The Equestrian Monomyth - Book 1 - Be a Good Brony or Die Trying

I walked back in direction to Ponyville, but stopped before leaving the Everfree. I couldn't risk myself to be spotted
by that things again. But I needed to know what have happened to Twilight's friends. Wait. I can go to Sweet Apple
Acres. It's very unlikely that they'll be looking for me there, besides there's a lot of wood to hide.

When I arrived there, I scouted the field and could saw three ponies on the distance, one of them laid in the ground. I
come closer and could see Applebloom and Granny Applesauce, mourning at the side of a motionless Big Mac.

I think he's hurt. Or worst. Better check him out.

When I approached, Applebloom spotted me:

" Granny, they'ra comin' baaaaaaaaack!! Ruuuuun!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!! " She screamed, horrified, and ran away. Granny
Applesauce barely moved. She'll surely be too grieved to run.

I ran to Big Mac and inspected him: He was injured pretty badly. I quickly cast a healing spell on him.

" Stay away fro' ma brotheeeeeeer! " I could hear a cry behind me.

" I'm trying to save him, so hold your horses! Will you? " I replied, annoyed.

I finished healing him, and tapped his cheek, trying him to come back to his senses.

" Hey, dude. Are you alright? "

I almost haven't time to dodge a hoof headed directly to my face. He's fine.

" Whoa, whoa! Hold your horses, dude! " I stood up and stepped back to a safe distance from him.

Big Mac stood up too, still stumbling, throwing me daggers from the eyes.

" Hey, take it easy, pal. Your wounds could get open again. " I tried to calm him down.

" Brotheeeeeeer! Ya'ra aliveeeeeee! " Applebloom galloped back to him, in the edge of happiness, and hugged him.

This seems to calm him down.

" See? I'm here to help. " I quickly took the chance, pointing my hands to me.

Then, I looked to Granny Applesauce, and I couldn't skip a smile: She was plain asleep.

" Applebloom, where's your sister? Twilight is looking for her. "

" Hey, ar' you friend o' Twilight? "

" Yes, I'm. "

" An' why she's nat with ya? "

Heh, that clever filly.

" Those things want to capture her. "

" Ta capture her taa?! Like ma sister?! "

" They captured her? Where they took her? "

" Ah saw them goin' on Canterlot's way, but Ah'm not sure. Ah was taa scared to look... "

Seymour knocked at Luna's room door:

" Luna, my princess, it's Seymour. "

" Come in, come in, my stallion! "

He entered, came near her and sat on a confy couch.

" Did you carry on my order, my stallion? "

" Yeah... I did. " He confirmed with apathy.

" Why the long face, my stallion? Think on all the fun we're going to have tonight! " Luna happily bumped on her bed.
" Come on, sit with me. " She taps the mattress.

Seymour obeyed and walked with weariness to her bed.

" But why are you so saaaad? Are you still thinking on that Pink Ponk, or what?! " Luna started to piss off.

" No! I mean... is that... I don't understand. If we won already, why do you have them alive? I mean... I can understand
that you let your sister live. But the others? Why? " Seymour shrugged, trying to hide the real motives of his concern.

" Ohhh. Is that I have plans to them. "

" Plans? What plans? "

" I'm going to destroy every and each thing they love most, and I going to make them watch, later, I'll banish all them
to the moon. Fair enough, isn't? " She evily giggled.

" Wow, my princess, you really took it seriously with your vengeance stuff. Remember me to never piss you off. " Seymour
surprised.

" Ohh, my stallion. You're as wise as always. " Luna smiled and blushed, swinging a hoof.

Somepony knocked the door again:

" Your highness, it's your captain. May I enter? "

" You may enter, captain. "

A frowned Shining Armor entered the room, holding a scroll with his magic.

" Your highness, the list you requested. "

" Ow! That's what I call efficiency! Well done, captain. Behave well and your beloved Cadance will live. " Luna tapped
the unicorn cheek with her hoof, making him to frown ever more and to clench the teeth. " Dismiss. "

Luna unwrapped the scroll to read it, but instead she looked to the side.

" Don't slam the door, captain. Behave yourself. "

Shining Armor threw a ponycide stare to her from behind the half"opened door, and closed it slowly.

" Are you sure that you should keep him as your royal guard captain? He looks like he's gonna betray you anytime. "
Seymour pointed to the door.

" Oh, don't worry, my stallion. While I have his beloved marefriend in my power, he'll be quietty, quietty. "

Suddenly, a sound like metal hitting metal resonated.

" What's that?! " Seymour startled, scared.

" Bah, that's surely my sister in other of her tantrums. " Luna replied without caring too much.

The sounds repeated, but louder and including broken glass and monsters roars.

" Your sister's trantums are always so loud? " Seymour inquired, worried.

Luna startled, dropped the scroll and teleported to the balcony, finding the cage break open and Celestia flying away,
carring the other ponies with her magic.

" What the Tartarus?! Guards, catch them! Quick! " Ordered Luna, raising a hoof.

A flying alien squadron took off after the runaways, but were intercepted by a pegasi squadron as well, and an aerial
battle started.

" What the...?! " Luna looks below, where, at the castle doors, were standing an impassive Shining Armor.
" Captain! What do you think you're doing?! "

" You ordered me to stay quietty! "

" What in the Tart...?! Order your troops to buck off! AT ONCE!!! " She yells, angered.

" Troops, carry on your princess' duty! " Exclaimed Shining Armor.

Luna looks upside smiling, but the smile dissapears quickly, as the battle still continued. Then, she looks to Shining
Armor, enraged, and he smirks and winks to her.

" What the...?! Captain, you'll pay for this betrayal!! " She screams. Then, she looks upside again, furious. " Why I
have to take care of everything by myself?!! " And teleported to the air and started a pursuit by herself.

Rarity was the first to spot Luna's take off:

" Your highness! There comes that evildoer! Quick, teleport away, please! "

" I can't teleport while carrying five ponies! I could leave one behind! " Rued Celestia.

" Princess, don't worry about us! Save yourself! " Exclaimed Pinkie Pie.

" No way! Or we escape all, or we don't escape any! " She asseverated. " Pinkie Promise! "

" Your highness?! " All the mares surprised.

" I already lost Twilight... " Tears dropped from her eyes. " I won't afford to lose anypony else! Not even one! "

Suddenly, Luna teleported in front of her.

" Well, sister, it looks that you won't lose one, but five at once! " She smirked.

Celestia closed her eyes.

" Sorry, my ponies... " And teleported them to safety in the ground.

" This is between you and me, Luna. Let my ponies away from this! " She defied Luna.

" Let my ponies this, let my ponies that, blah"blah"blah"blah"blah"blah"blah. " Mocked Luna, shooking her head
and showing her tongue. " You have me so bored with that maternal falseness. If you really loved them so much, you'll
make them inmortal, like yourself! " She questioned, pointing a hoof to her.

" That's not my decision, Luna, and you know it! "

" But sending me to the moon was, you bucker scum! If you had dug a bit deeper, like my stallion Seymour did, you'll
had found a better solution! But no! You have to take the easy way! Banish your little sister away! Buck her! "

" Luna, I can't recognize you... " Celestia startled. " Or is that you're Nightmare Moon... again?! "

" Don't be silly, sister. If I was Nightmare Moon, everything will be darkness right now. But you're right... I'm not
your little sister anymore... I AM PRINCESS DARKEST LUNA, RULER OF EQUESTRIA!!! BOW BEFORE ME, OR DIEEEEEEE!!! " She
screamed with an almighty dual voice, fully opening her wings and flaring them with a blinding bright.

A tear slided on Celestia's cheek.

" THEN YOU LET ME NO CHOICE!!! " She screamed as well, enlightening her horn. " EN GUARDE!!! "

She launched a lightning against Luna, but it faded on a gigantic flaming sword that emerged from her horn.

Celestia hadn't time to get surprised! The magickal sword started to attack her several times per second! She never
have seen such attacking speed before! She tried to escape by teleporting, but Luna always catched her, like she knew
before hand where she was going to appear!

I was sitting at the forest border, pondering my next move: If I go carelessly near Canterlot, Seymour could spot me,
and send an army of that freaky colossal aliens, and I'll be history. On the other hand, I can't just leave Twilight's
friends on their own. Oh, what to do, what to do?!

Suddenly, a shine in the sky catched my eye. I cast an Enhanced Sight spell, and could see the havoc's cause: Celestia
and Luna engaged in a deadly combat, and Celestia was taking the worst part. Damn! Why is Luna trying to kill her
sister?! Damned Seymour! He must have corrupted her too! And he had made her stronger than ever!

Then, I happened to look below, and could see the rest of the Mane 6, looking motionless at the battle. They'll surely
be expecting Celestia to win... I do too, but, this isn't looking good, and I'm too far...

As I could see, Celestia's body was all covered with cuts, scratches and bruises, while Luna was intact. Celestia's
flight ability started to fail. She tried a desperate maneuver, casting a powerful magic ball on her horn, but another
unrelenting slash from Luna that left her one"eyed, finally took her down.

...And it looks that the combat has ended...

I'll need to approach the mares, but just by myself will be unwise, as the last time we met wasn't in the best of
terms. I hate to do this but I have to get Twilight. So, I cast a Lock On spell on them, so I didn't lose track of them,
and walked back to Zecora's place. I only hope Twi's heart has healed enough...

While falling, Celestia felt strangely lightheaded, like if a heavy burden were removed from her shoulders. All the
pain left her body, and even she knew that she had failed to her ponies, she also knew that she did her better
effort possible.

She'll leave the world of the living with no remorse, with no regret. She had played her part, had given the best of
herself, and ruled with justice and mercy. Also, Twilight's death was her responsibility, and only her's. Her own death
seemed a fair price to pay for her neglect.

Celestia closed her eye, as she saw the ground come closer...

The mares were shocked by that horrible sight: The bloody body of Celestia, falling from the sky. They can't believe
it: Celestia is down! Celestia is...!

Now, all is lost...

Celestia opened her eye. Shouldn't she be dead by now?

" Oh, no, no, no, sister. You're not going to get away so easily. " Luna smirked. " Because, first, you need to see how
I destroy everything you had built, and then only... I'll let you die! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! " She threw an evil
laugh.

Celestia closed her only eye and broke crying, completely helpless...

" Come on, Rainbow Dash, you look like a turtle! " The mares were galloping, trying to hide somewhere, but RD needed to
be dragged by Applejack's ropes.

Then, AJ looked backwards, just to find that she actually was dragging Dashie, who, with closed eyes and four legs laid in
the ground, had already given up, leaving a trail of dust behind.

" Rainbow Dash, fer Celestia's sake! Stand up! "

" Leave me, AJ... " She meekly pleaded.

" What?! Ha da think ah goin' to leave ya behind, huh?! Stand up already, we hav' to escape! "

" Don't you understand, AJ...? I can't fly anymoooore... My life is ruineeeeed... Leave me, pleaaaaase... " RD lowly cried.

" Don't worry, AJ, we'll help you! " The rest of the mares returned and with everypony's help, carried RD to the Everfree.

Once there, they hid as good as they could.

" I'm going to check is there's no dangerous animal nearby. I'll be back right away. " Said Fluttershy.

So, she trotted and looked around, everything looked safe if it wasn't for... A familiar bipedal creature, covered
with a large rainco...! ...athhhhh...

Fluttershy passed out.