Ponyville
12/24/3
7:54 P.M.
It was incredibly somber for Hearth’s Warming Eve, Twilight reflected. Though most of the guardsponies who had come to defend her almost a week ago were from Canterlot, several Ponyville families had lost loved ones. Fortunately, both the guardsponies she cared about were in the Crystal Empire and hadn’t been at any risk.
Throughout the town, ponies engaged in the typical festivities, singing, drinking, chatting, and exchanging gifts. But the conversations were subdued, the songs were quiet and shaky, and the drinking was much heavier than usual. The recent deaths put a significant damper on the mood, and the dark, looming tower of the Imperial base, resolutely cleared by its inhabitants of any snow that might soften its jagged lines, was a constant reminder that more suffering was a near-inevitability. Bizarrely, Twilight found that she was eager for it. After a moment’s contemplation, she dismissed the feeling. She simply wanted to get rid of the humans and have life return to some semblance of normality, that was all.
It wouldn’t be long. Two weeks more, maybe three, and she would be strong enough to defeat Malen. She had almost begun to look forward to the Inquisitor’s nightly summons. She hated every single moment she spent with him, of course, but once he went to sleep, she got an excellent opportunity to examine his holocron. She loved imagining the look that would appear on his face when he discovered, moments before he died, that she had surpassed him. Her little project would be a particularly great surprise. And according to the holocron, an apprentice who killed her Master would inherit his rank. Since he was the highest-ranking human on the planet, she would be able to order the Imperials to leave once she took over.
With a start, she noticed two humans walking towards each other at the edge of the town square. She was about to blast them with her magic for violating the treaty when she recognized them – Fluttershy’s friend, Captain Orramas, and Apple Bloom’s friend, Sergeant Malo. Instead of shredding them, she crept up and listened to their conversation from around a corner.
“Well, now! I didn’t expect to see another human face in this town! Whatcha doin’ here, Cap? I never took you for the partying type.”
“I’m not. Miss Fluttershy wanted me to come, though. She thought it’d help Imperial-Equestrian relations if I socialized with more ponies than just her. Like hell. I don’t know why she suggested it, really – it’s not like she’s some social butterfly, despite those tattoos on her arse. I’d bet my week’s salary that her friends put her up to this.”
“Cutie mark.”
“What?”
“They’re not tattoos. They’re called cutie marks, and the ponies are magically given them when they figure out their special talents.”
“I know that! How in the name of the Emperor do you?! And why are you even allowed here, Sergeant…?”
“Bren Malo, sir. I learned ’bout cutie marks when my squad was assigned to help out the Apple family at their farm. I got along pretty well with ’em, ’specially the littlun, so they got me an’ my boys permission to come here for the party. Reminded me of Life Day, so I decided to check it out.”
“Ah, yes. Sergeant Malo. I thought you looked familiar. I was the one who nominated your squad for that role.”
“Huh. Well, I reckon that shouldn’t have surprised me. I gotta thank you, sir. Those Apples are some mighty fine folks. Dang near feels like they’re family, at times.”
“Oh, really? Well, I’m glad more than one of us is getting along with the locals.”
“Yessir. Sure is nice to be around friendly folk, for a change.”
“What, as opposed to your fellow Imperials?”
“Oh! Of course I’m not saying anything bad about them, sir. I meant in terms of natives.”
“I know. I’m just karking with you.”
“Oh. Eh, heh-heh. Right. Karkin’ with me. You. Ah, good one, sir.”
“Relax, Sergeant. I’m hardly going to turn you in for fraternizing with aliens when I specifically requested for you to do just that. Besides, I’m doing the same.”
“Yeah, but you’re an –”
“You don’t want to finish that sentence.”
“Heh. Ah, no, of course not.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I just saw someone else I need to talk to. Do try to drink less, Sergeant. It’s bad for your health.”
Twilight heard the unmistakable thumping cadence of booted human feet marching away. At the risk of being noticed, she peeked around the corner. The gray-uniformed human was leaning against a wall, sweating profusely despite the wintery chill and staring vacantly at a bottle in his hand. The brown-uniformed human strode into the crowd and started talking to somepony, though she couldn’t make out who it was or what he was saying. After a few moments, Orramas and his still-concealed pony compatriot walked into an alleyway, and Twilight moved to follow them.
“Hey, Twilight!” She grimaced as Rainbow Dash and Applejack flew and ran up to her, respectively, plastered smiles on their faces. “Why aren’t you hanging out with everypony else?”
“Yeah, Twi! Everypony’s wondering where you are!” Applejack noticed the human standing in the shadows. “Howdy, Bren.” She cocked her head and frowned. “Are you alright?”
He jumped slightly. “Wha?! Oh, it’s you. Yeah, I’m… I’m fine. I just… had a bad conversation with a superior officer, is all. Just… just give me a minute.” He took a deep swig from the bottle.
The clock tower struck eight, and at that moment, a flash of light came from the Everfree Forest, followed by a thunderous boom and a column of black smoke. The celebration came to a screeching halt, and many ponies screamed and ran in all directions as more explosions echoed from the forest and lit up the evening sky.
“Come on, girls!” Twilight commanded. “We’ve got to get the others! It looks like the Imperials are up to no good.”
Bren looked up from his drink. “Please don’t. The rifles may be set to stun, but those explosions are quite real. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“What the hay are you talking about?!”
“You weren’t told? The general’s having us wargame tonight and all day tomorrow to take our minds off the festivities. He’s not fond of us observing alien holidays at the best of times. What with everything that’s been going on, he’s in an even worse mood than usual. I’ve got to get back there before ten for my company’s exercise, or I’ll be on KP duty for a month. Hell, I might get it anyways if Lieutenant Girard realizes I’ve been drinking. Uptight schutta.”
“So… they aren’t attacking?”
“Sure, they’re attacking. It’s just that they’re attacking spotter droids and each other, not you.”
“Huh.” It seemed perfectly benign, or at least, as benign as the Empire got, but the Hearth’s Warming Eve party was ruined. And that, the Element-Bearers suspected, was the whole point.