The Road to Democracy

by WriteAboutHorses


Royals on the Run

"Alright everypony. The castle in Ponyville has been occupied by the Anti-Monarchists." Rainbow Dash announced to a group of guards she had summoned to the barracks. "I want you to get to Ponyville and arrest them all for treason. They are plotting against the Queen and so, they will be harshly punished."

Scootaloo entered the room wearing her cadet uniform. She whispered something into Rainbow Dash's ear."

"WHAT!? What do you mean the rest of the Royal Guards refuse to perform their duties!?" Rainbow Dash shrieked. "Get to Ponyville on the double!" Rainbow commanded her special group and then flew outside to the training grounds.

"What exactly is going on out here?" The rainbow-maned pegasus asked the first group of guards she saw.

"We refuse to serve Queen Twilight!" Steel Blade, a white-coated unicorn told his superior.

"Excuse me?" Rainbow Dash grew angrier. How dare all of her guards defy not just her's, but the Queen's authority? "As Captain of the Royal Guard I command you to get back to work at once!"

"No." Steel shook his head.

"Is anypony going to back me up!?" Rainbow yelled. All the guards besides Scootaloo took a step back from the Captain. "This cannot be happening. Scootaloo, get me the king ASAP! He'll set everypony straight." Rainbow commanded her cadet and only serving soldier. Scootaloo galloped off into the castle.


Twilight and Flash were accompanying Cadence and Shining Armor to the train station, the Emperor and Empress were returning to the Crystal Empire.

"We wish we could stay and help you out with what's going on, really we do, but we've gotten word that there are rebels in the Crystal Empire too." Shining Armor explained.

"I understand, a ruler's own kingdom always comes first." Twilight sighed.

"Sorry we had to cut our visit short, Twilight." Cadence comforted the younger alicorn. "When this is all over we'll come back and continue, okay?"

"Have a safe trip." Flash said as the couple boarded their private train to the Empire. The Imperial Couple waved as the train pulled away from Canterlot Station and towards Northern Equestria.

"Your majesties!" Scootaloo cried as she arrived at the station. The teenage pegasus panted as she stopped beside the King and Queen.

"Scootaloo?" Twilight asked. "What are you doing here?"

"The Captain requests the presence of the King as soon as possible, the guards are rebelling!" Scootaloo informed them.

"The guards!?" Twilight gasped.

"Not them too!" Flash galloped away with Scootaloo, Twilight was flying close behind.


"Halt!" The pair of guards outside the entrance to the castle blocked the door with their wings.

"What do you mean halt!?" Flash growled. "We are the King and Queen. Let us in!"

"By order of the Captain of the Royal Guard, nopony is allowed enter the caslte, royalty or otherwise."

"Rainbow said that?" Twilight asked.

"Rainbow Dash is no longer in charge of the Royal Guard. The orders came from Captain Steel Blade." The guard on the right said.

"What in the name of Faust is going on!?" Flash stomped his hoof. "As the King of Equestria I demand entrance to the castle at once!"

The doors suddenly burst open as Rainbow Dash flew out quickly followed by Scootaloo. The two mares grabbed Twilight and Flash and fled the castle.

"Rainbow, what's going on?" Twilight asked the pony carrying her.

"It's not safe in Canterlot anymore. Heck, I don't even think it's safe in Equestria now." The rainbow-maned pegasus sighed.

"Rainbow and I decided that the best thing to do is hide out until all this dies down." Scootaloo continued.

"Stop them! All 4 of them are under arrest!" Steel Blade yelled from the ground as a group of pegasi launched into the air after the escapees.

"They're gaining!" Flash cried. He shot a beam from his horn at one guard, who whirled out of control and crashed into the castle.

Rainbow positioned herself behind Scootaloo, then flew off at top speed, pushing Scootaloo in front of her and leaving the pursuing guard dazed and confused.


"We'll make camp here." Rainbow said as she landed in a wooded area south of the border. Not only were they out of the Royal Guard's jurisdiction, nopony would find them.

Twilight and Flash conjured up two tents. One for the two of them, and another for Rainbow and Scootaloo.

Flash removed his crown and used a fire spell to scorch it slightly.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked.

"I'm going to lead the guards away. If I leave my crown here looking this rough, they might think we were ambushed. You should do the same." The former King said.

"I don't know..." Twilight took her crown off and looked at it. It was the same crown she had been given after she returned the Elements of Harmony so many years ago. She refused to accept a new, bigger crown after becoming Queen. The gemstones at the top of each prong sparkled from the light of the rising moon. Twilight lit her horn.

"You ok Twilight?" Flash asked. Twilight's crown was enveloped in flames. Tears falling from the fallen Queen's eyes. She quenched the fire. The shiny gold crown was reduced to a sooty black piece of bent metal. Twilight dropped it on the ground and walked right over it. She had lost. Equestria didn't want her, so they forced her to leave.

"Twi!" Flash walked over to his wife. "I know this is hard, but we will get through this. I promise."

"I don't know, Flash. Equestria hates me. They'll never want me back." Twilight sobbed.

"Twilight. You have a baby on the way. Life is inside you. If you want this baby to be born healthy you can't be getting stressed and upset. Don't do it for me, don't do it for Equestria, do it for our foal, Twilight." Flash kissed his beautiful wife and rubbed her belly.

"I'll try...." Twilight murmured.