Chapter 2: FRIENDSHIP
The Untold Story of the Equestrian Civil War
Twilight Sparkle slowly walked into the room in Canterlot Castle that she and Spike were sharing. Deep in thought, she sat down near the door and mulled over all the things she had heard in Royal Council.
So deep in thought she was that when the door opened with a slight creak, she did not even notice until Spike poked her in the leg, yelling “Twilight!”
“Huh?” she started, snapping out of the trance.
“I said, how was the meeting?” repeated Spike, showing a bit of annoyance.
“Oh, fine. Just fine.” replied Twilight. “We’ll stay for the ceremony later this evening, and that will be it. We leave tomorrow.”
“Refresh me again, what’s with this ceremony you keep talking about?”
“Oh,” said Twilight with a slight blush, “it’s nothing really. Apparently, the ponies want to honor me for my clash against Tirek. They seem to be falling all over themselves to shake my hoof, ask that I attend whatever function they are planning, anything. They’re even calling my fight the ‘Great Battle of the Everfree Forest!’ It’s absurd!”
Spike snickered slightly. “Didn’t you say you wanted the fame?”
Twilight paused, then said, “Well...yeah, I did. But this is out of hoof! I didn’t even win! It was a stalemate!”
“No, not exactly...in the end, Tirek was still imprisoned.”
Twilight, as caught up as she was in her feelings, was shaken back to reality by Spike’s logic. She hesitated for a long moment, then said, “Maybe so, but I had the backing of my friends, also. Why aren’t they being honored, with me?”
Spike opened his mouth to reply, but did not get the chance, for at that moment, the door banged open and in charged five other ponies. Twilight instantly recognized them, for she would recognize her five best friends anywhere.
“Girls!” she exclaimed, jumping up. Before she could get another word in, she was smothered in a group hug.
As they slowly deattached, Twilight looked ruefully at Spike and said, “I guess that answers my question.”
He simply nodded.
“So, what’s up?” asked Pinkie. “How did the council go?”
Twilight shifted slightly in place, then said, “Well, it was...rather boring.”
“Anythin’ interesting?” Applejack asked.
Again, Twilight hesitated briefly before replying, “No, not much. ”
Twilight glanced over at Rainbow Dash, just in time to catch a look of doubt that crossed her face. However, it vanished so quickly Twilight was left wondering whether or not she had actually seen it.
“Anyways,” Twilight said, hoping to quickly change the subject, “the ceremony is in three hours. Rarity, can I assume that you are prepared?”
“Of course! I was up half the night making last-minute adjustments to our old gala dresses. They’re at the room Applejack and I are sharing. Maybe we should check them?”
“You go,” Twilight said. “I’m certain that anything you made will be wonderful.”
Rarity flashed Twilight a smile, then left with Applejack.
“Now, there’s only a few hours left until the ceremony. You girls really should get settled in, so we can get ready.”
All of the remaining ponies muttered their assent and dispersed. All except for one, though.
“Rainbow, what are you doing here? You should be moving.”
Rainbow shook her head, saying “You want to tell me why you lied about what happened at the council?”
Slightly shocked, but not completely off-guard, Twilight blinked a few times, then said, “Why do you think I did?”
“Please,” she snorted. “I know you well enough to know when you lying. You never were any good at it.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, realizing that Dash was right, and also realizing that she would not back down until she told her the truth. “Okay. You got me. Before I tell you, though, do you think the others know?”
Again, Rainbow snorted and said, “Without a doubt. But they are much less willing to confront you than me.”
“True,” Twilight said. “Well, at the council...I fear for the future. Many agendas are being pushed there. If I’m right...Equestria is about to face one of its greatest threats: itself.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened slightly at her words, then shook her head slightly, saying “Are you sure you aren’t over-exaggerating? After all, this is Equestria, ya know? Land of harmony and peace and all that good stuff?”
Twilight hesitated, then smiled slightly. “Maybe I am being overly dramatic,” she admitted. “I...I don’t know, though.”
Rainbow patted her back gently. “Just remember, we’ve got your back.” In a more pointed tone, she added, “You shouldn’t be afraid to share details with us. After all, you do draw your power from us, Princess of Friendship.”
Twilight giggled, then said, “Alright. From now on, I will be completely open with you girls. Deal?”
“Done,” said Dash. “Now, I think you, Princess, need to get ready. You are the guest of honor, after all.”
“Oh, stop that!” Twilight said. “The battle was a team effort, after all.”
“Maybe the final victory, but the core of the fighting was done by you,” Rainbow countered. “You were almost as awesome as me out there!”
“Almost?!?” Twilight replied. “I was the first that was able to resist him! You weren’t! And the battle destroyed half of the Everfree Forest! Teams from Ponyville are still repairing the damage! How is that not awesome?”
“I didn’t say that it wasn’t awesome, just that it wasn’t as awesome as me.”
At this Twilight throw up her hooves, tired of sparring with Rainbow. “Fine, whatever!” she yelled.
Rainbow snickered. “And so I once again claim victory,” she muttered, just quiet enough to slip under Twilight’s hearing. She quickly bade Twilight good-bye and left. Blinking in the harsh sun, she started back to her room when she caught a glimpse of...something.
“What...? “ Turning back, she yelled, “Hey, Twilight?”
“Yeah?” came the response.
“Was an edict passed in the council?”
At this, there were a few muffled bangs, and the door opened. “What?” said a rather surprised looking Twilight. “No. Aside from a slight decrease in tariffs for precious gems to and from Equestria, nothing.”
“Well, then why is there a huge crowd assembled?”
At hearing this, Twilight relaxed. “They may just be assembling for the ceremony.”
“Are you sure? How many adoring fans do you think would be carrying signs that read, ‘Down with the tyranny!’?”
“What?!? That can’t be right!” exclaimed Princess Twilight, thinking about Celestia’s militarization proposition. “That proposition was shot down. She couldn’t implement it…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I see them as clear as day. Whether you shot down her proposition or not, somepony did something, and the ponies of Canterlot don’t like it.”