Chapter 10
The light was hazy when it first appeared, and brightened quickly in little time. He closed his eyes soon after they opened, then opened them again slowly. The bright lights refocused, and the world around him gained form. The bright light came from the crude bulb on the white painted ceiling above him, and a quick glance showed the same stark-white paint job all over the small room. A table stood to his left, and to his right, a heart monitor beeped with a slow, steady rhythm. On the other side of the room was a chair, and sitting in the chair was the last pony Captain Thunderbolt ever expected to see.
“I know you won’t believe this,” she said, her voice years older than he remembered and sounding withered and throaty by comparison, “but I was worried about you.”
“W- . . . Wind Chime?”
The pink Pegasus mare got up from her seat and limped slowly to his bedside, a light chuckle in her throat.“I was kinda hoping to go off on you for forgetting your ex-wife’s name. Bummer . . . .”She stopped next to him and ran a hoof over his face.“Are you all right?”
Thunderbolt tried to shift around in bed, not to move, but to assess that question.“Few spine fractures,” he muttered, “couple of broken ribs, a burn or two . . . pretty sure I have a concussion . . . other than that, I guess I’m fine.”
“I’m not surprised,” Wind Chime replied, her eyes sweeping his torn up, bandaged body.“I heard the spell carved through the entire palace. You weren’t even the only one to get hurt.”
“Well, shoot,” Thunderbolt grumbled, “there goes the notion of protecting everypony.”He paused as he turned his head, giving his next words more gravity: “Some royal guard I am, right?”
“Don’t do that,” Wind Chime said, frowning.“Not now.”
“You were thinking it, Windy. I know you were.”
“Well, you should have seen it coming,” she snapped back.“You and I both know you’re using what happened as an excuse to take away freedoms.”
“Oh, for cripes’ sake, you too?” Thunderbolt’s tone went up despite his hoarse voice.“I’m trying to make sure what happened to Sunbeam never happens again—”
“Don’t, Bolty! Don’t bring her name into this. I should think it would be enough to keep you from going after other ponies’ children. Princess Flurry Heart almost destroyed the Crystal Empire. Were you gonna register her, too?”
Thunderbolt made a noise that was a cross between a groan and a scoff.“I lost my daughter, so I’m gonna take away someone else’s? What kind of monster do you think I am?”
“Enough of one to force someone to do this!”
“Anypony who goes out of their way to attack Canterlot was always a criminal.”
“Bolty, open your eyes!” Wind Chime had almost reached the top of her voice, and was quieter from that point on.“The world isn’t split between good ponies and bad. Everypony makes mistakes.”
“Mistakes get ponies killed, Windy.”Thunderbolt’s voice also wound down, and his next words made it break slightly.
“Mine did . . . .”
He released a deep sigh and closed his eyes. He struggled to move his forelimbs, but both wore heavy casts. He leaned back on his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut tighter as a single tear trickled down his face. His subsequent breaths were quicker and harsher as he tried to hide them.
Wind Chime climbed into the bed and sat next to him, stroking his singed mane.“Don’t do this again, Bolty,” she soothed.“Don’t do this to yourself. This isn’t who you used to be. The pony who thought solving conflict with diplomacy and reason? What happened to him?”
“Him?” Thunderbolt scoffed again through his tears.“That altruistic fool died in the invasion . . . along with his daughter . . . .”
“Thunderbolt, no. Stop blaming yourself. I never did. I got out with a spine injury that gave me a limp for the rest of my life, and I still don’t blame you. And what happened to Sunbeam wasn’t your fault, either. You have to accept that—”
“I should have known Changelings don’t listen to reason. I tried reasoning with those monsters, and they killed her. I could have destroyed the lot of them if I wanted to, but I didn’t. And they were able to destroy Canterlot and take her away from me. Take everything away from me . . . .”More tears fell, and his unsteady breathing became harder to cover up.
“You know that’s not true,” Wind Chime spoke up over his sobs.“You didn’t lose me.”
“You left me, remember? Who wants to be with a stallion who couldn’t even save his own daughter?”
“I left you because we’d just lost our only daughter! We had nothing left between us. I told you then and I’m telling you now. It wasn’t because of you.”
Thunderbolt didn’t answer for a while; his sobs died down and his breaths slowed at last. Wind Chime’s hoof continued caressing his mane.
“Diplomacy doesn’t change ponies,” Thunderbolt’s voice was back to being steady and cold.“Reason doesn’t save lives. And villains never change, no matter how much they want to.”
Wind Chime’s hoof stopped moving, and after a pause, she slipped off the side of the bed. She looked at Thunderbolt with the same cold glare.“But you don’t have the right to make sure they can’t try,” she said with a similar coldness in her tone.
Thunderbolt glanced at her, his stone face returning to its usual resolute state.“If you’re not going to help me, then get me a nurse. I need to send a message.”
“A message?” Wind Chime asked.“To whom?”
“To a Unicorn girl named Moon Dancer,” Thunderbolt replied sternly. “She started this campaign. And she hates that little Starlight criminal as much as I do.”
Wind Chime sighed.“Why not just let one of the princesses handle this whole RARA thing?”
“Celestia’s not fit for the job,” said Thunderbolt without flinching, “and Luna’s been a criminal before. If I had a reason to think she’d relapse, I’d keep an eye on her too, but the whole Tantabus incident proves she’s as self-castigating as I . . . .”He cleared his throat and resumed, “Besides, Moon Dancer is the one pony I trust to handle this.”
Wind Chime’s eyes widened a bit.“A young mare is the only pony you trust?”She gave her own scoff.“Your interest sounds a bit . . . more than professional.”
Thunderbolt’s eyes narrowed.“Not at all what I meant.”
“Okay, so just to recap: nineteen ponies are in critical condition after the incident at the palace. Three Earth ponies, five Pegasi, and eleven Unicorns, including Captain Thunderbolt. Another fifty-seven were injured, but not as badly. The attacker was clearly a Unicorn, and used a highly advanced Light Destruction spell, so it was clearly a high-grade spellcaster, so we need to look at all possible education facilities that teach and allow usage of the spell. That will include the Royal Guard and Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns—ooh, I hope Princess Celestia understands. The royal guards had traces of the spell analyzed and concluded that the spell was of pony origin, so we can rule out magical creatures or Changelings—thank goodness, I don’t know how Spike would take it if Thorax were somehow involved. The attacker was a Unicorn, a high-level magic user, and was able to get into Canterlot easily without attracting attention. That narrows it down at least a little bit. I’ll have to make a list of all possible Unicorn citizens from every town that visited Canterlot today, and cross-reference them with all the places that instruct high-level magic . . . .”
Twilight had gone on like this from the moment they’d got on the train home to now, when they exited and set hoof in Ponyville again. The whole train was abuzz with talk of the attack, so her friends understood. It didn’t stop Rainbow Dash from groaning every time she started a new sentence or Rarity from putting on a royal blue lace sleep mask and pretending to nap for the whole trip. Pinkie Pie didn’t speak the whole time, and Applejack simply paced back and forth. Somehow, everyone was coping.
Except for Fluttershy.
Her heartbreak over Discord’s incarceration notwithstanding, she’d been waging war with herself for hours over whether Twilight should know what the two posh ponies in Canterlot told her, and what Bon-Bon had told her shortly after. The eyewitness accounts seemed impossible to misplace—they knew exactly who was behind this, and had a pretty good idea why. Fluttershy had tried to justify that it couldn’t have been her, but she fit Twilight’s own description perfectly: a powerful Unicorn who could get in and out of Canterlot without attracting attention.
She has to know, she’d thought as they boarded the train back home.
No, you don’t know it was her, she’d rebutted as the train started moving.
They know, though.
They made a mistake.
They couldn’t have. They saw her. They know who she is.
Starlight wouldn’t do this. Whoever did must just look like her, that’s all.
They described her perfectly. The only thing that could look that much like her is a Changeling, and they just said it couldn’t have been a Changeling.
Then they made a mistake.
Maybe they didn’t make a mistake? Maybe Twilight did . . . ?
This mental exchange was roughly the same every few minutes until the train stopped at Ponyville. She stole frequent glances at Twilight as she babbled on about the details of the attack, and thankfully, the latter seemed not to notice. Now, as the six ambled back to Twilight’s palace, Fluttershy arrived at a firm conclusion.
Bon-Bon clearly said she would take the law into her own hooves. Twilight needs to know that. Even if it means . . . .
“Umm, Twilight?”
“I’ll write to the royal guard every day to keep up with the inves—oh!” Twilight snapped herself out of her panicked analysis and looked at her.“What’s up, Fluttershy?”
“I . . . well, I’ve been thinking, and I think you ought to know that . . . well . . . see, I don’t know if I believe it, but . . . before we left . . . .”
“Oh, come on, Fluttershy! Spit it out!” Rainbow Dash snapped from above them.“Anypony’s voice is better than Twilight’s after this!!”
“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity cried.“What in heavens has gotten into you?!”
Dash stared back at Rarity, eyes wide in shock as though she’d been yelled at for daydreaming. She glanced at Fluttershy, then set down with a sigh.“Sorry about that,” she muttered, “I guess I’m still on edge after what happened at the palace.”
“I understand,” Fluttershy replied, patting her on the shoulder, “but this really is important. I just . . . don’t know how to say it . . . .”
“Fluttershy, after the crazy few weeks we’ve all had, nothin’ll surprise us right now,” Applejack spoke up as they finally approached the door and Twilight slowly pushed it open.“I mean, you told us how you feel about Discord bein’ in jail, so you got the right to be upset, too.”
“It’s not just about being upset. It’s about . . . well . . . Starlight.”
“What about Starlight?” Rarity asked. Twilight broke from the group and went upstairs as the rest of them took a seat at the cutie map, and Fluttershy instantly felt at ease; sitting down seemed to make things at least a bit easier.
“Well . . . back in Canterlot . . . with the Act getting so much attention . . . and they already took Discord, so anypony else could go after our friends if they really felt threatened by them . . . anypony at all, really—”
“Come on, Fluttershy!” Dash replied from above them as she set down into her seat.“Have you seen this place? This palace could repel the whole royal guard if it came down to it! They can’t just take Starlight whenever they want! She’s fine. She’s totally safe!”
“She’s not here.”
Twilight had returned with a furrowed brow and a distressed gleam in her eye. The others looked at her, mercifully taking away attention from Fluttershy.
“Whattaya mean, she ain’t here?” Applejack replied.“Wasn’t she holed up in her room for days?”
“Weeks,” Twilight corrected.“This doesn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t she be in her room? Why now?”
“Now, let’s not panic,” said Rarity, “I’m sure she’s still here. It is a big palace, after all.”
Applejack nodded.“Good point. Let’s split up, y’all. If she’s still in here, we’ll find her quicker that way.”
And with that, six ponies left the room, each for a different destination. Rainbow Dash sped out first, heading to the upper levels and bashing open every door she saw. Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack ran through hallway after hallway, not finding anypony but each other and losing their way just as often. Pinkie Pie, still in a muted, limp state, ambled out with no trace of the usual spring in her step.
Fluttershy searched as many rooms as she could find on the ground floor, but the longer the search went on, the more times somepony called out Starlight’s name, the more it occurred to her that they would not find her in the palace—or in Ponyville at all.
And you know why, don’t you?
No.
You know the only reason she’d have to leave.
Stop it.
She’s guilty. She has to be.
No, she’s not!
The mental battle resumed in her head, taking up more effort than the search, so that by the time Rainbow Dash had gone through four floors and come up with nothing, Fluttershy was barely finished with half of the ground floor.
The six reunited in Starlight’s room, almost as if a collective subconscious thought urged them to catch Starlight there on their way back. Dash and Twilight arrived first, and Fluttershy was even slower than Pinkie Pie in returning to the group.
“Nothing in the upper floors,” Rainbow Dash said, shrugging.
“We checked the second floor,” Rarity spoke and nodded toward Applejack.“Utterly devoid.”
“Basement’s empty . . .” Pinkie mumbled.
“This just doesn’t make sense!” Twilight shrieked again, now pacing the room.“Why would Starlight leave now? Why today? She knew how bad this would look! It’s obvious she knew what would happen today! The vote! The Act! She knew if she left today, it would make her look guilty! So why leave now?!”
“Twilight,” Fluttershy spoke up, “maybe she left because she—”
“What is all that racket?!”
All six mares jumped at the sound of a new voice, and turned toward its source—a bunched-up sheet on Starlight’s bed had suddenly reared up and started yelling.
“Can’t a great and powerful sorceress get any sleep around here?!”
There was a brief pause, and Twilight groaned and rolled her eyes. She ignited her horn, and the sheet was swept off the bed, revealing a groggy, baggy-eyed blue Unicorn with a dire case of bed mane.
“Trixie, what are you doing in here?” Twilight snapped.“This is Starlight’s room.”
“The Great and Powerful Trixie sleeps wherever she desires!” Trixie snapped back with a glowering look. The look soon softened as reality set in inside her mind.“Hmm . . . come to think of it, the Great and Powerful Trixie doesn’t quite recall ever falling asleep . . . .”
“Well, that’s just dumb!” Dash spat, setting down.“How could you not remember falling asleep?”
“Silence, plebian!” Trixie barked.“Even Trixie has been known to display common absent-mindedness on the rarest of occasions!”She then put a pensive hoof to her mouth.“Hmm . . . I think the last thing I remember was listening to the radio with Starlight. We were staying up to date on the RARA situation in Canterlot. I don’t think they’d even started the vote yet. Then everything just went black . . . .”
Twilight glanced at her friends, and they returned it to her and to each other. Fluttershy felt her heart speed up when she saw the skeptical looks in their eyes—each if them had it, in varying degrees of duration.
Fluttershy had to consciously restrain a sigh when her thoughts were spoken for her, by Rarity:
“You . . . don’t suppose she—”
“Stop,” Twilight said, staring daggers at her.“I know what this looks like, but it can’t be true.”
“Well, ya gotta admit, sugarcube, it does look suspicious—”
“I don’t care how suspicious it looks, Applejack! Starlight is not that pony anymore! She would never even think about doing something like this! Not after she learned her lesson after the time travel incident!”
“Darling, there’s no need to be defensive. We know how it looks, but surely you don’t think we’d believe—”
“It was the first thing you thought, and you know it, Rarity! Starlight is on our side! She’s not evil anymore! She would never, ever attack the palace!”
“Twilight, she did!”
Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and even Trixie turned toward Fluttershy with wide eyes. The resulting silence made Fluttershy squirm in place.
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this,” Twilight almost whispered it, as if in defeat.“My own friends . . . .”
“Twilight, I’ve been trying to tell you all along,” Fluttershy continued, pushing away the horror of the attention.“Some ponies in Canterlot saw who attacked the palace. They described Starlight perfectly, and Bon-Bon even said she’d go after her personally. If that’s true, Starlight will be in danger, whether she did it or not!”
There was another, even longer silence, and Fluttershy nearly collapsed in relief when more eyes swapped glances (and strayed away from her). Even Pinkie Pie seemed to be perking up beyond her seemingly impermeable depression, if only to be just as puzzled and worried as her friends.
“I think you all know what we have to do,” Twilight said, finally breaking the silence.
“Darling!” Rarity yelped.“You don’t mean . . . you’re not seriously suggesting that we—”
“I’m not suggesting it, Rarity,” Twilight bit back.“We’re going after her. We have to.”
“Well, I ain’t sure if ya recall,” Applejack said with a critical gaze, “but Canterlot passed that Act as soon as we left. They ain’t gonna let ya do this without an okay from the Princesses and their newfangled panel.”
“And that could take days!” Dash interjected, taking to the air.“We gotta find her, like, yesterday!”
“Which means going over their heads,” Rarity sighed.
“What did you think I was gonna do, ask permission?” Twilight growled.
“Twilight, no!” Fluttershy cried.“If you don’t talk to them first, you could be in a lot of trouble!”
“I have no time to play by Moon Dancer and Thunderbolt’s rules, Fluttershy! Starlight needs help, now! They won’t let her plead her case to clear her name, so it’s up to me!”
“We’re coming, too!” Rainbow Dash announced.“We’re friends, and friends stick together, right?”
“Wrong.”
Dash’s jaw hung open at Twilight’s response.
“Not this time,” she continued.“If those Canterlot nobles really intend to come down on me for going around their joke of an act, it’s best that only one of us get involved. The fewer of us breaking their rules, the better.”
“But we wanna help!” Pinkie squealed, her voice strongly above a whisper for the first time since leaving Canterlot. Even Trixie did a double-take.
“Now, now, Pinkie, I think Twilight may be right this time,” Rarity replied.“Besides, that Act was put in place for a reason. It was to stop us making foolish mistakes.”The last two words came out through slightly gritted teeth as Rarity’s eyes darted toward Twilight.
Applejack nodded.“I agree. Much as I like Starlight and wanna help her, it just ain’t our place right now.”She looked Twilight dead in the eye.“It shouldn’t be our place for any of us.”
“I don’t care,” Twilight snapped.“I was taught to learn friendship, and because of that, Equestria was saved more than once. I made a friend of Starlight instead of stopping her from ever being more than what she was, and I made the right decision. Just as I am now.”And with that, Twilight turned around and walked stoically out the door.
“Twilight! Let me come, too!”
Twilight turned to see Trixie walk up to her, her eyes narrow and her features stony.
Twilight shook her head.“I’m sorry, Trixie, but I can’t let you. This might be dangerous, even without the threat of the panel. I can’t let anypony else risk their freedom—”
“You assume this was a request rather than a command,” Trixie retorted.“The Great and Powerful Trixie regularly flirts with danger!”
“Like that Ursa Major you fought?” Applejack replied with a smirk. Trixie merely turned long enough to shoot her a dirty look before addressing Twilight again.
“In any case, I know Starlight. We’ve become close, remember? If anypony has a chance of helping her see reason, it’s me. You’d be crazy not to bring me with you.”
Twilight sighed, glanced at the floor, then to each of her friends before returning to the floor.“I just don’t know. We may not see eye-to-eye, but that doesn’t mean I want you to take unnecessary risks.”
“You said it yourself, Princess,” Trixie drawled, “this is entirely necessary. Besides,” her tone softened, as well as her face, “they expect criminal behavior from me. According to them, I have a record. You, not so much. I can take a risk because I have less to lose, and if we get caught, I can be your alibi. I can simply tell them I overpowered you and forced you to help me look for Starlight.”She leaned in close with an insinuating wideness in her eyes.“You know, my best friend that I’d do anything and everything to make sure is safe?”
Twilight stared into Trixie’s stony gaze, and seemed to realize as the rest of them did that she had a point. Another sigh escaped her lips, her eyes narrowed, and she spoke low and steadily:
“We’ll have to move quickly. If she left Ponyville, we’ll have to start at the train station.”She turned to each of her friends.“Stay in town, keep an eye on things. If something happens or if Starlight comes home, have Spike send me a letter. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“You got it, Twilight,” Applejack replied, tipping her hat. The rest of the group nodded, and Rainbow Dash grumbled to herself. Fluttershy felt a collapsing sense of relief tempered with a foreboding dread that threatened to knock her to the ground. Now, there was only to wait.
Even Fluttershy couldn’t stand feeling this helpless.
Twilight turned and left the bedroom, and Trixie followed, lightning her horn and sweeping her wizard’s hat and cape from a corner of the room first.“You know, Princess,” Trixie smirked on their way out, “False alibi notwithstanding, I figured you’d be too proud to admit you were a hostage of the Great and Powerful Trixie.”
“That’s because my ego isn’t as fragile as yours,” Twilight replied simply. Trixie merely harrumphed in reply.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- LightningSword · 20k words · 119 57 · 5.7k views
- LightningSword · 1.9k words · 118 35 · 1.8k views
- LightningSword · 6.9k words · 104 85 · 3.3k views
- LightningSword · 7.5k words · 64 22 · 1.4k views
- LightningSword · 2k words · 113 32 · 3k views
- LightningSword · 3.4k words · 62 9 · 1.4k views
- LightningSword · 10k words · 52 18 · 1.1k views
- grey mane · 176k words · 35 10 · 1.3k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.059 seconds
Total duration
677 users online
886,710 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Question for Wind Chime... how many mistakes (crimes) have to be made, how many times do lives have to be put at risk before enough is enough? Surprised Thunderbolt didn't fire back with that since Discord is a fine example.
Hmm, having read the fic up to this while its clear that the RARA is is a abominable piece of work and the actions the royal guard took before it even passed was horrid it does at least still managed to not be quite as lopsided as marvel civil war I or II.
That being said if Twilight has lost trust and respect for her fellow princesses than its no less than I suspect it would be exactly what they deserve at this point.
You know it would be a shame if this is all a ploy to cause a civil war in equestria therre by weakening them so the changlings can swop in and finish the Victor yes would be a real dick move.
I like this Wind Chime gal. It's about time somepony came along who could tell Thunderbolt exactly what he NEEDS to hear no matter how much he doesn't WANT to believe it.
All that being said, I can understand why he is doing this after hearing his story. But something tells me there's a lot more to it than that, so I'd like to see where this goes.
Thunderbolt going to regret allt hsi in the end. Thsi thing will go out of control and he and moon Dancer will lost control of it and become a Big Brother Event.
8667952
I'd half wouldn't be surprised if it was a plot to insure the return of the wendigos or some other ancient enemy given how in Equestria RARA is causing divides among even family and close friends and those pushing it stomp over harmony with jackboots.
8667871
In Discord defense that was Twilight and everyoen else fault. Fluttershyw as the only oen who actually TRIED to help him learn friendship.the other avoided him like the plague if they could.
Which they did, hwo you think he react.
Deny a man or woman a chance to prove they change they go back to the old ways. I know it hard it is, but it's no excuse. Twilight relaized that now.
thunderbolt is letting his anger and rage cloud his judgement, i keep saying this.
the law can be exploited and misused!
Yes thudnerbolt not a monster, nor is MoonDancer, but someone could take over and can be one or abuses the power!
Like in civil war, Spider Woman tried to leave America to start over in Canada what happen Carol or Ms Marvel tracked her down beat her up and arrested her in front of her child!
Later she admited she screwed up big time and broke her out!
8668002
Yeah and Discord being an antagonistic troll and not coming off the least bit likeable while he wasn't screwing with everyone for kicks had nothing to do with that treatment especially when he did nothing to prove he didn't deserve it.
8668015
Dash any better, every character has a major flaw, and they learned to curb it withhelp from thier friends.
Friends as more then ONE....
Tirek tricked Discord he knew what to say and to do, he offer to be friends and give Discord full rights to do what he wanted.
In the end he had only one thing to stop him from making a bad choice.
8667871
I'm with you, Wind Chime is rather delusional.
I bet it was Chrysalis. She swore she'd get revenge on Starlight and she's the only one who can possibly look exactly like her.
Gotta admit, not a big fan of how the rest of the Mane Six are just letting Twilight break the law on her own. In-show, they would totally have her back on this, not leaving her to get into potential trouble on her own while getting upstaged by Trixie.
Jesus.... I actually feel sorry for grumpy old bastard (Thunderbolt)... The man is still a jerkoff, but... His ex is right, his daughter... It wasn't his fault, not one bit of her death was his fault at all. It was never, it'll never will be his fault, but clearly that doesn't to him since his own personal grudge as cost him from society to his marriage... I'll admit I was expecting some big after the long wait, but I wasn't the feels to be that strong, excellent job Lightning, it was worth the wait.
8667994
They're not on the panel. They've already lost control. They just haven't been socked in the face with that fact yet.
Also?
Lese Majeste. If Wind Chime wants to do something useful about Thunderbolt, maybe she should tell someone what he thinks of his rulers.
We’re about to reach the point where shit hits the fan. Twilight going solo for now is good, but things are only going to get worse before they get better. Nice hearing Wind Chime call out Thunderbolt, and getting more about his past. I hope he’ll realize how stupid he’s being eventually.
Edit: What’s with all the down votes? What I say that was so bad?
Yeah, I can just see the scene now. Twilight and Starlight at an airship field.... I'm just counting down the moments till we get to this, 'cause it will be glorious.
Also, good job with Thunderbolt. I still don't agree with him, but I see why he's doing what he's doing now, at least and a feel sympathy for him.
8669124
That is what I was trying to do. Thank you.
8669086
What's with the attitude?
Changelings can look like ponies. Chrysalis has a vendetta against Starlight. Is that really so outlandish?
8669212
Then you haven't been paying attention, the magic signature that was found belonged to a pony, not a changeling.
8669212
Yes, but Changelings don't have that kind of power that was displayed in the attack.
8669214
I just thought they were just wrong about that. Again, no need for the attitude.
8669220
My thinking was that in fanfiction they could
8669363
I would like to apologize for that.
8669363
8669220
8669447
Just to clear things up.
Maybe Sunbeam is the true culprit, who knows. Even if I'm with the RARA side, this case needs to be investigated more instead of jumping the gun to accusations.
Welcome back. It's good to see an update to this amazing story, however I do wonder one thing. Where's Spike during all of this? If not with the mane six when they went to Canterlot, then he'd most likely be at home in Twilights palace. Where is he then when the castle is searched by the mane six??
8670706
Well, in-universe, I guess you could say he's out running errands. He has a life too, you know. 
Didn't even think about that, to be honest.
This story just keeps getting better and better!Keep up the good work and take plenty of brakes that you need, don't stress yourself out or rush it :3
8696175
Thanks for reading!
8696320
you're welcome!
Oooooh, you wrote this? My dad recommended this to me last night. He likes it. Hopefully I will too
8698196
Wow, a recommendation? From a parental figure?!
I've finally made it . . . .
Well, seeing as how it's in your "Good Reads" folder, you either enjoyed it, or are about to. In either case, thank you!
Whew, read all of it. And my god, I’m an asshole! I hate Thunderbolt’s existnece, but I agree with the basis of where he’s coming from. Even if I wanna curb stomp his smug ass.
I do believe that a forceful hand does go a long way in keeping peace. I noticed that Twilight’s main argument is stemming from her believing that if anyone makes a mistake that it would end up with them being imprisoned, but after reading the article’s twice, I have to agree with Moondancer. Equestria is full of magic users that can fuck something shit up. That sort of evens the playing feild, and set’s a standard. Starlight should be held in full account for her crimes, especially for taking other’s freedom cause her boyfriend pieced out, and fucking up time. I like Starlight, but if she’s were to screw up the fabric of space time in our world... we’ll. Maybe three death sentences
Thunderbolt seems a bit too zealous to me. I mean, it works cause if you wanted me to hate him, you knocked the ball into orbit, but if there’s anyone to blame for the Changeling attack 👀
Did anyone ever say how Cadence was captured in the first place? That and, he seems to overly enjoy what he’s doing, like. He is less firm and More sadistic in my opinion. Still though, I laughed when that bomb wrecked his shit
Twilight... my waifu... you are so delusional... like. I don’t want my freedoms to be infringed upon, but Spitfire and Sorain said it: Some rules just have to be accepted whether or not you subjectively believes that they are right, but there’s are those that can take it too far and spit in the face of one’s rights or even in the face of common decency. For right now though, I am team Moondancer. The world doesn’t work in the way that you can do what you want and expect everything to turn out okay. I do believe that Moondancer is bitter/Jealous, and I want someone to give Thunderbolt a nice one hitter quitter straight to the jaw (please let it be Flutters)
Wow, I have to say this has been an intense story thus far. I really enjoyed Captain America: Civil War, so seeing an MLP version of that movie, without it being an actual crossover, is very interesting.
Any chance that, during the recruiting stage, Sunset Shimmer might make an appearance? She was mentioned near the beginning of the story, and I could just see her coming through the portal helping Twilight and her group... assuming Twilight informs her of the situation in Equestria.
Anyhow, great story so far. Looking forward to the next chapter.
8722290
I'm very glad you're enjoying the story. I can't say just yet whether Sunset will appear.
Or what side she'd be on.
But thanks so much for the favorite. And thanks for the follow, too! It really means a lot!
8722337
What?! Okay, assuming she happened to go against Twilight, the pony who gave her a second chance, by the way, somehow I can’t see either Moon Dancer or Thunderbolt giving her a chance. They’d probably arrest her on the spot and stick her in the same dungeon as Discord.
... of course, it would interesting to see what Sunset being pro-R.A.R.A., would be like. Well, here’s hoping she does show up.
You’re very welcome!
I read all the chapters so far written and heres what have to say I like this story as to those who started this dark sad tale out of revenge and bitterness or cause they think what they do is for the greater good.
When the horrors, and fighting ends, when the ashes and the dusk settles when equestria and other nations is nothing but ruin cities destroyed nations broken lands and burned ravage lands that will not recover unless the gods of this world and the tree of harmony wills it to recover, to moon dancer , thunderbolt, wind chime, celestia and all others who decided to accidentally or purposely destroy your homeland the peace that you once upon time had despite the troubles done in Equestira by taking away the freedoms and rights to redeem ones self or be free worth it all! are the many future dead ponies and non pony friends and families and all the lives you ruined destroyed and killed worth it all! is all the death and destruction that will come in the future and then comes to pass worth it all, will it be everything you wanted when Equestria is dead and the tree of harmony does not response no matter your pleas to help rebuilt when everything you destroyed and all those lives you killed and ruined your own fault for in the end Celestia, moon dance, thunder bolt, wind chime, and any other who started this sad tale will be your fault even if you live to the end of the story all the bad things that happen in this story is your fault and your doing, think on that when you look on the bitter and broken and crying ponies and non ponies faces.
Hey man, It's so good to finally have a talk with you, I'm such a huge fan of your story here... wait scratch that... I FUCKING LOVE IT! And I hope you post another chapter very soon... I'll be waiting.
I'm TheShadowKnight, by the way.
8753459
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm and dedication. I feel like I don't appreciate it enough when I get it, so thank you so much for enjoying the story. Thanks for the fave and follow too. It means a lot to me.
8753793
No need for that. No one dies in this story. But again, I appreciate the zeal. Thanks again for reading. 
Ehehe . . .
Your Welcome Man, keep up the good work!
You misspelled plebeian but other than that good chapter.
8787940
I NEVER MISPLACE MY LOYALTY!!!!!
8669086
8760178
8669550
I kinda agree with all of you, last time I read this, it showed the hospital scene after the timberwolf attack on Ponyville, it showed a mysterious figure, then later found out it's a pony, was having a conversation with an injured mare, later killed her after, I guessed he/or she is culprit of the attack and the bombing in Canterlot.
8787940
I don’t update as regularly as I used to, but since it’s been getting more attention, I might just try to.
Thanks so much for reading!