"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
Chapter 15
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"Princess!" cried a young earth pony, moving quickly towards her target. "Princess somepony's here!"
"Any idea who?" Luna replied.
"We're not sure but he's wearing a guard's uniform and has another pony with him who appears to be captured."
"Lead on." The two made their way out into the courtyard from the main hall before climbing up to the deteriorating battlements. "WHO GOES THERE?" yelled Luna, using the royal Canterlot voice.
"It is I, Shining Armor!" the stallion called back. "I bring information and a certain mare I'm sure you would love to see!"
"What should we do?" asked the same mare. "We can't just stand here forever, we need a response." After a moment of thought Luna replied.
"Please wait while we decide what action to take." The alicorn replied. She then turned to the mare that had brought her to the wall. "What's your name?”
“Template Ma’am!” The Silver pony replied. She had a Light blue mane, and her cutie mark was a schematic.
“Follow me.” Luna Stated before turning and heading inside. “Bring the commander, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike. I’ll be waiting in the command tent.”
“Will do.”
Listen to me Luna thought on her way to the tent, guards saluting her as she passed. Commander, command tent. Hell we didn’t even have ten ponies until yesterday! So many ponies get things done fast for sure. Now we have a makeshift guard, we’re repairing this place so fast, and growing in numbers so rapidly. Celestia is gonna have a big mess to deal with soon. She entered the tent, looked around and shook her head. I didn’t want this, but my sister... she forced my hoof. Luna stopped herself. I can’t think like that I have to keep my head in the game. At that moment everypony entered and moved around the table in the center of the room. Then they all looked at Luna. With a deep breath the dark blue mare began.
“We have a stallion in an empire guard uniform out there asking for permission to come inside and it appears he has a hostage of some sort. Any thoughts?”
“Well” Pinkie began, popping up next to Template and Rarity.
“AHHHHHHH.” The white earth pony yelled in surprise, stumbling back. The others just looked at her.
“What?” Pinkie asked.
“You just came out of nowhere!” The pony on the floor yelled. The pink pony just giggled in response.
“Eeyup! Anyways on my way back...”
“How did you get in the tent, and past the wall guards?” Template interrupted.
“Don’t question her.” Fluttershy whispered. “Just don’t.”
"EVERYPONY! BE QUIET!" Luna yelled above the pandemonium, causing the group to fall silent. "Thank you." she said returning to her normal voice. "Pinkie, please speak."
"Well Zecora’s being kept prisoner back at Ponyvile but says she will try and give us as much info as possible. She said right now they are keeping a presence in the town while some soldiers have started moving to Manehatten. I noticed Shining Armor, and Rainbow on my way back here. Apparently Shining deceived her and made her follow him before he bound and gagged her. I think he just wants in to make a deal using Dash and who knows maybe he’ll convert to our side!”
“I find that unlikely.” The princess responded. “I’m more afraid of him pretending like Rainbow Dash is a gift, us giving him access inside of here because of it, and him killing everypony.”
“Like a Trojan horse!” Pinkie exclaimed before falling over in a fit of laughter.
“A what?” Template asked.
“Never the less.” the alicorn continued, trying to avoid total chaos again. “What is our plan of action? I say we vote. Any objections?” The room was quite. “Alright then. My vote is yes; we let him in, but watch him closely. Rarity?”
“Agreed”
“Fluttershy?”
“Um, no. I don’t trust him.”
“Spike?”
“Yeah, Shining's a cool guy.”
“Pinkie?”
“Of course!”
“Template?”
“No.”
“Commander?”
“Yes.” The gray pegasus replied.
“Alright it’s settled then.” Luna finished. “We will admit him under close supervision. Meeting adjourned.” With that the group exited the tent and climbed the old walls.
As they reached the top Luna turned to the guards. "We are going to let this pony in, but watch him closely." They nodded in understanding. "WE HAVE MADE OUR DECISION." The dark blue pony yelled using the royal voice again. "YOU WILL BE ADMITTED INSIDE WITH YOUR HOSTAGE, BUT WE WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU." She then turned away and headed to the broken gate, waiting for the stallions arrival.
After a couple of minutes he entered into the compound. Luna turned and began to walk with him. "Why are you here Shining?" She asked exasperated.
"I'm not here to try and stop you if that's what you’re thinking. I want to help." he replied, surprising his old leader.
"Really?" Still seeming somewhat cautious. "Why change sides now?"
"Celestia has gone off the deep end and needs to be stopped. She has a lot of power and no good sense."
"I sadly agree. Now, what about her?" She asked looking at Rainbow Dash still floating along in the unicorn's magic.
"Yes, well I got her to follow me but eventually had to restrain her due the positivity of her escaping."
"Can you remove the gag so she can talk?"
"Of course, just a second." He undid the obstruction, and removed it from her muzzle. With the intrusion removed she stretched her mouth open trying to get rid of the feeling of being gagged.
"That's better." The element representative said. "How are you princess?"
"Good Rainbow, how’s it going?"
"Besides a crazy pony is in control of all Equestria, and I've been bound and gagged for the past half hour it's not a bad day." The pegasus replied.
"Wait, you’re not mad at me?" Shining asked, astonished.
"Not so much mad as annoyed." She responded. "If you had let me finish what I was saying before you 'captured' me you would have known I was having second thoughts about staying on Celestia's side."
"Well now that that's resolved lets unbind the poor mare and gather the others to talk about what you're... We're going to do." After they broke the Rainbow Dash's bonds they made their way into the main hall. Inside was Derpy and Spike along with a bunch of other ponies.
"Oh. my. Celestia." Shining Whispered.
"What?" Luna asked. Shining ignored her and walked towards the dragon and mare.
"It couldn't be. She was MIA." he whispered as he drew near his mouth hung open. He tapped the gray pegasus on the shoulder. She turned and his assumption was confirmed. "Golden mane."