//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: A Third Front Has Opened Up // by waywardfallout //------------------------------// Sunset was happy, her first honor duel had been a draw, which was better than she had been expecting honestly. The duel ended thanks to the enemy retreating leading Starlight to tell her that she wanted a rematch. Which was something that she wasn’t really looking forward to. The mare took a moment and looked at her robes, they were now a complete mess. A thin layer of ice was covering her right hind leg. A rip went down her back and a few holes littered her robe. They were going to have to be replaced thanks to Starlight. She then looked at her elemental sword, Dawn Blade. She wasn’t actively fighting with the sword so she was only fueling it with just enough magic to keep it stable. This made the blade burn softly and barely let off any heat in the Operating room. Sunset looked around the room next. She had been quite surprised when she had spotted the Rainbow demon laying on the operating table. It was bizarre, the pegasus laying in front of her had killed easily an estimated five hundred troops over the years. But Sunset knew that was a lie as there was no way she had only killed five hundred ponies. Regardless, the Celestial army even used the mare in front of Sunset as a horror story of what happens to those who don’t follow orders. That she would find you when you disobeyed and kill you with her fangs or somesuch. But here she was right in front of her laying on a table injured. Rainbow was part of the rebellion as well which was weird too Sunset as she didn’t expect her to betray Luna. But Sunset knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth and currently Rainbow was inspecting her just as much as Sunset was inspecting her. To Rainbow this Sunset Shimmer was.... interesting, the orange-yellow mare didn’t look like much on the outside. But the flaming sword she had in her magic was something that Rainbow had seen a few times in the past. She didn’t see magic swords often. So in the assassin's mind this fire mage she had only spared because Twilight’s list said too, was able to use what seemed to be really advanced magic. Considering how little she had seen swords made entirely of magic in her life. Sunset Shimmer was more dangerous than her appearance would suggest. Good thing she listened to Twilight’s book and didn’t kill the mare. Applejack was sitting just watching everypony in her own corner of the room. She had spent most of the day with Rainbow and she had learned a few things about her in that time. The first thing she learned was Rainbow had trouble sitting still. She could stay in the same general area but the pegasus was constantly moving her legs or her one movable wing. Like she could not handle being in one stop for too long. Much to the Doctor’s annoyance. The second thing was how normal she seemed to be. Twilight had told her about the mare but seeing it for herself made it more real. Honestly if she didn’t have the fangs, Rainbow would look like a normal pony that lived under Celestia’s rule as she wasn’t as demonic as the stories made her out to be. Applejack looked over at Twilight who was talking to doctor Light Quill. She decided to listen to the conversation. “So High Priestess I either have the choice of joining you in this rebellion or I die because I’m a risk.” The Griffin said looking back at the lavender alicorn. “Yes doctor, that is my offer.” Twilight answered with her normal cold and uncaring gaze. The gaze meant that you were just a number to the alicorn. An object to be used then thrown out once your usefulness was over. It was a gaze Applejack had seen the mare use most of her life when talking to most ponies or soldiers. But the guards pony had to admit she was seeing less and less of that awful gaze nowadays which was a good thing in AJ’s mind. “And why do you think I won’t betray you?” Asked Quill with a claw raised in a questioning manner. Twilight rolled her eyes like it was obvious to anypony with half a brain. And to Twilight it was probably extremely obvious from her point of view. “Because not a single pony would believe you, a griffin, over me the High Priestess Twilight Sparkle. You would most likely be accused of heretical lies or attempting to cast doubt on a Chosen of Celestia. Both will get you killed without my involvement even being necessary.” Twilight explained bluntly to Quill. By the way the Griffin acted he was clearly nervous about talking back to the alicorn but he continued on. “So I join your rebellion, what happens? I assume I am to be the main doctor of this rebellion but what else?” Light Quill asked. “Yes that will be the case doctor and everything else will be on a need to know basis, understand?” Twilight answered the griffin with a flat look. Light Quill nodded. “Now is Rainbow able to be safely teleported?” Twilight asked as she looked at the pegasus in question. Quill was silent for a moment thinking about Twilight’s question. “She is safe to transfer but how long will she be gone for as I would like to change her bandages once more.” Quill answered the lavender alicorn. Twilight sighed “I was hoping to move her permanently to another location as it's risky to keep her here in the Fort.” Twilight stated as she looked back to the griffin. The doctor put a claw to his chin in thought “The most she needs right now is her bandages being changed regularly and to keep movement to a minimum. So if the place you're moving her to can handle the basic changing of bandages and feeding her. Then it would probably be fine.” Quill pointed to the table the rainbow maned pegasus was laying on with his right talon. “Although I don’t think it would be wise to teleport her with the operating table. As it's not the most comfortable place to heal and rest. I also may need the table if somepony does something stupid or gets hurt.” Twilight raised an eyebrow “Can’t you just use one of the beds in the infirmary proper?” Twilight did not want to lift the injured pegasus in her magic and move her so she didn’t hurt Rainbow accidentally. “Because High Priestess-“ Quill was interrupted by the alicorn. “If you’re a part of my rebellion and we are not in the company of others who don’t know about the rebellion. Don’t call me High Priestess and especially don’t call me Demigoddess as some idiots do. Understand?” Twilights said with mild annoyance in her voice as her wings twitched in irritation. Quill nodded nervously “Then what do I call you?” He asked. “General or just Twilight is fine.” answered the alicorn. The griffin nodded “Ok General the reason is the operating table is not something I can easily replace and it’s hard to do surgery on a mattress. And if she is going to be transferred to another location she is going to need to rest and a bed is better for that.” “Fair” was all Twilight replied with as she turned her head to look at Sunset. “Sunset please bring one of the beds from the infirmary proper in here.” Twilight asked the fire mage. “Got it.” Sunset entered the infirmary, picked up the closest bed in her magic and turned it ninety degrees so it fit through the doorway. Once it was in the operating room she placed it next to the table Rainbow was laying on. “Rainbow I’m moving you to this new bed so I can teleport you to the Observatory.” Twilight explained as she picked up Rainbow in her magic and moved her over to the new bed. “Ok” Rainbow knew she didn’t really get a choice in the matter so compiled without complaint. “Applejack you're coming with us, Sunset stay here with the doctor.” Twilight ordered. AJ nodded and moved to stand next to the alicorn ready to be teleported to the Observatory. She had heard Twilight mention it quite a few times in the past few months and was curious to see this place for herself. “You ready?” Twilight asked Rainbow and Applejack who both nodded that they were. Then they disappeared in a flash of lavender light. Then as soon as they left Sunset spoke up. “I’m sleeping in one of the beds and you can’t stop me. Good my name sake.” Sunset said as she left the room to use one of the beds.