Under Her Rule

by InkHeartBrony

Broken

"Take down the boards! Break the windows if you have to!" Shining Armor yelled to the ponies crowding in the halls.

"Midnight." He looked back towards me. "Both of you go to Fluttershy. She'll take you to safety and explain everything from there."

Safety? I didn't want to run to safety. I wanted to help. Actually do something. But another part of me said I wasn't here to seek adventure, I wasn't here to fight battles. I was only here to protect Clipeum and myself.

But at some point, you had to stop the threat yourself. You couldn't hide forever. You couldn't just waste your life away hiding. You could hide for a little while, yes, but at some point the threat should be stopped.

We could then go back to our lives. Not have to constantly be worrying about where to go now.

I should leave the fighting to them.

Don't be useless.

I can't just stand around. Do something!

"Captain Armor. I believe I should help. I'm good with a gun."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Don't get too cocky. I don't have time for this. Fluttershy is downstairs."

With that he left the room, his armor and helmet shining in the light of the now open windows. The hallway was much lighter without those boards covering the windows.

He ran past the ponies all lined up in front of the windows, sniper rifles in their hooves as they aimed at something outside.

One pony I didn't see though was Rainbow Dash. I assumed she was positioned somewhere else in the building.

I looked over to my bedside table which had only one thing on it.

A gun.

I grabbed onto it, loading it and clicking the safety off. I grabbed Clip, with my gun in one hoof, and ran out. Running downstairs.

Before I greeted Fluttershy though, I went into the next room, where I looked out the broken window.

From far away, I could see a group of pegasi and earth pony guards all walking in our direction. Some held spears while others held bow's. They moved forward with already angered expressions.

I turned to look behind me when I heard hoofsteps. Not mine, nor Clip's. But Pinkie Pie's. She walked forward, she wore a gray saddlebag, and a silver chest plate, still wearing that mask to cover her nonexistent mouth.

As she walked past me, I noticed that her cutiemark was not on the saddlebag. Instead something was written on the side of the bag.

Party Bombs

I could only guess what that meant.

I watched her as she walked outside and under the large shadow of the building near the window. I blinked and suddenly she was gone.

I looked around, nopony was in sight. She had completely disappeared.

It didn't make sense.

Suddenly I heard the door open behind me, Fluttershy ran in.

"Oh goodness! Don't be over here!" She said, nervously trotting in place with impatience.

Clipeum and I went back into the other room with her.

I whispered to him. "Did you see where Pinkie went?"

He shook his head in reply. No.

"Fluttershy, what's going on?" I asked, setting my gun on the nearby table.

"Guards. The guards are searching the entire city! Every corner, and it seems they've found us..." She sighed. "I asked Rainbow Dash if we could just make them go away peacefully... Oh, I don't want to deal with scary ponies! Why can't we just ask nicely?" she squeaked.

"Fluttershy... just yesterday you were telling me I had to use a gun."

"I-I know! But when it really comes to actually using it, I get scared!"

I sighed, looking around the room.

"Fluttershy... Is there any pony else hiding?"

It appeared to be that Fluttershy, Clip, and I were the only ones here.

Fluttershy looked down. "Um... no, usually it's just me."

Great. Everypony else was being useful and I wasn't.

Obviously these ponies knew what they were doing. They would be able to handle it themselves, but couldn't I just put in a little bit of effort?

I kissed Clipeum on the forehead, putting my hoof on his necklace. "I'm always with you." I said.

I grabbed my gun off the table, I walked past the many tables and chairs of the dining area, and found the kitchen. I jumped over the counter and pushed open the swinging door to the kitchen. Fluttershy stared at me in confusion. "Midnight where-?"

The kitchen door swung closed, and I searched for something else. Another door, a back door.

I eventually found it, and began to trot over to it. Just then Fluttershy and Clipeum opened the door and came in.

"Midnight!" Fluttershy said, surprised.

"Mama! Don't go!"

"I'll be fine!" I called back. Opening the back door and shutting it behind me.

It was cold out here. Cold and dark, but at this point we were all used to it. I wasn't sure I would be fine. But I mean, all these guards had were spears and some bow's. Couldn't do much harm especially where they were at.

I put my back against the brick wall. Taking in a deep breath.

I assumed they were still far away, that maybe I could try to shoot them and they wouldn't see me. It would all work out fine.

Then I would get praised, called a savior, a warrior. Oh how wonderful that would be!

What am I thinking?! Have I gone mad already?

I moved to the corner, and peaked around the corner. I saw that the guards were much closer than I thought. Maybe, maybe Fluttershy was right. Maybe we could do this peacefully?

With snipers in the windows and guards with spears and such, it didn't seem like that would work. I already knew what these guards would do. I had faced them only a few days ago.

Just three days ago you were sitting in your home drinking tea by the fireplace. Now your hiding behind a building with a gun in your hoof.

How had it come to this? So quickly my life had been turned in odd directions I never would have imagined.

I was supposed to be a mother. A caring, loving mother. But I had suddenly decided to be a rather... aggressive mother.

Something about that title was appealing.

I watched the stallions move forward, looking in windows and finding nothing. One stallion was calling out orders to them, and they began to move towards our building. Getting closer and closer and closer...

I pointed my gun in their direction, ready to aim. But then I realized something.

These targets moved and fought back. You never practiced this. You aren't ready.

Don't get too cocky. Shining Armor had said.

Oh, he was right. I was getting full of it. I shouldn't have done this. But... I can't go back now, can I?

I moved back over to the back door.

It was locked. There was no way to return now.

I sighed, looking back around the corner. But I had moved too far, and a I heard a stallion yell, "Hey!"

No. He couldn't have seen you. He was looking at somepony else of course.

I looked around the corner again, and found myself face to face with a guard. They all wore the royal guard armor, and the stallion I faced and a white coat, which looked as though had to have been cleaned many, many times to get redstains out. His teeth were grit and his expression was intimidating and angry.

Four more stallions were behind him, and I immediately reacted without thinking.

I pointed my gun at his face. My hooves tight on the trigger.

All the guards raise their spears at me and I felt sweat trickling down my face. I was shaking.

Behind me, I then heard the voice of Fluttershy.

"Midnight!" she yelled, but froze when she saw what was happening.

This is not a target on a wall. This is a real life stallion. You are pointing a gun, at a real pony.

There were too many, this was too overwhelming.

He growled. "Are you threatening me?"

I couldn't speak, my mouth suddenly felt dry, and I was frozen in place.

"Commander!" one gasped. "That is Midnight Glider, and Fluttershy!"

"Midnight... Glider." his eyes narrowed as he took a step towards me I began to lower my gun, gulping and taking a step back.

He chuckled, a smile creeping up his dark expression. He reached forward, and grabbed Fluttershy. She squealed as she was pulled forward, and I did nothing.

"She didn't say we had to take either of them back alive." he grinned, shoving his knife against her throat. Tears filled her eyes and she stared at me hopefully.

Another guard stepped forward and raised his spear over me. I thought I heard a click behind me, but I barely acknowledged it. My eyes and ears only focused on the stallion above- and once again I found myself ignoring Fluttershy.

I was just too selfish.

He brought it down, cutting a gash on my leg making me gasp in pain. Tears fell down my face as I crawled backwards, trying to get away, or towards the gun I had dropped.

"No!" Fluttershy screamed, struggling to get out of his grasp.

My leg felt like it was on fire, never feeling such a pain in my life.

When he raised his spear again, ready to hurt me more, the other's did as well. All of them pointing their spears right at me with fury and at the same time, sick amusement.

But right as multiple spears were about to come down on me, a small figure jumped in front of me. Taking the pain for me.

The small figure fell onto the ground, coughing.

Clipeum.

Clipeum coughed and gasped. His horn beginning to glow as a silvery light made a dome around me. He could barely move, and he was using all his strength to create a shield around me. But he was too weak to put a shield around Fluttershy as well.

His small body was covered in bleeding cuts and his eyes were shut. Many of the cuts from the spears were on his legs, but there was one on his face. His breathing was too painful to listen to.

I looked at my hoof, noticing the deep cut was healing and closing before my eyes. The scrape on my other leg was also healing very quickly. New clean fur was already growing where it had been scraped off.

The stallions stood back, astonished and surprised. They all then turned there attention to the young unicorn.

"Witch!"

"Get that thing out of here!"

"It's defending the enemy!"

"It's the unicorn child." One with a raspy voice said more calmly.

They all turned their attention to the last one who had spoken, and immediately yelling broke out. Even the one holding Fluttershy was distracted for a moment, and I had to use that moment wisely.

I crawled back, grabbing my gun and standing up. I walked up to the guard holding Fluttershy and put the gun against his head.

I seemed brave, I looked brave, but it was just a mask. A mask I could not dare to break.

"Release her." I said as commanding as possible. "One click of this trigger and you'll drop dead." I hissed.

Surprisingly, the guard let go. He stared at me, as he pushed Flutterhsy towards me, she easily slipped right into my safe haven of magic, she let out a shaky breath and put her face into my shoulder.

"This is not over." he growled.

But I hadn't forgotten that Vinyl was there, or Clipeum.

Vinyl stepped forward and stood her ground. She wore no armor, but the only thing she did wear, was magenta sunglasses and a wide grin.

"Actually, it is over." Vinyl said.

While they all stared at her, I went behind them and brought Clip into the magic dome too. He was barely conscious. Councils enough to keep up the small dome of protection.

Vinyl smiled deviously, in her hoof she tossed a hoof grenade, and immediately all the guards backed away including the one I threatened. Next to her stood Pinkie, who made eye contact with each and every one of them. She stood on her hind legs, holding a very large grenade launcher, with the Gryphon Arms symbol near the trigger.

Crafted, tested, and approved by Gilda.

"What are you doing witch?!" One guard growled.

"Doing what should've been done a long time ago," she said, nodding at Pinkie.

Pinkie raised her gun and the stallions backed away.

She only shot once. But once was enough.

I saw a flash of bright orange and a loud explosion that made my ears ring. Dirt flew up and went right over my dome of protection.

When the dust had cleared I saw the carnage. Broken bodies and armor lay around me. The two mares and Clip were nowhere to be seen. I was alone, seeing only the dead and torn apart bloody corpses of the guards.

I had not even a scratch. Fluttershy still had her face pressed into me, sobbing, refusing to look. My dome of protection began to fade away, and I sat, stunned and frozen in the cold silent area, with my hooves wrapped around the scared pegasus and my son.

Tears formed in my eyes at what had just happened. It was overwhelming.

I stared at the bodies, and I couldn't move. Even when Vinyl and Pinkie returned, they ended up dragging me back inside with my face unchanging.

The images flashing before my eyes and I couldn't make them go away as much as I tried. They were stuck in my mind and they would stay that way.

---

I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I didn't even smile when Fluttershy tried to cheer me up.

Rainbow was ever so grateful that I had saved her girlfriend. She had seen it all from a distance, it got to the point where- (she told me not to tell a soul)- she was crying and thanking me over and over again.

But I didn't say a word.

I watched Clipeum being cleaned up and bandaged. I watched him curl up next to me and smile at me. He hugged me and tried to make me do anything. Tried to make me smile or laugh but nothing worked. I didn't respond.

He did everything in his power, he showed me a new stuffed animal Fluttershy had given him, he asked me what it was and when I didn't respond he left to go find Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow told me he was starting training. She was giving him some practice with a sword. For right now they were only using fake swords.

When I didn't respond she left to go train with him.

Applejack asked what I wanted to eat and when I didn't respond she made me one of her favorites. It left a new taste in my mouth but I couldn't tell if the taste was good or bad.

Gilda gave me a new gun and when I didn't respond she took it back. I didn't know whether i should be happy or sad or feel anything at all. Did I care whether I got a new gun or not? It didn't seem to help much but only cause more trouble.

Captain Armor was upset with me for not listening to him, and when I didn't respond I was sent to Fluttershy.

Fluttershy tried asking me how I was. She tried to give me something to eat and when I didn't respond I ended up staying in her doctors office for a few nights. I ended up being fed and given presents to get me to respond.

But when I didn't respond I was left alone.

I was left to stare out my window. Trying to erase the thoughts, the memories that didn't want to go away.

I was left to look at the darkness outside for hours and hours and do nothing else.

But when Pinkie, who was as silent as me, put a hoof on my shoulder in understanding, I smiled.

I was not alone.

---

"Midnight you're not alone."

"But I will be."

"You have to stay strong! For him, for me."

"But what if I can't! I don't know how to take care of a foal!"

"Don't say that. You're a wonderful mother and wife."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know you'll protect him. I know that even when they take me away, you'll put your life in front of the foal's. You won't let anypony touch him. I know you."

"I can't let them take you..."

"You have to let me go. Just promise you'll keep him safe. No matter the cost!"

"I-I promise, Silver."

---