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The Chronicles of Swarm: The Equestrian Front

by kildeez

Chapter 64: Chapter LXIV: Gone

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“Mister?”

The demigod’s eyes slid open. A little filly with a pink coat and a cutie mark of a heart crossed with a pen and pencil stared back up at him with a pair of big, blue eyes. “Yeah?” Michael asked, still trying to decipher what the mark meant. Romance novelist, maybe? Shipfic writer?

“Are you okay?” She asked, big, adorable eyes gazing up into his own.

“’Course I am, kid. Why do ya ask?”

“It’s just that…you’re crying, mister.”

“What?” Michael felt his cheeks with his fingertips, realizing they were wet. “Oh. Allergies.”

“You sure?” She arched an eyebrow at him, not quite buying his explanation.

“Yeah. Run along now, go say goodbye to the other humans.”

“O-okay,” the filly sighed and trotted away dejectedly. Michael once again lit up a cigarette, not even stopping to consider the metaphysical ramifications of second-hand smoke in his subconscious versus reality. He just really, really wanted a nicotine fix right then.

In front of him, the ponies of Coltton had all gathered in the town square to bid the humans farewell, every one of them apparently wishing to give Uris and his father a hug before the final goodbye. Some had even bought snacks and baked goods for the trip. And, as they had been since the night before, the Elements of Harmony stood at their side, each doing an excellent job at disguising the fact that they wanted to break down in tears right then and there.

Sighing, the demigod waded through the crowd towards his brother, standing with the Princesses just behind the eight, watching as each pony took a turn to whisper a quick farewell and leave a quick kiss on each man’s cheek or drop off a basket of goodies. Chen nodded in acknowledgement as Michael approached.

“Have a nice nap, brother?” The man in the business suit asked.

“Yeah, real restful,” Michael murmured as the last of the ponies presented their gifts and left. “Where’s the married ones?”

“Shining Armor and Cadence have chosen to spend some time together, before…” Celestia trailed off.

“Before this,” Michael grimaced, his stomach twisting as the humans turned to the Elements of Harmony. This was going to be the most difficult part.

“Guys…” Twilight said, tears brimming in her eyes once again.

“Hey now, we’ve had enough of that,” Uris said, trying to smile as he wiped at her face, though it was painfully obvious he was on the verge of tears himself.

“Just…try not to get killed out there, okay?” Dash said, pulling Vance in for a hug.

“And do try to…stay in touch…” Rarity started, only to realize how impossible that would be.

“Just…yeah…” Applejack muttered awkwardly, squeezing in a quick nuzzle with the pilot.

“And don’t forget to smile. Ever.” Pinkie said softly, pulling out a pair of noisemakers and sticking them in each of the humans’ mouths.

“How could we when we have memories of you?” Uris asked. Surprisingly, his father didn’t cringe at his son’s corniness, and in fact nodded in acknowledgement. At least someone would remember the events of the past few days.

“And then there was one,” Michael sighed, focusing in on Fluttershy as the little pegasus stood off to the side. Squeaking, her eyes behind her rosette mane, she backed up a few steps.

“Fluttershy…” Uris started after her, but his father stopped him.

“We gotta go, son. I’m sorry, but it’s time.”

After a few moments, the pilot’s hand dropped, followed by his eyes. “Yeah, I know,” he sighed, trudging dejectedly to the five demigods standing behind them. The brothers and the sisters peered back at the pair.

“Just one poof, and you’ll be back in Langley,” Michael said reassuringly. “This won’t hurt a bit.”

Uris’s eyes rose to meet the demigod’s shimmering in the dim, post-dawn light. “But it already does.”

Michael’s face fell. “I know,” he said. Snapping his fingers, a green hue appeared around the pair. The two clenched hands as father and son and held their breath, as if they were about to plunge into an ice-cold river. A hum filled the air and everypony shielded their eyes. The humans’ eyes closed, bracing themselves for the journey, as quick as it would be.

Suddenly, a gentle voice rose over the crowd. “WAIT!” Everything froze in an instant, the hum stopping. The pair was still surrounded in green light, but now they looked back as a little yellow pegasus galloped up to them. Breathing heavily, she peered up at Uris as a single tear traced down her cheek.

“Fluttershy?” He asked.

In an instant, she hovered up to his face and wrapped her hooves gently around his head, planting a small kiss right in the middle of his forehead. It was the most gentle thing he’d ever felt: like a butterfly landing on his skin. Uris balked, eyes widening as he looked back at her. She smiled warmly. “Thank you.” She whispered.

Tears of joy and relief cascading down his face, the pilot regained his composure and, together with Vance, saluted the ponies. “It’s what we’re here for, ma’am,” he said, and then, in a flash of green, he was gone. The air still buzzed with the remnants of energy, but that was all that remained. Now, it was just the two brothers and the Princesses standing there. Fluttershy took a few steps back, her eyes behind her mane once again. Her friends all embraced her, huddling in close in preparation for what was to come. Around them, the crowd slowly began to dissipate, everypony returning to their lives as best as they could.

“Welp,” Michael said, stepping forward. “My mama always taught me not t’overstay my welcome.”

The few ponies left let out a few little giggles as he smiled at them. “Thanks for the hospitality, y’all,” he turned to his brother. “You ready?”

“Always,” Chen whispered. “We just need…”

“Wait!” Another voice cried out. All eyes turned in surprise as a certain blue unicorn made her way through the parting crowd, followed by a pale-yellow stallion with red hair.

“Trixie?” Twilight asked in surprise as the magician popped up right in front of the man in the leather jacket. The mare gazed up at him, an indecipherable look in her eyes.

“Oh,” Michael said, eyes widening. “It’s you.”

“You two know each other!?” Twilight gasped.

“Yes, it’s Trixie,” the blue unicorn replied, ignoring her. “Trixie never got to thank you for helping her in her time of need.”

“Oh, well, no problem.” Michael shrugged, still concerned about where this was going.

Without warning, Trixie suddenly launched herself at the man in the leather jacket, tackling him to the ground before closing her eyes and pressing her lips to his in a kiss. Pulling back in complete surprise, Michael looked back at her. “That was for being there to explain things when Trixie woke up.” She whispered as the yellow unicorn glared at them.

“Oh wow,” Michael said, eyes wide as he looked at all the shocked faces around him. Grinning, he decided to play it off and turned to his brother. “Y’know, they ain’t such bad kissers once you get past the taste of hayseed…”

“And this!” She promptly followed up by lifting her rear hooves and bringing them down again in a powerful buck to his groin. The man in the leather jacket screeched, his voice climbing a few octaves as he curled up in a little ball of pain, trying very hard not to cry.

“That was for leaving immediately after!” She harrumphed as she climbed off his body and trotted away to join the rest of the ponies, nose held high. “Come along, Sethy!”

“Yes, Trixie!” The yellow unicorn said, smiling as he followed her out. After a few minutes, Chen’s laughter burst out and rolled over the empty square as he watched his brother clench his manhood, still curled up in pain. Each of the mares surrounding them, meanwhile, just looked away, stifling snickers.

“Think she’s still a bit angry about you leaving her alone in her tower?” He chortled just as Michael pressed himself to his feet.

“Fuck you…aw God, I think she kicked my balls into my ribcage,” Michael groaned, one hand still on his testicles. “Gawd, can we just leave now?”

“I’m afraid we still must wait for Dietrich,” Chen replied.

“Oh yeah, almost forgot he was here too,” Michael scratched his chin. “What’s he been up to?”

“I had a special request for him to check on the Changeling Badlands,” Celestia replied, calming herself. “I had a feeling he might be needed there.”

Chen arched an eyebrow. “But the changelings are your enemy, are they not?”

“That doesn’t mean I should abandon their entire people to utter destruction,” she replied nonchalantly.

“Princess,” Chen started, smiling. “You are…”

“Oh look, speak of the devil!” Michael said, gazing up at a tiny, black dot in the sky. Everypony looked upwards as a green flash appeared in the blue above their heads, followed up by a blonde man in a tuxedo appearing before them. No one even reacted as he stood up to his full, imposing height.

“Dietrich, brother, how have you been?” Chen asked, extending a hand to the man in the tux.

“Fine, fine…” Dietrich replied, his eyes remaining on the sky as he absentmindedly took his brother’s hand. “How’ve you all been?”

Michael recognized the look on his brother’s face immediately. “Oh my God,” he grinned, eyes lighting up with nearly childish glee. “Oh my God, who’d you fuck?”

“WHAT!?” The ponies all gasped simultaneously.

Chen looked his brother over and sniffed a few times. “Testosterone and…shame. For heaven’s sake, Dietrich! Can you not go one week without a decent lay!?”

“Look, I’d love to discuss zis,” the blonde replied, eyes searching the blue above them. “But right now we…”

“DIETRICH!” A multi-layered, yet still effeminate, voice roared from above. It sent a shiver of recognition racing down everypony’s spine.

“Eh, shit,” the blonde said, a dark cloud gathering above them all. He turned to his brothers. “C’mon, c’mon! No use hanging here why don’t we go RIGHT FUCKING NOW!?”

“Oh, no way,” Michael said, shaking his head at his brother.

“You really have no shame, do you?” Chen asked as the cloud thickened.

Queen Chrysalis reared over each and every one of their heads, her swarm at her back. She snarled at the creatures below and descended, her hooves cracking the cobblestone as she landed with her swarm right behind her. She hissed with rage, her demonic, snake-like eyes locking on the blonde.

“Girls!” Celestia commanded, her wings splaying out behind her. “Gather yourselves, prepare for…”

“YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME, YOU BASTARD!” The queen of the changelings screamed, ignoring the Princess and focusing her slit-shaped pupils on the blonde.

“Guys, right now, please!?” Dietrich screamed.

“Oh sure, I…oh darn,” the man in the leather jacket smiled mischievously at the man in the tuxedo. “Looks like I done used all my power on teleporting the humans. Guess we’ll hafta wait for me to charge.”

“Oh, fuck you,” Dietrich murmured as the jilted queen rushed them.

“Chrysalis, I know not why you are here, but…” Celestia began, only to pause when the changeling rocketed right by her, a screaming blur of black and green slamming against the man in the tuxedo.

“YOU! SAID! YOU! LOVED! ME!” She screamed, hoof-stomping him over and over again.

“Chryssie…baby…I can…” he gasped before her fangs closed around his arm, followed by a hoof-stomp to the head. He howled in pain as the queen laid down an unholy beatdown, the ponies staring blankly at the pair.

“What - what is going on?” Twilight asked.

“It’s better if you do not know,” Chen grumbled.

“Think this time he’ll actually learn his lesson?” Michael asked.

“Most certainly not. It is his nature, after all.” Chen replied.

“Yeah,” Michael rolled his eyes, checking the clock tower in the square. “Well, I think that’s enough.” With a snap of his fingers, the man in the tuxedo disappeared in a flash of green, leaving Chrysalis to stomp her hole-filled hooves against the suddenly-vacant cobblestone. Sniffling in rage, she promptly took to the skies, her swarm still close behind. Not once did she even acknowledge the ponies in the square with her.

“That was…interesting…” Celestia said.

“It was,” Chen replied, turning to the man in the leather jacket. “Brother?”

“One second,” Michael raised a finger before turning to the ponies. They all watched, confused, as the demigod scooped the Element of Laughter up in his arms and pressed a finger to her forehead.

Instantly, her eyes lost all color. Her tone became neutral and robotic as she looked up at him. “Recorder Six-Zero-Five-Nine, reporting in.” She said.

“Commence upload.”

“Upload initiated,” she hummed for a few seconds, her eyes holding that strange, blank look.

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked, furrowing her brow in concern.

“Upload to Quantum Server XQ57 complete. Would you like to perform some other action?” She replied.

“No,” the man in the leather jacket stated firmly.

“Acknowledged. Entering hibernation mode.” Pinkie hummed for a few seconds more before the light reentered her eyes, pupils swelling back to their normal, massive size.

She stretched, yawned, and scratched herself, turning in the demigod’s grasp to see her friends standing just behind her. “Oh, hey guys,” she smiled contentedly and looked up, her eyes widening at the sight of Michael.

“Hello, my little pony,” he smiled.

Her jaw dropped. “RARITY!” She gasped, springing from his grasp.

“Me again, why is it always me?” The alabaster unicorn asked before the party pony’s pink form smashed onto her body.

“AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE….”

“Michael?” Celestia asked, motioning to the screaming mare. “Care to explain?”

“Oh, I like to record most of my endeavors for posterity’s sake, so I often choose a random being in the universe I am traveling in to act as a recorder of sorts,” he shrugged. “Of course, it helps if said being is already talented in using the psychic arts.”

“You used one of my little ponies as a camera?” Celestia frowned.

“It’s not like there are any side-effects!” He said defensively. “Except for the amplification of latent psychic abilities and memory loss after the data is uploaded to one of my servers, of course.”

“Amplification of…oh, Pinkie sense,” Twilight said, smiling in realization. “That explains a lot, actually.”

“AAAAIIIIIIII – you do realize you could avoid that if you simply rerouted the recording circuitry through the occipital lobe rather than the temporal, right?” Pinkie asked, giving Rarity’s long-suffering eardrums a break.

“What?”

“IT TALKED TO ME! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH…”

“And on that note,” Michael swooped in, planted a kiss on Luna’s hoof, and saluted before disappearing in a flash of green.

“And everyone leaves in the most stereotypical manner possible,” Chen laughed as he took a step towards Celestia. She immediately cringed and took a few, tiny steps back. His smile fell from his face. “Princess,” he said with a curt, simple bow.

“Swarm,” she sighed, nodding with respect, but waving him off with her hoof. He was gone an instant later. All evidence that humanity had ever been in Equestria was now gone, barring a few scattered craters and the memories they shared. Soon, even the latter would be banished from existence, deleted like so much trash on someone’s laptop.

The mood plummeted. Twilight sniffled, her lower lip quivering. It was time. God help them all, but it was time. The Princesses looked upon the group with pity in their eyes while the friends embraced. “Bu-but…I don’t want to forget.” Celestia’s protégé cried, her grip tightening on the nearest pony.

“It’s for the best,” Luna said, successfully hiding the fact that her heart was rending in two.

“Don’t worry my little ponies: I will remember for all of you.” Celestia said, knowing full well that this would be little comfort.

Shivering together, the ponies all looked one another in the eye. “A-at least we’ll be doing it together.” Fluttershy pointed out.

Quite suddenly, the shivering eased off in everypony. The friends all smiled at one another. “Yeah,” Twilight said, her eyes lighting up behind the tears.

“And hey, if you’ve got your friends with you…” Rainbow said.

“…there to help you face anything you might need to…” Rarity said.

“…then what’s there to be scared of?” Applejack finished. Though tears still soaked their cheeks, the friends embraced again, peaceful little smiles on each of their muzzles. Celestia’s lips quivered as she visibly strained to keep the confident smile on her face, tears just starting to well in the monarch’s eyes. With a final nod from Twilight, the Princesses joined their horns together.

There was an instant flare of magic, a whirlwind of blue and yellow energy encircling the Alicorns’ horns. The air crackled with power as the sisters rose from their hooves engulfed in a bright light. Then, the light burst outwards as a brilliant wall of energy, engulfing the planet, and then it was finally and truly over. The memories, the heartache, the love, the fear of the past few days, all swept away by the spell like a wave crashing against a sandcastle.


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The Princesses returned to their hooves and trotted over to the unconscious forms of the Elements of Harmony. Luna began to reach a hoof out to touch Twilight’s shoulder, but Celestia blocked her. “The spell is just rewriting their memories to coincide with a dragon attack,” the Princess of Day sighed. “It takes time, that’s all.”

“We understand,” Luna nodded, dutifully scooping the six up in her magic. “Come: let’s get them back to Ponyville, or we’ll have to rewrite their memories again.”

“Luna.”

“Then we’ve still got to get back here and track down Shining Armor and Cadence, prepare the cover story for the papers, look for any stray bulletholes we might have missed…”

“Luna.”

“And then we think we should take a vacation, dear sister: both of us. How does Saddle Arabia sound? I hear the beaches are lovely this time of…”

“Lulu,” Celestia rested a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, causing the Princess of Night to pause and turn to her. The Princess of Day’s eyes were glistening with tears. “It’s okay. We have plenty of time. Nopony will see.”

“Oh, I see.” In a flash, Luna’s face twisted into a mask of pain. Celestia instantly wrapped her in a hug just as the beginning of sobs began to wrack the night-blue Alicorn’s body. “It’s not fair, Tia! It’s not fair!”

“I know, I know, but it’s the only way,” Celestia sobbed, her tears wetting her sister’s ethereal, blue mane.

“To be cut-off forever!? Not even able to write!? After all they went through together!?”

Celestia gave pause, her massive, tear-streaked eyes widening. Her sister noticed her sudden lack of sobs and pulled away, looking her over. “Tia?”

“Actually, Luna, you’ve just given me the most wonderful idea,” the Princess of Day replied, a genuine smile crossing her lips for the first time in days.

Author's Notes:

Trixie is talking about another story in my canon here. It's an older fic of mine, but it should be a quick read.

Next Chapter: Chapter LXV: Wrapping Up Estimated time remaining: 59 Minutes
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