//------------------------------// // Chapter XV - Animosities // Story: Repercussions // by GaryOak //------------------------------// Chapter XV Animosities =============== “Lava doesn't leave a mark on me. I walked right out of the library fire... So why does this cold cut so deep?” Spike clung to Luna for dear life. His eyes were clamped shut as he did his best to forget his present situation. The harsh winds – thanks to both their velocity and their altitude – were so cold, he'd lost the feeling in his hands hours ago. Not a single word had been spoken since Spike asked why they were flying so high, only to receive a harsh reprimand from Luna, reminding him the skies were unsafe, and to avoid being spotted by King Cosmo at all costs. All he could do was stare at the badlands far below them when there was an occasional break in the clouds. He wondered how he could possibly be of help when dealing with dragons, considering how his first attempt went. Despite his apprehension and the cold, Spike was prepared to do whatever Luna asked of him. While he didn't know the specifics, he understood the gravity of the situation nonetheless: dragons would undoubtedly prove invaluable in any war effort for either side – perhaps the most valuable. “Spike,” said Luna sharply as she turned to look at him, “pay attention now.” “Y-yes, P-P-Princess?” he said through chattering teeth. “The strategy of the coming meeting has been determined. Listen carefully.” Spike remained silent. “There is no telling how many dragons there will be at our destination, for it has been over a millennium since I last made contact with them. Our relations are... shaky. We had our differences in the distant past, and there is no doubt they have been remembered. The understanding reached by both parties was one of mutual neutrality; they don't bother us and we don't bother them. That is why you are to approach them. Alone.” Spike nearly let go of her. “You won't be coming with me? Last time I tried to hang with dragons, it didn't go very well.” “It is the only way. Regardless of how your previous encounter went, you will be much more well-received than I. You will also speak with Iniquitus, their patriarch.” She stared determinedly ahead as she spoke. “But what if I've already met him? I did see a lot of dragons when I followed them during the migration last year.” Luna shook her head. “You would remember Iniquitus if you had met him, that much I can guarantee. When speaking with him, you must use extreme caution; he is very old and not to be trifled with.” Spike scratched his head. “How will I know who he is?” “He is an enormous black dragon, perhaps the last of his kind. The rest were... lost in an ancient conflict, eons ago.” Spike now realized the cause of Luna's apprehension at approaching the dragons herself. This new information distracted him from his fears enough to take in his surroundings. The badlands continued to stretch out below them in all directions, but a large mountain range lay dead ahead. Each of these mountains was massive, their peaks towering high into the sky. Curiously enough, none were snow-capped like he would've expected. Spike gulped as their destination drew closer. Meeting an unknown number of ancient, fully-grown, and likely irritable dragons was the absolute last thing he wanted to do, but his unyielding resolve to save Twilight forced him to cast those fears by the wayside. The fact they could crush him in an instant didn't matter now; all that he cared about was persuading Iniquitus – whoever he was – to side with Luna instead of the King. Luna bowed her head, cutting into his thoughts. “Spike, I'm sorry – I'm so sorry.” Spike blinked. “Sorry? Sorry for what?” “Everything.” He could have sworn he felt Luna shudder beneath him. “You don't know, of course,” she said, “but I feel like all the pain you and your friends – and all of Equestria – have felt is my fault. Celestia's death – all my fault.” “How can you say that?” said Spike, his grip on her neck tightening. “Cosmo is my brother.” Her voice shook slightly. “I've known him my whole life. I witnessed him change from the colt who wanted nothing more than to make the best of himself and those around him, into the monster of today. I saw all of it. At first, I thought it was born out of necessity, and perhaps it was. As the years passed, he only grew more ruthless; joy gave way to hatred. Before I knew it, the pony I once called brother was gone, and the greatest tyrant this world has ever seen took his place.” “Princess, you can't blame yourself!” said Spike vehemently. “Didn't Celestia grow up with him as well? She was the wisest pony I've ever met, and Cosmo tricked even her, didn't he?” “Well, maybe, but...” her voice dried up and it was several seconds before she could find it again. “But if I was more vigilant, I could have saved my sister. I just know if I had been there, Cosmo would not have succeeded. I know he needed Twilight to overcome Celestia, or else he would have killed her long ago. I wish it could've been me instead. If Celestia was alive right now, we wouldn't be in this mess.” “More vigilant at what? Cosmo was supposed to be dead for a long time, right? Why would you be looking for somepony that's dead? He fooled everypony, not just you. Twilight –” Spike abruptly paused and wiped his eyes. “Twilight even fell for it, and she saw right through Chrysalis's disguise, and she's a changeling. I think you're doing everything you can to save us.” “You may be right, but I'm still no less ready for this than I was a thousand years ago,” she said in subdued tones. “I never knew my parents. None of us did.” “What? Were you –” “No, we were not abandoned,” said Luna. “No, we just... woke up on a grassy hill together. Celestia felt more like a mother to me than anything else when we were younger. I've always felt unready for challenges, even in my later years. She was always there for me, helping me through everything. The dragon wars, our clash with the griffons, the reign of Discord, even becoming royalty. She was always there... and now...” “Princess, you are ready,” said Spike, patting her on the neck. “Look at what you've done already. You've saved me and my friends, and all of us are on missions to get as many others on our side as possible before Cosmo can get to them. I'm sure Princess Celestia would've done the same thing.” “Are – are you sure?” “Positive.” Luna looked back at him, her lips trembling as she smiled. “Thank you, Spike. I mustn't think about such things now. I can properly grieve once Cosmo has fallen, once and for all.” “I won't let you down when I talk to Iniquitus. I promise.” Luna nodded. “Remember to use extreme caution; I fear that his defeat so long ago and the many years proceeding it have only worn his temper. The slightest misstep could prove fatal. Not being a pony will only earn you so much favour with him.” It wasn't long before they reached the mountains, and Luna began circling them, looking for something. After a couple of passes, she homed in on a rather large cave, and touched down at its entrance. Spike hopped off her back, taking a few moments to steady himself after such a long flight. “So, I have to go... in there?” he gulped. An ominous black cavern towered before him, its ceiling sixty feet high. “Yes,” said Luna, standing firmly in place, “I will remain hidden in the shadows, but close enough to observe the proceedings. Quickly, there isn't a moment to spare!” She waved a hoof at the cave. Spike grimaced before charging headlong into it at full speed, the passage growing darker with every step. Before long, he was completely enveloped in darkness and couldn't see a thing. Luckily for him, the winding tunnel was large enough for him to continue running without crashing into anything. Despite the absolute darkness, he began to notice a thick haze in the air, which grew stronger the further he went. As the air grew more stifling, Spike spotted a light ahead. Each time he went around a corner, the light, heat, and mist all grew more intense until he took one final turn. On any other day, what he beheld would have probably made him pass out from shock and fear. He was in a titanic cavern, its ceiling at least a hundred feet high. The large tunnel he had come from was just one of many leading from the cavern. In the chamber's centre, a great blazing brazier stood atop a large, smooth rock, its roaring flames so bright, they almost blinded him. After blinking for a few seconds, Spike began to look at the rest of the room. There were about a half-dozen dragons of varying colours and sizes around it. Most were curled up, but a couple were looking at him quizzically. Then he saw him. He sat upon a crude throne hewn from the rock itself. This dragon was much larger than any he had ever seen. His black scales shone brilliantly in the brazier's light, the various scars all over his body readily apparent as Spike studied him more closely. There was no doubt. The dragon he beheld at was none other than Iniquitus, whose baleful gaze was fixed directly on him. “You are not one of ours, little one,” boomed Iniquitus in a voice so deep, the walls themselves resonated with it. “What brings you to my sanctum?” “I – that is, my friends – need your –” Iniquitus unsheathed and inspected his claws. “She sent you, didn't she? I can recognize her abhorrent stench.” He took a great sniff and peered around the cavern. “She's close. It is clear to me that you are not here of your own volition. Choose your next words carefully, whelp, for they could be your last.” “Something terrible has happened,” said Spike, completely unnerved by Iniquitus's sharp perception, and now the loud, methodical drumming of his claws on the arms of his throne. At this point, all of the other dragons looked on at Spike from all directions. “Princess Celestia... is dead, and now, Equestria is in big trouble!” “Dead?” said Iniquitus, the slightest hints of surprise and amusement slipping into his tone. “How did this come to pass?” “She was murdered,” continued Spike, staring at him defiantly. “I'm not sure if you know who I'm talking about, but the killer was her brother, Cosmo.” Iniquitus snorted, expelling a large plume of smoke from his nostrils. “Brainwashed too, I see. I know full well the one of whom you speak has been deceased for over a millennium. It is as I feared: you are part of the stolen brood.” Spike took a step back. “The... stolen brood?” “Do not tell me you never wondered,” said Iniquitus in bitter amusement. “Eons ago, during the great war of dragon and equine, an entire clutch of eggs was filched by your beloved rulers. Now it seems they are raising dragons as slaves. You have a master, do you not, little one?” Spike puffed out his tiny chest, refusing to stand down. “Twilight was never my mistress. She hatched me from my egg with magic when she was just a filly. She's been like family to me my whole life!” Iniquitus snapped his fingers with the sound of a thunderclap before craning his neck forward, sneering at Spike. “How touching – you've even developed an attachment for your owner. Now, let us dispense with the history lesson. What business does she have with us? Why is she so pathetic as to use a pitiful slave dragon whelp as her mouthpiece?” “I told you!” roared Spike. Before he could continue, a yellow dragon flew in from one of the side tunnels, his arms laden with enough gemstones to make Spike's mouth water. The feast was placed at Iniquitus's right side, and he began eating the gems like popcorn as Spike resumed speaking. “King Cosmo has returned, killing Princess Celestia and taking over Equestria!” “I grow tired of your falsehood,” said Iniquitus lazily, waving an arm. “Take him.” The red dragon closest to Spike grabbed him in one hand and carried him off down a tunnel. Before they had gone too far, they heard a command to halt from Iniquitus. “She is not alone,” he said, “there is another. Stay where you are.” The dragon holding Spike concealed himself behind an outcrop, but allowed both himself and Spike a good view of Iniquitus's chamber. A cloaked pony materialized in the centre of the room. He was clad completely in black, and his orange eyes glowed ominously from beneath his hood. Unfazed, Iniquitus addressed the intruder. “A unicorn. No doubt another of her pawns. Let it be known, pony, that according to our ancient pact, any of your kin who enter this place does so at their own peril. State your business. My patience wears thin.” “How quickly you forget a face,” said the unicorn in a voice that made Iniquitus's eyes widen. “I would have thought your memory was better than this.” “You...” “I see you begin to remember,” said the stranger, throwing his head back. The hood came off, revealing his mane, the bright orange and starry deep blue of it dazzling in the brazier's light. Spike's jaw dropped when he beheld it. “You, out of anyone, should know making assumptions is foolish.” “How can you be alive?” Iniquitus's claws dug deep trenches in the arms of his throne. “Your siblings informed me of your demise long ago!” King Cosmo laughed as his cloak dissipated into the air, creating a gust of wind so powerful it nearly blew out the brazier's flame. His wings spread wide. “You underestimate me, dragon. I am here to give you an opportunity. I would highly suggest you take it.” * * * “Get up! Get up!” The words scarcely registered in Rarity's mind before she felt a sharp blow to the head. Her eyes shot wide open as she cried out in pain. Trixie's hovel slowly swam into focus. When the stars in her eyes and throbbing in her head began to fade, she saw the first rays of sunlight creep into the house. She had no idea how long she'd been asleep, but it had not felt like very long. “What was that for?” snapped Rarity without bothering to look at Trixie. “Get up!” she repeated. “Trixie has seen something. Follow her at once!” Grumbling to herself, Rarity trudged after her, almost losing her balance several times as they walked. They made their way through the desolate main road of Alpine Heights. Not one of the quaint structures emitted any light from their windows as they plodded past, and the only sounds that reached her ears was the clattering of stones disturbed by their hoofsteps. She was so busy scowling at Trixie, she didn't notice what lay in the distance until Trixie came to a halt at the end of the road. Directly below them, a narrow, winding trail, meandered down the mountain to the large dirt road below. Upon that western road leading to Los Pegasus were – “Soldiers!” exclaimed Rarity, clapping her hooves to her muzzle. “What is the meaning of this?” demanded Trixie. Rarity glowered at her, spluttering for a few seconds. “Are you daft? This is the army I was telling you about! Look at their banners. These soldiers belong to King Cosmo!” “But there's so many of them,” said Trixie, staring at the army tramping to the west. Rarity shook her. “The banners! Look at the banners!” Trixie squinted down for several minutes before she sharply inhaled. “Is that a comet? But the flag of Equestria is –” “Princesses Celestia and Luna circling a sun and moon, yes,” said Rarity. “Cosmo's is a comet over top a sun and moon. They're marching toward Los Pegasus. They're going to take it over, and kill anypony who won't obey them.” Trixie yelped and leapt behind Rarity. “You can't seriously expect Trixie to fight against that!” “I don't, but Princess Luna does.” “T-this isn't T-Trixie's fight!” she said, scrabbling backward. Rarity rounded on her. “Not your fight? Cosmo will make it your fight. Why, he had all of Ponyville destroyed, just to try and get to my friends and I. If we don't do something – here and now – all of Equestria could suffer a similar fate! Luna needs you. We need you.” “Cosmo will never find the Great and Powerful Trixie! Trixie fights for nopony!” she shouted as she galloped back toward her home. “You get back here!” yelled Rarity, tearing after her. They charged through the town, ignoring the commotion caused by their verbal scuffle. Trixie reached her house a good distance ahead of Rarity, and managed to enter and slam the door in her face before she caught up. “Oh, it's going to be this way, is it?” panted Rarity. After giving the shabby wooden board which served as the door a brief scrutinizing look, she turned around and kicked it as hard as she could. The brittle door snapped as it flew back into the home, electing a cry of alarm from Trixie. Taken aback by her own strength, Rarity surveyed her handiwork for a satisfied moment before storming inside. “What's the big idea? Now Trixie has to spend all day making a new door!” “Do you honestly believe you'll escape Cosmo?” seethed Rarity, standing over her and glaring. “Do you really think he'll just leave you alone? Cosmo is evil, Trixie. His sisters tried to kill him so many years ago for a reason. He won't rest until anypony and everypony in Equestria either serves him blindly or dies, if they defy him – you included!” “But –” Rarity struck a fragment of the door with her hoof, splitting it into yet more pieces. “You can make a difference. Join us, and help us defeat him once and for all! Somepony has to lead our unicorns against Cosmo's.” “Why can't it be you?” Rarity blinked. “Well, I've got an Element of Harmony, don't I? I imagine Princess Luna will want me at her side against – against... him.” Trixie rose to her full height, meeting Rarity's eyes with her own violet stare. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is a show magician –” “A highly successful one, I'm sure.” “– and will not be involved in any sort of war. She will remain neutral. This 'King' Cosmo can –” Rarity held up a hoof. “Wait, do you hear that?” Both mares froze in place, their ears standing alert. The sound of their argument had scarcely faded before they heard loud voices coming from the village proper. The two of them tried to poke their heads out of the doorway at the same time, resulting in them shoving each other in an attempt to get the best view while remaining mostly hidden. Trixie stopped fighting, and slumped to the ground, her hat drooping over her eyes. “Oh no...” In the town centre stood at least two dozen soldiers, gathered around one of the standards of the King, which was planted firmly in the ground, the cloth bearing his insignia flapping gently in the morning breeze. Villagers slowly trickled into the street, escorted by yet more soldiers. Some of them were, at or approaching, various houses. “I told you!” hissed Rarity. “These must be from the army marching toward Los Pegasus! They're trying to claim this town as well!” Trixie didn't move. Rarity couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could hazard a guess, judging by the fearful and subdued demeanor of the townsponies. Her eyes widened when she saw a pair of soldiers marching up the path toward the hovel, their spears lowered and their expressions grim. “Oh dear...” said Rarity, her voice unnervingly calm. Trixie tilted her hat back far enough to see the pair of approaching stallions. She let out what sounded like a mixture of a muffled scream and groan, and rolled back inside. Rarity followed suit, ducking back rather than rolling. They both cowered in the darkest corner of the hovel they could find, hoping they would remain unnoticed. Rarity's heart raced as she heard the tramping of two sets of hooves drawing closer. When it sounded like they were right outside the door, the hoofsteps stopped. “In the name of his majesty, King Cosmo,” said one of the soldiers, “you two are to come out and gather in the town square with the others at once. Failure to comply will result in the use of extreme force.” Rarity stood up, an unfamiliar flame blazing bright in her belly. She narrowed her eyes and took a couple of steps forward. “I have got a missive for your King.” Before either soldier could react, she sent a hailstorm of loose stones and debris at them, making them shield their eyes. Taking advantage of their lowered defenses, she yanked the spears out of their grasps and impaled both upon their own weapons. The soldiers gurgled and collapsed, their armour clanking loudly. “What in Equestria are you doing?” cried Trixie. Rarity turned around and glared at her. “What I should have done earlier. What you should be doing now.” She snuck out of the hovel, slinking down the path toward Alpine Heights, praying she would remain unnoticed. It looked like the majority of the town had been rounded up now. All of them were assembled into precise rows of twenty. There were about a few hundred townsponies in all. The entire group was surrounded by roughly a hundred soldiers. An entire... Rarity thought, her face furrowed with concentration as she drew closer to the gathering, oh, I learned this in school years ago. A century? Is that it? She had reached the town now, and began to dart between the structures. So far, so good; nopony – soldier or otherwise – had given her so much as a glance. Finally, when she hid behind a few barrels next to a teal, two-story home, she was within earshot. “– you have heard our ultimatum,” said a soldier who paced in front of the citizens. He looked to be the leader, judging by the golden plume of his helmet. “This village is to serve the King without question. Everypony capable of fighting will become part of his Majesty's army, effective immediately. All currency and supplies are to be brought with you and –” “Princess Celestia is our ruler!” “Who said that?” demanded the soldier. “Come forward. Now!” A beige earth pony broke rank and strode to the front until he stood before the soldier defiantly. The soldier pawed the ground and expelled a puff of steam from his flared nostrils before lunging forward, running the earth pony through with his spear. Startled cries erupted from the crowd as the soldier firmly planted a hoof on the fallen earth pony and yanked the bloody spear from his corpse. “Anypony who dares utter treasonous words such as those will be dealt with accordingly!” he shouted, his gaze boring into the crowd. “We will now take census. Anypony who disobeys our sovereign, King Cosmo, puts not only himself in danger, but his whole family as well.” To his surprise, the crowd wasn't paying attention to his threats; their eyes were directed to his left. Cocking his head in confusion, he followed their gaze – just in time to see one of the barrels Rarity had been hiding behind hurtling toward his head. His mouth fell open a split second before the barrel hit him squarely, shattering into a shower of splinters. The soldier – his helmet horribly dented – staggered back and forth before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he crumpled to the ground in a heap. Hardly believing what she had done, Rarity gawked at the collapsed soldier. Everypony stared at her. The shocked silence lasted for several seconds before one of them yelled, “Kill her!” The shout snapped her out of her stupor; without pausing to think, she turned tail and galloped back toward Trixie's hovel faster than she'd ever galloped in her life. She didn't dare look back, but judging from the pounding of hooves close behind her, it sounded like at least a couple dozen of them pursued her. A burst of green energy whizzed past her, connecting with a nearby boulder and cracking it in half. She instinctively jumped to the right, and not a moment too soon; a pale purple beam singed the tip of her tail, and would've hit her squarely had she remained in place. Rarity did her best to erect a magical forcefield behind her. Her efforts yielded some results. A feeble blue barrier materialized behind her, redirecting a pair of incoming blasts just enough to protect her. She was only a few seconds away from reaching the cover of Trixie's, hovel but she wasn't sure if her shield would be enough. A third shot from the pursing soldiers connected with the shield directly, shattering it. Rarity screamed and dove headfirst into the hovel, another pair of bolts sizzling past her. “W-why did you lead them here?” shrieked Trixie. “You'll get Trixie killed as we–” “Oh, shut up,” said Rarity. “We know you're in there!” bellowed one of the soldiers. “Come out!” Rarity peeked out and immediately wished she hadn't. The soldiers had formed a concave outside the door. Four of them cautiously advanced on the open door, spears at the ready. Rarity a deep breath, her horn shimmered, and a few planks of the hovel dislodged themselves and smashed into the soldiers, sending them sprawling. “Don't just stand there!” shouted Rarity. “Do something! Or do you want to be a laughingstock for the rest of your life?” As Rarity tried to grab more of the hovel, she found she was not alone; another magical force – substantially stronger than hers – assisted her. In a matter of seconds, the planks and loose stones that made up Trixie's miserable dwelling were whirling around them as if caught in a tornado. The unicorn soldiers launched bolts of energy at them, but the debris easily absorbed the shots. “Now!” Rarity yelled, launching her debris at the soldiers. Trixie nodded wordlessly and complied. The torrent of rock and lumber bashed the soldiers mercilessly, sundering armour, splintering spears, and cracking bone. A few of the soldiers dropped their weapons and fled back toward their comrades, leaving the rest to die. When the dust settled, most of the debris lay broken and useless among the bodies. “Great, now what do we do?” demanded Trixie, pointing at the rest of the soldiers, who were marching toward them. “Got any more bright ideas?” Rarity's knees shook. “I – um – I – err...” They remained frozen in place, left with nothing but their depleted magic to defend themselves. As the soldiers drew nearer, they broke rank. Rarity's horrified expression transformed into a wild grin when she saw why. What looked like most of the ponies of Alpine Heights – left completely unattended by the army – had charged up from behind and were now upon them. A vein pulsed in Rarity's temple as she gathered the last of her strength to envelop her horn with magic, enhancing its length. When she was satisfied with her effort, she charged into the thick of the combat, Trixie following close behind. The combat was a disorienting flurry of attacks to her. She spent all of her concentration on slashing at soldiers with her horn, dodging their hooves and spears, and taking care not to attack her allies. While the combat only lasted a couple of minutes, it felt like several hours. The soldiers, outnumbered at least six to one and disorganized, fell quickly to the furious, desperate attacks of the free ponies. Once they realized the battle was lost, they dropped their spears – some tossed their plumed helmets on the ground – and ran, a hail of jeers and rocks chasing them back down the path from whence they came. Everypony turned to Rarity and Trixie and cheered. “You two saved us!” “How can we ever repay you?” “Who were they?” When they quieted down – and Rarity had time to collect her thoughts – she began to explain, starting with conformation that King Cosmo was real and he had indeed taken over Canterlot. Everypony exchanged worried looks and whispers when she finished. “So, what say you?” said Rarity, waving a hoof at them. “It's too late to do anything about Los Pegasus, but I'm sure Princess Luna would be eternally grateful if you sided with us instead of him.” “Lady,” said a middle-aged red stallion, “if what we saw today is any indication, Princess Luna sounds like a much better alternative. You risked your life to save us. If you hadn't distracted all of those soldiers, we'd have never been able to get the jump on them. Of course we'll fight.” The crowd roared with approval. Turning to Trixie, Rarity gave her a sharp look. “And what about you? Will you hide, or will you lead our unicorns into battle?” “You destroyed Trixie's home!” “They destroyed my town!” countered Rarity. Trixie hesitated. “Will – will there be a reward for doing this?” “I'd imagine so, for somepony brave enough to undertake such a dangerous task,” said Rarity, trying to put as much allure into her voice as she could. “I suppose whatever Trixie gets out of it, it'll be better than...” she looked back at what remained of her house “... that. Fine. Trixie will fight.” * * * “You have my attention,” said Iniquitus, the other dragons in the chamber climbing to their feet and baring their fangs at Cosmo as he spoke. “Despite the demise of my sister, Celestia, Luna is no doubt creating a resistance movement in an attempt to usurp me again,” said Cosmo. “Aid me in crushing her and her pathetic rebellion, and your reward will be most handsome.” “I have everything I could want,” said Iniquitus, gesturing around the chamber. “My brood, my gems. I see no need to concern myself with the trifles of ponies.” The King's face bore a malicious grin. “Even the remnants of the lost clutch?” “Now I know you are trying to play me for a fool,” spat Iniquitus. “Begone while I'm feeling merciful.” “You forget whom you address,” said Cosmo, narrowing his eyes as sparks crackled on the tip of his horn. “Now, join me or face the consequences.” Iniquitus roared before belching a great jet of flame toward Cosmo, the fire engulfing him completely. Cosmo laughed as the smoke cleared. Not a single hair on him was singed by the attack. He fired back with a surge of lightning bolts, but Iniquitus reached out and placed a hand in front of the energy, absorbing it into his palm before balling it into a fist. Iniquitus got up from his throne and unsheathed his massive claws, each nearly as large as Cosmo himself. Cosmo, undeterred from this show of force, flew into the air and dove at Iniquitus at near-blinding speed, slamming into his chest with enough force to make him stagger backward and cry out in pain. Cosmo's horn left a fresh wound on his right breast, a trail of blood running down his it. Cosmo landed nimbly a safe distance away from Iniquitus. A purple dragon close to Cosmo leapt at him. He smirked, and without looking at the new combatant, created a large shield that blocked the behemoth and forced him back. The dazed dragon attempted to shake off the unexpected reprisal, but before he knew what had happened, the shield transformed into a greatsword and swiped at him. He had no time to mount a defense; its slash connected directly with his neck, decapitating the mighty beast. His torso fell to the cavern floor with a loud thump. The remaining four dragons howled in fury and attacked Cosmo from all sides. With his great speed, he avoided their large, more cumbersome attacks, and weaved through their defenses, striking in any opening he could find with varying degrees of success. Iniquitus looked on in mounting fury, clutching his bleeding chest, as he saw his brethren slowly, but surely, being picked apart by the King. A green dragon collapsed from a series of various wounds, each following the other in rapid succession, most on vital parts of his body. Cosmo sliced a blue dragon's arm off, punctured one of his wings by diving straight through it, and severed the ligaments in the back of his right leg, making him collapse and writhe in agony. “Enough! Back!” said Iniquitus. “Leave him to me!” Cosmo grinned wickedly at him. “So, you still choose death over my friendship? And I thought your kind were supposed to be wise.” “I will never side with you or your kind, murderer!” Iniquitus's tail swung savagely into the arm of his throne, splintering the rock. “Look at you now,” said Cosmo in a patronizing voice. “A mighty dragon lord, so long ago young and brazen enough to invade my kingdom, now reduced to a broken old fool, only a shadow of his former self. Killing you will be an act of mercy.” Infuriated, Iniquitus renewed his assault upon him, slashing furiously, trying to catch Cosmo with his mouth, and shooting plumes of flame at where he predicted his enemy would be, but the King was too quick for him. A flash of darkness snuffed out the brazier's flame, plunging the room into pitch darkness. A moment later, a blue glow sped toward Cosmo, who managed to react just in time. It was Luna, her horn aglow, locked with Cosmo's, which also glowed with his trademark colours. “Quickly, now, together!” Luna yelled at Iniquitus. The moment he recovered from his shock, Iniquitus lunged at Cosmo. Both he and Luna were upon Cosmo in a flurry of blows, Luna weaving between his attacks to both strike at her brother, and to avoid getting hit herself. Cosmo was now quickly losing ground. While he was able to avoid Iniquitus's attacks and turn aside his fire breath with magic easily enough, the added complexity of having to fight his last surviving sibling head-on under the cover of darkness was proving too much. Cosmo leapt away from his adversaries, his back to one of the tunnels. “It's been a pleasure seeing you again after so long, little sister, but we will finish this on my terms.” With that, he was gone, bolting down the tunnel as fast as his wings would carry him. Iniquitus reignited the brazier with a jet of flame. The remaining dragons, including the one holding Spike, ran into the chamber, coming to their patriarch's side. “So... it was true... all of it,” said Iniquitus, looking down at Spike. Spike nodded at the elder dragon, still partially in shock after witnessing such a terrifying display of power from King Cosmo. “That was him... I can't believe he's so powerful.” Luna turned to Iniquitus, offering him a formal bow. “What say you, o mighty dragon? Will you aid us in our plight? My brother threatens not only everypony in Equestria, but every living thing.” “Indubitably,” rumbled Iniquitus, “the threat is far greater than I had initially anticipated. You have my allegiance, if my terms are met.” “And those terms are?” Her voice was filled not with contempt or impatience, but genuine respect. “We are to be treated as equals,” said Iniquitus, lowering his head to Luna's level. “The remainder of the lost clutch is to be returned, if it still exists.” “You have my word, mighty one,” said Luna, touching a hoof to her chest. “I promise when this is over, your conditions will be met. You and your brood will be welcome in Equestria as long as they come in peace.” “Very well.” Iniquitus bowed his head. “I cannot guarantee the entirety of my brood's allegiance; Cosmo is no doubt spreading his lies amongst the others, and I fear I cannot hold sway over them all.” “Be that as it may,” said Luna grimly. “I am grateful for your support in this fight, for if you were to have sided with my brother instead, any war effort against him would be useless.” “Indeed,” said Iniquitus before turning to Spike. “Now, little one. What is your decision? Under the terms of this new pact, you will be free from your life of servitude. Do you wish to live amongst your own kind, as you rightfully should?” Spike shook his head. “Nah, that boat's sailed. My place is with Twilight. See, King Cosmo has done something to her. He's made her into somepony she's not. She may not be my mother, but she's family to me. I'm going to help save her, and go back to being her assistant, and her friend.” “Your loyalty is most admirable,” said Iniquitus. “I must impress upon you one final time that you are a free dragon now.” “I've always been free,” said Spike. “I may have been captured and owned once, but I wasn't even born then. I've since made my own choices, and I wouldn't have it any other way.” * * * “Huh, morning already?” mumbled a delirious Pinkie Pie. She got up and blinked to make sure her eyes were open. It was still pitch black out, but the crickets in the forest overshadowed by the Unicorn Mountain Range wasn't the only thing she heard. Nearby hoofsteps had awoken her. She sprang to her hooves and strained every sense she had. She couldn't explain it, but she knew something was wrong. Slinking along the forest floor, Pinkie followed the hoofsteps as closely as she dared. When they broke away from the main campsite, their pace quickened, and she found herself almost galloping to keep up as they crashed through the thicket. It sounded like two heavyset ponies were in front of her. She hadn't the foggiest idea where they were leading her, but she followed nonetheless. The two ponies slowed their pace to a stealthy crawl, and Pinkie barely managed to match it in time to avoid giving herself away. She dropped to her belly and crawled forward until she found her head poking between a couple of bushes. Before her was a secluded glen she remembered passing by, shortly before the refugees set up camp for the night. She narrowed her eyes. There were three figures in the glen. Pinkie recalled Zecora opting to take to the quiet and tranquility of the glen instead of the grove where the rest of the refugees slept; she was there, slumbering under a blanket of leaves, bathed in pale moonlight. The two ponies Pinkie had been following were creeping up on her. She couldn't tell who they were, but they appeared to be a pair of large stallions. They were soundlessly approaching the sleeping zebra. Frozen with curiosity, she watched them for nearly two full minutes before they came to a stop over Zecora. Nodding to one another, they both raised their forehooves up high. “ZECORA, LOOK OUT!” screamed Pinkie at the top of her lungs, her vocal cords straining. Zecora darted to the right a moment before the stallions brought their hooves hard to the ground where her head had just been. Zecora spun around to face her attackers before she bolted into the trees – past where Pinkie stood – and charged toward the campground. The two stallions roared and charged after both of them. Hot on Zecora's heels, Pinkie followed her with reckless abandon, cutting herself in many places on intervening branches and brambles. Before she could reach the relative safety of the camp, a sharp blow to the head sent Pinkie crashing into a tree. One of the stallions advanced on her, while his accomplice ignored her and chased Zecora deeper into the woods. The stallion advanced on her, drawing close enough so she could finally see his face. “Jim Beam?” cried Pinkie, rubbing the bump on her head. “At first, we were only here for the dirty zebra,” said Jim – Pinkie barely managed to make out what he was saying on account of her badly ringing ears – “but you're next on our list. You saved us a night's work... Goodbye...” He prepared himself to deliver a fatal blow, but before he could, a couple of ponies blindsided him, tackling him to the ground. Pinkie scrabbled to her hooves, accidentally showering him with dirt, and fled back toward the campsite, which now rang with cries of alarm and shouts. When she reached it, she found Vigilance tangled up with a bunch of refugees, failing his limbs wildly. “Stop! Stop!” shrieked Pinkie, trying to pull the Ponyvillians off him. “Let's talk this over!” Vigilance grinned wickedly at her. His eyes met hers, and to her surprise, they were not purple, but sported a familiar blood red haze. Her jaw dropped. Before she could utter a peep, he struck her in the muzzle with a forehoof, drawing a stream of blood. Pinkie staggered backward, clutching her face as she saw Jim rolling into the grove, locked in combat with the two ponies who had saved her moments ago. The refugees' overwhelming numbers against two stallions ensured that the struggle only lasted a few seconds. “This isn't over,” chuckled Vigilance, who was pinned to the ground by a half-dozen ponies and coughed up blood. “My King will have your heads – all of them! Stopping us only bought you a few more days. Better to meet death by our hooves than meet his wrath, I say.” Anything else Vigilance might have said was cut off by a series of blows. Everypony close to the fallen stallions kicked them as hard as they could, until both lay in broken, lifeless heaps, the ground around them stained with blood. Everypony stood up and looked at each other, exchanging shocked looks. Nopony spoke as they formed a circle around Pinkie and the bodies. “What manner of evil is this,” said Zecora, stepping into the centre of the crude circle, “that has caused such a near miss?” “Mind control,” said Pinkie, a hoof still clutched to her bleeding muzzle, “mind control is what did it. Those two... they were under the same spell I was when – when – I...” “Then let's do the same to her, just to be safe!” roared Stardancer, a pink pegasus mare, rounding on Pinkie. “What?” yelled Pinkie. “Twilight freed me! I'd never –” “How can you be so sure?” said Stardancer, advancing on Pinkie, her wings unfurled. “You had no idea what you were doing until you did the deed, didn't you? Who's to say you aren't one of his agents, waiting to murder us in our sleep?” “But I was freed!” wailed Pinkie as other Ponyvillians advanced on her. “Cosmo didn't get me again! He – he must've got those two when he was locked up in the Ponyville clock tower! They were guarding him alone, weren't they?” The pegasus now stood a few feet in front of Pinkie, whose limbs were now firmly held in place by six ponies. “How can you guarantee you haven't been controlled again? How do we know Rainbow Dash wasn't your last victim?” Pinkie shut her eyes and turned her head, as if it would somehow distance her from her aggressors. “I can't – I wouldn't – not after – never –” “Look at me!” shouted Stardancer. “Answer the questions! Are you a threat?” Zecora stepped in between Pinkie and Stardancer. “Everypony, please be quiet and calm down. Pinkie is no foe, and will do deeds of great renown.” “You don't know what it's like,” whispered Pinkie, quivering. “To lose control. You – you just have blank spots in your memory. You do things – terrible things – without even knowing it. Ever since Twilight freed me from his spell, I've begun to realize how it worked. I Pinkie Promise he didn't get me again. I think I'd know if he tried... somehow...” The ponies holding her down exchanged glances. “I think this sort of infight,” said Zecora, her voice quavering, “would cause Cosmo great delight.” “What she said,” pressed Pinkie. “We have to stop this.” “But – but how do we know there aren't more of his slaves, just waiting to strike?” said Stardancer, her voice lacking much of its previous edge. “Then we take it as it comes,” said Pinkie, able to sit up now that the others had loosened their grips on her. Tears began to well in her eyes. “We have to keep going, even if half of us are unknowingly under his control.” “Fear, control, oppression, might, and deceit,” said Zecora, casting her gaze at everypony gathered around her in turn, “are all tools Cosmo uses to engineer our defeat.” Pinkie – now free of the grasps of the others – buried her face in her hooves and began sobbing profusely. “We – can't – let – him – win,” she choked. “Everypony he made me kill – Dashie – those two – all victims. It won't stop until we beat him – for good.” Stardancer slumped back, staring blankly into space. “But how do we fight somepony like that? He can use us against ourselves... how do we have any chance?” “Because,” said Pinkie, straightening up, “we have one thing King Cosmo will never have. Look at what he's done to us – our family, our friends. And for what? Just to be big and mean and get his way and make everypony else hurt. We have something worth fighting for: putting things back the way they used to be.” Tears began to roll down Stardancer's face as she hugged Pinkie, crying into her shoulder. A dull rumble grew into thunder as everypony began to stamp their hooves. Some chanted, “Down with Cosmo!” Everypony soon adopted the chant, until it rose to a din that felt like it shook the trees. The storm of hope surged through Pinkie as it swept her and everypony else away in its hurricane. Pinkie smiled.