//------------------------------//
// ACT V 
// Story: Songbird 
// by FluxFeather 
//------------------------------//

"See? I told you she would be up I-!" The maid was cut short by the harsh shush of the doctor that was beside her as they were watching Starlight sleepwalk. Starlight made her way to wash her hooves, to cleanse them of something. And they looked at her strangely as she began screaming into the water. "I have no idea what she's talking about."

"She's talking about wanting to get the blood off her hooves," The doctor answered. "But I do not see any blood… this is beyond me."

Then Starlight had trotted past them. "She will go to bed now," The maid said. 

"And so will I. Goodnight," Said the doctor before he went home. 

On the outskirts of Ponyville. Luna and Flash were discussing the positions of them and their army. 

Rainius pranced around his room acting all high and mighty. "Flash Sentry is most definitely born of a mare, everypony is, so there's no way I can lose!" Rainius said confidently. 

One of his servants came up to him. "There are ten thousand, sir!!" The servant exclaimed. 

"Of what? Geese?" Rainius said. 

"Soldiers sir!!" The servant replied. 

"Ugh, just go get Big Mac," Rainius demanded. 

"Yes, sir!!" The servant galloped off and a few minutes later Big Mac entered the room. 

"Big Mac, I want my armor!" Rainius said. 

"But you do not need it yet, sir," Big Mac replied. 

Rainius looked at him annoyed. "I will wear it anyways," He said. After he got his armor on, he went off to see some swords at the armory.

Luna and her army were in the forest near Canterlot cutting down branches and using them as camouflage, Luna was excited.

“Yes, with these branches, I doubt they'll see us coming!" Luna said ecstatically. 

As Rainius was getting ready for battle, his thoughts were interrupted as a loud scream was heard from down the halls. “What was that?” He asked Big Mac, who didn’t hear anything.

“Must've been a twig or something,” Big Mac answered. 

Rainius sighed. "I swear you're going deaf," He said, but Big Mac didn't hear that either, further proving his point. Then a maid came downstairs screaming.

“Rainius!! Rainius!! The Queen is dead!” The maid screamed before she fainted. 

Rainius then paused dramatically as he was now overwhelmed with grief as his dead wife's body was brought to him. He knelt down beside it. "She shouldn't have died now. She should've died later. That way I would have time to mourn," He said, saddened. 

Then a messenger came to alert Rainius. "Your majesty, I have some news… the forest is moving towards the castle, I-”

He got cut short by Rainius slapping him. " Liar! The forest cannot move! I should have you hanged and be used as target practice for thinking such a thing!!" Rainius yelled at him before he and his followers went out. 

Luna and her army were preparing for battle. Luna was talking to the youngest soldier, a filly who looked like she was about eleven years of age, but apparently was seventeen. “Can I ask you a question?” The filly asked. 

"Uh, you just did," Luna said. "But fine, ask away."

"Do I have to wear one of these suits?" The filly asked. 

"Well, I mean you don't have to," Luna said. "...If you want to die that is." The filly immediately put the suit on. 

The battle had begun. Rainius was in the upstairs main room about to enter the battle, then a small soldier appeared. It was the young colt Rumble Pit. "Where is the traitorous tyrant, Rainius Songbird!!" He demanded to know. 

"That would be me," Rainius told him.

"You're not as scary as I thought you would be," Rumble Pit said. 

Without warning, they engaged in combat. As soon as they made contact, young Rumble Pit knew he wouldn’t make it out of this alive. Rainius had him cornered then he blasted magic at him, killing him. "Heh, he was born of a mare," Rainius said to himself.

Rainius walked onto the battlefield to find Flash. Then in a deep booming voice from behind he heard his name called. He looked around and saw Flash Sentry. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Flash Sentry the traitor," Rainius said. 

"You are the only traitor here, tyrant!" Flash yelled. Rainius had enough and charged at Flash. 

"I will not fight you," Rainius said. 

"Then surrender yourself and become the laughingstock of the town for all time as your picture will be painted and describe you as a monster," Flash said. 

"I will not surrender," Rainius said. "When one born of a mare cannot hurt me!" 

Flash Sentry laughed at him. "Well, then I guess it's nice that I was ripped out of my mother's womb prematurely," Flash said. 

Rainius stepped back in fear. "It seems I hear it now from the horse's mouth," He said. "The Thane of Fife himself… Flash Sentry!" They continued to fight until at last Rainius caught a glimpse of the three sisters, then he could see them walk away before everything went black as his head was cut off and placed upon a spear where it was presented to all Equestria. 

"Hail! Hail! Flash Sentry, king of Equestria!!" Everypony said. 

Luna stood up. "We shall not spend a large expense of time Before we reckon with your several loves, And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsponies. Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Equestria in such an honor named. What's more to do, which would be planted newly with the time as calling home our exiled friends abroad that fled the snares of watchful tyranny; producing forth the cruel ministers of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen, who, as 'tis thought, by self and violent hooves, took off her life, this, and what needful else that calls upon us, by the grace of grace, we will perform in measure, time and place. So, thanks to all at once and to each one, whom we invite to see Flash Sentry crowned the new king of Equestria," Luna said as the trumpets sounded. And they all walked off. 

No pony would ever forget the story of Rainius Songbird. The tyrant of Equestria. 


The End