MLP A New Generation 3: The Rise of Armored Hoof

by TwiShine45

Chapter 2

Sunny and Meadow stood deadlocked in each other’s stare. The horrors of what had transpired flashed through each of their minds. Both had lost a close friend and confidante, the only difference being that Sunny’s was much more innocent and carefree. For the new princess, the weight of loss was almost too much to bear. Pressure built deep within her bones and she had to force herself not to lunge at Meadow. The time was not right, and the true evil one had been properly dealt with. Soon enough, Meadow would be as well. Sunny decided to take the high road and let as many sleeping dogs lie as possible.

She was startled a bit when Meadow broke the silence. “I can see that you are either too weary or too cowardly to stage any sort of attack right now. While I could crush you right now, I must regroup my own forces to take back what’s rightfully Luster’s. Scarlet Wing has not been defeated, not by a long shot. If you putrid ponies think your friendship will save you again…you’ve got another thing coming.”

“Friendship will always be there to save and guide us,” Sunny said confidently, “I only wish that you and your agents would come to the same realization. Half of you seem to have done so.”

“That half are not worthy of washing Luster’s muddy hooves, let alone following her in any way!” Meadow barked harshly.

Sunny shook her head. “You worship Luster, and you do so in great ignorance. You fail to realize what truth is, and it will lead to ruin. Mark my words, Meadow. Luster Dawn was a very evil pony who did very evil things.”

“Luster Dawn was a revolutionary!” Meadow howled, before giving Sunny a hard look. “…I will finish what my queen began. By the time we’re done with you, Maretime Bay will be a bloodstained shell. You mark those words…Princess Sunny. Scarlet Wing…retreat.”

Her cold words shook the chamber, despite their relative silence. Those in Scarlet Wing who chose to remain on her side turned and followed the wicked one from that room into another. Sunny stared after them, heart pricking with sorrow. All at once, her emotions revitalized and it felt like a river’s raging torrent. She knew that she’d set into motion a war that was far from being won. Rather, this first battle had claimed the first stake of territory for friendship and love. Ironically enough, it had taken the deaths of two ponies to accomplish. Sunny longed to be able to resurrect both, to feel the embrace of one and teach true friendship to the other.

“Sunny?” Came the voice of her friend-turned-lover, Hitch. “What do we do now?”

“We go back to Maretime,” Sunny responded, “rebuild the lives represented here lost to Scarlet Wing’s brainwashing, and wait for Meadow’s attack. Make no mistake about it, we will be prepared…I promise you that.”

---

The journey back to the EPUP Initiative hamlet was not quite as long as anypony though it would be. They had a much larger group, thanks to the influx of ex-Scarlet Wing agents, and progress was made rather rapidly. Thankfully, the new ponies knew the woods like the back of their hooves, simply due to all of the missions they’d been on. Unfortunately, pangs of guilt shot through them every time they pointed out a landmark. They remembered ponies they’d hurt, dust they’d scattered, and friendships they’d ruined. Thankfully, though, Sunny was right there to comfort and reassure them. All had been forgiven, and she promised them that they wouldn’t be prosecuted for anything, so long as they helped fight off their former brethren.

“You’ve all been through a lot,” she said at the end of her small speech to the former agents, “and I promise that you won’t be tortured or given any sort of mistreatment. We’ve had enough of that lately. Rather, you will become soldiers in the army of friendship! We will rebuild Equestria, starting from the first stone. You will be part of a truly glorious future, one in which ponies are loved by each other and by themselves! The nihilistic, evolutionary thinking of Luster Dawn is behind you. Now, you’ve been awakened to the truth of what Twilight taught all those millennia ago. Let us never forget!”

“We won’t forget, Your Highness!” One pony yelled.

“Yeah, down with Scarlet Wing!” Another exclaimed, holding a hoof high.

Much to Sunny’s delight, this was joined by a chorus of various pro-friendship chants and songs. She had to spread her wings just to get them to quiet down, but the smile painting her face showed her true feelings. She leapt down from the rock she was standing on and pointed the way forward. Once more, her delight was deepened as her best friends pressed in around her. Zipp and Pipp placed wings of support on her back, and Hitch kissed her cheek before nuzzling it.

If life is anything other than this, I don’t want to live it, Sunny thought. This is absolute perfection. Friends, family, love, and the rebirth of our nation. Nothing should ever take this from us, and we will ensure that it doesn’t. Meadow may come and bring the most hostile force alive…she may shed blood…but we will keep fighting. Our time is now. Friendship will rule. I promise you that…my great ancestor…Twilight Sparkle.

---

Meanwhile, in an encampment in the woods, a group of ponies were living far removed from all of this. They had no idea of Scarlet Wing, the Distrust Dust, nor of Sunny’s ascension to Alicornhood. For that matter, they didn’t even know who Sunny was. They were all very old, yet looked very young. A certain white princess had created the lives of Alicorns within them when she’d dispatched them on missions of friendship throughout the land. But now, where they were concerned, they’d failed. All of their greatest efforts had been snuffed out in an instant.

Their leader, Quarter Note, sat back against his faded folding chair, holding a picture of his beloved Princess Twilight. “I miss you…more than you know,” he said.

“Nothing’s gonna make Twilight come back,” Mane Halen, his best friend and the greatest guitarist in Equestrian history, said. “I’m telling you that as a friend.”

“I know,” Quarter said, “but I’m just sick of sitting here while friendship dies around us! Let’s face it, we’ve failed! The greatest metal band in the history of Equestria, a band meant to speak the stories of our royalty and friendships into existence…has failed.”

Comments

[Phetiamwantip]

Sunny is sounding like a true princess when she made a speech to everybody in Maretime Bay and I'm proud of her. Good job on your new chapter, TwiShine45. I'm thinking that Maretime Bay will be upgrade into a new and improve bay for everybody to enjoy. To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.

[LordFlareon]

Now that I'm familiar with Ghost, I'm excited to see what this band brings to the story!