//------------------------------// // Run To The Hills // Story: Broken Stems // by TCC56 //------------------------------// A part of Tempest was having the best time of her life. There was something liberating about it - having no burdens, no responsibilities, no need to think. Just raw physicality as she moved from moment to moment, acting and reacting to live purely in each second as it passed. Her mind taking a backseat to the body's simple need to fight for its life as she existed in the Now. The Storm Guard pushed again, insanely expecting the results to be different this time. Limited by the narrow gate of the Citadel's curtain wall, only a few could fit through at a time. The ones behind the first three were suppressed as Tempest's magic exploded in their midst, causing the ones that weren't stunned or thrown back to recoil for safety. The three that passed through the gate quickly found themselves confronted directly. The first was bowled backwards as the electrical bolt from Tempest's salvaged spear struck it in the chest. It collided with the wall, twitching. The second slowed its charge to dodge a jab from the spear's point - falling entirely for the feint. Tempest spun the weapon around in her hooves, sweeping the butt low and directly into the guard's knees. It toppled into a furry heap. A moment later, she planted the spear-butt on the flagstones and used the transferred momentum to pole-vault herself upwards. The third guard found a pair of iron-shod rear hooves in its face, slamming in and cracking the guard's mask clean down the middle. Then Tempest let go of the spear, executed a quick forward roll and landed beside the second guard. It had risen just enough to run into her forehoof - a simple knockout blow to the side of the head. Eight seconds. And it wasn't the first time, as the dozens of unconscious Storm Guard around her could attest. As her mind started to take back control from her body's reactions in the lull, Tempest once again reminded herself that Grubber had been the smart one. It helped, of course, that she had literally written the book on tactics for the Storm Guard and personally trained most of the marginally sentient beasts. But even allowing for that, Tempest was forced to reluctantly admit it: she wasn't having that much trouble with twenty to one. Of course, she had to remind herself that she wasn't winning - holding strong, yes, but there were literally hundreds of Storm Guard inside the Citadel. Even if they kept coming at her in manageable dribbles, she would eventually get tired. ...More tired, Tempest thought as the rib she had cracked earlier twinged. But the longer she held them here, the more time the slaves had to get to the docks and the more time the others would have to prepare their own strike to rescue those inside. Hopefully Rainbow Dash would come through-- Rainbow Dash came through. Hooves on stone was an unmistakable sound - only a handful of creatures around the Citadel could make that noise. And none would be coming in a galloping group. A set that wasn't running in time with the others landed just back and to Tempest's right, the disturbed air from a pegasus' wingbeats kicking up a tiny whirl of dust. "Hey," Rainbow Dash breathlessly quipped. "Sorry for being late. Rarity's in bad shape." It took that for Tempest to swing her head around from foes to friends. "She's hurt?" Dash shook her head. "Nah, just wiped out. The revolt started early, so she had to hold the guards off herself until we got there." A pause. "Which we did and I'm still mad at you. You knew from the beginning you were going to stay behind, didn't you? That's why you made me Promise." Rainbow pouted in frustration. Tempest ignored the accusation and twisted herself around to the others. The first thing to hit her about the group was Pinkie Pie. Literally - the earth pony was airborne and impacted Tempest with a hug. "Fizzie, you're alright! We were so worried." "I'm alright but very disappointed." Unable to contain all her sarcasm, Tempest nodded towards the Citadel wall. "I thought I trained them better than this." Fluttershy frowned a little. "I'm glad you didn't." "Coulda taught 'em worse from the start." Bright Mac didn't hold back the touch of bitterness in his voice. Rather than retort, Tempest bowed her head to the farmer deeply enough to press her muzzle to the stones. "Before we go any further. Bright Macintosh, I want to tell you that I'm sorry. I was an idiot foal who cared more about her hurt pride than what she did to others. I was a monster who served a monster. I can never make up for what I did but I'm trying anyway - not for forgiveness but because it's the right thing to do. Your daughter and her friends saved me - they pulled me off the dark path that I was on. Please, let me help your family. Let me do something to repay her. Let me make something good in the world." Her words stayed even throughout - it was a speech she had practiced in her head a hundred times on the trip. For a tense moment, Bright Mac simply looked at Tempest with a critical and almost cruel eye. "Ah don't think Ah can ever forgive some of what you did," he began. "There's too many folks you've hurt. But Ah understand that sometimes a pony makes a bad choice or loses their way, and Ah can respect turnin' your life from that. So Ah can't forgive, but Ah can try to move on. My daughter trusts you. Her friends trust you. Least Ah can do is give you the chance." Tempest let out a tightly held breath. "Thank you." Behind them, someone started slowly applauding. All eyes turned to the parapets and the clapping figure there. The who was easy to figure out - the obvious Scion of Storms was distinctly related to the Storm King. White fur and grey skin stood out against the black mantle and cloak he had chosen instead of the King's dark iron armor. And where the King had been svelte, the Scion was instead pointedly scrawny - an obvious boy to the King's man. But he had a too-big horned crown on his head, an all too familiar sarcastic grin on his lips, and just enough authority to control the army behind him. "How darling! How heart-felt! How stomach-turning." The Scion's voice squeaked when he wanted it to rumble. "But I can tell you aren't fond of her either, so I'll make a deal." He lounged forward on the edge of the wall, leering down at the ponies in what was likely supposed to be an attempt at intimidation. "I don't care about you. Any of you. But I care about her." A thin finger pointed directly at Tempest. She snorted derisively back. "Walk away and leave me the traitor, and you can go. I can get more slaves, after all." The girls looked at each other, unamused. Even Bright Mac frowned - but when he opened his mouth to respond, Applejack cut him off. "Rarity? Think you got one in ya still?" "Darling? For this? I've got a million." The alabaster unicorn's horn glowed - only shooting off a single stray spark of strain - and a pebble lifted off the ground. The Scion of Storms yelped in pain as her high velocity response stung his cheek. He toppled off the parapet - but from behind the wall, they could hear his shout. "GET THEM!" The sensible thing, tactically, was to hold the gate and force the Storm Guard to face them on equal terms. That wasn't the plan, but the defenders had no way of knowing that. Understandably, they were surprised when the cadre of ponies charged them. Tempest hurled another exploding bolt into the middle of the guards as they pushed, scattering the first layer of attackers. The two Apples were the spearhead that pierced the lines for the rest, forging a pathway in thundering hooves. The others were close behind, with Rarity projecting a diamond shield behind them to ward off the few stray bolts fired in pursuit. The castle compound within the wall rushed by as Bright Mac guided the charge. Smaller buildings around were ignored - guard bunkhouses and armories and training rings - in favor of their goal: the Citadel of Storms itself. Standing tall over everything else on the island, the spiked black edifice that faintly resembled the Storm King's crown stood apart from the rest, overshadowing it all. The massive double-doors at the entrance were left undefended as the Storm Guard had surged towards the rioting slaves, leaving only a few hundred pounds of ironwood between the ponies and their goal. Both doors shattered like balsa under the hooves of the Apples, and the seven plunged inside. The grand foyer spread out before them - sized for the Storm Beasts, the expanse of onyx and marble represented the entrance to what had been the Storm King's lair of opulence. A pair of statues of the departed King flanked the door before each side swept up into a long, arcing staircase upwards to the reception balcony and the vaulted ceiling above. Rich carpet - black set with a hound's tooth of blue lightning bolts - padded the way inwards between artfully fluted columns. On either side, a decorative fountain sat in the lee of the stairway's curve. The waters - filled with hyacinth and waterlily - gave small specks of color to the rest of the stark room. Rarity let out a small gasp at the opulent artistry of it - and the wild contrast to the grey on grey on grey just outside the doors. Tempest barely noted the beauty. She, instead, spun around and kicked one of the statues over to block the door. A moment later Pinkie Pie bounced off the other to complete the barrier. "Go!" Setting her hooves wide, Tempest positioned herself in the middle of the foyer. "They're going to be after us once they get over the shock! If they get through they door they'll be able to flood the Citadel and we'll be trapped. I'll hold them here while you get Buttercup! Go!" A wing cuffed Tempest upside the head. "No way!" Rainbow Dash hovered in front of the broken unicorn, lips in a snarl. "You tricked me into ditching you once and that is not gonna happen again!" Tempest tried to grab Dash and hurl her away - the pegasus proved too agile to lay hooves on. "Damn you, go! They need you more than me!" The left side of her field of vision was suddenly consumed by pink as Pinkie Pie grabbed her in a hug. "I'll stay too! If we work together, we can make sure those meanies don't get inside!" Then she gave Dash an over-exaggerated wink. Loudly, Tempest sighed and gave up a fight she had no hope of winning. "Fine! You two watch my flanks and stay out of the way." The others hesitated. Dash, this time, was the one who shouted to them. "Go on! We've got this! Trust me!" Applejack nodded, even though her lips were a tight frown. But she turned to her father never the less. "Let's go get Ma." "This way." Bright Mac led them between the staircases and through a semi-concealed door against the rear wall. Not intended for viewing by the King or his guests, the servant's section of the Citadel was narrower and far less decorated - the dark stone only sported the occasional leering painting of the Storm King. A few of the Citadel's slave staff came peeking out of side rooms and corridors as the four ponies ran - Fluttershy and Rarity would occasionally briefly break off to spread word of the revolution and encourage them to run for the dockyards. Those diversions swiftly left them further and further behind. Neither Apple stopped - though a few words did pass between them as they climbed a back stairway to the second level. "You really trust her, don't ya." Bright Mac's mind was still on the foyer - the stone muffled noise, but there was the occasional distant thump in the air that suggested Tempest's magic exploding. Applejack didn't hesitate. "Totally an' completely." She paused as they turned a corner. "You weren't there when the Storm King fell, Pa. Tempest sacrificed herself to stop 'im - if Twi hadn't grabbed her at the last second, she woulda died. She knew it, and she didn't expect she was gonna be saved. Ah trust Tempest with my life 'cuz she already showed once she'd give hers up for us. And that was before, well, alla this." The Citadel shook as a great crash tore through it. The whole building lurched in a way stone spires shouldn't. Looking grimly at each other, both Apples doubled their pace. On the third floor, the Apples spread out a bit. Bright Mac knocked open one door - finding it led out into the more palatial front half of the Citadel that was intended for the King and his guests. "This one's a dining room!" He twisted his head back around. "Kitchen's gotta be nearby!" Nearer than they thought - the door across the hall cracked open. "Bright Macintosh?" The door flew open as he pulled it wide - and instantly hugged Pear Butter tightly. She returned it without hesitation. Laughing with joy, she pulled him the rest of the way into the kitchen - into the heat of the stoves and heavy clouds of spices - and spun him around merrily. "I just knew it!" Pear Butter turned to the other slave in the kitchens with her - a large frog-faced Klugetowner in a rough dress that would have made Rarity faint. "Muriel, I told ya! All that ruckus out there had to be Bright's fault." She beamed at him as the Klugetowner smiled and gave them their space. "You never could do anythin' quietly, could you?" He ran a loving hoof through her mane - while his had greyed evenly, her bushy mop had done so in streaks that cut through her orange-gold hair. "Never could, but this all ain't..." Bright hesitated. "Darlin'? There's somepony you gotta meet." Bright Mac stepped aside - and Applejack stepped forward. Pear Butter lurched backwards to her haunches, both hooves coming to her mouth. "A--Applejack?" She reached out to her eldest daughter. "Is that...?" "It's me, Ma." Doffing her hat, Applejack trembled as she tried to stay strong. "Sorry this took so long, but--" She wasn't able to finish. The urge overwhelmed her like a wave - Applejack lunged, grabbing her mother tightly. A moment later her father embraced them both from behind. Applejack melted into them, a blissful smile dominating her face as the tears started to flow. The three were still holding each other and joyfully crying when the door slammed open again. All eyes went to a panting Rainbow Dash who slumped against the doorframe. "Finally found ya! Come on, we gotta get outta here!" Applejack dashed to Rainbow's side, even though breaking away from her parents made her heart lurch sickeningly. "You alright?" Dash's shoulder popped as Applejack helped her up again. "Been better. We did what we could, but... they are really peeved, AJ. Like, that Scion guy? He's totally ignoring the town. They're just letting all the slaves get away." "Well, that's great news!" Bright Mac hugged Pear Butter, completely missing the point. "Yeah, he just wants us," Rainbow darkly noted. "Well, less us and more Tempest--" Pear Butter cut in. "Tempest?" She blushed sharply. "Um, sorry. Hi, I'm--" Dash smirked. "Buttercup - you're AJ's mom. I'm Rainbow Dash, but yeah. Tempest Shadow's with us. She's kinda how we found out about you and got here?" Rather than asking another question, Buttercup turned to her husband and smirked. "I told you so, Bright Mac. I told you that filly had somethin' special in her. You said she was just one've the Storm King's tools but--" Bright Mac raised his hooves in surrender. "Alright, alright! Ah can admit when Ah'm beat. She's maybe not as bad as Ah was thinkin'." There was a clamor from up the hall - the direction of the stairs they'd come from. "What I was trying to say," Dash reiterated, "is that they're letting the slaves get away to the docks because the entire Storm Guard is chasing us!" There was burst of pressure in the air - muffled but closer this time - as another of Tempest's magical blasts detonated. "GO GO GO!" The military mare's voice drove the remaining missing three on - Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity rounded the corner at a gallop. "We bought some time 'cuz Tempest and Pinkie collapsed the whole foyer, but they're still coming inside other ways." Rainbow looked over her shoulder. "I really wasn't kidding when I said we gotta get out of here." The others - sans Tempest - came to a halt outside the kitchens. "I think," Fluttershy panted, "I need you to help me with my cardio when we get back, Rainbow." Pinkie Pie was just giggling with excitement. "Alright, Ah figure we gotta spread the word still to get this place clear an'--" Pear Butter put a hoof on her daughter's lips to silence her. "Muriel?" The Klugetowner simply nodded and loped off out one of the kitchen's other doors. "I knew Bright would try something crazy sooner or later," she explained slightly smugly. "We've had our escape plan ready for years." "Darlin', if you were waitin' on me..." Bright Mac frowned sharply. She kissed him. "And deny you the chance to be my knight in shining armor?" Cheeks red as his mane, Bright Mac scuffed his hoof with embarrassment. "You always did figure the best've me. Guess that's why you're the apple of my eye." Rainbow Dash made an overdramatic gagging sound. Rarity elbowed her. Another boom echoed, and Tempest came backpedaling around the corner. "That should slow them down! Now we have to find--" She turned and froze, seeing they had already found the pony they were after. Tempest immediately bowed to Pear Butter, prostrating herself on the floor. "Before we go any further. Buttercup, I want to tell you that I'm sorry. I was an idiot foal who--" "Oh get up you silly filly." Pear Butter grabbed Tempest and hauled her to her hooves. "I always had a feelin' you were better than you admitted to yourself." She looked to the others. "There's a supply tunnel that goes from the storage rooms to the docks that they bring food in through." And there, Tempest cut back in with a shake of her head. "We can't. If we go that way, the entire Storm Guard's going to follow us right to the docks. We stick to the plan: we head up to the Storm King's quarters and his personal landing platform. Then we take the skiff there and meet up with the stolen airship outside the storm wall." Pear Butter pursed her lips. "I know where his rooms are, but I don't think I've ever been on any landing platform." "It's there," Tempest affirmed. "I know it well - the only question is if his skiff's still parked. But the alternative is leading an army right to the escaping slaves and..." She paused. "I know we all agree that's not an option. So now we're the distraction." Nods confirmed it - and then they ran.