//------------------------------// // 3: Lunar Republic // Story: A New Equestria book the second // by ZeirMakavar //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Lunar Republic "You know that Umbra really is a front for the Guardians right?" "Indeed." "Then this is an order as a Guardian. Not as a member of Umbra." "Sounds juicy. Will I be executed if I'm found out?" "Probably, you'll be investigating Celestia." "Come again?" "From what Twilight and Luna have been telling me, it seems Celestia is hidding something. Now, I don't like saying it, probably as much as you like hearing it, but Celestia might have something to with Hunter." "All leads huh?" "Yes, all leads." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head. "I just hope that my intuition is wrong." "Let's pray it is." "Glad you're on board with this." "You know my allegiance is to Deacon, not Celestia." Shinze chuckled, as he walked out Rainbow Dash's room. "As is mine." "Rainbow?" Shinze said, walking into Rainbow Dash's room months later. "You here?" "Yeah, what is it?" Rainbow asked, rubbing her head. "How were things? What did you find out?" "Well..." Shinze sighed, looking around before sealing the room from prying eyes and ears. "That bad?" "I found things that... well, I'm glad Luna isn't here." "Why?" "Celestia, I fear that she does." "The matter we discussed?" "From my, research, I found not only does Celestia know about the Solar cult known as Knight's Templar but... She might be it's leader." "Celestia might... are you sure?" "Afraid so." "Then we have to tell..." "I hope you weren't planning on telling any pony important with that information." Celestia said, a soft smile on her face. "Celestia... why? Why would you take control of something like... them?" "Who said anything about taking it over?" "You mean... always?" "Indeed Rainbow. I've always been it' leader." Celestia sighed, the soft smile still there. "In fact, I'm it's founder." "So, are you absolutely sure that Rainbow Dash can be trusted?" Luna asked, as her and Twilight walked towards the castle that housed Umbra Equestria. "I know that she is a friend of yours, but." "She's your friend too Luna." Twilight chuckled, shaking her head. "Besides, she's told me that she works for your father. Some organization called Gua..." "The Guardians of the Moon?" "Y-yes actually." "I see... So then, this Green Hunter. What about him?" "Well from what Rainbow tells me, he was also a member. But for some reason, he joined a rival group called The Knight's Templar." "And this Knight's Templar, what is there plan?" "Well, I guess in Rainbow's words it's to 'Completely, and utterly destroy the Guardians.'" "Such a strange purpose." "I suppose." Twilight nodded, as they neared the castle. "But then again, at least their mission isn't something like Discord's." "That is an excellent point." "Say, do you here something?" Twilight asked, her ears twitching, at the sound of small explosions. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." "Your it's..." Rainbow repeated, blinking. "Why? Why would you found something like that?" "It was, necessary." "For what?" "Trust me Rainbow Dash, it was..." "For what!" "I had to." "Why?" Rainbow practically yelled. "What really went on a thousand years? The last few weeks Luna's seemed out of it. Like she was forgetting something important. Why?" "I'm sorry, that I can not tell you?" "Why?" "Because, I can not." "Why?" "Trust me Rainbow, you do not want to know." "Yes, actually I do." "No, you don't." "I do." Rainbow ordered, looking over at Shinze, who nodded. "And if you don't tell me, then by order from Lord of the Night Deacon, I have orders to kill you." "I highly doubt father ordered you to kill me." "Actually, our orders are to find, and eliminate the threat posed by the Knight's Templar, by any means." Shinze chuckled, as he moved behind Celestia. "And hey, if that means it results in you dying then oh well. Oh, and also we have this conversation recorded so don't think we won't be able to prove who you really are after your dead." "I'm ashamed that I actually thought you were innocent Celestia." "And I'm sad it's resulted in this." Celestia sighed, as she bowed her head. Her horn glowed as she brought forth magic. "Stop her!" Rainbow yelled, just before both her and Shinze were blasted out of the room. And Celestia looked pissed. "I really thought we could work things out peacefully Rainbow, sad that it's resulted in this." "What is going on?" Twilight asked, helping Rainbow up. "And Celestia why are you here?" "Because she's the Knight's Templar's leader." "What?" Luna blinked, looking from Rainbow to Celestia. "Is this true sister? Are you really the leader of this group? I heard that this Green Hunter, the cause of so many innocent lives lost, is a part of this group. Tell me it's a lie." "I'm afraid not?" "Why?" "I can't tell you that." "Why?" "Trust me Luna. I can't tell you." "Why?" "Because the ponies have no right in knowing the truth!" "What truth?" Luna asked, her head hurting. It was the same pain as what she felt when trying to remember. "What truth Celestia?" "Oh, it really saddens me when you call me that sister." "What truth?" "Do you have any idea what would happen if ponies found out it wasn't just the Unicorns that had the ability for magic? Just look at Rainbow Dash." She waved at Rainbow, the black marks of the moon across her body. "She can do things no pony else can because of those sigils. And Heaven Star? She can bend space even though she is a Pegasus. It's not something that ponies..." "They have a right to." "Excuse me?" "They have a right to." Luna said, anger in her voice. "They have a right to know Celestia. Let them decide what to do with this knowledge." "We had this conversation a thousand years ago Luna." "No we didn't." "Yes, we did." "You ended it by sending me to the moon, after I threatened to cast the sun away." "Because I had to." "And now, a thousand years pass, and you've brainwashed every pony into your thought cycle." "Because I had to. They were asking to many questions." "Is that wrong?" "Well no, but." "Get out." "What?" "Get out before I lose my patients and kill you myself." Luna repeated, anger leaking out of her voice. "Luna, you don't..." "I do mean it Celestia." Luna said her face flat, though flashes of anger could be seen. "From here on out, this is no longer a part of Equestria, and you Celestia sister, are not allowed to step a hoof here." "Sister..." "No, no excuses." Luna sighed, shaking her head. "I'm already ready to kill you. And if you want to live, then leave." "Very well." Celestia sighed, bowing her head. "You do know that many ponies aren't going to like this." "Not if you tell them the truth." "You know I can't." "You should." "So..." Applejack sighed, shaking her head. "Now what?" "Well, I don't know." Twilight mumbled. "I didn't expect this. Celestia being behind the Knight's Templar. Luna banishing Celestia from being here. Here being no longer a part of Equestria." "I agree to that." "Okay, well I kind of expected the last one, but not for another hundred years or so. Surely not five years after the colony started. We actually needed a lot of the supplies from Equestria. Now, well we might not be getting them." "Not to mention that ponies might not move here." Spike mentioned. "We obviously aren't in good relation to Equestria right now. Ponies might fear for their lives if they think of going here at all." "There is that." Applejack nodded. "Well, I hope it doesn't come to that Spike." Twilight sighed looking over at Luna, who was looking out a window. "Especially for Luna's sake."