//------------------------------// // News // Story: Excerpts from the Luna War // by Sapare //------------------------------// Murmuring and whispers, uncommon sounds for the halls of the palace guards. Not that we did not know the reason for it, it had been two weeks since a small force of the royal guards were sent to subdue the revolt in Hoofington, and instead of their return all that came back was a meager force of two- hundred unarmed and beaten ponies. It is said that rumors spread quickly through the militaristic ranks, but this was not even worth qualifying as a rumor, the proud royal guard had been defeated, and this was undeniable fact. It was not yet clear what impacts this would have. Many mourning those lost and vowing revenge, some stating that this was our own fault for trying to take our own freedom, and some rising and stating that this was the end of the Solar Empire as the public has now dubbed it. What non of them did, was blame the correct pony, or ponies. Half of them blamed Luna and her treacherous strategies, the other half blamed Celestia and her tyrinal regime, and then they blame her for not having send more troops. It does not seem like anypony wants to hear the fact that she did not send the troops in the first place-- "Hey Starshine, I heard you were there... when Celestia decided to send the royal army to deal with those stinking rebels! Queen of peace my flank! And yet she can't even send enough troops to get the job done! You shou--" I knew he was drunk beyond thought, the poor pony had lost his oldest son, slaughtered all the way in Hoofington while he was rotting here defending some castle that would never be attacked. But I did not care, I was too riled up from hearing insults thrown at my queen all day, leaping toward him I brought my hoof foward in a harsh strike. The punch conected with the side of his face and hearing a crack echo from his muzzle. The moment my rush of adnerline wore off I felt terrible, I had just struck my fellow soldier with all out violent intent, trying to steady my shaking hoofs I look up. And am struck back by the pony I had just attacked, for being much older then me he was still in great shape and his hoof knocked me off mine, causing me to tumble over the floor and crash into a table. By now the quiet mumers and whispers had long left, replaced with loud mumers and a few yells of support, it was unclear for which side, if any. Tasting blood in my mouth I stand up, trying to steady myself on my hoofs and looking up at the old guard pony. Doing my best to look passive I speak. "I am sorry, I didn't mean too.. I kinda lo--" My word are cut off by him leaping toward me, and tumbling me over once more, this time violently pushing my head onto the table. He growled at me with what I felt to be murderous intent, his words yelled with anger and yet felt sad. "You were there you stupid horse! You could have... stoped them! Why didn't you tell them this was a bad idea!" The pony stoped to catch his breath, though his hoof only increased pressure on my head and chest, causing me to wince and cough as I hoped for my life the table would break under the pressure. "He died because you let him go! Be--" Suddenly the pony was silenced and the pressure on my body disapeared, leaving me to cough and choke on air. As two ponies rushed to my side and helped me up to my feet, one of them patting me on the back as he spoke. "I believe we all had to learn that lesson someday, never pick a fight with with an earthpony when you are both too drunk to use magic, or logic." I did not even bother to reply as the two ponies took me to a nearby table and sat me down. Taking seat beside me and pushing over a still full mug. I stared at it for a while before shaking my head. Still coughing a little as I try to explain myself and express my gratitude. "I believe I had enough of that for the day... but thank you for... saving me there." The pony to my right chuckles and patted my back once more, taking a seat beside me. Having calmed a little I saw that he was a strongly built earthpony with rust red fur. His voice was supportive, if slightly sarcastic in tone. "I really doubt any of us want to deal with explaining our superiors how a royal guard got his head crushed on a table while thirty other ponies stood by and watched. Ruins the night." The other pony, a pegasus of dark blue complexion with a just as dark mane and tail suddenly sat down beside me on my left, leaning in closely as he speaks to me. "Now, we heard some interesting rumors spreading about you, there has been word that you are looking for information, drawing attention from shadows and other non existent dangers." His voice had a suprisingly cold ring to it, causing me to halt in my coughing and perk up my ears as I tried to figure out the implications of his statements, turning quickly toward him and glancing back at the pony to my right. He smiled a weird mix of friendly and threatening, speaking in the same tone he had used moments ago. "Don't mistake us for threatening you! We are infact trying to... help you. We are very good at finding, and hiding, information. And in all fairness, you have proven to be decent at the first and terrible at the second." I was still digging through my confusion and was about to respond with an array of questions when I felt a hoof from the left, turning toward it I found the pony sitting beside me nodding toward the door of the hall, leading out into the hallways of the palace and the cold streets of Canterlot. "Join us for a walk." The way he spoke, and he did not wait for a responds before walking toward the door made it rather clear that this was not so much of a request as an order. Looking around the room in confusion I slugishly picked myself up and followed the rather intimidating pony. Once outside I was instantly greeted by the smiling pegasus, who nodded for me to follow as he spoke to me. "There is probably at least one pony in there who was spying on you, which is why my good friend is staying behind, to keep an eye out. As for you, tell me everything you know." There was silence as I trotted along the pony, my mind spining as I tried to formulate a response, finally stuttering out. "Wh..what I know?" The pony suddenly stoped in his tracks, and so did I, and then just as suddenly as he had stoped he spoke, his voice once more that cold sound that froze my body down to the spine. "Half the guard know that you have been digging for information about the council, and half of those got a pretty decent reason to want you silenced. We know that you know about the deals with the Gryphon Empire. But what else have you found out in your rather blundering investigation?" Once more silence, then a final added statment. "Unless you don't want our protection... but I'll let you know that nopony can help you like we can." I looked every direction before finally nodding in defeated submission, giving up my fight. "I only know small things, the fact that Luna was attacked while on a diplomatic mission to forge peace between Equestria and the Gryphon Empire. The fact that it was not Celestia but her council that decided to send an army to Hoofington." Suddeny the pegasus pony once more started to trot forward, causing me to follow him as I continued. "There are some who say that the council and Gryphon's have conections with each other beyond the princesses knowledge. And... it was their fault that the original reports of wide spread revolt were exagerated..." The other pony chuckled before replying. "So you really don't know that much more then any of us, and yet somehow just about every council member wants specificly you watched. Why do you think that is?" I didn't reply, up till today not even having known about, or considered that my life was in any form of danger. "Because you go around babling about these things everywhere, telling people about your conspiracy theories. If you want to live you need to quiet down and help us out." His voice once more made it clear that this was not so much a question as a demand, and I nodded rather by instinct then free will. "H..how could I be... of help?" Suddenly there was half a yell, then it was silenced by a loud impact sound, and the sound of a pony falling to the stone floor. Looking back shocked I find myself staring at the rust red earthpony, and before him on the floor a grey unicorn I knew only by face and not name, part of the royal guard. Before I could voice my confusion the pegasus beside me explains. "It wasnt the only, but that was one of the ponies keeping an eye on you, just in case you actually found some real proof, or if whoever was paying him was tired of watching. As for how you can help us, for whatever unexplainable reason the princess seems to confide in you, she has not confined in anyone since Luna's depature from Canterlot." The earthpony dragged the unconcious body toward us and smiled as he was now the one to speak. "And now we offer you to confide in us, only us. Remember my advice on talking on an earthpony, we are violent ponies." Once more the pegasus's voice spoke up. "Every three nights from tonight we will find you, and have a little conversation about recent events. And remember, no more babling about some silly conspiracy theories to random ponies---" If he said anything more then that I would not know, for a blow to my head suddenly knocked me out, the last thing I barly felt before being engulfed by the unconciousness was the cold stone floor.