Exchange - 10 (Part 3 of 4)

>The yellow pegasus' eyes flutter open. She lifts her head from where she lay, blinks a few times and begins lazily scanning her surroundings.

>"Wh-what happened...? Did Angel have one of his tantrums again...?"

>An orange freckled face framed by a stetson-topped golden mane comes into view. The gears in the pegasus' head spin for a bit to little effect, so her brain decides on its tried and true default course of action: panic.

>"A-Applejack?!"

>"Whoa, there! Just hold tight, girl, everything's gonna be all right."

>Ignoring the farmp0ny's reassurances and acting on instinct, she immediately rolls over on her hooves and attempts to flee, but an unshorn red hoof placed upon her long pink tail prevents her from getting far. She looks over to the large stallion and his sister, her trembling reaching uncontrollable levels.

>"Oh... oh m-my... this is just like that dream I had once..."

>Applejack gives her a confused look. "Uh... pardon?"

>"N-Nevermind. So, um... I guess I've been captured, so... pleasedon'thurtme."

>The farmp0ny chuckles. "Lands sakes, 'Shy, we ain't gonna hurt ya! We'd never do anythin' like that, would we, big brother?"

>Mac shakes his head. "Eenope."

>"Ah swear, where'd ya get such a crazy imagination? Ah just told ya everything was gonna be all right!"

>Again, the pegasus examines her surroundings. It appears she's in what was formerly the wedding's reception area, which has now been transformed into an impromptu airship dock. She can see a very weary looking human and alicorn conversing nearby as they eat some food, along with various guards milling about. A familiar looking white unicorn approaches and stands at Applejack's side, with three cowering fillies hiding behind her.

>"That's right, darling. I seem to recall something about how she's the Element of Honesty, so I believe she's trustworthy. Most of the time, at least."

 

>Applejack rolls her eyes. "Anyway, ah think these three--" she uses her tail to push the three fillies forward from their hiding spot behind Rarity, "--have somethin' ta say ta ya. Ain't that right?"

>Applebloom's ears fold back in shame. "Miss Fluttershy... we're sorry fer clockin' ya on the back of yer head with a piece'a wood."

>"Yeah," Sweetie squeaks, "we didn't mean to! Well... actually, we did, but--"

>Scootaloo's hoof quickly moves to cover the little unicorn's mouth. "Heh. What she means to say is... our bad. It won't happen again."

>Fluttershy blinks. "Oh. Um, thank you, girls. Apology accepted." She smiles to reassure them, then turns back to the two mares. "Rarity, what happened? Where are Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie?"

>Applejack sighs and answers for her. "Twi flew off inta the city before we could stop her. She's a mite upset after all that's happened, which is understandable. As fer Rainbow and Pinkie... they're in the castle somewhere, far as we can tell."

>Rarity nods over to Anon and Celestia, and the pegasus follows her gaze. "Fluttershy... it seems we've made a terrible mistake..."

>She notices the exhausted white alicorn place a light kiss on the human's cheek as she sets down her now empty plate.

>"Oh! Oh dear..."

>Rarity nods. "We've been leading poor Twilight astray all this time, and she'll need our help now more than ever to recover from this. Applejack, if you would?"

>The farmp0ny nods. "C'mon, 'Shy. Not all of the food was ruined in the landin'. Let's head over ta get somethin' ta refresh ya and ah'll explain everythin'..."

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>You watch the three mares and three fillies head toward one of the still intact but abandoned buffet tables as you toss the last of the cauliflower from your plate into your mouth and grab Cel's empty plate from where she set it aside.

"Man, this food is good. It's a shame you guys crushed most of it; I was looking forward to trying that macaroni salad."

>Celestia giggles. "Oh? Looking forward to it, were you? Would this be after you had been forcibly wed, or were you intending to sneak some before the ceremony?"

"I was gonna grab some as part of my 100% flawlessly executed daring escape, which you so rudely interrupted."

>She smiles. "My apologies for disrupting your so carefully calculated plans for brunch..." She gives you a quick peck on the nose. "I'll need to think of a way to make it up to you."

>You smile in return.

"I have a few suggestions for later. But I guess you can start by telling me what happened to you guys after I was captured. To be honest, wasn't really expecting to see you here."

>She closes her eyes and hums a bit. "There isn't much to tell. I stumbled back to the ship and told the others what happened. We left as soon as Applejack stopped fussing over my injuries."

>A hand finds its way to scratch one of her ears.

"That's all? Sounds like you had it easy."

>"Well, we had to sneak past the ships Twilight left behind to patrol the island and later the Equestrian border, but aside from that it was a relaxing trip."

>You let out a chuckle.

"Just another average few days, huh?"

>"It would appear so."

"Still, that shouldn't have taken too long. Did you guys stop at a tourist trap on the way back or something?"

>"Yes, we made some necessary detours, but we ultimately arrived when it counted, did we not, oh ye of little faith?" Her nose playfully finds its way under your chin for a nuzzle.

"Alright, alright! I guess I can't argue with that."

 

>You stand and stretch, feeling the soreness in all your joints from the magic fatigue radiating throughout your body.

"Do you want any more food?"

>She shakes her head. "No, but thank you for offering..."

>The alicorn attempts to stand herself, but a hand on her shoulder keeps her in place.

"No, Cel. We've been over this. If you need something I'll go get it."

>She huffs. "Anon, for the last time, I assure you I don't feel as bad as I look. I'm perfectly capable of moving around!"

"Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

>You lean down to whisper in her ear.

"You should start getting used to me taking care of you, 'cause it's gonna happen whether you like it or not."

>The alicorn sighs, then gives you a playful grin. "...Very well, I'll let you play nurse to me for a while longer. But be warned that any kindness given will be returned to you tenfold, my human."

"I'll keep that in mind."

>You make your way over to where the other p0nies are gathered. Mac is carefully preparing a plate for the fillies while Rarity and Applejack load one up for Fluttershy. Well, it's more like Applejack is making a plate for Fluttershy while Rarity talks her ear off about what's happened so far.

>"And then... in front of the campfire, with the stars all around, they finally confessed that they loved each other all along, but were both too afraid to admit it! And they sealed it with a kiss! Can you -imagine- it, darling? It's... it's the stuff of fairy tales!" She pulls her forehooves to her chest and squees like a little filly with a crush.

>Applejack snorts with annoyance. "Ah thought ah was the one who was gonna tell this story. Fer cryin' out loud, Rares, keep ta the short 'n sweet'a it or 'Shy'll never get ta relax!"

>"Hmph! It figures -you- wouldn't appreciate a good romance story! Besides, I'm sure Fluttershy wants to hear every single detail, don't you?"

 

>"W-Well, not re--"

>"See, she's entranced! If you dislike our conversation so much you're free to go sit over there."

>You can see a frown starting to form on AJ's face as Rarity babbles on. And as for poor Fluttershy... her eyes are screaming 'save me' as she refuses to touch her food during the conversation for fear of being impolite. Despite all the shit she's put you through over the past few months, you begin to feel that familiar pang of pity in your chest and soon find yourself walking over with your newly filled plate to go bail her out.

>"...was captured, she made her way back to the ship all by herself, and told everyp0ny there that--"

"Hey, Fluttershy. Feeling better?"

>The pegasus perks up. "Oh! Hello, Anon. Yes, I'm feeling much better, thank you." She glances around, then attempts to hide behind her mane. "Um, Anon? I... I owe you an apology. If I had known about what was going on, I would've never... um..."

"...Threatened to attack us with murderhounds and deceived me in a nefarious plot to separate me from my true love?"

>She whimpers. "S-Sorry..."

>You shrug.

"Everything turned out okay, so I guess I can let it slide. You should go ahead and eat something. It'll help calm you down."

>She smiles, nods, and begins digging into her plate. You turn and give AJ a wink (which she returns with a smile) while catching a brief glimpse of Rarity's indignant stare for being interrupted.

>With your rescue mission a success and your plate full, you begin your trek back to Cel, when an odd occurrence in the distance nearly causes you to drop everything.

"What in the hell...?!"

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>There are somewhere between five and seven kitchens within Canterlot Castle. With all the secret passages and sealed-off corridors scattered around, it's said that no one knows the true count aside from the Princesses...

>In one such kitchen, we find two p0nies hard at work, much to the chagrin of the castle staff. The resident sous chef taps his hoof in aggravation, his anger boiling as he stares daggers at the intruders.

>"For the last time, I don't care who you say you are, you aren't allowed in here!"

>"And for the last time, this is official Elements of Harmony business, so shut it and keep out of the way! I'm trying to get in the zone!"

>Ignoring the disgruntled chef, the cyan pegasus turns to her earth p0ny companion, a nervous look on her face.

>"I told you I'm no good at this, Pinkie! It feels weird!"

>The pink p0ny giggles. "Oh Dashie, we were all beginners once! You're doing great!"

>Sweat drips down her brow as she focuses on her task. "But... what if I screw up?"

>"Don't worry! Pinkie's here to help! And even if you do, I'm sure she'd understand. Just remember, this is all for Twilight!"

>"Right! For Twilight..." she sticks her tongue out in concentration, her determination renewed. "Almost... got it... THERE!"

>Pinkie peers over to inspect the pegasus p0ny's work. "Wow, that looks great, especially for your first time solo!"

>"You know it! How could you expect anything less than total awesomeness from The Dash?" she proudly puffs up her chest and nonchalantly brushes it with a hoof.

>Pinkie giggles. "...Says the p0ny who had to have me hold her hoof for the first five..."

>"Hey! This stuff's hard for a newbie, but I got it down eventually, right?"

>"Yep, yep!" the pink p0ny chirps. "C'mon, let's get these packaged up safe and sound and get back to the others. I bet they miss us already!"

 

>The chef p0ny sighs with relief. "Does this mean you're FINALLY gonna leave?!"

>Rainbow rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you can have your dumb kitchen back or whatever."

>"...It's not dumb..." he scuffs his hoof on the floor with an exaggerated pout that no one pays attention to.

>"We're all set! Ready to head back, Dashie?"

>"Sure thing, Pinks. Let's--"

>A blinding flash of azure light suddenly streams through the kitchen's windows, followed by a deafening crash of thunder that reverberates through the castle, knocking small loose items on the counters over and rattling the kitchen's various hanging pots, pans and utensils. All the p0nies present cringe for a moment before slowly recovering from the surprising event. Rainbow gallops over to the nearest window while Pinkie sits back on her haunches, clutching her to-go box close to her chest to protect it from any impending danger.

>"W-What was that?!"

>Dash frowns, her eyes scanning the skies with worry. "Thunder and lightning. But it wasn't normal. Trust me, if anyp0ny knows weather, it's me. I've never felt anything like it!"

>The party p0ny shivers. "What do you think it means...?"

>"I dunno, but it can't be good. We need to get back to the others, quick! C'mon, Pinkie!"

>Together, they bolt out of the kitchen, leaving only a set of swinging double doors and a still slightly scared and very confused staff of chefs in their wake.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>"Ah, Princess Luna! Welcome to the castle library! Is there anything I can help you find today?"

>The Princess of the Night, deeply immersed in her own swirling thoughts, doesn't even turn to face the attendant as she mutters her reply.

>"No, we are merely here to satisfy our curiosity regarding a certain matter. Do not trouble thyself."

 

>Without waiting for a response, she continues on her way, further into the library's depths. Her brisk trot quickly changes to a gallop once all the attendants are out of sight.

 

>~...

>There was an odd occurrence during the Trials when we visited the Dark Star chamber. The Star was reacting to something, and we barely made it out in time...

>...~

 

>The words of her infuriatingly selfish and immature big sister keep echoing in Luna's head as she runs past the endless series of bookshelves. Of the many thing's she's learned throughout her long life, one of the most prominent is that when it comes to dark magic there are few coincidences, and as a result the sinking feeling of dread which has gripped her over the last several days is only growing stronger.

>In no time at all her hooves have carried her to the entrance of the Forbidden Archives, which immediately opens in response to her magical aura.

>She gallops down the entrance corridor, the candles lighting themselves along the way, until she reaches the great circular room which makes up the primary archive chamber. Her horn glows, and with a flourish of magic a series of wards are dispelled and circular runes activated on the floor. A stone column begins to rise, housing within it a spiral staircase, which the Princess uses to move to the lower, hidden archive chamber where Equestria's greatest secrets are kept, and where her greatest fear is now realized.

>It's not there.

>The Princess of Dreams bites her lip in fear, her mind racing, trying to identify all the possibilities that could've led to this outcome. There are few realistic ones, and most of them arrive at the same conclusion:

>"Twilight Sparkle... what hast thou done?"

 

>Without hesitation, she turns and flees back toward the library as fast as her legs will carry her. Magic is already swirling around her horn; a teleportation spell readied for the moment she sets hoof outside the Archives' protective anti-magic barrier.

>In a flash, the world around her distorts and she finds herself standing within her own quarters in one of the castle's tallest towers. She rushes to the nearby balcony, and the sight there nearly takes her breath away.

>An unnatural storm is brewing above one of Canterlot's far quarters. Streaks of azure lightning rain down upon the area, but strangely no rain falls. And she can feel it... now, more than ever, the encroaching sense of darkness pulls at the edges of her perception, but it takes on a more familiar tone in her mind...

>"Guards!"

>Two armored bat-p0nies rush into the room from the nearby door. "Your Highness!"

>"Assemble all the Guard Captains currently on duty and tell them to prepare their squadrons for an imminent attack on the city as well as a potential evacuation of the eastern quarter. In addition, the Concordia is to be armed and made ready for immediate departure. Is that clear?"

>"Yes, Your Highness! As you command!"

>The two guards take wing and exit the room to carry out their orders while Luna turns back to the balcony, her magic already adjusting the nearby telescope to provide her with a better view of what's going on below.

>She dearly wishes she's merely overreacting. That would be the best possible outcome.

>But she knows she's not, and that fact only drives the dread deeper.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>You rush toward the edge of the plaza, placing your plate of food on the ground near Cel as you pass her without even slowing down. Her curious magenta eyes move to track you, and when she sees the panic in your stride she forces herself to stand and follow as fast as her injured leg will allow.

>"Anon? What's the matter?"

"That."

>You point her toward the far edge of Canterlot where a multitude of black clouds are gathering low in the sky. It's unreal... nearly a quarter of the city is obscured by this mysterious dark haze now, but a quick glance elsewhere reveals not another cloud in sight in the vast pre-dawn sky.

>You notice Celestia tense with fear beside you as she takes a hesitant step away from the edge.

>"This is..."

>There's a flash of light, followed by thunder so loud it forces you to cover your ears. When your eyes open again, you can see the telltale orange glow that indicates a building in the distance has caught fire.

>"What in tarnation was that?!"

>The rest of the nearby p0nies rush to your side after being alerted by the bright flash. AJ, Mac and Rarity peer over the plaza's edge with you while Fluttershy and the fillies nervously stand behind them.

>The red stallion shifts his wheat sprig to the side in thought. "Some kinda storm, ah reckon?"

>Rarity nods, transfixed at the scene below. "Yes, that's what it appears to be, but... why now? I'm certain Twilight had the weather scheduled to be completely clear all day due to the wedding..."

>"It doesn't appear to be a natural storm. Though I can't truly sense it from here, those clouds look to be infused with magic."

>All eyes turn to Celestia, whose own gaze is so intensely focused on the lingering clouds that you almost wonder if she can see through them. The wind rustles the strawberry curls of her mane and tail as she turns her attention back to you, the concern evident in her expression.

 

>"Anon... I'm worried for Twilight. She was flying toward the east when we last saw her..."

>"T-Twilight is down there...?" Fluttershy squeaks, nervously poking her head between you and Applejack to catch a glimpse of the scene.

>Rarity gasps. "Yes, and she's out there all alone! And... and there appears to be a fire burning in the city! We can't simply leave her!"

>"Anon!" You turn to see Applejack's emerald eyes steeled with determination. You suppress a chuckle and hold your hands up before she can voice her request.

"I'm worried about her too. C'mon, let's get going."

>You turn and begin your march toward the waiting airship in the distance and the p0nies all follow. Slowing your pace a bit, you move beside Mac as he trots along with the fillies close behind.

"Think she'll hold up in a storm?"

>He ponders for a moment. "...A normal storm ain't a problem, but ah ain't sure what kinda effect a magical storm'll have on the engines, if that's what we're really headin' into."

"So... play it safe and keep out of the clouds. Got it."

>Making your way up the gantry, through the portside storage area and into the living quarters, you run your fingers across the paneling as you pass by the bedroom entrances and through the shared kitchen and dining area, a sense of calm familiarity running through your mind at the touch. Damn, you missed this ship more than you realized...

>The smaller p0nies pass you on the way up to the deck as you slow down, entranced by the moment, but your big p0ny stays behind to whisper in your ear.

>"Welcome home, Anon."

>You snake a hand around to scratch behind her ears in that special place she likes so much, and she leans into you in response.

"Thank you, Cel. For everything. I don't know if I'll ever be able to say it enough."

 

>"I'm certain you'll try. But there'll be time for thanks later. We shouldn't dawdle." You feel her nose nudge your shoulder and you continue on your way up the stairwell to the open deck.

>The p0nies are already preparing themselves for flight. Well, sort of. The Cutie Mark Crusaders have all been fitted with spare sets of flight goggles that are obviously too big for them, but they seem to be making do with Fluttershy's help as she tries to adjust the straps. Rarity, on the other hand, is fighting a frustrated looking Applejack as she tries to get the fussy unicorn to wear her own pair of goggles.

>"Rarity, they ain't about makin' a darn fashion statement... they're -goggles- fer p0ny's sake! Just put 'em on!"

>"Absolutely not! They're hideous! Really, who in their right mind designed these...?"

>The earth p0ny blows a few strands of mane from her face in frustration. "Fine. But don't come cryin' ta me if a bug or somethin' flies inta yer eye when we get goin'.

>The unicorn nearly turns green. "That... that actually happens?!" The goggles appear on her face, perfectly adjusted, almost instantly.

>Mac chuckles as he hoofs over your own pair of goggles, which you gladly take. "That's the fastest Ah've ever seen a pair'a them go on."

"You can say that again. Are we all set for launch?"

>He nods with pride. "Eeyup. She's all yours, Captain."

>You place your hands upon the controls and a jolt of electricity runs through your body. Much like riding a bike, or even kissing a pair of soft p0ny lips, the feeling is instantly familiar no matter how long you've been without it. You engage the main engine, shifting it into neutral, and spin up the vertical stabilizer turbines to prepare for liftoff. Celestia rests on her haunches by your side, her body lightly leaning against your own near the console, and she smiles when she notices the slight signs of happiness you exude from standing at the controls once more.

 

>"Heyyyyyy!! Wait for us, Non-non~!"

>You suppress your urge to hit the throttle and turn to see something pretty amusing. A cyan pegasus is flying toward the ship carrying a pink earth p0ny (or at least trying to) in her forehooves, who is herself carrying some sort of giftwrapped package. The pegasus hovers above the deck and plops the party p0ny down, then promptly collapses nearby.

>"Geez, Pinkie! What've you been eating?!"

>She shrugs. "Eh, the usual. But thanks for the lift!" With that, she pops up, then bounds over to you, placing one forehoof on your chest for balance while she cradles the wrapped gift in the other. "Non-non! Something weird is going on! I think we need to go find Twilight, and quick!"

>You pat her on the head.

"Don't worry, that's what we were about to do. Go put your present somewhere safe and get some goggles on; the engines are already primed."

>"Aye aye, Cap'n!" She smiles at you and salutes, then bounds down to the living quarters. Rainbow moves to follow her, but stops when your eyes meet as she moves toward the stairwell. Her ears immediately fold back and she shies away, a guilty expression on her face.

>"Um... Anon?"

>You hold up a hand.

"You don't need to say anything. I understand. Hell, I feel like I should be apologizing to you. I'm... sorry you had to go through all that. Are you doing alright?"

>She nods. "Yeah... my shrink says the mental scars or whatever'll heal as long as I don't read any more Twinonymous stories. I... kinda try not to think about it, you know?"

>You give her a nod in return.

"Good to hear. Uh... just out of curiosity, are there really that many stories about us out there?"

>The pegasus grimaces. "Buttloads. If you wanna stay away from 'em don't go to the human romance section of any libraries or bookstores."

"There's an entire -section- on human romance?! Really? But..."

 

>Celestia giggles and Rainbow sighs.

>"Some p0nies have a lot of time on their hooves, dude. Like... a -lot- of time."

>You could've gone your entire life without knowing that. Thankfully Pinkie returns with some goggles for both herself and Rainbow, and the two wander off further down the deck together before you can ask any more questions you don't really want to know the answers to...

>With a shake of your head to clear your thoughts and all the p0nies accounted for and ready, you return your hand to the throttle and smoothly ease it open. The ever-familiar sense of euphoria returns as you feel the ship become weightless when it leaves the ground. In about a minute you have enough altitude to be clear of any nearby structures and you begin your turn. Though it's relatively fast compared to your average airship, the impact of your lost stabilizer is still noticeable in the ship's movement.

>Your eyes focus on the clouds in the distance as the ship's bow lines up with the biggest cluster...

"AJ, Mac, are we clear?"

>"Port's clear, sugarcube."

>"Starboard's open."

>You give 15% power to the main engines and the ship glides forward, nearly silently, away from the castle and into the city.

"I'm going to need you all to act as my eyes. I can already tell this is gonna get tricky. Pinkie, Mac, AJ... can you get the others positioned for me?"

>Your experienced crewmates help guide the rest of the p0nies to evenly spaced out positions near the rail and help explain what their roles will be.

>In most circumstances, one of the upsides to flying an airship is that, with the basic exception of takeoffs and landings, you never really have to worry about crashing into anything. There's just you, the ship, and the freedom of the open sky...

 

>Not this time, though. In order to avoid flying through the potentially dangerous black clouds, you'll need to approach from underneath them, which involves flying dangerously close to the many tall buildings which line the Canterlot city streets. Needless to say, the airship is much too massive for you to be able to tell how much clearance you have on each side from where you're standing at the flight console, which is where your newly expanded crew comes in.

>"So, ya just want us ta yell if we're about to crash inta somethin'?" Applebloom asks her brother as he trots back to his post.

>"Eeyup."

>Dash huffs, flapping her wings in annoyance. "I could spot for you guys way better from the air!"

>Mac shrugs and points a hoof toward a point in the distance where the after-image of the latest flash of lightning to stain the sky can still be seen.

>"The ship's frame is built ta take a lightning strike or two. Yer free ta go out there if you want ta see how many you can take."

>The pegasus gulps at the sight. "Heh. Nah, I'm cool, you guys totally need me here anyway..."

>You drop the ship's altitude as the edge of the building storm comes into view, and the p0nies fall silent at the sight.

>There's no denying it now-- this is definitely not a normal storm. The clouds are moving in a curiously ordered pattern, creating a vortex above you that strangely generates little wind below. Flashes of cloud-to-cloud lightning are constant, and on several occasions you're nearly certain the ship will be hit, but thankfully your good fortune holds out.

>Eventually the glow of the fire comes into view and some of the p0nies leave their posts to get a better look, including Celestia who leaves your side to move toward the ship's bow.

>Rarity sighs with relief as she peers over the rail. "Well... at least the firep0nies seem to have things under control."

 

>"Yes, thank goodness," Fluttershy agrees, "but does anyp0ny see Twilight?"

>Applejack shakes her head. "Nope, she ain't on this side. But considerin' the color of her coat, it'll be right tough ta spot her down there."

>Rainbow thrashes her tail in frustration. "AJ's right. With all the clouds around and the sun not up yet it's really tough to see anything." She turns back to you. "Hey! Can't you make this thing go any lower?!"

>The ship shudders as it shears a flagpole from the top of a nearby building and you curse under your breath. You can't imagine what the final repair bill for this thing is gonna be when you get it back to the shipyard...

"Yeah, sure, if you wanna crash. I know you guys are anxious to find Twilight but I need you to watch the surroundings or else we'll all be searching for her on foot."

>Celestia trots back over and takes a seat by your side once more. She keeps herself composed, but the slight irregularities in her breathing reveal that she's trying desperately to mask her fear.

>"I believe I know where she is. Anon, please take us to the storm's center."

>You place a hand upon her withers to offer a comforting touch as you adjust your course toward the center of the cloud vortex. After several more minutes of tense flying and near-misses from both buildings and lightning bolts, you come upon a sight that sends a chill down your spine.

"That's..."

>You had almost forgotten. Or maybe it'd be more truthful to say that you desperately wanted to forget.

>There, rising above the surrounding buildings at the city's edge, and at the very center of the storm, is Twilight's little construction project.

 

>You saw it on the train ride up to Canterlot with Pinkie a few months ago, when Twilight's projection confronted you in your hotel room. She called it the 'Pleasure Sphere' and said she was building it so the two of you could spend your honeymoon there together. She also claimed that there was some sort of enchantment on it that'd allow you to have sex for a month straight without stopping. To say that the idea absolutely terrified you at the time is the understatement of the century. You lost a lot of sleep to the nightmares that resulted from that conversation...

>Now those nightmares are quickly returning to the forefront of your mind. The last time you saw the building it was still under construction, but now it seems to be complete and even more imposing. The most striking feature is the great windowless dome, built from what appears to be precisely cut interlocking dark gray stones. It almost reminds you of some of the larger closed-roof sports stadiums back on Earth, but that's where the similarities end. Large, oddly angled support structures are joined to the dome on each side, one of which is an extremely long corridor that gives the entire building an almost bird-like profile when viewed from the air. Strange teal lights can be seen shining from the windows of these support pieces which causes a warning siren to go off in your head. There's something oddly familiar about the whole thing that you can't really place your finger on...

>"Twilight!"

>Rainbow cries out and points a hoof as the ship nears the structure. The rest of the p0nies all run to where she's standing to get a look, and you quickly set the ship to hover in place and move from the controls so you can join them.

 

>And sure enough, Twilight is there. She stands atop the dome, directly in its center, her eyes unfocused as if in a trance. The slight breeze moves her mane and tail and a faint column of pre-dawn light shines down upon her from the nearby eye of the storm, giving her appearance an almost angelic quality.

>"Twi! It's us, Twi! What're ya doin' out in the storm? C'mon up here ta us where it's safe!"

>"Please, darling, we just want to help you!"

>She doesn't move. In fact, she doesn't even turn her head toward the ship.

>"P-Please, Twilight. It's dangerous out there..."

>"Yeah, c'mon Twilight, all your friends are waiting!"

>"I know you can do it! After all, you got training from the #1 flyer in Equestria!"

>Still she shows no signs of moving, or that she can even hear their cries.

>"Twilight Sparkle!" Celestia yells as loud as her injured body will allow her. No response.

"Twilight!"

>She turns to face the ship as soon as your voice pierces the silence. Though there's a bit of distance between you, it's easy to tell she's been crying from the streaks of matted and dried coat directly below her eyes and down her cheeks. Yet, as soon as she sees you, her drooping wings find their way back to her sides and she smiles with real, genuine happiness.

>"Anon... you came for me. It was true... it really was true all along, just like the Shard said..."

>The 'Shard'...? What the heck is she talking about? You notice Fluttershy give Rarity a confused glance, which the fashionista returns in kind.

>Twilight trots forward a bit, swishing her tail with excitement.

 

>"You know, at first... at first I didn't really believe, because the future isn't set in stone. There are too many variables... too many unknowns to account for. But the knowledge held within... so much of what was revealed to me... it made me realize that with enough understanding of the factors involved, certain futures can be selected for, and consequently, fleeting possibilities made nearly certain. Even destiny itself could be influenced and changed! All I had to do was build it..."

>Rainbow scratches her head. "What the hay is she saying?"

>Applejack shrugs. "She sure ain't makin' any sense ta me. You gettin' any'a this, Mac?"

>"Nope. But ta be honest, none'a the stuff your friends do usually makes much sense ta me, anyway."

>"Hey!"

>"How rude!"

>A certain pegasus and unicorn take umbrage to that comment, causing the stallion to shy away.

>You turn to Celestia with the intention of asking what she thinks, but the look on her face causes the question to die in your throat.

>"Twilight..."

>All eyes move to the white alicorn. Her expression is a mixture of fear, sadness and remorse... and you can even see the hint of tears beginning to pool in the corner of her eyes. She steps away from the rail and lowers her head, her voice little more than a whisper.

>"...I've truly failed you in every respect, haven't I?"

>"Anon." Twilight's voice calls out again, drawing your attention back to her. "I know you're reluctant. I know you love her, and I know she loves you. But look!" She rears up and spreads her forelegs out. "My love is greater. My love -HAS- to be greater! How could it not be?! I've mastered lost magic... I've learned how to shape the future for us... I know it's not enough to repay all you've done for me, but this is only the beginning! There'll be so much more to discover in time!"

 

>Lightning flashes, and the purple alicorn's perfectly styled mane and tail quickly start to come undone as what's left of her sanity slips away. The other p0nies on board the ship cringe at the sight as she begins prancing atop the dome, a sinister smile on her face.

>"Anon~! I know you love that airship Celestia built for you! But I built you a better one! Yes, yes, yes! A greater one! WITH A GREATER LOVE!"

>Previously unseen arcane runes begin to shine all across the surface of the dome as an earthquake rattles the very foundations of the city, causing the p0nies in the streets below to panic.

>Fluttershy dives for cover on deck, hiding her head in her hooves. "W-What's happening?!"

>Pinkie hops over and pats the petrified pegasus' back reassuringly. "I dunno! But it looks like weird freaky magic to me!"

>"Yes," Rarity adds, stepping away from the rail herself. "I'm certainly no expert, but I've never seen anything quite like it..."

>"Me neither," Applejack agrees, also stepping away. "But there's gotta be somethin' we can do!"

>Rainbow Dash flies over to Celestia, who's moved away from everyone else on deck, and begins shaking her shoulder. "C'mon! You have to know something about this! What do we do to help Twilight?!"

>The alicorn's magenta eyes look up to capture your own, and the two of you share a brief, silent conversation.

>"We should flee."

>The pegasus gapes. "Wait, you mean we're running away?! But...!"

>The teal-tinged light from the countless glowing runes covering the dome's surface is almost blinding, and the sound of the quake almost deafening. Those two things alone are cause for concern, but they barely register in your mind now.

>No, what truly captures your attention, and what feeds into the terror that's now starting to grip your heart, is the fact that the entire structure is beginning to rise into the air...

 

"She's right, we need to get out of here, NOW!"

>You rush back to the controls and weigh your options. There's no way you can reverse your course through the city, or even try to navigate your way out through a different path at any reasonable speed. At this altitude there are just too many obstacles to contend with...

"I want everyone inside. I'm gonna take us straight up through the clouds."

>Mac scowls. "This ain't a good idea. Ah can't rightly say what'll happen ta the engines..."

"Yeah, I know. But do we really have any other choice?"

>He sighs, peering over the railing once more at the massive and rapidly ascending structure below. "Ah suppose not..."

>"But what about you?" Applejack cries. "Aren't ya comin' inta the bridge with us?"

>You smile in return.

"Go on, I'll be right behind you as soon as I get the controls set up. Oh, and Pinkie!"

>The pink p0ny stops in her tracks to give you her attention.

"Get the cannons ready, just in case."

>"Roger!" She salutes and bounds down below deck.

>Applejack moves to usher the fillies into the safety of the ship's enclosed bridge, and the other p0nies follow her lead while you begin the process of spinning up the engines to start the fastest ascent you can possibly manage. Only Celestia elects to stay behind as you work at the console, her good wing curling around you in a light embrace. You can feel some of the tension in your body slip away, and you even manage a little chuckle at the situation.

"...Please tell me that thing isn't what I think it is."

>"There's no longer any doubt in my mind. It's based around Progenitor technology and magic. I'd recognize those runes anywhere, and when she mentioned a 'shard' she more or less confirmed it. We don't stand a chance as we are now, and I fear for the city's safety..."

 

>You press the throttle a little harder, just to make sure it's maxed out. Without thinking, your hand wanders to touch the pocket of your jacket, the great magic held within warming your fingertips.

"Cel... what if I...?"

>"NO!"

>Her sudden, adamant refusal takes you by surprise, and you turn to face her to find an odd look of fear in her expression. "We... we don't have to resort to that just yet. If we can make it through the storm and get in contact with Luna, she should be able to handle the situation. We both encountered something like this in the past, and we were able to overcome it."

>Without warning, she moves forward and kisses you. After a few moments you pull away, even more shocked than before.

>"Anon... that gift is infinitely precious. Don't forget what was involved in claiming it. Don't be so hasty to throw it away. There are still options... and there is still hope. Please, you must promise me..."

>You sigh, then smile back at her.

"Okay. I trust you, Cel. If you say there's a way, who am I to argue?"

>The two of you step away from the console and enter the bridge just as the Dawn Star plunges into the black clouds of the storm. You bound up the stairwell to take your place at the ship's alternative controls with all the other p0nies gathered around nearby.

>Most of them are gazing out through the glass windows. There's so little visibility that the outside is only a pitch-black void. However, when one of the constant flashes of lightning cuts through the darkness you can discern the form and shape of the surrounding clouds for an instant, as if they were painted upon a watercolor canvas only to be washed away a moment later.

 

>If there's any positive to being within the storm, it would be that Twilight has little hope of finding you now. You're not merely ascending anymore; now that you're in the clouds it's safe to move about horizontally, so you've angled the ship just a bit and are now flying forward at a cautious speed in addition to maintaining your upward course.

>A pall of silence hangs over the assembled p0nies as you move through the darkness. Applejack steps away from the window, growling and stomping a hoof in frustration.

>"Consarnt it! Ah... ah don't get it! What in the world -was- that thing?! What was Twi talkin' about back there?! Can anyp0ny explain what's goin' on?!"

>Rarity shakes her head, her sapphire eyes cast to the floor. "She... she mentioned something about a special project related to herself and Anonymous from time to time, but she never went into any details. Who could've imagined it would be something like this...?"

>You nervously tap the controls as another bolt of lightning dances across your view.

"She mentioned it to me several months ago... but something about all this doesn't make sense. She just said she built it to replace the Dawn Star, but that dome was under construction way before she even knew this ship had even been built..."

>Celestia sighs. "I imagine the decision to turn the structure into a ship came later. I doubt we'll ever know her true reasoning or intentions unless she chooses to tell us, but the basic fact remains that Twilight has built an unimaginably dangerous magical weapon through the use of forbidden knowledge, and it must be stopped."

>Fluttershy trembles. "B-But why would Twilight do something like that? I know she really wants Anon to love her, but..."

>A light bulb suddenly goes off in your head.

"Maybe there's a way for us to find out without having to ask."

 

>You reach into your jacket and pull out the book still held securely there-- Twilight's diary. You'd almost completely forgotten about it after all that's happened since Cel's arrival at the wedding...

>The alicorn's eyes light up and she trots over to get a closer look. "Is that really...?"

"Yeah. I found it laying around in the Forbidden Archives yesterday. Maybe it'll shed some light on what's going on."

>The rest of the p0nies gather around as you crack the book open. Due to the time constraints you were working under when putting your escape plan together, and also due to the fact that you really didn't want to read it anyway, you never took the opportunity delve into the diary beyond glimpsing some passages that would be useful as part of your intended diversion for the guards. You flip open to a random page and begin reading:

 

May 22nd, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Spike caught me practicing my winking in front of my bedroom mirror today. It was so embarrassing I almost teleported away, but I think I managed to give him a decent enough excuse as to what I was doing! Hopefully he'll believe I was checking for tangles in my tail. I need to be more careful about this type of thing in the future as I continue to practice. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, but Rarity says if I really want to attract my stallion I need to--

 

>You slam the book shut. Now you distinctly remember why you didn't want to read it. A quick glance around reveals a mixture of barely-contained laughter and disgust in the p0nies' expressions, save for Rarity who's starting to turn crimson again and the fillies who're giving each other confused glances.

>"That's..." Celestia chokes back a giggle. "That's.... not exactly what we were looking for, Anon. Try going forward in time a bit."

 

>She's right. That entry was written before her ascension, back when she was still living in P0nyville. In fact, you left for Latigo on your initial journey only three days later...

>You open the book again and flip forward through the entries. June, July, August, September...

>Ah, here we go:

 

October 12th, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I'm still trying to wrap my hooves around the mechanics of the Geas. All my research into the basics of the spell indicates that it should be within my power to break using normal methods, but the version Celestia's cast on Anon is beyond anything any of the books happen to mention. Its power is incredible, and I'm not sure if I can match it, much less devise an effective counter. Still, I won't be daunted by this task! Celestia is obviously testing me, and I intend to pass with flying colors! Several of my experiments should be producing results soon, and I'll finally have some additional data to work with!

 

October 13th, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

My time spent perusing the Forbidden Archives has proven fruitless so far. There's a lot of material there to sort through, but most of it is irrelevant to the task at hoof. Still, I have some new plans in store for testing the limits of the Geas. I've invited the girls over for a meeting later tonight to discuss the details. I'll need their help in order to proceed, and it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to catch up with one another, so I think it'll be fun.

 

The meeting went about as well as I could hope for. Applejack refused to help when she discovered the intention behind my royal decree to prevent Celestia from working in P0nyville. I expected as much, but it still hurt a little to lose her help. Still, the others seem to be on board, so my plans shouldn't be impacted all that much...

 

>You look away from the diary over to Cel.

"That's the day we went job hunting together, remember?"

>She smiles. "I do. And it's also the day I began to fall for you when you comforted me on the porch that evening."

>There's a d'awww from Sweetie Belle and Applebloom, along with a bit of retching from Scootaloo. Celestia chuckles.

>"I find it a little funny how Twilight's actions were what began to bring us together, but it's still not what we're looking for."

>You flip forward several more pages and continue:

 

October 16th, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I knew I was missing something! By chance, I came across the faint signature of a strange warding spell within the Forbidden Archives while I was searching for more research materials. After a quick thaumotological reverse-engineering I was able to unlock the ward, which revealed a column with a stairwell leading to yet another chamber!

 

What I found inside was absolutely amazing! Magical artifacts of all kinds, some seemingly erased from history, but vague mentions of which can still be found in several texts! As you can imagine, I was nearly beside myself! There wasn't enough time to investigate everything, though I definitely will in the near future, but the thing that most caught my attention was a strange object ensconced in yet another protective ward. It appears to be a fragment of a much larger crystalline structure, but it's unlike any crystal I've ever seen or read about before, both in appearance and with regards to its magical resonance. To put it bluntly, the magic it radiates is both vast and of a type I can't identify! It's not the magic of p0nies, of the other races, of Discord, or even of the same type of dark magic I've encountered several times in the past. It's completely new, completely unknown, and completely captivating...

 

This will undoubtedly be the first object I study. Revelations discovered from a new type of magic could lead to a way to overcome traditional magical barriers such as Celestia's Geas...

 

>Celestia turns her gaze to the nearby window as another flash of lightning tears through the clouds.

>"It's just as I feared. She found the shard of the Dark Star that Luna and I recovered and sealed away over a millennia ago after we defeated the sorcerer Balios, the unicorn who initially claimed it."

>Rainbow glances around, looking completely lost. "Uh... the who to the what now?" The other p0nies don't appear to be faring much better.

>The alicorn bites her lip with worry. "...It's an ancient magical artifact linked to an object of great power sealed beneath the earth. Not even I know much about its nature, but it's likely the journal will go into further detail."

>She nods at you to continue reading.

 

October 18th, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Shard is amazing! It's like an entire library contained in an object the size of my hoof, and the knowledge contained within has the potential to change the very world as we know it!

 

By applying a light magical charge, I've been able to see visions of information in my mind, almost as if I were reading an encyclopedia. After I determined that it was perfectly safe to continue by using Dascart's traditional testing methods for mind manipulation spells, I spent most of the day poking around the Shard to see what it contains.

 

The things I've managed glimpse so far... the magic, the technology... it's beyond anything I could ever dream of. The only problem is that I can't seem to freely access the information as I please. The Shard appears to be showing me random things of its own accord, though I know that's ridiculous as an inanimate object obviously doesn't have a will of its own. I'll need to experiment in order to learn how to find the information I want. It's a bit like solving a puzzle, but I'm sure I'll succeed! This is so exciting!

 

October 21st, 2132

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Shard can show me the future.

 

No, that's not entirely accurate. It's more like it can show me potential futures... what -would- happen should certain events come to pass.

 

The more I learn about how the control my queries, the more I'm able to see. I've walked through over 24 potential futures now; futures where Anon becomes mine. They're so varied in how they play out, and I can't see every detail... but what I -do- know is that in each one I overcome the Geas in some way and win his heart.

 

Despite how disparate the visions are, they all have a common thread near the end: In order to ultimately consummate our relationship, I build an Arcane Resonance Chamber on a scale never before seen by p0nykind. This appears to be a critical step in order to have Anon overcome the last of his inhibitions and fall for me completely after we're married. At first I was concerned because constructing and then enchanting something similar to what was presented in the visions shouldn't be possible, but the Shard has provided a solution there, too. I've seen schematics... plans for how to fabricate and synthesize materials lost to the ages, and incantations to weave a form of magic heretofore unseen in Equestria. I now have everything I need, and work will begin immediately.

 

There's no longer any doubt. Regardless of what Celestia does, regardless of how much he tries to deny it... he'll come to love me, and we'll be together, me and my very special somehuman. Maybe then this odd feeling of emptiness I've felt ever since he arrived will finally be filled.

 

>Applejack raises her hoof. "Hold on there. Just let me get this straight... does this mean that freaky rock she found -told- her ta build that crazy thing in order ta go after Anon?!"

>Celestia nods. "Yes, that appears to be the case, and it falls in line with certain oddities Luna and I noticed about Balios when we fought. Twilight is very clever, and very driven, but I don't believe even she would pursue a plan like this unprompted... a plan which nearly mirrors exactly what the old sorcerer was attempting all those ages ago."

>Fluttershy taps a hoof to her chin in contemplation. "He... he had a human fetish that consumed his every waking thought too?"

>All the tension in the air is removed in an instant as Celestia fights the urge to burst out laughing.

>"N-No... no, my little p0ny, I don't think that was his motivation. But I have a theory now as to what's really going on involving--"

>A loud bang and a series of strong vibrations as the ship shakes all around you cuts her off before she can finish. Some of the p0nies even get knocked off their hooves, but you manage to remain standing and fight your way over to the controls, only to find something that causes your blood to nearly freeze.

"Shit!"

>Mac stumbles over. "What? What's the matter?" You point him toward the indicator measuring your engine output and the wheat sprig falls out of his mouth. "Horseapples! This is what ah was afraid of!"

 

>You were so focused on reading Twilight's diary that none of you paid attention to the ship's instruments. If you had, you would've noticed that the magical storm has been slowly reducing the maximum output power of all the ship's magical engines. The output has dropped by over 40% already and you still haven't emerged from the clouds!

"What the hell do we do?!"

>The stallion shakes his head. "We're committed now. We either make it outta the clouds before the engines fail or we're dead in the sky. Ah'm gonna go head down ta re-tune the engines and get everything we can out of 'em, you just keep 'er on course. AJ, Bloom, ah need ya with me."

>The three Apple siblings make their way down to the engine room, leaving a bunch of nervous p0nies and one very nervous human behind.

>Sweetie clutches one of her big sister's legs. "Wh-what's gonna happen, Sis?"

>The older unicorn bites her lip. "I... I don't know, Sweetie. But I'm certain we'll find a way through this..."

>You place your hands on the controls, your eyes scanning the instruments like a hawk. You have to be close to exiting the storm now... you've been on a constant ascent the entire time and the altimeter confirms it. Even though airships can't climb or dive very fast, you should still be seeing a clear sky any minute now unless the storm clouds are somehow rising faster than you are...

>The ship shudders again and you grip the controls tighter.

"C'mon..."

>The engine's output drops to 56%, the altimeter continues to rise, and all eyes turn to the bridge's windows.

"C'mon..."

>A flash of lightning rips through the sky, temporarily blinding you, and when it fades...

>...you see the bright stars of the pre-dawn sky come into view!

 

>The Dawn Star breaches the uppermost layer of the storm, thin tendrils of black cloud still clinging to the frame as if they were trying to pull it back under. The ship continues to rise until even those are stripped away, and a collective cheer rings out from all present and you slump back a bit in relief.

"We made it..."

>Celestia nuzzles you a bit. "Yes, we did, but now's not the time to celebrate. We need to make our way back to the palace to inform Luna, as fast as the ship will take us."

>You glance down at the engine's output... 50% of max with the throttle at full. It's still fast by most standards, but...

"Let's head back to the deck so we can get a good look at where we are."

>Rarity and Fluttershy choose to stay behind in the safety of the bridge with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, despite the fillies' protests and complaints that they never get to do anything exciting, leaving you, Celestia, Rainbow and Pinkie to make your way down the stairwell and out to the deck.

>The sight that greets you when you get there takes your breath away. You were sort of expecting it based on the final altimeter reading on the bridge, but to see it in the open like this is something else entirely...

>The stars above feel close enough to touch. Below you, the black clouds swirl for a good several miles, but after that lies only the open horizon, one side of which boasts the blazing orange and yellows of a not-yet-risen sun, with the other revealing Canterlot Castle and the mountain upon which it rests far, far below.

>However, while you're entranced by the amazing view, Celestia completely ignores it as she trots from one side of the ship to another, her eyes considering everything beneath you.

>"It appears the storm's moving over more and more of the city. Anon, we need to hurry!"

"Right."

 

>You've already started the process of making a turn toward the castle. Just as the mountain comes into view across the bow, the multichromatic pegasus coughs and flares her wings.

>"Uh... guys? Isn't there somep0ny you're forgetting here? If you wanna get a message out fast, I'm sure the future captain of the Wonderbolts'd be able to handle it!"

>Pinkie perks up. "Oh! Oh! Did we have somep0ny like that on board?! I haven't said hi to her yet!"

>Rainbow sighs and facehoofs. "I mean me, you doofus!"

>The earth p0ny gigglesnorts in response. "Oh, right!"

>You look over to Celestia who's returned to your side after making her circuit around deck.

"That might not be a bad idea. With our top speed limited to half of what it was, Skittles can probably reach the castle faster."

>She puffs up her chest. "You know it!"

>The alicorn nods. "Very well. Listen carefully, Rainbow Dash. You must tell Luna that Twilight is in possession of both the Dark Star Shard and a weapon built using its secrets. She'll know how to assemble an appropriate response. Do you understand?"

>Rainbow salutes. "Got it!"

>"Very good. Now go, there's no time to waste!"

>The pegasus spins around and prepares to launch herself from the deck. Her wings beat once before snapping back to her sides as her jaw nearly hits the floor in disbelief.

>There's a deep booming from beneath you. Much like how waves crashing on the beach at night can sometimes be mistaken for an impending storm, this sound straddles the thin line between the ocean's roar and thunder. Unfamiliar yet distinct, you know you'll remember it for the rest of your life as the prelude of what's to come.

 

>The clouds nearby begin to undulate and then rise, as if a geyser were erupting in the air. From the resulting wispy black mist emerges a vessel that defies imagining. It's easily ten times the size of the Dawn Star, constructed entirely from stone and awash in ancient magic. What was once the 'dome' of the structure on the ground is now revealed to be a perfect sphere located at the very center, slowly rotating and shining with arcane runes. The odd, angular buildings married to each side have unfolded as if they were webbed wings, with dark tendrils of storm cloud still clinging to their evenly spread digits. What was once thought to be a long entry hallway or promenade is now a combination bow / bridge, its slanted windows arrayed like menacing fangs. When taken together, the overall profile of the ship resembles that of a great tail-less dragon, and you can't help but stand in awe at the sight.

>There's no way this thing should be able to fly. Just no way. It's completely built of stone, and without any kind of helium frame supporting it, or turbines, or even fucking jet engines! Yet it's here, now, right before your eyes...

>"Do you like it, Anon?"

>Twilight Sparkle stands atop the bow of her grand vessel, less than twenty feet away from that of your own. She flashes you a calm smile before breaking into a series of giggles.

>"It... it kind of makes Celestia's ship seem like a toy, doesn't it? But don't worry, this great work is all yours. It's a gift from me... from a wife to her husband, from a mare to her special somehuman..."

>She flutters her wings a bit and beams with pride.

>"I call it the Harbinger, because wherever it travels, everyp0ny who sees it will know that their Princess and Prince are near..." Her tongue darts out of her mouth to lick her lips.  "And also because it's just the beginning of the amazing things we'll both create and discover together~"

 

>Everyone on deck is in shock. You imagine everyone in the bridge who can see this is probably in shock too. What the hell do you do here? There's no way you can fight this thing. The two small cannons Pinkie brought on board probably won't make a dent in it. You briefly consider running, but your engines are only at half power now and something tells you this stone monstrosity is a lot faster than it looks. And to top it off, it's piloted by Twilight Spergle, and while she still appears to be weakened from the events at the wedding, the fact remains that she's a -goddamn alicorn-.

>Like you, Rainbow and Pinkie are left absolutely speechless. Cel, on the other hand, steps forward as the cold high-altitude winds whip her mane and tail in all directions.

>"Twilight... I know you have little reason to listen to me anymore, but I implore you... if you hear nothing else that I have to say, please hear this. You are being used by the Shard! It's shown you the false future you wanted most to see in order to further its own ends!"

>The purple alicorn's laughter ceases and she turns to regard her former teacher with a look of amused curiosity.

>"Please, Twilight, open your eyes! Consider the facts with that brilliant analytical mind I know you to possess! This... this thing that you have built is not for Anon's sake. How could it be? What purpose could such a thing existing in this world serve? Consider it carefully, Twilight! Why do you think Luna and I would seal the Shard away in the first place?"

>"BECAUSE YOU WERE AFRAID!!"

>The little alicorn shouts back, her Canterlot Voice rising above the volume of the swirling wind.

>"You were afraid of it! You were afraid of the secrets it held! But I'm not! With science, we can understand anything! If we're willing to learn, and study, and experiment, there's no limit to what we can accomplish! There's no mystery that will remain unsolved! THAT'S WHAT YOU TAUGHT ME!"

 

>Fresh tears begin to pool in her eyes as she stares down at the four of you from the grand ship.

>"I... I looked up to you, Teacher. You were everything to me. You were perfect... you were the p0ny I wanted to be! When you made me a Princess, it was the happiest day of my life, because that meant I was one step closer to my dream! But after all that's happened, I... I've come to realize that image I held of you was just the idealized view of a little filly. Look at you now. You're so small, so weak, and so afraid. This ridiculous lie you're telling me now is just another example of that."

>She shakes the tears away.

>"I thought you were perfect, but you're just another p0ny like the rest of us. Sometimes you don't know what to do. Sometimes you make mistakes. And now that I'm able to see your limitations for what they are, I can surpass you and become an even better p0ny. I... I can even become the best p0ny! Nothing is beyond my reach!"

>Her laughter returns, the wind carrying it all around you. Eventually she brings a hoof to her mouth to try to stifle it somewhat.

>"And really, now. Implying that the Shard has some sort of hidden ulterior motive... even if it were true, despite being completely preposterous, how could you possibly know that?"

>"Because you are not the first to fall into this trap, Twilight!" Celestia shouts back, her eyes never leaving those of her former student. "I have seen it once before with another. He too was shown a false future and compelled to build something terrible to realize it! I know I taught you to always be inquisitive, and to always seek truth through knowledge, but there are some things in this world which are best left alone! That I didn't impart that lesson to you is my failing, but please, hear me now and stop this! It's not too late!"

 

>Twilight shakes her head before turning away from her mentor. "I won't. Not when I'm this close to having him. Not when I'm standing upon the dawn of a new age. Because unlike you, I'm not afraid..."

>She looks over to you, a soft smile on her face.

>"Come, Anon my love... come and see this wonderful thing I've made for us. The sun hasn't risen yet, but I can feel it surging in the distance. It wants us to be together. Won't you join me?"

>You chuckle.

"Why bother asking? Does my answer even matter to you? You've never listened to me before."

>Your fingers creep their way to the ship's controls.

>"That's ridiculous, Anon! I... I always listen to what you say! But in a lot of cases your answers are given without proper consideration of all the pertinent factors, so..."

"Right. I'm just dumb, so you ignore me. Well, Twilight, here's my dumb opinion. I think your ship is way too dark and edgy. Seriously, gothic themed gray and black with magic glowy shit all over it? No thanks."

>You glance over to your special somep0ny, her white coat and strawberry mane and tail standing out in the darkness. Your eyes meet and you give her a wink.

"I'm a fan of brighter color schemes when it comes to most stuff. No offense."

>With a flick of your finger, the engines begin to rev up to maximum while still remaining in neutral.

"And don't get me started on the size. It'd be impossible to park that thing anywhere. And it probably gets shit magic mileage too. With the economy the way it is I don't think I can afford it."

>Twilight's eye twitches. "Anon... what the buck are you talking about?"

>You hold your hands up.

 

"Yeah, sorry, no deal. You're a good salesmare but I think I'll keep the one I've got. Besides, it kind of has sentimental value to me, you know? And that's something you just can't compete with, even if your model has like a billion more cup holders than mine."

>Pinkie and Dash snap out of their respective trances to stifle a giggle, and Twilight looks to each of them for a moment with curiosity.

>"Oh, you're making a joke!" The purple alicorn rears up and clops her hooves together. "Ha ha, funny! But seriously, Anon, that's enough. I'm done playing games."

"Yeah, me too."

>You shift into reverse gear at max RPM.

>And nothing happens.

>Immediately, you check the engine output gauge and it still reads 50%. What the fuck?!

>Twilight notices your distress and puffs up her chest with pride. "Problems moving? Don't be so surprised, Anon! The PS-01 'Harbinger' Next Generation Air Fortress has a variety of features and armaments, such as central and lateral stasis arrays capable of holding nearby smaller vessels in place!"

>You look up and notice two of the windows near the front of the great ship are faintly glowing. Great, she has a fucking tractor beam...

"Any time now, Dash!"

>In desperation, you call out to the cyan pegasus in hopes of getting her to fly off and contact Luna like you had originally planned before Autismo showed up with her stupid doomsday ship thing. You can see the light bulb go off over her head before she turns and zooms from the deck, only to immediately smack against an invisible wall like a bird flying headfirst into a sliding glass door. She slides down and flops to the deck with a thump, completely dazed, and Pinkie hops over to tend to her.

>Twilight looks upon the scene with a slightly incredulous expression. "Uh... what part of 'Stasis Array' did you guys not understand?"

 

>You facepalm and massage your temples for a bit before turning toward Celestia.

"If you have any suggestions, now'd be the time to throw 'em on the table. I'm willing to consider anything."

>The white alicorn tears her gaze away from a random point in the distance to turn to you.

>"...I'd suggest that you all hold on to something."

>Before you can get a clarification of what she's talking about, a massive blue beam of energy rips through the air and impacts the side of the Harbinger, pushing the gigantic vessel away while simultaneously breaking its hold on the Dawn Star. The ship immediately begins rocketing backwards once you're freed from the stasis field and you struggle to return the controls to neutral in order to regain your bearings...

>Celestia trots over as you bring the ship to a stop several thousand feet away from the recovering Harbinger. With a smile, she closes her eyes hums:

>"Your timing is impeccable as always, Lulu."

>You look to the west, where several new shadows are now visible in the pre-dawn sky. Their familiar shapes become more and more defined as they approach, and you can't help but laugh as the realization hits you.

"You know... I never thought I'd be as happy to see a bunch of military airships in the sky as I am right now!"

>Celestia places her head on your shoulder and sighs. "Yes, in the past they've been problematic, but they're certainly a welcome sight today."

>You recognize most of the silhouettes as the standard airships of the Equestrian Armada. Though each individual ship is slightly larger and far slower than the Dawn Star, the difference in firepower is absurd. While you only have two small cannons so kindly donated by Pinkie, these military cruisers sport twelve, with two air torpedo tubes for direct anti-airship combat. Needless to say, they're way better equipped to deal with Twilight's little pet project than you are.

 

>However, what really draws your attention to their approach is the massive shadow floating in the center of the group. This can be none other than the Concordia, the flagship of the Equestrian Royalty. At nearly 1000 feet in length when including its helium frame, the great superliner absolutely dwarfs the surrounding military ships, though it's still a fair bit smaller than the stone monstrosity slowly reorienting itself near the storm's eastern edge.

>Speaking of which, you pull a pair of binoculars from the pilot's console and point them toward the now distant Harbinger. Twilight's former perch atop the bow is now empty, with the purple p0ny princess nowhere to be found. This makes you slightly nervous as you prefer your psychotically obsessive alicorns where you can see them...

>"Ugh! It's just one interruption after another!"

>You nearly jump backwards in utter fear at the sight of Twilight standing on the deck mere feet away from you. Thankfully Cel's position directly behind you prevents you from falling on your ass long enough for you to notice the strange distortions running across Twilight's body. Your panic fades and your pulse slows down once you recognize that it's only a projection of her instead of the real deal.

>A similarly-distorted image of Luna appears nearby, her angry, completely serious gaze directed at her sister and you by proxy.

>"You must tell us what you know of this at once, Celosia! We-- TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" The Princess of the Night's eyes widen in shock when she catches a glimpse of Twilight's projection.

>She smiles in return. "Oh, hello 'sister'! You're just in time for the unveiling of my latest creation! Though that random magic burst was a bit mu--"

>"SILENCE!"

>Everyone cringes at Luna's outburst. Damn, even when she's not physically here, her voice can be loud enough to melt your brain...

 

>"You shall explain, in precise detail, what it is you have done with the Dark Star Shard. You shall return the Shard to us so that it might be sealed away once again. You shall stand by while we erase this abhorrent thing now before us..." Her eyes narrow even further. "And for the final time, that we are now considered peers does -NOT- make us sisters!"

>The little alicorn's ears fold back and she looks away. "Oh. I... I thought if anyp0ny would appreciate my work with a new form of magic it might be you. But in the end you're just as afraid of progress as Celestia. I suppose it's not all that surprising that you would be considering your long absence..."

>The dark alicorn scowls. "The only progress to be made from the Shard will lead to ruin. But perhaps it is too much to expect a mere infant such as thee to understand such a thing..."

>Celestia trots out from behind you to address her sister. "She has been blinded by the Shard just as Balios was, Luna. I'm afraid we have little choice in how to address the matter."

>Luna's cyan eyes dart over to Celestia, but her scowl doesn't fade. "'We', Celosia? No, we don't believe you have any place to speak here, as was your desire, so you shall be silent." She turns back to Twilight. "This will be your final warning. Relinquish the Shard and abandon this monstrosity so that it may be destroyed. We will not tell thee again."

>Twilight giggles. "You won't need to, because I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. You said it yourself; we're peers now. You don't have the authority to order me to do anything," she taps her chin with a hoof, head tilted up in thought. "In fact, this is an excellent opportunity for a field trial! I'll be able to demonstrate to Anon how amazing what I've created for us is, and I can show you why it makes our current technology obsolete, Luna! It's win-win!"

 

>Once again, the purple alicorn rears up and clops her hooves together with joy. Luna merely turns away.

>"Very well, Twilight Sparkle. Thou hast made thy choice and must now bear the consequences."

>She takes a few steps toward the ship's rail, then surprisingly turns to address Celestia.

>"Remember well what she has chosen. We trust there will be no objections in the aftermath."

>With another step, the image of the Night Princess fades away.

>"Be sure to watch closely, Anon~!" Twilight beams at you one last time before her image fades as well, leaving you and Celestia alone on deck with Pinkie and the still-dazed Rainbow.

>You place a hand on Sun Horse's withers as you watch the Equestrian Armada approach.

"Well, now what do we do?"

>"Luna is right. We have no place in this, so we should keep to a safe distance and leave the matter in her hooves."

"Do you really think she can handle it? This is Twilight we're talking about. I mean, sure most of her plans are a little autistic, but there's no denying she's really damn smart and cunning when she wants to be."

>"Yes, that she is. Were it anyp0ny other than Luna I'd be deeply concerned. Twilight's creation seems powerful, true, but do not underestimate the Concordia. Though it was created as a vessel of peace, with an alicorn at the helm it's capable of assuming a much different role."

>The other p0nies join the four of you on deck as you pull further away from where the impending battle will take place. Pinkie digs up all of the spare sets of binoculars on the ship and passes them out along with bags of freshly popped popcorn. You decide not to question when she had time to make it.

 

>Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity all take a seat near the ship's bow, with the three fillies held close by their respective sisters. You notice Fluttershy standing in the doorway leading to the bridge, slowly but surely building up the confidence to go join her friends at the rail.

>Even though you want to be up there with them to get the best possible view, you opt to stay at the controls so you can react as fast as possible just in case something goes wrong. Celestia stays at your side, as does Mac who probably has the same thought. He hoofs over your binoculars after peering into the distance for quite some time, a scowl on his face.

"So, what's your professional opinion?"

>"It ain't a ship. Ah dunno what ta call it, but it ain't a ship. No engines, no frame, no stabilizers or fins fer navigation... it's like somep0ny tossed a castle inta the air without any consideration fer the details."

>You laugh.

"That's probably closer to the truth than Twilight would be willing to admit. I still don't understand how the damn thing can even fly in the first place."

>Celestia shuffles her hooves. "It's likely through the same method the Progenitors used to indefinitely suspend their lost research outposts in the sky..."

>Memories of the Fifth Trial of Equus start flooding back into your thoughts. That's right... the idea of those huge chunks of obsidian floating amidst the eternal storm made you extremely nervous because you just couldn't wrap your head around how their creators were able to do it. Twilight's Harbinger is actually kind of small compared to those mountain-sized pieces of stone, so maybe the fact that it's actually floating isn't so much of a stretch after all...

>The white alicorn addresses the two of you while peering into the distance with her own pair of binoculars.

 

>"You're absolutely right; I wouldn't call Twilight's creation a ship. It's more like a Progenitor spellbook in the form of a building. The runes which cover it are proof enough... it has no need for engines or stabilizers; they'd simply be redundant. The series of spells inscribed across its surface are more than enough..."

>You peer with her into the distance as Luna's fleet closes in on the imposing but stationary vessel.

"Just a big spellbook, huh...?"

>Yeah, that's typical Twilight Sparkle. Want to impress your crush? Build a giant fuckin' book. Really, who could resist?

>You want to laugh, but the underlying surge of fear beginning to settle in the pit of your stomach makes it difficult.

>Maybe it's because, yet again, there's a conflict about to play out that's going to decide your future, and you know you're powerless to do anything about it. All you can do is watch and hope that Luna knows what the hell she's doing.

>You raise your binoculars again and train them on the Concordia, the great ship's many lights acting like a shining beacon in the dark...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>"Distance 3500. Target remains stationary."

>The Princess of the Night coldly regards the abominable creation before her through the reinforced windows of the Concordia's bridge. The surrounding p0nies, all members of the Night Guard, remain silent, nervously waiting for their Princess' orders. Though they're no strangers to Luna's brooding moods, in this particular case most of the officers are afraid to speak even a whisper lest she turn her building anger toward them.

>"...Wing A will move forward for a bombardment. Wing B will ready torpedoes should the target deign to move. The Concordia will remain here, with all armaments at the ready."

>"Yes, Your Highness!"

 

>The p0nies on the bridge begin to carry out their respective tasks without hesitation. Orders are quickly relayed to the rest of the fleet while the Concordia's commanders prepare her own offense.

>By its outward appearance, it's easy to mistaken the ship for merely being one of the world's largest luxury superliners. As the official mode of long distance transportation for the Equestrian Royalty, no expense was spared, and stepping inside is akin to entering a grand five-star resort. Many diplomatic meetings with world leaders have occurred in its staterooms, and the many ballrooms have held countless lavish parties for the Nobility. But beneath all the pomp and splendor lies perhaps the most powerful weapon in Equestria's arsenal.

>Hidden away behind the ship's gold-lined outer decorative paneling are 24 standard cannons, 4 heavy cannons and 8 air torpedo tubes, giving it more combined firepower than any airship built to date. Though deemed excessive by some, especially when Equestria attempts to preach peace in all its dealings, in a world with war-hungry griffons and minotaurs, irate dragons, hydras, mythical beasts and other unmentionable monsters clawing at the gates of Tartarus, speaking softly while carrying a big stick is sometimes the most prudent policy.

>And there is no bigger proponent said policy than Princess Luna, who spearheaded the Concordia's construction shortly after her return from exile. Her cyan eyes watch as the first battle group moves into firing range of the enemy vessel. She knows, through experience, that though her sister has a kind heart and always looks for the best in others, there are some who will only be brought to understanding through submission, such as this arrogant little foal of an alicorn and her dangerous toy...

>"Wing A, within firing range!"

>The dark alicorn closes her eyes and breathes out.

>"Begin."

 

>Immediately, 60 cannons across five ships ring out, breaking the silence and filling the sky with light. The Harbinger shows no sign of movement as it weathers the punishment, explosions rippling across its hull and smoke starting to obscure it from view.

>Luna's eyes narrow. "Wing B, fire torpedoes."

>"Understood, Your Highness! Wing B, torpedoes away!"

>Ten air torpedoes streak toward the gathering black cloud from the second group of airships waiting nearby. The weapons, though much slower than a cannon's projectile, are far more destructive by several orders of magnitude and capable of limited magical guidance. A single torpedo hit is a guaranteed kill against a standard airship, and all ten find their mark on the Harbinger, painting the sky with a display of light so grand that for an instant some of the p0nies still in Canterlot's streets mistaken it for the risen sun.

>"Hold."

>The din of the cannons ceases, with only the echoes of prior explosions still sounding out through the cold winter sky. All the p0nies watch intently as the shining light and thick smoke obscuring their target begins to disperse...

>...Only to reveal the great vessel, completely unharmed and surrounded by a deep purple magical barrier which shines for an instant before flickering and fading away.

>A pall of stunned silence hangs over the bridge. A few of the officers risk a glance over to their Princess, only to find her expression unreadable as she taps one of her hooves in thought.

>With a spark of light, the familiar distorted image of Twilight Sparkle appears before Luna, a radiant smile on the smaller alicorn's face.

>"As you can see, conventional weapons have no effect. The entirety of the Harbinger is protected by a Level 8 magical ward, constantly channeled via the integrated Arcane Resonance Chamber, or ARC for short. I don't even need to be present for it to function! Isn't that amazing?"

 

>The Night Princess yawns. "Not particularly. We expected as much."

>Twilight's smile fades somewhat. "...Oh. Well, you seem confident now, but I think you'll change your mind once you see what else I have in store!"

>With a somewhat maniacal giggle, her image fades away once again.

>"...Recall both groups to rally behind the Concordia. We shall be moving to the focal dais. Captain Haze."

>A batp0ny stallion salutes. "Highness!"

>"You shall be in charge of the bridge in the interim. Maintain a defensive formation until further ordered."

>"Understood!"

>With a swish of her tail, Luna turns and leaves the bridge, heading to a secret room buried deep within the ship's countless winding corridors...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>You jaw nearly hits the deck as the smoke clears and the massive stone ship remains unharmed.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..."

>The rest of the p0nies around you are in a similar state of shock. Once the battle started, you couldn't resist getting a better look and were drawn away from the controls to the rail to take a seat with the rest of the crew. As always, Celestia is by your side, her magenta eyes following the action intently.

>"...It's not unexpected. With the amount of magical energy running throughout the vessel, a barrier being present was a near certainty. Luna's merely testing the limits to see how best to approach the situation from here."

>Applejack looks over to the white alicorn, her little sister held close in her hooves. "The Princess ain't gonna hurt Twilight, is she...? With all this cannon fire an' torpedoes, an' warships an' whatnot flyin' around ah'm startin' ta get worried..."

>You can see the others turn their attention to the bigger p0ny, looks of concern on their faces.

 

>Celestia smiles and shakes her head. "No. Regardless of how bad things get, Luna will not harm her if she can avoid it. Though on the outside she appears to be overly serious and severe, I can assure you underneath that bravado rests a gentle, if somewhat mischievous heart. I imagine she's actually having fun playing with Twilight like this."

>Rarity looks down at Sweetie Belle and combs out a tangle she spots in her mane with a levitated hairbrush. "Well, as odd as that sounds, she is your little sister and you know her best..."

>Rainbow shrugs, the motion nearly toppling the little orange pegasus perched atop her head. "Yeah, plus Twilight's pretty tough when she wants to be. I'm sure she'll be fine."

>"Yep, yep!" Pinkie nods with a smile.

>"I... I hope so..." Fluttershy mutters before looking away.

>"Looks like they're regroupin'."

>You turn your attention back to the action at the sound of the stallion's voice to see the smaller airships starting to move away to safer positions. The Concordia itself begins to pull forward, and the Harbinger responds, moving toward the distant battle group at a glacial pace. It's so slow you have to really focus to notice it's even moving at all...

"...Huh. That's weird. For some reason I expected it to be really fast."

>Mac chuckles. "It ain't even got engines're anythin' so ah don't know where ya got that idea from." He glances over to Celestia. "If it wants ta move at all it needs ta use spells, right?"

>"That's right," she replies, "I can see some of the runes inscribed near the back are related to manipulating the wind and were likely intended for propulsion. But to move an object of that size using the wind alone..."

"Yeah, it can't be easy."

>"But... but..." Fluttershy squeaks, drawing everyone's attention. "If the ship is so slow, how was it able to reach us so soon after we came out of the clouds?"

 

>Hey, wait a minute, that's a really good point. How did Twilight...?

>You hear that distinct sound resembling the ocean and thunder rumble in the distance once again, and everyone suddenly falls silent. Where the great stone ship once hovered in the boundless pre-dawn sky is now a sheen of light black mist, which quickly wisps away to reveal only the shining stars beyond...

>You hear murmurs of disbelief from the assembled p0nies as they search for any sign of the now vanished Harbinger.

>Mac rubs his eyes as he peers around. "Am... am ah seein' this right? What in tarnation..."

"Yeah... it's really gone. Don't ask me how."

>Celestia shakes her head in disbelief. "It's typical Twilight. Instead of addressing the issue she decided to bypass it entirely."

>You turn to Sun Horse, her ears folded back with worry.

"What do you mean?"

>"Instead of attempting to craft a spell that would be able to move it at a decent speed under its own power, she's opted to use short-range teleportation magic to transport the entire ship where she pleases in quick bursts. It's a tremendous waste of energy, but for Twilight it likely makes perfect sense. Even as a filly, her immense latent magical power skewed her understanding of how to properly manage and conserve one's magical reserves. She'd use vast amounts of magic to accomplish the simplest of tasks, because she believed if it was available to her, why not utilize it?"

>Applejack perks up. "Oh. Ya mean like how she kinda teleports around all over the place fer no good reason sometimes?"

 

>Celestia chuckles. "Yes, that's one example. Most unicorns find teleportation an extremely taxing spell to cast, but she does it with ease. If you were to describe an average unicorn's magical capacity as a bucket of water, Twilight's capacity would be that of an entire well... not infinite, but seemingly boundless to most. And now, after her ascension, it's only increased, though how much is difficult to say."

>You think back to what Twilight told you during the wedding about how draining her power was like emptying the ocean into a bunch of buckets. At the time you thought she was bluffing, but to see her able to pull off stuff like this...

>"Whoa! What the hay?!"

>Rainbow's outburst pulls your attention back to the sky just in time to see a multitude of thin dark clouds from the storm below you rise up like lances to impact several of the armada's airships. The cloudy spears crash against their hulls like waves upon the shore and coat them with a strange black mist. While the impacts don't seem to cause any direct damage, it quickly becomes apparent that the affected ships are having difficulty maintaining their speed as they attempt to flee...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>The nearby intercom crackles. "Your Highness, forgive the interruption but there's been a development."

>Princess Luna opens one eye, her concentration broken. "Is that so? Report."

>"Several retreating vessels in both Wings have reported being struck by an unknown energy weapon. Though they're indicating no damage, the engine output of the affected ships is falling rapidly, and re-tuning seems to have no effect. At the current rate, they'll be completely unable to move in roughly three minutes."

>"A weapon forged of that accursed storm... have the affected ships retreat as far as they are able. Has the enemy re-emerged yet?"

>"No, Your Highness."

 

>The Princess frowns. "Hiding within the clouds... how cowardly, Twilight Sparkle. We expected better of thee."

>With a yawn, she stands in the center of the great empty room, and her countless reflections from the perfectly curved mirrored walls stand with her.

>"Captain Haze, open the shutters."

>"Right away, Your Highness," the intercom crackles again before falling silent.

>There's a cold rush of air as the panels of the room's far wall fold back and pull away to reveal the vast sky beyond. The alicorn's mane and tail flutter wildly in the wind as her cyan eyes regard the scene before her.

>The dark clouds continue to swirl below, while the light of the not yet risen sun shines directly in the east. It highlights the frames of the unfortunate ships in Wings A and B that were struck by the strange weapon. They limp toward the Concordia's position, their turbines barely turning now that their engines are starting to fail.

>Luna's hoof taps the mirrored floor in annoyance. "Our patience is wearing thin. SHOW THYSELF!"

>The Princess' Canterlot Voice rings out above the sound of the wind, then fades away to nothing. The reply comes quickly in the form of a crashing clap of thunder followed by an explosion of dark mist which dissipates to reveal the Harbinger once again. Strange purple lights shine near its bow, and in an instant multiple bolts of lightning leap from the vessel toward the fleet's crippled airships. They penetrate each ship's helium frame with surprisingly surgical precision for such a chaotic element, the damage inflicted in such a way that the frames can't be easily field patched. The affected ships immediately begin to lose altitude and plunge into the storm below as their helium escapes, leaving only a clear swath of sky between the Harbinger and the fleet's remnants.

 

>The intercom crackles to life again, Captain Haze's desperate voice distorted by static.

>"Wing A has been wiped out! Wing B, units 1, 3, and 4 sinking! We just lost eight ships!"

>Luna sighs. "Remain calm. Are they sinking in a controlled manner?"

>"Y-Yes, Your Highness!"

>"Then instruct them to follow protocol and steer to the Canterlot fields to avoid damaging the city. The remaining units of Wing B are to retreat and stay out of the battle. The Concordia is to move to the enemy's port side. Is that understood?"

>"Yes, understood!"

>The intercom falls silent again as the ship begins to move, repositioning itself to the Harbinger's port side. Unlike the stone vessel, the Concordia is amazingly fast for its size courtesy of its eight oversized third generation engines. In no time at all, the Harbinger's profile comes into view, the spinning, rune-covered sphere at its center reflected in Luna's eyes.

>"Well, what did you think?"

>The dark alicorn turns her attention to the distorted figure of Twilight Sparkle standing nearby. The smaller alicorn prances around her with pride, her head held high.

>"In addition to conventional weapons not being able to damage the ship, the Harbinger makes use of several types of -new- magical weapons! Storm Torpedoes, as you've seen, have the capability to disrupt the magical engines of ships or temporarily quench the magical fires of dragons, leaving them helpless! And the eight Lightning Cannons are not only faster and more accurate than standard heavy cannons, but they don't require ammunition either!" She rears up and clops her hooves together. "Oh, the field tests are working out even better than I imagined! I can't wait to see Anon's reaction!"

>Luna rolls her eyes. "Indeed, it is quite an effective demonstration of our Progenitors' most blasphemous designs. Though we admit, we are curious... how does the ship's movement operate?"

 

>Twilight perks up. "Oh, it's simple! Thanks to the power of the ARC, the Harbinger can teleport short or long distances depending on the desired destination. It takes time to charge, of course, but if you run the calculations the charge time is offset by the ability to instantly travel to the destination point. It's much faster than moving using conventional engines!"

>"We see. And this 'ARC' thou speakest of... it would be the sphere in the center of the ship, correct?"

>"Yes, that's right!"

>"As we suspected."

>The Night Princess' horn begins to shine. Twilight giggles in response.

>"Don't tell me you're going to try to power through the barrier and damage the ARC. It's not possible. That initial high-powered magical blast you struck the ship with did no damage aside from moving it around a bit, so I don't see what you're intending to accomplish here..."

>Luna smiles. "How fortunate, then, Twilight Sparkle... thou shalt learn something new this day. Sister has always told us of thine eagerness for new knowledge, so we hope this will be to thy liking."

>Luna's body begins to glow with a pale blue light, which is in turn reflected and amplified by the room's many mirrors. The smaller alicorn has to shield her eyes and turn away at the sight or risk being blinded.

>"W-What? What's--"

>The intensity of the magic banishes Twilight's projection before she can finish speaking. Luna closes her eyes and concentrates, pouring more and more magic into the room...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>To say that the surprising reappearance of the Harbinger and its subsequent sinking of most of Luna's fleet had most of you in shock and / or hysterics would be an understatement. A good wave a panic rolled throughout all present on the Dawn Star's deck at the sight. You would've run back to the controls to get the ship the hell away from here had an outstretched white wing and its pretty alicorn owner not talked you down.

>But what's happening now, with the great blue light gathering within the Concordia's depths, has you all completely stunned, with the exception of Celestia who watches the proceedings with her full attention.

"What's happening...?"

>You ask the question to no one in particular, but Cel's ears flick when they hear you speak and she calmly answers:

>"This is the Concordia's great secret. I told you before that with an alicorn at the helm, its role changes. There's a focal dais located within the ship which acts as a powerful magic amplifier. When charged by one of us, it can produce an energy which can reduce even a mountain to mere cinders."

>You turn to her, mouth agape.

"...Why in the hell would you guys -ever- need a weapon like that?!"

>She closes her eyes and sighs. "In truth, it's never been used. But I believe the answer to your question lies before us."

>Your eyes shift back to the action just in time to see a blinding blue beam of energy, about three times the size of the previous one, fire from the open bay in the Concordia's bow. The purple shield around the Harbinger immediately returns, only to be shredded away by the massive surge of magic as it washes over the great stone ship.

 

>It's a direct hit on the central sphere. The energy beam peels large pieces of stone from its surface, erasing some of the runes there and causing others to flicker and fade, but it doesn't manage to penetrate the armored exterior before dissipating. The Harbinger is left scorched and scarred in the sky, pushed even further away from you by the attack. The wind runes positioned across its 'wings' shine with a teal light as it attempts to reorient itself and recover, but it seems Luna has other plans.

>The Concordia turns to face the Harbinger's new position, then charges forward as the blue light within begins to shine once more. Again, the great energy beam fires and again it finds its mark upon the sphere. The defensive purple shield is washed away before it can even fully form, causing the ship's structure to face the full force of the destructive power directed against it.

>This time, the damage extends far beyond mere surface scratches. The beam punctures a hole at its closest point of impact, allowing the magical energy to flood inside the sphere before it dissipates. Though there's no discernable exit wound, the large spider-web cracks beginning to form across its surface don't bode well for its continued structural integrity. The many magical runes are randomly flickering now, as if they were individual light bulbs in a malfunctioning traffic sign, and the ship wavers in place, seemingly unable to properly level out and remain stationary. It's clear now that another hit will likely cleave the great vessel apart.

>"Holy. Buck." The cyan pegasus is the first among you to speak, and a purple tail smacks her in the side, "OW! Hey!"

>"Watch your language! There are fillies present!" Rarity gestures to Scootaloo, who still remains perched atop Rainbow's head. You doubt she even heard it considering the stars in her eyes and the fact that she's just muttering 'So. Awesome.' over and over again.

 

>Celestia giggles and then nudges you with her wing. "See? I told you Lulu would be more than capable of handling the situation."

"Yeah... I guess you were right."

>"Not only that," Mac drawls, "but she managed ta push the ship out away from the city, so when it breaks apart it won't hurt anyp0ny. Yer Sis's a sharp one all right."

>The white alicorn nods, a smile on her face. "Yes, that she is."

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Twilight watches in horror as the Concordia bears down on her for one final followup attack, its great energy weapon nearly charged. If her previous observations hold true, it takes roughly 103.25 seconds from the moment the last burst dissipates before it can fire again. It should be... no, it -WILL- be enough time...

>Just as the light from the enemy ship's bow shines its brightest, Twilight initiates the teleport. The Harbinger vanishes, moving to the safety of the storm clouds once again. It's not a permanent solution; far from it, but it will buy her the time she desperately needs to form a plan.

>She sighs and runs a charge of energy through her horn, casting a basic scan spell. It still somewhat hurts for her to use magic after breaking the Geas at the wedding, but she needs information! She winces in pain as the spell completes.

>The findings are grim. The ship is falling apart. It's not so much the physical damage sustained that matters, it's the incantations themselves that are breaking down. If this continues, the vessel will fall out of the sky in roughly half an hour, whether Luna intervenes again or not.

>"I don't understand... I... I did everything right, didn't I?"

>The little alicorn sniffles and blinks away a few tears in the quiet but lonely bridge.

 

>"Every future I saw brought Anon and me together. Every single one. It's... it's not statistically impossible that I happened to live out one that didn't, but it -is- improbable based on the sample size, so I don't understand..."

>She shakes her head, a few unintentional chuckles escaping her lips.

>"You've really bungled this one, haven't you, Twilight? What can you do? Luna knows where you are, and she'll start breaking the storm apart with magic soon. You can't dodge her attack, you can't block it, and you can't teleport far enough away to make a difference... it's hopeless, isn't it?"

>She turns and trots away, ears folded back and lost in her thoughts. Her hooves carry her to the Arcane Resonance Chamber, and what she sees there causes her to burst into hysterical laughter. She laughs, and laughs, and laughs until the tears start to fall.

>It's a wreck. The damage is irreparable. Maybe there'd be a way if she had her full power, but as things stand, the end of the Harbinger's maiden voyage is fast approaching. The giant hole in the upper portion of the sphere and the pieces of the structure still breaking off and falling inside are a testament to that fact.

>She sniffles again, but oddly can't stop smiling for some reason.

>"Maiden voyage... tonight was supposed to be -my- maiden voyage. I... I was supposed to be married! I was supposed to present this ship, and my maidenhood, to him! It was all for him!!"

>The alicorn princess collapses in the chamber, the tears falling freely.

>"But she wouldn't allow it... she wouldn't allow it... she wouldn't allow it... AND SHE'S NOT PERFECT!! She's lazy... she doesn't strive, every single -bucking- day, to better herself! To be more, to learn more... she doesn't deserve him, she barely knows him, yet she loves him so much I can't... how, how, how, -HOW- is it possible?!"

 

>Her voice echoes throughout the chamber, but no reply is heard. The little alicorn shakes her head and leans against one of the walls as she lets out a deep sigh.

>"Maybe... maybe I'll never know why. Maybe this is the one answer I'll never be able to find. 'You're not good enough.' I... I should probably just accept it. It just -is-, Twilight, and the 'why' doesn't matter..."

>A piece of the upper portion of the sphere breaks off and crashes to the ground nearby, startling her from her thoughts. As she recovers, her eyes meet the Shard still resting upon its pedestal in the chamber's center. On a whim, she trots over to it, her violet eyes reflecting its deep crystalline surface.

>"If only I could've seen all you had to offer me. I know I only scratched the surface... "

>Her eyes close and her horn begins to glow, surrounding the Shard in a soft purple aura.

>"Luna will take you away from me in the end, to cast the great knowledge you hold back into obscurity out of fear. But just one last time... show me my future. Even if it's a lie like Celestia says, I want to see myself with Anon just one last time..."

>There's a hum of magic in the air as the vision begins. Though she can't see it, the Shard begins pulling the light around it away into the ether, ever so slightly. The effect fades as the alicorn opens her eyes and stumbles back in disbelief, fresh tears streaming down her face.

>"There's... there's a way..." She wipes the tears away with a forehoof and laughs. "That's so cruel, to show me there's a way when it's only a lie..."

>She doesn't want to believe, but already her eyes are scanning the room looking for the signs she was shown in the vision. And one by one...

>"There's a way... there's a way... THERE'S A WAY!!"

>With a beat of her wings, she takes to the air and exits through a side passage to return to the bridge. The Dark Star Shard remains in its place on the pedestal, faintly shining in the room's ever-dimming artificial lights...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Princess Luna channels a very different spell as she stands upon the Concordia's focal dais. Instead of her magical energy beam, she concentrates on manipulating the wind to break apart the storm, using a combination of unicorn and pegasi magic to accomplish the task. It's much more difficult than usual due to the storm's magical nature, but visible progress is being made and sure enough, what was once an unbroken dark vortex is beginning to whittle down to nothing. As the clouds fade away, Canterlot's eastern quarter comes into view along with the vast fields adjacent to the mountain where most of the fleet crash landed after Twilight's attack.

>The Princess of the Night's cyan eyes scan the clouds as yet another section of the storm breaks off and wisps away. There aren't many places left where the Harbinger can hide now. As she moves to start on the next section, the telltale sound of the ship's teleportation rings out, and it's suddenly before her.

>The Princess smiles. "Ah, so you finally reveal yourself, Twilight Sparkle. We hope you are ready to end this game and return the Shard to us..."

>Her magically-amplified voice easily travels to the nearby ship, but no reply comes back.

>"Twilight Sparkle, we tire of this--"

>The Harbinger's eight lightning cannons fire, but the bolts safely dance off the light cyan shield that forms around the Concordia's frame. Luna shakes away the momentary dizziness caused by fast casting the barrier spell before laughing with glee.

>"A most pitiable effort! Though we do admire the boldness present in thy attempt!"

>She begins to charge the beam spell, the light swirling all around her and reflecting upon the dais...

>And then the screams begin.

 

>Countless shrieking p0ny spirits spill from the hole in the Harbinger's central sphere, moving with unholy speed toward the Concordia and a surprised Princess Luna. Her position within the focal dais and her concentration upon the beam spell prevents her from dodging as one enters the ship through the opened shutters and passes through her chest. She cries out and collapses, the immense pain freezing up all of her senses. With a spark and a nearly deafening high-pitched noise, the spell she was channeling misfires and the energy meant to be directed toward the Harbinger begins to flow back into the ship itself, shattering the many mirrors around the dais and surging into the vulnerable superstructure.

>She can feel the vessel shudder as her vision fades and she loses consciousness...

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>You're powerless and can do nothing but watch as the hull of the Concordia grotesquely distorts before being nearly torn in half by the radiating magical energy flowing from the bow section. A series of explosions cascade across the frame as the onboard ammunition stores ignite and thick clouds of smoke begin to billow from the ship's many fatal wounds.

>"Oh my goodness..."

>"No..."

>"LUNA!!"

>The p0nies around you all cry out in horror, but Cel nearly jumps over the rail in an attempt to aid her sister. Only a quick tackle from you that ultimately brings her to the deck stops her, though she struggles against you the entire time.

>"Let me go, Anon! I have to reach Luna!"

"Stop it! You can't fly, remember?!"

>Rainbow jumps up, flaring her wings. "Maybe she can't, but I can! I'll-- what the hay, get off!!"

>Your hand reaches out to grab her colorful tail, pulling her back to the deck before she can get going.

 

"Shut up and listen to me! You can't go out there, there's goddamn ghosts all over the thing! If you get touched by one 'em you're probably gonna pass out and fall to your death!"

>Applejack removes her hat and tears her eyes away from the scene, focusing the emerald orbs on you. "Well... we've gotta do -somethin'-! If we don't..."

>Rarity peers over the rail, a look of terror on her face. "The... the p0nies in the city will be..."

>The great airship begins to capsize and fall toward the earth below. You follow its course with your eyes and there's no doubt about it... if it continues like this it'll crash right into the eastern edge of Canterlot.

>This is bad. What do you do? What -can- you do? The Harbinger and ghosts surrounding it are one thing, but what could you do to stop the Concordia even if you managed to get near it?

>As if on instinct, you touch the Orb of Ascension, still safely held in your jacket's pocket.

"She's right, Cel. We have to do something..."

>The white alicorn's gaze meets yours, and what you find within her beautiful magenta eyes nearly causes your heart to quake.

>The conflict within her expression is so deep it leaves your breathless. At the same time, she pleads with you to both give her the Orb so that she can save her sister, and to never give her the Orb because she fears, from the depths of her heart, all that will come after. Her indecision travels between you and roots your feet in place; your legs now unable to move even if you wanted them to.

"I..."

>Your hand reaches into your pocket and you see her breath hitch.

"I'm..."

>Your palm wraps around the soft fabric incasing the stone.

"I'm sorry."

>It's all you can think to say as you focus your will and move toward her. She's nearly crying, but she doesn't turn away from you as you approach.

>You hold the Orb out to her, its incredible magic almost palpable, even to you, and the world goes white.

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

>Luna's eyes flutter open, only to shut again as the smoke clouds them. The first sensation to return is the freezing pain in her chest, as if an icicle has been driven through her. The second sensation is a slight feeling of weightlessness, which can only mean one thing.

>"Ah, we are sinking. Wonderful."

>The pain she feels is very nostalgic, but she ignores it for now, opting instead to reach a hoof out to the nearby intercom, which surprisingly still works.

>"Captain Haze. Status report."

>The radio crackles a bit, and the stallion's distorted voice answers back. "Your Highness! Thank the Moon you're safe! We're currently sinking, and we can't control our path! All non-essential staff have evacuated to the lifeboats as per protocol!"

>Luna smiles. It's nice to have experienced, competent officers on hoof in situations like these. Indeed, one thing she'll never understand about her sister is her insistence on sending a rag-tag group of arguably neurotic mares to address some the Kingdom's biggest crises...

>"Very good. Have you determined where we will impact?"

>"Yes, Your Highness, though we're trying to avoid it, we're on a collision course with the Eastern Quarter residential district."

>Luna's smile fades. "And what is the status of the evacuation on the ground we ordered?"

>"Only 75% complete, Your Highness."

>She sighs. "We see. Well done staying at your post given the situation, Captain, but all remaining staff are to evacuate effective immediately."

>"Understood. Your Highness, do you need assistance? Should I send a team to you?"

>"'Tis unnecessary. Simply see to it that everyp0ny on the ship is safe, and do not trouble yourself over Canterlot."

>"I... I see. As you command."

 

>The intercom crackles again before shorting out, one of the small fires nearby likely claiming a critical piece of it.

>Luna pushes past the pain and staggers to her hooves, which is slightly difficult due to the now less-than-level floor and the angle at which the ship is tilted. She looks down to her chest to see the black splotch from where the ghost passed through her and grits her teeth in anger.

>"Accursed spirits... how dearly we wished we'd never have to encounter thee again. Your punishment over this matter shall be severe, Twilight Sparkle..."

>She turns to see the streets of Canterlot approaching through a hole in the frame. There's not much time left. She glances around, the shattered mirrors of the focal dais shining in the firelight, and rolls her eyes at the sight.

>"Of course the dais would be destroyed. Verily, we cannot make things easy for fair Princess Luna, now can we?"

>The alicorn's horn begins to shine as she pours vast quantities of magic into a spell. She doesn't stop when the incantation completes, instead supplementing it with more and more power; as much as she can muster.

>For if this is going to work, she'll need to use -everything-.

>The ground is fast approaching, but still she channels.

>Her starry mane and tail fade to their original azure color, but still she channels.

>It's only when the screams of the p0nies trapped in the residential quarter reach her ears that she finally casts the spell, and in a brilliant flash of light the entirety of the Concordia vanishes from the sky without a trace.

 

To Be Continued in Part 4