The Crusaders: Iron Mare

by Solaris90

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sweetie Belle, Princess Luna, Original Character, Other, Adventure, Crossover
Length: 17458

Centuries after the show, the world needs new heroes

Set nearly two centuries after the time of Friendship is Magic, Equestria and the world have moved on. There are parliaments, megacorporations, and a dwindling royal presence. Princess Galaxy, descendant of Shining Armor and Cadance, just wants to live her cutie mark-less life in luxury and power. But a terrible event forces her to become something... more. A hero.

Published 2012-10-19 21:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-10-22 23:01:35 UTC

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, or any of the ideas or characters related to it. I do not own Marvel, or any of the ideas or characters related to it. I make no money from this writing.

My Little Pony

Iron Mare

Chapter 1

Much has changed in Equestria and the world at large in the nearly two hundred years since the Elements of Harmony and all their friends destroyed the evil conqueror Tirek once and for all. Nations rose and fell. The unsettled wilderness shrank. History and legend marched on. Technology developed, the true scientific age starting with Twilight's mechanical support harness for her brother, who was crippled in the final battle. Towns died out or became cities. Cities became great metropolises, shining beacons of civilization.

Nowhere is this progress more prevalent than in the ancient city of Canterlot, seat of the government that has overseen the land for the past fifty years. Here the elected parliamentary council governs Equestria, with freely offered wisdom and advice from the princes and princesses in Canterlot Castle. What the royalty see is a world to be proud of…and concerned for.

It is a time of heroic possibilities and dreams. But the heroes are not here, not yet. But they will be soon. They are being called forth. The Heroic Age is coming, and it is time for them to wake up.

"...and in local news, it looks like Canterlot is getting a new celebrity couple. Early last evening, witnesses reported seeing Princess Galaxy and top Wonderbolts flyer Gale Speed leaving the party together after another Wonderbolt victory. Whether that will lead to anything, who can say?

"Princess Galaxy, the Casanova of Canterlot, is not a stranger to the spotlight. Orphaned at age three when her parents died in a tragic airship accident, the young unicorn has won numerous awards for the scientific achievements she has performed. She is also estimated as the single richest pony in Equestria, thanks to ArmEx Industries, a technology company that has lead the way in everything from toasters to airships and automobiles, with multiple contracts with the military.

"However Princess Galaxy's next few days turn out, at least she'll still have her money!

"And in other news, a mare was rushed to the hospital late last evening after being found in an alleyway on the Pavilion, bleeding profusely from two deep bite marks in her neck. Police are requesting all citizens to finish their business before the sun sets."

Galaxy woke up to the sun shining blindingly bright through the windows, some mindless news report playing on the radio, and a strange pegasus in bed with her, his forelegs wrapped around her mid-section and his teeth playfully nibbling one of her ears. She wasn't bothered by this; she liked to take a new lover to her silken sheets whenever the chance came around. It wasn't hard, with her sleek, statuesque body; pinkish-purple coat; a luscious red, pink, and orange mane that draped over her shoulders like a fiery waterfall; and eyes the color of rubies. It was a beauty Galaxy and her fr... associates, had put a lot of work into cultivating, a beauty she was rightly proud of, no matter what others said.

What bothered the unicorn that particular morning was that the stallion behind her was awake and still there. Galaxy considered herself an impeccable pony of many talents, such as mechanics, drink-mixing, and due to one particularly slow and boring summer, the ability to fix affix a bow tie around a pony's neck with nothing but her tongue. Being patient with other ponies was NOT something she was skilled at, nor did that moment seem a good time to become skilled.

"Excuse me... pegasus, but what are you doing here?"

The pegasus stopped his nibbling and pulled back a little bit to look at her, the sheets rustling as they gathered in his lap. Galaxy could have laughed at the look of confusion on his face. "Um... I'm not sure what you... we met at the party last night, the speed racing championships had just-"

"Yes, yes," she said, interrupting him. "I know. You're that big Wonderbolts flyer. Wind Streak or Breeze Stake or something."

"Gale Speed," he offered, though whether she noticed or cared couldn't be guessed by the look on her face.

Galaxy rolled away from him and off her side of the bed, four perfectly pedicured hooves hitting the blue marble floor with a satisfying clack. "Yes, fine then, whatever. It was a nice night, now show yourself out. I'm sure you have some groupie's autograph to sign."

Much to her annoyance he stayed on her bed, staring at her like a kid that's been told the tooth fairy isn't real. "Wait, you mean that's it? Come on, I... I bought you your drinks, flew you back to your house..."

Galaxy paused in flipping through the schedule book she kept on her ivory nightstand and looked back at him. The corners of her lips were curling up into a smirk. "Well what do you want me to say? Oh Gale, you were the best I've ever had? Oh Gale, you make my life complete? Oh Gale, please see me again tonight? Look around you!" The white mare swung a foreleg about, indicating the bedroom around them. "Do you think I need a silly little Wonderbolt boy toy to make it all complete?"

Gale looked around them, and seemed to physically shrink. Rich did not begin to describe the bedroom, which was easily bigger than most ponies' living areas. The marble floor, ceiling, and walls were the brightest azure, the bed the darkest crimson. The wall across the room from the bed was covered by computer and TV screens. The wall to the bed's left plain except for two doorways, one leading to the bathroom and the other to the rest of the penthouse apartment. The wall to the bed's right meanwhile was dominated by a floor-to-ceiling window, which at the moment was hidden by curtains matching the sheets.

Then suddenly the pegasus was flipped off the bed by a wave of red magic. Galaxy trotted around the bed and looked down at him on the floor, not deigning to offer him a hoof up. "Now then, I'll ask again. Do you think I, Princess Galaxy, need you? At all?"

The pegasus, top Wonderbolt flyer and celebrity, gave her no answer. He just got to his four hooves and started for the window head low and tail limp. Galaxy decided to help along and pressed a button on the wall, and with hardly a squeak the curtains slid apart and the window rose into the wall, allowing a glorious view of the Canterlot skyline. "That's it, run along little commoner."

Galaxy turned away and started again for her schedule. Before she got more than a few steps however, a hard gust from the pegasus's wings sent her sprawling on the bed. "I heard the rumors, and I guess it's true that you're nothing but a royal pain! Blank flank!"

Galaxy was on her hooves again in a moment, screaming and grabbing and throwing a chair with her magic. But the pegasus was already flying away and well out of reach of her wrath. He was not so far away however that she could not hear his sneering laughter, mocking her.

For a moment Galaxy just stood there on her bed, staring with burning eyes at the open window, giving a little hate at every pegasus that flew by. But then that burning was quenched as hot tears leaked out. She stifled the sob that threatened to come out, instead sitting down on the bed and letting the tears fall silently.

Blank flank. Again with those two words. No two-word combination in the history of the world was so terrible to Galaxy. Blank flank. The title for useless ponies, lost ponies, ponies that have yet to find what makes them special. Galaxy hated, hated, hated those two words. She was 25, darn it, and still she was a blank flank. The only pony in history to reach such an age without a cutie mark, according to the research she had done. It was an embarrassment.

"Stupid pegasus, racing's a stupid talent anyway." Not quite believing her own words, Galaxy looked at her own painfully-blank flank. She rubbed a hoof over it. "A mark here would look terrible anyway. It, it would mar the singular purity of my coat. Heh, yeah, that's a load."

Knocking suddenly came from the bedroom door, followed by the voice of an older stallion with a cultured Canterlot accent. "Your highness, breakfast is ready and waiting in the kitchen, along with this morning's paper, as per the usual."

Galaxy let out one final sob, before wiping her eyes and climbing off her bed. "Very good, Alms. I'll be out in a moment. Just making myself presentable."

"Very well, your highness."

There was the sound of retreating hoofsteps, and then Galaxy was alone with her thoughts once more. She hit the button for the windows with her magic and started for the door, keeping her head up and her chest out, forcing her feelings back down where they belonged. She was Princess Galaxy of Canterlot, descendant of Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, and head of the richest industrial company in Equestria. She was better than this.

"Let them talk. Mouths probably need exercising."

Now fully psyched up, Galaxy was finally able to pick up her day planner. She flipped it open as she walked to the door. Every entry for that day said exactly the same thing.

"Whatever I want. Perfect. First stop after breakfast then, the garage."

"This is Canterlot One, News on the Street, here with a special interview with the one and only coach for the Wonderbolts, Moonbow Bltz. Mr. Blitz, please tell us, what are your thoughts on last night's rumors of star Wonderbolt Gale Speed and Princess Galaxy of Canterlot hooking up?"

"Tch, absolute baloney. I spoke to my boy Gale when he came in for training this morning, and I can say with the utmost certainty that Canterlot's newest 'celebrity couple' lasted about as long as my ballet career. Um, wait, this isn't live, is it? Edit that last part out."

"Did Gale Speed give any reason for not sticking it out with the princess? Word is she's quite the catch."

"What kind of news station are ya, lady? And yeah, Gale told me the whole sordid tale. For starters, that dame ain't quite the catch at all. You'd be wiser to throw her back in the lake like my boy Gale did. But I could've warned him myself not to go with her. Spoiled, spoiled, and spoiled, that's all ya got to know. Practically threw Gale out of the house when she found him still there this morning. At least Celestia and Luna give us day and night, they can have all the big castles they want. What's Galaxy ever done for us? Stupid blank flank. And ya know, another thing, I'm thinking those beauty pageants were scared of gettin' the royalty angry, 'cause Galaxy no more than a seven, eight out of ten, tops. And another thing, I-"

Princess Celestia sighed and switched off the TV. "What am I going to do with that foolish girl?"

Down in her personal car garage and work area below the ground floor of her building, her head and forelegs stuffed into the engine compartment of a G2-Class air speeder, Galaxy did not notice the knocking and bell-ringing of someone at the entrance, especially after she turned up the volume of her radio to drown it out. The small device, black and silver and just smaller than a pony's head, blasted out a fusion of heavy metal and orchestral that to anyone else's ears would have been an incoherent mess, she was sure.

Galaxy also did not notice the sound of the elevator coming down to her level, nor the pleasant ding as the double doors slid open. She did not hear the exasperated sigh or the clip-clop of hooves on plain grey concrete. Her attention was focused completely on the engine in front of her. The porcelain insulator for one of the spark plugs had developed a crack, the compression in cylinder three was low, and she had the sinking suspicion the fluid on the crankshaft was coffee. Somehow.

Galaxy did notice however when her music was switched off mid-lyric and a stack of papers were plopped down on top of the engine casing. She drew her head out of the engine, looked at the papers for a moment, and then looked up at the caramel-colored unicorn stallion in a blue business suit standing next to her and tapping a hoof against the ground. The extremely irate-looking caramel-colored unicorn stallion in a blue business suit standing there and tapping a hoof against the ground.

"So... " Galaxy coughed and brushed a bang from her eyes, smearing her forehead with some engine oil in the process. "You look like you need some coffee. What's the word, Cello?"

Bow Cello's right eye gave a little twitch, but other than that he remained under control. "Well, the Wonderbolts have banned you from future shows. All future shows. For the rest of time."

"Oh, is that all." Galaxy stood up and grabbed a towel from a nearby rack to start wiping off the grime she had gotten on herself. "I think I'll buy the Wonderbolts. That'd be a nice early birthday present to me. Or no, that's an old team. Cello, start and fund a new team of pegasi to show up the Wonderbolts. Red and silver outfits, have a bit of an opposite theme going. Or, maybe bring back the Shadowbolts, Luna would love that. Is that the morning paper?" This last comment was accompanied by a hoof pointed at the papers on the engine compartment.

"No, said Cello. "Those would be the papers for the board of directors meeting today. The one that was supposed to start ten minutes ago and halfway across Canterlot at that company you make a point of not running."

Galaxy dropped the towel and started for a wash station set near the elevator. Some of her stains were being stubborn, she found. "Well what do you expect? I'm bored of directors, especially at meetings. Besides, I'm busy right now having a little thing called fun. You should try it sometime." She turned on the faucet and started filling the basin. "Why don't you just do whatever it is you always do when I don't show up at meetings?"

Cello shrugged and gave a little smile as his employer dunked her face into the basin. "Well, this meeting is very important. So I brought the important members of the board along with me."

The elevator started up, counting down the floors to their level. Galaxy looked over at it in shock, face and mane soaking wet. Then she looked over at Cello, at his grin. "You brought other ponies to my workspace? My personal workspace, the one that is, well, personal?"

"Well we had to get your attention somehow."

"No, but you brought them to my personal workspace." Galaxy was already rubbing her face and mane dry with a fresh towel. "My personal workspace in my personal garage level. I mean, it's personal for a reason, I bought it, I own it."

"You own the entire building, Galaxy."

Galaxy threw the towel up on a rack and paced around as the elevator grew louder, meaning closer. Her eyes scanned the shelves and trolleys for something she could use. "Fine then, you brought strange ponies into my personal work space in my personal garage in my personal freaking building. Mine. Now I have to look all presentable and stuff. How in Tartarus am I supposed to look presentable in a garage work area? It's paradoxical. I'm going to have to show up at the Grand Galloping Gala next time in overalls and a grimy tank top just to make it ev-aha! Here we go, they'll eat these up!"

Galaxy grabbed a box from a shelf and turned back toward the elevator just as it dinged. The doors opened and three unicorns, two earth ponies, and a pegasus walked out, all in matching grey suits that did a disturbing job of making them blend in to the concrete walls. Galaxy had to try not to laugh at this. "Hello, members of the board. It's always such a pleasure to see you."

The lime-green pegasus, Storm Chaser, Galaxy thought his name was, took a long look around the machine-littered garage, before looking at Galaxy with a smile as phony as they come. "And it's always such a pleasure to see you, your highness. It's a shame that we don't get to see you around the offices more often, but some things can't be helped I suppose."

"No, I suppose they can't." Galaxy levitated over some folding chairs and a table from a corner and sat down, setting the box beside her, before looking over at Cello. "You're dismissed. Go and get yourself some donuts or something." Then as Cello hurried away to the elevator, she looked back at Chaser and the others. "So then, what's the big occasion to make you really need to see me? Someone lock you out of Armor Towers' meeting room?"

One of the earth ponies, a dull brown mare called Weaver, took the chair facing Galaxy. She fixed Galaxy in place with a stare. "We're here because we have several concerns regarding the company's future direction."

The other earth pony, a grey stallion, spoke up next. "This year is the 110th anniversary of ArmEx Enterprises. For sixty of those years we have dominated the industrial military production, airship production, and computer research in Equestria. But times are changing. What was popular or important last year isn't anymore. Shareholders want to know that there is a future they can believe in with this company."

Galaxy, who had done her very best to pay attention while the other pony talked, nodded and lay back in her seat. "Right." She took four clunky metal boots from the box beside her and started slipping them on. "And as majority shareholder in the company, descendant of the founders, CEO of the company, and princess, you need my permission to... do what now?"

"We need your signature more than anything else," answered Chaser. From a suitcase he brought out several tan folders and set them on the table. "We have pending military contracts with Germaney, the Gryphon Kingdoms, and Camelu just waiting for you to make them official, as well as a possible future contract with the Crystal Empire. What we are looking at here is a possible quadrupling of our... what are you doing?"

Galaxy finished securing the last boot, before double-checking to make sure every strap was as it needed to be. She then shot a smug little grin at the ponies in suits and hopped off her chair and moved to a relatively open area of the garage, eager to see the looks on their faces at what she was about to do next. "Just demonstrating MY company's new direction. Until only a few centuries ago, the sky was the dominion of pegasi and other fliers, and unicorns and earth ponies had to be content with the ground. Even today we can have only a pale imitation with airships and speeders. Today, that all changes."

A spark of magic from Galaxy's horn to activate the charging mechanisms in the boots, and suddenly the grinning unicorn lifted up into the air, blowing away the folders on the table and whipping around the board members' ties with a warm breeze. The bottoms of the four metal boots Galaxy wore glowed a bright electric blue, bright as searchlights in the garage and with a sound comparable to a portable generator's hum.

"Great Luna!" One of the unicorns Galaxy hadn't bothered to learn the name of staggered back a step, awe written on her face. The others all had similar expressions on, except Chaser, who looked shocked in a decidedly unhappy way. She brought a hoof up to hold her mane in place as the breeze blew it around. "Galaxy, ma'am, are those jet boots!?"

"Not quite," answered Galaxy, happy to hear the awe and excitement in the other mare's voice. Perhaps she was one to get to know the name of. "It's repulsor tech. Doesn't need physical fuel like gasoline or whatever." She hovered to the left, then backwards, and then did a little whirl. As she did a smattering of applause came from the watching board members.

"I am sure that I do not have to explain the possibilities of these boots," said Mr. Watches, the futurist of the board and a unicorn who was immensely well-fed. And though he said the possibilities didn't need explaining, he proceeded to anyway. "Hiking trips, for ponies to go where they couldn't otherwise. Or rescue services, to help them get in and out of places it would otherwise take ropes and ladders and three other ponies. Stripped-down versions for fillies and colts to play with, and teams of aerial ballet ponies that AREN'T pegasi. And Mr. Chaser, I'm sure you're excited over the possible military possibilities this presents."

"Oh yes... so excited..." The pegasus did not look excited. In fact, Galaxy thought when she looked at him, he looked miserable. He watched Galaxy hover this way and that around the room, the corners of his lips turning down into the smallest frown. "So tell me... ma'am... are these boots near ready yet? A deadline helps in pitching ideas to buyers."

A few more seconds of hovering around, and then Galaxy went back to approximately where she had started, landed with a soft clank of metal hitting concrete, and began taking the boots off. All the while she talked. "I'm thinking two or three more revisions before they're ready for that. I still need to perfect the energy storage crystals so that earth ponies can activate them. They need slimming down because these clunky versions would kill any self-respecting pony that went into public wearing them. There's also only about seven or eight minutes of hovering per charge, so increasing that would be nice for, oh, probably everybody."

Now that that was done with, Galaxy chucked the boots back into their box and started for the elevator. "Now then, if there's nothing else to discuss, I happen to have a lunch date at the Pavilion to get ready for, and I simply must look my best."

"Actually, there is one last subject to discuss."

Galaxy stopped walking and looked back. Weaver had stooped down to pick up one of the folders that had blown about during the flight, and now she held it out to Galaxy. "The Princess has made a formal request for us to look into the support harness again."

Even before Weaver had finished talking, Galaxy was rolling her eyes and turning away. "The support harness, really? That hold thing? It's a relic, a publicity stunt."

"Well, every company needs a good publicity stunt on occasion," replied Weaver. The earth pony matched pace with Galaxy and held a hoof out to block the elevator open button. "The company, your family's company, ArmEx Enterprises, was started from the design and manufacture of the support harness to hospitals around Equestria-"

"Yeah," interrupted Galaxy, pushing the hoof out of the way. "But that was a long time ago. There hasn't been any advancement in the harness for decades; it's a technological dead end. And it's certainly not fashionable."

The elevator doors opened. Galaxy got in, but before the others could she put up a barrier of magic to stop them. "You can all catch the next one. And Weaver," she fixed the earth pony mare in place with a stare that could have frozen ice. "If you ever block my way again, or do anything that doesn't respect my position above you, I will fire you. And you and your descendants will never work at ArmEx Enterprises or any company related to MY company, ever. Understood?"

"Y-yes, your highness."

The doors slid shut, and so Galaxy missed it as Storm Chaser's expression changed to rage. Rage and hate.

"I've had enough of that royal pain. I want her dead, preferably in a painful fashion. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir. Breakfast will be her last meal."

Galaxy was upset all the way through her shower. She was upset all the way through picking out her red and yellow dress and shoes combo that was certainly not meant to hide her blank flanks. She was upset all the way through her drive to the Pavilion carriage area halfway across Canterlot, not saying a word to her donkey driver beyond where she wanted to be taken. But by the time she had come in sight of the carriage area 10 minutes later she had managed to cool herself down and recollect herself. It would not do to appear angry or upset in any way in public, where there could be photographers and reporters and the paparazzi waiting around every corner. At least, it would not due to appear angry or upset in public without the reason being known.

And so, when Galaxy stepped out of the automobile and looked ahead at the waiting Pavilion, she could look at it with the same awe that such a technological achievement always inspired in her, without it getting spoiled by her previous bad mood.

The Pavilion, simply put, was a massive slab of rock, roughly a fourth the size of the city of Canterlot and reserved for only the richest of the rich and most famous of the famous. Whereas most of Canterlot was built into the mountain, beside the mountain on solid ground, or hanging off the side, the Pavilion floated in midair beside the mountain, kept from falling by Equestria's largest electromagnetic generator in history, connecting the floating isle to the rest of the city by a magnetic beam. Special teams of chariots were kept to ferry visitors to it, where they could find expensive shops, restaurants, and theaters, all only serving the best of the best. The whole thing was a triumph of Equestrian science and prosperity.

Galaxy started walking toward the building where visitors hired out chariots. Before she could make it halfway there however, the sound of an approaching chariot caught Galaxy's attention. She stopped walking and looked to her right. A carefully considered smile broke out on her face as she watched the reason she had come there, the unicorn Glory Belle, coming toward her in a chariot pulled by a pair of golden-yellow pegasi.

"Hello, darling! I hope your morning has been as fantastic as mine!" Glory waved a hoof at Galaxy, before motioning for the pegasi to slow down, and Galaxy waved back. Glory was one of her oldest and closest associates, though Galaxy wouldn't go so far as to say they were friends. Her coat was silvery-white, a fine contrast to the purple mane and tail with blue streaks. Her eyes were olive-green and her cutie mark a purple shooting star, though today it was covered up by the sleek purple dress and hat she wore, matched by a fashionable parasol spread open to give her shade.

Glory was the top jeweler in the city, providing high-quality jewelry to everyone who could afford it. Though the other mare's true passions, Galaxy knew, were for the various charities she helped organize and fund. Such a generous heart.

As soon as the chariot came to a stop in front of Galaxy she climbed on and nodded to Glory. The chariot pullers started moving again without a word, taking to the air and heading for the Pavilion. "My day's been interesting, at least. Nothing really important, other than getting banned from all Wonderbolt shows."

Glory let out a hmmph and stuck her nose up in the air. "Well if you ask me, that can only be a good thing. I never had a taste for racing and aerial shows, honestly. The outfits are just garish, there's no room for them to accessorize, and once you've seen one show you've seen them all. My older sister, bless her heart, loved them, but I just can't. Why, I could get more entertainment watching these two pegasi pulling us." Glory looked ahead after saying this, watching the two chariot pullers with a soft blush growing on her cheeks. "Mmm, the right one certainly has a nice flank."

Galaxy brought a hoof to her face and groaned. "Focus, Glory. We're talking about me right now. You can waste time ogling the stallions later."

"Right, right, of course. I know exactly what we need to do." Glory grinned and gave a bat of her shining eyes. "A full day on the Pavilion is exactly what the doctor ordered. First we'll have lunch at this charming little café I found the other night, just off the main boulevard. Then we'll catch a movie, followed by a trip to the mall. Finally, imported gelato. All paid for by yours truly, of course."

"Of course," responded Galaxy, finding the plan enticing even though she didn't care for gelato. "Nothing else could be expected."

A few moments more idle chatter between the two, and then their chariot was coasting to a stop along the landing area reserved for the chariots. Galaxy and Glory disembarked, Glory giving her usual generous tip, and then the pair was trotting down the main boulevard, sharing the gossip of the week.

Glory, more involved with the goings-on of the Canterlot social scene than Galaxy, did most of the talking. She told Galaxy about the new drafthouse being built in far-off Appleloosa, about the latest monetary scandal in Parliament, about military movements being overseen by Prince Oren, how his son Lir still showed no interest in any sort of courtship, and a dozen other myriad topics. Galaxy was truly interested in little of it, but decorum meant paying it all the utmost attention. When dealing with the elite, decorum meant everything.

"So how about you then, my dear? Tell me how you got yourself banned from all future Wonderbolts shows?"

Galaxy told her. At the end Glory shook her head and sighed as they turned off onto a side street. "You are truly minor royalty, with all the chivalry and respectability to be expected. If I could have a true boyfriend, I definitely would."

"Yeah, sure." Something bothered Galaxy as they walked down the street and eyed the fancy storefronts. There were the usual ponies asking her to attend dinner parties and operas and social functions, all of which Galaxy accepted but few she planned to actually attend. This would have been the norm wherever she went in Canterlot. But where were all the paparazzi? Where were the click and flash of cameras from unexpected angles? Where were the insistent young ponies asking inappropriate questions that she loved giving ridiculous answers to? What did she not know?"

They turned the corner onto the street Glory claimed the restaurant was on, and Galaxy got her answer. Sitting at a table in front of a café halfway down the street from them, his pearly white fur and pink eyes recognizable from anywhere, sat Prince Oren, leader of the diamond dogs. The large canine was dressed in a black, sleeveless vest and a diamond-studded collar. He sat sipping a coffee and staring off into nowhere, doing his best to ignore the throng of ponies surrounding him and looking miserable while doing it. Galaxy could guess why.

Glory saw what was going on almost as fast as Galaxy did. When she did she let out a school-girl squeal and danced in place. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!"

Galaxy facehoofed. "Glory…"

At the sound of Glory's squeal Oren's ears perked up. The diamond wolf looked around for the source and, seeing the two new ponies, smiled and beckoned them over. As they came he turned to the ponies surrounding him and bared his fangs. "Get lost, all of you, before my wife banishes you all to the moon."

They got lost, giving the two approaching ponies a wide berth. Galaxy had to chuckle at this, knowing the threat to be an empty one. She then stopped at the extra-large table and inclined her head to the higher noble. "Your majesty.

Oren waved a wand, a silver glow surrounding it and two chairs slid from the table. "Princess Galaxy, Miss Glory Belle. Thank ye kindly for the timely arrival. I was just about to lose my mind there. I hate crowds."

"W-well, it's our pleasure to help." Glory looked about ready to swoon. As Galaxy took one of the offered chairs she thought it a wonder her fellow unicorn managed to do the same without fainting. Coherent words around the alicorn-sized diamond wolf were an even bigger surprise.

The waitress, a mousy little cream-colored pegasus, came over to get their orders. Galaxy ordered a coffee, no cream or sugar, and caramelized pears. Glory ordered almond croissants and a hay smoothie. The waitress left and Galaxy turned to look at Oren. "I'm surprised to see you in Canterlot. I'm even more surprised to see you on the Pavilion. For a guy like you, did they open up an army recruitment center here or something?"

The diamond wolf chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing like that. Just visiting the family. The wife's around here somewhere, shopping to her heart's content. Don't know why, she just told me she enjoys it more than having every outfit made to order." Oren sighed and shook his head again. "One hundred and fifty years together, and she's still as inscrutable as the night."

The waitress came back with their drinks. Not being an overly romantic pony, Galaxy didn't know about the night being inscrutable, so she decided to just sip her coffee and stay quiet.

Glory, however, was quite the romantic. The purple-maned unicorn let out a happy sigh and got a dreamy look in her eyes. "It must be so wonderful to have your soul mate, someone to stand beside you and love you just for who you are, not anything that you can do for them. I've looked, but I've just never been able to find a stallion like that for me."

Galaxy snorted and took a deep gulp of her coffee, wondering where the waitress had gotten off to. "Well, don't hold your breath waiting. You're a great gal, Glory, but high-class elites at our level don't exactly have much opportunity for 'true love'. These ponies and whatever we're surrounded with are only going to be interested in prestige and their social standing. There's really not much else to it."

Now Glory was glaring at the pink mare. "You're only saying that because that's what you think. I'd rather hope differently, thank you very much."

Galaxy shrugged and finished her coffee. "If you insist. Where in Tartarus did that waitress get to?"

At these words Oren sat up stock-straight in his seat, hand leaving his glass of tea and going to his hip. It was only then Galaxy noticed that, along with his black vest and collar, the diamond wolf also wore a belt. And attached to that belt, gleaming silver in its holster, rested the first revolver Galaxy had ever seen. "Ore... Prince Oren... what is the mat-"

The diamond wolf silenced her with one upraised hand, while with his other hand he drew out his revolver. "I think that right now it would be better to refer to me by my other title." His ears were perked up, his eyes flicking left and right, scanning the area. "General Oren."

Glory stood up, her knees quivering. "Galaxy, perhaps we should-"

A sound, like a soft thump, was heard. Oren turned toward the street, gun raised, but before anything else happened a metal orb the size of a baseball landed on the table between them all. Galaxy had a moment to read ArmEx printed on the side, before the orb opened up and released a shockwave of gold energy.

Oren staggered from the force but kept standing. Glory teleported away as soon as she saw the orb. But Galaxy didn't have the physical strength to withstand the blast, and she had never bothered learning how to teleport. She was sent flying, tumbling head over heels clear across the street, only stopping when she slammed back-first into a bank's decorative pillar. It was a bad landing that dominated Galaxy's hearing with a sound like the snapping of many dried twigs. She fell to the sidewalk with her world enflamed with pain, mind-rending pain that made the mare want only to crawl into a corner and die. But she couldn't. Galaxy struggled, but her hind legs wouldn't move.

"Help… someone… help…"

All around Galaxy was chaos; ponies screaming, gunshots, magic crackling through the air, and more explosions. And something else, barely coming in through the haze of pain in Galaxy's mind. Cries of a new Tambelon, and the sky belonging to real flyers…
Something hard and metallic bounced off Galaxy's head and landed with a clunk beside her. She had a moment to stare wide-eyed at the grenade on the ground four inches from her face. "Oh."

A deafening boom, and then the world went dark.

Galaxy woke up and felt soft sheets covering her and a stiff bed beneath her. She had no idea where she was or how she had gotten into a bed. Her last few memories were fuzzy. Somewhere she heard the drip-drip of an IV. A hospital. The sheets felt heavy. She was cold and hot. A window was open, her neck hurt, gossip about Parliament scandals, bandages covering her eyes, thoughts…

Galaxy slowly collected her thoughts, got them under control. There had been some sort of attack on the Pavilion. She had been hurt…

"Galaxy, I can feel that you are awake."

Galaxy flinched at the sudden voice from somewhere to her left, her muscles instantly protesting the sudden movement. She turned her head and tried to see through the bandages. "Princess Celestia, is that you?" Talking hurt, like her voice hadn't been used for a long while.

"Yes, it is, my little pony." Galaxy felt a large hoof gently caress her cheek. "It is so good to hear your voice again, my niece. I was so worried for you after I heard what happened on the Pavilion." Celestia's voice cracked, and Galaxy knew, knew without seeing, that the alicorn was crying or had cried. "These last few weeks have been a nightmare."

"Last f-few weeks?" Galaxy whimpered, both from those words and the pain speaking them brought her, but pressed on. This was too big not to press on. "What happened that day? Who were they? Where am I? What's New Tambelon? Was anyone else hurt? Why can't I-"

Celestia's hoof caressed Galaxy's cheek again, quieting her. "Please, don't overexert yourself so soon, you might get hurt. I will answer all your questions as well as I can, though I will have to ask you some as well. Do you understand?"

Galaxy nodded, forcing back a sob. "Yes, Princess."

Silence for a few seconds, as Galaxy assumed Princess Celestia gathered her thoughts. Then the alicorn spoke. "This is what I know. The attack on the Pavilion was perpetrated by a rogue group of gryphons and pegasi that calls itself New Tambelon, after the dark gryphon city of old. They are supremacists that believe only natural flyers should have access to the skies, and see airships, helicopters, and all other forms of unnatural flight an affront to them. An attack on the Pavilion itself makes sense."

A pause for breath. "14 other ponies were injured, and two killed. Oren was injured as well, but managed to stop the… the t-terrorists before they could kill anymore. Before you ask, your friend Glory is fine. She's been staying here and watching over you as often as she can. She's a real sweetie, that one. As for where you are, you are in the castle's private medical ward, to receive the best possible care. However... your injuries were severe. Very severe. I had to step in just to keep you alive."

Galaxy forced back another sob. It was becoming harder and harder to do. And yet, the mare noticed with some horror, she could not feel tears forming around her eyes. She actually wanted to cry, but it wasn't coming. "What... what were my injuries?"

Silence. Galaxy forced her way through the ache and pulled herself up into a sitting position, back against the headboard. She had to drag her lower legs. "Princess Celes... Auntie Celestia, what were my injuries?"

Though Galaxy couldn't see the look of sorrow on the elder princess's face, she could hear it in her voice, making the bedridden mare wonder how often through the millennia Celestia had been in this position. "Your spine was shattered when you struck that pillar. Doctors repaired it as best they could, but for now on you will need one of your own company's support harnesses to walk."

"That's not the worst of the news, is it?"

In answer, Galaxy felt an electrical tingle over her face; the telltale sensation of magic. Slowly the bandages began unwrapping. "Galaxy," said Princess Celestia, "I need you to remain calm. I can assure you that this isn't the worst thing that could have happened."

This didn't reassure Galaxy at all. She squirmed where she lay and frowned as the world around her gradually grew brighter as the coverings were taken off.

Then the bandages were gone. Galaxy blinked several times as she adjusted to seeing again after such a long time, and found the world to have a very slight red tint to it. "I don't-" Princess Celestia levitated over a mirror from the bedside table. Galaxy stared into it for nearly a minute, but to the unicorn it felt far, far longer as she took in her new visage.

Where her flesh eyes had once been, there now rested in her sockets fire-red gems carved into the shape of eyes. They were beautiful, no doubt, burning with a faint inner light like fire, but unlike anything Galaxy had ever seen. "They're... enchanted fire rubies, right?"

"Yes."

Galaxy examined herself further. The skin around each eye was raw and scarred, from the initial injury or subsequent surgery Galaxy wasn't sure. There were more little scars scattered over her face, with one extending from the right corner of her lips so she had half a Glasgow smile. "My looks are ruined."

"I'm afraid so."

Galaxy knocked the mirror away with a hoof, listening to it shatter on the floor. She had one Equestria's Most Beautiful Mare three times and Canterlot's Most Beautiful four times. She had won so many lovers with her looks, gotten her way so many times with her looks. She couldn't count the number of magazines with her face on the cover, and now all of that would be a mocking reminder of what she had lost.

The sound of a cough from beside the bed made Galaxy look over to the source. Celestia looked as bad as she had sounded, but still managed to offer a smile. "There are more important things in this world than looks, which I suppose I should have told you when you bribed all those beauty pageant judges. You still have your friends, and you still have your life."

At this Galaxy snorted and looked away. "You don't know me very well, I guess. I don't have friends. I don't need friends. I am Equestrian royalty, better than the common pony, and I..." a light bulb went off in Galaxy's head. Fire rubies. She looked back at Celestia in shock. "These are the third-rarest gemstone in the world. They can't be found in nature, they can only be grown. Only one unicorn in Canterlot cultivates them…"

The door into the hospital room opened. Glory came in carrying a stack of takeout boxes with her magic. "Princess Celestia, I brought donuts for the wai-" The unicorn noticed Galaxy staring at her and stopped to stare back. The next moment Celestia had to catch the boxes as Glory ran to hug the bedridden pony. "Galaxy, you're awake! I was so worried for you!" This was what the others gathered from the dramatic weeping the unicorn let out. "I'm so sorry I l-left you there like that! I'd, I'd forgotten that you can't teleport!"

Galaxy returned the hug, squeezing Glory as tightly as she could with her weakened forelegs. She couldn't cry, but she wished she could. "Glory... Glory, stop crying. I forgive you. But look at me." Galaxy pulled back a little to look Glory in the eyes. "Two fire rubies, Glory. These take months to ripen, sometimes years. You must've nearly crippled your fortune making these for me."

Glory sniffled and wiped at the tears staining her cheeks. "We-well, they were the only gems worthy of my one, true friend. My sister taught me all about being generous to others. I couldn't let you get by with mere diamonds or sapphires."

"Oh Glory." Galaxy returned to hugging her friend. And that was what the other mare was now. Not just an acquaintance, not just an associate, but a friend.

Celestia smiled and set the donut boxes down, before turning for the door. "I'll give you two some privacy, it looks like you have a lot to catch up on. Don't worry about New Tambelon, I promise that neither I or my sister Luna will rest until they are brought to justice for their attack. The doctors say your injuries are healed for the most part, Galaxy, so just another day or two here to get you fitted for a support harness and you can leave. Goodbye."

As soon as the alicorn princess was out of the room and the door was closed, Galaxy broke the hug and gently but firmly pushed Glory away. "I was the target of that attack, not the Pavilion."

"What?" Glory stared at her aghast. "Darling, how could you think that?"

"Because," answered Galaxy, "if they wanted to bring down the pavilion they would've attacked the electromagnetic generators holding it to the cliff's side, not some random café. That, and I can't believe it's mere coincidence that the attack happened mere hours after I showed off jet boots to my company's board of directors. One of which is a pegasus who is really bad at hiding he doesn't like me."

To Galaxy's relief the look on her friend's face was changing from shock to understanding. She still looked unconvinced, though. "Well, okay, it makes sense, but you need proof if you want to take this to anyone."

"I'm not going to be taking this to anyone." Galaxy's mind was swarming with thoughts, ideas she had to get down and get to work on. She looked around, spotted a notebook and pen on the nightstand, grabbed them with her magic, and started drawing. "And the proof is in the attack, only I'm the only one who knows. Those weren't mere grenades, they were repulsor charges. I designed them for construction and demolition, not war. They harness a small magic charge and release it in a burst of pure concussive force, to clear away debris and other stuff. Only I and a few others in the company now about that project, including the pegasus. Storm Chaser."

Glory bent over to look at the diagrams and equations being written down. Galaxy let her, trusting her more than any other pony at the moment. Even so, it was clear from the white unicorn's face that she couldn't make heads or tails of them. "Darling, what is all this?"

"I've been hurt, scarred, and humiliated. My own company, my reputation and legacy, used to hurt me. I won't stand for that." That first page taken up, Galaxy flipped to a new page and continued. "The day of the attack, Princess Celestia asked me to take another look at the support harness." She looked up at Glory, her gaze in that moment harder than mere crystal. "I'm taking another look."

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, or any of the ideas or characters related to it. I do not own Iron Man, and I don't work for Marvel. I don't own the music. I make no money from this writing.

My Little Pony

IRON MARE
Chapter 2

Four days after getting out of the hospital, Galaxy was already well into the construction of the first suit. The project was kept secret down in her personal garage work area, away from her company and unknown by anyone else except Glory and Cello. They had been supportive of the project, to Galaxy's honest surprise, both offering to help in whatever way they could. It seemed Galaxy had two, not one, friends. Or perhaps it was pity on Cello's part; Galaxy didn't know or particularly care.

Integrating the repulsor boots into the design of the support harness, Galaxy found, solved the problems she had been having with both. A central power source of sufficient strength located around the chest area of the suit and feeding into secondary batteries in the boots themselves overcame the flight ceiling problem. At the same time, the already-armored nature of the boots gave Galaxy the idea of how to proceed. With an armored outer layer protecting the user, her, from the G-forces of flight and other possible injuries, stronger and more dangerous power sources could be safely used.

"Palladium will serve well enough as a capacitor, for now at least." There was the whir of motors and servos as Galaxy walked around her lab, overseeing several computers as they ran the numbers. Monitors shone bright blue, displaying diagrams, calculations, schematics, and everything else she might need. Next to the main computer display sat a voice recorder.

"With the reactor outside my body I won't have to worry about poisoning, but there are upper limits to palladium's energy capacity that I'm uncomfortable with. Special gems can be used to harness, focus, and direct the energy, but too much strain could shatter them and damage the suit. Dark Realm? No, out of the question. Magic is an option, but a skilled enough unicorn or other magic user could harness it against me. Even ignoring that, there are too many variations of the simple magic drain spell to account for all of them. I need..."

Galaxy stopped in front of one computer screen and stared at it for a while. It displayed the bare-bones schematics for the very latest version of the support harness... which to Galaxy's growing shame was ten years old and twenty years out of date of what it could have been. At some point contentment had settled in, and with it came apathy. Apathy was the killer of invention, and what Galaxy needed most of all at the moment was great invention.

The click of the recorder stopping from the silence snapped Galaxy out of her thoughts and back to the moment. She turned her head to examine the support harness she was wearing. Thick, jointed metal struts supported her legs, the movement enhanced by servos powered by little motors. The struts connected to a flexible length of metal tubing running the length of her spine from the back of her skull to just above her tail. This was partially fused to her back, capable of being removed for maintenance. Inside the tube was a complicated array of crystals and wires that allowed magic and thoughts to bypass broken back and move her body. Blinking blue LED lights revealed her general health to the world.

She needed to create a better version of the harness before she could proceed. She needed to ship in the correct materials for everything. She needed to study flight engineering and calculate vectors and design targeting systems and... and...

Galaxy looked at the elevator, her thoughts turning to the fully-stocked bar up in her apartment suite. Her legs started moving. "I need a drink."

Night was Glory's favorite time. It had been ever since she was a filly, staying up late to gaze at the moon and star-filled sky with her sister. The night had been so peaceful back then. But then the cities had grown, and with them the light pollution to block out the weaker stars. Along with this, the sound of car and plane engines and blaring horns went a long ways in ruining the peaceful ambience. But still, late-night strolls did wonders for her stress. And lately, Glory Belle had been feeling very, very stressed.

"Well hey, beautiful. Walk these streets often?"

Glory looked behind her and smiled at the sight of a donkey, his messy suit and untied tie telling her he was a well-to-do citizen, perhaps a businessman that had just left one of the Pavilion's many nighttime bars. He certainly smelled the part.

As the donkey came closer with a slow, unsteady gate, Glory turned to face him fully, dragging her tongue across her lips to make her blood-red lipstick shine in the soft light of the moon. "Sure do, you handsome fellow. And a nice, healthy male like you are just what I was looking for."

The donkey's face lit up in a blush. "G-gosh! Forward, aren't we? Heh, I like that. Where should we take this, sweetie?"

A limousine rumbled past. Glory looked at it, saw her red eyes and lengthened canines reflected back at her in one of the blacked-out windows, turned back to the donkey, and then turned to strut down the sidewalk just a few feet to a darkened alleyway. She turned completely around to face him again, smiling as the donkey followed her into the shadows without question.

"Just relax, darling, and remember. When you wake up tomorrow, you asked for this."

"Hup, buumg, bleeegh .... mmmbuueeeeeghhh..."

Galaxy groaned, her stomach roiling as she slumped against the toilet. Her body shook as she fought to keep from puking again. "I'm sick... so sick... I think I'm dying"

Cello sighed and patted his employer's shoulder, while chucking an empty wine bottle into the trash can beside the toilet. "That's ten bottles in as many days, ma'am. I understand that these are trying times for you, but trying to drink them away is just idiotic. I always took you for a child, but not an idiot."

"Shut up, Cello..." Galaxy gripped the sides of the bowl with her forehooves and heaved again, but nothing came out but spit and stomach juices. She had rid herself of both lunch and breakfast, courtesy of three Vodka Martinis and a glass of Cabernet. Not her finest moment.

Galaxy looked at the previous contents of her stomach now swirling aimlessly in the toilet, and wondered in a mild craze if she could see shapes in it like someone could see shapes in clouds. Then she spit out some gunk and pushed herself up, rolling around to lean against the wall between the toilet and the sink. She looked at the wall across from her, the light-pink wallpaper turned red by her gem eyes, but didn't really see it. Her thoughts were on the support harness, the growing exo-suit, the betrayal in her inherited company; on everything. "I thought I was perfect... but it's all... so much..."

"Galaxy?"

At her name Galaxy turned her head to look at Cello. "Do you... have any idea what it means to still be a blank flank at my age? Any idea what it means to me?"

The stallion shook his head, as Galaxy expected he would. "I'm sorry, no. I got my cutie mark at around the regular age, playing my favorite instrument to entertain some foals I was babysitting. In fact, I was the youngest of my family to ever get a cutie mark."

"Yeah, I didn't think you would." Galaxy let out a snort and made to stand up. But then the room swayed around her and she decided to keep sitting there for a little longer. Grabbing a towel with her magic Galaxy wet it and started cleaning her mouth and cheeks. "Two weeks ago, I almost died."

"Yes, I know, Glory told me-"

"No you don't know!" Galaxy let out a scream, wadded the towel up, and threw it away from her. "I nearly died...with nothing to show for it! Nothing accomplished, nothing achieved, nothing to leave a mark on the world, not even a cutie mark." Galaxy wanted to cry. She needed to cry more than she ever had before. But she couldn't, and that made her want to cry all the more. "Except... except that's not true. I did leave a mark on this world. Other ponies died in that attack that was meant to kill me. Other ponies, all with their cutie marks and all with a real effect on the world. That's my legacy. When I die the papers will say 'Famed Blank Flank Took Away Lives'! If they say anything at all! Blast it, I... I SHOULDN'T BE ALIVE AT ALL!"

Cello slapped Galaxy's cheek. She stared up at him, utterly dumbfounded, and brought a hoof up to touch where she'd been hit. He glared back down at her, stern and unyielding, almost in contempt. "Don't you ever say that again. Not ever again."

She continued to stare at him, her mind whirling as she tried to comprehend this. "But it's-"

He slapped her again, the other cheek this time. "Not ever again. If you shouldn't be alive at all, if even one pony shouldn't be alive at all, then NO pony should be alive, ever. Nothing makes you special like that."

Galaxy stared up at Cello a few seconds more, before forcing herself to stand up. Her support harness whirred as it worked to compensate for her staggering, a noise she found herself hating. Or maybe she hated Cello. Or herself. "If I should be alive, then why? Why am I alive when others aren't?"

"You're alive," answered Cello, "because Miss Glory Belle and Princess Celestia and a great many others worked to keep you alive. Because some angry pegasi and gryphons tried to kill you and failed. Because this suit you're building will be the most important creation ever. You must build it."

Galaxy staggered over to the sink and turned it on, filling the basin with water. Cello continued as she ducked her face in. "You're scared about what kind of legacy you're leaving. Well, your highness, you never knew them, but your parents left the whole world to you as their legacy. Those ponies that died when you didn't, that's their legacy to you. So are you going to honor those legacies, or should I open up another bottle for you?"

Galaxy pulled her face out of the basin. Water dripped from her cheek and nose, her chest hurt as she gasped for air, but most important to her, the skin around her gem eyes felt hot and wet. Hot and wet like tears. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment and, at least for the moment, did not hate what she saw.

"Cello, open that bottle." Galaxy turned from the mirror and pushed past the stallion for the door. "I'd like a drink while I work."

"Are those what I think they are, darling?"

Galaxy looked up as Glory entered her bedroom, the other mare today wearing a brilliant blue blouse. Galaxy looked back down at the two golden tickets she held in front of her with her magic, and then passed one over to Glory. "Yes, they certainly are what you think they are. Tickets to this year's Grand Galloping Gala."

Glory took the ticket with her own magic and trotted over to a couch set in front of the bank of TV screens. "Oh, this is so great! I was worried, you know, that with the recent troubles with that horrid group New Tambelon, the Gala would be canceled this year. Oh, I must have some dresses commissioned over at my distant cousin's place. Something to match the brilliance of your eyes, for sure."

"If you insist something like that can be done in a mere two weeks. I mean, since it'd be impossible for a dress to match the brilliance of my mind…" Galaxy shared a grin and chuckle with the other mare, sat down on the opposite end of the couch, and turned the main TV on while popping open a champagne bottle. She poured herself a glass, then another for Glory, and then put the bottle back in its ice bucket. "Anyways, I figure this will be as good a time as any to get back into the public eye. A straight month of being busy here... yeah, the Grand Galloping Gala will do just fine."

Glory took a sip of her drink and shook her head. "Well, if I recall correctly, I've been saying you should get back into the public eye all this time. It's been your decision to spend all your time working on that... that suit in the lab." She took another sip. "Are you quite sure you can't just go to Princess Celestia with your suspicions? I'm sure she would believe you at least enough to take Storm Chaser in for questions."

Galaxy shook her head. Finding the sports channel the TV was on to be boring, she grabbed the remote and started changing channels until she came upon a news channel those were always good for background noise. Refilling her glass, Galaxy shook her head again. "No thanks. This problem is personal. I want that pegasus to answer to me. Then Celestia and the judicial system can have whatever's left."

"If you insist. I still think... think that... Galaxy, quick, turn that up."

Galaxy looked over at the TV, caught sight of video showing trees burning, and turned up the volume at once. She caught the voiceover mid-sentence.

"-rrived on the scene soon after the blaze started, local firefighting units were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the blaze. By the time help arrived from Canterlot and other neighboring towns, the fire was estimated to have consumed nearly half of the apple orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. By the time the blaze was extinguished it is estimated that nearly seventy percent of the trees were lost."

The video on the screen changed to show a damaged farmhouse. Standing in front of the house, facing the camera and looking utterly devastated, were a yellow-coated earth pony stallion with a red mane, a green-coated earth pony mare with an orange mane, and an earth pony mare with her father's coat and her mother's mane. She was just a little younger than Galaxy, and wore the most tattered, beat-up old Stetson Galaxy had ever seen.

The voiceover continued. "Sweet Apple Acres, the oldest apple farm in Equestria and main provider of apples and apple-related products to the nation, is not a stranger to the national spotlight. Members of the Apple family have long worked as pioneers and town starters, and proudly counts three Apple ponies among the ranks of Element of Harmony bearers. One of these ponies went on to found a new line of apple farmers in the neighboring country of Gildedale, who even now are sending all possible aid to their Equestrian family. Despite this, it is doubtful if Sweet Apple Acres will be able to recover from such a terrible loss."

The video switched back to unicorn newscaster in front of the gate to Sweet Apple Acres, her light-blue coat marred in places by the smoke still drifting from burnt trees. "As for what started the fire, investigations are still ongoing. One clue, however, may rest in the phrase 'New Tambelon' carved into the Apple family's front door. Official in Ponyville have not-"

Galaxy turned the TV off and slumped back on the couch. A few feet from her Glory fidgeted in place, looking back and forth between Galaxy and the TV, as if wondering what to say, or if she should say anything at all.

After nearly half a minute of silence, Galaxy found the words she needed to say. "It's not personal. It was, but now... now it isn't."

Galaxy felt Glory's gaze on her. "What are you going to do now?"

That, Galaxy didn't know. Standing up, she cast another look at the TV before walking around the couch to the full-sized window. From there she watched Canterlot and its ponies go about daily life. From that high tower she could see it all, her mind grasping on to every detail as she thought and thought. It was mid-afternoon, the sun slowly coasting to the west, starting to cast a golden shimmer on the world. A blimp passed by, advertising the next big Wonderbolt show. Farther away a pegasus in a mailmare uniform flew by, a trail of letters and, oddly enough, muffins, falling behind her. From somewhere down on the streets drifted up music, perhaps from someone's boom box or open-windowed care, Galaxy didn't know. It was a perfectly fine day in Canterlot, while miles away Ponyville was having a terrible day. Thoughts of those sad, defeated faces tormented her.

Glory joined Galaxy by the window. "Gal, darling? What are you going to do now? If it's not personal anymore, what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know." Galaxy looked over her shoulder to where she'd set the Gala tickets down on the table. Suddenly, she did know. "ArmEx is going to be making a very grand public gesture to Sweet Apple Acres during the Gala. I'm not gonna let them fail." She looked back at Glory. "And don't bother with the new Gala dress. I have a suit to wear."

Cello split his attention between watching Galaxy test the suit's leg joints for full range of movement, and examining the planned flight controls for the suit displayed on the computer screen in front of him. They were easy enough to follow, mostly about using the forelegs steer and the rear legs to propel. Repulsors would be controlled through specific movement of leg muscles, while the other weapons, and there were plenty, would be either voice or mental command. And the weapons themselves were works of art.

"Your highness, you are a true genius."

"The attack must take place at the Gala. It MUST. Galaxy will be there. There is no room for mistake this time."

Princess Celestia examined the rows of computer screens set up to display up-to-date calculations and revisions; the intricate assembly line of robotic arms and sliding compartments; the tunnel leading out of the garage and to the streets, modified to handle not just cars, but something flying as well; watched as her closest remaining cousin readied for the upcoming test, tying her mane up tight against her head and neck to keep it out of the way.

What the princess of the sun found herself feeling more than anything else was a strange pride, as well as concern. "Thank you for coming to me with your suspicions, Galaxy. I will ask my sister to discreetly look into Storm Chaser. She and her husband are better at that sort of thing than I am. Are you sure you need to do this though?"

Galaxy finished typing a command into the main computer, and then hopped up onto the make-shift assembly area's platform. As she did she thought over Celestia's question and found that yes, indeed, she did need to do this. "Totally. I already talked to, well…just about all of my two friends about it. But uh, basically, I'm mortal. I'm going to leave a legacy behind, be remembered for great things. Also, I really want to punch Storm Chaser in the face. Now then, would you mind pressing the Enter button on the computer I was just at?"

Celestia pressed the button. At once the machinery came to life, compartments sliding open to allow the robotic arms to take out pieces of armor and electronics. The floor opened up in squares beneath Galaxy's hooves, sleek metal boots sliding up into place and connecting to the leg supports Galaxy already wore. The garage echoed with the whir and hum of machinery as Galaxy was covered up, pieces locking into place on the support harness with a click. Last was the helmet, built with protective areas for her ears and horn. The faceplate slid over Galaxy's face, the eye slits lighting up with the same red hue as the unicorn's gem eyes, and it was done. The entire process took less than a minute.

Celestia looked Galaxy over as the armored pony stepped off the platform. "Very impressive. But, when I requested you take another look at the support harness, this isn't exactly what I had in mind." This was said with a chuckle and grin.

Galaxy shrugged. "I'm an overachiever. This is just the testing prototype though. Later I'll install the weapon systems, targeting systems, programs for identifying peoples and technologies I encounter, radio, surround sound, shovel…"

Celestia laughed at those last few. "In other words, New Tambelon will wish it had never even been an idea."

Galaxy marched over to the alicorn, armored steps ringing in the enclosed space. When she was three feet away she stopped and glared. "I'm going to make Storm Chaser and New Tambelon wish they'd never broken my back and taken my eyes. That they never hurt the Apples. Now if you excuse me, I have some test flights to do."

"Galax-" But Galaxy had already leapt into the air, repulsor boots igniting to send her flying down the tunnel and out of the garage. Celestia watched the unicorn go, before sighing and turning to leave through the elevator like a normal pony would, her thoughts in turmoil. "I must leave it all to you then, my dear Princess Galaxy. You are spoiled, immature, proud, and arrogant... but you are more pony than royalty. You can do things now that we no longer can."

The elevator doors closed behind her. "The world is moving on."

Flying was the most awesomely fun thing Galaxy had ever experienced in her entire life. Nothing she could think of compared to it, before or since. "Perhaps a little show at the Grand Galloping Gala is called for. Who says the Wonderbolts get to have all the fun…"

"Into the Gala, into the Gala!

And we'll have the best night ever!

At the Gala!"

As the echoes of the last few lines faded into the night, the ponies that had gathered on the expansive lawn in front of Canterlot Castle started to head inside. They went singly, in couplings of two or three, and in small bunches. They were all chatting away, chatting and laughing in excitement for the year's grandest party.

Galaxy stepped into the entrance hall, dressed in a slim white dress, red and gold images of starbursts imprinted on the edges. A smile grew on her face as she looked around and took in the familiar surroundings. There were carefully crafted stained-glass windows; there the hallways to the left and right, leading to the ballroom and the VIP area respectively; and there stood Princess Celestia at the top of the steps leading deeper into the castle, greeting the various dignitaries and other guests that wanted to say hello. The line was long, so Galaxy settled for a nod and smile to Celestia, which the alicorn returned.

"Well golly! Ah've never seen anything quite like this place before!"

Galaxy turned to look at her guest for the evening standing a couple feet away, yellow and orange mare that would one day run Sweet Apple Acres, Golden Cider. The earth pony was cleaned up and dressed in an old-fashioned but still beautiful saddle and dress combo of green and brown, and the Stetson remained perched atop her head. Beyond that, the only amount of "frou-frouing up" the farmpony had allowed were a hot bath with lots of soap and a good brushing.

Galaxy chuckled at the awed look on the other mare's face, going over to stand beside her. "First time off the farm and away from Ponyville I imagine? Must be weird."

Golden Cider shook her head. "No, all them ponies singing that song outside was weird. This is just... wow. Didja really grow up here, Princess Galaxy, ma'am?"

"I did." Galaxy began leading her guest down the hall to the VIP area, where refreshments could be found. "My parents... weren't around to raise me, so Princess Celestia took me in. Though obviously she didn't have the time to raise me herself. Servants did that. Still, they were good years."

"Ah can imagine somepony like you enjoying that. Me, Ah don't know what Ah'd do without some dirt on my hooves and some work to get done. Though, with the farm how it is now..." Cider paused a moment, her eyes growing moist and ears folding back. "Well, it's just gonna take a lot of work to get things back the way they were. Thanks for promising to financially support us while that happens."

They passed a gryphon in military dress who nodded toward the pair. Galaxy nodded back, and then they were in the VIP area, ponies of all types crowding the large room, and Cider spoke again. "Not to sound ungrateful though, but why didja offer to support us? And bring me here, for that matter?"

Galaxy waited until they were at the refreshment table near the exit out into the garden before answering, to gather her thoughts. "Let's just say that I feel a certain sense of... responsibility for what happened to Sweet Apple Acres. That's not something I want to get into right now." She ladled them both out some punch, took a sip of hers, and let out a sigh. "That, and having recently gone through a... terrible event on my part, I know what it's like to hurt."

To the earth pony's credit, Cider didn't even glance at the gem eyes, for which Galaxy was grateful. A few moments passed by in silence, where all they did was sip their drinks and look around at the high-class ponies around them, Galaxy mildly wishing she was drinking something stronger than punch. Overall though, she found it surprisingly pleasant.

But then Cider looked over and cleared her throat, ruining everything. "So uh, is it true that you're still a blank-"

The glass in Galaxy's magic grip shattered. Cider instantly shut her mouth as Galaxy glared at her. "That is a subject we never discuss. Ever. Do you understand me, farmer?"

Cider gulped and nodded, knees shaking as she backed away. "Y-yes, um, Princess Galaxy, ma'am. Ah understand completely. Just don't..."

"Don't what?" Galaxy took a step toward the hastily retreating earth pony, but then paused as she noticed that the room around her had grown quiet, far too quiet for the Gala. She looked around and saw the partygoers in the room all silent and staring at her, some worried, some confused, and many clearly scared. Galaxy didn't know why until she caught sight of herself in a mirror set up near the refreshment table. Her gem eyes, the magic inside them reacting to her emotions, had taken on a furious red glow, casting the scarring around her eyes and mouth in stark relief.

At this her anger melted away, leaving Galaxy only with regret. She had not meant to yell. She had not even meant to get angry, but nerves from upcoming events and the unexpected question had caught her off-guard.

Before anything could be done or said however a hoof touched Galaxy's shoulder, and after the bang and flash of a teleportation she suddenly found herself in the heart of the gardens, the hedge maze if she remembered right, outside the castle and away from all those stares.

"It looked like you needed some help getting out of a tight spot, dear niece." Galaxy looked beside her, into the cyan eyes and warm smile of Princess Luna. The princess of the night stood like a shadow in the night, not scary but warm and inviting. It was a warmth Galaxy could not match, so she quickly looked away. Luna frowned and brushed a hoof over the smaller mare's mane. "I learned long ago that it often helps to talk about it. I am always willing to lend an ear to anyone's trouble, especially family."

Galaxy rolled her eyes, brushed away the hoof, and turned away from the taller princess under the pretense of looking around at their surroundings. This was a good pretense, as it was halfway true. Galaxy had not stepped hoof in the gardens since she had moved out of the castle those many years ago, but it remained exactly as she remembered it: beautiful, lively, and exotic. The lush greenery stayed in pristine condition through a combination of automated sprinkler systems, magic enchantments to protect from the worst diseases, and hard work from dedicated groundskeepers. Flowerbeds hummed with the attention of bees and hummingbirds, while from somewhere up in the trees the music of songbirds drifted down. Somewhere out of sight there was the chattering of the animals kept in the garden, and farther of, the voices of ponies.

"You know," said Luna from nearby behind Galaxy, "on my first Nightmare Night, I kept frightening the citizens of Ponyville away from me through how I acted, even though I only wanted to make friends. My problem was solved when I realized that my expectations, firm as steel, were what kept me from being accepted."

"And you think that means you can relate to my situation," said Galaxy, finishing the thought. "Well, Miss Night Light, I don't think you can, because there's a big difference in our situations. You were trying to make friends, and I'm not. Friends are nice to have, but incidental in the grand scheme of things." Even to her own ears, Galaxy's words did not sound fully true. It was too late to stop however. "My help to little Golden Cider in there? Pity. Just pity."

Again Luna came over and brushed a hoof through Galaxy's mane. "Pity can lead to better things, Galaxy. It is contempt that one must be wary of, for it will poison you. Like the contempt those of New Tambelon feel for non-flyers."

Galaxy narrowed her eyes, a scowl coming unbidden to her lips as her thoughts turned to those that had hurt her, had used her company against her. Then she thought about the evening's activities, both planned and... unplanned. Her scowl turned into a smile as she looked back at Luna. "It's nearly time, isn't it?"

Luna sighed, closed her eyes, and nodded. "The pegasus called Storm Chaser has arrived. He's in line to greet Celestia as we speak." She opened her eyes and looked toward the nearby lights of the castle. "There is more to be told, however. We keep very thorough guest lists for the Gala, especially for non-pony attendees. Security has estimated nearly twice as many gryphons here as there should be, yet their tickets seem genuine. It is troubling."

Galaxy didn't care if there were five times as many. If they were New Tambelon agents prepared to make trouble, that would be all the better for the statement she planned to make. These needed to be taught a lesson in who not to mess with, courtesy of Canterlot royalty.

"Luna, 'port me to my garage. It's time for me to suit up."

It was a long-standing tradition of the Grand Galloping Gala, dating back over 500 years, for the royalty to watch over the arriving guests in the entrance hall and greet the elite and the aristocracy as they came. It was a practice that had lessened in recent years as the aristocracy shrank, but it would still be a long while before Princess Celestia got to go and actually enjoy the Gala.

That was, if this was any other Gala. Celestia had a feeling though that there wouldn't be much partying in an hour.

"Princess, are you okay?"

Celestia finished shaking hooves with a horse from Germaney and looked down beside her, where Miss Glory Belle stood and looked up at her in concern. The unicorn was dressed in a snow-white dress accentuated with brilliant sapphires. She was there to fill in for Princess Galaxy, who would be busy that night with other work. Celestia put on a smile to ease the little pony. "I'm fine. Just nerves, I suppose. Things are going to change tonight, and I hope Galaxy appreciates how much trust I'm putting in her."

"I'm sure she does, your Majesty. Galaxy really loves you, I think." Glory smiled, before looking forward and losing that smile. "He's here."

Celestia followed Glory's gaze and saw Storm Chaser next in line to meet her, a smile that oozed falseness painted on his face. He wore a stark black suit and tie and a white shirt, as if this was all just another board meeting for him. Perhaps in his twisted mind it was. Celestia didn't know.

"Ah, Princess Celestia," said Storm Chaser, coming to a stop a foot from her and giving a bow. "It is always such a pleasure seeing you." He acted as if Glory wasn't there at all, his eyes only for Celestia and the two pegasus guards to her left and right.

"I must confess though," he continued, "I imagine it is quite a nightmare having to stand there all night as pony after pony walks up to greet you."

"You are correct," said Celestia, moving a step forward to tower over the pegasus. "Especially when I have to speak to scum like you. But thankfully, you're the scum I've been waiting for." Several nearby ponies gasped at this statement, while others turned to spread the word. The hall began to grow quieter as news of some sort of confrontation spread.

Chaser meanwhile dropped his smile immediately, fear appearing like a shadow on his face. "W-why, Princess Celestia, what do you mean? If I've done something to upset you, I will do my best to make up for it if I can."

"Upset me?" Celestia noticed from the edges of her vision ponies crowding into the hall's entrances from the other areas of the castle, all wanting a view of the unfolding spectacle. It made her want to teleport herself and Chaser away to somewhere private to finish this, but that would not be going along with Galaxy's plan. If they wanted to strike a real blow against New Tambelon, this all had to be public. This was about as public as it was possible to get. It was the best, the only choice.

"Princess, please," said the pegasus. "What do you think I have done?" Celestia saw his quivering legs, his fidgety wings, his eyes looking all around, and realized that he almost certainly knew.

"Storm Chaser," said the princess, putting every ounce of her power and authority into her voice, so much that the air seemed to quiver with the force, "Evidence exists connecting you to the terrorist attack on the Pavilion three months ago. It has been discovered that you had a motive for helping orchestrate the attack, as well as the ability to make the attack possible. Therefore, you are under arrest for your crimes." As Celestia spoke she marched forward, forcing Storm Chaser and many other nearby ponies to hastily back away. "Please, do not resist. Come quietly and nobody needs to get hurt."

For a moment it looked like the pegasus stallion would do just that, and Celestia allowed herself a sigh of relief. But then Storm Chaser stopped backing away, eyes growing hard. At the same time this happened, a dozen pegasi and gryphons, including two in royal guard armor, took to the air and started winging their way toward Celestia and Storm Chaser. From beneath their wings poked the barrels of concealed weapons. The sound of screams and pounding hooves filled the air as the regular party-goers panicked and ran from the concealed weapons.

Storm Chaser looked at the oncoming support, then at the mere two guards at Celestia's side. "It looks like you are short on soldiers, a bad mistake. And you don't dare fight us yourself, you being a great goddess and us being mere mortals!" All fear now seemed gone from the pegasus.

Now it was Celestia's turn to smile, motioning with one hoof for Glory to leave with the rest of the Gala's guests. "You would be right, if I was relying on my guards. But there is a pony who wants to bring you to justice herself, and I find that only fair. GALAXY, IT'S TIME!"

Celestia's shout echoed through the entrance hall and out into the night air, but nothing happened. The few guards there, Storm Chaser, and the other members of New Tambelon present all stared at Celestia, and she stared back at them, her cheeks growing pink as the seconds passed. She coughed and looked around. "Galaxy? Little niece? Now is when you should fly in with your armor and... something isn't right..."

Storm Chaser laughed, before taking out the two guard beside Celestia with two spring-loaded guns beneath his own wings. "It appears that someone put their faith in the wrong pony, hehehe..."

~5 minutes earlier~

As soon as Luna and Galaxy appeared in the unicorn's garage/lab area, all lights except the computer monitors dimmed, Galaxy staggered and nearly fell, only staying on her hooves with some help from Luna. The alicorn gave an encouraging smile, but Galaxy could only groan and shake her head. Teleporting, especially getting teleported by others, was just something she couldn't handle, it seemed. It annoyed Galaxy to no end, but there were more important things to do at the moment.

"Right, okay, let's get this started." Galaxy pulled away from Luna and started for the bank of computers closest to the suit-up platform. As she walked she stripped off her dress, shoes, and jewelry. "Luna, I need you to go open the garage doors. I am NOT letting you teleport me back to the Gala when I can fly just fine."

Luna nodded and turned for the door controls set next to the tunnel leading out of the garage. "Certainly. Is there anything else I can be of assis-"

Before Luna had made it five steps to the controls, a bolt of green magic flew past Galaxy's head where she stood at the edge of the platform and struck the princess of the moon on the shoulder. Luna had just enough time to begin screaming before disappearing in an orb of white light. Her scream reverberated through the room, continuous yet hazy, like coming through a fan's hum.

"LUNA!" Galaxy made to run for the orb, until a blue repulsor beam blasted the floor a foot in front of her, sending smoldering chunks of stone flying. Galaxy ducked beneath one piece whizzing toward her head, then turned back toward the platform at the sudden sound of deep, slightly mechanical laughter. "No..."

Cello lumbered out of the shadows in the full version of the Iron Mare suit, fully armed and armored aside and painted gold and purple. The faceplate slid up, revealing the stallion's smirking face. "Good evening, your majesty. My compliments for the weapon you've unwittingly provided me." He began walking toward her, slowly, a predator confident it has its prey. The faceplate slid back into place, adding an artificial growl to his voice. "Now I think I'll put it through its paces."

Galaxy stumbled back as Cello advanced, blocking her off from both the elevator and the suit-up platform, where she thought she could have at least gotten in the prototype suit to defend herself. But this wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. She had never even considered the possibility that...

"It was you..." Galaxy looked to the left, at the orb of light, and then back at Cello. "You sent New Tambelon after me. Why? Why would you do that, after all these years?"

Cello laughed again and, lifting one foreleg up, casually blew apart one of the computer banks. The sight of the sparks and metal shards flying made him laugh again. "Because this is power! Power a selfish, disloyal, dishonest, cruel unicorn like you doesn't deserve! You or any royalty!"

At those words Galaxy glanced again at where Luna had been. Cello followed her gaze and laughed. "A weapon of my own invention. I smuggled into the design while you were busy. It interacts with the unicorn's magic, forcing the teleportation spell to activate uncontrollably for ten full minutes. Doesn't kill, just forces them into a continuous teleporting loop, so fast they have no time to escape. From the screaming, I imagine being in two places nearly at once is excruciating."

Something about this casual cruelty, the traitor Cello's sheer indifference regarding it, made Galaxy snap. This was a pain far closer and far hotter than what the Pavilion attack had done to her. It no longer mattered that Cello had betrayed her, that Cello had the armor, that Cello had her backed into a corner both figuratively and literally, or that Cello had taken one princess down with ease.

Galaxy scowled. "You're going down."

"Oh, really?" Cello's smirk could be heard as he raised one foreleg up, aiming the repulsor at the end at Galaxy. "And how do you imagine that happening?"

"Simple." Galaxy looked to the side, away from Cello, holding up one foreleg to shield her eyes. "Voice command: all flares."

Inch-wide panels slid open on the armor's forelegs, hind legs, and shoulders. The next moment the room was lit up brighter than looking straight at the sun, burning-hot flares of Magnesium/Teflon/Viton shot out from the open compartments, scorching everything they touched. Made for flight use where they would trail behind the armor, distracting and blinding pursuers, standing still like this in an enclosed space resulted in the same result, only for Cello himself.

"GAAHHHH!" Blinded by the flares going by inches from his face, the armored unicorn staggered and fired blindly. Galaxy ducked beneath one stray repulsor shot and ran past Cello, a magic shield enough to protect her from the burning but forceless flares.

A quick discharge of magic as she jumped up onto the platform, and the ball was rolling. Panels opened up and robot arms retrieved suit parts, locking them into place on Galaxy's body with machine precision. The whir of gears and hum of motors coming to life and clink of metal on metal was a symphony of achievement, Galaxy's achievement, and it was hers alone. It was time to teach that to the traitor.

Galaxy slid the helmet on and stomped off the platform just as Cello's armor ran out of flares to fire. He continued waving his forelegs around as if to ward them off, screaming in rage, before falling back to all fours and staggering around to look at Galaxy. Scars and burn marks ran all across his armor, especially the face. Galaxy could quite nearly feel the anger boiling off him.

"You think... this... is going to be so easy?" He marched toward her with shoulders hunched, looking ready to charge her down. A compartment on the chest opened, revealing a stubby two-inch wide barrel crackling with electricity. "I still have the better suit! I still have all the weapons, all the armor, all the-"

"All the special features," said Galaxy, sounding calmer than she felt. "Like this. Voice command: radio, bookmarked channel, top volume."

There came the squeal of speakers from Cello's armor, from the armored portions for his ears, followed by a blare of Heavy Metal loud enough to be heard outside the suit.

"I will break into your thoughts

With what's written on my heart

I will break, break!"

Cello screamed again, not in rage this time but in agony. He clutched uselessly at his armored ears, stumbling about as if drunk. Galaxy imagined his eardrums would burst at any moment, if they hadn't already.

"I'm so sick,

Infected with where I live

Let me live without this

Empty bliss,

Selfishness

I'm so sick

I'm so sick!"

"Stop it! Oh Celestia, make it stop!" Cello fell to his knees, banging his helmet against the cement floor.

"Okay, enough of that." Galaxy leapt forward, activated the repulsors in her boots, and flew into Cello at seventy miles an hour. There was the crunch of metal, and then she hooked her forelegs under Cello's, used him as a makeshift battering ram through the tunnel gate, and flew down it toward the open streets outside. Grinding Cello's faceplate against the cement down the whole eighty yards to the exit was a pleasant bonus.

"Next stop, at the Gala..."

It was over faster than Princess Celestia could have believed if she had not been there herself. One moment she was throwing up a golden magic barrier to block the barrage of gunfire from the New Tambelon agents, hoping without hope that she would not be forced to fight these assailants herself, that something would come along to spare them. The next moment, the hall was filled with screaming and the sound of ripping flesh and breaking bones.

The thump of a body hitting the floor signaled the end of whatever one-sided battle had occurred. Celestia let her shield fade away and looked at the dozen or so bodies lying on the tiled floor, and then at the solitary figure standing in the middle of them all, cheeks and fangs dripping with blood. "Are any of them...?"

Glory Belle wiped away the blood smeared around her mouth, licked the fluid from her hoof, and then looked up at Celestia. "I kept to that old promise, my princess." Gone was that posh Canterlot accent, replaced by one sounding almost from the more rural Ponyville. "I broke plenty of limbs and drained enough blood to keep them down, but they will most certainly live."

Celestia released a sigh of relief she hadn't known she had been holding and inclined her head. "Thank you, young one. If I had been forced to handle them myself..."

"A bunch of ash stains on the tile, I know." Glory ignored as guards finally ran into the room, her shining red eyes focused on Celestia. "What happened with Galaxy?"

Ignoring for the moment how much the gaze of a vampire unnerved her, Celestia directed her several of her guards to collect the pegasi and gryphons littering the floor and take them to the infirmary, others to check on the well-being of the Gala guests. Messengers were sent to rally the castle's full garrison, alert those in Parliament who needed alerting, and whatever else Celestia thought needed doing. Only then did Celestia allow herself to worry about Galaxy and Princess Luna. "I don't know what happened to Galaxy, or my sister for that matter. They should have been here by now."

Glory looked as worried as Celestia felt. "Maybe... maybe they encountered agents like these attacking elsewhere. Maybe even Galaxy's apartment itself."

Celestia frowned and began walking down the stairs toward the exit. "Maybe..." Truthfully, it was possible, but she doubted it. There would be no reason to attack Galaxy's apartment when everyone believed the unicorn was at the Gala. Something else had happened. "In any case, we need to make sure the situation here is handled properly. S-Glory Belle, go make sure-"

An earth-shaking explosion outside sent Celestia and Glory stumbling. Celestia used her wings to steady herself and looked to the east, ears perking up as screams and smaller explosions began filling the air. "That came from the gardens!"

The flight to the castle, once they had exited the tunnel and Galaxy had stopped grinding Cello against the ground, had been a blinding flurry of kicks, headbutts, and repulsor blasts. When they arrived Galaxy had tried crashing them somewhere that would cause the least collateral damage possible, somewhere other ponies might not get hurt, somewhere it could be just the two of them if things went bad despite her earlier advantages. The dense foliage of the garden's trees gave away with little enough resistance. Then they hit the ground and sent up a plume of dirt and grass twenty feet high, the shockwave shattering the windows of the nearby castle.

"Gah!" Galaxy lost her grip on Cello and tumble ten feet, managing to bang pretty much every inch of her body against the ground before coming to a rest at the foot of a tall oak tree. The impact shook the tree hard enough for a branch to fall off and hit Galaxy's helmet with a clang. "Oww... please let it be over, please let it be over, please let it be over..."

The sound enhancers in Galaxy's armor caught the hum of repulsors charging, giving her a split-second to roll to the side. Two beams of pure concussive energy hit where she'd been a moment ago, ripping through ground and tree like it was all paper. A deafening creaking and rumbling filled the air, followed by a great crash as the blasted-open oak tree fell to the ground, kicking up more dirt.

Galaxy flew over the fallen tree and fired her repulsors at where the blasts had come from, but Cello was already out of that spot and racing toward her along the ground, back to the earth and forelegs aimed right at her.

The repulsor blasts hit Galaxy square in the chest with all the force of a freight train, sending her flying back one hundred feet and cratering into the side of the castle above the Gala's VIP room. The guests still there started screaming and running about, but Galaxy forced herself not to get distracted.

"Have to stay focused, have to stay focused..." The stone crumbled around Galaxy as she pushed herself out of the crater. She forced herself to stay limp and let the armor absorb the blow as she fell the dozen-ish feet to the ground. The energy readout on the inside of her armor showed the suit's remaining power at a mere 12%, and she couldn't afford to waste any of it.

"GALAXY!" Cello burst through a hedge, rockets at full power as he barreled at her. "I'LL CRUSH YOUR HEAD LIKE A SOUP CAN!"

Galaxy couldn't move, lest the maddened stallion hurt any of the nearby civilians around or behind her. Instead she planted her rear hooves and held her forelegs out as if to hug him, and took his charge head-on. "Oh this is going to hu-"

CLANG. CRUUUNNNNNNCCHH. Galaxy grit her teeth, forelegs gripping Cello's shoulders and rear hooves dragging through the marble tiles as she was driven backwards. Ponies scattered at their coming, at least.

"You're going to die! I'm going to kill you!" Cello slammed repulsor-charged hoof after repulsor-charged hoof into Galaxy's helmet, until finally the metal gave way and he was able to rip it from her head. They came to a grinding halt in the center of the hall, just a few feet from the alicorn statue, and he began hammering her gut. "You think you can just make a power like this and then just keep it to yourself!? If you do, you're as bad as the idiotic Storm Chaser thinks you are! Now. Just. FALL!"

A repulsor blast to the gut and Galaxy fell to her knees. She coughed and gagged, and red splattered the floor beneath her. This was the moment. She waited until she felt Cello preparing the final blow and then looked up at him with a smirk, the sheer confidence in her face enough to make the stallion pause. "You're one to talk about Chaser being an idiot," she said, "considering the fact that that armor was designed to integrate with a support harness, which you don't happen to have."

"...meaning...?"

"Meaning there's an inch-wide opening in your armor all the way down the back!" Galaxy jumped up from her kneeling position then, avoiding Cello's panicked repulsor blast and wrapping her forelegs around his midsection. "And now that it's all banged up like this, I can peel that armor off you like an oyster shell!"

The metal screeched as Galaxy did just that, gripping the sides of the opening with her hooves and ripping off the back, side, and chest armor in two solid chunks. Cello shouted obscenities at her and flailed away at her back with his hooves, but with the main power source located in the chest gone, there was no strength left in the blows at all. Galaxy then worked her way up, tearing off the armor on the shoulders, forelegs, and then finally the helmet, leaving Cello blinking and exposed for all those remaining in the hall to see, including Princess Celestia, Glory Belle, and the half-dozen guards who had just run in.

"Hello, Cello," said Galaxy, staring right into his eyes with her gem eyes, sweat running mussing his caramel coat. One hoof pressed against his bare chest, repulsor charging up. "Goodbye, Cello."

"N-" The repulsor fired. Cello flew, tumbling through the air across the length of the hall, and crashed into a pillar, nearly breaking through it. Then he fell to the floor, where he remained, unconscious.

Near-silence filled the hall, Galaxy's labored breathing the only noticeable sound. Then a sobbing Princess Luna appeared and crumpled to the floor, prompting Celestia and the guards to run to her, while Glory Belle ran to Galaxy and hugged her as best she could through the armor.

"Galaxy! Are you okay? What happened? Where were you? Why was Cello-"

Galaxy interrupted by hugging Glory back, kissing her on the cheek. "I'm fine, I'm good, I'm fine...just really tired. I need a vacation. And I know this is going to come as a shock, but I was wrong. Or I mean, not all right. It wasn't just Storm Chaser responsible for the attack, it was Cello. Cello tried to kill me."

"What?" Glory blinked and shook her head, as if not sure she had heard right. "But why would he do that? And I thought New Tambelon was a flying-supremacist group, why would they work with a unicorn?"

"I don't know," Galaxy said, and she meant it. It didn't make any sense at all. Slowly, with Glory helping her along, she started on her way toward her two fellow princesses. "But then again, that's why we left all the bad guys alive, so that they can tell us. I'm assuming things went fine here without me, anyway. And you know, we beat the bad guys, saved the day, probably stopped some kind of convoluted plot to destroy Equestria. I think we can count this as a good day. Yeah, good day. I definitely earned that vacation."

Glory giggled. "I can't argue with that. Come on, let's make sure Luna's okay, and then get you to an infir-"

A mare screamed. Immediately all tiredness left Galaxy's body and she was running, Glory beside her, to the source of the scream. A group had gathered around Cello's body, and it was from here the scream came. Galaxy and Glory reached just behind Celestia and the guards, while Luna followed after a little while.

Something in Galaxy's gut told her something was terribly wrong as she started pushing her way through the crowd. "Move aside, get out of the way! What happened? Celestia, what's wrong?" Celestia didn't have to tell her. Galaxy got to the center of the crowd and saw what was wrong right away. "That... that's not Cello."

Beside Galaxy, Glory gaped at the black insectoid creature lying where Cello had fallen, the remains of the armor on it telling them that was somehow the same being. "Not Cello? That's not even a pony. What does it mean?"

Galaxy and Celestia shared a look. The elder princess scowled and looked back down at the changeling. "It means, we have a big problem."

Iron Mare will return in:

THE CRUSADERS