Outcasts of Equestria

by Old Ben Kenobi

Chapter 14-A Tyrant’s Destiny

Chapter 14-

Each member of the group was expecting the Hollow Shades to look different. One thought it would have gem-encrusted buildings, their sheen so bright it would look like day even in the blackest night. Another was expecting each tree to be crackling with magical energy. Yet another thought their power could come from the earth itself.

The settlement in The Hollow Shades did not look like any of these. The lights were simple firefly lanterns, and the buildings were simply huts with thatched roofs. And all around, there was nopony to be seen.
“Um, are you sure this is the place Applejack?” Asked Fluttershy quietly.
“O’ course,” Said Applejack, though she seemed uncertain. She looked around, and saw a hut larger than the others, “Ah’m sure if we look in there, there’ll be somepony who’ll know how to help us stop Blueblood.”
“Strange,” Said Twilight, “I don’t sense any powerful magic here.”

“ Perhaps they have found some way of disguising it, darling.” Suggested Rarity.
“I suppose it’s possible...” responded Twilight, though she seemed unconvinced.
They walked towards the hut in the centre. It had a huge, oaken door. Rainbow Dash knocked, and it swung open with a creak. In the centre of the room was an elderly, male stallion sitting at a desk. He made no response to any of them.
“Excuse me, sir?” Said Twilight, her horn barely illuminating the dark and dismal atmosphere. “We’ve come to ask for help.”
The old pony turned around. Twilight was reminded of Starswirl the Bearded, though this pony had a much greyer beard.
“In all my years as head of wisdom here,” Said the stallion, “I have never turned away a pony seeking help, and I shall not do so here.”
“We came here because we heard your people have a power greater than any other,” Said Twilight cautiously.
The stallion chuckled.
“Yes,” he said, “That is true.”
“Yes!” Said Rainbow Dash, “Finally, we stand a chance to defeat Blueblood!”
The old stallion looked puzzled, then smiled.
“Ah,” he said, “You think our power allows us to fight. We know of the secrets of the earth, and the sky, and we continue to delve the deepest mysteries of friendship and love, but we have no power over the physical realm.”
The companions’ expressions turned from relief to horror.
“So you can’t help us?” Said Twilight, aghast.
“Oh, now I wouldn’t say that,” replied the stallion, “We can help you spiritually and psychologically, but none of us have any training in the ways of combat and domination. And If you are in need of accommodation, you may use our guest hut.”

The companions sat around a campfire in the night, with the guest hut looming over them.
“Well, that was a waste of time,” said Rainbow Dash.
“I don’t know; I think it’s nice here.”
“Fluttershy,darling, ” Said Rarity,” whilst this village is, um, charming in its way, you can’t deny it was useless coming here now.”
Twilight wasn’t listening to their arguments. She simply stared out, dejectedly, into the woods. Then she thought she heard something; a little ‘click’ of talons, and briefly saw a bright magical flash.
“Quiet!” She hissed, “Did you guys hear that?”
Suddenly, the leaves to their right began to rustle, as if something were coming out of the woods towards them. They got up, ready to fight or flee, until it jumped out. It was small and white, and Fluttershy gasped.
“Angel!” She cried, as the rabbit jumped into her hooves.
“Angel?” Said Rainbow Dash, “What are you doing here?”
“Surprise!” They heard a voice call from their hut, but when they looked around, no one was there.
“Oh for pony’s sake,” Said the voice, “Up here!”
They looked on the roof of the hut and saw the Discord hovering above it.
Fluttershy looked relieved, but the others seemed suspicious.
“How’d you get away from Blueblood?” Asked Rainbow Dash, “For all we know, Discord might be working for him!”
“Tut, tut, tut,” said Discord, “Why, I thought you ponies were meant to be sweet and kind and forgiving, y’know “friendship is magic” and all that. Well, if no one here appreciates all I’ve been through then maybe I shouldn’t have come back at all!”
“I’m glad to see you, Discord,” Said Fluttershy, and she scowled at Rainbow Dash.
Twilight, on the other hand, looked more concerned than anyone else.
“Discord,” she said seriously, “Did you check yourself for any enchantments after you escaped?”
Discord looked unconcerned.
“Why, I doubt the fools had the presence of mind to-“
“Check, now!” Said Twilight, more forcefully.
Discord clicked his talons, and a blue aura emirates around him. He began to look a little sheepish.
“Ah,” he said, “It looks like there may have been a teency, tiny-“
“Tracking spell!” Exclaimed Twilight, and suddenly they heard the unmistakable sound of teleportation. And it didn’t stop at one. Or ten. Or even twenty.
“How many are there?” Asked Rainbow Dash, the panic in her voice rising.
Twilight sat down, her eyes looking utterly defeated.
“It’s the entire guard,” she said quietly, “With the Princesses gone...we’re the only threat left.”
“Well then, Twilight,” Said Applejack suddenly, “What are we going to do?”
Twilight Sparkle was silent for a moment.
“I don’t know, Applejack.”
“What do you mean?” Asked Applejack, incredulously, “We’ve fought worse odds than this!”
“But this is the Royal Guard. Could we kill any of them? Really? And even if we could, what are we supposed to do against an entire army of them?”
The group was silent. They could hear the matching of hooves getting closer and closer to the village. The ponies that lived there, their last hope, were simply cowering in their huts, weak, alone and defenceless. Much of the village was made of young fillies and colts, who may never live to see one more sunrise.

The first ponies to surround them were the Unicorns. Each one was armed with a full body paralysis spell, and as the group looked out of their hut, they saw the Pegasi flying in towards them.
“I don’t understand,” whispered Pinkie Pie, “Where’s Blueblood?”
She heard Fluttershy gulp.
“I think,” Fluttershy whispered, “That’s him.”
At first, it looked as though a giant, blue, spherical creature was forcing its way through the forest, crushing all the trees in its wake. But this was no creature; it was a shield spell, created by four unicorn guards. And in the centre of the shield was a floating bed, with a pure white Unicorn stallion with a brilliantly coiffured mane; Blueblood. The unicorns levitating him were obviously struggling, but he didn’t seem to care in the slightest. In fact, it looked like he was asleep.
“Now,” his magically amplified voice boomed, without bothering to open his eyes, “I’m a busy King and I’m only going to say this once. You are an enemy of Equestria, and shall face summary execution unless you turn yourselves in right now!”
“Oh, I’ll turn myself in all right!” Growled Discord, “When his bed turns to chocolate pudding!” And he raised his talons to snap then.
“Discord!” Hissed Twilight, “Not now! We don’t know what he’s capable of yet!” She turned to the window.
“We refuse to surrender,” she called, calmly, “We do not recognise your authority!”

“Shame,” drawled Blueblood, “Because if you don’t, or if you try and set your pet Draconequus on it, I shall have my unicorns level this village to the ground. There shall be nothing left but a faint haze of magical energy, and all these innocent ponies will have died because you were too cowardly to face justice!”
Of all the things they were expecting Blueblood to say, that was not one of them. They could scarcely believe he had fallen so low in such a short amount of time. Even the guards were beginning to look confused, and scared.
“We can get out of this,” Said Discord, “Just day the word, and I can teleport us all out of here!”
“They’ll find us again,” said Fluttershy, “And you’ve seen what Blueblood is capable of; he’ll destroy each and every one of these ponies.”
“Fluttershy’s right,” Said Twilight, “We have to face him.”
“But we’ll all do it together, right?” Said Spike.
Twilight looked down at him, and for the first time in days, had a genuine smile on her face.
“Together.”

The 8 friends walked out of the hut, and down the dirt path, to where the army was waiting.
“So,” Said Blueblood, “Her ‘Royal Majesty’ has finally bothered to get up and face her responsibilities.”
Twilight refused to dignify his comment with an answer.
“Do what you will, traitor,” she spat, “But spare me your ill conceived one liners.”
Her friends, especially Spike, were noticeably taken aback.
“Oh, very well,” yawned Blueblood, and turned to the nearest guard, “You there. Kill them now, and start with the lizard.”
“It will be done, my Lord,” he said, and turned to Spike, his horn flaring blue with a killing spell. Inwardly, Twilight was disappointed. She had hoped that this would be a step too far, that one of the guards would object, but no one said anything. Not a word. She could feel Discord’s chaos magic readying behind her, knew the moment one side fired a shot it would be over for this village an likely all of them, too.
“Wait!” she called out, both to the guard and Discord. The guard’s magic twinkled out.
“What are you doing?” Blueblood snarled, “Finish them!”
“She’s still a Princess,” called the guard, “She has the right to last words.”
“Rex?” She said, “That’s your name right? Rex?”
“Twilight,” he said, “Don’t make this any harder than it is already. Stand down, and I shall make your executions painless.”
“I’m not going to plead,” Said Twilight, “I’m simply going to ask, what happens next?”
“What do you mean?”
“When you’ve destroyed us, what will you do?”
“Continue to do what we have always done; defend peace and harmony in Equestria.”
“No, I mean right away. What is next on the agenda?”
The guard paused. He already didn’t feel comfortable with the execution, but if he had to do something just as bad next...
“Sir,” he called out to Blueblood, “What are our orders after I have dealt with the traitors?”
“Oh, we’ll find this village guilty of harbouring fugitives or something,” he said nonchalantly, “It’s horrible and dirty here. We’d be doing Equestria a favour by wiping it off the map forever.”
Rex looked horrified, and Twilight smiled a sad and grim smile.
“Well?” She said, coolly, “What’s it to be?”
The guard looked into the windows of each hut and saw the cowering and huddled fillies and colts inside. With a clank, his helmet came off.
“I joined the EUP guard to help Equestria, and the innocents therein,” Said Rex, “I will have no part in a massacre! I resign.”
Blueblood looked genuinely shocked for a moment, but regained his composure impressively quickly.
“Well,” he said, “That’s very noble of you or something, I’m sure. But I still have an army behind me, and you have nothing!” The stallions behind him readied their weapons.

“Kill him!” Snarled Blueblood, “ Kill them all!”
But no one budged. Killing some traitors was one thing, but an entire village? It went against everything they had been taught by Celestia, about forgiveness and compassion.
“Sir,” Said one Stallion, “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Alright?” Hissed Blueblood, “Now is not the time to question me!”
An idea occurred to Rex.
“I still have loyalty to you, My Lord!” Cried Rex, “Of course you’re not unwell!”
Blueblood smiled.
“Very well. I might actually rescind the death sentence if you tell everypony here the truth!”
“Stallions,” cried Rex, “I have heard some disturbing rumours; that Blueblood’s mind has been compromised by the sudden strain of ruling an entire Kingdom! That he is not fit to lead a single one of you, or that he is in need of psychiatric health! None of these rumours are true!”
“What?” A guard shouted, “His mind is compromised?”
Suddenly, Blueblood realised the momentous error he had just made.
“Um, Twilight?” Said Applejack, “Is it my imagination, or is the army gettin’ smaller?”
Applejack was right. The guards at the back were starting to filter out.
“No,” said Blueblood, “No, come back!”
Suddenly, the bubble around him popped and the guards stopped levitating him. He fell to the ground with an undignified ‘crash’.

The dirty white unicorn was left, alone, on a bed in the centre of a desolate village. The dust that had been kicked up by the guards now covered him, ruining his mane and reducing him to a silent, quivering mass.
Out of all the ponies, the first to approach him was Twilight.
“Blueblood,” She said, quietly, “I know this has been hard for you, but-“
“Silence!” He snarled, “Spare me your speeches! Leave me alone!” He began to weep, “I had everything! Everything! And you, you took it from me!”
Suddenly, Twilight felt a hoof push her aside. It was Rarity.
“Blueblood!” She snapped. The stallion stopped his weeping and looked up.
“Enough! You have done enough to every pony around you, so don’t you dare fall into self pity! If we had behaved the same way as you, then you’d have lost far more than your power!”
“Rarity?” He whispered, “Not you too. I could never understand why you would throw your lot in with these ingrates!”
“Then,” came an old, gruff voice from behind them, “Perhaps we could teach you.”
They looked around. It was the old stallion who lead the village.
“We are always here to welcome the dispossessed, the homeless. Humility is among our greatest virtues, in fact.”
“Lived with you?” Cried Blueblood, “In this hovel? I would rather starve!” And he got up, and ran into the woods.
“He’ll be back,” chuckled the old stallion, “When he realises his armies, his power, were nothing compared to us.”
Twilight turned, astonished.
“You knew this would happen?” She said.
“Oh yes,” he said, “We have not survived for these centuries by being weak. We merely have a different kind of strength.”

“Y’know,” Said Rainbow Dash, as they trotted back to Ponyville, “I was expecting a huge battle or something, like what happened with Celestia and Chrysalis! Huge magic beams and explosions and stuff.”
“Sometimes that happens,” Said Twilight, “But more often that not, dictators aren’t forced out via strength or epic battles. 9 out of 10 times, they merely end up sad and alone, and forgotten by history. And maybe that’s for the best.”

The End

Author's Note:

This has been a very long time in the making, but with the series ending soon I thought I should finally put this tale to rest. Thank you so much for staying with me all this time!