For the New Lunar Republic

by Moxypony

Chapter 22 - Open Rebellion

Six Months Later

Six months of open rebellion. Ever since the message had gone out, Equestria had been split in two. Ponies outraged by what they had heard had turned against Celestia, they burned effigies in the streets, tore down posters and rioted in the streets, calling for the Empress’ abdication of the throne, but as many as their number stood by Her Majesty’s side, such was the case for nearly all the ponies in Barfrost’s hometown of Bridleburg.

Barfrost found himself standing guard on the town’s borders every night now, defending the populace in case the New Lunar Republican army should come across them in their rampage across the nation. More than once the patrols had come across ponies out in the wilderness, malnourished and in poor shape from running from those who’d ousted them from their homes for their loyalty to the Empress.

“You’d think after more than a millennium of good grace,” came a voice from farther down the wall where other Imperial soldiers sat at their posts, “it would take more than the traitorous nonsense of Celestia’s power-hungry sister to turn the ponies against their leader.”

Barfrost sighed; he had chafed under the change in Celestia’s rule of the past several years himself. He’d found the increased military presence in so many towns to be uncomfortable and the stricter law and rumors of intensified punishments had reached him as well, but the last several months had shown him just how necessary it had all been.

“It’s not just that, Gavin,” he spoke aloud, seeing his words before him in the form of a cool mist, despite the constant daylight the weather was still dropping to dangerous levels at times, “I know it’s all necessary and Celestia knows I’m not questioning Her Majesty, but the last few years have seen terrible hardships befall the whole country. I can’t entirely fault them for looking for somepony to blame.”

Gavin snorted and turned his eyes back onto the horizon.

“Report, soldier,” came a cultured female voice from behind them.

Barfrost snapped to a salute and turned to face the mare. “All quiet, General Sparkle,” he tried to keep his voice robust, but a juvenile crack broke through, causing the colt to go slightly pink in the face, “no sign of movement in the area, enemy or otherwise.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled at him, her eye looked heavy and the smile betrayed the premature wrinkles spreading across her face. The general’s division had been stationed on the outskirts of Bridleburg for nearly a week while she awaited new orders, the troops were camped a short ways outside the village, but the general herself had been gifted a bedroom in the mayor’s own home, a sign of good will from the grateful townsfolk to the Imperial Military. “Private Barfrost, isn’t it?” she asked, “I’ve heard of you from some of my men, as well as a few locals. I was wondering if you would join me for a drink down at the inn?”

Barfrost’s jaw dropped hard enough to bruise his forelegs, but he quickly pulled himself together and nodded vigorously, “Of- Of course, General! It would be my honor!”
“Please,” she smiled at the younger pony, “call me Twilight.”

The innkeeper had been quick to lead Barfrost and Twilight to a private parlor, leaving the two warming their bodies beside a roaring fire while he ran off to bring them drinks. They sat in silence while he brought them two glasses of amber liquid, leaving a bottle in case they wanted any more, and even after he had shown himself out and Twilight had taken a deep pull from her own glass, she still sat in silence for a spell, staring wistfully into the flames.

“When did you enlist in the Imperial Militia, Private?” she asked, not taking her eyes from the flames.

“About five months ago, ma’am,” he responded, “I saw the country going to hell all around us and I figured the townsfolk needed ponies to protect them.”

“A noble goal,” the mare smiled at him, “but there is nothing noble about war, Private. It can turn ponies into animals… monsters… I’ve seen personally the kind of terrible things our enemies are capable of,” she stroked one hoof over the eyepatch covering her right eye socket, “and while it steels my resolve that we can afford to give them no quarter, it does not calm my mind to the horrors that I have had to inflict…”

“General,” Barfrost said, tentatively laying a hoof over hers, “I’m sure you’ve only done what’s necessary, you are a good mare! You want to protect the ponies of Equestria, just like the rest of us.”

Twilight smiled at him, tears welling up in her eye. “I’ve gone beyond the call of my duty,” she said, tears causing her voice to shudder, “I’ve fallen prey to petty vengeance and anger, and I don’t even know why… The things I’ve done with this horn,” she absent-mindedly stroked at her horn with one hoof, “I don’t think when all this is over I’ll ever be able to use my magic again… I already have nightmares every night about the things I’ve done, even using my magic to open a door brings back the faces of the ponies I’ve killed with my power…”

Tears were streaming down the mare’s left cheek, dripping from her chin to the floor. “Spike tries to reassure me,” she laughed bitterly, “he’s doing so now, but the same reason he can try to reassure me regardless of the situation is the same reason I don’t know if I can trust his judgment, he and I are inextricably linked, our minds intertwined so we can feel one another’s thoughts and emotions, maybe he’s just the part of me trying to convince myself that I’m in the right…”

“Those ponies were a threat to Equestria, General,” Barfrost said, trying to keep cheerful beside the rapidly dissolving mare, “we have to fight them, and if they choose to fight to the death, there is only one way we can stop them!”

“I know that,” she said, taking a deep breath to steady herself, “Sometimes I just wonder, Private, when this war is over, how am I going to live with myself?”