallway, ready?”

“Go!” Stephan step forward, his entire form taking up most of the hall, Marcus quickly pushing his back to him. “No openings or doorways, dead end, moving to your left flank”

Marcus quickly position himself next to Stephan, nodding once before both men slowly move forward. The sounds of setting wood and muffled battle slowly filling the silence.

“Two open doors.” Stephan muttered, Marcus nodding once and both men slowly rotated as the moved forward, the backs touching one another as the crossed the openings.

“Closet. Door fell off.” Stephan said out loud.

“Looks like a bathroom.” Marcus stated, he slowly lowered him near the ground, check to see if any new foal or guard was hiding. “Got a corpse inside in one of the stalls.”

“You sure?”

“Unless he is trying to pull off the Exorcist chick, I doubt he is still alive...” Marcus trailed off, tensed for a moment, his runes buzzing slightly.

“Marcus?” Stephan turn to look at him, before a spear bathed in magic shot from down the hall, hitting Stephan in the pauldron, taking the hit with ease. “Scheiße! Contact Front!”

“Suppressing!” Marcus unleashed his M240, the sound of the LMG roaring filled the hallway, quickly swallowed the sounds of cries of pain and death. A bolt of magic slammed into Marcus’s face, causing him to curse in anger and pull back into the bathroom. “Stephan? You alright?”

Only silence met his call. “Stephan?”

A single cry echoed out from down the hall and Marcus peeked out to see Stephan stabbing the pony in his hands, pinning the pony to the wall for a moment before he retrieved his blade. The pony slumped to the ground, his heart shredded from the machete.

“How the hell did you get over there?” Marcus walked down the hall, clearly confused. Stephan pointed back to the closet he hid behind earlier. “There was an opening in the wall, tight fit, but I managed.”

“Lucky you.” Marcus growled. “I got hit the face with a stun spell. You know how much that shit stings?”

Stephan only laughed, taking point once more. “Come Commander, don’t tell me you are getting soft on me.”

“I can still kick your ass! Even without the runes!”

“I remember it being a draw the last time we spared.”

“Don’t play smart on me Stephan. I clearly remember going through a dozen guys before you decided to take a shot!”

“Going through a dozen guys sounds kind of-”

“I am going to kick your ass, and I am going to feel nothing but joy when I do.” The sound of laughter echoed down through the hallway before they found a way out. Marcus took one step into the opening, and was suddenly hit with a dozen different spells.

“WHAT THE FUCK!” He roared as his runes burned, he brought up one hand, unleashing the excess magic from his palm, flinging charging Earth ponies away, ducking into cover as another volley of spells raced through where he once stood. Stephan quickly leaned out, sending out a few rounds before ducking back inside.

“You okay?” Stephan asked as he watch Marcus growled in pain, his runes glowing brightly.

“I fucking hate it when the runes begin to overload.” Marcus look outside, and saw a small motorcycle sitting in an alleyway, spared from the Potioneer ship’s path of destruction. He focused on the two wheeler, his runes activating to heed his command. Everything around him drown out; the fighting, the brightly colored spells, even the very gun in his hands went numb. He slowly leaned out, ignoring the few spells hitting him, focusing on the a small group of unicorns shielding a large rack of potions, some of the new foals attempting to gather some to throw at the two warriors.

“Oh no you don’t.” Marcus growled, swiping his hand to the side and the motorcycle, a 1988 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, in surprising good condition went flying. A small thought flitted by his mind, wondering why the bike was still here, including how his father would've killed him if he knew what his son was doing.

‘Sorry Pops... this is more important right now.’ he thought, although he did think his father would probably still beat the crap out of him anyways, bringing a small grin to his face.

The motorcycle flew through the air, taking out several pegasi before it finally impacted the shield, the massive frame and heavy weight caught all of them off guard, easily breaking through and smashing the rack filled with potions, along with a few other ponies.

Stephan quickly loaded a grenade on his under-barrel and fired at the recently formed mess, easily igniting the gas tank, and sending the motorcycle into the beyond.

Stephan leaned back against the wall, before taking in the look of shock on Marcus’s face.

“What?”

“Did you really have to blow it up!?”

“You threw the damn thing!”

“Yeah, but it could've been saved!”

“It’s just a bike.”

“JUST A BIKE!”

“I am not the one who threw it in the first place! You are as much to blame, in fact, even more to blame than me!”

“You-I-....GAH! FUCK ALL OF YOU!!!” Marcus roared, pulling the trigger on his LMG and sending death in waves. Stephan rolled his eyes before leaning out and firing his weapon once more.

Marcus gave the scorch mark a longing look before the click of his weapon telling him he was dry. Stephan had also stop firing and was attempting to reload his own. The Royal Army appear to take this as a sign of good things as they came out of cover, yelling out the same cheer that was heard in Europe and in the Middle East.

“JOIN THE HERD!”

A single Earth pony attempted to tackle Marcus, only to kicked in the face for his troubles, his neck snapping from the runic enhanced kick. Marcus swung the M240, batting a pegasus from the air as he attempted to grab him. “FUCK YOUR HERD! YOU ASS WIPES MADE ME COMMIT SIN!”

Stephan watch in shock as Marcus threw his weapon to the side and punched another Earth pony in the face, he felt a sense of nausea as he saw the pony’s head cave in from the blow. Shaking his head to rid the image in his mind, he pulled out his machete and started to attack from behind.

The next few minutes was complete hell for the two men.

Marcus slowly calming down, realizing his error in judgment, although it would've been worse off if he tried to reload his weapon with this many ponies surrounding him. Marcus’s runes glowed with power, his eyes narrow as he took off to the left, racing up to the nearest Earth pony, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air. Said pony would never breath again as Marcus crushed his windpipe and then slammed him into the concrete road, causing the spine to snap from the move. A spell slammed into his side, this one indicating it should of shocked him, but he simply reached out and grab the next pony, transfer the spell power to the pony instead.

He then kicked out, catching another pony in the face, breaking his jaw from the blow. The unicorn was barely starting to cry out when Marcus grabbed him by the head and swung him with a quick motion, snapping his neck. His now dead weapon slammed into a flying pegasus, catching her with the swing and crushing her between the body and a piece of the hull standing in the street, she barely squeaked out a protest before he simply snapped her neck, finally turning to the single unicorn that was left on his side of the battle field.

He walked forward, ignoring the spells hitting him, the New foal eyes widen in shock as Marcus simply lifted his palm up to his face, a frown manifesting in Marcus’s face. A magic burst forward, which Marcus aptly named ‘Force Push’ as a joke, although it would not be so dissimilar to be called otherwise. At that range and amount of power Marcus put into the spell, it might as well be called a cannon. The pony’s head explode, sending bits of brain matter and bone flying everywhere. Marcus shook his hand and sighed in relief, the excess magic he had gather was really bothering him.

Stephan watched as Marcus took off, gathering a group of ponies for him to fight off, leaving Stephan to fight the rest. He pulled out his back up pistol, firing several rounds, killing several Royal Army New foals before they started to surround him.

His machete sliced through their throats and hides, spilling blood everywhere. Stephan gritted his teeth as an Earth pony attempted to grab him, but he caught her by the throat, lifting and shoving his blade into her heart. He heard the sounds of galloping and saw another two Earth ponies rushing towards him, along with a Unicorn tailing behind them. He scowled, gripping his machete tightly before meeting their charge head on, but before the ponies could attack, he activated the blade, magically transforming the machete into a claymore and swinging it forcefully, beheading the shocked Earth ponies.

He continued his spin; seeing a unicorn attempting to throw a spell at him, he changed his direction slightly and used all the built up momentum above the unicorn's head and slamming the claymore through the unicorns skull, slicing the head into two and into the ground itself.

Stephan deactivate the blade and walked away from his pile of corpses, seeing Marcus lifting his hand and levitating his weapon back to him. “You alright?” as he clamped a hand on his shoulder.

Stephan jumped slightly as Marcus’s cursed loudly, the weapon falling short of his arms. “God damn it, still not good at this magic shit.”

“Sorry.” Stephan apologized.

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” Marcus waved him off, bending down to retrieve his weapon.

[size=8]“Sister?”[/size]

“Marcus!” a voice called out over the radio, the sound of gunfire, shouting, and heavy techno music echoing in the background.

“What is it, Cher?” Marcus calmly raised his weapon up for inspection, glad to find it still in one piece and functioning properly.

“Where are you-Vinyl don’t-!” Marcus winced as the radio filled with static for a moment, in the distance to the west of him, he saw a flash of light and a low thrumming sound before it slowly died off. He shook his head in amusement, leave it to Vinyl to weaponized a bass speaker.

“You okay, Cher?” Marcus asked, a quick spell hit him in the chest, ignoring it completely; he raised his weapon and made the stubborn unicorn new foal into red paste.

“VINYL!” Marcus chuckled as he heard Cheerilee roared in anger at one Vinyl Scratch, a small ‘What?’ could be heard in the background along with some cheering. “Marcus, where are you?”

“I am in the Theater District, near the park with Stephan-” He was about to continue but he heard a thump from behind him, he quickly turned to see a cloaked pony behind him, on top of a new foal pegasus who was just introduced to her hidden blades. He smiled at her, nodding his thanks once before continuing on. “Also, Spitfire is here with me.”

“Marcus! Get out of there! The Great Equestrian is doing something!” Marcus frowned, before taking a couple of steps to get a clear view from the building and looked up. He saw the Great Equestrian floating up high, shields flaring as it several missiles from jets and ships in the harbor. He watched as several ports open, large pipes slowly extending from the flying ship.

Slowly and menacingly, what appeared to be purple clouds began to spew from the ship.

“Potion Clouds..” Stephan whispered, his voice filled with despair and anger, his fist clenching tightly to his weapon. Marcus grimaced a bit at the news, Stephan had seen first hand what it did, and now the Great Equestrian was throwing this stuff out here; time to up the ante.

“Sister? Are you well?”

Marcus was about to give an order, before another voice jumped onto the line. “Heads up people! They set up a temp-portal in the Jeffries-Point Airport!”

“WHAT?!” Marucs roared, “What happen to the defenses there?”

“They had to evac, Sir! They were getting overrun and we lost at least 100 personnel in trying to hold it.”

“Damn it! Blow the tunnels leading to Boston, make them go around and-”

“Holy shit! Pegasi! A shit load of them! Fire! Fire!” Marcus cursed, turning towards the building he rushed inside, taking to the stairs as quickly as he could before getting to the roof. Looking to the East he saw what appeared to be an entire flock of pegasi which were swarming the airport and quickly making their way towards the ships in the harbor and to the city. They would be overrun by the pegasi alone with those numbers. He heard Stephan whispered a small prayer, things were getting worse now that they had a foothold.

A static echoed through Stephan’s radio followed by the worried voice of Müller. “Verdammte Scheiße! Stephan, do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you. What is the situation?”

“Bad, really bad! We have almost no ammo left for the AA weapons and that giant cloud of pegasi will swarm us when we don’t get help soon!”

Stephan bit his teeth together, fear gripping his heart as his old friend’s life was now on the line. He looked at Marcus, pleading behind his mask for him to do something, anything at all. Marcus scowled, nodding to himself once. It was time to bring out the big one.

“Cher! Get me Admiral Chirkov, now!”

“Patching you through!” For a moment there was static, which quickly cleaned for a deep voice that echoed out. “Commander? Is it time?”

“Time has come and gone, and you are late to the party.” Marcus grumbled, raising his weapon and firing a short burst to a lone Pegasus attempting to capture him, which he thought was completely idiotic of him, given that there was three of them on the roof, two of them with ballistic weapons and another trained in flight battle. “I need the Fujin Missile in the air now, or we lose everything.”

“As you order, Commander. Let see if the Japaneses’ weapon is a powerful as they say it is.”

“Sister!”

Marcus looked towards the Boston Harbor, filled with dozens of warships of every kind from around the world, the biggest further out to sea, the USS Gerald R. Ford, launching all of its air units to stem the tide of pegasi.

From harbor itself, a missile flew from the water, its aim straight above the city of Boston itself, dozens of Potioneer and Fortress ships attempted to bring down the missile, unknowingly enhancing the weapon with their very own magic with the runes inscribed on it. The jet engine burn hotter, pushing it even faster, and with the inner workings of the missile itself, the payload, it grew exponentially more powerful.

Dozens of spells were launched, and in the end, it ignored them. Marcus looked up, smirking before a familiar voice blared through the radio.

“Everyone, this is the Doctor! Get underground now! Or secure yourself inside one of the buildings! All flight groups get out of the city now!”

“Doc?”

“The missile absorbed too much magic, it’s not just going to suck up the clouds anymore!”

Marcus looked up as the missile flew faster than any missile he had ever seen before. “It’s going to make a class 5 tornado look like it threw fit, it’s equal to a level two hurricane of two hundred radius caught in a concentrated radius of two miles,GET UNDER COVER NOW!”

The missile exploded.

Silence took over.

The sun seemed to dim.

And missile's target seemed to change places with a small white sun.

“SISTER!”

Celestia was snapped out of her trance in a memory relapse, her eyes widened as she realized that she was flying back to Canterlot. She flushed, embarrassed that she fell into another memory. “Luna?”

“Sister, We asked thou a question, but were...Inattentive.” Luna looked at her sister with concern.

“I am fine, Luna. Just...Experiencing human Warfare from a first person view.” Celestia answered, shaking her head. “The Mind Link spell was rather... Intense.”

“Will you be fine?” Luna looked back to the open skies, her eyes narrowing as she thought back on her question.

“I will be.” Celestia sighed. “I will tell you this, humans are not to be trifled with in any form.” Celestia looked back to gauge Cadance, her eyes having a faraway look to them, a clear indication that she was thinking.

Cadance was indeed in deep thought as the three Alicorns flew back to Equestria proper; she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that there was another world almost equal to Equestria in every way.

Except the obvious fact that it took the word Harmony and raped the very meaning of it to suit their twisted concept of perfect utopia.

She still shivered at her aunt’s explanation about everything involved with the Sun Tyrant, that lingered in her mind, how she came to the world of Humanity, bearing gifts and good tidings, all the while planning to subjugate them and erase their very existence from their world. How she offered a ‘would be’ miracle cure; it cured diseases, cancers, gave sight to the blinded, hearing to the deaf, grew legs that allowed those without limbs to walk once more, and so much more.

But those that took it... lost everything in return, and when the time was right, when Humanity began to learn of the side effects of the Potion, she struck.

She made a barrier grow outside the portal, destroying everything in its path.

PER members, humans that had all but cast off their humanity to ponydom in attempt to 'share' the light the Tyrant brought in, struck against the human leaders with such precision and brutally that most of them were too late to do anything about it, many falling within the first hour.

Humanity fought back with everything short of their most powerful weapons. Weapons that her aunt described in full detail that even rivaled her own magical powers… even surpassed it.

Marcus, the human that was in Ponyville, was a leader of the UN forces. Elected due to his skills and leadership to a flailing UN, he had teamed with PHL, Ponies for Human Life, in an attempt to

find a way to break the barrier, or in their case, try and survive outside it.

He gathered most of the worlds' armies to at least strengthen themselves for

protection....

Or what was left of them.

Her aunt described that most military members banded together across the world when they realized that no one could take on the Tyrant and her armies alone, they shared intelligence, weapons and tactics.

But still being pushed back until they lost Europe, a continent that had dozens of countries within it; millions displaced, millions dead, millions ponyified.

Luna interrupted Candance’s thought by asking a question that was burning in her mind as well. “Why didn’t PHL teleport humans across the barrier?”

“Because the Sun Tyrant said the biggest lie of all, her trump card, the real reason why she was

winning.” Celestia answered, narrowing her eyes as she focused on the memory.

“She proclaimed that the magical aura would kill them.” Celestia said as her face twisted in disgust. “That, he large amount of magic in the very air and ground of Equestria would kill them.”

“But that doesn’t-”

“She teleported a human across the barrier.” Celestia interrupted Luna, she flinched as the memory flashed before her eyes.“The human began to melt, literally, broadcasted across the world, before the eyes of humanity he melted, but before he could die she ‘helped’ him.” Celestia paused; she had a hard time controlling how ‘vivid’ the memories were. “The Tyrant lied to them to ensure that whatever hope humanity had of simply bypassing the barrier would fall before it started.”

There was a moment of silence before Cadance summed up all three Alicorns' thoughts. “She is a monster.”

“Indeed...” Luna whispered, breathing slowly as anger swelled in her chest. “On a scale, no

pony... Nay! No being on Equus had ever heard of such a thing!”

Celestia focused ahead of her, “She had the nerve to contact me here, in our Equestria, make excuses for her actions, and attempt to force me into giving the Commander to her.”

Luna grinned “We saw your answer, Sister.” Gesturing with her head where they just came from and Cadance giggled, Celestia looked away, somewhat ashamed of her actions.

‘If it had been in a populated area...’ Celestia shook her head at the thought.

“Still...I believe we may have gone to war either way...” Celestia answered as they flew

past Cloudsdale.

“What do you mean?” Cadance looked at her in shock and confusion.

“Had any of the other corrupted Elements arrived instead of the Commander, and found a way back to their world...” Celestia started, an ache starting within her heart. “The Tyrant would come after us after she finished Earth.”

“Why?” Luna asked, concerned.

“She will see our world as....Imperfect.” Celestia grimaced, almost unsure of what she felt about what she heard. “When she spoke to me, she called me a shade, an incomplete ruler, an alicorn who refuses to raise her status to a Goddess. I could see it in her eyes, how she was utterly glad to not just find where the Commander went, but another Equestria. An ‘impure’ Equestria”

Celestia looked at Cadance and Luna, making sure they were understanding so far, at a quiet nod from both she continued.

“Due to Marcus's memories, I can tell how she gathered her power,” Celestia looked at Luna “by taking power away from the other Luna,” And then she looked at Cadance, “and forcing a bond between herself and the Crystal Kingdom.”

Both Luna’s and Cadance’s stared at Celestia for a while, their eyes slowly got wide as their ears slowly moved back. Cadance was the first to speak.

“H-how...exactly?” Cadance whispered to Celestia, hoping she had an answer.

“I don't know... Nor do I want to…” Celestia acknowledged, “But what I want to know is how she gained Tirek's bag.” Celestia growled.

“Who...Who is Tirek?” Cadance had never heard of this name before, but when she heard it, an instinctive chill ran down her spine.

“A very dangerous being...” Celestia told her as they landed near the Garden Maze.

“A long time ago, before even we were born, a being born from the darkness of the rulers of this land came to life.”

“The First Alicorns.” Luna clarified for Cadance. “Rulers of all Equus, their strength and magic that dwarfed even our powers when they were at their strongest; In an attempt to purge the darkness within themselves, whether in a moment of vanity or simply wanting to cleanse their souls of taint, a monster was

created.”

“Thus began the fall of the Alicorns...” Celestia whispered mostly to herself.

Ponyville

Seeing a large contingent of Royal Guards descending onto the town wasn't new to the residents of Ponyville. Due to their location near the EverFree Forest and being the home of the Elements of Harmony, the residents of Ponyville slowly became accustomed to the rather hectic disasters and mishaps that affected the small town.

So fictitious was it, that if there wasn't an incident during the week, the citizens would begin to board up their doors and windows to weather the upcoming disaster that was bound to happen.

No pony has had the heart to tell the Elements about this, figuring ignorance was bliss.

Shining Armor watched as the citizens simply moved aside to allow them passage, not even batting an eye at the guards as they carried on with their business.

'What a strange little town...' Shining thought to himself. He turned around to give the thirty or so ponies under his command their orders.

“Alright Guards, listen up!” Shining shouted. “I want several of you to search the hospital, question witnesses and try to find out where that thing headed. The half of the remaining of us will secure the town, make sure that this monster doesn't get back in and foalnap’s more of our ponies, the rest, search every inch of this town for that thing, don’t leave a rock unturned!”

“Sir!” The guards barked, saluting their Captain.

“You have your orders!” Shining waved his hoof outwards. “Move out!”

And with that the Royal Guards trotted off, a few of them making their way towards the hospital and out borders of the town, while others began to scour clean the town in search of the monster.

Nodding to himself, Shining began to make way towards his sister’s home.

Golden Oaks Library

“What…in the hay happen in here....” Shining said, as he stared in utter shock at the

state the Library was in. A complete and utter mess.

No scratch that, the Library was short of being decommissioned.

He watched as Spike picked up several books, examining them closely before either setting it aside or toss them into the air and setting them ablaze if they were simply too damaged to fix.

Applejack and Rarity were pushing aside several destroyed bookcases, most had a rather large hole in them, like something was thrown through them.

Twilight and Pinkie were standing off to the side, the latter attempting to reassure the former.

“It’s okay Twilight. I am sure you can get new books for the Library.” Pinkie smiled

at her. “We can even throw a party for them!”

Twilight’s sullen look slowly morphed with a small smile. “That’s alright Pinkie. You don't need to do that.” She said quietly, before the face melted away to concern. “We have bigger issues to deal

with though than some books.”

Shining felt shock run through him as he heard those words, completely missing how Pinkie's hair seemingly deflate to half its normal volume, a quiet sigh escaping her.

“What’s more important than books?” Shining asked, causing Twilight to jump up in

surprise at his question.

“BBBFF!” Twilight cried out, rushing in and hugging him, he returned it with as much

care as he could.

“Twily.” He held her close, worry and doubt slowly ebbing away. When he heard that the Elements got attacked by an unknown being, he nearly set out to Ponyville in irrational panic. It didn't help that he receive the notice while he was visiting his parents, who both nearly had fainted when they learn that several of Twilight's friends were hospitalized.

Princess Celestia did state that the thing was caught and sedated, and a group of guards would set out in the morning to bring the beast to Canterlot for questioning. However, sometime around the evening, the beast escaped, foalnapping a specialist. (Who later turn out to be a phony, as said specialist was still waiting for a train that would never come. Protocol states that the guards were to shut down the train in case somepony or thing tried to take it and disappeared into the night.)

“Twily....” Shining started, holding her close, “What happen in here? Did the beast show up?”

Twilight grimaced at the question, unsure how to begin or even how explain the situation to her protective brother.

Another thought crossed her mind, the voice sounding similar to Princess Luna, as she looked into Shining’s eyes.

'I’m sorry my little ponies, but it is my fear that we are to go to war.'

Shining Armor was the Captain of the Royal Guard.

He led his stallions in the defense of the Equestria itself.

And if need was called...

He would go to war as well…

Twilight froze, staring at her brother, fear beginning to fill her as she saw images of her brother fighting against other ponies, ponies that took Harmony and destroyed the very meaning of it for a mad Queen.

“TwilUH?” Shining unintentionally squeaked, stunned as Twilight hugged him even harder, tears beginning to spill from her eyes. After several seconds Shining finally was able to speak, “Twi, Twily what’s wrong?”

“Everything is changing...” Twilight said between sobs, fear now holding on to her very soul. “I...I don't know what to do anymore.”

“Twily?”

“Shining, I-” Twilight started, before several guards rushed through the door, startling everyone inside.

“Sir! The Beast is inside the library!” The guard called out. “Guardspony Air spotted the creature when he passed by. It’s in a bedroom!”

“What?!”Shining pulled away from Twilight in surprise, before looking to his sister in shock. “You captured it?!”

“What?! No! It’s a misunderstanding!” Twilight tried to calm them, but his brother's eyes narrowed and raced up the stairs, along with the guards. “Stop Shining!”

“Hey!”

“What the-?”

“Eek!”

“Stop!Leave him alone!”

Twilight acting quickly teleported to her room, and there was a scene unfolding; her friends were standing before Marcus's prone form, Lyra stood in front of Shining, standing on her rear legs and spreading her forelegs open to bar them passage, Rainbow standing next to her, glaring at the other Pegasus guard floating overhead, and Fluttershy was hiding underneath her bed, scared out of her mind.

“Move aside.” Shining ordered them, but Lyra and Rainbow didn’t budge.

“No.” Lyra growled. “Listen, what happen yesterday-”

“Will never happen again.” Shining growled, interrupting her, causing Twilight to flinch at the tone her brother used. “This...This beast is going to be locked up and thrown onto the moon for the rest of its life if I have any say about it.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow took a step forward, ignoring the snorts coming from the other guards. “And you think you are going to make this guy stay still long enough for that to happen?”

“I am the Captain of Guard for a reason, Rainbow Dash.” Shining replied, eying her wings. “It seems to me you are still suffering from the wounds he inflicted on you yesterday.”

“This?” Rainbow smirked a bit, wincing slightly as she spread her wings as to show off. “He just popped them out of their sockets, no biggie.”

“Shining...” Twilight walked up to her brother, her eyes wide and pleading. “Please... leave him alone. It was... it’s something that you must speak to the Princesses about. I don't think he will enjoy waking up in a cell.”

“That is his problem, not mine.” Shining retorted, “My problem is that he attacked my little sister and her friends for no reason. That alone is worthy of being thrown into the dungeon. Trying to murder the Elements of Harmony is another thing entirely.”

Shining leaned in close, his eyes gaining a harsh light within, causing the mares before him to shiver in fear. “Move. Now.”

Rainbow swallowed nervously, before she narrowed her eyes puffed out her chest. “No.” She took pleasure from the rather shocked looks on the guards and Shining Armor's face.

“I don't like the fact this guy tried to rip my wings off my back...but I understand why he did it. I don't like it, but I understand why he did what he did.” Rainbow striated her back, feeling an air of superiority, for she knew she was right, “But you listen here buster! Just because you are the Captain of the Royal Guards, doesn't mean he isn't going to like being chained up and dragged off to the dungeon for a misunderstanding!”

Shining huffed at Rainbow, trying to move passed her, but she cut him off and continued.

“And believe me when I say this… he is going to wipe the floor with you guys,” She stated almost in a joking tone “What he did to me and the girls, was him weak and helpless.”

Shining's horn glowed. “Your warning has been noted.” His horn burst with magic and the mares found themselves behind a magical shield.

“Hey! Let us out!” Lyra pounded on the shield with her hooves. “You’re making a big

mistake!”

“What in the Sam hill is goin’ on up here?” Applejack asked as she and Rarity walked up the stairs from the commotion they hear, only to see two guards standing guard at the top, barring passage into

the room. “What the hay?”

“Stand back, citizen.” One guard said, looking behind him to see several guards surrounding the human on the bed. “We will take this beast back to Canterlot and let the Princesses decided his fate.”

“Beast?” Rarity asked as she blinked in confusion, before her pupils shrunk in surprise and fear. “Oh dear, Applejack, I believe it is prudent that we get out of the way for now.” Both guards smiled at the first common sense that was heard in the library.

Until Rarity finished her thought.

“We don’t want to be in the way when the Commander wakes up and decided to go into a runic rage.” Rarity simply said as she held her head up as and walked down the stairs, Applejack rolled her eyes

and followed. “Twilight dear, I really do hope your brother may still be able to hear when this is over, I would like to give him a piece of my mind on hearing those who know more than him.”

“Thanks Rarity.” Twilight said, with obvious irritation in her voice, as she stared deadpanned at her brother.

Shining ignored them as the guards attempted to raise the beast with their magic to chain him up, but found it nearly impossible. “What’s wrong?” Shining asked.

“Sir, our magic is...uh...slipping off or something.” The Unicorn guard muttered. “I think it’s immune or resistant to magic.”

Shining tap his chin in thought, ignoring Lyra growling a correction. “That ‘it’ is a he, you leave him alone!” Shining ignored her, as he looked upon the blanket that the beast was lying upon, he

smiled.

“Wrap him up in the blanket.” Shining said triumphantly, “And do it quickly, I get the feeling that your magic is not going to hold it for very long.”

“Twilight!” Lyra turn to her friend but saw the rather bland expression on her face. “Do something, anything!”

“I can’t Lyra.” Twilight shook her head. “He may be my brother, but he is a member of the Royal Guard. If we try to interfere, they would arrest us too.”

“Your own brother would arrest you?” Rainbow looked at Twilight in surprise.

“He is just doing his job.” Twilight sighed,“Even if what he is doing is wrong.”

The mares watched as Marcus was rolled up in Twilight’s blanket, the human groaning as he woke up from all the movement.

“Quick! Chain him up!” Shining barked, as the guards sat Marcus on the ground and begun to wrap him up in chains.

“Wha...?” Marcus blinked in confusion, seeing himself surrounded by Royal Guard members. They had just finished placing the locks on the chains when Marcus finally tried speaking.“Uh...Where-”

“Silence!” Shining Armor growled, nearly raising his hoof to hit the human, but restrained himself. “You are charged with foalnapping and attempted murder of several citizens of Equestria, all of them being the Elements of Harmony, one being the student of Princess Celestia which also happens to be my little sister.” Shining growled at the now fully awake and fully pissed off human.

Calm...Peace, Marcus, no need to fight. The voice flashed through his mind like lighting, a warm feeling spread through his mind, calming his rising anger.

‘What? Who...Celestia?’

The voice vanished from his mind, a frown on his face, completely ignoring Shining Armor in the process as he tried to figure out what was going on.

“Hey, are you listening to a word I am saying?” Shining growled, getting into Marcus’s face. Twilight only face-hoofed at the issue before her.

“Shut up.” Marcus muttered, not noticing the look of surprise on Shining’s face. “I’m thinking here.”

“Why you-!” Shining growled, attempting to force the human to look at him, only to backpedal when the human flexed his arms, his runes hidden by the blanket but were still very functional, absorbing the magic in the chains and breaking apart when Marcus gathered the necessary strength to break them. Marcus quickly stood up, only to see the end point of 12 spears in his face.

He frown a bit, staring at the spears with little amusement. “Cute, out of the way.”

“Listen here beast!” Shining roared at him, his horn flaring to life. “I don’t care who you think you are! But the Royal Guard will take you down before you even take a step outside this library!”

Marcus raised an eyebrow at the list, before his eyes drifted to Twilight and the others. “He doesn’t know about the fight between me and the Princesses?”

Twilight face-hoofed harder, Shining’s face looked like it was going to explode in anger. “YOU WHAT?!”

“Listen Mr. California, unless your pretty wife wants to come home to a mummy, you will get the hell out of my face.” Marcus growled, his runes glowing brightly. “And I just got out of a tussle with your leaders, both of them. Do not test me.”

“ENOUGH!” Twilight teleported out of the shield, appearing between Shining and Marcus. “Shining, stand down! I don’t want my bedroom destroyed because you wanted to pick a fight.”

“But-”

“But nothing!” Twilight seethed, before turning to Marcus. “Please Commander, don’t pay attention to my brother, for now. I’m sure you two will get along soon enough.”

Marcus’s eyes narrowed, “Last time I even met Shining Armor, he attempted to subdue his wife and drag her to the Tyrant with a smile.”

To say Shining was confused was an understatement, “What?!”

Twilight however talked over him. “And you now know that you are not in your world right now. This Shining Armor will not betray his wife, alright? Please... there... there’s too much going on and more fighting will just extend the issue.”

Marcus crossed his arms, his eyes closed before sighing once. “Fine... I was getting hungry anyways. Kitchen?”

“Downstairs, the entrance is next to the magazine catalogs.” Twilight answered him, Marcus nodded once before moving forward, only to get a spear to the chest to stop him. The Earth pony glared at him, with Marcus glaring right back at him.

“Get it out of the way or you are going to find it shoved up your ass, pointy end first.” Marcus growled, Twilight immediately ripped the weapon from the guard’s hold and threw it into the wall, embedding it deeply. Marcus just walked passed them ignoring the glares, once he got downstairs and out of sight, they were directed towards Twilight.

Shining Armor was the first to speak, “Explain”

Twilight’s ears flatten against her skull, the morning started out so well too...

Royal Garden

“Here, a bit of rest before I tell the story, if only to gather my wit before my talk with Discord at least.” Celestia laid up the grass, sighing blissfully as she rested her wings. Luna had taken up next to her sister, gathering her thoughts as well.

“So...” Cadence started, a bit nervous at what her aunts will about to tell her. “The First Alicorns were...”

“Killed. Yes.” Luna answered bluntly. “Though the fault was partially their own, they could of not known the results of their quest for inner peace. Nor that one of their own would betray them."

“Our teacher and mother, who is known as The Scribe, showed Luna and myself what had happen; to understand the world we now live in and our future was to insure its survival from their terrible mistake.” Celestia told Cadence, her eyes never wavering from her. “Prepare Cadence, for what you see is only the beginning of their trip into Tartarus.”

Celestia's horn glowed and a single plane square imaged appeared before them.

"4,000 years ago, the Alicorns ruled the land, they did so through peace, but held onto it through their incredible magic."

Several outlines of alicorns appeared, looking mighty and powerful, their shadows making them appear even bigger than normal.

"As peace reign through Equus, the alicorns began shepherding the younger races to enlightenment, but one alicorn stood above the rest"

A single Alicorn, her coat pristine ivory, her mane similar to a rose in bloom, her eyes filled with wisdom and inner strength.

"Faust was an alicorn of considerable strength in magic, her knowledge and inventive skills allowed a new era of magic and technology."

Dozens of ideas flowed from Faust's mind, runes and machines coming to life.

"However... not all Alicorns were appreciated of her skills and might."

The image slowly melted away from Faust, revealing a male alicorn, large in size and stature. His mane was pitch black, his coat dark grey of a summer thunderstorm. He glared fiercely at Faust behind her back, forgotten by the other alicorns that surrounded Faust.

"Tirek was formerly Head Mage of their society, but Faust's ideas and magic slowly casted him out of the position."

The imaged changed to show the alicorn now known as Tirek appearing to be shouting at several alicorns, none of them looking pleased with his outburst.

"All but one of them shoved him aside. Faust attempted to lend a hoof to the former Head Mage."

Faust appeared, leaning out with a hoof, a kind smile on her face to Tirek, who was covered in shadows.

"He did not accept her generosity."

Tirek lashed out, striking the hoof held out to him, screaming in rage, Faust pulling away from him, scared and hurt by his words.

"He vanished for several years, leaving Faust to bring in a new age. Sadly, the age will not last for long."

The image change once more to show Tirek once more, a smile on his face as he talked to a large group of Alicorns.

"Tirek return, proclaiming that he found a way to enlighten their people beyond what they knew now. A spell he worked on for the last few years to regain his standing among them."

Faust appeared in the back of the group, a look of worry upon her face. She appeared before Tirek, talking to him while he smiled down at her.

"Faust attempted many times to talk to Tirek, to try and make sense of his spell he intended to teach the alicorns."

Tirek simply lift his head and walked away, smiling as he did so.

"She was refused."

Thousands of alicorns stood in a pack stadium, all of them looking excited beyond belief.

"Tirek explained to them that they had to sacrifice a piece of their own magic to expel their inner darkness, but the results would be well worth it."

All the alicorns' horn glowed with magic, their eyes closed in concentration, all except one. Faust saw Tirek pull a small bag and hung it around his neck, his smile became much more sinister.

"As one, they cast the spell, all expect for Faust herself. They casted out the inner darkness and negative magic to be free from evil."

Tirek was covered in thick clouds of magic, all of it covering him, with a crazed look in his eyes and laughing uproariously before he vanished entirely from sight.

"Instead, they created a monster."

The cloud of magic vanish, and where Tirek the Alicorn once stood, Tirek the Abomination was born. The giant centaur was looking down at his form with utmost glee. He then raised his newly form hands and unleashed his ill-gotten magic.

"Faust did not stay idle for long."

Magical shield appeared before the stunned Alicorns, taking the brunt of the attack. Faust appear in a flash of light, her eyes filled in anger. Her horn glowed with power before unleashing it on Tirek, sending him flying through a wall.

"The ensuing battle was horrific, causing a once majestic city to fall into ruin. The death toll unimaginable..."

A large city, once beautiful and majestic, laid in ruins. Various species could be seen fleeing, others remain where they are, their eyes vacant and unseeing, lost in their grief.

"Faust and Tirek's battle was long and hard, neither side giving in to the other."

Tirek stood tall, the wounds on his body healing quickly, his insane grin still on his face as he look up to Faust. Faust herself floated overhead, her face filled remorse as she tried to plead with him. Tirek only cocked his head back and laughed, with a wave of his newly form arms, he formed a portal to take him away from the area. Before he step through, he looked back at alicorn one last time, smirking once before speaking.

"You foolish little foal, I planned this moment for years. All of this glorious death and destruction was simply aim to hurt You. No more will I be cast aside and forgotten, the world will bow to me and my rule. The name Tirek will last for an eternity."

"For the next century, all Equus knew was war. Alicorns, once the most powerful beings in existence, now only held as much power as a talented unicorn."

The image changed to show a war-torn field, several corpses of various races laid on the bloody ground, Faust herself looking battered beyond belief, Tirek slowly walking away, laughing as he did so.

"Tirek insured Faust's survival at every meeting, to see the destruction and death, to break her will to fight. He took dozens of Alicorns, crippled from the fighting and vanishing from sight. When he return to fight once more he showed his new growing army to Faust."

Tirek stood before the Equus army, all of them looking terrified at the monsters at Tirek's command. Pitch black scales and monstrous appearance, never seen before in the land. A single alicorn was dragged before Tirek, who was grinning at Faust with malicious glee.

"He showed Faust where he got his army, and demonstrated for Faust. The bag that held..."

Cadance and Luna turn to look at Celestia she trailed off, her eyes were wide as something was just revealed to her.

"No... She wouldn't..." Celestia whispered. Cadance turn back to look at image, showing the bag unleashing dark purple magic at the Alicorn, who screamed in fright and pain, slowly transforming into a hideous beast.

"Sister?" Luna lean close to Celestia, gently nuzzling her sister in an attempt to get her attention. Celestia's horn flickered, the image shifted to a different memory.

Humans, all of them armed with weapons and gear for battle. The image shift views, Cadance realizing that she was looking at a human's view point, looking down into his hands to his weapon. Cocking it once, a shout was sounded once and the human ran outside the room they were in.

Chaos was the only word for it. Humans, young and old, civilians and soldiers attempting to stop what appear to be an attack from all sides.

By ponies.

They threw bottles of purple vials at every human they saw. Cadance covered her mouth with hoof in disgust and horror, while Luna's eyes narrowed into slits of anger. Humans scream in agony before they shifted and changed, not too dissimilar to what Tirek did.

It hit Cadance and Luna like a runaway wagon when they realize what Celestia stumbled upon.

"She...she..." Cadance stammered out, unable to finish, her stomach attempting to void itself from disgust.

"The Sun Tyrant is using the bag's magic for the potion." Luna whispered, lowering her head to look away from the images.

'She uses the bag! She uses an ancient evil to subdue us! She will kill us all in her insanity!' The voice ripped through her mind.

'Marcus?'

Nothing answered her prodding. Celestia shivered, attempting to calm her mind of the revelation. "We will discuss the issue at another time. Perhaps asking the Scribe, if she grants us her audience, in a way to defeat this."

"But Aunt Celestia-"

"At the moment, there nothing we can do. We must gather all knowledge we can. Perhaps the teachings of the Scribe will reveal an answer to us."

"But-!"

"Believe me, my niece." Celestia trying to give Cadance a confidant look, but failing to do so. "I feel your pain for the humans, but going in blindly will help nopony. I feel their pain much more than you think. These memories and teachings may hold our answer to stopping the Tyrant."

"Then continue Sister." Luna pushed. "The answer may lay within and a third party may give insight to anything we miss."

Celestia nodded her head, the image shifting away from the horrible scene, much to Cadance's relief. The image showing Faust working in a lab of some sort, similar to Twilight's in many regards.

"Faust work day and night, looking for answers that may led to Tirek's defeat."

Faust appear to step back in shock, revealing a silhouette of a familiar god of chaos.

"Some were not as beneficial as they could of been."

Battles become bigger, entire landscapes and continents were reformed near the end of the war.

"It reached a point where Faust and Tirek unleashed their largest magical attack at one another."

Tirek screamed in pain, his body flailing in agony from Faust attack. The lightly colored rainbow swirling around him before dissipating. Faust wasn't looking any better, but she gave a small smile as she saw the look of fear on Tirek's face.

"However, the spells that clashed forever changed Equus into what was known today."

The image changed, stars filled the sky, worlds that Cadance had never seen before spiral around a massive sun. The image slowly shifted to a single world, half dead from the war. A single bright light appeared, and the world shuddering as a response. Cadance didn’t notice at first, but the world was slowly moving away from the giant sun, the distance became wider each hour, as if the spell disbalanced some major order of the planets existence.

From Faust’s perspective, the once great sphere in the sky became smaller, too little to notice, but enough to be an issue. Gigantic storms rushed throughout the sky, the earth vibration seemed to become more violent each passing second. Gigantic waves devoured complete cities, even if the moon followed its brothers fate into the emptiness, it became too close for its presence not to affect the planet.

True chaos.

The world would finally turn dark and cold when the light of the sun was too far away from the planet.

"Then what happen?" Cadance whispered.

"Once, we were similar to Earth, spinning through space around a sun, but the magical attack from Faust and Tirek force the planet off course, killing the world even quicker."

Dozens of spheres lights appear the darkening planet, shields created by Faust to protect Equus from the lack of light and extreme cold, she even tried to hold the planets small brother at a distance that wouldn’t cause harm. But all of them required magic. Magic she didn’t have. One by one, the artificial magic stars vanished into the darkness.

"Faust realized that a sacrifice needed to be made. She poured so much magic into that one spell, which still failed to stop Tirek completely, but she needed more to stop him permanently. She came to the conclusion that she need more power, and the only thing she had left to offer, her very soul."

Faust stood before an image of herself, a small grimace on her face.

"Scribe, I need you to create beings able to move the small star and moon. Use Equus natural magic to do so. It is the only chance Equus has at life returning to normal."

"It will take several centuries, Ms Faust. A total of two would be needed to control the solar and lunar revolutions. Until then, I will kept the machines in check, however there is no way for me to fix the machines if they break down."

"Worry not, Scribe. I have taken care of that issue."

"Of course."

The final battle appeared, a dying world stood between them. Tirek stood uncaring of the world around him, while Faust stood without regret, a small smile on her face. Tirek roared out charging at Faust, Faust only closed her eyes, her body glowing with inner light.

"The final battle was quick, a battle neither Tirek nor Faust walked away from."

Faust body glowed with magic, pouring her very soul into the spell. Tirek's eyes widen in surprise as Faust unleashed a very familiar spell.

"The Elements of Harmony." Cadance whispered, staring at the image before her. "She...she created the Elements."

"At the cost of her life." Luna closed her eyes in sadness.

Tirek screamed as the attack slammed into him, swirling around him in a colorful light. A black void appear above him, Tirek slowly turning in golden specks of light, screaming in agony and pain as he broke apart. The golden light poured into the void before the last speck vanished and the portal into the void sealed itself shut. Faust took a single step before collapsing. She flailed a bit before falling still.

Cadance took note that Faust was saying something, but was unable to hear what she was saying.

Faust closed her eyes, and the world exploded into color. The imaged shift to Equus, a small sun appearing above the world, the moon shifting back into place, water and forests springing from the dead world.

Life was returning back to Equus and it was beautiful.

The spell ended, and Equus remain whole once more.

The image vanished and Celestia sighed. "It appears we may need the Elements to stop the Tyrant. However, in doing so, we put them in great risk."

"She has an entire army at her command, millions upon millions willing to sacrifice themselves for her." Luna muttered darkly as she stood up. "Just facing against that will be nearly impossible alone with our own troops. All of Equus could unite and not still wouldn't be enough."

"Twilight and the others could be killed before they even reached the Tyrant." Cadance shook her head, trying to shake away the tears forming in her eyes. "There must be a way to stop this madness."

Celestia trotted forward, looking back at the two. "Then we ask Madness himself. He may be able to give us insight, perhaps a plan of attack."

"Or he may just join the Tyrant in her mad quest." Luna growled. "It is a mistake to ask him of all ponies, Sister."

"What choice do we have?" Celestia asked, turning into the small clearing that held Discord. "Its either asking him or go...at..."

Celestia froze, along with the two other alicorns, as they stare at the pedestal that held Discord.

Discord stared right back at them, a small grin on his face as he enjoyed their shocked faces.

"Hello Celestia. Lulu." Discord gave them a small wave. He looked at Cadance before smirking somewhat. "Oh, a natural born eh? Finally start coming around. Took you long enough."

He leapt off the pedestal and walked to the three, his arms waving open wide and a smile on his face.

"Oh I do so love a good story telling." Discord stated, walking around the three with a casual air surrounding him, his eyes, however, were slowly filling with anger. "Celestia gives too much credit to Mother however. She also leaves out a lot of missing scenes. After all, it was me that saved the world from utter darkness."

"What?!" Cadance looked at Discord with surprise.

"A little secret that Celestia doesn't want to share with anypony. After all, it wouldn't do if the monster save the world." Discord jumped up and floated around them, before settling in front of Celestia. "Wouldn't it, Fake?"

Celestia flinched at the name, causing Luna growling at Discord. Before either of them could say a word, Discord turn around and walked back to the pedestal. His entire form slowly changing from an air of uncaring to unbridle anger.

"But you are not here about that, are you?" His voice was low, a sinister quality that made Cadance hide behind Celestia. "You are here about your insane twin and how to stop her."

He held up his eagle claw, glowing with power. He turn back to them, unmasked rage covering his face. He slammed the claw into the stone pedestal, the stone warping under his power before it shattered into dust.

"You kill her, simple as that." He growled.

"How..." Celestia whispered, terrified at this Discord before her. She could feel his power, all of it being push directly at her person.

All of his hate and rage. It just so potent that it nearly knocked her off her hooves. She had never felt this before, even when they fought, he just exclude an insane sanity about himself.

"How am I free?" Discord said quickly shifting back to uncaring, throwing Cadance off from his inconsistent personality. "Well, let's just thank my own ‘evil’ Twin for that. He was only able to help me..."

He looked back at the three, staring directly into Celestia's eyes.

"Because your ever loving twin killed him."

Clearing History

Written by:

Editors:

“Your past is always your past. Even if you forget it, it remembers you.”

― Sarah Dessen, What Happened to Goodbye

“History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”

― Winston Churchill

"Once upon a time; long before the peaceful reign of Celestia, and before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know Harmony."

― Spike

Canterlot, The Royal Gardens, 2nd Year Anno Harmonia

Celestia stared at Discord, unable to believe what he had just said, her thoughts racing as the words bounced around in her skull.

"Impossible!" Luna interjected, glaring at the Spirit of Chaos. "As much as we would love to see you gone, killing you is beyond anything we could accomplish. Even the Elements could not do such a task!"

"Like they ever would, or could..." Discord muttered under his breath. Walking towards Celestia, he wrapped his arm around the stunned solar princess and gently knocked his lion paw on her head, "Don't be so sure of yourself Lulu. Celestia here seems to believe me. Then again, she and the human knocked more than their heads together, so she might be a tad loopier than usual."

"How do you even know this?" Celestia whispered, turning to look him straight in the eyes. So far as she could tell, Discord wasn't playing his usual tricks, and the last few minutes alone threw everything Celestia knew about him out the metaphorical window.

Discord chuckled, giving the alicorns a sense of wariness, especially since his amusement failed to reach his eyes, which instead seemed to gleam with a silent hatred that begged to be released. "Oh it is quite easy to witness one's own death, especially for multidimensional entities such as we here."

"Tell us Demon!" Luna demanded, putting one hoof forward, the bold action bringing a forced smirk to Discord's warped features. He clapped his paw and claw together and released an exaggerated breath of air. "Story time kiddies! But we are going to make this short and nasty, since some of us want to move on from here."

"What?" Cadance looked at him with even more confusion at the exchange. "What was that about multidimensional?"

"Ah, so young, just trembling on the cusp of immortality. You'll learn, Crystal Princess, through the long tenure of eternity," Discord answered, condescendingly patting her on the head before whipping out a pair of hand-puppets..

"It all started when my handsome and oh-so-smexy twin was freed from his prison," Discord started his tale, illustrating his tale with the puppets. Celestia watched as the familiar scene unfolded before her, a supporting cast of shadow-puppets depicting her and the Element-Bearers entering the vault that held the Elements of Harmony.

"Sadly for my twin, the Celestia he once knew... was no more."

The three Alicorns watched as the puppet-show ballooned into hyper-realism, and the other worldly Discord made his stage debut in stained glass, oblivious of the menacing glow around his Celestia's horn. Either that or he simply didn't care.

This Discord found out the hard way that Celestia was not herself. Her magic slammed him into the glass ejecting the Draconequus and hurling him into one of the castle's towers. 'Celestia' flew after him with vicious force.

"They did not know, nor comprehend," Luna murmured, taking note of the Elements Bearers' surprise at this turn of events.

Celestia watched as her twin shattered the tower's foundations and brought it down on top of Discord, feeling sick to her stomach as the upper minaret sheared off and tumbled into a busy street below. The feeling only intensified when she realized her counterpart had just collapsed the Palace Servant Quarters, at a time of day when the entire night shift would be resting within.

With the tower destroyed and rubble and blood spread across the garden, the other Celestia touched down in the dust and gore, patiently waiting for something. After a couple of seconds the lingering dust cleared as a large piece of rubble was lifted off and thrown aside.

It revealed Discord, who was looking at Celestia with surprise. What caught the observing alicorns off guard was a large amount of ponies; maids, butlers and porters, huddling all around and underneath Discord, most in bad condition but sheltered by his magic, before they vanished in a flash of light as he teleported them away with a snap of his claw. Then he was pounded into the ground by a powerful spell.

Celestia sat numbly, watching as Discord faced off against her twin, a fight which he was losing. Of all of the battles flashing in her mind, not once did she ever remember gaining an upper hoof against him, even when she had her sister and all the armies of Equus at her side. Only the Elements of Harmony had ever given them an upper-edge over his raw, unbridled chaos.

'She is stronger than me...'

Celestia felt the chills running up and down her spine as the other world Discord was thrown into a mountain, and then drilled even further into it as the other Celestia bodily tackled him, a smile plastered on her face.

Silently, Luna and Cadence reached out a wing to support and comfort the trembling immortal.

The image began to darken, the other Discord weakly attempted to get back onto his feet, before he was forcefully thrown into the side of the Canterhorn. As shadows swum around her, 'Celestia' lightly raised her Royal Halter from her breast and replaced it with a familiar canvas bag.

"Tirek's nifty bundle of darkness and hate." Discord stated, his eyes glued on the bag, lost in his memories. "I have only seen it once before, weilded by the Centaur himself, and the horrors it can work at terrible and sublime. The source of his power and life, completely indestructible by any known ways, including my own power; that time, I was unable to so much as tear it. Then again...I was only a child defending his mother."

"Discord..." Celestia turned to him, a question on the tip of her lips. Discord stopped her.

"I'm sorry Celestia... I have no answers to give in regards to the whereabouts or history of the bag. It slipped out of history centuries ago, only for that mockery of you to dredge it up out of some unknown hole..." Discord muttered, glaring at the bag. "The only thing I can truly tell you that anypony who finds it should not touch it, physically or magically, but instead open a hole beneath it, the deepest darkest hole you can make, and bury it deep. Preferably they should then toss a mountain on top. After that, simply hope and pray that no creature ever finds it."

The other Celestia smiled as the bag glowed, it's deep sickly, purple aura surrounding her. Her smile became much more deranged, and she gave off a small titter of laughter. "Oh, I have big plans for you, my... little... draconequus..."

Then...

Darkness...

A blood curdling cry filled the garden, emanating from the illusory recording before Discord cut it off. The floating screen on which the entire battle had played out vanished, leaving Discord alone again with the three Princesses.

"Believe me, the next two years were not easy," he murmured grimly, idly toying with his tiny sock-puppet doppelganger.

"I..." Celestia didn't know what to say. "Did... she torture you?"

"No, not really." Discord answered. conjuring up another image, one showing dozens of crystals surrounding the beaten Discord. All of them brimming with stolen magic, his magic. In the center was the Draconequus himself, chains encasing his body and holding him upright, his eyes tired and exhausted. "Simply drained me of everything I had."

"How? Your magic is too-" Luna started but was cut short as Discord rounded on her and stormed up to her face, his deranged form towering over her smaller frame. Neither Celestia nor Cadence dared move.

"Don’t you tell me..." He hissed, his eyes flaring in rage and disgust. "What can and can not be done. I am currently suffering almost two years of Tartarus pits of borrowed memory, and five more years inside the mind of an Element Bearer who lost more than her mind."

"Discord!" Celestia pushed herself between the two, shoving the enraged being back. "Enough! Please!"

"Your Highness...Aunty," Cadence ventured. "Can we really trust him?"

"We must." Celestia spoke with authority, her eyes hardened as she looked at Luna and Discord's little deadlock, neither of the two eldritch beings backing down. "Discord is giving us what we need and is helping us in his own way, without mind games or jokes."

"I can see he's suffering..." Cadance spoke out, her voice soft as she looked up at the chaos god. That single sentence was enough to break Discord's attention, and he turned towards the youngest alicorn with surprise written across his face.

"Luna..." Cadence continued. "He just said he's been burdened with almost seven years of new memories, the first two alone would have crippled anyone of us. Even Auntie Celestia is still reeling from the memories of the human, and she has more than she is contend with."

"Bah!" Discord waved away at Cadance's concern. "They don't care, they never care. All they care about is their precious kingdom, tea and crumpets being disturbed."

"Discord-" Celestia started, and he glared back, causing her to lose her voice.

"If you two fillies had only stayed out of the lives of all the beings on this world, none of this would be happening." Discord said, his tone final. "No world jumping humans, no genocidal alicorns, none of it."

"We could not allow the ponies to fall into disarray, it was our duty," Celestia argued but her voice was drowned by Discord’s as he roared out in anger.

"YOUR DUTY CONSISTS OF MOVING THE BLOODY BALL OF FIRE ACROSS THE SKY AND NOTHING MORE!" Discord scowled at her, his chest heaving from the shout. "Scribe wrote you and Luna into being solely to make sure the sun and moon were properly adjusted to sustain life, not lead ponies into stagnation and the 'perfect life'. She wanted you to lead happy lives in the shadows, not step forward to rule empires!"

"WE HAD TO AFTER YOU WENT INSANE!" Celestia roared back, the Royal Canterlot Voice in full reign. "YOUR LITTLE RAMPAGE FORCED OUR HOOVES AND BOUND US IN CHAINS OF STATE! DO YOU THINK I'D EVER FORGIVE YOU FOR ENTHRONING US, FOR TAKING LUNA FROM ME, FOR TWISTING PRINCE SOMBRA TO MADNESS AND STEALING CADANCE OF HER HOMELAND AND BIRTHRIGHT! ALL OF THAT TRACES BACK TO YOUR EGOMANIA DISCORD!"

The two beings stared at one another, both channeling eons of rage, Cadance was shocked but forged ahead, now was not the time to get cold hooves...even though both being could probably banish her to the moon with little thought.

"This....argument sounds like it has happen before... Many times in fact. But we need to get back on track." She said aloud, head held high as she placed herself right between the two of them. "More is at stake here than epic grudges best left buried in history."

The words of reason seemed to linger a little in the air, the two beings held themselves for a moment taking it in, but continued to stare at each other with a frown, each with a different emotion. After what felt like an eternity, Luna spoke.

"Cadance is right." Luna said, cautiously placing herself between the two. Discord snorted once before taking a step back and waving his claw.

The image return, Discord in the image was glaring at Celestia, who smiled kindly at the chained prisoner. Standing behind her, the Elements of Harmony stood by, their own smiles plastered on their faces.

Celestia shivered in disgust, their smiles seem fake and held false kindness within their eyes. She couldn't help but welcome a warm feeling of rage blooming deep within herself, as it covered the unsettling coldness of fear that threatened to overwhelm her. The only thing that seem off was the fact that one of the Elements was missing. Rarity was not seen at all.

"What do you want, Celestia?" Discord cough up, his tired eyes looking at her with contempt.

"It is Queen Celestia, Discord." Celestia gently chide him, which he responded with a snorted. "Such insolence... no matter. Soon you will usher in a new order and Harmony."

"Yeah? How exactly you going to make me do that?" Discord chuckled, looking at her with amusement.

Celestia leaned in close to him, her voice soft and lyrical. "You are going to open a portal to another world and let me spread my rule to humankind."

Discord look at her with confusion, his face quickly morphing to one of pleasant outlook. "You are a bigger fool than I thought. You, bring order to a group of beings that thrive on chaos and order with a mix bag of general insanity? I have seen them, long ago before you were even a speck in Mother's mind. They are powerful and will destroy you and all your ponies the moment they feel threatened."

Celestia gently tapped him on the nose, causing him to try and take a bite off her hoof. She merely smiled and giggled, "Discord...I have not been wasting away my time with foolish ideas. No...I will share with them the chance of ponydom, to make them perfect beings and a new life under my care and rule."

Discord look directly into Celestia's eyes, his narrowing into slits. "I will not help your cause nor can you make me."

Celestia smile became even bigger, a hint of madness glinting in her eyes. "That is where you are wrong, my little draconequus. You will help...even if you are not around to witness it."

Discord's eyes widened in shock as Celestia simply turned around and walked back to the others. He struggled with his restraints, attempting to break free from his prison. His eyes desperately looking for a way to escape while Celestia's horn glowed with power.

Almost immediately, his face quickly to the form of acceptance and relief. Celestia smiled at this. "This is good Discord. Your sacrifice will usher in a new era."

"I'm not smiling due to your stupid plan." Discord said simply, his smile became much more mischievous, putting Celestia on guard. "Just hoping I can take the look on your face into the great beyond after I do this."

"Do-!" Celestia reared back as Discord open his mouth wide spat out a large yellow ball of magic and sent it careening towards the Elements, mainly one Twilight Sparkle. Twilight yelped as she was sent tumbling end over end. The view wavering and distorting during this before it finally stabilized to be centered on the small unicorn. Celestia turn and glared at the exhausted looking draconequus who held a weak smirk. But it didn’t last as he screamed in agony by Celestia who unleashed her spell.

Discord withered, his body spasmed making the three alicorns sick, Cadance nearly vomiting as Discord slowly became thinner and thinner, before his screams finally ended and his body simply hung in the chains before finally crumbling into dust.

"So ends chaos." Celestia whispered before looking back to Twilight. "Twilight, are you alright?"

Twilight checked herself over, before she looked up and smiled"Just a last shot, nothing more."

Before she could speak further, a swirling vortex of magic formed before a letter appeared before Celestia, which she open to read its contents. A beaming smile appeared on her face.

"Whatcha get oh great and powerful Queenie!?" Pinkie jumped up and down in excitement.

Celestia chuckled and rolled the scroll up. "It appears my guards finally tracked down our wayward Element of Generosity. They are bringing her in now. Come, Elements, we have a long lost friend to greet."

"And Spike?" Twilight asked, her face impassive as she looked to her leader.

Celestia sighed, shaking her head. "The foolish dragon will still needs time, perhaps punishment for defying my rule and stealing an Element will correct his mind... Maybe he will join us once he is properly adjusted to Harmony?"

Celestia whimpered as Discord waved his paw through the image of the smiling queen, wiping it away. "So there you have it. My twin being gank and a small piece of him is within the mind of one corrupted Twilight Sparkle. We should really thank him, if it wasn't for him, we would never seen Marcus or even know about any of this... ‘Conversion Bureau’ nonsense." Discord's shoulders slumped forward, his face full of mock despair. "Thanks Me, you are a real pal."

"I feel sick." Cadance muttered before she walked to the nearest bush and voided her stomach.

"Weak stomach, that one has." Discord commented, as frown appeared on his face. "We only began to fall down the hole full of horrors and sins, so start kicking and screaming, kid. It's only going to get worse."

"Discord...enough." Celestia pleaded. "Even somepony of your strength has fallen to her madness. What we have to do is prepare..."

"What we need to do," Luna interjected "is to gather our army, all of Equus’ armies and face against this threat. We tallied too long already."

"Lulu is right." Discord said, promptly ignoring the scowl on Luna's face at the nickname."You need to take the horn and give it a toot to call everyone here. This doesn't just involve ponies, this will involve everybody on this world. Here, catch."

Celestia almost didn't catch the ancient horn, almost unconsciously used her magic to catch it. Concordia Maxima, the same horn given to her by the Scribe herself.

"Discord! That is an ancient relic given to us by the Scribe!" Luna yelled at Discord, who was covering his ears and glaring back at her, for his treatment of the ancient horn. The Royal Canterlot Voice echoed through out the Royal Garden Maze. "It was given to us- WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP THAT NOW!"

Discord had taken the horn back from Celestia and was now using it to hit stone buttress, vaguely looking like a certain blue alicorn and hitting it as hard as he can. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU! MY EARDRUMS ARE RUPTURED FROM A PARTICULARLY LOUD HAG AND I AM UTTERLY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW! MAYBE HITTING THESE STONE STATUES WILL HELP OUT, I WILL DO SO WITH THIS-Hey!"

Celestia yanked the horn out of Discord's grasp, her wings spread before taking off to the tallest tower. Cadance open her mouth to say something but Celestia was long gone. Discord rubbed his claws while he watched Celestia fly off. "Hmph, pushy. Hmm?"

He turned to see Luna glaring up at him. "Something you need, you’re Royal Megaphone?"

Luna glare deepened, her eyes searched him a little before she leaned in closer. "You're hiding something from us." She said finally after a minute of silence.

Discord shrugged his shoulders, "Indeed I am." he claimed. Cadance, hearing the two discussing, turned to the scene behind her.

"Well....what is it?" Luna demanded, stomping her hoof to prove a point. Discord eyes gained a faraway look, his face grimacing at the knowledge.

"Let's just say that the event at the north where dear old Celestia made a mile circumference of glass and a dozen miles of destroyed forest will be a petty marker of anguish if I had told her what I know." Discord said softly, Luna's eyes narrowed at that. "I doubt she would withhold her rage and grief if I told her here and now, after all that has happened."

Discord turned to look at Cadance before looking back to Luna "I wasn't lying when I said the story gets darker from here on. We are on the edge of Tartarus itself and we are pushing the beings of this world to jump head first to save those still struggling to survive."

"I...see." Luna whispered.

"No you don't." Discord snapped. "You couldn't imagine the horrors that humanity was forced to do to survive. The Changelings are dead, as well as the Minotaurs and dragons. The griffons are barely hanging on with food shortages, and the zebras are all but counting the days until Equestria turn their sights on them. No one has even seen the Reindeers for years, but I got the feeling the Tyrant paid them a visit to 'check up' on them. Probably nothing but burnt corpses now."

Discord snorted once before turning. "You would go mad with grief and anger if you knew what I knew. Pray that you never do... It’ll haunt you for the rest of your life."

Luna gave him one last look before sighing, she opened her wings and took flight. Discord turned to stare into the sky, his arms crossed against his chest.

"Discord? I... I have a question." Cadance asked meekly, her head low as she approach the draconequus. Discord said nothing, ignoring her entirely. Cadance took a breath, steeling herself before asking away. "What happen between you and Celestia?"

There was a moment of silence, and then another, time seem at a slow as Cadance waited for his reaction. But even the princess of love has her limit as her eyes narrowed in irritation. "Hey! You can at least give me a no, ignoring me is not going to make me go away."

She growled as Discord continued to ignore her. She moved closer, trotted up to him and jabbed at his back. "Hey! I'm talking to-!"

Discord wobbled to and fro before collapsing forward. Cadance held her breath for a single seconds and then she let it out in frustration. "Really Discord? A cardboard cut out? How childish....”She sighed” I guess I can help Luna and Auntie Celestia...but I will find you."

She took flight and left the maze, yellow eyes watching her leave before they closed, melting back into the bush.

Canterlot Castle, highest tower

Two guards jumped in surprise when Celestia landed before them. "Princess!"

Celestia ignored them as they bowed, lifting the horn to her lips before blowing. The horn's single note blasted clear from the ancient relic, the guards looked in surprise as the horn began to glow, ancient runes forming in the air around the horn before gathering above Celestia and the guards.

They watched in shock as the single note grew louder, the ancient runes growing brighter before they flashed once before they shot off in different directions. The single note being carried with them far across the land.

"Princess?" One of the guards hesitantly spoke up, gaining Celestia attention. "W..what was that?"

Celestia gave her guards a sad smile before looking to the distance, specifically Ponyville. "A call to war, my little ponies, a call to war...."

Her answer caused the guards to freeze in shock, but were stung even more when she continued on. "A war that will test all of Equus...and not only our survival, but of an entire species rest within our hooves. Prepare yourselves, my Royal Guards, because after today, Equestria marches to war."

Ponyville, Golden Oaks Library

Spike glared at the back of the human in their kitchen, using their food, after he almost maimed and kill Twilight and their friends. He was glaring as hard as he could to get the human's attention, but was ignored ultimately by the human's uncaring attitude.

It didn't help that Pinkie was helping him too.

Pinkie occasionally looked back at Spike, shivered a bit before going back to help Marcus gather what he needed to make himself something to eat. She didn't say anything to Marcus, feeling that taking it slow was a better way in gaining his respect and friendship than loudly forcing herself to become his friend. Her flank still ached somewhat from the light scratch he gave her, as well as her bruised cheek. She had the feeling Marcus wouldn't appreciate if she tried to force them to become friends. After all....

Her counterpart was a giant meanie.

"Sorry" Marcus muttered to her as he watched her wince as she moved to the side.

"Hmm?" Pinkie looked up at him in confusion, before giving him a warm smile, which caused her to wince, which caused her smile to look forced.

"For punching you in the face." Marcus stated as he chopped the potatoes into slices.

"Oh! It no big deal! I get hurt all the time!" Pinkie laughed, before yelping a bit and tenderly rub her cheeks. But she was all smiles again soon after.

"That's it!" Spike growled as he stomped up to the human. Marcus quirked an eyebrow before he turn back to his potatoes. Spike glared at him before grabbing a chair and hopping up onto the counter.

Pinkie gasped "Spike! You know you are not supposed to be on the counter! It's unhealthy! Who knows where your feet has been!?"

This stopped Spike and Marcus, who were now staring at the pink earth pony in confusion. Marcus opened his mouth. "Don't you use your hooves to eat?"

"Well duh!" Pinkie simply stated, completely ignoring the fact that she just finish bringing Marcus some blueberries from outside using said hooves to get them.

"Okay....moving on." Marcus muttered. "What's your beef, little man?"

"Beef? The heck is beef?" Spike looked at him in confusion.

"Slaughtered cow." Marcus answer bluntly. "Good eating too."

Both Pinkie and Spike looked a little green at his answer, but Marcus only rolled his eyes. "It’s another way of saying 'What is your deal or issue'. Don't ask me who made it up, I don't know."

"Obviously somepony that hates cows." Pinkie muttered darkly.

“Or a human...” Spike muttered to himself before shaking his head, he returned to give the most efficient death dealing glare he could at Marcus. Marcus simply rolled his eyes.

"Work on the glare kid. I’ve seen terrorists with more ‘oomph’ than what you're packing." Marcus said as he placed the sliced potatoes in a strainer and began to wash them out.

"Yeah? Can they breathe fire?" Spike countered as his mouth actually began to drip green flames onto the countertop, which startled Pinkie as she quickly slap out the flames with a towel. Turning off the flames she sighed in relief, only to stare in utter surprise as the towel was now on fire. Marcus only snorted once at Spike’s threat.

"They can blow themselves up." Marcus replied as he gave Spike a small amuse look before pouring the potatoes slices into a boiling pot of vegetable oil. Pinkie's eyes searched for a means to put out the flaming towel. Throwing said towel in front of the kitchen door she grabbed a bucket and slammed it on top of the burning fabric, trying to snuff out the flame...

She used a wooden bucket.

Pinkie’s eyes grew wide; her jaw dropped in utter horror as the bucket was now on fire. She quickly rushed to the cupboard and found a pitcher and began to quickly fill it with water.

"You attacked Twilight and our friends!" Spike growled. "You tried to kill them!"

"Yes, yes I did.” Marcus confirmed as he poured in some flour, eggs, and some milk into a bowl he picked from the side of the sink. He attempted to grab a fork, but Pinkie slapped a whisker in front of him, she smiled nervously before running off with a pitcher of water.

Pinkie dumped the water on the burning bucket, which was slowly beginning to eat away at the floor. She gave a sigh of relief when the fire went out, she wiped her foreleg across her forehead.

The bucket promptly burst back into flames...even bigger than before.

Pinkie yelped, her hooves holding the sides of her head, the look of panic plastered on her face, before rushing out the backdoor.

"Well, what are you going to do about it!?" Spike demanded, baring his teeth, his anger slowly boiling.

"The hell do you want me to say? 'Sorry I tried to kill you, you just look like the sworn enemy of mankind, my bad?'" Marcus rolled his eyes as he took two pans and placed them on the stove.

"Yes!" Spike yelled as he pointed his claw at him in anger.

"Do you know how stupid that sounds?"

Pinkie rushed back in, a water hose in her hooves and a firepony hat on her head. She gave the growing flame a wicked grin before dosing it with the water hose. Pinkie smiled as the flames drowned in the torrents of water, and cried out as the roaring green flame burst out and completely ignored the water spray.

She looked about before she rushed into the library. Leaving the two arguing males in the kitchen with the growing flames.

"That's not the issue is it?" Marcus placed two hay strips on one pan, while the other he placed two large spoonful of butter. Spike only growled, his eye began to twitch as Marcus still continued to make his meal. "You feel this is unresolved...at least in your eyes."

"No duh! Suddenly we are all buddy buddy with you, even Rarity and Fluttershy are after you tried to kill them." Spike jabbed his claw into Marcus's shoulder, which Marcus reacted by sending the small dragon a look of warning.

Pinkie dragged Fluttershy and Rainbow into the kitchen, pointing at the growing flames. Fluttershy simply squeak in fear while Rainbow balked and grabbed Fluttershy, dragging her outside and pointing to the sky. Fluttershy nodded and flew up to the clouds.

Spike couldn't help to finally slap the human in the shoulder to get Marcus to look at him. Marcus eyes hardened a bit, glaring at the small dragon. "Kid, you're pushing your luck."

"Then leave, and don't come back!" Spike shouted at him. "I don't like you! You hurt my friends! You hurt Princess Celestia! You destroyed our home! Go back to your world!"

Fluttershy had pushed a particularly heavy rain cloud through the door, Rainbow scrambling it inside and onto it with Pinkie's help, Pinkie pushed Rainbow not the cloud. Fluttershy position the cloud over the green flames and both pegasi began to jump up and down, letting out a downpour of rain. The green flames slowly dwindle down.

"Sure Barney, I will just pull a portal out of my ass and jump through..." Marcus said annoyed of the familiarly colored dragon, he whisked the combination of eggs, milk and flour in the bowl making sure it was well mixed as the pans heated up.

“At least you would be gone..." Spike says under his breath, grinding his teeth. But what Spike considered under his breath was actually at hearing intensity as Marcus stopped whisking the bowl. Spike looked on, hopeful that the human would now pay attention to him.

Marcus then added blueberries to the mix. Spike left eye twitched as Marcus continued on unabated.

The green flame sparked once before it roared out, Rainbow and Fluttershy dived off the cloud as it evaporated due to the growing inferno. Pinkie cried out, which prompted Rarity and Applejack to find out what was happening.

"What is goin on in- Holy Celestia!" Applejack stared in shock at the growing green flames.

"It's the Beautiful Green Wild Beast!" Pinkie cried out. "It demands a worthy opponent to be its offering!"

Pinkie picked up a wooden chair and held it over her head. "Please accept this chair made of dense Maple, Oh Eternal Beast of Youth! It shall be a worthy opponent for your Will of Fire!"

Pinkie tried to throw the chair, but was yanked out of her grip by Rarity. "Pinkie Pie! Stop feeding the fire!" Rarity scorned the pink pony.

"I'm sorry! Nothing else works!" Pinkie cried as tears pour from her eyes. Marcus eyes wandered off behind Spike, to the ensuing chaos happening behind them.

Spike groaned as his frustration overloaded out of the peak and finally yelled, “Stop with the cooking!”

Marcus stopped.

Marcus moved his entire body to face Spike, Spike prepared to eat the human alive with his words. But Marcus was not looking at the dragon but at the ponies attempt put out the green fire with little success. He only sighed and turn back to the pans. "Your fire is out of control." Marcus said blandly as he pour some pancake mix in the sizzling pan.

"What?" Spike blinked at the sudden change of topic. Marcus reached up with a single hand and grabbed the dragon by the head. Spike yelped as Marcus lifted him off his feet and set him down a second later...

Staring directly into a large green wave of fire that was about to consume half the kitchen.

"Good job Barney, you truly can make a fire.” Marcus stated as he flipped the recently formed pancake, ignoring Spike's yelp.

"Ah! Fire!" Spike yelled, picking one of the near wooden buckets he tried to throw water on fruitlessly.

"Oh...man, if I only had a camera..." Marcus chuckled. Spike glared at him, gnashing his teeth at already taxed nerves.

"Why aren't you helping?! You'll burn too!"

Marcus only smiled, his form gently lighting up. Speaking up, his voice carrying a strange accent. "Magic Runes, Laddie." Before setting his first batch of pancakes down. "Why don't you just Will it away."

"It a FIRE, not a bad dream!" Spike cried out, throwing pitchers of water onto the flame.

“Yeah a magical fire ‘you’ started, you should be able to control it, like any unicorn with his magic. Calm yourself.”

“B-but I-” Spike couldn’t continue, he watched desperately as his friends tried frantically to control the fierce flames. What else could he do?

Spike swallowed hard, his rage to Marcus, fear to his friends safety and recent scares for his ‘sisters’ life have made his emotions and mind go out of control. It was not easy to draw down.

The flames have reached the already dark ceiling, the tree was sure to burst into flames any second now.

“Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!” Spike murmured repeatedly as the flames grew his mind was lingering with what would happen if it didn’t. He couldn’t stop the flames with his mind! The human was poking fun at him with the all the-

“What’s going on down there? Am I smelling smoke?” Twilight’s voice was heard asking from the second floor. Spikes heart stopped.

“Quickly Twilight you should really come down... here and... help?” Pinkie Pie began saying urgently but ended confused as the flames basically disappeared from the spot it once was with only the burned floor and ceiling as proof that it was ever there.

“N-noting Twilight, it’s j-just the human making something in the kitchen, I’ll tell him about the s-smoke.” Spike said out loud from his paralyzed and frightened spot near the kitchen door.

“Hey! Twigirl! Someone should clean all the magic burns in the walls and floor from my thing with the princesses, it just looks wrong!” Marcus yelled behind Spike making the dragon make a double take.

“Spike could you take care of that?”

“Yeah! ... yeah I’ll... take care of it.” Spike ended saying, his small heart beating a mile a minute. He turned to the human with a very clear question on his face. The ponies in the living room couldn’t be more confused at the situation. They were so caught up in the vanishing of the flame that they didn’t hear Spike’s or Marcus’ lie.

“What?” Marcus asked as he took two plates from the side of the sink and placed them at the side of the stove.

"How did you know that would work?!"Spike yelled, in which he immediately covered his mouth praying that Twilight didn’t hear. Marcus chuckled and said.

"I didn't."

Spike fell to his knees staring at the human as he continued with his cooking, breathing heavy. Spike’s mind reared ‘What in tartarus just happened, I was just mad and... and...‘

“I simply told you to try and it work. Good job kid.” Marcus said as Spike continued in his mind bugling mind twist.

“Uh, Pinkie? What just happened?” Asked Rainbow Dash, looking at the spot the un-turn-offable flame once resided.

“What? How should I know?” Pinkie replied looking at Rainbow with confusion, already in the place the flame once was, she was jumping in a circle confirming that there was no heat whatsoever.

“Well... I’m used to asking you in, uhh, things like these, yeah that.” Rainbow Dash finished with a forced smile as Pinkie now was rubbing her face with the floor. It weirded Rainbow out.

“Eh, sugarcube, what are you doing?” Applejack asked, Pinkie was now rolling on the burned spot. ‘That pony can only go so weird.’

“Umm, Pinkie, like Applejack just asked I am too, curious, as to why you are now trying to cover your impeccable fur with as much burned wood as possible?” Rarity asked a little disturbed at the now dark coal coated pony in front of her.

“I feel fine, that’s weird.” Pinkie answered as she coughed a bit of the dust and ash that had reached her mouth.

“There’s always something weird around you,” Rarity muttered under her breath, which everypony except Pinkie heard and nodded to, “Pinkie, you just need to let me help you clean your coat, and mane and... just come with me.” Rarity asked desperately, the dark ash on Pinkie’s coat was driving her crazy.

“There’s no 'hot' here.” Pinkie said cryptically.

"Well, obviously,” Rainbow added, she spread her wings, which would have made a better effect if it wasn’t for one of them being injured, “the fire got down because of our awesome responding, right Fluttershy?”

“*Cough* Well, I-”

“Not that Dashie, the fire was hot and it made everything around it also hot, especially when we tried to turn it off, but everything around wanted to be cold which the fire didn’t let because it was hot, and so everything around was then hot, but now... it looks like if it was never here.” Pinkie pondered, her hoof reaching her face only to retract remembering that it was in pain. No pony in the room understood what she meant.

“Hey, umm, hi?” A new voice added itself to the mix, everypony which wasn’t discussing with Pinkie about her coat, basicly everypony except Rarity and Pinkie herself, noticed Lyra coming down the stairs.

“Hey Lyra you there?” Marcus’ voice yelled from the kitchen.

“Oh, yeah I’m here!” Lyra responded back, she looked nervous as she passed the very dirty, almost burned, looking ponies. ‘What happened here,’ she thought as she looked back at them before proceeding to the kitchen, stopping before the entrance, taking a breath before heading in.

“There was a racket down here, what... happened?” Lyra, as she entered the kitchen now noticed the burned ceiling and floor as well as the half burned bucket and towel lingering next to the kitchen door.

"I tried to do a flambé and as you can see, didn't turn out so well." Marcus said, laughing at his own joke. Lyra looked worried at Marcus before looking at Spike, said dragon simply lowered his view, still on his knees pondering.

“I made ya something, what do you think?” Marcus asked as he turned to the unicorn two plates entered her view. There were two pancakes, over easy eggs in the middle of them, slathered in syrup, some fried potatoes slices and hay strips at the side.

“Wow, that looks great!” Lyra look at the plate with surprise clear in her voice, not expecting an incredibly well done meal waiting for her.

“It should be,” Marcus said as he moved the ‘chair’ that was in his side of the table, adding as he sat, “it’s your favorite.”

At that, Lyra stopped her eying the food at looked at it closely, it was her favorite. Something in her mind stringed slightly, ‘How much did Marcus knew about me. Were we an...item?' Lyra blushed fiercely at the thought, her eyes quickly train themselves on his hands.

“But sit Lyra I would like to talk to you about something.’ Lyra snapped out her thoughts at Marcus’ intermission, she shook her head softly making sure to ask the question once Marcus finished what he wanted to say.

“Sure,” Lyra said placing herself in the stool that was on her side of the table, Marcus didn’t touch his plate, apparently waiting for her to join before he even looked at his plate.

The silence of the room was noticeable due to the clarity of the discussions happening outside the kitchen and on the second floor. Spike, Lyra and Marcus remained silent. Lyra was beginning to get uncomfortable with all the quietness.

“Sooo... what did you want to talk about Marcus?” Lyra said cheekily very aware that whatever the human was to say it was of some importance due to his seriousness that she only had seen the moment they meet.

By this point Spike had moved next to the table, eyes in thought he picked up some cleaning materials and tools and directed himself towards the burned floor and ceiling leaving Lyra to be very conscious of the silence and Marcus’ blank stare, which seemed focus on Spike.

Lyra open her mouth to ask if Marcus was alright when he finally spoke up. "I didn't know that about them...huh. Lucky guess."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Lyra looked at Marcus with a questionable glance as she used her magic to begin to cut into her pancakes.

"Nothing... nothing. Just thinking out loud about something else." Marcus answered, taking his own fork and began to cut into his own meal. Once more the silence rang out, the only noise was coming from the next room.

Marcus was just getting a drink from his cup of milk when Lyra decided to pop a question. "Were we together, like lovers?"

Marcus twisted his head and spat out his drink in reflex, coughing violently as he slapped his chest several times to clear his throat.

"Aw crude." Spike wiped his face from Marcus' spit, before walking to the sink to wash off, grumbling under his breath.

"Um...I take that as a no?" Lyra gave off a nervous chuckle as Marcus gave Lyra a look of surprise and shock.

"Jeez, you would think I would be use to your antics by now." Marcus muttered, before sighing a bit. "Then again..."

Lyra flinched a bit at the tone. 'Oh...right. I'm dead in his world.' As she remember what Marcus told her about her counterpart.

Before Marcus could say anything, Pinkie came tumbling in, her mane wrapped up in a towel and Rarity speaking as she trailed after Pinkie.

“Well, darling the only thing left for you is a nice dryer for your curls, a good brush for your fur and we can be out of our way to clea-”

"No time! Spike! We need to solve the mysterious vanishing green flames!" Pinkie exclaimed, Rarity gave a frustrated sigh as she muttered under her breath, “Oh what I have to go through to help you Pinkie.”

"Sugercube, Ah think you need to let it go." Applejack said as she leaned against the entrance way. Rainbow scoffed as she walked inside, gently pushing her way through, followed by Fluttershy.

"Knowing Pinkie, half the town would be questioned before she even entertains the thought of 'giving up'." Rainbow eye the meal Lyra had before her, attempting to grab the hay strips before a golden dome appeared around the plate. "Aw...please?"

"*cough* Um...Pinkie, why are you asking for Spike's help?" Fluttershy murmured quietly, she gently rubbed her throat and Marcus shoulders dropped a bit. Pinkie's explanation was quickly tuned out by Marcus as his mind simply retreated into itself, but still kept track of everything happening around him

Marcus watched them all interact with each other, his eyes jumping between the mares as they spoke to one another. "They're the same... but so different at the same time." Marcus muttered out loud.

Lyra turn to Marcus as she heard his words. "Marcus?"

"I guess fate was on your side yesterday." Marcus continued on, his eyes look far away, like he wasn't even in the kitchen anymore. His words gaining everyone's attention.

"Lyra? Is he alright?" Applejack ask, looking nervous as Marcus continued his muttering.

"I.... I don't know?" Lyra ask as she move to gently shake him. Marcus reacted the moment she touched him, squeaking as his hand grabbed her hoof in a steel grip. His eyes burning into Lyra's.

"I could've of killed them all yesterday." Marcus stated, every-pony in the room flinch at this, completely unnerved by his calm declaration. "If the event happen earlier, when I still had my runes in good condition... I would’ve done it. I would've left a bloody trail of corpses and sing praises of their death as I marched to Canterlot with their heads in a bag."

Applejack took a step back, she was unsure what to feel about the human now that everything was said and done. But here he was, talking like he was simply discussing the weather and not about their horrible mutilation by his own hands. But she suspected that it was due to the growing amount of guilt. She couldn't blame him either, given the circumstances surrounding the entire event.

It struck Applejack that he was now just realizing that he could've killed a bunch of innocent ponies simply because they looked alike as the ones that hunt him down, basically twins actually. Not that any of her friends would blame him. If she was in the same situation, she would be sure she would have a similar reaction, not on the level he showed that’s for sure, but was understandable in some form.

Not that it would stop other ponies from seeking justice for Marcus crimes with their deaths.

"H-hey! You could give us some credit! We... we could’ve..." Rainbow tried to defend themselves that it would turn out okay in the end. But even she couldn't lie to herself on that level. Memories of todays fight flashing before her mind, forcing her to be silent.

Marcus going toe to hoof with not only Celestia, but Luna as well, at the same time. Injuring them and forcing the Princesses to perform more dangerous magic and skills. And Marcus just kept coming, taking the hits and returning them with equal force.

Facing off against the changelings, outnumbered almost 15 to 1, and not only putting more than a dent in their numbers, something that Royal Guards had trouble dealing with (Along with Shining Armor drilling the guards into the ground for weeks afterwards), made them believe they could take on anything. True, they still were captured, but they did so of their own volition when they were too tired to fight and the numbers simply too overwhelming.

They believed they could take on anything if they work together to overcome any obstacle. Marcus came in and crushed that train of thought with a vengeance. They won that fight against a single opponent, but barely so with casualties on their end. And even then, their opponent was still fighting while restrained, not looking worse or weared off in any way.

To see him go against the Princesses after a single night of rest was terrifying. To watch the fight happen before their eyes, to now realize the scope of how lucky they truly were. Paste was an accurate description of what would have happen to them if Marcus came through ready for a fight, not the exhausted and weaken form in which he was in.

"Its over Marcus... you don't have to worry about that anymore." Lyra said as she gently tugged her hoof free from Marcus's grip. Marcus shook his head in denial however.

"No, its not. I almost killed a bunch of innocent people. I injured their leader... Your Princess in such a way. She was so sure that it was just a giant misunderstanding. But I showed her the truth...and she found herself all in utter disbelief." Marcus voice lower to a whisper. "But when she saw all six of you coming for me... She didn't want to see anymore... But I forced her to watch... I forced her to watch versions of you perform something so wrong and tragic, all with smiles on your faces while doing so.” Marcus leaned in his seat, he stared at the ceiling.

“For all I know... I drove your Princess into complete and utter madness. She could be out there, mind utterly broken and resentful of all ponies, looking at all of you like ticking time bombs waiting to go off."

"I don't think so."

Twilight's voice startled everyone in the room. Twilight walked in, Shining Armor trailing in after her glaring daggers at Marcus.

"I believe Princess Celestia will be okay. She has Princess Luna back to keep an eye on her and help her back to her hooves." Twilight said with a slight smile, she turn to Marcus and gave him the biggest and warmest smile she could muster. "And I forgive you. I truly mean that, from the bottom of my heart. We all do."

All the ponies nod their heads (aside from a big brother and dragon) in agreement with Twilight, beaming smiles at Marcus to show him their united support.

Marcus almost had his breath taken away from this declaration, he seen it before, dozens of times, with the ponies of the PHL, but he was never on a receiving end of their fame forgiveness and heart warming smiles.

'Very good, Twilight.'

Marcus' eyes snapped into focus, startling the ponies with the intensity they showed. Marcus' mind raced, using the training methods he was taught by his Lyra to throw off mental compulsions and invaders to corrupt his mind and turn him into a double agent, he felt numb.

Weeks of mental training, hours of fending off dozens of spells aimed at corrupting or invading human minds, all for the single chance to survive against the unicorns' mental magic. Marcus and thousands of others trained hard to look for signs of magical tampering within their own mental psyche.

And now he knew there was something wrong.

Each person's mind was their temple and retreat. Some may have it as an old family home, or an area that they feel comfortable in like a library or mall.

Marcus's was in Paris, the good french capital, a place where he found a small sort of peace after his tours. With bits of various places he had been to, places of importance or something that held some fond memories of, seemingly form into the beautiful city, giving it an allure of majestic beauty and innovation of mankind itself.

Marcus looked at the familiar street before him, following the signs that directed him to various parts of his mind.

Childhood

Youth

Adulthood

Jacob

Dad

Mom

Iraq

Cheerilee

????

"There." Marcus thought/said as he glared at the sign, following the direction for what seemed like a second before finally arrived very far from his initial position at something he had never seen before within his mind.

Giant double doors barred passage, set within the wall of stone within Central Park, a place of fond memories of his father when he was a child. Standing before the doors, sounds of childlike laughter echoing around him.

"Come on Dad! Throw the ball!"

"Careful Marcus, I don't need your mother breathing down my neck because you trip and fell!"

"Hah! Got it."

"Good job Marcus. Come on, time to go. Let go see if your mother needsany help with Jacob."

"Can we come back here after you are done with your deployment?"

"Of course, we will come here to celebrate my glorious return! Ha Ha!"

Marcus pushed the memories back, fighting the happy memory before they led to him to a darker time of his life. He growled and focused on the door, attempting to push through, only to be refused when he tried to force them open.

"Open this door, Celestia."Marcus demanded, his teeth grinding against one another. "I may believe in forgiveness, but you making a back door into my own mind is low, even for you."

"It's not a back door." A voice resounded as the doors slowly open, the small figure of Celestia slowly walked out, gently closing the door behind her. Marcus looked at the little version of Celestia warily, it was the same young, swan-like version he had seen in his first mental encounter with Celestia. It was strange indeed, but he was in no mood for games.

"They're memories.” The small Celestia said, now Marcus noticed the most obvious difference, this Celestia seemed ten times as bold. “Celestia's memories, and I am their caretaker."

Marcus narrowed his eyes. "So Celestia placed her memories in my mind?"

"No." The small alicorn looked at Marcus with annoyance. "You did. You forced the connection between yourselves, even when she tried to pull out. Your will was much stronger than what Celestia believed, or was used to. You changed the spell's parameters. I have no doubt there is some small Marcus running amok in Celestia’s mind."

Marcus looked grim at the news, "So....you exist because of me? Anyway to get rid of you? I like to have my own voice in my head, thank you."

The Celestia copy only rolled her eyes, Marcus wasn't liking her attitude of ‘I’m better than thou’. "Unless you fancy being a vegetable, I am not going anywhere. I am the only thing holding back over a millennium worth of memories. Even Celestia would be bedridden for days, maybe even weeks, from absorbing over 20 years of knowledge, customs, and languages. Unless your copy is a sadist, which I somewhat fear, it might just throw everything at Celestia out of spite until it figures out what happened."

Marcus frowned. "You certainly don't speak like her."

"That is because I am a mix of personalities at the moment." The copy stated, looking somewhat embarrassed, the key word in ‘somewhat’. "Your emotions run strong, far stronger than any other species that I have knowledge of. A few more hours should give me enough time to stabilize myself."

Marcus sighed, rubbing his face before looking at the copy. "Fine. Just...just don't touch anything. Okay?"

"I can't touch your memories." The copy stated, rubbing her face as well as she looked at Marcus with exasperation on her face. "Only Celestia's. The best I can do is see them, and talk to you, give insight on political scene once all this is over."

"Political scene?"

"Your world will be very different after everything is said and done, Marcus." The copy gave him a small smile, turning to open the doors to proceed inside.

"You make it sound like we already won? What gives?" Marcus couldn't help but look as the copy paused at the door. She look back, giving a small smile and winking at him.

"Because human kind is too stubborn to give up...plus, you and a scant dozen others are the light in the darkness. Leading your people, having them believe in Hope and a chance to stand against the Tyrant."

"I'm just a soldier." Marcus waved his hand before him, attempting to place himself as a normal grunt.

"A soldier who leads millions of others into a fight? A soldier who form a union of ponies who stand against their mad Queen? A soldier who opened his arms to other species of Equus into the alliance? A soldier who managed to convince various foreign militaries to defend one of the last few bastions of safety and military power? No Marcus Renee, you are no mere soldier... "

She trotted inside, giving him one last look before the doors closed on him.

"You are a hero. And it is time you raise yourself to the pedestal by the very people who built it for you, but deny yourself as one. You are a symbol of Hope and Humanity, one that the Tyrant would destroy the moment she has a chance."

Marcus blinked, looking at the assorted ponies and dragon before him, a look of worry on their faces. (Aside from one stallion, who look like he was ready for a fight). 'What do I call you?'

'Tia will be fine. Now, you have an apology to give, do you not?'

'Yeah yeah.'

"Marcus? Are you alright?" Lyra leaned in close, her golden eyes taking up his view. He chuckled slightly, gently pushing her away.

"I'm fine, Lyra. Just learned that Twilight's spell may have....unforeseen consequences." Marcus rubbed his head in slight annoyance, not thinking any further than that.

Twilight on the other hand...

"Oh no! Did I cast the spell wrong! “She gasped,”that means that the Princess may be affected too!" Twilight began to rush about the library in a panic. Marcus raised an eyebrow at the small unicorn antics, looking to her friends for help.

"Uh...you guys going to do something about this?"

"No."

"Nope."

"Nah."

*cough*

"We learn to just let it run its course, my dear Commander. Last time we tried to convince Twilight that nothing was wrong, she blew it completely out of proportion and half the town running amok." Rarity stated, giving a soft sigh as Twilight grabbed a dozen of scrolls and quills and began to mark down her steps when she cast the spell. "As long as she stays in the Library, she should be fine."

"At least she is not fortifying herself within a book fort." Shining muttered under his breath, watching as Twilight closed her eyes and began to retrace her steps. Marcus rubbed his face before getting up from the table and walking towards Twilight. The ponies opened a path for him.

"Twilight, it’s fine." Marcus said gently, but Twilight completely ignored him. His eye twitch slightly, before trying again, slightly raising his voice. "Twilight I said its fine."

"No time, Spike." Twilight said to him, causing Marcus to stare at the unicorn dumbfounded.

'Did she just call me Spike?'

By this point, all the ponies, except for Lyra, Spike and Rainbow Dash exited the kitchen to watch Marcus try and fail to speak to Twilight properly.

"I need to go through the step by step process of the Mind Share spell. If there was an issue with what I casted, there could be dire consequences!" Twilight muttered as she walked away from Marcus.

Marcus only shook his head before turning back to the kitchen, giving up on trying to snap Twilight out of her panic state. "Hey, Lyra...come here."

Lyra looked up from her meal, fending off Rainbow from her attempts at getting her hay strips. She grabbed the strips and pop them into her mouth, much to Rainbow's irritation, and quickly trotted up to him. "Hey-*squeak*!"

Marcus took a knee and wrapped his arms around the startled unicorn, hugging her gently. He smirked a bit at her involuntary squeaks, but held his chuckles. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I cast you aside like trash and didn't think anything more of it. I know nothing I can say can really take back all what I said, but I like to start trying to get back into your good graces."

Lyra stood still, shock by his apology. He was right though, he did throw her aside the moment he found out that she wasn't 'his' Lyra. It hurt so much to be just cast away, but she long ago thought that was due to high strung emotions and even poorer choice of words. She closed her eyes and returned the hug, smiling a bit before pulling away. "You owe me a month of breakfast meals."

"Deal." Marcus chuckled before standing up. "Now, let's get back to eat-"

The Library door blasted open startling everyone in the room. Marcus, by reflex of several years of ambushes and training, reacted immediately by grabbing the closes living persons near him.

Lyra and Fluttershy yelped in shock as Marcus wrapped his arms around them before throwing himself into the kitchen, all within seconds of the door opening.

"COMMANDER RENEE!" Luna's voice boomed into the library, nearly deafening everyone still in the room.

"Jesus fucking Christ lady!" Marcus roared in anger from the kitchen, his head poking through the doorway, glaring at the alicorn with barely veiled spite. "Do you think you can yell louder I don't think the people in the next county fucking heard you!"

Luna blinked at the cursing human, there was a pause, surely of her trying to understand what he meant and in another second her face flushed in embarrassment when she realized she reverted back to the RCV. "Oh...I...I apologize, Commander."

"What the fuck was that all about?!" Marcus glared, shaking his head before checking over Lyra and Fluttershy, giving a quick apology for his rough grab and tumble.

"I apologize for startling you, all of you." Luna said as she looked over all of them with a blush on her face. "But we must not tarry any longer. Shining Armor, gather your Guards and report back to Canterlot for debriefing."

Shining Armor saluted Luna, he couldn’t hide the slight confusion of his face as he nodded once before giving the human one last glare before heading out to gather his men.

Twilight was still trying to calm her racing heart when Luna walked up to her. Her ears immediately flatten against her skull, preparing for another round of ringing ears. "Twilight Sparkle. You and the other Elements are needed at the Castle as well. My sister should be calling all the leaders of Equus soon. Commander Renee, we need to escort you to Canterlot and prepare our troops for battle."

Marcus grimace a bit, hearing the name of the city still caused him to flinch, nodding his head before walking to stand before Luna, "By the time you manage to gather the force needed, even if the other leaders are willing to help, it might be too late to help."

Luna lowered her head, conceding to Marcus' point. "What other choice do we have?"

Marcus nodded his head, taking a step to the blasted door, and suddenly stopped. He snapped his fingers and rushed back into the kitchen. He quickly walked back out, his plate in his hands, scarfing the food down quickly. "Let's go!" He managed out from his stuffed mouth.

Marcus had barely taken a step outside, when the lone note of a horn echoed all around him. Marcus barely had time to wonder what it was before his runes flares to life without his knowledge and with no warning.

Only a slight hiss of warning was to hear, but in the end, all the ponies stood in shock as a golden orb slammed into Marcus' face, who couldn’t protect himself properly due to the plate in his hands, and was sent flipping over once onto his belly, into the cold world that is unconsciousness.

Canterlot, Main Hall

Discord had just finished whipping up himself an expensive chocolate milk, much to the shock of the head chef of the kitchen, as Discord used Celestia's private stocks of chocolate to do so.

He was just about to walk out to the private garden when he heard his name being called out.

"Discord!"

Discord flinched, looking back to see Princess Cadance trotting up to him. Two Royal Guard accompanying her, both glaring at the chaos creature with contempt.

"Ah...drat. Thought I lost you at the maze." Discord muttered out loud.

Cadance said nothing to this, turning to the guards. "Go, you have your orders."

"Yes Mam." Both guards salute once before trotting away. Cadance turned back to see the draconequus slipping inside. Cadance sighed a bit at his current avoiding nature before following him inside. She looked around for a moment, her ears flicking back and forth before she made a beeline to a tree.

Cadance looked up to see Discord hanging from a branch with his tail, sipping on his extra expensive chocolate milk.

"You're tenacious, I give you that." Discord call out from a tree. "What do you need, I'm busy being a pain here."

"What happened between you and Celestia?" Cadance asked, her thoughts on their argument quickly filling her mind. "Why was it important that she stayed out of the way of pony kind?"

Discord dropped to the ground, standing at full height as he stretch his body. "Tell you what. If you answer my question, then I will answer yours in full detail; no tricks, no games, just the blunt truth, how about it?"

Cadance look at him with a frown. "And if I get it wrong?"

"Then I don't answer the question, obviously." Discord picked at his ear, flicking a ball of ear wax away.

"Fine. Ask your question." Cadance replied, steeling herself.

"Just to warn you, not even StarSwirl or his protégée got this little riddle right." Discord said with a smile. "Ready?"

Cadance nod her head and Discord beamed. "Life always moves forever forward, but what must be done to insure that we do move forward in our lives?"

Cadance balked at the small dittle, it was the type of question that could hold many answers. No doubt Discord chose it because it held a deeper meaning that what most ponies think about.

Discord chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Take your time Princess, no doubt that you are going to spend a long time to come up with the right answer. I'll be waiting for your response." Discord turn to proceed further into the private garden.

"We must live through and beyond our past." Cadance answer echoed out, causing Discord to stop. "To make sure we don't make the same mistakes that led us to them and grow beyond it."

Discord turned back, his stunned look caused Cadance to beam at him. "Very good Princess. StarSwirls' answer was 'Live for today and worry about tomorrow later.' What an idiot. Clover's answer was closer than he thought. 'The journey through life is one filled with mistakes, I just have to make better ones tomorrow.' Close, but no cigar for him." Discord walked up to Cadance and sat before her.

"So I was right?" Cadance asked, unsure if she was being yank along.

"Oh, you are right, Spot on actually." Discord scratched his beard, looking thoughtful at the alicorn before him before he started laughing. "Remember them, but never re-live them. That would bring anypony into madness. Hahahaha!"

Discord patted the ground next to him, which became a very comfortable chair. The spirit of chaos sat in nothing and Cadance took the seat next to the draconequus. Discord smiled a bit, before he began to recall the true history and the 'Royal' sisters part of Equus to the young Alicorn.

Canterlot, Throne Room, 2023 Anno Dominae

The Queen sat on her throne, glaring at nothing at that particular moment, reviewing the last few hours that passed with growing ire.

First was the stunning fact that the lowly humans had managed to put a pause on the expanding barrier. How, she did not know, but decided to leave it be, since the barrier was still maintaining itself and ever so slowly overcoming whatever the humans did.

Why waste precious magic if it will simply bowl over it eventually.

The Second was much more severe. The Rescue Fleet and Salvation Army were torn asunder.

The Rescue Fleet, along with the Great Equestrian was made up of over forty airships and thousands of her warriors. To hear every single one of those ships was gone was a blow she did not see coming.

The Salvation Army was the follow up blow, four hundred thousand of her brave ponies were stuck in the Americas. At least ten thousand of them were taking cover in the Boston airport, but was quickly getting pounded into the dirt by missiles, artillery fire, and bullets. Even worse was the portal station in Nova Scotia was recently taken out by a band of Griffons, Diamond Dogs, and to her shock, a Minotaur.

Celestia was so sure she destroyed all of them.

The Third blow came from the Blue Spy. She did not only managed to sneak into Canterlot, given that a report of a pony shifting into a different pony was called to the guards, she also managed to free the dragon from his prison.

She also blew the entire prison apart, making it collapse on top of her.

Finally was the simple fact that she lost the chance to utterly destroy humanity's leading champion. Colonel Marcus Renee, the 'Commander' of the UN forces and the main reason why the PHL existed and its continuous thorn in her side. She growled, frustration morphing on her face. The Elements attempt to turn all the humans into stone failed utterly, and while they did separate the Commander from his forces, the Elements chose to send him away, against their ‘masters' wishes.

And to add more insult to injury, she managed to find him, using the late draconequus of chaos power to figure out where he was sent. She found him and her lesser counterpart, she attempted to show her the light of humanity's sins.

She was cast out and since then, been unable to glean into their world.

(Music-right click and open new tab for fun!:D)

She stomped her hoof, cracking the dais with her strength. She quickly got up and made her way out of the room. She ventured deeper into the castle, passing Starswirl the Bearded's hall, where Twilight was busy working on a new spell, hoping to figure out a way to bypass the new defenses of humanity. She moved forward, ignoring all the ponies that bowed to her before finally reaching the bottom section of the Castle.

She smiled as her horn glowed and the doors quietly swung open. She quickly trotted inside, her smile grew bigger as she watch the source of the Barrier hum with power.

The room was made of crystals, covering the ceiling, all around the walls and surrounding the floor. The energy they brought made the room feel overwhelming for anypony who dared to see the beautiful sight. And in its center, its purpose.

The machine made little sense, but it worked, and that is all Celestia cared for. The large spiral of crystal was composed of a large crystal in the center, stones keeping it in place as smaller crystals floated by, coming out of the larger crystal and spinning out for a couple of seconds before stopping in random spot and reentering the behemoth, all in a sequence. There was a dull sheen of copper right in front of the massive thing, which contained the massive power within. It pulsed once before humming out loud and shooting a bolt of lightning to one of the spinning crystals.

Celestia quickly made her way to a small hatch on the main body of the copper block in front of the crystal body, opening the copper case and giggling as she pulled out the Bag of Tirek from its container.

"A minor setback, nothing more. Soon, they will see the error of their ways..."

The bag glowed, gently covering the Alicorn with its power, causing her to moan at the energy that caressed her. Her eyes snapped into focus, her smile becoming much more deranged as she placed the bag back.

She tested her power, flicking her horn eyes glowing white. The room seemed to tremble, all the crystals began to remove themselves from the walls and flowed aimlessly around the powered Queen, spinning in an endless circle. The Queen laughed sinisterly.

"Or they will be crushed under my hoof in the process, no matter, they will realize that they can never beat a goddess."

Consequences of Conflict

A/N: Science detailed in this chapter is just the rambling of a mad author who is desperate to look cool..... AM I COOL YET!?!

Consequences of Conflict

Written by

Redskin122004

Editors

Drawdex

Beyond the Horizon

TB3

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” -Edmund Burke

"All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: Freedom, Justice, Honor, Duty, Mercy, Hope." - Winston Churchill

Golden red light reflected from the glass and steel towers that lay before her. The sounds of millions people moving through the city, either fleeing the barrier and just passing through or patrolling the city to ensure its safety.

Millions of souls depended on her to be strong and lead her forces for their safety.

New York. Oh great New York.

The massive city glowed in the darkened sky, its. A bright light managed to outshine the menacing pink glow to the east. It was one of humanity's largest cities in the world. A literal melting pot of culture, races, and lifestyles. It has seen it all, starting from its humble beginning in the year of 1624 as a simple trading post.

From the arrival of thousands of immigrants into its ports as they cross the sea for a new start in their lives...

To the death of thousands with attacks that not only forever shatter an iconic view of New York, but has made its citizens mourn the loss of those lives taken away.

It has seen much, experienced much, and the people that reside within itself have pushed through, both good and bad.

Now, instead of citizens and foreign travelers walking its streets, refugees and soldiers call it their home.

Many New Yorkers had remained behind when the military established themselves a year ago; opening their doors to soldiers and fleeing refugees, helping the city become something more defendable. Every building had anti-air defenses, every corner had a machine gun nest, every window was boarded and the streets were blocked off. The city was no longer a cultural melting pot...

It was fortress. A giant door leading to the rest of the country...

A door with so many barrels poking through it, one had to be a bloody fool to go knocking with wicked intentions at its door.

Cheerilee leaned against the barrier that prevented her from falling off the edge of Freedom Tower, sighing as she watched the glowing light from the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. So many thoughts filtered through her mind, and yet the one prevailing thought was based on a certain human.

"Where are you Marcus?" Cheerilee whispered, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall.

The sound of footsteps crunching on the rooftop gravel brought her out of her mental musing. She turned to see a young teen standing by, rifle in hand as he walked up to her. 'Maybe about sixteen... no... Fifteen. Too young to fight... but we are getting low on willing fighters.'

"Ma'am." The teen soldier nodded his head to her, his eyes glued on the scene before him.

"Yes?" She turned back to the city, the inner city glowed brightly, while the outskirts show soldiers and military vehicles moving about in their patrols.

"You're needed in the conference room, the meeting you called is about to begin. Captain Spitfire, Doctor Whooves and Ms. Scratch are waiting." The teen relayed to her. But one of the names cause Cheerilee blink in confusion.

"Doctor? But he is supposed to be resting, he was injured not even an hour ago." Cheerilee looked at the teen with confusion.

The teen only smiled and shrugged. "Don't know Ma'am, but he is waiting for you."

"Darn that stubborn stallion, how Derpy puts up with his antics I'll never know." Cheerilee muttered as she got up from her perch. The teen only smiled and followed her as they walked back inside.

As they reached the elevator, the teen gave a small cough before speaking. "Ma'am. Is there any sign of Commander Renee?"

Cheerilee only lowered her head, her ears flattening against her skull. The elevator doors opened and she stepped through before finally answering the young man's query. "No."

"Oh."

"I wish I had more to say." Cheerilee clarified, rubbing her head with her right hoof as the doors closed and the elevator began its descent. "At the moment, we should be thankful that Marcus is not in the Tyrant's disgusting hooves."

"Just MIA." The young man snorted, shaking his head. The elevator quietly rang a soft tune before the doors opened, allowing the two to continue on. "The latest reports-"

"I know what the reports say." Cheerilee cut him off with a terse reply, her voice sounding more like a disproving teacher than a commanding officer. It still ended up with the same results however, the teen froze up involuntarily. "I know that he went missing when the Elements attacked Commander Renee. Vinyl and Captain Spitfire were both there, and both saw with their own eyes that he vanished into a portal similar to the portals used by the Tyrant's Army. We have our own ponies looking for any sign of him on Equus."

For a moment, the two walked in silence before finally reaching their destination, a double door. Cheerilee reached up to push one of the doors open, but the next question caused her to pause.

"But will he still be alive... after all this time?" The teen lowered his head at his question. "We all have seen what happens when a human is introduced to an extremely magical environment. We start doing the Wicked Witch routine the moment we are in. Magic is fine to perform on us in small doses but... too much and we literally begin to melt."

Cheerilee said nothing, the only response was to flatten her ears against her skull. She was afraid that the teen was right, afraid at what the implications meant. Afraid that all they would find of him would be his liquefied remains.

The Runes protected him, allowing a large quantity of magic to reside safely within him, with no signs of discomfort or pain. However, she wasn't sure if they could protect him in an environment like Equus. No human wanted to test any theory that a pony could think up that could protect them from magic prevalent in Equus, and no pony had the heart to put them in such a position in case it failed.

Time was running out...

In more ways than one.

She turned back and looked at the teen before her, and all she saw was a young man struggling to breathe, ash covering his form as he reached out to her, his eyes begging her to save him.

"Ma'am?" Cheerilee shook her head, banishing the image from her mind.

"He's alive, I can feel it, but I don't think he wants us worrying about him right now. We need to focus on the Tyrant and her armies advancing." Cheerilee said with conviction. She turned and gave a big warm smile, causing the teen to give one in return.

"Yeah, of course you're right. Besides, those zombies don't have the ability to get reinforcements now. Every new foal killed is one that won't get replaced so easily now, not by a portal or by potion." The teen exclaimed happily. "We can stop this, I know we can."

Cheerilee nodded her head before finally pushing the door open and proceeded inside. She stopped and turned back to smile at him again. "That's the spirit. Thank you for escorting me to the Conference Room..."

The teen smiled, snickering as Cheerilee struggled with the name on his coat, but given where her head was located near his waist, it nearly was impossible for her to read it unless she was several steps away. "Private Adrian Shepard, ma'am."

"Thank you Private Shepard. My that was embarrassing." Cheerilee flushed slightly, but she was happy to cause some level of joy in this bleak period of time.

"You’re welcome Ma'am." The teen saluted her, one that she gave in return before he turned and walked away. Cheerilee nodded her head before turning to enter the conference room.

The place was in average in appearance; ten chairs were neatly cleaned and organized, though the round table was filled with paperwork and reports from various foreign nation forces. The place was of great importance, since all information that was vital to the PHL is known to pass into this very room, before it was known by anypony else. Several large plasma TV were aligned in the length of the walls, two were dedicated to the Blue Force Tracker, or BFT in Military lingo, showing current movements of military personnels and enemy positions, along with various surviving news networks or information on the internet.

The room was empty, and that confused Cheerilee. It seemed that the information on the waiting time was a little exaggerated. But before she could fully show her displeasure at being forced to wait, a voice popped up from behind her, nearly scaring the fur off of her.

"No child should ever become a soldier," Doctor Whooves said quietly, watching the teen walk away before turning to her. "But desperate times call for desperate measures."

“You should be resting, you know that right?” Cheerilee spoke, a hoof in her chest as she made sure her heart was still in its position.

“Of course I do. Why do you think I’m doing this now? The faster this is done the more rest I’ll get when it’s all over.” The obnoxious pony replied as if it was the obvious conclusion. Cheerilee simply sighed.

"And does Derpy approve of this way of thinking?" Cheerilee asked, giving the Doctor a sidelong look.

"Of course she does! It’s how we’ve always done things." Doctor happily answered, his eyes showing nothing but mirth.

"So she approves of you being outside of a medical facility when you just recently got impaled by a spear?" Cheerilee couldn't help but feel a small amount of vindication when Doctor's ears folded themselves against his skull, a small glint of fear beginning to show in his eyes.

Doctor rubbed the back of his skull, chuckling nervously while he looked at everything but Cheerilee. "Ah...well, it’s a bit of a matter of perspective really-"

"Whatever Doc." Vinyl’s voice echoed out from behind him. The mare leaned against the door frame with a mischievous look on her face, her shades propped up on her horn. "You’re in trouble and you know it."

"I have to agree with her Doctor." Spitfire trotted up to them, giving him a slight poke on his wounded shoulder, causing him to wince in pain. "Derpy loves you with all of her heart, but she will bring Luna's wrath on your head once she finds you missing."

Doctor lowered his head, a feebly grin on his face, causing Cheerilee to roll her eyes as she made her way into the room. "I guess Tiger-lilly muffins would be a the best 'I'm sorry I am an Idiot' apology gift that would get me in the clear?"

The three mares looked at one another before answering. "Yes."

"With chocolates."

"And her favorite movie."

"And a hoof massage."

Doctor only hung his head as the mares gave a small scatter of giggles, but he was smiling at the small jabs being made at him. He limped his way to the table before sitting down and giving them a hurt look. "Ladies, you wound me so. Like right here, on the shoulder." The small joke was all the indication they needed that he’d be fine, causing them to all chuckle along with him.

"Oh, quiet you." Cheerilee laughed at him, enjoying the atmosphere before reality began its descent on to her mind. "I miss this." She whispered quietly after the laughter subsided, the positive air slowly dwindling away.

All the ponies heard her statement, but refused to make her clarify. They knew what she was talking about, and they felt the same thing.

The war had taken a lot from them.

Vinyl jumped onto her seat, spinning several times before finally stopping with a slam of the hooves on the table. "Alright, let's get this over with, I left a lot of my stuff in Boston and I don't want anypony touching it."

Cheerilee was more demurred in sitting in her chair, scoffing slightly at Vinyl’s urge to make haste. "Vinyl, you are the only pony that can use said gear. Part of me is glad you blew out your subwoofers to force you back to using the the proper weapons."

"Hey! All my speakers are awesome, you should've seen some of those humans fighting when my speakers are cranked up to 15!" Vinyl jab a hoof at Cheerilee, Spitfire only shook her head.

"Can we get back on track please?" Spitfire’s calm voice shattered the argument, causing the two ponies to look abashed at their conduct.

"Of course. Vinyl, how are ground forces? Anything I should be worried about?" Cheerilee adopted a calm and calculating look. It was the same look she had taken when she spoke out against Lyra's initial plan to have a sit down protest in Canterlot.

She has seen and experienced first hoof what the New Foals did to ponies who went against the Tyrant, and the few protests that began before Lyra's PHL group were nasty. It was thanks to her they protested in Fillydelphia instead, where the New Foal numbers were slim, and where production of airships was located at. It opened the eyes of many ponies to see the New Foals turned violent on them when they didn’t agree with the Tyrant and her policies..

Sadly, those protests dwindled to nothing when more and more ponies got hurt, if not by the New Foals, then by the corrupted guards. This gave rise to the PHL that everypony knew: A group dedicated in bringing down the Tyrant, freeing Luna from her unjust imprisonment, and protecting humanity from her deranged ideals.

"We got a dozen injuries." Vinyl scowled as she reported to Cheerilee. "Many of them won't be walking, but it could've been a lot worse if we didn't have the enchanted and runic armor."

PHL wasn't a group just for ponies either...

"What about Iron Will and his group?" Cheerilee closed her eyes, saddened by the injuries, but pushed on. She needed to be strong. For Lyra's memories, her strength, her passion in defending humanity, and true pony ideals.

"Lyra! This is insane! We need you here with us!"

"What we need is a distraction, and right now all those New Foals have a hard on for me. I'm taking this ship, sailing it into the pegasi made storm, and I'm going to be that distraction. You get my stuff, all my ideas for the runes, and you get everyone outta of here Cheerilee! We already have this entire island ready to go up in flames, but we weren't expecting this attack. I did the best I could for the refugee ships and so far its working like a charm, but now is the time for action, I need to be out there.

"Not alone you’re not."

"Sorry Captain, but you need to get all the sailors-"

"I'm sorry Miss Heartstring, but I follow His Royal Majesty’s orders, not yours. I will not allow HMS Thunder Child, the most advance Frigate in His Majesty's Navy, be under control of a unicorn. No. She will sail with human hands, and she will let loose the dogs of war before she falls. You need a distraction and you need my ship. You get us and the ship is yours."

"Lyra..."

"Take care of them Cheerilee, take care of them and make sure we win. They won't break me if they capture me and Marcus will lead his own people to victory if we help out."

"Lyra!"

"Come on Captain, we have ship to sail and a statement to make!"

Cheerilee focused herself back on the present. She hated it when found herself thinking of the past, it often led to bad and hurtful memories.

"Will says he and his group are ready to go at anytime. He also received news that another group of soldiers managed to sneak through the portal and are on their way to Boston, straight from the Griffon Kingdom. Tsumerai at that." Vinyl said with a rather feral grin.

The rest of the room blink in shock. Tsumerai were essentially the Delta Force or Spetsnaz of the Griffon military. The translation literally meant 'Talon Warriors' and was no joke in terms of their abilites. They not only defended the current ruler, but faced off against Greed or rogue Dragons on a monthly basis (though not anymore due to the Dragon Purge led by the Tyrant), due to how close they were to dragon territory. To have a single Tsumerai in their ranks would be a huge boon to not only the Iron Will's group, but to the PHL as a whole.

They're heavily armored, armed to the beak, and extremely skilled in both magical and physical combat. Their swords, the Katana, were their main weapons, forged by the best and trained by the best in utilizing them. However, their numbers were small due to the high death tolls, both by the grueling training and by battle. They also utilized many other weapons as well, such as magic for those gifted with the skill of using them.

The Tsumerai were so gifted in combat that they opened a fighting arena so they could find more talent to bolster their ranks with.

The Dragon Tourney was open to all and cemented itself as a world class arena in a few short years of it being introduced. The tournament became extremely popular due to the dozens of spells fitted in the arena itself to insure the combatants survival while still maintaining the freedom of the fighters.

After all, there was no sense in killing off soldiers and talented fighters.

It was a place for all species to test their mettle against one another. The best of the Tourney then faced off against a Tsumerai warrior, with a chance to win their prized blades.

The last winner was over a decade ago, a unicorn with the stage name 'Five Blade Fancy'. The only unicorn to use magic and physical skills to win. He was also the only pony to actually use five separate blades of various styles and make, not swinging like a madpony, but with actual skill and tactics.

Hence the name Five Blade and how graceful he was in utilizing them.

Cheerilee shook her head for the random info-memory, a light blush on her face as she remembered her younger years in wanting to know the dashing unicorn.

There were a few reasons for a Tsumerai, or apparently a group of them, to come now.

The Griffon Kingdom was suing for war was one of them.

With the Queen's mysterious death five years earlier, Equestria cutting off trade and bringing weather ponies back from the Kingdom, it has all but left the griffons floundering down a river without a boat. A thousand years of peaceful but vital trade and weather control had left the Griffon Kingdom without the means to take care of themselves. Lyra had suspected that the Tyrant had done something to Queen Hedwig, to destabilize the kingdom and gone further by cutting off trade that griffons relied on. Due to the mountainous region they inhabited, it was impossible to farm regularly, and so they depended on outside trade for food.

Gilda, Iron Will's second in command, described it as a slowly crumbling society on the verge of complete anarchy. Chicks were going hungry, even when older griffons were sacrificing their meals, only eating once a day or even a bite at all, anything for their future generations. There was simply too many beaks to feed and so little food to go around.

She also reported the first of many deaths due to starvation, many of the chicks no older than the fillies and colts in Cheerilee's former school teacher days.

King Tobias was struggling to keep his people together to survive this dark period last time Gilda been in her country, almost two years ago last time she checked, getting news from the Griffon Kingdom has all but been impossible to obtain since then.

"Well..." Doctor couldn't help but chuckle a bit, looking somewhat off at the info present. "There’s little doubt in my mind they're going to cut down anyone who gets in their way. Better let the pegasi patrol group know, Captain. We don't want a misunderstanding to happen." Spitfire nodded her head and pressed the collar on her neck, speaking softly so she will not interrupt the meeting. "Should also let the Navy know as well, no doubt they will cut them down with their anti-air."

"How many?" Cheerilee asked, willing to try and get some Tsumerai into the main fighting force, maybe train a few in human weaponry.

"Heh…” Vinyl suddenly looked very excited, which caused Cheerilee to look at her with confusion.

"Vinyl?"

"All of them." Vinyl quickly responded. Doctor's eyes open wide at the information with a flabbergasted look.

"All of them?! That's over one hundred trained warriors that make the Royal Army look like foals playing make believe! Why in the world- Oh!" The sudden stop cause all the mares to look at the eccentric stallion in confusion. The look of realization plastered on his face grew before it morphed into one of utter disbelief and sadness.

"Doctor?" Spitfire leaned towards him, about to shake him. "What is it?"

"They're here for Gilda." He said slowly. "Oh no, the poor girl. She’s going to be devastated."

"Wait, hold on!" Cheerilee snapped at him. "What are you talking about? Why are they here for Gilda?"

"Cause she’s the new Queen of the Griffon Kingdom. She is the youngest of the Stormwing Clan and a rightful heir to the throne." Doctor explained, his eyes full of sorrow. "And her entire family is dead."

"What!?" The three mares cried out in shock.

"What are you talking about Doc?" Vinyl exclaimed. "How do you know about this anyways?"

"I met Queen Hedwig when I accidently took Derpy and the girls to Stormwing Castle. I was shooting for Windy Heights but the old Tardis took us there instead. " Doctor explain, with a small sad smile as he thought back on the memory. "The next thing I know, she is boarding the Tardis along with her youngest granddaughter Gilda and two very confused Tsumerai guards. She hadn’t been to Windy Heights in a long while and wanted to spend time with her youngest grandchild."

Doctor sighed, rubbing his face with his hoof. "She explained to me that her duties kept her from enjoying family experiences, and teach Gilda as much as she can to enjoy her freedom, so much so that she was willing to send her to Equestria and be far away from the Royal Courts. While Gilda is not in any shape or form to be the next Queen, she is still Royalty, and many would make a pass at her for the chance to have it." Doctor remembered Hedwig staring into the distant mountains as she explained why she wanted be there, a young Gilda playing with Dinky and Sparkler in the background with Derpy and the two Tsmerai guards watching them.

"Poor Gilda." Spitfire whispered quietly. "All the others are excited to hear that so many Tsumerai are heading this way, and all she sees is bad news about to hit her in the beak."

"Vinyl, I want you to check up on her when the meeting is over." Cheerilee ordered, her eyes set on Vinyl who nodded her head. "I can't even begin to guess what she is thinking right now, but it can't be pretty. You and Will keep an eye her."

"Got it Cheer." Vinyl accepted the order and gave a small nod. Cheerilee sighed before turning to Doctor.

"Doctor, before you were injured, did you manage to get the latest numbers of our allies heavy machinery and vehicles?" Cheerilee watched as the Doctor closed his eyes, his good hoof gently tapping his skull.

"Ninety percent of all grounded military vehicles are runically enhanced, Fifty six of all air units are runical enhanced as well and all Naval units aside from the submarines are done. Those that are finished and ready are loaded up and heading to Boston." Doctor reported in a slightly monotone voice. It was no secret that he hated what was happening, but for the life of her, she never understood why. He almost never fought. True, he went into battle to help, but never really to fight. He was the puzzle nopony except Derpy could figure out.

He detested weapons of all sorts, even if said weapon saved his life. He was an oddity in the current day and age, and yet he had a body count higher than all of them combined. After all...

He brought down an entire prison filled with guards to their end after they captured Derpy and hurt her.

"The losses in Boston were minor at best. Both in machine and manpower. The Royal Army couldn't hurt any of the UN’s air units, so there was no loss there, but we had to dig out several of our tanks that were trapped within some holes that the Royal Army managed to dig out to trap them. We lost several light armor units, but those are easily replaced for the time being." Doctor finished his report, nodding to Cheerilee.

"Alright, Captain, how's our flying aces?" Cheerilee turned to the former stunt flier. She knew she was going to receive some bad news with the way Spitfire looked.

"As of this moment, I have ten ponies in the field hospital, minor injuries ranging from clipped wings to broken ribs." Spitfire closed her eyes and shooked her head, which caused Cheerilee to hold her breath. "One of them is in critical condition. They're not sure she's going to make it through the night."

"Who?" Cheerilee ask quietly, causing Spitfire to hesitate in answering. Cheerilee had a sinking feeling that she knew the pony, and Spitfire knew it too.

"Cloudchaser." Cheerilee felt like she was bucked in the gut by Applejack. She remembered when Cloudchaser, her sister Flitter, and several others had joined up with them. They all looked like they were badly roughed up when they turned themselves into the nearest human military. They, along with a large population of Ponyville, confronted Twilight and the others when they returned. News of the barrier had begun to spread and information began to leak into Equestria about what the Tyrant was doing.

While Twilight was able to calm most of the citizens and send them home, many of them didn't believe her, which included Cloudchaser. Cloudchaser demanded to know what right that Celestia had to force her will on another species.

“The humans are a disorganized mess, they’ve damaged their planet with how reckless they’ve been with their industrialization and technology. They need Queen Celestia’s help to guide them back on the proper path. After all, they don’t have any idea how to work in harmony with nature, they just recklessly destroy it whenever they encounter it.” Twilight gently chided the group of ponies before her, her friends smiling at her answer as if it was the perfect one.

"That doesn't give Queen Celestia the right to change them." Cloudchaser argued, glaring daggers at Twilight. Snowflake nod his head, agreeing with his marefriend, alongside her sister and Thunderlane. "I met humans, Twilight. I know they aren't perfect, but no pony is."

Twilight open her mouth to argue her point, but Cloudchaser talk over her. "Yeah, they haven't really taken care of their world, but they're trying to fix it. I seen many of their documentaries in ways in fixing their mistakes. They don't have magic, their world is one giant EverFree Forest, but look at them. Really look at them! They’ve done more than ponykind has ever accomplished! In less than ten years of saying it, they managed to land a human on the moon! With technology only somewhat more advanced than ours at the time! What really got me wondering though, is why you aren’t going gaga over it? You love this kind of stuff, Twilight!”

"Human technology is what led us to the mess of a planet called Earth." A young voice called out from behind Twilight and the others. A dark navy blue unicorn, his voice filled with false cheer as he voiced his opinion. Didn't take long for Cloudchaser to figure out he was a New Foal.

"Exactly. How can humanity hope to survive without Queen Celestina's guidance?" Twilight gave Stalwart Heart a large smile. "Perhaps you were so ensorcelled by the pretty pictures the human-made science threw out, that you failed to see the damage it was causing. Maybe I can teach you a thing or two about 'real' science, I'll even use pretty pictures to make a- Argh!"

Cloudchaser made her answer known by bucking Twilight in the face.

The fight was short, but brutal as the native Equestrians were jumped by New Foals, being led by none other than Stalwart Heart himself. Formerly known as Marcus's kid brother, Secret Service Agent Jacob Renee.

Only thanks to Snowflake's rather brutish strength did they escape and made their way back to Earth.

"Flitter and Snowflake?" Cheerilee wearily asked about Cloudchaser's sister and her coltfriend.

"Flitter cried herself to sleep. Snowflake hasn't said a word and been by her side the entire time. No one has been able to move him and I don't think anyone can, short of his little brother Featherweight that’s for sure."

"We can't risk sending Doctor to pick him up in Ponyville, not so soon after what Blue Spy did to the Tyrant and her prison for Spike. No doubt she has increased the spell area into locating the Tardis whenever it arrives. I'm not going to risk my former students' lives." Cheerilee shot the plan down quickly. Featherweight, Applebloom, and a few others of her former students were the eyes and ears in Ponyville.

Applebloom found it hard to accept the fact that her sister had all but changed into a monster, but with Cheerilee and Lyra showing images and videos of her sister 'helping' the humans, Applebloom finally believed them. It also helped that Big Macintosh side with them as well, giving Applebloom support she needed to face her sister everyday without giving themselves away. The fact that Applejack still trust her sister and brother had been instrumental in defending key areas due to Applejack running her mouth whenever Applebloom or Big Mac ask a question about what was going on in the castle or on Earth.

At least Applejack hasn't change that much, and the PHL were milking that source for all its worth.

"What happened?" Cheerilee eyes fully focused on Spitfire, steeling herself for the answer.

"I don't have the full details. Thunderlane was leading Bravo Team to Fenway Park to give the arriving resupply helicopters some cover." Spitfire grimaced as she remembered Thunderlane's hooves covered in Cloudchaser's blood as he reported directly to her on what had happened. "They were jumped by surviving Royal Pegasi Guards. Several spears were thrown at Snowflake, but Cloudchaser jumped in the way."

"Cloudchaser will pull through." Vinyl voice was confident in her proclamation. "She's too stubborn to die like that, and she won't leave Snowflake behind."

"Snowflake has gotten better at managing his anger thanks to Cloudchaser. I fear that her death might push him over the edge. Whether into mind numbing rage or crippling depression is unknown." Doctor muttered out loud.

Cheerilee nodded her head at his assessment. "Keep Flitter and Snowflake near Cloudchaser. I don't want her to be alone, she is going to need all the care we can give her and taking away her support is not an option. Bring up the reserves to replace our lost number, Captain."

"Already done, Cheerilee." Spitfire answered.

"Is the meeting over now?" Vinyl was about to jump off her chair, but Cheerilee's glare left her flank in place. "So, that's a no?"

Cheerilee nod her head before taking a deep breath before speaking. "Right. As of now, the barrier is stopped, for how long is anypony’s guess. The trench spell Zecora and Princess Cadance casted on the Miskatonic Leyline has held up the barrier, a first for all of us, but we can't be sure if it will hold. Zecora says... ugh... how did it go again? Ah! The ground and sky unite, Earth will hold with all her might, but her strength wanes to and fro, the barrier's strength will surely grow."

"Oh that’s not ominous at all." Doctor shook his head, muttering under his breath. "And I gave her that Rosetta Stone packet to help with her speech. She's fine speaking Swahili, but when it comes to English, she has to rhyme, and she makes it sound like you are going on a ultimate quest when asking for directions to the local grocery store."

"That didn't tell us how much time we have." Spitfire grimaced, looking to Cheerilee for any additional information.

"Yeah, I asked for how much time we had before it starts moving again." Cheerilee rubbed her head, attempting to sooth the growing headache. "We have two weeks, more or less."

There was a moment of silence. After some time the Doctor finally broke it.

"New York is going to have to be evacuated." Doctor said quietly.

"That's not going to happen." Vinyl growled in anger, looking at all of them. "These people are going to fight tooth and nail to keep this city from falling, and even when the barrier is wiping it out, they are going to become more fatalistic in the process. This city is one of the few places in the world that don't have any remaining PER and its people are damn proud of themselves. Hell, the Sleepy Hollow Bureau may still around, but with that many guns pointed right at it, it might as well be a prison."

"They're New Yorkers." Doctor gave a dry chuckle as he added his two bits. "These people have survived too many threats, both against themselves and abroad. They would die defending this city."

"They're not going to leave, Cheerilee. Neither the people or the soldiers. If this city falls, it’s opening the floodgates to the rest of the country and South America." Spitfire closed her eyes, folding her forelegs across her chest.

"I know... which is why I have worse news to give out." Cheerilee began, giving each of them a forlorn look before picking up a datapad from the table with her magic. "We need to stop that barrier permanently... or the consequences will be dire."

"What is that? What's on it?" Doctor look closely at the floating pad with scrutiny.

"Project AshStorm. I wanted to tell you, but this information was given to Marcus and a few leaders just before the invasion." Cheerilee explained, her face was filled with disgust at the datapad.

"Let me take a look." Doctor fish out his glasses as Cheerilee practically threw the pad, no longer wanting to see or touch it.

"As far as I know, this... this horrible plan was pushed to President Davis, and he caved in to the plan." Cheerilee face was filled with fury as she remembered the utterly blank look on President Jack Davis’ face as he explained the plan to the leaders of various military outfits. "The plan consists of blowing up the Yellowstone Caldera, to take out both themselves and the Tyrant's New Foals."

"Were there any other options on the table?" Spitfire asked, giving the Doctor a rather long look as he grumble under his breath as he continue his reading. From where she is sitting, she can see various plans and blueprints on the pad.

"The only other options were surrendering to the Tyrant, allowing the barrier to consume them while fighting off hordes of New Foals, unleashing their entire nuclear arsenal upon the barrier, pray that somehow break the barrier and hope that a nuclear winter is not made in the process, or try and build a feasible space ship and somehow survive with limited sources and atmosphere, all with a prayer that there isn't any intervention from the New Foals in the process." Cheerilee hung her head, options were limited and anything they thought lead to completely dead ends in every sense of the word.

"Of course they choose the option to take everyone with them." Doctor mutter quietly, but did not raise his eyes from the pad, but a small glint of shock was in his eyes.

"So, that's it? They're giving up?" Vinyl gave them a second to understand what she said before she slammed her hooves on the table. "I call bullshit!"

"Vinyl!"

"Stick it up your tail hole, Cheerilee! If we lose Boston, they're just blowing everything up and killing everyone just to make sure that Tyrant doesn't get any more humans?" Vinyl yelled at her, angry beyond belief.

"Yes."

All the mares slowly turned at the Doctor. He was slowly placed his glasses away as he continued. "'Better even to die free, than to live as a slave' Frederick Douglass; March 2 ,1864. Right here in New York city during the American Civil War when the call to arms was directed to the colored people of the North. This saying has been passed down, and became a hallmark saying for many. Now it’s being put to the ultimate test, one I believe they will succeed if push came to shove."

"Well, how come they don't just throw their missiles at the Barrier?" Vinyl seethed in anger, not willing to believe that they would just throw their lives away.

"Vinyl, before all this, if you had asked me if it was possible to breach a dimensional wall separating all of reality from each other, I would've said no. Even after the fluke I went through to get to Equestria, I still would've still said no." Doctor’s voice was filled with despair. "Believe me when I say that if could, I would've done it in a heartbeat to save a friend trapped in another world in a different dimension. It took the power of a supernova to just send a message. And that was with a small gap in the dimensional wall that was closing on me."

Vinyl and the others stare at the Doctor in shock as he explained a small part of his mysterious past.

"Whatever the Tyrant is using to power the Portals and the Barrier is many times more powerful. No amount of Nuclear Holocaust is going to breach that. And even then, it wouldn't work." Doctor gritted his teeth in displeasure. "She has been planning this for ages, or at least a few years. Because as well thought out the ‘Yellowstone’ plan is, the Barrier is something else entirely, perhaps a small extension of her will in a roundabout way."

"How do you know?" Cheerilee looked at Doctor with questioning eyes.

"Look what's happening to Earth." Doctor growled, his eyes harden as he quickly made his way to one of the plasma screens, pulling out his 'sonic screwdriver' and began to pull up multiple pictures of converted lands. "Really look. What do you see?"

"A color I’m beginning to hate a lot lately." Vinyl mutter under breath.

"Look, really look at it. The barrier managed to wipe away entire cities almost down to the trees and animals. Entire cities filled with tons of metal, stone, plastics, and process wood. Gone." Doctor pace before the screen before standing on his hindlegs. "Where did it go?"

Cheerilee blinked before looking back at the pictures of the 'cleanse' land. Her jaw clench and mind strained as she tried to figure out where it all went to.

"I don't know Doc, why does it matter? The barrier dissolves anything that isn't natural." Vinyl shrugged, uncaring of where he is going with the idea.

"No, if it was dissolving, then there should be dunes of sand, metals, and wood. Along with whatever the plastic was once made of. Especially for major cities, but there’s nothing there. " Doctor stopped and stared at the screen. "No, another is the fact the case, even though she stated that anything unnatural like refine iron or cement was to be wiped away. The Pyramid of Giza, which is nothing more that giant stone blocks made of natural limestone, was destroyed."

"Doctor, why is this bothering you more than the suicide plan?" Spitfire couldn't help to be put off with how focused the stallion was on the barrier rather than the plan to kill billions.

"Cause it is on par with humanity. Nothing changed there." Doctor waved his hoof.

"Maybe its Discord's power?" Cheerilee offered, giving Doctor a long look. "After all, he has the ability to change reality on a whim from old reports. And we did learn that Tyrant did something to him before we made contact with Earth, so maybe she is using his chaos powers with the barrier and portals?"

"Well that's just....ahhh hmm... you know, I never checked the dimension walls when I first got here, maybe the walls are weaker here in this section of the multiverse? Connecting the two worlds would be easier than in my old one. Discord's abilities were known to be reality breaking, so maybe that has something to do with it?" Doctor frowned as he thought back on his past. "Maybe his powers are also connected to the barrier as well, I better get some tests done on the barrier when I have time."

"Your old one?" Cheerilee raised an eyebrow at his choice of words in the middle of the his ramble, but he simply waved her away.

"An old life I would rather have remain buried." Doctor turn and gave her small blank look before returning back to the television. His sonic screwdriver buzz once more before bring up a map of Yellowstone. "Back to the suicide plan. Personally speaking, I absolutely despise it. Scientifically it is both ingenious in its simplistic form and outright horrifying at how simple the setup is. So simple a deranged terrorist could set it up himself with enough time and resources."

His screwdriver hummed, dozens of green dots spreaded across the entire park, most clustered around the Caldera itself. Three points of interest blinked to the east of the park.

"Right, as simple as it is, it still takes a large amount of manpower to pull this off, but it appears that President Davis is not taking any chances. As of now, they are beginning to dig holes in the park in key locations and tossing the nukes in. Hence all the points you see scattered around the park." Doctor explained in layman terms for the mares. The look of utter shock on their faces as the realized what those points represents.

"There are several dozen points on the map Doc." Vinyl point out weakly, which Doctor only nod his head in confirmation.

"And they are going to need all of them if they want this to go off. Each nuke is buried deep enough to cause crack in the crust when it goes off, this many nukes is a sure fire way to make the Yellowstone Caldera to explode prematurely. Each location has a wire running down to the nuke with a receiver antenna on the ground. These antenna receive special codes from one of the three buildings east of the park. Each one is disguised as a power junction box." Doctor explained as the mares watched him highlight several areas and plans. A line with pink made its way across the map before touching the first box.

"The first box is constantly sending out a signal to the receivers, the moment the signal stops, the nukes are primed and ready." The first box vanish and all the green dots turn yellow. "The second box is the "safety" box, just in case the first box suffered from malfunction. This box can shut down all nukes if necessary, but requires a special voice pass code."

"What's the code?" Vinyl ask, and Doctor rolled his eyes.

"'Celestia is a cock loving whore.'" Doctor deadpanned, Vinyl paused for a brief second before she fell off her chair laughing.

"No New Foal would be able to say it!" Vinyl laughed out loud, "Genius."

"Crude, but smart." Doctor agreed before pressing on. "The final box is the 'Kill' box. This is the final safety net for the nukes. A signal is sent to disarm all the nukes in case of an emergency disarm or another viable plan has come up. It is also the 'Dead Man Switch'. The moment this last box is destroyed, the nukes are on a 1 minute countdown. There literally nothing on this world that can stop it."

The pink line moved an inch forward before the entire map turn red, a yellow warning box appeared indicating that the explosives payload went off. Cheerilee took note that the red also went beyond the barrier line, easily taking a portion of the already captured land.

"The nukes' radiation will no doubt be stopped by the barrier, but the blast, heat, and ash will pass through relatively unmolested. You may ask, ‘what of the explosion from the volcano?’ Well, let's just say that the barrier will not be an issue as it will no doubt erupt from within the barrier as well."

For an instant, none of the mares said a word. Cheerilee narrowed her eyes at the map with contempt. "There's more, isn't there."

Doctor whirled around, his sonic screwdriver buzzing loudly as the map shrunk to show all of Earth. "Yes. Much more, in fact something this big will have consequences of apocalyptic proportions."

The map focused on the Pacific, and the entire West coast of North America began to glow red. "The entire west coast, from Baja California Peninsula to Canadian Southern Region is in danger of completely erupting as well. Either by massive land mass sinking and being submerge in the Pacific, or erupting into dozens of new volcanoes."

Vinyl raised her eyebrows in surprise, shrinking a little in horror at what Doctor explain to them. Vinyl had visited the California coast before everything went downhill. She visited the sites and nightclubs, hundreds of cities lined the coast of California alone. Millions made it their home...

It'd be worse once humanity had been pushed to edge by the barrier.

"Its not over is it?" Vinyl's voice was nothing more than a whisper, but it might as well have been as loud as a crack of gunfire.

"Not even close.”Doctor said as he looked at the screen, watching as several of the blue lines slowly spread from various points across the Pacific Ocean. “With the entire west coast erupting or sinking, they would produce massive waves of water, sending them across the Pacific."

Cheerilee observed as the lines moved across ocean, dozens of small islands vanished as the blue lines distributed before finally impacting the mainland of China, the island of Japan, the Philippines, and Australia.

"Tsunamis up to size of a five story building, or maybe even bigger, is a guarantee." Doctor alleged as he inspected the screen, shaking his head at the scene. "Millions will die within the first few days, and that’s only within Pacific region. The other side of the world will have earthquakes, landslides, and scores of other problems. Let’s not forget, the once dormant volcanoes across the world will awaken and spew ash and fire once more."

Doctor gazed at the map of Earth, watching as the entire map quickly fill with dark grey clouds, either forming from the Americas, or from other regions of the world. The entire map bursting before it finally blackout, Doctor sighed already looking back to the mares.

"Ladies, we are expecting a Class four planetary extinction event. Everything bigger than a roach will die." Doctor lowered his head as he finished the Human's suicidal plan.

For a moment, none of the mares could say anything, Spitfire coughed and stood up, placing her hooves on the table.

"So what do we do?"

"We... run away~!" Doctor perked up, smiling as if it most obvious, and best, answer in the world.

"Huh?!" Almost completely caught off guard by the cheeky answer, Spitfire almost slipped from the table she was leaning against.

"Obviously a complete ecological disaster is not beneficial to one's own health." Doctor clarified, his screwdriver buzzing rapidly as various images began to post on the TV, Vinyl opened her mouth to say something but Doctor beat her to it. "So we run as far away as possible."

"How and where?" Cheerilee grind her teeth together in growing ire at the Doctor, her runes glowing softly through her coat. If the Doctor was nervous of this development, he didn't show any signs of acknowledging it.

"Here."

The image transformed to show a world. A world filled with mountainous regions, expansive forests’ that spread across entire continents, and vast beautiful blue oceans. The northern section of the biosphere showed a stunning Aurora Borealis taking place, thousands of colors could be seen from space itself. Cheerilee could only wonder how fantastic it is see it from the ground.

It was absolutely breathtaking.

"Wh-..." Cheerilee lost her voice at seeing such a primeval world, it took a moment before she tried again. "Where is this?"

"Epsilon Eridani System." Doctor’s answer was soft, he too was admiring the planet. "A little more than ten light years from Earth. No name, uninhabited by any sentient creatures, and far away from Earth. I knew a part of me couldn't accept the death of billions when I could do something about it, so I went searching whenever I could. I found this jewel in the sea of stars, just waiting for someone to embrace her."

"Can your Tardis take us there?" Cheerilee’s appearance was full with renewed hope; hope that they could endure this awful moment in history; hope that they can safely hide away and rebuild their strength; hope that they just might find a new home far away from the hooves of the Solar Tyrant.

"Yes, but she’s still working out her kinks. Nor is she as fast as she used to be either." Doctor vanished the image, a map of Earth replacing the beautiful world. "Plus she is not as big as before the botched rescue attempt for Lyra. I could've fit over a hundred thousand souls in my old Tardis, but the new one can only fit a couple thousand now. It will be some time before she is back to her old self again."

"So what do we do then?" Vinyl tilted her head to the side with a questioning expression, letting her mane fall over her left eye.

Doctor's eyes converted into a much more serious tone, and a small glint in them caused the mares to shiver slightly.

They were so cold...

His screwdriver buzzed once, causing the map to focus in on New York region. Words popped up, indicating it was the Sleepy Hollow area.

"As we know, the remaining Royal forces are trapped between our forces and the Atlantic with their small piece of land of Nova Scotia. The barrier is the only thing left to protect them from the large military force waiting outside of it. Waiting them out would've worked but they're slowly being resupplied by the Sleepy Hollow Bureau, if the readings I am getting is any indications." Doctor growled as he glared at the runically enhanced building, one of a few in the world.

"Teleporting." Cheerilee mumbled as she scowled at the screen. "If the flashes at the we have sighted at the Jeffries-Point Airport are them, then they have been getting resupplied or evacuating."

"Why haven't they destroyed it yet?" Vinyl sneered at the map, the lone building with over one hundred and fifty yards of 'no pony land' surrounding it. Corpses laid across the double doors and several yards away from it, most of them old but there were some quite fresh.

"Because the runes laid within the building walls and roof keeping it from being destroyed, now that we have the means to overwhelm it, I request that they hold off on the attack and--” Doctor stopped speaking confusing the group, rotating quickly to face the exit and hurried up to the door he rapidly opens to reveal Derpy behind it. Her eyes of pure fury, straightened and glaring daggers at the stallion. "Hello Muffin."

"Doctor! I should-" Derpy's bombast was cut off as Doctor leaned in and gave her a rather deep kiss, causing the other mares to blush softly at the affectionate display before them. By the time he pulled away, Derpy's eyes reverted back to 'normal', a goofy smile on her face. She leaned in herself and nuzzle him, her cheeks burning at his public display he just performed.

"That's cheating." She murmured quietly, gently biting his ears. "Using your brain like that. I'm still mad at you. You're in so much trouble when this wears off."

"But of course." Doctor's smiling face showed no sign of worry, although the twitching of his tail may have given himself away. He turned back to the group, his eyes hardening as he looked at them. "The only way I see off this sinking rock is through a portal of our own. So we take the one in the Sleepy Hollow Bureau and study it and use it for ourselves."

Vinyl beamed at the news, while Spitfire only bowed her head momentarily in agreement. Cheerilee closed her eyes, gradually going over the information before opening them.

"Can we do it? Can we breach the walls of a runically enhanced building?" Cheerilee frowned as she gave Doctor a rather severe look.

The Doctor's smile became even more frosty, almost giving him a rather dangerous look. "My dear, give the humans a target which they hate with all their being, and they will do everything they possibly can to destroy them. Give them a challenge to overcome and they will do everything in their power to get it done. This is just a rather large gift wrapped present that they have been staring at longingly under the tree. Trust me..."

"That portal station is good as ours."

"I like it when you talk like that. Mmm... maybe I won't stay mad at you if you come to bed. I'll make you feel so much better."

"Not in front of other people, Muffin. Perhaps I should use this technique more often?"

Sanguine Meetings and Bloodied Past

Author: Redskin122004

Editors:

DrawDex

Beyond The Horizon

ThatClosetBrony

The difference between false memories and true ones is the same as for jewels: it is always the false ones that look the most real, the most brilliant.

Salvador Dali.

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Benjamin Franklin.

Canterlot, Equestria; 2nd Year Anno Harmonia; 1 week after the Portal Event

If one were to look upon Princess Celestia at the current moment, someone that knew her well, they would wonder who was the alicorn before them.

Celestia had lost almost all of the colors in her mane, reverting back to its natural pink, if only a shade lighter than normal. Her coat, once a pristine white, was now a shade of its former self. Eyes shut tightly in pain as screams, gunfire, and the chanting of the same phrase over and over again echoed through her mind.

J̻͉̟o̢̝̣͓̞i̜͓̠͎͈͉̯n̞̻̳̺̬ͅͅ ̰u̩̘̯̘̦̮̕s̥̩̜͕̭͍!

̜̹̥͇̺͕̺J͔̤̻͍͉̜ͅo͉ị̡͙͙n͇͉͕̜̥̬ ̦̼̗̦̰͝t̢̝̠̬̰h͚͞e͖͉ ̞͇͖̲̣͎h̛e̠̳r̛d̗͙͔̕!̹͡

͝B͎͡ḛ͕̣ͅc̘͎̰̰̫͔o̦̠̣̘m͏e̩̣͢ ͍͈͎̞͚p̷͖̪͍e̸̹̝̗̦̹̭r͓̝͉͎͇̣̻f̗̠͇e͉̥͚͍͎͔̣c͍̬̩̩͖̲ț̺̯͖͚!

̶̻͖̳̹̠͍̤Y̦̺̝̙̣͇̙o͡u͈̘̙̕ ̣̞w̬͈ͅil͕̹̺̻͎͇̖͞l҉ ͏͍̣̙̭̟̞f̛̖͓̲̠i̦̻͉̝͖̠͇nàlḽ͡y҉ ̷̲h͙̥͡a͔v̯̜ḙ̫̺̠ͅ ̲̮ͅą̮ ̪̲̪͚ͅs̳͓̰͢ơ͇͕̣̞͖̺u̟̙ͅl͈̱̳̮͎͞!̪

̩͓̻̮͍̣̖J̼̼͖̫̠o̸̯̰̲ͅi̶̤̹̟͖̺͓̗n̳̞͈̯ ̬̻̪̻̯͡u̠̹ş̠̤͖̮̹͙̤!̨͚͚̥̟͓̟̫

̳̦̙̞J͜o͓̙̼i͕̩͜ṇ͍̪͡ ̤͔̞̞t̺̳h̡͇͎̰̝̺̺e̮ ̱̯̺́h҉͍͍̝̖͉̟̜e̗̘r̨d̹̱͚̟!̼͝

͚̤͚̺̻͙J͎͇O̸̞͓̰̺̬͔͖IN̞̭̹ ̴̭̫̻͈Ṷ̵͙̮̰͕S̴̪͚!̲̦̦͍̣͎̹

͇̯͎̯̭̝͢B̤̥ȨC̖O̫͟M͙͖̩E͚ ̞͈̼P͎̲͕̤̞̣̹E̪̼̹͉̯ͅR̬͕̫̻̜ͅͅF̳̞̩̰͕͎E̟̺̬ͅC̜T͟!̯͘

̛͓̙̩J̶Ò̦̘̝Ḭ̧̙͈͙̠͙̱N̳̮͚̖ ̟͇̻̞͇̰͡T̪̫͕̞H̗̭͙͝E̵̝̮̼͇̹ ̯H̜̹̳͉̼̠̬͟E̞̻̳̫̱͓͖R̺̞̣͕D̟̞̲̼͈̘!̴̤ͅ

"SILENCE!" Celestia’s voice roared through her bedroom chamber, her Royal Canterlot Voice tearing through the room, shattering glass and blowing the doors open with the force of her cry.

"Silence...please..."

Celestia let out a whimper as a shadow fell over her, she barely had time to react when an eagle claw grasped her head, magic pouring through. "Sleep, Celestia. The voices will trouble you no more."

Celestia felt peace wash over, the sounds of chanting and fighting slowly drawing to a quiet note, her eyes gradually closed, her mind shutting down to enjoy the silence and sleep peacefully.

"Why does she suffer? My memories should be but a drop of water in her ocean of memories." One voice filtered through her ears, becoming more muffled as sleep claimed her.

"She may have more memories, a millennia or two more, but yours are far more powerful and emotional. Her mind doesn’t have the same upbringing and nature your’s does. Your memories are intermingling with her own, but you are hardened by nature, you have seen death as an everyday occurrence, and take it lightly." A second voice answered. Even with her mind slowly shutting down she was still able to hear. "And she doesn't have a guardian to hold back those memories either."

"I don't take death lightly."

"But do you not see it as an everyday thing, something that constantly surrounds you and your kind?"

"Yeah, it’s part of life. Been a part of our lives for centuries really. 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.' It’s in one of our religious texts.”

"It does comes with a price, now that everything is going down the drain."

"Don't I know it."

"Celestia here grew up in a world where everything can be controlled. Death was something to be avoided as much as possible. Fighting was a completely last resort, to cause death was even more so. This world...Is ‘Perfect’.”

“Sounds like you hate it.”

“They still use spears as a main weapon for Mother’s sake! How are they suppose to fight against the Tyrant’s armies like this?!”

“With a lot of prayer.” Celestia could barely hear the final sentence before her mind fully embraced the darkness.

*5 Days Earlier*

Celestia watched in silent vigil over the unconscious Commander with a worried look on her face.

“Why did the call go out to you? Why did it react the way it did?” Celestia muttered to herself, grimacing as stab of pain rushed through her mind. “Curse the screaming, broken minds of the Tyrant.”

Celestia eyes wandered over to a few items the were confiscated from Marcus when he arrived at the hospital.

A form fitting vest rested on the nightstand, its digital patterns strangely blending into the shadows of the moonlight. Celestia had no doubt that the vest would work in any environment, more so in darkness than in the light. The vest itself was filled with pouches, various names like 'magazine' or 'canteen' labeling themselves within her mind.

The one thing that stood out was the weapon still lodged in its holster. Celestia knew it was a weapon due to the memories she gained from Marcus, but she doubted the doctors or nurses had a clue what it was.

A 'Colt' M1911 pistol.

Modified to a certain degree thanks to Zecora adding something to the gunpowder for more power, an enlarged magazine for more rounds to be fire, and runes etched into the gun itself using 'normal' means. Which meant special ink was used to coat the gun, and not a large amount of crushed crystals.

The use of crystals were used solely for heavy machinery and the defenses.

The gun still retained a large amount of resistance, absorbed magic, and if Celestia was correct in reading the runes, the gun could use said magic to 'enhance' the bullet further by adding a magic coating to the round. This one added pure magic, one that was completely unstable. Which basically meant it exploded once it was destabilized.

Mostly once it hit a target.

She grimaced as a quick image of a new foal’s head exploding from the round flashed before her vision, before shaking it off. She moved onto the third object sitting next to the vest, a pair of necklaces.

Correction. A necklace and 'Dogtags'.

Celestia carefully picked up the tags, reading the words written in the tarnished metal.

Renee

Marcus D AB Neg

277141984

USMC L

No preference

Renee

Jacob A A Neg

585251974

USMC M

No preference

Renee

David S AB Neg

586131975

USMC L

Christian

Celestia mused quietly on the information. She knew Marcus was proud member of his country's military, given the simple point that his father's side of the family had a long and extensive military background. The fact that he carried not only his own, but his brother and father’s as well showed how much he cared for them.

It wasn’t proper doctrine, but she doubted most would care nowadays given that the ‘corpses’ tended to get back up in different forms.

She turned to the bright red locket, frowning as she set down the tags and brought the jewelry closer for examination. She wasn’t sure why…

But this locket was important.

But for whatever reason, she was unsure on why it was important. It looked like any other locket, perhaps a bit old, and it seemed to have been damaged from something directly hitting it in the center, but the way Marcus still carried it around with him showed the importance of it. She opened the locket up, and felt a wave of disappointment flow through her.

Is...is that it?Celestia thought to herself, she was confused on why she was disappointed when nothing happen. Is there something I am missing?

What am I doing? Celestia shook her head, a small amount of guilt rising in her chest. I'm invading his personal space and privacy, his own treasures he keeps close. Perhaps I should ask him more once he awakens, if he allows it.

Celestia gave a small sigh as she closed the locket, but it appeared to be not her day. The locket broke as it closed, startling Celestia. Oh darn. Celestia did her best to reassemble the pieces that had fallen as she moved the bigger parts together to enter the screws that had dropped, but as she did, the two pictures embedded within caught her eyes.

On the right was a picture of a man, who looked very similar to Marcus himself in some ways. He was wearing the same uniform that Marcus wore when she was attempting to calm him down and figure out what was happening. The uniform was clean and looked very sharp, his face was filled with a beaming smile as he held the woman in his arms for the picture.

The woman was wearing a white dress, a wedding gown, her sun kissed blonde hair hanging off to the side, her bright blue eyes showing nothing but joy as she smiled, hugging her husband close to her.

His mother and father. Celestia thought sadly, before she gasped as another memory forced its way into her mind.

“Marcus.” The blond woman held something in her hands, her clothes looking very dirty and rumpled as if she was working outside.

“Yeah Mom?” Marcus looked up from his studies on the couch, Jacob playing with his green soldiers at his feet, using said feet as ‘Forts’ for the green ‘Marine’ men. “Need any help with the horses?”

Marcus watch as his mother look at him, a small smile on her face as she rub the locket somewhat before giving it to him. “No, I have it in hand, don’t you worry about your dear old mother. I just want you to have this.”

“Your special locket?” Marcus grasped the precious locket within his hands. His mother told him that her special friends had given it to her when she was younger, and that she treasured it greatly.

“Yeah, its really special to me, and I want you to take care of it.”

“Okay...But why mom?” Marcus couldn’t help but look utterly confused at his mother for this.

“I just think its time for me to pass it on. I’ll know you will take good care of it.”

Celestia gave a breath of relief, this memory wasn’t painful or sickening. A small reprieve in the growing horror that Marcus was fighting against. She turned to the second photo, showing two boys in the photo. Marcus looked about nineteen, his right arm wrapped around his younger brother Jacob in a headlock, a look of elder sibling superiority for all to see. The fifteen year old Jacob looked far from amused, but he was smiling nonetheless at the camera. His dirty blond hair looked far from combed, no thanks to Marcus tousling it from before.

Celestia continued to look upon Jacob in the picture, tears threatened to pour from her eyes as crushing guilt and sadness slammed into her. She tried to breath, but all that came out was a choking gasp. She could feel it, the memory roaring out from the depths of her mind as she tried to keep it buried, but the emotions that came with it were powerful and crippling.

Celestia barely had a chance to whimper before the memory overtook her.

Washington, DC 2021 Anno Domini

Marcus growled as he pushed himself through his exhaustion as he fought like a rabid animal to defend himself. Ever since the fiasco in Mexico City, the PER had been pushing like mad to try and cripple the US military.

They had been failing spectacularly up until now.

DC was being overrun by New Foals, and the White House was one of the few areas left that was still fighting to survive. A CIA agent that was in the meeting had reported that the PER were taking the homeless off the streets from across the country, though it was unknown what they were doing with them.

Until the reports were coming from all over the city that ponies were attacking DC once again.

That was over twenty hours ago.

To think he came here with Cheerilee, the second of command of the PHL, so she could give the PHL a more combat role in the fight against the Tyrant’s new foals.

Well, they got it. The few PHL ponies that were with them had been vital in the defence, but the enemy’s numbers were slowly swallowing them whole.

“Marcus!” His head snapped to Cheerilee, who giving him a bright smile. “Doctor is on his way! He’ll be here in about ten minutes!”

“Why ten minutes?!” Marcus growled out as his AA-12 barked out several rounds in rapid succession, giving the hallway they were defending a new coat of blood.

“He says there’s something interfering with the Tardis! He thinks it’s some kind of prototype spell or something the Tyrant cooked up to stop him from interfering. Lyra is getting a squad ready to meet us once he breaks through the interference.” Cheerilee shook her head, tightening the tourniquet on an FBI agent who had his arm blown off from the elbow down thanks to Marcus. The rather brutal move had actually kept him from turning into a pony. His entire hand was coated in potion and Marcus lacked something sharp to lob it off cleanly. “He was rather insulted by it.”

Marcus turned to give a sarcastic response before the wall at the end of the hall exploded, causing the Marcus and the others to duck down to avoid the flying debris. Marcus turned back to the hall, leveling his weapon up before a navy blue unicorn stepped through, smiling at him and opening his mouth to speak. Marcus was already in the process of pulling the trigger when he heard the voice.

“Hello, Marcus.”

Marcus jerked the weapon away on instinct, unloading a trail of buckshot into the walls, his eyes widened in shock. “Jacob…”

“It’s Stalwart Heart now.” Marcus’ ponified brother ‘corrected’ him before his horn started to glow. Marcus was in a complete trance, he didn’t even hear the correction. He got up from cover and slowly walked out, the AA-12 hanging limply from his grasp.

But Marcus would have none of that.

He reached out for him, ignoring the cries from the others as he walked forwards with a dumbfounded expression. It was his brother, he knew he was changed into a New Foal, but to see Jacob before him had all but caused him to forget everything around him. His brother was here, he could save him, take him back to the PHL site and try to-

Marcus never finished the train of thought before his entire world was flipped around. He felt weightless until his body crashed into the far wall. Darkness attempted to claim him, but his body fought against it.

He blinked in confusion, feeling himself being carried away, sounds of fighting and cries for help or the calls of orders all around him.

Blink. A different ceiling. Defenders passing weapons and ammo, PHL members quickly setting up defensive measures.

**Blink. Bodies everywhere. Ponies and humans littered the floors, some not even fully changed, looking more like a mad scientist went postal on everyone. They were strewn amongst each other in tangled masses. Survivors were praying, others were just glaring at the blood soaked doors.

Blink.

Marcus looked about as he found himself in the Oval Office, groggily watching Cheerilee as she tried to keep the door shut, placing her body against it to keep out the monsters.

The door exploded open, sending the earth pony tumbling end over end. She barely gave a soft whine of pain before she was dragged across the debris filled floor. She was lifted off the ground, the magic surrounding her throat as it picked her up like a bastard child.

“Why do you fight?”

‘Jacob.’

“Why do you fight against us. We are kin, we are ponies.” Stalwart Heart explain patiently as Cheerilee kicked out feebly to him, struggling to breath.

“Because. . you are. . sick!” Cheerilee managed to cough out, her eyes shut closed in pain before they sprung back open as Stalwart Heart tightened his grip on her.

“We are not sick! I haven’t felt better in my entire life! The potion cured me of my humanity, and gave me Harmony!” Stalwart growled as he slammed Cheerilee into the nearest wall. She gave a small cry before Stalwart Heart set her before him once more.

Marcus felt the blood pumping into his head, his emotions battling against one another. His own brother was hurting someone he was beginning to care for.

It took a long time for him to see her that way. Ever since he saved her in the school in France, she was a constant source strength in his eyes. When they were searching the school for survivors, they found her held up against a door, her breathing ragged and unconscious. He was about to put a bullet in her skull when the cries came from behind the very door she was leaning against. He looked up to the window to see children staring back at him horror and fear.

An entire class room filled with unchange children.

The children were quick to defend her once they move her out of the way, surrounding her with their bodies to protect her from them.

She nearly died several times fighting against the New Foals in her rescue attempts. She defended them against a growing amount of New Foals, never wavering once in her duties.

When she awoke and questioned on why she defend the children from the New Foals, her only response was an inspiring testament to her job and students.

**“When a parent leaves their future in our hooves, we not only shape them, but protect them from harm. Not just from themselves, but to anypony wishing to hurt them. They are my children, every single one of them. And it is my duty to protect them. Even from monsters.”**

Marcus roared out, scrambling to his feet and charging at Stalwart. Cheerilee dropped to the ground, coughing out as Marcus blaze past her, tackling the unicorn to the ground and began to subdue him.

“Leave her alone!” Marcus shifted his position as Stalwart tried buck him off, landing behind him and snaking his arms around his neck. Stalwart attempted a spell, only to groan out in pain as Marcus punched him several times in the face. “Cheerilee, find the others, get us a ride out of here!”

Cheerilee gave him a hesitant look, unsure if she should leave him here. But Marcus simply gave her a small nod, which she quickly turn and rush through another door to find help.

“Marcus! Stop, join me-ack!?” Stalwart tried to speak out, only for Marcus to tighten his hold on his neck.

“Shut up Jacob. I promise Mom I’d take care of you, and I will do just that!” Marcus growled as Stalwart continue his efforts to free himself.

“I don’t need to be taken care of!” Stalwart managed out, his voice strained as Marcus continue his efforts to knock him out, but a pony body was much more robust than a human. “You need to be taken care of! Together we can help this world be better!”

“Shut up, Jacob. You need to sleep!” Marcus barely avoided getting his eye impaled as Stalwart attempt to jam it his skull.

“My name…” Stalwart clenched his teeth as his horn glowed, ignoring the punches Marcus laid into his skull. “IS STALWART HEART!”

Marcus found himself flying once more, fortunately it wasn’t powerful enough for him to hit a wall. Marcus landed on his back, sliding a few feet before executing a kip up, landing quickly back on his feet and launching himself once more at his brother.

Stalwart barely had time to get back on his hooves before Marcus decked him with right hook, sending him tumbling onto the ground.

“Your name is Jacob Allen Renee! You’re a Marine who was so damn good at his job that you were called up to be a part of the Secret Service!” Marcus roared as he lifted his little brother and threw him to the wall, causing him to cry out in pain.

“Your mother’s name is Megan Renee, she went into labor for nineteen hours because you were too stubborn to get out!” He grab him by the mane and punched him back into the ground.

“Your father’s name is David Shale Renee, a proud Marine who gave his life to save his comrades from death from Republican Guards!” Marcus kicked Stalwart in the barrel, sending him rolling across the ground.

Marcus was livid, anger incarnated if anyone were to look upon him now. However, his rant was cut short as Stalwart’s horn glow before launching the spell at Marcus’ chest, sending him soaring into a wall.

“THAT HUMAN IS DEAD!” Stalwart seethed in anger as Marcus stumbled to his feet. “MY NAME IS STALWART HEART! I AM THE HUSBAND OF TWILIGHT SPARKLE, STUDENT OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND CARING SUN, QUEEN CELESTIA. ACCEPT YOUR FATE, BROTHER!”

“M-marcus?” Both pony and human look to the door see Cheerilee standing at the door, her eyes wide in surprise. Stalwart turn his attention to Cheerilee, while Marcus rushed him as fast as he could.

“No!”

Marcus grabbed Stalwart by the horn and jaw, slightly twisting them in an attempt to get Cheerilee out of his line of sight, but was far too late.

“Ah?!” Cheerilee’s entire head covered in a bubble shield, her eyes wide in fright as she tried to break it, but failed to do so.

“Let her go, Jacob!” Marcus yanked hard to break his concentration, but the bubble remained.

“I think not!” Stalwart proclaimed, his smile a little too large for whatever plan he has for the mare. “Release me and accept defeat, or she will die within five minutes of suffocation.”

“Release her!”

“I will not.” Stalwart chuckled as Marcus looked at Cheerilee in desperation. It did not escape Stalwart’s notice.

“What’s this? Compassion? For a pony?” Stalwart grunted and Marcus punched him in the ribs. He gave him a long look as Marcus continue to stare at Cheerilee, who was slowly sinking to the ground. She was looking around in a panic, trying to breath but air was becoming less and less.

“Shut up!” Marcus sneered at him before looking back at the former teacher-turned-rebel fighter.

“You like her.” Stalwart chuckled out loud after a moment of contemplation, shaking his head at the insanity before soon giving out a cold laugh. “Amazing how much of a hypocrite you are.”

“Shut up!”

“You can have her, just join me, and I will make sure she will be taken care.” Stalwart smiled at him, one lacking any sort of compassion whatsoever. “She just needs to be... ‘Re-educated’ on the fundamentals of pony life. She will be perfect for you once Queen Celestia is finished.”

Marcus looked on, watching as Cheerilee began choke on nothing, her eyes filled with tears as she began to suffocate. Her hooves feebly scratching at the bubble with weakening strength.

“Join me Marcus, and everything will be perfect.”

Marcus began to shake, watching as someone he had come to care for was being killed before his eyes.

“Join me.”

And the one doing it was within his own hands.

“You will have a soul and finally know peace.”

He looked down to the pony in his hands who only looked up at him with a cold smile and promises of a better life.

It was almost as if Lucifer himself was standing before him and offering up a deal to him and not the kid brother that he looked after for so long.

“I can save her.”

“Yeah…” Marcus agreed with him, a single tear rolling down his cheeks. “Yeah you can.”

“I’m glad you see-”Stalwart Heart would never finish his sentence, as Marcus gripped his horn and neck tightly, before twisting his head violently, snapping his neck.

Cheerilee gave a small gasp as the bubble vanished, her eyes wide and tears running down her face. She coughed several times, clearing out her lungs of the carbon dioxide.

“Marcus…” She managed out before reverting back to coughing fits. She looked up to see Marcus clutching the body tightly, hugging it close to his chest, shaking violently as Marcus came to terms with what he had just done. "Marcus…”

Marcus weakly got up, struggling to his feet. Cheerilee attempted to help him, but was ignored. He stumbled over to the American flag, its colors calling out to him before he finally grasped the cloth and ripped it from the post.

Gathering the flag, he made his way back the corpse. He fell to his knees and slowly began to wrap the body, tears slowly falling from his eyes.

The sound of boots rushing to his position reached his ears, but he made no move to look up from his work. He had just finished wrapping the body when a pair boots stood before him.

"Colonel Renee!" A marine stood at attention, looking exhausted beyond anything Marcus had seen before. "We need evac now, sir!"

"What's going on?" Marcus rasped out, uncaring if anyone saw him like this at the moment.

"The President has just ordered a 'Burn House' Protocol." The marine gave a shiver of fear. "We have twenty minutes to evac."

It was then the sound of grinding gears began to fill the room.

"Don't worry..." Marcus stated, no emotions showing on his face as he picked up the wrapped corpse. "Our ride is here."

A blue police box slowly appeared in view, the doors opening to reveal Doctor Whooves and Derpy. Doctor attempted to say something, but Marcus pushed passed him, he didn't care what the pony had to say. He just wanted to secure his brother.

Marcus had barely managed to get beyond the middle of the room before he fell to knees, tears freely falling from his eyes. His body shook as guilt and sorrow filled him, thoughts on what his mother would think of him, his father, his entire family.

He was alone now.

All alone.

The last of his family was finally dead, a walking corpse ended by his own hands. He let out a choked sob, gripping the body much more tightly. Marcus felt warm forelegs wrap around his body, Cheerilee sniffing as she hug him from behind.

"Its okay, Marcus..." Cheerilee whispered, nuzzling his neck as she held him. "Just let it out, just...let it out."

Marcus clutched the body tighter, small gasps escaping his throat as he attempted to control himself, but failed in the end. He let out a scream of despair and guilt, filling the entire ship with his cries.

Celestia’s eyes snapped open. A rather curious looking Marcus was staring at her from his bed.

“Uh….What’s going on? Why are- WHAT THE HELL?!” Marcus rolled off the bed as Celestia launched herself at him, just barely escaping from her bear hug. He had just managed to grab his vest off the stand, yanking out his pistol from its holster and taking aim. “Why the hell are you trying to hug me?!”

“I... thought... what was I thinking?” Celestia answered, knowing nothing of what to think, she sniffed and wiped her snout with the blankets, blinking away tears and reigning in her wild emotions. “I must apologize, Commander…Or is it Colonel?”

“Aha…” Marcus seem a little put off by how Celestia was acting would be an understatement. “I...Kind of gave up when people insisted on calling me Commander instead of Colonel. They said it had a nicer ring to it.”

“I see.” Celestia mused to herself, climbing off the bed and standing before Marcus, who still had his weapon pointed at her. “You can relax Commander Rene, I apologize for my behavior, it was...Uncouth of me to throw myself at you like an over emotional trollop.”

“Yeah. No.” Marcus took a couple of steps away from Celestia. “That’s what they always say before they try again.”

“Your weapon is not loaded. You ran out of ammunition halfway through the battle.” Celestia said with a warm smile as she stepped closer, causing Marcus to swallow somewhat, now completely unbalanced on what was happening. “And you know that I am not the Tyrant.”

“Yeah, but I only allow one mare to throw herself at me.” Marcus gulped as he hit the wall. Celestia gave a soft sigh in annoyance before reaching up and hugging, causing him to stiffen up with this action.

“I’m sorry.” Celestia voice was filled with conviction and sorrow. “I’m sorry for what is happening to your people. I’m sorry I attacked you without cause.” Marcus attempted to open his mouth, but Celestia continues on. “I know you attacked me, you had every right to-”

Marcus pushed her away, grimacing a bit at the thought of being hugged by the Alicorn, unable to get rid of the image of the insane being from his world. “Hold up there. What I did wasn’t right. If I tried that anywhere else, the Marine Corp would’ve kicked me out, arrested me, and buried me in the deepest hole they could find. And that is only if they didn’t shoot me first.”

“Given the circumstances.” Celestia took several steps away. “I believe you can be forgiven.”

“But-”

“Commander.” Celestia’s eyes narrowed at him, realizing that the human, no, a full blooded Marine would refuse to accept anything unless he was ordered to. While she couldn’t order him around, she could make him see sense. If not, she could be stubborn as well. “I forgive you. There is nothing more to be said.”

Marcus fumed in anger, gritting his teeth in annoyance at the mare before him. “I almost killed you! Your sister! Your subjects! How can you forgive me for those crimes?!”

“Because I have seen what you have seen, experienced what you gone through, felt all the terrible darkness this war has brought to you, your friends, your family, and your comrades.” Celestia lowered her head, closing her eyes as the silent screams echoed through her mind.

“After seeing just a small portion, I realized just how easy my ponies and I… No, all of Equus truly have it. You are a good person Marcus Renee, a good man doing what he can for his people and forced to make decisions that would cripple anypony else in this world.”

Marcus fell silent, eyes wide in surprise as Princess Celestia bowed to him, a small amount of tears being shed from her eyes. “Those memories will forever stay with me.”

“Get up.” Marcus’ voice was soft, but firm as he knelt down to help her back to her hooves. “Someone of your position shouldn’t be bowing to a lowly jarhead like me.”

Celestia only gave him a smile, but nodded her head as she stood up. "Very well, but it will not change my stance on the matter. Besides, an apology is in order, not just for attacking you, but because of this."

Celestia took hold of the broken locket and place it into Marcus’ waiting hands. Marcus grimace slightly as he took a hold of it.

“Don’t worry about it. This thing broke so many times that I lost count. Still, I try really hard to keep it in one piece, so no worries. Thing’s outer covering is tough as nails though, not really sure what it is made of, but it stays in one piece... Or two pieces in this case.” Marcus chuckled as he gently patted the pocket.

Marcus gave a tired smirk before looking around. "Anyways, where am I? What the hell-"

The door to the clinic burst open, two guards rushing through before quickly bowing to Celestia "Princess!"

Celestia blinked in surprise at the guards, they looked as if they had seen a monster coming to devour them. "Yes?"

"Changelings! Coming up the pass to the city! They are heading straight for Canterlot!" One of the guards reported, the other nodding with him to confirm the report.

Celestia’s eyes widened before she turned, threw the windows open, and flew off the main city gates. The guards turned to look at Marcus as he coughed. "You boys mind escorting me down to gate? I’d rather not risk jumping out a window. Not up to speed yet."

The guards look to one another, blinking once before turning back to him with confusion.

Celestia flew over Canterlot, the early night sky filled with the sounds of the wailing of alarms. Many of the ponies enjoying the nightlife found themselves rushing to their homes or businesses to heed the alarms. Celestia closed her eyes, giving a sigh of relief as she watched the ponies clear the streets, and as the guards rushed through to secure several locations throughout the city. She banked to her left, heading straight for the city gates, and dived down to the land.

Celestia had barely landed when Luna appears beside her, dark blue magic shifting and forming into the Alicorn. Celestia shook her head at the rather disturbing display, ‘And Luna always wondered why ponies felt uneasy around her.’

"Sister, the guards have informed Us of the situation." Luna tilted her head quickly, a soft pop echoing from her neck indicating that she was loosening herself up for a fight. “After today’s mess, We have a need to put somepony into the ground rather forcibly.”

Celestia sighed a bit at Luna’s rather aggressive stance. Today had not been a good day. She frowned as she turned to the one of the guards, slightly surprised to see Shining Armor standing beside her in full armor. “Prince-Captain Armor, what numbers are we expecting?”

Shining frown somewhat and turn to a guard on the battlements. “Clever Ace! How many are coming up the road!”

The guard saluted once before disappearing from view, returning a short moment later, looking somewhat put off. “I count only thirty, Captain.”

“Thirty?” Shining growled before directing several guards away from the gate. “Watch Canterlot, patrol the streets, anypony still outside of mandatory lockdown is to be detained until further orders.”

“A ruse perhaps?” Luna turned to her sister. “Come from the front and strike from behind?”

“I don’t know.” Celestia murmured quietly, her horn glowing before cutting out quickly, hissing in pain as dozens of defensible ideas, plans, and counter attacks rushed through her mind.

“Sister?” Luna laided a wing on Celestia’s back, leaning in close so Celestia wouldn’t topple over. “Is something wrong?”

“Memories… Ideas.” Celestia clenched her teeth together and forced back the pain. “Cadance was right. I should not be up and about.”

“A grand time for the changelings to make a move now.” Luna seethed before turning back to the gates. “We and the guards will hold the gates, Sister. Take rest and come only when We truly call for it. We can handle it for now, for the Night is Our domain, none shall use it to their advantage."

Celestia couldn’t help but give Luna some ribbing for her speech. “And all this We and Us has me confused, Luna. Am I taking part of this or not?" Celestia teased Luna somewhat. " Have you not been working on your speech?”

Luna’s ears flattened against her skull, her face flushed with embarrassment. “*I* have been working on it, Sister, but you cannot expect me to change dialects and speech so fast.”

Celestia only giggled in reply, before turning back to the gate. She frowned a bit at the changelings arrival and the implications of it. It was only after a few moments before she realized why they were here. ‘The call.’

She took several steps forward, her horn glowing as it grasped the closed gates and opened them wide.

“P-p-princess?!” Shining stood in shock. Princess Celestia ignored him and stood before the open gates of Canterlot, Luna quickly moving to stand next to her sister.

“Sister?” Luna turned to give Celestia a questioning look, but the blank face on Celestia yielded nothing to her prodding. The changelings coming up the pass were in standard formation, guards surrounding a rather ornate chariot, one that was heavily armored.

These changelings looked like they made a gym their home and decided they might as well run around the border of Equestria just for kicks. Large and imposing, most of them had fierce looks upon their faces, all but waiting for anypony foalish enough to attack them. They carried not only spears, but swords and cross bolts, made from their own materials from the jet black shine on them.

“Hold, my guards.” Celestia called out, watching as several guards gulped at the imposing show of force. Only a scant few of them showed nothing, the tightening grip on their spears or shields was the only indications nerves.

As the group made their way through the gates, Celestia held up a hoof. “That is far enough. You, in the chariot, state your business on why you all have come to Canterlot."

The door swung open, a hole ridden hoof stepping out from the darkness, the changeling seem to flow out of the chariot than merely stepping, her stunning green mane hanging down in forest green locks, and a small dainty crown adorning her head. Although, Celestia was not quite sure it was a crown to begin with, or a piece of herself.

Celestia blinked once before she found herself standing in a small room, a much more sophisticated monitor system standing next to a bed, monitoring the being laying within... She couldn’t help but stare down at the occupant that was resting in the bed.

“Chrysalis…” Celestia’s breath was taken away from her. This was not the prideful changeling she faced off against several months ago. No, this Chrysalis was a shade of her of former glory. Gone was the deep ebony fur and lustrous green chitin that protected her barrel, now only a pale gray cover her from horn to hole ridden hooves.

The once flowing green mane now a stark whitish gray...or whatever was left of it from her apparent baldness. Her eyes no longer held a deep emerald green that could entice males with their supernatural glow, now she appeared to be all but blind.

Unseeing eyes looked about, her ears swiveling as she took note that she was not alone in her room. The blind eyes finally zeroed in on Celestia, the dying changeling queen gave a small weak smile.

“Checking up on me again, Colonel? How kind of you-”

“-to ‘invite’ me to Canterlot.” Chrysalis smiled at the alicorn pair, ignoring the blank look on Celestia’s face and the scowling one on Luna’s. “A wonder to be here once more.”

Celestia shook her head, clearing the image from her mind. She had barely opened her mouth when a wall of magic sprang up between the two groups. Shining Armor growling as he place himself before the changeling Queen.

“What are you doing here, Monster?” Shining bared his teeth at her, his horn glowing brightly in the night.

Chrysalis couldn’t help make a kissy face at the angry unicorn. “Oh Shiny, is this how you repay me for the short few nights we shared together in bed before the wedding?”

Shining Armor paled instantly, before his entire form shook in a combination of disgust and anger. “You RAPED me!”

Chrysalis scoffed at this, rolling her eyes at the fuming stallion. “I did no such thing.”

“YOU LIE! YOU RUINED MY WEDDING AND PLAYED THE PART OF MY WIFE FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG!”

“Yes, I shared a bed with you.” Chrysalis held up a hoof, which flare with green magic, converting it into a minotaur hand, ticking off several points. Many of the Royal Guards became extremely uncomfortable seeing something that should not have been on a pony-like body suddenly appear there. “Yes, we had a heavy kissing and petting before the wedding, all three days of it. Yes, I did mentally shut you down during the wedding. And yes, I did ruin your wedding. But never once did I ‘share’ myself with you.”

“But- but!” Shining spluttered at this, his eyes wide at what she said. “But the night before the wedding!?”

“A nice dinner, a large amount of high class wine, and a nifty little spell.” Chrysalis couldn’t help but give a small laugh at the look on Shining’s face. “I have standards Captain. You should be fortunate that I am not like changelings of old.”

Shining spat in her direction, ignoring the hissing anger of the changelings behind their Queen. “Why have you come here? Trying to stop me from booting out your changelings from Equestrian soil?”

“Please, Shiny. You couldn’t find a changeling even if they were right in front of you.” Chrysalis taunted him, giggling at his fuming face. “In fact, let me show you how idiotic and pointless your ‘Search for changelings’ has been.”

Before Shining Armor could react, Clever Ace landed before him, his wings flaring out as he stood before Shining Armor. Shining open his mouth to speak, but died in his throat as Clever was consume in changeling magic, revealing Clever to be a changeling all along. Shouts of surprise raised from behind him as he turn to see several changelings rising from the ranks of his soldiers and make their way to their Queen.

Shining Armor opened and closed his mouth several times, his eyes wide in utter shock at what was revealed to him, along with Celestia and Luna. Chrysalis looked down upon her people that stood before her, giving them a sad smile before turning back to Shining Armor.

“There, you see. You missed quite a few.” Chrysalis waved her hoof at the changelings, mocking the newly crowned prince. Shining however, was completely focused on the Changeling before him.

“Where is he?” Shining hissed at the changeling. The only thing the changeling did was tilt his head in confusion.

“Who?”

“Clever Ace, the guards, the ponies you taken and impersonated!” Shining roared at him, his eyes blazing.

The outed changelings look to one another in confusion before looking to the changeling before Shining Armor. He gave a quiet sigh before turning back to Shining. “Captain Armor, *I am* Clever Ace.”

“No! I’ve known Clever Ace since we joined the guard! He-”

“Was your Guardmate, shared stories of his childhood and what our futures would be like, even traded cards and played O&O with 8-bit and Gaffer with you in bunks after dark.” The changeling answered, then turned and looked slightly embarrassed and scratch the back of his head. “That was only after Point Dexter dressed up as trashpony and snuck into the camp to give us the stuff.”

Shining stared long and hard at him, his face taking the appearance of a rock or an emotionless mask. “No, it’s impossible. I saw Clever Ace at the wedding, he wasn’t blasted by the magic Cadance and I cast.”

Chrysalis only gave a huff of annoyance before gently tugging Clever Ace behind her with her magic. “Clever Ace, stay behind me while I educate a buffoon.” Chrysalis said before standing before Shining. “Listen here dunce. A changeling can look the part, act the part, even play the part, but we can not just take a memory of a pony at ease. Most changelings would’ve fallen from the mental strain of too many memories within their minds if it was taken from ponies. So we make up a persona, start off young so the younglings can understand how to act around others. They are all but pony, one that gathers and harvest all the positive emotions being thrown out.”

Chrysalis gave him a long look before sharing a rather baleful smile “As ‘Great and Powerful’ as you and your pretty wife’s magic claims to be, it is not all knowing, especially if the magic was geared towards hostile ponies.”

Shining opened his mouth, but Chrysalis kept going, her voice becoming haughty as she spoke. “The shield was impressive, but after finding out that my changelings living within the city remained where they were stationed at, I realized that it was only geared toward those that were actively attacking others or had malicious intent towards the citizens of Canterlot. The changelings living in the city had no desire to harm or enslave, only to keep their heads down until my foalishness was over and done with.”

Chrysalis turned her head away from him, opening a single eye to look at him in a rather condescending way. “You should also rethink you and your wife’s strategy in using love as a power source against a group of beings that eat it like candy. I managed to siphon off a large portion of the power before I was launched. Could of ended pretty badly for you-Ouch!” Something had come flying from the chariot, soundly hitting Chrysalis in the back of the skull. The object had enough force to rebound off, bounce against the wall of magic, and hit her a second time in the snout. Chrysalis yelped and fell on her haunches, rubbing her snout from the impromptu attack.

Everypony watched as a small chalice rolled across the ground before finally coming to a rest against the shield Shining Armor has summoned.

All the ponies blinked in surprise as a rather decrepit old changeling stepped out from chariot, huffing in annoyance at the Queen sitting on the ground. “Chrysalis, stop trying to antagonize the poor fool. I can’t believe I came all the way from the Badlands to see what you were up to. You are such a fool sometimes! You wanted to help the Hive?! You caused anarchy instead!”

“Mythuselon!” Chrysalis rounded on him, only to get poked in the snout rather roughly.

“Quiet you. You already cause enough trouble as it is.” The newly revealed Mythuselon shook his head, unintelligible mumbling coming from his mouth.

“I was trying to help my people!” Chrysalis hissed in anger, baring her fangs at the elder Changeling, whose only response was to slap her across the face, causing her to whine in pain.

“I am five hundred and sixty-seven years old, Chrysalis. I have seen your Great grandmother give birth to your entire line. I was called forth to watch each rising queen, take care of them, guide them, and if so, stop them from making a foal of themselves. So when reports of you being hit with an unknown spell was reported to the Hive, I had to expel a large amount of magic just to displace to your location.” Mythuselon grumbled, sitting front of the larger Changeling queen and starting to reprimand her on the spot, in front of dozens of ponies holding weapons without a single care. “Imagine my surprise to see you setting yourself up in the Everfree forest, planning on attacking the Elements of Harmony.”

“What.” Shining Armor, Celestia, and Luna glared at the Changeling Queen, who ignored them in favor of scowling at the elder changeling before her.

“It would have worked!” Chrysalis crossed her forelegs together, sticking out her lips and pouting like there was no tomorrow, sticking her snout in the air. Mythuselon growled and punched her slightly in the gut, causing her to wince at the light blow.

“Yes, just like the wedding idea that was planned for months, but you had to go greedy. One of the ponies saw you, unsure on what they were looking at, they informed Celestia, forcing her to raise the entire city defenses to defeat any subterfuge…” Mythuselon took a deep breath in, flared his wings open, and flew up to her face. “INSTEAD, YOU INVADED ALL OF CANTERLOT! NOT ONLY DID YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE SEEN, BUT YOU IMPERSONATED THE BRIDE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU CHILD?!”

“I DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE HIVE ALIVE!”

“NO YOU DID NOT! YOU GOT GREEDY WITH THE GROOM’S LOVE AND CAME UP WITH AN INVASION PLAN HALF BAKED OFF POWER!”

The rest of the ponies in the courtyard leaned back in surprise as the two changeling roared at one another. Celestia turned to see if the other changelings were up to anything, but the look of sheer terror on their faces showed otherwise, some were even holding on to one another in complete fright. ‘This is...new?’

Celestia turned to see Luna march up to the two yelling changelings, her eyes wide as she realized what she was about to do. ‘Luna...No!’

*“Silence! Thou are in the presence of the Royal Sisters! As they say in these odd days, ‘Shut thy wailing, wenches!’”* Luna looked awfully proud of herself as the Changelings stopped yelling at one another to stare at her for her use of the RCV.

Instead of fear or cowardice, they scowled at the Lunar Princess with anger, their horns flaring brightly. “SHUT UP!”

Luna barely managed a look of shock before she was engulfed in changeling magic, and vanished from view. Both Changelings huffed once before turning back and proceeded to yell at one another once more.

“Princess?” Shining Armor stared where Luna once stood. Celestia closed her eyes, her horn glowing before she cut the magic.

“Luna is fine, Shining Armor.” Celestia rolled her eyes, “She is currently swimming in the Galloping sea. She will be here momentarily, if a little wet.”

“Ha!” A voice barked out above them, Celestia sighed as she saw Discord sitting on a pink cloud, eating popcorn, watching the Changelings arguing. “I loved that. I should’ve done that to you two back then. Getting thrown in the ocean sounds like a pain the flank! All those mane products you’ll have to use to get your manes back to normal...”

“Discord…” Celestia only rolled her eyes, struggling on what to do to bring the shouting match to a close. However, from the looks of their horns glowing, it might actually come to blows before long.

“Wow.” Celestia nearly screamed in alarm as Marcus’ voice rang out from beside her. Her eyes widened as she whipped her neck around with a crack to stare at the human- she didn’t even hear the crunch of gravel from his approach! Even with the Changelings shouting at loud volume, she could still hear the rustling of wings from various guards all around her. “She’s quite the looker.”

Celestia couldn’t help but stare at the human in confusion with his statement, before she remembered the memory that blasted into her mind several minutes before. He had only seen her when she was sick and dying. Marcus tilted his head, examining the Changeling Queen before smirking slightly. “Hmm. Shame really, I would of taken her out for a dinner and movie if I wasn’t taken myself. Maybe she needs male company to keep her calm. You know anyone?”

Before Celestia could respond, a flare of magic filled the evening air, creating a mass of dark blue smoke sprinkled with stars that began swirling furiously besides Celestia, taking the form of a very angry Princess of the Night…

One that was completely soaked from head to hooves.

Marcus gave her a slightly curious stare, before sniffing the air and smelling the scent of sea salt emanating off of the alicorn. Discord chuckled, giving Luna an amused look before tossing a kernel up into the air, heating it up in mid flight, and opening his mouth to enjoy the snack. His eyes widened in surprise as the popcorn bucket he was holding was ripped from his claws and dumped on his head, causing him to shout by the childish attack.

Luna huffed once, blowing her damp mane out of her face, scowling at the still shouting Changelings with contempt. “I despise them now more than ever. Please Sister, allow me to show them proper decorum.”

“No no, I got it.” Marcus couldn’t help but smile as he walked towards the two shouting changelings.

“Wait, Commander!” Celestia called out to the human, but was too late as he stood before the shouting pair, crossing his arms in a serious gesture.

For a moment, Celestia waited for Marcus to start yelling; maybe even try and get between the two, but all he did was stand there and wait.

And yet, it was working.

Both Chrysalis and Mythuselon slowly lowered their voices, turning to look at the biped standing next to them. The new creature was smiling warmly at the two.

“What is he doing?” Luna asked; her eyes widening as Chrysalis’ eyes began to close, humming happily. Even her wings fluttered slightly.

“Oh, that’s smart.” Discord said with his head already free from the bowl, giving Luna a small glare before turning back to the human in action.

“What?” Celestia asked, turning to look at the draconequus with confusion.

“He is literally pouring out love.” Discord mused out loud. “And Chrysalis is literally drinking it up.”

“Why did you stop? Ouch!” Chrysalis nearly threw herself at the strange looking biped, only for Mythuselon to yank on her tail to keep her grounded.

“Oh no, not again!” Mythuselon growled at Chrysalis. “I will not allow you to throw yourself like that anymore, nor cause another incident!”

“Queen Chrysalis, of the Changeling Hive.” Marcus said chuckling, standing before the pair with a warm smile. He bowed to her before taking her hoof and giving it a gentle kiss, ignoring the holes with a practiced ease. “I’m welcome to be in your presence once more.”

“Once more?” Both Mythuselon and Chrysalis tilted their heads in bewilderment at his statement. Marcus only gave them a sad smile before standing back up.

“I am Colonel Marcus Renee of the United States Marine Corps of the United States of America. I am the leader of a joint task force between my government’s military and a band of various species fighting against a tyrant of incredible power.” Marcus explained quietly, his remorse showing clearly to the two before him.

“Who?” Chrysalis asked, completely confused. She felt the emotions playing out from his being. The emotion of love that he initially poured out was now buried by hatred, fear, grief, and a slew of other negative emotions. It nearly made her sick to her stomach...if she had one that contained anything.

“Me.” Celestia stepped up next to Marcus, giving both a long look before continuing. “A version of me which is so power hungry that she devastated several races in her conquest of power, enslaving an entire race and forcing them to change against their wills, even destroying countless relics and millennia of history, all for the dystopia she calls Harmony.”

Chrysalis blinked. Then she did so again. And then once more. It took her several tries to reply to what Celestia had just said, but when she did, it didn’t even begin to convey all the questions that were whizzing around in her mind at the moment. “Come again?”

Several minutes later

Chrysalis walked down the hall, following Marcus and Celestia as they made their way to the throne room. She was being followed by Mythuselon and two changeling guards. Celestia had waved hers away, stating that she was the one who had called Chrysalis to the castle. The guards heeded her wishes, although rather reluctantly.

However, the emotions from the ‘human’ showed her nothing but truth. The paralyzing guilt, the agonizing sadness, the utter horrors that he was forced to witness and perform.

Marcus sadly nodded his head. “It took about three years. The tainted love moved through your body like a cancer, slowly killing you from the inside out. Younglings and elderly died quickly once New Foals began to appear in Equestria. The healthy were slowly deteriorating away, and they begged you to leave Equestria to start anew...but it was too late. You were already tainted, and dying. Only the positive emotions, clean positive emotions from ponies and humans, kept you alive long enough to teach another pony the ways of your magic.”

Mythuselon sputtered at this, throwing his holy hooves up in the air. “A pony? With changeling magic?!”

Marcus nodded his head. “Trixie Lulamoon was your student. You gave her your magic so she could help the PHL. It was because of this that Trixie became who she is today, the Blue Spy. Our go-to pony to lay waste to bases, gather intel, and secretly assassinate leaders and soldiers.”

Celestia closed her eyes to this, memories of a young blue unicorn, domino mask concealing her face, racing behind a familiar human wearing enchanted armor wielding a magical claymore as they laid waste to anypony foolish enough to get in their way.

Chrysalis stopped in the middle of the hall, staring at the two as they turned to look at her. “Is that why you called? To help with this war?”

“To be truthful, Chrysalis.” Celestia looked away, staring out the window, taking in the beautiful night sky. “I never actually expected you to respond to the call. We have not had the best of current histories at the moment.”

“You think?!” Chrysalis snapped at her. Mythuselon attempted to reel her in, but Chrysalis ignored him entirely. “‘Watch out everypony, for a changeling will drain you of your emotions and leave you nothing more than dying husk!’ This goes far beyond our current spat!”

“I wouldn’t-” Celestia started to defend herself, but Chrysalis hissed in anger.

“You preach of Harmony and equalness, and yet in the early days of your rule, you cast us to the cold, deeming us too dangerous to be around!” Chrysalis seethed. “Or do you not remember my ancestors coming up to you, allowing themselves to be seen before all, only for you to cast your hoof and demand that we leave your land or suffer the consequences?!”

“I…” Celestia didn’t know how to respond to the outburst. She remembered, long ago when she first rose to power over the newly named country of Equestria, the changelings came to her and explained their existence. Her advisers had a large amount of suspicion towards the changelings, and begged Celestia to cast them out; if not for them, then for her growing sister Luna.

“When Discord cast you and your sister aside from Equestria, we had a speck of hope that opening up to refugees would reveal to them the lies you have told them. Instead, we were attacked; deemed his minions, only here to sow chaos upon them.”

“Queen Chrysalis.” Marcus’s voice broke her rant, her eyes wide as she looked at the human who placed himself between them. She hadn’t gotten used to his presence yet. “Enough.”

“But-”

“Enough! You answered the call, did you not?” Marcus voice became hard as steel, his eyes glaring into the green orbs of the royal changeling.

Chrysalis stood for a moment and then sigh. “Yes, yes I did.”

“Then at least have the decorum to keep yourself in line.” Marcus gave her a long look, watching as Chrysalis looked down, only for her to glare at the back of his head when he moved back to where he was standing. She didn’t really like him much either, even with the story. "Also, cut the glaring, Chrysalis. You’re not as subtle as you think you are. I got to know your counterpart quite well, and you act just like her when she doesn't get what she wants."

Chrysalis puffed her cheeks in frustration before turning her head away, snorting in annoyance.

"My people are being enslaved and dying." Marcus began, his voice filled with anger. "And I know you two don't like each other, but you have to put that shit aside. Because if you don't, that whore is going to win and mankind is going to be erased from existence."

"Of course, you're right. Its time to lay old hatreds aside. There is something else that you need to know, Commander." Celestia said, ignoring the snort coming from Chrysalis. "While I was...'recovering' from our fight, the Tyrant contacted me."

It took every ounce of training for Chrysalis not let out a startled yelp of fright as the human seemingly vanished from her senses. Oh, he was still there, standing tall and looking as fierce as any warrior, but his emotions had all but vanished. Nothing more than a cold void was left in his wake.

No, not a void.

Fear.

Unrestrained, horrifying, paralyzing fear.

“She found me?” The horrified tremor in his voice all but cemented that this was real. No being could ever fake that; not to her, not to any changeling of her caliber.

“She did, but thanks to Celestia and yours truly, not anymore.” The voice echoed through the hallway. Celestia eyes narrowed the moment his voice started to speak.

“Discord.” Celestia looked about, trying to search for the chaotic being. “What did you do?”

Marcus focused himself, searching for the odd creature before tilting his head upwards, catching the draconequus standing, upside down on the ceiling, eating a sundae.

“What I did,” Discord started, walking up to the nearest wall and beginning to walk down to the floor, “was insure that she didn’t cause any havoc while we prepare. Only I can cause havoc, a being that lacks enslaving the world and killing billions as an insane ideal. While you were making a statement crater the size of Canterlot, I was waiting for the right moment to cut the connection and erase the trail.”

Celestia frowned at this. She had a feeling that there was more to the tale than what Discord was letting on. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Discord growled as he brought himself up to full height. “She was searching for the one being that could break the morale of humanity itself if he was turned. As much as the good Colonel here likes to deny it, he became the poster boy for humanity. He, along with a scant few others, were the shining beacons in the darkness. He more than the rest of them, seeing as he started the process that led to the rise of the PHL. The moment she found you, there is little doubt in my mind that she would have swooped in and taken you out before you even had a chance to warn the others.”

“Yeah, swooping is bad.” Marcus muttered out loud, Discord nodding in agreement with the small statement.

“She was trying to convince you to side with her in a small effort to keep herself from wasting time on a pointless battle. She’s insane, not stupid. If worse came to worse, she would have killed you, taken your power, possibly subdued Luna and corrupted the Elements like she did to her own; the more crazy elements, the better for her. Then she would come for Marcus.” Discord enforced his statement by pointing a claw at Marcus. “With the Commander at the helm of the new Equestrian forces, humanity would give up all hope.”

“This is really happening?” Chrysalis couldn’t help but swallow nervously. “Truly? It’s actually happening?”

“Welcome to the end, Queen of the changelings. I will be your tour guide for the destruction of the multiverse!” Discord threw a claw around her, bringing her close to him. “On the left up ahead, we see a planet having its people’s history being wiped from existence! Coming up after that, we see a single being about to commit suicide to deny his final change in front of thousands of zombie ponies with cheerful smiles!”

“Discord!” Celestia scowled, but Marcus held up his hand.

“He’s right.” Marcus said giving the group a hard stare. “This is happening, and we need to stop her before she gets to this world. Who is to say she will stop with just our worlds?”

Discord nodded his head, twirling his beard with his paw. “The multiverse is vast, each world having vastly varied ways of existing, all with different ideals. Something the corrupt queen wouldn’t be able to stand. Oh, there are powers out there that can rival, yes, or even beat her. But she will play it smart; she will gather power from other worlds before finally striking, with a limitless army at her beck and call from dozens, if not hundreds, of worlds.”

“Then we end her reign before she gets that power. There’s no discussion, only action.” Marcus slammed his right fist into his open palm to emphasize his point, runes glowing brightly for a few moments before fading.

“But heading straight on with rightful hearts of what needs to be done isn’t enough.” Celestia hated being the one of sound mind, but she needed to keep them grounded. ”We need to be keen about this state of affairs, as the risks are too great and the enemy too powerful at the moment.”

Marcus deflated somewhat, before nodding with her assessment. Turning to Chrysalis, he asked, “So it’s agreed then?”

“What’s agreed?” Chrysalis asked, somewhat confused by his question.

“That we will unite to stop her.” Marcus clarified, shorting the gap between them until he was at arms reach, awaiting for her response.

Chrysalis hummed, then slowly placed one of her hole filled hooves in her chin, faking her thought on the question, only to grunt when Mythuselon slapped her on the flank. She hissed in response at the elder changeling.

“My Queen, Chrysalis, this is our moment.” Mythuselon said quietly, looking up to the young Queen. “Our moment to show all of Equus that we are not simply evil creatures that thrive on pain and suffering. Do you really want to throw that away simply because of something that happen a long time ago, before our time?”

“Its hard to forget when the one who made the decision is standing in this very place.” She growled, glancing at Celestia before turning back to the human. But her posture was different; it was a stance of a royal with responsibilities and duties to fulfill, where a decision made would change so much more than a law or a thought.

It would change how an entire species was looked upon.

“It seems I have not much of a choice. This evil will affects us all, and my subjects are at risk with the tainted love they bring.” Chrysalis said as she moved to face Celestia, Marcus moving close to hear her statement. “I, Chrysalis, queen of the changeling hive, daughter of Dryas and Iulia, state that the changelings are to ally to Equestria and humanity against the villain known as the Solar Tyrant. We, the changelings, are at war.”

There was a moment of silence to take the claim in. But before anything else could be done, a golden light emanated from Chrysalis, who yelped in surprise before the glow faded away. A single note was heard echoing around them before it too faded away.

“What in the seven corners of Tartarus was that?!”

“An ‘ultimate contract binder’, my dear.” Discord chuckled as he floated overhead. “You can’t just say it, you have to mean it, for the Concordia Maxima is a powerful artifact created by Mother. If you didn’t mean it…well, lets just say it won’t be pretty.”

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem. I meant every word. Of course, once this entire situation is resolved, we’ll discuss this further.” Chrysalis pointedly said, completely ignoring the ending statement, before turning to Celestia. “Once this mess is done and over with, I am hopeful that our new allies can at least give us the benefit of giving us a chance that was never given to us in the first place.”

Marcus said nothing, only nodding once before turning on his heels and walking away, no longer wanting to be in the presence of Celestia any longer than he needed to.

“Colonel, was it?” Chrysalis called to him, trotting up to him with a flirtatious smile on her face. Mythuselon grumbled under his breath as he struggled to catch up to his Queen, with the two guards following.

Celestia could only watch as they walked down the halls, her left cheek twitching as Discord laughed at her. He spoke, “So out comes the past. It was quite a spectacle to see your past decision come back and haunt you.”

“I was young.” Celestia started, but Discord only gave a bark of laughter.

“No, you were stupid, and you still are.” Discord stood next to her, raising an eyebrow before floating off the ground. “Scribble had told you countless times to leave them once your time was up, but you refused.”

“I had to lead them because you were-” Celestia scowled, but took a step back when Discord rounded on her, baring his fangs.

“I was doing my job!” Discord growled quietly. “I had to make sure everything was still running perfectly, but you were throwing a wrench in the process.”

Celestia thought for a moment, as she knew how the discussion would go. But she wanted it to happen, and there was no Cadance to stop it from happening now. It was a long time coming, and Celestia wanted her grievance to be known, for Discord to finally cut off his anger for her supposed crimes on ponykind.

How wrong she was.

“Dozens of innocent ponies were dying because of the storms you brought, the wild animals you introduced killed many more, and the very changing of the night and day, where you set the sun and rose the moon in the middle of the day, was tearing their minds apart! It was chaos!” Celestia defended herself. “That caused the Wendigos to prey on them once they began to blame each other for the troubles that were caused! I was there Discord, I saw you bring the storm the day the Wendigos appeared!”

Celestia knew she was in for a great amount of yelling when Discord stopped flying, stood up straight, and looked her dead in the eyes.

“And that’s how it should have been! ” Discord bared his teeth at the alicorn, angry flames dancing in his eyes. “What do you think they learned afterwards? They learned not to stand outside in the middle of storms and watch the beautiful wind, clouds, water, and lightning in a glorious and natural show, to be wary of animals that could gnaw on their innards, eventually learning to tame them, and they would’ve learned about the true nature of their problems with true thought on their part. They were not to expect a magical princess bringing wisdom of the ancients and making everything candy coated for them to frolic about on! They would’ve learned about the nature of everything! To make things themselves! But where are they now?! They can’t tie their shirt without asking if it’s alright!”

“They can still think Discord.”

“Do they really? Oh, woe is me, to try and understand your flawless judgment. I mean, just look at your standing army! You have them equipped with...spears!” Discord drolled on, turning his head to the side and faked a gag. “They question nothing! Trouble? You resolve without an effort. Risks? Why worry, the princess knows. Secrets of the past? What secrets of the past? The princess would never lie, so why think further? Why try anything new, when the one proven to know better is in charge? The ponies are going to be stagnant once you reach your limit, which is nearing, and you know it!”

“I taught them to use their abilities to the fullest!’ Celestia scowled, leaning in close to his face.

“Taught? Taught?!” Discord stared at her for a few seconds before letting out a cruel bark of laughter. “You didn’t teach them a single bucking thing. You learned from Scribble, who taught you to make use of your abilities so you could make yourself comfortable in your duties as the Sun Stones spread across the world began to lose their powers. You held their hooves and showed them how to do everything! They didn’t learn, they copied! They would have learned on their own, they would have been able to stand on their own hooves, and they would have been able to make peace with the various species of Equus! For Mother’s sake, the Earth ponies still believe they can only help with plants!”

Discord was fuming; he looked as if he was passing through all the points of his argument he had been building up in his many years of lonely thinking. “They would know how to keep peace, and they would have continued their existence no matter how many generations would have gone by! Now, the one species that come to us is one that you casted out as dangerous not even a decade into your rule!!”

“It was a mistake-” Celestia started, only for Discord to snap his fingers and cause her to lose her voice.

“Everything you ever did was a mistake! The moment you said that you could do more and that Scribble was wrong was the moment you shoved all the things Mother taught you down the river! Not only that, you took Luna away with you, not even giving her a chance to learn on her own! You listened to the haughty unicorns who could barely perform magic instead of the being that brought you into existence!”

“Calm down, Discord.” Celestia managed to throw off the spell Discord cast on her, trying hard to keep the angry draconquus from exploding.

“Calm?! I’m perfectly calm! I’m just dandy! I mean, it’s not as if the grand plan of my mother was destroyed by the one bucking pony that she trusted to keep the burning ball of flaming death moving across the sky!” Discord seethed, his breathing heavy as he tried his hardest to not blow up the hallway. “And the ponies at their earliest forms, when they first walked this world long ago, the ponies that poor Scribble took so long to make, are mere foals to what she pictured. And now Mother’s eldest son is thought by those creatures as a monster who wants nothing but their destruction! I am the personification of what calm would be in my situation!”

“You were dangerous, uncontrollable.” Celestia whispered, no longer wanting to fight. This fight was bringing back all the bad memories.

“Everything is dangerous; everything is without control. Anything contrary is an illusion. At least I knew what they were going to become because of it,” Discord scowled, before snorting at her. “And besides, after you ‘appeared’, I wasn’t going after the ponies, I was going after you and Luna. Why do you think I spent so much time here and not in the whole world as I was supposed to? At least the other species have developed as planned, if not a little misguided by your influence. There was a reason as to why everything was so goofy and not a complete anarchy-filled gorefest. I wanted your attention; I wanted you to focus on me and away from the ponies so they could ‘grow up’ without your influence.”

“I had to stop you.” Celestia only gave the smallest of small whispers, but it was loud in the quiet halls.

“Well. You did. How much good did that achieve? Oh...that’s right.” Discord snapped his claws as he pretended to remember something important. “You broke into Scribble’s vault to find Mother’s own personal notes of all the good things, of all of Harmony, to stop Chaos, to stop me. Bet you were devastated to see me turn to stone instead of thousands of little pieces. Also, how is Scribble doing? Oh, she doesn’t speak to you anymore? What a shame that is.”

Celestia didn’t want to continue fighting. She attempted to walk away from Discord, only to have him appear in front of her. “Ohhoho, you are not getting off that easy. I have been holding all your imprudent nonsense for all this time and now you are going to listen to it.”

Celestia seethed before looking up and glaring at him. “You caused more problems than I care to count, the biggest being what happened to Canterlot and Sombra!”

“What?” Discord tilted his head in confusion at her proclamation.

“Canterlot was under a complete tyranny, under your control, when you cast me and Luna out! When we came with an army to cast you out, you corrupted Sombra with your chaos! It was you who caused the most damage!” Celestia screamed at him, eyes filled with tears as she remembered fighting in Canterlot against all the ponies fighting in the name of Chaos. It was soon followed by Sombra’s descent into madness a few years later.

Discord stared at the crying Alicorn and couldn’t contain himself any longer.

He laughed.

He laughed hard and strong, tears going down his eyes as he raised a paw seeking mercy. “Oh, ha-ha-ha haaa! That was funny. Please... I beg you, no more stories of a past only you can perceive!”

“It’s not funny, Discord.” Celestia shoved her hoof into his chest, he stood strong with a smirk on his face.

“It’s funny because I didn’t do anything of the sort.” Discord’s smile got a little wider as Celestia’s frown grew. “Why in the world would I rule over a capital I was trying so hard to kick you out of, only to rebel against my own rule? Well, now that I think about it, that kind of sounds like me, but I didn’t want Canterlot, and I sure as Tartarus didn’t want to rule over it! I don’t even know this Sombra you speak of, but it sounds like he just went mad with power.”

To Celestia, it felt like ice water was just thrown on her coat. “But Blueblood-”

“Blueblood?” Discord blinked at the name, his mood considerably improved before snapping his claws in remembrance of the unicorn. “The one who called himself ‘The Voice of Chaos’ Blueblood? That idiot?”

Celestia nearly lost her voice at the next words that came from Discord mouth. “I never even talked to anypony in this castle, I was never even in the castle for more than a few minutes. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I walk these halls without six mares and an old acquaintance shouting at me.”

“But...but the dictations you gave out! The absolute rules you told Blueblood to spout off to the ponies of Equestria! The absolute anarchy you spread across the entire land!” Celestia was trying to breath but the words just kept coming. The things she knew about the war between herself and Luna against Discord was becoming blurred with uncertainty.

“Celestia. Did you think for a moment, just for a moment, that maybe the pony was... mad? Or even better, that he was trying to fool others into believing him so he could rule with an iron hoof under my name? Ponies are not far from being evil, even under your ‘good’ rule.” Discord couldn’t help but lean in close to hear Celestia’s answer.

“I know ponies are not far from being cruel, but those ponies-”

“Were pure evil?” Discord shook his head. “Ponies were made to be natural, Celestia, and some of them were meant to be-”

The last words he said might as well have killed Celestia for what they made her feel.

“-chaotic.”

“No! Blueblood supplied us information at great risk to himself about what your forces-” Celestia tried to reason for this action; blame Discord for it.

“Forces? What 'forces'? I was always alone in my fights with you and your 'armies'. I’ve told you once, and it looks like I’ll have to tell you twice. I was never in this castle and I never 'ruled' anything. My focus was you, to punish you for what you were doing. For what you did against Scribble’s and Mother’s plans for this world.” Discord leaned in close. “Turns out your ponies are not a good as you think they are, and look, you even allowed his family line into royalty with his…’contribution’ in the ‘war’ against me, with the current one being as evil, if slightly more greedy, than the first. Without you even realizing it. The moment you and Luna are gone, he will attempt to run this country, and burn it to the ground on the first day if he can’t. Part of me is hoping that it makes the ponies smarter in the long run.”

Celestia’s face was frozen in dawning horror, unable to grasp what Discord had just told her. Discord wasn’t one to tell lies. Trick questions, roundabout reasoning, even causing ponies to misinterpret his words was the norm for him, but never lying. Discord gave a wide smile, a genuine one, and clapped his hands together.

“Well, Celestia, this has been a delightful exchange. It gave me a lot to think about, and has improved my mood greatly. Tell you what, this has been so good to my state of mind that I’ll give you a heads up on what’s coming in the future.” Celestia turned to Discord, face in complete shock. “Soon, what you know of evil will be completely blurred, destroyed and ground into dust. And guess what! That is just what I’ve seen within the mind of Twilight Sparkle, student of the Solar Tyrant!”

And with that, and a snap of his claws, Discord was gone, leaving what could only be called a living statue in the dark hallway of Canterlot Castle.

Yesterday Morning

The next couple of days had put Luna on edge, and not because of the prank loving Draconequus running about.

Celestia had been steadily growing worse by the day. She flinched at loud noises, randomly blanked out at any random point in time, and even refused to eat her favorite dish of food altogether.

And that was when she was awake.

Screams could be heard coming from her rooms in the middle of the night, talking feverishly in her sleep while she descended into Colonel Renee’s memories, sometimes even bolting from her bed fleeing monsters only she could see.

The night before was the worse, as a section of a wall in her bedroom chamber ceased to exist from a powerful spell she unleashed when she awoke. Luna wished to help her sister, but Celestia forbade her from entering her dreams after the first night, making her feel more and more irritable each and every day.

It was only a matter of time before Celestia finally snapped, and when, not if, she did, her wrath would befall a pony she disliked immensely.

Prince Blueblood.

He looked just like the ponce she knew so well over a thousand years ago. She never liked Blueblood, neither the one from a millennia ago or the one today, and both made her blood curdle like spoiled milk whenever they were around.

He had the look of somepony looking to raise his status, even if meant stepping on ponies every step of the way, always exhibiting his bits like they made Equus move, always worrying about his looks, and always using mares to get some sort of sick satisfaction. It made her nauseous just thinking about how the bloodline had not strayed far from the original, even if Celestia thought otherwise. It was even worse when he eyed her up, thinking of a way to try bed her as if she was some sort of prize to be won, even though he called her ‘Aunty’ when she was first introduced to him.

Coming from him, the sound of shaving her mane off with a rusted shear would be more pleasant.

Yesterday morning was the final icing on the cake for the weary Sun Princess, and Luna was in for a quite a show.

“Aunty!” Celestia flinched at the loud call, desperately trying to maintain a neutral look upon her face as she gazed up from her talk with Pack Alpha Canis of the Diamond Packs and Chieftain Minos of the Minotaurs’ Republic. Luna and Commander Renee were there to explain some details to the two visiting leaders and to try and gain their alliance for the human’s cause.

“Yes, Blueblood?” Celestia asked with utmost patience, but everyone could see that she had very little to give at the moment.

“Aunty, I demand to know where my guards are at!” Blueblood stomped his hoof several times to iterate his point.

“Your guards?” Celestia couldn’t help but look utterly confused at the statement. That seemed to throw Blueblood off.

“Yes! My guards, Aunty! The guard I formed to maintain my protection while I move about Canterlot! I need them to protect me while I meet the commoners of our fair capital!” Blueblood cried out, nearly stomping his hooves at her questioning.

“Oh...dear…god.” Marcus couldn’t help but mutter out loud. Luna couldn’t help but look aghast when he uttered his next sentence. “I have the sudden urge to throttle something…violently.”

“I am sorry, Blueblood." Celestia replied, giving him a somewhat strained smile. A persistent twitch underneath her left eye gave her pause in between words. "But something more important came up."

"More important?" Blueblood spluttered at this, staring wide eyed in shock. "More important?! What can possibly be more important than myself, Prince Blueblood, from the royal linage of the noble Blueblood himself!"

Twitch

Marcus couldn't help but give a slight cough at this statement with the phrase "stuckupbrat" entered in between.

Blueblood narrowed his eyes at the small insult, but Celestia continued on. "I am sorry Blueblood, but I am very busy right now. I have to finish talks with Canis and Minos, and then I have to set up for the Griffons and Zebras. I am sorry."

Blueblood fumed at this, and Celestia could see the tantrum coming from a mile away. "No! You will see to my issue now, Aunty! The dogs, bulls, and...whatever that thing over by Aunty Luna is can wait."

Twitch twitch

"Well, fuck you too, Your RoyalFucking Ass." Marcus rolled his eyes, while Canis and Minos tried to mask their chuckling at the rather callous insult by making the most obviously faked outraged gasps ever made by politicians.

Blueblood was not amused.

"How dare you call me a donkey!" Blue Blood marched over to Marcus, scowling as he got closer. "You look like a minotaur that went a few rounds with an ape he just found!"

Twitchtwitchtwitchtwitch

“No, calling you a donkey is an insult to such a mighty, fine, foul-working breed of equine. You, make me laugh. Next, you’re going to tell me how awful it is to finally see the world outside of your own ass, and I think you and I have very different definitions of what a pony’s anus means.” Marcus waved him off, rolling his eyes at what he considered a rather lame insult. He seen worse on the internet, which was filled with rather interesting but disgusting insults.

It took Blueblood a full minute to comprehend what Marcus meant, but once he understood, Blueblood was past being unamused. He was fuming.

“Any situation you have drawn my poor aunties into was surely your fault, you miserably grotesque, villainous, congenitally clueless, malodorous heathen!”

"My only crime is existing as I am. I came to Celestia and Luna for support, not yours, you pompous dickweed." Marcus turned away from from the childish stallion. He had dealt with way too many politicians(read: stuck-up assholes) before and he wasn't dealing with this one.

"Then whatever is against you is doing the world a rather generous service." Blueblood declared, sticking his snout in the air and turning to walk away. "My issues are far more superior than your own."

Twitch-*CRACK!*

Silence filled the throne room. Blueblood marched past the now truly shocked faces of Canis and Minos, completely uncaring about his blasphemous comment. Luna herself was appalled by the behavior from the stallion, she was struggling to try and come up with any sort of words, but she was left speechless. Marcus just didn't care. Oh he was furious and wanted to make the pony into a bloody smear on the ground, but he felt that he was above such things when not in battle. Besides...

It would be far, far too easy to do so.

"Auntie Celestia, when you are done playing with the riff raff, I shall meet you in the garden for tea and figure out how to get out of this deal with this troubling event that the strange monkey creature got you into." Blueblood snorted once as he made his way for the exit.

*SLAM!*

Blueblood yelped as the throne room doors slammed shut with a familiar golden aura surrounding them. He turned back, giving Celestia a rather confused look. "Aunty?"

Celestia’s face was impassively blank. She slowly stood from her seat and walked down the short steps towards the stallion. At the same time, the room began to heat up rather quickly, many in the room took note of her hooves leaving hoofprints in the ruby red rug; burning hoof prints.

"For over a millennia I have watched your family walk these halls." Celestia voice was the perfect pitch of formality, not a single waiver could be heard in her voice. "I have watched and dealt with many of them. With each generation, a small part of me hoped to see something that could take the family line into greatness like the original, but I always disappointed."

"Uh... Aunty? I'm trying to leave." Blueblood attempted to open the doors, but Celestia kept a firm hold on them. "Could you please stop holding the doors shut?."

“No.” Celestia responded firmly, causing Blueblood to jerk his head back at the bluntness. Something inside Celestia felt good as there was no sugarcoating in between her denial of something he asked.

“Buh, but Aunty-!”

“Shut your muzzle!” Celestia’s voice didn’t change in formality, but it did in intensity. Blueblood recoiled at the force. Those that were not Blueblood were looking at Celestia wide eyed, especially Luna. “There is so much a being such as myself can take, there is so much bickering and selfishness I can present with a smile. There. Is. So. Much. Shit I can only take from you, ***Blueblood.*”

Marcus raised an eyebrow at the curse coming from Celestia, it was just really wrong to hear her curse like that. The Tyrant herself had never cursed before, and she was mental fucked up, so it was a rather odd experience to hear it now coming from her good counterpart.

‘I am a *really*bad influence...’

“And now I stand before you, realizing that the family line hasn’t strayed far from the roots, because those roots were just as disgusting and corrupted.” Celestia stood several feet away from Blue Blood, who beginning to sweat from the heat Celestia was emitting.

“Aunty-” Blue Blood open his mouth, but Celestia eyes flared open and everything around her erupted in white hot flames. Blue Blood scrambled backwards until his barrel hit the doors, trembling in complete fear.

“I am not your aunt. I am not your family, and I never will be. I am thankful I turned away your ancestor’s attempt to lay with me, because if this is how my family line would have turned out, I would have banished the lot of you before you corrupted everypony else.” Celestia’s RCV voice and steadiness made the very air tremble and windows vibrate as she stared down at the cowardly pony before narrowing her eyes. “It is about time that you learn your place, Blueblood.”

Celestia closed her eyes for a moment before opening them once more. “Starting today, you no longer have access to the Royal Treasury. You no longer have access to Royal retreats or personal areas.”

“But I need those!” Blueblood cried out, shocked at what was happening. “I need the bits to keep the grooming products coming in! I can’t look this good without them! And the Royal Retreats are heaven sent! I need them to so I can retire from the mass of mares that look up to me!”

“You’re not helping your case there, you fuckwit.” Marcus thought to himself, his runes flaring to life as he trekked to the inflamed Princess, only to recoil when the flames rose to new heights. He couldn’t even look directly at her without fear of blinding himself.

“YOU SELF CENTERED, IDIOTIC, REVOLTING DISEASE-RIDDEN PILE OF SUB-MEDIOCRITY!” Celestia roared, her eyes filled with disgust at the cornered pony. “YOU THINK THIS IS PUNISHMENT? A SIMPLE SLAP TO THE HOOVES AND BE DONE WITH? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED LONG AGO! YOU ARE NO LONGER PRINCE OF EQUESTRIA, SHINING ARMOR IS A FAR BETTER EXAMPLE OF HOW A PRINCE SHOULD ACT! YOU ON THE OTHER HOOF, ARE NOTHING BUT A HORRID PONY THAT WAS BORN INTO NOBILITY, ONE THAT WAS PAVED IN BLOOD AND BAD DECISIONS, A DECISION THAT HAS HAUNTED ME FOR THE PAST MILLENNIUM WITH EVERY GENERATION! AND ONLY WITH MY EYES OPENED BY DISCORD IS IT THAT I AM READY TO LET YOUR LINE END.”

“Y-you can’t do that!” Blueblood seemingly snapped out of all rational thought at the mention of being thrown out of nobility. He stood up, puffing up his chest as he roared back. “I won't stand for this! You allowed the very being of chaos sway you about my family!? The Blueblood lineage is ancient, it was my ancestors who guided ponykind out of the darkness that he wrought among us all! It was my Ancestor that led to your victory, not your leadership! You are weak! It won't be long before they turn to me to guide them away from your madness that has claimed you!"

The laughter echoed around them, Celestia’s face was livid as she looked about, her eyebrow twitching with annoyance and anger. Blueblood on the the other hoof was terrified, trying to merge with the doors behind him. He only managed to squeak out an alarm when a claw emerged from beside his skull, soon followed by a paw on the other side. Blueblood swallowed as he slowly looked up and saw a long snout pulling from the door itself, before the rest of Discord’s head popped out. The mentioned chaotic being looked down, giving a rather large, razor sharp teeth filled smile.

“Hello there~”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!” Screaming at the top of his lungs, Blueblood rushed past Celestia, who didn’t even bat an eye at him, and attempted to get past Marcus. Marcus however, who was feeling particularly vicious at the the unicorn for his callous comment, stuck his leg out and tripped the fleeing pony.

“Oops.” Marcus said half heartedly as he watched the unicorn faceplant into the ground. He casually turned back to Discord, who finished pulling himself out of the door, not even giving the blubbering unicorn a second look.

“Discord.” Celestia growled as she marched up to him. “Where have you been?”

Discord raised an eyebrow at the furious alicorn, flicking his claw at her snout to gain some space. “Busy, and before you ask, I been searching the multiverse for our wayward Commander's home dimension.”

“Just like that? That simple? Just a quick snap of the claw and you’re away?” Marcus couldn’t help but ask. From the way Discord said it, it was like a walk in the park for the guy.

“Yes and no.” Discord chuckled a bit. “It’s easy for a being like myself, chaos is my forte, and the multiverse is full of it for me to use. However, it requires a precise amount of power just so I can port my way over to another world, along with dozen of other things that I don’t have time to explain, nor would you understand. Besides, I don’t usually do so because there are rules and such to do such things from interfering…” Discord gave Celestia a long stare, then looked back at Marcus. “Rules that I follow like a good son should, unlike some daughters who believe they know better.”

Celestia only scowled at him for his cheap shot, but said nothing, she was actually proud of herself to be putting down her recent released rage at rest, but the feeling didn’t let up away as Discord looked back at her.

“But I digress, I found myself helping out a lot more than I should have when I found myself in the wrong worlds, but no higher being came in to stop me, so I believe it was okay. Mother would be torn between punishing me or praising me.” Discord gently tugged his goatee for a moment, lost in thought, before giving the group a beaming smile. “What did I miss? I just got back from a world where humanity is a space faring one, and is about to face off against large metal cuttlefish armada.”

Marcus blinked at the strange description, taking a closer look at the draconequus and took note of the ash, cuts, and odd smear marks across his body. “Were you fighting too?”

Discord looked down at his body, grimacing slightly as he took a whiff of himself. “No, sort of. I just haven’t take a bath in over a month.”

“But…you were gone almost a full week...” Marcus was trying to wrap his head around it before it finally dawned on him. Discord smiled as he saw the realization grace Marcus’ face.

“Ah, you get it. Good!” Discord clapped his claw and paw together, the grime and dirt slithering off his form into his paw, before casually discarding it over his shoulder.

“We… I don’t understand.” Luna tilted her head in utter confusion, while Minos and Canis stood behind her, weapons held tightly in their grip as they looked upon Discord.

“Perhaps later.” Discord said, gently patting Luna’s head, causing her to puff her cheeks in annoyance at the display. Discord then turned to the Diamond Dog and Minotaur. “Gentlemen! A pleasure to meet you, Discord, Lord of Chaos, how you doing? Need something? Tea? Water? A maze and a good bone to chew on?”

“Are you... making fun of us?” Minos stared at Discord, unsure if he should just bash the strange being with his hammer and be done with it, or laugh at the stones he had. True, he was the ‘God’ of sorts, but that never stopped him before. He beat on dragons for fun whenever he got bored.

“Wow, wow, no, nope, never, I wouldn’t ever dare. We just make an agreement, get things done, then we dance - we smooch - we kiss, and we carry on with our lives. After risking it of course for our very survival.” Discord smiled at the two, before taking a closer look at Celestia, who was busy glaring at the now unconscious Blueblood. Marcus however was wearing a strange expression, one of ‘what did he just say?’ “One moment, if you please.”

Discord popped away, appearing next to Celestia who didn’t even flinch at his teleporting antics. He opened his mouth, but Celestia beat him to it. “I despise him.”

“Excuse me?”

“I despise this pony, and his entire family line. Ever since you told me of what happened all those years ago, my eyes opened. I have been going over every memory I could remember of the Blueblood, and I feel ashamed of myself for justifying them. You were never there, at all.” Celestia lowered her head, shuddering a bit before continuing. “I was just so angry at you for casting Luna and myself out of Canterlot, that I never thought how odd it was for you to cause so much misery in such a way. It was so…”

“OOC?” Discord supplied.

“Excuse me?” Celestia blinked at the term.

“Whoops, I mean Out of Character.” Discord chuckled a bit, before waving his paw for her to go on.

“Anyway. . . Now I look upon him, and all I see is the vile thing that ruled Canterlot with an iron hoof, lied to the ponies of Equestria, forced them to work under your name when it was him all along, and fed us lies about what you were doing. I can’t stand the sight of him, but I don’t know what to do with him.” Celestia slumped slightly, giving a tired sigh, her headaches becoming worse by the hour.

Discord took a very long -eye brow raised- look at Celestia, before giving a tired chuckled. “Don’t worry, I got this.”

“Got what-?” Celestia blinked and Blueblood was gone, she turn and found Discord missing as well.

Not a minute later, Discord returned.“There, problem solved.”

“What did you do?!” Celestia turned to him, she may not have cared too much for him, but she didn’t want him hurt.

“What? I did your method of fair exile slash imprisonment, and you will just love the new garden statue decoration that I put up~! Completely not related to the question you just asked.” Discord blew on his claw, looking rather proud of himself.

“Discord!”

“Bah, he will be fine. It should wear off in a couple of centuries, just enough time for history to be rewritten or erased and should be as noble as the next pony. A fair punishment if I don’t say so myself. He doesn’t have his connections or bits, and when he awakens, he will be introduced to a new Equestria, one that doesn’t know who he is. Only you, Luna, and maybe Cadance. Or if we lose, then he will face the Solar Tyrant, if she doesn’t smash him like she did with her Blueblood.” Discord gave a smile, “At least he won't be awake for the entire thing. Believe me, I went insane a couple of times the past millennium while I was a rock. Oh well, what’re you going to do? You look terrible by the way, you look like you haven’t slept in days.”

Celestia froze on the spot, her eyes fixed on the retreating draconequus as he spread his arms to welcome the duo leaders once more.

‘He was awake the entire time?!?!’

*Present*

Discord closed the doors before taking several steps back and snapping his claws. The doors simply fell forward, crumbling into dust as they hit the floor. Marcus was standing behind him with Luna, who couldn’t help but look at the bare wall that once held a door with a slightly reminiscing look on his face. “Just like in the old Looney Tunes cartoons…”

Luna had none of this as she looked on in worry, before turning to Discord. “Will she be alright?”

“It will take time.” Discord simply said, waving his paw to get the slight burn he got when Celestia unconsciously attempted to protect herself by heating herself up to burn the attacker. Fortunately he managed to break her weakened mental defenses before she set everything aflame. “The good Colonel’s memories are quite powerful, and she is suffering for it. I placed a spell to gather the wayward memories and seal them up. She will have access to them, eventually, but right now, we need her in top shape for the get-together coming up. Is everyone here?”

Luna couldn’t help but feel odd about talking to Discord. Every other time she met the chaos being, it always led to a fight, one that she lost badly each and every time, with him mocking her and Celestia before sending them far away. It just felt wrong to simply let him order her around like this, but Discord was taking this seriously. Mostly because Celestia’s deteriorating state was a cause of concern for him, which she found extremely off putting.

“Yes.” Luna closed her eyes, nodding to herself as she continued on. “The Reindeers have sent a old friend, Sint Erklass has arrived early this evening. Dragon Clan Leader Spykoran arrived with him and is resting in the gardens after the long flight here. Chieftain Minos, Pack Alpha Canis, Queen Hedwig and her son Prince Tobias, Queen Chrysalis, Shaman Quagga, and Chief Thunderhooves are in their respectable quarters.” Luna gave a small smile at one of the names. “Its has been a long time since We have last seen of Sint Erklass.”

Discord rolled his eyes at the old name. “Yes yes, the jolly old buck and all that jazz.” Discord muttered under his breath. “Why he didn’t do his job taking both of you back really irritates me to no end.”

“Maybe it has to do with you turning his daughter into a cloak?” Luna scowled angrily at Discord.

“Hey! He begged me to save her life. Even with my powers, I couldn’t save her from what was afflicting her. I did what I could.” Discord defended himself.

“By cursing her entire existence into a cloak!”

“It was either that, or forced to watch her suffer an agonizing death!” Discord snapped at the alicorn, causing Marcus to focus on the two. They had many issues between each other, that’s for sure.

“Are you two done?” Marcus interrupted, crossing his arms as he watched the two glare at one another. Luna was the first to look away, turning her head up to ignore him. Discord scowled at that, bringing up his claw to magic something up for Luna, hopefully something embarrassing and possibly trauma inducing. “Don’t you two have a trip to take tomorrow? Since Discord managed to locate my dimension yesterday, you lot have been planning all day to get there. I don’t need you two to have your fights going on. So get your shit together.”

“Yes. We apologize, Colonel.” Luna took a couple of steps away before turning back. “I wish we could send you home while we travel to your dimension, but you are needed here to ensure everypony’s cooperation and show them your plight in this battle of survival.”

“No, I understand, believe me.” Marcus waved the concern off. “Besides, it’s best if I rest up before jumping back in. I have to talk to Celestia anyways about what tactics she might use, since she is basically her anyways.”

Luna frowned at this before nodding her head. “Good night, then. Discord, We will see you in the when the sun rises for the new day.”

Discord waved her off, shooing her away so she could tend to her duties. Which she didn’t appreciate one bit. “Right, off with you then, Lulu. Colonel, I will see you in the morning.”

“Right, later you two. Rest up, better be wide eyed and awake if you’ll be dropping in the middle of a combat-zone if enough time has past in my world.” Marcus walked down the hall to his quarters, waving his hand without a backward glance.

Discord watched the two leave, before nodding his head. He had someone to visit before the night was over, he needed to warn her of the upcoming conflict.

That, and it has been a long time since he had seen Scribble.

“The board is set, the pieces are moving.” Discord turned away, holding up a single claw before snapping once and vanishing from the hall. His voice, now deepened, echoed in the empty hall. “We come to it at last, the great battle of our time.”

*Discord’s Travels - Tale #1: Sending a Grim home*

Discord popped his neck as he concentrated on what needed to be done. He was far away from Canterlot. Discord needed complete silence for his endeavor, and sadly, Canterlot was lacking that, with the guards giving him the stink eye and all.

Teleporting was a cinch. Teleporting to a different Universe on the other hoof was something else. However, his way of doing was much more refined than what the Tyrant did to establish a connection.

Whereas he flowed with the chaotic forces that separated the universes from one another to a point he established before hoof, the Tyrant used a big blunt drill and viciously drilled to another world. It was power consuming and wasteful. Plus the initial connection was something that was the very fundamental of chaos itself. Smashing atoms together to break them was that connection.

Humans were insane, but it was damn good fun to watch them work to overcome something initially they thought impossible.

Still, he wasn’t bridging worlds just yet. Since it was just him making the trip, there was no need for a portal at the moment.

“And off we go! Arrivederci Equestria!” Discord gave one last cry before vanishing with a loud bang that could be heard for miles around.

Discord immediately knew something was wrong the moment he left.

The signs were all there.

The turbulence, the way everything tasted like orange (a color he despised for some odd reason), the screaming human he collided with in mid jump. . .

‘Wait...that’s new.’

“Bloody wanker!” The human screamed at him. Discord opened his mouth to calm him down and all he got for his trouble was a punch to the snout.

“Argh! What was that for!?” Discord grabbed his snout and massaged it slightly, surprised that the blow caused some harm.

‘Magic? Oh! Its one of those magic wielding ones….Wait?’

“If you are going to eat me monster, then I am going to go down fighting like a true Black!” The black hair man roared. Discord watched as the man transformed in a rather large black dog with a shaggy coat.

‘That’s… pretty impressive. Although I don’t think he planned this out very well.’ Discord couldn’t help but smirk as the dog-human yipped in surprise as he tumbled end over end in the white expanse between universes.

Discord floated around the strange human, chuckling as the dog both snarled at him before giving off a whine of frustration, finally transforming back to his human form.

“Done?” Discord asked him as he floated ‘above’ the human. The human scowled, trying to keep his sights on the draconequus while he floated helplessly in the void.

“Of all the stupid things I could’ve done.” The man muttered to himself. “I just had to keep playing around with Bellatrix instead of getting it over with.”

“Oh, thats no fun.” Discord answered as he set himself before the man. “You got to have fun once in awhile.”

The man looked up at Discord, snorting once at his comment. “It does when it gets me killed like a bloody fool.”

Discord floated forward, eyeing him somewhat, then slapped the man behind the head.

“Argh!” The man clutched the back of his head. “What was that for?!”

“You’re not dead.” Discord bluntly told him. “At least not yet.”

“Not yet?” The man looked up at Discord. “What the bloody hell do you mean not yet?! I was thrown through the Veil!”

“Veil?” Discord leaned in, snapping his claw as he summon up a platform for the strange human. “Whats this ‘Veil’ you speak of?”

The shaggy hair human looked at him like he lost his mind as he centered himself on the platform. “Is...is this not the Land of the Dead?”

“Kind of lacking said ‘land’, don’t you think?” Discord waved his arm to the endless white surrounding them.

“Its a figure of speech.” The man defended himself. “Who are you anyways?”

Discord smiled as he set himself on the platform, summoning up a rather regal looking outfit….

At least he thought it was regal looking.

“I am Discord!” Discord started off, bellowing at the top of his lungs. “Caretaker of Equestria, Lord of Chaos itself, and lover of many mares!”

The man gave him an unimpressed look, folding his arms and tilting his head, squinting at the ‘regal’ crown on Discord’s head. “Hmph. I am unimpressed.”

“What?!” Discord’s crown fell off, staring in shock at the human’s ignorance of his glory. “I saved you before you became a speck in the multiverse! You should be in awe!”

“Well,” the human started, brushing his coat to get the dust off. “I am Sirius Black, Lord of the House of Black, Godfather to Harry James Potter, Member of the Order of the Phoenix, Padfoot of the Marauders, and lover of many, *many* women who are swooned by my very touch.”

“Right…” Discord couldn’t help but notice the way he said the 'Marauders' part proudly, only to grimace slightly as if he just remembered something uncomfortable. “Marauders?”

“Premier Prankers of our day in Hogwarts.” Sirius proudly proclaimed.

“Pranksters, huh.” Discord couldn’t help but smile at that.

*Some Time later*

“So Snivellus decides that he can get us back by trying to dose our drinks!” Sirius regaled a tale to Discord, finishing off his wine before throwing the glass off the side of the platform, watching it spin away in the endless expanse. "Fortunately for us, Mooney's nose was able to sniff it out before we took a swing. We managed to get the elves to swap drinks for the Slytherin table, telling them it was for house unity!”

“I take it that the results were pleasing?” Discord chuckled as he watched the man give a pleasant sigh as he thought of the memory.

This caused Sirius to break out in laughter. “Their tongues blew up like balloons! Watching them trying to leave the Great Hall with the grace of the being a ‘Pureblood’ while their tongues hang from their mouths like ties was hilarious!”

Discord roared out in laughter with him, slapping his knee at the image he conjured up, with help from Sirius for giving an accurate description of the fellows who fell into the prank.

Sirius leaned back in his cloud, taking a breath of happiness as he thought back of his childhood. He looked at the white nothingness surrounding him, giving a tired sigh as he thought back of the last few moments of his world. “I just wish I can go back and help them. Harry deserves some happiness, but with Voldemort's return, it just can’t happen.”

“Voldemort?” Discord looked rather interested at the name. “Sounds Prench to me? Flight from Death?”

“Wait, Prench?”

“Oui, la langue de l'amour et jupe gouttes!” Discord chuckled as he spoke in perfect Prench.

“Oh, je sais que la langue. Croyez-moi, je sais combien il tombe les jupes.” Sirius responded, before blinking a bit, staring off in the distance as he threw the words around in his skull. “How come I never noticed that?”

“Most tend to keep their focus on the being, instead of their names…” Discord answered, before frowning a bit. “Unless their names is Dicksmasher McNippleTwister, then you kind of focus on both.”

Sirius snorted at the name, attempting to hold his laughter in. “Cause they got that name for a reason, I take it.”

“Exactly!” Discord exclaimed, throwing himself off the platform, Sirius rushed up to the side, only to see Discord float back up with an umbrella. “Besides, who said you can’t go back?”

“Kind of hard to go back.” Sirius stated, giving him a blank look. “Once you go through the Veil, no one comes back. I can see why now. Besides, it feels like hours since I’ve been thrown in.”

Discord laughed as he wrapped his arm around Sirius. “Time is meaningless here between universes! At least this far out it loses meaning. It only matters once you are close to or in another world that time has meaning!”

Sirius looked up at the draconequus with surprise, watching as Discord lean in close to him. “And lets see how this so called mighty ‘Veil’ stands up to the Chaos itself!”

*Death Chamber*

Remus stared at the Veil in horror, the death of his last friend had nearly crippled him to the very spot. Harry had long since fled, chasing in a fit of rage after Bellatrix.

“Sirius.” Remus hung his head, while Hermione placed an arm around him to give him support. The Death Eaters had long since fled once the Order gained the upper hand, but a final parting shot from one Bellatrix Lestrange had all but taken the fight from the rest of them.

“I’m sorry, Remus-” Hermione started, but Remus only shook his head, trying to keep the rage and hurt from exploding.

“Blimey…” Ron muttered as he looked at the Veil with caution.

“Buck up, the lot of you!” Alastor growled, before turning to Remus. “Especially you! You think Sirius want you to keep yourself on the ground and weep for him! He want you to avenge him! Now-”

“BLOODY HELL!” Ron screamed as he backed away when he saw a large creature appear in the Veil. Kingsley and Tonks both pointed their wands at the veil as the creature glared daggers at them.

Or more at the Veil than them as it looked at the stone surrounding it.

“What do you think it is doing?” Tonks whispered to Kingsley as she watch the creature trace his claws around edge before leaning back. It looked to the group of humans before giving them a smile, holding up a single claw glowing with magic before slamming it into the Veil.

The humans jumped back in fright as the claw punched through the Veil with ease. Ron mostly began to panic at this as the creature began to open the Veil. “What do we do?!”

“Hit with spells!” Alastor roared. “Drive it back into the Veil. We don’t know if this a regular occurrence that the Unspeakables have to deal with!”

A torrent of spells splashed against the creature, causing it to wince as the spells slammed into his body. It did very little to slow it down as it finally open a large passage and pulled itself through.

The creature scowled as he snapped his claw, everyone watched in horror as their own arms pop right off their body.

“MY ARM!” Rom cried out, watching as him arm seemingly flopped around in a panic. He wasn’t alone as the others cried out with the same distress.

“Oh quiet you fools.” The creature muttered, ignoring their cries in favor of pulling something else out of the Veil.

More like someone.

Sirius blinked as he landed feet first, shaking his head as everyone stared in shock as the creature brushed him off. “Hmm. In one piece too. Told you I would get you back!”

“Should of never doubted you, friend.” Sirius looked up at him, smiling before looking back to the group. “Hey guys, I’m… What happened to your arms?”

“Ah. That would be my fault.” Discord replied as he snapped his claw once more, causing the arms to pop back in place.

“Sirius…” Remus walked up to him, looking at his face closely as he got near to his friend.

“Careful there, Lupin. We don’t know if this is a trick of some sort.” Alastor muttered, keeping his magical eye trained on the draconequus.

“Hey there, Mooney. Miss me?” Sirius said with smile, giving his friend a hug.

“Padfoot?”

“The one and only.” Sirius answered him before looking back to Discord. “And I have a friend to be thankful for as well. Everyone, this is Discord, Lord of Chaos.”

Everyone stared at Sirius, slackjawed at his introduction of the chimera standing before them. Alastor couldn’t help but shake his head at this. “Of course he befriends the Lord of Chaos itself while he was in the bloody Veil.”

“Thank you, my dear friend Sirius.” Discord patted his back before turning to the rest of the group. “Yes I am Discord, Lord of Chaos of Equestria. I was just passing through the Multiversal void when I ran into this charming fellow. Quite the luck of the draw there.”

“Where’s Harry?” Sirius interrupted, looking at the group and coming up short one messy hair raven teen. “Where’s my godson?”

It was at that moment the entire room shook, the heavy thudding coming from above them caused everyone to blink in surprise. “What was that?” Neville asked, staring at the ceiling above.

*Ministry Atrium*

Harry watched the battle unfolding before his eyes, watching as Dumbledore and Voldemort traded powerful spells against one another.

It was simply unreal to watch them fight.

“Mighty impressive.” A voice called from above him. Harry flinched, eyes wide, before looking up. He saw a creature he had never laid his eyes on floating above him. Harry breathing stopped as he attempted to crawl away, only for the creature to land and push him back. “Oh no, better stand down young man. I doubt your godfather would want you to get hit with a stray spell.”

No sooner had he said this, a cutting curse slam into his belly and sliced him in half. Harry watched numbly as the creature died before his eyes.

The creature groaned, more in annoyance than in pain as his lower body shook before running off towards the fight. The upper half on the other hand, glared in anger. “HEY! GET BACK HERE IDIOT!”

Harry was sure he was cursed in some way.

Voldemort laughed as he prepared to launch another torrent of spells at Dumbledore, only to feel a sharp pain in his leg, still holding the intense spell collision. Looking down, he saw a pair mismatch legs standing there. “What~?!”

Voldemort gave a gargled cry as the tail wrapped around his neck, lifting him off the ground. Dumbledore looked on in surprise, cutting of the clash of spells to see the lower half of a creature lift the Dark Lord up and toss him like rag doll into a wall.

Voldemort landed heavily on the ground, his eyes focused on the pair of legs in anger. “Filthy thing!”

The legs jumped up and began to run, avoiding the dozens of spells launched at them.

Jumping, flipping, even doing fancy dances to avoid the torrents of spells.

Finally a single spell slammed into it, causing the legs to fly through the air before landing, apparently dead.

“NO!” Voldemort turned, watching as the other half of the creature landed at the pair of deer rear leg and lizard combo. “YOU WERE SO YOUNG! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?”

The legs jumped back up, waving its tail like a dog. “Oh, you were playing dead. That’s nice. Now come on, lets get ourselves back together.”

Discord attempted to jump onto his lower half, but the lower end just kept running around in circles. Once Discord finally caught the running legs he turned to the ugly magic user, only to notice his legs were backwards.

Voldemort was anything but amused, he didn’t even want to stare at the abomination any longer, he simply wished for Dumbledore and Potter to be dead.

With a swift movement of his wand, Voldemort saw fit that the creature before him was laid to waste for its participation with an equally forceful slam to a wall. What he didn’t expect was Discord flinching at his magical attack, but not even moving an inch from the spell, causing him to smirk and brush off some imaginary dust.

In the distraction, Dumbledore took action. He wasn’t thrilled of seeing something new in his old age, but anything kind of distraction was good in his situation. With a direct aim of his wand to the the water of a fountain nearby, he rained down on the evil wizard. But Voldemort wasn’t that much distracted, as once the water came down upon him he attempted to retaliate but it was to no avail as he was completely encased in the water.

Discord nodded at the old geezer on his nifty water bubble as his legs tapped impatiently. Discord tsked at his other half. “Now, now, no need to be impatient, we’ll finish this early and leave.”

Harry already stood up from his place, trying to get a better look at the spell at work. But even Discord noticed that the one-that-shall-soon-drown was very much attempting to send a curse his way.

“Well, it’s not like gawking will help now would it?” And with those words Discord proceed to act, with a snap of his claw the bubble of water slowly became a solid ice.

In his new predicament, Voldemort was in a hurry to leave, and on the continuous fight against the old wizard he was successful in bringing it to a draw. But the strange chimera was too much. He rotated, spreading his magic in force to be released the frozen prison of the water, large chunks of it clicking on the floor.

“Now, now, no need to be grumpy now? I mean, I would be upset if my nose was gone too." Discord voice drift into the one with no nose’s ear. Voldemort snapped his wand in Discord's direction, but he was already gone. The momentary distraction helped Dumbledore get near and push Voldemort into the farthest wall he could.

But that attempt became a battle of wills as Voldemort quickly reacted, sending a stream of malevolent energy intent on smiting him in Dumbledore’s direction. Both fought to keep themselves on their feet. But Voldemort was planning on ending this battle once and for all.

His plan became untied by the participation of the draconequus with making the floor underneath Voldemort soapy, the floor becoming slick with bubbles.

With the lack of friction the wizard was pushed back, and was about to rectify his balance, but Discord wasn’t done. A snap and a teleporting Voldemort later, the evil wizard was in the same position -without losing his momentum- upside down with the spell he was attempting exploding on contact with the floor at the same time as his head cracked against the far wall.

The room shook as the forced magic boomed through it, Discord placing a barrier between himself and it. Dumbledore wasn't as lucky as the old wizard could hadn’t the force himself and fell on to the floor, sliding across the floor near Harry, who rushed up to help the elder wizard up to his feet.

The glass of windows all around were heard shattering, a sound Discord was not fond of. He turn to see a large group of them about to fall on Sirius’s godson and the old man, which is why with a snap of his fingers were was no more raining shards glass to be worried about. Instead, the glass turn into dirt, covering the two, but not harming them.

“That could have been dangerous.” Discord muttered as his yellow-red eyes were aimed at the rising hissing wizard at the other side of the room.

“What are you...” Asked Voldemort almost to himself, a small amount of fear laced in his words.

“Sorry, but I wouldn’t want the list of those that want vengeance against me to know my name, so no name for you, No-Nose Norbert.” Voldemort was already mad at the creatures continuous irritating help, but now he was so angry his face did a full circle. Back to ‘beginning to be angry’.

Voldemort vanished, dust picking up in a dangerously looking voltrex. Discord was not amused at the trick, rolling his eyes as he examined the spell intently. Teleportation doesn’t need to be that over complicated, but yet again that could be considered what’s normal in this world.

But then the boy named Harry, who stood with the old geaser, flinched and whimpered in pain as he kneeled on the floor and then fell on his belly, clutching his head where his scar was located. Dumbledore bent down to help Harry up, but the boy lashed out, hissing in anger at him.

“You’ve lost old man.” Harry said with another voice overlapping the first. Discord looked at the boy in surprise.

“Possession? That’s interesting move there. Wonder why- ah well, I suppose I can help out one last time.” The moment his words left his mouth, Discord felt the presence of more people entering the place. Behind them, a group of teens appeared on the back of the Atrium. Discord was expecting stares at his person, after all he was the weirdest thing there, but from what he saw he wasn’t expecting. All of them were filled with concern for the boy more than worry from his presence.

Wait...

Possession of evil.

Friends of the possesed.

All magic users.

The setting clicked in Discord’s mind, he couldn’t help but chuckle as he felt the sickening magic began to waver as the boy fought back. ‘Tia was right about it in a way. I suppose I should look into gathering a few of my own.’ He turned away, finally done with interfering and with a snap of his claw, he was gone.

*Death Chamber*

Appearing near the gate he once stood not long ago, Discord came along to see elders of the group still there. Sirius was surprised to see his recently made friend appear from leaving so quickly. But before anyone could speak Discord spoke first.

“You're godson is at this very moment being possesed by the interestingly and *ugly* looking magic user that doesn't have a nose and is surrounded by his friends. There’s nothing else needed for me here.” Discord might have said it with a smirk and a nod, but the entire message was lost on Sirius.

“And you couldn’t do anything! I thought of you as a god! It should be a simple snap of the claw for you!”

“And don’t think of me otherwise, my dog morphing friend. But as you just heard, there was no need for my help.” Sirius was about to retaliate before Discord continued. “The boy’s friends were there, and if the evil no nose is as evil as you claim him to be, your boy Harry was already free of his possession the moment they arrived.”

“And why would that be? Anyone of the them know a spell to get him out of it?” Discord looked at the expert mage with a raised eyebrow, then his momentary serious face was disintegrated by his smile.

“Because friendship," Discord leaped into the Veil, snapping his claws as he did, teleporting Sirius in front of his godson. Harry couldn't help but look up at his godfather in shock, stunned to see him standing once more among the living. "Is magic."

Sirius could barely catch Harry as he threw himself at him, hugging him for all he was worth.

"Arrivederci, Sirius Black." Sirius couldn't help but smile as he heard Discord say his goodbyes to him. He didn't care that the Minister of Magic and his posse were standing right before him, staring at him in complete fright. He didn't care when Dumbledore attempted to lead Harry away, shrugging off the old man's attempts.

All he cared about was Harry himself. "Hey there, Harry."

"You're alive." Harry’s voice was muffled as he kept his head buried in his chest.

"It would take a lot more to bring me down." Sirius chuckled a bit, looking up to Remus as walked up to him with the other Order members

"Mooney?"

"Yes Padfoot?"

"We have a new Honorary member for the Marauders. One that will definitely will be remembered for a long time."

The Writes of Passage(Gag)

THE WRITES OF PASSAGE

Written by TB3

Edited by Redskin122004

“It is only when our characters and events begin to disobey us that they begin to live.”

- John Fowles, ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’

“You did something today that’s never been done before. Something that not even a great unicorn like Starswirl the Bearded was not able to do, because he did not understand friendship the way you do.”

- Princess Celestia

Ponyville, Equestria, 6th Year Anno Harmonia

Morning in Ponyville shimmered. Yes, morning in Ponyville shone...in a sickly sort of way. But with the Divine Sun ascending over the horizon and the monotonous sounds of the dawn chorus in the air, nopony commented on it. Not on how the sun, although bright and radiant, seemed to cast a colder, more pallid light, or how everything on which it cast its’ gaze seemed...lesser. Not washed out, or colourless, or even decayed. Just lesser, diminished, reduced.

But nopony commented on it.

Over on the far side of town, Sweet Apple Acres was in full production. With more mouths to feed, the venerable agribusiness was expanding rapidly. Now, with a few Royal Grants (and a touch of Solar Fire to release up lands formerly occupied by the outliers of the Everfree Forest) neat, monotonous lines of apple trees extended for miles around the farm’s old footprint, extending with all the grasp and reach of a gorging octopus.

Yes, Ponyville shimmered, and the farm thrived.

Applebloom hated it. She hated the sameness of it all, and the nameless, joyless armies of newly planted trees. She hated the cement and clapboard bunkhouse that had been erected to house the expanding workforce, an ugly brick that not even bright paint and cheerful murals could harmonise with what she had once called home. She hated how she almost never saw her sister anymore, and how Big Macintosh was too increasingly busy liaising with the Ministry of Supplies to personally come down from Canterlot and tend to the farm. She knew it was essential to his cover story, so as to hide his affiliations with certain entities outside of Equestria, but it still stung.

And yet, Sweet Apple Acres was bigger, healthier, stronger and turning record profits, but she loathed every microcosm of it.

...and nothing rose her ire more than the ponies now employed by the farm. She kept it secret, balled the emotion up tight and buried it deep inside, but in her heart of hearts it only seemed to burn with a greater, more focused intensity.

The newfoals. Oh, how she hated the newfoals. It was their fault. Their fault that she had been left to run this soulless monster of a farm, their fault that she never saw her beloved siblings outside of a few stolen moments.

Their fault that she was, almost entirely, alone.

And so, when those emotions needed a release, the yellow youth, no longer a filly but not quite yet a mare, her rosy hair tied back in a straightforward pony-tail, came here to let them out, in front of Granny Smith’s grave.

“You were riht’ Granny...” she said at last, trying to hold tears back from her eyes. “You were right wen’ you said this weren’t any good. The war, the government contract, Applejack joinin’ the Salvation Armee’. You were right about it all...”

Granny Smith had died six months after the Barrier had began to expand over Humanland (or whatever the thrice-cursed rattlesnake of a rock was called). Her final days, which should have been full of family and tender love, were cold and lonely, with only Applebloom and Bic Mac and a few exemplary exceptions in attendance. Carrot-Top, Braeburn, and, of all ponies, the Flim-Flam brothers, had been the only ones to share the burden. Applejack had been ‘too busy’. Granny had passed on in sadness, grieving for her ‘lost’ granddaughter.

“Don’t let the same happen to you, darlin’ little Bloom...” the wise old matriarch had whispered weakly. “Don’t let pride and glory steal away whatchou are most of all. Never stop being the brave, strong, amazing little pony you are...”

“Ah’ promise, Granny Smith...” had been Applebloom’s reply. “Ah’ promise I’ll never abandon Sweet Apple Acres...”

“No! Landsakes no Bloom’! Get yerself away from this place as soon as you ken’. Get out of Ponyville, getch yerself outa Equestria! This hole’ place has been poisoned. It’s dyin’ Bloom, and what’ll be left will soon be just a corpse, movin’ and talkin’ and playin’ like it were alive, but dead through and through...”

“I can’t Granny! I can’t leave the farm! Our roots are here, this place is the Apple family! I can’t leave...”

And so she had remained, and endured. Times had gotten tougher. When Applejack had shown her disloyal muzzle at Granny Smith’s funeral, the situation hit rock bottom. Applebloom had gone on a right proper tear in an attempt to shame her sibling, at how AJ had broken the sacred bonds of kith and kin. Applejack however, had returned her sister’s attacks with equal force, accusing her of disloyalty to the Greater Family, to the Herd itself.

Applebloom shivered as she remembered. The creature screaming back at her, while Granny Smith was still warm in her casket, was not the sister she remembered. None of Applejack’s warmth and love shone in those eyes, just a dark fire that spoke of endless wrath. When Applebloom looked deep into them, all she could see was a hoof smashing down on a pony’s face, forever and always, ad infinatum...

Yes, Applebloom hated it all. And yet, some twisted perversion of loyalty had kept her here. She had contracts to support, a nation to feed, a Queen to SERVE. It might have all been the newfoals fault, but she had NO SYMPATHY for the Humans either. Her own hoof, strong and muscled from years of hard work, ground deep into the soil beneath it, and she imagined she was FORCING POTION down the throat of a DIRTY MONKEY. It would have been better if HER DIVINE MAJESTY Celestia had just wiped them all out...they were lucky that they were being SHOWN MERCY...Applejack was RIGHT to DEVOTE HERSELF to this RIGHTEOUS CRUSADE...

...and then the alien thought, the wave of sudden, unbidden rage, passed away from her, and Applebloom shuddered and fell forward onto Granny Smith’s humble grave, face pressed into her forehooves and eyes weeping huge, hot, emotional tears.

“What do Ah do, Granny? I’ve got responsibilities here, but I’m turnin’ into one af’them! What do I do!”

“Escape...” someone said, softly and tenderly. Applebloom sat up straight, just as something fell from an overhanging tree, and landed neatly atop her head.

It was a hat. Applebloom instinctively swiped it off and looked down at it. What a fine hat it was, too, a Stetson, crafted from a soft tan material with a darker band around the crown. It was far from new, but it seemed to have been well cared for, loved even. She flipped it over and read a label stitched inside the brim:

PROPERTY OF THE EASTWOOD ARCHIVES: FILM, A FISTFULL OF DOLLARS. HAT #1.

Then she lifted her eyes to the tree from which it had fallen, and felt her lips pull into a grimace as her eyes narrowed.

“Sweetie Belle...” she growled.

“Applebloom,” the other young mare nodded back, her beautiful green eyes sad, but glowing with resolve. From where she stood she was just out of Applebloom’s reach, and for a long moment the two ex-Crusaders regarded one another in a silent stalemate.

“What do you want, traitor!” Applebloom said at last, spitting out the last word. It was a personal touch, with no bearing on Sweetie Belle’s ‘outlaw status, just an expression of how deeply she felt betrayed when Sweetie Belle had gone into hiding without even a goodbye...

Then she brandished the Stetson. “And what in the hay is this!”

“A present from some friends,” Sweetie Belle said simply, before extended her sentence with a sight. “Can I please come down and pay my respects to Granny?”

Applebloom immediately shifted into a defensive stance, the hat gripped between her teeth as she placed herself before the sad little grave, protecting it. But then Sweetie Belle reached into another saddlebag, and pulled out a little glass jar, filled with an iridescent jelly.

“Zap Apple Jam...” Applebloom said, her voice a surprised whisper, and Sweetie nodded.

“It’s from the batch we helped her make...the Cutie Mark Crusaders that is. I thought she’d appreciate the gesture.”

Applebloom hesitated, but then she glanced over her shoulder at the gravestone, on which she had painstakingly carved a familiar apple-pie cutie mark.

“Alright, fine...” she said at last, stepping aside.

“Thank you Bloom’,” Sweetie Belle said, and then she took a step off of the branch. Applebloom leapt forward in an instinctive attempt to catch the alabaster unicorn, but to her amazement, she saw that her ‘old friend’ was walking down an invisible staircase, her horn glowing and a musical note ringing out every time she placed a hoof on the unseen ‘steps’.

“That...that’s some real fancy magic, Sweets...” Applebloom muttered, keeping her distance as the other pony stepped past.

“And this is a beautiful little marker Bloom’,” Sweetie answered, regarded the gravestone. “Your hoofsmanship is amazing.”

Applebloom bit back a word of thanks; she owed the unicorn nothin’. But she could not feel a pang as Sweetie Belle gently levitated the precious jar of Zap Apple Jam onto the grave, and then from her saddlebags pulled an old set of bunny ears, which she rested on her head. Then she did a strange, familiar little dance and laughed sadly.

“Sleep well, Granny. I’m so sorry I was unable to come sooner. And I promise to take care of Applebloom, as you would have wanted. Goodbye, and go with my love.”

As she listened uneasily, Applebloom felt that same snarl reshape her expression.

“Take care of me! What do you mean ‘take care of me’. And how in the hay did you get this hat into Equestria! The Barrier stops al’ human artefacks from passin’ through!”

“It was an experiment to determine the limits of the barrier,” Sweetie Belle answered, her eyes still fixed on Granny Smith’s final rest. “It’s actually an exact replica of a human object, alchemically crafted from Equestrian raw materials. The real hat is safe in a film museum somewhere.”

She then turned, and Applebloom took a step back, seeing unexpected tears in the unicorn’s eyes.

“I knew that Applejack promised you a hat of your own when you were old enough to inherit the farm, AB. She forgot that promise, but I didn’t.”

Applebloom clutched the Stetson a little closer to her barrel, her mouth dry and unable to form words. Sweetie Belle managed a smile and then, sniffing, wiped her eyes dry with a hoof.

“I’m so sorry Bloom’, for everything that happened. Rarity helped me run away before she was taken, but you had to watch Applejack degrade before your own eyes. But why did you keep yourself here and prolong your suffering, you stubborn little filly?”

The word ‘filly’ caused Applebloom to jump, and with a deep shame she looked back at her flank. No cutie mark was blazoned on her haunches, and she was beginning to wonder if it ever would. Slowly she turned her gaze to the other pony’s hind legs, and saw a field of pearly white fur.

‘Two blank flanks met by a grave’, she thought to herself. ‘Sounds like a bad joke.’ But instead of expressing that thought, she instead began to sing, an old and almost forgotten tune.

“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders...” she whispered softly.

“On a quest to find out who we are...” Sweetie finished, her own voice a sad whisper. Then she paused and gave another sigh. “I guess we did.”

“Yeah...” Applebloom replied lamely. “A silly little filly who couldn’t see the trap she was in...”

“And another who ran away from her best friend when she needed her the most...” Sweetie added, her own ears sagging.

“What happened, Sweets?” Applebloom said at last. When no answer came she expanded the question, sweeping one hoof around to ecompass the whole valley. “To us, to Equestria...to Scootaloo and Babs?”

“Celestia happened,” Sweetie said without hesitation, despite a waver in her voice. “She did this, and Big Mac and I are with the ponies and people trying to set that right.”

She extended a hoof towards her old schoolfriend. “You can too, AB. I know you promised Granny to put the farm first, but you know you need to get out of her. And you can help Scootaloo as well.”

Applebloom’s eyes flew back up to meet Sweetie’s gaze. “What’s wrong with Scootaloo.

“You remember how she could never fly, and the doctors didn’t know why. Well we know now, it’s the Disharmony Necrosis...without love and support, her wings never developed. They got sick instead, and began to kill her.”

“Kill...her...” Applebloom said in shock, her chest heaving. “Is she...has she?”

“No,” Sweetie said, shaking her head firmly. “She’s alive, but she needs your help, right now.”

Applebloom pulled herself to her feet. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s in surgery, but something’s happened, and she needs as many ponies who love her to help her through it.”

“Alright then, lets...wait a second,” Appleboom paused, and a shade of suspicion flickered over her features. “Ain’t this just a little convenient. You coulda approached me when Granny Smith died, or at any time since. Why now, when Scoot’s gets ‘sick’.”

She almost expected an angry retort, but Sweetie instead ducked her head and dug at the earth in a gesture of shame. Not for the first time, Applebloom noticed how...robust her old friend was looking. Sure, she still had all of her sister’s grace and elegance, but it was like the shine on the edge of a knife. If it weren’t for the horn, Sweetie Belle could almost be mistaken for a rough-and-tough Earth Pony. Seeing her pawing in the dirt like...well, Fluttershy, was unnerving.

“I was...afraid,” Sweetie said eventually. “Too scared to approach you. Rarity told me to run away and Zecora gave me her old hut. I went into the Everfree Forest and almost never came out, and left you here alone. It was wrong.”

She raised her head, and this time, there was fire in her eyes. If the Element of Loyalty could be convinced that its current bearer was evil and it needed a fresh start, then Sweetie Belle was an excellent second choice by any means.

“Rarity got taken, and I ran away. Babs and Scootaloo were brave enough to escape, and I ran away. You needed me, and I ran away. Not anymore, I’m not abandoning any of you again. My sisters, friends...”

“...confidantes, bosom buddies, compadres...” Applebloom joined in with the familiar oath (they never did get around to revising the swearing-in ceremony).

“...and Cutie Mark Crusaders!” they finished together. Yay.

“What’s the plan?” Applebloom asked at last.

“Carrot Top is waiting for us with supplies over at the old CMC Treehouse. She’s got a magical communicator that can reach PHL headquarters in New York. We can give our support to Scootaloo through that. Afterwards, the three of us pick up Big Mac, hit the Underground Railway, and get out of here as quick as we can!”

Applebloom gave one look around the farm...what was left of it. It was decision time, and yet she had no trouble at all making her choice. The sight of glassy-eyed newfoals toiling in the fields made it for her.

“Let’s go, Sweetie Belle! Ride em out!” she declared, setting the gifted Stetson back on her head. It fit like a charm.

PHL Headquarters, beneath the NY Presbyterian Hospital, New York; 2023 Anno Dominae

“What’s going on?” Cheerilee demanded as numerous ponies and humans alike flooded past her office. Everyone seemed to be headed in one direction, motivated by whatever rumors were being passed about. “Is it Equestria! Are they attacking?!”

“No”, one pony said in answer. “It’s Scootaloo. Something’s happening with Scootaloo! They’ve been calling for anyone and anypony who cares for her to gather upstairs in observation room number three!”

“Scootaloo!” Cheerilee gasped, before throwing herself into the rush, following the crowd up from the PHL bunker and into the hospital above. Inside Marcus Renee’s second-in-command was the heart of a schoolteacher, and right now her every thought and instinct agreed; one of her students needed her, and she would not fail that call.

Scootaloo’s last surgery was scheduled for today, after all...so whatever was happening, could not be good.

Observation Lounge #3 overlooked Operating Theatre #3, and was packed with bipeds and quadrupeds alike by the time she joined the crush. Managing to get to the front through pulling rank (and a literal bit of ‘pulling’ with her growing skill with runic magic), the burgundy mare in a flak-jacket pressed her forehooves against the glass, expression panicked.

“Scootaloo, and...and...WHY ARE BABS AND WILDFIRE BEING OPERATED ON AS WELL!?”

Her voice must have carried over the rising din, because the surgeons below briefly looked up, faces veiled behind mouth and muzzle-guards. Doctors, vets and film-makers alike were crowded around a trio of operating tables, on which three female ponies were sedated. Scootaloo’s back was a surprisingly neat construction-site of raw, exposed tissue, but her wings were gone forever...

...no, not quite. Cheerilee’s eyes narrowed, and then widened in shock. This was meant to be the last procedure for the brave little Pegasus: her decayed wings and necrotic Alicornal tissues had been surgically removed weeks ago; today was just meant to be closing up the wounds and applying tissue grafts.

And yet, in absolute defiance, Cheerilee could see two feathered stumps protruding from Scootaloo’s back. As she watched further, she realized that Wildfire and Babs were acting as graft donors, supplying the filly they loved in different ways with the tissues needed to reconstruct her back. But how...

...and then she saw. Zecora and Doctor Sheffield, the leading surgeon, was carefully removing a layer from Wildfire’s wings. Once the sliver of flesh, fur and feather was cut free, she transplanted it to Scootaloo’s back. A gasp went around the room when the donor tissue was applied. Instead of sitting there in contrast to Scootaloo’s own coloration, the creamy sample twitched, and then shifted in colour, becoming a vibrant, youthful sienna. Scootaloo’s colour. And then it fused itself in place, without the need for stitches or sutres. It looked natural, and was unbelievable.

And when the tiny filly stirred under her anesthesia...everyone saw her tiny, infantile wings give a definite twitch.

“That’s...that’s impossible....”

“No...” came the heavily accented voice of a mare over the speakers. “It is, ze magicks!”

Eyes drifted down to where Photo Finish, in surgical whites, was documenting the surgery. A camera was strapped to her barrel and as events unfolded she was dictating into a microphone, which it seemed was also tapped into the tannoy for the observation room. “Zat is why ze good Doktor Sheffield has called for you. When she opened ze little filly up, she found one last speck of necrosis, und vhen it waz removed, all zeemed well. But then ze tissue-grafts began, und begun to grow, to make new wings for ze brave child. A happy accident, a miracle.”

Murmurs of consternation went around the room, and Cheerilee’s gaze focused on the former fashionista.

“How? How come we never knew this was possible before. No-one in Equestria has ever succeeded in regrowing limbs like this, unless they were regenerating their own!”

“Becauz no-wun in Equeztria ever considered treating Necrosiz vith invasive surgery,” Photo Finish replied. “Or zo the good doctors have helped me understand. Treatment through therapy, und magick, to subdue the dying tissues, not exhume them altogether. Und no-vun has ever attempted tissue-grafts in pony medicine...with magick, was never needed until now. But something strange and wonderful is happening – Scootaloo’z body is accepting ze flesh und feather given with love, from those she loves, und iz bonding with them, und through zat love, her body iz using those donations to rebuilt itself.”

She trotted around on her hooves and gazed upwards at the growing crowd.

“Zis,” she said solemnly. “Is new. Never before dun. Und the doctor says that presence of loved ones seems to be helping ze regenerative process. So why I put out call for you good people to come watch.”

She gave a stomp and could not hold back a triumphant tone in her voice. “With your love, with our harmony, zis crippled filly will wun day FLY!”

“Quiet, please...” one of the nurses said softly, and Photo Finish, abashed, lowered her volume so that the delicate work could continue.

“Sorries. Please, good ponies, good people, please vatch these Magicks und lend your love.”

And they did. Several drifted in and out to retrieve snacks or drinks, but over the next few hours the observation room remained crowded with awed and hopeful expressions as Doctor Sheffield and her multi-species team of surgeons and nurses coaxed and nurtured Scootaloo’s growing wings into full size. Babs and Wildfire were under care as well, work going on to close up the raw marks left from their tissue donations and avoid infection.

Cheerilee never moved from her spot pressed up against the glass. Instead she held fast and took in the full miracle around her. Ponies and humans alike were supplying their heart, skill, and will to a common cause, and one that for once did not hinge upon war or liberation. Instead they were all coming together for a filly that had touched their hearts...

‘It’s beautiful...’ she thought tearfully, and smiled. ‘What wonders we can accomplish, together. And what miracles might have been done if Earth and Equestria had come together in harmony.’

She felt her muscles tense.

‘Damn you Celestia. Your strangled the dream in the crib!’

She would make that dream a reality. When this war was won (and it had to be won), so much work would be needed to rebuild two wounded worlds. But she was certain it could be done. Humanity and Equinity seemed like complementary halves of a whole. Between them she knew they had the knowledge and ability to heal Earth and Equestria, to make impossibilities come true, and accomplish works that defied belief.

Because both species knew of Love, that most potent of forces, and celebrated it.

The thought of love turned her attention towards a younger mare standing proudly alongside her. Cadence...no, she corrected herself, Princess Cadence (and none deserved the title more in her opinion) was more aware of the potent, positive emotions suffusing the air than anyone else, and seemed to have taken on the role for acting as a nexus and conduit. Her eyes were closed, her teeth were clenched, and sweat was rolling down her brow, but her horn was glowing with brilliant blue light, and throwing out beautiful, resonant shards of energy that seemed to linger lovingly on every surface they touched, like specks of crystal.

There were other, familiar voices too. In the crowd she could see Dinky Whooves sitting on her sister Sparkler’s back, holding up a familiar nautilus shell communicator. And the voices echoing out of it made hearts soar.

“Come on Scoots! Babs! Fight that stuff! We love you guys!” Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were shouting through the shell. The two of them were an entire world away, and yet right here at hand (or hoof) for their oldest and dearest friends. Cutie Mark Crusaders to the end.

Cheerilee reached over and gave Cadence a supportive hug. Then she paused, amazed at what she was feeling. The pegacorn’s body was warm to the touch, a soothing warm which felt underpinned by a primal potency. She paused and looked closely, her eyes widening. The glow of light was not confined to Cadence’s horn...it was beginning to spread in a soft aura across her entire body. And it was growing in strength as Scootaloo’s surgery, and the associated emotions, built to a peak.

And as her aura grew and spread, Cheerilee could see that Cadence was growing...

Unsure of what was happening, but filled with a certainty that it had to be good and wonderful, she reached back over and hugged the Princess even tighter, trying to share in her burden, and rejoicing in the warmth that she could feel, not just in Cadence now, but all around.

“Almost there, your highness...” she soothed as Cadence’s brow furrowed deep and she gasped in pain. “We’re almost there...”

Doctor Sheffield lay down her tools and, with a gentle touch, reached over and coaxed Scootaloo’s new wings into an open position, allowing everyone to see their healthy coloration and powerful spread.

“Thankyou everyone...and everypony” she said, speaking to the onlookers for the first time, tears trickling over her surgical mask. “We’ve done something amazing here. She’s...she’s healed.”

Everyone cheered, and beneath her forehooves Cheerilee felt Cadence’s body begin to shiver and hum. She held on tight and closed her eyes.

Climax.

Cadence’s eyes flew open, burning with brilliant white light, and she gave a mighty heave, knocking Cheerilee to the ground. As if she was elastic, Cadence’s limbs suddenly stretched in length and her proportions shifted. Cheerilee hit the ground hard and rolled onto her back, but instead of herself her first thoughts were of her friend.

“Cadence!”

Standing before her, gazing into the hereafter and shining with energy, was an Alicorn, Aphrodite or Venus in pony-form, the very picture of feminine beauty. Cadence’s short-cut mane and scrubby tail had billowed out in vibrant, colorful curls, and her wings were spread wide and far. Cheerilee could see Power in that form, and gave an awestruck smile.

They had WON. In that instance she felt it, knew it. Something had changed, and through human and pony love alike, Cadence had Ascended. The PHL had a princess on their side...an Alicorn princess.

“Arise...” a voice whispered, and Cheerilee’s grin faded. Someone else was present, another Alicorn, ethereal and transparent and barely visible, but she was there, hovering over Cadence and regarding her with a deep and endless tenderness. She was tall and slender, with a flowing red mane and a pearly coat.

Then the Alicorn looked around, and regarded everyone with that same warm, loving, and proud gaze. Cheerilee felt a sudden fire in her chest, and gasped...

“Arise...” the Alicorn said again, and smiled. The fire in Cheerilee’s chest burst into full flame, and the world dissolved into a brilliant, infinite light...

Somewhere Else, the World between Worlds

“Welcome, Scootaloo of Equestria...” a gentle, motherly voice whispered. The orange filly in question stirred, and opened her eyes, blinking in astonishment.

“Am...am I dreaming...” she said at last, trying to get a bearing on her whereabouts. She was standing in a vast, endless space. Ethereal mist swirled around her hooves, and stars twinkled in splendor above.

And everywhere she looked, there were screens...glowing panels hanging everywhere, and on them, memories of her life were playing.

She cowered slightly, and felt something unfamiliar on her back, a weight that had not been there before. Hesitant, and afraid of what she was about to see, she looked over her own shoulders, and saw a proud, healthy pair of wings.

“I’m dreaming...” she said at last, and gave a nervous laugh. “Yup, I’m still zonked out on medication.”

“No,” the voice who had woken her laughed, and Scootaloo looked in the direction from where it had come. “No you’re not dreaming, my little pony.”

Someone was coming towards her, an Alicorn mare, with a flowing red mane and sparkling blue eyes. An inkwell and quill stood rampant on her flanks, and Scootaloo suddenly felt the strangest sense of familiarity. She knew this mare, somehow, and her instincts all cried out ‘mother’!

“Who...who are you?” she asked.

“I am, the Scribe...” the mare said, smiling. “A racial memory magically carried within every pony. I walked the lands of Equestria in eons past, and I have watched over it ever since. I have seen our people’s triumphs, and failures. Their greatest achievements and lowest fallings.”

Her expression darkened and Scootaloo cowered. There was rage in those eyes, rage and timeless betrayal. She squeaked and hid beneath her hooves.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry for the war, I’m sorry for what we did!”

She heard Scribe trot closer and whimpered. Then a warm wing was draped over her, and she lowered her hooves in surprise. Scribe was lying beside her, and holding her tight under one wing.

“I’m not angry at all with you Scootaloo...” she said, and once again a whimsical light danced in her words and expressions. “In fact I’m proud of you, my little pony. You and your friends have done something amazing...”

“What?”

Scribe smiled and opened her mouth to speak.

“...you have performed new magic, Catherine Sheffield of Earth.”

Doctor Sheffield, stripped of her surgical attire and comfortably nude, sipped a non-existent cup of tea and reclined easily in an equally non-existent high-backed chair. It was made of solid gold and padded with red leather, and was of course, non-existent. Lowering her drink she finally looked across at her non-existent host, a willowy woman whose red hair hung comfortably around her shoulders. She dressed in a comfortable sweater and slacks, and seemed normal, but when Sheffield squinted she thought she could see a pair of wings extending from her back; she would have mocked herself for hallucinating up an angel, except she could also, faintly, perceive a long, elegant horn projecting from her companion’s head.

“Bullshit”, she said at last, and the woman, who had introduced herself as ‘Scribe’, laughed over her own cup of coffee.

“Normally I’d agree with you, and trust me, this scenario,” Scribe waved a hand at the rolling void populated only by themselves and the hovering monitors on which Catherine’s memories were unfolding, “this is not what I had planned when I laid out the game-plan for my little ponies. But other hooves meddled in executive decisions, and so here we are, trying to make the best of things.”

Thoughtful, Sheffield lowered the (non-existent) teacup and quickly self-tested herself for signs of a stroke or mental breakdown. 2 + 2 = 4, there were twenty-six letters in the English alphabet, the whole universe was in a hot dense state until fourteen billion years ago when expansion started (wait), Celestia was a bitch and cheesecake tasted better on Tuesdays. Nope, everything seemed to be functioning correctly. Ergo, this was somehow real.

“Alright,” she said at last. “Tell me more.”

Scribe leaned forward companionably. “You’re a gifted surgeon Cathy, and what you did for Scootaloo was nothing short of miraculous. Helping her alone was an act of supreme compassion, but when you realized her wings were regenerating, you didn’t panic or run away. You understood what was happening and had Photo Finish bring as many people as possible to your aid, to lend the positive emotions that would make it possible. Because of you, that filly, who has never known flight, will one day claim her birthright. You made that possible...you performed a work of new magic, and for that, the laws of Deep Magic wish to bestow upon you a high reward...”

Sheffield cocked her head, analytical engines turning in her mind, and comprehended what was being offered. Power, strength, wisdom, and a lifespan that flirted with immortality.

“Okay, before I decide on this Faustian pact, I have two questions.”

She held up two fingers and counted off on them.

“One...I want to know who you are, and what you are.”

“Understood...” Scribe nodded in solemn agreement.

“And two...the haircolour might be a little off and the eyes a touch more...crystally, but why are you dressed like my old roommate Lauren?”

Scribe smiled...

“...I wanted to make this meeting as comfortable as possible...” Scribe said to Wildfire, who was gazing at her with suspicion while the immortal racial memory of ponykind trotted around in the guise of a red-headed Wonderbolt Academy drill-sergeant. “Hence why I adopt characteristics of people to whom you hold specific memories or feelings...”

Wildfire rolled her eyes. “Fine, so let’s cut the sweet-talk and get down to brass tacks. You said I helped Scootaloo and the doctors perform some new magic. What does that mean for us?”

“To understand that...you have to know of the Alicorns...” Scribe said sagely, before adding, with a practised military bark, “Eyes forward Cadet!”

“So, many years ago, ya, ponies were one single race. Ze Alicorn race...” Scribe explained to Photo Finish, the two of them matching in accent and attire. “Zhey were great, und mighty, the dominant power on Equus, und though mortal lived for thouzands of yearz, all blessed with, strength, flight and ze magicks...”

“...and as is the case with all empires, they eventually fell into pride and arrogance...” she said softly to a French PHL commando, as the two of them sat on a bank of cloud and field-stripped their weapons. Scribe brushed a lock of hair out her eyes with and gave a remorseful sigh, before resting one hand on her body armor, over her heart. “And yet they recognized their hubris, and attempted to expunge it from themselves, through a great act of magic, they attempted to purify themselves of all evil, all of their nascent rage and hate, and pour that negativity into a bag. They called this negative range of emotions, ‘the Other Side of the Spectrum’, or the ‘The Rainbow of Darkness’.”

“...it went wrong, as you can guess...” she described to Babs Seed as they walked through the nether, Babs trotting along thoughtfully while Scribe stalked along in human form, hands pushed deep into a bomber-jacket worn over the torn T-shirts of a born street-rat.

Babs watched her closely, paused, focused, and then stood up, her body reforming into that of a bipedal pony dressed in similar attire to Scribe, a pair of hooves sticking out from the legs of her own pants.

“Tell me more,” Babs said intently, finally at eye-level with Scribe and matching her poise and bearing with equal moxie, arms folded and fists curled

“Smart kid,” Scribe smirked, and continued. “There was a traitor in their midst...the Alicorn government’s Permanent Secretary of Arcane Science, Tirek...”

“...‘Tirek’ was one of the more brilliant mages of the time, and in the Rainbow of Darkness saw his path to ultimate power ...” a resplendent crystalline Scribe said to Cadence, who was nervously acclimatizing herself to her new body as the elder Alicorn showed her the joys of flight. “He stole the bag, and bonded his spirit with it, shaping for himself a new, demonic form. Motivated by the rage and destructive impulses of an entire species of demi-gods, Tirek laid waste to the world, shattering and perverting the natural of reality, and waged terrible war against the Alicorns. In the process, he attempted to create footsoldiers, mutating many of our fellow creatures and ponies alike into vassal races that would serve him...so were born the minotaurs, the griffons, the changelings and the more mindless beasts that thrive on Equus to this day.”

“Does that mean those other races are inherently evil?” Cadence said at last, directing an affronted gaze at Scribe, as if challenging her answer.

“No, anymore than any human or pony is inherently evil,” Scribe consoled her. “Any being with a mind and soul is free to make its own choices, though those first forebears were unfortunate enough to be under Tirek’s malign influence. Chin up dear and wings back, you’re doing fine...”

“...the Alicorns defeated him in time, but at a price. In his final move to destroy everything, Tirek poisoned Equus’s moon with the Rainbow of Darkness and hurled it into the sun, transforming it into a dark star, unable to support life. Weakened but triumphant, Tirek was cast out. The surviving Alicorns strived to rebuild, and shaped a new moon and an artificial micro-sun to orbit Equus under their magical control...but in their victory, they soon found they had cursed themselves by Tirek’s very creation. Rage and hate are undesirable, but without them as a caution within us they found ourselves lessened, reduced...”

Scribe noted down all of this down on a blackboard as Cheerilee listened attentively.

“In the following years the Alicorns discovered the nature of their curse. Future generations were born with only one dominant trait of their forebears; they could have magic, or flight, or strength, but never all three. Thus it was that the pony race was split into three tribes; unicorns, pegasai, and earth ponies. In time, the weakened Alicorns died one by one, and the tribes splintered into factionalism and discord...”

Cheerilee scribbed down some notes with a pen, and then frowned.

“So who does that make you?”

“I am the Scribe,” she said to Vinyl Scratch. “An artificial intelligence created magically to archive all of the Alicorn race’s wisdom. But I am also my designer, Faust, Tirek’s number two, who refused to follow him. She based me upon herself, and so much of her went into me, that she considered us to be one. It was Faust, with me as her assistant, who created Discord as an ultimate weapon during the war, a chaotic, creative counterpart to Tirek’s destructive nature. Of course, at first he was just an infant, and she loved him as her own...”

She and Scratch were lying on their backs beneath a stupendous collection of speakers and subwoofers, wiring them together into an ear-shreddingly potent instrument of bass-dropping wubs. The name ‘Octavia’ was painted in loving pink script down the contraption’s side and a glisteningly preserved cello had been mounted upon it like a figurehead.

“Awesome!” Scratch crowed.

“For a while, yes...” Scribe said sadly. “But Faust died in the final battle with Tirek; after taking on the lion’s share of creating the new sun and moon to fulfil his mother’s dying wish, Discord vanished to carry out the mission she had groomed him for...to control reality and yet retain an element of chaos, so as to create challenges for civilization to overcome and thrive upon. But as their race declined, the Alicorns looked to me for salvation. I possessed all of their knowledge, all of Faust’s genius, and much of their spirit. They poured their remaining magic into me in the hope that I could find an answer; as a result I developed sentience, and a physical form based on Faust’s own...but immortal. I was the first undying Alicorn, born artificially through magic. But I would not be the last...”

“Turning to me for a cure to their decline didn’t work,” Scribe said sadly to Bon-Bon. The two of them were sitting in silence, Scribe running her hooves over Bon-Bon’s head and trying to delicately unwork the damage that had been done to the creamy confectioner’s mind.

“I became the Alicorns’ immortal sage and oracle, but I could not see a way out. By the time I was coming into full awareness of my knowledge, all the other Alicorns were dead and I was left overseeing the three tribes. I did not interfere with them, much, but shaped them to survive over generations from afar with my magic, and in time they forgot I existed. Instead I waited, and watched, and let them develop and grow into beings of their own, with all the passions and range of emotion that the Alicorns had tried to control without themselves. In time they regained a full and healthy spectrum of feeling. A nudge here and there was all I provided, sweet drops of love in the nectar.”

Bon-Bon made a crooked smile, while Scribe continued.

“As millennia passed the little ponies became my teachers. I possessed all knowledge, and yet I knew so little of life, so I watched, and learned from their conflicts and friendships, and grew in my understanding. In time, I saw an answer...”

“I created a spell, and an entire school of magic to execute it. Runic Magic. The spell was vast, and widespread. I travelled the world inscribing its component cantrips and incantations into rocks and gems which I buried deep, writing the fabric of the spell into Equus itself...” Scribe said, a tone of compassion mingled with authority as she spoke to Pipsqueak. She was clad in golden mail and wore a laurel wreath on her brow, a God-Empress incarnate. “And then I sacrificed my life to prime it.”

Pipsqueak saluted in response. “Your sacrifice was great and noble I’m sure, Your Majesty.”

“Please Pip,” she smiled gently. “Even if your subconscious has dressed me like this, I’m not royalty. I’m just the Scribe. Besides, as I understand it you already serve a noble lady by the name of Dinky.”

Pipsqueak blushed.

“The spell had several components. First, it would draw upon the magic of all Equus to create two immortals like myself and Discord, stewards that could control nature and the orbits of the spheres above. They would take over these duties from the tribes and so remove that which had caused so much strife between the little ponies, and do their work from the shadows.

“Faust had shaped Discord according to one of the Alicorn philosopher Aristrotle’s three modes of persuasion; Pathos, and so my creations would be styled upon the other two, Ethos and Logos...”

“Pathos, Ethos, and Logos: Passionate Emotion, Ethical Authority, and Cool Logic...” Maya Akagi nodded. A Japanese specialist in veterinary surgery who had helped work on Scootaloo, her hands were folded neatly in her lap as Scribe continued, dressed in the blue mini-skirt and white lab-coat of a mentor on who Maya had long labored a secret crush. “If Discord was Pathos, then that would make Ethos and Logos...”

“Celestia and Luna, yes...each would possess elements of all three modes, and yet have their personality shaped by a dominant aspect, so as to stimulate creativity and debate. When the spell was triggered, they would be born, my darling daughters...to live and work with Faust’s beloved son. The three of them would regulate the world, and so leave the ponies free to thrive and grow on their own.”

Scribe’s tone grew wistful, and a little sad, before she continued.

“Secondly, with my body dead, the spell would write my living spirit back into a hidden runic computer terminal, but also place a fragment of me into every pony. That is how I became a racial memory, a lingering watcher to monitor what happened. And it would also seed in my ponies my own genes, and the genetic potential to ascend into Alicorns...”

She paused and shared in another weary smile. “A potential which, through the immutable bonds of friendship, magic and harmony, everyone who helped Scootaloo today now shares in...”

“So I see, I may be a pony, if I choose to be...” Zecora rhymed thoughtfully as she methodically flowed through a series of martial-arts katas, Scribe besides her doing the same in pony form.

“Not quite a pony, and not quite a zebra...” Scribe continued. “But with Cadence acting as a fulcrum for the emotion in that room, you all shared in the creation of New Magic, and thus share in this experience, and in the reward that comes with it. My being here with you means that the seeds of Alicornhood have now been planted in you.”

“Your experiment with magic, had this goal in mind? For I find it most tragic, that you play with pony-kind.”

Scribe flinched, and then smiled. “It always had to be of their own choice. I gave my life to prime the spell, and then slumbered within its magical framework until the time was right. The runes would not activate until specific conditions had been met...when all three pony races, who had spread far and wide, returned to their native home in Equestria under a banner of friendship. As it was, it happened within a decade, spurred on by a terrible winter.”

Zecora paused, and when she next spoke, her voice was devoid of rhyme.

“The first Heartswarming Eve!”

Scribe nodded. “Of course, my little ponies always found a way to break things a little.”

“When Clover the Clever, Private Pansy and Smart Cookie made peace in that cave under the Canterhorn, the spell kicked in, and I was reborn within all ponies...” Scribe chuckled. “I can still see the look on Clover’s face when she was suddenly plumbed into the magic of an entire world. Oh, she was brilliant that one...”

“But it wasn’t just them in that cave...” Derpy Hooves pointed out, her eyes bright and her words clear. “Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane and Chancellor Puddinghead were there too, and so was their distrust and disharmony...”

“Indeed...” Scribe dipped her head.

The two of them were looking through a simulacrum of one of Derpy’s photo albums, and sharing a tray of truly Divine muffins.

“You have a wonderful husband and daughters Derpy. I could never have foreseen that such beauty would have arisen out of my creation...the artist of fate gave you your maladjusted eyes, but the Unseen Audience that looks upon us and smile, they gave you a family...”

“But what about your family?” Derpy said softly. “What about your children. If the spell went wrong, what happened to them?”

“It went...askew...” Scribe answered.

“Ethos and Logos were meant to come into existence away from ponies, whole and full-grown, ready to take on their roles. But the presence of the tribal leaders’ disharmony spanned the spell’s execution. Ethos and Logos, Celestia and Luna, were born inside the cave, as infants. Clover and the other ponies took this as a divine gift, which I suppose they were. I could not intervene, not now that I was but a ghost, and the plan in motion, and so I watched. They were raised with love, and care, and at first kept secret. Clover and her mentor Starswirl suspected that these two powerful fillies had a special purpose, and raised them out of the public eye, which is why their birth never features in the pageants...

“All might have been well, but then, Discord returned. He had never approved of me – ‘Scribble’ as he called me, and objected to my plan. Faust’s goal was for the Alicorn civilization to overcome adversity through the challenges he presented, whereas I wanted to regulate the environment so as to leave the tribes free to sort out their problems in debate and peace. Discord chose to intervene in Equestria, and so begat the Discordian Era...”

“And what about the two sisters?” Spitfire said at last. “They had to go to war, didn’t they?”

“As history shows...” Scribe nodded, as the two serious mares sat facing one another over a campfire. Flying goggles hung from both their necks, and marshmallows were toasting over the flames. “Clover and Starswirl conspired for my daughters to go into hiding under the care of Sint Erklass, the Reindeer king of Adlaborjn in the distant North. When the two girls came of age and power, he returned with them on their hundredth birthday, and they revealed themselves to the public and took up power to fight Discord. After he was banished, the ponies tried to declare them Equestria’s Goddess Queens. They refused the title, but with Equestria devastated, they felt compelled to take up the burden of rule, and did so as Princesses, subservient to a greater power. Harmony.”

“And what about the Elements of Harmony?”

“My greatest shame. They were derived from Faust’s research, and a primitive version was used to defeat Tirek. She died wielding the might of Harmony against his evil. Celestia and Luna desired those notes to destroy Discord. At first I refused - the sight of my daughters at war with Faust’s son...my son, almost broke my heart. But what could I do – I was a spirit computer, a little presence at the back of everypony’s mind. Celestia and Luna knew I was there though, and in time found my terminal, and raised their first castle around it. I tried to guide them as best I could, but when Celestia refused to give up the throne and let the ponies rule themselves, believing she and her unicorn advisors had a better plan, I spoke to them no more. Just sat in the dark and wept for my children.”

“But not before they used the Elements of Harmony of Discord?”

“Yes. Faust’s research into what would become the Elements was buried deep within my circuit vaults. When I refused to relinquish that knowledge, Celestia and Luna tried to create Elements of their own, and a side-effect of a botched attempt resulted in the Crystal Ponies. I rejoice at the beauty of the Crystal Empire, and celebrate life that came unbidden of my plan, but it still grieves me to think of...after more failures, Celestia could not restrain herself any more. She broke into me...and took the data, crafted the Elements, and turned them on her pseudo-brother. She was considerably disappointed when he was merely petrified, not outright killed...”

Spitfire, uncertain of what to do, reached over and patted her on the shoulder.

“And so we come full circle...” Scribe concluded to Sheffield. “The Crystal Empire rose and fell, Discord was trapped in stone, and Luna went insane with cumulative grief and resentment...a thousand years later, we pretty much hit the present day.”

“Sint Erklass...” Sheffield repeated. “Your world has a Santa Claus analog?”

“Yes, the reindeer possess the power of flight in their hooves, and since they gave an oppressed Equestria the greatest gift, the princesses who brought peace from Discord, good ol’ Sint entered legend as a wintertime bringer of joy. Each Hearthswarming foals believe that he flies through the sky with his royal court and distributes presents down chimneys.”

“What about Tirek? You said he was banished, not destroyed.”

Scribe frowned. “During the Discordian era, he briefly returned. There was a place known as Dream Valley, and he made a bid for power there, but was overthrown...”

Sheffield frowned, feeling certain that Scribe was holding something back. The sentient construct sighed and gazed heavenwards.

“I feel Tirek’s hand at play in events now, but Celestia has cut me out of her mind, and so I’m left making guesses.”

“Celestia and Luna never went chasing after those rumors?”

“They were too busy carrying out the grand plan Celestia had concieved – to get every race of pony living together in harmony, so as to try and provoke the circumstances that would restore the Alicorn race. They would act as constants, keeping things on track. Celestia called it shepherding, Discord called it stagnation. I still wonder if they’re both right and wrong at the same time.”

“Are you implying eugenics, because that strikes me as distasteful!”

“Not quite, though they hoped to strengthen the pony genome by overcoming social boundaries to marriages between the tribes. All three versions of the plan, Faust, Celestia’s, and mine, had the same ultimate goal: to get all ponies working together, trusting and loving and harmonizing, so as to trigger off powerful magics that could result in individuals ascending. New Magic is one means, but there are others...”

“And so we come back to that. You say we here did New Magic, and you want to reward us...”

“I do,” Scribe, still dressed in the guise of Sheffield’s old college roommate nodded. “You wanted to understand the context, and you can probably guess the burden.”

“Immortality, or a close representation thereof,” Sheffied nodded. “A lonely place to live, but not intolerable, if you have equally long-lived friends...and the responsibility of power...”

Wildfire looked Scribe in the eye. At her side she felt Babs join her, striding on two legs with a cocky grin that challenged the universe on her face. Good girl.

“We did something wonderful with Scootaloo,” she said. “New Magic or not, ponies and humans working together achieved a miracle. I want to do more of that...”

“For Lyra, in her memory, I will do anything!” Bon-Bon vowed, stomping one hoof on the ground. “I’ve seen the past, and I’ve seen the future. I know what we can do, and for her sake, in her name, I will make that true!”

Scribe beamed with pride. Bon-Bon’s eyes no longer wandered and her mind was no longer at war with itself. Instead, she practically burned with a righteous fury, ready to grapple Equestria one-on-one and bring it into line.

‘Rock on, My Little Ponies!’

“...if doing this means I can help other people, that I can help win this war and make everything better afterwards!” Scootaloo crowed, wings flared and chest pushed out, “then I want to! I don’t care if I’ll be lonely, or outlive most everyone! I’ll have Babs, and Wildfire, and my friends, and new friends all down the years, and I’ll be there to serve and protect them, forever and always!”

“So let it be,” Scribe beamed, kneeling down to plant a kiss on the young mare’s brow. “Scootaloo of Equestria, Scion of Love and Harmony, I declare you Awake!”

And the light and love filled the world...

And magic makes it all complete...

Cheerliee came to with speed and clarity, almost brimming over with energy she jumped to her hooves and spread her...wings.

She turned and looked at herself, eyes wide. Then with one hoof she reached up and found her horn. Without needing to think about how she knew she realized that she needed a mirror and felt a trill of energy crackle in her brain. There was no effort needed at all. She needed a mirror, and the universe bowed to her whims and delivered her one out of thin air.

She stared at her reflection.

‘Holy shit! I look fantastic!’

The mare looking back was familiar, the same face and eyes she saw in a glass every day. But she was now...more. Bigger, sleeker, a natural elegance expressing itself in every curve of her body. Her mane had grown out and now had a lustrous, almost metallic sheen to it, and the flowers on her flank we radiant and proud. All of the dust and grey weariness that had seeped into her over the past few years was gone, replaced with light, and life and effortless knowledge of her purpose and role...to heal the world and make it bloom and shine once more. She could feel her talent inside of her, and the urge to turn it loose was indescribable.

And she felt fantastic. Strong and sure and brimming over with confidence and certainty, buoyed up by the love and harmony in the air.

‘When we find Marcus I am going to ride him like a rodeo bull!’ she decided, and then felt her wings pop to attention in an instinctive expression of arousal. Blushing she displaced the mirror with another touch of the magic inside of her (her aura was a calming sea-green, she noted) and turned around...

...only to prove that it is just as possible for an Alicorn’s jaw to hit the ground as it is for any other pony...

Everyone in the observation lounge had changed, as much as herself. Cadence was aglow with regal power, even as she was being carried around the room by a cheering band of human soldiers who had manifested wings and horns, their armor adjusting itself automatically to fit.

‘Human Alicorns....’ she thought in wonder, and as she looked she saw more. Ponies walking on two legs, humans who had developed remarkable skin-tones and eye-colors besides the wings and horns, humans she did not recognize (who until moments before must have been ponies), and equally new ponies who had changed from humans.

It should have been horrific, a nightmare of distorted bodies and stolen identities, and yet it was not. This was not ponification, which raped the body and soul alike and bound it in chains. This was neither ponies dominating humans nor humans oppressing ponies. She had a sense of rightness, as if everyone had been offered a choice, accepted it, and then come back out the other side wearing the form that expressed them as they truly were.

And all because of Scootaloo...

SCOOTALOO!

She spun to look down into the operating room, and saw an open space in the corner. Focusing her eyes on it she felt the world stretch around her...

BANG!

...and then a warm, extatic (almost erotic) surge of energy inside of her had pulled reality through its own nose and teleported her down into the open patch of land.

Her heart raced for a second and then stabilised as she took in the sight. Scootaloo was hovering over the operating table, her wings beating and elated tears streaming from her eyes as she turned in circles.

“I CAN FLY! I CAN FLY! THANKYOU EVERYONE, I CAN FLY!”

People were cheering, pumping fists and hooves as newfound magic burst and flashed everywhere, Scootaloo was suddenly joined in the air by furry, bipedal Babs, her own wings blurring as she caught her marefriend with both hands (?) and pulled her in for a kiss. The cheers and applause grew even louder as the two young lovers held one another tight.

Tears of joy were pouring down Cheerilee’s own face. Elated her eyes slid past Doctor Sheffield (who it seemed, had gone full pony, attainting a size and natural grace that rivalled any princess, (with a fifteen-inch horn on her too...was she feeling jealous?). Photo Finish had gone the other way however, fully human except for the extra appendages, holding her camera in her new hands and turning it over in disbelief...

‘Hands...oh hands will come in handy when I see Marcus...’

Cheerilee bucked down another perverted flash of inspiration (with the distinct feeling that her actual bucks could probably go through armour plating now) and instead turned her thoughts to another mare, one who suddenly teleported into place opposite her.

“Bon-Bon!”

The creamy Alicorn looked at her, and Cheerilee felt a sudden shock run over her as they made eye-contact. Then she hurled herself forward with one flap of her wings and tackled her old friend from Ponyville with an elated shout.

“You’re healed! Bon-Bon you’re healed!”

“Yeah...yeah I am...” Bon-Bon smiled weakly before looking up at the ponies, humans and shades of in-between cheering and throwing magic about above and around them. “Lyra would love this...”

Then, her eyes widening, Bon-Bon stood up. Literally, stood on her back legs which shifted fluidly to accommodate her, and took on a form that, like Babs, was not quite human or not quite pony, dressed in charcoal-grey combat armour and with fire in her eyes. She stared at her new fingers for a second and Cheerilee distinctly saw her lips form the syllables ‘Lyra’...

...and then Bon-Bon reached into her bag and snatched up the battered lyre she carried everywhere. For a second she cradled it to her chest, and then, eyes shut, she slowly began to pick at the strings...

...the notes were rusty at first, as was the instrument, but as Bon-Bon played people began to listen. Eyes turned towards her and tongues fell silent, as the anthropomorphic Alicorn, wings spread angelically, continued to play. And as she got further and further, the smoother and more beautiful the music became, as if someone else were with her guiding her through the scales and chords. Her horn began to glow, enveloping the lyre in loving sparkles of magic, and as Cheerilee watched with fresh awe, she saw it was being restored, straightening out and stripped of layers of dirt and rust. As Bon-Bon came to the end of her sudden recital, she was smiling, and the instrument looked brand-new.

“Goodbye...” she whispered at last, as the final plinking notes dissolved in the reverent silence.

Then she looked up at everyone and everypony, and held the gleaming golden lyre up high.

“FOR LYRA HEARTSTRINGS!” she shouted, voice clear and full of resolve. Everyone roared the vow back at her, shaking the bunker with the declaration.

“I’ve seen the future!” Bob-Bon continued, lowering her voice slightly. “I’ve seen multiple futures! I’ve seen Earth vanquished and Equestria triumphant! I’ve seen the last human fall to a bottle of potion!”

Then, as murmurs of discontent rumbled around, she hardened her eyes and roared, holding the lyre aloft like it was a sacred relic. Perhaps it now was.

“BUT I’VE ALSO SEEN THAT WE CAN WIN! AND WE ARE NOT ALONE! HELP IS COMING! AND WITH THAT HELP, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE TIDE OF WAR BACK! WE’RE GOING TO SAVE BOTH OUR WORLDS, AND WE WILL CAST DOWN, AND CAST OUT, THE TYRANT WHO CALLS HERSELF CELESTIA!”

The cheer that went up was epoch-changing. Cheerilee stood in silence and counted heads. Of the several hundred people and ponies assigned to the bunker, at least a fifth had been present for this. That was eighty to a hundred Alicorns, bipeds and quadrupeds alike. Derpy and her family, Vinyl, Wildfire, Spitfire, nurses and doctors and engineers and so many others.

They had strength, they had Spike, they had weapons and runic magic and a Tardis.

But most of all they had ummutable bonds of love, and each other.

“WE ARE GOING TO WIN THIS!” Bon-Bon swore. “FOR EARTH, FOR EQUESTRIA, FOR LYRA!”

And Cheerilee believed it...and then Bon-Bon looked her way, eyes bright and smiling widely.

“And Cher’...I know where your Marcus is!”

‘Find...fingers...fun...fast!’

In a treehouse on the corner of an apple-farm, three mares gathered around a nautilus shell stared at one another in shock. They felt their horns, tested their wings, tried to catch their bearings...

...but it was when Carrot Top pointed in shock at Applebloom and Sweetie Belle’s flanks that the cheering really began...

And for a few moments, despite the baleful glare of the Eternal Sun, morning in Ponyville truly shimmered, yes, morning in Ponyville shined!

“HOLD IT!!!!” a voice shouted...

PAUSE (II)

The Editor’s Lounge, None of Your Business Where

“This is the big twist!?” Discord demanded, waving a remote control in disbelief. “Spontaneously ascending almost a hundred people into demi-gods without any fore-warning. ‘Double Rainboom’ did better than that and they threw in the POWERPUFF GIRLS!”

“I dunno,” said Pinkie Pie, munching through a tub of pop-corn. “I thought it was awesome! Meanie-pants Celestia is going to get her flank paddled by an ARMY of Alicorns!”

She chewed for a moment and then summed up her feelings in one word, expression stern and eyes hard.

“Bitchin’!”

Discord shook his dead and reached forward with the remote.

REWIND (<<)

“It’s a mess...” he said as the chapter rolled backwards, ascensions and revelations unwinding themselves back into nebulous realms of untold story. “I mean, the bits with Mom’s shadow...sorry, ‘Scribble’, describing ancient history were pretty accurate, not perfect, but close enough, and some of the material is moving if you’re into soppiness, but seriously, what were those two ‘authors’ thinking!?”

He snapped his fingers and two sock-puppet humans popped into being. One wore glasses and was balding, the other had a darker skin tone and more hair.

“Oh, hello there Redskin...” he said as he controlled the four-eyed puppet, adopting a sarcastic British accent. “You wanted my thoughts on how Scootaloo should wake up from surgery, and I think we should spin it into a huge plot-twist where everyone involved becomes Alicorns! Forget King Sombra, this will be an entire swarm of omnipotent, underdeveloped OCs! Mary Sues for everyone!”

“Wut?” the other puppet said in disbelief, a Texan drawl colouring the single syllable.

“Oh it’s alright, I conceived it out of boredom while driving my Nissan one day...” Discord sarcastically replied. “For I am the Great & Authorial TB3, self-published novelist and Bringer of Awesome! Pip-pip, tally-ho, God Save Lizzie!”

“Ah, I think he’s meant to be Welsh, not English,” Pinkie corrected, rolling her eyes at the King of Hammy Acting’s performance.

“Then we’ll throw in some jokes about sheep and animal husbandry in the edit!” Discord cut back, before discarding the two Author Avatars with another wave of a paw. Then he reached forward and pointed the remote again.

STOP (-)

“Seriously,” he ranted. “It’s barely a narrative, just a string of exposition strung out along a train of vignettes, coupled up with a nonsensical ending that shame M. Night Shyamalan!”

“And with a healthy soupcon of meta-humor, don’t forget!” Pinkie laughed, bouncing up from her recliner. “Lauren cameos and jokes about Season 3’s writing never go out of style!”

Hovering in mid-air she flailed her arms and briefly looked like a sketch from a certain cartoon’s Creative Bible, one of a candy-maned Pegasus who had consumed enough sugar to imitate a hummingbird!

“See, there they go again!” Discord scowled, pointing up into the infinite void of the Fourth Wall. “Now they’re comparing you to Surprise, see! What are they trying to do, pad out the fic’s TV Tropes page!?”

“Oh, now there’s a thought!” the Pony Girl Extraordinaire (Pinkazoid! Pinkazoid!) agreed enthusiastically, landing sharply back on her chair and ticking off points on her limbs;

“Scootaloo getting to fly = Crowning Moment of Heartwarming. Bon-Bon pulling off a St. Crispin’s Day Speech = Crowning Moment of Awesome! This entire chunk here = Crowning Moment of Funny!”

“Well I don’t like it!” Discord fumed, folding his (suddenly many) arms and bending himself into a sitting position that defied Euclidian Geometries and the animation capabilities of Flash. “If you want characters to suddenly start acting out of character like this, go read a Chatoyance fic! The whole point of Spectrum was to defy Conversion Bureau archetypes, not ramble into these kind of divergences...”

“Did you never read The French Lieutenant’s Woman Discy!” Pinkie consoled him cheerily. “Sometimes the story wants to do things differently from the author...”

“That’s it!” Discord sat bolt upright, the effect looking something like a series of knots being pulled straight. He let out a long chuckle. “Oh this will really screw with their minds! Delicious!”

“Ooooh,” Pinkie looked eagerly towards him. “Someone’s got a plaaaaaaaaaan!”

“Indeed Pinkamina my dear. I’m going to let them have their cake, eat it, and then rip the cake out of their stomachs and feed it to someone else!” the spirit of Chaos purred, reaching forward to tap at the fabric of reality.

EJECT (^)

“Ooooooh, this gun be good!” the party-pony (and sometime editor of fanfics) cheered as her companion caught a VHS cassette that spat out from between two paragraphs and pressed a finger to its casing. Familiar swirls of mind-bending power flashed in the two plastic windows over the spools.

“Now...we begin!” he cackled, as thunder crashed in the dimensionless space.

“Thankyou Pinkie,” he added, glancing to where the mare was holding a large panel of sheet metal. “Always ready with a sound effect!”

“Yup!” she beamed. “Well what are you waiting for!? Get the Party Restarted!”

“Good! Then we can begin!” he smirked, forcing the tape back into the story and wielding the remote as if it were Excalibur itself. “One more Thunderous Clash please Pinkie?”

!!!THUNDEROUS CLASH!!!

“Delightful...”

PLAY (>), RECORD (O)

New York City Presbyterian Hospital, 2023 Anno Dominae

Scootaloo woke slowly as the anaesthetic wore off. She was on a gurney, and could hear its wheels squeaking as she was moved down a corridor. Bright light burned into her eyes and she instinctively vomited into a bed-pan that was being held by her face.

“There you go, brave girl. Let it all out...” someone murmured, and she felt a set of fingers gently scratching behind her ears. She mewled quietly and relaxed onto the pillow, content to let the world spin as she was moved to Recovery.

There had been...a dream. Screens, and a soothing voice, and a sense of strength and boundless love...

She smiled to herself. Babs had been there with her, and they had been Awesome.

Then the smile faded as she realised her situation. Reaching behind her, she felt for her wings.

There was nothing there. They were gone forever. She was grounded.

Scootaloo wept. But then the dream stirred again in the back of her mind and brushed away the tears.

‘This is Earth. I don’t need wings to fly! I could handle a scooter, so I bet I could fly a jet...let Rainbow Dash just try and catch up to me if I’m soaring on tireless steel wings at Mach 3!”

She scowled as she thought of her old idol, and then sighed and let the festering feelings of hurt, betrayal and loss go. She had true heroes to look up to now. She had the PHL, and Wildfire...

“Scoots!” that very mare cried out as she was pushed into the Recovery Ward, and Scootaloo felt her heart soar to heights that no feather or fighter could reach.

“Hey Fire’,” she said, her voice almost lost in the depths of soft blankets and fluffy pillows. “I came back...”

“And I always knew you would,” the spirited mare said fondly, before bending over and kissing her softly on the brow. “Babs brought some friends to see you...”

“Dinky...Pip?” she asked, hearing the sounds of several hooves approaching. Wildfire shook her head, tears of happiness in her eyes.

“No honey. Even better.”

She stepped aside so that Scootaloo could be propped up carefully. The sound of approaching ponies was getting nearer, and with it was a pair of strange, yet familiar scents, rising warmly over the acrid sterility of the ward.

One smelt of...forest flowers, like a natural perfume that spoke of sunshine and laughter.

The other...apple, and cinnamon, and just a touch of sweat earned after a hard day’s work.

Scootaloo felt tingles run over herself and slowly turned on her pillow.

“Sweetie Belle? Applebloom?”

“Yeah, Scoots. It’s us...” one of the two young mares said softly, her cherry-pink mane hanging limply down the back of her neck. The other just smiled with a tender pride, but trotted softly in place as if holding back her anticipation. Babs hung to one side, eyes warm and loving.

Then Scootaloo threw her forelegs apart and the three of them rushed to her, crowding around her gurney and sharing tears, hugs and cries of apology.

“I missed you guys! I missed you guys so much!”

Wildfire watched it all and did her best to hold back her tears as the Cutie Mark Crusaders were reunited.

“Thanks for bringing them home to us CT...” she said to another adult mare. “Scootaloo needed this.”

“Don’t thank me,” Carrot Top smiled back. “Sweetie Belle convinced Applebloom to come.”

She nodded towards the euphoric young mares. “They did this all by themselves.”

The four Crusaders were so glad and proud to be together that none of them noticed when three flashes of light went off simultaneously around Sweetie, Bloom and Scootaloo’s flanks, three brilliant puffs of magic.

But Wildfire saw, and could not wait until the glorious moment came when the three girls noticed. A threefold cutecenera looked to be on the horizon soon. She had promised Scoots a Vespa...that would make a brilliant gift for such a party...

Her hoof brushed against something, and she looked down. Applebloom had arrived wearing a Stetson hat, which had fallen off in the sudden dash to Scootaloo’s bedside. She rolled her eyes and then picked it up with one wing, noticing a label in the brim.

Curiousity gave way to surprise, and then confusion.

“How did Applebloom get hold of one of Clint Eastwood’s hat?”

Photo Finish was confused, and a little apprehensive. But most of all she was tired, a weariness that neither caffeine pills or a half-drunk (and very cold) mug of coffee could treat.

Her private corner of the PHL complex was called ‘Public Relations’, though in truth she dealt more in propaganda for distribution beyond the Barrier, and video documentation of the PHL’s activities. Right now she was in a sealed section, the ‘Hands Free A/V Lab’, one where no humans were allowed. That was not bigotry so much as practicality. This was where film and audio were magically transferred to Equestria gemstones, creating a record that could cross the barrier. No human touch or influence in the process could be allowed, so as to not endanger the risk of the barrier detecting and destroying vital evidence of human/equine harmony.

This was her trump card. Even if Earth fell, these archives would remain, seeding discontent within Celestia’s regime.

But one particular film was giving her trouble, the one she had recorded today during Scootaloo’s surgery. Herself and a human USAF cameraman had documented the entire process, not just for posterity, but for ongoing research into pony physiology.

Pausing in her fruitless efforts she sat back and rubbed her eyes. Then, she tapped at another crystal lying on the workstation and let herself relax as a familiar voice carried her away.

“I’ve...I’ve been allowed to uphold my right of Final Words...” the voice of Lyra Heartstrings echoed out of the shard. Behind her words could be heard the slow-rolling roar of an angry crowd, and a rising piece of music that Photo Finish had edited in to lend weight to the speech. “...a chance to justify myself, as either a martyr to humanity, or a traitor to equinity...and so I’d like to borrow from the words of a great human, Charlie Chaplin...”

Lyra’s voice took a deep breath and she began to speak, reciting from memory:

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be a martyr or a traitor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to subvert or conquer anyone anywhere. I should like to help everyone - if possible – Pony, Human - biped - quadruped.

We all want to help one another. Social beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In these two worlds there is room for everyone. Equus and the good Earth are rich in resources and ideas, and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Fear and greed have poisoned our souls, barricaded borders with hateful barriers, and marched us into misery and bloodshed. We say our ‘enemy’ has developed speed, and so we shut ourselves in. Their machinery which could give abundance has inspired our fear. Our war with Sombra has made us cynical. Their history has made them sometimes hard and unkind. Now we both feel too much and feel too little. But more than their machinery, we need the genius of humanity. More than cleverness, they need our kindness and gentleness. Without these shared qualities, our worlds will be violent and all will be lost....

The accident at CERN brought us together in flesh, but Celestia divided us in spirit. Yet the very nature of all races cries out for the goodness in all - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children; colts, mares and little foals – all victims of a system that makes us torture and mutilate innocent people...”

Lyra had hoped that someone in the crowd was recording the message. And she was right. Her Final Words became not a useless tirade against a brainwashed crowd, but a rallying cry to all corners of two worlds.

“...to those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of those who fear the way of harmony and progress. The hate of man’s history will pass, and the Tyrant of Equestria die, and the power taken from the ponies and the people will return to those same. And so long as we are mortal, liberty will never perish.

Ponies! Newfoals! Humans! Don’t give yourselves to brutes – the Queen who despises you - enslaved you - who regiments your lives - tells you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drills you - diets you - treats you like animals, uses you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to this unnatural Beast – a machine mare, with a machine mind and a machine heart! You are not machines! You are not weapons! You are living beings! You have the love of others in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural. Guardsponies! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In a great human book it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” - not one man nor a group of men, but in all! In you! You, the people, you, the people, have the power - the power to create peace. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make our unified worlds a wonderful adventure.

Then - in the name of freedom - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for this new age - a decent time that will give all a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, a brute has risen to power. But she lies! She does not fulfil that promise. She never will! Tyrants free themselves but they enslave the people!

Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free these worlds - to do away with the barrier - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where magic and science and true harmony will lead to the happiness of all. Ponies! Humans! My brothers and sisters! In the name of Earth, and Equestria, let us all unite!”

The dubbed-in music hit a crescendo and faded away. The recording continued, as Lyra turned to her fellow prisoner and said farewell.

“Bonnie, can you hear me? Whatever happens, look on Bonnie! The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light! We are coming into a new world; a kind new world, where we’ll rise above hate, greed, and brutality. Our souls have been given wings and at last are beginning to fly. Flying into the rainbow. Into the light of hope! Into the future! The glorious future! That belongs to you, to me, and to all of us. Look on Bonnie, look on! I love you!”

Then there was a crackle of magic and stone, and Bon-Bon’s screams as guards rushed forward, and the smashing and shattering of hopes and dreams and love. Then, before Bon-Bon’s own execution could proceed, the screaming, holy roar of the TARDIS’s engines as the entire Hooves clan rushed onto the scene. Too late to save Bon-Bon’s mind, but fast enough to save her life...

Photo Finish sighed as the recording ended. Poor Bon-Bon. Poor Lyra. Poor everyone. And yet despite the mixture of triumph and despair held within this one crystal, it was the one she listened to the most. It reminded her of why they were fighting.

Rejuvenated she turned back to the footage from earlier that was giving her trouble. All was normal until the very end. Scootaloo’s surgery had proceeded in silence, with only a few onlookers watching on from the observation lounge above, and when her back had been closed up, the doctors had washed her down and wheeled her away. All normal.

Except for...THERE! Photo Finish’s hooves played over the monitor’s controls. Every so often the image flickered, and she had gone back to edit out what were clearly skipped or corrupted frames.

But the last one was...not. There was no static or scrambled data. Instead, something was in visible in the image that had definitely not been present in the operating theatre when the video was filmed.

Bending over Scootaloo, tenderly nuzzling the crippled orange filly, was a red-maned and white-coated Alicorn mare...

“You may think novelists always have fixed plans to which they work, so that the future predicted by Chapter One is always inexorably the actuality of Chapter Thirteen. But novelists write for countless different reasons: for money, for fame, for reviewers, for parents, for friends, for loved ones; for vanity, for pride, for curiosity, for amusement: as skilled furniture makers enjoy making furniture, as drunkards like drinking, as judges like judging, as Sicilians like emptying a shotgun into an enemy's back. I could fill a book with reasons, and they would all be true, though not true of all. Only one same reason is shared by all of us: we wish to create worlds as real as, but other than the world that is. Or was. This is why we cannot plan. We know a world is an organism, not a machine.”

- John Fowles, ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’

AUTHOR NOTES

Hi all. TB3 here. This chapter represents my last contribution to ‘The Conversion Bureau: On The Other Side Of The Spectrum’, and I hope it reflects all of the drama, humour and feeling that the story has inspired in me.

My decision to leave does not represent any quarrel between the creators, but is instead so that I can focus on my own writing outside of fanfiction. My first novel, ‘Timewreck Titanic’ was published last April and I am now working on another, and this requires much time and effort. I will still be helping in a reduced capacity with developing the story, but will no longer be writing or devoting vast periods of time to it.

It was an honour to help Redskin rework and extend this story, and to him and his talented team of editors and co-writers I wish the best.

LONG LIVE MLP! LONG LIVE FIMFICTION! LONG LIFE OUR FANDOM!

The Writes of Passage