//------------------------------// // The Truth (Shining Armor) // Story: Aftermath of a Fallen Star // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// Aftermath of A Fallen Star By Rated Ponystar Edited by The Unnamed Pawn and Commander X5 Pre-Read by: Magic Man and Chaotic Note Shining Armor (The Truth) *** Big brothers are never born. They are made. They are made when their little siblings are born, and open their eyes into the new world. The moment the two of you see each other, a bond is made that cannot be described in words. With that bond comes a duty. A duty to protect and love that little sibling for the rest of your life. To be by their side when they need you. To be a pillar for them to rely on. Ever since my sister was born, and I saw her in my mother’s hooves at the hospital when I was seven years old, I knew my duty as a big brother. And I have failed. My sister, Twilight, the most important pony in my life-next to my wife-is dead. Murdered by the very guards that I once called friends and comrades. Murdered by those who took a vow to protect Equestria’s rulers from any threat. Used like whores by greedy and jealous politicians who made my sister turn out to be a monster to those who would listen. Every moment of my sister from her first walks, to teaching her to read, to her birthday parties and holidays? All of those memories are now ruined because all I can see upon thinking of them is my sister’s corpse, lying in a morgue with dozens of stabs and cuts all over her young body. My sister wasn’t even in her thirties when they took her from this world. After everything she did. After all she had accomplished in life. She is gone. I had never been more proud to be her brother the day she became a princess. Now I am an only child. A brother with no sister. I have no more LSBFF. Instead of seeing my sister come home with an A+ on her test, I see her covered in blood. Instead of my scared Twily asking if she can sleep in my bed because she had a bad dream, I see her torn apart by blades. Instead of her smile... I see her horrified expression. I know there was nothing I could have done that night. I was in an entire separate kingdom.  But when you're a big brother, all you can do is think about how much you failed them. How you should have been there. I placed my trust in her guards. I placed my trust in Gallant Heart. That’s right, THE Gallant Heart. Gallant’s family had been in the Royal Guards even longer than my own, but he was more than just a fellow guard. He was the closest thing I had to a brother. We went into the academy together. I was the better battle mage. He was the better swordsman. We were always trying to oneup each other. I only managed to barely get top of the class because he always had a weak shield spell. Yet, there was another reason we bonded. We were both big brothers. He had Gladius Stride. I had my Twily. We knew what it was like to protect those we cared about. I once beat up bullies who made fun of my sister. He carried his brother up the mountain when he broke his leg one time. We would do anything for our little siblings, and we wanted to grow strong for their sake. When I was chosen later on to become Captain of the Guard, I chose him as the new Solar Lieutenant. Every mission we went on to stop thieves or monsters, he had my back. We were the perfect crime fighting duo you could say. It was like we were born brothers in all but blood. When I married Cadence, I choose him as my best stallion. He personally lead a counterattack during the invasion that saved a lot of lives. When I went to become Prince of the Crystal Empire, he offered to follow me. I told him to stay and do his duty to the crown like his family had done for generations. He even vowed to me on his life that he would protect Twilight during her coronation, but he was one of the five who killed her. And now, the night before his execution, he requested to see me. Me. Not his parents or his brother, who was the only one who kept begging for mercy for him. Me. I walked through the dungeons without any escort as the guards saluted me while also inching away from me. If you thought Celestia’s face was angry at the trial, you didn’t want to see mine. The moment I learned who did it, who was in charge of the plot, and who killed my sister, all I wanted to do was end their lives permanently myself. I had been through my sorrow, I had been through my guilt, now I was just angry. Blueblood? I always hated him. Even if Cadance once said he was a good stallion I don’t care. I always knew he was jealous that I had Cadance and he didn’t. The way he looked at her with such a wanting gaze? It was obvious that he wanted her. I relished in knowing that I was able to one up that pompous and racist bastard. He didn’t deserve her. And I enjoyed beating him to an inch of his life in his cell last night with my friends and Twilight’s personal guards. The only one who seemed to be enjoying himself more was Private Flash Sentry. I only learned after his suicide that he was my sister’s lover. I probably wouldn’t have been pleased to learn this if they were still alive. However, upon learning how much he supported her and kept her sane during that horrible year, I would have proudly called him my brother-in-law. I can only hope they are together again in Elysium. My friends offered to come with me to see Gallant Heart, but this was personal. This was something I had to face myself. I arrived at his cell door and slammed it open. He didn’t look surprised to see me. His dark yellow coat made it hard to see the blood from the beating the others guards had given him. His brown mane was all over place and his yellow eyes stared deep into my soul without a single expression on his face. His horn was gone, and his body looked like it had gone ten rounds with an army of griffins. I could see the dried bloodstains on the floor, and only thought on how there wasn’t enough. I stared at him for a long time. He didn’t say anything. Nor did I. There were a million things I wanted to ask, but all I really wanted was to see him burn. “Why?” I asked when I finally found my voice. “Why did you do it? You swore to me that you would protect her.” I moved closer with each and every step, my voice rising higher and higher. “I trusted you. She trusted you. My family trusted you!” I was now up in his face, looking at him with such hate that all I wanted to do was blast him until not even ashes remained of him. “You were my brother! And you killed my sister, Gallant! Tell me why?! Why did do it?! Did you really think my sister was a threat?! Were you of the brainless idiots who thought she was ruining Equestria?! Was the stallion who I shed blood together and call my best stallion at my wedding just a lie?! Or are you just a guard who sold his pride and honor to be Blueblood’s bitch?! Answer me!” Then I saw his eyes changed from the stoic and cold hearted vision that he had on since he was arrested. I saw something that stopped me. Regret. “I did it for my brother, Shining,” he whispered and closed his eyes. “I had no choice... not when his life was at stake.” Of all the answers I had expected, this was the one that I didn’t expect. “I don’t...” “Lime Wedge.” I froze. To anypony else that was just random nonsense. But between the two of us it was a code word. It was something we did when we were colts. We had code words that would be used to alert the other of specific situations. Lime Wedge meant that this was for my ears only and that there was danger. I thought about blowing him off. At first I thought that this was some trick, but something in me made me believe him. Not to mention that if it was a trick, he wouldn’t be able to gain anything. I slowly closed the door after making sure that no guards had followed me. In a split second, I had a sound proofing spell around the cell. I turned around and glared. “Talk.” “I was undercover,” whispered Gallant Heart, getting up walking towards me. “Do you really think I would start shouting that traditionalist manure out of nowhere when I have never once believed it myself? That I would just, out of the blue, decide to start acting like one of her haters? Use your brains, Shining. I was there to infiltrate Blueblood’s group!” My eyes widened and my mouth dropped. Undercover? That wasn’t completely unheard of for guards to get undercover assignments, but as far as I knew Gallant Heart didn’t do undercover work. You had to be trained for that kind of work. He growled at him, thinking it was utter nonsense. “Under... but Celestia would have known! You were a Solar Guard, and if you were undercover then you would have been spared from any legal action! Unless you decided to betray her like that!” “I wasn’t working undercover for Princess Celestia...” whispered Gallant Heart as he turned around, shaking his head. “... Princess Luna?” I asked, with shock. The Lunar Guard and Solar Guards were under the orders of their respective Princess and were under their vows to never obey the other one unless in times of war or if the other princess was unable to command. “Why would you...” “... because unlike Princess Celestia, Princess Luna knows you need to be dirty to fight the corruption in this city. Princess Celestia tried to play fair, but that doesn’t always work and she learned too late what happens when you don’t watch your back. Luna, even after all these years, knew how the nobles thought, worked, and acted. It was no different than a thousand years ago then it was now. Ponies in power will always be greedy and selfish. Blueblood wasn’t the only one planning out to assassinate Twilight. There were at least a dozen individuals or groups that wanted do this.” “But... no...” I whispered. I refused to think that there were others out there who wanted my sister dead. After everything she had done for us, there was no way. “The military, intelligence, or even the guards would have-” “Do you really think everypony in the government, or its associates, is loyal to the crown? That Twilight’s death is all just about one stupid and jealous unicorn with daddy issues that wanted to be an alicorn?” said Gallant Heart as he rested against the wall. “You have no idea what I know... and what I can’t tell you.” “What do you mean?! I want to know everything!” I demanded as I lifted him up with my magic and held him against the wall. “You owe me that much!” “I am saying what you need to know, and I’m risking not just your life but your wife, your family, everypony we care about is at risk because I am doing this!” shouted Gallant, glaring at me before pushing me away, “The more you know, the more danger you will be in. I’m just telling you enough so you can be safe and watch your back before whatever is building up comes and sends us into whatever cataclysm erupts from it.” I stood there, frozen with shock as Gallant glared at me with the most serious look I had ever seen him give me. It was even more serious than the one he gave me the time we were trapped in a sand worm pit in the Badlands. I had come here with anger. Now I was sinking with fear. A dark pit in my stomach made me realized that once I left this cell, my world was going to change forever. “Just... just start somewhere...” I muttered. Gallant nodded. “While you were charged with protecting Princess Cadance in our early days, I was in charge of the protection of Prince Blueblood. I guess that was enough to make him think he could trust me. Idiot. Princess Luna’s street urchins had heard rumors of Blueblood gathering a group to assassinate Princess Twilight Sparkle.” “Street urchins?” I asked with confusion. “She... she uses the orphaned street foals as spies?” “According to her, they are the faceless of our society. They hear, see, and learn everything that there is in the darkest streets of Canterlot. They can go anywhere, see and hear everything. Princess Luna gives them food or toys as thanks. They worship her like a mother in a way,” chuckled Gallant Heart. “Anyway, we had heard of such things before and we were keeping an eye on them, but this one was too close to home. Prince Blueblood accepted me into the group easily based on our past relationship, and trusted me with everything. It was almost too easy. My orders were to get close to them, act like one of them. I was also ordered to see how far it went and if there were any supporters.” “How did they learn to trust you?” I asked, my tone similar to when I was Captain and he was my second in command. It was like suddenly we were back to being soldiers.   “I told them secrets. Guard secrets, military secrets. It was all phony, but Princess Luna made sure to make them look real. Plus, they put me in charge of gathering a group of guards who would be loyal to their cause. I knew plenty who hated Twilight and would be glad to get rid of when we sprung our trap. But the true key element was that I knew where they could get the metal that could kill an alicorn. And who could use that metal to forge weapons.” I bit my lip. Orichalcum. One of the few things that could easily kill an alicorn. Because of this, it was illegal to hold a certain amount of it much less have a weapon made out of the stuff. The Royal Army had access to a few weapons made of the most deadliest metal in the world, but only a few ponies in the entire kingdom had permission to wield them with the princesses’ blessing.   “I didn’t have access, but I knew where the metal was from. I don’t know how Prince Blueblood got it but he did,” said Gallant. “I was given full trust after that. While the weapons were being forged in secret, I took that moment to dig deeper into this shadow world that the nobles and those who play The Game have created in the last one thousand years. And saw just how far everything was in all this.” “What do you mean?” I asked, walking over to the point where I sat down and was face to face with him. “It’s not just the nobles, Shining,” he whispered with a harsh laugh. “It’s the military. Corporations. Farmers. Royal guards. Regular ponies. The Council. The crime lords. Ponies from all these groups play this twisted game of lies, intimidation, and deceit. On the surface, Equestria looks like it’s a peaceful nation under the beliefs of Harmony. But deep inside it’s soul there is a shadow war that has lasted for hundreds of years. And all of us not part of it are blind to it. I don’t know if Princess Celestia knows about it, or just ignores it, but she doesn’t run the nation as perfectly as she thinks she does. But that’s not the worst part.” “It’s not?” I muttered with wide eyes. “What could be worse?” “Somepony is winning this game. Slowly, but surely, somepony has been building up support over the years to change Equestria. Somepony that not even the best of this game have been able to see. They will win this game, and we will all lose for it. Those who play and those who don’t.” “How can you believe that there is this... this... nation wide shadow conspiracy?” I asked in disbelief. It sounded all so... so... impossible. The idea that our great country wasn’t what it really was scared me. Had it all been a lie? The idea of friendship, tolerance and harmony we prided on speaking about? “Princess Celestia would never-” “Princess Celestia has spent a thousand years letting power go into the hooves of the council and nobles to make it easier for her to rule,” spoke Gallant Heart with a regretful sigh. “She is truly the sun. She spreads her joy and faith throughout the land like a ray of sunshine, but she ignores the shadows she creates.” He shook his head. “The fault of Equestria’s leadership is that it was designed to be run by two rulers. When Princess Luna was banished to the moon, it left a power gap. Princess Celestia was now tasked with more duties than she could handle, not to mention the pressure of raising both the sun and moon on her own. So she came up with the Council of Lords to help her rule the kingdom. That way she could spend her time preparing for her sister’s return, and spreading the belief of Harmony,” said Gallant Heart, shaking her head. “The moment she put her eyes away from her own ministers and court attends they began to plan her downfall. I’m sure it was fine at first, maybe even great. But power corrupts eventually. They started putting their hooves in everything they could get, but one group always was the dominant one. And with Princess Luna back, not to mention new alicorns such as Cadance and Twilight, that power could be taken away. That is what all these bastards fear, but this group has other plans.” “But what group would want to go so far as to kill my sister?” I asked, wondering not only what was going on, but who was it that I had to kill for this. If there was a group out that was behind all this, why did they do this? “What family has members and influence in every part of Equestria, and is powerful enough to buy, cheat, threaten, or control whoever they can be it a threat or ally.” Gallant Heart looked at me with regret in his eyes. “Who do you do you think?” Only one name came to me “The Bluebloods.” “Yes,” muttered Gallant, shaking his head. “They’ve been gather power for years. Slowly influencing in their own ways. Princess Celestia was blind to it. We all were. What we saw as a family of rich twats, was actually a cunning and manipulative group of chess masters who want the power of the throne for themselves.” “... why not tell Princess Celestia this?” “Because we don’t know who to trust. Me and Luna,” Gallant Heart whispered, as he buried one of his hooves into his face. “We were set up... I was set up from the very beginning.” I stared at him with confusion until he answered. “Prince Blueblood isn’t the mastermind behind Twilight’s assassination, and he doesn’t know that either.” He turned around and growled. “He was just a tool. Used by his father, Amadeus Blueblood.” Amadeus Blueblood. Even that name, to this day, causes me both disgust and fear. While Blueblood was always more vocal about his disgust with Twilight’s reformation, she was able to counter attack him on equal and, often times, better footing. Amadeus, however, rarely ever attacked my sister with politics. But when he did, he was ruthless. He cut down everything she ever said with his own logic and cunning. He was a sharp tongue, with rumors said that he even convinced a political opponent to kill himself one time. One time he was so brutal that my sister ended up crying for a full day after he left with a small smirk. I hated him. So many did. Yet so many more feared him. He was a name that you didn’t want to cross. He was not like his idiot son. This was a stallion whose presence alone spoke power and authority. He made no secret of his beliefs, but his actions were always a mystery. I didn’t play politics like Cadance did, but she often spoke of him like was a ghost to be feared. Many had wondered why his son had been the forefront against my sister and her ruling while he stayed in the back, only coming out when he pleased. And now I knew why. “He’s the one? How do you know this?” I asked, biting my lip. Gallant’s eyes slowly faded all life in them as he closed his eyes and sighed. “When I went home to my apartment, he was there. Along with his own bribed set of guards. Two of them happen to be guarding the hallways by the way.” He said it so calmly but I just froze with the thought that the threat to my entire family was so close. “Anyway, he sat there drinking tea. I knew... I knew the moment he stared at me that he knew what I was. He calmly told me to sit down, and he told me that I was going to convince his son to attack tomorrow night, instead of letting his fester in his doubts.” “Doubts?” I blinked a bit, making sure I heard this right. “Blueblood was having doubts?” After everything he had prepared for the death of my sister, he was having doubts? “I told you, the stallion had daddy issues,” whispered Gallant. “All this assassination was to Blueblood was a chance to prove he was useful to his father. The stallion cared nothing for his son. I don’t know how Amadeus did it or what he said, but Blueblood was convinced that if he killed Twilight his father would finally see him as a real son. And Amadeus played on him to do so.” I couldn’t imagine any father being so cruel to their son. I can’t even imagine Queen Chrysalis being that cruel when she was alive. To use your own son as a tool and have no love for him? Was Amadeus really born out of nothing but steel? Did he have no heart or love in him? “The problem was Blueblood was doubting his actions. He didn’t know if killing Twilight would solve anything, or even bring more problems,” whispered Gallant Heart. “And deep down he didn’t want to hurt Princess Cadence, or Princess Celestia. He does care for them. They were the only ones who ever showed him kindness.” I didn’t say anything on that. I still can’t. I still can’t see Blueblood in a good light no matter how sympathetic Gallant made him out to be.  Even if he was used by his father, even if he deep down didn’t want to hurt Cadance or Celestia.... he still did it. He could have not done it, but he still killed my sister. There is no forgiveness for him in my mind and I forever hope he rots in Tartarus. “So what did Amadaus tell you to do?” I asked, no longer having anger in my voice. It wasn’t even in my heart. Because I knew what he was going to say next. For the first time since I entered the cell, I saw tears beginning to form in my best friend’s eyes. “He told me to convince Blueblood to go forward with it... or my brother would die.” At that moment, I hugged him. Every anger I had left as gone. I hugged him because I understood. I understood. If I had to choose between my honor and Twilight. If I had been in that same position... I would have done the same thing. Big brothers do anything for their siblings... even betray what they hold dear. “I... I couldn’t let anything happen to him, Shining,” sobbed Gallant as he fell into a complete mess in my embrace. His tears soaked my shoulder as they cascaded down my body like a waterfall. “He is... he is everything to me... Gladius is the world to me... I had no choice... I had to dishonor myself. I had to betray everything I stood for. I had... I had to kill your sister...” “Gallant...” I muttered, as I felt the anger returning. He did. He did kill my sister. I really couldn’t forgive him for that. I understood, but I still couldn’t forgive. “I betrayed my family... my ancestors... my rulers... but I betrayed you... my brother...” he whispered as he slowly slipped away from my embrace. “I did... I did as he asked... I made sure it was quick, Shining. One slice across the neck... and that was it. She was gone before she knew it...” I felt a tear drop down from my cheek. “I won’t ask you to forgive me... and don’t ever do so,” Gallant Heart muttered. “I am scum. A traitor. I choose my own flesh and blood before my duty as a guard. I don’t know if that was the right choice or the wrong choice, but I must face my consequences. I’m not scared to die tomorrow. I’m only scared for you and my brother.” “Gallant...” I started, but he then grabbed me by the shoulders and stared into my eyes with intensity. “Listen to me. I told you all this because you deserve to know, and to keep you safe. Don’t tell anypony about what I said. You are to never explain the truth, ever! Let me die a traitor and remembered as one. Watch your back. Trust nopony. And please, in the name of Faust herself, watch over my brother,” whispered Gallant. I stood there, staring into the stallion who I was torn between loving and hating. A stallion who I couldn’t help but pity for the cruelness life had given him. I nodded. I could never forgive him for killing my sister, but I would always remember him as a friend. “Thank you,” he whispered with a small smile. “I can die a little easier knowing this. “Just one thing,” I said, as a linger thought entered my head. “Why would Amadeus want my sister dead? And for his son to be the scapegoat?” Gallant Heart closed his eyes and sighed.”I thought about it for a long time. Ever since I was thrown in here. It finally came to me after the trial, when Celestia said she would enforce all of Twilight’s plans without any care of what the nobles and traditionalists thought. She had been pushed to the edge, and they all know it. She’s out for blood, their blood, and they are cornered. With all this enforcement there will come resistance, not just from the high class, but low class too. Equestria was already dividing itself over politics... now it shall rip itself apart... and I don’t know when it will happen, but eventually only one thing will come up from such building of hate and conflict.” For a long time he didn’t speak, but when he did it only was two words. “Civil War.” *** When the Fallen Star’s Brother left, he left with anger on his face But sorrow in his heart He doesn’t visit the Reluctant Traitor's grave But he prays for his soul nonetheless