Fallen Sun

by shademaster24601

The Taking of Appleloosa

There was a certain serenity to it. The vast stretches of burning earth, cacti scattered like soldiers on guard, the sun beating harsh enough to make even the slightest breeze feel like a million blessings. The heat of an Appleoosan summer required an certain amount of endurance to thrive in. Braeburn stood confident, the shade of his hat hiding the sweat of his brow. With the time his family put in to help settle the land and set up the orchard, he was sure he was made for it. Little Strongheart, however, was born in it. She'd grown a little since she'd first met Braeburn, bulking up and growing at least an inch taller than him now, but it certainly hadn't cut her speed.

Braeburn raised an eyebrow. "Am I still allowed to call you little?"

She gave him a playful bump on the shoulder. "Please. I want to make it last as long as it can. Plus that conversation starts to get grim when the Chief brings it up."

"He has?" There was a lilt of concern in his voice as he at her quizzically.

Little Strongheart let out a sigh. "He floated "Chief StrongHeart" once or twice last week. Said he was just testing it out."

Braeburn smiled. "Well, shoot, that's amazing. He's really considering..."

She stopped him "I don't want to think about it. It's an honor, but I'm not sure I'm ready for such a huge responsibility. That's why I asked you to come out here, so you could help clear my head."

He placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "I'm happy to be here for you. For what it's worth, I'd think you'd make a great Chief. If it wasn't for you, we'd still be feuding over territory."

The young buffalo smirked. "Oh, no we wouldn't. We'd be stampeding through our grounds anyway. You would have been flattened into the soil."

Braeburn gave her a little shove. "Oh, you behave." They shared a laugh. "Same as usual?"

She nodded. "Straight to the ridge and back twice, then we run to the town. First one to the clock tower wins."

He gave her an affirmative smile and positioned himself. "I reckon I'll beat you this time."

The young buffalo gave a determined snort. "You're welcome to try."

They tensed up, stared at the land before them, and waited. The crucial moment when their races began came at a different time each race, but it always came. A lone crow, perched on the skull of some unfortunate wanderer, looked at nothing in particular, and let out a caw that pierced the silence. The two were off in an instant. Dust kicked up behind them and the rumble of their hoof-beats rang out like dueling drums. The two tested both their speed and agility as they not only tried to outpace one another, but out maneuver echoer as well. Weaving around the right post or cactus, and jumping over the right rock or ditch, could make or break either runner depending on their choices. It was part of their game, trying to move the race in such a way that would put the other at a disadvantage while boosting their own chances. It was a testament to how well they had come to know each other, that they could predict which move they'd make. On the first leg, Braeburn led them through a jump heavy section, which he was able to maneuver through with a nimble rhythm. He thought her when he forced her to break through the old fence, but Little Strongheart didn't lose a step. She caught up easily, like a charging steam engine. This endurance came in handy on the second leg, which always meant they had to go through their dust cloud from the first. The cacti were the most treacherous part of this leg, but Little Strongheart could spot one a mile away in total darkness. The world around them seemed to melt away. Problems and thoughts vanished in the sound of hearts pounding and heavy breathing. The last leg was the apex of this sensation, as the whole world seemed to vanish in light, except for the two of them. Braeburn pulled ahead just an inch, before Little Strongheart powered back. The clock-tower burst through the light and they skidded to a halt. The buffalo was victorious.

Little Strongheart wiped the sweat from her brow and breathed heavily. "Yes! That's three to two."

Braeburn was on his back, trying to catch his breath. "I call shenanigans! You can just go through stuff now, that's a lot easier than jumping."

She raised a hoof to her ear. "Oh, what was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of my victory." She gave him a teasing smirk, but it fell quickly. "I...can't really hear anything. Isn't the square usually really busy around now?"

Braeburngot back to his hooves and looked around, befuddled. "Yeah, there should be towns ponies all over the place. It's...like a ghost town." A tumble weed passed them and bounced across the abandoned street to highlight his point.

Little Strongheart noticed something peculiar, she thought it was just what they kicked up in their run, but it covered the whole town. "There's dust everywhere. The walks, the buildings, it even goes part way up the clock tower."

"Braeburn!" The pair turned to see deputy Star Spur running to them in a panic. "Braeburn, you gotta come quick! Something awful's happened."

Star Spur looked like he was just about ready to pass out. Braeburn put a hoof on his shoulder to steady him. "Easy there, pard. What happened?"

The deputy shook his head. "The...orchard. The orchard's gone!"

"What?!" The pony and buffalo duo both yelped. The deputy gave a solemn nod and ran back in the direction of the orchard. Braeburn and Little Strongheart followed close behind.

---

It was like something out of a nightmare, but as the comfort of friends settled in, it became something of a funeral. The entire community of Appleoosa lined up to stare in disbelief. Some cried, others stamped the dirt, but all hurt. The orchard, which stood as the foundation for the settler-ponies way of life, their hope for home and future, had vanished.

Sheriff Silverstar did his best to stay calm, to be the level-headed authority he was chosen to be so every pony could keep calm. However, he broke, throwing his hat to the ground and shedding a tear. "I just don't understand it. How?! How do hundreds of full-grown apple trees just disappear? I was here, helping pick, just this morning..."

Chief Thunderhooves was a buffalo known for his strength, for standing strong when others needed an example. However, the desolation and despair before him proved a heavier burden than even he was prepared for. He kept his resolve, but shed a single tear as he stood next to the sheriff. "A symbol of prosperity and friendship like no other...to just be taken like this. My friend, I'm so sorry."

A voice broke through the crowd. "Maybe you should be!" The accusatory remark came from deputy Fetter Keys, the scrawny stallion glaring at the chief. "You buffalo wanted our trees gone from the very beginning. You probably orchestrated this whole thing."

Sheriff Silverstar stood at attention and gave his deputy an incredulous look, taking a moment to glance at the outrage brewing on the chief's brow. "Now, don't you start with that! The buffalo have been good as gold and better in following that treaty and you know it!"

Chief Thunderhooves raised a steady hoof to stop the sheriff and gave him an appreciative nod before turning his attention to the deputy. "We wanted to preserve our stampeding grounds. We accepted your trees as an extension of nature, a welcome addition to our home..." Disgust took over his face as he turned to face the land. "but this...desolation. This vandalism has completely destroyed what my people hold sacred!" Where the once driving orchard had stood, only a vast valley of holes remained. No path made clear, no steady ground to tread on, the land was now completely useless to pony and buffalo alike.

The arrival of Braeburn and Little Strongheart broke the tension and replaced it with remorse. Braeburn took his hat off and fell to his knees at the sight of it. "How?"

Sheriff Silverstar approached solemnly. "I'm sorry, Braeburn. I know how much of that orchard you and your family personally..."

"How?!" The outburst of the repeated question made everyone wince. It was a desperate anger and sadness that stung to the heart of every honest creature who heard it.

Chief Thunderhooves answered. "We don't know. It seemed like any normal day, we buffalo had come for our usual pie order when the quake happened. Normally we move the ground, but this time the ground moved us. We helped get the towns ponies to safety, but that's when the dust storm came."

The sheriff nodded. "Blanketed the whole town and ripped up the shudders something fierce. Expected it to last hours, but it ended almost as soon as it started. When we all came out to check on things, the orchard was just...gone."

Little Strongheart shook her head. "It can't have just gone without a trace, there must be a trail."

The chief grimaced. "Not outside of the orchard grounds. Nothing except the holes where the trees once were. The sheriff has a team of trackers examining them now."

Silverstar gave an affirmative nod before turning his attention down to the ponies in question. "You lot find anything yet?"

"Just holes." The lead tracker called back. "Near as I can tell, the dust storm covered up whatever tracks there might have been...wait a minuet."

Braeburn's ears perked up, desperate for even the slightest hope. "You find something?"

The tracker leaned closer to the hole he was examining. "It's deeper than I thought. You uproot a tree, yeah it's a big hole, but this...it's almost like some kind of tun..." he was cut short when a large green hand shot out, grabbed him by the face, and pulled him down the hole in a blink. The initial shock forced the other three trackers to drop their guard. Similarly, they two were pulled under, one by another large green arm, the other two by pairs of smaller ones.

The disbelief fought with panic as Sheriff Silverstar tried to make sense of what he just saw. "S-somepony come down there with me, we gotta help...what in tarnation!" His call to action was cut short by an unmistakable shaking in the ground beneath. One by one, like geysers, the holes started to erupt in dust devils. Once every hole spat out a pillar, all of which loomed ominously over the crowd, the wind kicked up. A maelstrom of dust rushed the crowd like an oncoming tidal wave. The Sheriff turned on his heel. "Dust storm! Every pony take cover!"

Chief Thunderhooves bellowed. "Buffalos! Be the cover! Form around them and shield them until we get to shelter!" It was a solid plan, and the buffalos took to it with heart. They moved as one in a circle around the ponies, bracing them against the elements as they headed into town as one unit. The group began to shrink as groups began to break off toward their homes and businesses, the buffalos breaking and tightening into smaller circles accordingly.

The remaining group, consisting of Braeburn, Little Strongheart, the sherif and two deputies, and the Chief and three buffalo braves, made directly for the sheriff's office. However, one of the braves caught a glimpse of something through the dust. A shadow that bounded between the shapes of the buildings. "Chief," he coughed. "There's...there's something in the dust." As soon as he finished that sentence, the shadow he was watching launched at him like a rocket. The last thing he saw was a pair of red eyes before the unidentified object crashed into him with a thunderous crash. The brave, followed by the two others, vanished into the dust as they were tackled. The group barely had time to react before a pair of lassos shot from the haze and snatched up the two deputies.

It took all of Silverstar's strength to resist their startled cries as he addressed the group. "Move move move!" The roar of the storm rattled their senses as they pushed through to the sheriff's office. The four of them burst through the door, and Thunderhooves immediately pushed the desk to bar the door. Silverstar frantically rubbed the dust and sweat from his eyes. "What were those things?!"

Thunderhooves shook his head. "They're strong. To take down buffalo braves with such little effort."

Little strongheart felt a chill run up her spine. "It was a trap. They took the whole orchard to lure in the town. The trackers, the deputies..."

Braeburn stamped his hoof hard against the wood floor. "When I get my hooves on whoever's behind this I'm gonna tan their hides!" A loud crash knocked him out of his heroic stance. The group turned to find a trio of green creatures with burning red eyes entering through a hole they made in the wall. The one bringing up the rear was a sizable beast that cracked his neck and got into menacing stance as he eyed the buffalo, and the two scrawnier ones readied nets for Braeburn and the sheriff. Braeburn suddenly looked quite pale. "You know, I remember Granny Smith used to say something' about not letting' my mouth write checks my hooves can't cash."

"Sound advice." One of the scrawny creature's said with a grin. "Now come along quietly or..." Before he could finish, Little Strongheart cracked him soundly in the face and left him on the floor in a disheveled lump. "Ow."

The other scrawny one hissed at her. "Oi! Uncalled for! Gob was trying' to be civil and you clock 'im on the in and out!"

The big one gave a vindictive glare and roared. He charged forward and was intercepted by Chief Thunderhooves. The green brute grapple the old buffalo by the horns. The chief gave a defiant snort. "No...MORE!" With a mighty shove he launched the beast back, sending him crashing through the bars of the jail cell. "I will not allow you to harm my friends any longer!"

The scrawny one still on his feet snarled. "We didn'' 'ur' anyone, bu' we won'' 'ake no faw an answer!" He readied his net and tossed it squarely at Braeburn. Silverstar jumped in to intercept and caught an edge in his teeth. Braeburn picked up the other side and the two charged the lanky creature. They tied the net around his legs and Little Strongheart shoved him to the ground.

The young buffalo stood triumphant over the fallen creature. "Maybe next time don't fight three on four."

The creatures all started cackling, even the one she knocked out at the start had woken up in laughter. "Three? You poor little thing."

The big one sat up and pushed aside the broken cell door. He pointed to the front windows with a smirk. "Ho ho. My lads."

The laughing started to grow louder and the four looked in horror at the sight. Through the windows, through the hole in the wall, and thorough the cracks in the door as it was forced open, were dozens of pairs of red glowing eyes.

---

Pinkie Pie kicked her hooves as she sat at the counter. It was a slow day at Sugar Cube Corner, it was beautiful outside, and in any normal circumstance, she'd be out there playing and making sure every pony was having the best day possible. However, she just couldn't find the motivation for her usual get-up-and-go. She simply rested her chin on the counter, staring at the door. She let out a sad, ethereal sigh, but, like a spark of hope, the chime of the shopkeepers bell perked her right up. Her trademark smile lit up her face at the sight of a familiar azure coat. "Princess Luna! Hi."

Luna jumped a bit, still unaccustomed to being greeted with such enthusiasm, but smiled at the pink earth pony. "Hello, Pinkie Pie. I hope I'm not interrupting."

Pinkie waved it off. "Pfff. Are you kidding? It's been a ghost town in here. I'm just happy to see some pony." She leaned over the counter and pulled a stool out for the princess. "Come. Sit, sit, sit." The princess of the night complied, doing a bit of a spin as she swiveled into position. "So, how's Twilight?"

Luna rolled her eyes, but smiled at the thought of the pay in question. "Still very sore and very stubborn."

Pinkie got out a pencil and notepad, anticipating an order. "It's so sweet that you've been staying at the library to take care of her."

Luna suppressed a chuckle. "If she'd only let me. I keep telling her to rest and let Spike and I tend to things, but she keeps trying to work. Last night, I had to fight to get her to back to bed and in the most exhausted little whine, she says "nooo, the flash cards."" The two started laughing, Luna almost in tears, thinking about the moment. "She's just so cute, Pinkie, I can't stand it. I wish I could take more time off to be with her, but Canterlot business calls and I have to get back to dream patrol eventually or every ponies nightmares will get out of control. Can one be in a honeymoon phase without an actual honeymoon?"

Pinkie beamed, giving her shoulders a little shimmy before holding Luna's hoof. "I'm so happy for you two. We need more young love in this town. Gives me all kinds of warm fuzzy feelings. I certainly needed the pick-me-up, I've been feeling kind of bleh."

Luna picked up a trace of sadness in Pinkie's voice. It wasn't strong, but still surprising from what she'd come to know of her signature optimism. "Is everything alright?"

The earth pony's ears drooped. "I've just been...thinking a lot."

Though she didn't mean to pry, the night princess couldn't resist her suspicion. "About my nephew?" Pinkie answered with a small nod. "I'm worried about him too. The strain he and Twilight put themselves through seemed unbearable. Rejuvenation spells can only do so much. I hope he's recovering well."

"Why couldn't he have just stayed with us?" Pinkie asked with mournfully. "The last thing he said to me was thanks for believing in him so he could believe in himself. Does that mean he doesn't when he's alone? That's so sad."

"He also said he came back for you." Luna gently rubbed the back of Pinkie's hoof. "It's a lot to put on you, but he does seem to care for you a great deal."

The earth pony's cheeks turned a little rosier than usual as she gave a little smile. "I like him too. I don't know how to describe it, but when I met him, it's like I could just tell the whole "fear my power mortal" super-villain thing was just an act. That, deep down, there's a super fun, super sweet, pony who just needs help with his hurt. You know? I have to believe there's an end where we all live happily ever after, smile, and eat cake. Otherwise what's the point of an element of laughter?"

The night princess smiled warmly. She walked behind the counter and gave Pinkie a hug. "I'm proud of you, Pinkie Pie. There would be a lot less trouble in the world if there were more ponies like you in it."

Pinkie returned the princess's embrace, a satisfying warmth filling her heart. She pulled back and beamed. "How about I whip up some cookies for that girlfriend of yours? Might help her keep her mind off of work."

Luna's eyes lit up. "That's an excellent idea. Although, it occurs to me I don't know what kind she likes."

This drew a giggle from the earth pony. "That's okay. I've got it written down in my card catalog." Her eyes darted about the room for a moment. "Don't tell Twilight, but I'm actually waaaaay more organized than she is. It's how I keep track of all the birthdays, dessert preferences, and all the things that will make any pony smile at any given moment."

The night princess raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm sure you're good at what you do, but I don't think..."

Pinkie paid her no mind. "Yep, as sure as double midnight chocolate fudge with chili pepper frosting."

Luna's expression went blank for a moment. "Wait, but that's my favorite. How could you possibly..."

The party pony didn't let her finish and promptly booped her on the nose. "I'll never tell." With a wink, Pinkie starts bouncing toward the kitchen. "Come on, let's bake some cookies!"

Luna took a moment to shake off he bewilderment and laughed as she followed the party pony.

---

Braeburn's head was spinning and his vision was cloudy, but he steadily sat up. The last thing he remembered was getting knocked on the head as the horde of green monsters rushed the sheriff's office. He looked around and his sense of urgency raised as he discovered he was all alone in a new location. A stone room with only a table before him.

A voice from behind him caught his attention. "You're awake. Fantastic!" The earth pony's jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw him. An alicorn, with a long, messy, black mane, and a coat like aged parchment, walked in through a barred door behind him. He wore a vest and boots made of black iron, as well as a jagged crown that gave the appearance of two off-color horns on either side of the real one. He gave Braeburn a friendly smile and a concerned look in his red eyes. "You took quite a blow to the head. I do apologize and so do the boys, but from what I hear you put up quite a fight." He took a seat across the table from the bewildered earth pony. "Let's introduce ourselves. I am king Uriah. Who might you be?"

Braeburn gathered his senses and answered with hint of caution in his voice. "Braeburn. You're behind the attack on Appleoosa? You took our trees?"

Uriah smirked at the accusatory glare that accompanied the questions. ""attacked" and "took" are such negative words. I prefer to think of it as...annex and relocation." The door opened again and one of the lanky creatures shambled in with a covered tray. "Food's up. The goblins were insistent they prepare a little something for you and your town. Sort of a "no hard feelings" kind of deal."

The goblin grunt set the tray in front of Braeburn and took off the lid. The smell hit him immediately; warm, sweet, and familiar. He kept his guard up, but his mouth began to water on reflex. "They made apple crumble?"

"My understanding is that it was supposed to be pie." Uriah smiled and nodded to the grunt, who bowed and backed out of the room. "The Goblins, you'll come to find, are...less than elegant in their work, but they get results. Do go on." He gestured for Braeburn to try the desert. The earth pony scowled, but decided to play along, figuring it wiser not to challenge an alicorn solo. He reluctantly took a bite of the crumble and, try as he might, couldn't resist. It was perfect, like it could contend with any desert at an Apple Family reunion. Uriah chuckled at the sight of his guest clearly enjoying his treat. "Hard to stay mad with a mouthful of good food. Though I can't say I blame you, it was all so sudden and the orchard part seemed a little cruel, but, like I said, results speak for themselves."

The earth pony snapped out of his food trance. "The orchard." He jumped across the table and grabbed Uriah by the collar. "That was our lively hood! All of Appleoosa depended on that orchard. What about our families? Our foals?"

The alicorn kept a calm air about him, in spite of the outburst. "I understand your concern," he said flatly "and I can assure you all is perfectly fine, better in-fact." He gently pushed Braeburn away with his wing. "Come, there's something you should see." He calmly stood and walked past the still angry earth pony. Braeburn gave a suspicious glare, but Uriah simply smiled at his hesitance and nodded for him to follow. Seeing as he didn't have much choice, Braeburn begrudgingly followed. The two left the room and started down a long passage, torches lighting a path. Uriah, as regal and imposing as he was, kept a relaxed posture. "So, tell me about yourself, Braeburn."

Braeburn raised an eyebrow. To hear him tap so casually after all that happened was a bit unnerving. "Not much to tell. I farm, compete in rodeos, and show off the town to visitors."

Uriah nodded, noting the cautious tone. "Simple pony of simple pleasures. I like that, envy that even. I grew up surrounded by Canterlot elites. Bunch of numbskulls who never accomplished anything themselves, yet they look down on some pony who can get in a biting match with a great white shark and win."

Braeburn's eyes widened. "Did you really...?"

Uriah interrupted surprising a chuckle. "My marefriend. Spectacular lady, I'll tell you about her sometime." He returned his eyes forward and continued his speech. "Anyway, I don't care who you are, your life is better than those wealthy morons'. All they did was complain. Like a dog tied up in the backyard with nothing to do. They end up gnawing on their hair and getting obsessed with a frisbee." He slowed his pace to match Braeburn's, walking side by side with the earth pony. "You guys?" Uriah casually placed his wing over the other stallions shoulder. "You see the big picture. You understand what's really important, you work hard, you stick together, and you know when to swallow your pride and do what's best for everybody."

Braeburn pulled out from the alicorn's wing, only stopping their walk for a moment. "Wasn't easy. Almost ruined the town because we didn't want to share the land."

"Ah, but you gave in." Uriah corrected. "I've known ponies that have gone to destructive lengths to save face. It was your openness to compromise that led to an alliance of two peoples that had been at war for generations. You and Little Strongheart in particular, making the first steps to talk while the rest were fighting."

This startled the earth pony "How'd you know about that?"

"Your cousin's friend, Pinkie, told me. She got a knack for detail." Uriah smiled warmly at the name. "Plus, LittleStrongheart confirmed. She's going to be happy you're awake. Oh, here we are." The passage way opened up into a a large cavern, lit by dozens of torches and magical light sources. It was filled with ponies, a lot of which Braeburn recognized as being from Appleoosa. There were crude houses built all along the walls, like make-shift apartments. "Welcome to Goblin Town." The name stayed true to form. Goblins could be seen throughout the setting, bringing furniture into the homes or trying to have a conversation with nervous ponies. "I really think you're going to like it here. Oh and I almost forgot." Uriah put his hooves on both sides of Braeburn's head and manually adjusted his gaze. "Boop."
An initial grunt of annoyance turned into a sigh of relief from Braeburn. All of Appaloosa's apple trees, every single one, had been replanted in a section next to the town. "The trees!" The earth pony exclaimed with delight. His excitement quickly fell. "Wait, we're underground. They'll die down here!"

Uriah smirked. "Don't be so sure. Swoop." He tilted Braeburn's head again, forcing I'm to look up at a strange object at the roof of the cave. It was a curious thing, a black orb, radiating blood red light, suspended amid the stalactites. Uriah gave a smirk as Braeburn became affixed to it. "Impressive, isn't it?"

That was a word for it. Braeburn felt a tenseness in his muscles the longer he looked at it. It had an unnerving, unnatural air about it. "What is it?"

"It's my little black sun." Uriah's horn glowed a matching dark red and the orb danced about the ceiling. "It's my signature spell. It's how I got my cutie mark." He took a moment to show said mark, satisfied that he had his guests full attention. "It was regarded as the most powerful spell ever recorded up to it's creation."

Braeburn rolled his eyes. It was one thing for this stallion to take him and his town, but did he really need to brag too? "And it does...?"

"Whatever I want it too." Uriah said with a lilt of pride. "I first cast it in a battle with the wizard Grogar. I remember, in the heat of the moment, all I wanted was to keep him and his whole army trapped in the city, but my mind couldn't piece together the right spell to cast, but then, in a flash, there was the Black Sun doing exactly what I wanted. Exactly the outcome I wanted, without a bit of concentration. Magic, as any scholar will tell you, boils down to the will and the way. Spell craft requires a combination of indomitable willpower to make it happen and the thought and meditation to understand how it will."

The earth pony's posture relaxed as he became genuinely fascinated. Magic always seemed a world apart, but the explanation started to form a relatable connection. "Like competing in a rodeo. You can have all the endurance in the world to run down a hog, but it won't mean nothing if you can't tie a knot."

The alicorn beamed. "Yes! Exactly! Now, imagine if you could bypass that process. All you'd have to do is will an outcome to happen and it just happens. That's the power of the Black Sun, pure utility. Any task, no matter how microscopically detailed or colossal, I can do with just a thought. Only hitch is I have to stay focused on the desired outcome until it's ready to cast. I was using it to patch a hole in a roof, and it was working, but then I got distracted by a woodpecker and it zipped off and knocked over the tree." He started to chuckle. "Do forgive me, I've gotten off track. You were concerned about the trees. What's happening now is the Black Sun is turning this area into Equestria's greatest greenhouse. The energy coming off of it is enriching every aspect of your orchard. The trees, the soil, even the water's being purified and nutrient enhanced. Not only will your trees survive down here, but you should see twice the yield in half the time." He crossed his wings in front of him and gave a satisfied grin. "You're welcome."

Braeburn rolled his eyes. "Thanks." he said, in a flat tone.

Uriah brushed it off. "Hey, I'm a genius. Be impressed or don't, I have nothing to prove. Just wanted to let you know everything has been taken care of for your stay."

"Stay?" Braeburn's face fell as the word left his lips. He was cut off by hoof beats and a familiar voice rushing toward them.

"Braeburn!" The stallions turned to find Little Strongheart charging in from a different corridor with four goblins chasing after her. She immediately embraced her friend and, just as she was about to be seized, Uriah called off her pursuers with a gesture of his wing. "I'm so happy you're okay. I got away, but they have all the buffalo caged and shackled."

Uriah interjected before the visibly stunned Braeburn could say anything. "Yes, Chief Thunderhooves made it perfectly clear that the buffalo wouldn't stand for my proposal. I'm hoping you and the ponies of Appleloosa will be more reasonable."

Braeburn nearly lost his hat shaking from the audacity of the remark. "Reasonable? You have our friends chained up in cages and you're trying to tell us to be reasonable?!"

"Please don't yell, I'm two feet away." The alicorn rubbed his temple. "I never would have done it, but they didn't leave me any other option. I can't have them trying to escape on their own, they'll never be able to navigate the tunnels on their own and that many buffalo bumping around at once would cause a cave-in. Believe me, the goblins know their tunnels."

They both glared at him defiantly. Little Strongheart stepped forward. "Why are you doing this? What could we have possibly done to deserve being attacked."

Uriah's eyes hardened. "It was not an attack, it was a relocation. More to the point, this isn't about you and your town, it's bigger than that." He walked past them and one of the grunts approached and took a knee. He presented Uriah with the hooked staff, which the goblin king held in his magic with authority. "This is war. Appleloosa is but the first step in liberating Equestria from Celestia's inept, distracted, reign. Just yesterday, her failures allowed her and her sister to be captured and the whole of Equestria was almost destroyed. It's time the reins of Equestria were passed to more dedicated, capable hooves."

Braeburn had been racking his brain trying to get a read on Uriah since he first introduced himself, but the picture was finally becoming clear. "Yours? So that's what it is, you want to be in charge."

"I need to be in charge," Uriah corrected. "or at least make sure Celestia isn't. Not ever again. For the sake of this new kingdom before me and the one I lost, I will set things right. Unfortunately, one of the bitter lessons I learned long ago was that, sometimes, this world doesn't always know what it needs." He struck the ground with his staff. "I failed to act on my better judgement once before and it cost me dearly, I will not make the same mistake again. Your town will be restored once I've reclaimed Equestria, but until then, you will be staying in Goblin Town. The terms of that stay are entirely up to you." He pointed the hook of his staff at Little Strongheart. "Because I am kind, no matter how wrathful I may become, I'm going to extend the same offer to you. Perhaps you will have better luck convincing your chief." He unfurled his wings to address them both. "Stand with me. I promise a world where there is food and land to spare, where no creatures must war with each other for survival. Whatever damage may occur, I will give back infinitely more."

The two looked at each other. Little Strongheart was completely crestfallen. "My people don't belong in cages. They won't survive in those cells, not matter the care they get."

Braeburn's heart sank. "I feel that. The town ponies need to tend that orchard. Just knowing it's safe in their care will give them some security." They shared a nod and he turned back to Uriah. "Your majesty..."

Uriah raised a hoof. "You don't have t do that."

Braeburn paid it no mind. "If we agree to join you, are we gonna have to fight?"

"No." Uriah said with finality. "The goblins and I will shoulder any and all combat. I will not stand for my ponies fighting their own."

Little Strongheart took her turn to plead. "And the buffalo, you'll let them go?"

Uriah nodded. "We'll need to make room for them, but I'll tear down those cell walls myself if you can convince them not to fight us." The alicorn kept his bearing of authority, but could not deny the pang of regret in his heart for forcing this on them. The two shared one last glance, then signaled their surrender with a bow. He set down his staff and got between them, lifting them up to their feet. "My friends, you need never bow again. This is the dawning of a new age in Equestria and I am delighted you've chosen to share it's light with me." He draped a wing over both of them. "Now, I don't know about you, but I need to get myself another helping of that apple crumble."

The earth pony and the buffalo nervously returned the Goblin King's smile as he ushered them into their new town.

Author's Note:

Gaming holes and gunpla addictions don't mix. I've gotta get back on my roll with these chapters, but thanks for sticking around.

If you enjoy my work and would like to help support me, then consider picking up a copy of my e-book It's a collection of short-horror, poetry, and reflective essays that are great for a quick fix of reading material.

See you next chapter and sweet dreams!

Comments

[GeneraLeeDiscord]

Not going to lie. The lack of views suprises me greatly.

[shademaster24601]

10890716
I know, right? The feedback I've been getting has been great and it shows up in its groups and on the home page. Meh, what can ya do?