//------------------------------//
// Chapter 9: There's No News, Like Bad News... 
// Story: Equestria Is Not Enough 
// by Canon Fodder 
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Chapter 9 There's No News, Like Bad News

It had been long afternoon on the road. The girls had been walking since 5:30am. It was now 3pm and they were beginning to get tired. Rainbow Dash yawned, "Hey girls? Do you think we could lay down for a bit. I could use a quick nap."

"A little break wouldn't be a bad idea." Said Applejack, nodding.

Twilight shook her head, "We can't stop yet. Just another few miles to go, and then we should be entering the canyons."

"Come on Twilight, It's not like Nova is gonna find us way out here. We're far from Ponyville." Rainbow assured.

Twilight thought about it for a moment. They could rest up for a little while but would have to be back on the road as soon as possible. She slowed down and sighed, "Alright, but only for an hour or so. I want to make the Canyon before sunset."

Rainbow and Applejack smiled as they gladly pulled off the trail and rested down in front of a huge boulder. Dash unloaded some food and chowed down, while AJ tilted her hat down over her eyes, put her hooves behind her head, and had a little shut-eye. Twilight looked up in the sky and noticed there were a few clouds coming over head. She went to lie down and pulled out her book on the manarite. She went through it, looking for the best estimated location where the meteorite may had struck. They still had at least three more hours of galloping before they got to the canyons. Twilight began to think of how Spike and the others were doing. Were they safe? Were they still locked up? Were they released?...Were they dead? The most frightening thoughts ran through her head. Nova's power had spread throughout Equestria like rapid fire. She was completely boggled on how he could obtain such a massive army of rebels. He must've had a lot of connections. She wanted to get her hooves on some of the manarite. Examine it, study it, test it, do something with it. She felt contempt and somewhat safe as long as she had those mirrors with her. Although it was still only speculation that they could protect her from Nova's magic. Her mind soon began to drift. Back in time, hanging around with all of her friends. Spending hours and hours with Spike at the library, talking about all sorts of topics. Going down to Sugar Cube Corner, eating, baking, and especially partying with Pinkie Pie, Twilight missed her randomness...And happiness. She also missed spending time with Rarity, having sleepovers, days at the spa, chit-chat and gossiping, and helping her with her dresses. She missed hanging out with Fluttershy. Playing with her animals, her devotion for nature, her kindness, and her full commitment for caring about her friends.

Twilight looked over at the relaxed Rainbow Dash. She remembered how she'd be helping Rainbow with a new trick, or watching her perform, her give-it-all attitude for a mission. Rainbow looked happy as she stretched out, relaxed. But Twilight knew her mind was on the others. Her friends and family in Cloudsdale, and of course, getting her hooves on Nova. Twilight then glanced over at Applejack, who was fast asleep. She flashed back to their times at the farm. Helping her with chores, bucking. She wasn't very good at it, but AJ was patient with her. Going for runs in the field, baking apple treats, Applejack knew how to be there for a friend. Loyal, honest, and steadfast through and through. It was only easy to tell that AJ thought about Applebloom. Because while they were galloping, Twilight had noticed Applejack shed a tear now and again, she loved her sister and Twilight knew it just pained Applejack to leave her little sister yet again, especially in this time of need. There was one more pony on Twilights mind...Princess Celestia. What did Nova want with the Princess? What was going to happen to her? All those questions ran through her thoughts, not just for the Princess, but for all her friends. What did Nova had in store for Equestria? Everything in her land had drastically changed with a heart beat. One minute, Equestria stands for harmony, and virtues. Now it's all about science, and power. Corruption of system that has infected Equestria. Was it still salvagable? They would all have to wait to find out.

-----

Half an hour had passed and the girls were still on break. Rainbow continued to lay in the sun, not asleep, but still taking it easy. The other girls slept on while Rainbows mind wondered. After all the madness that went on the past couple days, it felt ever so good to get a well needed break. But then, Rainbow noticed something. She got up and heard the sound of wheels. Dash trotted over and seen an approaching stagecoach down the road from Ponyville's direction. She alerted Twilight and Applejack, "Girls! Wake up. Girls! There's someone coming, we got to hide."

Applejack tipped her hat back up, still groggy, "W-w-whats with all the hollerin Rainbow? I'm tryin to get a lil shut eye here."

Rainbow exclaimed, "AJ we have to hide. Somepony's coming this way!"

The sleepy pony suddenly sprang up, "What?! Grab the bags. Twilight? Get up!"

Twilight quickly awoke, stirred up, "Girls, what's going on?"

Rainbow and Applejack shouted at her, "There's someone coming down the road, this way!"

They collected all their items and stored them back in their saddlebags. Applejack exclaimed worriedly, " W-where we gonna hide?"

Rainbow looked at the boulder, "Quick! Behind the rock!"

The girls swiftly lurked behind the large rock and waited for the stagecoach to pass. As it came closer, Twilight peeked up over the rock for a look. It was being pulled by four, white armour ponies. That's when it clicked into Twilights head, that they must be working for Nova, "Girls. Those ponies are members of Nova's army! Don't make any sudden moves."

"No worries about that." Said Applejack quietly..

Twilight continued to focus on the passing stagecoach. It became definitive that they were working for Nova, when the stagecoach appeared to have the letter "R" on the side of it. Twilight still never knew what it really meant, but she knew that it meant it was Nova's. Twilight wondered why they might be all the way out here, besides looking for them. It just might pay off to find out where that carrier is going, "Girls. I got an idea!"

"What is it Twilight?" Asked Rainbow Dash.

Twilight looked down at them and smiled, "Let's find out where their going, let's follow behind them."

"Are you crazy?" Asserted Applejack.

Twilight rolled her eyes, "Listen I know it's risky, but it's a good opportunity to find out more about them. They might even be heading to the mine as well! This way, we won't waste our time trying to find it."

Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other for a moment, then nodded to each other in agreement, "Alright, were with ya Twi." Answered AJ.

"Thanks girls. Let's go!"

They threw their bags over their flanks and quickly, yet carefully trailed behind the stagecoach. They made sure that they stayed to one side to the road, incase the ponies up ahead should look back or stop. Twilight was certain that this stagecoach, was on its way to the manarite mine. This was their ticket on the road to freedom.

-----

After another few hours of galloping, the girls finally crossed into the canyon. They were still following behind the carrier and it was at that moment, when Twilight realized, their leading them to the mine. They trotted down hills to the bottom of the canyonlands. There were many elaborate twists and turns. It would've taken weeks for the girls to find the mine. The canyonlands were all grey and brown, cliffs and steeps. But as they went further into the meandering paths. They began to notice a change in the hue of the rocks on the walls of the canyon. A black hue, they were getting close. They started to smell smoke, charcoal, factory exhaust and they heard various machinary. The girls looked at each other with worry, the mine was still in full operation. Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack slowed down and hid behind a rock pillar as the stagecoach finally came to a stop at an opening to a cave, "That must be where the entrance is." Whispered Rainbow.

"Alright girls, this is it. Were going to know the secret behind the manarite." Mentioned Twilight.

Applejack cringed, "Phew, well boy howdy. What a stench comin from that cave."

Twilight chuckled and agreed, "Oh Yeah, it's going to stink but it's better then having Equestria suffer for years on end."

"I can see where yer comin from Twi, but how are we even gonna get in there?" AJ asked.

They watched one of the ponies who had been pulling the stagecoach, he detached himself and went around the left side to open the door. The girls watched, and were surprised, as Bradshaw Buckingham stepped from the carrage, smiling to his henchmen, "Buckingham? Alright girls, something must be about to go down." Twilight said nervously.

"How are we going to get in there?" Asked Rainbow.

Bradshaw mumbled something to his stallions as they all detached themselves from the stagecoach. He directs them inside and he follows. Two Unicorn guards exit and patrol the entrance, "Now what are going to do?" Rainbow complained again.

Applejack turned to Twilight, "You got any ideas Twilight?"

She thought, and looked at the guards. Twilights eyes widend and she grinned, "Oh I've got an idea alright. I think it's about time we tried out our mirrors."

"Twilight, are you 100% sure that this plan will work?" Rainbow asked skeptically.

Twilight replied calmly, "Rainbow, what other shot do we have? It's either all, or nothing."

Twilight extended her hoof out, "For Equestria?"

Applejack and Rainbow nodded as they threw their hooves in as well, "For Equestria!"

Twilight passed them over their mirrors and tried to figure a way to approach the guards. She looked back and nodded to her friends. Twilight took a deep breath and while the guards weren't paying attention, she used her magic to lift a rock that was on the ground and threw it at one of the guards. They were startled, "Who was that?! Show yourself!"

Twilight, Rainbow and AJ came out from behind the pillar. Applejack smiles and winks at them, "Howdy fellas!" 

"Get them!" Hollered one guard.

They charged their magic and Twilight began to countdown, "3.......2........1......"

The rebel Unicorns fired two, fully charged energy blasts, "Now!"

The girls raised their mirrors. They could feel the heat of the attack before it was anywhere near them. The Unicorns laughed at them as the three mares stood their, expecting the blasts to incinerate them. But then, their miraculously shocked when they see the orbs of power reflected right back at them. They ducked the powerful shot and gazed at the sudden smuldering hole in the rock wall behind them. One guard turned around, and got bucked in the head by Applejack. He smashed into the wall and blacked out. The other one began to charge another shot but was foiled by Rainbow Dash, who flew up with an in-flight roundhouse kick which left the other Unicorn knocked out as well. Now that both guards had been incapacitated, Twilight smiled and lead her fellow fugitives inside the cave. To learn more on the power manarite, and uncover the real history behind it.

They ducked passed other guards, and hid in the dark wall crevices when necessary. They still carried their mirrors in their saddlebags in case they needed them again. Twilight scrubbed her hoof down the wall. Feeling the texture of the manarite deposits in the wall. It felt like a variation of coal. But instead of a fire starter, it was a magic enhancer. They continued through the dark tunnels until they came to this enormous production room, with conveyor belts, ore refineries, and of course miners. Dogs with pickaxes, and Unicorns operating the refinery. The girls were astonished, "I don't believe it...This is incredible!" Twilight exclaimed with her eyes wide open.

Perched a top the large room, was a balcony. They seen Buckingham who stood, watching the progress. He glazed his eyes over the crowd and then disappeared through a door behind him, "I bet we could know a lot if we seen what was behind that door." Said Rainbow.

Twilight nodded, "Let's sneak around and see if we can find another way up."

So the girls crept around corners, behind the machinary, ducked under tables. This was now a full fledged espionage mission. They snuck passed a small patch of manarite ore and Twilight grabbed some samples to stuff in her bag. The girls trotted by a lab, they peeked in through a window in the door and seen more conveyor belts of refined manarite entering the room through an opening in the wall, dumping itself into a large machine. Various chemicals inside tubes, injecting into the machine. Scientists stood around, taking notes, monitoring the progress. Twilight thought to herself, "Are they making what I think their making?" 

The machine was attached to the wall on the other side of the room, there must have been another conveyor belt so the girls continued to the next room. They looked inside and saw small bottles of a silvery, translucent substance. Twilight realized that it just might be the silverblood sirum Nova was talking about. The scientists tested each bottle, filling a siringe, and injecting it at the base of a random Unicorn's horn. The scientists asked the Unicorn to shoot a target with his magic. The girls were overwhelmed with the results. There had been a target on one of the walls of the room, you'd say that was never anything there before. It disintegrated. Twilight thought about getting her hooves on a vial of it but that would be too risky. At the end of the hallway they travelled down, was a door. A strange metal door with a secretive design. The girls looked at each other for a moment and then Twilight decided to turn the knob...What was on the other side put the look of fear in the mares eyes.

In the middle of yet another massive production room was not ore, conveyer belts, refineries, nor chemical experiments...But a warhead, a bomb, an act for war. It was collosal, enough to obliterate an entire community easily, plus more. The girls couldn't take their eyes off it. It was a dark green missile, a fifteen foot high, super bomb. With a radio-active symbol on it and the words project: meteor written on the side. Applejack whispered, "What in tarnation is project meteor?"

Twilight looked puzzled, "I have no clue but I don't like the looks of it."

Rainbow asked, "Where do they plan on using that thing?"

"The only place I can see them firing that weapon at, is Nydeabaen, the Griffon Alpines. That bomb would surely spark a war between our Kingdoms. This is so bad." Twilight whispered worriedly, shaking her head.

Twilight looked up at a suspended office room in the upper deck of the room, "Let's go up there and see if we can find anything important."

The girls crept as quietly and as quickly as they possibly could. Being caught would mean immediate death. They were so close to knowing of Nova's plans. What his conquest was. Twilight thought to herself, "Isn't Equestria enough for this guy?"

They got to the upper level, and approached the door. Luckily when they looked through the window, nopony was there. Applejack kept watch in case somepony came.Twilight and Rainbow looked around the office, for documents, evidence, recordings, anything that could help them. Twilight couldn't find anything in the cabinets. Nothing but junk, although there was one file on manarite, she took it and stuffed it in her bag. Rainbow was searching the drawers of a desk and was lucky enough to find classified files on project: meteor, "Hey Twilight! I found something."

"What is it?" She asked as she approached.

They read through the document and were shocked to had discovered something awful, "A-a-a-applejack? Come here." Said the frightened Twilight.

Applejack looked back before she went in, "What is it girls?"

She looked through the pages of the folder and it was almost as her coat went pale. The notes of the file read, "Upon completion of project: meteor, the preparations for the attack upon the Nydeabaenian capital of Lochcrest will begin. It is likely that the Griffons will retaliate. Not too worry. While us executive members of the soon, official Equestria Novan Council, rest in the background. Many Stallions and Unicorns from all over Equestria, will be drafted to war against the opposition. While the numbers of Nydeabaenians fall, simultaneously Equestrians dying as well. We'll be plotting for our take over in Nydeabaen. The ore inside the mountains are said to be plenty valuable and we will excavate the minerals to further advance our technology. If we succeed, or WHEN we succeed this operation. The validity and assurance of project: singularity will be under way. Equestria is not enough comrades, we will have the world."

"Boy howdy. This is scary stuff." Applejack said shivering, wiping the sweat from her head.

"Project: singularity? If Equestria goes to war, it'll ruin everything. Equestria won't be in trouble...The world will be." Said Twilight.

Rainbow exclaimed, "We have to stop this before it's too late!" 

"...It's already too late you little fillies!"

The girls were startled by a voice at the door. Buckingham had discovered them. He was accompanied by his four stallions that pulled his stagecoach. They held sharp spears, pointed at them while Bradshaw directed his wrist gadget towards them. He smiled, "Looks like I'm gonna get a promotion, three fillies, with one shot. Don't y'know it's impolite to peek yer heads in other pony's drawers?"

"You'll never get away with this crazy plan!" Twilight said fiercely.

"You ladies got no clue of how smart Nova really is do you? He's gotten us this far. He'll get us even further. I could kill you girls right now if I want too. But I'll leave it up to Mr. Sparks himself. He might want to see you girls off in person."

Buckingham pushed the radio button on his device, "Sir, I've found the fillies we've been lookin for. You want me to get rid of em now? Or should I let you take care of em personally?"

Nova spoke through the other side, "Excellent Mr. Buckingham, you'll be rewarded for your actions. Bring them to me, I have something to show them...Personally I want them to see what I will accomplish. It will be a fantastic show."

Bradshaw laughed, "You heard em ladies, let's go!"

Being threatened with spears, the girls had to give in. Buckingham placed chains he got from a locker in the office, on the girls necks and linked them together like slaves. He also locked Rainbow's wings in place with another wrap of chains and placed a cone-shaped apparatus on Twilights horn, "This here will stop you from usin yer magic. Nova invented it himself. Told ya he was smart."

Buckingham smirked with that response but it didn't shake Twilight, "He may think he's invincible but everything has a flaw!"

The southern colt smacked Twilight across the face, "Shut yer mouth, yer givin me a headache. Let's move out! And don't forget to take a pallot of Silverblood with us. Mr. Sparks wanted it."

"Yes sir." Said one of the rebel ponies.

As they were escorted unwillingly through the tunnels, the girls whispered among one another, "What do we do now Twilight?" Asked Rainbow nervously.

"Were in a mighty bad situation here." Applejack added.

Twilight looked back and forth between her two friends. She closed her eyes, "Let's just hope they don't search our saddlebags, or were done for."



[...To be continued]