Ascend Through Darkness Chapter 6 BeLIEfs
Princess Celestia looked each and every pony in the eyes before continuing her conversation with them. All of them notably fidgeted, despite their familiarity with each other. She spoke once more, garnering their undivided attention.
"It is about the Elements of Harmony. As you know they are one of the most powerful forms of magic ever known in Equestria. At one point, I was considering unleashing its power to free us from this chaos. But alas, I believe there is no longer a need for that." This caught the gang's surprise.
"What do you mean by that, Princess?" Twilight asked. If anypony was more astonished, it would be her. The unicorn knew of the immense power that the Elements of Harmony. It easily brought Nightmare Moon to her knees, after all. But now, Princess Celestia was asking them to not use such a powerful tool? It didn't make much sense in her mind, but she had faith in her mentor. She had rule Equestria for over a millennia for a reason. Celestia smile softly at her pupil's inquiry.
"Yes, I will explain myself now. I fear time may not be on our side in this battle. All of you have witnessed the strength and intuitiveness of the humans, correct? I'll be honest with everypony here, if the humans decide to turn on us now, we will be powerless to stop them." Once more, everypony's eyes widened at her statements. However, Rainbow Dash decided to make her disdain apparent.
"How can that be possible? I mean, yeah, their technology is advanced and all, but we got the power of flight and magic on our side! With Princess Celestia and Princess Luna with us, those humans wouldn't even THINK of doing something fishy!" The alicorn shook her head in a way a mother would at her child's silly suggestions.
"Applejack, you have witnessed the marksmanship of Takeo, have you not?" At the mention of her name, the earth pony slightly jumped.
"Golly, you mean when he took down them flying varmints? I do recall not hearing as many shots when compared to the other times he fired."
"Do you see where I am going with this, Rainbow Dash? Even with the greater speed and mobility of the pegasus ponies, the humans' reaction time and aiming will be far too quick. They'll just pick off everypony from the sky, as horrible as that sounds. Though I am not entirely sure how effective magic would be, it will still be grueling." The rainbow pegasus's shoulders slunk, now knowing her key advantage would prove useless against them. "In any case, the reason I do not want you girls to use the Elements is because of them. If they were to witness such incredible power, I am quite positive they will try and take it for themselves. I may be no expert on the subject of humans, but from what I could gather from Gersch's reports, it seems that their specialty revolves around war, treachery, and killing. These are all things Equestria has not seen for quite some time. Especially on a global scale like this."
"So what will you have us do, Your Majesty?" Rarity questioned.
"Are you familiar with the saying, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend?' From what we've seen so far, the humans are opposed to these zombies. Open support is apparent between us and them. As long as we can keep them on our side, we have no reason to fear betrayal of them. In other words, the Elements of Harmony will not be needed, for we have powerful allies and their technology on our side."
"Are ya tryin' to say we let them do most of the dirty work? I mean, I do appreciate their help and all, but it just don't seem right." Celestia momentarily turned her head away from the gang, almost ashamed at what she was about to say.
"No matter how you rephrase it, nothing will make it sound righteous. Even with magic, our forces dwindle. The moment this battle for survival becomes a war of attrition, all will be lost. In Equestria's weakened state, the casualties will mount to substantial numbers. We were just simply not ready for this. This is why Equestria is in dire need of them, of their technology. As ruler, it is in my best interest to keep everypony safe from harm, likewise with our fair lands. If it means laying my life on the line, then so be it."
"You are so focused on your duties as a ruler that you begin to neglect your own personal safety. Nasty habits are hard to kick, eh sister?" Everypony turned to Princess Luna, who was leaning against the opening which led to the gardens.
"I take it they've finally met Gersch?" The mare of the night walked towards her throne and sat down upon it.
"That's correct, and it appears they are working on a strategy to help save Equestria as well. For now, all we can do is wait."
"As I was saying, the humans will be the main force, being on the frontlines. We will provide support to them in any way we can. We want to keep our casualties to a minimum. The more needless deaths there are the less chance we have of surviving this catastrophe. Though it may sound underhooved, this is the best way to go about it. I hope you can at least see where I am coming from with this."
"Though we may not have your centuries of knowledge or experience, we will support your ways. If anything, there's always a good reason for your actions. Right girls?" They all shouted and raised a hoof in the air in approval. Celestia's happy demeanor returned after seeing this display.
"Thank you, girls. Now, I am sure you are all tired from the day's work. My guards will guide you to your chambers. And don't worry about Ponyville; I sent reinforcements. Rest up, for tonight will be very busy." Once the group left, Celestia let out a sigh she was unaware of holding in.
"Something wrong, sis?"
"How did this happen? Even with our combined strength, it was not enough to protect our land. Luna, where did we go wrong?"
"Are you truly Celestia? The sister that I admire and love would never wallow in pity, especially during dire times such as now! What has gotten into you?" Celestia couldn't help but smile at her little sister's banter. It was one of the quirks that only Luna would reveal to family.
"Sorry for worrying you like that. I just hope that we did the right thing in trusting these humans."
"They could easily work on their manners, but their heart's in the right place. However, we must look out for that Doctor Richtofen. We mustn't allow him too much access to our magical tomes."
"Did Sam warn you about him?"
"In a sense, Richtofen was the one that started it all. No, not just Richtofen, it was Group 935 that was also responsible."
"And they're all dead. But we cannot kill him outright. Though he is evil, we are facing something far more sinister today."
"Let us bide our time for now Celestia. We'd better go over the files to see if we didn't overlook anything."
Rarity had never been inside the Royal Palace before. It was one of her dreams as a filly to visit such a magnificent place. The unicorn had lived the dream, but it was somewhat down trodden by the events that have been happening so far. As she drifted from hallway to hallway, Celestia's words haunted her thoughts. Before this mess, underhooved and Celestia would never be in the same sentence. But now, it seemed to her that the times are changing. For better or worse, she could not say. Rarity could only imagine how Twilight must be handling all of this. With concern overwhelming her, the unicorn walked faster through the corridors to Twilight's chambers. By asking a few guards for directions, she was able to find her room with relative ease. Hesitantly, she knocked a few times before waiting for a response.
"Who is it?" came a soft reply.
"Its me, Rarity." The shuffling of hoofsteps could be heard before the door opened. Twilight ushered her friend in before closing the door behind her.
"What's up? Do you need a tour of the place?"
"No, that's not it. I wish to speak to you about Princess Celestia." Twilight's ears lowered as did her eyelids. She was upset, just as Rarity predicted.
"Oh, I see. Is it about-"
"Yes, it is. If anything, I believe it is you who wishes to speak about her." The girls moved onto the bed, which was more than capable of supporting both of them. The soft downy feel of the bed felt marvelous against Rarity's form, but she wasn't paying attention to that.
"This isn't the Celestia that I remembered. She was kind and benevolent; she would never stoop to such levels! The Princess would even go as far as protecting the humans, despite them not being of this world. So, why? Why would she do this? I can't even begin to fathom the reason behind these unjust actions!" Out of frustration, she pounded her forelegs against the bed.
"Now dear, you said so yourself. Princess Celestia has knowledge and experience beyond our comprehension. I dare say she is at least a millennia older than all of us combined! You just need to place more faith in her actions, Twilight."
"I know, but I hate being left in the dark! If I were to assess the situation properly, I would need all the data first. But, no matter what I've deduced so far, I can't come to a conclusion!"
"Are you sure you haven't come to a conclusion yet? Or do you simply want to find the 'best' result?" Twilight raised her eyebrow, a little offended by what her friend had just said.
"What are you getting at, Rarity?" The white unicorn placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder, attempting to reassure her that she meant no ill will.
"Sometimes, you have to face the ugly facts. Not everypony can see the world through rose tinted glass. Optimism is fine, but one must remain practical in their line of thought. What Princess Celestia is doing right now may not be morally correct right now, but the end may justify the means. Twilight, whatever you do, do not lose sight of your friends and loved ones. Otherwise, you may find yourself alone and distraught."
"Thank you for your words, Rarity. I know I shouldn't get all bent out of shape because of this. I mean, we've got more pressing issues to deal with, right?"
"Correct, darling! Lives are at stake and we cannot afford to remain idle for too long. Why don't we go see if our human friends have come up with a plan yet?"
"Good idea. Perhaps they've got something in mind by now. Let's get everypony else before we leave."
"Doctor Richtofen, these blueprints are ingenious! We can begin mass producing your AMTs right now. However, the other machines will require more than just magic and metal."
"You don't mean 115, do you? I doubt we can find enough of the element to power up the Pack-a-Punch machine completely."
"That's the unfortunate truth. Until we find more of the element, we will have to put most of your inventions on hold."
"So, what's the good news, docs?"
"Well, Dempsey, I should be able to get all the studious unicorns to help manufacture the turrets. We've enough resources to afford production without hurting the economy too much as well. In other words, we can have Ponyville well protected in less than 2 days."
"Whoa, that sounds like plenty of reason to drink! Too bad alcohol is weak here."
"Those turrets will buy us plenty of time, that's for sure. But what of other places, Gersch? Surely, Ponyville and Canterlot aren't the only ones under attack."
"That is correct, Takeo. Fillydelphia is on the verge of extinction. Cloudsdale seems to be faring well thanks to their natural defenses. Manehattan has reported few attacks, but its only going to get worse for them if nothing is done. In any case, if we manage to deploy those AMTs and set a defensive perimeter around each city, it should be enough to finish the job."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, my fellow genius. We have to ensure that my turrets are foolproof. We must create a few prototypes, experiment with some of the magics, and see which materials go with what. Ponyville will be our testing grounds, seeing that its close with plenty of targets to shoot at."
"For sake of simplicity, we'll use basic spells for the ammunition. As for the materials, you cannot go wrong with Canterlot steel. Because of the environment, our steel is naturally enchanted with magical properties. We shouldn't have to worry about malfunctions there."
"Excellent! You can go on and take those blueprints to the unicorns. We'll gather everyone and tell them of the plans." The elder unicorn levitated the plans into his satchel before making his departure.
"I still cannot believe comrade Gersch was a unicorn all this time. This revelation drives me to drink."
"Hmph, what doesn't drive you to drink? You'll sip that poison on any occasion!"
"Damn straight, Takeo! There is no such thing as no occasion for drink."
"I know you guys ain't from America, but did anyone catch that 'Manhattan' reference? Or am I the only one here?"
"We don't have time to dilly dally here! We must inform the ponies of our plans so that we may deal death to the minions!"
"Richtofen's right. Why don't we send Takeo to get the ladies? I'm sure his 'honor' will guide him through this castle! Hah ha!"
"Yeah, we'll meet up with everybody at the throne room once Tak's done. You'd better hustle!" Before Takeo could even respond, all three of them had pushed him out of the war room. Sighing dejectedly, he shambled slowly through the corridors in an attempt to find the ponies. Once more, thoughts raced around his head in regards to recent events.
"I still cannot believe that Gersch was a pony all along. His device truly is otherworldly! But that would mean the Nazis came very close to completing their teleporters. Who knows what happened to the world in the 20 years that we were gone? Seeing that Gersch was around since the beginning of World War II, he had plenty of time to get back home. But why did it take him so long if he already had the blueprints to his device? Something just doesn't add up. Perhaps I should talk to him about that soon. Then again, in a sense, he knows more about our world than we do. Those two decades must've been vital if Russia was overrun with zombies. I do hope Japan is faring well…"
"Howdy, Tak. Watcha doin' hangin' around these hallways?"
"Oh, greetings, Applejack-san. I was on my way to gather everyone. We've come up with a plan to save Equestria!" The earth pony visibly beamed at the good news.
"No kiddin'! Well what are we just standin' around here fer? Let's get to it!" With a little more force than intended, she pushed Takeo towards the opposite direction. "Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are this way. They should still be in their rooms."
"Ha ha, settle down! I walk on two legs, you know."
"Then I'll race ya! C'mon, I know you're faster than ya let on."
"Challenge accepted! This will be a race you cannot win." At the same time, the duo dashed off to determine the victor.
"Ya sure know how to run yer mouth, I'll give ya that!"
"That may be so, but I shall come ahead as the victor!" As they rounded the corner, they spotted Fluttershy who was walking towards them. Letting out a surprised squeak, the pegasus had little time to get out of the way.
"Whoa, watch out!"
"Shimata!*" Applejack weaved her body so as to not crash into the shy mare while Takeo dove right over her. They both skidded to a halt as Fluttershy recovered from her shock.
"Oh my, I didn't mean to get in the way," she spoke softly as she approached the duo. "I'm so sorry. No pony was injured, I hope."
"Nonsense, Fluttershy! We were just lookin' fer the gang, is all."
"Oh, well, I'll tag along, that is, if you don't mind."
"Of course we don't mind. Uh, Fluttershy was it? Anyway, the more the merrier." She slightly blushed at his acceptance.
"You're not as bad as Nikolai made you out to be. Eep, I didn't mean that!" Takeo could only smirk at the bashful antics of Fluttershy. How could such a delicate creature survive all of this?
"Its alright. I understand where you're coming from. But if there's one thing to keep in mind, its this. Take Nikolai's words with a grain of salt. Who knows how much alcohol has influenced his way of thinking."
"I suppose you're right. Oh my goodness! You're bleeding!" They stopped to look at the spot where the injury was. She was pointing at his shoulder where the blood had seeped through the clothing.
"Don't worry about it. Just a flesh wound." However, Fluttershy wasn't paying attention as she hovered in the air to get a better look at the wound.
"Ya know, that's mighty deep for a 'flesh' wound. We'd better get that healed up as soon as possible."
"Applejack's right. Just let me help you, Takeo." Grumbling under his breath, he allowed the pegasus to inspect the damage. "Um, if you don't mind taking off your clothing…" He sighed dejectedly, knowing full well that Fluttershy was just too meek to finish the sentence. Nonetheless, he obliged, revealing his well toned body to the girls.
"Somehow, this feels incredibly inappropriate." He felt the soft touch of hooves as Fluttershy continued her diagnosis. Gently, she stroked the wounds that littered his body, both new and old. It was a gruesome sight for the sensitive pegasus. She couldn't help but tear up.
"Oh, you poor thing," she said in between sobs. "How long have you been suffering like this?"
"Hmph, what you call 'suffering' I deem honor. These are battle scars which remind me of my past triumphs." He abruptly stood up and donned his shirt once more, as if he were almost ashamed of revealing his body to them.
"Y'all got it rough back home, dontcha?"
"Between a world at war and a zombie crisis, I think 'rough' is an understatement. Truth be told, I would rather spend the rest of my life here, in Equestria."
"Well, we'd welcome y'all with open hooves, just to let ya know. Isn't that right, Fluttershy?"
"Um, yes, absolutely."
"Your impulse for kindness truly warms my heart. But, I'll think of the future when our present dilemma is over with. For now, let's just focus on-"
"Hiiiiiii!" Suddenly, some sort of pink entity jumped at Takeo, who instinctively held out his arms to catch it.
"Well, wouldja look at that? We're already halfway through just by standin' here!"
"Hey, Applejack! Hey, Fluttershy! Hey, Taco!" The girls waved back while Takeo did a double take.
"My name isn't 'Taco.' Its Takeo. You're off by one letter." He poked Pinkie Pie in the belly which elicited a giggle.
"Oops, hee hee! But that would've been a funny name!"
"Yes, funny indeed. Can we just move on now and get the rest of the ladies?"
"Couldn't agree with ya more, partner."
"Taco, did I ever tell you about the time we threw this humongous party for Twilight when she first came to Ponyville? Oh, it was so awesome! Everypony was having a blast which made me feel all bubbly and stuff and-"
"Ugh…"
After gathering all the ponies, Takeo and the gang now find themselves before the throne room once more. Thankfully, Pinkie Pie was no longer cradled in his arms. Instead, a napping Rainbow Dash found a nice comfortable spot on top of his head. She claimed it was to make up for disturbing her nap on what was possibly the best bed she will ever sleep on. Though he minded at first, Takeo began to appreciate Dash's silence save for a soft snore. Though these were ponies he was dealing with, he must remain a gentleman. After all, he was in the presence of six ladies. He rapped at the door before they slowly swung open. Within the throne room were the Princesses, Captain Storm, Gersch, Dempsey, Nikolai, and Richtofen.
"Wake up, Dash. We're here." Takeo softly tapped at the pegasus's side. Groggily, she gets off of the human, albeit at a really slow pace.
"Man, I was having an awesome dream too."
"I see you're quite the gentleman, Takeo." Princess Celestia beamed.
"It's a custom for honorable warriors to also be gentle with ladies of society."
"That is very noble of you. Now that everyone has gathered, our tacticians will be filling us in on their strategies. You may want to get comfortable, girls. This could take a while." She motioned for the ponies to take the vacant seats next to her. Hesitantly (except for Pinkie Pie, of course), they all situated themselves on the chairs. "Gersch, you may begin." After clearing his throat, he walked towards the center to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, our first priority is to ensure the safety of Ponyville. With the arrival of the humans, this would be a simple job. However, things will be made simpler with Doctor Richtofen's AMTs. For those who don't know, it stands for Automated Magical Turrets. What does means is that once these turrets are activated, they will shoot at any zombie that comes within range. Now, the range itself is quite large. It is capable of picking off any zombie within 45 foot radius. Its rate of fire is also notable. I won't bore you with the details of the mechanism, but what we must do is place a few of these AMTs at each main entrance. As for Sweet Apple Acres, we'll have to be a little smarter about placement. Place them in areas where they'll be most effective, but make sure that no apple tree gets in the crossfire. If all goes well, Ponyville will be the most secured town in Equestria."
"And if things do not go well?" Rainbow Dash questioned.
"We can't afford any mistakes at this point. If the turrets go haywire, it will leave a nasty crater in its wake. That is why I have my personal team of unicorns heading the production of the AMTs. Once they prove to be flawless, we'll mass produce them and distribute them to other cities. From there on, we can find the source of this crisis and put an end to it without worrying about the lives of everypony."
"If I may, what are the chances that these AMTs will not self-destruct?" Twilight asked.
"While these AMTs can be capable of firing any spell, there is very little chance that it will malfunction on the simple magic spells. However, as negligible as it is, we cannot ignore the possibility. So, I want everyone on guard. By tomorrow morning, we should be able to make enough for Ponyville. Then, we will see if technology will live up to our expectations." Everyone began to talk amongst themselves as Gersch walked back to his seat. They immediately silenced themselves when Princess Luna took the board.
"Simple and practical. We've no need for something convoluted. Our tacticians have outdone themselves. If something unexpected should come up, we'll be flexible enough to handle the situation. Now then, we should all get some rest. Captain Storm and I will reside in Ponyville, should there be a night attack. We'll meet once more in the morrow. Until then, farewell."
*Shimata (she-ma-ta) Japanese for shit, or other appropriate outbursts.
AN: Hm, doesn't the title of this chapter look suspicious? Now, next chapter will have more action! Yay!