The Beginning of the End

Thanks to all the wonderful people who helped out with this story!

Dusk-Spark, QueenChrysalisForever, TheMysticBrony

Boom boom boom

Is that the sound of my heart? Or is that the pounding on the door? No, it's both.

Boom boom boom

No no, it's fine! You're almost there! Just one more number...

Click!

Suddenly a loud crash was heard throughout the house, as the front door was broken through by swords and spears. Making a large hole in the wall for 5 pegasus and earth pony guards to walk through. They stood in the doorway of the dark house. All the lights had been turned off as to seem like nopony was home. But still they stood, their faces cold as stone and unchanging, except for the broadest who stood tall, his face contorted in rage as he yelled.

"Come out! We know you're here!"

They were searching for my son, Clipeum. I looked at him, gesturing for him silently to come over. He ran up, and I held him in my wing, as I lowered us down the hatch. Trying to stay calm and quiet as possible, I made my face look happy. Happy to be with my son, but inside I was full of fear. I could not show it, it would make him afraid too. I knew he was already afraid, but I wanted him to know his mother was here to protect him.

That we still had hope and we had to be brave.

I could hear the guards yelling, but I couldn't understand them over the crashes of them throwing furniture around in their search. As long as I had my son, everything would be alright. I was slowly closing the metal hatch, and I heard the click of the door locking in place. Their yelling was now muffled, throwing apart drawers and anything they saw.

I held onto the ladder with my hooves, and Clip held onto me tightly.

"Okay, do the spell now."

I whispered in the dark.

There was a dim white glow of light as Clipeum ignited his horn. He struggled to maintain it, but then the light got brighter, and I could now see much better. I could see rust on the ladder and on the close circular walls. The place stretched down far, and every time I came down here it felt as if I was being swallowed by the darkness beneath.

I smiled at my son, proud of him. Yet, I could see tears in his eyes, full of worry and stress. Although he was young, he was smart enough to know that he was targeted. He was always in hiding, because he was seen as a threat.

They were not supposed to know he existed, but somehow they found out, and we were on the run from them. Yet we had always been running from them, now it felt much more real. But the true fear was yet to come. But still, I couldn't show how afraid I was. It would only make things worse.

Together, we climbed down the ladder slowly, hearing only the clink clink of me putting my hoof on the next rung of the ladder. Climbing farther and farther down, as the cavernous hole seemed like it would never end.

We eventually made it to the bottom, and were in the dark tiny space Clip called home. I put all four hooves on the concrete floor and set Clip down, and he ran over to the wall on the other side of the room, standing up on his hind legs and clicking the light on with his hoof. A single bulb in the center of the room flickered on, hanging from the ceiling by a string and illuminating the room with a dim yellow glow that definitely was not as bright as his magic. I looked at the shelf where there were rows and rows of canned food, next to it a drawer with plastic utensils, plates and bowls. Next to the light switch was his bookshelf, and a few toys.

His favorite was the little toy unicorn. It made him feel less lonely.

They didn't make unicorn toys anymore.

I sat on his bed, with a dark blue blanket with a pattern of colorful parasprites. I remember when I had chosen the blanket. I had tried to make his room as colorful as possible. He lived in an old bomb shelter underneath the house, and as it wasn't the best place to call "home", it was the best option for him. I couldn't let him be taken away and brainwashed. I couldn't let him fall under the same spell everypony else had. I couldn't let him worship her, treat her like a goddess. I couldn't let him become another slave, just because of who he was. Just because of how he was born.

I watched him without saying a word as he opened a book from the shelf. It was one of the first stories I read to him. The book was illegal, actually, many of the children books in here were made illegal several years ago.

But like him, I kept those books somewhere where they couldn't find them, and loved them even if they weren't supposed to be here.

The one he chose was "The Tale of the Two Sisters.", which he brought over to me. Sitting next to me and opening it. He looked up at me with those big gray eyes, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Can you read it mama?"

Definitely wasn't the best time to read a book and calmly sip tea. But we needed something to keep our minds off the guards above, something to distract us.

Besides, it wouldn't take that long to read this, and of course they wouldn't be able to open the door above, so we would just wait it out. Just- keep calm, my son wanted to hear a story, a story he would hear.

I nodded, and he held the book out in front of me with his magic. It always comforted him when he was scared, and he liked it when I told him more about the two sisters, how different they were from our current ruler. He wished he could've known them. I wished I could see them again.

I cleared my throat and began to read.

"Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land."

I started.

"To do this, the eldest used her alicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn. The younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all of different types of ponies."

He suddenly stopped me.

"You mean they loved every kind of pony?"

"Yes, even the griffons and dragons. The alicorns cared for every pony."

"Even the unicorns?"

I paused.

"Yes. Even the unicorns. Now let me continue."

He lay his head on my shoulder, and I continued to read.

"But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful, the ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth. But shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger alicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young ones heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness! Nightmare Moon!"

Crash!

A crash echoed through the room as I heard the hatch being forced open. I dropped the book on the bed, and grabbed Clip.

"Emergency pocket! Now!"

We pushed aside the bed as fast as we could, and crawled through the hole in the wall. It was just big enough to fit the both of us. He pulled the bed back into its place, and we lay very still, waiting silently.

He breathed heavy, and I tried to hush him, whispering "it's alright. It's okay, mama's here."
I held him under my wing, holding him close and watching as three unicorns came down the ladder wearing silver armor, swords at their sides. One guard had a large saddlebag with a symbol on it. A spear which I assumed was his cutiemark.

I silently cursed myself for not making the door secure enough. It had gotten old, and could, with some difficulty, be opened without knowing the password.

"What is this?"

The first guard to get down asked, his voice deep and intimidating.

"Obviously a hiding spot."

Another guard said as he got to the bottom of the ladder. Placing his hooves on the ground.

"Search the place."

The last guard nodded and immediately stated pulling books off the shelves, glancing at the covers and tossing them to the floor.

They began throwing drawers open, tossing things on the ground without care.

I put my hoof over Clip's mouth to keep him from crying or screaming when they began to take a closer look at the books.

"These books..."

One said.

"They are about the alicorns!"

Another spoke up.

"Disgusting."

He took the books and we heard the ripping and tearing as he destroyed the books. We saw little pieces of paper, crumpled and torn, fall to the floor in front of us. He then put the remains in the bag.

"We'll burn them when we return. Report it. This mare needs to be put in prison."

"Along with having a witch child."

That word. Witch. It was a slang term for unicorns. I hated it more than any other word.

The others snickered, and they began to climb up the ladder. I carefully watched them leave, and waited until I heard the sound of the hatch closing. It didn't come. Instead we heard more loud yelling upstairs.

"We're finished here! Report back and tell others to go on a search for this mare and the unicorn!"

There was loud stomping of hooves as they left our house, then silence. I waited, holding back Clip for a minute to make sure they weren't coming back. Several minutes passed of silence, and we crawled out from the small hole in the wall.

Clip's eyes filled with tears as we took in the place. It was once nice, pretty and neat. Now it was bare. Most of the books were gone and the drawers were all opened, all contents spilled to the floor. With the help of Clipeum's magic, we lifted the bookshelf back into its place.
I looked down at the floor and saw something that had fallen from the top shelf.

A photograph of a very familiar stallion. A unicorn with gray eyes like Clip's, a light blue coat and dark blue messy mane. Around his neck hung a necklace. A small white feather on a black string.

The old photograph was cracked and broken. His face had been torn from the photo by the guards, but I knew that he was smiling.

This stallion. It had been so long... Years actually, since I had seen his smile, since I had seen him, since I had seen that sparkle in his eyes that told me he loved me. The same sparkle in Clipeum's eyes.

How did the guards find us? How did they know about my son?

Looking at the photograph... Made me figure it out. But I didn't want to believe it.

"Speak up! Or we'll throw you in prison!"

"I refuse."

"You cannot refuse! You are betraying her name! You cannot resist any longer!"

"Uugh! Now hitting me won't get you very far!"

"We'll just kill you if you don't fess up. We know she's hiding something!"

"Killing me will not get your answer. Beating me will not get your answer."

"Fine. But the truth potion will."

"AAAAAAH! STOP! STOP!"

"Now... Speak the truth."

"Huh... huh... huh... UGH!"

"SPEAK!"

"My... wife, had a child... I never got to meet the child... But, they are a unicorn..."

"How long have you been hiding this? Hiding this will get you executed! You do not disobey her!"

"I DO NOT PUT HER HIGHER THAN MY WIFE AND CHILD!"

"Send him to her. He needs to be... Put under control."

"NO! PUT ME DOWN! I BEG OF YOU! PLEASE!"

"Disgusting witch."

Broken glass fell to the floor. My now bloodshot red eyes stinging as tears dropped. Staining and ruining the already torn photograph. I knew what they had done to him. What they had done to every unicorn.

It was the only explanation for how they found us. It was the only way I could imagine it.

Clip sat next to me, looking sad but not quite understanding who the pony was in the photo. I glanced at the floor, and saw ripped pieces of paper from the books. Everything was unreadable except for a few that stuck out.

Equestria. Harmony. Friendship. All ponies.

I walked slowly over to the ladder and began to climb up. Clip followed me close behind.

I stood, the sheets and blanket on my bed had been thrown over. I walked slowly through the open door and I couldn't even speak. I could only stare, my eyes wandering the room along with my hooves. Slowly, carefully. Careful not to step on the piles of ash, and avoid the small flames still brightly burning. Crumbling holes had pierced through the walls, and furniture. Covered in burn marks, pictures once on the walls were on the floor, glass shattered. I picked up Clip, and put my wings over him as he lay on my back. I couldn't let him get a single shard on his little hooves. Instead I felt the pain for him when I stepped on it, hissing at the sudden shock.

"Mama?"

"Don't worry about me."

I gulped, and kept forward. I spotted what I was looking for in the hallway, and moved closer to the door. No, if they had done anything to this room... I opened the door and that's when I really began to sob.

All of my husbands work, all of his carefully and beautifully made jewelry was gone.

They had taken it, because they knew that he had made it. I knew they were going to destroy them just like the rest of his things. But a glint of light caught my eye. From the one window in the room, light came through, I could see dust floating in the air, and the light pointed me to the one piece of jewelry they left. His necklace. The necklace he had always worn, it was so special to him. It meant a lot to me too. A single feather on a thin black string. One light lavender bead separating the two. A feather from my own wing, the same color as the bead. He always wanted to carry a piece of me next to is heart.

I sniffed, Clip looked at the necklace with curiosity.

"This was your fathers... It's one of my feathers. He always wanted to take a piece of me with him every where he went. So that we were never apart."

I picked up the necklace, and put it over Clip's head. It hung down around his neck, and he picked it up with his hoof looking it over.

"Now you can always have me next to your heart Clip."

We looked at each other, and smiled.

I cleared my throat, looking down. "I think, Clip, we need a good home to stay in... We can't live here anymore."

He looked at me sadly. "But... My room?"

"We have to leave." I sighed, putting a hoof on his shoulder. "We can't stay here. They know where we live now."

"C-can we stay with Octavia?"

I nodded. Just what I was thinking.

I led him outside of the place that was once our home, and Clip walked beside me down the streets of Ponyville.

As always, the sky was gray and red. The clouds were dark and you could see the red glow of the dome peaking through the clouds. Giving everything a slight red tint. We were on the edge of the dome, and where it all began.

Ponyville.

The streets were empty, cold and dark, no sound but the slightest of wind blowing and the crackling of thunder high above.

Clipeum almost never went outside. It was rare that he left the house or his room. He only left to see Octavia with me. It was rare that I went outside either, most ponies would agree that outside was not the best place to be. Dark and damp, it was the world that you now lived in, no matter where you went in Equestria, there was no escape.

Sunshine and Moonlight were just words of the past.

We walked past a statue of a familiar mare. Familiar, despite being hidden underneath a cloak. Her tail, nor her mane were visible. You could only see a muzzle sticking out from underneath the shadow, and those bright red, evil eyes.

She stood in a heroic pose, as if she was ready for battle. Upright on her hind legs with one hoof raised in the air. Her head was facing behind her though, as if she was looking back at something that we couldn't see.

There were multiple of these statues all around Equestria. Some of the younger fillies thought the eyes were cameras that watched you. If they were I wouldn't be surprised, but I knew better. They were just ugly hunks of rock. Clip stared at the statue as we walked past it, and he stopped for a moment.

"Come on Clip." I demanded.

He looked down, and walked along again. He didn't have to say it, but I knew he was sorry for stalling.

We walked past the neighboring houses. They had once been painted with bright pinks, yellows, and whites. Sometimes flowers decorating their lawns and window sills.

But what had once been bright and colorful, was now reduced to a crumbling building that looked almost abandoned. The paint had faded and made no sign of returning much like the ponies that had once lived there. The flowers had withered and died long ago, dry and shriveled up without the care of their gardeners.

We made it to our destination, the door with two music notes on the front. A purple treble clef, and a black beam note under it.

I remember years ago when this house was much louder. I glanced at the Golden Oak Library next door, which was now reduced to ash. It had once been the home of Twilight Sparkle, the leader of the elements of harmony. She had gone missing after her return. I sighed, and placed a hoof on the door. Knocking. After a minute or two, the door slowly opened just a crack, and a scared pair of purple eyes stared at me.

I looked around me, checking again to see if any pony was watching, before pushing the door open all the way to dash in. The gray earth pony stepped back to let Clip and I in, then slammed the door shut. She sighed, and ran up to hug me.

"I saw the guards outside. What happened?"

Oh, I love that Canterlot accent. It calms me down to hear her voice, even if she was scared and had worry in her eyes.

"They searched our house."

My ears fell back, and I kicked at the floor with my hoof.

"They took so much! We hid, but... It was terrifying Octavia! I don't know if I can-"

I looked away, tears filling my eyes.

The musician hugged me, and I hugged her back.

"It's alright. You're safe here with me. You two can stay in... In the guest room."

I nodded, and once again looked at the photograph of her Dj mare friend on the side table as she walked into the hallway. I sat on the couch, and held Clipeum in my lap, stroking his mane.

"It's alright now. We're safe now."

"Mama? Can I read her books again?"

"You can go ask her. She's down the hall setting up the guest room."

He trotted down the hall to find her, and minutes later he returned with a book from the bookshelf in the guest room. I wasn't the only one with illegal books. I read the cover, it was a spell book. He liked reading her old spell books. I had never had any in the first place, my husband was never big on learning any fancy spells. He was only a crafter. He always said he just needed levitation and an eye for detail.

Excitedly, Clipeum started looking at all the picture demonstrations of the spells. He showed me the book, and pointed at one picture, where a unicorn was pulling a rabbit out of a hat. It was for teleportation. The rabbit was just in another room and he teleported it in.

"Oh, pulling a rabbit out of a hat seems strange, doesn't it?'

He nodded.

"Well, when I was younger, some unicorns would put on fun shows where they would do all sorts of magic tricks. They were called magicians."

Suddenly a memory popped in my head of a particular magician. But I tried to wave it off.

Don't think about it. Ignore it.

"Uh... Here, why don't we read a different page?" I began to flip pages, and he got distracted by one page that I barely glanced at. I saw a picture of wings and some words above it, but let him continue reading.

I looked over at the dark fireplace, which hadn't been used in a long time. Next to it was a stand with a cello sitting on it. On the floor was a gray empty cello case, and a music stand with a closed music book on it. Multiple colorful bookmarks stuck out. Possibly favorite songs, and on the cover was a picture of a white pegasus playing the cello on stage. Looking quite mesmerizing and beautiful while doing so.

I sat next to Clipeum, lost in thought while he read his book.

They must have done something to Silver Ring! But... Why now? Had he really hidden our secret for that long? What if they tortured him for information?! What are they making him do?

Worry began to build up within me, but I could not show my fear with Clipeum around.

Don't get yourself worked up... It's not like you're ever going to get things back to normal... He's never going to return home. Just keep safe what you have. Don't think about what's already gone.

But a small voice in the back of my head told me otherwise. Told me that I could get Silver back. But it had been years. It seemed impossible, and sitting around worrying wasn't going to help anything.

Octavia seemed to have appeared next to me, and said, "The room is ready, sorry, just had to clean up a few things."

"It's okay."

Clip and I walked into the room, and he sat on the bed, his eyes appeared to be glued to that book. I wondered what was so entrancing about it. Octavia walked next to me.

"I'll make you two some tea."

"No no! Octavia it's fine. You've done enough! I could make some tea-"

"You've gone through so much today. Me cleaning up a bit is not enough."

She walked out to make tea for us. I didn't protest.

I looked around the room. Next to us, the side table had a small lamp and a keychain. It had two keys on it, probably house keys. in front of me was a walk in closet, which was slightly opened and showed that little clothing was in there. Above the bed was a poster. It had bright color and was a bit painful to look at, but I could tell it was some band. It had three pegasi, two holding up electric guitars and the middle pegasus had a microphone and looked like he was screaming into it. Above them in bright golden letters it said, Electric City! which is what I assumed the band was called.

I looked to the right, and next to the side table was a desk. On the corner was a black and blue speaker, and black earbuds. But in the center on the back of the desk, was a photograph. A photograph of 6 ponies. 5 mares and a stallion. All smiling. The two in the middle I recognized as Octavia and Vinyl, who had her hoof around Octavia. Along with Vinyl, there was another unicorn in the photo. A mint green mare. I didn't recognize any of the other ponies they were with. I decided to ask her about them.

Soon she entered the room with a platter in her mouth, three steaming teacups that smiled delicious sitting on it. Octavia always made the best tea. She set it on the desk, and waved us over.

Clip set down his book, and we walked over.

He smiled. "Octavia, that smells really good!" He looked up at her, and she returned the smile.

"Thank you Clipeum."

The teacup floated over to him as it was engulfed in a white glow. He took a sip and said, "mmmm!" I took a sip of my own tea, and it was pretty good. I could just tell by the taste that it was chamomile. One of my favorites.

"So, Octavia."

She looked at me curiously.

"I noticed this photograph. Who are they?"

I pointed a hoof at the photo, and she picked it up. Clip, looked at the photograph with us as we sat on the side of the bed.

"After me and Vinyl became roommates, she introduced me to her friends. This is Bon Bon, her mare friend Lyra Heartstrings, Doctor Hooves and Derpy. Well, her name is Ditzy Doo, but we called her Derpy because of the eyes. Funny, she made the nickname for herself."

"It seems like Derpy and Doctor were the only ones without dates." I chuckled.

"Oh," Octavia laughed. "They were just bound to get together! You could tell. I wonder... I wonder how they're all doing right now..."

Her ears fell back and she looked down sadly. "Doc didn't stay around long. Said he had to go away for a business trip, I remember him walking off with another mare I didn't know too well. Rose was her name. I never saw either of them again... I-I know Lyra was taken to an asylum. Bon Bon moved to Manehattan to be closer to her and visit her more often."

"Asylum... She wasn't... uh, sent to her?"

Octavia shook her head. "No. She constantly claimed to see strange creatures. She would mention the creatures every once in a while. Made jokes and such, we never truly understood what she was talking about. When... this all started, they took her to an insane asylum."

Clip stared at Octavia, not saying a word. Taking in information and processing it. Lyra Heartstrings was crazy.

"Something about her did always seem off, the way she acted. A lot of the time she held things with her hoof instead of her magic. Strange girl. But we really did love her. All of us had our quirks."

She set the photograph back on the desk, and by this point, we had all finished our tea.

"I'll just clean up." She glanced out the window above the desk, and remembered that it was impossible to tell what time of day it was.

Old memories brought back old habits.

She looked at the pink clock to the right of the window.

"It's getting late. You should get your rest."

I nodded, and watched as she left the room, shutting the door. I moved Clip's book to the desk, and tucked him in. "Goodnight, Clip. I'm going to be right back okay?"

"Okay." He said quietly. I kissed him on the forehead right under his horn, and walked out of the room. Silently closing the door, smiling at him as I did.

I turned to trot down the worn hallway before entering the kitchen.

"Octavia! I don't know what to do!"

I paced around the open room as she cleaned the dishes in the kitchen sink.

"Th-they know where we live! They said they're going to search for us! They're on a witch hunt!"

"You know that witch hunt isn't a good thing to say anymore. It means a lot more now than it did back then."

"Is this really the time Octavia?! My son is a unicorn! A witch! This is the perfect time!"

"It's insulting. You know this. I know that you hate the word."

"Look. Guards. Her guards are looking for us! They want to put us in prison, or make us slaves! He's just a colt Octavia!"

Tears began to well into my eyes as I spoke. My true fear coming out. I had spent all day hiding it from Clip. I could not hide it any longer!

Octavia stopped her cleaning, and walked over to me. I stopped my anxious pacing and she embraced me in a hug.

"I don't know how much they know about us. I don't know how much information they got out of him! But I am in a situation here I don't know how to escape!"

"If you don't know. Leave."

"What?"

"Leave my house. They might know we're friends. Ponyville isn't a big place. They'll probably search every house if they have to!"

"You just don't want to get caught."

"What? No! Midnight, I-"

"You don't want to go to prison for having illegal books! Or associating with unicorns! You don't want to be a criminal! You just want to play your cello... That's all you care about... You just want what you want because you're selfish!"

Tears and anger shown in my eyes as I put my muzzle against hers.

She blinked, startled and shocked.

"Midnight. I just- I don't want to lose another friend."

I stepped back. Looking at her. Confusion and rage showing in my lavender eyes.

"I've lost everything..." Suddenly she began to raise her voice. "I lost Vinyl! I lost my friends! At least you still have some family! You have Clipeum! I have no pony!" She yelled, tears pouring down her face like a waterfall.

"I have nopony but you and Clip... And if you got taken... I- I don't know what I would do with myself."

She turned her head, looking away from me. Her gaze leaving my eyes and drifting to the floor.

"I know you're stressed out... But you can't stay here, Midnight. We'll all get taken. I just have to know you're safe."

I gulped. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was... In denial... Of everything. Clip and I... We will leave in the morning."

I turned around, but then she grabbed ahold of my long tail.

"I have to show you something first."

She led me to the dinner table, where an Equestria Daily newspaper lay. On the front was a black and white photo of a unicorn mare tied to a chair. Her face looked beaten and bruised, and she had a black eyepatch covering her right eye. Her large curly mane which could've once been beautiful was messy and tangled. she wore a torn black cloak over her body with light lining, and where it tied together on her neck, were 3 small diamonds holding it together. Her expression towards the camera was full of rage but at the same time calmness. Her head was lowered and she glared with a malicious intent that gave me shivers.

I began to read the article.

Unicorn rebel, and Element of Harmony caught

Last night the unicorn Rarity (Shown in picture above) was caught last night sneaking into a unicorn weaving facility. She attempted to steal them from the facility. But was caught by a heroic guard who called for backup. One guard had his neck sliced open, followed by multiple deep cuts and injuries across his body. Three were left injured, also covered with deep cuts and slices from the enemy's weapon. But they managed to restrain the threat and she was imprisoned on charges of murder, theft, and hate crimes towards pegasi and earth ponies.

Later she confessed to being part of a group. A rebellion against our queen, and the citizens of Equestria.

Knowing that their is a secret group of dangerous unicorns somewhere in Manehattan, the guards will be on duty more to protect everypony.

Unicorns are a threat. They are a threat to our society, our families and our loved ones. Spread the word.

That very last line made me sick. I stopped reading the newspaper a long time ago when I saw that at the bottom every time it said those words. "Unicorns are a threat. They are a threat to our society, our families and our loved ones. Spread the word."

But this one shocked me. There was a rebellion full of unicorns, somewhere in Manehattan, that's been in hiding for who knows how long? An Element of Harmony was a part of it... do you think... no no... Twilight Sparkle was sent away 10 years ago. She couldn't be. But still... this rebellion. Even if it sounded dangerous... It sounded like the only good place to be. They sounded like the only sane ponies in this doomed place we called Equestria.

I didn't have a home. I had nowhere to go. Clip and I... We couldn't stay in hiding forever. Just the two of us. But there was a group who could help us, and I think... I feel like that's where we should be.

Don't be afraid to take risks. You can't be afraid anymore.

I looked at Octavia, and she could read my expression well. She nodded.

"Do we agree? That is where you should be, Midnight. With them."

"B-but... I'm a pegasus... I can't just-"

She grabbed my face suddenly, and whispered.

"They're the Elements of Harmony! They understand! Go find them. In the morning, go to Manehattan. Find them!"

I nodded, and went back to my room. Opening the door slightly, to see Clip happily, quietly, snoring in the dark room.

I climbed in next to him, smiling as I shut my eyes and fell asleep.

I gave her one last hug. One last hug, before trotting into the train to Manehattan. She sniffled and cried a bit, as she watched Clip and I go. The door shutting behind us, and we felt the train begin to move. I pulled Clip into an empty compartment. Closing the door, and closing the curtains.

Like the houses, the train had once been painted bright and colorful, but as the paint began to fade, it was repainted an ugly gold color. The doors were painted black and the gray curtains and seats had small holes and rips in them. The train had gotten so old that it creaked constantly and made a loud painful whistle that screamed in your ears.

I sighed. "You can take it off now Clip."

He uncovered his face, removing the dark gray cloak hood that covered his horn. His face. His identity.

It was a strange experience for him. He had never been outside of Ponyville before. He had never been on a train before. He seemed startled as the train began to move a little faster. He sat down on the seat next to me, holding onto my leg tightly in fear.

"It's okay. We're going somewhere better. We're going to the big bright city of Manehattan!"

In fact, I was wrong. It had certainly been years since I had visited Manehattan. It was no longer as bright as I remembered. Just like everywhere else in Equestria. The sky was dark and gray, with a hint of red from the glowing magical dome above. I realized we had no where to stay.

No where to sleep. What was I thinking? I was in so much of a hurry... I didn't even bring much bits!

I turned around to see the train already moving, leaving the station. I turned back around, looking in the large crowd of ponies. I reached my hoof down to my saddlebag. But it wasn't there. My eyes widened. No, no! I grabbed Clip, throwing him on my back and running towards the train, ponies gave me looks as I bumped into them, yelling at me. Clip held onto my back tightly, and I suddenly stopped. I could not reach the train. Clip whispered in my ear, reminding me.

"Wings."

I blinked in realization. I could fly, and I had spent so long cooped up inside, that I had forgotten I had them.

"Been a long time since I did this!"

I bent down, and shot off the ground, spreading my wings in flight.

But I was rusty, and struggled to stay in the air. He clutched onto me tighter, and I kicked my hooves and flapped my wings hard. Just trying to stay afloat. But I tried my best to move forward, but at this point, the train was long gone. I tried my best landing, but Clip hopped off of me before I touched the ground. I fell onto my side, scraping my leg which left a red mark.

I stood up, groaning at the slight pain. Ponies around us looked and snickered.

I felt my face heating up with embarrassment, frustration, and anger. I shook my head, and picked up Clipeum. Setting him on my back, where he wrapped his hooves around my neck.

We had to get out of here, we had to find a good place to stay. We had to go... Somewhere, even if I didn't know where that was. I kicked a hoof at the ground, and started forward.

Running through the streets and occasionally bumping into ponies walking past. Who yelled angrily at us. I spotted an alleyway, hidden from every pony. Nopony could see us there! I pulled him into it with me. Going farther back, and stopped.

I panted from the running, and basically collapsed onto the concrete dirty ground. Clipeum crawled off and sat down next to me.

I shut my eyes, feeling the utter hopelessness rising into me once again. To my surprise, Clipeum put his hooves around me and hugged me tight.

I opened my eyes to look down at his, and he smiled at me.

"It's okay mama." he said comfortingly. "Son is here."

Tears formed in my eyes. It was just like what I always said to him. "It's okay, mama's here."

He held onto me. Comforting me. He was strong enough to not cry, but I couldn't do this. How long could we really survive without getting caught?

I felt a drop of water on my muzzle, looking up and noticing that it was beginning to rain. I covered Clipeum with my wing, so he would be dry, and I would take the pain for him.

But when I looked up, I noticed something, behind us, on the wall was a crimson red, but I couldn't quite see what it was.

I turned my head to see it clearer, and grit my teeth angrily.

It was the symbol.

A black silhouette of a mare's face, one that should be a unicorn, but had long ago become an alicorn. The only alicorn left.

The one who wiped away the others from existence.

The symbol that was painted all over Equestria.

The symbol of the pony I hated most. The one who had done this to me. The one who had destroyed my life.

Her. The Ruler. The Queen of Equestria.

The Great and Powerful, Trixie Lulamoon.

1: Journal of T.S.

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December 2 2012

I have begun to write down what is going on out here in case anypony finds me and I am not here. I am staying with Zecora in the Everfree forest trying to research and practice magic of any kind to defeat Trixie. I have been exiled from Ponyville and without Spike, I have no way to contact the Princesses. Currently Zecora has been helping me focus my magic but I am unable to get the thought of Trixie from my mind, as her sudden power and strength is undeniable.

I did notice one thing though, she came to Ponyville wearing a strange amulet that I do not recognize. From memory, I have made a sketch of the amulet, and will do further research on it in the future.

I hope the girls and Spike are doing alright.

December 10 2012

I have read almost every book in Zecora's home. She has heard of ancient magic like this, but does not know the specific's, as I showed her my rough sketch and she does not recognize the amulet.

I feel like I have seen it somewhere before but my memories have faded of the event.

For now, I will continue my practices with Zecora and practice my magic abilities. Although I struggle with the aging spell, I must learn to do it over time. With enough practice, I know I will get there, but Zecora is telling me to take things slow. I must calm my mind.

December 16 2012

I had to rip out my 3rd entry. It contained confidential information that no pony should stumble over in the years to come. I fear that Trixie may somehow discover my journal in the future.

I have figured out multiple ways to destroy the amulet. Although not knowing how it truly works, I am aware that it makes her almost unstoppable. I fear for the future of Equestria if I cannot make it back in time.

Hopefully the girls have discovered a way to stop her or have found a helpful book in my library. I have come to the conclusion that where I have seen the amulet was most likely in one of my books. Either from The Golden Oak Library, or my home in Canterlot.

But I wonder why they have not come to bring me back yet. I guess I have to wait here.

December 30 2012

Sorry, I haven't had much time to write lately. Zecora asked me to help her collect some things from around the forest and I have been learning my way around.

I still have Trixie on my mind a lot lately, and it has been affecting my focus.

None of the girls or Princess Celestia has contacted me yet.

My friends have no way of contacting the princesses, and the princesses have no way of contacting my friends. The dome blocks it, and therefore the princesses do not know where I am.

I hope they are looking for me.

The Rebellion

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Nothing. We had nothing.

I stared up at the dark sky. My mane and coat already soaking wet from the pouring rain. Clipeum lay underneath my wing, completely dry. But even at some point, a wing would not be able to stand being wet any longer and succumb. I could already feel it getting heavier by each minute that passed.

I looked at my son. Asleep and curled up like a dog. His coat as dark as Princess Luna's and his cheeks spotted with white freckles that resembled stars in a night sky. Peeking out from underneath the dark cloak that covered him like a blanket, was a small light purple feather. The necklace that brought him luck.

I stared at the cloak. I was freezing, and although it was small, it was better than nothing.

No. He comes first. You don't need it.

I was selfless. Too selfless. I put my son before myself, that's how I always was. So caught up with taking care of him, that I had forgotten to take care of myself. I remembered yesterday. I hadn't even eaten breakfast. I gave the last of the strawberries to him. We had little food left at the house.

I was going to go out and buy more... But, of course we were interrupted before I could.

I shivered. He wouldn't mind, would he?

I hesitantly took the cloak, making sure to not wake him, and put it over my back and neck. Keeping it on tight with my hooves.

I could feel the tiredness begin to overtake me too. I stayed up late last night, sitting, worrying. I hadn't gotten much sleep.

I started getting drowsy, my eyes drooped, my head lolled forward, and I slowly closed my eyes.

"Mama, mama!"

My eyes shot open. Clip's face was very close to mine, and he had worry in his eyes.

"What, what is it?!"

I stood up, and he pointed to the end of the alley.

I turned around to see a pair of bright glowing eyes in the darkness, and I stepped back. Clip shrunk next to me, and I heard him whining.

The eyes slowly moved closer, and suddenly ran out of the darkness. A small blur of gray and black skittered past us.

I jumped back in surprise. Just a raccoon.

More eyes appeared in the darkness, and I realized it was time to find a different place as more raccoons ran out and away from us. I started to move out of the dark alley, but Clip tugged on my leg. I stopped, and he pulled the cloak off my back.

Even thought it was cold, wet, and heavy. He put it around himself. Making sure to cover his horn, and ran out with me.

He never got upset about having to do things he didn't like. Wearing a freezing cold sopping wet cloak was nothing.

We left the alley, and out into the open. Looking around at the streets of Manehattan. Taxi's basically flew through the streets, everywhere we saw ponies walking through the rain, holding up umbrellas with their hooves. Trying their best to avoid the puddles as to not get their hooves and fancy getups wet.

But whenever there was rain, that meant more ponies inside than usual, which was good for us. The less ponies to see us, the better.

I looked around at the bright lights coming from windows in tall buildings. Big cities with bright lights and bustling ponies was never my favorite place, but I had to be here. I had almost forgotten why I was here.

I was here to find the unicorn rebellion.

With no clue of who they were, where they were, or if they would even accept me.

I looked to my left, noticing the raccoon was hurriedly running on the sidewalk. The other raccoons followed close behind.

Odd.

Out of curiosity, I followed them. We had nowhere else to be. Although it was probably just to find another dumpster to eat garbage from. I began to realize this was probably the lowest, saddest part of my life. Being so homeless and out of options, that I would follow a group of raccoons.

Clip crawled up onto my back, and we ran through the rain, following the critters.

Eventually I did get tired and slower, but it seemed like the animals were going to a strange part of town. The buildings seemed smaller and more worn down. There was basically nopony here. I looked behind me, just now realizing we had long ago left the bright lights of the city and were in some sort of neighborhood.

Where buildings were cracked and falling apart. It was dark and cold here. Colder away from the warm lights of the city. The place seemed abandoned, the buildings were in an old style.

The place was completely empty. It reminded me of a ghost town in a way. But it was safe. We could stay here. Away from every pony, living here and look around for anything useful in the buildings, until we found the rebellion.

If we found the rebellion.

I looked up at a crumbling building, beginning to walk towards it, when I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

Around the corner of a dark gray building, was a flash of pink.

I turned my head, but the bright color was already gone.

I narrowed my eyes in confusion, and turned around. watching, waiting. Had I just imagined it?

I walked over, and peaked around the corner. There was a mare.

She was sitting against the wall, hunkered down in fear, a light yellow mare with a choppy short pink mane. A beautiful white dress covered her, and behind her ear was a teal flower. Her eyes were shut, her teeth grit, and her hooves on her head. Her wings were wrapped around her like she was hiding in a butterfly cocoon.

She was trembling, trying to hide from me.

She slowly opened her eyes, seeing me in front of her and squeaking as she shut them once again. She turned her head away.

"Who- who are you?" I asked. In some way, the mare looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place it who she was.

She opened her eyes again, and looked me up and down.

"W-wait..." She said, her voice just barely over a whisper. "You're... they're right!" Suddenly she jumped up, looking at me with wide eyes. Her gaze turned to Clipeum, and she reached forward towards him.

I put my wing in front of him protectively, and she jerked her hoof back, looking at the ground.

"I asked, who are you?!" I said, raising my voice a bit. She squeaked and shrunk down fearfully. She was a full grown mare, but the way she acted seemed childish. I was trying not to be too harsh, but you never knew what could be behind those eyes.

But then, she slowly moved her head back up, she looked me right in the eye with a sudden determination and bravery.

"I am Fluttershy. The Element of Kindness, and one of the leaders of the rebellion!" At the last few words, she yelled. Opening her wings, and her teal eyes locked with mine.

I could only stare. Now I knew why she seemed familiar. Fluttershy, one of the Elements of Harmony. A leader of the rebellion.

"Y-you're... H-how..." She put a hoof over my mouth and smiled. "My raccoons found you. We've been looking for you ever since your face was put on wanted posters and in the newspaper. We know who you are Midnight Glider."

She reached her hoof towards Clipeum, and I did not stop her as she pushed his hood back revealing his horn. "We will keep you from danger." She said softly, pulling him closer forward.

She turned around, gesturing us to follow, and we did in a sort of trance. Following the brightly colored mare through the dark and empty ruins.

"You mean 'we' as in the rebellion? We've been looking for you too actually! I- I-... Thank you. Thank you so much." I sighed, and walked beside her.

"It's truly an honor to meet you... Fluttershy. I don't know you too well, but I've heard stories, battles, about you and the Elements of Harmony... Are you going to let us join the rebellion? I want to help in anyway that I ca-"

"Thank you. But for now we're keeping you both safe. We don't need to lose anymore unicorns."

I nodded, and watched Clip as he nervously walked by the unfamiliar mare.

"By the way, what's your name little unicorn?"

"Uh... Clipeum... Or C- Clip." He responded, lowering his head and looking away from her face.

She chuckled. "That's a unique and lovely name Clip. Who gave you that?"

I cleared my throat. "It was a name given by my husband... I still don't know how he came up with it. I think it's from another language, but I never asked."

Fluttershy smiled. Knowing better than to ask about family members that were obviously not present. It was common sense.

We walked up to another building, just as broken down as the others, and she opened the door. I hear a yell from another mare, sitting at a table with a stallion. Her hoof slammed on the table as she yelled, "We have to get her back!"

Both heads turned to us, the first thing I notice is the mares mane. A rainbow ran through her hair, which on her neck was short and spiked up. Her coat sky blue and her eyes a brilliant rosy pink. She wore a silver chestplate, and black gloves on her hooves. She looked stunned, her jaw dropped when she saw me.

Fluttershy nodded, and said "We found them, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash flew over the table, and hugged her friend. "Fast too!" Rainbow exclaimed, her voice was the opposite. Deep and raspy, but she looked at me with a smile.

Fluttershy looked at me. "In the newspaper it said their was a rebellious pegasus mare, described as you, with a young unicorn running amok. We want to help you Midnight, it sounds like you have gone through a lot. If you have questions, you can ask these two."

Fluttershy looked to Rainbow Dash, a slight blush on her face. She cleared her throat, and said, "Rainbow, this is Midnight Glider, of course, and her unicorn son, Clipeum."

Rainbow flew down in front of me, and held out a hoof for me to shake. "Rainbow Dash, the one and only!" She went back up into the air, and shot over to Clip, where she ruffled up his mane and laughed. "Hey little sucker! I'm Rainbow Dash. Wanna see my guns?" She said proudly.

Fluttershy protested, quietly saying, "no." But Rainbow still showed off her muscles. Which got a "Wow!" From Clip, and a sigh of relief from Fluttershy, who muttered, "Thank goodness that's not what she meant."

I looked then at the stallion at the table, who had a stern look on his face, looking at me and Clip with only slight annoyance from interrupting his meeting.

The stallion at the table stood up, putting his front hooves on the table. It was a unicorn stallion. But something was wrapped around his horn, a metal lock. I recognized those. Unicorns under slavery had them. It prevented them from using magic. He sighed. "It's truly great to see another unicorn here." He smiled slightly. His coat was white but his hooves dark royal blue. His short mane had different stripes and shades of blue, his eyes were icy blue, and he wore the same chest plate as Rainbow, but bigger to fit his size. A spear hung at his side, and he was quite buff. He looked a little older than the rest.

"If you'll excuse me." he said, leaving the room and going up the stairs to the next floor.

"It's really you." I said amazed. Ignoring the stallion. "I'm meeting the Elements of Harmony."

Rainbow chuckled. "Well, you still have a few more to meet. We welcome you to the rebellion, Midnight, Clipeum. We're going to meet for lunch soon, and we'll set up a room for you to stay in. Fluttershy?"

"Yep." Fluttershy said, going up the same stairs.

"I can't believe she found you so quick. We read about you, and began a search. Heard you were sighted getting on a train to Manehattan and we set animals all over the city searching. Fluttershy has a gift you know." she grinned. "She can communicate with animals, they are our eyes and ears, gets us the info we need."

Rainbow looked up at the stairs where Fluttershy had just left. "She's a special one."

"Oh, well, I'm truly grateful. I found out about the rebellion in the newspaper and came out looking for you as well. It was about, the capture, of Rarity?"

Rainbow looked down sadly. "Yes, we were just discussing that. She's our only unicorn without the magic lock. She makes all the armor, she made Fluttershy that dress. But she's not the one who makes the weapons."

Rainbow waved her hoof, and we followed her upstairs. We walked down the hallway, rows of doors on both sides like a hotel. She opened one door, and we stepped inside. On the walls were shelves. Shelves full of all sorts of weaponry. Guns, knives, swords, everything. Rainbow took one gun down, what I could only assume was a pistol, grabbed a magazine of bullets, and clicked it inside.

"Not the best, but I want to show you the simpler stuff first. Come on."

We followed her back downstairs and outside. We ended up watching her shoot things like garbage cans and windows in other buildings.

I kept Clip under my wing, and watched her with terror and fascination. I had never seen a gun, I had never heard of any pony with a gun.

She stopped shooting for a moment to look at me with a grin.

"How did you get these? I thought guns were illegal!"

"They are." She chuckled. "We buy them from Gryphon Arms. They make the weapons! But we do have our own personal gryphon you see. She's made some weapons. Not many, but she's getting better!" she laughed as she shot another trash can farther away, causing it to fall over and dump it's contents onto the ground.

"Ha! She went from making disgusting scones to making beautiful weapons!" She shot a window this time, and we heard the impact of the glass shattering. Clip watched it all with fascination. "But, normally the guns I use cause stuff to catch fire or explode. But, I do need a break every once in a while."

"Can I try?" Clip asked excitedly. Before I could say no myself, Rainbow said it for me.

"No! And as much as I wanna say yes, it's dangerous. You need some training if you're gonna use any sort of weapon."

"But you're brave just for asking, little sucker." She ruffled up his mane again, and started to walk back to the building again when she realized she had run out of bullets.

"Enough toying around with guns. But, hey, it'd be fun to see you fight. I'll train you myself if you really want to."

He grinned brightly. "Really? I can shoot down baddies?"

She chuckled. "Yep. you'll beat them right into the dirt!" She said, beating her hoof on the ground.

He ran forward, "I'm gonna beat you there!" He called out excitedly. "Oh no you're not!" She yelled back, ready for a challenge.

She shot forward, caught up to him, and slowed down, flying right beside him and flipping so she faced the sky. She started moving her legs to look as if she was swimming through the air, and they both laughed. She fell back a little to let him win on purpose as he placed his hoof on the door.

"Oh darn!" She said sadly. "I lost! Looks like you're just too good."

She pushed open the already slightly opened door farther, and he fell forward when it swung open. He went inside, laughing with his new friend.

"You're really good with him." I whispered to her, as we all gathered back inside.

She smiled. "Yeah... He reminds me of some pony, I- I never treated her right. I need to make it up for her. I need to redo it... Right this time."

I nodded in understanding. "Where you close with her?"

"Not close enough. I was a role model for her... But, I took her for granted. I was too self absorbed at the time... She didn't mean a lot to me. But now I miss her more than anything." She sniffed. But shook it away, hiding her emotions as best she could.

"Come on sucker!" She flew next to him again. Picking him up, and carrying him up the stairs.

He giggled all the way, and she said, "See! You can fly! I always knew you could..."

"No! Don't take her from me! I'm the only family she has!"

"Rainbow Dash!"

"Please! Don't hurt her! She's not even a unicorn! She's so young, don't take her away from me! You can't do this!"

"Miss Lulamoon has ordered us-"

"Scootaloo! I know you can fly! Fly so far away from them! Fly far away! Scootaloo... I know you can do it! I love you..."

Rainbow Dash wiped a tear from her eye, as she set the gun in it's rightful spot on the shelf. She picked up Clip once again, and spun him around and around. They both laughed, and she said happily, "You're with me now! We're going to be such good friends, you're going to meet such good ponies!" But her laughter stopped as another mare entered the room.

Rainbow continued to hold him in the air, but stopped in her tracks, her eyes following the new pony in the room. I moved away to let the earth pony walk past me.

Her dark pink mane was long and straight, her coat a light pink. Covering her muzzle was a white mask with a big red X on it. Except... Her face was flat. It looked like she had no muzzle. But stained across her face and hooves was blood. Fresh blood. No emotion shown in her expression, but her bright blue eyes were wide open and her pupils were the size of pin pricks. She held with one hoof, a large black gun which she held over her shoulder.

Nothing about this mare looked even the slightest familiar until I saw her cutiemark. Three balloons, two were light blue, the other yellow. That cutiemark only belonged to one pony, and this pony just couldn't be her.

"Aaah, Pinkie." Rainbow said, setting down Clip. Pinkie froze and slowly turned her head to Rainbow silently. "You've been doing target practice again?"

Pinkie set the large gun in her hoof on the shelf. Her eyes locked with Rainbows, still unspeaking.

"You know, Fluttershy doesn't like it when you shoot the rats."

I shifted uncomfortably.

Pinkie looked at her hoof covered with blood, and she looked back up again at the pegasus. Her face did not change for even a moment. I couldn't even tell if she was breathing.

"Well, uh, lunch is almost ready, could you gather everypony for that?"

Pinkie did not respond. She only walked out of the room and down the hall.

"Pinkie... Pinkie Pie?! That was the Element of Laughter?" I asked surprised. "What happened?"

Rainbow sighed. "Is, she still is the Element of Laughter. Just... She can't laugh anymore. It was at the beginning of all this... Twilight Sparkle, and Trixie had a duel. One that determined whether Twilight would stay in Ponyville or not. Twilight... Twilight lost. She was sent out, and Trixie hate her so much... She burnt down her home. The Golden Oak library was gone. After that... She became so controlling. She started to take over Equestria. She had so much power that she sent the alicorns to the moon. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. But, Princess Cadence went missing. Nopony knows what happened to her after that. Shining Armor, that stallion I was with earlier, is her husband. He won't give up on looking for her. He was demoted from being captain of the royal guards, and became a slave. We've only successfully rescued two unicorns. Shining Armor, and another mare. You'll meet her at lunch probably. She's very outgoing and loud, You'll spot her in a second. But, well, of course they have those magic locks that we still haven't figured out. Impossible to take off. We even tried using a hammer, a crowbar, everything! Twilight would know..."

Rainbow took in a deep breath. "I-I'm sorry I got off track-"

"No, it's fine!" I interrupted. "I never did hear the full story. But, again, what happened to Pinkie?"

"Oh, yes. In the magic duel, Trixie made Pinkie's muzzle disappear. Never got it back. She tried to communicate for a while, but eventually gave up. After Twilight was gone and the library burned down, she held a town 'meeting' in Ponyville, where she-" Rainbow choked a little on her words. "She publicly executed unicorns. She was too powerful. She had some followers at the time, and it was only growing. She killed two unicorns... Snips and Snails. They were still young, in school. I couldn't watch it. Pinkie couldn't take her eyes off of it. She freezes up when she's scared. She can't get the images out of her head. She lost it a bit... For some reason, she continued to go to the executions. I tried to get her to stop, Applejack tried too, but something about them... entranced her, and since she can't speak she could never tell us why," Rainbow sighed.

"What... What about the elements? You had necklaces! Where are they? Can't they defeat her? Trixie?"

Rainbow shook her head. "The Elements are locked up in a special place, somewhere in the Canterlot Castle. Only Celestia could open it, and even if we did get them back, we couldn't use them without Twilight. We have to resort to other things to protect ourselves."

I took in the room again, they had to resort to violent weapons for this. They were supposed to hold the power of friendship, but it wasn't enough without their leader. Being polite wouldn't get them anywhere, befriending the enemies would not get them anywhere. I doubt they would even be able to befriend any of the guards, and Trixie was definitely out of the question.

"We're lucky to have Rarity though." Rainbow smiled. "We started the rebellion before they got to her. We've been missing for years, but now that they got Rarity... Trixie knows we're still out here. Celestia knows what they're doing to her." Rainbow sat down, and put her head in her hooves.

I looked behind me at the door, and saw Pinkie Pie walk in. She put a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder, and she stood up. "Did you get every pony for lunch Pinkie?"

Pinkie nodded, and walked back out and downstairs. We followed her. I walked next to Rainbow.

"Uh, how exactly does she get everypony if she can't talk?"

Rainbow chuckled. "I guess she just knocks on their doors to remind them, goes out searching the area for them, they know."

"Ok." I said, looking down still confused.

We walked down the steps, and into a different room.

It was just as dark and gray as the other rooms. Cracks spiderwebbing on the walls, with the dim lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. The room was filled with tables, at least 4 ponies at each one, mares and stallions walked through, holding mugs of cider and plates of different foods. I was surprised at just how many there were. It looked as if there were forty ponies in here. Most were pegasi or earth ponies. But I did catch a glimpse of Shining Armor, who sat at a larger table holding a cup of cider. He no longer whore his armor, and sat at the table with only one other pony. A stallion I did not recognize.

I followed Rainbow to the end of the room. Where there was a bar. We sat in the seats, and Clip crawled up onto it with slight difficulty.

Above the bar were red lights, that glowed brighter than any other light in the room, and behind the bar were rows and rows of different drinks. Which I could only assume were alcoholic. A stallion with a red coat, blond mane, and bright green eyes, wearing a white apron, was bustling around serving ponies, going in and out of the kitchen door behind.

He paused at us, and smiled. "The usual, Rainbow?" He asked, his voice was deep.

"Yep." Rainbow responded. "Also, I got newbies. Cook 'em up something special." She winked at him, and he hurried back into the kitchen.

A few moments later, a mare walked out. An earth pony wearing black boots on her hooves, a white apron, and a light brown stetson on her head. Her fur was orange and her blond mane a bit messy. Her mane was tied to one side in a ponytail.

She leaned on the table in front of us, laying down a clipboard and a pen on the counter. She gave us a warm smile.

"Howdy, I'm Applejack, your waitress and I heard ya'll are new around these parts?" She pointed at us, then noticed Clip's horn, her eyes widened and she laughed. "My, what is that? Hard to find you folks these days."

"Applejack! Aah, the Element of Honesty!" I looked at her and smiled. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Midnight Glider, and my son Clipeum, or Clip."

Clip smiled, and Applejack grabbed his hoof and shook it. "This is great, really great to meet you two. I'm overjoyed to see more are joinin'! Anyway, what can I get y'all? And yes, we do have non alcoholic beverages for the young one. What do you want? Juice? I'll get you some juice."

She leaned down underneath the table, and came back up holding a glass and a pitcher full of apple juice, ice floating around. She poured it into the cup, and slid it over to him like a true bar tender.

She leaned her leg on the table, putting it on her cheek and looking at me. "We got apples, apple pie, apple sweets, apple-"

"We get it, you like apples." Rainbow rolled her eyes and grinned at her friend.

Applejack cleared her throat and glared at Rainbow. "Aaaand, we have salads and sandwiches. Daisy? Sunflower? My personal favorite is the rhubarb, apple sandwich."

"Sure I'll get that... Um, does this cost money?"

"Do you want it to cost money?"

"No?"

"Then it's free!" Applejack said, scribbling down my order on her paper. "And for the youngin'?"

He was a bit confused, pausing for a moment to think, then shyly said, "Salad?"

"Don't worry, sugar cube. I'll make you somethin' special."

She walked into the kitchen again, yelling, "Applebloom! Number 8 and a number 20!"

The mare she had yelled at, responded, "Number 20? Thought that was only for special ponies!"

"Oh, this pony is plenty special!"

"Sorry, this'll take a moment. Why don't ya'll join the others and I'll be there in a sec." She pointed her hoof at a table to the left, where Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy sat.

We got off the seats as Applejack walked back into the kitchen. We made our way over to the table, where the two mares sat in silence. Rainbow took a seat next to Fluttershy, who immediately perked up at the sight of her friend. Rainbow casually put her arm around the shy pegasus, and planted a kiss on her cheek, making Fluttershy giggle a little.

It caught me off guard. It wasn't everyday you saw two mares kissing each other. I wasn't being judgmental about it, I was just a little surprised. I thought these ponies were just friends, but it seemed these two were a little closer than that.

After I got over my moments shock, I smiled. They looked happy together.

I looked around the room, it was loud in here, and it had been years since I've been around this large a group. But I noticed somewhere in the crowd, one pony was being much louder than the rest. Yelling words I couldn't really understand from the surrounding noise and talk.

I tried to look closer, and saw ponies, multiple mares, five to be precise, were gathered at one circular table. They all had fierce and focused expressions on their faces and held cards in their hooves. Each pony had stacks of bits piled in front of them. I couldn't see the pony who was making such a racket, but I knew they were somewhere over there.

"She's very outgoing and loud, You'll spot her in a second." I remembered Rainbow saying earlier.

Well, maybe this was that mare.

Curiosity got to me, and I decided to see for myself. I told Clip to stay here, and told Rainbow I was going to be right back. She nodded, and turned her head back to listen to Fluttershy who was talking about something that made Rainbow laugh.

I carefully made my way to the table, and as I was halfway there, a mare that stood out from the others, jumped up from the table, yelling, "Yeah! I won!" I got a clear view of her, and I immediately recognized the unicorn mare in front of me.

Her light fur that would normally be clean, had patches of fur missing where skin was visible. She was covered in multiple bruises as though she had been beaten and injured many times. The fact that she was a unicorn made it obvious why, but even then, I had never seen a unicorn that looked as harshly beaten up as this one.

But even with the scars, there was no doubt that this mare was none other than Vinyl Scratch.

I'm Sorry, Vinyl

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"Vinyl, don't you see what she's doing to them? We can't stay here! I can't let you be next!"

"Octavia, I refuse to live in fear. We can't run and hide!"

"Well what else are we going to do?"

"It won't even matter, we can't go anywhere, we're stuck under this stupid dome!"

"We'll move to the nearest town! We'll go there! It's better than here!"

"I said it won't matter! She'll still get me! There's no point! Either I get executed, or I get executed trying to fight her!"

"But you can't fight her..."

"I just hope it's a quick death."

"I hope there is no death!"

"I hope that you finally understand, that we do not hide. We fight back, Octavia. We don't cower in fear."

"Vinyl please-"

"We have our own ways of keeping each other safe. My way is to actually do something. My way is to stop her before this gets any worse. Before... Before she hurts more than just unicorns."

"Oh, Vinyl I-"

"Just, stop it Octy. It'll be all over soon. I promise."

"After the harsh battle Trixie has faced to protect your lives. Trixie is going to make some new laws in Equestria. One is the end of unicorns. Unicorns are a threat to us, they have great power that is against my own, we do not know how they will use their power for evil to defy against their Queen Trixie. For a long while, I executed the monsters, but now I see that they may be some use to us. Nopony will have to work endlessly to be happy, now the unicorns will work for us and create our necessities. Unicorns will no longer harm us, but instead gift us with high class items. Earth ponies, pegasi, and I, the last standing alicorn, will now be treated with higher respect and treated like royalty."

"But you won't be taking me."

"Vinyl, no!"

"Octy, I know what I-"

"What did you say?"

"I said, you won't be taking me. We are ponies, not slaves. You think you can just make us work? You think every pony will like that?"

"Ha! You see every pony, this witch wants us to work on disgusting farms and waste our lives away. She wants us to live in nothing but rags! She thinks she can stop the mare who defeated the power hungry, villainous, Nightmare Moon?"

"That was not Nightmare Moon, that was Princess Luna. You think you can use that excuse?"

"There was no telling whether she would do it again. Trixie is protecting you ponies! She has created this dome to keep you safe from the outside world! The Everfree forest! She will have all the unicorns treat you well. Earth ponies will no longer have to work on farms, they will now be treated with respect and showered with gifts and praise, the pegasi will no longer have to work in weather. Nopony will have to make clothes, food, buildings, anything! The unicorns will bring us wealth. We shall live happily with no trouble."

"I'm sick and tired of this! You can't take me! You cannot hurt me or any pony! RAAAAHH!!!"

"AAAH! This witch has assaulted Trixie! Hold her down guards! She will get the worst job of all!"

"NO! You don't touch me! Get off!"

"Vinyl! Vinyl!"

"Her new job will be enjoyable. A gift to my guards."

"Get your filthy hooves off of me!"

"I'm sorry, Vinyl."

The three stallions loomed over her. Wide grins on their faces as they looked her up and down, she couldn't take this torture any longer. The stallions were like demons from hell, they continued to rip her apart over and over. Making her scream in pain and hoping some pony would come to save her.

And from behind those demons came an angel.

An angel that showed them no mercy. An angel who ripped apart their bodies, much worse than what they had done to Vinyl. A silent angel, who took Vinyl by the hoof and rescued her.

She had become rather close with the silent angel. But the silent angel could not take her to Octavia. She could only keep her safe from harm, and begin her training to become just as fierce a warrior as her. And maybe, soon, Vinyl could do just the same for some pony as the silent angel did for her.

"Vinyl Scratch." I said in shock.

She heard her name, and looked in my direction. She fell back down, put down her cards, and walked over to me.

"Woah, you're Midnight Glider right? I'm guessing you've heard about me?" She grinned, pulling down her magenta glasses and looking at me with those bright pink eyes.

"I- I-"

"Rainbow was telling me about you. You're pretty tough if you can escape a bunch of guards." Vinyl elbowed me, and pushed her glasses back up to cover her eyes.

"I have heard so much about you-"

"Well, I was a DJ once, I don't see why anypony would be talking about me now. But I-"

"Octavia Melody." I suddenly said, cutting her off.

She froze, her glasses slipped down to reveal her bright magenta eyes full of shock, her pupils dilated in fear and remembrance of the name. Her jaw dropped, and I saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Where did you hear that name?" She choked out.

"I know Octavia. I know she's your marefriend, I'm her friend and I-"

"Where is she? Have they got her? Is she okay?"

The unicorn began to shake me, her hooves gripping me tightly, desperately clutching onto me.

"Can you bring me to her...?" Vinyl looked down, her hooves letting go of me.

"She's safe, I met her a few years ago. She never stopped talking about you. But- she’s doing alright, just worried."

Vinyl looked at me, taking off her glasses. Worry filled her eyes, but knowing Octavia was safe, she seemed to calm down a bit. She gulped.

"I'm glad she's alright... But, I want to tell her I escaped... But I can't leave this place." She gestured around with her hoof. "Especially being a unicorn... I'd be a dead mare."

I nodded. "Maybe we will get back to her one day. She was the one who told me about the rebellion and told me to find it. I don’t think she knows you're a part of it."

"It's been so long, Octy..." She sat down, and wrapped herself in a hug.

I know what this is like. Well I have some pony I can relate to.

“I-I know how you feel Vinyl. My husband was taken, I haven’t seen him in so long.” I felt my eyes get misty, but tried to push it away. I shook my head. “We have to think about what we do have though, right? We are all still alive and well, that’s what matters.”

Vinyl looked away without a word. She sighed, then said, “I guess you’re right. Hey, I’ll uh, I’ll see you around, Midnight.”

She stood up, her ears falling back as she left the room. Looking at the floor, avoiding eye contact with anypony. I watched as she left, and noticed something strange. A stallion walked near her. Not even looking at her, but as he got closer to pass her, she flinched away from him in fright.

She turned, trotting away from the stallion and into the next room.

I arrived back at my table. Clip sat with Fluttershy and Rainbow, although Rainbow got me worried. She had an empty mug of cider in front of her, and her face looked a little red. As I got closer, I noticed how slurred Rainbow's words were.

"-And I was like, WOOOOAAAH! and BOOM!" She demonstrated with her hoof, bringing it up into the air, and crashing it down on the table with a slam.

Fluttershy yelped as Rainbow knocked over Clip's glass of juice. Rainbow began to laugh hysterically.

"Um, Rainbow... I think it's bed time..."

"Aah yes! BED TIME!" She roared and laughed even harder. Clip scooted back in his chair uncomfortably, not understanding why Rainbow was acting so strange and loud. Even from this distance, I could smell the alcohol on her breath.

Fluttershy noticed me, and blushed embarrassingly. "I-I'm sorry. Rainbow is getting out of hoof with the drinking again." She grabbed Rainbow's hoof and pulled her from the chair. Rainbow let herself be pulled away, and yelled louder than ever.

"IT'S BED TIME WITH MAH GIRL!"

"Th-That's not what I mean..." A lock of pink hair fell in front of her eyes, and she hurriedly pulled Rainbow Dash out of the room, and upstairs.

I had barely noticed Pinkie Pie was there. So distracted by the two mares, and Pinkie's eerie silence. I looked in her direction and she was already staring at me. She was rather unsettling. I could never imagine her as what she used to be.

Just on time, Applejack came over holding up two plates, walking on her hind legs. The earth pony set the two plates in front of us. My sandwich and Clip's salad. Applejack smiled at me, noticing the empty mug and tipped over glass.

She shook her head. "Lemme guess. Rainbow got drunk? Fluttershy took her away?" She said as she gathered the two cups.

"Spot on." I said.

She chuckled. "Happens far too often."

Of course since I hadn’t eaten in a while, I ate messily and like an animal. I wiped my face with a napkin, noticing the few crumbs left on my plate.

I looked over at Pinkie. Who stared at me, she blinked. I was going to ask how she ate, but she wouldn't really be able to respond anyway. And I didn't really know if I would want to know. I decided to push that question away for later. I had a feeling the answer would be disturbing.

Applejack came back to clean up our dishes, and smiled at me again. The mare seemed much more cheerful than the rest of them. Applejack looked behind me, making me turn around in curiosity. I was greeted by the familiar pegasus mare.

“Your room is ready, and Rainbow is taking a nap.” We followed her out of the room and up the creaky steps. We walked down the hall, turned the corner, and stopped in front of a door that was identical to every other in the building.

Fluttershy pushed it open, letting us walk in and take it all in. It definitely wasn’t spectacular, gray walls, gray floor, gray bed.

But it seemed like she had tried to brighten it up a bit by putting a light green cloth over the sheets. Above us was a singular light bulb that looked like it had just been replaced. Brighter than the ones downstairs.

By the bed was what should be a window, but instead was a wooden board.

next to the bed up against the wall was a large wooden chest. A simple design carved on the front. I opened it, and was surprised to find a strange object in it.

I took it out, it was hard, metallic, and cold. When it was taken out and into the light, I realized it was a small gun.

I yelped, throwing it away from me and onto the soft bed. I expected it to suddenly shoot or that I would accidentally click something. Instead it simply fell onto the bed without doing anything.

“Oh dear!” Fluttershy put a hoof over her mouth. “Sorry, Gilda put that in there for you... I forgot to tell you.”

“A gun?!” I said in surprise, “I don’t want a gun!”

“Well, if you live here... you will want a gun. Gilda makes our weapons, specially designed for ponies so your hoof will fit right in there.”

“Wha- but- I-”

The gun suddenly floated up into the air, a silvery white glow encasing it as it flew closer to us.

“No!” I yelled, turning around to look at Clip’s guilty expression. I whacked his horn, making him immediately drop it.

“Ow! Mama!” he complained. I had hit it harder than I meant to.

“Don’t worry. Gilda’s smart enough to not give you ammo yet.” Fluttershy laughed a little, calmly picking up the gun off the floor and showing it to me.

“The safety’s on too. Even if he got a hold of it, he wouldn’t be able to do anything with it.”

I sighed. “Still...”

“It took me a while to even get near a weapon. So I understand, you can take your time.”

“I-I don’t want to fight.”

“If you’re in the rebellion, you are already fighting.”

She put a hoof on my shoulder, and smiled. “I can bring you over to Gilda now. It seems like you aren’t doing anything at the moment. She could train you on how to use it.”

“I already said-”

“You need to learn, to protect who you care for!” she said, taking a step towards me.

Her ears flopped down as she took a step back suddenly losing that assertiveness. “You do it for her...”

She looked back up. “Th-that is to say, you do it for him.” She pointed at Clip.

She shook her head. “You just... this is how you can protect him, Midnight. Unless you want to be a doctor like me-”

“No, you’re right! I have to do this! Take me to Gilda!”

I expected a mare. I expected a pony. Instead it was a gryphon.

I had never seen a gryphon before. My jaw dropped, she was... magnificent. In a gothic sort of way.

She had the body of a lion, she wore black gloves over her claws. She had three silver rings on the end of her tail, her feathers were light purple on the ends while the rest were white. Over her torso was a black skin tight shiny outfit. One black ring stood out on the left side of her beak, and around her eyes was black eyeshadow.

This was the gryphon Rainbow had mentioned earlier.

Fluttershy seemed rather afraid and intimidated by the gryphon, and immediately left us there with her.

"So Gilda-" I started, but the gryphon immediately cut me off.

"Your new gun's pretty sweet huh? I uh, made it myself." she said proudly, her voice was deep and gravelly. I could've easily mistaken her for male had I not been looking at her.

"Uh... Yeah, It's very nice." I said. "Fluttershy said it'd be a good idea if-"

"If I showed you the ropes? Yep, that's my job. Well, not usually. But I'm pretty good at it."

My eye twitched as I handed her the gun. This gryphon was already ticking me off. Her interruptive and self centered way was making me a bit angry and frustrated.

Clip looked down every once in a while glancing up to see Gilda loading the new gun with her claws.

"Alright alright. I'll show ya." She said, as if I had been pestering her.

She walked past us and out the door, we both followed not exactly in the best of moods.

We made it outside, and she stood on her hind legs, pulling back the trigger, and shooting.

It was much quieter than the gun Rainbow had earlier, which I preferred.

"See you have to put your claw- uh, hooves here. It's especially designed for pony hooves."

She put the gun in my grasp, and I held onto it nervously.

Luckily Clip stood very far back, I did not want to mess this up.

Gilda positioned me correctly, and moved my hooves to where they should be. Explaining to me the consequences had I done it wrong. Which really wasn't helping my anxiousness.

I shook a little bit, and she told me, "Now pull this back, then shoot!"

I bit my lip, closing one eye as I slowly pushed my hoof against the trigger. Aiming the gun towards a red chalk marking made on one of the broken down buildings.

I felt my body fall back a bit as the bullet shot out. I gasped in surprise. When Gilda and Rainbow had shot their guns, they stood perfectly still. But I, I had gracefully fallen on my rump. Dropping the gun next to me.

"It'll take some getting used to." Gilda said. "You'll have to shoot it more so you can get used to it. Then we can check to see how well you did."

I ended up shooting it about 7 more times. Each time I was still scared but was getting more comfortable with it. Each time I felt more confident and on the last time I didn't even stumble or fall.

Gilda took the gun from me, and showed me where the safety was. She flipped the safety on, and set the gun on the ground.

Bringing Clip along, we made our way to the target. I had not hit the middle once. Nowhere near it actually, my aim was simply awful, but you could still see eight chips in the wall. Adding to the amount of cracks already on the building.

"Nice job newbie." she said, not so comfortingly.

"Nice job? I didn't hit it once!"

"You seemed alright at the end. It's better to get used to shooting before you get good at aiming."

That made me feel a little better. But still, I wasn't content as we made our way back. Gilda picked up the gun, looking it over. She began to walk back to the building, but I stopped her.

"May I have more bullets, please." I grinned with determination.

The gryphon smirked, handing me the gun and another pack of bullets. I remembered how she had loaded it, and loaded it myself. I stood my ground, holding up the gun and shutting one eye. I clicked the safety off, took my time in aiming, then shot multiple rounds.

The first couple times, I stumbled a bit, but after that I got the hang of it. I was a quick learner.

When I checked the wall again, I had gotten closer to the center, one bullet even hitting next to the center dot.

I continued like this probably for hours, but what felt like minutes. I was now hitting the center of the target, finishing my last bullet and ready to reload again. When I looked down, there were only five left.

Clipeum had already gone inside a while ago doing Celestia knows what. But I wasn't exactly worried about him.

He was fine on his own right?

You've never taken your eye off of him.

I shouldn't be worried.

It was getting dark and maybe it was time to get back inside and sleep. I was getting rather tired and was low on bullets, geez I had probably gone through all their bullets at this point.

"Oh Gilda, sorry I shouldn't have used up all those bullets for target practice!" I apologized.

She chuckled. "It's fine, you didn't use as many as you think you did. We have a lot."

I handed her the gun after clicking the safety on, and she held it in her claw as we stood. Not exactly wanting to return yet, I did have questions to ask her after all.

"Gilda... May I ask how you got here and left the gryphon kingdom?"

"Well, it's not much of a kingdom anymore," she sighed. "Rainbow Dash contacted me. We're childhood friends, met in flight school. We did have a bit of a... falling out a while back, but she still was worried for me."

I listened intently as she spoke. "Gryphons, too poor to do anything. We're obsessed with bits y'know. We would do anything for a good amount of money. We even started making weapons, some gryphons sold drugs, cigarettes... it wasn't great. I was getting quite knowledgeable on the weapon making industry, can you believe I used to sell disgusting scones for a living?"

She chuckled. "The place was getting crowded, maybe I did miss the way ponies lived when I saw it in Cloudsdale. I had to come back, I had to leave the Gryphons and live here. Rainbow started the rebellion, didn't have many members back when I joined. Just her and the other Elements of Harmony. Maybe a couple others. I don't really remember the details since it was so long ago."

She sighed. "I just focus on trying to escape this tartarus called Equestria."

She looked to the darkening sky, up at the stars.

"I think it's time we take a rest."

I walked with her back to my new home, and found myself standing in the doorway of my room.

Watching as Fluttershy settled Clipeum into bed. "-and don't let the bed bugs bite," she said, covering him with the sheets and turning around.

"Oh, Midnight. I see you were with Gilda."

I nodded, yawning. "Yeah, sorry, did I miss dinner?"

"Yes you did, I made sure Clip ate a yummy apple pie!" She fluttered her wings and smiled. I smiled in return.

"Thanks, could I maybe get something to eat? Or am I too late?"

"Applebloom and Applejack are cleaning up in the kitchen. I'm sure they'll give you something to eat."

I returned to my room after eating some apple fritters. They were really good, and I gratefully accepted them.

I yawned again, opening my door to a sleeping Clipeum.

With the room being so dark, with only small beams coming in through holes in the wooden board. Where it was so silent and empty save for the young child asleep in the bed. It was rather calming and made me more tired than before I had entered.

I climbed into the bed with Clipeum, shutting my eyes and falling into a deep sleep.

Only to be awakened by my door being slammed open and a yell.

"They found us!"

2: Journal of T.S.

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December 7 2012

With the time I have here, I have been helping Zecora make potions. She has been teaching me some things I never knew, and while I have learned some potion making, it was never a main focus.

I have been learning about so many new things! I helped her make the invisibility potion, and I've never seen anything like it, it's very bright blue like the sky and looks as though it's filled with glitter. (We have to keep it in one of the drawers since it's so important.) I'm not sure what we are going to do with it, but hopefully it will go to good use.

I have learned a lot about the different plants and creatures in the forest. It's something you don't learn in school! I'm glad to be obtaining as much knowledge as I can. Maybe someday this knowledge will help me find my friends.

December 25 2012

Can you believe it! It's Hearth's Warming! Zecora doesn't have much to celebrate with, usually she goes and visits us in Ponyville for the holiday, but today we tried our best.

We decorated her tree with lights and colorful glowing stones from the forest. She made a special soup that tasted really delicious. (I should've gotten the recipe.) and we gave each other our gifts.

Of course, I wasn't sure what to get her. I had to collect something from the forest which I researched about in one of her books. I harvested a small tree that had similarities to the ponenese bonsai tree. With beautiful glowing small fruit like cherries hanging from it's branches.

She quite enjoyed it, and put it in a flower pot by her window.

The gift I received was an owl. Of course it was not Owlicious, but having another friend here was quite comforting. She is a special owl from the forest, black feathers with bright golden eyes. I have named her Harmony, to remind me of my friends back home.

To remind me of my purpose.

January 18 2013

I've spent the last few days with Harmony. She likes me very much, and I'm curious to know if owls from the Everfree Forest are any different form owls back home.

I've run a few tests to see what she eats, how she acts, how she behaves in the Everfree forest.

Everything about her seems normal, but one thing seemed different. There is one particular plant in the forest she likes, the poison joke.

For some strange reason, I have found her consuming the flowers, and being unaffected by them. Maybe creatures that aren't ponies, zebras, donkeys, or more of the equine family... aren't affected by poison joke.

Anyway, I've decided to do some research, maybe I'll find something more in the castle of the two sisters. I think they might have a library there. Tomorrow I will venture there with Harmony and maybe I'll find something of use.

January 28 2013

I really should have explored the castle earlier! Despite being full of spiders, there were many wondrous things I found there! I read a multitude of books but didn't exactly find anything on Trixie's amulet or behavior. I did find a book on owls that I would enjoy reading, so I took it back to Zecora's house to read later.

I found myself wandering around the place a bit, and discovered secret rooms and entrances, I liked seeing all the banners, with very well crafted depictions of the two sisters and many historical events. Maybe by going back I'll learn more about the history of Equestria and it's origins.

Recently I've been looking outside to see Ponyville. The dome looks like it's expanding, I've found it strange that nopony has tried contacting me yet. I assume Spike has been getting a lot of letters I cannot read.

February 3 2013

I thought I had it today, I thought I had finally gotten the aging spell, but it's still not working. Zecora has tried her best, but she advises me to maybe take a different approach.

She's been teaching me much about the EverFree Forest, and I'm learning my way around. She has even told me of the variety of creatures in the forest, and how to defend myself against them.

I guess... I'm beginning to get cozy here with Zecora. She has such a beautiful home in such a dark and horrible place, I used to wonder how she could possibly live out here like this. But It's not so bad.

But still, I cannot let myself get distracted from the task at hoof.

I must defeat Trixie. I have to do whatever it takes.

Broken

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

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

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

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

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

I should leave the fighting to them.

Don't be useless.

I can't just stand around. Do something!

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

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

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

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

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

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

A gun.

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

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

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

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

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

Party Bombs

I could only guess what that meant.

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

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

It didn't make sense.

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

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

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

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

He shook his head in reply. No.

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

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

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

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

I sighed, looking around the room.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Midnight!" Fluttershy said, surprised.

"Mama! Don't go!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Something about that title was appealing.

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

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

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

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

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

I moved back over to the back door.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Behind me, I then heard the voice of Fluttershy.

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

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

There were too many, this was too overwhelming.

He growled. "Are you threatening me?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

I was just too selfish.

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

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

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

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

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

The small figure fell onto the ground, coughing.

Clipeum.

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

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

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

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

"Witch!"

"Get that thing out of here!"

"It's defending the enemy!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

"This is not over." he growled.

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

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

"Actually, it is over." Vinyl said.

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

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

Crafted, tested, and approved by Gilda.

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

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

Pinkie raised her gun and the stallions backed away.

She only shot once. But once was enough.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But I didn't say a word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I was not alone.

"Midnight you're not alone."

"But I will be."

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

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

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

"Why do you say that?"

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

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

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

"I-I promise, Silver."

The Truth of the Necklace

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When it's time.

He knew. He knew I wouldn't stay in hiding forever. He know's me like his own hoof, he knew I wouldn't be able to stand in hiding for a while.

I know that I didn't need an excuse to get up and leave, we could've left years ago. I probably would've if I didn't have Clipeum.

If I didn't have Clipeum.

Those words hurt me to even think them. They left chills down my spine especially since I saw him risk his life for me only recently. Seeing his tiny bloody body barely moving, seeing the bomb go off...

Seeing the dismembered corpses. The bones visible and the eyes no longer in their sockets.

Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!

It seemed like my own mind was constantly arguing with itself now. I wanted things to go away that couldn't.

I would scream without a sound leaving my lips.

I came here, I spent the last nine years with only one goal.

Protect Clipeum.

It had only started my adventurous ways again, being in this place I wouldn't dare leave. I used to always be seeking adventure. Silver and I loved to rock climb. To hike. Being in this... This rebellion had awoken that part of me once again.

And where did it get me.

Because of my foolishness, he almost died because of me. I did this because I am not trustworthy, I am impulsive. I can't control myself even when I am most sane.

This is all your fault. You should've let them do their jobs. But then you had to break the rules and not only did you get blamed, but Vinyl and Pinkie too!

You could've gotten us all killed.

And there I was again. Arguing with myself.

It wouldn't get me anywhere would it? Either I hide without changing the world outside, without protecting others like I should, or I could actually do something.

But I couldn't decide which to choose.

A part of me just wanted to curl up in a hole and wait and see what happens. It didn't matter where you went or how you continued your life, in the end nothing would matter unless you figured out a way to avoid your unavoidable death.

But that is why you had to make the most of your life. I didn't want to end up like those ponies who decided to end it quickly. Get it over with. I couldn't tear myself down enough to bring me to that point.

Because no matter how much pain I went through I couldn't leave Clipeum.

I promised. I never broke a promise, although I had made it nine years ago... Promises don't wear down. They don't break unless you choose to break them. And why in all of Equestria would you break something you created?

At this point, I had thought death would be the only way to escape this terrible world under her rule. But there has to be another way out. That was what this rebellion was, they were working to find the key. The key to a better place.

But it would be a very long time until we found the doorway that leads us there.

I refused to stand idly by and wait. I couldn't let little things distract me, I could not be stopped by anything.

I had to continue on.

Keep calm and canter on. Although it was just a simple saying you heard everywhere, if you thought long enough about it... it can really hit you hard. Right now that's what I had to do.

Keep calm and canter on.

My smile faded, I pushed down Pinkie's hoof away from my shoulder, looking at her with a serious, determined expression. I left the room and found my way into Gilda's part where she kept all her weapons separate from her living space.

I assumed I would not be able to find my gun, so I grabbed a gun by random - a rather large one- and went outside to find my way to the target.

So many emotions filled my mind and body. For one I felt angry, and I couldn't think why. Was it stress? Hatred? was it the emotions boiling up for years, being hidden, and finally coming to their breaking point at this very moment?

Maybe it was all three. What it came from didn't matter much, how to get it out was what was really on my mind.

And I didn't want to waste any time on aiming really. I just needed to shoot something. But the thought that I had to take my anger out by shooting things scared me. But I did not want to dwell on it for too long.

I shot this gun... For a long time. I was unaware of the passing of time, and at some point I realized I wasn't even shooting at the target at all. In fact my eyes had seemed to glaze over and space out, and now as I finally set the gun down I saw the four dead birds lying on the ground.

I now noticed the ringing in my ears and the mare standing behind me.

"You are really makin' a ruckus out here Miss Glider."

Her voice shocked me so much and pulled me from my world I had become so overtaken by. I immediately turned around pointing the rifle at her. My eyes seemed to have lost something and were scared, maybe even not able to see what was wrong and right anymore.

The strange thing was that this time when I pointed a gun at a living pony, this time my hooves did not shake. But instead held onto it like it was dear life itself. Grasping it tightly like I wasn't going to be dropping it any time soon.

The orange mare held up her hooves in defense. "I don't mean no harm. Maybe you should take a break."

I lowered it slowly, my eyes not leaving hers. I probably looked like a deer in the carriage lights.

"That's good miss Glider. Why don't you come with me? Maybe we should talk with Fluttershy again. Just... Put down the gun."

She's trying to take advantage of you! You put down that gun and you don't know what she'll do next!

I was being paranoid wasn't I? Scared of every little thing, scared of the Element of Honesty. What a crack up I was.

Haha.

I did not put down the gun.

She did bring me to Fluttershy... and Pinkie found me too. She stayed with me, for some reason she was the only pony I found comforting. Before I had found her presence disturbing, creepy even. But now it was different. Even if we did not speak to one another, I liked her.

Maybe it's because you are becoming like her.

Fluttershy kept asking me yes or no questions, I had not been talking for a week and I wasn't planning on talking now.

"Was it nice to be shooting things? Did it lessen your anger?"

I nodded to both, then she looked at me with a stern expression. "Was it nice to be shooting living birds?"

I did not know how to answer that. In fact I didn't really remember holding a gun. Hours and hours had gone by and my mind had gone blank. I barely remembered the whole event. The only thing I did know is that I got my anger out, the rest of it is a blur.

But how did I feel shooting and killing living things? It definitely gave me a rush of adrenaline. It got my anger and worry out more than shooting a wall. It let me put my anger onto somebody else. Even if it killed them.

It was nice.

I nodded yes.

The mare stared at me, looking me in the eye for a good ten seconds. My face remained unchanging. Only waiting for her to do something else.

She turned away. Mumbling something under her breath. I looked at Pinkie, and her ear twitched.

Was she trying to listen or was I just as psychotic as her?

Maybe so, but a true psycho kills ponies not birds.

Although, I had seen her drop the bomb on those stallions...

Stop. Stop right there.

Well, they deserved it, didn't they?

Yes. But you did not deserve to see it.

The real question is... why do you find Pinkie so comforting after what she did?

...

Silence. No thought, no sound went on after that question. It's as if my mind, my thoughts had shut off after thinking a question it could not answer. Why, why did I find this mare so comforting after she caused me to change.

You have not changed. Another part of you has just reawakened.

And as much as I wanted to believe that, my silence, my emotions, everything about me ever since that moment went way beyond my adventure seeking ways.

It had begun, and it had evolved into something horrifying.

Fluttershy carefully confiscated my gun. Turning on the safety I had not cared to flip on.

I had to stay once again with Fluttershy, sleeping on her cot in her office. Under her eye that watched everything I did. Obviously leaving me alone had not gone well, I would need more treatment. As she put it.

I thought nothing was wrong. I did not understand why I need this mare to be watching me constantly.

Clipeum did come in later that day, seeing as I was not in my room or downstairs. He smiled at me, his ears going back as he knew my response at seeing him was going to be nothing more than silence.

"Hi mom... I-I'm back from training." he said barely over a whisper. He looked away, and I said the first words that I had said in a long time.

"I'm proud of you."

I had decided to see Clipeum's training. Of course he was still recovering from his injuries, but had healed rather quickly.

I had not come to any of his training's before... I had been trapped inside my own head. Rainbow Dash thought it would be good for him to get a little training in melee especially after that slight... inconvenience.

It was in another building, I had not been in any of these other buildings before, and we stood in a very large room with a wall of mirrors on one side. Even with each step, every sound echoed. It was so open and spacious, and I assumed it was once a room used for dancing. Possibly ballet, with large mirrors on one wall. Some were cracked and broken, but one was somehow fully intact. But it was too hard to see anything in them but blurs of color. Being covered in dust and dirt.

My knowledge of swords were limited, I knew some saw it as an art. I had seen once a mare with a sword, move with such grace and beauty, but Rainbow was the opposite. She was not graceful in anything, and it bothered me just the slightest.

Must be Octavia's influence.

I watched Rainbow point her stick, standing on her hind legs as Clipeum stood on all fours. Holding his stick with his magic.

They stood close but far enough away that Rainbow could not reach him, well she could reach him when she lunged right at him.

She tried to stab him with the stick, and he dodged, taking the chance to hit her leg with it. Eventually he did knock the stick out of her grasp, and he won.

Probably because she was going really easy on him.

I could only imagine what damage she could do with a real sword and a real enemy.

I watched them for a while, and it seemed to be repetitive, or maybe it's because at some point my mind slipped away and I spaced out.

I couldn't really remember what I had been thinking about at the time, I stared at a wall for a good couple of seconds, then suddenly practice was over.

I blinked in surprise when Rainbow said it was over. She informed me that later on she would have him practice using his hooves just in case.

Did I really want my son to become some bloodthirsty fighter? Well at least he would be doing something, it only made me more proud really.

But it still made me feel useless. My nine year old son was already better at fighting than me.

He would probably save lives while I clumsily stumbled around being the mare who caused the problems in the first place.

But I told myself I just needed practice.

But it was always hard to get good at something your not destined to do... In fact, I wasn't exactly sure what I was supposed to do.

I could only describe my cutiemark as a black circle with two purple ribbons around it. The circle could quite possibly be the moon, but I had never figured out what the two ribbons around it were.

Often times ponies jobs will be their destiny, but when I looked at my mark my mind went blank. The odd symbol didn't match up with my past job.

I had had only one job. A weather pony.

I had always hated it. I felt like I was just some character in the background, just moving clouds to make it rain- which often did cause ponies to glare and get angry at us. Some just did not like the rain.

I never did like clouding up the sky either though. I liked to take strolls at night, or lay in the grass and stare up at Luna's beautiful stars and night sky. It gave me time to clear my head and think for a bit. When I married Silver... he began to join me in my midnight strolls.

Those were times I barely remembered but wished I did.

I could no longer take walks at night. It made my head foggy now and stressed. You couldn't tell whether it was day or night- no stars, no beautiful night sky, and no sun. Just clouds. Endless clouds constantly crackling and wind blowing, if anything it only stressed me out more.

Ugh. Let me shoot those birds again.

But of course, shooting things would not clear up the sky. No matter how many pegasi there were, we could not clear the sky. Trixie Lulamoon forbade us to see the sky after the banishment of the two sisters. If we got anywhere near the clouds- the forcefield would strike us with lightning.

It was a struggle.

But we had to keep trying, didn't we?

Rainbow came up to me, and cleared her throat.

"It's been a while since I spent time with Fluttershy. We've both been so occupied lately, I think you should go back to your room... both of you!"

At first it seemed like she was letting go of that second in command seriousness for a moment, but the last part was obviously an order. That order we had to obey. But still she could not hide the reddening blush on her face. She was being a bit vulnerable, but quickly attempted to cover it up.

She promptly left the building, flying over to where we stayed, and Clip and I followed in that direction.

I guessed that it was still morning, as we had only awoken a few hours ago.

To be edited

We had rushed and had barely eaten breakfast, so we returned with our stomachs growling and begging for food. Well, not begging exactly, but it definitely seemed that way. Applejack chuckled and gave me a paper bag full of something that smelled really good.

We wolfed down that apple pie like we hadn't eaten in days. I collapsed onto the bed, full and most likely bloated. But right now was not the time to be worried about how I looked.

I had spent far too long in my own head, I actually felt like speaking at least a few words, maybe even a few sentences.

"Clip..." his head turned to me, he looked a bit surprised that I was talking again, "you really like to sword fight?"

He thought for a moment, "Yeah mom, It's fun, and I get to be with Rainbow- uh, Captain Dash."

"Captain Dash?" I chuckled, "Did she ask you to call her that?"

He nodded. No surprise there.

"Today is her anniversary! She told me!" he said, getting excited.

"Anniversary for what?" I asked, sitting up, now getting intrigued.

"Fluttershy!" he said, shoving a forkful of apple pie in his mouth and going, "mmmmm!"

"They are good friends!" he continued, "she said they're really really good friends! Kinda like Octavia and Vinyl!"

I chuckled, putting my hoof around him. He was almost never this talkative, even to me. And never before had I noticed that he called me mom. It was always 'mama'.

I wondered what had changed.

"Well, I bet they're very happy together." I smiled.

It was sweet of course, but I couldn't help but feel a tinge of pain. Seeing couple's together... it hurt that I didn't have my sweetheart around to give me kisses and flowers anymore.

I always did get a sour taste in my mouth around couples ever since then. Some sort of jealousy and anger had began to boil up. But I couldn't let it escape.

I could not let my harmful emotions effect Clipeum.

I put my hoof on his necklace, bringing up the feather to look at it for just a moment.

"Can I steal a feather from you?"

"Hmmm? Why?"

"I'm making a special necklace. I want a little feather on the end. Not just any feather though, your feather."

"Why mine though? You have plenty of colorful feathers in your drawer."

"I want to always carry a piece of you with me! So when your not around, I'll have you right here."

"Next to your heart..."

"Exactly. It's why we got married, yes? To be together always. This is how that's going to happen! I'll work my magic and make something that will never break and never be touched by something or someone unwanted."

"I presume you will make me something similar? Something from you?"

"Haha! Of course if you want a clump of hair or fur the end of a string!"

"That's a good point. I'll be happy to see what you'll craft."

"And it won't be like any other piece of jewelry. It will bring good luck!"

I let the necklace fall back down, letting the memories return. Something about the way he had spoken sounded odd. I remembered the day like it was yesterday. But thinking back at it now...

"-something that will never break and never be touched by something or someone unwanted."

I remembered back at the very start of this. We had found it on the table. In the middle of the room, out in the open. The guards had taken everything else, but not his most prized possession. Something that, to the guards, just looked like another old necklace.

Why hadn't they taken it?

And how, in that dusty old room, had we found it clean of dust and dirt. Looking as brand new as the day he made it over a decade ago.

The question was how, and why, what I could only assume was that he had enchanted it. It was the only thing that made sense. Had he enchanted other things as well?

He had made me these rings a long time ago, and I had never cleaned them once. They had, for some odd reason, never lost their golden shine. The two large gold rings I wore at the start of my tail, and the golden earrings. They had to be enchanted too!

It all made sense now, every piece of jewelry he had made for me, had never broken, never wore down, and never gotten dirty.

But the question still remained. Why.

Why hadn't he told me?

3: Journal of T.S

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February 28 2013

I've made progress though! I think my magic is getting better and stronger. With Zecora's help I have become more focused and calm. She got me to stop thinking about Trixie for a little while.

I began to harvest some of the poison joke, wearing gloves of course, I don't want to go through that fiasco again! I'm collecting them in a jar for Harmony to eat and she seems quite happy!

Oh, I forgot to mention, Hearts and Hooves day passed a little while ago. We didn't do much to celebrate though. Zecora gave me a chocolate bar she called 'Friendship Chocolate' it tasted a little funny but fruity. I didn't complain.

March 12 2013

For a while I sat, trying to clear my mind as I stared at the little tree I had given Zecora. Harmony sat beside me on her perch. It was very dark outside as usual, but you could tell it was night time with the distant stars almost hidden behind the trees. When looking out the window I saw a pair of glowing green eyes, then two, then three.

I announced it to Zecora, and she got grabbed her spear from the wall and ran outside with me. Eventually we did defeat the timberwolves with struggle. Zecora explained to me that monster attacks do happen here. It's something I would have to get used to.

She showed me her spear, and said it was something she had made as a little filly back home. It was very special to her, and told me it had been a long time since she had gone back to her home village in Zebrica. She told me how when she was young she learned to fight off lions and other wild creatures. Later she got much more interested in studying magic and potion making.

Although Zebra's cannot get cutiemarks, they admire them greatly and tattoo them on as symbols of their culture. They have a great representation, not always being about their talents or destinies, but sometimes that zebra's great achievements. Some of the symbols they wear are even the symbols of ancient gods and goddesses, and are meant to bless the zebra from that specific god. Bless them with luck for many years to come.

Oh, I'm so excited! Zecora has taught me so much and I love to learn as much as I can, and hearing about her home and culture is wonderful!

I wish the girls could hear about it too. I bet Rarity would have some inspiration from it all! She could make a zebra based fashion line using some of their traditional or festive outfit designs!

Sorry, I'm getting much too excited! Once again, I must focus!

April 5 2013

I've gone through much more books in The Castle of The Two Sisters. Still finding nothing on the amulet.

I began to explore the castle more, make sure I didn't miss anything. I stayed there overnight, and Harmony came with of course. I brought some candles and food and just read through books for a while.

It was nice. But I felt... alone.

I'm really starting to become homesick. I miss the library, but most of all I miss my friends. I know I can get back to them.

Someday.

I'll wait. I'll wait ten years if I have to. I know they'll come back to me- or I'll come back to them.

The Traitor

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"Midnight, listen very carefully to me."

I nodded, listening intently to what Gilda was saying. She held a small pistol in her claws, it looked shiny and brand new, with the symbol on the side of it near the trigger. A small white wing with Gryphon Arms written in the center.

"You are going to hold this gun," she said slowly, "and you are going to shoot the target like I showed you. Nothing but the target. Got that?"

She was speaking to me as if I was a filly, as if I was some impulsive filly who couldn't control themselves. I had handled a gun before, I knew how to shoot it, and I never did anything dangerous. I didn't understand why she was talking like this. She hadn't been like this before, and it was strange to see her acting like this.

She even looked nervous when she put it into my grasp. Then proceeded to explain to me exactly where to point it, then she took many steps away from me.

It was as if I was not just an impulsive child, but a beast she was trying to tame.

I pointed my gun at the familiar red markings on the wall, and shot a few rounds. She gave me more bullets when I ran out, and I reloaded quickly, immediately going back to my shooting.

It continued on like this for a while, and it seemed I had become focused, so focused on what I was doing that it felt like forever in a short amount of time.

Times and times we did this, Gilda and I. She let me practice my shooting, but something had changed. She had become wary of me, she was normally outgoing, brave, and afraid of nothing.

But maybe it was I that had changed.

Clipeum was now excited, more talkative than ever. He seemed happy here, maybe it was the taste of freedom.

Maybe it was the scent of the outdoors, the air, as dreadful as it was... with the dark clouds and the mysteries that lay above it.

But Clip liked it in a way, maybe it's because I shut him up inside for nine years. His entire life was spent in a small room with hardly any light, and a few books borrowed from Octavia.

I always wondered what he did down there. Spending hours and hours with his limited things, maybe he had secret talents I didn't know about, maybe he was searching for his cutiemark.

But how could you search for something if you could only walk in circles? Would you expect something different even with doing the same thing over and over again? Hoping, maybe knowing that there would be a different outcome one day?

Maybe it was I who kept him from knowing. From letting him out, and letting him free to go somewhere besides walking the same path over and over again.

But we had no choice, and finding out who he was... was the last thing on my list.

I spent my life protecting him, shielding him from everything, everyone. I kept him from the world... and himself.

I should've let him choose, make his own decisions earlier. He had always been afraid to speak up, he was always afraid to make decisions of his own choice.

I realize now that I always made the decisions for him. But now that he had more ponies to be with... they let him choose his path.

Maybe I didn't like that he wanted to sword fight. But who was I to judge with a gun in my hoof? If he was going to fight, I would do it with him.

A shot my gun again with a loud boom, and stared at my target and grinned.

Bullseye.

"I think I'm done for today, Gilda." I said, giving my gun back to Gilda as I was ordered to.

I was not allowed to have any weapon outside of practice, it wasn't too bad, I guess.

"I think I'm gonna go back to my room. Clip's still with Rainbow, yes?"

"Well, Clipeum is getting training from Rainbow, and Shining Armor decided to help out a bit."

"Hmm, did he? How generous of him. Now, I'll be going."

"Actually," Gilda shoved the gun into her leather side bag, "Vinyl Scratch wanted to speak with you."

I looked into her golden hawk eyes, and noticed a bright blue behind her. She stepped aside, and a unicorn mare looked up at me.

I looked around Vinyl's room, it was just as bland and boring as mine, with no decoration, but a single purple flower in a glass vase on her bedside table.

Sitting close to Vinyl, I now saw a scar on her cheek, the bruises on her skin looked almost like birth marks that would never disappear. She looked so different but so similar to the Vinyl I saw in Octavia's photo's.

"Midnight... I wanted to talk to you, ask you... about Octy."

Octy. She always called her Octy.

"What did you want to know, I assure you she's doing alright, safe at least. She just... she always misses you."

Vinyl chuckled, "I know she does, just as much as I miss her. But, how did you two meet? I- I want to know."

I sighed, my gaze going to the light purple flower, sitting lonely in it's glass vase as I started to tell the story.

"Another rainy day I see." said Midnight. Rain pouring from the sky and dripping down her black coat.

Underneath the coat, which she tried to keep away from the rain and away from the eyes of ponies, was a foal. Asleep in his carrier, where a blanket covered him and his horn. It was a difficult journey and risk. But it was worth it to let him see the real world for the first time, before he was shut away for many years where he would be safe.

"Yes. Another dark day." a gray earth pony mare next to her said. Looking not at her, but up at the clouds, almost hopefully.

Midnight turned to the other mare, who's bright purple eyes were filled with sadness. But it was a sadness Midnight was very familiar with, a sadness she had felt, a sadness she still felt. In this mare's eyes, that sadness looked fresh.

"Are you- are you waiting for somepony?" Midnight asked. She had been standing here, on this curb in Canterlot, for about ten minutes, and this mare just showed up. She had been waiting for an available taxi to show up, one to bring her back to the train to Ponyville. She had come to buy a few things at the shops, and honestly, to see her old home again.

"Waiting for somepony?" the earth pony asked, "I have nopony to wait for... I did at one point."

The mare looked down sadly, and Midnight almost immediately understood.

"Who was he?"

"She, actually, and she was wonderful. The most beautiful mare in Equestria."

A smile cracked at her lips and her eyes glittered with sudden joy, even if it was barely visible.

"I had somepony too." Midnight sighed, watching as another full taxi ran passed them, splashing up a puddle which almost reached the two.

"He could build beautiful things from nothing, but a thought from his mind."

"She could create music from nothing but an idea."

"Silver Ring."

"Vinyl Scratch."

"Is that your name?"

They paused for a moment, then both began to laugh for the first time in weeks.

"No, that was his name. My name is... Midnight. Midnight Glider."

"Well, lovely to meet you! Octavia Melody."

They shook hooves, and smiled.

Then, an empty taxi pulled up nearby, and they both rushed towards it. Octavia, grabbing a violin case and putting it around herself.

"Where are you going?" Midnight asked.

"Ponyville, home."

"Me too! Shall we go together?"

"We shall."

"You bonded... over the ponies you missed and loved."

"Exactly. Even though you were't there. You were a key element that brought us together as friends!"

That made Vinyl smile. But with the scar so close to her mouth, it looked almost painful, and by the look on her face... I guessed that was.

"Vinyl... I'm curious... what- what happened?"

Her smile faltered, "What do you mean?"

"You just... that scar, the bruises, you're in such bad condition! Haven't you gone to Fluttershy yet?"

Vinyl looked taken aback, almost offended that I had asked.

"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"

"No... it's fine." Vinyl said quietly. She looked away from me sadly.

After a few moments of silence, she stood up and said, "I don't want to talk anymore."

"Oh, okay." I said, gulping. I must've asked something really personal.

"I'm going to find Pinkie." she said.

"Pinkie?" I asked. "You guys are friends?"

She looked at me. "She ah, helped me out before... I guess you would call it friendship."

With that she left the room. I realized I was still in her room, so I left too to find Clipeum.

I assumed he was still with Rainbow, so with a bit of confusion, I finally found myself in their sword training room. Light coming in through the massive crumbling hole in the ceiling. Instead of Rainbow and Clip fighting, I saw Rainbow and Shining Armor fighting with actual swords. Clip sat nearby watching them, two sticks lying on the floor next to him.

Both Shining and Rainbow wore the silver armor, with all of the intricate and carefully made designs embedded on it. They both wore their helmets, and in front of Shining's horn, I assume to protect his horn, was a long blade.

Rainbow's wings were of course out of the armor, but lining them were similar silver blades. It looked as though she could cut through anything with a simple whoosh of her wing.

The two had their swords crossed, pushing against one another with their expressions so angry, so focused on their fighting. Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow noticed me, and with her eyes looking somewhere else, Shining took advantage. He turned his sword and smacked it hard against hers, causing the sword to clatter on the ground and her falling next to it.

Shining pointed the tip of his sword at her throat, and smiled.

"Never put your guard down." he said with a smirk.

He took his sword away from her, and put it in his scabbard hanging from his belt. He turned to smile at me.

"Miss Glider. Here to pick up your son?"

"Well, just trying to keep an eye on him." I replied, "But, I see he's fine. Besides, I'm interested in your fighting, why are you two fighting instead of him?"

"Aah," Shining said, taking off his helmet and holding it against his side. "we are showing him the more advanced things. Also, we want him to practice fighting multiple at once, of course," he pointed at his sword, "Not using real swords... for now."

I nodded, and smiled back at him. He sighed, "I see you're doing well, Midnight, we are back on speaking terms then?"

"Of course... I know I didn't say it before so I'm going to say it now, Commander Armor."

He tilted his head, and looked at me curiously.

I took in a deep breath, "I'm sorry I left when you told me not to. It was foolish of me to not follow your orders. I greatly apologize, and it will never happen again."

He chuckled, "Midnight, while it was foolish of you... you did help."

"H-how did I help?"

"You distracted the enemy, Vinyl and Pinkie snuck there while they were too distracted by you and your son. While it did come with... some pain afterward, there will always be sacrifice that comes with good things."

I stared into his eyes for a moment, the icy blue staring back at me. They did not seem so icy and cold anymore though, they looked warm and welcoming.

"What I was mostly worried about was what the rest of the rebellion would think. You are still very new, and there have been rumors..."

"Rumors?"

He took a step closer to me, and looked away from my eyes. "Some think you are a traitor. They think we were too quick to trust you, they thought you left to communicate with the patrol rather than harm them."

I was taken aback, how could anypony think that? I guess... not truly knowing me, could be problematic. I was afraid that even the commander had doubts about me, that he may think the rumors could be true.

But they weren't of course.

"When you arrived... you said you did not want to aid us in fighting the enemy."

This was not good, I had to prove to them, I had to prove that I was not against them, but how?

"You were so focused on protecting your son, you did not look at the ponies around you. Some are pondering why he does not have an anti-magic lock on him. They think... he is a spy as well. They think that we would not want to harm a child, even if that child was not on our side."

I started to back away from him in fear. He didn't doubt me, did he? He didn't think of me like that. But again, he barely knew me.

"Some think you are using the child as a tool. To get you places without him, that he is just a pawn on your game of chess."

From behind him, Rainbow Dash stared at me, when our eyes locked, she immediately looked away. But I tried to look at her hopefully, looking for something to get me out of this situation. But she looked as though she was not going to help me in front of Shining.

I probably only looked like more of a traitor.

Shining put his hoof on my shoulder, and I could fell his strength, that was much stronger than mine, in that simple touch.

"I hope they are not true."

He doubts me. Doesn't he?

He walked past me, and left the building, shutting the door behind him.

I felt tears swimming in my eyes. I looked at Rainbow, and she only stared at me.

She walked forward towards me, she put her sword away, but when she walked close she didn't look me in the eye.

"Please." I choked out, she gave me a sad look, looking at me, and smiling ever so slightly. "Don't worry." she whispered, "i'm on your side."

She walked past me. She left the same way Shining did. Now I was alone with my son.

I sat down, it was hard to process. I had been acting unusual. I had never been so full of anger before, I could see why the ponies would think that.

But I refused for ponies to think I was on her side.

"Clipeum. Let's go."

He looked at me, and slowly began to rise. Too slow, and I was feeling impatient.

"I said, Let's go." I went over to him, and grabbed him by his ear. I had never been so forceful, I was always gentle with him, and I was done being gentle. He should've learned at this point, to grow up.

He immediately reacted, his training had given him fast reflexes he didn't have before. It took me by surprise when he kicked me away, causing me to fall back... with my lip bleeding.

He stood in his fighting pose, his stick held in his magical aura, pointing straight at me.

His eyes were scared, his breathing was heavy.

He looked more serious than I had ever seen him in my life.

He knew this time he was fighting not Rainbow Dash.

But what he thought to be a real enemy.

Under Her Rule

by InkHeartBrony

The Beginning of the End

1: Journal of T.S.

The Rebellion

I'm Sorry, Vinyl

2: Journal of T.S.

Broken

The Truth of the Necklace

3: Journal of T.S

The Traitor