Imperial Revision

by The Sound of Loneliness

Old Habbits Die Hard

As the nights go, this was an unusually quiet one. This was the last night of Winter, so ponies were busy with household issues. With the blizzard raging outside Canterlot, clearing off the snow before it melts and turns the land into a mudbath would be an issue tomorrow. But ponies could already taking the insulation off the windows, putting away winter clothes. Tonight was still a bit cold though. So Silver decided not to stay outside for longer than needed, so he slit his own key into the lock to finally get home.

“Silver?” Father hailed him from somewhere inside. “Early tonight.”

“Miss Dawn said I can go early if I get the month’s papers in order quickly,” Silver explained.

“Alright, settle down. I almost have this Flaminche done.”

Upon mentioning of the dish, Silver immediately smiled from ear to ear. Even though she wasn’t coming any longer, Nighstar never stopped helping. Father has been reaching new culinary heights ever since she taught him his way around the kitchen.

Silver took his coat and ‘scarfy’ off, hanging them next to his father’s. Then, as Father told him, Silver ventured to the dining room and sat down. The table was clean, although Silver doubted Father could get all the dust. Without Nighstar’s help, clearing the whole house would be hard. Silver suddenly caught himself wishing he had a sister.

In a few minutes, Father appeared from the kitchen carrying a creamy looking cake.

“This thing is popular with our new friends,” he said, putting it down on the table. “Got a recipe from one of the ladies when I was out for groceries. Ah, forgot the knives.” Father went back to the kitchen, leaving Silver one-on-one with the ‘Flamiche.’ Well, from up close, it looked more like a casserole than a cake.
Father quickly returned with a knife clutched between his teeth by the handle.

“Here, a grownup slice,” he said, putting half of the casserole on Silver’s plate.

“Huh...Weird,” Silver doubted that enormous slice would even fit into his stomach, though that wasn’t what he meant.

“What’s that?”

“I never noticed myself growing up,” Silver answered. “I feel just as tiny as I always was.”

“It’s always like this, Silver,” Morning sighed, pausing to cut a piece off his own slice. “You never notice, just one day you figure out that you are an adult. Always feels too soon.”

“Was it like this for you too?” Silver bit off a portion, ‘Flamiche’ really was creamy.

“Well… yeah. You remember your Grandparents right?”

“Grandpa Glister and Granny Rainy. They don’t come a lot.”

“Yeah, they don’t.” A silence followed. Both stallions just eating quietly, “So, what I was saying. They didn’t really approve of me joining the army. It wasn’t so dangerous at all back then, it’s just that they wanted me to be, you won’t believe it, a damn dentist.”

“A.. dentist? But your cutie mark has nothing to do with it,” Silver wondered aloud.

“Well, they didn’t think so,” Father grumbled. “Parents sometimes can act real stupid, Silver. Such minuscule things as cutie marks don’t stop them at times. They usually meant that you found something you are supposed to do, but if you wanted to do something else, no one would have stopped you.”

“So what did you do?” Silver edged on his chair.

“Hah! What do you think? Signed anyway,” Father smiled. “Had an awful lot of fights before that though. Had to learn how to earn my money a bit earlier than colts usually did. Adolescence ain’t no fun when you can’t buy yourself your own stuff. Spent a lot of time on the street too, didn’t want another lecture. The moment I was legal, I signed as a private and was out of the damn place.”

“Didn’t you miss your parents? Can’t imagine how I wouldn’t.”

“Well, I did. A little. Trust me, son. You wouldn’t have missed living with them under one roof much either.” Morning poked Flamiche with a fork, “Like it?”

“It tastes like a regular casserole, just creamy.”

“Yeah, not much different,” Morning agreed.

“Should I join the army too?” Silver asked out of curiosity. “You keep saying how great it was, so I thought.”

“No,” Morning shook his head. “Military isn’t for you, Silver.”

“But why?”

“You are more like your mother, than me. Your thing is other ponies. You are good at making connections. You just started working a few months ago, and you already met half the court. Me? Her Majesty never even spoke to me even though I got to see her almost every night.”

“Really? Weren’t you an exterior Guard?” Silver already learned enough about the Guard structure to know that the exterior Guards rarely get posted inside.

“I wasn’t always,” Father explained. “I was assigned to the exterior in the latter years. Before that happened, I was usually on patrol around the central corridor, Her Majesty often passed me by on her way somewhere else. Seldomly, I even had a post in a room she was working in.”

“And she never talked to you? I thought she sends Guards with tasks all the time.”

“Well, I never got lucky. Back then it was mostly Rarity who ran errands for her. Honestly, I prefer it that way rather than fetching something from archives or finding someone she needs to see.”

“What was it like to watch her working?”

“Inspiring. Every night, all night, she was giving orders, writing laws, and receiving officials. Never seen her tired or sad once, a paragon of confidence and energy she was,” Morning himself smiled at the memory. “I think she was happier back then,” he finally said.

“And now?”

“To be honest, she didn’t look like that anymore,” Morning sighed. “She still smiles, but much more rarely, and it isn’t the same. She rarely smiled genuinely even back in a day but when she did, I swear, it was the most beautiful smile in the world. You couldn’t even say why she smiled, but you could never forget it. She shined like her moon!” Father’s excitement waned in an instant,
“And now… she's dimmed. She looks exhausted, her steps are heavy. Something happened, and it weighs down on her.”

“She said she wishes her subjects weren’t afraid of her,” Silver suggested.

“Said so herself?”

“In a dream, yes.”

“Huh, so she comes to talk to you in dreams? Wow, you are already doing better than I could even dream of when I was at your age.”

“Wasn’t Princess Celestia more open? I heard older ponies saying you could go to the Castle and talk to her, just like that.”

“Well, it’s true. Back in the day, you didn’t have to wait years to just steal a glimpse of her. Celestia was… warm. Yeah, that’s the word. ‘My little ponies’ she addressed us. She isn’t like this anymore either. Something went very wrong somewhere.
“Well, anyway. Turn the radio on, will you? Let’s see if we could catch a tune.”

Silver obediently flipped the switch and began turning the handle.

“...Canterlot… ...monetizing… ...newest symphony...” the voices on the radio flew by like passing cars.

“Hey, turn it back, they were talking about us.”

Silver turned the handle the other way,
“...The latest reports suggest a real battle raging on the local airbase. An unusually large gathering of troops went from singing together to an all-out war seemingly instantly,” the dictor read flatly. “We recommend all our listeners in the area to leave the vicinity as quickly as possible and report to your local authorities for questioning. Stay tuned for our special correspondent, Lens Flare, to hear more.”

The dictor fell silent, the air seemingly quiet for now. Both stallions kept completely silent, frozen by what they just heard.

“Silver, did I hear right?” Father asked. “She said THE Canterlot airbase just turned on itself?!”

“Y-yes?” Silver wasn’t sure himself.

Morning took off from his seat and raced for his coat,
“Silver, grab something warm and our documents. I have to get something really quick, I’ll be right back,” he ordered.

“Y-yes, Father,” Silver could only say before Morning slammed the door shut.

Silver quickened to the cupboard where the family papers were stored. He laid out their passports and other valuable papers, as he was taught in case of emergency. He then got his old school bag to put them in. Shortly after, his Father returned, holding another bag on his back and some firearm hanging from his neck on a sling.

“Silver, we have to get out of here,” he grimly said. “It doesn’t look good out there, I’ve seen thestrals with rifles knocking on doors around the corner.” Silver returned him a bewildered look.

“Why? The air base is further up the mountain.”

“Thestrals aren’t like the rest of us, Silver. Before you were born, they were the first who supported Her Majesty’s claim. They’ll spring to defend her at the first sign of danger. There’s no time for this, Silver. We have to get to the palace, the Guards will protect us. For now, there aren't any riots or street fighting, but that will soon change.”

Silver nodded and followed Father out of the house, grabbing his coat again. Sun was already dawning outside as the sky was bright, but the city was still shadowy. It was weird to be out at dawn.

“Father,” Silver suddenly saw another issue. “If thestrals just want to protect Her Majesty, why do we have to run? We serve Her with pride, they won’t hurt us, will they?”

“Ughmmm...” Morning grunted unpleasantly. “Silver, the worst thing there is about life is that things rarely ever come out as we intend them to,” he said ushering his son further up the alley, away from the streets. “The news of the Army fighting amongst themselves is bad enough; armed, grim-faced fanatics, knocking on their doors, is enough to make the city panic.”

Silver asked no further questions and simply walked where his Father directed him to. Soon enough, to his horror, the yells, cries of breaking glass and wood, became their constant followers. Soon enough, shots started.

“Wait,” Morning whispered and dragged him back behind another corner they were rounding. Someone was talking.

“Why is nopony doing anything?!” a mare was voicing her indignation in a back alley. “They are rummaging through our homes!”

“Not everyone’s,” a more calm voice recorded. “They are only coming to ponies who are-”

“Known for speaking out against Her policies, I figured out. This looks like a purge, River. We have to do something!”

“Like what? Call the police?”

“They are too far away, the upper city isn’t supposed to need any patrols, remember? The palace guards won’t help unless the Empress orders them to.”

“Well, she will! We just have to wait until they prepare.”

“Who says she didn’t sanction this herself? Looks a bit too convenient, doesn’t it? Can you honestly say that it isn’t?” the loud silence followed. “Exactly. Now go get your rifle, we won’t sit idly while these bat-winged dirtbags hurt our friends!”

“I… fine, only for when things get bad,” the voice agreed. “Tell everyone who won’t help to stay home.”

Morning and Silver waited for a few more moments to ensure the pair was gone,
“Okay, we go now,” morning whispered. “We are almost out of time.”

Silver obeyed more on reflex, his mind attempting to process how easy that unknown pony agreed not only to break the law, but also to kill their fellow citizens if it comes to that. But most of all, how derogatively they spoke of the Imperial authority… of his Father. This was wrong.
Now he only hoped that the firearm swinging on his Father’s shoulders wouldn’t be needed.

Keeping away from the streets was wise. Soon they were surrounded by the sounds of struggle and were forced to move from cover to cover through alleyways, but with each dash to cover they were getting closer and closer to the palace, and none of the ponies would dare to bring arms to the palace walls. When they finally reached the gates, the sounds of fighting were a distant reminder. Thanks to Father’s quick reaction, they were out without a hitch. Father reached for the intercom beside the gate, but before he could say anything the gate opened on its own accord, and the Guard soldiers began orderly marching out, each armed and clothed in combat attire instead of their usual ceremonial armor. One of the soldiers turned his head to the side and noticed them.

“Hostile!” he shouted. The soldiers were instantly spurred and Silver found himself in the sights of dozens of rifles at once. W-was that dream coming through?

“Drop your weapon! On the ground!” the sharp orders came and Silver obeyed instantly. Father dropped his firearm, it made a metallic click upon hitting the cobbles beneath, and followed Silver.

“Hey! Hey! Wait!” Someone else shouted. “I know the colt, he’s a courier in the Mail Service! I’ve seen him sometimes asking around to find Rarity!”

“And that’s Morning!” another one called out.

“Yeah! That’s me! Would never have thought it would take you so little time to forget how I look,” despite the circumstance, Father sounded glad to see his old friends again.

“You shouldn’t have brought that thing here.” One of the soldiers picked up the weapon, “Where the hay did you even find this? This ain’t some hunting rifle you got here.”

“It’s from the stash we found in the caves. I took one for myself since no one would’ve known how many there were. Happy? Can we get up now?” Morning asked.

“You’re lucky you didn’t run into someone new. Get your plots through the gate and into the guard room. Someone will want to see you soon.”

Upon hearing the reassuring words, Silver decided to do just that. His Father needed a little help getting up with only the three hooves of his, but soon enough, they were safely inside the room. The place was comparatively nice, at least better than he would’ve imagined. It was crammed, but it was warm and had a table to sit at. It even had a window that could catch the rising sun. This must be where the gate controls are.

“Well, here’s some interesting experience for you, if nothing else,” Father said, surprisingly cheerful.

“It was… something,” Silver answered, not quite sure what he was supposed to say.

“Well, alright. Get comfy, we will be here a while. I wish they would let us have a radio here. Gate shifts always were the most boring ones. You either had to stand all night outside or sit here doing nothing except for flipping the switch. A radio would make the whole experience infinitely better.”

“Why couldn’t you just bring your own?” Silver gladly accepted the change of subject.

“It’s against the rules for some reason. The only radios we are supposed to have here are military. I never got why, but electronics, in general, seem to be out of favor in the palace. The lighting is either from magical fires or from that weird glowing stone that the hallways are lined with. Radios are a no-no. And vehicles, in general, are forbidden to enter the upper city, so we have no motor pool here either. That’s probably one thing I miss from the Army, you didn’t need to walk much unless you had to.”

“Is it some security rule?”

“Maybe, but my guess is that Her Majesty simply doesn’t trust the new technology. She is over a thousand years old after all. Last I heard, she still writes with a quill.” Father turned to the window and looked straight at the rising sun, “When you get by for this long, you can afford to be a little old-fashioned,” he said musingly. Silver suddenly got a feeling. It was a weird one, like when you know someone isn’t telling you something. Could his Father be hiding something?

“Father? I meet a lot of other Guards in the palace,” Silver started, deciding to go with his gut feeling, and drawing Morning's sight back to him. “They don’t talk about Her Majesty the way you do. I heard them whispering, or even disrespecting her, if only once. The only one I heard talking like that about her is Shadow, her changeling.”

“Talking how?”

“Well… when Shadow talks about her, she looks like she sees past you, looking somewhere else as if she talks to herself more than she talks to you,” Silver explained.

“Hmm...” Morning huffed and looked in the window again. “You grew so quickly, Silver,” he said without a hint of a smile. “I think I know exactly what you are talking about,” he sighed heavily. “But you still aren’t old enough to understand,” he cut.

“But I noticed, didn’t I? Doesn’t it mean that I am old enough?”

“No, Silver,” Morning shook his head. “A short version for now. Sometimes, when you meet someone very special in your life, you like them so much you can’t think about anything else for a long time. If you are lucky, you can hope that one night that other person could feel this way for you too, and maybe you could even be together. You’ll understand when you grow older, but start thinking now about this: Most of the time you don’t get lucky.”

“Ugh-”

“Don’t take me wrong, the day your mother died was the worst day of my life. When the doctor told me the news, I cried! But your mother, lying in the bed, a dripper needle in her neck, smiled at me. That, Silver, was the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my whole life. I served in the royal guard my whole life, and there never was a thing brought before a monarch that could compare to that smile.” Morning made a pause to wipe his wet face off,
“She whispered for me to come closer and hold her hoof, and then she said: ‘Remember me, Morning. Remember and don’t wear this frown for me.’ Your mother always was wise and generous.”

“Just like the Empress,” Silver added.

“Yeah, just like her,” Father sighed. “A stallion can have dreams, Silver. Even if they are impossible.”

Silver didn’t know what to say. Father never before confided so in his presence. Father loved the Empress! This was unexpected, shocking even. He could have expected it from a young stallion, but hardly from an old veteran like him. His Father was, indeed, pretty old.

“Maybe you should tell her?” Silver cautiously proposed.

“Her Majesty?” Morning snorted. “You know this isn’t how palace security works. They won’t even allow me to see her. Besides, she is much too busy to listen to every other old fool to… Oh crap...”

Suddenly, the lighting in the tiny room changed from the shallow orange to dim red. Silver snapped his eyes to the window. The sun was gone, replaced with the blood-red moon.