This rundown home and workshop was a nice change of scenery compared to the rest of the town. All away from Twilight and the bustling remnants of a town previously under siege. I ought to get myself straightened out after Twilight’s sudden attack but just the thought of it sickened me. And that strange creature from my dreams... I don’t know what to think anymore.
I guess the thought of sleep scared me as well.
I searched the upper rooms for supplies and stuffed them in my saddlebag. Medicines, bandages, and gauzes were all over the place. There were plenty of antidepressants lying around, and not just empty bottles and half eaten pills.
The bed was intact. All soft and cozy, this was a relief from the bale of hay, concrete floor and chewed up mattress I had to put up with. Sleep was tempting as it ever was and the ever so alluring comfort of a soft pillow and warm blanket just begged me to come over and drift off to slumber. The only thing stopping me was fear; the faceless beast and his haunting voice could come back for me even if I had finished him off in the dreamscape. I hoped I did.
Still, long rest was worth the risk and I really needed to get my strength back. My choice was clear.
The sheets, tattered after a long period of being unused and eaten away by moths left little to use but they had to do. Everything else showed signs of neglect, ranging from the missing door handle to the dusty cabinets and drawers. I’d get nightmares by just looking at this room but the lack of light in this place makes the environment rather calm and welcoming, though the scene feels deceptive. I lay down on the soft mattress and slowly closed my eyes, preparing to drift off to sleep when the sound of knocking echoed through the whole building. The first was a slow knock with the sound progressively getting faster and faster until it was simply unbearable. I squinted my eyes, wishing for the knocking to go away but it was worthless. I trudged through the hallway and stomped my way down the stairs to the door to angrily greet whoever was making all the noise. The pony at the door made me wish I wasn’t furious.
“Wh-what are you doing in my house!?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” I replied.
“Don’t you know it’s not polite to trespass on private property?!”
“I-I’m sorry but I didn’t know.”
“This is my shop and my home! Carousel Boutique!” The mare at the door was furious with bloodshot eyes staring right at me. Rarity... why now?
“And don’t you try to reason with me, impostor! I know who you really are so why don’t you tell me why you’re really here,” Rarity replied.
Had she been at the hospital after my departure, it would explain so much. Then again, she could have been spying on me after I left Dimondia. Regardless, she knew the real Shining Armor was back and I blew my chance at getting somepony to side with me, even if she was Twilight’s ally.
I let out a loud sigh in resignation, thinking about how to make myself sound believable.
“Alright,” I began, “this whole battle for Equestria’s freedom got me here. I thought I stumbled upon this place by accident but Princess Luna brought me here to help. I know this sounds absurd but you have to trust me. I need your help to get Twilight to listen. She needs help; we all do but we need to get her to listen.”
Rarity gave me a hard glance. What was I thinking?! I gave myself a mental slap in the face while trying to process what I just said. How was I going to convince her to help with that explanation?! I just blew it.
“As much as I want to have you turned in to the authorities, I’m not going to pass up this chance to do something big for once. I’ll help you out.”
I was speechless.
“Honestly, there was no way I’d stay in Dimondia, ordering ponies to craft weapons while I sat in a dusty old shed in the middle of a highclass district that looked just like any other shanty in the town. Sometimes, it felt as if Twilight didn’t need me anymore. She didn’t bother writing or even visiting to check up on the townsfolk. At first, I thought she was just busy but after a lack of progress on the front, I began to believe I was just cast aside like the rest.”
“Cast aside? What do you mean?”
“Ever since this whole battle started, Twilight’s been really isolated. We lost some of the elements of harmony and she grew bitter, believing that without them, we would lose all hope of winning back our freedom. She first put Fluttershy aside by preventing her from joining the battle, using the animals as an excuse. In reality, timid doesn’t suit the needs of the resistance. Rainbow Dash was assigned to the Stormriders and frequently sent her on solo reconnaissance missions away from Ponyville or Canterlot. Twilight then had a terrible argument with Applejack, causing them to part ways with Applejack taking her element, and her family, with her to the badlands. And then there’s me. I was kept away from her because she thought my skills were better put into creating a supply chain to arm the remnants of the Canterlot Royal Guards with better equipment. Pinkie Pie was the only exception. She mysteriously disappeared just as Ponyville was attacked.”
“And did you ever regret deserting Twilight?”
“I believed her for a while but as time went by, I began to question her decision. I am no leader and yet I was chosen to live as a leader. I came here to talk to her about that.”
“Then we should get started. Where do we begin?”
“Twilight wouldn’t listen to you and I doubt she’d listen to me. If we rally support around our cause, Twilight would be forced to give in. It’s not the best way to deal with the situation but it’s our best chance.”
Dimondia was one place we couldn’t pass up. Considering its distance from Ponyville, it was an ideal place to gather support. The market city in the mountains is also viable. There aren’t many places left so Ponyville is the last place to get support. With almost all of Equestria under the King’s control, every voice that adds to the chorus of freedom is a valuable addition. I am no public speaker but there are other ways to rally the masses.
Like Rarity, we’ve been brought into a situation where even our most basic of abilities are brought into question. No doubt I’ve aided in the defense of the Crystal Empire in my world but now that I’ve thought about it, I did almost nothing. I felt like I’ve betrayed my subjects and more importantly, Cadance. I may not be at my home, but now I have the best possible chance of showing my worth. I don’t plan to fight alongside Twilight to get my message into that thick skull of hers. I’m only doing it to fulfill a promise.
Rarity and I walked to the underground rail system that connected Ponyville to Dimondia. Two mine carts were waiting for us. Thank goodness for magic; the momentum needed to bring these to our respective destinations wouldn’t be enough if we pushed them all the way. I bid a temporary farewell to Rarity as we boarded our mine carts. We agreed to meet back in Dimondia’s station when our work was done. With luck, everything will go as planned because there are many ways our plan will go wrong. I moved on alone to Dimondia, then to Stonesborough.
I had a good ten minutes of rest during the trip. I’m surprised I could keep the cart intact with my eyes shut. Speeding past the Dimondia station, there was a ten to fifteen minute window of, a perfect opportunity to strategize.
What needs to be done? Rally the citizens of Stonesborough to support my cause. How will I do that? I don’t know. C’mon, there’s probably someone who might know what to do. Heralds, maybe? But then I’ll need to bribe him and I don’t have any bits. Maybe the citizens just don’t care at all…
My mind organizing so much information at a level I never even imagined. Twilight would’ve done the same minus the regular pauses needed for my brain to take a breather. My lungs weren’t agreeing with my brain, however. I couldn’t hear myself think over the sound of myself coughing out whatever was irritating my throat. Turns out I was entering a cloud of black smoke. I laid low and allowed the cart to continue through the tunnel. When signs of light peered through the holes in the cart, the whole market city was ablaze.
Screams echoed throughout Stonesborough, the fire burning all throughout the city, as the air grew more toxic with each minute passed. To the north, the skylines were filled with deep gray entities casting fire to those below them. I ran to the center of the market when a piece of wood came crashing down on an earth pony stallion making his way to the exit. I used my magic to get him out of there and brought him to a nearby tunnel.
“Thank you, sir,” the stallion said as he gasped for air. “Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome but we need to get everypony out of here. Is there a way to safely conduct a mass evacuation?”
“Most certainly. There are access tunnels on the other side of this city. I’m certain everypony will be racing to reach those.”
“Would those reach the surface? I’ m not so certain they should be going there unless they want to get themselves caught.”
“One of those tunnels should lead to a cave outside Ponyville. Just get me to that tunnel and I’ll do the rest.”
“But your leg, it’s broken. Wouldn’t you need help going all the way there?”
The stallion grabbed some materials lying around us and constructed a makeshift splint. He then stood up and replied: “trust me.”
I helped the stallion reach the other side of the city, avoiding the flames that rained down on the city. Along the way, we directed the citizens lost amongst the chaos and brought everyone to the exit. I’d say everyone is already brought to safety. I turned my attention back to the stallion.
“I need to take care of something. Will I see you in Ponyville?”
“Yes,” he replied. “It’s not like we’ve got someplace else to go to.”
“One more thing, can you do me a favor? When you reach Ponyville, could you wait just outside the tunnel?”
“And why would you want us to do so?”
“I’ll fill you in later.”
The stallion nodded and we parted ways. I ran back to the station tunnel, laying low to avoid inhaling the smoke and toxic fumes. The way back was much more treacherous with burning debris everywhere. I managed to reach the tunnel after cutting through the burning market. I sealed the tunnel entrance with some wooden barricades; hopefully those creatures, whatever they were, wouldn’t suspect anything behind them. From here, I made my way back to Dimondia. If anypony should know the fate of the fallen city, it’s Rarity. I just hope whatever happened here didn’t happen there as well.
I managed to salvage a piece of cloth from the market to use as a makeshift mask. I was happy I did so because the whole tunnel was engulfed with black smoke. The danger of a fire breaking out in the tunnel itself was the last thing I wanted to happen. As is with the dangers posed to myself, Rarity’s safety was also a concern. The black smoke thickened as I reached the Dimondia station and found Rarity preparing to leave with some fillies and mares in tow.
“Rarity!”
“Thank Celestia you’re here! Quick, we need your cart to take these ponies to safety.”
“What about the others?”
“They left for a tunnel going straight to Ponyville. These are the last of the survivors. We must go now!”
Everyone boarded the carts and we accelerated to full speed. Adrenaline was racing through my body; I could feel my heartbeats trying to break through my chest cavity. It was a tense fifteen-minute ride back but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for those who were riding along with me. The fillies were sobbing while their mothers tried desperately to calm them down, assuring them that their fathers, brothers and sisters were alright.
We arrived in Ponyville, scarred but safe.
“Rarity,” I began, “take these ponies to the town hall, I’ll go get the refugees from Stonesborough and the remaining survivors from Dimondia.”
Turns out the groups were waiting just by Carousel Boutique. Spared me a trip to a cave I didn’t know about. I met with the stallion I saved earlier and he assured me most made it out of the city alive.
“So, that favor of yours?”
“Right, I need you to help me convince Twilight it’s time to take action against the king.”
“You’ve got a good reason that will surely convince her to do so. I'm sure you don't need to think hard.”
I smiled and we made our way to the town center. With luck, Twilight will be there waiting.
Sure enough, Rarity and her group were there. And Twilight.
“Have you started some kind of protest, Rarity?”
“Twilight,” Rarity angrily replied, “Listen to yourself! These poor souls have been forcefully removed from their homes. Their livelihoods were destroyed and all you think about is protest?!’
“Sombra attacked Stonesborough and Dimondia,” I added. “We can’t wait any longer. It’s time to take action.”
“Take orders from you? Taking action now will risk more lives. Even if we don’t attack now, I’m confident that we can pull through. We need more time in order to win. But taking orders from somepony who isn’t even aware of anything going on here will not make me change my mind.”
“I get it. I can’t change your mind, but what about them? You believe that we can still triumph in the face of certain defeat. Give them a reason to believe that too.”
I took a deep breath and allowed those words to sink in. Twilight was silent, still staring at me, then to the group.
“Give them a reason to hope again.”
At that moment, the remaining members of the resistance and the citizens of Ponyville joined us at the town hall. Twilight looked around to find herself surrounded by the sights of the guards, the mares and stallions that she swore to defend. Right out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luna, Caramel, and Shining Armor smiling at me. I returned a smile and nodded.
Twilight closed her eyes and took some deep breaths. She walked towards me and gave me one hard stare.
“Shining Armor,” she began.
I looked at her with a now optimistic glance.
“What do we need to do?”
The crowds cheered. Luna, Caramel, and Shining Armor joined us at the stage to discuss tactics. We exchanged apologies as we openly welcomed ourselves to each other’s embrace. I still have contempt with Twilight but I hope we'll find a way to make things work in the end. Now we are ready to reclaim our freedom.
Hold on for just a little longer, Cadance. I’m coming home.