When The World Bets Against You

by Tie RoamingHooves

Respectful Occupation

Cadence heard the sounds of the humans in the hallway. From what she could tell, they were clearing everypony out of the building. She needed a plan and she needed it fast. Cadence shot a hopeful glance to Cool and Brisk. Everypony blinked. They’d had a single thought on the same wavelength and a was hatched.

Cadence knew Twilight wouldn’t respond to her but she wanted to speak with her more for herself than anything. She broke her out of the dungeons and she was not going to lose her. She had been right under her the whole time. Twilight’s safety was top priority. She trotted to the bedside where Twilight only looked to the ceiling.

“Twilight, I don’t have much time and I know you don’t want to talk so please just listen. I don’t know what they did to you down there, but whoever did this is going to pay. If you ever decide to name the pony who did this, I’ll end them. Plain and simple.”

“Now here’s what’s going to happen. I there’s any army of humans outside and some of the humans are checking this building. I’m going to use the last of my magic to teleport you and one of my guards as far away as possible. I’ll stay behind and buy some time for you to get away.” She paused. “And Twilight, whatever happens... please know that I love you. You are the little sister I never had.” Cadence quickly hugged the human right, the former doing nothing.. The sounds of a room close to them having being entered and quickly searched was heard meaning time was short.

Cadence turned to see Brisk wind had stepped forward. Behind them was a game of tic-tac-toe scratched into the wall. It was best out of three and it seemed Brisk Wind had lost. Brisk took the hint and shuffled over to Twilight and put her helmet on. The pegasus nodded and gave a determined expression. Cadence’s horn fired up and was glowing intensely.

Cool Ember looked to Brisk with a solemn look. “Stay safe.”

The armor clad mare returned the look and nodded. The air around the two started swirling before a high pitched warble rose in volume before fading away in an instant along with one pegasus and one human. Wherever they are, their on their own now. It was at that time that the door was kicked in and Cadence felt the effects of expending the last of her mana reserves after using two-long range teleportation spells in less than twenty-four hours.

The human soldiers rushed into the room wearing strange tan armor and carrying black tubes with them. Cool Ember heard the princess slump to the floor behind him. The way the humans carried the black objects suggested that the weapons. Cool saw the holes in the ends of tube sticking out of the front of them and deduced that they were some sort of projectile weapon. Cool took a defensive stance in front of Princess Cadence as the humans didn’t lower their weapons.

“You aren’t getting near her without going through me.” he growled as his horn started glowing in preparation to cast any type of spell he would need. The humans didn’t lower their weapons confirming that they weren’t going to back down. One of the humans in the back turned away and put one of its appendages up to the side of its head. He heard it talking and then saw it nod and turn back.

“The Colonel wants us to bring them back to the eff oh bee for questioning. We have our orders.” the human said before walking in front of the others and looking directly at the armor clad stallion. “Look buddy, we’re not going to hurt you. I have orders to bring you both to my commanding officer and answer some questions. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. It’s your choice.”

“Well, I guess we’ll do it th-” Cool Ember stopped when he felt a hoof on his leg. He looked back and saw Cadence frowning at him weakly and shaking her head.

The guard protested. “But, You Highness, th-”

“No, Sergeant... that’s an order.”

He would have complained further but Cadence gave him a sharp glare and he complied. “As you wish, Princess.” he said with a lowering of his head.

“And be nice.” she told him. The stallion grumbled.

Cool Ember looked behind them to see that the humans had lowered their weapons and exchanging looks. And here he’d thought that they were going to kill them. A bad first impression then. That doesn’t change the fact that they are invading seizing control of Equestrian soil so he didn’t think of them warmly in the slightest.

Cool turned to Cadence who was still weak and helped her to her hooves. With the help of his magic he got her standing.

“If you two would be so kind as to follow me.” the human said. Shakily, the pair did as told and followed the human out the door. Behind them the rest of humans who followed them. “I’m Staff Sergeant Mikes by the way. Just call me Mikes. How about you two? Who are you?”

Both Cadence and Cool were puzzled by the human. Wasn’t this a hostile take over? Why were they being treated with respect? Any other time something comes in and tries to take over Equestria they usually aren't as pleasant to be around.

“Sergeant Cool Ember.” answered the stallion. “Call me what you like.”

“I’m Princess Cadence. Cadence is just fine.... I’m sorry but why are you being so... well, semi-respectful as far as I can tell?” Cool helped Cadence down the stairs but wanted to know the same thing.

“What do you mean?” Mikes asked without turning back to look at them.

As the group entered the lobby of the hotel, there was at least sixty or soldiers performing various tasks or keeping post. It was crowded because the lobby wasn’t that big. There were dark green crates and cases stacked against the walls and more were being carried in. The group got out the front doors which were propped open.

“Well you’re seizing control of Ponyville. Aren’t we your enemy?”

Cadence was then shocked by what she saw next when she walked out the front. Lined up against a wall of a building on the opposite side of the street were a multitude of ponies who were battered and bruised. Most of the unicorns in the group had their horns broken. The ones whose horns remained were guarded closely.

“No. Only the ones who fight back.” He paused. “Those are the ones who took the hint and gave up though. A few didn’t and it didn’t end well for them.” Mikes chuckled briefly.

Cadence was horrified and angered. “Why are you doing this?!” Cadence shouted suddenly. Every soldier tensed and the ponies along the wall saw her and looked ready to save if need be causing the humans guarding them to raise their weapons to sit them back down. Other humans in Cadence’s vacinity saw the guards raise their weapons so the trained their weapons on the princess.

Cool Ember saw this and put himself in front of her and his horn started glowing at the ready. They sight of the glowing horn caused every human to take a step back but tense up more in wait of a reason to shoot.

“God, damn it...” Mikes sighed. “Stand down soldiers! Get your guns off of her. That’s no way to treat a lady. And you! Put that horn out or you’ll end up like them over there.” he said gesturing to the ponies taken prisoner. Cadence gave Cool a nod and his horn stopped glowing. At that, the humans around them lowered their weapons and moved on save for the few that were supposed take them to this’ “eff oh bee” place.

“We’re not doing anything but occupying this town among others. If we wanted to kill you all, you’d be dead already. I wasn’t told not to give information but I was never told to give any either. The Colonel will probably answer your questions anyhow.” Mike sighed. “Look, I’m doing my best to not get you killed but outbursts like that will. I’d like it if you’d just come with us without asking questions because otherwise its only gonna make this trip a whole lot more unpleasant.” He pointed towards Town Square. "Now would you please follow me so I can hand you over to my cee oh? The French bastard will hand me my ass if you get hurt."

Unpleasant was definitely one word for it. They weren’t the ones having their homes taken.

Cadence sighed and silently complied. The group walked down the side of the roads so they wouldn’t hinder any of the vehicles.She looked around and saw the faces of some ponies and foals. They were all frightened, confused and lost. They didn’t know what was going to happen. Their future was uncertain now and it caused long faces all around.

At least Twilight is safe though. That’s all that mattered. Wherever she is, Cadence hoped that she’d have a good chance to get away. She also hoped that’d she’d find a way get better. She didn’t deserve to hurt like that...

---

Ashley heard helicopters. She was going to be rescued!... or at least she thought. Five minutes later the crowned pony, she decided to dub the “queen” if the crown was any indication, walked in with a contingent of guards. Ashley would have been relieved, if she didn’t look into the queen’s eyes. Her eyes terrified her. They just looked... wrong...

The queen smiled at her. She didn't like the look of that smile. "Today is you lucky day. It seems your friends have arrived to get you." Something was wrong with the way she said that. Something was going to happen. Her body screamed for her to run but there was nowhere to go. What was she going to do with her?

Author's Note:

Diabetus. Here's more crap. Time for a new episode so, SSSSSSEEEEEEEE YAAAAAAAA!

Procrastinating the construction of Fort Procrastination,

--RoamingHooves--

Comments

[Ponynator]

Dat ending....
This isn't going to be good...

[thewookie1]

NATO Forces it would appear the forces are, only way for there to be a Frenchman in charge of Non-Frenchmen in such a way.

America better be blasting that asteroid and digging important people into bunkers for the eventual impact, and subsequent rebuilding of society.

[TheMyth]

2064144
Well not really... considering that Twilight's age in Cutie Mark Chronicles flashback (For Celestia's school for gifted unicorns) could have been 12... so she would be in a sense a teen-age mother (since she did will Spike into life with her magic etc)

[StormyVenture]

I say ponies proceed from calmly accepting fate to burning humans to nothingness (or maybe send them to the moon so they can suffocate to death) and their stupid portal too. These guys are a*holes... who don't understand that they count as a hostile invasion and don't have a right to anything. Those ponies really have some strong words with some people

[Noyoki1]

Oh Celestia... I got the perfect song for you

Also, this for Twilight (sums up her feelings I think)

man I hate Celestia right now...

perhaps this all the way at the end of the story