Chapter 86: The Rainbow Factory
Part 1: Revocation
TIME: 07:51 IT
DATE: War Day 789/3 Sextus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Llieda, Navarre
We were taking another week to train the recruits that we'd gathered in Llieda. Which, thankfully, was a lot. The Navarse Royal Army's ranks had swollen, now, to two full Battalions, not only from Llieda, but from surrounding towns, coming to support the crown.
Something had been weighing on my mind, however, since the end of the battle.
I was over by Celestia's temporary HQ, heading inside to speak with her Royal Sunbutt.
K: "Celestia.." I sat down, her having just finished her ceremony, and having some coffee.
Celestia: "You're troubled. Deeply." She saw it in my face.
K: "The Rainbow Factory. We have a precise location, now." I passed her a radio message we'd received from HMAS Howe, which was among an international squadron sent to locate it, given the information we had.
Celestia: "Dear.." She blinked, and shook her head. "..if this report is right.."
K: "It's the size of Ponyville, at least, that whole factory complex is." I slowly shook my head.. then gently slapped my palms on the table. "I'm taking a detachment, and the Marines, and taking that island. Immediately." I looked up at her.
Celestia: "I would ask if you're sure that's wise, but..." She shook her head. "...and I presume Forest Spirit will command, here, in your absence?"
K: "Him, Sacquet, anyone I leave behind." I gestured. "They proceed according to plan - take Zaragoza, then Pamplona, and end the war."
Celestia: "And you.. will take the Factory." She nodded.
K: "Me and the girls. Guaranteed there'll be a lot of bad magics, there. This is primarily a special operations mission.. I'll need my best mages." I shrugged.
Celestia: "I see the wisdom in your approach.. and the worry." She sighed.
K: "I can't sleep well, Cel. I know that each minute that goes by, another sentient is having their soul completely destroyed." I crossed my arms, almost hugging myself. "I tried to deal with it, put it aside, focus on this front.. but I can't take it any more. Last night - and thank -You- that Luna interceded - I had a nightmare of.." I sharply inhaled through my nose. "..Tirek drained Starlight Mint in front of me."
Celestia: "..then perhaps you -should- go." She nodded. "A dream that severe, we would call more predictive and prophetic, than nightmarish."
K: "That's what Luna said, too." I nodded slowly. "She.. said it predicted death." I looked down at the table.. and back up to Celestia. "If it's me.. I want you to know-"
She zoomed over next to me, with me talking like that, and wing-embraced me.. then leg-embraced me. Tightly.
Celestia: "You're an amazing person, K----." She gently kissed my forehead. "Yours is a memory that I will keep, no matter what happens to me."
K: "I.. I'm honored." I was a little choked up, and hugged her back.
After about an hour of mostly personal, affectionate talk with the Sun Goddess, I went to fetch my select team.
K: "ATTENTION!" I called out, at the Equestrian Senior Officers and General Staff assembly area. "The following personnel are coming with me on a special mission - we're going to shut down the Rainbow Factory."
Everyone was looking at me, waiting..
K: "The Elements of Harmony, of course." I gestured to them. "Dusty Dunes, Norfy Loconsole, Lidless Gaze, Cosmic Plane, Katrina, Jade K---, Gilda, Tankette Blinda, Webley Weaver." I nodded..
..and Firecracker came pacing up, standing at attention but not saluting.
Burst: "Sir. I request permission to join." She stated, very firmly.
Blinda: "Burst, look, you're new.. we're not. We've all been with K since the start, or.." She nodded to Dusty. "..we've seen plenty of how he works. This is your first time." She put a hoof on her shoulder.
Burst: "I joined to make a difference." She stated firmly. "Blinda. You were new once, too, right?"
Blinda: "Yes, but the stakes weren't this high." She shrugged. "As a Flag Officer, I have a responsibility to make sure those under me have the best chance of making it out alive. We've only just started learning your style and flow.."
K: "Permission granted, Lieutenant. Pick your own loadout." I shrugged a little.
Webley: "I'll watch out for her, K." She patted Burst on the shoulder.
Forest Spirit: "I'm taking command here, aren't I?" He looked at Sacquet. "We are."
Sacquet: "Bonne chance, mon ami." He gave me the Prench Embrace, complete with false kisses. "We shall carry out your plans."
K: "I trust you two implicitly." I patted them both on the shoulders, and stepped over to Emperor Daishiro no Ken. "Diashiro." I gestured him to the side.
Emperor no Ken: "How may I herlp?" He moved off with me, looking back, and noting how serious everyone was treating this.
K: "If I don't make it back, I want you to be the Arbiter of Succession between the Dukes. We're going to do something called Solomon's Baby. Offer each of them half of Navarre, but point out that doing so would leave the country fractured for at least a generation or two.. unless one of them agrees to step down willingly, and allow the other to rule. Whichever one agrees to step down, is the one with the heart to be the true King - that they will put the wellbeing of their nation ahead of themselves." I explained, carefully.
Emperor no Ken: "An' if both of 'dem offer to step down?"
K: "Whichever one hesitated to offer is the loser. The one that does it instinctively is worthy of being King. If they both do, and get into an argument of both wanting to bow out, tell them they're both worthy, and appoint them both the head of a caretaker government in the old King's name.. once the other Royals are located and their loyalty to the Crown verified, and their Representative Government reassembled, have both Houses of Government vote on a new King. If it's a draw for some reason, have the vote thrown open to a popular vote by the Citizenry. No campaigning allowed - the citizens vote based on what they know of the Dukes up to that point, and make it as soon as possible. One Ibex, one vote, age 18 and above - as well as any veterans under that age." I laid out my plans. "I want Navarre to select its own king, if they both prove themselves worthy of the Throne."
Emperor no Ken: "Fohgive me.. K----. You talk as zough you think you are not going to return!" He made notes, anyway.
K: "I'm not sure, Daishiro. Something bad is going to happen, I can feel it." I shrugged. "I want to be prepared, is all."
Emperor no Ken: "Ohv'course." He patted me on the shoulder. "Go wirf de bressings of my house an' my people, General K. To victory!"
Victory. It was going to cost me more than I ever bargained for.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Factors of Preparation
TIME: 08:26 Zulu (Equestria Royal Standard Time)
DATE: War Day 793/7 Sextus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: 30nmi from Rainbow Factory
The entire Equestrian fleet was assembled for this. Joining us was Blue Squadron, Royal Ambelonian Navy - Battleships Indomitable and Indefatigabile. Armored Cruisers Marechester and Essex. Protected Cruisers Newcastle, Liverpool, Catham, and Birmingham. Frigates Erskine, Wellington, Hambledon and Porkfirio. Corvettes Falcon, Cardinal, Bluejay and Parrot.
We were steaming right towards the islands.. and right towards an oncoming fleet of enemy Seagoing Monitors, Armored Cruisers, and Destroyers..
..thing is, our aircraft from HMS Cloudsdale were already hitting them. Torpedoes in the water were cutting across the enemy formation, and our battleships were firing from long range..
..I let my naval officers dictate the battle. I watched. I waited. I could feel the pull of the islands and their dark magics. Like a black pit in my stomach. I saw shells arc and splash around us.. HMS Moonlight heaving over and returning fire on the enemy cruiser..
..but my mind was not there. It didn't need to be. I felt a strange sense of peace. I was convinced. I would not be returning from this mission.
I was steadying myself on the bridge, watching as the enemy naval force put up the fiercest opposition yet. I surmised that this is where the closest thing Tirek had to "experts," were stationed, his most aggressive commanders, his loyalest admirals.
Save, he was short one general - the monkey we had locked up in the Brig.
K: "Sargasso - Report Status."
Sargasso Sea: "Canterlot and Coltifornia are dropping back with moderate damage. Coltifornia has hits to her engine. Cadence has taken several major blows, but all to the armor belt, with no appreciable damage other than plate buckling. Sacramento and Springfield have taken a few shots, Sacramento reports their "B" Turret is jammed with an UXO. Unicorn, Terra, and Diomedes all report damage. Argo is taking on water, and her crew is being picked up by Adept. Indomitable has taken two minor hits. Marechester took a torpedo and has dropped back. Catham took several heavy shells and also dropped back. Wellington is severely damaged and is retreating to the rear. Parrot took a hit that knocked her entire forward gun mount off. The enemy fleet is down to three Monitors, two Cruisers, one Destroyer, and is retreating to the south." Sargasso listed everything off to me. "Should we offer pursuit?"
K: "Send Cloudsdale, Luna, Erie, Greenbroke, Syracuse, Martingalier, Crystal, Terra, Aware and Adventure. Air strikes take priority. Don't close for a gun battle unless necessary." I issued the orderes, as I looked to the east. "Everyone else, prepare for landing operations."
Sargasso Sea: "Aye, General." They moved off to make my orders happen.
Me? I went below, to the General Staff Cabin.
Everyone was waiting there, doing final weapons checks and preparing themselves and their equipment. The girls had their jewelry on and simply left them on.
K: "Toola.." I started.
She held up three small canvases, each the size of a postcard. They were solid black.
Toola: "I ran out of black paint." She looked at me, pained.
Webley: "...you don't want my view, K----." She was close to tears.
K: "Look. Death or not.. we can't cower in a corner and let more people be extracted. Period. WE.. are the best fighters on the planet. We've seen more, done more, and learned more about warfare than anyone else on Equus." I went to each of them, and put a hand on their shoulders.. then got into a catcher's stance in the middle of them. "We can't let this go on any longer. Tirek derives power from this. People are absolutely ERASED because of this. We have to stop it, no matter what the cost."
Applejack: "Even if'n it's us.." She slid an arm around me.
Rarity: "He is right." She started pulling everyone in for a hug. "We can do this, Darlings."
Fluttershy: "I refuse to let anyone else suffer."
Rainbow Dash: "We can do ANYTHING! I-"
Gilda suddenly embraced her tightly.
Gilda: "K. I'm going to ask you for exactly one thing." She looked right at me.
K: "Name it." I nodded to her.
Gilda: "Marry us. Under Griffon tradition, you're my Alpha, my Pride Leader." She was tearing up. "I don't want either of us to die without that..."
K: "Rarity..?" I held my hand out for my formal uniform coat - the blue one I'd worn to the Spaghetti Dinner.
She handed it to me, and I put it on.
Rainbow Dash: "G..?" She looked back at her, sniffling, but smiling.
K: "Dearly beloved. We are gathered today to join two souls. Rainbow Dash and Gilda Buran. Throughout the last three years, we all have seen their love grow and expand. That their friendship has touched us all.. and that they have chicks together to care for when they return home." I held my hand out towards them. "Those to be wed, join hands."
They did so, and the others formed a little circle around them.
K: "If there is anyone here that objects to this union, may they speak now, or forever hold their peace." I paused, not that I expected anything. "Gilda. Do you take Dash to be your mate, for all time to come, no matter the storm that batters your nest?"
Gilda: "I do." She clutched Rainbow Dash's hoof.
K: "Rainbow Dash. Do you take Gilda to be your mate for all time to come, no matter the storm that batters your nest?"
Dash: "I do." She smiled.. so widely.
K: "Then, by the authority vested in me by Princess Celestia, Luna, and by Griffonic Tradition as your Alpha and Pride Leader, I pronouce you wed. You may join together." I smirked.
They kissed.
We all smiled.
It was the most bittersweet thing I'd yet seen.
TIME: 09:33 Zulu
We were assembled in the Moonlight's ward room, at the planning table. Blueblood, Brigadier Fosberry, and Admiral Wellington were present, as was Sargasso Sea and Tankette Blinda.. and my chosen staff.
K: "We've done recon over the islands. They know we're here and are preparing to defend. We will strike fast and hard - 1MARDIV will begin landing here, here, here, and here, under heavy naval bombardment, and air strike assistance from Cloudsdale. Meanwhile, the 1MARDIV Raiders and my General Staff will land.. here." I indicated the southern edge of the island. "The factory is right here." I indicated a point about 700 meters west of the landing spot. "We will infiltrate the main factory building, and investigate, liberate, and ruinate anything inside that requires same. I want four planes on standby at all times with full Napalm ordnance if needed. Literally everyone in the fleet with any sensitivity towards the mystical, is feeling dark and evil things there. There will be a lot of death. Just because of this, Blinda, I want you to think in terms of 50% fatalities. The Royal Ambleon Marines will back up 1MARDIV and land behind them once 1MARDIV clears the beaches, or sustains casualties too high to continue." I traced a finger over the landing beaches. "No matter the casualty rate, the defenses must be breached, the buildings searched carefully, hostages rescued, and anything that can be safely demolitioned, must be. If it's magic that's too powerful, then it must be secured until expert mages can come and deal with it."
Blinda: "I'm leading the Marines, aren't I?" She looked at me, and put a hoof on my arm.. like.. she wanted to be with me instead.
K: "Yes, Tank." I patted her shoulder. "Because you can do it."
Fosberry: "When should.. if there's a problem.. when should we send in our forces?" She looked at me, then to Blueblood.
K: "If you lose contact with Blinda." I nodded. "Other than that, wait for her orders. But, be ready to rush in all at once."
Blueblood: "Overwhelming firepower." He nodded.
K: "Indeed." I looked to each of them. "Remaining vessels will engage shore targets in thirty minutes, landing in one hour. Let's move."
As I dismissed the team, and headed back to the General Staff quarters, I could feel the tension in the fleet. Like, something was going to happen that I couldn't stop, and it'd be.. an ending. And everyone knew it.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Factors of Fighting
TIME: 10:27 Zulu (Equestria Royal Standard Time)
DATE: War Day 793/7 Sextus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Landing Craft, Heading to Rainbow Factory Island
I was bunkered down with the girls, and the rest of my team. I hadn't taken absolutely everyone. Despite my desires, Spike had come along.. and I couldn't rightly deny him, despite his age. He had just as much of a reason to fight as anyone else. The enemy had wounded him in battle, killed his girlfriend's older brother, and harmed his mother.
And he was good at this.
Minimal return fire came from the compound as the Landing Craft slid up on the shoreline, and the landing ramp fell before us. Unlike World War II landers, I'd designed these with two-part ramps - the top half falls immediately, but then forms an armored shield from about the chest down on a pony, giving them some cover from the front.
A round skipped off the shield, and I heard Rarity silence the shooter, before pulling the lever and lowering it. We advanced with the Marine Raiders.. one company of Ponies, the best Marines we had. Sigmask was in the team.
The buildings ahead of us were imposing grey megaliths, tall slabs of wounding steel stabbing into the sky, the smokestacks creating a dark, black pall and a faint haze of ash.
Toola: "..this.. these are.." She rubbed a bit off of her uniform.
Dusty: "Don't think about it, Toola.." She said, advancing up near me. "Don't get yourself killed, General." She gave me a small grin.
Applejack just hadn't said much one way or another since this all started. I knew what she was doing - she was bottling up her emotions, and had mentally prepared herself for my death ever since I told her about the nightmares. It was the only way she could cope with this. As her hooves met the coral, though, her attitude changed, and she moved up next to me.
Applejack: "We been lookin' forward t'this fer years, hun. Come on! Let's save some people!" She cheered us on.
A few Porcine and Raptorian soldiers came out of the factory main building and opened fire on us from 300 meters distant. We hit the ground - coral gravel, mainly - and started firing back. I sighted in on one of the Porcine, toting one of those Goblin 20mm cannons like a rifle, and put three shots into its head, causing it to fall on top of a Raptorian, and crush it.
They were silenced in short order.
Applejack: "COME ON!" She got up, and led the charge.
I was right behind her, but she was moving as fast as she could, and her land speed exceeded mine. Dash took to the air, and was able to match her, easily, and Gilda was right behind Dash as we got to the main doors to the facility.
Applejack got a demo charge out from her satchel, pulled the fuse, and threw it at the doors, hitting the ground immediately. Dash and Gilda went to ground at the same time. The explosion blew the massive steel doors down..
..and out came a stinking cloud of death.
K: "Let's MOVE! BY THE NUMBERS!" I refocused everyone.
We advanced to the blown doors, with me as pointman. I raised my Bradley, and stepped in, with Twilight button-hooking. AJ came behind me, Dash to Twilight, Norfy to AJ, then Gilda to Dash. We divided into two teams like folding playing cards.
Inside were massive machines who's only purpose was to move ponies and other creatures around the facility like an assembly line. I aimed at an electrical juntion box on the wall, and fired the rest of my magazine, shredding it, and stopping the conveyor belts..
We arrived at stairs that led up to a catwalk, and mounted them.. hoof in front of hoof.. foot by foot.. with Raptorians coming out of the side catwalks, firing in our direction, and us firing back with lethal, laser-focused precision. Once up on the main gantry area.. we advanced towards another giant set of doors.. with a massive sign above it.
"EXTRACTION ROOM"
Webley: "Ahhhh!" She screamed and fell to her knees instantly, with Firecracker right next to her, helping her up.
She was in a complete vision.. I looked into her eyes, and they'd gone utterly blank - no irises - and emotionless. I shook her shoulders.. nothing.
K: "WEBLEY!" I slapped her across the face.
Webley: "Ahh.. AHHH! NOOOOOOO!" She held the sides of her head. "No. No. No. No.." And screwed her eyes shut. "..no more." She looked up at the doors. "NOT ANOTHER FUCKING ONE!!"
She whipped the Funston off her shoulders, and everyone got distance. She fired the rocket at the door hinge, and blew them open.
K: "Advance forward.. heads on a swivel." I said, raising my Bradley again. "Webs?"
Webley: "I'm okay." She blinked a few times.
She was lying - she was half in a trance, but she wasn't going to stop.
None of us were.
We charged into the room, and we saw several ponies in a cage, suspended above a huge cauldron.. the cauldron was swimming with rainbow energy.. there was a machine between them and the cauldron that I could only describe as a demonic juice squeezer, that looked Heath Robinson-esque or Goldberg-esque, with the number of "steps" it took to extract that juice.
We knew what that juice was.
I advanced first. Twilight and Spike right next to me, Twilight prepping a spell..
Instinct. I dropped my Bradley, and went for my sword.
We didn't see him coming. Webley did - she screamed, I hit the ground before drawing it.
Suddenly, the rest of my team were all flattened on the ground, bound in a huge energy net, that seemed to entwine each limb, and weigh far more than they could possibly lift.
And he came down from the gantryway above, graceful as a ballerina.
Tirek.
Tirek: "When General Apers was captured, I knew you'd come." He crossed his arms.
K: "Tirek." I stood, slowly, hands empty.
His legs were scarred, now. Shrapnel wounds. He had an eyepatch covering one eye, where I'd shot him. He had a deep scar on one wrist, where Angel had stabbed him. He was still the Demonic Centaurbull, but he was no longer the vision of untouched perfection that he once appeared to be.
Tirek: "Have you not learned by now!?" He bellowed at us. "NO PUNY THING YOU HAVE, CAN KILL ME!" And waved his arms wide.
K: "No, but I'm doing a damn good job of fucking up that pretty face of yours." I smirked.. but, inside, my Monkey Brain was SCREAMING at me to run away.
Tirek: "Actually, I find the wounds make me more intimidating. But, no more! I'm going to kill you, human. Here.. Now." He summoned his Trident.
K: "No, you're not. Because I'm going to kill YOU. The old fashioned way." I drew the Sword of Rainbow's light.. but my knees were jelly.. "Come on, Tirek.. let's see how much blood's in ya.." I heaved each breath.. adrenaline chugging through my veins like an Ell-Train.. noisy, shuddering..
Twilight: "You're not.." She summoned up all her magical power into her horn. "..going to do this to anyone.. ANYONE ELSE!"
Spike: "YOU killed TORCH!" He racked his Chaffee, and raised it to aim. "I may not've been RAISED by DRAGONS, but I OWE YOU!"
When did we raise such a little bad-ass?
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Cataclysm
TIME: 11:01 Zulu (Equestria Royal Standard Time)
DATE: War Day 793/7 Sextus 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Rainbow Factory
Tirek needed no effort to punish us for our insolence. One massive wave of white-hot energy, and the shield that Twilight had summoned, collapsed like paper. We were thrown to the deck, and I was reeling in pain. It felt like every nerve in my body had been hit by lightning.
I stood, despite sieizng up, twitching as my muscles contracted involuntarily. I could hear everyone that was trapped, yelling. Cheering us on. Telling us to END HIM once and for all.
Twilight got up..
Spike kip-upped like the magic hadn't done anything but knock him over.
I moved.. I was about to call..
K: "CELESTI-"
Twilight: "K----!!"
I was knocked over by Twilight's hooves hitting me in the head. I landed, face-up, and saw Tirek's trident coming out of the wall..
..and Twilight..
...embedded on it.
K: "No.." I stared up at her, spatters of her blood on my face. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Tirek: "AHAHHAHAH! AAAAAAAAAHHH!! YOU STUPID HUMAN!! THAT WAS THE ELEMENT OF MAGIC!!"
I stood up, and.. wrenched the trident from the wall with all my adrenaline filled strength. Her body fell to the deck like a lump of meat. She was still breathing, but all three barbs had caught her, widthwise. She was run completely through, blood pouring out of her in waterfalls. I held her in my arms, tightly, not wanting to believe what my eyes were saying.
K: "Twilight.. no, no.. no. Not.. like this.." I choked up, and saw Spike get up - he'd been knocked over as well.
Spike: "Mommy..!? MOMMY!? MOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed.
I clearly heard each voice on my team, screaming for Twilight.
Twilight: "Kahh.." She looked up at me with tears in her eyes.
Tirek: "OH, THIS IS RICH! AHAHAHAHAHH! NOW, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU FIND THE RAINBOW OF LIGHT!! WITHOUT HER, YOU CAN'T KILL ME!!" He threw his head back and bellowed a laugh. "YOU FOOL!! YOU ABSOLUTE FOOL!!"
K: "Y.. Twilight.." I caressed her face.
Twilight: "Shining..?" She whispered it out.. and went still.
Spike: "Mommy..!" He hugged her.. then he stood up. "YOU'RE GOING TO DIE FOR THAT!!" He stomped forwards.
Tirek: "A baby dragon!?" Tirek looked at me. "COME NOW, Human! At LEAST offer me SOME kind of resistance! Wh.. what can he even do!?" He laughed again. "Blow some SMOKE at me!?" And laughed harder.
Spike: "No.. I'm going to burn you to death." He shut his eyes, opened them, and they were glowing a solid green.. "I summon you from a place far beyond.. across the winds.. across the seas.. help me now, in my hour of need... TIAMAT, QUEEN-GODDESS OF DRAGONS, HEAR MY CALL!"
The air pressure in the room dropped instantly. The ceiling EXPLODED upwards.. the shreds of the roof flying straight up into the stratosphere. And floating there.. cracking with energy, throbbing with rage.. was Tiamat. In Combat Mode.
Spike: "CATACLYSM!!" He screamed, and thrust both of his arms towards Tirek.
Tirek: "Oohhhh... not good." He looked at me. "Later!"
Just as Tiamat's breath weapon energy beam slammed down on the very spot Tirek was standing at, he vanished in a puff of smoke. The energy beam held steady a bit longer.. then ceased.
She just floated there.
I still held Twilight's body in my arms. Tears streamed down my face, my muscles spasmed and twitched, my throat closing up in rage and sorrow.
Spike.. stood there a moment, then when he realized that Tirek was gone, he ran back over to Twilight. And held her.
Spike: "Mommy.." He sobbed. "MOMMY!!!!!!" He threw himself over her, and just cried.
I stood up.. my legs were buckling.. I saw my team free themselves from the energy net, now that Tirek was no longer in range to charge it with his powers. They all ran over to Twilight's punctured corpse, and all that blood that flowed out everywhere, dripping down the grilled surface of the catwalk like a crimson waterfall..
..I marched up to Tiamat.
K: "Restore her." I looked up at the Goddess of Dragons.
Tiamat: "..excuse me!?" Such insolence!
K: "YOU OWE HER YOUR LIFE, SHE FREED YOU FROM TIREK! NOW, I DEMAND IN HER PLACE, THAT DEBT PAID! RESTORE HER!" I pointed furiously at Twilight's body. "Remember, Tiamat. I'm human.. HUMAN. We nailed our God to a STICK." I snarled my lips. "And I am well familiar with how Dragons will try to weasel their ways out of certain debts, because they think certain things should be as they be.. no, not this time." I pointed again. "You have the power. Restore her."
Tiamat: "You have NO IDEA what you're asking of me!" She snorted back. "But.. you are right. I am indebted to her. A life for a life." She shoo'd the lesser creatures away. "I will restore her. But, there will be a cost." She looked back at me.
K: "She would pay it. I would pay it." I nodded.
Applejack: "ALL of us would!" She stepped forwards.
Firecracker: "Every last one." She looked at the others, then back up to Tiamat. "No matter what it is."
Spike: "I'd do ANYTHING for my Mommy!" He insisted.
Tiamat: "..very well, little one." She looked at Twilight's body.. and with a flick of a synapse, she levitated it in white light.
There was a bright flash.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Magic is Friendship
TIME: 11:22 Zulu
DATE: War Day 793/7 Sextus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Rainbow Factory
Tiamat was gone. Twilight was alive. But, she was different..
...VERY different.
Twilight: "DRAGON WINGS!?" She yelled, the wings going spastic.. she was trying to control them. "FANGS?!" She licked her teeth - her canines were now pointy. "My coat! It's all.. spiky!" Her fur growth had increased.. she also had little tufts above each hoof.
Rainbow Dash: "Twi, Twi, chill.. chiill oooutt.. and relax your back muscles." She stroked her mane.
Fluttershy: "You were dead." She was grim.
Rarity: "Amazing, Darling.."
Norfy: "I-I knew.. you'd be okay.." He was crying.. very unlike him.
Cosmic: "K's here.. no matter what.." He was crying, too. "..he looks out for us."
Gaze: "D'AWW! TWILIGHT!" He hugged her, too. "Ye skerred me ta death!"
Toola: "I was right." She hugged Fluttershy.
Applejack was attached to me.. holding me.. whining, and sobbing, in joy, in fear, and sorrow. I knelt down at Twilight's level, and examined her.
K: "Well.. Tiamat did say there'd be a cost.." I shook my head. "Webs?" I tapped the side of her head, seeing if I could get some reception.
Webley: "...give me. Give me a minute." She sat on her haunches.
Katrina: "I've never seen anything like this before." She caressed Twilight's wing edge gently. "I.. suppose this makes her a Draconicorn!"
Jade: "A Draconicorn.." She blinked.
Spike: "I'm just.. I'm just glad Mommy's alive.." He was sobbing, still, into her neck.
K: "She wouldn't be, if you hadn't come, Spike." I patted his shoulder.
Katrina: "That's another thing - that was Summoning Magic. That's unheard-of!" She shook her head. "I can't.. I can't recall the last Summoner.. if there ever was one."
K: "I think we can ask Somnambula." I stood. "Summoning Magic sounds like the place she originally came from."
Toola: "I.. uhm.." She sat next to Webley, and started painting. "K.. I think.. I can.." She held up a picture.
It was of Galactica Spark.. standing between Tiamat and a very dead Twilight. Denying Tiamat. DEFYING Tiamat.
The next one was of Tiamat giving Galactica Spark the middle finger, then the Russian Eagle (closely related to The Sicilian Fist).
The third was Twilight behind Tiamat, and Tiamat shaking and spanking her Dragon Ass at a VERY angry Galactica Spark.
Webley: "If what I'm seeing is what I think I'm seeing.. the only way Tiamat could restore Twilight to life is if Twilight was made part of HER realm." She looked up to me. "K----, Twilight can't be the Element of Magic any more! She's not a Pony!"
Twilight: "WHAT?!" She stammered a bit, and tried to put on the crown.. but it remained dead - no signal. "Ohh. OH NO!" She slid to her haunches.
Toola: "Webley's right.." She shook her head. "Galactica Spark has abandoned, rejected, and excommunicated Twilight. She.." She put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "It means, when it's your time, you're going to the Realm of the Dragons.. not our afterlife."
K: "That's fucked up." I spat. "I don't blame Tiamat - she did as I demanded, she repaid her debt." I shook my head, and grabbed the radio mic. C> "Alpha Actual to all callsigns. Code Teal-Black." In other words, we'd encountered Tirek personally. "Alpha is offline, requesting immediate evac... Alpha Actual, out." I nodded to Dusty to fire a flare.
We needed to go see Celestia.
TIME: 07:11 ERST
DATE: War Day 797/11 Sextus, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Canterlot, Equestria
K: "This wasn't a fight. He was going to kill us." I shrugged.
Celestia: "..and Tiamat interceded?" She was incredulous.
Luna: "Somehow, I am not surprised.. our lover has a way with Goddesses." She smirked a little, trying to use some humor to defuse the tension.
Twilight was flat on the ground, with her mother and father next to her.
Night Lite: "..DAMNIT!" He suddenly snapped up and stormed at me, with Applejack getting between us. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED, NOT HER!" He waved a hoof at her. "NOW I'VE LOST MY DAUGHTER, TOO!"
Twilight Velvet: "Honey.." She implored him.
Night Lite: "No. No, I've put up with this ridiculous war long enough!" He stomped at me. "FIRST my SON gets KILLED!" He bellowed. "NOW.. MY DAUGHTER!"
Applejack: "Yew best back up that wagon, mister.. no one talks t'my husband like that!" She snarled.
Celestia: "NIGHT LITE!" She snapped at him.
Night Lite: *SNORT!* He eyed Applejack with absolute disgust. "Not like I should expect any different from a freak that married a fre-"
*WHAM!!*
Applejack punched him in the snout so hard, she shot three teeth out.
Applejack: "BUCK YOU, YOUR RACIST, BIGOTED-"
Celestia: "EVERYONE - SILENCE! NOW!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, and HEAT came into the room.
Night Lite picked himself up, and rubbed his jaw, noticing the three missing teeth, but bowing before Celestia.
Twilight Velvet: "Night Lite! How DARE you!" She hissed at him.
Night Lite: "Forgive me, your Highness." He glared at me. "I shall deal with him on my own time, and not in your Gracious Presence."
K: "Arrest him." I nodded to him.
Ironhide came up, and pushed a hoof into his back. Night Lite was tough for a unicorn, but not as tough as Ironhide. He growled a little. Chemical Lens stepped forwards.
Chemical Lens: "I am Sheriff Chemical Lens. I'm placing you under arrest. The charge is threatening a Royal Official. You have the right to stay silent, and to legal representation before questioning and during legal proceedings against you. If you cannot afford representation, the Crown will appoint a legal representative at no cost." She personally cuffed him. "That so-called 'freak' is my friend, Mr. Lite. As he is friends to everyone that invites him." She bowed to Celestia. "Forgiveness, your Majesty, but I was given a lawful order."
Celestia: "..indeed. This is a kingdom of laws." She raised her nose a bit. "Proceed. Remove him from my sight."
They started dragging him away..
Night Lite: "YOU MURDERED MY CHILDREN! YOU JUST WAIT - THEY HAVE TO LET ME OUT SOMETIME!! YOU WATCH YOUR BACK YOU FREAK!! I'M GOING TO DO TO YOU WHAT YOU DID TO M-"
The doors to the Throne Room slammed shut, with him on the other side, silencing him.
K: "Mrs. Sparkle.. uhm.." I didn't properly know what to call her. "Ma'am. I'm sorry."
Twilight Velvet: "No, there's no reason for you to apologize. My husband has been distant and angry since our son died. He blamed you from the start." She shook her head slowly.
Twilight Sparkle: "Mom.." She was humiliated, still, and in shock.
Spike: "Grandma.." He hugged her leg.
Celestia: "If he proves a threat to your family, My General, I will imprison him indefinitely." She glared. "After everything that's happened.. he thinks of my student.. his own daughter.. as dead. Not alive and different, but dead." She sighed. "I.. can't imagine.."
K: "In my world, parents reject their children for crazy reasons, too." I shrugged. "Sometimes to the point of killing them." I looked towards the doors. "He's angry. He'll never stop being angry - if he hasn't by now, then he won't. Whatever Spell of Carefree we keep theorizing about, hasn't lessened his pain."
I was right - it's hard to imagine the pain of a parent that's lost a child. Especially one that seemed to have such a bright future.
And it's easy to place blame.
{End of Chapter 86}
