Thread 105: Stories 61-75

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OOCO
>SA
"AJ"
~~~~

>Huh. Not going in a costume this year?

"Oh, no, Ah' gotta costume on."

>...I repeat, if it's a stupid 'invisible costume', I will fuck you up. Hard.

"Haw, nahhhh. Ah'm goin' as a mare who got thrust inta' a world she don't know or understand, it's all strange and a whole lotta responsibility gets thrust on her shoulders, pushin' her down and makin' her feel like the whole world is cavin' in sometimes. She's gonna face a cacklin', black garbed foe who wants what she's got and loves her some green, in addition ta' havin' a whole buncha flyin', wile minions at her beck and call despite bein' objectively terrible with 'em. She mostly is opposed by a white, shinin' beacon of goodness in the land, but it seems fer' some reason Ah' gotta be the one ta' fight her now, and gotta use mah' friends ta' face off against impossible odds from that fire-spittin' ninny."

>...

"...Ah'm Dorothy!"

>Well duh, you were pretty specific, Applejack. Just, you know, farmer, wearing farm cloths...

"Ah see the confusion."

>Fits you perfect for some reason.

"Don't it just?"

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OoCO
>AJ
"Pinkie"
~~~~
*Knock knock*
>Ah'm not going to get into mah costume at this rate.
Opens

"Nightmare Night what a fright give us something sweet bite!"

>Aren't you too old for this?

"Don't be silly you'll never be too old for nightmare night...I mean look at princess Luna!"

>...that's because it's her holiday...sort of. Ah really don't think it was-

"Less talking more sweets!"

>Alright alright here you go.
Puts an apple in Pinkie's bag. Pinkie has a brief twitch in her eye, but continues smiling with a full set of teeth.

"Thanks...for the delicious apple...on nightmare night."

>Well Ah'm glad you're able to appreciate it.
SLAM

"...watch yourself when you sleep tonight."

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OOCO
>Chitania
"13"
'Kids'
~~~~

'Nightmare Night, what a fright-'

>GRAAHHHHHH!

'AHHHHHHHHHHH!'

ZOOM!

"...Candy, mom. CANDY!"

>I thought tonight was about scaring ponies?

"Well, yes, but not... you're not supposed to..."

>...

"...Damn it."

'Nightmare Night, what a-'

>GRAHHHHHHH!

'AHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

>...I like this holiday...

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OOCO
>Chrysalis
"Changelings"
~~~~~~

>Those fools... those fools! They want to charge us fifteen bits a pop for costumes, do they!? Wellll, they've underestimated us! Do you know what we're going to do instead?

"Ask for a bulk rate and stimulate the economy that way?"

>AHHHAHAHHA! NO! Instead, we're going to use... OUR POWERS!

FWOOSH!

>AHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAH! AHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

"...So is this you in character? If so, spot on Mane-Iac impression... if not I am afraid."

>AHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAH! GIVE US THE GREAAAATEST COSTUMES... TO HAVE EVER BEEEEN!

FWOOOSH!

>AHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHHH!

"GOD I LOVE BEING A CHANGELING!"

"...This feels unfair."

>Quiet, you!

"Yesmm..."


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OOCO
>Discord
"Big Mac"
~~~~~

>Oh myyy, a holiday where you all pretend to be someone else? How adorable! How quaint! And what are you supposed to be, hmm? A masked killer? A stalker on the loose? Some terrible reference to a movie? Please, as if you would ever actually scare anyone with a suit and tie. Come now, Big Mac, let's see what you've really got! What are you?

"Ah'm an accountant."

>...

"And Ah' am noticin' a lotta unaccounted for expenses and possessions, mister Discord. Now, Ah'm just a simple southern lawyer with a very simple degree, but iffin' Ah'm readin' this right, ya'll owe a lotta backtaxes."

>Er... w-well, it's not like you can do anything about it!

"Nope... but Ah'm bettin' Fluttershy could."

>YOU WOULDN'T!

"Now, are ya' gonna start playin' fair?"

>YOU MONSTER!

"Good, cause ya'll have ta' file earnin's for the last year or so... Hope ya' gotta comfy chair, cause consider yer'self audited."

>No... no! NOOOOO! NOT FILING LEGAL PAPERWORK! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

"Eeeyup."

>YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!

BLAM!

"....Some folks just take this holiday too seriously."

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OOCO
>SA
"Cadence"
'Chrysalis'
[18]
{42}
^2^
~Celestia~
(Spitfire)
~~~~~~

>Alright, ladies. Lay it on the table.

"BAM! Six pounds of pure candy!"

'HAH! You would think that was impressive. BLAMO!'

[Wow, who'd you have to offer 'favors' to for that much?]

'HAH!'

{...My bag is small. They uh... they kept slamming the door in fear.}

"...We're gonna egg some houses."

>I love it when you get protective...

~Not to worry, Forty Two, I'll share.~

Whup!

~I'm certainly not short.~

(HOLY CRACKERS it's as big as my head!)

'HAX! I call hax!'

~Hacking what?~

'HAXING IS ALL!'

>Hey, wait a minute... if you're here.. and you're here... and you and you and so on-

(Did you just fucking "And so on" me!?)

>...Wheeere's...

BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!

^ALRIGHT! ANNNND.. DROP IT!^

CRASH
CRUNCH!

^NAILED IT!^

"M-my table..."

>Uh, honey? Where... where did you get all this? I didn't know this much candy existed... in Equestria.

^Big old white lady with red hair gave it ta' me! She said "You're the only one I like" and then BOOM!^

>How odd...

~...fuckyoutoomom.~

"What?"

~NOTHING!~

[...So we're diving into that, right?]

>Oh heck yeah.

^CANON BALLLLLLLLLL!^

'I LOVE THIS HOLIDAY!'

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OOCO
>SA
"Chrysalis"
'Cadence'
[18]
{42}
^2^
~Celestia~
(Spitfire)
~~~~~

>Ooooo... okay, sound off, all present?

"Uggghhhh."

'Eeeee'

[S-stomaaach.]

{Regreeeet}

^Bess holiday evrrrrr.^

~This is a normal day for me when my cakes arrive!~

(I'll never fly again.)

>I see. So, we're all in agreement then, go easy on the candy next year?

"'[{(~^...HAH!

>Yeeeah, that's what I thought.

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>Cadence
"???"
~~~~~

She had lied before.

Well, only partly. She had certainly had plans tonight, long ones, ones that would have taken up the entire night. That had been the truth.

What hadn't been the truth was that she couldn't cancel them. She could have, quite easily, it wouldn't have taken more than a second. She could have.

She just didn't want to... but she had. Only a minute ago.

Just not for the reasons they would have liked.

She and Shiny almost never went out on dates anymore, and that was hardly from his lack of trying. She was always busy with this or that, keeping her looks good, or just trying to control her public image. The biggest concern, of course, was that she would be spotted out on a date with Shiny, and some visiting dignitary would show up and notice she was also somehow at the castle.

Shining, many a time, had said he was all for Eighteen revealing how much work she did. He had made it perfectly clear he could not care less what the public would think. It was only Eighteen's insistence that kept it silent.

Which is good... because she didn't want it revealed either.

So selfish of her, she knew. It could not be more selfish, to be honest. To think she deserved the credit lavished upon her everytime she went out...

But she was one who treasured how she looked to others. She was one who treasured being able to bring light and joy into their lives. This was what she was destined to do. Bring them joy, bring them happiness, bring them a life without concern and full of love. That is what she was meant to do.

So when the prospect that she would be unable to do that anymore, that they would look to her without deep trust or belief, came... she shied away from it. She hoped, as terrible as it was, that nobody would ever learn the truth.

That they would always look to her as the princess of love... and not something else.

Something... less.

That was why, a mere two minutes ago, it had hit her that she did not know if Eighteen was in disguise or not. She had planned for this, even given up going on another one of the dates she had come to love for it, but the instant the prospect of being seen in two places at once hit her, she had hidden away.

She was hiding, here in her own castle. Funny, she thought... it was much like how Eighteen had lived up to this point as well.

She supposed it was her time to hide in the shadows, for once.

She would do it, too. She would accept it, she would remain.

She would not-

"Well now... and here I thought you had plans."

>GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Her magic was in her horn before she could even think, and out it before she had even realized it was there.

"HOLY FUCK CADDY!"

At the prospect of her surpriser still being quite alive, her brain switched off entirely and she found herself tackling the thing with all she had.

And biting.

"OW OW OW OW OWWnnnnnnngh! A-ah!"

If there was one thing that could make her let go in a time like that, it was that noise.

That was an unsettling noise.

>...Chrysalis.

The shocked Queen on her back beneath her didn't respond verbally. Feeling that instead, the look of noncomprehending shock and the way her hooves curled up to her chest said everything that needed said.

>Hi, how are you?

"...So we just pretending that didn't happen?"

>I thought you'd be out today, didn't you say you had something to do with Twilight?

"Because... uh... I think I kinda liked-"

>Was there something you needed?

A single eyebrow rose up, and her head tilted.

"... Did you have something on your mind?"

>Yes, sneaking up on someone is very rude.

"Really."

>It is!"

"Really."

>Very much so!

"...Really."

The Pink Princess's eyes went shifty, and her hooves started to rub together.

>Is there something you needed?

"...Why exactly you're on my chest would be a great start."

The instant, the absolute instant she noticed her position, she leapt up with an "EEP!"

It was only slightly disappointing to the Queen for some reason.

>S-sorry for um... biting you. That was, uh, not intentional.

The Queen rubbed that spot on her neck, one that strangely did not really hurt at all. It felt... pleasant, almost.

"Uh huh... did you want to talk about it?"

>Talk about what?

"..."

>...You'll have to clarify.

"...'

>I really don't know what you mean.

"..."

>Anytime now.

"..."

>You can either say it or leave.

"..."

>JUST SAY IT!

"...is something wrong?"

>...

She slumped, her wingtips touched the ground...

>...no, there's nothing wrong... and... I think that's what's wrong...

And, for once in her life...

The Queen just listened.

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OOCO
>SA
"AJ"
'Celestia'
~???~
~~~~

>...O-oh dear mercy...

"It's... it's so..."

'My eyes... MY EYYYYES!'

>This is a place of EVIL!

"What were we thinking!? WHAT WERE WE THINKING!?"

'Desperation, Applejack, Desperation.'

"Screw it, Ah've gotta hose! Nothing is worth bein' in here! NOTHING!'

>WHY IS THIS EVIL IN MY HOOOME!?

~HEY! The heck are you guys doing in my bathroom!?~

"...Wait, this is actually a bathroom, not a beauty product storage warehouse?"

~HA! HA! HA! Very funny! Now would you all mind!? It's almost six o' clock, I've got to start getting ready for tomorrow morning!~

"...How do ya'll put up with her?"

~Well I'm sorry some of us actually put in the effort to look presentable enough that we attract someone other than a teenager of another species and someone looking for novelty of 'country life'! But maybe if you tried it once, you'd actually manage to get Twenty Nine to want you!~

>OHHHHH!

'NO YOU DI-INT!'

"...Shiny, hold mah hat."

>Oh, uh, sure, why-

"GET OVER HERE!"

'APPLEJACK NO-'

~BRING IT!~

ZAP POW BAM!

'Oh no! Someone should stop this!'

>Yeah... someone...

'...Shiny?'

>...sooomeone...

~"GONNA TEAR YOU APART!"~

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~~~~~~~~

"How interesting."

His voice was like fire, hot in the ears of those all around him, searing into their skulls like steam poured against their heads. He had found many an interesting thing on his short travel here, taken his sweet time, as he had found he loved to do. To see things slowly had let him drink it all in, on a level he never had before. Before, it had been of flashes. Glimpses into things more interesting than his present state as the worlds passed by, never allowed to truly appreciate it.

But now, he had been given that chance, a time to sit back and admire the view he had been denied before. The one of white and the sun had said that this place held something he would find most interesting, and he was determined to find it. For, while he had seen many a unique landscapes on his path, he found that they were, comparatively, not quite as interesting as what he had been seeing before. Many empty paths, swaths of land with little more than the funny creatures he no doubt loved, but nothing to catch his singular eye of flame. Nothing to make him stop and truly marvel at what had been.

When the castle became visible in the horizon, he hoped, perhaps even wished if he was being so bold, that at last, something truly remarkable and interesting would appear.

When the world beneath him began to shake, he wondered, he hoped, he had been answered.

He was not disappointed.

"ALL SYSTEMS ENGAGED!"

Beneath the being of fire and magic, beneath the dirt of the earth itself, a pair of gryphons could only watch in awe as everything came to life in a brilliant display of magic and light. Numbers they could not possibly comprehend, humming of power that tingled them to their feathers base, all bathed them in a pleasant glow in the slightly cramped room they, several milling technicians of various races, and of course their industrious 'ally' were residing within.

It had begun.

The shriek of metal was like a cry for blood as the world beneath the unearthly being seemed to split open wide. The ground, in unnaturally perfect lines, parted before him, opening like a door to the endless that held the answers he sought.

A hiss of steam and ozone lifted into the air, rolling in waves that seemed to mingle with his own as it did so. Matching him, one would say, as silly as that would seem.

But perhaps, not as silly as it seemed. Not when a glimmering tower of shining metal and glowing lines rose with it atop a platform of metal.

It seemed he had summoned something with his presence.

Wings of shimmering steel spread outwards, cascading gusts of wind that rolled out in every direction and cleared away that which had sought to hide its majesty. Talons so sharp they could cut through mountains. A beak as strong as the refined ore from which it had been forged, and eyes blazing with power and regal might as they locked in on him like a hawk to prey. They stood, as equals in height. Titans of magic... and titan of steel.

A gryphon, much like he had seen many a time as he traveled here, one of machine, and magic, had come to challenge him.

"Now that... is very... very interesting."

Within the depths of that metal menace, the one at it's helm could not help but smile.

"Metal Deer Hawk, ONLINE!"

Shockwaves rippled out in ever direction as the final power couplings within made connection, magic and energy rushing to every limb within the frame, carried along by wires like veins from the beating core that was this things heart.

There was no fear within the one of fire and otherworldly power. No, instead...

He had never been more curious in his life.

"And what might you be, little one?"

The gryphons within failed to stifle a shake as he began to close the gap, his power cackling around him without thought, changing the landscape to molten lava, to barren winters, and everything in between. Subconscious magic rippled through the metal beneath them, sending cold heat up through their limbs like electric shocks. Against such magic, even one completely without any intent it seemed, they felt fear.

"Are... are you sure this thing even stands a chance?"

Idris, King of the Gryphons, commander of one of the largest armies on the planet, wielder of political and personal might, at last... felt fear.

Pennydrop, a mere earth pony, with no magic or powers to call her own... only smiled.

Smiled, and pressed a single button before her.

"You are Lavan, correct?"

Loudspeakers rang out so loudly, those within could swear that even the congregation they had left behind could hear it clearly. It rumbled, shaking the trees and plants below with the booming, commanding voice of the mare. This was no mere question, this was a demand.

One that brought only a confused glance to the creature.

"...Does that really need clarifying?"

"Yes."

"Oh... well, alright. I am."

The machine facsimile rose, as if emboldened by this affirmation, rising up even further with it's considerable, towering height.

"And why are you here?"

"Is that not obvious as well?"

"I would just like it for the record, is all."

"I see... the white pony of the sun said something interesting was this way, and I wanted to see it."

Within the cocoon of metal, there had never been a louder gasp of indignity, and horror.

"He had better not mean..."

A single hoof shushed them. A gesture, that was all it took to silence the royals.

A single gesture from the smirking mare.

"So, Celestia sent you? For something... interesting? Well..."

As if to display all that it held, talons spread wide, letting the sun gleam off of the shining chest it thrust forwards.

"In all the land of the gryphons, you will find nothing as interesting as the thing you see before you. This is the very peak of what you will find here."

The two behind her were only a little indignant to such a claim.

Only a little.

"That is the most interesting thing I've seen thus far... is this really as interesting as it gets?"

It was chilling, the way she smiled. Even if he could not see it, the way his eye moved and followed her... it was like he knew.

"By. Far."

"...Very well. Would you mind showing me what it can do?"

Within, staff and royal alike tensed up at the obvious challenge, felt the first flecks of true apprehension to their choice to stand within this monster as it faced a bigger, perhaps endlessly more deadly monster. They had placed their lives within it's metal talons, and they knew not how strong was it's claws.

They did not... but one of them certainly did.

"It would be my pleasure."

All within let out the same cry of fear as they suddenly jerked forwards, racing atop spike treaded wheels that shredded the earth beneath them as it recklessly charged forwards with everything it had.

"What are you doing you fool!?"

The kings words fell on hollow ears as they narrowed in, like a missile in the shape of machine. The one at the helm merely cackled with glee, and slammed down on a glowing blue button within her reach.

"THUNDERSTRIKE, ENGAGE!"

Magical electricity crackled all around her machines massive form, like a wrapping of thin strips of lightning to cover her tightly and hugging her close like a loving grip. It flared, whipped and slashed through the air like blades, seeking to cut down any in it's way.

Yet when it reached the seemingly incorporeal form of the being, it was as if it had struck an invisible wall.

"Impressive!"

Lightning danced within the cockpit, backfire from the endless strips of white that clashed against a wall none could see, treads on its feet spinning uselessly as it tried to advance forwards to no avail. The thing before her not only seemed unbothered... it seemed elated.

"Will you stop you fool! It's not working!"

She did not. She could not.

She only pressed forwards.

And pressed another button.

"ARCTIC FREEZE ENGAGE!"

The beak upon the thing clattered open like a broken lid, a thin barrel emerging from it's gullet and out between razor sharp edges. Chilling, white magic formed at the very tip, bringing with it cascades of white along its sides that scattered every which way to lay upon the ground.

Even behind shields upon shields of metal, they felt the chill when it was unleashed.

A chill they chased away with a warmth they had never felt before, when their eyes watched it break through that seemingly impassable barrier, and reach the very depths of the living flames.

"Very interesting!"

Their stomachs were replaced with ice far colder when it exploded within him, and he merely turned blue. His flames, as they had always, raged without a care.

"What do we do now!?"

Strangely, there was no fear in the voice of the Queen as there had been within her husband. No, instead it was merely a question, asked in desperation.

"Oh, come on... we've barely even started."

Another button slammed down, another weapon brought to bare.

From along the metal back, rows upon rows of steel plating pulled away. Humming filled the air as from within every gap it left behind, there emerged a single twirling disk. Runes danced upon their tops as they were launched forwards, mechanisms beneath the metal flinging them out and around the being from beyond.

They came to a sudden stop, as if frozen in time, before beginning to spin again. All around him, they spun. All around him, they gathered their power.

All around him, they exploded.

Even those as far out as the congregation cried out in pain when their eyes were filled with light. Even those as far out as the castle could feel the rolling waves that came in the hot wind.

Even those as powerful as the royals who ruled this land grew silent as they watched the cloud of smoke roll into the sky.

"Did... did we get him?"

"Don't be stupid."

Indeed, as predicted, the smoke cleared enough to show the being within was unharmed.

If anything, he was more excited.

"Then what was the point of that!?"

"When you want to bring a building to the ground, you don't blow up the top."

More and more the smoke cleared, and more and more she smiled.

"You take away it's foundation."

As if he had heard her, impossible though that may seem, the single eye rolled downwards, towards the ground.

Or, rather, where the ground used to be.

Now, he stood on nothing but air.

"Now what?"

"Now?"

The shield, the thing holding back the beast of metal, was gone. Proven, quite definitively, when the entire body of the metal beast lunged forwards, and closed its talons around it's burning frame.

"Did you think these wings were just for show?"

Roaring metal clashed against itself as more panels fell away from the back of the metal monstrosity, rolling off in shining waves to reveal massive cylinders within. Talons shined as they dug further into the strangely corporeal fire, holding on for all they were worth.

Fire, as bright as those given off by the being from the stars, came alight upon it's back. Heat, unbearable heat, rolled down in waves that distorted the very nature of the world all around, that caused the fauna and flora below to become nothing more than patches of black ash within seconds. Every drop of power was poured into it, every scrap of energy they could spare. Every bit, all towards bringing that thing to the sky.

He did not move an inch.

"It's not working... it's not working!"

Even with no ground to stand on, none at all, it would not move an inch. It was as if the ground had never existed at all, and it merely lived in this space and time, nothing more. Gravity, solid mass and state of being were all... optional.

Be it from the heat or something else, at last a single line of sweat was rolling down Pennydrop's brow.

"Pennydrop... tell me you have something else?"

She did.

"Hold on... this is going to get weird."

She flicked open a shielded switch, marked with enough warning labels and danger signs to worry even the most brazen of beings. It was with an uncharacteristic reluctance she reached out, and with an unseen hesitation that she brought flicked the switch.

The panel right between the eyes of the gryphon of steel parted, a tiny hole no bigger than a pony being revealed. From it, like a miniature horn, a rocket emerged from it's darkened depths.

Yet, it did not seek the being of flame when it roared to life. Instead, it fired up, directly into the sky, and exploded.

Color, beyond comprehension and perception lit up above them, color so grand and so wild it was like seeing into a rainbow's birth. Color and sound and sensation, altogether in the sky.

"WHAT IS THIS!?"

His voice had slipped, gone back into that same booming, thunderous rumble it had been when he had first arrived, gone away from the careful control he had created to speak with things that he found most interesting. His single eye had gone wide, his hovering mouth gnashing it's teeth together in biting chomps, and to the horrors of all those around, it formed a single arm of molten flame, with which it used to reach up and fire upon the thing in the sky.

What sounded like bike horns honking out loudly was his only response as his power clashed with it, encompassed it and burned it away. The sound repeated, distorted and shifted, until it was no more.

"...Oh... it was only chaos. You managed to contain some chaos... that is very interesting-"

Lavan had seen many interesting things, had witnessed a veritable world of things that he had never known and had never seen. He never ceased to find things that always caught his attention, but never once had he been surprised.

Never, until in his relief, his concentration slipped, and for just the single instant of a second, the single blink of an eye, he was within this world. Wholly, and fully.

In that one instant, he had been taken to the sky.

"YES!"

It had been a massive gamble, using that. It was still unstable, unusable in most every situation. She could not direct or control the chaos, she could not even hold it for long, or be sure of what it would do. It was something that could just as easily kill her and all she had as it could turn her icecream into jello. To use the leftover chaos her team had contained was madness.

But it seemed, for once, it had paid off...

The gryphons assembled watched in awe as their doppelganger of metal rose to the sky, watched with slack jaws and wide eyes as they carried the being of fire to the clouds above, and beyond.

"I hope you have a plan here!"

One and all, they were pressed to the walls, the pressure of their liftoff from the magical flight crushing their innards as they rose higher and higher. Only one, Pennydrop, remained strapped to her seat.

Only she was grinning.

Even when, at last, the pressure left, the flight ended, and both herself and the being of fire reached the sky and separated, she kept grinning.

"Fire.... EVERYTHIIIIIING!"

Her glee was palpable, infectious as it was wild and joyous. True to her words, a hundred rockets and barrels and disks and other weapons of destruction emerged from the metal thing until it resembled a porcupine more than a gryphon. One and all they emerged.

One and all, they fired.

Below, they had to shield their eyes and ears as massive devastation was wrought in the sky, as massive plumes of fire and flame and ice and lightning and telekinetic force and wind and even simple spears of steel and iron and diamond launched with everything they had into the being of fire above. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was spared. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was held back.

"Charge... MAIN... CANNON!"

Nothing.

Just as it had been in the battle of Fillydelphia, a barrel split the mechanical spine of the machine. A barrel so long, so wide, it reached from neckbase to the tip of it's tail. It rose, shining in the light, as it aimed for the center of the mass of elemental remains, and the faint flickers of fire within.

"FIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRREEEEE!"

The world went silent for a single, eerie second as the last of it's magic was gathered in the tip of the barrel, before becoming a deafening roar with the power that rolled from the barrel and into the beast above.

It landed, powerful and true, and forced the being to the ground. It shoved it with unspeakable magic, pushed it down to the earth below, and erupted.

Down... To the land just beyond the grasp of the gryphons.

A wall of magic, so high it could reach the tip of Canterlot castle, rose up, sent out waves in every direction...

And was silent.

"Did... did you kill it?"

He was shaking, the once proud gryphon king. Shaking with fear, shaking with awe, shaking simply from being rattled to his very core by the shockwaves let out.

Shaking with the metal beneath his claws when the machine came to a ungraceful, sudden drop just on the edge of the gryphon land. Inside, every single monitor had gone dim, the hum that had filled their ears much lower, and dull. Metal groaned as weight seemed to suddenly be put upon it, but it remained standing. Strong. Prideful.

Even when, from the crater as massive as a lake they had made, the being of fire emerged. It remained.

"...very interesting."

So too, did Lavan remain. Not a scrap of damage, not a lick of pain. He remained.

"Well, I hope you got your fill, Lavan, because this show is over! I think you've seen enough, haven't you? So why don't you go back to your 'white sun pony' and tell her all about what you just saw today, I'm sure she'll find it very interesting!"

He hovered there, just beyond the reach of the gryphon land, just outside, just barely. He was still, his single eye contemplative and thoughtful as it looked over the machine with a calculating, curious eye.

"...Yes, that does sound good. This was very interesting, thank you for showing me. I don't think anything in there would be this interesting."

Without a single bit of self-awareness or seemingly any thought put into the grander scheme of his words, he nodded. It was simplicity itself, to him. He had sought out something interesting, gotten it and quite a lot of it, there probably wasn't anything more interesting inside and now he was going back. That was all that was on the mind of one of the most powerful beings to ever be, no worries of bravado or politics. None.

They all breathed relief when he turned around, and seemed to be walking away.

It only made them all jump ever higher when he suddenly started, and turned around. They could not be sure, of course, but somehow... he seemed to look right at Pennydrop.

Directly into her, her very soul even.

"...oh! Before I forget... that thing... it didn't work out so well for me. Better luck to you!"

With that cryptic, chipper call, his work was done.

With that, he finished turning around, and started off.

They watched, every single step and second they watched, as he moved further and further away. Further, and further, and further. Until, at last... they could see his fire no more.

"Scanners are clear, ma'am."

At last... he was gone.

"...We did it..."

The Queen's voice was that of awe, of wonder, of sheer, boundless joy.

"We did it..."

She did not hide it as tears came down, rolling on the edge of her cheeks.

"We... we did it... he didn't take them..."

Her husband, beak clenched too tightly to speak from seeing her in such a state, merely wrapped his talons around her shoulders, and held her close.

"He didn't take a one of them... we saved them this time... we did it..."

Shaking... she held him back.

"WE DID IT!"

The crew, boundless in their own joy, let out whooping rancorous cries of joy and all but danced at their stations. They could not hold it, could not help it, they let out cries of happiness like they had never done before.

They had done it.

They had saved the Kingdom, every one.

"Save the party, everyone... you're going to be needing it in a second."

With what little power remained, she turned her massive beast around, and she marched.

She marched, and marched, back to where this had all began. She marched to them, and opened her ramp. Together, herself and the royals all three marched down that ramp, right up to the gathering of the most powerful gryphons in the world. The gathering of the peoples far and wide. The gathering of the greatest this land had to offer.

All of them, every one, on their knees and bowed before them.

All, save one.

"...You... you did it..."

The Seer still spoke with an unearthly, strange voice. A voice so unlike what she had spoken with before. Light, strange light, danced behind her eyes.

"...how..."

And then it was gone. The light, all of it, gone.

Leaving only Seer, looking at the three standing proud atop their being of metal, their defiance to the gods.

"..all hail..."

Her voice was low, quiet at first. Unheard by most, at the start.

Only when her chest puffed out with a gasp of surprise, did the call go out loud enough for all to hear.

"ALL HAIL, THE HOUSE OF AF GRYPHONIA! RULERS OF THE GRYPHON KINGDOM!"

As one, a being of perfect unison, the gryphons spoke.

"HAIL!"

It was plain, from the look in the Seer's eyes, that things were not as they should be, things were not right.

But there was nothing to be done.

They... no...

"...She won..."

Tears once more welled up in the royals eyes as they looked to their subjects, their family, every one of them safe, every one of them protected... by their new ally.

They could not see her, so focused on their subjects. They could not see the mare below, smiling.

Smiling, as she looked to all of the gryphons bowed before her, all of them with heads hung low in respect.

All of them... pointed to her.

This, she knew... is how it should be.

"We will not forget this, Pennydrop."

No, she thought only to herself... they wouldn't

She would make sure of that.

They chanted aloud, "HAIL AF GRYPHONIA!"

All she heard was... "Hail, Pennydrop."

She had arrived to where she belonged, at last.

First stop, the kingdoms.

Next... the gods themselves will fall.

"Let the celebrations, BEGIN!"

It was going to be one she would never forget.

~~~~~~~~~

"Well, we here at Fawntaine Futuristics hope that was a satisfactory demonstration as to what we can bring to your kingdoms and lands!"

It was the same line, spoken a dozen times on a dozen different airships by a dozen different voices, all to dozens of different individuals.

From far and wide, be they Saddle Arabian, Yak, Minotaur or Diamond Dog, it was the same line. Spoken to them by one of their own race in a sickly sweet, charismatic voice unmatched by any politician.

The airships had been clear of the battle, of course, and of course hidden from each other so as to make it seem this 'demonstration' was special, just for their most important client. Or as it had been said, an 'experimental run', just to prepare for the off chance this did not go as planned.

It was a worry for nothing, it seemed. To say their representatives had been impressed was nothing less than an understatement completely insulting in nature.

Questions flew fast and free, of course. How had they got the materials? What was this thing made of? What was powering it?

Of course, they remained tight lipped on 'company secrets', for it would be unwise to say all metal came from carefully controlled Fawntaine mines, it would be worrying to say it was made of a special polymer blend that was... quite dangerous to make. And, of course... they could not reveal that for the Metal Deer alone, it had taken months of draining over a thousand unicorns almost daily, just to show what they had seen. Letting them know the limitations was simply... bad marketing.

None of this revealed, no questions answered.

Instead, only a single question was asked instead.

"Would you like to place your order now?"

Trepidation to such a absurdly high number as was requested, nay, demanded was to be expected.

"Wouldn't want to get... left behind, after all."

An instant collapse was every bit as expected, and the contracts were signed without a second thought.

With every touch of a pen to paper, it changed.

The world, once more...

Had changed.

"Welcome to the Family of Fawntaine Futuristics! The future has come!"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MEANWHILE
>AJ
"Changelings"
'Sunset'
~~~~

>Really!? Ya'll seriously wanna go eat ice cream!?

"We deserve a treat!"

>Well gaddang, wranglin' all o' you is gonna be a pain.

'Oh, come on, it's not a big deal.'

>Name one thing happenin' right now that's bigger.

'...Ehhh, fair enough.'

"So... ice cream?"

"""""ICE CREAAAM!"""""""

>Dang what a headache...

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OMAKE!
>Pennydrop
"Gwen"
'???'
~~~~~~

"Don't be such a stickler, Pennydrop, it's a party! Have a little fun!"

>...welllll... I suppoooooosee...

~~~~~~

>Ugh... my... head... what happened last night?

'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.'

>...King Idris?

'Hi.'

>Erm... are we in bed together?

'Yes.'

>Ah... and did we...

'...'

>...Is your wife, uh, going to cut my head off?

'Let's ask her. Gwen?'

"OH HAWK IT ALL WENT SO WRONG!"

'That's a no.'

>...Kickass.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OMAKE
>Flash
"Fizzle"
~~~

>...So they're gonna remember us now, right? With all this emphasis on PD?

"No."

>...not even gonna try to dream?

"DREAMS ARE FOR THE WEAK

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OoCO
>SSpoon
"DT"
'42'
[77]
{Spike}
+PJ+
~~~~
>What a haul!

"You were a beast, Spoon. Just kept moving to door after door."

>Gotta be fast if you want the good stuff.

'Ugh, I don't want to see candy right now. I had a lot.'

[You kids want some of mine? We still have a lot left over. I suspect our place was too scary for the kids...damn demons.]

>"Sure!"

'Anypony know if Spike went out?'
*CRASH*

{Back off PJ! This is mine!}

+Mrmph mng mrmgn!+

{I don't care if you missed out. You see me sleeping on this pile of candy? It means it's mine.}

+Mmmph mrmphg mrmrmph.+

Everyone's eyes open wide.
"Ooooooh!!!"

'Wow PJ.'

[Hohoho she went there.]

{...fine. You want some of this candy? Come at me brah! I'm on a sugar high right now. Try and take-}
PJ zips into Spike hitting him into a wall.

"'[Fight fight fight!]'"
SS sneaks some of Spike's candy into her bag and bites a chocolate bar watching the fight, smiling.

>Always know when to strike when the opportunity comes.

The potato falls out of PJ's mouth after Spike bites the top of her head.
+OWHAHAHAOW! Get him him off get him off!+
She flails Spike around like he was a piranha out of water. SS takes another bite of the chocolate.

>...This is a fun club.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OMAKE!
>29
"Luna"
~~~~~~

VRRRRRR!

>AHHHHHH!

"AHAHAHHA!"

SHHHRRKK!

>OH GOD MY LEEEGGGG!

"Now doth thou understand?"

>UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU CUT MY DAMN LEG OFF!

"The message!"

>WHAT MESSAGE!?

"That it's nightmare night... AHAHHA!"

>...that was yesterday you stupid bi-AHHHHHHHHH

"EVERY NIGHT IS NIGHTMARE NIGHT TO ME!"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________