Cadance paced nervously around the train platform. Twilight Sparkle's train hadn't arrived despite the fact that it was due for almost two hours ago. As Cadence looked around she noticed she was almost the only one on the platform. Most other ponies had cleared off when reports of gunfire and murder began pouring in from almost all sectors of the city.
Cadance herself didn't allow herself to be moved by this and instead was determined to be reunited with her old friend. Cadance had experienced something that day, she never had before-hate. While it was true that those ponies who lived in the outskirts of the city weren't exactly warm towards her, their spite had reached new peaks when they started a riot in one of the many bustling market places, after an Equestrian official had been shot.
Cadance had seen them burning likenesses and pictures of both here and her husband. She had felt the pain suffered by the Crystal Ponies, however she couldn't do anything about it-to make them happy would be to set them free, and she wouldn't think what reception she and Shining Armour would receive in Equestria if the sold out their Crystal fiefdom.
Suddenly a ragged looking messenger spilled out onto the platform beside Cadance, he looked up at her with an uneasy expression. She couldn't help but notice the pistol he wore on his belt.
"Princess, you must immediately return to the Crystal Spire, a matter of extreme importance presented itself," he said, panting furiously with sweat dripping from almost every pore.
"I will not leave without Twilight, whatever it is I believe it can wait a few more minutes," the Princess said, trying extremely hard to keep her Royal composure, however her unsure expression betrayed her true feelings.
"My princess, i-it is about Twilight Sparkle," the messenger said, stuttering on almost every word .
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Steel Defiance stared at the alicorn laying before him, even while wounded she was still beautiful, and no less dangerous. The shootout at the train had also netted them seven of the new mark III Equestrian rifles, looting after a firefight was just another of the grim realities of a guerilla war.
"Get up, NOW!" Emerald Impact yelled at the barely conscious Twilight, smashing his rifle butt into her ribcage, he wouldn't normally treat anyone or anything like this, however seeing both friend and foe fall in the fires of war had washed away any compassion he had for his enemies.
"Please.....s-stop," Twilight croaked "I'll go, just p-please stop,"
Her face was bruised and bloodied, Steel just hoped that was from the train derailing and not the rebels venting their fury upon her. Steel had managed to stop most of the attacks before they gained any real momentum, however even he was powerless to stop some of the more furious assaults.
The rebels new base of operations, and holding cell for Twilight, was a derelict factory, destroyed during the Hearth's Warming Rising. It's appeal with the rebels lay in the fact that it's large cellar had remained largely unharmed from the mortar bombardment that had scorched the rest of the building.
Steel Defiance was hunched around a large wooden table with Emerald Impact to his right and Crimson Hazard to his left. There was a map on the table showing the entirety of the Crystal City, with stone markers showing where assassinations and other rebel actions had occurred.
"How many casualties from the operations?" Steel mumbled, his body aching for sleep, as he stared down at the map, ever plotting.
"Barely a scratch, two of our brothers were wounded, but it was nothing serious," Crimson Hazard said, proud with the small group of rebels accomplishments.
"And how many Equestrians?" Steel asked once again in the same monotone voice.
"Twelve Equestrian informants and twenty-seven Equestrian officers and military personnel," Crimson said, his voice losing some of it's joy when he realised his commander wasn't as cheery as he was.
"Very good, soldier, you should be proud. Dismissed," Steel said, his compliment bringing happiness to Crimson Hazard, who soon went off to join the rest of the rebels in the barracks.
After studying the map for some time Steel Defiance looked up at Emerald, telling him to get the cart ready for his brother's visit.
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Cadance's journey back to the palace, was more than just bumpy. Crowds had gathered around the cart, many throwing bricks and stones. Cadance didn't know how to deal with it, after all how does a princess of love deal with hate?
When she finally arrived at the palace she almost collapsed into her husband's arms, the day which had started out so peacefully had now transformed into a maelstrom of hurt for Cadance. She couldn't stop herself from crying as wet streaks moved down her face, she pulled her husband into a warm embrace, neither wanting to break the only safe place either of them would know in the Crystal Empire.
"It'll be better...I promise," Shining said in almost a whisper.
"I know.....i-it's just been hard," Cadance said, finally pulling out of her husband's embrace.
Shining Armour stood up, thrusting his hoof out for his wife to take. After pulling Cadance to her feet, the royal couple proceeded into the council chambers where all executive decisions were made. During the morning the court was bustling with Noble Crystal Ponies and Equestrians alike, it was now empty save for with row upon row of wooden benches.
"I'm sorry but, Twilight was, well-" Shining stuttered before being interrupted by Cadance.
"I know. You know as well as I about what we now have to do now," Cadance spoke in a hushed tone, despite the room being long emptied.
"Yes I know, we must contact Flash Sentry immediately," Shining said in a louder voice.
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Steel Defiance stared mournfully at his brother. He had never truly had time to think back on that fateful day. In all honesty Steel Defiance never truly had much time to think these day either, he had been transformed into a machine, all of his previous empathy and emotion had been substituted with a feeling of fatigue that only a life spent doing wrong deeds could ever bring about.
"I am afraid he is fighting a losing battle, we're not sure how long he has left, months, days, weeks," the surgeon said, sharing Steel's sorrow.
"Thank you doctor, for everything," Steel said to the doctor who took that as his cue to leave.
Steel took the seat next to the stretcher that bore his brother. His brother's hair had lost almost all of it's colour, he was more scrawny and pitiful than Steel had ever seen him. Steel resisted the urge to weep as much as he could but he still could not help but let a single tear caress his cheek as it slid it's way towards the ground.
"Are you okay?" came a weak voice from one of the many tunnels connecting into the room Steel was in. When Steel looked up, he saw a wounded and bound alicorn.
"What, yes I'm f-fine," Steel said, his voice quivering.
"Was he close to you?" Twilight asked to her captor, her voice was strangely reassuring to Steel Defiance.
"He still is," Steel replied, and then with a half-chuckle mockingly said, "Your people's brutality truly know no bounds."
"I promise you Crystal Pony we are not all like you make us out to be, even Cadance and Shining Armour are good ponies," Twilight said almost choking at the mention of her family, "I can show you."
Twilight's last remark took Steel aback somewhat, but when Twilight's horn leapt alive with magic Steel was caught off guard, leaping into action he almost tackled Twilight to the ground until she gave him another reassuring smile, which calmed Steel. After charging her magic she shoot a purple stream of magic into Shattered Dawn, his body began to float slowly off of the stretcher and into the air. A purple whirlwind of magical energy surrounded him, pouring into each one of his wounds.
Only then did Steel Defiance grasp fully what the alicorn standing in front of him was doing. He stood back allowing her all the space and concentration she needed. Eventually, she finally stepped back from Shattered Dawn, and the magic all began returning to her horn, first in a trickle, but then it transformed into a stream.
"W-where am I?" Shattered Dawn asked, pulling himself up off of the stretcher. He could barely comprehend his situation fully before his brother took him into a full embrace.
"I've missed you...Shattered," Steel Defiance rejoiced, crying tears of joy into his brother's shoulder.