38. Halfway Down
The storm is coming.
Anarchy wasn’t fully ready to go, not before he checked something in his office. He’ll never get to return to this place, he knew now was his last chance to look at something precious. Opening his desk’s drawer, he took out his family album and gazed at its content, sitting calmly.
Well, guess it’s just me now. Everypony else is gone, pretty much all at my hooves. I’ve made a beast out of myself, Olive proved that I finished my transformation. It’s a shame though, I know foals are influenceable. Thought I could shape her like me, it would seem like I may have given her too much free time...
Stopping at the final picture where he was alone, he pondered further about his daughter. She was still alive, and somehow, he wasn’t too angry about it. In fact, he was much angrier that Strong Hoof somehow failed to kill a foal. Almost a decade worth of trust thrown out the window just like that. That Olive still lived didn’t bother him as much as it should have.
Now that’s a stinker. I fancied myself as an intellectual, constantly lecturing ponies on random, sometime pointless, things. However, I just can’t figure this one out. My little Olive most likely tattled on me, and to the alicorns too. I should be furious that she lives.
He sighed, going back to a previous page where his daughter looked much happier. Yet, I can’t be bothered to do anything about it. If Strong Hoof kills her then, that’s that. If he doesn’t, well...
Oh, what’s the point anyway. I have too many important stuffs to do. I can’t let a filly sidetrack me in my quest for the ex-mare on the moon. If she somehow survives then, good for her I suppose. I shouldn’t care at all.
And care you shall not. You are a beast, and a beast needs only its guiding moonlight.
Feeling some semblance of closure, Anarchy closed the album and threw it on the ground without even glancing at it. Well, the moment has passed. Back to it. His horn lit up ominously, and with that, it was time to bring Tartarus down on Equestria.
Dark clouds swirled in the sky this Friday, leaving very little sunlight for the ponies below. This day was dark and gloomy, as to be expected for the scheduled storm was soon to come in the afternoon. As such, the morning was dark, almost as if it was night. It was also exceptionally windy. Few dared to wander out even though it wasn’t raining.
Inside Ponyville’s Schoolhouse, Miss Cheerilee sighed as she gazed out the window. Not a cheerful day and that can bring down a pony’s morale, even a mare like her. She lit up the lanterns from the ceiling before the foals entered so they could at least read and write properly in the early morning.
“Good morning everypony!” she started, surprised by how jolly she sounded. In truth, the memories of yesterday still lingered, strengthening her spirit. She never felt this free before, away from the shackles of Spoiled Rich. “Today, we’ll start off by an announcement from two of your classmates. They each have something important to say.” She nodded at the two fillies.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon stood up and trotted to the front of the class. Lots of foals glared and groaned as they moved past them. Some were surprised to see the glaring lack of a Tiara on Diamond’s head. It wasn’t the first time they’d make an announcement and looking back at them; they were awful. All of them were just about their projects and their ideas that ultimately, were born from arrogance and a condescending attitude. Diamond couldn’t blame them for disliking her and Silver. They reaped what they sow after all.
Cheerilee left her desk, lending it to the two rich fillies.
Staring at the entire class, Diamond and Silver felt intimidated by the bitterness of the room. They exchanged worried glances before deciding to start.
“H-hi ever-”
“Hello everypony.”
Silver squeaked. “S-Sorry, I-
“O-Oh, were you speak...”
An awkward silence filled the air. The two fillies stared at each other. Silver Spoon bit her lower lip. “Um, y-you can speak first. I believe you’re better suited for this.”
“Right, uh...” Diamond turned back to the class. Their glare and unamused expressions made her chest compress in anxiety. “I have something really important to say.”
“W-Wait, I do too!”
“Silver! Stop talking when I-” Diamond groaned, her frustration immediately gone. Despite seemingly making amends and going on the podium to better herself, she still snapped at another pony. Still shouted in her commanding tone, a tone that became the only thing her class knew her for. To them, she was as spoiled as her mother.
Silver Spoon curled up, her head barely sticking out from the desk. “Sorry.”
I’m supposed to have changed. Diamond glowered, disappointed in herself. “I’m sorry everypony. I just came here to say I apologise for everything I’ve done.”
Foals murmured in the back. The anger in the room dialed down, replaced by confusion and doubt.
“I-I now see how much it hurts to be treated terribly. I’ve been nothing but mean and arrogant towards all of you a-and... that was only because I thought that’s how you became popular. I thought that I had to be so because my family is rich.”
Some of the foals, mainly the ones hailing from poorer families, scoffed and looked away. Diamond was and still is the class president, a position many objected to.
The pink earth pony frowned. “I succeeded. I’m popular now and I should be happy but, b-but... I’m not. I don’t want to be hated, I just wanted you all to like me.” Her eyes watered, and she didn’t try to fight the tears. What even was the point of staying high and mighty anymore? “I shouldn’t have pushed you all away, rejected your ideas in favor of mine. It’s not how a class president should behave.”
From the side, Cheerilee smiled warmly. Diamond had changed a lot in recent times for the better. Hopefully, she can finally take her studies seriously now that her grades are not going to be tampered with.
Silver Spoon raised herself. “And I’m sorry too for not doing anything about it. I followed Diamond all along and made things worse.” she opened her mouth, but quickly realised she had no idea what to say. Public speech wasn’t something she was comfortable with, and it showed badly. Embarrassed by all the attention, by all the intrigued gaze of the other foals, Silver lowered herself almost out of sight, leaving an irritated Diamond to finish in her place.
“But most of the blame is on me. Silver was just following me because we thought we were supposed to be best friends when...” she glanced over the silver filly, already feeling her pain. She pushed through hers to say out loud the hard pill to swallow. “We didn’t know each other that well. So, we’ll stop bothering you with our nonsense and focus on what’s truly important for us. I hope you’ll understand. You don’t have to forgive us, just... understand that we’ll try to be better onward.”
Silver sniffled behind the desk. She didn’t know what hurt more; that her best friend was often angry at her all this time or that she was too stupid to notice that she was great at pushing other ponies away when all she wanted was friendship. All this time, she made nothing but mistakes and now, she finally realised its consequences. Nopony liked her, and the one she hoped would love her had mixed feelings.
The only silver lining was that Diamond was still willing to stay by her side, and that was enough to stop her from bursting into tears on the spot. There was still a chance to set things right.
Silence. Not a single sound to accompany their exit off stage. Going back to their own desks, they noticed that nopony really knew how to respond to this. Most foals were still processing what happened, trying to figure out what all of this meant.
Then, one pony clapped. It was Cheerilee who smiled brightly at the two fillies. “That was a beautiful speech, you two! It takes a lot of courage to open your heart to your peers. I am proud of you.”
Another pony joined in, and unsurprisingly, it was the friendliest filly in the whole class; Olive. Then, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and even Dinky clapped for them.
“I’m also proud of you!” Olive cutely exclaimed, her adorable smile easing their stress.
Diamond and Silver Spoon smiled unconsciously, looking truly innocent for the first time. “Thank you, Olive. We owe you so much.”
Olive blinked. “Oh nice, what will I be getting?”
Panicked, Sweetie Belle rushed in to whisper, “You’re not supposed to say that!”
The filly’s cheek flushed red. “Oh!”
Heedful Care giggled; these six fillies sure knew how to bring life into an elementary class. Staying in that class was a lot more fun than being stuck in her office signing paperwork.
Then, the yellow light of the lantern was the only thing lighting up the class. Cheerilee looked out the window, perplexed, only to see her own reflection in the dark. The outside world was impossible to discern. The faint sunlight that reached the class was gone for good, but it just couldn’t be. It was supposed to be the morning. Where was the sun?
The class went silent again. Everypony caught on to the strange happening and pressed their face against the window, worried. Murmurs erupted, growing louder with each passing seconds. Then something hit the window, not a large hit, just a small thud. More thuds accompanied that first sound, and soon, it multiplied into hundreds of thuds.
Cheerilee squinted, coming to the realisation that she was hearing the rain banging against the window. That can’t be right... The storm was scheduled for this afternoon. If it starts now, then that means the foals are all going to be stuck here for the day! Nervous, she glanced over the foals. They also caught on to the implications that they wouldn’t be coming home for a while.
Strong winds soon made their presences known, howling with all the might of a dragon, scaring the fearful ponies away. And lastly, the sky lit up for a split-second. The earth quaked against the sheer power of the booming thunder. The pegasi weren’t kidding when they said this storm was going to be brutal. As such, they instructed all ponies to stay in doors for the entire duration, else they run the risk of being severely hurt. The fury of mother nature did not discriminate.
Some foals ran away, squealing in fear as the mighty light in the sky dimmed in an instant.
Olive backed away, her eyes wide with terror and anticipation. She turned around, but her eyes remained on the window like it was some sort of boogeymare. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Dinky soon noticed, joining her side away from the rage of the storm.
“It sure is scary. Ah ‘ope it’s gonna end soon.” Apple Bloom cuddled with her sister, hoping to calm her down.
“I’ve never seen a storm this scary before.” Sweetie Belle added, cuddling with Olive as her cheeks mixed with a red tint. “But I-we'll be here to make you feel safe.”
Scootaloo tried to join on the group cuddle, but sadly her friends covered Olive from all angles, so she simply elected to sit next to them. Dinky didn’t want to make her feel left out, so she cuddled with the young pegasus. “Well, uh, thanks I suppose.”
Olive’s pupils trembled, staring in fear at the window. After a while, she finally gathered the strength to speak. “I’m not just scared of the storm. I’m scared of him.” she croaked.
“O-Of who?” Sweetie asked, not sure she even wanted to know.
Apple Bloom’s eyes widened. “The giant white stallion with the plumber’s cap.” she blurted out in awe. “He’s coming.”
“Uh, who’s that?” Scootaloo asked toughly, though her strong act was betrayed by her quivering lip. Lightning struck once more, startling all of them.
The yellow filly cringed. “That’s, uh...” She looked at her sister, who didn’t seem to care, too occupied by her frightened fixation on the storm. “ta pony tha’ nearly killed ‘er near ta Everfree forest.”
“What?!” Sweetie Belle screamed, startling the entire class. “S-So that’s why she was in the h-hospital?” she asked, her heart almost jumping out of her chest. She didn’t know why she was so scared to imagine what would have happened if Olive had died. It didn’t happen, so thinking about what ifs was silly, right?
“E-yup.” Apple Bloom solemnly answered.
The class’s door opened with a loud creak, catching the attention of the cerise mare. The last pony she ever wanted to see was here now. Another strike of bad luck.
Spoiled Rich cursed under her breath, her mane and coat completely wet. “Nopony told me the storm was rescheduled for this morning.” Diamond cringed, opting to hide amongst the other foals in hope that her mother wouldn’t come her way. When she’s in a bad mood, she can get physical, Diamond knew that all too well. She was just happy to be surrounded by foals and her teachers, Spoiled Rich would never dare to soil her reputation publicly.
Cheerilee sighed. “I don’t think it was meant this soon. It’s gotten dark too.”
“Yes, I did notice.” Spoiled said in a disgruntled voice. “Somepony could have at least placed a lantern in the hallway.” Lightning struck the earth and with it, the storm’s fury only increased.
Heedful Care noticed something odd. Many ponies were still outside, trying to get some stuff inside their homes. It would appear that Ponyville as a whole was unprepared for this unforeseen start. The pegasus didn’t wish to be in their place right now. The wind was strong and the rain terribly cold. Those outside were having a bad, bad time. “We can’t be prepared for every little thing, I’m afraid. At the very least, you’re not stuck outside like some of these poor ponies.”
Cheerilee trotted over to the irritated rich mare, giving her an odd look. “I suppose you didn’t come for just a check-up. Why are you here?”
Spoiled Rich shook her head around, getting the water off her precious mane. “I’m here to say I’m pulling my funds since that’s what you so terribly want. From now on, don’t expect me to pay you for your job.”
“Is that it?” the cerise mare smirked, baffled by that level of pettiness. “Well, you could have waited another day to tell me that. It would appear that your lack of patience brought you in an uncomfortable situation.”
Suddenly, one of the swings smashed into the wall, cracking it. The storm was getting dangerous even to them. The young ponies panicked. Some screamed, others retreated from the window and others teared up in fear.
“Children! Go under your desk and protect your head!” Cheerilee announced, initiating the safety procedure in case of a bad storm. The further from the window, the better.
The foals did as instructed. Olive did need the help of her friends to go back to her desk as her legs were trembling. Despite being relatively warm inside, her entire body trembled as if she was freezing to death.
“Well, Miss Spoiled; seems like my desk has enough space for three mares.” Cheerilee observed. “Seems like we’ll be really close for the next few hours.”
The rich mare groaned, reluctantly sitting next to Care and Cheerilee. The foals were understandably nervous. They went through a couple of storms before, but none were quite as strong as this one. The weather team wasn’t kidding when they said it was a big one, a storm unlike any other. It felt like the wrath of the wendigos were brought upon them.
Scootaloo cringed, trying to not let her fears get the better of her. It was hard as the oppressive roars of the storm tried to drown out their voices. The worse part of all this were the reactions of the other foals. Few could keep it together in the face of nature’s wrath. Some ponies sobbed; others wailed for their parents to come, and others trembled just like Scootaloo, trying to appear tough before their classmates.
“H-H-Hey...”
Scootaloo looked behind her. Apple Bloom crawled towards her desk, peeking above her head as she went out in the open. “Can Ah stay under yer desk?” Her fur was straightened.
“S-Sure. I could always use some compan-” The sky crackled with lightning, startling everypony, even the mares. “C-C-Company...”
Diamond Tiara, however, was doing surprisingly better than most. Undoubtedly nervous, she stared at the closed window, silently counting the seconds in between each lightning. “One...two...three...four..fi-”
“Oh my Celestia, a-are we going to die?” Silver Spoon panicked, grasping her head in terror as her body faced the opposite side of the window.
“S-Silver! You made me lose count!” As if to punctuate her outburst, lightning struck the earth.
“C-Count?”
Diamond sighed, letting the anger leave her soul. “Yes, dad taught me that counting the seconds in between each lightning can show you how far the storm i-” Lightning struck once more, startling her. “R-Right now, it’s pretty close.”
Silver Spoon looked up, shivering. “I-Is it going to be enough?”
“What do you mean?”
“The desks. Can they protect us from the storm?” Silver said, seeking some desperate comfort from her friend.
“Well, uh... Surely. As long we’re inside, we’re good. Just... let me count the seconds, okay?”
Lightning struck once more, and Diamond went back to counting. “One...two..thr-”
“Excuse me?”
“Gah! What now?!”
Dinky’s soft voice barely reached her, but it was enough to throw her count off. “I’m scared. I-I don’t want to be alone.”
Diamond raised an eyebrow, confused. “Wha- nopony’s alone in here! We’re all stuck in this class for who knows how long.”
Dinky Hooves pointed at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. “I don’t want to be alone beneath my desk...”
The pink earth pony glanced over Silver, then Dinky and sighed. “Look, you can go with Silver Spoon. Just stop interrupting me while I’m counting, it’s really important!”
The little unicorn crawled over to Silver’s desk, and they laid together beneath the shadow of the angry storm. Everypony was scared, each displaying it in their own way. Each were scared...
But none were as terrified as Olive, who sat down in a foetal position, her eyes locked on the window as she mumbled incoherent thoughts through a whimpering voice. The all-consuming darkness on the other side, broking periodically by lightning, taunted her by hiding what could be the reaper coming to claim a soul that escaped its grasp. She told her family about Strong Hoof, yet they couldn’t do anything. How could they?
He was hidden, and nopony can predict when he’ll come. She just knew that he would. After all, he was her father’s best friend, he never left stones unturned. A-Aurora, when will you come back? I need you...
A gentle hoof brought her back to her senses. Sweetie Belle tugged for her attention, and she silently thanked her for that.
“Is everything alright? Are you cold?” She asked softly, her lovely voice bringing some much-needed comfort to her.
“N-No.” Olive answered, before realising how vague of an answer that was. “I-I mean, about being cold. I’m not cold.” Her quivering was bad, bad to the point that her hooves were kicking the wall behind her sporadically.
“A-Are you sure? You’re trembling a lot.” Sweetie Belle pressed, a worried look in her eyes.
“I’m not cold, really. I just don’t know why it’s happening.”
The white unicorn crawled towards her, holding her tightly to the point that she was practically glued to the pink pony. “I-It’s no blanket, but I hope it’ll help with the cold.”
Much to Olive’s surprise, her shaking stopped even though she wasn’t cold at all. Confused, she thought about how and why Sweetie’s solution worked. The more thoughts she poured into it, the more she realised it didn’t even matter. All that mattered was that it felt good.
Sweetie’s warmth was spreading over to her, and especially to her cheeks. It felt so good. “C...Could you hold me tighter, p-please? F-For our five seconds of love...”
The white filly behind her gasped, then squealed in joy as she tightened her grip, her face flushing red. Olive loved it and for a good while, she forgot about Strong Hoof.
The great city of Canterlot wasn’t doing so well in the eye of the storm. The castle was on full alert, guards galloping around to prepare their equipment, maids lighting all the torches in their frantic run around the place. Celestia and Luna were both waiting in the guard’s barrack to lead their army towards Anarchy’s position. The roars of the thunder made each passing second nerve-wracking. The Anarchists would move under the cloak of the storm, that much was clear. By now, they should already be making their play, giving the royalties very little time to counter act.
Finally, under the command of Mango and Looking Glass, the royal guards were geared up and assembled before the alicorns, ready for battle. Hundreds of soldiers gathered to fight for Canterlot, some were young recruits, others hardened veterans that fought many battles and lived. Their response against the changeling invasion were rather poor, but that will change today. On this stormy day, the royal guard will prove their worth and with Mango at the front, they’ll get some good results.
“That’s all of them, my princess.” Mango announced to Princess Luna, bowing.
The midnight blue alicorn glanced over the army and nodded. “You have done well, Mango. We need every able-bodied pony to fight for not just Canterlot, but Equestria. Let us show to all ponies that they’re safe in our hooves, that vile criminals the likes of Anarchy cannot prosper in our kingdom! Give your heart to our cause!”
The vast army of stallions stomped the ground in unison. “Yes, princess!”
Luna groaned silently. “I hate speeches. They're usually delivered by you.”
Celestia smiled subtly. “I think you did pretty well on that one.” the white alicorn stepped forth, earning the attention of all the guards. “We’ll lead the way. Make sure to hold on to your lanterns and be careful, the storm is already dangerous enough to travel.”
The guards put on their cloak and picked up their lit lantern, now ready to face the storm and the dangers up ahead. Right as their march was about to begin, the door busted open. A tired guard gasping for air entered his eyes wide open.
“C... Cele...” he tried to say.
“What is it?” Princess Celestia asked, casting a quick spell to make him regain his stamina. “You can speak up now.”
“The town, princess! It’s empty!” He blurted out in a panic. “They’ve already left!”
The smaller alicorn gasped and waved a hoof at her army in a hurry. “Go! Now! We have no time to spare!”
Captain Mango gritted his teeth and furrowed his brows. “Ah shit. Forget the plan, spread out and search the city for these rats! We’re running out of time!”
And so, the royal guards piled on the streets, galloping in every direction under the cruel storm. And then, the world darkened.
“What the hay?!” Applejack stared at the sky oddly. She swore she just felt a liquid hit her muzzle. After a couple of seconds of waiting idly, she brushed it off and went back to apple bucking only to be interrupted by another drop hitting her hat. “Oh, this better not be happenin’ now!” She raised her head once more and felt more drops of water hit her face. “What the... I-It's actually rainin’!”
In no time, the rain doubled, tripled, then quadrupled its intensity, forcing Applejack back inside. Big Macintosh followed her under the shelter of their roof.
In a matter of minutes, the storm had started earlier than expected. The wind, the rain and the lightning all gathered to unleash Tartarus on the land of Equestria. It shook the foundations of their home. “Wholly nelly!” Aj exclaimed in shock, “I-It’s a mighty big one indeed!
Granny Smith leaned on the window. “Wasn’t it supposed to start in ta afternoon?”
“E-yup.” Big Mac confirmed. “Ta weather ponies might have made a mistake. Surely it’s gonna stop soon. Nopony’s prepared fo’ this.”
The three Apples waited for entire minutes. And then it got dark, really dark. They could barely see past the lit lantern on their front porch.
“W-What’s goin’ on? Why is it so dark?! It’s still daytime, right?” Applejack shouted in a panic.
“A-Ah think Ah saw the sun lowerin’.” Big Mac responded, gazing over the window, trying to get a clear view of the sky although it was fruitless. He couldn’t see a single thing outside.
Granny Smith pushed them away. “Nonsense! Nopony ‘cept the princesses can move ta sun and ta moon! They wouldn’t do somethin’ stupid like that!”
Big Mac sighed. “In any case, looks like it’s startin’ for real. We hafta wait until it ends now.”
Applejack frowned, sad that she wasn’t able to head back with all her buckets of apples. These fresh ones were gone by now. That storm will, as expected, hurt their finances for a bit, a fact made even worse by the fact that they have an extra mouth to feed. H-Hey hold on a minute!
Aj remembered a crucial detail, a terrible one. “Ta girls!” She can’t stay here and wait for it to blow over. Her sister and her daughter are in potential danger! She grabbed a cloak and a lantern, then fetched two smaller cloaks for the fillies.
Big Mac and Granny Smith waited by the front door, staring at Aj nervously.
“Are ya sure this is a good idea, sis? That storm’s worse than the previous ones. Ta wind could whisk you away...” Big Mac pointed out.
Applejack’s eyes rested on the dreadful storm outside, feeling nervous at the simply thought of going outside. “Ah know, but Ah can’t let ta fillies alone at school, especially Olive. She’ll need me.”
Granny Smith smiled warmly. “Be careful out there. An’ come back safely, Applejack.”
All of Ponyville’s residents were startled by the early storm. Tartarus came pouring down out of the blue, scaring everypony into hiding inside. However, some were not so lucky and had to hole up under a cart or a store until the thunder stopped. A difficult task considering the wind was feeling mighty that day, constantly pushing them out of safety. The lighter ponies were threatened to be blown away by the wind current, desperately holding on to whatever objects could save their skin. Things only got worse when darkness engulfed the land.
Being in the center of town, Princess Twilight Sparkle got to see this chaos go down. She saw how nopony came to help those lost in the storm. Instead, they stared through their window in fear, too scared to leave the safety of their home. The lavender alicorn couldn’t sit back and watch. As a princess, their safety was her priority. As such, she had to confront the raging thunder and save them. The numerous questions she had about the sudden storm and the darkness had to wait.
She trotted to her front door, cloak on her back, and hesitated a bit.
“Spike, could you please prepare a cup of hot chocolate for me? Oh, and a nice warm blanket when I get back.”
The young dragon flinched once lightning struck the town. The sound of the rain was oppressive. Thousands upon thousands of drops hit their walls, their ceiling to the point that it was almost unbearable. It was louder than any storm that came before. “A-Are you sure this is a good idea, Twilight? I mean, I know you’re a princess and all bu-”
“Oh Spike,” Twilight smiled. “I’ve faced worse than that. I’ll be back safe and sound, okay? You can take a break after you’ve prepared the blanket and the hot chocolate.”
Right as she was about to open the door, Twilight saw a mare in the storm but unlike the others, she was trotting through it fearlessly. She was holding a lantern in her mouth and a thick cloak to shield her body from the cold rain. When lightning stroke, the alicorn gasped. Applejack?! What’s she doing out there?
It didn’t take long for her to figure out the cause. The foals! They must be stuck inside the schoolhouse too! Oh no, I have to go there too and help them! But I also... okay, just c-calm down. One at a time. I’ll save these ponies, then go to the school. Right, I’ll have to be quick about it.
The door slammed into the wall the instant Twilight opened it. The wind was even more vicious than it looked like on the inside. The alicorn struggled to trot in the storm. A few steps in and she noticed a pegasus was holding on to the Golden Oak for dear life. A pegasus with a gray coat, a lazy eye an-
“Derpy? What are you doing here?”
The mailpony stared at her, embarrassed. “When I heard the storm started early, I went down to take my daughter back home.” She gazed around, beaten down morally by her current predicament. “I just don’t know what went wrong!”
Twilight levitated her towards the front door. “Okay, Derpy; stay inside, I’ll go to the schoolhouse after. I promise I’ll bring your daughter back safely.”
Derpy Hooves’ eyes lit up with joy. “Thank you, Princess Twilight. You’re the best!”
The lavender unicorn blushed. “Come on, you don’t have to be so formal with me. I’m still just Twilight after all.” Lightning struck the earth, reminding Twilight that she should get moving. Gee, they weren’t lying when they said it will be brutal.
The storm raged on, early just as Anarchy promised. The stallion’s magical talent increased a lot recently, now being able to further tinker with the weather ponies’ schedule. Navigating in this hostile weather was arduous, but nothing Strong Hoof couldn’t handle. The cold wind sent a shiver down his spine, made his nose runny and slightly halted his advance. Then it got dark, and that’s when the challenge truly started.
Strong Hoof had to rely on the lightning to find his way to Ponyville. He had no lantern to see in the dark, no cloak to shield himself from the rain. He had nothing but his strong body and the necklace to shield himself from magic. That was another punishment instilled by his dearest friend, Anarchy. If he can rise to the challenge, then he will have proven that he was reliable and truly deserving of being his right hoof pony. Eight years. Eight long years he wasn’t willing to throw down the drain.
No place for weakness, he can’t let a simple cold rain stop him from tearing off their heads. He made a terrible mistake and now, he’s paying dearly for it. The strong learn from their mistakes and endure whatever punishment comes their way. Then, they rise from the ashes, more powerful than ever and that’s only then that they can make a change in this world.
The strong modify the world, the weak go along with the changes. He must push on. The tallest mountains started as a stone. He must never forget. Never forget...
“Done. All fixed.” The toiled flushed triumphantly after a good while of being clogged. A young earth pony stared in satisfaction at a job well done. That stallion was Swift Snow. White as snow, and a swift plumber. “That’ll be five bits, ma’am.”
Before he was the colossal earth pony, Strong Hoof was but a humble plumber in the rich city of Manehattan. Rich, but only for those who had the talent and the luck to climb the ranks. For most, it was just a concrete jungle and for the less fortunate, Tartarus itself. Swift Snow was fortunate enough to afford food, although he wasn’t trouble free. He had no shelter, not since they came into town.
A ruthless gang known as the Crimson Masks began to spread their name around the city, committing various atrocities in the name of wealth and power. Amidst the chaos, Swift was beaten down within an inch of his life by a small group led by a pony called Silver Fang. His shelter was gone and most of his cash stolen by these monsters. And it was all because he was small and frail, not big and strong like them. He existed sorely to be trampled by those above him.
Like most of the commonfolk, he dreamt of being something greater. He dreamed of being a famous musician, to rise from the ash of his current life. It was his escapism from this cruel reality. Many spoke of Princess Celestia coming one day to solve the problem, but it wasn’t so simple. The Crimson Masks operated in the shadows, away from the sunlight of the gracious alicorn. They were everyday ponies, with mundane jobs and lives. There weren’t much the royalties could do to deter them.
Sure, some were caught and brought to justice, but their leader was always there, always planning more atrocities under their noses. It was a miserable time for most indeed, and especially for Swift Snow. To chase his dream, he used all the money he accumulated in the past few months to buy himself a guitar, the only instrument he ever learned to play.
Even better, Jolly Melody was announced to sing in Manehattan at the biggest club in the whole city. It was going to be a big event, and one Swift wouldn’t miss for the world. Luckily, tickets were cheap, courtesy of Jolly wishing to make himself as available as possible.
Tonight’s club was full. A regular occurrence for a Jolly Melody show. The stallion was adored not just in Manehattan, but in all Equestria as well. His name was on beauty products, he was everywhere on the radio and many musicians cited him as their inspiration to pick up the guitar. Even as he entered the club, he was surrounded by ponies, mainly mares, demanding an autograph or a picture with him. He surprisingly agreed to it all.
But tonight would prove to be another level of unique. The princess of sunlight herself, Celestia, came to Manehattan personally to be part of the audience. Most musicians would be mortified at the idea of performing in front of the great princess of Equestria, but Jolly Melody didn’t seem to mind.
As for the white stallion, he occasionally glance bitterly at her, wishing she’d somehow do more to solve the crime problem in this city.
Swift Snow sat in the back where nopony would pay him any attention. Jolly Melody was one of his favorite musicians. The best of the best. To become a musician, he had to listen to his music. The light purple stallion with the beautiful green mane was known for his amazing vocal range. His voice was charming, and coupled with his handsome look, brought him many female fans. No wonder considering his cutie mark was composed of a pink heart with a microphone plugged into it.
As Swift gazed at the celestial princess in the back, he noticed a stallion around his age sat next to her nonchalantly, as if he was her escort despite clearly lacking the armor of a royal guard. Light blue mane, a dark blue coat, Swift swore he’s heard of this top hat wearing unicorn before, smiling as he stretched his legs. Was it in the newspaper? He can’t quite recall. Time moved so fast in recent times; he’s hopelessly lost in this concrete jungle with nothing but his trusty guitar as his last companion, his last hope to get out of this misery.
“Goodnight, fillies and gentlecolts! This is Jolly Melody, super happy to be part of this club’s midnight show again. Tonight is a very special occasion for we’ve got... Princess Celestia in the audience! Everypony give her a round of applause for this breathtaking pony!” Jolly announced with a gentlecoalt-esque voice.
The crowd roared with applause, especially the mares who were the loudest. Celestia giggled at all the extra attention. The stallion next to her blinked, uncaring. Swift Snow didn’t clap his hooves for her. He wasn’t there for royalty; he was there for music. Sounds that can heal the soul. If he wanted to have a shot at stardom, he needed to learn from the best.
“You’re breathtaking!” a mare shouted in her hormone filled excitement.
Jolly Melody giggled, pointing his hoof at the audience. “You’re breathtaking. You’re all breathtaking fillies and gentlecolts!” The crowd cheered for him once more and despite his nervousness, Swift Snow felt a bit at ease by the musician’s sheer confidence. “I adore this mood, no seriously. Music is always more fun when we’re just happy to be here. I can tell you’re all excited to be here and hey, so am I!”
The curtains opened, revealing the other musicians on stage. Swift Snow was very surprised to spot two young looking mares among them. Out of the seven ponies on stage, two barely looked like adults. These two mares looked like they were still going to high school. How were they on stage with Jolly Melody at such a young age bothered Swift Snow but at the same time, reassured him.
If they can be here, with their instrument in hooves then, I can do that too! I just... need to prove myself to the right ponies. I must keep on playing in the streets, somepony will recognise my talent.
Jolly Melody looked at his band, smiling. “Now, as some of you may have noticed. We’ve got two new musicians performing their very first show in Equestria! These young college upstarts from Ponyville have impressed me with their skills. Let’s introduce them real quick to you lovely ponies. Our cello player here is Octavia Melody. See? Told y’all the Melody name is a good luck charm, not that we’re related mind you.” The musician trotted up to the young mare and levitated the mic towards her. “Say hi to everypony, Miss Octavia.”
“Um, h-hi.” The earth pony sheepishly said in an English accent, waving a hoof to the audience. “I’m really happy to be here. It’s, um, a-a bit overwhelming...”
“Aw, don’t be so nervous. Even professionals like me get a little stage fright every once in a while. However, a beauty like you surely has a promising future in this artform.” Jolly commented, making the young Octavia blush. He quickly dashed to the other mare, a white unicorn with cerise eyes.
“Now, you may have noticed the synthesisers here. Yeah, it’s a new technology I’m not too familiar with, but Vinyl Scratch taught me a lot about this instrument. I can’t wait to hear your opinions on it once the show is over.” Jolly briefly levitated the mic towards the unicorn before pulling back. “Oh yeah, she’s mute but not that it’s important when it comes to making music. Our voices aren’t the only instrument! Now then, how about I sing you a classic with this new technology to enhance it?”
The crowd erupted in thundering applause once more, except for Swift and that odd unicorn. Jolly Melody played his infamous song Bring Back Our Love, a song that became synonymous with him for the chorus where he sings nothing but high notes, which resulted in him being often mistaken for a mare, a fact he found extremely funny. Swift Snow’s heard it plenty of times before on the radio, but not in the way it was played that night. The cello combined in such a beautiful harmony with the synths... It reached his numb heart and made him feel alive again. It brought hope back to a stallion who thought he had next to nothing left.
In the harsh streets of Manehattan, Swift Snow placed his plumber’s cap on the floor, it was all he had to collect money. Now, all that was left was to prove his worth. Show the world he had talent. The greatest artists all started from nothing after all. With enough luck, he’ll reach similar heights to Jolly Melody.
To warm himself up, he played a few chords to ensure the instrument was good to go. Then, he started to play a song. The street he chose was quite busy, a great place to start. At first, he didn’t get many glances and certainly no money but as time went on. Some of the ponies waiting for their carriages threw in a bit or two. They appreciated his music!
Overjoyed by the great new, he got a little daring and played some harder tunes for them. The more difficult the song, the more impressed they’ll be. In the end, he racked up a dozen bit for his effort. Not a whole lot, but it was enough to buy some food.
In the streets, he had no bed, so he had to learn to make his own with trash. Never did he ever expect life to go this way. It was bleak, but as long as there was hope, he had to carry on. It’s in a pony’s darkest days that the kindness of others shines through. Eventually, somepony out there will come save him. Someday.
Out of nowhere, his guitar was snatched. Swift’s eyes shot open. A stallion, not much bigger than him, galloped past him with the guitar in his mouth. “T-Thief!”
Frantically chasing after the thief, Swift Snow ran into traffic, alleys and jumped over fences. The most precious thing in the world was in that stallion’s mouth, and there was no way he’d let him have it, not when he paid so much for it.
The thief placed the guitar on his back to not damage it, although it weighed him down. He looked behind and was satisfied to notice he had successfully distanced himself from the white earth pony.
To catch up, Swift Snow jumped in a carriage and begged the driver to hurry up. “He’s heading in that tunnel!” The driver sprinted after the thief, following him in the dark tunnel where he had to squint to find him.
The stallion may be fast, but he was no match for the strong driver. Swift Snow jumped out of the carriage and caught the thief. “G-Give it-” He stopped once he got a good look at the instrument. It wasn’t his guitar, not at all. In the tunnel, he chased the wrong pony.
The innocent unicorn stared at him, bewildered, before hurrying away. Swift left the other side of the tunnel and stared blankly at the surrounding area. No thief in sight. No guitar in sight. No guitar... period.
He stared off in the distance soullessly. He stared for thirty minutes, but to him, it felt like a lifetime.
Prancelyn Bridge, an infamous bridge in Manehattan, known for being the longest suspension bridge in all Equestria. A marvelous achievement for sure, but it has its grim side. For the less happy souls, it is known as a good bridge to take the plunge. The drop in the river is steep. It is not uncommon to see a miserable pony jump off.
Of course, to jump off there would be rather... unoriginal, but it did not bother Swift Snow in the slightest. What reason was there to search high and low? He just wanted to drop below once and for all.
Slowly making his way to the bridge, he lamented on the way things turned out, on what would have happened had he been given the chance to follow his dream. Alas, not everpony is as lucky as Jolly Melody. Fortune and fame come only to the most talented, and talented Snow was not. It’s a sad reality, but one they all must come to face eventually.
Holding on to the railing, Swift looked down the bridge, gazing at the inviting sparkly water below. With puny body like his, the drop will be one hundred percent fatal. At that moment, he wondered what it would feel like to have somepony begging for him not to jump. Funny for sure, it’ll probably be the first time a pony would show some kindness to him. Anyhow, he had no reason to keep stalling and yet, he kept thinking about his entire life prior to this ultimatum.
The way these filthy rats kicked him down, the show Jolly Melody delivered, the theft of his last treasure. He stared blankly at the river, unable to move on from this pain. A part of him was still angry, too angry to give up. The rest, however, begged it to let up. What could a puny pony like him do? He can’t make a difference, force the world to change. He can’t get his dream back. He can’t-
“So, when are you going to jump? You look like you’ve made your mind ten minutes ago.”
Swift Snow flinched; he wasn’t expecting a stallion to be right next to him. As he faced the newcomer, his eyes widened in surprise. “You? Here?”
“Yes, me here.” Jolly Melody mockingly responded, his voice much lower than in his show. “Is that so surprising? I’m just hanging out on a bridge.”
The puny earth pony chuckled as he avoided the unicorn’s eyes, staring below. “Well, if you came here to make me reconsider; forget about it. I’m going to jump off that bridge.” He placed one of his hindleg on the barrier.
Jolly took out a sandwich nonchalantly. “Hm? Sure, go ahead. You surely don’t have anything to live for.”
Swift Snow stopped, placing his hind leg back on the bridge. “What? Did... Did I hear that right?”
The violet unicorn took a bite out of his sandwich, enjoying its nice taste. “I hang out on this bridge often. You do realise you’re not the first who’s here to take the plunge.”
The white stallion blinked, unamused. “Obviously. You take me for an idiot?”
Jolly Melody smirked. “I’ve seen them jump, and I caught every single one of them halfway down.” he stated it with a mocking tinge in his voice. “You’ll just end up the same as them.”
“Hey! I’m going to kill myself today. I swear I’ll kick your ass if you try to save me!”
The musician simply continued his warm meal without a care. “Now, now... Do you really wish to kill yourself?”
Swift Snow slammed the railing as hard as he could, ignoring the pain it caused. “Shut up already! You’re saying dumbass things just to stall me! It’s not gonna work!” He didn’t know what made him angrier, the fact that this great musician he idolised was secretly an asshole all along or the fact that he’s treating him like he was a clueless foal.
Jolly Melody’s smile dropped, and he now looked annoyed. Finally, he turned his head to look the stallion right in the eyes. “No, I’m educating you. Tell me; have you ever heard of the view from halfway down?”
Snow breathed heavily, fatigued from his outburst. He shook his head, “No. No, I haven’t heard of it.”
“Good, then wait just a teeny tiny moment before you jump.” Jolly Melody put his sandwich down and leaned on the railing. “Like I said, I saved many ponies from themselves right here. Every single one of them shared that look I see in your eyes. A certain numbness you can say. They all jumped, and I caught them all halfway down. You wanna know what I saw when I reeled them back to safety?” He raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“S-Sure. Just make it quick.”
“I saw a pony cowering in fear, tears streaming down their face... Weird, isn’t it?”
Swift Snow scratched the back of his head, perplexed. “I... what?”
“Exactly. That’s how I felt at first. Why are they so scared? Didn’t they want to die? I learned something important that fateful day. I know telling you that things will get better is meaningless. You’ve probably heard it before, and you’ve already decided that ending things is worth it. Your feelings are valid, so were theirs. However, I must tell you one thing; what if you don’t like the view from halfway down?”
Swift Snow recoiled slowly, flabbergasted. In face of such wise words, he didn’t know what to say. He opened his mouth and closed it.
Jolly Melody stared over the horizon. “You idealise suicide because you think it’s a way for you to take back control over your life, correct? Well, halfway down, you’ll come to realise you are totally out of control as to what happens next and that there’s no going back. You’ll realise... it didn’t need to be like this.”
The earth pony blanched, a dark heavy pressure on his rib cage nearly stopped his breathing.
“What now could slow the drop?” Jolly Melody asked, his voice heavy. “Now that you’ve heed my warning, you may decide. If you truly wish to die, well... I won’t catch you halfway down. You’ll get to feel the cold water.”
Swift Snow stared in the void, petrified. His body moved on its own, climbing on the railing. Before the beautiful sunset, he looked down. The sparkly water was getting dark and now, it didn’t look quite as inviting. His limbs trembled and his mouth quivered. His eyes wide open with unspeakable terror. I-I-I can’t do this... he repeated in his mind, his eyes tearing up. I’m too much of a coward. He closed his eyes.
Hooves climbed on the railing next to him. Jolly Melody chuckled. “Right, that’s what I thought.” Satisfied, he looked down at the sparkly water. His limbs were perfectly still, his mouth locked in a smirk. His eyes were calm and relaxed as he admired the view. In the face of death, Jolly didn’t blink. Then, the stallion leaned forward, and forward to the point that he looked like he should have fallen in the river.
And then, Swift Snow’s hooves lost contact with the railing, and he saw Jolly Melody upside down. He wasn’t on the bridge anymore. The drop wasn’t slow, it was terrifyingly fast.
Swift screamed as loud as he could, staring in terror at the view from halfway down. He wished he didn’t have to see the view from halfway down.
Then, like an angel, Jolly Melody stopped his fall, levitating him back to the safe haven that was the Prancelyn Bridge. Letting go, Swift fell on his side, his legs having given up entirely.
“Well, now you know all about the view from halfway down.” Jolly stated, satisfied. “If you ever plan on jumping still, can you please do it tomorrow at five pm?”
And he did return at five pm. Swift Snow waited an unbearably long time to see that unicorn again, desperate for some comfort. He understood why so many ponies adored him, and he wanted to hear his voice again for it was the only thing that soothed his jumbled mind. Jolly arrived, albeit late.
“My, you’ve got to be the most punctual stallion I’ve ever met. I like that.” His sharp, confident voice drew Swift closer. “It would appear I did talk some sense into you, that’s great. He he, you have yet to find your purpose, have you?”
Swift Snow nodded, gazing at the beautiful sunset. The view on the bridge was gorgeous, certainly better than the one halfway down. “I don’t know what I can even do, that’s just it. I lost the last thing that truly meant something.”
“A shame, to who did you lose it all to?” Jolly asked calmly, sounding genuinely concerned. At least, that’s what Swift liked to believe.
“I... don’t know. He was just another stallion in this city. A nopony like me, I guess.”
The violet unicorn shook his head. “Not what I meant. I’m talking about your life. Somepony took it away from you, and that’s why you were here yesterday. I’d like to know who.”
The white earth pony frowned; anger fused with pain. “Some rich criminal bastard who thought I was easy picking just because I'm small and weak. I sold everything for my chance to become a great musician like you, and I missed. It didn’t matter how good I was, this damn city had other plans for me. That’s all that matters in this world; strength and cruelty.”
“I see.” Jolly Melody unwrapped his sandwich and began eating. “What do you yearn for now?”
“I... I’m not sure anymore.” The stallion lowered his head and sighed.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re willing to try your chance at music again. Perhaps there is something burning within you, something that holds that desire back. Are you angry?”
Swift’s brows furrowed, albeit lightly. “I still am. That bastard took everything away from me. I’m nopony because of him.”
“I believe you misplace your hate.”
The earth pony raised an eyebrow. “Wha- how? He did it! How can I misplace it?!”
Jolly Melody’s face darkened. “He is but one of many rich monsters who take advantage of other’s weaknesses. You are fooling yourself if you believe he is the only one screwing over nice young ponies like you. Killing him won’t be enough, another will take his place. The problem cuts deeper than that and it is not an easy one to solve. I’m afraid my fortune and fame cannot provide a suitable remedy.”
Swift gritted his teeth, his brows furrowing further. “Figured as much. We’re just doomed to be trampled over by the strong, is that it?”
“I wouldn’t say we are doomed. It is not an easy problem to solve, but it can be dealt with. I sincerely wish the best for all the less fortunate. Sadly, it is becoming clear that Celestia can’t do anything about it. In situations like these, it’s up to us to take matters in our hooves, and deal with the problem. We can’t expect Celestia to do all the work. She’s too busy sitting atop her ivory castle, helping the more fortunate over you. It’s a shame, really, but it’s how the world has always operated.”
The earth pony’s ears perked. “Wh-What do you propose... i-if you have something in mind. I want nothing but justice for those who are being exploited by these scumbags. I want there to be a change in this damn city!”
The purple unicorn smiled confidently. “And that wish will come true in due time. Our mission will not be easy. For that, we must learn to separate our feelings from our sense of duty. We must ascend beyond our stature as ponies. We will bring along a new wave of hope and equality to Equestria. But for that, we’ll need more allies. Together, we’ll make a difference.”
Swift Snow smiled back. “If it means nopony will ever suffer like me then... I’ll do it. Heh, I don’t think I ever told you, my name. I’m Swift Snow.”
“And I’m Jolly Melody, though you already knew that from the start.”
The next few years of Swift’s life were great. Reborn anew as Strong Hoof, he became the right hoof to Jolly Melody, now rebranded as Anarchy. Together, they amassed a strong following, each beaten down by the very society they lived in. United by a common hatred, the newly formed Anarchists quickly spread terror across the many regions of Equestria, especially in the big cities. In a matter of weeks their logo was in the newspaper, making the rounds around the country.
Strong Hoof never failed, never faltered. Every mission he was given, he excelled. He killed all who dared to stand in the way of their freedom. Ever since he became the snow-white giant he’s known for presently, he grew closer to Anarchy, the pony that saved his life that day. Under the light of the press, he was hidden. Anarchy took the blame for everything Strong Hoof did. But for the smarter ones, and especially the other ponies dwelling in the shadows, they knew his name... and they feared the colossal titan. Especially those who have wronged him.
A few years later, he came across Silver Fang again. Only this time, the rich pegasus was in a pickle. Captured and ransomed by a rival gang, the Anarchists just so happen to stumble onto him, tied up.
Anarchy leaned over to confirm his identity, then chuckled. “Well, what do you know? They handed us a big one on a silver platter. I think that’s a higher up.”
“How the tides turn.” Strong Hoof mocked, looming above the decidedly smaller stallion that once persecuted him. Looking down on him from his new height felt cathartic. Never had he seen him this scared. It made him feel powerful, invincible.
“Wa-Wait, I know you, d-don't I?”
Inside the decrepit warehouse of a criminal organisation, Strong Hoof grinned before the kneeling pegasus. Money meant nothing to him anymore. All that mattered was the size of the muscles to determine who’s stronger. Surrounded by corpses, they exposed Silver Fang for who he truly was, a weak coward who hides behind his wealth and his name. When faced with adversity, he crumbles.
“Why certainly. You broke me once. It was a long time ago. Now, I’ve come to settle the score with the help of a dear friend.” His words were chilling, deceptively calm.
“H-hey, hold on a minute!” Silver Fang squealed. “I can give you all my money! You’ll never be stuck in the streets again! It’s like I never did anything to you, r-right?”
Anarchy hopped behind him, wrapping his hooves around his shoulder. “Aw, I’m afraid Anarchists don’t see much value in cold hard cash. We do see value however, in nice warm blood. The crimson masks don’t look in the eye when they perform the deed, but we’re a cut above them. We watch till the very end.” The dark stallion looked at his ponies and clopped his hooves, commanding them to come closer.
“Take it away, Strong Hoof.”
“Why certainly, Anarchy. I will take my sweet time. We do have all day after all.” Strong Hoof concluded as he opened his jaw.
The next few minutes were filled with gurgles, cough, ripping and the crushing of bones. A sick symphony of pain as the air flew out of Silver Fang’s lungs, unable to scream. Everywhere he looked, he saw the cold, uncaring gaze of ponies, some of them he recognised. These one’s faces were twisted into looks of pure malice. The last one, Anarchy, ooh’d and aah’d before the grim spectacle.
With one last gasp, the pegasus was no more and whatever was left was taken by the others. In a sick twist of fate, he got to experience the other side of the spectrum.
But now, Strong Hoof’s efficiency was being called into question. He embarrassingly failed to murder a filly, brutally humiliated next to his peers. In just five minutes, he was kicked down to the bottom of the ladder but was hoofed another chance and he will seize it. All those who stand in his way will die, crushed beneath the shadow of his hooves.
Olive, that monster will not see the light of day. Strong Hoof never forgot that massacre, he never forgot the many friends that were ripped apart right before his very eyes. An eye for an eye, he will put an end to this grim chapter.
He’s learned his lesson. He will not take his time with her, nor does she even deserve anything. The witch will disappear, gone without a trace. He’ll make sure that happens. As for the other objectives, he’ll accomplish them as he always did; quick and efficient.
Lightning struck, and Strong Hoof stopped. Right in the middle of town was a mare who braved the storm with a cloak and a lantern, heading somewhere. The white stallion has had it of waiting idly. It was finally time for blood.
“And here I thought it would be a difficult endeavor.”
The wind roared, the rain splattered against her back and lightning struck the earth with the strength of a raging fire. Every step Applejack took was arduous, the fury of the storm placed every hurdle imaginable in her way to the school. The cloak added some extra weight to pull, pushed by the wind. If only the wind wasn’t moving in the opposite direction. Nevertheless, nothing could truly stop her from rescuing the fillies.
No matter how hard it tries, she’ll carry on. The darkness made it hard to navigate. The lantern only lit the path a few meters ahead. The lightning took care of lighting up the rest of the way periodically. As such, most of that journey had to be done by memory. Then, the storm grew even stronger. The ground shook at irregular intervals, accompanied by an odd sound. The more she advanced, the stronger the quake.
Applejack tripped, face planting in the mud. Groaning, she lifted herself from the dirt, surprised that the shaking grew stronger, homing in on her position. She picked up her lantern, wiping away the mud on the handle.
Wait, what?
Lightning struck the earth, and with it came a loud growl. It did not sound like a beast, but it sounded like it came from something gigantic. There were no doubts in her mind, she was being pursued by a thing.
Applejack spun around, meeting only darkness. Her body was trembling, partly by the cold touch of the rain but mostly by that looming sense of fear in the roaring air. Whatever was out there could see her, that much was true. The light of the lantern only served to expose her in the dark.
The quaking stopped. The growls did too.
Applejack waited in bathed breath to see what was right in front of her.
Lightning struck, and she screamed in horror, taking a step back as her lantern broke on the ground.
Looming above her was a towering figure, one with a sickening grin. White as snow, a dark cap resting on his head, black mane and tail, scarlet eyes. It was an earth pony, but one that was too big to be just your average stallion. In a strangely calm and diplomatic voice, he spoke.
“Applejack. It is so nice to see you...”
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the storm has disappeared?
Kinda have someone to help me
TIME(y)
A Time Alicorn
Hmm... seems like this fight has finally come. The tales and build up have all lead to this. And thus here we are. A war is to now begin and take place.
Let's see if Princess Twilight and her Friends have what it takes. maybe Olive too. Maybe Applejack can summon some of that season 7 finale strength.
And lets see what an organized strength and set position of the Equestrian Royal Guard can do. I am a little surprised Celestia doesnt have a new Captain of the Solar Guard unless Mango is it?
aw shit
Spoiled Rich or Silver Spoon?
he was surrounded by ponies, mainly mares, demanding an autograph or a picture with him.
Captain America meme about understanding the reference.
Now I wonder, how many references have you left throughout this story that have gone unnoticed and unappreciated?
You must have left a few, I'm sure, waiting for someone to point out or laugh at them.
following him in the dark tunnel where he had to squint to find him.
I think there is a "not" missing before the "jump". If not, then I don't know how would that be kindness.
Fui! This one was a long one!
And, 5 of all the stories I follow updated at the same day! Did I miss something?
Glad that we finally had Strong Hoofs backstory reveal, now, would we get the one from the other gal, Dreamcatcher, to?
THE BUILD UP, THE PRESSURE, THE EXPECTATIONS!!!
LET THE BOMB BLOW, LET THE VOLCANO BURST! Can't wait for the next one!!
11769068
I suppose Mango is filling in both position, though as Luna said: He'll prove that he's worthy of this position despite being kind of an alcoholic. The fight with Strong Hoof is going to be tough for sure, he's wearing the very necklace Mango warned Twilight about.
11769151
There's a lot of references to various media in this story, some are even in the chapter's title. Just to name one, chapter 27: Slightly Artistic is based on Oneyplay's serie also titled Slightly Artistic, which is a play on the phrase; slightly autistic. One is an Adventure Time reference (C23), another a reference to an old half life horror mod (C7), etc.
And I'm gonna be honest, I didn't really have a backstory planned for Dreamcatcher. I just figured it'd be kinda redundant considering most of Anarchy's supporter have gone through a similar experience prior to meeting him. That is to say, they were miserable and held a grudge towards those more fortunate than them. Strong Hoof's backstory was meant to show two things; How he came to be this way, of course. And how Anarchy was able to amass a following.
11769442
I wonder if Stronghoof is even ready for Pinkie's wackiness?
11769442
Sad to hear that. I just find her fascinating, or rather her ability to interfere with Luna's dream magic; It has to be a rare magical talent, and usually those are the ones that come with an interesting story behind it.
11769476
Actually, I may have found something for her. I'll give it some thoughts and then maybe I'll include it somewhere in chapter 40, although it won't be as long as Strong Hoof. It should be interesting whilst also highlighting more of Anarchy's fascination towards the mare on the moon.
With no has one of the best side villain back stories I have read from this website good intentions that went horribly horribly wrong. I'll have more to say when I sit down and really get riding.
11770378
Hey, glad you liked it! I always wanted there to be more to Strong Hoof instead of just being an evil bouncer for Anarchy. It's also why he's the one responsible for nearly killing Olive in chapter 1. He really needed to be more than a goon. This flashback also plays into Anarchy's manipulative side by showing how great he is at charming other ponies to follow him.
With that backstory, we'll be fully ready to begin the battle I've been building up to for a long time. It's going to be a big, suspenseful and action packed chapter. Thankfully, I've earned more spare time to work on the story, so perhaps I'll be able to get it out quickly.