//------------------------------// // Part 1: The Raid // Story: A Different Sunset // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// Part 1: The Raid 18 years later An old, abandoned factory outside Manehattan Chaos and Harmony are like yin and yang. They are the complete opposites, but one can’t survive without the other.  They flow and twist around one another in an intricate dance. That doesn’t stop them from butting heads, though. Like today for example. Field Marshal Shining Armor walked along the sides of the old building, being careful to not cause a ruckus. It was early morning, so the low light played in his favor. He was donned in his full body, purple marked, golden armor with purple markings, indicating his superior rank and a pronounced galea adorned atop his head. A sword rested on his side, preparing him for whatever may come. Fifteen soldiers followed close behind: nine swordsponies, four pikescolts, and two musketeers. Muskets weren’t terribly reliable weapons, but they did the job they were made for. The swordsponies and pikescolts wore full-body golden armor with their standard galea. The Musketeers wore a golden, stylized cloth uniform and a tri-cornered hat. Though this gave them less protection, it allowed them to be light and swift, which they needed to be, since it took a while to reload each shot. They carried two pouches, one on each side, bulging with ammunition. Not that long ago, there had been reports of ponies going missing. At first it was left in the hooves of the local law enforcement. Gangs were known to dabble in a little kidnapping now and again, so the royal guard weren’t needed. It was only after authorities found a couple of chaos cultist cackling as they painted the walls of an inn with the blood of a slain mare did the truth get out. Of course, something like this wouldn’t usually warrant Shining’s involvement. There were plenty of other capable officers and Inquisitors. Hay, he knew that the Sisters of Vengeance would love to crack some heretic’s skull. But the cultists, in their insane ramblings, had mentioned something. Something extremely awful. Shining Armor turned to his troops. “Be careful. Reports indicate they have a blood magi with them.” He saw a couple of them shudder. With good reason.   Blood magi were powerful chaos sorcerers. Those ponies were nothing but skin and bones, only being kept alive by their wicked warp magic. As their name implied, they had to have blood to use their magic. Since they had none of their own, they were long robes, with several empty gems. Each one housed enough blood for a few spells. They would drain ponies dry, refilling their crystals, or trying an incantation on the spot with the resource. ‘Damned chaos nutjobs.’ He thought. ‘This world would be a lot better if they didn’t exist at all.’ The early morning air was sweet, but carried a hint of death. A hint he and his soldiers caught. They knew that some of them wouldn’t be coming back, but they had to do this. Death in the name of Celestia brought no higher honor. His small force quickly made it to the back door, positioning themselves on each side. Shining took a spot on the right, nearest the door. On the door was the eight pointed star of chaos. Each arrow was a different color, looking like a rainbow. He would have thought that this was a trap, but he knew better. Chaos cultists were stupid. Shining Armor closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He needed a cool head if they were going to do this right. He released his breath and looked over at the stallion on the other side. He nodded. The soldier nodded back. Shining used his magic to push the door away and quickly rushed in, his troops not far behind. He sent a ball of light up into the air, illuminating the place. “IN THE NAME OF CELESTIA, YOU WILL….” His shouting stopped the moment he looked around. Bodies lied everywhere. While this was a normal sight when dealing with cultists of chaos, something was different. It was the cultists’ bodies they were seeing strewn about. “Captain, did the cultists go off the deep end and kill each other?” One of the soldiers asked. Shining shook his head. “If they did, the bodies wouldn’t be intact. And there would be blood and guts strewn everywhere.” Which was the exact opposite of this scene. Yes, there was tons of graffiti on the walls and floors. Even the cultists were painted all over and wore several pieces of differing clothing. Yet, the bodies were intact, if not broken. Several had their necks snapped and a few had a gaping hole in their chest. The wounds weren’t bleeding, so Shining assumed it was done by magic. Magic attacks tend to cauterize the wound as soon as they struck, unless the spell was designed otherwise. “Be on the lookout for any unicorns.” Shining told his troops. “Yes, sir.” They answered back. Before they could go any further, the sound of somepony crying echoed from their right. Thinking it to be somepony taken hostage, Shining quickly poured a little more magic into the sphere of light above him. The light grew stronger, revealing more of the room. There, several hooves away, was a crying Earth pony mare. She was slouched over, staring down at a fallen cultist. Shining Armor wanted to go comfort her, but he stopped himself. He saw the tattered clothes and paint splashed over her body. ‘Looks like whoever went through here missed one.’ Shining Armor looked back at his troops. They stood at attention, save for the musketeers who kept their muskets trained on the cultist, using their legs to keep balance.  “Orders, sir?” “Stand down. We need information on whoever slaughtered these cultists.” “So we can throw them a party, sir?” One of the soldiers joked. Shining glared at the mare, before heading on over to the cultist. “You’re dead. Why are you dead? Speak friend. We have so much chaos to do.” The mare rambled on between her heartwrenching sobs. “Ma’am?” Shining stopped a few hooves away from her. Just enough time to draw his sword if she attacked. The cultist looked back at him. She first looked confused, but then she brightened up. “A friend!” She shouted, alive with glee. She stood up and faced him. “A new friend is here. Chaos always has friends, ‘cause chaos is fun. Isn’t chaos fun?” Her smile nearly split her face. Shining Armor had to stop himself from just beheading the heretic. ‘Don’t kill her. I need information.’ “Do you know what happened here?” Instantly, she became downtrodden. “Mean shadow pony. Mean shadow pony hurt friends. Mean shadow pony no want friends.” She perked up, smiling madly. “But mean shadow pony no hurt me. And now I have new friends to play with. We can go dancing, painting…OOH! Let’s go stabbing. I like stabbing. Most ponies don’t like stabbing, but its fun I tell you.” Shining ignored her ramblings. ‘Mean shadow pony? What the hay could that mean?’ Of course, his inner monologue were cut short. For a shadowy magical tendril wrapped around the mare’s throat and hoisted her away, causing her to yelp in shock. Shining Armor and his soldiers looked over to see the mare struggling in mid-air within the tendril’s grasp. There, standing on a metal catwalk suspended above, was a black cloaked pony. A squarish, dark blue snout could be seen through the hood. “Tut tut, I’m getting sloppy.” The pony, apparently a stallion, said to himself. “I missed one.” “Unhoof her!” Shining Armor shouted. He needed her alive. She was the only one who knew what happened here….And he would be lying if he said he didn’t care for her safety. Watching her looking so scared, struggling in the air, wasn’t easy. “I’ll get to you in a moment.” The mysterious stallion coolly remarked. “I have a soul to collect.” “No!” The mare grew frantic, crying her eyes out. “Mean shadow pony came back. He take friends. Please don’t take me too. I have new friends to do chaos with. I want to have fun. Please let me have fun. PLEASE!...” A sickening snap split the air and the mare went limp. Shining was utterly shocked by what just happened. A part of him wanted to thank the shadow pony, but now…’That mare didn’t deserve that.’ He clenched his jaws. Her pitiful pleas rang in his ears. Just as much as that sickening snap. Out from the mare’s mouth came a small purple flame. “There we go.” The stallion seemed quite pleased with himself, as the flame floated into an outstretched hoof. “I won’t be needing this anymore.” He threw the mare’s body away like it was a piece of garbage. “This soul shall make an excellent tribute to her majesty.” He smiled at the flame. “In Celestia’s name, you will stand down and submit yourself to us!” Shining shouted up to him. The thought of ordering one of the musketeers to take this new pony down crossed his mind. But again, he knew he needed this pony alive. “Oh, I don’t think I will.” The flame in his hoof disappeared. “I have things to do. Very important things.” “You have committed several instances of murder.” Shining stated. “While they may have been heretics, the act of taking one’s soul is a sin. You must stand down or we will bring you down.” The stallion laughed. “I am so scared of the false Princess’s lackeys. I might pee myself in a moment.” His barking laughter filled the room. One of the musketeers took aim and fire. A loud bang and large amount of smoke followed suite. The bullet just clanked off a magical barrier that surrounded the pony. The stallion frowned. “Well that was rude.” “That was a warning shot.” The stallion soldier shouted at him. He cocked the hammer back and took out a paper cartridge from one of the pouches on his sides. “The next one will pierce that shield of yours.” “I am trembling.” The stallion smirked. “But enough pleasantries. I have something important to say.” “You can save it for the interrogations.” Shining Armor countered. “I’m sure the Inquisition will love to hear what you have on your mind.” “I’m sure they do.” The stallion nodded. “But back to my message. Tell them that the real ruler of Equestria is returning.” And with that said, he took out a dagger and threw it down at them. Shining, having been trained most of his life, already knew it wouldn’t hit him. So he didn’t flinch when it stabbed the ground in front of his hooves. Instead, he quickly fired off a blast of his magic at the intruder, who vanished in a whiff of smoke, leaving nothing but insane cackling in his wake. Shining Armor beat the ground with a hoof, growling in frustration. “That bastard!” He shouted. “Sir…You might want to see the dagger.” One of the troops, a mare, spoke up. Shining followed her advice. What he saw surprised him. At the end of the dagger sat a black flag with a blotch of purple and a crescent moon in the center. ________________________________________________________________________________ Later that day, inside the throne room Celestia levitated the knife with her magic, looking at it keenly. “And that’s what happened?” Shining Armor, still wearing his armor, was kneeling several hooves away from her. “Yes, your majesty.” Celestia leaned backward into her throne. She closed her eyes and sighed. Her mind wandered about the room to the three other figures residing there. The first was the pony before her, Field Marshal Shining Armor. Born of a wealthy noble family, Shining Armor had everything he ever wanted. He could have easily ended up like so many of the other noble brats. He was naturally talented and had charming looks. Yet, instead he joined the guard and pushed himself harder than most ponies had ever done in all of history. Which was why he was the youngest Field Marshal she had ever appointed. His magic surpassed most. Not surprising really, Celestia noted. His ancestor, Starswirl the Bearded, was the first in a long line of powerful magi that the family produced. Not to mention his lovely manners. All in all, she could see why her niece had the hots for him. To her right, in a more plain but still intricate throne, sat High Inquisitor Fervent. He was the leading member of Celestia’s organization, the Celestial Holy Inquisition, or CHI to put it shortly.  He was a middle aged, brown unicorn stallion with a darker brown mane, which was mostly covered by his broad, golden hat. He himself wore a sophisticated gold attire. Fervent, like all Inquisitors, was extremely loyal to her…Actually, more so than others. Celestia knew of several instance he nearly executed ponies for talking ill of her and her regime. Though, in most those instances, he was overreacting. It was a problem of his that Celestia hadn’t been able to dissuade. His cutie mark, which was hidden underneath his clothing, was the sun with a open book inside. The last member, sitting in a multi-colored throne, was Chief. He was a blonde, orange maned Earth pony, a few decades older than Fervent, given the amount of gray hairs on him. Chief was the leader of the loyalist chaos faction. Of course, many ponies hated the idea of working with chaos, but Celestia deemed it necessary. For the most part, they were harmless. Chief and his ilk were fun loving, pranksters. Yes, they stirred up quite a bit of trouble, but it was nothing she couldn’t manage, and she was delighted that some ponies could break out of the set norm. Faust knew that she was tired of it sometimes. Said leader was splayed out on the throne, legs set over the arm and back to the other. He was currently paying more attention to the spinning top on his hoof than the conversation. His cutie mark was a normal, red kazoo. Princess Celestia opened her eyes. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Field Marshal. You may leave.” Shining Armor quickly stood at attention and saluted. Celestia returned his salute and then dismissed it, allowing the stallion to depart. Once he was gone, Fervent spoke up. “You don’t really believe this tale, do you, Princess?” Before she could respond, Chief spoke up. “Why shouldn’t she? The Field Marshal wouldn’t lie about something like this.” Fervent scoffed. “But seriously. A Warlock? There haven’t been any servants of Nightmare in Equestria for over nine hundred years. We wiped them out.” “Apparently I didn’t do a good job of it.” Celestia’s tone was somber. She didn’t like to think of those times of bloodshed. She told herself that it was necessary, but her long life held so much regret. “No, Your Majesty.” Fervent quickly spoke up. “You would never make such a mistake.” “We all make mistakes.” Celestia told him. If there was one thing she found most annoying about her worshippers, it was the fact they put her on such a high pedestal. “Even gods.” “Mistakes make life interesting, your majesty.” Chief was currently balancing the spinning top on the tip of his snout. “Can’t live without ‘em.” “But our majesty doesn’t make mistakes.” Fervent hissed. “The Inquisition would have surely weeded out any workings of the shadow realm. This was most likely the work of some vigilante, or another chaos magi.” Chief stopped his trick to look straight at him, the top falling into his seat. “This was not the work of chaos. I would know. I sent some of my best experts over there and they made sure of it.” Celestia buried her face in his hooves. ‘Again?’ The Inquisition and the chaos loyalists always butted heads, in and out of court. After thousands of years, it still wore on her. Fervent sneered. “Be it as it may, there is still the issue of this rogue set of cultists. How do we know that the lot of you aren’t planning something? How do we know this isn’t just some twisted game of yours to take down our goddess?” Chief gasped. “How dare you accuse us of pulling something like this! We would never betray Celestia. Obviously these individuals were just snorting some warp dust. That gets ponies a little loopy.” “A little loopy?!!” Fervent snarled. “Thirty innocent ponies were found dead, slain in some wicked daemon summoning attempt. Ponies don’t just do that because they’re a ‘little loopy’.” “GENTLECOLTS!” Celestia rarely used the Royal Canterlot Voice, but now was a good time to do so. They were getting off topic, and what’s worse, they were flat out ignoring her presence. ‘The ponies I surround myself with.’ “Stop this at once.” “He started it!” They both shouted, pointing their hooves at each other. “I don’t care who started it,” Celestia glared at them both. “I want you to finish it.” The two crossed their forehooves and pouted. “Now, apologize….Don’t make me punish you.” Celestia’s tone was that of a mother scolding a misbehaving child. “Fine!” They threw their hooves up in agitation. “I’m sorry.” “Now,” Celestia smiled warmly at them. “Isn’t that better?” She was met only with silence. ‘Children. Ponies can be such children, even in their adult years.’ “Let us return to the situation at hoof.” She turned her attention to the High Inquisitor. “What do you suggest we do?” Celestia already knew what she wanted to be done, but she liked hearing other opinions. “I would suggest a thorough investigation into the Manehattan branch of the cultists of chaos.” Fervent stated. “We would need to do a background check on any and all ponies who worship Discord.” The Inquisitors face showed disgust with uttering the name. “Searching through their homes and workplaces may lead to some results. As well as some interrogations of the leaders of the city’s branch.” “That’s unreasonable.” Chief was nearly foaming in rage. “You can’t just barge into their homes and livelihoods. Their citizens of this country like everypony else.” “Need I remind you that some of them went on a murder spree just a few days ago?” Fervent narrowed his eyes. “Warp dust I tell you!” “SILENCE!” Celestia barked. “You are getting off track again. Inquisitor, you are allowed to go through with this-” Before Chief could respond, she put in. “-But you must work with Lord Chief and his associates at all times.” Fervent’s face scrunched up as if he had just took a whiff of something truly putrid. “Agreed.” He relented. Celestia knew he wouldn’t disobey an order from her. “Good.” Celestia sighed with relief. “But what of this shadow magic?” Fervent asked. “I already have things set in motion, High Inquisitor.” Celestia told him. “You need not worry. Now, off with you two.” She watched the two leave their seats, muttering curses against one another. “And remember, friendship is magic.” “Yeah, yeah.” Chief shot back. Fervent looked like he was about to kill him for speaking to her like that. “FRIENDSHIP! IS! MAGIC!” Celestia barked, causing the two to quickly huddle together and smile back at her. “Good.” With that, she used her magic to teleport herself back into her private study. The white alicorn walked over to a stand that had an open book. She stopped and looked at the picture on the page. Her face wore resolution. “I will right this wrong, my sister. And I know just the ponies to do it.” Just then, a note appeared above her head. She quickly caught it with her magic. “A letter from Sunset?” She opened it up and sped through it. She smiled. “You’re smarter than I could ever imagine, my dear.” Quickly, she summoned two pre-done scrolls. “Destinies are to be fulfilled this night.” The scrolls vanished. “I just hope I don’t regret this.”