Chapter 39
Zebrica
SilverSage region
Inyanga Chateau
12:07 PM
Luna rested on the balcony of her new home, a Southern Equestrian styled Plantation house, situated on several hundred acres of prime vineyard lands. Purhaps her new home wasn’t as grand as Canterlot Castle, but it was certainly more tasteful in her opinion. She had always found the overload of white, while she was sure her sister didn’t mean it, gave the castle a feeling that it was purely hers.... not theirs. Also the style of us was just gaudy in her opinion, as if the engineers and stonemasons were trying to recreate a fairy tail castle through word of mouth alone.
The dark blue mare leaned back in her seat as she gazed over her newfound property, the house was nearly finished along with the workers quarters. A well was already dug, she even had started to receive mail from town. Although it was mostly ads and the occasional scam, it was nice to get mail. Back at the palace with her sister, the mail would be sorted and divided up between them. She always found it ironic, she was the princess who designed and set up the public mail system yet her own mail box often remained empty.
Shaking such thoughts from her head, she heard the approaching hoof-steps of the Forman. “Miss Pale Ale” The old zebra said in something could almost be called amusement under his usually dry tone.
“Yes Forman?” She raised an eyebrow mildly curious about his report.
“We are about half way finished with the distillery out on the back acre as-well as the mill. Though redirecting the stream is posing some issues, sediment keeps building up on the spillway.” He said reading though a clipboard. “Most of the brush has been cleared in the front acreages, planting can begin as soon as the irrigation system is finished in the next two weeks. Finally the houses utilities should be properly connected in about three days while we wait for the proper pump and fittings.”
Pale Ale raised her eyebrows and sighed. “Keep working on the spillway I’d rather not have to hire creatures to clean out the channel every year.”
“We will, but it’s difficult problem to fix as the streams are rather heavy with sediment.” The zebra sighed softly as he rubbed his chin. “I’ll check some literature to see if there are some solutions I haven’t considered.”
“See that you do, is that all?” She sighed looking a bit tired. “And here I thought this would be relaxing...” she mumbled to herself.
“Yes I believe that’s all....” He stood there awkwardly.
“Well..... you may go.... unless you have something to say?..”
“Well.... you spend all your time in the manor.....” He tapped his hoof. “It’s hardly fitting for a princes-“
“Former princess.” She replies curtly.
“Former princess.... well purhaps you should try visiting Duskclift? I hear there’s a restaurant called the Eclipse that’s popular. Never-mind friendly locals.... and your starting to look pale from the lack of sunlight.” He chuckled and bowed. “I must take my leave please think about what I said?”
“.... I’ll take it into account, thank you for your advice.”
Zebrica
New Prosost Prison
Still
1:37pm
The former prismatic mare sipped her drink wincing a bit from the taste as she rested on a stone chair. Downing the rest in one go shuttering violently as her body fought to expel the wretched substance.
“Heh, still can’t quiet handle the brew little mare?” Gábriel watched in mild amusement while the mare recovered from her drink.
Rainbow pressed her hoof against the table to steady herself before looking over at the Gryphon. “Haha, very funny.” She rolled her eyes before cracking her neck rubbing the back of it with her hoof.
“You love it pony.” He chuckled warmly. “We should train again tonight, you have improved from that clumsy childlike stumbling you called fighting. You might just start to pose a challenge to me.”
The mare smiled cockily but not quiet with the same vigor she had before incarceration. “I’ll get you yet, you over grown sack of feathers. Just you waissssh!” The mare slurred the last bit of her speech as the high proof alcohol started to effect her system. She started to wobble on her seat a bit.
The Gryphon watched her mumble obscenities in amusement before he heard someone approaching. Tensing out of instinct he turned around quickly only to see a lankly stallion trotting up to them only to stop picking up on the Gryphons viscousness. “News from the topside, your hot piece of flank has a visitor tomorrow.”
Zebrica
New Timbuktu
General Shujaa’s Estate
Dining room
2:11 PM
Twilight Sparkle shifted uncomfortably in her seat next to her advisors Blueblood and Fancy. While the Zebra had been tight lipped about their operations the three of them were well aware the war wasn’t going to the Sultans favor. Whispers were heard around and even taking into account news papers habit of embellishing the truth, advances deep into the peninsula were being made. Her wings twitched as she sat up strait in the ordinate wooden chair.
“General Shujaa, surely with the military successes into the peninsula the Sultan would be willing to negotiate. Perhaps you could hold out the olive branch, Equestria would be willing to act as a mediator to ensure things remain civil. We could have the meeting in Canterlot to-“ She was stopped seeing the zebra raise his hoof.
A few moments pasted before he spoke. “I would appreciate that later on, but the campaign is going well. We have also made attempts to bring the Sultan to the negotiating table, but our messengers never return. He doesn’t want to negotiate, it’s likely he still believes he can win this war. Or his own pride won’t allow him to surrender to us...” He seemed to be in deep thought while bringing soup to his lips. As he inhaled the soup Fancy decided to lean forward and speak up.
“Surely he realizes that he can’t fight his way out of this, after that opening strike it should have been plain as Celestia’s day who would win that war.” He said while buttering a roll before dunking it into the thick vegetable stew.
Blueblood followed his mentor. “With the famine being on going and trade being effectively cut off any war effort would be effectively impossible to maintain. Yet somehow he’s been able to maintain some resistance.” He tapped his chin while swirling his own thick stew.
“Yes, I have been curious of what he’s been doing to keep his warriors loyalty. They fight ferociously, I fear they they will continue to charge into our bullets, all the way to the capital. A pity really....” Shujaa said while adding pepper to his soup.
“A pity?..... is that all?” Twilight tried not to sound offended at how callus it sounded. “These are equines lives your talking about!” She struggled to contain her anger.
“I didn’t mean to offend miss Sparkle, but I don’t know how you expect me to feel about an unreasonable enemy.” He leaned forward clasping his hooves together shrugging his shoulders.
“The Sultan is seeing the end of his empire of course he would lash out, but talking about his subjects like that..... they are just trying to defend their homes.” Fancy said while Blueblood attempted to calm the young princess.
Shujaa shrugged while lifting a wine glass to his lips taking a moment to enjoy the rich bitter taste. “Yes they are, just as we did when they did the same to us throughout the centuries of their existence. I’m understanding to their situation but can’t say I mind how the tables have turned.” He downed the rest of the glass rather quickly for such a fine wine.
“So that’s what it’s about? Vengeance for their repeated incursions to your lands?” Blueblood attempted to say in a neutral questioning tone while grasping a roll for himself.
“Partially I suppose, but realistically we can’t allow the sultan or his remaining family to maintain any power. Be they real or ceremonial, he will use what ever he has to attempt this all again.” Shujaa said leaning back into his chair.
“..... you can’t possibly mean.....” Twilight said as a look of horror started to dawn in her face after she had just recovered from her rage.
“No no, I personally would prefer a political exile of him and his remaining family from the peninsula and by extension Zebrica. But with the war getting closer and closer to his palace.... well his chances of getting through this conflict unscathed dimmish considerably.” He paused before continuing. “We would rather not have to capture Riyadh. As the sprawling desert city is heavily congested with small gates, narrow roads, and far too many places to hide. If he doesn’t surrender by the time we reach the capital.... we will not bother with attempting to take the city.”
The three representatives looked at the zebra general with horror as they registered what he meant. Before Twilight finally managed to respond. “Your going to use..... t-those Mortars and Aircraft to....... to.....”
“Bomb the entire city into oblivion, from what our intelligence has gathered, he has all of his heirs within the city. If they won’t surrender and accept political exile then the military will be forced to nip it in the bud to avoid continuous fighting should they escape into the deserts.”
“How can you say that so plainly?! Hundreds of thousands of Saddle Arabians live in that city!” Blueblood said while Twilight sat in shock.
“Then tell me, how many Zebra are you comfortable with dying during the continuous fighting led by the Saddle Arabian Remaint?” He raised an eyebrow. “We made that mistake with the warlords allowing them to retreat into the plains and deserts of our country. Even today they continue to terrorize our people, while tracking them down has proven allusive.”
“Surely they can’t pose that much of an issue..... their numbers have to be minor after such an..... overwhelming defeat by your forces.” Fancy said unsure.
“Yes their numbers are minor, but they have turned to random acts of terrorism using small decentralized groups. This makes it difficult to root them out, as no single group is aware of the whole....” Shujaa said with a sigh. “They hold ransoms, destroy shipments, commit bombings, even just random mass shootings. By the time we reach them they have either retreated back into the plains or commit suicide. Leaving death in their wake.”
“You worry that the Sultan will do the same with his remaining forces?” Blueblood asked actually contemplating the thought.
“If he doesn’t listen to reason, then it’s a very real possibility. One I will not risk, he has two choices, surrender and political exile or annihilation....” Shujaa said simply.
Equestria
Ponyville
Sweet Apple Acres
4:53 PM
Union cursed as he and a number of loyal followers were taking cover inside an abandoned silo. He had decided to lead the capture of the orchard covered farmstead to make a statement. They were the first to transition away from the proper ways so they would be the first to be taught a lesson. At least that was the plan, until nearly half his Pegasopolis Militia killed before they could even fire off a shot.
“Damn those Apples! They must have every one of their yokel kin out there in the trees!” He growled as his stallions huddled in the crumbling wooden structure clutching their weapons.
“It’s worse then you think boss Labor, they boobytrapped the entire farm! I tried to capture one of their stills only to nearly get blown out of the sky!” A blue coated Pegasus stallion said his face crudely bandaged.
“....They planned this too well, they knew we were coming!” Union slammed his hoof down into the dirt just as a few bullets pierced the silo narrowly missing him and his stallions. “We will have to retreat and regroup with the militia members down in the village....” He cursed again before looking around. “You, come here!”
“Y-yes, boss?” A dark grey pegisus approached sounding nervous.
“Tell me, how important is it to you that your little brother is cared for?” Union asked looking into the nervous l stallions eyes, he could see the desperation in them. That’s the only reason he was here, he was a desperate pony who would do anything for his family.
“I-I’ll do anything..” He said looking up with determination in his eyes.
“Excellent, need you to draw their fire while we retreat... do you understand?” Union looked him in the eyes. “If you do this I will make sure he’ll never have to worry about money ever again.”
The dark colored stallion paused before swallowing. “You promise?.....”
“Yes, is there anything else I should know?..” Union asked while giving him a crooked smile.
“......Just have him sent to my cousins Flitter and Cloudchaser.....” he swallowed his throat feeling dry.
“I will, I’ll tell them you were a hero for the cause.” Union said while the stallion slowly got in a starting position as if he was about to run the gauntlet. While the others prepared to run out the back of the silo.
For a few moments the only sounds were the random gunshots of Apples peppering the silo from the safety of the trees. Then he rushed out the front opening of the silo, shouts were heard along with countless gun shots. Union and his remaining supporters quickly snuck out the back leaving the stallion to his fate.
Equestria
Ponyville
Sweet Apple Acres
5:03 PM
Applejack watched the grey blur rush out of the silo. “Those flying snakes are trying to make a run for it! Get um!”
Countless guns raked the meadow surrounding the old silo with bullets and shot. Tearing up the flowers and grass before the pegasus fell, his body knocked over from the force of so many projectiles slamming into his body. For a few moments the earth ponies waited before Applejack said something.
“Where’s the rest of em?” After a few moments of waiting it dawned on her seeing faint shapes vanishing in the distant sky. “Them feather backs sacrificed one of their own to get away!”
As she screamed obscenity’s before her eyes slowly turned to the solitary grey body in the meadow. That grey cyan mane looked familiar, looking around she slid from her hiding spot in the trees. A flurry of whispers from the surrounding trees warned her to go back to hiding but she slowly made her way out of the foliage. A pit starting to form in her stomach as she moved the trench gun to her back.
Numerous rifles trained on the grey body while the orange mare made her way closer to it. With the last of the pegisi repelled from the farm the silence was deafening. The only sounds were her hooves crushing the grass, until she eventually reached the downed pony and grabbed his shoulder slowly pulling him over to his side to get a better look at him.
“T-Thunderlane?! W-what are you doing here?!” Applejacks face slowly morphed into a look of horror as his blooded muzzle came into view.
“H-hey A-Applejack....... l-long t-time no see.......” He struggled to give her smile, part of his lips eviscerated from shot his shattered teeth showing.
“W-why?..why would you sign up with these monsters?!?..” She stuttered out begging for an answer unsure what would be worse. “S-Somepony get a first aid kit!!!
“M-money...... Wonderbolts...... sacked me...... no benefits...... or pension......” He hacked up a bit of blood, the viscous liquid spattering Applejacks cheek. “The Foal Protective A-Agency......... they would h-have taken R-rumble........ Union..... h-he.....promised m-money..... a-and work......”
“T-thunderlane.... t-there h-had to be better o-options.... y-your cousins t-they could hav-“ She was cut off as Thunderlane shook his head.
“They...... live in a store room........ n-no bed...... can’t..... even keep themselves fed......” he grunted while a cautious Braeburn approached with a kit held in his mouth.
“W-we would h-have h-hired you!” Applejack protested while Braeburn started to bandage his wounds a solemn look on his face.
“But..... you didn’t.........” He looked into her sap green eyes while his clouding gold eyes. “I-I sent an..... application for w-work months a-ago........ even tried to come i-in person a few times.... y-you didn’t g-give me the time.... o-of day.........” He said as Applejack racked her brain trying to remember between upgrading the farms infrastructure, producing moonshine, her trip down south, planning the protests, the sacking of the mayor, purchasing weapons, all she could muster up in her mind was a fuzzy grey blotch and some background noise.
“I-I just faded into t-they background... so much for Apple h-hospitality huh?..........” He said chuckling weakly while Applejack lowered her head in shame. “It’s alright....... I-I know how h-hard things w-were for you family... family first r-right?...” he hacked again struggling to breath. “If...... the pegisi lose.......... can....... you take Rumble to my cousins?........... please?......... he’s at..... S-Somber Sky’s h-halfwa-.....” He just went limp with a faint exhale, Applejack stared shaking his shoulders trying to bring him back.
“T-Thunderlane! C-come on wake up! Y-yalls bother is w-waiting for you!” She started to shake him more forcefully as her vision started to get blurry while she let out shuttering breaths. “H-he needs you! C-come on!” She screamed holding the blood soaked pegasus while Braeburn rested his hoof on her shoulder only for her to shake it away. She just sat their holding the stallion close. “H-he was one of us...... a-a pony from P-Ponyville....... a-a brother to a colt.... t-that Bloom goes ta school with....... a-and w-we shot em....... I-I s-shot em.......”
“Applejack...... we didn’t know...... y-you didn’t know...... h-he would have shot you if he had the chance.....” Braeburn tried to say.
“Twas my fault...... I-if I had m-made time for em...... h-he wouldn’t have b-been s-so d-desperate...... b-but.... I couldn’t stop...... to give him some Apple Family Hospitality.........no..... I wouldn’t stop ta give it to him........” At that Braeburn closed his mouth while she raised her head up and let out a wail.
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Also with the end part...
i kinda agree with the Zebras
Equestria is falling apart, at least some inter-tribal relations remain though. Luna was the smart one, getting the heck out of dodge, thought I don't think she realized how much it affected her sister.
In all honesty Celestia should see the writing on the wall and allow for Equestria as a country to cease to be. Though, for that to go smoothly she'd need to gather all the leaders of the cities, towns, communities, and movements to hash out a plan. In order to cause as little upheaval and instability as possible with the dissolution of the Equestrian Government.
I hope Cadance gets her Flurry Heart back though.
9917158
That’s always the issue isn’t it? You never know who actually believed the rhetoric and who just joined for a hot meal or paycheck. When people get desperate enough they will grasp onto anything, even if it’s reprehensible.
9918034
Luna is a special case for me, after being locked away for so long there is little she could ever hope to claim as her own in Equestria. With the one race of ponys that swore loyalty to her having left for greener pastures. Can we really blame her for following their hoofsteps as it were? She wants something to claim as her own, that’s all anyone really wants.
Celestia is another special case, I always felt her “retirement” in the series felt so abrupt. She has sacrificed so much to build Equestria we all know, which even on a good day is mentally exhausting from what we have seen in the show. One can’t hope to imagine what comes after a classic villain attack in terms of bureaucracy. After over 1000 years of this, could she really do anything else with herself? Letting go of what she knows might effectively be unthinkable for her.
As for flurry? Update coming soon.
9919750
Even so, there’s only so much loss someone can take before they lose it. Everything Celestia has built is burning around her and it’s so exhausting for her. Celestia is tired, tired of dealing with the day to day business of running the government, listening to nobles and everyone. Holding that mask of perfection isn’t something she can do anymore. In my opinion she doesn’t even have the passion to become Day Breaker over the events. Her passion for ruling has burnt out, the loss of her sister has only exasperated this. She’s running on fumes and those fumes are almost gone.
I really believe she’s one travesty from walking away from it all. She loves her subjects, but I think she’s reaching the point of letting everything go.
9919981
She acts more like an over caring mother then a ruler and that a major weakness of her that can be used against her
New chap yet?
9959380
Nearly, I like to have a minimum word count
9919981
Celestia has pretty much completely and utterly failed making a Utopia for her so-called Precious Little Ponies. And now she's starting to see the paint peeling away rather rapidly I wonder if she's starting to realize her mistake burying or erasing history of the three tribes. The saying will always hold true he who erases history is doomed to repeat it. And her sister was a smart one for well pretty much getting the fuck out of country before everything else goes to shit and to be frankly honest she really never had much of a future in Equestria anyway, the noble class is clearly a completely and utterly no respect for her a lot of the pop it was still fear her the only ones that really follower would be the bat ponies and they received pretty much the exact same treatment as she does is either freaks or villains. So it's understandable they went on to greener pastures. And I think I've said this before I've never really been a particular big fan of My Little Pony I like some of the characters that's about it mainly Discord because well actually find his Antics rather amusing. All the way over at some fanfics am I actually like but that's besides the point although I am quite enjoying scene this fragile Utopia Fall Apart because it's about High Time at the ponies see how the world truly is and it does not give the faintest of schitt's about them plus it will knock down their considerable pride and ego quite down a notch now they're starting to realize they are not a major power well they might have been more so economically but militarily wise they never were although I am quite enjoying scene this fragile Utopia fall apart because it's about high time that the ponies see how the world truly is and it does not give the fattest of schitt's about them plus it will knock down there considerable pride and ego quite down a notch now they're starting to realize they are not major power well they might have been more so economically but military wise they only have the royal guard which is essentially is nothing more than a ceremonial/ honor guard.
And it's not like their leadership within their own ranks have really any experience in combat whatsoever their captain Twilight Sparkle's brother probably only Rose through the ranks that quickly due to his sister being the personal Protege of their dear leader that and also sleeping with her niece at the time as well. And if you also look at it as well Celestine of really is pretty much nothing more than a figurehead the nobility you really have the true political power in the country and I find it rather baffling that she's decided to put up with that nobility for almost a thousand years if I was in her place I would be commencing regular purges of the nobility every 50 to 80 years just to remind the Nobles who's in charge. I mean the only competent one of their lot would probably be Fancy Pants who seems like the only rational and level-headed one of the lot in that city if we're just counting the higher nobility.
9919981
And plus the idea of making a Utopia is completely and utterly impossible.
Once again Applejack watches her sins as she realizes that they all live in society