About a decade has passed since that night, Equestria experienced a great many changes that reshaped the continent. A brutal war between the Equestrian Kingdom and the de-facto Dragon Nation devastated the continent and the poor leadership by its ruler, Princess Celestia, eventually ended with her abdication following the war. A new Republic formed afterwards, one that divided power among regions and city states more evenly.
Even so, some are seeking to secede entirely from the fledgling and inexperienced Republic and fears of a Civil War, not seen in centuries, looms over the horizon.
chapter one
Celestial Coast Armaments, Fillydelphia
The rusted metallic elevator doors slid open sideways , and warm air bearing an overwhelming smell washed over Twilight Sparkle, her niece Flurry Heart, and their earth pony guide.
Twilight took a deep breath and held it. The odors of this subterranean factory were those of labor and industry. The great chamber before them had once been a Royal Army ordnance manufacturing center on Equestria's east coast for decades, and no amount of rigorous cleaning would ever be able to eliminate the odors of sweat, machine lubricant, the molten metals, and the gun powder in the high explosives that filled the air.
Twilight expelled her breath and stepped out of the seemingly unsafe open cage elevator, then walked the handful of steps up to the rail overlooking the chamber. She walked rapidly so that not only would her steps create a noticeable ring on the metal flooring of this catwalk, but so her student and guide would be left behind for a moment. This was a performance for her guide and all the other workers and guards who turned and looked towards her. Above towards the ceiling across the chamber, she saw what was the main observation room where she could identify a couple figures behind the outer wall windows, likely representatives of the newly renamed Celestial Coast Armaments, watching her and Flurry's every move.
From the relative safety in case something unpleasant happened of course.
Twilight knew she was carrying off her act quite well. The company officials could be seen whispering, leaning next to one another, and pointing at her. They looked properly intimidated.
But she didn’t know whether to attribute her success to her performance, mannerisms or... her name and title.
Their guide, an unshaven somewhat burly earth pony named Brawn, moved up to the rail to Twilight’s right. Brawn stroked his rugged black beard, the gesture a failed attempt to conceal the pony’s nervousness. Twilight felt, rather than saw, Flurry move up on the other side of Brawn.
“So, as you can see,” Brawn said in a thick accent particular to Fillydephia, “the working conditions meet the minimum standards, even by your Equestrian Republic's standard. An' let me tell ya, that ain't easy.”
Flurry cleared her throat and muttered. “Oh, congratulations on meeting the bare minimum in a dangerous environment.”
Twilight nodded absently while Brawn gave the young mare a snide look at. Twilight leaned forward to give the manufacturing floor below her full attention.
She saw rows and rows of freshly made artillery pieces, though only small caliber ones. A stream of countless artillery shells rolled along the conveyor belt, flanked by workers made up of earth ponies. The guards by the exits and strewn along the assembly line were a good mix of earth and pegasus. She did see some unicorns in the observation room and down in the factory dealing with technical, mechanical, maintenance issues
While Twilight made her initial survey, Flurry kept their guide occupied. “Do you wax your beard?” she asked.
He cocked his eyebrow. “I- I don't.”
“It just seems very shiny. Do you oil it?”
Brawn's voice grew a little more irritated. “I neither oil or wax it, little mare. I condition it. And I brush it.” He began stroking it for emphasis.
“Do you brush it with butter then?” she smirked.
Twilight finally looked to the right, past Brawn and at her niece. Flurry was 16 years of age and was just a few years from becoming a proper young adult mare. Flurry turned, to look at Twilight, then back to Brawn and said, “The Equestrian Republic acknowledges that this factory seems to meet the minimum, the absolute minimum, required safety and comfort standards of an independent and private arms manufacturer in mainland Equestria.”
Twilight nodded. The nod meant Good improvisation.
“Pfffff,” Brawn wiped his sweating forehead. “We are way above minimum standards. Under Fillydelphia and the rest of the Free Cities laws, we meet them and then some. You Republic types just are mad this place doesn't belong to you anymore.”
Twilight shrugged.
Flurry imitated her motion.
Brawn rolled his eyes but wandered back towards Flurry. “You seem familiar...” Unsure, he squinted at Flurry again. “Do I know you? I feel like I should. What's your name?”
Flurry's heart began to race. She was technically the daughter of Princess Cadence, co-ruler of the Crystal Kingdom. But Flurry herself hasn't been seen much in public due to the nature of her training. Brawn might have seen a painting of her foalself and her parents, or maybe he caught glimpse of her when she visited the Celestial Coast, the east coast of Equestria, again at a young age though.
She also was an alicorn, like Twilight, and anypony would be able to notice Flurry's wings. Or, would have had it not been for the two pouches on her sides, covering them.
She gave him a blank look. “Sorry to break it to you but I'm Skyla. I get the same from others. Apparently I also remind them of somepony.”
“Ah.” Brawn nodded as if he understood.
When Brawn turned back, Twilight looked directly at him and said, “There's something here. Something wrong.” They were the first words she’d spoken in Brawn’s presence.
Brawn shook his head, some of his sweat flying to the sides. “Huh? What are you- Everything's fine.”
Twilight looked past him, toward the wall to the far right of the chamber. She began a slow, deliberate walk. The metal flooring rang and echoed louder across the chamber. Brawn stood almost still, only his eyes followed the alicorn. Twilight walked along the balcony, her gaze swept the walls. As her attention reached the middle of the left wall, a locked door with heavy thick chains wrapped around the handle stood before her. She felt another pulse of worry from Brawn. If the machinery in the background all stopped, she probably could hear his individual sweat drops impact the floor.
“H- Hey," Brawn hurried to keep up. "If you want, I could show you the observation chamber. I'm sure the board members would be interested to talk with ya.”
Twilight ignored him and concentrated beyond the door.
She then jerked her head toward the wall.
"That's my cue," Flurry announced behind Brawn. Her horn lit up, the metal door illuminated in the same aura, and the door began twisting.
Brawn, his voice pained, said, “Wait, what are you doing?.”
Twilight gave him an innocent look. “It's obvious you aren't going to give us the keys so I'm letting my student practice with her magic to unlock it." She watched further as the door slowly dented, creating the sound of steel groaning. "It might take a while, I did say 'practice'."
Flurry's was biting her tongue, trying to concentrate and force the door open. Finally it detached from the frame and fell backwards into the room, creating a loud thud. The two walked past Brawn who was bewildered beyond belief.
Flurry stepped through. Twilight ducked slightly to follow. She heard the sounds of somepony running along the catwalk, no doubt Brawn running to alert the others. Twilight didn’t bother to stop him. Hundreds of workers, the dozens of private guards, and the observation chamber were probably already watching. Dealing with Brawn wouldn’t keep the alarm from being sounded.
The room the two entered was lit in an orange hue. It looked like a storage room heavily packed with tall containers. They were each marked DANGER, DO NOT DROP, and SUPER CHARGED LANCE MISSILES, QUANTITY 16.
"Look's like we what we're looking for," Twilight said. "Zep-killers. Designed to punch right through the hull of a Majestic-Class battlezep. I knew they were producing prototypes at this stage at best, but..." she panned her head across the hidden storage room, "It seems like someone is looking to buy a Republic Fleet killer."
"And fast?"
"They might be faulty and unreliable if they're rushing production."
"I don't think whoever is buying these is looking to use them on pirates," Flurry injected a bit of humor. She then gulped, "Oh- uh, I don't think carrying one of them back for proof is all safe, with the whole 'DANGER, DO NOT DROP' warning."
Twilight smiled, amused.
Suddenly they heard multiple clanging noises from outside. Twilight peaked out of the corner to see half a dozen guards, clad in light armor and carrying stand-cannons, running towards them.
And then behind the first six guards came another six, and then another eight…
“Stay behind me,” she said.
“O- Oh alright.” Flurry’s stuttered, then sighing.
The foremost guard, who looked better armored than the rest, some of the pieces even being painted gold and carried a hoof pistol, shouted, “Stop where you are! This section is restricted!”
Twilight moved forward at a calm walk. She shouted back, “I'm sorry? Could you speak up?”
“I said stop where you are! You're trespassing on restricted grounds!”
She was now twenty meters from the ranks of guards ahead. They all were bunching up behind the foremost guard commander, not realizing beforehand that this would happen along the catwalk. Nevertheless the front row set up their stand-cannons, placing the monopods, or stand-cannon rests onto the floor, aiming their sights at her.
She continued her slow pace. “I don't wish to hurt anypony. We found what we're looking for. No pony will be hurt if you let us leave.” She didn't believe these guards, even if just doing this out of pay, would back down though. Massed enemy forces almost never backed down, even despite her reputation and her being an alicorn, the latter which to be fair many across the continent still have yet to see in action, even during the Lost War.
Her heart briefly stopped upon remembering even a fragment of it.
She took another two steps and the guard commander called, “Fire!”
The guards in front began firing and the high velocity bolts screamed towards the alicorn.
In a split second, her horn lit up and the bolts exploded and shattered in front of her. She had covered herself in a protective bubble. The shield dissipated as Twilight didn't want to waste her energy when she knew the next volley was going to take a while. Usually there would be a second row to follow up while the first reloaded. But because the guards were all bunched up, she could take advantage of the this respite and their disorganization.
She was now was close enough to the guards that she emitted an oncoming wall of magic towards them and as soon as it impacted them, they went flying backwards onto the catwalk, while some over the railing and onto the assembly line floors.
She continued her march forward without Flurry. At the back of her head, she knew how Flurry wanted to help. But was she ready for this? She shook off those thoughts and focused ahead. The guard commander and a few others wobbled themselves up, only to meet her at point blank range. He fired his hoof cannon, but missed by several inches next to her neck. She decisively motioned her head across his chest, slashing through his armor piece with her magic before he slumped onto the floor.
Her almost-melee use of magic was probably not fatal, thanks to the commander's heavy armor. He was likely going to have a burnt-slash mark across his chest but he was unlikely to die.
Taking out the commander had its desired effect. The conscious guards saw their commander fall. They exchanged looks before going, "Back, back!" Withdrawing back where they came, leaving behind their stand-cannons and unconscious fellow guards.
Twilight sighed a breath of relief. Years ago, Twilight would have felt tragedy surround her when her actions resulted in the deaths of common soldiers, common guards. But over time she’d lost that sense. There was a wearying inevitability to leaders sending their troops to die against more powerful enemies. It had been happening as long as there were violent leaders and obedient followers. Nevertheless, she was glad no pony died so far.
That relief was cut short for across the chamber on the other end, more guards poured to set up firing lines along the railing, this time they wouldn't be bunched up.
She turned to see their catwalk cleared of resistance as the retreat guards fled around the corner. Twilight and Flurry’s path to the elevator was clear on their side, but they would be sitting ducks from the other side.
Twilight called over to Flurry Heart. "Jump!"
The two climbed the railing and descended several meters down onto the assembly lines, scaring away the few remaining workers who remained in their stations either out of fear of being caught in the action or they wanted to see a bit of the action. Flurry Heart didn't blame them for the latter, if she was stuck doing the same menial tasks all day...
But now wasn't the time to ponder as they took cover behind the machinery. They proved study enough to withstand the barrage of bolts. The two were separated by some five or so meters. Flurry decided to crawl towards her teacher, just barely obscured by the conveyor belt.
Flurry scooted besides Twilight. “What now?” she asked.
“Get out of here in one piece sounds like a start” Twilight caught a too-close bolt that landed just around the corner of the machinery.
As the barrage continued, they heard the many other workers screaming and saw some diving for cover. Flurry winced. She hated seeing innocent lives hanging by a thread. She tugged at Twilight. "Twilight, the faster we get out, the less chance somepony gets hurt."
Twilight nodded. "And a fraction of a degree of arc difference and a stray bolt could hit some explosive shell lying around." She turned towards the elevator above. They could maybe fly themselves over there, their speed likely being enough to avoid fire, and jump into the elevator. But they would be defenseless in the small, open cage elevator.
"I bet those guys in the front row seats are enjoying this," Flurry muttered in an annoyed tone.
"Who?" Twilight turned towards Flurry's focus and saw the observation room near the ceiling of the large factory chamber. The figures had their eyes glued to the glass window, watching them like it was entertainment. She grinned. "I have an idea."
"Can you tell security to not put so much unnecessary holes in my equipment?" said Mr. Uptown, doing nothing to hide his annoyance in his voice. "I put a lot of my own money into streamlining the production."
Her secretary, Ms. Penny, spoke up, "Sir, I think it was the subsidies and tax breaks that covered those costs for you," she said in a sheepish tone.
The other two figures, board members, gave Mr. Uptown a suspicious look.
Uptown nervously laughed as he turned away to face the three. "Heh, I appreciate the- um, your sense of humor, Ms. Penny, heh heh." His attention wandered to the board members. "Obviously I allocated your investments into—"
He was interrupted by the loud piercing sound of glass shattering behind him. Before he could turn, he was knocked out by something hard against his head. Twilight and Flurry had flew all the way from the ground floor, smashed through the window, and haphazardly landed past the other three occupants, with bolts hitting the room initially before stopping, no doubt an order to stop themselves from hitting the one who's paying their salaries.
The two looked around the room, seeing three fleeing to hide under the tables in the room which was ostensibly well decorated and a far cry from the conditions below. Behind them was somepony Flurry crashed into and knocked out. They looked around, trying to spot some way out. At the center of the wall opposite of the shattered glass window was an elevator.
"Great," Flurry said, "Let's get in." She took a step forward but Twilight blocked her with her hoof, then pointed to a door in the corner of the room. "Fire exit?"
"Would you rather be in an enclosed elevator that opened up to a whole company of guards waiting for us above?"
"Whoops, uh, yeah, you're right," she smiled nervously. They made their way to the fire exit, the door opened, producing a reverberating echo in the dark barely illuminated stairwell. She heaved a heavy sigh. "Hope there's not too many steps..."