Equestria Has Fallen

by ward282

Morning After

Twilight awoke on a dull green sofa, its colour had been faded by constant exposure to sunlight. Twilight's mane clung to her face so she parted it with her hooves, as she wiped her brow she was aware of being covered in sweat.

"Welcome to the land of the living" a voice said from somewhere in the room.

Twilight looked around the room she slowly recognised features she'd seen and remembered this was the living room in Trottingham. She saw Time Turner close a medical box and then he turned to look at her. In one of his forehooves he held a wet cloth.

"For you" he gestured.

Twilight picked up the cloth with her magic and settled the cold, wet cloth on her forehead.

"What happened?" Twilight asked unaware of why she'd been moved from her room.

"You had a bad dream... A really bad dream, you woke up screaming and then passed out in a cold sweat. I moved you down here so Derpy could sleep."

"Thanks I guess" Twilight replied.

"Rest a while, I need to go and get Thunderer." Time Turner said a hint of anger quivering in his voice.

---

The cell was as cold as Thunderer remembered. It was a small cell contained within the walls of Trottingham. The cell was not designed for comfort. Straw had been placed in one corner away from the cell door. Beside this straw was a hole within the cobbled floor. Thunderer looked to the wall on his left. It was covered in tally marks; ninety eight to be exact. Thunderer stood up and the large chains clanked as he did so. There were eight chains attached to him; two locked his wings in placed, four to each leg and the last two help his two cannons in their retreated position. The chains restricted Thunderers movements but he already knew this, he moved towards the tally chart on the wall, using the chains on the cannons he scored in another mark; ninety nine.

"Hey, what happens when I get one hundred" Thunderer shouted to a guard.

The earth pony guard looked up from an adult pony magazine and stared at him. The fully armour clad earth pony knew better than to acknowledge this comment. From the distance of the cell to the guard, Thunderer could just make out the cover of the magazine; "Naughty Mares" it was called. One the front cover was a picture of a pegasi mare with her wings fully erect. This formed some reaction from the iron clad prisoner but the huge chains prevented Thunderer from moving his large metal wings.

After what felt like an hour of waiting he saw Time Turner speak the guard. The guard then stepped up from his desk and reluctantly placed the magazine under the desk. He walked over with a set of keys and unlocked the cell door, he then loosened all the chains that were strapped to Thunderer. The white furred pegasi stretched and looked at some dried blood on his hoof, thankfully it wasn't his own, but the red blood stood out on the white fur. Thunderer chose to ignore the blood for now and hoped his mind wouldn't start to focus on the series of scars that covered his legs and hooves. Time Turner had not said a single since he'd arrived. As the two left the cell he finally spoke up.

"You're lucky Commander Spitfire wasn't here."

"Oh I was here" The Commander said from behind them.

Time Turned jumped and turned quickly. Thunderer chose to turn at his own pace to face the Commander. Commander Spitfire stood before them in her military jacket, several ribbons had been sewn into the top left breast of her jacket. She eyed the two of them.

"I was surprised to get a call that one of my top pegasi fighters had been wounded in a bar fight" Spitfire said coolly.

"Then maybe Flash Sentry should learn some manners" Thunderer replied in the same tone.

Spitfire walked up to Thunderer and stared at his eyes. Spitfire was only a few inches shorter than Thunderer but the colossal armour that Thunderer wore made her feel dwarfed compared to him.

"Look here Thunderer, you may have some agreement with the Princesses but when you harm my soldiers, soldiers you used to serve with then you deal with me."

"Last time I checked the Royal Guards served the Princesses, not you."

This touched a nerve with Spitfire.

"Shining Armour may have had a soft spot for you but I'm not him."

"Yes remember that, you aren't him."

Spitfires' wings flared out into an aggressive posture, she crouched and gritted her teeth. Thunderer remained fully upright, but also flared out his wings. The metal wings dominated the small corridor the three of them were standing in.

"Go ahead, hit the Commander of the Royal Guard" Spitfire said withdrawing her posture, "It will just prove the point you're trying so hard to deny."

Spitfire smirked as Thunderer folded his wings to his body.

"The Princess wishes to see you both in an hour, so for Celestias' sake go clean up" this she said to Time Turner,

"She wants to discuss what you intend to do with the Elements of Harmony and this crusade you're so intent on leading." Spitfire said to Thunderer.

Spitfire trotted off towards the cells allowing her tail to flick as she turned. Thunderer gritted his teeth and turned. He stormed off ahead out of the corridor, quickly followed by Time Turner himself. As they left the gigantic inner wall Time Turner matched pace with Thunderer.

"Do we tell her about the three options?" Time Turner asked quietly.

"You mean where we kill Queen Chrysalis with the Elements or overload the shields and kill us all, or the one where we go back in time and use the Elements there." Thunderer said angrily.

"Erm... yes" Time Turner said unsure about how to proceed.

"Well let's go and clean up then" Thunderer replied.