Equestrian Empireby Val FuryChaptersPrologueChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreePrologueQueen Celestia stood on the high parapet that surrounded the tower housing her quarters, gazing out at the horizon. The sky was ablaze in color, the setting sun casting all it touched in its deep amber hue. Nothing and no one could escape its shining light. The sun, she mused with a tight smile, her iridescent pastel rainbow-colored hair fluttering behind her in the slight breeze, was a lot like herself. She knew her citizens were not happy. That they fought hard against the golden chains, tried to resist her golden glow. She mourned that her people hated her so. But all was as it was meant to be. The sun, after all, always set, paving the way for night to fall. Celestia’s pink eyes glittered in begrudging pride. Her sister and heir, the Princess Luna, would make a fine queen. And though her subjects took refuge in her sister’s starry shadows, Celestia’s sun had not set. She narrowed her eyes, her smile fading into a determined frown. Not yet. Her Royal Highness Princess Luna, known to most as simply “highness” and to very few as “Lunie,” kept her hands locked behind her back as she paced the gleaming tiled floor in crisp, precise strides. Somehow, she was striving desperately to keep her temper in check. Her older sister, it seemed, still liked to keep her waiting. She grit her teeth against an agitated sigh, her composure breaking for a brief moment while she smoothed back her thick blue-black hair. She almost looked nervous in that instant, but if any of her soldiers had seen the rare glimpse, they still would never believe their eyes. The thought of those in her command emboldened her, softening the harsh planes of her expression into something akin to fondness as she looked out the high vaulted windows of the throneroom to the sweeping vista beyond. The fiery sky was peppered with airships, taking flight into the oncoming night for their patrols of the kingdom, safekeeping the people while they slumbered. Her guard. Quite unlike her queenly sister, Luna didn’t hoard shiny, gold-plated brutes around her for protection. Instead, she sent every last of those she handpicked for the gleaming silver chain out to protect her people. It was little wonder she had to bear such news to her majesty. Her expression grew fierce again at the thought. If only Celestia would listen to reason… “Luna,” Celestia’s serene voice called from the direction of her stately throne, startling the princess of the night from her reverie. She schooled her expression before turning, offering the Queen of Equestria an easy, respectful smile before bowing deep at the waist as was custom. It wasn’t as though she could curtsy properly in military dress. The queen seemed to read her mind. “Do you even own skirts anymore?” Celestia murmured dryly, her own starchy white uniform daywear already exchanged for the flowing gowns she usually slept in. She was, after all, a day creature. Luna’s lips twitched with the urge to smile as she straightened. “Perhaps, your majesty.” Celestia rolled her eyes and shook her head, turning to sit elegantly at the edge of her elaborate throne, arranging her gauzy skirts around her ankles accordingly as she did so. Once this was done, she merely looked at Luna expectantly. She barely suppressed the urge to raise a dark sculpted brow before speaking. “The Crystal Empire—” “I am not concerned about the Crystal Empire,” Celestia cut in. “My niece can handle it.” Luna sighed barely audibly. “She is my niece as well,” She added in a mild tone. “But no, Cadence requires no aid. There is no need to be concerned for her.” Celestia merely raised a brow herself at Luna’s borderline correction, nodding at her latter words. “Instead, she and Shining Armor are concerned for you.” When Celestia narrowed her gaze, Luna lifted her chin and continued. “Concerned for both of us. For all of Equestria.” The queen gracefully shrugged one shoulder. “There is no need for such concern.” “There is every need!” Luna countered passionately, her famous cool reserve evaporating beneath her equally famous temper. “I know you are not oblivious to what’s happening out there!” She threw out a hand toward the windows in gesture. Her majesty simply blinked. “Your majesty—Celestia—sister!” Luna cried out the last in desperation as the ethereal beauty rose to her feet, signaling she was finished with their discussion. “Please! Tell me what is wrong. Why do you treat them this way?” Celestia drew herself up to her full height with regal bearing, her head tilted slightly up, shoulders straight and rolled back. In that moment, even in her simple white nightrail, she was more impressive than she ever was in her royal regalia. Luna swallowed in sudden trepidation. “Soon, Luna. Equestria’s people will have the queen they deserve.” With those ominous words of finality, the queen glided out of the room, revealing a small group of gilded knights waiting for her in the connecting hall. Luna was left in shock, alone in the deepening shadows of twilight. Her shoulders slumped. Where she had always been. Chapter OneTrumpeted fanfare suddenly blasted through the air, signaling an official announcement and drawing the attention of all within range to hear it. Equestria’s people held varying expressions on their faces as they looked to the liveried crier standing self-importantly on his pedestal. Some were curious, some wary, and a few barely managed to thinly veil their hostility at the royal golden colors. All watched intently as the little man, more of a boy really, withdrew a rolled up scroll from his dark purple tunic and unfurled it with a flourish before speaking. “Citizens of the Equestrian Empire,” The short, green-haired page began, causing a few eyebrows to raise. They were an Empire now? “It is by royal decree that I stand before you all to announce that all citizens are required to attend the execution of our country’s worst threat, a traitor from within.” The messenger cried with relish, clearly loving his job and the attention it gained. As the crowd reacted accordingly to his words with shocked gasps and murmurs, he smirked, ready to sate their curiosity—and his own—with more dramatic flair. “And so her majesty Queen Celestia has ordered for all to witness the beheading of…” The young man faltered as the name written on the scroll met his eyes, losing his polished aplomb for the first time since he’d taken the position as herald years ago. The crowd grew restless at his stunned silence, their speculating murmurs swelling to angry, demanding shouts. “Well?!” “Who is it?” “Tell us the traitor’s name!” “Just say it, Spike.” This last, soft command cut through the roar of the crowd for the page, and he blinked at his name being used, or nickname rather, given to him for his unruly, always cow-licked hair that spiked at the least provocation. His gaze searched the milling throng of people, recognizing the voice as the person named on his paper, and the blood drained from his face when he found her, her telltale sapphire eyes glittering with emotion from beneath a hood. “Her Royal Highness Princess Luna,” Spike finally intoned, both greeting the woman who’d named him and sating the crowd’s curiosity. He watched in unseeing admiration as Luna effectively used the citizens’ uproar as a distraction and seemed to just vanish. He somehow knew in his heart that he would never see the dark-haired princess again, and his heart was heavy with the knowledge. His shoulders slumped. As the crowd turned riotous in disapproval over the decree, the Sun Guard closed ranks around Spike, protecting him from the people’s reactionary wrath but also filling his vision with their reflective armor, so that he was forced to face the pathetic, costumed puppet he’d become. Staring into his own green eyes with dumbfounded horror, he only had one thought. What would become of Equestria? Celestia watched the chaos unfold in the streets of Canterlot, knowing the seeds she’d planted here would grow and spread, until they choked her entire country. Though her unusual rose-colored eyes glistened briefly over what she had done, she kept her head up in defiant arrogance. There were no regrets. She went to turn away from the view, but not before a single airship sailed off toward the horizon. Celestia stopped, unable to help staring after it, until it was nothing but a tiny black speck in the distance and then gone completely. Celestia’s lips curved upward on one side in a half-smile. “Soon, sister. Soon Equestria’s people will have the queen they deserve.” With those words again, she walked away once more, turning her back on her sister. It was in Luna’s hands now. Now, she must embrace the role of villain. And she knew exactly where to begin. Luna could only stare sightlessly at the brilliant sun rising over the horizon. Behind her she could hear—and feel—the almost panicked flurry of activity and tensions of her most loyal crew as they prepared the airship for its journey. Already the great vehicle’s engines had rumbled to life and set them afloat, but much work had to be done to keep the craft in order. “Highness,” Came the familiar voice of one of her trusted captains, a dear pilot—and friend—named Flamewing, or at least that was all he answered to. Luna couldn’t say he hadn’t earned the right, as he was the best pilot she’d ever seen. “What is it?” She murmured, unable to face her friend just yet. She kept her eyes out onto the beautiful view of her country, hands loosely clasping the railing. She knew what she would see in Flamewing’s face if she turned. “Where should we go? There’s a lot of talk of rebellion out there. People know this is only the beginning and would be more than willing to rally with you.” Luna closed her eyes. Where to go, indeed? Her sister was powerful. And though she didn’t seem to know the Queen all that well anymore, she had no doubt anyone who aided her would only be putting themselves in danger. Even her own crew here were all risking themselves just by agreeing to transport her—or more accurately refusing to be left behind. There were only two people in the world she knew that could possibly stand up to Celestia’s might. “We go to the Crystal Empire,” Luna said decisively, nodding her head for extra conviction. “Cadie and Shine-Boy will know what to do.” Flamewing smirked at the nicknames. “Yes, ma’am,” He acknowledged with a crisp salute, walking back inside to the bridge. It was only when his footsteps echoed into silence that Luna turned her head so that she could look back on her home. Already Canterlot in all its gleaming glory was nearly impossible to see, an amorphous white blob in the distance. Luna felt tears sting her eyes, but she furiously blinked them back. She wasn’t sad, not wholly. Instead, she was angry. Though she mourned for her people’s predicament and the loss of the sister she once knew, revenge coursed through her veins like the sweetest of syrups. She would return, and she would make things right. Suddenly she could make out several objects in the sky, far off but steadily growing larger—closer. Luna furrowed her brow, staring in incomprehension as her own airship army bore down on them. Seemed she wasn’t the only one who was angry. The ships were close enough now that she could see the great swaths of golden fabric draping their hulls, marking them as Sun warriors now. “Highness, get inside!” Luna snapped out of her staring, looking to her crew in newfound horror. She knew Celestia would not take kindly to being thwarted this way, but this? Surely her own sister wouldn’t blow her out of the sky? The loud boom of a warning shot dispelled any remaining illusions Luna held. Celestia truly meant war, for whatever reason. “If it’s war you want, Cel, it’s war you’ll get,” Luna growled fiercely, one fist clenching on the railing before she dashed inside, her brain on fire as she sorted out the situation and how to get her crew out of it alive. They were ready and waiting for her, though not in the most literal sense. Flamewing, as pilot and captain of the vessel rolled together, was already barking out orders, the rest of the bridge in a flurry of organized activity to accomplish them. The moment Luna stepped into the bridge, her dark hair almost crackling with her fury, Flamewing deferred to her with a nod, focusing his energy on the not-so-easy task of maneuvering the giant ship through Celestia’s barrage of cannon fire. The princess’ sapphire eyes blazed with anger as she swept her gaze around the room and her crew, noting what was already being done. Flamewing had proven his immense capabilities once again, and so her mind was able to focus on one thought. How DARE her sister use her own fleet against her? “Commander!” Flamewing interrupted the royal rage as the airship shook from the force of a direct hit to their shield. “I can’t do this forever!” Luna noticed the switch to her wartime title and seethed inwardly at what she was about to say. Outwardly, however, she appeared to return to her normal calm self. “I will turn myself in,” The princess stated in clear voice. “I will not let you all sacrifice yourselves over this.” She paused. “Over me.” Several outcries were made over this, but it was Flamewing who silenced them all. “And if you die, Commander? What hope does Equestria have then?” He demanded, his eyes never leaving his navigation, even as the ship shuddered once more. Luna held her ground even as others lost their balance to the craft’s pitching, her stance firmly in place. “I have faith in my fleet, Captain,” She replied. “I always have. By taking me prisoner, the Queen will desist, and you will all be free to—” Her words were cut off by yet another explosion, this one worse than the others and followed by three terrible words from the engineer on deck. “Shield’s down, Captain!” Luna didn’t bother debating further. She sprinted across the bridge, her boots tapping on the metal floor, sounding off the countdown to their surrender. Without looking at Flamewing, she slammed her fist onto the obvious red button near his right hand, sending the flare notifying their enemies of their decision to yield up into the sky. Only after she was satisfied by the tell-tale high-pitched shriek of the surrender flare did she turn to Flamewing, wanting to commit his face to memory. She blinked once in surprise to find his expression a mirror of her own: fierce determination mixed with anger, his emerald eyes sparking with it and his jaw mutinously set. She couldn’t think of another time when Flamewing hadn’t smiled, and now he glared out at the horizon, refusing to face her. “We wanted to fight with you,” He muttered, his hands still grasping the wheel tight enough that his knuckles were white. Luna smiled, a rarity itself, and reached to cover one of his tense hands with her own. It seemed they had switched roles on who was comforting who. “You’ll just have to break me out of prison, then, won’t you?” Flamewing turned to her then, revealing the desperation in his bright eyes. “She won’t give us the chance. She’ll—” “Incoming!” Someone cried, and Luna looked outward at the sound. “No,” She breathed in denial before the onslaught of missiles barreled into the ship. Chapter TwoIt was an idyllic scene at Carousel Boutique, the most fashionable store in the east, perhaps even all of Equestria. Though she’d yet to impress the royal family themselves, having never met them, the owner, Rarity, was sought after by people all around the country for her designs. It was little wonder, for each of her pieces was made with painstaking craftsmanship. With only an hour or so left in the morning before she opened the shop, Rarity was absorbed thoroughly by her latest creation. She sat at her worktable, her small glasses perched on her the end of her nose, her narrow-eyed gaze focused intently on the delicate beadwork illuminated under the magnifying glass in front of her. A threaded needle sat clenched between her teeth as she worked, her fingers steady as she stitched the intricate finishing touches. “One more,” She said on an exhale, speaking to herself. The only other inhabitant of the shop at the moment was her tempermental white persian cat Opal, who was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all around the room was colorful chaos, fabrics and ribbons an colored sketches everywhere you looked. Someday, she thought with a dreamy sigh, setting her needle to the fabric for the final bit of trim. Someday she would be able to go to Canterlot, and dazzle their majesties with her creations. The regal Celestia would coo over her gowns, and perhaps even the militant Luna would be persuaded to her glamorous dresses. Ah, then she could move her boutique to that beautiful, wonderful city, and maybe, just maybe even the devilishly handsome Prince Blueblood would take particular notice of her… The building suddenly shook violently as if suffering from an earthquake, jarring Rarity from her daydreams. Even as she registered the severity of her shop shaking, she could only stare in dismay at her handiwork, tears welling up in her pretty blue eyes. The sudden movement had made her hand jerk, causing her to tear the needle through the delicate fabric, leaving a jagged canyon where a beaded flower was meant to be. To add insult to injury, she heard the soft tinkling of beads striking the floor. “It’s RUINED!” She wailed, tossing off her jeweling glasses onto the desk and sobbing, pillowing her head on her folded arms. She distantly heard Opal give an angry warning growl over her bawling, but thought nothing of it until the house shook again. And again. Rarity picked up her head and blinked several times, staring as her belongings around the room continued to vibrate and fall into disarray. “What in the world?” She jumped up, determined to find out who dared set off fireworks so close to her shop, and so early in the morning, too! As Rarity emerged outside from her boutique, however, her still-shining eyes widened in shocked horror at the sight that greeted her. It wasn’t fireworks rocking the boutique; it was a full-scale airship battle happening directly above the town! “By the Elements,” Rarity breathed, staring. She could see that all the ships were gilded save one, the one being fired upon. She frowned in incomprehension even as she hurried inside to find her most functional pair of shoes. She didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t about to stand outside her store barefoot. She would help. The only problem was that Rarity loved all forms of fashion, including shoes, and so it took her longer than she would have liked to find the exact boots she wanted. If only she didn’t have eighty-three pairs…oh, who was she kidding? She needed them all, and it wasn’t like she could go to war in stilettos. And so it was that she returned to her front stoop just in time to see the enemy ship explode like a fiery sun over her chic neighborhood. Rarity shrieked, clapping both hands over her mouth as the helpless sound escaped her. She watched with morbid fascination as pieces of the ship and—she swallowed hard—bodies fell from the explosion like fiery rain. Then the sky rumbled to life as the dozen or so airships re-engaged their engines and headed westward toward Canterlot. Rarity barely heeded their retreat, her stare on the atrocity before her. She looked around, but it seemed she had been the only witness to this…insanity. What was Equestria coming to? Determination surged through her. She had to do something. Suddenly glad for her forethought about functional shoes, she left her boutique in a sprint. These people needed help, and now. She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to slow some of the falling debris, but only managing to catch half of it. Levitating a pair of scissors across a room was far, far different from fighting gravity on large pieces of metal. “Help!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping to rally her neighbors. “I need help!! I—” She cut herself off when she saw someone falling straight for her, and she gave it her all, holding out her hands and throwing her magic at the person, hoping to stall them to a float so they wouldn’t pancake to the ground at her feet. Her stomach twisted at the very notion, but she managed it, the person levitating down to the grass before her safely. “Whew,” She gasped out, not used to using her powers this way. As she took a step toward the person she’d saved, something fell on her, knocking her hard onto her back and making her wheeze for breath. She lay there for a dazed moment, then pushed off the small piece of metal that had struck her, focused again on the person nearby. They lay lifeless in the grass, and Rarity couldn’t tell much about them for all the ash covering them. “Hello!” She managed, kneeling over them while still glancing up warily now and then for more wayward debris. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?” Rarity called frantically, catching another falling person out the corner of her eye and barely stopping them from hitting the ground at full speed. Sooty eyelids fluttered open to reveal startling sapphire eyes, before narrowing on her. “Name and location,” The tough but clearly feminine voice barked. “Rarity, and this is P-Ponyville,” The seamstress stuttered, completely overwhelmed by all that was happening. “Is there anyone else?” Rarity grimaced, pointing at the second person she’d caught. “I don’t know,” She murmured. “I saw the ship explode—” “Explode?!” The person looked up at the sky, their jaw going slack at the sight of the aftermath. “No…” “Highness!” A man’s voice shouted, making Rarity jump, before he ran up to the two of them, offering a hand to the fallen woman. Rarity could only blink up at the two of them while he pulled the woman up, speaking again. “Highness, we need to—” “Shut it,” The woman replied sharply, but it was too late. “Highness?” Rarity repeated in a high, breathy voice, starry-eyed with awe as she stared up at the blackened woman before her. The woman sighed in exasperation as the man explained, running a hand through hair that glimmered orange through the soot. “This is top secret, miss. That’s an order.” “Oh!” Rarity gasped in delight. She had met one of the princesses, her dream was happening! But the morning had taken its toll, and her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted dead away in the grass. “Great.” Flamewing muttered, his scowl deepening beneath his ash-streaked face as the locals chose that exact moment to appear. “Miss Rarity!” One cried, looking from the impeccably-dressed unconscious girl to the two smoke-stained survivors. “What did you to do to her?!” Flamewing and Luna exchanged a quick glance, a whole conversation passing between them. He nodded, barely resisting a salute, before dashing off. “You’ll never catch me!” He shouted. Luna had to swallow the sudden feeling of desertion at seeing him run off. She would definitely miss him. “Hurry, he’s the one that did this to the poor girl!” She cried pitifully. At least she wasn’t technically lying. Just like that, the small group of townsfolk chased after the distraction, leaving an injured Luna with a sleeping Rarity. Luna ran a hand through her hair, surveying the sky once more with a grimace. Damn you, Celestia, she thought, hoping that Flamewing would find more survivors. Meanwhile, she had to get out of here as well, but as she took a step, she winced, her left leg rebelling at having her weight put on it. She glanced down at it in consternation, noticing once more the prissy woman who must have saved her. There was no way she had survived that fall on her own. She almost felt guilty for leaving her there, but she couldn’t stay here. Too much was at stake. She took all of three more slow, painful steps before a country-accented voice stopped her in her tracks. “Now, lies like that might fool the other folk ‘round here,” The woman drawled, and Luna followed the sound to a figure leaning against a nearby building, one leg cocked and a cowboy hat drawn low over her face. “But me,” She said, tipping back her hat to reveal a level stare and a blonde braid, “Me, I like the truth.” Chapter ThreeLuna could tell with one glance at this newcomer that she was not to be trifled with. The woman’s clothes were completely functional and no-nonsense, completely at odds with the dressy woman in the grass. Solid working boots that had seen their share of wear were topped by faded jeans splattered with mud, and the woman wore her simple red plaid shirt with its sleeves rolled up to her elbows, presumably to allow her hands to get dirty. Which they were. Even as her arms were crossed over her chest, it was easy to see the dirt streaking her fingers. Luna could also tell with one glance that she liked this woman. No simpering damsel in distress here. This one would know how to fight and stand up for herself, and probably didn’t even own a skirt, just like her. The thought made her lips twitch in amusement. “I saw the whole thing from my farm,” The woman said, interrupting the princess’ observations. She leaned up from the wall and began to walk over to them with easy, measured steps belying the passion in her words. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t rightly care. But those were the Queen’s ships shooting you down, so you step away from Rarity, right now. She’s done nothin’ but help ya and I ain’t gonna stand idly by when a friend of mine’s in trouble, ya hear?” Luna was rather fond of the accent, too. “She is in no danger from me,” She said instead, holding up her hands in the universal sign for surrender. “All the same.” “I was already walking away, you realize.” A perplexed frown crossed the woman’s freckled face. “Never you mind that, you just stay right where you are.” Luna grinned. “I am not going anywhere. As you saw, I am injured, and my ship was blown to pieces.” Even as she tried to say the words in an easy fashion, saying them only seemed to make the hellish morning more real. Her grin faded and her hands lowered as her shoulders slumped slightly. “Hmph,” Was the woman’s grunt of a reply as she crossed the remaining distance between them. Keeping a wary eye on the soot-blackened individual, she knelt down by Rarity, giving her shoulder a light shake. “Rarity. Rarity, c’mon now.” She said low, hoping to encourage the drama queen to return to the world of the living. It didn’t take long for her actions to be rewarded, as Rarity came to with a delicate fluttering of her eyelashes before sweeping her brilliant eyes open. “AJ!” She said excitedly, sitting up. “Thank the sun, you’re here. It’s just been absolutely crazy, and you’ll never guess who I—” Blinking past her friend, she saw that Luna was still there, and she immediately hushed, realizing she had been about to give away the ‘secret.’ ‘AJ’ as she had been called gave a long-suffering sigh. “Calm down there, Rarity, or you’ll just fall over again. Breathe, girl.” “AJ, is it?” Luna questioned, using her superior tone without realizing. The woman didn’t immediately answer, as if making her wait for ordering her about. She got back to her feet and offered a hand to Rarity so she could pull her up, too. Rarity graciously took the offer and began to dust off her clothes, bobbing slightly as if she couldn’t decide whether to bow or not given the situation. “Yeah, AJ to my friends. Name’s Applejack, though. And you are?” She extended the same hand to Luna for a handshake. Luna had wanted to keep her identity a secret, the better to be able to hide and keep those around her alive. But she already had blood on her hands from trying to go that route. One glance up into the still-smoky sky was all she needed as a reminder of that. No, she needed to take the fight to Celestia, and she needed allies to do it. And this woman, she had already been told, would accept nothing less than the truth. Nothing for it, then. “I am officially known as Her Royal Highness Princess Luna of Equestria,” She rolled off, smirking in satisfaction as both women’s eyes grew round in surprise. “But here in my sister’s new Empire, you can just call me Luna.” Applejack had immediately dropped to her knees once the realization had sunk in, and Rarity had given a deep curtsy, as court custom would have required back home in Canterlot. “I’m sure sorry, princess,” AJ said, sincerity ringing in her voice. “I had no idea.” “It is alright. I had meant to keep such a secret—” This was said with a telling glance to the seamstress. “But I have decided it will be easier to just tell the truth.” She winked at AJ down on the grass, nodding at her to stand once more. The blonde stood, idly scratching at her braid beneath her hat in thought. “What are we going to do with an injured princess?” “Oh, please,” Rarity gushed. “I would love to have you stay with me.” She leaned forward a bit as if to reveal a great secret, saying in a stage whisper, “I’m the only one with any clue on how to properly treat royalty.” AJ laughed. “Ain’t that the truth, we’ve all seen how you spoil Opal.” Rarity huffed, furrowing her brows. “Opal is hardly spoiled. She is treated with the respect a lady deserves!” “She’s a cat, not a lady, Rarity.” AJ grinned. It took a strong amount of self-control to keep the seamstress from stomping her booted foot. Luna just raised a brow as the two of them bantered back and forth before clearing her throat. “Girls,” She called. They both snapped to attention. “Focus.” AJ suddenly snapped her fingers, pointing at Luna. “If you’re who you say you are, how come you were getting shot down by the Queen’s ships up there?” Luna’s jaw set, her blue eyes glittering against her darkened skin. “Those were my ships.” That only seemed to confuse AJ, so she added, “Celestia has gone mad.” It was the only explanation she had at the moment. “Is she gonna keep coming after you?” Rarity asked, her voice hesitant. “I’m not sure. Once word gets out that I survived, it is very likely.” Luna sighed. “I will understand if you don’t wish to be involved. However I do need a place to stay while I recuperate from my fall.” Rarity and AJ exchanged a glance. They had heard the stories from Canterlot. All the way out here in Ponyville, they had seemed unreal, but now reality was standing directly before them. Nodding at one another, they turned back to face Luna, then they both knelt in the grass in unison. Luna felt her heart quake with some new emotion. “I’m not gonna stand idly by when a friend of mine’s in trouble,” AJ said firmly, as if her words were an oath of fealty. “I don’t have it in me to turn royalty away,” Rarity added in an airy tone. “I will give you everything I have.” Luna swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat that was making it difficult to speak. She wasn’t sure why their loyalty was affecting her so—she had seen and heard it from her crew before. Perhaps it was because they reminded her of those she had lost. But it seemed in losing her old crew she had gained a new one. After a moment, she cleared her throat, though her voice was still hoarse when she spoke. “Rise, Knights of Harmony,” She intoned. It had begun.
PrologueQueen Celestia stood on the high parapet that surrounded the tower housing her quarters, gazing out at the horizon. The sky was ablaze in color, the setting sun casting all it touched in its deep amber hue. Nothing and no one could escape its shining light. The sun, she mused with a tight smile, her iridescent pastel rainbow-colored hair fluttering behind her in the slight breeze, was a lot like herself. She knew her citizens were not happy. That they fought hard against the golden chains, tried to resist her golden glow. She mourned that her people hated her so. But all was as it was meant to be. The sun, after all, always set, paving the way for night to fall. Celestia’s pink eyes glittered in begrudging pride. Her sister and heir, the Princess Luna, would make a fine queen. And though her subjects took refuge in her sister’s starry shadows, Celestia’s sun had not set. She narrowed her eyes, her smile fading into a determined frown. Not yet. Her Royal Highness Princess Luna, known to most as simply “highness” and to very few as “Lunie,” kept her hands locked behind her back as she paced the gleaming tiled floor in crisp, precise strides. Somehow, she was striving desperately to keep her temper in check. Her older sister, it seemed, still liked to keep her waiting. She grit her teeth against an agitated sigh, her composure breaking for a brief moment while she smoothed back her thick blue-black hair. She almost looked nervous in that instant, but if any of her soldiers had seen the rare glimpse, they still would never believe their eyes. The thought of those in her command emboldened her, softening the harsh planes of her expression into something akin to fondness as she looked out the high vaulted windows of the throneroom to the sweeping vista beyond. The fiery sky was peppered with airships, taking flight into the oncoming night for their patrols of the kingdom, safekeeping the people while they slumbered. Her guard. Quite unlike her queenly sister, Luna didn’t hoard shiny, gold-plated brutes around her for protection. Instead, she sent every last of those she handpicked for the gleaming silver chain out to protect her people. It was little wonder she had to bear such news to her majesty. Her expression grew fierce again at the thought. If only Celestia would listen to reason… “Luna,” Celestia’s serene voice called from the direction of her stately throne, startling the princess of the night from her reverie. She schooled her expression before turning, offering the Queen of Equestria an easy, respectful smile before bowing deep at the waist as was custom. It wasn’t as though she could curtsy properly in military dress. The queen seemed to read her mind. “Do you even own skirts anymore?” Celestia murmured dryly, her own starchy white uniform daywear already exchanged for the flowing gowns she usually slept in. She was, after all, a day creature. Luna’s lips twitched with the urge to smile as she straightened. “Perhaps, your majesty.” Celestia rolled her eyes and shook her head, turning to sit elegantly at the edge of her elaborate throne, arranging her gauzy skirts around her ankles accordingly as she did so. Once this was done, she merely looked at Luna expectantly. She barely suppressed the urge to raise a dark sculpted brow before speaking. “The Crystal Empire—” “I am not concerned about the Crystal Empire,” Celestia cut in. “My niece can handle it.” Luna sighed barely audibly. “She is my niece as well,” She added in a mild tone. “But no, Cadence requires no aid. There is no need to be concerned for her.” Celestia merely raised a brow herself at Luna’s borderline correction, nodding at her latter words. “Instead, she and Shining Armor are concerned for you.” When Celestia narrowed her gaze, Luna lifted her chin and continued. “Concerned for both of us. For all of Equestria.” The queen gracefully shrugged one shoulder. “There is no need for such concern.” “There is every need!” Luna countered passionately, her famous cool reserve evaporating beneath her equally famous temper. “I know you are not oblivious to what’s happening out there!” She threw out a hand toward the windows in gesture. Her majesty simply blinked. “Your majesty—Celestia—sister!” Luna cried out the last in desperation as the ethereal beauty rose to her feet, signaling she was finished with their discussion. “Please! Tell me what is wrong. Why do you treat them this way?” Celestia drew herself up to her full height with regal bearing, her head tilted slightly up, shoulders straight and rolled back. In that moment, even in her simple white nightrail, she was more impressive than she ever was in her royal regalia. Luna swallowed in sudden trepidation. “Soon, Luna. Equestria’s people will have the queen they deserve.” With those ominous words of finality, the queen glided out of the room, revealing a small group of gilded knights waiting for her in the connecting hall. Luna was left in shock, alone in the deepening shadows of twilight. Her shoulders slumped. Where she had always been.
Chapter OneTrumpeted fanfare suddenly blasted through the air, signaling an official announcement and drawing the attention of all within range to hear it. Equestria’s people held varying expressions on their faces as they looked to the liveried crier standing self-importantly on his pedestal. Some were curious, some wary, and a few barely managed to thinly veil their hostility at the royal golden colors. All watched intently as the little man, more of a boy really, withdrew a rolled up scroll from his dark purple tunic and unfurled it with a flourish before speaking. “Citizens of the Equestrian Empire,” The short, green-haired page began, causing a few eyebrows to raise. They were an Empire now? “It is by royal decree that I stand before you all to announce that all citizens are required to attend the execution of our country’s worst threat, a traitor from within.” The messenger cried with relish, clearly loving his job and the attention it gained. As the crowd reacted accordingly to his words with shocked gasps and murmurs, he smirked, ready to sate their curiosity—and his own—with more dramatic flair. “And so her majesty Queen Celestia has ordered for all to witness the beheading of…” The young man faltered as the name written on the scroll met his eyes, losing his polished aplomb for the first time since he’d taken the position as herald years ago. The crowd grew restless at his stunned silence, their speculating murmurs swelling to angry, demanding shouts. “Well?!” “Who is it?” “Tell us the traitor’s name!” “Just say it, Spike.” This last, soft command cut through the roar of the crowd for the page, and he blinked at his name being used, or nickname rather, given to him for his unruly, always cow-licked hair that spiked at the least provocation. His gaze searched the milling throng of people, recognizing the voice as the person named on his paper, and the blood drained from his face when he found her, her telltale sapphire eyes glittering with emotion from beneath a hood. “Her Royal Highness Princess Luna,” Spike finally intoned, both greeting the woman who’d named him and sating the crowd’s curiosity. He watched in unseeing admiration as Luna effectively used the citizens’ uproar as a distraction and seemed to just vanish. He somehow knew in his heart that he would never see the dark-haired princess again, and his heart was heavy with the knowledge. His shoulders slumped. As the crowd turned riotous in disapproval over the decree, the Sun Guard closed ranks around Spike, protecting him from the people’s reactionary wrath but also filling his vision with their reflective armor, so that he was forced to face the pathetic, costumed puppet he’d become. Staring into his own green eyes with dumbfounded horror, he only had one thought. What would become of Equestria? Celestia watched the chaos unfold in the streets of Canterlot, knowing the seeds she’d planted here would grow and spread, until they choked her entire country. Though her unusual rose-colored eyes glistened briefly over what she had done, she kept her head up in defiant arrogance. There were no regrets. She went to turn away from the view, but not before a single airship sailed off toward the horizon. Celestia stopped, unable to help staring after it, until it was nothing but a tiny black speck in the distance and then gone completely. Celestia’s lips curved upward on one side in a half-smile. “Soon, sister. Soon Equestria’s people will have the queen they deserve.” With those words again, she walked away once more, turning her back on her sister. It was in Luna’s hands now. Now, she must embrace the role of villain. And she knew exactly where to begin. Luna could only stare sightlessly at the brilliant sun rising over the horizon. Behind her she could hear—and feel—the almost panicked flurry of activity and tensions of her most loyal crew as they prepared the airship for its journey. Already the great vehicle’s engines had rumbled to life and set them afloat, but much work had to be done to keep the craft in order. “Highness,” Came the familiar voice of one of her trusted captains, a dear pilot—and friend—named Flamewing, or at least that was all he answered to. Luna couldn’t say he hadn’t earned the right, as he was the best pilot she’d ever seen. “What is it?” She murmured, unable to face her friend just yet. She kept her eyes out onto the beautiful view of her country, hands loosely clasping the railing. She knew what she would see in Flamewing’s face if she turned. “Where should we go? There’s a lot of talk of rebellion out there. People know this is only the beginning and would be more than willing to rally with you.” Luna closed her eyes. Where to go, indeed? Her sister was powerful. And though she didn’t seem to know the Queen all that well anymore, she had no doubt anyone who aided her would only be putting themselves in danger. Even her own crew here were all risking themselves just by agreeing to transport her—or more accurately refusing to be left behind. There were only two people in the world she knew that could possibly stand up to Celestia’s might. “We go to the Crystal Empire,” Luna said decisively, nodding her head for extra conviction. “Cadie and Shine-Boy will know what to do.” Flamewing smirked at the nicknames. “Yes, ma’am,” He acknowledged with a crisp salute, walking back inside to the bridge. It was only when his footsteps echoed into silence that Luna turned her head so that she could look back on her home. Already Canterlot in all its gleaming glory was nearly impossible to see, an amorphous white blob in the distance. Luna felt tears sting her eyes, but she furiously blinked them back. She wasn’t sad, not wholly. Instead, she was angry. Though she mourned for her people’s predicament and the loss of the sister she once knew, revenge coursed through her veins like the sweetest of syrups. She would return, and she would make things right. Suddenly she could make out several objects in the sky, far off but steadily growing larger—closer. Luna furrowed her brow, staring in incomprehension as her own airship army bore down on them. Seemed she wasn’t the only one who was angry. The ships were close enough now that she could see the great swaths of golden fabric draping their hulls, marking them as Sun warriors now. “Highness, get inside!” Luna snapped out of her staring, looking to her crew in newfound horror. She knew Celestia would not take kindly to being thwarted this way, but this? Surely her own sister wouldn’t blow her out of the sky? The loud boom of a warning shot dispelled any remaining illusions Luna held. Celestia truly meant war, for whatever reason. “If it’s war you want, Cel, it’s war you’ll get,” Luna growled fiercely, one fist clenching on the railing before she dashed inside, her brain on fire as she sorted out the situation and how to get her crew out of it alive. They were ready and waiting for her, though not in the most literal sense. Flamewing, as pilot and captain of the vessel rolled together, was already barking out orders, the rest of the bridge in a flurry of organized activity to accomplish them. The moment Luna stepped into the bridge, her dark hair almost crackling with her fury, Flamewing deferred to her with a nod, focusing his energy on the not-so-easy task of maneuvering the giant ship through Celestia’s barrage of cannon fire. The princess’ sapphire eyes blazed with anger as she swept her gaze around the room and her crew, noting what was already being done. Flamewing had proven his immense capabilities once again, and so her mind was able to focus on one thought. How DARE her sister use her own fleet against her? “Commander!” Flamewing interrupted the royal rage as the airship shook from the force of a direct hit to their shield. “I can’t do this forever!” Luna noticed the switch to her wartime title and seethed inwardly at what she was about to say. Outwardly, however, she appeared to return to her normal calm self. “I will turn myself in,” The princess stated in clear voice. “I will not let you all sacrifice yourselves over this.” She paused. “Over me.” Several outcries were made over this, but it was Flamewing who silenced them all. “And if you die, Commander? What hope does Equestria have then?” He demanded, his eyes never leaving his navigation, even as the ship shuddered once more. Luna held her ground even as others lost their balance to the craft’s pitching, her stance firmly in place. “I have faith in my fleet, Captain,” She replied. “I always have. By taking me prisoner, the Queen will desist, and you will all be free to—” Her words were cut off by yet another explosion, this one worse than the others and followed by three terrible words from the engineer on deck. “Shield’s down, Captain!” Luna didn’t bother debating further. She sprinted across the bridge, her boots tapping on the metal floor, sounding off the countdown to their surrender. Without looking at Flamewing, she slammed her fist onto the obvious red button near his right hand, sending the flare notifying their enemies of their decision to yield up into the sky. Only after she was satisfied by the tell-tale high-pitched shriek of the surrender flare did she turn to Flamewing, wanting to commit his face to memory. She blinked once in surprise to find his expression a mirror of her own: fierce determination mixed with anger, his emerald eyes sparking with it and his jaw mutinously set. She couldn’t think of another time when Flamewing hadn’t smiled, and now he glared out at the horizon, refusing to face her. “We wanted to fight with you,” He muttered, his hands still grasping the wheel tight enough that his knuckles were white. Luna smiled, a rarity itself, and reached to cover one of his tense hands with her own. It seemed they had switched roles on who was comforting who. “You’ll just have to break me out of prison, then, won’t you?” Flamewing turned to her then, revealing the desperation in his bright eyes. “She won’t give us the chance. She’ll—” “Incoming!” Someone cried, and Luna looked outward at the sound. “No,” She breathed in denial before the onslaught of missiles barreled into the ship.
Chapter TwoIt was an idyllic scene at Carousel Boutique, the most fashionable store in the east, perhaps even all of Equestria. Though she’d yet to impress the royal family themselves, having never met them, the owner, Rarity, was sought after by people all around the country for her designs. It was little wonder, for each of her pieces was made with painstaking craftsmanship. With only an hour or so left in the morning before she opened the shop, Rarity was absorbed thoroughly by her latest creation. She sat at her worktable, her small glasses perched on her the end of her nose, her narrow-eyed gaze focused intently on the delicate beadwork illuminated under the magnifying glass in front of her. A threaded needle sat clenched between her teeth as she worked, her fingers steady as she stitched the intricate finishing touches. “One more,” She said on an exhale, speaking to herself. The only other inhabitant of the shop at the moment was her tempermental white persian cat Opal, who was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all around the room was colorful chaos, fabrics and ribbons an colored sketches everywhere you looked. Someday, she thought with a dreamy sigh, setting her needle to the fabric for the final bit of trim. Someday she would be able to go to Canterlot, and dazzle their majesties with her creations. The regal Celestia would coo over her gowns, and perhaps even the militant Luna would be persuaded to her glamorous dresses. Ah, then she could move her boutique to that beautiful, wonderful city, and maybe, just maybe even the devilishly handsome Prince Blueblood would take particular notice of her… The building suddenly shook violently as if suffering from an earthquake, jarring Rarity from her daydreams. Even as she registered the severity of her shop shaking, she could only stare in dismay at her handiwork, tears welling up in her pretty blue eyes. The sudden movement had made her hand jerk, causing her to tear the needle through the delicate fabric, leaving a jagged canyon where a beaded flower was meant to be. To add insult to injury, she heard the soft tinkling of beads striking the floor. “It’s RUINED!” She wailed, tossing off her jeweling glasses onto the desk and sobbing, pillowing her head on her folded arms. She distantly heard Opal give an angry warning growl over her bawling, but thought nothing of it until the house shook again. And again. Rarity picked up her head and blinked several times, staring as her belongings around the room continued to vibrate and fall into disarray. “What in the world?” She jumped up, determined to find out who dared set off fireworks so close to her shop, and so early in the morning, too! As Rarity emerged outside from her boutique, however, her still-shining eyes widened in shocked horror at the sight that greeted her. It wasn’t fireworks rocking the boutique; it was a full-scale airship battle happening directly above the town! “By the Elements,” Rarity breathed, staring. She could see that all the ships were gilded save one, the one being fired upon. She frowned in incomprehension even as she hurried inside to find her most functional pair of shoes. She didn’t know what was going on, but she wasn’t about to stand outside her store barefoot. She would help. The only problem was that Rarity loved all forms of fashion, including shoes, and so it took her longer than she would have liked to find the exact boots she wanted. If only she didn’t have eighty-three pairs…oh, who was she kidding? She needed them all, and it wasn’t like she could go to war in stilettos. And so it was that she returned to her front stoop just in time to see the enemy ship explode like a fiery sun over her chic neighborhood. Rarity shrieked, clapping both hands over her mouth as the helpless sound escaped her. She watched with morbid fascination as pieces of the ship and—she swallowed hard—bodies fell from the explosion like fiery rain. Then the sky rumbled to life as the dozen or so airships re-engaged their engines and headed westward toward Canterlot. Rarity barely heeded their retreat, her stare on the atrocity before her. She looked around, but it seemed she had been the only witness to this…insanity. What was Equestria coming to? Determination surged through her. She had to do something. Suddenly glad for her forethought about functional shoes, she left her boutique in a sprint. These people needed help, and now. She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to slow some of the falling debris, but only managing to catch half of it. Levitating a pair of scissors across a room was far, far different from fighting gravity on large pieces of metal. “Help!” She shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping to rally her neighbors. “I need help!! I—” She cut herself off when she saw someone falling straight for her, and she gave it her all, holding out her hands and throwing her magic at the person, hoping to stall them to a float so they wouldn’t pancake to the ground at her feet. Her stomach twisted at the very notion, but she managed it, the person levitating down to the grass before her safely. “Whew,” She gasped out, not used to using her powers this way. As she took a step toward the person she’d saved, something fell on her, knocking her hard onto her back and making her wheeze for breath. She lay there for a dazed moment, then pushed off the small piece of metal that had struck her, focused again on the person nearby. They lay lifeless in the grass, and Rarity couldn’t tell much about them for all the ash covering them. “Hello!” She managed, kneeling over them while still glancing up warily now and then for more wayward debris. “Are you alright? Can you hear me?” Rarity called frantically, catching another falling person out the corner of her eye and barely stopping them from hitting the ground at full speed. Sooty eyelids fluttered open to reveal startling sapphire eyes, before narrowing on her. “Name and location,” The tough but clearly feminine voice barked. “Rarity, and this is P-Ponyville,” The seamstress stuttered, completely overwhelmed by all that was happening. “Is there anyone else?” Rarity grimaced, pointing at the second person she’d caught. “I don’t know,” She murmured. “I saw the ship explode—” “Explode?!” The person looked up at the sky, their jaw going slack at the sight of the aftermath. “No…” “Highness!” A man’s voice shouted, making Rarity jump, before he ran up to the two of them, offering a hand to the fallen woman. Rarity could only blink up at the two of them while he pulled the woman up, speaking again. “Highness, we need to—” “Shut it,” The woman replied sharply, but it was too late. “Highness?” Rarity repeated in a high, breathy voice, starry-eyed with awe as she stared up at the blackened woman before her. The woman sighed in exasperation as the man explained, running a hand through hair that glimmered orange through the soot. “This is top secret, miss. That’s an order.” “Oh!” Rarity gasped in delight. She had met one of the princesses, her dream was happening! But the morning had taken its toll, and her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted dead away in the grass. “Great.” Flamewing muttered, his scowl deepening beneath his ash-streaked face as the locals chose that exact moment to appear. “Miss Rarity!” One cried, looking from the impeccably-dressed unconscious girl to the two smoke-stained survivors. “What did you to do to her?!” Flamewing and Luna exchanged a quick glance, a whole conversation passing between them. He nodded, barely resisting a salute, before dashing off. “You’ll never catch me!” He shouted. Luna had to swallow the sudden feeling of desertion at seeing him run off. She would definitely miss him. “Hurry, he’s the one that did this to the poor girl!” She cried pitifully. At least she wasn’t technically lying. Just like that, the small group of townsfolk chased after the distraction, leaving an injured Luna with a sleeping Rarity. Luna ran a hand through her hair, surveying the sky once more with a grimace. Damn you, Celestia, she thought, hoping that Flamewing would find more survivors. Meanwhile, she had to get out of here as well, but as she took a step, she winced, her left leg rebelling at having her weight put on it. She glanced down at it in consternation, noticing once more the prissy woman who must have saved her. There was no way she had survived that fall on her own. She almost felt guilty for leaving her there, but she couldn’t stay here. Too much was at stake. She took all of three more slow, painful steps before a country-accented voice stopped her in her tracks. “Now, lies like that might fool the other folk ‘round here,” The woman drawled, and Luna followed the sound to a figure leaning against a nearby building, one leg cocked and a cowboy hat drawn low over her face. “But me,” She said, tipping back her hat to reveal a level stare and a blonde braid, “Me, I like the truth.”
Chapter ThreeLuna could tell with one glance at this newcomer that she was not to be trifled with. The woman’s clothes were completely functional and no-nonsense, completely at odds with the dressy woman in the grass. Solid working boots that had seen their share of wear were topped by faded jeans splattered with mud, and the woman wore her simple red plaid shirt with its sleeves rolled up to her elbows, presumably to allow her hands to get dirty. Which they were. Even as her arms were crossed over her chest, it was easy to see the dirt streaking her fingers. Luna could also tell with one glance that she liked this woman. No simpering damsel in distress here. This one would know how to fight and stand up for herself, and probably didn’t even own a skirt, just like her. The thought made her lips twitch in amusement. “I saw the whole thing from my farm,” The woman said, interrupting the princess’ observations. She leaned up from the wall and began to walk over to them with easy, measured steps belying the passion in her words. “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t rightly care. But those were the Queen’s ships shooting you down, so you step away from Rarity, right now. She’s done nothin’ but help ya and I ain’t gonna stand idly by when a friend of mine’s in trouble, ya hear?” Luna was rather fond of the accent, too. “She is in no danger from me,” She said instead, holding up her hands in the universal sign for surrender. “All the same.” “I was already walking away, you realize.” A perplexed frown crossed the woman’s freckled face. “Never you mind that, you just stay right where you are.” Luna grinned. “I am not going anywhere. As you saw, I am injured, and my ship was blown to pieces.” Even as she tried to say the words in an easy fashion, saying them only seemed to make the hellish morning more real. Her grin faded and her hands lowered as her shoulders slumped slightly. “Hmph,” Was the woman’s grunt of a reply as she crossed the remaining distance between them. Keeping a wary eye on the soot-blackened individual, she knelt down by Rarity, giving her shoulder a light shake. “Rarity. Rarity, c’mon now.” She said low, hoping to encourage the drama queen to return to the world of the living. It didn’t take long for her actions to be rewarded, as Rarity came to with a delicate fluttering of her eyelashes before sweeping her brilliant eyes open. “AJ!” She said excitedly, sitting up. “Thank the sun, you’re here. It’s just been absolutely crazy, and you’ll never guess who I—” Blinking past her friend, she saw that Luna was still there, and she immediately hushed, realizing she had been about to give away the ‘secret.’ ‘AJ’ as she had been called gave a long-suffering sigh. “Calm down there, Rarity, or you’ll just fall over again. Breathe, girl.” “AJ, is it?” Luna questioned, using her superior tone without realizing. The woman didn’t immediately answer, as if making her wait for ordering her about. She got back to her feet and offered a hand to Rarity so she could pull her up, too. Rarity graciously took the offer and began to dust off her clothes, bobbing slightly as if she couldn’t decide whether to bow or not given the situation. “Yeah, AJ to my friends. Name’s Applejack, though. And you are?” She extended the same hand to Luna for a handshake. Luna had wanted to keep her identity a secret, the better to be able to hide and keep those around her alive. But she already had blood on her hands from trying to go that route. One glance up into the still-smoky sky was all she needed as a reminder of that. No, she needed to take the fight to Celestia, and she needed allies to do it. And this woman, she had already been told, would accept nothing less than the truth. Nothing for it, then. “I am officially known as Her Royal Highness Princess Luna of Equestria,” She rolled off, smirking in satisfaction as both women’s eyes grew round in surprise. “But here in my sister’s new Empire, you can just call me Luna.” Applejack had immediately dropped to her knees once the realization had sunk in, and Rarity had given a deep curtsy, as court custom would have required back home in Canterlot. “I’m sure sorry, princess,” AJ said, sincerity ringing in her voice. “I had no idea.” “It is alright. I had meant to keep such a secret—” This was said with a telling glance to the seamstress. “But I have decided it will be easier to just tell the truth.” She winked at AJ down on the grass, nodding at her to stand once more. The blonde stood, idly scratching at her braid beneath her hat in thought. “What are we going to do with an injured princess?” “Oh, please,” Rarity gushed. “I would love to have you stay with me.” She leaned forward a bit as if to reveal a great secret, saying in a stage whisper, “I’m the only one with any clue on how to properly treat royalty.” AJ laughed. “Ain’t that the truth, we’ve all seen how you spoil Opal.” Rarity huffed, furrowing her brows. “Opal is hardly spoiled. She is treated with the respect a lady deserves!” “She’s a cat, not a lady, Rarity.” AJ grinned. It took a strong amount of self-control to keep the seamstress from stomping her booted foot. Luna just raised a brow as the two of them bantered back and forth before clearing her throat. “Girls,” She called. They both snapped to attention. “Focus.” AJ suddenly snapped her fingers, pointing at Luna. “If you’re who you say you are, how come you were getting shot down by the Queen’s ships up there?” Luna’s jaw set, her blue eyes glittering against her darkened skin. “Those were my ships.” That only seemed to confuse AJ, so she added, “Celestia has gone mad.” It was the only explanation she had at the moment. “Is she gonna keep coming after you?” Rarity asked, her voice hesitant. “I’m not sure. Once word gets out that I survived, it is very likely.” Luna sighed. “I will understand if you don’t wish to be involved. However I do need a place to stay while I recuperate from my fall.” Rarity and AJ exchanged a glance. They had heard the stories from Canterlot. All the way out here in Ponyville, they had seemed unreal, but now reality was standing directly before them. Nodding at one another, they turned back to face Luna, then they both knelt in the grass in unison. Luna felt her heart quake with some new emotion. “I’m not gonna stand idly by when a friend of mine’s in trouble,” AJ said firmly, as if her words were an oath of fealty. “I don’t have it in me to turn royalty away,” Rarity added in an airy tone. “I will give you everything I have.” Luna swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat that was making it difficult to speak. She wasn’t sure why their loyalty was affecting her so—she had seen and heard it from her crew before. Perhaps it was because they reminded her of those she had lost. But it seemed in losing her old crew she had gained a new one. After a moment, she cleared her throat, though her voice was still hoarse when she spoke. “Rise, Knights of Harmony,” She intoned. It had begun.
