Chapter 7 The End Of Harmony, A Beginning To Misery
Berry Punch made it to the library after a nervous walk through the guard filled streets of Ponyville. Luckily the door was unlocked so she did not appear as an intruder. When she got in, she looked puzzled as all she seen was just entire walls and shelves filled with books. Berry Punch looked all over the room for a directory. It was no where to be found. She rushed around for five minutes until she reluctantly found that the shelves were differentiated by catagory from A to Z. Relieved to have found this out, she finds the educational section and climbs up with the library ladder. She happily finds the book Twilight requested and descends from the ladder. Before she left, she put the book in her saddlebag and locked the door behind her. As she trotted down the streets, a crowd started to form around the town square. The dogs of course were going around telling everypony to meet in the square for an important address for Ponyville from the "now in control" Nova Sparks. Berry Punch tried to find a way out of town but kept getting pushed back by the guard dogs who surrounded every exit out of town. There was no choice, her only hope was to give the book to somepony who could deliver it. It had been fourty minutes since she was transformed. She had another twenty until the spell wore off. Hopefully the speech would not last long. Everypony was directed into the square where a stage had been set up for the announcement. As they waited, the ship hung, suspeneded in the air for about five minutes. Berry Punch kept looking frantically at the clock on the town hall. She looked around and luckily seen Dr. Whooves. She approached him very nervously and hysterical, "Dr. Whooves! Thank goodness. I need you to do me a favor. Please, I need to you."
The Doctor looked surprised and puzzled, "Umm, Excuse me but. Who are you?"
Berry Punch had just remembered that she was still under the spells effect so nopony recognized her. She had to come up with something, "I'm uhhh...Blueberry Twist."
Dr. Whooves still looked confused. Berry tried to hand him the book, "It is of absolute importance that this book is delivered to Sweet Apple Acres. Please sir. You must do this. I'm begging you!"
The annoyed Doctor gave in, "Alright! Alright. Give it here. When should I deliver it?"
"As soon as possible!" The scared pony said.
All of a sudden there was the blazing sound of a horn coming from the airship. Following this, the platform on the bottom of the ship started to descend. Upon the platform stood Comet, Bradshaw Buckingham, two dogs, Nova Sparks...And to everyponies shock, especially Berry Punch's, Big Macintosh, now dressed in the white armour and the his cutie mark had been painted over, with their definitive letter "R" cutie mark. Nova was dressed in a black cloak with a formal suit underneath. His glasses shined in the sun, perpetuating a white, glared look in his eyes. When the platform lowered to the ground, there was a silence over the crowd, they didn't want to be attacked like Berry Punch was. They trotted on up behind the podium, on the stage. Nova Sparks stepped up, ready to address Ponyville with an important message, "Welcome everypony to my first address as your new dictator of Equestria."
He looked around to make sure all exits were closed. He continued, "I'm not even twelve hours into my leadership and I'm already making huge announcements. You will all adapt to the new laws eventually. By now you should all know I announced a curfew, next I would like to point out that anyone entering or exiting any town in Equestria will now have to answer to the new border guards who will survey you prior to your destination. Also any talk of anti-nova remarks will be taken as immediate second level offense. Ah yes the levels of offense. Instead of my high or low discipline ranks. I've decided a numerical system instead. I first level offense results in a warning or a fee. Second level will be a session of lashings and imprisonment. Finally the third degree of offense, will ultimatly result in execution! Four ponies have already reached level three! They managed to escape and are now on the run. I will tell all of you now, anypony with holding illegal refugee's of my law within their premises will result in immediate execution of both refugee's and refugers. Now let me introduce to who is on the hit list."
Comet hands him a sheet of paper, "Miss Twilight Sparkle originally from Canterlot, now residing somewhere in this town. Miss Applejack, member of the Apple family and heir to the Sweet Apple Acres on the outskirts of town. Rainbow Dash. A pegasus from Cloudsdale. Also rumoured to be downed in the vicinity. Finally Miss Berry Punch, not particularly famous around here but has been described with plum colored coat, mulberry mane with fuchsia eyes."
Everypony looked around at each other confused, they wondered why Twilight and the others were on a hit list. The sweat began to round down Berry's forehead. The sun reflected off Nova's glasses and he grinned, "I hope you all have nothing to hide because I will be doing frequent inspections. I won't tell you when, I'm just trusting that you all won't have anything worth hiding. Also to all you dogs and pony soldiers. See to it that these four are shot on the spot within sight. I want them dead. All of em. Now, I take my leave once again to announce this to the other communities of Equestria. But don't worry. I'm appointing Mr. Buckingham here the new mayor of Ponyville, so Madam Mayor. Your services will no longer be required."
The shocked Mayor who was among the crowd, put her head down in shame, and sadness, "Not only that, but my magical assistant Comet will remain down here for sometime to manage the security forces. I hope you will all respect them as much you do me." He laughed at the statement.
He continued to laugh as he and the dogs stepped back on to the platform. Big Macintosh remained to follow Comet. As the ship lifted, Comet gave his commands, "Ok, parties over. Everypony move along, go home."
Everypony started to dispurse, Berry Punch felt relieved as she still had five minutes to leave the town. She tried not to attract any attention. As she neared the edge of town, she took notice of the two guards dogs waiting for anypony coming or going. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from her face, and proceeded to leave, "Excuse me, I need to leave town so if you could just let me..."
"Whoa whoa whoa. You got to through a thorough check first." Said one of the guard dogs.
Berry sighed and willingly accepted. "Well, of course."
The dogs checked her over, looked at her horseshoes, her mane, in her saddlebag, and...Her cutie mark...Her cutie mark. She suddenly remembered that her cutie mark couldn't get transformed. She hoped that they wouldn't recognize it. The sweat began to pour from her again, her heart was racing out of control, her legs shivered, she had a nervous look on her face. The dogs stepped back. Maybe she was cleared to go...Then suddenly the dog whispered something into his radio that was programmed to his wrist machine. She knew right then and there, she was doomed. Sure enough, Comet and Big Macintosh trotted down the road towards them. Comet glanced at her, then to the dogs, "What's the problem here?"
The dog showed him the cutie mark, "Boss, look at this!"
Comet looked at her, perplexed, "Wait a second."
Comet concentrated and focused his magic on her. He shot a white aura of light at her. The white light shrouded her. She then noticed herself beginning to transform again, back to her former self. Comet had deactivated the spell. She was back in her plum coat, mulberry mane, and fuchsia eyes. Comet gave her an evil smirk. She looked at him very terrorized. Comet turned to Big Macintosh behind him, "Big Mac...Kill her!"
Her look turned to panic, she refused, "No. Please no! Don't do this! Please! I beg you, please!"
The two dogs kicked her back hooves, forcing her to sit down on her flank. Big Macintosh raised his left hoof, made a few adjustments on his wrist gadget. He pointed it at her head at point blank range. Berry stared at the red steed with tearful eyes, "You...wouldn't do this to me...would you Big Macintosh?"
He looked back at Comet, he nodded, approving of the kill, "Eeyup! Orders are orders..."
The stallion of little words pushed the button with his right hoof, releasing a powerful, surging orb of energy through the pony's skull, and she fell, lifelessly to the ground. Big Macintosh had killed Berry Punch instantly in cold blood. Comets laugh was sinister, and he gave one of the dogs an order, "Take the body to Mr. Sparks...He'll want the kill to be confirmed...One down...Three to go...Let's go."
"Eeyup!"
-----
Back at Sweet Apple Acres, the girls lay, waiting around for Berry Punch. It had been over two hours and they began to worry. Rainbow Dash looked down the road, "Where the hay is she?"
"I don't know. She should've been back here an hour ago." Twilight worriedly claimed.
Applejack squinted her eyes and gazed off in the distance, "Hay, there's somepony trottin down the path."
"Is it her?" Twilight asked excitingly.
The pony was brown with a spiky brown mane, it carried something, "It's not her but the ponies comin this way."
As the pony advanced forward, the hour-glass shaped cutie mark became clearer, it was Dr. Whooves. Twilight seen him carrying the book in his saddlebag, she shouted out to him, "Dr. Whooves!"
He looked up in astonishment, looked behind himself, and galloped towards them, "Girls!"
"You got to hide!" He added.
Rainbow Dash asked, "Why? Were safe out here."
Whooves sternly shook his head, "No your not girls. Nova addressed Ponyville about an hour ago. You girls are to be killed on the spot...Berry Punch was caught not too long ago."
They all responded, shocked, "What?!"
He continued, "Yes, it turns out she was caught when she tried to get out of town. I don't want to scare you Applejack...But Big Macintosh was the one who delivered the kill shot."
AJ looked horrified and denied the allegation, "He...He wouldn't...He wouldn't do nothin like that!"
The doctor assured, "He can and he did. I witnessed the entire thing from my office window. I couldn't believe it...Poor Berry Punch. But Big Macintosh...He didn't act normal, it was almost like he was in a trance, a hypnotic state. Through my years of study, I've seen that look before. He stood around waiting for that golden colt Comet to give him orders."
Applejack began to think and then realized the problem, "So that's why...That buckin colt brainwashed him! After we did so much for that no good...That's not important, as relaxed as Big Macintosh is, it'll take a miricle to break em from it."
"Not only that girls, But I should tell you that Nova put forward an act that anypony that is found holding fugitives from his law, will be executed immediately. And his henchmen are going to be wondering around doing random inspection as long as you three are on the run. I don't tell you this to scare, I tell you this as strict information." He concluded.
They nodded, "We understand doctor. And thanks a bunch for bringing my book here." Twilight added.
"What? Oh Yes, your welcome. I didn't know that poor blue pony was Berry Punch. Here." He hands the book to Twilight.
"She'd want you to have this."
"Thank you doctor." Twilight concluded.
"Well I better go. You girls be safe...Your Equestria's only hope now...Good luck."
Rainbow acknowledged, "Thanks Doc. You too."
They all shook hooves with the doctor and he trotted on back to Ponyville and the girls galloped back to Applejacks estate, "What are we going to do now? We can't risk that their going to come by and check the farm." Rainbow put forward.
"We can't stay here, I don't want to put ma lil sisters life in jeopardy." Noted Applejack.
"We'll figure out what to do tonight, and we'll go somewhere else tomorrow." Twilight purposed.
When they walked into Applejacks house. Twilight instantly got to work and sat down to study the book. Applejack thought about how she'd explain to her family that they'd have to leave in the morning. And Rainbow went to catch on some well needed sleep, it had been a long day.
-----
Later that night, around 11:30, Applejack woke the family to announce their leaving, "Cousin Applejack, I don't understand. Why do ya'll have to leave in the mornin?"
Applejack briefly explained, "Braeburn...If me and the girls are found here, their not only goin to kill us. They'll kill who ever takes them in. I don't want to put you, Granny Smith, and especially Appleblooms life in danger that way. You got to understand. We can't stay until we figure a way out of this."
"But, where will you go?" Asked Applebloom anxiously.
AJ thought about it, then shrugged, "We don't yet sis, we'll find out tomorrow mornin."
Applebloom started to become emotional and hugged her big sister, "Please don't go again Applejack. You can't go. I need you here."
AJ took her sister aside, and sat her down. She lifted her hoof to wipe a tear away that was trickling down Appleblooms cheek. She sat down and put her hooves on Appleblooms shoulders, "Now. Ya'll know I wouldn't leave you. I'll always be with you. I'll always be lookin over you. Now c'mere."
She embraced her sister again and kissed her, "Now go on back to bed Sugar Cube, I'll be in to see you morrow mornin."
She turned to Braeburn and her Grandmother, "Ya'll get some sleep too, in fact we should all get some sleep."
-----
Meanwhile, Twilight continued her detailed studies on the rock. She studied where it came from, when it was discovered, the war that sparked over it, how many lives were ruined from it, and every other conveinient fact. Except, how to defeat it. She checked through the unit not once, not twice, nor even three times. Twilight checked over that unit four, thorough times before giving up. She sighed and decided she'd get some sleep. Twilight looked at the time and was stunned to see it was twelve, midnight. It had only been eleven hours since Nova had taken over. He certainly had it figured out quickly. And it didn't take long for him to already start giving inhumaine orders. When she lied back in the guest bed, Twilight wondered how the Princess was doing, how Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike were doing. She hoped they were ok. She gazed out her bedroom window. Oh How she wished she could be in her bed right now, at the library. Her own, comforting bed with Spike lying in the bed right next to her. She reminisced about the times with her friends in Ponyville. Her memories with the Princess. The winter wrap up, Pinkie's awesome parties, Rarity's fashion show, the Gala. Everything had change. Her friends lives now hung in the balance. She went to close her eyes, but something caught her eye. She lifted her head and gazed out the window. She seen Rainbow Dash out on the balcony, "Now, what's Rainbow doing up?"
Now curious, Twilight got up and trotted into Rainbow's guest room. She opened the door to the outdoor balcony and asked, "Rainbow. You alright?"
Rainbow shed a tear from her eye, "It's all my fault Twilight. I should've thought through the escape plan more. Now Fluttershy and the others are trapped."
Twilight walked up and put her hoof around her, "It is not your fault. I'm sure their fine Rainbow."
Rainbow pushed Twilight away and turned to her aggresively, "Your sure their fine? What if their not...Huh?...They could be dead Twilight! And were down here, waiting for Nova to find us. If only we had all jumped together...And now it's too late."
Twilight got angry, "Now stop thinking like that! I assure you, it's not your fault!"
"THEN WHO'S FAULT IS IT?!" Exclaimed the emotional Dash.
"It's no one's fault except Nova's corrupt mind!" Twilight answered sternly.
She put her hoof back around Rainbow and brought her in close to embrace her, "Were going to beat this Rainbow. Not alone, but together. Everything has a weakness...Even the power of science. And as you could see, even Princess Celestia. I learned everything there is to know about manarite. Now all I got to figure out is how to counter-act it."
Rainbow eventually calmed down and thought about it for a minute, "Yeah, a way to counter-act..."
Rainbow paused "Whats the matter Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow looked at Twilight skeptically, "Twilight...A while back when we first started hanging out. You were talking to me about what you learned in the magic academy."
Twilight nodded, "Oh yeah, I remember that. What about it?"
Dash continued, "I remember you telling me that magic was just like light, except it travelled slower and had supernatural effects. And it had no mass, and...It could reflect off mirrors...Just like light. You get what I'm trying to say?"
Twilight pondered it and then her eyes widend as she realized it, "Yeeeah. Rainbow...I think you may have just found a way for us to defend us against this. Mirrors!"
Twilight thought again, "Hmmm...I got an idea!"
Twilight eagerly trotted back inside, "Where you going Twilight?" Rainbow asked.
"I'm going to take some notes, I'll see you all in the morning. Get some sleep. It's going to be another long day tomorrow." Twilight explained.
"Alright. See you Twilight!"
"Bye." Twilight concluded as she trotted off.
Rainbow Dash chose to remain there for a little while longer, she still thought about her trapped friends. She wanted to go to sleep and awake from this horrific nightmare. She wanted to go flying, care-free, as fast as she could. She sadly knew, doing that would surely cause attention and land her, Twilight, and Applejack in danger. She conclusivly sighed, wiped another tear away, and headed off for bed. On her way she thought to herself, "I suggest you enjoy your power while you still can Nova. Cause when the time comes. I'll be face to face with you. Just me and you, then...it will be on. Your going to pay for what your doing to Equestria. For Berry Punch, the Princess, and most importantly...My friends..."
[...To be continued]