Chapters 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.
As Derpy landed in the farmland below her parachute fell down and draped over her head. She slumped down with a defeated sigh.
"Now just what in the hay are you doing out here in ma field?" A familiar sounding voice called out to her.
"Lieutenant Derpy of the resistance!" Derpy called out; attempting to salute from underneath her parachute and becoming further entangled in it as a result.
"Propaganda Posters say 'Osees ' 'Resistance ' 'Civil War '. Ah just wanna buck some apples, for Celestias Sake!" Applejack lamented, revealing herself as she helped untangle Derpy from the parachute.
"Don't you care about the future of Equestria?" Derpy pleaded.
"If there's anypony who would love to see things back the way they oughta be then you could sure bet that pony is me." Applejack snapped back. "But your average pony just doesn't care who's runnin' the place. They just wanna feel safe in their homes, y'know?"
"Well there's no resistance left to fight the war." Derpy explained tearfully as she pointed over to the smoke billowing on the horizon.
"Yeah. Ah saw that. Ah'm real sorry 'bout that sugar cube." Applejack took her hat off and held it near her chest in a gesture of sympathy.
"It can't be over! Why don't you help fight!?" Derpy jumped up and made fighting gestures and stumbled on her parachute; nearly bumping into Applejack- who deftly stepped out of the way.
"Ah'm just tryna' make an honest living to support ma family. Ah ain't no fightin' pony and besides- us and what army?" Applejack shook her head apologetically.
The sound of a throat clearing interrupted the conversation and the two looked to see Big Mac standing and listening in.
"And now ah suppose ya'll'r gonna tell me that once ponies everywhere see us re-forming the resistance they'll be fixin' to join the fight." Applejack rolled her eyes at Big Mac.
"Eeeyup." He replied confidently.
"Tell ya'll what. That ole Discord has gone and stolen a family heirloom of mine. Last ah heard he was hidin' out at the Castle of the Two Sisters with Fluttershy. Ya'll want to prove you're up to the fight help me get it back from them." Applejack offered.
"But to get there we have to go through the Everfree-" Derpy cowered.
"Eeyup." Big Mac nodded.
"Well don't'ya'll suppose if it was gonna be easy ah'd've done it mahself by now." Applejack teased.
"So what is this family heirloom?" Derpy asked as the trio set out for the woods.
"A silver spade." Applejack replied. "It's said that any garden planted with it will have the most bountiful crops." She explained.
"Eeyup." Big Mac added.
"A little help please!" A voice pleaded up from the canopy not far into the woods.
The trio looked up and saw Trixie hanging from a parachute up in the canopy.
"Lieutenant-Commander Trixie! You're alive!" Derpy shouted excitedly with a salute.
"Forget the chain of command for now just get Trixie down from here!" She cried out.
"Why don't ya'll just cut the cord'n'we'll catch ya!" Applejack suggested as her and Big Mac positioned themselves down below. Trixie gnawed at the parachute cords until she fell freely down into their hooves.
"Thank you." Trixie said with a forlorn sigh.
"Did captain Shimmer-" Derpy started. Trixie simply looked back and the two exchanged a solemn stare.
"Trixie tried to drag her onto an escape pod but she insisted on going down with the ship." Trixie said with tears in her eyes.
"Well looks we done got ourselves an extra pair of hooves." Applejack boasted as she pointed down the beaten path.
"Where are we going?" Trixie asked.
"Castle of the Two Sisters." Applejack replied.
"Trixie has no time for this!" She snapped.
"Applejack has agreed to help rebuild the resistance if we help get her silver spade back." Derpy pleaded.
"Eeeyup." Big Mac added.
"Fine, lead the way." Trixie rolled her eyes.
The sound of sobbing filled the air as the group entered the clearing where the castle stood. Discord huddled near the path with Angel Bunny- crying.
"Now just what are ya'll crying about and where's ma silver spade!?" Applejack demanded.
"It's my dear, sweet, Fluttershy." Discord sobbed. "She wanted to plant a carrot garden for Angel Bunny so I thought if I borrowed your spade-" Discord sniffled. "The magical essence in the silver spade, combined with all the apple residue on it, must have been what transformed her into Flutterbat and we haven't been able to get through to her." He began sobbing uncontrollably.
"Well why don't you just do your thing and fix her." Trixie suggested sarcastically.
"The Osees make me wear this magic suppressor." Discord said with a sniffle as he pointed to a tight metallic ring around one of his ankles. "I'm useless without my magic."
"Well why not just go in and get it back!" Derpy said bravely as she stumbled forward toward the castle doors.
"See for yourself." Discord stepped ahead and pulled the castle door open and pointed around at ornate rectangular platforms floating all around the inside of the castle. "Flutterbat has filled the castle with these oddly stylish floating platforms that make absolutely no sense in a 3 dimensional space."
Discord walked inside and the other four followed.
"Well ain't that just dandy." Applejack raised her hoof to her chin in confusion.
"She even trapped Pinkie Pies soul inside the castle organ so that she will fill it with spooky but upbeat-and-heroic music at all times." Discord sobbed. The others listened carefully and noticed. Derpy started nodding her head to the beat of the music.
Big Mac looked around and then back at Discord.
"She's in the upper floor. You'll need to use this whip to swing across the platforms to get there." Discord pulled Big Mac aside and placed a kangaroo whip around his hoof.
"Why don't I just fly?" Derpy suggested.
"Well that just takes all the fun out of it." Discord sneered.
Angel Bunny climbed up onto Derpys back.
"We'll be right back. Maybe if we just talk to her." Derpy spread her wings, preparing to take flight.
"Wait. One more thing." Discord said as he pulled a candle stick off the wall and smashed it on the floor. A small red valentines heart floated down to the floor like a leaf. Derpy paused for a moment and then picked it up. "The sisters hid these all around the castle when they built the place." Discord explained.
"Will they heal me?" Derpy asked.
"No, they just give you these little things to throw around." Discord said as he threw a small knife which landed uncomfortably close to Big Macs hoof.
"Now hold on here. None of this makes a lick of sense." Applejack complained.
"Well don't get mad at me. I didn't build the place." Discord huffed.
"We'll be right back. We're going to go try talking to Flutterbat." Derpy took off with Angel Bunny and the two flew gracefully up to a balcony at the edge of the top floor.
"Um. Miss Flutterbat." Derpy trembled as she made her way down the dark hallway, lit dimly by flickering candles, that lay before her. At the end of the hall Flutterbat huddled near a throne with the silver spade mounted on a hook above it.
"Angel Bunny is very worried about you and so is Discord." Derpy said as she reluctantly paced toward the throne.
As Derpy closed in; Flutterbat pulled a hidden lever near the throne, wrapped her jaws around the silver spade and took off with it into a passageway that opened behind the throne. Derpy jumped into action and flew after her. The two found themselves flying spirals up around the winding gears of a great clock tower as action-packed organ music echoed through the whole castle.
"Wait!" Derpy pleaded as they narrowly avoided the bowels of the great mechanical construct. "She knows this place way better than me, this isn't going to work." Derpy sighed.
Remembering his past visits to the castle; Angel Bunny climbed up to Derpys neck and grabbed onto her mane and started steering for her. The two came flying out of the clock tower and were now soaring along the castle walls.
Flutterbat let out a hiss and bats started flying at Derpy from the opposite direction- forcing her to slalom around them. Angel Bunny urged Derpy to fly in closer and as the gap closed he jumped over to Flutterbats back. Angel Bunny hastily grabbed the spade from her mouth and went tumbling down below; as he did Flutterbat quickly transformed back into Fluttershy.
"Angel Bunny, No!" Fluttershy cried out, she tried to transition into a dive but she was too slow to catch up.
"Trixie can't look!" Trixie covered her eyes and cowered as everypony else looked on from below.
Derpy transitioned into an aggressive dive and over-took Fluttershy- eventually catching Angel Bunny in her hooves shortly before he would have hit the ground. After a round of cheers everypony found themselves gathered in front of the castle.
"I feel terrible about everything I've put you all through." Fluttershy said as she hung her head. "Especially Pinkie Pie."
"It's okay I forgive you!" Pinkie Pies voice screeched excitedly from the distance as a salvo of organ notes sounded.
"Ya'll wasn't yourself. It's no big worry." Applejack assured. "We jus' hav'ta make sure we keep you away from this here spade." Applejack said as she tucked the silver spade into a saddlebag.
"It's getting late and now you're all stuck out here in these spooky woods because of me." Fluttershy said with a sigh.
"Trixie knows a place we can camp for the night." Trixie offered as she pointed into the woods.
"Out here!?" Discord asked.
"Mmmhmm." Trixie lead the group a short way down the path and pulled some conspicuous, loose, vegetation away from a rock- revealing her caravan parked near a small clearing. The wheels were broken and the paint was beginning to peel but compared to the castle or the woods it looked safe and comfortable. "Trixie hid it out here before the war started. Never thought I'd see it again so soon." She explained out a woeful sigh.
The tight little clearing lit up with the inviting, orange, flicker of a campfire and the shadows of the group danced on the surrounding trees and the side of the caravan as they huddled in a circle around it.
"So why would Stygian just up'n betray everypony like this? Second in command of the resistance. They must have offered him somethin' mighty special to give all of that up." Applejack asked. Trixie looked uncomfortable with the question.
"They gave him his body back. Or at least a body." Trixie sighed. "Trixie knew him better than anypony else and can't believe he would do something like this."
"Well It looked like it was made of Osee technology." Derpy added.
"And if they've changed that much of him he might as well be an Osee now himself." Discord crossed his arms, finishing off the train of thought.
"What were they like? As a couple?" Fluttershy asked quietly.
"They loved each other like Trixie can't even begin to explain." Trixie said with a sigh, lowering her head. "It always bothered Stygian so much that they couldn't be together physically though. And I guess this is where that sort of shame and loathing leads." Trixie finished with a sob.
"Imagine- loving somepony so much but being caught up on wanting more that you end up destroying everything you've built together and ultimately that very pony you are supposed to love. It's really a shame." Big Mac blurted out awkwardly.
"Wow, Big Mac- that sure was deep." Applejack lauded.
"Eeyup." Big Mac replied.
"I kind of know what that's like." Derpy said as she hung her head shamefully. "I mean to feel like you aren't good enough."
"Trixie wouldn't have recommended you for promotion to the rank of Lieutenant if she thought you weren't good enough!" Trixie protested.
"I had one job. To protect Rainbow Dash; and I messed up as always. And now she's probably dead too." Derpy sobbed.
"Ah reckon there's nothin' anypony could've done. Ya'll were taken by surprise. Sometimes a pony can do everything right and still not win. Life's just like that sometimes." Applejack said comfortingly as the sound of a steam whistle sounded in the distance.
"Um. I hate to interrupt all this important exposition but..." Discord stood up and pointed at a bright, white, circular, light in the distance- it was drawing closer.
"That's impossible!" Applejack shouted as she brushed some foliage aside- revealing some rusted-out railroad tracks by the camp site. "The south line was decommissioned years ago when the forest overgrew it!" The rhythmic clatter of train wheels began to fill the air as the steam whistle repeated.
"G-ghost Train!?" Fluttershy trembled softly as the light caught up.
The group suddenly found themselves seated in a train car.
"Tickets please." An ethereal stallion called out as he wandered into the car.
"Look." Discord said as he touched the stallion on the shoulder. "This is all some kind of misunder-"
"Trixie isn't ready to die!" Trixie screamed out tearfully.
"Whoa. Don't worry. Your ride was arranged by an anonymous benefactor." The Stallion explained.
"Ah wonder who coulda-" Applejack was interrupted by the stallions hoof at her face.
"I said an anonymous benefactor. Ooh- Spooky-" He wailed as he faded away. "I always wanted to do that." he added excitedly.
"Ah'm very confused." Applejack pondered.
"Well in theory somepony with clout in the afterlife clearly wants us to go south- and fast." Discord explained.
"So ya'll'r an expert on ghost trains now?" Applejack nudged him.
"Well not exactly. I have no idea how we're supposed to get off of this thing alive. I guess that anonymous benefactor thinks highly enough of us to figure it out on our own." Discord explained.
"We're doomed!" Derpy shuddered.
"Everypony pull yourselves together!" Trixie ordered. "Now as the ranking resistance officer, Trixie thinks we should go talk to the conductor. Maybe he'll let us off before we reach the afterlife."
The group filed up the aisle toward the front of the train until they reached the operators compartment.
"So there's been a little misunderstanding and we're not supposed to die yet." Trixie said. The conductor looked up and gave her a blank stare.
"Look we, uh, really appreciate this ride but if you could let us off at the end of the line that would be real swell." Applejack pleaded.
"That's exactly where we plan to stop. Have some passengers to pick up there. You can get off there." The conductor explained calmly.
"Aww, drat. I was really looking forward to a fight. I bet Big Mac could body slam the whole train if he had to." Discord complained.
"Now that's just ridiculous." Applejack complained.
The sun was rising over the horizon as the train stopped. The group filed off and looked out at the surrounding landscape.
"Hey Applejack." Fluttershy said softly. "Remember when we came out this way."
"Hey yeah. I bet if Autumn Blaze is still around those Kirin would side with us against the Osees!" Applejack said excitedly.
"Um. Isn't that Stygians Ship?" Derpy pointed off over above the Peaks of Peril where a large triangular craft hovered above the summit and smoke billowed up.
"Trixie doesn't like this!" Trixie called out as she urged the group onward.
At the entrance to the passage to the village they found Autumn Blaze- laying wounded.
"Autumn!" Applejack called out as she grabbed her in her hooves.
"What happened?" Fluttershy asked.
"They killed everykirin. They're after the Kirins Voice ." She struggled to say in a feint tone.
"The Kirins Voice?" Discord asked as he raked his beard in contemplation.
"It's an ancient relic-" Autumn Blaze coughed. "A crystal that amplifies magic."
"Hang in there!" Applejack shouted with tears in her eyes.
"Stop them. I have a train to catch." Autumn Blaze whispered as she closed her eyes one last time.
The group rushed into the village and found it in ruins. Stygians ship cast a dark shadow over the village. Stygian stood at the center of the ruins holding a crystal in front of him with a stream of magic.
"Stygian! Why!?" Trixie called out as they caught up.
"I'm glad you could all make it for this wondrous reunion." Stygian said calmly. A stream of magic fired from the crystal and magical chains appeared around everypony; except Trixie.
"Trixie will never join you in this madness!" Trixie called out.
"I wasn't talking about you." Stygian said. In a flash of magic Sunset Shimmer appeared, clad in technology- parts of her body were replaced with the same mechanical augmentation as himself.
"Sunset!" Trixie called out. She tried to run up but another gout of magic fired from the crystal and stopped her in her place.
"I salvaged her from the wreckage of New Canterlot and with this I have given her life once more !" Stygian called out maniacally.
"You murdered all these Kirin just to save one pony!" Trixie protested and began charging up a spell.
Sunset Shimmer turned around and fired a bright red blast from her horn- knocking Trixie on her back.
"Sunset, why!?" Derpy struggled in her magical chains.
"This is bigger now than one creature- or one hundred." Sunset Shimmer said. "This is bigger than this silly civil war."
"The Kirins Voice- combined with our magic and the Osees technology- with it we can re-order Equestria and create a greater future for everycreature. The lives that have been lost don't have to be in vain." Stygian boasted. "Will you join us or will you stand in our way?"
"Derpy." Applejack Whispered. The two were bound near each other. "Can ya'll reach my bag?"
Derpy nodded and then leaned over and grabbed the Silver Spade with her teeth. With a wrenching motion of her neck she tossed the spade over to Fluttershy.
Fluttershy let out a screech as she transformed into Flutterbat. Bats came pouring out of the surrounding woods and started swarming Stygian and Sunset.
"What is this!?" Stygian shouted. The interruption of his concentration was enough to dispel the magical chains. The heroes all rushed forward and assumed a fighting stance in front of him.
"You think your silly bats are going to stop us?" Sunset blurted out as she stood next to Stygian. The two channeled a spell, together, which caused a bright spherical flash to explode outwards from them- sending the bats flying off and reverting Fluttershy to her normal form.
They began channeling another spell and a large chunk of rock rose from the ground above everypony.
"Ah don't like the looks of this." Applejack said with dread.
"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed.
"That's not very loyal!" A familiar voice called out as Rainbow Dash came swooping in with a stream of rainbow- knocking the chunk of rock back toward the Kirins Voice.
Stygian and Sunset Shimmer channeled a spell together which caused a shield of energy to form around them as the rock crashed against them and broke. The Kirins Voice flickered and fell to the ground.
"Perhaps we need a little more practice with this thing." Stygian said as he grabbed the Kirins Voice. He and Sunset Shimmer teleported away in a flash of magic and Stygians ship let out a mighty roar as it took off into the distance.
"Am I glad to see you!" Derpy called out, excitedly, as she gave Rainbow Dash a hug.
"Is everypony okay!?" Rainbow Dash looked around. The rest of the group gathered around Trixie who lay on the ground. She was uninjured but looked back at the group with tearful eyes.
"C'mon, Trixie! We have them on the run!" Rainbow Dash urged.
"Trixie is no match for them." Trixie sighed.
"Ya'll can't just give up now!" Applejack complained.
Trixie slowly rose to her hooves and began quietly wandering away from the group.
Applejack began stepping forward but Discord reached in front of her and stopped her.
"Let her go." Discord said with a sigh. "She's the tormented character with the mysterious and troubled past who leaves the party and doesn't rejoin again until after you go off on some crazy quest to clear their self doubt by bringing them a relic of great power from their past." Discord explained as Trixie disappeared down the passage leading out of the village.
"And just what in the-" Applejack was interrupted.
"We could get her a new hat!" Derpy blurted out.
"A new hat? Seriously ?" Rainbow Dash complained.
"Well she was really fond of that hat." Fluttershy said.
"Hey maybe we can get Pistachio to make her one!" Applejack suggested.
"I can't believe you actually think this is going to work." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
"Anything's worth a try at this point sugar cube." Applejack said.
"Well Pistachio is all the way in Manehattan and this party is getting pretty big as it is." Discord complained. "Derpy- this is your idea. Why don't you pick two of us to go with you and the rest of us will go looking for Trixie."
"I pick Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash- That way we can fly there." Derpy exclaimed.
"Are you sure ya'll don't want to try and balance your party out with a good strong back or somethin'?" Applejack urged.
"Come on now let's not make this any more confusing than it needs to be." Discord urged. "Now let's go find Trixie."
The three pegasi took to the skies as the others started wandering off down the passage.
"Fluttershy!?" Pistachio burst with delight and surprise as he opened the shop door to see her standing outside with her companions. "It's been so long! Come on in."
Fluttershy, Derpy and Rainbow Dash filed in.
"Oh, wow. You've really done well for yourself." Fluttershy complimented. "If Rarity were still around she would be very proud of you."
"Yeah, it's been hard without her around but I like to think she would like what I have done with the place." A tear formed in Pistachios eye as he looked over at a picture of her on the wall. "So what brings you ladies all the way out to Manehattan?"
"Well we were hoping you could make us a magicians hat for a friend." Fluttershy asked.
"A great and powerful one!" Derpy added.
"Well I have a huge pile of back-orders to deal with right now." Pistachio explained with a frown.
"How much would it cost to skip ahead in the queue?" Rainbow Dash offered with a wink and a nudge.
"Money's not an issue. I'm just so swamped. My new line launches this week and my head of marketing is on vacation and it's a real disaster." Pistachio complained.
"Maybe we can help market it!" Derpy piped in excitedly.
"Yes. Hmm." Pistachio looked the trio over. "This is actually perfect. You have yourselves a deal." He held out his hoof and exchanged hoofshakes with the three pegasi.
"Great. What are we marketing?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"A line of street-fighting attire for pegasi! Isn't this the most perfect amazing coincidence!?"
"F-fighting?" Fluttershy cowered.
"Yeah. There's a street-fighting tournament down at the docks tonight actually. I just need you girls to show up and win at least one match, wearing my attire, and that would really help get the message out."
"Don't worry girls, I got this!" Rainbow Dash boasted.
"Wow maybe I really should have picked Applejack or Big Mac." Derpy said nervously.
"Alright girls, I'll need to size your outfits." Pistachio beamed excitedly.
Rainbow Dashs outfit was a white karate gi and a red bandanna. Fluttershy wore a torn, fadded, blue karate gi. Derpy wore a red karate gi.
The night of the tournament came quickly.
"I'm not really a fighting pony." Fluttershy said fearfully.
"Relax. I'm going to get this for us, anyway!" Rainbow Dash boasted.
"Well it looks like Fluttershy is up first!" Derpy held up a leaflet containing the fight order.
"One round, single elimination." Rainbow Dash gulped as she looked over the leaflet.
"I can't look." Fluttershy said. "Who am I up against?"
"Says here he's called The Mauler " Rainbow Dash read off the leaflet.
"I don't like getting mauled." Fluttershy said as she cowered.
"Don't worry. All fighters give themselves tough names. I'm sure you'll do fine. We got plenty of time to prepare."
"Actually you're up now." A stallion said as he grabbed Fluttershy and dragged her away as she looked on with pleading eyes.
"Get ready for our first match-up of the night!" The announcer called out to a cheering crowd. "Fluttershy versus The Mauler"
A very large stallion stepped out and started staring Fluttershy down. Fluttershy gulped in fear.
"And- Fight!" As quickly as the announcer called out, Fluttershy darted out of the ring. "And it looks like we have a disqualification." The crowd booed and hissed. The Mauler simply shrugged and accepted his easy victory.
"Well I guess it's up to me now." Rainbow Dash said with a roll of her eyes.
"Good because you're up now!" Derpy said pointing to the leaflet.
"Our next match up is Rainbow Dash versus our defending champion The Dragon !" The announcer called out. The crowd cheered as a young, humble-looking earth pony mare stepped out and faced Rainbow Dash.
"This looks like a piece of cake!" Rainbow Dash boasted excitedly.
"And fight!"
The humble earth pony immediately began launching a volley of flaming projectiles from her hooves at Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, come on! How is this fair!?" She complained as she dodged the projectiles back and forth. "What kind of fighting tournament is this?"
Rainbow Dash swooped up high into the air.
"I'll just hit her with a sonic rainboom!" She exclaimed as she swooped toward her opponent, who deftly responded by hitting her with another flaming projectile.
Rainbow Dash fell to the ground with a singed mane.
"And the winner is- The Dragon!" The announcer called out as thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.
"No pressure, Derpy." Rainbow Dash sighed as she limped back to the sidelines.
"Our next match-up Derpy versus Iron Will!" The crowd cheered.
Derpy cowered toward the edge of the ring as Iron Will stomped out to a cheering crowd.
"And fight!" The announcer called out.
"Give up the fight; because this is my night!" Iron will called out as he stomped over and wound up to open the fight with a devastating hay maker.
"Careful Derpy!" Rainbow Dash called out from the sidelines.
"What was that?" Derpy asked as she turned around to look for Rainbow Dash in the crowd.
Not expecting her to turn sideways, Iron Wills haymaker missed- causing him to lose his footing.
"Keep your eye on the fight!" Rainbow Dash ordered.
"Right!" Derpy turned back around just in time for her head to make contact with Iron Wills. "Sorry!" She called out. But the impact had knocked Iron Will unconscious.
"And the winner, by knockout, is Derpy!" The announcer called out excitedly as the crowd cheered.
"Wow! I can't believe it!" Pistachio cried out excitedly as Derpy returned to the sidelines. "I'm already getting orders in for this line. I knew you girls could do it"
"So you'll make us the hat!?" Derpy beamed.
"I was so confident that you girls would pull this off I already made it!" Pistachio passed a magicians hat over to Derpy- it was nearly identical to Trixies old one and yet somehow better in every way.
"Thank you so much for this!" Derpy said.
"C'mon let's get this back to Trixie!" Rainbow Dash urged.
"But I wonder where she is-" Fluttershy added.
"I think I know where she went." Derpy said.
Sure enough they found the others huddled outside Trixies derelict caravan. Derpy knocked on the window shutter.
"Go away!" Trixie could be heard sobbing from the inside.
"Please. We have something for you." Derpy pleaded.
"Fine." Trixie sighed as she popped her head out the window to see Derpy holding the hat up for her.
"Trixies hat..." She sobbed.
"A reasonable substitution at least." Fluttershy said softly.
"I feel a heartfelt cutaway scene coming." Discord piped in.
"It was my fathers hat. I blamed him when my mother passed away. So I ran away and made ends meet by doing all the stage magic that he had taught me. He tried so hard to reconcile with me but I just shrugged him off time and time again. One day I returned to my caravan after a show and he had left his hat for me along with an old family photograph. He signed the back- no matter what you will always be my great and powerful Trixie and I will always love you. He sat in the audience of every one of my shows and still- I never gathered the courage to face him before he passed away too."
"Ah'm sure wherever he is he's lookin' down on you an' is might' proud- along with your mother." Applejack said reassuringly.
"You're right. And Trixie has one last big show for him to watch." Trixie said confidently as she placed the hat on her head.
In that instant a brilliant light filled the woods. Four orbs of light- one white, one dark blue, one pink and one purple all spiraled downward in unison and as they reached the ground translucent images of Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Twilight Sparkle stood tall and proud over the others.
"Derpy, Trixie." The image of Celestia called out. Derpy stood to attention and trotted forward. Trixie stepped out of her Caravan and stood next to Derpy. "You have re-kindled the magic of friendship- not just for yourselves but for everypony in Equestria. And for that-" Celestia paused and a brilliant light engulfed Derpy and Trixie.
When the light faded Derpy and Trixie both stood as alicorns- taller than their companions.
"You have both ascended."
"But all I did was give Trixie a hat." Derpy said with confusion.
"And all Trixie did was receive a hat." Trixie added.
"Look- when you're the guardian spirit of your own realm of existence you can set the criteria for immortal ascension to whatever you choose. Besides; the laws of the universe state that there may be four living alicorns in existence at any given time." Celestia lectured sternly.
The others gasped and looked upon the scene excitedly.
"But before the rest of you get too excited the other two are Osees." Celestia said with a laugh as the four spirits faded out of sight. The others expressed audible dismay.
"Well, as Princess Trixies first act of kindness." Trixie fired a blast of magic from her horn and the magic suppressor around Discords ankle fell to the ground.
"Well, Discord, are you ready to go kick some tail?" Rainbow Dash urged.
"Actually I kind of promised somepony that I wouldn't ruin this with any hasty deus ex machinas ." Discord said apologetically as he looked out past the fourth wall and giving a conspicuous wink. Discord then snapped his fingers and disappeared.
Derpy fired a blast of magic in the air and a muffin appeared and fell to the ground. "I think the rest of this can take care of this." She said confidently.
That night a violent rumble rolled across the landscape of Equestria. The heroes all looked up toward the northern sky and saw Stygians ship far in the distance- ascending beyond the sky until it became nothing more than a streak of light.
"Now where ya'll suppose they're headed off to?" Applejack pondered.
"The Moon!" Derpy said as she watched the streak of light head off toward the moon.
"What are they doing on the moon ?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Whatever they're up to ah've got a bad feelin' about this." Applejack sighed as they watched a red glow appear in the middle of the 'eye' in the Mare-in-the-Moon .
"Oh, no. They activated the Lunar Core!" Derpy said with a tremble in her voice.
"The what now?" Applejack quizzed.
"I don't know. I just have a strange feeling that I know what's going on." Derpy explained.
"Well ya'll, alicorns can just poof your way up there but how are the rest of us supposed to come with ya?" Applejack complained.
"If Discord would help us." Rainbow Dash piped in with crossed hooves and rolling eyes.
"I said no deus ex machinas !" Discord shouted as he re-appeared. "But I know somepony here who can help." Discord added as Trixie muttered something quietly. "I'm sorry could you speak up a little?" Discord teased.
All eyes turned to Trixie as Discord produced a phonograph which started playing a heartbreaking melody.
"This better not be another one of them' heartbreaking back stories." Applejack huffed.
"You already had one of those!" Rainbow Dash complained as she rolled her eyes at Trixie.
"Follow Trixie." Trixie said with a sigh as she began to lead the group off into the woods and into a nearby cave that was partially covered with fallen tree branches.
"Trixie and Starlight did everything together." Trixie sighed as she illuminated the cave with a glow in her horn.
"All that's left now, is to touch the stars!" A ghostly image of Starlight Glimmer called out as it faded in ahead of the group.
"Trixie just wishes it would be ready on time for the next show." An image of Trixie from the past sighed and hung her head next to the image of Starlight.
The group rounded a bend in the cave and found a dead end with a large object obscured beneath a heavy canvass. Trixie pulled the canvass away with her hoof and the crowd gasped in awe. It was another caravan almost identical to Trixies other one- except that two large rockets- with gold tips and light purple and white spirals up the sides, were mounted on nacelles protruding from the sides.
"You stayed up all night working on it?" The image of Trixie quizzed as it re-appeared beside the rocket.
"Work can wait. I guess I just wanted to surprise you." The image of Starlight reappeared and the two embraced.
"Is it ready for a test flight?" The image of Trixie quizzed.
"Actually, Trixie, I think I should take the first flight alone." The image Starlight Glimmer said nervously.
"Alone!?" The image of Trixie crossed her hooves and scowled.
"I just think that with my magic being more powerful; if something goes wrong on the test flight-" The image of Starlight tried to explain.
"I thought you had more faith in Trixie!" The image of Trixie stormed off out the cave and vanished as it passed by the group.
"Starlight went ahead with the test flight anyway." Trixie explained as the image of Starlight Glimmer looked back over at the caravan and then faded away. "She never returned. A few weeks later the wreckage of the rocket-caravan washed up on the eastern shore- but nopony ever heard from her again."
Discord passed around tissues to the group as everyponies eyes welled up with tears.
"Trixie rebuilt it and hid it in this cave. But then she met Stygian and then Sunset Shimmer and the three of us joined forces. Trixie was always jealous of them though because they had what Trixie had lost- a blueprint for life and somepony to build it with." Trixie said with a tearful sigh. "Trixie can get us to the moon." Trixie said, raising her head, as she opened the caravan doors and gestured for the others to enter.
The forest lit up with colorful sparks as the caravan streaked out of the cave and up into the night sky. As they ascended beyond the atmosphere Trixie began channeling a spell that conjured a bubble of breathable air around the group. As they neared the lunar surface it became apparent that the dark portions of the Mare-in-the-Moon were actually endless ruined cities of a lost civilization.
"Take us to the eye." Derpy ordered calmly.
As they drew nearer- they could see that the red spot in the eye was a large glass dome building. A, seemingly bottomless, pit clad with technological constructs lay in the center with a red glow pulsating from deep within the moon. As they reached the outside of the dome an opening appeared just large enough for the caravan to pass through. The rest of the group gasped in awe. Eventually the caravan touched down on the ground near a cluster of consoles some distance away from the glowing red pit- beside Stygians ship which appeared abandoned.
"It looks like they abandoned ship here." Rainbow Dash remarked as the group filed off the caravan and started looking around. There was a breathable atmosphere inside the dome.
"Hey, Derpy!" Applejack called out as she inspected some of the consoles. "Ain't that your cutie mark?" Applejack continued as Derpy walked over to her. A mark bearing a similar resemblance to Derpys cutie-mark appeared on the side of a console.
Without thinking, Derpy placed her hoof into a hoof shaped recess on the console and then jumped back in surprise as a series of beeps and clicks filled the room. Everypony turned to look as the translucent image of a grey alicorn with a glittering star-filled mane and regal appointment appeared.
"Welcome home, Lunar Muffin." The image called out. "Or as the Equestrians call you- Derpy."
"Who are you? Who am I?" Derpy gave a confounded stare.
"I am Queen Moondust and you are my daughter and the rightful heir to all pony-kind. For thousands of years our kind ruled the very first pony kingdom; right here- on the moon, using the energy from the Lunar Core as a source of great power. Then the Osees, a twisted and vile faction of ponies who want nothing but to ruin everything, came. They coveted the power of the Lunar Core and war broke out- laying waste to our entire civilization. In the final moments of the war we were able to shut down the Lunar Core and banish the Osees to the planet below. My nieces Celestia and Luna were sent down to found a new pony empire to keep the Osees under control. As my final act I sent my daughter- you, through time itself, to a time when the magic of friendship would be at its strongest." The image of Moondust explained.
"I'm from the moon?" Derpy bleated excitedly.
"In a sense we all are." The image of Moondust said with a warm smile.
"Now wait just a darn minute. Ponies coming from the moon? this is the most ridiculous story ah've ever heard!" Applejack protested.
"We've certainly jumped the shark." Discord affirmed.
"The what now?" Applejack was confused at the expression.
"Trixie is tired of standing around!" Trixie started walking toward the pit.
"You must stop the two ponies who have activated the Lunar Core." Moondust pleaded. "But know that, with it, their power has grown beyond comprehension. Brute force will win this fight."
"You've never met me!" Rainbow Dash boasted as she swooped down and hovered beside Trixie.
"How do we get down there?" Fluttershy asked fearfully as she joined them.
"Eeyup." Big Mac stepped up as well.
Derpy waved goodbye to the image of Moondust and then headed over to the edge of the pit with the others.
"Ah suppose that's too far to climb down." Applejack stepped to the edge as well.
"Well I suppose one little-" Discord appeared next to the others.
"Wait!" Derpy called attention to two identical glass orbs near the edge and then looked over to Trixie who nodded. The two began channeling their magic into the orbs and with a brilliant flash of light the group found themselves near a large, pulsating, red sphere at the bottom of the pit.
Stygian and Sunset Shimmer stood beside each other and faced the sphere.
"I see you've been busy." Stygian said as he turned around and noted Trixie and Derpys alicorn transformation.
"Sunset!" Derpy called out.
Sunset Shimmer turned around slowly; the Kirins Voice levitated in front of her. She did not speak- but rather looked upon the group with pleading eyes.
"I suggest you turn around and return to Equestria." Stygian said calmly.
"Nope!" Big Mac called out and began charging toward the couple.
A bolt of magic arced from the Lunar Core to the Kirins Voice and then out to Big Mac. In an explosion of light Big Mac lay on the ground with a singed mane.
"Stop this at once ya'hear!" Applejack ran over to Big Macs side.
"Then turn around and go back!" Stygian warned.
"I've had enough of this!" Discord stood tall and snapped his fingers but the spell backfired with a violent explosion, knocking him to the ground as well.
"Discord!" Fluttershy cried out as she galloped to his side.
"It's too late for that now." Stygian said with a laugh.
Stygian raised a hoof and magic crackled through the air. Everypony began to levitate, in place- immobilized; except for Trixie and Derpy who channeled a spell to block the onslaught of magic.
"Don't do this, Sunset!" Derpy pleaded.
Trixie fired a blast from her horn at Stygian. An opposing blast met it from the Kirins Voice, blocked it. Trixie concentrated hard but eventually was overcome and collapsed from exhaustion. Sunset stared on at the scene with a cold, vacant, expression.
"Stand down, Derpy!" Stygian ordered."Do you really think you can stop us? What can you possibly hope to accomplish against my power?"
"Muffin!" Derpy called out and with a quick blast of magic the Kirins Voice transformed into a muffin and fell to the ground.
"You insolent cur!" Stygian shouted as he paced toward her. "With the power of the Lunar Core I can just transform it back. I am the most powerful pony in the universe!"
"You're not powerful at all!" Derpy shouted at him as she placed herself in between Stygian and the muffin that was once the Kirins Voice.
"Stand aside or come at me!" Stygian shouted as magic streamed toward him from the Lunar Core and charged up in his horn.
"No." Derpy said calmly as she stood tall. "It's time for the wolf to shed his fleece." She looked over at Sunset Shimmer and then back to Stygian.
"You can't possibly hope to stand against my power!" Stygian warned.
"You're not powerful." Derpy said curtly.
"What!?" Stygian crackled with magic and rage.
"This whole time you've silenced Sunset; you've isolated her; you've broken her; you've controlled her and made her do things she doesn't want to do. You've taken her away from the ponies who love her." Derpy lectured angrily.
"But I love her!" Stygian protested.
"If you really loved her you would have let go the moment you realized your tight grip on her was causing her pain. But you don't because you're an abuser"! Derpy looked over at Sunset who stood with a forlorn expression.
"Absurd!" Stygian fired a blast of magic at Derpy, knocking her down. Sunset Shimmer winced as she watched Derpy writhe in pain.
"Your little sad pony act might fool others but it doesn't fool me. You don't hold on because you love Sunset. Even with all the magic in the universe you are powerless- you are a slave to your fear of the well-deserved, miserable, lonely and pitiful existence that awaits you the moment you loosen your grip." Derpy taunted as she pulled herself back to her hooves.
"Enough!" Stygian screamed angrily as he unleashed an even more powerful blast of magic. Derpy fell to the ground and writhed and wailed in agony.
Sunset Shimmer began to shudder and sob as she watched the spectacle unfold.
"She's right..." Sunset Shimmer said with one last sob as she stood tall and started channeling energy into her horn from the Lunar Core. "Get out of my life!" Sunset unleashed a powerful blast of energy at Stygian- knocking him back.
"Everything I've ever done has been because-" Stygian fired back at Sunset Shimmer who met his volley of magic with an equal one of her own.
"I never asked for any of this!" Sunset Shimmer began to glow red as the walls of the pit started to shake violently.
As the couple became entangled in their magical duel their grip on the others lifted.
"They're too evenly matched. This fight will rage on for eternity at this rate!" Discord warned.
"An take out all of pony kind along with it..." Applejack said with a sigh as boulders started raining from above.
"Our powers are equal!" Stygian warned as he and Sunset Shimmer began to levitate in front of the Lunar Core. "Your friends are right. Let us tame this power together for the greater good." The two met each other with another stream of magical blasts.
Sunset Shimmer turned and met Derpys stare. Sunset was channeling her blast at Stygian; Derpy was hastily turning falling boulders into harmless muffins. A tear came to both of their eyes with a nod of understanding. A sphere of magic enclosed Sunset and Stygian and they began hovering toward the Lunar Core.
"Sunset, what are you doing!?" Rainbow Dash protested and attempted to fly toward the scene but Trixie held her back with a stream of magic.
"Trixie doesn't want to lose you too!" Trixie said.
"You'll kill us both!" Stygian called out.
"And then nopony else." Sunset said with a tearful whisper as the couple collided with the Lunar Core. The core began to pulsate violently and the air rippled with searing heat.
"We have to get out of here!" Discord said. He quickly snapped his fingers and the rocket caravan appeared at the bottom of the pit.
"Everypony in!" Trixie ordered.
Everypony quickly filed onto to the caravan and no sooner than they launched did the Lunar Core explode into a burst of energy. Arcs of lighting and plasma chased the caravan toward the surface of the moon. The moon quaked as the caravan escaped the lunar orbit and set course for Equestria.
"I guess they're together on the moon forever now." Derpy said as she looked out the window at the moon and watched as the red glow from the explosion of the Lunar Core faded to grey.
"Well uh, technically ah saw Stygian fall in first." Applejack said.
"So you mean Sunset died a widow?" Fluttershy asked woefully.
"Eeyup." Big Mac agreed.
"Well I then suppose that satisfies the prompt." Discord pondered.
"The what now?" Applejack quizzed.
Trixie walked over to the window and looked back and a tear came to her eye. "Sunset..." She began.
"Here we go again." Discord sighed as he pulled out his phonograph and started to play tragic music.
"Really? Another tragic back story? Didn't you already have two of those?" Rainbow Dash protested with a roll of her eyes.
"Yeah, uh, no offense sugar cube, but it's been a long day an' well ah'm thinkin' it be a might' bit nice if we could end it on a high note for once." Applejack said.
"Ooh- I know! Let's end it on a freeze-frame!" Discord suggested.
"A what?" Rainbow Dash asked with a tone of skepticism.
"Just say something inspirational and everypony jumps up and cheers." Discord explained.
"Trixie isn't finished-" Trixie began complaining.
"It's time to go run all the Osees out of Equestria!" Rainbow Dash interrupted as everypony jumped up and cheered as the caravan streaked through the sky like a shooting star.
