//------------------------------//
// The Royal Pardon 
// Story: The Mane 6 Finally Find Their Stallions 
// by RainbowBlitzkrieg 
//------------------------------//

	“Get your hands off me. We did nothing to be condoned,” Blitz fought against the restraining grip of Solaris, Artemis, Dusk Shine, and AJ as they walked him off the train.
“Yes, you did,” Solaris whispered to Blitz, pulling Blitz’s hood, as well as his own hood, over his head. The other royals followed suit, and soon the Ponyville friends took the lead as to not cause too much of a spectacle.
“Friendship and Harmony canst live amongst violence and destruction,” Artemis hissed at Blitz as he kept his grip on their prisoner.
“I had to,” Blitz struggled, “if it weren’t them it would have certainly been all of you. ‘The death of a few to save many.’” Blitz tried to look at Artemis with an air of remorse but caught Dusk’s eyes instead, and Blitz’s eyes were only met with sadness from his friend’s.
AJ yanked a little as Blitz’s boots caught the dirt, “Could you at least walk?”
“How about I walk with you instead of being your prisoner?” Blitz barked, but shied away from the confused look AJ gave him.
Artemis had never seen his star pupil act like this and it worried him as well as his brother. “We should just let him walk, he could have teleported away by now.”
Solaris looked to his brother in surprise, but agreed nevertheless. “We should, then we could get to the town hall quicker,” the Prince looked to the clear blue sky, but knew that the storm on the horizon would reach them soon.
All four of the stallions let Blitz take his footing, but kept a wary eye as Blitz dusted off his robes. Dusk put a hand on Blitz’s shoulder, “Look, you try to teleport or anything and we are--”
Blitz raised his hand to Dusk to cut him off, “I highly doubt the Prince of Friendship could harm his friend. Rest assured, though, we won’t deceive you nor run, why should we?” Blitz looked to his friend and gave a small smile.
Dusk was about to say something when Pinkie and Bubbles hopped over to break up the ring of whispers. Pinkie started waving at the on-looking humans as Bubbles brought the five stallions to reality, “Guys, your stopped in the middle of the road, what gives? A bunch of hooded clerics starting a party or something? Come on, ponies are watching.” Bubbles hopped back to Fluttershy and Butterscotch as Pinkie took that as her queue to start on her way to Sugar Cube Corner.
“Pinkie? Where are you going?” Twilight asked.
“Sugar Cube Corner, of course! We can’t fight on empty stomachs,” Pinkie skipped on her way and soon Bubbles joined her.
Twilight sighed, “Typical Pinkie Pie.” A few more steps brought her and her friends to the doors of the town hall, and Twilight was about to knock when Mayor Mare pushed open the doors.
“Twilight! You’re all back. Please, come in. Everypony has been gathered here since the ‘change.’” Mayor Mare led them inside the hall and to everyone’s surprise it seemed as if all of Ponyville was crammed inside the building: figuring out what the hay was going on, how to use these “fingers”, or just confused in general.
Blitz closed the doors after letting the few people from the streets enter, “So, you all are here to figure out what to do?”
“No, more on how this all happened as well.” Mayor Mare whispered to Blitz, “Everypony is pretty traumatized; not just by the change, but by the fact that there are two of everypony, now.”
Blitz and the other hooded royals removed their hoods and everyone in the room bowed as awkwardly as they stood, even Mayor Mustang almost dropped his tea.
“Please, my subjects, rise and know that this problem will all be made clear.” Artemis looked to Luna and Blitz for some help with the speech.
Blitz took Twilight’s hand and whispered, “They look up to you, not me.
“But apparently you know more than me, and you’re a Prince.” Twilight looked at the awaiting mass and gulped, “You say something.”
“They don’t know I’m royal yet, so do what you can and I’ll step in when you see fit, your highness.” Blitz bowed and moved over between Dash and Luna, putting his arm around Sapphire.
Twilight gulped and began, “Everypony, we hope that you all have been able to cope and situate yourselves with each other. In the coming days we will be able to teach all of you what’s really been happening, but for now we only need to learn the basics.” She turned to Blitzkrieg and waved him forward, “My friend, Blitz, will be able to explain everything here at length.”
Blitz gave Sapphire a pat on the shoulder and let her go, into Luna’s care, as he stepped forward. He fixed his belt, “My fellow ‘humans’,” he started, letting the murmurs die away, then continued, “our worst fears are upon us. War has come to Equestria and it has started in the Crystal Kingdom.” There were enraged sobs and gasps as the news settled in, and Blitz continued. “King Sombra is at its helm, there, but I fear that the rest of our enemies are about to make their own side to the war.”
Princess Mi Amor Cadenza stepped forward, “Queen Chrysalis and her changeling army are in league with Sombra as well.”
There were more gasps, then someone spoke up, her black and white Mohawk able to be seen rising as she got up. “These dark deeds have been strewn, but fight we must, and soon.” Zecora, in her traditional dress and rings, came to the centre of the hall, followed by a man baring the same hair and rings as well.
“Changelings can take many form, but we shall make a brew to warn.” Zecoro bowed to the royals, followed by Zecora as well.
Shining Amour bowed to them, in return, as they returned to their spots amongst the group.
Zecora and Zecoro then stopped midway to their seats and turned to Blitz, speaking in unison, “To be disguised is to not be kind, but the truth of royal blood should be heard, in due time.” The hall was silent again as the two former zebras took their seats.
Blitz screwed up his face and was met with astonished looks from his friends as well. “How did they know,” he thought, “their cauldron must be more powerful then imagined.” Blitz shook the thoughts away and looked to the group again, “Just like Zecora and Zecoro, everyone will need to play a part in the coming war. From factory to fighting.”
There were murmurs again, then a little girl called out from under her mother’s arm, “The Doctor will save us,” but was quieted by her mother soon afterwards.
Dusk Shine and Twilight Sparkle looked to one another, confused. “Isn’t that what Blitz called himself, back there?” Twilight whispered to Dusk.
“Yeah, but how does somepony else know?” Dusk replied.
The murmuring started again as the crowd looked around for the girl that belonged to the voice, and Blitz turned to Celestia for help. He knew no one would listen to him, yet.
Luna took the opportunity and used her royal tone, “My subjects, please be silent for Blitz.” The yell cut the din of murmurs to a single whisper, then it was silent again. She looked to Blitz and smiled, which he returned.
Blitz bowed to Luna, next, then addressed the audience again as he weaved through the group, “Who is the little girl that hath spake?” Blitz gave acknowledging nods and smiles to the grouped humans and then a little girl tugged on his robe. He turned to see Dopey, Derpy, and the little girl on Derpy’s lap.
“I-I did, sir,” the little girl squeaked, then hid her face in Derpy’s side, out of embarrassment.
“Sorry, she didn’t really mean it. It’s just, we haven’t seen the Doctor for a long while,” Derpy looked down at Blitz as he crouched on his haunches.
Blitz smiled to Derpy, but the smile soon faded after kissing her hand, “I know, my Professor has been gone a while too.” He patted the little girl’s shoulder to get her to look at him, “Ditzy? You miss him, don’t you?”
The little girl, her cheeks red with embarrassment, turned to Blitz and nodded.
“Well, I’m probably never going to be able to step into his shoes, but I can tell you that his TARDIS and title are safe with me,” he smiled to the girl.
Ditzy cocked her head in confusion, “You are a Time Lord too?”
Blitz nodded, “You can call me, ‘The’ Doctor, if you want. Until he comes back, he entrusted me with his duties.” Blitz then thought a little, then smiled as he snapped his fingers, “And he gave me something, for you to have.” With a glow, of magic, from Blitz’s hand, a patchwork scarf appeared around Ditzy’s neck.
Ditzy cuddled the fabric as if an old friend and a lump formed in Derpy’s throat. Dopey consoled the mother as he saw Ditzy give Blitz a hug around the neck, affecting sighs from the crowd.
“Thank you, Doctor.” Ditzy smiled as she went back to cuddling the scarf.
Blitz smiled back and then went back to the front of the room, “Yes, you may call me the Doctor, for I save people. Yes, that was magic I used, for I’m an alicorn.”
There were astonished looks from the crowd and murmurs, then the question aroused from the mass, “Is he royalty?”

There were questions upon questions, no answers in sight. Time was extended by Shining Armour’s might; with Cadence to empower him, the stallion’s magic grew, and soon a protective bubble was placed around the hall and the town too. 
“That should keep them out,” Shining acknowledged his work as he held Cadence close.
“Do you think the changeling will be the only ones?” Cadence looked up to Shining as she leaned on him.
“I doubt it, but until they come, we better get ready,” Shining looked back over at the mass swarming Blitz and his sister. Questions had been answered, but not the important ones and that made Shining wonder if Blitz was withholding something, for sweat beaded down the stallion’s brow.
Blitz finally spoke above the din, soft in tone, and impressively spoke what was on Shining’s, the royals’, and the Ponyville friends’ minds, “We must prepare for war. There is no other way and who bloody cares if I’m royal? I’m going to die as your kin anyway, so what is a title in life when in death we are all the same?” The room fell quiet and Blitz straightened his robes, “Now, we need a battle plan to keep ourselves alive, right now.” Dash started to salute and Blitz barked at her, “And don’t anyone dare salute me, nor call me ‘Prince’. I hate being saluted and I don’t think myself any different than the smallest pony here. Got that?”
Dash gulped and put her hand down, a new pride for her Blitzie now growing.
“Then I propose we start training,” Shining rose from his seat and adjusted his shoulder armour.
“Excellent. Gather those who are able to fight, Shining,” Blitz gave a nod. Scootaloo and Scooteroll both stood up, but then Blitz added, “But, I don’t think we can allow colts and fillies on the front lines.” He looked at them both as the two kids slowly slide back into their seats.
“Maybe we should send out scrolls to the surviving towns,” Cadence added.
Twilight and Dusk both stepped up, in unison of footing and speech, “And we’ll deliver them.” They both looked at each other, flustered a little at the situation.
Solaris got the room’s attention, “Then it is settled, the Element Bearers shall take the messages while the rest of us prepare.” He, unconsciously, put his hand in Celestia’s, fearing his own statement.
“Then it’s settled, we take the train,” Twilight gathered her friends as the others looked on in confusion of the swaying robes.
“I-I don’t like this p-plan,” Fluttershy squeaked.
“Yeah, exactly how are we going keep everypony, we find, safe?” Apple Jack asked.
“With our secret weapon,” Dusk Shine gestured to Rainbow Blitzkrieg as he said the final word.
“Then we’ll start on our designs,” Rarity clapped, giddily, and hooked her arm with Elusive’s.
“Uh, what?” Twilight asked.
Rarity gave a flick of her wrist, “Posh, Darling. You don’t suppose use to go around in these, do you?” Rarity tugged at her robe’s sleeve
“I’ll start making the new mannequins and templates,” Elusive zipped out the doors with his brilliant idea, so fast it would have made Bubbles and Pinkie drop their jaws.
“I don’t know,” Twilight questioned.
“I would find it much appreciated if I didn’t have to fight in these here robes. Too, poufy.” Apple Jack added, affecting nods from everyone except Blitz.
“I don’t--” Twilight began, but was stopped by Rarity’s hand on her mouth.
“Wouldn’t it be counterintuitive if we showed up in these…garbs?” Rarity asked, making a disgusted face at the thought.
“Well, I guess--” Twilight got interrupted again.
“Then it’s settled. Come along, Spikey Wikey, work is to be done,” Rarity turned on her heels and started off to her boutique, with Spike at her heels and Spines following to keep the former dragon from floating away as he swooned over Rarity, again.
“Oh, brother.” Blitz shook his head, “Three hours, tops, and we head out.” He pulled his hood on again and walked off, leaving everyone to question his authority and the tears that were in his eyes.