//------------------------------// // 06: The Will to Endure // Story: The Tyranny of Queen Twilight Sparkle // by Gherkin //------------------------------// I can’t believe it. I won’t believe it. It’s not fair. Thunderlane can’t die. Oh Celestia, I can’t handle this. This poor weather colt didn't deserve any of this bullshit, did he? Did Applejack deserve to lose her brother? Did I deserve to be here in the first place? I sit there in shock, still cradling the lifeless body of my fellow pegasus, as AJ trots over, looking on grimly. She says nothing, but I know what she's thinking. 'Darn it, Rainbow Dash, we gotta move on. Ponies die, get over it. You think I ain't lost somepony?' Right now, I don't care. She can think what she wants, I just can't go on right now. "Thunderlane..." I hear Cloudchaser sob as she steps tentatively towards us. She puts a hoof on his chest, and breaks down in tears. Her sister walks over and holds her gently, but remaining silent as we grieve. Applejack decides that this is the moment to speak up. "Come on, y'all. We gotta get moving, there will be more guards coming for sure." "Applejack, give them some time," I hear Caramel murmur to her. I look up, and see the mare glare back at him. "We ain't got time!" she hissed. "If we stay here, we'll all be dead. We gotta leave him!" What? No way! "Leave him? Are you kidding me!?" I say to her, laying him down gently as I stand up. "We're not leaving him here, he deserves better than that!" "I'm sorry, Rainbow, but we just can't take him!" she retorts, stepping forward. I want to say something to interrupt, but she won’t let me. "Hauling him along will just slow ya down, and I don't want to lose anymore of y'all today!" I really don't want to make an argument, out of this. Not now. I take a quick look back at our friends, before returning my attention to the earth pony in front of me. "Won't you at least let us try?" I reason. "Or do you want to leave him to be thrown in some unmarked grave somewhere, completely forgotten by everypony? He deserves some respect, and his family will need closure." Applejack considers my plea, and finally relents. "Okay, okay, we'll get him back to the farm. Just make it quick, and don't haul him by yourself, alright?" I nod, and motion for Cloudchaser and Flitter to help me out. "Now let's get movin'." I still feel my hooves shaking as we lift Thunderlane’s bloody corpse off the ground. I’m not going to be getting over this in a hurry, that’s for sure. Seeing a friend die in my hooves while I’m powerless to do anything. It’s a scenario that doesn’t need thinking about. It’s something I had never thought about, up until all of this crap that’s been going on, and even then, it was only a nagging fear at the back of my mind. Now it was a reality. A horrible, unfair reality. “Damn, I think I hear more of them coming,” Cloudchaser warns, and I perk my ears up. Sure enough, in the distance, I can make out the shouts and cries of reinforcements as they hurry to make their way over here. Applejack’s right: it’s high time we got the heck out of dodge. Grunting, I flap my wings even harder in an effort to fly faster while still pulling Thunderlane along. Thankfully, we make it behind the cover of some treetops before the guards are able to spot us, leaving us home free. “This is getting way out of hoof, don’t you think?” I mutter tiredly towards the two pegasus twins helping me as we approach Sweet Apple Acres. The morning sun is still rising. Funny, I forgot it was still morning. Everything that’s happened in the last half an hour makes it feel like an entire day has gone by. Flitter grimaces, and contemplates what I said. “Maybe you’re right, Rainbow Dash,” she replies. “What other choice do we have, though? It’s either this, or just roll over and let that tyrant tread all over us.” “I know neither one is exactly desirable, but I think I prefer this to the alternative,” her sister agrees, nodding. “Even if it does mean losing somepony close to us.” She looks down at her fallen friend, and I notice tears start to swell up in her eyes. She doesn’t cry though. Instead she wipes them away and puts on a brave face. I sigh and try to do the same. I hope that it worked, but it’s anypony’s guess as to whether it actually does. Beneath us, I see our earthbound friends galloping through the apple orchards. Thankfully, none of the guards ever patrolled around the farm, so it was safe. For the time being, at least. I groan slightly as we start to descend, the weight of Thunderlane’s body finally getting to me. Pegasi have lighter bones than the other races, which helps to walk on clouds and, well, fly, but even still. Besides, he was pretty muscular. I feel tears begin to well up again, and I have to remind myself to focus on the task at hoof, and not on the tragedy that had just happened. Applejack and the rest of the group lead us towards the barn behind the farmhouse itself. Flitter, Cloudchaser and myself drop down to the ground, carefully laying Thunderlane in front of them. I pull my hood up, letting my mane flap in the wind that swept across the farm. Nopony says anything for a few moments. Perhaps they are silently paying respect, or saying goodbye. Me? I’m just bitter; tired of everything that’s going on. “Well, what are we going to do with him?” Caramel asks abruptly, looking up at the rest of us. AJ turns to him, having pulled up her hood as well. “We bury him. Properly,” she answers. “Go and find his family and bring ‘em here.” The stallion nods and turns to go, but she stops him. “After this, we make a move on Canterlot. I know what you’ve been thinking, Rainbow,” she says to me. “This has been goin’ on far too long. And you’re darn right it has. It needs to stop.” “Thanks, AJ,” I mutter, managing to smile slightly up at her. “Don’t need to thank me, RD. We shoulda done this long ago, before any of this nonsense with you ever happened. I guess it just took you to kick me into gear.” She nods finally at Caramel, who dashes off towards Ponyville, before turning to Cloudchaser and Flitter. “Prepare Thunderlane for the funeral, please. Tidy him up, and find something to bury him in.” They nod, and pick the dead pegasus up again. Applejack trots towards another two pegasi that had helped us. I didn’t know these guys, but I’ve probably seen them around town at some point. “You two, I remember seeing a royal chariot somewhere near the east edge of town. I want you to go and get it, and bring it back here,” she orders. “And try not the bring it with every guard in her service on your tail, neither.” The two of them also nod and take to the skies, heading towards town. I watch them go for a second, before they disappear behind the rows upon rows of apple trees out in the orchard. Only Applejack remains with me now, and she looks up at me, before putting a hoof on my shoulder. “Rainbow, I just want to say I’m sorry,” she says, pulling me into a hug. “I know I’ve been inconsiderate towards you, putting your needs on the back seat. This ain’t your world; ain’t your fight, I know that now. Even if you fight like my Rainbow, I know that you ain’t.” I hug back, partly thankful for her apology, and partly thankful for having someone to share my grievances with. “We should have held off attacking that train,” she muses. “It’s my fault Thunderlane got killed. I underestimated them.” I pull out of the hug and look my friend in the eye. “Applejack, what happened to Thunderlane wasn’t your fault at all. Please, don’t ever tell yourself that it was.” I hug her again, and we start to walk back to the farmhouse. “I know, RD, but I can’t help but blame myself. After all, you were all my responsibility. This is my silly rebel cause, after all.” She sighs, and looks to the sky, up towards the city on the mountain. “I keep thinking, Rainbow. If we manage to pull this off, and it’s a pretty big if, then what? Who’s gonna lead Equestria if all the princesses, or queens, or whatever, are dead? Heck, who’ll move the sun and the moon?” I follow her gaze and stare at Canterlot as well, far, far above Ponyville. “I don’t know what will happen, AJ,” I admit. “But you’re a smart mare. Smarter than me. You’ll figure something out.” We trot inside the farmhouse, and sit down in the front room, finally getting some time to relax. “Besides, the unicorns raised the sun and the moon long before Celestia and Luna did. I’m sure it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to find some powerful ones that could do it again.” “Yeah, but half of ‘em are in the service of Queen Twilight, remember?” she points out. Oh yeah, good point. I put a hoof to my chin and think. Wait, I remember something. “You said before that something was fishy about that, AJ. About how Twilight could just waltz in, kill the princess, and not have any of the guards bat an eyelid. There’s got to be more to it. Maybe she found a way to control ponies? Found a way to turn every guard to her cause.” “There’s all sorts of dark magic that hardly anypony knows about,” my friend says, sitting up. “Maybe she uncovered something?” An idea sparks within my mind. It was an idea that I didn’t want to believe was possible, but it probably was. “Applejack, have you ever heard of the Elements of Harmony?” I ask. “Sure. They’re just an old legend though, right? The two regal sisters used them to banish evil from Equestria, until Celestia had to banish her own sister.” I shiver slightly. To hear Applejack, one of my best friends and the element of honesty itself, dismiss the Elements of Harmony as nothing but a legend was unnerving, to say the least. “What else do you know about the tale, AJ?” She thinks for a second. “Well, I ain’t really heard it for a long time, not since Granny Smith told me bedtime stories about ‘em, but I think I remember something else. The elements together create harmony, hence the name. But if an element is used without any of the others, it has side effects. Nopony knows what kinda magic it can produce, but it ain’t harmonious, that’s for sure.” “Do you... do you think Twilight could have gotten her hooves on one of the elements?” I wonder. “If they’re real, maybe,” she agrees. “They’re real where I come from.” I don’t want to elaborate any more right now, especially while she’s so skeptical. My story is hard to believe from her point of view as it is, I probably shouldn’t tell her that I’m one of the bearers of some mystical artifacts she doesn’t believe to exist. Besides, it’s not exactly relevant anyway. “So, if we stop Twilight, or at least break her spell over the element or whatever, then I’m guessing most ponies will come to their senses.” Well, hopefully, at least. It’s just a theory. Though it makes more sense than everypony in the royal guard willingly converting to the cause of their princess’ killer. Applejack seems to think so, too, as she nods. “I guess it makes sense. Doesn’t change the fact that we need to get up there, though, and fast. Do you think you’ll be able to make a move tomorrow night?” I smirk and nod. “Oh, definitely. No offense, but I’m just about ready to get out of the crazy world.” I pause, and add. “But I’ll try and make sure the fight’s won before I do.” AJ reaches down towards the table and picks up her trademark hat, which I noticed had been lying there, and puts it on her head. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. You’ve helped us so much in recent days, so I’m willing to repay the favour. I promise that I will do everything in my power to see that you can get home, to your own world.” Looking into the eyes of my friend, I nod in appreciation. “Thanks, AJ.” “Don’t thank me, it’s the least I can do. Now, you get yourself some rest,” she advises. “I gotta go and dig Thunderlane’s grave ready for the funeral.” “Okay. See you later.” With that, she nods again and trots outside, leaving me to wind down. *** I can’t help but feel horrible. Well, that’s a given. Okay, I can’t help but feel guilty, or responsible. I know Thunderlane’s death wasn’t my fault, but seeing his parents and little brother openly weep as Applejack lowers his impromptu coffin into the ground makes me think that I should have done more to prevent it. I can feel the tears welling up once again, but I push them back. These tears should have never been shed in the first place. His mother is crying into the chest of her husband, but Rumble is standing there alone. Still feeling that I have a degree of responsibility, I move across and wrap a hoof around him, letting him cry into my leg. Everything has been said and done by now, so the group of mourners slowly start to move away as a few of Applejack’s farmhooves start to fill in the grave. Rumble is still clutching onto my leg, making it a bit awkward to walk, but I’m not exactly going to push him away. He’s not openly crying anymore, instead quietly sobbing, so I take the opportunity to stop and kneel down to his eye level. “Hey, Rumble,” I say gently. “You okay?” He sniffs and wipes a tear from his eye, but nods. “Yeah, Rainbow Dash, I’m okay.” He doesn’t sound it, so I try to smile. “I wish my brother were still here,” he continues. “I know.” I pull him into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry, Rumble.” “Did it hurt?” he asks suddenly, pushing me away slightly. “Did it hurt for him?” I wipe another tear from his eye. “I promise you, he didn’t suffer. It was quick for him.” Looking up at me, he says, “That’s good... I guess.” I hug him again, before hoisting him up onto my back and covering him with one of my wings. “I promise they’ll pay for this, Rumble. We’ll avenge your brother.” He doesn’t reply, instead choosing to remain silent as we walk back towards Applejack’s farmhouse. His parents glance back at me, and manage to smile for a second as they see their remaining son tucked comfortably under my wing. I smile back before they look away, and sigh. I don’t want to know how much I’ve changed since this whole ordeal started. Will I ever be able to adjust to normal life in normal Ponyville again? Will everything that’s happened drive a wedge between me and my friends? Of course I’m going to strive to make sure that doesn’t happen, but the idea remains at the back of my mind all the same. Applejack invites the mourners inside for something to eat and drink, but they decline. Rumble and Thunderlane’s parents shake their head and say that they have to be getting home before it gets dark, and I can’t fault them for that. Reluctantly, I usher Rumble off of my back and towards his family. He gives me a thankful, yet weary, look as I bid them farewell as they trot away into the distance. “What a day, huh?” Applejack exclaims, trotting next to me to watch them go. “Let’s hope things go better in the future. I don’t want to make this a regular occurrence.” She motions towards the freshly filled grave on the edge of the orchard. I shudder, and turn away to walk inside. “Me neither,” I agree. “I just want this all to be over and done with.” “Don’t we all, RD. Don’t we all.” She pats me on the back and steps inside, before swiftly shutting the door behind us. “Thankfully, you’ll be glad to know that we... requisitioned that royal chariot from the guards. Heh, they weren’t using it.” I manage to crack a smile despite everything. I imagine that the guards were less than happy to find their transport missing. “Which means we’ll be definitely able to infiltrate the Canterlot Castle tomorrow night, under cover of darkness.” She moves towards the window and looks up at the city again. “You sure you ready for it? It ain’t gonna be easy.” “I know it won’t. But you know that I’m ready for this.” AJ sighs and looks down. “I know. I just hope the rest of us are.” I stay silent as I step over next to her, hugging her gently as we both look up at the city on the mountain. There’s no avoiding it. This is going to be the big one. I have to succeed. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I have to convince Queen Twilight to send me home, and to give up whatever is giving her the immense power that she wields. But, for now, it’s time to rest up properly. Tomorrow is judgement day.