* * *
Chapter XIV
The Long Haul
===============
“War?” squeaked Fluttershy. “B-but I can't – I couldn't!”
Fluttershy and the others stared at Princess Luna. The cauldron pit's fire in the centre of Zecora's hut crackled ominously in the silence.
“It is our only option,” said Luna firmly. “Rest assured, even now, King Cosmo is on the move, gathering his strength. When he is ready, he will sweep across all of Equestria and assert his dominance over the land. That is, unless we stand against him now. If we do not, we will be hunted for the rest of our lives.”
Fluttershy blanched. “But... I wouldn't hurt anypony. Can't we –”
“Nay,” said Luna. “You wield an Element of Harmony. Even in the centuries before he fell to evil, my brother was relentless. Once he had a goal, he would stop at nothing to achieve it, and this is no different. Now that he has finally revealed himself, his top priority is to wipe out – or put under his control – anypony whom he deems a threat. We must stick together, as one. Without – without Celestia, I fear that there is nopony who can match him in single combat. The only way is to use the Elements, much like Celestia and I did so many years ago.”
“But without Twilight or – or,” sobbed Scootaloo, “Rainbow Dash...”
“Young filly,” said Luna gently, lowering her head so it was inches from hers, “the Elements of Harmony can never be destroyed. The Element of Loyalty will return, but to whom, or in what manner, or even when, it is impossible to say. We must not give up hope. To do so would mean that Cosmo has already won.”
“So, what's the plan?” said Applejack. “I mean, you've gotta have somethin' in mind, don't ya?”
“What I am about to ask of each and every one of you,” said Luna, puffing herself up and looking every inch the ruler that her title claimed, “is far beyond what I would ask anypony, but circumstance demands it.”
To everypony's surprise, Scootaloo unfurled her wings and leapt in front of Luna almost defiantly. After drying her eyes on a hoof, she loudly proclaimed, “You can count on me, Princess!”
“Now, Scootaloo, dear...” said Rarity soothingly.
“Now nothing!” shouted Scootaloo, rounding on Rarity. “Cosmo is why Rainbow Dash isn't here! He's why Twilight burned Ponyville! He's why Princess Luna doesn't have a sister anymore! I – I want revenge!”
Luna gasped and touched a hoof to her heart. “No! Enough innocents have been taken from Equestria by Cosmo's hoof already! A filly as young as you –”
“When I found out who made Pinkie...” Scootaloo glanced at Pinkie and looked as if she was about to cry, but instead grimaced and pressed on. “I promised Rainbow I'd kill who – who did it. I won't let her down. I'm killing Cosmo!”
“Young Scootaloo, you don't understand what you're saying.” Luna's normally stern expression was replaced by a mixture of astonishment and sorrow. “What you might be required to do should never be asked of anypony, much less a filly. If you go through with this, Cosmo could kill you, as he has done to far mightier ponies than you.”
“I don't care! I'll fight Cosmo single-hoofedly if I have to, just like Rainbow would!”
“I won't let you,” said Fluttershy, advancing on Scootaloo. “No, no. You're going into hiding.”
“NO, I WON'T!” screamed Scootaloo, making Rarity jump. “I'd rather die than sit here and do nothing while Cosmo kills more ponies! What if he kills Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom next?”
“But, Scootaloo, dear,” said Rarity, her voice shaking, “both of them are safe. The Apple family is on vacation, and Sweetie Belle is staying with my parents, who live outside of Ponyville.”
“So what? What if where they're staying gets burned, like Ponyville? What if Twilight kills them? If that happens, I'd rather die fighting Cosmo than sitting here, waiting for him to kill me.”
“Very – very well,” stammered Luna. “Each of you must perform a challenging task. King Cosmo not only relies on brute force, but on deceit, subterfuge, and the division of his foes. We must head him off and gather as many allies as we can, both within Equestria and beyond it. Unless the long years of disgrace have drastically changed my brother, I have no doubt that he has already issued the decree to reform the ancient army of Canterlot. The longer we wait, the stronger his grip on Equestria becomes. Tomorrow, we will all separate and begin our quest to gather allies.”
“Split up?” said Pinkie, cocking her head. “Isn't that what Cosmo would want us to do?”
“It's the only way,” said Luna, stomping a hoof on the ground. “We cannot afford to stick together; it would give Cosmo too much time and too much freedom to spread his influence to the other parts of Equestria. We must remember that as it stands, Cosmo has an army and we do not.”
“What shall we do?” asked Rarity fearfully.
Luna turned to her. “As the only unicorn, it will be your charge to muster enough of your kin to combat Cosmo's unicorns. He always favoured them. That, coupled with the fact Canterlot is their ancestral home, leads me to believe that they will be the strongest branch of his army.”
“Me?” gasped Rarity, blanching. “Oh, no, no, no! I simply can't! I mean, I'm all for defeating Cosmo and saving Twilight and all that, but fighting all those Canterlot unicorns on a battlefield? Twilight was always the one talented with magic, not me!”
Any further wailing was silenced by Luna holding up a warning hoof and glaring at her. Luna continued. “I am aware of that. Your place lies with me. We'll retrieve the Elements and face Cosmo directly. Your task is to rally as many to our cause as you can whilst you seek out somepony potent enough with magic to combat the Canterlot elite.”
Rarity breathed a sigh of relief and began to contemplate Luna's request. Her brow furrowed as she rubbed her muzzle with a hoof. “Well, most of the unicorns I know are either from Canterlot or Ponyville, and none of them are eligible or particularly good with magic... except...”
Applejack huffed indignantly. “Oh, no. Ya ain't talkin' about who I think you are...”
“Trixie,” said Rarity timidly.
“Who's Trixie?” said Luna, taken aback by the chorus of groans.
“A showoff, that's who,” said Applejack savagely.
“She was mean,” said Fluttershy.
“Can't ya find somepony else?” said Applejack.
“Do you think I want to look for her and plead for her help?” snapped Rarity. “She turned my mane green. Green!”
“It wasn't that bad!” tittered Pinkie. “Besides, you fixed it.”
“After a great deal of time – not to mention manecare products,” Rarity added. “The only problem is, I have no idea where she'd be.”
“Los Pegasus, silly,” said Pinkie, as this should have been obvious to everypony.
Rarity blinked at her. “How do you know that?”
“It's simple. She was a big showoff, right? Los Pegasus is the perfect place for her, right? It doesn't matter if you're a phony pony, does it?” said Pinkie.
Looking crestfallen, Rarity failed to suppress a groan. “Los Pegasus is so far away,” she whimpered.
“I never said this would be easy,” snapped Luna. “Now, Applejack, whom can you seek out to aid us?”
“Braeburn!” Applejack half-shouted almost immediately. “I'm sure it won't take much convincin' to get him – and all of Appleloosa – on our side. Maybe I can even get the buffalo to help!”
Luna nodded approvingly. “Good, very good. See to it that they understand the severity of the situation.” She turned her head to Pinkie. “There are no doubt many survivors from the destruction of Ponyville. I want you to find as many as you can and lead them back here. Once you have done so, you and Zecora must take them to Smokey Mountain. With any luck, the remoteness of the location and the cover of the mountain range will allow you to go unnoticed by Cosmo. That will be our rendezvous point.”
Pinkie simply nodded, her expression grave.
“Fluttershy,” said Luna, “your task is one of the most important of all. I want you to fly to east across the ocean, to the Griffon Kingdoms. Once there, you will plead for the allegiance of their King, Gwaihir.”
“D-d-did you s-s-say g-griffons?”
“They may prove to be invaluable allies,” pressed Luna. “It is a long way and a dangerous task, and you are the only fully-grown pegasus at our disposal.”
“But – but – c-can't you –”
Luna shook her head. “I will be undertaking the most dangerous task of them all. I won't allow anypony else to endanger their lives on it. I'm not asking you to fight,” she added impatiently as Fluttershy whimpered. “With the griffons on our side, control of the skies over Canterlot would be ours. Cosmo's forces will be powerful enough without air superiority as well. This brings us to the other aspect of this plan.”
Scootaloo stood on her hind legs and rested a hoof on her chest. “That's where I come in, right?”
“Yes, little filly, it is,” said Luna. “You shall go to Cloudsdale and enlist as much of the populace as you can. King Cosmo is no doubt fully aware of the strategic location and air power of Cloudsdale. If we can make them sympathetic to our cause before they buy into his propaganda, we should be able to hold our own against the Canterlot Air Force.”
Scootaloo gulped. She'd never really gotten the hang of flying, and Cloudsdale was a long way up. Instead of uttering a word of protest, however, she gave Luna a resolute nod.
“But, Princess!” said Rarity, rushing to Scootaloo's side. “We can't send a filly on a mission like that, not on her own! Somepony else simply must go with her!”
“Who?” challenged Luna. “Fluttershy will act as our emissary to the griffons and I shall be elsewhere.”
“And where is that, exactly?” demanded Rarity, placing herself directly between Scootaloo and Luna.
“Out of the way!” said Scootaloo, trying to move past Rarity.
“The Archback Mountains,” said Luna heavily.
Fluttershy gasped. “But isn't that –”
Luna closed her eyes. “Indeed. It is the ancient roost of the dragons.”
“Dragons?” said a wide-eyed Pinkie.
“Yes. Besides the obvious reasons, I believe this to be the worst of our tasks on account of the high chance that the King himself will try to win them over. All of you know firsthoof how persuasive Cosmo is. I fear that if he reaches the dragons before we do, our war effort is doomed to failure.”
Everyone stared at Luna. As she looked at each of them in turn, she was taken aback by the myriad of feelings that leapt out at her from their gazes. In Fluttershy's eyes, she saw sadness and fear, but behind that, a glimmer of determination. In Rarity's, she detected a mixture of deep-seated concern for all those around her, as if only the desire to fight for the preservation of all that she held dear kept her in check. When she met Pinkie's eyes, she quickly pierced the thin veil of happiness she saw, delving into the torrent of sorrow, fear, and regret within.
Luna failed to suppress a shudder as she turned her attention to Applejack, where the urge to rally her relatives to their cause lit a bold fire in her eyes. Finally, she looked down at young Scootaloo. What she saw rattled her, even more than what she had seen in Pinkie's eyes. The youthful warmth she should've found there was gone, replaced by cold fury, which bore a striking resemblance to what she had seen in Celestia's eyes when Discord had threatened Equestria.
She took a step back and furrowed her brow, looking as ancient as she was. “I am sorry. I am so sorry. I feel that this is all my fault.”
“Don't say that, Princess,” said Fluttershy.
“But it is.” Luna brought her hoof down on the ground none too gently. “Long ago, I may have been able to stop him...”
* * *
“I can't believe it's finally happening! I'm so excited, aren't you, Cossy?”
“I told you not to call me that anymore, Luna,” snapped Cosmo. “I am about to be King, after all. All of us are becoming royalty. It's about time we started acting it.”
“Oh, Cosmo,” giggled Celestia, raising a hoof to her muzzle, “there's no harm in it. We're still family, you know; a few crowns will never change that.”
Cosmo let out an audible “humph”, looking at the ceiling of the hall they stood in. Wide beams of sunlight caught the manes of the three alicorns, turning each royal figure into a light source all their own, bathing the hall in a shifting cascade of colours. Pouting, Luna looked down at her hooves, failing to notice the three unicorns bearing full sets of regalia approaching them. She hoped Cosmo would be less irritable now that the Kingdom of Equestria was about to be formed with them at its head, finally bringing lasting peace and unity to a war-torn land.
Even in the weeks following the discovery of the Elements of Harmony and the defeat of Discord, Cosmo had only grown more sour, not only to her, but to everypony else around him. She supposed the nigh-endless tribulations had transformed him from the carefree, kind colt she had grown up with, into the hardened stallion of today. Luna looked at her brother, who stoically bowed his head, allowing the unicorn standing before him to place an obsidian-edged burnished gold crown upon it.
“Splendid,” said Cosmo, grinning as the unicorn fitted him with matching hoofguards.
Luna hardly noticed as she and Celestia were outfitted in similarly crafted, but differently coloured, pieces. Her attention was on Cosmo. His fiery eyes had a glint she had never seen in their youth, but became steadily more apparent over the course of the past century, around the time they began to discover the true extent of their power.
Cosmo's eyes casually flicked over to meet her gaze for a moment before returning to the balcony beyond. In that brief second, Luna saw a flame raging within them that burned with an even greater intensity than anything she had previously seen in them. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but it unsettled her, as if her brother was becoming an entirely different pony before her eyes.
“This is a most glorious day, is it not, Celestia?” said Cosmo, turning to her.
She nodded. “We've finally done it. At times, I thought we might never succeed, but we have brought peace to Equestria. I can't wait to see this kingdom blossom into paradise.”
King Cosmo took a methodical step forward. “It will become a utopia! The greatest kingdom this world has ever known! It will become a kingdom in our image. It will be... perfection!”
Luna and Celestia fell into step behind Cosmo as the three unicorns offered them all gracious bows before clearing the way for them. Luna shot a nervous glance over to Celestia, and was surprised to see a calm, optimistic expression on her face. A wave of relief hit Luna, allowing her to complete the seemingly endless journey to the balcony.
They emerged to a torrent of cheers. It took Luna a few seconds to adjust to the dazzling display of the sunlight glinting off thousands of polished helmets in the courtyard below. Her jaw dropped when she had finally taken in her surroundings. Banners bearing the emblem of Cosmo's cutie mark hung everywhere, including from many battle standards held by the ponies below.
“There has to be –” began Luna.
“Five legions,” said Cosmo, surveying the gathered army approvingly.
“But why?”
“Cosmo felt that we should maintain a standing army to help protect Equestria from any future invasions,” said Celestia, also appraising the soldiers before them, “and I agreed.”
Squadrons of pegasi flew by, maintaining perfect formation as they soared past the royal balcony. Cosmo grinned. It looked to Luna as if he was suppressing laughter as he raised a hoof high into the air, which brought about a fresh round of cheering, accompanied by fireworks shot forth from hundreds of unicorn horns.
Luna caught his eye once more. The intense heat of his gaze sent an icy needle into her heart. Overcome with doubt, she looked again at Celestia. She found the same, gentle, reassuring smile that almost always rested upon her sister's face. Noticing she had caught the eye of her younger sister, Celestia gave her a quick wink before directing her full attention back to the army. Luna gulped and peered nervously over the balcony at the soldiers below.
* * *
“You – you had no way of truly knowing, Princess,” said Rarity when Luna had finished her recount.
“Yes, I did,” said Luna bitterly. “There were other signs before that, but I was so oblivious... Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened if I had spoken up. Maybe – just maybe – we could've saved him from himself.”
Luna gasped and looked down. Scootaloo fiercely hugged her left foreleg. “Princess, nopony can change the past. Nothing you do will bring your old brother back. Nothing I do will bring Rainbow Dash back. Killing Cosmo will set things right for those of us who are still alive. For the future – something we can change.”
She knelt down and embraced Scootaloo. “You're right. Of course you're right.” Luna straightened up. “It is time. Each of us knows what we must do and the gravity of the situation. I can see the fear in your hearts – in my heart – but know this: we must stand together and fight as one. However slim our chances may be, they are surely greater than if we flee and try to hide from King Cosmo as he gathers his strength. This should have never befallen any of you, but I beg of you, stay strong and resist the urge, however great it may be at times, to crumble before the King. Only with the unyielding bonds of loyalty, trust, honesty, kindness, generosity, and friendship can you remain strong enough to combat my brother. Take solace in the knowledge that he fears you; the Elements of Harmony frighten him, as they have defeated him in the past. Now, make haste. There is much that must be done.”
Each pony took it in turns to nod solemnly at Luna and leave the hut. First to leave was a dry-eyed Scootaloo, who looked almost possessed. In her wake came Applejack, who removed her hat briefly in an act of courtesy toward the Princess; Rarity with a gracious bow; Pinkie; and finally came Fluttershy, who couldn't meet Luna's gaze as she trudged past.
“Fluttershy, take this with you,” said Luna, passing her a scroll.
“W-what is it?” stammered Fluttershy, accepting the parchment.
“It is a plea to the griffon King, and it bears my royal signature. See that you do not lose it.”
Fluttershy nodded and began flying east.
Zecora turned to Luna. “Celestia's speed, Princess Luna of the Night. I promise you we will fight with all our might.”
“These ponies are truly our only hope,” said Luna. “You know as well as I do that should they fail, Equestria may never emerge from this dark time.”
Only Zecora's grim stare followed her statement.
It was all the acknowledgement she needed. Without another word, Luna stepped outside and took to the sky, soaring high over the Everfree Forest, heading for Ponyville at top speed. She normally enjoyed flying slowly, basking in the natural beauty of Equestria, loving the rush of fresh air as it enveloped her. Being imprisoned in the moon for a millennium gave her a whole new appreciation for the world around her, but she forgot all that as she flew at incredible speeds until she saw a sight that made her heart sink. She expected the worst, but nothing could have truly prepared her for what lay before her.
Where many brightly-coloured buildings once stood, there lay heaps of ash, charred timber, and scorched earth. It appeared nothing had been spared from the flame, leaving the once beautiful Ponyville a smoldering ruin. Scores of burned corpses littered the ground. Judging from their sizes, stallion, mare, and foal alike had been killed without mercy. Luna let out an ear-splitting shriek of grief and rage. She couldn't believe it. This was exactly like it had been so long ago when the Scourge had come, eradicating entire zebra villages. But that this time, it wasn't even by Cosmo's own hoof, at least not directly, that these helpless ponies were slaughtered.
“He – will – pay!” vowed Luna through gritted teeth as she swooped down and skimmed over the wreckage.
She looked at each ruined home as she flew by, but found only more of the same. Just when she was about to give up and search elsewhere, she noticed the blackened remains of what she assumed was Twilight's library. Luna landed inside what used to be the ground floor, the gust from her wings blew the burned parchment around her in a flurry. She coughed, the smell of ash still heavy in the air. Luna surveyed the ruins in silence.
They appeared as deserted as the rest of the town until she heard a faint sound coming from the basement. As she descended the stairs, her hooves caused the more badly-burned parts to snap and splinter. The noise grew steadily louder as she neared the basement. When she completed her descent, she identified the source of the noise. It was Spike, sobbing quietly and clutching a rather large, weatherbeaten book in his arms.
“Spike,” said Luna softly.
Spike continued to weep, either ignoring Luna or unaware of her presence. She approached him and lowered her head right next to his. She repeated his name, and Spike slowly looked up at her, allowing the book to slide from his grip.
“Twilight – she –”
“I know, young dragon,” said Luna in the most soothing tone she could manage.
“You don't know!” shouted Spike. “She hatched me! She raised me ever since! We've grown up together. She's been more than a friend to me... she was like the mom I never had. And now... now...”
Luna couldn't bear to look at his anguished expression, instead staring at the book on the floor. “Of course,” she breathed, noticing the title. “So that's how he did it.”
“Did what?” sniffed Spike.
“Deceived Twilight,” said Luna, opening the book. “Yes, it as I guessed. This book was too valuable for Celestia to simply burn, so she tore out the pages instead.”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Spike, looking up at Luna in confusion.
“Ancient Equestria,” said Luna.
“What about it? That's the book that started this whole mess. Twilight was never the same after –”
“Of course it was,” said Luna, sitting down next to Spike. “Those missing pages depicted the fall of King Cosmo. When he stayed here in disguise, he must have told Twilight his version of the story. It was because of him that Twilight became the creature you saw, the pony who destroyed this village.”
“Who?” Spike scratched his head.
“You would probably know him better as Greyhoof.”
“He did this? But how? Why?”
“His real name, as you now know, is King Cosmo, my elder brother. Celestia and I believed him dead many years ago when we used the Elements of Harmony to defeat him. However, he survived, and used Twilight's own friendship against her, warping her into a creature akin to Nightmare Moon.”
Spike's jaw dropped. “She... became like you were?”
“Cosmo, is deceptive,” said Luna. “His true power lies in his ability to influence others. Once you have allowed evil into your heart, he is able to harness that evil for his own ends, and amplify it to such a degree that it gains complete power over you. My jealousy of my sister was what allowed him to create Nightmare Moon.”
“But... what did Twilight do? She was never like that!”
“She murdered my sister.”
Spike tried about a half-dozen times to choke out a word or two, but was unsuccessful.
“It was not her fault,” said Luna, filling the silence. “The King's treachery runs deep. It was his plan all along to use Twilight and her powers to defeat my sister, for he could not do so on his own. Now he sits atop the throne of Canterlot and seeks to destroy us. That is why I need you.”
“But – but what can I do? How can I fight something like that?” moaned Spike in despair.
“By helping me convince someone who can.”
Spike stood up and rubbed his eyes, alert.
“You are to come with me, on my back,” said Luna, also standing. “We shall fly with as much haste as we can muster to the Archback Mountain range.”
Spike frowned. “I've heard of those before.”
Luna began walking up the stairs, Spike jogging to keep up with her long strides. “They are the home of your brethren, the dragons. Cosmo's first strike was to destroy Ponyville and attempt to kill the remaining bearers of the Elements. I have seen to it that he failed. Now he is no doubt gathering his strength in preparation for war. I fear that all will be lost if he can gain the allegiance of the dragons. That is why you must speak with them before he does.”
“But I'm so young! Older dragons aren't exactly friendly, ya know. I've tried something like this before.”
“You will be speaking directly to their patriarch.” Luna lowered herself enough for Spike to hop on her back. “If I felt that your presence was not absolutely crucial in this task, I would not request it. Both of our lives will be at risk, if not from him, then from Cosmo.” She took off the moment she felt Spike's tiny hands tightly gripping her neck.
“But what about Twilight?”
“If the Elements defeated Nightmare Moon, then there must be a way to do the same to Miasma and bring her back. That is why I spared her life earlier today.”
Spike nodded to himself. “Twilight, wherever you are, I'm going to save you, even if I can't do it directly. I was your number-one assistant before, and I'll be your number-one assistant again.”
* * *
From here, he could see everything.
Stretched before him was the whole network of turrets, walkways, and battlements that made up Canterlot Castle, the heart of his kingdom, from the courtyard far below, to the city of Canterlot near the outer walls. A light glinted out of the corner of his eye. The sun reflected off hundreds of armour-clad ponies, marching in a perfect column to the west, battle standards proudly bearing his insignia. He stood at the newly-repaired window, his scathing gaze systematically fixing upon different points of interest.
First was the tail end of the column. They had departed right on schedule, and would no doubt return within a few days' time. Next was the courtyard far below, where the second legion that had formed in accordance with his decree made ready for its first task. Finally, his eyes rested on his new air force, the Comets, as they drilled in preparation for their flight. Dozens of ponies worked vigorously behind him, but he paid them no notice. A thumping sound came upon the door.
“Enter,” said King Cosmo, viewing the door's reflection in the polished window.
Bastion Yorsets emerged from the doorway and walked down the stairs, his head bowed low, and approached the King. When he came within a few feet of Cosmo, he kneeled. A single gleeful spark glinted in Cosmo's eye momentarily, though his expression remained stoic. He pretended to ignore Bastion for nearly five minutes before he at last turned to him.
“Report,” said Cosmo.
Still kneeling, Bastion stared at the gleaming rubies in Cosmo's hoofguards. “Everything has been carried out according to your wishes, sire. The testing is proceeding smoothly, and I can almost guarantee our three greatest pupils will be before you within the hour.”
“Good. Did you encounter any difficulties?”
“A few, my King,” said Bastion slowly, “some of my students... disagreed with your command. They have been... persuaded to see the light.”
The spark of glee returned to Cosmo's eyes. “Well done. You are serving me faithfully. Continue to do so and you will be rewarded. Now, rise.” He paused a moment to allow Bastion to stand up. “Tell me, have the rest of them been carrying out my orders as precisely as you have?”
Bastion allowed himself a glance into Cosmo's eyes before bowing his head. “More or less, sire. The changes to the castle are proceeding on schedule, and the rest of your decrees are being carried out most satisfactorily. The earth ponies in particular are following your orders with remarkable efficiency.”
Cosmo briefly glared at one of the earth ponies meticulously chiseling the King's likeness into a large statue. “Mud ponies were always hard workers. It is good to see that they still know their place. And the door of Canterlot Tower?”
Bastion shook his head. “The seal is unlike anything I have ever seen. Celestia allowed nopony but herself to make it, and I fear that only she, and presumably Luna, know how to break it.”
“Very well. It is hardly surprising that she would have taken extra precautions to keep the Elements safe. Focus your efforts elsewhere; I shall see to it myself. Now go. See to it that they do not falter in their duty to their King.”
Bastion bowed and slowly backed away. “Yes, sire. Long live the King!”
“The rest of you, get out of my sight.”
“Sire?”
“Go. Return here in half an hour.” Cosmo stared pointedly at the doors. “Now.”
Everypony in the room scrambled over themselves to leave, none wanting to be the last one out. Silence reigned for several seconds before a cry of pain echoed from the hallway. Some thirty seconds later, Miasma stormed inside, her eyes narrowed.
“Now that business has been taken care of – we move to your assignment,” said Cosmo. “But first, the report from Ponyville. I take it everything went according to plan?”
“Hardly,” seethed Miasma. “Ponyville is now a twisted pile of ash, but something happened...”
“I am aware that the Element bearers escaped, no doubt the work of Luna,” Cosmo sneered. “It is of little concern. They may have fled now, but it is only a matter of time before they come to us.”
“It's not that, my King... I encountered Luna in the woods during the return journey.” Miasma's voice lacked its usual cynical confidence.
Cosmo's eyes widened. “You have disposed of her?”
Miasma ground her teeth. “No. She – she defeated me... but she let me live. Why?”
Cosmo allowed himself a chuckle. “It seems Luna is as weak as she always was. I would have thought that being imprisoned for a thousand years may have strengthened her resolve, but apparently I was mistaken. She must think that you can be 'saved', much like herself.”
Miasma bared her teeth and pawed at the ground. “I will kill her myself. She will pay for that mistake with her life. When I am finished with her, the rest of the Element bearers will follow.”
“No,” said Cosmo sharply, “Luna is mine. You must also see as I see. Deep down, Luna knows what I am capable of. She will muster to assault Canterlot itself in the near future. Hunting the remaining four Element bearers would be fruitless. No, your place lies in Manehatten. You will take a legion and claim the city in my name. As it is the largest city in Equestria, its industrial strength and the innumerable conscripts we will gain shall prove invaluable. Strike hard, but try not to inflict too much damage.”
Taking a deep breath, Miasma bowed. “Yes. At once, my King. Manehatten will be yours.” She turned to leave, but paused. “Forgive me, sire, but where shall you be during my conquest?”
Cosmo's eyes swam out of focus momentarily, as if he was staring at a place far off in the distance, even though he couldn't see it. “I will... be visiting an old 'friend'...”
* * *
“Dresses,” grumbled Rarity, an ominous breeze sweeping through the forest, rustling her mane a great deal more than she'd have liked, “a week ago, all I had to worry about was dresses. Now here I am, on a quest to save Equestria from a mad King, who was supposed to be dead over a thousand years ago! Maybe soon, I'll wake up in a tangle of dresses from this nightmare.”
The late afternoon dragged on and the humidity set in, making the forest feel hot and humid, only adding to her misery. At least Sweetie Belle is alright, at least for now, she thought. Why does Los Pegasus have to be so far away? It'll take days at this rate.
Once again, Rarity's heart sank as her thoughts drifted back to the previous night, as they so often had during her long sojourn. She, a lone mare of little influence, was entrusted with the task of convincing an egomaniac magician – and an entire metropolis – to believe in an event almost nopony knew about, and to ally themselves with Luna.
Why Luna had confidence in her, a unicorn of largely unremarkable powers, with such a monumentally difficult task? Was it because she sees some hidden potential deep within me? Rarity wondered. No, she immediately corrected herself, it's because there's nopony else for the job. Of course that was the reason. Why else would she have been chosen?
Rarity sank to her knees in front of a brook. A haggard face lined with worry and exhaustion stared back at her. “I simply can't,” she wailed, taking note of her unkempt, foliage-ridden mane. “Cosmo is so terrible, even Princess Luna fears him. Even if I somehow succeed, what good will it do? Can King Cosmo be stopped without the Elements?”
She continued to stare at her reflection as her despair grew. Then she remembered Scootaloo, standing defiantly before everypony, unwilling to back down from her desire to do everything she could to bring Cosmo's tyranny to an end. The determined, haunted look in Scootaloo's eyes appeared vividly in her mind. A look like that was far beyond her years. Cosmo had taken everything from Scootaloo; her home, and her idol. All that was left for her was revenge. Rarity's reflection swam out of focus as her tears dropped in the brook, rippling the water.
“If she can do it, so can I!” Rarity dunked her head in the water. Sweat and loose foliage weren't all that washed away; her self-doubt and hopelessness were also gone. She narrowed her eyes and resolutely marched on.
The hours slipped by as Rarity's resolution kept her mind focused on the upcoming challenges. Perhaps somepony will know I was one of the six who saved Equestria from the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord. Surely enough of them will believe me if that's the case! Scenarios and ideas continued to race through her mind until the scenery in front of her abruptly changed. Ahead lay the western road and its overshadowing mountain range.
Rarity blinked. “Halfway there. Things are finally looking up!”
No sooner had the words left her mouth, a new sound reached her ears. Thud, thud, thud. It grew steadily louder with each second. Thud, thud thud. The trees now shook, and some of the dislodged foliage fell on Rarity. A well of coldness blossomed in her stomach, making her instinctively duck behind a tree. She didn't have to wait long before the source of the disturbance became apparent.
“By Celestia...” The blood red of the sinking sun shone off the distinct polished armour worn by the soldiers of the Canterlot Army. She wanted to dart back the way she had come, but something rooted her in place. There she stood, transfixed as the column marched on, spears and standards of the King raised high.
Fatigue now quickly replaced the renewed strength that had flowed through Rarity's limbs only minutes ago, as the column made its way toward Los Pegasus. Her jaw fell open as she tried to count the marching soldiers, and lost count at around the two thousand mark. Clinging to the tree she hid behind for support, she craned her neck, desperately trying to see the end of it, but didn't come. The shadows around her grew long before the legion had passed.
“Well, this is just fabulous,” she said hollowly, “just fabulous. How will I succeed now, with Cosmo's army headed right for the city?”
Rarity looked around frantically until her eyes fell upon a rocky trail leading into the mountains. She was sure she hadn't seen a single soldier opt to take it; it was much too narrow and uneven to allow an army of that size to tread it efficiently. It's a long shot, but it's the only chance I have. She galloped up the path as quickly as she dared, hoping against hope it would provide a quicker route to the city. Maybe if I can just get there before they do...
About an hour into her trek, her progress was slowed considerably as the light faded into nothingness. The illumination provided by her horn only allowed her to see a few feet ahead, and it was a steep drop should she mis-step. Rarity shrieked and hit the dirt when a bright blue explosion filled the air. A purple one followed in its wake, and a red, and an orange.
“Oh no, I was too late!”
The flashy explosions continued for over a minute before Rarity realized something. Wait... I don't hear any fighting. No shouting from thousands of soldiers. Curious and emboldened, she got up and marched toward the source of the light. When she turned a corner, her eyes widened. Upon a large plateau stood Trixie. On her hind legs, she stared skyward and launched spell after spell in a dazzling display of light.
Taking a few deep breaths, Rarity clambered to the plateau until she was right next to Trixie, who hadn't noticed her approach. “Um, pardon me,” she said, clearing her throat loudly.
Trixie spun around and promptly fell on her flank. “Do not sneak up on the Great and Powerful Trixie! What do – wait – you? The Great and Powerful Trixie remembers you.”
Rarity humphed. “And what's that supposed to mean?”
“Trixie turned your mane green, or don't you remember? Perhaps Trixie needs to jog your memory!” sneered Trixie, pulling herself back up. She looked at Rarity's disheveled mane. “On second thought, that'd be an improvement.”
Rarity ground her teeth as she took in Trixie's appearance. Her hat was patched and frayed, drooping to one side. There was a sizable hole in it. The sapphire clasp which joined her ragged cloak at the chest looked suspiciously like it had received a hard kick from a hoof at some point. “Speak for yourself,” she snipped.
“What are you doing here?” said Trixie, speaking as if she didn't hear Rarity's quip.
“Looking for you, as a matter of fact.”
Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Come to see what new wonders the Great and Powerful Trixie has in store for you simple Ponyvillians?”
Rarity suppressed a groan. “I – that is, we – need your help.”
“Help? Help with what?” asked Trixie with suspicion.
“Can we get a move on to your home, please?” said Rarity, taking a few steps forward. “We don't have much time.”
“Why?” said Trixie, looking quizzically after Rarity as she strode past.
“Come with me and I'll explain everything.”
Reluctantly, Trixie fell into step with Rarity as they trotted along the path leading further west. Rarity's explanation came rapid and disjointed, but before too long, she had told Trixie everything that had happened in the past few days. When Rarity finished, Trixie darted in front of her and glared.
“You really expect Trixie to believe that?”
“Unlike your fanciful tales of vanquishing an Ursa Major, this is true! We have to get to Los Pegasus before Cosmo's army does, no matter what!”
“Trixie doesn't live in Los Pegasus,” she said indifferently.
“What? But I thought somepony like you would –”
“Well, you thought wrong,” said Trixie brusquely. “Trixie resides in Alpine Heights.”
“Whatever for?” demanded Rarity, trying to move past.
Trixie wouldn't budge. “None of your business!”
“Look, all that's important is that we get to Los Pegasus before –”
“Yes, yes, before the 'army' does, right,” said Trixie. “We won't be getting to Los Pegasus tonight, at any rate. Tell you what; you can stay over at Trixie's house for tonight, then you can go to Los Pegasus. On your own.” She lit her horn, wheeled around, and continued down the path.
“Where is this Alpine Heights, anyway?” said Rarity, trudging after her.
Trixie didn't look back. “Close.”
A village nestled between two peaks soon came into their vision, the lights from its houses gave it the appearance of a large, flickering candle. Although they approached from the north side of the mountain range, this village looked to have access to both north and south ends of the mountains, a narrow trail winding to the main road below.
Fuming, Rarity wordlessly followed Trixie into the large crevice upon which Alpine Heights was built. To her surprise, instead of going into the village proper, Trixie led her to what looked like a slipshod assortment of wooden planks cobbled together under an overhang. When Trixie attempted to open the door, it slipped and loudly plunked on the ground.
“Well? Don't just stand there, get in so Trixie can fix this darn thing!” She waved furiously at Rarity.
The words slipped out of Rarity's mouth before she could stop herself. “Excuse me... is this your 'house'?”
Trixie let out a drawn-out sigh. “Yes. Ever since that – that travesty in Ponyville... Trixie has had trouble finding work. The Great and Powerful Trixie tried to take her impressive feats of magical prowess to Los Pegasus, but nopony there – or here – can appreciate Trixie's raw talent!”
“So you're unemployed,” said Rarity, at last walking inside. She flinched when she beheld the squalor around her.
“Trixie is merely between jobs, that's all! Now find a place on the floor and make yourself comfortable.”
Rarity blanched. “But – what about a bed?”
Trixie let out a sharp laugh. “Bed? Trixie has had no bed since the Ursa Minor crushed her cart!”
Grumbling to herself, Rarity cleared the junk from the least dirty patch of rock she could find, curled up into a ball, and shivered as her body touched the cold, hard floor beneath her. In spite of this, as soon as she laid down, the weariness of the past two days caught up with her at an alarming rate, and she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
* * *
They stood in the middle of a clearing near the northeast edge of the Everfree Forest, a few hundred in all. Everypony there bore varying degrees of bruises, cuts, scrapes, caked dirt, and scorch marks. Each had the same haunted look. Many averted their eyes from Pinkie Pie, who stood on a stump in front of them, instead looking at the ground and each other. Standing beside the stump, Zecora observed solemnly, her eyes hidden beneath her cloak's hood.
“Listen up, everypony,” said Pinkie, her voice more shrill than usual, “I promised to fill you in once we were all gathered. We tried our best, and I think we've found everypony that... survived... the...”
“Get to the point!” snapped a pegasus.
“Yeah, we want to know who did this!”
“Spit it out, already!”
Pinkie frantically waved a hoof at the restless crowd. “Everypony, please!”
Her words were quickly drowned out by of the crowd's increasing volume. Her mouth opened and closed a few times but made no noise audible over the clamour. The anger and bitterness continued to rise like a flood, which threatened to wash Pinkie away in moments.
A sudden loud bang accompanied by a cloud of smoke disoriented the crowd. “Silence!” shouted Zecora. “Let's not resort to violence!” When the cloud dispersed, she glared at the Ponyville refugees. “Now, please, listen to what Pinkie has to say, so to our place of hiding we can be on our way.”
The ponies began muttering to themselves and glowering at Pinkie. She cleared her throat. “I know who was behind it all,” she said, her voice echoing in the clearing. All murmuring had ceased. “The same pony who made – made – me – Dashie...”
Zecora climbed up the stump and hugged Pinkie, who sobbed into her shoulder for a few minutes. The crowd's expressions softened as they watched her quivering in Zecora's hooves. Eventually, she stood up again, breathing heavily. After receiving a light pat on the back from Zecora, she continued. “His name – his name is Cosmo.”
A buzz filled the clearing as everypony looked to each other, similar questions on their lips.
“What did she say?”
“Cosmo, I think.”
“Who in the hay is that?”
“I think she's been off the deep end ever since what happened with Rainbow Dash...”
“I'm not making this up!” hollered Pinkie, slamming a hoof into the stump, sending a few splinters everywhere. “King Cosmo uses mind control to make others do what he wants and –”
“Did she say King?”
“Mind control? Like what Greyhoof said?”
Pinkie's ears flattened against her head as she scowled at them. “Yes, he's Princess Celestia's older brother! And he is Greyhoof!” – The crowd collectively gasped – “The pony, Miasma, who destroyed Ponyville... that was Twilight.”
She paused to wait for the crowd's reaction before she resumed speaking. It didn't come; everypony stared at her, mouths agape. Looking around nervously, she took several deep breaths. “Zecora and I were sent by Princess Luna to find all of you. She's doing her best to save all of us from Cosmo – and save Twilight. What we have to do is run to Smokey Mountain and wait for her. She thinks Cosmo won't find us there.”
An earth pony stepped forward. “Then what are we supposed to do? We have no homes!”
Ignoring the crowd's outburst, she plowed on. “We fight. Cosmo won't stop here. What he did to Twilight – what he did to you – what he did to Ponyville – what he did to me... it's just the beginning. If we don't do something, everypony in Equestria will end up like us!”
“Us, fight?”
“Look at what he did to us! How can we stand against somepony like that?”
“She really is nuts...”
“Everypony, please!” shouted Pinkie. “Princess Luna will think of something, I know it! Wait, do you hear that?”
Everypony craned their necks, straining their ears. It took them only a few seconds to hear a dull thudding sound, which grew louder with each second. It came from the edge of the forest. Pinkie jumped off the stump and crept through the foliage. A few moments later, most of the crowd followed.
“Beware, all you ponyfolk, beware!” Zecora called after them. “Getting seen could prove a dangerous affair!”
Once they reached the forest's edge, concealed by the surrounding bushes, they sat and watched the road. They weren't kept waiting long; a dark unicorn cloaked in a veil of deep purple magic emanating from her mane strode at the head of a column of soldiers wearing the distinct battle armour of the Canterlot Army. Many of the cowering ponies slid deeper into the cover of the woods. Fortunately for them, the unicorn's piercing, glowing gaze pointed directly ahead of her, and not at their hiding place. When they finished staring at her, they turned their eyes toward the forest of spears carried by the soldiers. The banners among them did not bear the Royal Seal of Canterlot. Instead, they were emblazoned with an insignia of a sun and moon eclipsed by a streaking comet.
“Miasma...” whispered Pinkie hoarsely.
Miasma's face quivered as she led her army to the east. She marched straight past the Ponyville refugees' hiding place, and didn't so much as glance at them. They stood frozen in fear as her horn began to crackle dark purple. Her aura pulse quickened until she fired a lightning bolt directly at them. It was a miracle none of them screamed. The magic connected with a large oak, exploding it in a shower if bark and splinters. Not a single soldier – or Miasma herself – so much as turned an eye toward the destruction, as if it was a normal occurrence in the column.
The ponies watched in silent horror as the army relentlessly marched on. Evening began to set in before the final rank of soldiers tramped past. They remained stock still until they could no longer see them. Pinkie turned around and trudged back into the clearing, where most of them had gathered.
“So... it's all true,” said a tearful unicorn filly.
Pinkie nodded. “That's why we have to do what Luna says. Now come on!” With that, she set off at a gallop down the path which led to Smokey Mountain, the others in her wake.