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Diplomat at Large

by Evilhumour

Chapter 7: Chapter Seven

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Chapter Seven

“Commander?”

Luna barely held in a sigh as she looked up from the reports she was reading. “Yes, Regal Banner?”

“You have a visitor,” he said. “An… unusual one.”

Luna arched an eyebrow. “Send them in.”

A moment later, a draconequus walked through the wall next to the door. Literally, through it. Luna didn’t want to try and think too hard about how the mechanics of that worked; she was afraid if she did so for too long, it would start to make sense. “Discord,” she said. “News?”

Discord looked unusually solemn. “If your troops are ready, we can begin the attack,” he said.

Luna couldn’t hide her surprised look. “You’ve found them?”

“They’re all gathered together, just preparing for their next wave of invasion against Ornithia,” Discord said. “But, Lulu… aside from keeping an eye out for that other problem, this is probably the last time I can do anything serious to help for a while.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

Discord shrugged. “I’m the Champion of Chaos, remember? I need to be causing chaos; it's what I am. The little bits here and there are helping, but I'll need to cause more - nothing harmful, just chaotic - to get back in shape." A dodecahedron-shaped bubble formed around him, as he strained against it before its sides unfolded and released him.

Luna raised an eyebrow. "So that's why the walls of my chambers were sprouting noses all last week. I had wondered."

Discord chuckled. “Just one of my little jokes, dear Lulu,” he said. “You see, I’ve been working a little too much on the side of Order lately. It’s against my very nature. I can take them there, but after that, they’ll have to get back on their own.” An eyebrow lifted right off his face. “But if they can take over that fleet of airships they’ve got over there, for extra transport in a worst-case scenario and to keep them from being used against us, it shouldn't be a problem.”

Luna nodded. “You don’t know how thankful I am for this, Discord.”

“Oh, I have a pretty good idea,” Discord said. “But we need to do this fast, Luna. The timing is key.” His head morphed into an old-style skeleton key. “If there isn’t an army there to occupy them tomorrow morning - their time - it would mean disaster.”

“We shall be gathered as soon as we can,” Luna said. “Be ready.”

Discord nodded, snapped a claw, and vanished.

Opening the door, Luna faced one of the guards outside. “Call Commander Pharynx,” she said. “The attack is to begin soon and I wish to speak with him privately before the rest of the council arrives.”

Snapping a salute, the guard took off.


“I can feel you staring at me, bro,” Pharynx muttered as he went over his specialized armour again, inspecting it carefully before beginning to don it. “So either you say or don’t, Lus is going to be calling for another council soon and I don’t want to be late.”

Thorax had changed a lot in the six months since all of this had begun. He had really grown a spine, able to talk back to almost every Queen that tried to browbeat him and get himself treated as an equal among their court and the nobles. Alongside Fancy, Thorax had done an amazing job of reassuring everyone that everything was going to be okay though with some cheaty methods that Lus had reluctantly approved of. Seeing that eating some negative emotions had kept the worst of the panic and fear away had been a big selling point for her though the non-emotivore ethical aspect of it had troubled Lus for a long time, giving her a hard time finally falling asleep despite his best efforts.

Though in some other aspects, his brother had yet to finally grow up as he still had trouble talking to him for some reason despite Thorax being his King and thus the one others should defer to.

“I don’t think you should go,” Thorax said softly with Pharynx rolling his eyes.

“Come on Thorax, don’t be stupid,” he said as he put on his chest piece that would retain its protective abilities even when he changed shape, something that Celly had forced him to get but only after agreeing to have it done to every other changeling serving. Despite the massive investment of magical energy, Celly had agreed in the end to his demands. “First off, I am the elected Commander of the Swarm, I have to be there for our race. Secondly, Lus would kill me if I were to skip a council meeting for no reas-”

“No, not the council meeting,” Thorax said, interrupting him. “I mean, I don’t think you should go go.” he said as he tilted his head towards the window.

Pharynx took a look out the window and briefly recalled how Equestria was before this war had been declared. Though there was not much that was different, there were still changes everywhere. Walls had been raised in every city, with the guards nearly doubled if not tripled in size.

“Thorax-”

“Pharynx, it is too bucking dangerous for everyone for you to go!” Thorax interrupted him, suddenly looking angrier than Pharynx had ever seen him. “Do you have any idea how it’ll affect everyone if something happens to you out there‽ You’re one of the pillars keeping this whole force together; you’re one of the pillars keeping Luna together. If you’re lost, it’ll be like ripping the heart out of her chest, and if she falls...” He shook his head. “Celestia can’t take losing her sister again, Pharynx, and if Luna loses you, that’s exactly what will happen. And then what will happen to Equestria and the rest of the world?”

“Don’t you think I know all that‽” he hissed back. “I know I am a huge freaking target but unlike some people I could mention, I am actually capable of fighting and serving!” He slammed his hoof into his brother’s chest, which was slapped away. “I am one of the best warriors our races have right now, and I am not going to sit on my plot and do nothing while I can make an actual difference!”

“I don’t care Pharynx,” Thorax shot back, standing straight and using his damn height to appear forceful. “I am telling you, you are not going!”

“I don’t care what you say, Thorax,” Pharynx snapped, moving away form his brother to grab his helmet. “I’m going to be-”

“Pharynx, I am ordering you!” Thorax thundered as he teleported in front of him, catching the drone by surprise. “I am your King and you will listen to me!”

“Get out of my way, Thorax,” Pharynx hissed, lowering himself as training began to kick in.

No,” Thorax said, lowering his own with their antlers almost touching as his brother leveled a hoof at him. “You will listen to me.”

“I told you, get out of my way,” Pharynx slapped the hoof away with Thorax snorting angrily before moving the hoof right back.

“Do that again, I dare you,” Thorax growled, pawing the ground. “Stand down now or else.”

“Or else what, Thorax,” Pharynx snorted into his brother’s face. “As if you ever have the guts to do any-”

With a chirp of surprise, Pharynx found himself shoved backwards. It took him a moment to realize that his little brother had actually pushed him backwards.

“I thought Chrysalis was the biggest bully in my life, but I am beginning to suspect that I was wrong,” his brother began to lecture. “You have been telling me what to do my entire life Pharynx and I-”

He was cut off when Pharynx tackled him, raising his hoof to smack in the face only for the younger brother to teleport behind him. Pharynx, reacting on training at this point, pivoted around and used his horns against his brother, slamming them into his chest which knocked his brother down onto his back, breaking the table behind them. Placing a hoof on his brother’s stomach to pin him down, Pharynx glared at Thorax. “Stupid idiot, when have you ever been able to beat m-” Pharynx was surprised by the sudden teleport his brother did and found himself tackled to the floor before he could react.

The two of them wrestled for what felt like ages but must have been merely a minute or so before they were pulled apart by their guards. Pharynx could feel the oncoming of a black eye already with a number of minor nicks and scratches on him, but Thorax damningly looked far better except for the watering eyes.

“You bucking idiot,” his brother snapped angrily. “You really don’t get it, do you? You’re all I have! You’re my brother, you insufferable gigantic asshole who made my life hell. Despite all the shit you did to me when we were grubs, I stayed by you because you were the only family I had left and I couldn’t imagine living without you! I still can’t imagine that and I don’t want to lose you Pharynx.” His brother began to hiccup, crying tears that somehow were causing Pharynx to cry as well. “I don’t want to lose you too.”

“You stupid idiot,” Pharynx muttered as he walked towards his brother. “How long - no wait, I don’t want to know how long. Thorax, look at me,” he said, placing a hoof on his brother’ shoulder. “It’s a big risk I am taking but it is my choice. I know where my talents would be best used to win this war so fewer people have to get hurt or die. It would go against everything I am to just sit back while I could do some actual good so few others could actually do.”

Thorax sighed. “Pharynx… I still don’t want to lose you. I know why you feel you have to do this...” He looked down. “Just promise me you’ll be careful. Please?”

“Big little bro, I guarantee you,” Pharynx said. “If I die out there, I’ll make damn sure I take the one who did it with me, and then I’ll come back to haunt you until you quit crying over me.”

“Thanks Pharynx,” Thorax said with a smile before wincing. “Sorry about the whole shoving thing.”

“Are you kidding me? I’m proud of you, you dork,” Pharynx said, pulling his brother into a hug. “You finally stood up to me and you landed some serious punches in there.” he chuckled before tapping near his eye. “This is going to be one hell of a shiner and Lus is going to ask questions and I am going to be in trouble for all of this.” He trailed off, gulping as he wondered how he was going to explain this to Lus without her getting pissed off.


“The meeting will now come to order,” Luna announced to her generals, admirals, flight commanders and every other leader in the combined forces now arrayed at her command. “Ladies, gentlebeings… this is it, what we have been working towards since the word first came in from Princess Twilight. We have the Storm King’s location, and we know his entire army is there. Very shortly, we will be moving out against him.

“And when we arrive, we are going to drop the heavy end of the hammer on he and his forces.”

She gestured to the charts behind her. “The basic plan is simple. Discord has assured me that a large enough force, landing outside his fortress and bringing sufficient presence to attract his attention, will lead him to send all his own troops out against us. While the majority of our forces confront these enemies, another team will break off and work to capture his fleet of airships - while we have our own, our goal is to also turn his ships to our use and prevent him from using them against us.”

“What about the Storm King himself?” one of the commanders asked.

“We have a plan for him too,” Luna replied. “Another small and elite team will be dealing with that end of things. Unfortunately, due to the strict secrecy involved, I cannot reveal who exactly will be in that team, though rest assured, I have the greatest confidences in them. Still...” she grimaced. “If worst comes to worst, we have backup plans, and backup plans for those. But I do not believe the first team will fail. Ladies, gentlebeings… this is our hour. We will triumph.”

“What of the fact that winter is upon us, Commander?” the minotaur aerial representative asked. “Aerial transport will not be easy in the best of weathers, and with the harsh winter storms upon us, it might be, however distasteful it sounds, to wait until spring is upon us. That’s not even considering our ground forces.”

“I have but two reasons for our attack to proceed now,” Luna replied. “First, Discord will be the one transporting everyone there, though for certain reasons he cannot be the one to being our troops back. So the storms won’t be an issue in regards to your ships. The hardship of winter will not only affect our soldiers but his too.”

“And even if it were the case that Discord were not moving us to him, such a foe we cannot allow another day to dig in,” Sharp-Fang, the Alpha’s representative, growled. “We must strike while he is unprepared.”

“What’s the second reason Commander Luna?” another individual, one of the Abyssinian representatives, asked.

Luna took a moment to compose herself. “The second is that in order to bring the Storm King down, the team responsible has to move at precisely the critical moment, when the signs are right,” she said. “Our own attack on his armies will be occurring at the same time - a mass distraction that should empty his fortress of all its soldiers, allowing us to eliminate them while simultaneously enabling the strike team to pass through unopposed.”

There were only a few more questions, all related to troop movement, and then the meeting adjourned. Soon after, the soldiers began moving into position for transport.

And then it began.


Looking around the place they’d settled in, Twilight shivered. This land gave her the creeps.

“You sure you’re up for this, Princess?” the mare next to her asked. Tempest Shadow had not taken lightly to Twilight’s initial overtures to her, all those weeks ago, but with time, Twilight had gotten through to her, made her question all that the Storm King had promised, and all that she had come to believe over the years.

Tempest had not taken well to the realization that she had trapped herself in a web of self-deception where she’d claimed she didn't have to depend on or trust anyone, and yet she’d ended up placing all her hopes in the Storm King being able to restore her horn, depending on him. She’d lashed out angrily at first, but Twilight had held firm.

Once she had calmed sufficiently, Twilight had further explained the observations she had made over the time they’d spent together, watching her interactions with the others around. She had pointed out that despite Tempest’s best efforts, she had made a friend in the Storm King’s service, in the form of the hedgehog that acted as her assistant. After taking a bit longer to think about it, she’d accepted that Twilight had a point. (And not just the one at the tip of her horn, as Pinkie would have said.)

Now, the two had come up with a plan, and Twilight was absolutely ready.

“I’m sure,” she said. “We’re going to sneak in, get what we came for, and get back out. Spike and Grubber are standing by for a quick escape; we just have to get to them in time.”

Tempest shook her head. “That little dragon of yours is surprisingly good with that skimmer,” she said.

“I know,” Twilight said. “But, he’s got better appendages for it than I do.” Spike, when she’d gotten the minotaurs to give her one of their smaller, speedier skimmers, had quickly proven an apt pilot with it. He was the one who’d flown them to the town where Tempest and her airship were temporarily docked, and had stayed close when she chose to make contact with the other mare. His concern for her and hesitance to let her go on her own at first had truly touched her heart, but she’d promised him that she would return safely, no matter how long it took. And she had, with Tempest and Grubber at her side. She still smiled at the thought of how Spike had interacted with the hedgehog when they first met; the two had quickly become fast friends.

Taking one last deep breath, Twilight looked to her newest friend. “Let’s go.”

The two headed into the fortress, mission firm in mind.


As the two climbed the stairs of the Storm King’s fortress, going higher and higher towards his throne room - Tempest acting like she belonged there, which she did, and Twilight following her with illusionary chains wrapped around her so she could pose as the other mare’s prisoner in case they ran into guards - a loud roar broke out outside.

“What in the world…?” Tempest wondered aloud, looking out a window to see a massive army. Dozens of airships, thousands of troops of all manner of species, even the crushing weight of eighty Taurus Majors had amassed outside with minotaurs riding them. At the lead of them all stood an armored and antlered creature, an unfamiliar species to her at first. Then her eyes narrowed; word had gotten around about these beings. “A Royal Changeling,” she hissed. “How-”

Twilight’s own eyes went wide, and she too looked out the window. As the call went out, massive doors at the front of the fortress began opening, the yeti troopers that made up the Storm Guard marching out to meet the arriving army. Then she realized.

“Come on, let’s go! While they’re distracted!”

Tempest looked surprised, but then it hit her too. “That chaotic friend of yours, he’s behind all this!”

“He did say he’d make a distraction,” Twilight said as she kept moving. “I guess this is it.”

“You realize that’s a real army out there, right?” Tempest asked. “Not just some illusion. People are going to get hurt and die.”

“I know,” Twilight said. “I’m not going to waste their sacrifice.”

Tempest shook her head. “You’re tougher than I thought, little Princess,” she commented.

“You’d be surprised how often I’ve heard that lately,” Twilight said dryly.


As the battle outside raged onward, the two mares continued on until they’d reached their destination.

“Here it is,” Tempest said. “The Storm King’s throne room.” She pointed. “And there’s the Staff of Sacanas. Come on.”

Twilight nodded. There it was, her goal… as she started walking towards it though, there was a flash from the far side of the room, and then a shape moved from behind the throne.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” The tall figure that now stood before them was… well, he was not a species Twilight had ever seen before. An ape-like body, cloven goat-like hooves, a trio of clawed fingers on each hand… the Storm King. “A traitor, just like all the others, and a cute little princess. Bah! I hate cute! Doesn't really go with my whole "big bad powerful magic guy" thing, does it‽”

Twilight blinked at this retort, not sure how to properly react.

“Oh, did I surprise you?” The Storm King leaned in closer, even as he reached out and took the staff from its stand. “Not what you expected from an all-conquering king, was it? Well, that’s what you should have expected!” He threw his head back and cackled. “Unpredictable, that’s me, baby!

Twilight shook off her surprise. “What I want to know,” she said, carefully sizing him up. “Is why are you doing this? Why all this conquering and destruction? Nightmare Moon was driven by jealousy, Discord by entertainment, Chrysalis by greed… okay, Sombra was just a complete maniac born from a dark magic cult. But what do you want?”

“Me?” The Storm King feigned surprise. “What do I want? Why, I’m gonna be a star, little princess! The biggest, baddest bad guy this world has ever seen! The Storm King isn’t just a person, it’s a whole brand! And when I get your Power, and all your other Princess’s and all the rest of your precious Powers, I’m gonna be a King across the whole wide world of universes!” He suddenly stopped, slamming the butt of his staff on the ground. “And you’re here to try and take all that away… well it’s not gonna work! Aroint ye!

He pointed the staff at them.

Nothing happened.

Tempest sighed. “That’s not what that phrase is for,” she muttered as she shook her head. To think she’d followed this creature for as long as she had.

“Oh?” The Storm King feigned surprise. “Well, then how about this! Badda-bing, badda-boom!”

Lightning shot from the Storm King’s helmet, and then the battle was on.


Outside, Pharynx grimaced. The fight had been going on for some time now, and while the united armies of Equestria and its allies were holding their own, so were the Storm Guards. So far, they’d been able to keep casualties to a minimum, but sooner or later, attrition would set in. Hopefully for them, he thought. What he wouldn’t do for several yak soldiers right now but they had refused to permit any outsiders into their land for any reason, let alone hear them out, despite Celestia’s overtures towards them a few months ago. Hopefully they’ll be more receptive when Twilight makes her way up there, he thought.

He tackled one of the Storm Guards attempting to break the line, catching it on his antlers and throwing it back the way it had come, before hearing a loud, jackhammering sound, and looked over in astonishment to see a grayish Earth pony with a purple mane moving at speeds he’d never seen from one of them, their hooves piercing an enormous boulder that had clearly been thrown their way and was somehow being held in thin air by the sheer force of the pony’s blows before it split in two and shattered. The pony doing the work landed lightly, not even winded by all they’d just done.

All around the battlefield, his troops were doing their duties. Pegasi had brought weapons of lightning and hail, unicorns had their horns going almost non-stop, Earth ponies relying on raw strength combined with the tools of war they’d been given. Changelings and griffons fought side by side in the air, minotaurs fighting one-on-one with the bigger and bulkier Storm Guards, the wolves mixing rune magic with their fangs and claws. And other races fought in their own way too, each according to Lus’ careful planning and orders from her Generals.

It was the biggest, roughest battle he’d ever seen, and he was deeply impressed by the strength and determination that his troops were demonstrating in their orders.

Suddenly, a flash of light caught his eye. Far off, in a massive tower near the center of the fortress, he saw clear magic in use. Hesitating for only a moment, he flew over to one of the other generals.

“I think something big’s going on back there,” he pointed. “I’m going to go investigate.”

“Commander, what about-”

“Keep giving it your all, General! Just like everyone else here!” Pharynx barked. “I’ve got this!”

Then he flew off, heading for the other battle.


Inside the throne room, Twilight was not happy. This was supposed to be a quick in-and-out for the Staff. Fighting the Storm King, with or without help, had not been part of her plan. At the same time, she was relieved to have Tempest at her side; the other mare’s broken horn might have limited her variety of spellwork, but that didn’t mean her explosive or shock blasts - the only magic she could really perform anymore - were any less powerful.

Still, the Storm King was holding them off easily, intercepting blasts with nary a second thought and sending back his own gusts of wind and lightning.

Suddenly, there was a rush of movement, and the Storm King let out a startled “Gah!” as he was struck by a fast-moving object, though he quickly threw it off.

Twilight let out a startled gasp. “Pharynx?

“Twilight?” The changeling commander looked just as startled. “What are you doing here?”

“Trying to get that staff, it’s-” She was cut off as she dodged another blast of lightning. “Aah!”

The Storm King now had an even uglier look on his face. “Oh look, another of your precious friends. Well, that just means one more way I can hurt you!”

“That’s what you think!” Pharynx shot back as he charged a blast of magic. “You’re nothin’ but an undergrown Maulwurf compared to me!”

Weaving a combination of spells together, he released a piercing burst of power that struck the Storm King directly on the chest, and should have penetrated it. But when it faded, the armor was only a little dustier.

“Ha-hah!” The Storm King crowed. “Did you really expect that to hurt me? I’m the Storm King, baby! I am the storm!

Lightning flashed from his helmet again as he began blasting all over, the blows glassing whatever they hit. “Ba-ba-ba-boom, baby!”

Pharynx grunted as he dodged. “You know,” he said as he flew out of the way of another blast. “I am really. Starting to get tired. Of you!

“Same here, bug-brain!” The next shot was even bigger, and this time Pharynx couldn’t dodge as he was knocked into a wall, with a bit of it crashing down on top of him.

“Phary-” Twilight was cut off as she too was blown across the room.

“Now,” the Storm King announced. “Now, Princess, your Power will be mine! And once I have yours, the rest will fall!” His staff began to glow, and magic began to flow out of Twilight’s body towards him.

No!” In an instant, Tempest was there, body-slamming him away and leaving ruts in the floor as his hooves scraped across them. The Storm King growled as the flow of magic stopped, but kept his balance somehow and glared at her.

“Shouldn’t have done that, traitor,” he growled. “Not that I was ever going to give you your horn back, but now I’m really not!”

Tempest’s eyes narrowed, her broken horn sparking. “I should have guessed,” she growled back. “Princess Twilight was right.”

The Storm King chuckled nastily. “Now, now, do you really want that to be what they carve on your tombstone?” He suddenly plucked a black sphere, a glowing green light within it, from his side. “Or on you?” He threw it.

Tempest reared back in surprise as the orb shattered, the green light revealed as a gas that enveloped her, trapping her legs in stone that began creeping up the rest of her body. “You won’t win-” she managed before the rest of her body was totally petrified.

“AH-HAHAHAHAHAHA!” the Storm King whooped. “Man, that was more fun than I thought it’d be!”

Monster!” Pharynx yelled as he pushed himself out of the debris, shifting into a larger form, though he was favouring one of his legs.

“Really, what gave it away?” the Storm King asked sarcastically. “Was it the face, the army, the cloven hooves?”

Before Pharynx could say more, the Storm King was hit by a purple blur. “You! Don’t! Touch! My! Friends!” Twilight yelled as she pummeled him.

It wasn’t enough; the Storm King knocked her away with a backhand. “Foolish little princess,” he spat. “You don’t touch the King!”

“Then I will!” Pharynx announced as he leapt on the King from behind. “Wouldn’t be the first time I punched a King!” He grabbed hold of one of the horn-like protrusions from the King’s helmet and pulled, twisting and breaking it off.

“My helmet!” Spinning and throwing Pharynx off, the Storm King glared. “You got any idea how hard it is to find someone who can work with these kinds of materials?” he demanded. “It’s gonna take me months to get this thing fixed! The whole image just gets thrown off without it!”

“So sue me,” Pharynx shot back. He charged again, morphing as he did so into a copy of the pony he’d seen in action earlier. I hope this works!

And then he copied her rapid movements, pummeling the Storm King’s armor faster than he’d ever moved before, cracking it all over.

With a loud crunch, the armor broke away, leaving a white furry chest exposed.

“That’s it! Now I’m mad!” the Storm King yelled. Twirling his staff and yelling, he charged.

And one of the shards of his broken armor came flying, stabbing into his wrist and causing him to flinch reflexively, his hand flying open and the Staff of Sacanas falling from it, only for Twilight’s aura to catch it and draw it away. The staff lit up as magic flowed from it into her body, and she looked refreshed.

“No! That's my staff!” the Storm King protested. “Miiiiiine!! Mine!!!”

Twilight glowered. “You want it? Then take it!” And she swung.

The staff’s glowing head crashed into the Storm King’s chest and sent him flying, the tyrant emitting a loud scream as he was knocked away.

His next thought, as he found himself in open air, was, Shouldn’t there have been a wall there?


In the midst of battle, it’s very easy to lose oneself in the action. To move on instinct, without noticing what one’s doing.

As something large and wildly furry like the Storm Guards they’d been fighting for the last while landed behind them, the Earth pony once known as Special Agent Sweetie Drops and now going only by Bon-Bon lashed out without thinking and plunged a sword into the chest of the being that had just hit the ground.

And she was so preoccupied by the next enemy to come her way, she didn’t even notice the Storm King’s lips move as he uttered his last words.

“Master… help me…”


In the throne room, Twilight was panting as she finally set the staff down for a moment. “It’s over,” she said.

“Not quite,” Pharynx (now back in his usual form) reported as he made it over to the window and looked out, one of his legs dragging a bit. “Still got a lot of cleanup to do out there. I don’t think these guys have noticed that their boss is dead yet.”

Dead‽” Twilight looked distraught. “I didn’t hit him that hard!”

“No, you didn’t,” Pharynx agreed while subconsciously eating her dread and horror as he had been doing for his pony soldiers. “One of the troops got him. Don’t think they even knew what they were doing.”

Twilight still looked aghast. “That’s not what I intended,” she said softly.

“Hey,” Pharynx replied, a surprising gentleness in his tone as he cupped her muzzle. “It’s okay, Twilight.” He held her as she leaned forward, doing his best to soothe her like he did for Lus, though without the kissing and all the other stuff. “It’s okay.”

When she finally stood up again, she smiled, blinking away tears. “Thank you, Pharynx.”

Then she picked up the Staff. “I have to set things right,” she said quietly, and went over to Tempest’s petrified form, laying the Staff on her and lighting up her horn, the gem in the top of the staff glowing as well.

Green, glimmering magic began to flow out of Tempest’s body, and as it lifted away, stone turned to flesh beneath it. Finally, Tempest let out a gasp, and then looked at Twilight. “Is he…”

“Gone,” Pharynx confirmed. “Congratulations, ladies. You just helped stop a tyrant.”

“But I spent so long helping him, period.” Tempest bowed her head. “I have to do more…”

“You already have,” Twilight said, laying a hoof on her shoulder. “You did more than you know.”

Tempest sighed. “But I want to do more,” she said.

“Well, if you really feel that way, you could help keep an eye on me until this is done,” Pharynx suggested as he leaned against the wall. “That fight took more out of me than I realized.”

Tempest smiled. “I’d be glad to,” she said. Then her eyes widened. “Grubber!”

“I’ll get him,” Twilight told her. Taking the staff, she teleported away.

“What’s that mean, when it’s at home?” Pharynx asked.

“Grubber’s my assistant,” Tempest explained as she sat down next to him. “And… well, my best friend, I guess.” She held out a hoof towards the Royal Changeling. “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. Commander Tempest, formerly of the Storm Guard until Twilight talked some sense into me.”

“Commander Pharynx, second of the Eldest Hive,” Pharynx said as he took her hoof and shook it. “Not that we’ve got the Eldest Queen anymore, and good riddance, but our hive itself is still the Eldest.”

Tempest smiled. “A real military stallion, huh?”

“I’m taken.” He said with a narrowed look. She gave him a confused look before he tapped his horns and she let out an ah.

“Well, whoever she is, she’s a lucky mare,” she said, fighting back a twinge of embarrassment.

“Thanks, I’ll be sure to tell Princess Luna you said that.”

Tempest’s eyes bulged for a moment, but the sound of a teleport and the sight of Twilight and Grubber popping in distracted her. “Hey,” she said instead.

“Tempetht!” The little hedgehog grinned. “I knew you’d do good here!”

“Yeah… yeah, we did.” Tempest smiled.

Seeing them together, Twilight smiled herself. “Tempest, Pharynx, Grubber… thank you all,” she said. “I’ll see you all again as soon as I can, I promise.”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Pharynx looked startled, starting to rise before sliding back down. “Aren’t you going to come back now that this whole war’s pretty much done?”

Twilight shook her head. “I still have a lot of work to do, Pharynx,” she said. “A lot of places to go, and new people to meet. But I’ll still write, as soon as I can.” She smiled. “Give the Princesses and the rest of my friends my best, okay?”

“I will,” Pharynx promised. “And, hey… take care of yourself, all right? You and the little guy?” He looked around. “Where is he, anyway?”

“Back at our skimmer,” Twilight told him. “We really impressed the minotaurs.”

Pharynx grinned. “I’m sure you did.” He gave her a friendly wave. “Until next time, Twilight.”

“See you again, Pharynx.”

And then she teleported out again.

Dropping his hoof, Pharynx winced as he moved into a more comfortable position that would still let him keep an eye on the fighting outside, which seemed to be slowing now. “So… we wait?”

“Ooh! Ooh! We could play ‘I Thpy!’” Grubber lisped.

The two commanders exchanged looks, and then laughed.


A few hours later…

Luna was pacing when the signal mirror lit up, and she hurried to answer it, finding one of her top soldiers on the other end. Her heart almost sank at not seeing Pharynx, but she did her best to compose herself. "Ahem. How fares things, Captain Spitfire?"

"Nearly all good news, Commander," Spitfire reported with the barest hint of a smile. Since officially enlisting, she had more than proven herself and the Wonderbolts worthy of their name of old, and Luna felt certain that General Firefly (or Colonel Firefly, as she had known him in the days before her banishment) would have been proud.

Luna frowned. "Tell me the bad news first."

"The bad news is... Commander Pharynx managed to get himself injured, sir," Spitfire said with some reluctance.

Luna’s heart skipped a beat. "How... how is he?"

"That's part of the good news,” Spitfire said. “It's nothing life-threatening, more physical tiredness and magical exhaustion than anything, though there are some cuts and bruising and a bit of a limp in one leg. We've got him in one of the medbays now. According to them, he's going to make a full recovery, maybe some interesting scars when he gets out."

Luna felt a wave of relief wash over her: "That is... good to hear, that he will recover. What else?"

"Casualties are light on our side; we've basically wiped out those yeti soldiers and a majority of the Storm King’s followers are surrendering en masse when they saw how outnumbered they were. Oh, and the Storm King himself is dead.”

Luna’s eyes widened for a moment. “How?”

“Got thrown out of his own throne room and landed in the battlefield; someone stabbed him through the heart before they realized it was him,” Spitfire said with a grin. “We've got the body in custody."

Luna nodded. "What of enemy Commander Tempest? She could pose a threat if left to her own devices, might even rally his forces for a counterattack."

"Er... she surrendered, actually. Her and that little assistant of hers. Commander Pharynx vouched for her; says she and Princess Twilight were working together."

Luna was startled again. "Twilight‽" She calmed herself, returning to her military stance. "She was there? Where is she now?"

"She took off after the Storm King bit the big one,” Spitfire said. “Sir, Commander Pharynx is the only one of our forces who actually saw her, but he says she and Tempest snuck in to try and swipe that staff of the Storm King's from him, and wound up having to fight him for it before the Commander joined in. She took it away when she left. Oh, and she asked the Commander to give everyone her best and tell them that she'd be in contact soon."

Luna looked very relieved. "...That is good news indeed, Captain Spitfire. Is there anything more, anything urgent?"

"We’ve got enough ships to get home, both our own and theirs. That's all the big stuff, sir," Spitfire said.

Luna nodded. "All right then. Contact us when you have more key information."

"Will do, sir. Over and out."

The transmission cut off, and Luna heaved a huge sigh of relief. Finally, it was over.

And Pharynx will be all right! another part of herself cheered. Straining her ears, she could hear the joyous cries that were coming from the city as the news of the end of the war began to spread. Looking out the window, she could see fireworks being shot into the sky amid the snow raining down into her city with spontaneous celebrations starting to form. She knew if she were to step onto the balcony now, the ponies would forever favour her over her sister but she would not do such a selfish thing.

Her nation was at peace and that was enough for her.

Next Chapter: Chapter Eight Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 50 Minutes
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