//------------------------------// // Changes and Choices // Story: The Elements of Unity // by Gremlin Grenade //------------------------------// [The choices we make in life, the paths we choose, always affect us in turn. We all make our own paths, choose our own destinies, but our choices also define us in turn. Every decision we make changes us in some way, at the end of every crossroads is a new individual, with brand new perspectives and values, and a brand new world ahead of them.] It was over. Everything she knew, everything she had loved all her life, all of it went up in smoke in an instant. This smoke soared overhead, vaporizing the world she once knew and carrying it into the atmosphere. And so, Pinkie Pie stared, blank-faced, into the billowing clouds of former Ponyville. How could this happen? How could these ponies be so angry? Didn’t they know how to share? How to care? How to settle their differences with love and laughter, rather than hatred and violence? The world around her collapsed as something completely foreign to her dominated everypony she knew and reduced them into savage monsters. And now… it was over. The oven that brought her so many treats, her warm cozy bed, the foyer where she held all her parties. All of it, gone. She only prayed that the cakes and their children made it out alright, and that they could start again with all they had. Who started all this? Who was to blame? Was it her friends, who laughed so uneasily, and lived in their troubled pasts? Was it the government, who needed to keep their order at any cost? Or was it fear itself, Pinkie’s lifelong enemy, the nemesis of laughter? So many questions filled the pink mare’s head as she watched the smoke rise into the atmosphere. As the bakery burned down behind her, the scorching sugar and batter within let out an aroma of the most delicious cake she could imagine. Pinkie couldn’t help but let out a little giggle at the irony, at the beauty and happiness that seemed to be rising out of the anger. She shut her eyes as she thought to herself, unsure what to do, where to turn next. Clearly, the world she knew was no more. What world lie in its place, she was about to find out… =============================================================================== “Hurry, children! One at a time, please! Form a straight line following Twist! Quickly!” Cheerilee was in a panic as she corralled the foals away from the burning wreckage. The children of Ponyville elementary elected to take a field trip together to watch the festivities at the summer sun celebration. Their trip had led them to the quiet town hall, where the mayor and Cheerilee had elected to teach the children some of the town history, when the building suddenly went ablaze. Now she found herself leading the frightened foals out of a maze of fire and rubble, with no idea where their parents were located or what she would do when they got out. She jumped as a large piece of wreckage landed in front of her, blocking her path. Sweat raced down her head as she looked about, desperately trying to figure a way out. Suddenly, a loud crash reached her ears, as a tall figure burst through one of the walls. “Who are you? What’s going on?” She practically screamed at the stranger. “I can explain what happened today, but first, you must head this way!” The figure stood aside of the clearing, as a herd of anxious foals stormed through As Cheerilee approached the stranger, her expression was a mix of anger and relief. “Okay, who are you, and what’s going on?” Kataro stared into the eyes of the mare for a moment, pondering his wording. It was unlike him to be dishonest, but he had no intention of turning the hatred of this mare or the town’s children against him and his ilk. “Under the command of Celestia’s will, the royal guard has attacked Ponyville.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened at his words, her heart trying to pry itself out of her chest. The royal guard? Celestia’s royal guard? Attack Ponyville, the kindest, most welcoming and peaceful town she knew? It didn’t seem possible, perhaps some machination of her mind. Maybe she’d wake up, and head to school to teach the children, like she did every day. No, she could feel the sting of the flames, and the power of the smoke as it engulfed her surroundings. This was all, terribly real. She didn’t know why this was happening, or even how, but she knew that the children weren’t safe here, and neither was she. ================================================================================ “Hang on Fluttershah!” Applejack could barely breathe with all the smoke, but the rapid beeping on her friend’s heart monitor made her more concerned about something other than her own health. The frail pegasus had started taking quicker, shorter breaths shortly after they had left the hospital, and her friend had no idea what to do to save her. She was used to bucking apples and breaking things apart, not fixing ponies. She ran through the limited options she knew of; should she operate CPR? Would that help now, or just make things worse? A stern figure stood ahead of them, its features concealed by the smoke. The creature was tall, with a stiff styled mane, its limbs and neck adorned with gleaming metal garments. “Git out of our way! Ah won’t let you hurt her!” Applejack pushed a hoof into the dirt, readying herself into a battle stance. “I will not hurt poor Fluttershy, but without my help she could die!” Zecora stepped forward, a look of concern spread across her face. Applejack eased up, forcing a smile at the sight of her friend. “Oh it’s you, Zecora. Ah thought it was one of them newcomer ponies. That lot seemed nice enough, but now look at this! Nothin’s left! What drives a pony to do such a thing?” Tears started to drip down her face, her stern composure finally broken. “Why did they have to turn out so bad? Why did they have to be so evil? Ah just can’t forgive it!” At first, Zecora was at a loss for words. There was nothing she could say that would console this pony’s fears and pain. Everything Applejack once knew was now burning to the ground; the vast fields of Sweet Apple Acres were easily consumed in the wildfires. But Zecora chose to keep her mind focused at the task at hand. “Please, let me see our injured friend, she may need my medicine!” She pulled a pair of small jugs from her saddlebags, before scooping some dirt and nearby flora into the jar. She shook them a while before adding a blue liquid to the concoction, and feeding the mixture into Fluttershy’s mouth. Though unconscious, the mare’s lips thirstily grasped at the pouring concoction, her body desperately trying to resolve her condition. “All this’ll make her better?” Applejack asked worryingly, her eyes tracing Fluttershy’s small and jerking movements. “This will only keep her stable, while we get her to my table” Zecora motioned her head towards the Everfree forest. Though she was anxious to help Fluttershy, Applejack had also been stalling for time, her eyes occasionally darting back into the smoke as she looked for three particular figures. From the fires that blazed around her beloved orchard, she saw who she was looking for, emerging out of the smoke. “Big Macintosh!” Applejack sprinted towards her brother’s direction, spotting another figure wrapped around his shoulders. “Big Macintosh, you’ve got Granny Smith?” “Eeyup,” though it was no more than his usual response, his tone of voice was uncharacteristically harsh, his expression stern and heated. The two siblings helped their grandmother from Macintosh’s back together, careful not to put her in a position that she might hurt herself. Applejack wiped her brow in relief, her heart rate slowing a little before spiking at her next realization. “Big Macintosh, where’s Applebloom?” ================================================================================ “Where are we going?” Applebloom squealed as a larger classmate bumped her aside. “What’s going on? Who are we following?” “I don’t know, I think Miss Cheerilee said something about a zebra,” Scootaloo grunted, trying to force her way through the moving crowd towards her friends. “A zebra?” Applebloom’s ears perked up. “Zecora!” she galloped excitedly towards the front of the line, shunting her way past the other children. Her expression changed, however as she caught sight of the figure at the head of the crowd. “You’re not Zecora…” The zebra’s ears perked up, and he turned to the young filly with a stern but caring expression. “I’m sorry I’m not who you thought I’d be, but I need you children to follow me.” Whoever this stranger was, he spoke like Zecora. Furthermore, he seemed to want to help, and Applebloom had already learned a lesson in trusting others when she met Zecora. “All… all right” she replied submissively, backing into the crowd as they moved forward. She saw a group of other ponies in the distance, towards Twilight’s library. She wasn’t sure who they were, but they seemed to be responsible for her continued survival, so she was grateful enough to trust them. =============================================================================== “We have to save her!” Applejack’s voice was a combination of ferocity and concern, as she prepared to barrel through the zebra standing in her way. “We cannot save young Applebloom, trying to now will spell our doom!” Zecora pleaded, unsure she could withstand a charge from the Apple siblings. “But if ah don’t do something, those ponies are gonna hurt her! Hurt mah sister!” Tears started to flow from her eyes, as Applejack felt crushed under the levity of things, under the tragedy that continued to unfold. “No harm will come to her, I promise. To hurt these ponies is not their wish! There is one thing these ponies need, and that is ponies for them to lead!” She approached her friend gently, placing a comforting hoof over her shoulder. “We will save her before it’s too late, but now we must recuperate.” Applejack merely stared at her hooves, her mind desperately trying to grasp the situation, trying to convince herself that everything would be alright. It was her trust that allowed this much to happen already, could she put her trust in the hooves of another again? Was this different? Was there anything that made Zecora more trustworthy than these other ponies? “AJ, we’re gonna get Applebloom back no matter what,” Applejack’s ears perked up at the sound of her brother’s voice, and she slowly turned to face him, tears still streaming down her cheeks, “but ah think we need to go with Zecora on this one. Those ponies are dangerous, and with all the fire, we might do more harm than good.” It was very rare that Big Macintosh would say so much about anything; only during the most important of times would he say much more than a word or two. Slowly, Applejack nodded, trying to clear the lump from her throat as she followed her friends and family into the Everfree forest. ============================================================================== Royal Valor stood over the unconscious body of her opponent, sweat dripping from her face a spear hoisted in her mouth. She was in position to deliver a killing blow, but instead she just stared blankly at the guardspony’s body. What was she doing? How did she get caught up in this madness? Barely a week ago, she was one of Equestria’s elite, a guard in service to the princess. Now, she was part of a violent rebellion, determined to overthrow everything she spent her life protecting. The past week she wanted nothing more than to turn back, to betray her new allies and return to the kingdom’s good graces. But it was too late for that now, she had acted against agents of the princess’s law and there was no turning back. Whether or not she had made the right choice, she was committed to the path she was now locked into. So what did the life of this one guardspony mean? Before she thrust her weapon, however, a multicolored figure moved into the corners of her vision. She turned to see Rainbow Dash, worn and exhausted, but with a fire in her eyes still. For a moment the two just stared at one another, the look in their eyes saying more than any words could. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak; “I hate bullies.” Then, Royal saw a spark of something in the fierce mare’s eyes she wasn’t expecting; fear. Rainbow Dash was afraid, of the consequences of her actions and the uncertain future that lie ahead. She was in the same position as Royal herself, and whichever side the element of loyalty committed herself to would have a soldier for life. Even still, Royal could not bring herself to convince this mare to join her, not when her own feelings were so conflicted. Instead, she merely turned away, returning to the town square where Master Plan surely awaited her. ================================================================================ Rarity searched the burning streets, desperately hoping her beloved friends were safe. Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, somepony, anypony, they just needed to be okay. She couldn’t be alone; she couldn’t leave what was left of Ponyville without knowing that at one of her friends were safe. And what of Fluttershy? Wasn’t she still in the hospital when the fires started? Rarity’s heart rate raced as she scanned the streets, looking for any sign of life. She stopped when a bright pink figure caught her eye. “Pinkie?” she called out and the pony turned towards her. “Pinkie!” Rarity galloped towards her friend, who appeared to be in an almost cationic state. “Pinkie Pie, are you alright?” Pinkie just stared at the rising flames, almost mindlessly, before giving her friend the same vacant look. “Pinkie, we need to get out of here!” Rarity gasped, her breath short between the smoke and the furious tension. “Please follow me, dear!” Pinkie Pie simply nodded, before slowly rising to her hooves. As Rarity raced towards the nearest exit from town, her friend kept pace, but she still seemed to be absent from her surroundings as she ran. Her head remained tilted towards the sky as they moved, her eyes fixed on the rising smoke. She wore no expression, she simply stared blankly skywards. Her progress was halted as she nearly tripped over the body of a disabled guard. She glanced slowly at the body beneath her feet, before lifting the spear and shield onto her back. “Pinkie, what are you doing?” Rarity called back, distressed at her friends nonchalance. Pinkie quickly followed in Rarity’s stead, though her expression never changed. ================================================================================ Steel Hoof paced solemnly back towards the town square. His pace was slow and deliberate as he tried to gain control of his thoughts, try to force down the lump in his throat. He was a mighty stallion of the harsh colds of Stalliongrad, he did not have the luxury for kindness or sorrow. Watching the last vestige of kindness and sympathy in his life leave should be no harder than watching the disappearance of a simple squirrel. He could not afford to show weakness, to feel loss; he must be strong and resolute at all times, forever courageous. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the muffled screams of a group of ponies amongst the roar of the fire. His ears perked up as he scoured for its source, curious and determined in equal measure. He found said source in a larger building at the corner of the street. The ponies inside cried out through the burning wreckage, their exit blocked by some fallen debris. As he neared the window, Steel Hoof saw whole families inside; fathers, mothers, fillies and colts. His thoughts turned to his sister, who’s innocence had sent him to begin the journey of his life, and to Fluttershy, who’s kindness knew no bounds and who inspired a courage in him beyond that he normally felt. He backed away from the structure before dragging a hoof across the ground, preparing himself for a full-on sprint. He charged towards the building before leaping through the window, hitting the ground with a loud crash. He looked into the eyes of each pony inside, all of whom had fallen silent in surprise, before he turned to the back door. “EVERYPONY FOLLOW ME!” =============================================================================== Master Plan glance dreamily into the sky above, the stars obscured by the smoke. He breathed in deep the wondrous sensation that overcame him, an empowering excitement that began to raise his heart rate and fill his entire body. The element of magic was in his grasp, and the element of loyalty may follow in her stead. Soon he would crumble the establishments that caged him so tightly. Soon, he would rebuild the world as he saw fit. His thoughts were interrupted as a loud crack rang behind him. His eyes turned towards the Ponyville library, which burned and crumbled amongst the flames. His home, for a time, was burning down like all the others, crashing to his hooves to make way for a new one. His time spent there, in the company of Twilight Sparkle, was enjoyable enough, but the peace had filled his every muscle with tension. Yes, he was glad to see it go, and she would be too, when she learned how little a home really means. But, it was her home, which meant- His ears perked up in alarm as he connected the implications in his mind. While Twilight was still attached to her home, it was the most likely place for her to be. What’s more, it was highly possible that Spike was still there, amongst the burning wreckage, and that Twilight would feel the need to save him. He raced towards the large burning with a tense pace, his mind calculating and plotting in his worry, piecing a solution to every problem he might encounter in the next few moments. When he arrived at the wreckage, the front door was blocked by some burning wreckage. Nothing too large that he couldn’t levitate out of the way without his magic, however, and soon he was in the building. In the center of the structure lie Twilight, a mark indicating she had been impacted with part of the structure. Beside her lie an unconscious Spike, pinned beneath a large wooden beam. As he turned back to Twilight, he saw that she was conscious, though just barely, and taking in short, terrified breaths as he stood over her. “Steady your breathing, Twilight Sparkle,” he spoke softly and affirmatively, hoping to help gain some awareness of her surroundings. He levitated the beam from spike’s unconscious body before dragging the both of them from the twisted burning wreckage around them. As he peered down towards her, he saw that she had opened her eyes, and was inspecting the world around her, probably trying to grasp her situation in her drowsy state. As she looked back towards him, he couldn’t help but smile. Here she was, the element of magic, arguably the most powerful pony in Equestria, and now, that power was all his. All his to shape the world with, all his to topple the throne. It was a wonderful feeling, having all that power in his grasp. Yes, he was very happy to see her indeed. Master Plan allowed his friend to regain her composure, as she rose to her haunches, coughing the smoke out of her lungs. “Are you alright, Twilight?” She looked up towards him with pleading eyes, as if demanding to know what to do next. “Take a moment to breathe, give me a nice, deep breath.” Her shoulders rose as she inhaled, her body finally starting to calm down. “That’s it; let the clean air into your lungs. Just a couple more.” By the time she was done, Twilight was completely conscious, and gave Plan a grateful smile before turning her gaze to Spike. “Is… is he going to be alright?” “He’s going to be fine, Twilight. Dragons can take a lot more punishment than we ponies can.” This seemed to ease her up a bit, and she fell into a state of sisterly affection, caressing the young dragon before turning her attention to the world around her. The burning, crumbling, world that was once Ponyville. *** “Both entrances are blocked! What do we do?” one stallion looked to Steel Hoof pleadingly. He surveyed his surroundings, trying to find the weakest point in the building. It was true, the front and back doors were both blocked by pillars of burning debris, but some of the wreckage that littered the floor came from the walls around them, which meant that those walls were weak enough to give way to a firm push. He found such an opening on the west end of the building, and prepared himself for a charge. “All you ponies, get ready to move! There will not be much time when wall breaks!” “When the wall what?” The stallion didn’t get a reply before Steel Hoof charged through the wall ahead of him, bursting a large section of the structure and causing the main pillars to creak from the pressure. Without a second thought, the ponies inside piled out of the collapsing building, greeted ahead by a darkly-dressed stallion and lavender mare. Ahead of Master Plan, Kataro led a group of school-fillies and colts, pure minds and the future of the rebellion. Behind him, Steel Hoof brought with him Ponyville’s beleaguered and betrayed families, confused and terrified of their government. To his left, Royal Valor approached with but one other pony, the invaluable element of loyalty. Beside him, Twilight Sparkle, the element of magic, stood, Spike’s unconscious body now hoisted on her back. All the pieces were in place, all of his plans were coming to fruition. “Twilight, let’s get these ponies out of this smoke.” The group headed to the hilltops overlooking Ponyville, well away from the danger of the smoke and fire. Once the various townsponies had recuperated and consoled one another, all turned to face the burning town below. Twilight watched in horror as this hilltop, which she had sat atop so many times to gaze at the stars and bask in their beauty, was now a theatre for the end of her world. Master Plan stood beside her, basking in the light of the fires below. Where his friends and allies were undergoing great stress and trauma, Plan himself had felt a certain calmness wash over him. The compassion and sympathy he had experienced over the last few days were a cage to him, a trap that weakened his resolution and blurred his clarity. But now he was free again, once again in calculating control of his future. He closed his eyes and relished in the sweet, beautiful chaos that was beginning, the mayhem and warfare that he would soon create. He dreamed of the world he could soon create from the ashes of the current, the opportunities that arose from the carnage and mayhem. Yes, the world was once again under his control, and soon his country would have unity. ============================================================================== “Sir, are you alright?” the turquoise-haired mare stood over the body of her commanding officer with a compassionate worry in her eyes, tracing the various wounds on him with her vision. An intense pain jolted from the wound in Holy Justice’s chest and coursed through his entire body as he let out an agonizing grunt. He surveyed his surroundings as his mind recollected what had just happened, while Cleric let out a relived sigh. “It’s fortunate he missed your heart, isn’t it sir?” What was going on? Why was he still alive? His adversary was far too clever to make this kind of mistake on accident. What was he playing at? Was he really so cocky that he believed his opponent’s survival was inconsequential? Holy Justice rose to his hooves and did his best to slick back his golden mane. He had learned not to underestimate his opponent today, a lesson that had cost him dearly. But he would learn, he would adapt, and next time he would be ready. And he was hoping more than anything that rival would be too. End Chapter 11