Ultimate Defence of the Realm - Part 2
by John Routledge

Based on Friendship is Magic, created by Lauren Faust
And My Little Pony, created by Bonnie Zacherle
Render Unto Hasbro That Which Is Hasbro’s...

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The two sisters appeared inside a cave facing another teleportation tile. Celestia turned around instantly, but Luna stayed where she was, examining and tapping at the floor.

“Tia, why is this floor made from metal panels? This is steel isn’t it?” She turned to follow her sister. “This material is expensive you . . . know . . . ”

Celestia glanced back at her sister, and gestured her forwards with a wing. Hesitantly Luna moved to her side, keeping her eyes locked upon the centre of a complex geometric pattern, etched deeply into the chamber floor.

But Luna wasn’t looking at the spell.

“What is that?”

“A visitor. From another world. We get them sometimes. She appeared a few hundred years after I banished you.”

Luna cautiously stepped forwards. Whatever it was it looked nothing like a pony. It had arms, and fingers, like a dragon. Only its posture wasn’t horizontal, like a dragon, but upright, like a tower. To Luna’s analytical mind, it didn’t look entirely stable. It looked entirely too top heavy. And the head was, entirely the wrong shape.

“It... She?” Luna sniffed delicately. “She isn’t breathing.”

“When it became clear that she had no way home she asked to be frozen until such a time that she was needed.”

“Frozen? Sister, who would ask for such a thing? What would ask for such a thing? Sister, what is she?”

“Her name is Tara. Beyond that, I can’t tell you. I sorry sister, I could repeat the words she used when she explained what she is and where she came from, but they would mean nothing to you, for you would have never heard them before. In words you would know, she is a monster, from a world of incredible violence. A world reflected in her mind and actions.

“By our standards she is a monster. A hunter. A sentient, inventive, creative, predatorial carnivore.” Celestia looked across at her sister. “Which is she other reason she sleeps. Her solutions are much more aggressive and destructive than anything you or I would normally consider. She would not hesitate to kill if she felt it was required. She has done so before, on many occasional. It is what she was trained for.”

“Did you just avoid saying murder?”

Celestia looked her square in the eye.

“Yes.”

“And you just keep her down here, frozen, like some form of pet?”

Celestia adjusted her wings, ruffling and resettling her feathers.

“Why not? We keep Discord in the garden as a lawn ornament.”

“As stone!” Luna insisted. “I know that spell she’s standing in! And I know what that is too!” Luna pointed at a large and burning two-day candle sitting in a very ornate candlestick. “This whole set up is designed to wake her up!”

“But of course. She is both experienced and skilled in the art of defeating creatures far more powerful than herself. With nothing but what she carried on her back she managed to kill a snap-dragon and a hydra before I found her. Afterwards I tried to temper her arrogance by teleporting her in front a grumpy Ursa Major. I thought to teach her some humility. Instead I learnt it myself. She would have killed it if I hadn’t intervened.”

Luna looked back and forth between the two.

“But how could she? I’ve flown over Ursa Majors. High over them. They’re as tall as a castle!”

Celestia stepped to the edge of the room were several short pillars stood. As she swept a wingtip through the black boxes that sat on top, they turned clear and Luna saw what they contained. A ball of ... yarn? A club of some kind. Some small metal ... eggs? An oblong with some strange shapes carved into the underside. What purpose could that serve?

And there were many other pillars.

“These are some of the weapons she brought with her. I’ve seen her use them. I know what they can do. I believe she could even kill me, if I didn’t know so much about her. She is my option of last resort. She was my final backup plan to protect Equestria if Twilight failed.”

“How?”

“That would have been her choice,” Celestia said quietly. “But most likely by killing you. It is how her mind works.”

Luna’s eyes went wide and her ears went back.

“You... planned this too, didn’t you?”

The sun princess wilted.

“I’m sorry. I hoped you might be better. I trusted and had confidence in Twilight. But I had to be sure. I...” Celestia turned away. “I’m sorry.”

Luna looked at her sister, before sighing and walking over to nuzzle her.

“There is no need for forgiveness. We both know how Equestria would have fared under eternal night. You did the right thing.”

“Did I?” Celestia asked. “The ponies of Equestria look up to me to lead them in harmony. If they learned of this I...” She lay down and shook her head. “Discord would know better than I what would happen next. I certainly don’t know how I could lead them. I certainly don’t know what they would continue to follow me.”

She looked up as a blue wing folded itself around her shoulders.

“You did what you felt was best for Equestria.”

“Is it something you would have done?”

Luna’s eyes widened and she hesitated. It was all the answer Celestia needed, and she once again looked away. Luna flinched, before growing angry, then calming to merely stern.

“We both know what a thousand years of night would have done to Equestria. I doubt a thousand years of day would have been that much better. If I had been raising Twilight as my own pupil... I, well, I’m still not sure I agree with you entirely on that. But stopping Equestria’s downfall? You had an absolute duty to do prevent Nightmare Moon from winning. That you acted in spite of your pain should a source of pride, not shame.”

Luna stood back.

“Now stand, proudly, and awaken this perpetual guest. Introduce me to this, this Tara of yours.”

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She was cold. No she wasn’t. She should be cold. Why wasn’t she? She was standing. She shouldn’t be. Why was she? She could hear, and feel and taste, but couldn’t see or smell. She opened her eyes and breathed in for the first time since being frozen. Except she wasn’t cold? She was in a cave. Two creatures were standing before her. Neither was human. One was Celestia, who looked like she had been crying, and tried to cover it up. No pony would ever meet STANAG requirements. Their eyes just didn’t see colours the same way. She could see the cover job, even if Celestia herself couldn’t. The other creature was...

Tara grabbed her mini-rifle and snapped it up to her shoulder, thumbed the safety off and placing a red sparkly dot dead centre between the other alicorn’s eyes. Her finger tensed to take up the slack in the trigger.

“Target?”

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Authors note: I may edit these 'parts' into larger chapters at some point. But until then, little and often. :)