Ascend Through Darkness Ch. 5 The Destined Encounter
It had been a solemn and dark occasion for all of the Apple family. From losing crops to losing family members, the days were getting bleaker with each passing moment. With the arrival of the humans, everypony was able to minimize casualties. However, a loss was still a loss. As the caskets carrying the fallen members of the Apple family lowered into the plots, everypony remained silent. A day had not even passed when Takeo was acquainted with these ponyfolk and yet they invited him into the funeral proceeding that was normally reserved for close friends. He was touched that they accepted him so easily, though he did have his suspicions that it had something to do with his prowess in killing. Nonetheless, he accepted their invitation out of courtesy. Sitting next to the only ponies he was familiar with, he took note of the large attendance, despite it only being the family and himself.
"I could've sworn there were fewer ponies before…" he thought to himself. He stopped himself from looking around to prevent from looking rude. Takeo looked to his right to gauge Big Mac's reaction to all this. He was stoic as ever, but this time, he had a hint of sorrow in his features. He was a pony of few words, much like Takeo. To his left, he found Applejack comforting Applebloom who was crying softly into her big sister's flank. It had only been a few hours since he had seen the little filly so strong and vibrant. She was still a child, however, and reacted to the deaths of loved ones as such. Though the whole funeral was about half an hour, it felt like days. Everything just seemed to slow down around Sweet Apple Acres. Death was nothing new to anyone, but it still hits hard when it happens. With the burials finally over, Applejack and Takeo made their way back to the town square to regroup with the rest of their allies. For the most part, the trek was quiet, neither pony nor human hardly uttered a word to each other. Though he kept his cool on the outside, he was in a tumultuous mindset. He vowed to protect the Apple family with his life, and yet he failed in doing so. In his eyes, a failure of this magnitude was unforgivable.
"Applejack-san," he took a brief pause, as if to consider what words to use. "I am sorry for the deaths of your family. I was too weak to prevent such tragedies. Will you forgive me?" Now facing the earth pony, he bowed out of respect to her. Though she remained unaware to Japanese customs, Applejack felt the regret and sadness emanating from him, even if he didn't show through emotions or expressions.
"Oh, don't be so harsh on yerself, sugarcube. Everypony did what they could. Nothin' more, nothin' less…" Tears began to well in her eyes as she sighed to relieve some of the pressure off her chest. "The only thin' we can do is to watch out fer each other. Ya know, to ensure the future and all…"
"It would only sadden our ancestors if we were to die in such a dishonorable way. Mark my words, Applejack-san. I will do as much as I can and then some to rid Equestria of this plague!" She could only smile at the almost obnoxious confidence that Takeo had.
"Thank ya kindly, Takeo. Its awfully nice of a stranger such as yerself to offer aid to Ponyville."
"It is the least I can do for your hospitality. Think nothing of my services."
"If ya say so. In any case, let's hurry up. I'm pretty sure everypony else is at the town square by now."
With the attacks over, it was time for Ponyville to rebuild barricades, and recover from the aftermath. No one was exempt from the exhausting work. Even the foals were helping the adults with their tasks. From harvesting food to nursing the injured, there were a wide variety of jobs to complete before sundown. However, there was a structure that remained as a beacon of hope to the citizens of Ponyville. The town square itself remained relatively untouched by the chaos. It still retained its beauty, acting as a sanctuary for those who have lost their homes or families. The pavilion held important documents which pertained to historical moments and political topics. It was here that the humans awaited their new pony acquaintances that went off to grab something to eat. But, the tranquility did not last. Despite their impeccable teamwork, the quartet of humans still hated each other to an extent.
"You know, Takeo, I actually appreciated you more when you're not here."
"The feeling's mutual, Russian dog. I'd have preferred you drown yourself in vodka away from my presence."
"Ladies, can we stop the bitching for once? I mean, I want to kill as much as the next guy, but these ponies sure know how to live. R and R doesn't sound so bad when you've got ponies to talk to."
"I could have put that in a more eloquent way, Dempsey. But, for the first time in your life, you are correct. Ponyville reminds me of those quaint villages back in Germany where I would used to gather small woodland creatures and experiment. Ah, those truly were the days."
"You know, speaking of ponies, where are the girls at? They sure are taking their sweet ass time."
"Dempsey, take it from Nikolai when he says this; women love to make men wait. I should know, I've got shitload of ex-wives."
"Hmph, I'm not so sure about that. I mean, yeah, Rainbow Dash is quite a bitch, but she's alright. I just don't see her as the type to make anyone wait."
"I can only hope that they come back soon. The magicks, it sounds wunderbar! I wish to learn more about it! So many mechanisms I can create within a short amount of time! Fffffff… I cannot contain myself."
"Ew, what the fuck, man? Screw this, I'm walking around town."
"Suit yourself, Dempsey. I've never enjoyed your company. Ever." The American responded by flipping the bird at Richtofen before standing up and leaving the pavilion. "Good, now that the meathead is gone, I wish to speak to the both of you." Both the Japanese and the Russian looked at each other before turning back to the Nazi.
"What is so important that only we should know? Does it have something to do with vodka?"
"No, nothing like that. You know, I wasn't joking when I said I am able to create some fancy tools. With so many resources at my disposal, my gift of creation will truly flow! It will be wunderbar…"
"I do not doubt your genius, Doctor. But, what else will you be able to make?"
"Takeo, I am glad you asked. For one, I can recreate the Pack-a-Punch machine. It is German ingenuity, after all. With spare parts and a touch of the magicks, I can also create automated turrets that specifically targets zombies. Oh, the list goes on and on and on! But Dempsey must not know! Why? I hate him. I even hate his eyes. So no treats for the poor American soldier." Though Nikolai was a bit hesitant, the three eventually agreed upon that. Takeo then stood up from his chair and began stretching.
"A walk doesn't sound so bad right now. Maybe this place has more to offer than what meets the eye." The Japanese then exited the building, leaving Nikolai and Richtofen alone. Soon, the Russian gets up as well.
"I'm getting thirsty. I do not want to finish all of my vodka, in case their alcohol is weak. Richtofen, come with me and help me find the bar. My buzz is still going on and I'd like to keep it that way."
Everywhere Takeo had looked, there was some sort of activity going on. Whether it was reconstruction or shopping, Ponyville was bustling. He couldn't help but smile at the fact that there was some semblance to a normal life, despite them going through a crisis. Perhaps there was more honor in ponyfolk than he had originally thought. He continued to aimlessly walk around, despite receiving a previous tour courtesy of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Lost in his own thoughts, he did not really mind not having a destination.
"I cannot help but wonder whether Richtofen is telling us the whole truth about Gersch," he thought to himself. "And if Gersch really does know about this place, there may be other humans in Equestria. If that is true, our zombie problem may have escalated into other realities thanks to that Device. I can only hope that Equestria's problem isn't as big as ours at this point…"
"Takeo? What are ya doin' out here?" The human in question looked up to find that he was at the Sugarcube Corner. He then turned to the pony who addressed him to find that Applejack and Rarity were seated at one of the outdoor tables.
"Oh, Applejack-san, Rarity-san. Forgive me, I couldn't stand being around Nikolai."
"Ugh, tell me about it. And I thought those diamond dogs had bad breath." Rarity replied, while flipping her mane.
"Well, don't just stand there being silly! Pull up a chair and sit with us." Complying with the earth pony, Takeo sat cross-legged on one of the straw cushions. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the unicorn was eyeing him in an unusual way.
"Is my presence offensive to you, Rarity-san?"
"Oh no, not at all! Sorry for staring at you like that, I was just studying your figure, that's all."
"Um, thank you?"
"Haha, no not like that. Ya see, Rarity here is a clothing designer. Her shop, The Carousel Boutique, is just down the street. Though she makes incredibly girly outfits, y'all gotta admit their always good quality."
"Why thank you for your kind words, Applejack," she replied somewhat sarcastically. "Takeo, would you be a dear and stand up so that I can get your measurements?"
"Certainly. But why are you making us a new outfit? Can't you just restore our old clothing?"
"Please, Takeo. You want to look nice for the Princesses, don't you? I don't think she will regard you highly if you present yourself to her in tattered, bloodstained clothing. Oh, and don't worry about payment. Your services in destroying the undead are more than enough, darling."
"Well, if you say so. If I may make one request for my outfit; nothing too frilly or feminine. I'd like to keep my masculinity in one piece."
"Nonsense, dear. I wouldn't even DREAM of putting pink on you. It just isn't your color. No, something darker. Or perhaps we can add a splash of white here and there? Oh no, that would look so awkward…" Her ranting became muted as the unicorn began to more or less talk to herself. The measuring tape that magically hovered around Takeo's form slithered here and there, taking every measurement of his body as humanely possible. Applejack merely stared at the sight with an amused expression. Thankfully, neither pony nor human had to wait long for Rarity to come to a conclusion.
"Ah hah! This is perfect. I must get to work right away! I'll meet up with everypony at the town square when I've finished. See you soon, guys!" After packing her belongings, she trotted off after waving good bye to Applejack and Takeo. Once more, the duo finds themselves alone in each other's company.
"Heh, its kinda funny how we always bump into each other." Applejack spoke not out of discomfort, but rather stating it in a more relaxed tone.
"Hm, indeed we do. Perhaps we were destined to fight together through all this."
"I can believe that. Say, Tak, I've been meanin' to ask you, but there hasn't been a proper time until now. Can I see your gun?" He nods and unstraps the AK74fu2 from his back. He turned the safety on, so that no accidents happen. Placing it on the table, the pony stared at the mechanism in a curious fashion, looking at it from different angles. Clumsily, she balanced the gun in her hooves, attempting to get a feel for it. After seeing Takeo using the weapon, she tried to imitate his earlier actions by aiming down the sight. This proved to be difficult as she did not have hands, let alone opposable thumbs. Now satisfied with her inspection, she handed the mechanism back to its original owner.
"Golly, that's the darndest thing I've ever seen so far. It makes quite the racket too. Mah ears are still ringin' from the last time you fired that gun of yours."
"Its something you have to get used to. You know, Doctor Richtofen will be able to create more of our machinery to further aid in the defense of Ponyville. If all goes well, your beloved town will be saved that much faster."
"Well, that sounds fantastic! What kinds of wacky inventions y'all had in mind?"
"For starters, he said he would create automated turrets that would attack zombies only. I am sure he has more than just that in mind, of course."
"While that all sounds fine and dandy, how long will it take for him to crank these machines out? I reckon we won't have to wait long, right?"
"He said to me that with the aid of the unicorns, he would be able to create these machinations at a much quicker pace than usual. I can only begin to fathom what is going on in that man's head at this point."
"Sounds like he could use a little muscle in that workshop. Where can we find Richtofen so we can help out the poor guy?"
"I am not entirely sure. But, he seems to have taken an interest in Nikolai. Going by that, those two should be in the local bar."
"Then the local waterin' hole it is! We'll be there in a jiffy!"
Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,
This letter comes bearing great news. Recently, four humans had unexpectedly arrived via a teleportation device. With them, they brought wondrous alien technology that I have never seen before. The citizens of Ponyville had already dubbed them our savior. If it is okay, I wish to request for an audience with both your highnesses. I await your reply with bated breath.
Sincerely, your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle
"My dear sister, these humans that Twilight speaks of, are they not the ones you spoke of before?
"I'm afraid so, sister. These are the ones that Samantha and Gersch spoke of. I fear that the only cure to this madness would be to stop it at the source."
"So, the worst case scenario has come true. I should've known sooner when our spells had very little effect on curing the 'disease.'"
"No longer can anypony label it as a disease, Celestia. This is something far more diabolical."
"Indeed it is, Luna. We'd better hasten with the reply. The sooner we get the little things out of the way, the faster we can alleviate our fair land of this hell."
"What? Whaddaya mean I've had enough?"
"Forgive me, sir. But you were already inebriated when you entered this establishment. The fact that I even allowed you to drink further is an act of mercy, or wickedness, depending on how you look at it."
"Bah, your shitty alcohol isn't even strong enough to knock down this Soviet! I bet I can get wasted faster on tap water! Fuck this, I'm outta here!" With that, Nikolai stormed out of the bar, only to bump into Takeo. "Guh, even in my shitfaced state, trees resemble Takeo. That's how much I hate him."
"Nikolai, are you so drunk now that you cannot recognize what is reality and what is not?" Brushing off the invisible grime from their collision, the Russian slowly stands back up with wobbling legs. He stares at the "tree" for a while longer before scrunching his nose in disgust.
"You dare cross paths with Nikolai, and now you try to insult me? Of course I'm drunk! But I'm not drunk drunk! Step aside so I can find more beverages before I decide to piss on you."
"Calm your liver, Russian dog. Where is Doctor Richtofen?" Unfortunately, his words were ignored as the Soviet diverted his attention to Applejack, who was watching the scene unfold between the humans. The earth pony returned the glare she received from the drunkard.
"Hm, why does pony have apples on butt? Or maybe apples ARE the butt? Anatomy wasn't always my strongest subject."
"For your information, mister, mah cutie mark ain't on mah butt! Its on mah flank, see?" She wiggled said flank at Nikolai for a better look. However, his attention span quickly ran out as he turned towards Takeo once more.
"Richtofen said that he went to the Sparkly Library or something like that. Now then, if you would kindly get the fuck out of my way, I can get somewhere!" Not wanting to drag the scene any further, Takeo and Applejack stepped aside for Nikolai. Once he was out of earshot, the earth pony gave out a frustrated whinny.
"I can see why you don't like that fella so much. He just asks for trouble."
"Yes, I share your sentiments regarding the Russian. Anyway, what is this 'Sparkly Library' he spoke of?"
"Oh, he probably meant Twilight's library. Let's get going." As they walked over to their new destination, Takeo had begun to feel the stares from passerbys once more. Though he was used to being a spectacle, it started to irk him slightly. Much to Takeo's delight, the library was not far. It wasn't long before the duo find themselves in front of the library steps. Applejack knocked on the door a couple of times.
"Just a minute," a feminine voice said from within. The door swung open to reveal an incredibly jovial Twilight Sparkle. "Oh, hello Applejack and Takeo! Come on in." Ushering in her new guests, she quietly closed the door shut behind them.
"Howdy, Twilight. We came here to find Richtofen."
"You're just in luck! He should be somewhere in the library, most likely researching on magic. Just follow the trail of books and you should find him."
"Where's Spike? I thought he'd be here cleanin' up after y'all." A visible blush appeared on the unicorn's cheeks as she gave an embarrassed chuckle.
"Uh, well, he's with the Doctor right now. Apparently, he's messier than me. Anyway, make yourselves at home. I still have some cleaning up to do around here." As she busied herself with putting the books back in their original shelves, the duo wandered deeper into her library. Applejack herself hardly ever went down into the basement, where the library seemed to have extended. Downstairs, they find Richtofen who was currently buried in a few stacks of books along with Spike who was still busy tidying up after the Doctor.
"Good day Doctor," Takeo called out. "Will you need some assistance with your devices? Applejack and I will gladly help you."
"Oh ja, we will definitely need some muscle to lift the machinery. With the materials on hand right now, I should be able to create enough Automated Magical Turrets, or AMT, to secure the perimeter around Ponyville. Once they're set up, this quaint town will no longer have to fear the zombies!"
"That's the best news I've heard all day! So why aren't y'all getting' to it?"
"Patience, my four legged friend. I still must do more research on the magics! If we use the wrong type of spell, the AMT could easily implode, leaving a rather nasty crater in its wake. As beautiful as that would be, I don't like it when my creations does something it was not meant to do." With his task done, Spike walked towards the new arrivals to greet them.
"Sup, AJ. And you must be Takeo. A pleasure to meet you. The name's Spike." He extended one of his hands to the human, who shook it contentedly. He then led the two to the table where Richtofen was studying. They were soon joined by Twilight who had finished cleaning upstairs.
"A young dragon in the midst of ponies? Ho ho ho, Equestria truly is a wondrous place! You know, in many parts of Asia, dragons such as yourself are revered as gods and deities!"
"Oh, well I'm definitely gonna have to visit this 'Asia' sometime soon! Richtofen here has been telling me a lot about Germany. This 'Hitler' fellow he keeps speaking of sounds like a strange ruler, if you ask me."
"Ja, he was an eccentric leader. Brought Germany out of economic depression, too. Ms. Sparkle, what on earth is this spell?"
"This is a transmutation spell. Its one of the more difficult ones to master. Did you have something in mind?" The Nazi placed a finger on his chin and looked up at the ceiling. Then, realization dawned upon him as he knew what he could do with such a spell.
"The magics! I have found it!" His exclamation got everyone's attention. "Takeo, do you know what this means?"
"Er, I'm afraid I don't."
"With this transmutation spell, I should be able to recreate the Pack-a-Punch machine! Except, I can give it my own personal tweaks! In fact, I still have the blueprints memorized for it. Yes, this will be glorious! No longer will we be scrounging for ammo."
"While this sounds like good news and all, but what is a pa- uh oh. I feel a letter coming in!" Letting out a huge belch, fire emanated from Spike's mouth before forming into what appeared to be a scroll.
"It's a letter from the Princesses!" Twilight exclaimed. Wasting no time, Spike unfurled the scroll and began to read out loud.
"Dear Twilight Sparkle, I am happy to hear the news regarding the safety of Ponyville. I would love to meet these heroes you speak so highly of. Your request shall be fulfilled. Our meeting shall take place one hour from now. I hope to see you all soon. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. P.S. Captain Storm shall provide you with the ride to Canterlot. I have already sent a letter to him as well. Also Sincerely, Princess Luna."
"My, aren't we getting popular, Takeo? Well, one hour is plenty of time to get ready."
"Speaking of which, Rarity is making custom outfits for all of us. Why don't we pay her shop a visit before we leave for Canterlot?"
The city of Canterlot was home to mostly unicorns with a dash of earth ponies here and there. The only ways to access the mountainside city was via pegasus carriage or hot air balloon. Although they were Royal Pegasus Guards, they also played a role as pullers for the carriages. Usually, this would be reserved for royalty or special guests. The humans were no strangers to flying; it was the method of flight which they found rather peculiar. Despite being acquainted with pegasus ponies, they were still enthralled by their power of flight.
"Man, this is a lot smoother than an airplane, that's for sure." Dempsey said. Twilight gave him a curious look.
"What is an airplane?" she asked.
"It's a flying vehicle with wings that runs on gas and high speed propellers. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it does. I've parachuted out of one myself. Gotta admit, freefalling is the shit." Their conversation of flying and heights continued on until Canterlot came into view. The carriage descended until it landed on one of the landing strips. Everyone had filed out of the carriage and began to take in the sight around them. They had landed at the Royal Palace. The humans looked to and fro, absorbing every detail they could find. Like most of the architecture, it strongly resembled human buildings. This time, it seemed to have been inspired by European castles.
"I'll guide you to the chambers." Captain Storm said curtly. As he led the group through the long winding halls of the palace, the humans were in awe once more as they saw the interior. The sunlight shining through the stained glass windows gave off a brilliant display of colors. However, the scenery did little to reflect the mood of the Captain. "Ever since the disaster started, many ponies of different races had taken refuge in Canterlot," Storm began. "Thanks to the efforts of Princesses Celestia, Luna, and the Royal Pegasus Guards, Canterlot remains a safe haven for those more unfortunate ponies. However, times have grown more tumultuous. Attacks had become more frequent everywhere else. If every city falls, what would be the point of ruling over a dead Equestria? Although I still do not trust you humans, I fear you may be the key to our survival."
"Frankly speaking, you don't sound too happy about that fact." Takeo replied. The male pegasus remained quiet. After a few minutes of walking, Takeo caught a glimpse of Rarity, who appeared to be forlorn. She was unable to finish the outfits for everyone. Instead, at the urgings of her friends, she fixed up and cleaned their old clothing. And she seemed so sure of those suits too…
"There will always be next time, no?" He gave a small smile to her. She visibly brightened at his gesture.
"Thank you, Takeo. If only a certain someone were more like you." Thankfully, Nikolai didn't catch the hint. He continued to drink from his seemingly bottomless vodka bottle, not caring that he was about to meet the rulers of this land. After some time walking, the group finally reached a pair of elegant doors that towered far above them. Captain Storm knocked on the ornate doors three times before they swung open with an audible creak.
"We're here. I expect everypony to be on their best behavior." The red carpet that stretched out in front of them came to a halt at two thrones. Their current occupants wore expressions of infinite patience. More of the Guards remained at their side, most likely to protect them from harm. The group slowly walked up to the Princesses. Once they were at the steps, everypony bowed down to their sovereigns. The humans, however, remained standing. This elicited rage into the Captain.
"How dare you not recognize royalty! You'd best know your place, curs!" he shouted. But before anything could be done, Princess Luna raised a hoof to stop him. Begrudgingly, he stepped back, not wanting to disobey her orders.
"You may rise now," Celestia said in her motherly tone. "So, this is the ruckus that everypony's been talking about. I am Princess Celestia, and to my side is my beloved sister, Princess Luna," She nodded her head at the humans. "We've heard many a great deeds you have done for Ponyville. Allow me on Equestria's behalf to thank each and every one of you for aiding us. Would it be too much trouble for your names?"
"The name's Tank Dempsey."
"I am Nikolai Belinski."
"Takeo Masaki."
"Doctor Edward Richtofen at your service." Celestia looked to Luna and began to whisper into her ear. Their faces remained expressionless, and her voice too soft to make out any words. The sisters turned towards the humans once more.
"As much as I'd love to get know you personally, royal duties call. Instead, Princess Luna will fill in for me at my behest," The sovereign of night stood up from her throne, and beckoned the humans to follow her. "While they are talking, I wish to speak to Twilight and her friends myself." Upon their mentioning, the remaining group perked up and walked a little closer to Celestia.
"What is it you wish to speak of, Your Majesty?"
They were now outside the castle. Passing through the gardens, the humans noted that their flora and fauna were also similar to that of earth. And yet, there were also notable differences in each animal's behavior, as if they were almost sentient. Once more, all eyes were upon them as they reached an opening in the royal gardens, complete with benches. Luna sat down on one of them.
"Please, have a seat," once they were all situated comfortably, she resumed. "I know how the four of you got here. Gersch guided you to Ponyville, did he not?" This elicited a surprised response from the quartet.
"You knew Gersch," Richtofen stated. "Then that must mean we are not the first humans to set foot on Equestria."
Luna giggled. "Not exactly, Doctor Richtofen. You see, Gersch is actually a unicorn." Once again, the humans shouted out their surprise.
"Wait, hold on a minute there, toots. You mean you're saying that this Gersch was never a human, but a unicorn?" She nodded in reply to Dempsey's question.
"But that doesn't add up! In the radio messages he was clearly interacting with other human scientists. I'm quite positive that they wouldn't be so accepting of a talking pony."
"You are right, Takeo. That is why he crafted a spell to transform himself into one of you. I think it would be best if I started from the beginning, if you don't mind." The humans nodded. It was the explanation that they needed. "Gersch was the head unicorn in Canterlot's research group. He was responsible for overseeing most of the projects that the scientists were undergoing. A well respected colt amongst his peers, he was incredibly popular. Everypony enjoyed his company, even if they didn't understand what he was saying half the time. While this was all fine and dandy, Gersch had a different side to him. You see, he was undergoing a top secret project funded by the Royal family to develop certain tools. One of these tools was the Gersch Device, though its original purpose was to merely act as a teleporting catalyst for earth ponies and pegasus ponies. He even managed to open gates to other worlds with the tool. At the time, no pony believed him. But the higher ups knew better, and therefore, continued to fund his projects. It wasn't long before he discovered your world, the human world. His successful assimilation into your world was September 1, 1939."
"Ah, yes, that was the date Germany invades Poland and Slovakia, thus sparking World War 2. I was a part of the invasion, you know."
"But, something had happened to his device. There was a malfunction which prevented him from returning to Equestria. For 3 decades, he was trapped. From the reports that I've read so far, it seemed he was desperate to get back to Canterlot. Either from homesickness or from the fear of war, I cannot say. He tried everything, but magic worked differently in your world. He stayed in his human form not only out of convenience, but simply because he could not find a way to turn back into his original form. Anyway, it was the last few years where it all comes together for everypony. You see, he was nearing in completion of his Gersch Device. Though still in its development stages, it was apparent that he would be returning home soon. However, Yuri Kravcheski, who was possessed by Samantha Maxis at the time, tricked Gersch and used his own device against him."
"Sam? How do you know of her?" Doctor Richtofen's outburst was sudden, but Luna remained calm.
"I will get to that part soon, Doctor. Anyway, after being sucked into the black hole, he ended up nowhere, literally. He no longer existed, yet still held a firm grip upon reality. I suppose you could've called him a ghost at that time. It was here when I first met him in my own imprisonment on the moon."
"The moon," Takeo questioned. "How were you imprisoned there?" It was then that the humans noticed Luna's expression turned to that of sorrow.
"I was punished, by my sister. For millennia I remained there alone, until I met Sam and Gersch. The little girl told me all she knew about the four of you. Your back stories, the reasons for fighting your own zombie apocalypse, everything was divulged unto me. It was my first time ever laying eyes upon a human, let alone talking to one. Anyway, she told me that Equestria would soon fall under the same predicament as Earth. At first, I was skeptical. I mean, would you be so willing as to trust a strange creature you've never seen before? But, she showed me the evidence. She showed me Element 115."
"Impossible! That element can only be found in comets and meteors that collided upon Earth!"
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, Doctor. 115 is also located on the very same moon that I raise every night. Somehow, a piece of the moon fell upon Equestria. Even to this day, I am still trying to figure out this mystery. I suppose from there on, some ponies got a hold of the rock and began to conduct experiments on it. There was quite a bit of magical energy emanating from it, so it's safe to assume that unicorns were also behind it. There was another reason that led me to believe in the words of Sam. Gersch himself confirmed the cataclysmic terror that you see before us now. During his time on Earth, he had also run into the Element, just like you four did. This element is one of the primary sources of your alien technology, is it not?"
"Just what you see now. We have other fuel sources readily available on Earth."
"Hm, according to Gersch, you guys used it in almost everything. In any case, he spoke to me of the detrimental effects of 115. As you know, it reanimates dead cells, effectively reviving the dead. Everything would've gone smoothly had they been easy to control. But they went berserk, and killed everything. Isn't that what happened to Group 935, Doctor?" He kept his silence, not wanting to reveal too much about himself. "After he told me everything he found out, I lost contact with him. My time on the moon was up, and I had a duty to fulfill. I descended upon Equestria in the hopes that I can overtake my beloved sister, and save our beautiful world. Alas, my efforts were for naught, as I was defeated once again. But, it wasn't all bad news. After revealing everything to Princess Celestia, she began a secret campaign against the undead, before they even surfaced. It was because of this we were able to save whole cities, and prevent casualties from mounting to high numbers. Unfortunately, to this day, neither of us had found the source of Element 115 yet."
"Wait a minute; you said you knew of our arrival. But Gersch and Sam were your only connections to humans, and you lost them. I try to put two and two together, but its not adding up. Oy, all this thinking is making me thirsty."
"Well, right after you released Gersch from his prison, the device that you previously tossed at him opened the way back to Equestria, his original home. Before you arrived in Ponyville, Gersch entered Canterlot in a similar fashion. Immediately, he rushed to the Palace to inform us of your entrance."
"Now that leaves just one question; where the fuck is Gersch now?" A rather decrepit unicorn emerges from the opening in the hedges, accompanied by two of the Pegasus Guards. His mane and tail were already a dull gray, and his once brown pelt was growing lighter. The more prominent features were his horn which was abnormally long for a unicorn of his size, and his cutie mark which was a thick tome complete with a book mark. Slowly, he began to talk in his unmistakable Russian accent.
"I am here."
AN: Though it seems I'm focusing a little too much on the humans, I must make the connection at the very least plausible.