Shimmer Run 2101

By the year 2101 YS, with the advent of high technology, Equestria had long forgotten the magic of friendship and with the reign of the princesses at an end a group of ponies known only as the Osees have taken over the rule of Canterlot. Those who oppose the tyrannical rule of the Osees have taken high into the sky, where even pegasi can't fly, in the mighty city ship New Canterlot from which they coordinate a fierce civil war that has raged on for decades now.

With a pneumatic hiss the metallic door to the briefing room quickly slid open. Many eager ponies watched as Sunset Shimmer trotted in and stood before them- appointed in a steel and leather battle harness that was decorated with medallions and rank insignia. The briefing room was metallic, spartan, and permeated with a strange, pulsating, whir of machinery from other parts of the ship. With a quick gesture the rabble of the crowd died down.

"As you are already aware we are set to rendezvous with first-officer Stygians scout ship in a few minutes. The intelligence he has gathered should enable us to strike a devastating blow to the heart of the Osees war machine. So I want you all ready for hooves on the ground as soon as we make the rendezvous." Sunset Shimmer explained.

"Um. Captain Shimmer." A bubbly grey pegasus waved a wing to gain Sunset Shimmers attention.

"What is it, Derpy?"

"Well if you know we're already aware why are you explaining all of this to us again?" Derpy gave a confused, cross-eyed look as a brief rabble erupted among the crowd.

"Well I guess just in case somepony is watching all this unfold after having been asleep for the last 12 decades and then woke up right at the moment of this briefing." Sunset Shimmer explained.

Panic engulfed the briefing room as a loud explosion sounded and the entire ship rocked. Alarms started blaring.

"Senior officers, report to the bridge!" Trixies voice called over loudspeakers around the ship. "Now, please." She added in a fearful plea.

After a brief scramble Trixie, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Derpy and Dr. Hooves all stood- looking out the main window at the cloudscape that lay before the ship. The ship was slowly descending into the clouds.

"What happened!?" Sunset Shimmer demanded.

"It's not Trixies fault!" Trixie said with a cower.

"I believe I can explain, madam Shimmer." Dr. Hooves interjected. "Somepony set off a bomb in the primary engine core. We still have emergency thrusters but those will only keep us aloft so long!"

"We're getting a signal!" Rainbow Dash piped in.

"Activate holo-projector!" Sunset Shimmer ordered.

Inside a conspicuous circular recess on the floor an image of Stygian appeared, half obscured in shadows.

"Are we glad to see you." Sunset Shimmer said.

"There's no time for pleasantries, my love. You need to get everypony to the escape pods." Stygian suggested.

"But if New Canterlot falls the war is lost!" Sunset Shimmer protested.

"You will never repair the damage. Nopony needs to die today, my dearest. The Osees will grant citizenship to anypony within the resistance who agrees to surrender and cooperate." Stygian warned.

"Wait, how do you know this!?" Rainbow Dash called out suspiciously.

"It was you..." Sunset Shimmer slumped down in defeat at the revelation. "But why?" She sobbed.

"We've all lost loved ones in this senseless war. It would please my heart to know you were on one of those escape pods. New Canterlot will not survive so bide your time well." Stygian pleaded.

"Um, sir, madam, captain?" Derpy called out.

"Report." Sunset Shimmer urged herself back to her hooves and trotted over to Derpys operating station, ignoring the image of Stygian in the holo-projector.

"It appears we're going to crash-land in Ponyville." Derpy explained.

"Engineer Hooves, get down to the engine room and get me everything you can out of those emergency thrusters. I'll take the helm." Sunset Shimmer ordered. Dr. Hooves affirmed the order with a salute and rushed out of the bridge.

"My love, I advise you to get off the ship." Stygian pleaded.

"Thousands of ponies will die if this ship crashes in Ponyville. So take your pick- you've either killed me or thousands of others!" Sunset Shimmer snarled angrily.

"I did it to save millions!" Stygian shouted. "We will never defeat the Osees. They outnumber us and are superior in every way." Stygian shifted, casting light onto the other half of his face revealing that sophisticated machinery and robotics now made up half of his face." As you can see; they have given me my life back. I am no longer doomed to spend my life as a hologram. We can finally feel each others warm touch."

Sunset Shimmer slumped down again and went catatonic.

"Trixie isn't just going to stand here and do nothing. Lieutenants Dash and Derpy, Launch all fighters!" Trixie ordered heroically.

Derpy and Rainbow Dash affirmed her order with a nod and then rushed off.

"I was hoping you would see things my way instead of taking the foolish approach." Stygian said with a sigh.

"I can't believe Trixie used to have a thing for you." Trixie called out with disgust as she tried to console Sunset Shimmer- who remained catatonic. "Looks like Trixie is going down with the ship too." She added with a roll of her eyes.

In the launch bay large metal ports opened up as columns of triangular, aerodynamic craft with rounded glass cockpits awaited launch. Only Rainbow Dash and Derpy arrived to pilot them.

"Oh, come on!" Rainbow Dash complained. "Looks like it's just you and me." She sighed as she fit a helmet over her head. Derpy followed her lead and they each jumped into a fighter.

"It's time to dash!" Rainbow Dash called out.

Derpy watched excitedly in awe as the repeating pattern of metallic plates of the launch tunnel sped by. She looked out the back of her fighter as New Canterlot shrunk behind her.

"You would have been much safer in an escape pod." Stygian warned over the radio with a sigh as Derpy and Rainbow Dashs fighter crafts raced head on toward the larger scout ship. As they drew near fighters started pouring out of the scout ship.

"Alright Derpy, I'll go after Stygian and you keep these fighters off my tail!" Rainbow Dash called out over the radio.

"Right. Just let me get this power-up first!" Derpy called out as she swerved toward a metallic object floating in the sky.

"Careful Derpy!" Rainbow Dash pleaded. "It doesn't work that way in real life!"

"It doesn't!?" Derpy exclaimed as the metallic object collided with the wing of her fighter- sending it spiraling toward the ground far-below. Right before blacking out from the g-force she managed to pull the emergency escape lever. Rockets threw her clear of the doomed fighter and a parachute on her back deployed.

As Derpy regained consciousness she was floating down toward some farmland just outside Ponyville. New Canterlot floated off, toward some hills, past the Everfree Forest. She looked straight up and could see Rainbow Dashs fighter tussling with Stygians ship but it certainly appeared hopeless to her. Derpy reached up and closed the visor on her helmet as New Canterlot made contact with the distant hillside. A brilliant flash lit the landscape as a torus of flame exploded outward for miles. The citizens of Ponyville were saved but the resistance was defeated and all of her friends were presumably dead.