“We spent the next few weeks making plans, creating squads, changing our schedules, all that,” Twilight said, keeping her voice calm and serious. “About two days before the assault, Travis approached me on a subject related to the upcoming battle...”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight was looking over Manehattan through the windows on the top floor of “Brandy’s Flats”, a habit she had developed over the three weeks the city had been devoid of any Nightmare presence, when she heard light hoofsteps behind her. “What is it, Travis?” she asked, turning to look into the single golden eye of her combat trainer.

The orange pony bowed, causing his saddlebags to slide forward a small amount. “Miss Dash requested you be assigned to her team to aid her in the aerial assault of the castle, ma’am,” Travis began. “And I was hoping to get your approval on some modifications for your equipment.”

“Such as?” Twilight responded, slightly suspicious.

Travis did not seem phased at the purple unicorn’s tone. “An inscription to toughen your mechanical wings, and one to lighten the load of the armor,” he responded. “As well as a special enchantment for your blade that I discovered in my time in Equestria.” Twilight stood, unresponsive for a few moments.

“Well? What does this enchantment do?” the purple unicorn asked in an annoyed voice.

“Ah, right...” the orange pony responded, opening a bag to reveal a runed saber as long as him, glowing green and blue. “I’ve already put it on this sword, and had one of my students swing it around. You could try it if you want.”

“You didn’t answer my question, though,” Twilight said, magically pulling the blade from the rogue’s bag.

Travis let out a short sigh. “I have yet to think up a decent name for it, but it makes the wielder more agile when they wield it, and increases their casting abilities as long as it’s on their body,” he explained.

A long silence followed, during which both ponies admired the glowing runes on the side of the sword. “...You have my permission, though I would like to request the same modifications on Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash’s armor,” Twilight said, returning the saber to Travis. “And perhaps a more suitable one for their weapons.”

“It shall be done, Twilight, but can we stop with the fancy talk?” the leather-clad pony said before leaving.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“As I arrived at the metro station the next day, I could tell Tav had kept his word. When I saw Scootaloo and Rainbow as we prepared to leave for Canterlot, their scabbards had a faint green glow emanating from them - an enchantment Travis explained would make one as agile as a Mongoose - and their armor appeared sturdier than the rest of the fighters’. We performed a head count, collected any needed equipment, and marched from the subway,” Twilight stated. “Our ground forces had civilian clothes on over their armor, to make it more difficult to tell they were Rising Sun. Everypony that was in an aerial squad flew off towards Canterlot with three or four others. My group consisted of me, Rainbow, Scootaloo, Travis, Vinyl and Spike. Big Macintosh, Brandy and Honeydew were to be part of the ground assault.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The wind was slicing into Twilight’s face - the only unprotected part of her body. “I hope the Coltics had the right idea with leaving their faces unguarded,” she thought, remembering reading about the Coltic warriors, as she flew as fast as her metal wings could take her towards Canterlot Castle. “You ok there, Spike?” she asked the dragon sitting on her back.

“Yeah, Twi,” Spike responded, attempting to keep his quiver on his back, as well as his sword and shield from falling. “Just a tad nervous.”

Travis laughed at the purple dragon’s comment. “Nervous? Spike, you hurt me with your lack of confidence in my training!” The rogue attempted to halt his laughter. “You should be excited to test your new skills!”

Spike sheepishly nodded in response. “There’s our target, guys!” Twilight called, as a large, almost fairy tale-esque castle appeared in the distance. “Alright, everypony remember the plan? Good! FIREBOMBS OUT!”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Within a few minutes of us arriving, the castle was engulfed in flames and hundreds of skirmishes, and the gates had opened, but instead of Rising Sun troops charging through like we’d expected...”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The earth quaked as Spike and the five ponies landed in front of the raised drawbridge for the castle, other groups already grounded and fighting. “URSA MAJOR INBOUND!” an armored pony could be heard yelling, followed by a long string of curses from the cyan pegasus.

“I’ll get the bridge,” Scootaloo said, barely audible over Rainbow Dash, as she flew for a small window on the other side of the moat.

The dragon pulled one of Travis’ arrows from his quiver, struck it on the ground, and took aim. “Careful now, Spike. You wanna aim for the head...an eye, if this thing’s big enough,” Travis calmly said, clearly unaware of an Ursa Major's size, as he disappeared into the shadows. “I’ll do the rest.”

As the shaking got worse, a massive purple constellation resembling a bear appeared further down the path. Spike released his arrow, letting it soar towards the Ursa, leaving a trail of smoke behind it. The flaming projectile struck the creature’s left eye, lodging itself deep in its pupil. As the bear reared up and roared, Travis appeared mid-air near it in a puff of smoke, throwing a chained axe at the creature’s side and pulling in an attempt to get himself closer.

“Twilight! Pay attention!” Rainbow Dash said, cutting down a charging Nightmare pony. Spike was fending off a half-dozen guard ponies alone, deflecting all weapons swung at him, and retaliating when he was able. Twilight unsheathed the sword Travis had showed her days before, and ran towards the massively outnumbered Vinyl.

The white unicorn had been using magically enhanced sound waves to stun her foes before striking. As a pegasus guard moved to impale the sound-wizard pony from behind, Twilight’s blade began to shine a bright blue, distracting the Nightmare pegasus. “This must be the magic enhancing part of the enchant,” the purple mare thought, channelling magic from the sword into her horn as she charged.

When Twilight was less than ten feet from her target, she released the stored magic, firing a bolt of electricity that jumped to every nearby pony except her and Vinyl, and knocking her back, an ear-splitting thunderclap following.

The white unicorn blinked a few times, before bursting into laughter. “Thanks for that, Twi,” she said, helping her savior to her hooves. “Oh man that looked painful,” Vinyl continued, looking around at the many piles of ash that surrounded them as the purple mare sheathed her sword.

“The bridge is down!” Scootaloo yelled as the massive bridge slammed against the ground. “The Rising Sun will be victorious!” as the orange pegasus spoke, many ponies began galloping towards the now accessible front door, the others staying behind to aid their friends.

“Spike, Rainbow, Scratch, let’s go!” Twilight called, dashing towards the castle. Spike slashed with his shield, cutting the throats of two of his attackers, and knocking the rest back, before leaping onto the purple mare’s back as she passed him. As Rainbow Dash turned to follow, a large, dark blue alicorn with a broken horn, a body seemingly made of water, and a mane of crackling lightning landed in front of her, knocking her down.

“Hello, small one,” he said, his voice deep. “Before you speak, allow me to introduce myself...Mother Moon calls me Storm. You, on the other hoof, may call me Death,” he continued, before slamming his head into the cyan pony’s chest, his jagged horn stabbing through her armor, sending her back. “I may be an...imperfect unicorn,” Storm said, referring to his broken horn. “But I am a perfect pegasus, and a perfect earth pony.” The watery alicorn laughed, approaching Rainbow Dash. As the wounded pegasus attempted to stand, Storm pushed her back onto her side. “I shall allow you one final set of words. Choose them wisely,” he said, placing a hoof onto Rainbow Dash’s neck.

The bright blue pegasus merely looked into her attacker’s face. “Bring it, pussy,” she said, showing no fear.

Storm drew out a sigh. “So be it.”

*SNAP!* The dark alicorn paused before turning to face the rebels. “I shall be in the throne room. Meet me there if you wish to share your foolhardy friend’s fate,” he said, gesturing to the limp corpse behind him, before teleporting away.

Twilight and Scootaloo galloped towards Rainbow Dash, Spike still on the purple unicorn’s back. “I’ll meet up with the others, then,” Vinyl said, running into the castle.

As a shadowed hand grasped Twilight’s shoulder, time froze, and color drained from the world. “I cannot allow you to judge this one, Sparkle,” the echoing voice of the Reaper said. “Stay in the realm of the living and watch,” after the Reaper spoke again, he disappeared, color returned to the world, and time began moving at normal speed.

Twilight ran to her friend’s body with Scootaloo, who had been shedding tears since Storm’s exit. "Oh Celestia...not Rainbow Dash..." she said between sobs before turning to Twilight, whose face was dry. "Aren't you sad, Twi? You're the last good Element of Harmony left."

The purple unicorn glanced as Scootaloo. “I can’t be sad. I’ve seen too many of my friends die to be sad...If anything, I’m pissed,” she responded, a fire glowing in her eyes.

Neither of the ponies or Spike noticed Travis’ arrival. “Oh for fuck’s sake!” he said loudly. “Look, we can cry about her later, but right now, we-”

The dead pegasus’ eyes shot open, glowing a bright blue, and blinding the four present. “Twilight, obviously,” Rainbow Dash said with a slight chuckle, in the voice Pinkie had used years before, as her body turned to dust, which the purple unicorn absorbed. When everypony and Spike could see again, the cyan pony’s corpse was gone, though another pegasus was present.

“Well, at least I didn’t pass out this time,” Twilight said. When met with only stares, the purple pony took a step back. “What are you guys staring at?”

“YOU,” Travis said almost instantly. “I mean...well, you, er...you’re kind of a...YOU HAVE WINGS.”

The purple pony turned to look at her back. “What,” she said in a flat tone.

Scootaloo approached the now winged Twilight as she dried her tears. “They look kinda weak. I don’t think they’d be able to support even Spike, and that's if he were a baby dragon again,” she said after a short inspection.

Spike collected Rainbow Dash’s armor and sword, pausing a moment, before jumping onto Twilight’s back. “You guys forget why we’re here?” he asked impatiently.

The three ponies looked at each other, and charged towards the door.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“We encountered no resistance on the way to the throne room, though I had realized the wings were like phasing in and out of my body - Both were because of the essences absorbed from my friends - by the time we got there.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Well, now all I have to do is figure out how to change between unicorn and pegasus, and why my wings are so weak,” Twilight said as her and her allies approached the throne room door, and a buff brown earth pony wearing green pants attacking it. Vinyl was with him, her eyes closed, her head lowered so her horn was touching the floor.

Travis approached the strange pony. “Sir, may I ask what you plan on achieving by-” The earth pony turned and punched him right in the muzzle, sending him into the wall behind him. “Okay OW,” he said, pulling a bloodstained hoofkerchief from a saddlebag and holding it to his nose. “Why the hell did you do that!?”

“Oh, I apologize, sir. I thought you were one of Nightmare Moon’s guards,” the pony said nervously, approaching the bleeding rogue to help him up. “Allow me to introduce myself: I am mayor Haggar, of Metrot City, though you may call me Mike,” he said, bowing. “You must be miss Sparkle. Thank you for having your troops save my city, and my daughter.”

Spike stepped in front of the brown pony. “Whoa whoa whoa, why are you here?” the dragon asked.

Mike chuckled. “I told Nightmare Moon that I’d come after her myself if her guards didn’t get out of my city, and since they needed some help leaving, I decided to pay her a visit. Though upon thought, I knocked out a couple dozen of the guards before you got here...and since you’re here now, I’ll leave this to you,” he said as he started to leave. “Perhaps I’ll join in the fun against that Ursa I heard was coming earlier!”

Travis quickly turned to the mayor. “Ursa’s dead, dude!” he called, raising a short string of curses from the brown pony.

Twilight approached the door. “Spike, I think we may need you and your shield here,” she said. “I’m betting they have archers on the other side.”

“You might be right, Twilight,” the white unicorn said, raising her head. “Sound manipulation is a great thing, y’know. Sonar waves say there are about eight normal-sized ponies, and one big one in there,” she continued, turning to Spike. “Lemme know when you’re ready, guys, and I’ll blow the...I coulda sworn you were a unicorn, Twi.”

“Complicated, long story, et cetera et cetera BLOW IT ALREADY,” the purple mare responded, agitated.

As Spike raised his shield, Travis disappeared into the shadows again, and Vinyl’s horn began to glow. “KNOCK KNOCK YOU BUGGERS!” she yelled, as she released a massive sound wave directed at the door, blowing it off its hinges and knocking it into a group of armored unicorns on the other side.

As the dust stirred up by the blast cleared, the five Rising Sun members entered the room. “Now THAT is what I call droppin’ the bass!” Vinyl said, laughing like a madmare. The remaining unicorn archer dropped his bow and galloped off, leaving a pile of tiny bricks behind. “I suppose I can’t blame him,” Vinyl said after calming down a bit. “I mean, when you see it...” she continued, before bursting into laughter again.

At the other end of the throne room was the royal seat, the dark blue alicorn that had killed Rainbow Dash standing in front of it, surrounded by storm clouds. “Your friend is dead, and you’re making jokes? I fail to see how that could be considered honoring the fallen,” Storm said, attempting to turn Scootaloo against the white unicorn.

“One can honor another’s death in many ways. She chooses to laugh; Scootaloo chooses to mourn; Twilight and Spike choose to do what we came here to do...but me?” Travis said, still unseen. “I choose to honor her by killing you.” The orange pony leapt from the shadows at the alicorn, leaving a gash in his victim’s neck and removing a wing in one fluid movement.

Storm recoiled from the assault, and quickly mended the wound on his neck. “Excellent, a challenge! This shall be more fun than I thought,” he said, grinning. “Let’s make a bet, shall we? We fight. If you win, I will tell you all I know of Mother Moon’s plans, and I shall leave out your...new appendage when I report to her, Sparkle.”

Twilight looked at the alicorn suspiciously. “And if you win?”

Storm chuckled. “Not so much ‘if’...more ‘when’ I win...but yes, my victory means your deaths. Deal?”

The five rebels exchanged glances. “Deal,” Spike responded, the four ponies nodding in agreement.

“Then let us begin.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Travis started the fight by disappearing to the shadows yet again. “Once was luck, rogue. That trick shall not work again!” Storm said loudly, emitting a wave of electricity from his broken horn, stunning the orange pony. “Begone!” he yelled, bucking Travis at the wall.

The rogue rubbed his head. “What is it with you people and knocking me into walls today!?” he asked, mimicking the alicorn’s voice levels. “FUCK man.”

Vinyl fired off a salvo of concentrated sound waves, all hitting Storm. “I am composed almost entirely of water and electricity, fool. Your attempts at harming me with...vibrating air are useless,” the dark blue alicorn said in response, slowly approaching the group.

Spike kept his shield raised as he drew Rainbow Dash's sword, and charged at his foe. Storm glanced at the speeding dragon, and fired a bolt of lightning at him. Spike chose that moment to swing his shield, sending the bolt of electricity back at the alicorn, stunning him, and raising a pained cheer from Travis. “Hit him hard, girls!” Spike yelled, hacking at the watery pony.

Twilight and Scootaloo both dashed lithely towards Storm, drawing their swords as well. Scootaloo leapt into the air and swung, removing most of the broken horn from the alicorn’s head, as Twilight slid by his side, removing his other wing.

“ENOUGH!” the wounded alicorn said, clearly weak. “I cannot win this fight...that much is clear. I shall share my knowledge,” he continued as his attackers backed away. “I am one of five artificial alicorns created to serve Mother Moon a thousand years ago, so she could rule this land. She knew you would be planning an assault, so she released me from the stasis I was in...leaving my brothers and sister frozen,” he explained, struggling to channel his healing magic. “The entrance to the laboratory I was created in can be found in the courtyard...but be warned: She told me she would be leaving one to defend the lab, and they are undoubtedly more powerful than I. Should you encounter none of my siblings, check the tanks, it will help you identify the one you are looking for. They are pale blue, red, green, and a starry purple...much like the Ursa your friend foolishly fought alone,” Storm said, limping towards the door. “I have one final piece of information for you, though.”

“What might that be?” Travis responded, still rubbing his head.

The watery alicorn chuckled as he exited. “None of the troops you sent through Canterlot survived. My brother's minions seemed thorough.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Storm’s final statement was almost true...Honeydew was the only pony that made it to Canterlot Castle,” the queen said, holding back tears. “I spent much of my time attempting to move the celestial bodies, to no avail, and Honeydew spent most of the year comforting me...During our time together, I had found it in myself to forgive him for the death of Pinkie, and we had fallen in love,” Twilight continued, an audible “D’aw” rising from her audience. “After we fully examined Canterlot Castle, emptied the advancing troops from the area between the gates and the castle, and either killed or imprisoned anypony from the Nightmare Army, our medics tended to our wounded. We discovered the lab Storm had mentioned after about a month, and sent a group of ponies to investigate.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Miss Sparkle, we’ve got bad news, good news, and better news about that lab,” a Rising Sun pegasus said, saluting Twilight.

Twilight rose from the throne she had claimed seven days before, and approached the pony that addressed her. “I suppose I should hear the good news first,” she said, bowing so low her reacquired horn touched the floor.

The Rising Sun pony bowed back. “Well, when we got down there, we checked the tanks like you said, and found the tanks holding the blue and red alicorns full,” he said. “We also found the green alicorn waiting for us. He requested we call him," the pony cleared his throat before continuing. "‘Cal’, and he told us that he would help you, since you defeated Storm.”

“What of the fifth alicorn?” Twilight responded, slightly nervous about only three of the four unknown alicorns being discovered. “The one resembling an Ursa Major?”

The pony shuffled his front hooves. “That’s the bad news. That one’s nowhere to be seen, ma’am...Though the better news is,” he said, pulling a folder out of a saddlebag. “We found this. Cal told us it’s supposed to hold documents on the five artificial alicorns, but it currently only has information on Storm. We’re still looking for the rest, ma’am.”

As Twilight read the documents she was given, a bright green alicorn with a wild white and pink mane entered the room. “Yo! You must be the Twilight that whupped my bro. Am I right?” he said, stretching his wings. “Ma and the scientists called me either ‘Subject 483’ or ‘Caladium’ - That’s a poisonous plant, I guess - But you can just call me Cal.” The strange alicorn grabbed one of Twilight’s hooves and shook it hard. “So, while I’m here, what can I do for ya miss?”

Twilight gave Cal a confused look, and gestured for Travis to come to her. “I think this guy’s a tad crazy, Tav,” she whispered. “But still, he’s friendly, and he knows about Nightmare Moon...any ideas what we should ask him?” Travis shrugged in response. “Alright then, Cala - er, Cal...Do you know anything about the other alicorns that were down in that lab?” Twilight asked, still nervous.

“Oh yeah. Spent about a year with ‘em before Nightmare Moon told us to get in the tubes,” Cal responded cheerfully. “There’s Storm, but you know him...Frostbite is the pale blue one. Dude was never that physically strong, besides his wings, and his magic was crazy powerful. Air around him was always freezing cold, too, hence the name I assume,” he explained. “Then there’s Scarlet - Chick was CRAZY. Her hair was always on fire, and she had a helluva temper. She couldn’t use any magic though, for some reason. There’s me...Real nice, kinda lazy, et cetera...I’m not that strong in any territory, really. My magic’s weak, I’m slow, and I can’t fly, though my blood’s apparently...what was it again? 98.75% toxic substances?”

“And the last one?” Travis asked, now as nervous as Twilight.

Cal shuddered. “Oh man, that would be Voide. You do NOT want to meet him,” he responded, shaking. “All I know is he’s ‘almost perfect’, completely insane, and that those are not related.”

Twilight thought for a moment. “Nopony knows where he is?” she asked, being met with multiple shaking heads. “Travis, get Vinyl, and tell her to send out one of her soundwave messages. Go with ‘Highly dangerous pony: Location unknown’,” she continued. “Oh, and congratulations on knocking her up, Travis." the purple unicorn smirked. "I’m sure you two’ll be very happy together with your foal.”

The orange pony blushed slightly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said quickly, struggling to keep a straight face.

“Sure you don’t.” Twilight winked. “Now get going, and if you see Scootaloo, tell her we’ll have a mass-funeral Saturday,” the purple mare called as Travis left. “I have one more question for you before you can go, Cal.”

“Shoot,” the green alicorn said, yawning.

“If she let you out, you have to know...Where is Nightmare Moon?” Next Chapter: Twilight Dawn Estimated time remaining: 31 Minutes