After two days of rough sailing, thick clouds had completely covered the sky over the Siren's Madness, and light snow fell as far as the eye could see. Despite the poor visibility, Captain Coral Drifter had assured Shining that they were making good time. Apparently, the wind was on their side, and Equestria's coast would be visible within the hour. Not that Shining could see anything on the horizon besides darkness.
Shining breathed the cold night air. He often found himself enjoying the view on deck when he felt the need to reflect. Most of the sailors were friendly enough, and Coral Drifter never lacked for questions about Twilight, Cadance, or the details of his life. As for Pinkie, she spent most of her time trying to get through to Rainbow. On the few occasions when she left the captain's cabin, she complained that both of her friends were too quiet. Rainbow rarely ever spoke, but flew around the ship as often as she could, cursing whenever she struggled against the powerful winds.
Twilight had yet to leave the cabin. She had her meals brought to her, and refused to talk to anyone. When Shining tried asking her what was wrong, she told him that she needed time. According to Pinkie, all she did was read books and take notes. The Captain's cabin had quite a few tomes, and Twilight was particularly interested in astronomy. I suppose she needs a distraction, Shining thought. It can't be easy, having the war and everything else that's happened thrust upon her.
Coral Drifter was observing something in the distance with her spyglass. Shining walked to her. "Can you even spot anything between the snow and the darkness?" he asked.
"You get used to it," she said. She handed the spyglass to Shining. "Here, take a look. You should be able to see a faint light in the distance."
Shining did as instructed. He first saw nothing but white speckles of snow in a black expense, but after a moment's concentration, he managed to see hints of a large glowing object. The specifics were impossible to make out. "I think I see something."
"That's Manehattan," Coral said as she took back her spyglass. "We should arrive in a few hours. I just hope your friend is right and we don't get sunk the moment we come into view."
"Are things really that bad?"
Coral sighed. "We were told to stay away from Manehattan after it passed on to Cloudsdale's control. I heard stories of ships being sunk for facilitating trade with Griffingard, but nothing substantial."
"We should be fine," Shining said, although he didn't fully believe it himself. "You might want to fly the white flag to stay on the safe side. We should at least be able to talk to them before we dock. If anything, we should warn them that Twilight is on board."
Coral nodded, then stretched her neck. Her eyes lit up as she glanced behind Shining. "Speaking of, here she comes."
Shining turned his head and found Twilight groggily making her way out of the captain's cabin. "Thank you for the talk, Captain," he said before walking to his sister. "Twily. I was wondering when you'd leave the cabin."
"I think I did everything I could," Twilight said, fatigue evident in her voice.
"The captain says we'll reach Manehattan in a few hours. What were you doing locked up in there anyway?"
"Working on insurance," Twilight said. She stared into the distance, her tone flat and somehow grim. "I'd rather not talk about it for now, and I hope I don't need to use it."
"Use what?"
"A new spell. As I said, if things go sour, I'd rather have a backup plan."
Shining nodded. "Alright, I won't pry."
"It's appreciated," Twilight said with a weak smile as she turned to face her brother. "I've had enough of Pinkie pestering me with questions."
"I'm surprised you got any work done," Shining said with a chuckle.
"She actually got Rainbow asking questions and pestering me, too. If bothering me while I work can help Rainbow get better, then I can tolerate it."
Shining shook his head as he smiled. "I'm glad things are starting to get back to normal. Anyway, speaking of Pinkie, has she told you about her windigo theory?"
"She has," Twilight said. "She seems convinced that they're back."
"They're just a myth though. They can't be real. Otherwise, we'd see an impromptu winter whenever two towns feud over land."
"Nightmare Moon was once considered a myth, too," Twilight said, her eyes again trained in the distance. "Legends have a way of distorting reality. It could be that windigos aren't simply spirits of disharmony."
"They're spirits of war," Shining completed in a low voice.
"They could very well be," Twilight said as she leaned against the ship's railing. "For all the good Princess Celestia did, she had an annoying tendency to turn history into fables. It gets hard to figure out the truth."
Shining observed the sea with his sister for a moment. The water was silent, and the waves relatively small. The calm before the storm. Shining took a deep breath and returned his attention to Twilight. "Have you decided what you want to do?"
"I have to take the throne," Twilight said, staring at the water. "And I'll have to do it in a way that gives ponies hope. It's not usually my style, but I might have to go for a grand entrance. Knowing Rarity, she probably prepared the nobility for my eventual return. As for the Cloudsdale army, I imagine they won't have a choice."
Shining scratched his head. "What do you mean? With Luna declaring eternal night, I would imagine they're as desperate as ever. Whatever you think you knew about Luna, she's responsible for a lot of horrors."
"Pinkie told me," Twilight said as she averted her eyes. "There is one thing Luna would never do though, and that's create eternal night. To her, it would mean being Nightmare Moon again."
Shining gasped. "You think that she fell back to her old ways?"
Twilight shook her head. "I think it's more likely she's dead, Shining. Maybe somepony in Cloudsdale didn't want to support her rule; she could be demanding as a ruler. Or maybe Captain Silvermane managed to send an assassin. From what I've seen of her, she seems the type."
"I know what you're thinking," Shining said. "Naming her as my successor was a mistake. I should have known better."
"I was always curious about that," Twilight said as Manehattan's lights were coming into view. "Why did you choose her? I imagine there was a good reason."
"Ironically, I thought she could prevent something like this. She was always vigilant, and always serious. The grim reality that we royal guards had to face was that our precious Equestrian peace could crumble at any time."
Twilight's face remained unreadable. "And you wanted a successor who could make the hard decisions."
"I just never thought she'd actually be the one to start the war. Back when I was the captain of the guards, she always made plans for the unthinkable. It was actually her who suspected Canterlot might get attacked while I was too busy thinking about my wedding."
Twilight took a deep breath. "I don't think Equestria will be able to afford to remain naive in the future. After I take the throne, I'd like your advice on how to keep the nation secure."
Shining nodded. "Whatever happens, this Griffingard problem won't just go away. I think you're making the right choice."
Twilight's expression turned into a weak smile. "So, all of this aside, how have you been doing?"
"I miss Cadance," Shining said with a sigh. "I had to give up a lot of power in the Crystal Empire when I left to find you. I haven't seen my wife in months."
"You can return to her after we dock," Twilight said.
Shining shook his head. "No, I have to see this through. I don't know what we'll find in Manehattan, but you might still need me. I do have some military experience that can be useful to you."
Twilight nodded. "I assumed you'd say as much. Speaking of, did you get anything out of the duchess?"
"Not a lot, I admit. She says that more troops are on the way from Griffingard, but she won't reveal numbers. I think Gabrielle's questioning her now, but I doubt she'll get more out of her than I did. Either way, we need to resolve this situation fast. If we can unite both sides of the civil war, we might stand a chance against them should they invade."
"It won't come to that," Twilight said with a knowing smile. "Either way, thanks for the talk. I'll go fly a bit with Rainbow. I promised her that I would, and I might not get the chance once we dock."
Two ships sailed out to meet the Siren's Madness shortly after Manehattan came into view. Neither vessel made efforts to hide the armored soldiers they carried. If they believe us to be enemies, they won't hesitate to sink us, Shining realized as he stood on deck with Coral. He turned to a sailor. "Get Rainbow Dash up here," he ordered.
"What do you have in mind?" Coral asked.
"Rainbow was an officer in the Cloudsdale army. If they see her with us, they might be willing to talk. They'll also believe her over any of us."
Coral nodded. "I just hope they don't blame us for her current state."
"They should at least hear us out," Shining said. "Where's my sister?"
"Oh, she said to tell you that she'll remain out of sight for now. Just in case these soldiers don't take kindly to her return."
"It's probably the safe option," Shining said. "Although if they decide to attack us, I don't see how we could get out of it."
"They won't attack us," a voice said from behind Shining. He turned around and found Rainbow Dash, now sporting a black eyepatch and an improvised wooden leg brace. Her coat seemed to have regained some of its coloration, although it would take more time for her mane and tail to grow back.
"I hope you're right," Shining said as he eyed the approaching ships.
Rainbow flew up and waved her hoof at one of the other ships. "Hopefully they see me and send somepony over."
Hopefully they recognize her, Shining thought.
The plan seemed to work; a group of six pegasi flew from another ship. Two of the flyers were carrying unicorns. "Here goes nothing," Coral said. "How are we playing this?"
"Let's be completely honest," Shining said. "They'll find out either way, and I've seen enough lies and trickery for a lifetime."
"Agreed," Rainbow said as she landed. Shining noticed her struggling a bit, trying not to put any weight on her injured leg as her hooves met the deck's surface.
The sailors all moved aside to let the soldiers land on the ship. They were led by a dark gray pegasus stallion wearing the insignia of a sergeant. He carefully observed the crew before locking his gaze on Rainbow. "Wing Commander Rainbow Dash," he said with a nervous salute. "We were told you died."
Rainbow gulped and stepped forward, not even attempting to hide her limp. She saluted the soldier. "Sergeant Thunderlane," she replied with a smile that seemed forced. "Takes more than a hailstorm to get rid of me. I was held captive in High Roost."
Thunderlane eyed her up and down. He smirked lightly "You look terrible. Remind me never to get a mane cut in High Roost. I like the eyepatch though."
Rainbow, surprisingly, chuckled. "The food is awful, too. Although if you spend some time there, you might lose a few pounds. I always said the extra weight slowed you down."
Thunderlane laughed heartily. "It's great to see you alive and well, Commander."
Rainbow smiled, this time more genuinely. "It's great to be back. We do have some business though. As you can imagine, I'm not here just to reminisce."
Thunderlane's brow furrowed. "Before we do anything, you understand that I have to make sure it really is you."
Rainbow rolled her remaining eye. "Fine, get it over with."
The two unicorns stepped forward. One of them enveloped Rainbow in her magical hue before nodding at Thunderlane. "You think we're changelings?" Shining asked.
"Never hurts to be safe," Thunderlane said as the second unicorn cast his spell on Shining. "We'll need to test your entire crew."
Shining shared a nod with Coral Drifter. "Fair enough," the captain said. "We do have a VIP on board you should know about."
"Oh?" Thunderlane asked.
Shining walked to Thunderlane. "My sister, Princess Twilight Sparkle, is on board."
Thunderlane gasped. "This could solve a lot of problems."
"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked.
"Princess Luna is dead," Thunderlane said. "She was murdered by one of her officers."
"So the war is over?" Shining asked. Even as he asked the question, he could hear the doubt in his own voice.
Thunderlane shook his head, confirming Shining's suspicion. "Far from it. General Soarin doesn't give up that easily. He vowed to throw Blueblood off the throne and kick the griffons out of Equestria."
Shining ground his teeth. "Hopefully my sister's return can help bring some sanity back to Equestria. In either case, we'll want to see whoever's in charge in Manehattan."
"That would be Wing Commander Tinkerboom," Thunderlane said, eliciting a smile from Rainbow. "On the civilian side of things, Mayor Stufferson is still in charge of the city, and he has some Canterlot bigwig who switched sides advising him. Fancy Pants, I think his name is?"
Shining nodded. "Good. Please inform all three of our arrival, and of Princess Twilight's desire to meet with them. We'll also need adequate security for the Princess. I will personally act as her bodyguard for the duration of her stay. Anywhere she goes, I go."
Thunderlane mirrored Shining's nod. "Understood. Once I'm satisfied that there's nothing dangerous on your ship, I'll make sure you get permission to dock. Should we keep the Princess's visit a secret?"
Shining was scratching his head when Twilight flew toward them. "Absolutely not. I will enter the city in the open," she ordered. "I'm done hiding. Equestria needs a princess, and I'm going to play my part."
It took one hour after Thunderlane's soldiers were done inspecting the Siren's Madness for the two Manehattan vessels to escort them to the city docks. Plenty of pegasi messengers had flown back and forth between the city and the two ships while they waited.
Unlike what they'd seen in High Roost, it was evident as they got closer that the city's residents weren't afraid of the outside; a crowd had gathered up in the well-illuminated docks. A few ponies waved banners depicting Twilight's cutie mark. Apparently, word had quickly spread about Twilight's return.
"It looks like you have your grand entrance," Shining said to his sister, who stood next to him on deck.
"Yeah," Twilight said. She sighed and averted her eyes.
"Not for me," Gabrielle said from behind Shining. "I'll stay below deck for now and sneak out later. I imagine griffons aren't too popular around here."
"Probably a good idea," Shining said. He turned to Twilight. "I thought a grand entrance was what you wanted?"
Twilight took a deep breath. "It's not as much what I want as what I need to do. Equestria needs a strong princess. They need their speeches and ceremonies. I'm just doing what's expected of me."
Shining smiled. "I get what you mean. You know, I could never get used to this stuff back in the Crystal Empire."
"Cadance told me," Twilight said with a smile of her own. "It must be a family thing. I hated it too at first. I've had Rarity drill me for months on how a princess should behave."
"For what it's worth," Gabrielle said. "I think you'll do a good job. You obviously care about Equestria, and the best leaders are often the ones who don't want the job." She eyed a trapdoor. "Either way, we're getting too close for my taste. I'll see you all later."
"Thank you, Gabrielle," Twilight said before the griffon went below deck.
"Well, Your Highness," Shining said with a mock bow. "Your subjects are waiting."
Twilight shook her head with a light giggle as she joined Pinkie and Rainbow, who both waited near the cabin. Shining followed close behind. "Look how many ponies are here to see you, Twilight," Pinkie said, smiling as she pointed at the crowd.
"I just hope I can give them what they want," Twilight said with a gulp. Shining recognized the same nervous eye twitch his sister used to have before taking an exam.
"I believe in you, Twily," Shining said as he placed a hoof on her back.
The ship came to a stop at the docks, and workers moored it using thick ropes. A ramp was raised, allowing the group to step off. Rows of armored guards protected the way from the wooden dock to Manehattan's busy port. A luxurious-looking carriage was waiting for them at the end of the path.
Closer to the ship, three ponies stood. The first one was easily recognizable to Shining. Fancy Pants kept a straight posture and the smile on his face seemed genuine. He carefully adjusted his monocle. Next to him stood Mayor Stufferson Crustini. Manehattan's mayor had gained some weight since Shining had last seen him. He had also grown thick grayish-violet sideburns that, when combined with his top hat, gave him a bit of a flaky look. The last pony present was unknown to Shining, but the Cloudsdale commander uniform she wore made it likely that this was Wing Commander Tinkerboom. She adjusted her short, practical mane and nodded at Rainbow.
Shining raised his hoof at the welcoming party before stepping off the ship. He was closely followed by Twilight, with Pinkie and Rainbow accompanying her.
Fancy Pants bowed as Twilight stepped in front of the Manehattan leaders. "Your Highness," he began. "Let me be the first to formally welcome you back to Equestria. It is my highest hope that I can help you regain your rightful position on the throne."
Interesting, he's speaking only of himself, not the group, Shining noted. He also noticed that Fancy's two companions didn't bow. Twilight will have her work cut off for her in convincing this group to support her claim.
"A lot still remains to be seen," Crustini said, his tone haughty and severe. He politely bowed to Twilight. "No disrespect intended, Your Highness."
"No offense taken," Twilight said. "I imagine you all have a lot of questions."
"Indeed," Crustini said with a nod.
"And what about you?" Twilight asked as she turned her attention to the earth pony military officer.
"Wing Commander Tinkerboom, Your Highness," the officer replied with a polite bow. "Like Mayor Stufferson, I will require some assurance before I can promise the loyalty of my forces."
Rainbow stepped forward. "It's been a while, Tinkerboom."
Tinkerboom gulped. "It has, Commander. I'm glad you managed to escape High Roost."
Rainbow nodded. "Me too. I'm in no hurry to ever see it again."
"Until we finally get some payback on those overgrown chickens," Tinkerboom said with a smirk.
Twilight frowned. "I did not return to Equestria to start more wars." She took a deep breath. "I was told the three of you make all the important decisions in Manehattan?"
Fancy nodded. "Indeed, Your Highness. Mayor Stufferson still holds legislative powers, the commander here leads the army, and I advise them both."
"Good," Twilight said. "I wish to speak to the three of you in private as soon as possible. I want to know everything that happened to Equestria — to my nation — while I was away. Then I want to start planning our next move."
"Of course," Fancy said. "If you will follow us."
Crustini led the way toward the carriage. Shining turned his gaze toward Twilight, and found Pinkie whispering something in his sister's ear. Twilight's ears perked up shortly after.
As they left the wooden dock and got closer to the crowd, ponies cheered loudly. Twilight's name was eagerly chanted by the masses. Banners were waved, and Pinkie even threw colorful streamers. Where she'd found them on the ship, Shining wouldn't even try to guess. A uniformed marching band was playing Equestria's national anthem as Twilight approached the carriage.
Twilight stopped in her tracks and eyed the crowd. "Twilight, is everything okay?" Shining whispered.
"Yes, I just think I should say a few words," she whispered back. "Pinkie's idea."
Twilight flew up and above the crowd. She used her magic to amplify her voice. "I want to thank all of you for so warmly welcoming me back to Equestria. I wish it were under better circumstances. When I heard what happened to our great nation, I was deeply troubled." She frowned as the crowd fell silent.
Shining heard a few whispers coming from the masses. He turned to Pinkie, giving her a concerned look. She replied with a confident nod.
"I'm not going to throw individual blame today," Twilight continued. "There will be trials later, where we'll sort out exactly what happened. For now, I can say that many ponies were too quick to seek power before finding the truth. Some of you chose hatred and paranoia over kindness." She sighed. "This is not the Equestria I want to rule. This is not the Equestria I grew up in. I know this is not the Equestria all of you deserve."
"Blueblood stole that Equestria!" an angry mare shouted, accompanied by the crowd's enraged outcry.
Twilight raised her hoof. It took a moment for the crowd to quiet down, but they did. "Like every other player in this travesty of a succession, he will be judged accordingly. For now, I would ask all of you to think about the future. We have towns to rebuild, food stores to replenish, and friendships to repair. These ponies fighting on the other side, they're not your enemies. They fell victim to lies and deceit, the same as many of you."
Tears fell down Twilight's cheeks as she spoke. "Many ponies died because of this madness, including Princess Luna. I implore all of you, do not let it destroy who we are. Yes, I know a lot of you are scared and angry. A lot of you believe the griffons will destroy Equestria. The only way we can prevent them from doing as much is the same way my friends and I have stopped countless threats in the past: work together and trust in each other. It doesn't matter if you come from Manehattan, Cloudsdale, or Canterlot. We're all ponies, and we should start acting that way."
Twilight's speech was met with cheers. Fancy Pants applauded, and Mayor Crustini couldn't hide the smile on his face. Tinkerboom acted more reserved, but seeing Rainbow cheer seemed to loosen her features.
"My friend Pinkie Pie has an interesting theory," Twilight continued after the crowd calmed down. "She thinks that this unnatural winter is the result of windigos returning. Now, I know we've all been taught that this is only a story. Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't. In the end, what matters is this: Equestria is covered in snow and ice because ponies chose to make war. Who was tending to the weather, the plants, or the animals? The world is counting on us, and we're letting it down."
Twilight took a deep breath. "I can promise you two things. First, I will do everything in my power to put an end to this war once and for all. Second, I will do as I've asked of all of you and help fix Equestria. Once we have peace in Canterlot, I will devote all my energy to bringing back the sun. So, what do you all say? Shall we return Equestria to peace?"
Shining couldn't stop himself but to join in the loud cheer.
Immediately after Twilight's speech at the docks, the group boarded the carriage. They headed directly to the Mane Fair Hotel. The tall building was part of a sea of impressive-looking towers in the center of the city's richest district. Even as the city was plunged in darkness, this district was well-illuminated and blooming with life.
The moment the carriage arrived, a legion of servants escorted the group to the very top of the tower, where the royal suite had been prepared for Twilight. Smaller, but still extravagant quarters were given to Shining, Pinkie, and Rainbow. They had been offered time to rest, but Twilight insisted they meet with the city leaders as soon as possible.
Shining only found time for a quick shower before he had to accompany Twilight to the meeting. He had forgotten how dirty his coat had been as the water washed the grime off it. A bottle of strong anti-flea shampoo had been left in his shower. Subtle, he thought as he applied the product. A relief from the constant itch would certainly be welcome.
Once he was thoroughly clean, Shining picked a dark blue shirt and a black jacket from a pile of clothes left for him before heading to the royal suite. He stopped as he left his quarters, finding Gabrielle leaning against the wall in the hallway outside his suite.
"I see you found your way off the ship," Shining said with a tentative smile.
"Yeah," Gabrielle replied. "I managed to get an escort, and only had to suffer through a few insults. Felt a bit too much like Gale for my taste."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fault," Gabrielle continued. "Anyway, it's not why I'm here. I've seen the soldiers around the city, and with your princess coming back, this can only end one way. I was fine helping you smuggle refugees, but allying with an army that fights my own kind, that's a line I won't cross."
Shining sighed. "I hope it won't come to that. We could still find a peaceful solution."
Gabrielle shook her head. "You don't believe that any more than I do."
"You're right," Shining said as he averted his eyes. "This war probably isn't over yet."
"I'm heading for the Crystal Empire," Gabrielle said. "Maybe I can find some work there, or at least find some place that can use a griffon carpenter." She smiled tentatively. "I can pass on a message to your wife for you."
"Tell her that I love her," Shining said, his voice soft. "And tell her that I miss her and will return as soon as I feel that Twilight is safe. I hope she understands."
"I will," Gabrielle said as she extended a claw. "It's been a pleasure, Prince Shining Armor."
Shining looked down at the claw and shook it with his hoof. "Likewise, Gabrielle, and good luck. I may have lost most of my power back in the Empire, but you'll always be welcome in my home."
"Be safe," she said as she walked away toward a nearby staircase.
Shining took a deep breath and made his way toward Twilight's quarters. Pinkie and Rainbow were already waiting in front of the ornate white door leading to the royal suite. Pinkie wore a light pink dress, while Rainbow favored her Cloudsdale military uniform.
Shining raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure Twilight will approve of the uniform, Rainbow."
Rainbow ignored the comment. "This place is ridiculous. There's a war going on, and they're offering us fancy spa treatments."
Pinkie shrugged. "It beats sleeping in a barn or a cave."
"A few luxuries can help keep morale up," Shining said. "Although after what happened to you, I understand your position." Shining immediately regretted his words as Rainbow glared angrily at him.
"Don't pretend like you can understand," she snapped, pushing him against the wall.
Shining bowed his head, not wanting to create any more conflict. "You're right. I can't, and I'm sorry."
Rainbow sighed as she moved away from him. "As for my uniform, it's who I am now. If the griffons taught me anything, it's that Equestria needs a stronger army. After all of this is done, I'll ask Twilight to create a permanent one." She glared at Shining and Pinkie, as if challenging them to disagree.
Pinkie gasped. "You don't mean it, Dashie."
"I do," Rainbow said. "Tell me honestly, Shining, would any of this have happened if Equestria had a capable military structure?"
Shining sighed. "It might have helped rein Silvermane in a bit. She would at least have been better advised. We would also have had true military leaders instead of improvised generals with little to no experience. A military structure certainly would have prevented the griffons from injecting themselves into our affairs the way they did."
"Not you too, Shiny," Pinkie said. "You saw everything these armies did."
"With proper leadership, it can be different," Shining continued. "We can put an end to forced conscriptions, field razing, civilian murders, and other mistakes made by incompetent officers."
"Officers I thought were my friends," Rainbow mumbled under her breath.
"You mean Lightning?" Pinkie said as she placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder.
Rainbow pushed Pinkie away. "Yeah, I mean Lightning. She was always brash, but to hear she brutalized innocents for months, only to kill Princess Luna afterwards..." Rainbow took a deep breath. "To make it even worse, she put Scootaloo in danger."
Both Shining and Pinkie gasped at once. "What about Scootaloo?" Pinkie asked as she grabbed Rainbow's head. "She's supposed to be safe with my sisters."
Rainbow sighed and pushed Pinkie away again. "I don't know the full story, but Tinkerboom told me that Lightning escorted her to Cloudsdale, even took her to see Princess Luna. Scootaloo was the only witness to the murder."
"I knew I should have had her escorted back to Ponyville," Shining said under his breath.
"At least she's safe for now," Rainbow continued. "They're keeping her in Cloudsdale. Apparently she's been asking about me."
Shining and Pinkie shared a concerned look. "It might not be easy for her when she sees you," Shining said. "Just, you know, be ready for that."
"She knows everything," Rainbow said. "When I was in my cell, Scoots came into my dreams. I think Princess Luna let her in. The memories are still hazy. If it weren't for her, the griffons would have completely broken me." Rainbow tried to hide the tears welling up in her remaining eye. "She saved me. I don't know what would have happened if she didn't come into my dreams that night."
This time, Rainbow didn't refuse Pinkie's gentle embrace. "Tell her that when you next see her," Pinkie said.
Shining waited, letting the girls have their moment. "You know, a lot of this will be hard on Twilight," he said once Pinkie broke the embrace. "Unlike the rest of us, she didn't see the situation escalate."
"I tried to talk to her about it on the ship," Pinkie said. "But she just kept to her books and formulas. I asked her what she was doing, but she just said it was an insurance spell, whatever that means."
"She seems to be taking it well enough so far," Rainbow said. "And we'll be here to help her make the tough decisions."
"That's what I was going for, Rainbow," Shining said. "This isn't the Equestria Twilight left. She's been thrown into this situation, expected to restore peace to a nation at war. Guilty parties will have to be punished. Steps will have to be taken to make sure Equestria is protected, and something will have to be done about the griffons."
Pinkie shook her head. "I think it's good that Twilight didn't see the horrors. You all think that we live in a 'new Equestria', where we have to make 'the tough decisions'. It's ridiculous. Twilight will do what she always does; she will teach everypony the true value of friendship."
Rainbow rolled her eye. "Sorry Pinkie, but you're being naive. The old Equestria is gone. You have to face it. Things will never be the same for us."
"Rainbow's right, Pinkie," Shining said. "Things will never be the same, at least not in our lifetime. Twilight will have difficult decisions to make, but Rainbow and I will be here to advise her. As for you, if anyone can help bring back some of the old Equestria, I can't think of anypony better suited."
"Trust me Pinkie," Rainbow continued. "We'll need a strong army for the future, but things will be different."
Shining cleared his throat. "To ensure that they will, I'm going to teach you." He stared at Rainbow and placed a hoof on her shoulder. "I will take you under my wing, make sure you know how to properly lead an armed force. I also suggest you read up on military history and tactics."
Rainbow nodded. "If it means that what happened to me won't happen to anypony else, I'll do it."
The three of them shared a moment of silence until the door to the royal quarters opened, revealing Twilight wearing a long white and purple dress. "Alright everypony, are we all ready to go?"
"...And even though Princess Luna was murdered, General Soarin felt it pressing to rid Equestria of the griffons and their co-conspirators," Tinkerboom finished explaining as she leaned on the table in the round conference chamber. It was a fairly large room, lavishly decorated with paintings of Manehattan being built.
Twilight nodded. "Thank you for clarifying everything. It should help me make the right decision."
For the past few hours, they had all described everything that happened since Princess Celestia's death in detail. Rainbow Dash, then Commander Tinkerboom, explained what had happened in Cloudsdale, from the military buildup to the attack force that was now flying toward Canterlot. Fancy Pants openly revealed everything he knew about Blueblood's rule in Canterlot, as well as the various political ploys in the capital. Shining Armor and Pinkie Pie described everything they saw in what used to be Equestria's most fertile lands. Mayor Stufferson added his own perspective, proudly telling Twilight about Manehattan's neutrality, then his reluctant support of Princess Luna's cause. Twilight seemed to take all of it in stride, asking questions and taking copious amounts of notes.
"Maybe we should take a break?" Shining suggested. "This might have been a lot to take in, Twilight."
Twilight shook her head. "It's fine. We've been putting all of this off for too long. What we need now is a plan."
"A plan to secure the throne?" Fancy asked.
"Precisely," Twilight said with a firm nod. "I trust that Rarity will do everything she can to support me, but Prince Blueblood might be an issue. The griffons will definitely be a problem."
"General Soarin should support us," Rainbow said.
Twilight turned to her friend. "Are you absolutely sure, Rainbow?"
Rainbow spoke softly. "I am. From what Tinkerboom said, he was pretty mad at what happened to Princess Luna. Still, he was always the voice of reason. He knows that Equestria needs a stable ruler."
Tinkerboom nodded. "I can put my forces at your command. With both Rainbow and myself supporting you, the general should follow."
"We still need to convince the Canterlot side," Twilight said. "Somehow, we need to get through to Prince Blueblood. If only I could talk to Rarity, maybe arrange a meeting. We can finally negotiate peace. All of you ending the last attempt in bloodshed will not make my job any easier" She glared at Fancy Pants, Tinkerboom, and Stufferson in turn.
"With all due respect, Your Highness," Tinkerboom said. "This is madness. Blueblood can't be reasoned with. He was probably in league with the griffons all along. I know you dislike war, but the only way you'll reason with him is with an army at your back and his head on a spike."
"That's ridiculous," Twilight snapped as she rose. "I won't bring more violence to Equestria."
"I agree with Twilight," Pinkie added, standing up as well. "Enough ponies have suffered."
Fancy Pants stroked his chin. "An army isn't always used for fighting. It can be a symbol of strength. It would help you negotiate from a position of power."
"I have five hundred soldiers in the city," Tinkerboom said. "They're ready to march at your command. Even if you won't fight other ponies, you might need them to defend against the griffons."
Stufferson nodded. "I can promise one half of the Manehattan volunteer militia as well. That's five hundred extra soldiers. They may not be as well-trained as Commander Tinkerboom's troops, but they are dedicated to peace."
Twilight sighed. "I will only take soldiers who volunteer for this. Anypony not willing to fight stays behind. I refuse to support forced conscription."
"A wise decision, Your Highness," Fancy said.
Shining smiled at his sister. "You're making the right decision, Twilight. I know you don't like it, but we're heading into a volatile situation. We don't know how any of the factions will react."
"I get it," Twilight said with another sigh as she sat back down, Pinkie mirroring the gesture. "I'm not naive. I know that the griffons want me dead or back in their custody. Blueblood might see me as an obstacle to get rid of. I just never expected to have to take the throne by force."
"I don't think any of us expected this," Shining said. "And this was the griffon's plan all along. Ambassador Antoine studied us for years and found out exactly the areas in which we were unprepared. He made a lot of influential friends, including Blueblood himself."
"I still think we can unite Equestria again," Twilight said with a hopeful smile. "Friendship and unity aren't just words to us. We just have to remind everypony of that."
Rainbow's ears perked up and grin formed on her muzzle, displaying her broken teeth. "Maybe the griffons feel this way too," she pondered.
Pinkie's brow furrowed. "What are you on about, Dashie?"
"We still have Alicia as a prisoner," Rainbow continued. "Her husband is commanding the griffons in Equestria, isn't he?"
Shining slowly nodded. "You want to use her as a hostage."
Silence fell as every eye turned toward Twilight. "Let's do it," she said firmly.
Shining couldn't hide the shock from his face. "I'm surprised you agreed this quickly, Twilight."
Twilight's face hardened. "Enough ponies have died. You're right, we need to end this. If bringing one hostage can help put a stop to the war, then I'd be a fool not to do it."
"I'll have the prisoner prepared for transport, then," Tinkerboom said.
"Good," Twilight said with a nod. "Now, all of you get some rest. Once we're all rested and the troops are ready, we march for Canterlot." She sighed before sharing a look with Shining. "I will reclaim my throne once and for all."