Chapter 4 Canterlot has fallen
They had all went back to the Library afterwards, and Twilight had carefully gone over letter. As she finished reading, she looked very worried.
“What’s the news”? Rainbow asked anxiously. “And why do ya look like somepony just ran over your tail”? Applejack added. “I don’t know how to say this but”, Twilight began slowly, “Canterlot been conquered”.
The other members of the mane 6 were taken back at this, while Finn and Jay exchanged looks of concern.
“Conquered”?! Rarity said, her voice sounding deeply concerned, “By whom”?! “By somepony named ‘Draco Coatl”, Twilight answered, looking back over the letter. “Draco”?! The boys exclaimed out of horror.
“Looks like he followed us”, Jay said grimly. “Like we didn’t have enough to worry about”, Finn complained.
In an instant, the 6 mares’ eyes were all fixated on the boys.
“And just who is this ‘Draco’”?! Rainbow Dash asked snappily, not to mention totally getting up in Finn’s face, “And just how is it that you two know him. Are you working for him or something”?
As Rainbows words suddenly struck a word, a wave of repressed anger and hatred suddenly swept over Finn as he glared at the cyan Pegasus.
“You listen here, Rainbow Dash”, His voice was steady but stern as he tried not to lose his cool, “The only thing I hate more than somepony’s snout in my face, is being compared to that low down, traitorous, heartless, monster! Ya got that”?!
“Why, you…”!
As Rainbow was just about to retaliate, Applejack pulled her out of Finn’s face.
“Simmer down Rainbow”, she ordered gently, “They’re not the enemy. But they do seem to know the enemy”.
She trotted up to the young Staff Sergeant, and she looked at him with a serious expression on her face.
“Just what is going on here, sugar”? She asked.
Finn’s eyes darted around. Everyone had the same look on their face. Jay looked over at him and nodded. Finn sighed heavily.
“He’s the son of one of my Dad’s old enemies”, Finn began, “He wasn’t always evil, though. In fact, he was the best warrior in all of Arion, and my teacher. But he was corrupted by his lust for power, and soon led him to delve into the dark arts. He formed the Venom Empire, and created the Mamban Ponies”. “Mamban Ponies”? All six mares said in troubled unison. “It’s hard to describe them but”, Jay said, stepping in, “Imagine Spike with a pony head, but without the mane and with sharp teeth, diamond eyes…”. “And no heart”, Finn said, finishing his comrades sentence.
Finn hung his head down, grief stricken by the retelling of his story. Feelings of empathy and pity struck each one of the mares. Applejack laid a hoof on his shoulder.
"What's wrong, sugar cube”? she asked curiously. “It’s nothing”, Finn said blankly, slowly removing her hoof, “Since then, Jay and I have been dedicated to putting the lid on his evil schemes”. “Twenty Four seven, three sixty five, yo”! Jay declared.
Finn rolled his eyes over to the side, and then slowly headed for the door.
“Come on Jay”, Finn said solemnly, “We’ve got a tyrant to stop, and a kingdom to save”.
Not wanting things to end at that, Twilight quickly ran in front of him and poked her hoof into his chest.
“You two aren’t going in there without us”! Twilight said firmly.
Finn slowly turned his head and removed her hoof.
“He’s here all because of me!” Finn said curtly, “It’s my duty to stop him, so just stay out if it, alright Princess”?!
And without wasting any more time, he stormed out the door. Jay looked at Applejack and the others with guilt; they looked pretty hurt and worried.
“I’m very sorry”, Jay said.
Jay smiled awkwardly, and then rushed out the door to catch up with Finn. As he caught up with him, an angry glare grew across his face.
“That wasn’t the way to deal with that”, Jay said crossly. “They don’t need to be getting involved with us Jay”, Finn replied irately, “You know what he can do”. “I do”, Jay said, “but sometimes you need to accept help when it’s offered to you”. “Listen here”, Finn said sharply, “that monster has already taken too many lives. I won’t stand and watch him take the lives of those innocent mares, or any other pony in this land for that matter”!
They walked the rest of the way home in awkward silence.
The very next morning, the boys headed to the Library, where coincidentally, the girls, minus Pinkie Pie, were already there. They all looked at the 2 boys curiously. Jay nudged Finn, indicating something was up.
“Sorry about last night”, he said slowly, “We could use some extra hooves”.
The 5 mares smiled.
“That’s all well and good, sugar cube”, Applejack said happily, “and don’t worry, it’s all water under the bridge. But how are we gonna get to Canterlot?” “We can’t take the train”, Twilight said perceptively, “they’ll see us coming”. “Which is why we took the liberty of staying up all night making this”!
Jay used his magic to pull up a large Canastota wagon. The 5 ponies marveled at this, while Finn smiled at his handiwork and ingenuity.
“Oh darling, this IS impressive”, Rarity complimented. “Did y’all really make this in one night”? Applejack queried. “I’ve been doing carpentry since I was 5”, Finn confessed, trying to sound as modest as possible, “This was nothing”. “Fascinating”, Twilight examined.
The white earth pony blushed in embarrassment. Soon after the girls boarded the buggy, then set off to take back Canterlot. It wouldn’t be easy; there were only 8 of them, while the Venom Emperor had millions of forces behind him. But they would do all that they could.
Meanwhile, unknown to the 8 friends, Draco was watching their every move through a viewing portal. He grinned vilely.
“So the little prince from the broken line and his little friends think that they can stop me”, he said preempted, twirling Celestia’s chopped off horn, “Well, he has no idea what he’s in for”.