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x by Olibird
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>You are pain.
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>You are loneliness.
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>You are Nightmare Moon, and you have been abandoned on your moon by your sister for centuries.
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>At first, you raged from end to end across its barren surface.
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>When it dried up, you focused on escape.
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>You filled entire lunar seas with incantations and arcane formulae designed to ferry you back to Equestria.
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>In your darker moments…they were designed to bring about your end.
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>Nothing worked.
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>In the end, you realized your only option was to wait until Celestia would allow you to return.
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>Four hundred years ago, you realized that rescue will never come.
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>You will remain here, alone, for all of eternity.
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>It is, and always was, your destiny.
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>Once you accepted it, your mind grew quiet and your body stilled.
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>You haven't moved in a long time.
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>...A star is moving.
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>Your eyes unconsciously follow it as it swoops across the sky and turns around.
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>Something in your mind stirs.
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>Is it…supposed to do that?
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>It turns again, and stops, growing brighter, larger…and detailed as it comes towards you.
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>The rusty gears of your mind begin to turn.
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>Whatever it is, it's not a star at all.
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>If you had to describe it, you would say it looks like a metal crate with brilliant fire spewing from it.
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>But there will never be a reason for you to describe it.
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>Fire shoots from the front and the crate slows down, before soaring over you at a crawl compared to how fast it had been moving mear moments ago.
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>You don't bother turning your head to watch it further.
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>It circles overhead several times over the next few days, staying with the moon as your sister raises and lowers it for the ponies below, it's fire gone.
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>Watching it soon becomes part of your routine.
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>The rusted cogs of your mind begin to turn for the first time in ages.
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>If it were closer…maybe you could…
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>But it's not.
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>The seventh time your sister lowers the moon, something changes.
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>As it crosses your view, fire shoots out from the crate, and it begins to descend.
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>You twist your head to watch it.
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>The crate is going to crash onto the surface of your moon.
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>You might be able to…
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>Using your knowledge from centuries of stewarding the moon, you figure out when and where it will land.
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>The crate...this is a controlled landing. It's not a crash. It's chosen to land.
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>It can choose. It can think. It wouldn’t land if it couldn’t also...
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>It'll land by Vallis Celestium.
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>That’s close by.
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>If you run, you should be able to reach the crate right as it touches the ground.
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>You will your long-unused muscles to move, your joints popping and cracking as you slowly, shakily stand up.
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>Just standing is enough to make your legs burn.
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>Forcing one hoof in front of the other, you manage to maintain a slow, loping gallop, relying on the weak gravity of your moon to assist your weakened legs.
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>You feel, rather than hear your hoofbeats against the soft ground, the dull beat traveling through your body to reach your ears.
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>It isn't long before your nostrils flare, searching for air that isn't there.
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>You collapse at the edge of the valley you had so long ago named after your sister, just in the nick of time.
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>Fire pouring from its belly, the crate, you judge to be the size of a castle, floats down, landing almost daintily on a set of metal hooves.
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>Taking a moment to rest, you look over its sharp, grey angles, its dark, reflective glass on the front, the tubes that belched fire…
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>It's a vessel of some kind.
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>Vessels are controlled by living, breathing, thinking creatures.
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>Thinking creatures require a way a way to enter and exit a vessel.
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>Your heart pounds in your chest, and not just from physical exertion, as you climb to your hooves once more, and approach the crate, looking for a way in.
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>Watching a drill extend from the crate’s belly and begin boring down into the moon, a voice in the back of your mind berates you for getting so excited, so quickly.
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>How do you know you haven't started hallucinating?
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>Why are you so quick to get your hopes up, after all this time?
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>Even if it’s real, even if you manage to make your way inside, how can you be so sure it will be able to do what your magic could not?
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>How will you convince the captain to ferry you away from your prison if a simple request doesn’t work?
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>There! On the side, there's a heavy, indented door.
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>You’ll decide on what to do with the captain later.
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>Rushing over to the crate, you light your horn to inspect it, both inside and out.
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>There's a heavy, recessed lever, impossible to move with hooves.
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>Behind it are massive locks, an airtight seal…and beyond the door is an antechamber, filled with air.
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>Air...oohh, how you missed feel of air rustling your fur, the wondrous taste of oxygen in your lungs...
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>Were you a normal pony it would be impossible for you to open.
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>...Were you a normal pony, you would not have lived to see this vessel.
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>Using your magic, you begin wrenching the locks open, one at a time.
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>You've barely moved the second one when the drill stops its work and begins to retract back towards the crate.
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>It's going to leave!
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>Pushing everything you have into your horn, you rip the locks apart.
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>Fire erupts from the bottom of the vessel, and it begins to lift off the surface.
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>Wasting no time, you force the latch open.
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>The door bursts open as air rushes out, a red light flashing in the now-exposed antechamber.
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>You leap up into the doorway just as it begins to ascend, flapping your wings uselessly in the vacuum, and land belly first, your hindquarters dangling.
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>Scrabbling your metal-covered hooves, you kick your hind legs and beat your wings against the metal floor, flopping forward like a fish out of water until your hooves gain purchase.
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>You've barely pulled your tail over the threshold when the vessel tilts violently backwards, the floor lurching out from under you, the open door replacing it.
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>Slamming the door closed, you just manage to throw the hatch before your rump comes down hard on the door.
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>For a moment, the vessel hangs in the air, your stomach lurching into your throat as it begins to fall, before it rights itself, throwing you to the floor.
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>...You need to get away from the exit.
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>Sparking your horn, you find the locks on the inner door are much simpler than its exterior counterpart.
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>It takes but a moment before you throw the door open.
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>Air, precious, delicious air fills the room, and carries with it an unearthly howl, followed by a mare’s voice, repeating the same phrase over and over again.
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>”Hull breach, airlock four! Hull breach, airlock four!”
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>Ignoring the voice, you close your eyes and take a few, deep breaths, the feeling of air once more filling your lungs making you feel light headed, almost giddy.
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>Stepping through the antechamber, you emerge into a narrow, cramped corridor, lit with the same pulsing red light as the antechamber.
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>You'd have to back out to turn around.
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>Taking a moment, you decide the purpose of glass on the front of the crate must be for the occupants to look through.
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>A simple explanation for your intrusion should be all that's needed.
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>After all, they're now escorting royalty.
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>This is it...assuming the vessel doesn't crash, you’re finally off your barren rock!
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>That giddiness overwhelms you.
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>You're free!
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>Free to return to Equestria and have your…sister…simply use the Elements of Harmony to send you back.
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>You stop dead.
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>Over the decades, you've been so focused on escape that you haven’t actually developed any countermeasures to the Elements...
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>The freedom you fought so incredibly hard for is going to be incredibly short lived.
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>But…where else would you go? Where else IS there for you to go to?
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>The gryphons? Laughable. The dragons? Filthy lesser beings. The Kirin? Well…
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>”Freeze!” Your ears swivel towards the stallion’s voice from behind you.
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>There's a metallic clack, followed by a high pitched whine, your horn detecting the magical build-up accompanying it.
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>You decide to do the intelligent thing and do as he says.
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>”Ok, you're sapient, that's good...aren’t you one of the planet’s natives? Can you speak? Turn around. Let me see you. Slowly.”
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>You look at the tight walls on either side of you, and simply turn your head to look at the occupant of the crate.
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>Standing on two legs and wearing bizarre clothing, the creature reminds you of a wingless, scaleless, tailess dragon, albeit with a flat face.
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>He's clutching a tube in his foreclaws, the source of the magical buildup.
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“There is not enough room.”
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>He opens his mouth silently for a moment, before saying, “Alright, good point. Well...what the hell ARE you? Aren’t you one of the planet’s natives? How did you even get on the moon, your technology’s nowhere near this point!”
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>You twitch, a bit taken aback by the sudden interrogation.
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>“We are Nightmare Moon, rightful Empress of Equestria. Alicorn, and living goddess of the night, moon and stars. We...were banished here, by Our sister using the most profane of magics.”
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>He stares at you for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed together.
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>”Uh...huh. Let’s back up a second. That's hard vacuum out there, nothing can survive it like…like THAT! How the fuck are you still alive?”
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>Perhaps it's because of your centuries of isolation.
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>Or perhaps it's that you've never been as…diplomatic as Celestia.
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>But you blurt out the first thought you have,
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“That is a question I've asked myself for hundreds of years.”
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>An eyebrow raises on his otherwise hairless face as he slowly lowers the tube.
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>"Uh..huh. You're either crazy, or the real deal. Or both. Let’s find out. This moon has been accelerating and decelerating for, as far as I and my ship's computer can tell, no discernible reason. Do you have an idea why?"
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>You scowl, less at him, and more at the answer.
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"'tis my Dearest Sister's doing. From her stolen perch down in Equestria, she uses her magic to raise MY Moon each night. Seemingly to mock me."
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>"Again with the magic and Equestria…Oh, you mean the planet!" He brings his empty foreclaw up to slap himself on his forehead, before sliding it downwards, distorting his face as he speaks, "I get it now! Oohh, I wasted a week scanning every inch of this stupid thing, I never thought the precursor tech was controlling it from the planet! No wonder you think your sister has magic!”
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>He then goes quiet, possibly thinking to himself.
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>You're not sure how to respond to that, but it feels as though you should.
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"Yes. I watched you from a hill but a few miles away."
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>His grip tightens on that tube, and he p his voice taking on a dangerous edge.
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>Whatever you were supposed to say, it wasn't that.
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>"Right, that reminds me. Why did you force your way onto my ship?"
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>You rehearsed this on the way over here.
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>Admittedly, you had expected your bowed head to be his most prominent sight, not your exposed rump...
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>Making do, you close your eyes and lower your head as best you can, fighting to keep the desperation out of your voice.
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"I have come to humbly beg you for transportation."
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>"Transporta-you broke in here to ask for a ride?! Why didn't you just knock?! Or…or wave in front of the window? That would have gotten me running to throw open the airlock REAL fast!"
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>The 'airlock?'
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>Oh! The same phrase that mare keeps calling out over and over.
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>Perhaps that is the name of the antechamber you forced your way into…in which case, you feel the urge to point out the obvious.
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"You attempted to flee the moment I made myself known."
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>He throws his arms up in exasperation, "Because I thought some unknown alien monster was trying to destroy half my ship! Which it WAS!"
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>The creature sighs, "Where do you even want to go?"
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>You open your mouth, only to stop.
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>Where…DO you wish to go?
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>After all this effort, if you return to Equestria…do you really want to risk being sent right back to the moon?
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>...No.
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>No you do not.
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>Even if you defeat her…the ponies of Equestria have never loved you…and they never shall.
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>You decided long ago that if they would not love you, then they would fear you…
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>But by now?
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>Surely you've been forgotten.
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>...She can have that small, pathetic world, with its stupid, blind ponies.
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"I wish to travel to your homeland. To see what kind of people could make such a marvel as a vessel that can travel the airless void."
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>"No. Out of the question. I'm not going to be able to go home until I get my ship fixed. Do you have any idea how expensive it's going to be to fix the damage you've done to it?"
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>Your heart stops.
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>It’s...it’s exactly what you feared, before you found the entrance to the vessel.
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"Please. I…I cannot stay here! It's been so long, and...I've been alone for…"
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>You can't keep your voice from shaking.
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>His face softens, and an idea strikes you before he can speak.
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"I'll pay! Both for the damage I have wrought, and for the transport!"
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>His eyebrows shoot up, "To quote a great philosopher of my people 'I'm skeptical that you could, yet intrigued that you may.' How exactly would you plan on paying?"
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>You have nothing, save for the armor you're wearing and he knows it.
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>But you have to try.
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“You were drilling into the moon. MY moon. I know everything about it. Every patch of ore, every gemstone buried under its surface. If it is riches you seek, I can give you the location of whatever you desire.”
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>An...exaggeration, but not a complete lie.
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>It IS your moon, and you know more about it than anypony else.
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>He opens his mouth, pausing for a moment before speaking, sounding almost pained, “If this was a mining ship, I’d take you up on that in a heartbeat. But...it’s an exploration ship. I was trying to take a core sample to find out when the moon started stopping and starting on its own.”
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>You seize hold of that thread, like a drowning mare to a raft.
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“If it is knowledge of how the moon is raised each night, then look no further! I shepherded the moon across the horizon from the early days of my foalhood, before the days of Equestria and Discord. If you wish to know how, then I will happily teach you."
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>He considers that for some time.
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>"You…used to do it before you were banished. Which…you said was by your sister's doing, right?"
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>It leaves out the betrayal and attempted sororicide, but you nod anyway.
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>"And you said the mechanism that controls the moon is on the planet, and is now controlled by your sister."
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>You said no such thing!
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"That is not quite what I-"
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>"And, because I'm not an idiot, I'm guessing the reason you want to go to MY planet instead of yours, is that you're scared of your sister, because you know she is not to be fucked with."
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>Your flash of anger at being interrupted is quickly snuffed out.
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>How did he know?
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>"If I had backup, maybe. As is? No deal. I'm writing this whole venture off as too dangerous and going home."
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>Icy tendrils grip your heart.
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>If you can’t think of something and soon, he’s going to abandon you, he’s going to leave you here...you’ll be alone again.
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“What if I repay you through labor? I would indenture myself to you, until such time as my debt is paid off, if it would insure passage from this wretched rock."
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>He opens and closes his mouth a few times without saying a word.
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>Agonizing seconds take hours to pass as he considers your offer.
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>Finally, he says, "Have your people even started using steam in an industrial capacity?"
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>...That was not what you expected to hear.
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>Furrowing your brow, you think,
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"The odd vapors that signify boiling water? How would that possibly be used industrially?"
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>He nods, mumbling more for his benefit than yours, "That's what I thought…you really just need to be rescued, don't you…"
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>You throat hitches.
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>That’s not quite how you would phrase it…
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>He speaks up, "I think...I could use a helping hand...wing…? Hoof...? Hoof. I could use a helping hoof.”
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>Your heart leaps to your throat.
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>He'll do it?!
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>He holds up his foreclaws, straight with his palm, “But. There are some caveats. You’re going to see things that are totally unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. There’s a lot of dangers you wouldn't even think of. Like, we have vines strung along our roads that carry lightning. One touch and you're dead."
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>You bite your tongue before you can interject that mere lightning would never be able to slay you.
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>”If you hit the wrong button on this ship, we could BOTH be killed. I’m not exaggerating. You need to ask me before you do something, for both our sakes. Whatever you did to get in my airlock and close it behind you? Try that again, I’ll drop you right back here on your ass. Sound good?”
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>You can hardly believe your ears.
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>He wishes for you not to use your magic?
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>A small price to pay indeed!
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"Yes, it does! I thank you, good Captain, my savior!"
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>The words pour out of your mouth before you can think.
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>You'd probably hug him if you could reach.
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>The corners of his mouth turn upwards in the smallest of smiles.
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>"Somehow I think I'm going to regret this...but I can't leave a stranded sapient behind. I uh...can’t get around you. Start moving, I'll show you the way to the bridge. Then we can turn off this alarm, get out of here, and we can figure out what to have you do around here.”
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>Your mind swims as you start walking forward, turning at his word.
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>The sights you're about to see will be the likes of which no pony has imagined.
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>You may not be free…
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>At least you're not alone anymore.
by grapenut