{Prologue} Till Death do us part
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Terraria: Journey's End

{Prologue} Till Death do us part

Author's Note

Welcome back, to a land not the same as the world you know. A land, where everything is similar, yet so very different. In this new world, forget all you knew about Terraria and MLP. And let us guide you through this journey, where even Fate is uncertain. Please enjoy.

{Prologue} Till Death do us part

Shining Armor’s breaths are bated as he hurriedly rounds the corner of The Living Wood Tavern and passes by several other notable establishments such as Rock And Stone Mining, Lillian’s Summoner Delights, Annabel’s Hair Salon, and more; all while distracted by the carefully balanced basket of flowers on his back.

As he does so, a carriage transporting items for the celebration that evening prompts the young unicorn to duck under the vehicle, scurrying out the other side.

“Woah there, sonny,” an elderly male voice called out as the white unicorn looked back to the earth pony-drawn wagon, where an old male terrarian, or hooman, was busily unloading boxes. “Careful not to get that pretty gown of yours filthy!”

“Oh, come on, Mr. Dean, it’s a tuck- tusk- tux- big suit thing, not a gown!” Whines the young colt, voice cracking mid-sentence.

“Hey,” the earth pony drawing the wagon began, “we don’t judge, kiddo. See ya at the wedding!”

The colt grumbles, scampering off with his basket in tow. He had, unluckily in his mind, been forced to become a flower colt for the wedding, mostly thanks to the two ponies getting married being friends of the family. His little sister Twilight was also chosen as a flower filly, but her new friend Applejack needed her help to bake pies… leaving him with delivering every single one of the flower baskets by himself.

It also was quite fortunate that the young unicorn had taken some time to familiarize himself with his new home, Livingville, given that they’d fairly recently moved in; all with a—what was that word again? Oh! Right, medalevil. A medalevil ashtettick—living wood comprising all of the town’s buildings, hence the town’s namesake; all surrounded by hardy walls of stone with watchful guards of pony and Terrarians at the ready.

He had been particularly interested in the forest nearby that the locals had taken to calling the Everfree, thanks to its chaotic nature where even sticks taken from the trees would grow leaves and roots, never staying in one state.

From what he was told by his father, the town was made to encourage friendly relations between Terrarians and ponies as some historic event including an…empress, was it? He wasn’t too sure, but if that was correct, the actions of that empress led many of the world’s races to mistrust and resent ponies.

To say that Celestia had her hooves full was a big understatement. Their demi-goddess-alicorn-protector always acts quickly to douse the flames of hatred, always managing to find a way to please both sides with a resolution. Of course, having the support of Emilia, The Princess; Pillar of Authority, added that much needed oomph to Celestia’s credibility.

As Shining makes his way down a narrow alleyway, his ears flicker at the sounds of wedding bells dinging, followed by the roar of a crowd a short distance away. Fortunately, it was likely the townsfolk testing the bells for the event. Unfortunately, it also meant that he’d be late if he didn’t pick up the pace. Knowing this, he tries to gallop and maneuver around a corner, not seeing the pegasus filly just around the bend.

“Hey, Shining, what's the hurry- WOAH!” Both the foals go down in a mess of dirt, gravel, and petals as the basket flips into the air, landing on Shining’s head.

The red striped filly blinks, looking at Shining, before bursting out in a fit of laughter, almost rolling around from the strain.

“Oh. My. Stars. Shining. They’re everywhere,” she chokes out, still giggling.

“A-Ambi-” Shining’s words die in his throat, realization forcing his eyes wide open, “THE FLOWERS! Quick, help me pick them up!”

“Gonna be hard to do that without the basket,” she points out, smirking at the fact that the colt still hadn’t taken the basket off. “You’re lucky Cadence isn’t here to see that!”

“O-oh...” Shining responds, lifting the basket off of his head and spinning it upright before setting it down. “Come on, we have to collect these quickly. Twily will never let me hear the end of it; neither would Cady.”

“Alright, alright, don’t get your suit in a bunch,” she says, as the bells ring for a second time. “Omen! Help me out, please.”

A tiny raven swoops down and begins grabbing the flower petals in its beak, placing them into the basket quickly as Ambient starts gathering the rest. Several of them are broken from the impact, though once they are scooped into her hoof, they repair instantly within a green aura.

“I forgot you could do that.” Shining mused.

“Hm? Do what?” She asks, blinking in confusion.

“That!” He emphasizes with an appointed hoof. “That thing you do to plants. You’re not supposed to be able to do that—you’re a pegasus!”

Ambient stares down at the petals, tilting her head.

“I know I’m a pegasus, but I’m not doing anything to the plants? I’m picking it up, dummy,” she giggles, placing the last of them into the basket.

Shining was about to form a retort, only for the wedding bells to let loose a mighty DONG. “N-never mind! Let’s just hurry this up.”

Ambient places the basket on Shining’s back, before beginning to walk away, the raven landing on her shoulder.

“Alright, flower colt. Have fun, I’ll see you later. Mom’s only here for the drinks, so I’m gonna have to make sure she gets home safely. Wouldn’t want anything bad to happen, haha!”

“Bye, Ambi!” Shining waves a forelimb in gratitude before setting off in the opposite direction, his eyes resting upon the ceremonial decor of an apple-themed wedding that staked its claim to the center of town.

As the hour drew near for the wedding to begin, the moon, bearing a horned equine insignia with what looked to be a series of tentacles reaching outward on its surface, slowly rose to the heavens while the sun lowers itself in the mountainous distance and bathed the land in a pale tint of orange. Shining stood before a sea of equine and bipedal bodies spread throughout the center of town, his light blue eyes piercing through the masses to find his loved ones.

His observation soon picks up the faintest patch of lavender adorned with a white dress, despite terrarian and pony legs rhythmically obscuring his view.

“Twily!” He shouts merrily, carefully melding into the flow of the town’s denizens, though his sibling seemed to have failed to pick up his words as she continued to look back and forth.

“Twily!” He tries once more at a closer range, his words having a noticeable effect this time as Twilight’s ears jerk upward, her head turning in his direction.

Twilight’s eyes widen, and a beaming smile adorns her features as she takes notice of him; hurriedly moving in his direction. The siblings soon close the distance and come together for a loving embrace, Shining setting the basket of flowers down beforehoof, though his height advantage forced Twilight to rear up as she wraps her forelimbs around and across his chest.

“What took you so long, Triple-B F. F.?” She inquired while pulling away and setting herself down on all fours. “Mom and dad were worried you’d gotten lost.”

“Pfft! As if!” He responds while waving a hoof dismissively. “If anypony is going to get lost, it’s you, little sis. If going around town was ever a challenge for Sibling Supreme, I’d win.” He finished with a smug grin.

“Well, statistically speaking,” Twilight began with a playful yet challenging look, “since I’m a few years younger than you, it’s expected for me to lose my way. You, on the other hoof, don’t get that privilege or excuse, BIG brother. Which means I'd automatically get that golden star. It’s a matter of principle.”

The elder sibling went for a retort, but a surge of realization seized his form as his once confident expression fell to uncertainty.

The sound of someone whistling from nearby abruptly presents itself, followed by a chuckle as the siblings turn to face the sound.

“Well, like me and mah kin always say, ‘How do ya like them apples,’ Shine’n?” Asked the orange earth pony filly with the southern accent often associated with the Desert Biomes, prompting a moment of silence between the trio, followed by conjoined laughter.

“D-did you and Granny Smith get those pies sorted out, Applejack?” Twilight inquired after recovering.

“Eeyup! Everyth’n’s ready for mah ma and pa’s weddin’. Thanks fer helpin’ me with bakin’ them pies, Twi.”

“No problem!”

“And I delivered all of the flowers.” Shining proudly declared. “Even if it cost me my pride as a colt. Speaking of flowers,” he gestures towards the basket, “we’re ready.”

Applejack nods. “Then yawl best be head’n to yer folks and take yer seats ‘fore everything gets filled up. Ah got thirty minutes tah get my dress on. Bye!”

“Look for us in the front row!” Shining declared as the siblings wave their goodbyes to the parting earth pony.

“We’d better go meet up with mom and dad,” Twilight suggested. “Dad’s been acting…strange.”

“Strange how?”

“It’s better if you ask him yourself, Triple-B F. F.”

……….

“I’m telling you, Velvet,” a panic-filled, grayish azure unicorn stallion donned in a black suit said to his wife in a whispered tone, the pair sitting on the furthest right end of the front row. “Something’s wrong. I… Ever since that zebra and lihzahrd Witch Doctor showed up and ranted about that prophecy… A-and that book I got from that strange man…”

“Night Light, my sweet,” the light-gray unicorn mare gently places a hoof onto her husband’s right cheek, “we talked about this. Nothing’s going to happen tonight, and, just to ease your fears, I cashed in a favor and asked Mayor Mare to practically triple the guards for the wedding.”

“But still, honey, I- we have to-” Night Light’s words were silenced as Velvet’s lips locked with his own.

“Not tonight, dear.” Velvet pleaded after gently breaking away from the kiss. “Our best friends are getting married. This is their special moment, please, let’s not cause a scene…”

Night’s ears fold against his head, his gaze slowly lowering in shame. “I know… I don’t want to cause a ruckus, but…”

A mischievous smirk slowly forms on Velvet’s closed lips. “Tell you what, dear, maybe… After the wedding, we could…” she suggestively rolls a forehoof on his chest. “Convince Twilight and Shining to leave the house for…say, a few hours?"

“As much as I’d like that, I fear what might come…”

“Mom! Dad!” Twilight’s sweet voice interjects from the rear.

“We made it!” Shining shouts in relief.

Although fear still kept its grasp firmly on Night Light, the sight of his children relaxed his tensed frame, if only for a time.

As last few attendees take their seats, and various members of the Apple Family position themselves on either side of the stage adorned with an apple and pear tree twisting around one another and forming a heart-shaped hole with their joined branches, the renowned mayor of Livingville - a pale, light grayish earth pony - steps into the stage’s epicenter, checking her pink mane and professional attire.

“Citizens of Livingville!” She beckoned, her voice echoing over the masses. “Today we honor two ponies who have been essential in our fair town’s establishment. Many of you, as you know, are all too aware of the strife that exists between ponies and terrarians…” She paused for a moment, allowing those words to land heavily on all in attendance.

“Which is why this town stands as a paragon, a living testament, of friendship and forgiveness. I see before me not ponies, terrarians, nor even elves and dwarves,” She motions playfully to an elven and dwarven family that had recently joined their town’s number. “But living beings, for that is what we all are. We all wish to live our lives to-”

“BULLSHIT!” A drunken green pegasus cuts the mare off, staggering away from the liquor bar as she takes a swig from a champagne flute. “Tha's a whole load o’... BULLSHIT!”

She wanders up to the stage, chugging the last of the wine in question before tossing the flute at Mayor Mare, completely missing.

“Ya think we can jus’... FORGIVE those hairless monkeys for… for what they did…?” She sways in place as a familiar red-striped pegasus filly scampers up, grabbing her tail in their mouth and pulling her away, muffled apologies being heard.

“Those skinny FUCKS get t’ just… kill all of us and noone cares!” The older mare says, stumbling backwards as she’s pulled. “Y’all are… are a bunch of…” She trails off, seeming to almost fall asleep standing up for a few moments.

Mayor Mare sternly maintained her gaze with the troubled pegasus throughout their rant. “Are you done, Miss Blade? Is this how you wish to make progress? Continue to stoke the flames and prevent any chance at ponies and terrarians finally coming together? Here’s the real truth: BOTH sides are to blame, and it is up to all of us to make things right.”

“Fuck yer progress and fuck yer half-assed truth-” Blade slurs, before being cut off by Ambient, who gives a mighty pull that ends with Blade on the ground as she trips over her own hooves.

“Mom, please, don’t make this any more embarrassing, my friends are here…”

Hearing her filly’s words, the drunken mare rolls over, wobbling in an effort to get onto her hooves. She tries to fly, only to crash into a nearby wall of flowers, though the wall itself was sturdy enough to cause the mare to slip down on its surface, the exit to the outdoor venue just mere inches to the right.

“Fuck every’thin ‘bout this. Come along or stay ‘ere, Ambient, I’m getting the fuck out…”

Ambient sighs, trotting over dutifully. “I'm coming… Sorry everyone…”

The audience looked on, some in silence, others with murmurs. Among them, Shining had been quick to cover his sibling’s ears, leaving her blissfully unaware of the harsh words that had filled the air.

Following Blade’s departure, alongside Ambient’s, Mayor Mare’s eyes searched over the sea of wedding attendants. The troubled pegasus’s words had lingering effects, scars from the past having been dug up as some attendees shuffled out, taking their leave.

In hindsight, she was glad that Pear Butter and Bright Mac were still at their respective loungings getting ready and weren’t present for this horrible affair. However, the same couldn’t be said for the Apple family members that were in attendance. Big Mac and Apple Bloom’s ears folded against their heads while Granny Smith could only look on at the former commotion in disappointment.

“Some thin’s just don’ change,” the old mare comments after a woeful sigh.

However, by a stroke of good fate, Bright Mac suddenly appears from the flower-adorned archway positioned at the left of the stage, prompting an eruption of cheers and congratulations from the audience, the Sparkle family standing out at the front row.

But as Bright Mac steps onto the stage, his scarred eye glancing towards his brother-in-arms, Night Light… Something seemed off about his long-time friend. Even so, there was a wedding at hoof, and if all was going according to plan, the music and his beautiful bride to be should-

Du Dun Dunun

Bright Mac lets out a hearty chuckle. “Right on time.”

Loud whistling and applause sound off as Pear Butter positions herself down the isle, proceeding down with graceful and calculative steps.

As the wedding proceedings go on, The Bride making her way toward her future, Night Light’s eyes unfocused slightly as the world seemed to grow dark. The noise of the wedding becomes distant as he feels an urge to look skyward, where the moon had taken its place in the heavens. Something was wrong.

The craters that normally peppered the celestial body to form the equine shape appeared to have disappeared, their absence a jolt to his senses. As he watches, a shadow passes over where they used to be, and for a brief moment, he could have sworn he saw something looking at him.

Twilight Velvet taps him on the shoulder, breaking him out of his trance as he shakes his head, urgently looking back up to the now-normal moon.

“Dear?”

“Take Twilight and Shining to the bunker. Now.” The panicking stallion says.

“Wh-what- why-”

“Just do it, dear. Please.”

On stage, something continued to nudge at Bright Mac’s senses. There was a certain uniqueness that the Apple Family possessed, and although many attributed it to him simply being an earth pony, none could ever know the truth about his family… the fact that they had a connection to the earth itself in ways other earth ponies could never understand.

Pear Butter, lovingly looking deep into his eyes while Mayor Mare prepared their vows, took notice of his concerned expression and reached out a hoof.

“Babe?” She questioned. “Are…you ok?”

“It’s The Green, darl’n…” Bright Mac managed. “It’s…act’n up mighty fierce right now.”

Pear giggles. “Maybe that’s its way of express’n how happy it is for ya. How happy ah am~.”

“Now then, my dears,” Mayor Mare began. “Are you ready for your vows?”

“Ah’ve been ready, ma’am.” Bright Mac asserts proudly, shaking off the disorienting feeling.

“So ah’ve ah~”

“Do you, Bright Mac, take Pear Butter as your loving wife?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Pear Butter, take Bright Mac as your loving husband?”

“I do.”

“Then in the name of the Maker, I pronounce you as husband and mare, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do you part.”

“Till death do us part.” Bride and Groom say in unison.

As the words echo amongst the silent crowd, the moon rises. And before another word can be said…

The moon, and the sky, goes red.

Shining Armor jolts awake, slamming his horn on the top bunk where Twilight dozes away with Spike curled up next to her side. He grimaces, holding his head, before slipping off the bunk to his hooves. Gazing around at his metal, somewhat spartan surroundings, he sighs.

A slight creak of the bunk garners the white unicorn’s attention. “Sh… Shiny…?” Twilight managed after a stifled yawn.

“Morning, Twi. Sleep well?” Asks Shining with a smile, that uneasy feeling already fading to the back of his mind.

It had, after all, been 7 long years since that horrible night. An event that would forever be remembered as… The Crimson Wedding.

{1} Departure
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Terraria: Journey's End

{1} Departure

Twilight’s head dips down slowly as she thinks about the question posed to her by Shining Armor, “Not really…”

“Did you have that nightmare again?” He asks, climbing up the carpet-encased steel ladder and seating himself on the top bunk. “You can tell me, y’know. I’m here for you.”

“I know…” She glances toward Spike’s slumbering form before meeting her elder siblings’ eyes. “It’s just… It’s the Blood Moon again…”

Shining Armor breathes deeply, visions of mangled corpses passing through his mind.

“I get it, Twi. It’s scary as Tartarus to think about. But we’ve survived this long, right? And no zombies are gonna touch us in Camelot. It’s too well-defended,” he responds, placing a hoof on his younger sister's back in an act of comfort.

“It’s not me I’m worried about, Shiny… It’s everyone who doesn’t have a Pomp or a badass aunt to teach them things.”

Shining Armor chuckles at the mention of their aunt.

“Badass? More like crazy, I think. I mean, she’s planning on sending out half the fleet to the village towns, summit be damned.”

A heartful chuckle rumbles in Twilight’s throat. “Don’t let her catch you saying that.”

“Don’t let me catch the would-be knight saying what?” Asks the rumbling of a familiar kirin from the doorway as it slides open.

“Oh, horseapples-” Shining mutters.

A red-and-gold maned kirin wearing combat boots on her hind legs and a black bomber jacket steps into the room, causing Shining Armor to jump into ready position, snapping a stiff salute with his left hoof, before switching to his right frantically after realizing his mistake.

Twilight quickly rises up from the bed and offers her ‘aunt’ a salute, the commotion stirring Spike from his slumber.

“Wh-what’s with all the-” His words die in his throat, eyes shooting wide open as he notices the kirin. He instantly leaps up to full height on the bedding, mimicking Twilight’s gesture. “I’m wide awake and definitely wasn’t sleeping, ma’am!”

“Enough with that you three. You know how I feel about being saluted by my family,” The kirin says, rolling her eyes. “Shining, get a hang of using your right foreleg, we’re going to a formal summit with the Princess and I’ll be damned if you embarrass yourself in front of her.”

“Sorry Ma’am. I’ll practice it more in a bit,” he says, swallowing nervously.

A sudden burst of static interference interjects itself, Twilight’s ears rising to attention, her gaze shifting towards the nearby intercom hanging from the ceiling corner of their small living quarters.

‘Book Horse and B.B.B.F.F to the Bridge. I repeat, Book Horse and B.B.B.F.F to the Bridge. Thank you.’

The kirin looks up and nods gruffly.

“Well, looks like you have somewhere to be. We’re 15 Mikes out from the capital, so once you’re done with whatever your dad wants you to do, head to the mess hall and get something in you. Dismissed,” She says, walking into the meshed catwalk of the hallway, the metal door marked with A5 remaining open behind her.

Shining Armor seems to deflate, his foreleg falling limply to his side.

“Why does he have to call me that? It was fine when you did, Twi, but now everyone’s using that nickname…”

Twilight attempts to hide a giggle with her forehoof, turning away quickly and using her magic to lower the still-petrified Spike’s saluting form onto her back.

With a slightly-exaggerated sigh, Shining Armor grabs two crisp uniforms with patches on both shoulders. One appears to be an armada insignia, a dragon head and alicorn head respectively, while the other carries a black and white set of wings curved upwards with a flaming blue crown on top, each with different rank insignia in the middle

“Don’t forget the uniforms. Auntie’s gonna freak out if we’re not wearing them,” he says, tossing one to Twilight, before fumbling with his own, nearly dropping it.

“Need some help there, B.B.B.F.F?” The lavender mare questioned, having already put on her uniform to patted perfection and noticing her sibling’s struggle to equip his own.

“I-I got it-”

“You sure? Because it kind of looks like-”

“I know how to put on a uniform, Twily!”

“...Then why are the buttons mismatched?”

Twilight’s inquiry causes the stallion’s eyes to shoot wide open as he looks down to his chest. Sure enough, the buttons on his uniform were attached and slipped through every other slit, resulting in a mismatched mess.

A silent pause strangles the atmosphere around them.

“...Twily, I think I forgot how to put the uniform on somehow,” he choked out, his cheeks turning bright red with embarrassment.

Twilight shakes her head heartfully and proceeds forward. “And I’m the younger sibling, huh? Come here, you dork.”

After a bit of tugging and readjusting, the siblings grab their weapons from the rack near the door, and head out onto a steel catwalk mesh, slightly steaming pipes visible beyond the greenish railings, softly glowing with lights. Metal doors labeled with number-letter combinations, snugly tucked into the wall, can be seen every 15 feet. Soldiers can be seen chatting to one another, some sitting on railings while others blessed with wings flutter near the valves and sleek bars of the roof.

“What’chu got from the mess hall there, Jameson?” Asks a big-horned minotaur to a young-looking Terrarian leaning against the railing with a bowl in hand.

“Slop. Slop. And more slop,” replies Jameson, speaking out of the side of his mouth as he takes a bite.

“Shi-hihiiit, that stuff again, huh? Well, once you get past the taste, it does wonders for the body.”

“It’s kind of like medicine,” a third voice chimes in as a beige earth pony with a blue and pink mane punches her hoof against the minotaur’s shoulder. “If it doesn’t taste good, ‘means it’s good for you. What’s up, Stonebreaker? Still hanging out with that Gilda girl from C-10?”

“You’re mixing me up with my brother again, Bon-Bon. Stonecrusher is my name. And yes. We recently went out stone crushing. It was fun.”

As the trio’s voices fade off into the distance, a piston can be heard releasing steam right underneath an unlucky pegasus carrying several boxes of munitions. He coughs violently, the boxes nearly dropping out of his hooves until a bright-red dragon catches them, carefully setting them down as the pegasus recovers.

Machinery rumbles from below the catwalk, as the siblings ascend the metal stairs and follow a marking depicting a gear to the right from the top, entering a room where a busy Terrarian can be seen typing commands into a control panel, while other soldiers gather around communication devices and radars with faded labels marked R.E.K. City walls can be seen getting closer through the windows, as Spike finally unfreezes from his salute and shields his eyes from the light.

“Morning, Pomp!” Twilight greets as she and Shining Armor approach the panel. “How long until we- wait…” The mare’s words die in her throat as she takes notice of a duo of packed lunches resting on the panel’s surface.

“Seriously?” Shining questioned with a deadpan stare. “Packed lunches? We aren’t foals, you know…”

The Terrarian lifts his head as ocean blue eyes meet Shining’s own. “Gideon… bring up the footage from 32 minutes ago, A-5.”

“Bringing up footage from 32 minutes ago outside dormitory A-5, Pomp,” says a calm artificial voice, emanating from the control panel, a holographic image of a faintly female humanoid figure appearing next to it. She points a finger towards the large monitor atop the control panel, snapping as camera footage from just outside the sibling’s room appears. “Any further commands?”

Pomp’s eyes glide over to Shining Armor’s stunned state. “Nah. I think he gets it.”

Shining grinds his teeth a bit.

“You always do this…”

“It’s the power of dadhood. I’m always one step ahead of you, son. And speaking of ‘sun,’ Celestia messaged me not too long ago. Basically, boohoo -- ponies and terrarians aren’t getting along, blah, blah, blah.”

“Not really surprising considering she always overworks herself to fix that issue,” says the kirin from before, stepping on board the bridge. Instantly, a soldier snaps into a salute, as she calls out loudly.

“Admiral on deck! All at attention!”

Pomp’s head turns left to right as the ranks of soldiers immediately salute, sighing afterward. “Oh, yeah. She walks in and everyone’s at attention, I walk in, and I don’t get any recognition.” He places his hands on his hip, nodding. “I’m proud of you guys.”

“I’m sure they’re glad to hear you say that. At ease, this is a friendly checkup.”

The soldiers immediately drop their salutes and begin work on their various devices again.

“This is Nighthawk Alpha-1. Control, do you read?” A hippogriff says into their comms, adjusting the knob at the top for a better signal.

“Nighthawk Alpha-1, we read you loud and clear. Over.”

“Control, requesting landing pads Zulu 4, 5, and 6. All clear for entry? Over.”

“Copy that, Nighthawk Alpha-1, Zulu 4, 5, and 6 are open for descent. Over.”

The hippogriff’s words fade into the hubbub of the deck as Firestorm taps a hoof on one of the many pieces of electronic equipment.

“Still impressed at how quickly you managed to repair these old things. I really need to figure out how you do it sometime,” She says, observing with a practiced eye as it lights up with a green dot, one of their reverse-engineered drones having returned to its deployment pod.

Pomp shrugs, “A bit of elbow grease and a shit-ton of luck. Emphasis on the luck part.”

“Think you can get those prototype mines into testing before the next Moon?”

“Have a little faith in the tech nerds and I, would ya?”

“You know how groundbreaking those would be for the villages we can’t go boots on the ground for. It’s pretty important right now,” Firestorm responds, her brow furrowing at the thought of leaving the villages mostly defenseless again.

“Relax,” Pomp assures with a gesture. “Think of this as only being Half-Time. We’ll get it cracked soon enough.”

“If you say so. Landing pads are open, let’s begin the descent. Gideon, you know what to do.”

“Understood. Engaging landing gears. Reverse Propulsion active.”

“In that case, I’d better get my gear together.” Pomp turns away, hands resting in the pockets of his red jacket as he makes his way over to a locker to fetch a spare radio.

Twilight observes Pomp’s departure, her ears slowly folding against her head as a somber look possesses her features.

“Let him be, Twilight. At least we get to meet Mom again, that’s good news, right?” Spike says, patting her on the head in an attempt to distract her. The ship shifts as it begins lowering towards a large landing pad, alongside the two smaller ships flanking it.

“Of course it is… It’s just…” She tilts her head to meet the baby dragons’ gaze. “He could be so much more, you know? Why does he have to be so…secretive, all the time… Like he’s hiding something even from us…”

“Just the way he is, I’d wager,” the kirin says, finishing her work on the console as she smooths her bomber jacket down. “I wouldn’t question him too much. Let sleeping timberwolves lie, as it were.”

“Besides,” Spike injects himself with a raised claw, “If it was something super important, he’d tell us. I mean, we’re family. Families never hide anything from each other, right?”

“...I wish I had your outlook on life, Spike,” Shining sighs, hooking his weapon into its sheath.

“I’m just saying. We know that he tends to keep things as a means to protect us, not to exclude us. I mean, you don’t go out of your way to tell everyone how much you suck at putting on your uniform, right?”

The stallion groans, covering his face with a hoof.

“Please. Don’t mention that. It’s embarrassing enough already. I don’t need Celestia knowing it too.”

“Anyway,” Twilight interjects after rolling her eyes. “We should get ready to depart. Mo- er, Celestia, is probably waiting for us.”

“T-Minus five seconds until landing. Please stand clear of any machinery and all external doors. Thank you for flying Gideon Airlines,” crackles the announcement through the P.A. system.

“Your peanuts suck!” Pomp yells in the middle of securing his gear.

“If your name is Pomp, please stand as close to any external doors as possible.”

“Oh, go suck on a positive battery!”

The Admiral chuckles, pushing herself off the console and turning, her head tilting back towards the bridge as she walks towards the opening external doors.

“Pomp, Shining, Twilight. You’re with me. The rest of you, keep an eye on the ship. General Shadow is in charge until I return.”

A dark-purple unicorn mare nods in affirmation, her shattered horn being covered by what seems to be a holographic prosthesis.

“Alright, that’s enough sightseeing -- we only saw Camelot for the nine-thousandth time. To your stations; I want this ship in tip-top shape for the Admiral when she returns. I want to be able to eat off the floor when it’s all said and done, capiche?!”

A chorus of muttering affirmatives passes through the soldiers as an Abyssinian groans about having to be on bathroom duty again, before begrudgingly going up a set of stairs.

As the massive ship lands, the sleek black sides of it slide smoothly out of place, lowering a gangway down to the surface of the landing pad. The two smaller ships land on either side, their sails bearing the winged insignia of the Rebellion slowly withdrawing upwards. An alabaster-white alicorn stands expectantly on the larger landing pad, alongside a unicorn bearing a cutie mark featuring a yellow and red sun.

“Are you ready to meet your sibling student, Sunset?” Celestia asked of her fellow sun-themed equine.

“Twilight Sparkle, right?” Sunset questioned. “From what you told me about her… Did- is she really like me?”

“In more ways than you realize, my little Sunspot. Let’s just say that you’re not the only one who’s suffered greatly from the Blood Moon.” Celestia rests a wing on Sunset’s withers. “Come. Let us meet an old -- albeit foul-mouthed -- friend of mine.”

“Is that the distinct sound of adoration I hear?!” Pomp’s voice boomed from nearby, arms outstretched. “Celestia! C’mere, you pelvis-shattering goddess!”

“There he goes again, big ass this, massive cheeks that. Celestia, been a while, hasn’t it?” The kirin says, marching down the gangway with Twilight and Shining at her flanks.

“Hey! I like big butts and I cannot lie.”

“Shush you, the adults are talking,” Comes the response.

“Pretty sure I got you two hundred years beat…”

“Fooled me, I thought you were a horny teenager.”

“Testosterone, babe.” A pause takes hold. “Don’t punch me.”

“...No promises.”

“Firestorm.” Celestia finally greets with a nod. “And I don’t mind Pomp being… well, Pomp. Otherwise, I’d think something is wrong with him.”

“Better you than me,” Firestorm shrugs, coming to a stop in front of Celestia and looking up at her mane critically. “Your mane’s a mess again. You really need to stop staying awake at night, worrying about things.”

Celestia chuckles. “When the weight of several billion lives rests on one’s shoulders, you can’t afford to make even the slightest mistake. You should understand that, being the head of the Rebellion.”

“Heh. Well, it’s not billions for me, but I get what you’re saying. Still, at least I sleep at night. You should too.”

“Valid point. But you sleep when Pomp TELLS you to sleep, my dear.”

“...Eh, that’s fair. Sunspot, not gonna say hi to your auntie?” Firestorm asks, turning her head towards the smaller mare beside Celestia.

“O-oh, uh, sorry about that, auntie. It’s just, we really need to get going. Like, now.”

“Wait what, I thought we were early?” Asks Shining Armor, rapidly smoothing his uniform.

“Oh, we are,” Twilight assured. “But we still need to check in, make sure our ships are properly fueled, and Pomp and Firestorm need to meet with The Princess.”

“Right, right,” He sighs.

“Speaking of fuel, Sunspot, why don’t you join the kiddos in making sure that happens? It’ll probably be a little while before the Council gets together,” the Admiral suggests.

“No problem.” Sunset answered, stepping forward and extending a forehoof to Twilight. “Hello, Twilight. Mom’s told me all about you.”

Twilight’s hoof paused at that. “M-mom…?”

“Of course.” Sunset grinned. “After all…” A brow raises to display playful yet mischievous intentions. “I AM the favorite.”

Twilight’s eye twitches, as she fights back the urge to grind her teeth. “I-is th-that a f-fact… Hehehe…”

Shining Armor looks side to side, coughing awkwardly before grabbing Spike off Twilight’s back and walking quickly into the hangar bay ahead.

“Spike, word of advice: when Twili looks like that, run and don’t stop running.”

The lavender mare was on the verge of breaking like a backed-up dam, only for Sunset to let out a hearty chuckle. “Relax, would ya? I’m just busting your teats. Come on,” she beckoned while turning away, “I’ll help you guys get settled in.”