****

Above Canterlot Gardens, Equestria

Ari

I blinked at the sunlight.

Was I going mad? I narrowed my eyes. No? The idea was still possible, hell, it might explain how this whole situation came to be.

Yet it felt too real…

Gray, crackling comets flew before me...In the daytime. I know, but it was real, and they were rocketing across the blue sky in an impossible way, diving down, weaving around the garden’s tall hedges and statues as they made their way towards me. It was as if…They weren’t comets at all. That made a strange sort of sense in this world.

Warmth sailed by dock, the smell of burning hair reaching me a second later.

My throat was suddenly dry.

So squinting harder against the sun, I continued my ascent, pumping my wings as I watched the unnatural movements. Definitely not comets… And I soon proved my thought to be correct as I found the producers of said stormy trails. Blurry elongated forms that didn’t seem to be a form of celestial rock, at least none that I had ever seen. But that left me even further puzzled. What were they then? Whizzing about I couldn’t get a read on them.

Better yet, what were they up to?

They swerved around my position, still too fast for detail to be known. And everything was making no sense. It had to be ponies, or, if not that, then something made by ponies to attack me. Thinking on it, if you could fly that fast then why not knock me out? Was it just me that thought of that? I hoped not. However, it could be the fact that I’m holding the princesses, no pony would want me to drop those.

Spears halted behind me, out of ammo, but the presence of the angry ponies still lingered.

And seconds later the ‘comets’ were circling back to the gaping hole I was currently exiting from. The comets started to angle down towards me a second later. Not shockingly they were after me. Not wasting a moment I ended my ascent, angling my own frantic wings at the horizon, as far away from the strange things as I could be.

A spear whizzed by my muzzle then, as if to remind me I couldn’t escape with my magic yet.

Then yelling reached me from above, indistinct but none the less worrying, and quite possibly a source for the new spears.

My heart started to hammer in a staccato beat only a little bit later, the exertion of carrying the mares not even hitting me yet. But the reality of what I had done was taking over.

I have royalty in my hooves.

And Blueblood’s words came back to me as my mind went into overrdrive. ‘Them’ he had called these ponies, if they even were ponies. They were going as fast I felt like when I was rushing over before. That was a lot of magic, energy to have. Yet, I wasn’t staying around to see if there was any other reason why he spoke of them like that.

Rushing out over the castle’s ornamental gardens I put the pedal to the metal. My eyes locking onto a far grey dot and my lungs releasing a big sigh of relief, it wasn’t too far. I had made it to the castle in an afternoon.

Losing them was possible.

Momentum grew as I arrowed forward, air whipping at my ears. Surprisingly the crackle of the comet pony things faded and my hurried flaps actually made headway on a gap.

Except my mind wouldn’t cheer from that fact, my magic was locked in, occupied with maintaining the gap and holding onto the princesses.

Still the noise wasn’t getting any closer.

Why was their pursuit nonexistent?

They- I swerved to the right. A bright beam of magic soared under my wing, where my body used to be…Hmm, yah, maybe I will think of the ‘why’ later. I am a giant black target in the sky.

So I pumped my wings harder, focusing on the air growing cooler, lighter, and louder as the manicured garden flashed by increasingly faster it seemed. But the view of the acres of extravagance was lost in the mantra I had started. A grasp at sanity in this horrible twist…

Up, down, up, down.

And continued to go faster and harder. I pushed my body, ignoring the wind tugging on my cargo, and frowning at the hum growing with my needed distance.

It wasn’t a crackle like my magic or the comet trails. It was growing louder by the second, clearer, and more like an angry buzz.

Looking behind me, I was just in time to see the comet trails disappear back over the castle proper. But I was unfortunate enough to see that the guards were following me from the dining hall at a harried pace still.

And following them was a jumble of angry voices and tangled exclamations. They reached me in a muted roar. It seemed the strange blue ponies were just the beginning of this new hell I had brought upon myself, a very odd beginning at that.

The numbers behind me didn’t add up to the cacophony of the roar though. It was more like an angry concert mob than the few squadrons of guards behind me, gaining on me I dare say.

Where?

I looked ahead of me at the clear skies before returning my gaze at the angry guards. There was nothing- shit- nothing that could be worse

It couldn’t have been just a couple dozen guards that patrolled the windows, no, that wouldn’t be enough for an Alicorn. I deserved the Royal treatment as the flock from Canterlot had proved earlier.

And never let it be said that Canterlot did anything by halves.

Pegasi were coming out of the marble work in droves, rising over the castle proper like a pastel wave of anger as they honed in on me. And not just the guards leaving their posts by the windows, there were citizens that had flown from the city with me, chariot drivers charging onward and the unicorn nobles seated in the aforementioned vehicles, all were surely spouting promises of pain.

Even on the ground the ponies were galloping out from any exit in a rage, almost like ants from my altitude.

Ponies were everywhere and all had evil eyes for me as they plotted amongst each other in the mess of noise behind me.

Like I had thought, the whole town knew.

And I was already sweating bullets as the guards, pegasi and chariots began to flank me again. Treating the gap I had gained like it was nothing. Ahead of me the mountains, my ship was too far, and my following too great.

Warmth gathered on my hocks before I felt the inevitable behind me.

Dozens of fresh hooves were trying with all their might to latch onto something to slow me down. The cold metal tips of the guards hooves brushing up at my fetlocks in a frenzied pace. Everypony was just as eager as the next to be my literal downfall.

New spears sailed over me in a heart attack producing build up of whizzing wood and steel. Most missed me almost comically; a few were still too close to my wings and other important under bits for my own comfort.

It was a clack of teeth hitting the air by my hock was my last straw.

“Fuck,” I bunched up my hind legs and bucked in midair, “Off!” Ignoring the heat crackled by my wing I repeated the act once more, the grunts of contact behind me spurring me on.

Hurting them caused a momentary silence, deafening, before they exploded with emotion. It didn’t help.

From then on, the crowd always seemed to have a pony ready to fill the gap behind me. Like a relay race, chase to accurate, and I was feeling more and more doomed.

My wings seemly did nothing but knock the faster ones back, another useless action. My gap didn’t exist anymore. Hooves and jaws reached for me. The world swarmed below me with enraged ponies. Nobles were attempting to hit me while not hitting their own guards. The mob was huge and growing if the volume of their voices was a sign.

Yet no being was overtaking me.

Wind continued to go by, stinging my nose as small insects slammed into my shallow cut. It was all-.Then a screech rose above the mob’s anger, grabbing my attention, hooves and magic put to the back. I looked down.

“Get him!” And with that dozens more Thestrals alighted from the Cliffside as I passed over it, which was exactly what I needed.

Looking back at my followers I gave another air buck as new hooves joined the mob, grinding my teeth as my emotion swirled inside.

My instincts not providing any answers to this puzzle, looking down at the thundering waterfall below me I snorted at myself. A gap? That was a joke. I was trying my hardest, but my plan was-.

Shit.

“Fuck,” I ground out as another hoof tried to snake its way up my fetlock, falling off as I kicked out. My magic crackling in my forearms and wings as if to shrug at me, it was in use, I needed to stop flying or carrying double my weight…I wasn’t letting go of them.

Where could I lose them?

Before me the valley was opening up, lush and green, a perfect place to get lost in. But it was also home to ponies. I could already see pastel dots poking up through the canopy as I continued to pump my wings harder over it.

No, I needed to do something to lose them first. Whereevver I went here there would be ponies. A distraction or way to-.

“Release the princesses’ criminal!”

Again with the interruptions…

“Release the princesses!” Another guard commanded behind me, at me, apparently still unclear about the likelihood of that happening.

To be clear, it wasn’t happening, I was saving this world whether they liked it or not.

“Stop this madness pirate,” an ivory noble called next from a chariot in my far peripheral vision, but I ignored him, knowing it was useless defending my actions to him. Bente had been right so far, no need to look a gift hen in the beak. The nobles were all bound to be lost causes.

What to do? It was obvious, I needed to teleport. I needed to escape their pursuit.

So I went with the easiest maneuver and focused on the specks of mountains in the distance once more, concentrated at putting distance between myself and the ponies. Surely I could outlast them? If magic is energy, well, energy equalling magic, then as a being that supposedly had a lot of magic, way more than Blueblood based on his performance anyway, then I should be able to outlast them.

“Release them!” Another noble demanded.

It might take awhile though.

As I continued to put my heart and soul into escaping several more hooves tickled the ends of fetlock hair.

The sensation wasn’t too much of a concern, it wasn’t like they were the comet trails from earlier, and the air bucking hadn’t helped much anyway. They would have to fall behind eventually. That is, I believed so until one set of hooves grasped my tail. The sudden weight dragged me back for a second. And I blinked, no, briefly crossing my mind. But, before I could buck off the cling the hooves that had been tickling me latched on to my legs.

No, no, no!

“Slow him down,” was echoed by many behind me. “Get the princesses,” came from many more. My wits returned this time and I bucked back in response, halfway instinctual as I let my instincts take control. I watched them in my peripheral, holding on like parasites. My neck arched as a snort escaped me, the anger rising again, and the nearly overwhelming urge to dominate returned in the face of their challenge.

Another buck exploded out of me as I lost all pretence of direction. The strangest noise I had ever heard escaping my muzzle, deep and resonating through the air before I lost my leg weights. But my tail extension held on, even going as far as to flare out his wings like a drag Shute.

Just peachy…Bucking wasn’t working; I could already feel the tips of more hooves tickling me. My efforts were useless with the extra weight.

Another two soon latched onto my hind legs, wrapping both sets of hooves around them as I snorted. Screw it. It was survival of the fittest and all that, alright? They weren’t foals…

I gripped the mares tighter.

Before the mob could descend I threw myself to the right. Quickly tucking in my right wing and sending more magic to my forelegs as the green canopy started to blur before me, spinning out of focus. The panicked squeals that followed me seconds later were music to my ears.

My heart sang with adrenaline.

Cool breezes buffeted me as I closed my eyes, lost in the freedom of the fall. Brave in the knowledge that any would fall off, I would descend faster than them. Then I would be gone.

Why hadn’t I done this before?

Crackling filled my senses.

“Pirate,” the insult broke my peace. Bringing a frown to my face as more repetitions of the same tired insult soon followed.

I threw open my wing, spin decreasing as it hit me. I needed more space; the warmth of angry breathing was still on my fetlocks. So I opened my eyes, angled myself downwards, and wrapped my wings around my precious cargo as the velocity increased, almost in time with the grunts and squeals by my rump.

A glance back showed they were still there, armored meteors following me.

I was going faster and faster as the crowd continued to grow at my tail, hooves still grasping at me the whole time.

But I wasn’t gaining any real distance.

My heart was beating faster as the forest came into focus, there was not much else I could do. The plan wasn’t working. How were they keeping up? No, never mind that…What was I to do to lose them? The air ahead of me wasn’t going to last much longer.

The edge of a hoof dug into my skin, sharp and cold.

Looking to the left I saw more trees, the right held even more, and before me the forest appeared endless.

Tilting sideways my body I felt the inertia start, dead weights flailing about in my arm as I let the velocity make my course.

Come on, gravity!

And it appeared to work. As the spinning slowed I felt the absence of hooves on me which sent me banking to the right with a triumphant snort escaping. The world was a mess of colors and wind. Yet everything felt lighter, exhilarating again, and I almost laughed at the cool air rushing past my hocks and tail. My pony free hocks and tail.

Now I could teleport!

Then leaves tickled my forearms, some twigs snapping off as cries of reality before I could blink, fuck, and I snapped out my wings on instinct, magic rushing out to the channels as I frowned. Rising slightly, I coasted on an up draft.

I saw my first town up ahead.

Great, more ponies. It wasn’t like I had a following already – a glance back confirmed it-.

“HELP US!” Fuck off guys! “Get him!” And of course the ponies peeked out of their houses at the call, some braver pegasi ascending to assist, while many more just gaped.

I could hardly believe it myself.

“Fuck,” the swear word escaped my mind as a hoof grazed my own once more, holding it for several seconds as I comprehended just what was happening, again. More joined as it was dragging me back, not wasting any second this time.

I blinked before I jerked my leg up to my barrel, kicking out erratically as my thoughts streamlined to survival.

The ground looked up at me then, green and inviting. I needed shelter, to escape, and this might be the spot.

I dived again for the lush forest below, the river shinning out like a beacon as the faint crash of another waterfall reached me.

Faints yells blurred as I felt the earth grab at me.

Looking back I smiled.

The gap was slowly growing, centimeter by centimeter as I pushed my body harder in the dive. Soon I could try to teleport, so soon.

Yet a glance back proved me wrong.

I wasn’t losing everybeing and the second I diverted magic from my wings they would surely close the gap, latch on, and…I needed a miracle.

****

Canterlot Castle, Equestria

???????????

The world slowed down for a moment. Grey occluded my vision as a thousand year old architectural masterpiece crumbled before my eyes, magic flew through the air in colorful streaks, and war cries rose to fill the it soon after. My princess…was gone.

She was gone?

The blue sky stared back at me for who knows how long as the metal on my hoof tingled with residual magic. My head buzzed with the noise of angry citizens as they rushed through the castle to get somewhere.

I was alive?

My wings twitched in response to my finding, demanding I move…Move? A tingle from my occupied hoof settled it. This was real and I had to act. This was very important.

Rolling to a stand I looked around at the debris. It was everywhere, chunks of ceiling and even wall creating an abstract art form around me. Dust had settled over everything, showing hoof prints going out all of the doors leading to the gardens. Blinking at the silent room it hit me that I was alone. The prince was gone. The other guards as well…

Princess Luna was ponynapped.

A look to my hoof confirmed it. I had the key to her shackle. Shackle…My mind slowly came reeling back in. The key! I needed to find the prince! The princesses will need this!

With that my wing grabbed the key and my hooves began moving of their own accord, heading to open door leading to the gardens. The most likely place to find the remaining royalty, a frown crossed me at that fact. Prince Blueblood was all that we had now…No matter how cowardly he was I had to get this to him.

Stepping around the remains of the chandelier and over the shattered imported crystal I stepped out of the room. Past the threshold I hurried, down the hall and nearly muzzle first into a maid. She was running back into the castle, small bonnet askew and a sour expression warping her face.

“Wait!” She glanced at me, slowing down as I held her gaze. “Please direct me to Prince-.”

“He’s busy! As you should be too, bat.” My wings tucked in closer as she shot a quick derisive look at my membraned wings. “Why aren’t you in the air after the criminal?” I blinked and considered her words, long enough that she was already trotting back to the doorway when my muzzle opened.

A look to the horizon showed the large group in pursuit of ‘Ari’, if that even was his real name. We all knew something was wrong when Moonlit Echo went on ‘vacation’. I mean, it was Moony for Luna’s sake! And he disappears soon after a fourth Alicorn makes themselves known…Mhmm, convenient. Then Princess Luna has the sudden collapse, well, it just raised our suspicions. But the fact that my squad had been right wasn’t helping me, I needed to deliver this key, I needed to get the princess, princesses, back.

The day maid’s tail flicked in annoyance as looked after her with a snort.

Trotting after her I soon caught up, “I have official business with his highness,” her expression didn’t change much, eyebrow raising a little as she had no doubt heard this before, “I need to inform him of important information concerning the perpetrator before I begin pursuit of him.”

We passed through the threshold of the ruined dinning room as she pointed a hoof down the next hall, to the next intersection, “Just down there, he grabbed a bunch of noble ponies to strategize with. Was calling everypony in to catch this Alicorn…menace,” her eyes lit up with a new energy, loose lips taking hold. Every maid of every species seemed to have the inclination, “To think, the first evil Alicorn in history right here and now of all times?! Can you believe the luck of it?” She continued to prattle on as I picked up the pace, passing her swiftly.

“Thank you miss,” crystal crunched beneath my hooves as I nodded to her, “Carry on, excellent work!”

And I broke into a gallop, my spear echoing down the hall ahead of me.

That is until I heard the unmistakable exclamation of the prince, “-I DID NOT!” The decibels rising even before I approached the first corner. Folding my ears back I softened my pace to a trot.

Murmuring filled the hall, indistinct at this distance.

“I CAN and WILL call them in!” Slowly I transitioned into a floating trot, silent in my approach, ears perked to the corner. The single creak of a horse shoe had me pausing, rumors flying through my head, a tingle running through the air. “Were you there Fancy? Did you see that-,” the sound of his voice suddenly cut out, silence taking hold as I realized whom they were talking about.

The Alicorn stallion, Ari, and I had a very important piece of evidence from him. If nothing else it would allow us to trace his trail. You could learn a lot about a smith from their work, it was surely a custom job. I had never heard of much less seen an inhibitor like those on their horns.

“-Risk isn’t worth it. Wasn’t it you that said it we needed them?” An unfamiliar responded loudly. Still, the response was slightly muffled.

I continued to move forward.

Yet something about the tone was off and left me frowning. Just what had I missed? How long had I been knocked out? The group following the stallion had still been visible.

Silence followed, the prince lacking any response bringing forth new worry along with curiosity. Who was them? The key continued to push me forward. I ignored the tenseness in the air, magic uneasy on my fur. Princess Luna was counting on us and she clearly wasn’t back yet. Taking a step forward, I rounded the corner and froze.

A chorus of hoof taps echoed, covering my surprise.

Everypony’s back was to me, the day guard holding the door to the assembly room open. The Wonderbolts stood before them, rising from a clearly rushed bow. Their ears back and tails busy, surely having seen the chaos that the Alicorn had caused.

An Alicorn was too much for any one pony, not even the Wonderbolts were an exception it seemed.

With the door open I could only see the base of the assembly benches, where the true criminal cases were held, the hall where the many committees held their meetings, and the prince ruled. Just because he was cowardly didn’t mean he was useless, acting on behalf of the princesses when necessary, and acting as judge over minor crimes.

A dignified snort escaped the room.

“-Rise. Captain Spitfire what was the situation?” A voice that tickled at my memory spoke, emotionless despite the weight of the question.

Her voice quivered, her famous strength wavering, “T-they were u-unconscious sir,” Spitfire’s wings tensed, “With some variant of magic inhibitor on their horns.” I started to step forward, sensing the perfect moment, “Are you calling them in?”

My hoof froze and wing clenched around the key. The way them was uttered not sitting well with my instincts.

“Hmm?” I could practically see the smirk on the colt of a Prince’s muzzle.

“No.”

The tip tap of hooves on carpet followed, hushed and hurried whispers as I found myself silently stepping back to the corner. Again with the ‘them’, it was too vague. The fact that my ruler and species ambassador was missing was still very apparent, a little alarm that nagged at me to act. But the air around had me in a tighter hold, the words of my captain ringing in my head.

‘Would a colt of a pony really run the country?’

The meaning of his question had not always made sense to me, but in this moment I pondered it, I kept the urge to act down.

“How fast was he going?” If his voice didn’t turn up like the prince’s did I wouldn’t have believed that the brevity in the tone came from him.

The prince never sounded like that, he was too…colt-like…for that.

“Fast enough that your armored guards would have a hard time keeping up with him for a while, but slow enough that he would make the pony Olympics.” Shuffling followed as I leaned back, behind the cover of the wall, “We flew circles around him.”

Then where were the princesses?

“Good,” more movement, “I want you to-.”

“Wait!” A shrill yelp echoed as something clattered to the ground. “Wait! I know a better way!” By that time my mind was reeling. What better way was there to rescue the princesses? I could already picture the bolts corralling the worn out stallion while the guards caught the princesses, my key releasing their aetheratic channels. If that would even be necessary, nothing could stop Alicorns, magically speaking.

But Ari didn’t appear to be exuding magic for some reason. The sense of wrongness continued to grow the longer I thought on it.

“-Let them be captured.”

Air escaped my lungs as my head whipped to the open doorway. The Wonderbolts looked just as shocked, looking to the speaker with slack jaws. It had to be a joke…A horrible, sick joke.

“Explain yourself-,” a snort halted the familiar male voice.

Spitfire stepped forward, “Look, Duke Golden Dreams, Duchess…,” her voice trailed off before gulping, “I understand where you are coming from…And Forgive my language, but Tartarus they aren’t the best choices to rule sometimes. The herding law? That was foalish and…Many more instances I believe you know of. I won’t bore you with their inadequacies. But they keep the countries at peace,” I was glued to her face, “The cictizens love them.” Another small pause as her words seemed to have not caused the desired effect, the most logical effect. What could they possibly gain from letting our diarchy get captured? “Nothing can defeat an Alicorn-.”

“Not,” my heart sped up, “Nothing,” The mare interrupted. A shiver traveled down my spine in the pause, some tired sighs reaching me, like this was old news. Yet I knew nothing could defeat an Alicorn, as a guard I had had to learn all about the possible enemies of the country and nothing of that calibur was mentioned. Discord was sealed when they were still under a thousand years old! “The Alicorns were almost defeated once before after all.” My heart beat faster as I leaned forward, that was true. The Great War had eliminated herds of them, but... “Ponies of that caliber don’t just die all at once, at least not of natural causes.”

Shakes traveled up me as I looked to the windows, the sky was deceptively clear, and then my eyes went back to the scene before me. It had to be a nightmare. I was dreaming. There was no way the nobles would even consider anything like this…They loved Celestia, right? Everypony loved her at least. Their parents had won the great war, had secured Equestria’s territories and made ties to all land bound countries...This was a dream, our princess would show up anytime, and she would change this to the truth.

Why though?

The sky looked back at me, cool and blue, the hallway silent save for the breathing coming from around the corner.

Biting my lip I closed my eyes, thinking of home, wishing for any happy memory instead, and ended up wincing. Holding back a grunt I opened my eyes, the pain lingering, growing as I blinked at the scene before me.

It was…real…They really…This was real?!

Obviously I was not as quiet as I thought.

The unicorn guard moved his ears back as I watched on. His tail going rigid as I quickly backpedaled to the safety of the other hall, not a sound reaching them as his armor clanged at the same time.

“Your majesty,” he still queried, his training kicking in as much as mine was.

If this was reality…I grabbed my spear with my other wing tip. The key still curled up inconspicuously in the other…The key…That they wouldn’t be needing anymore.

“Hush!” A soft snort reached me as I didn’t dare to move. But it wasn’t for me, “I see the merits in that…But what of the Crystal Kingdom?”

“You don’t think the ‘princesses of Love’ will want to help?” Another voice piped up…Silver Sterling I think. Silence followed, “I think she will.” Murmurs grew.

A hoof stepped forward, “And why would the newly minted prince and princess risk their li-,” shuffling started, “Don’t you try that colt!” More tapping of hooves escaped the room, far too many for this to be new, “Why? Tell me why?”

“Foals play, really. The information we received, well, it does make the stallion look quite,” I stepped back as shuffling started again, “changed.”

Snorts rose as I continued to back up, my instincts screaming to run, my heart hurting more than the racing was cause for.

“Changelings,” Fleetfoot exclaimed.

The masculine growl of Soarin followed, “Those parasitic bastards!”

Prince Blueblood chuckled then, low, and triumphant, “Well then, Fancy Pants, Golden Dreams, and assembled ponies of much esteem, do I have your agreement that they are needed?”

“But-,” the objection and following murmurs were quickly interrupted.

“A weak,” snorts rose, “Weaker Alicorn stallion and Alicorn mare, two unconscious Alicorns under restraints, and a unicorn are not much for my friends…,” the air stilled, Prince Blueblood’s cough breaking it, “Our friends, they would be happy to help…More than happy. Our peace would be maintained and our problems would be gone.”

I continued to back up, watching the corner with wide eyes, almost not believing that I was awake. But my lip still stung where I had bit it. I was awake, had to be awake.

My chest wanted to burst, my fur to tight and hot.

Captain Spitfire started briskly, “Where do we come into it then?”

He laughed again, short and caustic to my ears, “Do what you always do,” the wall dipped inward slightly, a doorway, “Give,” my hoof grabbed the doorknob like a lifeline, “Them,” A click echoed in the air, “A show.” Hooves rushed to the corner as I slipped into the room and clicked it closed.

Only my heart pounded in my ears as gazed around the office. A desk stood in the center, cabinets flanking it, bookshelves between them, and a singular bay window behind it all.

Seconds later the hoof steps slowed. “Shh,” whispered through the door, muted by the wood.

The window called to me as the hooves steps increased down the hall and my mind raced. Who would believe me? I flung the window open. Did I believe my own ears?

Yes.

I moved fast, faster than my legs felt able to go then.

A slam echoed into the room as my eyes pressed closed, my breathing erratic and unresponsive to my will, and the illuminated darkness providing no comfort.

Wind whipped around the room, almost louder than the snorts filling it.

Dear Luna, what would you do?