No Mare Ever Cried For Midnight
Our story begins in a field, where ten magical, brightly-coloured ponies were frolicking happily in the late afternoon sunshine.
Well, to be honest, only eight of those little ponies were actually frolicking. Due to some rather unkind words and some rather hard business competition, the remaining two ponies, both of them unicorns, were rather stiffly tolerating the other's presence.
So, while eight happy little ponies were playing . . .
“I'm telling you, we need to go home! We're needed there, not here!”
All right. Seven ponies were at least somewhat happy. . .
“What? You're just going to leave us now? After all the parties we've had together?”
“Argh! Is that all you think about?”
“Hey, don't yell at her like that!”
. . . Perhaps we need to look elsewhere to explain why this is happening. Another time. Another space. And another civilization.
Our story has its roots in, of all things, a great and terrible disaster. The Second Kanto Earthquake had rocked the island nation of Japan, just as its predecessor had nearly a century earlier. Buildings had collapsed, fires had broken out, and the city of Mega-Tokyo had nearly been destroyed by the powerful quake. However, this quake had done something that the First Kanto Earthquake had not. More on that shortly.
Eight years after this incident, we find Mega-Tokyo somewhat restored, if also somewhat divided. There is a gulf between the rich and poor ends of the world's largest city, almost literally in some cases. And the GENOM corporation, a massive entity founded on cybernetics, construction, and investment, owns much of the land in Mega-Tokyo now. Without it, the city would never have recovered as quickly as it did. It is known around the world as 'the ultimate corporate city'.
But GENOM has also had its own little . . . disasters. Mostly of the public relations variety, until more recently. Because GENOM, as has been said, is built on cybernetics. Their main product is the Boomer android, useful in so many areas of day to day life. Unfortunately, these humanoid machines are capable of going 'rogue' in an orgy of violent slaughter. This is covered in the warranty, naturally, but it can be difficult to dismiss malfunctions when hulking androids are virtually tap-dancing through the downtown core and leaving a trail of smouldering debris in their wake.
Those incidents are minor, however, compared to the sudden disintegration of several of their own research complexes by a GENOM-built Space Defence Force satellite. Given the presence of several other random strikes around Mega-Tokyo that night, the cause is officially ruled an accident, most likely as the result of collisions with space debris. The damage is severe and the company retreats into itself to rebuild. When explosions also rock the headquarters of the AD Police force responsible for curtailing rogue Boomers, Mega-Tokyo must turn to its last line of defence.
No, not magical, brightly-coloured ponies. Not yet. Be patient; they're coming soon.
What's that? You can't wait? Oh, very well.
Look to the west, then, to the forests of Mount Takao. Look past the small grass fires, the crackle of energy bolts, and the uprooted tree being swung by a Boomer. There, near the summit. That gleam of white against the rock. The shine of golden shoes and crown in the firelight. Princess Celestia is there, watching the pitched battle going on beneath her.
It's not the first time she's appeared on Earth. If a person were to see the white horse statue on the nearby Mount Jimba, they wouldn't recognize the winged unicorn one bit in that crude carving. But very few humans would ever believe their eyes if they saw her as she truly is.
She last stood in this spot eight years earlier, after the rock wall had crumbled in the earthquake and reopened a long-sealed passageway between Earth and her land of Equestria. On that night, she had simply put a spell on the fissure to keep the path to Equestria concealed, and then gone back to bed at the palace in Canterlot. But now something has drawn her back here and she stands at the brink of the ledge, her dark eyes wide and her great heart nearly broken.
A sudden explosion lights up the mountain slope below.
There. Pony. Happy now? Let's get started.
BGC/MLP:FiM: No Mare Ever Cried For Midnight
“We can't keep doing this.”
“What, not getting out of the way of an exploding Boomer? What's the fun in that?” Priss Asaragi commented, lifting her outer faceplate. Sprawled out on her stomach, she grunted and made a face at the realization that she was half-buried in the ground. “At least you have wings, Sylia. You don't get a faceful of dirt when things blow up.”
“Three months ago, none of us would be this close to a Boomer in that state of instability,” Sylia Stingray said. She was sitting against a tree, still in her own white and blue hardsuit. Parts of it were smoking slightly, but she raised her own faceplate, revealing eyes crinkled in pain. “We're taking too many chances.”
Another hardsuit, this one olive, groaned as it heaved itself up onto all fours. “We don't have a choice. The AD Police still can't respond to every call. They need our help.” Linna Yamazaki shifted, then sank back down with another moan. “Ow.”
There was a brief silence before the women realized that the fourth member of their team wasn't making her opinions known. Three helmets snapped around, searching for her. “Nene!”
“I'm okay,” came her voice through the built-in speakers. “I'm just . . .” There was a crackle of snapping branches and a sudden yelp. “. . . back on the ground now.” Nene giggled suddenly. “But I knew I should have eaten something before this fight. I'm starting to see things because I'm so hungry.”
The other Knight Sabers grumbled as they sorted themselves out, but it was clear they shared her sentiments. They had always been there to fight the Boomer scourge of Mega-Tokyo, but without the AD Police anywhere near full-strength, the lady vigilantes in high-tech hardsuits were handling more and more incidents on their own.
Linna hadn't risen yet. Her back muscles had given a sudden spasm and she just wanted to catch her breath before getting up. She could move her legs and arms without pain, though, so it wasn't as if her spine had been damaged. Thank Heaven for small favours.
She could hear someone stepping beside her and she sighed, resting her faceplate on the ground rather than look up at her teammates. “I'm all right, Sylia.”
“I'm sure she'll be pleased to hear it,” a kind, if unfamiliar, female voice said.
Blinking, Linna slowly turned her head to the side. To her surprise, a white horse stood there, its long legs shod in circular golden shoes. Its wings were flared out and the long horn on its forehead was glowing.
“Can you understand me?” it asked in flawless Japanese, with the same voice as before. It leaned its head down to gaze at her, iridescent mane flowing around both of them.
Wide-eyed, she nodded.
“Good.” The beautiful white mare gave her a gentle nudge before lifting her head again to look over at Priss and Sylia. “My name is Princess Celestia. I am the ruler of the land of Equestria and I've watched you four tonight.” Behind her, Nene stumbled out of the woods and stopped dead in her tracks, her pink helmet under her arm. “You are brave women, but you're very worn. I want to take you to a place where you will be safe for a while, where you can rest and recover.” She glanced over her shoulder at Nene and her deep amethyst eyes twinkled. “Souls such as yours deserve a chance to heal.”
“I must have skipped dinner too,” Priss's comment cut through the silence, “ because I think I'm hallucinating the same thing, Nene. Can you call up the nearest pizza parlour and have them deliver here?”
For her part, Sylia smiled tightly as she got up, bracing herself against a tree. “And who will watch over Mega-Tokyo while we are idle?” she asked. “Who will protect the city from Boomers like this one? Would you stand in our place, Princess?”
“If only because of the pain I feel in your heart, I would,” Celestia responded softly, walking over to her. “But I have my own responsibilities.” She lowered her head in response to Sylia's outstretched arm and nuzzled at her. “Your opponents are weak. Your allies are recovering. Please, come with me.”
Priss lifted off her helmet, shaking out her brown hair. “Why? Why would you offer this?”
Celestia turned to gaze at her. “As I said, I feel your hearts. You yourself have seen too many people die in your young life. Is revenge all you have to live for?” She lowered her enormous wings and made a soft noise that tugged at their hearts.
“My father created the Boomers to help humanity,” Sylia said, “but GENOM murdered him and perverted his research for their own uses. They can't be destroyed because that would throw the Earth into turmoil, but someone has to maintain a balance. If you wish to change hearts, change those who wish to take this world for themselves.” She winced as she moved a shoulder, but straightened up. “And if you want to help us? Don't take us out of this fight.”
“You're about to take yourselves out.” Celestia turned around to look at both Linna and Nene. “The magic of your friendship has sustained you this far, but it's a bad fuel for the fires of revenge. Once they've run out, what will you burn instead?”
There was silence in the clearing, with only the crackle of the small fires from the explosion and the small pops of Boomer bits being barbecued. The four women looked at each other and there seemed to be a discussion involving only facial expressions.
“Grand words from a princess,” Sylia finally said, drawing Celestia's attention back to her. She pulled her own helmet off and dropped it, ignoring the clatter as it bounced at her feet. “If our hearts mean that much to you, then we'll give them over. But Mega-Tokyo can't be left defenceless.”
Celestia looked thoughtful. “Perhaps . . . my sister might be able to help. It's been a few centuries since Luna's had a city to call her own, even if only for a while. I know she's been itching to spread her wings once more.” She gave herself a shake and her own wings rustled as she folded them. With a toss of her head, all the fires in the forest were extinguished in an instant. Only the glow of her horn was left to illuminate the clearing as she walked back over to Linna, who had managed to sit up with Nene's help. “Now, are you sure you're all right?”
“Yes,” Linna breathed, raising her arms and stretching gingerly. Her hardsuit had stopped the worst of it and while she would probably be bruised in the morning, there was nothing damaged. “Are there more of you around here?”
“And are they all as beautiful as you?” Nene asked, reaching out a hand.
Celestia looked surprised, but smiled and lowered her head to allow Nene to stroke her long nose. “No one's done this in decades,” she said with a small laugh. “And yes, there are more of my kind, although much smaller than I am. They've never seen humans before, either.”
“Will we be the first, then?”
Celestia rested her cheek on Nene's hand and the glow of her horn brightened. “Not quite.”
Princess Luna was a smaller, darker twin to her sister. Where a bright sun adorned Celestia's white flanks, her own marking showed a crescent moon shadowed by clouds. But her wingspan and horn were the same size.
The night surrounded her, except for a shining patch of moonlight that seemed to be her own personal spotlight. She sat on her haunches, gazing at a particular crevice in the side of a particular ravine. Her sister had vanished through there only a couple of hours before and Luna was contemplating disobeying the orders she'd been given to stay put for as long as necessary. Celestia hadn't taken any Royal Guards with her, and the pair she'd left behind were stationed at one entrance to the ravine. Her own brace of Night Guards were at the other end.
Luna had heard of breaches like this between worlds, but hadn't known them to be so . . . innocuous. She'd always thought of them as swirling portals of many colours, or even actual doorways that hung in midair in forests and mountain caves. But a crack in a ravine? Hardly the stuff of legend. And she didn't understand why Celestia had taken such an interest in this one again, not after sealing it up nearly a decade earlier.
The sudden glow inside the rock made her shift and slowly stretch into a defensive posture. It might not be Celestia returning and if whatever had come through that divide was hostile, she would deal with it before it could escape into Equestria.
But then the glow resolved itself into the tall outline of her sister and Luna relaxed her stance. “So, what was so important that you felt the need to journey to another world?”
Celestia stepped forward. “See for yourself.” Two ordinary-sized ponies were draped across her back. One had a gentle, pale olive coat, the strands of her dark mane fluttering with her deep breathing. The other was just as pale, but in blue.
“Have you been rescuing strays, dear sister?” Luna asked, contemplating the unconscious pair.
“I felt it necessary, given how worn out their souls have become.” Celestia glanced over her shoulder at the crack, where two more ponies were standing. “It's all right. This is my sister, Princess Luna. Luna, I'd like you to meet Sylia Stingray and Nene Romanova.” She smiled and shifted slightly. “Both Linna and Priss here were too badly hurt to stay awake through their conversion.”
Luna eyed Nene and Sylia. The unicorn mare was quite beautiful with her long blue mane and golden eyes. The violet one was . . . not at all used to being a pony, she decided, as the little one yelped and collapsed in a tangle of legs after a few steps. “Allow me to guess: Ponyville for the four of them?”
Celestia nodded. “Miss Stingray may need help with her magic while she's here and I can't think of anypony better than Twilight Sparkle for that.”
“All of Equestria's answers lie in Ponyville,” Luna said, sighing. “Very well. I shall order my guards to prepare my chariot. I believe there is room for two more on there.”
“Not necessary, Luna.” Her sister's voice made her stop while halfway to her hooves. “I will take care of them. But their fight isn't yet over. They need somepony to watch over their city while they're resting here. How would you like to have that chance to patrol the skies once more?”
Luna's eyes widened and she sat up straight. “Truly? I mean, I know that you often didn't approve of our methods . . .”
“Not on Equestria, no,” Celestia said softly, “But their fight is against corruption and abuse of power, which are two things I rather detest myself. Miss Stingray can fill you in while I make these two a bit more comfortable in my own chariot.”
As she walked off, Luna sat back down and watched the pale unicorn approach her on slightly unsteady hooves. Of all the things for her sister's warm heart to embrace, it would have to be this. Celestia loved the strong-willed ones, the ones who would fight through an army for their friends. She wondered to herself if they would come out of this 'rest' still the same. When the fighting stopped, friends forged under fire could ... well, fade. “Judging by your names, I assume you were not always ponies?” she asked.
Sylia smiled, although it seemed slightly forced. “Humans. I'm not even sure how we ended up like this. One minute, your sister was talking to us about taking us to a place where we could rest, and the next thing I know, we're . . .” She gazed down at her hooves. “Well, I suppose there is some sort of explanation for it.”
“We know of humans. Stories have long been told about days when they appeared to help save Equestria.” Luna tilted her head to the side. “Although a transformation like this has never been in any of those tales. Did my sister do this?”
“Yes,” she said, sounding slightly irritated as her her tail swished. “She said something about overcoming a language barrier. And that it would be easier for us to get the care we needed if we were, as she put it, 'more like her little ponies'.” Sylia gazed at Luna. “Why does this matter so much? Who are we to her? And why would she so casually volunteer you to defend our city?”
Luna shrugged. “She knew that I would go willingly. As for your other questions . . .” She nickered and her voice got quieter. “My sister has great compassion. If you fight injustice and corruption, and if your companions were injured tonight, I can only assume that your need reached out and drew her to you.” Her wingtips twitched. “The only thing greater than her compassion is her magic. And when both are needed, there is nothing that will stop her from helping.” She couldn't resist a slight smirk. “Even if no one has asked her, she still knows what must be done. It can be one of her . . . more overbearing qualities. Now,” she continued, “tell me about tonight. And what I need to know for your city.”
And so Sylia began to talk. About her father and his research. About being secretly sent the schematics for the armoured hardsuits and her recruitment of Priss, Linna, and Nene as fellow vigilantes. And about their running war against the GENOM corporation.
Listening intently, Luna understood the passions that drove Sylia and her friends. She knew the desire for revenge, although the women had channelled it much better than she had done. She had been jealous of her sister's day, wanting only to have her beloved night acknowledged in the same way. That jealousy had transformed her into Nightmare Moon and she had carelessly tried to destroy everything in the pursuit of eternal night, resulting in Celestia sealing her away in her own moon for a thousand years. No pony had died, however, and it was this that had made it much easier to accept her sister's forgiveness when she'd finally returned from her imprisonment.
It had been a difficult road back and she still felt twinges of guilt over her actions. Her sister had shown complete trust, no matter how little Luna felt she deserved it sometimes. But now, with a chance like this, to guard a city . . . .
“Back in the forest, you'll find our hardsuits, or what's left of them,” Sylia was saying. “Please gather them up for us. You'll also find keys to my building, Lady 633. The top floor is where I live and where you should stay while you're in Mega-Tokyo.” She hesitated. “My brother will be wondering where we are by now. Don't frighten him too badly. He'll be able to show you how to trace Boomer activity. Without Nene there, you won't be able to listen in on the local police, but Priss had a contact named Leon. Don't frighten him too badly, either.”
“But if I come across any GENOM people, including this President Quincy?” Luna enquired.
“You may do as you wish,” Sylia said, smiling slightly. “Just don't get the AD Police upset at you. Or at us.”
Celestia came over from helping Nene stand on her new legs. “You know the language spells as well as I do,” she said. “And seal the breach after you. I'll reopen it when the Knight Sabers are well enough to go home.” She turned to Sylia. “Will you come with me? I think your friends would be happier to wake up in a soft bed rather than the floor of my chariot while we're in the air.”
Luna stood as Sylia did. “I will live up to the honour of being trusted with your city,” she said. “Trust my sister and her student in return and rest here until you need to return home.” Lifting her head, she whistled and heard the jangle of her guards' traces as they responded to her signal. With a leap, she took to the air as her chariot approached. “And trust me: As much as you may not think you need it, your souls must be restored before you fly back into a fight such as this. You will be better for it when the time comes.” A great flap of her wings sent Luna spinning as she met her soaring chariot and she landed agilely on the boards, heading for a new world and a great, dark city.
As the brush tugged lightly at her new mane, Priss Asaragi grunted softly.
“I am so sorry about that wake-up call,” the purple unicorn apologized, turning her slightly so she could continue. “Pinkie Pie's just got some sort of sense when there's a new pony in town. She can't not welcome them. But it would have been much louder if she had gotten her welcome wagon up the stairs. How was the “Greeting Cupcake”?”
“Good,” Priss admitted grudgingly, still surprised that not having fingers wasn't an obstacle for these ponies. Twilight Sparkle herself was using some sort of magic, the hairbrush surrounded in a purple glow as it moved back and forth on its own. They were both sitting on the floor of a library housed in a very, very large tree. And outside, everything was so . . . colourful. Bright blue skies, greenery everywhere, gorgeously designed cottages with cute thatched roofs. She guessed 'slab-grey concrete' was not an available construction choice in this world.
She sat there and allowed the other pony to keep brushing her while she thought. Her arms were now slender, blue forelegs with flat hooves at the end, and the one that had once been broken by a Boomer wasn't aching any more. The bruises she had received last night in that brawl at Mount Takao were still tender, but not as bad as they usually were. Ponies obviously healed fast.
As for her soul, well, she had never been sure what state it was in. It wasn't really something Sylia demanded that she keep tabs on, unlike her temper and her impulsive nature. And she'd been gunning for revenge ever since she was seventeen, after her boyfriend had been 'accidentally' (officially), brutally murdered by GENOM. Sylia had found her before she could do anything rash and given her a channel for her emotions. But now, in a place that obviously didn't need a street-urchin turned street-fighter . . . .
“Where are the others?” she asked, pushing away the irrational fear of not having anything to do. She'd been wanting a vacation for ages. Now that it had arrived, albeit in a most unusual way, she shouldn't be afraid of it.
Twilight gave her mane one last stroke and blinked. “Oh, well, Sylia was up early this morning and she said she wanted to look around Ponyville. I think your friend, Nene, was it? Nene's fallen in with Pinkie Pie at the Sugarcube Corner bakery. And Linna's with Fluttershy. I'm not sure where they've headed off.” She tilted her head as her brush finished up and hovered beside her. “Did you want to see any of them?”
“Can we find Sylia, please?” She felt her ears perk forward. She didn't need a sugar-rushed Nene right now. And if Sylia could do this, she could too.
As Twilight nodded and zipped off to put her brush away, Priss got up and practised trotting around a little. It was easy to walk as long as she didn't consciously try to match up all four legs. She looked back at the small blue wings that were furled against her sides and hoped that flying would come just as naturally.
“Are there a lot of other . . . flying ponies here?” she asked when Twilight reappeared.
The unicorn nodded. “Oh, sure! There's about a hundred Pegasi in Ponyville I can introduce you to my friend Rainbow Dash if we see her. She's one of the best fliers in Equestria.”
Priss sighed and followed her host out the door. “I missed a lot of things last night after your princess, um, made me a pony. Did Sylia talk to you at all? What are we supposed to do while we're here?”
“You're supposed to take it easy,” Twilight said. “Princess Celestia told me what you do in your world. It's not something I think I could ever do!”
“Someone has to. GENOM doesn't bother asking nicely if you have something they want. And if I hadn't taken up Sylia's offer, I would probably be dead,” Priss admitted. “She stopped me from taking on those murderers and thugs all by myself. She gave me allies and the means to fight better and harder.”
Twilight stopped and looked back at her, an odd expression on her face. “She had you make some friends, didn't she?”
Oh, no. Of all the places to have found a kindred spirit. This unicorn had been through something, too. Priss backed up at that, lifting a foreleg as if to protect herself from the unicorn's gaze. “What? No! I can't have friends. People who get too close to me always wind up dead. It's . . . it's too dangerous to know me.”
“Not here, it isn't,” Twilight stepped closer and gently nudged at her shoulder. “There's no one here who can hurt you. And back where you came from, Princess Luna has promised to do your duty for a while. Anypony who tries to hurt her is going to regret it, let me tell you.” Her tail switched from side to side as she swept a foreleg around to encompass the small square, with its quaint homes. “Here, ponies want to know you. It's important to all of us. Although Pinkie's a bit of an extreme example, she's made a friend out of every pony in this village.”
Priss eyed her warily. Of course they would be insistent on knowing everyone. They were herd animals, after all. “Sparkle, do you have orphans here?”
“Orphans?” she asked, ears tilting forward.
“You know.” She gestured. “Foals who have lost their parents?”
“Oh!” Twilight nodded. “We have a few. But there's usually other ponies who take them in.”
“Then they were luckier than I was.” Priss sat down beside a fountain in the square. “Mine were killed in the Second Kanto Earthquake. I was alone at the orphanage, I was alone after my lover died, and every time I get close to someone else, they're cut down by GENOM.” She felt her tail swish and turned to look down at it.
The shadow of the unicorn fell across her flank and she felt another nudge at her ear. “So you're afraid of bad goodbyes, is that it?”
“I've had too many of them to welcome another one,” she muttered. “Sylvie, Anri, Sho and his mother . . . I had to kill Sylvie myself. She begged me to, to save the city. The explosion would have destroyed it otherwise. That led to Anri doing the things she did, in revenge for her death.” She heaved a sigh. Dwelling on it wasn't the best idea, not if she wanted to keep it together. “How do you deal with them?”
Twilight looked suddenly uncertain. “It's, well, not something I've really dealt with. I only started making friends a couple of years ago and they're all still here. Before that, I didn't have time for other ponies because I was too busy studying under the Princess.” She shifted and glanced down. “But I think I know how you feel. I've fought gods and demons to keep my friends safe.”
Priss felt her ears prick up at that. Maybe this world wasn't as soft as it looked. Her curiosity overrode her desire to keep to herself. “Tell me more.”
“So these are Boomers,” Luna noted. “When your sister was telling me of them, she neglected to mention their size. And their ability to conceal themselves as members of the human race. How can you tell them from true people?”
Mackie clicked on a few more photos, enlarging them on the computer screen to show massive robot forms with red eyes, spikes, and armoured plating. “Mostly you can't. They can compress themselves down into human form and disguise themselves effortlessly. Until they either grab you and start cracking bones or burst out of their human shapes, you can't really tell the difference.”
The alicorn made a noise of understanding as she gazed over his shoulder at the information on the screen. Her first steps onto this plane had been just as Sylia had promised. There had been pieces of the Knight Sabers' hardsuits all over the side of the mountain, obviously the result of a sudden conversion from one form to another. One spell, however, had been enough to gather up all the fragments into a large basket and she'd set it on her chariot with orders for her Night Guards to carry it back to Canterlot. There were ponies at the castle who would be very interested in looking at some of that technology.
Going on alone, Luna had flown over a good part of Mega-Tokyo, seeing its size and scars for herself. She had passed over the Rift, that tear in the earth that had split the city in two. She had landed on rooftops, folded her wings, and peered down into the streets to watch the humans below as they went about their night lives, then she had taken off once again into the air.
And she had finally found the apartment that belonged to the Stingrays. Of course, once she had let herself inside, she had found that the human already there had not been expecting an alicorn to drop out of the sky and introduce herself. Perhaps she shouldn't have used the traditional Royal Canterlot Voice in greeting him, Luna reflected. Twilight Sparkle had said that she really did need to watch her volume when meeting new people.
However, Mackie had eventually satisfied himself that she was not some sort of new type of Boomer. As silly as she thought that sounded, Luna had to admit that if one dealt with monsters all day, one would instinctively see nearly everything new as a monster. And again, she could understand, given her experiences with some of her own subjects. Many ponies had still considered her to be Nightmare Moon rather than the returned Princess of the Night and it had taken a great deal of time and emotional hurt for her to overcome that impression.
“Will there be another incident?” she asked. “My sister brought yours out of the aftermath of a battle already tonight and I've been led to understand there is rarely more than one at a time.”
Mackie shrugged, logging himself off from the system and getting out of the chair he had been sitting in. “GENOM doesn't like to tax their resources too much right now. We might have a night or two before the next one.”
Luna nodded as she followed him out of the databank room and out into the living area. “Very well. I apologize that I can't update you on your sister's activities, but the portal between your world and ours is resealed until Celestia decides to open it again. She will be well looked-after, never fear. Think of it as a vacation, perhaps?”
He sighed. “That's the problem. She hasn't taken a vacation since after our father died. It's been impossible. Between running the Knight Sabers and dealing with the family business, she's never had the time. And now none of them are here.” Mackie looked at her as she walked by him into the kitchen. “Can you really replace all four Knight Sabers by yourself? You don't even have any armour or weapons of your own.”
“I have my magic. It will suffice.” She focused that magic on the fridge door and popped it open.
“And what about when Sylia has to meet one of her contacts?” he asked from the other room.
“We will deal with that when we are contacted.” Luna nosed through the drawers, seeing if Sylia was the sort of human who liked apples. If they even had apples on this world. Finding nothing that tickled her taste buds, she sighed and let the fridge door swing shut again. Then her gaze drifted to the floral arrangement on the counter. Hmmm . . .
Mackie stared at her as she hopped up onto the couch across from him and settled down to nose through the basket that had been clamped between her teeth. “Those were a gift for my sister from a client, you know.”
Luna nipped the head off of a white rose and let the petals caress her taste buds. “Mmmph. Well, they will be quite dead by the time she returns. They do tend to lose their texture a little if they get stale. It's best to eat them quickly.” Swallowing, she flicked her flowing blue tail. “I understand if I've kept you up past your sleeping hours and you wish to return to your bed. I shall remain awake for another hour or two until the dawn comes, then I shall retire. If there is a Boomer attack before moonrise, please wake me. I won't be offended.”
“Um.” He gestured vaguely. “You'll be fine with Sylia's bedroom and everything?”
“Oh, yes. Very much the same as it is in Canterlot. Good night, Mister Stingray, and thank you for your help tonight.”
After he had shut the door to his bedroom and left her to her feast, Luna relaxed her magic and let the translation spell fizzle out. It had been ages since she had cast a spell for that long. There was some magical tension behind her ears, but she hoped a good day's sleep would ease that. As she munched on a de-thorned rose stalk, she considered what she had learned in the last couple of hours. Her opponents would be merciless; the territory she would have to cover was immense. She simply hoped that things would not be as difficult as they appeared.
Sylia gazed after the giggling pink blur of a pony that had vanished down a nearby side street, then down at her feet where a single lit candle glimmered atop a heavily-frosted cupcake. There was even a plate thoughtfully provided. “I gather that was your friend Pinkie Pie?”
The white unicorn heaved a dramatic sigh and toyed with the edge of her elegantly curled, purple mane. “Please do accept my apologies, Miss Stingray. Pinkie is very, shall we say, exuberant?”
Sylvia gave a small giggle of her own. “I can see why Nene's taken after her, especially if she carries the promise of treats. They'll do each other good, as long as Nene can still fit into her outfits once we get back to Mega Tokyo.” She gently blew out the candle and set it aside with a small tug of her new magic. Such an amazing thing, being able to move items with a thought. It had taken her just minutes that morning with Twilight Sparkle to understand the process behind her telekinesis. It was something all unicorns possessed, regardless of their own innate talents, such as Miss Rarity's gem-finding ability, and while it required little more than a thought, there had to be some will behind it. Otherwise, stray thoughts and desires would result in her magic flaring when it had no right to do so. Now she used that magic to hover the cupcake at muzzle-level and took a dainty bite. “Mmm.” She closed her eyes and luxuriated in the flavours. “Mmm. Oh, my.”
“The Princess was right when she said that you needed time away from your cause,” said Rarity.
“Up until this morning, I would have disagreed with her,” Sylia murmured, swishing her tail. “But after seeing the others sleeping so well, especially Linna, I'll allow my opinions to be put on hold for now.” She continued to nibble delicately so as to not get too much frosting on her nose.
“Well, being vigilantes and all, you must have worked a lot of nights, so it's no wonder you poor dears are so tired.” Rarity tilted her head to the side. “Was it really the only way?”
Sylia gazed askance at her. “This is a small village. You don't have corporations here from what I can see. What about in the larger cities? Is there a large company that exists anywhere and everywhere, with ambitions to be a part of nearly every process in that city? One that pushes itself on everything you do and lets nothing stand in the way of its plans? One that kills to protect its interests and ignores or covers up its own mistakes and it's the small and weak that bear the brunt?”
Rarity's eyes had widened and she shook her head, mane bouncing lightly. “Princess Celestia would never allow something like that to happen.”
With a small smirk, Sylia finished her cupcake and sat down. “Are you sure that I'm not describing your Princess? She overrode the interests of myself and my team to bring us here. She seems to be the type to let nothing stop her plans, if I understand the reasoning behind your use of your “Elements of Harmony” correctly. Did you have a choice when you became a wielder?”
The white unicorn pawed at the ground. “Yes. I went willingly to retrieve the Elements when Nightmare Moon returned. Yes, Princess Celestia arranged for Twilight to make friends because she knew that there would be more ponies needed than just her to use the Elements, but she had no way of knowing it would be us. Twilight did that all on her own. And it could have been any pony who followed her that night.” She whuffed gently. “I asked myself those same questions soon afterwards.”
Sylia nodded. “I had to be certain. Your Princess seems to be a kind ruler, but we know that appearances can be deceiving. A Boomer can be anything; a child, a beautiful woman, even someone important, seen every day doing ordinary things by thousands of people. Then something happens and it bursts out of its shell and begins laying waste to whatever is in its path.” She sighed. “So yes, to answer your question. It was the only way. Power had to be checked with power.”
“Well, I think that Princess Luna is more than up to the task, then.” Rarity got up and nodded in the direction of her boutique. “Now, enough about her and let us discuss you. I knew from the moment we met that you were a mare of classy and sophisticated tastes.”
“How did you . . .” She glanced back along her body and laughed as she caught sight of a frilly saddle on her hindquarters. “Ah, of course. Your markings. What is it like, being identified so strongly with a particular talent? Don't you find it limiting?”
Rarity waited for her to get up, then led the way to her home. “Oh, hardly. Our cutie marks simply mean we've discovered our passion in life and that we do it well. You'd hardly trust yourself to somepony who has no interest in what they do, would you?” She opened the door with her magic and held it for Sylia as she trotted through.
“So you looked at my mark and saw that I was a fashionable person just from that.” She sat where Rarity indicated and watched as outfits were caught up in a shimmering blue glow and hovered all around. “But you wouldn't know that I also ran a multi-million yen business as a vigilante and mercenary. It seems that I have more than one passion, doesn't it?”
Rarity shrugged, holding outfits up beside Sylia, examining colour schemes and styles. “You're a mercenary because the situation dictates it. It doesn't mean that it's what you wanted to do, but what you've had to do. That's happened here, too. Ponies can be lifted higher than their passions, if they must be. Come now, try this on and let's see how it suits you.”
“Pinpoint the location and give me the best direct route,” Luna said, pacing behind Mackie as he typed away. The police frequency had been squawking with news of a Boomer gone bonkers somewhere in the Chiyoda ward. The map up on the screen showed their own location in the Shibuya ward and Mackie was presently narrowing down the co-ordinates. It didn't seem to be too far away, though. “I shall fly there and assess the situation.”
“You may have to do more than that,” he said. “There's several AD Police officers down. That Boomer needs to be stopped and stopped hard.” The screen suddenly zoomed in, then a straight purple line lanced out from their building to the intersection where the Boomer had last been reported. “It's got to be around there somewhere. Just look for explosions once you get high enough.” Turning around in his chair, Mackie looked at her anxiously. “You still should have some armour, even if you're not going to get close to that Boomer. It's most likely a covert combat model that shouldn't even be in the city limits. They pack a lot of firepower.”
“If it makes you feel any better, you can design something while I'm taking care of this,” she told him, not unkindly. Stepping over to a table, she used her magic to pick up a headset and microphone and settled it just behind her crown. “Stay in contact with me and let me know if the situation changes or if there are more incidents.”
Luna blew through the living room at a canter and shunted the balcony doors aside with another jolt of magic. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. She wished for her Night Guards to be there with her, but they had returned to Equestria with a treasure trove of hardsuit fragments. Well, from what she had seen of the Knight Sabers' technology, she was sure there was some sort of mechanical chariot she could borrow if necessary. But for now, she had just her wings and she opened them as she leaped off the top of the building and took to the air.
It only took a few circles in the sky until she caught sight of the smoke, even against the black of the night. Her stars weren't visible here because of all the city lights, but the moon was absolutely enormous and even though it wasn't her own Equestrian moon, she took strength from it as she flew towards the fires. “Can you hear me, Mister Stingray?”
“Yes, ah ... Luna.”
“Excellent. Stand by. I should have contact in a few minutes.” She swooped around a glowing antenna atop a skyscraper, peering down on the city as she coasted on an air current. Flashing lights were visible below and she assumed they were the local law enforcement responding to the situation. Well, perhaps following them was in order, just to see how they conducted themselves. If she was supposed to aid them, the least she could do was observe their methods.
As she banked around a corner in pursuit of the vehicles, a sudden blast of heat and fire cut her off and she back-winged frantically to avoid having her muzzle singed as something rocketed past. Imbrium and Frigoris, but that had been close! Either she was getting close to the action or there were some vastly overpowered weapons down there.
Luna took shelter on a nearby apartment ledge and picked her way to the corner of the building so she could peek around the edge. Ah, yes. There were the fires, with the appropriate firefighting and medical personnel doing their job. Several police wagons were also present, their occupants currently taking cover behind them or other makeshift barricades. And there was her target. It appeared to be metal, bipedal, and uglier than a griffin's sense of humour. It was massive, too, and apparently very unhappy, judging by the swath of death and damage it was dealing out down there.
A sharp whine sounded and she ducked as the bricks by her ear were disintegrated, torn apart by hot metal projectiles. Now she began to understand everypony's concern. She had had no concept what sort of ammunition these creatures used. Now she did. “Mister Stingray, are you still with me?”
“Yes. Are you on site, Luna?”
“I am indeed. And it does appear as if caution is necessary in dealing with this Boomer.” She winced in sympathy as an AD Police officer had a limb torn off and was then beaten about the head and shoulders with it. “What sort of person creates these things?”
“A businessman,” Mackie said, no trace of irony or sarcasm in his voice. “What do you need to do this?”
“For the moment, I need a better vantage point. One minute.” Luna hopped up a couple of ledges while she thought about what was going on below. It was unlikely that she could simply fly down and deliver a buck to that Boomer. From its size, it was doubtful that she alone could deal it physical damage. She would have to aim for the head to have a chance of landing a crucial blow. And even then there was the chance that the police would interfere with her before she could catch the Boomer by surprise.
Surprise . . . . That was what she needed: Weight and speed superior to anything below. She already had the necessary speed of course, being a winged unicorn, but she doubted a pony such as herself could outweigh that mass of metal down there. It would be like slamming herself into Canterlot Castle and expecting it to move. She could probably levitate one of those wagons down there and attempt to pin the Boomer beneath it. However, she was loath to deprive the police of their vehicles. There had to be something else that could be used . . . ah, there was one thing that might be useful.
Luna paused on the landing of a fire escape and peered down again, seeking the person of one Inspector Leon McNichol (Mackie had filled in the rest of his name and rank). She had to see what he would be doing. Fortunately, he was easily identified as he was standing on the roof of a huge troop carrier and directing the resistance with large, angry gestures. Although, what sort of person wore dark sunglasses in the middle of the night? “Mister Stingray, I believe I have a plan. I am going to initiate contact with Inspector McNichol and co-ordinate with him. Stand by and see if you can intercept any communications that relate to me or my appearance. I have no doubt I will be a figure of interest down there. Let us at least keep GENOM wondering.”
There was another roar from down below and the resulting fusillade made her fold her ears back and wince. Enough of this. She leaped and swooped wide behind the battle lines, arcing around to land in the safe shadow of a massive piece of armour. “Inspector McNichol?”
Helmets turned and weapons were brought up, but these men were disciplined and held their fire. Leon himself gazed at her in surprise, keeping his own gun at his side. “Somebody's idea of a joke?” he finally asked.
Luna snorted and stepped closer. “Inspector, the Knight Sabres will not be coming. They are otherwise engaged and so I have been sent in their stead. Pull your men back and let me attempt to put an end to this.”
“Daley?” He looked up at a younger man in a very nice suit. “I'm going to give you full marks for creativity, but now's not the best time for this. How the hell did you put it together, though?”
Luna resisted the temptation to stomp a hoof in frustration. “As a Princess of Equestria, I could make it a Royal Command, but there isn't time. If you wish to save lives, pull back.”
Leon and Daley shrugged at each other. “If she was a Boomer, she'd have burst out and done damage by now,” Daley said, “and 'A' shift needs to regroup anyways. Might as well do it.”
She waited while they issued orders and the officers covered for each other as they scrambled backwards. Finally, the Boomer was left alone in the street and Luna felt the weight of all the humans as they gazed at her. Leon gestured, smirking at her. “Your turn, Princess. And I'd hurry, because a bored Boomer could wander off anywhere.”
“This one just needs to wander in the right direction,” she replied, peering around the side of the vehicle. Her horn glow grew brighter and a white bolt of power shot out and past the Boomer, the magic taking a corner and disappearing down a side street. The robot had whirled to follow the surge, but quickly turned back as it pinpointed the source, raised its arm-mounted cannon, and fired back.
“The Royal aim appears to be off,” Leon commented, ducking along with her as the carrier rocked with the force of the impact.
“I appreciate the intricacies of sarcasm as much as the next pony, but it was not that Boomer I was aiming at.” Luna shook herself and pricked her ears as she heard the slight groaning of work cables overhead. “I had to be sure that your men were clear of the scene before casting that spell. Observe.”
Both of them poked their heads around the side of the now-smoking vehicle. The Boomer was marching closer. “I don't see anything different.”
“Patience,” she breathed.
The Boomer growled at them and took aim once more. Then it glanced to its left as a white construction fence blew into splinters, courtesy of a massive wrecking ball that tore its way through. There was a sharp clang! and the Boomer flew in a high, arching drive that ended with an explosive crash several blocks away.
There was silence from the police squad behind Luna and she stepped out from cover and used her magic to slow the swing of the giant pendulum.
Leon came to stand beside her, holstering his gun as he blew out a breath. “And what if that's not enough and it just comes back here even angrier than before?”
She ruffled her wings. “Well, I expect I shall be able to pick up the spare.”
He chuckled as he waved his men forward. “Check it out! If it's not done, it shouldn't be getting too far after a hit like that.” Crossing his arms, he shot a different look at Luna. “Where are they?”
“Recovering.” The glow of her horn eased, but not completely, and the wrecking ball swung to eventual stillness. “My sister saw they were on the verge of burning out and took them beneath her wings.” She glanced back along her body at her own folded pair. “No humour intended. In any respect, I have been charged with fulfilling their duties.” Her next glance was sly and half-directed down the street. “I trust you have no problems with this.”
Leon eyed the massive piece of construction machinery. “The city planners might object if you insist on doing this amount of damage to Mega-Tokyo property.”
“Feh. This is GENOM property. I find it merely fitting that their own equipment be employed against their rogue technology.” Luna flicked her ears back and forth, nearly dislodging her headset. “And you are hardly going to be the first person to suggest that there isn't some sort of justice in that.”
He snorted and flipped the collar up on his jacket. “Thanks for the life-saving tonight, Princess. I can't wait to see how you handle the mercenary part of the Knight Sabres job, though. If you run into any trouble, give me a call. Or animate some bulldozers, if you prefer. Just give me enough warning so I can move my car off the streets.” He gave her a gentle pat on the withers and turned to follow his troops.
Luna accepted that was as much commendation a vigilante such as she would receive from the local law enforcement. She decided she had done well for her first night and took off to find a suitable place for an alicorn Princess to eat.
End of Chapter 1
