The creature sucked in a large breath, as if he were about to plunge himself into cold water, and shut his eyes.  Celestia saw the black steel weapon in his hand rise towards his own head.  The creature pressed the barrel of the weapon under its chin, and its intentions immediately became clear.  Twilight yelled out a desperate cry, and Celestia swept a protective wing over her protégé.  She saw the creature’s eyelids shut tight as it began to squeeze the trigger.  Her own eyes widened as she beheld the weapon glow with an aura of purple blue haze which shimmered like the night sky itself.  It jerked out from under the alien’s head the moment it fired.  The bullet still tore through the alien’s cheek, leaving a bloody furrow in its wake.  Celestia could hardly believe her eyes, as Luna forced her way through the guards, horn glowing and eyes black with anger.  