> Risen Earth
>  by PonyTom
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Bad News
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Diary,

It's gone.  It's all gone.

At first I thought I was seeing things.  I wanted to believe I was just seeing things.  I wanted to believe it was all a dream, a terrible nightmare that I'd wake up from.  But as I stared at it from the edge of the Everfree Forest, it slowly dawned on me what I was seeing was not an illusion, not a dream.  What I was seeing was cold, harsh reality.

Ponyville had been almost entirely annihilated.

I had been in feeble condition for a week.  And it had been days before I could finally move.  When Zecora let slip that Ponyville had been destroyed, I forgot my wounds and tore across the Everfree.  I had to see it myself.  I had to prove it wrong.  I had to show her that it was some lie, or that it was some clever trick.  All I did was confirm the fears I didn't want to acknowledge.

Did anypony make it out alive?

I don't know what to do...

For the first time in my life, I truly feel alone.

I'm still not well.  I've suffered a lot, and I need to recover.  I'm in no condition to do anything yet.  All I can do right now is what I do best; think.  I must plan for my next move.  Something has to be done, and soon.  I have no idea why these earth ponies killed so many, but I have no intention of sitting idly by while they do.

All I can do now is heal.  Once I do, I will begin to hunt for my friends.  After that? We do what we do best.

We save Equestria.

It will be no easy matter, but I know we can.  Ponyville has been destroyed before.  I'll admit, it's never had the unfortunate civilian casualties this attack has had, but we'll recover all the same, and these criminals will get what's coming to them.

First thing's first.

I'm hungry.

We'll talk more later.

From the journal of Twilight Sparkle,
Former Princess of Equestria


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A yawn was the first sound I would acknowledge for the day.

Morning already?

I let my eyes fall on a cuckoo clock hanging from the wall.  Sure enough, it read 7:30 am.  That meant I had an hour and a half to eat breakfast and get ready for work.  Just perfect.  It was going to be one of those days, I could feel it in my bones; one of those days where things just seemed to go bad for the sake of going bad.  Of course, I guess that's how I felt most days... the world isn't as polite a place as it had once been.

I slowly sat up from her bed and yawned, stretching my hooves as far as I could until I heard that satisfying pop.  Instead, however, I got pains and aches in the muscles in my back as they seized up, reminding me of old scars.  I had no idea how long they'd be locked like that, but I knew only one way to fix it.  Well, two ways, but there was one better, and the pony to fix it for me was likely awake.  Painfully, I forcibly edged out of my bed and began a slow, stiff movement to the door.  I made sure to grab my wig on my way and set it firmly atop my head, over my horn, covering the pointed protrusion... not out of shame, mind you.  I love my horn! I'm proud of it! But... well... the current way of things.  Once my wig was in place, I opened the door, ready to leave my room, even if every muscle in my neck and withers was screaming at me.

I made my way, with a deal of effort, down the stairs from the room to the nearest door on my left.  I made sure to knock gently.  When it opened, an older stallion stood before me, a stallion I had grown fond of, and now loved like a father figure.  His coat was grey, as was his mane, and his eyes a soft green.  He was an earth pony, and a well-built one at that.  He had an interesting cutie-mark - it was a dollar sign.  At first, I thought it meant he was rich, but it turned out he was just really good at organizing a business.  When he saw the pained expression on my face, I think he understood immediately what I needed.

"Back acting up again?"

I gave Stock my best pouty face and nodded.  I think I even felt a tear in my eye.  Am I that good at acting? Don't get me wrong, it hurt, but it didn't hurt THAT bad.

He sighed and gave me that pleasant smile.  "Come on in and take a seat.  I'll deal with it."  Without further hesitation, I did as asked, stiffly making my way to the nearby seating cusion and placing my rump on it.  He trotted up behind me and placed his hooves on my back - at either side, just behind my shoulder blades - and began to massage.  At first, it was sore, but slowly, the pain vanished, and sweet, wonderful relief crept over me as I felt the muscles uncoil and relax.  "I'm telling you..." he said with no hint of conscern in his voice.  "We should take you to a physician or something... I mean, there may not be many options for you, but surely you don't have to put up with this every day?"

At one time I would have thought he was just being too nice to say he was getting sick of giving me back massages.  For reasons I'm not ready to talk about just yet, I can inform you that I knew better.  His concern was genuine.

"I know" I told him in response.  "And maybe there is... but for now, I can't afford it..."

He put his hoof on my chin and turned my face to look me in the eyes.

"... I will give you your vacation time.  I can loan you the money.  I'll help you find someone.  You don't have to live in pain, Twilight..."

I knew when he was using my real name he was being serious.

"Thanks..." I said as gratefully as I could, "but right now, I have other goals to attend to.  Goals I put off far too long."  That seemed to quell his argument, but I knew it wouldn't be the last time he brought it up.  As I said, I look at him as a father figure; he also looks at me as the daughter he never had.  Well, he has a daughter... doesn't talk much about her though.  I just mean that I'm like the daughter... that he... oh just take it for what it means.

After a brief conversation, we both headed down stairs from the living area to the store.  It was a simple   store that sold books; probably typical and predictable, but I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than to be surrounded by books.  Well... no, I take that back, I can think of a few places I'd rather be, but this was all I could get, given the circumstances.  But that's neither here nor there.

My duty was obvious; it was my job to stock and shelf books, organize them, and make sure they were presentable.  If my condition acted up, I might take his place at the counter, or do some other task that was less physically demanding.  To be honest, it wasn't a bad living; I made the money I needed to get what I needed for the most part.  Sure, it was petty compared to the stipend I used to receive from the Princess, but I've never been a materialistic mare; well, no more than loving a good book to read, anyway.  And with me working in a book store, I could read any time there wasn't work to be done!

There was, unfortunately, an underlying problem with this scenario.

Dingaling

We both turned to look at who entered the building.

I think both of our hearts stopped when we saw who it was.

Two earth ponies; one a mare, and one a stallion.  They wore military jackets that govered their entire front body, boots on all of their legs.  Dark armor hung from their backs, wrapping around their barrels, their necks, with armor padding that concealed their cutie marks.  Both ponies had swords hanging from their flanks, and wore helmets with visors, allowing their mouths freedom, while keeping their eyes hidden; I'm told much of their uniform's design is meant to make them intimidating by hiding as much 'pony' as possible.

Fortunatly, Stock has quite the poker face.  He smiled and waved a hoof.  "Come on in!" he said.  "Can I offer you two a good book?"

I suppose I should inform you... I'm kind of a fugitive.

"We've got word that a unicorn may or may not have been spotted in the area" said the mare, her voice muffled by the filter that hid her face.  "If you have any information on the matter, it would be within your best interest to tell us as soon as possible."  I felt myself tense up.  I had remembered the words of advice I had recieved from Stock a while ago; words I had never suspected I would need to remember.  If they came, act normal, continue working, and let him talk whenever possible.  Do not look like I am staring, and do not look like I am avoiding looking at them.  I tried to calm myself as he talked.

"Well, I'd certainly think not..." he said, tapping a hoof to his chin.  "I mean, if I had, I dare say he's a slippery fella to get past me.  I like to consider myself good with detail!"

The soldiers huffed.  "We're looking for a mare, not a stallion.  She's been spotted around this area, and if anypony is found aiding her, not only will we incarcerate her, we'll also take in the harborors of the fugitive will also be aprehended as traitors."  This has never happened before.  It took all my strength not to panic and teleport out.  I knew Stock wouldn't turn me in.  I would honestly prefere he did than risk him getting in trouble.

He shook his head.  "I'm afraid I don't know anything..."

They looked to me.  "What about your assistant?"

I felt my heart jump to my throat.  I forced myself to calm down, turning to look at them.  "Uhh..." Come on, don't screw up.  Don't mess this up.  You have your wig on, there's no way they'll know.  "... I... don't think I've seen a unicorn..."  They stared at me for a few seconds.  Turning back to Stock, they trotted into the store.  Had I been found out? What were they going to do?

The mare slammed her hoof on the table.

And then pulled it away, leaving a piece of paper with a photo.

"Well, if you see this mare, get in contact with us as soon as possible.  It's up to us to keep this city safe from impurity."

The two ponies gave a nod to both Stock and me, before turning and making their way out of the shop.  I almost felt ready to throw up.  Shakily, I climbed down from the ladder and trotted to the room in the back.  Stock was quick to follow me and placed a hoof on my back as I hyperventilated, kindly hoofing a paper bag to me, which I took and breathed into.  "It's okay Dawn, it's over, they're gone..." he said comfortingly.  Dawn.  It's the name I adopted while in cognito.  Not very inventive, I admit, but it doesn't need to be.  Nopony seems the wiser.

I'm a little embarassed to say I was crying when I looked up to him.  Just a little.  "That was so terrifying..." I said to him.  He shook his head and wrapped his hooves around me in a hug.

"It's alright, child..." he said.  "I won't let them take you away."

After a few moments of calm and regathering myself, we both trotted back into the store proper.  We looked at the paper they had left on the counter; it was a wanted poster, depicting an artist rendition of a unicorn mare - fortunatly, looking nothing like me.


Wanted:
Lyra Heartstrings
Unicorn Sorceress
Reward: 1000 bits

Unicorn Sorceress.


It was a term dubbed for all unicorns, really.  Unlike other races, all unicorns have the potential to use magic.  Many prefere to learn only spells that relate to their special talents or what they do for a living.  Truth is, it's easier to learn magic related to what you love.  But it's undeniable that unicorns have options that other ponies don't.  Our magic even allows us to invade other ponies' natural territories; growing plants, manipulating clouds, etc, so long as we cast the right spells.

"Dawn, why don't you take the counter while I finish the shelving?"  I quietly nodded in response.  I was too shaken to trust myself with  shelving.  At least if I could use my magic, I could shelf even in my current state.  But if I risked it for even just a second where I could be seen? I could find not only myself in danger, but Stock as well.

Just then, another jingle signaled another visitor.  Another one I dreaded to see, if for different reasons.  I felt my brow furrow, my stomach lurch, and my breakfast beg for projection, which I denied it.  I would need all the energy I could muster as Rush stepped in.

This stallion was of a strong build; earth pony, orange coat, and a dark brown mane, with blue eyes.  By all accounts, he's quite attractive physically.  It's his personality that makes him disgusting.

"Daaawn, Baby, how are you sexy stuff?"  Once more, urge to throw up rising.

"Not much... and please don't call me that, Rush" I said with a roll of my eyes.  "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.  "Well, I can think up a few-"

"Anything book related?"

"Well, there is the-"

"Not relating to anything sexual?"

"..."

Checkmate.

"Come on Dawn, don't be like that..." he said in his pathetic, pleading-but-still-cocky sort of tone.  "Come on babe... you sit here surrounded by books and ancient ponies all day... surely you could use a little fire in your life?"

I groaned.  "Look, Rush.  I've told you before, I'm not interested.  Please, if you're not going to buy a book, then leave."  The grimace he showed gave the impression that my point got across.  This time.  Beat, Rush rolled his eyes and trotted to one of the book shelves.  I could see Stock giving him the stink eye, which brought a smile to my face.  He never did like Rush, given that Rush always called him Old Stallion, I suppose he didn't have much reason to.  So, I went back to my business.  It wasn't long before Rush lost interest in pretending he liked reading and he made his way out without even so much as a goodbye; such a charmer, that one.

"I don't like that colt."

"I know" I said with a giggle.  "He's not really Prince Charming.  Heck, he's not even a Prince Blueblood..." I smirked at the insinuation.  Stock laughed; he got the joke.  He and I shared a lot of our stories, so such jokes on my end weren't lost on him.

But it still brought a yearning for old times with it.  A yearning I was all too familiar with.  I guess he caught the expression on my face, because he immediatly spoke out.  "You know, Dawn, if you want you can take a little break? Business seems slow today, so I wouldn't mind if you took a few minutes to sort out your thoughts... especially after a previous scare..."  How could I deny a friendly request as that?

"No thanks"  That was how.  "If I don't work, I'll think of it more.  I need to keep distracted."  He knew it about me, and I don't know if I told him to convince him or myself.  He didn't argue it though; just went about his business and pretended everything was normal.

A jingle signaled three more visitors.  Three foals, none of which had their cutie-marks, trotted into the store, chattering among themselves.  I smiled a bit; they always reminded me of three other foals I knew back home, minus the wanton destruction and the quest for cutie-marks.  They were still young, however, and not quite at the point of caring too much for that sort of thing.  They approached the counter and put their hooves up against it to stand up and get a better look at me; I leaned forward and smiled.  "Oh hello there children.  How can I help you today?"

"Yeah" said the first one; an earth pony foal (like the other two), with a green coat and brown mane and red eyes, named Quillstroke.  He was something of a big reader; a colt after my own heart, and had a fascination in science and history.  I could only hope he would grow up to do impressive things.  "I was wondering if you had any books about pony history?"

I smiled again.  "Of course we do! What are you looking for? Ancient Earth Pony heroes? The autobiography of Puddinghead? Maybe the history of the Apple family?"

"Actually" he said and looked around a bit.  "We were wondering if you had books on unicorns and pegasai?"  The room fell silent.  I stared at these three foals, whose faces seemed totally removed, truly innocent.  No fear, no understanding of the world at large... truly innocent.

Indeed, we did have such books... but most of them were edited and screened by 'higher powers' who made sure history was portrayed as they wanted it to be.  I groaned internally, ready to point out books whose lies destroyed my very soul.  What wasn't entirely fabricated was often stretched to make sound worse than it truly was, and any heroic deeds were often explained away by means of selfish gain, and occasionally, negative effects that resulted from it (even when they were unpreditable or, likewise, occured long periods after the pony in question's death).

"Well..." said I with a bit of hesitation, "... We have... unicorn witch-lore, stories of Earth Pony crusades, and several biographies of pegasai criminals and traitors..."

"No no, not that stuff!" shouted little Quillstroke.  "I mean the real stuff! Like... like Starswirl the Bearded! Or... uh...." he scratched his mane then smiled.  "Oh! Oh yeah, the Elements of Harmony!"

I felt my heart stop.

"I heard they're all dead..." said one of the foals; Turntable.

"No, only two of them..." said the filly of their group, Melody.  "Princess Twilight Sparkle was murdered in the Ponyville Raid, Fluttershy was killed in Apploosa during another raid a year ago..."

My heart sank.

The foals continued talking about something, I can't recall what, while I processed the new information.  Fluttershy was dead? They had killed her? It just didn't seem fair.  No, it was downright wrong.  The kindest, friendliest pony I'd ever known... and she was... she....

"--- Princess Twilight was never found, and they figured her corpse was eaten by animals.  Fluttershy was shot and killed, and then Apploosa was supposedly destroyed by some unicorn super spell.  There was only one known survivor, and he said he was the only one to live... I hear he went insane..."

I shook my head.  "Excuse me children, I have to take my break..."



***



Stock didn't ask questions when I told him I needed the rest of the day off.  I'm glad he didn't.

I locked myself in my loft and... I cried.  I cried harder than I think I've ever cried before.  I always knew the possibility that any of my friends could be dead, but... to have that fear confirmed? I wanted so badly to ask questions... but how could I without potentially exposing myself?

I think I cried for maybe an hour before I finally calmed down... but I wasn't less sad, so much as dried out.  I'd lost many friends in the Ponyville Raid... and more... but... this was different.  A close friend... somepony I held in regard as family.  It hurt more than I thought anything could ever hurt.  It pained me to my very core, and it burned my heart.  I almost felt the desire to give up entirely... to expose myself, to admit who I was, and face the consequences...

But that would be shameful to my friend.

Eventually, after an unknown amount of time, there was a knock on my door.  "Come in" I said, trying to hide the strain in my voice.  The door opened, and Stock stepped in, worry evident in his eyes.

"Dawn... Twilight... are you okay...?"

I shook my head.  I really didn't feel like talking.

"... You want to talk about it?"

I remained silent for a few minutes.  Finally, I spoke.  "Fluttershy is dead..."

"Wha...?"

"Fluttershy is dead..." I repeated a little louder than I intended.  "... I just found out... she died in Apploosa..."

Stock furrowed his brow.  "... Oh  yeah... I heard about Apploosa being utterly destroyed a year back... supposedly some unicorn magic that turned the land into a zone of death..."  He looked up to me and trotted into the room.  He sat next to me on my bed and put his hooves around me, pulling me into his barrel and stroking my mane.  Once more, I found myself crying a little.

"... She... she never did anything to hurt anypony..." I sobbed.  "... Why... how could something like this happen to somepony so gentle...?"

Stock was silent for a bit, trying to come up with an answer.

"... Sometimes... the world is just a cruel place..." he said with a bit of sadness in his voice.  "... You know first hoof that sometimes, bad things happen to good ponies... that bad ponies get their way... and life just ain't fair as it should be..."  He took a breath.  "... That's the kinda world we live in right now, Twilight... ponies are judged not by their character, but by their kind and their family..."  He furrowed his brow.  "Even earth ponies with unicorn or pegasus ancestry as far as four or five generations back are considered 'impure' and potential for disaster..."

I remained quiet, and he continued to stroke my mane.  "Twilight..." he said, "... If you need time to mourn... feel free to have this next week off... take time to process this... and if there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask, alright?"

I didn't look at him.  I simply nodded.

"... I'm sorry for your loss, child..."

And so, we sat there for a few more minutes.  Eventually, he left to get back to his store, and I was left to my thoughts.

Normally, when I'm left to such things, I stew.  I just let whatever information I had eat me alive... but this time... that led to a new process of thinking.  The words Stock had spoken... they had rang true.  The more I thought on them, the more I thought of what I was doing.  The more I thought of  what I was doing, the more I thought of what I could be doing.

No more.

And so, I began planning.

And thus... an adventure was born.


TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 2: Duty Calls
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, today was strange.

I was having a riveting discussion with Applejack about the effects the Apple Family has on the Equestrian economy when we ran into a peculiar pony.  He wore what seemed remeniscient of combat fatigues, and had a band on his shoulder with a horse shoe.  Without even offering his name, he interrupts our dialogue to tell her about their organisation, which he informs her was formed by hard working, intelligent, and industrious ponies who have been overlooked in Equestria for centuries.  To be honest, I liked the sound of the organization; a group that looks to promote the undermined.  It's amazing! I voiced my personal approval of such a group, and much to my surprise, the stallion looked to me and gave me a look of disinterest... maybe even disgust... and said 'It isn't your kind of organization.'

When we asked why, he simply stated that 'a pony like me' wouldn't understand.  Just because I'm a princess I wouldn't understand? Alright, so maybe I hail from a noble family, and I've never really found myself being undermined by a world at large, but shouldn't my support still be appreciated if nothing else? It's not like I go to fancy parties and talk about the masses like they're trash!

We were both confused, and I decided not to let it bother me.  Applejack, meanwhile, was elated.  For years the Apple farm has been just getting by, and she considered the potential for this group to maybe help her bolster her profits.  I'm glad to see her happy; it's been a hard year for her, and she deserves a little good news, especially after Applebloom's accident (She's alright, she just broke her leg yesterday; she's pretty mad that she can't go on crusades though, which I suspect is probably how she broke her leg to begin with, but don't tell Applejack I said that!)

Well, the rest of the day was quite uneventful beyond my usual studying (much as I love it) so I think that I'll just end here!

From the Journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Two and a half months prior to the 'Ponyville Incident'



****



It had been a week since  I had learned of Fluttershy's death; I admit, I don't think I've come to terms with it yet... but I have to do something.  I have to act.  I have to make sure my friends are alright, that they can be saved, that I can still do something.  I can't just sit here waiting anymore for something to happen... I've done it for too long as is.

I'm not foolhardy enough to think I can just step outside to begin an adventure, though.

Equestria has changed in the few short years since the rise of the Earthen Empire.  Towns have fallen and risen... I don't know much... I know Appleloosa fell now, and I personally witnessed the fall of Ponyville.  The rest is kind of hard to tell; I generally try not to mingle too much anymore to avoid letting my secret spill out (despite Stock's attempts to persuade me to go out there and find a nice colt) so I can never really verify much...

But I do have contacts.

And one of them has come to visit.

The door opens and I see a mare step in; her coat is a grey color, and her mane a somewhat greyish black.  She trots into the room and looks around, then approaches the counter and puts a hoof on the table.

"I'm here for the book I ordered?"

I nodded casually.  "It should be in the back."  I look into the doorway.  "Stock, I'm going on break!"

"Alright, take however long you need!"

I smile and nod, then lead the mare upstairs.  We trot towards my room and enter, closing the door behind me and locking it; I admit, it was odd, as the only pony who had been in my room for so long had been Stock, and that was only to calm me down on my occasional breakdown or massage my back when my injury acted up.

"You called, Princess?"

I dropped the act and gave her my most serious stare.  "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Octavia.  I know you risked a lot to come here..."

Octavia sighs and shakes her head.  "It's okay.  A favor is a favor... now, what is it you wanted?"

"I need help finding my friends."  Octavia froze.  Clearly, this was a daunting thing to ask of her.  "I've... heard disturbing rumors, and I need to clarify them, and in either case, make sure that I can protect any of my friends I can."

Octavia gulped and looked around.  "Are you sure, Twilight? You might not like what you find..."

"I'm positive."  I say it with more frustration than I intend to.  "I know this is a bit much to ask, but I need your help.  You're the only pony I have contact with who has been able to travel freely, and I need somepony in the know to give me directions on where to go."

The mare before me hesitated and seemed to rummage through her mind for answers.  She sighed and looked up to me.  "You won't like the answers..."

"I don't care."  I give her a stare that would make Fluttershy (may she rest in peace) green with envy.  Octavia gets the message and nods.

"Twilight... before I do anything for you, I need you to understand something."  Is she really going to try to change my mind on this? "... I am eternally grateful for you saving Vinyl, and I will cherish you as a friend forever... it is for this reason I will warn you that... that things have changed... and that you may be better off not knowing this time."

"I won't take no for an answer, Octavia."  I tell her in the firmest voice I can.  "... I need to know where my friends are.  If you know where they are, tell me.  If not, give me whatever you can to help.  If you can't even do that, then feel free to walk away."  I could tell by the look in her eyes she was really considering walking away.  But she relented.

"... I... don't know much..." She knew how to build the anxiety, didn't she? "... I can only tell you they're all very... distant.  From the world, or each other... some of them both... but I really don't know much on any of them that I can tell you."

I sighed.  Of course it was too much to ask for...

"But..."  Hey, look, I'm hoping again! She was seeming to struggle with a thought, as if she weren't certain she wanted to continue.  "... Twilight... I might be able to point you in the direction of somepony who can help...."  She sighed; finally, she was relenting, fully.  "Twilight... I have... connections.... I know ponies who have helped me keep... in touch with Vinyl, among others... and I'll be more than willing to help you contact them, but... I need you to promise me something?"

"What?"

She looked at me with pleading eyes.  "... Don't let what you find break your spirit."

I didn't know how to respond.  Did she think I didn't know Fluttershy was dead? Well, technically I don't know, she could just be in hiding.  Right? Was it too much to hope for? Still, I gave her a nod.  "I won't."  She seemed to consider me for a moment; sizing me up, as if trying to make sure she knew I would live up to my end of the deal.  She reached into her saddlebag and pulled from it a piece of paper from it.  Grabbing a nearby pencil in her mouth, she wrote some instructions on it.  Once she had finished, she spat the utensil out and pointed to the note.  "Go to Fillydelphia.  Follow those instructions from the very moment you leave the train.  Give the pony you meet the pass phrase 'I dream fondly of home.'  The rest is out of my hooves."

I quirked my brow.  "Really? Is there nothing else you can tell me?"

She shook her head.  "This is the most I can do... I'm sorry."

I won't lie, I didn't like it; it was vague and didn't really answer any of my questions.  Still, it was a direction, and right now I don't have any better options available to me, so I guess it would have to do.  "Thanks Octavia."

She nods.  "You're welcome... now, do you mind if I take off? If I stick around too much longer, somepony might get suspicious."  I nod, and with that, we both head back downstairs.  I return to the counter as Octavia makes her way out of the store.  Stock gives me a look, smirks, and shakes his head, going about his business.

"What?"

He chuckles a bit.  "Didn't know you had that kinda taste."

"What!?"

"Whoa! I'm not judging! I don't think any less of you."

"It's not like that!"

Stock continues to laugh at my expense as he makes his way into the back.  I grumble a bit; I'd have to find some way to get him back later.  Now, I just had to plan my next move; I had to get to Fillydelphia.  It wouldn't be easy, but I had to do it.

It was then that I realized there was one more thing I had to do.  I looked into the back room to see Stock taking inventory.  I would have to tell him about my plan; clearly, as both my boss and my landlord, he would need to know I'd be gone for a bit.  The mere thought of it made me nervous, I'll admit, but it had to be done.  I would wait until after closing time to tell him, and hope he understands.


And so, I went about my work.  Nothing special happened in that time; a few ponies came in and bought books.  No interesting stories, really, unless you count my back acting up and me having to shuffle out and pathetically hunt down Stock to massage the damage until it sorted itself out.  After a few hours, it was finally closing time.  As I flipped the sign at the front of the store to 'closed', I turned and readied myself for the next phase of my plan, and this was going to be another fun one: telling Stock that I intend to leave.  He wasn't going to like this one.

I approached his office to find him amidst juggling numbers, making sure today's profit was good - there aren't many book shops around, so he generally does well.  I steeled myself; this had to be done.  So, I knocked on the door (even though it was wide open) to catch his attention.

"Whatcha need, Dawn?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Whatcha need?"

I took a breath to try to keep myself steady.  This had to be done, I told myself; if I didn't do something, nothing would change.  I gave him my firmest gaze, and said the words I had rehersed in my head.  "... Stock... you know my past, and my struggles... you know what I've been through, and what I've lost... you know the darkest secrets I have..."

He quirked a brow.  "Mhm?"

"... So this may come as no surprise to you... " Here we go.  "... But... I'm afraid... I can't take it anymore.  And I have to do something..."  He seemed confused; natural, given he has no idea what's going on.  "News of my friend's death... made me realize that I've been doing nothing productive.  While my friends are out there suffering who knows what, I'm sitting here, taking it easy, hiding.  I don't know what happened to Fluttershy, but if anypony knew how to hide, it was her..."  I had actually thought this all out.  "... I don't know what happened in Appleloosa... but... if they managed to find her, that means either hiding can only get us so far, or that she had uncharacteristically risked her safety doing something..." at least, that was the only rationalization I could reach at that time.

He simply stared at me blankly, trying to process this new information.  His expression held a mix of concern, sadness, and frustration as he tried to piece together what was going on.  "And you're sure about this?" He said it slowly, as if trying to be careful and not chase me away.

I stared at Stock as he looked at me with the kind of concern that reminded me of my father's eyes back when I first told him I was leaving for Ponyville.  "Yes, Stock.  I'm going to use the money I've saved up to go to Fillydelphia, and I'm afraid I have no idea when I'll be coming back."

It was then that his expression shifted from the worried look to a more frustrated, maybe even angry one.  "But Twilight... why would you do a silly thing like that? Why risk exposing yourself?"

"They might catch me, I know."  He didn't seem to understand that this wasn't exactly an easy choice for me.  "But if I stay here, they might catch me, and they'll also figure you out.  All the while, I'll accomplish nothing more than being.  I can't wait here anymore and pretend things will get better, Stock... not if my friends are out there dying.  Thing can't get better if I sit here doing nothing..."

"Can't they?"  The older stallion raised his voice a bit.  Did I mean this much to him? "You went and saved the country more times than anypony can count, and how did they repay you? They tried to kill you and left you for dead, to be eaten by forest dwelling monsters! You're not only a princess, but a national hero! Had it not been for you, those ingrates would be living in a world of chaos, or eternal night, or ruled by changelings... something! And they tried to kill you!"

"And if I don't..." I pushed, "the ponies who are grateful for my help will suffer and die too."

His mouth moved as he tried to form words.  He had nothing to respond with, but clearly he was trying.  He gathered up what he could and made his move.  "... But... but those ponies who are actually grateful for your help... it would be selfish of them to ask this of you! Surely they would understand that after all you'd been through, you'd want to rest..."

"That's the thing, Stock..." I felt oddly at peace suddenly.  "... I don't want to... I can't rest knowing the world is as it is... I'll never have peace as long as I know I'm being hunted, and that others are being hunted, because they've got wings or a horn.  I may not hold any authority, but my title as a princess means that my duty is to Equestria itself, and everypony in it... and I've ignored it for too long."

The anger faded from his face, and he bowed his head.  I could tell he wanted to fight it.  "I can't stop this, can I?"  He said it quietly, defeated.  I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a bit bad about it.

I shook my head.  "I have to do this.  Just as much for myself as for the rest of Equestria."

He was silent for a few minutes.  He brought a hoof to his neck and rubbed his mane, before sighing in defeat.  "If that's how you feel, then there's nothin' I can do I guess..."  He looked to me with those kindly eyes I've grown so used to.  "I'll give you a few bits on your way... and if you ever feel like you need to come back... well... you're always welcome here."

I smile a bit and wrap my forelegs around him into a hug.  "Thanks... you've been a good friend to me, Stock... and I do intend to come back someday.  Maybe sooner rather than later, so don't think this is goodbye."

He smiled.

"You're welcome, Princess... just promise me you'll watch out for yourself... and that you won't do anything too crazy while you're out there?" He chuckled a bit.  "Those stories you tell me of your adventures with your friends... you girls were nuts."

I giggled a bit and smiled at the fond memories those words invoked.  "I know..."

As we parted the embrace, I sighed and shook my head.  "It's going to be a while still... I need to purchase my train ticket first, and figure out some of the local establishments of Fillydelphia, in case things don't work out... like hotels and food establishments."

He smiled a bit.  "Don't forget to bring a book or two with you.  I'd hate you to get bored and have nothing to occupy your thoughts."

I smirked.  "I've got a few books already planned out, so don't worry about that."



***



Everypony had gathered around the cabin, eying one another in deep suspicion.  Before them was a blood stained carpet where just a few hours ago the body of one of their own was discovered.  As the detective entered the cabin, she smoked her corn cob pipe, sizing up each and every one of them, before turning to her associate.   "Are you ready, Muffintop?"

Her friend nodded her head enthusiastically, smiling.  "Ready whenever you are, Keen Eye!"

And so, the two detectives turned their attention back to the other passengers.  "I've taken precious time, carefully analyzing the clues, looking over the data, and considering each and everypony on this train... and I do believe I have determined who the killer is."  Everypony began to talk amongst each other; everypony was nervous.  This was natural.  Keen Eye cleared her throat to catch their attention.  "Now... let's begin with the facts..."

"Fortune Smiles was found dead in this very room, face down in a pool of his own blood.  Cause of death; a stab wound to the chest.  So simple, and yet so complex.  With no murder weapon to speak of, all there was was to investigate the crime scene and analyze the witness."

"I bet she did it..." said Leo.  "It's funny she just so happened to be in the same room as him when he was murdered.  Why isn't she on the murder list?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked..." said Keen Eye, taking a puff from her pipe.  "You see, unlike the rest of you, the witness has never seen the victim before.  They have no prior history, and as far as I can tell, had never even knowingly been in the same room before tonight.  After talking with the witness, I was able to determine they were authentically shaken up by the murder... and also learned that they were, in fact, hemophobic."

Everypony gasped.

"For somepony who was hemophobic, a stabbing death would be an unlikely move to make.  Of course, this doesn't rule out the witness as a suspect... what rules them out is that they were too obvious.  They were knocked unconcious and woke up to find the body right there... to some, this might shout 'poor alliby', but to me it sounds like somepony was trying to set somepony up to take the fall.  That's where the rest of you come in."

It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

"The rest of you knew Fortune Smiles in some capacity.  And from what I understand, each and every one of you has something to gain from his death.  This is where things got tricky, and where I had to use all the data I had gathered.  Our witness has stated that before she was knocked out, the lights in the cabin went out.  After that, she had heard scratching noises against the roof of the car... and then, without warning, the shades were pulled shut.  Sounds a bit far fetched, doesn't it?" Everypony nodded, and Keen Eye smiled.  "That's exactly what our killer wanted.  Discredit the only witness by making them see something that no rational person would believe.  This is where it gets tricky..."

She trotted towards the windows and pulled down one of the blinds.  "You see, this one got me pretty curious, so I explored it rather extensively.  At first I found nothing of consequence... but then I checked the corners of the room, and guess what I found?" Silence returned to her; she figured as much.  Keen Eye reached into a manilla envelope and withdrew from it what looked like a broken stick with a string on it.  "This may look to you as an inoccuous piece of wood... but upon closer inspection I noticed that this piece of string matched up with something else..."  Everypony's eyes followed her as she pointed a hoof at the small puller of the blind she had pulled down; wrapped around it was a piece of string.

Knock Knock Knock.

"Yes? Come in?" Twilight sighed and placed a book mark on the pages; it was getting pretty late, and she was tired, so she would probably just finish the rest later.  The door gently opened, and Stock stepped inside, eliciting a smile from the mare.  "Oh, hi Stock.  Can I help you?"

He smiled.  "No... but... there's something I wanted to give you, before you take off.  Something near and dear to me... and I think you deserve it."  He held out his hoof, a box perched atop it.  Twilight's horn glowed with magic; how she loved to use her magic whenever she had the chance, as rare as it was.  The box levitated before her, and then with a click, it opened.  Inside was but a simple key on a necklace.  She levitated it out, looked it over, curious.

"That is a key that I never figured out what it went to.  My great grandfather was a knight in Celestia's employ, and she gave this to him as a reward for heroic deeds... granddad said that it was a lock to 'one of the most important doors in Equestria."  He smirked.  "Seeing as you're a princess on an adventure... I think it belongs with you... maybe, this was how it was meant to be?"

Once more, Twilight found herself wrapping her forelegs around Stock.  He returned the gesture and brushed her mane.

"You should get to sleep.  I got a feeling you've got a heck of an adventure ahead of you later this week."

Twilight smiled and pulled away.  "You're right."

With that, Stock left the room, shutting the door behind him.  Twilight locked it with her magic, and then lay in her bed, pulling her covers over herself, and shutting her lamp off.  She closed her eyes, and drifted into sleep.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 3: The Journey of a Thousand Steps
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, today certainly has been unusual!

Remember that one pony I told you about a week ago? That said I 'wouldn't understand because I was a princess?' Well, it seems more ponies in simular attire have been showing up, and set up a soap box, and a flag that I know I've seen somewhere before, but I just can't place it.  A bunch of ponies were surrounding them as the one shouted an inspiring speech.  "We are the down trodded masses, the pony nopony thinks about" he shouted.  "We till the soil, we grow the crops, and are thoroughly ignored in our pursuit of happiness!" Oh he went on and on; about how their organization supported ponies who were tired of being ignored for not having the 'birthrights of those in Canterlot.'

I had never known just how neglected some ponies felt!

I wrote Celestia a letter, but her response was unusual to say the least.  She simply said 'They're in Ponyville too? Whatever you do, don't talk to them, do not encourage them, and if they approach you, stand your ground.'  I asked her what she meant but I haven't received a response yet.  Still, if they want to help the down trodden, can they be so bad? I rather like their speeches!

Big Mac came by the library today.  It was most unusual; as of late, I noticed him moving about Ponyville more often than he normally does, and he always seems so nervous.  He just sort of came in and got his book (what he wants with a book about strange and exotic diseases I may never know; that's his business and I won't pry) but he didn't seem to be all there.  He almost seemed shocked when he realized what book he had! I sure hope whatever is worrying him isn't TOO bad; a reaction like that, I imagine it must be embarrassing.

Then, I went to Sugar Cube Corner to meet Pinkie, and she was acting strange(er than usual).  She was very jittery and pent up with nervous energy, and was always looking over her shoulder and out windows.  When questioned as to why, she simply said she had no idea; she had a doozy Pinkie-Sense combo, and that it was bigger than anything she felt before.  Weirder yet, she said it was 'persistent'; she was literally going through it near constantly.  I wasn't sure if she was having Pinkie-Sense, a panic attack, or potentially a medical condition; I advised her to see a doctor, but the rest is in her hooves.

I got the strangest feeling that something is coming.  These ponies, Celestia, Big Mac, Pinkie... what is going on?

Maybe I'm over thinking this.  I need sleep.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
One month, three weeks before Ponyville incident



***



"The train for Fillydelphia leaves in thirty minutes!"

I'll admit, it was kind of surreal leaving Vanhoover.  For three years, this was my home, and during that three years, so much had changed.  I won't lie, I was incredibly nervous, standing on the platform, staring at the train, ready to go on to a new chapter of my life.  I sighed and turned to Stock; it was odd thinking I might not see him for a while.  Of course, I could probably be back within the next few days, but still, consider all possibilities.

"Well.... guess this is it, eh?" he said, smiling, though I could tell he was a bit sad.  I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah... but goodbye doesn't have to be forever..." I have to admit, I didn't know if I was entirely confident it wouldn't be, but right now we both needed some positivity.  "... I can't thank you enough for all that you've done for me these past few years, Stock.  You've been like a father to me, and the only friend I felt I could truly trust..."

I saw a sight I had never seen before; Stock was blushing, but he smiled and made no attempt to hide it.  "And you've been as a daughter to me.  It was difficult for a while, but things definitely got better.  And ya know what? I wouldn't trade any of it for the world."  I was nearly in tears, and with no other words, I simply pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank you..." I whispered into his ear.  I don't think he minded the tears I rubbed into his neck; in fact, as I pulled away, I could swear I saw moisture in his own eyes.

"Take care of yourself, Dawn..." I saw him wince a bit as he used my alias; you never knew who was listening, after all.  I smiled and nodded, and stepped onto the train.  I made my way to the passenger car and took my seat, looking out the window.  Stock stood there, looking at me through the window, a bit of sadness in his eyes, but an honest smile on his face.  It broke my heart, really, but I really did intend to come back again if I could.  Hopefully with a better Equestria in the works.  As the train began it's move, he waved and brought a hoof across his eyes.  I made sure to wave back, and we watched each other as the train departed, until we could not see one another anymore.

As I watched the station disappear, I felt a weight on my heart.  I was leaving the only home I had known for three years.  I was leaving the only friend I had for three years.  I was venturing into unknown, hostile territory where a stray gust of wind could expose me and make me national enemy number one.  But the more I thought of it, the more I remembered what I was doing this for; my friends, my family, every pony who has lost a loved one in the name of progress.  I wasn't doing this for me... I was doing this because it had to be done.  And so help me, I was going to do it, or I was going to die trying.

The trip was going to take a while, so I reached into my saddlebag and fished around for a book, pulling out none other than the latest in a popular series; 'The Adventures of Keen Eye'.  It was a very fascinating story about a pony and her sidekick who went on various adventures, solving crimes, and saving the day.  While I genuinely loved the story, sometimes it brought me some sense of nostalgia.

And so, I read from where I had left off the previous day.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


When Keen Eye awoke, she found herself in a cavern, and her body racked with pain.  She glanced around to find herself alone, surrounded by bones.  Where was she? She looked up to find a hole in the ceiling; she had likely been thrown down, which would explain her soreness.  She moved around and examined herself, determining that nothing was broken, though she might have bruised a rib.  Steadily, she got to her hooves and moved around a bit to work out the aches and pains, as well as get a better understanding of where she was.  For all intents and purposes, it seemed the only way out of the cavern was up.  Keen Eye began to search around for something, anything she could use.  Lots of bones, a few ragged bits of clothing, some rocks... nothing that seemed useful.  Best she could do is tie some clothes to a rock and throw it up, but if she could throw it, she doubted it would serve as a good weight to climb.

She was trapped.

"Great" she said to nopony.  "I'm trapped here, and a fraud is going to murder my brother for money.  Way to go, Keen Eye."  She slumped to her stomach and sighed.  She had never felt so alone, so lost before in her life.  Her friend didn't believe her, her brother didn't believe her... for once in her life, she felt as though she may have been beat.  She had even doubted herself! If there was one thing she had always said was to never doubt yourself.

And now, she was going to die in a hole.

It was then she heard something.  It was muffled, but  it was there.  A noise.  Keen Eye got to her hooves and held her ear out, listening, trying to figure out what that sound was.  She trotted towards a wall and placed her ear against it, and heard it.

Water.

"Is it possible...?"

She looked around the cavern a bit for something to use, finding a rock she could carry with her hooves.  Holding it up, she looked towards the wall and focused.  She readied herself and then, with all her might, threw the rock.  It slammed into the wall, and cracked it.

And made a hole.

It was a small hole, just big enough she could peek through it.  Keen Eye looked through the little hole, and her spirits lifted at what she saw; a stream.  Another cavern, with water bubbling through it.  Chances were, that water was going, or coming from, somewhere.  Either way, it was leagues better than her current situation.  Picking up the rock, she began to strike against the hole, trying to chip away the wall; much to her surprise, it broke away easier than she thought it would (not that it was an easy task) and soon enough, she had gotten the hole big enough she could fit through.  Dropping the rock, she pushed her head through, then her hooves, and yanked herself through the hole, landing on solid ground next to a stream.  She looked both ways, to find that down the tunnel there was a hint of light.  And so, she ran as fast as she could, as fast as her legs would take her.

She had a wedding to crash.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


My thoughts were interrupted when the train began screeching.  It was then that I turned my attention out the window to find that it was stopping.  "Well that's peculiar..." I thought out loud.  It was then that I saw something that made my heart sink into my stomach.

Auto Carriages.

"Oh no..."

Ponies were wandering about the train.  Several wore masks that covered everything but their mouths and eyes; goggles that covered said eyes, and uniforms with armored torsos that covered all but their hooves.  Several had swords, but two or three of them had a more dangerous weapon: Battle Saddles.  One of the ponies began to give orders, pointing his hooves, and the ponies made their ways to various points of the train.

"Nonono, this can't be happening..." I muttered to myself in a panic.  Had I been found out? How would that be possible? Nopony knew my identity but Stock.  Was there even a reason to be afraid? I took a deep breath and calmed myself.  For all I knew, they were simply abusing power to get some bigwig onto the train.  That was reasonable, right?

And so, I waited.  I waited for who knows how long.  Eventually, there was a knock on the door to my little closet-sized room.  Fearfully, I opened the door, and was greeted by three ponies; two of them in the usual uniforms, and one wearing a uniform that seemed to place him in a higher rank.  He simply smiled an almost kindly smile.

"May I step in?"

I simply nodded, trying to mask my nervousness; likely failing.  As he stepped inside, he never let his eyes off of me, as if sizing me up, looking for a weakness... I don't know.  Then he spoke.  "I do apologize for the interruption of your train ride, but we have reason to believe there maybe a fugitive on this very train."  I felt myself tense up.  "This fugitive is very dangerous, is wanted for acts of murder, treason, and one count of jaywalking."  He reached into his saddlebag, and I felt my muscles tense for a moment, until he pulled from it a photo, and passed it to me.  I took hold of it and looked at the photo to see a familiar mare staring back at me.  The black and white photo made it difficult to tell any color, but I noticed a few things; first, she was a pegasus, was dressed in combat fatigues and a barrette.  The right side of her face seemed slightly warped, as if she had gotten a burn or something, but it wasn't grossly misshapen.

"Have you seen this mare?"

I shook my head slowly.  "I... I'm afraid not..."

He once again looked at me, considering me.  "You do understand that lying to an officer of the Empire is a crime punishable by imprisonment?"

I gulped and nodded, sweating a bit.  He continued to stare and nodded.  "Very well.  Have you seen any other potentially suspicious ponies? Perhaps wearing unusual clothes or marks?" Once more, I shook my head, and he gave a nod.  "Thank you for your time ma'am."  With that, he turned and made his way to the door, and closed it behind him.  I heard the group move away from my room, and collapsed to my stomach.  That had to have been the single most terrifying moment of my life.

After what seemed like maybe an hour, the ponies finally climbed off the train, and it began to move forward.  All the tension I had felt the whole time melted away as I watched the auto carriages disappear over the hills.  Twilight sighed and lay in her bed, deciding she was much too emotionally exhausted to stay awake.  A nap would do her good.  She fixed her wig atop her head, making sure it was well in place, just in case they got stopped again.  After all, it wasn't a short trip to get from Vanhoover to Fillydelphia!

Plus, if she was potentially going to suffer that again, she would rather be a little rested up.  It was a long way to Fillydelphia.



***



Ponies milled about in the train station, searching out loved ones, food stands, and more at their recent stop.  I always felt so odd in public, knowing that I could be the only none earth pony in any group.  Fortunately, I never really felt odd wearing clothes to cover my body; it had become popular among the masses to wear clothes, supposedly a statement made to 'separate the new, industrious empire from the primitive ways of old Equestria', though I sometimes wondered it if was orchestrated somehow to give those who would be persecuted some chance of hiding in plain sight.  I was rather fond of the sweater vest I wore, to be honest; it had gotten me through some tough (and occasionally chilly) times!

As I made my way away from the train station, I took a moment to take in the sights of Phillydelphia.  It was just as much a city as Manehattan, but the view of ponies' homes built on hills gave it it's own charm.  "Well... I guess there's no time like the present..." I reached into my saddlebag and pulled from it a small piece of paper, and unfolded.  Within minutes, I found myself on a strange hunt; trying to find certain buildings, signs, anything.  Once or twice, I had to stop for directions, and in one point I honestly thought I was hopelessly lost, but eventually, I managed to find the place I was looking for.  I looked to the sign above the door of the small building, curious, a little worried that I may have found the wrong place...

"Pastry Parade?"

Not really an ideal place to find information.  I stepped forward slowly, eying the building up and down.  Certainly, it seemed bright in color, but nothing to write home about.  I placed a hoof to the door and pressed it open, the sound of a bell jingling to announce that somepony was there.

"I'll be in just a minute!"

As I made my way into the building, I glanced around, a strange feeling of nostalgia hitting me.  Something about this place was familiar... it wasn't just the smell, or the decor... wait... it was...

"How can I help you?"

It was then that I turned to the pony who addressed me as he stepped out from the back room.  A lanky, yellow stallion with an orange mane and a bit of stubble stared back at me, wearing a small hat and an apron.  He froze a bit as he stared, squinting.  "... It... can't be..."

I gulped.  I knew this stallion.  It all made sense now.  Kind of.  "I-I... I dream fondly of home?"

The stallion continued to stare at me, trotting around the counter to get close to me, putting his hooves on my shoulders and staring at me, looking me over; not in a predatory way, but in that kind of way that told me he was not sure I was real.  He seemed to eye my mane most; I was wearing a hat and a wig, of course, to cover my horn.   "C...can you... lift your hat just a bit...?"  I placed a hoof under her hat and pressing it up slowly; from a small hole in the rim, my horn slid free.  The stallion's jaw dropped, and once he had what he needed, I gently pushed said horn back into it's hiding place.

"Oh my goodness... Tw... Twilight Sparkle?"

"Carrot Cake...?"

He shook his head, and suddenly his shocked expression shifted to utter excitement.  He leaped forward and grabbed me in a hug, and spoke in what was at once a whisper and excited shouting.  "HAHA! Oh it, it really is you! I can't believe-- they said you-- but here you are! You're alive! You're..."

I think he must have noticed my tension.  Or maybe something else.  He pulled away, staring at me, a bit shocked.  He shook his head.  "... I... didn't you-"

"Yes..." I said, suddenly very self conscious.

Carrot Cake continued to look at me, as if seeing an entirely new pony, leaning to the side, biting his lip.  "Oh my... then... what the reports said was true..."  He cleared his throat, shaking his head.  "I... I'm sorry to hear about that..."  But, as quickly as it had faded, his smile returned.  "But... but you're alive! That's all that matters right now! You have to tell--OH! Pinkie! Pinkie will want to know!"

Suddenly, all the tension vanished, and I smiled as big as I could.  "Pinkie? You know where she is?"

"Yeah!" He nodded.  "She lives nearby... I can give you instructions to get to her place and--"  He stopped.  "Wait... did you utter 'I dream fondly of home?"  I nodded a bit, raising a brow... was it really so odd to hear?  Carrot stared at me a moment, apprehension clear in his expression.  "... You.... you do know what that means right...?"

"No..." What was going on here? "I was just told to tell it to you, and that the rest was up to me."  Carrot, for a moment, seemed torn.  It was just then that something dawned on me, and I leaned to the side, looking behind him.  "I... I hope I'm not touching a sore subject by asking but... where are Cup Cake and the twins...?"

Carrot blinked.  "Oh? Oh! Yes, Cup Cake... uh..."  He seemed to space a bit.  "Cup Cake... is in the kitchen.  We're baking a cake, and somepony has to make sure it's fine.  The twins are with Pinkie..."  Carrot smiled a bit.  "She promised she would do everything in her power to take care of those two... hide them, transport them, everything... it's really the nicest thing I think anypony has ever done for us..."

I couldn't help but smile.  Leave it to Pinkie Pie to be so kindly.  "Anyway... if you want to catch Pinkie Pie, I suggest going to her place as soon as you can.  She occasionally tends to disappear, sometimes for days at a time, so yeah..."

"Oh! I will, thanks Carrot!"  He took a small piece of paper from his apron and wrote some directions on it (more exploration, yay) and handed it to me.

"Take this note... when the pony answers the door, and tell him you're not a Party Pooper."  With that, I nodded in thanks, and  I turned and was about ready to leave.  "Twilight?" I turned to see Carrot looking at me with a sad smile on his face.  "... Remember.... times have changed a lot of us.... some in more subtle ways than others..."  His smile turned into a frown.  "... Please... remember... so that whatever you learn... you hopefully won't let it break your spirit..."  More cryptic statements? Just what was I going to find? Did I really want to know? No, one way or another, I was going through with this.

"I'll remember..."

I made my way out of the bakery, my heart at once lifted and at the same time on edge.

I wasn't there to see Carrot's features sag as he returned to his kitchen to kitchen and spoke to his wife, telling her how much he loves her.

How much he misses her.

And placed a loving, sad kiss on a photo sitting on a counter.



***



I had followed the directions correctly, far as I had known, but there was something unusual about where it lead me.  Before me was a hill, and on that hill was a mansion.  Did Pinkie Pie know somepony wealthy? I guess if you needed friends in these times, somepony with a fortune might help.  Still, I hoped she wasn't using the poor ponies involved just for money.  Oh, who am I kidding; Pinkie would never do that.  Even if the money was a goal, she truly wants to make friends with the world.

I made my way up the hill, and gently knocked on the door.  It wasn't very effective.  It was then that I noticed a doorbell on the side.  Reaching, I pressed into it with my hoof; a rather cheery tune responded.  What a weird doorbell.  Slowly, the door opened, and standing before me was a stallion wearing a suit, with a curious, if indifferent expression on his face.

"Uhm... excuse me... I'm... oh! I'm not a party pooper!"

The pony blinked and sighed.  "Right this way."  He stepped aside and beckoned me in; I made sure to oblige, and stepped into the house.  It was rather impressive; whoever owned this house had to have quite a bit of money.  The stallion before me, grey in color with a sleeked back white mane and a cutie mark of a teacup, lead me down a hall; the walls had various paintings on them, all of which were colorful, definitely a focus on abstract art.  Eventually, we reached a pair of double doors.  "If madam would wait right here?"  I nodded, and he opened the doors and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.  I heard voices from the other side, but it was much too muffled to make out any words.  After a bit, there was suddenly a lot of noise, like moving or hoof stomps.  After a bit of silence, the door opened, and the butler returned.  "Please step inside... and... if you have any heart conditions... we shall pay for any medical requirements you need as a result."  He stepped aside and beckoned me in.

I entered the room to see a large... play room? There was  a large, plush, pink couch in the center, before it being a large screen for a projector.  Nearby, there was a table with various crayons and coloring books, and in one corner, there was a basket full of balls, among other children's toys.  Something was off here.  I made my way forward, looking around this oddly colorful room.

And then, a familiar pink form popped out of no where, accompanied by two young foals, all three shouting in unison.

"SURPRISE!"


TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 4: Familiar Faces
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The strangest thing happened the other day.

I had gone to Sweet Apple Acres in order to get a few apples from Applejack, when I saw the door slam open, and Big Mac throwing a pony out and started yelling at him! I didn't know Big Mac had such a colourful vocabulary (maybe that's why he doesn't talk often?) but clearly this pony had said something to upset him.  As the pony got up and trotted off, I stepped aside to give him some space - still, as he passed me, he gave me a nasty glare...

When I actually reached the house, Applejack was fighting with Big Mac, telling him that even if he didn't agree with the pony's words, that was no reason to literally throw him out.  He simply snorted and trotted to his room; not before nodding and offering a 'sorry you had to see that' to me of course.  I asked Applejack what had happened, but she only said it wasn't important, and that Big Mac disagreed with something their visitor said.  She wouldn't say what, but she only said that it was 'a bit excessive.'

I've been seeing those soap box ponies more and more as of late.  Weirder yet, some of them are ponies I know have lived here a long time, and they seem to give almost everypony dirty looks, and occasionally get into fights.  At first I was rooting for them, but it seems they're bringing a lot of discomfort.  And that flag they're using is bothering me; I know I've seen it before.  I should do some research on it later to find out what it means.


From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
One month, two weeks before Ponyville incident



***



I think I must have fainted, because when I opened my eyes, I was staring at the ceiling.

And two faces, staring down at me.

"Is she okay?" a little khaki-colored colt said.

"I dunno! We surprised her pretty good!" replied the filly next to him; buttery yellow coat, orange mane, with her hair in a pair of pigtails.

"Poke her belly button! See if that works!"

Before I could be assaulted by naval poking, I jumped up and backed away.  My attention quickly turned to the pink pony standing a short distance from the foals; she had curly, bouncy pink hair, was wearing a big blue bow and a saddle with the fluffiest cotton-candy like shapes of blue.  Her eyes, equally blue, stared at me in utter shock.  In a moment of caution and grace I had never seen in her before, she approached me, gulping.

"Y-you c-can't be real..."  I wanted to say something but I couldn't.  "You can't be real!" Did she... was she getting angry? "You can't be real!" She shouted.  The two foals; who I now understood had to be Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake, winced and drew closer to the mare as her expression shifted from anger to sadness.  "You can't be real..." she whimpered.  "Why are you t-taunting me...? Why...? The d-doctor said... as long as I took my medicine.... that... that this would stop..."  And then, she yelled in what had to be utter rage.  "Why are you here!? Can't you see I'm trying to get better!?"

"P-Pinkie Pie--"

"No... no... it's just an illusion... a figment of my silly imagination..." Pinkie said to herself and sniffled.  "I-I'm sorry kids... auntie Pinkie must be having another breakdown.... she's seeing Twilight again..."

"That's Twilight?" Said Pound, pointing straight at me.

Pinkie blinked.  "Wait... y-you can see her too?" Both of them nodded.  Pinkie looked at me for a moment, then suddenly she seemed utterly horrified.  "Oh no... nonono, don't pretend you can see her for Pinkie's sake, I know I'm unwell kids, a-and I'm not-"

"Pinkie!" shouted Pumpkin.  "Right there, in the doorway, is a purple pony.  She was wearing a hat until we surprised her and it fell off and revealed the horn, and that's when you sorta conked out."  Pinkie was silent, but slowly, she approached me, staring at me cautiously.  She reached her hoof forward and placed it to my chest, prodding gently.

"... B-but... the figments felt real too..."

She leaned forawrd and took a giant whiff of my mane; if it were anypony else, It'd feel awkward.  "... She smells like Twilight... but they always do..."

Just then, Pound Cake prodded me in the stomach, which I admit elicited a less-than-dignified squeal from me.  So I'm a bit ticklish.  Pinkie blinked, staring at Pound Cake.  I imagine she was trying to determine how he could interact with a figment of her imagination.

"Twilight, say words, Pound, repeat them."

I gulped, thinking the first word I could.  "Onamonapia!" Wait, what? Why...? Pound scrunched his face, and bless his heart, he tried.

"Amadopia?"

Pinkie blinked.  "You said it wrong..."

Suddenly, her smile grew.  "You said it wrong!"

Then, I thought her face would fall off.  "Pound heard you and said it wrong cause you always used really big words and he couldn't say it right which means you're REAL!" Instantly, she was on me, picking me up and hugging the wind out of me.  I don't think she noticed my tensing up, because she just continued to hug me.  "Oh Twilight! All this time, we thought you were dead! They said they left you to die in the forest, and... and..."

It was silent a bit, and then I noticed my shirt getting moist, and Pinkie was shaking.

"We... we looked all over for you... when we went to ask Zecora if she had seen you... all we found... all we found was a note from Zecora saying she left... and.... a short distance from her house was.... was..."

A makeshift tombstone with my name and a poem on it.

Pinkie sniffled.

'The world shan't know
A thing so tragic
As when the earth
Struck down her magic'

It had been years since I had seen the poem.  How long had it been for her? I returned the hug, albeit slowly.  "I-it's okay Pinkie Pie... it's okay..."  It was then I felt her hooves roaming my back, and I tensed more.  Then they moved frantically.  Then she backed away, staring at me wide-eyed.

"Twilight..."

I squeezed my eyes shut.  How often would I have to deal with this? Pinkie's expression shifted to one of sadness and pity.  "... Oh my goodness..." She hugged me again, tightly.  "Oh Twilight... I'm so super sorry..." This time, I hugged a bit more genuinely.  This time, I didn't mind if she hugged me.  She already knew, why hide?

Eventually, we broke off the hug fest, Pinkie turned to the foals and smiled brightly.  "Pound? Pumpkin? This is Twilight Sparkle! Remember her?"

The twins 'ooo'd'.  "Is she the one you write those books about?" said Pumpkin, genuine wonder in her face, unlike Pound who seemed more confused than anything.

I quirked a brow.  "You write books now, Pinkie?"

Pinkie smirked.  "Oh, well, yeah! It does pretty well too! I don't know if you've heard of it, but it's called 'The Adventures of Keen Eye!' or sometimes just 'Keen Eye!' I didn't come up with the name, Mister Cake did, and he helped edit it and everything too, an-"

"Wait!" I shouted, not believing my ears.  "You!? You write Keen Eye? You're famous author 'Candy Fluff!?" I paused for a moment.  Okay, so, I guess that made sense.

Pinkie nodded.  "Yeah, it's mostly an alias name though! After all, I still wanna be able to roam around and throw parties without calling attention to myself!"

I had to ask the next question.  Call me arrogant, but I did.  "... You... based the story off of me?"

Pinkie blushed and smiled.  "Just Keen Eye.  Muffintop is sort of a mix of the rest of us."  Then she sighed and looked sadly to her hooves.  "After we thought you'd died, I was so sad... I... I wanted to write a story.  I showed it to Carrot, and he... he loved it... and said I should get it published..."  She shook her head.  "I didn't, because I would have had to alter the protagonist... she was an alicorn princess... and I wouldn't spoil something I made for you..."

"Oh Pinkie..."

She sniffed.  "But.. you loved books... and I knew I could pay you proper tribute by writing stories.  Trying to educate the ponies of the world.  So I made a detective slash adventurer, somepony who solves mysteries and crimes..." She smiled more, but tears were trailing down her cheeks.  "I wanted ponies to appreciate you the way we did.  Even if they didn't realize it..."  I stared at her silently for a few moments.  Suddenly, I leaped forward and grabbed her in a tight hug.  I admittedly may have soaked her mane a bit with silent tears as I did.  She hugged back, and we both shared a moment of crying together.

Did I mean this much to my friends? Had losing me really hurt them that much?

Eventually, we pried apart from each other, and Pinkie decided to take me on the grand tour of her house.  During that time, she explained to me that she technically owns Carrot Cake's Bakery, that the twins and Mister Cake lived with her, and that she was basically among the top five writers in Equestria (made exceedingly easier by the fact works by unicorns and pegasai have been banned, destroyed, or both).  But the more she talked, the more I found myself wondering.

"What about Cup Cake?"

She stopped.  "Wha...?"

I noticed the twins stop and frown.  Did I say something wrong? Pinkie frowned and sighed.  "... Can we talk about that later?"  I blinked.  "But... but Carrot Cake--"

"Twilight."

I had never seen Pinkie look so... firm.  Serious. "We'll talk about it later."  I simply nodded.  I'll be honest... she was scary when she was serious.

And so, we continued down the hall, until finally, pinkie approached a pair of doors.  Pound groaned.  "Aww, why are we heeere?"

Pumpkin frowned.  "What? I like this room!"

"You would!"

"Kids?" Pinkie said.  "If you fight, there will be no cookies tonight!" Immediately, both of them stopped, but they did spare dirty glances at each other.  "Without further ado..." Pinkie placed her hooves on the doors, and then pushed them open.

I almost fainted.

Books.  Books all over.  A library.  Pinkie's mansion had a library.  It wasn't the first time I'd seen one; heck, I'd lived in a library for years, but.... this was bigger.  There had to be more books here than there was there! I stepped inside, staring around in wonder.  I spun in a small circle, just taking in all the knowledge that surrounded me.  I stopped, looked to Pinkie Pie, and shook my head.  "You have a LIBRARY!?"

Pinkie smirked.  "Well duh.  I had to learn a lot about writing... then when I got rich, I decided to pay tribute to you by collecting books!"  She looked around, leaned in, and whispered into my ear.  "I even got a bunch of magic books! I can't use them, but who knows, maybe Pumpkin can?"

I looked to Pinkie in amazement.  "Pinkie... you are utterly..."

"Fantastic? Amazing? Spectacular? Fantazticular?" She gigglesnorted.  "Yeah, but that's not the best part! The best part is-"

"Miss Pie?"

We all turned to see the butler pony from earlier standing there with such indifference.  "You have gentlemen callers at the door.  Shall I suggest the children and our guest hide?"

Pinkie groaned, then trotted towards a bookshelf.  Grabbing a book labeled 'The History of Rocks' (which, the librarian in me noticed was erroneously under 'E' ), she yanked on it, and suddenly the bookshelf began to open.  "Twilight, you and the twins go in there.  There are holes in the walls for peeping, but be careful, and nopony make a sound, alright?" Before I could even respond, she shoved me and the twins into the wall, and shut the bookshelf back.

There wasn't much space, but it wasn't too crowded.  The twins lead me to a part of the wall that looked into the main hall, where I saw Pinkie talking to several ponies.  I could just barely hear what they were saying.

"We're dreadfully sorry for bothering you, madam, but we've heard reports of strange ponies being spotted near your home?"

Pinkie smirked.  "Oh silly, of course strange ponies are spotted near my home! I throw lots of parties!"

"Yes, well, we were wondering if we might search your place of residence?"

"Sure! Come on in!"

Pinkie lead three ponies into her home; each wearing uniforms, with one higher ranking officer among them.  The Twins lead me to a narrow stairway that brought us into a sort of attic-space that lead around the house.  We wandered around, finding small holes and pipe-systems; the holes for peaking, the pipes for hearing.  We watched as the group was given a tour about the place, and they searched everywhere; they opened closets, cupboards, pantries, drawrs... after some time, they gave up their search, but the leader of the three did not seem convinced.

"Where is the pony that came here?"

Pinkie shrugged.  "I dunno.  I had Teacup send her off; not that I'm a Meany McMeanerpants, I just got a lot of party plans to plan out, and while I enjoy having company, bigger parties take bigger plans, and company can distract me, and then when I get distracted, I start making little mistakes, not that anypony complains, because sometimes they find it funny when a welcome wagon shoots confetti from the oven and cake batter from the cannons, but I'd like to get it right at least once within my life, so--"

"OKAY!" shouted the captain, holding his hoof up.  "Okay.... I believe you..."

It was then that I noticed... was Pinkie looking him and the others over?

"You knoooow" she began, "If you and your friends are so inclined, you can come to my party! After all, it'd be nice to have big, strong stallions in uniform reminding all the ponies there that we're nice and safe."  That was.... different.  She couldn't help but notice the two grunts looking to each other with devious grins - which faded when their boss gave his response.

"No thank you, ma'am.  We're just here to do a job.  Keep your nose clean."  With that, he turned to look at his subordinates, who quickly wiped the scowls off their faces.  "Let's go, gentlemen."  And with that, the group made their ways back to the front, where the butler (who must have been 'Teacup') let them out.  Once the double doors were closed, Teacup stared out of a peep hole for a few minutes, before nodding to Pinkie Pie, who turned about, trotted towards the peephole, and stared me in the eye through it.

"Olly Olly Oxen Free! You can come out now!"

I moved about, lead by the foals, to find the exit.  A lever on our end opened the book case back up, and we stepped out, greeted by Pinkie Pie and Teacup; the former bouncing in place, the latter standing there with as much poise as one would expect of a well-trained butler.  As I stepped out, I couldn't help but smirk at Pinkie Pie.  "Well... that was interesting."

"Yeah, I've had to do that sorta thing a few times!" said Pinkie.  "I mean, my parties have lots of unicorns and pegasai over, so sometimes I gotta give them places to hide in case the batter hits the fan!"

I balked.  What? "Y-you have lots of illegal ponies here... and you invited the ponies charged with hunting them down!?"

Pinkie simply waved a dismissive hoof.  "They hardly ever actually take me up on it, and when they do, I always set them up in another room that's less fun and inspires them to leave quickly!" I still wasn't sure it was a good idea, but I suppose she had been doing this long before I came along; especially if she really was the author of the Keen Eye books.  Those have been around for as long as I've known Stock! I would have to question later how she got a book published so quickly.

"Speaking of, if I heard Teacup right, you uttered the superdy duper secret pass phrase! So, Twilight, I wanna say that I'm 
reeeeeally
 sorry in advance!"

"Sorry for-"

I think that was when I was hit in the head with a vase.



***



Have you ever been knocked out with a blunt object? It's unpleasant.  Very unpleasant.  The first thing I noticed upon regaining consciousness was that I was moving around.  I think I was being carried? I had that feeling of being carried.  The second thing I noticed is that when I opened my eyes, I couldn't see.  The third thing I noticed was that my back legs were tied together, as were my forelegs.  The fourth thing I noticed as I yelled; I had something covering my mouth, muffling my shout.

"Hm? Oh! You're awake, Twilight! Super sorry again for hitting you in the head, but you're not allowed to know where we're going just yet! You were unconscious for a while, so I think we should probably take you to a doctor to make sure I didn't accidentally give you a concussion!"

"It is my humble opinion that Miss Pie does not know her own strength."  The butler was helping Pinkie Pie abduct me?

"You said it, Teacup! Anyway, in case you're wondering, we also had to gag you, because we figured when you woke up you might panic.  Don't worry, we'll take that off right now! Just don't yell at me, alright?" Pinkie, without another word, or even a response from me, pulled the gag off my mouth.  I cleared my throat, took a breath, and tried to calm myself.

"Pinkie Pie... was it really necessary to hit me in the head?"

"Hm? Oh, probably not, but that's usually how I get ponies who come to me down here! I was told to stop but old habits die hard! Not like this one pony I almost killed! He was alright in the end, but now he's afraid of vases!"

Gee, I wonder why.

After several minutes of travel and surprising silence, I felt the motion stop, and looked around... well, as best as I could blindfolded.  Then, I heard a hoof knocking against stone.  Then, the sound of stone scraping against stone.  Then, we were moving again.  A little more time passed, before we stopped once more, and I heard a hoof knock against metal.

"Who goes there?"

"Nopony but us chickens!"

"... That's not the password..."

"It's not?"

"... Hi Pinkie Pie..."

I heard the sound of iron screeching open, and then, we moved what I suspect is inwards.  The loud clang of metal signaled the door shutting.  "So..." I heard the voice of a stallion speak, "Is she a spy or...?"

"Oh, this is Twilight Sparkle!"

Silence.

"... The princess that was murdered in the Ponyville Massacre?"

"Yep!"

I could almost feel the tension.

"P-Pinkie Pie... we've told you before... she's gone... please, take this mare back to wherever you found her and apologize..."

"I'm real" I uttered.  "I'm the real Princess Twilight Sparkle.  I came here looking for my friends, and Pinkie Pie hit me over the head with a vase."

More silence.

"Miss.... we find it disturbing you would take advantage of Pinkie's kindness by pretending to be her dead friend..."

"I'm really Twilight!" I shouted.  "I love to read books, I became a princess when I finished Star Swirl's spell that we still have no idea what it does--"

"And you have that weird thing you do when you eat chocolate!" shouted Pinkie.

"Yeah, I have that-- wait, what?"

"I don't know..." said the as of yet unknown stallion.

"Wait, what weird thing do I do when I eat chocolate?"

"Well... I guess the only way to be sure is to take her to the boss."

It was then that I felt the blindfold leave my eyes.  Standing before me was a stallion with a blue coat, green eyes, and a lavender mane.  As they untied my hooves, I eased myself off of Teacup's back and onto the floor, clearing my throat.  I reached up to steady my hat, when I noticed I wasn't wearing it... or my wig.  I gasped and felt around frantically.  "Where are my hat and wig!?"

"Oh, we left those at the house! Don't worry, nopony saw you! We used a hidden passage on my property to get here!" She bounced up and down.  "There's somepony you gotta meet, Twilight! I think she'll be REALLY happy to see you! C'mon, c'mon!"  Pinkie began to bounce along merrily, Teacup tagging along, and, left with little choice, I opted to follow.  I looked around at everything surrounding me; there were ponies everywhere! it was a veritable underground city, built in what I suspect must be a neglected dungeon or sewage system or something.  I saw stands where ponies were selling goods, I saw ponies training together, and I even passed by a hatch with a make-shift sign that read 'School.'

"What is this place...?"

"We call it Sanctuary!" said Pinkie with a hop and a skip.  "Not very original, but the name works! It's a place that serves as a home for ponies who got no place else to go! Ponies like myself who have a lot of bits and connections pull together to fund and buy supplies and serve as an economic bridge between here and the outside world!"  She waved her hooves in a fashion as if presenting the place to me.  "This is a home for refugees, but most importantly, it is the home of the Resistance!"

"Resistance?"

Pinkie blinked and giggled.  "Oh! I forgot to tell you, didn't I? I'm part of the Resistance! A financial backer! I help pay for expensive stuff!"  She nodded merrily, and soon we approached a large, vault, guarded by two stallions; one a unicorn, one a pegasus... both clearly former royal guards, even if they wore different attire (combat fatigues and barrettes).  Pinkie nodded to the guards, and the unicorn's horn glowed.  The large valve began to twist, and slowly, the vault opened, and Pinkie lead me inside.

I heard the large iron door shut behind me as I took in this new room.  It was large, with various odds and ends; papers all over the place, desks, various boxes... it was everything you'd expect of a resistance headquarters.  In the very middle was a large, round table surrounded by ponies.  As I neared them, I noticed familiar faces.  One Prince Blue Blood; perhaps the least changed of the group, even if his preferred fashion was replaced with a stylish black turtleneck sweater.  Soarin' and Spitfire, both wearing what resembled their more formal Wonderbolts attire.  Trixie, whose hair had two or three sections braided, while the rest of her seemed rather normal.

I paused when my eyes fell on the last pony's back as she spoke.

"They may have intercepted our supply line near Baltimare, but we can compensate for the loss.  All we need to do is work around the blockade until their suspicions fall.  At worst, we tell our contacts to back down and lay low until further notice."

"I concur" said Blue Blood with a nod.  "It's only natural for them to be suspicious after one of their own training facilities just so happened to explode."

"Yes, but consider this..." said Trixie, holding up a hoof.  "The blockade will not likely be their only action.  Chances are they're going to enact Martial Law as well, which means everypony in that town's rights will be null an void until they're either satisfied or lose interest."

"Not to mention the political side..." said Spitfire.  "Add all that together, chances are they'll see a rize in local recruitment to respond to 'terrorist attacks.'  They might potentially recover every pony they lost in that attack."

"I doubt it..."  the mare at the table shook her head; even from behind I could tell she was deep in thought.  "They're stretched thin as it is.  The Empire likes to pretend they've got their stuff together, but the truth is they're feeling the strain.  Their ability to maintain the status quo, the economy, the political structure they built... it's all a house of cards and it's shaking.  Their tenuous grasp is beginning to become apparent to ponies, and even those who once sympathized with them are starting to become doubtful.  But it's only working because we're putting pressure on them.  If we let up too much, they'll start regrouping.  We have to find some way to make their lives a bit more uncomfortable."

Blue Blood snorted.  "Are you mad? If we do anything more in that region, we risk all of our operations there! We risk losing every contact, every operative in that area, which means a loss of resources, which means our power falters.  We might destabilize them temporarily, but if they find everypony we know, they'll not only regroup, but they'll take a small chunk of our organization down to compensate for what they don't."

"That's why we strike somewhere else.  Attack an outpost somewhere else to draw their attention.  Intercept supplies.  Do something to make them realize the threat isn't only in Baltimare."

"Trixie thinks we should just find the Alicorn Amulet and set Trixie loose upon them!"

Spitfire groaned.  "Trixie, you suggest that at nearly every meeting.  Nopony is letting you near that stupid thing again.  Everypony here knows what you did in Ponyville.  We won't risk that again."  Trixie crossed her hooves and grumbled.

"We're not too stressed to come up with a solution right now."  The leader turned around, her face clear to see, confirming my suspicions.  A cyan coat, dressed in blue fatigues and a blue barrette... the right side of her face warped slightly, though still adorned in fur, her rainbow mane managing to hide it somewhat, though not enough that I could not see something had happened to her.  "It will take them a while to regroup, and they.... they..."

As her eyese fell on me, she seemed to lose track of what she was saying.  Everypony in the room turned to face us, and in that instant, their own expressions shifted to disbelief.  I found myself suddenly very self conscious.

"R... Rainbow Dash...?"

I guess I should have seen it coming as Rainbow leaped across the room, swung her hoof at me, and for the second time today I found myself knocked unconscious.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 5: The Truth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


I finally found out what that flag those soapbox ponies have been using represents; it's an updated version of the old Earth Pony Tribe flag.  The original flag had four segments; one depicting the sun, one a hill, one crops, and one flowers.  This flag was meant to symbolize the Earth Pony's connection to nature.  However, their flag is a little different; it has no segments, simply half blue (top) and half reddish-brown (bottom) with the blue half having the sun, and the brown half having three saplings in a row.  After discovering this is when I noticed something else; each and every one of these ponies are earth ponies.  I never once spot a unicorn wearing their bands or badges, or a pegasus, or anything.  In fact, they seem downright wary, if not all out rude, to anypony who isn't an earth pony!

I've sent Celestia a letter, hoping for a response.  She hasn't been responding much as of late, save for a message a few days ago saying that she 'had everything under control' and that I shouldn't worry too much about unusual ponies on soap boxes.

On a (hopefully) unrelated note, I've noticed Big Mac coming by the library more and more often.  I mean, it's not like an every day thing or anything, just every couple of days, and he's always checking out books.  Not just any books either; 'advanced physics' type books.  I'm going to be honest, I never knew Big Mac to be the type of pony to read those types of books.  Oddest thing is, I don't think he's reading them all the way through; I questioned him about Cerebra's Law of Mass Conservation in Metamorphosis Spells, and he just fumbled about it.  I guess he IS an earth pony, after all.  Still, considering one of the books he picked up was 'Magic for Feather Brains', I figured he would have run across it at some point.  I really must ask Applejack about that later.

I may have to do some good old fashioned sleuthing to figure out just what's going on here.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
One month, two days before Ponyville incident



***



I've begun to notice a pattern in which my friends hit me or otherwise render me unconscious today.  That was the first thing I thought after I regained consciousness and any semblance of rational thought.  Rainbow Dash stood over me, looking down at me.  I had expected utter rage to be in her eyes; anger, fury, some form of emotion, the kind I once saw in my brash friend.  That wasn't what I saw at all.

I saw eyes of stone cold; calculating, reasoning.

The eyes of a killer.

I felt uneasy.  Those weren't the eyes of my old friend.  They were the eyes of a pony who had seen things.  A pony who had done things.  I guess I should have figured it, by the odd, warped texture around her right eye; it was like a burn, but... neater.  More like somepony had twisted the flesh on one side of her face around.  The eye itself seemed undamaged; indeed, it had all the same clarity of it's twin, with the added intimidation of the skin surrounding it seeming like a scar of some sort.

And she spoke with a tone that was interrogating and held no emotional bond whatsoever.

"Who are you? Who do you work for?"

I gulped.  "I-it's me, T-Twilight Sparkle..."

She stared at me for a moment.  Then, she swung a hoof at me and struck me in the face; I could hear the sound of Pinkie screaming in surprise, but the ringing in my head temporarily dulled it out.  Had Rainbow Dash always hit so hard? I pulled myself back up, finding myself suddenly very afraid as I looked back at her.  "I'm going to ask again, and this time, you tell the truth.  Who are you?"

"Rainbow Dash, it's really m-"

Once more, she hit me in the face, this time the other side, and I fell to my side.  It was then that I noticed the slight tinge of copper in my mouth.  I reached a hoof to the floor and tried to press myself up, spitting out a little blood as I got back to my hooves shakily.

"Dashie!" Shouted Pinkie, "Stop! Stop it!"

If Rainbow heard Pinkie, she ignored her."I'm going to ask one more time, and if you lie this time, I'm going to kill you."

Wait, what!?

"Who.  Are.  You."

I stared at her, my eyes wide and filled with fear, tears.  Those cold, uncaring eyes.  She would do it.  She wasn't bluffing.  I could tell, she was ready to kill me if I didn't give her an answer that satisfied her.  What do I do? Do I give her a fake name? Do I pretend? Would she kill me anyway? With the Empire, I was afraid of being dragged away and imprisoned for the remainder of my life.  Right now, I was afraid that said remainder wouldn't be long enough to wash my face.

"Dashie! It's Twilight!" shouted Pinkie, coming between me and my friend.  "It's really, really her!"

Rainbow stared at Pinkie for a moment, then looked to me.

"Soarin'? Spirfire? Hold Pinkie."

In an instant, the two wonderbolts flew over to my pink friend and grabbed her forelegs and held her back.  She struggled and pulled against them.  "Blue Blood? Remove the shirt.  Shake it down to make sure it's not hiding any weapons."

Pinkie's eyes widened.  "Dashie! No!"

I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that if I couldn't see it, it wouldn't hurt.

And then I felt my shirt leave my body.

And the room fell quiet.

I didn't dare open my eyes.  I didn't dare look.  I didn't dare see their faces.  It was too much.

"Holy shit..." I heard Spitfire croak.

"Oh that is just wrong..." said a sympathetic Soarin'.

Pinkie Pie... I heard her sob a bit.  "Oh Twilight... I'm so, so sorry..."

"It.. she... oh... oh no..." and, suddenly, I could hear the sound of Blue Blood throwing up.

There I was, exposed to everypony.  My secret shame revealed.  The horror I've hidden from all but Stock and Zecora for so many years.  Two jagged scars lined my back.

Where my wings should have been.

"P-please... give it back..." I whimpered.

I felt the shirt slowly lower over my head, and I grabbed it with my own magic and pulled it down the rest of the way, pushing my hooves through the arm holes.  I didn't care if they saw me cry.  It may seem petty, and maybe it was, but... I didn't like ponies seeing it.  I hid my face and kept on the floor, the situation finally catching up to me; being nearly beaten to death by my old friend, being exposed... it was all too much.  I cried.

"... I see..." said Rainbow Dash.  "I'm sorry for your loss, Twilight."  So now she believes me? Why didn't I believe her? It wasn't just what was going on; her voice held no sense of sympathy.  What had happened to this mare? I think at that moment, Soarin' and Spitfire let go of Pinkie, because she hurried to me and helped me to my hooves and hugged me.  I returned the hug, trying to control my emotions.  I know I hadn't had them for long, but they were still a part of me, you know? Losing them was still like losing a piece of myself.

"How are you alive?"

I have to admit, at this point, I was beginning to get irritated by Rainbow Dash.  Even now she was asking more like an interrogator than a friend who found a friend.  "Zecora saved me..." I said, sniffling.  "... She found me at the edge of the Everfree Forest... she brought me back to her house, and nursed me back to health..."

"What happened? When we visited her hut, it didn't seem anypony had been there for a while."  Did this mare have any soul left in her?

I cleared my throat a bit as I regained my composure.  "As soon as Zecora thought I was well enough to make the trip, we fled by caravan.  We ran into a few other refugees along the way, and fled to the White Tail Woods where we set up a sort of permacamp."

Rainbow quirked a brow.  "The White Tail Hideaway? We knew of it, and kept tabs on it until the Empire figured out where it was, and most of the ponies who lived there either came into our circle or continued fleeing."

I sighed.  "We didn't stay long."  I looked up at Rainbow, trying to keep calm and remember that this mare treating me more like evidence than anything else was my friend at one time.  "A few months passed, and I couldn't take not doing anything anymore.  Zecora and I left to try to find you girls, and we did that for nearly six months before..." I froze.  "... Before we went our separate ways?"

"Falling out?"

I shook my head. "No."  I grimaced.  "Reality."



***



THREE YEARS AGO...

It was dark.  There was a slight nip in the air, but my hide had long since grown used to it.  I stared from the brush out at the setting before us; a mansion on a hill.  This had once been a getaway for none other than Prince Blue Blood himself, taken by the new regime and deposited to their mission.  Of course, their commander was a pony of wealth, even before the revolution.  I don't know if he simply refused to have sub-par living arrangements, if this was convenient, or if he simply had nowhere else to be right now.

All I knew is that the rumors along the grapevine said he knew where my friends were.

"Are you sure that this is wise? You don't even bare disguise!"

I nodded to my zebra friend.  "I know... but it wouldn't matter.  I have a horn on my head, so unless we cut that off, and while I know you could, I'd rather you not, there's no way a disguise would work."  All of the ponies here wore barrettes that revealed their foreheads.  My little walking-around hat won't suffice, and nopony was supposed to be here but soldiers; if I showed up, they'd arrest me on sight.

"Tell me then, what is your plan? I shall help any way I can."

"Simple..." I started.  "We're going to have to sneak in.  I'm going to try to make my way to the General's quarters and see if he has any written documents.  If he's in there, I'll try to shake him down; a silencing dome will keep him from alerting any guards, and I'll be able to grab answers from him with good, old fashioned threats of violence."

"Surely you do not intend to bring harm to our general friend?"

"No" I sighed.  "But he doesn't know that.  As far as he knows, I'm a pony on edge and I'm ready to disintegrate him with a thought.  Once I get the answers I need, I'll teleport back here."

"And what is it you wish me to do?"

"I need you to search the house for anything we can use.  You already have your disguise, so you may not have to sneak much, thankfully.  From what I understand, there is a ledger of known fugitives, both captured and wanted, in the barracks for the thugs to access.  If you can, swipe that, though don't endanger yourself if it's too risky.  Meet me back here when you do leave."

"I mean you to worry not... but what if one of us is caught?"

I took a breath.  "If you aren't back here within two hours, I'll come back.  I won't let them take you."

"You are noble, this is true... but Twilight... what of you?"

I stared at her for a few minutes.  I smiled, trying to hide the nervousness I had in the very concept of it.  "If I'm not back here within the same time limit, just leave."  She simply stared and nodded slowly; I could tell she didn't like the idea.  And so, I took a deep breath.  "Alright, here I go."

We both sneaked in our separate ways, keeping to the brush around the house.  There were guards protecting each entrance.  On a balcony, I could see a pony wielding a battle saddle; I felt a slight pain in my right hind leg at the mere sight of the tool.  I looked around, trying to gauge an entry point; it was then that I noticed an outside exit to a basement, or perhaps a wine cellar? Rather than debate in my head, I analyzed the area round it; one guard.  I suppose with the battle saddle on the balcony and the actual entrances guarded, they didn't feel the basement needed much protection? Unfortunately, it was out of those ponies' line of sight.

This was too easy.

I moved to be sure nopony else would see me, and looked around; good, this pony was the only one who might notice my action.  I fired off a sleeping spell, and before he could shout, he fell to the floor snoozing like a log.  I wrapped a telekinetic field around him and pulled him into the bushes nearby, making sure to tie his hooves together.  Quickly, quietly, I trotted forward; I was wearing a sleek black catsuit to allow myself some level of camouflage.  I neared the basement door and tugged on it to find that it was unlocked.  This was way too easy.

As I descended the staircase, I figured out why.

Before me were several bunks, each with a hoof-locker at the end.  Nopony was down here.  'Well' I thought to myself, 'I found the barracks...'  Moving quickly, I gently eased the door shut behind me.  I made my way towards the exit, but I stopped; what if there were guards on the other side of that door? Would they guard the inside? I took a deep breath, and prepared myself to act quick.  I shoved the door open and leaped out into a hallway...

to find it empty.

The sound of voices around the corner didn't give me time to consider my luck as I quickly (and quietly) shut the door back and rushed to the opposite direction.  Making sure to peak around the corner, I found this path was empty as well.  I managed to just barely escape the sight of two guards patrolling the halls.

There were several doors, but I couldn't tell which of them lead where.  I focused magic into my horn and cast a spell I had learned for situations like this; in an instant, the world turned grey, and all living things became visible through walls as shapes of blue light.  Why hadn't I thought to cast this at that door? Stress makes me forget some important details.

I made my way to a nearby staircase and climbed it, making sure to turn about to take in my surroundings.  As I reached the top, I noted several ponies heading my way; I didn't even need the 'detect life' spell to hear them laughing up a storm.  I was quick to hide in a nearby broom closet, and pray that none of them had any intention of cleaning anything.  I watched them pass me by, none the wiser that a unicorn was among them.

Eventually, I was able to leave my hiding place and hurry along.  As I progressed down the hall, I canceled the spell as I neared a pair of large double-doors.  The General's quarters.  Chances were, I'd find answers here.  I pushed the doors open and stepped inside; naturally, it was well furnished, with a large bed, plush pillows, a chest at the end, a desk, and several decorative items that made me wonder how often it's occupant intended others to see it?

I closed the door behind me and trotted towards the desk.  Yanking it open with my magic, I pulled several pieces of paper, many blank, some with inconsequential things on them such as poems or doodles.  It was then that I noticed a journal.  "Perfect" I said to myself, levitating it from the desk and into my saddlebag.

"Wha-who are you?"

I turned around to find a stallion, mint-green with a brown mane and brown eyes, wearing a noble's coat, staring back at me.  I quickly slammed the door shut behind him and sealed it, and threw up a soundproof barrier around us.  Naturally, he began shouting and screaming and pounding at the edges of the dome.

"It's no use, nopony can hear you" I said.  I didn't move closer to him; he might have a knife.  For now, it's best to keep my distance.

"What do you want!? Money? Freedom? I-I-I have connections, I can make it so you live like one of the princesses! Nopony will have to know!"

"I'm not here for any of that" I said.  Okay, maybe I was, but not the freedom he was offering.  "I'm here because you may hold information that I find extremely valuable.  Now, you can tell me what I want to know, and I'll be on my merry way, or you can keep quiet, and I can see how many species of rodent I can turn you into."

He gulped and nodded, a mix of relief and tension washing over him.  "O-of course! Of course... what do you want to know?"

"The Elements of Harmony" I said.  "Where are they?"

"They're.... I think the archives said they're lost...?"

"No, not the actual elements" I groaned.  "The bearers! Where are the bearers of harmony!"

He shifted a bit.  "Uh... well... Princess Twilight Sparkle is dead...." At least he didn't recognize me.  "... The others I...."  He stopped for a moment, looking around the room.  "... I really don't know... I-I think there's a ledger under my bed with that information if you'll just let me-"

"No" I said.  "You stay right there.  I'll get it.  If you come anywhere near me, you'll be vaporized."  Slowly, without taking my eyes off of him, I leaned down under his bed and reached beneath it, keeping my eyes on him.  I noticed him moving slowly around.  "What are you doing?"

"K-keeping my distance as best as possible so I don't get vaporized..." I guess I might have laid that one on a bit hard.  I kept my eyes on him though, hoofing around and finding a book.  I pulled it out, and noticed the cover.

'150 ways to make your friends jealous.'

"What?"

"What can I say..." he said, reaching a hoof towards a candle hanging off the wall.  "I like being better."  He yanked it instantly, and in that moment, I heard a buzzing noise.

And then, a sharp pain shot through my head.  I yelped and fell to the floor, clutching my skull as the magic I  had been using dissipated.  He stepped towards me, grinning.  "Oh you poor, stupid mare.  Did you honestly think I'd risk not having a spellbreaker on my property?"

I groaned, forcing my eyes open.  "Wha... but.... "

"We made them bigger" He smirked, rubbing a hoof to his coat.  "Specially designed to protect property.  I dare say, not only do they reach further than the kind used by Spellbreaker Soldiers, they're also more powerful, so I imagine that a unicorn such as yourself must be quite disoriented right now."

A sense of vertigo did indeed complicate matters for me.  I felt dizzy, my horn was numb, and I was completely powerless.  "I don't like to keep it on; at first it's harmless, but after an hour or so, even we earth ponies start feeling a bit weak.  But to a unicorn, it's effects are immediate, and I imagine rather unpleasant at this strength."  He trotted towards me and nudged me with a hoof.  "I imagine you're so weak right now you can barely move your head without the room spinning."

He sighed and reached to his side, withdrawing a sword.  "You're a lovely mare, but I'm afraid I don't take kindly to having my life threatened.  So, here's the new deal.  I'm going to torture you until I've had my fill, and then I'm going to have you burned alive.  Fitting death for a witch, no?"

He swung the sword.  I screamed as I felt it slash my cheek.  Blood flowed, and I whimpered.  I was trapped.  I was powerless.  He raised the sword above his head as if ready to make the killing blow; wasn't he just going to torture me first? Wait a minute, was I going to argue this? I winced, seeing my life flash before my eyes.

Suddenly, two hooves grabbed his head.  He only had time to look shocked before they twisted, and he fell to the side in a heap, his neck at an unnatural angle.  Standing behind him was none other than Zecora, dressed in a Guard's uniform, her coat painted white.  She stared at me in shock, then looked down to the corpse before her.  Her expression shifted to normal, however, and she helped me to my hooves, though with the Spellbreaker still working, I was wobbly at best, and the vertigo made it hard to keep myself aimed straight.

"They will surely find this soon.  For us to flee would be a boon."  She put a hoof around my shoulder and lead me to one of the windows and opened it, looking outside.  After a few moments of scrutinization, she looked towards me.  "Trust me Twilight, it will be alright."

"What?"

Before she said anything more, Zecora tossed me out the window, and I fell screaming until I landed in a bush - not the most graceful window exit I've ever made.  The sound of hooves rushing towards my direction afforded me no time to consider this though; it seemed I was caught, and this time, there was no way for me to escape.

"Intrude in the mansion proper! The general's dead, we must stop her!" shouted Zecora from the window above.  Okay, maybe I didn't put enough trust in her? I heard the sounds of hooves rushing away from the bush, and the sound of doors opening, and ponies shouting orderst o one another.  Slowly, I crawled away from the bush, trying my hardest to move in a straight line as the effects of the Spellbreaker were still hounding me.  I heard the shuffling as Zecora leaped from the window into the bush herself, before leaping out after me; as she ran by me, she quickly scooped me onto her back, and we made our escape into the wilderness.

We ran for a while, and slowly, I felt the numbness and vertigo fade.  As soon as I could feel my magic again, we teleported a bit further away.  When we finally reached our caravans and finally had a chance to breathe, Zecora turned towards me, panting, shaking her head.

"I found the Spellbreaker in a room.  It was much bigger; I thought you doomed!"

I panted and gulped down a mix of oxygen and saliva to clear my parched throat.  "That... barely rhymes..."  Maybe not the best thing to say to the mare who has saved my life on more than one occasion... but she didn't take offense at least.

"Twilight, my friend, you could have died!" She shouted, pointing at me.  "He was prepared to carve your hide!"

"I know!" I shouted back, more than a little exhausted in spirit and body.  "I know..."  I gulped.  It wouldn't be the first time one of these lunatics tried to kill me.  "... Look, Zecora, I'm sorry.  I didn't see anypony with Spellbreakers patrolling the area, and I had the detect life spell to let me see into the building, so I thought it was safe... I had no idea they were making those things king-sized..."  Zecora only sighed, looking sadly at her hooves.  It was then that I realized; she had just killed somepony.  We had done a lot of crazy things in this time, but never have either of us killed anypony.  "Zecora, I'm sorry-"

"No" she said, though not firmly; it was gentle.  She smiled a sad smile at me.  "It is a shame, I will not lie... but it was either you or him to die..."  She once more averted her gaze to her hooves, her expression once more mournful.  "To snuff a life is so much weight... but to lose a friend brings pain so great..."  She looked to me again, shaking her head.  "I wish I could find another way... to spare his life, and save the day.  But you he was ready to end, and I shan't allow harm come to my friend."

I didn't know how to respond.  I wanted to tell her she didn't have to kill him, she could have just knocked him out, or tricked him, or something... but... she panicked.  She was in a tough situation.  And had she not done what she had done, I might not even be breathing right now.  I could see it in her eyes; it was hurting her.  She had blood on her hooves, and it was hurting her.  She had blood on her hooves, she had taken the life of another, and the stain on her soul would never wash out.  It was then that I had a realization.

I had driven my friend to kill.

I was not only responsible for that pony's death, but also for the blood on my friend's hooves.

The mare who saved my life.  Who kept me company in a lonely world.  Who massaged my back when the damaged remains og my wing muscles acted up.  The mare I know who wanted nothing more than to heal, and my own foolishness had forced her to kill.  We had been doing this for six months.  We had been traveling around, sneaking into camps, talking at shady bars, everything to gather information.  I sighed and shook my head.  I had a lot of thinking to do.

"Zecora... let's go... let's get away from here and get some rest..."



***



"I read that journal we had taken from him.  I discovered that despite every rumor I had heard that he had been gathering intel on the remaining bearers of Harmony, the general's notes only had the following to say; I was dead, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were 'co-operative', and that you, Fluttershy, and Rarity couldn't be found."  I looked at all the ponies staring at me; each of them seemed enthralled.  Pinkie had a bag of popcorn.  But Rainbow still seemed cold.

Rainbow quirked a brow.  "And Zecora?"

I sighed and shook my head.  "Like I said, we parted ways.  I told her I couldn't force her in a situation like that again.  I told her to go somewhere safe... that I would work alone.  She begged me not to; begged me to follow her, to find somewhere safe... but I couldn't.  I had to try."  I looked at Pinkie, then Rainbow.  "After a while... I lost hope.  I went to Vanhoover when I heard word that I might find somepony there.  I found Octavia trying to free Vinyl Scratch, who had been captured and detained... helped Vinyl escape... but at that point I hit a dead end.  My contacts had no more information, whatever money I had was spent, and breaking Vinyl free put a high alert around the area so even hiding in the woods was a risky concept.  Octavia gave me a place to stay, and I looked for a job... found one with somepony who became a dear friend, and moved in there so that Octavia could travel around and find Vinyl somewhere safe to hide."  I shrugged, looking at the ceiling.  "We kept in touch and wrote each other, using coded words and phrases.  I settled into my new life, accepted my limitations, and the rest is history."

"That's an amazing tale, Twilight" said Rainbow.  "So, that's what happened to General Grass.  We had heard he was killed, but could never figure out how... our organization was in it's infancy then, and I highly doubted any of ours at the time would be so bold."  She smirked.  "It's true he had been tracking us, though.  He was basically a joke; his status as a general was only earned due to his money and his connections, and he wanted to glorify himself by finding and capturing the remaining non-earth pony elements."

I had to ask.  "And now?"

Rainbow quirked her brow.  "Now? Now what?"

Did I really want to know? "You said you weren't so bold as to kill a general.  What about now?"  Rainbow grimaced a bit, but did not miss a beat.

"We do what must be done, regardless of the cost."

I didn't like to think of that.  I had so many questions to ask her.  So much to wonder, and yet so much that I wasn't sure I wanted to know.  Mister Cake was right; some of my friends had changed... but just how much? It was then that I was struck by a familiar friend, and I winced and stiffened, hissing in pain as the muscles in my back seized up, which I think made Pinkie, Soarin' and Spitfire jump.  Pinkie hurried to my side.  "Twilight? What's wrong?"

I whimpered.  "Back hurts... back hurts..."

The three pegasai exchanged glances, and then Spitfire stepped forward, eying me over.  "I assume a result of mediocre attempt to repair the damage of your severed wings?"

"N-not exactly..." I gulped.  "Zecora... didn't have top-of-the-line surgery equipment... but she did what she could..."

Spitfire sighed and shook her head.  "I see..."  She looked to Soarin' and Rainbow Dash.  "It happens a lot, especially with pegasai who were victims of the first raids.  Back then, they liked cutting off the wings to 'even things out." She looked to me sadly.  "If there's one thing I have to give them, at least now they wait until you're in one of their camps to clip your wings."  Why didn't that bring me any comfort?

"Twilight?"

I looked up to see Pinkie staring worriedly at me.  "Y-yes?"

"Do you mind if I help?"

"H-how?"

"Just... relax."

Pinkie placed her hooves on the bottom of my shirt; I admit, I tensed up, but I let her pull it up and off of me, and once more, I found myself exposed.  "Lay down on your stomach."  I slowly eased myself to the floor, ignoring the pain of my muscles screaming to stop as best I could.  Pinkie then sat next to me and placed her hooves on my back...

and started massaging.

At first, it hurt, but I quickly felt the tension leave.  I felt my muscles relax.  I don't think even Stock was this good.  I dare say, I think I blushed a little.  After a few minutes, she leaned down to look me in the eye.  "Better?"  I simply nodded, and she stopped and stood up.  I got back to my hooves and moved my shoulders around; there was a slight bit of tension there, but Stock also usually gives me massages for a bit longer to work it all out.  Pinkie smiled.  "I learned how to give massages because ponies love massages.  Teacup knows how too, but I figured you'd rather have a friend do it for you."

I smiled to Pinkie, happy that at least one of my friends was familiar.  "Thank you, Pinkie..."

"If we can break up the love-fest here girls..." interrupted Rainbow Dash, "I think we have other matters to discuss."  She turned her attention to me.  "Twilight.  You may not realize this, but you being alive? That is very, very weighty stuff.  With the Crystal Empire having severed all ties to Equestria and hidden themselves away with magic, and with Celestia and Luna's locations an absolute mystery, you are one of the few members of royalty active in Equestria."

"Wait, what?" I gasped.

"We have Prince Blue Blood, too, of course." Rainbow pointed out; the Prince charmingly rose his nose upward to show his stats as an elite who would not drown if the water in Equestria got to nose-height.  "All other royalty are beyond our grasp.  Add this to the fact everypony thought you were dead..."  It was then that I saw Rainbow smile.  Grin really.  "Yes... this is a really big morale booster..."

"Wait Rainbow... what are you planning?"

She turned to me and nodded.  "Twilight, welcome to the Resistance."

"What?" I was shocked.  "Why should I join you guys!?" It's not that I didn't want to help.  The Resistance just has a history of... killing.

"Because, you have two options."  She stepped closer.  "One, you don't, you head back out there and live a life in hiding and fear of being found out, and never lifting a hoof to help anypony.  Or two, you join us, and do something meaningful."

"And who says I can't do something meaningful without joining you?"

Rainbow laughed at this.  "Twilight, have you seen the world? They're making the stuff that kicked our flanks at the Ponyville Massacre stronger.  The Earth Ponies are encouraging industry to fill the void of magical services.  Rumor has it they even built a machine to move the sun and moon around!"  She shook her head.  "There are no other organizations.  Any who have tried have either died or been integrated into ours.  It's either us, a life of hiding, or certain doom."

It hadn't struck me, really.  A machine that does Celestia and Luna's jobs? It was preposterous! Of course... if you had told me years ago that they'd have a machine that disrupts magic, I'd have said the same thing.  Did I really have a choice?

"Can I think on it?"

Rainbow nodded.  "Take all the time you need.  Pinks, would you be alright giving her boarding until she comes to her senses? We're pushing it for housing down here as is."

Pinkie jumped up and down, nodding.  "I'd be glad to! I have just the room for Twilight! We'll fill it with books, and... and... books! And... a telescope? Oh! And books!"  We left the room, Pinkie bouncing along, Teacup following with the usual air of a dedicated butlerpony.  Now, I was a bit confused, and a bit worried.  Was Rainbow right? Was this really my only option? Perhaps I could start my own organization? Of course, that seemed somewhat silly when I had all the available resources; perhaps I could help structure a 'less murder' policy? I was suddenly more stressed, and I found the dregs Pinkie hadn't worked out of my tensed muscles slowly knotting back up.

"Twilight Sparkle!?"

I turned around, and to my surprise, found Trixie running towards me.  Was she going to challenge me to another magic duel? I really didn't have the time or desire to deal with her today.  "Yes Trixie?"

Trixie stood there, fidgeting a bit.  "Well, Trixie had heard of your supposed death... and... well... Trixie knows that we never really did get along well... and... Trixie just.... Trixie...."  She gulped a bit, and then, did something that left me speechless; she threw herself forward and hugged me tightly.

I was utterly dumbfounded.  I put my hooves around her to not seem cold, and was more surprised when I heard a sniffle.

"Trixie is glad you are okay..."

After a bit, she let go, cleared her throat, and wiped her tears away, straightening her poise.  "It... it would please Trixie very much if you told nopony of that..."  She looked over my shoulder at Pinkie and Teacup.  "That goes for you too as well."

Teacup nodded.  "As you wish, Madam Trixie."

"You got it Trix!" said Pinkie with a hop.

With that, Trixie gave a gentle nod, smiling to me, and then turned, trotting back towards the vault where their meeting was taking place before we had interrupted.  I turned to look to Pinkie, who simply smiled.  "She took it pretty hard when we heard you died."

Even Trixie cared? It was pleasant, and I admit... I spent most of the rest of the day smiling.  Maybe I had more friends than I realized? I suppose that being part of the Resistance might not be a bad thing.  Not saying I'm joining, mind you... but... there are good ponies there.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 6: Catching Up and Grieving
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remember the 'Soap Box' ponies? I learned who they are - the 'Earthen Alliance.'  Originally, they started off as a group of farmers who strung together and collaberated to increase profits and produce for all involved.  As they grew, so too did their ambition; it quickly became obvious that the majority of them were Earth Ponies.  At first, this meant nothing, but somehow, it lead to them rejecting unicorns and pegasai because of 'different methods of production' - unicorns mostly could use magic to manipulate plant growth, and pegasai often used any clouds available to them to assure they had moisture.  Deeper investigation lead me to find that earth pony farmers grew resentful of the others - they saw unicorns as 'cheating' to produce superior product by unnatural means, and pegasai as potentially harmful by stealing rain from other farmers.  Then, at some point, a new face showed up; one Alfriston Apple.

I was surprised to say the least.

He came from a family that held onto outdated beliefs about unicorns and pegasai; unicorns were agents of chaos and evil that corrupted the world and perverted nature, and pegasai were sky barbarians who disregarded the freedom of nature to operate as she sees fit.  Normally, nopony would pay this stallion two seconds of their time, but he had happened upon an organization that was finding itself resentful of the two groups he despised.  He gained leadership pretty easily.  Despite his archaic beliefs, he was a genius; he knew the economy, he knew sales trends, and he knew how to sell.  Under his influence and leadership, the Earthen Alliance expanded rapidly.  Within time, they were no longer a simple alliance of farmers; they had grown to encompass elements of industry, science, and medicine as well.

Eventually, Alfriston Apple passed on of old age, leaving no known heirs (although some ponies claim he had bastard foals).  With his death, his beliefs of witches and sky-barbarians faded, and by all means, that should have been the end of it.

The Earthen Alliance has morphed; the organization of farmers that once was is now gone, and even the companies that it birthed no longer recognize it's history of bigotry (at least, not on a public level) but somehow, somepony has taken the old name and is using it to push... something.  They keep talking about being 'downtrodden' and 'disenfranchised' but nopony is quite sure what they want.  They seem to be amassing numbers and making claims of 'marching the streets of canterlot to show the princesses they are not a lower class citizen.'

If I find more, I'll be sure to write it here; you're not just a journal at this time, you're also a research partner.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
One month before Ponyville incident



****



Pinkie Pie had to blindfold me as we left the Underground (though this time I opted to ask her not to hit me in the head)  and, though it took a while, we eventually found our way back to her house.  As soon as we were inside, she asked Teacup to make tea while we caught up, and then she lead me to a study; one I'm not sure if she authentically needed or used, or if she just wanted to have a study.  Seeing as she's a writer, but also Pinkie Pie, any of those things is possible.  Soon, Teacup had brought us our drinks, and Pinkie gingerly took a sip before starting up a little friendly banter.

"Soooo, what have you been up to these past few years?" She said cheerfully.  "Besides the obvious.  Meet anypony? Make any nice friends? Get married?"

"Well..." I began, pondering the question.  "... I.... have a friend named Stock who's really kind to me..."

"Ohhh!" Pinkie shouted, hopping in her seat.  "Does Twili have a crush!?"

"What!? No!" I shouted, before considering myself, recomposing, and clearing my throat.  "No... no.  Stock is a good stallion, but he's old enough to be my father."  I thought on that.  "Actually, I think he's a few years older than my father... but you get the point."

"Nothin' wrong with older stallions!" shouted Pinkie, grinning.  Wait, what? I had to ask, I was curious.

"Have you dated an older stallion?" I leaned forward a bit in curiosity at my own question.

Pinkie hummed.  "Well, no, not really."  She waved a hoof.  "But I had sex with one once!" I really wish I hadn't been sipping tea when she said that.  I'm sure Teacup agrees with that sentiment, even if he made no sign of it as he politely cleaned up what I spat out.  Pinkie hummed.  "Well... twice? No, there was one stallion that looked like he could be older..."

"P-Pinkie Pie!?" I shouted, shaking my head.  "Do I really need to know this!?"

Pinkie blinked and giggled.  "Oh don't worry Twilight, they were clean!"  She stopped once more.  "Accept for that one pony... but that went away after a few weeks of using that ointment the I had to rub on my-"

"Can we please change the subject!?"

Pinkie gasped.  "So sorry, Twilight! Here I am talking about my sexcapades when you probably haven't even popped your cherry yet!"

I... wh... I... what!? Did she really just say that!?

"Pinkie Pie!?" I was blushing more than I think I have ever blushed before, or since.  Don't get me wrong, Pinkie was always rather random, but this was ridiculous! This mare seemed to have no sense of privacy in her whatsoever! "For one, it's none of your business what I have or haven't done with a stallion, and for two, why are we even talking about this!?" Really, why? I thought we were trying to catch up, not talk about what goes on in the privacy of our bedrooms!

Pinkie Pie only giggled.  "It's okay Twilight! Stick with me and you'll be beating stallions off with a stick!"  She stopped and hummed.  "Which I imagine to be painful cause most ponies use their hooves and-"

"Alright!" I held my hooves up.  "I'm done with this conversation.  I am changing the subject.  This has gone on long enough.  Pinkie Pie, tell me about your writing career.  Have you met any famous ponies or anything?"

Thankfully, a familiar part of Pinkie kicked in and she didn't even question the sudden shift.  "Oh yes!" She took a sip of her tea.  "I've gotten to meet a lot of other famous ponies! Of course, none of them knew who I was, and I didn't know who some of them were, but it was a common understanding we all did something important!"  She giggled a bit, shaking her head.  "I ran into this one earth pony, 'Theo Physics', a scientist! He's really popular, and between us, a supporter of the Resistance's cause on a secretive level!" Finally, something that I was comfortable with.  "We talked a lot about theoretical physics, the lingering effects of magic on non-magical objects, and even bits and pieces of philosophy when he realized that I didn't know much about physics and science!"  She giggle-snorted.  "Don't get me wrong, Twilight, I can build a candy cane helicopter bike and a welcome wagon that shoots confetti and bakes cakes, and I have a degree in engineering and all, but I'm not specialized in theoretical physics!"

I nodded.  "Well, that sounds perfe-" I think that's when it hit me.  "Wait, you have a degree in engineering?"

"Mmhmm!" She nodded.  "How do you think I build all my awesome party equipment? Anyway, he and I talked a lot, and believe it or not, he actually started helping the Resistance after we met; not because of me, mind you, we met again at a meeting and were both surprised to find one another there."

"Wow Pinkie" I shook my head in utter disbelief.  "That... that's amazing!"

She nodded and took a sip of her tea.  "He was pretty good in bed for a stallion who liked to use big words!"  Once more, I found myself disappointing Pinkie's help by spitting my tea out.

After a bit of recomposing myself (and a relaxation pill that Teacup offered me; funny that he seemed to know I'd need it) I got to telling Pinkie a bit of my own experiences.  "... Well... as you know, I spent some time on the move with Zecora.  During that time, I met a lot of ponies, but sadly never forged any lasting bonds or relationships.  When we split apart and I found myself in Vanhoover, I developed a friendship with Octavia..."  I sighed.  "I already knew cousin Vinyl-"

"Vinnie's your cousin!?" shouted Pinkie.  "Whoa! That's soooo cool! You two are nothing alike!"

I smirked.  "Tell me about it... anyway, we got really close during that time.  I showed Vinyl how to disguise herself, and Octavia helped me find work when it became obvious she alone couldn't support all of us.  Vinyl was absolutely unable to work because even with a disguise, she risked being recognized if she stayed in one place too long, so that's just how it had to be.  Eventually, Octavia decided to help Vinyl find a new home, to start over.  While she was gone, I found my own meager earnings weren't enough to pay for a two bedroom apartment, and eventually my boss, Stock N. Barrel, let me live in his spare room."

Pinkie nodded, staring at me as I told my story.  It was nice to have somepony to tell all this to, I'll be honest.  "During that time, I met one other stallion named Rush..." I saw Pinkie's expression brighten, but threw my hoof up.  "Don't say it - he's a jerk.  He's a sexist macho pig and he's asked me to make him sandwiches on the few occasions I tried to get along with him."

Pinkie shrugged.  "Yeah, sometimes they're like that.  That's when you show them a little girl power, though!"

I quirked my brow.  "Girl power?"

Pinkie grinned.  "You kick 'em straight in the family jewels!"

I winced a bit at the statement; I may not be a stallion, but that didn't mean the mere thought didn't hurt.  "I... don't think he did anything to warrant that.... he never really made himself physically dangerous or anything..."

"Oh!" Pinkie hummed a bit, then shrugged.  "Well then, nothing a good old hoof to the face won't solve!"  I smiled and nodded.  "Then, if that doesn't work, you kick 'em straight in the baby makers!"  I was honestly left wondering if Pinkie was authentically trying to be helpful or if she was subtly implying some sort of fetish.  Better not to think on it.

Once we had finished our Tea, Pinkie hopped from her seat and jumped in place.  "Oh! Oh! Twilight, I almost forgot! I have a room set up for you so you can stay here with me while you're here and not have to stay in one of those cruddy motels!"  Before I could say anything, she began hopping along; rather than question it, I followed her.  It wasn't long before we found ourselves in her library.

"Pinkie..." I said, looking around.  "I appreciate the thought, but I don't think I can sleep in a library... I mean, I could, but this is your library, and I'd hate to take up space, and-"

"Not here silly!" She giggled, bounding towards a bookshelf.  "Here!"  She reached a hoof forward and grabbed on a book, giving it a tug; it began to reel open, and behind it was a door.  Pinkie reached into her mane and withdrew a key, which she placed into the lock and twisted, and then she pushed the door open.  We entered a round room that I almost fell to tears upon seeing; book shelves lined the walls, there was a mini-kitchen in one corner, and there was a set of stairs that lead to a loft; it was built like a unicorn magician's study tower!

"When I originally had this added to the house, we were gonna have Trixie live here..." she said, smiling as she took in my reaction.  "She's sort of our 'magic expert'... for lack of a better one, anyway.  A lot of the big wigs either fled or were captured in the early stages of the revolution.  But Trixie got really good at magic... not quite as good as you are, but she's not just a stage magician anymore.  Even when she can't use a spell she can usually figure out how it works."  She giggled a bit, clopping her hooves together.  "For all intents and purposes, it's a hidden study! Buuut, if you look at the books on the walls..."  She stared at me expectantly; clearly she wanted me to see rather than telling me herself.  I smiled and played along, walking towards the bookshelves and looked them over.  I think my eyes became wide as saucers when I realized what had been there.

"P-Pinkie... these... these are books on unicorn magic!"

"I told you I had magic books!" she said, smiling even bigger, if possible.

"How did you get all of this!?"  I shook my head, turning to her.  "These books... they're contraband! Just possessing them without turning them into the authorities is an act of treason! How did you get so many? You couldn't possibly have gotten all of this before the revolution!"

Pinkie grinned.  "Oh?"  She hopped around.  "Twilight don't know me very well, do she? I used a lot of money and contacts to gather these up! Some of them I was able to actually recover from your library after the Ponyville Massacre! In the end, I managed to make sure nopony would figure me out, and Trixie had a place to study!"

"Wait.." That's when I realized it.  "You said you built this for Trixie? Where does she stay? Will I be rooming with her?"

"Oh no" Pinkie giggled.  "She prefers to stay in the Underground.  She used this place for a few months, but started staying down there just to be sure she was ready as soon as she was needed."  Wow... Trixie had changed a lot hadn't she?  "Anyway, Twilight, this place has everything you need; a bathroom, a kitchen, even an escape hatch if things get sticky!" I couldn't believe the thought that had been put into this place.  I smiled to my friend, and for what seemed the hundredth time today, found myself hugging her.  "Thanks, Pinkie..."

"Also, Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"How's your back?"

I blushed a bit, looking around.  "A little tense, but not so bad I can't move."

She smiled that kind, caring smile we've all adored for so long.  "Want me to help?"

I considered it a bit, but found myself smiling a bit in return.  "If you wouldn't mind..."

With that, I was once more laying on my stomach as Pinkie Pie massaged my back.  This time, she wasn't pressured by a bunch of other ponies to finish, so she seemed to get her hooves into each and every muscle.  It was comforting, really, to know that despite how much everypony has changed, at least Pinkie Pie still cared.  But that lead me to wonder... what about Rarity? What about Applejack? Had they changed? How much? Would I even recognize my old friends? These thoughts suddenly weighed heavily on me, and it was then I realized I had an important question to ask... one I wasn't sure I wanted to know the answer to.

"Pinkie?"

"Mhm?"

"... is... is it true... what they say about Fluttershy?"

Pinkie stopped for just a second, but then resumed the massage.  I heard her sigh a bit.  "... Yes..."

Maybe I just didn't want to accept it.  "Are you sure?"

"We're a bit more certain of it than we were of you..."

"Why?"

"... I saw her get shot myself..."

I felt my chest tighten as if my heart had stopped beating.

"... I was with her that day... it was... two years ago, I think?..." She sighed.  "I lose track of time sometimes... anyway... she had gotten a bit tired of Rainbow Dash's methods.  She supported her, even when the Resistance turned to espionage, theft, and blackmail... but when Rainbow started having ponies killed... she was unhappy..." Pinkie took a breath, not once pausing the massage.  "She wanted another way.  Sought another method... and that was when she decided to go to Applelooza."  She smiled a sad smile.  "Did you know that Spellbreakers didn't work on Discord?"

I was honestly surprised.  "What? Really?"

She nodded.  "His magic is... different.  Unlike unicorn magic, Spellbreakers couldn't stop his power; only contain it.  Even then, the closer you actually got to Discord himself, the less effective Spellbreakers got... or so the rumors go... "  She stopped her massage, and moved around to lay in front of me.  "... Fluttershy had discovered that they had captured discord and intended to study him to find a way to make the Spellbreakers stronger.  So, they were sending him to Canterlot to be studied, and Fluttershy, myself, and a small group of ponies intercepted them."  Pinkie Pie frowned, looking to her hooves sadly.  "We had no way of knowing there was a spy among us."

"We found the train, and Discord was in there... but as soon as Fluttershy made her move, a pony came from no where..."  Her eyes welled with tears and she whimpered.  "... There was a loud crack... and Fluttershy... she fell over..."  Her body started to shake a bit.  "We rushed to her, but she was bleeding so much... by the time we reached her, she was already turning pale..."  She shook a bit and took a breath.  "She... she looked so scared at first... as if pleading for help.... but then she relaxed.... and.... then she said.... 'I'm sorry'...."

Pinkie Pie stopped herself for a moment, and took a deep breath, though her eyes were still wet.  "... Discord saw it too.  We... kind of believe he had been letting them contain him... not that he was actually under control... because in that instant... everything happened all at once.  A train car came to life and rammed into the shooter, crushing his bones... but he was kept alive as he was smashed again and again and again.  Rocks tore from the ground, trees sprouted legs and went on a rampage... I was forced away by the soldiers..."  She whimpered a bit, shaking her head.  "They didn't even let me try to take her back... everything twisted and turned like clay, and then, once we were far away..."  She waved her hooves around half heartedly.  "... A big... burst of magic.... and the trees were all over... the vines were everywhere... there was barely anything left of the town, and anypony who was still inside was gone..."

Pinkie let out a rattled sigh as she let her eyes fall to the floor.  "... Fluttershy wanted to bring peace... and she was killed for it... not just her... so many others... innocent ponies even... stallions, mares, foals..."  I began to notice my own eyes were wet, so I brought a hoof up to brush away the tears as Pinkie tried to compose herself.  "... I... I think Dashie took it the hardest... She... had already been really distant before... but ever since then, she doesn't let anypony in... she will only concede her ideas when she's beaten by consensus..."  Pinkie Pie gulped and looked to me with sad eyes.  "... And it's a very rare occasion that the majority disagrees with her..."

I found myself reeling from all of this new information.  Word of Fluttershy's death was bad enough, but to know the details...? I think... I think I was too shocked to properly cry.  Or maybe I had already gotten that out of my system and having it confirmed was just enough to help me accept it? I'm not sure.  Psychology is a funny thing.  It was then that Pinkie smiled a sad smile.  "... When we first had the chance... we put a tombstone for her right next to yours... gave her a proper eulogy... even an epitaph..."  Pinkie Pie cleared her throat and recited...

'Anypony can live for war, but only a true hero will die for peace'

It was a fitting epitaph for a wonderful pony.  I closed my eyes and took another deep breath.  It was then that I realized I was going to do something I hadn't done in a long time.

"Pinkie? Do you have any alcohol?"



***



"Remember *hic*... remember that one time that... that.... that Fluttershy went to Iron Will's 'Self Help' thin... thingy?"

I'm going to be honest; I'm a sparing drinker.  Even when I do drink alcohol, I don't usually drink enough to become inebriated; I'm told I'm one of the few ponies anypony knows who can get into a college-grade lecture while plastered.  But seeing as I am the only one of my friends who didn't get to properly see Fluttershy off, I figured this was right.

"Yeah!" said Pinkie, giggling.  Pinkie held her liquor better than I did.  "She was all 'You block, I rock!' and she scared everypony big time!"  She burst into a fit of giggles and snorts, kicking her hooves around like a little filly.

"Oh man... I... I still can't believe that... that she told that... that... whatsisface off..."

"You just said his name! How could you forget it?" She said it playfully; I knew she was just being joyful.

"I forget things! Sometimes! Names.  Faces.  Birthdays.  One time? I forgot it was my own birth*urp* ... birfday.... an' then... an' then you told me.... 'Haaappyyyy birfdaaaay!'.... an' I was all... 'whaaaat?"  I burst into a fit of drunken giggles that I'm certainly happy I can barely remember.  "An'.. an' Fluttershy... she... she jus' told me.... she told me that she was sorry she didn' get me anything.... an' asked me over an' over if I wanted anythin'.... cause Fluttershy? She wash a good mare.... she.... she'd give you the shirt off 'er back, if she was wearin' one...."

"I knoooow" said Pinkie.  "In fact, one time she did give me a shirt she was wearing.  it was cold out, and she saw me shiver.  I already had a sweater on!"

"She was... so.... so kind..."

"So friendly..."

"Always... trying to help...."

I don't know if it was the alcohol or what, but at that moment, I started bawling.  Pinkie was crying a bit too, but she was holding it together better than I.  She leaned towards me and took me into a hug, brushing my mane.

"I... I didn' *hic*.... I didn even.... shay goodbye.... she never knew I was okay... an'... an' I coulda... I coulda been there for her... an' maybe I coulda saved her...."

"Shhhh... shhhh.... it's okay, Twilight..." Pinkie cooed, rocking me back and fourth.  "I know you would have helped if you could...."

"B... but I was... I was shelling booksh... while you girls were doin' somethin' meaningful *hic*.... I was ordering paperback copies of cheesy, poorly written teen romance novels about vampires for ponies that hated me..."  Pinkie simply continued to rock me back and fourth, brushing my mane with her hoof as I bawled into her shoulder.

"Twili... I know Fluttershy would realize you did everything you could..."  That at least calmed me down a bit, but I was still crying.  "... You know what I think she'd say?"

*sniffle* "What...?"

"I think she'd say... that she knows you... that you'd have done the same thing in her place... and that you have no reason to blame yourself..."

"B-but... I could have-"

"But nothing" said Pinkie, firmly, but still in a motherly tone.  "... You've suffered enough... and nopony had any way of knowing what was going to happen... even if you had been there, it may not have changed a thing...."  Logically speaking, she was right; if they thought they had Discord contained with some uber spellbreaker, chances were I'd be in a nearly catatonic state.  Did I forget to mention I was drunk at the moment?

"... But I coulda used my pretty princess powers on them..."

Pinkie just giggled and nuzzled my forehead.  "It's alright Twilight... Fluttershy is at peace now... all we can do for her now is live life, and live it well...." I simply nodded a bit, still being held by my friend as I soaked her shoulder with my tears.  "Howsabout we get you to bed, Twili? I think we've both had way too much to drink."

I had to agree; I could really use the sleep right now.

I was way too drunk to contemplate the potential that lay before me.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 7: Dreams
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Earthen Alliance ponies have grown in number...

I've found myself very unsettled by this fact.  Ponies I know, that I've spoken to, are wearing their bands and giving me glares ranging from uncertain to outright hostile.  They still get their soap boxes and shout protests, but the number of curious ponies simply listening has fallen, and the number of ponies shouting and cheering has increased.

This morning, I was asked to come to Rarity's where Fluttershy was bawling her eyes out; somepony had killed three of her chickens - they seemed to have been stomped to death - and spray painted vulgar images and phrases all over her property - including, but not limited to 'die sky whore' and 'I bet you have sex with your animals'.  She was utterly humiliated and frightened and... and I was angry.  I Immediatly met up with the mayor to talk to her about it; she said she already had ponies investigating the situation, and that those responsible would be held accountible for the damage and the chicken killings, but that there was little to no evidence to use, and that until something came up, her hooves were tied.  Likely, that's why they chose Fluttershy as a victim; not only is she less likely to defend herself, but she's also removed enough from Ponyville that it'd be unlikely for there to be witnesses.

So, now we're trying to console Fluttershy, who will be spending a bit of time with Rarity until her house can be cleaned up.  She's asked all of her animal friends to find safety until this was sorted out.  Her chickens are no longer a thing of concern; if the vandals didn't kill all of them, they let the others free, or scared them away.  Considering the nature of the crime, I'll assume the chickens are alive, otherwise they would have been left to mortify our friend even more.

We've promised to help Fluttershy hold a funeral for the dead chickens, and hopefully find the missing ones.

Everypony knows, without a doubt, that the Earthen Organization is behind this.  I haven't been able to determine any form of hierarchy, but Mayor Mare promised me she'd find some way to get some answers.  Either way, everypony in town has been notified of potential vandals and animal killers roaming the streets at night.  I sent a message to Celestia.  I'm hoping she answers; whatever is going on in Canterlot has been eating up a lot of her time, and considering past messages, I'm certain it's related to our current issues.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Four weeks before Ponyville incident


***


"We have to do this... there is no other way...."

I stood next to Pinkie Pie as we trotted along the street, keeping our eyes peeled.  We were surrounded by houses and buildings.  I fixed my hat firmly to my head; a cowpony hat... not usually my thing, but it had a sort of rustic charm.  It had been a while since I had come here; the town had grown exponentially; it was actually about as big as Ponyville was before it was utterly obliterated! Unfortunately, I couldn't take time to bask and appreciate my surroundings as another friend approached from the side.

"From what we've been told, the train should stop here sometime soon."

"Are you sure about this?" I felt nervous.  We had done a lot of tough missions before, but this was going to be exceedingly dangerous; to attempt to follow an Empire train with a 'highly volatile' prisoner? Heck, the prisoner alone was plenty of reason to feel concerned.  I felt an itch under the right side of my vest; an old wound acting up.

"Oh yes..." she said.  "The security here should be lax, though.  We've got a lot of ponies working with us on this one, and our Intel said that this is the least guarded point because it's the furthest from our usual hot spots."

The itching was getting to me.  I bit my lip and looked around, trying to determine if anypony was watching.  When I was certain I wouldn't raise suspicion, I reached back and shoved my mouth under my vest to chew at the itch on my beck.  Pinkie kept close to me so I wouldn't blow my cover.  Once the annoyance subsided, I withdrew and sighed in relief.  Pinkie smiled.  "How's the injury?"

"Oh, it's doing better..." I sighed.  It was a slow process, but it was getting better.  It was kind of her to ask, though we both knew that the wound would never heal fully.

"There you are, my pony friends! Are you ready for this deed's end?"

We all turned to face a familiar face; Zecora.  She had painted her coat white to hide her stripes; after all, though as a Zebra she wasn't technically any different from an Earth Pony, the Empire has grown considerably xenophobic since it's establishment.  "The train it waits, it's cargo patient... but do be careful, and not complacent.  I feel that things here are amiss, so do not be fooled by calm nor bliss..."

"Of course, Zecora" I said, smiling.  "We've not come this far just to get caught now.  All we have to do is get to that train and crack it open..."  I looked around a bit and leaned in to whisper.  "Remember... when we get close, I won't be of much help, and I'll be extremely disoriented... if what I hear is true, I may not even be able to remain conscious if we're here too long..."

Pinkie frowned.  "Twilight, if you start to get too weak, you just draw your distance and let good old Pinkie Pie take care of it, alright?"

I couldn't help but smile.  "Thanks Pinkie.... you know the plan just as well as any of us..."  I sighed a bit and turned to face our fourth friend.  "What about you? Are you ready for this, Fluttershy?"

The butter yellow mare smiled to me; she wore a hat that looked like something Rarity would have designed, and a dress the gave her the very appearance of innocence.  "Oh yes, Twilight... you just be careful."  I don't know why everypony was telling me to be careful; we were just going to open a door, maybe shut off some machines.  I guess if we had to fight then I'd have to be careful, but wasn't the entire purpose of this mission not to fight?

"If nothing else, I can always try to fly" I smirked.  I was just joking, of course, but Fluttershy still frowned.

"Twilight... don't."

She simply worried.  I knew why.  The doctors told me that even with all the surgery, they doubted my wing would ever heal enough to fly again.  As it was I had to get surgery every few months to make sure the muscles didn't fuse together.  Plus, it itched like a beast every once in a while.  I hugged my friend.  "I'm kidding... I know my limits better than anypony.  Don't worry."  She nodded and hugged back.  She's such a caring friend.

With that out of the way, we all exchanged glances, and then we moved on towards the train station.

As we approached, a single stallion stood in waiting for our arrival.  He wore the Empire's uniform and barrette, and the moment he noticed us, he motioned us over.  "There's our guy" said Pinkie quietly, and we approached.  The stallion led us towards a bathroom with a sign that read 'out of order'.  We pushed the door open and headed inside; a few other ponies in there, wearing the same uniforms.

"Alright Princess, ladies" said the stallion.  "We have your disguises here.  Princess Twilight, most of the guard tend to were Barrettes that expose their foreheads, but things here are rather relaxed, so I doubt they'd notice if you covered your horn.  As long as we're on this mission, you are to refer to each other by new names..."  he cleared his throat.  "Princess, you are 'Twinkle Shine" why did that name sound familiar? "Pinkie-Pie, you are 'Surprise', Fluttershy, you are 'Springshine', and Zecora, you are 'Summer'.  We may not need the names, but why risk it?"  We all nodded and began working to get into our disguises.  "Remember" he began, "The security here is lax, but that doesn't mean we can be careless.  We must act with duty.  Follow my instructions, and we should be fine.  Now... let's go unleash chaos." And so, with our disguises on, we made our way out from an out-of-order bathroom, and the stallion cleared his throat.

"Rookies, you are representing the Empire! Now, let's get back to duty and I'll consider how I'll tan your hides later!"  He was, of course, putting on a show for anypony who had noticed us going in or coming out of the otherwise 'out of order' restroom.  We did not respond; we were not expected to.  With that show done, and nopony seeming to care or even acknowledge us, we carried on.  As we made our way through the station, we eventually caught sight of the car where our target was; it sort of stuck out, what with some soldiers standing around it.  We approached, and our 'fearless leader' - a stallion I admit embarrassingly to not knowing the name of - began his part.  "We're here to replace your shift.  Urgent matters need your attentions, soldiers.  Report to HQ and ask for details; tell them Commander Cotton sent you."  The guards exchanged glances, but didn't nod or anything before trotting off.

"I can't believe that worked" said Fluttershy quietly.

I wanted to say something, but I was becoming increasingly aware of the fact that we were in the right place.  "G-girls... I'm kind of dizzy... can we... can we hurry this up?"

"Of course" said Fluttershy, a smile on her face as she trotted towards the train and we all gathered around, trying to maintain the appearance of soldiers keeping watch while one of our own examined the cargo; our little group had successfully replaced any guards on this side that might prove problematic.  She placed her hoof on the door and pushed.  When it became obvious she was having trouble, we all cautiously gathered around and helped by adding a bit of our own muscle; my own strength adding little with the Spellbreakers disrupting my sense of... well... anything.

Eventually, we pried it open.

"Well well well, I was wondering when somepony would come for me."  We all looked up to see the very thing we had come for.  A creature of hysteria; his own body reflecting the chaos he represented.

"Discord..."

"Twilight Sparkle..."  He grinned.  "You're not looking so well, my dear.  I guess that much is to be expected, what with all these Spellbreakers..."  he shuddered.  "Nasty bits of technology if I do say so myself.  I can barely feel them, but I imagine you're on the verge of throwing up."

"Let's just... g-get him out of here..." it was true.  I was barely remaining conscious as was.  But that's when it hit me.  "W-wait... you're barely effected?"

Discord laughed.  "Puh-lease.  My magic defies logic.  I'll explain this so you can understand, Twilight..."  A pair of thick glasses appeared on his face (taped together in the middle).  "My magic works on a different wavelength from yours.  We have similar effects, but whereas your magic requires focus, concentration, visual contact, and understanding of what you're trying to accomplish, my magic requires little more than me wanting it to be and the right mindset to make it happen."  He giggled.  "Sometimes, I do things that I don't even realize I'm doing!"

"Well, Discord" said Fluttershy, smiling.  "Would you be a dear and come with us?"

"Of course! I was getting bored anyway."  He stepped out of the train and stretched, audibly popping his bones (and making other noises bones should not make).  I stared, dumbfounded.

"Are you telling me you could have left at any time?"

"Yep."  Discord grinned.

"Why didn't you!?"

He stuck his tongue out.  "Where is the fun in that? Watching what you ponies can do left to your own devices was interesting for a while!"  He smirked.  "I dare say I haven't seen your kind unleash chaos so delicious before! If I knew all it took was a little technology, I would have invented the steam engine a long time ago!" Before I could say anything more, there was a loud crack that filled the air.  A familiar sound that I dreaded to this day; the sound that crippled me.  I jumped, and was quick to feel around myself; no holes, no blood, no pain.  I was fine.  Discord yawned.  "Yeah, they tried shooting me a few times too, but they always get dissuaded when the bullets turn to-"

Pinkie Pie screamed.  "Fluttershy!"

That caught my attention; I turned quickly to find Fluttershy on the floor, trembling, her eyes wide as precious life pooled beneath her.  My own vertigo forgotten, Pinkie, Zecora and myself rushed to the mare, and I took her in my hooves and held her up.  She looked up to me, fear etched into her.  "T-Twilight...." she gasped.  Had she been shot in the lung? I had to save her! I focused on my magic, tried to call up any healing spell I knew, but as I tried, all I succeeded in doing was making the vertigo worse.  But I kept trying.  I was desperate.  My friend was injured.  She was dying.  I had to do it for her, no matter how much it hurt me.  I had to!

For an instant, I felt a spark.

I could do it! I could use magic! I was beating the Spellbreakers! I just had to push! I could save her! I could--

"Twilight..."

I looked down to Fluttershy, clutching her in my hooves.  The fear that had filled her eyes was gone.  Instead... she was smiling.  It was a smile of a pony who was not ashamed.  Who was not scared.  Who was accepting her death.  "Twilight... I'm sorry..."

No.

"Fluttershy, don't! You're going to be okay!"

She didn't respond.  She stared back at me, silently, and let out a sigh.

No.

"Fluttershy?"

NO!

Discord rolled his eyes.  "Come on Flutters, I've done this joke already.  All it does is get ponies' hopes up."

She still didn't respond, as I desperately tried to focus my magic; I could only get small sparks, not enough to do anything, and the more I tried, the more I felt like I was going to pass out.

"If you don't stop, I'm going to turn Twilight into a duck.  You don't want that now, do you?" Discord raised an eyebrow, keeping his vision glued to Fluttershy.

Still nothing.

Discord stared down at the mare.  He showed complete and utter indifference; part of me found it disturbing.  Fluttershy was.... and he didn't seem to care? Slowly, he leaned down to put himself at eye level with her.  His eyes widened a bit, and then he placed an ear on her chest.  Slowly, he stood up tall again, took a deep breath, and let out.

"Well then..."

Normally, those words would mean nothing.  But the moment he said them, I felt a great deal of dread strike me.

The ground began to shift.  Before I even realized Discord had weaved any magic, earth tore upwards, some of it turning to be as if small mountains, bits of it floating into the sky altogether.  Discord himself turned to face the pony who had shot her; one of our own, who had a Battle Saddle.  With a swift motion, he snapped his claws; the very car he had been imprisoned in... stood up? The wheels were like legs that it stood tall on.  Then, like an angry bull, the car charged into the pony at a blinding speed, who screamed as he was crushed against the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Don't think you get off that easy!" shouted Discord.

The pony kept screaming.  He shouldn't have even been alive.  His body was crushed! But he was screaming! "You're going to feel this one for as looong as I can make it entertaining!" Sweet merciful Celestia... Discord was keeping him alive.  And once more, the car slammed into him.  It kept going, again and again and again, until the pony was a fine paste, and there was nothing left for his spirit to  be remained tethered to.  Guards began hurrying in, opening fire upon the spirit of chaos as they turned on their Spellbreakers.  Instead, the bullets turned into peanuts as they struck Discord, and the anti-magical machines began to play ragtime music, before exploding and engulfing their wielders in flame.  With the chaos Discord unleashed, I could feel my own body absorbing latent magic with the help of his own powers disrupting the anti-magical properties of the ones that had been holding him, and I quickly hurried to Fluttershy.  I focused my magic on her.  I knew enough about healing.

She was still alive, but barely.  I tried to focus my magic, but Discord's disruption wasn't allowing me the full access to my spell power.  I didn't have anywhere near enough power to heal her.  No.  Even with the spell breakers off, I don't think I had the power to heal her.  I was strong, but most of the healing spells I knew were for first aid... I couldn't heal bullet wounds of this severity.

Then, the ground beneath us launched upwards, and I fell away from Fluttershy.

"FLUTTERSHY!"

I hit the ground hard.  I think... I think I was unconscious for a  bit, because by the time I opened my eyes, the entire world around me was different.

Trees everywhere.  Apple Trees, to be precise.  They were running around with legs... they were picking up ponies and ripping them in half.  Black vines began to sprout from the ground, shredding buildings and destroying the train.  I looked around quickly, trying to find Fluttershy.  Then, I found her, cradled in Discord's arms as he drifted in the air.

His eyes were so filled with sadness.  I don't think I ever could have fathomed seeing him like that before; lost, utterly defeated.  He placed a claw on her mane and brushed it aside, staring down at her, all the while, his tail continued to snap makeshift fingers, casting spells all the while.   He looked down to me, the defeat still aching in his eyes as they met mine.

"You can't save her."  He said.  It was then that he pressed Fluttershy against his chest, squeezed his eyes shut...

And then, a bright flash filled my vision.

Chunks of earth fell back to the ground.  I looked around to find that Pinkie Pie; indeed, the entire group I had traveled with, was gone; at least, not near me.  Chunks of risen earth may have separated us.  Zecora hobbled near me, her suit torn and damaged.  "... We must... flee... it's not too late... lest we are to meet our fate..."

I looked to my hooves, to my body.  I was covered in blood.  Fluttershy's blood.  The life fluid of my friend now marked me.  Zecora nudged me to try to make me stand.  "Twilight come, we must flee! Chaos lingers, can't you see?" I looked up to see that, indeed, the black vines were still growing, attacking anything near them; some of them destroying buildings, ripping apart corpses... even ponies that had somehow survived.  The monster apple trees continued their own onslaught.  I stumbled to my hooves, and I focused my magic.  Just as I felt the magic fill me, the spell to teleport, I heard a voice.  A whisper.

'I found another way...'



***



"Fluttershy, no!"

I shot upward, panting and heaving.  I looked around; I was in the bedroom.  The loft of the secret room Pinkie Pie had afforded me in her mansion.  I turned my hooves to feel my back; wingless.  As reality began to seperate itself from my dreams, I felt myself become empty.  It was just a dream... but... I think... I think deep down, I knew, that that's how it would have played out.  Maybe it was just my sleep-addled brain but... maybe I had been fooling myself to think that I could have saved Fluttershy?

I only wished I could say that it brought me comfort.

I looked out the window to see that it was still very early.  The sun hadn't even come up yet! I don't know how long I had actually slept, but I doubt it counted anywhere near a full night's sleep.  I groaned, putting a hoof on the bridge of my nose and stroking it as I mulled the dream over.

It was then that it hit me.

"Discord."

He was free.  Did anypony know where he was? Could he be trusted? The fact that Equestria wasn't consumed in chaos suggested that, if nothing else, he wasn't being aggressive.  He was powerful enough that I doubted anything had happened to him since then.  Maybe... just maybe...

I would have to bring it up to Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy had died to find Discord.  She had died to free him.  Just maybe we can make her death mean something.



***



"No."

"What!?"

Pinkie had been so kind as to not hit me in the head this journey to the Underground.  Still, I had to put on the blindfold again (apparently, this would be the case until I officially joined).  I made a point of finding Rainbow Dash and proposing my plan; find Discord and recruit him.  "Why not!? Fluttershy died setting him free!"

"Yeah, and from what Pinkie tells me, he could have left any time!" Wow... that was weird.  My dreams were pretty accurate! "She died because of something that had the power to do something refused to! For his amusement! And even then, ever since, he hasn't done a thing! Oh, wait, yes he did; he juiced up the Everfree Forest!" She turned on me, staring me in the eyes.  "After he was freed, the Everfree Forest began to expand at an accelerated rate.  It's almost taken over the remains of Old Ponyville and Applelooza! We've reports that ponies plan to deconstruct and reconstruct some of Dodge Junction just to draw distance from it!"

"Wait" I shook my head.  "Shouldn't the Tree of Harmony be stopping the Everfree Forest from progressing?"

"That's what I thought too."  Rainbow shook her head, turning away from me.  "I don't know what he did.  Maybe the Tree of Harmony only stops an immediate threat? I don't know.  All I know is the Everfree expanded in that time, and that the deeper you go, the more dangerous the plants become."  She huffed.  "I think the only reason we were allowed to get Fluttershy's tombstone set up was because Discord hadn't been focusing quite then."

"Rainbow Dash, please" I tried to push.  It might be risky, but still, I couldn't do nothing.  "Please, let me investigate this.  Fluttershy sacrificed so much for this... please?"

She stood silently for a few moments.  "You're not even in my organization.  You can do what you want.  You just won't have our backing."

"And what if I did join? Would you help me then?"

"If you did join, you'd have to get the majority vote."  Rainbow grimaced, trying to make obvious her displeasure at the mere thought.  "But that monster is the reason my friend is dead.  I'll sooner let Equestria burn than I will ask his help - not that I think he'd give it anyway."  That was... comforting.  "I'd kill him myself if I didn't think he'd turn our bullets into marshmallows..."

"Then consider me in."  That seemed to catch her attention.  I honestly didn't want to be part of this organization, but... I had no other options right now.  Even if we couldn't find Discord, if nothing else, I might be able to win ponies over or something.  It wasn't much, but I had to believe I could do something, somehow.  Maybe I was hoping too much... but hope is what got me here today.

"Fine.  You're in."  Rainbow snorted.  "Just remember.  Your authority as a princess here is only as strong as other ponies want to make it.  Until we re-establish the rule of the royals, you're just another pony as far as we're concerned."

"That's fine by me."

"Good."  Rainbow turned her nose up a bit and stared down at me in an authoritive manner.  "If you're honestly going to join our organization, then I think you need to make a trip - especially if you're going to follow Fluttershy's insane plan.  You need to see the state of Equestria; I mean really see it, before you do something that will likely get you killed for real."

"Fine."  I stared her in the eyes; I don't know why, but I was feeling particularly bold.  "I'll see Equestria.  I'll do anything you want.  I won't kill anypony though.  Even if I can't use Fluttershy's plan, I intend to find a way to end this as peacefully as possible."

"Feel free."  Rainbow turned her back and trotted away.  "Just remember; that's what we're doing.  Sometimes, 'as peacefully as possible' still requires blood."

I watched her leave.  I felt a strong conflict of emotions well up inside of me as I did; a one time dear friend... and she didn't believe in me? Didn't believe in Fluttershy? Maybe she was right.  Maybe it was hopeless.  But what's the harm in trying?  I sighed, turning to face Pinkie Pie, who smiled at me.

"Well, guess I won't have to blindfold you this time, Twilight!"

"Guess not."  I smirked a bit, but found myself frowning again.  Pinkie patted my shoulder gently.

"Forgive her, Twilight..."  She smiled a bit and hugged me.  "She's just seen a lot... she's hard to win over... but the fact she didn't hit you tells me she's warming up to you again!"

Well... I... guess that was comforting?

All the sudden I found myself realizing something; I had joined a rebel organization, considered fugitives and treasoners, and was ready to move around and see a world that would likely kill me at first glance.

What did I just get myself into?



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 8: Industrial Carrion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm in Applejack's as we speak right now.  I can't go back home tonight.  I couldn't.

Today, I woke up to a brick flying through my bedroom window and slamming into an antique clock my mother had given me, which had been, in fact, a priceless family heirloom.  On the brick was a note that read 'Die Abomination'.  I looked outside to find a lot of ponies milling about, several looking my way, but no obvious sign of who the culprit was, or if they were even among the crowd.  I needed somewhere to go, somewhere to hide, and I knew the only place I could go to where they might not follow was Applejack's.  I took Spike, and teleported us there.

When I explained the whole situation to Applejack, she did not hold off on offering me a place to stay for a few nights, promising that we'd find the ponies responsible and bring them to justice.  Her theory is the same as mine; these Earth Alliance ponies are getting bolder and more violent... or, at least, some of them are.  While we've managed to clean and fix Fluttershy's home, she's too scared to go back just yet... not that I can blame her.

Pinkie Pie revealed that there was even a fight that broke out at Sugarcube Corner; somepony was trying to convince Carrot to join their cause, to which he flat out refused - by now, everypony is aware what these ponies are about.  I guess the pony in question was upset (or a terrible persuader) because he told him that he would 'do better with them than working in a dead-end town with his whore wife and the children of somepony she probably met at a  bar' - Pinkie said she had never known that Mr. Cake had such a mean right hoof, and that pony made a quick retreat.

Rainbow Dash says she's been patrolling the town, and has her entire weather team keeping watch while they work - a sort of unofficial town protection squad.  According to her, new ponies keep coming in by train, carriage, etc., and some of them are wearing the same bands as the others depicting their flag.  Some of them came with large boxes in tow.  The more we wait, the more nervous I get.  Celestia isn't even responding to my letters anymore; I don't know if I should be worried or not, but I'm half tempted to find the Tree of Harmony and see if it won't return the Elements to us.

The Apples have been very kind, though.  They cooked a delicious meal and made sure that I knew I was welcome, and Granny Smith even told me that she personally would like to find the ponies involved and "give them a spanking they won't soon forget."  It was rather endearing, really.  But there was one thing amiss; Big McIntosh.  Every once in a while, I'd notice him looking at me with eyes that seemed... torn.  He would look away anytime he realized I noticed him, but every once in a while, I'd see him staring at me with the eyes of somepony so sad.  Does he know something? Should I ask? Would it sound too accusatory?

They set me up in their guest room, which is admittedly not very spacious, but I don't mind; I have the latest Daring Doo book ready to read, so I'll be entertained until this blows over... assuming it blows over.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Three  weeks, two days before Ponyville incident



***



"... And we'll get cotton candy, and then we'll visit the candy factory, where we'll buy more cotton candy, and then we'll go see a movie, and then we'll leave that movie and talk about how terrible it was, and then we'll throw a party, because I haven't thrown a party there yet, and then we'll-"

"Pinkie!"

Everypony stopped talking as Rainbow Dash stared at Pinkie Pie, who simply stared back in her usual 'mid-motion freezing' fashion.  "Pinkie.  This is not a pleasure cruise.  If Twilight is going to join our organization, she needs to know from the get-go how the world is.  She needs to see a place that shows Equestria as it has become... not go shopping."  Rainbow turned to face me, shaking her head and sighing.  "Twilight, where we're sending you is perhaps one of the few places in Equestria where the Empire has left it's mark most obvious."  She closed her eyes.  "This was intentional.  They wanted a landmark; a place to say 'this is where it began' and a place to say 'If you doubt our strength, look here and despair."  She looked me straight in the eyes.  "We're sending you to New Ponyville."

"New Ponyville?"

Rainbow turned and began to pace back and forth.  "The Ponyville Massacre was the first attack by the Empire; while they were more powerful than they should have been at the time, their numbers were hardly great enough to attack every city and town in the country at once."  She stopped and kept looking forward, at nothing in particular.  "For weeks they kept Celestia and Luna tangled in political bullshit while they moved in secret, focusing their attack on Ponyville; home of Equestria's newest Princess."  She looked towards me.  "Intel tells us they had considered attacking the Crystal Empire first, but they decided against it when they realized they had the Crystal Heart, and had no idea what it could do.  They did know, however, that the Elements of Harmony were out of the picture."

She sat down as she took a flask from her pocket, uncorked it, and drank.  After getting her fill, she closed it back, and put it away.  "... When they attacked Ponyville, most of them were told to run wild - kill any pegasus or unicorn they could find, burn down homes, etc.  Leave Earth Ponies alone unless they had none-earth pony relatives.  Only one particular target was chosen, and it was to be focused on by a select group."  She looked me dead in the eyes; I felt my spine shiver as I knew what was coming.  "Literally, they came to Ponyville to make an example by killing you."

I guess that was logical.  A few years ago, that would have mortified me.  Heck, I still felt bad that I was the entire reason the ponies there suffered as they did, but... in the end, it would have been similar.  Just with less burning-down-of-houses, and more 'seeing it coming.'

"Once Ponyville was obliterated, they sent a message; give in, give us control, or more will suffer.  We are in every town.  We are in every city.  We're in every family not polluted by unicorn witchcraft or pegasus interference.  We are the Earthen Alliance, and Equestria was always meant to be ours."  I could see the anger in her eyes; Rainbow Dash seemed to hate these ponies a lot.  It still bothered me that this seemed to be the only emotion she expressed, but I guess I'm growing used to it already.  "Naturally, ponies gave in."

"But certainly Celestia and Luna wouldn't-" I was interrupted by Rainbow laughing.

"Don't get me started on them."  Rainbow turned away.  I was about to say something, but Pinkie put a hoof on my shoulder, and when I turned to face her, she shook her head.  I would have to leave that for later.

"Just remember" said Rainbow as we followed her down the hall, "New Ponyville claims to be the 'spirit' of Old Ponyville, but it's the Empire's twisted perception of what that old spirit was.  As such, do not expect to return to a town even remotely similar to what we lost that day."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll have Pinkie explain it on the way."

Why do ponies not just explain these things up front? Is it so much to ask for a little time to prepare myself? Do we try to make a point of surprising one another?

"Pinks will be able to get you guys last-minute train tickets easily.  While you're with her, you'll need a new alias and a new disguise; in the off chance the 'Dawn' alias you took proves necessary, it's wise to have a backup."

"Well... I don't have any other disguises."  Seriously, did she think I became a spy in my time away?

"No need for it.  Trixie?"

It was then that Trixie seemed to approach use from the shadows.  She smiled and held her nose up.  "Hello, Twilight Sparkle.  Now, Trixie knows you're probably more used to magic that defies physics and boggles the mind, so Trixie believes it is time you learned a spell that is a bit more subtle in it's workings!"  She cleared her throat, and held her horn high.  I watched as magic focused around it.  Suddenly, I noticed trails of energy flow around her hooves, and then shoot upwards, enveloping her.  When it faded...

She looked exactly like Pinkie Pie, who giggled and clapped her hooves.

"Wha- how!?"

"Simple illusion spell."  Trixie yawned into her hoof.  "My form is not changed at all; while I believe such magic exists, I've yet to find anything detailing it.  Fortunately, this works, so long as you remember you're not really changing anything."  Of course, that would mean if I turned into, say, Rainbow Dash, I couldn't fly again.  Or give myself my wings back.

"So, you want me to learn this illusion spell to hide my horn?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.  "It would be preferable if you could disguise yourself entirely.  A lot of the ponies running New Ponyville at least had a hoof in the Ponyville Massacre, so you're more at risk of being noticed there than you are anywhere else."  I guess that made sense.  "Once you arrive, you are to meet one of our contacts in the Mayor's office."  She turned her back to us again and trotted away.  "Tell her I told you to tell her to give you the grand tour."  I watched her vanish around a corner, and found myself contemplating if I could turn back.  Probably not; I knew where this place was now.  Rainbow might have me killed.

Would she kill me?

Better not to think of it.

"First thing's first!"  Trixie stepped in front of me, her disguise dissolving.  "The text that Trixie learned this spell from is no longer within her possession - you can thank Prince Blueblood for that - so now, Trixie is going to have to tutor you on how to conjure an illusionary transformation."  When she noticed that I hadn't batted an eyelash or offered any witty reply, I guess she was surprised, but she hid it and cleared her throat.  "Now, in order to conjure the illusion, you must know every aspect of what you're recreating..."

"Does that mean you know every aspect of me?" shouted Pinkie.

"Yes."

"So you've been checking me out?"

Trixie balked.  "Wh-I-NO!" Pinkie unmercifully burst into a fit of giggles and rolled about on the floor; I had to admit, I might have laughed too.  I'm sorry, Trixie, but that was funny.  "Twilight,  if we are to learn this spell, we must learn it... in TOTAL.  SILENCE.  Shall we away?"

Pinkie deflated a bit as we trotted away.  Oh well, I guess she and I couldn't hang around each other the whole time, right? A new spell to cast an illusion eh? If nothing else, I might be able to use that if for whatever reason this whole ordeal goes belly up.

No.  I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life hiding.



***



"Try harder! If you can't get this spell right by the time we reach the New Ponyville Train Station, you will be figured out!"

I have to be honest, I know I said I'd rather die than spend the rest of my life hiding, but I don't think I was wanting to push my luck this hard.  And what was that about total silence? I'll give these trains were stable and blocked out a lot of noise, but still! When I had asked how long Rainbow Dash expected me to train before we got there, she informed me that that depended on how long the train ride itself took.  Naturally, I was a bit horrified.  They took my disguise and threw it out a window along the way! I needed that!  And so, here I was, the only thing hiding my body the sweater vest that hid my scars (they let me keep that out of sympathy) trying to find a way to magically cast an illusion to hide my identity.  Now I knew Rainbow Dash was insane; in fact, so was Trixie.  Or cruel.  Maybe she was only sad to learn of my supposed death because she didn't have a hoof in it?

"You must visualize the effect! Imagine it! Focus the ambient energy to-"

"I know how to cast spells, Trixie!"

"Clearly not, because your last attempt to create an illusion simply made you look even more magical!"

I'm going to be honest; for the past few years, I have not had access to many spell books, and in my previous attempt, I may have made my mane look like it was flowing in ethereal wind.  The only magic I've been able to work with was spells I've already known and whatever I could cobble together from long forgotten huts and trade caravans.  I was years out of practice, and I felt like I was learning for the first time.  "Is this all you can muster up? Did all that potential you had just go down the drain when they sawed your wings off?"

It fell quiet.

I looked up to stare at Trixie.  Pinkie had both of her hooves over her mouth, glaring daggers at the stage pony, clearly utterly horrified at her.  Trixie's own bravado vanished when she realized what she had said, and the intimidating teacher act fell to pieces.  "O-oh... I... I'm so, so sorry, I got... I...."

"No..." I said.  I was offended.  Deeply so.  What she said hurt.  But I didn't want it to.  I wouldn't let it.  I would try my best to ignore it.  "It's okay..." I lied.  I said it mostly for myself...

But... I think her little outburst may have been what I needed.

"And no.  No it did not!"

My horn glowed with mystical power; tapping into the energies within and around me.  I felt the magic take hold.  I envisioned it in my head.  I envisioned a scene of Trixie with a mustache, a beard, and a bad case of acne.  It was immature, but it was all the revenge I had short of actually doing her harm.  Once I felt the spell had been molded perfectly, I released my grasp and allowed the spell to activate...

Pinkie and Trixie looked at me a moment.  Then, they both snickered a bit, trying to pretend they weren't laughing.

"What?"

Trixie held up a mirror.  I looked into it; to my surprise, I noticed I still looked like me... but with a bad case of acne and a mustache/beard combo.  Well, that worked out halfway.

"... ow..."

"It's okay, that was a good try, Sparkle."  Trixie nodded.  "Nopony expects you to do perfect on your first try."

"Then why did you girls send me here with this as a goal and no disguise?" As nice as it was, it's not the sort of thing I wanted to hear when they had tossed previously mentioned disguise out the window halfway here.

"Because learning under pressure gets it done quicker!" said Pinkie, without missing a beat.  "That's how I learned how to... ya know..."  She raised her hoof and started moving it around in a rather suggestive gesture.  I felt my face turn three shades of red.

"Pinkie Pie!?"

"What?"  She blinked.  "I've got a gambling addiction, alright? But I'll have you know, I am a beast with dice!" She crossed her forelegs, looking utterly upset for a moment, but then she squinted at me.  "What did you think-Oh!" She giggled and jumped up and down.  "Twilight has a dirty mind! Twilight has a dirty mind!" Touché, Pinkie Pie.

"Now..." Trixie turned to me and sighed.  "Dispel the illusion.  Now that you can at least conjure a false image, Trixie thinks it time we teach you how to focus it into something more complex."  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out.  "Your whole life, you've focused on substantial magic; magic that has a very real effect.  Illusion magic is different; more subtle.  I think your problem is you're trying too hard to push it, because your whole life you've worked to alter what things are, rather than make them simply seem altered."  I had to be honest; I always felt illusion magic to be a bit... low.  Parlor tricks for ponies who couldn't do real magic.  I didn't think there was a possibility it would be so easy it'd be difficult.  I guess I owed Trixie a bit of an apology, even if I never actively berated her skill.

"While I've no doubt you could conjure a spell to hide your identity, such as growing a mustache and changing your mane color, your horn will be a problem if you're ever without a hat."  She paced around a bit.  "A wig and a hat will fool the lackeys that wander the less important cities and towns, but there are ponies out there more alert, more keen to these sorts of things, who would pick you out fairly quick."

She turned to me.  "I'm going to make this goal easy for you.  Simply cast an illusion that removes your horn."

The very idea horrified me.  Maybe it was the trauma of losing my wings, but the mere thought of losing my horn - even in an illusion - made all sorts of emotions well inside me.  Still, I didn't have forever to not do as she said, so, reluctantly, I tried.  Closing my eyes, I pictures myself without a horn; everything else the same.  I needed only focus the energies to produce a light transformation.  I've done something similar before... but...

"Whoa! You're tensing up! Easy... If you put that much into it, you'll just overcharge the spell and burn a hole in the ceiling! Subtle! Be subtle... Let it flow, as if it were always so."  Okay, this was just insane.  I've turned apples (and various other things) into oranges, why couldn't I conjure a simple illusion? I closed my eyes and I took a deep breath, trying my best to calm myself, and released.  I tried to forget a lot of spell-casting habit, tried to focus less on focusing and more on envisioning myself without a horn.  As I released my anxiety, I tried my best to just imagine myself as an earth pony.  Imagined myself living on a farm, bucking trees for a living.  I felt a tingle as the magic took hold.... and then... I opened my eyes.

Pinkie quirked a brow.  "Well, your horn is gone but you have Applejack's mane and tail!" I looked back to see my tail was indeed Applejack's tail.  I lifted a hoof to feel my mane; it eflt normal, and I could feel my horn.  "What? It's still there! All I changed was my tail!"

"What part of 'illusion' don't you understand?" Trixie huffed.  "You haven't changed at all! You've merely altered the energy around you to refract light differently! This isn't Changeling magic!"  She sighed.  "I've heard it works on similar principals, but can be very messy if you mess up."

It was then I had a thought.  "Wait.  Why didn't we just use magic to transform one another into earth ponies? I mean, if we used a spell I once knew and figured out the specifics, it would only last for a few hours before we were back to normal..." I looked to Trixie, the question now burning in my mind.  "I mean, I turned mice into horses once.  Surely a pony-to-pony change would be possible."

Trixie stared at me for the longest time.  She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped.  Then, she gave me a flat look and groaned.  "You know, I'd like to think I could have thought of that sooner!" Trixie can turn ponies manes different colors! You can grow mustaches and change.... why!?"

Well, this was a big waste of time.

"Don't forget" chirped Pinkie.  "While you girls use those illusiony things, you can still use magic! Could you if you were changed into not-unicorns?" Trixie and I exchanged glances; Trixie didn't know, but I did.  Without our horns (or a similar focusing appendage) we would not likely be able to use our magic.  Indeed, it would still be part of us, but water in a jar won't go anywhere without a hole to flow from.

"Oh well, no time to question it, we're almost there!" Pinkie pointed out the window and hopped up and down.  I made my own way towards it to glance outside, making sure to check a mirror first to be sure my horn was hidden; it was.  Then, Trixie hands me a sunhat; okay, so they weren't going to condemn me to capture if I didn't figure out.  Good to know.  As I stared out the window, I could hardly believe my eyes; considering the name 'New Ponyville', I expected to see thatched roof houses, buildings shaped like sweets, things like that.  What I saw instead was cobblestone roads, buildings constructed in the same manner, houses that were huddled in close proximity to each other... and in the horizon, I could see several towering spires, belching smoke into the air.  This was nothing like the Ponyville I knew; indeed, all it shared was the name.  The town itself was completely different; a tribute to growing industrialization.  It was more of a small city than anything else.

I was torn between utter fascination and complete loss.

"Welcome to New Ponyville..."  Trixie looked out the window next to me, sighing as she shook her head at the sight.  "Built from what was left of Old Ponyville and expanded upon... you could hardly call it the same town."  I couldn't believe it myself; how had they done this in just three short years? Surely a town like this should have taken decades to build without unicorn magic? They probably blew the entire national budget just getting this done!

"It's... amazing..."

Pinkie nodded.  "I do like it myself.  I even bought a house here (which is where we'll be staying by the way), but it's nothing like Old Ponyville."  I gulped, unable to tear my eyes away from what I was seeing.  So this was Earth Pony industry at work? They could really do this much in so short a time? Maybe they were right? I mean, not about the revolution, but maybe somehow the focus on magic that Equestria had had stifled progress? What if this was only possible because Equestria stopped worrying about improving life with magic?

"Well, this is our stop" said Trixie, focusing on herself, and in a bright glow, her coat was tan and her mane was red.  Her cutie mark was the same, but she covered that up by putting on a fancy saddle that covered it up.  "Let us go meet who we came here to meet."



***



We had wandered around town for fifteen minutes before Trixie whispered to me.  "Alright, here's the deal.  Dash underplayed it a bit, but we actually have a purpose here other than bringing you on a grand tour..."

Pinkie Pie nodded.  "Yeah.  We're here to get whatever little bit of data from our Ponyville contacts we can.  Make sure nothing has changed and that everything is okie-dokie-loki."

"Also, moral booster."  Trixie smirked.  "You've no idea how much it's going to improve our situation when ponies realize you're amongst us."

I don't know.  I felt very objectified right now; sure it was nice to feel important, but why did I feel more like a doll being shown around to everypony than I did like a freedom fighter? I would just have to ignore these thoughts for now though.  I had other things to consider, and I didn't want to focus on reasons why this wasn't a good idea right at the moment.  So, I decided to distract myself with the sights.

I couldn't get over how much everything had changed.  I mean, sure, according to the girls this was just a cannibalized portion of the edge of Old Ponyville with bits and pieces added on, but I wouldn't even know if they hadn't told me.  I made sure to take in the sights I could; a 'Salt-Lick Pub', much like the tavern in Appleloosa.  A marketplace filled with ponies purchasing and selling wares.  Several homes.  I think I even noticed some shady looking ponies hawking what was likely less-than-legal goods.  Not my problem at the moment.  I turned to see that we had been taken to a rather large looking building, with two guards standing out front.

"Where are we?"

"Town Hall" said Trixie.  "We've got an important connection here.  Let's get to it then..." We stepped forward, and she pushed the doors open.  As i followed, I noticed that suddenly Trixie gave way to let Pinkie take the lead.  We approached a desk in the lobby where a familiar mare sat, wearing a pair of reading glasses as she filled out some forms.

"Hi Cheerilee!"

The purple mare looked up to Pinkie, then smiled.  How had I not recognized her before? She came to the library so often looking for books for new lessons for Pete's sake! "Pinkie Pie! How are you!" She turned to us and squinted a bit, as if trying to figure out what we were.  "And your friends..."

"Oh! This is... uh..." Pinkie rolled her hoof around a bit, trying to think up names.  "Oh! Yeah, Cherry Topping" she pointed to Trixie.  "And Sherbert!" she gestured towards me.  Cheerilee seemed to stare at us a few minutes, before smiling and nodding.  "Right, well, follow me, I'll ask the Mayor if she can see you."  Mayor? I have a feeling Cheerilee didn't buy the names Pinkie gave us...

But we have a mayor on our side? It couldn't be Mayor Mare could it? No, not after what happened before the massacre.  As we trotted the hallway, I looked around to notice paintings on the walls; all of them were earth ponies in general's outfits and guards' ceremonial attire.  There were even old Canterlot guard suits of armor on ponyquins along the way.  We approached the door, and Cheerilee gently pushed it open, turning to face us.  "This will be just a second, okay?" We all gave a little nod, and she stepped inside, shutting the door.  I could hear muffled voices, but couldn't make any words out.  Just how deep was Rainbow's rebellion? What if... was it too much to hope that she was already on the brink of victory? That with just the right push, this whole thing can be fixed? Probably, but a mare can hope, can't she? The door opened up, and Cheerilee stepped out, smiling, and making way for us, gesturing inside.  "The Mayor will see you now."

Inside was a rather spacious office; a flag hanging from the wall depicting the Empire's emblem; an emblem that had once served as the Earthen Alliance's symbol.  There were a few book shelves around the office, likely lined with tomes of governmental importance, a small table nearby with cusions for guests and making friendly I imagine, and of course, a large desk with a chair at the end, turned to face outside the window.

"Heya Mayor! What's the happihap?"

"Pinkie, let's just cut to the chase, alright? I ain't got the time nor the patience to play games with you right now with the big wigs breathin' down my neck."

Wait.... that voice.... it can't be.

"Oh! Our mutual benefactor just figured you'd like to know we got a new clown for the party, and she makes balloon animals!"

"Pinkie, for the last time, you can't just spout nonsense and think it counts as code-speak.  It's gotta be pre-established!"  The chair whirled around, and two suspicions of mine were confirmed.

First: everypony important will either be behind me or have their back turned to me when I meet them.  Did I do that to ponies a lot I wondered?

Second, it was Applejack who sat in the mayoral seat of New Ponyville.  A little... different from how I remembered her.  Her mane was up in a bun in a very formal fashion, she was wearing a mayoral collar (much like Mayor Mare's, except the bow was red), and wearing a pair of reading glasses the likes I'd have figured I'd never see her wear.  She was also frighteningly bereft of her trademark hat, which was nowhere in sight.  She stood there a bit, then rounded about her desk as she looked Trixie and myself over.  "I'm just gonna make a guess.  One is Trixie"

Trixie (or should I say Cherry Topping?) raised her hoof.  "Hello."  Applejack nodded and looked to me.  I noticed a grimace on her face.  "An' I imagine this is the clown."

"Yessirree!"

Applejack snorted.  "Trixie, you know how poor taste it is to make her look... disturbingly like Twilight Sparkle?"

Trixie balked, offended by the mere thought she could be so careless. "But Trixie didn't make her look like anything! She just taught her the spell! Besides--"

Before Trixie could continue, Applejack approached me.  "Oh, so you came up with the idea eh? So, what's yer angle? Tryin' to say somethin'? Say yer as good as she was? Cause I can already tell ya right now you ain't half the pony she was."

"Applejack-" I spoke, but she pointed a hoof at my face.

"It's Miss Mayor to you until you stop playing around."  Applejack growled.  "Dispel the illusion."

I looked towards Pinkie Pie and Trixie, who both nodded to me.  Slowly, I turned to face my old friend and hoped that she would take this revelation well.  I could see that like Rainbow Dash, her eyes were different; but whereas Rainbow had the eyes of a cold-blooded killer, Applejack.... she just... seemed tired.  Worn down.  I closed my eyes, and focused on the magic that still surrounded me.  Slowly, it dissolved, and I felt a tingle wash away.

Applejack just stared a few minutes, looking up at my horn, then back down to me.

"Oh that is it, wise-ass, yer gonna get it."

It was then that Applejack grabbed hold of me with her forelegs.

"Wait! Applejack! Stop!"

"I told ya!"

She got behind me.

"To you, I ain't Applejack...!"

She wrapped her forelegs underneath mine.

"It's..."

She lifted my hooves off the ground.

"MISS MAYOR!"

I saw the world fly before me as I felt the top of my head slam into the ground just behind Applejack.  As soon as she released me, my body rolled free and tumbled uselessly as my brain tried to recollect itself, and I lay there in a heap as she got off her back and on her hooves.  Okay, so, I was still conscious; either I was getting used to this, or my brain was now damaged enough that silly things such as being knocked unconscious were behind me.  That being said, I was in horrible pain, and I could not see straight anymore.

"Uunngh...."

What I really said was 'Are you mad?'

"Alright, listen here you bitch" said my old friend in a harsh tone, "You take that lil' illusion down before this gets ugly.  I'll have you know I was a wrestlin' champ before I was a mayor!" Wait... Applejack wrestled? How did I not know this? I struggled to get to my hooves.

"Applejack!" shouted Pinkie.  "It's really her!"

Applejack turned to Trixie, sighing.  "Is she off her meds again? This is like that time she brought us the stuffed toy and said it was Twilight in toy form!"

"A-actually..." said Trixie.

Applejack turned to look at me.  I stared back at her... well, best I could as my rattled brain tried to re-establish it's dominance over... over... I couldn't even figure out where I was going with that.  I really needed a doctor, didn't I?

"It's really her..." said Pinkie once more.

Applejack's expression shifted.  At first to confusion, then to disbelief.  At least she wasn't angry with me.  I smiled to her.  "It's really me..."

She stared at me for a few minutes, studying me, tilting her head as she looked me over.  Her eyes widened a bit as she looked at my body, then turned to look back at the wall.  I turned my gaze to where her eyes were and saw what she was looking at.

Mounted on the wall just above the door was a pair of lavender, feathered wings.

I had to shove a hoof in my mouth; I thought I was going to scream.  I think I may have.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 9: Paradise Lost
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello, it's me again.

I'm back in my library, and I'm happy to report that nothing is broken that wasn't when they chucked a brick through my window.  Granny Smith was more than happy to let me stick around a bit longer, but Applejack reminded me that I've got to be the public face of Ponyville, and that the longer I hide away, the more I'll fuel the egos of these mad ponies.  Besides; I've got magic.  If nothing else, I can use that.

Strangest thing; during the few days I was with the Apples (I admit, I was a tad reluctant to return to the Library after the incident) Big McIntosh was unusually talkitive.  That's not to say he was talking up a storm; he was very quiet in fact, but he was talking more than he normally was.  Every once in a while, he would seem to go out of his way to ask questions.  He seems to have a fascination in stars.  I offered to let him borrow my telescope, to which he politely declined.

Speaking of brothers, I got a letter the other day from the Crystal Empire from Shining Armor, and apparently he's having similar problems to our Earthen Alliance friends., though it sounds like it's on a much smaller scale.  He says that a group of earth ponies were trying to spread word of their organization, when a fight broke out when one of them wasn't quite so subtle and started spouting tribalist remarks.  Shining naturally ordered they apologize or leave; who knew some ponies saw banishment as the lesser of two evils?

The strangest thing is that their activity seems to be declining.  They still pop up here and there, but they're not making quite as much noise.  Pinkie Pie says she's getting doozies left and right, however, so I'm not fully convinced we're done with them just yet.

I've written a letter to Celestia.  I hope to get a response soon.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Two weeks, six days before the Ponyville Incident



***



It took everything in me to not scream.  To not shout and wail like a banshee as I stared at my own loss from a new perspective.  I don't know; it's not like I hadn't known they were gone.  I've lived without my wings for a few years now... but... seeing them hanging from the wall, as if they were some kind of trophy? I couldn't move.  I couldn't look away.  All I could do was stare at my wings, likely pumped with preservative chemicals to make sure they remained pristine.

"Oh sweet heavens they're real..." said Applejack in a hushed, surprised tone.

"Of course they're real! Why would you think otherwise!?" Trixie moved in front of me and blocked my view.  "Twilight, darling, snap out of it!"

"I thought they was... I don't know, some kind of replicas or something? Symbolic of the Empire's defeat of the princess?"

Trixie gave a dirty glare off to my side to Applejack; I couldn't look away.  Sure, Trixie was blocking my view, but the image was still burned into my eyes.  "Oh, it's symbolic alright..." I found my gaze shifting as a hoof was put on my cheek, and I was turned to face Pinkie Pie, who stared into my eyes.  "Twilight? Twilight, are you okay!?"

My only response was to whimper and shake my head slowly as my vision blurred with tears.

"Landsakes... all this time... I should have known.  I knew about how brutal that night was, I should have known they were real, but I didn't want to think-"

"None of us wants to think it!" shouted Trixie.  "We like to think ponies are more sensible than that! But I would say the circumstances of the world today speak for themselves!" Pinkie Pie pulled me in close, wrapping her hooves around me.  I buried my face into her chest, crying a little as my own loss had been turned into a statement of mockery.  Pinkie rocked me back and fourth, gently cooing kind words to me and trying to tell me it would be alright.  How could she know the loss? To see something that was a part of you on display, defiled to fulfill the ego of a pony who likely hasn't seen what they've taken from you in years?

"We've got to do something with them..." Trixie sounded quite resolute on this.

"What!? Look, I'm sympathetic, really I am, but I can't jus' take 'em down and throw 'em out!" I could almost hear Applejack wince when she realized she had implied treating something that was a part of me as garbage, but she continued.  "... I'd like to help, but if somethin' happened to 'em, what would ponies think?"

"... I hate to say it but she has a point..." Trixie sighed.  I could hear her pacing back and fourth, and slowly, I began to recompose myself from the initial shock; logic and reason returning after crippling emotional damage.  I won't pretend I was okay, but at least now my mind wasn't focusing on conjuring up that image and denying other thoughts.

"We should probably get her out of here..." Pinkie said gently.  "She doesn't need to see this.  Applejack, would you mind if we returned later?"

"I wouldn't, but I think I can do ya one better..." She sighed and looked around.  "I'm gonna be here for a while.  I got some business to attend to, so I can't exactly up n' leave.  Y'all meet me back at my house.  Ya know where to find it.  Help yerself to the food in the pantry, an' uh..." She circled her hoof around a bit.  "... Help her calm down... we've got some words to exchange, an' I want her to be in her right mind."  I looked up, and watched as Trixie and Pinkie exchanged glances, then looked to me, then back to Applejack.

"Alright, we'll do it" said Pinkie.

With everything said and done, Pinkie and Trixie helped me to my hooves.  With a friendly reminder from Trixie, I focused my magic into conjuring the false image spell to hide my horn; it was difficult, especially with how stressed I was, but I've mastered spell-casting under stress.  As we left, my eyes trailed subconsciously to my destroyed wings once more, and I let out a pathetic whimper, unable to look away until the roof of a doorway made them impossible to see.



***



During the walk, I had enough time to let my mind wander away from the atrocity I was exposed to.  I was still shaken, horrified, and depressed, but I was thinking more clearly.  Pinkie stayed particularly close to me the whole time, and even Trixie asked if there was anything she could do for me.

There's nothing that could make this right.  Even magic has it's limits.

Eventually, we came upon a rather small manor; not as big as Pinkie Pie's, but rather Applejack couldn't afford better or was simply just not as flashy, who could say.  Is it wrong that I resented them both? I've spent the past few years in hiding, worrying about what the next day would bring, and they get to live in nice homes?

Maybe.  But it's the truth.

We wandered past the gate and up the hill, approaching the doors.  Pinkie Pie raised a hoof, ready to knock... and then started to slam her head against the door.  And so, we waited a few seconds.  Nothing.  Pinkie 'knocked' again.  "Just a minute!"  We sat, waiting... and then, the door opened, greeted by a yellow filly with a red mane, wearing a familiar hat.  her eyes widened and a smile hit her face.  "Pinkie Pie!"

"Hiya Apple Bloom!"

The two ponies hugged onto each other, and I found myself surprised; Applebloom wasn't a mare yet, but she had grown a little.  As the two ponies hugged, I noticed a little color on her flank; she had a cutie mark now? I couldn't make out what it was from this angle though, and I didn't want to look like I was staring at a little filly's behind.

"Heya squirt! How are things?" said Pinkie jovially.

"Oh, you know..." Apple Bloom smirked, shaking her head.  "Putting up with Mayor Tightass.  You still writing those books?"

"You know it! The next one's almost done, and I think it's gonna knock socks off!"  Pinkie paused.  "Assuming you wear socks."  She stuck out her bottom lip and nodded sagely.  "Apple Bloom, wear socks when you read the story.  Then tell me how far they go when they are knocked off."

"Can do! So, what're ya doin' here? Just in the neighborehood?"

"Oh, Applejack told us to come by! Mind if we step inside?"

"Not at all!" Applebloom turned about and entered the house.  "Just mind yer step! The lil' rascals can be anywhere!"

We shut the door behind us.  Pinkie blinked.  "Little rascals?"

As if on queue, several puppies rushed into the room, and once they saw us, began barking and yipping playfully and hopping around our hooves.  I balked and looked at each of them; they all looked like--"

Pinkie gasped.  "Winona had puppies!?"

"Yeah!" Apple Bloom blushed.  "Kinda my fault.  I left the door open a crack one day an' she managed ta get out."  The filly giggled and shook her head.  "Applejack was mighty peeved at first, but as soon as them pups was born, she fell head over hooves in love with 'em.  I swear, she's less ready to give 'em away than I am."  Pinkie, by this point, was predictably on the floor, rolling around playing with the puppies, and likely hadn't heard a word Applebloom had said.  Trixie and I exchanged glances, and Apple Bloom seemed to notice us at this moment.  "So, who are your friends?"

Pinkie stuck her head out from a pile of pups.  "Oh! This is Trixie and Twilight!"

Apple Bloom nodded.  "I see..."  She eyed us a moment, then pointed towards me.  "I'll assume you're the one she's mistaking for Twilight.  Is she not takin' her meds again?"

"Why does everypony keep thinking that!?" Pinkie sulked.  "I haven't needed the medicine for a year now!"

I had already had a stressful day, so rather than go through an arguous process of trying to convince this filly I was who I was, I dispelled the illusion.  At first, her eyes widened, but then she seemed to relax some.

"I see...."

And then she punched me in the face.  Why was everypony hitting me? Was it too much to ask that I meet one pony - just one pony who didn't hit me when I met them? She also had a rather nasty hook for a filly, though not strong enough to knock me over like Applejack.

"Bloomy!" Pinkie shouted in surprise.

Applebloom's eyes were filled with rage.  "Do y'all know what y'all did!? Do ya even know what happened because of you!?" I was surprised; I did something? Okay, everypony thought I was dead for years, but even then I managed to do something to anger Applebloom.  "Do ya know what happened to my brother because of you!?"

Wait, what?

"Your brother? Big McIntosh?" I said dumbly.

Naturally, Apple Bloom gave me a glare.  "No! My other brother who I always had and you just never met!" Applejack had another brother? Why didn't she-oh.  I see.  Good one, Applebloom.

"What happened to Big Mac?" I couldn't help but dread asking.  Apple Bloom opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself, a frown built deeply into her face.  She turned her back and walked away.

"No, y'all don't get to know.  I ain't tellin' ya."

What had happened? Now I was worried.  The last thing I remembered was...

Me running away while he fought off a massive group of ponies.

Oh no.

"I-is he okay?"

Apple Bloom turned, glared at me, but I saw... she seemed to falter.  She seemed sad.  But then the anger came back and she huffed.  "Jus' leave me alone.  Far as I'm concerned, 'your highness', you can rot."  Okay... so, that was not something I was expecting.  But now I found myself a bit worried.  I'll be honest; the idea had crossed my mind a few times before, but I hadn't thought of it for years.  Was he...?

"Please Apple Bloom?" I was a bit anxious now.  "I... is he okay?"

"No.  He's not."  She said coldly without even looking back to me.  That didn't make me feel any better... but I guess not everything can, and she probably had no intention to anyway, which itself only fueled my anxiety.  I turned to Pinkie and Trixie, who both exchanged glances.

"Do you girls know anything?"

Trixie shook her head.  "Trixie's met Big Mac only once or twice.  I barely remember him, and I certainly never heard of anything about this..."  It was then that I noticed that Pinkie was biting her lip, looking anywhere but at me.  I trotted close to her.

"Pinkie?"

"I-I can't tell."  She rubbed a hoof over her leg.  "I didn't make a promise or anything, but... it's not my place to talk about."  Straight forward answers.  Is that too much to ask? To want to know something? Why is everything a mystery with these ponies?

Is it too much to want to know so I can at least stop worrying?

It was obvious I wouldn't get any answers yet, but it still burned in my mind.  I can't say I knew Big Mac all that well, but the idea that I may have hurt him (even inadvertently) was weighing down on me.  It also beckoned the question of who else I might have hurt.  Come to think of it... I haven't seen hide or hair of Rarity or Spike...  It seems if we're not dead, we're scattered to the four winds of the world.

Trixie, Pinkie and myself made our way to the living room, each of us taking a seat; Pinkie and I sharing a couch, Trixie laying on a single cushion, and I found myself staring out a nearby window, I took a moment to consider things.  I had sent Spike with Rarity that night, so chances were, those two were either together or in contact with one another... assuming one, or both, haven't been captured.  Pinkie Pie had apparently fled with the Cakes during the massacre... wait... the Cakes...

"Pinkie?"

"Yeah Twilight?" Pinkie turned to me with a smile, but it was reserved.

"... What happened to Cupcake?"

The little bit of smile she had? That faded away.  She frowned a little, then her eyes drifted to the side.  Please don't tell me somepony else was dead.  I didn't need this.  I didn't need to know that I had lost so many friends.  Just give me this...

"... She... didn't make it to Manehattan when we fled Ponyville."

No.  No, not another one.

Pinkie took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and sighed.  "... When we fled the massacre, we weren't lucky enough to make it to the train like Rarity and Spike had..." At least that serves the 'Spike and Rarity are probably fine' worries I might have had.  "... We ended up having to run through the woods, and found shelter in a cave.  We hid there a few days... fortunately, Mister Cake and myself had some camping experience, so we knew how to forage for food... but... Cup Cake got sick.  She started throwing up... and getting tired fast... we hurried to Manehattan, and hid with one of her friends for a while, but one day, she went to a doctor, and came back..."  She bit her lip and sniffled.  "... And said she wouldn't be able to come with us... that the doctor told her she was very ill."

"Pinkie..."

Pinkie gulped.  "... She never told us what was wrong... all we knew is that she was tired... and she told us to continue to Fillydelphia.  That's where Carrot's family lives, you see..."  She looked to her hooves.  "He tried to tell her he wouldn't leave her, but she told him he had to, for the kids... and that she was very sorry... and that she wished she could be with him... so... we left... and we never heard of her again."

"But... you don't know she's dead, do you?"

Pinkie shook her head.  "For all we know, she's perfectly healthy... but Carrot hasn't been able to reach her.  He's even begged Rainbow Dash to help him find her, but she's rated Cupcake a 'low priority' target' - that she'd only help if it became convenient or important."  She smiled sadly.  "More than once, I've considered withdrawing my support to make her help... but I couldn't do that to so many ponies who want nothing more than to be happy..."

I could really use some good news right about now.  Why did the universe seem so intent on making me miserable? Wasn't it bad enough already? It was then that I felt a scratch on my hoof, and looking down, I noticed a sight; one of the little Winona pups trying to get up onto the couch with me, wagging it's little tail.  I couldn't help but smile, and I wrapped my magic around the pup and pulled it up with me.  It licked my face a few times, and then lay down in my hooves.  Pinkie giggled at the sight, a little life coming back to her.  "Looks like somepony made a new friend."

I reached a hoof to the pup and stroked it's fur gently, smiling.  "... Yeah, guess I did, huh?" Winona then came into the room and made her merry way to us, jumping up between Pinkie and myself and laying down, reaching forward to lick her pup.  She didn't look any worse for the wear at least; a little more white on her muzzle, but still youthful.  I reached over and pet her as well.  It wasn't quite what I would have asked for... but I'll admit, it is comforting, if only a little.

We spent the next hour or so simply sitting there, occasionally striking up conversation.  At some point, Pinkie took off to talk to Apple Bloom (the puppy jumping down to follow her, and Winona leaving to her own devices), which left me alone with Trixie, and then we got into a conversation about magic and illusion conjuring.  Trixie had explained that I might want to learn to alter pigmentation rather than just form; after all, I still looked like me, just minus the horn and.... yeah.  Then, the door opened, and we heard a familiar voice call out.

"I'm home! Who's happy ta see me?" Applejack's voice rang out, and instantly, we heard the sounds of multiple excited little barks and yaps as the pups celebrated the return of their owner; dogs always act like they thought you'd never come back.  Rather than run the risk that Applejack was going to hit me again, I sat on the couch and waited for it to come to me; path of least resistance.  Soon enough, Pinkie Pie entered the room, followed by Applejack, who proceeded to take her reading glasses off and let her hair down.  Apple Bloom came into the room as well, making sure to spare me a dirty look, and Applejack took a seat, a breath, and spoke.

"First off, how are you even alive?"

I would have to retell this story a few times.  I knew it.  "Well... long story short, they left me for dead in the Everfree Forest, and Zecora saved me."  I tried not to look at Applejack.  I didn't need to see the betrayal again.  "We fled, wandered around a while, things happened, we lost track of each other, and I ended up staying in Van Hoover a few years."

"When they said they'd killed you, I'd have assumed they'da kept the body... the Alliance loved their trophies..."  She huffed.  "Of course... I guess they got 'em.... I hope you were at least unconscious when they..."

"No."  I scowled as I remembered the pain and I felt my back flare up.  Pinkie noticed me tense.

"Need my help?"

"N-No... not right now..."

Applejack didn't ask.  Thank you for small blessings.  "... That must have been a horrible experience..."

"It was at first..."  I sighed, wishing I didn't have to think of that again.  "It felt like very nerve was screaming at me for the first wing.  By the time they got to the second one, I think my brain had accepted death and shut down cause I barely felt a thing... I'd lost a lot of blood even before they got to me..."

Applejack nodded.  "I see... so, they really did shoot you didn' they?"

"Yeah..." I looked back at my right hind leg.  "Twice.  Once in my right wing, once in my right back leg... "  I snorted.  "Now, the muscles in my back seize up every once in a while and I need a massage to make the pain stop... and sometimes my leg burns, although it's weak and negligible."

Everypony exchanged glances, and even Apple Bloom seemed to wince a bit.  That brought me to another point.

"... Is Big Mac okay...?" Applejack seemed surprised by the question.  I looked to her, hoping she didn't get angry like Apple Bloom had.  "... Last I saw him, he had fought off a bunch of ponies and made me run.  I wasn't able to tell..."

Applejack simply sighed and shook her head.  "... I'll leave that up to you to decide."  She looked towards them, then to Apple Bloom, then to Pinkie.  "Pinkie... can y'all take 'er to see  Old Ponyville?"

Pinkie gasped.  "I totally forgot! Rainbow said to give her the Grand Tour so she knew what she was getting into!" Applejack notably winced and looked to me.

"Y'all really gonna throw your hat in the ring with them? Not a bright move, Twilight..."

"Wait..." I shook my head, looking at my orange friend in confusion.  "Aren't you part of the freedom fighters?"

"Nope."  Applejack waved her hoof around.  "I support them in spirit, but in my position if I did any more, my entire family'd be in danger.  Much as I wanna help, I'd rather preserve what I got..." I guess I couldn't fault her on that... but I didn't have to like it.  "They come to me once in a while, mostly for information.  I can give little heads ups mostly, warnings... that's all I can risk, and I can't guarantee any of my information is 100% accurate.  Needless to say, Rainbow sends a courier with unpleasant messages when something doesn't happen the way I say it will."

"I imagine..." I shook my head, thinking of those cold, empty eyes of hers.  "She's definitely changed."

"No..." Applejack let out another sigh.  "Well... yes an' no.  She's still loyal as can be... but her loyalty is to a cause, not any one pony.  She's sacrificed and lost a lot to get to where she is now, an' it's weighed down on her."

"She's trying to do what she thinks is best for everypony" piped Pinkie.  "But she doesn't think it can end with everypony being happy any more."

"There was a time she tried to do things like you girls used to" spoke Trixie.  "Simply tricking ponies, misleading, stealing documents... but we ended up losing lots of ponies for small victories.  Rainbow Dash herself is actually the first pony to actively kill anypony when she and Fluttershy were caught in an ambush; she grabbed the general, flew into the sky, and dropped him from what I heard."  She smirked.  "It shook up everypony that was with him.  They had underestimated her and didn't bring any Battle Saddles."

"But, ultimately, I'm not with 'em."  Applejack shrugged.  "I support them, I really do, but if I actually did anything, I'd put my entire family in danger.  Things're bad enough as is... I've no desire to make 'em worse."  She stood up and sighed.  "If y'all wanna know what Rainbow wants ya to know, go to Old Ponyville.  You'll find answers there, an' more.  Jus' remember... watch yer bags n' pockets."  She turned around and made her way out of the room.  "I can't give y'all boardin' here, but I reckon y'all can stay at Pinkie's place in town.  Gimme a shout if ya need anythin'!"

Trixie stood, stretched and smirked.  "No time like the present then.  Shall we?" Pinkie and I both stood to our hooves, I conjured the false image, and soon we had left the house.  I turned back as we walked that path to see Apple Bloom staring at us through the window.

What was waiting for me at the end of this one?

And so, we walked through the town, affording me another chance to look around.  Not much that I hadn't already been able to take in; some buildings, a factor... it was much more advanced than Old Ponyville had been.  In a better time, this would have been beautiful, picture esque even.  But the underlying circumstances haunted me.  Every once in a while, we'd pass a few guards; I always felt a bit on edge around them, but I would hold it back for now.  Last thing I needed was for them to try to kill me here again.

Eventually, we came upon a gate, nestled between two larger buildings, with a bridge.  "Twilight?"

"Yeah?"

"Be ready.  This isn't going to be pretty."

And so, we passed through the gate and over the bridge into Old Ponyville.

I really wasn't ready.

The very same houses that had been here before; barely touched at all by any of the advances that had blessed 'New Ponyville.'  A lot of the houses showed signs of the damage that had been done; some scorched, cracked and torn, some barely standing.  Ponies wandered about the streets, but none of them seemed happy.  As I looked around, I found a surprising number of the houses were in such a state of disrepair that any sane pony would abandon them to their fate; some looked as if they had been put back together with the debris of other homes.  Graffiti covered vairous walls, plants had slowly begun to grow out of control...

"This is Old Ponyville; the throwaway town."

I stared at the whole thing, wide-eyed and in utter disbelief.  "What... what happened?"

"Well..." started Pinkie Pie, "By the time the massacre was done, the Earthen Alliance realized they may have gone a bit overboard with their zealousness.  Rather than call a loss of a settlement settled by one of the biggest Earth Pony clans in Equestria, they decided to reconstruct."  She sighed.  "Then, they decided to make it a sign of their advancement and superiority, so after rebuilding maybe a third of Ponyville, they built a wall between that and the rest, then started building 'New Ponyville, and Old Ponyville became a slum."

I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of loss as I looked around.  A once bright, happy town... now most of the houses seemed like if they weren't ready to come down, they had become the canvas of hooligans and thugs.  But there was one place I really needed to see right now.  "Pinkie?"

"Yes?"

"Can we go to my Library?"



***



It had taken us about fifteen minutes, but we finally reached the massive tree I once called home.  I was admittedly shocked; the grass had grown more in this area, and the tree was the only thing that looked as if it were still thriving.  Despite the conditions of the natural side of the structure, the windows were broken in, gaining consolation in leaves and vines that had grown over the gaps.  We trotted towards the door, and I gently pushed it open, a loud creak announcing our entrance.  Bits of paper and old, damaged books littered the floor, and graffiti was sprayed on the wall.  I found myself brought to tears again, but at least I was still thinking straight.  I wandered around, surveying the damage; the doors to the basement seemed to have been broken in.  I looked down stairs to find all my equipment was scattered around and broken; beyond salvaging.  I turned and trotted upstairs...

To walk in on two ponies laying on my old bed.

Mid-coitus.

"Who are-OH MY GOODNESS!"

"Wha-WHOA SHIT!"

Immediately, they pulled the tattered, filthy blanket that I used to sleep under over themselves; i didn't even want to think of what my house had seen since I left.  "Who the hell are you ponies!?" shouted the stallion.

"Yeah! What's the big idea!? You don't live here!" shouted the mare.  Yeah... not anymore.

"S-sorry, I was just... just..."

Pinkie stepped forward without missing a beat.  "We're just surveying some places in Old Ponyville, part of a project.  Clearly we could have found a better... place to examine."

The two ponies shared a look, then looked back at us.  "Yeah, you do that.  We don't need you here watching."

The stallion seemed to perk up at that.  "Not that we'd mind..." Deservingly, this earned a pointed glare from his marefriend, and he immediatly wilted.  "But we totally would mind..."  We didn't bother responding, opting to simply take our leave of the library turned sex-spot.  As we walked away, I shuddered a bit, wiping tears from my eyes.

"My old home has become a house of ill repute..."

Pinkie patted my shoulder gently and gave me a friendly nuzzle.  "Sorry Twilight... I thought you'd need to see it..." I probably did.  Still, we continued trotting; I guess I wasn't done seeing the sights.  As we moved through Old Ponyville, the houses became more derelict, and plant-life more abundant.  Eventually, I could see exactly what Rainbow had said before; Ponyville was actually in the edge of the Everfree Forest.  A lot of houses were surrounded by quickly growing vines, trees that seemed to have grown much faster than they should have were taking over the town; naturally, given the Everfree seemed ruled by chaotic magic.

"Fluttershy's house is actually in the Everfree Forest now..." Pinkie shook her head, looking at all the vines.  "We've been there.  It's basically a hideaway for us sometimes since nopony wants to go that close to the Everfree proper."

"This is what Rainbow is fighting, Twilight."  Trixie turned to face me, her expression serious.  "Old Ponyville is the kind of world she foresees in the current path Equestria is taking.  The ner government is already showing signs of cracking, of falling apart.  While you'd think that should be a good thing, they're set to take the rest of us down with them."

"Lots of ponies live like this."  Pinkie trotted forward, placing a hoof on an old building.  "You had it lucky, finding ponies who cared for you... but there's lots of unicorns and pegasai... even earth ponies... who live in alleys and gutters, hiding in the shadows, sawing off beloved appendages..."  She frowned.  "I'm almost willing to bet half of Old Ponyville is not Earth Ponies."

We walked around a bit more, taking in the sights as Pinkie tried to show me.  We passed many familiar places; the Carousel Boutique, covered in blackness from what seemed to be fire damage.  Sugarcube Corner, falling apart and having boards covering holes; likely serving as somepony's home even now.  Town Hall was still standing, and was relatively pristine compared to the rest of the town, but even it seemed as though it had seen better days.

And everywhere, I could see ponies sitting in alleys, next to buildings, digging through garbage, and scavenging from the houses that were too damaged to serve as suitable shelter.

"... I had no idea they did this much damage..."

"They tore Ponyville apart."  Trixie huffed.  "They killed and slaughtered mercilessly.  They say they even killed Earth Ponies; this wasn't a genocide, it was them literally attacking anypony who wasn't wearing their banner.  Looting, pillaging, raping... every crime that could be committed had been done here."

This was all so much.  I knew Ponyville was damaged but... to actually see it up close? To touch it, to feel it... smell it.... it was too much.

"We've got one more thing to show you..." Pinkie grimaced and put her hooves on my shoulders.  "This one Dashie wouldn't see as needed... but.... if I heard you right back at Applejack's home... it's something you need to see."



***



We had walked a familiar path.  Even if grass, vines, flowers, and saplings had grown over them, I knew where we were going.  I just hoped I was ready for it.  Eventually, we happened upon a fence covered in vines, and a sign post that told visitors just where they were.

Sweet Apple Acres.

"Twilight?"

"Yes...?"

"There's somepony that you need to see."



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 10: Broken Ponies
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A pony was found lying dead in the streets today.

Don't get me wrong; murder is not unheard of.  Sad as it is, ponies will kill other ponies sometimes.  It's been that way since the begining of time, and might remain that way until one of the last two ponies die.  But this murder was particularly unusual; a unicorn was discovered with a large chunk of flesh missing and shrapnel embedded in his body.  Ponies living in the area reported hearing what sounded like thunder during the night, which has left many confused.

The current belief is that it was a unicorn; the way the shrapnel was in the body suggested high velocity impact, but something doesn't seem right about this theory in my opinion.  Why would a unicorn blast somepony with shards of metal? With the kind of telekinetic strength it would take to launch such a thing at such a speed, certainly they could lift the pony up and throw them? Maybe even use an offensive spell? Something just doesn't feel right about this.

I'm tired of this.  I'm going to do something.  I'm a Princess for Celestia's sake! I've been waiting for the princesses of Canterlot to help, or for the authorities to do something, but no more.  Now, I make a move.  I may not have the royal authority Celestia has at her disposal, but ponies still look up to me, and are counting on me to do something!

I'm going to formulate a plan.  We're going to figure out why these things are happening, find the vandal(s), find the killer(s), and return Ponyville's peace of mind.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
One week, three days before the Ponyville Incident



***



Pain.

My right, hind leg was in searing pain.

I was laying on my side, having fallen over after a loud crack resounded in a deafening roar.  I had already just been struck before to that noise, the damage burning my back fiercely as bandages tried to keep my wounds in check.  Reluctantly, I looked down at my leg, and saw a hole, and precious life pouring from the wound.  It was like fire burning my limb, and I could barely think of anything else, my mind torn between the pain in my leg and in my back.  I looked up to see several ponies approaching me, murder gleaming in their eyes.  Desperate, I readied to try to teleport away, focusing my magic to my horn, envisioning the form of the spell, feeling the energy twist, ready to have magic pass through it, but my efforts ended when a sudden... hum... or buzz... I'm not sure which... invaded my senses, and I felt all the power dissipate.  What... what had happened? Why couldn't I use magic? I looked to the ponies to see one of them was carrying a box - no, it was carrying him.  It had wheels jutting down from the bottom of it, and a crystal embedded in the front, stuck between two electric coils that charged it with electricity, while the stallion using the device's hoof turned a crank.  Was that what was killing my magic? I could almost feel the waves coming from it...

Slowly, I tried to stand, but the pain was too great, and I was forced back to the ground by my body's own lack of desire to endure.  I was tired, wounded, and scared... but mostly scared, as the group approached me.  "Stay down, princess" said a stallion.  "Just lay there and make this easy for everypony."  I looked to his side to see a pony wearing a getup with two barrels; one on either side, and on one side it had a shaft with a hole in the end.  It was much like the one that had damaged my wing, but it seemed different; slimmer, maybe? The stallion wearing the device aimed it at me, and took the bit into his mouth.  This was it.  I was going to die.

As the thought hit me, the stallion in question was knocked to the side, and the device let out a loud crack, it's spent bullet pelting into the dirt a few feet away from me.  A blur of red had tackled him; I could barely see at this point due to a mix of tears and I'm certain a small case of blood loss.  I watched as ponies were thrown aside, knocked down, and the pony with the crystal bucked over, his device smashed unceremoniously.  Then I heard a deep voice call out.

"Twilight!"

I knew that voice.

"Twilight? We've got to move!"

I know, I know.

"You just gonna stand there like a rock or are we going to go to Sweet Apple Acres?"

Wait, isn't that a terrible place to... wait a minute...



***



I shook my head, blinking away the memory as I looked around, trying to regather the situation, and noticed that where the red blur had been standing over me, now stood familiar pink face.  Pinkie stared at me with a hint of concern.  "You okay Twilight? You sort of conked out there and I was afraid you might have had a stroke or something!"

"N-no, I'm fine Pinkie..."

Pinkie smiled.  "Okie Dokie Lokie!"  She cleared her throat, and her expression became more serious and she stood straight.  "Right.  Well, Twilight, you ready for this?" I looked to the side, down the path, and I could see the familiar house at the end; a house I admit to having a sense of dread in approaching.  I gulped nervously, turned to Pinkie, and nodded.  She smiled, although there was a hint of uncertainty there that didn't help my own nervousness, and then the three of us began our trot down the path.

As we walked towards the house, I looked around the acres to take in any changes I might notice.   The apple trees seemed healthy as ever, although it was clear by vines and a few dead trees (as well as some decidedly not-apple trees) that the Everfree was trying to spread here as well, although the plants were different from what had happened years ago, right after my coronation... the plant-life seemed rather... gentle, abundant in pinks and blues, and did not seem to be harming the apple trees at all.  It was curious to say the least.

Eventually, my observations were cut short as we finally reached the house, stepping onto the porch.  Pinkie reeled her head back ready to knock in typical Pinkie Pie fashion, but was stopped short by Trixie.  "Allow me" said the show-mare as she pressed Pinkie aside and gently rapped on the door.  We stood and waited a few minutes before Trixie knocked again.

"Hold yer horses, I'ma comin'! Dern kids..."

We heard a number of clicks and locks, and then, the door opened, revealing a familiar elderly green mare.  "Huh? Who're you? Whatcha want? If this is about property tax, I told you dern fools already that my gran-daughter takes care of that!"

"Granny Smith!" Pinkie chirped.  "It's us!"

Granny looked to Pinkie Pie, squinted a bit, then smiled.  "Well if it idn't Pinkie Pie! I shoulda known it'd be you girl! Say, you still writin' them fancy books?"

"Yep!" shouted Pinkie with a bounce.  "I'm working on the next book already! Carrot thinks it's gonna be my best one yet!"

Granny Smith chuckled.  "Well, that's great Pinkie Pie! Hopefully you'll be able to come visit me a bit more? Applejack's mayoral duties keep 'er too tied up ta come by here much anymore, an' Applebloom's schoolin' keeps her awful busy as of late, so visitors'd be nice."

"Can do, Granny!" Pinkie gave a nod, and the older mare smiled and returned the gesture.  That's when Granny turned to face me and Trixie, eying us questioningly, but with no shortage of friendliness in her features.

"Don't keep me in suspense Pinkie, who're yer friends?"

Pinkie gasped.  "Oh yeah! This is Trixie - who is in disguise - and..." she stopped and rolled her hoof around a bit.  "... Sunset Shimmer!"

... Really?

Granny Smith looked us over.  "Well, nice to meet y'all.  Any friend of Pinkie Pie's is a friend-o-mine."  She smiled a bit with a nod.  "But where are my manners? Y'all come on in! I was just about to whip up some stew!"  Granny turned and slowly moved back into her house with the aid of her walker, and we followed suit, filing in one at a time.

As we stepped inside, I found that the house didn't seem to have changed one bit over the years.  Everything looked almost exactly as it had the last time I had been here years ago, staying with Applejack after my library was attacked.  Sure, there was a new photo of Applejack hanging on the wall, wearing a sash that read 'mayor', but that aside, everything looked almost as if it had frozen in time.

"Hey, Granny?" said Pinkie.

"Yeah, darlin'?"

"Would you mind if we said hi to Big Mac?"

Granny gave a nod.  "Mmhmm.  He's where he always is.  Make sure ta give 'em my regards."  Pinkie gestured towards the back door, and began to make her way in that direction.  I followed her, Trixie tagging behind now, as we made our way out of the house, through the garden, and into the fields, and we walked for about ten minutes until reaching a hill.  I looked to the top and saw a post, with something hanging from it.  As we made our way up, what was there became more obvious, and when I realized what it was, I felt my heart drop into my stomach.

On the wooden post, not unlike where one might hang a scarecrow, hanged a familiar yoke; dirty from age and exposure to the elements.

My legs trembled a bit.  My breath left me at first, but then I started hyperventilating.  I couldn't look away.

"No... no no no no no..."

"Twilight?" Pinkie looked to me with some concern.  I admit I barely paid attention.  This was wrong... horrible.  Big Mac had saved my life.  He had come to my rescue when death would have otherwise been inevitable for me.  And this was his fate? No wonder Applebloom hated me.  No wonder nopony wanted to talk about it.

"I... I killed Big McIntosh..."

"Twilight?"

"I'm so sorry..." I whimpered.  "Oh I'm so, so sorry... if... if he hadn't have... if..." I choked a bit, squeezing my eyes shut.  I had known this stallion.  I had gone to him a number of times for a hoof, but I never really got to know him until a short while before the massacre.  Before his death.  He was a good stallion, his simple exterior belying a bright individual, kind, caring, and a good friend, and I had lured him to his death.

"What are you talking about?" Pinkie said as she quirked a brow and tilted her head.  "Big McIntosh isn't dead.  He's right over there, see?" Pinkie pointed a hoof past a tree, and I followed it.  On another hill, a short distance away, I could see what looked almost like a rock or a tree or something... but upon closer inspection, I realized it was, in fact, a pony.

Well, this was certainly embarrassing.

I cleared my throat, ignoring the burning in my face from how red I must have been.  "Uh... oh.  Okay.  Good.  That's great.  Uh... yeah! Let's go say hi?"  Pinkie nodded, and she began to walk down the hill, Trixie and I in tow once more.  I think I might need to start waiting for ponies to talk before I jump to conclusions from now on.

It wasn't a long walk, fortunately, although I became aware just how out of shape I had become in the past few years as I had been winded by the time we finally reached our destination; one red stallion with an orange mane, staring out into the sunset.  Pinkie approached him first.  "Big Mac?"

The large stallion seemed to jump a bit, and turned to face us.  I noticed he wasn't wearing his yoke anymore; rather, he seemed to have replaced it with a simple green bandanna hanging from his neck; just a bit below his jaw, rather than around the base as one might expect.  He smiled at Pinkie and nodded.  "How are you doing today big guy?" He wordlessly raised a hoof and waggled it around a bit; a common gesture for 'not good, not bad'.  "Ah! Well, I guess that's how lots of ponies are as of late! Say, Macky, I brought somepony that I think you need to talk to, and she needs to talk to you too!" Big Mac turned to look at Trixie and I.  For a moment he didn't seem to understand, but then his eyes shot open for a moment.  He squinted and walked towards me, cautiously.  I smiled nervously, not sure if I should be surprised if he recognized me or not with my admittedly unimpressive illusion - I still looked like myself.

"Hi, Big Mac.  Remember me?"

His eyes became wide as saucers again, he drew back a bit, dumbfounded.  His mouth moved around wordlessly, and he looked to Pinkie Pie, Trixie, then myself, then back to Pinkie, who simply smiled and nodded to him, before she frowned.  "And no, we didn't use a black magic resurrection spell! This is for real!"  Big Mac turned to stare at me for several long seconds.  He reached a hoof out, pressing it against my nose.   He looked up to where my horn was and reached a horn out, prodding at an invisible appendage, surprising himself when he felt something he could not see.

"I-illusion spell..." I said, with a nervous smile on my face.  He stared at me for a few seconds, his expression one of confusion.  I saw him furrow his brow a bit, and then reflexively, I pulled back some, squeezing my eyes shut, admittedly expecting to be hit again.  Not that I thought Big Mac would hit a mare, but I'd never thought Applebloom or Rainbow would either.  When nothing happened, I opened my eyes to see Big Mac walking away from us.

"Big Mac?" Pinkie seemed a bit surprised as well.  I'm just happy he didn't hit me; I was fairly certain with his size and build, if he did, I wouldn't get back up for a bit.  She turned to look at me, biting her lip, seeming uncertain of what to do ass he looked back to Big Mac then us once more.

"Should we... follow him?" said Trixie, at a loss herself.

"I don't know..." Pinkie trotted in place, looking at Big Mac and back to me.  "He... I thought he'd be happy! I really did! I can't think of any reason why he wouldn't be!"

"Give him a moment to let it sink in" said a familiar voice.  We all jumped around to see Applebloom walking towards us.  "This is one of those things.  He's had this on his mind for a while now, and I reckon he's trying to figure out how he's supposed to take it.  After all, it's not every day somepony comes back from the dead."

Pinkie frowned.  "How he's supposed to take it? Shouldn't he be happy? He saved her life!"

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?"  Applebloom shook her head.  "He's suffered a lot for that little piece of action though.  You know this Pinkie, but Twilight doesn't, so I'll tell her what I think she deserves to know."  Applebloom turned to face me, her expression hard as I'd expect it to be by this point.  "He's not allowed to go into New Ponyville, otherwise he's to be shot on sight."  She frowned bitterly.  "Technically, if he's recognized anywhere in Equestria, it's the same thing, though I don't think they got the means of keepin' him truly trapped here.  Still, he never leaves.  He barely even goes into Old Ponyville anymore unless he and Granny need anything an' I'm not present to help."  Applebloom turned around, and began to make her way back towards the house, only pausing for a parting word.  "Funny thing is? He says he never regretted what he did.  What hurt him the most was that for the longest time, he thought that it meant nothing in the end."  With that, she continued down the hill.

"Well... " said Trixie, "What do we do now, ladies? Twilight knows the stallion is okay, so should we leave? Stay for dinner?"

Pinkie gasped.  "Trixie, Granny invited us for din din! No way we're missing out! Unless you have something super important to get to, there's no excuse for missing out on a meal offered by somepony in kindness!"

"I'm not going to argue against free food" replied Trixie, raising her nose.  "Besides, it's not like I've anyplace better to be.  I'm just wondering what we should do right now?"

"Well..." Pinkie hummed, tapping a hoof to her chin.  "I guess we just wait? Maybe gab it up with Granny Smith."  She turned to face me.  "Hey, Twilight? Don't worry about Big Mac.  I'm sure this is all just a shock to him right now.  Give him a little time, I'm sure he'll come around."  I shook my head a bit; I certainly hoped so.  While I had never really known Big Mac too well, I owed him my life.  What do you do if the pony who saves your life despises you? We headed back down the hill, towards the house, and I took one last glance back to the direction Big McIntosh had wandered.



***



We had talked with Granny Smith for about an hour, telling her bits and pieces about current events.  Well, technically, Pinkie Pie did all the talking, and Applebloom occasionally piped up, but for the most part, Trixie and I were silent.  Eventually, the stew she was cooking had been finished, and she stuck her head out the door, shouting out 'soup's on'.  After several minutes, Big Mac stepped inside the house - he seemed to be avoiding looking at me.  Truth be told, I started to avoid looking at him as well.  I couldn't look at him.  I couldn't look at the stallion whose life I had single-hoofedly destroyed.  He had lost everything saving me.  

We all sat at the table, I'm certain all plenty hungry enough for a bit.   For each of us was a heaping bowl of delicious-looking stew, filled with vegetables and steaming hot.  "Alright everypony" said Granny, "Let's give our thanks."  We all bowed our heads at her insistence, and she spoke up.  "Thank ya for this meal we're about to receive, for the good health we're blessed with, an' for the little kindnesses we may take for granted.  May we see many days ahead-a us, an' may we know happier days.  Amen."  With the prayer out of the way, Pinkie didn't hesitate to push her face down into the bowl in front of her, gorging herself on the meal.  Trixie was using magic to levitate her spoon, much to the surprise of Granny, who needed to be reminded that the unsuspecting earth pony was, indeed, a unicorn as she took dainty sips from her spoon that was more for show than anything.  I was eating with my hooves; not to hide, so much as from practice.  Old habits die hard.

"So, Trixie, Sunset, tell us 'bout yerselves." said Granny between bites of her meal.

Trixie was quick to put a hoof to her chest.  "Trixie is a well-respected magician, master arcanist, and a font of knowledge on all things mystical."  She grinned.  "Trixie dares to say Trixie's natural talent in magic has proven useful in quite many situations."

"An' what about this here girl?" Granny pointed to me.  "Speak up, you been quieter than a cat in a room full-a wolves!"

I swallowed what I had been eating, trying to think up a story.  "Oh, I-I'm nothing special..."

"I'll say" replied Applebloom.  I didn't respond.  I probably deserve that.

"Now Applebloom, that ain't no way ta treat our guests!" said Granny sternly, giving her grand-foal the stink eye.

"Yes Granny..."

"Sorry 'bout that" said the elder Apple with a smile as she shook her head.  "I think Applebloom's goin' through poo-berty an' gettin' a wee bit testy."  Applebloom snorted and blushed, but continued eating without a word.  "But y'all're prolly more special than you realize."  She smirked.  "Reminds me of how Applebloom an' 'er friends used to run aroun' tryin' to find their special talents."  She smiled fondly.  "Such nice foals, those two girls.  I sure hope they're okay wherever they are."  The room seemed to fall quiet then, and I noticed that Applebloom didn't seem bothered in the least.  Did she not care? I couldn't tell.  We all continued to eat, but not with quite as much conversation, aside Applebloom describing her day.

Eventually, we all finished our meals, and Granny and Applebloom went to work on cleaning the dishes and the table.  Trixie and Pinkie started chatting up a storm with each other in the living room, and Big Mac stepped out of the house.  I made my way towards a window, watching as he made his way towards the barn and stepped inside.  It just felt so wrong; such a kind stallion being forced to live like he does, when all he did was save the life of a pony in need.  I knew the world was cruel as of late, but this seemed like it was too much.

"Ya should go talk to 'em."

I almost jumped, turning to see Granny Smith behind me, staring out the window.  Was their entire family sneaky? "Oh... h-hi Granny Smith... I...  I don't know what I'd talk to him about though..."

She smiled an honest smile.  "Oh come on there deary.  I maybe old but I ain't half as crazy as I like to make myself look.  It took me a bit but I recognized ya eventually, Princess."  I suppose I never had a reason to believe Granny couldn't have figured it out.  Still, hiding it from her wasn't really important.  She looked back out the window.  "He blamed himself a lot fer thinkin' you died.  He needs ya to talk to 'em, even if he don't rightly know it.  So, go talk to 'em.  If not for him, then do it for me.  If not for me, then do it for him.  If not for neither, then do it jus' for the sake of bein' a good pony."  She sighed, shaking her head.  "It'd mean the world to all of us Apples fer him to finally have peace in 'is soul.

"But what do I say?"

She shrugged.  "I can't say.  That's somethin' y'all gotta figure out for yourselves."  Well, that's not very helpful, but I guess it made sense that I should speak more from the heart than from some pre-planned script.  I took a deep breath.

"Alright."

I mustered up my courage as best as I could, and made my way to the door.  I pressed it open, and carried myself towards the barn.  As I neared, I could see a faint light through the windows, and heard the sound of hammering.  Slowly, I pushed the door open slowly and peaked inside, seeing Big Mac banging a hammer against a cart; I guess replacing nails, or repairing some damage.  I steeled my nerves, readying myself for this next step as I pushed myself to open the door, which made a painful creaking as it did.  Big Mac stopped hammering and continued to sit there, not looking back at me.

"B-Big McIntosh...?" He just continued to stand there in silence, the night air blowing lightly through the cracks in the barn's walls.  "... H... hi.... how are you?" He didn't speak, simply shaking his head and lowering it.  This was already seeming to go badly.  "... I.... well,  I...." This was so painful on so many levels; I had no idea what to say, and I was likely making him more upset.  I had hoped it would flow or something, and that all the words would come to me, but here I was, speechless.  So... I said what I truly felt, even if it was more self-blame.

"... Big McIntosh... I'm sorry...."

That caught his attention.  He turned around, looking at me wide-eyed as if I had just told him his dog had died.  "I'm really, really sorry" I said again.  "... I... I know... I know what happened, and I know that... that I ruined your life... that saving me destroyed you, and... and I wanted to say that you don't deserve this.  Any of it."  He simply frowned, his expression saddening as he shook his head more.  "Big Mac, please, say something to me?" He stared silently, seeming unsure of himself. "Please? Talk to me.  I don't care if it's just one word..."  He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head again, grimacing hard.  I felt my eyes wet up.  "Please... just... say something... even if it's angry, say something..."

"He can't."

I jumped and turned around to see Applebloom in the doorway.  Somepony needs to put bells on her and her grandmother both.  "You can talk n' talk an' talk until yer blue in the face, and you'll never get a response.  I'm sure he'd tell you why if he could.  Heck, I'm sure he'd be thrilled just to tell you the time."  I turned to see Big Mac biting his lip, shaking his head at his sister, his eyes desperate and pleading.  I turned to Applebloom, who seemed to disregard him entirely.

"When he saved yer life, he had fought off nearly twenty ponies at once" she said.  "While you ran into the forest, he was fightin' a bunch of ponies with chains and knives, an' all things considered, he was doin' pretty good for a bit, but they eventually overwhelmed him.  When they did, the cowards held him down, and beat and cut him somethin' fierce."  She gave me a bitter, angry look.  "Then one of them brought a knife to his throat."

What?

"They left 'em to die, cut up, bruised, broken bones all over, and ran off to continue their lil' killin' spree.  Applejack went out to find 'em... an' when she did, she was quick to find help.  All she could get was Nurse Redheart, an' the good nurse used what little she had available to 'er to do the best she could in helpin' my brother get well."  She looked towards Big Mac, her expression shifted from anger to sadness and pity.  "... The cuts mostly healed, and his bones were set and knitted together well enough, but the damage to 'is neck had almost utterly destroyed his vocals.  He can't speak very well, an' when he does talk, it hurts 'em."  I stared at Applebloom, wide-eyed, and turned to face Big Mac, whose head hung in shame.  "He was brave.  He did the right thing.  His reward? Nearly dyin' an' bein' scarred for life.  Big Mac, show 'er the scar."

I turned to the stallion, and then I could see in his eyes; a fear I knew all too well.  A deep, burning shame. Slowly, he closed his eyes and bowed his head, seeming to accept defeat, and then Big Mac reached his head down to bite onto his bandana, and gave it a tug, pulling it away.

What I saw surprised me, all things considered; a jagged scar running down his neck, one I'm certain was nothing short of excrutiating in it's execution.  It certainly would explain why he wore his bandana so high, though I tried to ignore that thought.  He frowned, and once more hung his head in shame; his wound exposed.

That's when I felt it.  A sensation that I had barely known in a while - a strange sense of kinship with this stallion.  With certainty I had not felt before in doing so, I wrapped my magic about my shirt, and pulled it away from my body, much to Big Mac's surprise.  Slowly, I turned myself about, showing him my back, my scars, the loss I had suffered, and then I turned my head back to face him.  His jaw hung open, eyes wide, and he moved his mouth around wordlessly, holding his hooves up.  Eventually, he stopped, and gave me an apologetic look, hanging his head once more, squeezing his eyes shut.  I could swear I saw tears.

Suddenly... my loss didn't seem to matter so much.  I simply smiled and turned back around fully to stare at this stallion who stood before me, his soul bared, and the truth revealed.  I put a hoof under his chin and drew his head up so that I could meet his gaze, and he opened his eyes, looking at me with such an apologetic stare.  Even now, he was blaming himself.  This was wrong.  I simply shook my head.  "Big Mac... do you... do you really feel so bad...?" Ever silent now that his voice had been taken, he simply nodded slowly, not taking his eyes from mine.  I shook my head, unable to stop a small chuckle.  "Big Mac... why blame yourself, when it's because of you I'm even alive?" His eyes seemed to widen a bit.  "... They took my wings, yes... but they had come for my life.  They had come to kill me.  You denied them that... because of you, I'm here today."  I smirked a bit, tilting my head.  "Besides... even if I had been killed... I would have been more than thankful that you had tried..."

He seemed to mull this over as he looked into my eyes, closing his and nodding a bit, though I could still tell that he wasn't fully accepting of it just yet.  I gently held up my hooves, and wrapped my forelegs around him, drawing him into a gentle hug, much to his surprise.  As I held him, I noticed his body was littered with various little scars that he seemed to have been fortunate to have his coat grow back over; but they were there, and I could feel them.  What had this stallion endured saving me? He wrapped his own hooves around me, and hugged back.  For once, I didn't feel uneasy in receiving a hug.  As he hugged me, I was a bit shocked when I felt him shake a bit as he took in a deep breath; was he crying? The mere thought brought tears to my own eyes, and I tightened my hug on him, then I heard a strained whisper in my ear.

"I'm sorry I didn't do better."

I bit my lip, my eyes burning.  "D-don't be..." I said.  "You did your best... and I owe you my life, Big McIntosh."  I heard him choke a bit, hugging me tighter, though not too tight, and I returned the gesture in kind, stroking his back.  We stood there in each other's embrace, shedding tears together.

Two broken, damaged ponies, sharing in our suffering.  The world didn't matter at this moment in time; we both found something to help offer us some comfort, even if temporary.



TO BE CONTINUED...

> Chapter 11: Causes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

They're being aweful quiet as of late.

I had no illusion that taking part in the investigation of the recent chaos in Ponyville would bring about immediate changes and betterment, but I can't help but feel something is amiss.  While I see some of the Earthen Alliance ponies wandering about sometimes, they're not standing on boxes anymore, shouting their honeyed words belying twisted ideals.

With the help of the mayor, I've learned a few interesting things.  The pony who was found dead was one 'Silverstreak', a unicorn private eye.  He had taken it upon himself to figure out what was going on, and found a lot of information.  Unfortunately, the data he collected was considered strained and foolish, and he was disregarded as a paranoid.  I've been given access to it and what I found was... disturbing.

He tells of conspiracy; that what he has found shows that the Alliance has been working in Canterlot to occupy the princess while they do something to meet some unknown ends.  He also wrote extensively of 'earth pony technology, driven by a need to defeat magic and overpower their enemies.'  His notes talk about crystals that have an effect on the arcane energy within their area when charged with electricity, and barrels that ejected bullets at high velocity.  According to some unknown sources (whom he simply calls 'Underhooves') he's learned that multiple members of the Apple and Rich families are high-ranking members of this group.  Applejack will not be happy to hear this...

On the night he was found murdered, he wrote one last journal entry, stating that they were planning something big, that they were distracting Celestia to move in secret, and that he had found a list of important names; a list that, if Celestia got a hold of it, would mean ending their plans before they could become a problem, but he says no more.

The list was nowhere to be found, unfortunately.

His home was trashed, so I don't know if there was anything else, or if the mayor is still holding out on me; after all, I'm not acting royalty, so my authority is quite limited, and what little she did give me is more of a kindness than a responsibility.

I'm going to find out what's going on, even if it kills me.

From the journal of former princess, Twilight Sparkle
Five days before the Ponyville Incident



**************



You would think that after finding out that I didn't get Big Mac killed, and finding kinship in somepony, that I'd be able to get a good night's sleep.  But I sat in my bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering why I couldn't.  I had kept my eyes shut for an entire hour before realizing it wasn't happening just yet, and I lay there, contemplating potentially just getting up and getting a glass of milk.

I had a lot on my mind I guess.  Meeting old friends... finding answers to things I didn't know were bothering me... I guess it was starting to catch up to me.  After three and a half years of not knowing, I guess it was a relief.  Still, I figured with so much weight off me, sleeping should come easily.  I sat myself up from my bed, and made my way from the room.  The house we were staying in was quite nice; it wasn't as large as Pinkie's mansion, and a bit more on the practical side, but it was no less comfortable (okay, so I might have liked it more if it had a personal library).  I made my way to the kitchen, and opened the fridge, pulling from it a carton of milk.  Using magic, I pulled a glass from the cupboard and poured the lovely white liquid into the clear cylindrical container, setting the carton back in it's place and closing the door.

I took a seat, and took a healthy drink.  It was quite nice, I had to admit.  So, I sat there, taking occasional sips, pondering all I had been through in recent days.  I was all but joined into a resistance group, and I was meeting ponies I hadn't seen in years; friends who, to this day meant a lot to me.  It was nice, but at the same time quite terrifying; was I actually doing this? Was I going into the heart of madness, potentially turning myself into an asset of war? It was then I began wondering if I was doing the right thing.  Was there anything else I could do? Sure, Rainbow told me it was either them or nothing, but she had started a resistance group; who says I couldn't? Of course, she also confessed to their group being forged from a series of smaller groups that had assimilated into it.

Perhaps I could do that? Join the group and then either try to steer it along a new path, or use it as a means to build upon my own? I mean no ill will towards Rainbow Dash, but I'm still not one hundred percent convinced there isn't a better way to go about this struggle.  Still, it's not like I had a lot of options.  I set my glass in the sink, now drained of it's refreshing contents, and readied myself to head back to my room.

Creeeeak

I froze in place.  I felt a chill run up my spine, and every hair on my body stand up on end.  I turned to face where the sound had come from to see the basement door cracked open.  I'm by no means a superstitious pony... but... I won't lie, there's some things that are just ingrained into our brains and you can't get over no matter what you believe.  "P-Pinkie Pie...?" I whispered.  No response.  "Trixie...?" Still nothing.  "Who's there?" Quietness answered me.  I gulped, steeling my nerves.  Slowly, I made my way towards the door, slowly, cautiously reaching a hoof towards it, and pressing it open.  I looked into the basement; it was too dark to see.  I reached a trembling hoof to the side, quickly flipping the light switch and withdrawing it.  The lights in the basement came on, and I took a moment to survey the sight; nothing stood out.  There was a couch, a projector screen (with a projector hanging from the roof), a billiards table, and an odd structure that looked like four legs that wen up a few feet, then had a harness with two straps on the bottom... I had asked Pinkie about it, but Trixie stopped her short and told me that the less I knew the better.  Nothing really seemed out of place though.

"Is anyone down there?" I said louder than before but still trying not to be too loud.  "I warn you, I'm armed, so if you are come out..." No response.  I made my way down the stairs slowly, conjuring up my illusion to hide my horn.  I made the bottom and looked under the staircase; nothing there.  I looked around, then noticed that a cellar door was open that went to the outside of the house.  All common sense and instinct told me to turn back, to run, but... I don't know... I felt compelled forward.

I stepped out into the open, closing the door behind me to be sure nopony took advantage of the situation.  It was dark out, naturally as it was likely just past midnight, and I was in Pinkie's garden; it was small, modest, and there was a shed... I imagine this the kind of place Pinkie would live in if she wasn't rich... just... with less pink.  It was then I heard a clopping, and I shifted my attention to the side of the house, just in time to catch movement.  The hairs on the back of my neck stood again, and I felt a shiver run through me.  Still,  I was compelled to follow.

I rounded the corner to find that the gate that lead out onto the street was slightly ajar.  I pulled it open, stepping out.  Naturally, it was quiet; all the windows of the houses around were dark, save for a faint glow in one here and there, likely ponies staying up just a bit longer to do whatever they had their hearts set on.  It was then that I noticed movement from the corner of my eye; a pony running from behind a building, down the path.  "Wait!" I called out.  Wait, why did I do that? Not a wise idea to draw attention to yourself, let alone to a pony who might have broken into your friend's house.  Still, I gave chase.

I followed the mystery pony.  Through the streets, around corners, through the park.  We ran past Applejack's house, which I gave a passing glance, but it didn't last long.  We passed by Town Hall, and I felt a great sense of loss hit me; this building represented all I had lost.  Ponyville, my wings, my life... but, I didn't cling to this thought as I continued to give chase.  Eventually, we had made our way into Old Ponyville.  We passed several places I found familiar; my Library, likely playing host to an act of debauchery best left unexplored, Sugarcube Corner, which was in relatively good condition, but still visibly abandoned, even Carosel Boutique, or what remained of it; from what I could see, it had suffered fire damage and was falling apart, and I knew seeing it as it was now would destroy Rarity, wherever she was.

But still, I gave chase.

We were running deeper into Old Ponyville than Pinkie had taken me, and at this point I could see just how much the Everfree had effected this part of town.  Trees had already begun to grow, tearing through homes that were likely long since empty, vines growing over structures, the grass hiding the cobblestone road, and the further I got, the more it seemed nature was consuming the town, until I reached the bridge that marked it's end.   By this point, I was surprised to see that the edge of the forest had effectively grown to full height past this point.  It made no sense; I didn't think trees like these grew this fast! And yet I still followed my mysterious friend down the trail, climbing up a hill, until they made a turn.

I stopped where they had turned, looking up the path, and as I did, I felt a strange mixture of emotions run through me.  Dread... sadness... curiosity... 

The pony was gone, and the path they had run lead up to a place that I was surprised to see.  A place that, despite where it was located, was relatively intact.

Fluttershy's cottage.

Once more, the hairs on my neck stood up.  Something felt so unnatural about this place... which was odd, cause it was Fluttershy's home.  I moved cautiously, scanning the area.  It was odd; the house seemed to be frozen in time.  The trees had grown around it, as if giving it a berth of space, and the windows had light in them, as if somepony was inside.  A strange sense of unease fell over me as I made my way up the path, towards the house.  I reached the door to find it slightly opened, and I found my muscles tense and my nerve waver.  No... this was my friend's house.  My dead friend... if anypony was in here vandalizing her worldly home... I wouldn't hear of it.  I steeled my nerves, and then I pushed the door open, stepping inside.

Everything was just as it had always been.  Before the revolution.  Before the fear.  A pleasant smell filled the air.  Then, all at once, the image before me faded; windows were broken, growths entering the house through them.  The couch was old and worn, but did not visibly suffer anything other than the ravages of time and neglect.  Pictures hung at odd angles, and various nicknacks were toppled over and littering the floor.

The answer is closer than you think

I almost jumped out of my skin.  Who was talking? It was a whisper... it felt like it was right in my ear, but as I turned to look, I was met by nothing.  My heart was racing a million miles a minute.  This was getting downright terrifying.  Despite all instinct telling me to escape, to get back to Pinkie's, even teleporting and risking capture, I was compelled to continue investigating.  I looked around the kitchen, and the livingroom.  I considered everything for a moment, wondering what was going on.

Creeeeeeeeeeak.

I froze.  The sound had come from outside the house.  It was a short distance away, but I could hear it.  I stepped outside, feeling all kinds of emotions run through me, and made my way around the house.  Standing there was Fluttershy's shed, door ajar.  Inside, however, there was a light; a green light.  I put a trembling hoof forward, and then another, and another, drawing slowly closer to the shed, a deep, lingering feeling of dread and uncertainty filling me.  I slowly reached a hoof up, ready to push the door open and step inside.

Violence breeds violence.

I tried to push forward, despite the creeping sensations running through my spine.

Revenge begets revenge.

My heart was pounding so hard and so fast, I swore it might jump out of my chest.  Once more, the whispers came from some unknown source, sounding as though they might be right beside me, but when I turned to look, I saw nopony there.  I was scared.  I wanted to go back, but I felt like I couldn't; like some invisible wall had formed, and that even if I went back, I could not undo what I had already done.  I didn't want to go forward, but I felt like it was the only way to go.  Shakily, I whispered a response.

"I don't want revenge... or violence..." I whispered.  "I just want to make things better..."

Silence returned to me.  No more sounds.  No more whispers.  Then, a slow creaking.  I slowly turned around to find Fluttershy's cellar door opened.  I gave one last look to the shed, and turned about, making my way towards the cellar; upon closer inspection, I found a strange blue light coming from inside of it.  Once I drew close, I noted that a strange fog was making it difficult to see within.  I turned back to face the shed, considering my options.  Somehow, this felt right, however.  With no shortage of shakey hooves, I gulped and descended into the fog.

As I moved down the stairs, I noticed that what seemed like walls abruptly ended.  Suddenly, I wasn't just in a basement; I was in an alternate plane of existence, as if Fluttershy's cellar was a bridge into the aether itself.  Turning, I saw the cellar exit still there; offering me a chance to turn back.  A chance I wanted to take, but I knew better.  I had to go forward.  I looked around in amazement at the sight before me; chunks of debris floating in an endless abyss.  Ahead, I noticed the stairway terminated, meeting what looked like a cobblestone bridge that turned and twisted, until meeting a mass of land, on which stood a great tree.

I made my way down the path until reaching the tree to find that grass was even growing on this landmass.  It was then that I noticed an abundance of small, pink butterflies.  I walked towards the tree, placing a hoof on it.  It was odd... it felt like a tree, but something was... different.  Something I couldn't quite place.  It was then that I noticed the butterflies were surrounding me, fluttering gently.  I stared at them curiously, lifting up a hoof gently, to which one perched upon, it's wings fluttering softly.

I found another way.

My eyes widened as i stared at the butterflies.  That voice...

"F... Fluttershy...!?"

Twilight... you have to wake up...

"Fluttershy!" I cried.  "Wait! Where are you!?"

Twilight... please... wake up...

"But Fluttershy..." My eyes welled with tears.  "I'm... I'm sorry Fluttershy..."

Twilight... please.... just please wake up...

"Why do you....?"



************



All at once, the world seemed to fade.  The tree vanished.  The butterflies disappeared.  I was on the floor, back in Pinkie Pie's kitchen, a familiar sensation of being shaken overcoming me.

"Twilight! Twilight, wake up!"

I groaned, squinting my eyes, turning to look at Pinkie Pie, who stood over me with a clear expression of fear, looking as if she was on the verge of tears.  It was about this point I noticed my head hurt; reaching a hoof up, I winced as I felt the pain, pulling my hoof back to find a small bit of blood on it.

"Wh... what happened...?"

Pinkie whimpered.  "Y... you're awake?" I nodded slowly, and she responded with a strong hug.  "Oh Twilight... I... I woke up, and I heard a noise, so I came down stairs, and I found you next to the counter, and your head was bleeding, and I cleaned it a bit but you kept whimpering and moving around like you were running-"

"Back! Trixie has first aid!" Trixie hurried into the room, her mane a mess, carrying a first-aid kit with her magic.  "Is she awake?"

"Yes" said Pinkie, choking, hugging me tighter.

"Good.  You cleaned the wound right? Let's bandage her up and make sure she doesn't have a concussion."  She leaned next to me, holding up her hooves.  "How many hooves am I holding up?"

I groaned.  "Trixie... I would have to be blind to not see you holding up both your front hooves."

Trixie seemed to consider this.   "Yeah, well, follow my hoof, keep an eye on it."  She began to move her hoof around, which I did an excellent job of keeping my eyes on, if I do say so myself.  Eventually, Pinkie had finished setting the bandage on my head, and I was turning to see a carton of milk on the floor.  Did I not even drink my delicious glass of milk?

"What happened...?"

"We're not sure" said Trixie.  "We both hurried down here to find you on the floor, whimpering and moving your legs around.  It was like a seizure or a night terror or something... considering the mess, Trixie'd guess the first."

I placed a hoof on my head gently.  "... I had a dream... was it a dream? I... I went to Fluttershy's cottage... and a tree... a tree hidden in her celler..."

The two ponies exchanged glances before turning back to me.  "that sounds wild..." said Pinkie.  "Twi, what kind of books have you been reading lately?" I didn't know how to respond... mostly because all I had read recently was Pinkie's own story.  I sighed, placing a hoof over my (now bandaged) head injury.

"I'm alright girls.... let's just get back to bed, shall we?"  I looked to the spilled milk and smirked.  "... Preferably with an unspilled glass of milk in my tummy..."  This was something I would have to dwell on later.  For now, I needed to sleep.  After all, we're leaving later today.



*******



"I figured we'd stop by Applejack's place before we take off!" Pinkie said with her usual energy as she bounced along the road, Trixie and myself wrapped in our glamors to conceal our appearances.  "I figured she'd want to say goodbye before we took off!"  We made our way to the house, and once more I found myself a little envious.  It harkened back memories of my own childhood; a member of a noble family, I had never really wanted for anything.  I never considered myself a spoiled pony, but now I had to admit I might have been a bit more so than I like to think.  Pinkie knocked on the door, and turned to run away.  Trixie held out a hoof, stopping her.  "Oh! Right, we're not doing that right now! Sorry!"

The door opened, and once more we're greeted by young Apple Bloom, who smiled.  "Pinkie! Trixie!" She turned her gaze to me, and that smile falters to an almost forced state.  "Twilight."  I had honestly hoped that making up with Big Mac would have won a little pleasantry from her, but I guess she was angrier than I thought.  I wonder if she'll ever stop being mad?

"Hey Bloomy, is A.J. home?" said Pinkie with her usual energy.

Apple Bloom nodded.  "Yeah, she's in her study if y'all wanna see her."  The filly stepped to the side, and we filed into the house in an orderly fashion, Pinkie taking point.  A short walk through a hallway later, wee found ourselves in front of a door, giving it a knock.

"Come in!"

Pinkie gently prodded the door open, and we all made our way into the study.  It was a simply decorated room, a desk (where Applejack currently sat) at the very end, a globe, and a small table with couches for pleasantries.  I'll have to admit, I was surprised at the number of books Applejack had at her immediate disposal in here; not that I ever considered Applejack dumb by any stretch of the word, mind you, but I had never considered her the type to have so many books among her personal effects either.  Applejack looked up from her papers, her expression not quite as angry as Apple Bloom's, but she still seemed guarded.  "Girls."

"Applejack" Pinkie said, a smile on her face.  I felt that same sense of tension that had been there when we first saw Applejack; she wasn't entirely happy with our presence, and I guess what earlier softness she may or may not have shown was probably just due to... well... I'd rather not think about the macabre trophy they took from me.  "So, we figured we'd stop on by and say that we're taking off today and tootles and to not be a stranger, alright?"

"Alright, Pinkie.  Safe travels."

"Right... well, take care then."  Pinkie turned around, and though she seemed to be accepting of it, I could see she was upset.  How could she not be? Even I felt Applejack was being quite cold.  But what could I do? Ask her to say more? We turned and made our way towards the exit.

"Twilight?"

Everypony stopped and turned to face Applejack, save for me; I was not looking forward to anything right now.  "Can I speak to you? In private?" I turned to Pinkie Pie and Trixie, who both gave me uncertain looks.  A nod from Pinkie, however, and Trixie seemed to accept the situation, and both mares made their way out, closing the door behind them.  I turned around and made my way back to Applejack's desk, the mare staring at all the papers before her.  No, through them.  Deep in thought.  She sighed, removing her reading glasses and setting them on the desk, then looking up to me.  "Twilight.  Are you sure this is where y'all wanna be? In Rainbow's little gang of killers n' thieves?"

"I'm not, Applejack."  I shuffled my hooves nervously; it felt odd to admit, though I felt Applejack might be mislabeling the group a little.  "Truth be told, I have my reserves... but I see no other way to try to help make things better."

Applejack simply stood up, walking around her desk to meet me.  "Twi.  I'm not gonna lie to you, it's tough out there.  Everypony who's ever tried to change things as they are has been met with resistance.  Ponies who've formed resistance organizations like Rainbow's have always been rooted out, arrested, and executed, or assimilated by Rainbow.  Thing is, while she's got the honor of being the longest sustained freedom fighter, she ain't in no good shape herself."

"But... they're the only group opposing the Empire..." I bit my lip, remembering that Rainbow had told me this herself.  "I've got very few options.  I have no idea how else to go about this, and if you have any suggestions, I'm more than open to them."

Applejack stood silently, closing her eyes and bringing a hoof to the bridge of her nose.  She brought it back down and looked me in the eye.  "Twilight.  I'll tell you what I once told Rainbow herself.  What I've told Pinkie, and Rarity.  I've got no idea.  I'll admit, it seems outright impossible... but Rainbow's methods are careless.  She treats her own ponies as pawns, and her views are very 'ends justify the means' oriented.  Everypony is expendable."  Applejack frowned a bit, looking past me a little.  "I think she even considers herself an acceptable loss."

I had to ask.  I didn't want to, but I had to.  "What happened to everypony?"

Applejack sighed, shaking her head softly.  "I can't say... I figure after the attack, we all did what came naturally to us... and those paths just sort of had their way of wearing each of us down.  Rainbow, naturally, wanted to fight, and most of us decided to follow her.  I'm the only one who didn't agree with it, on count of what they did to my brother."

I found myself frowning a bit.  Something about that upset me.  "So... you helped the ponies who you thought murdered me? Who almost killed Big Mac?"

Applejack shook her head.  "Weren't like that, Twi.  We helped, but not for the Empire.  Big Mac was in the hospital for a while, and we were told to cooperate if we didn't  want to see him hang for committin' what had been considered treason by aiding a fugitive of the fledgeling Empire."  She grimaced at the memory, shaking her head.  She didn't seem to want to think of the specifics.  "Even then, he spent six months in prison as soon as he was well enough to leave."

"I don't understand why they wouldn't let him into Ponyville or anything though..."

Applejack rolled her eyes.  "You been listening to Apple Bloom? He's allowed to leave that farm anytime he wants.  He's not legally allowed to work around the apples is all, and even that I don't think anypony'd make a big fuss about.  His exile is entirely self-imposed, an' he lied to 'Bloom because he..." Her expression shifted again, to something more timid.  "... He... he's.... I think he's ashamed... ashamed of his failings, ya know?"  Applejack looked back up towards me, her expression hardening again.  "But he's allowed to leave anytime he wants.  Worst case scenario, the guards'll give 'em dirty looks."

I had to ask, even if I somewhat feared the answer.  "And once you thought I was killed?"

My farm-born friend was clearly caught off-guard by the question; I guess she forgot just how inquisitive I could be.  However, she did regather herself.  "Gonna be honest.  We all dealt with that differently.  For me, it was a sign.  The most powerful pony I knew was crushed with little effort.  It was a sign to me that this thing couldn't be fought by raw power."  Applejack looked me in the eye.  "... Big Mac nearly died saving you, and you seemed to have died anyway.  To me it was all I needed to know that in the bigger picture, nothin' we could do would help.  I couldn't risk the threat to my family by joinin' Rainbow an' her resistance efforts."

I felt an ache in my chest.  I wanted to be upset, disappointed even... but once more, I found myself unable to fault her.  I can't say I wouldn't have done things any differently in a similar situation.  "I know it hurts to hear, sugarcube, but sometimes, doing the right thing ain't as simple as goin' on an adventure, finding a magical artifact, an' friendshippin' everything away.  The Empire has weapons, they have new technology, and they have a disturbing eagerness to use either or both to destroy everything that violates their view of what the world should be."

"And that is why I have to join Rainbow."

"Wait, what?" Applejack was clearly not expecting me to respond like that, but now it made all the sense of the world.

"We're fighting ponies who are willing to destroy us.  Extreme measures... it's not pleasant, but it's the only option."  I looked up to my friend, clearly baffled that I was reaching this conclusion.  I was too, really.  "We must fight fire with fire.  War for war.  Blood for blood..."

"Twi, are you even listenin' to yourself?" Applejack placed her hooves under my chin and drew my face up, looking me in the eye.  "You're suggestin' goin' on a killin' spree! Goin' to war! No, not even that; yer outnumbered! The Empire's got soldiers and weapons out the wazoo, and them Spellbreakers of theirs make magic a moot point! You're much safer livin' in hiding!"

"Am I?" I shoved her hooves away.  "Applejack, I spend every day of my life worrying about what tomorrow will bring.  I've spent years worrying that you girls were all dead! Every day, I wondered what I could be doing to fix things, and never doing anything, but I can't do it anymore! I can't sit and do nothing anymore! I'd rather die free than live my life in hiding!" Even I was a little surprised by myself.

Applejack stared at me, conflicting emotions dancing upon her features, before she gave a resigned sigh.  "Twilight... I'll support ya any way I can.  Jus' do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

Applejack smiled a sad smile.  "Don't change like they did... don't let war ruin who you are.  Don't let it take away from you what it's taken from the rest of us."  I looked into her eyes, trying to read her.  I don't know if it was stress or what, but somehow she was hard to read; I couldn't tell if she was being sincere or not, which was more than a little disheartening... after all, Applejack had always been a terrible liar and easy to read.  Still, I brushed it off as best as I could.

"I'll try my best, Applejack."

"That's all you can do."  She held her hooves out, and we shared a hug.  We broke it apart, and any softness in her visage faded quick, once more stern and business.  "Just remember.  Once you choose your path... you might not be able to take a step backwards.  You can't unring a bell and all that jazz.  So before you make any choices, be certain you're ready to live with the consequences, an' I can tell you now... Rainbow's gonna use you in every way she can.  Your magic, your smarts, even your death might be a tool at her disposal... so just know that I tried to warn ya."

I nodded.  "I know Applejack... but I don't think she'll let me die that easily.  She may have changed, but she can't be that heartless, right?"

Applejack grimaced.  "You'll learn..."  Can't anypony be direct? No, not this time.  I'm getting answers.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Much to her credit, Applejack didn't seem to want to beat around the bush herself.  "She's sent plenty of her ponies on suicide missions knowing failure was inevitable, simply because she knew in their failures that an opportunity would present itself."  She walked back around her desk, taking her seat, looking at me like a pony warning a foal not to stick a fork in a light socket.  "Just remember... if she ever has you do anything... be ready to question it.  She won't always give you all the details, especially if the details give you any reason to defy her... you're one of the few ponies who might be able to challenge her, what with yer magic and all, assumin' you didn't  get rusty in the past few years."

"Thanks Applejack... I'll be careful.... you take care of yourself, alright?"

"I will."

I turned and made my way out of the study, shutting the doors behind me.  My friends were already waiting for me outside, and I imagined it was getting pretty close to time for us to leave.  As I made my way out of the house, I turned back to ponder upon all I had learned here in Ponyville, both Old and New.  I'm not entirely sure I know what it is Rainbow wanted me to learn here, but I have a feeling it wasn't just the condition of Old Ponyville and the ponies in it.  I wonder if it's possible I had missed something, or if the answer is much simpler than I was letting it be?

As we made our way across New Ponyville, I had one more chance to take in the sights.  It was still so surreal to think how much had changed.  I honestly didn't know this much could change in so short a time.  It lead me to wonder just how much blood, sweat and money must have gone into all of this.  I decided it was one of those things, however, that really didn't matter; it was there before my eyes.

Something caught my eye just that moment; a red spot in the distance.  As I focused on it, I could see it was a familiar red farm pony wearing a green bandanna.  He held up a hoof and waved; he was too far away to make out any expression.  I held my own hoof up and waved back.  I had always considered Big Mac a friendly acquaintance, but I think this trip has helped me.  I like to think he felt the same, to have a friend, even if it is a friend in common suffering.  As we turned and made our way towards the train station, I considered going back to speak with him, but when I looked again he had gone.

The train ride back I spent mostly deep in thought.  The conversation with Applejack, my dream... it was certainly a lot to mull over.  That dream especially.  What did it mean? Was it possible Fluttershy was trying to help me from beyond the grave? The mere thought made me shudder; not just because the natural fear coming from ghosts, but also from the fact that my rational side couldn't believe I even considered such a thing.  Eventually, I decided that the answers would come when they did; I just didn't know enough to come to any solid conclusions.

Destiny seemed to have a plan for me.  I could only question what it was.



TO BE CONTINUED...