Twilight’s eyes opened and she stretched a bit before rolling to her hooves behind the table, she remained crouched and lifted her side arm and looked over her table and scanned the room. Satisfied the room was still secured she levitated her armor and helmet before slipping her sidearm into its holster and moved the table back where it had been last night. She paused as she saw the corner of room blackened as if it had caught fire. She stared and could imagine the painted X that had once been there. “By Celestia that feels like a lifetime ago.” She said to herself before shaking her head and turning towards the stairs, she had a routine to get to.

She made her way up the stairs and looked around the room; the library's main floor wasn’t big enough for what she needed. “Hmm…The distance between Sweet Apple Acers and Fluttershy’s cottage should work. “She said out loud as she calculated the distance between the two, with a satisfied nod she headed for the door.

“Least I don’t have to worry about Mendez ambushing me with that damn paint gun of his here.” She said with a smile as she remembered how Mendez would randomly ambush her on her morning runs even though she wasn’t some Rook anymore. She stopped before the door and thought. “At least I don’t think I do…”She said a bit uncertain, she wouldn’t put it past the Chief Petty Officer to find a way to shoot her flank across dimensions.

Shaking her head she opened the door and walked out into the dark night, dawn was still some time away and she only had a few hours of sleep but she was fully rested and ready for anything the day would dare throw at her.

It didn’t take her long to run to Sweet Apple Acers and she stopped at the gate, she debated seeing if Applejack was awake but as she thought about it the farm pony probably wasn’t awake at this hour. Though why anyone would be asleep at this hour she couldn’t think of a reason. Turning away from the gate she started to run towards Fluttershy’s cottage cutting through the middle of Ponyville, she had another 30 laps to do before heading home for her work out then breakfast.

Rainbow Dash yawned as she hovered over Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and a bouncing Pinkie Pie. “Why did we have to get up this early? It’s my day off from the Weather Team and I was looking forward to sleeping in. “She complained.

“Because Dashie today is the Commander’s Homecoming party.” Pinkie Pie said happily as she bounced around the group a couple of time.

Applejack stared at her. “Commander? Who is that?” She asked.

“Oh, right, I meant Twilight, sorry.” Pinkie Pie said stopping her bounce for a moment.

“Why did you call her commander darling?” Rarity asked as the group stopped to look at Pinkie.

“Because that’s what she is and she prefers her rank being used when in semi-formal, to formal settings... “Pinkie said then rubbed her chin. “Though I guess a Homecoming Party would count as informal, though it may be semi-formal.”

“Uh…Pinkie…what are you talking about?” Dash asked looking down at the pink pony.

“Eh…don’t worry about it she would be better at explaining it then me as she has all the information.” Pinkie said and started to bounce towards Twilight’s home. The rest of the group stared after her before collectively shaking their heads not even trying to understand what Pinkie was talking about.

Soon they reached Twilights home and could hear muffle noise that sounded like music from inside. Dash blinked and looked at the other before Pinkie knocked. They stood there and eventually the door opened and Spike looked at them as the group caught the lyrics of the song.

The music seemed to be coming from a strange flat device resting on the small table in the middle of the main room where Twilight was sitting hunched over something. The group of friends all stopped stared as the words of the song sunk in. Twilight looked back over her shoulder. “Oh hey guys. “She said and her horn lit up and the music stopped abruptly as the small black object was then wrapped in her magic and moved into her saddle bags. “Just let me finished up real quick and we can head to the party.” She said with a smile before turning back to whatever she was doing, probably reading a book if Dash had to guess.

Annoyed at having to wait while Twilight finished her studying after being woke up so early by Pinkie using a trampoline to bounced into her room she was in no mood to wait. She flew over around in front of Twilight letting her face show her annoyance. “Now looks here egghead I had to get...up…early…”She said as she started down at Twilight and the color drained from her face.

“Um…are …are you ok Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked, her voice filled with concern, she had never seen Rainbow do that before. Rainbow Dash’s mouth worked but no words escaped it as she just stared.

Dash looked up at her other friends then back down at Twilight’s right front leg resting on the table and not attached to her body as she did something to it with very delicate looking tools. Twilight looked up at her. “You ok Dash?” Twilight asked tilting her head to the side. “Why are your vitals so erratic?”

“What the buck happened to your leg?!” Dash shouted recoiling from the sight.

“I told you it was blow off by a land mind.” She said tilting her head the other way. “Did you suffer a head injury last night?”

“It’s not attached to your body!” Dash shouted and with that the other looked at each other and made their way over to Twilight to see what she was talking about and they all froze and the color drained from their faces, Fluttershy hid behind her mane. Pinkie seemed to handle it the best for some reason only making a slightly sick face but she mostly just looked sad.

“Well yeah, it’s not safe to do any form of maintenance on cybernetics if they are still attached to the user.” She said looking at them. “I needed to make sure they didn’t take any damage in yesterday’s battles, I’m almost done. “She said as she went back to her work as her friends just stood there silently watching unable to comprehend what was before them.

After a few minutes Twilight’s tools vanished and the small panels closed and she moved the leg to its socked and it slipped in with a loud clicking sound and Twilight drew in a sharp breath.

“Uh…You ok Twi?” Applejack asked her concern over riding the disturbing image she had burned into her mind.

“Yeah it just really fucking hurts when you reconnect cybernetics. “She said then took a deep breath. She rolled her shoulder and then moved her hoof in a circle. Dash’s brain had recovered once Twilight reattached her leg and she blinked as she saw five small...things extend from the hoof and they each moved then retracted. All 5 mares jumped back when a 12 inch blade shot out of Twilight’s hoof and then retracted just as fast. Twilight gave a satisfied nod. “Alright we can go now. “She said as she stood and started to make her way towards the door.

“You guys coming?” She said over her shoulder as she stood in front of the door. Her friends blinked and quickly moved towards the door and followed Twilight out of the door.

Twilight followed Pinkie Pie as she hadn’t thought to ask where the party is. She took note how the streets were empty so it seemed Pinkie had invited everyone to the party. Twilight hoped Pinkie remember she told her not to surprise her, Twilight did not want to fight herself when a group of people suddenly jumped out at her and doubted she could stop her reaction.

Twilight followed Pinkie as she lead the way to the Mayor’s officer in the center of town which made sense as it was the only building large enough to hold the town. As they neared it Pinkie stopped and turned to face Twilight with a wide smile. “Before we go in Twilight I just wanted to tell you how super-duper happy I am that you are back.”

Twilight smiled at her. “It’s good to be back Pinkie, you have no idea how much I missed you all. Hell the thought of you girls and Equestria is what drove me while there.” and with luck they would never learn what it was she had been fighting for and did to ensure their safety for as long as possible. She knew what she was, and hoped beyond hope no one would ever learn it as well.

Pinkie nodded and turned to the door and opened it. “Then welcome home Twilight.”

Author's Notes:

Surprise Interlude the next day!

I think I'm going to do an interlude every couple of chapters just to check in on how Commander Sparkle is doing.

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