A Thousand Son in Equestria, part 26 (Light up the night.)

>The Warp spits you and your pony friends out on the outskirts of the Everfree, not far from a certain yellow pegasus' cottage.
>You stumble as you leave it. You're tired. Hurling around that much power in that short of a time was taxing, even to you.
>Pinkie notices immediately and puts a hoof on your leg, as if she's trying to help you up.
>"Alrighty, Anon, what's the game plan?"
"We split up."
>Luna frowns at you.
>"Dear Anonymous, splitting the party has, in my experience, NEVER been a good idea."
"Princess, we have too many things to do and too few hands, err...hooves, to do them with. So here's what we do."
>You crouch low, the way you once did with your brothers, with Gebta and Soteck and the others before a battle.
"Princess, among us, you are the most durable and the most capable. You must provide a diversion. Draw the Eldar away from the ponies. Clear the airways so that the Autarch may arrive with his Nightwing without his own people shooting it down."
>She nods assent.
"Trixie, you're playing fetch."
>"Buh?"
"You need to go to our house. Get my bolter and my blade."
>"Anon, you already have a-"
"The sword I took from the Knight is not for cutting. Just trust me."
>You turn and look at Pinkie. Your closest friend. The pony who understood you.
"Pinkie. You're with me. We're getting our friends out. And we're getting Derpy."
>Pinkie's grin splits her face as you address the ponies as a whole.
"Nop0ny dies tonight. We are not here to kill. We are here to save and protect. We reconvene at Ponyville's town square. Go."
>Luna dissolves into mist as Trixie teleports away, leaving you and Pinkie alone.


>Pinkie looks up at you immediately, and you recognize the slightly manic gleam in her grin.
>You aren't the only one who's suffered from too much time away from friends.
>"Sooo....Anon, when you say nop0ny dies, that doesn't apply to Eldar, right?"
"Pinkie, I meant no being, Eldar or pony, dies tonight. We can't become bogged down in slaughter. We have to save our friends."
>She twitches and squirms a bit under your gaze, and you start walking towards Fluttershy's cottage.
>"Anon...I, they, you know what they did!? Is it so wrong to just hurt em for it? They're jerks, and-"
"Pinkie. Did you forget our talk so soon?"
>She scowls in a very un-Pinkie-like manner.
>"I didn't forget a word, Anon. I didn't forget a single word, even when they stormed into Sugarcube Corner and took the Cakes away. I remembered, and I kept to it. I was going to listen to them and go along, be peaceful and quiet, like Flutters would have, ya know?"
"What happened?"
>Pinkie is no longer smiling.
>"They tried to take Pound and Pumpkin away."
"The children?"
>"Yes."
>You already knew how the story must have ended.
"I repeat, none of them die tonight. You're better than that, Pinkie. All of you are better than that."
>That takes her a back for a second, a confused grimace replacing her scowl.
>"What do you mean?"
"Your kind lives in peace and harmony with the world. You come back for each other, you keep each other safe. Humanity no longer places any value on the life of an individual. Do not become like us."
>"Anon-"
"Pinkie Promise me."
>She gives you a sad smile.
>"Pinkie Promise. Now let's go get Flutters!"


>Why you agreed to this, you will never understand.
>You are currently crouched in a particularly large bush outside of Fluttershy's cottage, staring at five Eldar Guardians as they patrol around the house.
>They are tense and on edge, and you can hear them scowl at each other in their minds and with their mouths.
>Pinkie's next to you, and you're sure the only reason that the pair of you havn't been spotted is because her poofy pink mane looks like more foilage in the dark.
>She insisted that if you didn't want to use violence, that you let her come up with the plan for getting Fluttershy out safely.
>You are regretting that action.
"I can just teleport us aga-"
>"Sssssshhhhh, Anon. You're tired already, I can tell. Just sit back and watch your good pal Pinkie Pie work her magic! I gotta think of the right way to do this..."
>Her whispering is a little too loud, and you notice the Eldar glancing towards the pair of you.
"Pinkie...."
>"The welcome song outta do it!"
>Without further ado, the pink party mare hops out of the bush into the path of five Eldar Guardians.
>And she's got some sort of contraption with he-
>Is that confetti?
>"~Welcome, welcome, welcome, a fine welcome to you!"
>The Eldar are as almost as stumped as you are as the Pink mare dances around her box.
>A smile slips onto your face. That was the Pinkie you knew. The dancing, smiling, happy Pinkie. And by Fate, that's the Pinkie that would remain foreverafter as long as you had a say in the matter.
>As Pinkie continues dancing and singing to the mystified Eldar, you roll your way out of the bush and circle around, slipping inside Fluttershy's cottage as they stare at the party pony.
>It is dark and smells faintly of animals.
>You are likely to be assaulted by a rabbit.


>Speak of the daemon and it shall appear!
>A fusillade of carrots bounce off your helmet as you enter the cottage, and you scowl in irritation as vegetables slam against your head.
>Then come the pots and pans.
>You shut the door behind you and reach out with your mind, lifting a single white bunny up to eye level.
"We meet again, vermin."
>It's little black eyes glare at you defiantly.
>You hear a startled 'eep' from the darkness of the cottage, and you train your eyes on a bundle of cloth near the couch.
"Fluttershy?"
>"A...Anon? That's...that's impossible...they..."
>Her voice trails off into utterances so quiet your enhanced hearing can't pick them up.
>You get closer to the shivering bundle of covers until you spot the pegasus staring up at you in fear.
"Fluttershy...Fluttershy it's okay. I'm here. I'm out. I need your help. We need to save your friends."
>She whimpers.
>"Oh, Anon...is that you, really? You're safe...I'm so glad. But I can't...I can't help Anon."
"What!?"
>Your surprise prevents you from lowering your voice, but luckily the Eldar are too busy receiving cake to hear you.
>"Anon...I can't help you. I'm just...too weak. Too cowardly."
"Fluttershy, I saw you stare down your own RULER to help me. You've tried to drug me numerous times. Other ASTARTES aren't brave enough to try that."
>She whimpers a little bit more, but at least she's moved out of the covers.
>"But I abandoned you, Anon! When they sent you away, I couldn't do anything but scream and run. I was so scared...Anon. I couldn't help you when you needed it....how can I help now?"
>She's crying now, hiding behind her hair in shame.
"Fluttershy, that's no-"
>Something crashes through the window.


>You whirl around in surprise as Fluttershy lets out a shocked cry.
>A cry that grows into a scream as she beholds what came through the window.
>A monster, soulless and dead, rises from the shattered glass that it burst through to get to you.
>Skin, the pelt of bears and manticores, cloaks it like a shroud or a cloak of bleeding flesh.
>Beneath that skin is gleaming black metal and soulless green glowing energy. Talons, dripping with blood, rise as the monster open's it's skull like maw and releases a metallic hiss.
>You know what this beast is.
>Necron.
>And the prospect of them arriving on this world fills your soul with terror.
>The Flayed One flexes the servos in it's legs and leaps at you, talons already out and flashing.
>You dodge backwards, grunting as those talons slice through ceramite like a blade through butter and draw blood.
>You draw on the Warp and hurl a sphere of crackling warp energy at the beast, knocking it backwards with a hole in it's chest the size of a football.
>A hole that swiftly begins to close up as the living metal of it's body flows to repair it.
>It advances again, and you grunt in pain as it opens up another slice on your arm.
>You hurl blast after blast at the xenos, growling in frustration as it's wounds close.
>And it's so warp-damned FAST! It dodges and leaps around your warp blasts, hissing and roaring at you as it slices at your skin.
>You dare not trust the daemon blade here. Not yet. You are armed only with your sorcery, and that's running low.
"Fluttershy!"
>You shout to her desperately, struggling to avoid another talon.
"Fluttershy, help me!"
>You spot a blur of white as Angel leaps to your aid, kicking the Flayed One in the shin.
>And you watch as the Flayed One snatches him up in it's talons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm1r294qQrk
>You continue to watch, as the Flayed One calmly, almost casually, runs it's talons over the rabbit's flesh as it struggles.
>And then slides those talons into the bunny's body.
>"ANGEL!"
>Fluttershy rises, terror and anger rising in her voice as the Flayed One tortures her bunny.
>Even as the pegasus is rising, the Necron runs Angel through one finger, lifting the bunny to it's mechanical mouth, as if it is trying to guzzle the blood running from the still white form.
>"You......you...MONSTER!"
>Fluttershy shouts as she rises higher, drawing the attention of the Necron horror.
>It hisses at her and drops the bunny, leaping at her even as you hurl another warp blast into it's stomach.
>The blast makes the creature recoil, and Fluttershy dives at it, her eyes glaring at it's glowing green orbs.
>The mechanical horror is held fast in her gaze, even as soulless and mindless as it is.
>Her Will crushes it in her anger.
>"HOW DARE YOU HURT HIM! HE WAS SMALL AND CUTE AND WEAK! HE WAS JUST A BUNNY, AND YOU'RE A BIG, MEAN MONSTER!"
>She roars at him with more vehemence than you have ever heard from the yellow pegasus, and the Flayed One remains motionless during the tirade.
>"You DISGUST ME."
>Her rage grows to truly horrifying levels, reaching you even in the Warp.
>And that's when the first hoof lashes out. And the second. And the third.
>She beats at the entrapped Necron's head with her hooves, screaming at it.
>It takes a long time for a butter yellow Pegasus to beat a Necron to death.
>Necrodermis heals quite quickly.
>But there are limits to even what it can withstand.


>Eventually, the beating stops, as Fluttershy drops chairs, tables, kitchen utensils, and settles on using the frozen Necron's own talons.
>She grasps it's arm in her hooves, still staring at the frozen xenos machine.
>"I'm sorry to say, mister Monster, that this is going to hurt."
>Then she lifts up it's hand and rams it's talons into it's metal forehead.
>The Flayed One phases out.
>And Fluttershy collapses.
>You move to her side as she begins crying, bawling her eyes out for Angel, for what she did.
>"Anon! Oh Anon it was horrible! Horrible! Why would it do that!? Why would anything do that to Angel!? He was so sweet!"
>No he wasn't, but you keep that thought to yourself.
>You keep quiet and stay there for her as she weeps.
>Eventually, the tears dry up, and that cold Glare returns as she looks where the Necron vanished.
>"Anon?"
"Yes, Fluttershy?"
>"I'm going to help you. I don't want that to ever happen again. I'm not going to let being afraid stop me from keeping the ones I love safe."
>She pushes herself free of you, gathering Angel's fallen form.
>"I'm....I'm going to go..."
>She starts crying again.
"Ssshhh, sssshhh Fluttershy. I know. I'll be outside."
>You leave the pegasus to her friend, walking outside the cottage, where Pinkie's still entertaining the Eldar.
>They're taking turns playing her in a game of tic-tac-toe.
>They don't even glance at you as you walk up. That might explain why a Necron was able to crash through a window without them noticing.


>You watch as the Guardian playing Pinkie currently cries out in frustration, giving up as it's companions laugh at it.
>You clear your throat.
>Pinkie looks up at you, smiling.
>"Hi Anon! Are you done with Fluttershy? What was all that crashing and bashing and noise?"
>The Guardians glance at you once, before doing a double take.
>Then they start cursing and stumbling over themselves to ready their weapons.
>"A mon'keigh!? Here!? How is this poss-"
>Pinkie interrupts the panicking Eldar.
>"It's okay guys. He's my friend!"
>The Eldar calm themselves immediately as you stare at Pinkie, dumbfounded.
"Pinkie...what? How?"
>"Anon, I can make friends with anyp0ny!"
"But you said...."
>"ANYP0NY."
>She trots closer to you, whispering.
>"They aren't....that bad once you get to know em. A little dense, and mostly confused, really full of themselves. But they're following orders, really. Now what happened to Fluttershy?"
>You tell her about the Necron.
>Pinkie's ears drop, and she looks at the cottage, frowning.
"Leave her too it, Pinkie. Fluttershy has to come through this herself."
>The pair of you wait for a few minutes while the Eldar stare at you in shock and worry.
>Eventually, Fluttershy emerges from her cottage.
>Pinkie doesn't say a word, but wraps her friend in a hug that manages to pull a sad smile from the Pegasus.
>Then she looks at you.
>"So where to now, Anon?"
"Sweet Apple Acres."
>Pinkie and Fluttershy fall in behind you as the three of you move out, leaving the confused, but friendly, Eldar outside the cottage playing tic-tac-toe.


>Pinkie Pie talks animatedly to Fluttershy as the three of you walk, trying to keep her spirits up.
>Fluttershy is holding up remarkably well. You realize you're proud of her.
>But you're running out of time.
"Fluttershy, have you seen Derpy anywhere since I've been...missing?"
>She glances up at you, sad.
>"No Anon, I'm sorry. Nop0ny's seen Derpy since the Eldar came. Maybe Rainbow Dash or Applejack know something."
>You hope they do.
>The thought of Derpy being...being lost makes your chest feel uncomfortably tight.
>You had not parted on good terms. You had been too blunt.
>The three of you make your way into Sweet Apple Acres under the deep cover of night, Luna's magic keeping the night sky in place as she flies over Ponyville, harassing the Eldar.
>Immediately, you spot a crackling bonfire, and five of your favorite ponies gathered around it in the field.
>Three of them smell you coming.
>"ANON!?"
>"IZZAT YOU!?"
>"YOU'RE OKAY!"
>Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo tackle you in a horrendously painful daemon hug.
"Can't....breathe..."
>There's a blur of rainbow light as Dash hugs you as well.
"Not...helping...."


>You hear giggling as Pinkie and Fluttershy laugh at your predicament, then a third voice as Applejack joins you.
>"Awright girls, let 'im down."
>The Crusaders giggle and let you go, before shrinking down into their normal shapes.
"Thank you, Applejack. They might have cr-"
>Applejack envelops your leg in a hug of your own, and you smile, before embracing her yourself.
>"We thought you was dead, Anon! Dontchu ever scare us like that again, ya hear?"
"Never again, AJ. I promise. Pinkie promise, even. I'm glad you all found me so quick. We've got trouble."
>"Ah know. Twilight's still missin', and Rarity's gone nuts! Those Eldar are all over Ponyville! They don't bother us as much since thar boss came down, but they're still a nuisance."
>She leads you all to the bonfire, and you take a seat on a log.
"That's part of why I'm here, AJ. I need you all. I need your help. We need to get Twilight back. We need the Elements. The Farseer's unleashed something....something horrible. And your...weapons might be able to stop it."
>Rainbow scoffs.
>"Good luck with getting Rarity then. She's abandoned all of us to go live it up with those pointy eared freaks!"
"I already know about Rarity. And I think I know how to fix her. I just need your help getting into Ponyville. I need to get Rarity, and I need to find Derpy."
>"Derpy?"
"Have you seen her, Rainbow? Do you know where she is?"
>Rainbow frowns sadly at you.
>"I...I'm not sure, Anon. She's been missing a while."


>You feel fury rise in you, but you're rational enough not to direct your anger at Rainbow.
>She was simply the messenger.
>You feel your anger harden into resolve as you stare into the bonfire.
"New plan."
>Pinkie looks up at you, surprised at the anger in your voice.
"Pinkie, I want you to find and p0nynap Rarity. She wont' want to come along at first. It's not her fault. There's something wrong with her head. I can fix it while we travel. But I won't be with you all at first."
>Applejack stares at you in confusion.
>"Then where are you goin?"
"I'm going to find Derpy."
>They all give you silent, pitying looks, until Rainbow Dash speaks up, carefully.
>"Anon....she's been gone for a long time....I wouldn't...."
>You turn and stare at Rainbow until she falls silent.
"I'm going to find Derpy. Head to Town Square when you find Rarity."
>Pinkie gives you a sad salute.
>"Okie dokie lokie, Anon. Good luck!"
>You don't reply, riding your anger into the Warp as you teleport to Ponyville.
>An alley, near your house. You didn't know where Derpy lived, but you could find her.
>You extend your senses into the Warp.


>You feel the minds of ponies, of Eldar, the massive constructs that house their souls.
>You reach out until you can feel the lives of the mice in the streets, the lifeforce of the blades of grass.
>You feel everything.
>Except for one spot. One house.
>A gaping hole in your extended awareness, sticking out like a missing tooth.
>That's where she was. That's where she had to be.
>You start running.
>A few Eldar spot you, but you don't care.
>You fling them aside and keep running.
>She was alive. She had to be alive. You wouldn't be able to NOT-sense her if she was dead, right?
>Right?
>That's the mantra you repeat in your head as you charge through the streets towards the house.
>By the time you reach it, you're too frantic to use the door.
>Instead you crash through the wall.
"DERPY!"
>You hear a shocked gasp as an orange pony mare turns towards you.
>An orange pony in the robes of Lyra's deranged cult.


>"What are y-"
>For the briefest of moments, you forget that you had ordered nonviolence.
>You forget that you had promised to do this entire operation with sublety, to keep the Eldar army off your back.
>You roar and grab the mare, lifting her and slamming her into the wall.
>She gasps in agony as your Astartes strength cracks a few of her ribs, and you lean your helmet in to her shocked face.
"WHERE IS SHE?'
>"P...please....hurts...."
"WHERE IS DERPY HOOVES? WHAT DID YOU DO?"
>The mare gasps in agony.
>"Only....keeping her.....safe....Seer ordered..."
"WHERE?"
>"....Bedroom...had to keep.....safe...."
>You drop her, ignoring the gasping mare as you dash towards the back room.
>You feel the headache building steadily as you approach, and you embrace it.
>You tear open the door, panicking.
>And you spot Derpy, still and quiet on her bed.
>Straps keep her tied down, unable to move, unable to leave, as she stares at the ceiling with dead eyes.
>You move to her, and her eyes turn to look at you, widening in shock.
>"A-Anon?"

 Music:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkYfHxW9zZU
>She's alive.
>Elation fills you as you move to her, cutting the straps free and embracing her.
"You're okay....praise Tzeentch, you're okay."
>Her hooves move to the back of your head as she hugs you back.
>"I...I thought you were dead. Carrot Top said...the Eldar..."
>The pair of you fall silent for a moment, just enjoying each other's embrace, glad that you're both safe.
>Then she speaks up, giving a sad chuckle.
>"Doesn't this....doesn't this hurt?"
"It's agony."
>"Then why..."
"Because it's worth it."
>She stiffens, then hugs you a bit tighter.
"I'm sorry, Derpy. I shouldn't...I should have explained better, should have...."
>She silences you with a tap to your helmet.
>She's smiling.
>"None of that. We can....you can explain better later. For now, let's get out of here."
>She gives you one more hug, before hopping out of the bed.
>She hovers past you to the door, before turning around.
>"Oh...and Anon? You can call me Ditzy Doo."
>The smile she gives you makes you smile yourself.
>And then you worry about it's implications.
>And then you decide you don't give a fuck.
"Come on then, Miss Ditzy Doo. Let's get out of here."


>She smiles as you get to your feet, and the pair of you trot out into the anteroom.
>Right into Carrot Top and a squad of Eldar Guardians.
>Who back away from Derpy as if she were the living embodiment of the plague.
>"Return to your living quarters, beast! You are in contact with a mon'keigh, an act prohibited by-"
>"I don't care."
>Ditzy Doo is smiling at the Eldar and her former friend, and you walk up beside her, ignoring the pain as the pair of you advance.
>The Eldar back away from Ditzy's aura, shuddering in pain as they get close to it.
>Carrot Top resists.
>"Derpy, what are you doing!? You're hurting the Eldar, our leaders, our mast-"
>She reaches out, giving her friend a hug.
>"I know you aren't yourself right now, Carrot. When Anon and I get back, we'll fix you up."
>You reach down and pluck Carrot up as Ditzy lets go of her.
"But for now, I think it's best if you get out of the way."
>You set her down behind you, gently. Don't want to kill Ditzy's friend, after all.
>Then you punch the closest Eldar in the face.
>Hiding and running around is over.
>You and Derpy charge at the retreating Eldar, her mere presence sending them running, while your fists set them to flee as you make your way toward Ponyville's center.


>Your punches and Derpy's hooves see the pair of you safely to the town square, where the rest of your friends await.
>Trixie's fiddling with your Bolter and the others are busy helping Applejack tie Rarity up with a bundle of rope.
>They gasp when they see you, and run up to embrace you and Derpy, glad to see you're both okay.
>Even Trixie has a go at a hug, but she swiftly pulls back, gasping.
>You hear the rumbling engines of the Autaruch's Nightwing craft as it lowers itself to the stone and opens wide to usher you and the ponies aboard.
>It's time to get out of here.
>You shout into the night sky, projecting your voice across Ponyville's darkness.
"Luna! Come on!"
>The night mare dives out of the night sky, chased by bright lance fire and splinter rounds.
>"Your Princess hath arrived hale and whole, Anonymous. Where do we go now?"
>The other ponies look at you, the question written clear on their faces as they file onto the ship.
"We take the fight to Farseer. Autarch, take us up. Lead us to your brother."
>The xenos warlord does not reply, instead lifting his ship off the ground and burning a trail through the night sky.
>Save the Princess
>Save your friend.
>Kill Farseer.

Necron Lord's Perspective
Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NACWZBDtN8

>You watch the impure spawn of the Old Ones writhe as your Cryptek's machine comes into it's full potential.
>Soon, you will finish opening the Bridge, and Imotekh himself will come to cleanse this world in fire and blood.
>Your people will, at last, be able to burn the last of the Old Ones accursed works.
>The mongrel creature speaks again.
>"He's....he's coming, you know. We can feel it. Twilight...and I....we can sense it....he'll stop you. You don't stand a chance."
>It was impressive that it still retained the ability to speak.
"You are incorrect."
>"He's...he's fought worse...than you.."
>You trigger the machine again, and the white creature howls in agony.
"If by 'he' you are referring to the primitive ape that so terrifies the Eldar, he is already dead."
>You turn your back on the white creature, staring into the night sky.
>Your advanced mind begins to calculate.
"You see...Celestia, was it? My people have long hoped for a chance to destroy this world. We have developed many tools, many schemes, to ensure it's devestation."
>You trigger a signal to your Warriors, and they march, spreading out among the castle and aiming their gauss flayers at the sky.
"One of them was this."
>Another trigger, and the night sky grows even darker, midnight against midnight, the sky lit up with eldritch green lightning as you summon the Storm.
>"The....the other?" Celestia grunts.
>You would smile if you could.
"The Pariah Gene."


>Celestia gasps, whether in pain or confusion, you are unsure. And you find you do not care.
>So stupid, these creatures of flesh.
>The abominations left behind by the Old Ones.
>Always full of hope and fire, unwilling or unable to believe that they could be predicted.
>That they had patterns.
>That those patters could be tracked, calculated, and countered.
>Your mechanical eyes watch as the Nightwing Eldar craft approaches, a distant star on the horizon.
>Your mind keeps calculating as you casually lift your arm to face the approaching craft.
>You follow it as it dips low to skim the treeline of the Forest this ruin sits in.
>Your wrist unfolds and expands, two barbs growing out of the living metal as you ready one of your greatest weapons.
>A hum builds in the air as you align the weapon just right....
>And then green light fills the air as you fire the Tachyon Arrow right at the Nightwing.

Anonymous' perspective
music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpSHC1dqX1o

>The night was dark. Unaturally so.
>Even your advanced eyes couldn't see anything through the darkness.
>But that didn't matter. All that mattered was stopping Farseer. You didn't need to see to kill.
>You'd make it so that he could never hurt anyp0ny ever again.
>So he could never hurt Derpy ever again.
>You look out over the expanse of the Forest as Pinkie starts twitching beside you.
>"MY EYES ARE ROLLING MY EYES ARE ROLLING!"
"Wha-"
>"MOVE THE SHIP! MOVE IT!"
>Your eyes spot a swiftly glowing light coming from the ruined castle ahead.
>The Autarch sees it coming as well, and rolls the ship to the right.
>The Tachyon arrow still tears through the Nightwing's body, ripping a wing off the wraithbone craft as it tears it's way through the air. The near miss sends the arrow traveling over miles of clear air, until it finally embeds itself in a mountainside and shears the stone giant in half.
>Fluttershy screams, and the Eldar curses.
>"Brace yourselves, we're going down!"
>Fire and rage fills you as the ship begins to list and plummet.
>It will not end here. Not under this unnatural night.
>A spark kindles.
>Green streaks pierce the darkness as Gauss flayers begin to fire up at your descending craft.
>The fire burns.
>You roar in defiance from your crashing ship, and then...
>Then you light up the night.
>You fill the sky with fire.