Redemption.

by Lord Vinder

It Started In The North

Italics denotes Celestia reliving old memories.

The flight to Fort Vanhoover was not one that most ponies would do; it was long, harsh and rather boring for most of the flight. The sights didn’t change until one crossed the border in the disputered territory of Vanhoover. And even then it didn’t change until one flew over the city of Langneigh, the first populace hub in the territory.

“That’s where Quill’s from,” Celestia noted, glancing over the city from several hundred feet in the air. “Seems like little has changed.” Houses were in a row on one side of the street, and business and the schools were on the other. Typical format for a Vanhoover city.

Fort Vanhoover, despite having the namesake of the largest city in the territory, was actually located on the other side of the river that served as the boundary between Vanhoover and Suri. The Fort, having been constructed in the early days of the city of Vanhoover’s existence, was built in front of the walking bridge that connected Vanhoover with Suri. It was later expanded to include the railway that insured travel and trade between Vanhoover and Canterlot took no longer than 40 hours.

As Celestia landed, however, she could see that Fort Vanhoover had yet to receive the upgrade to accommodate the rail line--and wouldn’t for another two hundred years. Her forces, she remembered, were just outside the train station to the Fort. Colonel Armour, a Pegasus from Manehatten, was preparing the troops just as she approached them from the forest.

“What’s the situation?” Celestia asked, as she glanced at the troops, and then the fort itself. She felt as if she had no control over what she said, as the memories of this battle came rushing into her brain and body. Time, it seemed, had not passed to heal the memory, but rather served as a band-aid upon her.

“Your Majesty!” the Colonel said in surprise. “I didn’t see you come in, welcome.”

“Thank you, Colonel,” she said with a smile. “I am here to assist however I can in this battle.”

“No such need, your highness,” the Colonel said with a smug grin. “The Vanhooverites retreated into the Fortress the second we got here. We’re just preparing for the assault on the building, then we end this annoyance.”

“I don’t know Colonel, Fort Vanhoover has stood for a long time without anyone ever taking it. Or even coming close. Plus, with their backs up against a wall, how can we even say we’ll take it with ease? They have more to lose then we do,” one of the Colonel's officers explained with a worried look. Celestia recognized him as one of the few officers from Vanhoover to join the officer corps. He was a blue unicorn, and was a rising star in her personal guard--which made sense, as his cutie mark was a shooting star.

“The L.T. makes a good point, Colonel. Are you sure we can take this building?” Celestia asked, her tone nervous as she stared at the fort. It was an impressive piece of engineering that had been built before she and Luna took control of Equestria.

“Yes your highness. The fort has no emplacements, they’re in the armoury in the city itself, and they have no officially trained soldiers. Plus, we outnumber them on a ten to one ratio,” Armour explained with an understanding nod.

Celestia said nothing, but waited for a few moments. “How soon can we begin the attack?”

“As soon as the next train comes, your majesty.”

She nodded in response, and trotted over to her guard, whom had been standing at attention since she landed.

“Prepare yourselves,” she said to them with calm, but commanding tone. “The battle begins soon.”

Her guard said nothing, but did as she spoke. Within moments, they were ready for combat. “Give the order, your highness,” the captain said, no emotion on his face or in his voice.

“Your Majesty, may I speak?” the lieutenant from earlier asked, as he approached her. “Freely, that is.”

“You may,” she said, watching the fortress.

“I do not see us taking this fortress. There is something off about it,” he explained. “Something isn’t connecting with it.”

“How do you mean?” She asked, turning her head to him as he spoke.

“They have taken no shots at us. No magic, spear throws, knife tosses, anything. For untrained, and undisciplined troops, they are doing quite well, don’t you think?” the lieutenant explained. “It just doesn’t make sense. They want us to attack. I think they are planning something.”

“Any idea what?” Celestia asked.

“Not one. I understand we must attack, but please. Becareful; I don’t think this will go well.”

“Then I would ask you follow your advice as well,” Celestia said with a little smile. “It would be a shame to lose and officer such as yourself; not many speak up when the situation demands it.”

The lieutenant just blushed, and nodded, returning to his spot in the line up as the troops prepared. Colournal Armo

“Train. Return!” a voice yelled out from a tree. “The train has arrived.”

“Size?” the cournal called out.

“Troop transport. Seems to be, empty?”

“What the…” the colonel said, before turning to Celestia. “Your Majesty, do you know of this?”

I do. Was the first thing that ran through her mind. By the sun. I do.

“No, colonel, I don’t.” was all she could say. “Shall we investigate?”

“At once,” he said, making his way to the station as the train settled down. The doors opened, and out walked an officer, a major to be exact, Celestia recognized as one of the sons of a noble.

“Your Majesty, Colonel, I bring news,” the major said as he approached them, taking out a scroll.

“It better be good,” Armoire said, taking the scroll with a wing. He read it quickly, and his face dropped as he finished it. “Lieutenant!”

“Sir?”

“Take a look at this,” the Colonel said, handing him the paper. “Get your detachment ready.” The lieutenant said nothing after he finished reading it, aside from giving the Colonel a nod.

“What is it?” Celestia asked, approaching the Colonel.

“A status report,” Armoire explained. “It seems General Thundercloud and his Third Army joined the rebels.”

“What?” Celestia asked. “How can this this be?”

“They march on Canterlot as we speak. They'll be there in a few days."

"The entire Third Army?"

"The General can be very persuasive, it seems," Armoire noted. "We need to send some troops back to Canterlot to defend it."

"Why not the entire division? Surely protecting to capital is most important," Celestia asked.

"If we take Vanhoover, we can stop General Thundercloud without a battle. Do you really want to fight your own kind?"

"I'd prefer not to fight at all. This war, it has to be a misunderstanding," Celestia explained, looking over at the fort. It almost looked deserted, but occasionally one could see movement up on the walls.

"That is not an option, we need to fight them, as soon as our troops leave. They can't be well trained in combat," Armorie stated. "Even if the detachment joined up with them."

"How many strong was it?"

"297 troops, three officers, and one deffector who came to Saddle after the take over," the Colonel said. "That was six days ago."

“You said they had no officially trained troops,” Celestia noted with a frown.

“They don’t those who joined up were part of the town guard, nothing more then ponies hired to keep watch. The guards in hospitals are better trained then them,” Armoire

Celestia left her officer and found the lieutenant she was speaking to earlier.

"Your Majesty? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Looking for you. Are you leaving?"

"No, I've been asked to stay and join in the assault, is something amiss?"

"No, not at all. Just wanted to check in. Stay safe, yes?"

"Yes madam."

Celestia just smiled and found the Colonel, readying his soldiers before the assault.

"All present and accounted for?"

"Yes madam, we march now," he said.

"It doesn't have to be this way, we can return back to Canterlot," Celestia added.

"Headquarters ordered me to fight, I will not disappoint them."

She paused for a few moments, looking down at the ground, which seemed to be unable to hold the weight of the stallions in armour.

"Colonel, hold off the attack,"

"Why would I do that?"

"The ground, look at it. It's muddy."

"So was basic training."

Celestia sighed. "They haven't attacked, because this isn't suitable ground. None of us can get good footing."

Armorie paused for a few moments, looking around. She wasn't wrong. Some had issues standing properly, and others seemed to be getting eaten alive by the ground.

“I know what you are saying Princess, but I don’t have a choice. I must attack,” he said, before walking to the front of the detachment.

Celestia tried to call out to him, but it was no use, no sound left her muzzle; history would be repeated. She ordered her guards to take flight and join in the assault, and after a few moments, she joined her stallions in armour.

The battle, of what would become known as the First Battle of Fort Vanhoover, cost her 30% of her troops. Most were just wounded or unable to fight, but that did not stop blood from joining the ground to create a giant puddle of brown and red. She watched ponies drown in the ground, and choke on blood. Before the battle was out, no area between the fort and the station was clean.

The battle drew to a close, as Celestia watched it speed by at a rate she could not say. She did, however, re watch the deaths she did before. Her guards took no loses, but when it was over, not a wing was clear and not a piece of armour was undented. The Colonel, to his credit, lived as well, though he was not willing to speak to anyone. He was the last to leave the field, and rumour spread around that he hoped to be killed by a chance bolt from a unicorn. The lieutenant from earlier also made it though, but he took a wound though the hoof that made his days often on clouds, and not on earth.

The visions left Celestia’s eyes, and returned her to Fort Vanhoover, stationed by guards who could not see her. The ground was normal, and not a drop of blood could be seen. However, one pony remained on the ground, not moving and attracting no attention. She ran to him.

“Are you hur--” she asked the pony, before noticing who it was.

“Princess, good to see you again,” the pony said looking at her. “Bit of a horrid time, isn't it?”

“Ace, what are you doing here? You've been dead for centuries.”

“Ten, to be precise,” Ace said with a grin. “I’m not here for much longer, and am I glad for it.”

“Don’t like being sustained by pure magic itself?”

Ace laughed for a few moments. “So thats what it was, Waterwheel tell you?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Long story short, we each got choose by Luna before you confronted her in the Castle. She sent us on our way before you walked in,” Ace explained, looking around the area, not once having sat up. “Once I got here, I couldn’t move. Been here ever since.”

“What’s it like being sustained by pure magic?”

“I miss eating,” Ace noted, looking at his hooves. “And ponies. I don’t like ponies, but I missed ‘em.”

Celestia rolled her eyes, nodded. “Anything you can tell me to stop her?”

“Love? Sounds stupid, but she never really showed any love; and I was one of the early defectors to her side,” Ace stated. “That’s all I can think of. And I have to go any ways. Good bye Celestia.”

And before a single word could leave her mouth, Ace, like Waterwheel hours earlier, was gone into dust. The area returned to normal, and she watched several guards notice her. Before they could fully react, she flew off in the direction of Canterlot.

Celestia flew into her office and touched down, watching Quill run around--his bandages flapping as he moved. She wasn't sure he had seen her, until she sat at her desk and a tea cup landed with a coaster before her rump hit the ground.

“Miss me?” Quill asked, sitting in front of her desk, his eyes going over paper work that she recalled putting on her todo list earlier that day. She watched him with a small smile, and laughed softly to herself.

“How was Vanhoover?” he asked, glancing to meet her eyes for a moment, before returning to look at the papers again.

“You were right, though it was Ace who visited me,” Celestia noted.

“Aerial Ace? One of the best flyers the Kingdom ever saw. He’s a local hero in my home town,” Quill explained. “Was the first officer from Langneigh.”

“You were the tenth, right?”

“And second in the Airforce,” Quill added with a grin. “Well, that paperwork is done.”

“You speed never ceases to fail, Doctor,” Celestia admitted, sipping at her tea.

“Where do you travel to next?” Quill asked, flying three more documents in the air around him with his magic.

“I am unsure, but there is something I wished to talk to you about.”

“I’d say Skater, where the mountain pass lies before Canterlot and Ponyville,” Quill offered. “It’s always been a magically sensitive area and was the site of one of Equestria’s most famous battles during the rebellion.”

“There is logic in what you say,” Celestia noted.

“Now what was it you wanted to talk about?”

Celestia took a few moments to compose herself and her thoughts. “I have learned something about this rebellion.”

“Which is?”

“I owe a big apology to Luna, and to Vanhoover,” she admitted. “I didn't want to face it at the time, but I owe an apology to Luna.”

Quill just smiled at her, but returned to his work. His smile not breaking at all.

“Skater awaits,” he said softly, scanning through the document. “Skater awaits.”

Author's Note:

Well that was fun!
Comment if you like!

Comments

[sakuralovelight]

i really like this story hope to read more soon