//------------------------------//
// Earth Pony Liberation Front 
// Story: Princess Celestia's New Creed 
// by S. K. RyDer 
//------------------------------//


Earth Pony Liberation Front:

Skorpeon and Miles were engrossed in the act of finding the “perfect” ring for their respective Marefriends.
“AH HAH!” Miles shouted, “Can I see that ring right there?”
The stallion behind the counter nodded, “Yes, give me a second.” He levitated a set of keys that he used to unlock the case. He pulled the ring Miles was pointing at.
“This is perfect. Thanks. How much?” he said, excitement flowing from his voice. 
“It’s on sale, what with the Winter Gala coming up. You two going?”
Skorpeon hid a sadistic grin, pulling a ring from the open case.
“That’s where we’re proposing. The moon hitting them just right. The clock will strike midnight, and we’ll fall to one knee, bombing them with those four words.” Miles explained, a dreamy look in his eye.
“If I may ask, who are the lucky mares?” the stallion accepted Miles’ payment.
“You’ve probably heard of them? They’re two of the Elements of Harmony. I’ve fallen for Fluttershy, dad’s for Rainbow Dash.”
The stallion’s eyes widened, “Well, congratulations! Do tell me how it goes. In fact, here.” The stallion nodded towards Skorpeon, “Half price. Both of them. Choose your ring, monseiur, and it’s yours.”
Skorpeon nodded, “Thank you.” He looked at the earring in his paw. It was a jade peony set in a white gold teardrop. 
The two pseudo-ponies thanked the stallion, then turned, both balancing the small black boxes in their flanks.

Skorpeon was positioned in front of his mirror. He sighed in exasperation as the jacket he was wearing kept sliding to the right. 
“Too many bleeding medals.” He muttered, sliding a small piece of metal into his left pocket. 
He smiled at his reflection, then Phased. 
He blinked his eyes. The red one was proving difficulty. A pure red one next to a pine-green one? Feh. He clipped his eyepiece back on. It clashed with his olive-green uniform. Still lopsided.
“Miles?” he called to his son across the room. “Where’s the left piece?”
“Gimme a sec.” Miles vanished with a small burst of air. 
Skorpeon looked into the mirror again. He reached up, clipping the blue glass from the base. He trotted to a desk, pulling a certain drawer open. He pulled a dark green piece of glass form a small box, setting it in the metal clipped to his eye. 
“Here dad.” Skorpeon caught the left eyepiece, clipping it against his good eye. He slid the glass out, but not after changing the color.
Skorpeon trotted back to the mirror. Perfect.
“Ready Miles?” Skorpeon turned to his son, who had just finished his Phase.
“Yeah dad.” Skorpeon had to admire the fact that just a mere year before, he had to drag his son kicking and screaming to Equestria to help him with a few minor calculations. Now, he was staning there in his own “Ponyguise”.
He took a white-and-blue spiked mane, keeping it in a messy state. His coat was a pale white with simple silver markings. His cutie mark was a single black butterfly, imposed on a heart. 
“Let’s go get them.” Skorpeon said, a grin flashing on his face.

Skorpeon and Miles came upon the two sisters, taking their respective mares.
“Remember, Sphinx. Just for half an hour.” Skorpeon muttered.
“Shall we go?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking Skorpeon over, “War Uniform?”
“Only jacket I have.” He said, looking towards a certain spot. “Ready man?”
Skorpeon smiled, feeling a hoof press against his shoulder. He grabbed Rainbow’s shoulder, and then spun, with two ponies in tow.
They landed at a small curve. It was a good thirty second trot to the gates, but it was enough to mask Skorpeon’s presence.
“Tickets please.” The guard grunted. Skorpeon handed him four tickets. “My son and his Marefriend are coming in a moment. Miles and Fluttershy.”
“Alright. You can go.” He said, looking at the mare, “Just no funny business, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash hid behind Skorpeon’s mass, her cheeks burning crimson in the dark.
The two trotted side by side, simply enjoying the other’s presence. 
“Oy!” Skorpeon turned, seeing Miles and Fluttershy flying towards them. “They made us show ‘a viable form of ID’. Gits.”
Skorpeon laughed, “Remember what happened at the last Gala?”
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked at each other, resisting the urge to laugh. 
They continued to a small balcony off the castle that had a breathtaking view of Luna’s moon almost directly overhead. 
“Rainbow Dash?” The four ponies turned to see a yellow Pegasus with a mane like fire. 
“Spitfire!” Rainbow Dash’s jaw hit the floor, “Wha- how- ah- guh- ah--” she sputtered into silence.
“Guess I still have that charm on her. How have you been, Skorpeon?”
“Pretty good, considering this creed out.” He said simply. “I’m missing two of the ponies something fierce, but I guess this is the way it is now.”
Too convincing, Skor. he heard a small voice at the back of his mind. 
“You guys hungry? I can get you into the VIP section.” Spitfire asked, looking at the four.
“Yeah. I’m starved!” Rainbow Dash got her voice back, hovering excitedly. 
“Alright, let’s go.” Spitfire resisted the urge to laugh.
The five made their way to the VIP section. There were a good hundred or so ponies in there. Perfect.
They sat themselves at a table, each picking up their own menu.
Gimme a time crunch Moony. Skorpeon thought when he felt something brush his mind.
If you don’t  get out there in about five minutes, the plan won’t work. he heard a bit of annoyance. He sighed outwardly.
Give me three then, Moony. “Fluttershy, Dashie, I think Miles and I have something to ask you.” Skorpeon slipped something into Miles’ hoof.
“You two know how we’ve felt about you these past few months.” Miles said, looking into the yellow Pegasus’ eyes.
“And we were wondering if you wanted to ‘take it up a notch.’”
Skorpeon and Miles simultaneously stood, then got onto one knee. They looked at their own Marefriend in the eye as they said the four words that can change lives;
“Will you marry me?”

Rainbow Dash sat there shocked. She loved Skorpeon, and she was wondering if he loved her back.
This was it. This is what she had dreamed about. 
“Of course!” She dove against Skorpeon chest, pressing her lips against his. 
There was a muffled thump as the other two ponies hit the ground. She heard another thump, no doubt belonging to Miles and Fluttershy.
The crowd applauded, each pony there smiling. In these dark times, it’s good to see light like this.
Skorpeon stood, “Excuse me for a moment.” He said, dashing back out the gateway. He smiled.
“She said yes!” he said, stopping against the bushes. 
There was a slight movement, then another pony stood before him. He was a spitting image of Skorpeon, but both eyes intact. Skorpeon looked at his doopleganger.
“Here, you’ll need these.” He unclipped the eyepieces, handing them to the newcomer. “Remember, Dashie’s in on the plan. If there’s anything they ask you, she’ll answer. Just talk, have fun. After all, you’re going to be me for a bit.” 
The pony gave him an unsure look, “But, what if…” 
Skorpeon glared at him. “Sphinx, I know you don’t like speaking, but this is just for half an hour. An hour at most. Then you can go back to your silence.”
Sphinx nodded, “Hurry okay?”
Skorpeon gave Sphinx his saddlebags, stuffing his cloak inside. He pulled a black one back out, slipping it on his shoulders. A flash of light, and a fire-orange fox stood there. 
“See ya in a bit man.” Skorpeon took off into the night, the paths he was taking unfolding like they did with his goggles.
Finally taking off, are we?
Shaddup moony. I need to concentrate.
Skorpeon flicked his wrists in the same motion he used to dive for a wall. He climbed up to the roof faster than he did in training.
He ran over the roof, shedding his cloak. He NEEDED to be seen. The cloak floated to the earth, landing at the hooves of a guard. 
Skorpeon smiled as the guard looked around for the source. He felt something look his way just as he dove down one of the peaks. 
He slid down the roof, then moved his legs out explosively. He cleared the gap with room to spare. 
“Making good time.” He told himself, “Good time.” 
He jumped up an eave, spun, then swung into the window. He rolled amidst the broken glass, pulling the golden staff from his back. The black eyes searched the room.
“She’s not in her room Moony.”
“As expected. I’ve got contact on her in the gardens.”
Skorpeon nodded, diving towards a small door on Celestia’s wall. He punched the brittle wood, looking straight up the shaft.
“Dumbwaiter’s below. That’s good.” He grabbed the rope in his paws and began climbing. 
“Remember, the orange room.” Luna said, “It’s the only place in the palace that isn’t guarded right now.”
“Got it Moony.” He continued his slow ascent, pausing only to break a panel with his foot. 
The orange fox crawled from the hatch, standing up in a vivid orange room.
Skorpeon smiled, pulling the staff from his back. He slipped a yellow gem from his belt into the base of the staff. The bottom pike filled with a blue light. 
“Staff’s full. I’m going out.” Skorpeon pushed the door open, looking down the hall. There were two guards talking between themselves. Skorpeon twirled the staff in his paws, the oval end facing the guards.
“Ice.” He ran forward, right towards the guards.
They heard the heavy footsteps. They saw the fox with the staff. They felt a very harsh cold.
The two guards felt themselves freeze up. Literally. The fox laughed at them as he ran right past them.
“Two guards. Frozen. They saw my face, but not my weapon.” Skorpeon said, knocking another window out. He hooked onto the ledge, swinging himself up onto the roof again.
Skorpeon looked around. The tallest spire was just ten feet from him. Luna’s room. 
Skorpeon smiled, walking towards the spire. He jumped onto it, hanging himself upside-down in front of her window.
“Moony?” he tapped the glass, “You in there?”
“Very funny Skorpeon. I’m not in my room.” She said, “I’m coming behind Celestia now. Head in the mission.”
Skorpeon jumped upright, pulling his sniper rifle from his back. He scanned the area, his left paw touching a small silver cylinder. “I see her. Talking to a dark blue Unicorn. Confirm target?”
“I’m walking right behind her.” AS she said this, Skorpeon saw the black Alicorn sidle into his sight.
“I’m going in. On your mark.” He tossed the rifle onto his back, pulling the device off his belt. He tossed it into his right paw, holding it emitter to his elbow. He ran his thumb  on a small rectangle, a black light shooting from the black end. 
“Three.” He heard Moony say. He ran to the edge of the roof.
“Two.” He smiled, wiping a small bead of sweat from his eye. 
“One.” Skorpeon placed his left paw on the edge of the roof, ready to pounce. He licked his lips, tasting the sweat that was forming under his eyes.
“Mark.” Skorpeon jumped from his perch, black blade humming like an angry swarm. He landed right on top of Celestia. 
She called out in a mixture of surprise and pain. She turned, seeing an orange fox pinning her to the ground. Skorpeon was faintly aware of the Unicorn running off to get the guards.
“LUNA!” she called, “Sister! Help me!”
“No. I’m not listening to you anymore. Too long have I stood by your side and let you get away with the crimes against the order that DisQord set down.”
“And you really think that you’ll still get away with it?” Skorpeon growled, “I’m not having it.” He bared his left arm, showing her the black-and-blue marbled fur with the white emblem. 
“Skorpeon!” she gasped, “Please. No.”
Skorpeon rolled his eyes, “That’s what I said. That’s what I said when you set his creed down. I’m not listening to your pleas.”
“But, surely you won’t--” she spoke with a voice wavering with fear.
“I WAS planning on giving you an ultimatum.” He grabbed her by her mane, pulling her off the ground. She shrieked as she felt some of her beautiful mane separate from her scalp.
“Please!” she gasped, eyes watering.
“Either take the creed away, or I’ll take your life away. But after seeing what you did to the Tranquil Twins. To Apple Jack and Pinkamena. To everypony who are of the earth.”
He positioned his blade against her throat, “To anypony who works with the soil.”
“Skorpeon! I’ll- I’ll take the creed down! I promise!” she felt the heat of the blade singe her coat. 
Skorpeon sighed, “Wrong. The minute I let you up, you’ll call your guards to me and have me arrested. And nothing will have changed.”
Celestia looked into her sister’s eyes. “Are you going to let him kill me?”
Luna smiled, pulling a tub of popcorn towards her. She sat on her haunches, smiling.
She felt hot tears come to her eyes. Faintly, she could her the guards thundering towards them. 
“Princess Celestia.” Skorpeon said into her ear. “You have committed crimes to the crown of which you hold. You enslave Earth Ponies, you execute innocent lives who try to help. You’ve torn families apart all over Equestria. Do you accept the charges?”
Celestia looked up, watching teary-eyes as her guard had formed around her. They stared back at her, not knowing what to do.
“Celestia, you are guilty to the crown you hold. You are aware of the charges.”  He said so the guard could hear. “Luna is willing to take your position as Ruler of the Sun, as well as the Moon.”

BONG!

Luna looked at the Alicorn she grew up with. Also the Alicorn that sent her to the moon.
She will be ended soon.
Luna smiled, taking another mouthful of popcorn.

BONG!

Rainbow Dash was looking at Sphinx. “Any second now.”
The pony nodded, “They will be free.”
A unicorn waiter set a plate down, “Pasta for the lady…”

BONG!

Skorpeon looked at the Alicorn in his paws. He smiled, bringing the blade against her neck. “Do you accept your charges, as well as your punishment?”

BONG!

Fluttershy was leaning against Miles, not sensing the tension he was emanating. 

BONG!

Far off, a small timer went off on Monger Deus’ system. Midnight.
“Aloe. Wake up.” She nudged her sister awake, both ponies shed their helmets.

BONG!

Aloe shook the sleep from her eyes, looking at her sister. “How much longer?”
Lotus kissed her sister’s hair, comforting the younger. “Not long.”

BONG!

Apple Bloom looked at the Doctor. He was revering the sound of the clock.

BONG!

“The time is nigh.” The doctor said, “Soon, we will be free. I feel it.”
“Ah hope so, Doc.” Apple Bloom smiled for the first time in a year.

BONG!

The silent Stallion looked out his cage. He felt tears in his eyes. He looked at the ground, a good three hundred feet below him.
Ah’m sorry, all. 
He was gone.

BONG!

Octavia Philharmonica felt a jolt in her stomach.
“It’s alright baby.” She said, placing a hoof on her belly, “It’s alright. We’ll be home soon.”

BONG!

There was silence, permeated only by the heavy breathing of Celestia. Skorpeon looked around. 
He smiled, “Behold, Celestia.”

BONG!

Celestia felt something permeate her neck, then she felt her body break away. She tried to scream, but she had no control over her voice.
Then she was gone.

Skorpeon swung the severed head of Celestia over his head. “EARTH PONIES ARE FREE!” He looked to the headless corpse. Blood flowed slowly from a small patch not seared shut by the heat of the blade. He smiled, cupping some of the blood in his paws. 
When Celesita’s blood touched his lips, Skorpeon’s eyes widened. Her blood wasn’t bittersweet as most people’s are. It had a kind of candy-like taste to it. Like sweet berries in the fields.
He drank deeply, savoring every drop. The guard had long ran, not wanting to see their headless leader. 
It was only Luna and Skorpeon alive in that garden.
“A pity.” Skorpeon said, wiping his mouth, “A pity I can’t have more.”
Luna nodded, “But you promised only a mouthful.”
Skorpeon sighed, “And a mouthful I got.” He cast a longing look at the blood pooling on the ground tainted by the dirt.
He stood, cleaning his mouth the best he could. “Thanks Luna. Thanks for your help.”
Luna smiled, “She wasn’t my sister. She hasn’t been my sister since she got idea of this creed. Hand me her head.”
Skorpeon pulled Celestia’s head back towards Luna, who took it in her aura. 
She flew off, ready to talk to the Royal Equestrain Guard. 
Skorpeon looked at the retreating form of Luna, his good friend. He smiled, turning tail and vanishing into the dark. A flash of light, a displacement of air, and he was gone.

“Aloe?” the black-and-blue fox called, “Lotus? Pinkamena?”
He ran down the hall into the Great Hall. There, he could see a pink mare and a white stallion asleep against each other. 
“Pinkie?” he ran to the pink one “Pinkamena?”
The pony stirred, looking into Skorpeon’s eyes. “Skorpeon?”
He nodded, “You’re free. I did it.”
Pinkie looked into the eyes of her protector. Her own eyes started to brim with tears. “What if this is a dream again? I’ve dreamed so much of this moment.”
“Pinkamena.” He said, placing a paw on her shoulder, “You know me. I wouldn’t hurt you. Not even in a dream.”
“That’s what you said last night.” She muttered, that dream still picking at her mind.
She felt a sharp prod to her stomach, causing her to jump. 
Skorpeon chuckled, placing his staff back in its sheath. “Now you think it’s a dream?”
Pinkie smiled, “You know what we need?”
Skorpeon looked back at the pony, “You say party and I’ll probably have to strap you down.”
“Why? I like to party!”
“I know you do.” Skorpeon smiled, “That’s why I’m making you take it easy. You’ve been enslaved for the past year, hardly getting voluble nutrients. You’re going to take it easy for a bit.”
Pinkie smiled, “Fine, you win.” She nipped Skorpeon’s ear gently as she walked past. He stood, smiling slightly. 
“I am engaged now.” He said, “Try to keep the flirting to a minimum.”
Pinkie Pie’s grim enlarged, “Congratulations! I’m assuming it’s with Dashie?”
Skorpeon nodded, “Get back to my cabin, I’m going to look for Aloe, Lotus, and a few others.”
Pinkie Pie laughed, bouncing out the great hall. 

The two sisters were running down the stairs, not bothering to keep their voices low. They talked between each other, glad that Celestia’s death was finally reality.
“Lotus! Aloe!” Skorpeon ran to the Tranquil twins, “There you are! I need your help to get a stallion and a filly.”
“Alright.” Lotus laughed, “Where are they?”
“They’re in the eastern containments: third row, seventh column. They have a blue scrap of metal leaning against their door.”
“Right, we’ll get them.” Lotus made for the direction, but Skorpeon placed a paw on her shoulder. “When you get them to my cabin, go to these coordinates. Wait for me to arrive.”
Lotus downloaded the file, “Where is it?”
“Star Zed Medical Bay. I’m going to fix you up and get that armor off of you. If you want, that is.”
Aloe looked at her sister, “Yeah. Hay yeah we want this armor off.”
Skorpeon nodded, taking off in the direction of Big Mac’s “workplace”.
Only problem: When you have the powers Skorpeon has, you can smell certain aspects before you see them.
Skorpeon skidded to a halt. Big Mac was lying in the middle of the alley, more blood on the ground that Skorpeon himself would think possible. 
He looked at the still stallion. “I’m sorry man. I really am.” He picked him up, tears starting to flow from his eyes. 
His best friend was dead.

Skorpeon Apparated in the Medical bay, laying Big Macintosh on a bed. “GLaDOS, can you come here?”
The chrome black android came up to him, “Yes RyDer?”
Skorpeon looked at the AI Unit. “Can you dress him up for a funeral?” 
GLaDOS processed the red stallion, “It’ll take me ten minutes.”
He patted her shoulder, “Thanks GLaDOS. Did the Tranquil Twins check in?”
GLaDOS nodded, “They’re waiting for you in waiting room four.”
Skorpeon ran the familiar course of the Medical Bay, coming to the back entrance marked with a massive “IV” on the wall.
Skorpeon opened the door, seeing the two ponies consoling each other. “Aloe, Lotus: You ready?”
The two sisters stood, taking a determined breath. “Let’s do it.”
Skorpeon led the two ponies to a White Room, “In here.” He wheeled an extra gurney in, setting it beside the table. 
“Give me just one second to change.” He ran back from the room, sidling into a small locker room. 
Skorpeon opened a door marked with “SKR”, pulling his White Clothes out. He took his overclothes off, stepping into the cleaner. He pushed the button, slipping the scrub on. 
Five minutes later, he pulled a small bag towards him. “Okay, I’m going to give you a shot that will allow you to sleep through this.” He looked at Lotus. She had decided to go first. 
“Will I wake up?” she asked, eyeing the needle.
Skorpeon nodded, “Only one person has died in a Star Zed White Room. Don’t worry, if there’s a chance that something will kill the patient, do you know what we do?”
“Try a different approach?” Lotus asked.
Skorpeon shook his head, “Keep trying different recipes until the bleeding stuff is safe enough to eat on cereal.” He pulled a small pistol-like device. “This will just disinfect the fur around the area I’m going to put the IV in. I will warn you, it’s a bit cold.”
He pulled the trigger on the back of her right elbow. She shuddered as the device chilled her skin. She cringed, waiting for the sharp pinch, but that never came. 
Skorpeon saw her eyes close like a light. He smiled, “Lotus, can you hear me? Make a noise if you can.”
Lotus stayed silent. 
Skorpeon nodded to himself, getting right to work. 
He first wheeled himself to her hooves, taking a look as to how the augmented hooves were attached to her legs. 

When he leaned back, forty-five minutes later, the hooves were nothing more than a pile of metal and bolts. 
Skorpeon pulled a small tool towards him, trimming the bone flush with her legs. He trimmed a bit of the healed flesh back, quickly slipping a mechanical hoof onto the bare flesh. He bolted it to her leg, then drilled the transmitter into her bone. He did the same thing to her right hoof, sighing when he finished.
“Now her fetlock.” He muttered to himself.
“How long will it take for us to recover?” Aloe asked, oddly transfixed by her sister’s operation.
Skorpeon looked at the pink pony, “It will take maybe a month or two to become accustomed to your new devices.” He wheeled himself to Lotus’ left fetlock, slipping the black device from her leg.
He looked at the device. It had a small needle-like blade in it, which was hooked to a device that looked oddly familiar. 
Skorpeon shook the hoof a bit, then dropped it when the blade sunk into his paw. 
He jumped up, being careful not to bleed on Lotus. He wrapped his hand, replacing both gloves. 
“A hidden blade. How original.” Skorpeon said, “Celestia come up with that herself?”
Aloe shrugged, “I don’t know. We never used them, at any rate.”
Skorpeon nodded, setting back to work. He pulled a small knife towards him, sinking the tip into her shoulder. He made a shallow curve, then a small straight line. He pulled the flesh open, pinning it open with a small triangle device. He pulled some tweezers from his bag, craning his neck into the surture.
He pulled three small bloody devices, two he recognized from Apple Jack’s surgery. He closed the wound, then sighed.
“One pony: Hour forty-five.” He sighed, pulling the IV from Lotus’ arm. 
“My turn?” Aloe asked, turning to her back. 
“Yes. When you wake up, I’ll be right here. Don’t worry, you’ll recover.”
Aloe nodded, feeling safe in this doctor’s paws.
“I want you to count backwards from ten.” Skorpeon said, stepping away from Aloe’s side for a moment.
“Ten.” Aloe heard herself say clearly, thinking about her life before the creed.
“Nine.” She remembered living on the farm with mother. How she and Lotus would always bring the flowers in for dinner.
“Eight.” She felt her tongue slip on the g, making herself kind of choke.
“Sev- seven.” She felt something claw at her conscious. 
“Six.” She closed her eyes, suddenly become tired. Faintly, she could her Skorpeon’s drill, then a small pinch on her fetlock. 
“Fiii--” She was asleep before she could finish the single syllable, the last thing she thought about was how safe she was now. How free.

Skorpeon appeared in the living room of his own house. Or the dance floor, whichever you prefer.
“PINKAMENA!” He saw the pink pony talking to a small group. He could tell they were foxes. 
Hang on a tick.
He ran to them, “Sekhmett? Tiencho?”
The three foxes turned to the voice. “Daddy!” his youngest daughter dove into his chest, temporarily knocking the wind from him. 
“Hey Eights.” He said, returning her hug. 
Eighty-Six looked at her father with that gleam her mother got, “I’ve done it! I’m a knight!”
He smiled, pulling her into a one-arm hug, the other taking his other daughter. “That’s great!”
Tiencho turned his head in their direction. “And guess who got to coronate her?”
“Nice, Tie.” Although Tiencho was blinded in a freak shop accident, he did more with that dirty rag that Skorpeon did with his two eyes.
“By the by, dad.” Sekhmett handed Skorpeon a small box, “It’s from HeadMaster.”
Skorpeon nodded, locking eyes with the beautiful cyan Pegasus.
“Hang on guys.” He made his way through the crowd, embracing her when she dove for him.
“You didn’t come back after.” Rainbow Dash whispered in his ear “I thought you had been captured.”
“It’s alright. I just had some stuff I needed to do.” He said. “I promise I won’t leave you if I can’t help it.”